TIDY THURSDAY!

Its time for another quick tip to help you keep your home tidy. With six people living in a home under 2000 sq ft, it can get cluttered here at my house pretty fast. To help me keep said clutter at bay I have strategically placed baskets around the house for catch alls. I have two large baskets by both entries into our home (front door & garage). These are where we throw our shoes as we enter. This also helps us save the floors from dirt and grime. I keep a small basket/bowl on a table near the garage as well to toss keys and other small odds & ends as we enter. On the stairs I keep a basket to toss things in that need put away before the end of the day. In the living room I keep a basket for library books. When someone is done with a library book it gets tossed in there. This saves me from having to look all over the house for books when the time comes to return them. These are just a few examples of how to utilize baskets, or other types of containers, in the home. All in all, these baskets help me keep our home a little more tidy. Enjoy!

TIDY THURSDAY!

I am a firm believer in children helping out around the house. I have a wide range of ages here, one year old - 13 year old, so it can be difficult to give everyone something that they can do and do well. Chores are a valuable lesson to teach, and more importantly, I could not manage the house without their help. Here at our house everyone does some kind of chore 6 days a week. I try to make Sunday a true day of rest with only the minimal amount of tidying done. I assign chores the morning of each day on the chalk board in my kitchen. I use to have specific weekly chores for the children, but I decided that didn't work for us. Now, I think that my children are learning more about housekeeping by doing a variety of chores each day. Here is a simple list of 10 chores that my children do with age appropriateness. Enjoy!

• put dirty laundry in hamper - 2 & up
• unload or load dishwasher -5 & up
• sweep kitchen - 4 & up
• dust - 4 & up
• recycling - 4 & up
• feed pets - 4 & up
• vacuum - 8 & up
• mop kitchen - 8 & up
• clean toilets - 10 & up
• take out trash - 11 & up

TIDY THURSDAY!

I haven't been to the grocery store in awhile. I was trying to see how long we could make it on what I have on hand for meals. So, since the fridge was not well stocked I took it upon myself to give it a thorough cleaning before heading to the grocery again.

I believe that an organized fridge will help me spend less time with the door open. This is my strategy for a helpful, tidy fridge.

• Use soap and water to wipe down all surfaces of fridge. Don't forget to take out the drawers and clean underneath them.
• Discard anything expired or unknown.
• Vacuum or sweep underneath the fridge. If you can reach the coils vacuum them as well.
• Create zones for everything. Drinks, snack, leftovers, veggies, fruit, etc..
• Don't put easily perishable items on the door (eggs and milk).
• Put cooked meat on the very bottom shelf to avoid contaminating other items.
• Invest in stackable containers to use only in the fridge.
• Start cleaning out the fridge once a week. I think I will do it the night the trash needs to go out. I think this will help me to remember. :)

I hope this list helps you start your way to a clean and tidy fridge. Enjoy!

TIDY THURSDAY!

I have decided that it is time to become more organized before I go to bed. I am sure this is going to help me jump start my morning. Here is what I am thinking:

1. Think about tomorrow before I go to bed. Look at calendar for any appointments.
2. Start my to do list.
3. Make lunches.
4. Get ready for tomorrow's breakfast.
5. Set out all clothes and have bags ready for school.
6. If I plan to use crock pot get it out to remind me.
7. In living room - pick up and put things away.
8. In Kitchen - clean sink and start dishwasher.
9. Focus on today's good things or accomplishments.
10. Pray and go to bed at a decent time.

Do you have a nightime routine?

TIDY THURSDAY

It's still spring cleaning in my house. I have to admit that I am behind. This week I am tackling the laundry room. My laundry room gets lots of attention. 6 people can make a ton of laundry.

Here's my tips on how to spring clean this room:

1. Remove everything from any shelves in laundry room and wipe down. Throw out anything not used in a while.
2. Remove any rugs in laundry area and beat clean or wash if able.
3. Sweep and mop floor.
4. Clean any windows, light fixtures, etc..
5. Clean the outside of washer and dryer.
6. Clean the inside of the washer:

• a. Set the washer on hot wash and hot rinse load with largest load setting and longest wash time.
• b. Start the washer.
• c. Fill the washer with 1 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda.
• d. When it is finished run it again with your regular laundry detergent.

*if you do not want to run your washer empty simply fill it with old towels

7. Clean the inside of the dryer. I just use soap and water.
8. Vacuum the lint trap.
9. Wipe down walls.
10. Touch up any paint nicks.

TIDY THURSDAY!

It's Spring! Even though it doesn't really feel like spring in my area, it is time to start thinking/doing spring cleaning. My mom was a great role model on how to clean rooms correctly. Every week I had to help her clean the house. I mean really clean the house. Even though I hated it at the time, I now appreciate the life tools that she taught me. So, on to tidy thursday. I have started my spring cleaning to do list. Have you? Spring cleaning is a great way to help you keep your home cleaner throughout the summer. Here's 10 tips on how to spring clean your bathrooms:
1. Dust down ceilings and corners.
2. Dust all vents. You might even have to use a mild cleanser to clean out all the grime that can get on them.
3. Take down all the curtains. Wash them according to directions. If you use a vinyl shower curtain replace it.
4. Scrub the shower and toilet. I love my magic erasers! They really work well in the bathtub.
5. Scrub down the toilet making sure to get the base and behind the toilet as well as the handle.
6. Wash bathroom rugs.
7. Sweep and mop floor.
8. Empty trash and wash the trash can.
9. Clean out medicine cabinet and wipe it down.
10. Clean out any other containers, closets, and drawers in the bathroom. Wipe them all down before putting things back away.

TIDY THURSDAY!

Today is the first post for Tidy Thursdays. I am the first to admit that my home is rarely totally clean. With four children, a husband and a poodle named Curly it is nearly impossible to reach the level of clean that I dream about. However, I do strive to keep my home as tidy as possible. Yes, some days are better than others, but for the most part the house is tidy enough for a drop by from a friend.

I first read about this tip from a wonderful book by Linda Cobb. You can find it here.

I have white tile with white grout in my bathroom that gets looking rather ugly every couple of months. To clean it with ease I just mix a solution of bleach and baking soda. Once I get a paste like consistency I spread it on the grout and let it sit overnight. The next day I just rinse it off and it is sparkly clean! Do you have a cleaning tip to share?