HELP!!!!!!!!!! Organization/Cleaning Clutter Tips?

Question

I need some help. I would like to get my house "hostable" for the holidays, but my husband and I both work full time jobs - I travel 45 to 50 minutes one way to work every day - my supervisor thinks that we are her "servants" and that we are supposed to work more that 40 hours a week - and not be paid overtime -oh, excuse me I'm ranting about something else. Anyway, back to the subject at hand - I need TIPS and good ideas for quick housecleaning and organizing so I can get my house in shape without staying up all night. Thanks in advance for all of your wonderful suggestions!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Every night, set a timer for 15 minutes and get cracking on something that needs cleaning or decluttering. 15 minutes is manageable, even with your busy schedule. Sometimes you'll be motivated to keep going once the timer goes off--great! If not, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you got something accomplished and you're moving towards your goal. That'll make things less overwhelming.

In those daily 15 minutes, throw away everything that's broken or has no value. Have a box for things you don't need that are still usable--you can sort and donate that stuff after the holidays. The less stuff you have, the more clean your house feels (and there's less stuff to clean *around*). Within a few weeks you'll have gotten rid of quite a bit, and then you can do your organizing, which will be easier since you'll have less stuff.

As for the cleaning, just work logically. Kick up dust first. Clean from top to bottom. No point vacuuming the floor and THEN dusting the ceiling fan. Look at a room and think, "What's the best way to do this?" Have your curtains, throw blankets, maybe rugs, etc. laundered so they look fresh.

Try to use all-purpose cleaners instead of having a different product for every single thing...that way you can just walk around with a bottle and a roll of paper towels.

Realsimple.com has great tips on streamlining your cleaning routine, so take a peek over there when you can. And don't forget to sit back, relax, and enjoy the holidays in your beautified home! =)

Answer 2

If it's really cluttered, take a weekend to dispose of the real mess. Sort, keep, dispose, or donate what you will. Then do a little each day or night. I'm not talking the spring cleaning thing. I'm talking about dusting a room or a quick vacuum of a room, wiping counters daily, cleaning toilets as needed, putting things in their places instead of piling them up, etc. Buy baskets for mail, put up something to organize outgoing mail, handle stamps, and hold all your keys. Put up hooks where you can in the bedrooms for those clothes you know you hate to hang up on hangers (preferably in the closet), buy filing boxes at Staples to keep your house info in and put them in a handy closet or in the basement, keep up with your dishes (dishwashers are best), keep your kitchen clutter free, and never let anyone just throw anything anywhere. Make everyone part of the daily routine. It works. Good luck.

Answer 3

First off, taking a weekend to go through the unnecessary junk in your house and maybe having a yard sale if you have time will help with the clutter. Once the clutter is gone, just do a room at a time, maybe do closets one day, bedrooms the next, kitchen, dining room, etc. After the clutter is gone, it won't take so long to do the rest of the house.Organizing will be easy once you get rid of the stuff you don't need or use anymore.

Answer 4

Let's see.....first, boot your director out the front door, secondly, make your supervisor work over 40 hours week dusting everything in your home....oh, excuse me, I got on the same rant you did...wonder why.......here is how I do it.....
(1) If I cook, I immediately wash dishes afterwards and sweep the kitchen; my grandmother always said never go to bed with a dirty kitchen
(2) I wash at least 2 loads of clothes per night; you never get behind that way
(3) I keep Lysol wipes in both bathrooms and each night after I take a bath (I am the last one to do so), I wipe down the countertop with one....also keep them in the kitchen and wipe countertops with them......if I run out and haven't gone to the store, I use a wet washcloth.
(4) I have made a practice of making up the beds
(5) Always keep a small empty laundry basket (you can get one at the dollar store for a buck).....this is great for last minute things you can't put in their place when company comes over....just toss them in the laundry basket and put them in the back room
(6) I try to do this weekly and then on Friday night, I mop, dust and sweep.......then I have the weekends free
and I always try to have some sort of homemade baked goods in the cake platter........always nice when company stops by......let me know and I can make you some
Also, Homemade Simple.com has great ideas

Answer 5

Less is better. Get rid of all the meaningless nic-naks and such. Put them in a bedroom or store them. Get your floors professionally cleaned or rent a carpet cleaner (requires time from you). Get rid of all the crap in your kitchen you never use (weird gadgets, appliances, old dishes and cups, etc.-EVERYONE has these things, including me!). Get rid of all the throw rugs that aren't essential (they just contribute to a cluttered look). Clean the windows and screens as these will make even a clean house look dirty. Good luck and Happy Holidays!

Answer 6

Do a little bit of cleaning everday. Take care of part of your kitchen one day for only 20 minutes or so. You have a lot of time before the holidays so make good use of it. Don't tackel too big of a job; that will only add to your stress. Map out what to do and when to do it.

Answer 7

go to www.flylady.net this website is free and gives really good advice. Flylady teaches you to clean your house 15 minutes at a time. You learn to create new habits and ditch bad habits. My house is not perfect but it is not in C.H.A.O.S (can't have anyone over syndrome) Best of luck!

Answer 8

try this:
http://www.womansday.com/home/11706/100-ways-to-get-organized.html
I love this site, and magazine