When I wrote the post: How to Teach Your Daughter to Clean a Home, I had several requests for my cleaning checklists. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to share my detailed lists with you broken down into room categories. They are set up this way in my Homemaking Binder for when I do my Zone Cleaning.
My “Zone” (as Flylady calls it) for the week, is where I do more detailed cleaning in those rooms. My house is divided into 5 Zones. I would do my Weekly Home Blessing on Monday and then throughout the week clean a bit deeper in the rooms for the Zone that week.
My Zone Breakdown Each Week:
Zone 1 – Foyer, dining room, front porch
Zone 2 – Kitchen, pantry, laundry room/mudroom
Zone 3 – Bathrooms, kids rooms, guest room, and office
Zone 4 – Master bedroom & bathroom, basement
Zone 5 – Living room and family room
Not everything on the list gets done (before you look below and panic ;)). I just type up my sheets as a Word Document, print them, put them in sheet protectors, and keep them in a binder. When it is Zone 2 (as this detailed cleaning list is below). I can easily open my binder and as I do my planning for the week, schedule in these areas in these rooms I would like to tackle this week.
When I Zone clean I find I don't really have any marathon spring or deep cleaning to do because it is done a little bit at a time throughout the year so my home cleaning never overwhelms me.
The first thing I do in those rooms on Monday is decluttering. This makes the rest of the tasks so much easier. From there I determine what is most important that needs to be done for the week.
Your children are great helpers. If you put together a Homemaking Binder take the time to teach your children how to use it.
My Binder is simple and easy to update changes since they are Word Documents saved on my computer. This binder has served me well for over 15 years with minor tweaking during various seasons of my life.
What's In My Binder:
Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Yearly Schedules
Zone Lists Detailed for Each Room
Kids Chore List – I used this list to put together Chore Packs for when my kids were young. (I will share this list in a future post too)
I also keep old menu plans in the back pocket of the binder for quick menu planning when I don't have a lot of time that week to sit and plan.
Detailed Cleaning Lists for Zone 2:
You can divide your zones however you want and I picked this zone first because it was on the kitchen list. Everyone loves a clean kitchen! Look through the list to get ideas on what needs to be done in your home. Every home is different and our priorities on how and what to clean are different too.
If you are going to make a binder for yourself I recommend giving each Zone its own sheet. My Zone 2 is on one sheet in my binder and with the sheet protector I can check off the items I took care of the week I spent in it so I know what didn't get done the next time this Zone comes up.
You can just copy and paste the list below into a Word document and format it so it fits on one page. If that is a bit tricky you can always do it the old-fashioned way and manually type the list in. Your list may differ from mine depending on your home so customize it for your house. Use mine for ideas on what needs cleaned but make it your own. Print the zone page out, pop it in a sheet protector and add it to your binder.
You can also find updated lists to print out in my Ultimate Homemaking Binder here
Kitchen:
Straighten and clean refrigerator
Clean microwave inside and out
Clean oven and cooktop
Wash all items on countertop/use dishwasher for items if needed
Wipe fingerprints off walls/clean switch plates
Wash inside windows/patio doors
Polish cabinets
Clean out china cabinet/dust thoroughly
Wipe down kitchen table and chairs
Clean pet dishes and wash mat/rug
Feather dust kitchen light fixtures
Clean up kitchen desk area. Tidy the top of the desk and clean out a drawer or shelf
Wash countertops – remove everything and scrub down
Vacuum rugs and floor
Dust baseboards and wash around baseboards
Mop floor
Straighten under the sink and clean garbage can
Pantry:
Wipe windowsill and clean window inside
Dust bookcase and straighten
Declutter any items not needed
Feather dust light fixture
Straighten pantry shelves
Clean recycling can
Dust baseboards
Vacuum floor
Wash floor
Clean pantry door
Wipe off switch plate
Laundry Room/Mudroom:
Clean patio door and vacuum curtain
Clean French Door glass and dust all entry doors
Polish cabinets and lockers
Scrub sink
Wipe down all counters
Straighten the mudroom closet
Wash the dog bed blankets and straighten cages
Wipe down washer and dryer
Straighten laundry room cupboard
Wipe down laundry basket shelves
Change cat litter and wash the rug
Clean the cat food bowls
Wipe down baseboards
Vacuum rugs and floors
Wash floor
Related Posts & Links:
Declutter, Organize & Beautify One Week at a Time
My Favorite Natural Cleaning Products & Supplies
What a great idea. I did had schedule before we moved in with my sister (temporary) can’t wait to start again when we will move out. I definitely should do a binder.