CHRISTMAS CLEANALONG

[Alsonification]

Hi all. So for the first time ever I will be hosting Christmas Day dinner in my home.

And to that end, I've decided to give my house a massive clean, declutter & reorganisation (very badly needed!).

I've worked out there are 16 weekends to Christmas (well actually 17 but I want to use the last one for food prep) so I'm dividing my house into 16 sections & going to spend one day every weekend on a different section.

I'm starting this weekend. Would anyone like to join?

During half term we'll sort out the summerhouse (put all the soft furnishings and window voiles in the loft) and cover the furniture with dust covers.
The garden is looking a bit sad so I need to buy winter bedding plants

I've stripped and remade the beds - I love clean sheets day 😀
Sorted through mums paperwork and shredded the useless stuff (eon bill from October 2023?..)
I've been to aldi and restocked my laundry/cleaning products rocknroll
I've started dhs Christmas advent hamper...I need some port and chocolate treats

Over last Saturday and Sunday, I changed sheets and brought out the heavier duvet, hoovered around and under everything in my bedroom, gave the skirting boards a going over, dusted everything, changed most of summer to winter wardrobe including putting covers on my summer jackets/linen dresses/linen tops (that I prefer to keep hanging, not folded under the bed), and generally gave everything a spruce up.

so progress is slowly being made.

Some clothes to the Charity Shop

Not much done today , I'm using the excuse of a post flu vaccine sore arm to get out of things - though I've done 2 loads of washing and onto the 3rd.

I've had a lazy morning today 😴
3rd load of washing just put in
I've wintered the summerhouse, which always feels a bit sad 🍁🍂
I'm out tonight with dd2 so we need to get an early supper soon
I'll need to do the (very small) amount of ironing tomorrow
I've had to order more Christmas gift wrap 😬 as I've a few more bits arriving next week PLUS my new coffee table should arrive 😊
I also need to get winter bedding plants at some point, but all they have locally is pansies 😕

Another lazy morning 😊
2 loads of washing done, I've showered and am reading my book 📖
Very grey and foggy here today 🍁🍂
I've just had a delivery from next of more christmas gifts (the obligatory fluffy socks - anyone else's kids really upset if they don't get them!?) and some lotr pjs 😊
I feel quite organised gift wise this year, but I may be hosting 8 on Christmas day now, plus an open house on boxing day, so I need to start planning/ordering the food
I might go amd make some Scones....😋

Got scones cooling on the rack..🥧
I've decided to do something useful whilst they cool down...
I've cleaned the washing machine and put the drawer in to soak
I'll lob a dishwasher cleaner thingy in the dishwasher shortly...
I think that'll be me done for today!

I started to paint our garden fence, and dear god it's a slow job.

I've stopped for now and ordered a fence roller from Amazon to hopefully speed things up!

Can I join you all please? Im now a SAHM but struggling to keep on top of the house with a toddler. We need to sell his baby stuff and generally get rid of so much clutter. We did most of the garage last weekend and found stuff that hadn't been unpacked from when we moved in. Id love to get on top of it before December so we can spend time baking and decorating without having to do mad cleans before we have visitors.

Welcome! 👋

This thread is the best motivator, I am so chaotic generally, and I’ve told loads of people and it’s quite a success with my messier, less driven friends.

Tidied in the bathroom, Shame faced at the body scrubs and random creams still unopened from last Christmas, so I might start a Christmas glow up as well to make space for more smellies this year. Cut up some old towels, thrown out some kids hair crayons from three years ago (!) tried to get rid of some bath toys, but apparently they are all still essential.

The grouting around the shower needs re doing, that might be beyond my capabilities. I’m off to watch some YouTube videos with a cup of tea and a biscuit.

I stored up loads of baby stuff to sell it, but the thought of cleaning it and photographing it, posting it etc was so overwhelming, I just took it to either a women’s shelter or offered it to friends. Having it gone after about 6 months of staring at it was worth it. I would have paid someone £100 to take it away by the end.

@Coatsoff42
I had a sort out, too, but still have lots of body creams, scrubs etc but I've still treated myself to the H&B Advent 🎄 beauty calendar 😬
I'll share it with dd 😊

Mopped the bathroom and loo floors ( now realised no-one can use them till they dry .........)
I'll do the kitchen floor before I go up to bed them its got all night to dry .

I do have a steam mop which is good for the kitchen but not the annoying small dust trappy bits in the bathroom. Steam is safer for the cats ( as it's just water ) I bought Ecover liquid - I like their fabric conditioner and dark wash liquid .

I bought the Rituals calendar this year , I haven't bought a BAC for years , last one was the H&B. It had quite a nice mix of things , one showergel in particular that I re-buy . (Re-useable cotton bud type thing that I thought Hmmm I'll pass on that )

(the obligatory fluffy socks - anyone else's kids really upset if they don't get them!?) and some lotr pjs 😊

DD has a pair of navy with stars pyjamas for her Dec 1st Box and a new dressing gown (she's wearing that already )
There were some really cute socks in M&S (Spencer Bear ones ) that I'm going to buy for her .
Bought a Next gingerbread mug ( a Tradition , and the mugs are used all year ) . I was debating the tall latte mug but it might not fit as well in the dishwasher

@70isaLimitNotaTarget
Oh, I love Rituals!
Dd1 has scandi pattern socks this year
Dd2 has highland cow ones 🐂

I bought the wreath one , I love the Sakura scent but I wanted to try some new ones .
Got it from Boots ( with a money off offer) they didn't have the bigger one .

Dds favourite is sakura.
I like jing

I had a look at the contents of both (then told my brain to forget them ) there's a couple of Jing products .
The bigger one had some home scent products in it , they both had votive candles (which I can use in the bathroom as the cats don;t go in there )

I need a refill for the Redd Diffuser I bought last year , that can be my Black Friday search .

I'm going to get an ipl this year on black friday...I'm fed up of hair removal and dh hates me waxing his back

They are very spendy though :(

IPL would've work on my hair ( grey) they are best on dark hair/pale skin which was me back in the day !
One advantage of getting old is I can whip off my pit hair with one application of wax and one strip. I epilate my legs .

If I could go back in time to 20 year old me , I'd tell myself get an IPL

That should read IPL wouldn't work as it needs pigment in the hair .

So blonde , red , grey not such a good effect
And the more contrast , the better (my Celtic skin and dark hair would be ideal , but now 'tis grey )

You have just reminded me , I bought one for DD , she wanted to wait till after summer as you need to shave the hairs then start the cycle of treatment . I'll need to get her to find the blessed thing and she can start now she doesn't wear sleeveless tops .
I think that was the main downside for her .

Aside from my head, I'm still a brunette 😄

2 loads of washing, some ironing done 😕
I've wrapped more christmas gifts 🎄