The Friday Speed Clean

Back in 2007, my first job was in financial consulting in NYC. Happy hours were mandatory back then, because job equaled life. Fast forward almost 20 years and my Fridays after work now consist of what I've branded my "happy hour speed clean." Same energy, none of the cocktails. Just 60 minutes to get it done and dusted before the weekend starts. It's basically my cardio.

Quick sidenote: working full time Monday through Friday doesn't leave a lot of room for chores, which flies in the face of the popular opinion that working from home means slacking off in sweatpants. If anything, I work harder and more efficiently at home, six years in. I disappear into my office in the morning, surface at lunch for food, then it's back to the grind.

By the time Friday hits, it's time to knock out the chores so I'm not burning weekend hours on them instead. I used to run a five-step system. I've since consolidated it down to three, because nobody has the bandwidth to remember five steps by Friday afternoon. Here's the streamlined version.

Step 1: Clean All the Bathrooms

Sink, counter, mirror, toilet. Repeat for every bathroom in the house, in my case that's primary, powder, boys', and basement. Shake out the rugs, vacuum the floor. Showers and tubs get their own day because I am not a masochist. Swap out the hand towels, face towels, and bath towels for clean ones while you're in there.

Step 2: Vacuum Everything the Robots Can't Reach

Stairs first, because the robot vacuum can't do stairs and my cat sheds like it's a competitive sport. Basement stairs included. Then vacuum upstairs by hand, since I don't have a robot vacuum for that level yet. Soon. Once the manual work is done, set the robots loose: Rosie handles the main floor, Orby takes the basement, and both vacuum and mop while I go do literally anything else.

Step 3: Do the Laundry (All Three Loads)

Kids' clothes, bathroom towels, and my own laundry, three loads, non-negotiable. I can usually get two loads washed and dried, with the third going into the dryer right before I head upstairs for the night. Folding is a problem for future me.

What the Kids Are Doing This Whole Time

Great question. They're either with my husband picking up takeout, fighting, playing nicely, or parked in front of the TV. When my youngest was under two, this system was a lot harder to pull off, he was a stage-five clinger and I needed to be visible at all times. During those bleak months I scaled back to just the bathroom and laundry. Now that he's older and better at independent play, there's minimal screaming and I get to scrub a toilet in peace. Truly living the dream.

The Payoff

By Saturday morning, the only leftover task is putting away clean clothes and sheets, washing, drying, and making the bed. It's my least favorite chore on the list, but nothing beats climbing into clean sheets on a Sunday night.