Novemeber ~ Real Mom's Declutter Challenge!

[Free Thinker]

I am starting a new thread for us this month! I cannot believe November is already here (well, in a few hours anyway). I really tried to get alot accomplished this week. I got the LR windows cleaned, the trim polished, and the sheers washed and rehung, and vaccuumed under the chairs, ect. I also got the hall closet cleaned out Most of it was just trash, empty boxes, and just junk! Now I have a nice place to keep my library books, and I also got rid of the coats we don't use (well, they are in the give away pile, but still out of the closet!). I also worked on finishing the bathroom decluttering. Only one more small shelf to organize (the hand towels and wash cloths) not a big deal, and I will do it tonight when I fold the laundry up.

I am mapping my week out, and this is how I'm planning it :LOL

Monday~ general cleanup, vaccuum, sweep, mop, get everything done up!
Tuesday~ Work on office
Wednesday~ Spend some time in DDs closet
Thrusday~ Paperwork day :P
Friday~ General cleanup again! Also work on office decluttering if I have time!

As you can probably tell, I am going to chose my office to work on this week. There is no way I will get it finished, but I'd at least like to get started on it! I got the supplies for DH to put up a shelf in the closet, and I need to just take everything out, and be picky about what goes back in. It won't have any clothes in it, just office stuff, and scrapbooking/craft stuff. My closet will be next It is full of Christmas stuff, so I thought I'd do it in December, or later Novemeber. I am also behind on our paperwork (I WAH) so I really need to get started on that, and have goals for it this week too!

I thought it might be fun to have a weekly challenge to do, so...

This week's Challenge is to get out all your winter coats, sort thru, and get rid of missing mittens, outgrown coats or anything you don't need! Wash what needs washed for winter, and get a jump-start on the season! Really think about how many coats and jackets you will really need/wear, and donate the rest!

[heatherdeg]

I was waiting for the new month's thread to jump in, but you'd be so proud of me: last night DH & I spent SIX HOURS finally getting our home office completely cleaned and in order after TWO YEARS of progressive chaos.

We're likely selling the house in the spring... so I REALLY need to get the hidden chaos areas in order. That's 2 bedrooms, the attic, the basement and the garage. That's my major priority between now and the end of the year. That and removing the ton of nonsense in this house that has gone untouched/unused... sometimes for multiple years. It's a crime.

DS's dedication is on Saturday morning (home ceremony followed by brunch) and I'm actually thinking of having Merry Maids come in because there is just way too much to clean/dust. But I have to prepare even for THEM to clean! Here's the agenda:

Monday: wasted day--I have to make the gown apron to go over DS's dedication outfit and wait for a new stove to arrive then go to my new real estate broker and sign an employment agreement. Will have DH clear his tools and toys out of the old kitchen (currently lots of construction nonsense in there)

Tuesday: VOTE! Get the laundry room presentable (it's in a very visible place--an entry area) and move attic items out of the back porch and into... you guessed it... the attic.

Wednesday: Try to get the guest room cleared out--lots of stuff that belongs in the attic--and back into a guest room... complete with bed.

Thursday: Wasted day because I need to do food shopping and any cooking I can for Saturday.

Friday: Aside from dusting (if I don't have a service come in) I need to set everything up for Saturday (dishes, silverware, serving pieces, etc.)

Saturday is off-limits...

Sunday I will see about going through my coats. Thankfully I think they're all in one place--so it should be easy.

I already have the following week planned though!

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Monday2: Try to get everything remaining in my old kitchen into the new kitchen--cleaning it and all.

Tuesday2: Start clearing out the back bedroom--packing up anything that belongs in the attic and trying to throw out anything that doesn't belong. Currently this room is not usable.

Wednesday2: Continue from Tuesday.

Thursday2: I might actually need to continue from Tues & Wed.... but if I don't, I need to clear out the cabinet over my master bathroom toilet! It's got way too much "stuff" in there. I also need to clean out my medicine/supply cabinet of outdated stuff.

Friday2: Start eyeing up the attic--which is a disaster area. Pull out whatever Christmas stuff that's going to get used this year and decide what to do with the rest.

Saturday & Sunday2: Work on the attic--boxing and determining what goes. I'll use Sunday for whatever next week's "challenge" is...!


--Heather

[Free Thinker]

Hmmm... well, it's now Wednesday, and so far I have done the general housecleaning, and cleaned off my desk, filed a bunch of papers, dusted and oiled my desk, and did a general pick-up in the office. Everything without a place went into the closet, and everything on the desk went into the drawer it belongs in. I still need to go thru and arrange some of the drawers, but now everything is more organized and I can at least get started. Yesterday I worked cleaning up my laundry room (or the part of the basement my laundry is in) and washed DH's coveralls and hat. I have also washed my coat, but still need to do a few others. DDs coat from last year still fits okay, so I don't have to buy her a new one yet! Of course there is a hitch in my origional plan, tomorrow I have to take DD to her well baby visit, so I won't get much of anything done, and today I am doing what I was supposed to do tomorrow. At least I have all day Friday to do some more!

WHere is everyone? How are you coming along? Does anyone have an immaculate house yet?

[KellyB]

I've been avoiding this thread out of guilt...
I think I need a maid.
I mean, I do work....and dh is a wonderful husband and father, but is even worse than I am about housework...and every evening he brings home a new load of "stuff"...weird crap that I don't even know what it is...work stuff...and every morning I wake up to towers of Dr.Pepper cans piled high from the night before : ...cleaning just feels like an uphill battle...ugh!
Ahhh...but here I am again rationalizing!
Man, sometimes I'm jealous of diet pill and meth addicts....those folks are MOTIVATED. :LOL
Anyway....good luck to the rest of you....keep up the good work!

[Free Thinker]

Kelly, your DH sounds like mine Every morning I wake up to dirty dishes on the clean side, a banana peal, and any plastic jug he happens to empty (milk, juice, ect.) He doesn't know how to throw things away One thing that helped me is to say "okay, we are going to pick up for the next 15 minutes" right before putting DD to bed. It gets all the toys, clothes, shoes, ect. picked up out of the LR every night. I also stopped keeping toys in the LR, since DD is old enough to carry them back and forth from her room. We are still fighting an uphill battle in the kitchen, it's almost enough to make me give up DH puts all the mail in a big pile that seems to take over the cabinet by the end of the week. No solution to that yet, besides to put it in a pile, instead of spread out :LOL

This week I must be starting nesting. I cleaned out DDs diapers, and listed them on the TP She is PT now, even dry at naps, so really only 1 dipe at nighttime, unless we go somewhere. I am keeping about 8 FB and inserts, as well as a dozen CPFs for her. I also went thru her clothes, and old clothes bins, and cleaned out her closet, and got things out for the baby, too The office is in much better shape, and DH still needs to get the shelf put up b/f I do much more. I only have about 3-4 loads of laundry to do

This week I need to focus on getting paperwork in better order, and I will clean off my dresser (it's a big pile of ? who knows!).

This week's declutter/housecleaning challenge is to clean off your front porch, door, ect. Whatever people see when they walk up to your front door. If your rug looks really bad go ahead and get a new one, clean off all cobwebs, leaves, dead flowers from this summer Whatever needs done!

[DebraBaker]

My goal for November is to have the house clean for Thanksgiving.

Debra Baker

[rainbowmoon]

oh I want to join this thread!

I am with Debra. :LOL I definitly want to get my house clean/more organized before our families come for Thanksgiving! where do I even start though? and it's only 2 weeks away!

here's a few things I will do this week. will have to make a bigger list for the rest.

*clean & degrease oven hood

*clean out bathroom cupboards & linen closet

*dust shelves on top of cupboards in the kitchen

*change light bulbs in the kitchen (this entails getting out the ladder.lol.)

*clean out and arrange wine closet (well it's a closet with about 50 bottles of our wine on a rack among everything else that gets thrown in there) we do't even drink wine more than a couple x a month (well actually it's DH, me usually never) so I'm seriously rethinking the wine closet idea..but there's really no where else to put them.

*clean out guest room dresser and find a spot for ds clothes! (likely a big rubbermaid bin) this is where I've been storing all of the clothes he's outgrown before I sort and put them away and now have 5 drawers full.

*clean off an organize utility shelf in garage

*move and sweep under washer/dryer (gets full of lint and I'm paranoid about fires)

*find out where to get firewood/or go collect it ourself. find a spot for it outside the house.

*clean out freezer

[Free Thinker]

So, how did everyone do this week? I swept most of my porch off, but it's been rainy the last few days, so I still have half dead flowers out there that need to be put away, and a few things that need cleaned off the front porch. I got the rest of the drawers in my office cleaned out, and my desk is SO much better! Things are so easy to find. I still have alot to do in there, and I'm hoping DH puts up my shelf this weekend :crossed so I can clean out that closet. I still need to clean off my dresser, and my main goal for the weekend is to get all my donations ready to take on Monday, that means loading them in the truck, too! I plan to clean out all that yardsale stuff I have that I am never going to actually have a yardsale for I have a few more diapering things to sell, but the clothes and diapers are in MUCh better shape!

[heatherdeg]

My plans went promptly out the window and DH hired a cleaning service for me!!! They cleaned the whole house on Thursday so that I could finish sewing DS's dedication gown, cooking, and making flower arrangements from the grocery store flowers! LOL!!!

So I'm pushed back yet another week... but will be working on my stuff!!

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggghhhhhhh hh

[DebraBaker]

How did I do this week?

Well I got 100% in my Sociology test and have signed up to CLEP two subjects.. I always get the dishes and wash done but the rest of the house is begging for attention.

I sure with we could afford a cleaning service but I'm just a poor student.....and mother of 8

db

[Free Thinker]

Wow, Heather! I'll bet DH got a big smooch for that!!! Good Luck gettting your stuff done next week!

Debra, it sounds like you are doing alot. Do you delegate much to your kids?

I still have to get my donations together this afternoon, but I did get the dishes all done last night, and I cleaned out the drawers in the kitchen. I need to get somemore organizers tomorrow to finish up. The porch is still waiting for me too :

This week's challenge will be to clean out your rags, dishtowels, and bath towels! If it's too ragged, faded, or holey to the rag bin it goes. (and clean the really bad ones out of the rag bin). If you are able, go ahead and buy a few new ones, but only get what you *need*! Remember the holidays are coming up, so you might want a few new hand towels to keep out for company. If you don't currently have the funds, you might want to find a few things to sell on the TP!

[sm3247]

I've made a list of everything that needs to be cleaned or cleaned out in the house (okay, so maybe it's not complete, but it gives me a start). Now when I feel like doing something but don't know what, I have a list to go from. Eventually it will all either get done or I won't care any more!

My parents are coming for thanksgiving so we've been motivated to clean up the basement. It's mostly finished but I've been re-doing the spare room down there so the mess has spread throughout. My goal is to get it presentable before they come. Last week I cleaned the hall closets, our closet and DS's closet. We hung blinds and put trim into the basement. I also re-sealed and re-caulked the bathroom tile/shower.

My personal favorite - I cleaned out the medicine cabinet(s) and threw away everything that was expired or no longer usable. about 50% is now gone. I was amazed at how many bottles of tylenol, etc. we had but I'm glad it's gone. I've been pregnant or nursing for the last 3 years and take almost nothing so it's mostly DH's allergy stuff and anything we bought before that. Now when DH gets a cold he won't get overwhelmed at the sight of the meds and just go buy new stuff.

[DebraBaker]

I have just generated a wish-list of work to be done and how much I'm willing to pay for the done deed.

Now I will hand it to the kiddos and my troubles are over.



db

[Free Thinker]

I wish my DD was interested in cleaning messes instead of just making them. I have to figure out how to get crayon off of my cedar chest! Today I got the kichen floor mopped and swept, and finished up outside (well, sort of). I took the dead flowers and threw them out,a nd stored the ones that are still alive. My DD had an accident while we were out working, so I looked up to find her practically naked on the front porch : I hope no one saw! It was cold, so she still had her jacket on, just no pants :LOL I only have a few more things on the TP right now, so I am getting some stuff cleared out. We have decided to have Thanksgiving at my house, so I am going to be finishing up some stuff around here this week, and planning out the menu. It's only my ILs, but I want a clean house! Talk about motivation It's exactly what I need. One other thing I did, I bought a small basket yesterday that I am going to use to store those things DD brings to the LR, only to be taken away b/c they are No Nos (pens, make-up, reciepts, ect.) that need put away some place else. I hope I can keep this cleaned out,a nd do away w/ the constant stream of clutter that finds itself into my LR! Well, I guess I need to go ahead and get back to work! I still need to clean out my rag drawers. I know alot of stuff needs to go.

[sincitymama]

I'm going to join this thread, maybe it'll help me be motivated, knowing I'm supposed to come back and report my results.

This weekend needs to be productive for me, as I have dh home for 5 days! In a row! Well thursday we'll be at the in-laws so it doesn't count. But anyway.

I need to get my car cleaned out and ready for winter. We've already had one snow, and more is not far way. I'll need to throw out all the trash and bring a ton of stuff into the house where it belongs. It has no business taking up the whole floor of the backseat, and the trunk. It needs a good vacuum, and the inside of all the windows need washing. Then I'll go adjust the air in the tires and make sure my snow brush/ice scraper is handy, as well as a shovel, and some sand or kitty litter or something for traction if needed, then toss some extra blankets in hte trunk.

I also want to get my living room more picked up/organized/ready for the holidays. Mostly it'll mean putting stuff away and regular cleaning, but also some furniture needs to be moved around and such.

This should be plenty in addition to keeping up with the rest of the house and spending time with family. I'll let you know how it goes.

[~Nikki~]

Wow, what a perfect time to come across this thread. I'm desperate for some motivation. With morning sickness and general pregnancy aches, I've really let my house go. Aside from about 70 loads of laundry, some of the bigger things I have to do include:

-Decluttering the playroom and retiring the "baby" toys
-Cleaning out the closet in the spare room, moving the desk down to the kitchen, and cleaning the art supplies out of it (step 1 in turning the spare room into the new baby's room)
-Cleaning the oven (DH's job)
-Picking up the dog doo in the backyard before it snows (also Dh's job, that he's been slacking on...I guess it's time for some motivational nagging!)
-Cleaning out my closet, donating the clothes I haven't worn in over a year (I still have shirts in there that I wore in highschool....almost 10 years ago, yikes!)
-Majorly cleaning out the basement...we have so much junk down there that we don't need. I should prepare it all for a yard sale in the spring.

We're currently renting, and I've been slacking on calling about a few major repairs that need to be done. Well, in honesty, I've called about 4 times, but they're ignoring me. So what I'm really slacking on is writing the rental tribunal to report them. Bleh. We're going on 5+ months with a broken toilet. It's ridiculous.

I'm going to print up a to do list and stick it on the fridge. If I can get everything done before Christmas (I can't have visitors with the way my house is atm!) I'll be a happy woman.

[Ligmom]

:
scared to jump in....soooo much to do here

watching and learning:

[gardenmom]

I'll jump in--I need to start with cleaning and will move on to real 'decluttering' after the New Year begins. Can I still join? We have family staying here for a week around Christmas, so we've gotta get things in order here...the dust bunnies are starting to gnaw on my ankles when I sit on the couch. (Yeah, it's that bad )

Today I got our car cleaned out, vacuumed, and took it to the do-it-yourself car wash. I still need to do the windows and wipe down the dust on the dash. I planned on doing that and getting the bathroom cleaned, but the bathroom will have to wait until tomorrow.

Tuesday is take the car to the dealer for service/checkup. Get that bathroom clean, and try to take down 1-2 sets of our Living room blinds and wash them in the bathtub, they're gross. Maybe get our bedroom sheers hand washed and hung out on the line if it's a nice day...

Wednesday/Thursday (Friday?) is finish taking paint samples of dd's room so I can have them tested for lead (so maybe we can renovate and the poor kid can have a decent room of her own that she can safely play in!). Put the box of her old clothes into the attic, and start pulling junk out of her closet to go down to the basement. Thorough dusting and vacuum the living room, mop the kitchen.

My goal is to get everything to a reasonable level of clean, and then get some holiday decorations up to cheer myself up. Once that's done, my future plan is to have one room of the house receive "deep cleaning" or decluttering per week, for as long as it takes to get my household in order. I think I'll feel a lot better about myself if I can get some of these things done!