by Todd Pheifer

Created on: May 13, 2008

A housecleaning schedule can be a great way to manage the day-to-day grind of keeping a home in order. By putting together a list of chores and assigning particular dates, a family can get into a cleaning routine that makes home management possible. A schedule isn't necessarily going to make cleaning any more fun, but when it is part of a regular regimen of activities, it can at least be a normal and expected part of a week. Here are a few other thoughts on keeping a housecleaning schedule.

USE IT AS A GUIDE

The trouble with lists and schedules in today's society is that we do not always use them. We have good ambition and we put together a schedule of activities. Then, we stick that list in a drawer or inside a cupboard and we never use it again. This isn't universally the case, but it happens often enough that people should be aware that a list will not solve all of their problems.

MAKE IT MANAGEABLE

Another key to using a housecleaning schedule is making it manageable. In other words, people should not try to schedule too many things for one day when they know from experience that they won't get them done. It is great to have ambition, but if one schedules too much, then they can feel overwhelmed. When someone feels this way, the natural tendency is to avoid the activity or put it off to a later date. Too often people say, "Oh, I'll do that tomorrow". Sometimes they get it done, but oftentimes the new day is just as busy as today was and the work gets pushed back again. Therefore, lists should be created realistically so that they have a genuine chance of being completed.

DIVIDE IT UP

As your grandmother probably said, "Many hands make light work". Therefore, housecleaning should be divided up amongst family members so that one or two people do not get overwhelmed. Granted, some families can only divide so many ways. Very young children can hardly be expected to push around a vacuum cleaner. But, some dividing is possible if solid communication is employed. Too often gender roles play a factor and people may feel that certain jobs don't fall into their "job description". In today's modern family, most tasks are fair game and can be completed by just about anyone.

Overall, a housecleaning schedule can be an excellent tool but one should remember that it is just a tool. The schedule won't get the work done without people putting forth effort. People still need to expend effort in order for the chores to be completed. Only then will the schedule be judged as effective.

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