The pre tasks are a series of activities that you will need to complete to help you be ready and prepared for the 20 days, such as creating a routine you can follow during the 20 days and beyond, putting together a cleaning bucket so you have all products needed for each of the cleaning tasks etc.
ACCESSING LINKS AND DOWNLOADS
You will see throughout the challenge that I share additional links back to The Organised Housewife blog as well as downloadable printables. To open the link for more tips or to download the files simply click on the link and they will take you to view further information or to open downloads. These links are pink text like this.
WHAT TO EXPECT EACH DAY OF THE CHALLENGE?
Each day consists of the following tasks:
- Clean
- Organise
- Declutter
- New Habit
- 5 minutes only
The 5 minute only task doesn’t need to be completed each day. This task is for when you mmay beon the phone, or have a few spare minutes to tidy up an area. Please don’t spend too much time on this, 5 minutes max!!
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME?
I know that everybody has different aged or number of children, schedules or work commitments so please adapt these tasks around your time and family. If you are not able to complete one of them that is perfectly OK, it can be finished at a different time.
WHY 20 DAYS?
A 4 week period is a good starting block to get your home under control. I have set tasks for five out of the seven days each week. I don’t believe in cleaning every single day, we need to take time out (weekends or a days of your choice) to spend time with family and enjoying the outdoors. Please do not feel pressured to complete all the day’s task in the one day, if you can’t that’s fine, push this 20 days to 40 days if you need. Make this challenge work around your schedule.
176 comments
Hi there, long time listener, first time caller, lol. I too really hope I can stick to this. I live in Nth qld (although I am from SA) My husband and I work full time and we have two boys, 10 & 8. I have never been a very organised or tidy person, although I would really like to be. Its a bit of a running joke amongst my friends and family that I’m a crap housewife. My excuses are as follows….. I really hate nth qld weather and go into shut down mode when it gets too humid, I live in an old weatherboard house that has NO storage and so nothing seems to have a home, I quite often think ‘why should I even bother’ when after all my hard work and nagging my husband and boys seem to go out of their way to undo everything that I have done. But biggest of all is that most days I just cant be bothered. I have a goal for myself, my sister is coming to visit in just over a month and she really chastises me on my house, so I want to make her so shocked she is speechless. Looking forward to it, trying to stay positive and motivated. Fingers crossed.
LOL, welcome to the program Tammy. Don’t listen to those people and their negativity, they shouldn’t put you down like that. North QLD is horrid especially in the warmer months, and can be unmotivating. Thankfully it’s cooling down just a little now. Put on some music, put on your active wear and get into the challenge, show your sister what you can do, but don’t do it for her, do it for you and get your family to help you maintain it!
Ok… so this is going to be a challenge for me as I’m currently surrounded by piles and clutter. Drives me nuts but I don’t what to do with it and where to put. House is a mess as nothing has a home. We live in a 1923 weatherboard home with hardly any storage. I know we’ve got too much stuff -but it’s so overwhelming and I don’t know where to start. I am really hoping this challenge helps. ?
Sounds like you have been struggling Josie, especially if you are lacking storage. I share some tips through the challenge, I hope it helps you. Remember some of these tips for decluttering:
If you haven’t used it within 6-12 months, more than likely you won’t use it, donate to charity
If it gives you negative feeling or makes you feel sad, donate to charity
If something has sentimental value but it’s in a box in the top of your wardrobe, more than likely it will stay there. You are not attached to the object you are attached to the memory of the person that gave you the object. Give it to charity or somebody you know that will cherish the item.
If it is expired, throw it out.
Do you have double of items, eg…2 toasters, give one to charity.
Out with the old, in with the new. eg. brand new bedsheets=old sheets to charity
Give yourself permission to throw out items that are rarely used.
Old toys and games can be donated to the local childcare centre.
All done and ready to begin!
Well done Kim!!
I’m pretty nervous/excited. I have an almost 17 month old that is into everything but our mess is terrible and I really need to get organised so I can enjoy my time with her instead of stressing about the house. Also now I’m at home full time I find the mess/clutter and lack of organisation depressing. Ready to do this!! ?
I hope Natasha that getting on top of it may help your spirits, I myself need to wake up to the kitchen and bedroom tidy, it gives me the right mindset for the day, if messy kitchen, I have a messy mind.
I was lucky 1/2 my folder was already done. Why? I just got out my folder last time I “was” going to do the 20 day challenge. The date for the first day in the folder is 3rd September 2012. My eldest would have been nearly 11 months. Nothing has changed (the mess is still there if not even worse) except she now has a nearly 7 month old sister. If I don’t get on top of this now I will have double trouble mess makers and no plans in place. Thanks Kat (great first name by the way LOL) for another round of the Challenge, here’s to a better outcome this time 🙂
ooh wow Katrina (love your name too) your from the very original round that I did on the blog way back when, so much has happened for you during that time. Now is your time to get through the challenge, you can do it!!
Hi Kat, this is my second time doing this challenge – and everything is still ticked off from last time – is there a way that I can reset it? Or do I just have to go through and untick it all or leave it as it is?
Thanks 🙂
great question Indigo, I have just done some research and I can’t find anywhere where I can clear it easily for you, I have contacted support so I will let you know when I hear from them 🙂
Hi Kat, it’s my second time doing this challenge with you.
I have a request/suggestion:
With the daily tasks you assign us we can check them off online as we go, but I was wondering if we could get an extra printable each day with the daily tasks already listed so we can physically mark them off?
I know that last time you had a daily task blank sheet where we could write the jobs in, and you also had an area checklist (e.g. Kitchen) that listed all jobs for that area, but I am hoping that we could have a printable checklist more like the one on here where all jobs for that day are listed and we can print it out and check them off.
Is this possible?
Hi Darra, I am so sorry I’m lacking sleep and don’t follow, can you sketch me the idea of what you are talking about and email it to me, maybe easier for me to understand 🙂 If I have time I’m happy to try and do things to make it easier for you, however time is key, my computer crashed on me yesterday and working on my little laptop is very hard. Taking it the genius bar tomorrow fingers crossed they can fix it for me.
Hi Kat, sorry it’s been a few days.
What I was meaning with the printable is essentially copying the points on the interactive section to the blank daily sheet printable so that we can tick them off on paper instead of the computer.
So something like this:
Week 1 Day 1:
Clean kitchen –
Load dishwasher
Wash all
Clean doors
Declutter kitchen –
Paper clutter
Rubbish
Organise kitchen –
Remove everything
5 minute task –
Etc. etc….
At the moment you have
A blank daily sheet printable where you can jot jobs onto,
And a filled in printable with all the jobs that will be achieved in each room (e.g. All jobs for the kitchen)
And on this website under each day is an online interactive checklist of each job for that day.
What I am hoping for is a new daily sheet printable with the list of each job for that day. So essentially the online interactive daily checklist copied onto a PDF for printing.
I like to do what you tell me each day, but get frustrated at having to go back to the computer to read and check off each individual job. And I find if I have the complete kitchen cleaning list in front of me I get distracted. So if instead each day we could see the jobs you are setting us for the day online, but also have the option to print that days jobs out in a list format, that would be great,
Does this clarify my thinking? I hope so. It’s clear in my head what I mean, but sometimes it’s tricky to explain your thoughts to someone else…
Aah thank you Darra, yes I understand what you are saying I’ve just gone to day 1 and had a look to clarify. That’s a great idea, however I won’t be able to do that for this round as I’ve already made the sheets up and without my computer till at least Friday will be too hard to get it done before Day 1, but will consider it for the next round absolutely, I really like the idea!
Thanks Kat
Hi .. Second time attempt.. Many years ago I tried to attemp but I was way behind and gave up because I couldn’t keep up ..
Yes it only got worse over years bit now circumstances have changed… And able to start early and etc…
Yes please – printable e-versions on anything !! Any help is awesome
I think Darra is talking about just making the e-version check list also available to print.
Regards Kim
Ok, an interactive PDF? I can do it, but they are quite fiddly, I may not be able to do it this round, but will certainly try for next round. My computer crashed a few days ago, I took it to apple today and they say it will take 5 days to ‘fingers crossed’ get fixed.
When I signed up for the 20 day challenge I forgot I would be away on holidays with my family! I’ve only just returned and not sure how to tackle the pre-challenge tasks and the first 3 emails. Do you have any suggestions how I can start without feeling like I’m way behind!!
Hi Emily, take the next few days to make a start on your prechallenge tasks and if you can complete Day 1 or as many tasks as you can before Monday. Then start Monday at Day 6, even if you haven’t finished previous days, as you can catch up on the weekends or after the challenge, I’m always here to help.
Thanks Kat!
All done and ready to roll!
Lovely work, Leanne.:)
Sorry back on deck now. I was side tracked with a very untimely attack of the vomits hitting 4 out of 5 of the family. Not sure yet if I think I’m lucky to have missed out. At least I was there to clean and disinfect the place. Yuck!!!! All good now though and I can’t wait to get underway.
Oh no hope everyone is okay now.