HGP 2023 - WEEK 2 - Question Week/Living Room

[AuntJamelle]

Heads up MHH friends!!! It is week TWO of the HGP! That means many things. Question Week! Browse Week! Living Room Week! Whew! I don’t know about you, but it is a good thing this week is only week two! LOL I would be way too tired for this much excitement by week twelve!!

Although this week’s official assignment is the Living Room we all know that a fair amount of room juggling is always a part of the HGP journey. Part of the beauty of the HGP is that it lends itself so nicely to that flexibility!

Here is a link to the official Week Two info on the Holiday Grand Plan site:

https://holidaygrandplan.com/02-living-room/

This week in the kitchen:

• 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.

This Week is 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.

This week ask these questions:

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

Share your thoughts on the above questions!

Post links to fun gift or decoration ideas you are browsing!

Let us know what you have on deck for cleaning tasks as well! How is your HGP notebook coming along? Physical or online as the case may be!

A final thought on the Questions assigned this week. I really enjoyed the below article about a simple thing that “remarkably” improved the success of completing things off a to do list.

https://tinyurl.com/5n6h64ee

Basically it boils down to a slight flip of mindset. Instead of a To Do list, make a WHY To Do list!!! WHY do you want to accomplish the task? We all know there are certain tasks, cleaning related or otherwise, that are just BEASTS to get done. For whatever reason. It could be really helpful to focus on why getting them done is going to create benefits - for you and/or for others.

For example, instead of “Clean the living room closet” I might list “Avoid daily issues and arguments with getting shoes and coats out when leaving in the morning. Prevent last minute panic when baskets holding gloves and hats are empty or contents are jumbled and unmatched.”

I’m thinking of trying this approach - not for everything but for the particular things I dread doing every year. The ones I avoid getting started on. I think it could really help me and wanted to share in case it does for others. Some of you may already have known this trick! If so, share how/if it has helped you!

Have fun this week!!!

 

[AuntJamelle]

My goals for this week! There is a LOT but I'm going to do my best!

• Clean vacuum cleaner
  • Rinse filter / collector part
  • Use seam ripper to cut hair wrapped around beater bar
• Bring in tall ladder
  • Clean large arched window
  • Use steel brush to clean drywall mud off the top of fireplace stone (left after summer renovations)
• Dust ceiling fans
• Dust vents in walls (some high up)
• Clean floor fan
  • https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190769734209339711/
• Clean large mirror
• Arrange books so the ends are even with the edge of the shelf
  • Take books downstairs as needed
• Dust book tops
• Clean glass in antique cabinet, inside and out
• Dust inside cabinet as needed
• Oil antique cabinet wood
• Dust (picture frames, behind the TV, book tops, etc.)
• Dust TV screen, spot clean as needed
• Organize contents of blanket chest (make sure to clean-dust underneath it too)
  • Add a scent sachet?
• Living Room closet rework DONE
• WINDOWS
  • Dust blinds
  • Spot clean blinds as necessary
  • Clean windows/sills
  • Mold Prevention?
    • https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AQDiO6HWsf12exSmfSKuRikO2YERstIHlUupm0g9QdssarTzDFpoR5c/
• Clean glass in the French and side doors - inside and out
• Touch up the island with blank paint DONE
• Clean all light switches
• Sprinkle baking soda on dog beds, rugs and couch cushions/ottoman (let sit for 10 minutes +)
  • Vacuum dog beds
  • Vacuum couches including under cushions
• FLOORS
  • Vacuum rugs and remove to deck
  • Clean the rugs (Bissell) - Do other area rugs in house at same time!
  • Vacuum floor
    • Get under couches, tables and recliners
      • Clean off ottoman feet; Attach new slider pads
    • Get underneath the kitchen cabinets/island using broom and/or long Swiffer
    • Pull out floor vents and vacuum them as well
    • Use large sweep mop then go over with Swiffer mop then vacuum
  • Wash the floor
    • Tile areas (Dawn, vinegar and hot water)
    • Wood Flooring (use diluted Murphy’s Soap and get down and scrub it!)
      • Postpone until Dining Room week???
• Clean outside lights (outside French doors)

Holiday Prep:

• Check https://www.visitsouthbend.com/ for events happening this month
• Buy extra grocery items from non-perishable part of Master Grocery List
• Discuss pumpkin patch visit with DH
  • Stover’s? Garwood? Other?
  • Thistleberry Farms?
• Locate Fall Themed Movies and group together DONE
• Buy Halloween candy (look for best deal with sale/coupons)
  • Check https://hip2save.com/
• Decide on simple Halloween costume/accessories for me
  • Here for the Boo’s Shirt + Light Up Necklace?
  • Other? Review Pinterest!
  • Couples Costume?
• Research Halloween costume for DS (Size? $?)
  • He wants a costume for friend’s party only, no trick or treating this year
• Make two freezer meals or meal components
• Buy at least 2 stocking stuffers and/or Advent gifts
• NEW **Order return address labels for Christmas cards!!! Or figure out how to print my own!!!
• WISH LIST work
  • Add ideas for Myself to public Amazon list
  • Do same for DS
  • Reminders for DH, DSis and fiancé to update theirs
• Craft
  • Christmas Gift Focus

 

[Lori K]

I love that article about change of mind-set!

To keep myself on track, here's where I'll focus my cleaning --

• Dust crown moulding (because I hate cobwebs and spiders)
• Dust / wipe down baseboards; touch up paint as needed
• Thoroughly dust all furniture
• Vacuum couches and freshen them (where pup sunbathes in the front window)
• Wash windows inside and out (so I can clearly see the pond across the street) -- We've had rain, so can't get to the outside.
• Wash screens
• Dust artwork
• Wipe down and organize buffet and china cabinet inside and out
• Living room floors
• Autumn décor out [started]
• Change candles and wax melts
• Swap pottpouri for Autumn scent
• Hang autumn garden flag
• Trim potted indoor plants and add soil / mulch as needed
• Arrange a time for carpet cleaning for office area
• Call to schedule Fall furnace tune-up (I want a furnace that continues to work well all winter long)

Holiday prep --
I'll be traveling on Halloween, so no need to buy candy for the neighborhood kiddos (or, maybe I'll still buy some, but for myself???).

• Order Christmas cards and print return address labels
• Keep an eye out and ear open for gift ideas for DD and DSIL
• Have conversation re: Thanksgiving with DSis's and DM. Maybe a pre-Thanksgiving here, so we can all see each other???
• Work on crochet Christmas gift for DD

 

[Whusky]

@AuntJamelle the vacuum cleaner thing made me laugh hehe

My week 2 is based on the back garden. I swapped the weeks around so I'm not gardening in the rain!

I've bought some extra flour, chocolate chips, and glace cherries for baking. At some point I'm going to make choc chip and cherry cookies to freeze.

Just about done my long term shopping list.

This year, DH and I are only buying presents for our kids (we're trying to clear debt), so our gift list in very straightforward!

Today DH cut the grass and cleaned the patio area, so that's taken care of. The plants I have don't need anything doing to them either, so it's a quiet week for me

 

[halimer]

I'm exhausted just reading everyone's lists!

This week I will check my holiday cards and change out my summer decor for fall.

Last week I bought extra baking chocolate.

 

[Myron's Mom]

This is a free week for me since I’ve been working ahead and the living room is done. If I can find some cabbage that is reasonable priced I’ll start my cabbage rolls. Finally found corn Chex that were not out dated so I have them for Chex mix.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I am going to wait a few more weeks to do the loungeroom, just in time for our annual motor racing day early October. I am going to follow this amazing list then.

 

[Myron's Mom]

I just checked the US post office site, you can pre order the snow globe Christmas stamps now.

 

[Miss JoDee]

I have everything checked of on my Bathroom Checklist. Waiting for the floor to dry so I can put back what belongs in there. I have a new shower liner to replace the old and the old one doesn't look to bad so will fold it up and put it with paint supplies. I got started just before 8 and because the weather its to be HOT today. I found a lot of dead
Brown marmorated stink bugs in the window and found a few during the winter in the tub. As I was cleaning the window I noticed the gaps between the frame and the screen so we will caulk around the screen and hopefully keep them out. One day I will replace the window with a window that doesn't open but gives light to the room.

I hope to do the master bedroom yet this week. I have a lot of measuring and moving of furniture to do as I really want to cozy it up for winter. It may or may not work. I am visual when it comes to spaces and DH can get a little impatient when he has to help move furniture back and forth. I will remind him of that before we start, not in a critical way but let's keep each others strengths and weaknesses in mind as we work together.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I hope to do the master bedroom yet this week. I have a lot of measuring and moving of furniture to do as I really want to cozy it up for winter.

Let us know how it ends up. I like the fact that you are getting ready to cosy in.

 

[AuntJamelle]

Well we made it through Labor Day weekend!!!

Around our house we barely survived it! Between DMIL still being in rehab facility for broken leg and DBIL having to go to ER for chest pain (he had major heart attack, multiple stents put in last year) things have been...hectic. Not going to go into all the details of the domino game of darkness Suffice to say an extremely large amount of stress and responsibility has been dropped on DH's shoulders (and in turn mine) due to the poor decision making/planning of others.

HGP Progress? Well...a little!

I did accomplish some freezer cooking - about 2/3rds of what I had planned.

And DH - bless him - cleaned the living room/hallway area rugs after I vacuumed them and took them outside. Which is major task to mark off the list!

I vacuumed the couches, under cushions, dog beds etc.

Then it ocurred to me that after our emptying of the main floor this summer for rennovations I never put back the decorative fire screen in front of our living room fireplace. I had a vague idea of where I might have put it. I went on the hunt.

To be clear, we had to completely empty the main floor of our house into either the finished lower level or an enclosed trailer a friend loaned us. We got very creative on where things went. Flat things, like a folded up fire screen, could have been put oh so many places. Under beds, couch, etc. I looked and looked for a while.

GUESS WHERE I FOUND IT????

After I had giving up looking it suddenly hit me. I had put it in front of our downstairs fireplace. I'd walked right past it without seeing it over and over.

Y'all, I need a vacation. Or Calgon! Or something! LOL

 

[AnnieClaus]

A seam ripper!
I have long, thick hair and the way it wraps around the vacuum cleaner roller- oh my!

Seam ripper- where have you been all my life. Ordering one NOW!

 

[Lori K]

A seam ripper!
I have long, thick hair and the way it wraps around the vacuum cleaner roller- oh my!

Seam ripper- where have you been all my life. Ordering one NOW!

I've got the same situation and have never thought of that. Always break out a pair of scissors and whittle away. Good sugesiton!

 

[Miss JoDee]

Working at trying to figure out the plan for how to cozy up the bedroom for winter and decided that what I wanted to do just won't work. I have one idea to try with DH's help but not sure it will work either.
What I wanted to do involved moving a lot furniture. Truthfully, I really don't want to move it and not have it work and have to put it all back. The room is just not big enough. I will figure out a way to refresh the room as just a change in the curtains will make it cozier. I guess what I am saying I need to change something in the room to show that I worked hard and it should look like I cleaned in there......lol

 

[Lori K]

Working at trying to figure out the plan for how to cozy up the bedroom for winter and decided that what I wanted to do just won't work. I have one idea to try with DH's help but not sure it will work either.
What I wanted to do involved moving a lot furniture. Truthfully, I really don't want to move it and not have it work and have to put it all back. The room is just not big enough. I will figure out a way to refresh the room as just a change in the curtains will make it cozier. I guess what I am saying I need to change something in the room to show that I worked hard and it should look like I cleaned in there......lol

I'd always wanted to do something simliar. But not having anyone nearby who can help with furniture, I now just switch out some of my bedroom linens. My bedroom is done in blues, so I start with swapping out my sheets for ones with snowflakes on them -- used year after year in the coldest winter months, and use my same solid-color bedspread and shams. I've gotten inexpensive holiday pillow covers off Amazon and just put them over a couple of throw pillows I already have (and, since they're just covers, they can be quickly removed and folded flat for off-season storing). I also add a cozy knit or fleece blanke/throw in holiday tones that goes with my theme and it brings a little touch of the holidays in my bedroom. In my master bath, I'll switch out towels for some Christmas ones I've accumulated over the years and add some finger towels and Christmas scented hand soap.. I use a holiday Scentsy plug-in wax melt nightlight in the bathroom and that gets changed out for a nice cinnamon scent. A little touch here or there can do the trick without a total rearrange.

 

[Miss JoDee]

Thanks Lori for some ideas on how just changing the linens and bed covering can change up the room.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Working at trying to figure out the plan for how to cozy up the bedroom for winter and decided that what I wanted to do just won't work. I have one idea to try with DH's help but not sure it will work either.
What I wanted to do involved moving a lot furniture. Truthfully, I really don't want to move it and not have it work and have to put it all back. The room is just not big enough. I will figure out a way to refresh the room as just a change in the curtains will make it cozier. I guess what I am saying I need to change something in the room to show that I worked hard and it should look like I cleaned in there......lol

Measure each piece of furniture you want to move. Put painters tape on the floor in the spots you think you want to move the pieces. that way you can see if it might work. Do not leave the tape on carpet more than a day or two.

 

[Myron's Mom]

We have a huge master suite but re arranging the furniture is impossible due to doors windows, furniture size, etc, so I do as Lori said change out accessories to change the look. Changing linens, curtains, adding seasonal floral arrangements etc can make it a completely different room. We have also done the tape thing to see if furniture will fit. We’ve also used old news paper cutouts for that purpose. We did all that when we were ordering our furniture to make sure it would fit nicely in our rooms. Paper cutouts also work well for arranging art work on walls.

 

[halimer]

We have a huge master suite but re arranging the furniture is impossible due to doors windows, furniture size, etc, so I do as Lori said change out accessories to change the look. Changing linens, curtains, adding seasonal floral arrangements etc can make it a completely different room.

These are all great ideas. I make a lot of use of pillow covers in the LR and since we have a mantel I change it out seasonally too.

 

[Myron's Mom]

No cleaning here but I did finish the snowman project that should have been done last year. I’ve been chasing those supplies around my sewing room for over a year. He’s ready to go in the main floor bath. Doesn’t sound like a lot but was one of things that was on my to do list.