HGP Week 5: Master Bathroom

[Winged One]

Week Five sees us into the master bathroom and linen closets for Master Bathroom Week at the Holiday Grand Plan. We'll clean and organize personal care and linen storage areas, and continue working on seasonal clothing plans. Holiday prep continues to move forward on to-make and to-buy gifts, and includes a wardrobe check for kids. Ready? Let's get organized with Master Bathroom Week at the Holiday Grand Plan!

Cleaning/Organizing Area:Master Bathroom Master Bathroom/Linen Closet

Holiday Prep
Make one batch of Holiday Goodies.
Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.
Buy two canned food items from menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).
Buy 1/8th of TO BUY gifts. Save all receipts, note return policy before buying. Ask for gift boxes Wrap and label packages.
If needing to ship, get some shipping boxes now and store packages in them.
Work at least 1 hour a day on homemade gifts.
Take toys and books that are outgrown, clean them up and prepare them for donation to toy drives.
Make list of toys and books that children would enjoy and that would fit in their rooms and that would work with what they have. Keep it hand for telling family what they would like.
Inventory clothing and have another list of clothing items needed.
Measure the children and put measurements on this list.

See more at:
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/holiday-grand-plan/master-bathroom-week#sthash.5oz5b6bf.dpuf

 

[Winged One]

This week, is yet another manic one for me. But I am a bit ahead on the bathroom from previous weeks (although still playing catchup on other rooms we've already gone through). And while I haven't listed the needs, DH, DD and I went through her closet a couple of weeks ago so that is done too (and her needs are few really this season - mostly a few spare PJs and we already got another "under-armour" top for a sports base layer - her gaelic training is open enough in winter but hockey is on a pitch 50yards from the sea, so VERY open!! The extra layers are essential!!).

Given the state of the house, my list should be gi-normous this week. But given the state of my life and deadlines everywhere, and DH still away, I am going to keep it reasonably short and hope to catch up and add to it at the weekend (aim to improve rather than setting myself up for failure and lowering my mood further). I started well today by getting a retirement card for my Dad (have to post today) but also got the last birthday cards needed for October and a new house card for my DBro and DSIL. So presents still need to be sorted, but progress is made!

I am also due to travel twice for work between now and Christmas, so I will buy cards in the next 10 days to bring with me on the first trip, and hopefully get all the overseas and at least some cards for Ireland sorted then. And I’ll have the second trip (if I go – someone else may) to write the rest of the Irish ones. I might also manage to get a present or 2 on one or both trips.

[x] Wash inside window of bathroom
[x] Clean air vent
[x] Brush walls, ceiling
[x] Damp mop floor
[x] Clean mirror, glass shelf
[] Deep clean white goods
[] Finish sorting meds
[x] Sort bathroom cabinet
[x] Clean DD's step
[x] Change towels
[x] Empty bin
[x] Wipe tiles
[x] Get rid of old bath toys!!!!

[xxxx] Buy remaining cards needed for October
[x] Post Dad retirement card
[]Post DBro New House card
[] Post 2 DSis's birthday cards (end of the week)
[] Ring Clinic re DD's script

[x] Continue emptying old foods from freezer
[xxxxx] Refill freezer - oven chips, peas, ice cream, chicken, cooked mussels
[] Make and freeze 1 batch cookie dough
[] Make 1 freezer meal
[] Bottle rhubarb gin and rhubarb vodka
[xx] Buy 1 gift
[x] Update master budget and gift spreadsheet
[] Check clothes for all
Christmas Day outfits (DH, DD and I)
2-3 other “nice” outfits
General winter needs
[] Make DD clothes wants/needs list
[] Make list of needs for DH and I (if any)
[] Make DD presents ideas list for any relatives asking
[x] Sort and declutter toys
[] Buy 1 batch cards

 

[Sugarplum]

Wings-Thanks for the reminder about freezing the cookie DOUGH! I really don't want to start baking this early and I totally forgot about making the dough and freezing it. Makes the actual baking of the cookies when you are ready so much quicker with less clean-up etc.

My biggest chore to get to is the cabinet under my bathroom sink. I will save that for next Saturday.

 

[luludou]

wing you are doing so good!! Robin too!

I redid the 3 drawers in the basement bathroom got rid of some stuff but not enough to my liking!

 

[HouseElf]

Wonderful timing - just finished our first virus of the season here- so a good scrub of the bathroom is in order. I ordered new towels, our now over eight year old towels look pretty ratty! Called the local animal shelter - and they are happy to take them! They use them in the kennels and to clean.

This week I am harvesting mint from my herb bed to dry, a gift of peppermint tea.

Froze 6 dozen meatballs for the freezer, marked holiday meal.

 

[Winged One]

Robin, frozen cookie dough is a huge help in this house!! (Especially as DD loves to give Santa freshly made cookies, but some years Christmas Eve is a bit too manic to bake from scratch - but she is happy if we just slice and bake homemade dough from the freezer ).

I am mostly still trying to empty out the freezer - but putting a few things back in.

And I managed, amazingly, to get DD to throw out the old rubber ducks and dogs from the bath toys!! I've been trying for 2 years (she's had them since being a baby), but last night she saw let me throw them out. (We might end up having to replace them soon, but the old ones needed to go). And that was on a very bad night for her emotionally (remembered a serious feeling of being "hard done by" from crèche, which led to a serious meltdown for over an hour). Tonight is going to be spent concentrating on supporting her - cleaning the house has to wait.

 

[Winged One]

While it was not on this week's list, I managed to get 10 minutes sorting the study yesterday afternoon, and another 15 last night - and it was amazing how much I accomplished in that short space of time!! I have 2 bags for goodwill in my car, another 3 bags that will go to my DSis over the weekend (kids clothes and books and dvds for her 2 DCs and some will also go to DNieces/Nephew on DHs side but DSis will get to go through first as she will bring them down "home"). And I now know that I have most of the Christmas Eve hamper sorted as well (have slipper socks for DD and I, pjs for DD and DH, shower gel for DH, and an Elf Christmas jumper for DH for Christmas week - so I only need PJs for me, bath bombs for DD and I (can only get those in December), and some hot choc for all 3 of us (again, probably Dec for the nice ones), so I am happier about that now too).

 

[Lolwlias]

I'm falling a little behind. Last weekend we went to Lake George to The Great Escape. Today we are going to Santa's Workshop in North Pole NY. (Grand-kids should love it, though. One of my co-workers teenage son works there on weekends as a character & he will know their names & call them up to the stage during one of the shows.) Should be good.

 

[Sugarplum]

I'm working in the bathroom today, under the sink. I did my linen closet weeks ago.

I've been collecting shipping boxes. As soon I get them, I am pulling off labels and scribbling out the bar codes with a Sharpie. Trying to get 6 or more boxes ready to ship at the last minute, this will save me tons of time. I will have the mailing labels done ahead of time too.

My DS is moving out in about 2 weeks, if all goes well. He and his sister found a house to rent about 2 miles from me. He has started packing up his room, and I have a bunch of stuff to go with him; towels, sheets, kitchen stuff. So I will be gaining a "guest room/music room" and a true "guest bath" in a few weeks. Luckily I am in good shape with the other rooms so I can spend some time getting these rooms together.

HouseElf-Love peppermint tea! What a thoughtful gift.

 

[HouseElf]

Master bath is in good shape now! With the extra peppermint I am making peppermint extract and drying some for bath mix. My boys love brownies with peppermint!

Looking great ladies!

 

[Winged One]

I made great progress over the weekend, and did a lot in the bathroom but also in other rooms. I didn't get to deep clean the white goods, but I brushed walls and ceilings, cleaned tiles, washed floor etc. brushed ceiling in family room and cleared spiders, cleaned that floor to skirtings, swept and mopped the hall, hoovered sitting room. Cleared out a toy chest and got rid of bags of clutter between broken things to bin, recycling, and givingd6 bags of clothes and toys to my DSis to share between her 2 dc's and my 3 other DNs (sis will bing them all down). Cleaned out books in my bedroom, and dusted all furniture there except dressing table. Caught up on laundry.

And still managed to get to Ikea on Saturday for 4 hours, have a dinner date with DH after he arrived home Sat am, and have my DSis and her DCs visit for 5 hours yesterday.

There must have been something funny in the water Saturday morning!