Company Clean

Company’s coming!

Are you hiding inside your house, trying to keep the kids quiet and ignore the ringing doorbell? Are you scared to answer the door, because your house is not nearly company clean?

There are ways to keep your home always ready for company. Company clean may not be spotless, and immaculate, but it’s not going to be shameful to let the neighbors in for a cup of coffee either!

Follow these tips and you’ll always be ready for that knock on the door or the surprise visit from your mother in law!!

In the kitchen:

• Always clean up spills and drips as soon as they happen.
• Take ten minutes after each meal to load the dishwasher and wipe the counters, stove, microwave and sink. Never leave dishes in your sink. Would you rather spend ten minutes cleaning the kitchen after a meal, or thirty minutes or more after three meals? Do a quick sweep up after each meal too.
• Unload the dishwasher before bed or first thing in the morning. That way you won’t have to stack the breakfast dishes, or unload it before dinner.
• If the dishwasher isn’t completely full, add the microwave tray, a centerpiece bowl, or anything that is dishwasher safe and needs cleaning. Also toss in your sponge to sanitize it.
• Store your small appliances you don’t use everyday so they don’t get dirty, and it will be easier to clean your counters. It also looks cleaner when it’s less cluttered.
• Purge the fridge before you shop. Wipe down shelves and bins before you fill it up again.

The Living Areas:

• Baskets are perfect to keep things tidy and organized. Keep your mail in a basket till you sort through it.
• Your keys, cell phone, and loose change can go on a small pretty tray or in a bowl near the door.
• Keep a shoe rack near the door to keep from tripping over strewn shoes, and your entry way from looking like shoe city!
  
• Once a week shake out the mats and entryway rugs to keep dirt from being tracked into the house. Make your house a shoe free zone!
  
• Keep microfiber cloths handy and swipe away dust the second you see it. It’s easier to remove if you don’t let it build up.
• Always do a nightly walk through of the house. Put away items that were left out, fold the throws and fluff the pillows, and straighten the magazines and books on the coffee table.
• At the end of the day have the kids put their toys or other stuff away. Toss the dogs toys into a basket too.

Do You Live In A House or Home??

How do you make your house feel like a home? Heres a few ideas to get you started!

1. Start with decluttering and cleaning - Get rid of the junk.
2. Display your photographs - Nothing says warmth like family photographs!
   
3. Use hand me down recipes - Teach your children about your roots!
4. Hang your history - Display your grandmother’s china
5. Use your words! Put some stencils or quotes on your walls!
6. Love your home

1. Get rid of the junk: One of the first steps of making a house a home is a clean space. Get rid of the junk. If you don’t LOVE it, than it’s just taking up space and collecting dust. If its chipped, broken, missing a piece, or just plain ugly throw it out! Now you have less clutter and you feel free and light and ready to put your name on it. Don't feel guilty about getting rid of the vase Aunt Sally gave you, really, just get rid of it!
   
2. Display your photographs - Be creative!
   Nothing shows the love you have for your family more than displaying photographs. At kodakgallery.com you will find a wide array of creative ways to display pictures. You can even take your favorites and blow them up into poster size!! Frame it and there you have it, instant art that is personal and will last a lifetime. A great conversational piece for people when they visit. They will be amazed at your photographic skills!
   
3. Use hand me down recipes - Teach your children about your roots!
   Do you have recipes that have been handed down from y our Mother or Grandmother?? These recipes, especially if they are handwritten look wonderful framed and hung in the kitchen. Don’t worry about the grease marks or smudges; this is what adds that certain charm. My whole back splash is framed recipes from my Grandmother, mother, and even some aunts. With coordinating frames, you will create something that has meaning and sentimental value to your home!

   

4. Hang your history - Display your grandmother’s china
   Do you have a few pieces of Grandmas good china?? What better way to display it than to hang them on the wall in your dining room?? A little piece of family history to admire throughout the years to come. You don't need a whole set, just one or two, or even four hung in an interesting way on your wall will add so much to the room. You'll get texture, color, and interest from something that has been in your family for so long.
   
5. Use your words! Put some stencils or quotes on your walls!
   One of my new favorite sites is Wall Words This site has stencils, letters, and one time use quotes, words that you put onto your wall!! I’m so in love with this site and can’t stop shopping there!! What a fabulous way to personalize the kid’s rooms, or welcome guests into your home.
   .
6. Love your home
   Last but not least, love your home. Bond with it. Be proud of it. Keep it clean and fresh and an oasis that your family wants to come home to. Make it comfortable and cozy. No one says that your house has to be decorated all at once and overnight. I’ve been in my home for over two years and I’m not even close to getting it to where I want it. It takes time to make it perfect! I only buy things I absolutely love! I don’t settle for second best. If it’s not the right color or I’m not in love with it, than I don’t buy it. I would rather have a bare wall than something ugly hanging up that I have to look at everyday. Keeping it bare inspires me to continue to hunt for that perfect piece!

prioritize

Take a look around you.. do you achieve the life that you want for yourself and your family? Or are you always frantic, procrastinating, and have periods of useless activity, always tired, or just depressed? Well than its time to rethink your time management. Before you can organize your home you must learn how to use your time more efficiently and to the best of your advantage. Lets take some positive steps towards living the life you really want.
The first thing we need to do each and every morning is to prepare your to do list. You can also do this right before you go to sleep at night. Sometimes this helps to put our mind at ease, knowing what our day will entail. When our minds are clear, we'll fall asleep easier and have a more restful night, and wake up refreshed and ready to start the list.

Put 10 things on your list. Only 10 things!! One of the biggest mistakes we make is having a list that is impossible to finish and therefore making us feel like we failed. Or making it so long that it just looks so daunting we don’t even start it. So we will only list 10 items and no more.

Number the items by importance in completing. #1 being high priority and #10 being a bonus if you get to it, but it’s not crucial. Don’t be too general with an item. Don’t list #1 as “clean the basement”. You’ll never finish it or anything else on the list. Instead be specific. #1. Clean the holiday storage area of the basement. Cross each item off the list as you do it, and transfer the unfinished items to the next day’s list.

Another great trick for getting things done is to set aside each day one hour to play chore roulette!

Here’s what you do. Write out chores on small slips of paper that you’re constantly putting off. Like organize the desk. Now also add some fun things such as read a book for an hour. Or go surf the web for some virtual window shopping for an hour.

Put all the slips into a bowl or can. Be sure to only put ONE fun thing in for every THREE regular chores. Everyday, pull a slip. Do whatever it says. Some days will be more fun than others, but if you pull the “reorganize the linen closet” slip, remember that tomorrow is another day and next time you may pull the “go take a hot bubble bath” ticket!

One more great tip, is to double up your time! Hey were moms and housewives, we know how to multi task right?

• Exercise while watching TV
• Dust while talking on the phone
• Unload the dishwasher while waiting for the water to boil

Here are a few chores that you can do that only take up 5 minutes of your time!! Sometimes we think things will take much longer than they really do! So go ahead and give it a shot...I know you have 5 minutes!!!

• Make an appointment
• Water the plants
• Make the bed
• Clean a mirror
• Wipe out the bathroom sink
• Throw out the trash

I can go on and on, but you get the idea. You have to start thinking smaller. Don’t think about how long it’s going to take you to clean a whole room. Think about how much you can accomplish in just 15 minutes. Remember you don't eat an elephant in one bite!! Use your time wisely, and reward yourself when you finish a job. Make time for your family by saving time for them.

IRON OUT THE WRINKLES IN YOUR LAUNDRY PLAN

I love doing the laundry!! Yes I really do, call me crazy. But really,the machines do all the hard work; all we have to do is throw it in! That fresh smell of clean laundry is just so addicting to me!!! I think one of the reasons a lot of people hate doing laundry is because they let it pile up till they are buried in it and are overwhelmed!! That is when it becomes a real chore.

Folding and putting away a small load of laundry is easy. But when you have load after load after load, it’s daunting, and exhausting. So this week, I want you all to follow these tips and remember that its not hard. See how much easier it is to open the closet and find your daughters dance leotard, rather than running all over the house tearing through baskets of laundry and hampers and piles of clothes, only to find that it’s been sitting in the washing machine for two days and now needs to be washed again! Let’s get washing ladies!! Follow these simple tips to making laundry an enjoyable and easy task rather than a hated and daunting chore!!!

1. Everyday do at least one load of laundry!! This is the most important tip. Do not let the laundry pile up.
2. Keep a hamper in each bedroom. Or you can keep one in each bathroom. I like to keep one in the boys’ bathroom and one in our bathroom.
3. Do not let your children, your husband or yourself, throw clothes on the floor. You will end up doing more laundry than needed because you won’t know what’s clean and what’s dirty. If you try something on and change your mind, hang it back up. Get into the habit, and enforce the rule with your children too. I know my boys have thrown clean clothes into the hamper because they were too lazy to hang it back up, or to refold it!! Nip it in the bud before it becomes a habit!!
4. Have a strategy. Find what works for you. Some people like to do all the towels on one day and all the jeans on another day. Some people like to do all of one child’s clothes one day, and husband’s clothes the next. I like to empty the hampers into the laundry basket, take it to the laundry room and sort, and then decide what I’m going to wash.
5. Don’t wait for a full load. There are dials on the machine for a reason. If you wait for a full load of jeans, you will use more water to wash them, and they will take up more time in the dryer. I like to do small loads. They are easier to fold and put away, and they don’t take as long to wash and dry. I rarely use the full button on the washing machine. I like the low and medium loads.
6. When the washer and dryer buzzes, go switch the load. Do not put it off. If you leave the clothes in the wash, they are going to smell and need rewashing. If you leave them in the dryer they are going to wrinkle and cause you to do more ironing. Or your children will just look like a sloppy mess when they go to school!
7. When you take the clothes out of the dryer, fold them immediately. And then put them away. Don’t just leave them in the basket till later, they will wrinkle. And don’t just fold them and stick the basket in the bedroom. The kids will just filter through the basket to get what they want and make a mess out of the rest of the neatly folded clothes.
8. Hang a line in your laundry room. Keep hangers on hand in there. I like to take things that need to be hung like pants, and hang them as soon as they are out of the dryer. This way you’re only touching the pants once. You’re not taking them from the dryer, into the basket, folding them, and then taking them to the room and hanging them. This will also help with items that need ironing not to get too wrinkled, such as dress shirts. It’s good to take them out and hang them while they are still slightly damp, you’ll have less wrinkles, which means easier ironing! It’s also good to have a line to hang things that can’t go into the dryer. Of course now with the warm weather here, be sure to use that great outdoor air to dry your clothes!
9. Here is something you may want to think about. I know a lot of women have no problems doing the laundry, just putting it away. Did you ever wonder why? Maybe its time for a reorganization of the drawers and closets. Its a bit of a chore to stuff the folded clothes into a messy drawer that won't even close. Or clean out the closet. Maybe there is a need for more or newer hangers. So check out the system you use and figure out where its failing and why. When you can answer those questions you will have solved your problem and your hate for doing laundry!! So lets iron out the wrinkles ladies!!
based on article written by me and published on the Happy Housewives Club

The Housewife Blues

You know what it is. You lack energy. Your tired all the time. You feel like you can sleep for a week straight. Why? Why do you feel like this. Well I've been there. And I can tell you that one of the problems is we are in the house all day long. How easy is it to just stay in our jammies all comfy and warm? Well that is your first big mistake. You have to get up and get dressed in the morning. When you stay in your jammies, your telling your brain that its down time, rest time. Of course you can't wake up.

Another big mistake is not opening your blinds up during the day. It should be the first thing you do. Get that sunlight into your house. Getting the sun into your home is a natural way of telling your body its time to wake up. If you live in an area where the sun is lacking get yourself some vitamin D!! It will make a huge difference in how you feel, believe me. I've been taking Vitamin D for years now and feel much better and more energized because of it!! You should be exposed to sunlight at least 15 minutes a day, three times a week. If I am stuck in the house I'll even sit in front of a sunny window and it really feels great, even in the middle of February!!
Vitamins. Hmmm..do you take them? Get yourself on at least a daily multi vitamin. You should also watch what your eating. Fat is going to slow you down and make you tired. As will sugar and carbs. While you might get a quick rush from them, you will ultimately just crash. So be sure to get a balanced diet.

Exercise!!! Yes, turn off that computer and if nothing else, go for a walk around the block. Get the blood moving and flowing through your veins. Energy begets energy!!!!

Music!! I have music on all day long. Turn off the talk shows and talk radio. All it does it zap your energy, make you feel depressed or call you to the couch to sit down and watch. Who needs it? Turn on some music that gets you moving. I love to clean to Louie Prima!!
Nothing gets me dancing more than Louie!! The Bee Gees are another fun one, as is any music from the 70's or 80's that gets me dancing or singing. Yes you can picture me dancing with the broom or singing into the toilet brush!! But when I'm cooking dinner its always Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin!!
So what is your secret to being energetic and getting through your day?? What gets your blood flowing and gets you off the couch?

Messy Mom Matilda! What is her problem??

Yesterday we saw an example of a crazy, disorganized, Mom..we'll call her Messy Matilda. So what is her problem? Mostly she has no plan. When we plan things we know what to expect. There are no surprises..ok, sometimes there are surprises but were prepared and we can handle it. We aren't throwing a problem on top of other problems.
Matilda's first mistake was that she went to bed too late and when setting the alarm wasn't paying attention. She set it for pm instead of am. I don't know about anyone else, but I always double and triple check my alarm when setting it!
When Matilda finally woke up and jumped out of bed she tripped over a laundry basket. Well if Matilda had folded that laundry and put it away, she wouldn't have fallen. Screaming at her kids was another big problem. While Messy Matilda was the one at fault, she was screaming at the kids. Not fair to them at all.
Breakfast was of course the next disaster. Here, Matilda needs a menu plan. When you plan your meals on a Sunday and then make your shopping list from that meal plan, your not going to run out of things, buy things you don't need, and in the end you actually save money!
When Matildas daughter showed up with one sock and no panties, we obviously see that Matilda has no laundry schedule or routine. We must do laundry everyday. Who wants to deal with a mountain of laundry?? Not me, and certainly and obviously not Messy Matilda. She became overwhelmed when looking at the laundry and just gave up. When we do at least one load a day, we stay on top of it. I go so far as doing smaller loads. Less water, less drying time and so much easier and faster to fold and put away! Try it for a week..do small loads and see how easy laundry is to really do..I mean seriously the washing machine and dryer do all the work!!
Having to face dirty dinner dishes from the night before is the absolute worst way to start a day. Yuck! Waking up to a nice clean kitchen is what you should strive for. You'll be ready to start your day and even have motivation to make the kids a hot breakfast!!
I have already posted a sample schedule. I can't stress enough the importance of getting on a schedule and daily routine!
So lets do this! Get your notebook out..prepare your week. What day you want to clean what room, go shopping, etc. Don't be a Messy Matilda!!

ONE OF THOSE DAYS...

Ever have one of "those" days??
Errr..the alarm never went off, you jump out of bed and end up on the floor, because you trip over the laundry basket of clothes sitting at the end of the bed.
Run to the kids rooms and scream for them to wake up, "GET UP..YOUR GOING TO BE LATE!! NOW!!!!" Well that's not a very nice way to wake up is it? Why are you yelling at them? They didn't set the alarm for pm instead of am..you did!
You run downstairs and throw open the cupboards, find two almost empty boxes of cereal that you'll have to mix together to make enough for one bowl.
Go to the fridge and theres only a dribble of milk in the container
You mix it with some water..the kids will never know right?
You throw two spoons into the bowl and tell them to share.
At this point they aren't arguing with the crazy lady who has invaded their mothers body, they eat it and pretend to not notice that the cereal is mixed with what appears and tastes like white water.
In the mean time your digging in the couch cushions looking for enough change to make lunch money.
Your about to walk out the door and notice your daughter only has one sock on. "WHY DO YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SOCK ON?"
She looks at you and replies "That's all that was in my drawer, oh and I have no panties on either, there weren't any."
You run upstairs and find two matching socks, OK, almost matching, and grab a pair of your sons boxers. You hand them to your daughter. She is just looking at the boxers and won't even touch them much less put them on. FINE! She goes to school commando! Who will know besides you right?
You hustle the kids out the door to the bus that is just about to drive away until he sees you running after him, bathrobe flying open and hair that looks like you have something living in it.
After getting the kids on the bus you go home, walk into the kitchen and see the dirty dishes from supper last night staring back at you. You look at them, turn around walk upstairs and get into bed and pull the covers over your head wishing you could start this day all over.

Sound familiar? Days like this happen to the best of housewives and moms. But when it happens on a consistent basis, you better start to reevaluate what your doing. Because honey, it ain't working!!
Get a schedule in place. See the sample schedule and daily chore list.
Life will be much smoother when you know where things are, the fridge and cupboards are full, and the laundry is done and put away. When mom is stressed out and crazy, the kids are going to feed off of that. Your children will also learn from you. Don't you want your children to be organized and calm? Lead your children by example...don't be the "do as I say not as I do" kind of a Mom. It doesn't work. Make today the first day of a new and improved YOU!! You can do it! Just remember that you don't have to be perfect, or try and be Martha Stewart. Reaching for that will only guarantee failure. Set your bar high, but not so high that you will never reach it. Be realistic in your expectations of yourself!!

Tomorrow we will go through this crazy moms routine above, and analyze the whats and whys of it. You will see how simpley some of these problems can be fixed. You'll also see that she creates all her own stress and has no one to blame but herself!! Time to take responsibility for your own problems and fix them!!

APRONS APRONS APRONS

WARNING GIRLY SQUEAL ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK
Click here to visit GirlyAprons.com

I love love love aprons. Nothing puts me in housewife mode more than tying on a cute apron. Instant motivation!!! My husband also adores me in an apron!! Check them out and get your housewife mojo on!! So many to choose from!! Also makes a great gift for the bride to be! A cute basket with an apron, some cookbooks, family recipes, maybe a rolling pin and some pie plates,lined with a pretty tablecloth would make a great shower gift!!

Click here to visit GirlyAprons.com

Home Is Where The Heart Is!

What does that mean to you?
We all buy a house. But making it a home is what counts. Home is where the heart is. To me that means it is where my family is. Where those that I love come together and create memories. Home is the place that makes you feel comfortable and safe. Good food, laughter, warmth,a little snuggling, and sharing your love for one another...that is a home. Its full of love and people feel that as soon as they walk through your door. Maybe its the smell of something cooking or baking in the oven, or the warm colors you decorate with. Maybe its the sound of laughter coming from another room. It is for sure the smile that you greet them with. A warm and genuine smile greeting someone and welcoming them into your home is something you don't find too often anymore. People seem to have lost the meaning of owning a house. Now it seems its just a place to rest your head after a long day. People don't seem to entertain as much. Maybe they don't feel like cleaning or cooking or making that effort. But why not?
Without people in your house, thats all you have...a house. People gathering together, family, friends, sharing a drink or a meal, laughing and teasing and joking..that is why we have our houses. To have a place to gather. Do you remember your grandparents home? It probably wasn't fancy. But you can still conjure up vivid memories of that home. The distinct smell when you walked through the door, the sound of the linoleum floor creaking beneath your feet, the feel of the pillows on the sofa, the sounds of Grandma singing in the kitchen...all memories of a home. It doesn't have to be fancy, it only has to be inviting.
Take the time to care for your home. It will always be the biggest expense and investment you make. Why would you let it fall apart? Have and take pride in your home. Create some memories, traditions for your children. Have Sunday dinner. Invite your family over. Share your home with your loved ones.

Housewife Hint Of The Day!

Stop being the Maid!!! You are the Mommy!! M is for Mom NOT Maid!! See those socks over there in the corner?? I know you want to go and pick them up right? STOP!!! Whose socks are they?? Call them from where ever they are right now and tell them to pick them up! What? They're in bed?? So what? Call them, wake them up! Yes your son will look at you like you have lost your mind! But he won't be leaving his socks all over the house anymore either!! Who wants to be woken up in the middle of the night by a crazy lady telling you to pick up your socks??? Nobody!! Believe me your family will get really tired of having to get up from what they are doing to put things away! But you must train them!! Its essential to keeping your home clean and keeping your self sane! Stop picking up after them!!!