One of the joys of having your own place, whether house or apartment, is entertaining. No really, it’s a joy. At least I always think it is until I look around the house and see all the things that need to be done to get the house company ready. Luckily, for Memorial Day, we will barbeque. There is still a list of things to be done, just different than if everyone was going to be inside. I will still have to put fresh hand towels in the half bath that everyone will use, but as for dusting and vacuuming inside, … Continue reading →

Patios and decks are no longer considered as such. Rather, these days they are referred to as “outdoor living spaces.” In some cases the term is warranted, especially if your patio is rocking a $25,000 built-in fire pit and a full kitchen complete with mini fridge, gas grill and marble countertops. Regardless of whether your outdoor entertaining space is filled with fancy furniture or simple white plastic patio chairs, it needs to be cleaned from time to time. With the busy summer months just a few weeks away, now is the time to clean and disinfect. While it may be … Continue reading →

I grew up in Hawaii where locals don triple socks and double pants when the mercury dips below 65 degrees. So, imagine my surprise when I moved to Wisconsin and found that people here sport shorts when temps rise into the 40s. Yesterday the shorts were out in full force, but white skin wasn’t the only thing shining in my neighborhood… so were the white plastic deck chairs. We have a few of these affordable chairs that we haul out every spring to add to our outdoor living space. However, right now they are far from shiny. Fortunately, there are … Continue reading →

Given how incredibly horrific the weather has been around here, there is no way I can possibly get my spring outdoor chores done right now. So much for cleaning gutters, sprucing up siding and picking up stray items from the yard; the 18 inches of snow that fell last week has put the kibosh on outdoor spring cleaning for at least another 10-14 days. In the meantime, I have been trying to deep clean the inside of my home, including reorganizing my craft space. I am not fortunate to have an entire room dedicated to crafting; rather, I have a … Continue reading →

With more than a foot of semi-fresh snow on the ground, it certainly doesn’t feel like spring in my neck of the woods. Still, with March coming to a close and summer right around the corner, I know I should get cracking on my spring cleaning to-do list. While I have tackled some minor chores, I still have a ton of deep-cleaning to do. While most of us clean on a regular basis, there are some tasks that require more than just a quick disinfecting. Spring is one of the seasons that prompt people to really get serious about cleaning. … Continue reading →

It’s hard to think about spring cleaning when it’s twelve degrees BELOW zero out, not counting the wind chill (add that and it feels like -35!!). Yet, I can’t help but feel the need to purge a mountain of household junk that has accumulated inside and outside of our abode. Truth be told, the exterior of the house needs more work than the interior. That fact is exacerbated as the white snow turns an ugly shade of grey and further blends into the dirt that has accumulated around the brick structure. I have a spring cleaning list that grows by … Continue reading →