You are on day 17 of the “30 Day House Cleaning Challenge”and I am so thrilled for you.

By now, your house is practically clean. All that is left for you to do it to deep clean and organize the storage units in every room and you are done!!

And you will get started with this today, in your living room.

Day 17: Deep Clean Living Room Storage Units

It’s now time for some cleaning and organization in the living room.

Every house has some storage units in the living room – the entertainment/media unit, bookcases, open shelves, cabinets, shoe racks, display units etc. Today you will start cleaning and organizing these units one at a time.

Obviously, you might not get them all done today, depending on how many units you have. But, don’t stress too much, because you will continue with this task next week as well.

Important Note:

Today’s Cleaning Plan

Daily Cleaning Tasks: Keep that daily routine going and use a checklist to stay on track!!

Weekly Cleaning Tasks: Surface clean the Living Room and Entrance and spend a little extra time deep cleaning.

Monthly Deep Cleaning tasks

• Deep clean living room storage units
  Empty the units one portion at a time and thoroughly clean the interiors. Vacuum or dust the interiors to get rid of any dust or dirt and clean them clean with a suitable cleaner.
  Once the interiors are properly dry, replace and organize the contents. While doing so, throw away any old or useless items and make a note of what needs to be re-stocked or replaced.
  After you are done cleaning the interior, wipe down all exterior surfaces of the units.

  TIP: Clean one unit at a time, but do not empty the entire unit all at one go. Work in small portions (one shelf/drawer at a time) so you can be sure to complete what you start.

Here’s a list of the storage units that you might have in your living room. Do whatever is applicable to you and skip the rest.

• entertainment/media center – unplug and clean all electronics. Clean the cords as well and check for any wear.
• book shelves – Dust the books as needed and decide which can be given away or sold or need to be thrown away!
• Display units/Showcases – Clean all knickknacks and decorative items. Throw away any items that are old or chipped or broken.
• Shoe rack – Clean and/or polish all footwear. Set aside any footwear that needs mending, thrash whatever is worn out and useless and give away what you no longer use.
• Other cupboards, cabinets and open shelves

Download your Day 17 Checklist here

Tips to remember during the 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge

1. Before you begin, gather all the necessary tools and keep them ready. You could get yourself a cleaning caddy or just use a basket or box.
2. Decide on a specific amount of time that you can/will spend cleaning and set a timer. Work as quickly as you can within this time and don’t get distracted. (Except if it’s an emergency of some kind!)
3. Start cleaning from the top of the room and work your way down. This will prevent dust falling on surfaces that you have already cleaned.
4. Work from one side of the room to the other side, in a systematic matter, so that you don’t miss any spots.
5. When the timer goes off, stop working! You can catch up with what you have missed during your next cleaning session.
6. Use checklists to track your progress and to ensure that you don’t miss out anything. Checklists are especially useful in instances where you cannot complete a task and need to reschedule it.