Lists, Lists, Lists!!!

Do you remember way back when I said lets make a cleaning list? Well, I’ve made a series of lists because sometimes the job of keeping a clean house can be overwhelming. If I make a list and check off chores as I do them I can be assured that these things get done at least four times a year. Do I stress out about getting everything done in a day? NO! Just take your time and go one chore/list/or room at a time. Some of this gets done more than seasonally – but sometimes life gets in the way -

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Cleaning List

Clean under and behind:

• Stove
• Fridge
• Dressers
• Range Hood
• Furniture
• Appliances on the counter (like the microwave)

Clean out (REALLY WELL)

• Fridge
• Freezer
• Pantry
• Shed
• Sewing Machines

Wash

• Windows
• Curtains
• Top bed blankets (You know like that special quilt that you don’t wash too often)

Wipe down

• Knickknacks
• Seldom used kitchen appliances stored in the basement
• Light fixtures
• Fronts of kitchen cabinets

Oil the woodwork

• Door frames (Especially wipe the tops – yuck!)
• Window frames (ditto)
• Shelves
• Furniture

Vacuum/ShopVac

• All parts of the couch Holy Cow! I just did this and it HAS to be on the weekly list instead! Ick!
• Basement floor
• Basement ceiling
• Steps to the upstairs
• Mattresses
• Under the beds

Sort and purge

• Last season’s clothes (Hint: we put all our clothes on hangers – I always put the clean clothes on the left with the hangers turned around at the beginning of the season – as laundry gets done I hang them back up only on the left - so at the end of the season if the hangers on the right are still turned around we didn’t wear those clothes – if it isn’t because it was too big for them/you donate it!)
• Tupperware and lids
• Kids toys (Do kids even play with toys anymore?)

Just Fall

• Rake and cover flower beds (with pine needles in my case)
• Get out winter blankets (I cleaned them last spring so maybe I just air them on the close line for a day)
• Locate winter wear and check it’s condition
• Empty and store flower pots
• Clean carpets

Just Spring

• Rake and uncover flower beds
• Wash and put away winter wear purge outgrown/destroyed snowpants (Yippeeee!!)
• Get dirt and start planting the planters!

Daily Chores

• Sweep
• Laundry
• Dishes
• Vacuum (yes, I do this almost every day)

Weekly Chores

• Clean bathroom
• Vacuum all parts of the couch
• Wash sheets
• Wash floors
• Dust (Just run a microfiber cloth over everything)
• Wash pet bedding (My 8 year old does this chore!)
• Wash living room blankets (We use these every day – like to cuddle up – again, the kids wash these.)
• Wipe ceiling fans

Monthly Chores

• Change the furnace filter
• Clean bathroom venting fan

NOTE: The type in blue has been updated since the original post.

And for crying out loud! Get the kids involved! Why did you have them? So you could wait on them hand and foot? NO! You’re trying to raise self-sufficient adults here. I used to think it was my job to do all the cleaning cause I’m the mom. And a stay-at-home mom at that. And it is usually EASIER to do it myself. Then it occurred to me that I wasn’t doing my kids any favors – how were they going to cope without knowing how to even run a washing machine? It starts with you teaching them how to do this stuff. Bonus: if they have to clean it they are less likely to make such a mess in the first place. My daughter uses way less towels in the morning cause she has to fold them and put them away now. Sneaky - I know!!

If you’ve gotten this far you must like lists as much as I do. Or you’re shaking your head wondering what this crazy woman is going to do next. hehe!! Well, I’ll be updating this list as things occur to me. Ahhh, I can sleep. A master list that’s in one spot that I can tweak… at last!!