a dirty little secret

Over the past week, I have been browsing through ideas of what to do to prepare for moving.  I really don't know exactly when we will be moving, and since things like that can creep up on us, I would like to get a handle on things.

On occasion I go a little nuts and just HAVE to clean my kitchen top to bottom.  Its like something just takes me over and I have to do it.  My family can attest that I am not a very tidy person, but no matter how dirty things may be in the rest of the house, I always feel better if at least the kitchen is clean.

Here is my dirty little secret.  In all of these moments of obsessive kitchen scrubbing over the past good while, I always forget something. 

My oven.

I mean... what is doing that?  I just really don't remember having that much stuff splatter or spill.  It's gross. I know.  I'm sorry I shared that with you... there is a point.  I promise.

So I broke out the Easy-Off oven cleaner and the rubber gloves.  I'm sure there are less dangerous, greener, probably using baking soda and vinegar of some ratio...but cut me some slack.  I didn't know how to clean an oven until a few years ago... and this is only the third time I've done it.  All using the same can I bought forever ago.  I hate to be wasteful.  And this stuff works.  So I removed the shelves for easy reach...I planned to clean them later.  As per the instructions, this was done in a cold oven... Just spray the foamy stuff everywhere and let set for 2 hours.

Other tools were my scrubby sponge and a big bowl of warm water for easy rinsing, changed a few times as needed.  This photo was after I had already cleaned the door... I hadn't thought yet of sharing this. 

So after some time...this is my result!

I gotta tell ya... this is SO fulfilling of a job.  So easy to do... it probably only took like 20 minutes to do the actual cleaning inside.  Its not a perfect job by any means, I never did clean the shelves...I ran out of the cleaner.

So this got me thinking.  In about 30 total minutes of actual cleaning, this one project was finished on my Saturday while Kyle was on call.  It will also help keep from having so much to scrub down in a few months when we are trying to move...

So what else could I do?  My plan in the next few weeks is to make a schedule.  A schedule of projects to complete each weekend in order to make moving a little bit easier.  And it will be on the blog.  This will be my accountability.  Probably pretty boring for you guys... but so what, skip over it.  If it makes me do it, who are you to complain?  And you can see our apartment get in a little better shape.

See. I told you there was a point.  

Wish me luck!  Feel free to provide a few ideas for my list of projects in the comment section below!