spring cleaning

[hoarsewhisperer]

is anyone else planning on doing an old fashioned spring clean?

so far i have washed the curtains in ds2s room and scrubbed all the grout between the tiles in the bathroom (floor too). Have also cleaned out inside of all kitchen cupboards and thrown away anhything past sell by date...or fed it to the birds!

AM now washing all the windows inside and want to hire a carpet cleaner and clean all the rugs properly. Kitchen to be repainted, cushion covers all to be laundered. Sitting room curtains also need to go be cleaned. Apart from that need to have a throwing out session when i go through all drawers and chuck away useless bits of paper and string and god knows what.

what are you planning to do if anything?

Yip - just waiting for the spring weather ...

ah well....yes...that would be a good start I guess.

i have to shampoo the carpet, keep putting it off

Same here, although waiting until children back at school (holidays only astarted today) but have been making lists.

I am planning on starting at the top of the house and working down -

Streamline bottles etc in my bathroom

Thin out mine and dh's clothes

Declutter dh's office and ensure all filling etc up to date

Declutter lo's rooms - charity shop/dump outgrown clothes, toys, books and sort both their bathrooms

Decorate ds's bedroom

Sort out and update airing cupboard (bedding/towels)

Redecorate downstairs cloakroom.

Empty all kitchen cupboards wash and restock (getting rid of equipment we don't use and anything out of date)
Paint kitchen ceiling

Strip wallpaper in living room alcoves and redo (yet to choose design)
Sand and oil dinning table and chairs
Buy new choc brown leather 4 piece suite

Declutter and paint utility room, put up shelving and storage (already bought and waiting in garage to be assembled), then replace everything so room is more useable.

Declutter lower ground floor hallway and buy more sorage units.

Sort playroom getting rid of broken/outgrown toys or stuff they don't play with. Repaint wall ds decided to graffitti on.

Clear out boxes in garage (mostly outgron childrens' clothes and baby furniture etc).

Half a tonne of weeding/thinning/replanting in garden.

Shampoo all carpets and sugar soap all walls and woodwork.

I plan to have it all done by the time my parents come to stay to look after the children whilst dh and I are away for a week in Chicago (any chance I will ?!?!?! ).

Right I will know print that list off so I can tick them one by one. WIsh me luck.

COV...WOW! that's alot to do. WHen are your parents coming??? AUgust i hope!

you've also reminded me of otherthings I need to do...so thanks

Nope I have 6 weeks on Wednesday until they arrive. I am planning on decluttering the childrens' rooms/bathrooms and the playroom this week with their help. Weather permitting the garden will be this weekend. Next week we are away a fair bit. So that leaves me 4 weeks and 2 days. I'm kidding myself aren't I. I think as long as I have achieved the decluttering (excluding the garage) and the cleaning it should be ok. I will de the redecorating part after I get back. I want my motherr's help anyway with redesigning the living room as she is going to make the new window dressings for me.

Dh thinks I am mad as he thinnks the house is fine anyway. Which I guess it is (apart from ds's graffitti ), but I am anal, hate any amount of clutter and disorganisation and like to streamline everything at least once a year.

The redecoration again isn't necessary (the house is only 5 years old) but some of it simply isn't to my taste!

most men always think the house is ok anyway. When we bought our current house dh thought the kitchen was "OK"...it was awful...white 70's formica and falling to bits! Every time i redecorate he forbears to comment now....

i think you are being quite ambitious in planning to decorate too in that time, but you might get the utility room and a bedroom done if you really go for it. You can get alot done if you work on it every day...for me I only have the weekends!

During term time I have quite a bit of child free time (ds is at nursery 9.15 - 12.15 (or 1pm if he stays for lunch), dd is at school until 3.15pm (and ds still naps some afternoons for an hour). Mind you I also have to fit in organising the school May fair for May 17th (the weekend before my parents arrive) as I am the Chair of the PTA. (It isn't going to happen is it?!?) Oh well the more I get done the less I have to do before they break up for the summer holidays!

and it's "Oh so satisfying" when it's all done!

good luck

COV, you seem so organised and a list like that would just stress me so much!!! Don't you find the decorating takes ages? I am trying to decorate the hall and landing and the moment but all the glossing and then waiting for it to dry takes soooooooo long.....It will be ages before i get on to painting the walls, then i have dds bedroom to do, the porch and our bedroom. Should do the kitchen aswell.....but just can't think that far ahead right now!!
Wish i was as organised as you!

crikey hoarsewhisper and ComeoV - I'm impressed. I'm hoping to spring clean ...but working more hours currently and progress is slow ...you have inspired me though

Would love to know - what does everyone do about wall nowadays? We haven't decorated for six years (and there's loads of dust about because huge parts of house are undergoing renovation) so very dusty and dirty.

Do people re-paint nowadays or do you all sugar-soap them down?

I am sugar soaping then will see what they look like. A few rooms I want to redecorate anyway as (we moved here a year ago) they are not to my taste, the rest if ok I will leave otherwise redo. SO far with the children at hom I have managed to declutter kitchen and utility room and paint kitchen ceiling.

Sounds like a good plan ComeOV. I shall do the same although very tall walls so all a bit precarious/bit of a palaver! I'm impressed you managed to get so much done with dc at home.