Community Chat

[Tinkrbl44]

We all have our priorities and preferences.  I'm not a cleaning lady or janitor.    I use a college student who is extremely good at housecleaning.   I am very happy to pay her because she's got her tuition to pay ...  and I have housework to be done.   It's money well spent, and we're both happy when it's done.

[shopped out]

LAST YEAR WE DID A BIG CLEANING WHEN THE WEATHER STARTED GETTING COOLER.  AND BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS.

THIS YEAR STARTED WITH TAKING DOWN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.  IN THE PAST IT'S BEEN PACK IT ALL BACK AND INTO THE CABINETS.  THIS YEAR

THINGS GOT CLEANED OUT AND DONATED FIRST.   I KEPT SO MANY THINGS

THINKING ..."i COULD...."   NOW, I HAD MY GRANDDAUGHTER HELP ME 

AND SHE GOT TO PICK OUT THINGS SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR OWN

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.   BETTER HALF WAS VERY HAPPY TO TAKE

UP ALL THE STUFF TO THE THRIFT STORE.   AFTER THAT I WENT FOR CLOSETS

AND THEN KITCHEN.  THE PANTRY GOT A TOTAL MAKE OVER.   HUSBAND

DOES WINDOWS AND SCREENS AND I DO SHUTTERS AND THE WINDOW

TRACS.   FOR ME GETTING RID OF CLUTTER....TOSS OUT OR DONATE ALL

"MAYBE I COULD USE THIS FOR......" IS THE BIGGEST PART OF SPRING CLEANING.  THE ONE THING THIS YEAR IS THE CANNED LIGHTS CEILING FANS AND VENTS IN ALL THE ROOMS NEED TO BE CLEANED.   WE HAVE 10' OR HIGHER CEILINGS AND NOT LOOKING FOWARD TO GOING UP AND DOWN ON

THE LADDER. 

THE WORST ROOM IN THIS HOUSE AFTER THE HOLIDAYS IS MY SEWING ROOM, WHICH IS ALSO MY CRAFT ROOM, IRONING ROOM.  I CALL IT MY ORGANIZED MESS.   SOMETIMES IT GETS SO OUT OF CONTROL I DO NOT FEEL LIKE SEWING  (1 OF MY PASSIONS) NEEDLESS  TO SAY SINCE I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO USES THE ROOM, IT GETS DONE LAST.  THEN WHEN  EVERYTHING IS PUT AWAY, IT LOOKS GOOD, AND I DON'T WANT TO MESS IT UP.   

[RoughDraft]

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@MyGirlsMom wrote:

I've already begun and I like to do it one room at a time. I like to do all the rearranging myself.  LOL I have to get the carpet guy to come in one morning and clean all the area rugs and then get someone to clean the windows.  Last week I had someone clean all the upholstery.

I think I'm going to treat myself with a set of Curtis Stone's pots, so ALL the old ones are hitting the trash. Any old spices, etc. have already gone but the kitchen is still a work in progress as far as getting rid of the "old".  I don't care for plasticware, so anything that my family has bought that is mis shapened, no lids, discolored or worn..goes.

I HATE clutter and many things have already been tossed.

I love Curtis Stone's cookware.  I bought his multi-pupose pan and a fry pan.  Best products I've found in years.  Enjoy.

[MyGirlsMom]

Thanks @RoughDraft!  I was getting cold feet when I read a few of the reviews. 

[RoughDraft]

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@MyGirlsMom wrote:

Thanks @RoughDraft!  I was getting cold feet when I read a few of the reviews. 

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@MyGirlsMom  glad to be able to help you decide.  lol  I never did read the reviews.  I just love the way they clean up and don't show any scratches.  

[shopped out]

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@RoughDraft wrote:

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@MyGirlsMom wrote:

I've already begun and I like to do it one room at a time. I like to do all the rearranging myself.  LOL I have to get the carpet guy to come in one morning and clean all the area rugs and then get someone to clean the windows.  Last week I had someone clean all the upholstery.

I think I'm going to treat myself with a set of Curtis Stone's pots, so ALL the old ones are hitting the trash. Any old spices, etc. have already gone but the kitchen is still a work in progress as far as getting rid of the "old".  I don't care for plasticware, so anything that my family has bought that is mis shapened, no lids, discolored or worn..goes.

I HATE clutter and many things have already been tossed.

I love Curtis Stone's cookware.  I bought his multi-pupose pan and a fry pan.  Best products I've found in years.  Enjoy.

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CURTIS STONE POTS:  I ORDERED THE SET THAT ON ON A TODAY'S SPECIAL.

AND THEY ARE ON BACK ORDER.   UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T FIND THAT

OUT BEFORE I DONATED THE OLD POTS AND PANS.   WHEN I PLACED

MY ORDER THEY WERE "IN" STOCK.  THEY ARE DUE TO ARRIVE 2/6

WE'LL SEE.   

[Mominohio]

My 'spring cleaning' always takes place in February. The prelude to it is that every January I spend the month cleaning out every closet, cupboard and drawer, as well as a little bit of work to the basement.

I've gotten most of the way through January's ritual. Next month I will take one room at a time, and wash every wall, window, curtain (washed, starched, ironed and re hung), strip every bed down to the bare bones including dust ruffles, and every lamp, piece of home decor and furniture scrubbed completely. Every piece of upholstered furniture will be steam cleaned, and most carpets will be steam cleaned (I do it all myself with my Bissell). I also clean the main paths of my carpets in mid summer as well.

Every year I start with the guest bathroom. It is the smallest and cleanest room in the house, takes only about an hour to do, and gets me motivated to move on to the next room. 

I generally start upstairs in the bedrooms and baths, because I have to carry all the linens down through two other levels of the house, then back up once clean and ironed, so the dust created doing that needs to be considered. Working from the top of the house down only seems to make sense. And because I can shut off each room upstairs after it is done, they will stay cleaner while I tackle the next lower level. I get at least one bedroom done each day.

When I move to the main level (living room, dining room and kitchen, they are all rather connected, so I treat it as one big room, remove all drapes first and it usually takes me a couple of days to complete those rooms.

I move to the family room on the next level last, as that is where I have been setting up the ironing board and ironing curtains and other things. Sometimes I take a few days break between the main level and the family room, because the family room is rather large. 

I try to get this all done within a week and I used to be pretty successful at that. It usually takes longer now, sometimes up to two weeks. I feel pressure to keep moving and get it done, before where I started is in need of a regular cleaning again!

Other areas like the garage and the laundry room, get done a little later in the spring or in the early summer. The laundry room because it is getting full use during the rest of the cleaning and the garage because I want to do it in warmer weather.

I've used the same "system" as long as I can remember, and it works for me. I will say I kind of get both anxious to get it done every year (as I love the results), as well as dread it, as it gets more tiring to do.

[Lucky Charm]

Spring cleaning gets done at least 3 times a year.  Spring, early fall and after holiday decorations come down.

True *spring* cleaning doesn't start till after the worst of the pollen is over so that windows can be opened for days w/o pollen collecting on curtains, sills and bedding/upholstery inside.

All curtains are removed and machine washed (absolutely none of my draperies or comforters need to be dry cleaned)  Windows and window sills are cleaned.

Pictures removed, walls dusted, ceiling fans and floor moulding wiped, furniture moved and hardwood is first vacuumed, then dry mopped then steam cleaned, furniture moved back.  There's no carpeting in my home only hardwood and tile.

Once a room is cleaned the door is closed and until the entire house is cleaned, no re-entry.  (The same goes for regular weekly cleaning)  

Upholstered furniture is wiped down with antibacterial wipes (yes--even silk brokade upholstery--they've never ruined anything and I do this weekly, too.)

Kitchen cabinets get polished and the rest of the kitchen is cleaned thoroughly (appliances, counters, floors) as they are weekly.

Bathroom walls are washed and the rest that is done is as in a weekly cleaning.

It's hard work and lots of times my DH will help.   My goal is always to do it all at once, in one day.  I just can't feel good about cleaning the kitchen one day, and the bathrooms the next.  It's all or nothing--as in whether my house is totally clean or not.

[AuntG]

The thing that makes spring cleaning different from regular cleaning is that we remove as much furniture from each room as is practical.  Once the room is virtually empty, we can really hit it.

[Yardlie]

Wow...Must be nice to live where you can think of spring cleaning at the end of January! We still have two months of tough winter...and even get bad weather into mid-April.