Category Archives: Snap-Shot Cleaning

Snap-Shot Cleaning: Master Bedroom

So, for the most part, this snapshot is only on “my” side of the bedroom, since it was the messiest and I try not to pester the hubby’s hobbies if I can get away with it.

Master Bedroom Before

Master Bedrrom After

While it might not look like much through the photo, the following took place during those 45 long minutes:

  • Finished folding and put away three loads of laundry
  • Placed all work clothes on hangers and into closet
  • Organized book shelf (not in photo)
  • Picked up cat toys (not in photo)
  • Picked up dog toys (not in photo)
  • Dusted my night stand, vanity, dresser, book cases, and the rocker
  • Organized nightstand
  • Organized dresser
  • Organized vanity

I probably could have been more productive with my time had it not been for Belle wanting to play ball and then the closet door practically falling off the slider.

Aside from snap-shot cleaning, I have done a ton of other chores today:

  • Swept the stairs, entry way,  and kitchen
  • Cleaned the cat box (this is daily)
  • Spot cleaned the entry way and kitchen floor
  • Taken care of the dishes
  • Hung two loads of wash
  • Picked up in the living room
  • Posted in this blog twice (now three times)
  • Posted in my personal blog
  • Written three responses for homework
  • Finished four rows on a knitting project

I’m hoping, before the husband gets home, to finish the following:

  • Paper work for deferment
  • Paper work for homestead exemption
  • Fold last load of laundry (in the dryer right now)
  • Vacuum living room and bedrooms
  • Change Teeny’s cage
  • Change Jacks’ cage
  • Shovel front door yard and enough of Belle’s run to make her happy
  • Make dinner
  • Begin (and possibly finish) sewing pile
  • Begin sewing project
  • Finish homework for this week

With all that needs doing and getting done, I love the fact that I’m a self motivated person. It’s hard to comprehend those that don’t put their all into keeping house. Granted, I call myself a “Wife” with a capital W for a reason! Happy cleaning, all! I’m off to finish my list.

Snap-Shot Cleaning: Kitchen

One area of any house that tends to get ridiculously cluttered and falls behind in being kept up in the kitchen. While previously in Jacks’ room I gave myself 30 minutes, I made sure that this time I gave myself a good chunk of time, 45 minutes to be exact. I broke the cleaning down into 15 minute spurts to make it more manageable and to allow myself to take photos at each quarter hour mark as a way to tell whether or not I was truly making progress. For the sake of saving space, I’ll only post the before and after pictures here.

The “before” photos are on the left, with “after”s on the right and below the “before”s.

Amount of time spent cleaning: 45 minutes

There was a lot of little things that went into cleaning the kitchen, as is always the case. I feel a little odd that the “after” photo still has a load of dishes in the rack and the tea set drying on the table, but I really didn’t feel I needed to put in yet another chunk of time into the kitchen for the day. While I might not be able to list everything I did off the top of my head, here’s what I can recall doing:

  • Washed three loads of dishes.
  • Dried two loads of dishes.
  • Washed new tea set.
  • Took care of piles that had been building on chairs.
  • Cleaned window sill and placed pumpkins closer to the window.
  • Cleaned the top of the butcher block and reorganized.
  • Compiled and reorganized recycling.
  • Cleaned larger tea kettle.
  • Washed counter tops.
  • Took care of stuff that was on the table.
  • Took care of towel used to drying Belle yesterday.
  • Took care of blocking board for knitting.
  • Took care of the left over gift wrap from the holidays.
  • Fixed Belle’s and Ashes’ bowls and fed them lunch.
  • Found a home for the returnables.
  • Washed table.
  • Removed coupons from fridge and put them in coupon book.
  • Placed new magnet calendar on the fridge.
  • Cleaned off the pile on the printer.
  • Swept the kitchen floor.

With any luck, if I spend about fifteen minutes in the kitchen each day, aside from doing dishes, I should be able to keep it tidy and possibly work on further organization.

Snap-Shot Cleaning: Jack’s Room

As many of you may know, Jacks, our mini-rex, kind of has his own room. Since he needs to be let out twice a day for exercise and really does not like the dog he gets to be outrageously spoiled. However, that also means that Jacks’ room tends to get cluttered with my work supplies and other useless junk. His was the first room that I decided to try my “Snap-Shot” cleaning approach on.

On the left are the “before” shots with the ones on the right being the “after” shots.

Amount of time spent cleaning: 30 minutes.

While this room was cleaned close to a week ago in this style, what I can remember is the following:

  • Floor swept
  • Blanket folded and put away
  • Unused router wire removed from room.
  • Folders stood up and organized according to information contained.
  • Bureaus dusted off.
  • Books in boxes gone through and some donated to charity.
  • Random papers, over-used chew sticks, and twist ties from hay bags thrown away/recycled.

It’s absolutely amazing how much of a difference just a little bit of time put into a room can make. While it didn’t feel like I had worked in there for half an hour), it was a nice feeling afterward to actually see the before and after. (What boxes that are left on the floor are strategically placed so that Jacks can’t get under anything and will have to remain on the floor until we get the extra few dollars to pick up some untreated lumber to place in front instead.)

“Snap-Shot Cleaning” Project Idea

The other day in the shower, where I swear all of the greatest ideas are created, I thought of a wonderful idea that I might start implementing soon, maybe even today.

I was thinking about how much cleaning needs to be done around our home. (Even though it’s the holiday season, I still feel the cleaning urge. I think I’ll blame it on the full moon that came by.) A lot of times I try to spend a full half hour cleaning one room at a time, which not only keeps me on task, but also helps to focus my energy. As most of us know, sometimes it’s impossible to feel like you’ve gotten anything done in only half an hour, an hour, or however long you put into cleaning a room. This is where my idea comes in: I plan to take a before and after photo or video of the room at hand in a way to visibly see the difference a set amount of time can make. After posting the before and after of each room, I’ll go through and list what I can remember doing.

Before any of your start asking, let me address how I feel this fits into the ideas of homesteading, modern or otherwise. In order to do as much at home as we do and dream of doing, organization is a key ingredient to it all. I’ve been told that I’m overly organized and keep my house nice and neat (which I think it the biggest overstatement of the year). However, I would love to get it to the point that the only amount of cleaning needed is a ten minute sweep of each room to pick up the odds and ends. I think this it the ultimate goal of any home owner or renter.

So here begins project “Snap-Shot Cleaning.” If you’re going to play along with the idea, PLEASE comment with your link! We’ll list the links in their own section in hopes that others can glean ideas from organization, cleaning, and living styles, along with getting the much needed support we all need!