CLEAN – Lounge Room
We spend a lot of family time in our lounge room, playing games on the floor or watching movies together so I enjoy having a clutter free room so I can relax easier.
Laundry pile clutter
One of my biggest pitfalls with an untidy lounge room would be my clean washing pile on the couch. The key to getting control over the clean washing pile is to create a routine:
- Fold and put away while kids are having their daytime nap
- Fold before you start dinner and then the rest of the family can put away the washing
- Fold later that evening while watching favourite TV show and put away in the ads (this is my current preference)
Read more: Readers share their laundry routines.
Toy clutter
When the kids were younger they often left toys on the floor. For a quick tidy up I had a nice basket next to the TV unit which I threw their toys into and then got the kids to put them back into their rooms/playroom before bedtime.
Read more: How to get kids to clean up their toys.
Cleaning task
Today’s cleaning task is to do the following in your lounge room:
[wlchecklist name=’CleanDay4′]
- How to clean walls
- How to clean windows
- How to kill dustmites in non washable items
- Spot clean couch and carpet using your all purpose cleaner
- How to clean remote controls
Remember just do the tasks above, we will be coming back to other tasks. Cleaning floors is tomorrows task.
Here are a few posts I have shared previously about organising the lounge room:
DECLUTTER – Your magazine collection
Do you have a pile of magazines that you have read and no longer need? Are they occupying a space that could be better used? Then it’s time to purge.
I collect a lot of cooking magazines. Read an old post here sharing what I did with my food magazine pile, I still use this same system and it’s made searching for something new for dinner so much easier!
Then when you have your firm family favourites, take the recipe out of the recipes to try system and place into a recipe binder.
Have home magazines? Make yourself a home binder to store all your future home design ideas.
[wlchecklist name=’DeclutterDay4′]
ORGANISE – Pamper yourself with ‘me’ time
Our days seemed to be filled with cleaning, caring or doing things for others. Yes we love doing all these things for our family but often we forget about ourselves. It’s important to take time out for yourself. Today’s organise task is to plan and organise some ‘me’ time, by yourself or call some girlfriends and make a date in your diary.
- a coffee date, dinner or movie night with friends
- get a pedicure or a massage
- plan some time one afternoon or during bubs naptime to read a book or take a long bath.
My friends and I now have a planned day each month that we get together for a coffee or dinner. Sometimes it needs to be planned far ahead just so we can all coordinate a date that suits us all.
[wlchecklist name=’OrganiseDay4′]
NEW HABIT – Say No
Do you reluctantly say yes to people asking you to do things just because you’re trying to be nice, want to help or don’t want to let them down? But reality is that you don’t have time to be saying yes and you are then putting your own priorities aside.
Quite a few years ago I found myself saying yes to things that didn’t fit into my schedule, I was a yes person to everything, babysitting, projects, school committee, I wanted to make my friends and those around me happy and just be a help. But reality is I needed to say “No”, I needed to commit myself to my own projects, my family. You could answer:
- I’m sorry I have something else planned on that day, I hope you can find somebody else that can help.
- I’ll get back to you (so then you have time to look over your calendar)
- I’m sorry I’ll have to decline, but thank you for thinking of me
- I can’t at the moment as I am trying very hard to complete a few projects I have started
- I won’t be able to today, but can organise something in a few weeks time
- That sounds wonderful, I’d love to do this, but I can’t right now. Thank you for asking.
- Sometimes no is enough, you don’t need to justify and give explanations to everybody
Great quote from Paulo Coelho “Don’t say maybe if you want to say no”.
Download this print for FREE from my shop. Use coupon code at checkout: 20DaysNO
Click here to download
When you say YES to others, make sure you are not saying NO to yourself – Paulo Coehlo
One of my friends that followed the challenge last time did a fortnight of no’s. She said no to everything that was asked of her as she had just moved and wanted to get her house into order. During this time she managed to get her house unpacked and become more organised than she imagined. Give saying no a go.
[wlchecklist name=’NewHabitDay4′]
5 MINUTES ONLY – Clean windows of main areas in your home
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Read here for my tips on how I clean windows in my home.
DOWNLOAD
Print the daily sheet and checklists to keep for reference while you are completing the above tasks.
- DAY 4 DAILY TASK SHEET – file behind ‘Daily Task’ divider – click to download.
- LOUNGE ROOM CLEANING CHECKLIST – file behind ‘Checklist’ divider – click to download.
- BLANK LOUNGE ROOM CLEANING CHECKLIST – use this to create your own checklist, file behind ‘Checklist’ divider – click to download.
116 comments
Love my organised & clean lounge! Plus a new little play area for my son (one of my goals – TICK)
I have blogged about my “20 day challenge” journey – http://teacherbytrade-motherbynature.blogspot.co.nz 🙂 (hope this is okay)
Fantastic Charlene, you are on to it!.:)
Loving having so many clean areas of my home. Havent been able to get everything done all in the one go but what I miss on one day I do the next. Love the recipes idea. Have things I need for this on my shopping list, that will be another bookshelf that will be decluttered 🙂
Way to go Jody! You are doing great.:)
Hi Kat,
since my 3yo daughter is currently using the living room as her playroom as well, do you have any suggestion to keep the toys tidy with them still in the living room?
I’m using some IKEA’s open boxes (those polyester fabric boxes) to store the toys and put the boxes under the side table, along with some other smaller containers of wooden blocks, crayons, doll houses etc.
But they still look cluttered 🙁
Hi Dee,
Yes the Ikea ones are great. I also have a link for you that may also help with organising a toy area for your daughter: http://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/organising/kids-rooms/toy-room-organisation-inspiration/
Hope this helps.:)
Sorry Kat, another question…I have so many CD collections (plus DVD) and here in far North Queensland, they just get taken over by insects or ants getting into the covers, it might take me hours just to get through the TV cabinet which is where they are stored at the moment. Any suggestions, thank you.
Hi Natalie,
I would try using a Ant Sand spray to try to keep them out, it’s frustrating i know! They seem to get into the littlest of places.
What of your cleaning products in kit would you use in the lounge room, mine is mostly wooden furniture (coffee tables tv cabinet etc) couch is suede not too sure how to spot clean that one and have lots of blinds (slats) may just use damp cloth? Thanks
Natalie, i would use a damp cloth on the blinds. And with your wooden furniture i would also use a cloth to dust then a clean damp cloth. I personally don’t like to use chemicals on my timber furniture.
With your suede couch i would try a little warm soapy water and then dry it off. Hope this helps.:)
Wheels fell off today. We are on the last two days of school holidays and with fabulous sunshine, it was time to get out of the house. And we are out again tomorrow, so next week will be a 7 day week for me. I’ll be back on the declutter/clean/tidy/sort wagon on Saturday.
Hi Kat
Going well, my lounge room is mostly tidy, but just need to do a few things. I liked your idea on the magazines as I have a similar situation, so I will put this one into practice thanks. By the way the homemade cleaner spray is great and works really well.
Enjoying the journey!! Susanne 🙂
So glad you love the all purpose cleaner, it’s great isn’t it. Yes, magazines can easily get out of control, but this is a fab and tidy solution.
Hello, what about the dining room? Mine is open plan, so my living and dining are together?
Thanks
We come back to the dining room in the last week Renee 😉
Hi,
In follow up to Fiona’s question, should I do the children’s playroom also on Day 4 along with the other living areas?
Cheers
No Kim, we will visit the playroom later in the challenge.
Hi Kat & team, is this task for all living areas? I have a lounge room plus a living room, so I’m guessing the idea is to do all of it for day 4?
Thanks
Hi Fiona, Yes as we are only doing one living room in the challenge. I would do the both.:)