|
Post by snoozy on Mar 30, 2015 15:18:59 GMT
OK, so I am having people over on the 11th. These are the rooms that I need to get cleaned and organized by then: Kitchen Pantry (major! ) Livingroom Library Master bedroom 2 bathrooms Yesterday I started overhauling the library -- it continues today. When my now husband moved in a few years ago, he brought a lot of books with him, and he shocked me by starting to mix them in with mine. I mean, there was an indicator of intention to make the relationship work if there ever was one! Then my mother downsized and gave me several boxes more. So I am now finally shelving and reorganizing everything. Boy, we have a lot of wonderful books! But as you readers will understand, it is a very distracting job. Easy to get sidetracked into exploring the books themselves. But what I need your drill-sergeanting for is the rest of it -- give me a list of what I need to do to clean up each of those areas listed above. Will you do that for me?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2015 16:55:05 GMT
My idea is to have a party and invite all your OCD friends over. They won't leave until everything is set to rights!
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Mar 30, 2015 19:03:52 GMT
You is evil, you is! But I think if I want them to come back, I'd better get the place cleaned up before they get here.
|
|
|
Post by Chickadee on Mar 30, 2015 19:09:14 GMT
I know what you mean about getting distracted. I have learned I cannot combine organizing/decluttering with actual cleaning because I don't get anything accomplished (I usually make an even bigger mess instead). I admire your pluck in tackling both at the same time. You could just stick all the extra books in boxes under the bed. Sorry, probably not helpful.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2015 23:31:44 GMT
I'm no help ... all of our books are currently on the library floor ... no shelves yet! You come help me build shelves, I'll come organize your library.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2015 23:53:07 GMT
I know what you mean about getting distracted. I have learned I cannot combine organizing/decluttering with actual cleaning because I don't get anything accomplished (I usually make an even bigger mess instead). I admire your pluck in tackling both at the same time. You could just stick all the extra books in boxes under the bed. Sorry, probably not helpful. Hahaha!! Got a good laugh out of that last part!
|
|
|
Post by farmchix on Mar 31, 2015 0:05:27 GMT
I'm pretty OCD, too. I just start with one room....finish it and move on to the next. As I am cooking, I am wiping down the cabinets, appliances, inside the refrigerator, etc. Once I am done getting ready in the morning, I use a rag to wipe down the sink and counter...and so on. When I bring the mail in, I deal with it right then. I stand right over the trash can and eliminate all the waste possible. (If it is burnable and can be used to start a fire, there is a box for that.) I have a whole little routine where I pick up as I walk around that really seems to work for me. It's those big jobs that will get ya!
|
|
|
Post by krisinmi on Mar 31, 2015 1:07:01 GMT
When I am doing something like that, I try to walk into each room, ask myself what in that room bothers me, and then tackle those things.
For instance, in the kitchen: I might notice my cabinet doors and the fronts of the appliances really need to be wiped down, or that a particular cupboard is so stuffed that the doors won't shut right. Or maybe the sink or the floor could use a good scrubbing.
In the bathroom maybe the shower/tub has taken on a yellowish cast from our hard water because I haven't cleaned it often enough. (Usually this, and wiping down the counter, swishing the toilet bowl, spritzing the mirror behind the sink, sweeping the floor and putting out a fresh bathmat and towels are all bathrooms need for me to make them company ready).
In the livingroom, it might be the magazine bin is overflowing, or I have little bits of thread or yarn stuck to the arm of the couch where I sit for a lot of my hand crafting. As long as the end tables are dusted and empty (other than lamps or remote controls or whatever their intended use is), there's not much here for me to clean up.
Master bedroom, usually the tops of the dressers and the areas around the bedside tables are overflowing with clutter. Take care of that, change the sheets and maybe put a different quilt on the bed, sweep the floor (I have no carpeting anywhere in my house), and the master bedroom is good to go.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2015 9:47:25 GMT
Snoozy, if I were having people over, I would concentrate first on the public rooms. Are they going to be looking in your pantry? If not, leave it till later. Are they going to examine your books? If yes, continue, if not, dust the books, straighten them on the shelves and go work on an area where your guests will spend time. You can arrange books when your guests are gone.
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Mar 31, 2015 16:12:12 GMT
The kitchen, living room and library are all contiguous, so they all need doing. Still working on the library, but that is really for us, not just for partyshining. Masterbedroom, well, you know people are nosy. Pantry needs doing because the pantry needs doing. I've got mealybugs everywhere there, though I keep stuff in white buckets or ziplocks. And let me tell you diatomacious earth does NOT kill them. (Mealybugs are called susuri in Urdu...your susur is your father-in-law, susuri is his wife, that is, your mother-in-law. So mealybugs are little mothers-in-law!
|
|
|
Post by farmchix on Mar 31, 2015 22:38:14 GMT
My Mother always said you were only as clean as your kitchen and bathroom. Her mother was the same way. They judged by those rooms (and trust me, they judged). When I was early in housekeeping, I would race into the bathroom and pretend like I had to go, just so I could spot clean for the inspection if she popped in to see me. That's probably why I am OCD. Anyone have a couch....I think I have Mommy issues.....ROFL
|
|
|
Post by Muller's Lane Farm on Apr 1, 2015 3:23:45 GMT
My Mother always said you were only as clean as your kitchen and bathroom. That is how I am when I'm expecting guests ... the bathroom is spotless and the kitchen area is equally clean ... although there may be a couple dehydrators going or a few cases of canning jars out, depending on the time of the year. Oh, and the floors are all swept. If DH & I have projects going on, they are left were they are. In other words, our house looks clean but lived in. I feel uncomfortable in homes that are showroom clean
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 1, 2015 3:54:46 GMT
Showroom clean is not something which is possible here. Once when I needed work, someone suggested cleaning houses. I said, "Look at my house -- that would be fraud!"
|
|
|
Post by Muller's Lane Farm on Apr 1, 2015 4:30:23 GMT
ROFL!!! Love that snoozy!
|
|
|
Post by farmchix on Apr 1, 2015 10:03:01 GMT
I hear ya Cyndi. But, also in contrast, if a room is messy, I cannot relax in it. I feel like I have to tidy up a bit first.....
|
|
|
Post by Muller's Lane Farm on Apr 1, 2015 17:12:53 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2015 21:04:03 GMT
I don't believe reshelving books is part of cleaning. If you need to get the house cleaned in 10 days then get the rest of the rooms cleaned, one a day, stick to just one room until its finished them move on to the next room. Then after they are clean you can organize your books.
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 2, 2015 13:56:39 GMT
The books are coming along. Even my husband was impressed with the progress. This is a open floorplan kind of house, so it couldn't be avoided. I'm going to do the bathrooms 2 days before showtime, and the kitchen the day before. I'll vacuum the morning of. Or maybe on bathroom day, because then i can wax the floors. They are stained concrete, and swabbing some wax on them really deepens the effect and makes them glow like beautiful burled wood.
So living room and master bed between now and 2 days before.
I can get this done. I can get this done. I can get this done....
I can easily be distracted. I can easily be distracted...
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 3, 2015 18:48:31 GMT
OKay so I have done all of the library that I can do. My husband is going to have sort out the rest of his tomes. He tells me he NEEDS two hardback copies of War & Peace (different translations). Said he's read both of them. Me, I'm giving away my paperback copy of W&P -- never have gotten into Russian novels. Managed to put in the goodwill pile about 10 books. Mopped the floor, even!
I have a stack of old Countryside mags that anyone is welcome to, if they can figure out how to get them. I don't know how many there are, but it makes a stack about 9 inches high...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2015 1:18:41 GMT
Don't forget to turn up whatever music gets you moving; that always seems to help with housework!
|
|
|
Post by manygoatsnmore on Apr 9, 2015 4:51:57 GMT
How'a the plan coming along, Snoozy?
|
|
|
Post by mjslady on Apr 9, 2015 15:54:30 GMT
Put the countryside's on ebay, magazines of that type can do well.
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 9, 2015 16:16:06 GMT
How'a the plan coming along, Snoozy? Well, the library still needs my husband to sort out his tomes, but other than that, it looks neat and I even got the floor waxed. It's presentable. The living room is all waxed and tidy, just needs a damp cloth on the horizontal surfaces. Today is bathroom and master bedroom and vacuum upstairs. Because this is a strawbale house, we have really rough walls which catch cobwebs and dust, so when I vacuum, I vacuum the walls and soup up the cobwebs in the ceiling corners, too. So it's a lot. We have a built-in whole house vac. Tomorrow is kitchen day, the most important area, where everyone congregates. Thank God I don't own a bunch of stuff. My main problem is horizontal surfaces. They are all magnets. So even though I don't have a bunch of stuff, it's out. But then, at least that's pretty much all there is to deal with, what is out in plain sight. Oh -- the pantry has to be a project for another time, because it is a two person job (not because it is heavy, but because I will get overwhelmed and find more fun jobs to do, or books to read, or...)
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 9, 2015 16:16:30 GMT
Put the countryside's on ebay, magazines of that type can do well. How much do they typically go for?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2015 16:19:26 GMT
Waxing? Vaccuming? How fancy are these guests? Just get all the clutter picked up, de-grime the bathrooms and kitchen counters. Don't work so hard that you'll be too tired to enjoy your company when they arrive.
|
|
|
Post by mjslady on Apr 9, 2015 16:22:29 GMT
A quick glance on ebay at sold listings has it anywhere from $6 to $30 for 17 mags give or take. Shipping between $5.57 and $17.95
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 9, 2015 16:26:03 GMT
I use guests as a motivation to clean the house. Mind you, we only have people over on Thanksgiving and maybe once or twice during the year. Trust me -- I'm not going to wear out the floors waxing them! Also these are stained concrete floors, which look like burled wood when they have a coat of wax on them. Waxing ain't nuthin anyway, just swabbing the stuff on and it dries. Not like in my mother's day when it meant running a floor polisher.
|
|
|
Post by Cindy in NY on Apr 9, 2015 21:49:00 GMT
Remember that magazines are not supposed to be shipped as media. Get some of the flat rate priority envelopes and see how many you can fit in one. Probably 3 or 4. List that many as a group with free shipping. Price them so that you make some money and cover the shipping. I've been selling on ebay for about 14 years (usre name is two_much_stuff). PM if you have any questions.
Sounds like you've done a great job with your cleaning! We just had company for Easter and I made a list of everything that needed to be done and then assigned each part to a day in my daily planner.
|
|
|
Post by snoozy on Apr 9, 2015 22:27:15 GMT
How come they can't be shipped as media? They are media... Sir, upstairs all done, sir, yes sir! Ma'am, vacuuming & dusting upstairs, bathroom, master bedroom, all shipshape, Ma'am! And even a loaf of bread in the oven!
|
|
|
Post by manygoatsnmore on Apr 10, 2015 7:11:09 GMT
Good job, snoozy! I didn't realize you had a strawbale house. I'd love to see it someday, or at least pics! I've often thought I'd like to build one, but our county is so hard to work with that I don't know if they'd go for it.
|
|