I'm going to properly deep clean my house, slowly.

[slightlysoreboobs]

My house isn't exactly a midden, but it's not good. The middles get cleaned a la flylady, but I have no real routines and you can tell! It's all just a bit grubby unless its dark and there are only lamps or candles to add a gentle glow and hide the mess and muck. I'm a single mum, three kids and I work so I give myself a bit of slack and try not to get too bothered by it as long as I keep the kitchen clean, food in the cupboards and we all have clean clothes. But I've been thinking about Christmas and how I'd love the house to be all cosy and lovely and with that in mind I'm going to do an epic declutter, clean everything and make it gorgeous. The caveat is that it will probably take till Christmas to do it all!

Today so far I have:

put the sofa covers in the wash
defrosted the freezer
done a food shop (not part of Operation Christmas but necessary!)

Once I've finished my cuppa, I'm going to pull out the sofas and clean under there (anyone else find that EVERYTHING ends up there?) and declutter a bookcase. Maybe if I have time I'll address the living room toy box too.

I thought I might focus on one room a week. Anyone care to join me?

[slightlysoreboobs]

My recycling bin is going to be full shortly! Emptied another book case, got rid of several books to charity bag, organised some photos, fixed a shelf and gave everything a Hoover/dust/wipe.

It's amazing how much better a room looks with tidier shelves etc. I'm feeling quite motivated and would like to do playroom but the cold I thought I was getting is definitely here and the DCs had me up at 6.30 so I think I'll just try (haha) and take it easy this afternoon. Throat feels grim. Possibly all the dust eradication isn't helping

Anyone else managing epic cleaning?

[Chottie]

Please can I join you too?

I would love to have an organised and clean home by Christmas. I do surface cleaning and decluttering regularly, but it is the deep cleaning that I need to do.

[slightlysoreboobs]

Yes please chottie

[BiddyPop]

Ive spent the morning hauling boats around at Cub scouts so I am having a large mug (or 2!) of tea before I get stuck in.

But I plan to get the master bedroom sorted this afternoon

[slightlysoreboobs]

Do you have a plan or are you adopting the erratic approach like I have?!

[slightlysoreboobs]

Crossed posts with you biddy sorry

The thing I'm finding is that I feel like eg my bedroom is fine - it looks ok on the surface but my forays so far make me think I could find several bags of rubbish if I looked hard enough!!

[GrimmauldPlace]

Ooh I like this thread. In fact I need this thread. I've already started decluttering and deep cleaning this week but it will be helpful to have people to share it with. DH didn't even notice when I rearranged the furniture in the living room (literally, everything was in a different place!) so I've got no hope of him noticing that I've cleaned the skirting boards

So far I have decluttered the bathroom so many nearly empty shampoo bottles and deep cleaned it. Including behind the toilet which I admit to hardly ever doing.

Sorted out our storage area which is where I throw all the stuff I intend on taking to the charity shop but never get around to.

Cleaned the hallway walls and skirting boards. Sorted the shoe cupboard.

Today I sorted through DS's wardrobe and got him to try on all the bits I wasn't sure about. Fixed a broken drawer.

I need to tackle the toy situation in dd's room. She's 3, has her birthday in December so will get more toys then and obviously a few weeks later it's Christmas. I'm thinking about getting her a mid sleeper to free up some floor space but not sure. Her brother has one and she manages to climb up and down with ease so I think she'd be OK.

Luckily I get 3 hours a day when DD is at nursery to really tackle the place so I should be able to get it all done fairly soon. I just need to get the motivation!

[ThatIsNachoCheese]

Can I join you all?
I'm currently off work after having a back operation and need to start moving again. I work full time normally so my house has suffered!
It seems sensible to use this time to declutter and clean to build up my strength and stamina.
I also want to replace some furniture so it can be a bit of a project. I may even Annie sloan my old pine kitchen dresser if I'm feeling brave...

[Matilda2013]

I started clearing out my house last weekend as obviously Christmas is coming and we plan to hopefully sell the house and move some time after Christmas

I managed our bedroom last Friday (haven't cleaned out drawers etc yet but al the stuff that has ended up in the room that belongs in a different room has been removed and everything dusted and cleaned) and that feels great. Also tackled our hall cupboard as I want that empty as the shelving needs replaced and we need new doors put on before selling few things made their wAy to the dump and there is a pile waiting to be charity shopped too

[slightlysoreboobs]

Yay! More people, excellent! Erratic or highly organised, doesn't matter, it's doing it that matters.

MrsFizzy behind my loo is on my list of to-do's. I cannot remember the last time I cleaned there (even though the loo itself is spotless!) Like you I have no one who'd notice or care - the kids would be happy to live knee high in mess, but I would like to live in a streamlined cosy home. And so it shall be.

[GrimmauldPlace]

Yes, it shall be! We can do this. I admit to being lazy, I do the surface cleaning every day so a quick glance around the place and it looks nice and clean. But if you look a bit closer my laziness starts to show Things like cleaning behind the loo or the furniture just don't really enter my mind!

[slightlysoreboobs]

I am inspired! Today I'm donning the rubber gloves and going behind the loo! Such elegance for a Sunday.

fizzy let's not say lazy? I don't know your circumstances but I'll bet you're like me - my days are so busy I could easily fill them without housework! We're not lazy, we're busy. In fact, I could really do with a cleaner, I just can't afford one. Bloody shame because it would be so much easier!!

[slightlysoreboobs]

I have actually thought about getting a cleaning company to come and do a one off deep clean but I always think about the expense and the fact that nothing's beyond me so I could do it myself. I've been going round in circles about that, hence this thread. It has taken maybe an extra hour or so these last few days but I'm really pleased with what I've achieved. I'm going to keep going and keep hold of my mental image of what Christmas will be like

[Ditsy4]

Oh just found this. I'll join in please. I did the airing cupboard this week and I was half way through the big bedding box yesterday when friend arrived early to go out for a tootle. Need to complete today. I did the wardrobe a while ago and it is so much better. I used those velverty thin hangers, what a difference and I have a new brass pole in as the pine dowel had bent!
At work during the week but I do small jobs in the evenings - sorting stuff. I'm planning on clearing the bathroom and painting it this week.

[Thornrose]

Can I join? My life has been turned upside down for a good few months. On the surface my flat looks fine but deep down is another matter!

I'm in the right position now to get it sorted.

On Friday I did the living room. I bought wipes and cleaned every book, cd and ornament. I did the skirting boards which was a revelation!

Seeing the dirt on the wipes was an eye opener.

On Monday I'll do the passage, de-cobweb my very high ceilings. Clean all the skirting boards and get right to edges of the carpet when I vacuum.

[Laquila]

Ooh good thread. We only moved in 7 months ago, and I had a baby a week later (already have 3-yr old), and we're still living partially out of plastic storage boxes - I would bloody love an airing cupboard but no room for one, so I need to get a big chest of drawers for the landing. Half the problem is that when there's nowhere to put your nice clean clothes, bed linen and towels, they just become more clutter 😟

I've got rid of a LOT of stuff in the past year, though, and feel so much better for it. Decluttering is half the battle. I think, have also bought a Dyson cordless off the back of the "What was really worth the money?" thread, and have already hoovered more in the past week than I have in the 6 months previous!

[GrimmauldPlace]

Yes, busy sounds much better than lazy! The next big job I need to do is sort through both DC's toys but no chance of doing that whilst they're here.

We're going for a walk later and need to pop to the shops. Homework needs to be done and uniforms. I'm trying to think of a small deep cleaning job I can do today with a full house.

[BiddyPop]

Hi, sorry a manic couple of days so I'm only back now (and on phone so it's short).

Yes, I went methodically around the bedroom as I needed to pull everything out and Hoover well. Every single drawer of clothes (everywhere) and book drawers in the lockers were done and hoovered. Every item of furniture was pulled apart and away from the wall, hoovered behind and dusted on top. Windows cleans and mirrors. Mattress turned, clean sheets, duvet changed to heavier one. Most clothes have been washed in the past 8 days and returned to their spots. The only thing I didn't do was wash curtains and nets, and dust behind the picture and the air vent.

I've done some in the study, and bathroom, as well. I'm still behind schedule but I am only home from a scout leaders meeting and had to do some family stuff earlier too, so I'm pleased with progress over the weekend.

[slightlysoreboobs]

Behind my loo is now spotless

[BiddyPop]

I think I am going to go back to the cleaning plan I am used to (I was trying the House and Holidays Plan this year, rather than the Holiday Grand Plan) - there is too much other stuff going on that I cannot keep up with so at least I know what I should be doing with that one.

Meanwhile, another bag is ready for DH to take to DMIL next weekend (she does car boot sales in aid of the local hospital). I have a day off this week and intend making good progress in some rooms. I have already done a number of the annual jobs, like cleaning out washing machine filter and the low down filter of the tumble dryer (the long metal one - as well as the "fluff filter" near the door that gets done every load). And I had sorted out the shoes and bags drawers in the hall a couple of weeks ago.

[BabySocks]

Ooo me too :) I am on maternity but my baby loves to sleep so I am getting loads done. However, the more I clean, the more I notice including all the indents on the kitchen tap that I attacked with a toothpick... I didn't know I cared but I was shocked by the grime! I have also discovered inside the window frames when you open the windows is revolting, and around the actual open window iyswim.
Any other ideas for places that are never cleaned?!

The house is looking brighter though, I am deep cleaning each room and tackling little jobs as I go. Sadly my husband isn't interested in the fact that I cleaned the hoover today so you lot will have to do :)

[slightlysoreboobs]

Good to have you here baby and congrats on the sleeping baby! I never had one of those

You know I initially said my house wasn't a midden? I think I lied... The closer I look, the more I realise there's accumulated filth. I am slovenly Today all of the usual Absolutely Necessary things have been done, plus I pulled out a few bits of furniture and was horrified at the muck cleaned behind them.

Really busy day and I'm tired. But I'll have a think for another achievable task for tomorrow.

How's everyone getting on? I had a thought about getting a real Christmas tree this year... Bit inspirational, that.

[FlutteringKiteCunt]

Marking place

[BabySocks]

biddy sounds like you are on a mission! Are you using the organised his plan? I am following flylady but trying to make sure things are really cleaned well, not just swiped in the general direction

slightly I totally agree, you don't know how much dirt there is until you really start looking... And then it's gross! I feel like it will never end as I find more things everyday that I have never previously considered cleaning

But then I also keep thinking that soon I'll lose interest in it all I might as well get in with stuff while I'm motivated!

[BabySocks]

Hello all, today has been productive :) I an following flylady so deep cleaned the sitting room. I moved everything and hoovered, repainted the fireplace and then untangled and wiped all the TV etc wires which took ages and were surprisingly dirty for a clean house!
This evening I have slowly scrapped all the tiny dots of paint off the glass door panes and it like amazing :)

So super productive but I an now going away for a week... Is it sad I am going to miss the cleaning?