5 Things I Stopped Doing That Finally Helped Me Keep Up With Housework (as a Working Mom!)

Keeping a clean house while juggling work, family, and a brain that’s constantly running in five different directions? It’s no small feat, my friends. For years, it felt like I was always behind on cleaning. Then I’d try to make up for it by going into a cleaning frenzy every Saturday, which left me exhausted and frustrated. Sound familiar?

Well, I want to share the changes I made that actually work—not just for keeping my house clean, but for keeping me sane too. These simple shifts have been game-changers, and no matter how hectic your life gets, I promise you can do them too.

Saturday used to be my “all-or-nothing” cleaning day. I’d wake up ready to tackle the whole house, armed with my broom, mop, and good intentions… only to end the day overwhelmed, exhausted, and with a house that somehow still didn’t feel clean.

Now? I spread it out. Here’s what my weekly routine looks like:

• Monday: Spend 15 minutes deep cleaning or decluttering in a specific zone (more on my zone system below).
• Tuesday: Bathroom cleaning. Quick, focused, done.
• Wednesday: Clean out the fridge, plan meals, and put in a grocery order.
• Thursday: Dust (check those sneaky spots like shelves and baseboards).
• Friday: Vacuum and mop.
• Saturday: Another 15 minutes in the same zone.

Breaking it into smaller, daily tasks has been a game-changer. It saves my Saturdays for rest and fun, while my house stays consistently clean.

Raise your hand if “spring cleaning” feels overwhelming before you even start! That was me every year. I dreaded it. Then I decided… why not keep up with deep cleaning all year long instead of cramming it into one week?

I now use a zone system to spread decluttering and deep cleaning throughout the year. Here’s how it works:

• Zone 1 (Kitchen & Dining Room): Focus here during the first week of the month.
• Zone 2 (Entrance & Living Room): Second week.
• Zone 3 (Guest Bathroom & One Bedroom): Third week.
• Zone 4 (Master Bedroom & Bathroom): Fourth week.
• Zone 5 (Yard & Laundry Room): Fifth week (or whenever this extra time comes up in your month).

Every Monday and Saturday, I spend 15 minutes in that week’s zone. That’s it. By the end of the month, every part of the house gets a little love, and I avoid that overwhelming “ugh, where do I start?” feeling.

Cleaning used to feel like this huge, looming task that I’d procrastinate on all week. Now, I spend about 30 minutes a day keeping things tidy, and it’s like my house cleans itself. Here’s my daily “must-do” list:

• Air the Beds: Start the day by giving them some fresh air (just pull the comforters down).
• Do One Load of Laundry: More on this in the laundry section below.
• Do the Dishes: No more dirty dishes piling up (we’ll talk about my dishwashing strategy in a second).
• Speed Clean Clutter: Set a timer and blitz a room for that time. It’s amazing what you can achieve in 5–10 minutes.
• Weekly Task: Spend 15 minutes on one of my cleaning tasks for the day (bathrooms, dusting, etc.).

It’s not about perfection; it’s about creating habits that make keeping a clean house effortless.

Confession: I used to hate doing dishes. Now, it’s just part of my routine, and, dare I say, it’s almost easy! The key was breaking the process into smaller chunks instead of waiting until the end of the day to face a mountain of dirty plates.

Here’s what I do throughout the day:

• Morning: While waiting for coffee, I unload the dishwasher or put away clean dishes.
• Before Each Meal: I fill a tub or the sink with hot, soapy water. As I cook, I scrape dishes and pop them into the water, so they’re ready to go straight into the dishwasher or get a quick hand wash after eating.
• Evening: Right after dinner, I load the dishwasher and start it. No delay, no pileups.

That routine has saved me countless hours and doesn’t leave me staring at a sink full of crusty pots at bedtime.

Ah, laundry, the chore that never ends. I used to save it all for Saturdays, only to get buried under ten loads of sorting, washing, drying, folding… and then running out of time to actually put it away.

Now, I tackle it day by day, with a simple schedule that keeps it manageable:

• Monday: Whites
• Tuesday: Delicates
• Wednesday: Exercise clothes and casual underthings
• Thursday: Darks
• Friday: Rags and towels
• Saturday: Sheets and pillowcases

Just one load a day, and I’m never overwhelmed. Folding and putting it away might still take me a little time, but even that feels less daunting when I focus on one category at a time.

If you’re like me, finding cleaning time in a busy, chaotic schedule is hard enough. Making it feel enjoyable? That felt impossible… so I created Domestic Daydreams Radio.

Imagine cleaning your house while being transported back to the golden age of radio. You can declutter while losing yourself in an old-time comedy from the 1950s, solve mysteries with a detective drama while scrubbing your bathroom, or wind down your evening chores with some cozy suspense. It’s the perfect mix of entertainment and productivity, and it’s all designed to guide you through step-by-step cleaning routines.

Here’s why it’s perfect for us busy moms who are short on time (and patience):

• It’s Efficient: No guessing what to do next. Just follow along, and it’s done in timed increments!
• It’s Fun: Nostalgic shows all from the 1950s make cleaning feel like less of a chore and more like an escape.
• It Works for Short Schedules: Episodes fit into 30-minute blocks, so even if you’re rushing between work, school drop-offs, and dinner, you can still get something done.

The best part? Regular cleaning becomes maintenance—not a marathon session. You’ll feel like you’ve got it togetherwhen your house feels fresh every day.

If this sounds like what you’ve been looking for, you can try some free episode right here. Trust me, it’s a lifesaver for anyone who wants to keep a clean house without giving up the little free time we have as moms.

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That’s it for my streamlined, ADHD-friendly cleaning system! No more overwhelming Saturdays, no more procrastinating, and no more guilt when things aren’t perfect. Just small, consistent habits that fit into even the busiest of schedules. You’ve got this!