Fire Your Maid Service and Get Your Family Cleaning

Admittedly, I wouldn’t say no to maid service, if it was free that is. Since it isn’t I have to rely on myself and my family to do the cleaning. Getting three kids to clean is a chore in itself, even when just has to do with cleaning up after themselves. Still, I’d rather have train the family to clean than pay for a maid. Plus, this way, my kids get some valuable real-life lessons, thrown in. Routine is Everything Establish some cleaning routines, and cleaning won’t take up so much time. It is easier to do a quick wipe … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning Delegation

I have yet to complete my spring cleaning. Although I thought one month would be dedicated to it, life has just gotten busy and taken away from the opportunity to do so. In fact, I have only managed to get through three rooms. Even then, I didn’t completely finish the last one. So I have been thinking of some ways to make spring cleaning easier. Not in the sense that there is less work but in making it easier to accomplish. One of the things that I came to realize is I am trying to take on a house with … Continue reading

Clean Your Kitchen, Get New Appliances

Did you know that it is Whirlpool’s “Kitchen Clean Up Month?” Apparently it is the third annual one but since I’ve never heard of it, it’s news to me! An entire month to clean the kitchen, the only thing better would be if they sent someone to do it for me. The idea behind this is that since the kitchen is the busiest and messiest room in the house, we need to take the time to clean and organize it. The kitchen really does take most of the abuse in your home and most of us use it for just … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning Papers

Last weekend when I was spring cleaning my living room, I used my brand new upholstery cleaner. It just made economical sense to invest in my own, so that I always have it handy. When I took it out of the box, I read the instructions and set those aside. Later on I would put those instructions in a binder. That got me thinking about the importance of spring cleaning papers. Paper piles and clutter can be a real problem in many homes. Finding a way to eliminate the piles and clutter can not only make your home more functional … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning the Bedroom – Part 5

When you walk into your bedroom, do you feel like you have entered a sanctuary? Or does it feel more like chaos, with stuff all over the place? Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to make your bedroom what it should be, a place that you can feel comfortable entering at the end of a long day. It should be a place where you can receive a good night’s rest. Clutter and chaos take away from that. As I have been sharing in my other spring cleaning blogs, the best way to tackle any room is to clear it out … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning the Kitchen – Part 4

It’s time to do some spring cleaning in the kitchen. Start off by removing as many items as you can, including those things you keep on your countertops. Take out the table, chairs, microwave and so on. The more you are able to remove from the room, the easier your cleaning will be. Dust the ceiling and corners of the walls. Spot wash walls, doorknobs, outside of cabinets, switch plates, vents, etc. If you are dealing with grease or grime—especially around your stove—you may need a special cleaner. Dust or use a slightly damp cloth to clean wall hangings. Dust … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning Living & Dining Rooms – Part 2

Now we get down to business, with our spring cleaning plan room-by-room. Since most homes have their living and dining rooms attached, I am covering both in one blog. You may not have this type of setup and so you can focus on just one room at a time if it’s easier. My living room opens up into my dining room, so the way I begin is by emptying as much of one room as I can. I will put a majority of the things from the living room into the dining room and vice versa. Items I can’t fit … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning: Rugs

I could have easily spent the day on my porch pounding a winter’s worth of dust and debris from my kitchen and bathroom rugs… if it weren’t for the fact that we were pummeled with more than 14 inches of snow last night. Oh, and did I mention the 38 mph winds? So much for spring, but what can you expect living in Wisconsin. Part of my spring cleaning ritual is deep cleaning all of the rugs I have placed around the house. Some homeowners swap out rugs at the end of each season. However, my decor is very simple, … Continue reading

Spring Home Safety Check List

Just like a person, your home needs regular check ups to ensure that it is healthy, or at least safe for you and your family. Here are some things around your home that you should check in the spring. If you have an air conditioning system, have a professional air conditioning specialist (contractor) inspect your system. This specialist should also be able to clean and maintain your system. You don’t want to have any issues with it when summer comes. Replace the filter in your furnace (if you have one). Inspect your driveway and walkway, and repair any cracks or … Continue reading

Home Blog Month in Review: October

As I sit here looking out my window at the backyard, the birds are hovering in the pine tree against a strong wind and steady rain. The temperature is chilly today, and the calendar reminds me that we have left October behind. October 1st Buy a Home for $1.75 It seems that the housing crisis has made some interesting news lately. Home Month in Review: September 2008 Has the weather turned cooler now that September has passed? Pretty soon, it will be time to get that heat turned back on! Meanwhile, check out all of the articles that were posted … Continue reading