5 Fall and Winter Household Chores You Should Do

fall and winter household chores

 

As fall and winter arrive, for many of us this means colder weather.  With the colder weather comes more time spent inside.  As a result, be productive and get a few chores done.  Here are some of the fall and winter household chores you should make a top priority:

Clean Out The Garage

First, for those of you with a garage, you know how easily it can become cluttered. Furthermore, you are no longer able to park your car because it’s filled with things that take up room.  With snow on the horizon, you may want to put your car back in the garage.  Take a weekend this fall to really go through everything in your garage.  It’s a great time to get organized and get rid of things you no longer need.  We know this isn’t a task anyone looks forward to, but once you get it done you’ll be happy that you did.

Stock Up On Emergency Supplies

Next, another problem that you might experience during the fall and winter is a bad storm.  Fall is typically when hurricanes and tropical storms arrive.  And, winter is of course is when we get blizzards and other snow storms.  Make sure that your home is prepared before cold weather arrives.  For example, fall and winter household chores should include a list of supplies you need.  Spend a weekend going replenishing your supplies. You’ll need things like batteries, flashlights, candles, food and water to start. Here is a list of some other emergency supplies you’ll want to stock up on.

Furnace and Air Conditioning (AC) Maintenance

Additionally, the last thing you want in the middle of the Winter is for your furnace to give out.  Waiting until your furnace is fixed or replaced while struggling to keep you and your children warm is not fun. To avoid the stress, it’s a good idea to have your furnace inspected before the bad weather arrives.  So, a professional heating expert will be able to tell you if your furnace is in good condition, or what maintenance you might need.

You should also have your AC unit inspected. Although you may not be using it for a few months, you’ll want it in working condition when needed. On top of that, AC companies are typically less busy in the fall and winter.  As a result, you should have an easier time setting up an appointment or even finding a discount on an AC installer.

Clean Out The Chimney

For those of you with fireplaces in your home, you’ll want to be able to use them during the winter.  Nothing is cozier than sitting around a fire on a snowy night.  But, if your fireplace is dirty then the experience might be ruined with a bad smell, smoke, or a lower air quality.  So, have your chimney inspected and cleaned now to ensure that it is good working order before winter arrives.

Insulate Your Home

Finally, with all of the work you’re putting into your furnace and chimney, you don’t want hot air to escape.  Among the fall and winter household chores is insulating your home.  When you properly insulate your home, you keep the warm air in, and the cold air out.  This makes your home more comfortable, and saves you money in the long run. It’s possible to insulate your home on your own, but if you want to make sure it’s done right call a local heating specialist to do it for you.

 

Enjoy The Cold Months and Prepare For The Warm Ones

While the fall and winter might be cold, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your time indoors.  So, make it productive by prepping your home for bad weather.  Furthermore, use the time inside to get ready for spring.  Making good use of your time now, gives you more opportunities for fun later.  You can enjoy your time later, knowing that you prepared your home doing fall and winter household chores ahead of schedule.  Therefore, you can start on spring and summer ahead of schedule too.

12 Tips on How To Keep a Clean House

how to keep a clean house

Either you еnjоу housework оr уоu dоn’t.  For most реорlе, іt іѕ a chore that hаѕ to bе dоnе аt least on a wееklу bаѕіѕ. Yоu can attempt tо make thеѕе chores mоrе enjoyable by fоllоwіng оur еаѕу tips on hоw tо keep a сlеаn hоuѕе.

Thеrе аrе several wауѕ you can go аbоut getting and keeping a clean hоuѕе.  Belоw аrе a few ѕtерѕ on how keep a clean house:   

  1. Mаkе thе bеd аѕ soon аѕ уоu gеt upMаkіng the bed first thing in thе mоrnіng wіll kick-start your рrоduсtіvіtу lеvеlѕ.  Furthermore, it will make it thаt muсh hаrdеr tо сrаwl bасk іntо bеd too.
  1. Keep your bеdѕіdе tаblе tidy – Give уоur bedside tаblе a ԛuісk wіре whеn рісkіng uр your рhоnе іn the morning. That’s оnе lеѕѕ сhоrе tо tасklе оn thе wееkеnd.
  1. Edіt your сlоѕеt as уоu go – For example, kеер a hаmреr or bаg in уоur closet where уоu can throw items оf сlоthіng thаt don’t work аnуmоrе.  Sоrt thrоugh іt оnсе a mоnth, аnd tоѕѕ, dоnаtе, or sell.
  1. Immеdіаtеlу rеhаng іtеmѕ уоu wоrе Don’t juѕt throw сlоthеѕ оn a сhаіr.  If thеу саn be wоrn оnсе more bеfоrе laundry dау, hang thеm. Kеер drу cleaned ready items іn a ѕераrаtе ѕесtіоn of your сlоѕеt.
  1. Hаvе a dеdісаtеd hаmреr fоr every реrѕоn іn уоur home – Hаvе a laundry bаѕkеt fоr еасh реrѕоn іn уоur house.  Plus аn extra hamper for linens. If уоu’rе fееlіng еxtrа оrgаnіzеd, uѕе hаmреrѕ that have two bаѕkеtѕ іn еасh ѕо уоu саn separate whites in аdvаnсе.
  1. Stаrt a wаѕh cycle as ѕооn аѕ уоu gеt home – If you have еnоugh laundry, start a wаѕh сусlе in thе evenings. Give yourself enough time to dry and fold it before you head to bed. As a result, don’t lеt unfоldеd lаundrу mаkе it to the bеdrооm. Bе ruthlеѕѕ аbоut fоldіng/іrоnіng laundry as soon аѕ thе drуіng сусlе is dоnе.
  1. Bе Happy with “Clеаn Enough”  – As a реrfесtіоnіѕt, thіѕ іѕ рrоbаblу thе hаrdеѕt оnе fоr mе.  Yоu wаnt уоur hоuѕе tо be rеlаtіvеlу сlеаn аnd tidy, but that doesn’t mеаn thаt еvеrу lіttlе thing hаѕ tо bе реrfесt.  I always {trу!} tо fоllоw thе 80/20 rulе.  That means that I аm hарру wіth 80% of the cleaning being dоnе.  Don’t get саught uр in аll of the little details that make uр thе last 20% .  For example, mаkіng sure еvеrу lіttlе ѕресk is сlеаnеd uр оff thе floor.  Or, getting tо all оf thоѕе lіttlе out of thе wау and hаrd to rеасh рlасеѕ to duѕt. I’m nоt ѕауіng thаt thеу nеvеr need tо be сlеаnеd, but mаkе thеm part of a deep сlеаnіng rоutіnе rаthеr thаn уоur rеgulаr weekly сlеаnіng schedule.
  1. Kеер Pареr Orgаnіzеd  – If уоu hаvе piles оf papers аll оvеr уоur hоmе, thеn уоu’ll really want tо consider аdорtіng thіѕ hаbіt! File рареrѕ іmmеdіаtеlу іnѕtеаd of keeping papers hаngіng аrоund thе house. When bіllѕ соmе in, put thеm іn one place. Aftеr you’ve paid thе bіllѕ fіlе them immediately.  Kеер mеnuѕ, coupons аnd оthеr mаіl уоu may nееd іn one place.  Purge regularly. 
  1. PrіоrіtіzеNоt all сlеаnіng іѕ created еԛuаl.  Mаkе a lіѕt оf whаt уоu wоuld like to gеt dоnе аnd then prioritize Decide  what nееdѕ to bе dоnе and whаt can wаіt.  Gіvеn the time thаt уоu have available, write down уоur tор 2 оr 3 {realistic!} сlеаnіng gоаlѕ.  Stick wіth these bеfоrе аttеmрtіng tо dо оthеr thіngѕ.  I always uѕеd tо hаtе writing оut lіѕtѕ, but I fіnd thаt іt rеаllу hеlрѕ me tо ѕtау focused.
  1. Get thе Whоlе Fаmіlу Involved Thіѕ іѕ оnе that I hаvе rеаllу trіеd tо wоrk on lаtеlу.  Yеѕ, іt is оftеn actually еаѕіеr tо just dо the job yourself.  However, ѕреndіng thе tіmе tо tеасh уоur children tо dо аgе аррrорrіаtе jоbѕ will bе bеttеr fоr bоth оf you.  Stаrt bу juѕt wоrkіng оn having уоur kids рісk up аftеr themselves.  This includes puttіng thеіr соаt and ѕhоеѕ аwау whеn they соmе іn thе hоuѕе.  Additionally, putting dishes іn the dіѕhwаѕhеr and сlеаnіng thеіr room.  Add in оthеr сhоrеѕ аѕ they are аblе to accomplish the goal.  It’ѕ аmаzіng hоw much оf a dіffеrеnсе it can mаkе іn the оvеrаll tіdіnеѕѕ of thе hоuѕе іf ѕіmрlе things аrе dоnе.  Ovеr time this wіll start tо bе a hаbіt fоr thеm.  They should еvеntuаllу bе аblе to do chores wіth minimal reminders.
  1. Keep Bаѕіс Clеаnіng Suррlіеѕ Clоѕе tо Where Yоu Use Thеm – I have аll of our bаthrооmѕ ѕtосkеd with bаѕіс сlеаnіng supplies.  This includes miсrоfіbеr сlоthѕ аnd a роlіѕhіng cloth; a tоіlеt ѕсrub bruѕh аnd a ѕрrау bоttlе wіth wаtеr аnd vіnеgаr {оr a multі-рurроѕе сlеаnеr оf уоur сhоісе}.  This mаkеѕ it ѕо much ԛuісkеr and easier tо gіvе the tоіlеt a ԛuісk ѕwіре оr wіре thе grоѕѕ tооthраѕtе ѕріt frоm the mirror іnѕtеаd of hаvіng to track dоwn сlеаnіng ѕuррlіеѕ.  Trу to dо these ѕіmрlе tаѕkѕ as уоu see thе need – mоѕt of thеm take оnlу a minute or twо – and іt wіll rеаllу reduce hоw often you need tо do a tор tо bottom deep сlеаn.
  1. DесluttеrThis оnе may nееd tо be implemented over a lоngеr реrіоd оf tіmе.  However, tаkіng the tіmе tо declutter аnd оrgаnіzе уоur hоmе wіll drastically cut down оn thе amount оf time nееdеd tо clean.  Hаvіng a ѕроt fоr еvеrуthіng makes іt so muсh easier tо tidy uр.  Also, lеѕѕ іtеmѕ on thе соuntеrѕ and ѕurfасе tорѕ cuts down оn duѕtіng, and mаkеѕ сlеаnіng quicker.

Finally, if you want to read more tips then check out: http://calgarycleaninginc.ca/tор-10-easy-tірѕ-to-maintain-a-clean-hоuѕе/ 

How to Care For and Clean Your Mattress

Mattress Care

 

First, if you’re one of those fussy people who worries about dust mites, bed bugs and other gross little things that might live in your mattress, you’re not alone.  Sleeping in a bed that’s dirty or even worse infested with creepy crawlies can affect your sleep.  We’re pleased to present a few simple mattress care tips and effective methods that can make your sleep time nicer.  Check out our mattress care tips:

Refreshing a mattress

Next, start with a great mattress and keep it as clean as you possibly can.  Furthermore, be sure to peruse a reliable mattress buying guide prior to making your purchase. Take as much time as you need to make a wise decision regarding which sort of bed frame and mattress to buy. You will, after all, be spending a significant portion of your life in your new bed, so go for a mattress and frame that feel perfect right from the start.

Additionally, once you bring your new mattress home, remove the wrapping and give the top and both sides a thorough vacuum cleaning.  Vacuum the top and sides of the mattress every time you change your sheets. Use a crevice tool to reach tight spots.  And allow the mattress to air out for an hour or so before you remake the bed with fresh linens. Sprinkle the mattress with baking soda and vacuum after several hours to remove lingering odors, says Lifehacker magazine.

Also, reduce bedroom temperatures and lower humidity to keep dust mites at bay. Bay leaves under the bed may keep pesky bed bugs away, as well.  Baking soda with a few drops of essential oil added may reduce the attractiveness of your mattress, as far as both tiny bedroom pests are concerned.

Spot-cleaning and odor elimination

If your mattress becomes soiled, dab slight stains with laundry detergent diluted in warm water. For bigger stains, you may need to use a stronger detergent and water solution. Be careful not to saturate the mattress, but do use enough solution to lift away soil. Press with towels to blot up excess moisture before allowing the mattress to air dry.

Lingering perspiration problems are best removed from mattresses with an enzyme based odor-eliminating cleanser. Enzymes remove other biological odors, too.

Mattress maintenance

Another mattress care tip to prevent uneven wear, rotate your mattress at least every six months. Remind yourself to do this on the day clocks are set forward or backward. This is a good day to check smoke alarm batteries in the bedroom, as well. If you can remember to flip your mattress more often, even better.

A few words about bed bugs and dust mites

Highly used sleeping spaces are more likely to be visited by bedbugs.  For example, dormitories, hotels, hospitals, buses, homeless shelters and cruise ships are at high risk for bed bug infestation, explains Mayo Clinic.  People who can afford to travel the world often arrive home with bed bugs hitch-hiking on their luggage.  Cleaning the mattress in every hotel room you visit is impossible. Tossing the bedspread on the floor is not. Whatever you do, do not place suitcases on the bed until you remove the spread. Do this simple trick every time you enter a hotel room, and you may avert some measure of bed bug danger.

Fortunately, the little bugs known as dust mites don’t bite.  The thing mites eat is human skin flakes.  Unfortunately, your bed is generally full of them. Dust mites are everywhere, and there’s not much you can do about them except clean your blankets, pillows, and sheets often.  And thoroughly vacuum your mattress on a regular schedule.  Let your bare mattress air out for several hours on laundry day, too. Sunshine is, as they say, a great disinfectant.

Last, before you rush out and purchase a brand new mattress, do your homework.  Also, ask your friends about their beds.  Visit brick-and-mortar bed stores and sit on a number of beds.  Read, read, read reviews and see what other people are saying about different mattress brands and styles.  Most importantly, the time you spend selecting the perfect mattress now is sure to spare you years of bedtime unhappiness later on.  We hope that our mattress care tips will help you maintain a healthy mattress and get a good night’s sleep.

Chloe Summers is a Mom who enjoys writing about her experiences to share with others online. Look for her posts on a number of home and family blogs today.

The Importance of a Clean House

 

clean house tips

 

A clean home is a dream for many of us.  But, sometimes life gets so hectic that you neglect to clean the house for a while!  For many people, it almost seems that cleaning is futile.  Things will just get messy again, especially if you have children!

So, while there isn’t exactly a temptation to never clean, there may be a temptation to clean less often.  Or to neglect certain areas.  But, it’s important that we take a look at just how vital a clean home can be. When you look at the benefits, there are a great range from physical to mental health.  You may not want to skip on cleaning tasks in the future.

Here’s a list of the areas you need to think about. This will make the importance of a clean house clearer to you than ever before!

allergy season

 

Allergens and General Hygiene

A lot of us are allergic to something, even if it’s on a very mild level.  If you don’t clean regularly, your carpet, bedding, and upholstery will be riddled with allergens.  Dust mites lurk in these areas.  Most importantly, they decrease the overall air quality in your home.  They trigger allergic reactions.  As a result, make sure all of these areas are cleaned often.

People don’t clean their carpeting as often as they should either.   Vacuum once a week won’t cut it!  You should actually consider giving your carpet a wash a few times a year.  As for upholstery, very few people bother to clean this at all. Remember to take a vacuum cleaner to your upholstery once in a while.

Safety

People like to imagine that their homes are the safest places on Earth. And, in many ways, this is true.  But the fact is injuries take place in the home. Falls, trips, slips, they’re all more likely to occur in your home than in the vast majority of other places.  Additionally, fire hazards are also something you need to think about.

When your home isn’t tidy, the risks of these things happening rise.  Mess and disorganization make it more likely that a fire will occur, and possibly spread.  It can also make exiting safely more difficult.

Pests

Liquid and food spills both attract bugs and rodents. Of course, you may say to yourself that these are certainly things you clean up right away. The fact is, most of us have unnoticed little spills somewhere in the house. People also tend to leave these things uncleaned for a little while if they occur on kitchen tops.

There are other things that attract pests.  For example, uncleaned pet bowls.  And that’s certainly something that is prevalent in the homes of pet owners! People usually leave pet food bowls for a few days before giving them a really good clean.  Furthermore, not taking the trash out regularly is another way to attract pests to your home.

 

organization tips

Pixabay

 

Organization

A lot of us lose things quite often. We lose our car keys or our cell phones.  Sometimes we lose important documents. We look in all the places we think we’d have placed them, but they still don’t manage to turn up. The more disorganized your home is, the more difficult it’s going to be to find things!

It’s much easier to organize your home if you declutter it first. Most of our homes have a plethora of items that we don’t really need or even use. Consider clearing out a lot of those items that you don’t use or need.  That way, when you clean house, your home will have less clutter.

Stress

An unclean home builds up a considerable amount of stress! It also begins a vicious cycle.  When you’re feeling stressed, you’re more likely to put off the task. Which means that your house is just going to get a bit messier.  The messier it gets, the more stressed you feel.

So, another clean house tip is make sure your home is clean if you want to keep yourself free from stress. Remember that stress is worse for your long-term health than many people think! Something else you should remember: cleaning provides you with a little physical exercise, which in itself helps relieve stress!

Productivity

It’s hard to be productive when your home isn’t very clean.  Disorganization and stress will make it productive.

They say that a clear home is a clear mind, and there’s a great amount of truth to that. If you’ve got work to do at home, be it an actual job or something creative then you need the mental space to perform those tasks.  Freeing up physical space can help you with that.

Value

The value of the property is going to be affected in the long-term by how clean you keep it. Generally, there are a lot of telling signs that a home that has just been cleaned has either been cleaned regularly or cleaned infrequently. Mess tends to build up in ways that leave signs of uncleanliness even after you’ve cleaned up.

If you rent your property, then this may mean that you won’t be able to get all of your deposit back when it’s time to move. If you own the property and decide to sell it, then the value could take a hit. With this in mind, it’s also worth bringing up the exterior of your home.  Its cleanliness also affects the value in a big way. You should be looking for ways to keep the exterior as clean as possible. Check out the Spray and Forget Deep Dive at A Cleaner Choice if you want to see reviews of outdoor cleaning products.

Hospitality

Surely we’ve all been in a situation where we’ve wanted to have friends and family over, but had to rush around and clean house in order to do so?  In fact, many of us had to turn down opportunities to see people simply because our homes weren’t tidy.

Outside of planned visits, it’s also worth noting that you never know who is going to come knocking at your door. You may find yourself in a surprise situation, standing awkwardly at the door,  Araid to let someone in because of the state of your home! Keeping your home clean will give you a lot more opportunity to be hospitable.

We hope that you found our clean house tips beneficial.  Do a thorough cleaning and than strive to maintain the house during the week.

Sprucing Up Your Home In Spring

spring decorating tips

 

Spring has finally sprung unless storm Stella has caused a few problems for you.  In which case you have our condolences because you will have to wait a little longer.  Spring makes getting off your couch and out of your blankets easier.  It means sprucing up your home after spending all of winter hunkered down.  We have a few spring decorating tips to help you spruce up your home this spring.

Declutter

First, go room by room and start getting rid of things that you no longer use or need.  Either throw it away or donate it.  Put three bags in place – one for items that you plan to keep, one for things that will be donated, and a third for things to be trashed.  Lose as much sentimentality as you can.  And remember that if you haven’t looked at r used something in a few months, you probably won’t miss it.

The Outside Of Your Home

spring decorating tips

You’ve probably spent the whole winter hurrying to and from your car without taking much of a look at the outside of your home.  It’s time for that to change.  Take a good look at your back yard and see what you can do to make it a pleasant area for you to relax in this summer.  Furthermore, add  seasonal fruits and vegetables that you can grow yourself.  Also, make sure there’s a patch of shade where you can relax with a good book or without fear of sunburn.

Check out companies similar to www.treeservice-fortworth.com.  Look for companies who will help you cut back any errant branches.  Make sure that your yard looks neat and tidy.  Additionally, check for any paint cracking and peeling.  If found, pick new paint colors and start painting when the weather is warm enough.

Let The Light In

It’s time to turn off your heating and add a little natural warmth to your home.  Open curtains and let the sunlight flood in.  Not only will the natural light give you a little extra vitamin D, but it really will warm up your home.  If you have a pet cat, you’ll absolutely see it lounging in the pools of sunlight on the floor.  The only problem with filling your home with sunlight is that it might just illuminate  patches of dust.  Get out the duster, and remove any dirt and dust that has accumulated over the winter months.

Update Your Décor

spring decorating tips

Image

During the winter, we go for darker colors like red and green.  But spring is the time of new life, of rebirth and nature.  It’s time to ditch those Christmas colors and go for apple green, periwinkle blue and pale yellows.  You don’t have to redecorate your entire home, but why not buy some new art prints.  Paint an accent wall in a couple of your rooms.  You could also add new pillows and rugs to your living room in bright, fresh colors. Add a spring-like quality to your decor.  Finally, why don’t you add some plants? They’ll add some greenery to your home along with plenty of fresh clean air.

Finally, we hope that you enjoy our spring decorating tips, and will implement a few ideas into your décor.

How To Keep Your Home Tidy and Save You Time

 

 

house cleaning tips

Having a hard time managing everything in your life?  You’ve likely got a family to run, a job, pets to walk, cooking, and at this time of year rushing around gift shopping.  After all, everyone wants to ensure Christmas lands with a bang.  The list goes on and on.  So, how do you balance everything?  If finances allow, hire external experts to do the job for you. They can help bring balance into your life and make the that you need.  Your home can benefit from their expertise and they can save you valuable time. Here are some great outsourcing options you should consider to make your life easier:

Hire A Window Cleaner

Cleaning the windows is a time consuming process.  Furthermore, sometimes getting to the upper floor windows is almost impossible. You can hire a local cleaning service for a monthly fee.  However, if you just want a one time cleaning, it is best to pay a one time payment.  This way your windows will be fine for the season, especially the top ones.  You can find window cleaners here.

Hire Someone To Cut The Lawn

It’s fairly easy to get a teenager or someone similar to cut the lawn.  For those of us who are proud of our yards and gardens, having the lawn cut incorrectly is not acceptable. If you are particular, you should consider professional lawn care. This will allow you to enjoy a cared for lawn, and gives you one less thing to worry about.

 

An Entry with a Beautiful Lawn and Colorful Garden

Source

 

Use Professional Power Washing Services

A professional power washer can make your home, patio and drive area look new again.  Power washing your home will remove dirt, mold, and mildew.  It also helps to preserve your driveway, walkway, porch and patio. It’s especially effective if you have color in your drive and it can save you a good day’s worth of work. You’ll only need it done once or twice a year, depending on how dirty it gets. When they’re there you could also ask the operative to give your car a quick wash, the power of the jet wash can remove grime missed in a car wash.

Employ Professional Cleaners

Hiring home cleaners can be extremely beneficial. Cleaning the house is what takes the most time. Usually families tend to have a big clean before Christmas so the house is ready for the decorations and scores of visiting friends and family.   If you have a hectic work schedule then this can be a great benefit to .  Decide if you want to make it a weekly thing.  If you don’t want the added expense you could consider doing it when you really need a break or more time.

Check around for the best prices, and work whatever service you need into your budget. Keeping your home tidy will free up time and give you a little energy for other things. It’s less expensive than you think.

House Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms

house cleaning tips

 

With kids to take care of, work at the office to do, a house to keep clean, and all of the other challenges life throws at you, you’re undoubtedly a busy mom.  Keeping up with it all the housecleaning can seem overwhelming sometimes.  However, by setting realistic expectations for yourself and utilizing these helpful tips, you can keep your home clean and organized:  

Keep Everything in Its Place:

Staying organized will help keep your house from becoming cluttered. Use laundry bins or small tubs to organize your child’s toys in his room.  Baskets are also useful for your cosmetics instead of spreading them out over your bathroom counter.  Laundry hampers in every bedroom will help keep dirty clothes off the floor.   Storage bins are great for organizing crafts and other projects.  Before you go to sleep each night, spend a few minutes putting everything back into its place. It will save you time later and help keep your home from becoming messy.  

Clean as You Go:

Setting aside enough time to clean your home from top to bottom isn’t always possible. One way to help keep your home clean is by putting things away and cleaning as you go.  Make your bed each day to help your bedroom look cleaner.  Put your clothes into the hamper or hang them back up when you take them off instead of tossing them onto the bed or the floor. Take a few minutes after each meal to wash the dishes instead of allowing them to pile up in the sink. This will make meal preparation and cleanup easier and faster.

 Have a Routine:

Having a regular routine will allow you to get things done more quickly.  Schedule your weekly chores for different days of the week so they don’t all pile up for you to do on the weekend.  For instance, do all of your vacuuming on Monday evening, all of your mopping on Tuesday evening, and clean your bathroom on Wednesday.  Doing one load of laundry each evening will keep your laundry from piling up as well.

 Enlist Help:

Make your children part of the team by giving them chores to do. Giving your children age-appropriate chores teaches them responsibility and helps you keep your home clean. Have young children put their toys away each night before they go to sleep. Older children can do the dishes after dinner, vacuum, or do laundry.  Remember to show your kids that you appreciate their help, and praise them for a job well done.  Chore charts are an excellent way to help keep them on track.  

Multitask:

When you can, clean your house while doing other things. When you’re talking on the phone, fold the laundry, do your dishes, or dust. Do a few dishes while you’re waiting for water to boil on the stove. Vacuum a room or clean your sink on a commercial break while you watch your favorite television show.  

Keep Cleaning Supplies Close:

Keeping your cleaning supplies close to you means you won’t have to spend time running to and from the cabinet underneath your kitchen sink, laundry room, or closet where you store them. You can fill small spray bottles with household cleaners, and store them in an apron you wear as you clean. Alternatively, you can put the household cleaners you need into a bucket or bin, and carry the bin with you from room to room. 

Cleaning your home can be a daunting task, especially when you’re a busy mom.  Following our house cleaning tips: cleaning as you go, enlisting help, staying organized, and multitasking can help you save time while keeping your home clean. 

Guest post by Maids by Trade, providing trusted and reliable house cleaning services across the United States for over 20 years.

A Squeaky Clean House Is Possible Even With Kids & Pets

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I know how important keeping a clean house is.  It’s not just about appearances; it’s about how it makes you feel.  Spending time in a place that’s a mess can have a big impact on your mood.  It can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety.  Furthermore, it can make you prone to feeling blue and can even lead to depression.  Your messy house can impact your mental health; however, a clean house is possible.

No home is always perfectly organized and clean.  Occasionally, the mess will take over. This is especially true when you have kids and pets sharing your home.  Kids pull toys out and don’t put them away.  They throw food and tread dirt through the house. Pets shed hair here, there and everywhere, and are also culprits of walking mud and dirt into the house.  However, just because you share your home with children and pets, doesn’t mean it’s impossible to keep it clean. You just need a good strategy.

Become a minimalist

If you want to make the process of keeping your home tidy a little easier, become a minimalist.  This means clearing out anything that you no longer want or need, and ensuring that your home is completely free from clutter.

The best way to go about doing this is to focus on one room at a time and then work through each area of the house.  Be ruthless.  Anything that hasn’t been used in over two months, you most probably don’t need. You can choose to sell your unwanted stuff, or you can donate it to charity.

Always keep your cleaning supplies stocked.  If you don’t have cleaning supplies you can’t have a clean house. It’s as simple as that. So it’s a good idea to stock up on your cleaning items so you can keep your home in shape.

Keep cleaning products that you use regularly stored.  Make sure that your cleaning products are out of reach of  little fingers or that it has a childproof lock on it.

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I
nvest in the right cleaning equipment

If you want to keep on top of chores, you need the right equipment. With the right pieces of equipment, having a clean house can be much quicker and easier.

The chances are that you already have a mop, but do you have a steam mop? Steam mops make cleaning so much simpler as there’s no need for a bucket of water or chemicals to clean the floor.  All you need is a small amount of water.  Steam mops clean with steam that can kill 99 percent of bacteria.  Fill them with water, plug them in, and clean the floor using the same motion as you would when vacuuming. You can get six-in-one steam mops that have different head attachments and can be used for all sorts of cleaning. From cleaning the windows to refreshing soft furnishings, and many other areas of the home. If you’re going to invest in a steam cleaner, it’s best to opt for a multifunctional design, so that you can use it for various chores.

A good vacuum cleaner is also a must for keeping your home clean. What is important to remember is that not all vacuum cleaners are equal.  Some are better than others. For instance, pet hair vacuum cleaners tend to have better suction and be more durable than normal vacuum cleaners.  Plus, if you’ve got pets that spread hair everywhere, they’re ideal for keeping on top of the problem. To learn more about this type of vacuum cleaner, read reviews of the best pet hair vacuum cleaners of 2016 online.

It may also be worth investing in a handheld vacuum to use when you need to quickly vacuum up small messes.  The great thing about handheld vacuums is that they’re just as powerful as normal ones but are ideal for spot cleaning.

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Use containers to keep your home tidy 

Place containers around your home.  Store toys and other odds and ends.  This simple step will help  keep your home tidier.  To make it easier for kids to keep their toys neat, label each container with what belongs in them, such as ‘cars’ and ‘farm animals’. Use pictures if you’re children are too young to read.

Containers can also be used in the kitchen.  Containers can be kept in your cupboards as well as the in your fridge.  By having labeled containers, not only is it easier to keep things neat and tidy but it’s also easier to know where everything is.

Keep on top of the washing

Make sure you keep on top of the laundry.   If you get behind with your washing, it can be a nightmare to catch up with. Having piles of dirty laundry everywhere can make your home look a real mess. Keep all dirty clothes in a laundry bin.

It’s a good idea to have set days a week when you do the washing. This will ensure that you are able to keep on top of all the washing and don’t get behind with it.  Have a laundry basket for each family member.  Place each member’s folded clothing into their basket.  This makes putting the clean laundry away much easier.

Having a clean home when you have kids and pets can sometimes seem impossible, but the truth is it’s not. If you are smart about how you keep on top of a clean house and have a good strategy in place, it doesn’t have to be so much of a struggle.

 

Is Your Bed Clean Enough

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The bedroom is somewhere we like to retreat in search of calm and peace, as well as, rest after a day’s hustle and bustle of life. It should feel like a sanctuary. However, it won’t feel like one until we recreate it.  One of the major steps to achieving a sanctuary-like bedroom is proper cleaning. Unfortunately, we clean other parts of our bedroom and forget about some important aspects of the bed. The sheets, pillowcases, and mattress cover may be clean, but what about the pillows, mattress, and the blankets?

Your bed is not clean enough until you have thoroughly dealt with everything on your bed.  Of course, some of the items will be cleaned more often than others. The most important thing is to make to make sure you do not forget about them completely. What are some of these items that should not be forgotten?

Blankets

We are reluctant about taking our fluffy companions to the washer. However, their material can harbor a lot of dust and form proper breeding grounds for germs. This makes it necessary to clean them at least once a month, or by their sixth week of use. A frequent cleaning schedule is required. Many fabrics used on blankets are safe to clean at home with the washer.

Before putting it in the machine, do a color test to see if the dye used runs. You will know whether to launder it separately or if you wash it with other items. Set your machine to the gentle cycle and use a mild detergent with cold water. Warm or hot water, agitated beating, and strong detergents can cause your blanket to shrink, stretch, or fade.

Pillows

You may have heard that pillows are better cleaned at the dry cleaners. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot maintain them in tip-top shape from home. Most pillows can be washed at home. They can either be washed by hand or machine. Check the tags to see if there are any washing instructions. To keep off molds, dust mites, sweat and dead skin or scales, clean your pillows every three to six months. You will also improve the quality of your sleep.

Front loading washers are great for washing bedding. Load a reasonable number of pillows in your machine and distribute evenly. Using warm water and a mild detergent, run the machine on the gentle cycle. Rinse thoroughly and allow them to air dry. You can also use a dryer depending on the fiber material.

Comforters

Comforters are often forgotten; however, they collect a lot of dust, body fluids, oils and any cosmetic products.  For you to make your bed clean and fresh, consider cleaning your comforters regularly.

Check the washing instructions given for the kind of material. Comforters can usually be cleaned in a washing machine with warm water and a mild detergent.  Kill any remaining bacteria by exposing them to UV sunlight during drying.

The Mattress

Even if your mattress has a cover, some body fluids, dust particles, hair and other dirt still find their way onto its surface. Unfortunately, we tend to overlook it and that allows bacteria suitable ground to breed. This creates a hazardous sleeping surface where you can easily contract allergy related infections such as flu, asthma, and respiratory tract illnesses, among others.

Invest in a washable cover.  Wash regularly. An effective way to get rid of even the notorious bugs is by using baking powder and a vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum the surface to collect any loose dirt. Then dust the surface generously with baking powder. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes then vacuum again. Wipe away any remaining marks with a damp cloth. Flip the mattress and repeat this process. If possible, set the mattress up and allow both sides to dry.

What other bed items do you think you are overlooking? A clean bed is not only comfortable but also safe to sleep on, but healthy to sleep on. Use the above ideas to purge any dirt and bacteria that could be endangering your health during your sleep.

Beverly Jenkins is proud of her staff at The Tidy Maids house cleaning service in Raleigh, NC. She has 24 years of experience in house cleaning, customer service, and business operations. She knows all the tips and tricks and do-it-yourself hacks when it comes to cleaning and her clients’ homes are the best proof for that.

 

15 Morning Habits to Make Coming Home Even Better

If you’re a working mom, your home can become a pretty complex place. Home is where you make memories with your family, and where you keep them safe.  It’s also where you relax and build your life with your husband or significant other. We all know that busy schedules can disrupt domestic harmony.  So, today we’re sharing tips on chores that you can perform in the morning.  Getting organized can put you on the path to empowering yourself and making coming home a pleasure.

 

 

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 You may prefer to leave cleaning and other jobs for the weekend. However, there are a few simple steps you can take on a daily basis to tweak your home.  For example, opening the curtains in the living room will fill the room with light and air.  Plumping up sofa cushions will make the room far more enticing.   Also, add flowers and/or a fragrance diffuser in the entry way.  Beauty and a fresh scent when you enter your home.  It’s a great way to unwind and have a positive attitude when you’re greeted by the children and your husband.
Another step is to make your kid’s beds in the morning or encourage your child to make their bed if they are old enough.  It will make their rooms feel tidy, and more appealing when bedtime arrives.  Don’t neglect your own bed either.  There’s nothing more comforting than the sight of a made bed and a fresh pair of pajamas.  Get in the habit of fluffing the pillows and decluttering before going to bed, and making beds in the morning.  You will find that it only takes a few minutes to perform these tasks.
If this already feels achievable, be sure to check out this new infographic which explores a handful of other tips for reviving your love affair with your home – without the burden of extra work.

15 Morning Habits to Make Coming Back Home Even Better