January 12 - 18, 2014
TRYING TO START THE WEEK OFF RIGHT: Sneak Peek for the Week
This week we are in Zone 3: The Bathroom and One Extra Room
This month's Habit is: Shining Your Sink. (I used the fridge's old box of baking soda to shine the kitchen and bathroom sink -- when I cleaned the fridge.)
Zone 3: Mission #1 Monday
This week we are in Zone 3. This is the main bathroom and another room of your choice. For those of you with children we are going to have a mission for you or for you to give to the kids depending on their age.
Your mission for today in the bathroom is to wipe down around the base and the back of the toilet. This is an area that we all seem to forget about until we notice it on day and it seems too far gone to do anything about it! Grab a rag and some general purpose cleaner and wipe down the toilet from the bowl downward, the floor around the base and behind base. This is a quick and easy mission to do!
For the kids room: Go into the room with a small trash bag, empty the trash can in the room and get rid of anything that needs to be thrown away. Old school papers that don't need saving, candy or gum wrappers, broken pens or pencils, things that are small and taking up precious space that is truly trash. Don't make this too hard! Just the obvious things that need to be thrown away, don't throw open the drawers and closets. Just the obvious trash. This is also a great opportunity to teach your children to use the recycle bins for any paper trash.
No kids? Do the same mission in any room of your choice!
Zone 3: Mission #2 Tuesday
We are back in the bathroom and your mission for today is to clean out your bathroom trash can. Use the tub to fill the can with hot water and add some general purpose cleaner or dish soap. Let it soak and then scrub the bottom, the sides and the outside. Turn it over and let it dry in the tub and then put it back before someone needs to bathe and ends up taking a shower with the trash can! Have fun! This is so simple and makes a difference!
Your mission for the kids room is challenge them to a 27 Fling Boogie! You know your kids - if 27 is going to be too much then scale it back, if they are small have them choose three toys that are broken or missing pieces and throw those away. Then have them choose three things that they no longer play with to bless another child with. Choose the number based on their age and maturity. Use BabySteps, remember that this is a teaching moment - not a battle.
No kids? Do a 27 Fling Boogie in a room of your choice! Do it fast and don't look back!
Zone 3: Mission #3 Wednesday
It is Anti-procrastination Day! It is time to take a look into the medicine cabinets and toss the empty bottles and boxes that are taking up space. While you are doing this also take a look at the expiration dates on the medicines that are there. If you have some that need to be gotten rid of take care of that as well. Grab a damp rag and wipe down the shelves. Don't take everything out, just lift, wipe and put back.
For the kids room - Throw open the sock drawer and start flinging! I don't know what it is about the socks but they lose their mates and for some strange reason there always seem to be socks in the drawers that are too small!! There could be socks that your child never wears because they don't like them. Fling them! Have your child help you if they are old enough or have them do it themselves. Toss the socks!
No kids? Do a Hot spot Fire Drill in the room of your choice!
Zone 3: Mission #4 Thursday
The bathroom sink is calling you! Let's shine our bathroom sinks and counter tops. Scrub the sink and the faucets, wipe down with Windex (remember to be careful that you are not mixing Windex with any bleach products, make sure you rinse very well before using the Windex). Take time to wipe down your counter tops and give them a shine as well.
For the kids room - get a damp cloth and wipe off the fingerprints from the light switch plates, door and door knobs. If your child is old enough show them how to do this and let them! It does not have to be perfect. Remember if you make cleaning something negative they will always think of cleaning up as something terrible and that they never did it right!
No Kids? Pick a room of your choice and do one more Hot Spot fire drill. Get in there and put out the heat!
Zone 3: Mission #5 Friday
We are in the last day of Zone Three!! Your mission in the bathroom is to mop the floor. Now, you can do this with some hot soapy water and a rag or mop. There is no perfect way to mop. Just get the floor wet, wipe it and dry it!
For the kids room - Do or teach the Hot Spot Fire Drill!! Look in your children's room and find the one spot that seems to be the dumping area. This could be the desk, night stand or top of the dresser. Once again use this as a teaching moment - not a battle! Have patience and keep in mind that they can't read your mind!
No Kids? Pick a room of your choice and head in for another 27 boogie! Grab the bag and dash through the room tossing 27 items that can go far away from your house! Get the "stuff" that is taking up space out of there!
