FLYLADY Week 4 - Still In the Office

 Good morning, everyone!

Well, I turned last weekend upside down. I'm involved in four different craft challenges due by end of the month. Rather than make a bigger mess by pulling everything out of the planner corner, I decided to see how many of the challenge videos I could knock out. It's been a busy three days and I'm nowhere near done. But I do have until this afternoon.

I did get the rest of the flour and rice dry canned as well as four loads of laundry. I'm contemplating the white oad this morning. Haven't decided yet.

Weather is still hot but to cool down this week. I'm still waiting on a storm to test the roof leak. I don't know what I need more at this point, confirmation the roof is fixed so I can put stuff back or for the temperatures to get considerably below 100*F.

I'm supposed to do a 31 Days of Halloween on my creative channel but right now, I'm strongly considering 13 days. That would let me hold off until the 19th before I have to start uploading content. The Ozark Creative Writers Conference is the second full weekend in Oct. I'll be gone for six days, meaing I'll have to have all that content recorded a head of time and can upload the videos while I'm at the conference ot just relax so I'm not wore out before the conference. I'll let you know what I decide LOL

As we approach Autumn (supposedly) think about how you want to switch things out, or do you? At this point, with the house in complete chaos, I think fall decor will wait til next year. If I'm lucky, something more than the Christmas tree will go up. 

Be safe, Be prepared, Be Blessed!

~Kelly

FLY LADY WEEK 3 - Office

 Good morning, friends!

The mornings are cooler here in the Ozarks but doesn't take long for temperatures to climb. At least we're not in the low one hundreds. 

Even though I'm ready for fall, the house is not. It is getting there. We're still waiting on rain to test the seal on the leak. Keep sending positive vibes, please.

I pulled out an almost full pack of black cardstock over the weekend for a project and all of the pages were warped. Thankfully, I had two new packages in the warehouse.

While Week 3 should be the bedroom/ bathroom, I am focusing on the office this week. Bob leaves Thursday for a trip to OK to see his brother. I'll have 4 days to totally empty out and redo the planning corner in my office. Need to take advantage of the empty space while I can move freely and at  my own pace. I'll have leftovers in the fridge so I won't need to cook, though the first morning I might treat him to breakfast at a little market/ cafe up the road on his way out of town.

Speaking of Bob, I'm off to have coffee with him. 

In the mean time, this week's task is to take a serious look at one room in your house you want to bring in some Fall inspiration and what you need to do before that can happen.

Be safe, Be prepared, Be Blessed!

~ Kelly

FLYLADY WEEK 2 - Living Room/ Dining Room

Good morning, everyone!

How are you? Have stocked your pantry ahead of price increases? Both of my freezers are bulging. I anxiously await when I can turn on the AC and start running the pressure canner. Between now and then, I need to figure out where all of the filled jars will go on the shelves.

For the next couple of weeks (at the very least) nothing but basic pick up is going to be done in any of the rooms. At this moment, we're still waiting for a good hard rain to see if we have the leak fixed. In the mean time, a lot of the photo boxes containing my polymer and rubber stamps as well as cardstock and 6x6 paper pads are in the living room and the bedroom. There isn't any point in putting stuff in new boxes and back on the shelves.

I also have a lot of boxes of jars stationed in the living room on a card table waiting to be filled. I can't see hauling them back to the basement to bring them back up again. I'm also gradually filling the quart jars with dry mixes/ jar meals. 

If you want to look back at last week and compare with your cleaning duties, you'll find that blog post HERE.

I'm working hard in the office the entire month trying to get ahead of work that needs done before I leave for a writer's conference in October. One thing I'm doing is the popular 31 Days of Halloween on my blog/ YouTube channel. A lot of videos will have to be done up ahead of time.

If you're a paper crafter in any vein, I invite you to visit my YouTube channel or my creative blog.

In the mean time,

Be safe, Be prepared, Be Blessed!

~ Kelly

FLY LADY WEEK 1 - Laundry Room & Kitchen

 Good morning, everyone!

Were you able to experience some cooler temperatures last week? We did but I guess the temps are going back into the upper 90s this week. Ugh! Anyone else ready for fall?

Last week's post provided a cleaning list. I failed to mention that some things, like the walls & drapes only need to be done twice a year... NOT every month. I'll be revamping that list in January with an easier check list to follow. 

I'm not deep cleaning this week. The office is in total disaster after a leak over my cardstock storage. Boxes of stamps and dies are everywhere. We're just waiting for a good rain storm to see if the leak is fixed before putting stuff back. And I was SOOOO close to getting things in order. I'll update you on the office in Week 4... hopefully. In the mean time, here's where we are this week:

I'm not doing any deep cleaning in these two rooms this week, though I would love to get the shelf liners and fall curtains made. Here are the two areas of focus:

LAUNDRY

Behind the fooc containers, there is a 3-cubby unit that is suppose to hold the pet supplies. They were mostly HoneyB's. He's been gone since January and I've just put off going through this stuff. My goal is to have all of the items gone from in front of the unit. The water cube on the right needs emptied, winsed good then refilled. this is the first emergency water I work with for cooking should we have a power outage. There's another one in the basement. I also have 3 cat litter juts I keep water in for dishes and sanitary usage. My goal is to clear this then post an update next month.

Then there's the kitchen:

My old coffee small Keurig and Bob's Bunn used to sit in that corner. When the Bunn went kaput (I may or may not have melted butter down through the vent) We decided the dual unit was best against the wall (You can just see my side of the dual on the left) and the corner became a catch-all.  My goal is to clear that out and put in a fall display followed by a Halloween then a Christmas display throughout the season. 

Accomplishing those two spaces this week will be a major improvement.

If you want to refer back to the cleaning schedule for these two rooms, you'll find that BLOG POST HERE.

What's on your list for this week? Do you have an area you keep putting off, or just not sure what to do with? Let me know in the comments below.

Be safe, Be prepared, Be Blessed!

~ Kelly

FLY LADY WEEK 4 - Office

 Good morning, everyone!

A gorgeous 65*F in the Ozarks as I type this morning. I need to check the garden. Produce is pretty puny since I've been a baby about going out in the heat. 

When I was younger, heat bothered me. I'd even get nose bleeds if I tried to work in the garden. That's when mom decided I was better suited to the household duties and I learned about keeping house. As a young adult, the heat didn't bother me but now, as I approach 65, the heat just zaps the life out of me. I've gone from keeping the AC set at 73 to 70. What a difference three degrees can make. 

No detailed cleaning list this week as I realize a lot of you don't have an office. Maybe it's your craft room and you just need to put stuff back where it belongs. Or maybe the children's playroom or one of their bedrooms. Pick a room that suits you this week and a previous cleaning list that fits that room.

I've been slowly (and I do mean a turtle's pace) putting things to rights. I spent all day yesterday moving digital files I've had in a tote bag into the scraprack. The tote bag is already in the donate pile. One more thing off the floor.

For this week, I want to focus on finishing the Patriotic Journal as well as two challenge pieces for the Spectrum Art Creations FB group. I just have to tweak the fairy piece then make a shaker card by week's end.  With those out of the way, by next weekend I can dive back in to going through more 'collective' boxes to pitch, donate, put away. 

I'm also still dry canning mixes. I meant to post last Thursday about the progress. I'll work on that for this week. 

What room will you work on this week? If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I love to hear from my readers.

Be safe, Be prepared, Be Blessed!

~ Kelly

FLYLADY WEEK 3 - Bedroom & Bathroom

 Good morning!

We finally got a bit of rain last night and we're overcast this morning. Still going to be in the upper 80s and humid today, though. Is it fall yet? I'm hoping to get fall decor out this weekend. Maybe that will clue Mother Nature in that we've had enough summer.

My main focus this week is to deep clean the bathroom. We're pretty good about wiping stuff down but this is the week to get serious about the detailing. Keep in mind, you do NOT need to do the entire list in one day. A lot of you have  day jobs and just don't have time. A single task in the evening will help bring the rooms to right. Start with a top project and work your way down day by day.

NOTE: When cleaning any room, start from the to of the room (where the ceiling and walls meet, or the  molding in that spot, and work your way down. I suggest some type of eye covering for this, such as safety glasses from the dollar store to protect your eyes from any falling debris.

*Put your choice of toilet bowl cleaning in place and let it work while you continue on with your tasks.

* Using some type of dust mop, reach up and go around the upper perimeter of the room. $Tree has a mop-length pole with interchangeable heads. I like their dust mop for this. 

* Using a damp swifter, or equivilent head from the $Tree collection, swipe down the walls from top to bottom. Aside from anything already on the walls, this will also catch anything that might have come down in step one. I recommend a FLAT head for this as opposed to a dust-style mop.

* With cleaner of choice and a clean rag, wipe down all cabinet facings.

* Use either a clean swiffer pad or a dust rag, wipe down all the framings, such as doors, windows, cabinet trims. 

*  Wipe down mirros & windows with a clean dust rag, Follow with your window/ mirror cleaner of choice, wash these surfaces. Also dus/ wipe the light globes. 

* If you have a surround on your tub/ sink, wipe these down with a damp cloth. I use a spray bottle with equal parts water/vinegar. You can remove fawcet handles and clean around the base much easier. Note which type you have and check that brand's cleaning instructions (sometimes as part of their install).

If you have hard water build-up, I do use Lime Out for directly behind the fawcet area about every other month. I don't leave it on long, just a couple of minutes then go after that with a tooth brush followed by a clean wet cloth until all the residue is gone. 

*Bathtub & sink drains also get the baking soda/ hot vinegar/ hot water flush treatment that I use in the kitchen. About 1/4 C. baking soda, follwed by 1 C. hot vinegar. I use a silicone spatula to pull all the soda/ resdue to the drain opening then flush with hot water several times. DON'T USE directl from the tap. You want the water HOT before pouring down the drain to assist the vinegar/ baking soda in doing a complete clean out. I heat mine in a 4 C. measuring cup from the microwave or the tea kettle.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When putting ANY liquid in the microwave to heat, place a length of wooden scewer or wooden chop stick into the cup to catch the molucules. This prevents the water from popping when you remove it from the oven. 

* Using cleaner of choice, wash the tub and sink bowls. Follow up with a hot rinse.

* Swish the toilet bowl. 

*  With a clean rag and your spray bottle of vinegar solution, Wipe down the entire outer tank/ bowl/ base of the toilet. 

* Sweep/ mop the floor

BEDROOM:

The bedroom is much easier.

* Repeat walls proces, dusting around the parameer of the room then swiping down the walls. 

* Wipe down ceiling fan blades first with a dry dust cloth, followed by a damp one. 

* Strip the bed and start the laundry process

NOTE: This needs to be done AFTER you've done the steps above or you'll have to vacuum the mattress!

* Light globes/ shades/ bulbs.

* Dust all the furnitue pieces. Remember lower railings on the be frame and the headboar

* Sweep/ mop. 

* If you have access to under the bed, you will not believe what collects under there. This is where I use my $Tree mop handle and dust pad followed by a damp mop.

Did I miss anything? Let me know in the comments.

Be safe Be prepared, Be Blesed!

~ Kelly

FLY LADY WEEK 2 - Living Room/dining Room

 Good morning, everyone!

Another hot day in south-central Missouri. I am so over summer. 

I did get the patriotic decor taken down yesterday and all the fabric stuff washed. Well, except for one mat. Have you ever thought you had everything in the washer only to discover you missed something AFTER the load is finished? That one mat will go in with the curtains, hopefully later this week. I try to have my fall decor up by our anniversary on the twenty-fifth. This will be our forty-second anniversary.

I'm determined to really dive in deep to the living room this week. Get the last of the dry mixes done so the canning jars can go back to the basement. I won't be pressure canning or making preserves for a couple more months. Finally get the tub of boxes for wrapping gifts taken care of. From there, it's general cleaning.

LIVING ROOM:

*  Put away anything that doesn't belong in the space. Have children? Get them to help. I'll bet most of it is theirs anyway. 

* Curtains, take them down. If you can, take them outside to shake out. If not, a no-heating setting on the dryer with a previously used dryer sheet will help. NOTE: Check the cleaning instructions for your drapes/ curtains.

* Dust Everything.

Door/ window frames

Wash the windows (I will add this to last week's list), including tacks. HERE'S a short VIDEO for tips. Clean window tracks help keep the windows energy efficient.

Remove knick knacks from shelves, wipe them down and dust the shelves. (this used to be part of my every Saturday house cleaning as a teenager. Did you have weekly chores?)

Fan Blades/ Light Fixtures

*Furniture

Using a vacuum hose attackment, clean between sofa/ chair cushions. 

Sweep under/ behind all the furniture you can

Sweep/ vacuum/ mop the floor.

Often times, just picking up what doesn't belong in a room can make a huge difference in the asthetics.

DINING ROOM:

If you don't have a dining room, swap out for another room in your home. The basics will fly anywhere thoughout your cleaning routine.

* Put things away that don't belong. 

This is a great time to see if you're putting the same things away every week and can you create a better storage system for them. Because we practically live at our dining room table. Bob built us each a cart for our respective sides of the table for the things we like to keep handy.

* Shake out drapes/ curtains (same application as for the Living Room)

* Windows & sills (same as for Living Room & other rooms in your home)

*Change linens such as table cloth/ runner

* Dust everything

Shelves

Sideboard

Table/ Chair legs & cross boards

Fan Blades

Door frames/ base boards

*China Hutch/ cabinets

Dust will seep in between the doors. 

I deep clean mine once a year - prepping for Christmas decor. I take everything out, rinse/ dry them, wipe down the inside and shelves then put dishes back in place.

Sweep/ vacuum/ mop

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Once you get into this routine, you won't need to be as detailed with things like the window tracks (maybe once a quarter) unless you've had storms that blow everything in through the screen to settle in the tracks.

HERE IS A VIDEO on cleaning tips collected from 'professionals on Tik Tok. The first one they show is using a Swiffer. I use this trick because I'm less than tall so reaching things like the top of the mirror can be a challenge without climbing or asking Bob to wipe it down.  I also use a shorter handle with a cloth on my swiffer to wipe down the inside of my oven after I've run the cleaning cycle. 

If you have any tips to share or questions about how to clean something, please post them in the comments below.

Be safe, Be prepared, Be Blessed!

~ Kelly