Weekend Chores: Flowers & Floors

Dates: Friday, January 3…and the Weekend of January 4 & 5
Assignment: Buy Flowers, Vacuum & Mop, Gather Earth Friendly Cleaners

It’s the first weekend of the Cure – time to hit the gas and speed forward. With a few days ahead of us to get things done, let’s take advantage of the extra time and burn through this short list of tasks by Sunday night. Schedule yourself however you like (and definitely fit in some relaxation and fun), but do try to fully complete all three of your “chores” before Monday rolls around. Good luck and be sure to use this comment thread for questions, suggestions and moral support – we can do this!

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– Buy Flowers. (Really!) This might seem like something that is skippable but it is actually a very important part of the Cure. Think of the purchase as a gift to your home. It is an enjoyable, (affordable!) luxury but it goes far beyond just that. The flowers are a visual symbol of your commitment to caring for your home. In the Eight Step Home Cure, Maxwell wrote: As simple as it sounds, the act of buying flowers for your apartment holds great significance and will heal your home on many levels.They are beautiful, they add life to the space, they help to humidify and cleanse the air. Try and find time to pick up flowers (see “Helpful Links” below for suggestions and info) on Friday if at all possible so you can enjoy them all weekend.

– Vacuum the Rugs and Clean ALL the Floors. This is a big one, I realize, so block out a good bit of time so you can really do this job right. Pretend you have to pass “inspection” when you are through and really do your best. As Maxwell states in the book, When you embark on renewing your home, it is important that you break the ice and get to know it intimately. The best way to do this is to clean it. This floor cleaning task will have you connect with each room you are curing and will help you to spot problems with flow and clutter that needs clearing in the coming weeks. You’ll want to move things out of the way as you go. This will take a while but trust me, it will make a huge difference in how clean your home feels and actually IS. Turn on some music (see reader recommendations in the “Helpful Links” below) and get it done!

– Stock Up on Good Green Cleaners. You’ll be doing plenty of good old-fashioned cleaning this month, so gathering/replenishing healthy supplies now is a must. As Maxwell explains: We use cleaning products in our homes every day and many of these common products are harmful to the environment and to our own health as well. However, there are now many natural cleaning products that do these jobs extremely well. Earth-friendly products help give your home a healthier feel because they don’t leave artificial lingering strong or chemical smells.

Choose your own tried and true products to stock up your cleaning kit or check out the “Helpful Links” section below for some good posts full of reader intelligence on favorites. You’ll need (at least) the basics: dish soap, laundry detergent, general floor cleaner, surface powder, bathroom cleaner and a vinegar and water window cleaner (which you can make yourself – see Helpful Links again).

Let’s use this comment thread over the weekend to help each other out with questions, answers, feedback, a place to take a break and chat and maybe even a bit of moral support (in case the mopping is getting you down!). Be sure to share your successes here as you complete your assignments – the positive energy helps pull us all through.

Helpful Links:
• Frugal Flowers: How To Choose Flowers at the Supermarket
• Unsung Heroes of the Supermarket Cooler
• Keep It Simple: Single Flower Arrangements
• Do You Clean to an Embarrassing Soundtrack?
• What’s Your Music While You Clean?
• Reader Roundup: Add Your Picks for the BEST Natural Cleaner
• How to Shop for Green Cleaners
• Best Window Cleaner is a Non-Toxic DIY
• 10 Ways to Clean with Vinegar
• How to Make Your Own Kitchen Cleaners

January Cure Calendar:
• Download our PDF to see the full upcoming schedule (and print it out if having a hard copy is helpful to you)

Join The January Cure: Click Here to Sign Up

January Cure Main Page: Click Here for the assignment posts so far

Questions? Comments? Pictures? Email us about your progress at januarycure@apartmenttherapy.com
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