Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Detail cleaning schedules for each room of your house.
BookSaver
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Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby BookSaver » Mon Sep 01, 2014 11:24 am

Even for those of us without small children at home to put us back into school routines, September means summer is over for the northern hemisphere. How will you take care of your home this autumn?

Our friends in the summer hemisphere are getting ready to leave winter behind. Will moving into spring change your routines?

If you follow Indiana's room-by-room focus schedule the September schedule is as follows:
9/1/2014 bedrooms
9/8/2014 bathrooms
9/15/2014 office/other room
9/22/2014 closets
9/29/2014 laundry
Indiana's detailed task lists are included at the start of each weekly thread in the Focus subforum of Organization and Simplification Tools.

(Sorry, y'all, I totally spaced off the need to figure out how to consolidate or link to Indiana's notes. It's on the list. ;) )

Remember Harriet's clever tip to declutter the room the week before.

I don't know Flylady's or anyone else's Focus/Zones/whatever they call it schedule. Does someone else want to post those?

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Sunny
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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby Sunny » Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:14 pm

I have been trying to follow our Indiana's focus list. I don't do everything on the list at one time so it usually takes almost the whole year to complete everything on the list for each room.

Sunday I worked on the Porch/Entry and swept the front patio floor and swept down the front wall of the house with the broom. Didn't want to use the hose since I'm not sure of our days to use water. Our front entry is only 7 ft by 7 1/2 ft with two doorways on opposite sides. We have two bookcases on one of the other walls. I wiped the shelves and the opposite wall with a damp rag. The floor gets mopped every week, so I guess that room is done for a while.
Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. --- Francis of Assisi

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Harriet
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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby Harriet » Thu Sep 04, 2014 12:07 pm

Hi Sunny and BookSaver.

I thought I'd come in and post a cautionary cleaning tale (sigh) about just how important the evening finish-up can be.

Last night I had to neglect my Evening Daily Card, so the kitchen was left with dirty dishes and untended counters. 99 percent of the time, I am more determined about the EvDailyCard than any other, with the main reason being pests. I don't usually think of a pure mess happening.

Anyway, you would think it wouldn't be such a big deal but things were truly in a state this a.m. A glass tipped over. Possibly Tobias did it, and I'm sure he would have tried to be graceful, but he is fatter than he thinks. But since it was a fast food one with a half-helpful cover, it could have happened to someone who brushed it in the night but didn't realize they'd set so much in motion. It evidently rolled along the counter, sloshing liquid as it went, but also fell into a floor explosion. So this a.m. the floor was in a state. And beyond that the countertop was, too. Since things had not been put away properly in general, boxes had absorbed a bunch of liquid, going soggy and sticking themselves to the counter.

If Tobias did do it, it was because he was attracted by the sights and smells on a counter-top that would usually (and should always) hold no interest at all. So there's no one to blame but us humans. From now on, my countertops need to be so clear even a rotund cat couldn't find any mischief.

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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby FelineFriend » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:22 am

DH and I happen to be focusing on the bathrooms this week because DD is coming to stay overnight on 9/11/14. The toilets have been cleaned inside and out, by DH, and he also soaked them with a blue liquid cleaner. They're looking very good. We'll wash bathroom throw rugs, DH will mop the floors with a special mop with fragrant cleaner inside the barrel of it, and I'll do mirrors, sinks and counters. I've re-decorated in the main/guest bathroom. Our colors are white as a main color and greens as accent color(s). I'll put a green plastic drinking cup, after the bathroom's all finished, so DD can rinse her mouth after she brushes her teeth and can take medications, too. There's not much to do because I cleaned bathrooms real well after Dgs's left for home in August, so I was pre-cleaned by the start of school, which is like a new season or a new reason to do things. (There's a school 1.5 miles away.) I think, even for empty nesters, using back-to-school for motivation, is a good thing, too.

I've been keeping up with the offices, but closets? :?: I could improve on the main office closet a good deal. (Paper clutter). :roll: It's nice this list is here to guide us. Thanks, Booksaver :D + Harriet! :D
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." ~ Arthur Ashe

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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby BookSaver » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:54 am

I have a box of washing soda in the laundry room that has solidified into a big rock.

Tip: Transfer washing soda and borax out of their cardboard boxes into containers that will keep out humidity.

Question: Does anyone know how to break up the washing soda now, short of hitting it with a hammer and chisel? The stuff is difficult to find in stores, I would rather not have to throw it out if there is any way to make it usable again.

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Harriet
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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby Harriet » Thu Sep 18, 2014 9:23 pm

I would call the customer service number of the brand for tips. Otherwise, if you do decide to try something that involves hitting, please use a serious container like a freezer bag that is thick. I wouldn't want you to breathe in anything you shouldn't.

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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby Harriet » Mon Sep 22, 2014 1:06 pm

Housework inspiration:
Absolutely loving the newfound (to me) fact that if I search for "youtube How Clean Is Your House UK" I can find United Kingdom episodes of the BBC show that are completely new to me. These must be from a season that was not part of the BBC deal, back when we could get it on satellite here. (I have the episodes they did later in the US on DVD. And I'm aware that there was a Canadian show with only Kim and a man from Canada.)

The BBC episodes are by far the most entertaining to me, because they were so simple and straightforward about CLEANING and looking right at the actual work that it takes, plus the people and places are fascinating, the homes usually very REAL, modest. Some of the words a little difficult to understand (they say "washing-up-liquid", meaning dish washing liquid, etc). I watch these during my lunch, which is often eaten alone on weekdays, and all I might have to do is go to the next video if it has been put on youtube in parts. Very inspiring when I get back to my housework!

Recent one I watched had Aggie with the camera over her shoulder, cleaning a toilet as the viewer can look right in there. She poured cola in first, waited an hour and came back to show exactly how much it might do, plus how much work was still left. She showed the pumice stone and exactly how she was using it, then what it looked like (slightly worn down) after she'd used it. You could tell the lady she was helping was completely clueless and learning from scratch, and beyond that, it was just a great tutorial, really. And Aggie so pleasant and understanding.

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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby blessedw2 » Mon Sep 22, 2014 5:47 pm

I loved that show...

Hi everyone!

My cleaning focus: getting ready for company this Christmas!
we are painting the family room a different color which is looking nice.
it is always a joy to be here with you!

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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby Harriet » Wed Sep 24, 2014 1:29 pm

That's funny since I am trying to MATCH our LR color for the paint for the front bathroom. (cream - how exciting)

blessed, what color did you choose?

Yes, this redo will dominate our cleaning around here for a while, too. I just deep-cleaned the trash can from that room, scrubbing and disinfecting all surfaces including the bottom.

Have been using Seventh Generation multi-surface disinfecting spray cleaner. I like it, but it certainly doesn't smell very delightful. :| Well, it smells HERBAL. Either lemongrass or thyme. Maybe both. It does go away, and at least it isn't leaving anything bad around. You could even use it on wood cutting boards, I understand from a review I saw.

But what I wanted to post about was the microwave cleaning. A few cleanings ago I was frustrated by the "ceiling" of the microwave. Couldn't see it well (we have a counter-top microwave. Those with the ones above the stove might have it easier.) Anyway, this time I used a small mirror to see closely into every corner! Very pleased to have figured out that simple trick and will keep this cheap little mirror in the kitchen now. I was thinking it might help me in refrigerator cubbies/corners, too.

Also still loving the lemon juice and water in a coffee cup to heat to boiling before microwave cleaning. After it cools to just warm, you can use that water with a paper towel to make quick work of the surfaces inside and you don't even need any other product if you are not disinfecting right then. (Lemon has mild antimicrobial properties.) Freshens and gets rid of any odor. Pour the rest over your dish sponge or down the sink drain.

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Re: Cleaning Focus - September 2014

Postby blessedw2 » Fri Sep 26, 2014 3:53 pm

I painted a version of a warm red on the bottom under the chair rail and keep the white on top: I have door county water color prints with barns and my mothers needle point of a french family near the hearth.

I also have in this room on a large shelf my mothers alsatian pottery in brown
http://www.alsace-depot.com/boutique_us/liste_rayons.cfm?code_lg=lg_us
and Rowe pottery and some really old things
plus a couple really pretty candian goose and duck pieces
and I plan on making a quilt for above the couch and putting up that faux beams in there as well (when I can afford it lol)
it is always a joy to be here with you!


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