Ready, Set...Go!

Years ago, out of a desperation to maintain some semblance of sanity in my life while my husband was deployed for a year, the concept of 34 Weeks of Clean was birthed.  While it has gone through a few changes over the years, the basic concept is still the same- clean, declutter, and organize your house, one week at a time for 34 weeks.  Simple!

This year is going to look a bit different for our family.  Our house goes on the market this week and we anticipate moving two hours north of here, hopefully by summer.  I am ever so grateful we have done the 34 Weeks of Clean program for several years now, as getting ready for the sale of the house has proved fairly easy.  There has been little to weed out and not much to do.  A little staging here and there and our regular cleaning is all it has taken.

Read this NOT as a brag on our part, but a personal testimony that 34 Weeks of Clean can and does work!  It is NOT a fix quick, it does take some time and energy- but it is most definitely worth it.  I promise!

While I will not be blogging on the system much this year, I think our time will be taken over with move and building a house posts, we will be following along as best we can and are always here to answer questions and cheer you on!

Grab a friend and work together, or at least spur each other on.  Accountability goes a long way for motivation!

We always start with Christmas decorations, but if you have already taken those down you can jump right in to week two, or consider yourself ahead and enjoy one more week off.

Remember- slow and steady wins the race.

One. Week. At. A. Time!

Trust me on this one.  If you work ahead you will wear yourself out and never finish.  Our homes did not get in their current shape in a week...you will most certainly not fix the problem in a few short days!


One more piece of advice- make it your goal to simplify your life- you will not regret it.  Stuff all over our homes clutters our heads and our hearts.  I have written a short series called Clearing Out the Clutter on that note that I encourage you to read if this is a struggle for you.


Good luck and Happy New Year!  May this year be full of love and joy- and a house that reflects the peace of God, inside and out!

Start here with reading the INTRO post that will help explain the process and answer some FAQs!

Your 34 Weeks of Clean schedule-

Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   

Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes 
Week 6- The Stove and Loose Ends 
Week 7- The Dining Room 
Week 8- The Living Room 
Week 9- Books 
Week 10- Bathrooms  
Week 11- The Foyer
Week 12- The Family Room and DVDs 
Week 13- Pictures and Scrapbooks
Week 14- Arts, Crafts and Hobbies 
Week 15- The Master Bedroom  
Week 16- The Master Closet 

Week 17- The Master Bathroom

Week 18- Halftime

Week 19- Bedrooms 1 &2

Week 20- Bedrooms 3+

Week 21- The Hall Closet 

Week 22- The Laundry/Mudroom 

Week 23- The Linen Closet

Week 24- Porches and Decks 

Week 25- The Yard

Week 26- Storage Areas and Attics 

Week 27- Clothes Storage 

Week 28- The School Room 

Week 29- The Garage

Week 30- The Cars 

Week 31- The Office 

Week 32- The Computer

Week 33- The Address Book 

Blessings,

Start off the New Year with my friends at Timberdoodle Blog!


My friends at Timberdoodle are back at it- this time some Spring Cleaning is happening!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Are You Organized?

Here at Family, Faith and Fridays we post about a lot of things, but if you have been around for a while you know that one of my passions is home organization.  Notice I said passions, not perfections!  There is no such thing when it comes to perfection in home organization- only passionate people doing the best they can.   And boy, do I like to do the best I can when it comes to my home.  Call it whatever you like, but it soothes my soul and gives me peace.

So on that note, I am joining some friends from Timberdoodle's review team in posting some of our favorite and "best" home organization tips.  Why not pick just one this week to apply to your life and see how you feel?  Just a few hours in one location of your home will make you feel like a million bucks!  Afraid or too overwhelmed to start? Grab a buddy that will be your teammate and hold you accountable.  I promise it will be worth it!

Two of my favorite series I have posted about household organization are-

Clearing Out the Clutter and 34 Weeks of Clean!

Clearing Out the Clutter address clearing out your homes, heart, head, homeschool, and health.  It helps give you the "whys" behind cleaning and hopefully will motivate you to establish your own whys.

34 Weeks of Clean was birthed a few years ago while my husband was deployed to Afghanistan for a year.  It kept me sane, connected me with amazing women, and allowed me to organize and deep clean my house, one area at a time.  Since then we have repeated it each year and just ended a cycle last week.  BUT, there is no reason for you to wait until January.  Start NOW, you won't be sorry!

Need some help or just encouragement?  Feel free to leave me a message- I would be glad to be come alongside you and be your cheerleader!

Blessings,

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

34 Weeks of Clean 2019! Week 32- The Computer

Technology- ugh!  I am just going to go on and admit to you that I am not a techie queen.  Cleaning queen, maybe, but NOT a techie queen.  That is one of the reasons I still beg my 21 year old to help me work on my blog.  It is a little more challenging now that she is working, but hey, we make it work.

And computers?  Well, they fall under the techie thing and therefore are not my friends.  In addition, with my hero husband pretty busy these days, I am at an even bigger disadvantage. I tease him that if ever something happens to him I am going to throw away all things techie, with the computers going first.  I. Am. Serious!

This week though, despite my hang ups, we are continuing with the office theme and hitting the computer, or computers in some cases!  Don't worry, this involves a lot of deleting (which I am good at) and some file rearranging, which my daughter is good at! Plus some general cleaning that I am sure we can all manage.

If this is an easy week for you, I do NOT want to know.  I prefer to think that everyone else is suffering right along side of me, thank you very much!

So here is the plan for cleaning up your computer!

• First of all, wipe it down. This includes the screen, tower, mouse, and keyboard.  Dust settles in cracks and crevices quickly and can really mess things up.  I know some people that use the cans of pressurized air or a vacuum cleaner with brush attachments.  I also use a Norwex cloth meant for mirrors that I love!  No need for harsh chemicals.

• Next, on to the techie stuff.  Ugh!  Your goal is to go through and cleanup or delete old, unused files, pictures, and downloads.  I am continually AMAZED at how much I find stored on my computer that has been there for years and that we do not need.  Apparently I download a lot of files I forget about and never use.  Who knew?  And pictures- well, let's just say I am not as organized in that area as I wish I was.  Luckily, a few years ago my 21 year old IT girl went on  a mission to rescue me from my crazy filing system.  Remember, folders are your friends.  Even if you have a ton of them, at least if they are clearly labeled you can retrieve things you need quickly.  Follow the same rule that we talked about from last week- EVERYTHING HAS A HOME!  Don't forget to clean out your trash bin at the end of your fun!

Simple!  OK, not really, but at least it is concentrated in one area.

And next week- well, it will be your last assignment!  I can hardly believe it.  Thank you to all who have been hanging with us- you rock.  And thanks to all who have sent me sweet notes.  So many of you have worked hard and should be so proud of yourselves!  Wish I could give each of you a hug and a high five!  You deserve it!

See 'ya next week- get to those computers and start cleaning and organizing!

Blessings,

Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   

Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes 
Week 6- The Stove and Loose Ends 
Week 7- The Dining Room 
Week 8- The Living Room 
Week 9- Books 
Week 10- Bathrooms  
Week 11- The Foyer
Week 12- The Family Room and DVDs 
Week 13- Pictures and Scrapbooks
Week 14- Arts, Crafts and Hobbies 
Week 15- The Master Bedroom  
Week 16- The Master Closet 

Week 17- The Master Bathroom

Week 18- Halftime

Week 19- Bedrooms 1 &2

Week 20- Bedrooms 3+

Week 21- The Hall Closet 

Week 22- The Laundry/Mudroom 

Week 23- The Linen Closet

Week 24- Porches and Decks 

Week 25- The Yard

Week 26- Storage Areas and Attics 

Week 27- Clothes Storage 

Week 28- The School Room 

Week 29- The Garage

Week 30- The Cars 

Week 31- The Office

34 Weeks of Clean 2019! Week 12- The Family Room and DVDs

After Week 10's assignment of bathrooms and last week's Foyer assignment, I do have to wonder how many of you still like me! Or are sticking around.  I promise this week is not quite as hard (mostly) and it may even be a week off for a few of you.  If that is the case, you can use this week to catch back up on any unfinished weeks.  Like books!  Just saying ;)

So for this week's assignment we are headed to the family room.  Or den.  Or whatever you choose to call the place where you spend time as a family.  Ours is currently in our basement and does not get as much traffic because of that.  It is, however, a hang out place for the kids and their friends, and is where we retreat to on hot days to stay cool.  It has even hosted a group of about 15 boys for a youth function!

Here we go!

• First things first, so clear out the clutter.  One of the things that seems to happen when we stay in one place for any length of time is that we collect things in piles.  Somehow those piles just grow in layers and we start to not even notice the piles.  Now is the time to notice the piles!  And get rid of them!  Take everything out of the room that you can for now.  You can put it back (some of it, that is) after we deep clean!  I know it takes a lot of effort, but by starting with a clean slate, you can better see what your needs are.  It is also a pretty stark reminder of how much STUFF you have accumulated without even noticing.

We have an obvious obsession with quilts!

• Start at the top with lights and ceiling fans.  Oh my word, those things can get dusty!

• Now on to the dusting!  Bet you will be surprised at how dusty the tops of things are.  A good waxing of hard furniture will keep it looking like new!  With all of your shelves empty, this is pretty easy to do.

  - Don't forget to dust or wash any artificial plants or flowers.  Helpful hint, if you leave them out to dry, make sure you put them out of reach of DUMB dogs who think they look good enough to eat!  Yep, that has happened!  More than once.

• If you have windows, curtains, and mini- blinds in this room, you know what to do!  Wash curtains or at least shake them out, wash windows, and tackle those silly min-blinds.  Or you could trash them, just saying! ;)

• Don't forget to wipe off or vacuum lampshades and wipe down light switches!

• On to the soft furniture.  One sure fire way to tell you have kids is to check the nooks and crannies of your couches.  YUCK!  You never know what you will find there!  (Nerf darts, anyone?) If you have slipcover type furniture, I would encourage you to wash them.  Just think about how many sweaty bodies have sat on them in the past year.  Leather polish will help restore any leather furniture as well.  Wash any throws and pillows you have, and replace only what you really love and use!

• Floors and baseboards are next. Mop, vacuum, whatever it takes!

• It is time to put things back.  Challenge yourself as you do this!  Ask yourself, do I love this or need it or use it?  Why do I have it?  Is it just taking up space?  You will notice our space is pretty clear of nick knacks.  Most you will find on this one built in.  On purpose!  Less visual clutter equals less stress.  The space is calming and just houses the things we love.  

• And now the fun part.  NOT!  This is the area we house our DVDs, so guess what?  We are clearing out DVDs.   Luckily, Riley is the queen of movies and loves to organize them, so she does this every time she comes home to visit.  Last year I finally got brave, bought these CD binders, and ousted all of the DVD cases.   Let me just tell you, that was HUGE for me.  The kids had been suggesting it for years, but I just didn't want to give up all those pretty cases.  Lame, I know.  So I had them cut off the picture and stick it behind each DVD- one so I could still see them, and two, so they are easier to put back where they belong, which keeps Riley happy!

    
Before you walk away with a smile on your face for a job well done, take one last look around! Do you have stuff just filling a space?  Do you love everything you see?  Does it have a purpose?  Because 34 Weeks of Clean is just not about cleaning,  but also about taking back our homes in the clutter department, I challenge you to get rid of extras.  If you don't love it or use it, lose it!  Time to clear out the clutter!  Everything you have sitting around takes up space- physical and mental.  Surround yourself with only the things you love- move out the rest.

See ya back next week!

Blessings,

Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   
Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes 
Week 6- The Stove and Loose Ends 
Week 7- The Dining Room 
Week 8- The Living Room 
Week 9- Books 
Week 10- Bathrooms  
Week 11- The Foyer

34 Weeks of Clean 2019! Week 10- Bathrooms

Welcome back!  With the book organizing behind us, this week should be easier for most of you to tackle emotionally!

Yes, last week was about clearing out books and I KNOW that several of you whined through the project.  I will not name names to protect the guilty.  ;)  I am hoping you at least gave it a try.  I know it is hard, I love books too, be we cannot take them with us to heaven.  They are just things,  just like the rest of the "things" in our lives.  And while they can bring much happiness, we must not let them BE our happiness.  If you love them, keep them.  If someone else will love them more, share them!! I know that cleaning and purging are tough, but it can be done.   Mind over matter!  Let's don't let THINGS take over our lives!!  Find a friend to hold you accountable and jump in!

Get ready ladies, this week is not the most fun, but we can do it!  I am assuming you clean your bathrooms on a regular basis but today we are going to really deep clean and tackle any drawers and cabinets there as well.

This week's assignment- Bathrooms.

This is for ALL the bathrooms in your house, except the Master Bedroom bath.  We will get there, I promise!  Full disclosure, I am usually a few to several weeks ahead of you all in order to document the process.  This week, however, I have had a sick child and one who came home from college and one who turned 25 and I am behind.  So no pictures- instead you will get to see me add them throughout he week as I too clean with you!  Accountability is key!

Let's get started-

•  Start by emptying all of your drawers and cabinets as well as clear off the counter tops.  Yes, all the stuff out and off.  This will help you get an idea of what you have, what you need and don't need, and maybe spark an idea of a better way to put it all back.  Hold on to your hats - it is ugly!

•  Now, throw it all away.  Just kidding, though it is tempting, right?  DO take this time to DECLUTTER.  Remember, that is one of our goals in the 34 Weeks of Clean.  Expired medicine - throw it out.  Old makeup - throw it out.  Extra lotions that are not being used - throw it out.  Seeing a trend?  If it is not being used or will not be used in a timely manner - THROW IT OUT!  It is taking up valuable space.

   -A word about kid's tub toys.  Inspect and throw out the old ones.  I am sure you know what a mold holder those plastic ones can be.  GROSS!  If they have holes in them, chances are they are harboring mold.    Feel free to try to bleach them, but in my humble opinion, unless you are committed to keeping that up weekly, it is better to just toss them.  And if you are brave and looking for a science experiment, cut one open and see what you find.  Yuck!

• Wipe out all of your drawers and cabinets before replacing your things!  Anyone else amazed at how gross these areas can get quickly?

• Stick any and all rugs in the laundry!

• Take down your shower curtain and wash it as well.  If you need to replace the liner, now is the time.  Yes, they can be washed up, but for about $4, you can replace them just as easily.  Hey, sometimes we just need to make it easier on ourselves.

• Curtains or mini-blinds?  Do those as well!

• Light fixtures need to be cleaned off.

• Tub, countertops, and toilet are next.  Are you having fun yet? ;)

• Walls are up next.  Why?  Because if you use hairspray I am willing to bet that the wall behind where you stand to do your hair has a layer of hairspray on it. ;)  Don't forget the light switches while you are there, as well as any pictures or such you have hanging.

•  Door frames are next.  Again, why does every door have all those cute, but hard to clean decorative grooves? Design fail, I am sure!

• Off to the baseboards we go and then lastly the floors!

• More than one bathroom?  Repeat! ;)

• You can now replace your rugs and shower curtain and then stand back and admire your hard work!

Are you tired yet?  Just so you know, we do not plan to do all three of our bathrooms in one day.  We are not gluttons for punishment, 'ya know!

Speaking of tired - we are almost three months into cleaning and organizing our homes and I know the tendency is to slack off and let things slide a bit. (Exercise New Years' Resolutions, anyone?) Can I just encourage you to get your second wind and keep plugging away?  We CAN do this!  And trust me, together is much more fun.

Don't forget to post those pictures on our FB page when you are done to inspire others  Be sure to check back here throughout the week to see what we have gotten done as well!


Ok friends, time to get cleaning!  Remember, we are taking our homes back, one room at a time.  You CAN do this!


Blessings,

Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   
Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes 
Week 6- The Stove and Loose Ends 
Week 7- The Dining Room 
Week 8- The Living Room 
Week 9- Books

34 Weeks of Clean 2019! Week 6-The Stove and Loose Ends

OK friends, with your recipes done we are ready to embark on our final push for the kitchen.  After this we will really only spend one week in each "area" of our house so be ready for some serious digging in!


But this week- we should have called this "the week that almost did not happen!"  Seriously!


The first time we tackled 34 Weeks of Clean years ago my friend, Cristi, from Through the Calm and Through the Storm reminded me of Kitchen Countertops!  I personally did that when we did the cabinets, but failed to mention it to you. SOOOOOOOOO, if you have not tackled that area yet, today is going to be the day.



And the loose ends- are you ready?

Your assignment this week-

The Stove/Oven and Microwave, tops of cabinets, windows, blinds, and light fixtures.  Hang in there - I promise this is the end of this room!  The good news is that after this deep cleaning we should only need a light weekly maintenance to keep it sparkling.  At least that is my story and to keep you as friends I am sticking to it.


So our final push-

• Clear/clean off any counter top space you have!  Clear them off, clean them up, and see if you can keep them clear!  Now THAT is the challenge.  Is it just me?  We always seem to have one place that collects things- let's just say the battle is real, friends!  Get rid of the piles you have sitting there (I KNOW I cannot be the only one) and resolve to not let them creep back up on you by next week...or tomorrow.  I challenge you to only put half of what you take off those counter tops back- it might seem stark at first but you will be surprised at how much neater it will look and how much more prep space you will have.  Out with the clutter, my friends!

That pile has GOT to go!  It is a constant battle.

• Microwave- Clean it!  Inside and out!  This is a good job for a teen, just saying! ;)

•  Stove/Oven- This is a good job for a maid, but since I cannot convince my hubby I need one, I guess I am the one tackling this one.  Yay for automatic oven cleaners, yuck for the burnt smell no matter what.  I admire you who can keep the bottom of your oven clean.  I am not one of those people (obviously).  I have tried. I have failed.  Crack your door or window if you can to get rid of the smell!  And for the record- who else thinks that those pizzas that say cook directly on the shelf should be outlawed?  I mean really, who thought melting cheese dripping all over the oven was a good idea?  No more, I tell 'ya!

 

Hopefully a little baking soda, vinegar and hot water will make this good as new.  I will keep you posted!

I have had a love/hate relationship with my past gas stoves, but I do love the one in our new house.  Praise be to the woman who begged her husband to put it in.  Shame on him though for allowing her to put in TWO stoves. And dishwashers! But I digress.  Anyway, this one is is much easier to pull apart and clean.  Which is a good thing because while my husband's cooking skills are good, he and his bacon are messy!

• Tops of cabinets.  Make sure you not only take all that decorative stuff off the tops and wash off the LAYERS of dust, (anyone else?), but then also take the time to vacuum or wipe the layer of dust off the cabinets.

• If you have blinds in your kitchen, now is the time to wash them down.  You can dust them on a regular basis, but they do occasionally need a good, deep cleaning!  I have taken ours down in the past and put them in the tub, but our current ones are wood so I just do them slat by slat.   If you have curtains (smart you!), just wash them and rehang.  While you are there, wash those windows and wipe down the ledges!

•  And last but not least, wipe off any light fixtures you may have in your kitchen, replace any burned out lights, and check your fire extinguishers.  If you do ot have one, these new small ones are handy to have around and be found at Walmart and such.  Consider this your friendly public service announcement.  You are welcome.

Wow!  We are DONE with the kitchen!  Take a step back, admire your hard work and pat yourself on the back!  Imagine me cheering yay you!  You did it! 


Let me also take a second to encourage you to keep moving forward.  We all have busy lives.  Some weeks are crazier than others.  Sometimes we get a lot done, other times we should just celebrate that the children got fed and bathed, right?  It's ok!  Embrace the life the Lord has given you and celebrate the time you have to enjoy it!


Next week we are moving out of the kitchen- get ready!
Happy Cleaning and many blessings,


Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   
Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes

What Our Weekly Cleaning Looks Like

Since we are 4 weeks deep in our 34 Weeks of Clean series, I have gotten several questions about our weekly cleaning schedule.  No, for the record,  I do not ignore the rest of the house while we "34 week" it!  While we do concentrate on one area a week for deep cleaning, decluttering and organizing, there are still other places in the house that get dirty through the week and have to be cleaned.  Bummer, right!?

Let me begin by telling you I do not believe there is a right and wrong way to do this.  I have tried many different ways and in different seasons, some have worked better than others.  This is just where we are now.  When I was a kid I helped my mom clean on Saturday mornings.  I use the term "morning" lightly, because I am an only child, and it took the two of us a long while to clean. (She did hire someone to help her AFTER I left for college, true story!)  I remember often putting on loud music and the two of us working until the whole house was done.  If you didn't work, you didn't play later.

I am sure I did a lot of complaining then but I look back at those days with a smile.  Projects are always more fun with friends, right!  And they often get done more quickly.

That being said, I do not do our house all in one day at this point in my life.  My two girls are grown and the boys, well, we would just not do as well as I would like.

So here is my method, quite similar to my 34 Weeks method.  One room or area a day!
Here's what it looks like for me- And yes, I have it posted because I cannot remember one minute to the next, more or less one week to another!

Monday- Living Room
Tuesday- Laundry and Hall Bath
Wednesday- Master Bathroom
Thursday-Kitchen
Friday- Dining Room and Library
Saturday- Bedroom
Sunday- Towels/sheets

Now I know that leaves some spaces, but that is where my family and team work come in.  

They also have a similar chart, but with their areas in it.  So the boys both have days for their laundry, bedrooms, their bathroom, taking out trash, scooping the yard, etc.  My oldest kindly keeps up with our third floor, the kitchen there included, as that is where she lives currently.

Keep in mind, this is weekly cleaning, not necessarily deep cleaning.  I do try to do baseboards the first week of each month, and because I have learned the hard way, I do the blinds in each room weekly now.  Proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks!

In a perfect world it works great!  News flash- we do not live in a perfect world, so some days get missed and the next day I have to double up.  Such is life, but in general I try hard to stick with the plan.

Is it a perfect solution?  Maybe not, but it works for us.  Give it a go, see what you think, and adjust to your needs in this season!

Happy cleaning, ya'll!

Blessings,

February 34 Weeks of Clean Schedule

Welcome!  So how are you doing on your 34 Weeks of Clean journey?

Whether you are new here, skipped a few weeks along the way, or are a 34 Week pro ( I know there are a few of you out there!), we are glad you are back.  With one month under our belts, the next four assignments await us.

Remember- ONE WEEK AT A TIME!  No matter how tempting it is, do not work ahead.   Take one assignment at a time, do your best, and then reward yourself (and your helpers) with something fun to celebrate your hard work.  If you get behind, don't fret.  Just pick up where we are and plan to go back on one of our weeks off.  

Here is a quote I ran into this past month and just may have uttered a loud AMEN as I read it-  From Francine Jay, author of The Joy of Less-

Your home is a living space, not a storage space

• Do not fill up what you have emptied!  Live with the space for a while.  You may be surprised how good it feels once you adjust your mindset.

• If you need to buy more "storage solutions" as your work your way through this plan, you are not de-cluttering!  You are just rearranging!  Do not be fooled into thinking it is the same thing.

• This is not a journey about living with nothing!  It is about taking back our homes and our lives and living with only the things that we love and bring us joy! 

• A less cluttered house equals a less cluttered heart and mind.  

Remember our goals-

We are deep cleaning, de-cluttering AND THEN re-organizing.

Week 6- The Stove and Dreaded Loose Ends

Week 7- The Dining Room

Week 8- The Living Room

Week 9- Books

Blessings,

34 Weeks of Clean: Rinse and Repeat Week 34

When we started 34 Weeks of Clean- Rinse and Repeat 34 weeks ago, it was truly not a challenge just for you.  It was was for me as well.  I knew that the timing was perfect for cleaning and organizing after just being in our house a year.  It also gave me a chance to connect with new friends along the way, locally and on the web.  And while the clean and organized house makes me want to cheer, it is the community of friends I have made along the way that have blessed me the most!  You all have made this journey fun and have encouraged me along the way and I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!

In addition to the simple art of cleaning and organizing, I hope these are some takeaways you also got from this journey-

• Our stuff does not make us who we are!
• Memories are best held in our hearts, not in our things!
• Everything has a home!  If not, get rid of it!
• Before you buy something, ask yourself, is it useful and do I really need it?
• If you love it, use it, and would buy it again, keep it.  If not, out it goes!
• One person's trash is another person's treasure!  Be willing to share!
• Five minutes of pick up a day will keep your house cleaner than you think!
• The less you have, the easier it is to be organized.  Declutter!
• Buying more containers does not amount to less stuff!

So where do we go from here?  Now that you should have a relatively clean and organized house, I am going to let you in on a little secret.

 It will not stay that way without a little effort!

So what's a girl to do?  Rinse and repeat!


Maybe you do not need to start again tomorrow, but you will probably need to start again at some point, sooner than later.  I already know several areas in my own home that need some attention!

A clean and organized house does not just happen.  It takes commitment and a little effort.  You can do!

A BIG thank you to all who participated!  It has been so much fun to interact with you and to see your successes.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A BIG thank you also to my friends at 62 Gifts and Redeemed for their generous prize donations!

And speaking of prizes- our GRAND PRIZE winner is....

Kelly J   

Despite some pretty serious health struggles and even a surgery, along the way, Kelly submitted a picture every week of our challenge!  Way to hang in there, my friend.  Be checking your mail for your goodies!

Thank you again, friends.  I hope you will stick with us here at Family, Faith and Fridays!  We would love to have you!

Blessings,

34 Weeks of Clean rinse and Repeat Week 20 Bedrooms 3+

Welcome back!  By now you have had a week to get a start on any bedrooms in your house, excluding the Master.  That was done in week 15, right?  Remember, everyone's bedroom situation looks different but the basics are the same.  Since we tackled our girls' rooms last week, we are now moving to the boys.  This was a slightly harder week for me for obvious reasons. 

 Your assignment is to finish any bedrooms left in your house.

Here are the basics again, same as last week-

• Strip the beds and wash ALL of the linens.  Replace any torn or stained sheets or such.

 

• Take everything off all flat surfaces and move it out!
• Dust all surfaces, sides and all!
• While stuff is still off, move furniture away from walls so you can wipe down baseboards and vacuum around all edges.
• Replace furniture or rearrange while you have the chance!  Is it just me or is deep cleaning just an excuse to rearrange?  Again!
• Put things back, but try to eliminate half.  Remember- the more STUFF your kids have, the harder it is for them to keep it organized!
  
• Clean out all the drawers, getting rid of anything that doesn't fit or you do not wear!

•  Wipe down light switches, door knobs, and door frames, inside and out.  Look up, again, and clean off ceiling fans and light fixtures. 

 

• Clean window frames and windows.  Once again, mini blinds and curtains are on the list. 
• Vacuum the floor and you are done!

For younger kids this is a good time to weed through the toys.  We talked about toys last week, but here are a few more points to consider.  We have found that when we deep clean, we uncover things that need to be tossed.  Whether old, extra, or broken, our kids tend to hold on to whatever we let them.  We try to organize and evaluate on a regular basis.  This is NOT a one time job, especially in our kids' rooms!

Yes, those are Legos.  Yes, it is obnoxious!

- A word about stuffed animals.   Be careful and do not get sucked in!  Yes, there are some clever ways to display them, but in the end consider how many your child really needs!  When our kids were little, we too, got caught up on the animal thing.  Honestly, I had a worse attachment to them than the kids did.  It was ridiculous.  We eventually made them choose their favorite 5, and sent the rest off to loving homes.  Let's face it, they collect dust and are a health hazard for kids with allergies, and they take up a lot of space.  Just consider that maybe this is an area that you need to address.  It was for me! (like the legos!)

Deep cleaning is also a time to fix things.  We had a bookshelf that had a bad leg.  My "little fix" turned into a three hour project but my husband rocks and got it done.

When your parents won't get out of your room, you hide on the floor of your sister's room and read a book for a few hours!

 

So, our finished projects-

They may not be pottery barn, but they are pretty good, if I say so myself.  

This week I want to leave you with a few thoughts and some encouragement.  If you have not joined us yet, it is NEVER too late to start.  I say that in all seriousness.  Just start.  You CAN do this, I know you can!  If you are behind, don't let discouragement keep you from the finish line.  We all have to do life and sometimes things get in the middle of our best laid plans.  That is OK.  What is more important is that we get back on the horse and keep riding!  I hope you can hear me cheering for you to keep riding.  

If you do NOTHING else this week, set a timer for 30 minutes each day and do SOMETHING! ANYTHING!  By the end of the week you will feel great about your accomplishments,  I know you will!  And remember, clearing out the clutter involves actually getting rid of stuff.  We cannot simply rearrange our mess and call it good!

Let me know how you did last week!  We can't wait to see your pictures on our Facebook page!

Like these pictures from one of our 34 Weekers- I LOVE her children's rooms and am slightly, OK, a lot jealous of then!! Thank you Tonya, for letting me share!

Have fun cleaning!  Blessings,