Fall Cleaning.. Bedrooms

With the weather getting cooler I know I am usually likely to be spending more time in the bedroom, hopefully sleeping more soon, baby still has his nights and days totally mixed up. Bedrooms seem like the coziest places with warm blankets and few distractions. I think a nice deep cleaning makes it even more cozy! This is what I do for the bedrooms.

~First I move all the summer clothes in the closet to the back and the cooler weather stuff up front, making sure it's all in good shape before I move it to the back, spots or repairs are easier to take care of if it's not sitting in the back of the closet for 6 months.

~Piled up are usually a dozen books or so that have been read, if I am not keeping them I try to list them on this free book swapping site, www.paperbackswap.com or take them to donate at the library.. books collect SO much dust! Dealing with all of our piles, not just the books, makes the room have less distractions and easier to fall asleep in. Nightstand drawers are the worst clutter catcher at our house.. Seems like every weekend trip or vacation lands us with a small stack of random papers that get pulled out of the luggage and dropped right into the nightstand..I try to weed a little out each week but if they aren't just about empty I dump the drawers and go through it all.

~Walls and the ceiling.. I use the vacuum and brush attachment to do the ceiling corners, ceiling fan and baseboards.

~Mattress and bedding.. I vacuum both the mattress and box springs before and after I turn/flip the mattress. Wash all the bedding and get the electric bed warmers out! How do you all keep your sheet sets together? I fold the entire set other than 1 pillowcase and put the folded set in that pillowcase so everything stays together and is easy to grab without digging around for all the pieces. I also replace the pillows if they need replacing.

~Kids rooms.. Are a whole other story. I do the above PLUS we go through the toys and let them help us decide what they are done playing with. Christmas is just around the corner and that usually means some more toys get added to the mix. If we make some room and an effort to keep the toys organized it makes play time and clean up much easier! My kids LOVE to help clean, really they do! I try to make sure they have their age appropriate jobs, both of them know that they will get to dust (using a swiffer) if the flat surfaces are cleaned off.. I think if it seems like a little fun even, they are more likely to help and those swiffers and big and fluffy and kind of silly looking to a 4 or 2 year old!

I also spot treat the carpet (since we are a no shoes inside house, for the most part anyway, our carpets don't usually need more than vacuuming) I use vinegar and baking soda for spots. Update some pictures if they need it, and replace any candles that are close to done.

It's sunny and cool here today so I don't think we will be working inside much.. Hoping to get some of the outside stuff done!