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Cleaning Up:  Help! Need a housecleaning plan...  |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 10:47:51 AM
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Daughter graduates tomorrow night and on July 10th we are having the "traditional" graduation party at the house with an expected guest list exceeding 100.
Here's the problem...We are pretty private people (say that fast five times) and I usually have enough advanced notice if someone is "dropping" by so that I can load the dishwasher and tidy up the bathroom, but for the BIG PARTY---I need a structured plan to go through the house and clean-I mean really CLEAN (friends and relatives will be running rampant through the house on the big day!)but I am so OVERWHELMED with the prospect of cleaning top to bottom I thought I would ask my farm girls what is the best way to go about doing this without becoming discouraged and throwing in the towel???-No pun intended-
Talk to me ladies...
Melody
Farmgirl #525
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 11:22:50 AM
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Hi Melody! I wish I could come out and visit you! I used to clean houses professionally. First- you are going to be MUCH more worried about the little details than anyone else is. BUT you will feel better for a big clean. First things first. Walk around every room and REALLY survey it. Are there things that need to be packed away? Christmas ornaments still out? Magazines or newspapers that need to go to recycling?
The first and best move to cleaning a house is DECLUTTER! Then you really do want to start from top to bottom.
Next you want to sweep the ceiling of all cobwebs and dust. If you have a popcorn ceiling this might knock a bunch down so you don't want to have dusted or vacuumed before you do this. Then wipe down all the door frames. Next get a clean sponge mop from the store and a wide pan. You can use this to actually wash the walls for you! Just make sure it NEVER gets used for the floors. You might still have to spot clean around doors and light switches, but a well wrung sponge mop will wipe away dust and little spots. Then you should wash all windows and dust. Finally vaccuum and do all edging or floors. Vacuum any furniture and you are done! It sounds like a lot but if you move things out of the room you can actually just focus on getting the room itself cleaned and then just wipe and put stuff back as you need it.
If you have lots of nick nacks you could always pack some away until the end of the party. Anything you have out is going to have to be cleaned before the party.
I would really focus on the areas where people are going to be using. Living rooms, kitchen, bathroom and outside areas.
I hope that helps?
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Lorraine Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
158 Posts
lorraine
salt point
ny
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 1:51:44 PM
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delegate jobs to each one your house, if you sleep or eat there you get a job, what ever it is it will help if everyone does some it will help! when they are done give them another. start with an area, example: kitchen person one, clean dishes, person two clean out the fridge. start with the main rooms in the house. save the bath rooms for last, so they are the cleanest things that is seen. you can always close the door to a bedroom if it is that bad lock it, yes people will look! not everyone, but some people are that nosie. at the worst you can pack things into the closet... and pray!!!!
good luck!
LorraineMichelle
Farmgirl #3007
Chickens are like potato chips...
You can't have just one! |
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Lorraine Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
158 Posts
lorraine
salt point
ny
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 2:06:58 PM
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remember that they have a house too and it is probably not perfect either. my husband just came home from a plumping job, for the president of the PTA of my children's school. you would think perfect house... not at all...which is a huge relief!
i just thought it would make you feel better! not perfect is normal!
LorraineMichelle
Farmgirl #3007
Chickens are like potato chips...
You can't have just one! |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 3:26:48 PM
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The two rroms people really notice are the kitchen and bathroom - really really clean these!
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 3:42:34 PM
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One room at a time, leave kitchen and bathrooms till last, if you have anyone spending the night, make sure those rooms are clean also. Do all the big/major cleaning the week to week and ahalf before the party, then you just will need to tidy up those rooms, threaten everyone with death if they don't help and also to keep the rooms clean. Closets and under beds can hide what you have , and don't want to pack away. Pets need to have a safe and quiet area away from the chaos and noise, cause the the most socialized can snap when it gets to crazy. Remember to sweep/washdown porches and patios, just do a day or 2 ahead of time so you don't have mud. Plan to sleep in the next day if possible, you deserve it...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 4:49:12 PM
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Ladies-
Wonderful wonderful advice!!! I knew I could count on you!!!
Made my proposal known after school let out today about the BIG CLEANING about to take place with audible groanings and humbugs!!
Oh....Tina-Truman, our Jack Russell, will be boarded over that weekend I don't think he would recover from all the new faces if we kept him home and it will be a relief to have him out from underfoot.
Great idea about under the beds too-That made me smile!
I am feeling better already about tackling this old boat of a house and I am looking forward to having it done right and well before the party is scheduled---One less thing to worry about!
And, you are right Alee about worrying too much about the little details. It's funny when I go to someones home I don't see the dust or the dishes, but I do STRESS about dust and dishes at my house if someone 'pops' in unexpectedly.
Thank you girls for taking the time to respond-It is very much appreciated!
Mel |
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Heartbroken farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
604 Posts
Annette
rio vista
Ca
USA
604 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2011 : 10:35:36 AM
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Mel, I loved to "death threat" advice from Tina. Works wonders at my house;) we all want a neat and tidy home all the time, but people LIVE there. All your guests know that, as they LIVE in their homes too. I have a habit of freaking out completely when someone is visiting. I have a need to have a "white glove" clean home for company. My DH and mama sat me down before our 4th of July bbq last year, and said people were coming to see you, not your home. It was a really good point, (didn't break my habit of hysterical scrubbing) but, enjoy your DD's graduation party, and don't worry about the little things! &hearts
The tears I shed then, watered the flowers I harvest now.
www.broken908.blogspot.com
http://forums.familyfriendpoems.com/broken908
"The aim of education is the knowledge not of facts but of values."-Dean William Ralph Inge |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Jun 04 2011 : 11:07:38 AM
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also subscribe to flylady.net if you keep her plan daily you don't have to worry about a "big" clean later on, cause you do every thing in order each day where it's always "big clean".
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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HollyG
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Holly
Hamburg
Arkansas
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 12:48:18 PM
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I know how you feel about this, but I've found that no one really notices or cares but me. And, after family has run like heathens through the house for a day, it needs it all over again. For me, I declutter and hit the high spots - I'm particular in my kitchen and bath (two places everyone will notice.) I dust and vacuum - but leave the HEAVY stuff for when they leave!
HollyG
Farmgirl #2513
www.mydeepwoodslife.com |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 1:18:22 PM
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Thank you for all the AWESOME advice. I have managed so far to completely clean the living room ceiling to floor. I need to do the upholstery and the big oriental rug, but everything in there is finished. I am concentrating next on the "great room" next. It's such a good feeling knowing that I am really deep cleaning each individual room...finally! And all will be complete before the 9th of July which will mean a lot of stress taken off of me. My sisters call me the "picture straightener!" I know no one else cares....but I just can't enjoy myself until this old house is going to be spic and span. I think this might have to do with me growing up in the Air Force-We actually had inspection at our house on Saturday afternoons---I'm not kidding!! My dad would come into our rooms and inspect. If we passed inspection we were rewarded with our own little TV for one week!
Melody |
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smiley
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
lea
pea ridge
arkansas
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2011 : 8:39:52 PM
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| Alee I need to print your advise out and stick it on the refrigerator! |
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Cleaning Up: Help! Need a housecleaning plan... |
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Help! Need a housecleaning plan...
