Monday, August 09, 2010

Cleaning Schedule Step 2
 
      Cleaning schedules can be overwhelming until you understand the system behind this madness. So grab a tablet and pen and start a walk through your home. Write down each room and don't do this by memory. It really is time to take a serious look at your home. Maybe you have things you haven't used in years. Can you part with them? Your goal is not only to figure out a schedule but perhaps to weed out "things" that you really don't need and are slowing you down when you clean. 
 
     As you walk through your home jot down how often the room is used. Once a week? Once a month? Several times a day like the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen? Are there items in that room that you could put in a garage sale and really not miss? Could any of your knicknacks be put behind a glass curio cabinet where they don't need to be dusted so often?
 
     Then jot down things in the room that need extra cleaning like brass lamps that must be polished or glass shower doors that attract water spots. By the way my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning" gives you wonderful tips to prevent many of these issues. Next write down how often those items need extra attention. Is it weekly, twice a month, monthly every 4 months or once a year?  Make columns across the top of your tablet. Write down the time frames I just mentioned. Then as you come to each room write down all items that needs cleaning under the appropriate time. 
 
     Don't overlook things like baseboards, blinds, windows, cobwebs, lights, cabinets, appliances etc. Anything and everything in that room needs cleaning. It's up to you to decide how often. Also note how often the room needs cleaning. Spare bedrooms or formal dining rooms may only need dusting and vacuuming once a month. On the weeks you don't clean that room, you have extra time to dust baseboards or clean the refrigerator. 
 
     As you go through your home keep in mind your living conditions. Are you in a humid or rainy area where mold or mildew is an issue where you need to treat moldy areas? Are you on a country road or in an area of high dust that requires frequent dusting? What about pets, small children? All of these factors make a difference in your cleaning schedule. 
 
This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. All rights reserved worldwide.