KITCHEN:
b) Rearrange dishes, etc in the cabinets above the countertops. Replace any shelf liner paper that's torn.
c) Scrub the outside of the cabinets above the countertops. Be sure to tighten any loose screws on the handles and/or replace missing or broken things/kitchen cabinet knobs.
d) If you have a pantry, remove ALL the food from it. Wipe down all the shelves. Discard any and all old, stale items or items that will never be consumed. Reorganize and replace everything.
e) Scrub all the appliances. Be sure to empty the crumbs from inside the toaster and spray the oven with oven cleaner and leave it be for now (follow directions on the can).
f) Scrub the outside of the microwave. If the inside's really nasty, boil some water...the steam will loosen up the old food. Scrub out the inside.
g) Scrub the stove top really well. Replace the foil under the burners (if you don't have foil already, you might want to add it for easier cleaning next time). You may want to add or replace ....covers.
h) Scrub the counters and backsplash area really well. Go ahead and knock all the crumbs to the floor (unless you have carpet in your kitchen).
i) Scrub the inside of the sink. If it's a white sink, use a kitchen-safe cleaner with bleach to revitalize the white again. Drop lemons and ice cubes in the disposal to freshen it and sharpen the blades. Don't forget to make the faucet nice and shiny!
j) Dump out each of the drawers and add the no longer needed items to your boxes. Wipe out the drawer and replace/rearrange the necessary items.
k) Rearrange pots/pans, etc in the cabinets below the countertops. Replace any shelf liner paper that's torn.
l) Scrub the outside of the cabinets below the countertops. Be sure to tighten any loose screws on the handles and/or replace missing or broken....handles.
m) Scrub the outside of your dishwasher -- run it empty with vinegar or baking soda in place of soap.
n) Remove EVERYTHING from your refridgerator & freezer. Dump any food that's old and/or moldy. Discard anything that your family/roommates won't eat (you know you have a box of Hot Pockets in the freezer that no one will eat and it's been there for the past year -- toss it). Scrub the inside of the fridge/freezer with a very diluted food-safe cleanser. Knock all the nastiness out onto the floor. Towel dry and replace the food your family/roommates WILL eat.
o) If you didn't do it already, remove all the magnets and papers from the front/sides of your refridgerator. Scrub the entire outside from top to bottom. Side note: I keep a cloth towel on top of mine because I can't stand cleaning the grime off it.
p) If you have someone to help you, carefully pull the refridgerator out away from the wall. Be careful not to disconnect any water filters, scratch the floor, or hurt yourself. If any seem to be at risk, then skip this step. If you can move the fridge safely, sweep and mop underneath it. Fun!
q) Revisit the oven that you sprayed earlier and scrub out all the grime. Most ovens have metal plates on the bottom...you can easily remove the plates and cover them with foil to make future cleanings easier. Or, you can top them with..........oven liners.
r) If there are any walls left to scrub, tackle them now. Magic Eraser does an amazing job of making all kinds of wall marks disappear! (It even works on dried blood -- don't ask.) Be sure to dust off any wall hangings too and be careful not to get them wet.
s) Now, you're finally down to the floor. Sweep up all the junk that you tossed on the floor. Take a bottle of all-purpose spray to soak any bad spots on the floor. Then, mop as usual. For best results, scrub the floor with a sponge or rag (be sure to follow the rules for the type of floor you have).
t) Once the floor is dry, treat the floor with a layer of wax or wood polish or whatever extra fancy thing your floor might require. I've actually never treated a floor...I've always been "blessed" with linoleum - ha! Note to self: investigate replacing linoleum with something more modern and appealing.
u) And, as soon as the floor is dry again, replace everything that you removed at the beginning of this exercise. Remember box #4?!?
