Let’s be realistic here….. Many of us are not cleaning out the fridge, wiping down baseboards and downloading photos off our phones on a regular basis. But life seems happy and less-stressful if we stay on top of these things at least a little bit. The benefits of at least some household upkeep far outweigh just completely ignoring them.
Why I Use a Monthly/Quarterly/Semi-Annual/Yearly Cleaning Schedule
First off, I am not one of those people that wipe down their bathrooms and take out the garbage daily. Far from it. In fact, I haven’t vacuumed in over two weeks. BUT I am one to keep track of when the last time I did a household task. It keeps me accountable and from falling too far behind. If I can do the basics every now and again, I don’t have to do as much daily work. Win-win in my opinion. So this tracker is what I use to make sure I stay on top of everything. I simply write down the date I do the task on the sheet. That way I don’t have to guess if I flipped the mattress last fall or not. I call also reference it when I have some free time to see what I can knock out.
Plus there is something so satisfying about checking a task off the list.
How this List Has Saved My Hide
Last September my laptop crashed…. like wouldn’t load, couldn’t get files, completely out of commission crashed. Since I take the time to backup my hard drive, I was able to recover most of what I lost from my external HD. Also my laptop is my work computer so much of my writing work was still available. Hallelujah! This checklist reminds me to do these little tasks just in case I run into any not-so-fun mishaps. I ended up ordering a new laptop and was able to transfer all the files from the HD to the new computer. This crisis ended up not being as scary since I took time to backup monthly.
How this List Keeps My Home Clutter-Free
My list also includes quarterly decluttering sessions. This gives me a chance to go through common areas that seem to collect clutter: kids clothes, toys, magazines, paperwork. By tackling them regularly, I save myself from having a bigger mess to work through later on. For you this could mean going through your makeup, your wardrobe or even the car (sports gear and forgotten french fries, anyone?). It could also mean decluttering your email subscriptions or even your Facebook friend list. The key is to be intentionally about decluttering at specific times throughout the year.
What I Love Most About this Cleaning Schedule
Life is busy…. very busy. What I love most about this printable is that it is easy to follow. No guesswork, no complicated forms, no wondering what to do and when. Just follow the sheet. You can easily glance at the sheet and find one or two things you can knock out on a rainy afternoon. It also keeps you accountable. It may seem like you are constantly cleaning the floors or dusting the shelves but are you really? When you write down the specific dates, you know exactly when you last completed each specific task. It creates greater discipline in your life…. one skill that I believe is key to a simpler, happier life.
How to Use this Cleaning Printable
How you use this cleaning printable is totally up to you. You may do tasks more frequently than me or not at all. Simply cross off the ones that don’t apply. If you would like to incorporate this into your routine, first begin by printing it out. Than add completion dates to tasks as you tackle them. Keep the printable handy so you can easily fill it out. I keep mine in my inbox file folder.
I hope you find this cleaning schedule as helpful as I do. Time to add more routine to our days!
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