Whether you’re trekking to the office every day or juggling Zoom calls with a toddler on your lap, life as a working mom can feel straight-up overwhelming. There’s already so much on your plate, and on top of that, there’s the constant mess, the endless chores, and the nagging feeling that you can never quite catch up. I’ve been there!
For years, I commuted three hours a day for my full-time job. By the time I got home, I was completely wiped out. Dishes in the sink? Ignored. Laundry piles? Growing like Mount Everest. Keeping a clean house felt like an impossible dream, and honestly, I kind of just gave up for a while.
But here’s the thing I figured out, and it’s a total game-changer. You don’t need hours of effort to keep your house under control. What transformed everything for me was carving out just 15 minutes a day to focus on one weekly task. I built it into my morning routine (you can find that here) and not only did it help my house feel cleaner, but it also made me feel less stressed. And guess what? That made me a way happier, more present mom.
Now I’m sharing this routine with you, my fellow busy moms, because I know how much difference it can make. Just five simple tasks spread throughout the week, combined with quick morning and evening cleanups, and suddenly your home goes from chaos to calm—without sucking up all your time.
Here’s How It Works
Each day, you focus 15 minutes on one thing. That’s it. You don’t have to clean the whole house at once—no one has time for that. By the end of the week, you’ll have hit all the key areas, and you’ll feel good about it. Plus, these tasks are designed to fit into your life, whether you’re coming off a long day at the office or jumping straight from work mode to mom mode at home.
Monday – Deep Cleaning or Decluttering
Alright, I used to dread Mondays because, well, Mondays aren’t exactly anyone’s favorite, right? But now, I use them to tackle one small part of my house for deep cleaning or decluttering. I’m not talking about an hours-long scrub-fest—I mean 15 minutes, tops.
Pick one zone of your house, like the kitchen or your bedroom, and dig in. (Check out my post on my zone system for inspo here) Maybe you wipe down the fridge shelves or organize that one drawer that always collects random junk. (We all have one, right?) If you need help figuring out what to focus on, I swear by a little checklist of tiny tasks—things you can knock out in five minutes. So I have what I call my 5 Minute Miracles printable checklist here. By the end of the week, you’ll be amazed at how much you’ve done!
Tuesday – Bathroom Touch-Up
Cleaning the bathroom doesn’t have to feel like punishment. I promise! Once I started doing it every week, it stopped being this awful, daunting thing. Spending a few minutes on it means things never get gross.
Here are a few little tricks to make it easier:
- Keep a sponge (like the dishwashing kind with the soap dispenser) in the shower and do a quick wipe-down while you’re in there (two birds, one stone!).
- Store wipes near the sink to tackle toothpaste splatters or water spots as they pop up or while brushing your teeth in the AM or PM.
- Do a quick swish in the toilet bowl after, um, certain situations to save yourself from scrubbing later.
It’s small stuff, but it makes bathroom cleaning so much less of a chore.
Wednesday – Fridge Clean-Out + Meal Planning
Wednesdays are perfect for a fresh start. Clean out the fridge, toss anything suspicious (leftover spaghetti from last week? Bye!), and give it a quick wipe-down. It doesn’t take long, it takes almost no-time actually when you do it weekly, but it feels so satisfying.
Once the fridge is clean, it’s the perfect time to meal plan. Knowing what’s in the fridge makes it so much easier to figure out meals for the week. I usually take a few minutes to jot down ideas, make a grocery list, and even pop leftovers into the freezer if needed. It’s a little reset that takes a huge load off later in the week when dinnertime rolls around. You can get my meal planning printable here.
Thursday – Dusting Made Easy
By Thursday, I’m usually running low on energy, so I like to keep it light. Dusting is kind of the easiest task on this list. Trust me—it doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
Grab a sock, spray it with a little cleaner (I use a homemade dusting spray. you can find my post on it here, or in the video below), and swipe it over surfaces. Bonus points if the kiddos want to help—you can actually make it fun by turning them into “dust detectives” or giving them sock mittens to dust with.
It’s quick, easy, and makes your house feel so much fresher going into the weekend.
Friday – Floors (Vacuuming + Mopping)
Okay, here’s the deal—I don’t go overboard with floors. By Friday, I’m more focused on just getting through the day, so I do what I can. I vacuum and mop as fast as I can and call it good. No need to move furniture or get every corner spotless! I also use hacks like a vacuum/mop combo for the kitchen and non-carpet floors so I don’t have to sweep first. I can do a deep clean of the floors during my 15 minute zone work monthly.
The important thing is to give yourself permission to not be perfect. A quick once-over is better than nothing, and you can always get the corners next time.
Saturday – Another Quick Zone Cleanup
Saturdays are great for catching up on your zone work just like Monday. Whether it’s tackling a cluttered shelf or giving the baseboards a quick wipe, spend 15 minutes wrapping up what you started earlier in the week. Sometimes I even have enough energy to get a little extra ahead—on a good day, that happens.
Pair It with Morning + Evening Routines
To really keep the ship steady, I’ve added quick morning and evening routines into the mix. My morning routine is super simple—stuff like unloading the dishwasher and starting a load of laundry. At night, I reset the house with a quick 30 minute routine so the next day can start off fresh (and, hey, less chaotic).
These little habits keep things manageable. And because there’s no giant pile of mess to deal with, it’s a lot easier to stick with the weekly plan, too.
Remember, You’ve Got This
Look, I know how hard you’re already working. Whether you’re exhausted from your commute or tired from balancing work deadlines with cooking dinner, I want you to know this—you’re already a rock star.
This cleaning routine isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about making things a little easier, a little more manageable, so you can spend less time stressing about messes and more time enjoying your family (or, you know, finally getting a moment to sit down with that cup of coffee).
It’s just 15 minutes a day, one task at a time. Start small, stay consistent, and watch your home transform—without sacrificing your sanity. You’ve got this, mama. And if I can do it? Trust me, you can too.
Bonus Hack!
I do all of these tasks I mentioned in this post while listening to my Domestic Daydreams morning radio cleaning routine. What the heck is that you might be asking? Girl, don’t worry, I’ll tell you.
Free Guided Podcast Cleaning Routine
I used to struggle SO BAD with keeping my house clean. My ADHD brain was just not made to follow any of the cleaning routines and checklists I had tried until THIS: I finally started using audio morning cleaning routines ft. 1950s radio shows like Dragnet! and Father Knows Best! I press play in the AM, it guides me through a routine in 30 minutes, including the rotating weekly tasks I talked about above, and when I’m done I have a clean house!
With my Domestic Daydreams Audio Morning Cleaning Routine, I’ve made cleaning fun and efficient by turning it into a guided daily task with the help of nostalgic Dragnet episodes. 🎶 Say goodbye to dragging around timers or deciding what to clean next – I’ve got your back every step of the way! ✨
And I’m giving away a few free episodes of the routine! You can get yours by clicking here