February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 9 (Establishing Cleaning Routines & Decluttering Zones)

Hello again, savvy savers! Happy Monday! I hope you all are well rested, work-minded, and in the mood for cleaning and organization this week! 

As you know, this last week, we focused the first part of the week on pantry organization, organizing food swap days, creating meals based on pantry staples, and then switched focus to alternative pantry re-stocking methods, and this morning ee are going to scrub, dust,  sort, purge, evaluate, and hopefully make a profit in the process! No matter is you rent, lease, or own there is work to be done! No matter if your home is showcase worthy or disaster-adjacent, there is something can can be done to better your home this coming week!

So, today I am challenging you all to accomplish three tasks:

1. To tackle a one hour cleaning challenge: you will need to start by a visual de-cluttering and surface cleaning of your home. 
2. To establish a three box donation, toss, and recycling hub in your home; set up three boxes that can be used this week for ending cluttering.
3. To establish an evening cleaning ritual.

So, to begin, you will need to procure from your home the following:

• A large basket, bin, or box.
• A clipboard with paper, or notepad.
• A few pens, markers, or sharpies.
• Three empty bags, bins, or boxes large enough to hold a load of laundry or like items. 
• A handful of sponges or rags.

So, Step 1, use a timer, and complete the 1-Hour Weekly Cleaning Start:

1. Bedrooms: Make beds, pick-up anything on your floor, remove laundry, dust night stands, vacuum/ dry mop. 
2. Kitchen: Empty dishwasher and reload/ wash dishes and air dry dishes, take out trash, wipe down counter-tops,  and sweep floors.
3. Bathrooms: Wipe out sinks, clean mirrors, wipe down and swish toilet, spray your shower with cleaner/ shower out, replace hand/ bath towels, and weep floors. 
4. Living Room/Dens: Remove clutter, recycle magazine, clean fluff/adjust couch cushions, vacuum and dry mop floors.
5. Office: surface clean all desk areas, remove paper/mail clutter, vacuum/ dry mop out of room.

Step 2, establish a decluttering zone:

1. You will need five large boxes, bins, or bags.
2. Establish a 3 box de-cluttering system for this week; a donation, recycling, and trash box or bin.
3. Take your 4th box or bin, and establish a sales bin; this bin will hold items that can be listed for sale. 
4. Using your 5th box, establish an upcycled area; this area will contain items which can be used to create new items in your home, in lieu of being discarded. 

Step 3, Create an 30-minute evening cleaning ritual:

1. Pack lunches and snacks.
2. Set your home up for the next day; set the coffee maker, restock diaper bags,  re-stock paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, napkin holder, wipes) in home, check briefcases and back backs for anything you might need the next day, pack gym bags, pre-harness pets for morning walks before bed/ being crated, and lay out morning outfits.
3. Clean your kitchen: Be sure to wipe down counters, load your dishwasher, sweep floor, lay out a clean dish towel, and remove trash. 
4. Breakfast: Plan your morning meal: Lay out utensils/settings if needed, if pre-packaged options are on the menu, lay them out as well. You can also set-up clean, sanitized pet food/water dishes, placed in the fridge for the morning meals, too. Also, lay out your medications/vitamins. 
5. Five minute pick-up: using a basket, take 5 minutes before bed, walk around your home, lightly straighten the house, and anything that is in the wrong room can be placed in your basket to be sorted as you go from room to room, so items can be put back in their proper places! 
6. Create a to-do list for the next day. 

Now, while this list seems extensive, depending on the size of your home, should only take a couple hours today, and in the long run should greatly help you not only today but in the future. This week is not only about creating long-lasting cleaning solutions in your home, but establishing routines that will help you not only keep your home cleaner and safer, but to shave the time it takes you to do so, in half! 

 Be sure to come back this evening for today’s cleaning recap!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

• The 31 Day No Spend Month Challenge!
• February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 1 (Commitment & Pantry Organization)
• February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 1 Recap
• February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 2 (Menu Ideas)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 2 Recap
• February No-Spend Challenge: Day 3 (Dine Out At Home)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 3 Recap
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 (#Choose30 Challenge)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 Recap
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 5 (Coupon Swap)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 5 Recap
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 6 (Rain-Check Shopping)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 6 Recap
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 7 (How To Save On Your Utility Bills) 
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 8 (Preparing For Cleaning Week)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 8 Recap