AT's January Cure: Starting with a list

Every time AT starts one of their cures, I get excited. Like a fresh start, a clean beginning. I have to admit, last year's Kitchen Cure threw me off (I mean come on, take everything out of your kitchen cabinets, wipe down, sort and put back on say a regular Tuesday night after work and while the kids are waiting for dinner? Sorry, just not happening in my house), but I do love the concept of The Cure.

I did the January Cure last year, at least most of it. And the 20/20 cure the year before. Funny thing is, that even when you don't manage to complete every single assignment - it always gives you a new look at your surroundings. You start really seeing those piles of clutter. The little things you meant to fix - weeks ago. Months ago. The projects that didn't get done all the way. The things that sit somewhere because you don't really know where they belong and they've sat there so long that you start to not see them anymore.

The things you've been avoiding.

Day 1: And that was assignment one of the current January Cure: make a project list. Oh, and my list is long. (It also occurred to me that I need to update my home projects list on this blog. Oops.) Then focus on the few things you want to do for January. So, here we go:

Kitchen

• clear off and declutter the windowsill, where unidentified plastic kid objects go to collect dust and ultimately die. Also, make pesto to use up that less than good looking basil and replace it with some rosemary. 
• clear off counters as much as possible and try to find new homes in cabinets for some of the things
• declutter oils and vinegars
• use up excess food from the holidays
• clean garbage drawer under the sink

Living room

• get rid of TV unit and one of the cubby units. Turn the other two cubby units on their sides (they're similar to the Expedit), hang TV above one of them
• rethink frames currently on the walls and make plans for new art
• declutter kids craft materials 
• declutter kids games and sell the ones we no longer use

Office

• Sort through bin with recycling stuff I keep for the kids to craft with
• Go through and file papers (ugh)
• Declutter fabric, find new home for fabric scraps

Kids room

• start looking for new art for little brother's room
• sort through toys and sell baby toys (mostly done over the holidays)
• hang the guitar shelf that little brother and daddy made for big brother for Christmas
• get big brother his own craft supplies, now that he and I sorted through every single drawer in his desk

Kids bath

• start looking for new art replacing the babyish ABC poster, keeping the lovely frame

Entry

• find a new wreath for our door
• paint!
• wash the rugs
• finally get those mysterious stains off the tiles that have been there forever
• declutter shelves
• start looking for new art
• source better way to keep brush, lipstick, kids detangled and other quick-out-the-door essentials nearby but not in plain sight (needs to be wall-mounted)
• install new hooks for keys

Day 2. So this is where we're at for the weekend assignment:

Buy Flowers: did that while shopping on Friday. Got paperwhites again, and finally put my three tiny helleborus plants back outside today, nestled in a planter by the front door. 

Vacuum the rugs and clean ALL the floors: Two kids, two cats = I vacuum every day, at least downstairs. The floors in this house are dust bunny and crumb magnets. As for the mop, well, thanks to a very lovely migraine, this still didn't get done today and will have to wait until Sunday. No better day to mop all your floors than Sunday, right? At least I washed the bath mats already. 

Stock up on good green cleaners: We use mostly green cleaners, but not all. I haven't found a floor cleaner that does not leave streaks other than the one I use, and that is not green. But what has made a  difference to me is generally decluttering my cleaning products and just using some basics, most of them green, instead of all sorts of harsh and specialized cleaners. I did, however, use this as an excuse to browse the cleaner isle in the local drugstore for ten minutes and getting a new, green, lavender cleaner to use on the kitchen, kids bathroom etc. We'll see.

Anyone else doing the January Cure?