Unlike making the beds and cleaning the bathroom, many household chores do not need to be completed daily or even weekly. With busy lifestyles, it is easy to lose track of when such tasks were last taken care of, especially if they only need to be attended to annually.

Some chores, such as checking smoke detector batteries, are necessary to ensure that important household items are working correctly. Other jobs, such as regularly washing curtains and throw cushion covers, help to improve the appearance and longevity of these items. It is important to plan these regular maintenance and cleaning tasks so that they are not forgotten.

Prepare a List of Chores

In a notebook, allocate a page each for regular, monthly , quarterly, bi-annual , and annual tasks. List all the tasks that come to mind on the appropriate page.

Individual Needs

The frequency of some tasks depends on individual requirements.

• Changing water filters – This is determined by the style of unit and amount of water filtered. Read the instructions accompanying the filter and mark the replacement date on a calendar. If replacement is required at regular intervals, include it on the appropriate checklist.
• Swimming pool maintenance – It is best to consult a pool supplies business to discuss the appropriate maintenance schedule.
• Spas and spa baths – Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and maintenance.
• Pets – Many factors affect what is needed to care for a pet. A local vet, pet store owner or reference book will provide the most reliable and appropriate advice.

Create a List to Suit

Differing environments and lifestyles will affect how often certain chores need to be performed.

In some areas, autumn leaves will need to be cleared from gutters more regularly than others. Extreme weather temperature conditions require more frequent cleaning of air-conditioning and heater filters.

People who smoke indoors generally need to launder curtains, throw cushion covers and similar items more regularly.

Asthmatics or others with respiratory problems may prefer to replace bed pillows more frequently to reduce dust mite irritation. They may also benefit from more frequent airing of pillows and blankets and washing of bedroom curtains.

Households with young children have an extensive list of additional tasks to be taken care of regularly, such as cleaning bath toys and sorting through toy boxes to discard broken or damaged toys.

Make a Checklist

A checklist can be prepared in two ways.

1. Make a page for each month and list all the jobs that need to be done in that month. Monthly tasks will need to be listed on each page, quarterly tasks can be spread out over three months, bi-annual tasks over six months and annual tasks throughout the year so that each month has a reasonably even number of tasks.
2. Make a jobs chart spreadsheet with all the chores listed in the first column. For a monthly chart, list the days of the week (repeated four times) as column headings (28 in total). Columns only need to be wide enough to allow a check mark to be made to indicate when regular and monthly jobs should be completed. For a yearly chart, use the months of the year for the column headings and list quarterly, bi-annual and annual tasks.

Keep the checklist in a folder for easy reference. By keeping the lists up to date, you will ensure that no important household chores will be forgotten.