# Four months behind!



## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I had planned on starting in February with cleaning the house! I figured that I'd have pretty much everything clean except the windows.

Well, as some of you know, I had a health issue in February that kept me too sick and too weak to do very much. Roger kept up on the day-to-day stuff as well as a guy could what with his job and caring for me. My DD came over and helped a bit too.

So, I finally have my stamina back! I started with the kitchen cupboards. Just a section at a time, washing everything and Roger cleaned the shelves.

Today, :bouncy: We tackled the windows and they are all done! The screens are clean too!

Here is a cleaning hint! 
I regularly wipe the inside of the screens and the window sills in summer. It keeps the house cleaner and when it rains, the dirt from the screens don't get washed onto the outside of the windows.

It only takes a few minutes and I even use wet rags after cleaning the bathrooms or the floors.


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## Sumer (May 24, 2003)

You go Ardie!!:goodjob:

Im also months behind but I dont have a good excuse.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

Slow but sure wins the race!!!!


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## pinemead (Jan 18, 2003)

Ardie, you don't have to have a health issue to get behind. I lost my job in January and the house was supposed to be completely dejunked, organized and cleaned by March when the greenhouse starts up. Nope. Didn't happen. Now my farmer's markets are in full force, garden is going, I'm working more hours at my part time job, etc., etc. I'm just really happy to get the dishes done!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Yesterday, along with the cupboards, I decided to wash the blinds on all of the windows--one a day at a time!

I put them in the bathtub, cover them with hot soapy water, swish them around and let them sit awhile. Swish them again, drain, rinse and them they get to stand on end to drain and dry!

We have twelve blinds so I'll be doing this awhile! :dance:


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## Country Lady (Oct 2, 2003)

Ardie, it's good to hear you're up to doing these things again.


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

Ardie...I am just glad to hear that you are feeling better!!!


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Ardie! Welcome back! So glad to see you're able to be up and around again! Sounds like you and Roger have a great plan in place for re-claiming your house from the clutter gnomes. Just try to remember that the clutter took time to get there and it won't all go away in one day. I'd hate to hear that you threw out your back trying to move mountains already, girl! Slow and steady. Congrats on being able to get started with something that really shows a difference. Don't you just love a sparkly clean window?


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Our problem is not so much clutter but plain old dirt! I got behind and now it seems like everything is filthy.

Today, I cleaned a shelf and a drawer in the kitchen AND I decided to clean the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Then I looked into some drawers in there and cleaned three of them. Another blind is done too!

Roger calls me Mrs. Clean!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Tomorrow, I am headed into the unknown---the junk drawer in the kitchen.

If you don't hear from me, send help!


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## pinemead (Jan 18, 2003)

Ardie, I'm impressed (and motivated!) by what you've done. Just don't over do.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I survived the junk drawer and threw away a lot of....well...junk!

Then I ventured to under the sink in the big bathroom. Wow, there was stuff under there that I had forgotten! Threw more stuff out!

And, of course, I washed another blind!

Since the rag I used in the bathroom was wet and soapy, I wiped the screen door leading to the garage. WOW, it was dirty.

I don't know what I'll accomplish tomorrow as we have a funeral to go to.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

All the window blinds are done, done, done! :dance::dance:

Am over half done with the kitchen cupboards.


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## pinemead (Jan 18, 2003)

Wow!!!


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## lickcreek (Apr 7, 2006)

Wish I could report such successes! And I don't have an illness to justify my lack of accomplishments. It's like I just woke up and it's mid July already! Where has this year gone? I sure don't have much to show for it. Well, that's not a completely true statement ... I have a lot of junk and dirt to show for it! LOL! 

Glad to hear your "up and at 'em", and doing so well. I'm looking for motivation, so I keep reminding myself of what you've done! You go girl!! :happy:


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

The oven racks here get mighty gross because Roger loves to make pizza.

So, I explained to him how to clean them using a method suggested in another thread. 

He put them in a heavy black garbage bag along with two cups of ammonia. He left them in there all day and them put them on some concrete and pressure washed them! Then he put them in the bathtub in soapy water and washed them a bit more. They looked pretty good!

I think that if the sun would have been out and heated the plastic bag more, they would have gotten cleaner but they are better than what they were!

The kitchen cupboards are almost done.

I've had a bit of a set back health wise. Am taking pain pills again so I'm a bit fuzzy and sleepy.


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## pinemead (Jan 18, 2003)

Ardie, sorry to here about your set back. Take it easy - I've learned that the dirt will be there tomorrow.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I believe that even small steps help!

On Monday, I did have a bit of a setback and I took some Vicodin. But, I did wash all the produce that we got on Sunday and did a little cupboard cleaning. It was just a little section where I keep some bulk spices and herbs but it did get cleaned.

As of today, the kitchen cupboards are donedonedone! :bouncy: :bouncy:

I decided to clean the oven (self cleaning) today since it's a cool, damp day. Roger will vacuum out the soot and ashes left and wipe it as I can reach in there well.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I have a cabinet in the kitchen where we store appliances-bread machine, dehydrator, deep fryer, etc. I decided to give everything in there a spiffing up.

Today I tackled an empty but dirty deep fryer. Yuck and double yuck. I used straight degreaser, SOS pads and a wire brush. 

It sparkles! :bouncy:


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

I had to take a few days off since I had a slight infection.

Today, I tackled the plastic shower curtain liner! I have tried cleaning method of washing it in hot water with some towels in the washing machine but I don't like the results. It was BAD because God knows when it got cleaned.

I set up an old card table by the kitchen sink. Got out some soap scum remover and a spray bottle of vinegar. I took a section, sprayed it with cleaner, watched TV for a few minutes and wiped it off with clean water. Then I sprayed the same area with vinegar and wiped it again! I used rubber gloves BTW! It sparkled.

Then I cleaned the tub and surround and while I was at it, I cleaned everything else I could reach!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Here I am again! Until today, I've been maintaining the cleaning. You know, every day stuff.

I cleaned the linen closet today and wiped up the living room floor with the wet Swifter thingy.

Tomorrow I'd like to give the bathroom floors a good scrubbing with the Hoover Floor-A-Matic. It's rather clumsy and difficult to manage it along with my electric scooter but where there is a will, there is a way!

When the humidity leaves Wisconsin, I want to clean the upholstered furniture and the mattress with the Green Machine.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Today, I tackled the mattress!

Roger vacuumed it for me and I cleaned it with the Green Machine by Bissell. Uck! The water was dirty! It's drying well with two fans on it so I think I'll have Roger flip it and do the other side!

It smells to nice and fresh!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Ardie/WI said:


> Today, I tackled the mattress!
> 
> Roger vacuumed it for me and I cleaned it with the Green Machine by Bissell. Uck! The water was dirty! It's drying well with two fans on it so I think I'll have Roger flip it and do the other side!
> 
> It smells to nice and fresh!


Sweetheart that he is, Roger flipped the mattress, vacuumed it and cleaned it for me!

I think that one Tuesday, I'll clean the recliner in the bedroom where I usually end up sleeping at some point in the night!

Then, it's onto the furniture in the living room!


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## Sumer (May 24, 2003)

I think the humidity was getting to me last week. Its weird, Im not used to this getting old & having the weather affect me stuff. It never botherd me before. Now its cooler here this week & I hope I can motavate to get some stuff done this weekend. 

Ardie I never thought to wash a mattress other than to wipe it off. Mine must be disgusting. That green machine must be great to use.

Ya know all your little bit at a time stuff is sure adding up. Your inspiring me a lot.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Sumer said:


> I think the humidity was getting to me last week. Its weird, Im not used to this getting old & having the weather affect me stuff. It never botherd me before. Now its cooler here this week & I hope I can motavate to get some stuff done this weekend.
> 
> Ardie I never thought to wash a mattress other than to wipe it off. Mine must be disgusting. That green machine must be great to use.
> 
> Ya know all your little bit at a time stuff is sure adding up. Your inspiring me a lot.


WARNING, rather gross!

The first time I cleaned the mattress with that machine, it had to be at least 15 years old. Previously, I just vacuumed it twice a year.

Anyway, the machine kept pulling out this off-white flakey stuff in the water. I finally figured out that it was dead skin! YUCK. I almost tossed my lunch!

Yesterday, there was none of that, thank God!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Guess what my sweetheart of a DH did today! 

He had the day off and he shampooed the three recliners and the love seat for me!

They look great!


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Give Roger a big hug from me for being so sweet to you! I need to get my mattress outside in the yard on a tarp and give it a good steam cleaning. Hasn't been done in years and I'm sure it'll be 10# lighter after it's cleaned. 

That little bit at a time stuff really works - it didn't get dirty overnight and it won't get clean overnight either. My house isn't looking totally horrid right now if you overlook the den and the back room, and dd's room, which is a total pit. It's cluttered, the dishes are waiting for dd to do them, and my hearth tiling job means my living room is a mess (remodeling mode). I still think I'd be embarrassed to have a stranger walk through right now, which is supposed to be happening in the next week or two, as I need a new appraisal for my re-fi.  I guess that's incentive to stick with the cleaning and the tiling (and the mattress will wait for another couple weeks).


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## Linkovich (Apr 17, 2009)

I hate cleaning. Actually I love it when i'm motivated to do something, then there's no stopping me! But when I come home and i'm tired, there's nothing worse than a messy house! Trouble is, it needs to be constantly cleaned! One down day, and the laundry and dishes just pile up! It's really neat though hearing step-by-step your cleaning ordeal! It sounds like you had a lot to go through! You should have taken before and after pictures, so you can sit back in satisfaction when it's done, and see the complete change!


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## ronron (Feb 4, 2009)

I just started using the FLY lady web site to get my house in order for Autumn and the holidays I am totally loving it I works great for me...


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