This Summer’s Last SOS Challenge—Giving the Gift of Cleaning and Organizing!
Does your spring cleaning ever turn into fall cleaning? Or, do you feel that the housework is never done? This week is the last in 14 weeks of Summer of Service challenges and is sponsored by Dyson, because it is all about making this week—starting with today!—squeaky clean for you, your friends and family, and/or your community. Here are 10 ways to do that.
- Make time to clean or organize one area of your house/apartment each day this week no matter how big or small.
- Put the days of the week on a different piece of paper and have your children draw a different day out of a hat. On the assigned day, help your child clean his or her room, teaching the skills needed to do it on their own.
- Go through all the sock drawers in your house, matching up all the pairs and throwing out those without a match.
- Have a family cleaning party. One example is to play songs like “Whistle while you work!” and see who can pick up the most things or get the most accomplished before the song ends.
- Be a clean person by living according to your values. For example, be honest and fair in all of your dealings, be a person of integrity, etc.
- Identify a friend or family who is sick, having a difficult time, or who could use a break. Stop by their house unannounced and do their dishes, empty their garbage, sweep and mop their floor, or clean the guest bathroom. If you know this person well and have access to their house, do it anonymously!
- Take your children to a local park or cemetery and spend 15 minutes picking up the trash.
- Call a local non-profit agency or church and make arrangements to help weed, pick up trash, or clean the facilities. If appropriate, take your children along to help.
- The next time you are at a friends, family members, or in laws for dinner, offer to do all the dishes after the meal.
- Have a laundry folding party as a family and play games as you fold and put away the clothes.
How Will You Give to Others This Week?
- What other ideas do you have for being squeaky clean this week?
- What are things that get in the way of cleaning for yourself, your family and friends, or your community?
- What are ways to overcome these challenges?
- How has being squeaky clean this week made a meaningful difference for you? For others?
Remember to enter this week’s giveaway where 3 lucky winners will get a Dyson vacuum cleaner!
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31 Responses to “This Summer’s Last SOS Challenge—Giving the Gift of Cleaning and Organizing!”
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Giveaway—Three Lucky Winners Will Win a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner :Mom it Forward on August 29, 2009 11:11 pm
[...] the Summer of Service post this week and either share how you completed the challenge or leave one cleaning or organizing [...]
Peggy Gorman on August 30, 2009 8:08 am
When I clean I work clockwise,working my way around the room until finished. Its easier and you finish fast
Thanks
matternu@aol.com
Jennifer Clark on August 30, 2009 8:08 am
To make cleaning easier, I use vinegar for most of my cleaning. I use it on my floors, glass, mirrors, tables, chairs, walls, as a dishwasher rinse agent and in my laundry instead of fabric softener.
Dana on August 30, 2009 8:08 am
I just went through both of my childrens closests and “cleaned out” all the clothes they are now too big to wear. It feels nice to know what they really have on hand that fits…a lot less than I thought, plus, most of these clothes are in great condition. I will take the kids to donate them this weekend.
Annette D on August 30, 2009 1:01 pm
I have just started cleaning out my kids closets and sorting through their clothes and old toys. I am also planning on going through my closet as well. I have been trying to clean out and get rid of other items we are not using any more. I have several bags to take to Goodwill.
Claudia M on August 30, 2009 1:01 pm
to make dusting the furniture easy , i slip an old “holy but washed
” sock over my hand ,spay it with furniture polish and dust the house 
Claudia M on August 30, 2009 1:01 pm
tweeted
http://twitter.com/cdmtx65/status/3651158891
Ashley - Beauty4Moms on August 30, 2009 7:07 pm
I love to play music while cleaning. It helps me tremendously!
Ashley
Beauty4Moms.blogspot.com
Amy Brewer on August 31, 2009 11:11 pm
I saved my boxes that I received reviews in (the larger ones and smaller ones),. For the larger ones my son puts his toys in them and sticks them under his bed. I have them marked with a picture. The smaller ones are for his hot wheels and little cars to store. THis keeps the toys from piling up in his room.
Angie on September 1, 2009 2:02 am
The children and I went to a friend’s house for dinner last night and I set the table and did the dishes after! I also re-organized my bedroom this week!
LiveLaughLoveCj on September 1, 2009 2:02 pm
Today, September 1 begins Hunger Awareness Month volunteering at the local food bank, getting involved in raising funds, or collecting food for the soup kitchens, food banks in your area.
We, shopped today and donated that food to our local food bank. We shopped as if we were shopping for our own family, nutritious, healthy (and fun for the kids) meals and pantry items. We included cleaning products, laundry detergent etc., because when money is tight, your looking to feed your families belly, and cleaning supplies can fall to the wayside.
No family, anywhere should go hungry, or have to wonder when, where or how their next meal is coming from.
Maricris on September 1, 2009 5:05 pm
One that works for me is clean the tub or the shower booth while taking a shower. Great water saving option and also gives you the chance to clean both ways! Yourself and your tub. Now that’s great multi-tasking!
Bags on September 1, 2009 6:06 pm
This post was perfect timing for me. I just moved into a new place and along with cleaning a room every day with the roomies, we threw away everything we didn’t need. It was such a great feeling to get done and have a clean, de-junked house.
We just made a cleaning schedule and will be trading responsibilities throughout the week so we can enjoy living in a nice place instead of the typical college dorm room.
Monica ~ Mommy Brain Reports on September 1, 2009 6:06 pm
I schedule a room or two a day depending on the size of the rooms. It really helps keep organized.
Night Owl Mama on September 1, 2009 7:07 pm
The next time you are at a friends, family members, or in laws for dinner, offer to do all the dishes after the meal.
Went to a Party this week and helped clean before we left
Dawn Sloan Downes on September 1, 2009 7:07 pm
I’ve been trying to make my home more organized and comfortable by purging the things we aren’t using. I’ve been able to donate lots of maternity clothes, childcare/baby care books, bottles, and baby gear to a shelter for homeless mothers and that made me feel great about giving away things I had a deep sentimental attachement to.
Ana Lee @ Newlyidentified on September 1, 2009 8:08 pm
I have picked something different to do each day this week to be squeeky clean. My husband and I have been out of town for a month, being gone and coming back made things chaos at home. I have spent a lot of time the last two days unpacking, organizing, and cleaning to help us enjoy being home. I’m happy to say that I LOVE being home, especially when things are in order.
I like to get one room/area of the apartment completely done before I work on something else. It helps me feel like I have made a great deal of progress and have actually accomplished something in my long list of TO-DO’s at home.
Sheila Jackson on September 1, 2009 8:08 pm
Instead of using a cloth I use newspaper with window cleaner. Newpspaper leaves no streaks on the glass the way some cloths or paper towels do.
Brooke on September 2, 2009 6:06 am
My favorite multi-tasking cleaning tip? While the kids in the tub, scrub the toilet and the sink. I also give my daughter a scrub brush (no cleaner on it) and have her help by scrubbing the tub while she’s playing!
Carol on September 2, 2009 2:02 pm
To make cleaning easier, I try to keep our house as clutter-free as possible. Dusting takes forever if you have to move a lot of things out of the way. I also make sure my kids are taught how to clean, and they are responsible for their rooms.
Jennifer on September 2, 2009 8:08 pm
Loud music makes cleaning go faster… oh, and kick the whole family out of the house too… tee hee
Jennifer Phillips on September 3, 2009 8:08 am
We did the sock drawers in our house. Amazing how many extra single socks we had!
We are organizing different rooms until we have all of them done!
We have gone and will be going back frequently to the graveyard on Cemetery Hill and pick up any trash or uck that doesn’t belong and dust and clean the headstones and statues of our family and the ones around us too!
lisa on September 3, 2009 12:12 pm
I keep up with clutter. As soon as i get junk mail i toss it or shred it. I also periodically go through closets and give away what we are not using.
Teresa on September 3, 2009 1:01 pm
I make a game out of cleaning
My little ones help out around the house but think they’re just playing
Margaret Imecs on September 5, 2009 9:09 am
My neighbour loves to travel and she’s most of the times away. While she’s away I take care of her flowers, pick up her mail and I always like to keep her place clean. She’s got a very old vacuum cleaner, it’s huge and heavy and only works if you slam it. Winning this contest would make my life easier!
Margaret Imecs on September 5, 2009 9:09 am
I’m a follower! Tweeted!
Thanks!
Kirsten on September 5, 2009 10:10 am
Before a new school year starts we clean our daughter’s room from top to bottom. Old clothes given away or tossed. Garbage, recycling, etc. We replace broken items, new sheets, etc. She starts a new year at school and gets a new room (sort of) at the same time.
Kali on September 5, 2009 3:03 pm
To organize your linen closet, roll sheets and pillowcases and tie with a ribbon or string. Use a cute country tag to label the type (i.e. twin fitted), then clothespin it to the ribbon or string. I’ve done it and it’s an attractive way to organize a lot of sheets/pillowcases into a small area – plus if you’re like me, you’ll end up giving away a box full of linens you rarely used.
Alex Montana on September 5, 2009 8:08 pm
I find that consiously taking one room at a time and getting it pristine before moving around the house helps a lot. FOCUS.
Geoff Kaufman on September 6, 2009 5:05 am
One nifty tip I’ve learned for cleaning microwaves is to bring a mug of water to a boil beforehand – the steam will soften up the set-in stains and food remnants and make cleaning up the interior a whole lot easier!
Janet on September 6, 2009 11:11 pm
CLEAN FROM TOP 2 BOTTOM