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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Spring Cleaning!
cillybean83 06:14 AM 03-10-2011
Is anyone else getting an early start? I have so much crap in my house, I have to get rid of it, or at least organize it! We've repainted the bathrooms and bought all new "stuff" for them (shower curtain, rug, towels, etc)...we're going to re-carpet the kids bedroom, switch Jack to a toddler bed, redo their room in a superhero theme...who knows what else!
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jessrlee 06:24 AM 03-10-2011
I really need to get motivated! I have been doing the fly lady for about a week now, but I just feel like I am 2 steps forward 10 steps back!
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dEHmom 06:25 AM 03-10-2011
I started spring cleaning about a month and a half ago when it was gorgeous outside and snow was melting. Then we got dumped with about 3 more feet of snow, so I am not doing anything yet.

I've slowly been throwing things away. I decided to get under bed storage and store all the kids blankets under their bed. That frees up almost completely my hallway closet. So I'll be able to store more things in there! I have 2 infants starting full time care. 1 starts on monday, and the other starts some time between now and June.

I'm mostly just DYING to get my garden going.
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cillybean83 06:29 AM 03-10-2011
i wish i knew how to garden I would love to grow fresh herbs, and strawberries, and green onions...and FLOWERS!
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Zoe 06:30 AM 03-10-2011
Oh cillybean, you have no idea! LOL! We moved into our house this past August and had to rush to get it daycare friendly as soon as possible. It's such a fixer upper and even though everything is safe and clean now, we are taking the spring and summer to get it LOOKING nice!

So my spring cleaning is this....

-putting sod in the yard, as we have NO grass
-making a path and a patio in the yard for grown ups
-cleaning up our "front yard/cliff" that's filled with small and twisty trees, crappy bushes, and all around trashy look
-putting new siding up or at least stripping the paint and re-painting the house and garage
-taking down a few trees in the yard
-the list goes on!

Thankfully with the move I don't have too much of the interior of my house to spring clean, but I get exhausted just thinking about all the exterior things that need to be done. Now if only the snow will melt so we can begin!
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blueclouds29 06:34 AM 03-10-2011
Funny you should mention spring cleaning. I just sold a bundle of random toys on craigslist. A little money is good. My DD's birthday is this weekend so i'm getting rid of toys that aren't played with to make room for new ones AND yard sale season !!! YAY!!!
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cillybean83 06:42 AM 03-10-2011
i'm getting rid of a ton of dishes, towels, clothes, etc...blankets are going into storage in the attic, books are going in the attic, and toys...my god the toys...i'm buying a HUGE storage container and toys are going in there in the closet, then i'll switch them out every few months...I can't take it anymore!

I have to baby proof the kids room too, like SERIOUSLY baby proof because I'm freaking out that my lil guy is going to be in a toddler bed! I'm sure I'll find him in bed with his brother more often than not...
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dEHmom 06:44 AM 03-10-2011
I had been planning a yard sale for the last 4 years. Still haven't done it.

This summer I PRAY that I can bring everything out to front yard on tables. Put ridiculously low prices on things, but I'll likely do bundles like "fill a bag for $5" or "everything you can carry for $15" or something. Just get it gone. Then anything that does go by the end of the day is going to the dump, or donated.
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dEHmom 06:48 AM 03-10-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
i wish i knew how to garden I would love to grow fresh herbs, and strawberries, and green onions...and FLOWERS!
I'm not a flower person.

The herbs are sooo easy to grow. I start the seeds in peat pots early (they are already growing right now), and then they stay indoors, and I plant some outdoors too.

My garden is bordered by cinderblocks on their sides, so they have openings at the top. I use those for all the herbs.

Inside my garden I have one section all fruits (grapes, raspberries, strawberries), watermelon, and pumpkins and I have some hanging strawberry plants (p.s. these can grow indoors too if you get a container, or a hanging planter style), I'll be doing blueberry container plants this year as well.
On the other half of the garden I do peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce (not sure if i'll change this up).

Majority of my plants are already started in peat pots. I also took seeds out of mangoes and canteloupes we bought at the store and within 2 days they sprouted.


Everything I plant is started on peat pellets or in peat pots. Things like cucumbers and some other plants REALLY hate their roots to be disturbed. If you keep the peat pots wet, they break down in the soil, allowing the roots of that plant to continue growing
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SandeeAR 06:49 AM 03-10-2011
I did my spring cleaning REAL early......December LOL, We moved on Jan 1st! Now that yard we moved to.....well it is 6-10" deep in pine needles. Working on that on the dry weekends.
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momatheart 06:50 AM 03-10-2011
I have no energy to clean. I think I am in some sort of depression or something. I have gotten a real negative attitude everything is ticking me off at work (at a center). I don't want to do anything but sit after work. On my days off I don't do anything but sit. I used to enjoy cleaning up my house and preparing a great meal for dinner.
Even at work I want to do nothing and force myself to function there but not with my normal enthusiasm. I don't care.
I think spring needs to get here real soon and I need that sunshine for days at a time.
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laundrymom 06:50 AM 03-10-2011
Originally Posted by jessrlee:
I really need to get motivated! I have been doing the fly lady for about a week now, but I just feel like I am 2 steps forward 10 steps back!
Baby steps!!!!
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countrymom 07:12 AM 03-10-2011
I started this week, little by little I'm cleaning getting rid of stuff. We leave for vacation in 2 weeks so I want alot of it, so I don't have to come home to a messy house. Next week the kids are home so I can get alot done. You know whats bugging me, is the amount of stuff and that I just don't know where to put it anymore, its like if I go upstairs and look at things its so overwhelming.
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Meeko 07:17 AM 03-10-2011
We're going to paint murals all over the walls of our little day care in the next few weeks! I'm excited!
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momatheart 07:21 AM 03-10-2011
Flylady is a wonderful site! I love it. I should check that out again. Maybe it will give me the lift I need!
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dEHmom 07:31 AM 03-10-2011
THANK YOU!!! I've only seen that fly lady website for less than 5 minutes and I love it!!!
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marniewon 07:49 AM 03-10-2011
I did a lot of cleaning before the holidays but am now starting to get real serious about it. We are moving in May/June, and I want to make it really easy to move, so I'm starting now. I also have an 19yo dd who is working part time and going to college, and needs money (and, she is a great helper/cleaner). We're going to work together on it and I'll throw her some money. Win-win for all .

As for gardening, I've had a garden the last few years and loved it! This year, I'm going to have to get creative (hanging baskets, container gardening, etc) since at the new house there isn't a really great place to have a decent sized garden .
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DCMomOf3 07:53 AM 03-10-2011
I will be spring gardening here in a few weeks but the getting rid of things will have to wait until June. We have started repainting and organizing though. i love spring!
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dEHmom 07:54 AM 03-10-2011
Originally Posted by marniewon:
I did a lot of cleaning before the holidays but am now starting to get real serious about it. We are moving in May/June, and I want to make it really easy to move, so I'm starting now. I also have an 19yo dd who is working part time and going to college, and needs money (and, she is a great helper/cleaner). We're going to work together on it and I'll throw her some money. Win-win for all .

As for gardening, I've had a garden the last few years and loved it! This year, I'm going to have to get creative (hanging baskets, container gardening, etc) since at the new house there isn't a really great place to have a decent sized garden .
The good thing about the container/hanging baskets, is if you have room indoors, or have a sun room, you can move them inside over winter or colder weather if you have. This extends the growing seasons.
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daycare 08:35 AM 03-10-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
Is anyone else getting an early start? I have so much crap in my house, I have to get rid of it, or at least organize it! We've repainted the bathrooms and bought all new "stuff" for them (shower curtain, rug, towels, etc)...we're going to re-carpet the kids bedroom, switch Jack to a toddler bed, redo their room in a superhero theme...who knows what else!
uuugghhhh its already that time..

I have started my list but have not done anything else besides that...
just thoughts as of right now...lol

I dont have anyone to help me so I always have to end my hiring someone...lol ugh
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cillybean83 08:48 AM 03-10-2011
i'm 90% done with my laundry room/closet....and that includes actually managing Mt. Laundry...not just cleaning shelves! lol
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daycare 09:12 AM 03-10-2011
Originally Posted by cillybean83:
i'm 90% done with my laundry room/closet....and that includes actually managing Mt. Laundry...not just cleaning shelves! lol
ggerr I am jealous... lol
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dEHmom 10:11 AM 03-10-2011
what do you all use to disinfect toys in a tub? I usually do the bleach water. But I find everytime I am near bleach, even in extremely dilute amounts, i get nauscious and ill. No one else around me does, just me.

I got really sick off fumes once when I was pregnant (I had no idea I was pregnant yet) and ever since then, I can't be anywhere near it, even in ventilated areas. I still use it, but now I am sweating and dizzy and want to yack.

Any suggestions on what else would work? Normally I just lysol daily, wipe down, and dry, then put in bins, but at least once a month or if kids are really sick, I do a bleach bath.
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daycare 10:12 AM 03-10-2011
my state requires that I use bleach/ water mix... I can't use anything else.. and I hate bleach.
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dEHmom 10:15 AM 03-10-2011
i know baking soda, and lemon juice are great disinfecting agents. I wonder if a baking soda or a lemon juice bath would do the same? lemon juice does exactly what CLR does if anyone is interesting in unclogging a shower head or anything.

I try to do most of my stuff the natural or more earth friendly ways. But when it actually comes to disinfecting stuff, I prefer things like lysol and bleach etc. I just hate using them too.
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cillybean83 05:35 AM 03-11-2011
today's project: my kids room! Their room is small and cluttered!
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Tags:cleaning, spring, spring cleaning
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