First, define what you mean by "housecleaning." I'm being totally serious, because my idea of housecleaning is not everyone's idea of housecleaning. Here is what I do between Friday and Sunday:
- Vacuum
- Sweep
- Mop
- Laundry - wash, dry, iron, and put away laundry
- Clean bathrooms - sinks, tubs, showers, counters, toilets
- Kitchens
Daily, I wash, dry, and put away dishes.
Here is what does NOT get done weekly, but possibly monthly
- Clean inside oven
- Clean fridge
- Dusting
I have a 3000 square foot house. I do it alone
The thing is, I refuse to make housekeeping my life. I tell myself, okay, I have two dedicated hours a day from Friday to Sunday to get all this stuff done. If it doesn't get done, then I don't stress it. A lady I took a class with said it best: "You can't try to clean up in the middle of a hurricane." I live with two sloppy guys (bless their heart), but I'm not a maid. It used to KILL me to see stuff out of place, stuff just piling up, a neverending mass of papers, clothes on the floor, but I have had to chill out a LOT. I cannot change them, so I do what I can to make it clean.
And then I invite people over when the place is a real mess. Big Bubble gets so embarrassed that he makes sure that the place gets picked up. As I tell him, I don't mind cleaning up, just don't make SUCH a mess of things.
All this to say, I think you have to first choose which day (or days) you are going to clean. Then choose which chore (or chores) you are going to do. Then set a time limit, not to exceed it. The thing is, if you exceed it, you will feel like you are constantly cleaning and not enjoying your weekend. The biggest or most time consuming chores I do monthly, the other stuff I save for daily or weekly.
I tried that "do 30 minutes of chores a day" or "zone" cleaning, and at this time in my life, it just doesn't work for me. Daily, I cook, get Tiny Bubble ready for bed, and get myself together for work and working out the next morning. So if I have 30 minutes out of my day, I choose to play with Tiny Bubble or possibly check VF
Hope this helps!