Image by: Sean Dreilinger

How do you make cleaning less of a chore, and more of a fun activity? Here are some ideas.

Put on some music. Wipe that kitchen counter to the beat of the songs on the radio. Throw in some workout moves by wiping that window up, down, up, down. Let the rhythm energize you!

Divide the chore into small tasks. Do you really need to clean the whole living room today? Why not try this — give yourself 15 minutes per room. Set a timer and clean what you can in the given time. When the 15 minutes are up, rest. Then move on to the next room. It makes cleaning time more manageable, and you may want to get more done given that you only have a small amount of time given.

Share the load. Ask a family member or a friend for help. Have a conversation while cleaning a room together. The task is divided in two, getting it over with in half the time. Plus, you spend quality time with them.

Catch up on your reading. Put those audio books to good use! While you’re dusting the furniture, listen to that romance novel you’ve been wanting to catch up on or that fantasy novel about wizards and warlocks. Who knows? You may be so caught up in listening to the stories you clean the room twice!

Anticipate a reward. When you’ve got something great to look forward to, it makes the task at hand easier to bear. If your reward is a foot spa and a pedicure, envision yourself being pampered at the salon. Imagine soaking your tired feet into that bubbling foot bath. All those clutter will be cleared in no time!

Now grab that broom and have some fun!

Post from: Blisstree

How Do You Make Cleaning Fun?

Here are a few tips for making your pantry the best it can be:

Alphabetize spices.
This isn’t an anal retentive thing, it actually saves loads of time when cooking. Purchase a lazy susan and place your spices neatly along the edge in alphabetical order. When you’re looking for a particular spice, it will be easily at your fingertips.

Check expiration dates.
Spices and condiments have expiration dates. Many spices are only good for about a year, but check the bottle or tin it came in to see how long it’s good for. Get rid of anything old and out of date. (I was surprised to see an unopened package of marshmallows past the expiration date yesterday.)

Throw out old cereal.
We all love cereal in my house, which means we have several different types. Sometimes this means that certain boxes don’t get used to the very end. Toss whatever is open and has been sitting there awhile.

Organize foods by type.
Put your pastas in one place, baking goods in another, cereal in another, etc. This way you can easily see what you have available before you go to the store and buy some more.

Use baskets and plastic bins.
Small baskets and plastic containers are great to hold smaller items, such as yeast packets, extract bottles, and chocolate chips. Baskets are nice to hold pasta and rice.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Tips for Cleaning Out Your Pantry

SXC/Ruxandra Moldoveanu

1. Grab some baskets and quickly toss things that don’t belong into them. Hand a filled basket to each clutter bug in your home and instruct him or her to put the things away.
2. Wipe down the steps from top to bottom and then vacuum the hall. I always do this when I’m expecting company because it is the first thing people will see. I want this space to be immaculate.
3. Grab a few rags or a sponge and a small bucket of soapy water and wipe down every surface in the kitchen and then wipe down the dining room table. (If your kitchen is small enough and you don’t have a dining room, skip the bucket.)
4. Use a magic eraser to quickly get rid of scuffs on the walls and smudges on the fridge.
5. Put a pot of water on the stove and pour in a teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla. Let it simmer. The house will smell delicious. (I check the water level every fifteen minutes or so to be sure it doesn’t evaporate.)

Do you have a tip on how to clean up fast when company is on the way?

Post from: Blisstree

Tidy Tuesday – Five Quick Cleaning Tips

It’s a little too hopped up for me; but I’m a pretty laid back kind of girl. Still, there are some excellent green decluttering ideas offered and if spunky gets your cleaning mojo going, then you should absolutely check this video out.

See How Green Eye Helps Dara Simplify her Life — and Stay Clean and Green

Enjoy.

Post from: Blisstree

Clean & Green Video