My mom came today and cleaned my house from 9am to 5pm without stopping once. She didn’t even eat lunch.
She deep cleaned the back room (our dining room) and the kitchen, both of which were very much in need of my mom’s cleaning super powers.
The woman literally did not stop cleaning that whole time. I was technically also working during those hours, but I would putter along for a bit here and there, or spend more time than necessary in the bathroom during a routine visit. I would have collapsed from exhaustion hours earlier, but the fact that she was still cleaning behind the pantry shamed me into working until she was done.
The kitchen is now clean and organized, except for the top of the island (which is always a shit show), the pantry, and the fridge. All the drawers and cabinets have been emptied, cleaned and organized. All the cabinets exteriors and appliances have been cleaned. Even under the sink looks great. It looks amazing in there.
The back room looks amazing too. I wish we didn’t have to use either room again until after our trip.
I worked on my daughter’s room, which is always a disaster area. I consolidated four giant art boxes that lived in different rooms around the house into one large box of supplies and one smaller box of paper products. I recycled a MASSIVE box of old art work and other projects in various states of undone and threw away some art supplies we are clearly never going to need. I used space that used to be dedicated to art to house some stuff from my daughter’s room that won’t be out while we’re away, so there was only one small tub of her toys to put into storage (not counting her LEGOs – those are all going into a massive bin together). I’m packing away her school uniforms (black bottoms and white tops) to make drawer space for guests. I also made space in her closet for all the new sheets so that the cleaners can find them to change the beds while we’re gone.
After my mom left I took 10 big bags to Goodwill. The trunk and back seat of my car were full. Now I have a large bag of trash to take to my work dumpster (our new trash cans are super small with a false bottom so they only fit one bag of kitchen trash – anything extra needs to be tossed ourselves) and some smaller bags to drop off with a friend. I also need to take some stuff up to my daughter’s school, to store in the PTA room.
Tomorrow I hope to get my bedroom in order, and work on the bathroom. Both need a lot of work.
I’m not sure when I’m going to tackle the garage. Just thinking about it gives me a panic attack.
But it has to get done. It all has to get done. And I feel better for what I’ve already done. And so, so thankful for all the help I’m getting from my mom.
Proud of you both and Super congratulations on your achievements. It sounds like your mom really worked both long and hard and could see the difference she had created. I am glad for you both she was able to help ~ I know how I feel when I can help my grown children. I also know that having another person helping makes a huge help.
I think you are once again aiming at the impossible ~ but this summer I also know you will make it happen; that it is not impossible. Really impressed you have removed so much already! Hugely important!
Support and encouragement!!!
This is fantastic! How wonderful that you have such a helpful mom. (I’m soooo jealous. My own mom has very little interest in me or my kids and I can’t imagine her actually visiting my house let alone helping me clean it)
Sometimes there’s nothing like having some help from your mom – glad she was able to do so much for you! And I know it’s super stressful now, but your house will be so nice to come back to after your trips with all the work you’re doing on it.
It’s so nice to get that first big push accomplished!! My mother-in-law puts my cleaning skills to shame as well. I don’t know how she does it!