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edubya

What household chore have you been putting off the longest?

12 years ago
Is there something you need to do around the house that you just can't make yourself do? What is it and how long have you been putting it off?

Share your experience! (photos encouraged)

Urban Loft Residence · More Info

Comments (52)

  • 12 years ago
    Cleaning the shower tile of soap scum and hard water stains. I know the longer I put it off, the worse it gets and I know I should clean the tiles after each shower. I know, I know.
    Emily Hurley thanked edithsmom
  • 12 years ago
    Cleaning and organizing the basement. Oy vey!!
    Emily Hurley thanked User
  • 12 years ago
    Cleaning the office..it never seems to be a good time. I share the office with my husband and I can never touch any pile of papers until he is done. I usually get to clean a bit the desk and vacuum..I still have to get to the upper shelves and dust them and the books,,one day...
    Emily Hurley thanked printesa
  • 12 years ago
    refinishing my butcher block countertop
    Emily Hurley thanked 3wizkids
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Cleaning the heating vents. Eeeek
    Emily Hurley thanked Shutterblind
  • 12 years ago
    Dusting the inside of the bathroom exhaust fans.
    Emily Hurley thanked bschr
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Dusting lights and fans that are so high that I need to drive a scissor lift in... Anyone got ideas or tricks for extension dusters????
    Emily Hurley thanked Sustainable Dwellings
  • 12 years ago
    Cleaning the crystals on all my chandeliers in the house. The last time we did that we actually took the whole chandelier down because it had to be rewired. I will not mention any names but someone dear and close to me wired it back up and when I was all done putting all the crystals on it, we stood back and admired it for about two minutes before it came crashing down to the floor and it smashed in a million pieces. I froze, couldn't talk couldn't move, couldn't believe what had just happened. Finally we just started picking up what we could salvage from the crystals, but the frame of this antique chandelier snapped and broke in several pieces. I have yet to replace it. It actually came out of a friends home before she moved and she gave it too me because I admired it so much. Can't look at the chandeliers in my house or even think of buying another one just yet.
    Emily Hurley thanked Mark
  • 12 years ago
    Wow Mark, I would have been devastated. It would certainly take some time before I cleaned any more chandeliers too!
    Emily Hurley thanked bschr
  • 12 years ago
    i can't reach the ceiling fans in the living room to clean them, don't own a tall enough ladder. However....if i DID clean them, the husband would think they looked great and no longer desire to replace them even though they are as dated as a members only jacket.....so i guess this is working in my favor....
    Emily Hurley thanked toats
  • 12 years ago
    Mark, that is really sad,,I know there are more devastating things in life, but I can imagine how tough it must have been,,,especially after all the work that you put into it.
    Emily Hurley thanked printesa
  • 12 years ago
    You are so correct printesa, it's just a light fixture and we didn't lose any sleep over it. It was just the work of cleaning and polishing all those crystals that was frustrating.
    Emily Hurley thanked Mark
  • 12 years ago
    As a lover of chandeliers I don't blame you for being devastated. I Have been putting off cleaning my oven properly. Ive done the racks but cant bring myself to do the rest!
    Emily Hurley thanked soozmacrae
  • 12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    Sustainable Dwellings and laurabona: My DH and I bought a house last year with a vaulted living room ceiling. The best money I've spent since was on an 18 piece, commercial quality telescoping duster kit. The pole is quite sturdy and extends 16', with another foot or so added by some of the attachments. No more throwing towels into high corners at cobwebs. http://www.frontgate.com/18-piece-commercial-quality-aluminum-telescoping-duster-kit/407710

    My dirty household chore secrets are the unpacked box that still lives in my walk-in closet, and the several unpacked boxes still in the storage area in the basement, a year after moving.
    Emily Hurley thanked ispoildogs
  • 12 years ago
    take down the christmas trees. today i put away what we call 'the wall of ornaments'. now about all that is left are the trees….8 of them.
    Emily Hurley thanked eightpondfarm
  • 12 years ago
    Editing our extensive book library and haul those off to the used book store. I can only do this when my husband is not looking. I need more shelf space to buy more....
    Emily Hurley thanked alwaysdesigning
  • 12 years ago
    Some boxes from five moves ago I found when packing stuff up to clean house out for whole house reno. They have been sealed since 1989...
    Emily Hurley thanked User
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Washing the windows. They have little panes and they are a pain:(
    Emily Hurley thanked Comforts of Home
  • 12 years ago
    Waxing the parquet floors in the living/ dining room. It should be done once/ year and buffed once/ month. It has not been done in two years. No the oak floors are not treated , but left naturally which resulted in a very warm patina.The work is huge because all the furniture needs to be moved,carpets rolled up etc. But ...as of last night I found a guy who is willing to come for an entire day on 3/8 and we will tackle it together ;-))
    Emily Hurley thanked omagnes
  • 12 years ago
    So many things to clean. I have found, that I don't mind cleaning the areas I love.
    The areas I don't like, seem to be easy to procrastinate addressing.
    Storage, the garage, my workroom ... on and on.
    This year, I promised myself to pick one space at a time and at least start.
    Dusting the low-mileage treadmill may be a good beginning?
    Emily Hurley thanked moggie73
  • 12 years ago
    PAPERWORK! CHECKBOOK BALANCING! FILING STUFF! BILL PAYING! (though a lot of it is auto pay) but it stresses me out anyway I hate it... I don't know what to keep... so I keep everything TOO TOO MUCH! I don't know how long to keep it... I don't know where to store it.. except I refuse to have it near my bedroom. If I could I would hire someone to do all this and just give me an allowance!
    Emily Hurley thanked pamc321
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Polishing silver.
    Emily Hurley thanked Julia & Elizabeth
  • 12 years ago
    Finally printing off all my favourite photos and getting them hung on the wall - I've had the frames all ready to go for almost 2 years...oops!
    Emily Hurley thanked Vivienne Sung
  • 12 years ago
    oh yeah. washing windows. I think I will need to hire someone...I can't do it (too painful and I am sure I would fall out the upstairs :)) as for paperwork? that's why shredders were invented!!
    and too many books? build a little free library!!
    Emily Hurley thanked mousemaker
  • 12 years ago
    Cleaning under the sink and re painting it. Who knows what's under there, lol.
    Emily Hurley thanked grobby
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Deep cleaning the grout in my kitchen and bathrooms :(
    Emily Hurley thanked Studio M Interior Design
  • 12 years ago
    Pulling down the three hallway lights and cleaning the inside. I cannot due it myself need hubby to do it. His to do this other things are more important on the list.
    Emily Hurley thanked mommickey
  • 12 years ago
    I'm not opposed at all to cleaning, but I can't organize. For example, I have a great craft room with a ton of space but I cannot figure out how to make it work for me. It drives me crazy!
    Emily Hurley thanked Lou Oneski
  • 12 years ago
    Organizing the bedroom shelves and getting rid of all the extra things I haven't thrown away because maybe, maybe some day in the next century I might need them! :-/
    Emily Hurley thanked sheryl N
  • 12 years ago
    Amy easy clean on grout. Pour baking soda and the add water use a toothbrush. Comes out all bright, and clean. Not something you have to do yearly. Martha has too much time on her hands.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • 12 years ago
    CRT, is only way to clean soap off bath tile. Easy. you don't have to do after each use. That's crazy.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • 12 years ago
    Unless you are bored and have to s of time on your hands. Do not polish crystal chandelier a total waste of time.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • 12 years ago
    Okdokegal. . Toss the 1989 boxes.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • 12 years ago
    Pamc321. Once bills are pd you do not have to save a thing. Incl bank statements . Bank will keep for you until you may need it. It's all on line anyway. The only thing you need to keep for 3 years is tax returns. Even then you don't have too. The Irs can give you all infor anyway. Put all bill paying on computer pick a day like the 1st of month and pay all. Then relax. In this age with everything on computer no need to save anything. The whole idea of paying bills on line. Is NO paper used. Go green and relax.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    last modified: 12 years ago
    Picking up my pen and writing a check to the most amazing housekeeper, Alexandra.

    After 45 years of cleaning my house, I have called it a day.
    Emily Hurley thanked JudyG Designs
  • 12 years ago
    Keep people working. Hire someone for big jobs. Like window cleaning they do a better job anyway.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • 12 years ago
    Loua, put your room on Houzz someone will be able to organize it for you.
    Emily Hurley thanked Nancy Travisinteriors
  • 12 years ago
    I've been avoiding cleaning my oven. Looks like someone roasted meat...without a pan. I'm obsessed with clean sinks and counters...but that oven...
    Emily Hurley thanked jukirk
  • 12 years ago
    I don't mind washing the sheets, but leave them for the maid to iron and make the bed.
    Emily Hurley thanked dclostboy
  • 12 years ago
    travisinteriors, I want to open them just to see, like opening a time capsule. They're 25 years old... 99.99% of them should go to the trash but. Not just yet, still haven't run out of house things I can finish yet. I ran out of budget, and I'm almost out of supplies; so will soon be hitting 'have to wait to buy X' to proceed. I just hope I can get to the kitchen before 2015.
  • 12 years ago
    Unpacking. I'm moving between the living room and kitchen pretending the two bedrooms full of boxes don't exist.
  • 12 years ago
    Dusting baseboards!
  • 12 years ago
    @travisinteriors...Relax you say! Ok will try... just not easy... I have a great mistrust of banks... you know banking scandals and the housing crisis...the Target Hacking...My late husband handled all the bill paying... I always knew exactly what he did, and how he did it and his methods... but those methods don't fit me... I am just so unsure of my own abilities! Death and widowhood rock so very many boats!
  • 12 years ago
    @ Samantha L I like your thought process. I love two bedrooms filled with pretend boxes that are just figments of your imagination! Unpacking is soon going to be in my future! So I will prolly adopt your idea and pretend the moving trucks don't exist either!
  • 12 years ago
    Cleaning and organizing closets in a house with insufficient storage.
  • 12 years ago
    i have another suggestion (I am just full of them:)) I have decided that nothing is my fault anymore. whatever it is (house not clean, stuff not done, can't find this or that, whatever happened, computer doesn't work...) it's not my fault. it's so much easier this way :) I used to get so angry at a relative who shall remain nameless :) for this very thing, but now I understand it in a new and different way. Life is too short to take the blame or assume responsibility for everything, you know? I have reading to do!!!! :)
  • 12 years ago
    Finishing the scraping & sanding of my living room. After nearly 100 years of paint, it's beginning to separate from the plaster...unevenly of course! Once I can get this completed, I can finally paint!
  • 12 years ago
    omg...polishing silver? Whatever silver I have, if it needs polishing...that is SO at the bottom of the list...
  • 4 years ago

    Hiring someone to help me with the total remodel of my place. put things boxes and clothes closets. empty cabinets to be thrown out.


    i have volunteered to do it for friends. now i must pay. it's not heavy work. it's a weeks work and then another to put back. what is a fair price?