Our house is for rent.
We weren’t actually ready to put it on the market, but a few days ago Jason asked on Cougar Board (aka A Great Big Blog for Boys) about property management companies. Someone emailed him about the house, he emailed back, and suddenly BAM! Our house is officially for rent and someone wants to see it.
Those of you with houses know that you can’t just put your house up for rent. Putting a home on the market in any way means inviting people to come and look through all your crap. Closets must be opened. Toilets and showers checked. Laundry has to be done.
Basically, we need to move out.
So yesterday at noon they told us they’d like to swing by at 7:00. Sure, that gives me seven hours, no problem, right?
Oh holy Spring Cleaning, I was zero (my favorite lunchtime speed) to sixty in .3 seconds.
And so, here is the list of things I did yesterday with the pressure of property peekers breathing down my neck. This is me, looking for household validation because I rocked it.
I….
Cleaned off the dining room table, the buffet, and all those books piled under the buffet. I moved the ugly folding chairs out to the garage and rearranged things in the dining room. I washed eight windows, plus the french doors (killer), dusted the piano, and cleaned off the fridge (I know, what do you do with all that crap?).
I gathered a massive pile of homeless photos and organized (stuffed) them in our photo boxes. I opened all the windows in the upstairs, washed the bedroom and bathroom blinds, the windows, sills, and the window runners (at this point I had to actually throw my rag in the trash because there was no coming back from that).
I folded and placed two loads of laundry (left two in the washer and dryer), organized my Good Will bin, soccer/baseball bin, and all the kid’s coats. I swept out the laundry, kitchen, and entry, then got down on my hands and knees and ruined my fingernails trying to pry “stuff” off the tiles under the bar. I washed down walls, toilets, showers and mirrors.
I removed personal photos, art work, my magnet board. I did everything but the floors.
There was sweat and toil and an entire bottle of windex emptied. I screamed at the kids (and the neighbor kids) and banned them from the house. My shirt was ruined by bleach spray, and I didn’t even care.
(Also, my poor little baby cried a lot because no one held her.)
And then at 6:15, Jason swept in and whisked the hungry kids off to some play place, leaving me with nothing but my lovely vacuum and good old Englebert Humperdink to keep me company.
When all was said and done, it took them seven minutes to walk through the house (I had to try really hard not to point out all the good cleaning I’d done). We’ll probably never hear from them again.
I’m posting pictures for posterity’s sake. “Remember that one time Mom got the house really clean?”
I wish they’d just rent it so I don’t ever have to do that again.
Silent blog stalker coing out of the woodwork to say that your kitchen makes my swoon. I wish your cabinets were in my kitchen. Ours still don’t have doors and we have lived in the house for almost three years:)
Thank you! We did them ourselves, I love them as well.
Would you like to come do MINE? How can you give that up?
I know, I know! You’re moving, but really! HOW?
You go girl!
I’m glad somebody made up for my day of crying about not getting a shiny new minivan with heated leather seats after all. I did little more than feed and clothe the chilluns and myself. So there’s a whole lot of applause coming from this general direction!!!
You have kids?! you did an awesome job making that place look wonderful. Beautiful house!
I’m so glad you’ve lived In Germany before because I have to admit I was thinking holy heck I hope they aren’t trying to bring all that furniture with them! Can we see your back yard or whatever that area is with all the rocks, looks so neat.
We’re taking it all with us, our house there is huge! Anything we don’t use we’ll just donate or store.
As someone who has been inside your house, you really do have a great house. They will be lucky to get it.
I left you a message this morning, so call me back!
Way to go Annie! I almost wish people would come walk through my house, I work waaaaay better under stress! hahaha But seriously, your house is so nice! I love it! Good luck on renting it, we’re looking for a new place to rent right now, too bad your place isn’t in Washington! haha
You just brought flashbacks of my miserable summer. I was also pregnant, so there was puking involved in all that cleaning… Next time we are definitely moving out first.
Good Luck! It’s beautiful!
I love the way it looks. You did an amazing job!!
Stop it! Stop acting like you’re leaving!!! I can’t stand it! I would even ignore the books under the buffet if it meant you weren’t leaving…
Wow! Very Impressive! I need to get some of that kind of energy to do what I need to do around my house. You do ROCK! 🙂
I had to put my shades on to look at the photos…cause it was so clean it sparkled, and when I touched them they squeeked. When do you actually end up having to leave for Germany??
I also had to do some catch up and read a few posts I missed. I am not sure WHY I get behind….I signed up for your “notification” dealy ma jig….but doesn’t seem to be working for moi.
That looks so beautiful! Try not to lose your voice (like I do) yelling at everyone to try to keep it that way! The other day my babysitter told me that she and Skylar had just had the funniest convo. Skylar told her she should come to our house soon. Babysitter asked, “Why? Did you get something new?” Skylar said, “No, it’s just clean.” Basically she was trying to tell her that she better hurry up and come see our house…it’s not usually clean and it doesn’t stay that way very long!!! Classic!
I’m with DeNae. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! And seriously, the ONLY time my house gets really clean is when I’m having company. And that hasn’t happened in over a year so….yeah.
Nice work, girlie! You totally rocked it!
Where are the beautiful bedrooms? The basement rooms?? What a woman, you do the family proud!!
By the way, you know I’m coming next week, Hugs, Mom