There’s never been a bigger uphill battle than trying to keep your house clean. Kids, animals, spouses, projects and everyday clutter are just a few of the things that always seem to be standing in the way of an immaculate abode. Are you looking for a solution to this frustrating problem? Cleaning schedules are an easy way to stay on top of housework. For tips on how to create one, take note of the following advice.

Breakdown your Week

To start yourself off, you’ll need to decide how many days you’re willing to work. If you want to take weekends off, or have a couple lighter cleaning days, factor that into your schedule. When you’ve determined the number of days you’re going to add to your schedule, you’re ready to begin.

Breakdown the Tasks

Write a list of every cleaning task that needs to be accomplished on a weekly basis. Keep in mind that some chores, like loading the dishwasher, will need to be done multiple times per week. Once you’ve completed this list, make a separate list of things that need to be done every so often. For example, wiping down baseboards, and cleaning out the refrigerator are things that can be done monthly instead of daily/weekly. When you have both of these lists done, sit down and start assigning tasks to specific days. You can assign the ‘every so often’ chores to specific months as well.

Delegate

It would be impossible for you to keep an entire house clean by yourself. Especially when other people live there. That being said, delegation is crucial. Assign each member of your household a personal daily chore chart. Working together to keep your home clean is an essential part of family life. The same applies to roommates. The other great part about delegating is it creates awareness. When you try to do everything, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. If other people know how much work it is to keep things clean, they may be more cognizant of their own messy tendencies. They might even work a little harder to keep things tidy.

Implementation

In order to implement this cleaning schedule, it needs to be accessible to everyone. Write it down somewhere and place it in a communal space. This will eliminate excuses from people who say they ‘forgot’ which chores they are responsible for. Additionally, if your cleaning schedule is going to work, everyone needs to be accountable for their assignments. You can’t shirk responsibilities the same way you can’t continuously pick up someone else’s slack. If one person fails to do their part, it will be easy for others to ignore their chores as well. Stay on top of the cleaning schedule!

Creating and implementing a cleaning schedule will make housekeeping seem more manageable. Avoid the resentment that comes from constant clutter. Stay on top of things and make sure you’re getting help from your fellow mess makers.