The Ultimate Whole-House Simple Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Are you looking for a simple weekly cleaning schedule that is realistic and will keep your house clean all the time? I have tried so many routines and I FINALLY came up with one that works for our house.

If you’re anything like me, you want to have your house clean all the time, but you don’t want to spend hours a day or your entire weekend cleaning. I have tried it all. I’ve carved out a special day to devote to cleaning, I tried cleaning a room a day, and I even hired a cleaner to come once a week. Nothing seemed to work!

I strongly believe a decluttered and clean home is a recipe for peacefulness. So after a lot of trial and error, I’m going to give you my best tips and walk you through my exact schedule so you can give it a try. I finally feel free from overwhelm and you can too!

This post is all about a simple weekly cleaning schedule that will keep your house neat and tidy all the time.

My Simple Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Before I dive right into my daily schedule, let me give you a few tips to help you find a routine catered to you.

Tip #1: Find Your Just Right Time To Clean

If you are an early-morning person we are related. Early birds can get a lot done before the day starts and that includes cleaning. But, if you’re a night owl, like my husband, use your ability to stay up as your superpower. The main thing to keep in mind is that you need a designated time slot in your day to clean. To make this habit stick, tie your cleaning to a habit you already have in place. I have coffee EVERY SINGLE morning. Once I start my coffee, I get my cleaning supplies ready. I also pick out a podcast to listen to before I start. I no longer think about it, it’s just how my morning goes. You can also do this in the afternoon, like right after lunch or while your kids are down for a nap. Just pick out a time and be ready to go!

Tip #2: Make Task Lists For Each Room

Let the fun begin! Before you can create a cleaning schedule, you need to know what you’re cleaning in each space. It’s time to get real with what you actually need to do in each room of your home for it to be clean. Make a list. Here’s an example from my house:

Bedrooms: Dust, Vacuum, Mop, Clean Mirrors, Change The Sheets
Bathrooms: Scrub Shower/ Tub, Clean Toilet, Clean Sink, Wipe Mirrors, Mop Floors, Wash Bath Mats, Disinfect Door Handles
Living Room: Dust, Vacuum, Mop, Straighten Couch and Pillows
Office: Dust, Vacuum, Mop
Kitchen: Wipe Cabinets, Clean Countertops, Scrub Out Sink, Wipe Down Stove Top, Run Cleaning Cycle On Dishwasher, Wipe Down Refrigerator and Clean It Out, Clean Coffee Maker
Clean Outdoor Area: Wipe off grill, Clean Tabletops, Vacuum Outdoor Furniture, Wipe Down Front Door

Tip #3: Break Down Your House Into Zones

This has been a huge game-changer in my cleaning. I tried a lot of methods before I settled on this, but this way of cleaning is the only type I have ever stuck with. What does it mean to clean in zones? It means you need to batch rooms or tasks together and assign them to days. For instance, I have a 4-bedroom home and I have a “bedroom” day. On this day I focus only on the bedroom tasks. The reason zone cleaning works is that you don’t have to think too much. If on Monday morning, you know exactly what you’re cleaning, it’s just easier to get started.

Tip #4: Get Some Help

No one person can or should be expected to do it all. If you need help from your family, it is much easier to get them on board when you can tell them exactly what you need. When we moved into this house we all sat down and had a conversation about cleaning. In our old house, we had a cleaner come once a week to help. We were blessed to get that type of support, but having a cleaner wasn’t what we wanted in this house. So, we came up with a plan to tackle cleaning on our own. Instead of paying a cleaner, the kids took on their bedrooms and a few other chores to earn an allowance each week. They were happy to have some spending money and I was happy to get some help.

Tip #5: Add In A Tidy Time Each Night

Before your head hits the pillow at night, take 10 minutes to walk through your house and put things away. For me, this often means picking up dog toys, emptying the dishwasher, putting a few pairs of shoes away, or taking out the trash. Ten minutes of focus at night often means waking up to a peaceful house in the morning. It’s so worth it!

Tip #6: Get The Right Cleaning Supplies

I will admit, this is the weakest part of my routine. (Hey, I’m a work in progress too.) I have supplies that I use and they work well and I will list them out for you to try. I just want to find more natural products going forward, but I haven’t made that leap just yet. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave me a comment. I would love to know what you use!

Tip #7: Keep Your Home Decluttered

I saved the best for last. YOU CANNOT HAVE A CLEAN AND NEAT HOME WITH TOO MUCH CLUTTER. If you find that you’re spending a ton of time cleaning and your home never looks neat, I promise you that the problem is clutter. Stuff creeps into our home from so many places and we have to get it out. If your surfaces aren’t clear and your closets are jammed, decluttering needs to be a priority. Whether you watch videos, like this one, or read Marie Kondos’s book, the most important thing is that you find a way to get your home cleared of clutter. You might need to hire a professional organizer, but I promise the investment will be worth it!

My Exact Simple Weekly Cleaning Schedule:

Monday: Main Floor Zone

(20-30 mins)

Dust dining room table and chairs
Dust dining room baseboards and crown molding
Mop kitchen and dining room floors
Dust living room (piano, crown molding, and built-ins)
Mop living room floor

Tuesday: Downstairs Zone

(30 mins)

Dust husband’s office (desks, crown molding, and built-ins)
Mop husband’s office floor
Dust basement entryway (cubbies, built-in laundry, and crown molding)
Mop basement entryway
Dust basement living room (crown molding, TV stand)
Mop basement living room floor
Dust my office (desk, crown molding, and built-ins)
Mop my office floor

Wednesday: Bathroom Zone

(20 minutes per bathroom for deep clean)

Clean toilet
Clean out the bathtub with a scrub
Clean shower tiles
Clean out the sink with a scrub
Wipe mirrors
Wash bath mats

Thursday: Kitchen Zone

(20 mins)

Wipe down the cabinet doors
Scrub out the kitchen sink
Clean kitchen window
Wipe down the stovetop
Polish the dishwasher, stove, and refrigerator
Wipe out refrigerator
Run a clean cycle on the dishwasher
Run a clean cycle on the coffee maker

Friday: Bedroom Zone

(20-30 mins)

Change all the sheets (kids strip their beds)
Dust upstairs bathroom
Quickly mop the bathroom floor
Dust down the stairs
Mop down the stairs
Dust front door and entryway door
Mop hallway
Dust guest room (dresser, nightstand, and bed)
Mop guest room
Dust my bedroom (doors, crown molding, and bed)
Mop my bedroom
Dust downstairs bathroom
Quickly mop the bathroom floor

Saturday: Outside Zone

(15-20 mins)

Vacuum outdoor furniture
Wipe down the countertop
Wipe down the outdoor table
Wipe down the firepit
Wipe down the outside doors

Sunday: Planning Day

Plan in paper calendar and digital calendar
Remind family of any appointments
Make a to-do list for the week
Sort any mail and file it
Meal plan for the week

Remember, your home is a place in this world where your family should feel safe and comfortable. An uncluttered, clean environment is the way to build a feeling of peace and calm. Do you have to put in some effort to build and hold onto this feeling? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely. I strongly believe we owe it to ourselves and our family members to find ways to make and keep our homes clean and beautiful.

The Ultimate Whole-House Simple Weekly Cleaning Schedule

My Simple Weekly Cleaning Schedule