5 Tasks to Complete Before Holiday Guests Arrive

Softsoap FoamsStock your bathroom.  Toilet paper is obviously a must, as well as hand towels, and don’t forget the soap.  SoftSoap has an excellent fragrant foam collection.  It includes such varieties as Kitchen Citrus Bliss, Jasmine & White Cotton, and Whipped Cocoa Butter.

Not only will these leave your guests hands feeling fresh and smelling clean, but the bottles are very stylish and are great for adding a little splash of color to your sink or vanity.

Stock your fridge.  During the holidays it’s always important to keep your drinks stocked, including some that you may not normally have on hand.  Consider who’s coming over and whether they have any special dietary needs or personal preferences. (Perhaps you don’t drink coffee, but you have an avid coffee drinker staying for the week.  Or perhaps you have a diabetic in the family who drinks diet sodas.)

Stock the pantry. Whether you’re having overnight guests, or you are just looking for something to put out for the kids to snack on before dinner, extra snacks in the pantry is a must! Homemade or store bought party mixes are a great snack to have on hand for folks of all ages, as well chips and dips, nuts, or cheese and crackers.

Clean.  This should go without saying, but I have to include it here: Clean your house.  Apart from taking care of clutter in your living, dining, and kitchen areas, it is amazing to see how far just a quick wipe down of your sinks and counters will do…not to mention mopping the floor.  Even more so than how great everything looks, it makes a huge difference in how your house smells.

Air Fresheners.  Speaking of how your house smells, after cleaning (and especially if you don’t have time to do a major clean up) make your house smell warm and inviting using your favorite air freshers.  I love scented oil plug-ins and candles.  (And you can always use essential oils for the purpose of cleaning and making your house smell good.)

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Disclosure:  I received samples to facilitate this post. The opinions are my own.

7 Tips to Care for Your Hardwood Floors

Living Room

If you’re looking to remodel, home flooring is a great place to start.  I personally recommend hardwood floor or engineered wood flooring.  Hardwood floors are a great investment, as they add so much aesthetic and monetary value to your home.  They also go great with any decor style or motif, and hardwood never goes out of style!  Hardwood flooring is also very sturdy and can last a very long time, especially if you take care of it.  Today I’ll be sharing a few tips on how to care for your hardwood flooring. [Read more…]

Saving My Sinks with Clorox® ThickCling™

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ClingToClean #CollectiveBias

Saving My Sinks with Clorox

What do you for every day messes?  What about those huge, not-so-every day messes?  Clorox® has been a trusted name in the cleaning world for years.  Clorox® can be your best friend when it comes to cleaning bathrooms, floors, and other areas that need a little elbow grease.  For this reason, I keep quite a few of their products around my house at all times.  and I’m always interested to hear about their latest products.  One of the newest products from Clorox® is Clorox® ThickCling™. [Read more…]

Bathroom Organization with Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong®

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CraftedExperience #CollectiveBias

When the fall season rolls around, I love to do fall cleaning.  Just as with spring, for me this is one of the best times to  declutter and organize….out with the old, in with the new!  Recently I cleaned my bathroom from top to bottom!

Today I’m going to share some important steps and tips to decluttering and organizing your bathroom cabinets.

Bathroom Organization with Quilted Norther Ultra Soft and Strong

As you’ll see below, one thing I’ve recently done in our bathroom is to take out some old plastic drawers.  I couldn’t believe the difference in before and after.  It looks so neat and clean!  Now when you walk in, all you see is a basket of Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® Bath Tissue.

When I was growing up Quilted Northern was all my mom ever used, so of course I love to use it as well!  And my mom and I aren’t the only ones.  Quilted Northern is a trusted brand that has been around for over a hundred years!  And now Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong® with Cleanstretch® toilet paper is designed not only for softness and comfort but also for strength and flexibility.  (This means no more ripping and separation.)  And it’s also septic and sewer safe.

And apart from your personal use, this bath tissue is also great for when you need to do quick bathroom wipe down and cleanup before company comes over. [Read more…]

Snuggle Island Collection + 3 Organization Tips for Clothes

Snuggle Island Collection

A new school year means clothes have to be washed and ready at all times!  And I always like to make sure I send our son off to school looking good and hopefully smelling good.  This fall I’m keeping his clothes clean and fresh with Snuggle!

Snuggle has a new Island Collection that I LOVE! The scent is called Island Hibiscus, and it’s very easy for you to find in store, because of its bright blue bottle featuring lovely island flowers.

The scent is available in three different products:  scent boosters, liquid fabric softener, and dryer sheets.

And when you use the three products together, you will freshen, soften, and control static in your laundry. (The more, the snugglier!)

Apart from keeping things clean and ready to go, I HAVE to have our clothes organized.  Here are three tips I live by:
[Read more…]

Bedroom Makeover and Tips for Working with Small Spaces

Don’t you just love a good room makeover? Me too!  And I especially love it when it’s dramatic! And you can make the simplest of changes sometimes and still make a BIG difference.  For me, it’s all about the bedding.  You can add a new floral quilt, and it can dramatically change the look of your room instantly!

 My husband and I are in the process of making a lot of changes in the house.  A while back we swapped out the furniture.  Shortly thereafter I purchased new bedding, and last week we moved the furniture to an entirely new room.

Think Beyond the Bedroom for a More Cohesive Refresh

One thing I have learned while making changes around the house is that a room makeover feels even better when the rest of your home starts to “match the mood” too. Even something simple, like noticing how the outside of your home looks as you walk up to it, can influence how you feel once you step into your newly refreshed space. If you have been updating paint colors, swapping out textiles, and leaning into a cleaner, more modern vibe indoors, it can be worth considering whether your siding still fits the overall look you are creating. You do not have to tackle everything at once, but keeping your updates cohesive can make your home feel intentional from the outside in.creating. You do not have to tackle everything at once, but keeping your updates cohesive can make your home feel intentional from the outside in.

Here’s the old room:

 

Old Bedroom

 

This photo was taken a long time ago, so it’s not my best, but you get the idea….here I had a green bedspread, featuring red flowers.  It seemed very vibrant when I first purchased it but the pattern definitely got old for me and was starting to feel a little old fashioned.

As for the furniture, I’ve always liked this set.  It had a very classic appeal with ornate features, but it’s always nice to have a change!

Here’s the new bedroom: [Read more…]

Back to Clean with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#BackToClean #CollectiveBias

Uncleaned Kitchen

Sometimes, just SOMETIMES, mind you, my kitchen is not absolutely pristine and clean.  Sometimes all my counters look like the photo above (or much worse!).  It usually happens after a lot of cooking takes place.  After “slaving over a hot stove”  my family finally gets to eat this most delicious meal I have prepared and maybe even indulge in one of my scrumptious desserts.

Afterward I am less than thrilled at the thought of cleaning, and I love nothing more than when my husband says, “leave that mess for later,”  or better yet, “let me know help you clean up.”  Either way….some time and somehow the cleaning has to be done, because I can’t STAND a dirty kitchen for long. [Read more…]

Indoor Air Pollution and Solutions

These days we spend about 90% of our time indoors, and with more and more pollutants in the air, the risk or becoming sick from substances in our own home is ever-growing!  Fortunately, we can work do combat these.

The first step is knowing what the sources of pollution are:  25% of indoor pollution comes from sources outside the home, while other indoor pollution comes from a variety of sources like mold, mildew, asbestos, radon, dust and carbon monoxide.  Even everyday items in our home that you can don’t really think about can cause indoor air pollution: pet fur and dander, chlorine from the shower, and fumes from beauty products. [Read more…]

Top Natural Cleaning Tips 

A lot of people have recently been switching to natural or environmentally/eco friendly cleaning products. If you are someone who wants to be environmentally friendly with your cleaning, natural products can be just as effective. Here are our top tips for spotless natural cleaning!

Red wine removal

One of life’s most tricky cleaning endeavors, unless dealt with properly, red wine stains can be disastrous and some can often result in professional carpet cleaning. However if you act fast, dousing with soda water and dabbing with layers of paper towel. The bubbles in the soda water can be really affective at lifting the wine. Continue doing this until no residue is left on the towel.

Laundry Smells

Laundry baskets can often get a little…fragrant. However lining them with paper towels that have been sprinkled with some natural oils (such as lavender or tee tree) will keep the laundry basket (and importantly surrounding areas!) at bay

Windows

This is an excellent tip we got from Kim and Agie but you don’t need abrasive chemicals for window cleaning – mixing 25% vinegar with 75% warm water will have them sparkling clean. Remove all residue with a towel afterwards so no vinegary smells are left.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a natural, non toxic and cheap product that can be incredible for cleaning! It can be used in lots of rooms and for multiple purposes. For example a small pot of baking soda in any bins, fridges or cupboards will keep away potentially unpleasant food odors. Baking soda can also be used to clean sides and surfaces by just sprinkling on the side and wiping with a warm water towel – the same also applies for silver – rubbing a baking soda paste on to it is excellent for making your silver wear sparkling and shiny!

Lemon

Lemon also makes a great natural cleaner. Infuse with vinegar for a couple of weeks for a fresh smelling natural cleaner that works perfectly for cleaning windows or floors.

Stock up on lots of vinegar, lemons and baking soda and you will find natural cleaning more easier and more effective than you ever thought!

5 Laundry Organizing Tips + All Free Clear (And a Sweepstakes!)

Linquia All Image

 

All Free Clear Products

Don’t you just love doing laundry?  As far as chores go, I think laundry is something that you either love or hate.  I actually don’t mind it most of the time.  First of all, it’s a chore that you can actually see noticeable results from; I love nothing more than to pull a fresh load of nice clean clothes from the dryer and then restock the drawers and closets around the house.  Something about it makes me feel warms inside.  Secondly I’ve got a pretty good system down when it comes to doing laundry, and my system and the way all the clothes are already pre-sorted for me, just makes the whole chore pretty easy!  In fact, laundry is the one chore with which I absolutely want NO HELP from my husband. (No offense to him or any one else; I just have certain ways I like to do things!) [Read more…]