Clean-a-thon declared a success!

Well, I am happy with all of the cleaning I got done last week. It is so nice to have that all accomplished and get back to our normal routine. The children are ready to get back to schoolwork and so am I. We enjoy the learning time together.

I got everything on my list completed except the work I need done in the laundry room. We have decided to wait on most of that until my husband can help me some, since there is lifting of heavy boxes and those sort of tasks involved. I am about halfway through my 6th pregnancy and I don’t want to push it too far. Even some of the other work I did myself was a bit more taxing than I expected it to be on my body. It sure does feel good to be done with so much though!

The steam cleaning we did Friday on the carpets and furniture upholstery looks wonderful. I have NEVER been so pleased after a carpet cleaning. All I can say is using a Rug Doctor works wonders, and I would recommend it to anyone with similar floor needs in a heartbeat! Our vacuum cleaner has a carpet cleaning capability that we have used in the past, but this worked SO much better. It was worth every penny of the rental fee and then some.

So, we had quite a week here last week, and we got a lot done. And on top of that, our 1 year old started walking! I have a whole post dedicated to that here: https://thefullquiverhomeschoolhouse.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/look-out-world/ . Apparently I was not the only one motivated to get some things done!

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The final stretch

I have made it to day four of my Spring cleaning mission. Day four out of five. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. All has been going pretty well thus far. Yesterday I finished the master bedroom, playroom, and hallway upstairs, along with a few small things that needed to be done in the one year-old’s room. So on to today’s job.

I will be taking on my nemesis, the laundry room this afternoon. I expect it to take up most, if not all of the time I have to clean during the little one’s nap-time. It will be so nice to have it all fresh and organized the way I like it though, so it will be well worth it. I also hope to do a couple quick things in my older children’s bedroom this evening too, so I can mark that room off of my list as all completed as well.

Tomorrow is the last day on my schedule, with plans for an easier day of just steam cleaning the downstairs carpets and the upholstery on the couches. Stay tuned, and we will see if I get it all done like I want to. Then we are on to enjoying the holiday weekend with family. I need to remember to take time to focus on thanking our Savior for the sacrifice He made, by giving  His life, so that I can enjoy eternity in heaven, forgiven of my sins! Praise the Lord!

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Spring Cleaning Day #3

My cleaning campaign is still in progress and seems to be going well. I was able to finish the downstairs level yesterday like I had hoped, so that is encouraging. So now today I head upstairs to see what I can get done. I would like to get the master bedroom and the playroom done, and the bookshelf I have in the hallway with children’s books on it re-organized as well.

 Yes, I have a bookshelf in the hallway upstairs and I know that may seem strange. But it is strategically located next to the children’s bedrooms where they can get books to read whenever they like. You know, in case the tons of books they already have in their rooms is not enough. I am a big believer in reading for enjoyment, and I can think of no better way to foster the love for reading in my children than to surround them with books and more books. My one year old even loves his little board books so I think my system is working.

I also hope to get everything done in my oldest three children’s room that they share, but the bulk of that work falls to them. I am only needed for the maintenance type issues, and storage solutions. After all, they are 5,6, and 7…certainly old enough to take care of their own belongings! They will have their own homes to care for one day, and a strong work ethic benefits everyone. In fact, that is a rare find in children these days it seems. My two year old and one year old’s rooms are already organized so a little bit of normal maintenance is all that they need. My two year old likes to straighten her room. To her it is fun to clean alongside Mommy!

Which brings us to the last room to be done. The nightmare laundry room. That one I am saving for Thursday after I have everything else behind me. It will be a big job since this hits at the changing of seasons so I will be switching out clothes for all 7 of us, plus re-organizing storage of the outgrown baby clothes so that they are all ready for the new baby, in addition to the cleaning.  It is nice to be this far into the process because I can see my schedule coming together towards completion. It won’t be too long before I move the one year old in with the two year old to share a room, and then prepare the nursery for the new baby arrival! It should be an easy transition since I will have all of this organization already done. Around here we are always delighted to make room and re-organize for new child blessings from the Lord. They are each such a gift!

When everything is in it’s place, everything runs much smoother. And we have more time to enjoy each other and the hopefully soon forthcoming warm Spring weather!

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The Big Clean Continues

Now I am in day two of my big spring cleaning extravaganza. I know it is a fairly mundane activity, but when I give it a title like that it sounds a bit more exciting and intriguing don’t you think? Maybe? A little?

Well, I was able to finish up the kitchen and the hall closet last night so I was able to check those off of my list. This morning we successfully tackled all three of the bathrooms, even cleaning out the vanity drawers and cabinets. I love clean bathrooms! I know…I am kind of weird.

 My plans for this afternoon during the little one’s nap/rest-time include the living room, front hall, and hopefully the master bedroom. If I at least accomplish the first two, I will be all done with the downstairs level except for the carpet shampooing I have planned for Friday. Yipee!

I think the hardest part about deep cleaning is trying to do all of the maintenance cleaning of areas that you have already completed while you are trying to concentrate on finishing the other projects on your list. You know, you have to keep up on the rest or else it will all get bad again, you will never be done, and you will be right back where you started from. I can tend toward expecting perfection from myself so I have to remember to enjoy what I accomplish instead of only concentrating on what still needs to be done. I am a true-blue, type A, firstborn, yes I am!

I will update more as my time allows, and as I hopefully make more progress. I wish to do my best to please the Lord, my husband, and my family. God placed me here in this position to be a keeper-at-home, and it puts joy in my heart to fulfill His will for my life! I love being a wife and mother. Thank you Jesus!

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It is scrubbing time!

Well, we are on a bit of a Spring/Easter Break this week for our homeschool.  So, do you know what that means for me? It is time for some spring cleaning. Oh yes, it is time for washing, and re-organizing, and airing out the house to make everything fresh and lovely. On the agenda for today is the downstairs level, specifically the kitchen, and dining room/school area. If I have enough time, I may tackle the living room as well. That is a big job though since we spend a lot of our time in there. I  finished the dining room/school area this morning except for the floor, and I am about half-way through the kitchen which is taking longer as I remove refrigerator shelves and scrub highchairs.

Each of my oldest three are taking turns helping me clean one-on-one, so we are able to chat and spend some time together beyond what we normally do during typical daily chores. And of course we all know that “many hands make light work”!  Hopefully this week I will be able to stay on task and be ready by Friday to steam clean the carpet, and clean the upholstery on the couches as the final touch. It would be DELIGHTFUL to be able to enter the holiday weekend with everything completed!

Well, I am back off to the kitchen to finish that area before I take on another. On task for tomorrow is all three bathrooms, and starting bedrooms with any time I have left over. The laundry room is calling me too…oh bother. I will update tomorrow with my progress and plan. I know that the Lord will give me the energy and strength to get my home in a clean and pleasing order for my dear husband and children! It will be another good lesson in the value of the fruits of our labors for my children as well. See, they can learn even when we are not doing our formal schooling!

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