Get into a cleaning routine

By Julie Short

Mansfield Record

Getting a routine for cleaning will help you stay ahead of the game and allow you to work your cleaning into your everyday life. It will also help you to clear your mind of the cleaning issue. Based on an average-size home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, here is what needs to be done to keep a clean house:

Daily:

Dishes – 5 minutes to load or unload

Kitchen counters/sink – 5 minutes

Make beds – 1 minute per bed

Laundry – 5 minutes to start a load/1 minute to move it to the dryer/5 minutes to fold/hang

Weekly

Dusting – 15 minutes

Clean mirrors and glass – 10 minutes

Empty trash cans – 5 minutes

Take trash out – 5 minutes

Sweep – 15 minutes

Mop – 15 minutes

Vacuum – 20 minutes

Microwave/Toaster/Coffee Maker – 5 minutes

Bathrooms – 15 minutes each

Change sheets – 5 minutes for each bed

Discard old items from refrigerator – 2 minutes

Monthly

Ceiling fans and high corners – 5 minutes

Blinds, window sills and things hanging on the walls – 20 minutes

Light fixtures – 15 minutes

Move furniture when vacuuming/under cushions as well – 15 additional minutes

Wipe down baseboards, switch plate covers and doors – 20 minutes

Wipe down refrigerator – 10 minutes

Every Few Months

Wipe down door and jambs – 15 minutes

Windows – 20 minutes

Vent covers – 15 minutes

Cabinet doors -15 minutes

Oven -10 minutes

Continually clean out closets and drawers of things that don’t fit or may have missing buttons or stains that cannot be removed. Give away the appropriate items to charity. I keep a bag going all the time of “give away” items. If you do this every time you run across something that doesn’t work for you, you won’t have as much to do when it’s spring cleaning time. You can do the same thing with your children’s toys and clothes. It is a great feeling knowing that someone else can benefit from the things you are not using and you are freeing yourself and your home of clutter.

Now that you have the ROUTINE of what needs to be done, how are you going to do it? Breaking it down into minutes will help you to either set aside a time to complete all the chores at once or it will help you to see what you have time to complete or start, whichever the case may be, in the morning before you leave with the rest waiting for you when you return.

Of course, not every house has the same amount of traffic through it and the sizes vary, but this will give you a ballpark idea of the time it takes to do household chores. These times are also based on maintenance-style cleaning. If needed, you will want to do a thorough cleaning in the beginning and then begin the “Minutes a Day” way of cleaning to maintain.

Julie Short has been married to her husband, Stoney, since 1997. She is currently working on a series of books known as Julie’s Simple Solutions. She is a Mansfield resident, business owner and member of the Mansfield City Council.

Find her book “Cleaning Your House in Minutes a Day” at https://www.amazon.com/Cleaning-Your-House-Minutes-Day/dp/1949563103

‍