A Big Clean Up Day

[ktgrok]

so, as I posed in the other thread, I finished the book I'd been working on forever and a day. 

 

And now the house needs to be cleaned. Y'all....it's really bad REALLY bad. Not "oh, that's normal" bad. BAD.(not like feces on the floor bad, but smushed watermelon from last night stuck to the kitchen floor plus crumbs from days plus dirt from the dogs plus every toy we own plus behind on laundry plus bathrooms are filthy bad)

 

Where you do you start? What do you prioritize? And how do you do it with a clingy 11 month old?

[Miss Tick]

Kitchen. Food mess is gross and you have to be in that room at least three times a day anyway. Strap the baby into a seat with some Cheerios and clean something.

 

ETA oh, and every time someone walks into the room give them a small core to do on the way out, "pick up x in the living room", "clean the toilet, please." "move the laundry along"

Edited March 1, 2018 by SusanC

[mlktwins]

I would start with getting the laundry all sorted and starting a load.  Keep that going through the day.  Next for me would be the kitchen and then the bathrooms.  The kids can work on the toys and maybe sweeping/vaccuuming the floors.  Get started and it will all fall into place!  That hard part is getting started!!!

[JIN MOUSA]

In the kitchen, I like to start at the top of the room - for me that's just the microwave and maybe dusting our light fixtures (lots of glass, and the having them sparkle makes me smile). Then with that momentum, move on to the sink, countertops, and stove. The floor is my least favorite part, but by saving it for last, I refuse to let it be the part that drags the whole room down; plus, I don't have to worry about crumbs from the counter falling on to the floor. 

[TheReader]

One thing at a time, as simple as that sounds, and as hard as that actually is. 

 

With an 11 month old, I'd probably do the floor first since baby will be crawling around, and since the crumbs, dirt, etc, gets tracked *everywhere* in the house. So, for that, put baby in a sling/carrier and sweep/mop the kitchen. Then vacuum if baby is still happy and you still have the energy. 

 

Well, back up -- very first, put one load of laundry in. Takes only a minute or two, and gets you moving. Commit to one load a day (and enlist the bigger kids to put away their own things, even if not perfectly folded).

 

So, put in a load of laundry. Strap baby on. Sweep/mop/swiffer the floor. Vacuum if still time. (or sweep, not sure what your floor surfaces are...). 

 

Check laundry and switch to dryer. 

 

Play with baby, because you've checked (almost) 2 things off the list! Yay!! 

 

Hmmm, re-reading the list.....big kids need to pick up toys before you can sweep, so hand them the empty laundry basket (or direct them to the toy bin if it's in the same room) and have them put all the toys into one basket. Move that to wherever the toys are supposed to live and have them sort the toys back into their bins. At 7 and 5, they can manage this if you break it down for them/give them time to do it. 

 

If "put all the toys into the basket, then go sort them" is too hard, cool, you get a little extra snuggle with baby time while you sit and supervise them. At that age, maybe it goes more like "pick up all the baby dolls and put them in the baby doll hammock" and when that's done "find all the toy cars and put them in this car bin" and so forth and so on; depends on your normal organizational system & their level of independence in being able to follow through. 

 

Depending on your level of "want to sit and supervise" vs. "need to get the floor cleaned so I can relax" still feel free to utilize the "all toys in the laundry basket for now" method and supervise toy sorting later/the next day. That one will just keep repeating itself, anyway, so no need to prioritize it just yet. 

 

Once laundry is in dryer, floors are done, you can relax for the day. Later this afternoon, while baby naps, or big kids play with her, or you give her some time gated in the room with you, put on a fun tv show and sit and fold the laundry. Give the kids their own to put away, or even direct them to carry your things to your drawers if you want. At the end of the show, that's 2 whole things done off the list! That's incredible for one day!! Yay! (if it takes two days, that's okay too)

 

The next cleaning day, do one bathroom and one more load of laundry. This is harder with baby, but since there is no noisy stuff going on, you can do it while she naps. Or if she isn't a climber, since one bathroom isn't too terribly long, she can be in her crib (or gated in somewhere safe) and if she cries while you clean the bathroom, she can cry, it won't kill her. Put toilet cleaner in the toilet. Spray the tub/shower with cleaner. While it sits, wipe the counters & mirror. If baby is crying, go peek in and say hi. Come back and brush out the toilet. Wipe down the outside of the toilet. Sweep/swiffer in there if needed. Wash hands and go say hi to baby if she's crying. Come back and wipe down/clean off the tub/shower spray stuff. Reward baby with time to splash in the tub (once you rinse it out obviously) and play time for a little bit. That's another whole thing done, and another load of laundry, so 2 things....(well, follow the same laundry routine as the first day to fully check that off....). Good job!!! 

 

Keep going in this manner, one load of laundry & one bathroom until both of those are fully finished (well, in my house, by the time the one is done, the next is dirty again, but whatever...). With the floors & toys picked up, the house will feel better while you work on laundry and bathrooms. 

 

If it takes a day per room to do the floors, that is fine too. If you assign the 7 yr old to run the vacuum, that is fine too. 

 

It'll get there, and you'll feel loads better. We've all had seasons like that, so go easy on yourself and just work one thing at a time until you're caught up. Don't try to marathon because you'll end up letting something else slide into worse condition that way (ex: if you try to do all of it, the floors, the bathrooms, everything....you won't wash a single dish or cook dinner and you'll be grumpy and exhausted; give yourself permission for clean-up to take a week or two, it's okay). 

 

You can do this! And great job on the book finish! I know that's gotta be a wonderful feeling!

[Annie G]

I always did kitchen first, then toys. The clingy kid I’d toss in the tub along with the 7 year old so I could clean the bathroom without having to worry about the kid. I could still talk to said kid, but could do the worst of the cleaning while kids are in the tub. When they get out, the tub will still be wet so it’s easier to clean anyway.

 

I hate folding laundry but it’s much better for me if the house is clean. Folding laundry while the surroundings are a mess just puts me over the edge.

 

I prioritized by first tackling things that might impact other rooms. so for instance if the kitchen floor was a mess I don’t want to clean the living room only to have kids walk in there with kitchen crumbs on their feet. With your baby I’d do kitchen floor and bathroom since if those are dirty it might make your baby dirty. And then you have yet another thing to clean!

[Miss Tick]

Just came back to mention how much easier it is to virtually clean other people's houses!

[Cosmos]

I use a timer to help me keep from getting overwhelmed. I set it for 15 minutes and work on one task. I usually start with loading some laundry and doing dishes. When the timer goes off, take a minute to have a glass of water, look out the window, stretch, whatever. Then decide what to do for the next 15 minutes. (In my case, probably keep doing dishes. :) ). I do 3-4 sessions of 15 minutes and then take a 15 minute break.

 

When I'm behind, my GET CAUGHT UP order of operations is approximately:

 

dishes and laundry (not having these up to date makes life very difficult)

major clutter put away

mail checked for bills and other important stuff

floors (sweep and vacuum plus spot clean major messes)

bathrooms (quick wipe down)

kitchen (quick wipe down)

 

If all that's done, I would move on to:

 

dusting

mopping floors

catch up on mail and paperwork

deep clean bathrooms

deep clean kitchen

 

 

Can you tell I get behind a lot? :lol:

[Elizabeth86]

idk, but I need to join you. I was feeling nest-y for a while, but it passed. :lol: I've got 5-7 weeks of pregnancy left so I had better get moving.

[alisoncooks]

I'll join you in the big clean!

I've got to rid the house of dust and mold (if any, haha) and steam clean the carpets before DH has his bone marrow transplant.

 

I'm procrastinating, terribly.

[foxbridgeacademy]

Kitchen, dishes first, then counters, floors can wait (although you could take a quick swipe at them to get the loose stuff up... there's always chips on my floor :glare: .)

 

Laundry, just the washing and drying, save folding for when you need to sit.

 

Pick one bathroom to clean, the other(s) can wait until later.

 

For clutter I like to go through a room and put everything that does not belong where it is into a basket. Then sort later, this is another sitting job cause I make the kids go put the items up.

 

Once the laundry is started, kitchen counters are clean and dishes are washing, clutter is basket-ed, bathroom is no longer a cesspool, then I go back and wipe down cabinets (quickly, not thoroughly, that is another day), sweep all main room floors, mop the kitchen. Then if I still have energy I fold laundry, sort clutter.  Next day/week/whenever I would do all bathrooms and bedrooms.

[Guinevere]

Personally, I would load the dishwasher and washing machine first. Then, I would do whatever thing was bothering me the most, or will make the most visual impact. You know you have to do it all anyway, so you might as well feel less stressed as soon as possible. For me, that would be clutter. Id get all the random stuff out away. By the time that was done, the dishwasher should be done, and the washer. So, switch laundry and dishes again. Then pick the next thing that bugs you, and do that.

[Guinevere]

And I fold laundry as it comes out of the dryer. It only takes a few minutes, and doesn't pile up that way. So, switching dishes (empty dishwasher and put away, then reload), and switching laundry (fold clothes in dryer, summon kid to put folded clothes away, put clothes from washer into dryer, and reload washer), are both 10 minute tasks. When I get behind, I set a timer for 90 minutes, and do another set of dishes and laundry until they are finished.

[SKL]

Yeah, I'd gather the dirty laundry and pop in a load of medium-color laundry (so you don't have to sort) and a load of dishes if you have a dishwasher.  Then clean out the sink.  Then the kitchen - garbage first, then stack the dishes (throw away food on the plates), consolidate clutter, wipe the surfaces, wash the dishes, clean the fridge, wash the floor.  Meanwhile you are switching out loads of laundry / dishes as time goes by.

 

Sort the remaining laundry into lights and darks as you are putting in the 2nd medium-color load.

 

Next choose 1 bathroom and go through similar process - garbage, clutter, wipe surfaces, wash floor.

 

Carry a garbage bag/bin through the living areas (or have a kid do it) and pick up every piece of garbage. Pile up objects by category as you pass by - DVDs, work papers, bills, coats, hats, shoes, books ....  Make piles on the steps for each person to carry their crap up to their rooms as you go.

 

Once the main living areas are relatively neat, do another bathroom.  Continue laundry and dishes.

 

Dusting and vacuuming of the main living areas next.  Then take a break with a cup of tea in your lovely clean living room.

 

Bedrooms are for whenever you get that much energy again.  :P  Start with gathering the dirty laundry and garbage, then pile clutter into categories and put away as you get time.

[Tap]

I source caffeine first and get it in the fridge. I like a pitcher of strong iced tea. Eat breakfast and prep snacks for the kids so you don't have to mess up the kitchen every hour. 

 

I would start by sorting the laundry by color and making piles either in a hallway or on my bedroom floor. Toss in the load that will dry  the fastest.

 

Start with kitchen.  Quickly sweep floor just so you aren't walking on grit (sweep and mop once you are all done, this just makes cleaning the kitchen more pleasant..  Start dishwasher, pile leftover dishes in sink. Clean counters.  If you need to clean the fridge, I would wait until the dishwasher is done so I can load those items into the dishwasher.  Personally I like to do floors once the kids are in bed.  Much easier to do a good job and not have someone slipping.

 

Then bathrooms

Then toys (it is annoying to try to keep a space clean while you are still cleaning so don't fight it).

 

If you have extra laundry baskets have the kids try to fill a basket with items that go into their room.  

 

Once you get going it will all fall into place

Edited March 1, 2018 by Tap

[ktgrok]

So, I started a load of dishes and a load of laundry first thing, and folded the two loads that were already clean. I hung up all the shirts laying on the bed that needed to be hung. I emptied the bathroom trash and picked up the trash in there quick that was on the floor, counter, etc. (baby spilled cotton swabs...sigh). Also went to the post office and shipped a big box of curriculum.  Eating an early lunch now, and then going to unload dishwasher and switch laundry. Then I will do kitchen counters while kids pick up toys in the other front room. 

[Twigs]

So, I started a load of dishes and a load of laundry first thing, and folded the two loads that were already clean. I hung up all the shirts laying on the bed that needed to be hung. I emptied the bathroom trash and picked up the trash in there quick that was on the floor, counter, etc. (baby spilled cotton swabs...sigh). Also went to the post office and shipped a big box of curriculum.  Eating an early lunch now, and then going to unload dishwasher and switch laundry. Then I will do kitchen counters while kids pick up toys in the other front room. 

 

Good job!! :hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray:

[Ausmumof3]

When it gets bad I do a flylady style crises clean. Set timer for 15 minutes then rotate from kitchen to Laundry to living room and floors for as long as it takes. With a short recovery period each cycle.

[eternalsummer]

I start the laundry, then I start with the things that make me the happiest to see clean (so my motivation stays up).  For me, this is floors.  I cannot stand a dirty floor.  Clutter, laundry, counters, none of that bugs me much.  Floors, though - I love a clean floor.

 

After I do the floors (first pick up, then sweep, then mop), I do the bathrooms, then I do the kitchen counters, then the dishes, then wipe down walls and baseboards, then organize the linen closet, and by then I am usually done caring and so I stop.

 

Now that the older kids are 12, 9, and 6 I supervise most of this instead of actually doing it.  Supervising it is not a lot more fun than doing it, tbh, but it is a lot faster with all of us working.

[frugalmamatx]

If you have a ton of laundry? Don't even both trying to do it all at home. It's FAR easier to load it all up, go the the laundromat, and run multiple machines at once. In about 2 hours you can get it ALL done and ready to put away when it comes home. 

 

Otherwise? I echo others here. Start with the kitchen. Load the dishwasher and then start from top cabinets and work your way down, working clockwise around the room. Then do the same with the Living or Dining room. If you don't have time to finish a room before you have to go somewhere? Do the bathrooms. They can be left soaking with solution and finished quickly when you get back. 

 

 

I've far too much experience with this too. 

[ktgrok]

So I picked up the living room and family room and kitchen. Did four loads of laundry and two loads of dishes. Vacuumed but did not get a chance to mop. I will do a better job at the floors tomorrow. Putting in it before and after photos, but please know it is not normally quite that bad. That was deadline week messy not normal messy.

 

 

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[Elizabeth86]

Woohoo!!!

[alisoncooks]

Great progress! And I love how real your house is. :) I think HGTV has made us forget how real homes look, lol.

[fraidycat]

Yay! Great job!

[Baseball mom]

:hurray:  :party:  :hurray:  :party: WAY TO GO!  :party:  :hurray:  :party: 

[littlebug42]

Way to go!   Honestly, I have had to resort to hiring someone to come in and help me.  I have her come in once a month and do a deep clean on the bathroom and whatever else I haven't been able to get to for the month.  There is just only so much time.  I have her come at a time when I am also free and she works in one part of the house and I work in another.  Often, I have her going behind me doing the dusting, sweeping, mopping as I deal with the clutter.  It alleviates a lot of my stress.  

[ktgrok]

Wow, I’m overwhelmed just looking at that. You did AMAZINGLY with so much piled up from the deadline. Really. It looks fantastic and whatever calorie free treat you love should be yours, along with numerous back pats.

 

That was a major accomplishment of cleaning in just one day ðŸ‘

 

Thank you :)

 

My 8 year old was a huge help, and the 5 yr old is really good at playing with the baby, so he helped in his own way. It just worked out well. 

 

And dh brought home some mini desserts from a vendor work thing, so I had one little bitty s'more cookie thing :)

[ktgrok]

Way to go!   Honestly, I have had to resort to hiring someone to come in and help me.  I have her come in once a month and do a deep clean on the bathroom and whatever else I haven't been able to get to for the month.  There is just only so much time.  I have her come at a time when I am also free and she works in one part of the house and I work in another.  Often, I have her going behind me doing the dusting, sweeping, mopping as I deal with the clutter.  It alleviates a lot of my stress.  

 

I may hire someone to come clean the bathrooms once I get my check for this book. I did that with that last book too :)

[Rachel]

What a difference! When I let things go I get really overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.

[Ausmumof3]

Well done.

 

You have a lovely home 🙂

[Carrie12345]

Great job! I never make that much progress that quickly, lol.

 

 

 

 

Well, back up -- very first, put one load of laundry in. Takes only a minute or two, and gets you moving. Commit to one load a day (and enlist the bigger kids to put away their own things, even if not perfectly folded).

 

 

Okay, this made me giggle. 1 load a day is how I fall behind, forget catch up!  :lol:

[maize]

Getting the floor swept always perks me up, so that is my vote.

 

I have a long handled dust pan that I love--i sweep whatever is on the floor into it, lift it up put away non trash stuff, dump the rest in the trash.

 

No bending and stopping to pick stuff up.

[rocassie]

You must feel so great after all that work!  When I had babies (under 1), the state of my house was similar so no judgment here.  Now I can keep it up more to my standards, but some days I'm like "a tornado exploded in here."  Then it's priority cleaning followed (usually the next day) by all the little things.  And after all that, turn around and do it the next week.  :laugh:

[cjzimmer1]

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, this made me giggle. 1 load a day is how I fall behind, forget catch up!  :lol:

 

No kidding.  A load a day is the absolute minimum during the crazy crisis, catch up is more like 4-5 loads a day (if I don't mind spreading it out over several days). When we return from a week at camp, it typically takes about 25 loads to get caught up (bedding, pillows, towels, clothes etc).

 

When we built our house, the builders wanted to but the laundry in the basement.  I was like no way, I'm not running up and down the stairs every time I need to laundry (and I only had one kid).  I don't care if it's crammed in the bathroom,  make a space for it.  So they did.  And now with 6 kids, it was the absolute best decision we made with the design of the house.

[rebbyribs]

Way to go!

 

Thank you for sharing your pictures.  I don't have a great idea of what is normal messy and clean for other people, and it was really helpful to see.  

[TheReader]

Great job! I never make that much progress that quickly, lol.

 

 

 

 

Okay, this made me giggle. 1 load a day is how I fall behind, forget catch up!  :lol:

 

Oh, oops :) I wasn't thinking of family size, and also a baby in the mix. Throw in the fact I have boys that wear the same jeans as many days in a row as I'll let them, sleep in their daytime clothes, and only own minimal amounts to start with....yea, I was not thinking/adjusting for more normal families. LOL! 

 

I was much more focused, in my post, on "how to get it under control without upsetting the clingy baby" vs. remembering what "way behind on laundry" looks like with littles & a baby in the house.....

[SKL]

Thanks for sharing the photos!  I totally understand the work deadline house crazy.  I pride myself on my ability to keep a clean house, but it's almost never actually clean because of all that is going on.  I keep telling myself we're going to get it back under control eventually.  :)

[Ausmumof3]

Great job! I never make that much progress that quickly, lol.

 

 

 

 

Okay, this made me giggle. 1 load a day is how I fall behind, forget catch up! :lol:

I know right! My flylady gripes...

that and a 1 hour home blessing does pretty much nothing!

[ktgrok]

Bathroom today

 

 

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[MaryMak07]

You’ve gotten so much done

[ktgrok]

The kids cleaned their bathroom too...mostly. And I paid them each a dollar to clean out the van, then we took it through the carwash. 

 

Yay!

[KungFuPanda]

I know you’ve already jumped in, but I wanted to play too. This is when I do the Fly Lady 10-minute per room thing. In ten minutes I can:

 

-empty and reload a dishwasher

-clean a sink and toilet

-rotate laundry and add a new load

-Clear off the couch and coffee table

-make a bed and spruce up a bedroom

-sit and fold a load of clothes

 

That’s one hour of work with a seated folding break. It’s a good time to watch a 20-minute show so I have ten minutes of real rest.

 

After break, I’d do more ten minute spurts. You have to set a timer and hustle or it doesnt work. Next hour I’d:

 

-Clear and wipe down as many kitchen surfaces as I can in 10 minutes.

-sink and toilet in another bathroom

- vacuum 2 rooms

- tidy another bedroom

-clear dining room

-rotate and fold more laundry

 

That’s two hours of hustle and loads of improvement. I can go back later or the next day and hit showers, floors, whatever but at least I’m dug out and can cook again. The dishwasher may even be finished and ready to unload and take another load of dishes piled in the sink.

 

I ‘may’ have done this more than once. I ‘may’ need to do this right now.

[ktgrok]

Last night my husband got home around 10pm and said, "I'd forgotten what the house looked like without crud everywhere!"

 

Except he didn't say crud, because he swears like a sailor, but it's early for that kind of language, lol. 

[Baseball mom]

Last night my husband got home around 10pm and said, "I'd forgotten what the house looked like without crud everywhere!"

 

Except he didn't say crud, because he swears like a sailor, but it's early for that kind of language, lol. 

 

 Glad he noticed all your hard work  :hurray:  

:lol:  :lol: language,  

 

You have inspired me to do some major cleaning  :w00t:

[NorthwestMom]

Chiming in late to say "Awesome job, Katie!" I love before and after pics and I take them myself when cleaning big messes. You worked super hard and your house looks fantastic. 

[MaryMak07]

You’ve inspired me too! Awesome job

[LucyStoner]

I write out every single thing that needs to be done on the large whiteboard and divvy out tasks to people that way. I also have taken to posting a picture of what a spot looks like when clean as a visual reminder now that we have several people living here who are not accustomed to keeping things clean as they go.