As you’re working through your Perfect Cleaning Schedule printable (You did download it, right? If not, what are you waiting for? Grab it here!), one of the hardest things for my cluttered brain to do was break down the frequency of each chore. Actually, it was more like remembering all the things that needed to be done in the first place, and THEN assigning them a frequency. If that’s you, too, hopefully this will help you kick start your journey!
Not every cleaning task needs to be done every day (can I get an “Amen!”), and depending on your personal preferences, your list may look completely different. Everyday tasks are the small upkeep chores that simply need to be done every day. The good news is that even though you’re having to complete them each day, they don’t require a large time investment since there has only been a lapse of 24 hours or so since it was last completed.
While it might look overwhelming to see so many things on your to-do list each day, the reality is that these quick chores make life so much simpler when done daily. No more panicked deep-cleanings – your house will always be clean-ish! And the “ish” is totally for all the littles, creative brains, and distractions that seek to thwart your best cleaning intentions. Our houses are lived in, after all! If you’re wondering what house cleaning should be done daily, while there’s no one right answer, you’ll find some common chores for this category below.
Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the most common everyday tasks. While all of these may not go on your list, hopefully it will help you identify the things that will!
So, what house cleaning should be done daily?
Wiping Counters
At the end of each day, or after a meal is finished, a quick wipe down of the counters with a hot, wet cloth (I love the Norwex Envirocloth!) is a must for me. It gives the best reward (hello, shiny clean surfaces) for very minimal effort.
Clearing Clutter
Another evening ritual at our house is to make a quick sweep of the common areas searching for things that don’t belong. We gather them up and return them to their homes. A handful of rogue items that takes 5 minutes to put away is much better than the hour or more it would take to clean everything up if we let the clutter pile up.
Mail comes every day, therefore it must be dealt with every day. Unless you’re nothing like me, and can leave it all in the mailbox for long periods of time. Even if it’s just junk, there’s something so fun about checking the mail! A great rule of thumb is to only touch it once! Have a location for the mail to live until you’re ready to deal with it. And then, open and pay the bills, recycle the junk, respond to the invitation, and file away what needs to be kept. Easy Peasy and DONE!
Sweeping
A daily once over with a broom and dustpan in all the high traffic areas is a great idea. For me, I’m more of a weekly sweeper (I’d rather see more of my hard work in that dustpan! And sweeping is not my favorite), but I’ve seen the benefits with friends who can’t rest until their floor is clean. It certainly doesn’t take them as long each day as my once a week sweep does!
Laundry
It’s impossible to stay on top of the mountain laundry entirely, but doing a load a day may help tremendously. It may be helpful to give each day a theme (towels, sheets, darks, hang dry, etc.) or a person, depending on how you do laundry. And there’s nothing quite as satisfying than completing a task each day that a machine does most of the work for you. (We won’t talk about folding right now. The clothes are clean whether or not they ever get folded, am I right?!)
Dishes
Just like wiping the counters down at the end of the day, I love going to bed knowing my sink is empty. I load up the dishwasher with what I can (and run it as soon as it’s full!), hand wash what’s left, and leave it out to dry for the night. In the morning, I put away the clean, dry dishes. It’s a happy little routine that keeps the kitchen usable!
Make Bed
There’s nothing quite like a made bed to improve the aesthetics of a room. And all it takes is straightening out the covers. Two minutes, max, and your bedrooms are looking sharp.
This is a quick look inside some of the most common everyday chores, to help you think about what will be on your schedule. While all of these may not be dailies for you, it’s a great starting point!
What are your must-do daily chores? What do you avoid?
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