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.
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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.
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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
Today has been one of those days and so I haven’t managed any jobs today!!! I’m not going to let it get to me though… Will get back on track tomorrow and over the weekend ?
Love your positive attitude Louise! You are so right, weekends are a great time to get little things ticked off your list.:)
I am going to be out of town next week so am not going to be able to keep up with next weeks tasks. But I am really looking forward to them!
That’s perfectly fine, Angela. Just do them at a time that is convenient for yourself. I love that you are looking forward to next weeks tasks.:)
Soooo I’m a full time working mum and wife and as we are moving, most of these tasks are done. I’m so glad to be part of this group because I’m one seriously unorganised person. This will get me through the selling process and I’ll be better equipped at our new place. Xx
Absolutely Kelly. There are a lot of my members who do the challenge around selling time or getting ready for house inspections. Hope you feel more organised by doing this challenge too.:)
day 4 almost complete, need to go through magazines then done. I’ve been cleaning,decluttering and organising with loud music on.
You sound like me, Michelle i love having the radio or music going while i’m cleaning. Makes the job more enjoyable.:)
Nailed day 4!! I feel like it’s a big accomplishment, I still have the family room (2nd lounge to do, but will do it over the weekend! I just said to my husband it’s weird getting excited to wake up and start cleaning. What the ……
Now off to work, it’s been handy being on late shifts this week. Next week may be a bit more of a challenge as my shifts change, but I WILL find the time!
Fantastic Karen! I love your enthusiasm, you have done so well. Keep up the awesome work.:)
Kat I read your window cleaning tips 🙂 can I ask do you ever clean the tracking with soapy water or do you find loosening the dirt with a toothbrush and then vacuuming out is enough? I’ve never tried that method but sounds a lots easier your way!
Hi Jennifer, I have only ever used the toothbrush to loosen the dirt and then vacuum it up. I guess it depends on how much build up there is. I would say if you need to use the soapy water once you more than likely won’t have to the next time round.
Hi Kat, thanks for all the great advice! I am a little behind but am slowly moving through the tasks. Just wondering, the flowers in your photos are beautiful, assuming they are not real, can I ask where you got them from? ?
Hi Jane, from memory i think i got them from Earthborn. They are really pretty aren’t they.:) Keep up the great work.
Do you have any tips for keeping a shag pile rug clean.
It is very large & heavy so can not pick up to shake off crumbs etc. My vacumm just moves the bits to the next part of the rug
No Rebecca I’m sorry I would suggest your vaccum filter may need a clean so it can suck a bit better, it should be able to pick up the dust and dirt?
So managed to finally get through Thursdays tasks by Friday. Had my 3 little helpers (9, 6 and 3) helping me with the dusting and cleaning of furniture in the lounge as these are their jobs that they help with on a weekly basis anyway. There was a bit of a fracas over who was going to click the mouse to check the tick boxes on the computer, but no worse than at the register at the supermarket where they squabble over whose turn it is to flash the Rewards card and Paywave the Visa! They still enjoy these jobs (thank goodness) and take it on themselves well, so i’ll keep going with that! I had my hair done Thursday too (pamper – check) and I said “no” to helping at the school athletics day!
Fantastic Janine! Well done in following along with the tasks.:) And to your little helpers too, gteat job.:)
oh boy, I gave my lounge room a thorough clean last week, so this day’s task tasks were a breeze – tho I will admit the saying “no” touch was VERY hard – but boy did I feel empowered after that call! Thanks for giving me permission to let myself say “no” 🙂 I am ‘that person’ that never says no – well I was!!!!
I feel great, have now got through three days in one…. I’ll now peek onto today’s actual tasks and see what I got done of them without realizing…. 🙂
Nice job, Kaycee! And super proud for saying “no”! It is hard to start with but you do feel better for it x