Spring Cleaning * Part II

Welcome back! I know 2 post in 2 days! Watch out!

We're gonna start today with a checklist...it's super helpful while spring cleaning....

Kitchen
ðOrganize items – miscellaneous, unused or unusable items in a basket
ðDust blinds
ðDust doors and door frames
ðDust walls
ðDust ceiling
ðDust baseboards
ðWipe down outside of cabinets
ðClean stove top/ oven/ toaster oven (I use a cooktop cleaner & then blast my self cleaning oven!)
ðScrub out microwave (I love eco friendly lemon products…make sure they disinfect!)
ðScrub & Disinfect garbage can
ðClean counters
ðClean out cupboards
  oThrow away unwanted leftovers/ expired products
  oWipe down surfaces
  oGroup like products together (placing soonest to expire up front)
ðClean out refrigerator
  oDefrost freezer
  oThrow away unwanted leftovers/ expired products
  oClean freezer
  oClean refrigerator
  oGroup like products together (placing soonest to expire up front)
  oClean underneath fridge (sock on a broom handle works best)
  oWipe down outside of fridge
ðClean out / organize drawers
ðWash dishes
ðClean Sink 
ðRun lemon slices in garbage disposal
ðVacuum stove vents/ refrigerator coils
ðSweep/mop floor

Bathrooms
ðOrganize items –miscellaneous items in a basket
ðDust doors/ door frames/ base boards
ðOrganize/ clean out cupboards
ðWindex mirrors
ðBleach tub/ shower (I don’t use bleach…however there are some great eco friendly cleaners you can use!)
ðBleach shower head (You just need something that’ll clean and disinfect…)
ðBleach sink/ counters (I hate the SMELL and destruction of bleach!)
ðWipe down outside of cupboards
ðBleach toilet (Use bleach if you use it…)
ðSweep/mop floors
ðWash bathmats (Do this weekly with your towels & they’ll stay fresh!)
ðWash/ exchange shower curtains

Dining Room
ðOrganize items –miscellaneous, unused or unusable items in a basket
ðWash windows/window sills
ðDust blinds (Do this once a week ! Go easy and use a swiffer duster!)
ðDust doors and door frames
ðDust walls
ðDust ceiling
ðWipe down baseboards
ðWipe down table
ðWindex windows
ðVacuum

Living Room
ðOrganize items – miscellaneous, unused or unusable items in a basket
ðWash windows/window sills
ðDust blinds
ðDust doors and door frames
ðDust cabinets
ðDust electronics
ðVacuum couches
ðDust shelves
ðDust baseboards
ðWipe down tables
ðWindex down windows and other glass surfaces
ðWipe down TV screen
ðVacuum corners

Hallways
ðOrganize items – miscellaneous, unused or unusable items in a basket
ðOrganize closet (linens, towels or coats & jackets)
ðDust walls and ceilings
ðDust doors and door frames
ðDust baseboards
ðSweep or Vacuum out the Closets!!


Home Office
ðOrganize items – miscellaneous, unused or unusable items in a basket
ðGroup bills by category
ðFile bills/ user manuals/ warranties/ and receipts
ðPurge files (This is our biggest step…I hate paper waste! Shred & RECYCLE!)
ðMake a list to replenish supplies
ðStore supplies in one drawer/counter
ðWipe down phones
ðMake sure calendar is up to date
ðOrganize address book
ðDust shelves
ðDust furniture
ðDusk computer, mouse, keyboards
ðDelete old files from computer
ðCreate folders for each computer user
ðOrganize files

Bedrooms
ðOrganize items- miscellaneous, unused or unusable items in a basket
ðPick up clothes
ðOrganize dressers and/or table tops
ðFlip and rotate mattress (Do this once a month)
ðChange linens and fluff pillows
ðWash curtains and blinds
ðDust windows/walls/ceilings
ðDust fan
ðDust furniture
ðDust baseboards
ðVacuum lamp shades (Do this weekly when vacuuming!)
ðFloor under and behind bed
ðVacuum floor (I do this daily to make sure the floors are looking good!)
ðWash all curtains

Miscellaneous items in your basket!
ðPut them away
ðDonate or discard unused/unusable items

 (Congrats! You're finished!)

Just an FYI...I still stand by not doing this all in one day unless you have the time. It can be completely stressful to try and tackle the whole job while you have a life happening around you. Your house should be clean to make your life happy...not stressful.

Ok so today we're gonna work on the living room, dining room & home office...our's  consists of a desk in the living room haha...

Now the first thing to completely rid yourself of paper mess in your office area...put everything ONLINE! I have copies of very little in paper form. All receipts & reports...all this can be put on your computer. I have all of our files nicely organized and put on an external hard drive. This eliminates paper waste as well as all the clutter. Makes cleaning your files easy! I then go through and make sure everything is where it goes and organized...Once that's done...discard all junk. You may save stuff from your kids at school (I do!) but you have to know where to limit it. You want to remember stuff, but you don't need everything...I generally end up getting rid of a bunch while going through the desk. I dust and organize the books, straighten everything to leave clean, organized drawers & a clean, organized desk without the clutter...I hate having stuff sitting on top of the desk.

As far as the dining room goes...scrub the germs. make sure there aren't papers laying around and I go  through and organize my china hutch...making sure that the kids have limited putting  junk everywhere. (Which they do!) 

The living room...still super easy...make sure the toys are gone...they belong in bedrooms not in my living room! Hadleigh's bouncer and stuff gets a good scrub daily. I organize the dvds, wii games, dsi games, the playstation games (can you tell I have men in my house?) The coffee table gets a good scrub and I make sure people haven't shoved random stuff in my drawers! I also vacuum my couches every other day...to minimize junk behind the cushions and just dirt...spring cleaning entails...cleaning the cushions & covers though...

EVERYTHING gets dusted, swept and mopped. I love a good clean floor...doesn't stay clean long with four kids, but at least it gets done! I put everything that I'm not sure I wanna keep or get rid of and stuff that goes into another room in a basket. At the end of each day...I throw away the trash, bag the stuff for the Salvation Army & then put away everything else! It helps not having to run back and forth!

If you haven't finished laundry...do that...obviously I'm  back in the kitchen making sure dishes are done & the counters are clean...and the bathrooms get a once over (but that's all relatively quick!!)

You should now be able to relax for the rest of the day! :) Or tackle your next room...that's the beauty of cleaning.....it's all so personalized on how you want to do it! 


Come back for Part III


Much love,