How to Create Your Own Daily House Cleaning Schedule

I could tell you exactly how to clean your house every day. But in reality, every household is different, and you are the one who decides what your home needs. Here are some tips for creating a daily cleaning schedule.

Bare Necessities
After I gave birth, housework was difficult and overwhelming. So I came up with a list of three things that absolutely had to be picked up, and when I got a few minutes during the day, I took care of these first.

For me, these things were dishes, dirty clothes and linens, and garbage. I started with the room I was in, and picked up just those items from the floor and furniture. If I had time, I moved on to other rooms. And if I had more time, then I washed the dishes and clothes. This did not result in a perfectly clean house, but I felt better. If I'm going through a rough patch, I still come back to this.

Basic Sanitation
You need to do at least minimal cleaning in the kitchen and bathrooms to ensure everyone's safety. This includes washing dishes (or at least scraping, rinsing and stacking them while you're waiting for the dishwasher to run), wiping counters and sinks, and cleaning toilets.

What Will Visitors See?
If you're pressed for house cleaning time, concentrate on the areas that will be seen first by visitors. Begin at your front entry, and make sure any clutter is picked up and put away. Wipe up any obvious spots or prints on floor, walls, or furniture. Proceed in the same way through the living room, guest bathroom, and any other areas that visitors will see. That way, you'll be ready for anyone who drops by, and you'll feel comfortable inviting people over.

Other Priorities
Some people feel they must have the floors swept and vacuumed every day; others only need this once a week. Some like to make the bed every day; others don't care. Whatever your remaining priorities are, put them on the list.

Schedule and Delegate
After going through these categories, you should have a list of daily household chores. Now you just have to decide who will do them, and when! Again, this depends on your situation. You may be able to do all of them at once, all by yourself. You may have a small amount of time at the beginning of the day, and a small amount of time in the evening. You may have a spouse and children who can help!

Here's a sample daily house-cleaning schedule, based on the tips above.

Morning
Make bed.
Clean bathroom sink, counters and toilet.
Empty dishwasher
Put breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.

Evening
Put dinner dishes in dishwasher and run it
Wipe kitchen counters, stove, and sink.
Check entryway/front room for clutter and necessary cleanups
Pick up family room and other areas that need it
Lay out clothes for the next day. Do a load of laundry if necessary.