Habits are built slowly and over time. If you find yourself gaining traction and getting derailed easily, you need to put some guardrails in place. As our schedules change, I’ve found that this is something that will help me out and I think it might help you too!

If you’re doing the full Clean Mama Routine you can also coordinate this with the Monthly Focus and concentrate your decluttering in that area of your home. January = Whole House Declutter, February = Kitchen, etc.

Go to the free printables page to grab this free printables and many, many more! If you are new to the free printables page you’ll need to enter your email address ONE TIME and I’ll send you the password you can use to access the free printables page. If you already have the password, simple enter it and grab these goodies.

Everyone needs a fresh start from time to time. If you’ve been doing the Clean Mama Routine for years or a few weeks, you know that there are specific tasks we do throughout the year (Daily Tasks, Weekly Tasks, Rotating Tasks, Monthly Focus). These tasks keep our homes clean most of the time! We also know that real life brings messes and clutter. The Whole Home Reset Course is the system that I use when I need to do a reset in the house. I’m so excited to share this method with you!

The post The One Bag Quick Declutter 2023 appeared first on Clean Mama.

Communication is the key to making a cleaning routine stick – sit down and talk about it or just start delegating and teaching how clean around the house. Set expectations and provide plenty of encouragement and you’ll see quickly how the old expression is true: Many hands make light work.

QUICK TIP: Print out the free Homekeeping Calendar or use the Cozi + Clean Mama app to keep everyone on task and to share the routine without nagging.

There are 4 parts to the Clean Mama Routine – start with the Daily Tasks and add the Weekly Tasks as you are ready:

Teach your family the Daily Tasks – there are lots of ways to include them – here are some suggestions, pick and choose what works for your home and family. 

DAILY TASKS

These five tasks are essential to the Clean Mama Routine and the secret to getting started with your clean home; make the beds, check the floors, wipe the counters, tackle clutter, and do a load of laundry.

• My favorite one to include the family on is ‘wipe counters’. This includes the full kitchen clean up. In our home, we all contribute and get this done as quickly as possible after dinner.
• Kids can make their own beds – don’t go back and correct or fix, just let them make their own beds.
• Give everyone a laundry day – that day of the week is when their clothes get washed, dried, put away. Teaching kids to do laundry isn’t as hard as you might think!

Let them know what the Weekly Tasks are and have them help – if they have their own bathroom, they clean it on Monday, they can dust their own rooms on Tuesdays, etc.

WEEKLY CLEANING TASKS

These tasks should only take 10-15 minutes once you get in the swing of the routine – this gets easier every week, stick with it and you’ll see how the consistency is what makes it work. On Monday we clean the bathrooms, Tuesday we dust, Wednesday we vacuum, Thursday we wash the floors, Friday we do anything we didn’t get to and on Saturday we tackle sheets + towels. By having specific tasks for each day of the week you’ll take the guesswork out of what needs to be cleaned and when it needs to be cleaned – it’s wonderful!

If you’re looking for cleaning and laundry products safe for you and your family, check out the Clean Mama Shop. I love creating cute cleaning products that really work and that you can use without worrying about safety,

Want to learn more about the Clean Mama Routine? Head to the Start Here page!

The post Three Easy Ways to Include Your Family in the Clean Mama Routine appeared first on Clean Mama.

Ready? If you don’t have your free printable, keep reading and get started!  Check out this post for how I organize our files.

Thank you for doing the Declutter Quick Start with me!  I hope you cleared some clutter, created some space and feel ready for 2023!  If you aren’t ready to be done, join the Whole Home Reset – we start today! The Whole Home Reset is a course that you can complete anytime – we’re doing a New Year’s version this January and I’d love for you to join us!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 5 – File Paperwork appeared first on Clean Mama.

It’s Declutter Quick Start – Day 4 and today we’re going to set a timer for 10-30 minutes and see what you can go through for your paper piles. If you have more than one, start with the worst offender and go from there. When sorting paper piles make 3 categories: toss/recycle, file, and shred.

Paper clutter can pile up so quickly – the new year is a great time to get a handle on it and make a plan to move forward with less paper.

Don’t miss the sale on the Whole Home Reset Course – New Year’s Declutter Edition, we start tomorrow in the group and the sale pricing ends tonight!  Join for $39 today!

Ready? If you don’t have your free printable, keep reading and get started!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 4 – Sort Paper Piles appeared first on Clean Mama.

It’s Declutter Quick Start – Day 3 and today we’re going to set a timer for 10-30 minutes and see how much stuff you can find and get clear from surfaces. If you feel overwhelmed, pick one surface and completely clear it (coffee table, kitchen table, kitchen counters, desk, etc.).

Taking that visual noise out of the equation makes a huge difference! Once you’ve cleared one surface, wipe it clean and leave that surface empty for a bit before you put anything back.

Work quickly and notice how you FEEL with a surface or two cleaned, cleared, and decluttered. It’s okay to leave the surface empty for a bit before you decide what you want to return to that surface.

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 3 – Surface Declutter appeared first on Clean Mama.

It’s Declutter Quick Start – Day 2 and today we’re going to concentrate our time on the floors. This challenge is intended to help you get started quickly with minimal effort. Set a timer for 10-30 minutes and gather everything that you can remove from the floors. This might be clothing, shoes, toys, anything that doesn’t belong on the floor. Quickly remove it and put it where it belongs or get rid of it.

If it’s helpful, just continue what you started yesterday. Add a couple more bags and a little more effort to clear those floors. Ready? If you don’t have your free printable, keep reading and get started!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 2 – Floor Declutter appeared first on Clean Mama.

I make my first bag a bag of trash to help me get started. Today we’re undecorating the house from Christmas and I’ll be doing a deliberate and intentional quick declutter at the same time. Ready? If you don’t have your free printable, keep reading and get started!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 1 – Whole House Quick Declutter appeared first on Clean Mama.

Something to think about: When you rely on motivation to complete your homekeeping, you’re only going to be productive when you are motivated. Instead, rely on consistency! Doing a little bit every day is the key to a clean home.

The Homekeeping Planner is and has always been undated – grab one now and start the new year off fresh and with a new approach to planning. All planners and paper goods are on sale and marked down PLUS use the code 2023 through today (January 1st), to get an additional 15% off!

I love an undated planner – here’s why:

1. You can start anytime.
2. No wasted pages or unused planners.
3. Feel accomplished, not defeated.

Here’s how I set up my undated Homekeeping Planner up for a new year – but you can start any month:

1. Choose the pens/pencils you’re going to use – I like having a specific pen/pencil that I use throughout the planner for uniformity. You can go to this post for some of my favorites.
2. Set up the tabs for the months you’re going to start – since it’s January, I’m going to start with January. If you start in March, start with March OR you can also label it as you go. Lots of options!
3. Label the months and add dates. I write in each month and then I label weeks for the month in front of me, or as needed. This is a personal preference – you could sit down and do the whole year, you could go quarterly, or month by month. The Homekeeping Planner has 2023 and 2024 year at a glance calendars at the front of the planner – I use that to refer to months as I’m filling in the months.
4. Jot down important dates and goals. Putting dates and goals to paper makes them easier to remember and also impacts the effort we put forth.
5. Just start! Do your best and approach every day as a fresh start!

Embrace the flexibility and freedom that comes with an undated planner, I think you’ll love using one! The Homekeeping Planner is pre-filled with the Clean Mama Routine so you can rest easy knowing that those tasks are there and ready for checking off. Here’s to the new year and a fresh approach to home!

I’m a big believer in the power of writing things down and the impact of using undated planning products – come see my Homekeeping Planners, Calendars, and Paper Products here.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy one around Clean Mama – don’t miss anything!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

Grab the FREE checklist and get ready to join us next week! Want to head straight to the free printables page? Head here!

The New Year’s Sale is ON! If you’ve been looking at the Homekeeping Planner or the Quarterly Daily Planner, they’re marked down to $44.99 from $58 PLUS you can get 15% off – grab it now! Stock up with automatic free shipping on your order of $125+!

COUPON CODE:

• Take 15% off all orders with the coupon code 2023
• All US orders $125+ automatically ship free!

SHOP CLEAN MAMA HERE

Don’t miss the sale on the Whole Home Reset Course – New Year’s Declutter Edition, it’s perfect for this time of year!

The post How to Set Up an Undated Planner for the New Year appeared first on Clean Mama.

Cleaning Posts

How to Choose a Vacuum Cleaner

How to Wash Towels

Guide to Washing Floors & Favorite Floor Washing Tools

How to Safely Clean & Disinfect Around the Home

DIY Nightly Sink Scrub

How to Clean a Toilet

DIY Daily Shower Spray

A Manageable, Realistic Cleaning Routine for Any Schedule

Clean Mama’s 3 Tips to Get Started When You’re Overwhelmed

How to Automate Your Laundry Routine

How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe With the Clothes You Already Own

Musts for a Filing System

Start a New Ritual with Clean Mama’s One Bag Quick Declutter + free printable

Organizing Posts

How to Organize Toiletries

How to Organize a Refrigerator – So it Functions for your Home

Favorite Organizing Products for the Kitchen

Favorites for an Organized Bathroom

Favorites for Holiday Decor Storage

Going back through the posts from 2022 makes me so excited to share more in 2023 – Happy New Year! You can see all the posts from the past by clicking here. What post was your favorite?  What do you want to see in 2023?

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy one around Clean Mama – don’t miss anything!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

Grab the FREE checklist and get ready to join us next week! Want to head straight to the free printables page? Head here!

Don’t miss the sale on the Whole Home Reset Course – New Year’s Declutter Edition, it’s perfect for this time of year!

The post The Best of the Blog 2022 appeared first on Clean Mama.

I have some unique finds for you this week, including a 2 week healthy meal plan to start your year off from The Real Food Dieticians. I am a big fan of an end of the year recap so it is no surprise that I have two for you, one from Modern Mrs. Darcy and the other from A Beautiful Mess. Lastly, be sure to check out my favorite holiday decor storage and organization options before you pack away all your holiday decor. 

If you have followed me for any time, you know that I love and rely on meal planning to make life easier. Real Food Dieticians is a great resource that I have shared before and I am intrigued by their new two week dinner plan. 

via The Real Food Dietitians

Oh, how I love a good end of the year recap! Modern Mrs. Darcy has a fun collection of her most popular posts that I have enjoyed perusing.

via Modern Mrs. Darcy

Here is another fun end of the year post for you from A Beautiful Mess. Elsie and Emma both have such a fun and unique sense of style and taste and I loved checking out their favorite buys of 2022. The library stamp may be my favorite.

via A Beautiful Mess

I find it so much easier to pack and unpack our holiday decor when armed with good organizational finds. These make such a difference and keep those random holiday odds and ends in order.

via Clean Mama

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy one around Clean Mama – don’t miss anything!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

Grab the FREE checklist and get ready to join us next week! Want to head straight to the free printables page? Head here!

The New Year’s Sale is ON! If you’ve been looking at the Homekeeping Planner or the Quarterly Daily Planner, they’re marked down to $44.99 from $58 PLUS you can get 15% off – grab it now! Stock up with automatic free shipping on your order of $125+!

COUPON CODE:

• Take 15% off all orders with the coupon code 2023
• All US orders $125+ automatically ship free!

SHOP CLEAN MAMA HERE

Don’t miss the sale on the Whole Home Reset Course – New Year’s Declutter Edition, it’s perfect for this time of year!

The post It’s the Little Things #202 appeared first on Clean Mama.

COUPON CODE:

• Take 15% off all orders with the coupon code 2023
• All US orders $125+ automatically ship free!

SHOP CLEAN MAMA HERE

There are limited quantities on some products and when they’re gone, they won’t be restocked before the sale is over! This sale ends Sunday, January 1st at 11:59pm cst. Head to the shop.

Paper goods sale on sale! There’s so much to choose from including the Homekeeping Planners, Quarterly Daily Planners, the Weekly Wall Calendar, Stickers, Notebooks, Notepads and more! Notebooks, Legal Pads and Stickers are marked down at least 50% off already! Check out everything here.

The Homekeeping Planners and the Quarterly Daily Planners are marked down too!

Want to see all the Clean Mama Bundles?  Go here! All bundles are already marked down PLUS you can use the coupon codes for an additional 15% off!

You can see everything NEW in the shop here, including the all new Sweet Mint products!  Perfect for your New Year (and anytime) cleaning!

shop Sweet Mint

Have you tried the Clean Mama candles?  You’ll see the all-new packaging. They make great gifts and great seasonal additions to your home. They’re made in the US with US ingredients, they burn clean and they use safe scents – my favorite for this time of the year is the Rosemary & Pine and Lemon & Clove.

Not sure what to shop for?

Maybe you need to stock up on laundry supplies or have been wanting to try the Clean Mama Laundry Products? You can’t go wrong with a bundle – you’ll get a sale on sale and if you put $125+ in your cart, it’ll all ship free!

It’s a great time to pick up the Complete Printable Kit or one of the other bundled kits in the shop – they’re already discounted!  Find all the printables in my shop here.

COUPON CODE:

• Take 15% off all orders with the coupon code 2023
• All US orders $125+ automatically ship free!

Don’t miss the sale on the Whole Home Reset Course – New Year’s Declutter Edition, it’s perfect for this time of year!

Thank you for your support and for shopping with Clean Mama in 2022 and 2023!

The post It’s Time for the New Year Sale! appeared first on Clean Mama.

Ready? Let me tell you all about it….

First things first, the course is sale priced at $39 through 1/1 – here’s what that includes:

We’re going to work through our homes together, room by room – deep cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. I’m going to work through this live with you January 6-20, 2023. There will be 5 live Q&A Sessions that coordinate with the 11 modules to keep you on track and motivated. You’ll also find a brand new 10 page bonus pdf for the new year, two coupon codes in the course as well – a free month of Homekeeping Society AND a 20% off coupon code to the shop!

Find out more and join the Whole Home Reset Class!

If you already purchased the course, you have access to the New Year’s Edition, just login!

The post Whole Home Reset Course Sale & the New Year’s Declutter Edition appeared first on Clean Mama.

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

Grab the FREE checklist and get ready to join us next week! Want to head straight to the free printables page? Head here!

READY TO FOLLOW ALONG?

• Subscribe in the sidebar for motivational posts and tips to keep up with the Daily and Weekly Tasks.
• Follow me on Instagram for daily reminders and cleaning tips.
• Get ready!  We start next Monday!

Find the Clutter Quick Start checklist on the free printables page. Put your email address in ONE TIME for the password.

The post Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! appeared first on Clean Mama.

Read on, grab the FREE calendar and get ready to see how doing a little bit everyday really is the secret to a clean house. Want to head straight to the free printables page? Head here!

Daily Tasks and Weekly Tasks are detailed through the calendar and you’ll find a little extras and notes section at the bottom. How you use the calendar is up to you – put it on a clipboard, in your planner, on your refrigerator. Use checkmarks, draw lines through tasks or simply keep it up as a reminder. New here? Check out the Start Here page for more details on the Clean Mama Routine.

QUICK TIP: Have a planner? Simply resize the pdf when you go to print it in your printer preferences.

If you like this format for Daily and Weekly Tasks, you’ll love the Homekeeping Planner and/or the Homekeeping Society monthly subscription! Both take your hand and show you the way to a clean home in minutes a day and opens up your weekends for fun and family instead of cleaning. These options also include my Rotating Tasks (deep cleaning) and Monthly Focus (organizing) as well – January’s Monthly Focus is a WHOLE HOUSE DECLUTTER.

READY TO FOLLOW ALONG?

• Subscribe in the sidebar for motivational posts and tips to keep up with the Daily and Weekly Tasks.
• Follow me on Instagram for daily reminders and cleaning tips.

GO HERE TO GRAB YOUR FREE CALENDAR FOR JANUARY 2023

New here? Grab this free printable on the free printables page.  Go to this page for even more info on my routine!

While you’re on the Free Printables page, make sure you grab the Clean Mama Quick Clicks, too!

(Please note: The free cleaning calendar is on the FREE printables page – enter your email address ONCE to access the printables forever!

Lots of good things coming this week and the 2023 Planners and Paper Goods are in the shop!

The post Free January 2023 Homekeeping Calendar appeared first on Clean Mama.

I have a couple of fun ones to share this week, including a homemade eggnog recipe from Tastes Better Than Scratch that has store bought beat, hands down. Next, Must Loves Herbs shared the cutest little gingerbread cottage I have ever seen. Her account is so whimsical and delightful. I have been looking at Chelsea boots with the cold weather and always appreciate Merrick’s fashion advice. Lastly, if you are feeling overwhelmed and behind in your company coming prep, look at my post that I shared this week on my blog. 

We have made three batches of this and the kids are begging for the fourth. We love eggnog and this homemade version from Tastes Better from Scratch is honestly better than store made. 

via Tastes Better from Scratch

Now this sweet little toadstool gingerbread cottage is pretty much the cutest gingerbread house I have ever seen. If you aren’t already Must Love Herbs on Instagram, do! Her Instagram account is so delightful!

via @mustloveherbs

It is getting chilly, as in borderline below zero in my area of the Midwest and my bare ankle days are officially over. I have been seeing a lot of Chelsea boots around and love the look. This post from Merrick couldn’t have come at a better time. Which one is your favorite?

via Merrick’s Art

If you have company coming and feel overwhelmed, take a look at this timely post I shared this week. You don’t have to clean every surface, just hit these high points. 

via Clean Mama

Save the dates! Check out what’s coming up – what are you most excited for?

The post It’s the Little Things #201 appeared first on Clean Mama.

First up, I grabbed these soft sided organizers for dishes and I cannot tell you how happy I am with this purchase. Not only did it help me clear bins of holiday dishes stored in boxes, it simplified the holiday dish situation. I’ve been collecting Spode Christmas Tree dinnerware for over 20 years and started with just wanting to do mugs and dessert plates, but a couple years ago I found a set of dinner plates on clearance after Christmas and completed the set. I have some serving pieces too – I love using this during December and Christmas Eve and Day.

If you have a good set of china in storage in boxes, this is a great way to get them out of boxes and into safe storage. The dish storage also comes with felt rounds to go in between each plate.

via Amazon

A couple years ago I grabbed one of these boxes for each of us. They have two layers and hold a lot of ornaments. The kids each have their own ornament box – this keeps their ornaments separate and some day they’ll be able to take their box to their own homes.

via Amazon

When I start undecorating I quickly go through the house and gather things up by type and put them on the kitchen and dining room tables. Then once I have everything taken down I take those items and put them in bins or boxes. Make it easy to find holiday decorations by sorting and storing like with like. Take it a step further by labeling the exterior of boxes and bins and by keeping your holiday decorations grouped together.

Sort like with like – soft items like stockings and the tree skirt go together in a bin. Garland and other greenery are stored together in another bin.

I use these white storage totes in the basement for holiday decor and storage of other items as well. They’re large, stack easily and keep the storage light and bright in the basement.

I put smaller ‘collections’ in 2 gallon zip top bags to keep the items together and easy to grab and decorate. Lights, smaller greens, and ornaments are great to keep sorted out this way.

Make sure you have a place for your decor and that it is easy to locate. This makes holiday decorating and undecorating easier and so much more enjoyable when you have less and can easily locate anything you’re looking for!

If there are decorations you haven’t put out for a while consider donating them instead of continuing to store them. It’s okay to not keep everything. Less is more when it comes to holiday decorations.

I use large divided storage bins for large items like village homes and snow globes. They keep these items together and eliminate the need for the large, bulky boxes that these items came in.

via Amazon

I linked up all my favorites for organizing holiday decor below and in my Amazon shop.

Wheeled Storage Bin – Great for keeping your holiday decor color-coded and organized. I love the wheels for easy access.

Wreath Storage – If you have nice wreaths that you’d like to keep separate from other items in a bin, these are great!

Tree Storage Bag– This is a great tree storage bag with plenty of height options to choose from so it fits your tree perfectly.

Latching Storage Box– These are great if you are tight on space, you can see what’s inside and slide it under a bed or stack them up in a basement or attic.

Light Organizer – If your lights are a tangled mess you’ll love these light organizers!

Green Storage Bin– Green makes it easy to separate from other storage bins – I love that these are see through too!

Ornament Organizer – I love these ornament organizers – everyone has one in our home. They’re sturdy and fit so many ornaments!

See-Through Storage Bin– Another bin, another option for storage!

China Storage – These were a game changer for our holiday dishes – such a great find!

White Storage Totes – My favorite storage totes!

Large Decorations Storage– Love these for storing larger items together – snow globes, Christmas villages, etc.

Gift Wrap Station – Perfect for keeping your wrapping paper contained and organized!

The post Favorites for Holiday Decor Storage appeared first on Clean Mama.