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Post by midtnmama on Jul 12, 2016 10:58:53 GMT
Bring your best tips and lets encourage one another to get rid of clutter and be organized so we have more time to have fun.
I'll start. While putting away new clothes for DH, I persuaded him to get rid of half of his tshirts--most were ratty that he used to work on the farm. But you don't need 15 work tshirts!! Have a full bag for goodwill and lots of soft tshirt rags!
What have you been doing?
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Post by midtnmama on Jul 12, 2016 11:05:21 GMT
Flylady week of July 10, 201610 minute missions: Mon: take everything off the counter and clean the bathroom counter really well Tues: Clean the shower and tub Wed: Clean under the sink for 15 min. Toss things that need to be tossed. Thurs: Donate frayed towels to local animal shelter Fri:Take a relaxing bath and pamper yourself! Zone 3: The Bathroom and One Extra RoomThis is FlyLady’s Detailed Cleaning List for Zone 3. If your home is still cluttered, you are not supposed to do detailed cleaning yet, just declutter for 15 minutes a day in this area. I love flylady, check her out: www.flylady.net/c/lp.php Bathroom detailed cleaning listWash area rugs Scrub/wax floor Straighten drawers/ cabinets Clean shower stall/ wax (not the floor!) Wash shower door Clean medicine cabinet Clean scale Throw away empty bottles Extra bedroom detailed cleaning list Polish furniture Straighten drawers/closet Clean cobwebs Wash mattress pad/dust rug Flip mattress Wash curtains Wash windows Clean window Clean bath tub Clean top of sewing machine Straighten bookcase Straighten computer desk Clean out the closet Put away stray items Fertilize plants Children’s bathroom detailed cleaning listWash area rugs Sweep/scrub/wax floor Straighten drawers/cabinets Clean shower/tub stall Wash shower door Scrub bath toys Wash down outside of toilet Throw away empty bottles Children’s bedrooms detailed cleaning listPolish furniture Straighten drawers/closet Clean cobwebs Wash mattress pad/dust rug Flip mattresses Wash curtains Clean window Straighten toy shelves Clean under the bed Clean out the closet Put away stray items Sort out-grown clothes Vacuum under bed/closets Dust baseboards Clean fingerprints off door/walls Rearrange videos/games/books Office detailed cleaning list Clear off the surface of your desk Throw away pens that don’t work Sharpen pencils Throw out all the trash Put items to keep in a pending file for Wednesday (desk day) Do not stop to pay bills Straighten one drawer at a time Toss out old receipts from over 7 years Clean off the monitor screen Fill printer caddy with paper Establish a place for current bills Vacuum under desk and the whole room Dust furniture Clean windows Remove cobwebs Check supplies of paper and printer cartridges Stamps and envelopes Laundry room detailed cleaning list Wipe down the top of the washer and dryer Clean the gunk from under the washer lid Throw out empty bottles and boxes Empty the garbage can Check supplies of laundry detergent, softener, spot remover Sweep and mop the floor Remove the cobwebs Put away all clothes Look behind appliances for odd socks
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Post by susannah on Jul 12, 2016 12:39:18 GMT
midtnmama , thanks for posting the lists! By the way, your dh sounds like mine in the t-shirt department, except the my dh had over 20 t-shirts. A lot of them were getting pretty ratty. When the latest batch of t-shirts I ordered for him arrived (he wears size medium but needs a Tall size, and M-T is a hard size to find in stores around here), I told dh that 5 of his existing tees had to be given to me for the rag bag before the new ones were allowed to go live in the t-shirt drawer. Dh still has an awful lot of t-shirts but at least the number is NOT increasing. Regarding the 10 minute missions: I'm good for Monday (there is very little counter space in the current main bathroom, so the counters get cleaned every time I clean the sink. And with the counter top being almost solid black granite, the sink gets cleaned A LOT. I cleaned the shower/tub really good this past weekend. I found a jug of soft scrub that I didn't know I had. And while I normally don't like to use a lot of premade cleaners, that worked pretty amazing. I'd gone through the towels last month in preparation for the remodel work (don't ask what the towels have to do with the remodeling; I just realized the answer is probably "nothing") so that's done as well. And as for a relaxing bath - I'm a total shower person; I just can't handle bathing in a bath tub. Which means - cleaning under the sink is the only 10 minute mission I have left for this week. I washed the bathroom rug and scrubbed the floor last week (and scrubbed the bathroom floor again yesterday) so that's done. Since we have no small children, I'll sub in the guest bedroom for "children's bedroom". I mean, it sort of IS a children's room - our grandson calls it his bedroom when he visits, it has his name on the door and pictures he made hang on the walls. Looks like I have plenty on the other lists to keep me busy this week.
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Post by farmchix on Jul 14, 2016 15:04:06 GMT
Any ideas for getting the smell of fuel oil out of concrete? Hubs already scrubbed with Dawn to get it out. He tried Odo-Ban. This morning, I brushed baking soda on, then scrubbed in vinegar. I'm hoping by the time I get home the house smells like a salad instead of the fuel oil. That stuff gives me a headache. '~^^^^~~''
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Post by midtnmama on Jul 18, 2016 0:25:38 GMT
Got my bedroom decluttered enough to dust vacuumed bedroom Cleaned guest Bathroom. Vaccuumed house Cleaned kitchen and got stains off countertop (thank you melamine sponges) washed a load of clothes cooked up everything from garden Cleaned back porch and recycled plastic pots sitting there Did a quick 15 min declutter of pantry and threw out some old crackers, cereal (4 boxes) All and susannah , farmchix : what are you getting done in this heat? My advice to everyone is to invite new people to your home every two months --its a motivator to clean and declutter! farmchix : Diluted vinegar is my go to for smells. I'd scrub with diluted vinegar (50:50) and pour cat litter over the area. Sweep up later.
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Post by midtnmama on Jul 18, 2016 0:34:05 GMT
Week of July 17, 2016: Master Bedroom Mon: Clean under your bed Tues: 27 Boogey fling: Throw out 27 things that need to be thrown out in your bedroom. Wed: Clean your nightstands Thurs: Declutter your jewelry Fri: Flip the mattress and change the sheets. Master Bathroom Detailed Cleaning List
Wash area rugs Straighten up makeup Straighten drawer cabinets Clean shower/stall demold Wash shower doors Master Bedroom Detail Cleaning List
Polish Furniture Clean off the desks Clean cobwebs Wash mattress pad/dust ruffle Flip mattress Empty trash Wash windows Cull some books from bookcase Straighten drawers Clean under the bed Closet Detailed Cleaning List
Straighten the top shelves Arrange the shoes Take Suitcases to basement Dust shoe bookcase
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Post by farmchix on Jul 18, 2016 2:31:39 GMT
midtnmama, I found out that I had been scrubbing concrete for no reason. It was in the CARPET. We have used everything, including my "go to" Dawn dish soap and vinegar. We were told by several cleaning companies that there is nothing we can do except airflow going and it will 'eventually' go away. *sigh*
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Post by susannah on Jul 18, 2016 14:01:06 GMT
midtnmama , so far the heat hasn't been bad up here - it's only been in the 80's most days. The 90's are coming later this week, along with a return of the high humidity. As far as motivators for keeping the house clean and decluttered, I agree about having company. Living 250 miles from most of the family - and living on a lake - we have lots of company, especially in summer. So I TRY to keep the house presentable as much as I can, but there's really nothing like knowing company is coming to push me toward giving the house an extra thorough cleaning. With the remodeling dust and mess though - I've just had to accept that part of the house will be complete chaos until it's finished.
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Post by farmchix on Jul 18, 2016 23:01:48 GMT
I'm thinking about electrifying the kitchen table that my Hubs tries to use as an office....and constantly has to be picked up so we can eat. *groan*
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Post by midtnmama on Jul 19, 2016 0:28:37 GMT
susannah,what I would give for a northern WI summer! My Lottery dream is to live in the south in the winter and in Northern WI in the summer (esp on Lake MI or another great lake. With the humidity the weather forecast says it "feels like" 101. When you open the door, it feels like a blast furnace. Makes outdoor work wicked. You can only do it with a wet bandanna around your neck. Oh how I'd love a pool to jump in after working outdoors!
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Post by jd4020 on Jul 19, 2016 4:45:43 GMT
Hi all, Last week I found mouse droppings on the kitchen counter so I spent the afternoon straightening & cleaning & setting a trapline. Caught the little begger a couple days later. I haven't seen anymore activity but will leave the traps a few days more, just in case. Also cleaned out the junk drawer whilst I was at it. The bath room is mostly tidy & clean I just need to catch up on the laundry. I don't even want to think about our bedroom. It seems it just become a catch all room. sigh..... Due to heat & high humidity; going to be stuck in the house for the next few days so perhaps I can tackle this list while the grands take their naps in the afternoon. Thanks for posting these lists.
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Post by susannah on Jul 19, 2016 14:20:47 GMT
midtnmama , after a friend who lived up here moved south, I emailed her one winter day - asking if she missed the -30F temperature we were having that day. To be fair, -30 is cold even for us. She said she didn't miss the winters but that the summers up here are among the best anywhere. While we can't afford two homes unless we win a big lottery, we do plan on going south for a vacation this upcoming winter - probably around March or April, when winter has gone on forever and we just don't want to face any more cold weather. Many, MANY people up here leave the area at that time. Most winter activities have shut down but if there's still snow and ice (and there is usually still snow and ice) there just isn't much to do. A lot of the restaurants and stores even shut down then - there's almost no tourist activity and very few people up here. jd4020 , I hope that's it for the mouse invasion. I hate having those little uninvited guests in the house! I want to focus on organizing cabinets and any disorganized drawer I can find this week. I did the silverware drawer and the kitchen utensil drawer yesterday. There's another huge drawer in the kitchen that's kind of scaring me, but I'll try to get that done today.
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Post by midtnmama on Jul 23, 2016 12:54:11 GMT
I've got a big bag loaded for goodwill. Folded two baskets of laundry Washed one load of laundry dusted the living/dining room Emptied the vacuum--hope to get to that next. Making my meal plan for the week based on things that need to be used up in the pantry and freezer. Plus fresh from the garden. What are you getting done? midtnmama, susannah, farmchix, jd4020, Inspire me!
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Post by farmchix on Jul 23, 2016 15:40:51 GMT
I weeded the tomatoes this morning where the high tunnel will be. Approx 50' x 6'. It was an incredible job. (Remember me telling you that I made the mistake of putting straw down and ended up with a bumper crop of crabgrass and quackgrass???) Well, that problem is solved.....except for in the corn.
Oldest daughter just headed for the hospital this morning, so we should have another grandchild today or tomorrow.....
AND....I'm off to get my shower to go celebrate our grandson's 2nd birthday. <3 <3 <3
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Post by farmchix on Jul 24, 2016 0:15:11 GMT
It's a boy! Birthday party wasn't too incredibly hot. It was 90 outside, but we sat in the shade. Came home and gave the chickens some frozen treats. I'm done for the day. My back hurts and I am tired. Tomorrow--it's laundry after going to the hospital to see the new grandbaby. By the time I finish laundry, hopefully it will have cooled off enough that I can get into some trouble outside. Either weeding, mowing...cleaning out the chicken barn....just depends on if it is hotter than blue blazes again!
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Post by jd4020 on Jul 24, 2016 21:46:04 GMT
congrats farmchix, on the new grandbaby!! Happy Day! I was able to tackle our bedroom by cleaning out a closet that is mainly used for storage of seasonal clothing (in totes), a couple pieces of luggage, the ironing board, etc. I am happy to say I was able to bag up three large garbage bags of shoes & clothing I no longer need or want & will be taking it to the thrift store, and a large box of trash. I am also happy to say I didn't get a sinus infection whilst working in the dust, so, over all a good day!! I got the regular laundry put away (still trying to get caught up. still got the sheets to wash, other things seem to take priority--like getting the porch painted in between the heavy rainstorms we have been having) Haven't seen anymore mouse activity. yeah!! The living room has been cleaned. The playroom tidied. On the list for this week is working in the basement and trying to weed the garden in between the rain and heat.
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Post by farmchix on Jul 25, 2016 15:52:04 GMT
Well, there is a surprise birthday cookout for me on Sunday.....guess I better get down to the nuts and bolts and try to make some room. Good thing my Princess Daughter let it slip!
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