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  1. #1
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Default Pre-Holiday Whole House Cleanup Accountability Thread - 2021 Edition

    Aaaaaaand we're back!

    'Tis the season for the pre-winter-break whole-house cleanup accountability thread, which was absent in 2020 because both DH and DD were underfoot all. the. frickin'. time. thanks to remote school and teleworking, but which should now resume with a vengeance!

    We just did some minor household repair work on two windows, we're getting a new washer/dryer at the end of the week (week of 11/29), and the downstairs hasn't been deep-cleaned in 2 years. (Even by my extremely low standards, I have to say "yuck.")

    I need my checklists and goals for the weeks ahead; we do not have family coming for the holiday, but we absolutely do have repairpeople, plumbers, tile workers, and other home improvement/construction folks to be scheduled for a bathroom remodel and, possibly, a carpet replacement.

    I'll start writing out my schedule in a new post.

    As a reminder, here are my house zones; feel free to slice and dice your home/task list however it works for you:

    ZONE 1
    Living Room

    ZONE 2
    Dining Room

    ZONE 3
    Kitchen

    ZONE 4
    Upstairs Hallway - includes a storage closet (4C) and guest/DD's bathroom (4B)

    ZONE 5
    3rd Floor - DH's telework office (does not need work)

    ZONE 6
    Entryway, Stairs, & 1st Landing - includes coat closet (6C) and powder room (6B)

    ZONE M
    Master Bedroom - includes linen closet (M-L), clothes closet (M-C), and bathroom (M-B)

    ZONE DD
    DD's Bedroom
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  2. #2
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Proposed schedule as of 11/29/2021

    WEEK 1: Monday, 11/29 through Friday, 12/3
    DAY 1 - Monday, 11/29
    GOALS - ZONE 1:
    • Living Room - Declutter Shoe Storage
    • Living Room - Clean/Dust Shoe Storage
    • Living Room - Shift Shoe Storage to Regular Spot



    DAY 2 - Tuesday, 11/30
    GOALS - ZONE 1:
    • Living Room - Declutter End Table
    • Living Room - Dust End Table
    • Living Room - Take Down Pumpkin Decorations from Mantel
    • Living Room - Dust Mantel and Endtable
    • Living Room - Sweep, Swiffer, Vacuum Floors
    • Living Room - Dust, Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Behind TV Stand


    DAY 3 - Wednesday, 12/1
    GOALS - ZONE 2:
    • Carryover tasks from Day 1
    • Dining Room - Declutter Table
    • Dining Room - Organize Girl Scout Supplies (boxes on floor)
    • Dining Room - Organize School Supplies Bookshelf
    • Dining Room - File and Scan Girl Scout Paperwork
    • Dining Room - Sort Through Catch-All Box
    • Dining Room - Clean Glassware on Bar
    • Dining Room - Dust & Reorganize Bar
    • Dining Room - Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Floors
    • Dining Room - Clean/Dust Table
    • Dining Room - Reorganize Shoe Storage
    • Dining Room - Shift Table to Proper Spot


    DAY 4 - Thursday, 12/2
    GOALS - ZONE 3:
    • Kitchen - Declutter Table
    • Kitchen - Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Behind Pantry and Space Where Bins Were
    • Mudroom - Disconnect and Move Washer and Dryer (DH & FIL)
    • Mudroom - Sweep, Swiffer, Vacuum, and Mop Area Under and Behind Washer and Dryer
    • Mudroom - Move Empty Laundry Baskets to Dining Room or 2nd Landing
    • Carryover tasks from Day 3


    DAY 5 - Friday, 12/3
    GOALS - ZONE 6:
    • Kitchen - Declutter Top of Pantry
    • Kitchen - Shift Pantry to Allow Delivery of New & Removal of Old Washer/Dryer
    • Kitchen - Shift Trash, Recycling, and Towel/Napkin Bins
    • Entryway - Vacuum Doormat
    • Entryway - Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Tile
    • Stairs - Rubber Broom and Vacuum
    • 1st Landing - Reorganize Girl Scout Supply Box
    • Powder Room - Clean and Disinfect Sink
    • Powder Room - Clean and Sanitize Toilet
    • Powder Room - Declutter and Reorganize Vanity Cabinet
    • Powder Room - Clean and Disinfect Wastebasket
    • Powder Room - Sweep, Swiffer, Vacuum, and Mop Floor
    • Coat Closet - Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Floor
    • Under-Stairs Closet - Put Away Random Halloween/Fall Decorations
    • Under-Stairs Closet - Pull Out Christmas Decorations
    • Carryover tasks from Day 4


    WISH LIST TASKS - WEEK 1
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Vacuum Behind and Between Sofa Cushions
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Vacuum Behind and Between Chair Cushions
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Launder and Re-Hang Drapes on Side Windows
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Launder and Re-Hang Drapes on Front Windows
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Clean Windows
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Mop Floor
    • Dining Room - WISH LIST: Mop Floor
    • Dining Room - WISH LIST: Launder and Re-Hang Drapes
    • Dining Room - WISH LIST: Clean Windows



    WEEK 2 - Monday, 12/6 through Friday, 12/10

    DAY 1 - Monday, 12/6
    GOALS - ZONE 4 & ZONE 3:
    • Carryover tasks from Day 5
    • Guest Bath - Clean and Disinfect Sink
    • Guest Bath - Run Toothpaste Caddy and Toothbrush Holders Through Dishwasher
    • Guest Bath - Sweep, Swiffer, Vacuum, and Mop Floor
    • Guest Bath - Launder Bath Mat
    • Guest Bath - Clean and Sanitize Toilet
    • Guest Bath - Clean and Sanitize Wastebasket


    WEEK 3 - Monday, 12/13 through Friday, 12/17
    Last edited by lizzywednesday; 12-01-2021 at 10:11 AM. Reason: unclosed tag in final list
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  3. #3
    jgenie is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    I love these threads!! Thanks so much for starting this!!

    KITCHEN
    clear and wipe counters
    Clean and organize drawers
    Clean and organize cabinets
    Fridge / freezer

    PLAYROOM
    Closet
    Shelves

    FAMILY ROOM
    Surfaces

    LIVING ROOM
    Surfaces
    Donations

    DINING ROOM
    Drawers

    LIBRARY
    Counters
    Shelves
    Cabinets
    Toys

    BASEMENT

    BASEMENT STORAGE 1
    BASEMENT STORAGE 2
    BASEMENT STORAGE 3

    MASTER
    MASTER BATH
    DS1
    DS2
    HALL BATH
    MY OFFICE
    GUEST ROOM
    GUEST BATH
    Last edited by jgenie; 11-29-2021 at 12:48 PM.

  4. #4
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    DAY 1 - Monday, 11/29
    ACCOMPLISHMENTS - ZONE 1:
    • Living Room - Declutter Shoe Storage
    • Living Room - Clean/Dust Shoe Storage
    • Living Room - Shift Shoe Storage to Regular Spot


    I started later in the morning than I could have, but I still accomplished a lot! Today, I'm using timers so I don't get super-distracted when I take breaks.

    Carryover Tasks from Week 1/Day 1 (W1D1)
    • Living Room - Declutter End Table
    • Living Room - Dust End Table
    • Living Room - Take Down Pumpkin Decorations from Mantel
    • Living Room - Dust Mantel and Endtable
    • Dining Room - File and Scan Girl Scout Paperwork
    • Dining Room - Sort Through Catch-All Box
    • Living Room - Sweep, Swiffer, Vacuum Floors
    • Living Room - Dust, Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Behind TV Stand
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Launder & Re-Hang Drapes on Side Windows
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Launder and Re-Hang Drapes on Front Windows
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Clean Windows
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Mop Floors
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Vacuum Behind and Between Sofa Cushions
    • Living Room - WISH LIST: Vacuum Behind and Between Chair Cushions
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  5. #5
    trentsmom is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    I went looking for this thread a couple of days ago because I was hoping you'd post it! It always helps to give me a kick to get things done around my house. I like how you break everything down into small, manageable tasks. Thanks!
    DS1 11/03
    DS2 5/09

  6. #6
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    I love the idea of using timers! They work really well for DS, but for some reason I hadn't really thought about using them for myself.
    DS 2/14
    DD 8/17

  7. #7
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by trentsmom View Post
    I went looking for this thread a couple of days ago because I was hoping you'd post it! It always helps to give me a kick to get things done around my house. I like how you break everything down into small, manageable tasks. Thanks!
    I suspect that I have undiagnosed ADHD, so the task breakdown helps my executive function challenges with what "finished" looks like.

    Posting it to the internet, in a fairly public fashion, helps me stay accountable, so I accomplish more in a week than I do in a month if I plan properly.

    Quote Originally Posted by gymnbomb View Post
    I love the idea of using timers! They work really well for DS, but for some reason I hadn't really thought about using them for myself.
    So, ordinarily, I would be listening to podcasts and have the goal of finishing X task by the end of Y episode or whatever, but with DH still teleworking and our open-ish plan house, that's rude - also, most of the pods I listen to are very sweary, so if he ever has to take a call for work, the risk that an ill-timed "f^ck" will be background noise is too great.

    Timers work super-well for DD to do maintenance tidying in her bedroom and they work really well for me everywhere when I decide to use them.
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  8. #8
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    DAY 2 - ACCOMPLISHMENTS
    • Living Room - Declutter End Table
    • Living Room - Dust End Table
    • Living Room - Take Down Pumpkin Decorations from Mantel
    • Living Room - Dust Mantel and Endtable
    • Dining Room - File and Scan Girl Scout Paperwork
    • Dining Room - Sort Through Catch-All Box
    • Living Room - Sweep, Swiffer, Vacuum Floors
    • Living Room - Dust, Sweep, Swiffer, and Vacuum Behind TV Stand


    The floors remain un-mopped and probably will until next week because we'll have a delivery person in for the new washer/dryer headed our way this Friday (12/3), which means the Kitchen and Mudroom tasks will be re-prioritized for Thursday.

    DH and FIL want to shift the old machines so we can clean under/behind them before the new ones go in, and I don't disagree.

    NOTE: I've updated the original post to reflect my changed goals/accomplishments.
    Last edited by lizzywednesday; 12-01-2021 at 10:17 AM.
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

  9. #9
    jgenie is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by lizzywednesday View Post
    I suspect that I have undiagnosed ADHD, so the task breakdown helps my executive function challenges with what "finished" looks like.

    Posting it to the internet, in a fairly public fashion, helps me stay accountable, so I accomplish more in a week than I do in a month if I plan properly.



    So, ordinarily, I would be listening to podcasts and have the goal of finishing X task by the end of Y episode or whatever, but with DH still teleworking and our open-ish plan house, that's rude - also, most of the pods I listen to are very sweary, so if he ever has to take a call for work, the risk that an ill-timed "f^ck" will be background noise is too great.

    Timers work super-well for DD to do maintenance tidying in her bedroom and they work really well for me everywhere when I decide to use them.
    You need earbuds! I have a podcast on almost always. They make cleaning the kitchen or bathrooms almost enjoyable!

  10. #10
    lizzywednesday is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by jgenie View Post
    You need earbuds! I have a podcast on almost always. They make cleaning the kitchen or bathrooms almost enjoyable!
    I hate 'em; they aggravate some sensory issues that I've got, so I find them very hard to deal with.
    ==========================================
    Liz
    DD (3/2010)

    "Make mistakes! Get messy!" - Miss Frizzle

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