Easy Carpet Spot Remover

My daughter came to me this morning and mentioned that one of the animals (cats/dogs) had gotten sick on her carpet over night. Has this ever happened to you?

This happens every so often here. It's always easier to get a stain out if it is fresh and not soaked in a while.  Unfortunately, we can't always tackle a stain when it's new, so here is what I've found that gets stains out no matter how long they've been there.

You probably already have all the stuff you need already in your pantry.

     * Blue Original Dawn Dish Washing liquid
     * Hydrogen Peroxide
     * A Wet Washcloth or rag 

I literally squirted a bit of Dawn dish washing liquid on the stain. Next I pour a cap full or so of the hydrogen peroxide directly on the stain. Then I simply take a wet wash cloth or rag and scrub the spot until the stain is gone. 

It took me about 2 minutes to tackle that spot and another 10 minutes to find and clean all the rest of the stains in my house. Especially those old, stubborn ones that wouldn't come out for anything cleaned up without a problem. It worked great.

Time-Saving Thanksgiving Cleanup Tips

Today's post is a guest post written by Nicole Rodriguez.  I'm sure these will help you on Thanksgiving I know they will help me. Enjoy :-)


You put a lot of time, thought and effort into making sure your Thanksgiving feast is a success. After a day of baking pies, peeling potatoes, basting the turkey and entertaining guests, you're ready to put your feet up and call it a day. Unfortunately, as you bid farewell to your last guest, you realize your job isn't done yet! You have a pile of dirty dishes, pots and pans and leftovers to contend with. To help make the daunting task of cleaning up after Thanksgiving dinner a bit less painful, we've compiled some tips and tricks with the help of whatscookingamerica.net, houselogic.com and goodhousekeeping.com that'll get you in and out of your kitchen so you can get some much-deserved rest.

Pre-Plan

A few days before Thanksgiving, clear out your refrigerator and freezer to make room for leftovers. Speaking of leftovers, make sure you have plenty of reusable storage containers (and matching lids) ready to hold the food.

• Bake and cook as much as you can the day before, so you won't have as much to prepare and clean on the big day.
• Spray pans and tins with a non-stick coating to help eliminate as much stuck-on food and grease as possible.
• Use multitasking cookware that can go from oven to table. Doing so cuts down on using all those serving trays that have to be cleaned later.
• Run your dishwasher and clear it out before guests arrive so it'll be ready to be loaded after dinner.
• Triple-line your garbage container, so as you fill up and go, you'll have a new one ready.
• Soaking dinnerware and serving trays while you entertain your guests will save you scrubbing time later. If you have a lot of guests, your sink will quickly fill up. Fill a large, plastic storage bin with hot, soapy water instead and hide it in your mudroom, pantry, or garage. If you have the space, put a medium-sized bin under your sink. Fill your turkey roaster with hot water and soap and let it soak hidden away in your oven.
• While mingling with your guests is your top priority, try to sneak away whenever you can to keep on top of the mess, such as clearing the counters and storing food away.

Once the guests are all gone you have to deal with what's left to clean. You may be tempted to just turn out the lights, head to bed and deal with the mess in the morning. Don't! It'll feel worse facing the mess the next morning.

• Food that needs to be refrigerated needs to be taken care of first. If perishable food has been left out for more than two hours (such as dairy-based dip) it should be tossed for safety reasons.
• When clearing remaining dessert dishes, coffee cups and utensils, do as the pros do it - use an empty bin to load as many items at once. This saves you from having to make lots of trips from the kitchen to the dining area.
• Load the dishwasher with as many small items as possible. It's easier to have to wash a few larger things, than dozens of smaller things such as utensils, glasses and dessert plates.
• Let the turkey roaster soak overnight; it'll be even easier to clean the next day.
• To get rid of lingering odors from cutting boards, rub the surfaces with slices of lemon.Those plastic storage containers are notorious for holding on to odors and stains. Get them clean and smelling fresh with a solution of baking soda and warm water to remove odors and stains. Rinse and dry.

Enviro Maids LLC is a family-owned and operated maid service based in Stamford, CT and serving homes throughout Fairfield County, CT and Westchester, NY with professional green cleaning maid services.

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Article Source:  Time-Saving Thanksgiving Cleanup Tips

It's Time for Some End of the Season Cleaning

It's that time of year again. Time to get your home ready for the colder weather. It's an end to all the fun in the sun, swimming pools, gardens and running through the sprinkler.  At least until next summer.

The colder will be here soon and now is the time to get your home and your family ready for it.

Outside

Summer Water Toys
Time to cover the swimming pool and pack away all the summer toys. Any pool or water toys need to be deflated protected from the weather.

Gardens
The first frost is right around the corner and most of the vegetable plants aren't producing anymore. Time to take down the tomato cages and anything else that isn't permanently in place. This helps to keep your yard looking nice and helps insure your stuff doesn't blow away or break during a storm.

Grills
A well fitting cover for your grill will help protect it from the elements. Grill can be quite expensive and this is an easy fit to avoid a rusted out bottom.

Lawn Care
Now is the time to cut the grass on last time and then stow away your lawn mower, weed whacker and edger until spring. Just make sure to leave out the rake - there are plenty of leaves left to round up.

Snow Equipment
While it's still a little warm take your snow blower in to get a tune up to make sure it's in perfect working order for the first snow fall of the year.  Also move your snow shovels to a place that is easy to access.

Heating Unit
One thing you really should do is get your heater/furnace/boiler tuned up. Especially units inside the home because of the danger of carbon monoxide leaks. The earlier in the fall season you schedule a tune up the lower the price usually.

Inside

Chimney/Fireplace
It's important to make sure your chimney is clear and in good working order before you start using it each year. Make sure you have a good supply of wood or pellets on hand early in the season to avoid the higher prices mid-winter when the demand is higher.


Clothes
Time to put all the shorts and tank tops away for the season and pull out the sweaters and jackets. One big tip is to try the clothes on you or your family haven't worn in a while to make sure they still fit before you store them away.

Windows/Doors
Insulating the windows and doors help keep your heating costs lower. There are lots of ways to block out drafts of wind. Some are ways are easy and fairly inexpensive such as thermal curtains, hanging heavy quilts over your windows at night, draft stoppers for doors. While other methods are more expensive such as adding more insulation to your attic or installing better doors and windows.

Quilts/Blankets
Now is a great time to break out the quilts and blankets to put on your beds or just to cuddle with. This is especially nice when you can just use a quilt instead of turning on your heat when it's a little chilly first thing in the morning.

These are just a few of the ways to prepare your family and home for the colder months. Feel free to share any tips you or your family use during the winter to keep warm.

How I Organize a Small Bedroom

I've had problems with my youngest daughter's room for years. It is the smallest and she has the most stuff.  I've tried to control the clutter with a few tricks.

First, she has had this bookshelf/toybox which was a bit babyish. It holds a lot of stuff, but she is 9 now and didn't want it anymore. Plus all the toys in the bottom would get lost or buried under the rest of the stuff. Basically, you couldn't find what you were looking for unless you emptied it all out.

So in my searches for a solution I came across this really great shelving unit at Target for $39.99. It matches the rest of the furniture in her room. Plus it can grow with her or can be used in other parts of the home if she no longer wants it.

Right now she stores some dolls, Legos, books and more in her shelving unit, but in the future she can keep her books, craft supplies, clothes or whatever. It's very versatile.

Utilizing a loft bed was one way I managed to create more space in a small room and control the clutter in her bedroom.   I purchased a junior loft bed that wasn't so high off the ground and then stored lots of stuff underneath. Then I concealed the stuff with cute little curtains, so no one can see all her stuff.

Another organizational quick fix I made was hang little hooks to store all her necklaces on. She has a lot of necklaces that she likes to wear. I decided to hang them up near her dresser and mirror so she could try them on as she's getting dressed.

Lastly I used a over the door shoe container to keep all her shoes off the floor and out of the way. It's an easy dollar store fix and saves lots of space. The over the door containers can also be used for dolls, hair accessories, socks, jewelry, little toy cars and lots, lots more.

These are just a few of the ways I organize a small bedroom. What are your favorite ways?

Fall Cleaning - The Mom's Guide to Keeping Your Home Tidy All Season Long

Today's post is a guest post written by Kim Gellman.  Enjoy!

Start your fall home cleaning this year off on the right broomstick, and you can keep your home organized well into spring. Read on for tips from a veteran mom/"family maid" about how to clean your home this season...and keep it that way!

This time of year, as the weather cools, it is time to unpack winter clothes and start storing summer items to make room. Just in case though, select a few favorite summer items to keep in the closet in the event of a warm day. A pair of shorts and a couple of coordinating shirts will be sufficient. Next, look through all the other items in your closet and sort them into three piles: keep, donate, trash.

Pile one: items to keep for next season.

Space bags are a great way to store clothes if the closet's overflowing. For easy access later, grab a sheet of paper and label what is in the bag and place it inside (face out) and then suck up the air in the space bag. These bags can then be placed anywhere out of the way, either under a bed, in the basement, or even in the garage.

Pile two: items to donate and/or consign.

For the pile of items to donate or consign, do so immediately or it will simply be in the way. Give the household members a chance to sort through the pile first though, maybe a younger sibling might want something from her older sister's donate pile? This will help to save on clothing costs, but make sure you don't end up reassigning all the clothes without getting rid of anything. Perhaps tell family members to donate something of their own for every item they take. This process should be kept short, maybe give everyone a day to decide and then bag the donate pile and immediately place it in the car. Once in the car, it will be much easier to remember to drop the items off at Goodwill, a clothing drop-box, or your local consignment shop.

Pile three: items that are stained, soiled or just do not fit anyone in the family correctly.

Now all that's left is the throw-away pile. However, before pitching everything in this stack remember the motto: "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Sometimes it can seem that every other item of clothing in a kid's closet, especially after she hits high school, is a t-shirt. And old t-shirts make great cleaning rags! They can also be turned into an eco-friendly shopping bag you can simply throw into the washing machine. Just cut out the front of the shirt sans sleeves, sew together like a bag and cut a strip of material from the shirt to attach at the top for a handle. Also, all those worn, holey jeans can be sewn together as a denim quilt! Be creative!

Remember that every family member in the house can do this with their closets. Perhaps you can offer a quarter for every item the kids recycle, throw away or donate as encouragement to reduce clutter and make space in your home?

But, if it's difficult to keep the closets clean, it's a downright war battle to keep your little tike's room even somewhat organized (or at least looking that way). To cut down on the clutter, here are a few final suggestions.

Grab-and-go outfits

After laundry day, place coordinating outfits together within easy reach in your child's room, such as in a low dresser. Put items like socks and underwear with the clothes so he can just grab-and-go. Clothing like her Christmas dress, or his suit for church should not reside in the dresser. Instead, store formalwear, or anything to be kept nice, high up in their closet or in yours, if you have the room.

Separate the toys for easy access and organization

For toys, a large, sturdy box is a great place to throw everyday playthings for a quick five minute clean. Make this simple process a part of your child's routine by reminding or helping her pick everything up and put it in the toy box before bed every night. This is helpful because then you both know exactly where the toy is next time little Markie wants to play with it. Items like crayons, paints, Legos, etc. shouldn't live in the toy box however, but instead in small see-through containers. Spend five dollars on a few of these at the dollar store and then label them. To make it easy for the little ones, label with a picture so it's clear what should go in each box. These boxes can then be put on the floor of the closet within easy reach of short people, but out of the way for everyone else.

The clean-up game

During the day, toys can (and will) end up all over the house, not just in the bedroom or family room. Most parents with small children find toys in the bathroom and kitchen too! Make cleaning up this clutter a game for the kids; set the timer and race to finish before the alarm sounds. Play the game anytime the house looks a mess, maybe right before Daddy comes home from work, or when Grandma and Grandpa are on their way to visit. Turn up some music, whatever the kids like, and set the oven timer or alarm clock for five minutes and run around like the wind. You will be amazed how much can be picked up, thrown away, and put away if everyone just focuses at once. The music, the game challenge, and the running will make cleaning fun for kids of all ages. And if the kids are gone, you might try this for ten or fifteen minutes on your own. In fifteen minutes a mom can clean out the dishwasher, put new dishes in, and vacuum the house with time to spare (although it might take a dad slightly longer)!

Anticipate loose ends

All families with small kids, big kids, lots of kids or one kid have a problem with children bringing home notes, artwork, bake sale information and the like, and organizing such items goes a long way to reducing clutter. Have one place in your home, like a lid to a copy paper box, where the kids can place all these items as soon as they bring them home. Make sure to rifle through the box several times a week, to make sure you don't miss the talent show or parent/teacher conference day. Beautiful artwork from little Sami that cannot EVER be thrown away should be placed in a special keepsake box, not here. All other items will eventually be forgotten and will make their way to the bottom. Purge these outdated items from the box roughly once a month. However, when you pitch old artwork or drawings, place them in a bag first or somehow hide it in the trashcan. Your little Picasso always has a way of recognizing her artwork even if it has old mashed potatoes on top, and if you don't do this before tossing, she will drag it out of the can and insist it be put on the fridge or another place of importance. And that's just plain unsanitary!

Good luck! Maybe with a few preparations, fall cleaning this year will last until spring!

In the late 90's Kim Gellman started her business Artistic Sensations.com. Her motto is the one-stop-shop to create your child's dream room. She is a mother of two, and considering that one is a teenager, she's done her fair share of home cleaning. You can find some her ideas for kid's room themes here - http://www.artisticsensations.com/new/bedding/RoomThemesKidsRoomDesign.asp

Article Source: Fall Cleaning - The Mom's Guide to Keeping Your Home Tidy All Season Long

How to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit, but I haven't cleaned my kitchen cabinets in years. It's one of those things I kept putting off and putting off and somehow a couple years have past. It's sort of like the space behind the stove or under the refrigerator. I just forget about it. Out of sight - out of mind.

Don't get me wrong I clean up an spills, stains, etc., but to scrub every cabinet front - it's been a while. It took me about 2 hours to clean every cabinet in my kitchen and I don't have a big kitchen either. Now that it's done it looks fantastic and I feel proud that I'm taking care of my home.

I wanted to share what I use to clean my cabinets, because, if your like me, you want to keep your home clean, but don't want use anything that might remove the finish or damage the wood in any way.

The solution I use is really, really easy and inexpensive. I use 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts warm water. Really. That's all.

Either spray it on to the cabinets directly or fill a bucket or sink with the solution.  Then scrub with a rag and wipe dry with a clean cloth. 

It manages to get all the crud and grease off the cabinets which is pretty amazing because we cook in our kitchen everyday.

Don't get me wrong, you still need to scrub, but it comes off pretty quick using the vinegar/water solution.  Now my cabinets shine and look almost like new which is pretty good for them being over 10 years old.

If you use something different please leave a comment. I'd love to hear what work for you.

My Fave Tips of All Time

Here are a couple of my absolute favorite - most useful tips of all time. I hope they will help you as well.

1.  Salt Puts Out A Grease Fire In The Kitchen.
I've actually used this one. My hubby loves to cook bacon on the weekend. Unfortunately he tried to move the pan that had way too much cooking grease on it and some spilled onto the burner creating a fire. There were flames about 8-10 inches high.

Simply pouring regular table salt onto the flames is a simple and inexpensive way to put out a fire before it gets too large. Obviously use a fire extinguisher if you have one and if you don't and the fire spreads get out of the house and call the Fire Department.

2. Shaving Cream Takes Sharpie Marker Off Skin
I've mentioned before that I worked as a recess monitor a few years ago. At that time, I had a kid sneak a marker out to recess and decided to draw on themselves with it.  All over himself.

The teacher on duty, myself and another recess monitor all tried various things to get the marker off. Nothing would get the marker off. At home I was still trying to find something that would work and finally found out that regular cheap shaving cream took it off with a little rubbing.

3. Vinegar Gets Smells Out of Laundry
I use this one all the time. Simply put 1/4 cup or so in the wash during the rinse cycle. It takes out all smells including smoke, musty odors, sweat, etc.

4. Baby Oil to Clean Glass Shower Doors
Where I used to live we had glass shower doors in our bathroom. They were the hardest things to keep clean. They would become covered in soap scum, hard water stains and other gunk.

Here's how I cleaned them. Take a wash cloth and pour some baby oil on it. Rub the dampened wash cloth on the shower doors. It will remove all the gunk on the glass and become clear.

5. Rubbing Alcohol Cleans Mirrors and Windows
I haven't purchased a name brand window cleaner in years instead I use generic rubbing alcohol. Put some in a spray bottle and spray it onto the mirror or window and wipe off with a paper towel. No streaks are left behind. Much cheaper than name brand cleaners and works just as great.
 

How to Clean Ink off Dolls

How many times have one of your kids decided to draw "make-up" on their dolls with a permanent marker? What about an ink pen?

Well I've thrown away dolls that had their faces covered in ink and marker before.

Not anymore!

I found a way to get all the ink and pen marks off your dolls. The magic ingredient only cost $10 or less.

I started with a Next Generation Doll (sold at Target and similar to American Girl Dolls).  I found it at a local Goodwill store for less than $2.

The doll had lots of pen marks on her face, even eyelids. I figured magic eraser would get it right off.

Well I was wrong, but I didn't want to throw the doll away or donate it back to Goodwill in that condition. So I did some digging online to find out how to get the ink off.

I found a magic solution. It's 10% benzoyl peroxide - it's found in acne medicines. Yep acne medicine!

First you take the acne medicine and apply it to the pen marks and marker marks.  Next you take some ordinary plastic wrap and place it over the marks and acne medicine.

Now the part where the magic happens. Take the doll outside and place it in the sun. I recommend covering the dolls hair because it could dry the hair out.

Okay so here is how the doll looked after 3 weeks of the acne cream on the doll left inside by a window.  It did manage to get all the ink off, but not the marker. That's when I learned it works much better outside in the direct sun while wrapped in plastic wrap.

FYI: This doll has freckles.

This is what it looks like after 3 hours in the sun outside. It works much faster and better!!

This treatment works on Barbie dolls, American Girl dolls, and most baby dolls. Just make sure you check the dolls every once in a while because the treatment can bleach the skin.

Hopefully this will help you save a doll in your little one's life. I'm off to save more dolls.

Freebies on Friday - May 10, 2013

TGIF! To start the weekend off on a thrifty note I'm sending out my usual Freebies on Friday post.

This week I've included 4 ebooks and 3 samples by mail. I hope you enjoy them and have a wonderful weekend.

Upcycling 101: How To Recycle Your Household Trash, Old Items, and More


110 Ideas to Keep Kids Busy Without Technology


Wake Up! You're Probably Never Going to Look Like That: How to be Happier, Healthier and Imperfectly Fit


Decluttering Your Home; The Easy Way: The Complete guide on Decluttering, Get Tips On Organizing And Bringing Order Back To Your Home



Samples
Jelly Kidz - Jelly Bean Vitamin Sample
Garnier Fructis Fall Fight Shampoo and Conditioner
Free Pepsi Next

* Please note the ebook links are affiliate links but at the time of this publication all the books were listed as free on Amazon.com. All the remaining links are not-affiliate links and I am not compensated for sending people to any of them.

Dealing with Pack Rat Kids

It's a chilly, rainy day here in Maryland and I'm into cleaning, decluttering and purging throughout the house. I can't really stand having clutter all over the place. Piles of stuff with no organization or order just make me feel claustrophobic. Guess I'm sort of a neat freak.

My hubby and two older kids are reasonably like minded. They like being able to find their stuff when they want it and really don't like tripping over toys in their rooms. Each night we remind all the kids to take their toys or electronics back to their room at bedtime leaving our living room neat and clean ready for the next day.

The only one not of the same mindset is my youngest who's 8 years old. While we love her immensely, she is a bit of a pack rat. She has a VERY short attention span and quickly moves from one thing to the next totally forgetting the previous task. Plus she tries to save everything. You may remember I posted about her room here back in December. Well, it's a bit of a mess again.

We're wondering if it's just her or is it partly her room to blame. In her defense she does has a very tiny room (about 8X9). She has a twin loft bed, a tall dresser, night stand, a bookshelf/toy box and a small table to do homework on. That's a lot of stuff and doesn't even include her toys which as many of you know smaller kids have bigger toys.

She seems to collect anything my older two don't want and that's natural, but she doesn't really want to part with an equal number of her younger kid stuff.

The hubby and I are considering getting rid of a good sized chunk of her toys. This would be devastating to her plus we wonder if she would have it messed back up in no time flat.

We are at our wits end.

Any advice for some neat freaks dealing with a pack rat child???

Storing Clothes for Younger Siblings

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I have 3 kids. Two girls and a boy.

Well my oldest daughter is currently 13 and my youngest is 8. Being a frugal minded mom - I save my oldest daughter's clothes to give to my youngest when she is able to fit into them. Since there is such a different in their ages I had to find an organized way to store the clothes and a place to keep them.

Keeping them was no problem as we have an average size attic. Under the bed storage would also work.

Organizing the clothes was easy as well. I purchased a couple storage totes (blue plastic 18 gallon size). Nothing fancy, but very strong and durable.

I've been doing this since my youngest was born and have always needed about 4-6 storage totes. It takes up a bit of space, but it saves me tons of money when it comes time to buy clothes.

It's the easiest to sort the clothes by size and season. For example right now I have 5 totes (size 7/8 Winter, size 10/12 Summer, size 10/12 Winter, size 14/16 and up Summer, size 14/16 and up Winter).

I save everything that is still in good condition - no stains, rips, etc. Then when my youngest can finally wear that size she and I go through the saved clothes and she picks out what she likes and what fits.

If the clothes don't fit my daughter when she reaches the size I simply donate or sell them on eBay. Which can happen with height and weight differences varying between siblings.

In the five years between my oldest and youngest trends change, so we try to buy less trendy clothes. We get the basics and then wait to purchase a couple trendy accessories later.

In cases where you only have one child - you can still use this system. Just keep a tote or two and purchase items in larger sizes on sale, clearance or at yard sales. Or better yet ask for hand me downs from friends and relatives with the promise to pass the clothes along when you're done with them.

Kids grow fast and buying clothes can be very expensive. Use this simple system to save your family some money.

Clean With Baking Soda

I found this interesting tip on Pinterest the other day and had to give it a try.

The tip showed how to get your stainless steel kitchen sink looking brand new with a little bit of baking soda and water. I was skeptical.

I already had some baking soda, so I figured what the hay.

So I took plain old baking soda and mixed it with a little water and scrubbed. Here's how it turned out. It's a lot shinier and looks great. Not too bad considering how old it is.

Then I tried cleaning other things like the bathroom grout and it worked really well. I didn't take pictures of all the different places I cleaned. I was on a roll. :-)

Baking soda is much cheaper than all the fancy/specialty cleaners. I think I'll be using baking soda more often to clean with.

Taming Kids Clutter

Do your kids have a drawer like this? Full of a ton of little toys?

My youngest loves little, tiny toys. Polly Pockets, Littlest Pet Shop, kids meal toys, Barbie accessories, etc.

This is what her drawer looked like this morning before she went to school. There is no after picture because it doesn't look much better with half of it gone.

I'm a neat freak and want everything grouped together in nice, neat containers, unfortunately, my youngest is not. She is my messy child. My borderline hoarder.  She collects paper, jewelry, toys of all sizes, shapes and conditions (broken and not), rocks, well almost anything really.

So here is how I help keep the toys to a minimum.

One In One Out
For every toy that comes home they need to choose one from their current toys to give away.

Avoid the Toys
When given an option, we choose not to get the toy that comes with some kids meals. They are usually low quality and my kids never play with them for more than 5 minutes. We prefer the meals that comes with books or games.

Purge
Every few months go through the toys and get rid of anything broken, missing pieces, or that the kids don't care for anymore.  I usually do this when my youngest is at school, but I only get rid of toys I haven't seem anyone play with in a long time, if at all.  My older two kids do this on their own.

Give to Charity
When all my kids were little we would get duplicate toys from the kids' meals. I would save the extras (unopened) and send them into school to be used in a prize box. Doctors and dentist offices sometimes give away small gifts to kids who needed a shot or who had really good dental report. 

9 Uses for Baby Oil

Lately I've needed to use baby oil quite a bit, so I thought I would share some of the ways we use it.

1. Removes Temporary Tattoos
Kids love temporary tattoos and so do some adults. You can get some elaborate ones at fairs, carnivals and amusement parks. They usually last a week or so. However, you're ready for the tattoo to be gone simply soak a cotton ball in baby oil and rub the tattoo away.

2. Removes Make Up
Pretty self explanatory. Put a little bit on a cotton ball and wipe the make up off. Be careful not to get it in your eyes.

3. Massage Oil
Sore and achy muscles always seem to feel better after a nice massage. Baby oil helps your hands slide easier and it moisturizes the skin at the same time.

4. Shaving
All out of shaving cream? Try using a bit of baby oil. It helps the razor slide across your skin with ease. It also is great for after shaving to help nourish dry skin especially in winter.

5. Treating Cradle Cap in Infants
My kids all had cradle cap when they were infants. I would put a small amount of baby oil in their hair prior to a bath and then use a fine tooth comb to remove it. Usually had to do this a little at a time or their head may become red and sore. Wash the baby oil out afterwards.

6. Clean Glass Shower Doors
This works great for cleaning glass shower doors. Put some baby oil on a wash cloth and rub in circles on the inside of the shower doors. They will become crystal clear and it is much cheaper than name brand shower cleaner.

7. Crayons off Painted Walls
If you have kids you know that they sometimes draw in the most inappropriate places. Mine drew all over their bedroom walls. I tried everything and found that baby oil works the best to get the crayon off. Then I followed up with soapy water to get the oil off. Looked like new when I was done.

8. Squeaky Door Hinges and Stuck Windows
A small amount of baby oil on door hinges will help them stop squeaking. It will help windows open and close easier when applied to the sides.

9. Lubricate Keyholes
If you've ever had a key that doesn't want to turn properly or gets stuck. Wipe the key down in oil and then try to open the lock a couple times. This helps lubricate the mechanisms in the lock.

Stay Healthy This Season If You Can

The past 2 weeks my family has been dealing with the fevers, sniffles, coughs and sore throats. Basically feeling icky! Camped out on the sofa eating lots of chicken noodle soup.

Apparently, there is some nasty bug going around because a couple friends and family members have also been sick. I guess my kids didn't want to feel left out. LOL

My oldest and youngest both have had strep throat and a really bad cold. They had a fever for days and sore throat with coughing. However, a round of powerful meds later, they are back to school and feeling a bit better.

Being the holidays, you are naturally are around more people. Stores are crowded. Holiday parties. Plus more people are home (kids are off school, visitors come to stay, etc.) So how can your family avoid the same illnesses?

Here are a couple ways to stay healthy this holiday season.

Wash Your Hands 
Common sense I know but you really do need to wash your hands frequently. If you can't wash your hands at least use hand sanitizer. Just think about how many hands touched your shopping cart handle, door handles or railings on steps or escalators.

Eat Healthy
During the holidays it's tempting to eat all those delicious baked goodies. I'm not saying you can't eat them, just make sure it's in moderation. Make sure you eat some fresh fruits and veggies too. A helpful idea is to bring a veggie platter instead of your homemade Christmas cookies this year to the holiday party.

Get Your Rest
Doing too much, eating too much and stressing over all the stuff you want to do this season can really make you feel run down. Make sure you get a good nights sleep each night and a nap here and there. It could give you more energy and also help you look more refreshed for your festivities.  Give your mind and your body a break.

Exercise
Try to add in some activities that are more physical. Even something as simple as walking the mall can help boost your spirit, reduce stress, and keep your waistline in check.

Clean
Do a thorough cleaning of your home. Every year I would get sick in late December through early January, so I started doing a thorough cleaning of my house in early December. I take a bucket of bleach water and wipe down all the walls, doors, doorknobs, counters, appliances, etc. Any place I feel germs could accumulate. I also clean all Christmas decorations as I put them up. Not just the knick knacks and ornaments. Garland and the Christmas tree both get a good blowing with the blow dryer to get any dust off.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you stay healthy this holiday season. They are common sense, but they really do work.

Birthday Party Prep on a Tight Budget

Okay my little one has a birthday party this weekend, so I'm in full on cleaning mode.

I'm obsessive about it. I clean everything! Walls, floors, door knobs, and everything in between. I just use bleach water twice a year to wipe down almost everything. It really helps cut down on colds and stomach bugs in our household.

Yeah I know it's a waste of time to clean so meticulously. The house only stays clean for the first 1/2 hour of the party normally, but hey, at least it's clean when the guests arrive.

We're expecting about 6 eight year old girls. There will be lots of little girl giggling I'm sure. Not to mention Polly Pockets and dress-up outfits all over the floor.

My youngest daughter's party is the hardest for our family each year because it's right around the start of school. Things are  pretty crazy around here at the beginning of school - lots of added expenses. School supplies (extras that are not on the list from school), mandatory magazine subscriptions, dance uniforms, chorus uniforms, and a crazy $100 mandatory graphing calculator. UGH!

So this year her birthday is going to be on a very tight budget. Like a $50 budget. That's food, gifts, goody bags, invitations and all. Everything for $50.  Here's how it breaks down:

$40 for presents
$5 for goody bag from the dollar store and Party City
$1 invitations from the dollar store
$4 food - cake mix, icing, popcorn, pretzels from Aldi's and dollar store

Given time and a few resources I normally create some really neat party invitations, party favors, food or decorations. Anyways, that's on tomorrow and Thursday's agenda.

Tidy Tuesdays - Clean in a Snap

As a stay at home mom, my focus is on taking care of my family. I'm always looking for ways to save time doing what I HAVE to do, so I can have more time doing what I WANT to do. Spend more time with my family.  I've mentioned it before, but the way I keep my house clean is by using a schedule. To show you what I mean here is what I do each week:

Mondays
Clean the kitchen - besides the usual tidying up after meals like doing the dishes, taking out the trash, wipe down the appliances, and cleaning up any spills.
  * clean and disinfect the counter tops
  * wipe down the cabinets
  * mop the floor - scrub if necessary
  * clean the oven

Tuesdays
Bathrooms
  * Clean the toilet
  * Scrub the bathtub and shower walls
  * Scrub the tile floor
  * Clean the vanity and mirror
  * Empty the trash can
Wednesdays
Bedrooms
  * Change the bed linens
  * Tidy up/de-clutter/put stuff away - the kids can help with this one
  * Dust
  * Vacuum floors
  * Wipe down walls (usually once a month)

Thursdays
Living Room/Dining Room/Halls
  * Vacuum floors
  * Mop floors
  * Dust
  * Wipe down walls of finger prints, etc.
Pet Areas
  * Change kitty litter - scooping daily
  * Wash pet bedding

Fridays
Laundry
  * Wash all clothing
  * Wash bed linens
Outside
  * Cut the grass

Saturdays/Sundays
  * Weed the flowerbeds
  * Tend the garden

My tasks each day only take me 15-30 minutes. By doing these things each week it makes it much quicker and easier. For example, weeding the flowerbeds each week only takes 5 minutes because it's only a week's worth of weeds and not 2 months worth.

My schedule isn't set in stone either. If I have time, I can vacuum the whole house and not just one room while I've already got the machine out. Same goes for wiping down the walls. Some weeks I really don't have time or the energy to wipe down the walls.

So there you have my weekly cleaning schedule. Feel free to share yours.

Crafts - Avoid the Chaos

I'm a craft supplies lover. I love buying yarn, scrapbooking paper, fabric, you name it. The only problem, well one of the problems is that I can't remember what I bought. I go into my room and find that I have 3 of the exact same thing.  Do you have the same problem?

The first thing to do is to take an inventory of all the craft supplies you have on hand. Then look it over prior to going into a craft or fabric store.

Next, organize all the different items - by project or with like items.  Whichever is easiest for you.

Well I do both and that's what works for me. I like seeing all the possible projects that got me inspired enough to buy the items in the first place. I store fabric projects together. For example: quilts, purses, pillows, etc.

As for scrapbooking I store all my supplies together. There are just too many bits and pieces to sort into projects. Too many projects that use the same items for example scissors and brads.

My point is to figure out what works for you. You need a solution that will help you find and remember what you have on hand and also inspire you to create.

Tidy Tuesday - Cleaning Up the Yard

This winter was a bear! There's no disputing that one. 

Here on the East Coast we had A LOT of snow.  All that snow piled on top of everything - trees, shrubs, bushes, cars, houses, everything.  It left a lot of mess long after the snow was gone. There were gutters to be repaired. There were fallen trees that need to be cut up and taken away. Plus landscaping to repair all the damage done by the much needed snowplows.

This is all on top of the normal landscaping like cutting the grass, weeding flowerbeds, planting flowers and planning a garden. 

Tackling one project at a time is the easiest way to get it all done. Create a list and break projects into smaller chunks is helpful. Then when you have a little free time, like on the weekends, work on one of the smaller chunk projects at a time.

Here is an example. This is part of my list:

* Move landscaping rocks back into place in front flowerbed (moved by snowplow) - ask hubby to help

* Plan and start planting my garden - buy seeds, turn over dirt, plant seeds, water garden

* Rake up our yard - front and back, bag and take to dump

* Plant gladiolus bulbs on side of house

* Remove remaining dead tree branches - cut them up and take to dump

Some quick and easy tricks to clean up your yard in a hurry.

1. Rake leaves and twigs into piles all around your yard. Bag up. It's saves a lot of energy as opposed to raking from one edge to the other - dragging the leaves over the entire yard.
2. Enlist the help of others - kids and hubby, siblings or neighbor kids.
3. Rent a chipper, mulcher, cultivator, etc. from your local hardware store or rental shop.

 Hopefully these little tips will help you finish your yardwork quickly so you can enjoy the warmer weather of Spring.

Tidy Tuesday - Spring Cleaning - DeClutter

It's spring time. Now is the time to clear out some of the stuff you've been accumulating over the winter.

Don't worry spring cleaning doesn't have to be done all in one day. Take an entire weekend or a week or two. To really clear out your stuff it will take you a little while. Just remember slow and steady wins the race and as long as you're making progress you'll be better off then you were.

First you will want to choose one room or section of a room. I suggest picking a closet or a commonly used room as a starting point.

Sort
Pull out everything and sort it with like items. For example: put all the shoes together, all the books together, all like toys together, etc. This will help you organize your stuff as you put it all away. It will also show you if you have 2 or more of the same thing.

Reuse/Recycle
Find a new way to use the something that's just been laying around. If there is something you really can't part with, but don't use find a new use for it. Maybe your grandmother left to you a beautiful bowl, but it just sits in your cabinet. Why not put some pretty fruit in it and set it on the counter?

Donate
The stuff you don't use or don't want anymore donate to someone else. Give it to Goodwill, list it on Freecycle, or give to a friend or family member who will actually use it.

We love receiving hand-me-downs. Kid's clothes cost a lot and to receive clothes her size or bigger to grow into is a great blessing. Once she outgrows them we pass them on down to my younger daughter and then give them away to someone else.

Trash
If it's broke (and no one wants it for parts). Try your best to reuse, recycle, or donate your unwanted things. Our landfills are already full.

Create piles or use boxes labeled "Recycle", "Donate", and "Trash".

Follow these simple steps and you home could be less cluttered in no time.