Completely Inconsequential BUT.............in your life, what MUST be................

[MariannNOVA]

accomplished/done as far as your home/housekeeping so that you feel you are ready to 'have' Christmas (or your birthday, or Thanksgiving, or your kids' birthdays)?

For me, ALL the laundry must be washed, dried, folded and put away; the linen closet must be organized and neat (I know - crazy, huh?) -- and I have been heard to say: 'We will not celebrate Christmas until this linen closet looks JUST SO!' :toetap05:

 

Our home is typically clean and in good order (pay no attention to the construction zone on the lower level), but with a holiday coming, EVERYTHING has to be swept/dusted/vacuumed -- and the fridge has to be clean inside and out.

 

Anyone else?

 

I'm leaving for my therapy appointment now:leaving:

[SailorMom]

It depends - if no one is staying here, then the back half of the house is usually just straightened up and cleaned as normal - while the rest of the house is scoured.

If someone is staying here (as they are this year) then I have to scour the entire house (ceiling fans, fridge, cabinets, closets, etc). I am in the process of it right now. My Bil and his wife will be here at noon on X-Mas eve.....

[iquilt]

I have to have all floors picked up and clean and laundry all caught up and put away. I'm even more paranoid when my in- laws are expected to visit as she will find every little thing that doesn't meet her standards and tell everyone about it. Thank God we already had that visit so my stress level is way down!

[lollie010]

OMG. This is one of the biggest stressors for me. I really can't do anything special unless the house is spotless. The problem for me is that I am not a good housekeeper otherwise. So sometimes I feel like we miss out on fun stuff because I can't get in the spirit unless certain tasks are done.

 

Today I will clean all day before I feel like the festivities of Christmas can begin. For me everything has to be clean, organized, and smelling good. All clutter spots have to be taken care of in case someone snaps a picture in that area. I am with you on cleaning the fridge. Also kids bedrooms have to be clean (including closets organized) before I am comfortable bringing in new toys. I want to be able to relax, but to me I cannot enjoy myself unless the house is clean.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

There needs to be enough laundry done so that I don't have to worry about running out of underwear or anything like that.

 

The whole house needs to be vacuumed and dusted.

 

The kitchen cabinets need to be wiped down and the kitchen floor scrubbed.

 

The fish tank has to be clean. (Don't ask me why this matters, but it does.)

 

The bathrooms have to be spotless.

[Guest]

Uh, guilty of crazy lady syndrome here.

 

I've done a couple rounds of baking already. Lots of goodies are around the house for everyone to munch on.

 

We're having frozen lasagna, but the dinner is all ready to go.

 

Christmas wrapping is way done by now. I am not a Christmas Eve wrapper. Stressful!

 

Gone through kids toys two or three times already. Have to make room for the new stuff, lol!

 

Yesterday, I cleaned the entire house. I wanted everything clean!!! I am entertaining thoughts of vacuuming and doing a few things Christmas Eve, as well. (After everyone is in bed, of course!)

 

Most of our laundry has been done this week, I am saving a few loads for Thursday/Friday. Sheets, towels, all that stuff - done.

 

The way I look at it, the more that's done beforehand will translate into more time that I get to relax and play with the kids and their new toys. :D Thanksgiving is the Mommy work day. Christmas is a relaxing day for us.

[saja1029]

Like we don't have enough stress already.....got to make sure the house is in decent condition. Normal stuff.....dusting, decluttering (no piles allowed!!), and an especially clean kitchen (everyone seems to hang there) and bathrooms.

[creekland]

Absolutely nothing has to be done here. I simply enjoy the holidays - whichever ones they are - whenever they come.

 

Our house is always in a mild state of uncleanliness, but I don't mind. I prefer the lived in look personally.

[Julie in Austin]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I have no idea where this comes from, but I feel like everything has to be organized and clean. Unfortunately, I don't feel that way the rest of the year, so . . .

[newbie]

If there is company coming, spotless. Right now it is not, we are still in moving /painting mode.

 

So I have to ward off visitors , which is a harried(sp) task. Why do people feel the need to barge in, when you have said repeatedly , NO!!!!

[dsmith]

I like to have a fair amount of the laundry done and put away, toys gone through and put away, the usual dusting and vacuuming, the woodwork done, extra clean in the kitchen, etc. It's difficult with the inlaws. They are very cluttery and we are not. Dh is a sweetie - he called a cleaning company to come in this year for Thanksgiving and Christmas.:001_wub:

[Sarah CB]

This thread is so timely. My dishwasher, washer, and dryer are all running right now. My mom and nephew arrive in a few hours - and that's just the beginning of the guests. For some reason, I have it in my head that *all* of our linens must be washed before everyone arrives. I had dd organize the linen closet yesterday. The house is scrubbed and decluttered. I just have to do a final vacuum.

 

We will have four adults and a toddler staying with us plus two additional adults who stay at a hotel but will be here for the most part. Things get pretty chaotic very quickly and beginning with a clean house helps keep things relatively orderly (or more so than they would have been otherwise).

 

Oh, and all of the kitchen drawers and cupboards were cleaned and organized. We take turns cooking when my family is here and I really hate it when people are opening up random drawers looking for things and the drawers are messy or have crumbs in them. Speaking of which - I haven't drawn up the Family Christmas Schedule yet...better get on that.

[mcconnellboys]

LOL, my guys used to know that my stress level would rise precipitously whenever someone was coming over or we were going out of town. With teen boys constantly in and out of my house for the past five years or so, I'm just happy now to get enough warning to make sure I'm not caught by anyone running through the house naked, or sitting on the pot with the door open....

 

I don't really get my house thoroughly, completely dusted, vacuumed and mopped all at one time very often with school going on, so I am trying to get that done. I do laundry at the beginning of every week, so I'm still on track for that, too.

 

I just cleaned my fridges and pantry because my FIL came at Thanksgiving, LOL, and the first thing he does is go straight to one or the other of those.

 

I am trying to get into my storage room and clean up while we're off only because I intended to do that over Thanksgiving week and had a bunch of unexpected company and didn't get to do much. Now that my older son is all grown up, I'm trying to begin the process of culling out and getting rid of some things we had saved for years "just in case".

 

But no, I'm not going to be sitting opening presents on Christmas eve and sweating that I don't have something done. I'm trying to let go of all that.... Don't get me wrong, I could still use heavy therapy, just not on that horizon....

[angela in ohio]

I'm the same way, but for the new year. We cannot start a new year (either a calendar year or a school year) unless the closets are organized, pantry cleaned, walls scrubbed, stove cleaned, etc. I also cannot leave for vacation unless the same is done. :D

[hsbaby]

Well, normally I thoroughly clean everything but the bedrooms as we host Christmas Eve. This year we all tested positive for the flu so I will be happy if the house is just picked up:(

[stormy weather]

Not a thing, my house is normally so clean and organized that I just go on about my holiday business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:tongue_smilie:NOT. :lol:

The whole house is being cleaned this year, laundry all done, carpets shampooed, outdoors(courtyard, lawn etc.) My bff is coming to see me after Christmas so, I want everthing to be easy to get ready after we clear the decks from the holidays.

[Rosy]

I just need the floors clean, the public areas picked up, kids rooms not horrible, fridge cleaned out enough for all the extra food, and kitchen fairly spotless. The bigger thing for me is having meals planned, shopped for and as complete as possible. The slow cooker is my best friend during the holidays. I can't even say how many holidays I've spent with my mom in the kitchen, barking at everyone and not letting anyone help with anything. So I usually spend much of the 23rd and 24th doing food prep and getting the house clean enough that it won't bug me.

[Amy loves Bud]

I like the house to be reasonably clean because my brain doesn't function at full speed when there is a lot of clutter around and it makes it hard for me to be efficient.

 

However, the main *requirement* is the kitchen. It must be clean. The pantry must be organized and well-stocked, and the refrigerator purged of all old food and outdated bottles.

[WarriorMama]

accomplished/done as far as your home/housekeeping so that you feel you are ready to 'have' Christmas (or your birthday, or Thanksgiving, or your kids' birthdays)?

For me, ALL the laundry must be washed, dried, folded and put away; the linen closet must be organized and neat (I know - crazy, huh?) -- and I have been heard to say: 'We will not celebrate Christmas until this linen closet looks JUST SO!' :toetap05:

 

Our home is typically clean and in good order (pay no attention to the construction zone on the lower level), but with a holiday coming, EVERYTHING has to be swept/dusted/vacuumed -- and the fridge has to be clean inside and out.

 

Anyone else?

 

I'm leaving for my therapy appointment now:leaving:

 

If people are coming over, your list is my list. ;)

 

If it's just us, clutter is my main focus. I can handle some floor dirt and dust, but I CANNOT FUNCTION when all the surfaces of the house are full of random piles of stuff. Just the IDEA of opening presents and finding somewhere to put the NEW STUFF down while there's clutter all over makes me start hyperventilating. :tongue_smilie:

[laughing lioness]

Everything clean, esp kitchen and bathrooms. Same with if we leave for a trip. I can't stand coming home to a messy house.

Laundry done- yes, but it's o.k. if it's folded on the folding table.

Therapy? I thought a clean house WAS therapy!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

accomplished/done as far as your home/housekeeping so that you feel you are ready to 'have' Christmas (or your birthday, or Thanksgiving, or your kids' birthdays)?

For me, ALL the laundry must be washed, dried, folded and put away; the linen closet must be organized and neat (I know - crazy, huh?) -- and I have been heard to say: 'We will not celebrate Christmas until this linen closet looks JUST SO!' :toetap05:

 

Our home is typically clean and in good order (pay no attention to the construction zone on the lower level), but with a holiday coming, EVERYTHING has to be swept/dusted/vacuumed -- and the fridge has to be clean inside and out.

 

Anyone else?

 

I'm leaving for my therapy appointment now:leaving:

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Passing a pill and bottle of wine.

[MaMa2005]

I'm the same way, but for the new year. We cannot start a new year (either a calendar year or a school year) unless the closets are organized, pantry cleaned, walls scrubbed, stove cleaned, etc. I also cannot leave for vacation unless the same is done. :D

 

What is the deal with this? I am the same way. DH says a burglar would just move right on in because the house has to be just 'so' before we leave on vacation. Who wouldn't love to rob a nice, clean, orderly house? ;)

[Catwoman]

Does shoving everything into closets and then hoping that no one opens them count as cleaning? ;)

 

Cat

[FO4UR]

I think I give up this year...sigh...

 

And, Cat, yes! I won't look in your closets if you don't look in mine.:001_smile:

[Tammyla]

I do not even want to think about this today.:lol:

[Catwoman]

And, Cat, yes! I won't look in your closets if you don't look in mine.:001_smile:

 

It's a deal, Paula!

 

Oh, and you should probably stay out of my garage, too. ;)

 

Cat

[Plucky]

A tidy house is nice to have. I want a clean kitchen. We tidy and wipe down bathrooms everyday so I don't think I'm especially picky unless we are having company. Then I do want a very clean house.

[FO4UR]

It's a deal, Paula!

 

Oh, and you should probably stay out of my garage, too. ;)

 

Cat

 

Deal. Garage cleaning waits for the spring anyway.

[Belacqua]

What is the deal with this? I am the same way. DH says a burglar would just move right on in because the house has to be just 'so' before we leave on vacation. Who wouldn't love to rob a nice, clean, orderly house? ;)

 

Heh. My grandmother used to speak of "cleaning for the firemen." Her house had to be in perfect order before she left (even just to go to the grocery store), in case something happened and emergency crews had to go inside.

 

I don't get my cleaning frenzy on until after Christmas. I just tolerate the extra holiday clutter and wait for that wonderful day when I can vacuum up all the tree needles and put everything back the way it is supposed to be.

[MariannNOVA]

Heh. My grandmother used to speak of "cleaning for the firemen." Her house had to be in perfect order before she left (even just to go to the grocery store), in case something happened and emergency crews had to go inside.

 

I don't get my cleaning frenzy on until after Christmas. I just tolerate the extra holiday clutter and wait for that wonderful day when I can vacuum up all the tree needles and put everything back the way it is supposed to be.

 

 

OMG!!!!! You guys are as neurotic as I am! :grouphug::lol::lol::lol: I could have written any of the posts that you shared here -- CLUTTER!!!!!! OMH!!!!! NO CLUTTER!!!!!!!! NOTHING on the kitchen counters! That is so ME!!!!!!

I highlighted in red what Belacqua wrote b/c it made me remember a really funny story that a friend told me years ago.......Cynthia Packard is a writer and some of her stuff is laugh out loud funny. We used to sit together at the pool in the summer when my olders were probably 7 and 8 years old. Anyway, Cynthia used alot of stuff that happened IRL in her fiction novels. She told me this that happened IRL:

Cynthia (and she was not shy about the fact that she was NOT a clean fanatic - in fact, I think she told me that she didn't even know how to clean -- her dad was Vance Packard (well known in the 60s) -- they had a household staff who did everything for them) -- anyway -- she and her husband and kids came home from someplace and they found their front door wide open, electronic equipment missing, jewelry missing - clearly the house had been burglarized. When the police arrived, one of the police officers looked around their family room and commented: 'Boy, they REALLY trashed this place.' Cynthia's husband was getting ready to say, 'Well, actually, this is about how it looked when we left the house' and Cynthia elbowed him.:glare:

:lol:

[myfunnybunch]

It just has to be normal neat and tidy for Christmas.

 

But we do a top-to-bottom clean between Christmas and New Year's Day so that we start the new year with a clean house.

 

Cat

[Catwoman]

When the police arrived, one of the police officers looked around their family room and commented: 'Boy, they REALLY trashed this place.' Cynthia's husband was getting ready to say, 'Well, actually, this is about how it looked when we left the house' and Cynthia elbowed him.:glare:

 

:lol:

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

Cat

[MariannNOVA]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

Cat

 

Want to hear something cool? After I wrote that on this board, I googled Cindy's name (last I knew, she was in Andover, MA and I was in NJ - this was 1986).

 

Well, she lived all of 20 minutes from me -- I emailed her. She was SO funny.

[Catwoman]

That is really cool, Mariann!!!

 

Cat

[sassenach]

Nothing. I mean, it's nice to have things generally picked up, but I don't NEED anything to be done. I'm kind of lazy that way. But hey, I finished a book yesterday! That was nice. I love Christmas break.

[sassenach]

Does shoving everything into closets and then hoping that no one opens them count as cleaning? ;)

 

Cat

 

Funny story about that. We had friends babysitting our kids for the first time about five years back. I cleaned all that I could, and shoved the rest into my walk in closet. When we got home, the kids told me about how they played hide and seek with the husband. They had the BEST hiding spot! It took him forever to find them.....in my closet. :001_huh:

[sagira]

Clearing the floor of clutter from the door to the Christmas tree so Santa doesn't trip ;)

 

Wrapping presents. We can't have Christmas without actually wrapping the presents! We also need to bake cookies for Santa :D

[WarriorMama]

Does shoving everything into closets and then hoping that no one opens them count as cleaning? ;)

 

Cat

 

Of course!

 

Umm, unless I'm doing it wrong...

 

:tongue_smilie:

[Mekanamom]

I'm the same way, but for the new year. We cannot start a new year (either a calendar year or a school year) unless the closets are organized, pantry cleaned, walls scrubbed, stove cleaned, etc. I also cannot leave for vacation unless the same is done. :D

 

LOL, that's me, too.

 

The one thing I *have* to have for holiday dinners/get togethers is clean windows. We have dogs, and they do like to stick their noses all over certain windows. It's a constant cleaning job... sometimes more than once/day if we're having people over! :D

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I scrubbed the fireplace and the glass doors today so they will look pretty when DH lights the fire. I also cleaned all of the windows so we can gaze at the snow that is supposed to fall. Then I scrubbed the vacuum cleaner because it was dusty.

 

I decluttered and cleaned the linen closet last week. I also organized all of my papers and files and got rid of a lot of extra papers that were hanging around. I cannot stand paper clutter. I will make sure all homeschooling supplies are put away and scrub the floors tomorrow.

 

Most of what bothers me is stuff I cannot clean but things that need to be changed/updated/remodeled. Like the cracked plaster in the bathroom. I am having to learn to let it go.

 

All beds have to be made and laundry has to be done. This is going to be a problem this year now that DD is in charge of her own laundry. Her pile is about three feet high. I had to restrain myself from doing her laundry this morning.

[Catwoman]

Funny story about that. We had friends babysitting our kids for the first time about five years back. I cleaned all that I could, and shoved the rest into my walk in closet. When we got home, the kids told me about how they played hide and seek with the husband. They had the BEST hiding spot! It took him forever to find them.....in my closet. :001_huh:

 

:D:D:D:D

 

Cat

[MariannNOVA]

I scrubbed the fireplace and the glass doors today so they will look pretty when DH lights the fire. I also cleaned all of the windows so we can gaze at the snow that is supposed to fall. Then I scrubbed the vacuum cleaner because it was dusty.

 

I decluttered and cleaned the linen closet last week. I also organized all of my papers and files and got rid of a lot of extra papers that were hanging around. I cannot stand paper clutter. I will make sure all homeschooling supplies are put away and scrub the floors tomorrow.

 

Most of what bothers me is stuff I cannot clean but things that need to be changed/updated/remodeled. Like the cracked plaster in the bathroom. I am having to learn to let it go.

 

All beds have to be made and laundry has to be done. This is going to be a problem this year now that DD is in charge of her own laundry. Her pile is about three feet high. I had to restrain myself from doing her laundry this morning.

 

So, now can we have that drink?;)

[mo2]

Floors cleaned and swept. General picking up. (I HATE seeing clutter in the background of our Christmas photos.) Dishes. I also like to lay out everyone's clothes the night before so there's no searching for what to wear in the morning.

[LisaKinVA]

All I want for Christmas is a clean house. Don't buy me gifts, just help me get the house clean! Rooms picked up, pantry cleaned, bathrooms cleaned, laundry done, kitchen floors, cabinets... clean... dusted, vacuumed... mopped. Bathroom drawers straightened, medicines gone through...

 

I have yet to get my Christmas gift.

 

Part of the reason I want everything "cleaned up" before Christmas, is to make putting things away easier AFTER Christmas.

 

Today, I've been washing throwy-uppy clothes and bedding, the shower curtain, every cleaning rag (STILL don't know how they all wound up in the wash after a week... not going there).

 

I haven't wrapped anything yet, either... but I did get things boxed up. I'll be up tonight wrapping, while the bread is baking/cooling.

 

I have to finish our menu for Christmas Eve/Christmas... because I still have to buy the rest of the food tomorrow, and I have to take all of the kids to the grocery store with me.

 

I am seriously stressing right now. Thank God I made candy... because it's all I've eaten today.

[Hedgehogs4]

Thankfully, I have a cleaning service every two weeks, and they came this week! Before that, everyone pitched in and de-cluttered the house, and so now I'm feeling pretty close to being ready...

[anneofalamo]

I think I know why!

Because so many pictures are taken on this day, and we look at who is in it, and then see the stack of dishes, or piles behind and heap our own guilt?

You never see clutter in Christmas pics on tv, and everything has to be right...

yeah, we did a deep clean of the house today...scrubbed everything, now I am ready...tomorrow the bills get all in order, Friday last minute grocery shopping cause I freak with grocery stores closed!!

Saturday, I don't want to get dressed and clean or anything, but with out guilt so I scrub like mad the week before?

 

Those are my reasons! I am so happy the rest of you are neurotic with me. (said as a compliment)

[Mommyfaithe]

Absolutely nothing has to be done here. I simply enjoy the holidays - whichever ones they are - whenever they come.

 

Our house is always in a mild state of uncleanliness, but I don't mind. I prefer the lived in look personally.

 

This is basically where I am at now. I absolutely refuse to stress over inconsequential things. The only thing I need is the dishes washed and the living room cleared of junk. I am a regular declutterer so my house is usually lived in, but clean. I am organized, but don't go nuts about it. There are too many things in life that are more important than stressing over peripherals. i'd rather just enjoy my kids and family, than exhaust myself over-cleaning. If you like to clean like that, more power to ya, but I prefer to clean daily ala Flylady, and not freak out seasonally.

 

Faithe

[Pam Wilhelm]

I don't "do" anything special.... we'll pick up a bit and I'll run a vacuum, but that is about it.

 

I'm just happy to have a home, hubby with a job and three great kids....who cares about the dust. :001_smile:

[kim.4dogs]

I'm starting to have a panic attack just reading what everyone else does! I had to skip to the last page before I got even more stressed.

 

Close the bedroom doors, clean the floors and bathrooms, and clean off the counters. That's about it for us.

[Plucky]

Floors cleaned and swept. General picking up. (I HATE seeing clutter in the background of our Christmas photos.) Dishes. I also like to lay out everyone's clothes the night before so there's no searching for what to wear in the morning.

 

How do you not have clutter all over? Almost all of my Christmas photos involve boxes and paper all over. My kids get new pjs the night before. Do you get dressed before opening presents?