Cleaning truly doesn't have to be a dreaded all-day task.  The key is to keep up with the mess before it gets out of hand!  If you simplify, then pick up and wipe up as you go, cleaning day will become cleaning hour (or even cleaning "1/2 hour"!) allowing you to knock it out and get on about the business of either getting things done or having some fun.

First and foremost, you must declutter.  I'm sorry if you thought you were going to get around that one, but I'm not letting you!  It's next to impossible to clean a cluttered house quickly.  So if you haven't taken that step yet, go ahead, click on that link and go for it.  I'll wait!

Done?

OK, next it helps to organize.  OOH- I bet you're fed up with me..."Crystal, when are we getting to the cleaning already?".  I promise, I'm just looking out for your best interests dear!  Putting like things together and putting them away means less to clean on cleaning day.  So, if you haven't organized yet, go for it!  When you do, come back and I'll still be here.  Promise.


Alright, here's the good stuff.  Since you now have a mostly clutter-free and organized home, I'm going to give you ONE rule, three every day tasks and then your once-a-week cleaning day "things to do" list:

One Rule: 

If you make a mess, clean it up.  Just do this one teensy little thing and life will be much easier, I promise!  For example, if you get spaghetti sauce on the sofa, blot it and clean it now...don't leave it 'til cleaning day to take care of when it will be much more difficult and set in (and probably on the back of your pants, too).

Three every day tasks:

1.  Do what household maven FlyLady suggests, the "swish and wipe".  When you take your shower and brush your teeth, drop some cleaner in the toilet, give it a swish around the bowl with the brush.  Then, with your used shower/hand towel, wipe off all surfaces (sides of tub, counter top, top of toilet tank) and drop that towel into the hamper.  Done.

2.  "Shine your sink!" as FlyLady exclaims.  Each night, before you go to bed, make sure that all dishes are out of the sink (in the dishwasher or drying rack (washed), then give the sink and surrounding counter tops a wipe down with a towel.  Finito.  Use whatever means necessary to get a loved one to put those dishes away in the AM. (pleading, bribes, blackmail...)

3.  Make up your bed, NEATLY.   Alert the tabloids, I have a confession; I'm a sock stripper.  (don't tell my Mom, please!).  No, seriously, what this means is that I go to bed with socks on, and wake up with socks off.   I can't say for sure what happens in between, but I've ruled out goblins because I always find the socks buried between the sheets.  I used to let a collection build up in there for a week or two but then I started running out of socks!  Now, why am I sharing so much today?  Because it helps illustrate my point: remove all socks (if you're a secret sock stripper too), then straighten out the sheets and comforter and make up the darn bed.  Don't just pull the comforter up and say, "covered!".  Make it look nice.  You can literally do this in under a minute.  Fluff your pillows and put them at the head of the bed, and if you have decorative pillows (and I wish everyone did!) place them neatly up there too.  Then give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

                    
                                 For the finishing touch, always add a fuzzy dog. 

Those three tasks will give you a daily sense of well-being and since you NOW have a decluttered, organized home and you've been keeping up with your daily chores, your weekly cleaning will be a breeze.

Once-a-week cleaning day "to do" list:

• First, make your bed with new sheets.  Then throw your dark laundry in the wash and get it started.

• Next, use a microfiber duster (like the one pictured below) and simply run it over any surface that collects dust.  Do this weekly and you'll never have a dust layer thick enough to write your name in.  (Don't look at me like that-you have SO done that!)

• If your darks are done in the washer, put them in the dryer (or clothes line) and get the white load going.

• Your next weapon is glass cleaner (pick your favorite-I'm into organic cleaners these days)  Use your cleaner and a microfiber washcloth (preferred-these things suck up EVERYTHING!) or paper towel, and wipe down any surfaces that have dirt or smudges.  In my home, that's the glass-top dining table, the end table in the living room, the nightstand tops, the TV screen, the front door (doggie slobber-mmmmmnnnn), coffee maker area and microwave.

• Sweep (if you have hardwood floors) and vacuum (all floors).  Or you could try my lazy method:  I actually have a Roomba (robotic vacuum cleaner) that I bought second hand for under $50 and I let it do all of the work for me while I'm doing other things...It's a treat! (In case you're wondering, I named my Roomba Turtle.  It's just more fun to say, "Turtle's vacuuming" than to say "The Roomba's Vacuuming". 
  

                                                                     
                                                                               Turtle (or at least one of his cousins...)

• And finally...Finish the laundry.  You're done!
  

Give it a try...I promise if you keep up with things, you can get by with this little routine on a weekly basis.  It works in my house...now I concede, I have no human children, but there are several fuzzy children in my home and they really make a concerted effort to shed everywhere so I don't get bored.  They also like to make sure I get my fill of Mother Nature by bringing her indoors:

                        
                             Ricky Bobby says:  Don't worry Mom, I'll get dirt on BOTH sides before coming in!


                        
                                      Phoebe says:  I'll shake the water off after I get inside, OK Mom?

But wait!  There's more!

There are a couple of things you can do monthly, or even seasonally, to keep things from getting out of hand in your home.  I'll let you decide how often...just be mindful that too often creates unneeded labor...but "not enough" means things get so dirty that you're sneezing and the thought of doing even one of these chores makes you consider moving instead.  I suggest you aim for somewhere in the middle, ok?

Occasional tasks:

• Mop the floors and/or steam clean carpet.
• Polish wood furniture.
  
• Clean out the fridge (just do a shelf at a time so it doesn't get overwhelming).
• Clean the oven.
  
• Vacuum the furniture cushions, then vacuum under the furniture.
• Wash the curtains.
• Scrub the tub.

Deep breath in...and EXHALE because you're done!  Doesn't it feel good to have a nice clean home AND spare time??