Simple Cleaning Schedule for Working Moms

As a working mom, myself, I’ve created a simple, and realistic cleaning schedule for working moms. This schedule works whether or not you work inside or outside of the home and can be adapted to fit your home’s needs.

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free Cleaning schedule printable

how do working moms keep a clean home?

Working moms keep a clean home by having a system that works for them, and a routine that is attainable. A cleaning schedule designed for working moms will help you to keep a clean home.

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Daily Cleaning schedule for working moms

As a working mom, you don’t have time to spend hours on end cleaning. In just over one hour you can keep your house clean each and every day by staying on top of simple tasks. Come home to a clean house every day without feeling like you’re spending all your free time cleaning by following the schedule below.

BEFORE WORK:

• Make bed(s) – 5 minutes
• Start load of laundry – 3 minutes
• Fold laundry from day before – 5 minutes
• Unload dishwasher from night before – 5 minutes
• Clean up from breakfast – 7 minutes

= 25 minutes

AFTER WORK:

• Speedy sweep/vaccum – 5 minutes
• Switch laundry to dryer – 2 minutes
• Organize mail/school/work papers – 3 minutes
• Clean up dinner and start dishwasher – 15 minutes

= 25 minutes

BEFORE BEDTIME:

• *Cleaning challenge – 15 minutes (30 minutes on the weekends)
• Speedy house tidy up – 5 minutes

= 20 minutes

*A cleaning challenge is where you pick something you’ve been meaning to declutter, or deep clean, set a timer, and see how much you can do in 15 minutes. Make sure you pick a couple of tasks because you’ll be surprised how much you can get done! I like to use this time to get my weekly and monthly tasks checked off the list!

Weekly cleaning schedule for busy moms

Here’s an example of tasks you can get done during your evening “cleaning challenge” listed in the daily cleaning schedule. Each of these tasks can be done in about 15-30 minutes. I put the more time-intensive tasks for Saturday and Sundays, but you can change that based on the days you have more free time.

Monday cleaning task

• Dust surfaces

Tuesday cleaning task

• Wash sheets/bedding

Wednesday cleaning task

• Wipe down bathroom counters and mirrors

Thursday cleaning task

• Deep clean kitchen counters/stove/microwave

Friday cleaning task

• Vaccum, sweep and mop all floors

Saturday cleaning task

• Clean bathroom showers/toilets
• Deep clean task(s) from monthly cleaning schedule

Sunday cleaning task

• Deep clean task(s) from your monthly cleaning schedule

Monthly deep cleaning schedule

Honestly, many of these tasks don’t have to be done every single month. So, give yourself grace! If you’re in a season where you have little ones at home, much of the below list won’t be attainable every month – just do what you can, mama.

Week 1 Cleaning Schedule

De-cobweb/dusting high surfaces (eg. ceiling fans, tops of china cabinets, etc.)

Wash doors and door trims 

Wash, dust blinds & windowsills

Fridge and freezer deep clean

Clean and declutter kitchen cabinets/drawers

Week 2 Cleaning Schedule

• Deep clean inside oven
• Wash blankets, bath mats and rugs
• Vacuum under hard to reach areas (couches, furniture, etc.)
• Vaccum dust from vents

Week 3 Cleaning Schedule

Wipe down the outside of all kitchen/bathroom cabinets

Wash inside of trashcans (inside home and outdoor cans)

Vacuum garage, basement, shed, etc.

Organize all closets (master bedroom, hall, linen, etc.)

Week 4 Cleaning Schedule

• Clean inside of washing machine and dryer (vaccum the lint trap)
• Organize and declutter toys/crafts
• Orgainze and declutter office/mail
• Deep clean dishwasher (inside the trap area and wipe down entire bottom and surface areas)

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tips for cleaning as a working mom

1. Get help from family – involve your children and make it fun! Even with littles, you can have them help sort laundry, etc.
2. 15 Minute Cleaning Challenges – Everyday, spend 15 minutes cleaning and decluttering. Challenege yourself to get as much done in 15 minutes as possible. You’ll be surprised how much you get done in that amount of time when it’s a challenge. Set a timer, turn some music on, and have fun.
3. Have a schedule – Print out a cleaning schedule and stick to it. Check off what you’ve done each day so you feel accomplished!
4. Prioritize daily cleaning schedule – Houses don’t get out of hand when you’re doing daily tidy/clean ups. Prioritize the daily cleaning schedule I provided and your weekly and monthly tasks will be much quicker!
5. Make it fun – Maybe you have a speedy clean party after each meal where your whole family sees how fast they can tidy up the house. Or maybe you have a day on the weekend where your family spends a hour deep cleaning something. Set out snacks, turn on some music, and make it a time for teaching your children how to keep their things nice.

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What is the best cleaning schedule?

The best cleaning schedule is one that is actually attainable. For busy, working moms, that means no more than about 1.5 hours of cleaning a day (including laundry and dishes). Further, the best cleaning schedule includes daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Lastly, the best cleaning schedule is one that builds in time for the weekly and monthly tasks into the daily tasks.

What should be cleaned weekly?

Your weekly cleaning tasks should include more in-depth cleaning of surfaces, like countertops, stove, microwave. It should also include washing bedding and blankets. Your bathrooms and floors should also be cleaned weekly. Doing these tasks on a weekly basis will ensure that they are quick and painless tasks.

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What should be cleaned daily?

Daily cleaning duties are things like tidying up and items that are being reused every day such as dishes and laundry. In order to have a perfectly curated cleaning schedule, you can build in time into each day to check off weekly tasks as well.

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How many hours a week should you spend on housework?

For busy, working moms it’s important to have no more than a total of 11 hours of housework per week (about 1.5 hours per day). This is doable if you spend a little bit of time cleaning each and every day.

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