WHAT TO CLEAN DAILY
It can be nearly impossible to keep a house clean if you don't have a system in place for doing daily maintenance. Creating a checklist for yourself can really help you to get it done in the least amount of time each day. If things are maintained daily, then they never add up to a really big job. Use these tips to get started making your own list, tackling your own problems areas, and getting your house in order.
Make a list of what you need to do in your home, room by room.
Kitchen: In the kitchen, there are obvious things that need to be done daily, dishes being one of them. Besides that, you can add other things that are specific to you. Check the fridge for things that are expired or too old to keep. Get fruit cut up and bagged for kids' lunches the next day. Wipe down the microwave, stovetop and countertops. Sweep the floor and mop. Make sure that things left on the kitchen table are put away. Then you can have your "once a month" cleaning list that takes care of the other things that will eventually need to be cleaned. Windows, light fixtures, polishing cabinets, and cleaning under the refrigerator can be on this list.
Bathroom: Bathrooms are not hard to keep clean at all if you quickly go through every day and do a couple of things. Take dirty laundry to the laundry room, wipe down countertops and the toilet, wipe the mirror, empty the trash and put things back where they go. You can also keep your bathtub and shower curtains clean by spraying a daily shower spray on them. Or, you can mix bleach with water and just give the shower curtain and bathtub a quick spritz. This will keep mold, mildew, and viruses at bay.
Bedroom: In the bedrooms, you will need to put toys and other items away, gather laundry, empty trash, and make the beds. You can add wiping down dresser tops and cleaning mirrors if necessary. Vacuum if you need to and change out sheets at least once a week. Keeping dust and other allergens down to a minimum in sleeping areas really helps to control allergies.
Laundry: Laundry is best done every day. Doing multiple small loads a week is a lot less work than doing all of the laundry on the weekend. I like to put in a load to wash every morning before work and then toss it in the dryer as soon as I get home. That night, I gather the clothes, hang them on their proper clothes hangers or fold them, and put them away immediately before bed. This way, I never spend more than five minutes on laundry.
Add other items to your list that you want to do weekly or monthly. Clean ceiling fans, change out the air conditioner filter, and polish floors.
About the Author: Jo Granville is on the staff of Only Hangers, a leading online resource for well made clothing hangers.