cleaning

Cleaning up for kids

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Cat in the Hat

We all know how hard it is to get kids to clean up. So the genius troops at the Henson puppet company have come up with this really cute Cat in the Hat video showing us all (and the kids of course) how fun cleaning up can be. One viewer (I’m guessing a child) commented “Now I want this song playing whenever I clean my room!!!”. Well I guess you could call that success. If all it takes is some cute characters to sing about cleaning up and kids start joining in then I guess that’s a result you can be proud of. Well done, Henson people!

What has worked for you to get your kids to clean up? Please comment below.

Posted in cleaning, getting things done, Ultimate Blog Challenge | 2 Comments »

Why you might want to consider using self storage

Sunday, March 25th, 2012

With the approach of Easter many of us get into spring cleaning mode. Everything around the house gets cleaned and scrubbed and this yearly cleaning ritual has been going on for centuries. Spring cleaning time is also a great time to declutter. This means sorting through all your belongings, not just cleaning them but deciding whether you actually want or need to keep them. Most of us have a lot more stuff than we need and a lot of people own a lot more than they have space for, resulting in cluttered homes.

But what can you do with all the items that are no longer wanted but still in good shape or good working order. The options range from selling or donating items you want to get rid of to making decisions on what to do with items that are rarely used.

The loft or garage are the usual suspects for these types of items but not everyone has a garage or a loft at their disposal. One option could be to use a paid storage facility and store your items there. These storage centres are located all across the country. They are safe, often climatised and you have access to your belongings whenever you need to. The items are even insured. Some storage companies, such as Safestore Self Storage not only store your items, they also offer other services such as selling boxes, crates and other packaging materials, and local pick-up and delivery of your items.

safestore storefront

The only question remains what sort of items you would actually pay for to have stored. Everyone needs to make that decision for themselves but some obvious contenders could be

  • Seasonal sports equipment
  • Heirlooms or items of furniture that you haven’t got space for at the moment but you’re intending to move
  • Documents needing to be kept for tax purposes (archive)
  • Children’s clothing if you intend to have more children
  • Your children’s items once they go to university
  • Items you want to keep safe if you go on an extended holiday
  • Camping equipment over the winter
  • Etc.

You can see a theme developing here. The best items to store are items that you or someone in your family will need again in the foreseeable future. These items are worth paying storage cost for.

To sum up, when decluttering decide on what items you want to keep and what items you want to get rid of. If space is an issue consider whether paid storage is a viable option for your belongings.

This blog post is sponsored by safestore logo

Posted in cleaning, clutter, declutter, garage, storage | No Comments »

Christmas Organising

Friday, December 18th, 2009

With Christmas fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to talk about a nice and fast way to organise the festive season. Some people start months before and once December comes around, they’re done and everything is organised. Not everyone is this organised or even wants to think about Christmas before December starts.

Here is a list I found on the Style at Home website that I would like to share with you. It covers 12 days of Christmas Organising and tackles pretty much all areas. If you jump in today (8 days to go) simply leave out tasks you can do without and combine a couple of days. You can still get organised, even if you haven’t started yet.

Keep your holidays in step with 12 days of Christmas organizing ideas.

Cooking and wrapping and decorating — oh my! With so much to do in the days leading up to Christmas it’s easy to get overwhelmed with holiday tasks. This year, minimize the annual festive frenzy with Style at Home’s 12-day countdown to a stress-free Christmas.
Day 12
• Clean out the fridge and freezer to free up space.
• Gather your holiday recipes and cross-reference the ingredients you have with the ones you’ll need to buy.
• Check your inventory of cookware, serving pieces, and food storage containers to see what’s missing. If you’re in need of something, contact a family member or friend to see if you can borrow or share items.
Day 11
• Shop for groceries and pick up everything you’ll need to complete your holiday recipes. If it can be baked or cooked ahead of time, buy the ingredients now.
• Be sure to purchase plenty of frozen hors d’oeuvres and finger foods – they’re a lifesaver when guests drop by unexpectedly.
• If you have kids at home, hire a babysitter rather than taking them with you. Shopping alone will help you stay focused.
Day 10
• Cook any dishes ahead of time that you can. Casseroles, appetizers and desserts can be frozen, thus saving you time on the big day.
• Before starting your cooking and baking, lay out all the ingredients and baking supplies you’ll need. Try to clean as you go, minimizing the mess.

Day 9
• Go gift shopping and try to cross off everyone on your list. Pick up a few small extras for last minute hostess gifts and unexpected visitors.
• Remember to include the people who make your life easier all year: the mailman, paperboy, or anyone else you can think of. Give them each a small gift and have it delivered right away in case they take time off over the holidays.
• Check and see if you need to stock up on any wrapping materials. Make sure there’s enough paper, ribbon, gift tags, and the one thing everyone always runs out of – tape!
Day 8
• Have a tree trimming or decorating party. Pull some hors d’oeuvres out of the freezer or serve hot chocolate and sweet treats. Have holiday music on hand and make it a fun occasion for everyone. Having friends and family over to help you decorate will save you time and help you relax.
Day 7
• Run errands and pick up any extras you may have overlooked on your last shopping trip. Think about things like logs for the fireplace, batteries for toys and gadget gifts, ornament hooks, club soda for spills, extra ice, matches to light candles, and replacement bulbs for strings of lights.
Day 6
• Hire a babysitter to watch the kids and devote some time to wrapping gifts. Make it enjoyable by listening to Christmas carols or watching your favorite holiday film while you do it.
• If you’re heading out to holiday parties over the next few days, print out the directions now. Put them all together and leave them by the front door.

Day 5
• Check all the linens you’ll be using such as tablecloths, placemats, and napkins, and make sure they’re clean and not musty. Give them a wash and iron or treat yourself to a professional dry cleaning.
• Pull out the special guest towels and decorative soaps and place them in the powder room.
• Clean out the foyer closet and free up space for guests’ coats and boots.
Day 4
• Go to the grocery store and stock up on anything you may have run out of or missed on your last trip. Pick up perishables like fresh vegetables and dairy products.
• Purchase any flowers you might want for holiday centerpieces and displays. It’s just enough time for them to open up and settle so they’ll look perfect for the big day.
Day 3
• Enlist the help of every member of the household and give the house a good spot cleaning. Dust, vacuum, and tidy up so you don’t have to worry about it at the last minute.
• Take the turkey out of the freezer and put in the fridge.
Day 2
• Set the holiday table and get candles, flower arrangements and music ready. Prepare everything you can so you can relax on the big day.
• Order takeout or pull a stress-free meal out of the freezer. Give the oven — and yourself! — a break and rest up for the following day.
Day 1
• Pat yourself on the back as you enjoy a relaxing holiday with those you love the most!

Have a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year 2010!

Posted in checklists, Christmas, cleaning, meal planning, organisation, planning, sanity saving, to-do list | No Comments »

How to Motivate Yourself for Cleaning

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Cleaning is one of those jobs that some of us really need to gear up for; it doesn’t come naturally. This post is for you.

Here are 5 super ways to get the oomph, to put your rear into gear to tackle the cleaning that needs doing around the house.

1. The Ultimate Motivator – Invite Someone Over To Your Home

Nothing gets you more going than knowing someone is going to pop in at a certain time. You will want to make a good impression and not let the sides down. After you’ve made the inviting phone call, go through the house with a visitor’s eye and you will see all that needs doing much clearer. Make a list and work through it. You’ve already got a natural deadline – you know when your visitors should arrive. And as a reward for all that hard work you can spend some relaxing time with your friend.

2. Clean Out Some Clutter

Decluttering is a very freeing exercise. As you get rid of items that you have been holding on to for years you begin to feel a sense of freedom, relief and clarity. It sounds corny, but it’s true and you won’t find out for yourself until you try it. Start in a small area, like a shelf or a side table. This will motivate you to tackle bigger projects. And with all those newly discovered clear surfaces you will find that cleaning almost does itself!

5. Rearrange a Room

This is another very good way to freshen up a room. In the process you will want to improve things and will start to clean and organise without even thinking about it. You don’t need to completely redecorate which can be costly, but simply move furniture, artwork, decorative items, etc. You will then want to keep it that way, all shiny and new looking, and are more likely to keep on top of things. And you never know, improving one room like this could even motivate you to extend that new fresh look to another room and soon your whole house will look like new.

Posted in cleaning, clutter, declutter, motivation | No Comments »

Back Among The Living

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Dear Readers,

After quite a long absence due to holidays and other inconveniences, 2 1/2 months to be precise, it is really highest time to update the blog again. I am sure you have missed my useful posts and Tuesday’s Tips and can’t wait to receive more.

So, to stop all this anticipation and because it’s Tuesday, here is a Tuesday’s Tip to get back into your organising:

Tuesday’s Tip – Cleaning Caddy

If the thought of cleaning fills you with dread because it always takes ages to gather all your supplies together, why not invest in a cleaning caddy (£2.98 from B&Q), that stores all your cleaning products and can be easily carried from room to room.

If you have more cleaning items than fit into the caddy think about scaling down. You don’t need different products for each surface in every room. A window cleaner (for windows and also great for bathroom sink, shower and bath), one surface cleaner for more delicate surfaces (ideally something that is environmentally friendly) and a general purpose floor cleaner. If you have laminate floors, use the laminate cleaner for the all floors. And you will need a cleaning cloth of course, ideally one that can be thrown in the wash once you’re done with it.

By cutting down on your cleaning products you will save money and also do your bit for the environment.

Posted in cleaning, declutter | No Comments »

Tuesday’s Tip – The Many Uses of Baking Soda

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

Last week we talked about white vinegar. This age old versatile ingredient led me to another one – Baking Soda. It’s just as versatile as vinegar, a lot kinder to the environment than many modern harsh chemicals and just as effective. And it’s a lot cheaper, too.

Here are some applications for this useful products:

  • Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odours. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.
  • To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
  • Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
  • To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.

For around 60 of these useful tips visit Belly Bites.

Posted in cleaning, saving money, stain removal | No Comments »

Tuesday’s Tip – The Many Uses of White Vinegar

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

After seeing White Vinegar being used on a few TV programme for all sorts of weird and wonderful purposes I decided to do a little research. And low and behold, I came across not just dozens but actually hundreds of uses for this amazing liquid.

Here are a few of them:

Gardening: Kill weeds and grass growing in unwanted places by pouring full strength white vinegar in cracks and crevices of paths and driveways.

Cleaning: Clean and deodorise a drain by pouring one cup of baking soda (another amazing multi purpose product) and 1/2 cup of hot white vinegar down the drain. Let this soak for 5 minutes, then run hot water afterwards.

Laundry: To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull use white vinegar in the final rinse.

Health: Stop insect bites and stings from itching by dabbing them with a cotton ball saturated with white vinegar.

Automotive: Remove the hazy film that builds up on the inside of car windows by spraying with white vinegar.

Pets: Prevent your cat from eating your house plants by spraying the leaves with a solution of white vinegar and water.

Find these tips and many more on www.vinegartips.com .

Or visit the Vinegar Institute.

Posted in cleaning, stain removal | No Comments »

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