Seasonal Cleaning: Kitchen

The kitchen is the only room that may take more than one day to deep clean. It really depends on how dirty your kitchen is and when you cleaned it last. At the same time, the kitchen is the worth the effort. We spend a lot of time there and keeping the kitchen clean will keep you and your family healthy.

1. Prep--remove any items that go elsewhere and trash.

2. Remove dirty dish towels, rugs, and window treatments. Wash them.

3. Dust and/or wash ceiling and walls.

4. Remove all decorative items from the walls/shelves/tables and clean each item. Wipe surface before returning items. If you have any decorative arrangements you want to keep exactly the same, here's a tip for you: grab your camera and take a quick picture. Then when you go to put things back you can look at the picture to jog your memory.

5. Remove parts of light fixture(s) and clean them. Replace any burned out light bulbs.

6. Wash any doors (front and back), frame, and door knob.

7. Wash window(s) inside and out. Brush window screen with a dry, stiff brush. Wipe sill and frame.

8. Here it is the part you've been dreading. This is the hard part: Empty and wipe out each cupboard and drawer. Vacuum crumbs out of drawers before wiping them. Return only items you use frequently that are in good condition. Toss expired food.

If you buy food in bulk be sure
to store smaller amounts in handy containers.

Don't keep four cheese graters, if you want to keep a "backup" just in case then pack those items in a box and put the box in storage. Line the shelves if they are in bad shape or you want to protect them. Organize as you put things back. Use baskets or boxes to help keep like things together. It is also recommended that you store items that you use together with each other. (Baking supplies for example.)
If you have a "pantry" in your kitchen, consider it a big cupboard. :) Which means you need to take everything out, wipe the shelves, and organize as you put things back. If you happen to store extra appliances in your pantry, and could use the space for something else, reconsider before you just automatically put them back where they were. If you only use an appliance once a year store it in the basement, if you use an appliance more often but not daily store it somewhere handy (linen closet?) but not in the prime real estate of your kitchen.
I have a fairly small "pantry" in the kitchen so I keep my overflow food and appliances in the basement. I'm not sure I'll ever do a post on organizing your basement... that seems even more daunting than the kitchen!9. Wipe outside and handles of all cupboards and drawers. Take extra care of cupboards above the cooktop. They get greasy and grimy. Don't forget to wipe cupboard sides, fronts, and along the floor.Here's another helpful hint for you: Post a list of substitutions and a few favorite recipes you make frequently on the inside of your cupboard door for handy reference. (I also have an OTC children medication chart there as well.)

10. Clean oven/stovetop. Use the self-clean if you have it. Soak/wash the stove drip pans or replace them, if needed (tip: the black ones are easier to keep looking clean). Remove all knobs and soak them, while you wipe behind them. Don't forget the drawer if you have one. If you are really motivated, pull out the stove and wipe the sides and clean the floor underneath. Clean exhaust fan. Remove and soak the mesh filter, or replace if it is really bad. Wipe down front, door, and handle.11. Clean sink and faucet. Don't forget to clean any sink accessories (sprayer, filter, etc). If your sink is stained use a magic eraser to wipe it down. A paste of baking soda and water will usually remove spots from the faucet. If needed, use an old toothbrush to clean around the fixture base. If you have a dish rack, clean it really well (soak in a bleach solution) before returning it to the sink. Clean the garbage disposal/drain area really well. Run some ice and a few slices of lemon in your disposal if you don't want to reach in there and scrub.

12. Wipe outside of dishwasher and around the door. If necessary, run your dishwasher with a cup of vinegar or bleach to clean the inside.

13. Clean refrigerator/freezer. Wipe all sides and top. A magic eraser or Soft Scrub will get off scuff marks. Pull fridge out and clean wall/floor under and behind the fridge. Vacuum fridge coils. Clean the inside of the fridge. Empty the whole thing and remove all the shelves, don't forget the shelves in the door. Wipe down inside walls/floor/ceiling. Wipe all shelves and drawers. Return food, tossing anything that is past it's date or gross. Wipe jars for drips, if necessary.Now I know a lot of you won't listen to me on this one but if you keep stuff off your fridge your kitchen will look a lot less cluttered. I know it is full of kids drawings and photos of loved ones, but those things can be displayed elsewhere. If you have to leave an occasional note to a family member on there that is one thing... an added bonus is if there is not a bunch of stuff on there already they might actually get the message! At the very least limit what you put on there to one piece of artwork per kid and a few special pictures.

14. Clean microwave, inside and out. Put a mug of water with a slice of lemon in microwave and heat for 1-2 minutes. Let it sit before wiping down the inside. This will loosen any stuck on food.

15. Clean or wipe any other small appliances that you keep on the counter top (toaster, mixer, coffee maker, etc.)

16. Remove everything from counters and wipe. Don't forget the wall/backsplash. If you feel it is needed wipe with a disinfectant of some kind. Be sure the counter is dry before you replace items. Wipe each item as you put it back. Make sure you only put back things you need or love. A cluttered counter is hard to keep clean!

17. If you don't have a separate dining room then clean your dining area with your kitchen. Wipe down all chairs and the table, including legs and decorative trim. Magic Erasers get scuff marks off of furniture.18. Wash trash can inside and out.

19. Return all clean wall decorations, light fixture, rugs, window treatments.

20. Sweep and scrub floor, wipe baseboards.
Stand back and admire your clean kitchen! Good job!!

Want to keep it looking great?

• Deal with dishes daily
• Wipe counters daily
• Keep your sink empty and clean
• Wipe up spills as they happen
• Sweep as needed and mop weekly

The printable kitchen cleaning checklist can be found here.

Seasonal Cleaning: Living Room

This should be one of the easier rooms in the house to clean. If you are like most people you probably do a pretty decent job of keeping up with the living room since that is the room people see most often when coming to your home. And this is a great time of year to clean the living room since a lot of people are movingknick knacks and furniture to bring out the Christmas decorations anyway.

1. Take down all window treatments and wash them (if possible). At least shake them out if you can't launder them or take them to the cleaners. Dust or wash the blinds.

2. Wipe down ceiling fan, if you have one. Remove all the (removable) parts of the light fixture(s). Wash glass shades in hot soapy water and dry. Wipe down the remaining parts of the fixture that cannot be removed.

3. Dust the ceiling first, then dust the walls. Use a rag or an extending duster. A regular (dry) Swiffer also works nicely.

4. Wash door (front and back), door knob, and frame. Don't forget the top of the door and the door frame.

5. Wash window(s) inside and out. Don't forget the sill and frame. Brush window screen with a dry, stiff brush.

6. Vacuum any upholstered furniture. Don't forget to take cushions off furniture and vacuum under them.
7. Move each piece of furniture and vacuum under it using the vac tool to get along the wall. Dust any parts of the walls (including the baseboard) you may have missed before you moved the furniture. Dust the furniture (top, front, back, and sides) before returning it to it's place. Clean any decorative items and lamps on tables. [You can move all the furniture at once or do it one piece at a time.]

8. Dust any remaining items hanging on the wall. Wipe down frames/mirrors, clean glass with glass cleaner. Remove any items from wall shelves, dust the items, and the shelf.

9. Wipe any heating/cooling vents. Wipe light switch plate.

10. Go around room and wipe baseboards with a damp rag.

11. Vacuum floor/rug. Use vac tool to get along the edge of the wall.

12. If you need to declutter: Don't put back any items you don't use or belong! Keep only a few items on top of tables or shelves. This makes it much easy to clean on a regular basis.

13. Nothing should be stored loose on the floor (books, videos, toys, etc.). Find a home for these items-use baskets, drawers, or shelves. We store the kids books in a basket inside of an end table that has a door. We also keep a small basket of toys out as well, but most of the toys are in the basement. If you do keep a lot of toys in the living room figure out a way to keep them tidy. Kids can't be expected to put away their toys if there really is no place to put them!
14. If you have a front entryway, clean that as part of the living room. If you need tips on cleaning out a closet, follow the tips in the master bedroom post. We don't use our front hall closet for coats... we converted it to homeschool storage by adding shelves. We hang our coats by the back door. When we have guests we just put their jackets in the master bedroom. If you lack storage somewhere in your house, seriously re-think the extra space in your front hall closet. At our old house we used the front hall closet for toy storage. Get creative and think outside the box closet. Toy storage, homeschool supply storage, or even extra pantry space are all good options!The living room cleaning checklist can be found here. Want to keep it looking great?

• Pick up toys and clutter daily or twice daily.
• If you get something out, put it away.
  
• Dust and vacuum once a week.
  

If you have a family room, just follow these instructions. I'm not going to do a separate post for halls or entryways, but don't forget them! The last room we have left is the kitchen. We saved the hardest for last. I'll save my kitchen post for the first week of December. Then your whole house will be clean and ready to go for the Christmas season! I am planning on doing a whole post on organizing the paper that can clutter up our homes and lives after the new year!

Seasonal Cleaning: Laundry Room

The laundry room can be a challenge. Some of you might not have a laundry room at all. At our old house we had a laundry area in the unfinished basement, but I still tried to keep it tidy. I didn't really have walls to dust, but I'd still get the cobwebs and complete the rest of what is included in the checklist below at least yearly. Personally, I spend a lot of time doing laundry, so it's nice to have a tidy area to work in! Even if your laundry area is in part of storage area, garage, or basement you can still give it a good cleaning once or twice a year and keep it neat.

How it should look!

How it usually looks!
At least those clothes are clean!

1. The first step is to get the clean laundry put away. I need to work on this. I get the laundry done, but I am really bad about putting it away. Our goal right now is to clean the actual room so the first thing you want to do is get the clean clothes out of the area so they don't get dirty while you clean.

2. Dust the walls and ceiling. Wipe down any decorations. Wipe any vents or fans. Wash any rugs and curtains. Lint gets all over in a laundry room. (If your laundry room is in a bathroom follow the bathroom cleaning checklist.)

3. If you haven't already, clear the tops of the washer and dryer. Wipe down all sides of the washer and dryer. They get dusty! You may also want to wipe out the inside of your dryer, especially around the door area where lint can build up.

4. Clean any counter tops and wipe out the sink, if you have one.

5. Wipe down the outside of cabinet doors and drawers. Empty each cabinet and drawer, wipe down shelves and replace like items together. If you store cleaning supplies in the laundry room, safely dispose of any that are really old or stuff you know you'll never use before returning them to their spot. If you need to dispose of household chemicals, you might want to find out about proper disposal. In our county you can take chemicals to a county facility where you leave what you can't use and others can take it if they need it. And it's free! (A great way to get a little bit of paint for small projects by the way!)

6. Organize what's left. Place it on shelves or in cabinets. Use bins or storage containers for items you use most often. If your laundry room doubles as another room it can be a challenge to get it organized. Sometimes laundry rooms are the back entry or part of the basement or even in a bathroom. Our laundry also happens to be a half bath. Try and keep like items together. Cleaning supplies in one cabinet, laundry supplies in another. Some other things I keep in the laundry room include: batteries (regular and rechargeable), light bulbs, shoe polishing supplies, and bug spray.

7. You might want to take the time to clean our your dryer vent. Not just the trap in the dryer but the actual vent that goes to the outside. If you get a lot of lint built up in there it can be a fire hazard.

8. Clean any mirrors or windows.

9. Sweep and scrub the floor. If you are really motivated (I wasn't this time) pull out the washer and dryer to clean behind them and look for any lonely socks that may have dropped back there when you weren't looking! If you haven't moved your dryer in years it would be a good idea to do this, like I mentioned before, lint can be a fire hazard.

Here are some other laundry room tips:

• Have a designated place for dirty laundry. I highly recommend a 3 bin laundry sorter or two! This is how we store all our dirty laundry. I requested these for Christmas a couple years ago and I can tell you they are worth every penny.
  
• Have a designated place for clean laundry. If you are really good... put it away immediately. If you're like me, you'll use a laundry basket and the top of the dryer. Whatever you do don't mix clean and dirty laundry! That just makes more work for you!
• Have a rod handy to hang clothes on hangers right as they come out of the dryer. I refuse to iron so this is really important for my hubby's wrinkle-free work clothes. This can also be used to hang items to dry when necessary. We just have a rack on wheels that I got at Walmart for under $20. It's held up surprisingly well.
• Keep a trash can handy. For lint, used dryer sheets, and candy wrapper that you wash.
  
• Create zones. A pet supply area, cleaning supplies, laundry stuff, a place for tools, etc. Keep like things together so you can find them and so they are tidy. Baskets and containers are your friends!
• The junk drawer. Above is our "junk drawer" for lack of a better name. We have a basket for the rechargeable batteries that are "dead" right above a basket of the charged ones. I keep a few screwdrivers in here to open the back of any toys to replace batteries. This is also were we keep tapes of all kinds (electrical, duct, clear package, etc.). I have another drawer between the washer and dryer where I keep the lonely socks that have lost their mate. They keep each other company there until their mate comes along. If you don't have a spare drawer you could use a small basket.
• Keep a small container for junk. I keep mine right on the counter. If I find coins, rocks, beads, screws, or buttons in a pocket or the washer I toss them in this container. Every couple months I dump out the container and put the stuff back where it belongs. In the meantime if we are missing something small that is where I usually look.
  
• Get it out! If you don't use it often, don't keep it in the small amount of space you have in the laundry room. Like I said, I rarely iron so I don't keep the ironing board in the laundry room. There really isn't a good spot for it and I'd rather use the precious space for something else or nothing at all!
• Go vertical. If you have brooms and mops that you keep in the laundry area get one of these organizers from the home improvement store to hang them on. Then they won't be flopping all over the place and in your way.

A printable laundry room checklist can be found here.

Seasonal Cleaning: Kid Bedroom(s)

Here's where we part ways! If you "see a fork in the road, take it" kind of thing. I'm pretty sure what I do in kids bedrooms isn't what you will do or want to do in kid bedrooms, and you know what... that's okay! I'm not saying you have to do it my way. I'm just tossing out there what I do and if you can pick out an idea here and there that works for you, great!

My intentions aren't to get you to do things the way I do them. You should get your rooms organized and cleaned your way. If it truly doesn't bother you to have clutter or dust... carry on! BUT if you do want things neater or cleaner then do something about it! What I hear the most is that people do want to change; they do want a cleaner, more organized house... they just don't know where to start. Well, the first step to is to start doing things differently than you are now. That works with anything... saving money, getting healthy, or organizing your house!

Now, onto the kid's rooms... they are a bedroom so it's going to be very similar to the master bedroom except for the toys... ahh, the toys! So use the master bedroom checklist for the cleaning part, I'm not going to repost the whole thing again here. You should know the drill now anyway, clean the WHOLE room... top to bottom... every surface.

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Fall Cleaning: Kid's Bedroom(s)
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1. Window treatments 2. Bedding, flip mattress 3. Ceiling fan and light fixture 4. Ceilings and walls 5. Door and door frame 6. Blinds 7. Window and frame 8. Vacuum carpet including under furniture and along wall 9. Dust furniture front, back, and sides 10. Dust stuff on walls and shelves 11. Clean mirrors 12. Vents and light switches 13. Baseboards

14. Don't put back any items that aren't used or don't belong! Keep only a few items on top of dressers. This makes it much easy to clean on a regular basis. Group small items together in baskets or containers so you can pick them all up at once when it's time to dust. Empty each drawer and return only necessary items. Donate and toss appropriately.

16. Closet time: Take everything out of the closet. Wipe down shelves, dust the ceiling and walls. Vacuum. Have 3 boxes ready as you go through the closet: trash, give-away, and storage. Only keep the items that currently fit. Store clothes that are too big or too small somewhere else. At the very least get everything off the floor and vacuum, dust the closet corners, and look through the clothes to donate any unwanted items or remove items of the wrong size.

I like to hang all shirts. I find that folded clothes just don't stay tidy with little kids around. If we had a bit more closet space I would hang pants too but since I have four kids sharing one closet I don't have the space. We fold pants and keep them on shelves in the closet. Pajamas, underwear, and socks go in drawers. We have one five drawer dresser in the boys room and one three drawer plastic cart on wheels in their closet. Drawer 1 of the dresser is eldest son's underwear, drawer 2 is his jammies, drawer 3 is all older boys socks, drawer 4 is my twin's underwear, and drawer 5 is twin jammies. The three drawers in the closet are toddler undies and socks, jammies, and pants. All shoes are in a large laundry basket on the floor of the closet. I color code the clothes on hangers. Go ahead... call me crazy, but it's nice to know at a glance whose stuff is whose.

clothes on color coded hangers
(in the closet at our old house)

The baby's closet set up is a bit different. I don't really like it but it's what we've got. He's got two closets in his room. One with two rods and the other with just shelves. His clothes go on the bottom rod in the hanging closet (and in his drawers). I keep a few out of season shirts for each boy and spare hangers on the top rod. The shelves hold baby toys that are currently out of rotation, crib bedding, cloth diaper supplies, and a few odds 'n ends. The bottom of the closet holds a huge draw string bag that I made out of a sheet. This is where we keep all extra stuffed animals that aren't being cuddled with.

17. The easiest way to keeps kids rooms clean is to keep toys elsewhere. Don't store toys in the bedrooms at all. Bedrooms are for sleeping! I know this may sound radical to many of you, but toys are what usually create the messes in kid's rooms. If you must store toys in the kid's rooms, don't keep every toy they own in there, just keep a select few (we do have a small toy box in the baby's room with baby toys). Rotate them. Use containers to help keep things tidy. If you're overwhelmed reading this, think how your kids feel. Seriously, kids have too much stuff!

If you are honest with yourself, I am sure you will admit your child(ren) have way more than they use or play with on a regular basis. Christmas is coming and that means new toys are coming. The first step is to not get them so much in the first place. Unfortunately, we didn't learn that lesson until our oldest was almost grown but the younger boys are benefiting from our new ways.

This year consider cutting back on the "stuff" and putting the money you save in a savings account instead. Wouldn't it be wonderful to hand your child a bit of money when they buy their first car or set up their first apartment? They will appreciate that a lot more than another Barbie or Match Box car. For me, it's sad to see a child opening gift after gift on Christmas morning (or a birthday) as they just toss aside the new toy and move on to the next package. "No time to look at it kiddo, hurry up, there's more to open!" What are we teaching our children? Anyway, if you choose to get rid of some toys, consider donating them. This year, especially, it could really make a difference!

So, where are all the toys if they aren't in the kids rooms? I'll post more about my toy solutions in another post. Here's a quick peek:18. Nothing should be stored loose on the floor (books, videos, toys, clothes, etc.). Find a home for these items-use baskets, shelves, drawers, plastic storage containers, or even cardboard boxes.

19. Again, if you haven't vacuumed under the beds do that now and if you store stuff under the bed make sure it's stuff you really need and you have a way to get to it if you need it.

Want to keep it looking this great? Here's how in about 5 minutes per day:

• Make the bed(s)*. EVERY day.
  
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper, never leave them on the floor. Ever.
• Put trash in the trash can.
  
• Keep clean clothes hung or folded and put away.
  
• Put stuff (especially toys) away. If it doesn't have a home... make one!
• Dust and vacuum once a week.
• Train your children in the above! It's their room, they can keep it clean!
  

*In the kids rooms we do bed making a little bit differently. We only use a bottom sheet and a blanket. The blanket gets folded and laid at the foot of the bed and the bed is made. Easy for little kids and less stress for mom.

Seasonal Cleaning: Master Bedroom

Your bedroom is supposed to be a relaxing place. A room you go to at the end of the day to rest. Don't let your "sanctuary" become a storage room. Part of the master bedroom cleaning is really decluttering and organizing.

There really is a difference. My house may not be perfectly clean all the time, but it is not cluttered. You may have a clean house, but if it is cluttered and unorganized that is all people will see. The goal, of course, is a clean and organized house, but if you have to choose one or the other... you'll get more bang for your buck out of an organized, clutter free home! Plus, it's easier to keep a organized house clean.

We all have a lot of stuff. No excuses (small house, lots of kids, no basement, etc.) Trust me, I know all about living in a smaller house and houses with no basements and lots of kids. Even if you have a small house or lack the blessed storage space of a basement or have 10 kids you still don't have to have a cluttered bedroom!

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Fall Cleaning: Master Bedroom
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Prep work: remove all dirty laundry and trash.

1. Take down all window treatments and wash them (if possible). At least shake them out if you can't launder them or take them to the cleaners.

2. Remove all bedding and wash. All of it... even the dust ruffle.

3. Wipe down ceiling fan, if you have one. Remove all the (removable) parts of the light fixture(s). Wash glass shades in hot soapy water and dry. Wipe down the remaining parts of the fixture that cannot be removed. Do the same to any closet light fixture.

4. Dust the ceiling first, then dust the walls. Use a rag or an extending duster. A regular (dry) Swiffer also works nicely. The area around the light switch (and any other dirty areas---like along the bed) should be washed with hot soapy water.

5. Wash door (front and back), door knob, and frame. Don't forget the top of the door and the door frame.

6. Dust or wash blinds.

7. Wash window inside and out. Don't forget the sill and frame. Brush window screen with a dry, stiff brush.

8. Move each piece of furniture and vacuum under it using the vac tool to get along the wall. Dust any parts of the walls (including the baseboard) you may have missed before you moved the furniture. Dust the furniture (top, front, back, and sides) before returning it to it's place. Clean any decorative items and lamps on dresser tops or nightstands. [You can move all the furniture at once or do it one piece at a time.]

9. Dust any remaining items hanging on the wall. Wipe down frames, clean glass with glass cleaner. Remove any items from wall shelves, dust the items, and the shelf.

10. Clean any mirrors in the room with glass cleaner.

11. Wipe any heating/cooling vents. Wipe light switch plate.

12. Go around room and wipe baseboards with a damp rag.

13. Vacuum floor/rug. Use vac tool to get along the edge of the wall.

14. If you need to declutter: Don't put back any items you don't use or belong! Keep only a few items on top of dressers and side tables. This makes it much easy to clean on a regular basis. Group small items together in baskets so you can pick them all up at once when it's time to dust.

15. If you REALLY need to declutter: Empty each drawer and return only items you love and really use. Donate and toss appropriately. In these economic times especially, someone could be using the stuff that is cluttering up your space! Your drawers should not be so full that you cannot close them. Speaking of that... close them! Open drawers make rooms look messier. Close your closet door(s) too.

16. Closet time. Save the closet for last. Do it a different day if the above took too long or your worn out. Most importantly, don't get sidetracked. Stay focused. It's just a closet!

• If you are really motivated--take everything out of your closet. Wipe down shelves, dust the ceiling and walls. [If you have moved in the last few years you probably don't have to do this, but if you have lived in you house more than 5 years and haven't done this since you moved in, it might not be a bad idea.] Have 3 boxes ready as you go through your closet: trash, give-away, and storage. Only keep the items you love and wear regularly. You know the old rule (aka Rule #1)... if you haven't worn it in a year get rid of it. Rule #2: Don't spend a lot of time trying on clothes... if you don't know if it fits or not then you probably haven't worn it in awhile which means you should refer to rule #1. As you return items to your closet group like items together. Organize your shoes.

• If you aren't as motivated--at least get everything off the floor and vacuum. dust the closet corners, and look through your clothes to donate any unwanted items.

17. If you have a desk in your room or a craft table--clean off flat surfaces, organize your area, make sure everything has a place to go. Use containers to help keep things tidy. If you have space elsewhere, seriously consider moving your stuff to another part of the house.

18. Nothing should be stored loose on the floor (books, videos, clothes, etc.). Find a home for these items-use baskets, shelves, drawers, plastic storage containers, or even cardboard boxes.

19. You should have already vacuumed under your bed when you were moving furniture, but just in case you forgot... do it now. If you store stuff under your bed make sure it's stuff you really need and you have a way to get to it if you need it.

20. Flip or spin your mattress, if applicable. There is an old saying about mattresses: "Flip in the fall and spin in the spring." This really helps your mattress wear more evenly. Remake your bed.
Want to keep it looking this great? Here's how in about 5 minutes per day:

• Make the bed. EVERY day.
  
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper, never leave them on the floor. Ever.
• Put trash in the trash can.
  
• Keep clean clothes hung or folded and put away. If you change your mind about wearing something put it back.
• Put stuff away. If it doesn't have a home... make one!
• Train your children in the above!
  
• Keep a small basket or container for miscellaneous items--but deal with it on a regular basis.
• Dust and vacuum once a week.

I made another printable checklist for you, it can be found here.

Seasonal Cleaning: Bathroom

Here is how I deep clean a bathroom. This is NOT how I clean every week; in fact, I don't clean every week. I only deep clean twice a year... sometimes only once (if I happen to be pregnant or have a newborn... which has been quite often!). If you start with a really clean bathroom, then maintenance is easier.

Depending on how many people use a bathroom, it either gets a quick wipe down daily or every few days. At the old house, when we only had one bathroom for all of us, I wiped the bathroom down every night. At this house, the master bath doesn't need a daily wipe but the boys bathroom does! Just a couple minutes each day spot cleaning helps me to stretch cleaning the bathrooms out longer. I only really clean the master bath once a month or so. The boys bathroom is done more often but still not weekly. Deep cleaning once or twice a year in exchange for cleaning less often the rest of the year works for me!

I like to get this whole process done at once but if you don't have time for that you can do a little bit each day over the course of a week. As far as this challenge goes, you have one week before I post the next room! If you have more than one bathroom, you can try and get them all done or move on to a new room and go back to any remaining rooms at the end. I made up a less detailed printable bathroom cleaning checklist you can take with you, if you are interested click here. Here we go...

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Fall Cleaning: Bathroom
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Prep work: remove all dirty laundry, items that don't belong in the bathroom, and trash.

1. Remove all towels, rugs, the shower curtain, and the window curtains and wash them. You can also wash the shower liner, even the cheap ones usually survive a wash or two (just don't dry them!).

2. Take everything off the walls. Clean or dust each item as you remove them. Set them aside for now, do not hang them back up.

3. Dust the ceiling first, then dust or wash the walls. Use a rag or an extending duster. A regular (dry) Swiffer also works nicely. Dusting is usually enough except where hairspray or spray gel lands and the area around the light switch, those areas should be washed with hot soapy water.

ceiling first.....then walls
(ignore ugly wallpaper border!)

4. Remove all the (removable) parts of the light fixture(s). Wash glass shades in hot soapy water and dry. Wipe down the remaining parts of the fixture that cannot be removed.

5. Wash door (front and back), door knob, and frame. Don't forget the top of the door and the door frame.

6. Dust or wash blinds.

7. Wash window inside and out. Don't forget the sill and frame. Brush window screen with a dry, stiff brush. (This is a tip my mom passed along from a professional. Getting screens wet stretches them out over time.)

8. One at a time (or all at once if you really need to reorganize) empty each cupboard and drawer. Wipe down shelves and insides of drawers. Empty and wipe out storage containers or baskets. Return only items in good condition that you use on a regular basis. If you don't use it often find somewhere else to store it. Donate any items in good condition that you don't use anymore. Toss any junk.

empty cabinet........cleaned and refilled........clean drawer........garbage & stuff to put elsewhere

9. Wipe down the outside of all cabinets and drawers including the handles.

10. Empty medicine cabinet. Wipe down shelves. Toss all expired products. Return remaining items to cabinet in an organized fashion. Use storage containers or small baskets to group like items. Group meds by person or type (example: pain relievers, allergy meds).

11. Wipe exhaust fan and heating vents.

12. Wipe towel racks, toilet paper holder, shower rod, and light switch plates.

13. Wipe mirror, don't forget the top rim.

14. Remove and clean all items from the counter. Clean counter and sink(s). Clean around the faucet really well. Use a q-tip or old toothbrush if necessary. If you have a lot of scum built up around the faucet use a small flat head screwdriver to gently scrape it away. If the faucet handle is gross, pry off the handle cover and remove it to clean. Clean around drain really well, using old toothbrush as necessary. Return only a few items to the counter. Daily wipe down is easier if your counters are clear. If you must keep some items out at least put them in some type of storage container so you can move them all at once to wipe. If you drain runs slow you might want to take care of that now too (to help keep your sink clean).

15. Clean shower/tub. Walls, floor, faucet handles, shower head, around the drain, and any shelves. Remove any items not used on a daily basis. Clean the doors if you have those (and if you do I feel for you! I hate cleaning shower doors. In fact, if you have them I suggest hanging a shower liner inside the doors so you don't have to scrub them!) If you have mildew, bleach is your friend! Mix a 10:1 water/bleach solution and spray.

16. Clean toilet, inside and out. Don't forger to wipe the tank and the handle. Remove those little caps on the sides, clean them and under them. If necessary (if you have boys it's necessary), remove seat and clean underneath where seat attaches. Use an old toothbrush to get into crevices. For a link on how to clean a toilet click here. If you have little boys, prevention is helpful. The potty shield was the best $20 I ever spent!

16. Wash trash can inside and out.

17. Return all clean items to walls. Put light fixture back together. Rehang towels. Rehang clean liner and shower curtain. Rehang window treatment.

18. Sweep and scrub the floor. Sorry, no mop this time. Get on your hands and knees with a rag so you can wash the baseboards as you go. If there are black scuff marks or sticky hairspray residue use a magic eraser.

19. Once floor is dry, return rugs.

20. Stand back and admire your clean bathroom. In fact, take a picture and post it on your blog!

Want to keep it looking this great? Here's how in about 5 minutes per day:

• Hang towels immediately, never put them on the floor. Ever.
  
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper, never leave them on the floor. Ever.
  
• Put stuff away when you are done with it, don't just leave it on the counter. If you don't have a place to "put it away" make one!
  
• Empty trash daily*.
  
• Keep a simple cleaner in the bathroom with a few rags and do a quick wipe down of mirror spots and counter daily.*
  
• Give the toilet a quick brush and wipe the rim/outside last with the rag you used on the sink before tossing it in the laundry.

If you have unexpected guests you can excuse yourself and go run through this routine real quick before they have to use your bathroom! :)

* Have your kids do these things as part of their chore routine. We have a three year old emptying trash and a five year old wipe the counter! Kids may not do a perfect job on wipe down, but the spots they miss today will not be the same spots they miss tomorrow and the overall effect is a fairly clean counter! I make my own "all purpose" cleaner that is safe for kids to use. Or make your own "disinfecting wipes" there are tons of "recipes" available online.

Fall Cleaning

Fall cleaning is like "spring cleaning"... only in the fall! :) Why "fall clean"? There are several reasons. First, lots of chores are seasonal and should be done twice a year in both the spring and the fall. Second, you will be spending more time inside now that it's getting colder and who wants to hang out in a mess? In addition, the holidays are fast approaching, and wouldn't it be nice to have your house in order before the holidays arrive so you can spend more time doing fun things with your family instead of cleaning?! As an added bonus a cleaner house is a healthier house... keep your house clean and germs won't have any place to land!

So here is your challenge: deep clean one room a week. That sounds doable doesn't it? Since I've had several people ask me how I keep our house so clean I thought I'd share how I clean. For me the first step is getting each room really clean to start, after that it's more of a maintaining.

If you have a blog and want to follow along, take a few pictures (before, after, or during) and post them on your blog then leave a link in the comments so we can all check out your progress (I'm too lazy to put a Mr. Linky on each post). If you don't have a blog you're not off the hook, you can still clean. Just tell us what you're doing in the comments. If you have any tips to share that might help others leave that as a comment!

Since it's small I thought I'd start with the bathroom. Small doesn't mean easy though and, unfortunately (or fortunately!), there are usually at least two bathrooms in a house. Ready?