Day 7-Laundry & Entry

Day 7: Laundry room and entry way

First, get your duster ready.  Laundry rooms can be notoriously dusty. Start at the top by running a duster over the fan or if it’s easy to take down wash it.  Dust/wash the light fixtures, dust/wash shelving and declutter the shelf stuff, I got rid of about ½ a bin of stuff! 10-15 minutes.

Then wipe down your machines and the floor in front of them.  Pull the machines out and wash the walls behind as well as the floor and sides of machines.  Put away any treasures you find (you know there’s SOMETHING you’ve been missing back there!) Pull out the dryer vent and vacuum it out.  This is a great way to prevent your house from catching on fire!  Reattach and replug in appliances if necessary.  10-15 minutes.

If you have a window in your laundry room clean the blinds, window, sill, window track etc. as we have been doing. Wash any curtains.  5-15 minutes.

Wash down any cabinetry, wash out any waste bins or laundry bins.  Check your supplies of stain remover, soap, etc. Sweep and washdown the floor, take out the trash.  10 minutes.

Move on to the entry way.  Wash down any walls, pull down any cob webs, wash any light fixtures (we have a very tall entry way, so this requires a ladder).  While you are up there replace any bulbs that need replacing.  Evaluate any artwork or décor. Dust any furniture and declutter any drawers or drop off bins. 10-25 minutes

The front closet or coat hanger.  Go through your coats, be merciless. Make sure each member has a raincoat and winter coat and anything else is up for decluttering.  This time of year you’ll also go through gloves, snow pants, etc. etc.  So declutter the closet, then wipe it down, including the floor and figure out what needs to go back in and the best way to do that.  My favorite way to organize the front closet is coats by family member (smallest on left, largest on right) and an over the door organizer. I shove hats mittens,  gloves, etc in one for winter. In the summer it changes to sunglasses, sunscreen, sunhats, etc.  I also have a bin for things that don’t fit in the closet organizer like snowpants and for umbrellas. Our boots and shoes are kept in a basket by the door (we have a VERY tiny front closet) Go through shoes and boots making sure they are size and season appropriate.  If you have room consider having a drop off spot for keys, cell and wallet so you always know where they are and/or a box for stuff that needs to leave your house-library books, that thing you borrowed from your neighbor, etc. 15 minutes -2 hours

Wash down the floors, door and any windows (don’t forget the blinds) and it’s beautiful and welcoming. 15 minutes-45 minutes.