No matter what way you swing it, keeping your home clean is a challenge. I get it – I have two busy little boys, a husband and a dog. Some days our house looks like it exploded. What helps me keep my sanity on days like that? I know that underneath all the crumbs and snack wrappers and toys our home is CLEAN even though it is untidy. How do I find some sort of balance between keeping a clean house and finding time for all the other things? CHECKLISTS and I am sharing one of my favourite weekly cleaning lists with you today. It is simple to follow, motivational and not overwhelming. It focuses on giving one room a true clean each day. It’ll keep you focused and in control – what more could we ask for as moms?!

Finding “balance” between home life and work is not easy. I say “balance” because I really don’t think there is such a thing. Some days your home will be messy but it is because you are more focused on work and your children. Other days, you’ll have a clean home but you might feel guilt about focusing on something other than your children or work. For me, I haven’t yet been able to strike a perfect balance but I have been able to establish a healthy equilibrium. I think I’ve been able to refocus and reset depending on what my needs are, my family’s needs, and my side hustles needs. If you feel like you’re drowning, my goal give you a clear set of guidelines on how to take back that control and have your home feel clean again, even if it isn’t always tidy.

My Side Hustle Routine

I’m currently juggling blogging and two Etsy stores – all of them are very young and require a lot of work. I am not making any cash yet, but I love what I’m doing and believe that it can grow and be something amazing. Because of this, I do not feel like I am forced to do my side hustles at night – I truly enjoy being creative and making things that might make life easier or better for someone. I’m Holly, a stay at home mom to two busy little boys (1&3) who are home with me full time. During the day, I use any spare second that I can to work on these things, but in all honesty, there is not much of that while the boys are awake.

My main project time is from 7pm-10pm. In that time, I also squeeze in some cleaning time that I might have missed earlier in the day. I need to focus and be ready to work when I sit down at my laptop. My goal is to publish two blog posts a week. With the leftover evenings, I do whatever else I can get done on my Etsy stores. I do this basically 7 days a week.

Thankfully, my husband will clean the kitchen once the kids go to sleep. That is a huge blessing because some evenings I will jump right into what I need to get done with my projects, other nights I NEED to tackle the explosion that once was my living room – balance!

In the mornings before my husband goes to work I can usually get some decent house work done then. I can make beds, do a quick bathroom tidy, or tackle some laundry. This is a huge help because I can usually get some things accomplished that are on my cleaning list for that day. Some mornings I lounge around in my PJs drinking coffee and hanging with my family – balance! Cut yourself some slack sometimes.

Decluttering For Efficiency

I have an extremely hard time focusing on anything if my house is a mess and I try to declutter each room at least twice a year. I’m not sure where things keep coming from, but they somehow find their way into my house. When you start with a space that is not cluttered, you’re already on your way to a more zen environment. If everything has its space, it is SO much easier to keep a room clean. If I find a drawer getting jammed, sometimes I will valiantly declutter it right then. Other times I will continue to jam it shut for as long as the sides will hold – balance.

Decluttering and removing the unnecessary clutter in your home also has the same effect on my brain. I can’t speak for you, but try it in just one room and see if you notice a difference. Easier to clean = more time for you.

Start with one room. You don’t have to go crazy. Pick a basket or a drawer that you’ve been neglecting and go from there. Once you remove the unnecessary clutter, cleaning becomes way less overwhelming and more manageable. I’ve been putting off organizing our living room since after Christmas and I don’t know why because it is so much easier to do a quick tidy at the end of the night.

If you have kids, you NEED to be doing toy rotations. Less toys around mean less for you to clean. Also, every few weeks when we take a “new” box out of the basement, it’s like Christmas all over again.

Daily Cleaning Hacks

• Keep a cleaning kit in your bathroom. I keep a microfiber cloth, window wash, toilet bowl cleaner (obviously) and Dawn dish soap. Whenever I have a few extra minutes, I can clean the whole bathroom with just those few things. It stops me from getting sidetracked on my way to get the cleaning supplies.
• Make your bed every day. This truly works. I feel way more productive after I’ve made my bed.
• Involve your kids in cleaning. Instead of trying to keep them busy while you’re trying to do something, give them something to do as well. My kids love to help me sweep, vacuum and wipe. When I need to get something done, I give my 1 year old a face cloth and he is off to the races.
• Don’t focus on every room every day. You will go crazy and it’s a losing battle. I’ve tried and I am the queen of clean. Instead, focus on 1 room getting a good cleaning every day. If you don’t get a room that week because life happened, don’t sweat it – balance!
• Everytime you leave a room, take something with you. Going from the kitchen to the living room? Take that dinosaur and car with you! Going from the living room to the bedroom? Gather up those stray socks and toss them in the hamper on the way. Doing this has effortlessly taken down the amount of stuff that piles up in each room every day.

Weekly Cleaning Routine

Let’s talk about how I keep my house clean, raise 2 children (who don’t go to daycare), work on 3 side hustles and keep my sanity: my routine!

This takes the decision fatigue out of your life. As a mom, I know how paralyzing and overwhelming it can be to make just 1 more decision during your day. If your house looks like a bomb hit it from top to bottom, where do you even start?! This routine takes the guess work out of cleaning.

I have my copy framed and hanging in my kitchen. I use a dry erase marker (on days when I’m feeling on the ball) to keep track.

• Monday – kitchen
• Tuesday – bathroom
• Wednesday – family room
• Thursday – bedroom
• Friday – miscellaneous
• Weekend – relax & enjoy

By sticking pretty close to this schedule each week, you can ensure that although your house might get untidy, it will never be dirty. Having just one room be clean every day is such a game changer for me. I feel like I’ve accomplished something and usually I can get through these things in less than 30 minutes if I stay on top of the decluttering.

Outsourcing and Delegating Tasks

My family makes fun of me because cleaning is 100% my therapy. If I’m anxious, sad, or mad about something, you can find me with my beloved Shark vacuum in hand (I am not an affiliate – just a huge fan!). However, at the end of an already busy day, I need some time to get to work on things other than cleaning. Did I mention that we have a dog who needs walking as well?

I mentioned my husband cleaning the kitchen which is a huge help. Delegating this task has been instrumental in freeing up some much needed time for me at the end of the day. If you don’t have a partner who can do this for you, or you don’t have a partner at all, consider involving your kids in the cleaning fun! It’s all in how you sell it. I also want my children to grow up not thinking I’m their maid. I want them to be self sufficient. My 1 year old is already cleaning up spills and trying his hardest to use the broom and dustpan.

This could give you some extra helpers, but also buy you some time to do the dishes or clear a spot on the counters while teaching them some valuable life skills – win/win!

The Cleaning Weekly Schedule Freebie!

I want you to feel like you’ve got a handle on your home as well, so I’m including my favourite weekly cleaning schedule here. I hope that it will help you stay focused and on track. Happy moms = happy homes = more time for side hustles. Here is a photo of what the checklist looks like.

I really hope the schedule is the exact thing you were looking for to get yourself on track. You can do this! DOWNLOAD your free printable cleaning checklist here!

Want to hear more about side hustles or how to balance everything in between? Join our community to keep in touch! I’d love to have you along.