Friday, January 19, 2018

Friday Faves...Cleaning and Decluttering, Part Two

Welcome back for part two of my little blog series on cleaning and decluttering.  Last week was part one which you can access by clicking here.  That post was mainly about daily tidying and how to stay on top of excess and clutter.  This week I thought I'd write about my weekly cleaning routine.
Just a reminder of last week's disclaimer.  I am not a self-proclaimed expert on cleaning.  I have areas that I struggle to keep tidy-like the closet my husband and I share.  (We definitely need to invest in some sort of closet system-and we both might like clothes and shoes a wee bit too much.) I am not a minimalist.  I LOVE minimalist decor and blog stalk many people who decorate that way. But, while I declutter and get rid of junk on a regular basis and try not to bring anything new into our home that doesn't have an immediate place and purpose, I am far from a minimalist. In other words, minimalism inspires me, and I glean a lot from their decluttering tips. That's what I want these cleaning posts to do for you-inspire without bringing condemnation. Everyone has different standards for their home.  Everyone has different standards of what is too cluttered and what is clean enough.  My goal for my home is threefold-I want it to always feel calm and peaceful and quiet, (not necessarily meaning the noise level but the feeling), to feel welcoming and to feel cozy.
Because my husband is a pastor, he spends most Saturdays in his office at the church making sure everything is ready for Sunday. (Our day off is Friday.) For years, Saturdays have been my house cleaning day.  I suppose it stems from years of wanting our home to be ready in case I decided to extend any last minute invites for Sunday lunch. Now we mostly eat out on Sundays after church and rest on Sunday afternoons/evenings. We are more likely to have people over on other days of the week-but old habits die hard so I still clean house on Saturdays. You should do what works best for you.  Perhaps dividing cleaning chores up on different days would work best. I just like to get it all done on one day.
Here's what I do on my Saturday house cleaning day-
(I like to listen to something while I clean-music, podcasts, the news, or even a movie that I've watched before.) 
I start with the chore that I dislike the most.  That way when I'm done with that, I already feel I'm on the downhill stretch to being done.  For me that chore is... 

CLEAN THE BATHROOMS-
-scrub the tubs, shower, toilets and sinks  
-wipe down the countertops and the cabinet and drawer fronts 
-clean the mirrors and shower doors
-wash any dirty towels and rugs
-scrub the floors 
CLEAN THE KITCHEN-
-wash all dishes
-wipe down countertops taking time to move and to clean underneath anything on the counter 
-wipe down all appliances-clean stove top, clean out and wipe down refrigerator, (don't forget to clean the top of the refrigerator which is a place that collects dust and grease)
- clean microwave
-wipe down cabinets-I wipe down my white cabinets weekly using a vinegar water solution or other mild cleaner. (This is much easier than waiting until grease and dirt have made a grimy layer!)
-vacuum and damp mop wood floor 
(This is my favorite tool for vacuuming my wood floors. I have the older version which is not cordless. To damp mop I use a microfiber mop and a spray bottle of vinegar water or other mild cleaner.)
CLEAN THE MASTER BEDROOM-
Wash sheets
Dust all surfaces (I try to declutter the top of our nightstands when I dust-but it feels like a losing battle!)
Vacuum


CLEAN THE GUEST ROOM AND HOME OFFICE-
Dust all surfaces (My office desk top is another challenging spot to keep clutter free.)
Vacuum

CLEAN THE ENTRYWAY, DINING ROOM AND LIVING ROOM-
-Dust all surfaces
-Vacuum or wash all area rugs
-Damp mop wood floors 
-Wipe down leather furniture with leather wipes
That's about it for my weekly house cleaning routine. (I do make sure all of the laundry is done as well, which isn't a huge deal since I do laundry during the week.)  Next week I'll end this series by writing about deep cleaning, spring and pre-holiday cleaning, and decluttering excess.




Have a happy Friday
and
a safe and blessed weekend!

 


         1aaadoveladygfairy006    






12 comments:

  1. I love this, Elizabeth. Plus I like stalking your rooms. We have similar tastes and style, I think, but now it's a challenge in this small open plan house.

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  2. P.S. Are all the plants real? I had silk ones and got rid of them cuz I hated keeping them clean. I used to stick the silk ficus in the shower. But I also have a hard time keeping real ones alive...

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    1. Yes, they are real! Watering plants, another Saturday chore!

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  3. This is SO helpful! You answered some questions I was going to ask the next time we get together - like what you use on your wood floors.
    ~Adrienne~

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  4. Hello Sister Elizabeth. I am a Pastor from Mumbai, India. I am glad to stumble across your profile on the blogger and the blog post. Going through your blog post, I am tempted to show to my wife how one should keep her home clean and tidy. I am blessed and feel privileged and honored to get connected with you as well as know you and about your husband being Pastor. I love getting connected with the people of God around the globe to be encouraged, strengthened and praying for one another. I have been in the Pastoral ministry for last 38 yrs in this great city of Mumbai a city with a great contrast where richest of rich and the poorest of poor live. We reach out to the poorest of poor with the love of Christ to bring healing to the brokenhearted. We also encourage young and the adults from the west to come to Mumbai to work with us during your vacation time. We would love to have young people from your church to come to Mumbai to work with during their vacation time. I am sure they will have a life changing experience. Looking forward to hear from you very soon. God's richest blessings on you, your family and friends. My email id is: dhwankhede(at)gmail(dot)com and my name is Diwakar Wankhede. God's blessings on you, your family and the ministry you have with your husband.Also wishing you and your family a blessed and a Christ centered New year.

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    1. God bless you and your wife, family, and ministry Pastor! May God enable you and your church to touch many lives for Christ!

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  5. Thank you for sharing your cleaning routine, I love to read others routines.. It gives me ideas.
    My son and grandson are both pastors. So proud of them and the work they do for the Lord.
    I usually do my main cleaning day on Monday, then have small cleaning routines daily, to keep things in order.
    Your house is really pretty, enjoyed seeing your decor. Have a blessed day.

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    1. I like to read other people's tips as well. It inspires me!

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  6. Wow, you certainly accomplish a lot on a Saturday. I got exhausted just reading this. Your home is beautiful and I love getting a glimpse of your décor.

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  7. You're an inspiration, Elizabeth! We have a one bedroom cottage and still, cleaning everything in one day is too much for me physically. I try to tackle smaller jobs throughout the week! I love your idea of doing the job you hate first - Definitely a win! Thanks so much for sharing your routine!

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  8. I can honestly say I used to be a routine person...UNTIL my husband retired. UGH! I, also, would encourage others to do the job you dread the most first. Just get it out of the way!

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  9. All fabulous tips Elizabeth. I try to stick to natural cleaning solutions like vinegar and use the same water/vinegar bottle for mopping too.
    Thank you for sharing at Create, Bake, Grow and Gather this week. I'm delighted to be pinning and featuring your post at today's party. xx

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