One Week Challenge!

I have a fairly slow week planned, so I thought I would take this opportunity to really get something done around the house. I have no major commitments until next Monday, so I have 7 days to really do some damage around here. There are numerous things I've been putting on, and now I WILL get them done!

Step 1. Make a list. This part I'm particularly awesome at. So awesome, in fact, that I usually spend all my time making the perfect list and never actually accomplish anything. I need a list of all the chores to be done, probably organized according to priority and time commitment. Maybe color coded. Or alphabetized! But I digress...

I know off hand that I need to vacuum the stairs, they're still glittery from Christmas decorations.
I also really need to clean the microwave. Husband hasn't learned to cover food yet, and it's ick.
I desperately need to clean out and organize my desk again. This seems to be a monthly chore.
I should probably get the bookshelf reorganized, before it collapses from the uneven weight.
I can see numerous handprints on the kitchen windows, I should probably clean that.
I really need to clean out the pantry, it's been a while since it had an overhaul.
I would like to get all the laundry done and put away, but let's be serious. I'll settle for a third of it.
I need to get all the bedding washed and put back where it goes...the kids made a fort over the weekend and now everything is a mess.

So, that's eight things. I have seven days. But the laundry will probably take the entire week to sift through, because my dryer is ancient and takes a couple hours, slowing down the process. So this week I will tackle one chore a day, and three loads of laundry a day. Hopefully by next week I can see my bedroom floor!

Now, how does one vacuum stairs? I've never done it alone, always with a partner. But Husband is not likely to be around, nor help even if he is here. I would like to get it done before Big Kid comes home from school, but I should probably make lunch first. You can see how this usually goes...


**I managed to get everything done, except vacuum the stairs.  I vacuumed the top half I could easily reach, and the bottom stairs I could easily reach, but the middle stairs still look pretty rough. I took a broom and swept everything down, so I could reach it, but there's still glitter I couldn't get up. **

Cleaning: Tips for the real world

      With kids, cleaning can be a challenge. Add in work, church, pets, family events, or a husband, and cleaning (let alone keeping it clean!) is darn near impossible.  But there are a few ways to make the chore a little bit easier, and manage to keep it clean for more than an hour.

      In the real world, kids are messy. Families on TV always have perfectly clean houses, empty laundry rooms, and never a dust bunny in sight. For the unperfect family, fighting to get things clean, and keeping them that way, is a daily struggle. We argue over who should take the trash out, whose turn it is to wash dishes, and who is on bathroom duty. But we’re going to fix that. While your house may never be spotless and run like a well-oiled machine, it will at least be functional and clutter-free.

      In Part 1, we will tackle getting the job done. Part 2 we will explore ways to keep it clean.