I recommend that you include in your control journal a somewhat-modified version of how to keep your house going, for those times when you are ill or not available to clean it. This works for both people who live in the home or another trusted person to care for it. This is just my personal list- please simply use it to inspire and help remind you of what needs to be done in your particular home. I keep a "how to do laundry chart" in my control journal right behind this page. Doing laundry is going above and beyond for people who don't live in your house, but it should be fully expected if they live there and are over the age of twelve years old or so (and not physically-disabled in some way). Even younger kids can help fold laundry & do other little 'pick-up' chores. Don't assume people will do the laundry the way that you do things, or know where your cleaning products are, even if they live in the household. Yes, ideally they should know how to run the vacuum & know every step of laundering clothes, but that's not always our reality. In any event, include the information even if it seems too basic or redundant. It can't hurt! I'm not creating a specific doc for you to print out because everyone's home and needs are different, but at least what I've written out will help you make your own list.
Daily Household Upkeep (if I’m ill & someone else needs to keep up the house for me, please follow this list of things to do)
Dining & Living Room
Brush down the upholstery just to get cat fur off of it_
Close up the old trash bag and put a new trash bag in the living room trash can, if needed_
Just stack any papers, catalogs or anything else in like-with-like categories, if they’re out_
Kitchen
Close up the old trash bag and put a new trash bag in the trash can, if needed_
Feed the cat and give her fresh ice water each day_
Unload/load/run the dishwasher (the Cascade dishwasher detergent & a small bottle of Clorox bleach are under the kitchen sink on the left-hand side), as needed. Include a small splash of Clorox in the load right before you run it, for extra cleanliness_
Wash and dry any dirty pots or pans_
Wipe down the kitchen countertops and stovetop if a meal is made (Lysol Kitchen Spray and folded white cleaning cloths are under the kitchen sink)_
Laundry
I do one load of laundry a day. If you see that a load needs to be done, please follow my chart (it’s in my purple control journal) to perform that chore_
Mom’s Bathroom (cleaning products are under the sink, on the right-hand side in front)
Clean her toilet with the toilet brush and toilet bowl cleaner, if needed.
Wipe down her mirror/vanity with Windex and paper towels, if needed_
Close up the old trash bag and put a new trash bag in, if needed_
Mom’s Bedroom
Make the bed_
Scoop out the kitty's litter box, if needed- the scoop and plastic grocery bags for the waste is right next to the box_
My Bathroom
Wipe down the mirror/vanity with Windex and paper towels, if needed_
Clean the toilet with the toilet brush and toilet bowl cleaner_
My Bedroom
Make the bed_
Whole House
I have Fabric Refresher and Room Spray right next to my bed- if the home is “stale-smelling” at all, please use those products accordingly to freshen the place up_
If you can, please take out any full trash bags when you leave_
If it has been a week or more since I’ve been ill or gone
Please change the sheets, if someone has been sleeping in at least one of the beds over the last week. Fresh sheets are in the linen closet_
Change the bathroom towels if they’ve been in use. Fresh towels are in the linen closet_
Please get out the purple dust cloths that I have folded up in my bedroom closet and quickly dust the household’s hard surfaces. Just put the dirty cloths in my hamper after you‘ve used them_
Please vacuum the flooring- my vacuum cleaner is in my bedroom closet. I push the red button on top of the vacuum to turn the power on. The setting for our carpet is “Deep Pile”. You just push down on the head of the vacuum to use it for carpet cleaning. The “Bare Floor” setting works well for the kitchen & bathroom floors. When you are done, just put the vacuum cleaner back in the closet. Instructions on how to use the vacuum are in my file cabinet, if you need them: File Folder- "Handbooks & Warranties"; Manila Folder- "Vacuum Cleaner"_
Please mop the kitchen & bathroom floors. I have a mop in my bedroom closet with a blue handle. There are white terry cloth mop heads that go over it. What you do is wet the cloth in the sink, and put a little bit of all-purpose cleaner on the cloth. Then fit it over the mop. When the cloth is dirty on one side, you can change it over to the other side. I usually need one cloth (both sides) for the kitchen and one cloth for the bathroom (each bathroom uses one side). Please place dirty mop cloths in the “white laundry only” blue laundry basket in my mother‘s bedroom_
Thanks for helping me out!
Here's to being an organized minimalist,
Liz
Daily Household Upkeep (if I’m ill & someone else needs to keep up the house for me, please follow this list of things to do)
Dining & Living Room
Brush down the upholstery just to get cat fur off of it_
Close up the old trash bag and put a new trash bag in the living room trash can, if needed_
Just stack any papers, catalogs or anything else in like-with-like categories, if they’re out_
Kitchen
Close up the old trash bag and put a new trash bag in the trash can, if needed_
Feed the cat and give her fresh ice water each day_
Unload/load/run the dishwasher (the Cascade dishwasher detergent & a small bottle of Clorox bleach are under the kitchen sink on the left-hand side), as needed. Include a small splash of Clorox in the load right before you run it, for extra cleanliness_
Wash and dry any dirty pots or pans_
Wipe down the kitchen countertops and stovetop if a meal is made (Lysol Kitchen Spray and folded white cleaning cloths are under the kitchen sink)_
Laundry
I do one load of laundry a day. If you see that a load needs to be done, please follow my chart (it’s in my purple control journal) to perform that chore_
Mom’s Bathroom (cleaning products are under the sink, on the right-hand side in front)
Clean her toilet with the toilet brush and toilet bowl cleaner, if needed.
Wipe down her mirror/vanity with Windex and paper towels, if needed_
Close up the old trash bag and put a new trash bag in, if needed_
Mom’s Bedroom
Make the bed_
Scoop out the kitty's litter box, if needed- the scoop and plastic grocery bags for the waste is right next to the box_
My Bathroom
Wipe down the mirror/vanity with Windex and paper towels, if needed_
Clean the toilet with the toilet brush and toilet bowl cleaner_
My Bedroom
Make the bed_
Whole House
I have Fabric Refresher and Room Spray right next to my bed- if the home is “stale-smelling” at all, please use those products accordingly to freshen the place up_
If you can, please take out any full trash bags when you leave_
If it has been a week or more since I’ve been ill or gone
Please change the sheets, if someone has been sleeping in at least one of the beds over the last week. Fresh sheets are in the linen closet_
Change the bathroom towels if they’ve been in use. Fresh towels are in the linen closet_
Please get out the purple dust cloths that I have folded up in my bedroom closet and quickly dust the household’s hard surfaces. Just put the dirty cloths in my hamper after you‘ve used them_
Please vacuum the flooring- my vacuum cleaner is in my bedroom closet. I push the red button on top of the vacuum to turn the power on. The setting for our carpet is “Deep Pile”. You just push down on the head of the vacuum to use it for carpet cleaning. The “Bare Floor” setting works well for the kitchen & bathroom floors. When you are done, just put the vacuum cleaner back in the closet. Instructions on how to use the vacuum are in my file cabinet, if you need them: File Folder- "Handbooks & Warranties"; Manila Folder- "Vacuum Cleaner"_
Please mop the kitchen & bathroom floors. I have a mop in my bedroom closet with a blue handle. There are white terry cloth mop heads that go over it. What you do is wet the cloth in the sink, and put a little bit of all-purpose cleaner on the cloth. Then fit it over the mop. When the cloth is dirty on one side, you can change it over to the other side. I usually need one cloth (both sides) for the kitchen and one cloth for the bathroom (each bathroom uses one side). Please place dirty mop cloths in the “white laundry only” blue laundry basket in my mother‘s bedroom_
Thanks for helping me out!
Here's to being an organized minimalist,
Liz
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