If you aren’t in the habit of tidying, cleaning can often feel overwhelming. Each room in your home comes with different obstacles that can make it feel like you’re always swimming in housework. A weekly routine that resets your home can help you combat the anxiety you may feel in preparation for a new week. More specifically, a weekly reset is a designated time for you and your family to prepare yourselves and your home for the week ahead.

While a weekly reset can help you keep a routine that starts your week on the right foot, it might look different for each person. The important thing is to complete tasks that help you manage your home and life with more ease. Here are some ideas to help you think through what tasks might reset your brain and your home.

Give yourself time to plan

The best way to make sure you’re on top of your weekly schedule is to take time to plan your week. This can include condensing notes and reminders to one location (like a calendar or planner) and should also include talking to other members of your household about what they have planned for their week (or confirming plans if you’ve already been made aware). This doesn’t need to be long or stressful—just a little check-in to make sure everyone is on the same page. Try turning on some music or munching on some snacks while you check in, if it helps keep everyone motivated.

This is also an opportunity to create to-dos for the upcoming week. For example, if you know you’ve got events planned during the evenings throughout the week, you might add meal prep to your to-do list to make your busy schedule easier to manage. Your planning might need to include when you’ll go grocery shopping next, and each reset can give you time to figure out what else you’ll need to add to your shopping list.

Catch up on laundry

Once you’ve got your upcoming plans under control, it’s time to throw in a load of laundry. Since laundry takes a larger chunk of time while you wait for the washer and dryer to finish, it’s best to start with laundry, so you can circle back to unloading at the end of your reset. Your laundry load should be indicative of the scheduling you just completed—are there jerseys or uniforms your kids need for the following week? Is there a stain on your favorite work shirt that requires some attention before a big presentation? Making sure your closet is reset with clothes is a great way to set you and your family up for success. Already have a laundry routine for weekly clothes? Try adding bedding, pillows, or towels to your weekly laundry reset time.

Tidy and declutter

Tidying can sound like an easy task, but it’s not always straightforward. Oftentimes, decluttering piles on tables, nightstands, or desks uncover other to-do items you might have forgotten about. Start by throwing away any trash you see and collecting cups and dishes that may have been forgotten. Next, put away anything else that’s in a spot where it doesn’t belong. For example, put books back on shelves, remotes back on end tables, and fold blankets that are heaped up on the couch. Don’t be afraid to delegate! If toys or games are part of the clutter, enlist help from your kids. Get them motivated with our Cleaning Jams playlist.

Clean and/or disinfect

Cleaning as a part of your reset is a pretty broad category, so it’s best to prioritize, based on your home’s needs. This could be vacuuming, especially if you have cats or dogs that frequently shed. Emptying smaller trash bins around your home into one large bin might not be a weekly necessity, but maybe that’s a reset task that could be swapped with another bi-monthly task, like refilling hand soaps or restocking toilet paper.

If you know you’ll have guests over soon, maybe disinfecting the bathrooms is the highest priority. If you can’t clean something that you know needs to be sanitized, try blocking off time for it during the week. Sometimes, tasks can feel less overwhelming if you schedule time to tackle them.

Recharge your mental battery

Making sure your physical surroundings are tidy is a big part of a weekly reset, but it’s important to take care of your mental health, too. Find a way to recharge, even if it’s something small. This could be reading a book, taking a bath, going for a walk, or kicking your feet up on the couch and catching up on your favorite TV show.

Whatever you decide works best for you, we wish you the best of luck prepping for the week ahead of you!