Project Clean Up 2020...Week 11: Pantry

My pantry! One of my most favorite (and most used) rooms in my whole house. This is where our extras are kept, shoes, backpacks, paper products, etc...I love getting this area cleaned out.

Here is how I did it;

__ Toss all expired and unwanted items. This includes bags with only crumbs left. 

__ If you have multiple containers of the same product open (chips, cereal, spices, etc..), check the containers to make sure they are still good and then combine them if possible. Then implement a one-at-a-time rule: Don't open a new container until the old one is empty or discarded. 

__ Gather loose packets of food (snack bars, single-serving bags of chips) and put them in storage containers such as a basket or stackable container. Use one storage container per category.

__ Sort through the remaining items and group like things together; canned veggies, soups, spaghetti sauces and pasta, snack foods, cereals. Create a zone for each category. You'll be able to find things faster and know when you are out of items. 

__ Organize your pantry from most used items to least-used items. Place the least-used items in the back and the most used-within easy reach.

__ Pantries are usually smaller spaces so make the most of your vertical space. If you have few shelves but lots of space between them, buy racks that will let you use the space between the shelves. 

__ If you shelves are set far enough back from the door, you can buy an over-the-door organizer to hold more food items. 

__ Set up a checklist for pantry staples. This could be a computerized printout or a small dry erase board. Keep a list of the staples you use and put an "x" next to those you are in need of. This way, the next time you head to the grocery store you will know exactly what you need. Here's an example checklist:

__ Canned veggies

__ Pasta

__ Rice

__ Olive Oil

__Chicken/Beef Broth

__Condensed Soups

__ Condiments

__Spaghetti Sauce

__ Cereal

__Baking Ingredients; sugar, flour, vanilla

__ Snacks for school or work lunches

Here are some specifics I added for my own pantry:

__ Clean all containers and lids. Be sure all containers are still labeled.

__ Line items in baskets neatly.

__ Write up shopping list for any items that are low.

__ Take extras in pantry and fill current containers in the kitchen.

__ Go through specialty cookbooks basket for keep and sell items.

Shoe Area:

__ Be sure all shoes still fit and are in nice condition. Toss any that are torn or not cleanable. Any that do not fit or no longer interested, clean and put into the sell box.

__ Be sure all shelves and crates are labeled per person or for play shoes.

Hanging area;

__ Be sure backpack area is still labeled per person.

__ Hang all backpacks and lunch bags neatly.

__ Hang adult windbreakers.

__ Go through aprons. Wash, donate or sell any unwanted based on condition. Hang ones being kept.

__ Go through hanger or most used purses. Toss any with tears. Donate any unwanted. Rehang ones being kept.

__ Clean out diaper bag and hang on hook.

__ Sweep and mop floor.

Onto Week 12...Clean Large Appliances. See you next week! 

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 10: Den

Right on target, the den is finished! This is the room that the village is in at Christmastime and since the village was still up going into the clean up of this room, it took no time to organize as I went. Kudos to my hubby and leaving the village up to this point! No, seriously...

There are a ton of books and cds (yes, cd's) that always have to be gone through in this room and since it is the gateway to our pool area, a lot of glass to be cleaned as well! 

Here is how I did it; 

__ Open Windows

__Vacuum sofas

__Spot clean sofas, if applicable

__Launder throw pillows and blankets

__Dust shelves, furniture and decor

__Clean lamps and lampshades

__Wash windows and sills

__Take out and wash window screens

__Clean TV screen

__Carefully dust electronics

__Tidy electronics wires. Tuck nicely out of sight. Label them, if practical.

__Sort through music and DVD collections if in this room. Purge things that no longer suit your families interests. Organize what is left in an attractive manner.

__Sort books and magazines. Donate or recycle ones that no longer suit your families interests.

__Wash hard plastic children's toys with warm soapy water. Rinse and dry. Launder stuffed toys. Donate or store toys that your children have grown too old for.

__Wash switch plates

__Wash walls and trim as needed

__Wash doors and door knobs

__Wash floor registers and other vent covers

__Clean floors

Other things I added....

__ Rearrange books and decor for a change of scenery on left and right shelves

__ Convert CD's from 2 shelves to just one by stacking instead of lining up.

__ Arrange a few of the larger toys on the shelf to allow a clean floor. Place smaller toys into a basket slid under the shelf. Toss 3 of 4 containers holding wooden toys. Keep larger wooden toys in the 1 kept container and add all wood toys to a large clear container.

__ Clean out the toy basket and donate any no longer used toys (this was overflowing)

__ Clean out suitcases (each one houses paperwork, catalogs, blog papers, magazine cutouts, design pages, etc...

We are just in need of new couches as ours were defective and the leather started flaking. We also need a new coffee table as ours fell apart. Watching out for new ones soon! Coming next week...Pantry! 

 

See you soon! 

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 9: Dining Room

Ugh! When a bout of Vertigo hits, it really gets you down! 1 1/2 days really put me down and I mean down, to the couch, no moving. So, would I get Week 9 finished for you....ever??? Of course. Just took some speeding up! The bad thing is that now I am behind on week 10, but I will get there. So, how do you think it went? It was a room that definitely has some nooks and crannies to clean....you know, tedious work. I had 2 sets of curtains to hand wash and dry, scrubbing out a wine fridge, organizing a buffet, scrubbing down 8 chairs and a table along with each square of the floor, but it is done and looks fabu!

Here is how I did it:

__ Open windows

__ Wash curtains

__ Wipe down table and chairs

__ Wipe down or dust other furnishings

__ Clean chair pads, if applicable

__ Polish table, if necessary

__ Create a pretty spring vignette on table

__ Dust any displayed china or serving dishes

__ Launder table linens

__ Shine silverware

__ Dust art

__ Wash windows and window sills. Take out and wash window screens

__ Wash switch plates

__ Wash walls and trim

__ Wash doors and door knobs

__ Wash floor registers and other vent covers

__ Clean floors

Added my own items as well; 

__ Clean out and organize buffet. This drawer especially, wax melts, candles and my flea market displays. 

__  Go through the immense amount of vases and glassware in large drawers.

__ Remove all wine from fridge, scrub out and vacuum coils behind. Toss anything that may be leaking and get rid of anything that we will not drink. Add fresh bottles to rack on top.

__ Dust down Jukebox and scrub off any scuffs from lighted area. 

__ Remove all frames from the walls. Dust and wipe with window cleaner.

__ Add fresh decor to the buffet to bring a "pop" of color to the room. Add fresh twigs from outdoors to the vase.

__ Scrub down mini table. Add most recent corks and add a pop of color to the underside of table.

What do you think? Hope to get Week 10 to you on time, but give me a lil leeway. Project Clean Up stops for nothing...just a little delayed. See you soon! 

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 8: Coat Closet

Isn't it just amazing how much can be crammed and unorganized into a small space? This was one of my goals I set out to accomplish and I have been doing great! Do I have a messy house? No, but I am all about organization and simplicity at its best so week-to-week I go!

This week, I hit the main floor coat closet. Boy, do I wish this closet actually had room to hang guests coats when they visit on a regular basis, but 10 people x more than 1 coat/jacket = Yikes!!! I have always made it a point when there is a party or big event that all of our coats get moved to my bedroom for a short period of time and that works, as that is honestly our only option. However, everything else needed a home.

Before, I had things simply stacked on the top shelf, 1 random turquoise basket just to keep things somewhat together. Bags of school supplies hung from hooks, etc...

Sorry the pic is not further back. This is a small hallway on the way to the powder room. Here is how it now looks...

This closet has all of our coats/jackets, school supplies, coloring books/crayons, a chest of winter scarves/hats/gloves and pool towels.

Here is what you need to do: 

__ Empty out coat closet

__ Dust down walls, wash if able

__ Wash or vacuum floor, whichever is applicable

__ Sort items as you return them to the closet

__ Store out of season items

__ Sell or donate unwanted items

Added my own care as well:

__ Add space saver hangers for light jackets and thinner coats. Keep all those in one area, mine are to the right.

__ Purchase white plastic open baskets to hold items. The left has coloring books and a bin of spare crayons. The right one holds packs of markers, colored pencils, glue sticks and bottles. 

__ Pool towels are folded neatly and stacked in 2 columns on the right of the baskets.

__ Clean out mini wooden chest. Keep winter gear needed, remove items no longer needed and place into yard sale bin.

__ Label a bin with lid per each Elementary/Middle School child. Add items used for homework; crayons, colored pencils, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, glue stick and scissors. 

__ Label a bin for school supplies used throughout the year; book covers, mini packs of tissues, mini bottles of antibacterial hand gel.

__ Label a bin for pencils/pens

__ Label a bin for mini flags that go on the hanger in the rock garden

__ Label a bin for Flea Market spotlight props

__ Neatly store box of chalk and textbooks to the right of bins

Moving onto a bigger room this week, really no clutter, but lots of cleaning spaces; Dining Room. See you next week! 

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 7: Powder Room

Ugh! I am so late on my post! President's Day threw me off this week. I thought Monday was Sunday so my Monday post is here...Tuesday! So sorry...

I had a smaller room this week, the Powder Room. Trust me though...there is more to do in here than you think as it is a bathroom..aka...germ room! Toilet, sink, walls, mirrors and glass...and don't forget in a house of 10 people including 6 total guys...floors!

A shot from the hall into the powder room...

Back towards the sink...

Here are the steps (beyond the normal ones) for a beautiful powder room...

__ Open windows

__ Empty all cabinets and vanity. Wash inside, replace items neatly. Discard expired medications and cosmetics.

__ Wash outside of cabinets and vanities.

__ Clean toilet, inside and out. Remove seat and clean around seat bolts.

__ Clean sink drain.

__ Shine faucets.

__ Clean mirror and frame.

__ Dust light fixtures.

__ Wash windows and window sills. Take out and wash window screens.

__ Wash switch plates. Wash walls and trim. Wash doors and door knobs.

__ Wash floor registers and other vent covers.

__ Sweep and wash floors.

__Reseal grout lines if necessary.

__ Wash curtain, toilet cover and rug.

__ Scrub trash can or purchase new one.

__ Scrub toddler potty chair.

Added my own items as well...

__ Replace toilet scrub brush.

__Purchase fresh hand towels.

__ Add a plastic knob protector to the wall behind door.

__ Replace switch plate with a new one.

__ Buy new 1st floor toothbrushes, toothpaste and individual plastic closing cases for each. Label.

__ Stock first aid kit.

Onto Week 8...Coat Closet! See you next week! 

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 6: Foyer

So, this week was an easier one...our main floor foyer. Though 2-stories high, it is all windows and trim for the most part. That is definitely a lot of glass, but is done very quickly. Stairs and floors do take some time, but there is definitely less "piddly" work in this room, for sure! Check it out!

My biggest task, honestly, is the cleaning of the half wall on the staircase...child hand prints a plenty! I sometimes use a bar helper because I don't like marks that a magic eraser makes though the magic eraser doesn't take nearly as much elbow grease. 

Here is how everything was done in this room...

__ Dust Light Fixtures.

__ Wash walls and trim.

__ Wash doors, knobs and switch plates.

__ Wash bench or other furnishings. Launder bench cushion. 

__ Clean or replace entry mat. 

__ Sweep and scrub floors.

__ Reseal grout lines, if necessary.

Week 7 currently in effect: Powder Room. See you all next week! 

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 5: Great Room

My goodness did my week end up getting really busy! I almost thought the Great Room wasn't going to hit the deadline! Mind you, in the midst of Project Clean Up 2020, I also have 8 kids being run to and fro, Dr appointments, everyday housework, homework, meals...the list goes on and on. I hadn't even had a chance to put up even a room of Valentine's decor as I am still taking down Christmas stuff!

Mantle is all decorated for Valentine's Day too...boy, am I good! 

What do you think? I'm thinking just the right touch of romance...

So, this room is big. I mean, BIG. This is one of the rooms that attracted me to our house when we bought it 14 years ago. It is the room with the highest ceiling, tall walls, lots of windows, ceiling beams, lots of furniture, fireplace and hardwood floors. Here is how I made it all happen...

__ Open Windows

__Vacuum sofas

__Spot clean sofas, if applicable

__Launder throw pillows and blankets

__Dust shelves, furniture and decor

__Clean lamps and lampshades

__Wash windows and sills

__Take out and wash window screens

__Clean TV screen

__Carefully dust electronics

__Tidy electronics wires. Tuck nicely out of sight. Label them, if practical.

__Sort through music and DVD collections if in this room. Purge things that no longer suit your families interests. Organize what is left in an attractive manner.

__Sort books and magazines. Donate or recycle ones that no longer suit your families interests.

__Wash hard plastic children's toys with warm soapy water. Rinse and dry. Launder stuffed toys. Donate or store toys that your children have grown too old for.

__Wash switch plates

__Wash walls and trim as needed

__Wash doors and door knobs

__Wash floor registers and other vent covers

__Clean floors

Whew!!! What a room! This week is not so tough so I can relax a little. Onto Week 6: Foyer.

See you next week!