Old Sweetwater

Old Sweetwater

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Start Fresh


i don't do Spring cleaning; i do January cleaning.  It just seems right to thoroughly clean the house while taking down the holiday mess decorations.  At the end of year i throw away or repurpose frayed and hole-ridden towels. I say "goodbye" to the cracked dinnerware and get rid of the thirteen Cool Whip bowls that have  piled up for the last 11 months and 29 days.  i chuck the chipped Teflon pans and generally get rid of everything broken, stained and completely worn out.
With the new year a day away, i want to start fresh. I'll finally toss out the old, dusty potpourri in that covered dish by the tub and replace it with potpourri that actually has a SCENT.   i will buy a new, fresh white Egyptian cotton nightgown with the money i got from taking back that horrid, unique jacket.  i have begun a fresh List:  Replace water filter in 'fridge.  Give myself a mini-pedicure because those callouses are taking on a life of their own. Remember to breathe, etc.  You get the idea.  Does anyone else to January Cleaning?  What fresh thing do you look forward to in 2010?

34 comments:

Michela said...

Hello! The January cleaning sounds like a wonderful idea! I especially need to take more care of my feet and hands!
Wishing you a fabulous New Year!

Cinzia said...

Hello Janean, thank you for your visit!
Have a happy new year!
CInzia

PropellerHeadMom said...

Since we are usually trapped inside for January, February and March, I usually try to start cleaning and organizing. I never seem to be able to get to the bottom of the piles though :-)

KTW said...

I do!!! :) I think it is a great time to freshen-up! Just taking away the Christmas clutter makes a huge difference and always seems to spark that desire to do a little more. :)

queenbuffness said...

Me too! ME too! I love getting "in control" of the don't need it, don't want it kind of stuff I've gathered throughout the year. I really struggle with ODD (obsessive disorder disorder) so I try extra hard in January. Besides, who want to be inside when spring shows up?? I've started with my Christmas junk this year. Winnowed out two whole tubs! Hmmm, Goodwill? Garage Sale? Ebay? Dumpster? If ya need some Snowmen stuff or permanently dusty candles, lemme know!!!

Sylvia said...

Thanks for your comment, how nice to write it also in my language !
Our tradition is to take down the decoration on Epiphany (6 January).

I wish you all the best for 2010 !
Sylvia

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

Hi Janean~ ~I just posted about organizing my kitchen so I'm on the same page as you. Along with changes comes cleaning. .automatically, for me anyway. Love your blog I can see we have lots in common. Oh, and if you decide not to use the white cabinet Please send it my way I love it.
It's so nice to meet you.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

Rita said...

What a wonderful time to do the cleaning! Never thought about it that way! Thanks!

Lee said...

I will do some changes and tweeking to my decor... because in the spring I'm out of here.

Happy New Year!
Lee

Donna said...

Hahahaha, I love the comment about tosing out 13 plastic coolwhip bowls! I had to have tossed at least that many when we were packing up for our move into temporary rental quarters! Since we did so much fresh start cleaning in October and November, there's not much for us to tackle now. But I have been going through my tall file cabinet and having shredding parties! Ha, I FINALLY shredded my college loan papers from the early 70s! Now that I am retired, I think they were safe to toss!!! I crack me up!

Anonymous said...

Ooh my, we are kindered spirits.. the odd plastic containers from goodness knows where.. to the odds and ends that I've collected through the year.

It feels good to have a pantry that's in order, see see the crystal sparkle (an not with glitter) and now I can welcome in the New Year..

I wish you many blessings for a grand New Year filled with adventures!

with love,
~Olivia

Keetha Broyles said...

And I just don't do cleaning.

Did I just admit that right out loud????

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

I do January cleaning - I get the itch on the 1st, but do it after the decorations come down on the 6th ... I get the itch in September too ... must be something about those fresh starts! So glad you found me so that I could find you! Have a Healthy, Happy, Inspiring New Year!

Cora said...

Your January plan is a great idea. I think I will jump into one like this myself. Thanks for sharing.
Have a blessed new year!

Dawn said...

Happy New Year Janean! I get the itch to declutter in January also. By the end of the year the piles of "things I couldn't pass up or live without" are out of control and I have to make room to actually function here! I think it's univeral, that's why the stores will have all those storage bins on "sale" next week!
Hugs,
Dawn

Oklahoma Granny said...

What a good idea to start now instead of in the spring when the weather is so nice! I have some towels that need a new life in my husband's garage. I'm sure there are a few other things that need to be recycled too. I see a new project coming my way.

Cheryl Lage said...

Janean, I LOVE the idea of January cleaning...sounds like the ideal "resolution" for folks like me that rarely "resolve" to do much!

Wishing you a blessed and joyous 2010!

Beverly @ MY Sew Sweet Studio said...

Yes, because my decorations take up most of my house, when I pack them away, I take that chance to clean and replace and rearrange. I enjoy the process and feel my house is renewed. The towels in your picture sure look cozy. Love the texture.

The Old Parsonage said...

You January purge sounds wonderful. I start out strong, but soon peter out. Oh well good intentions.

Happy New Year!
Leann

Debra@CommonGround said...

I'm with you, I try to do my cleaning when all the Christmas decor is down and put away. It's the best time for me, because I love to have a whole new "theme" going by mid January. OK, now I just need to crawl in the lower cabinet and find all those cool whip bowls!
Hugs and blessings for a wonderful New Year!
Debra

Anonymous said...

I'm in the throws of cleaning myself...more out of necessity than ritual. I know that I will not be able to do too much after Wednesday foot surgery...I just hate to vacumn with a bum foot!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Sounds perfect to me....

Tanna said...

YES! To January cleaning! I have to admit a difficulty in parting with some of those Cool Whip bowls though. LOL! Did just get back from having a manicure and pedicure to start the year out groomed!

Angie @ thejunkranch said...

I do a through cleaning of closets...especially the one under the stairs where I throw things to hide them when I have guests. I have actually found purses with money in there when I've changed out in a hurry and tossed them there. It's always good to find money in January!

Kathleen Grace said...

I will be cleaning and organizing, it always seems so urgent after all the frou frou of December to clean and simplify. I crave white and cream in my home and the less "stuff" I can see the better!

I Purr-Furr to Craft said...

What a lovely post, I adore that tradition of renewal. think i will try and adopt it myself, (hubby WILL be pleased!) Here's to a great 2010 to you all.

vintage girl at heart said...

Yes I love to clean anytime of the year but always purge at the end of the past year and the beginning of the new!!! Just feels like I am off to a right start!!!
Have a wonderful and fabulous NEW YEAR!!!

Twice as Nice said...

I do a lot of January deep cleaning. One of the things I do is go through all my medicines. Whether it's vitamins or sinus medicines, I check the dates for experation. Happy New Year and happy cleaning!

Lucy said...

I think because of all the clutter and extra stuff in our lives during Christmas, I also have the need to de-clutter everything and have it clean and tidy!

Marina Mott said...

I always chance things at home...love it!
Beautiful pics!!

Becky Shander said...

Love your idea of starting off fresh. Unfortunately, after the Christmas holiday I'm usually too pooped to attempt such admirable chores. Just getting our tree ornaments, holiday decor, gifts, etc. put away within the first week of January is the best I can manage. I've accepted that it's okay for me to let the small stuff go.

Sweet Tea/lagirl said...

Yes Ma'am, I clean in January also. I don't like Winter so I figure if I do my cleaning now then when Spring comes I'm "good to go". Who wants to clean when the weather's nice??!

Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeper said...

I've always been a January cleaner too! In the spring there is too much outside work to do. Nothing like a good fresh clean house!

Anonymous said...

Hi Janean,

I like to start writing in the crisp pages of a new diary. I think that the January cleaning is a great start to a new year ~ I always like to spruce up the living room when the decorations come down.

Thanks for visiting and Happy New Year.

Marie