Benjamin Franklin once said that there are only two certainties in this world: death and taxes.

We beg to differ.

Why? Because cleaning will always be a thing too. Since it’s inevitable, we might as well embrace and find effective systems for managing it.

Listen. No one wants to create a house cleaning schedule, but if you’re over 20 years old and your home is always a mess, then you probably need one. In today’s post, we’re going to cover a few reasons you should consider implementing one and a few tips to get you started.

Here’s Why You Need a Housecleaning Routine

You’ll Better Enjoy Your Home

You’ve probably discovered this from experience, but a chaotic environment is stressful to be around. A home should be your sanctuary, a place you can return to at the end of a long day and recharge. But it’s hard to experience that peace when you’re constantly tripping over toys and pushing aside piles of junk to find a seat on the couch. A housecleaning routine will keepyour environment clutter-free, turning your space into the tranquil haven it’s meant to be.

It’s More Time Efficient

What’s one of the biggest daily time sinks?

Decision making.

Believe it or not, all the time you spend deciding what to wear, eat, and buy at the grocery store wastes a lot of hours in your day. Routines help you get into the habit of doing things automatically so that naturally, you spend less effort having to figure out what to do next. A housecleaning ritual will ensure you’re in control, eliminating the need for decisions in this area.

You’ll Avoid Neglecting Areas in Your House

We all have those nooks and crannies that we “forget” to attend to or put off until absolutely necessary. When we eventually get round to them, the accumulated mess is overwhelming. A routine will ensure that all parts of your house are reasonably neat most of the time, so you’ll rarely have to do a deep clean.

Here’s How to Create a Housecleaning Routine

Step One: Take Stock of Your Space

The first step is, not surprisingly, to know what needs cleaning in your home. Go through the list of rooms in your house and the subcategory spaces or major items within those rooms. For example:

Category: Kitchen

Subcategories:

• Pantry
• Dishwasher
• Oven
• Refrigerator
• Freezer

Create a similar list for your living room, bedrooms, attic, study, and so on.

Step Two: Choose Your Chore Tracking System

You’ll need some kind of system to track the cleaning tasks, delegation, and other pertinent details. Consider using an excel sheet or a calendar, whiteboard, or chore chart that you can hang in full view.

Step Three: Determine and Schedule the Frequency of Tasks

Everyone has their own personal standard when it comes to cleanliness. Are you a germophobe, an “as long as it passes the sniff test” type, or somewhere in the middle? Decide and then fill out your chore tracking system accordingly. Or, in many cases, the types of items that need cleaning will determine how often you attend to them. Here are a few guidelines to follow:

Daily

• Make beds
• Wash Dishes
• Wipe surfaces
• Sort mail
• Take out the trash

Weekly

• Vacuum carpets
• Do laundry
• Sweep floors
• Dust furniture
• Clean bathroom

Monthly

• Clean out the fridge/freezer
• Reorganize the pantry
• Declutter drawers
• Wipe light fixtures
• Deep clean appliances

A Little Goes a Long Way

Creating a schedule for keeping your home clean requires a lot of upfront work but provides lasting rewards. As you gain control of your environment, you’ll find that other parts of your life will also improve.