Surprise!

Lars is away all day - not coming home until 7am tomorrow. I want to surprise him with a... if not spic-and-span, then at least decent looking, post-crisis cleaned apartment.

Should be do-able if I don't let myself get side-tracked by perfectionism. Will you cheer me on? ;)

• Kitchen (total ~47 40min)
  
  • Do dishes (2 x 15min)
    
  • Take down trash (2min)
    
  • Take down recyclables (5min)
    
  • Wipe down benches + stovetop (3min)
    
• Bedroom (total ~26min)
  
  • Place dirty clothes in hamper (1min)
    
  • Place clean clothes in closets (5min)
    
  • Clear top of dresser (10min)
    
  • Move random stuff from floor (10min)
    
• Bathroom (total ~15min)
  
  • Clean mirror (5min)
    
  • Wipe down sink (5min)
    
  • Remove random stuff from top of cupboards (5min)
    
• Living room - couch area (total ~32 22min)
  
  • Fold laundry (7min)
    
  • Put away laundry (3min)
    
  • Put away books (2min DON'T get side-tracked by the overflowing bookshelves!)
    
  • Put away other random stuff (10min)
    
• Living room - dining area (total ~22min)
  
  • General tidying and removing random stuff (20min - probably WAY less, but I actually don't remember how bad it looks)
    
  • Wipe down table (2min)
    
• Living room - desk area (total ~27min)
  
  • Take down trash (2min) (not quite, but it's packed and ready to take down when I leave tomorrow.)
    
  • Put away bookmooch envelopes (5min)
    
  • General clearing off of desk (20min)
    

If my estimates are correct (and they're probably WAY exaggerated) that's a total of 176mins ~ 3 hours of work (3 hours? Wow, I'd BETTER be exaggerating!!!). I'll time myself and make it a competition to beat my estimates ;)

No cleaning at all, other than the bathroom. That's not the point of this 'exercise' ;) And I know I'd crash and burn if I tried to add that as well. As it is, I'll put on some good music or an audiobook on my mp3-player and just go nuts.

... I hope! First of all I just need to get motivated to START! ;)

22:52 - I'm DONE! Before and after photos will be posted to LJ tomorrow.

We're not going to start another weekend with the house in a midden

MASTER BEDROOM

1. put away clothes
2. make bed
3. deliver dirty clothes to laundry
4. pack up dvds and return to the lounge
5. bribe kids, by offering use of go-duster, to dust bedroom
6. vacuum

GEORGIANA'S ROOM

1. make bed
2. put clothes away
3. deliver dirty clothes to laundry
4. deliver books to bookshelf
5. bribe kids into dusting room
6. return toys to toy basket
7. reinstate doll's house

MICHAEL'S ROOM

1. make bed with clean sheets
2. put toys away
3. put books away
4. put clothes away
5. quickly sort out bookshelf
6. clear off top of drawers
7. clear off bedside
8. vacuum
9. bribe kids to dust room

upload photos of beautifully tidied bedrooms

BooMama's Before and After Bloggy Carnival

DAY ONE:
the routine stuff

• make beds
• do dishes
• swish toilet
• get meat out
• sweep kitchen floor

the not-so-routine-stuff

Crisis-cleaning BIG time

Oh my!

We're selling our apartment and the realtor just called to say he is coming THIS TUESDAY!!! TUESDAY!!!! That's only 4 short days away, and we have SO much to do before then.

Right Maria, don't panic. Organise! So here's a list of what we need to do before then.

Lars has thankfully offered to do those in italics.

Kitchen

• Do dishes and keep them done.
  
• Take down bottles for recycling
  
• Clean under sink
  
• Wipe down counter tops
  
• Wipe down cupboards and fridge (outside only)
  
• Vacuum
  

Bedroom

• Get rid of Mt. Washmore
  
• Put away all unpaired socks
  
• Vacuum
  

Hall/Entrance

• Put away most shoes
  
• Straighten shelves
  
• Straighten coat-rack
  
• Vacuum
  

Bathroom

• Straighten shelves
  
• Swish and swipe
  
• Vacuum
  

Storage room

• Give up! No WAY this is going to be presentable before Tuesday. It's a 1x2 meter room filled with all the boxes and stuff we have no room for elsewhere. We'll just hope he won't need photos of that for the presentation.
  

Living room

• Straighten bookshelves
  
• Straighten DVDs
  
• Straighten videos
  
• Clean up my desk
  
• Clean up Lars' desk
  
• Fold laundry
  
• Get rid of dead potted plants
  
• Dust
  
• Vacuum
  

Fifteen minutes at a time... I can do this! *gulp*

Countdown is on

This happens every year without fail. Every single year. The last week of school comes in December and I think "I('ve got 5 weeks to kick everything into shape. If the house still looks like this when school goes back, I'll know I have failed.

I'll leave it to you to figure out that school goes back in just over a week and the house looks like...
I have nine sleeps to work so that I know I'm not a failure.

SLEEP ONE: Bedrooms

Some work and some play

15 minutes kitchen
15 minutes laundry
15 minutes kitchen
15 minutes bedrooms
1 hour scrapbooking!!

Getting the week off to a good start

REGULAR

• make beds
• tidy floors
• load dishwasher
• run dishwasher
• tidy kitchen
• swish and swipe bathroom
• empty bins

ERRANDS

• blood tests
• ring DET
• ring accountant
• make appointment with Dr P.

EXTRAS

• sort out cutlery drawer
• sort out saucepan cupboard
• clean out fridge
• tidy pantry...don't take everything out; just tidy from inside

Starting from scratch again

Before Christmas the house wasn't perfect but it was at least under control. Since Christmas it has deteriorated by the hour and now I am back to having so much to do it is hard to know where to begin. It's so bad that I can't even begin in a room, so to get things happening, I'm working on a list of isolated tasks.

• dishes to dishwasher
• clothes to laundry
• load of dark clothes in washing machine
• bring in light clothes from yesterday
• fold, iron and put away

Post Christmas Overhaul

MASTER BEDROOM

• make bed
• tidy floor
• sort videos and dvds
• tidy dressing table
• tidy bedsides
• sort out the contents of the blue basket

Christmas Countdown

KITCHEN

• wash up oddses
• get the dishwasher running
• remove all clutter
• spray and wipe benches
• sweep
• mop floor
• decorate

Still on the wagon - it's a miracle

• fold enormous pile of clothes in master bedroom

LOUNGE ROOM

clear off top of the buffet and dust
put the mat under the tree out properly
plump cushions
move Christmas boxes to back door for Mister Bear to out in garage
vacuum
deal with top of the entertainment unit (YUCK!!)
make loungeroom look nice (ha!)

MASTER BEDROOM

KITCHEN

FAMILY ROOM

BATHROOM

Works for Me Wednesday Part the Second

It is with pride and a certain amount of I-can't-believe-I-did-it, I have to start a whole new section because except for the laundry, I have done everything laid out to accomplish.
In five minutes I have to go get Chickabid, but where to from there?

STUFF

• pack swimming bag for kids
• wrap swimming teacher's present
• refill needed items in stationery box
• buy meatballs for tonight's dinner
• bring clothes in off the line

LOUNGEROOM

• clear off top of the buffet and dust
• get kids to help tidy the floor
• put the mat under the tree out properly
• plump cushions
• move Christmas boxes to back door for Mister Bear to out in garage
• vacuum
• deal with top of the entertainment unit (YUCK!!)
• make loungeroom look nice (ha!)

Works for Me Wednesday

If I am being honest I would have to admit that this blog right now is keeping from from falling into the abyss. Were it not for the listing of tasks and ticking them off - maybe greening them off would be more accurate ;) - I'd be having a total breakdown. I need it right now. And as an added bonus, the state of the house is improving.

MASTER BEDROOM
make bed
tidy floor
clothes to laundry
open blinds

LAUNDRY
hang light clothes on line from yesterday's wash
fold dark clothes and put away
load of towels
hang on line
load of towels
hang on line
load of towels
hang on line
load of towels
hang on line

FAMILY ROOM
tidy off dining table
file pile of papers
decorate filing cabinet
sweep/vacuum
mop
dust
make look attractive, or even just plain nice would do

KITCHEN
unload dishwasher
load dishwasher
tidy off breakfast bar
spray and wipe all benches
vacuum
mop

My "day off"

MASTER BEDROOM

• make bed
• tidy floor
• clothes to laundry
• open blinds

LAUNDRY

• hang light clothes on line from yesterday's wash
• fold dark clothes and put away
• load of dark clothes in washer
• hang on line
• load of dark clothes
• hang on line
• load of lights
• hang on line
• load of towels
• hang on line

FAMILY ROOM

• tidy off dining table
• file pile of papers STARTED
• decorate filing cabinet
• sweep/vacuum
• mop
• dust
• make look attractive, or even just plain nice would do

KITCHEN

• unload dishwasher
• load dishwasher
• tidy off breakfast bar
• spray and wipe all benches
• vacuum
• mop
• make look nice...somehow??

Keeping it up...

Sigh... no prices for guessing which chores I hate the most. Ah well, I did get a LOT more done over the weekend than I'd really expected to, so I'm still feeling good about myself :) Vaccuuming is Lars' chore anyway, so I'll get him to do it over the week, and then I'll hopefully be more inclined to do the mopping next weekend.

So for now the flat is looking... if not good, then at least presentable. Now I just need to keep it that way!

Therefore my list for today:

• 5 minutes emptying living room of stray items.
• 5 minutes emptying bedroom of stray items.
• 5 minutes emptying kitchen of stray items.
• Do dishes.
  

Just another manic Monday

MASTER BEDROOM

• make bed
• tidy dressing table
• tidy videos and dvds
• clothes to laundry or cupboard
• floor tidied
• open blinds
• vacuum carpet
• dust

SCHOOL RUN

• make Chickabid's lunch
• breakfast for both kids
• pack Chickabid's bag
• Ladybaby's hair
• Chickabid's hair
• teeth cleaning

FAMILY ROOM

• clear off dining room table
• wipe/scrub dining table
• reinstate table decoration ??the Christmas one??
• iron six items
• remove remaining ironing to the basket in John's room
• do any residual folding and put away
• put all ironing clobber away
• hang up Christmas cards
• file pile of papers on the filing cabinet...don't do it perfectly, JUST DO IT
• put aside any tax stuff and make an appointment to have tax done in the new year
• check for anything else that is out of place and put it where it belongs
• sweep or vacuum
• mop
• dust
• turn it into one of the nicest rooms in the house.
• just do it!!

ERRANDS

• blood test
• renew GreenSlip
• get pinkslip at Armour
• pay car rego at RTA

Home alone...

Lars has 14-22 shifts both today and tomorrow, so I'm planing on keeping myself busy (and hopefully not too bored) by doing some crisis cleaning, FlyLady-style.

To be done:

Living Room:
* Tidy up desk
* Tidy up sofa area
* Tidy up dining area
* Fold laundry
* Dust (opt)
* Vacuum (opt)
* Mop (opt)

Bedroom:
* Clean linen on bed
* Wash dirty linen
* Laundry in baskets (Lars' week for laundry - hehehe)
* Put away clean clothes
* Vacuum (opt)
For extra credit (but not allowed until the rest is done): tidy up shelves in closet.

Kitchen:
* Put away clean dishes
* Do the rest of the dishes
* Take plastic bottles down for recycling
* Take glass bottles down for recycling
* Vacuum
* Mop

Bathroom:
* Clean toilet
* Clean mirror
* Clean sink
* Vacuum
* Mop

Storage room:
For extra credit (but not allowed until the rest is done): a general tidying up.

Phew! I get exhausted just looking the list. Right, 15 minute bursts. On your mark... get ready... GO!

Another day and another list

MASTER BEDROOM
make bed
tidy dressing table
clothes to laundry
dvds and videos tidied
tidy bedsides
tidy top of the blanket box
open blinds
SCHOOL RUN
make Chickabid's lunch
breakfast for both kids
pack Chickabid's bag
Ladybaby's hair
Chickabid's hair
teeth cleaning
LADYBABY'S ROOM
make bed
tidy floor
tidy dressing table
clean mirror
tidy chest
CHICKABID'S ROOM
make bed
tidy floor
tidy chest
tidy bookshelf
LAUNDRY RUN #1
dry clothes
wash trousers
dry trousers
iron trousers and shirt
ERRANDS
take phone, trousers, shirt and shoes into Mister Bear's work

in which the author hopes for some time to work on her handmade Christmas cards

MASTER BEDROOM
make bed
tidy dressing table
clothes to laundry
dvds and videos tidied
tidy bedsides
tidy top of the blanket box
open blinds

SCHOOL RUN
make Chickabid's lunch
breakfast for both kids
pack Chickabid's bag
Ladybaby's hair
Chickabid's hair
teeth cleaning

LADYBABY'S ROOM
make bed
tidy floor
tidy dressing table
clean mirror
tidy chest

CHICKABID'S ROOM
make bed
tidy floor
tidy chest
tidy bookshelf

LAUNDRY (round one)
fold clothes from dryer
fold clothes from sofa

iron clothes from sofa
put away all folded and ironed clothes
load of washing
load of drying
load of washing
load of drying

Top photo is all the ironing I still have to do.

Bottom photo is all the folding I accomplished.

Day 3

Don't know how much I'll have time for today as Henni is coming over, so this will be short 'n' sweet.

• Declutter top of dresser
  
• Wash pots and pans
  
• Wipe tables

Woohoo!

Day 2...

I actually managed to get everything done yesterday! Weee :) Let's see if I have as much luck today. Here's what I need to do, including some things I've already done so I can feel good about striking things off right away ;)

• Do one load of dishes before dinner
  
• Do another load after dinner (am really not expecting this to get done, but who knows, I may surprise myself).
  
• Use 10 minutes in living room.
  
• Fold laundry (if it's dry... in this cold + wet weather, it may not be) (it wasn't)
  
• Take shower before heading off to bed (yes, I'm weird. To me showers are a chore rather than a relief - the curse of my long hair I suppose) (I even managed to shave so I'm ready for the party Friday :D )
  

Right... I'd like to get more than this done, but no reason to overwhelm myself completely. These 5 things I actually have a fighting chance to complete.

Fifteen Minutes a Day (and then some)

First fifteen minutes stint: MASTER BEDROOM

• make bed
• tidy dressing table
• clothes to laundry
• dvds and videos tidied
• tidy bedsides
• tidy top of the blanket box
• open blinds

Next: SCHOOL RUN

• iron Chickabid's school shirt
• make Chickabid's lunch
• breakfast for both kids
• pack Chickabid's bag
• pack Ladybaby's bag
• Ladybaby's hair
• Chickabid's hair
• teeth cleaning

All the rest of today's tasks are going to take more than 15 minutes, so I am just listing and completing as they are done. The bizarre thing is that I keep putting these things off, but they actually take less time to do than I think they're going to take.

And it does look better when they are done!

LADYBABY'S ROOM

• make bed
• tidy floor
• tidy dressing table
• clean mirror
• tidy chest
• dust surfaces

ERRANDS:

• Chickabid to school
• Ladybaby to playschool
• blood tests at Barratt and Smith

CHICKABID'S ROOM:

• make bed
• tidy floor
• tidy chest
• tidy bookshelf
• dust surfaces

BATHROOM:

• clothes to laundry
• dishes to dishwasher
• towels and face washers to laundry
• tidy vanity
• swish and swipe
• tidy bath
• swish and swipe
• tidy shower
• swish and swipe
• mop floor
• wash bathroom linen
• dry bathroom linen
• replace towels and face washers

KITCHEN: aka Disaster Zone

I would really like to have this bit done by the time Mister Bear gets home. I hate him coming home to a mucky kitchen cos even though I have worked hard all day, if the kitchen isn't done, somehow the look f the rest of the house is diminished.

• check dishwasher to see if it needs loading or unloading as I wouldn't have a clue where it is up to
• unload if necessary
• reload
• put away appliances/foodstuffs/utensils
• collect up kitchen linen and take to laundry
• get rid of *the clutter*; the bitsofthing
• wipe down benches
• put freezer back where it belongs (don't ask)
• clean and shine sink!!
• sweep floors
• empty bins and take out the rubbish
• mop the floor
• replace the kitchen linen

That will have to do for today. I am calling it a night...too tired and I am working tomorrow.