You may have heard of incorporating cleaning zones in your home. Perhaps you’ve landed here with no idea what they are but hey… they sound good don’t they?!
Nobody wants to spend half the day cleaning only to have to do it all over again a couple of days later. What generally happens at my house is that a few things get done then everything else goes into the ‘gunna’ pile (I was ‘gunna’ (going) to do this and ‘gunna’ do that etc). Then it never happens.
I think I get most frustrated about things that never seem to end like washing dishes or the laundry. Yet these seem to be the only tasks I ever have time for – just to keep on top of the minimum.
If I dare clean one of the kid’s rooms, (beyond their standard “kiddy clean”) then a day later it’s back to where it was. Whilst a little of that is about training my kids, sometimes finding time to teach them is hard too.
It’s often quicker for me to just get it done myself. If I weren’t so time-poor with my cleaning then I also wouldn’t be so time-poor in teaching my kids about cleaning!
Let’s face it, staring down a mountain of cleaning can feel as daunting as Mount Everest. You know it needs to be done, but the sheer enormity of it all leaves you feeling paralyzed. Enter zone cleaning, your knight in shining armour against the never-ending cleaning battle!
If you enjoy this article, you might also like to get some tips on cleaning your house fast or find out how to organise and declutter your digital life.
A Visual Merriment is reader-supported and this post may contain some product affiliate links. From these, I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase. Read more about how affiliate links are handled in my Terms & Conditions.
Table of Contents
What is The Cleaning Zone Method
Picture your home, divided into manageable zones like bedrooms, bathrooms, and the living room. Instead of tackling the whole beast at once, you dedicate a focused cleaning blitz (think 15-20 minutes of pure scrubbing power) to one zone each day.
Think of it as a mini cleaning party, with you as the MVP and a sparkling zone as your trophy. Woop woop! I might actually get excited about that!
Now, before I get too far into zone cleaning, I feel a disclaimer is required. This cleaning system will work great for some people and others not so much. It all depends on you, your lifestyle and your home.
Parts of the cleaning zone method may sound good for you but you’re reluctant on other aspects. Or perhaps you’ve even tried it without success but want to give it another go… you can change the rules yourself!
Because these are merely suggestions, and you need to find out what works for you. Perhaps you work better with your own combination of cleaning systems?
Ready to become a zone cleaning champion? I’ll go into further detail below but here’s an overview of your game plan:
- Zone out: Pick 4-5 zones that make sense for your home. Group bedrooms together, or create zones based on intensity (bathrooms, we’re looking at you!). Download my free printable zone cleaning schedule and checklist to help you!
- Schedule your attack: Choose a day for each zone and stick to it as best you can. Decide whether you want to stick to a 5 day or 7 day schedule. Remember that consistency is key to keeping the dust bunnies at bay.
- Assemble your cleaning squad: Gather your trusty cleaning tools, like mops, sponges, and maybe even a talking rubber ducky for bathroom moral support. I find keeping all of the everyday cleaning supplies in a carry basket makes things much smoother.
- Set the timer: Dedicate 15-20 minutes to blitz your chosen zone. Remember, speed is key (not perfection) — you’re on a mission! I know… perfection is a hard one to skip over but just try it.
- Victory dance time: Bask in the glory of your clean zone! Reward yourself with a cup of tea, a dance party, or whatever makes you feel like a cleaning rockstar.
Why You’ll Love Cleaning Zones in Your Home
- No more cleaning marathons: Forget spending your entire weekend scrubbing floors. Zone cleaning lets you chip away at the mess in bites, leaving you with more time for fun (and maybe even a Netflix binge!).
- Bye-bye, cleaning overwhelm: Feeling buried under laundry and dust bunnies? Zone cleaning compartmentalizes the chaos, making it seem way less intimidating.
- Celebrate small wins: Every sparkling zone is a victory dance! Get that sweet satisfaction of accomplishment, without the sore muscles from hours of cleaning.
- Flexibility is your friend: Customize your zones and tasks to fit your needs and lifestyle. No rigid rules here, just sparkling results!
Identify Your Cleaning Zones
I’ll list a few examples of cleaning zones you may like to try out. These are just examples and will obviously vary depending on the size of your home.
Basic Zones
- Bedrooms: Divide by individual rooms or group smaller bedrooms together.
- Bathrooms: Group by individual bathrooms or combine all bathrooms if they’re similar in size and cleaning needs.
- Living Room: This can include the entire area, multiple rooms or subdividing a singular room into smaller zones like TV area, reading nook, etc.
- Dining Room: If used separately from the living room.
- Kitchen: Can be further divided into zones like countertops, appliances, floor, etc.
- Laundry Room: If separate from the bathroom.
- Entryway: Includes the front door area, mudroom (if you have one), and coat closet.
- Home Office: If you have a dedicated workspace.
Zone Variations
- By Function: Create zones based on specific activities, like “Cooking Zone” (includes kitchen and dining area), “Media Zone” (living room with TV), or “Reading Zone” (includes cozy reading nook).
- By Intensity: Group more challenging areas like bathrooms or kitchens together, leaving easier zones like hallways for another day.
- By Time: If you’re short on time, create smaller “mini-zones” within a larger area.
- Seasonal Tasks: Dedicate a zone to seasonal chores like cleaning windows in spring or organizing holiday decorations in autumn.
Identify Your Cleaning Tasks
The tasks listed below for your cleaning zones are purely suggestions. I really, really dislike telling busy women how to clean or giving the impression of setting some sort of rigid ‘cleaning standard’. I think we’re already under enough pressure as it is! It’s all about what works for you.
I certainly don’t include all of these tasks in a typical zone clean! But I have compiled a list of things that you might like to consider. These tasks will vary depending on your own needs and the way in which you choose to structure your cleaning schedule.
I know people who vacuum daily but you know what… sometimes it takes me a month to get around to it! Or sometimes, vacuuming and mopping just one zone doesn’t make sense to me.
I might do this when I have time to clean multiple zones. I have even skipped fairly clean zones so that I can complete the larger task. Just do what works for you, these aren’t hard and fast rules.
You may choose to only ever incorporate the Daily or Weekly tasks in zone cleaning but then save a day per month for bigger tasks. Perhaps there’s a task in the Weekly list that suits you better as a Monthly task? I’m simply coming up with ideas that you can choose from.
If you are just getting started with zone cleaning, I would suggest starting with the Daily options below. Then you can build up to include weekly and monthly tasks if you like.
Don’t forget to consider seasonal chores with your zone cleaning – decluttering holiday decorations, window cleaning etc.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Bedrooms
- Daily: Make the bed, straighten pillows, put away clothes, dust surfaces
- Weekly: Wash bedding, wipe down furniture, vacuum floors, clean windows.
- Monthly: De-clutter closet, rotate mattress, clean baseboards.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Bathrooms
- Daily: Wipe down counters, mirrors, and toilet seat, empty trash.
- Weekly: Scrub sink and shower/bathtub, clean toilet (inside and out), mop floors.
- Monthly: Clean shower curtain/liner, disinfect doorknobs and light switches, deep clean showerhead.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Living Rooms
- Daily: Straighten pillows and throws, put away toys and games, dust surfaces.
- Weekly: Vacuum, clean upholstered furniture, wipe down electronics.
- Monthly: Wash curtains/blinds, dust ceiling fans, declutter shelves and bookshelves.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Dining Room
- Daily: Clear and wipe down table after meals, straighten chairs.
- Weekly: Vacuum or sweep floor, dust furniture, clean windows.
- Monthly: Polish or wash table, clean chairs, declutter decorations.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Kitchen
- Daily: Wipe down counters and stovetop after cooking, wash dishes, empty dishwasher, load dishwasher.
- Weekly: Sweep and mop floors, clean microwave and oven (as needed).
- Monthly: Deep clean fridge and freezer, clean cabinets and drawers, wipe down appliances.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Laundry Room
- Daily: Do laundry as needed, empty lint trap after drying.
- Weekly: Wipe down surfaces, clean washer and dryer (according to manufacturers’ instructions).
- Monthly: Declutter laundry supplies, clean floors and baseboards.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Entryway
- Daily: Wipe down doorknobs and light switches, pick up shoes and coats.
- Weekly: Vacuum or sweep floor, dust furniture, tidy welcome mat.
- Monthly: Declutter coat closet, wash doormat, clean baseboards.
Zone Cleaning Tasks: Home Office
- Daily: Organize desk and papers, empty trash can.
- Weekly: Dust electronics and furniture, vacuum floor.
- Monthly: Shred old documents, organize files, clean keyboard and mouse.
Zone Cleaning Variations
If you find it all too overwhelming then just scale it back to whatever is manageable for you. Once you’re comfortable in your new cleaning routine, you may find it easier to add more or change it up. You might relate better to some of these suggestions:
- Combine or split zones based on your cleaning time and energy levels.
- Change the number of zones – maybe 3 or maybe 7?
- Adapt the schedule over a fortnight, creating more individual zones.
- Tackle one zone per week instead of every day.
I previously touched on combining multiple cleaning methods – zone cleaning is just one! I sometimes find that all I can accomplish are very scattered basic daily tasks. Then I may find a morning per month to complete some of the larger tasks.
On occasion, there’s even a crazy weekend where I get a whole heap of things done! Whilst large bursts of cleaning marathons are definitely not what zone cleaning is about, it is still something you may choose to do.
And hey, if you clean your zones all the time then large deep cleans may only be necessary a few times per year.
Clean it Your Way
The cleaning zone method is designed to not just keep your home tidy, but also to save you time. Because we’re all looking for ways to squeeze more time out of the day!
Perhaps with that extra time, I can teach my children how to clean up after themselves?!
This method is meant to make your life easier, less stressful and overwhelming. If you’re finding that it’s doing the opposite then simply review and adapt to something you are more comfortable with. Because once you can find what works for you, this strategy is brilliant!
So grab your mop, crank up the tunes, and get ready to conquer your cleaning zones with a smile! And hey, if you find yourself getting bored with the routine, remember, these zones are yours to rule – get creative and have fun with it!
I’d love to know your best cleaning tip, comment below and let me know!
Other resources you may like:
FREEBIE: Zone Cleaning Schedule & Checklist
FREEBIE: Digital Declutter Checklist
ARTICLE: 17 Quick Tips to Clean Your House Fast
ARTICLE: Best Laundry Tips to Save You Time
FROM MY SHOP: Children’s Reward Charts & Schedules
