Project Clean Up 2021...Week 5: Great Room

The Great Room took more time than it ever has. Not sure why exactly? I think I focused a lot more on the mopping and drying than usual. I was able to get the Valentine's Day decor up so I was very happy with that. 

I went from the golds and whites of the Valentine decor last year to basing the design around a jar and block set I made during a craft night. 

I loved how it turned out! 

Onto the cleaning...

So, as I've told you before, this room is big. I mean, BIG. 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...

__Vacuum sofas

__Spot clean sofas, if applicable

__Febreze Sofas and any pillows that cannot be laundered

__Launder throw pillows and blankets

I love that feeling of a completely clean couch. Spot cleaned, vacuumed out, washed throw pillows and Febrezed. Holiday pillows put out really perks it all up. 

__Dust shelves, furniture and decor

__Touch up black furniture with marker

This is one of our ladder shelves. We have 2 total, one on each side of the tv. I use a simple black marker to touch up any scuffs. This is also done on the tv stand. 

__Clean lamps and lampshades

__Wash windows and sills

__Take down curtains and handwash, dry, rehang

These are the windows towards the back of our room, towards the pool area. There are 3 other high windows in the front of the room, but these are the only curtains that have to be taken down, handwashed and dried. 

__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 dvd's in basket under coffee table. Keep any under that are currently watching, put others back in dvd cabinet. 

__Wash switch plates

__Wash walls and trim as needed

The walls go up very high so I have to be sure to break out the 6 ft ladder. Still having random stink bugs here and there, I have to look very closely for stink bug track marks to clean off of the walls.

__Wash doors and door knobs

__Wash floor registers and other vent covers. Hose sweep as far down in vent as possible. 

__Clean floors; broom sweep, shopvac sweep cracks of plank wood. Mop, Dry. 

We have plank wood flooring so I get the Shop Vac going and sweep thoroughly between the cracks. That is when you really have that feeling of the room being clean. 

__Vacuum area rugs 

Onto Week 6: Foyer.

See you next week! 

Project Clean Up 2021...Week 4: Organize Gift Bins

This week is always my favorite because I love to organize the gifts for upcoming holidays. Let me let you in on what my gift bins are:

I buy all year long. I begin the day after Christmas and watch out all year for just the right gifts. You never know when you will find that "ultimate" item (and at a great price too)

So, here is my system. Each member of my family has an 18 gallon Rubbermaid type bin that I keep in my garage (younger ones have 2 due to sizes of toys)

Each bin has their initials added to the end. Simple black marker written on an index card and attached with packing tape or get your own self stick labels...you know your storage space, have at it!

I am lucky. My kids do not go near them. In their defense though, they are stacked 4 bins up!

I keep a notebook of all items bought. Just a 70 sheet spiral notebook written in pen. Example of my pages:

Pg 1: Mom
Pg 2: Dad
Etc...

I love to get it written down immediately and put away, but sometimes I have to do a quick run to the garage and items do end up out of place sometimes so this week is an imperative week of organizing.

If you would like to have a gift system (and save money in the long run) here are your instructions:

**1 Bin per Immediate Family Member

-Label each end with their initials (index card with marker, tape on with clear packing tape)
-Store all gifts per person in their designated bin (includes gifts and clothing)
-Keep a large Ziploc bag in each bin for smaller items so they don't get overlooked (stocking and basket stuffers, jewelry)

I also have one bin for my extended family (all go in this one together...Mom, Dad, Sisters, etc...) and my husband has 1 bin that covers his extended family.

Keep a Notebook

One page per person.
List all gifts on the front of one page.
List all Clothing on the top part of the back side of that page.
List all small stocking/basket stuffers on the lower part of the back side of that page.

Keep notebook and pen in a place in the same area as your bins so you will remember to immediately write down and stay on track.

My notebook seems to go on forever so gifts can get moved around a bit to other people or even knocked completely off if not used in a reasonable amount of time. If that happens, I determine whether to keep in extra bins (*read about these a few paragraphs down) or it goes into a yard sale box.

If you already have this system, simply go through and make sure all items are written down and placed into their designated bins. Be sure to check what you currently have and make sure it still falls under that designated person. Example...are they still within range for a board game waiting in their bin to be gifted, etc...

Be sure to shop all year for Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day and any other holidays!

I also keep extra bins; Women, Men, Girl's, Boys. When I come across nice items for a great price, they are roaring and ready to go for a last minute birthday party, host gift, etc... I also do "little blessings" of fun on friends' porches at random times and these items help with putting together those gifts. It also serves as a place I put items that I choose to keep on hand that were originally purchased for a family member and then never gifted.

Happy Organizing!

I have already done Week 5...Great Room cleaning and organization. Blog coming soon! 

Project Clean Up 2021...Week 3: Organize Personal Items

Week 3, time to organize all of those bills, papers...you know, personal stuff. This one was more up my hubby's alley as he is the one who files it all away. Remember, you do not need to junk up your house by keeping years and years and years of old bills.

Organize Personal Items


The bills are my husband's deal so...have at it honey! 

We did our first big clean up last year so here is a recap on what to do....

Decide on a place to keep the next year of paid paper bills and receipts; file cabinet or storage bin. Label file folders with each month. File per month. Keep in a place where you can get to it once a month so bills do not build up and become clutter. 

-Shred old bills and papers.

We don't have a shredder so we pull out the logs for this one...

Burn baby, burn! 

Organize Your Personal Information

Decide where you would like to store this information. Store on computer or write it down on index cards and keep them in a small box. If on your computer, be sure to save a backup copy to a disk or jump drive (store this in your fireproof box) Make sure to completely remove from hard drive if you ever get rid of the computer. 

Label each category so it can be easily referenced. Here are some examples of what to record in each category:

A. Finances

__Your credit score

__Your credit card number(s) and the phone number to call if your card is lost or stolen (do the same for debit/check cards)

__Your bank account numbers and the phone number to call if your checkbooks lost or stolen.

__A budget for your income, expenses, savings and personal goals. 

B. Health

__Allergies (to food, medicine, animals, etc..)

__Your blood pressure

__Health issues that run in your family

__Your cholesterol level

__Your blood type and those of your family members

C. Safety

__Emergency Contact Numbers

__License plate number and VIN

__Current photos of every member of your family labeled with their heights and weights.

__Photocopies of your passport and the passports of your spouse and children.

D. Just in Case:

__Your measurements and clothing sizes.

__Your partner's measurements and clothing sizes.

__Your children's measurements and clothing sizes.

Purchase a Fireproof safety box if you don't already own one. Important documents that should be stored in here may include:

__Marriage certificate                                  __Wills

__Birth certificates                                       __Death certificates

__Adoption papers                                       __Household inventory list

__Automobile titles                                      __Valuable contracts

__Stocks and bonds certificates                   __Passports

Once you have originally completed this system, you just have to check it all for next year. Not so much work. 

Week 4 is finished and on time. Just need to be more on time with the blogs! Organize Gift Bins. Do you buy gifts ahead of time when you find a good deal? Keep them organized! See you with that blog soon! 

 

Project Clean Up 2021...Week 2: Organize All Occasion Wrap/Bags/Boxes/Stickers/Cards

Week 2 is down. Now remember, I am actually right on track. This should have been blogged a few weeks ago so technically, I am just behind on the blog so bear with me.  

Last year, I did the new containers so this year was just about going through current inventory and ridding myself of anything I may not use in the upcoming year. 

This week's organization consisted of go through All Occasion Wrap items. These items are stored in my 2 car garage and I have a large counter where I am able to do wrapping, but through the year, if I am doing a quick clean up after a party, the bags, boxes, etc...tend to get piled up waiting to be put away. In this area, I have a hanging shelf that holds my gift bags and box bins. Also, a bin of all occasion greeting cards. Then, there is a cabinet that holds various sizes of jewelry boxes, buckets, netted bags, gift card holders, wine bottle boxes and tissue paper. The counter has a bin of rolls of paper and containers of individual ribbons/fabric ribbon strands and toppers/tags. I also have a container of stickers I use on cards. 

Here is what I accomplished;

On the Counter;  

-Rolls of Wrapping Paper: Wrapped tightly and taped down. Added new rolls that were on the counter to the bin.

-Bows, Ribbons, Tags, Toppers: Tossed smashed bows, rolled ribbon spools and secured, rolled fabric ribbon and secured, placed into the correct bins, purchased last year. 

-Stickers: I organized this section last year thoroughly so this year was just about adding to the correct envelopes any that hadn't been organized. Holidays/Seasons, etc...

In the cabinet: 

-Jewelry Boxes in various sizes: Checked bin for those I may not use. All were fine for the coming year. 

-Gift Buckets: Checked bin for those I mat not use. All were fine for the coming year. . 

-Gift Card Holders: Checked bin for those I may not use. All were fine for the coming year. 

-Tissue Paper: This is always one of the biggest jobs this week. I keep tissue paper after every event. It can be pricy when you add up how much I need through the year. Separated tissue paper by color, folded neatly and stacked in cabinet.

All nice and neatly stored by color. 

-Netted Bags: Checked canister for those I may not use. All were fine for the coming year. 

Hanging Shelf: 

-Gift Boxes: Tossed any boxes with tears or heavy tape marks and any extra pieces without matches, placed in bin, lined up neatly on hanging shelf.

-Gift Bags: Added any sitting around from this year. Removed any former tags,  separated by colors/occasion, lined up neatly on hanging shelf.

-All Occasion Cards: Made sure all cards were sorted into corrected file folder. Examples; Birthday Children, Birthday Adults, Note cards, Congrats, Get Well, Individual Holidays, etc..Get rid of any that will not be used in the upcoming year. 

All ready for the yard sale box! 

So excited that I I got this so on track last year so there wasn't much work involved this year, just simply glancing through for this year and an updated organization. 

I am behind posting, but am indeed on track!!! Week 3 is Organize your finances/personal. See you very soon with those results on the blog. I am currently in Week 4: Organize Gift Bins. These are gifts I buy ahead and organize into a notebook and bins. This is one of my favorite organizations as it gets me on track for what I need for Easter. Love this week! 

See you soon! 

Project Clean Up 2021...Week 1: Organize Holiday Wraps/Stockings/Christmas Cards

 Sorry I am behind on this blog. I got it all done during week 1, but simply failed to write the blog. 

This week's organization consisted of hitting my Holiday Wrap items and that is a huge job! I do all of my wrapping in the Master Bedroom which needless to say, is a mess for a few weeks throughout December. I'm talking wrapping paper, boxes, gift bags, bows, tags, ornament gift hangers, Christmas cards and ribbons, ribbons and more ribbons! 

For this week's mission, it was all about getting it all cleaned out and arranged as I bought new bins last year to house. 

-Rolls of Wrapping Paper: Paired down to only those in color coordination with current decor. New and used rolls put into the yard sale bin.

-Gift Boxes: Tossed any boxes with tears or heavy tape marks and any extra pieces without matches.

-Gift Bags: Every so many years I bulk up my bags and buy a bunch. It will be a few years before I need more. Paired down to those in color coordination with my current decor. Removed any former tags, folded tissue paper, threw out scrap paper. 

-Bows and Ribbons: Tossed smashed bows, rolled ribbons and secured. This year I overbought bows and had to open all packages and dump into a box as they wouldn't fit while still in packaging. Ribbons were put into a bag and placed into the same box. 

-Tags: Organize into a box, place into odds/ends bin.

-Ornament Gift Hangers: Sorted through and kept newer, took ones that have been around for a while and put into the yard sale bin.

-Christmas Cards: Be sure that all envelopes are accounted for. Purchased new red pens to use for addressing next year, placed neatly into box and set down into odds and ends bin. 

                                   All of these are ready to put up for my Christmas in July sale! 

                                       New and Used rolls of wrap...

                                   

                                     Bags, Boxes, Gift Card Holders...

                                     

                                    Ornament gift tie ons...red and green.

                                     

                                      Ornament gift tie on's....blues, silvers and golds. 

                                      

                                        

                                         Ribbons! 

                                       

                                  Watch soon for Week 2!  

                                    All Occasion Wrap, Cards and Accessories! 

                                    See you soon! 

                                    

I'm still here....Project Cleanup 2020

Don't worry friends! I am still here cleaning away, just behind now that we are at the end of the school year. Can you believe that even with homeschooling due to the pandemic, school has still thrown me off course! Locker clean out and pick ups, getting final projects done, gathering up school items to get ready to turn in...don't fret though. I am loyal in keeping you up to date with my "Project Cleanup 2020" and how I get my rooms organized and after this virus/children invasion, livable! I will get back on course soon.

Right now, I am currently behind by about 2 weeks. I was due to clean our Game Room, Matlyn/Wynslet's Room and Reiner/Brandis Room a few weeks ago. Why I lined 3 of the hardest rooms with a greater clean out in a row is beyond me. That is a great way to learn for next year though.

I am working on the Game Room which is 2 rooms in itself. See, when we moved in, there was a mother-in-law suite in the lower level. There is a bathroom, 2 bedrooms (Kaplyn's and Cameron/Genin) which are not part of the Game Room clean out, however, there was a kitchen and living room. So, when I say Game Room, it does cover 2 rooms; the Living Room area which serves the same purpose for us, but adding arcade games and a pinball machine. The old Kitchen area is now our Billiards and sport's collectibles area. Tons of dusting and cleaning in this 2-in-1 area so it actually should have been split into 2 weeks and I didn't even think about that at the time. With that said, heading down now to do some more work. Did I mention that the Game Room living area also has the majority of our game consoles and a huge toy box.....yikes!!!

If you don't hear from me soon...send The National Guard!

Project Clean Up 2020...Week 18: Upper Level Bathroom

Woo-Hoo!!!! Upper Level Bath is done and during the middle of the Week 19 "Project Cleanup". How I could not get into focus on this one is just beyond me, but I am happy to say it is finally done!! One thing I learned about this bath, which most of the kids use, is that I am already well aware that I have 5 sons in my mix of 8 kids, but this bathroom really proved it (more than I wanted to know!) Boys pee on everything...yuck!!!! I have always known this as I have to clean 4 bathrooms, but when you are doing the deep cleaning, you notice where else that pee goes....

Needless to say...it is done! Excuse the few Easter decor pieces that are still up. I usually keep decor up a few weeks past the holiday. Here is how I did it:

Going into the bathroom...wasn't sure if I really wanted to do this...

__ Open windows

__ Empty all cabinets Wash inside, replace items neatly. Fill cotton swab and cotton ball jars. Combine bath bombs into one container, discard empty containers. 

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

__ 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 toilet cover and rug, if applicable.

__ Scrub toddler potty chair, if applicable.

On the way out of the bathroom...

__ Touch up scratched wood on back of door with wood marker.

__ Clean "show" towels.

__ Scrub down the tub. Walls and bed. 

__ Wash down shower supplies hanger and throw out any almost empty bottles of shampoo or body wash. Throw out small slivers of soap.

__  Replace body scrubbies.

__ Clean liner and shower curtain. 

__ Open drain and clean out, replace drain cover. 

This curtain was so gross! Since it is next to the toilet, my "boys" lovingly peed or let pee splash onto it. All washed and hung back up! 

__ Remove curtain and wash, wipe down curtain rod, replace. 

__ Wipe down each piece of the mini blind. 

__ Wipe down all wood, sills. 

__ Take out screen and clean. 

__ Windex the window. 

__ Remove any cobwebs from corners of inner window.

__ Remove all items in towel cabinet.

__ Examine towels and washcloths. Throw out any with holes. 

__ Throw out old duplicate tooth brushes. Corral together in a cup.

__ Wash outside of cabinets and vanities.

__ Remove all items from inside of tub toy cabinet. Wash baskets. Clean all tub toys. Discard any that are bad. 

__ Clean sink and drain.

__ Shine faucets and knobs.

__ Clean mirrors and frames.

__ Dust down wall decor and shelf.

__ Scrub trash can or purchase new one.

__ Add new bottles of hand soap per sink. 

These specific light fixtures were terrible to clean! Frosted design makes it hard to see what is dirty. There are also little crevices that have to be cleaned out. 

__ Clean and dust down light fixture. 

Added my own items as well...

__ Replace toilet scrub brush.

__ Purchase fresh hand towels.

Onto this week, Week 19: Game Room! 

See you soon!