There's enough time. I think.

                                                 Simplify 101

I can't be the only one that does this - spring cleans in the fall?  

Our spring is usually spent outside the home - pressure - washing the house, cleaning the windows, screens.  Tearing out the bits of yard that didn't survive the winter and planting the garden.

The fall is when deep cleaning happens inside.  I usually plan out what needs to be done as a countdown to the Christmas holiday - something i got from Fly Lady.  I know everyone knows her - but it's true - without her game plan, i would be sunk before the malls ever put up the first Christmas tree of the season! Do you follow her?

http://www.flylady.net/pages/FlightPlan.asp

What I love the most is the plan never changes so you're never behind.  Your house is broken down into zones - and it's just repeated each month  - so if you start mid-month, no worries, you just cycle your way back through until the deep cleaning is complete!


I'm starting this week - and this week is the master bedroom.  But before i can get to this....

    from pottery barn

....I have to clean my little heart out!  (actually as cozy as that PB bedroom looks, i think flylady would be ALL over that stack of books and the clutter on the nightstands!)

Thankfully, i'm not left alone to my own devices - there is a playbook that tells me exactly what to do and the order to do it in.  Here is the master bedroom playbook for detailed cleaning you can find on her site:

MASTER BEDROOM - DETAILED CLEANING

1. POLISH FURNITURE
2. CLEAN OFF THE DESKS
3. CLEAN COBWEBS
4. WASH MATTRESS PAD/DUST RUFFLE
5. FLIP MATTRESS
6. EMPTY TRASH
7. WASH WINDOWS
8. CULL SOME BOOKS FROM BOOKCASE
9. STRAIGHTEN DRAWERS
10. CLEAN UNDER THE BED
CLOSET - DETAILED CLEANING
1. STRAIGHTEN THE TOP SHELVES
2. ARRANGE THE SHOES
3. TAKE SUITCASES TO BASEMENT
4. DUST SHOE BOOKCASE

If you want to start along with me - here is the schedule and i have already given you the link above - i'm ready for the most wonderful time of the year to be here! almost.

These are the zones for October - mark your calendars:

Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room (October 1)

Zone 2: The Kitchen (October 4 - 8)

Zone 3: The Bathroom and One Extra Room (October 12 - 15)

Zone 4: The Master Bedroom (October 18 - 22)

Zone 5: The Living Room (October 26 - 30)

Maybe i'll document in pics to make you all feel better about where I'm starting from! Misery loves company :)