What you can do:

• Make a donation.  Even $10 can make a difference.  Get a free pink sweatshirt with a $100 donation.  You can also make a donation in memory of a loved one.  Use the link on the website to donate or call 877-337-3348.
• Instead of using your normal search engine, set GoodSearch as your home page and a donation is made every time you search or shop online.
• Order gift cards.  Gift Cards for a Cause is an easy way to support a non-profit organization throughout the year by shopping for your every day needs like groceries, clothing, and casual dining, or any occasion that calls for gift giving.
• If you use a professional maid service, ask them if they have heard of Cleaning for a Reason.

For more information, visit the Cleaning for a Reason website.

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Since having kids, things seem to mysteriously appear throughout my house.  No matter how many times I clean and tidy up the house, there seem to be things out of place.  To make up for some of the extra time I spend mothering and tidying up the house, I’ve had to figure out some quick cleaning tips.  Here’s a few to try:

1)  Clean your bathroom while your kids are taking a bath.  Be sure to use safe cleaning products such as vinegar.  You can also take this time to clean out a bathroom drawer.

2)  Keep a few extra trash bags in the bottom of your trash cans.  When you take out the trash, there will be a clean bag waiting.

3)  Do a quick 10-15 minute family clean-up.  Set the timer for 10 minutes and have everyone participate in cleaning up the house.  At first you may have some resistance but if you make this a daily routine, the kids will know what’s expected and participate.

4)  Grab a basket for a quick pick up of out of place things.  Put items into the basket and it will be easy to put them away as you walk through each room.

5)  Before leaving a room, make sure you take something with you.  This goes for your car too.  Each time I get out of my car, I usually pick up a few pieces of trash or grab a few things that need to go into the house.

6)  Do a load of laundry each day.  This will avoid laundry piling up and will make it easier to put away each load as it’s completed.

7)  Unload your dishwasher as soon as the load is complete.  It’s easier to keep dirty dishes out of the sink if the dishwasher is ready to be loaded.

8)  Keep cleaning supplies in each bathroom and in the kitchen.  Using an all purpose cleaner such as vinegar will cut down on the supplies you need.

9)  Assign daily chores to each person in the house.  Each person needs to contribute and if each person has a regular job, they will know what’s expected of them.  The chores need to be age-appropriate.

10)  Do a quick vacuuming in common areas once during the week.  Save the time consuming vacuuming and furniture moving for cleaning days.  Having clean floors makes a home more attractive.

What time saving cleaning tips can you share?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1)  Go to each room and make a list of the jobs that need to be done.   

2)  Take one job at a time.  If you look around, you’ll likely freak out and become discouraged.  Instead of thinking about all the things in the room that need to be cleaned, refer to your list (see #1).  This will help you to tackle one job at a time.  As you complete that job, just cross it off your list.

3)   Clean one room each week. 

4)  Make a list of all the supplies you’ll need.  Whether it’s cleaning supplies, boxes, trash bags, or storage containers, you’ll need a list.  Go to the store and get the things that you need so that you don’t have another excuse to procrastinate.

5)  Set a deadline.  This sometimes helps for me.  Sometimes I will even schedule an event at my house so that I stay motivated to get it done before people come over.

6)  Make out a schedule.  Here’s an example:  Monday you could write on your schedule to go through all the dressers in the kids’ room. Tuesday you could clean out their closets. Wednesday you could take down the curtains and blinds and clean those, as well as wipe down window sills with bleach (to kill any mold).  Thursday you could move the furniture in their rooms and clean behind the furniture and wash the baseboards. Friday you could wash all the bedding (including the mattress covers), vacuum the mattresses, and spray dust mite remover on the mattresses.  On Saturday you could dust, paint, or whatever else needs to be done.  It makes it easier to stay on task when you have a schedule or goal for each day.

7)  Have a pile for things that you no longer want.  You’ll probably want this stuff to be in plastic bags or boxes so that the kids don’t see it and pull it back out.

8)  Pump up the volume!  Nothing gets us moving like a good beat.  I have some of my favorite cds downloaded onto my computer so that I can make my own playlist.  Perhaps you could make a cd with good tunes to get you moving.

9) Set the timer.  If tackling a room each week still seems like too much, try setting the timer for 20 minutes at a time.  See how much you can get done in those 20 minutes and then stop and spend some time with the kids.  A little break with them will help them to be more understanding about your cleaning schedule.

10)  Get the kids involved.  We have a small rechargable vacuum cleaner that I let my son vacuum with when I’m cleaning.  Find small tasks that they can do while you’re cleaning.  Otherwise, have a few other options on hand. 

Here’s a few suggestions for the little ones:

Nick Jr printables
Crayola Dry Erase Activity Center
Bingo Dauber Printables
Online Fun for Kids

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

• Take one room at a time.
• Go in a line. That way you don’t get sidetracked.
• Set a timer. This will allow you to find your rhythm.
• Find a great CD. There is nothing better than to dance with a swiffer.
• Take a trash bag with you. That way you don’t have to worry about making a pile in each room. I used to do that and the rooms never looked clean.
• Handle paper only once.
• Tackle the big projects. Don’t let them overwhelm you.

Hope this helps get you in the mood to tackle that housework.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy