Here We Are! First Round Focus Cleaning, 2026

[Harriet]

Hello! Today I mopped the master bathroom, which finishes up about half of the cleaning chores there. Next up will be the bathtub/shower, maybe tomorrow.

Best event for bathrooms last week was decluttering in the half-bath. Also brought in 4 clear gallon jugs there for water storage for the winter, in case we need any to flush a toilet because of power outage.

[CathyS]

I've started of finally filing some older paperwork. Having tidied, cleared and cleaned like a fiend for the past few days to get ready for PSW and OT "inspections" I now have time (mentally) to sit and work of filing these "piles" of files. (My personal paperwork style). Even 2025 is in it's place alongside 24, 23, 22... Most of 24's file is still at the accountant's office. Reminding myself to call one day this week.

I found some "magazine" holders at a local dollar store because I discovered that if you put them with the long side down, they are perfect for holding filed paperwork. I MUST move all these files into the filing cabinet and donate the ones that become empty. I bought 10, but I will only keep 2. One for last year's and one for this year. Hmmm... I should rethink keeping any. I could always go back to the store to buy one if I really need it. The visual clutter of all that paperwork stacked beside my desk was very off-putting. Kind of like a reminder of what I had not been doing for a very long time. Having the paperwork tidy and organized makes me happier than seeing those darn piles. Something to think about.

[Bama]

Bathrooms:
Monday -
Wiped down counters, sinks, toilets
Cleaned toilets
Mopped

Wednesday -
Cleaned glass mirror, window, frames both bathrooms, polished cabinets and storage cabinet

[Kittykatt]

Kitchen deep cleaning / decluttering project:

Clean ceiling
Clean light fitting
Clean walls
Wash/ wipe paintwork and radiator
Clean clock
Clean string holder
Wipe light switch
Polish door
Declutter items hanging on back of door
Clean tops of cupboards
Oil chopping board, cheese board and bread board
Polish knife block, lazy Susan and hand coffee grinder
Declutter /clean wall cupboards: #1#2#3#4#5#6#7
Declutter / clean under worktop cupboards : #1#2#3#4#5
Clean /declutter drawers: #1#2#3#4
Clean/declutter shelves: #1#2#3
Clean oven
Clean /declutter storage compartment under oven
Polish strips of wood with hooks that hold mugs and.utensils
Clean/declutter shelves of tall cupboard: #1#2#3#4
Pull out freezer and clean behind/ underneath
Defrost freezer
Declutter / clean trays stored next to freezer
Clean fridge
Clean bin area
Declutter / clean cubby with my gardening trug, spare cat food and???
Clean/declutter notice board
Wax floor
Declutter tea towels
Declutter tablecloths

My rewards:
Buy new tea towels
Decide which fabric for new tablecloths. (I have several in my basket! ) and purchase
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[Kittykatt]

Well, woman proposes and the universe has other ideas! The washing machine decided to develop a terminal complaint (bearings and /or the spider) which would have cost well over the cost of a new washing machine to fix. So, it was new washing machine time. Long story short, our kitchen is around 20 years old, and today's washing machines are larger, so although it fits vertically and horizontally (thank goodness, as this would be very difficult to sort out!), it's a little too deep for the space.
Fortunately, we dont have integrated appliances, so it's just going to be a case of some alterations to one cupboard. My wonderful handyman MJ is coming on Wednesday to sort my wobbling filing cabinet, so I'm going to pick his brains about the cupboard. At present it's a "magic corner unit", which , quite frankly, is more trouble than it's worth, as the baskets keep collapsing at the slightest in provocation. My plan is to take the baskets out, put a shelf in, and then take the radical step of blocking off the unusable space. ( I see no reason to keep things we dont use, so everything we do keep has to be reasonably accessible. My days of crawling into cupboards are over!) The door also needs to be made a little narrower, and converted into a "normal" hinged door. I need to discuss this with MJ, and get his input - he may have better ideas! Or we may need to replace the door. Fortunately everything is a standard size, the design was very plain, and the colour is still available, so it should be possible to get a good match. If we go down this route, then I'll see if it's also possible to replace the door to the cupboard under the sink - that's the only one that's showing noticeable signs of wear.

So, as I'll have less storage space overall (although, realistically, not much less *easily usable and accessible* space) I need to do serious decluttering.

My pots and pans are currently sitting in crates on the worktop, as it was their cupboard that was affected. As DH cooks too, I had him go through them with me, and we matched lids to pans, and made a decision about which ones we never used. They're now in another crate, ready to go sown to the garage until we have enough for a car load, when DH will rake them to the Hospiscare shop.

Yesterday I decluttered and cleaned three more cupboards. I'm doing each cupboard one at a time, and putting everything I want to keep back in its former place for now, or else we'll end up unable to move. When I've decluttered a bit more, I may be able to reallocate some cupboards. It's going to be more work over all, but doing everything in bite sized chunks means it shouldn't get overwhelming, and I should still be able to use the kitchen!

Kitchen deep cleaning / decluttering project:

Clean ceiling
Clean light fitting
Clean walls
Wash/ wipe paintwork and radiator
Clean clock
Clean string holder
Wipe light switch
Polish door
Declutter items hanging on back of door
Clean tops of cupboards
Oil chopping board, cheese board and bread board
Polish knife block, lazy Susan and hand coffee grinder
Declutter /clean wall cupboards: #1#2#3#4#5#6#7
Declutter / clean under worktop cupboards : #1#2#3#4#5
Clean /declutter drawers: #1#2#3#4
Clean/declutter shelves: #1#2#3
Clean oven
Clean /declutter storage compartment under oven
Polish strips of wood with hooks that hold mugs and.utensils
Clean/declutter shelves of tall cupboard: #1#2#3#4
Pull out freezer and clean behind/ underneath
Defrost freezer
Declutter / clean trays stored next to freezer
Clean fridge
Clean bin area
Declutter / clean cubby with my gardening trug, spare cat food and???
Clean/declutter notice board
Wax floor
Declutter tea towels
Declutter tablecloths

My rewards:
Buy new tea towels
Decide which fabric for new tablecloths. (I have several in my basket! ) and purchase
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[Bama]

Kittykatt, I hope your kitchen issues get resolved without using up more space.

Posting to help me remember to show up this week.
The office is my absolute WORST room so this will require a hard push on my part to even walk in there. It has become a store all for several years. Here we goooo…

I will also try to work in previous rooms a little each day as I can.

Porch/Entry
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Office

[Harriet]

KittyKatt, you and Cathy are having appliance issues at the same time - she is waiting for just one part to finally come in, and the repair man get back out to her house. I think you sound like you have thought about this problem from all angles, so I'm sure you'll have it come out well.

Bama, my office area would be in close contention for the house's worst space, too. It's not that the surfaces are so bad, just that a lot of things have nowhere else to go except to claim the need to "squat" here, so not easy to clean.
And the room has an identity crisis - is it an office or is it a sewing room?

Cathy, that's a good additional use for magazine holders. I have some that I haven't started using yet and should probably think about how they can help.

[Kittykatt]

Thank you for your wise encouragement, Harriet! Fortunately, the new washing machine was able to be plumbed in, so we can use it. It just isn't sitting in quite the right place yet, but I can live with that for now!

MJ has been and assessed the cupboard, and said my idea is definitely possible. I think he's relishing the challenge, as he said he needs to build up the indoor side of the business , especially during the wet winter months. He's hoping to come back on Thursday to do the job (it may extend into Friday, but that's ok), so I'm looking forward to being able to use that cupboard and drawer again. In the meantime, I'm making progress with the kitchen decluttering and cleaning, as I want to make the eventual reorganisation as painless and possible!

Kitchen deep cleaning / decluttering project:

Clean ceiling
Clean light fitting
Clean walls
Wash/ wipe paintwork and radiator
Clean clock
Clean string holder
Wipe light switch
Polish door
Declutter items hanging on back of door
Clean tops of cupboards
Oil chopping board, cheese board and bread board
Oil coasters
Polish knife block, lazy Susan and hand coffee grinder
Declutter /clean wall cupboards: #1#2#3#4#5#6#7
Declutter / clean under worktop cupboards : #1#2#3#4#5
Clean /declutter drawers: #1#2#3#4#5
Clean/declutter shelves: #1#2#3
Clean oven
Clean /declutter storage compartment under oven
Polish strips of wood with hooks that hold mugs and.utensils
Clean/declutter shelves of tall cupboard: #1#2#3#4
Pull out freezer and clean behind/ underneath
Defrost freezer
Declutter / clean trays stored next to freezer
Clean fridge
Clean bin area
Declutter / clean cubby with my gardening trug, spare cat food and???
Clean/declutter notice board
Wax floor
Declutter tea towels wip
Declutter tablecloths wip

My rewards:
Buy new tea towels
Decide which fabric for new tablecloths. (I have several in my basket! ) and purchase
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[Kittykatt]

More progress!
Kitchen deep cleaning / decluttering project:

Clean ceiling
Clean light fitting
Clean walls
Wash/ wipe paintwork and radiator
Clean clock
Clean string holder
Wipe light switch
Polish door
Declutter items hanging on back of door
Clean tops of cupboards
Oil chopping board, cheese board and bread board
Oil coasters
Polish knife block, lazy Susan and hand coffee grinder
Declutter /clean wall cupboards: #1#2#3#4#5#6#7
Declutter / clean under worktop cupboards : #1#2#3#4#5
Clean /declutter drawers: #1#2#3#4#5
Clean/declutter shelves: #1#2#3
Clean oven
Clean /declutter storage compartment under oven
Polish strips of wood with hooks that hold mugs and.utensils
Clean/declutter shelves of tall cupboard: #1#2#3#4
Pull out freezer and clean behind/ underneath
Defrost freezer
Declutter / clean trays stored next to freezer
Clean fridge
Clean bin area
Declutter / clean cubby with my gardening trug, spare cat food and???
Clean/declutter notice board
Wax floor
Declutter tea towels wip
Declutter tablecloths wip

My rewards:
Buy new tea towels
Decide which fabric for new tablecloths. (I have several in my basket! ) and purchase
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[Harriet]

Detour of losing heat here, but headed into Closet week. My attention will be on the large hall closet this time. With "Laundry" coming up next week, I'll keep building on the declutter I had done toward that during our last round last year.