Every year, I dream of a house where every closet, cabinet and corner is clean and free of clutter. Yet every year, finding the time to deep clean the house is impossible. This year, I decided to break the list down into more manageable daily tasks.

By the end of the month, I had a house so clean that even my mother would approve! Here is what I did:

Day 1: The Bathroom

Wipe everything down and throw out old medicines and cosmetics. Pull the hair out of the drain.

Day 2: The Linen Closet

Remove or repair old linens. Wipe down shelves and baseboards. Vacuum.

Day 3: The Bedroom Closets

Donate clothes and shoes that you don’t use. Shed the dry cleaning bags and hangers. Make a list of new things needed. Repeat for all bedrooms.

Day 4: The Bedroom

Clean under the bed. Clean out the nightstand. Wipe drawers and vacuum under the bed. Repeat for all bedrooms.

Day 5: Hallways and Coat Closets

Remove all items that you no longer use. Wipe down shelves and baseboards. Vacuum.

Day 6: Family Room

Wipe down shelves and vacuum. Refill batteries in game controllers and remotes.

Day 7: KnickKnacks

Go through the house and take down the things that you are tired of. Make note of any family pictures that need to be updated.

Day 8: Dining Room

Remove any “projects” from the table. Clean out the china cabinet.

Day 9: Kitchen Part 1

Clean out all cabinets. Dump damaged utensils and broken appliances. Wipe down shelves.

Day 10: Kitchen Part 2

Clean the outside of the cabinets. Tighten any loose knobs or handles.

Day 11: Kitchen Part 3

The pantry. Go through all food and check for expired dates. Wipe down shelves and sweep the floor.

Day 12: Kitchen Part 4

The refrigerator. Check for dates, wipe shelves and change filters. Repeat for a garage or basement refrigerator.

Day 13: Kitchen Part 5

What’s left? Run a cleaning agent in the dishwasher, clean out the oven, scrub the cooking grates, wipe down the microwave.

Day 14: The Office Part 1

Purge old documents and shred them. Clean out the desk drawers and refill supplies.

Day 15: The Office Part 2

Back up the computer, update anti-virus software, change passwords, run maintenance software, purge cookies and internet files.

Day 16: The Playroom

Gather old toys for donation or sale. Toss broken toys. Purchase stackable bins and fill them with existing toys for better access.

Day 17: Books and Magazines

Gather all old books and magazines from around the house. Donate, sell or share with friends.

Day 18: Clean the Baseboards

Vacuum all with a hand tool, then wipe down with a wet cloth.

Day 19: Windows

Clean the insides of all windows and wipe down the frames.

Day 20: The Bedding

Wash all bedding items including bed skirts and pillow shams. Make note of anything that needs replacing or repair.

Day 21: Window Treatments

Take down all window treatments to be cleaned. Wipe down all rods and window blinds.

Day 22: Cobwebs

Wipe down all corners of the house to clear them of any cobwebs and dust.

Day 23: Blankets

Wash any blankets that are used for day-to-day lounging.

Day 24: Laundry Room

Wipe down all shelves and appliances, dust walls and vacuum behind the appliances.

Day 25: HVAC Vents

Remove covers and vacuum inside. Wipe down vent covers.

Day 26: Inside Doors

Wipe down both sides of the door with a damp rag. Tighten knobs and hinges that may be loose.

Day 27: Light Bulbs

Change all the bulbs that have burned out and refill the batteries in the flashlights.

Day 28: Garbage Cans

Scrub the garbage cans from every room to remove spills and stuck on items.

Day 29: Pet Items

Wash all bowls and bedding. Remove broken toys.

Day 30: Final Day!

Take today to do the regular cleaning: dust, vacuum, wash the floors and clean the bathrooms and kitchen.

-Pam Mohnar

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