End of 4 weeks round up

Make sure you have your totals in soon so I can archive them, declare the winner, send out the prize, and start everyone back at 0 for the next 4 weeks. If anyone has suggestions for points, let them be heard now before we start the next cycle!

Also, don't forget, new month, new goals (or renewing unfinished goals in my case)!

Finished the Playroom

At the beginning of the week, I posted these before photos:

I have been forcing encouraging my kids to work on it; after a couple of weeks they had done next to nothing some. Yesterday I finally tackled the room. Three long hours later, I finished. Here is what the room looks like now:

I haven't vacuumed yet and I need to redo the labels on the boxes. I might even get coordinating boxes so it looks nicer. I wanted to get rid of half the toys. Believe it or not, I think I weeded it down by at least a third. Here are the three big boxes of toys I got rid of:

5 Minute Challenges

I must admit, the 5 minute challenges were good ones for me. I even took some before / after pictures. They don't do it complete justice, because inside the drawers / baskets were the greatest changes, but you get the idea. For the make up one, I cleaned the whole area. I actually have 2 sets of make up and hair stuff (thank you CVS). One upstairs, if I am getting ready on my own and one downstairs if I am getting ready while Abe watches TV.

Toy Sort is DONE!

Most of these buckets have been sitting out in my garage FOREVER!  What I have been doing is when I clean out my kids rooms (if they are helping), I put toys that I think we should get rid of in a bucket instead of a garbage bag.  This creates much fewer tears, then I planned to wait a few months.  If the kids asked for a certain toy, I could then retrieve it from the buckets and if toys were not requested then I would get rid of them.  There were one or two that were requested but most of them (like McDonald's toys) were never thought of again.  The only problem is that I knew there were certain toys spread among these buckets that I did not want to get rid of....like Mr Potato Head, or Barbie stuff (that even though my daughter does not play with barbies I still can not get rid of)  So I had to sort the buckets before getting rid of the toys in them.  I kept putting it off and more buckets would make their way out to the garage.  So this was a great challenge for me.  It made me get it done and in really only took about 2 hours.  Not to bad.  Here are my before and after shots.

Tuesday Tips The Cage

This has been one of the most effective ways that I have gotten my house work done. It was definitely worth the money. Depending on how many kids you want to fit in at a time you might want to get a bigger one. Not only does it help you get work done but I think it build character in your kids too!

Weekly Challenge- TOYS 2/23

OK, I am going with something that really needs done in my house. The kids toys. Go through and get rid of the broken (or unwanted) ones. Get them organized and even replace the missing batteries (if you dare). I am going to just be happy with weeding them down and getting the kept ones put away. If you happen to not have toys, how about organizing your grown up toys instead. DVDS, electronics, etc. Lest you think I chose something easy for me, here are photos before I started the process (I have been working on this a couple of weeks already):

5 Minute Challenges: 2/23-2/28

1. Outside of washer & dryer
2. Dust picture frames/other wall art
3. Outside of toilets
4. Kitchen cupboard doors
5. Clean out/organize makeup

Who's Who the week

Weekly Challenge- Charlotte (ahh! I will have something today!)
5 minutes- Andrea
Tuesday Tips- Tami Jo

A New Week

Well, I made it through a week with no school without too much damage. Lets push through this last week and make it count!! Next week the scores will be wiped out and we'll start again fresh. I think we will just keep to a 4 week cycle. Keep track of your daily point here!

You call that a 5 minute challenge??

My medicine cabnet is located in my closet and is a combination of a bunch of drawers because we don't have an actual cabnet in the house.  I have been dreading getting to this for a long time and almost skipped it this week too, but it came down to the fact that if I did it I would again get all the points for this week, so I went to town.  It didn't take me as long as I thought and I am SO glad it is finished.  

I also can not believe how incredibly easy it is to clean a self cleaning oven!  I am tired of cleaning but actually looking forward to next weeks challenges whatever they might be.

My Oven and a Bonus Tip!!

There isn't too much in a before and after picture for the oven, but I did want to post this. I started using these a few years ago. You can buy a 2 pack for like $3 at Wal-Mart. You just pop it in the bottom of your oven and it catches everything. Then, every 3 or 4 months I pull it out and replace it. It really comes in handy when you have a bad spill that typically would smoke up your kitchen the next few times you used the oven. Anyway, I was really glad to get my oven cleaned. Great challenge. Oh, when I buy the 2 pack, I actually put them both in and then I can just pull the top one off when I am ready and I don't have to worry about storing it.

On another note, I am currently reading a book that takes place in Nazi Germany. When I opened the oven after it was done self cleaning, all I could think about were the gas chambers. Isn't that terrible?

5 Minute Challenges

1. sanitize phones
2. clean front of fridge, oven, and microwave
3. polish husbands Sunday shoes
4. organize medicine cabinet
5. clean out purse or diaper bag

Tips and Tricks for Tuesday (on Wednesday)

I am trying to get things close to routine while in winter break, but it is a struggle. Right now I am arguing with myself about mopping the floor and cleaning the bathrooms. I know I should, but will I?

Anyway, that is why this post is a day late. I knew what I was going to do, but with my car battery dying yesterday, the day slipped by without me posting. So here it is today-

My tip is about charts. I am a chart oriented person. I find that kids respond best when they see what is expected. I am posting pictures of some of the charts that have worked well for me.

The first chart I like for flexibility. I printed off the expected chores on cardstock. Laminated and added a magnet. Then I use a white board and wet eraser markers to make the chart. It is easy to add chores, and for the kids to keep track of what they've done by moving the icons up and down. Obviously I have another chart with the other kids names on it.

The next chart keeps track of who has what chore. Mom's choice is one of the best ideas ever. I get to choose what they do when they have this chore. I have always rotated daily, but am thinking of switching to weekly. This also works for tracking FHE assignments. All it takes is cardstock and a brad. I laminated it because I am a laminating fool!

The last chart is for those who try hard to read scriptures as a family, but aren't quite perfect. By tracking it, you know where you are even if it has been a few months, er weeks, er days... Also seeing the chart is a great guilt reminder. Plus the kids love crossing it out as you go!

Do you have a chart that works for you? I'd love to hear about it!

The power of a post

Well thank you for all your motivating words ;) Really though the power of just posting that I am a sloppy slacker helped. I got my entire house cleaned today with enough extra time to prepare dinner before Jared got home and clean up the mess. My house looks nice once again hurray!

You gotta getcha getcha getcha head in the game.

Please someone help motivate me. Somehow my competitive bone has been deactivated the past 2 weeks. I haven't even done my own challenges. But more than that we have the stupid inspectors coming on Monday next week and looking at it now they'll throw is out in a heart beat. HELP!

This will be a test

So my children are out of school this week and that usually means no schedule and minimal cleaning. This will be a true test of my resolve. So far today I got the house picked up. I almost swept and vacuumed, but decided I better wait till after the kids go to bed. We'll see how this goes...

Weekly Challenge

This week is.....cleaning out the oven/stove top.  This is what I was thinking.  If you have a self cleaning oven, then go turn it on and also do the stove top.  If you do not have a self cleaning oven then you are exempt from doing the stove top unless you want to.  Sound fair?  Mine has not been cleaned out....ever (2 and 1/2 years!) So I have my work cut out for me.  Good luck!

Weekly Points Tally

I thought it was much easier to keep track of points with a weekly tally post, so here is the next one. Keep track in the comments...

Who's in charge this week...

Can you believe the month is half over? I hope you are well into your monthly goals, if not lets get started!

This week we have the following in charge of challenges:

5 minute: Jessica
weekly: Brenda
Tuesday Tips: Charlotte

Get them posted ASAP so we can get them done and get our points!!

Why I don't have before photos...

After cleaning and folding laundry I was headed out to start on the weekly challenge. This is what I found. "Happy Valentine's Day!" He did a great job, too!

Last night, after getting home late from a work party, he helped me clean up the house. I think he appreciates the extra effort the blog has inspired. Maybe he sees it is really important to me. For whatever reason, I am grateful for the unsolicited help.

Proof is in the Pudding

So, tonight was awesome. Ken had been calling around trying to find someone who could help him with the Innerfaith Food Shuttle tomorrow. He'd called one of our friends, Ben. About 15 minutes ago, Ben called back to make sure he'd found someone. He casually asked us what we were doing tonight and Ken told him we'd rented a scary movie in celebration of Friday the 13th and invited him and his wife to come and watch it with us. They accepted and said they'd be here in 20 minutes. Normally, this is when my panic button would have exploded. Not tonight though! My bathrooms were clean. My dishes were done. My floors were vacuumed. My kitchen was swept and mopped. I didn't have any clean laundry all over the family room. We took 10 minutes to do a basic pick up (which did NOT involve throwing everything into our bedroom and shutting the door like normal) and light a candle and I still had time to write this post! I can't believe what a difference there is my home. It was so nice. Happy Friday the 13th!

CAR!!

Our car hasn't been cleaned since we went on a trip to Utah... for Thanksgiving. I have taken a few things to the trash here and there, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was knee deep in crumbs, trash, etc.

I was pretty surprised that most of it was trash, and I only filled up one large garbage sack of things to take into the house.

Also, Brenda's vacuum has an AMAZING attachment to clean the carpets, and I will definitely make sure the next vacuum I own is equipped with one just like it!

*Note- I took before pictures, and thought they didn't really look too bad, then moved a few large things (like a car safety kit, Barlow's briefcase, etc.) and decided I should take new pictures to show the true condition of things. Those are the pictures I've posted here.*

Why bother??

I had one of those days today. I tried REALLY hard to get things done (actually, I tried really hard to get points!), but I didn't feel like it was worth the effort.

I vacuumed... to have animal crackers dumped on the carpet.
I mopped... to have a full cup of juice spilled on the floor.
I cleaned the toilets... to have Addie use them (enough said?)
I cleaned the bath tub... to dump the dirty after-mopping water in it.

But then Barlow was asking about this blog and wondering how it was going. Then he said he's noticed a big difference in the house, the way it looks and feels, since we've started.

So thanks everyone, for keeping me motivated and helping me where I REALLY need it!!

The Nightstand

Some more humiliating befores and amazing afters. The pillows in the corner are my nighttime pregnancy pillows. Come June, they'll no longer be there or be needed.

THIS time, I'm going to KEEP it CLEAN!

3 Wal-Mart bags of garbage, 2 full armed trips inside the house, 30 minutes with the Shop Vac, 5 "I wondered where that sippy cup was" moments, $0.47 and 4 Pledge multi-surface wipes later....I am no longer embarrased to drive my car to church (yes, Andrea, I have that same fear every Sunday). My car is now worthy of 3 parking spots.

Keep track of points

I think that the easiest way to keep track of points is to have a short post every week where you can track your progress in the comments. Then at the end of the week you can add up the total (or do it as you go) and put it on the score board. For those of you able to add it to the score board as you go and remember what you've already added that week plus what you already have, more power to you. I am not so with it and would probably end up adding too many or too little points.

I have a VAN under all that dirt???

Thanks to Bryan who had the day off today and said "OK, lets go clean out the van" It was McTeacher Night at McDonalds here (that is where the teachers work at McDonalds for the night and McDonalds donates some of the sales to the school) so we told the kids if they helped clean out the car and cleaned their rooms they could not only go to McTeacher Night, but they could have Happy Meals! It worked. I now have a very clean van (we even washed the windows which were SUPER dirty with spilled drinks and fingerprints) Here are my SHOCKING before/after pictures. And with that I believe for the moment anyway, I have taken over the LEAD with points!!!
Oh and those before pictures are not really my car, it is just a picture I found on the Internet that looked just like my car (you know just like Kim did when she took up 3 parking spots ;) And those colored spots on the carpet are all melted crayons, now you know why crayons are not allowed in my car (in theory only though, if you look at the before pictures you will see the floor covered in crayons, *sigh*)

Timers

I find that when I don't feel much like working that timers can be my best friend.  I am not sure if it is the obsessive part of me or the competitive part, either way it seems to work.  I will make a list of all the rooms I want to get cleaned in a certain amount of time for example, I might have 6 rooms to clean in 3 hours.  I would then give each room 30 minutes.  Then I will set a timer and work as fast as I can.  When the timer beeps, I leave that room and go to the next one on the list, even if it is not finished.  By the end of the 3 hours all the rooms should be quite a bit cleaner than when I started, even if they are not all the way clean.  If a room gets done before the timer beeps then I will go back to a room that did not get finished.  That way I know when my cleaning time will be done and it seems easier to handle. 

Timers are also handy tools for kids.  I will set a timer and tell them OK, if you can get "such and such" done before the timer you will get to watch a movie.  It really helps them to work hard (sometimes).  I will usually say OK, you have 1/2 hour to clean this room, then set the timer for 25 minutes and tell them when the timer beeps that it is their 5 minute warning.  Then set it again for 5 minutes.

Try timers for you 5 minute challenges also, when the timer beeps you are allowed to quite done or not and get the points!!  Give timers a try this week and let me know if they work for you.

5 minute challenges

1. wipe out light fixtures
2. clean under cushions of one couch
3. clean or dust screens (computer and TV)
4. clean microwave
5. dust air vents

Weekly Challenge

I have the weekly challenge, and it is going to be a hard one for me. Cleaning out and vacuuming a car. My car is a pit, seriously. Wait until you see the before pictures. Tami can attest that it is no exaggeration. Good Luck!!!
(Oh, if it takes you the whole 30 minutes to clean, without vacuuming, which it might for me, then I say you get the points without having to vacuum as well, if you don't have time to do it all)

Challenges this Week belong to...

5 minute Challenges= Tami
Weekly Challenge=Kim
Tuesday Tip=Brenda

Get them posted by tomorrow so we can get the move on!!

To plan ahead, the next week belongs to:

5 Minutes=Jessica
Weekly=Brenda
Tuesday Tip=Charlotte

Here us how I broke down the points, what do you think...

Dishes (M-F)= 5+5 bonus
Bed (M-F)= 4
Sweep/Vacuum (I counted if I had the kitchen floor swept everynight before bed)= 5+5 bonus
Mop= 5
Bathrooms (took me a LONG time) =5
Laundry=5
Weekly Challenge=30
5 minute Challenges=5+5 bonus

Total= 79 out of 85 total (105 total if you count the weekly challenge bonus)

If everyone wants it broken out differently, let me know so everyone is counting it the same!!

Computer Desk- done!

My goal for the month is to NOT have another huge pile grow. The before is actually not too bad, Barlow had just done a huge clean up of the desk over Christmas Break. So compared to that, this "before" picture is nothin'.

Mine Too!

Ok, I was totally going to post pictures, but as I looked at them I realized there wasn't THAT much different. But I took everything out, swept, got rid of some boxes, rearranged stuff... and all I got was a tiny bit more floor room. It looks better, and so worth the points, but not picture worthy.

Mine Too!

I decided to just do it today. It is hard for me to do projects like this before my house is all the way clean but as I watched everyone else get the points for it I knew I HAD to get it done. I did clean my kitchen first but the rest of the house had to wait. I think I should keep track of how much money we waste by buying stuff that we already have and just cant find! Oh and I am SO jealous of all of your large pantries!

Pantry Done- Charlotte

This was pretty NASTY!! But now it is done. I moved the cleaning supplies to the linen closet (just don't ask for pictures of that) and added my unopened boxes out of my cupboards. I filled one kitchen garbage sack with trash and a huge pile of old boxes to recycle (the boys can do fold them down for me after school). Do you like the 20 points + 30 if it is done, or would you like a different split (like 30/20 or 25/25?)

Struggling

Argh! I feel like I did ok last week, but I feel like I am drowning this week! I am not sure what the deal is. I spent ALL day Monday cleaning then by last night my house was a mess and I have to spend ALL day today cleaning again. I would REALLY like to be able to do a project on Wednesdays but the last few weeks or even months I feel like I just spend it cleaning again. Now if I start the week of on Monday with a clean house do you think it is to much to ask that it still be clean on Wednesday morning? Any ideas on how to help? I have added a couple of goals for this week that might help. I am going to try to get up a little earlier. I normally get up around 6:50-7:00 and usually when I set a goal it is to get up around 6:00, but I figure maybe I should work my way into it so I am trying 6:40 for a week or so. I am also going to try to have a clean kitchen EVERY night before bed, no matter how late it is. I am pretty sure if the kitchen is clean it will help the entire house. I know this is kind of a rambling post, but I know putting it out there might help me over come some of these very instilled habits that I have. PLEASE give me any suggestions that you think of, thanks!

Hey, check out the points

Do you need a little motivation to pick up the pace? Look at the points board. Yeah, that's right. 18 points so far. IT'S TUESDAY. Today I folded and put away laundry; cleaned the bathrooms; swept, swiffered, and mopped the kitchen and bathrooms; vacuumed; and straightened our room, all before lunch. Then I worked on something Barlow's birthday while eating chocolate a la Charlotte until I felt like I was throw up. Great day!

Recipe Closet

This one was easy, it only took about 10 minutes, but the difference is amazing.

Bedroom Pictures

Here are the much anticipated before and after shots of our bedroom. I'm so glad to be able to see the floor again! Let's hope it doesn't get that bad again... Although, that's what I said when we cleaned it over Christmas break, too. It's still not as clean as I'd like it, but when you have that much stuff crammed into a small space, you do what you can.

Tuesday's Tip

This is a really simple tip. I know we all get Family Fun magazine and probably the Friend or some other magazines. Well, when I was teaching I would always look through and think, "Wow, that looks fun. I should do that sometime" and then I would close the magazine and forget. Well, I decided to make a binder to keep all those ideas in. When I see an idea in a magazine or on the internet, I rip the pages out (or print them) and 3 hole punch them. I put them in a binder and keep that with my arts and crafts. Then when I am looking for an idea, I can just pull that binder out and it has everything right there. Someday, I'll get tabs and be even more organized (Craft projects, cooking projects, Holiday themes, Science Experiements, etc).

Bedroom Closet - DONE!

I finally finished my bedroom closet. It took forever. If you want to see what it looked like before, look here. This is how it looks now! I finally moved out all of my regular clothes and moved in all of the circus tents maternity clothes. That was the most time consuming part, but needed to be done! I left my closet door open all night so I could look at it's cleanliness!