Decluttering Mission of the Day: Clean Out One Drawer

Decluttering doesn't have to be an all-day job...in fact, when it is, we usually give up hope halfway through and leave even worse piles and messes behind!

So, slobbos, today's manageable task should take you around 10 minutes or less to accomplish. Choose the worst drawer in the house and clear it out of all clutter. It might be a dresser drawer, a desk drawer in the office, or a junk drawer in the kitchen. You choose the drawer, then set the timer for 10 minutes (no need to do this if you have longer to spend. But if you're easily distracted - as I am! - then it's a great idea. It keeps you focused on one task, and on track.)

Set that timer...and...go! Have a pile of items to keep, a pile of items to get rid of, and a pile of items to give away or sell. (eBay anyone?) Post a comment if you successfully complete your mission.

3 Housecleaning Chores I Actually...Enjoy!

If you've read this blog, you know that I seem to enjoy a (hopefully) goodhearted venting about the different household chores I can barely stand. You know: ironing, mopping...and dusting! But, today as I was scrubbing up a few dishes, I began to see things in a different - and dusty (haha) - light. There are,  amazingly, a few household chores or cleaning tasks that I actually enjoy doing.

Okay, pick your slackened jaw up off from your floor, slobbos. I realize this is pretty heady stuff for a snowy Saturday evening. And yes, it is snowy here. In October. But I digress...I realized that once in a while I enjoy the following cleaning jobs:

1. Folding lovely clean and fragrant laundry. Now, don't get me wrong - our little household doesn't create the mounds of laundry that many other households do. For that, I am oh so grateful. But, sometimes when I'm folding towels or tucking socks together into pairs, I feel a sense of peacefulness. I wish I could get my laundry even more fragrant in a natural way, though, so that's one thing I'm going to do a little experimenting on. (Will post another time with the findings. PLEASE post a comment if you have a natural way of getting your laundry to smell like something dreamy like lavender.)
2.   Vacuuming. I don't vaccuum as often as I likely should. (And who sets those rules, anyway?) But, sometimes when I'm enjoying it, I do a little fun dance and boogey along, watching the dirt get sucked up into oblivion. It's not a bad time to think of other things, like laying on a warm, sandy beach. I generally do like chores that allow me to dream - that's what the key is!
3. Okay, there is no number three. haha I'm kidding. I generally enjoy cleaning up the kitchen. Our kitchen is quite tiny, and I like it that way. If it was too big, with too many things to wipe and clean I'd probably resent it. (I'm weird like that.) But our little kitchen is fairly easy to clean up, and I like the way it feels when the sink is clear, the counters are wiped down with a lovely homemade citrus spray (or a natural commercial one is fine too), and the dishes are all sorted away in the dishwasher or are sitting out to dry au naturel. There's a sense of accomplishment about it all, and a light lingering scent of citrus which must do some weird aromatherapy thing to my brain and cause me to feel a goofy sense of joy. Hey, I'll take it!

So, we all know that there are cleaning chores we hate, maybe even love to hate! But do you have any chores that you enjoy?

Kitchen Cleaning Tips - Scrub Down Those Appliances, Too

The appliances we so love in our kitchens - yes, you lovely stainless kettle, I'm talking to you - can become grungy and dirty over time. So, next time you're doing a quick cleaning burst or are doing a focus room cleaning in the kitchen, take a few of those precious allotted minutes to scrub down the appliances in your kitchen!

This includes both large appliances - like stove, fridge and dishwasher - and also the small appliances you rely on day in and day out, such as that kettle I so love, the coffeemaker, toaster, etc.

I find that a good scrubby sponge really helps with this task. Baking soda can add a little cleaning muscle to a regular soapy water mixture that will clean simply, but effectively. And if you notice that you're running out of time (remember your timer, slobbos!), then just aim to clean one or two appliances each time you're cleaning in the kitchen anyway. Over time, the whole kitchen will look better for it!

I Had an "Eek" Moment - Cleaning out the Fridge Reminder

So, we're going away to visit family on Friday, and I've been on a tear to get our apartment ship-shape before we go. (Or, you know, as ship-shape as can be, keeping in mind our No Hassle Housecleaning sensibilities.)

I'd been putting off one particularly nasty household chore. Cleaning out the fridge. Never a favorite chore of mine, especially when it's really overdue and the produce has had ample opportunity to morph into some other biological form. (THAT was my "eek" moment I described in the title...I'm pretty sure that black blob had been half an onion at some earlier point in its existence. I will not describe it any further except to say that it prompted me to say things like: "Ugh," "Blarech," "Repulsive!" and other murmured noises of disgust.)

Now It's YOUR Turn
Okay...grab that trusty timer and set it for about 10-15 minutes to allow ample time to remove everything, get rid of the morphed produce, and long forgotten Rubbermaid containers of leftovers, and spray the inside down with Very Vinegar cleaner. If there's hard to remove gunk on the bottom, use a generous sprinkling of plain baking soda and a scrubby sponge. It should wipe away with a little elbow grease. Wipe everything down, put back the good stuff into the fridge - and voila (hey look, more French!) - a gorgeous fridge that you actually want to open. Your family and friends will be amazed at your domestic abilities, my friends!

Have a few extra minutes to spend?
Okay then, you brave souls. Take those few extra moments and declutter the surface of the fridge. I end up with photos of friends and family, recipes, coupons all posted to the front of the fridge. Having a few mementoes is nice, but when you can't see the surface of the appliance any more, well, you know it's time for a quick and painless decluttering session. You can also give the outside of the refrigerator a good wipe down while you're at it. There! Look at all you've accomplished today.

Reader Poll - What is the ONE Area of Your Home You want to De-Clutter?

In an attempt to get more organized and declutter more often, I'd like to hear from all of you on this question:

What area(s) of your home do you want to declutter? What are your biggest organizing challenges? Would regular email organizing tips help you stay focused on your organizing/decluttering goals?

Please post a comment on the blog OR email me at christina@happyslob.com and let me know your answers! Thanks for participating everyone. :)

A Dose of Cleaning Cheerfulness to Brighten Today's Chores

Here's a wonderful email from Debra that I just received. It brightened my day, and I wanted to share it with all of you!

Hey,

I just love love love your site still,always something new and learn soo much. Just want to thank you for your time.
Happy Dance when I'm cleaning......Have a very cleanful day,
Debra

Awww, shucks, thanks Debra! Glad to know you're still having fun while you're doing your cleaning. See everyone - cleaning doesn't HAVE to be miserable. Turn on your favorite tunes, and get to it - a few minutes for a cleaning burst might even BRIGHTEN a gloomy mood. Give it a try! It's obviously working for Debra...

5 Ways to Naturally Deodorize and Freshen Your Home - New Article Posted

Just for all of my Happy Slob Housecleaning readers, I've just written a new article on how to freshen and deodorize your home -- naturally! Take a look: http://www.happyslob.com/homefresh.html

This is also in response to a few questions about this very subject - how to get your home smelling great naturally. Hope this helps all of you.

Fresh Issue of the Happy Slob Gazette - Free Cleaning Newsletter

Hey guys,

:) I'm so blog happy lately that I sometimes forget to devote a wee bit more time to my newsletters! So, here's a gorgeous, fresh new issue of the Happy Slob Gazette for you to enjoy with your favorite hot bevvy.

Yes, it needs to be hot here - we're currently enjoying some pretty cold temperatures and a bit of snow.

Enjoy! (The newsletter, not the snow...)
Christina

Totally Decluttering Problem Areas - Uncluttering Tips

I know, I know...decluttering can somedays feel like a bad word. Why? Because we are so NOT in the mood to cope with the disaster areas in our homes, such as messy closets. Today, we're going to tackle one of those areas, and as is always the case, we'll do it quickly and without a lot of muss and fuss.

1. Choose the 1 problem area that is ANNOYING and AGGRAVATING you the most
2. Set the timer - hopefully for 10 minutes or more.
3. Go CRAZY on the clutter. Be a bit relentless - set aside things that you 1) Need 2)Don't Need or 3)Will Give Away
4. For the allotted time, work like a madwoman on the clutter. Once the timer rings, you can stop, but you might find that you want to quickly finish the job.
5. Throw away or recycle the things in the Don't Need pile
6. Get rid of the 'Give Away' things as soon as humanly possible
7. The things you 'need' (make sure you really do need them and will use them) will get put back in a tidier way.

After this decluttering session, you might notice why your place gets so cluttered in the first place - a lack of space, or maybe a lack of organization. So, once you've decluttered an area, you might need to go out and purchase something to help you keep that space less cluttered from here on out. Examples: Storage units, shelving, or storage boxes.

:) How did you guys do? If you successfully did this decluttering session, then DON'T be shy! Post a comment below and let all happy slobs everywhere know how you did...Bravo, everyone!