Modern Homemaking Schedule

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By Kyrie Luke

Modern homemaking schedules are important for a well-run home; one that is tidy, joyful, and restful. My homemaker motto comes from the Bible verse that says “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

So, do that, and learn how to excel in modern homemaking with the help of these schedules and tips.

 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Related: Christian Homemaking Daily Rituals

Related: Busy Mom Cleaning Schedule

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

This post is broken down into several different types of schedules. I’ll show you my own scheduling method which is easy to replicate and offer free printables.

What is Modern Homemaking

Modern homemaking is keeping your home a comfortable, safe, and inviting place for your family and guests. Homemaking in the modern world looks different than traditional homemaking since we are blessed with the technological advances of today.

A modern homemaker is someone who tends to their home, making it a comfortable environment for those who live there and guests who visit. This looks different for everyone. Some homemakers make their home their work, some work in the home, some outside of the home, and everything in between.

Related: 12 Practical Uses for Aprons

Daily Master Schedule for a Modern Homemaker

As a modern homemaker, it’s important to have a daily schedule of all the tasks that you would like done and by when. Of course, our days don’t always work perfectly according to our plan, but it’s important to know what “ideal” would even look like.

I like to split up my day into blocks of time, and within each block, I have a list of things I like to have completed by the end of that block.

Using this scheduling method, I get pretty granular with the tasks I plan to complete. Below I show you exactly what I do in each block, and show you how to create your own block schedule.

Early Morning Block Tasks

In this early morning block, I like to use it to get the house set up for a restful morning by setting the mood.

Here’s what I like to have done by 9 am:

1. Workout – I do this 5 days per week and on the other days I work on the blog during this time.
2. Get ready for the day – sometimes I have time to do “the works” and sometimes this just means getting out of my workout clothes, throwing my hair in a bun, and putting on mascara.
3. Fill diffuser – I love Revive essential oils because they’re great quality and less expensive than the big brands.
4. Play soft music – think slow worship, jazz, or Piano Guys.
5. Breakfast and coffee – I prep breakfasts ahead of time so it’s usually very quick.
6. Start a load of laundry – see my daily load of laundry tip below.
7. Feed sourdough starter – crucial for cooking from scratch.
8. Make the bed – this is a prime-mover for me. I feel like I’m winning the day if my bed is made.
9. Figure out dinner – see dinner tip below. This just entails looking at my meal plan to see what I’m making tonight.
10. Fill Berkey (this is our water filter)
11. Unload dishwasher/load from breakfast
12. Prep bottles for the day

How to create your own early morning block

As a modern homemaker, you may be working as well as tending to your home, or you may stay home and send your husband off to work. Either way, it’s important to set your mornings up to be a nice start to the day.

1. Pick your wake-up time through a time when you’re either leaving your house or have another large task. For example, I wake up at 5 am and I usually take my son to the library or park by 9 am.
2. Choose your prime-movers (see tip below) for that morning window and write those down. These are the things you would absolutely love to have done. You’re starting your day off with a win right away.
3. Choose a couple of mood-setting tasks that take almost no time, but set the tone for your home. I always love using diffusers and music for this.
4. Write down anything that 100% needs to be done or you’re in a world of hurt if not. For example, if I don’t feed my starter this early, I won’t be able to make dough later.

Mid-Morning Block Tasks

For my mid-morning block which runs from 9 am to 1 pm, my goal is to put a large dent in the bulk of my real “work” for the day. We’ve graduated from “mood-setting” to “gettin’ stuff done!”

Here’s what I do during this time:

1. Prep dinner (see dinner tip below) – I get as much done for dinner as I can at this point to make my life easier later.
2. Switch laundry – by now, the load I put in in my morning block is ready to go to the dryer, or hang to dry.
3. Chores – this is when I’ll try to put a dent in the chores I need to do that day. See my weekly cleaning schedule below for how I divide up my chores for the week so I only ever spend about 20 minutes cleaning per day.
4. Prep breakfast – I do this for the next day. Usually, this just entails making a bowl of yogurt with all the toppings we like. I usually have breakfast burritos, sandwiches, or something like that already prepped.
5. Lunch – lunch is always our leftovers from the night before.
6. Blog work – I do this while my son is napping.
7. Outing – this is when I take my son out to the park, library, or some other fun adventure!
8. Fold laundry
9. To-do list – this is separate from my chores list. These are one-off tasks that need to be done.

How to create your own mid-morning block

This is where you plan to get either the bulk of your work done (in or outside of the home). For me, this block is rather long and runs into the afternoon, however, your timing might look different.

1. Choose a time ranging from the end of your early morning block to a period of your day that has a major shift in the day. Make sure it’s at least several hours.
2. This may be when you want to get the bulk of your “work” for the day done – whatever that looks like for you. Write those down.
3. Add to your list anything that future you will be happy you did. For example, switching and folding the laundry is always something I’m super happy is done later in the day when that’s the last thing I want to do.
4. Write down anything that 100% needs to be done or you’re in a world of hurt if not.

Afternoon Block Tasks

The afternoon block ranges from 1 pm to 6 pm and is time for catch-up work, mood-setting before my husband gets home from work, and setting up the day for tomorrow.

Here’s what I try to have done by 6 pm:

1. Fill the diffuser in our bedroom – usually with lavender, or a sleepy-time essential oil.
2. Turn on music – For the afternoon I like to play worship music, Jazz or Piano Guys.
3. Leftover chores – anything on my chores list I didn’t finish in the previous block will be accomplished here.
4. Fill Berkey (again) – we have the biggest Berkey and still have to fill it a couple of times a day!
5. Errands/outings – when my son wakes from his nap we’ll either run errands or go on another fun adventure.
6. Pick-up house – this is when I tidy up the house for the day. Toys are put away (except the ones we’re using for the rest of the night), and clutter is all put back where it belongs.
7. Set out workout clothes – I like to have my clothes set out and ready to go so I can get dressed for my workout while still in a sleepy daze.
8. Dinner & lunches – This is when I’ll cook whatever is left of dinner prep, assemble dinner plates, and pack the lunch containers (using the dinner from that night) for the next day.
9. Nighttime drink – I like to either make myself this tea, or this Calm magnesium drink that helps me sleep.
10. Dishes/counters – This is also when I’ll do the dishes, wipe down the counters (and maybe sweep the kitchen).

How to create your own afternoon block

Modern homemaking looks so different for everyone, and this block might actually be the “work” block for some homemakers. Hopefully, though, you’re still able to build in time to set the mood for a restful evening.

1. Start this block after your previous block ends, and through a time right before you’re starting to wind down and rest for the evening. This is your last productive block of the day.
2. Choose your prime movers (see tip below) for this window and write those down.
3. Choose a couple of mood-setting tasks that take almost no time, but set the tone for your home. I like my husband to come home to a house that smells good, looks good, sounds good, and feels good – so I put tasks in here that help to create that environment.
4. Write down anything that 100% needs to be done or you’re in a world of hurt if not.
5. This is your last block before you should be relaxing and winding down, so do any last-minute tasks or catch-up items in this block.
6. This block should be used to set up for a restful morning the next day, so do whatever you need to do to make that happen in this block.

Evening Block Tasks

The evening block is the restful block where I’m winding down for the evening. I try not to do any “work” during this block – only things that will promote relaxation and good sleep.

Here’s what I like to do for my evening routine after putting my son down for bed:

1. Shower
2. Hang out with my hubby
3. Stretch while doing a Bible study
4. Read a book
5. Bed

How to create your own evening block schedule

No matter what your days look like, it’s so important to carve out time in your homemaking routine for true rest. This is a great time for that.

1. This is not the time for any chores, work, etc. Hopefully that all got done in your previous blocks. Write down anything that you love doing to relax.
2. Create a bedtime routine that you love and look forward to.
3. Do something to fill your cup.
4. Take care of your body in some way – whatever that looks like for you. I like to stretch, foam roll, and shower.

Weekly Homemaking Schedule

Someone once told me, “the difference between a clean house and a messy house is not the number of messes that are made, but the number of messes that are cleaned up.”

By spending about 30 minutes a day staying on top of cleaning, you’ll have a continuously clean and tidy home, without having to deep clean very often.

Weekly chores schedule (varies a bit from what’s pictured):

I use this magnetic dry erase board to write out all my chores for the week – this hangs on my fridge so I can see clearly what I need to do each day. It’s super easy to shift things around if needed too.

Timing will vary for everyone, but your goal should be only about 30 minutes of chores per day.

Monday: Vacuum/ mop – takes about 30 minutes.

Tuesday: Clean bathrooms and take the garbage out – takes about 30 minutes.

Wednesday: Wipe all kitchen surfaces and clean showers – takes about 30 minutes.

Thursday: Sweep/ dust – takes about 20 minutes.

So you’ll see I front-load the week (see tip below) so you can have a restful weekend, make fun recipes, learn new skills, and spend more time with family. The chores get easier as the week goes on too.

Related: 23 Secrets to a Clean House

Weekly Baking Schedule for the Busy Homemaker

This is an example of what a week might look like for you when it comes to cooking and baking. This schedule correlates to the cleaning schedule above.

Sunday

• Prep breakfasts
• Pull out meat for the week and place it in a large container in the fridge
• Prep sourdough dough (usually a long-fermented dough and a quick, same-day dough).
• Dinner – soup, BBQ, or an easy chicken salad.
• Prep any sauces for the week to jazz up boring meals. Here are some condiments and sauces ideas to prep for the week.

Monday–Tuesday

• Pick up groceries (you save time going on a Monday)
• Since Monday and Tuesday are such heavy chores days, consider keeping dinner very simple and using a yummy aioli to jazz it up.

Wednesday

• Bake/make some type of snack or treat. Making some kind of cookie, bars, granola, or something you can snack on throughout the week is a great idea. I like to use whatever I make for our Thursday playdate.
• Consider keeping dinner simple on Wednesdays too, your week is winding down and you’ll have plenty of time for fun meals.

Thursday

• Try out a fun meal today for dinner as your chores list is on the lighter side. I have tons of delicious recipe ideas here.
• If you have time and energy, you could consider making some bread from scratch like my roasted garlic sourdough bread.

Friday– Saturday

• Friday and Saturdays are great days to try out new recipes since there are no real chores (if you’re following my cleaning schedule above). This is when I try out new recipes or test new ones for the blog. Usually, this means I’m making something sourdough related too.

Related: Learn how to make your own sourdough starter from scratch

Modern Homemaking Meal Planning Tips

1. Have a weekly, rotating meal plan. Learn how to make your own rotating meal plan here.
2. Cook once, eat twice. Make enough dinner to use for lunches the next day.
3. Easy button meals. Always have easy-button meals at the ready for crazy nights when you only have 5-10 minutes to make a meal.
4. Plan dinner for tomorrow, tonight. While you’re making dinner tonight, plan ahead for tomorrow. What do you need to do? Pull out meat, soak beans, and feed your sourdough starter?
5. Themed meal nights. Soupy Sunday, meatless Monday, taco Tuesday, etc. This can help your meal planning by giving you a jump start on ideas!
6. Basic meal outline. Sure, we have some fun and fancy meals, but mostly our meals follow a simple outline – protein, carbs, and fats. 
7. Keep breakfasts simple. We just keep a running list of breakfasts we like in our head and decide which ones we want the next week and I’ll make those on Sunday.

Modern Homemaker Deep Cleaning Schedule

If you stay caught up on your weekly cleaning tasks (see above), deep cleans should be far and few between. However, it’s smart to split up deep cleaning duties so you have an idea of what could use a deep clean soon.

This is for a one-month deep cleaning schedule:

Week 1 Deep Clean

• De-cobweb/dusting high surfaces (eg. ceiling fans, tops of china cabinets, etc.)
• Wash doors and door trim 
• Wash, dust blinds & windowsills
• Fridge and freezer deep clean
• Clean and declutter kitchen cabinets/drawers

Week 2 Deep Clean

• Deep clean inside oven
• Wash blankets, bath mats, and rugs
• Vacuum under hard-to-reach areas (couches, furniture, etc.)
• Vacuum dust from vents

Week 3 Deep Clean

• Wipe down the outside of all kitchen/bathroom cabinets
• Wash inside of trashcans (inside the home and outdoor cans)
• Vacuum garage, basement, shed, etc.
• Organize all closets (master bedroom, hall, linen, etc.)

Week 4 Deep Clean

• Clean inside of washing machine and dryer (vacuum the lint trap)
• Organize and declutter toys/crafts
• Organize and declutter office/mail
• Deep clean dishwasher (inside the trap area and wipe down entire bottom and surface areas)

Modern Homemaker Binder

My modern-day homemaking binder has several components. They are all things I need on a very regular basis, and I keep this on the kitchen counter every day.

Things to keep in your homemaking binder:

1. Meal plan
2. Daily task list (block schedule)
3. Monthly deep cleaning schedule
4. Chores schedule
5. To-do list
6. List of things to talk with hubby about
7. List of things to buy
8. Random list – good podcast someone recommended, books to read, etc.
9. List of fun activities to do with your kids (especially for those rainy days)
10. Birthday cards to write in and mail out
11. Stamps for letters and cards.
12. A pen

Modern Homemaking Tips

As a modern homemaker, whatever that looks like for you, these tips will help you to feel empowered by having a plan of action to go forward in making your house a home.

General Homemaking Tips

1. Know your husband’s prime movers and prioritize those. This top can also go in the cleaning tips, but it’s more general too. My husband could care less if there’s a homemade meal right when he get’s home, but he LOVES when I’m in a good mood. So, if cooking is going to stress me out that day, I prioritize my mood and I opt for an easy meal.
2. What can right-now-you do to make future-you happy? – Do you have an extra 5 minutes that you weren’t planning for? Go switch that laundry! Or unload the dishwasher. You get the idea.
3. Separate lists. You’ve noticed how I keep my lists separated by category (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.). But I take it even further and I’ll have a separate to do list, list of things to chat with my husband about, list of things to buy, etc.
4. Schedule your outings. We know that children thrive on routine, but so do we! Plan the outings you plan to do with your children so you all can get in a routine. This helps everyone to thrive under a routine and helps you to plan your chores around this schedule. For example, I don’t plan for a heavy chores day on a play date day.
5. Buffer, free, and focus days. I have certain days that are called “focus” days where I plan to slam out most of the things that need to be done in those days. Then I follow those up with buffer and free days to balance it all out. Buffer days are days where I get some things done, but I keep it pretty light. Free days are the days I plan to do basically nothing productive and I just relax.
6. Remember what’s important. Remember who the home is for and why you’re making it. Always prioritize relationships and fellowship over tasks and duties. This is so hard sometimes, but your family needs YOU, the chores can wait.
7. There are seasons for efficiency. There are seasons for efficiency, seasons for rest, and seasons for just-getting-by. If you’re in a season of “just-getting-by” know that it won’t last; also true, if you’re in a season of efficiency, know that it won’t last. That’s the beauty of homemaking.

Laundry Tips

1. Do a daily load of laundry (or 2). Never go a day without doing at least one load of laundry. Even if you don’t have any, gather up the rugs and blankets and wash those! You’ll never be behind on laundry again.
2. Plan out which days you do each load of laundry. This is the first section I put on my chores list.

Dinner Tips

1. Plan dinner ahead of time. I like to use a rotating meal plan so I always know what I’m cooking and never have to scramble to find out what to make for dinner. If you aren’t a meal planner, though, at least think about a dinner idea first thing in the morning so you can prepare well in advance.
2. Prep dinner way ahead of time – In my morning block, I start prepping dinner – or at least all the components I’m able to prep ahead of time like chopping, making sauces, etc. That way, by 5 o’clock when the house goes crazy, I’m already well on my way to dinner being on the table.

Tips for Dishes

1. Similar to laundry, if you have a dishwasher, always run the dishwasher (even if just a light load, or just the top rack). This helps you to start fresh every day!
2. If you do have a dishwasher, my trick to never forgetting is to add the soap and set the automatic timer to start in however many hours until we go to bed. That way if we need to add any more to the dishwasher, we can and it’ll still start while we are sleeping.

Cleaning Tips

1. Stay on top of a weekly cleaning schedule. This ensures you rarely have to deep clean. Even on the days when the bathroom doesn’t look dirty and could probably go another week, use that time to clean the nooks and crannies.
2. Have a plan for which days you’ll do what. – Don’t just wing it, have a plan and have the discipline to stick with it. The pain of discipline is better than the pain of regret, right?
3. Front-load your week. Bring all the heavy chores to the front of your week and taper them off as the week goes on so you can have a restful weekend.
4. Know your prime movers and prioritize those. Your prime movers are the things that if just those things are done, and nothing else, you still feel pretty good about the day. For example, I know if the floors and counters are clean, and my bed is made, I feel pretty good about the shape of my house.

Shop my Six Month Meal Plans

Shop for my six month meal plans here. These will help give you a restful dinner-time routine by giving you all your recipes laid out in a weekly meal plan format for 6 months.

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(These affiliate links help to support this blog at no extra cost to you. Your support means the world to me!)

• Berkey water filter (use this link for a discount)
• Glass jar for sourdough starter
• Revive essential oils
• Nighttime tea
• Calm magnesium sleep drink
• Magnetic chores chart

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