Housekeeping Checklist

Housekeeping can be an enormous job, especially when both parents work and there are children in the home! However, even singles and couples without kids can benefit from a housekeeping plan that sets out tasks on a daily, weekly and monthly basis and ensures that clutter and dust doesn't build up. Some people prefer to work from room to room, completing one before starting another, while others like to start with one task and go thru the whole house. It doesn't really matter how you clean your house, as long as you work from bottom to top (dust first, vacuum last) and everything gets done.

Tips

Some tasks may be best relegated to a professional service – remember, time is money, and if you can spend your time more productively it’s worth spending a little cash to relive the worry and stress caused by a dirty house. Sometimes the easiest game plan is to set up a strict cleaning schedule that enables you to do a little every day, with a little extra on weekends. Once a month you can tackle bigger tasks, and as the seasons change you can take care of spring and fall cleaning.

Assign tasks to family members, too – delegation is what makes the world go ’round. Don’t get stuck in the idea that ‘kitchens are women’s work’ or that ‘men mow the yard’, however – if you have kids, they might have to both iron clothes and trim hedges themselves one day, regardless of gender, so share out duties evenhandedly! Clutter is your enemy when it comes to keeping your house tidy. Rule of thumb – if you haven’t used it in a year, you probably don’t need it. Taking the initiative to declutter your life can decrease stress and give you back your free time – without all that extra ‘stuff’, you’ll have more energy and hours to devote to the fun things in life!

This Housekeeping Checklist is for anyone who wants a simple, practical way to get things done without missing steps.

• Avoid forgetting - keep all your Housekeeping essentials in one place (external memory)
• Save time - start from a proven Housekeeping structure instead of a blank page
• Stay on track - track progress, come back later, and keep momentum
• Coordinate with others - share the list and divide responsibilities
• Learn the process - follow the steps in a sensible order, even if it's your first time