By Kelly Sutton

Growing up my parents often said, “All we want for the holidays is a CLEAN HOUSE!” My siblings and I would sigh and think, “DANG IT!”

Now as a parent, when I really think about all I want for the holidays, it is definitely a second ME. That’s pretty close to my parents’ request of a clean house!  Parents just want stuff done lol!

Now I have tried the house cleaning schedule. I FAILED miserably lol! But here’s the link to it if you’d like to try it out and tweak it for your liking: House Cleaning Schedule

As the New Year of 2018 approaches, I’m yearning to “clean the house” for the new year, but am struggling to find the time to actually do a deep cleanse of everything, so I’ve narrowed down my list to the basics that don’t get attention on a daily basis. I’ve met some pretty amazing moms who can manage to keep these things tidy year around, but it’s not me. I admit, I have some of things locked down, but other items on the list fall to the way side.

Ready?

I’m calling my annual New Year’s cleanse/purge, the…

OUT, UNDER, & DOWN LIST

clean OUT

– refrigerator & oven

-closets

-garage or storage place

clean UNDER

– couch & couch cushions

-beds

wipe DOWN

– mirrors

-base boards

-cabinets & appliances

 

The Clean OUT

• Refrigerator – Start at the condiments and make your way to every shelf; THROW OUT expired food or items you haven’t used in 3 – 4 months. Then wipe out all the crusty food particles that have mysteriously built up over the year!
• Oven – If you can, turn on the self clean, and watch the grime and grease melt away. If you go the natural way, baking soda and vinegar may do the trick if the grime isn’t caked onto the oven. If not, I’m not afraid of just getting some oven cleaner chemicals and an old school Brillo pad and scrubbing the grease and grime.
• Closets – Go through the drawers and closets and take out things you haven’t worn in 1 – 2 years. Fine, keepsake 1 – 3 things if you’re trying to fit back into it, but honestly, if I ever get to my goal body image again; I’m going shopping for new clothes anyway! CELEBRATE! Don’t FORGET TO DONATE your clothes and shoes to the local Goodwill or thrift store.  You’d be surprised by how many pieces of clothing our kiddos don’t fit anymore or have worn out.
• Garage or Storage Place – The build up is REAL! So much stuff gets unorganized and misplaced. Again, donate unused items (i.e. bikes, toys, tools, etc.) and reorganize what’s left. Don’t forget to sweep and dust please.

 

The Clean UNDER

• Couch & Couch Cushions – Take off the cushions, push the couch back/over/up, and VACCUUM. Spot scrub any stains with a household cleaner and hot water. That is all lol!
• Beds – Again, push the bed back/over/aside… VACCUUM. Oh and if you have kids, let them participate – it builds a sense of responsibility. Plus they are always amused by finding old toys/things they’ve moved on from.

 

The Wipe DOWN

• Mirrors/Windows – Mirrors are definitely cleaned more often than not, but it’s a good reminder to Windex or water/vinegar the insides of your windows.
• Baseboards – I have THICK baseboards, so they collect so much dust. Either use a swifter, duster, or hand-held vacuum and wipe away all of those dust bunnies.
• Cabinets & Appliances – The faces of appliances get some much debris on them, from finger prints to water stains. Personally, my husband tackles this job of wiping the cabinets and appliances down and I am so grateful!

 

I hope you enjoyed a quick, essential list for an annual house cleanse! Appreciate and Support another.

Happy New Year!!!

#NorthwestMamahood