March 22, 2021
WEEK 4: WINDOW + BATHROOM
It’s spring cleaning month with me! This week we do Windows + bathroom. If you have any questions, feel overwhelmed, or don’t know where to start, please contact me and ask for help. I am here to help you succeed!
Pictured: Homekeeping Planner
I plan my week in the Homekeeping planner to correspond with the weekly tasks – I’ll share this method with you in case you want to structure your week that way too. If you do that Clean mom routine They know it’s a holistic approach – assembly line style. Instead of cleaning room by room, we do one task every day – Monday is bathroom day, Tuesday is dusty day, etc. This is more efficient, saves tons of time and keeps your home clean all week. If you’re doing the spring cleaning challenge, we cleaned the baseboards last week, did deep dusting and glowing last week. If you haven’t, make up for these things while you clean the kitchen thoroughly this week.
Monday – clean toilets – tank to floor, – clean + clear bathroom counters, clean bathtubs + showers (Bathroom day)
Tuesday – wash curtains / curtains + clean blinds (Dust day)
Wednesday (Day of vacuuming)
Thursday – wash bathroom floors (Day of floor washing)
Friday – wash the inside / outside windows (?), Clean the window sills + CATCH EVERYTHING THAT WAS NOT DONE (Catch-All Day)
Saturday – wash bath mats + shower curtains (Bed linen + towels day)
Windows + bathroom
- Clean toilets – Doing this on Monday is a great way to do multiple tasks. Do all of your normal bathroom chores, but with a deeper cleanse. Clean the toilet tank down to the floor. You can see my method of cleaning toilets here. I sprinkle a scoop of oxygen whitener in the toilets to make them sparkle.
- Clean + clear bathroom counters – I start by quickly clearing the counters and then spraying them well and wiping them off. I’ll be using my quick cleaning method to clean the bathrooms I use every Monday, but I’ll also include a little deep clean. There’s a free printable checklist out there if you want to grab it and try it out.
- Clean bathtubs + showers – I use this DIY scrub to clean my bathtubs and showers. It’s just a simple scrub with baking soda and Castilian soap. It does a great job of getting lather and cleaning ceramics, tiles, and fiberglass. Here is a post that details how I clean glass shower doors.
- Wash bathroom floors – Our bathroom floors are mostly tile, with the exception of the hardwood in our guest toilet. This post describes how to clean hard surface floors and this post shows how to clean tile floors.
- Wash inside / outside windows (?) – If the weather permits and you have time, wash your windows or a few windows. I will focus on windows that need to be visibly cleaned, like the windows on the back and front doors. This post describes how I do DIY window cleaning.
- Clean window sills / rails – Cleaning window sills / rails is easier than it looks and the effort is definitely worth it! All it takes is a little soap, water and a good scrub.
- Wash bath mats + shower curtains – The easiest way to do this is to toss these in the laundry with sheets and towels on Saturday. Check the care label and thoroughly clean your mats. If your shower curtains are washable, plan to line dry them to avoid shrinking.
Here’s how to brush in the spring when you don’t have time
Spring cleaning takes time, but so does regular cleaning. It’s maintenance, and if you spend a few minutes cleaning a little each day, you will save all week of time. I know spring is in our home when the kids’ activities start and the schedules are full. If you are cleaning or planning to clean in the spring, how do you take the time? Take a look at your schedule or your day and look for a few time slots to move around in. Do you think you don’t have time? Take a look at your phone usage and I bet you have at least 15-30 minutes to save on most days. Think of the time that you don’t waste time, but cleaning and debugging will save you time in the long run and you will feel better too.
Take your time. Decide when to take the time to do some spring cleaning and write it down. Gone all day and exhausted when you get home? Pick 2-3 days a week to do a task or two before going to work or when you get home. Ask your family members for help. It has been known that I pay in the form of ice cream or a special toy in return for help. There is nothing magical about the weekdays – if you want to set aside Saturday morning for the month of March and tackle the cleansing, go for it. Make up your mind with a little bit at home all day and decide when is the best time for spring cleaning. Be aware, however, that this may not happen the way you intended it to. Be flexible and realistic. If you have preschoolers, make them a spring cleaning bucket (feather duster, water in a spray bottle, and a microfiber or cotton cleaning cloth) and let them help you.
Look at your mindset. Be positive and do your best and most importantly, have fun cleaning. Spring cleaning is a good time – your home is ready for spring and summer, and you will feel better about yourself. Don’t worry about how long it will take you to do the cleanup, do your best, work at your own pace, and enjoy the process.
All contributions to the Spring Clean with Me series can be found here.
Rather than looking at a huge to-do list of all of the things you don’t know when to get around to doing this, think of this as an everyday approach to spring cleaning. Just like with the Clean Mama routine, you will think “something every day”. It doesn’t have to be all, but if you add a task or two every day in March (and April if necessary) you’ll find that you have almost lured yourself into spring cleaning. I love, love, love spring cleaning and I love sharing my tips and tricks with you. I want you to enjoy it a little too.
Here’s your checklist to get you started:
- CONSEQUENCES: Make sure to join on Instagram @cleanmama
- SUBSCRIBE TO: If you have not subscribed to the blog, you can do so by putting your name and email address on the FREE PRINTABLE PAGE
- DOWNLOAD + PRINT: Once you’ve received the password (you only need to enter your email address ONE TIME) check out the spring cleaning checklist on the FREE PRINTABLE page – this is what we are tracking for the month of March.
Do you want to add this list to Cozi + Clean Mama? Click the button below!
ADD TO COSI + CLEANMAMA
You don’t have the Cozi + Clean Mama app yet? Cozi is # 1 in family organization apps. First, sign up for your FREE account. Cozi + Clean Mama adds Clean Mama Daily Tasks and Clean Mama Weekly Tasks to your shared family calendar and sends automatic reminders for all tasks! Click here to learn more and download Cozi + Clean Mama.
TELL YOUR FRIENDS: Spread the word on your social media and tag me so I can share too! Cleaning with friends is always more fun!
VIEW EVERY MONDAY FOR NEW POST: Every Monday for the month of March, I’ll work out the plan for the week, tell you how I’m approaching spring cleaning, and then I’ll have a post or two during each week to help with the tasks for the week. Make sure to check Instagram for DAILY updates from Clean Mama HQ (my house).
SPRING CLEANING IS THE MONTHLY FOCUS FOR MARCH: You can find the monthly focus in the Homekeeping Planner and in the subscription to the Homekeeping Society. If you’re looking to work with a small group, join the Homekeeping Society for assistance!
SPRING CLEANING WITH ME SCHEDULE – I’ll link the posts when we go!
WEEK 1: Preparation week + laundry room
3 DIY cleaners for spring cleaning your whole house
How to clean a laundry room
5 essential spring cleaning tools
WEEK 2: dusting + wiping
How to clean the most touched areas
WEEK 3: Thoroughly clean the kitchen
WEEK 4: Windows + bathroom
WEEK 5: beds + floors
NEW? START HERE!
Follow the Clean Mama Routine – If you haven’t tried the Clean Mama routine but want to do a spring cleaning, Start with the daily chores and add spring cleaning to these OR set a timer for 15 minutes a day and do what you can. I’ve developed and refined the Clean Mama routine for the past 15 to 20 years – the final improvements you see today are the result of more than 60 hours a week, traveling for my job, the launch of Clean Mama, and the Pregnancy with our third. As the routine helped us keep our home tidy during this chaotic time, when the last thing I wanted to do was clean, I knew I was up to something. You’re too busy not to try – trust me! Here is a post to help you figure out how to do the routine in a busy life.
As you familiarize yourself with the Clean Mama Routine, it will take less time and you will develop habits that will help you keep your home consistently clean. I share my weekly tasks on Instagram every day – follow here: @cleanmama
You can find these downloads on the Free Printouts page. If you need a detailed guide, you can download it:
The Clean Mama routine is also available in the Cozi + Clean Mama app. Here you can sign up!
Are you ready to go I’ll be back later this week with a post on my favorite DIY cleaning recipes for spring cleaning, an in-store sale, and more!