These are some awesome tips on how to KEEP your home clean (with less work).
Clean Your Floors With Vinegar
People with gorgeous, gleaming hardwood floors might be a little skittish about letting an acidic substance anywhere near the ground in their home. However, vinegar is an excellent cleaning substance: it’s natural, super cheap, and effective at getting rid of almost any stain. While you should never pour vinegar (or any liquid- including water) on your hardwood floor and let it sit, there is a way to safely clean hardwood with vinegar. Check out this tutorial by Becky at Clean Mama for more:
-When mixed with water, the solution’s acidity is drastically lowered and it becomes an effective method to wash hardwood floors.
-never let standing water sit on hardwood floors as it can warp and ruin the wood
-Use this recipe:
Chore Chart Inspiration
Keeping your home running smoothly requires some organization; even for the parts that are hard to organize…like your kids. Sometimes, getting kids to do what you ask them is like herding cats. However, it’s important that kids learn the vital life skills that chores teach them. Also, they need to know that you expect them to clean up after themselves, and do their part in keeping the home clean. One way to physically show your kids your expectations is by implementing a chore chart! For some awesome examples of how some parents are using their chore charts, check out this awesome post by Kerry at Kids Money Lessons. Maybe it will inspire one of your own!
Magnetic Chore Board From Lemon Squeezy Home
Dot Chore Chart From Kids’ Money Lessons
Simple Grid Chore Chart From Whimsy & Hope
Clean Kid Rooms???
For some parents, a clean kid’s room is a mythical being. You might get a rare glimpse every once in a while, but it’s gone as soon as it arrives. I know I gave my parents a hard time about it when I was a kid/teenager, and I only cleaned my room when I was absolutely forced to. (I’ve gotten better about it now, thank goodness). However, getting your kids to clean their rooms doesn’t have to be a huge battle every time. Read this article by Ruth Soukup at Living Well, Spending Less for tips:
-Set an example- keep your own room and the rest of the house clean
-Be consistent- set a routine, and stick to it DAILY
-Be firm- never take no for an answer, waver, or back down
-Get rid of excess stuff to make the job easier
-Make it fun- race to see who can clean the fastest, turn on music, dance, clean together.
Amazing Bathroom Cleaning Tips
When I clean my bathroom, I basically just make sure that everything that’s gross is no longer as gross. I clean the toilet bowl and seat, change the kitty litter, take out the trash, clean the sink…and that’s about it. I know I should really give more attention to the shower/tub and the floor, but I don’t really seem to have the time. I want to get better at cleaning and always have a sparkling home, so I look for posts that have really great cleaning tricks. Like this one from Tatanisha at A Mitten Full Of Savings! Here are her awesome bathroom cleaning hacks that I’m going to start using:
-Use magic erasers in the toilet bowl to save time on scrubbing
-Using a plastic bag and a rubber band, fill the bag with some plain white vinegar and rubber band it around your shower head. Leave it overnight and you won’t have to even scrub
–Baking soda is a must for bathrooms. You can mix it with a little water and it becomes a great non-toxic abrasive that is really low cost.
-Fill one of those soap wands you use to clean your dishes with dish soap and hang it on a hook in your shower. It’s handy to just do a quick scrub after each shower and you will never spend time scrubbing out your tile again.
DIY Household Cleaners
Making your own household items is a great way to save money. Cleaning products are super easy to make, and usually only require a few ingredients. Plus, with fewer chemicals and aerosols, they tend to be better for you and the environment. For a list of homemade household cleaner recipes, check out this awesome post by DIY Joy:
-Homemade wood floor cleaner from mom4real
-Window cleaner from wholenewmom
-DIY all in one bathroom cleaner from livesimply
-Homemade carpet cleaner solution from happymoneysaver
-Fresh lemon dishwasher detergent recipe from brendid
Decluttering Tips: Things You Can Throw Away Without Missing
I recently moved into a new apartment, and I was extremely selective about what I brought with me. I only kept essentials, like furniture, my laptop/electronics, toiletries, kitchen ware, and clothes that I’ve worn in the past year. I also kept things I love, like favorite books, movies, cosmetics, a few sentimental items, and craft supplies. And that’s honestly about it. My new place is clutter free and super easy to clean, and I’m much happier because of it. It’s less stress in my life, and it was really empowering to get rid of 70% of the junk I owned. And I don’t miss any of it! If you are doing some extreme decluttering, or just some basic Spring cleaning, read this post by Sunlit Spaces for things you should immediately throw in the trash:
-Old shoes- if they are ratty or smelly, toss them. Same with ANY clothing item with holes.
-Unworn clothing- if you haven’t worn it for a year, give it away.
-Unidentifiable fridge food- go through your fridge at least once a month and toss expired items.
-Wedding invitations and greeting cards- unless they have a serious sentimental value
-Books and movies- pare down your collection to only your favorites
-Expired coupons- go through the drawer where they inevitably accumulate and toss ’em.
DIY Kitchen Degreaser Solution
I am not the best cook in the world. My meals consist of pasta, cereal, sandwiches, and fried food. I am also not the healthiest person in the world.
While frying up some chicken, or pickles, or french fries, or bacon will make you a delicious meal, it’s often as rough on your kitchen as it is your arteries. You leave a thin layer of grease everywhere, and it’s almost impossible to get rid of (unless you stop frying food…which no one wants to do). That’s why I love this article by Jen at Inspiring Savings. Here’s her foolproof way for degreasing kitchen cabinets and counters:
Kitchen Cabinet Degreaser
In order to make this process work you are going to need roughly 1 gallon of hot water. Mix the amounts as listed above until completely dissolved. Then get started on cleaning your cabinets. Seriously! What are you waiting for? Go get started now
How To Make Hardwood Floors Look Like New
Hardwood floors are a beautiful investment for any home: they look great, add property value, and are easier to keep clean than carpet. However, if you have kids or pets or just a busy life in general, even hardwood floors will take a beating over time. Check out this post by Sherry and John at Young House Love for how get your floors looking like new again:
-Sweep the floor thoroughly
-Head to the hardware floor and grab some floor clearing spray, spray it all over
-Scrub the heck out of the floors with a mop
-Mop around the room again with a glossy floor restorer and voila!
The First Of The Month Checklist
I live my life through to-do lists. I’m not quite organized enough yet to keep track of a daily one, but I do make a list of goals I want to accomplish each month. It’s a system that’s worked well for me or the last two years or so. The first of each month, I make a new list, pay my bills, and get my mind ready for the upcoming weeks. That’s why I was thrilled when I found this list by Tyler Golberg at the Home Spot blog of monthly maintenance tasks to be done around the house. Time to add these to the list:
-Clean out drains and sink aerators
-Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
-Replace your air filter
-Check water filters
-Clean out coffee pot
-Make a budget for the month