A Rhythm For Cleaning

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“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. A schedule is a mock-up of reason and order—willed, faked, and so brought into being; it is a peace and a haven set into the wreck of time; it is a lifeboat on which you find yourself, decades later, still living. Each day is the same, so you remember the series afterward as a blurred and powerful pattern.” – Annie Dillard from The Writing Life

Weekly Cleaning Rhythm PDF Here

I have the first part of these powerful words written out on the vintage green chalkboard hanging on a wall in our kitchen. There they sit, scribbled in dusty white chalk next to a few other helpful reminders to myself, such as “present over perfection” and “drink more water”. I value these words by Annie Dillard so much because I wholeheartedly believe rhythm and organization to be components of calm and contentment. Albeit nerdy, I happen to be from the proud camp of type A folk that thinks routine can be a wonderful thing. By mapping out and creating a “net” as Dillard calls it, for the day’s happenings, I for one am more capable of focusing on the task at hand without becoming too overwhelmed, a propensity hardwired into my personality as is. I have found that rhythm creates flow, which in turn, creates calm. It is the currant that flows the water this way and that, the strong force pushing the stream around the bend, making each stone smoother and rounder and less jagged as seasons transition from one to the next.

When thinking about cleaning and caring for one’s home, especially with regard to deep cleaning routines, I think it’s fairly common to feel breathless before even beginning. Most often, it is not the work that we do that tires our minds and crowds our schedules, but rather the process of getting started and figuring out what rhythm is going to fit best within the structure of our days. We can spend a lot of time in our heads trying to problem solve or we can just start. I get it. There is always so much to do and so little time to do it, and then you throw kids into the mix and you may start to think, what’s the point? Why clean if it’s not going to last, for cleaning a home with kids running around is like shoveling snow in a blizzard. It can be a lot to take in, but if we never shoveled that snow, how do you suppose we’d be able to get out of the house when we needed to? Maintaining is a must and it can be simpler than you think.

Let me help you find your rhythm by sharing with you what I do in our home on a daily and weekly basis. Cleaning and caring for our home, arguably the most important space of our lives, is an integral part of living in one. I believe it is one way we can better nurture our families and ourselves, and although it is relentless, it doesn’t have to exhaust us. It should, in fact, do the opposite! As we leave our mark on rooms by removing dirt and grime and by putting things in their place, we are rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and lightness, and thereby, we can better enjoy our time.

When establishing a sense of order at home it is rather important to keep in mind that there is a good time and a poor time to deep clean. Should you get all your supplies out to scrub the wood floors while your kids are running around playing imaginary spaceship or are in the middle of a spaghetti supper? Probably not. Should you sanitize the bathrooms an hour before the weekend starts? Ew. No. You should, however, consider what your week looks like and carve out reasonable amount of time to do said scrubbing and other cleaning tasks. This will better help keep things in their place, what I call maintaining, and your home an inviting place that best reflects your mood and intentions.

I think it’s also very important to discuss the impact one’s attitude can have on mundane and repetitive tasks such as scrubbing toilets. I don’t know that I’ve ever met anyone who enjoys scrubbing any part of the bathroom, but I do know people who can make that kind of work enjoyable by doing a few simple things before heading off to clean.

Here are a few ideas I’ve gathered for you on the subject:

  • Turn on uplifting or meditative music to get you in good spirits and create a thoughtful mood within your home. I’ve got a playlist here if you want some new inspiration.
  • Make a refreshing drink to sip while you make the rounds from room to room. I like a large jar of water with slices of orange and fresh mint.
  • Diffuse essential oils that help purify and clean the air. Lemon, rosemary, lemongrass, geranium, and clove are some examples of such oils.
  • While you clean, move a few things around. Put flowers or yard clippings in vases throughout your home. Beautifying your space helps freshen it up and is very much a part of the cleaning process. It gives new life to a space and makes me happy.
  • Last but not least, have the kids chip in. I’ll give Theodore (age 2.5) and Stella (age 5) a water spray bottle and some rags to help me wash the cupboards and the floor and the walls. Sometimes they actually end up getting the grime off which is lovely, but in most cases it’s just a fun way for them to feel like they are helping mama out which they love right now. I am going to take advantage of this while I can!

Not too long ago I used to do my deep cleaning on Mondays. It being the day that started off a new, shiny week, it seemed like a reasonable time to sanitize the bathrooms and dust the floorboards. I love starting off our days together with a clean home and so most Mondays after my woman’s morning group I’d get to it, homemade solutions in hand, while the kids ether napped or played. Recently I’ve switched my deep cleaning day from Monday to Friday and I really love it. I also have days designated for other areas of the home such as washing, outdoors, windows and storage.

When do you do your deep cleaning? When do you tend to things such as washing? All in one day? A little bit here and there as the week bounces on? I am digging into what I’ve found to be the best method for deep cleaning and washing in the home, along with a few helpful tips to help make things a little more smoothly as you shine and scrub. Below I have outlined for you what I do daily and weekly, a balanced rhythm that works for our family in this season of life as I stay home with our little ones. I encourage you to feel free to take little bits (or all of it) to help you out!

Daily: These are things I do every day to help maintain balance within our home. They are simple things that go a long way to help me out and they’ve become a part of our family’s rhythm.

  • Make the beds. This is something we do upon waking. It helps set the tone for our day and instantly makes our bedrooms look fresh and clean without having to do any of the deep cleaning components.
  • One load of laundry excluding bedding and stained clothing. I usually gather the dirty items upstairs and take them down in the morning. As a family of five there is always something to be washed. Staying on top of our clothing this way makes washing day much easier on Mondays, which is when I like to tend to bedding, blankets, stained clothing and other pieces outside of everyday wear.
  • Wash dishes. Each night before bed we run the dishwasher if it needs it, and then in the morning when I am waiting for my kettle to steam I’ll unload it. Stella usually helps me by putting away silverware or gathering plates. If you don’t have a dishwasher, this is even more important because dirty dishes in the sink can add up fast!
  • Sweep the main floor after meals. Dirty floors are a pet peeve of mine. I really dislike walking around on crumbs throughout the day so I sweep up messes after meals. Alfie is in the throwing his food stage, so that means a lot of sweeping right now, which is alright. I have a little dust pan near our kitchen nook that is in a handy spot for when I need it.
  • Put items in their rightful place. Each item in your home should have a nice home of its own. We love baskets for this very purpose and several times a day the kids and I will work together to clean up our messes and put things back where they belong. Having them pick up their area before going to play elsewhere helps keep things somewhat tidy.
  • Wipe down counters. This is also another one of my need to do things. I don’t really care for a lot of items out on the counter tops because I prefer to keep things simple, and the same goes for keeping them clean as well. I wipe them down with my homemade all-purpose spray when I need to, just maintaining here and there without fussing too much about it. Again, not a fan of crumbs.

Weekly: if something within this weekly rhythm is not in need of a good clean or tidy, move along my dears. You can get to it next week when it will most likely be ready for ya!

  • Monday Washing Day 
    • Launder bedding, blankets, rugs and towels.
    • Treat clothing with stains. I put our stained clothing in a separate bin so I don’t have to sort through them before washing each morning. I like to do all the stained clothing at once so the process goes more smoothly.
  • TuesdayOutdoor Chores  – This changes seasonally. 
    • It’s currently summer and if the weather is nice we’ll use this day to pull weeds, water our flower beds, pick vegetables, mow the lawn and tend to the compost bin.
    • Sweep the porch and blow off the patio.
    • Clean out the car and tidy garage.
    • Water plants, both indoor and out.
  • WednesdayIndoor Organize 
    • Go through the various piles that have accumulated throughout and sort them out.
    • Pick a few cupboards that are disheveled and clean them. Purge items you no longer use and rearrange.
    • Choose ten items in your home that you haven’t used in one year and toss.
    • Tidy items in drawers, closets and other storage areas.
    • Get a handle on the crazy crafting area that has been used throughout the week.
    • Take stock of pantry and other food items. Now is a good time to clean the fridge out and organize its contents.
  • Thursday – Windows
    • Our home has a hundreds of tiny window panes, which is my most favorite thing about our home and also a big pain in the bum, pun intended. I swear one of the kid’s favorite things to do is smudge them up right after I’ve wiped them clean and our front door always looks like someone took a handful or two of coconut oil to it. Since this is a rather large chore, I save the windows for one day apart from my deep cleaning on Friday.
    • Trash day.
  • Friday – Deep Clean Day
    • Sweep under the couch, beds, tables.
    • Vacuum and mop floors top to bottom. I start up in the loft and work my way down.
    • Dust surfaces in each room.
    • Wipe down appliances in the kitchen and any yucky bits on the cupboards in the kitchen.
    • Scrub and sanitize the bathroom as a whole, cleaning toilets, tubs, showers, sinks, mirrors and floors. I also start in the loft with this and work my down to the first level bathroom.
  • Saturday & Sunday – Rest!

Seasonally: There are chores that you can do from season to season depending on the weather outside and what you’ll need to make things run smoothly at home. Such examples include: washing exterior windows, cleaning lights, washing pillows, donating big items, scrubbing and baseboards/walls etc.

I am currently making a beautiful PDF to illustrate all of this, something you can print off and have on hand in your home. Being a fan of little checklists I am quite excited about this, so stay tuned!

Having a rhythm is a good thing, but it should not bind you nor shame you. One should approach this rhythm, and any routine for that matter, with grace as each day gives us both things we expect and things we do not. Some days nothing on your list will get done, and that’s okay. Some weeks, what you’ve put in place will simply not do. Adjust. Rework. Relax. Don’t take any of this too seriously, because cleaning is not what living is all about. Cleaning and caring for your home is one way we can better enjoy our time spent with those we care about and with loved ones we do life with. When approaching the subject of cleaning and tidying, think of it as a way to care for and respect your environment, the place where you learn and love and grow. I believe as you practice your rhythm you will discover that not only it will become easier for you, but also, your soul will feel more satisfied, nourished, and enlivened by the freedom it gives you.

For homemade cleaning products head here xx

 

 

  • Shayla - I . love. this.

    cleaning is my jam, and lists are my JAAAAAM. and having an organized to do list throughout the week.. yeah.. that’s the Peanut Butter to my jam.

    For years I’ve used this cute little print out that I found on frenchpress morning’s website..

    http://frenchpressmornings.com/2013/06/organizing-my-home/

    I love some of the differences in the two lists, and I love the idea of treating and washing all of the stained clothes at once. why have I never done this?

    Your routine is inspiring me to revisit mine and make adjustments!

    Also, I love that you get the kids involved and use homemade solutions. Do you have recipes for any of those?ReplyCancel

  • Mary - Good tips here! But wow, you get more done in a day then I sometimes do in a week! Your kiddos must take amazing naps 😀ReplyCancel

    • admin - Mary, thanks! We do have two nap times (one in the AM and then in the PM) for Alfie boy then one for Theo (PM) but you know, this has become such habit that it doesn’t take much time at all. Writing it out seems quiet lengthy, but in practice it actually saves me tons of time believe it or not! I think it’s also important to note that is something is not in need of a clean that day per se, I don’t clean it. for example, some weeks the windows are all pretty great so no chores there, or there’s no need to scrub the tub because the kids all took showers or something. Anyway, back to naps. PRAISE NAPS! 🙂 x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Lauren - I love this so much!!! Especially your summary at the end about rhythm not binding or shaming us; water for my soul today. Can’t wait for the pdf!
    Thank you for all you do to inspire and uplift us. As a new mom I’m so grateful to have found your space.ReplyCancel

    • admin - Lauren, that’s the most important takeaway for me too…routines are great but if it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be! I use this rhythm when things need cleaning, not forcing myself to do it if the chore simply doesn’t need to be done. Last week our floors were looking petty good so I didn’t mop! No shame there. Thank you for stopping by and congrats on motherhood, dear. 🙂 x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Sonia Pugeda - Is there a diffuser that you would recommend? Enjoyed this post!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Sonia, we have several and the one in this post was a SPLURGE with birthday money, it’s been on my list for a long time now and it’s so wonderful. That being said you most definitely can find great diffusers out there for much cheaper. I did get several on Amazon (Now brand) and was not thrilled with them so I sent them back. All the ones from YL seem to be pretty great. Hope this helps! x AmandaReplyCancel

  • sarah - i love finding a kindred spirit when it comes to housekeeping! i also used to do all of the real cleaning once a week, but now i have a weekly schedule where i do one “main” chore each day (for example, vacuuming is always on thursdays and ironing is on tuesdays, etc.) after my little guy arrived in april it was too intense to do it all on one day and it was stressing me out, but i still love peeking into other peoples’ routines. we also have daily stuff that always gets done (well, usually!) like making the beds and laundry. it truly does provide a scaffolding for life to be built upon, thanks so much for sharing and inspiring mama! xoxoReplyCancel

    • admin - Sarah, I hear you on how hard it can be to throw it all into one day. Then it ends up taking way to much time out of our precious moments with our babes! I’d say the most time I’ll ever spend cleaning consecutively is about one hour. On Fridays when I do a good majority of the cleaning, the deep stuff, I can get all of that done then while the kids are set up with an activity or game or play in the loft. Spreading it out helps me so much! Blessings kindred spirit! x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Kristin - Thank you for this highly anticipated post. I love the way you find and create beauty in the mundane and even most aggravating of household tasks. May I request a follow-up post of the tools (brushes, rags, etc) that you use, where and how you store them, and perhaps separate posts on how you deep clean and daily maintain your kitchen and bathrooms? It’s incredibly helpful for those of us who are type-b and not naturally prone to routines, efficiency and enjoyment of cleaning and organizing!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Krisin, you read my mind girl! That is something I am going to share this autumn…all the behind the scenes places of our home like linen closest and where I keep cleaning supplies. I have such a random assortment of tools to share with you but would like to really nail down a good list of ones I always have on hand. Thanks for your comment! x AmandaReplyCancel

      • sarah - yesss! so excited! i’ve also been curious about your cleaning supplies, etc. looking forward to future posts!ReplyCancel

  • Katie - Thank you for this! I’m just now getting into a cleaning routine after having our first baby (10 months ago!). Haha. It is not easy. And cleaning is just not my thing, so this helps a lot!ReplyCancel

  • Myndi - Love this post! We follow a similar rhythm here and it makes life run so much more smoothly!ReplyCancel

  • Victoria - This was such a lovely post, thank you for sharing this rhythm with us as we enter the new Autumn season. Your insight and writing are so valued and treasured 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Brooke - I love this! Thank you for sharing. I have read about your other cleaning rituals as well and I was wondering if you would mind sharing what sort of mop you use? My husband and I recently bought a big old house with hardwood floors and I just can’t seem to get them as squeaky clean as I would like.ReplyCancel

    • admin - Brooke, we have two…one is a Shark steam mop (Costco!) that I love so much and that I use when the floors are really dirty (twice a month or so) and then I have an old-fashioned one that is easy to use in the kitchen and where there is more traffic, but it takes around ten minutes at the most to use. I think part of owning beautiful old homes is coming to terms with the fact that the floors will never be like new hardwoods, but that’s the beauty too! We have A LOT of dust bunnies in this old house and I’ve come to accept it and move on! I’d rather have it a little dirtier with a whole lot of charm than the opposite 😉 x AmandaReplyCancel

      • Brooke - Thank you for your response! And I love that perspective 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Adrianna Healy - I’ve been wanting to put my cleaning tasks on a schedule like this! You’ve put he fire under my bum to get it done. Love these tips and ideas!ReplyCancel

  • Amy - Hi Amanda,
    I loved this post and all of your cleaning posts. Thank you for sharing! I’d just love to know more about what your little ones are doing when you clean. I feel like I need at least 2 hours for deep cleaning which I can do when my 10 month old naps but I can’t keep my 2.5 year old happy for that long (unless the TV is on which I hate). And now that I’m recently pregnant I feel like I’ve just got to get on top of it all before chaos really hits!! I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks again!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Amy, great question! This is something I think I am going to write more about because it is a very important component of cleaning given that I am with three little ones all day keeping with their routines as well. Without getting into too much detail, I always set the kids up with a fun craft on Friday deep cleans, something they have not done in a long time that doesn’t get too messy as I am not a fan of plopping them down in front of the TV either! This is done during Alfie’s nap time, usually in the AM. I do think some TV is okay but it’s not my favorite way to keep them engaged while I scrub the tub. I usually put on nursery songs on Pandora and set up a craft in our dining room, like using a glue stick to make a craft or a fun coloring page or play dough with my cut outs. I have a few crafts tucked away in a place that is called our “special crafts” and they know those are only for these times when mama needs to get a few things done. Another great idea I have is to give them some special tasks in cleaning as well…they love this. I will give them rags and spray bottles of water and let them go nuts running from room to room polishing things. Let’s see, they also love sorting games where they take different objects from their toy bin and sort them by color or shape. And puzzles! Or make a castle for mommy … or we can have a tea party after the timer goes off. Sometimes I’ll set a timer in 20 min increments and go hang with them for a bit to check in while I am cleaning. Anyhow, my deep clean on Friday never takes me more than an hour since I spread everything out throughout the week and now it’s something I can whip out. This keeps things quite manageable, and if worse comes to worse, I’ll throw on a movie and let them chill in the loft. Everyone needs down time now and again. 🙂 x AmandaReplyCancel

      • Amy - Thank you! You’ve inspired my on many levels (and helped to alleviate some of my mum guilt re TV). Special crafts are on my list to organise for the weekend now. Take care xReplyCancel

  • Madalyn - I can’t wait to see the pdf you’re making! I especially love your cleaning posts.

    I remember reading once you’re an infj, and I am also. I love that you add philosophy to cleaning. Such an infj thing to do, and it really speaks to the artistry of womanhood.

    Thank you for taking the time to write.

    MadalynReplyCancel

  • Jessie - Hey Amanda! This is so great!! Can’t wait for the pdf. Was wondering how your schedule works with your kids? Just had my 2nd and wondering how I’ll ever get back into a routine with them 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Sarah M - Thanks Amanda, this is such a handy post. And that quote at the start is just resonating so much with me. We can spend so much time thinking about our future and what our life will be like – meanwhile, each hour, each day, we’re living our life. Sometimes thoughtfully. Often not. What a great reminder to live each moment intentionally. THANK YOU, xReplyCancel

  • Jessie - Friend! I loved every bit of this, mostly because I can relate so very much. Making the beds first thing every morning. Of course. Emptying the dishwasher while the kettle heats. Yep! Happy tunes playing while tidying up. Oh yeah. Laundry every day. Always. Adding items weekly to the donate bag. Constantly. Pet peeves of crumbs on the floor and crowded countertops. Ugh. Yes! Windows always looking like coconut oil is smeared all over them, especially just after washing. You know it 😉 This hit home on so many levels and I loved reading your rhythm so much. Although I’ve found a way to keep up with it all on a somewhat regular basis, I still feel like a few things fall through the cracks here and there…but as you say, that’s ok too. There’s always next week 😉 One thing I AM longing for is that feeling of pride and ownership that comes when caring for a home that is YOURS. With our little home in Sweden, I had such a different feeling as I went about and tidied up…knowing that it was something we purchased. Renting this little “work in progress” carries a different weight and while keeping it clean while it’s ours is something I take pride in, it’s just different when it’s borrowed. Does that make sense? That’s been a hard thing for me here. Like I care, but not as deeply as I COULD. I still love to clean and keep a home, so it’s not entirely different…but I DO long for that feeling of tending after our forever home…and feeling the joy and pride and comfort in that. Maybe you get what I feel… 🙂 Either way…being a fellow homemaking nerd, this was a prime Thursday night read, love 😉 Thank you. xxReplyCancel

  • Lovely Links | Heather's Dish - […] Reading and re-reading about a rhythm for cleaning. Need it […]ReplyCancel

  • Christine - Love how you’ve broken it all down so carefully. We aren’t as organized around here (part of the problem), though we get to it all eventually. I’m anxious to see your PDF. Something to print and hang for accountability would be lovely.ReplyCancel

  • Ashley - Beautiful pictures as always, Amanda! Where do you find your wood-handled cleaning instruments? I’ve been wanting some but have been unsure of where to look (besides a few items on Schoolhouse). Thanks! xoReplyCancel

  • Nicole jessen - Wondering where you purchased those cloths you use? They look like flour sack cloths, which are amazing but hard to find. Thanks!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Nicole, I bought the flour sack cloths at Target, Room Essentials I believe! They are wonderful. x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Days out and play dough - made and discovered - […] of really useful tips, plus she loves using essential oils. This week I got a bit obsessed with her ‘Rhythm of Cleaning’. I was so inspired by it, even though given the choice between cleaning and a day out, I would […]ReplyCancel

  • Hayley - Love this. And your home is so beautiful! It’s become important to me in this season – with a little babe – to keep my home tidy & cozy, because we’re spending so much of our time here. I’ve been reading Having a Martha Home the Mary Way and am nearing the end of the 31 day deep cleaning challenge. Now it’s time to find a rhythm to maintain and I really appreciate your suggestions! Excited for the printable you mentioned!ReplyCancel

  • Emma - Thank you for inspiring me to be a joyful stay-at-home mother. I’ve been struggling with being back at work as a new mom, and I’ve been longing for the conviction to embrace a role at home. You are awesome!

    qq — What are the proportions of your lavender linen/laundry spray? Drops to oil or water? I’m new to the oil scene!

    Thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Teresa - Love this post! Was wondering when do you food shop? 😊ReplyCancel

  • Meg - Thank you for this detailed and helpful post. I would love the PDF version so I can print it out and try to follow your great schedule. The pictures you post of your cleaning materials are so soothing and inspire me to get started. I have kids the same age, so your tips on getting this done with kids around really helps.ReplyCancel

  • Rebekah Hall - I know you sell oils so you’re going to be partial to this question but what about the possible negative effects of inhaling essential oils? and what oil thing are you using? I want to try it but I’ve heard a lot of bad things about putting them into the air especially with childrenReplyCancel

  • Rebekah - Can you please please please show how you mop and what mop you use?
    Everyone has a different method for mopping and I still can’t figure out what is best. Thank you.ReplyCancel

  • Michele - Thank you so much for this post! I really am not a fan of cleaning, yet of course I enjoy a tidy home. I find it so difficult to get motivated and distract myself with anything else in order to avoid cleaning until it starts to bother me and I have to then spend a lot of time cleaning all at once! Luckily, we have a cleaning lady to help get things deep cleaned, but I have been looking for a way to organize myself and develop a good and healthy cleaning rhythm. This is just what I needed. You are wonderful, and such a great inspiration. I have enjoyed your posts, both here and on instagram!ReplyCancel

  • Eternalvoyageur - I really enjoyed reading this! I have a rhythm too, which is based around the spaces in my home. Monday: bathroom, Tuesday: garden / cellar & plants, Wednesday: Study, paperwork, Thursday: living room, Friday: bedroom + switching the bedding, Saturday: hallway & kids room, Sunday: Kitchen.ReplyCancel

  • Kacie - I really love this. I’ve always been a rather scattered cleaner (since have kids, really). And now that we are getting settled into our new home I’m excited to implement a new routine for many things… especially cleaning. Thanks friend. We don’t have a printer so I may need to beg you to mail me a printout. 😉

    xxReplyCancel

  • Mary - Have you ever done a post on how you attack stains? You mentioned setting aside stained closed to deal with all at once, and I would really like to hear if you have a natural method that really works. Toddlers clothing is so hard to keep stain free!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Mary, I haven’t done a specific post on stains but the natural methods I use are the following, most times a combination of them: white vinegar, baking soda, oxygen bleach, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, natural soap (like Fels Naphtha)and the sun. I also love a pre-spot treatment by Melaleuca…it works really well on grass stains. x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Erin - Can I ask where you find your brown bottles? I’ve been looking for ones similar to put my homemade all purpose cleaner in and can’t find pretty ones like yours. Thanks love <3ReplyCancel

  • Cher T. - Thank you for talking about cleaning! It’s such a huge part of our daily lives and I often feel overwhelmed by it, love to clean when I’m alone but that never happens. I give my kids the spray bottles too! I’ll be looking for that PDF when it’s ready. Thanks for sharing! xoReplyCancel

  • Yuri - Can’t wait for the pdf! I love checklist and would love to have a beautiful one on my fridge to help me stay organized!ReplyCancel

  • Danica - First, love your blog! I am the opposite of you and while I like making routines I am hard pressed to stick with them, I’m a very fly by the seat of my pants gal. Which of course has its positives but when it comes to my house, it’s either slick and span (the way l like it) or a goal disaster, which totally is totally debilitating and compounds the problem. But, that is for another conversation. I’m just wondering how you get everything done in one day on your Friday list- with 4 kids, none the less! It look like 3-4 days work for me… Or maybe I’m just terribly slow?! Any advice on how you manage you ur Friday’s and other kiddos would be appreciated!
    DanicaReplyCancel

    • Danica - Oh my! SO many errors! My apologies I’m typing on my phone and did not proof! Hopefully you can deduce meaning from my mess!ReplyCancel

  • Rachelle - I love this, I was curious how you leave your stained clothes for one day. Do you just pretreat let it dry and wash it all at once?
    Is there a specific product you use?ReplyCancel

  • Suzanne Sparks - Would love a print out of this routine!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Suzanne, working on it dearest! Hope to be able to share this season. xx AmandaReplyCancel

  • Melissa - Love what you have to share here. I’m very type A and clean my house in some way or another everyday, as well. I like how you really break it down, though. I have never sat down and just mapped out my own cleaning rhythm. It would definitely help on those days where you feel overwhelmed or spread thin just by giving you a task to focus on. Also, thanks for the tunes! I will have to add them to my repertoire! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Tierra - Hello,

    I love your cleaning routine. I also deep clean on Fridays, BUT I’m so crazy and do laundry on the same day! No wonder I’m exhausted by 5. I’ll definitely make some adjustments.I’d love to know when you fit in meal planning and food shopping.

    Thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Natalie Larson - What are your suggestions for natural baby poop stain removal??? I am just ruining pieces of clothing by not getting them out properly :(((((ReplyCancel

    • admin - Natalie, oh this is a hard one. If the stain is really bad you could use baby oxy-clean with a fels-naptha bar.x AmandaReplyCancel

  • rebecca - Hi, I’ve enjoyed your blog – especially as I’m about to leave my job and be a stay at home mom for my 14 month old daughter. My question: how do you accomplish these tasks with three children under foot? Children make a mess while you’re cleaning – that’s one problem. The other: feeling torn between organizing/cleaning/making meals and just sitting with my daughter. thanks!ReplyCancel

  • Tidy London - Fantastic article!

    If you manage to include cleaning process in your daily routine, you will have a cleaner home for less time than it will take you if you do it once in a week.ReplyCancel

  • Kira - Thanks for sharing this! Cleaning has never been my forte… growing up I remember my mom being good at cleaning, but our home would often boomerang from a disaster area to a spotless abode… so not much consistency, which is also what I struggle with. Now my husband and I have a wonderful, rambunctious 15 month old boy and he sure does make cleaning more challenging! I’ve pretty much quit facebook and instagram (sad face) because I knew it was becoming way, way too much of a distraction for me. That has made a HUGE difference for me… husband has come home every day to a clean home! Anyways, I do have a couple of questions. How do you keep your littlest occupied while you’re cleaning? With my little guy I often have to clean in spurts because we live in a small space and I’m the only person around to interact with him during the day at home… so I have to deal with him clinging to me, etc. And how long does it generally take you to do the cleaning specified for each day of the week? Thanks for taking the time to read this. I love your blog, Amanda! It’s so inspiring.ReplyCancel

  • Meghan Bowman - Hi Amanda!

    Were you ever able to create the pretty PDF with this cleaning rhythm? 🙂

    xoxoReplyCancel

    • admin - Meghan, I hope to get it out early spring for a spring cleaning series! It’s gonna be so pretty! Unfortunately, I am a snail at PDF’s…but it is coming along. x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Makel - This is so awesome! I needed this for my New Years resolution. Was the PDF ever uploaded, I’d love to print it off!ReplyCancel

  • kim wagner - i’m curious, what steam mop do you use to clean your floors?ReplyCancel

  • Allison - Oh man, if the PDF is made available, I will definitely use it! This is so helpful. I have to vacuum every other day (because two indoor cats…whyyyyyyy??). So…the vacuuming is going well, but I need to pick up my game in these other areas!

    Thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Kristen - I love all of your posts; especially this one! I’m wondering…is it possible for me to get a copy of your cleaning checklist pdf? I’m sure I would find it to be very helpful!ReplyCancel

  • An Inventory of Cleaning Tools | Brushes, Brooms & Bristles » Homesong - […] do you use consistently and love? Are you ready for spring cleaning? Also, I am nearly done with my cleaning rhythm PDF so that’s quite exciting! It should be set to share next […]ReplyCancel

  • Fixed Matches - I have read some just right stuff here. Certainly price
    bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you put to make any such
    magnificent informative web site.ReplyCancel

  • Homesong Rest Retreat | Week One: Restoring Rhythms » Homesong - […] to follow my daily cleaning rhythm and make sure to ask for help when I need […]ReplyCancel

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