20 Days to Organise & Clean your home Challenge – Day 8

Day 8 of the challenge was to tackle the craft room (or in my case the sewing room/study).

Originally this was only my sewing room but Mr Berry has been slowly moving in and using it as his study. The room is super tiny and there just ain't enough room for the two of us. And this was the result:

 

You probably can't tell in the photos but everything was super dusty. Cutting fabric and sewing creates heaps of dust. I think the dust bunnies had well and truly bred and created their own empire. So I removed everything I could out of the room and cleaned.

• windows
• light fitting
• shelves
• desk
• floors and skirting boards

Everything was put back in it's place and I burnt a lovely smelly candle whilst I was cleaning to make it all seem pretty.

 

Everyone was super impressed. I'd love to get some lovely baskets and wot not to make the shelves all pretty and magazine-like but honestly I have other things to spend my money on at the moment so it will have to stay as it is.

Want to check out the challenge? Head over to The Organised Housewife.

20 Days to Organise and Clean your Home - Back to Day 1

I  thought I would show you where I started on this challenge.

The first day of The Organised Housewife's 20 Days to Organise and Clean your Home started in the kitchen. The tasks were:

• to clean the kitchen (benches, sink, window and sill, walls, light fittings)
• clean the microwave
• clean cupboard doors
• clean tops of the cupboards
• declutter benches
• clean and organise under the sink

I felt like I'd spent all day cleaning the kitchen but the end result is well worth it.

Just to be clear, this is a before shot. I hadn't cleaned up after breakfast but let's be honest, it looks like this most of the time.

And After

I'd like to move the fruit bowl and have nothing on the main bench but then I'd just be adding something else to the dining table (which I am yet to tackle).

What I am super happy with though is under the kitchen sink.

Before 

After

I'd been meaning to clean it out for weeks now and it was filthy so it's great to finally get it done. I always feel better when my cupboards are clean and organised. It's like everything is right in the world if the insides are tidy.

Day 1 was a big day and by the end of the day I was really tired. The kitchen was a major job but now it's done maintaining it won't be so bad. Just a quick wipe here and there. The remaining days have been easier as I have a regular cleaning routine and always try to keep things in their homes.

If you're interested in checking the challenge out, it's here.

Cleaning Windows

It has been so long since I've posted. We have been very busy organising the move and de-cluttering everything and this week we have started packing.


We have also decided to save some money and do the move clean (in both houses) ourselves. Usually I get a cleaner in - I'm not keen on the idea of cleaning a house I'm not going to live in. But by doing it ourselves we will be saving a few hundred dollars and we can spend it on getting the garden or chook pen set up.


So, today I am tackling the windows. I use Enjo cleaning products, but a weak vinegar solution for the glass and soapy water for everything else will work just as well. I also like to add a few drops of essential oil to the water. Just pick one that smells nice.


We have old sash-cord windows which means a lot of timber and deep sills. I begin by dusting and sweeping the sills and timber. I also dust the venetians. I then clean the glass - vinegar and water works really well but I use my Enjo window cleaner. All the timber is then wiped clean with a damp cloth and dried off with an old cloth nappy. Don't forget the tops of the window frame and around any curtain rods.


I then move to the venetian blinds. If you dust your venetians regularly, then they won't need much cleaning. It's when the dust builds up that you need soapy water. Because we are moving out, I will clean them with soapy water. I have an Enjo Flexi but you could use a cloth. Whatever you use, it needs to be damp. If you are using a cloth, add a bit of soap to the water (just a little though, you don't want to spend time rinsing suds off.) Dry the venetians with the nappy and you are done.


The bedrooms have continuous curtains on them too so whilst I am cleaning the windows I will pop the curtains in the wash. Once the machine has finished I will hang them straight back up to dry.


Once they are done, leave the blinds open and enjoy the fresh smell of essential oils. Make yourself a cut of tea and sit down and enjoy your hard work.