Ultimate Household Chore List for 2023
Ultimate Household Chore List for 2023
Ready to Clean? Check out our 2023 household chore list to keep you on track!
Unfortunately, for most, cleaning is just not fun. It can be tedious, time-consuming, boring; you name it. Some people find cleaning enjoyable. They get a thrill out of organizing, seeing a space transformation, and being in a clean environment. For some, it's come to the point where people will put off cleaning for so long that their to-do list feels impossible to complete.
If you're one of those people, we've got you covered! Our team put together this Ultimate Household Chore list to help keep you on track and stay motivated.
Chapters
Why should you have a chore list
For the people who can't seem to get it done.
If you're someone who can't stay focused or organized when it comes to having a clean home, don't worry, you're not alone. According to the New York Post, one in six people put off cleaning their house for at least a month. We're here to fix that.
Having a chore list holds you accountable. It allows you to see what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. A chore list also gives people a sense of accomplishment once all their tasks are crossed off. If you need motivation, reward yourself with something small every time you complete your chore list. Sticking with something and creating a routine with a list is also easier.
Are you ready? We have created the Ultimate Household Chore List of 2023 for you, broken down by room. While not everything needs to be done daily, you should take the time to review it daily to see what can or should be done. Let's get started!
Household Chore List
Kitchen
Let's start with the Kitchen—the heart of the home and where most people spend the most time. Countertops can become a catch-all for junk and dirty dishes; let's fix that.
- Clean off your Countertops
- Throughout the day, try not to leave unnecessary items lying around. And if you do, put them in their designated spots by the end of the day. If you can, store small appliances in cabinets, making your kitchen counters look cleaner and less crowded.
- Do your dishes
- It is really easy to mistake doing your dishes by throwing them in the dishwasher and walking away. Actually, do them! After every meal, load your dishwasher and then run it every night. If it's just a few dishes and doesn't warrant a wash cycle, take the time to hand wash them. You'll thank yourself in the morning when you wake up to an empty sink.
- Sweep
- Crumbs fall; it happens. Take the time to quickly sweep after every meal; it will save you time in the long run!
- Wipe down appliances
- After every use, wipe down your stovetop and microwave. Doing this quickly and often eliminates the possibility of food sitting for too long and hardening, making it harder to clean. A quick wipe-down will save you some elbow grease.
Resetting your kitchen should be done daily. Using this chore list will eventually create a routine, and cleaning will become a breeze.
Living Areas
The next part of your home you should clean is your living area. It's easy to accumulate junk and piles where you relax the most.
-
Pick up your stuff
- At the end of the day or as the day goes on (if you work from home), pick up all of your belongings and put them where they belong.
- If you have animals, pick up their toys and put them in their basket. Be sure to check under tables and furniture pieces.
- Do you have shoes lying around?
- Clean up any food you've snacked on or cups you've used. Please don't leave them on your end table!
- If you have small children, tidy and organize their toys to the best of your ability
-
Vacuum
- While you don't need to vacuum daily, getting in the habit of vacuuming at least three times a week is excellent. Try to vacuum more often if you have pets that shed a lot.
-
Fluff your couch
- It seems silly, but fluffing your couch at the end of the day keeps it in good condition for longer and looks better overall.
Bedroom
Where you start and end your day. Let's make sure you go to sleep in a clean, relaxed environment and wake up without the stress of having to clean.
-
Make your bed
- Get in the habit of making your bed as soon as you wake up. It takes only a few minutes and makes all the difference. The National Sleep Foundation found that 19% of people who make their bed in the morning get a better night's sleep. Who wouldn't want good sleep?
-
Clear off your Nightstand
- We've all come victim to a dirty nightstand at one point in our lives. If you take water to bed, a book, or anything, get in the habit of clearing it off your nightstand everything morning.
-
Do your laundry!
- Laundry is one of the most disliked chores, but you still need clean clothes. Whether dirty clothes come from your closet, living area, etc., try to do your laundry as soon as possible. And put it away! I recommend doing your laundry once or twice a week but make sure it's in your hamper in the meantime.
Bathroom
It's easy for a bathroom to collect dust, hair, dirt, etc. Let's try to avoid that by tending to it daily!
-
Wipe down the sink
- After brushing your teeth, washing your face, or anything you may be using the sink for, wipe it down. It's quick and easy and removes any dirt or product buildup before it becomes too difficult to clean.
-
Clean your toilet
- It would be best to clean your toilet bowl at least once a week. Especially if you live in an area with "hard" water, you want to avoid grime buildup.
-
Clean up any dirty clothes
- Please don't leave them lying around to accumulate in the bathroom
-
Wipe down countertops
- Spot-clean your countertops daily for makeup, lotion, products, etc.
Weekly Cleaning
There are some household chores that you can't get to daily, or that don't need to be done daily. Sunday resets are my favorite, but any day will work. Choose a day of the week that best works for you to handle some of the more tedious chores.
Kitchen
-
Sweep/mop
- Even if you're sweeping up crumbs every day, you should still sweep at least once a week.
- Mopping is also essential. Kitchen floors can get grimy really fast
-
Clean out your refrigerator
- At the end of the week, look through your refrigerator and throw away anything that's expired, empty, or anything you know you won't eat (leftovers)
- Do the same with your pantry and reorganize your shelves!
-
Wipe down your cabinets
- The cabinets above your stove and around your microwave can get relatively dirty throughout a week of cooking meals. Wipe them down once a week to ensure you won't have food or grease buildup.
-
Clean your stove burners
- if you have an electric stove, remove the coils and clean your drip pans. Food falls and burns onto your drip pans often, so you'll want to clean them once a week to avoid any problems.
-
Clean your sink and garbage disposal
-
Take out the trash
Living area
-
Sweep/mop/vacuum
- No matter the floor type, you should clean your living area floors once a week. Dirt is tracked through the home and can create buildup, so take the extra 10 minutes and mop or vacuum.
-
Vacuum
- While vacuuming the floors, vacuum the couch to remove any pet dander/hair or crumbs.
-
Organize
- If you have a coffee table or end table with drawers, go through them. Detangle any cords, remove any junk, and reorganize the space.
- After their organized and decluttered, wipe them down!
Bedroom
-
Wash your sheets/pillowcases
- The National Sleep Foundation says you should wash your sheets once a week or every two weeks if you don't sleep on your mattress daily.
- A survey of 1,000 Americans showed that 41% of women and 33% of men wash their sheets once a week.
-
Laundry
- Wash and put away any laundry that has accumulated throughout the week
-
Dust
- Dust all surfaces, including blinds, dressers, shelves, etc.
Bathroom
-
Wash your towels and bath mats
-
Sweep & mop
-
Wipe down mirrors and countertops
-
Take out the trash
-
Clean the toilet
-
Clean the sink
Monthly Cleaning
-
Dust
- This is when you should dust everything in the home. Dust your vents, bookshelves, artwork, screens, speakers, picture frames, top of doors, all surfaces, etc.
-
Wipe down glass doors
-
Vacuum everything, including couches, chairs, pet beds, etc.
-
Shampoo
- If you have carpets and pets, take the time to shampoo your carpets every month to eliminate any odors or stains. You should also shampoo any rugs you have in the home.
-
Wash the walls and baseboards
- It was for walls and baseboards to get dirty with stains, fingerprints, dirt, dust, etc. It may take a while, but go through the home and clean all the walls and baseboards.
-
Disinfect
- Disinfect anything that is often touched, including door knobs, handles, remotes, light switches, etc.
-
- Once a month, go through all of your drawers, cabinets, closets, etc., and get rid of anything you don't use anymore or need.
- After you've decluttered, organize!
-
Start the self-cleaning cycle on your stove
-
Clean out and wipe down your refrigerator
-
Clean and bleach your shower and bathtub
How to Create Healthy Cleaning Habits
Now that you've used our chore list and cleaned your home, how do you make sure it stays that way? Creating healthy cleaning habits is a great way to ensure your house is constantly clean, and they even make cleaning faster and easier! According to Dictionary.com, a habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.
Here are a few things you can do to create cleaning habits:
1. Put your clothes away. Whether you're coming in from outside, it's the end of the day, you're getting ready for bed, etc., get in the habit of putting your clothes in their proper place instead of being thrown on the floor or a chair.
2. Reset your kitchen before bed. This includes wiping down countertops and doing your dishes.
3. Reset the living room. At the end of the day, put everything in its appropriate place and pick up any shoes, toys, or trash from the day.
4. Keep shoes by the door. Taking off your shoes when you first enter the house decreases the amount of dirt and debris that are tracked through the home
5. Make your bed every morning. This is the easiest way to create a healthy cleaning habit. It only takes a few seconds and starts your day off right.
The Ultimate Household Chore List for 2023 - Final Thoughts
Cleaning your home can be tedious and overwhelming, but with the use of a chore list, it can be made easier. Keeping a clean home can also improve your mood. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America indicates that the physical activity of cleaning coupled with the end result of a cleaner home helps reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Additionally, cleaning and decluttering can actually give you more energy & motivation while promoting a positive attitude. Who knew cleaning could help you?
We understand that life can get busy and overwhelming. If you don't have the time to clean daily, that's okay. Try to set aside a day and time every week that is specifically designated for cleaning; that way, you can get everything done that you weren't able to during the week. Cleaning doesn't always have to be boring. Make it fun by listening to music, dancing, or anything that motivates you to get going! We hope our ultimate household chore list has inspired you to create healthy cleaning habits.
Ryan Fitzgerald
Hi there! Nice to 'meet' you and thanks for visiting our Raleigh Real Estate Blog! My name is Ryan Fitzgerald, and I'm a REALTOR® in Raleigh-Durham, NC, the owner of Raleigh Realty. I work alongside some of the best Realtors in Raleigh. You can find more of my real estate content on Forbes, Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and more. Realtor Magazine named me a top 30 under 30 Realtor in the country (it was a long time ago haha). Any way, that's enough about me. I'd love to learn more about you if you'd like to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram or connect with our team at Raleigh Realty. Looking forward to connecting!