Week 2: September 8-14, 2013

[HouseElf]

By Cynthia Ewer,
Author ofComplete Idiot's Guide to Getting Organized


Week Two? It's all about questions during Question Week in the Holiday Grand Plan.
During this week, we'll continue making lists and planning our holiday.

We'll get in touch with our values through important questions.

In the cleaning component, we tackle the living room, decluttering and deep-cleaning to prepare for holiday entertaining.

Ready? Let's get organized with the Holiday Grand Plan!

Cleaning/Organizing Area:

Living Room
Living Room Cleaning Checklist

Holiday Prep

• Buy extra flour, sugar, shortening, etc.
• Make one extra meal for the freezer labeled HOLIDAY MEAL. This should be large enough to feed the family plus two people.
• (Find recipes and ideas for freezer cooking at OrganizedHome.Com's Freezer Cooking Guide.)

Browse Week:

• Develop ideas for gifts, decorations.
• Order Christmas cards and address labels.
• For your friends of other religions take the time to find out what their major holiday is and look for an appropriate card to send to them at that time.
• Divide gift responsibilities with other family members.

Ask these questions:

1. Do I see Christmas time primarily as a time for entertaining friends and renewing long lost acquaintances or as a time for family?
2. How much emphasis do our Christmas activities place on the spiritual side of Christmas?
3. How involved is my family in the Christmas preparation?
4. What activities are particularly important to our family at Christmas? To myself?
5. Why do we observe the traditions we do in our house?
6. How important is an elaborately decorated house, homemade gifts or food, to my feelings about Christmas?
7. What would my ideal Christmas be like?

 

[luludou]

My LR has been deep-cleaned in May, so it's in pretty good shape. the only thing I did today was change my mantel for Fall décor. I'll clean it up again after Halloween decorations will be taken down.

This week I'll be working in dd's bedroom. It is the only room that hasn't been deep-cleaned this week.
I also did my pantry yesterday so I know what I need to buy for Holiday cooking.

 

[Pigeon House]

I keep up with my weekly cleaning in the living room so I want to tackle cleaning the windows, bleaching the sills, caulking windows and washing curtains. I clean my living room on Wednesdays so ill give it an extra good scrub that day!!

I'm also going to buy some food to put away for the holidays and hopefully tackle the front porch that I didn't get to last week due to inclement weather.

 

[Farmermom4]

I made more copies for my notebook, talked to some of the family to make holiday plans. Everyone is on board. I am hoping to work on the living room tomorrow, the family is watching football today, so that wouldn't work so well now, lol! I am kind of trading out the living room/entry way and working on them both for the next two weeks. My entry/sunporch is right when you walk in from outside so that desperately needs attention right now!!

 

[HouseElf]

We had amazing weather today, so I worked in the garden. Harvested a lot more cucumbers than I thought I had out there (I think they hide!). Made some pickles, and put aside a bunch for a friend at work.

Have a list of needed holiday staples for baking, picked up two packages of the gluten free sugar free corn flakes (half price) - and put aside for the crumble topping.

Made a roast, it was HUGE, so before I put it in the crockpot I cut it in half. The other half I chopped into chunks, seasoned and browned, added some carrots, onions, and garlic etc... from the garden, and bone broth, for my first holiday freezer meal; crockpot beef stew. Will take out the night before I need it, pop into the crockpot on my way out the door for work, served with garlic pureed cauliflower.

I have cards I purchased last year for this year!

The living room is a small space, but the bookshelves could use some attention - mostly due to the clutter they collect. I need to sort through our family games (stored in this room) and donate what is too young for our family.

We divided the gift list for the boys, I am to purchase one gift and their stockings, my husband will pick out the other two (boys receive three gifts each, plus stocking).

Nieces and nephews, we give money. They are all in late high school or starting university - so cash is what they like now. Simple for us.

We are doing great ladies, keep up the good work!:elf:

 

[dreamto]

I have accomplished a lot today

[X]Take everything off walls, dust it, and set it aside.
[/]Dust or wash the wall,
[X]vacuum or dry-clean draperies and blinds.
[/]Sweep down ceilings, corners and tops of doorways
[] Vacuum under cushions
[][][][X][X][X][X][X]Wooden furniture (and anything with drawers/shelves): Empty, sort and throw away what you really don't need. Put the rest where it belongs.
Dust/polish
[/}Baseboards: depending on condition they're in, dust or wash them.
Clean the TV screen
[X] Don't neglect the stereo items either.
[]Re-organize tapes/records/videos as per your needs.
[X]Electrical cords (check for frayed wires)
[]Doorknobs/drawer-handles (are they clean?)
[]Light switches ( do they have fingerprints)

 

[Winged One]

This week, I will concentrate on the Living Room (it badly needs it!) but I also have some porch tasks to finish and want to keep making progress on clearing DD's clutter while DH is still at home and DD is in the mood to do it.

Cleaning:
[] Clean inside windows
[] Dust blinds
[] Dust behind picrtures, mirro
[] Dust bookcases
[] Sweep ceiling and wall corners
[] Hoover to skirtings
[] Clean leather seats
[] Treat carpet stains
[] Clear bookshelves clutter
[] Sort and file papers
[] Dump excess paper ("useful recipes" and craft ideas etc I've never made)
[] Check all bulbs in lights
[] Clean CD shelves
[] Empty and sort drinks press
[] Clean tv screen, mirror
[] Clean stove
[] Clean top of fireplace
[] Put out lightlights
[] Check candles, matches, firelighters etc needs
[x] Sweep back patio
[] Clip back plants in back garden
[] Sow leeks, broad beans
[x] Do DD seasonal clothes change

Organising:
[x] Buy and send birthday card to DBro (birthday this week)
[xxxx] Buy birthday cards for DF, DFIL, DSis, DSis2 - all October birthdays
[x] Buy retirement card for DF
[xx] Buy postage stamps for local and international postage
[x] DD Neurology appointment
[x] Go to SN Parenting course (last night of main course)
[] Send DD school report to Clinic
[x] Arrange meeting with school
[x] Banking - lodgement, switching to savings
[x] Use vouchers for stocking up on baking ingredients
[x] Clear out freezer
[] Buy 1st batch Christmas cards if they're out yet
[] Do KK draw with siblings
[/] Agree with Siblings what gifts are joint, make logistical arrangements (Dad 65th birthday, Dad retirement, Mum & Dad 40th Wedding anniversary) {Discussions being held by text message - due to overseas location and time zone differences for some}
[] Start cards list
[x] Update gift list and budget spread sheet
[x] Buy 1 gift
[] Work on crafts - playroom curtain is 1st item
[x] Organise picture-framer for nautical chart for Dad retirement gift
[] Find out about American college football match tickets for Croke Park
[x] Go to beautician (Tues) [Have to cancel as home life interfering - so re-arrangement necessary]


It's a scarily long list - but generally small items and I have a better chance of success by having lots of small things to tick off in the 5 minute slots of free time I get.

 

[Winged One]

I forgot to say - I am also working on remembering to eat healthily again and get some exercise - as part of making those 2 items a routine for me. So this morning I got a quick swim on my way to work, tomorrow I have the 2nd of a weekly yoga class (it's at 6.30 am but I like morning yoga, just not sure about SOOO early!). And I have got a new container to hold plenty of fruit at work which is full today, I have a large tub of yoghurt and some fresh berries (raspberries and blueberries) for breakfasts when I get to work, and a bottle of lemon juice that I drink with hot water and honey instead of tea/coffee at least twice a day.

It's not necessarily part of the HGP, but when focusing on building routines again properly, it helps to think of healthy routines for us as well.

 

[Pigeon House]

Way to go everyone!!! I worked on my porch yesterday getting cobwebs down. If time today I need to bleach the slimy concrete. Today is dd's first day of pre kindy so she's nervous and I want to make sure I give her lots of extra love today!!!

 

[dreamto]

I am only following the cleaning part of the plan. I will jump in later with the CC.

Living Room is Finished!!!!!! (I did have help, my SIL and DH helped me some on Sunday)

I still need to work on the front porch so IF the weather permits, I want to get the concrete floor stripped and stained. I want to paint my front door and also paint a flower pot for the porch.

 

[Farmermom4]

Somehow this week ended up being the entryway/sunroom project! Since it is the first room you enter from the patio it was my logical choice, the fact it was a nightmare helped also!! Got the fall/winter valances changed from summer, washed the inside of the windows. Got almost all the stuff dusted, vacuumed and washed the floor. Will try to finish up today, the weather is gorgeous so it is almost a joy to work on this room, lol!
Need to also take the boot rack outside to wash off and get rid of some old shoes.

 

[Pigeon House]

Got the front porch cleaned today and bought a pot of mums. It is insanely humid today so my porch won't dry lol. Once it dries ill put things back and fall decorate it.

I really need to paint front door but I'ts going to be humid and hot for two more days and then get cooler... Maybe Friday or Saturday

Tomorrow my focus will be errands and living room

 

[SparkleNana]

Everyone is doing such a good job! It is inspiring... to read about progress!!! I am doing work outside... EVERY day.... when it is terribly hot.... I just don't spend so long, working outside!

Cleaning, decluttering, organizing... every day!!!!! From years past... I KNOW... that every little thing done.... really does help!!!!!

Plus... I am thinking, thinking, thinking! Working on making my relationships... NOW.... with friends and family.... more positive and more calm! That helps now.... and it helps for the holidays too!

 

[HouseElf]

Great points SparkleNana!

All is going well, found a couple projects that I would like to do (change fabric on couch and chairs...) But that is not happening this year!

Found a funny saying, that cleaning your house with (teenagers) is like trying to brush your teeth while eating Oreos some days it does feel like it!

 

[aggy]

My living room is pretty much in order. Vacuumed and polished the furniture. I just need to wipe down the patio doors/windows and put up some sheers in between the curtains that are hanging up there. Now that they (mgmt) have cut down the trees behind my bldg, the houses on the road behind me can see clearly into our units. The vertical blinds alone does little to nothing unless I put them on a slant, but I love the natural light to come in. The sheers will help a lot I can open my blinds all the way without the neighbors seeing my every move.

I bought two new side chairs recently for the living room and they look great. I found them in Walmart (by Better Homes & Garden) for only $69 each. Now I'm working on replacing the sofa and larger chair (next: a trip to Ikea).

I also cleaned out the top half of my armoire that used to house a 19" tv. I had started throwing all kinds of stuff in there just to get out of sight. Now the only thing I keep in there are my comforters and board games.

 

[Lolwlias]

I washed the livingroom walls, the windows & screens have been cleaned. I polished the furniture & now I need to shampoo the carpet. This next week I will do the diningroom. This way I'll be able to shampoo the livingroom & diningroom at the same time since they are one large open area together. (I do need to vacuum my couch still.)

 

[Winged One]

I didn't get too much done in the end. Real life interfered and I needed to spend more time with DD reassuring her and making sure the Au Pair got settled in properly.

I DID get to put away DD's summer clothes and take out winter last night, as the seasons shifted dramatically here this week. I will do mine this coming week. And I ticked off a few more small tasks from other weeks ahead on my weekly lists. But the living room may become 1 I tackle over the October mid-term break instead.

Oh well, any progress is good.