Resources
Traditionally, spring and fall cleaning were necessities based on environmental conditions. When homes were heated by coal or dusty furnaces, throwing open the house in the spring was necessary to clean out a winter's accumulation of dust. In the age prior to modern electronic conveniences, rugs were thrown over the laundry line and the dust beaten out; coal soot was scrubbed from baseboards and floors and fresh, sweet air allowed to circulate throughout the home. In the fall, the routine had a different purpose, preparing the home for a cozy winter. Heavier textiles were returned to the home, pantries and kitchens cleaned and filled to bursting with stores for the winter.
Today, we really don't need to do any of these things. We live in a climate controlled environment that generates far less dirt than our great-grandmother's had to deal with. Plus, our household appliances do a large portion of the work that used to take days. (Although, beating a rug on the line does wonders for your stress level ;)
Our weekly challenges in the upcoming weeks are going to allow us to work through the house, cleaning and organizing as we go. As I come across the I'll be posting resources that can help in the endeavor. This week's resource is actually a Holiday Countdown website, an 18 week plan on getting your house ready for Christmas. Even though we're not working toward that goal, as hherzof said, we all need a clean house, right? The website has a lot of printable worksheets and tips on working through your home, space by space.
The link will take you directly to the Front Porch section. There is a lot of good information on this website. If you are the type of person who needs a lot of guidance and hand-holding to get you through the myriad of Christmas tasks ::whistles innocently:: this is could be the place for you. If you're just looking for a step-by-step plan on getting your house together, you can ignore the cookie-baking tips and use this as a blueprint.
Holiday Grand Plan
Today, we really don't need to do any of these things. We live in a climate controlled environment that generates far less dirt than our great-grandmother's had to deal with. Plus, our household appliances do a large portion of the work that used to take days. (Although, beating a rug on the line does wonders for your stress level ;)
Our weekly challenges in the upcoming weeks are going to allow us to work through the house, cleaning and organizing as we go. As I come across the I'll be posting resources that can help in the endeavor. This week's resource is actually a Holiday Countdown website, an 18 week plan on getting your house ready for Christmas. Even though we're not working toward that goal, as hherzof said, we all need a clean house, right? The website has a lot of printable worksheets and tips on working through your home, space by space.
The link will take you directly to the Front Porch section. There is a lot of good information on this website. If you are the type of person who needs a lot of guidance and hand-holding to get you through the myriad of Christmas tasks ::whistles innocently:: this is could be the place for you. If you're just looking for a step-by-step plan on getting your house together, you can ignore the cookie-baking tips and use this as a blueprint.
Holiday Grand Plan