Quarantined!

No - I'm not sick! And nor is anyone else in our home. Everything is fine! Well, everything except for the fact that our home is trashed and I don't seem to be getting anywhere!!

One thing no one tells you about having a school age child is just how much the running around interupts your day!
Just yesterday we had drop off, pick up, helping with school swimming and then ballet after school! And amongst all that it is SO hard to get things done!

I work best first thing in the morning. Problem is, first thing I am not at home.

So today I have quarantined myself. I have asked Paul to drop Miss E to school so I can get into the housework and get some order back! And it is working great! Without those interuptions I have gotten the kitchen, bathroom, lounge, toilet and spare room tidy. And am onto my third loud of laundry.

So I'm about to break for a coffee before starting the rest of the house.

I seriously should do this more often. As in every week! I feel so much better and more in control! And it isn't even 10am yet!

Skipper's spring cleaning e-book - a sample

Skipper has graciously let me share with you a page from her e-book! They say a picture is worth a 1000 words ... and I'm sure a visual is more effective than me trying to explain exactly what the book is about.

I love how she breaks each task down with a description of what needs to be done so it isn't too overwhelming. And I love how she thinks of the little things too ... after all - who would have though of toothbrush care in spring cleaning!

I've fixed my broken link in the post from yesterday ... but for those who missed it you can get skipper's e-book, cleaning challenges and other tips at domestic guru

Today's spring cleaning tasks!

I'm counting today, plus the few hours I put in on the weekend after work as my first day or two of the spring cleaning challenge!

So far I have accomplished all the tasks from day 7 and day 2.

To give you an idea of some of what I have done I have
Cleaned my pantry!
Cleaned my linen closet and bathroom drawers
Cleaned my laundry closets
Dusted
Polished wood items
And lots lots more!

I love that she has a plan - what to clean and how to clean it. And I like checking it off! It appeals to the list maker in me!

Skipper's 15 day spring cleaning challenge

Skipper from Domestic Guru has produced a 15 day spring cleaning challenge E-book.

Finding this has come at the perfect time for me ... just as I am starting to get my cleaning and organising mojo back!

I've found it to be a clear, concise plan to get things done around your home and to do a thorough clean of most areas. I've had to make some changes - I think we all would - every home is different, but overall it's a great plan.

I must admit it is pretty intense - none of this 15minute a day cleaning. But I am looking forward to two intensive weeks and getting my house ship shape for spring!

One thing I am doing is going through the plan and picking the less labour intensive days. I'm assigning these to days that I work, or will be pretty busy. If I don't get the jobs all done on those days, they should be pretty easy to distribute across the days I'm not as busy.

I'll update you on my progress - let's see if I can stick to it!

Just 10 minutes ...

What's the worst room in your home?

Without a doubt mine is the office which is in the garage.

My plan way back when was for it to be a space for the computer with room for me to sew, create, scrap.

And room for Miss E to work beside me.

Well - it became the place to house the garage sale stuff. And then it became the place to be the dumping zone for pretty much everything. And then it became such a disaster I don't let anyone know it IS a room so they don't go in there. I would padlock it if I could.

Well - I want my space back. I want to sew and I need a place to do it. And I am going to get it.

I find this room so overwhelming so I am going to do it 10min at a time.

The rules are clean for 10min. No more no less. If I want to keep going - just another 10.

Until it is done.

I'll keep tabs on how long it takes me. Right now it feels like it will take a month or two ... but I bet I can suprise myself.

Oh - and a before pic? Well I have taken one. Not sure I can bring myself to post it. Maybe with the after. Maybe.

Need to get a wriggle on today.

New washing machine arriving at 1330 today!

After factoring the estimated cost of repairs (Heck - even the cost of getting someone here to LOOK at it!) we are upgrading.

So I have 3 and a bit hours to clean my house for the delivery guy! (is that wierd? - well - I also want it clean in general - but since I can't help the camping gear in the loungeroom I am hoping the rest of the house shows we aren't total slobs!)

So today I am bringing back the "Aha! List!". I'll post what I got done later!

The AHA List

OK - it didnt't take all day
It took about 3 hours and my house was pretty much ready for guests
Writing it all down was a time consuming - but interesting idea
And actually it was pretty motivating

Would I do it all the time? - NO!

Would I do it occasionally - sure would!!!

The soundtrack from Les Miserable also helped keep me on track - that music could inspire me to do anything!

Laundry rocks!

At least done this way it does!

I read on orgjunkie.com last week about the organising system that changed her life!
http://orgjunkie.com/2010/04/the-laundry-system-that-changed-my-life.html

and i so had to try it.

It rocks!

My old way of doing laundry was one dirty clothes hamper. Wash, dry, then spend forever folding and sorting. Actually a lot of the time the washing would sit in a clean laundry basket because I do not have the TIME to fold and sort right now.

Enter organising junkie ... and her timely post on laundry.

Now I have FOUR laundry baskets. One for each of us, and one for household linen.

We all put our own things in our own dirty clothes. Each day I wash only one basket, hang it and dry it. Then the clean clothes go straight to that person's room, get folded and put straight away.

Serious time saved!

I am love love loving this! Challenge you to give it a go!

Saturday ... brings me peace

I work shift work and I almost always work weekends.
Today is the first time in a long time that I have an afternoon shift, and no plans to go anywhere during the day.

I have enjoyed today so much! It wasn't till today that I realised how much I missed those first couple of hours on a Saturday morning when we normally got those jobs done and the house tidied up from the week that was.

Today Paul and I have pottered all morning. And I almost have the house in shape, and he almost has the yard under control.

It's amazing the peace this catch up has brought me. It's just so much easier to maintain the house when you have a good baseline to start the week.

Here's our other joy for the day. Miss E chose an egg for breakfast! Imagine her delight with what she found inside! Our first double yolker!

Would you eat it Wednesday?

Note.
This was originally going to be Feral food Friday. But my mum reminded me my bin is emptied Thursday which would mean rotting food in my bin for a whole week! And since mum wisdom is as good in my books as gran wisdom - I thought I better look for a new day!

Would you eat it Wednesday? When was the last time you checked your fridge? Take a moment. Throw the feral foods. Move the leftovers you need to eat soon to the front of the shelf. Give your fridge a wipedown and tidy your pantry quickly.

And make a shopping list while you are there!

Keep it or dump it? - an update on how Spring Clean all Round is working for us.

Now that some of my systems and ideas are starting to become habit, and we have been living with some of the changes for a little while, I intend to review some of my older posts to let you know what has been working, what we are changing, and what has gone by the wayside.

A month ago I reviewed "Spring Clean all Year Round", a sweet little cleaning system that helps you spread out those ongoing cleaning tasks throughout the year.

http://findingthecalminthechaos.blogspot.com/2010/01/this-is-what-i-love-spring-clean-all.html

I'll be honest - I didn't use it while we were renovating. It was enough for me to cope with keeping things generally tidy. Any more was beyond my reach.

But now things are becoming *somewhat* normal again I am loving using this.

It sits in a corner of my kitchen.
Each night I lay out the cards that are set aside for the following day, and discuss with Paul any tasks I need his help on, or would like Miss E to do.




As I complete each task I refile them vertically in the next spot they will be done. This is so I can pull them out if I need to refer back to them the same day.



At night I file them horizontally, and pull out the next day's tasks. Easy.


I like this system as I am reviewing the day before what needs to be done, and Paul and Eliana are clear on what I need them to do for me.

My next task is to make a few extra cards for tasks that are not in there, but I would like added to the system. This way it will evolve with our families needs.

Definately a keeper! Cute and functional. Perfect for me!

15 minute house rescue - UPDATE!

What I achieved

Family Room
- rubbish gone
- folding done
- toys, glasses etc all returned to right rooms
- one load washing put away
- tv cabinet tidied
- vaccuuming done
- magazines thrown away
- load laundry put on

*still to do - ironing*

Main Bedroom
-Bed tidied (was made - just tidied)
-bedside table cleared of books
-dirty laundry taken to clothes basket
-clean laundry put away
-Miss E's books returned to her room
-beads put away
-space made for my project life kit to live
-dusted
-vacuumed
*still to do - Paul to tidy his bedside table, old chest of drawers to be taken to shed*

Miss E's Room

Before



After!
-bed made
-toys picked up
-library books out to return
-toy unit tidied
-toys in cupboard tidied
-3 toys removed for donation
-washing put away
-winter clothes sorted and clothes removed for donation
-vacuuming done



Bathroom
* clean back of door storage pockets and reorganise (pics to come)
* clear basin of clutter
* new towels
* wipe and clean basin and mirror
* empty bath of toys - declutter bath toys

also
* change sheets on spare bed
* load of laundry
*** to do - clean shower and bathtub**

More to come later!

Today my house is out of control ...

Today I am doing a 15 minute house rescue!

15 minutes in each room. Goal is to recover each room as best I can in that time.

Anyone want to join me? I'll report how I went in two and a bit hours!

My fridge cleaning pics

This is the before
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You have GOT to be joking! No way I can post a before of MY fridge!

I *may* post an after - but I am part way through.

If you HATE cleaning your fridge - like I do (mainly because it is so overwhelming ... here are my tips.

1. Get ready to be ruthless.

2. Get your timer. Set it for 10 minutes. Every 10 minutes you do - you get 5 (by the timer) to do something you love.

3. Start with the fridge door. Take everything out. Throw anything you don't eat, don't like, are saving because "X" who visits likes it, and any sauces that are even close to their expiry date. (because chances are they will still be there when they expire)

4. Pull out all the shelves in the door. Wash them and dry. Wipe down inside door.

5. Return everything to door. Organise.

6. Then STOP. Take a break. 5 minutes by the clock. Remember - we don't want this to be overwhelming.

Taking it one shelf at a time, repeat. Don't forget, if you get overwhelmed you are taking out too much at a time. One shelf at a time. Be ruthless.

If you are struggling, want to give up, want a coffee ... let yourself have a break. But FIVE MINUTES ONLY. By the clock.

Here is my after.




(why so much jam? because we were gifted a box of gorgeous blood plums. So Paul got to jam making. The jam stays. It is good!)

It took me a whole hour. But anyone who knows my fridge knows how much stuff we had in there.

It's kinda bare looking now ... and I love it!

Part of that hour was spent cutting up fruit so we would eat it and putting it in tupperware. Part was spent finding the tupperware as I've already packed it.

The last step is to pick a day of the week to be fridge cleaning day. Give it a general overview on that day, and wipe it over. It's easier to maintain than to start all over again!

THIS is what I love! Spring clean all year round!

This is the cutest cleaning system I ever did see.

Yes - I could make it myself. But no - I probably would leave it on my to do list ... and plus I know the time that I would spend creating it would be far better off cleaning and tidying!

This sweet little box is designed to take the spring cleaning tasks and spread them out over the year.

Inside the box are two sets of index cards ... one ranging from one - 31 for the days of the month. And one with the months of the year.



Each task card has a job that needs doing on it. It also lists the tools you need, and how often they suggest the job is done. Jobs are listed from twice weekly all the way up to annual jobs.






You simply file each job in the month you wish to perform it. The cards that are less than monthly (eg weekly and bi-weekly) you file under the date of the current month that you wish to perfom it.

Suggestions are also made as to a suggested age that children can help perform each task (train a child up in the way he should go, anyone?)

I love this set. It is pretty - that helps for me! It is very detailed and covers a large range of the jobs I would have chosen.

And it works. Even my husband is learning to check there (as she cleverly details outdoor jobs and service tasks for the car that need completing as well!)

The website is http://springcleanyearround.blogspot.com/
Delivery was prompt - even to Australia. (and did I mention how pretty it is??)

I have a few tips and tweaks to show you ... plus I want to show you how this is working for us! So keep popping back for updates! I love to share the things I love!

Things I love ...Sneak preview ...

Over the next few days I intend to bring you a review of this pretty little box.

It arrived today and I'm in love !

Come back often - I can't WAIT to share it with you!

I'll show you step by step how I set mine up - and then will share how it is working for us.

Plus I have a few other tips and tweaks to share with you about it.

Definately something I LOVE