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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

CHRISTMAS CLEANALONG

670 replies

Alsonification · 28/08/2024 14:07

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?

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/11/2025 18:55

swampwitch0 · 15/11/2025 18:35

Oh! I bought a Ralph Lauren table runner from tkmaxx 😬😊
It's very festive but not sure it was worth £12!

I saw some runners in TKMaxx yesterday (and tablecovers ) but I have my paisley red./green one . They were really nice I thought
Though I did buy a couple of the RL tea towels last month . Xmas Grin

swampwitch0 · 15/11/2025 19:33

They are lovely @70isaLimitNotaTarget 😊
Dh rolled his eyes 🤣
I almost bought the tea towels, too, but treated myself to a candle instead 😊

swampwitch0 · 17/11/2025 19:10

Well.
I have a physio phone call (?) booked for <drum roll> 20th February 2026
So, I'd better look for a private physio

swampwitch0 · 17/11/2025 19:10

My new tkmaxx candle is very disappointing 😞

CagneyNYPD1 · 17/11/2025 19:21

Went shopping with my sister last week and bought some lovely decorations from Sostrene Grene. New festive cushions have also arrived. Off to a Christmas Market on Friday.

Less than two weeks now until the Xmas decorations come down from the loft. I’m determined to declutter and sort out the big Welsh dresser and crockery before that.

swampwitch0 · 17/11/2025 19:43

Love sostrene green! But have to go alone as my dds can't deal with the smell of the shop (it's not awful, but it is a bit overpowering)
Dd also gets the rage as they mostly play Vivaldi in our local one 😬🤣

Coatsoff42 · 18/11/2025 08:40

CagneyNYPD1 · 17/11/2025 19:21

Went shopping with my sister last week and bought some lovely decorations from Sostrene Grene. New festive cushions have also arrived. Off to a Christmas Market on Friday.

Less than two weeks now until the Xmas decorations come down from the loft. I’m determined to declutter and sort out the big Welsh dresser and crockery before that.

OMG two weeks! Right that’s a kick up the bum for me! I’m going back into the conservatory with a spider catcher and bleach spray. We hang loads of white paper stars from the roof and it looks better if it’s really clean.

all the best at the physio @swampwitch0 take plenty of painkillers, I personally love a bit of cocodamol.

frozendaisy · 18/11/2025 09:04

Morning all,

Think we are now looking at the time when things are deep cleaned for the last time before Christmas.

Been AWOL because we decorated the teen's bedrooms (both of them) over half term, new beds, new mattresses, completely new wall colours. Having a lovely new empty room, they seemed more willing to declutter the last lot of their piles of crap. And be totally honest about clothes. So I think as far as toys/games decluttering goes we are done basically. Which is a big tick off the list. I mean we have boxes of lego stacked up in an unused corner of our bedroom, that's too expensive and too much of a wrench to let go.

Oh and books, that was a big one, many given to school library, fair few to charity.

Our room is chaos but no one ever goes in there so that's ok and I am determined not to just shove things under the bed, I might tackle a bit of that one day this week (when H is working from home).

I know we are way behind in buying presents. I intend to just blast it all this coming Black Friday. But we have some stuff and I think everything is in a list in my mind, we shall see.

I need a book each, it's tradition, but it's difficult when they have so much to read for school nowadays - need something that's just pictures.

Hope you get physio sorted @swampwitch0 - many list their specialities - hopefully you can find one with appointments near by soon.

Have a productive week all. I need to give the oven a clean (which is my least favourite job, will take a freezer over an oven any day of the week). But might look at the freezer, don't think it needs defrosting just a clean of the drawer bases and reorganise so I know what's there, we have a small freezer, it's mostly vegetables and fresh herbs in there, so it doesn't take too much time.

swampwitch0 · 18/11/2025 09:07

@frozendaisy
I'm not waiting 3 months for a phone call, so I'm looking at local physios ☹️
Dd and I are having a sort out later and taking stuff to the local pre loved shop...
Off to the theatre tonight to see dds friend in Elf 🎄😊

swampwitch0 · 18/11/2025 09:08

New bedrooms sounds lovely @frozendaisy

IDareSay · 18/11/2025 09:24

Week ending:
21/09 En suite ✅
28/09 Dressing room ✅
05/10 Master bedroom ✅
12/10 Bathroom ✅
19/10 Spare room✅
26/10 Study ✅
02/11 Hallway, stairs and landing, incl airing cupboard ✅
Plasterer finished, did a great job and not at all messy. DH now painting. Not sure yet on ordering carpet, might wait until after Christmas, still thinking.
09/11 Sitting room ✅
16/11 Larder ✅

Feels like I am on top of things now as I don't mind cleaning and sorting the futility room and kitchen ready for Christmas. Tree goes in the kitchen/diner so need to move a few things around next week ready for that; dog crates currently in that corner and not sure how they will feel about moving house!

23/11 Utility room
30/11 Kitchen part one
07/12 Kitchen part two

swampwitch0 · 18/11/2025 09:26

Just really got the oven clean now, alongside my regular day to day stuff

frozendaisy · 18/11/2025 12:37

Just waiting tumble to finish then I'm going to clear a veg bed of weeds to plant garlic

Can you tell I will do anything I can before deep clean housework?

Including painting two bedrooms!

An hour with a trowel should help lift the spirits the sun is almost on the bed, it's not that cold in the sun to be fair. I mean it's not warm, fleece is on, but sunshine should be harvested when presented at this time of year!

I can look in the freezer after sundown. I guess.

swampwitch0 · 18/11/2025 14:47

I've been to pick up a a primark order of christmas gifts
One load of towels in the dryer
I need a shower at some point as we are going out later

notlisteningwithmother · 22/11/2025 16:59

I've been a bit slow to get going with the cleanalong - made a list a few weeks ago and then fell behind schedule mainly due to unexpected repairs to the house and a developing can't - be - bothered attitude. I made the Christmas cake last weekend which got me in the mood and today it has rained all day so I've managed to motivate myself to complete some painting and decorating jobs, mainly walls that have got dirty, scraped or bumped. One in the kitchen, one in the hallway, one in our bedroom and one in the spare bedroom so I'm going to claim that as a full room!

This evening I'm going to clean out a couple of cupboards and find some more efficient storage for kitchen items that are useful but clutter up shelves.

Loving the other updates since I last lurked on this thread - a few things to add to my list!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/11/2025 17:26

DH got the Christmas handtowels out of the loft , I have four which is enough, I sorted through the rough looking ones last year .
Got some really cute Candy Cane kitchen roll from Aldi
Did the floors last night before I went to bed
Need to clean the oven when it cools down

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 23/11/2025 21:48

I have washed our bedding and DD s
Need to do DS but I have to check the filter in the washing machine as the tumble dryer had so much fluff in it , some of the bedding is new this year (and heavy brushed cotton)

Need to organise the pantry and see what I have hidden away .

Get things organised for next weekend

swampwitch0 · 23/11/2025 22:12

Washing the bedding tomorrow. We don't do Xmas bedding, but I'm tempted every year🎄

Coatsoff42 · 24/11/2025 10:02

A very wet weekend left me lots of time to clean the conservatory, empty the kitchen
cupboards and wipe out the drawers. I’ve finally given a tin of jackfruit I panic bought at the start of Covid the heave ho.

The house is so clean and tidy now. I love this thread, and I’m off to buy some candy cane kitchen roll if it’s still in Aldi.

cocoya · 24/11/2025 10:37

Huge item checked off the list this weekend as we purged the house of toys and clothes DS has outgrown. 5 bags to the charity shop today and we actually have space in the house for the influx Christmas will bring.

This week is the turn of the kitchen, I have Grand Plans to decorate in there this year and it requires a clean slate. I am determined not to shove everything into already bulging cupboards like I do most years but we'll see where we are by Friday...

swampwitch0 · 24/11/2025 13:17

I've just dropped a bag of clothes to the charity shop
I'd really like to change/cover my horrid gore surround and mantel but...might have to wait

swampwitch0 · 27/11/2025 21:39

My back is very sore so I've been resting, alternating heat and ice and binge watching stranger things Vol 5 😀
(Only 2 of those things are recommended by the nhs!)

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/11/2025 10:12

swampwitch0 · 27/11/2025 21:39

My back is very sore so I've been resting, alternating heat and ice and binge watching stranger things Vol 5 😀
(Only 2 of those things are recommended by the nhs!)

I don't know. 😁 I work for the NHS and I would heartily recommend binge watching if it helps you relax. Just favtor in stretching time - reaching for the coffee ,and moderation in exercise - trip to the loo,.

swampwitch0 · 28/11/2025 10:33

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/11/2025 10:12

I don't know. 😁 I work for the NHS and I would heartily recommend binge watching if it helps you relax. Just favtor in stretching time - reaching for the coffee ,and moderation in exercise - trip to the loo,.

I'm going for a gentle walk today

swampwitch0 · 28/11/2025 11:54

2 loads of laundry done, lightly hoovered downstairs, done a bit of admin.
I've started bringing a few christmassy bits downstairs...gingerbread house, felt Christmas tree 🎄 😀
No one has noticed yet...
Not much else will be done today due to my back 🙄

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