Homemakers Challenge #1

On Christin's Blog ( http://joyfulmothering.net/ ) she posted a weekly Homemaker's challenge. I decided to take the challenge and this week is week number one! The challenge is to either make a list or schedule for cleaning your house, OR post a schedule if you have one. I do INDEED have a schedule and I am glad to share!
First off I must say, I am a list maker. I thrive on making lists. Grocery lists, to-do lists, schedules, packing lists...you name it! Every week, starting Sunday I sit down and map out my week. I have a little family planner that I use to map out my cleaning schedules. I also look up recipes and pick a couple meals for the week's menu.
I follow a few cleaning routines, that I have put together, and some weeks add extra items to do. I really like the cleaning schedule on http://www.time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/ . I take her cleaning routine and customize it. I don't follow her days, I mix it up. I will take one chore or one room per day ON TOP OF my daily chores. Here is this weeks cleaning schedule for me (I'm using my actual cleaning schedule for this week as an example)...

Daily Chores (to be done every day)

Make the beds

Tidy up the house

put away any clothes lying about

wash dishes, the counter tops and the stove top

take out the trash and recycling (as needed)

quick wipe down of the bathroom sink.

try and do one load of laundry

weekly

Wipe down the kitchen and bathroom

Dust

Shake out the rugs when you vacuum

Bi-weekly

Mop the hard floors (not hardwood)

Vacuum the furniture

Monthly

Clean the inside of the windows and mirrors

wash out the trash can

clean the microwave, oven and refrigerator

clean baseboards and mini-blinds

wax hardwood floors and any wood furniture

clean out your pantry

change bedsheets and wash them

twice a year

deep clean wood floors with wood cleaner

flip and rotate your mattress.

Ok...on to my week...chores to do ON TOP OF the items listed above

Monday

Clean my bedroom (tidy up bureau tops, sweep/vacuum hardwood floors, clean mirror) Change bedroom trash and put bag back in (tip put a dryer sheet in the bag to add a nice scent to the bedroom. )

Do some baking for the week.

Tuesday

Dust, sweep and vacuum whole house (shake out rugs before hand)

dust baseboards too.

Trash day. Empty trash can and before filling with new bag, throw a dryer sheet in the bottom of the can. Makes it smell good!

Wednesday

Mop the hard floors

Clean the bathroom down (Tip - powdered laundry detergent with a wet sponge works wonderfully to clean the entire bathroom, AND makes it smell so good! Be sure to use one sponge for the sink, counters and bathtub, and another for the toilet). Change the towels.

wash 1 load of towels

Thursday

Clean the kitchen down (Tip - make a paste with baking soda and water for steel sinks. Put a bowl filled with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar in the microwave. Heat on high for 3 mins. Use a sponge and wipe off any food stains inside the microwave with ease!) Wipe down counters, sink, stove, refrigerator and trash can.

Friday

Tidy up kid's bedrooms. Change trash, sweep and vacuum.

Do kids laundry.

I usually do my grocery shopping on Mondays. I will look up 4 recipes for the week (try to make big meals so there are leftovers to stretch your $$ out). From these recipes I make my grocery list. Then I add other things I know we need (ie. toilet paper, laundry detergent, etc). Then Monday I do the grocery shopping and run errands (it saves gas if you can do it all in one day or all at one place). If you can make a weekly menu, you will save yourself a lot of time and money.

Hope this helps! It's always a work in progress and I am always trying to fine tune it. Good luck, and peace to you!