Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Spring Cleaning

I hate spring cleaning, but I like when the work is done! This year I planned and made a two page list, to start in the living room and work my way south. My living room is relatively easy -- a one day job, because there's not a lot of clutter in there. Problem is, I tend to get a room or two finished and then life gets in the way and I spend the rest of the year trying to get every other room hit and miss! So, revised my strategy and decided to start at the south end of the house and work north! The clutter room is the southernmost end of the house -- it includes my sewing room, the back door/mud room/ the pantry and microwave and entrance to the kitchen and the small bath on the main floor. It's a multipurpose room, obviously. So, today I started -- with the sewing room end and these shelves are built in next to the fireplace back. The other side of this wall is the kitchen dining area. Here's what the shelves looked like before I started.



I started a bit after 11 this morning and finished about 3:30 this afternoon! I did one shelf at a time starting at the top, but also had to vacuum the beams and walls and floors and wipe out each shelf before I sorted through the junk and put things back. Also did the baseboards, washed the floor, moved the dresser out and cleaned behind it and under it, and finally sealed the grout in the tile in that area. And this is what it looked like afterwards! And boy, do I have a long way to go! The plan is to only work one day a week at it -- doing only one day's work at a time. I may work two days a week if I feel like it -- but really, that cuts into my quilting time!
















Next time I'll work on the other half of the sewing area -- the sewing machine side!

7 comments :

Melanie said...

Atta girl!!! I've been taking the attitude--- one not so fun task a day and reward myself with a quilt break...at least it keeps me smiling and others can stand living with me.... I can really be hard to live with sometimes...

Paula, the quilter said...

I am going to forget about spring cleaning this year. I have to get Auntie's condo cleaned out and listed so I don't have time to do my house, her condo and work too. When you finish your place can you come and help me?

Nancy said...

Congratulations!! You are off to an excellent start.

Nancy

Cher said...

I like your new approach this year! I have not started yet-but you are a great inspiration!

Shelina said...

You're off to a great start - it looks wonderful. I too had a tendency to start with the living room and work my way to the back of the house, and then upstairs. Now I try to change the pattern, either work from back to front, or top to bottom. Changing the starting room helps a lot, since the ending rooms tend to get short shifted. You're inspiring me to get started on my spring cleaning as well.

Texan said...

I hear ya on the spring cleaning! As soon as my semester is over at school I am going to go room by room and clean this house!

I even bought a bottle of Pine Sol today just for the project!... Not DH's favorite but I LOVE Pine Sol ... I usually only use it when I do a major cleaning so DH doesn't have to put up with it often LOL...He says he can live with it that often LOL... I figure if I am going to clean like that, I might as well enjoy the smell while I am doing it! tee hee

Dona said...

When the weather starts to sing of spring I think we all get the itch for some good ole cleaning. I started with your approach this year, working from the sewing room to the front of the house, since it always gets the back burner treatment. Your room looks so nice and tidy now.