The Great MEGA-Clean of Autumn 2011

(Image from Hyperbole and a Half, a truly hysterical website that you really *must* visit from time to time...)

So I've been a bit scarce lately.  Due to several things actually, not the least of which has been a time of silent reflection for me, which I've enjoyed immensely.  I'm doing some serious thinking about "the next stage of my life," whatever that might be.  I'm racing towards 35 with no eagerness, yet I'll be there before I know it.  My twenties were something of a wash.  Okay.  My early thirties were spent dating and marrying my Beloved and then carrying and giving birth to our children.  Awesome!  But now that I'm happily ensconced in marriage and motherhood and facing down mid-life (WHAT?), I'm feeling the need to at least take stock, review, reflect, and PLAN.  And like I said, I've no idea what exactly I'm planning, but I'm taking the mental effort to do it.  So wish me luck on that!

The other thing taking up my time has been the onset of what I'm calling The Great MEGA-Clean of Autumn 2011.  Yes, I don't do anything small or halfway in life.  (My friends are all chuckling at this point.)  I have drawn up a list of all the rooms in my house and I'm going to visit each one with every cleaning utensil I own and all the organizing tips I've gleaned and I won't cross it off the list until it's sparkling and efficient!  See, we're coming into a season of hosting lots of company (okay, not "lots" per se, but even a single person after a drought of nobody feels like a lot!) and even some holiday celebrations, and I want the place spic-and-span.  And I don't want to spend an eternity in prep work before each visit.  So I want to do a major clean and then brush it up before company arrives.  Sound like a plan?  I think so!

I'm currently in KITCHEN mode.  I thought I'd start here because, of course, it's the hardest room.  Isn't everyone's kitchen the worst place to keep clean and well-functioning?  So I've bitten off the biggest bite for starters, but I've already made some good progress.  I hope to move to the Master Bed and Bath, Closet and Laundry by mid-week.  I hope to have everything finished before the second weekend in October. 

It's grueling.  It's exhausting.  But I'm gonna have a clean house before snow flies, to be sure!  And that excites me enough to keep me going.  Is anyone else in "Clean ALL the things!" mode?