Seasonal cleaning list

There's nothing more calm-inducing than stepping into a spotless, tidy home. No matter what happened out in the world or what kind of day you've had, a clean space can be a refuge. Believe it or not, it's possible to always have that Zen feeling with a bit of planning and organization. Our secret weapon: the cleaning checklist. By breaking down housework into manageable tasks sorted by day, week, month, season, and year, you can pretty much put cleaning on autopilot. The best part? Just a few minutes here and there can make a huge difference when it comes to how great your home looks and feelsand it keeps messes at bay so that they don't become bigger headaches down the road.

Take those containers of leftovers you vowed to reinvent but never got around to, for example. It's probably best to do an audit of that back row of your refrigerator and toss them (and any other expired items) each week to prevent overcrowding and keep your fridge running optimally.

Research shows that the easiest habits to keep are the ones that are automatic, like glancing at these checklists. This way, you'll never waste time wondering where to even begin or be caught off guard by a seasonal task that crept up on you. And trust us: Having lists like these make delegation among family members that much easier. Sure, that once-a-year deep clean is a springtime rite of passage that never gets old, but for a more long-tail approach, read on for our printable checklists, which tells you what you should be doingand when to do itso you can keep your home in company-ready shape all year round.