Well Planned Day – Busy Gal

What do you think of when you see the words “cleaning schedule”?

On the one hand, a clean house is nice. But on the other hand, such things often bring up thoughts of another word: homemaking. 

It’s an interesting word, isn’t it? It gives the Martha Stewart vibe of perfection, at least on the surface. Beautiful decor, perfectly laid meals, and a nice clean home. 

So, when those of us who are real see the word homemaking or are told how important it is to set up a cleaning schedule, it can be easy to buck against it with a very firm announcement of, “That is not me!” 

But think about it for a moment. How does the building in which you live, whether it be a house, an apartment, or even a dorm room, become “home”? That’s right—you’ve made it that way! More than anything else, that is what it means to be a homemaker. It is someone who turns the empty slate of open space into a home. 

But homemaking is not a one-time deal. You don’t move into a house or apartment, take the time to set it all up, then just let it go. Instead, you set aside times to keep your space clean and pleasant. Homey. 

Making It Work for You

Okay, so maybe a cleaning schedule isn’t such a bad idea after all. But, there are a couple of things you need to remember. 

First, the cleaning task is not yours alone. Turning a space into a home and keeping it that way is a responsibility that belongs to every member of a household. Unless you live alone, you don’t have to do it alone! So, it’s important to create a schedule that incorporates every member of the household. 

Of course, that leads us to the second point: you have to be sure to share the schedule. It’s easy for us to create a schedule in our planners, then neglect to let others know what we expect of them. That just leads to conflict and struggle. So, make sure that you set up a schedule that takes the needs and personalities of other household members into consideration. Then, be sure to communicate with the rest of your household.

Remember that your home will not be identical to anyone else’s. As a result, your cleaning schedule and routine will probably not look like anyone else’s either. Be proud of your home, your routine, and your approach to homemaking. That pride will shine as people truly feel at home when they walk into your house.