If it's trash, put it in the trash

I live by habit.  If I get into the habit of leaving trash wherever it lands and letting problems fester into disastrophes, I'll ruin my house.  If I get into the habit of cleaning as I go and making repairs promptly, I'll still have a nice house in 70 years.

I also live by procrastination.  If a job's worth doing, it'll be worth doing tomorrow.

So I set up weekly chores.  I use Remember the Milk to organize these.  RTM is flexible enough that I can schedule these "every 4 weeks" or "monthly" which is slightly different.  RTM also has a good app to run on my phone.

I'm trying to form good habits while accomodating my procrastination.  It's gross, but I'm going to leave snotty tissues on my desk and say "I'll clean that up later".  That needs to be OK, and it is, so long as I'm religious about tidying up every weekend.  Some things need to be cleaned up promptly (dirty dishes), but what can wait can wait.

These are for every weekend:

.  Clean Kitchen
   . Clean oven, in and out
   . Clear funky stuff from fridge, freezer, pantries
   . Wipe down all surfaces, including in fridge
   . Dust
   . Sweep & Mop
   . Clean windows
   . Clean inside microwave
.  Mow Lawn
.  Tidy Up
   . Wipe down anything sticky, smelly, or furry
   . Clear any spider webs
   . Vacuum all carpets, including in closets
   . If it's trash, put it in the trash
   . Check light bulbs
   . Don't forget the garage
.  Pick Up Yard
   . Pick up any trash, dog poo, dead leaves, fallen branches, fallen fruit
   . Clear any spider webs or serious bug habitats
   . Pull any weeds

These rotate on a 4-week cycle, different chores every weekend:

.  Clean Bedroom
   . Wash & change bedding
   . Dust, including in closet
   . Check closet for organization, clothes to donate
.  Clean Guest Bedroom
   . Dust, including in closet
   . Clean windows
   . Check bedding for freshness
.  Clean Living Area
   . Dust, including in cabinets and closets
   . Vacuum upholstery
   . Clean windows
   . Check & clean around fireplace
.  Clean Office
   . Dust, including behind monitors and in closet
   . Clean windows
   . Throw out useless crap
   . Store potentially useful crap
   . Clean screens
   . Blow dust out of cases
.  Yard Work
   . Check & clear gutters
   . Trim back everything
   . Clear dead branches
.  Clean Deck
   . Sweep
   . Clear spider webs
   . Clean exterior windows
.  Check Attic
   . Clear any spider webs
   . Clear any other trashy, buggy, or nasty stuff
   . Check for mold; scrub with bleach if any
   . Dust?
.  Clean Garage
   . Sweep floor, including around washer & dryer
   . Dust, including shelves
   . Check for fluid puddles from car
   . Clean window
   . Check / clean air filter
.  Clean Bathrooms
   . Scrub toilet
   . Scrub any mold and soap residue from shower
   . Clear drains
   . Dust
   . Sweep & Mop
   . Clean mirrors, windows
   . Wipe down all surfaces
   . Wash mats & toilet seat covers

There are a few other oddball items scheduled, like winterizing the house and heater inspections.

So far, I'm doing pretty good, except that I haven't been more than neck-deep in the attic or thoroughly checked the gutters.  I'll probably pay somebody to work in the attic because I hate tight spaces.  I have no excuse for neglecting the gutters.