Reusable Swiffer Duster

(Photo courtesy of SewMuchAdo)

Like the creator of this tutorial, I love cleaning products. I used to buy the Swiffer disposeable duster pads at Sams, and I used them like they were going out of style. They work so well and are incredibly convenient. A few years ago I caved and bought a microfiber washable duster instead. It was a bit pricey (in my humble opinion), but it was economical as it can be reused. Lately that duster has lost its luster, and I'm in the market for some new ones. I wanted to buy a handful this time since it always seems to be dirty when I need it. But when I ran into this tutorial I realized what my day held in store for me. I LOVE this idea, and I already have a stash of flannel. So the total cost of the project for me is $0. I'll let you know how it works.

Good-smelling vacuum

I've always had a problem with the vacuum exhaust stinking - probably because I've always had a dog. Our dog is an indoor dog who is very clean and gets regular baths and grooming, but it doesn't seem to keep my vacuum from stinking up the house when I use it. I've resorted to using a very inexpensive vacuum cleaner because replacing the filters is so expensive. Anyway, I heard a trick and tried it without much hope, but it's completely solved my stinky vacuum problem. Just stick a scented drier sheet in the bag (if it's bagless, you can throw it in the canister), and the exhaust will smell fresh and clean. It works tremendously. I am almost at the point of having to replace the bag again, and it still smells as fresh as it did the first time I used it. Nice!

My Mary Makeover, Troubleshooting

I think the plan I've come up with is really going to work for me, but I completely acknowledge that there are definitely going to be forces working against me. Namely, Hannah and sometimes Chris. =) I have never successfully run a household filled with children, but I have successfully run a classroom filled with children. My classroom was always neat, tidy, and clean. Here are some of my ideas for keeping the childhood clutter to a minimum:


1) Make sure there's a place for everything. Clutter can't be put away easily if there is not a designated place for it to belong. If your kids are old enough to sort their toys when putting them away, make sure the bins are clearly labelled making it easy for the kids to find the proper spot. In my classroom each type of toy was in its own container. I took a picture of each toy, and put the pic on the front of the bin where it belonged.
2) I have toy bins (baskets, trunks, and other decorative containers) in the family room, Hannah's bedroom, kitchen, and the playroom for toys. That way things can be quickly tossed into a bin instead of organized, sorted, and returned to the room they belong in a pinch.
3) If you have multiple children and, therefore, multiple homes for different toys, I saw this great idea that I will definitely institute when we have more kids. You can personalize them with an initial, decorate them with fabric that would match a child's room, or assign each child their own color to make it especially theirs. Then hang it on their bedroom's door knob to collect random trinkets that have been left lying around throughout the day.
4) When I'm collecting clutter, I typically walk around the house with a laundry basket. I'll go on a mission to find everything that belongs in our master bedroom, put it in the basket, and carry it to that room. I usually repeat for each room. This way you only have to make one trip to each room instead of multiple trips with multiple handfuls.
5) Enlist your kids in the cleaning process. You can assign them age-appropriate chores for the Zone of the day. For example, if it's kitchen day, hand your toddler a bag, and let them go to town picking up crumbs off the floor. Or you can allow them to help to clean the face of appliances by soaking a paper towel in vinegar. They can wipe to their heart's content without having to handle harsh chemicals. Have your preschoolers help with making their beds, sorting laundry, etc. Of course, you'll have to accept an outcome that is developmentally-appropriate. When it's time to pick up toys, make it into a game. You can have a special hat (think decorated hard hats or a silly child-decorated baseball cap or visor) that the kids don for cleaning. Set a timer, grab the hats, and let the kids go to town. And don't forget the power of a simple sticker chart for your little helpers. Let this be a reward-only system and not associated with punishment to keep it fun and upbeat.

I think the thing I'm going to have to keep in mind when Hannah's older (and when we add more children to the mix) is that my standard of perfection will have to be compromised if I want Hannah to help cheerfully. If I go behind her "fixing" her accomplishment, I'll steal the sense of pride. If I demand perfection, I'll end up in the looney bin, and she'll never want to help fearing my disapproval. So a valiant effort should be rewarded and the imperfections ignored.

I hope this system works well for you. If you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to comment!

Mary Makeover, Part Three

Do you have a compiled list of everyday chores and Zone chores? If so, it's time to create a routine that will work for you. First, decide which days you'd like to have off. For me, those days are Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I'll do my best to maintain my cleaning routine Tuesday - Friday.
Next, decide how you want to tackle your list of daily chores. For example, I am already in the habit of loading the dishwasher each night and programming it to run while we're sleeping, handwashing the dishes that need it, then wiping down the sink and countertops. Then in the morning I unload the clean dishes. I'll make my bed as soon as I get out of it, and sweep the floor just after Hannah goes to bed - all routines already firmly established. Once I get into a routine of doing something, it just seems easy, so routines are key for me.
Lastly, carve 30 minutes out of your day that is consistent(ish) to tackle that day's Zone chores. Hannah takes a good, consistent, long nap each morning. Afternoon naps are always iffy. So I'm planning my Zone cleaning for the mornings and not the afternoons. I want to have a time I can count on.
Here's where the Zone cleaning gets flexible. My house is not always picked up enough to just be able to focus on the regular chores. Usually my routine has to involve de-cluttering and picking up before I can get to the table/floor/counter to clean it in the first place. I spend my time de-cluttering and wipe myself out before I get to the cleaning part. In this case, spend 30 minutes in that day's Zone tackling one project. For example, we had a last-minute big family gathering at our house on 4th of July weekend. To "clean" I literally picked up every piece of clutter/extra baskets and bins/etc. and threw it into our bedroom. Instead of cleaning our bedroom the other day, I just spent that time organizing and finding a home for all of the random odds and ends that were thrown in there. I'll clean it the next time that Zone rolls around. It's nice because it doesn't make that Zone overwhelming. Another example of organizing instead of cleaning would be for my guest bedroom. It's not a dusty room, and the floor doesn't get a lot of action, so the cleaning is minimal. The armoire, however, is a disaster inside. So one day I might (emphasis on might) decide to spend that 30 minutes organizing the armoire instead of cleaning.
What about the deep-cleaning issues like the inside of the refrigerator, scrubbing grout, and cleaning blinds? I'm going to use one day per week to do deep-cleaning in one Zone. Next week is deep-cleaning week for Zone 1. So the only day I'll actually tackle more than just the easy surface stuff is Tuesday.

I must say that this plan has made me excited and motivated about possibly being able to consistently maintain a tidy house for the first time in my life. I would really like to have a well-established routine before we introduce even more family members so I can stay on top of stuff and avoid my marathon cleaning rituals before we expect company. Having a consistently clean house seems impossible, and I'm thrilled that this plan is doable. I will be completely honest, though, and share my failings openly. Please let me know if you're using any part of the plan and how it's working for you!

Mary Makeover, Part Two

The next step in my housecleaning planning was to separate my house into cleaning zones. I used these rules when determining the zones:

1) I only wanted to have 4 days of zone cleaning, so I separated my house into 4 zones
2) In order to make the cleaning approximately the same amount of time each day (my goal is 30 minutes or less), I separated the zones accordingly. (i.e. The kitchen takes a long time, the guest bedroom and Hannah's room don't. So the kitchen is one zone by itself, and the secondary bedrooms are grouped together.)
3) Proximity is important so you don't have to lug tools across the house all morning. Make the zones in the same basic area.

I have a 1450 square foot home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, so four zones are very reasonable. If you have a bigger, more complex house, you'd probably need more zones. My zones are as follows:
Zone 1 - Kitchen and Laundry Room
Zone 2 - Main Living Areas (Foyer, Dining Room, Family Room)
Zone 3 - Secondary Bedrooms, Bathroom, and Hallway
Zone 4 - Master Bed and Bath

The next step was to define all of the weekly maintenance items that need to be done in each zone. These are not the deep-cleaning things that really only need to happen once a month (or less!). Here's my example for the kitchen:
Clean counters and sink
Clean the surfaces of the microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator
Scrub cooktop
Dust shelves
Clean coffee pot
Clear cobwebs
Sweep and mop floors

Notice that this list does not include things like cleaning out the refrigerator, organizing the pantry, etc. So, in its entirety, my job in the kitchen should take between 15 and 30 minutes.

Happy Zoning!

My Mary Makeover, Step One

I referenced my new housekeeping plan in a post on my family blog, and I thought I'd share how I've started. I did a lot of searching online, and I decided Flylady.com was the most similar to what I had in mind. It doesn't really fit my lifestyle, however, so I did a lot of tweaking. I needed a routine that:

1) Was very flexible and allowed for days off - if we're invited to do something last-minute, I refuse to let something like chores make me turn down the offer
2) Focused on keeping things neat and organized, not just appearing to be neat and organized
3) Met me where I am, not where I hope to be - I have a long way to go to get my house to neat and tidy, and it's not reasonable for me to have to get it to perfect before I can use a system to maintain it
4) Takes very little time per day - can reasonably be accomplished during naptime and still give me time to workout and shower (okay, I had a hard time saying "workout" with a straight face, but I'm adding that to my goals)
5) Keeps my house looking good all the time eliminating my last-minute hours-long cleaning marathon before company is expected

So, with that in mind, I set to the planning phase. The first step was to determine the things that I need to do every day to keep up with the house. Here is my list:
1) Empty and reload the dishwasher
2) Wipe down the kitchen counters
3) Wipe down the kitchen table and high chair
4) Make the beds
5) Clean up baby toys
6) Use the dust mop to sweep wood floors, and run the Roomba in the kitchen

If you're going to jump in to this project too, start by making a short list of things you would like to accomplish every day.

I am not a granola, but...

I cannot honestly say that I do anything around my house for the sake of the environment. For me, what it comes down to is ease of use and the bottom line - money. We use energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs and such to save money on our electricity bill, for example.

Well, I was recently reading a blog that suggested using natural cleaning products. I have always wanted to try these cleaning solutions, but I always forget until I'm tossing my Clorox wipe. I just want to say for the record at this point that I am a proud bleach user. I also use products such as Soft Scrub, Mr. Clean, Pledge, and Windex.

So the other day when I was reaching for my caddy of cleaners, I remembered the post and grabbed my vinegar, salt, and baking soda instead. I sprinkled my (filthy, stained) counters with baking soda and salt, grabbed a damp rag, and poured a little vinegar right out of the bottle onto the counter. It bubbled and fizzed just like a science fair volcano. I wiped the counters off with the rag, and they were sparkling clean. I used very little elbow grease (it was nothing compared to the usual scrubbing I have to do with a coarse sponge and soft scrub to remove the stains), and the counters were just as clean as they normally would be after a rigorous scrubbing. I was pleased and thought it was definitely an option I'd use should I remember next time. I put everything away before realizing I had forgotten to scrub one section of the counter. I grabbed a handy Clorox wipe to do the job. After scrubbing a couple of trouble spots for a few minutes I realized I was having to do way more work than with the salt, baking soda, and vinegar solution. After I had gotten the counter as clean as I could, I ended up getting everything back out and using my new found cleaning regimen which made the countertop sparkle. I should have just done that in the first place. I think the most notable difference was in my hands afterwards. They were soft and smooth, not cracking and burning from dryness! I am very sensitive to chemicals, so I have to make sure to have heavy ventilation and wash meticulously after I use them to clean. Then I have to apply layers and layers of Eucerin to combat the peeling skin. This was enough to convert me!

Yesterday my smooth-top stove was filthy. I have found nothing to clean it effectively. Things get burned on and not even a razor blade can get them off. I usually use dish soap and my dish scrubber. Then I use a damp rag to remove the soap and polish it. I did this as usual, but it wasn't getting clean. So after cleaning it thoroughly, I grabbed my new cleaning combo. And it worked!

I am absolutely not going to give up my Clorox wipes for quick clean-ups, but this will definitely be my mode of operation for deep cleanings from now on.

Cleaning Tip

I really enjoy cleaning, but only under the perfect circumstances which NEVER happens, so I rarely enjoy doing it. =) Nowadays I try to find time to clean when Miss Priss is napping. I turn on some fun music (think Mama Mia soundtrack) and try to take my time (if I have it which I usually do not). I've always appreciated easy cleaning tips that make things quick and simple.
So when I heard this tip years and years ago, I filed it away and now use it every single time I clean. Instead of trying to use a vacuum, wet rag, etc., I use a lint roller to dust my lamp shades. It works perfectly, doesn't clump up the dust like my vacuum did, and doesn't turn the dust and dirt into mud thus staining the lampshade like a wet rag would. I have a super, super dusty house, so mine need dusting each time I clean, but yours may be less problematic. Either way, this is a quick and easy hint.