100 Days to Christmas » cleaning house

Make them Sparkle

listmama — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:01:11 +0000

Once again, we have worked our way down to the floors. Mopping is a task that I have to bargain with myself to accomplish. I tell myself that if I will make up my mind to mop, then I can do something special afterward. It is the only way mopping ever gets done in my home.

The Countdown to Christmas Challenge for today is to move your dining chairs and your bar stools and everything else that can be moved. Sweep the floor well, then proceed to mop in whatever method you have found to be most conducive to your taste. Then congratulate yourself for the wonderful job you’ve done this week – and don’t forget your reward!

How Low Can You Go?

listmama — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:01:49 +0000

As we’ve been working our way down in cleaning this week, we are now ready for the floors. The only equipment you will need today is a broom, a dustpan, a vacuum cleaner, and some muscle. We’re going to get a bit of a workout today!

The Countdown to Christmas Challenge for today is to sweep your hard floors and vacuum any carpets and rugs. Start with an attachment and go over the windowsills and baseboards. Don’t forget to get corners and stairs. Hand one child a broom and the other one the dustpan and set them to work. Make it a group effort!

Chrome & Throne

listmama — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:01:16 +0000

Still working from top to bottom, nothing makes a house feel clean like clean bathrooms. You may need to spread this one out if you have 2 or more bathrooms in your home.

The Countdown to Christmas Challenge for today is to give your bathroom a good deep cleaning! Clean the surfaces you haven’t thought of in a while. Because this challenge comes a week before Christmas, you may need to touch up closer to the day, but this will save you from having to mix baking Christmas Cookies with scrubbing toilets. Yikes!

Cleaning for Christmas

listmama — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:01:20 +0000

Once again, we have reached a crucial cleaning time of the season. Christmas is officially NEXT WEEK and there is still much to do to be ready for any Christmas festivities you may be having in your home. This week we will be focusing on cleaning different areas, beginning from the top.

The Countdown to Christmas Challenge for today is to to dust (or vacuum) ceiling and window corners and then to dust all furniture, knick knacks, and shelves. This would make a GREAT afterschool activity for the kids as well. Give them some socks to cover their hands, a little dusting spray, and some instructions (and threats, if you’re children tend to be less than careful with your things). All you then would need to do is to follow up.

So Clean, You Could Eat Off Them

listmama — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:01:32 +0000

We have reached the bottom. I would love to be able to put a positive spin on this one, but this is just one of those household jobs that I have to work very hard to commit to doing.

Today’s Countdown to Christmas Challenge is to tell yourself that there is no time like the present to get an unpleasant task out of the way. I’m a hands-and-knees-kind-of-mopper. Never did like the idea of sloshing around dirty water on my floor. Do you have a method of mopping that works? I would love to hear your ideas.

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the music! I love bringing out my old Christmas CDs, but I always buy a new CD each year. Here is a list of CDs I would like for this year.

1. What A Night! A Christmas Album by Harry Connick, Jr.(2008)
2. Noel by Josh Groban (2007)
3. A Swingin’ Christmas by Tony Bennett (2008)
4. The Christmas Collection by Amy Grant (2008)
5. White Christmas by Matt Belsante (2008)
6. Let It Snow by Michael Buble (2007)
7. And Winter Came by Enya (2008)
8. A Winter Symphony by Sarah Brightman (2008)
9. Songs of Joy & Peace by Cristina Pato, Nilson Matta, Robert Leslie III Hurst, Matt Brubeck, and Yo-Yo Ma (2008)
10. The Hotel Cafe Presents…Winter Songs by Various Artists (2008)

Could you use some new Christmas music, too? Enter to win YOUR CHOICE of one of the above Christmas CDs! You have several ways to enter:

1) leave a comment on this post,

2) tell your friends & followers about 100 Days to Christmas on Facebook or Twitter(so easy to do when you use the Share This button at the bottom of this post) and leave a comment here linking to your profile,

3) subscribe to 100 Days to Christmas‘ RSS feed using a reader or by email and leave a comment here,

4) blog about 100 Days to Christmas then leave a comment here linking to your post.

5) contribute as a member of the 100 Days to Christmas community

One of each of these per day please. You have until November 22 at 6 pm EST to enter.

Hit the Floor Running

listmama — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:01:14 +0000