Guides

Room cleaning checklist, room by room

One rule covers every room: clear first, clean second, and always work from the top down. Clearing is putting things where they belong. Cleaning is wiping, scrubbing and vacuuming. Mixing the two is why it feels like it never ends.

Bedroom

• Take out trash, cups and plates
• Put all clothes in the basket or back in the closet
• Strip or make the bed
• Clear the nightstand and the desk
• Dust surfaces, from the highest shelf down
• Vacuum, including under the bed

Kitchen

• Put food away and throw out what has gone bad
• Load the dishwasher or fill the sink with hot water
• Clear the counters completely
• Wipe the counters, the stovetop and the cabinet fronts
• Wash what is in the sink, then clean the sink itself
• Take out the trash and sweep the floor

Bathroom

• Remove towels, empty bottles and the trash bag
• Spray the shower, the sink and the toilet, and leave it to work
• Wipe the mirror and the shelf while you wait
• Scrub the sink, then the shower, then the toilet
• Put out fresh towels
• Mop your way out the door

Living room

• Collect cups, plates and wrappers
• Return whatever belongs in other rooms
• Fold blankets and straighten cushions
• Clear and wipe the coffee table
• Dust the shelves and the screen
• Vacuum the rug and the floor around it

How to use it without burning out

Don't do the whole house in a day. One room, or one list, is a good day. If a room is in a real state, begin with where to start cleaning a messy room and come back to the list once you can see the floor.

These lists are the same for everyone, and your room isn't. A general checklist can't know that your problem is the pile on the chair or the toys under the table. That is the part a photo is good at.