When Spring comes, I'm so busy getting gardens ready for the blooming season that I frequently don't have the chance to get all the heavy cleaning done. So, rather than fight it, I do my Spring cleaning in November. In the 16 years we have been in this house, we've hosted my family's Thanksgiving dinner 12 or 13 times. Before they come, the entire house is cleaned. We wash windows and carpets, curtains, and the linens for the tables. We wash all the china and crystal, and clean all the decorations in the house. Everything is dusted, and the lampshades are vacuumed. We wash the quilts (or at least those which aren't antiques.) Furniture is moved, and closets and drawers are cleaned and reorganized. We even change the wreaths, so that the appropriate season is represented.
This year, one of my nieces is giving me a hand with the heavy cleaning. It has taken her thirteen hours to clean the living room, dining room, the kitchen and the casual dining area off the kitchen. I still have to reorganize some of the kitchen cabinets end get on a ladder to clean a sofit. Her work has allowed me to sort and organize.
We emptied out the shelves in the entertainment center. She reorganized things, grouping them more logically, and gave me the job of sorting through all the papers and magazines that had been hidden there. The house has been filled with dust. We're all just a bit more sneezy than usual, but everything is coming together nicely.
My niece's philosophy is, if you haven't used it in a year, it goes! I'm not quite as stringent about that rule as she is, but I'm getting better every day! *G* Today I was working on shifting to my winter wardrobe, and cleaning out the closet. I'm perhaps three-quarters of the way through the chore, and I have a bin of clothes to donate, and three bags of things to throw out. I have one long plastic bin filled with summer clothes, and a second one filled with clothing one size smaller that I can't bring myself to throw out. (After all....just 15 or 20 pounds and I should be able to wear all of it, right??)
I had stacks of turtlenecks and mock turtlenecks on the bed. I decided that I would try them on before putting them into the closet, to be sure they fit. I weeded a few more out, and then grouped them by color to be washed before I put them away. I still have a stack of sweaters to try on.
The biggest problem that remains is....how do I get all this stuff into the closet??
Storage of sweaters is the problem. After I wash down the shelves, I'm going to see if most of them can't be stored folded flat. Perhaps I can move some things to higher shelves, or to storage under the bed. My brother is so well trained that his clothes are in a closet in another room, so that his wife can have the entire master bedroom closet. I wonder if I could spring that on Dear Husband??
Tomorrow morning, I'll finish with the closet. Monday or Tuesday I hope to clean out the drawers in the dressing room. Wednesday, the carpet guy comes, and a week later the outside windows will be washed.
We are either the cleanest or the dirtiest people you know! *G*
Comments (4)
my goodness! I'm tired just reading this post.
do you think your niece would come help me? LOL
We're all terrible pack rats in this house, you can't even WALK in my closet, and the one in the living room is so full we don't dare open the door.
Sad thing is, we've lived her less than a year (won't be a year until April)
How long CAN we say "we're still unpacking"?
Posted by Redeagle | November 13, 2005 7:17 AM
Posted on November 13, 2005 07:17
You may be both the cleanest and dirtiest, for all I know; but, I side with Redeagle on judging you one of my more exhausting friends. (Think I'll go lie down.)
As Hunky Husband resides in the "master suite" of our house, I have a smaller closet; but, he is kind enough to alot about 1/4 of the space in "his" closet to me--which I use for off-season and formal garments. In addition, only HH's outer garments are kept in the hall (coat) closet. (He has a lot of them!) Mine go in the closet in my den. It all works out.
Posted by Cop Car | November 13, 2005 9:14 AM
Posted on November 13, 2005 09:14
That's just about unanimous. You all want her! I don't blame you; she's quite the treasure, and would be blushing if she had time to read blogs.
I think as we get a little older some of us get to thinking about mortality, and the next thought is...."OH, MY GOD!! They're going to see the MESS I've left and that's all they'll talk about when I'm gone!" And we get to work pruning out the unnecessary stuff.
I'd like to think that someday my home will look perfect, but the truth is I'd rather have a home where people felt comfortable and welcome. So what if spring cleaning comes in November. At least you all know that it gets done. *S*
Posted by buffy | November 13, 2005 11:27 PM
Posted on November 13, 2005 23:27
(laughing) I meant to respond....~T~ I think you can say you are UNpacking right up until it's time to start packing again. Do a little at a time and don't worry about it.
Ya know, Cop Car, I'd gladly have a nap right about now, too! *G* I think the idea of having closets in separate rooms has a lot of merit, as long as I have the BIG closet!
Posted by buffy | November 13, 2005 11:30 PM
Posted on November 13, 2005 23:30