WHAT'S UNDER YOUR KITCHEN SINK?

Under the kitchen sink. Scary I know. Go through and get this done and you'll be on your way to getting the rest of the kitchen spic and span for holiday baking and cooking!

What’s under your kitchen sink? Dried out sponges, and rusty cans of some unknown spray? Well time to open the doors and get it all out ladies.

• Start by removing everything.
  
• Wipe down the inside with a damp rag and a good cleanser.
• Remember to do the walls and the insides of the cabinet doors too.
• Before putting anything back in put down a rubber mat that can easily contain spills and dirt. Next time you clean in here, you just have to pull the mat out, scrub it down, rinse it off and put it back.

Now you have to decide what is going back in there. Keep things you use on a daily basis like dish soap and cleaning products there.

Other things like ant spray, or draino should go on a high shelf out in the garage. Keep the area for things you use on a regular basis only.

I keep my garbage on one side and my cleaning products on the other. The cleaning products are in a neat caddy with a handle that I can easily grab and go. I also keep my dish soap there. A small planter is used to hold sponges,scrubbies and rags. That’s pushed to the back since it’s not needed every day. Some over the door shelves make a great place for your sponge/dish scrubber and other things you use more than once a day, or just for some extra storage space.

Be sure to wipe everything down well before you put it back. If you have things in there that have not seen the light of day in a year, throw it out. Its either never going to get used, or is not any good anymore anyways.

Be sure to have child safety locks on your cabinets with cleaning supplies.

Post the poison control hotline on the inside of the cabinet in case of an emergency. (1-800-222-1222)

And remember never ever ever store food and cleaning products in the same cabinet!

FALL CLEANING LIST FOR KITCHEN!

Before we can begin to clean our kitchens we must first rid ourselves of the junk and clutter. Start with emptying out your cupboards onto your kitchen table. Only do the cupboards that hold dishes, glasses, and bowls to start. Don't make the mistake of dumping the entire contents of all the cupboards at once! You'll be overwhelmed and never get through it!! Start with one cupboard at a time! Go through each item. Either store, give away or sell duplicate items. You do not need 4 sets of measuring cups! Throw out old, broken, chipped, never used stuff. Store items that you do not use every day. If you only use your mix master during the holidays than store it down in the basement. Don't take up needed cupboard space if possible! The same thing goes for your counter items. Do they have to go on your counter? Are they taking up space that could be used for prepping and cooking? Remember that the more stuff on the counter, is the more stuff to clean, and cluttered counters never look pretty!

Vacuum and wipe down the insides of the cupboards.

Now is the perfect time to reorganize.

Before you start putting things back into the cabinets, be sure that this is where you want them to go.

Place things in cupboards near to where they will be used. For instance, glasses should be near the sink, dishwasher or table. Spices, near the stove but not right next to it. Cooking utensils should be near the stove. Your dishtowels should go near the sink, etc. You get the idea!!

Now only put back into the cupboard what you absolutely need. If it’s broken, chipped, or never used, throw it out or find a new place for it.
Continue doing this with all your cabinets and then move onto your drawers. Try and only empty one at a time, so not to overwhelm yourself.
Once you’ve cleaned and organized the cabinets and drawers you can begin to clean.

Here’s a checklist of chores that should be done

Chore Check List

Garbage Pail~ Give your pail a good scrubbing with hot soapy water on the inside and out. If the weather permits, do it out on the lawn with the hose.

Microwave~ To get the stains off the inside of a microwave put a quartered lemon in a bowl of water on high for five minutes. Grime then wipes off really easily and the oven smells fresh too.

•Refrigerator~ Clean the inside, outside, underneath and top of the refrigerator. Don’t forget to vacuum the coils in the back and to remove the plastic grill in the front and scrub with soapy water.

•Stove~ Clean the stove and oven. Pull it out and clean the sides, the back and underneath. Remove all the knobs and throw them in the dishwasher. You can put your drip pans and burner rings in there also. If you have a self cleaning oven set it and let it get to work. If you don’t, clean the inside of your oven. If you don’t want to use a commercial brand cleaner, try a homemade one. Baking soda and water made into a paste and a little elbow grease should do the trick. If your racks are very dirty, try throwing them into a large garbage bag with a cloth that’s been soaked in ammonia. Set it outside overnight and wash well in the morning with soap and water. They should sparkle. Don’t forget to clean your exhaust fan. The screens can be tossed into the dishwasher too.

• Dishwasher~ Scrub the outside. The inside can be cleaned by simply wiping the inside down with mineral oil and then letting it run a full cycle with dishwasher soap. You can get the grooves and hard to reach areas with an old toothbrush!

Now is the time to give your small appliances a good cleaning too.
• Toaster~ Give it a good scrub. Empty and clean the crumb tray. If your keeping it on your counter, think about placing it on a decorative tray to catch the crumbs. I myself keep mine in a bottom cabinet on a tray. Less junk on your counter means less cleaning!
• Blender~ Just add a ½ tsp of white vinegar and fill ½ way with hot water. Turn it on and let blend clean!
• Coffee maker~ Fill the reservoir with white vinegar and run it through a full cycle. Repeat the cycle two more times with plain water.

• Cabinets and drawers~ Clean the fronts of your cabinets and drawers. Don't forget to wipe down the tops of the doors too. Give the hardware a little shine too.
• Light fixtures.~ Clean all the light fixtures in the kitchen and replace any needed bulbs.
• Floors and woodwork.~ Clean the floors and the baseboards. Get into the corners really good!
• Walls~ Don’t forget to remove any pictures you may have up. Clean the walls using a bucket of warm water soapy water and a sponge mop. Lay an old shower curtain on the floor where your working to pick up any drips.
• Washables.~ Wash all your potholders, kitchen rugs, and aprons.
• Countertops~. Be sure the counter tops are empty, and scrub and rinse well. Before putting things back onto the counter, scrub them and decide if you want to keep them up there. If you only use it occasionally you will be better off storing it.
• Clean your windows and screens
• inspect your fire extinguisher

FALL CLEANING LIST FOR DINING ROOM

The holidays are approaching quickly. You don't want to spend time deep cleaning the dining room when you have 20 guests coming for Thanksgiving dinner. Your going to be busy doing other things! Get it deep cleaned now, and then stay on a weekly schedule of dusting and vacuuming and you'll be all set for hosting holiday dinners! From the chandelier to Grandmas china were going to clean it up and let it sparkle.

What to clean:

Chandelier. This is a great trick. You don’t have to remove all the crystals and clean them by hand. Put a plastic sheet or old shower curtain on the table and cover that with an absorbent towel. Now pour 4 Tbs of ammonia into 2/3 of a glass of white vinegar. Dip each individual crystal into the cup until it’s totally immersed. Let drip dry. If you choose to remove them, lay down a towel in your sink, fill it up with hot water and a little white vinegar. Let them soak, and give them a good rinse and polish with a soft cloth. Many people neglect this task, but it makes a huge difference when its done. Be sure to wipe down the rest of the hardware of your chandelier also.

Polishing your dining room table. The reason to polish your table is to bring out its luster, but to also remove deposits like smoke, grease, dust, etc. A great homemade furniture polish is 3 parts olive oil and 1 part lemon oil. If you don’t have lemon oil you can use 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 cup white vinegar. Apply with a damp cloth. Be sure to clean the legs of the table well and all the chairs too. Get a pretty fall center piece for the table to brighten the room.

Your walls and wallpaper. Clean walls and baseboard. If you have wallpaper in your dining room you can clean it as long as it’s not untreated paper. If you’re not sure, test a small spot in an inconspicuous place before beginning. If the color didn’t fade, run, bleed or disappear than you can wash it.
When washing wallpaper, start from the bottom and work your way up using warm water and a bit of hand dishwashing detergent on a well wrung sponge. Use as little water as possible. Rinse with a clean sponge dipped in cool water and then dry with absorbent cloth.

Your china cabinet. Thoroughly clean your china cabinet by removing all items, wiping the shelves and drawers out, and shining each piece before replacing it. While it’s empty is a good time to get behind it and clean the floor and baseboards. Don’t forget to clean the top and the glass doors.

Windows and curtains. Vacuum all your window treatments. If you can take them down and wash them do so. If they need to be dry cleaned bring them in. Check for local companies that will come right to your home and steam clean them for you. Clean your windows, the window sills, storm windows, and screens.

Floors and Rugs. If you can, get your rugs steamed cleaned. Either hire a local company or rent a steam cleaner. Concentrate on traffic areas and any stains.

Step back and admire your hard work! Now your ready to decorate for fall. Add a pretty autumn centerpiece, some warm fall colored candles, and get ready for the holidays!!

Fall Cleaning The Bedrooms

Here is a list of tasks that should be completed for each bedroom in your home. Even though the weather may be warm during the day right now, the nights are already getting cooler. Now is the time to get your bedrooms all toasty warm and clean for the cold winter nights. Where is your down comforter?

• First before you even begin to clean anything. Get rid of the clutter. Go in with a garbage bag for the junk and a box for donations. You can’t properly clean a room if it’s a cluttered mess!
• Strip the beds and vacuum the mattress. Remove the mattress and vacuum the box spring. While the mattress is off, dust and clean the slats that the mattress rests on. Return the mattress back to the bed only flip and turn it from its original position. Vacuum the new top. If you can get behind the bed, vacuum and dust well there. Move all the dressers away from the walls and vacuum and dust good behind them.
• Dust and clean all the baseboards in the bedroom. Don’t forget the tops of the closet doors and the tops of the door frames too.
• Remove the heating vents and cold air return vents in the room. Get your vacuum down as far as possible and clean them out. Wash the vents in hot soapy water and clean well. Replace them making sure that they are on tightly.
• Wash all the walls of finger prints and smudges and marks.
• Clean all the windows, inside and out. If you have removable storm windows, get them cleaned and install them now. Clean out the tracks in the windows of all the dust and grime.
• Now is the time to get out the winter and fall clothes if you have them stored away. Go through the summer clothes from this year. If you didn’t wear it, get rid of it. Pack up the rest for storage. Leave out a few outfits for the remaining warm weather we have. Prepare three baskets, one for dry-cleaning, one for donating, and one for mending. Get those clothes set for storage ASAP.

• Get into the closets and empty the floors. Remove everything and dust and vacuum your closet well. Get into the corners and the shelves and wipe down all the walls. You don’t want moths, beetles or spiders invading your clothes.
• Clean out the insides of your dresser drawers also. Remove all the clothes, vacuum and wipe down all the drawers. Replace clothing neatly and place summer clothes in appropriate baskets or directly into storage.
• Do all these steps in each bedroom this week. It will take a little more time than your usual cleaning but you will feel fabulous when its all done.

Fall cleaning the bathroom

Before you start to clean your bathroom, be sure to do a good declutter and re-organization!! Get rid of all the junk! The 5 brushes, old tubes of lipsticks, and other useless junk you don't need or use! Create baskets for each family member. Fill each basket with what they use daily. When its their turn in the bathroom, they just retrieve their basket and put it away when they are done. Its much easier to keep track of things this way also. When someone is running low on something, have it be their responsibility to let you know!! Keep your counters clutter free! The less you have on there, the less you have to clean. Keep it simple and down to one decorative item. Better yet, decorate with something that will be used. Such as bath salts, cotton balls, Q-tips, etc, in pretty apothacary jars!

HERE IS YOUR BATHROOM FALL CLEAN CHECK LIST!!!

• Begin by removing everything from the bathroom. Take out all the rugs, the shower curtain, garbage pail, anything on the vanity, the hamper, and take down your blinds or drapes.
• Wash drapes and bathroom rugs.
• Remove the rubber mat from the tub/shower. Scrub the mat on both sides, rinse well. Most rubber mats can also be machine washed with bleach then hung to drip dry.
  
• Spray down your shower/tub with your favorite cleaner and scrub well. Use a stiff scrub brush, or a tooth brush on the grout. If grout is mildew stained, try using a bleach pen to clean. Using car wax on tiles will leave a shine and help prevent water spots. If you prefer to use natural ingriedents for the tiles, you one part vinegar to 4 parts water, or stronger if needed. Rinse with clear water and buff dry with a soft twoel or coth to prevent streaking.
• Sinks and Faucets. Clean these with your favorite products.
• To clean a soap dish, put it right in the dishwasher
• Toilet Bowls. Clean the interior with a commercial bowl cleaner, sudsy water, or mild cleanser, using a toilet bowl brush. Scrub all interior surfaces, especially the inside rim of the bowl and the trap. To disinfect the toilet, pour 1 cup of bleach into the water. Let stand for about 10 minutes; flush. Wipe down the exterior of the tank, bowl, and base with a sudsy cloth or sponge. Do the same for the seat(both sides), the cover, and hinges.
• Mirrors. Clean the mirrors with your favorite cleaner.
• Light fixtures. Clean all the light fixtures and change any bulbs that are needed.
• Walls and baseboards. Clean walls with a warm water. If there is a build up of hair spray, simply use rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol also works to get the hairspray off the mirrors and other surfaces. Wipe down all the baseboards with a damp sponge. Be sure to wipe down the towel holders, toilet paper holder, light switches and outlets too.
• Remove heating vent cover and clean well in hot soapy water with a scrub/wire brush. Use your vacuum hose to get as far into the vent as possible to clean it out.
• Windows. Clean the inside and outside of the windows. Clean the tracts and also the storm windows if you have them. Don’t forget the window sill and the top window sill.
• Floors. Vacuum floors really well. Then mop with a vinegar/water solution.
• Cabinets. Wipe down all the fronts of the cabinets, and drawers. Polish the hardware. Open the doors and drawers to get any accumulated dust on the edges and in corners.
• Wipe down the bathroom door, and the top of the bathroom door.

Now your ready to put it all back together. Before putting the same rugs and shower curtain back up. Check some sales to see if you can getsomething new and seasonal at a good price. Or maybe just a new soap dispenser, or guest towels. Get the room ready for company and for the holidays. Now reward yourself for a job well done. Enjoy the fruits of your labor with a relaxing bubble bath!

HONEY DO LIST FOR FALL CLEANING

HONEY DO FALL CLEANING CHECK LIST!

Print this list out and hand it to your honey! While were getting things clean and cozy, they need to get things safe and maintained!

HONEY DO LIST

This is the list for the husbands to get accomplished this month!

• If you have a pool and haven’t closed it up yet, now is the time!
• Call a heating contractor for an annual furnace checkup and cleaning. If you have a gas or oil fired furnace, have the contractor check carbon monoxide emissions and examine the flue for leaks, which can send carbon monoxide gas into your home. If you have a gas-fired furnace, open the fire door periodically through the heating season when the flames are visible. They should be blue. If the you see yellow at all in the flame call your contractor, as the air/gas mix is incorrect and needs adjusting. Be sure the filters are changed often, depending on use.
• Wood burning Fireplace. Check the flue for obstructions such as leaves or birds nests. On a sunny day, use a mirror or flashlight to look up the chimney through the open damper. If you see blockage, call a chimney sweeper. You should hire a chimney sweep at least once a year to clean soot from the flue and inspect it for cracks. You want to be assured that no flame will find its way to your houses’ framing through a crack. Also be sure that caked soot, which can cause a chimney fire is cleaned.
• If your fireplace has warm air circulators embedded in the firebox walls, vacuum the ducts at the beginning of each heating season. Have any cracks in the firebox and hearth repaired!
• If you have a gas fireplace, be sure to have a carbon monoxide monitor nearby, and check the batteries often.
  Cover the outside air conditioning unit to prevent rusting.

• Weatherproofing. Weatherproof all the doors and windows in the house. Sealing leaks saves dollars! Don’t forget to check for drafts behind electrical outlets and light switches. You can easily seal them with expanding foam, which comes in a spray can.
• Check gutters for blockages. Scrub the gutters and downspout surfaces with a stiff scrub brush and water. Inspect the inside of the gutter for signs of wear. Patch even the smallest pinhole before it grows. After you clean the gutters you can cut the time down next time by installing gutter guards. You can find them at any hardware store.
• Lawn maintenance.
• For the final mowing cut low, and rake up the cuttings. This discourages insects and bacteria that thrive in the tall blades during the winter. If you intend to reseed, do so in the fall, unless you live in the southern states when that should be done in the spring.
• Replace batteries in all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors

And anything else your wife needs done, do so with a smile!

Fall Cleaning the Coat Closet!

I thought I would start out with one of the easier seasonal cleaning tasks. This will get us into the groove of getting the rest of the house up to snuff for the winter months and holiday season that is so close by!

It is that time of year when we need to get the heavier coats, sweaters and hats and gloves together. A place for the boots and scarves and mismatched mittens! Its also a great time to go through and donate all the warm coats you can. Times are tough for many families. And its getting colder and colder for the many homeless. Help out by donating those warm coats. Even if they have broken zippers or a split in a seam, many agencies will still take them and fix them before giving them away.

To begin with, start by completely emptying the closet of all its contents. Get in there with the vacuum cleaner and clean the walls, corners, floor and shelves. Then use a solution of water and mild soap or white vinegar to wipe the entire area down. Don’t forget to wipe down the pole, and then wash or vacuum the floor.
Before putting anything back into the closet, decide what you are going to keep.

If your Childs winter coat was getting a little snug, its not going to fit next year, get rid of it. If you have coats and jackets that need repaired zippers, or buttons sewed on, decide if you’re going to do this or if it will still be needing repair next year. If you don’t have time to repair them yourself, take it to the dry cleaner, most do simple zipper repairs. What else did you have stashed in that closet? Is it the best place to store it? Does it have a different home and somehow found its way there? Put things back where they belong. Throw out things that haven’t been used in the last year. Chances are its either junk or something someone else could use. Store the spring jackets and accessories somewhere else. If you lack a lot of storage space, try the vacuum sealed packs, there are special made ones just for coats. Then store away. Keep in the closet, winter coats, and umbrellas. Hang a plastic shoe rack that you can store a pair of slippers in to put on when you take your shoes off. You can also store more than just shoes in the pockets of these, such as flip flops, garden gloves, keys, camera, flashlights, etc. Have basket that hold mittens, gloves, hats and scarves for each family member. Invest in heavy wooden hangers. Throw out any wire hangers, and plastic broken hangers. The wooden ones will last forever, keep the closet looking neater, and hold up to heavier coats. A small shoe rack on the floor is perfect for the family to keep their shoes nice and neat. Put it on top of a small rubber mat to catch the dirt and water. It will be easier to remove the mat to clean then have to clean the whole floor. On the shelves if you have them, is a good place to store extra large appliances you don’t use daily, like the mixer or blender. If you have a large closet, you can store TV trays, your vacuum cleaner, board games, envelopes and stationary, phone books, blankets for picnics or fireworks, etc. Use your imagination and use the space wisely. Keep it clean and tidy by keeping on schedule and keeping good habits!

FALL CLEANING ANYONE???

I am a spring cleaner AND a Fall cleaner!! I love to batten down the hatches for the upcoming cold months. Get the home spic and span and extra cozy and homey for the holidays. Time to get the summer dust cleaned up, put away the patio furniture and get our homes all clean and warm! We'll start our Fall Cleaning Schedule in September. So for the next couple of weeks, go out and enjoy the last warm days of summer. So who is going to be with me in Fall Cleaning this year??

OFF TO SCHOOL

ITS OK TO CRY MAMA!!

With school starting and us crying mommies sending our children off, I thought I would share some great poems with you, to remind yourself your not alone, you’re a great mommy, and they grow up so fast! So go ahead, print these out, make a cup of coffee and have yourself a good cry after you send the little ones off to school the first day! Get it out of your system and then next week we are back to work on Fall cleaning our homes! So you have a couple of things to cry about!!

Mom, do I start school today?
Everything will be strange and new,
Are you supposed to drop me off ?
But I’m not sure what to do.

I want to be a big boy
And not cry in front of you
Mom, why do your eyes look wet?
Are you sure you’re not crying too?

Aww, I’ll be a brave man, Mom
You have taught me what to do
You said do what the teacher says
And soon I’ll be back home with you.

I’ll learn to read and write and draw,
There’ll be new friends and games to play,
It’ll be ok, Mom, you can go
I think I’d like to stay.

I’m home, Mom! Where are you?
Come see what I have done!
I made a picture just for you!
Boy! School’s gonna be so much fun!
Nyoka Smith 2008

Preschool Survival Kit
The penny is to remind you that you are valuable
The star is to remind you to always try your best
The eraser is to remind you that it’s okay to make mistakes
The life saver is to let you know that you can always talk to me
The tissue is for drying your tears and those of others
The band-aid is to let you know that together we can make things better
The chocolate hug is to remind you that you are cared for
The sticker is to remind you that we always stick together
Author Unknown

“Why are you crying?” a young boy asked his Mom.
“Because I’m a woman” she told him.
“I don’t understand,” he said.
His Mom just hugged him and said, “And you never will, but that’s okay.”
Later the little boy asked his father, “Why does Mom seem to cry for no reason?”
“All women cry for no reason” was all his dad could say.
The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.
Finally, he put in a call to God. When God got back to him, he asked, “God, why do women cry so easily?”
God answered, “When I made woman, I decided she had to be special. I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet her arms gentle enough to give comfort. I gave her the inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times will come, even from her own children.
I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going and take care of her family and friends, even when everyone else gives up, through sickness and fatigue, without complaining. I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her badly. She has the very special power to make a child’s boo-boo feel better and to quell a teenager’s anxieties and fears. I gave her strength to care for her husband, despite faults, and I fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart. I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.
For all of this hard work, I also gave her a tear to shed. It is hers to use whenever needed and is her only weakness. When you see her cry, tell her how much you love her and all she does for everyone. And even though she may still cry, you will have made her heart feel good.

good habits for your children

Are your children organized and efficient? Are you? Do they possess good study skills that will benefit them through school and through life? Do not wait to teach good habits. Be an example to your children in organization and efficiency. Lead by example. Here are some tips to help your child succeed in their education.

Have a place that they can call their own. Be it a desk, a small TV table with baskets set up underneath it, somewhere that they can keep all that is important pertaining to school. Some place they do not have to share with others.

1. Let them set up the “work station” to their liking. Help them to pick out baskets, folders, pencils, paper; a calendar to write down assignment due dates etc.
2. Make it a quiet place in the house. Do not have the TV or music on during homework/study time. Try to keep younger siblings occupied while your child is studying and doing homework. Keep distractions at a minimum to allow your child to focus.
3. Have your child on a schedule of when they do their homework. Keep it consistent. I have always found that the kids do well if they come home, have a snack and get right to it. For one thing, it teaches them not to procrastinate. Secondly, they are still in that school mode, and it is easier for them to just get at it, and get it done.
4. Get your children into the habit giving you papers that you need to see without you asking for them. It will teach them responsibility, and give them accountability.
5. Help your child to keep their backpacks, folders, binders, and desk organized. Teach them to purge once a week anything that they do not need.
6. Do not wait until Sunday night to do weekend homework. Get kids into the habit of getting it done on Friday after school. They will learn that it is smarter to do your work rather than have it hanging over your head all weekend. They will learn that work comes before play, and if it is a bigger assignment than they bargained for, they will not be trying to finish it at the last minute, and handing in poor quality work.