The Best House Cleaning Schedule for Working Moms

Is ‘multitasking’ an understatement when you describe your life as a working mom? We can help you get more control of home, work and family life. Getting the best house cleaning schedule in place that’s relevant to your family’s needs, solves more problems than you think. Let’s show you how.
Times have changed and so has society. Still, studies show that in most households, women still take most of the responsibility when it comes to cleaning and getting housework done. If you add the stress of working—full day or part time—a mom’s list of obligations can become overwhelming. And women make it all happen!
Still, you deserve some time for yourself and enjoying life a little more. With the best house cleaning schedule for working moms you can have more control over what happens at home, streamline some workflows and find it easier to manage it all. And yes, you may even find time to sip your cup of tea—or wine—in peace.
One Step for Women
So, we’re telling you to change how you’re doing things. Imagining change can also be overwhelming, right?
Take a deep breath. You don’t have to fix your house cleaning schedule in one go. As stated in the award-winning book ‘The One Thing’, multiple small changes result in immense transformations. So, browse through these tips and see which ones you can start implementing. One step at a time, you can take back control.
Best House Cleaning Schedule Options That REALLY Work for Busy Moms
If you’re juggling work and home, you probably know by now that organization is key. But we took the work out of planning chores at home and created the best house cleaning schedule that can work for moms who leave early and return late. You can STILL get it all done and find some balance in your life.
Daily Schedule
If you can get certain things done on a daily basis, come weekends or cleaning days, the chore list will be shorter—and less daunting. Here’s an example of organizing general cleaning and chores so they fit in with your available time.
Early Morning
Make sure you leave the house as neat as possible, so you can return to a welcoming, tidy space. Making beds and washing breakfast dishes are good goals to have.
Depending on available time, do a load of laundry or fold some of it.
Set reminders for certain tasks, because ticking them off the checklist early on can make a huge difference later in the day. For example, if you can wash laundry now, it will be ready to hang up or put in the dryer when you get home.
See how a good start can make a huge difference in your home cleaning workflow?
When You Get Home
As mentioned, handle the washed laundry if you did manage to put in a load. Of course, you may have to make dinner, but use the time while you wait for water to boil or a dish to bake in the oven to do a quick clean of high traffic areas. While you’re still in ‘work mode’ and able to concentrate you may want to pay a bill or check the kids’ letters from school.
Just Before Bed
With less movement around the house you can sweep one room’s floor in peace and check there’s enough ironed outfits for the next day or two. This will make tomorrow morning less hectic.
Also use the peace and quiet to plan a menu or tidy up so you can wake to a welcoming space tomorrow.
Weekly Cleaning Schedule
The goal with weekly chores is to maintain aspects of your home’s cleanliness. So, even though they aren’t tended to daily, they’re still easy to clean and control.
Dusting is essential and other weekly tasks range from keeping linens clean for beds to giving kitchen appliances some TLC, which you probably don’t get to every day. You don’t want residue from grease and grime to become difficult to remove and affect how your appliances operate.
Here’s an example of a schedule to get you started:
- Mondays: Focus on bedrooms, giving all a quick dust and vacuum. Start the week’s laundry.
- Tuesdays: Properly clean the kitchen.
- Wednesdays: Do the bathrooms.
- Thursdays: Do laundry of items other than clothes, such as towels or bedding; declutter and wipe down surfaces.
- Fridays: Wash all floors, giving the house a fresh feel for any weekend visitors.
- Saturdays & Sundays: Do 30 to 60 minutes of remaining chores only; remember to rest!
Monthly Cleaning Schedule
Every four weeks you need to do some more in-depth cleaning, especially kitchen and bathroom areas. Remember stove tops and mirrors, as well as the cabinet doors in these high traffic areas. Check for necessary maintenance tasks such as unclogging drains, so you handle them before they become problematic.
Also use your vacuum cleaner on upholstery and dust less accessible areas like ceiling fans. You can use disinfectant to make the home more hygienic, for example on doorknobs and wastebaskets.
Once a month you should also give your cleaning equipment some TLC, or other cleaning won’t be that effective. It’s time to descale your dishwasher and iron and run all machines’ wash cycles. Also change filters on gadgets like humidifiers if necessary and don’t forget the vacuum cleaner.
Deep Cleaning Sessions
Of course, any home requires both general AND deep cleaning. You can schedule a complete deep clean every three months. You already have a lot on your plate, so using a cleaning company for this task is justified.
If you do plan on doing it yourself, you’ll need time for tasks like:
- Cleaning thoroughly where there’s a risk of mould growth. Even wash your shower curtain.
- Fully cleaning appliances inside and out, to prevent buildup and ensure grime doesn’t affect their functionality.
- Unpacking and cleaning the fridge and freezer, as well as scrubbing the oven inside.
- Dusting, vacuuming and mopping areas that you ignore during other cleaning times. This includes higher areas and lampshades where you can’t easily reach, or under furniture. If you don’t, accumulated dust can spark allergies.
- Wash curtains and flip your mattress or vacuum it.
- Polishing silverware and appliances with stainless steel components.
Chores According to Available Time
Ticking off one item at a time is how you get through your to do list. So do you have half an hour available before your next meeting or just a few minutes before the kids get home from school? Make the most of them!
What to Do When You Only Have 5 Minutes
Even five minutes are enough to finalize easy tasks. Do a few of these throughout the week and when you look back you’ll realize how you’ve helped yourself manage the workload. For example:
- Compile a grocery list or a menu for the week, so shopping and cooking becomes less chaotic
- Make your bed if you didn’t get to it that morning
- Take a cloth and wipe mirrors or light switches as you move from room to room—do it while you fetch your bag or fix your hair
- Carry a container and fill it with toys or clutter so you can easily sweep or vacuum later
- Empty a bin or two
Now imagine what you can accomplish in 10!
Chores That Take Only 30 Minutes
Instead of hoping you can straighten out the entire house in half an hour, simply focus on an area and do that well. You can put new sheets on all the beds, so you feel good about the bedrooms. Or, pick a room and give it some deep cleaning, such as dusting all ornaments or properly scrubbing the shower.
Other options:
- Pick one cupboard to declutter and repack
- Polish some furniture
- Vacuum places you usually skip, such as under the beds
In the bathroom you can give the shower a good clean.
General Tips for Working Moms
While using the best house cleaning schedule guidelines, there are ways to make it better and more effective:
- Have a visible plan, either in printed version or in digital format, such as an app. You need something to reference or show others—kids can join in too!—if you ask them to help with the to do list.
- Don’t be afraid or feel guilty about asking for help. Your kids can help and learn good habits. You can also ask professional cleaners, knowing you’re supporting a local business.
- Remember you can’t do everything in one session. Concentrate on what the schedule tells you to do. In many cases you need to skip sorting out the clutter until you have some weekend spare time, because cleaning is the priority.
- Make it fun for yourself or the family. Play some music, or turn cleaning into a game for younger children to partake in with enthusiasm.
You’ve Got This
Some expert tips and new habits can make all the difference and help you create the best house cleaning schedule. Combine that with the Enzo app and your life as a working mom will be easier—and more enjoyable from now on.