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?

This is an amazing idea!

Im debating hosting Christmas plus my baby’s birthday is the 20th December so we have a birthday party one weekend and Christmas Day the next. So I need a massive declutter and clear out.

Surely you can deep clean and focus on that but wouldn't you also need to be mindful about being able to stay on top of the areas already clean? My thoughts are that in my house this would be an autumn prep for winter clean and then focus on upkeep. Look at Flylady.

Nope, but happy to ‘watching’ from afar🙃

I do this every year as I always host. I won't do it on a Saturday as I teach and I'm trying to keep them free for family time. Sunday afternoons and two evenings a week are my plan, but planning and marking come first. Thankfully, DH is very handy and will muck in too.

We are currently redecorating 17yr old dd's room and 13yr old ds's room is next. We are having our bedroom and the landing/hall/stairs re-plastered in October so double incentive to get organised ready for wallpaper and paint. We moved in 8yrs ago and have renovated massively, including two extensions (one only this year), new roof, heating system, flooring and on and on and on. The long snag list and nice bits like properly decorating and choosing carpet are underway. I need to take everything out from under the stairs and build new storage in there. That's a big and annoying job. Then I need to sort out storage in the garden room and go through my craft and sewing stuff and downsize it a bit. Then repaint all woodwork. I've given myself until the end of October for those jobs and then smaller decluttering, deep cleaning and prep can start in November.

Placemarking, but I love the idea of timebound cleaning and decluttering, I'm in!

Fuck no. @Alsonification You crack on but we have summer coming with howling easterly winds and an enormous wheat harvest to bring in … from the east. I will run around on Christmas Eve with a damp cloth, vac and mop to make the place presentable for the asthmatic.

What I have done is just soaked, washed and ironed a whole suitcase full of old family doilies etc so I am going to go through what I do have (some of which I don’t like) and decide which of it all I will keep and what can go to Vinnies.

I think I now have about 30, mostly white, lined napkins. I can use some of them on the day.

Linen. Not lined. Lovely old Irish linen.

Update:

• Living room
• Kitchen
• Pantry
• Bathroom and utility (both new so will only need an hour each)
• Sitting room
• Front garden
• Car
• Bedroom
• Bathroom 2
10. DD room (she can do this herself, so I might spend some time in the back garden).
11. Work weekend 1
12. Work weekend 2
13. Work weekend 3
14. Manchester trip
15. Christmas baking weekend
16. Decorate and fun

DD and I spent 2 hours sorting the pantry this evening. Cleaned all shelves, chucked out of date. I just need to put up a hook to hang my apron and that's done!

A small thing but a nice bonus. Sorted my sewing box (actually my granny's) while watching TV tonight. Very satisfying to see that shameful tangle unravelled and put away in order.

But it occurred to me I would have a lot less sorting out to do if I was just a tiny bit more careful in putting stuff back the first time!

Love this!

Currently pregnant with DC2 and due Christmas week. Planning on going off early using my remaining annual leave so will hopefully be able to tackle most of the house in time for Christmas & baby.

Definitely need to have a big clear out of my wardrobe & chest of drawers. Also planning to get a loft conversion done in next few months so hopefully that will help with clearing some space in the main living areas.

Great reading all these posts

This week I have

• Charity run with the stuff I want to sell but never will

• Airing cupboard

• Bathroom cupboards

Normal weekly clean, had a busy week so it is worse than usual. So feel this is all doable.

I've listed 16 weeks, it is both a long and short amount of time.

Oven shelves into a bag with cleaning fluid overnight and I cleaned the inside of the oven door .

I know it'll need sone again (and again) before Christmas but it;s one of my least favourite jobs .

I roped my son in to finish the door , why should I have all the fun

I’ll join you if I may. We have a cleaner so on the surface things are pretty clean and tidy, we just have so much stuff so all drawers and cupboards are full!!! We just had the kitchen rebuilt and it was so satisfying to declutter in there, although we do still have a massive amount of equipment and I need to spend some time figuring out how all the appliances work! We also had some built in units put in the hallway at the same time, so we’re almost organized there. I am going to dig out my Christmas file this weekend and start to plan!

Ok. Ready to start. Going to empty every press in the kitchen.

What is a press please? Is it a cupboard, I've never heard of it.

Anyone else struggle with emotions when decluttering?

I sorted my drawers today, so that's one job down.

The weather is too nice to be doing indoor jobs though, so the rest can wait!

@ASongbirdAndAnOldHat I'm sorry yes a press is a cupboard.
I'm Irish. We say press.

Flying through it here. I need a cuppa though. The amount of out of date herbs & spices is shocking.

No such thing as out of date herbs and spices, IMO!

We moved recently. I discovered 4 (maybe more!) years out of date black treacle afterwards. Still used it! 🤣

I’m in. Made my plan and was happy with it. Started on DDs room today and need to borrow a better drill tomorrow to put a curtain pole and some shelves up.

Thought I had a great plan in place then saw @Gazelda you have car on your list!
Crap. My car is revolting.

If I get to the end of my 13 week deep cleaning and organised mum Christmas countdown with a presentable house, I will reward myself with a professional valet/car detailing.

I took four items (clothes) to the charity shop and tidied through my wardrobe .
I wear leggings and a tunic to/from work and change when I get there .

@Alsonification I’m English but have lived in NI for almost a decade and “hot press” is one of my all time favourite Irishisms.

Tomorrow is wardrobe clear out day. DD (6) has offered to “help”, which no doubt means “try on all Mummy’s shoes”.

I've booked my oven clean for early December. This is a great motivational thread.

DP went out for the day with the keys to the garage leaving our gardening tools locked inside. My week one plan was to tidy up the garden but instead I managed to have a decent sort and clear out of DC2s bedroom. Clothes bagged ready for charity / Salvation Army clothing collection bin and a box of toys packed away. I need to find somewhere local that accepts toy donations.

It took longer than I expected but well worth the effort. Great idea to get started on decluttering and deep cleaning now - thanks for the thread!

I admire your enthusiasm. Good luck!

(I think you're all slightly mad, though, in a nice way. I mean ... it's only just September! I don't even think about Christmas until about two weeks beforehand.)

Ah yes - I'm Irish too and press (including hot press) is a thing. One press in my Granny's house was so untidy she called it The Glory Hole (informal: a room, cupboard, or other storage space that contains an untidy and miscellaneous collection of objects)