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Finally the second installment in my "Tips on Tuesday" series, which hence forth will be called ToT (Tips on Tuesday takes up too much space). But I digress! My dear friend Libby requested that I do a ToT on cleaning since it's that time of the year when the weather has warmed up enough that people might actually brave the outdoors to leave their house and come to yours! I'm pretty darn good at organizing and cleaning if I do say so myself and I've also "discovered" some nifty double-duty items that can help you clean! So hold on tight folks because here. We. Go!!!
Organizing:
If you don't have an organizational system in place, how can you think that you'll be able to keep things clean and tidy all week long? If you're one of those people who starts off with a clean room on Sunday but by the time the following Sunday rolls around, you're surrounded by squalor and chaos, chances are you don't have an organizational system in place! So set one up!
- Open bins: I got a bunch of awesome black cloth bins at target and they really help streamline my closet and keep everything in its place! Because they're deep but also open on the top, its perfect for someone who is frequently in a hurry because then you can just toss things in when you're done using them! (If you put things away as you're done using them it saves tons of time in the long run!)
- Laundry hamper: I know this sounds silly but it's not what you think! If you're like my lovely former roommate Megan, getting dressed in the morning requires trying on 10 different outfits and then rushing out the door because you're late for class, leaving the carnage of discarded clothes in your wake! Or, if you just don't have time every day to put everything back where it goes (I know sometimes I don't) then try using a laundry hamper! I have 2 of those pop up mesh laundry hampers: 1 for dirty clothes, and 1 for all of the "stuff" that seems to breed and multiply every day! So when I'm in a hurry I just dump all of the "stuff" in the hamper and at the end of the week (or if I have time during the week) I sort and empty it!
- Plastic storage: is great for crafts! I have a cart on wheels and it really keeps things organized!
It doesn't matter what kind of system you use as long as it works for you! Think outside the box! Make it functional
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| My closet with the bins on the right and a curtain to divide it from my storage area |
Cleaning:
Tip: Divide and conquer! I often times get overwhelmed when I'm facing a disaster area aka my messy kitchen, office etc. So what I do is I break the chaos into little sections and focus on one section at a time!
Double Duty Items!
- Baking soda: it's your friend! Not only can it be used as an exfoliant, but if you have a stained coffee cup you can use it to get rid of the stain! Just place some on a clothe and gently run the stain until *ta-da* it's gone! Another nifty way to use baking soda is as a drain cleaner or a garbage disposal cleaner: Just pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a generous amount of vinegar. Immediately put a stopper in the drain so that the volcano aka the cleaning solutions can work on the drain...not the sink! (If you have a double sink (like you often see in kitchens, make sure you plug both sides! Wait 20 minutes and then pour extremely hot water down the drain! And now you have a clean and better smelling garbage disposal!!
- Vinegar: in addition to cleaning a garbage disposal and being an awesome for a volcano, vinegar is also great for general cleaning around the house! It is a natural antibacterial but without all those harsh chemicals people so often use! To get great looking hardwood floors, put a small amount in a bucket and then fill with hot water! It cleans the hardwood, disinfects it, and keeps it looking faboulous! Vinegar can also be used if your cat has an accident (ahem Shnookums): just soak up any excess liquid and pour some vinegar on! (If that doesn't work rubbing alcohol is amazing!) Finally, if you have weeds in your yard, you can dilute some vinegar and spray in directly on the weeds and BAM they're gone!!
Cleaning Products I swear by:
- Scotch's Fur Fighter: it really picks up the copious amounts of hair my cats seem to leave behind every where they go! I HIGHLY recommend it!
- Magic erasers: I've heard they increase your risk for cancer, but let's be honest: it seems like everything can cause cancer nowadays! Plus they actually work!
- Resolve Deep Clean Carpet Powder! It really makes carpet look brand new and smelling great but not overpowering...the next day any smell is gone so if you're picky "fuhget about it"! oh and there's a coupon right now for it (and all of their stain/carpet cleaning products): PowerofResolve.com coupon
- Rubbing alcohol: Great for getting stains out of clothes and for getting kitty vomit out of carpet (I'm pretty sure Sweetie is trying to tell me he has an eating disorder...). Get up as much as you can then pour plenty of rubbing alcohol on the stain. Leave it for about 5 minutes then blot it all up!
So...did these tips help?
That's all for now!
-RRR
With all the lemons finally ripe in everybody's yard, chop one up into quarters (use a not-so-perfectly ripe one) and toss it in the garbage disposal. INSTANT clean smell! You can also use it with baking soda. Cut a lemon in half, dip in baking soda on sliced side and then use that as a little scrubber. Works great on stovetops. :D (love your other tips too!)
ReplyDeleteI also recommend Borax for cleaning bathrooms and kitchens. It works wonders! And I agree, having a system and being consistent is key in keeping it clean!
ReplyDeleteThose were awesome tips! I knew most of it (but I'm kind of a natural cleaning nut-case) but it's excellent to have things reiterated (and I didn't know about rubbing alcohol... so win there!)
ReplyDeleteRunning ice through the garbage disposal will also sharpen the blades. Makes a horrid sound though.