As we continue to maintain our homes, the key is maintaining our homes through out the year instead of a full deep cleaning once or twice a year.
Adjust the outdoors to fit your home.
Not all the things listed need to be done this round. Some may be done daily, weekly, monthly, every 3 or 6 months or yearly. Look at each area with fresh eyes to see what should be done this round.
Kitchen
- Clean as you cook - daily
- Wipe up spills while fresh in kitchen - daily
- Sweep kitchen floor - daily
- Ceiling and corners - quarterly
- Ceiling light - quarterly
- Walls - quarterly
- Doors and hardware – weekly (finger prints), quarterly
- Door and floor trim - quarterly
- Light switch - weekly
- Dust lights - weekly
- Dust pictures - weekly
- Dust decorations – weekly
- Wash decorations – quarterly if needed
- Cold/hot air vents - quarterly
- Window – quarterly if needed
- Window treatments - annual
- Dust furniture - weekly
- Closet/pantry -quarterly
- Floor – weekly
- Throw rugs – weekly if needed
- Drawers, cupboards, and shelves – quarterly if needed
- Expiration dates
- Discard foods and beverages past their prime - weekly.
- Flush drain with boiling water - weekly
- Wipe surfaces, including sink, countertops, the outside of the ventilation hood, refrigerator, and cupboard doors - weekly.
- Wipe the inside of the oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and toaster oven - weekly
- Wipe the inside and outside of trash and recycling bins weekly
- Discard food in the freezer that’s past its prime - monthly.
- Wash ventilation hood filters - monthly.
- Clean hanging pot rack and polish copper - quarterly.
- Clean ovens -quarterly.
- Organize pantry, discarding expired food -quarterly.
- Replace baking soda in refrigerator and freezer - quarterly.
- Remove contents of cabinets and clean interiors - quarterly.
- Wipe kitchen ceiling - quarterly.
- Wipe the inside of the refrigerator - quarterly.
- Repairs – either repair or put on a list for the future
- Buy – replacements or something new if needed
- Declutter – living room (next focus area) and post accomplishments in Harriet’s declutter thread. This is a great opportunity and will make maintaining the living room easier.
Remember not all the things listed need to be done this round. Some may be done daily, weekly, monthly, every 3 or 6 months or yearly. Use the list as a guide.
Sigh. I don't have enough storage space in my kitchen, for sure. Notice cabinets are storing a lot of boxed items we lost interest in after buying, like packaged potato, pasta and rice side dishes. Part of the reason may have been that they are not too healthy, so kudos to us for thinking that way BUT maybe I need to start using one every couple days to clear them out, and if there's really no interest in something, start a bag for the church collection.