I know how my brain works. I know I get carried away with a project, and I miss important steps, or do things out of order. So, I knew with Spring cleaning, I needed a specific, very specific, list to follow to make sure I didn't forget anything. So, I sat down and used a pre-existing one I got somewhere last year, and customized it to fit my areas and just added and added.
I did steps for each room, though I lumped all the bedrooms under the one heading. I'll need to use colored pens to mark off the tasks for each room in a different color. Anyway, I decided the one area that was causing the most grief of a daily basis was the laundry room, rear entryway area. So, here's the list with the stuff I did actually get done marked out.
Wash
windows and window sills.
Move out
the green container and vacuum it out and wash it inside and out.
Take
everything off the white shelves. Sort through it and organize.
Move out
the white shelves.
Move everything off the stacking drawers and move it out.
Take
everything off the laundry sorter and move out.
Wash off the shelves and drawers.
Take the
stuff off the walls in front of dryer.
Clean
out where sorter was.
Move the freezer and clean where it sits.
Move dryer and clean out behind it.
Sweep
and wash whole floor. (Still need to do this in rear entry area after vents are cleaned.)
Move the laundry sorter back.
Move the drawers back.
Move
white shelves back
Put
everything back on all shelves in organized way.
Hang
stuff back on walls as necessary.
Pack up
seasonal stuff. Put giveaway stuff in bag, take to car.
I wish I'd thought to take before photos. The top of the shelving unity and the drawers was piled to the ceiling.
These floors were so gross, especially with the dog that won't quit marking things.
It's SO nice to have this all organized now! That white trash bag is for our plastics recycling. Things like milk jugs and empty 2 liter bottles were filling up our trash so fast, the big trash can we haul out to the road was overflowing every week. Fortunately, they put in recycling dumpsters across the street from Christopher's store, so when the bag is full, he can take it and toss it in quickly. They have one for cardboard too, so boxes go there. Keeps our trash to a minimum now.
Speaking of trash, see that weird looking trashcan hanging on the wall down there?
That's the flour sifter bin from my Hoosier. I didn't want to throw it out and I had no place to really store it. It had been sitting on top of the white shelves taking up space forever. I knew I wanted to hang it on the wall to use for something. The only thing I could think of was to hold plastic grocery bags I keep in there to use as trash bags for lint etc. So I figured whynot recycle those bags instead and use it as a trashcan with an actual kitchen size trashbag.
It still has the old rusted sifter attached haha,
This is the shelf I didn't get cleared off, but it's somewhat organized, just not pretty. That big green tub holds all the misc home repair stuff I would just toss in the garage - if we had a garage.
I did steps for each room, though I lumped all the bedrooms under the one heading. I'll need to use colored pens to mark off the tasks for each room in a different color. Anyway, I decided the one area that was causing the most grief of a daily basis was the laundry room, rear entryway area. So, here's the list with the stuff I did actually get done marked out.
LAUNDRY
ROOM/BACK DOOR AREA
Take
everything off wall shelves.
Wipe
down the wall shelves, vacuum back corners with attachment, and cobwebs.
Wash
outside of washer and dryer.
Wash
inside of washing machine.
Wash
lint trap with soap and water to remove filmy build-up from laundry soaps and
dryer sheets. Let air dry thoroughly before putting back in place.
Wash
switch plates.
Wash
walls and trim.
Wash
doors and door knobs.
Take everything off the Chinese cabinet by back door.
Wash off the Chinese cabinet and dust the stuff that was on it.
Put everything back on the Chinese cabinet.
Wash
floor registers and other vent covers (including ceiling one and the CH&A one).
So, as you can see, I skipped stuff in the middle. That's because it was FDN - Family Dinner Night, and I had like 9 people coming over!
Have some pics!
Extra Pantry storage on top and a basket to put towels out of the dryer and folded linens that need to be put away.
That floor looks dirty I know, but it's rust from when the pantry sat there and the rust ate away at the floor. Oh it looks SO much better now. That was just a pit of dust bunnies, lost socks, hangers, old shoes, you name it.
On top of the sorter, I keep the summer and picnic stuff in tote bags.
The basket on the freezer is for my and Christopher's clothes as they come out of the dryer. I usually also hang his work clothes immediately so they don't wrinkle more. Then each girl has a basket. One of them didn't bring the basket back after taking their clothes, and they missed pair of underwear... so, the system breaks down if they don't bring the basket back in a timely manner. Otherwise it's working out great.... as long as I don't go looking in their bedrooms. (Rhiannon has a pile of clean clothes she picks through - but has a whole closet and 2 dressers to herself. I don't get it.)
The view back to the backdoor area from the laundry room. It's a narrow hallway there with the shelves and drawers, but they are workhorses and I would not remove them just for a little extra walking room. You can see the top drawer is white socks. Then 2nd is colored socks and 3rd is black socks. Fourth is matched up socks (if they're a pair that's easy to match out of the dryer I'll ball them up and toss them in there. Sometimes I'll sit and sort thru the white ones or black ones to match them up.) The bottom 2 drawers are for misc seasonal storage, hats scarves etc.
That Chinese cabinet is a mess, and the rags I used in cleaning the floor are all piled up there in the corner. So much still to do.
The view back to the backdoor area from the laundry room. It's a narrow hallway there with the shelves and drawers, but they are workhorses and I would not remove them just for a little extra walking room. You can see the top drawer is white socks. Then 2nd is colored socks and 3rd is black socks. Fourth is matched up socks (if they're a pair that's easy to match out of the dryer I'll ball them up and toss them in there. Sometimes I'll sit and sort thru the white ones or black ones to match them up.) The bottom 2 drawers are for misc seasonal storage, hats scarves etc.
That Chinese cabinet is a mess, and the rags I used in cleaning the floor are all piled up there in the corner. So much still to do.
The remaining stuff I can do tonight on my lunch break or after work, or can just do tomorrow. I will finish that one list though before I move on to the next one.
I'm not sure which area I am going to tackle next though. I want to stay on a roll, and having the laundry room done feels SO GOOD! I *know* if I do the kitchen next it will make the whole house feel cleaner and I'll be so much happier knowing it's done, but MAN, it's a HUGE list. I have so much to do in there. I haven't cleaned that fridge out in...longer than I want to think about. And we had a mouse for a while (and I think we might have a new one). My good mousing cat, pepper, passed away, and Porch Cat would rather lay there and let mice walk over him before moving enough to chase one. Our new cat, Merlin, seems to like chasing them, but he's so huge and clumsy, all he does is cause crashes. Sorry, rambling... anyway, we had mice, and so, it's going to be a real mess to clean up under and behind the stove and fridge. It NEEDS to be done though.
The other rooms are kind of *okay* for now. They're not *CLEAN*, but they're not gross. Well... okay maybe the girls rooms are gross. So, anyway, the other main spaces can probably wait until the kitchen gets done. It may take me two days.
Here's the list for the kitchen:
KITCHEN
Open
windows.
Remove
and clean window coverings.
For each
cabinet or drawer(including Hoosier, and don't forget cabinets over fridge): Remove items, wipe and vacuum out drawer, place items back
neatly. Donate unneeded items.
Wash and
sanitize cutting boards
Wash
cabinet doors and knobs
Clean
and organize pantry (wash outside of it as well as inside). Check food expiry
dates.
Clean
oven.
Clean
stove top. Remove elements and drip
bowls, if applicable, wash and put back.
Clean and
organize fridge and freezer (find and use containers to keep stuff from getting hidden in back and under deli drawer). Check food
expiry dates.
Take everything off the top of the fridge and clean top well.
Move
fridge and stove and clean under and behind them.
Vacuum
refrigerator coils.
Put stuff back on top of fridge if necessary.
Take the stuff off the top of the Hoosier, dust or wash.
Vacuum the top of Hoosier and get any cobwebs along ceiling.
Wash down the sides and counter on Hoosier.
Put stuff back on Hoosier.
Take stuff off the breakfast table and wash it well.
Wash off the kitchen chairs, especially the legs and between slats.
Clean
microwave.
Clean
crumbs out of toaster.
Clean
and descale kettle.
Wipe
down any other counter appliances
Vacuum off counters to get cobwebs, crumbs, dust.
Wash
counters and back splash.
Wash and
shine sink. Shine faucet. Clean drain.
Switch
the microwave back to next to the fridge.
Clean
Dishwasher.
Dust
light fixtures- remove and wash ones that can be..
Wash
glass on light fixture over sink.
Wash
windows and vacuum window sills. Remove
window screens and wash.
Wash
switch plates.
Take down the iron skillets and other wall decor, wash well.
Wash
walls and trim as needed.
Wash
doors and door knobs.
Wash
floor registers and other vent covers – vacuum them out.
Sweep
and wash floor.
Place the new spring table cloth on table and set out the Easter decorations.
Whew! I just know I've forgotten something, which I'll think of while I'm actually doing the job. Just doing the cabinets alone will take a while, and that's just one line on the list. But as I said, it needs to be done. Anyway, for now, I can do laundry in a clean refreshing laundry room. That makes a big difference already! Hope y'all are having fun with spring cleaning or are already done with it. Maybe you don't have to! I totally do though!
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!