2013 FOCUS - Porch/Entry/Foyer - 8/19/2013 - Fourth Round

[Harriet]

Here are Indiana's steps to a clean Porch/Entry/Foyer, from January 2, 2009


As we continue to maintain our homes, the key is maintaining our homes throughout the year instead of a full deep cleaning once or twice a year.

Adjust the rooms to fit your home.

Not all the things listed need to be done this round. Some may be done daily, weekly, monthly, every 3 or 6 months or yearly. I have marked possible times for doing the chore. Look at each area with fresh eyes to see what should be done this round.

As you do each room dust, vacuum, wash, wipe, wax, sweep, mop, detail, straighten, and declutter any surfaces that need to be done.

Porch / Entry/ Foyer

• Ceiling and corners - quarterly
• Ceiling light - quarterly
• Walls - quarterly
• Doors and hardware – weekly (finger prints), quarterly
• Door and floor trim - quarterly
• Light switch - weekly
• Dust pictures - weekly
• Dust decorations – weekly
• Wash decorations – quarterly if needed
• Cold/hot air vents - quarterly
• Window – quarterly if needed
• Window treatments - annual
• Dust furniture - weekly
• Closet -quarterly
• Floor – weekly
• Wipe mirrors - weekly
• Manage clutter - daily
• Repairs – either repair or put on a list for the future
• Buy – replacements or something new if needed
• Declutter – bedrooms (next focus area) and post accomplishments in Harriet’s declutter thread. This is a great opportunity and will make maintaining the bedrooms easier.

Remember not all the things listed need to be done this round. Some may be done daily, weekly, monthly, every 3 or 6 months or yearly. Use the list as a guide.

[Nancy]

I have the deck on this one.
Swept the carport steps and patio today.
H. decluttered it for Christmas company last week.

[blessedw2]

yeah d Nancy!

[BookSaver]

I've been pondering the Focus area for this week, and had an AHA! moment. Every time this area comes up, I do something in our front entry which constantly seems to need help -- mostly because we never use it so it becomes a dumping ground. I've been looking at it this week and stalled because I don't have time to handle its current problems.

Yesterday afternoon I realized, well DUH I should be looking at the entry we use all the time, the side door. It opens into the stairwell up to the kitchen/down to the basement. Unfortunately, we don't have a mudroom and now we're in the season when snow boots need to be next to the door. I've been looking over at it this morning and trying to figure out what I can move elsewhere to make a more convenient space for the boots.

Also, DH has a habit of setting things on the stair rail or a little ledge next to the door. Then he'll put other stuff on top, and lose his keys and/or phone. I bought him a little decorative holder some time ago, but he hasn't gotten around to putting it up anywhere. Tomorrow morning I'll try to find where he put the thing and see if I can install it right on the wooden door where he can't miss it.

So this week will be more of a Make-It-Work focus than a cleaning one. I'm doing meeting prep again today, but I'm scheduling to work in the Focus and Decluttering areas tomorrow.

[Harriet]

My Christmas tree is standing at my entry, so putting away decor becomes the focus. Getting storage space (master closet) ready for decor to go back is number one priority, and I got a lot of that done yesterday. Need to vacuum. I hope a lot can be put away there tomorrow. It's good for my ddad to have the tree up, so I'm in no rush to get it down. It's stayed very fresh. BookSaver, I was just thinking today (at my desk, which will certainly need its focus attention in 2 weeks) that vertical space, rather than surfaces to set more down, will keep clutter clearer. Good job taking advantage of weather that let you outside, Nancy - we've had blowing cold rain.

[blessedw2]

oh I like that "make it work"! d book
yeah d harriet getting the the area ready to put your Christmas things away.

cleaned out (not cleaned it) the front hall closet - I had basement things and upstairs things in there as well as donation stuff for quite awhile..

[Harriet]

Tree is ready to exit the front door the next time menfolk and decent weather coincide, lol. Dd commented as I continued to clean the master closet, put up the Christmas things and rearrange, that she could smell dust. That's not good, is it? Oh, well, the Christmas spaces are only accessed once a year. It's clean now!

Right hand side has been vacuumed into every corner and walls wiped down, and left hand side will await another of our rounds. (It is a long space, divided in the middle by the doorway, with hanging clothes on the long wall and shelving on the two walls opposite that, doorway between.) All the shelves from floor to ceiling are cleaned and rearranged and I even ended up with some freed-up space, perhaps the equivalent of one 5-foot long shelf. The shoe/pocketbook freestanding shelves have been cleaned and all rearranged, organized. I'm delighted to have my library kick-stool finding a perfect cubbie, tucked under the bottom shelf to my right as I walk in. That will be easy to grab, plus make an ideal seat when I gather the laundry (our sorting baskets are under the hanging clothes and stay there - I don't carry them around).

Reported this in Cardfile Central : I typed up my focus/declutter schedule for our first round in size 9 font and printed out, taped to a card and now can reference it quickly in the cardfile.

[Harriet]

Second round of posts on Focus Cleaning begin here and now. Can you believe it is time for the second round already? Check out the "Getting Started" thread above to refresh your understanding of our Focus plan.

Here are Indiana's thoughts on how our rounds through the year are organized, from December, 2008.


Instead of doing a fall cleaning, spring cleaning or cleaning right before the holidays our homes are maintained throughout the year.

Each area is worked 4 times a year. The last area is finished well before Thanksgiving and then maintenance of the areas begins with time available for holiday preparation.

[Nancy]

I need to do this more often in the spring and summer!

[blessedw2]

I am in the entrance area painting... and I don't want to