Maximizing Cleaning During a 45 Minute Nap

A manageable cleaning plan to make the most of nap time.

by Annie Wiesman
Mar 09, 2017

My infant daughter took frustratingly short and predictable 30-minute naps for months.

When she was brand new, I listened to the advice of others and slept when she slept and didn’t worry quite as much about keeping the house clean. My husband was – and still is – a wonderful help around the house.

But when she settled into a more obvious schedule, I wanted to feel useful again. While not knowing how to solve the problem of short naps, I did figure out how to maximize that naptime with a quick cleaning agenda. (Read "The Waking-Early Nap Challenge" & "The 45 Minute Sleep Intruder" for more help in this area)

Pinterest provided me with a plan that helped me keep my house tidy without spending a ton of time each day. My little one’s short morning nap was just enough time to feel productive and accomplished.

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I wish I could credit the person who posted this schedule, but I literally wrote it on 4 post-its and stuck in on my refrigerator. I adapted it to make it work for me and I can’t honestly say how often I actually did monthly chores like vacuuming my furniture or wiping down the baseboards, but hopefully it gives you a place to start and modify to suit your needs.

I also included some things in the schedule we don’t usually think of that need a regular cleaning.

During the first morning nap:

make the bed
wipe down the bathroom sink
load the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher
put in a load of laundry
do the chore of the day

Chore of the day:

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Monday – dust & include plastic toys in dishwasher
Tuesday – vacuum/mop & include stuffed animals in laundry load
Wednesday – toilet & shower
Thursday – mirrors & windows
Friday – swing day (see below) or catch up day & wipe down any large toys that can’t be cleaned in the washing machine or dishwasher (swing, bouncy seat, play mat, electronic toys)

Swing day chores (done a monthly basis):

1^st Friday– dust/vacuum furniture and cabinets
2^ndFriday – scrub oven, microwave and fridge
3^rd Friday – wipe down baseboards, door knobs & light switches
4^th Friday – spot clean upholstery & rugs

Additionally, each night after Baby’s in bed:

Pick up all the toys
Run the dishwasher including bottles so they are ready to go for the next day (Bottles can also be quickly sterilized in boiling water for five minutes.)
Wipe down kitchen counters
Sweep & spot clean kitchen floors

A few other tricks:

Plastic chew toys can easily be cleaned by running through a gentle cycle of the dishwasher on the top rack.
Favorite stuffed animals can often go in the laundry when safely tucked in a pillow case.

This plan isn’t rocket science, but finding it sure rocked my world. Having someone else with functioning brain power lay out a simple and feasible to-do list allowed me to maximize my daughter’s all too brief morning naps. Then I felt like I could reasonably enjoy her next nap by catching up on Facebook, reading a book or, let’s get real, taking a nap myself!

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What’s your favorite quick cleaning tip?

Annie Wiesman

Annie Wiesman is the co-author of “Education Begins at Birth: A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers for Kindergarten.” She is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom who enjoys traveling, hiking in the mountains, and creating memories together with her husband and little girl.