How did yesterday go on our National Cleaning Week kick off?  How many boxes did you fill?  How many loads of laundry did you do? Today is about the kitchen!  We want to get it spotless.  I am also going to share my super easy menu for the week since I am going to be busy Spring Cleaning!

My National Cleaning Week Menu:

Since I am going to be scrubbing and preparing for a yard sale all week, I need meals that I can fix and forget or that can be made pretty quickly.

• Monday:  Since today is about the kitchen, I don’t want supper making it worse.  So, I am going with a crock pot dinner – One Pot Pork Roast Supper <– but, I will be changing the recipe slightly so that I can stick it in the crock pot.
• Tuesday: Loaded Chicken Breasts, Spanish Rice, Steamed Veggies
• Wednesday: Ultimate Creamy Beef Stroganoff
• Thursday: Leftover Soup
• Friday: easy leftovers.

Our Kitchen Cleaning Tasks:

Obviously, National Cleaning Week isn’t about the normal day-to-day cleaning.  It is about all the other things that get put off!  Some of the tasks might require some help.  Do NOT do more than you can handle!  Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help.  Here are your tasks to handle today:

Pull out the cloth! Start with pulling down curtains, pulling up rugs, and yanking down the dishtowels.  Throw everything in the washer (if it can be done).

Clean out the fridge! Take everything off one shelf at a time and wipe down the shelf, walls, etc.  Be sure to start at the top so the dirty water drips to the bottom instead of over your cleaned spots!

Clean off the fridge! Again, start at the top.  If you keep pretties on the top, soap them up and get them spotless.  Take down all the papers and other items stuck to the front and sides.  Does it really need to be there?  How long has it been there?  Let’s start fresh!  Be sure to wipe it all down.  Now is a good time to change your filter, too if you have one inside your refrigerator.  Don’t forget the vent area at the bottom.

Clean behind the fridge! How long has it been since you moved your refrigerator?  Move it, sweep behind it, wipe down the walls, wipe down (and dust) the back of the fridge (especially the coils), put it back.

Do the stove! Repeat all of the above steps with your stove and oven.  A little vinegar cuts the grease that seems to accumulate in the kitchen. Be sure to pull it out, too (if possible).

Flip a load! Flip the aforementioned load of laundry over from the washer to the dryer, then take a short break with a glass of water.

Do the microwave! The easiest way to get the inside of your microwave clean is to put a microwave safe bowl of water in it and turn it on for about a minute.  The steam from the water will loosen any cooked on food making it wipe right off.

Clean the pretties! Gather all of your decorative items and clean them really well – don’t forget the vinegar to cut the grease.  This includes the globes over your lights.

Clean the a/c vents! Get a stool and go to town scrubbing those vents in the ceiling.  You want them to sparkle!

Clean the fan! After dusting your fan blades, you might need to take a vinegar and water soaked rag and really wipe down the fan.

Dust everything else! After you have finished the above tasks, wipe down the counters and other flat surfaces (shelves, furniture, window sills, door frames, etc)

Sweep it up! Sweep the floor really well.  You could even run a vacuum over it to be sure everything gets GONE.

Hand and knees time! Get you some scrubbers and an old tooth brush and start attacking that floor. Be sure to get on and around the baseboards really well.

Re-hang the cloth! Hang your curtains, replace your dish towels, and put your rugs back down.

How does it look?  Tomorrow we are going to tackle the living areas in our home (living room, den, rec room, playroom – that type of thing.

Be sure to visit www.orgjunkie.com for hundreds more menus!