I am so happy that I started my housework routine ages ago otherwise I never would have been able to get the house house clean for open house days. I am also glad I upped the ante - for a while anyway. It was a bit of a punishing routine for the size of the house I have. I kept up the two cleans a month instead of one until August last year then fell back to dusting the blinds and vacuuming and cleaning the odd window that got splashed when it rained and needed a bit of a wipe down. But everything was so squeaky clean that my final clean before moving out has been relatively easy.
Through the year I had cleaned under the desk, the freezer and the fridge and under the coffee maker. I had also cleaned some of the kitchen cupboard shelves. When things were moved or packed there was a minimum of dust and barely any grime so it wiped up easily.
I have a few black holes like the corner cupboard in the kitchen and the bottom and top shelves of the pantry but it was nice that there were only a few places like this.
Yesterday I cleaned upstairs for the final time. I may have to run the dust buster over the sewing room floor once the shelves and tables are loaded but there won't be much there.
Without going too fast it probably took me about 40 mins for each room. Two bedrooms, my sewing room, the bathroom and toilet, hallway and linen cupboard.
Today I will do a bit downstairs. Since my DH vacuumed and steamed the floors I will just do the edges and fans and maybe windows, but the windows look pretty good in most rooms.
The laundry will be a biggish job but I will get started today and I will leave the bathroom until the day before the move.
Once again I know I couldn't have managed if I hadn't been following my monthly cleaning routine that kept all the big stuff under control - like windows and under furniture and appliances.
Start today! Divide your house into zones then routines and do a bit each day.
Through the year I had cleaned under the desk, the freezer and the fridge and under the coffee maker. I had also cleaned some of the kitchen cupboard shelves. When things were moved or packed there was a minimum of dust and barely any grime so it wiped up easily.
I have a few black holes like the corner cupboard in the kitchen and the bottom and top shelves of the pantry but it was nice that there were only a few places like this.
Yesterday I cleaned upstairs for the final time. I may have to run the dust buster over the sewing room floor once the shelves and tables are loaded but there won't be much there.
Without going too fast it probably took me about 40 mins for each room. Two bedrooms, my sewing room, the bathroom and toilet, hallway and linen cupboard.
- vacuumed the wardrobe shelves
- cleaned the fan
- vacuumed the floor
- vacuumed the edges with the edge tool
- vacuumed the curtains with the furniture tool
- cleaned the windows
- dusted the walls
- wiped the skirting boards and door mouldings and switch plates
- wet wiped the floor
- cleaned the air conditioning filter and cleaned all the dust off the vents with a toothbrush
- In the bathroom I took off the exhaust fan cover and washed it under the tap.
We have so much stuff that half has to go into storage for 6 months so we can rent a small 3 bedroom house while we build our new house. The removalist suggested that we pack and store the week before the move. It has made cleaning so much easier. Nearly everything is packed in boxes and we just have a few plates and clothes and cleaning things out and half the furniture is gone too.
Here are the upstairs rooms.
 |
| bed1 |
 |
| bed1 |
 |
| bed1 |
 |
| sewing room |
 |
| sewing room |
 |
| bed2 |
 |
| batroom |
 |
| hallway |
 |
| stairs |
The laundry will be a biggish job but I will get started today and I will leave the bathroom until the day before the move.
Once again I know I couldn't have managed if I hadn't been following my monthly cleaning routine that kept all the big stuff under control - like windows and under furniture and appliances.
Start today! Divide your house into zones then routines and do a bit each day.
Cheers,
Val
