During the month of April, I’m encouraging my readers to participate in a 30-Day House Cleaning Challenge (read more here, if you missed my announcement about this challenge last week). Every week day morning at 9 a.m., I’ll post the daily project and every evening around 6 p.m. EST, I’ll post an update and link-up.
April 10, 2013 Project
Your project for today is to deep clean the living room.
Here’s what I’m planning to do:
- Set the timer for 20 minutes and pick up and put away all items that are out of place. (Bonus: find 7 items to get rid of.)
- Dust the furniture, wall-hangings, and knick-knacks.
- Wipe down the baseboards.
- Vacuum/sweep the room. (Bonus: use an attachment on the vacuum to vacuum around the baseboards and vacuum the furniture.)
- Clean fingerprints on the windows.
- Bonus: Spot-clean the carpets and walls.
- You’re done!
You can follow along with my list — or do whatever constitutes “deep cleaning the living room” to you. There is no one right way to do this. 
Then, come back here at 6 p.m. EST and I’ll show you pictures of my cleaning accomplishments for today and have a linky so you can link up yours, too!
Join in the Chatter
::Want to blog about this challenge? If you’re blogging through this challenge with me, be sure to leave your link to your direct post on the daily check-ins. Plus, if you’d like to post your daily posts to the 30-Day House Cleaning Challenge Pinterest Group, just shoot me an email (moneysavingmom @ gmail dot com) and I’ll invite you.
::Want to follow along on Twitter or Instagram? I’ll also be sharing some of my cleaning pictures on my Facebook Page, my Twitter account, and my Instagram account. I’d love to have you do the same or join in the discussion on Twitter and Instagram. Just follow hashtag #Cleanin30 to see what others are tweeting and Instagramming about this challenge!
Loving this series! I actually made up a bunch of homemade cleaners this week (I posted the recipes today) and got the living room done before 9:00!
Go you! I’m getting ready to clean my living room, too, and hoping to get it done early today. Thanks for the inspiration!
I deep cleaned our living room yesterday because I had time so I’m going to clean out a closet in the hallway leading up to our living room… I’ve been dreading it so it’s time to just get it done! 🙂 Loving this challenge!
Woohoo! Go you!
Thanks!! I don’t know why I was dreading it… I just finished and it only took me 20 minutes! Just another lesson why I should never procrastinate!
Our living room serve us as a play room, a school room and we entertain the most in this room. So our living room is really lived in so it could definitely use a deep clean. 🙂
This is exactly what I wanted to do today!!! So glad it’s part of the challenge today. I really wanted to shampoo my floors but it’s raining outside and i’m afraid they wouldn’t dry well. Maybe next week.
This is perfect timing since I have company coming tomorrow. It helps me to have people over because it keeps me focused on keeping the house tidy 🙂
The girls are cleaning their room right now. I was in there helping them to make sure things go in their proper place, but we will have to pause to eat breakfast & do our school.
My motivation is gone!
I was really looking forward to completing this challenge. However, the last week and a half I haven’t felt like myself. I’m usually very motivated and have no trouble checking off my to do list.
I usually get up when my alarm goes off and feel energetic to start my day. I usually find joy in accomplishing chores and checking items off my list.
The past week and a half, my alarm goes off at 5:30 and I lay in bed until around 6:15. I keep telling myself I should get up but I wait until the last possible minute. Then I rush to get ready and drop the kids at school and get to work. So none of my usual morning chores at home are getting done. Then at work, I feel completely unmotivated. I have to force myself to do what is absolutely necessary. I don’t run needed errands at lunch, I just sit at my desk staring into space and telling myself I should do something. When work is over, I go pick up my kids and drive home telling myself that the evening will be different and I’ll be ‘back on track’. Then I get home and just want to sit down on the couch or lay on my bed. Sometimes I do that for 30 – 45 minutes, telling myself the entire time I should get something done. Finally, when I know I have to, I get up and throw a meal together for the kids. Then I procrastinate as long as I can to do the two basics: dishes/kitchen clean-up and laundry. Then I talk myself into taking a shower and getting into pjs, tuck the kids in bed. Then I doze on the couch until my husband gets home and I warm up supper for him. I try to be good company for him while he eats and watches a little tv but I just feel so…blah (for lack of a better word). Then I go to bed and repeat the next day.
I don’t really know how to describe this or know what is wrong. I’m not sick. I’m not getting any less sleep than usual. I don’t feel bad physically. The only thing I’m really doing different is I was exercising and now I’m not. The lack of exercise is due to the lack of motivation though. It really seems like the lack of motivation came first. It just feels like I don’t want to do anything, really.
I don’t know what this is but I know I don’t like it. I just want my old, motivated self back. I want out of this rut!
If any of you have experienced anything like this, how did you overcome it?
I have felt this way a little lately and figured it was the January resolutions growing old on me. You might try learning a new skill or craft or reading a new book while on the treadmill to boost your energy. New ways of doing things, like this challenge, break up the monotony, so I’m thinking I might just jump in on it now. Cleaning the whole house, especially sweeping and mopping all of it at once = burnout and lack of motivation to do it when it’s needed again! One room at a time might help for now.
Also, I have a crawling baby coming with other children to babysit this evening, so I really feel the need to clean floors!
Thanks Heather. I do have a fairly strict cleaning routine that I’ve been sticking to. I’d had the same thought, that maybe I needed to change things up a little.
Good luck with breaking up your monotony. 🙂
{Hugs!} I’m so sorry you’re feeling like this.
I have a few ideas, but first I wanted to ask:
Has anything changed in your life recently that might be contributing to this? Less sleep? Something you’re anxious about? A disappointment or struggle of some sort?
Are you getting enough sleep, exercise, good nutrition, and sunshine?
Crystal,
Thanks. I’m getting my usual amount of sleep, about 7 hours. There really isn’t anything extraordinary going on. Everything seems very usual. We have had a very cold, gray Spring so far. My nutrition could use some improvement.
I’m glad that you’re getting good rest and that there’s not anything extraordinary going on. My guess is that it’s just the cold, gray weather… but I’d recommend definitely getting in with your doctor to have some blood work done to see if you have a deficiency or some other issue going on — especially if the feeling persists.
I’d also recommend making yourself exercise for 15 minutes every day and make sure you’re drinking water and eating lots of fruit and veggies.
Finally, make sure you plan some fun things in your life and have enough things in your week that make you feel energized. {By the way, the fact that I couldn’t think of anything that sounded fun or energizing to me was one of the indicators to me that I was suffering from depression. Depression manifests itself in different ways and different forms for people, but that’s something to consider.}
I prayed for you just now that you’d find some sunshine and joy in your life. I’m so sorry that you’re feeling down! 🙁
Thanks. I really appreciate the advice and the prayer. 🙂
I think I will make an appointment with my doctor.
Yes, I have been there. Sunshine helps me more than anything. Fifteen minutes out in bright sunshine everyday can kick start your pituitary gland which could well be the problem but don’t wear sunglasses because the eyes getting the bright sunshine is part of the process. Aromatherapy using peppermint essential oil helps me too. For that I just sniff the bottle when that hopeless brain fog feeling sets in. Hope you feel better soon!
One more thought. Don’t use peppermint in the evening. It can keep you from sleeping.
Sunshine has been lacking here lately. We’ve had a cool and gray Spring so far.
That could be a big contributor then. I feel low after just two gray days.
Thanks Lana.
I definitely don’t think the weather is helping. Bring on the warm weather and sunshine! 🙂
Angie,
I think it is the time of year. I feel the same way and have to take a supplemental Vitamin D pill and I also have to take medication for a low thyroid.
I would definitely have this checked out. It also sounds like you are depressed.
Take care and know that somebody is saying a prayer for you today.
Thanks Carrie.
I think I am going to make an appointment with my doctor.
Grace, prayers, and patience Angie.
Matthew 11:28- Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Jenny, thanks so much for the prayers and encouraging scripture.
Angie- I would agree with Carrie. Low vitamin D could make you feel like this, so could depression. It would be good if you make an appt with your MD and get it looked at before it gets too bad. There is nothing wrong with depression, if thats what it is, its only wrong if you don’t get help. Will say prayers for you.
Thanks for the prayers Desiree. I am going to make an appointment with my doctor.
You sound burned out! I get that feeling towards the end of long winter. Maybe you could take the day off of work, drop the kids at school, and come home and veg out for the day? Find some movies and do nothing? Sometimes just taking one day off to just breathe is a great motivator to get back on track. I’m sorry you’re feeling this way, i’ve been through that funk before and it’s not fun.
Thanks ZTB. A day off does sound nice!
Sorry to hear that. I hope things get better.
Thanks Karen!
I missed yesterday’s challenge because I had to go to class so I’ll be doing double duty today. I’m glad we are doing the living room today – it really needs a good clean. 🙂
I just back from the grocery store and I am ready to clean. this forces me to clean things I wouldn’t think of as a priority. It gets me out of my never ending laundry/dishwasher rut.
That’s a bonus.
Can’t wait to see the others as well.
I love that is says “clean finger prints off windows…”!
Some of you probably don’t have that problem at your house. 🙂
Only when the grandchildren visit 😀 Then I usually leave any whole hand prints that I find just because I miss them.
Aw, how sweet Lana. Can’t wait for those years. 🙂
I have two teenaged boys left at home, one of whom who actually enjoys doing windows and mirrors, so I’m good there. It’s the muddy paw prints on my glass slider door by the kitchen that drives me nuts!
I’m afraid I’m off track on this challenge. I had big plans for tackling some spring cleaning during spring break and was thrilled when I checked in on Day 3 that your list of tasks were some of the same ones, and rooms, I had on my list!
I got started, but progress has been smaller, slower and more painstaking that I’d anticipated. Think I need to adjust my expectations. I have found myself in the car more than usual over the past week or two, plus on the phone and online (homeschool planning/research). Last weekend flew by, I was under the weather one day, and nothing was accomplished. ‘sigh’ Guess the office and garage are just going to have to wait! I’m going to have to be content with 20 minutes here and there, and small victories adding up to big changes over a longer time frame. 🙂 As long as it’s forward progress!
Btw: So glad to see the good advise and support for Angie! I’ll be praying too. Can’t think of anything anyone else hasn’t mentioned, other than possible low iron levels or SAD disorder, both not uncommon during winter and/or after a prolonged time of inclement weather. (I live in the Pacific NW region, where there is a higher incidence of these type of issues, and fibromyalgia etc.) I manage a low functioning thyroid and have to monitor my Vitamin D levels. I definitely agree with the suggestions to get a complete check up and bloodwork. Self care is so important, and something we Moms sometimes put on the back burner as we work so hard and long just taking care of everyone else!
I know it really makes a difference for me if I stop or cut back on my levels of exercise, as that’s such a natural way to raise my body’s serotonin levels. (Especially biking, walking/running, swimming and Yoga or Pilates, i.e. “slow twitch” muscle, endurance and/or stretching exercises.) Being sedentary can also negatively affect our dopamine levels, which (as another neurotransmitter) can regulate our overall brain functions, especially how well we handle stress and our emotions.
When I stop exercising, my energy level drops, my metabolism slows, my pain tolerance decreases, my stress, cortisol and blood pressure levels can rise, I get sluggish, sometimes blah emotionally & my motivation starts to evaporate! It can be SO hard to get back on track, but I immediately start to feel much better when I do. Taking small progressive steps, setting reasonable, achievable goals, getting a workout partner to help keep you accountable, having family support, and persevering really makes the difference. There’s no shame in seeking professional medical, or counseling, help if that’s needed too!
I realized during this challenge that the windows were in such need of cleaning that I had to devote my time to that. I discovered how to really clean windows. I realized that I was doing it wrong all along. Using Windex and paper towels just puts dirt right back on.
Just did this! Got behind this “weekend” (our weekend is Wed/Thurs) because we already decide it was ‘deep clean the garage’ weekend. The couch definitely needed to be wiped down, as well as the baseboards and walls!