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Cleaning Up:  My Back Door Area  |
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psouper
True Blue Farmgirl
50 Posts
50 Posts |
 Posted - May 07 2007 : 04:51:50 AM
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My house is always in fairly good housekeeping shape. It's the back door area that I struggle with.
We have 4 children and a small farm. The set up is such that we walk right into the eating area of the kitchen - no mudroom. I have hooks on the wall for jackets and a wooden cubby hole box for some shoes, also a laundry basket for additional shoes. However the area is always cluttered by milk buckets, vet supplies, boots, the egg basket, the dog's bed, etc. It makes me bananas!!
We have a ceramic tile floor, and a big commercial entry mat - these things help.
I ought to mop daily, but I don't.
How you do other farmgirls deal with backdoor clutter?
Polly
www.favoriteapron.blogspot.com |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4179 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4179 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2007 : 06:20:04 AM
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| oh Polly, your house sounds like mine. I have the same problem. Sounds like you have organization covered. I guess the only thing is trying to find different places to store things. We do have the basement steps right by our door, so that helps, but makes for more trips up and down. I did get a swiffer wet jet, for quick cleanups. I make up my own cleaner, and have made my own washable pads. I saw a differnet topic, that they were using washcloths for the dry swiffers. So I folded and sew around a washcloth. Then added 2 strips of velcro. I made about 5 of them, and they work well for me. It was too expensive to keep buying the throw away ones. The big mat helps too. I have one also. Good luck Michele |
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greentea
True Blue Farmgirl
76 Posts
Alicia
Wisconsin
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2007 : 2:15:15 PM
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How do you get the cleaner in the swifter wetjet?
Ihave the exact same set up: kids and no mud room. For us, it's our front door. We have the kids put their stuff away in the back hallway, but they're still tracking through the house. |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2007 : 2:38:32 PM
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Can you lay down some of that carpet that looks like grass? I know that it's your kitchen, but maybe you could add a few pots of fake flowers to add some whimsy.
I have the same problem with the dog's bed being right there. I have been thinking about letting her move to my room. I'm tired of tripping over her bed.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2007 : 4:03:54 PM
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Polly, I'm right with you. We have a mud room, but it doesn't seem to slow down the process of the outside coming in. I'm trying to view it as a "teachable moment", but I'm afraid I come across as a nag. I guess don't give up and share the broom/mop with the other family members. :) The perspective may help everyone make extra effort at keeping it clean.
We make a difference. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2007 : 5:47:02 PM
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What about buying some of those rubbermaid storage container that can be indoor/outdoor. You could put some of the buckets and vet supplies in storage bins outside.
Alee |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4179 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4179 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2007 : 05:05:59 AM
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| Alicia, I take the lid off the wet jet bottle with a pliers. Pour in water, vineger, and a dab of Murpheys oil soap. I usually take the bottle out of the wet jet, after using, just in case it would leak. I have not had a problem with it leaking though. The bottle still seals up well. Michele |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2007 : 06:44:02 AM
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I think you have every right to set up a routine for the doorway. It's not nagging at all. I do not allow dirty shoes into my house either. Just think of it as damage control.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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threebusybees
True Blue Farmgirl
222 Posts
Mandi
Myrtle Beach
South Carolina
222 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2007 : 08:15:52 AM
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My house is clean as long as I am the only one here. So my advice is not to let anyone in the house...Just kidding I think Alee had a good idea about outdoor storage for farm and vet stuff.
We have cubbies for shoes etc. when you walk in the door. I have the same problem. Riley brings home the entire playground in his shoes. We live on wet lands so mud is everywhere. I have to mop everyday because of Emma(she's 16 months), but I try to make it their responsibility in the hopes a somepoint in the next 15 years they will get sick of my voice and wipe thier feet?!
Windypines if you could elaberate on the homemade swiffer wipes for me please? I get the fill it yourself and do that, but never thought of making my own wipes duh?
Polly I hope you get some relief the tornado my children create in my house makes me nutty sometimes!
Mandi
" Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler " -Henry David Thoreau |
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primjillie
True Blue Farmgirl
138 Posts
Jill
Antelope
CA
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2007 : 10:39:21 AM
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| Could you set up a little porch area outside the door to keep some of the clutter? Maybe if you can cover it to protect it, you could leave a lot of the shoes and other things on the porch? |
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catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl
4687 Posts
Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2007 : 12:29:23 PM
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| I have a coat rack with 4 hooks for jackets and a smaller one about it for keys. Then a shelf as my husband likes to leave his pocket stuff out there. I also have a laundry basket for shoes as they never find their way back to the closets. |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4179 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4179 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2007 : 04:19:17 AM
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| Mandi- I had bought a pkg of 10 or 12 cheap washcloths at walmart. Fold one in half, and sew around 3 sides, the fourth side would be folded. Then I took some cheap velcro, the soft side, and sewed 2 strips of it on the washcloth, lengthwise. I measured it on the wetjet to make sure the velcro would hit on the velcro on the wetjet. And that was it. Michele |
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psouper
True Blue Farmgirl
50 Posts
50 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 12:28:36 PM
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Thanks all for the responses. I guess I wanted sympathy more than anything else!!
I'd love to have a covered porch area. There is a porch, but it's a deck and uncovered and takes the blast of all our northwest Ohio winds. I just need to do 10-minute tidies several times per day.
Polly
www.favoriteapron.blogspot.com |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 3:04:19 PM
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Also, I have a floor mat, but in addition to that in wet/muddy weather I lay a large towel on the floor to catch even more stuff. It helps so much. And it's a visual reminder to my family to remove their shoes when they come in.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. |
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Cleaning Up: My Back Door Area |
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My Back Door Area
