housework card file system

We have had a stretch of chilly rainy days, so I dove into some deep cleaning with a vengeance that came from the depths of... I really don't know where. I guess I just knew that the warm sunny temps were going to return one day soon and I wanted to be ready to head outside once again to my gardens. Quite a number of years ago, I ran across a "Dear Heloise" submission in the Brainerd Daily Dispatch regarding a file card system for tackling housework in an organized purposeful manner. Actually, it was 15 years ago when I set it up because I discovered a teeny tiny 1993 calendar tucked into the back of the card file. The system takes a little time initially to set up, but it is an effective method that provides a new approach to what can potentially be mundane tasks. I remember my mother writing cleaning jobs on little slips of paper that my sisters and I would draw out of a bowl. After completing that task, we would draw another. We actually hurried to complete our job so we could see what was written on the next scrap of paper. Silly excitement but the creative twist made it fun. This index card method puts a little different spin on tackling housekeeping tasks... just as the slips of paper as a child. 

To set up the system, you'll need monthly (Jan-Dec) and days of the month (1-31) index file dividers, as well as lined 3X5 index cards. First, decide what tasks need to be completed to keep a home orderly and running efficiently. (You can always add more tasks at anytime as they come to mind.) Now place each task in one of four categories: 1) Daily tasks - list all of these on one card. When jobs are completed, move card ahead to next day. 2) Weekly tasks - List one job per card. When job is completed, move card a week ahead. 3) Monthly - list each job on a separate card. When job is completed, move card ahead one month. 4) Seasonal (1X, 2X, or 4X per year) - List one job per card. When completed, move card ahead one year, six months or three months. A random sampling of jobs that I came up with... 1) Daily- dishes, wash counters, stovetop, and table. Sweep/vacuum. Make beds, etc. 2) Weekly - Mow lawn, wipe off kitchen cabinet doors, dust furniture, facial mask, trash pickup, plan week's menu and grocery shopping list, etc. 3) Monthly - Wipe off telephones, balance checkbook, file paperwork, etc. 4) Seasonal - Clean range hood, remove leaves from rain gutters, etc. To give my cards a special place to reside when they are not in use, I tuck them in one unit of this birdhouse triple file drawer.

If you like, you can buy a variety pack of colored 3X5 index cards then you can write daily tasks on yellow cards, weekly tasks on green, monthly tasks on pink, and seasonal tasks on blue. This is what I did. It adds a spark of color and it's easier, when setting up the system, to scatter weekly, monthly, and seasonal jobs more equitably thoughout so you're not overloading yourself on any one day. If you are unable to complete a task on a certain day, for whatever reason... "the brown bird sang in the apple tree", raspberries are ripe in the neighbor's patch, or the perfect summer day is beckoning a day trip to Itasca State Park. Load up the bikes and forget the work. Move that day's cards ahead to the next day, week, or month and forget it until those cards eventually show up again. The system is not meant to cause stress but to break tasks up and spread them out so that each day you pick away at something. That way you prevent feeling overwhelmed and you can come to closure on what you have set out to accomplish for the day. Anything you choose to do beyond that is up to you, but it allows you to feel a sense of completion each day. 

To assist you in getting started, here a some basic housecleaning tasks from http://www.thecleaningauthority.com, which is a company that provides a housecleaning service. 

Every Time We Clean Bathrooms Tile walls, bathtubs, and showers cleaned and disinfected Shower doors cleaned and disinfected Vanity and sink cleaned and disinfected Mirrors and chrome fixtures cleaned and shined Floors washed and disinfected/carpets vacuumed Toilets cleaned and disinfected Mildew chemically treated Cobwebs removed General dusting Kitchen and Eating Areas Countertops cleaned Outside of range hood cleaned Top and front of range cleaned Drip pans cleaned Sinks cleaned and disinfected, chrome shined Fronts of other appliances cleaned Floors vacuumed and mopped Cobwebs removed Microwave wiped out General dusting Sleeping and Living Areas Flat areas damp cloth dusted Stairs vacuumed Empty closet floors vacuumed All readily accessible floors vacuumed Wood floors vacuumed and dust mopped Cobwebs removed Picture frames dusted Window sills and ledges dusted Louvered doors dusted Mini blinds dusted Ceiling fans dusted Lampshades dusted Intricate items dusted Heavy knick-knack areas dusted

Detail Clean: Rotating Basis Bathrooms Tile grouting scrubbed Shower door given extra attention Spot clean doors and door frames for fingerprints Knick-knacks individually cleaned Fronts of cabinets wiped Baseboards wiped Extra attention to floors Kitchen and Eating Areas Inside of range hood cleaned Grease filter cleaned Doors and frames spot cleaned for fingerprints Appliances cleaned and shined Knick-knack areas cleaned Outside of cabinets cleaned Baseboards wiped All kitchen furniture hand wiped Sleeping and Living Areas Doors and frames spot cleaned for fingerprints Window sills and ledges damp wiped Knick-knacks individually cleaned Furniture hand wiped Baseboards wiped Furniture and upholstery vacuumed Carpet edges vacuumed Areas under accessible furniture vacuumed