Day 14 and 15

Hello blog friends. I am almost complete with this challenge! Monday we stayed home and I was able to finish all but one task, the patio! I decided to catch up since I let myself get behind and because I cleaned 6 days in one day, I figured I might put more than one on the post to keep from overloading my posts today. I'll finish tomorrow when we have nice weather. Yay! Also coming up tomorrow I'm starting a series: What's For Dinner Wednesdays! My sister is always asking me to share my dinner recipes and since I meal plan on Thursdays I figured I'd start posting my recipes from the previous week all in one post! :) Now, on to my cleaning tasks.

Day 14

Clean: Washing Machine. Cleaning your washing machine will remove the buildup from fabric softener and soap and prevent marks and scum from appearing on your clothes. Tasks:

• Soak the softener dispense in warm water
• While empty put washing machine through a hot temperature full cycle. Add a good splash of vinegar (1 cup) as it fills. 
• As it's filling up use the water and a sponge to wipe:
• top of washer
• lid
• outside body
• underneath the lid
• rim of washing machine
• top of spinner
• all nooks and cranny's you can find dirt and dust build up
• clean and rinse softener dispenser
• if buildup doesn't disappear, use a kitchen brush and brush away all the soap build up and repeat with another empty wash. 

Declutter: Hall/Linen Close. It's so easy to accumulate extra bedsheets or towels. Get rid of what you do not use or need anymore.

Organize: Hall/Linen Close. Tidy it up and organize in a manner that you can easily find something the next time you are looking.

New Habit: Lists. Make lists as you are almost out of something. You will never be out of it.

5 Minutes Only: Clean laundry cabinet.

Before Clean:  Considering I cleaned my washer and dryer when we first moved in, they weren't too bad. There was some dirt build up but the biggest cleaning part was the fabric softener dispenser and the buildup in the tub. You really can't tell from the picture but it was terrible! I never realized it because I've never been up close and personal with my washer!

After Clean: I scrubbed the inside with a bottle brush. It came in a bottle kit we bought when B was a baby and it was so heavy duty that I decided to use it as a cleaning brush. It's wonderful! My washer looks quite wonderful too.

Before Declutter/Organize: My hall closet really just needed to be picked up. I went through that box on the bottom and come to find out it was a box we never unpacked and 6 months later, hello! The black organizer on top is more of Tate's old football stuff and play books. Again, I soooo wish he had his own office and this stuff could be stored in there.

After Declutter/Organize: Box unpacked, organizer put in the office and the air mattress moved up top. I think it looks better with the floor space clean.

Habit: I am ALWAYS making lists. I have so many lists going on. I love lists! My fellow list lovers understand. 

Before 5 Minutes:

After 5 Minutes: All products used in the washer on one side with all-purpose cleaners on top and dryer sheets, floor cleaners, cleaning towels and other misc items on the other side. The next cabinet consists of pool things and extra cords. The cabinet underneath the counter is where I keep the dog's stuff, my reusable bags and some more misc laundry things. You can see Dustee being nosy and thinking I was going to get her leash out to go for a walk. Not today homegirl. 

Day 15

Clean: Microwave. Do the following:

• Half fill a glass bowl with water, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and place in microwave for 5 minutes. This will loosen all food. 
• Remove bowl and turntable from microwave. Clean and dry. 
• Remove the rotating element the plate sits on, clean and dry. This will give you easier access to the dirt in the microwave. 
• Wipe over inside of microwave. 
• Place element and turntable back into microwave.
• Wipe over outside of microwave.

Declutter: Kitchen drawers. Like the junk drawer, these can sometimes get bit messy. Declutter them.

Organize: Freezer. Go through your freezer and put likes together. Make it easier on you to find something.

New Habit: Start recycling. Once a month take it out to the local recycle center.

5 Minutes Only: Tidy the kitchen counter.

Before Clean: I never even realized how bad my microwave looked until I took the pictures to clean it. Okay, I've seen worse, but given the amount of time I actually use my microwave, it's dirty. While cleaning out my cabinets (another post) I found plate covers and will be putting them to use from now on. 

After Clean: Seriously, the vinegar and water thing worked. I just wiped my microwave down and everything came out with no problem. It was great.

Before Declutter: So about this. When Tate and I moved in together we both had our own set of (hand-me-down) utensils and silverware. I'm waiting for wedding bells to get  new sets; I may end up buying some before that time comes anyways because this man is in no hurry and I'm just here impatiently waiting. ;) I got off topic.. back to utensils, Leah. We had way more than we needed. I think I counted 8 pair of tongs! Why? Tate didn't want to throw anything out so I put what I used in a utensil holder and everything else in this drawer.

After Declutter: I threw away utensils while he was at work! :) I threw away the utensil holder also. :)  I hated it anyway and now it just all perfectly fits in here. I did happen to have an empty drawer so I moved all my baking things in there. We do have a lot of knives too, but I like one set and he likes another so I thought I'd be nice enough to keep all.

Organize: No pictures here but my freezer is pretty empty. I don't keep much in it. One is mainly breakfast items and some quick lunch things and the big freezer is just meat. Remember me saying I was meal planning for a month? I did it and all meat we will need for the month is in there. I'll explain more on that later.

New Habit: Recycle! McAllen has a recycle bin that they come pick up with trash so recycling was a new habit when we moved. I never realized just how much recycling I threw out before! Go green, y'all! :)


I'll get to the rest of the days sometime today. I know y'all are on the edge of your seats with excitement (ha!).

Happy Cleaning!
Leah.

Day 13 - Ceiling Fans

According to my planner, Sunday should be the last day of my challenge! Ha! That's not going to happen.

 

Day 13




Clean: Ceiling Fans. Winter is over and the beautiful warm days will soon be upon us with the need to put the ceiling fans on. Let's give them a clean before they do get turned on.

Declutter: Junk drawer. Ahh the drunk drawer. Most households have a junk drawer that can never be kept tidy. If you don't have one, find a drawer that does need to be cleaned. Declutter and organize it so it won't be such a struggle to find something the next time you look.

Organize: Calendar/Diary. I know at the beginning of the year we buy a new planner and plan on using it, however life gets busy and the planner gets put in the drawer and never used. If you don't have one, get one. A planner, calendar, phone calendar, or just a plain old diary and make use of it today. We are going to add the following to your planner so we are organized for all holidays, events and birthdays through the end of 2015. Add the following:

• Personal
• Birthdays and birthday parties
• Anniversaries
• Holidays
• Family events
• Friends/family visiting
• Public Holidays
• Kids
• After school activities (Sports, music, etc.)
• After school care
• Immunization dates
• Work
• business trips
• social engagements
• School
• term dates
• no school dates
• school events
• Around the Home
• pest control
• car servicing
• change smoke alarm batteries 
• Other
• dentist checkups
• hair appointments
• meal planning
• pet immunizations

New Habit: Dry and put up dishes after washing.

5 Minutes Only: Clean out your purse!

Clean: I just use my Swiffer extended duster thing to clean my fans. I put a sheet underneath the fan to catch all the dirt then I just shake it off outside and wash it. I have heard of people spraying cleaner in an old pillowcase and throwing that over each blade to catch the dirt but I've never tried it.

Before Declutter: This one was hard for me. I've never had a 'junk drawer'. I've never had 'junk' just laying around my house in a drawer. Everything has a place and junk gets trashed. However, when we moved I seemed to find it necessary to have not one, but three drawers of 'random things'.. not junk, remember?

 This one in the kitchen had a little bit of everything in it. Most of it just needed to go to the desk and now that the desk is clean and organized it was easy to put things up.

This drawer is full of my dogs bandanas.Yes, they wear bandanas. It also had markers, hand sanitizers and travel sized things.

This drawer was in the laundry room. Most of it just needed to go to the garage but I just got too lazy to walk right out that door and put it up. Today I did.

After Declutter:

 This drawer now only has my grocery shopping notebook (because I'm always adding to it), daily things (chapstick, gum, sissors) and lighters. I'm not even sure why I have so many.

 Straightened up the bandanas and that cleared up room to add my other notebooks to this drawer plus my glasses and Scentsy spatula!

 Also made for a good time to change out their bandanas! :) They may have been bribed with a treat to stand that still! Aren't they so cute?!

Looking at this picture it doesn't look like I decluttered it, but I promise I did. All the batteries got put in their own baggie (if they had already been opened) according to size and then all put into one gallon sized bag. The other bag is full of my hanging things (command strips, suction cup hooks, etc.). Everything else that was in here not pictured got put up in it's place in the garage!

Organize: Not much to say here except for the fact that I love my Erin Condren Life Planner. I use this baby on a daily basis.

Before 5 Minutes: This baby was a mess.

Lets see: 2 books, apple sauce, 2 lotions, 1 hand sanitizer (that belongs in Brylee's backpack), shout wipes to go, an umbrella (it's always raining), Daisy and her bow, B's sunnies, my sunnies (in their case), kleenex, 2 disinfectant sprays (1 should be in B's backpack), pens, my key chains without keys (Tate takes them off if he drives my car), and travel handsoap (yes I carry handsoap in my purse because my skin is super sensitive and most cheap soaps dry my hands out). All the small travel things should be in that blue bag..

After 5 Minutes: Everything got put either up where it belongs outside of my purse or organized inside my purse! I also felt it was a good time to change out my purses too. :)

Day 12 - Guest Room

Okay, so I'm a little behind on posting the cleaning and organizing days. I really haven't had the time to sit in front of the computer to type them up. I have a few hours today so I may post more than one day.. don't get confused!

Day 12

Clean: Guest room. Tasks:

• tidy area by placing all items where they belong
• wash bedding if needed
• empty bins
• dust/wipe over surfaces
• clean window
• pick up items from the floor
• vacuum

Declutter: Lotions, soaps, perfumes and hair products. We all have more than we need and if you haven't used it in months, you won't be using it any time soon.

Organize: Craft area. Put things together in groups and make the area tidy.

New Habit: Lay clothes out for the next day; head to toe.

5 Minutes Only: Hows your main bedroom looking after the wonderful clean we gave it? Today's task is to spend 5 minutes straightening up or wiping over surfaces so you can maintain a tidy bedroom.

Before Clean: Okay, remember a few cleaning days ago I said that Brylee sleeps in the guest room... here it is! This is how it was painted when we first moved here so I was going to keep it and do some kind of nautical theme with it.  We aren't moving anytime soon so this room will be painted and girly in a few weeks! Brylee's room will be turned into the guest room and I'll keep the blue and white theme it is. There wasn't really a mess to clean in this room, just a lot of dusting.

I wish Tate had an office to put all this in! You should see the 'mural' of all his football stuff. I'll show that another day, but my gosh! The boy has a lot! At our old house he had a man cave (before I turned it into a playroom :) ) and it was all there.. One day, Leah, one day.

After Clean: Bed made, surfaces dusted and waxed, and window cleaned.

This window always has nose and hand prints. They all like to check on the neighborhood.

Mom, take my picture!

Cheese!

Before Declutter: I feel like I just did my lotions, etc. when I cleaned out the bathroom cabinets so I decided to do the guest room closet. Our pants,my dresses, and more of Tate's old football stuff hang in this closet because they don't fit in ours.

After Declutter: Pillows on top and then I organized the sheets, blankets, etc. When I switch B's stuff in here I'm sure I'll add her blankets to it also.

Before Organize: Oh my goodness.. this was a hot mess! I love to craft. I haven't in a really long time, but I used to always have some kind of project going on. When my sister and I lived in our last house together before I moved in with Tate we decided to do a lot of DIY decor and I was left with a lot of it. I have a couple more bins at my moms house too, sorry mom! :)

So much tulle!

and ribbon!

big hot mess!

After Organize: This one took some time. Brylee wanted to help and was curious what everything was. She loves to do crafty things too.

All my deco mesh, deco rope, fabric and sewing stuff in here... sidenote, I've always wanted to learn house to sew but never have. Maybe I should take up some classes.

This looks a little messy but it's not. All my ribbon is color coded in different baggies. Makes it so easy to just grab that bag when I know what color ribbon I need.

Same here, looks like a mess but it's not. Each baggie has different kinds of paint and glue in them and then one has little pieces (pom poms, cutouts, etc.). The two white containers (yes, those are lysol containers) have glitter tubes and small parts in them. Big paint brushes and rollers on the very bottom and then extra random stuff on top.

It looks so much better just looking at it! I do need to find something to put my paper crafting things in.

And something for my tulle... :/

I also found these cute pillowcase dresses in there too! They were my nieces and I think they will fit B now. All I have to do is thread the ribbon through them. Yay! 

Successful day!
-Leah :)