Our new favorite thing to do is watch reruns of Flipping Out over and over again (yes, we know we need a new hobby). At first we weren’t so sure about Jeff Lewis. He is insensitive, anal and overall seems pretty crazy. But, the more we watched the show we realized that his OCD and intense attention to detail are what makes his homes beautiful and his career successful. Plus, once we got over feeling sorry for his employees, we found he is really funny in a “you’re so bad” kind of way.
Jeff Lewis has inspired us. And, no, not to haze our interns! He has inspired us to pay more attention to the details of our homes. Lately we have been reorganizing cabinets, cleaning out our fridges and dusting light fixtures all thanks to our Flipping Out obsession. Now, we are on a mission to get our homes in tiptop shape, and just in time for the next 5-6 chilly months we’ll be spending inside.
Fall Cleaning Checklist (we recommend cleaning in this order)
Clean out closets, cabinets, and drawers. Get rid of everything you don’t use/wear anymore, old make-up, etc. Donate or recycle if you can, but no matter what get rid of it.
Reorganize what you are keeping in a way that makes sense for you (things you use most toward the front of a cabinet, for example).
Check air filters, replace light bulbs, etc. Do a once over and fix some of those little things you’ve been putting off.
Dust everything starting at the top and working your way down (Ceiling fan, then top of fridge, then counters, etc.).
Wash bedding, mattress pad too. Flip and rotate mattress (if you have the kind that needs flipping)
Vacuum all soft surfaces (padded headboards, couches, drapes, etc.)
Clean interior windows.
Clean sinks, tubs/showers, toilet, appliances and all surfaces.
Vacuum and clean your floors and rugs. Be sure to move furniture around and get underneath things. If you want to go all out you can even move the fridge out and clean behind and underneath it.
Clean baseboards too. It makes a difference! Especially in the bathroom where hairspray and such can build up and collect dirt there.
Clean and cover all of your patio furniture and get rid of any outdoor plants that have died.
This does not all have to be done at once. Try doing 1 or 2 things on the list every other day for about 2-3 weeks. By October your home will look like a Jeff Lewis flip and all it will cost you is time!
