A Recent Blog Find

I stumbled upon The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking the other day and really enjoyed its content. It's a fairly new blog but have already picked out several favorite posts including this:

The Five Stages of Housework (from Feb 2011)

1. Denial: My house isn't dirty, it's lived in.
2. Anger: You peed on your sheets on purpose, Didn't you?  Didn't you?
3. Bargaining: Maybe if i put this laundry basket in the hallway, the clothes will actually make it to the laundry basket...
4. Depression: Make the bed?  Why?  I'm just going to mess it up again later....
5. Acceptance: Well, nobody else is going to do it...

I can totally relate to this. :) Here are a few more of my favorites:

32 Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs (from Feb 2011)
This is a great list with some really easy and creative ways to keep entertained this winter.

10Ways to NOT Make Your Home a Haven (from Nov 2010)
I can see how perfection is a stumbling block for me. My home will never be perfect so I need to stop waiting for perfection before I invite people over. This was a really refreshing post for me.

Homemade Wool Dryer Balls (from Apr 2011)
A really handy tutorial that I'd like to try this winter.

Demystifying the Seasoning of Cast Iron (from May 2011)
I have a cast iron frying skillet and do not use it as often as I should. I don't know what to cook in it and I'm not sure how to take care of it. This is a great post to help me with the latter, but does anyone have any suggestions for what to make in my cast iron skillet?


Make sure you head over to The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking for more homemaking tips from the real world.

Disarray

My house is in complete.disarray. I guess that's natural when you're moving in less than two weeks but still, it kills me. I even ran out to McDonald's this morning (at 5:30a) to get some coffee since our coffeemaker is packed.

The packing has been getting horrible. We're down to the bones but there are things that I'm unsure of when to pack. Like clothes. I'm planning on getting the laundry completely caught up so I can pack bags for everyone for 1-2 weeks of clothes. Then I'm going to box up the rest and we'll live out of our bags (doing laundry along the way) for those few weeks we have left in this house.

And then food/dishes. I really don't want to use disposable dishes for two weeks but I'm thinking at the end of this week I'll probably pack my dishes. It's hard with little people but we'll make due. The silverware is another thing. Not sure when to pack that or to buy disposable and then wash them as we go. That way, at least the "real" stuff is packed and ready to move. And I think we'll be having a lot of frozen pizzas so I can pack my pots, pans and baking dishes. :) It's crazy!! :) I should make some freezer meals this week in disposable pans so that I can pack my real stuff.

Then there's the officey stuff. Our phone books, stationary, pens, pencils, calendar, bills, stamps, computer items, printer paper, etc. And tupperware. When do I pack all of that? After I go through and make sure everything has a lid and get rid of my "Dutch" tupperware (ie. yogurt, butter, cottage cheese, cool-whip containers).

We've been packing since last August and I'm sick of it. I want things to be put away. I want everything to be in their homes. I want to have a clean, noncluttered home so I can drink my coffee in peace.

Sorry to whine, vent and think aloud, but I'm about to my breaking point with the packing. I just want to throw stuff in boxes and move already. :)

How do you feel about packing, moving and unpacking? Any helpful tips for this weary soul?

I Wanna Try

Yes, this is another blog list cause I can't get things done quick enough. :) So to document my "wanna tries" and to share them with you - you may even be able to try them before me - here we go...

I've been thinking about doing this in my boys' room:
a) books that have their name in them
b) good "boy" books
c) my childhood favorites



from Project Nursery

Oh, how I've been feeling this lately. Would love to get a print of this for my kitchen, living room, or laundry room.


from Etsy's Twitterpated Toad

No more searching for blue jars - you can just make your own out of jars from a discount store. Yay!!


from Bridal Buzz

A great way to spruce up old jelly or pickle jars so you can repurpose those too. Or even a blue jar lid. :)



from Design Sponge

Thought this would be a great pillow for our bed. :) And I could even make this myself.



from Apartment Therapy

I thought this was a great idea for storage under a bed. Cute and purposeful. Does anyone have any old suitcases I could have? :)


from Better Homes and Gardens








 

 
This is probably my favorite!! I LOVE the organization in this small closet. And it's cute ta' boot!


from Better Homes and Gardens

 Words can not express. Mmmmm (as I wipe the drool from the corner of my mouth). I don't think I'll be able to wait until summer to make these treats. Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops?! Who wouldn't love to nosh on those right now?!



from Endless Simmer











Hope you enjoyed my latest findings. And please let me know if you have a chance to try them out before I get to them. :)

Random

Does anyone have any tips to get red fingernail polish out of carpet? I'd appreciate any suggestions: do's or don'ts. Thanks!

Best Friends Take a Bath

This all started as an emergency rescue before bed last night. Our oldest son dropped Peanut or Squirrel (TY Beanie Babies Nuts) into the toilet during our bedtime ritual.

We (dad) left him out overnight to dry but I wasn't satisfied with the cleanliness and so this morning I washed him with some Johnson's Head-to-Toe Baby Wash and put him in the dryer (on warm) and he came out fine. (Phew!!!)

Then our youngest was enjoying his Advent chocolate after breakfast this morning and proceeded to get chocolate all over Doggy (TY Classic Roscoe). After removing most of the chocolate with a washcloth I noticed that Doggy had a urine-smell to him (yuck!!). So, I washed him in a little bath with some Johnson's and put him in the dryer. (I was very, very afraid at how this would end up.)

As I waited for Doggy to finish drying, I searched online to find out if I could buy a replacement...and I'm in trouble. All of my boys' beloved friends are RETIRED. I can't find them anywhere, except on the TY website saying they're retired. So hopefully they won't be ruined by me...or themselves because they're going to be hard to replace.

Now, I'm just hoping that Bunny or Outside (TY Classic Brambles) doesn't have an accident and he has to take a bath and venture a trip through the dryer.

**Update: Doggy made it!! And he smells great. I don't know how often I can do this without ruining our poor furry friends, but I'm glad I tried it this time. I'm just glad that TY products are well-made.

Works-for-Me Wednesday: Favorite Uses for White Distilled Vinegar

When I was a little girl, I remember my mom mopping with vinegar. It just smelled so clean. But as we got older my mom stopped using it and used a "real" cleaning product to mop the floors.

Now, that our budget has changed I've stopped buying "real" cleaning products and started to make my own. And white distilled vinegar is in almost all of them. I've had to start buying the larger size because we use it often.

Here are some of my favorite uses for vinegar:

• Mopping the linoleum floor: 1 cup vinegar to every 1 gallon of water and 3 tbsp baking soda
• Removing the "ant" scent after an infestation: spray undiluted vinegar to the "ant trail" and the source (will not kill the ants, but will remove their scent and deter them from coming again)
• Cleaning my counters and spot cleaning the floor: spray equal parts vinegar and water over areas and wipe **DO NOT USE ON MARBLE**
  
• Remove mineral deposits in the coffeemaker: fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle; run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean (make sure to check the owner's manual first)
• Remove body odor or pit stains (and ring around the collar) from shirts: spray undiluted vinegar onto affected areas before washing
• Laundry rinse (removes build-up which can lighten your darks, acts as a fabric softener, removes musty smells from clothes): add 1/4 cup vinegar to rinse cycle
• Wash fresh veggies: add 1 tbsp vinegar to 1 1/2 quarts water
• Preserve flowers or liven up droopy ones: add 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp vinegar to 1 quart water

Here are some ideas that I'd like to try:

• Rinse your hair for increased shine: mix equal parts water and vinegar to a bottle and keep in the shower, rinse with mixture after washing (courtesy of Pioneer Woman)
• Clean deposits off your teapot: add 1/2 cup vinegar to water and let sit overnight, rinse well
• Clean dishwasher: pour 1 cup vinegar in empty dishwasher and run through a cycle, do monthly
• Clean the wheel of a can opener: using vinegar clean with a toothbrush
• And Many More!!
  

White distilled vinegar is an amazing product!! Most of these ideas come from Vinegar Tips.

Do you use white distilled vinegar in any exciting ways?

For more Works-For-Me Wednesday tips head over to We Are THAT Family.

How To Clean Your Gas Stove Drip Pans

I've been neglecting cleaning the drip pans on my gas stove-top for some time (as you can see by the first photo). They had gotten so bad that I priced new drip pans (way too expensive to just replace) and decided to check the internet for cleaning ideas or tips:

WD-40: did get the top layer of grime off, but not the really dark stuff underneath
oven cleaner: seemed a little harsh outside of the oven
boiling and scrubbing with baking powder: took a lot of time and only did an ok job

So, I decided to try my own methed. I rubbed Dawn Dish Detergent into the stains and poured hot water into the pans and let them set for about 15 minutes. Then I got out the steel wool and wiped away most of the grime. I had to scrub a little harder on the really bad ones, but they came out looking like new!!

Works-for-Me Wednesday: Weekly Home Blessing

FlyLady. I could post a year's worth of Works-for-Me Wednesdays just on FlyLady. If you want that much detail, you can just go to her site and check it out for yourselves. It can be very overwhelming at first, but it's been a great resource for me.

I've been trying to get into the groove of the Weekly Home Blessing and this week I have accomplished it. I guess it was hard to get into because I've been decluttering and trying to get things clean enough to clean...if that makes any sense. You spend a maximum of 10 minutes on each item (some take less). You set your timer for 10 minutes and get to work. If you're not finished with a task by the time your 10 minutes is up, you stop where you are and start there next week. I also pray as I work which really makes it feel like I'm blessing my home. Here's the list:

1. Cull/toss old magazines - this doesn't take much time because we don't get the newspaper and I don't get many magazines. I use this time to weed through any reading materials that have stacked up in our living room. It usually takes about 3 minutes to sort and about 3 minutes to put away.
* During this time I pray for God's blesssing on our country and in our world. I pray that the missionaries He has sent out can be reaching others for Christ. I pray that we may not be so focused on what the world's "standards of living" are but that we may have a Christ-centered home.

2. Change sheets - I think this is a great routine to get into. We have a few sets of sheets so it's not such a tragedy if they don't get laundered completely before bed, but starting the morning by clearing your sheets and putting them in the wash is a great way to get it done quickly.
* As I'm changing the sheets, I pray for my marriage. I pray that I will continue to put my husband before my children. I pray that God will bless our time together as a husband and wife. I pray that I may be Biblical submissive to my husband and that He may be blessed by it as well. I pray for my husband, that he may be the loving leader that our family needs and that God requires.

3. Empty all the trash - I didn't know if this one was so necessary as we empty when it gets full. My husband usually empties the trash, so on Mondays, this is my job (he gets to do it any other day of the week ;) )
* This is where I pray for God's daily blessings. I thank Him for our food, clothing, shelter. I ask God to continue to take care of our daily needs.

4. Vacuum all rooms - this is NOT a deep cleaning. It's just vacuuming around the living room, hall, bedrooms, dining areas and bathrooms. You don't have to move any furniture to get this done. It just cleans up the general living area.
* As I vacuum, I thank God for the luxeries: our television, our comfortable (falling-apart) recliner, our new mattress, our children's toys.

5. Mop kitchen and bath - I am terrible at this. I think I hate it so much because just when I get it cleaned, someone spills a gallon of milk, an entire bowl of spaghetti, a jar of jam (I'm exaggerating here, but you get the idea). This has kept me focused on at least once a week getting on my hands and knees to really scrub the floors. I don't do this every day and spot clean throughout the week. This just ensures that there's a clean base to begin the week with.
* While I mop, I ask God to continue to use my gifts for His glory. I pray that I can do a good job of cooking and cleaning as a Proverbs 31 woman. I pray for God to bless my kitchen and the work that is done there and all the enjoyment we have as we sit at our dinner table.

6. Clean mirrors and doors - this wouldn't be so bad, but our bedroom closet doors are large mirrors that our boys love to dance in front of...inevitebly getting fingerprints, nose markings, and some spit on them. It's a quick thing and my best tip for spotless glass - mirrors and other glass items - clean with warm water and Dawn dish soap. Spotless every time and no smears.
* Blessing my children is "easy" when I'm wiping their dirty fingerprints off my mirrors and doors. I praise God for the little hands that touch our lives. I ask God to bless my arrows that our parenting will be God-honoring and that we may be training our little hands to be warriors for the Gospel.

7. Feather dust furniture - again, this is not deep cleaning, this is dusting the areas that people will see. Decluttering your home and removing unimportant knick-knacks is a great place to start.
* I ask for God's blessings our our family as there are a lot of pictures in our home that need to be dusted. I ask for God to keep our family safe and say a special prayer for family members going through trials or tough times. I ask God to grace their lives with His presence.

This should take about an hour. I usually do it in the afternoon during nap time. It's been a great time saver and keeps me off the hook for the rest of the week (I still do the Zone Cleaning, but at least my surface cleaning is done). It's always easier when you set the timer.

Check out We Are THAT Family for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.

15-minute Pick-up

FlyLady always says, "You can do anything in 15 mintues." And it's true. All it takes is 15 minutes. Just set your timer and get to work. No distractions. No jumping from room to room. Only 15 minutes in one room! It's amazing.

Check out what I did in 15 minutes this morning:

This may not look like much, but we're not talking deep cleaning, just picking up and putting things away where they belong.

This was probably my biggest mess and I still need to go through all of my papers, but at least they're not scattered all over the desk.

Here, again, I put things away that shouldn't be out. I didn't have time to wash the dishes, but at least all the dirty dishes in the kitchen and living room were at the sink. Makes it easier to do if you don't have to keep refilling the sink or not getting finished because you keep finding "one more cup."

I didn't get the towels folded, but I decreased the distractions by putting the toys away, the coats and shoes in the closet.

Remember, this is a 15-minute pick-up, NOT A DEEP CLEAN. I'm not even talking about vacuuming. It's just a pick-up and put things away. My husband stopped home after lunch and was impressed by how "clean" the house was. He treasures having the house picked up and I try to honor that. It definitely doesn't happen everyday, but it happens when I set that timer.

Now, GO! Set your timer and see what you can get done in just 15 minutes.

(The dishes are now resting in the cupboards and the towels are folded and put away. Sometimes I just have to remove the other distractions so I can get some "real" work done.)

Works-for-Me Wednesday: Kitchen Face-cloths

This is my first Works-For-Me Wednesday and I decided to participate because of all the wonderful advice I've read through Rocks In My Dryer. On to what works for me.


I get really grossed out by the kitchen washcloth. It's used for washing dishes and wiping counters. I try to get a clean one out every night because I can't stand that dirty wash cloth smell. Eww!!

I also use washcloths to wipe my kids' faces after eating. I started using regular washcloths but never knew which one was for the face and which one I was using to wash the bowl that just held raw meat. See what I mean? That's gross!!

My solution is to use baby washcloths in the kitchen. I buy the really cheap colored ones and keep about 10-15 in my kitchen linen draw. (I use only white baby washcloths in the bathroom so when I'm folding laundry I know where they go.) It's been a great way to keep our kids from the stinky washcloth in the sink. I've started bringing my own face washcloths to other people's houses because a lot of times they'll just use the kitchen washcloth for my kids' faces. YUCK!!

For more Works-For-Me Wednesdays check out Rocks In My Dryer.