1. Control the mess.
It’s easier to stop messes from happening than deal with them later. Reduce what gets dirty by leaving shoes at the door, limiting food to the kitchen and dining room, and assigning craft projects to one spot. Make sure all family members know the rules and follow them. Restricting messy activities to specific areas means you’ll have fewer spots to clean later.
2. Sneak in cleaning tasks.
Spruce up as you go, making cleanup an extension of your usual activities. For example, squeegee the shower stall at the end of a shower. Wipe the faucet, sink, and countertop after you brush your teeth, and wash wastebaskets whenever you take out the trash.
3. Enlist the whole family.
Everyone in the house can help, even young children. Make household chores as much a part of the daily family routine as meals and activities rather than a dreaded “do we have to” task. Set aside time after dinner each night for a quick spruce-up. Cleaning at the same time, even if it’s in different rooms, makes it feel like a team effort.
4. Go room by room.
A room-by-room approach lets you work around schedules logically. For example, the best time to dust and vacuum the home office might be the weekend, while scouring the kitchen requires the biggest block of time between meals.
5. Hit your cleaning goal.
You don’t have to cover the complete checklist every week. Instead, focus on the tasks that make the most significant difference (say, sweeping floors or wiping down the bathroom) and be satisfied with calling anything else a bonus. Take off the pressure to do it all in one day, and set your sights on small goals with the most impact.
