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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Sept 18, 2009 22:43:08 GMT -5
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"Crisis-Cleaning" Suggestions
This thread is not about my situation. (although I've been there in the past.)
This thread for anyone who might need it at some point in the future.
There have been several threads over the years on "crisis-cleaning". (cleaning before a guest arrives, or before a landlord inspection, or before a social worker visit, etc.)
I thought it would be good to post our tips here, not for anybody's particular situation, but general ideas that could be referred to whenever needed.
We know that one of us will need these ideas at some point, and it would be great to have a ready-made list of ideas to point to.
What would you recommend someone do if they are expecting a guest, landlord, or social services to visit within the next 10 days?
How would you adapt it if the person has only two days notice?
Post your tips and tricks here.
This is a timeless thread. Therefore, you may add ideas at any time.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Sept 18, 2009 22:45:57 GMT -5
- Here's a copy of something I once posted for someone who was expecting the visit in about 10 days:I suggest you get some boxes and trashbags and a large marker. Put trash in the trash bags. Label one box "Stuff I need within next 10 days" -- with today's date. Label one box "keep this, needs sorting" - with today's date. Label one "I don't know if I want this or not" -- with today's date. Clear out a large area of the living room this way. Drink some water. Breathe. Stack the "I don't know" boxes against the wall. Stack the "keep to sort" boxes in front of them (so that they are easier to access). Stack the "stuff I need within next 10 days" in the middle of the room. Drink some water. Breathe. Get a shovel, rake, large broom, or shop vac. Scoop up all the loose crap from the floor into the trash. Don't be picky. Just get the loose scraps of paper and big chunks of trash. No fine-tooth vacuuming right now. Do this as fast as you can without thinking too much. Drink some water. Breathe. Say "wow". Now, give yourself a large area of living room to be your "staging area" for sorting. You can't sort anything unless you have a place to sort it in. Depending on the time limits you have, you can sort some stuff. The rest will have to remain stacked in boxes. Once you've sorted through one box, put that stuff into three more boxes labeled "bedroom", "billing and legal", "kitchen/bath", and one or two other categories that refer to areas or rooms in your home. Put the date on each box, too. Let's call these "area" boxes. Fill the "area" boxes as you work on your living room. Periodically stop and deliver a box to its area. Drink water. Breathe. You can do this process with each room you choose to work on. For now, just do the rooms where your visitor/relative/landlord might enter. If you have the money, order a Dumpster. Be a warrior and throw out as much as you can. You've labeled all the boxes with today's date. In six months, anything in the "i don't know" boxes gets automatically tossed into the trash. P.S. The reason I suggested dating boxes, was ... ... it will help you find which boxes you need later on ... it will help you figure out which boxes have gone unused later on ... it will help to date the levels of archeogical strata when you are looking for something later on. Just a suggestion. But, if that in any way delays your process, or distracts you from central tasks, then please ignore the suggestion. DO WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU.  ----------------------- |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Sept 18, 2009 22:50:28 GMT -5
- Here's something you can do when you're overwhelmed with too many dishes to wash ... when they're piled up everywhere, and the dirty dishes have been accumulating for months or longer .... First, give yourself permission to throw away dishes, pots, pans, as well as knives, forks, and spoons, that are dirty. You have amnesty from guilt! You do not have time to be fussy. What is more important? Saving the moldy pink dish? Or passing the inspection?
If you must keep the dishes, here are some alternatives: Wash your dishes in the bathtub! Here's a thread about washing your dishes in the bathtub: takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/1821Note: others have soaked dishes in the clothes washing machine. Or soaked dishes in huge plastic storage containers. Do what works for you! - |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Sept 18, 2009 23:00:54 GMT -5
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For a guest, clean at least one bathroom.
If you're preparing for an inspection, you'll have to do all the bathrooms.
You don't have to do it perfectly!
Get it reasonably clean.
Remember, you have time limits. Do NOT scrub every corner with a little brush.
Do an imperfect job. You can always go back and shine things up later, if there is time left.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Sept 18, 2009 23:07:36 GMT -5
- Remember, with all the rooms, you have "amnesty" from making perfect decisions about objects. You have permission to throw out everything. You don't have time to be fussy! Yes it's a "perfectly good" dress/cup/book/toy/etc. But you don't need 50 of them. You need to keep only what reasonably fits neatly on your shelves -- with space in between. I think it's hopehope who says our enemy is the phrase "perfectly good" thing. She's right. Too many perfectly good things will stifle and strangle us. You have amnesty from guilt. Throw them out! What's more important? An old dress or passing the inspection? Confused? More info on "amnesty" here: takeonestepatatime.proboards.com/thread/18569 |
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Sept 18, 2009 23:17:44 GMT -5
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hopehope
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815 
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Post by hopehope on Sept 18, 2009 23:40:53 GMT -5
Yes, I think it's the deadliest phrase in decluttering. "A perfectly good..." As though its right to exist supercedes yours. It's inanimate! (I'd underline that if I could.)
Label if you can.
In à general, not anal, way, try to group like things with like -- shoes w/shoes, like that.
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Post by success19 on Sept 18, 2009 23:44:41 GMT -5
I have always been good at storing alot of stuff - boxes, bins, in corners, behind things, under things - no one knew it was there - however - after 20 plus years - I am getting ready for a major move - and I have all those containers (not all but alot) everywhere - and this week and next - major inspections going on - but you know what I decided I didn't care - cause I pay my rent on time - my place doesn't smell - and it is reasonably clean (after watching hoarders - I realize I am catching myself short before I reach that level) - so except for smelly trash and the torn up stuff - it is all out for everyone to see - and the thing is why should I care - cause I pay rent and they fight me on repairs and doing what they are supposed to do.
So I think if your house smells clean - no bugs or rodents - kitchen garbage gone - who cares?
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Post by Meme on Sept 18, 2009 23:57:24 GMT -5
I have to have a insurance inspection on oct.1 -- and the lady told me not to worry about the house cleaning- it is more for wiring and etc. and to see if we made improvements that are not covered-- she was quite nice on the phone and said they are not concerned about house keeping unless it was something unsafe like cans of paint piled by the furnace etc. I too now just think they can take me and leave as I am-- I can walk all over the house safely unless Dogman drags one of his stuffies out but they are all white or light colors so easy to see and soft enough to step on - of course, Ashley may have to tidy her room up as she is a squallie but I make her keep it safe and healthy-- so her piles of clothes etc are in containers and her bed is in side out but she is happy-she keeps it to her room other than all the make up which she clutters the bathroom with but is still clean under the shampoos and hairsprays and perfumes and tooth whiteners and make ups and bubble bath and hair conditioners --HOW CAN ONE GIRL HAVE THAT MANY THINGS WHICH SHE STATES IS NEEDED TO BE IN FASHION??  |
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Post by kadymae on Sept 19, 2009 0:28:49 GMT -5
There is clutter and there is filth. There is clutter and there is a legal hazard
Inspectors and service people know the difference.
Are all the exits that need to be accessible accessible?
Is any rotting food and/or empty food/beverage containers, the "filthy trash" out of the house, especially the kitchen?
Are all of the bathroom fixtures accessible? Is all "filthy trash" off the floor/basin/tub?
Those are the main goals that you are trying to achieve (and will achieve) if you follow Courageously's advice and "battle plan".
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Post by yearning4order on Sept 19, 2009 1:01:05 GMT -5
I whole heartedly agree with the throwing away of dirty dishes.
You also have my permission to totally abandon recycling during a crisis.
This one got me through an inspection in my rental when I was still quite deep in squalor--I put things in boxes, tubs, etc. without any organization, just dumped them in there. Then I pushed them up against a wall. I covered these boxes with a sheet or two sheets.
A friend of mine who is a landlord recommended this technique.
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Post by success19 on Sept 19, 2009 9:17:14 GMT -5
Yes make sure your doorways are clear and your windows are not blocked with stuff - they said that about inspections here - apparently lots of people have furniture in front of our horrible windows in the winter to block the cold air coming in - and they can't do that. Also no phone cords or electric cords around on the floor - now that one I do - I have one working phone line and to use the phone or computer I have a 50 foot cord! But I had it where no one could trip along a wall - but that is put up until after the inspection. Hey its not my fault that these apartment were built out of cardboard and chewing gum - with outlets that don't work and ancient plumbing and wiring that is just for show.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Oct 21, 2009 20:04:10 GMT -5
Preparing for inspection by
Social Services
Welfare
Child Protective Services
etc.
A member posted this a while ago ...
Keep in mind that this is from several years ago ... and applicable to the location she lived in. Guidelines may have changed since then ... and may vary from state to state.
The following is a list for a CPS inspection .... the things they want you to clean up ... if you have already been reported.
Or if you're being inspected for an adoption, custody hearing, or something similar.
That's NOT the same thing as a list of things you must attain to avoid being reported.
There is a difference.
CPS inspection list, from several years ago ... applicable to a specific state in the USA:
Those are the optimum things that CPS wants to see.
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Post by charis on Jan 23, 2010 11:27:50 GMT -5
A tip for those people doing crisis cleaning who have family/helpers/other household members present:
At the very beginning of the process bring up the inescapable fact that everyone's emotions will be less under control until the crisis cleaning is over.
Do it up front--even come up with a code word or phrase to use when you are frazzled.
Once our code word was "fantods". It meant: "My mood is not your fault. I know I am being a grouch and over reacting. I am sorry, I cannot help it right now, please forgive me. Let's get on with it and not argue"
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Post by clutterfree on Jan 23, 2010 11:58:43 GMT -5
I love the codeword--that would work in many stressful situations and is much easier than stopping and offering an apology or explanation. I think it could lighten things quite a bit.
This probably wouldn't work for something like a social services inspection, but if you become aware someone needs to come into your home like a guest you weren't expecting, a repair person, etc. and you have enough dirty dishes on the counter that have been sitting for too long--I mean a backlog, not an amount someone might expect to see, and it bothers you, teh oven is a great place to store them out of sight, and don't be afraid to put them in boxes and bins that can be put elsewhere until they're gone.
I once cleaned a bedroom that was unusable when I had a guest come and stay by bringing in outside Rubbermaid garbage can and scooping with a dustpan. I was reasonably sure that none of the papers or items were things I'd want or salvagable, and mice had made sure that anything I might have considered was nasty enough that it was now trash.
CL's suggestion about making a special place for things you'll need in the next couple of weeks is brilliant. I've cleaned off my table before by shoving things into bags and boxes, which works great. Unless, like me, you dont' get in any hurry to sort those bags or boxes after your company's gone and things you need get buried.
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