Weekly Chore Schedule (Free Printable Template) ‣ Felicia Graves

How many times have I looked around my home, the sense of dread creeping up into my shoulders, and felt like I did not even know where to start? When I am feeling overwhelmed with my homemaking my anxiety tends to grow. I feel completely submerged under the list of chores, dirty clothes, and other household duties. Just getting started feels impossible.

If you have ever felt like your are drowning in your home and do not know where to start then this post is for you. For the mama whose brain is flooded. Because it is not just the laundry and dishes. It’s the social media posts that say your kids get too much screen time. It’s the in-laws that say your children have no sense of responsibility. The friend who told you that your whole house is filled with chemicals that’s poisoning your entire family. It’s the entire mental load of motherhood.

How do you make a weekly chore schedule?

I cannot quiet social media, your in-laws, or your friends. However, I can teach you how to make and maintain a weekly chore schedule. Having this one routine will help to anchor you back to sanity when you don’t know where to start. And in case no one has told you lately, you are doing a good job mama. Sometimes it is hard to keep your head above water. God gave you this job not because it would be easy but because you are so incredibly capable.

The first step to determining your weekly chore schedule is to know what in your house needs to be cleaned and how often you should be cleaning it.

I have made this incredibly simple for you by creating a free downloadable cleaning guide. The guide will walk you through every room in your home and outline everything you need to know.

Having A Routine Is Good For Mental Health

Northwestern Medicine has found that routines lead to better stress levels, better sleep, better help, as well as help you to set a good example for others. All of those things contribute to better mental health. Your mental health and emotional well-being will have a direct impact on your home so it is important to take care of these things.

Your mental health is a big factor in how you relate to others including your husband and children. Mental health affects how you feel and act. It’s also worth noting that your mental health can affect your physical health.

This is important because if you are feeling overwhelmed in your home then implementing daily chores and weekly chores can make a huge difference in your life. Assigning specific tasks to each day of the week may seem small but it will have positive benefits for the whole family.

Weekly Chore List

Let’s talk about the kinds of tasks that you will need to include on your chore calendars. I will list some of the most frequent weekly chores. For a list of complete household chores download the free cleaning guide by clicking this link.

Chore Checklist For A Weekly Basis

Sweep/Vacuum
Mop
Wipe down kitchen backsplash
Dust
Clean Toilet
Clean Shower/Tub
Change bedsheets
Take Out Trash

For a look at the weekly cleaning schedule that I personally follow you can take a look at this post here. However, I want you to keep in mind that what works best for me in my home may not be the best solution for you. It is wonderful to draw inspiration from other homemakers but do not fall into the trap of believing that you must copy someone else in order to be successful.

What are the chores for each day of the week?

Determining what chores you want to complete on each day of the week is going to be a personal decision based on several factors. Some things to consider would be if you are going to make a family chore chart or a chore chart for personal use. This will depend on if you have older kids or younger kids. Another thing to consider is your family calendar. I would recommend that you put an important chore on a day when you will not be busy outside of the home. The same is true if you are looking for a place to add an additional chore.

If this is the first time that you are cleaning on a daily basis or using a weekly chore schedule then I want to urge you to consider your first schedule as a good starting point or a rough draft. In other words, allow yourself to make changes to your chore system if you need to. Give yourself, and everyone who is part of the family, permission to make mistakes. You may not find the perfect solution immediately. This is a learning process.

Weekly Chore Schedule Template

The internet is full of free printable chore charts. Using any of the free printable chore chart templates that you find online is a great way to keep track of your weekly and daily tasks. I have included a free printable template for you as well.

weekly chore schedule template Download

You may need to try a few different options until you find a weekly chore chart template that works best for you. Some people prefer a digital chore chart or if you are a bit more old school like me then you want something printed off that you can write on. Try a few different designs to find which style works best for you.

Remember that there is going to be a learning curve to establishing a weekly chore schedule. You are not going to go from complete overwhelm to perfectly organized overnight. And that is okay. Give yourself some grace mama.

If you are feeling the urge to get everything in your house cleaned up super quickly before you implement a your new routine then check out this post where I share the eight steps you need to take in order to clean a filthy house.

How do you divide chores throughout the week?

As I mentioned before the specific schedule that you use in your home will be unique to your home. I can give you some guidelines and advice to follow however.

First, take a look at your typical weekly schedule. If you know that Wednesday’s are always super busy in your home then be sure whatever chore you schedule for that day is a simple one. For example, maybe on Wednesday you would take out the trash but you save cleaning the bathrooms for Monday when there are no appointments scheduled.

Another thing to keep in mind is your energy level as the mom and homemaker. I know that for me personally by the time Friday comes I am beyond ready for my husband to get off work and come lend a hand. I am usually tired and that means I do not have a lot of extra bandwidth. Friday’s for me is not a day to schedule a chore that is going to take a lot of mental or physical energy. Monday however is an excellent day for me to tackle a big project. You will need to figure out for yourself which days you have the most energy.

I use this exact same strategy when I am putting together my meal plan for the week. Friday’s are all about something easy like a freezer meal or quick homemade pizza. The goal here is to make the routine work for you and fit your lifestyle.

Finding Motivation When You Are Feeling Burnt Out

When you are feeling overwhelmed with your home or burnt out it may be tempting to throw in the towel due to a lack of motivation. The best and most loving advice I can give to you when you are struggling with motivation is to go to God in prayer.

If you are struggling with a lack of drive, no matter the reason behind it, ask God to help you. As Christians we know that our motivation comes from God and not from the things of the world. The world is motivated by the self. You may call it self-obsession or self-worship. This kind of motivation or inspiration is fleeting and unreliable.

Instead, my dear sister in Christ, remember that as Christians we are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). We are called to humble ourselves (Matthew 23:11-12) and believe me if I am focused on me instead of humbling myself then the toilets will never be scrubbed.

This is not about being a martyr to motherhood or homemaking but rather having a servants heart. As a homemaker you were given an important and vital job. The Bible says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…” (Colossians 3:23). If you feel like you are overwhelmed or drowning in your role as a homemaker then I urge you to spend some time with the Lord.

The routines and systems are excellent resources and tools in our homemaking and they will help you immensely. But if you are struggling please give it to God and ask him to equip you for the task at hand.