When your house is a mess, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the thought of cleaning. This is where a weekly cleaning schedule can be a game-changer. You’ll have a visual plan of attack when it comes to what to clean and when.

With a weekly home cleaning schedule, there’s no running around from room to room debating what to do first. The best part of a cleaning schedule is that it holds you and everyone else in your home accountable.

From who does the laundry, to how often you clean the shower, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about creating an effective home cleaning schedule. If this sounds like something your household needs, read on to learn how to create a cleaning schedule you can stick to.

Why Do You Need a Weekly Cleaning Schedule?

Cleaning a home is daunting. Whether you have a studio apartment all to yourself or a five-bedroom home with four kids, not having a plan makes things a lot harder. Having a cleaning schedule ensures that everyone in your home knows what needs to be done and when.

With a cleaning schedule, you and your significant other can check off when their task is completed and there are no arguments. No more fighting over who’s turn it is to load the dishwasher or clean the bathroom.

The same goes for Saturday laundry day or Friday garbage take-out. Write it down, make it visible, and end the constant cleaning battles.

How Long is Your Home Cleaning Schedule?

When you’re making a weekly cleaning schedule, the first thing you’ll want to do is determine how much time you have. Let’s say you want to devote seven hours of cleaning per week. That can come out to five hours during the workweek and two hours on the weekend.

Keep in mind, the more people you have in your home, the more this time can be divided up. When you’re thinking about time, consider additional tasks that don’t need to be done each week as well. There are some items you can do monthly or even quarterly.

When it comes to time, be realistic. If your weekends are always spent out and about, don’t try and squeeze in five hours of cleaning on a Saturday. Make this schedule something you can stick to.

Make a Task List

Now that you know how much time you’re devoting to cleaning, it’s time to make your list of tasks. Be practical with what you can accomplish. If you don’t have a ton of time to devote to cleaning, work on what is most important to you.

High-priority tasks typically include wiping down surfaces, cleaning dishes, doing the laundry, and cleaning floors. Everyday tasks can be picking up, taking out the trash, and unloading the dishwasher, for example. Good Housekeeping has a good list to start from.

Put a Frequency Next to Each Task

While it sounds wonderful in theory to clean your floors, your bathrooms, and your oven every day, this probably isn’t realistic. Instead, put a frequency next to each task on your list.

Dishes will probably get done each day, while you can do laundry once a week. You may clean your shower every Sunday morning, but your kitchen island gets wiped down each night. The key is to disinfect in high traffic areas and keep your home picked up.

Give Each Task a Specific Day

To create an effective cleaning schedule, you’ll want to be as specific as possible so there’s no gray area. If you want a load of towels washed and put away each week, markdown a specific day this should be done.

If you always go grocery shopping on Saturday morning, make Friday night the night you empty out your refrigerator. If you’re also enlisting professional help, make the night before they come to be the day your kids pick up their rooms.

Create Assignments

If you have a family or partner to share responsibilities with, make weekly cleaning a family affair. Even toddlers can have assignments such as picking up their toys.

One thing to keep in mind to reduce family-friction is to have a meeting about your schedule. Maybe your spouse finds sweeping therapeutic and your daughter prefers to wash her own clothes. Play to your strengths so everything isn’t a battle.

Having a meeting also ensures everyone is on board and accepting of their roles. With a clear plan, there is no guessing about who has to do what and when. You can also use this time to think about what you need help with from a cleaning service.

Put Your House Cleaning Schedule in Writing

To make a cleaning schedule you can stick to, put it in writing. A whiteboard is a great way to make your cleaning schedule visible to the whole family. With a whiteboard, you can also check off what has been completed.

Everyone in your house will be able to see who finished the tasks they were supposed to. Display your cleaning schedule somewhere visible to everyone. This can be your refrigerator, your laundry room, the mudroom, or on a shared cloud calendar.

Enlist the Pros

Making a weekly cleaning schedule will help streamline your life. Instead of wondering what to clean and when you’ll have a clear plan everyone in the house can follow. When you begin making your weekly cleaning schedule, go easy on yourself, and set realistic goals.

If you need extra help during the week, a team of cleaning professionals can fill in the gaps. They’ll be able to tackle anything from deep cleaning to everyday messes. If you’re ready to get some time back on the weekends, fill out the contact form here to receive a free quote.