Happy House Process: SAHM Cleaning Schedule

I wanted to create a SAHM cleaning schedule, mostly for myself, because I'm finding no two weeks are the same.  Rather than saying "Oh it's bathroom day on Monday" I'm seeing it works better to just have a list of "tasks" and choose where each one goes for each week.  The other issue I run into is nap time, because I have a light sleeper on my hands :/

{Daily}

• Do the Daily 10

{Weekly}

I've broken larger chores down into grouped tasks.  Two tasks can easily be done each day if necessary.  I babysit outside of my home a couple days a month and like to schedule 1-2 play dates each week, so I need to factor that in and work around it.  I also like to leave the weekend for relaxation, family time or larger projects.


Task 1: Bedrooms &Vacuum
Task 2: Bathrooms
Task 3: Living Spaces &Vacuum
Task 4: Errands
Task 5: Laundry

{Process}

• Decide which task(s) will be done on which days at the beginning of each week
• Space out Task 1 and Task 3 with at least one day in between so that vacuuming happens twice a week, but not back to back. 
• Start laundry in the morning during breakfast to get a jump start on the day. 
• Sweep during breakfast (contained baby means good sweeping time!)
• Wipe down the bathroom after you shower
  
• Dishes and kitchen clean up after dinner while Daddy gets in some QT- otherwise done after bed time
• Notice that kitchen isn't on the task list.  Consider that a daily task and just spend an extra 5-10 minutes after the dinner mess is cleaned. 
• Laundry can either be scheduled over two days, or one load a day
• The Bedroom task consists of stripping all bedding, washing it, dusting and making the beds.

{My Example}

Week of February 13th:

Monday: Babysit
Tuesday: Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Wednesday: Playdate day and Laundry
Thursday: Living Spaces & Vacuum
Friday: Playdate day and Errands

I've saved a quick view version of this on the Cleaning Schedules page.

Of course this doesn't only have to be for SAHMs, nor will it work for every SAHM!  But it's certainly a jumping point for anyone who has cleaning duties :) 

Express Happy House Challenge Plus Week 5

Guess what gang? It's the 5th and final week of this Express Challenge! But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Let's talk about last week. I definitely wasn't perfect. Not even close. I feel like I had 3 projects going at any given time and I lost site of my daily goals!

Make the Bed: 6/7
Empty the Sink: 6/7
Sweep the Kitchen Floor: 5/7
Clear the Clutter: 5/7
Sort the Mail: 5/7
Spray the Shower: 6/7
Organize Your Outerwear: 5/7
Write It Down: 7/7

See? Definitely not perfect, but my goal this week is to seriously hit every, single one of my ten tasks, every, single night!

Challenge PLUS
Week 4: Bedrooms (Start from the top and work your way down)

• Clean all light fixtures/fans
• Strip all bedding and clean (I actually didn't do the guest bedding, but will this week)
  
• Dust all furniture
• Organize closets
• Organize drawers
• Clean mirrors and windows
• Vacuum and/or clean floors

I know you want photographic proof. I don't have befores for Cam's room and the guest room, but trust me, our bedroom is before enough for all three of them!




After:






Alright, NOW let's look at our last weeks' tasks! You're going to like this, I know it!

Clean the Counters!

This is my cheater task...I'm pulling a two for one....

Yep, that's the kitchen AND the bathroom. But it's such a quick task, that we can combine them. You use them every day, they see a lot of action. The counters in the kitchen and bathroom take a toll, so give them some love and wipe em down! It can also be a motivator to keep your counters cleared! Less clutter = Happier Counters. I swear! But brace yourself for our second task of the week, it's a doozy.

Relax & Enjoy Your Clean House!

Sounds tough huh? I think you can handle it though. What's the point of working hard to have a clean house if you can't sit back an enjoy it. So make sure to take a minute each day to appreciate all your hard work!

Before you kick back and do task 10 though, let's get our PLUS addition! It's the last one, and I'm thinking you might know what it is.

Challenge Plus
Week 5: Living Spaces (Family Room, Living Room, Den, Etc.)

• Dust/Vacuum/Clean the furniture
• Clean the windows/blinds
• Deep clean the floors/Vacuum the rugs
• Dust the lighting

Let's recap:
Week 1: Make the Bed & Empty the Sink+ The Kitchen!
Week 2: Sweep the Kitchen Floor & Clear the Clutter +The Dining Spaces!
Week 3: Sort the Mail & Spray Your Shower + The Bathrooms!
Week 4: Write It Down & Organize Your Outerwear!
Week 5: Clean the Counters & Relax & Enjoy Your Clean House!

So don't forget to either link up your own Express Challenge blog post or simply give us your results in the comments! I love seeing how everyone does, perfect scores or not! Really give this week all you've got! Thanksgiving is next Thursday, the day after our last check in! Let's roll into the holiday season with style!

Express Happy House Challenge Plus Week 3

We're trucking right along to week 3 of the challenge. That means we're two weeks down, 3 to go on our way to a Happy House! Is your home feeling cleaner? Tidier? A little more organized? I know mine is. I get started on the right foot every morning by making the bed and I come downstairs to a clean sink, floor and tidy family room. It makes me smile from ear to ear! And speaking of all those tasks, let's see how this past week ended up for me.

We were out of town, so my numbers are out of 5 since we weren't home at all on Wednesday and Thursday.

Make the Bed: 5/5
Empty the Sink: 5/5
Sweep the Kitchen Floor: 4/5
Clear the Clutter: 4/5

I was too lazy to do much of anything when we got home on Friday night, but otherwise, I was in pretty good shape. Are you new to the challenge? No worries if you are, just check out week 1 and week 2 and you'll be all caught up! It's never too late to join!

Challenge PLUS:
Week 2: Dining Spaces

• Clean the furniture
• Clean the windows/blinds
• Deep clean the floors/Vacuum the rugs
• Dust the lighting

Definitely easier than the kitchen, but I was selfish and did that on purpose since we were out of town and I had limited time! :)

And photographic proof, although our formal dining room never really gets cluttered...however when I went to take the photo I had to laugh. Carl didn't put away our liquor after making White Russians the other night, so there is some clutter :)

Before:

and


After:

and



Since we're all pros at those 4 tasks, it's time to add two more. I gotta tell you, I'm loving this two at a time business! Gets me all jazzed up!

Sort the Mail!

We all get it 6 days a week. Too often it just ends up in a pile on the kitchen counter. No more! No more unorganized piles of mail! If you need some tips on how to organize your mail, check out this previous post....although I need to update it, so keep an eye out for the new version coming soon! Just remember that this is about organizing the mail. It doesn't mean all the bills are paid that day or everything is filed, but things are in their place. It should either be in a "to do" area, "to file" area, the recycling bin or garbage. Once you've done that step, you can easily go back to it and do what needs to be done when you have the time that week!

Spray Your Shower!

Choose your favorite daily shower cleaner and get to spraying! I'm currently using the Method Daily Shower Cleaner. It smells heavenly! Just get in the habit of spraying it down after you shower, and this task is a no brainer. You do shower every day, right? Eh, if not, make your significant other do it! :) There are also lots of home solutions you can try as well. Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.

Challenge PLUS
Week 3: Bathrooms

• Deep clean shower/bath
• Deep clean floor and baseboards
• Clean all mirrors and glass
• Clean light fixtures
• Scrub toilets including the base
• Clean cupboard interiors/exteriors- discard unnecessary items
• Clean counters and all items on counters

So there we have it. Our two new tasks to add on to our tasks from last week and our Challenge PLUS. Let's recap, and don't forget, we aren't replacing tasks here, but adding!

Week 1: Make the Bed & Empty the Sink+ The Kitchen!
Week 2: Sweep the Kitchen Floor & Clear the Clutter +The Dining Spaces!
Week 3: Sort the Mail & Spray Your Shower + The Bathrooms!

But now it's your turn! Share your blog post link below with your results and your before and after photos! Don't have a blog? Tell us your results in the comments and if you have before and after photos, post them to the My Happy House Facebook Page! Can't wait to see how you all did.

Express Happy House Challenge Plus Week 2

Week One Done! How did you do? Is your bed made? Is your sink empty? Quick...no one is looking- go do it now. Are you wondering what in the heck I'm talking about? Go here, it's not too late to join us! First off, your fearless leader will report in her results.

Week 1:
Make the Bed: 7/7
Empty the Sink: 7/7

Oh yeah, woo hoo, uh huh! 7/7 on both accounts.

And you didn't forget about our + did you? Or did you hope I would forget? Yeah, no luck there. Our Challenge Plus was to clean our kitchens. And I'll be honest, my kitchen has never been cleaner. And without this challenge, I would have stopped about half way through, or 3/4 of the way through, or even 90% of the way through, but I kept calm and cleaned on! And I also didn't forget that I promised photos, so let's get to that!

Before:

Ew.

The much MUCH better after:



Week 1: Kitchen

• Clean out the cupboards- interiors and exteriors
• Wipe down all appliances
• Clean windows
• Clean blinds/drapery
• Clean out fridge- interior, check for expired items, minimize to make room for holiday cooking/baking products
• Clean out pantry- check for expired items and donate items you won't use to a food closet. Plus it will help take inventory for what you need for holiday cooking/baking
• Deep clean counters and small appliances
• Deep clean floors and garbage/recycling containers

I got everything done except for the pantry because we decided on some new projects in that general area, so I'm waiting until those are done. Of course I'll be sharing those later! But I did want to show you something fun. If you have white cupboards and haven't invested in Magic Erasers, please, do it now. The right side is the before, the left side is the after:

Also, a life saving product for storing my pots and pans are these protectors. Mine are from The Pampered Chef, but I know you can buy them other places too. They are great and allow me to stack my pots and pans without damaging them, love them!


Now, of course, we need to add two more tasks, but you are all determined individuals, so I know you can handle it!

Clear the Clutter!

I'm not talking about your whole house, that would be quite a task. I'm not even talking about half of your house, simply one room. Pick one room a night to clear the clutter. It can even be the same room every night- your choice. But choose one room to get in tip top shape. I like to focus on the family room as it's the one that sees the most action and displacing of items. I usually have to put away my camera, cords, dishes, Cam's toys and whatever other items I was using for the day. Leaving that room in order before going to bed means you get to wake up to a perfectly clean space, ready for a day of action!

My main reasoning for this is that it forces you to give everything a home. This way, when you have guests coming over, it's not a mad dash to hide things under the bed, in the back of closets or who knows where! It's simply putting things back where they belong. If this seems like a daunting task, just spend 5 minutes a night decluttering until the space is in pristine order. Then it's just maintaining!

Sweep the Kitchen Floor!

This task honestly takes 2 minutes, but makes such a difference. I know with a dog, and a crawling baby, this one is important to me. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen throughout the day, which, inevitably, means stuff ends up on the floor. Sweeping the kitchen daily keeps that dust and debris from making it to other areas of the house. Just a quick sweep with a broom or a dry Swiffer type product is all it needs. If I use the Swiffer, I can easily just use the same dusting pad for the whole week. No need to use a new one every day!

Challenge PLUS:
Week 2: Dining Spaces

• Clean the furniture
• Clean the windows/blinds
• Deep clean the floors/Vacuum the rugs
• Dust the lighting

Hopefully the dining spaces is a little less of a task than the kitchen, that way if you have some ground to make up from last week, you are able to fit it in this week!

So there we have it. Our two new tasks to add on to our tasks from last week and our Challenge PLUS. Let's recap, and don't forget, we aren't replacing tasks here, but adding!

Week 1: Make the Bed & Empty the Sink + the Kitchen!
Week 2: Clear the Clutter & Sweep the Kitchen Floor + Dining Spaces!

But now it's your turn! Share your blog post link below with your results and your before and after photos! Don't have a blog? Tell us your results in the comments and if you have before and after photos, post them to the My Happy House Facebook Page! Can't wait to see how you all did.

And as always, if ya'll love me, one click shows it!

It Begins! Express Happy House Challenge Plus!

This challenge will be run like the last Express Happy House Challenge. 2 new tasks added each week, for 5 weeks, totaling 10 daily tasks to keep our homes in good shape. BUT, since we are prepping for the big holiday season, we're going to add one more piece. Each week, I'll give you your two tasks, PLUS one room to deep clean. By the end of the 5 weeks, your family will be wondering if they are at your house of if somehow they've found their way to Martha's estate.

So, I know you are up for the challenge. And trust me, it's way more fun to clean when you have a bunch of blogging friends to join you. Really, it won't be the same if you aren't here every week telling me how great...or even how not so great you did. The effort is key!

Now, there is one more piece to this, if you care to join. It will be a Blog Hop Photo Challenge as well. We'll take pictures of our designated rooms showing the before and after. Then create a post to show all our hard work. It'll be a great chance to see new spaces (real ones- my favorite!) and make new blogging friends. And no worries if you don't keep a blog, you can share your photos on the My Happy House Facebook page!

So here is the process broken down:

1. Wednesday is the first day of the week for the challenge. I will assign two daily tasks and one room of the house to deep clean, including all the tasks that go with it.
2. (This part is optional) Take a photo of the designated room for the before. Throughout the week, give it the deep clean it so lovingly deserves! Then take your after photo some time before the next Wednesday.
3. Be sure to do the daily tasks each day of the week.
4. Check back in the next Wednesday and link up your post with your before/after photos or feel free to share them on Facebook if you don't keep a blog!
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until the challenge is over!

So simple! Let's get started shall we?

Make the Bed!!

Not much explaining here. Simply making the bed in the morning will get you started on the right foot and in a clean and organized mode. Forget to do it in the morning? No worries, do it when you get home. Trust me, even if it's only made for a couple hours, diving into a neat looking bed at the end of a long day is SO refreshing!

And...

Empty the Sink!

I'm a huge advocate of not letting dirty dishes pile up. Having a clean sink will instantly make the kitchen look cleaner. It's a great habit to get into. If you have a dishwasher, and more dishes that night than it can hold, just rinse your remaining dirty dishes and put them on one side of the sink. They can go in when you empty the dishwasher, and since they are already rinsed, it will only take a moment to do so rather than trying to scrape off leftover food from the night before!

Challenge PLUS:
Week 1: Kitchen

• Clean out the cupboards- interiors and exteriors
• Wipe down all appliances
• Clean windows
• Clean blinds/drapery
• Clean out fridge- interior, check for expired items, minimize to make room for holiday cooking/baking products
• Clean out pantry- check for expired items and donate items you won't use to a food closet. Plus it will help take inventory for what you need for holiday cooking/baking
• Deep clean counters and small appliances
• Deep clean floors and garbage/recycling containers
  

So there we have it. This week we are making our beds and emptying our sinks, PLUS really cleaning our kitchens. We'll check in next Wednesday to see how you all did. Did you make your bed today? If not, don't forget to do it now or when you get home! And also, remember to take your kitchen before photo!

We'll always end with our recaps.

Week 1: Make the Bed & Empty the Sink!! + The Kitchen!

Are you joining me? You might have committed in the previous post, but show everyone just how committed your are! Let me know in the comments if you are taking the challenge!

QCC = Quick Cleaning Challenge

This weekend I introduced the QCC on My Happy House's Facebook page. If you joined in on the inaugural event, thanks!! If you are unfamiliar, read on!

What is the QCC? A Quick Cleaning Challenge

What is the point of a QCC? To catch you off guard and get you up to clean and organize. You know, make your house happier!

How long does the QCC last? Anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes.

How much warning do I get before the QCC starts? Not much, maybe 5 minutes. The point is to catch you off guard and give your butt a little cleaning boost. I have lots of scheduled cleaning motivation, but I wanted something that would be a motivator in real time.

How do I participate in the QCC? Just watch on the Facebook page (Go like it here if you haven't already!) for the announcement. The announcements also filter to Twitter. I'll let you know how long you've got to clean and when to check back in. Do as many chores as possible, then report back with what you did.

When will they be held? It could be the morning, afternoon, or evening. It might be a week day or a weekend. I'll try to do them at all times, so just watch for the updates! You never know when the next one might be ;) If it's a time that you can join in, join! If not, no worries. Watch for the next one!

Do you like the idea? Are you going to join me? This weekend's was fun, at least for me. But I get my kicks out of having a clean and organized home, so maybe I'm weird. We'll say unique. Can't wait to see you participate!

Things I'm Digging

Another post to tell you about stuff I dig. I am in no way compensated for this, I just want to tell you about things I like :)

Cleaning: At first I wasn't in love with the Shark Mop. I have since changed my mind. I love it to quickly disinfect my kitchen floor between big cleans!



Food: You know I'm obsessed with stripes, so why not incorporate it into my cheese? This stuff is amazing!
Drink: Pumpkin Spice coffee is my vice. I just ordered some of this from Amazon and am slightly annoyed that I waited so long to do so this year.


Scents: This Spiced Cider candle from Bath & Body not only smells yummy, but it also is getting me pumped for the holidays with it's cute design.



Organizing: These little cubbies from Ikea have proven to be winners time and time again. Watch for a post coming up showing you how to use them in an unexpected way!


What are you digging right now??

Tackle It Tuesday: My Monica Closet

You know how everything in life can be compared to a moment on Friends? Well here is one for you. Remember the episode with the closet? The one where Monica won't let Chandler see inside it and it turns out it's because it's her junk closet. It's her messy space. Well, let me introduce you to My Monica Closet.


What's that you say? It doesn't look THAT bad? Oh....perhaps that's because you know I'm awful at remembering the "before" photo and that's after I had already taken all of this out.


It had been awhile since I purged our guest room closet, AKA my off-season or rarely worn items closet. I have a bad habit of holding on to clothes thinking "I miiiiight need to wear this one day." I don't. I forget I even have the stuff. It was time to purge. So I started piles. One for donating and one for an honest to goodness I really will wear this again, including winter coats and such.

I organized everything going back in the closet. Along with the clothes, we keep our luggage, some spare bedding, purses, sleeping bags and our air mattress for extra guest sleeping space in here.





Last step is to fold all the clothes I'm donating, put them in bags/boxes and schedule a pick up from our local charity organization.
I ended up donating two very large black garbage bags full of clothes. Man does that feel good! Yeah, it really does. Go tackle something that's been weighing on you!

The Final Check In: Happy House Express Challenge

Stand up. Take a bow. You did it! You made it to the end of the Happy House Express Challenge! (If you didn't play along, that's OK, I'm sure you deserve to take the bow for something else)

Hopefully, you are enjoying your clean and tidy house, especially since that was our 10th task anyway! Let's do our final check in.

1. Make the Bed: 6/7 (Eek, missed one day and I didn't even realize it until I climbed into bed that night)
2. Empty the Sink: 7/7!
3. Clear the Clutter: 7/7!
4. Sweep the Kitchen Floor: 7/7!
5. Sort the Mail: 6/6!
6. Spray Your Shower: 7/7!
7. Write it Down: 7/7!
8. Organize Your Outerwear: 5/7 (I tend to forget about this one a bit in the warm months)
9. Clean the Counters: 6/7 (Kitchen was set 7/7, the bathroom got me!)
10. Relax and Enjoy Your Clean House: 7/7!!!

Now, the challenge is over, but that doesn't mean we stop doing the 10 daily tasks. Hopefully these tasks have become routine for you. If not, press on, they'll become habit soon enough! I hope you enjoyed the express version, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it! Did you miss out on the challenge all together? No worries, I have links to the regular version on the right side of the blog. Start your own 10 week challenge!

So, one last time, give me your results in the comments! Or better yet, share your own blog post in the InLinkz below!