Ah, I almost hesitate to post this since I know next to nothing about cleaning/organizing, but I have mentioned this a few times to various friends and several of them have asked me for my list.
Be aware that you will have to tweak this to fit your exact needs. This reflects my downstairs bathroom. I have to have a different one for the upstairs one, etc.
I would like to explain how I came to this method of teaching. One of my children in particular must have concrete parameters. "Clean it up" has no meaning for him. If he has a list, then he will accomplish all of it just fine...but it must be concrete. I don't think this just him, as I remember 20 years ago trying to get my crew in a pizza store to clean and restock to my satisfaction. Checklists are great.
I have had it mentioned to me that surely I want to teach the kids to do a task without a checklist telling them the nth degree, and yes I do. But I have found another benefit to this list. Like I said, one child absolutely must have it, the others though are learning a process that can be applied in other rooms. For example, if we are cleaning the kitchen, they have learned that they start with the least dirty/gross surface and then can reuse the cleaning cloths vs. cleaning up something disgusting and then having to get a new cloth to prevent cross-contamination ('cause I can't keep a clean house worth squat, but I am pretty obsessive about my universal precautions!).
The other benefit to this is that you will notice that they clean the whole bathroom with 1-2 paper towels and only 4 lysol wipes. If left to their own devices, the entire roll and canister would be used. Of course as we have worked together I also teach them to recognize the point of no return and throw that wipe away even if it isn't in the script :-)
Of course there are limits to this type of tool, I can't use something this concrete for most other rooms in the house because they have too many variables. I'm working on one for the library/computer room, and for the dining room.
Be aware that you will have to tweak this to fit your exact needs. This reflects my downstairs bathroom. I have to have a different one for the upstairs one, etc.
I would like to explain how I came to this method of teaching. One of my children in particular must have concrete parameters. "Clean it up" has no meaning for him. If he has a list, then he will accomplish all of it just fine...but it must be concrete. I don't think this just him, as I remember 20 years ago trying to get my crew in a pizza store to clean and restock to my satisfaction. Checklists are great.
I have had it mentioned to me that surely I want to teach the kids to do a task without a checklist telling them the nth degree, and yes I do. But I have found another benefit to this list. Like I said, one child absolutely must have it, the others though are learning a process that can be applied in other rooms. For example, if we are cleaning the kitchen, they have learned that they start with the least dirty/gross surface and then can reuse the cleaning cloths vs. cleaning up something disgusting and then having to get a new cloth to prevent cross-contamination ('cause I can't keep a clean house worth squat, but I am pretty obsessive about my universal precautions!).
The other benefit to this is that you will notice that they clean the whole bathroom with 1-2 paper towels and only 4 lysol wipes. If left to their own devices, the entire roll and canister would be used. Of course as we have worked together I also teach them to recognize the point of no return and throw that wipe away even if it isn't in the script :-)
Of course there are limits to this type of tool, I can't use something this concrete for most other rooms in the house because they have too many variables. I'm working on one for the library/computer room, and for the dining room.
and yes, step 12 really does say to "throw the dirt away" and this instruction isn't just for looks.
How to Clean the Downstairs Bathroom
o
Spray a little
bit of window cleaner on the mirror, wipe off with a paper towel.
o
Use the same
paper towel to clean the light switch plate and the wall around it.
o
Clear everything
off of the sink, counter, and soap dishes.
o
Use a cleaning
wipe to wipe off the counter, the faucet and handles, the soap dishes, and the
sink. Rinse out the cleaning wipe and
wipe it all again with the rinsed wipe.
Put the wipe in the sink.
o
Use a new
cleaning wipe to wipe off the door knob and the door right around the knob
(where all the fingerprints are).
o
Put items back
onto counter or put them away where they should go.
o
Use that same
wipe to wipe off the top back of the toilet and the edge of the bathtub.
o
Rinse that wipe
and use it to dust off the top of the toilet paper roll and the wall heater.
Put the wipe into the sink.
o
Use a new
cleaning wipe to clean the top of the toilet lid and behind the toilet seat.
o
Use that wipe to
clean the outside bottom of the toilet and the floor right around the
toilet. Throw this wipe away.
o
Use one more new
wipe to clean the seat, then lift the seat and clean the bottom of the seat,
then the rim of the toilet. Throw this wipe away.
o
Sweep the floor
really well. Throw the dirt away.
o
Use the two wipes
that are in the sink to mop the floor with, then throw them away. You may need
to rinse them a few times when mopping.
o
Throw those last
two wipes away and empty the trash can.
o
FINISHED, go have
mom come check your work J
