1950s Inspired Cleaning Schedule

Cleaning. Some love it. Some hate it. I'd love to close my eyes and forget about it. But it comes with being a housewife - no matter what decade you live in.

June Cleaver and Donna Reed sure knew what they were doing on those idealistic shows back in the day, but in today's world full of iPhones, Facebook, and SnapChat, who really has time to keep the house and yourself looking good? Times may have changed, but that doesn't mean us housewives get a break.

Our homes are our domain. They are our kingdoms. Our palaces. And we, my dear ladies, are the Queens. And doesn't every Queen deserve a sparkling house? Of course!

Some of us are full-time housewives or homemakers, others - like myself - work a few hours outside of the home throughout the week. Whether your reign is full-time or mostly-full-time, there is always work to be done at the house, but there never seems to be enough hours in the day. (Funny that.) I've created a cleaning schedule based on what the real 1950s housewives did that takes up the morning hours but can be flexible with anyone's schedule. Please feel free to follow this directly, as I do, or move some things around and find out what works for you. One thing that is wonderful about this earth is that God created us all unique and special in our way which means it's totally okay to eat that extra cupcake so you do you.and find a make the schedule work for you, not the other way around.

Below is my daily schedule starting January 2017. There's the Chore of the Week below that to keep things looking extra sparkly around our palaces. Again, put your own spin on it if this particular way of doing things doesn't fit your lifestyle, just remember to stick to it every day! You have to follow a routine, whatever that may be. Routine makes our lives less stressful, and honestly, who needs more stress? Lower stress levels actually makes us happier. We think better, focus longer, and don't feel like we're racing against time with every task. A clean home makes us healthier. (Hmm... Maybe this should be a new post?)

Ready? Set? CLEAN!

1. Wake up at a decent time and make the bed. I try to get up at 6:30 with my hubby and to this. For me making the bed makes it easier not to crawl back under the sheets and sleep until mid-morning.
2. Start the coffee pot, have some tea, do your morning wake up routine. While you wait for the coffee to brew, you can go ahead and pack your hubby's or your kid's lunch, if you send them with their lunch.
3. Make and serve breakfast. Hot or cold cereal, oatmeal, or scrambled eggs and toast are perfect for week-day breakfasts. You don't have to go all out at 7 in the morning. Save the pancakes, waffles, and breakfast quiche for the weekends. Don't forget to EAT TOGETHER!
4. Clean up breakfast/counters and wash dishes (this includes the coffee maker!). Washing your dishes after breakfast will help you stay on top of your daily cleaning and make your mornings a lot smoother. Wipe down counter tops and sink area. Have the kids brush their teeth, dress for school, and make their beds (if they can) while you do this. It helps to have their clothes picked out the night before if you have young school-age kids who can't dress themselves.
5. Get the kids off to school and kiss hubby goodbye when he leaves for work.
6. Do hair and make-up, and get dressed. A little mascara and lipstick makes me feel ready to face the day, even if the only person I'll be seeing is husband.
7. Open up the blinds and windows. Having morning sunshine spill in across the floors and liven up the house puts you in a good mood.
8. Read your bible. 30 minutes in the morning may seem like a lot to some, but starting your day with God's word is the best way to start it. There's a lot of reading plans you can search for online, but find which one works for you and meets your needs where you are. I'm going to start a 90 day reading plan that gets you read through the bible in three months. (I'll post more about that in my Housewife Sunday's post later this week.)
9. If you have pets: clean litter box, lets the dogs out, and refill water bowls. I do this periodically throughout the day.
10. Declutter the house. If the remote somehow ended up in your son's Lego box and your favorite red lipstick is in the baby's crib, put them back where they belong. Dispose of any garbage from the rooms.
11. Fluff the throw pillows, water the plants, and do light dusting as needed. One of your weekly chores is to dust so you should only have touch-ups to worry about if at all.
12. Start a load of laundry. Dry it, fold it, and put it away! (You might do this several times a day if your washer is on the fritz like mine.)
13. Do a quick clean of the bathroom. In the 50s, bathrooms were cleaned daily - as they should be- so this should be a quick chore. Run the brush around the toilet bowl a few times, whip down surfaces (sink area, counter tops, faucets, mirrors), empty the trash can, shake out the rugs, and sweep/vacuum. Refill the toilet paper roll if needed.
14. Shake out all area runs, sweep/vacuum floors. You can get by with mopping every few days but mop daily if you prefer it that way.
15. Review the menu for the day. Make note of anything that needs to be prepared ahead of time that needs to get done. Begin long-advance preparations for dinner (such as making dessert). Start advance food conditioning like crisping vegetables or thawing frozen foods.
16. Handle errands that might take you out of the home.
17. Have a quick lunch and wash your dishes.
18. Take some time in the afternoon to do something for yourself (try to work in 30 minutes of "Me Time" each day). Read a book, work in your garden, take a long deserving bath, sew, bake bread and pies, exercise, do some yoga (which is one of thee best and my favorite ways to exercise), or meditate (also one of my favorites).
19. About 30 minutes before hubby gets home, start to prepare dinner. Because you'll have most of your ingredients already prepared, all you have to do is cook. Obviously start sooner if your meal takes longer to make.
20. Freshen up before hubby gets home and rest for a few minutes. Turn off the TV, have the kids quiet down and go to their rooms (this was very common for a lot of families), and let your husband rest for a few minutes before being attacked by the kiddos and goings on in the News. When he does come in, be happy to see him. Ask him how his day was. Show him you missed him. Have some time to yourselves before the kids come out of their rooms. Connecting with your husband is very important in a marriage and it's easy to forget that communication is the best way to stay in love when we're so busy doing everything else.
21. Serve dinner at the table. No TV, no phones, no distractions. Meal time should be a time to talk about each other's days, have a good time, and make memories. Everything else can wait.
22. Clear the table, put left overs in the fridge, and wash the dinner dishes. If you want, pack the kid's and hubby's lunches for the next day so you don't have to do it in the morning.
23. Bathe the kids, lay their clothes out for tomorrow, get them put to bed, and do a last scan on the house for anything out of its place. If you don't have kids, scan the house and shower.
24. This isn't necessary, but it's a good one to have on here. Pour boiling water down all the sinks. This helps make sure odors and the pips are flushed clear.
25. Congratulations! You're done! Relax, watch TV, read your bible again, or cuddle up with your hubby to watch a movie.

Weekly Chores

1. Mondays: Dust EVERYTHING. Baseboards, windowsills, ceiling fan, light fixtures, stair railings and spindles, table and chair legs, cabinets, and the front and top of the refrigerator.
2. Tuesdays: Clean the windows and mirrors. Wipe down the walls to remove any yuck or fingerprints if need be. Make a meal plan and go grocery shopping. Where I live, not many people are in town on Monday or Tuesday evenings so we try to go earlier in the week.
3. Wednesdays: Strip beds and wash sheets, blankets, and area rugs. Put clean hand towels in the bathroom.
4. Thursday: Clean the bathtub and shower.
5. Friday: Clean out the inside of the refrigerator, microwave, and stove/oven.
6. Saturday & Sunday: Free days.

It seems like a lot on paper (or a screen) but once you get into a routine of doing everything, it actually becomes quite easy. Make a check list for yourself to mark things off as you get them done. Try it out for a few days and see how it works for you, and arrange a few things to fit your schedule. I'd love to hear how this cleaning schedule works for you and your household!

God bless, lovelies!