The AT Cleaning Report, Week 2. Days 8-14

As most of you already know, one of my biggest challenges in life is cleaning. It is a repetitive, thankless task without lasting payoff.

Checklists (and blogging about them) help. When I finished the January Cure, I wanted a way to keep the house clean--so I decided to use this cleaning schedule from AT. It promises I can complete each task in 20 minutes a day. Sometimes that's true--and sometimes it isn't.

Here's what happened last week.

8. Sweep and vacuum all floors in the house (don't forget stairs)

To get it done in 20 minutes, I broke a sweat running around the house like a madwoman with the broom in hand. I switched to the swiffer to do our bedroom--changed the little dusting cloth twice, it was so bad.

9. Surface clean bedrooms

I had no idea what this meant. It shows up a couple more times this month, too. I decided it meant I should put away a few clothes, make the bed and dust. This time.

10. Deep clean living room (mirrors, baseboards, dust artwork)

This was my assigned weekly task for the Spring Cleaning Challenge hosted by a Bowl Full of Lemons. And, as it was a day off, I took the day--never mind 20 minutes. But I tackled

it on the 11th!

11. Clean bathrooms.

It's official. 20 minutes is not enough time to clean both bathrooms. I started with the powder room upstairs since the floor really needed my attention. (Our toilets are not flushing properly and we have floods fairly regularly.) When I was done, I had only three minutes left on my timer--just enough to swish and swipe downstairs. (Running in between floors isn't counted in my time.)

world's tiniest "master ensuite."

12. Clean out closets (hang up clothes, mittens, jackets, hats)

This was the weirdest one yet. I opened my coat closet, looked inside, and grabbed a mop (and spare mophead) I'd been meaning to get rid of since the New Year. I took it to work and tossed it in the dumpster there. Other than that, I was at a bit of a loss.

13. Surface clean "extra" rooms

I decided that my extra room is the dining room. It could also be my laundry room. I was in a huge hurry, so I wound up merely sweeping the floor.

14. Deep clean bedrooms (organize drawers, check under bed, tidy closet, dust artwork, fans, lights, mop)

Already this week, I've swiffered the floor in here, dusted, tidied, and cleared off the surfaces. I wasn't sure what else to do, really. I decided to change the sheets even though it wasn't suggested by the list. That took me my twenty minutes. Then I dusted and swiffered--and put away a laundry hamper of clothes. That took another ten. I honestly don't think my bedroom has ever been so clean! (Though I did forget all about the fan blades!)

I switched to the red because: Valentine's Day. But I'm thinking the plaid was not a great choice!

So, here we are. Another week begins tomorrow. I am already thinking of ways to tweak this list to make it better for me--but a weird thing is happening in my brain as I do that. The list loses its authority, somehow. It loses its status. It becomes just another thing that I do--rather than THIS THING I'm doing. As a result, I feel less inclined to do it. 

Am I making sense--even though it makes no sense, no sense at all?

ETA: When I got home from work this evening, my husband Chris had cleaned up! The dishes were done, surfaces were clear--the laundry had even been taken down to the laundry room. I was most impressed. I have to say that sometimes the pay off to committing myself to cleaning is more than just a clean house. I am so grateful.

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The AT Cleaning Report: Week 1. A (very) Partial Success.

When I finished the January Cure, I wanted to make sure I wouldn't fall back into my slothful ways. A fellow curer mentioned the AT 30 Day Cleaning Schedule. I copied it into my Bullet Journal and promised myself I would begin February 1st.

ahem.

I forgot all about it, actually, until Saturday, the 6th. I briefly thought about doing all the days previous just to catch up--but I was in the middle of doing the entry ways, so I consoled myself with the thought that it will all come 'round again.

Indeed it will.

The schedule includes 16 tasks spread out among 30 days. It also stipulates doing dishes and a load of laundry every day. My favourite thing about it though, is that it promises you can do these 16 tasks in just 20 minutes a day. And if that's true--then this is doable.

I started on the 6th with the assignment to clean the bathrooms. So, I did.

I set the timer for 20 minutes--and I stuck to just the downstairs bathroom (which really needed it!).

On Sunday, the 7th, the assignment was to clean all the windows (inside side only) and the mirrors. I had no idea I had so many mirrors in the house! Essentially, I have one in every room except the dining room and my son's bedroom, though we won't count the two in my daughter's room.

Let's see. On the main floor, there's the bathroom, of course and

the Living Room:

Kitchen:

Front and back Hallway:

Upstairs, there's the bathroom,

the three in our room,

and a little set of square stick-on mirrors from Ikea which I put in this space between the arch and the second floor. There is a south facing window, opposite--you can see the light from it so clearly! I simply wanted more light on the stairs. I love it.

That is the main reason I have so many mirrors--to bounce the light around.

I set the timer and I sprinted round the house--and at the end, I even had six minutes to devote to this beast:

So, it was doable. And it felt great.

I plan on posting about this weekly.

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The Difference between Decluttering and Tidying Up

(If you are a devotee of the Kon-Mari method, tidying up is decluttering in the sense I will make clear below. This is for everyone else.)

I came across something very strange in my inbox a while back.

It was so strange that I thought to write it down.

I think it captures a significant confusion. (I've been guilty of it too.)

The subject line was good. The subject line was engaging.

"Must Have Organization."

Yes, I must. I agreed. I opened the e-mail.

(By the by, one of the most disappointing magazines on the newstand I ever picked up was an organizing magazine. Instead of telling me how to organize, that is, how to work out what I need and how to store it and where, it was all about organizing products.)

And I was sort of expecting this e-mail to be like that magazine--and it was--but it also said this:

"storage to declutter every space."

what?

say that again.

Storage. Yep, OK.  I know what storage is.

"to declutter every space."

Wait.

What do they mean "to declutter every space?"
What do they mean by decluttering?

Surely they don't mean picking up the coat on the floor and hanging it up in the closet?

Or picking up the remote off the couch and putting it in that snazzy box on the coffee table you bought just for it--

No. I hope not. That's not decluttering. That's not organizing.

That's picking up.
That's putting things away.
That's tidying. (In the pre-Marie Kondo sense of tidying.)

And surely, they don't mean that you'll walk into your house with the mail in hand and sort it immediately --just because you now have a pretty mail sorter? Or that you'll take off your earrings and immediately hang them up on a cute jewellery tree?

Nope. Those are habits-- and habits need more than just containers for things.

Now, don't get me wrong. You have to have homes for things. If someone comes to visit for an extended period of time and doesn't have anywhere to put her knitting (say) except on the arm of your living room sofa and it bugs you-- then you need to find something she can put her knitting in.

But, decluttering, true and lasting decluttering needs only bags and boxes and hands and feet willing to trek it all out of the house.

If you are going to store it? You haven't decluttered it.

Linked to A Bowl Full of Lemons, January Projects.

The Completely Non-Threatening, Unintimidating Christmas Home Tour*

Hey there.

It's Christmas.

I love peeking into people's houses when they are all lit up and the drapes aren't drawn yet.

Welcome.

I've lit the candles for you.
(It seems I went a bit overboard on the candles this year. Craving light and warmth, right now)

Let me shoo that puppy off the couch for you.

That's our beagle, Stomp. We got him for Christmas eight years ago, now.

He likes to pull the cushions down and nest.

I would say I'm not a big decorator for Christmas: but just look at this place!

I was going to keep it simple, but it got away on me.

It's overloaded.

Let's start with the faux fireplce. I'd love to have a fire, but it's really no big deal. I love our scholarly monk there.

ooh, just noticed that dust. Sorry about that.  I'll have to have a word with the maid.

The mirror on the mantle has been tucked away for over a year. I wanted to bring back a little sparkle--and bounce around what little light we have in the winter.

I made that sign a few years ago. 

My husband loves nutcrackers.

We have these amazing vintage wax decorations.

I picked up some gorgeous Christmas flowers from the grocery store.

I tried to get some poinsettas but I forgot them at work and someone bought them before I could get back to get them. After that, I didn't see any I liked at a price point I liked.

These ornaments are leftovers from decorating the tree. I put some hangers at the bottom of the bowl if you want to hang one up.

I wanted plaid pillows quite badly this Christmas--but I took a lesson from my fall pillow fiasco. 

I bought a set of napkins to make envelope pillow covers. But when I draped the napkins over the large pillows at each end, I felt overwhelmed. And I found that I really liked the navy with the grey--so I left it alone! Instead, I decided just to cover my center pillow. (I'll have a tutorial on that soon.) I love the little dash of plaid. 

I put the remnant in the tray on the coffee table.

My son made the gumball tree a couple of years ago for me.

The tree is a bit of a hodge podge. Very traditional with coloured lights, candy canes and a ribbon chain garland. My daughter and I made that, one year. 

My aunt Robin made the tree skirt many, many years ago.

On the other side of the room, above the TV, we have what my husband considers perhaps the most important symbol of Christmas. The creche.

Yep, you guessed it. My husband made the stable, oh, probably 17-18 years ago, now.

Whew.

Let's move into the kitchen and have some hot chocolate.
How's that for a simple hot chocolate station?

The secret is adding the marshmallows and a jar of spoons! The hot chocolate mix is pretty much a winter staple.

The table is super simple with a bowl of fruit and some candles and plants. I have become rather fond of Mr. Owl.

That's paper narcissus waiting to erupt from that mound of moss back there.

Let's take it into the dining room.

I got that plaid tablecloth at Homesense for $10.

It's hella cold out there.

It was snowing on and off all day.

It's Christmas time.


*or your money back!

Linking to the Nester's #ItDoesn'tHaveToBePerfectToBeBeautiful Christmas Annual Tour of Homes.

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