One of my greatest passions is to continually preach this mantra: It is possible to be a good homemaker while working outside the home! There are so many women who long for this reality but aren’t quite sure it’s possible. I’m here to tell you that it is!
Here’s the catch – daily maintenance makes a huge difference. Just like you can’t only eat healthy on Saturday and lose weight, it’s really hard to maintain a well-managed home if you only clean once a week.
I’ve found the most success in maintaining a presentable home by doing one or two chores each day. It only takes a few minutes to accomplish these tasks in my little ranch home, so unless you’re vacuuming 10,000 square feet of carpet you can fit these into your busy day too!
Daily – these are from my morning and evening routines
- Empty Litter Box
- Clear & Wipe Down Kitchen Counters
- Empty Dish Drainer & Clean the Sink
- Tidy Living Room
- Make the Bed
- Wipe Bathroom Surfaces
- Sweep kitchen floor
- Run/Empty Dishwasher (as needed)
Weekly – I try to do these as soon as I get home from work or immediately after cleaning up from supper
- Monday: Dust
- Tuesday: Clothes Laundry (start in the AM, fold in the afternoon)/Vacuum
- Wednesday: Hall Bathroom
- Thursday: Clothes Laundry (start in the AM, fold in the afternoon)
- Friday: Master Bathroom
- Saturday: Linen Laundry/Vacuum/Mop/Change Sheets
These daily chores really give my schedule so much breathing room! If I’m gone overnight or for the weekend, I’m not horribly behind on my housekeeping. One tip: give yourself a buffer day. Thursday only has one chore – laundry – so if I need to work ahead for a weekend away I’ll clean the bathroom or vacuum on that day as well.
Read More: How To Have A Clean Kitchen At Night
It is possible to have a tidy home, but it takes intentional effort each day. And by the way, I’m not against enlisting help with these chores! Get your kids involved or hire some help if you’re able. ❤
Come Home For Comfort 
This is a good reminder. I try to do the windows, dust baseboards on long weekends or extended breaks from work. These usually happen 1-2 times a year. The rest of the daily and weekly chores just needed to be done. Whitney, I agree: INTENTIONAL is the key word here. Thanks for the post.
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That sounds like a great system!
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Hi Whitney, do you do any type of zone cleaning? Rotation for the things that don’t need cleaned on a weekly basis such as baseboards, Windows, ceiling fans etc?
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Hi Nikki – I don’t follow a schedule for that like I used to. Now I just do things when I notice they need to be cleaned. It helps that I write all my chores in my planner, so if I wonder how long it’s been since I washed the couch covers or changed the air filters, I can just look back on my to-do lists. Here’s the cleaning schedule that I used to use – it worked well for me! https://comehomeforcomfort.com/2017/02/06/my-2017-household-cleaning-schedule/
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I love your schedule! It’s so realistic yet thorough! It seems similar to what I already do but I think writing it down like that would keep me more accountable– esp the twice a week vacuuming! With two toddlers, I need to be vacuuming more than once a week now. Thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
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Hi Laura! Yes, writing it down is just another step in helping me be efficient and keeping me accountable.
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Your home is adorable. I love your style!
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Thank you, Beth! It’s definitely “curated” with pieces I’ve slowly picked up over the last 10 years. ❤
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Whitney, when I was a little girl we used to play Here we Go Round the Mulberry Bush. Each day of the week had a chore. I think it went like this, Monday …wash the clothes, Tuesday Iron the Clothes, Wednesday Sweep the Floors, Thursday Mop the Floors, Friday Bake the Bread….I cannot remember Saturday. Maybe that was Market day! It was just a little song/game but it did instill that each day had some chore to do. It was good training for me.lol
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That’s so cute – and such a smart strategy for home management. 🙂
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Why does cleaning just never have an end?!! I finally gave in and had to hire someone again and still the amount I have to do overwhelms me some days. haha
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There is absolutely no shame in hiring help – it’s a smart thing to do if you’re able! 🙂 I imagine it can be overwhelming with the amount of traveling you’re doing right now.
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