There are some cleaning tasks we always seem to keep up with, no matter how busy we get. Things like swishing the toilet or dusting a relatively clear flat surface only take a second, and because we notice they need to be done, we do them.

When was the last time you thought about cleaning your stove hood filter though? Yeah… me too. (Especially considering I’ve been renting for the last year and a half.) What about the floors and walls in your pantry? Have you washed your curtains lately?

Because these things need to be done, but only periodically, they are easy to overlook. That’s why I was so (strangely) excited when I found RealSimple’s “Elements of Cleaning.” (ugh, they took it down) It’s in the style of a periodic table, because the items on it need to be done periodically. Each period of time is represented by a different color, and has two columns of household tasks that should be done during that time.

I printed mine out on card stock and plan to laminate it and put it on my refrigerator. Then, I’ll be able to use a vis-a-vis marker (wet-erase) to check off when I’ve done the things on the chart. For the longer periods of time (like refrigerator interiors need to be cleaned every 3-6 months, or drapes should be professionally cleaned every year or two) I can mark the date on it too.

How do you keep track of your periodic cleaning tasks?

If you didn’t have a good way to do it before, hopefully this will help!