Floor to Ceiling Clean

{Be sure to click on "Organization" under 'Labels' in the right hand column! Some of my biggest life savers are listed there!!}

Are you ready for this?!

We all know there are corners of our house that we turn our heads from when we walk by. Just another something that weighs on our minds! But seriously, when do we ever have time to touch up the paint, scrub the walls & baseboards, etc. with all the OTHER cleaning we have to do?

A couple of years ago I was helping my friend Jeni clean her house for her move. While we were cleaning blinds, baseboards, magic erasing all the spots off the wall, etc. I thought, "WHY in the world does our homes get this treatment usually only when we are moving and we won't get the chance to enjoy it?!"

Then while talking with my dear friend Shalece about the rumor of her bleaching the walls in a different room in her house once a week (which we all lovingly tease her about, but REALLY we all want to do the same), I combined my feeling I had with the "Move Out" clean with the wisdom of my friend's ever clean home and came up with something that TOTALLY has saved me!

Saved me, as in I have a clean house. Not just look clean, but FEEL clean. It stays that way most of the time...I mean, I am a natural slob afterall! :) See because if it feels clean, there is a natural tendency to want to keep it up...WITHOUT being a clean freak, my children think I am a cleaning nazi, type Mom.

My goal.....

If I had to move out of this house tomorrow I could pick up my stuff, vacuum my way out of a room and be done with it, KNOWING that I am leaving it CLEAN for the next person.

But more importantly, a house that is off my mind. I don't like the NEED for attention in an area of my home to weigh on my mind and give me stress. I like to spend 30 min TOPS cleaning per day and still have a totally organized and tidy home. It makes me a better Mom. It makes my kids happier. It helps my home REALLY be a place where there is peace and a feeling of order.

Let's just get to it, shall we?! I mean, I WANT to talk you into doing the same in your home. I WANT to let you know it will totally change your life and free you for more important things, but hey.... why don't I just teach you, and you can test it out yourself! :)

FIRST:

Divide your home into 8 sections or themes. For example: if you are choosing themes you would do something like: Bathrooms, Kids Rooms, Office, Kitchen, etc. I use sections. Here is the way I divided mine up.....

1. Downstairs Bathroom & Office
2. Living Room & Family Room
3. Dining Room & Kitchen
4. Downstairs Hallway & Closets
5. Stair way, Upstairs Hallway & Linen Closet
6. Kids Rooms
7. Kids Bathroom & Master Bathroom
8. Master bedroom & closet

 This list is organized based on the way I usually tidy up my house. I start at the furthest corner and work my way up.

Now gather your supplies:

Here is what I use:

Don Aslett Cleaning kit, including microfiber mop

Magic Eraser

Window Cleaner & Squeegee

Paper Towel

Vacuum or broom & mop

Touch Up Paint & Spackle

Measuring Tape

Notebook

Labeler

I store all of these things together. It is a quick and easy grab. Except for the notebook. That LIVES in my purse, I will tell you why.

NOW, each Monday is my "Detail Room Cleaning Day". Let's be honest, the first time through will take you longer than 30 min. It will be worth every bit though! You are going to wash the walls from ceiling to floor in just minutes, removing all stubborn spots with your Magic Eraser and touching up dings as you go.

I am going to walk you through how I clean. However, to do this the best way I am going to show you according to rooms or the "Theme" method. That will keep this all organized!

Let me explain the notebook really quick. Then I want you to gather your items and meet back here tomorrow for our first group of rooms....The Bathrooms! FUN! Let's just get them right out of the way! :)

The Notebook:

Usually as I am cleaning a room I have little thoughts like, "Oh! I could really use_____for this room, etc." or "I need to remember to buy_______".

Then I also have the problem of getting to a store like Tai Pan.....Oh Tai Pan! :) Then, I can't think of one dang thing I really need.

So, here is the solution.

On a page of the Notebook I write the Room Name on the top of the page. Then I make three colums: NEED, DECOR NEEDS & FIX OR FIND OUT ABOUT.

For example: When I did my husbands office I thought, "This room could really use a potted tree and a hanging plant" So I wrote both of these on the list of Decor Need.

Then I noticed that the book shelf light bulbs were burnt out. They went on the NEED list.

The floor is in desperate need of a rug. Pulled out the measuring tape and figured I need an 8' X10' rug.

I noticed that there is a light switch in the room that doesn't turn anything on. That went on the "Find out about" list.

These are not things that are taken care of all at once. They live on the list until I can budget them in and check them off. The list lives in my purse so I can refer back to it if I am at a garage sale, TAI PAN, hardware store, etc.

The purpose of the notebook is to get it off your mind and put it in a place where you know you can get to it and take care of the items as you can!

Alright, let's let that digest and let you gather yourself. Pick a day of the week that will be your "Detail Cleaning Day" and meet back here tomorrow for a HOW TO on Floor to Ceiling cleaning tips!

See you then!