Setting Up Routines

You won't find a magic solution to maintaining a clean, well-maintained, and organized home. But if you create a routine that works for your lifestyle and cleanliness requirements, you can stay on top of cleaning. When you do, chores don't get out of hand. If you keep your residence reasonably decluttered, clean, and neat, you'll avoid the necessity of marathon cleaning sessions.

Depending on your lifestyle, you may find it easier to perform the basic chores on a daily basis and relegate the big chores to a weekend morning or afternoon. If you enjoy free weekends, tackle one room or one big chore every day, in addition to daily chores, to allow time for leisure.

When your lifestyle is extremely busy with long work days and/or family obligations, it pays to plan your week and plot your course. Your week will go more smoothly if you start each Monday (or the first day of your work week) with a clean, neat home, clean clothes and other laundry, a stocked pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. Your weekends (or days off) will be more enjoyable if you don't have rooms to declutter, piled-up dishes, and mounds of laundry.

Determine your comfort level of neat and clean: Some things, such as a clean kitchen and bathroom, are nonnegotiable, but shelves or door frames that don't always pass the white glove test may be acceptable. Likewise, keeping public rooms -- living and dining rooms -- neat may be important to you, while you may be less vigilant about your bedroom or hobby space.

Check out our suggested daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly, and seasonal chores. Establish your own routines. You may find it helpful to make your own filing system or notebook with a similarly organized chore list.