Keeping personal and business completely separate is, in many ways, an outdated idea. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to finances, clear boundaries are non-negotiable. But since COVID, the line between home and business has blurred for many of us. And if you’re a parent running a home-based business, that line can feel almost invisible.
It took me years to find a home cleaning system that gave me a natural rhythm with household tasks. What finally worked was theme days, a simple, repeatable way to make cleaning (and honestly, any type of work) feel smoother and more manageable. I’d never call cleaning “fun,” but theme days take all those pesky tasks I’d rather avoid and organize them by day of the week. Add a fun, catchy title, and suddenly I’m a little more motivated to get them done.
If you have children at home, one of the best things you can do is involve them in the process. When they’re little (and sturdy enough), give them a step stool so they can help on the counter while you cook, and see the laundry controls, and learn what goes where. As soon as they’re walking, they can have their own dirty clothes hamper and a small laundry basket.
Talking through what you’re doing as you clean is one of the easiest (and most natural) ways for them to learn. Give them tools to do the same jobs you do (kid-sized versions if you can) and you might be surprised by how much fun you have together, and by the creative conversations that follow. These are precious times that feel slow while you’re in them, but you’ll miss them as soon as your children move on to their next stage of life.
I didn’t invent this theme day system (and I wish I knew who to credit, kudos to them!), but I’ve modified and expanded it to fit my own life. Now, I share it with others who, like me, need a fresh perspective and a little variety.
For years, I had my cleaning tasks locked into specific time slots on my calendar. Recently, while setting up my business theme days, I stumbled on a simple but powerful shift: setting them as all-day events. That way, they show up at the top of my calendar, and I can flow between sitting tasks and moving tasks throughout the day. This rhythm—switching between home and business—keeps me energized, productive, and even helps protect my delicate spine.
🌿 From Overwhelm to Order: Home Cleaning Theme Days
Instructions
- Create a Calendar event for each day.
- Name it something that works for you.
- Copy/paste the daily description into Notes.
- Set to Recurring Weekly and mark as All Day.
- Open each daily task, every day, and choose what to complete.
🧽 Mop Monday
Focus: Fresh, clean floors and doors, make easy chores.
- Wipe appliances, cabinets, doors, windows, baseboards
- Mop, sweep, vacuum kitchen/sunroom/garage/porch
🚽 Toilet Tuesday
Focus: Bathrooms shine = peace of mind.
- Scrub toilets, clean tubs/showers/floors/vents
- Disinfect sinks
- Refresh towels
- Organize toiletries
✨ Wipe-It Wednesday
Focus: With strong purpose we clear a surface to make a new purchase.
- Put away / discard / donate stuff in a room or area
- Wipe, dust, polish everything in a room
(microwave, toaster, counters, tables, mirrors, toys, etc.)
🗑️ Throw-It-Out Thursday
Focus: Decluttering the base opens space and creates a new place.
- File papers, toss junk mail, recycle magazines/catalogs
- Declutter food, clothing, projects you won’t keep
- Scan photos, sort digital clutter
👕 Fold-It-Up Friday
Focus: Load and fold, change the mode, crack the code, smooth the road.
- Change bedding
- Laundry: soak stains, strip beds, wash blankets/towels, hand wash delicates
- Fold, hang, iron/steam
- Drop off dry cleaning
📌 Tip: Adopt my exact list, or adapt it to be uniquely your own.
Just like I theme my cleaning tasks at home, I also theme my business tasks—so every area of my work gets attention each week without being overwhelmed. Check out Part 2 here…
From Chaos to Clarity: How Daily Themes Create Stepstones for Your Business Growth
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