30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 9

Okay, it may seem like I've slacked- but I haven't. I spent the entire weekend cleaning the house. It started Friday evening when I cleaned the bottom level of the house, then went to the yard where I raked up countless bags of leaves and sticks in both the front and back yards (a 2 day job). I also cleaned the kids' bedrooms and donated 3 boxes of toys to Goodwill and threw away a bag full of trash.

(Just don't ask me about the laundry in front of me, okay? Thanks!)

The goal for today was to Surface Clean your Bedrooms.

Not a problem. My room just needed a little touch up, and I got the kids' rooms under control!

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 5

I'm back in action for this challenge! I ended up cleaning 3 rooms today (and hope to do even more tomorrow, it finally feels like spring so I want to get moving while the motivation is here!)


Today's challenge was to surface clean the living room and kitchen, clean the bathroom, or clean the interior windows.

I did clean the living room again, but I also finished cleaning the front room:

I also cleaned an "extra" room because I wanted to:

It feels good to have my house clean(er) again!

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 4

Confession...

Today was not a good day for cleaning.

I got home at 3:30 and had to leave at 4pm for a Cub Scout event. I didn't walk back in the door until 8pm and still needed to eat, get the kids ready for bed, shower, and I'm just about to get my hair dried.

Yikes, 4 days in and I'm slipping.

Day 4's Challenge was to Surface Clean Extra Rooms.

Now my regular rooms are in bad shape, the extras were worse.

I ended up picking up the front room a bit, I organized papers that needed picked up and trashed a LOT of stuff that was just laying around. It is not at all photo-worthy though, so I'm skipping that part.

I plan to keep on track (and play catch up), so I'm posting this to be accountable ;)

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 3

When I saw the challenge posted for today, I almost gave up. It was a lot of work to get the living room picked up and do the Kitchen. Then the bathroom was something I'd usually save for the end of the week, but I made sure to get it done after a shower.. but this. This was going to be tough.

Day 3: Surface Clean the Bedroom.

Just a little FYI: the master bedroom tends to be the catch-all room since it's upstairs and away from prying eyes.

I did it though. I started by putting away the 3 (yes. 3.) baskets of folded laundry. Then I brought all the toys into the kids' rooms.

This got my husband into the cleaning and he cleared out under our bed and vacuumed. I also dusted the furniture (yikes!).

In the end, it isn't perfect, but I haven't seen my room that clean in a LONG time.

(Yes, it's true- there's a FLOOR in here!). 

Also, I know the room is pink. It's on the long list of stuff to change. 

30 Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 2

Whew. Today was another long day. I think it was harder to get up and out of bed today than it was yesterday. I just hope tomorrow is easier.

I'm still plugging along with the 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge, but I'm posting so late because I didn't want the challenge to go to waste.

The Challenge for Day 2 is to clean the bathroom.

I decided to wait until AFTER the kids were done with baths, because it always looks like the first picture after. So now when I wake up, I'll walk into a clean bathroom!

I also picked up the living room (which wasn't a big effort thanks to yesterday) and got the dishwasher unloaded and reloaded. Maybe I'm getting used to this cleaning thing ;)

30-Day House Cleaning Challenge: Day 1

I am participating in the 30-Day House Cleaning Challenge on Money Saving Mom, and even though I worked today (getting up after a week off was TOUGH), took the kids to the dentist (Yay! No Cavities!), and had a Girl Scout leader Meeting + Cub Scout Pack Meeting- I didn't want to miss the challenge for Day 1.

This was to surface clean the Living Room and Kitchen.

DONE!

It isn't perfect and I enlisted help. I took care of the dishes in the kitchen (our counter tops are still in the "do not use" period so that surface was easy to clean off ;)

I had the kids vacuum after I picked up the room. 

I think the last thing I wanted to do when I walked in the door at almost 8pm was clean, but I know that it will help the busy week to come be easier! Once I get back into a cleaning routine, it should take no time to pick up the house. :) 

Are you Spring Cleaning? Did you join the challenge? 

Spring Cleaning! + Kids Clothing Tips

With 70* days it feels like Spring is really starting on time! Though in Indiana the weather can change in five minutes, but I am hoping it is here to stay.

The kids have Spring Break this week and since it is going to be rainy one, I want to get organization and cleaning done (my poor kids).

I was ready to change over the wardrobes this weekend. I buy my kids' clothing in advance from friends, yard sales, or even the yard sale leftovers that friends just want out of their house. I keep a tote for my daughter and one for my son and keep off season or too big clothing in each. I have about 3 totes for my baby, and am thankful that I bought and kept so much in advance since he is wearing 9 month clothing at 6 months right now. For his clothing, I sort by size so when one size is too small I can just pull out the next tote and rotate. I have been blessed with many generous friends and many amazing deals on clothing.

We went through all the drawers and pulled out clothes that were too small or too warm. Then I had them try on the clothing kept from last year to see if anything could be used again this year. Once I sorted it all out, I put the too small stuff in one box, and put the too big/too warm stuff in the respective totes.

I finished up the cleaning by doing 6 loads of laundry. I washed all the stuff we pulled out for spring (this helps because as I get new clothing I just store it and know to wash everything when I pull it out rather than have to wash it twice), and put away more winter items that were in the dirty laundry when we went through the clothing. I have a good amount of 4T stuff to put up for my youngest to use later, a bag of 6 girls clothing to pass onto friends, and the rest of the winter stuff packed away and ready for next year.

Throughout the year I will buy clothing on clearance, if it is cheap enough or for special occasions. I have my daughter's Christmas dress for next year hanging in her closet from the after Christmas clearance. I also stretch these dresses to last 2 years if possible. I also watch Garage Sales and buy inexpensive clothing. If a friend offers to give a trash bag of clothing, I always accept. I pull out what I know we can use and then donate the rest or pass it on to another friend for their turn to go through it. I try not to keep things more than 2 sizes too big though, just to conserve storage space.

My system works well for me. I don't always know exactly what I have, but I have a general idea and know that if my kids have a sudden growth spurt that I should be able to clothe them without having to spend a lot on a new wardrobe. It also saves space in drawers and the closet to be able to store off-season clothing separate.

What is your system for seasonal clothing? Do you buy in advance?

SC Johnson BzzKit!

If you haven't signed up for BzzAgent yet, this may convince you to try it! I got my SC Johnson Spring Cleaning BzzKit yesterday and have been testing out the cleaning supplies ever since. It came with:

• 1 Glade spring collection Jar candle 
• 1 Glade Lasting Impressions Oil refill
• 1 Pledge Lemon Clean Can
• 1 Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet gel 
•  Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer

I started in the bathroom and spraying the tub and shower with the Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer lead to cleaning the toilet and using the Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet gel. I even washed the shower curtain (I hadn't since moving in- gross!). The Mega Shower Foamer is supposed to continue to work for 4 days and I want to see how long the Toilet gel lasts in our house.

Today I put Pledge Lemon Clean to work and am looking up different uses for it, it isn't just for wood!

I will have a full BzzReport with pictures once I try everything out. It is rainy and gray outside, but my house is in full Spring Cleaning mode!