Mixbook's Home Decor
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If you are spending the time cleaning, make sure you’re making the best use of your time and energy by avoiding these cleaning mistakes. (No judgement here, just trying to help you figure out the best and most efficient way to clean your home).
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Vacuuming more than necessary.
Save you energy and vacuum weekly and do a thorough job. Spot clean during the week as needed. Then on the day that you do vacuum, vacuum horizontally in each room, and then vertically in each room. Yes, you are going over your carpet twice, but this technique ensures that the carpet is lifted and the dirt that may be embedded is removed. This is especially helpful if you have pets to remove pet hair and dander vacuum from the furthest corner away from the door and vacuum your way out of the room. This will give you those beloved vacuum lines that say “I just vacuumed”
When you wipe down surfaces, are you wiping the mess back over you’re just cleaned surface? Make sure you are wiping left to right and top to bottom in a soft z pattern. This will effectively clean your surfaces and keep you from wiping dirt and bacteria back over your clean surface. Make sure that you are also changing microfiber cloths or cleaning rages frequently to keep the bacteria away.
Not leaving cleaners on long enough.
If your cleaning bathrooms or your kitchen counters and spraying and wiping right away, your wasting time and cleaners. It’s important to thoroughly saturate your surface with your favorite cleaner and let set for 10 minutes. This will let the cleaner do its job, making your cleaning a little bit easier.
Using fabric softener on towels.
Did you know that traditional fabric softeners actually coat the fibers of towels making them less absorbent? Instead add between 1/4 – 1/2 cup of traditional white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser. Vinegar serves to actually soften the fibers as well as add a little cleaning power to your laundry routine. No need to worry about any residual scent from the vinegar either as you wont be able to detect it on your clean laundry at this dilution rate.
Using dirty sponges.
There’s no need to use dirty sponges when all you need to do is toss it in your dishwasher nightly. Did you know that sponges are one of the dirtiest things in your house? Get in the habit of tossing your sponge in your dishwasher or sanitizing it in the microwave. You will eliminate the risk of spreading germs all over your kitchen.
Using vinegar on stone surfaces.
I love using vinegar to clean with but it’ important to know what it works on and what it doesn’t. If your using vinegar on your marble or granite counter tops, the acid in the vinegar will eventually etch away the surfaces.
Emptying your vacuum canister or bag and cleaning your vacuum.
Make sure you’re emptying your vacuum canister after each use. If you have a canister vacuum and if you have a vacuum cleaner bag, change it when necessary. Make sure you are cleaning your vacuum cleaner frequently as well, this will ensure that your vacuum cleaner lasts for a long time and you aren’t dragging dirt around the house as you vacuum.
Not cleaning those most touched areas.
It’s no wonder that germs can live on surfaces for up to 72 hrs. If your looking for ways t cut down that spread and transfer in your home (especially when someone is sick, or during flu season). Reach for a cotton pad and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Saturate the cotton pad and carefully wipe over those most touched areas in your home: light switches, remotes, and electronics. The rubbing alcohol effectively kills germs, dries quickly, and is safe to use in your home.
Cleaning garbage cans.
Yes, garbage cans hold garbage, but keeping them clean will help keep odors down and keep germs from congregating. Bring the garbage cans outside, spray with your favorite all purpose cleaner, let it set 10 minutes and rinse thoroughly with your garden hose. Let them sit in the sun to dry and naturally kill germs before returning them in side. Use garbage bags in large and small garbage cans to line them and keep them cleaner for longer.
Which cleaning mistakes have you been making? Have one to add? Share it i the comments.
Please don’t read this post. It will only cause your blood pressure to rise. And I don’t want to be responsible for that.But if you insist on reading, please read the whole thing before you express your horror in the comments. My example in this post (as in all my posts) is personal and the decision I made is also personal. It wasn’t an easy decision, and I totally understand why someone would choose differently.
Whew- glad that disclaimer is over.
I’ve been working on a long ignored area of my home lately. As I get a little time here and there (sometimes only 20 minutes or so) I de clutter it.
Last week, I came across some plates I got a while back from my aunt. I love them, but bought the wrong size plate hanger and then never got back to putting them up.
I was re-inspired to hang them after having heard someone say how she twisted plate hangers to make them the right size.
But… if the plates are on the wall what do I do with their boxes?
My Aunt, the ultimate garage sale queen, had found the plates in their original boxes. With paper work and everything.
The original boxes were neat to see, but where should I store them? And the paper work for things I display?
Or a better question:
If I love the plates and don’t see the display as temporary, do I even need the boxes?
No, the answer is no. I personally have no need for the boxes. The plates are on the wall.
But… don’t the boxes increase their value?
Yes, technically, collectible items in their boxes are more valuable than the same items with out original boxes.
If my plan was to treat these plates as a collection that will one day be sold at an auction to fund my retirement, I would totally keep the boxes.
But I have no plans to part with them. They are items I love. I’m keeping them because they put a smile on my face.
And yet the value – related “what if’s” plagued my so easily plaguable brain.
At the same time, I had to answer these questions:\
If I keep the boxes, where in the world will I put them?
If I find a place to put them, how in the world will I remember where that place is?
And… If I do decide to get rid of the plates, will I really want to search through the entire house looking for the boxes? Wont that just prolong the already difficult decluttering process?
Here’s how I solved the dilemmas: I checked the value of the plates.
There’s a simple quick way to get a realistic idea of the value of items in your home. This is current, in the moment value that could be different in a different venue or at a different time, but it helped me make this decision.
Its called EBAY
Go to ebay.com and search for your item. If its collectable, there likely an exact name on the back or bottom that will help you find that exact item listed on ebay.
After you find other items just like yours scroll down the page and click on “completed listings” on the left.
At this point, things get real.
Before I checked the box to see completed listings, I saw some people were starting some auctions at 40$ a set.
I know enough not to get excited about that. What someone wants for an item means nothing. The only thing that matters is how much people are actually willing to pay.
Even with boxes and paper work and everything.
The answer was, that boxes dont add significant value to these items.
And knowing that means I don’t have to store them.
And not having to store them means I can move forward ever so much more quickly with the over all de cluttering.
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Cars are expensive but necessary investments and like all things, if you take proper care of it, it will last longer. With lengthy commutes and busy life styles, your car is the one that definitely takes a beating along with you. And on a daily basis grease, dirt, gunk, and rubbish in the corners, on the seats and every other possible area can build up… taking more time and energy to keep tidy.
The case is even worse with the exterior of the car. All those scratches, swirl marks, damaged paint makes the car look like 5-7 years old even if its just a year old. Fortunately there are many easy and effective car cleaning hacks that can do wonders for your car.
Here I have listed some of the easiest car cleaning tips and tricks to get rid of the toughest stains, odors, and dirt dilemmas to keep your car sparkling. These are simple things which you need to do regularly to have your old car look good as new even after 6-8 years. And the perfect time to start caring for your car is today onwards,
21 car cleaning tips and tricks to keep your car sparkling.
1 news paper for windshields and windows.
A news paper is one of the easiest and cheapest tricks to clean the windshield and windows (simply all the glass stuff). Mix one part hot water with one part vinegar. Apply with a spray bottle on the windows and wipe off with the help of newspapers. Easy!
2 Tooth paste for head lights.
If your head lights have become dirty and foggy, just use some tooth paste to clean them off. If it can fix scratches on DVD and CDs, then it can effectively clean car head lights too. And apart from ruining the looks of your car, dirty head lights are also not safe because they reduce visibility at night.
All you need to do is apply a mixture of tooth paste and baking soda on a sponge and rub the lights in circular motions until the dirt comes off. Take a light cloth and wipe off the tooth paste. And Magic! You have crystal clear head lights in no time.
3 Brush for cleaning tiny spaces.
Clean the tiny spaces between the seams and hard to reach places easily with a soft bristled brush. These areas are difficult to access and clean, but a brush easily manages this work. You can also clean the dust on the tight spaces of your car seats using a tooth brush. Gently brush the dirt and you’ll have a mess free car seat in no time.
So simple. Isn’t it? You can even use a make up brush for this purpose.
4 Vinegar for deep cleaning the seats.
The first step is to remove all the dust and loose debris using a vacuum cleaner, for a thorough cleaning, make a simple but effective home made cleaner using vinegar. Mix equal parts of vinegar and warm water to make this cleaner.
Clean the seats upholstery with this mixture. All you need to do is spray this mixture on the seat and then follow up with a dry cloth. It will not only clean the seats but also fade away the foul smell if present.
Quick tip: If seat material is leather, don’t let the leather become soaking wet during the process.
Vinegar is an amazing cleaner.
5 Sprinkle some baking soda before vacuuming.
If your seats don’t need deep cleaning, then you can easily clean it with a vacuum cleaner. All that is good but why not step up your vacuuming game with this easy hack.
Sprinkle some baking soda on the seats then clean them with a vacuum cleaner. Whats the benefit? Baking soda eliminates bad odor from the seats and carpet.
6 Use a magic eraser.
Is your car all messed up with food and drinks your kiddos ate in the car? Don’t worry, you just need a magic eraser to easily clean the car. Magic eraser also works amazingly well to clean the stains on leather or vinyl seats as well, Just get the eraser a bit wet and gently scrub on the stain. Your seats will look like new in no time. Easy isn’t it.
7 Keep your dash board shining.
Keep your cars dash board always shining by rubbing some olive oil on it and then rub it on the dash board to give it a shiny finish.
Its time saving , effective and inexpensive.
8 Clay bar for picking up dust.
Clay bars are highly successful in removing dust, dirt and other small particles that have bonded with the paint which then allows the wax or polish to adhere to the surface and work effectively. It gives a good lustrous finish to the car. You can use clay bars anytime for kicking the dust and dirt particles from your car.
Just rub a clay bar softly over the area which needs to be cleaned. All the dust particles will stick to the clay bar because of it’s sticky nature and you have a squeaking clean car in no time.
9 Home made tire cleaner.
Want your cars tires to shine like new ones with out spending money on expensive cleaners? We’ve got you covered.
Just make a mixture of 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp dishwashing soap and some warm water. Your home made tire cleaner is ready! Smear this mixture on the tires to clean them and your work is done.
10 Club soda for tough stains.
Get rid of tough stains such as bird poop, blood stains, ect, using club soda. Soak the stain in club soda for a few minutes, then blot with a moist cotton towel. The stain will come off easily.
11 Cleaning the cup holders
Cup holders are one of the most forgotten areas to be cleaned. Is it difficult to clean? Not at all.
Just take a coffee cup, wrap an old sock around it and spray some cleaner on it. Then twist and turn the cup in the holder to clean it. So easy!
12 Get rid of the car stickers gunk.
Do the stickers on your car spoil its looks? There is a very easy solution to restore its good look. All you need is can of WD-40.
Just spray some WD-40 on the sticker and let it stay for some time and then peel off the sticker. WD-40 will make it easier to remove the left over residue behind the stickers too. WD-40 is a must have for every house.
13 Conditioning the interiors.
Use vaseline for the conditioning of interiors of the car such as seats and the dash board. It helps in keeping the seats moisturized, thus preventing cracks just like it does our skin. So time saving, effective and inexpensive.
14 Wash your car with conditioner.
You might be using conditioner to wash your hair, but do you know that you can also use the same conditioner to wash your car? And make it shine. Yeah, it’s weird but true. Why? Because conditioner contains lanolin (a type of wax) And we all know wax is used to shine your car, say good bye to expensive car wax and save money. Just wash your car with conditioner when ever you feel the need to shine it.
15 used compressed air to dust out vents.
Cleaning out vents? Using a can of compressed air to get the dust out of your vents will make the process easier and faster. This is the sort of hack which makes you say why didn’t I think of that.
16 Use coffee filters to wipe down interior.
Dusting is good but it wont make the car completely clean to the surface. The answer to this is to use coffee filters to clean and the are pretty cheap. So grab some coffee filters and make your car interior sparkling clean.
17 Cup cake holders.
Cup holders are one of the easiest and fastest places for gun to reach. And cleaning them is a pain. But, having these cup cake liners in there can make the cleaning easier and would save alot of time. A brilliant use of cup cake liners other than cup cakes.
18 Clean up animal hair with a sqeegee and spray bottle.
For those with pets in their car frequently, you would notice that its not easy to clean their hair build up on the seats. But, there’s an easy way to get rid of them faster. All you need to get rid of them is a squeegee and a spray bottle of water. Its a great way to gather it up and get rid of it easily. You can wipe the seats with a magic eraser after that for a thorough cleaning.
As you can see from the tips above that cleaning your car isn’t hard, if you know the right tips and tricks. With these right cleaning hacks, you’ll be able to finish cleaning in no time. And have your car looking and smelling like new.
De Cluttering list: More than 80 things that you should throw out now.
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
I’m guessing since you came over to read this post you have a problem with clutter. You want a de cluttering list to get you started. I understand what you are going through because for my entire life I have struggled with clutter and my want to be a neater person but my natural tendency to be messy.
More than 80 things you should throw out that are just clutter.
I wrote a post about https://uncommomspaces.com/the-financial-cost-of-someday-stock-piling/ It doesn’t make you happier when you stop the compulsion to have more. I’ve gotten better at not getting as much stuff and limiting what comes into my house. The problem though is that I still have too much stuff in my house.
Now, alot of the things on this de cluttering list can be straight away tossed into the trash or recycled. Some items how ever if still in good condition and some one else could get use out of them can instead be donated.
You decluttering list by room
The kitchen
1. Broken unwated magnets.
2. Old and expired food in your pantry.
3. Broken untensils or cooking tools.
4. Cleaning supplies that you don’t like or use.
5. Recipe books that you don’t use.
6. Excess baking trays, pots, pans, dishes, that you don’t need. (these can be donated if in good condition).
7. Any paper clutter like receipts, manuals, bills, ect. Put away what needs to be saved and toss the rest.
8. Anything in your fridge that is past its prime or you know you wont use.
9. Any old or almost empty spices and oils that can be trashed or bottled together to save space. Do you really need 3 half filled garlic salts? Nope!
10. Novelty cups that never get used but take up space. You know the ones from amusement parks, sporting events, restaurants, ect.
11. Tupperware or pieces with out lids.
12. Extra plastic bags from stores.
13 Any paper or plastic plates, cups, and utensils that are not going to be used. Donate, or toss them.
14. baby/kid cups, plates and utensils that are no longer needed.
15. Broken appliances or parts from old appliances you no longer have.
16. Ketchup, sauce packets, straws from fast food/ take out.
17. Empty jars or bottles that you don’t need.
18. Mostly empty bottles of cleaning sprays.
Living/dining room
1. Magazines and news papers.
2. Books you aren’t going to read.
3. Any old or worn out blankets, pillows or rugs.
4. Any dead or dying plants.
5. Unused storage boxes or bins.
6. Any paper stacks that can be filed and thrown away.
7. Any games with broken or missing pieces.
8. Old CDs or DVDs that can be thrown out or given away.
9. Any broken or unused electronics like TVs or DVD players.
10. Unused or unwanted candles or air fresheners.
11. Broken or damaged memorabilia and decorations.
12. Old pet toys and supplies that are not needed.
13. Broken picture frames or wall art.
14. Damaged or ruined furniture that you need to let go of.
Master bathroom
1. Old or almost empty medications.
2. Old or gross make up.
3. towels or rugs that are worn or damaged.
4. Old hair brushes or combs.
5. Products that you didn’t end up liking. Or are empty or gone bad.
6. Empty tissue boxes or toilet paper rolls that need to be tossed.
7. Old toothbrushes and toiletries that are expired or extra.
8. Broken hair ties or hair accessories.
9. Expired skin care products like creams and lotions.
10. Old nail polishes and perfumes that can be tossed out.
11. Old baby or kid products if the are no longer in use.
12. Product samples that you don’t need and just have.
13. Old or worn wash clothes or rags.
14. Expired medications or vitamins.
Master bedroom
1. worn or damaged sheets.
2. Extra blankets or bedding that can be donated.
3. Clothing that is out dated or ruined.
4. Clothing that is stained or no longer fits.
5. Earrings that are missing a pair.
6. And broken or outdated jewelry that is no longer worn.
7. Broken or unused electronics that can be donated or recycled.
8. Scarves and belts that you don’t wear or want any longer.
9. Unused purses and unworn shoes.
10. Storage boxes or container you don’t need.
11. Worn out undergarments or socks
12. Old candles that are burned down or you don’t enjoy.
Kids play room/bedroom
1. Broken toys that can’t be played with.
2. Toys that no longer get played with and can be given away.
3. Games with lost pieces or parts.
4. Puzzles with missing pieces.
5. Toys that have been out grown and can be given to younger kids.
6. Baby items that are no longer needed.
7. Clothing that no longer fits.
8. Shoes that no longer fit.
9. Stuffed animals that are worn or frayed.
10. damaged or destroyed books.
11. Old markers, crayons, and art supplies.
12. DVDs and books that have been out grown and no longer interested in.
Well, that’s my decluttering list for now. I’m sure as I keep working I will find more things I am ready to get rid of.
A lot of these things you should throw out that are just clutter can probably be given away or donated. I tried to mention many of them. Some tings are obviously trash like broken or expired things. If something is in good condition though and you just don’t need it than find someone who can use it.
I hope this helps you to de clutter your home of some things you don’t need.
Its been about a year since I started working from home and, let me tell you, having an efficient office space has been so important.
Not only does it enable me to get things done quickly and easily, but it also makes my work space both comfortable and productive.
Whether you’re setting up your home office for the first time or needing to get your existing office whipped into shape, give these 26 home office must haves a shot and you will be amazed at how much more productive you are.
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Home office must haves and tips.
How to set up a good home office.
I’ve found the key to setting up a good home office is making it functional.
Do this by thing through how you plan to use your office, what makes that process easier or faster, and how can you make sure each of those elements are productive and safe.
Which is exactly what I’ve been doing while my office is a lovely, well decorated space, I quickly discovered it wasn’t all so functional when I actually started working in it.
So over the last few months, I’ve worked hard to make that pretty space into an efficient and productive home office.
I hope this simple list of home office must haves helps you get your office set up for success.
Home office essentials list.
Ok, lets get to the good stuff! Here are the 26 items you should make sure you have in your home office.
1 Computer
In today’s day and age, it’s critical that you have a fast, reliable computer to use for your small business.
Depending on your preference, both lap top and desk tops are great options.
Obviously, as a blogger, I do most of my work on the computer, so I invested in a nice one.
2 Monitor
If you choose to use a desk top computer, be sure to get a decent sized monitor and place it on a stand if needed to make it the right height.
You can also hook up a laptop to a larger monitor if you want to.
3 Software
One of the things that can make or break your success is having the right software.
Again, think through what your business needs to work well – is that a word processor? spread sheets? photo editing?
Make a list of what you need to do your work and then research the best options for each.
4 printer/scanner
Having a quality printer/scanner has been a game changer for me!
Prior to getting my current printer, I always struggled when I needed to print something, and now I can print wirelessly from any where in my home. It’s amazing!
Be sure to do some research and find one that fits on your printer station and has the features you need for your business.
5 Tech support
I truly believe that one of the most important things to have in place for your home office is reliable tech support.
Imagine setting up your home office with all of the expensive equipment listed here only to have an issue that you can’t fix on your own and no one to call.
The thought of dealing with technical issues has always stressed me out – I mean, my entire business is done online so having someone to call with questions (no matter how big or small) is huge for me. It’s like having my own IT department.
6 wireless mouse
I seriously can’t live without my wireless mouse.
They’re easy to use and simple to pack up and take with you if you’re working remotely.
7 wireless keyboard
Another thing you’ll need is a keyboard! The wireless ones are easy to use and convenient for keeping cords to a minimum.
8 High speed internet
High speed internet is a serious home office must have.
Check with your local provider for which speed is going to be best for the type of online work your plan to do.
9 wireless router
Now that you have internet, a wireless router makes things much more efficient.
Not having to have your computer plugged into the internet cable allows you to work anywhere in your office or even the rest of your home.
10 Back up drive or cloud storage.
I was once told that it’s important to save your files in three places – on your computer, on a back up drive and to the cloud.
I’ll be honest, at this point I’m only doing two of those, but either way, make sure you have a back up of all your files somewhere.
11 Telephone
Most likely you already have a smart phone but if you don’t – be sure to get a land line so you can have a phone number and a way for people to call your company.
12 Paper shredder
If you deal with any confidential information, having a paper shredder is definitely one of the home office must haves you’re going to need. Be sure to recycle the paper after you shred it.
13 USB drive
Even with cloud storage, it’s important to have physical ways to save files and take them with you or give them to other people.
Keep a low cost USB stick on hand for the random times you need that capability.
14 Head phones with a mic
Head phones are nice when working remotely or when someone is in the office with you.
I’ve also found that using head phones with a built in mic is more effective on conference calls or video chats than the mic on my computer.
15 Surge protector
A surge protector can keep your electronics safe in case of a power surge. They’re an affordable way to protect your expensive equipment, so don’t skip this one.
16 Desk
How well your desk functions will be critical to your success – so think hard about what size and height you need.
Also consider if you want one that can rise to a standing position.
I actually started with a desk that was way too small for me, and it made working so frustration.
I finally realized I needed one that was large enough for my computer, a note pad on one side and my planner on the other – that’s 5′ wide!
So just make sure you think through your preferences and needs before buying one.
Have a few storage cabinets or cupboards for your back stock supplies.
We purchased and hung some basic white cabinets in my office specifically for that.
21 fire proof safe.
Keep your valuables safely stowed away in a fire proof safe.
This can be stored in your desk or a cabinet, just make sure it’s easily accessible.
22 personal decor
As I’m sure you know, I’m a huge fan of making things pretty.
I also like having personalized items in my space to make it feel more like me.
I’d encourage you to add photos, art, signs, pillows, blankets, even rugs to your home office and make it feel more like your space.
23 plants
Real plants have been known to add quality to the air, and I’ve found that even faux plants add a cheerful element. Try adding a small one to your desk.
24 White board or cork board
Hang a white board or board on the wall for writing notes or reminders to yourself.
I actually use my white board to schedule out my week using sticky notes- which just goes to show that you can use it in what ever way you need to keep yourself on track.
25 Planner
Having and using a planner will make you a lot more efficient because it will help you keep track of what needs to be done.
Grab one that organizes time the way you generally think about it – in days, weeks, or months.
26 Back stock of supplies
Always keep a full stock of your needed office supplies in one of your storage cabinets.
This could include paper, paper clips, pens, scissors, staples, etc.
New office step up check list.
Now, lets review these home office must haves in list form (since it’s my favorite way to see information)
1. Computer
2. monitor
3. software
4. printer/scanner
5. Tech support
6. wireless mouse
7. wireless key board
8. high speed internet
9. wireless router
10. back up drive or cloud storage
11. telephone
12. paper shredder
13. USB
14. head phones with mic
15. surge protector
16. desk
17 chair
18. lighting
19. file cabinet
20. Storage
21. safe
22. personalized decor
23. plants
24. white board or cork board
25. planner
26. Back stock of supplies
I hope these simple ideas for setting up your office in an efficient and productive way were helpful!
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Welcome to my world.
The bewilderment alot of people feel because their house isn’t any cleaner even though they’re home all the time is what drove me to start this blog.
When I started, this blog was annonymous. I was embarrassed and confused because my house was always a mess no matter what I did. Now its 2020, and sharing what I’ve learned about how to bring a home out of disaster status and keep it under control is my full time gig.
I have bad news and good news.
The bad news is that there isn’t a magical solution. Being in your house doesn’t make it clean. Cleaning is what makes it clean.
The good news is that there is a real-world solution. I’ve figured it out and boiled it down and shared it over and over again,
Today I’m sharing the two small tasks that make the biggest difference. If you do these two things every day (or even almost every day) your house will improve.
I promise.
Do your dishes
I run my dishwasher at night and empty it in the morning (with morning being a fluid term these days) And may days, lately, I run my dishwasher twice.
Do your dishes (whether you have a dishwasher or not) everyday, at some point during the day, and after a week you’ll figure out the time of day that works best in your home.
Just don’t give up after the first day, if you haven’t been doing your dishes daily, that first day will involve catching up. The time you spend doing dishes on day one is no indication of how long it will take you to do your dishes on the following days.
I really do mean five minutes. And I do really mean a pick up.
I’m not talking about a speed clean. Don’t stick everything in an empty basket to put away later.
Set a timer for five minutes and start picking things up and putting them away.
It really is that simple.
But I completely understand if your brain wont accept that it’s actually that simple. I’ve written about every objection, every but-what-about-and every she-has-no-idea-what-my-house-is-like thought you could thing of.
Here, though, in this one blog post, I’ll share the basics.
Set the timer for 5 minutes and stop after 5 minutes. If you keep going fine. But don’t say your going to do 5 minutes and then feel guilty for stopping after 5 minutes.
5 minutes will make an impact. 5 minutes everyday (or almost everyday) will make a big impact after multiple days.
Do a 5 minute pick up when ever you think about doing it.
Start in the most visible areas of your home.
Remind yourself that it’s worth teaching your family members this skill even though teaching it isn’t fun at all. Once they get it, the impact multiplies. Example: 5 minutes times 4 people equals 20 minutes of impact on your home.
Out law pooping during pick up time. According to your unique understanding of your unique family members, make them go before or after. I recommend after because the people who claim to need to poop can draw it out with the hope that you will forget or go ahead with out them.
Is it really this simple to have a beautifully clean home?
Ummmm….NO WAY!!
There’s so much more to do to have a beautifully clean home.
But if you want a beautifully clean home, this is where you start. No home will ever be beautifully clean, with out doing the dishes.
Every home that’s beautifully clean has people living in it who puts things away.
And even though there’s no magical solution, there’s magic that happens when you do these two things.
Your house will look so much better. Just from these two tasks. I mean it. I wouldn’t have believed it either, but I experienced it. I’d lived all these years thinking the answer to my messy house was a week with nothing else to do so I could clean it perfectly and then start maintaining.
What ever being a minimalist means to you,we all crave a life filled with less clutter.
We often surround ourselves with mounds and mounds of material possessions that slowly consume our homes and then our minds.
If you are on a journey to find a more minimal life style then you probably have done everything you think you should to get yourself there.
You probably de cluttered your homes, you bought matching containers, and you made multiple trips to good will.
If you’ve gotten this far, kudos to you!
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Some times this step alone can be daunting, but if you made it there, or want to get there we all need to stop doing this one thing.
Buying more stuff!
I am a big fan of retail therapy, but what happens is you are setting your newly de cluttered life up for failure…which will make you need to reach back out to therapy..retail therapy…
What a vicious circle.
We purge, we feel better. We buy, we feel better.
So this is a rather difficult thing to balance, but it can be done more easily than you think.
Your desire to want to be more minimal has to outweigh the need to buy more items.
The benefits that come from living a simpler, decluttered and minimalist life are too good to ignore.
If you want a clear mind, a clean home, and a more balanced life, then you need to stop buying the following things.
Clothes
You have got to learn how to respect the clothes that you have. I know that may sound odd, buy we end up wearing the clothes we respect again and again for a reason.
They make our bodies look more attractive, they are made out of better quality material, they make us feel good about ourselves.
This type of relationship does not develop with cheap T-shirts that stretch out in one wash, or a pair of pants that you constantly have to adjust.
There is a reason why you stick with certain pieces in your closet. Remove all the clothes you do not respect even if that brings you down to a closet fill with less then 20 pieces.
Only buy new clothes that you will love for years to come, that will last, and that will respect you back.
So put down that $5 tank top and stop buying clothes just to buy them, and start making thoughtful buying decisions in your minimalist life style.
Over all the best part of having a minimalist wardrobe is it will save you time, money, and those morning headaches of figuring out what to wear.
Gifts
Ok, not all gifts, but physical gifts. We often feel the need to buy tons of material possessions for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, etc.
Instead of buying clutter that you are now going to pass on to someone else, think about giving people experiences as gifts. Its a minimalist concept that yields huge results.
The obvious gift card is a good one, but you could give people vouchers for massages, rock climbing, golfing, kayaking, movie tickets, or concert tickets, etc.
Pass on memories and an experience that will enrich your loved ones life. Versus buying a new shirt they may or may not wear.
Duplicates of self care items.
If you want to practice minimalism you need to get in the habit of using one self care product completely before you buy duplicates.
For example, use up the entire bottle of lotion before buying a new one.
We tend to stockpile supplies, and this, of course, comes in handy, but there is a difference from having one extra tooth paste on hand versus 10.
We also hold on to a lot of items in our bathroom for that one day. One day I might crimp my hair, one day I might use this fancy hair clip. Many times that day never comes, so only keep around what you actually use.
Home decor.
No, its not like you shouldn’t buy new things for your home. What needs to change about buying home decor is that your buying something with purpose and thoughtfulness
If you know you want a new comforter set, the go buy a comforter set.
Just don’t walk by a new comforter set at Ross and on a whim decide to buy it if it was never an intentional purchase.
As you buy new things for your home, replace it with something old that you can let go of.
Items on sale.
We get suckered into good sales and unfortunately bad sales.
Good sales are the one that actually saved you money and you got what you needed.
Bad sales are when you end up spending more money than intended for an item you never were going to buy, just because it was on sale.
Sales have a way of convincing you that you are ignorant to pass up this opportunity, but be wary of the trap.
If you truly want to practice a life of minimalism, you are going to have to look past sales on items that will just become more clutter in your home.
Extra food.
I don’t even need to find a study on how much food we waste, because it’s common knowledge.
We end up wasting alot of food in our lives.
We over buy, we don’t end up eating what we bought, and then in the trash, it goes.
I know this isn’t always on purpose, maybe we were hungry when we went shopping that day. What ever the reason, if you are finding you end up throwing away alot of food every week, you may simply be buying too much.
Really examine your next week of groceries.
Do you ever finish all the herbs you purchased before they go bad? Maybe you could grow some instead?
Maybe you never can finish all the veggies you bought. Make sure you incorporate these specific veggies into your meals for the entire week, not just one meal.
Try not to create such different meals for everyday of the week. Instead of tacos and then lasagna. How about tacos, and then mexican salad? How else are you going to use up the bundle of cilantro.
Single use kitchen gadgets.
There are some cool kitchen gadgets out there, but many of them are extremely bulky.
Try to find multi function kitchen appliances that can save you tons of space in your kitchen.
Instead of a small bullet blender, a real blender, a chopper, and a salsa maker, one good blender can perform all of these functions.
A waffle maker can also make toasted panini sandwhiches! No need for a panini maker.
A toaster oven can make your toast. No need for a toaster.
Think about reducing the number of kitchen gadgets and think twice before you buy something that maybe something you already own can handle.
Containers, purses, and bags.
Unless it’s for a purpose, we often go crazy with buying things, to put things in. We buy containers on a whim, and often they do not fit the space we wanted to use it for.
With out a plan, buying containers and hoping they will work under our sinks and in our pantry end up just being extra clutter we use some where else.
We also collect purses, bags, grocery bags, canvas totes, extra coolers, travel bags, make up bags, etc.
Try to limit yourself to only the essential bags you will actually use.
If you find a life changing beach bag or a new make up bag, remove the old one to make room for the new, instead of stock piling.
Items you could make.
Of course, this category is not for every one. But there are many things we do spend money on and bring into the home that we could easily have made with the ingredients and supplies we already have.
Cleaning supplies: You can make any house hold cleaner with vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils now a days.
Cards: If you have crafting supplies, many people could make a birthday or holiday card with the supplies they already have in their home.
Throw pillows: Instead of buying a new one, take a shirt or and old sheet you no longer need and cut, wrap, and sew a new cover bringing an old throw pillow new life.
Clothes: There are hundreds of tutorials on how to turn your existing clothes into T-shirt bags, tank tops, shorts, from jeans etc. Reinvent the clothes you have instead of buying more.
Paint your furniture: If you really are craving white for that clean minimalist feel. Then paint what you already have white. Don’t rush out to buy new furniture or worse. Just add in more to what you already have.
Becoming more of a minimalist takes practice, patients, and self-awareness. We no longer just try to ce clutter out homes, we are trying to declutter our lives and in the process becoming more full filled with what we already have.
Contentment is not easy, especially in a day and age of intense consumerism. Yet it can be done.
Remember that you are in control of what you buy, you are in control of what you spend your money on, and you are in control of what comes into your home. Its also coming into your mind.
So be thoughtful about your purchases and know that the benefits from this type of life style will out weigh that novelty coffee cup you thought you just HAD to have!
These last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about a garage sale. I have already been de cluttering on a regular basis for the last year and a half. So I was afraid I would find little to sell. At the same time, I wanted this to be our best yard sale to date since I want to do all that I can to help our family prepare for the trip to California we plan to take.
In the end, we hauled four truck loads worth of stuff to the local Good Will.
As I was hauling items to sell out of various locations through out the house I noticed a trend.
Alot of items were what I like to call “someday” stock pile items.
Some day I will have the time to scrap book again so I should save these supplies. (never mind that I switched to making photo books, years ago).
Some day we might go back to tent camping and these lanterns will be needed again.
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Perhaps it was because I recently listened to the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, or that I am currently following fellow blogger A Slob Comes Clean. But suddenly my eyes were opened that holding onto someday items even if I did have space for them in my house – was costing me money.
Each year you hold on to some day items they are losing value.
New and improved models for just about everything come out every year and rarely do older items go up in value, at least not the type of items I was holding on to.
Each year you hold onto some day items there is a riskthat they will become damaged and there fore lose more value.
I had stuck several some day items in the basement and when I brought them upstairs into better light, I realized some items had mildew growing on them that would not wipe off and I had to toss them. Had I simply sold them right away after realizing I wasn’t going to get the project they were intended for anytime soon, I would have been able to recoup some of my initial investment.
Each year you hold onto someday items you have less room and this can lead to storage expenses.
This has not happened to our family yet. I hope it never does, but I know better than to say never, that word always has me eating humble pie. It is so easy to think out homes have become much too small and either spend money getting a bigger home or money on a storage unit for our stuff.
Its much cheaper to buy back things should your someday ever arrive than to pay either storage fees, more rent, or higher mortgage costs. Plus with a larger living area come larger heating and cooling bills and often higher property tax.
Each year you add to your someday pile your home becomes more cluttered, which comes with a hidden price.
I have been decluttering for the past year and a half now. And I no longer want to escape my home. Instead, I want to stay home and enjoy the haven it is becoming.
Going out is rarely free. Either we spend money on food, entertainment, or more someday stuff.
How to cure the someday stockpile problem.
Thankfully the solution to the financial cost of someday stockpiling is pretty simple.
When you are about to buy something new
If you are about to buy something new (or new to you) no matter how low in cost the item ask your self “can I fit the project this item creates into my calendar with in the next 6 months?” Be brutally honest and if the answer is no, don’t buy it.
Also ask your self “how many projects have I already added to my calendar?” And will adding this item to my list be too much.
These questions can apply to supplies for a new or existing hobby, buying supplies for a home renovation project and more.
When you are decluttering.
If you are de cluttering ask your self the same questions, realistically, will I be able to use up these items in the next 6 months? If the answer is no, sell the items and get back more now for them than when you finally give up on the idea 3 years from now.
The key is to be brutally honest about your life and what fits into it and what doesn’t. You also have to be confident in who you are and what you enjoy. Perhaps you thought you could become one of those cool moms that sew up cute outfits for their babies, but truth be told sewing just doesn’t interest you.
Asking these questions day in and day out both as you purchase items and as you de clutter your home will save you a significant amount of money over time as well as put money back into your wallet through re sale.
Stop stockpiling for someday and start living today clutter free. Your home and wallet will thank you!
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How to make your house smell really good.
The first step in any fresh smelling home is to get rid of the bad smells. We don’t want to mask existing odors. Sometimes a little “house deodorizing” is in order.
Here are a few ways to rid your house of any bad odors first. (Feel free to skip to #5 if you already know these tricks).
How do you deodorize a house?
1 Empty garbage cans regularly.
When it comes to removing house hold smells, you have to find the source. Some of your bad odors might be coming from your trash. And it can quickly go from fine to nasty Because you need to change your kitchen and bathroom can liners every couple of days, or more often if you detect an odor.
2 Clean out your refridgerator.
Your fridge is another bad scent culprit. Go through it once a week and toss items that are past their prime. A little hack is to put an open box of baking soda in your fridge to absorb the odors.
3 Sprinkle some baking soda before vacuuming.
To deodorize your carpet, mix baking soda and some essential oil drops in a bowl, then sprinkle on your carpet or rug. Let it sit as long as over night to really absorb odors.
4 Open the windows.
Weather permitting. A great way to freshen the air in your home is to open the windows. Even just for an hour or two! You can get rid of cooking smells, or any other stale lingering odor this way.
How can I make my house smell good all the time?
5 Use your crock pot.
Did you know that you can use your slow cooker to eliminate odors in your home?
Here’s how:
1. Put some water in your slow cooker. (a small one works great for this) But any size will do the trick
2. Add in 3 or more tbsp of baking soda.
3. Keep the lid off, and just let this concoction work its magic.
6 Get an air purifier.
To keep your home smelling fresh all the time, run an air purifier regularly. In addition to eliminating house hold odors, it also reduces dust and pollen.
7. Make your own pet deodorizer.
If you have pets, you know that they just come with their own set of odors. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your house smelling good with pets, try making this natural pet deodorizer.
Mix 2 tbsp baking soda with 2 c distilled water and 8-12 drops of pet safe essential oils in a spray bottle.
You can spray it right on your pet, or in their bed to help neutralize odors.
Also be sure to brush your pet regularly, in addition to vacuuming the carpet and furniture. And of course, if they have an accident, use a pet stain and odor eliminator as quickly as possible.
8. Get rid of those musty towel smells.
One of the lingering odors that could be jeoperdizing your home’s freshness, is the moldy towel smell. Here’s an easy trick to rid your towels of that gross mildewy scent.
Soak your towels overnight in hot water and cup or 2 of vinegar. You can lay them in the bath tub or put them in the washing machine (but dont run the load) Then the next day, wash them like usual, and ta-da! No more musty smell.
You may not even realize that your shoes are contributing to the odor in your home. Spray the insides of your shoes with “shoe-pourri” to eliminate any bad scnts. Another hack is to spray so dry shampoo inside your shoes to soak up any funkiness.
10. Use drain cleaner.
Your sink drains can be another contributing factor to the way your house smells. Plink is a product I find to be a great way to freshen things up.
11. Use a daily shower cleaner spray.
The benefit of daily shower spray is two- fold. Your shower will stay cleaner longer, and it will prevent a mildewy smell.
What can I use to make my home smell good?
12. Use a linen of room spray.
When wanting to make your room smell good, just spritz the air, or your furniture, or linens with a room spray. Grove collborative has many to chose from. https://www.grove.co/referrer/3825420/ this is my referal link if you’d like to make an order!
13. Put essential oils on your furnace filter.
Sprinkle a few drops of your favorite essential oils right on your furnace filter to keep the scent pumped through out your home.
14. Use good smelling cleaning products.
To help motivate you to clean and keep your house smelling fresh, use cleaning products with scents you love.
If you want to make your house smell good with out candles (because having a lit candle in your home kind of freaks you out), let me introduce you to the wax melt warmer. I use mine daily. It creates scent by melting wax cubes with a light bulb, so there’s no need for a flame.
17. stove top pot pourri.
Simmer some pot pourri right on your stove top by adding pot pourri to some water in a pan. You can also make your own mixture with things like citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, and your favorite herbs.
18. Clip fabreeze vent clips to your home vents.
Typically designed for the car, try using the fabreeze vent clips in your home. Your furnace or air conditioner will push the scent out into your home.
19. Use coffee beans.
Fill a small jar with coffee beans. Then place a tea light in the center. When lit, it will warm the beans and make your home smell delicious.
20. Try an oil diffuser.
I absolutely love my essential oil diffuser. Just add some water and drops of your favorite essential oils, and enjoy the scent all day long.
21. Hack some scent boosters
If you know the beauty of downy unstoppables I’m about to drop some knowledge! You can use them for more than just fresh smelling laundry!
Put some in a little mesh bag and place around your home or in your drawers! Your clothes will smell good, and keep your drawers from getting that stale odor.
If you have a wax melt warmer, you can also use scent booster instead of traditional wax melts.
22. Put essential oil in your toilet paper roll.
Yup, just sprinkle a few drops of essential oil right on the card board part of your toilet paper roll. It makes your bathroom smell good, and the lovely scent will waft out everytime someone grabs some toilet paper.
23. Get some fresh plants.
You could treat yourself to a bouquet from the grocery store, or buy some flowering plants to keep in your home. Growing your own herbs is another idea to make your kitchen smell good.
In conclusion
When it comes to making your house or appartment smell good, these strategies make a really big difference.
I really hope these fresh smelling home tips and tricks gave you some inspiration for new ways to keep your house smelling good.
Do you ever work really hard to clean your house and it feels absolutely amazing about how great it looks, then wake to a complete disaster zone the next morning and immediately become discouraged?
You are far from alone! I think we’ve all been there – the laundry, dishes, and clutter piles sometimes feel like they form out of no where! And while my house wont clean it’s self, I have learned a few tricks about keeping it manageable and nice looking most of the time, and I want to share those tips with you.
10 ways to keep your house clean, after you clean.
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
1 Give your home 15 minutes a day.
You may not be able to clean the entire house everyday, but you can still spend 15 minutes doing something. Whether you unload or reload the dishwasher, tidy the living room, or fold one load of laundry, you’re making forward progress.
Many days, you’ll be able to do more than one of those but even on days you can’t dedicate alot of time cleaning, accomplishing just a little bit will help keep your house in decent condition until you can get to the rest.
2 Having a cleaning day (or 3) every week.
Regularly give your home a little extra time to take care of anything the 15 minutes couldn’t do. The more cleaning sessions you have planned each week, the better, because a few days worth of stuff is easier to clean up than a full weeks. And, if you have multiple cleaning sessions scheduled each week and need to skip one, you know you’ll have another coming up soon.
3 Skip playing catch up.
Is vacuuming supposed to happen on Mondays but now it’s Tuesday? Don’t vacuum – simply move on to the next chore and wait until vacuuming day rolls back around. The same goes for scrubbing bathrooms, mowing grass, cleaning out the fridge etc. Just move on and catch up those chores the next time around. This will allow you to take needed breaks and enjoy your loved ones instead of becoming a slave to your schedule.
4 Focus on blessing – not impressing – visitors.
When we try to impress people, our entire mindset changes. Instead of putting things away and considering it good enough, we start shoving clutter into corners and closets so we can dust or mop or shine things up to a higher standard than what we’d normally do.
Focus instead on blessing your visitors with a welcoming attitude. This way, your cleaning in a way that’s beneficial to your family, not just potentially impressive to company.
5 simplify your routine.
Do you really need to dust on top of the fridge or sweep your side walk on a regular basis? Somethings can wait for longer inbetween.
6 Forget about perfection.
The Pareto principal states that it takes 20% of time to complete 80% of the job, and the other 80% of the time to finish 20% of the work. Most of the time, it’s perfectly wonderful and freeing to quickly complete your 80% of the house keeping and not worry about the final, more time consuming 20%.
7 Think positively.
If you think you can accomplish something then you can likely accomplish it. On the other hand, if you can tell yourself that homemaking isn’t important or you don’t have time, you’ll end up living in a constant mess. Believe that you can succeed, and make sure your actions validate that belief.
8 Hit your clutter spot.
Think about the one room you really love to clean – for me it’s the kitchen. If the rest of the house is a mess but my kitchen is clean, I feel like my house is under control. On the other hand, if the rest of the house is tidy but the kitchen is a mess, I feel overwhelmed and stressed out.
Maybe your hot spot is the laundry, or the living room, or the toy room. What ever that one place is (and don’t say it’s your entire house) clean that first. Every time. I promise it will make the biggest positive difference in your home, which will likely help your stress levels and mental health.
9 Speak kindly to those around you.
A clean home isn’t worth a damaged relationship. If you have a Martha Stewart type home but your family members are harshly criticized everytime they leave something out, they’ll remember the criticism, not the clean home. On the other hand, if a mess house full of love, hospitality, and encouragement, the love will be cherished and the mess will likely become a faded memory.
But there’s no need to choose – you can work on both your attitude and your house to provide a clean home as well as a loving environment.
I know the idea of de cluttering annually sounds crazy at first, but just hear me out on this. We live in our homes, and especially if there are children in the house, there’s a steady stream of Christmas presents, birthday presents, Easter baskets, school projects and every day clutter that comes with it.
So once a year, take a few days (or weeks) and really focus on thoroughly de cluttering your entire house from top to bottom. Out of all the things on this list, de cluttering annually has by far had the biggest, most positive impact for my family.
Completing chores first thing in the morning, then spending the rest of the day outside is a little trick I learned when I was a teenager and earning babysitting money. The kids had a blast, the adults were happy because their house was clean, and I was happy because someone was actually paying me money to play outside all day.
Doing this with my own kids keep everyone smiling, the house in great shape, and bed time a breeze because they’re so tired they fall alseep in two 2nds. WIN!!
