Tag Archives: Home Furnishings

My Messy Garage

How does the garage get to be such a mess? When I bought this house Hailey and I had lived in apartments for five years, we really didn’t have any “garage” stuff, or so I thought. Initially boxes were put in the garage until they found a home inside. This wasn’t a big deal, I have lots of room in the house and was working on figuring out where everything should go. Eventually it all found its way into the house. Except the seasonal decorations, those stayed in the garage. I have everything in plastic tubs labeled with the holiday … Continue reading →

My Favorite Household Cleaning Product: Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser

If I had to pick my absolute most favorite housecleaning product, do you know what it would be? It would be Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser. I especially like the kind that is scented with Febreze. One of the first times I remember using this product was when I was a preschool teacher. I had to clean off the tables that were caked with dried paint and crayon marks. The spray we used wasn’t doing the job. Then someone suggested Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser. It took hardly any effort to wipe those tables completely clean. I use this product for a … Continue reading →

Tackling Those Unseen Areas

In my last blog I asked what type of housekeeper you are. I confessed that I was the type who keeps up appearances but has hidden messes. I also talked about finally tackling those unseen areas. So where do we start? We start by writing a list (if you read enough of my housekeeping blogs, you know how I love lists). Take some time to write down every drawer, cabinet and closet that you want to tackle. Go through each room in your mind. You might even have other areas like trunks or shelves that need to be cleaned out. … Continue reading →

Which Type of Housekeeper Are You?

I believe there are three different types of housekeepers. The first type’s house is in complete disarray. You walk in and you don’t know where to step. Nothing can ever be found and you don’t know if the clothing on the table is clean or dirty. The second type of housekeeper is the one whose house is neat as a pin. Everything looks pristine and clean. You can find exactly what you need. Even the spices in the kitchen cabinet are arranged alphabetically. Then there is the third type of housekeeper. When you walk into this person’s house it has … Continue reading →

Cleaning With Baking Soda

Do you have baking soda in the pantry? Do you use it only for baking? Well, bring it out of the pantry because it can do so much more than just make cakes rise. Baking soda is one of my favorite cleaning products, it has so many uses, is inexpensive and best of all, it’s kind to the environment. The next time you reach for a chemical laden cleaner try baking soda, you will be amazed at what it can do! Some of my favorite uses: • Baking soda is a gentle scrubber, you can even use it on glass … Continue reading →

Dishwasher Fungus

Today I read a news article about fungus growing in dishwashers. To make it even more disturbing they tested two dishwashers right here in Utah where I live and they both tested positive for fungus. Seems that in a recent study 62% of dishwashers were found to have fungus growing in them, six out of ten seems like quite a lot to me. I spent the rest of the day nervously searching the internet for “fungus in dishwasher” while waiting to get off work so I could go home and check out my fungus ridden dishwasher. Personally I wouldn’t think … Continue reading →

How Fast Can You Clean?

I’m a huge procrastinator. I tend to overestimate the amount of time something is going to take so I put it off, because I don’t have time for it. That means that many things go undone and turn into even bigger jobs. Like the kitchen after dinner, I always think I’ll just relax for a few minutes and then I’ll get to it. While I’m relaxing I might read a while or work in the yard, anything but clean the kitchen. At the end of the evening as I’m getting ready for bed I realize the kitchen is still a … Continue reading →

Little Things Mean A Lot

Sometimes it’s the little things that can make your house seem much dirtier than it is. There are things we all tend to overlook as we are rushing to get the house clean along with all the other things we have to do every day. I have found that when I make a list of those little things and do them the house seems cleaner and brighter. Here are a few of the things I’ve found that seem to make a difference in the appearance of my house, even though I don’t really notice when they are not done: • … Continue reading →

Taming the Laundry Monster

Fellow blogger Carol Paxman inspired me with her recent blog, “Taming the Clutter Monster.” I couldn’t help but think of my least favorite chore, what I consider to be a monster…the laundry. Although it has gotten better since I have learned to delegate, it still sometimes feels like it’s all I ever do. I remember a few years ago a friend of mine who lives a couple of hours away was feeling burdened by her housework. She has five children and they were younger at the time. I offered to drive that couple of hours to come help. I couldn’t … Continue reading →

Deciding Who Is Responsible for Housework

Who is mainly responsible for the housekeeping in your home? In several blogs, I have mentioned the importance of delegating housework. Anyone who lives in a home should play some part in keeping it clean and orderly. However this doesn’t necessarily mean that the delegation of housework will be even. You also have to figure in each person’s age, outside responsibilities and other important factors that may play into it. For instance when my children were young, I was a stay-at-home mom. Since I was in the home more hours a day than my husband, I pretty much took care … Continue reading →