Tag Archives: cleaning

You hear about it on the news, especially this time of year. It’s something that lurks on shopping carts, door knobs and gas station pumps. It’s something that can make you and your loved ones sick. Yes, it’s germs. Bacteria, viruses and e-coli thrive in these areas, but you know that already, so you take precautions not to touch your face while pushing the grocery cart. But those aren’t the only places where germs hang out. Here are 10 places in your home that are among the germiest – some may be places you have not even considered.

We all have areas in our homes where we need to maximize our use of the space. Perhaps you are lacking a coat closet or need to create a welcoming entryway. These are a few tips and tricks making the most out of a small space.

I did something today that I haven’t done in years; something that instantly made me feel more organized. It’s a small thing – not a big deal – but it had been nagging at me and I finally decided that today was the day I was going to do something about it.

Today I spent just 30 minutes gathering up all of our loose CD’s and DVD’s and I put everything back into its proper case. I know, it’s not exciting, but it’s one less thing now on my very long list of things that should be done, but I never get around to accomplishing.

Here are ten more things that you can do in less than thirty minutes to instantly feel more organized. Do one a day, one a week or one a month, but make 2011 the year that you start to feel a bit more organized.

Argh. The doorbell rings. It’s the holiday season, and your house may be a jumble like mine with family in and all sorts of projects going at once. It’s tempting to pretend like I’m not home and not answer the door, but that’s so rude. So, I have come up with some quick clean up tips to keep the house at least presentable enough to let friends and family in the door.

My first tip is the old rule from when I was growing up. Make up the bed as soon as you wake up and make sure other family members do too. If the beds are made up, the bedrooms look pretty decent, and no one does much visiting in bedrooms anyway. Well, they don’t around here anyway.

Thanksgiving is truly my favorite holiday.  Unlike Christmas, it’s just one day of cooking and entertaining.  I love the big meal and the chaos in my home.  I also appreciate that Thanksgiving doesn’t entail all of the stress associated with gift giving.  It’s cold out, you can build a fire and you can cook up a feast of delicious food.

The only downside to Thanksgiving is the kitchen cleanup.  After a busy day of cooking and eating a filling meal, no one likes to be faced with the overwhelming task of kitchen cleanup. 

Kitchen cleanup doesn’t have to be such a drag.  Here are a few tips for minimizing the mess on Thanksgiving Day.

I’ve always believed in taking advantage of every 10-15 minute window of free time I’ve had.  After all, think about how many things you can get done if you have a few of those windows each day – sort laundry and get a few loads through the wash, empty and/or load the dishwasher, vacuum a few rooms. 

But if there is one thing that bothers me it’s when I start something I can’t finish. 

When you think mildew, you probably also think mold.  And while they are similar in nature and both thrive in damp environments, they are actually two different types of fungi.  Mold is easily recognizable as dark gray or black spots of varying sizes.  Mildew, on the other hand, is light gray or white in color and more powdery in texture.  It is also less harmful than mold, which can cause respiratory ailments and trigger allergies.

Dark and damp – these are the conditions that allow mold to develop and thrive in your home.  The most common locations for mold are showers and basements, but mold can grow on just about any surface, including your drywall, carpeting, washing machine and window sills.  If there is moisture or excessive humidity in an area of your home there’s likely to be mold.

Ah. Candlelight. So pretty. But, it’s not so great when you turn on the lights and discover that you have a candle wax spill or puddle. Here are some tips for cleaning up candle wax drips.

Let’s start with candle wax on clothing. Oops. Don’t you hate when you drip wax on your favorite blouse or blazer?

You spray, scrub and scour your shower, but did you ever think to look up and clean that showerhead?  Just like the rest of your shower, the showerhead can fall victim to vicious mineral deposits, soap scum, mold and mildew.  The water that you are cleaning yourself with comes out of the holes of that showerhead.  Don’t you want it to be clean?