The Sanity Saving Way I Clean My House From Top to Bottom in a Few Minutes Each Day (with 3 little ones underfoot too!)

Oh the dreaded chore list! It’s not secret that I have an aversion to cleaning, in fact some might even say I’m emotionally allergic…

For real though, cleaning is not something I enjoy doing. I wasn’t made from that cloth, perhaps some of you are and really enjoy giving your house a good old fashioned deep clean from top to bottom. Good for you if you are one of those folks, I envy you.

For the rest of us, this post is for you!

You could think someone who runs a blog called Creative Home Keeper wouldn’t be making this statement but because I try to be completely transparent, cleaning is not on my list of favorite things to do. It’s not even on any list… OK maybe the list of things I try to avoid

Here’s the honest truth though…. just because I don’t enjoy doing it doesn’t mean that I don’t have to. It’s just one of the responsibilities I have when it comes to managing the home front. Just as a side note, there are several home cleaning and maintenance tasks my husband does (and he’s amazing at them too!) but the majority of the daily cleaning falls on my shoulders.

Over the years I’ve used and adapted several cleaning checklists and schedules to help me keep on top of our home.

When I worked full time, Saturdays were my cleaning days (and we lived in a tiny house so it only took less than a hour… see there are bonuses to living in small houses!). As I have become a mother and increased the number of children, so has my cleaning schedule changed.

What worked when I had one child to care for didn’t work when I had my second… and boy did everything get turned over when my third was born at the start of the year!

If you are a mom with little ones running around, you already know how hard it is to keep up with the cleaning. It seems like anytime I mop the floor, a cup of milk spills or when I scrub the toilets, my child who I thought was potty trained, misses the mark.

Can I get an amen?

Not to mention the fact that trying to find the time to actually clean the house from top to bottom in one session is almost impossible. So what’s a mama to do?

Enter the cleaning checklist that has rocked my world… the Motivated Moms Checklist.

I knew going into this year I would need a cleaning system that would break down the cleaning tasks into small bite sized chunks that I could do every day. Gone where my scheduled cleaning days instead I needed to do a little bit of cleaning every day to keep the house in order. And my a little bit I mean cleaning tasks that naturally flow into my day and don’t take a whole lot of time.

I had heard about the Motivated Moms Checklist for years but never took the bait. I had tried what I thought was a similar checklist and it left me feeling defeated and overwhelmed. Much as I didn’t like the idea of cleaning, I didn’t like the idea of someone else telling me when I should clean.

But the Motivated Moms Checklist is different.

It’s graceful, flexible and manageable.

It’s setup to include daily tasks, such as laundry, run and empty the dishwasher, clean the kitchen counters and other small tasks to help keep the main areas cleaned and clutter free. Along with the tasks that get completed everyday, there are also rotating weekly and annual cleaning jobs to do.

What I love about this cleaning checklist is that is also encourages family members to pitch in. My oldest two, who are only four and three, have simple chores such as putting their clothes in the hamper, making their beds, putting their plates in the sink, and helping me with other various tasks around the home.

I have found that when I make it like a game, they get really excited about helping Mommy (I hope this lasts for years and years, I’ll keep my fingers crossed!)

I have the App version downloaded on my phone (there is an App available for both Android and iOS) and what I love about the App is you can completely customize it to hide tasks that don’t apply to you, move tasks to certain days or to add tasks that aren’t already included. Plus you still get the satisfaction of crossing something off your list, which is huge to me!

If Apps aren’t your thing, there are also downloadable eBooks that include a few different sizes, formats and color versions for you to print on your own and use.

How Do I Use My Motivated Moms Checklist?

Since I’ve shared why I love this cleaning system so much, it seems only fitting I give you the play-by-play of how I actually go about using this checklist into my daily routine.

First things first, my days start with a good solid morning routine. After I spend time reading my Bible (quiet time and suggested Bible reading selections are part of the checklist if you choose), exercising and showering and dressing for the day, I head to kitchen where I begin the breakfast prep.

After everyone has eaten and the dishes are cleared (one area of the checklist is marked off) I get the kids settled for a quick morning preschool activity while I open my phone App and begin working through my checklist.

Most of the tasks are things I have already been doing naturally during my morning routine like make the beds, gather the laundry, wipe down the bathroom sink, clear the kitchen counters and other similar tasks. It’s pretty gratifying to check a few tasks off the list without even trying!

That’s the beauty of the Motivated Moms Checklist…. the tasks naturally fit into your routine and you develop the habit of tidying up without even making any effort!

Usually after breakfast when my kids are occupied with an activity, I’m able to table more of the heavy duty cleaning tasks like scrubbing the toilets, dusting or even running the vacuum. I’m a big fan of not doing any chores during nap time (after all that is my rest time too!) plus I think it’s important for the kids to see me working, even more important to teach them to work alongside of me.

Usually my mid morning most of the daily cleaning tasks are accomplished for the day with the exception of meal preps and cleanups and the end of the day chores which include cleaning the kitchen and prepping for the day ahead.

So as you can see my cleaning chores and tasks have naturally become a part of my days with very little effort on my part. Another great thing about Motivated Moms Checklist is the weekly and deep cleaning tasks are evenly spread out through the week. You never have a heavy cleaning day!

Ready to try Motivated Moms for Yourself?

Here’s the fun news for you, from now until January 4th, BOTH the printable eBooks and the App are on sale! Here’s a breakdown on the sale prices:

2016 printable ebook planners: $6
App, Android and iOS (includes 2 months of tasks and server access): 99¢
Year of app data (adds a full 12 months): $5.99
SPECIAL BONUS: with purchase of year subscription of app data from the website only, a free 2016 ebook download will be included!

You can see all the options here

I was super hesitant at first to pay for a cleaning checklist, especially with my experience using a different one, but I can honestly say using the Motivated Moms Checklist this year has totally saved my sanity, helped me stay on top of the cleaning and has helped me to create a new routine as we have grown to a family of five.

Cleaning tasks that I would have never remembered to do have been accomplished. Getting back into a predictable morning, afternoon and evening routine has also been accomplished. I’m not even lying when I say that the Motivated Moms Checklist really has changed my life (yes it sounds super dramatic but it’s so true!)

If one of your goals this year is to create small routines to help you get back on top of the cleaning and get your house in order, I HIGHLY recommend the Motivated Moms Checklist.

With the sale running through January 4th, you can invest in a cleaning system that will not only save you time but also your sanity for the price of on Starbucks latte!

Trust me, it’s worth the price.