Starting this on Friday for people who want to work on the branches over the weekend. Think of your home as a tree and each room is a branch of that tree.

First, break the house up into branches (manageable areas), which can be DEEP cleaned in a week's time.

For each branch, compile a list of all the tasks you'll need to do to get that room to SPARKLE! This includes cleaning, dusting and vacuuming the areas behind and under furniture, washing windows and curtains, etc.

Also, put together a Weekly Cleaning List to keep things looking good. Each week, finish your Weekly Cleaning THEN focus on doing some deep cleaning in this week's branch.

Cycle through the branches, one per week, to maintain a high level of cleanliness throughout the house.

Here's the schedule of Branches we'll be following:

Week 1: Entry/Living Room
Week 2: Dining Room/Laundry Room
Week 3: Bathrooms/Front Porch
Week 4: Kitchen/Back Porch
Week 5: Children’s Room/Guest Room + Closets for those rooms
Week 6: Family Room/Room of choice
Week 7: Master Bedroom/Master Closet
Week 8: All House Cleaning

Some sample "Choice" Rooms:
Office, Pantry, Craft Room, Garage, Attic, etc.

Make your master and individual branch lists work for YOU. The lists we share here are just our own examples; yours should be designed to suit your own home and situation.

If the branch you're working on needs decluttering, focus on that first. It's much easier to clean a room that doesn't have piles and boxes everywhere. Even if the whole house needs decluttering, this is a good way to focus on a room at a time on a regular schedule.

This isn't a competition. Just go at your own pace, as that will be exactly right for you. We are all here to support and encourage one another.

Start with a new branch each week. If you don't finish all the tasks on your branch list for the week, that's OK--you're already ahead of where you were before, and the unfinished tasks will still be there for you when you cycle back to this branch. If you finish early one week, you can go back to work on previous branches.
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This sure helps things fall into place for me. Planned on planting my container herbs and flowers this weekend in between my various activities.

My kitchen is in good shape, since last time,and will just do the appliances, etc. Seems like it is easier and easier to keep up with the branches as time goes on!

Hey this will work out great for me. I don't have a back porch so I"ll exchange it for front. I plan on working on it so it plays into the plan.

Front porch bench needs cleaned and then I can put the cushions on it. Then I will move some of the house plants out. I want to find something metal to use as a coffee table on the front porch.

Then I want to start going through the kitchen cabinets. Also the mail carriers are collecting food so I want to gather some up for them. Also I want to see what I do have.

Cindy

Kitchen is a mess! Need to do a lot of tidying of cabinets, clearing of counters and cleaning.

Back porch is being taken over by the cats!

KITCHEN
I tidied and cleaned tonight after supper. Still need to wipe cabinet fronts, clean stainless steel appliances and mop the floor. The bin of recyclables is full, it needs to be emptied in the bigger rolling bin of the building. I could add, make a call to get my dishwasher fixed! I've got my sewing stuff out again, will either finish up this week or put it away. Everything else is in order.

BACK PORCH
I have cleaned it all last weekend when I was off work. Then the outdoor carpet has been laid and the furniture cleaned. Today I have put flower seeds in a planter box; if it doesn't work out I'll get some full grown at the plant nursery. DD brought me a citronella candle yesterday for when we stay and talk after dark.

Great timing for me - I did the kitchen floor yesterday and noticed how bad the walls were! Will wash the walls this week, also give the utilty room (or futility room, where the washing machine is ...) a good wash down again and try to reorganise the cupboard contents. Everything is rammed into the cupboards and I hate the shower of objects when I try to get something out! I'm already using a cupboard in the hall for some food items, perhaps sort out the food storage in there a bit better too.

This week is another busy week, but once I plant the herbs and flowers I can then concentrate on the kitchen appliances. Have cleaned the desk drawers so they are in good shape. Just tweeking the drawers and cabinets. Need to wipe the outsides of the cabinets also.

Bubblegum:
Your back porch sounds wonderfully inviting. You worked very hard on the house and filing! WHOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO

Vanilla:
Good luck on the wall washing! Maybe some items can be eliminated from the cabinets, or condensed together? Good luck and let us know how you do.

progress

wipe cabinet fronts
clean stainless steel appliances
sweep/mop the floor
empty bin of recycling
make a call to get my dishwasher fixed
finish up sewing and put away everything

Got the herbs planted. Need to hang the other plants and uncover the table and chairs and the back porch will be done.

Kitchen is a little ETEing each day. There isn't too much to do.
The appliances are wiped down as needed each day, and have done the cabinets well the last time around. Windows, blinds,light fixtures, and outside of cabinets to do.

Washed the stove top, yesterday, including under the burners, etc. Also washed the vent hood.

Still to do:
- wash lower cabinet fronts
- reorganize the tall (floor to ceiling) cabinet
- clear/wipe counters
- sweep/mop floor
- scrub sink

Washed the lower cabinet and drawer fronts: 6 drawers and 7 cabinet doors. Plus the dishwasher front.