October 11th - Guest Room

[aggy]

Well its the week I've been dreading - the Guest Room. I can't do it right now because I'm using my G1 phone but as soon as I get to a computer I am going to show you why I dread it. LOL

I am telling you the truth when I say it is a complete disaster. When I first moved into my apartment (10 yrs ago) I only had 2 nephews (ages 7 & 8) and 1 niece (age 11) with 2nd niece on the way. I had the room done so nicely for them. They had bunk beds (twin with full on bottom) with matching bedding, and everything a child could have in there. I had even stenciled a nice border around the room. That's how much time they spent with me (every weekend and vacation).

Then I got rid of the bunkbeds when they became teens and just had a full size bed in there. They weren't visiting as much (You know how teens get LOL) and the room was still pretty nice. Then I sold the bed last year and that's when my problem began.

So far I have:

Cleaned windows
Replaced summer curtains with winter curtains
Hung fall wreaths in windows with electric candles
Organized closet (went through summer wardrobe and shoes)
Donated old printer and barely used scanner to Salvation Army
Started washing large bags of laundry
Sorted through and shredded paper piles

Still to do:

Finish laundry
Finish laundry
Finish laundry


Then after the holidays I want to get rid of the mismatch furniture and make it into a kind of lounge/guest room.


So what do you plan to work on this week?

 

[halimer]

Wow Aggy - you've impressed me with what you've already DONE! Can't wait to see the room when it's finished.

 

[SparkleNana]

Halimer - I am with you! I also am very impressed with what aggy has already accomplished!

Aggy -- a guest room/study is what I dream of - just like you! Instead - I have rolling mountains of clutter. But lots of it is GOOD clutter! My clothes (some in-season; some out-of-season). Christmas gifts. And decorations. And rolls of wrapping paper. Oh - lots and lots of different things.

I DREAM of a guest room that is "ready to go". Ready to welcome an overnight guest - with no advance notice. Sigh. Maybe THIS is the year that actually happens.

You know, I have "stayed" in a number of different guest rooms over the years. What really matters is -- a bed that is clear - to sleep in. Period. (Or at least - that is what matters to me.)

I have stayed in very pristine guest rooms. (The garage may be stuffed to the gills - but there was no clutter in the guest room. And that was fine.) I have also stayed in guest rooms where there was a little "goat trail" to the bed. But the bed was clear for sleeping. That was fine too.

What mattered to ME as a house guest was -- was I genuinely welcome! The condition of the guest room did not matter to me. But -- I STILL want an attractive, presentable room - to offer my guests. Go figure!

Well -- if there are going to be actual changes in the guest room -- I am going to have to put in A LOT of time. However.... baby steps. Baby steps. Let's not "burn out".

 

[Winged One]

Jobs for Guest Room:
[] Brush ceilings and behind pictures
[] Hoover to skirtings
[] Dust furniture
[] Dust blinds
[] Clean inside windows
[] Clean and dust inside wardrobes
[] Sort through wardrobe, putting no longer used off-season clothes aside for donating
[x] Sort through top cupboard
[] Clear off PC desk
[] Clear out bookcase
[x] Clear off top of beds
[] Make up beds (clean sheets sitting on top of beds)
[] Clear out under beds
[] Put out welcoming touches for guests - box tissues, bathroom essentials basket, tray for etc

Jobs from previous weeks that I REALLY want to get to:
[] Empty out top of linen closet, sort, put linens rarely used into attic
[] Sort through toys chests for ones no longer used

Budget and paperwork jobs:
[] Update budget spreadsheet
[] Update Christmas gift list and Christmas budget
[] Start Cards database - well, at least I've filled them in to my notebook
[] Get the few addresses I need from MIL and Mum, and check on new additions to cousin's families
[] Write 10 cards
[] BUY new cards - need about 20
[] Remind DH about making cards for couple of special folks (using photo of DD) - HIS project
[] Buy wrapping paper for grownups presents
[] Ring the man about car repairs (scratched paintwork compensation)
[] Arrange flu jab for me
[] Ring restaurant to book for Dad's birthday dinner

Crafts aims:
[] Rip back and reknit (correctly) sleeve for cardigan for Baby boy (friend's baby)
[] Sew in tails on 8 facecloths already knit
[] Sew in tails on DD scarf (already knit)
[] Make progress on DH's scarf (work lunchtimes project, and commutes when I take the right bag)
[] Sew 2 totes
[] Sew 1 baby fleece blanket
[] Start dollie clothes

Shopping tasks:
[] Look for fabrics for bedroom curtains and headboard - still looking, reckon this is a "post-Christmas" project at this stage
[] Look for fabric for bathroom blind (another “post Christmas” project?)
[] Buy pyjamas for DD
[] Look for nice pair trousers for DD

Kitchen and veggie garden tasks:
[x] Organise meals for week
[] Work on emptying out freezer
[] Cover pumpkins on allotment with fleece as first frosts are due - consider harvesting
[] Harvest Potatoes, beans, brocolli
[] Dig over, mulch and cover 1 bed if time allows

 

[Winged One]

I like the notion of a guest BED being ready and welcoming, no matter what state the rest of that room is in. I try to strip the beds and remake them as soon as any guests I have leave, so that any advance notice I get (like 10 minutes before arrival), I can spend on emergency clutter busting anywhere that needs it, scooting stuff from top of beds to under them, grabbing a stack of clean towels (matching or not - clean is important!) from hot press, and putting on the kettle for a welcoming cup of tea/coffee. (And beds are ready for occupation!).

I would like to get into the wardrobe in that room and do a good clearing out job, as that is where I store my "off-season" clothes and also a reasonable amount of crafting materials and gift items. It's one big mess at the moment really.

I also need to sort out the bookcase in that room too (it's a combination guest room/office), which has all sorts of clutter dumped into it. So need to sort out, get rid of unwanted things, and make it less "officey". The same goes for the pc desk, which is covered in clutter. It needs to double as a sort of dressing table for guests - which it can't at the moment.

And I want to organise the guest welcoming stuff better. I have a plain cardboard box of tissues, and the material to make a cover for the past few eyars. The basket of emergency bathroom things (shower cap, shower gel and shampoo from various hotels, sewing kit, an emergency toothpaste from a plane, travel sized deodorant from a "goodie bag" at a girlie event etc) needs freshening up and there are things I want to add (such as a spare toothbrush, a bath bomb or small bottle of bubbles), as well as a couple of things like some painkillers and antacids etc.

I need to find a space to put my old hairdryer (works perfectly, but I got a more powerful one for better, quicker grooming) and the travel iron, and a spare hot water bottle. And put spare blankets and pillows within easy reach.

The tray for drinks just has clean glasses (I have a jug with a lid for water in the kitchen to fill fresh when visitors arrive). I want to put my travel kettle (used to have in work, but not needed there anymore) and a couple of mugs there also, with a few packets of tea, coffee and hot choc beside it. And perhaps some chocolate bar biscuits (the individually wrapped type) for a treat.

In the meantime, if I can get a good cleaning session done (mainly dusting), make beds and make a start on the clutter, the room is "good to go" for any unexpected guests!!

 

[luludou]

Winged one I want to be a guest at your home! Sounds so welcoming with all the little attentions.

 

[Winged One]

Thanks Luludou, but most of those are not quite there yet (well, they're hidden in the wardrobe, but need to be put where guests can find them!!)

 

[AuntJamelle]

This week I will be trying to catch up from last week's goal of getting done with the Sunroom!

Never touched it! {sigh} So here is my list of things to try and get done this week!

SUNROOM

[ ] Go through dry sink, remove any remaining gardening supplies to garage and/or shed, organize any items left
[ ] Dust ceiling fans
[ ] Dust corners, door ways, etc. for cobwebs
[ ] Windex all windows, inside and out (including French doors)
[ ] Clean out all window sills
[ ] Wash outside of both doors as needed

Floors are a normal part of the weekly cleaning routine so I'm not going to count that on my HGP list...

GUEST ROOM

There is less to do in this room since the bedding is clean and ready to go. We just moved the spare room downstairs to leave space for the baby room upstairs and alot of cleaning happened at that time.

But I definitely still have work to do! DH has a lot of items still in the room on wall to wall shelves. If nothing else, I can straighten and dust. That will be better than nothing!

[ ] Dust all ceiling corners, etc.
[ ] Straighten up items on all shelves
[ ] Relocate/Donate/Toss or Keep items in room as necessary
[ ] Dust all shelves
[ ] Vacuum floor

CHRISTMAS PREP TASKS

[ ] Put batch of chicken taco meat in freezer
[ ] Work on Christmas cards
[ ] Prepare shipping address and return labels using Christmas stationary
[ ] Put 1 batch of cookie dough in freezer
[ ] Create "Wrapping Party" invites on laptop at home/Print on Christmas stationary (Have brand new toner cartidges - should be all set!)

 

[SparkleNana]

Well -- here we are at Tuesday, October 13th. I honestly do not know if I am going to be able to get the Room of the week -- the Guest Rook - really in shape for Christmas 2009!. It IS better. But whether it will really be presentable? Honestly..... I don't know. I MAY have to move the goal to Christmas 2010!

To tell the truth -- I do not actually expect any houseguests for 2009. Perhaps for March of 2010. Realistically - that is the earliest. So -- why am I driving myself crazy to get the guest room ready by Christmas 2009? ...... I don't know....... It just SHOULD be ready for guests.

And..... maybe it actually WILL be ready for Christmas guests, 2009.

So - today - I have done more work on the endless paperwork for the office part of the room of the week. AND - I have done work on the clothing part of the Room of the Week. And I have done real life stuff. Sigh.

 

[Cathymac]

Cut it out, Aggy...

I don't have a guest room-every room we have is packed full of little boys! I am going to use this week to finish up my Boo!Bash3 planning/prep and then finish (hopefully) decorating the back porch. We have quite a bit of things to do in the yard after all the rain...and not much time to get it done. Hopefully the sun will come out Friday-that's what they are promising, so we'll have to see.

Good job, Aggy. I am humbled by your energy!!

 

[HouseElf]

I do not have a guest room - buy I do have a corner of the basement that is my 'office' space - that is my focus this week

 

[SparkleNana]

I just peeked at Gingerbug's list of rooms for the HGP. Do you know what comes up next week? THE KITCHEN! Now - which is worse? The guest room/office or the kitchen? I'll leave you to think about that.

AND -- we still have this weekend to work on the guest room/office! Will you be able to work on the HGP this weekend!

 

[aggy]

Sparkle Nana I would have to say that the guest room is the worst for me. My kitchen is small so there's not much to do in there.

 

[AuntJamelle]

The kitchen wins here! It needs way more attention than the Guest Room - and is higher on my priority list.

Which is fortunate, since I never did do anything to the Guest Room this past week! {sigh}

But I will come back and touch on it as I can between now and the shower (we'll be having folks put their coats on the bed in this room) so that is is neat and tidy. I'll recruit DH for this since most of the clutter right now is his - one whole wall of bookshelves just filled with misc stuff.

We've talked about it and some things like old magazines, catalogs he just intends to pitch. I just need to help get him motivated to do it. Poor guy has been working himself to death on misc construction type projects he wanted done before people come over for the shower - I wish I could just do it for him - but he wants to be involved so it will just have to wait until he gets some time!