Home Maintenance: Cleaning, Organizing, Purging and Regular Upkeep

[Weedygarden]

Lets talk about this! Tips are encouraged!

I am not a good housekeeper. I try, but I have too many distractions. My daughter thinks she gets her A.D.D. from me, and she might be right, but I have never been diagnosed. I would much rather be sewing, reading, gardening, painting, beading, hanging out with dogs, on and on, than doing the same mundane chores over and over.

Many years ago I read a book,

Sidetracked Home Executives(TM): From Pigpen to Paradise​

by Peggy Jones, Pam Young, Peggy Brace, Pam; Jones
They have a couple other books as well.

They have a system of home maintenance that I have used, but get distracted from being able to keep up with it. They have daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, annual things to do to maintain your home. They created an index card system. I made it up for myself when my now 40 year old daughter was an infant.

Start with the daily chores, and keep doing them. This involves doing dishes, making beds, cleaning toilets, sinks.

They have one more involved cleaning day a week.

They also recommend to start at the front door and to go through every drawer, cabinet, bin, basket, and organize, purge, fix, repair, replace, mend or whatever needs to be done. I have started that many times, many years. I have never finished! Why? Because gardening comes along, and I would much rather be digging in dirt and watching plants grow.

Am I alone?

I do go through closets and organize and purge and organize. One time I cleaned my clothes closet and realized that it had been many years since I had gone through it. I think I had 7 garbage bags of clothing to donate.

How about you? Is your house pristine, clean, organized and maintained?

 

[Amish Heart]

I would like mine to be pristine. But husband tends to hoard weird stuff and is not mobile, so likes piles of his stuff near him that I'm not supposed to touch. So some rooms are very clean, and the rooms he uses the most, like the bedroom and his office and around his recliner in the front room are disasters. Although I am waiting for him to be out of his office for at least a few hours so I can dust the shelves and the desk units. It's unhealthy. He has a lot of medical equipment everywhere. And dust is not good for his breathing. And piles are not good as they are tripping hazards.
I do need to clean out the linen closet upstairs. And get rid of some of the stuff I don't use. That'll take some time.

 

[Haertig]

Is your house pristine, clean, organized and maintained?

No. No. No. And No. I have been in houses like that. And I don't particularly like them. They seem artificial and fake to me - like The Stepford Wives. Would I like my house to be better than it is in all these regards? Most certainly! The one I could benefit from the most, and the one that is most desirable to me, is better organization. I know we are never going to totally get rid of all the crap we have gathered in the 40+ years we have lived in this house. But I would like it to be better organized than it currently is.

 

[Weedygarden]

I would like mine to be pristine. But husband tends to hoard weird stuff and is not mobile, so likes piles of his stuff near him that I'm not supposed to touch. So some rooms are very clean, and the rooms he uses the most, like the bedroom and his office and around his recliner in the front room are disasters. Although I am waiting for him to be out of his office for at least a few hours so I can dust the shelves and the desk units. It's unhealthy. He has a lot of medical equipment everywhere. And dust is not good for his breathing. And piles are not good as they are tripping hazards.
I do need to clean out the linen closet upstairs. And get rid of some of the stuff I don't use. That'll take some time.

I realize that the more stuff I have gotten to be prepared, the harder it has become to stay organized.

My bathroom closet ~ linen closet was blocked by my clawfoot tub when I was tiling the bathroom floor. It was too heavy for me to move by myself. It took 3 guys to move it. That blocked the bathroom closet door.

I am now going through that closet. I have been working on it for a few days and am mostly done. I have 15 lidded bins in there, clearly labeled, and a few other bins for stuff that was too large for the lidded bins, such as shampoo. I do have a couple more things that I will put in bins in there.
These bins are larger than shoe box bins, maybe 2 gallon sized, from Costco. Some stuff went into the trash. Bins for dental, colds, first aid, hair care, clothes iron and steamer, cotton~ balls, pads and Q tips, foot and nail care, travel sized toiletries, and more. Some bins have a few types of things. They are almost all full, but the lids can still be closed. This is very satisfying!

For most of my life I have repurposed other things for organizing, such as boxes that shoes came in, or paper boxes. I got that from my frugal grandmothers whose families almost starved. I think it has been a barrier for me to be better organized.

 

[Pearl]

No way! I clean for a living! I am super fast and more thorough on the job! When you clean your own house it's easy to be distracted by things like 'I'll organize this drawer quick', or 'I'll go through these papers on my desk'! When I clean someone else's house I have a strict routine. Of course I do A LOT of extras for certain people, but the actual clean is super organized. I am not going to clean my house after cleaning others! It gets the basics, but could use a lot more!

 

[Weedygarden]

No. No. No. And No. I have been in houses like that. And I don't particularly like them. They seem artificial and fake to me - like The Stepford Wives. Would I like my house to be better than it is in all these regards? Most certainly! The one I could benefit from the most, and the one that is most desirable to me, is better organization. I know we are never going to totally get rid of all the crap we have gathered in the 40+ years we have lived in this house. But I would like it to be better organized than it currently is.

My house will never be pristine, unless I win the lottery and get full time help. I am going to keep going through stuff and sorting and organizing it, one closet or room or dresser at a time.

My classroom had a long counter with shelves underneath. I put all kinds of stuff in those shelves and it looked messy. I kept buying plastic shoe boxes when I saw them on sale and sorted and organized the stuff. What a difference it made. If I wanted to use something, I could go right to the box and get it. I just never did that at home. My classroom took a lot of my attention, energy, and money.

I take one closet at a time and go through it. I worked on a closet last year, and that made a big difference for me. This closet that I have been working on for almost a week will make me feel at peace every time I walk by it. But I have 6 other closets, stuff under beds, and 10 rooms in my house to go through. And a garage and storage sheds. And a basement that is not easy for me to access.

I did work in the garage over the weekend. The trunk of my car was full. I drove to Goodwill and emptied it. I need to do more out there and to make a few more trips to donate stuff. It looks better. But the struggle is real.

 

[Weedygarden]

No way! I clean for a living! I am super fast and more thorough on the job! When you clean your own house it's easy to be distracted by things like 'I'll organize this drawer quick', or 'I'll go through these papers on my desk'! When I clean someone else's house I have a strict routine. Of course I do A LOT of extras for certain people, but the actual clean is super organized. I am not going to clean my house after cleaning others! It gets the basics, but could use a lot more!

Cleaning can be hard work. It is a job that I could never have or do. Even cleaning my own home is a struggle for me, but I am doing some stuff every day. I need variety. The cleaning the same things day after day. God help me.

I did have a Saturday morning job when I was in h.s., cleaning someone's house, but I hated doing it. I have to have some kind of motivation for my own home, such as company coming.

 

[Pearl]

I love cleaning other people's homes, lol! It is super hard work done right! And yes, I too need some sort of motivation for my own, guess that's why I avoid having company!!

 

[Haertig]

My house will never be pristine, unless I win the lottery and get full time help.

I don't think even that would help me. I'm holding out for an asteroid strike followed by bulldozer cleanup.

 

[Magpie]

I have a purge of a room maybe once a year- hence the wardrobe cleanout last week. It's normally during the winter. The girls do the same, I've noticed, usually a week into the holidays, and might move the furniture or touch up paint. The boys need encouragement lol. My husband and I are keeping less stuff now, no point in having the kids throw it out when we are gone!
I have a bit of a weekly cleaning routine but I have always made the kids do chores also; even though they are grown up it hasn't changed. They live at home. My reasoning was 30mins of their time each added up to 2 hours of mine and the quicker you worked all the better. There was also a difference between 'tidy up' and 'do a Mum clean'
My house is not pristine; it looks like I've decorated for Halloween - I have some hardworking spiders - but I know where everything is!

 

[dademoss]

The new house is spotless and organized, all the crap from here is in boxes in the garage

 

[Morgan101]

The new house is spotless and organized, all the crap from here is in boxes in the garage

You are very lucky. I really can't participate in this thread. I am married to a hoarder, and if I touch anything she goes Postal. She claims she is getting rid of things, and she has sold a few items. Unfortunately, it is like throwing a deck chair off of the Titanic. Really? You call that getting rid of stuff? Oh the horror stories I could tell.

I have told my daughter several times: "If your Mother dies first you will be O.K. If I die first you have a BIG problem."

 

[Tommyice]

Glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I do have the added issue of not just my place (500+/- sq ft) but Dad's 3 bedroom house.

I'm looking forward to some helpful ideas to get two houses under control.

 

[Amish Heart]

Come to think of it, Weedy, I did keep our school super organized. A lot better than home, for sure. I wonder why.
If things are organized, they are easier to clean around. And there are things I just don't like doing, and some I don't mind doing. I don't like cleaning windows, and the crazy ladies around me clean theirs constantly. I don't like cleaning showers, either. What a pain. It is on my to do list today...the big handicapped shower in our bathroom, and to wash the shower curtain in there. This is not done often.
Prepping takes alot of room. I'm glad I have the two basements, but it is amazing how that can even get out of hand. I always go thru it more than most times during the first of the year, so I've been putting a bit of time into it every day.

 

[Mountain trapper]

We keep a pretty clean house, but we do heat with wood and have 2 dogs. During winter we have a couple heavy coats and our boots by the front door. We never wear shoes in the house and the dogs have their own bed in front of the wood stove. Our house is only 1800 sqft so it doesn't take long to clean it. And we don't collect junk. Anything we buy is quality made and has a purpose. We have a lot outbuildings and a barn. Some are clean and well organized and some buildings need a little help. I've been going through the stuff in my fur shed lately and identifying things that I can sell, mostly excess ammo, reloading components and a few guns.

 

[Amish Heart]

Our big shed...it's pretty big, has a ton of boxes marked "man cave". Husband hasn't looked in them since I packed them. We had to bring about 50 boxes of business files when we closed our business and moved here. I can't wait to purge them. They're in the big shed, too. I know what you mean about the wood heat mess, Mt Trapper, I clean that up alot. Our kitchen is never "dirty", but it's always got a project going on in it, so I'd say it's messy.

 

[sonya123]

I just can't be bothered with organizing the house. It's never super clean either. The dogs run in and out and there is always dirt on the floor. I try to keep it clean but not possible. In winter there is all the wood for the stove and pieces fall on the floor, Dirt just seems to accumulate here. But it was no different in our nice city house in Orlando. There was always sand on the floor. I do the dishes every day and clean off kitchen counters ( well, at least the space that isn't covered)
We usually take off barn boots outside, but then there is a little pile of dirt there you step on with your house shoes and dirt gets in the house anyway.
I don't fold laundry , just throw it in a drawer, I don't organize my pantry either , that's husbands job but he doesn't do it most of the time either, I throw my silverware in a drawer, and it takes my 10 minutes to find what I am looking for in my kitchen cabinets ( hey I started on one...lol)
I need Pearl....

one thing: the dogs are not allowed on any furniture or in the kitchen

 

[Haertig]

And we don't collect junk. Anything we buy is quality made and has a purpose.

It's not just junk that builds up. Quality stuff builds up too. We have a very fancy oak crib in our basement. Not that a 67 year old has much use for a crib anymore. But it might be used by our kids some day. So we haven't tossed it. I can't imagine what it would cost now, thousands probably.

But we have a large amount of junk that has built up as well. I'm not sure the Super-Soaker Mega Squirt Battle Rifle is something that we still need to hang on to (it's next to the crib).

 

[Weedygarden]

But we have a large amount of junk that has built up as well. I'm not sure the Super-Soaker Mega Squirt Battle Rifle is something that we still need to hang on to (it's next to the crib).

We used to have those. Daughter and I would chase and play with those on hot summer days. I have no idea whatever happened to them, but they are gone!

 

[Weedygarden]

I just can't be bothered with organizing the house. It's never super clean either. The dogs run in and out and there is always dirt on the floor. I try to keep it clean but not possible. In winter there is all the wood for the stove and pieces fall on the floor, Dirt just seems to accumulate here. But it was no different in our nice city house in Orlando. There was always sand on the floor. I do the dishes every day and clean off kitchen counters ( well, at least the space that isn't covered)
We usually take off barn boots outside, but then there is a little pile of dirt there you step on with your house shoes and dirt gets in the house anyway.
I don't fold laundry , just throw it in a drawer, I don't organize my pantry either , that's husbands job but he doesn't do it most of the time either, I throw my silverware in a drawer, and it takes my 10 minutes to find what I am looking for in my kitchen cabinets ( hey I started on one...lol)
I need Pearl....

one thing: the dogs are not allowed on any furniture or in the kitchen

I am not happy when I know I have something and I cannot find it. The mouse invasion when the local golf course was completely dug up has also forced me to really be careful about some things.

Part of maintaining anything is habits, such as making the bed every morning.

I understand when someone doesn't do some things that are done daily by others. I used to live that life where just focusing on all the aspects of teaching was almost all I could do and did. I was too busy with that to even think of cleaning, organizing, staying on top of stuff.

But I like to be able to access stuff that I know I have, like that bathroom closet that I've been working on. As I was going through stuff, I found stuff that I had forgotten I had or couldn't find. As I began to organize all those bins, I have gone around the house and found more of those kinds of items, such as band aids, bandages, travel sized toiletries. Now I can have it all together and grab what I need in just a minute. I am not done. I know that as I go through other drawers I will find more of this kind of stuff and be able to consolidate it.

And, I don't want stuff piled around like a hoarding old lady. If I have a bunch of stuff piled around and I don't know where things are, I am a hoarder. I currently have sewing stuff in 4 different rooms. My goal is to get it all in one spare bedroom. It is mostly organized now, but not 100%. I want to be able to find something within a minute or two.

Some organizers say to do some decluttering every day, even if it is just 15 minutes. Some say to do that twice a day.

 

[winds-of-change]

Lets talk about this! Tips are encouraged!

I am not a good housekeeper. I try, but I have too many distractions. My daughter thinks she gets her A.D.D. from me, and she might be right, but I have never been diagnosed. I would much rather be sewing, reading, gardening, painting, beading, hanging out with dogs, on and on, than doing the same mundane chores over and over.

Many years ago I read a book,

Sidetracked Home Executives(TM): From Pigpen to Paradise​

by Peggy Jones, Pam Young, Peggy Brace, Pam; Jones
They have a couple other books as well.

They have a system of home maintenance that I have used, but get distracted from being able to keep up with it. They have daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, annual things to do to maintain your home. They created an index card system. I made it up for myself when my now 40 year old daughter was an infant.

Start with the daily chores, and keep doing them. This involves doing dishes, making beds, cleaning toilets, sinks.

They have one more involved cleaning day a week.

They also recommend to start at the front door and to go through every drawer, cabinet, bin, basket, and organize, purge, fix, repair, replace, mend or whatever needs to be done. I have started that many times, many years. I have never finished! Why? Because gardening comes along, and I would much rather be digging in dirt and watching plants grow.

Am I alone?

I do go through closets and organize and purge and organize. One time I cleaned my clothes closet and realized that it had been many years since I had gone through it. I think I had 7 garbage bags of clothing to donate.

How about you? Is your house pristine, clean, organized and maintained?

I would like a pristine house but I’m pretty unmotivated. I get discouraged when I vacuum and mop the laminate floors and they are all gritty from the dogs the very next day. Then I kind of give up until I see dog fur gathering in the floor, then I’m cleaning again.

 

[Pearl]

I have two younger couples I clean for, they work a lot. They have me every other week to do the basics (dust, vac, mop, bathrooms, kitchen). Both houses were messy when I first started with them. Having the big basics done, both couples have really clean houses now because they keep up on the everyday things, like generally keeping things picked up! So my two cents: having/hiring someone to do the "cleaning" makes the everyday things easier to keep up with!!

 

[Haertig]

Then I kind of give up until I see dog fur gathering in the floor, then I’m cleaning again.

We used to have a Newfoundland. She shed long black hair incessantly. We had to rake the carpet before we could vacuum. Otherwise that long hair would wrap around the motorized pick-up brush in the vacuum and strangle it to a standstill. In our bag of vacuum attachments, we also had a 4" fixed blade knife (a Mora) for de-strangling the vacuum brush.

 

[backlash]

We have way too much stuff.
My wife and I have different opinion's of what is junk and what is good.
The house is cluttered, not dirty just stuff all over.
My shop and garage are a total disaster area but that's my daughters fault. She moved in and that was the end of my shop and garage. She has them full of her crap and she works in the shop all the time.
People have told me they like coming to our house because it's comfortable and they don't have to worry they will mess something up.
Every flat surface has stuff piled on it.
What I need is a 10 yard dumpster but that will not happen as long as my wife is alive.
We have family pictures all over. Just about every wall is covered with pictures.
My Aunt lives in a spotless house. Everything is organized and in it's place.
They have actually won awards for their house and yard from the city.
She has white carpeting throughout the house and I feel uncomfortable there.

 

[Haertig]

So my two cents: having/hiring someone to do the "cleaning" makes the everyday things easier to keep up with!!

When we were young and both working, we hired a weekly cleaning service. Indeed it did keep our house in much better shape. They come to clean, not de-clutter. So we were forced to do that before each visit. And it's not difficult if you do it on a regular basis. Only a few minutes of work really.

 

[Haertig]

My Aunt lives in a spotless house. Everything is organized and in it's place.

That was my parents house. So spotless, they even had a white couch in the living room. Nobody ever dared sit on that couch. Because it was so white. It was like those poison dart frogs with their dazzling brilliance - something that alerts you deep down inside - "don't touch that or you're screwed!"

 

[Amish Heart]

That would drive me nuts. We have a very old farmhouse, and believe me, it looks it. Nothing stays clean for long. But I don't like clutter, would rather have things look simple. And no white couches.

 

[sonya123]

I am not happy when I know I have something and I cannot find it. The mouse invasion when the local golf course was completely dug up has also forced me to really be careful about some things.

I can find everything eventually. Some stuff like not folding laundry or not making the bed doesn't hurt anything. I have one drawer for underwear, one for socks, one for shirts and one for pants, so chances are I am going to find something. I also really don't have clutter. I have no unnecessary stuff. If it is broke, I toss it, unlike husband who thinks he might one day learn how to fix that broken 5 year old toaster....he can stack all the clutter he wishes in his shop building , but not in the house. It makes it harder to clean.

 

[Weedygarden]

If it is broke, I toss it, unlike husband who thinks he might one day learn how to fix that broken 5 year old toaster....he can stack all the clutter he wishes in his shop building , but not in the house. It makes it harder to clean.

For some people, like my parents and grandparents, they rarely throw anything out. They did most of their own repairs.

Many people do not like clutter. My daughter really doesn't like clutter and her New Years Resolution is to go through everything she has and to purge, be better organized, etc.

I have a friend who puts stuff like mail and paper into boxes and eventually goes through it. She declutters by walking around her house and putting stuff in boxes.

 

[sonya123]

.

I have a friend who puts stuff like mail and paper into boxes and eventually goes through it. She declutters by walking around her house and putting stuff in boxes.

I pay the bills right away and toss the junk mail in the stove, done
I have one drawer in a plastic little cabinet thing I toss all our receipts in, and once a year ( soon) I go through it and take out what I need for our taxes and enter it in a spreadsheet, and toss the rest