Daily Cleaning Checklist for Big Families
Living large. That’s what households with lots of members are doing – be they be offspring-filled, multi-generational and/or a refuge for friends. While the average size of a U.S. household has declined for decades, the last decade has shown a reversal of that trend, as more adults live with their parents and blended or non-traditional households have become more popular.
Beyond the obvious challenges, such as sky-high utilities and eye-popping food bills, big families face another vexing problem: keeping the place clean. The best way to stay ahead of the dust, dirt, grime and wear-and-tear is to do a little bit of cleaning every day. Putting it off until spring or some other milestone moment is way too risky; you may be inundated with filth by then.
Here are some suggestions for keeping your place spic and span, even when it’s overrun by an influx of kids, Millennials, old-timers and more.
Your mom probably preached this when you were a kid, but now you know it’s true: daily cleaning makes a mighty difference. But how do you get everyone involved and not have the burden fall to the one or two family members who are the most fastidious.
First, decide on who’s the boss. That person – bless their heart – is in charge of assigning cleaning jobs and monitoring if they are done daily and correctly; if not, that person must bring the hammer down, too. Perhaps it’s best if this job belongs to the homeowner or leaseholder (if renting); after all, that person has the most to lose if the place is filthy.
Next, assign everyone a task– and list it on an easy-to-see whiteboard. Of course, these can and should be age-appropriate; Tommy Toddler probably won’t excel at laundry and Great-Grandma doesn’t need to be on a ladder, dusting the crown molding. Make a list of daily tasks, and ask for volunteers; better yet, rotate the assignments on a weekly basis so the hard jobs (and the easy ones) are shared by everyone.
Here are a few daily cleaning assignments that should be on your checklist:
- Pick up the toys (and put them back where they belong). Here’s an assignment the kids can pitch in on; after all, they made the toy mess to begin with! Plus, it’s a great way to teach them to take pride in their belongings and understand what it means to be responsible.
- Sweep and/or vacuum the kitchen and any other rooms prone to the most messiness). It doesn’t take long for dirt to get ground into the floor, making it that much harder to remove
- Empty the wastebaskets and kitchen trash/recycling cans. Nothing attracts bugs and vermin like untended to garbage; plus, it can get smelly pretty quickly. So, a daily sweep of the house to get rid of festering trash should be high on your priority list.
- Vacuum the carpet in well-trod places (like family rooms or hallways).
- Wipe down the kitchen table/counters/appliances. Fingerprints and crud can do plenty of damage to the look and feel of some of your most prized surfaces. So, keep them clean!
Weekly cleaning tasks must stay up to date, too, such as:
- Scrubbing toilets, sinks and tubs
- Cleaning out the refrigerator (just say no to anything that’s rotting or smelly)
- Changing bed linens
- Washing towels/linens
- Washing clothes
- Dusting the baseboards and corners
There, isn’t that better? A tidier home is a happier home (well, maybe not; but it’s a whole lot less gross).
Finally, stay well-supplied. If the vacuum cleaner is broken, you’re out of trash bags, every spray bottle is empty, and there’s nary a paper towel to be found, it’s an easy excuse for your workers to take the day off. Don’t let that happen; keep your house well-stocked with everything needed for cleanliness’s sake. In fact, making someone the Supply Monitor may be among your most important assignments.
Among the must-have daily cleaning supplies are:
- Multipurpose cleaners
- Surface-specific cleaners (granite, toilets, marble, hardwoods, tile, etc.)
- Broom/dustpan
- Mop
- Scratch-free scrubbing sponges
- Kitchen garbage can bags
- And of course, an essential item is one of our favorites here at Scott … paper towels. Few cleaning supplies are more versatile than absorbent and cost-effective Scott Paper Towels. Responsibly sourced, they’re made with Rapid Ridges that lock liquid fast to get the job done – so you can get back to doing the things you love. Since your family is big, consider ordering Mega Rolls among the other sizes available for purchase online, here.
How do you get everyone involved in daily cleaning chores? Do you bribe or punish? How do you keep everyone on track? Please build on the ideas we’ve listed, or share your own, via social media channels. Remember to use the tag #KeepLifeRolling.
