Cleaning Tips: Keep up on the Little Things

A friend told me that she took a day off from housework one day recently. As the day wore on, things piled up around her. For her, that was confirmation that she actually accomplishes a lot each day. It's amazing all the little things that we just naturally have to keep up on in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Keep up on the little things in order to make the big cleaning jobs easier. I have learned the hard way that dried applesauce on the tile floor is like cement, milk-soaked cheerios stick like superglue when dried, wet spots on any floor collect dirt, one mark on the wall can be overlooked over and over again if not cleaned up right away, toothpaste in the sink cleans up much easier when wet, spots on clothing are easier to get out if treated as soon as possible, spilled crackers in the couch cushions just get pulverized, and spilled milk left to sit smells terrible once it is dry.

There are myriads of little things that happen in a day. As things happen, clean them up. Soak up spills on hard floors and use a mop like the Swiffer Wet Jet to finish the job. Make sure you have plenty of napkins and paper towels on hand for kitchen accidents, and keep them where your family can easily access them. For carpets, have a carpet cleaner on hand to clean up the unpleasant throw-up or milk spills that tend to happen. I use Spot Shot and there's only been one thing it didn't get out of my carpet: dry erase marker. Otherwise, it cleans up everything if you follow the instructions. For walls, use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to quickly clean up marks when they happen (the erasers are not safe for kids to use!). Train your family to use a tissue or something to wipe out the sink after brushing teeth. Treat stains on clothing as soon as you can. I find that even if I spray the stain with Shout and then let it sit until I do some laundry, the stain usually comes out. And when chips get spilled in the couch cushions, don't let them sit because they'll just get smooshed, making it more difficult to clean up later. Have a dust buster or other small vacuum that is easy to use for small clean-ups like that.

If you keep up on the little things, then the deep cleaning will be a breeze. Have a great weekend!

Zoning: Kitchen & Pantry

De-cluttering your rooms is the number one priority. Once you have gotten rid of the clutter, then you can start organizing what is left. Refer to last week's zoning post for more help. Here are some basic ideas for your kitchen and pantry:

Kitchen Ideas

• Get and use a grocery bag holder, or just recycle/throw away your grocery bags
• Line your drawers/shelves OR purchase organizers for them (measure first!)
• Run & empty your dishwasher daily
• Throw out old food from fridge and pantry, donate things you have but won’t eat
• Create useful zones: baking, beverage, cleaning, mail, recycling & trash, cookbooks, kids stuff, fine dining, etc.
• Smaller zones like cake decorating are helpful for easy locating and cleanup (put all the sprinkles, food coloring, candles, etc. in one basket; when using it you pull the whole basket out, then when done you put the whole basket away…simple!)
• Recipes: only keep what you use! Store in a binder, box, or in a small photo album with index cards
• Put kid plates, bowls, cups, etc. at their level so they can easily help with meals and clean up
• If you have a lot of clutter on your counters (cookie jars, bread machine, mixer, etc.), consider using the space above your cupboards to store things in a decorative way until you use them, or install some shelving where possible
  

Pantry Ideas

• Clear, stackable containers
• Tiered storage to make food visible
• Door organizers to maximize space (for example, a shoe organizer works well)
• Baskets, lazy susans, tupperwares, etc. to store neatly
• Group/zone by category or time of day

Organize Yourself: Tip #5

I have known people who feel like if there is an open space in their house they need to fill it up. Just the other day I had someone ask me what was missing in one corner of my living room. There hadn't been anything there before, it was just an open space that she probably figured must have been filled at one time. And several people have commented on how there is barely anything on my refrigerator.

Tip #5: Learn to love empty spaces! Even if the empty spaces are calling out to you, resist the urge to fill them up. Empty spaces are great for making an area more open, less cluttered, and more inviting.

First try to clear the floor of everything but the necessary stuff like furniture. Bookshelves, magazine racks, baskets, shoe racks, toyboxes, and hampers will help get the clutter off the floor, opening up your room (and making it much easier to vacuum). Clean off your refrigerator or other places that tend to collect things (like the bathroom counter). Make a to-do list or a reminder list so that you can put things away until you are ready for them. Use a reminder list for projects you want to do, or for simple things like remembering to take your vitamins (rather than leaving them out on the counter day in and day out…).

Next, when you take something out of its place and use it, remind yourself to put it back where it goes when you are done. It only takes a few seconds to follow this simple rule, but it saves you loads of time later, and keeps the empty spaces empty.

Finally, have one bin or box specifically to fill up with things to give away. It's a great place to put the clutter that is unnecessary. You’ll find yourself needing to empty it frequently.

If you follow these simple rules, you will find that you actually enjoy having empty spaces, and people will notice how open and inviting your home or office is.

Money Savers: Use What You Have

There was a time when I had boxes of stuff, but I didn't have them very organized. I knew what was in them, but more often than not it was easier to go buy a new thing than to dig around and find the one I had.

That's when I decided 2 things: clear bins are great, and labels are essential. With clear bins I can see what I have, and if I'm not sure, the labels tell me what I have. It has been very handy in saving money, since it is the little things that tend to add up. For example, I haven't had to buy Valentine's cards for my kids in years because I have a holiday box full of stuff that I bought one time at the after-holiday sales. This year I finally used up the last of the Valentine cards. Another example: I have a nice stock of office supplies on hand in one of my bins. If I ever need anything, I just have to go to my labeled bin. And I keep stocked up by watching sales, particularly at back-to-school time. This also helps when a teacher asks for supplies. Or what about tools? Having them organized and labeled is a great way to avoid having to buy another one. This goes for craft supplies, kitchen accessories, seasonal items, holiday decorations, gifting supplies, hair accessories, sporting goods, electronics, photos, hardware items (like extension cords), and just about anything you can think of.

Once your things are easily accessible and labeled, you'll find yourself using the things you have. You may even find things you didn't remember having. And as a result, you won't feel like you have to run to the store every time you need something.

Time Savers: Managing Clothing & Laundry

Weekends are a great time to relax and enjoy my family. So Mondays are the day I like to get myself back in order after the weekend. This means some picking up. The thing that always seems most pressing on Monday mornings is the mess made from all the things we wear: dirty and stained clothing, shoes all over, jackets left around, clothing draped on beds or on the exercise bike you'd really like to use today, and so on. However, I don't want to spend all day doing it, so I've come up with some effective ways to cut time.

Quick clean-ups:
~Throw your kids shoes in baskets or buckets with their name on them. Take it one step further and teach them to put them in there when they take their shoes off, and you'll never have to do it again (right...!).
~For your own shoes, use shoe racks or shoe organizers. Put your shoes away at the end of each day. Yes, even my shoe shelves get disorganized, so I re-organize them about once a week. My kids actually like to do it for me, so all I have to do is ask!
~Outdoor clothing like jackets can be hung on a peg board or on hooks by the door. I've even heard of using a clothing tree/hat hanger for the same purpose. I have a board with two hooks per person in my family and they hang everything on there. I take time on Mondays to put things in coat closets or drawers.
~Finally, the neverending laundry. I do laundry every day, but I try to get a good start on it on Mondays. Invest in a rolling laundry cart like this one from Costco, or something similar. My family knows what color clothing goes in each basket of the cart. In my laundry room, I also have a bin for dirty rags/towels, as well as a place to put clothing that needs stain treatments. On Monday, I just have to pull my laundry cart around the house to pick up anything left laying around, and then head to the laundry room to start washing. Long before school is out, my kids have piles of clean, folded clothes to put away, and I didn't even have to slave all day to get it done!

Cleaning Tips: Deep Cleaning Weekend

Organizing and cleaning are two different things, but they go together to create a comfortable home or office. One without the other is only half the job. This weekend, stay indoors and do some cleaning. Then make a plan to keep doing it. I clean every day, but I deep clean once a week. Any time I can get my family to help me, the work goes faster and our kids learn how to work together to get things done.

So what's the easiest way to clean? Hire a cleaning lady! But, since not everyone can afford that, and not everyone is comfortable with that (I would feel like I'd have to clean my house before the cleaning lady came!), then clean with zoning in mind. Begin by putting things away and tidying up. Then clean each zone, or area, completely before moving on to the next one. Work from the top to the bottom, no matter what room you are cleaning, or you'll be messing up what you just cleaned. Here's the order I clean in:

1. Empty all garbages and sterilize/clean cans with antibacterial wipes or sprays, then I leave one garbage bag available to throw away used cleaning things like wipes
2. Clean all doorknobs and light switches with antibacterial wipes
3. Bathrooms: change towels, dust, mirror, fixtures, cabinets/doors, rugs, floors
4. Kitchen/dining area: dust, appliances, counters/cabinets/doors, table/chairs, rugs, floors & floorboards
5. Bedrooms: dust, windows, furniture, floors
6. Entryway: dust, windows, furniture, rugs, floors
7. Other living areas: dust, windows, furniture, vacuum out couches/chairs, floors
8. Laundry room: dust, cabinets, appliances, rugs, floors, start a load of towels/rags

Remember, I am talking about deep cleaning. There are several things I add in as I observe the rooms: change lightbulbs, wipe off stepstools, change filters, clean the glass on a dirty frame, dust vents or fan blades, and wipe walls or floorboards as needed.

Getting your family to help: figure out what they like to help with by letting them choose. My 2 year old loves to be the one who cleans off all the doorknobs & light switches. She walks around with her favorite stepstool so that she can reach them. My 5 year old enjoys dusting, so we share the dusting. She dusts the things that are at her level, and my hubby usually gets the other things.

Other things my kids like to do: wash/dry dishes, wipe down chairs/stepstools, move things out of the way of the vacuum (This is great when my husband is home to help: he moves all the furniture as I vacuum. No fishie crackers under there!), clean windows (Windex wipes are very handy for kids to use), vacuum small areas or rugs (we have a dustbuster that has various attachments to make it more vacuum-like--a long handle, a broad brush, etc.), clean floorboards.

What about older kids? Start young so you don't have to train them later! But if you are already there, I'd suggest the same thing: let them do what they like to do. My parents never pushed me to do my chores, and there were plenty of times I didn't do my chores, but look at me now: I'm a neat-freak! With my kids I take it one step further with one simple rule: work first, then play. My kids know that mom and dad won't play with them or take them out until all the work is done, and they are more than willing to lend a hand in making it quick work!

Work first, and then play, and you'll have a great weekend! Happy cleaning!

Zoning: Tips to be Successful

What is zoning? Start by reading last week's entry. Every room has a unique purpose. Once you determine the purpose, then treat it like a department store…put things in different zones. For example, in the garage you might have places for gardening supplies, sporting goods, holiday storage, automotive, and garbage. In the kitchen you might have places for baking, beverages, cleaning, mail, recycling & trash, and cookbooks. Tips for success:

1. Have a specific place for everything: where will it get used? If you use it everywhere, you may want to have one for each room or zone (scissors, for example).


2. Bins and containers are a good start. Try to have matching bins for easy stacking and less visual clutter. Clear bins are nice so you can see what’s inside. Small containers are nice for small stuff or small spaces.


3. Measure, measure, measure! There's nothing more time-consuming then trying to guess the right size of the space you are trying to fill.


4. Use your horizontal space: under bed, cupboards, drawers, etc.


5. Use your vertical space: wall shelving, stackables, over the toilet racks, bathroom hooks, key hangers, mail holders, etc.


6. Label, label, label! Give your brain a break. Maybe you CAN remember where everything is, but why not label instead?


7. Give your family a tour. How else will they know where everything goes?

Think about the space you have and how it can best be used. Don’t spend lots of money buying organizers unless they will be effective for you. Once everything has a place, try to keep it there…

Organize Yourself: Tip #4

Since school started, I have really been thinking about how to organize the pile of paperwork that comes home every day, and it has led to me think about how to organize all of the paper in my house. Don't get me wrong, I have a system, I just wanted some fresh tips to keep me on my toes. I talked to a couple of friends who also love to organize, and we came up with some good ideas, in addition to the methods I have already been using.

Tip #4: Use the FAT Principle! When you have paper, either file it, act on it, or toss it. "They" say you can throw away 60% of your paperwork. Why bother keeping paper you aren't going to be able to find anyway? Better yet, why bother keeping paper you'll never want to find again? First things first, go through your papers (filing cabinets, mail, boxes, etc.) just like you would go through your garage, and get rid of stuff. I like to have a trash can right next to where I am working...I immediately toss what I can, and then I make another pile for the shredder (my kids love to help me shred things). If you are doing this for the first time, I suggest you find someone you trust who has a commercial size shredder. Otherwise, your typical shredder will be fine. When in doubt, shred it; identity theft is a major problem. Once you have tossed everything you can, then make a pile of papers you need to act on. This would include bills to pay, letters to mail, places to call, statements to reconcile, etc. I have one tray for these things, and I go through the tray regularly. Once you act on these, decide if you are going to toss them or file them.

Displays: Now all you should have left is the papers you need to organize. Since school is on my mind, let's start there. My friends and I use similar systems for this. We have a limited number of clips or clothespins to hang the work on. Let your kids decide what stays and what goes (unless it's so adorable you can't let it go!). Let them hang up the work in their room, and save your refrigerator from being inundated with papers.

Files: As for the rest of the papers, create a filing system that works for you. I prefer to have one filing cabinet, and I refuse to keep more papers than will fit in it, which also forces me to go through it occasionally. I keep file folders that are labeled by month and year (August 2007, September 2007, etc.). In those I file any bills, receipts, etc. that I receive that month. My friend uses the same system but for photos of her kids, artwork from them, or anything else related to her kids. Then when we need something, we just have to remember what month and year to look in. Make file folders for other important papers that you don't want to file monthly. For example, I have a coupon file, a 'fun things to do' file with brochures of fun places, a menu file (for menus from restaurants), in addition to files for health, budgeting, family night lessons, etc. Just see what kinds of papers you like to keep and make a file for each type. If you have files you need to keep close by, here's another idea from a friend: buy a small holder for hanging files, and keep it in a kitchen cupboard. My friend uses hers for school papers, artwork, and current activities her kids are involved in, but she also has one for her own papers (bills, etc.).

Binders: There are some papers I don't keep in my filing cabinet, and this is when binders come in very handy. For example, school related papers (not homework, etc., but the many fliers and newsletters that come home from school). I now keep those in a binder in page protectors so that I can easily see what events are coming up. Also, I have one binder for addresses/phone #s. It stays in the kitchen. And I obviously keep my recipes in the kitchen as well. I have only a few recipe books--the ones I use multiple recipes from--and the rest I tossed out a long time ago after copying the recipes I liked. I keep the copies filed in a binder with an index. For cooking magazines, I use an idea a friend gave me: I have a binder with page protectors for each magazine. The recipes I like are marked with a sticky note hanging out of the magazine like tabs. The name of the recipe is written on the sticky note, and there is a homemade index for all the recipes in the binder. The index says the name of the recipe, and what issue to look in. Once I locate the issue, I just have to look for the sticky tab with the name of the recipe.

Stop using paper altogether: When possible, use the internet for your bills and statements. I have found that it greatly reduces the paper in my mailbox and my filing cabinet. If you can, store your recipes on your computer. I have been working on that for a couple of years, and I continue to add more. It's extremely helpful if you have a laptop. Before you know it, you'll have less paper to go through, and more time to be keeping things up to date on your computer.

Weekend Work: De-Cluttering

If you have not de-cluttered, don't waste your time organizing stuff you need to get rid of. Here are some rules to help you let go of things that are just taking up space.


1. If you haven’t used it in the past 13 months, throw it away or give it away. Someone else might be able to use it, and if not, who cares? One less thing to dust.

2. Use the ‘one in, one out’ rule. When you buy something new, particularly clothing, make it a rule to get rid of one also.

3. It’s easier to throw things away when you don’t look at what it is. Do you have a storage unit that you rarely visit? Or a box that you haven’t opened in ages? Load it all up and take it to a thrift store or the dump without even looking. You’ll never miss it and you’ll save yourself some money.

4. Disposable means just that: throw away those old cool whip tubs or Ziploc bags or ice cream buckets. If you can’t stand to throw them away, at least use them for creative storage instead of backup Tupperware.

5. Ask yourself “why?” when sorting through your stuff. Why do you keep old magazines? Why do you keep baby food jars? If you don’t have a specific reason, then feel free to recycle or discard them. Believe me, you’ll enjoy the experience!

6. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure: If you can’t stand to give away your stuff, then have a yard sale.

7. Follow the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle.

8. Re-read my first tip on organizing yourself.

Now that you have effectively purged, it is time to pay attention to what you have left.

Zoning: Put Similar Things in the Same Place

If you have de-cluttered, you can start organizing. A basic way to do this is the create zones. Think big to begin with: give each room a purpose. It may not be the purpose it was made for, but it needs to be a purpose that works for you...dining room, office, craft room, toy room, bedroom, exercise room, laundry room, etc. Once you've come up with a purpose for each room, you'll need to come up with zones within each room. For example, in your garage you might have zones that look a bit like this: gardening supplies, sporting goods, holiday storage, automotive, food storage, and garbage. In your kitchen, you might have zones for baking, cooking, beverages, cleaning, mail, recycling & trash, food storage, and cookbooks. Or maybe the cleaning zone will be in the laundry room. Think about where you use the stuff most often, and put it there. Once you have your zones in place, and you have labeled everything (very important!), give your family a tour so they know where to find things, and where to put things away. For more ideas, read tip two on how to organize yourself. When you have really advanced, you will be able to have zones within your zones, but you'd probably have to be obsessed with organizing like I am. Don't stress yourself out trying to do too much! It takes time to get organized, and effort to stay organized.

Organize Yourself: Tip #3

Just the other day I had someone tell me that they leave things out so that they can remember to do them: pay bills, take vitamins, mail packages, mouthwash, wrap a present, return that borrowed movie, and on and on, until there is too much stuff sitting out waiting to get done. This is something that I have always tried to avoid, and so I have strategies for remembering to do things without having the "reminder clutter".

Tip #3: Put the clutter away! How many times a day do you walk by that 'reminder' pile and just ignore it anyway? Everything should have a place, and unless you are using it, it should be there. Try to find other ways to remember to do those things. My main strategy is a to-do list. It doesn't matter where you keep it, or how long it is, or how messy it is. The point is to have one place to write down all the things you'd like to do, and then give yourself the satisfaction of crossing off the things you have done. There's a lot of satisfaction in actually being able to throw away a completed to-do list. Personally, I keep mine electronically and it sits right on the counter where I see it, and review it, every morning. Right next to it, I keep a small (and I mean small!) organizer for small papers like bills, receipts, and outgoing mail. And for those times when I just need to jot down a quick note for myself, I also keep a pad of sticky notes in the organizer. So it's all there, taking up very little space. Everything else is put away until I get to it on my list of things to do. There are some things that should just be habit, and not a number on the list. For example, taking vitamins. My suggestion is to keep them in a visible place for about 3 weeks (21 days to form a habit!), take them at the same time every day, and then start putting them away. The habit shouldn't die. Once you have cleared off those counters and desktops, life will seem to clear up also. Are you feeling good about clear counters? Now try this: do you have stuff all over the floor? Furniture is okay, but what about clutter on the floor: Piles of books or magazines, photo albums, stacks of movies, bags of things to give away, odds and ends that don't seem to have a place, toys shoved into a corner? Make a place for all of those things. Buy a bookshelf, a magazine rack, a basket for movies to go in. Put a small basket or bin in your car to put things like rented movies or mail; then it is there reminding you to do it the next time you get in the car. Use a large box in the garage to throw all the give-away stuff into, and promise yourself you'll drive it to the thrift store when it is full or have a garage sale. Make a place in the house or garage for the odd & ends. I actually have a bin that is specifically for my useful odds and ends. Buy a basket for toys or a small toybox. There is always a way to organize the clutter so that you don't have it all over the floor. It'll open up your rooms if you get it all off the floor, and if possible, into a closet or cupboard. And if a more aesthetically pleasing home doesn't convince you, listen to this: my parents' house flooded while they were at work one day. A pipe in the ceiling broke. Everything they had on the floor got wet, some beyond repair or replacement. And if you think it won't happen to you, don't be so sure. It just happened to my sister also!

Organize Yourself: Tip #2

This month has been so busy for me. Between taking classes, taking care of kids, taking care of home, and a myriad of other things that keep me busy, I find that being organized is the only way I survive sometimes. These are the times when I need to find things quickly, and when I need to be able to organize things in my life by taking a quick glance at a calendar. So...

Tip #2: Put things in their place! Now that you've gone through everything, and hopefully gotten rid of a lot of clutter (all that stuff in the back of your closet that you haven't seen since you moved in), find a place for everything else. It needs to be a specific place, with a label, so that even if you don't remember exactly where it is, you can find easily. Figure out what works for you, but here is what works for me: I love bins for my stuff, and charts for my routines. If you can afford it, try to get matching bins so that things are visually organized. One side of my garage is lined with matching bins, all clear so I can see what's inside, and each has a large label on it. Labels give my brain a break because I don't have to rely on memory to find things. I also have the same bins in closets in my house. Each bin has a specific purpose: crafts, school supplies, camping gear, holiday decorations, baby clothes, paper, fabric, memory books, blankets, etc. Some of my bins aren't even completely full, but I leave them like that for simplicity, and I can add more of the same stuff to it later. When I need bins to organize small spaces, like drawers and cupboards, I use small plastic bins or plastic baskets. This is particularly handy in the medicine cabinets and in the kitchen. Most importantly, teach everyone in your household where things go! My 2 year old even knows where to put things away. As far as charts/lists for my routines, I use meal charts to plan for the month and week, chore charts, an address book, and my appointment calendar (aka my to-do list). Minimize the number of charts/lists you use. I keep them all in the same general area, and I admit, I also keep a pad of sticky notes nearby to make quick additions to the charts. Then when I get time, I enter the notes into my charts, tossing the sticky notes afterward. By the end of this crazy month I've been having, I'm going to have a pile of sticky notes to toss, and some cleaning to do, but I haven't had to worry about much else around the house.

Organize Yourself: Tip #1

One thing I love to do is organize, and re-organize, things...anything and everything. I get a kick out of the myriads of containers that are available to me if I so choose. I have teeny tiny containers for teeny tiny things and big containers for big things. I've slowly collected them and I can hardly withstand the temptation to buy more! I admit I am an extremist about this, some might say I have an OCD problem, but frankly, it just makes me happy. So... I am going to start posting tips on here for anyone who might be interested in getting more organized.

TIP #1: Get rid of things! If you haven't used it in the past year, throw it away or give it to someone who will use it. Yes, the rare occasion may present itself when you have to re-purchase something you got rid of, but in all the years I have been giving things away, it has only happened a couple of times. No more keeping those old Cool Whip containers, no more washing Ziploc bags out to re-use them, no more keeping every single piece of mail, no more keeping the breadmaker that went on the fritz but you're sure you will fix it someday, no more keeping that exercise bike that is just collecting dust in your garage. If you don't like the idea of giving things away, have a yard sale instead. I had a friend who called them "garbage sales", but hey, one person's junk could be another person's treasure. Make it a community thing and have fun with it. Make time regularly to go through your cupboards, boxes, drawers, bins, freezers, and cubby holes; the more often you get rid of stuff, the more organized you'll be, because you'll remember where things are. Do you have things in a storage unit that you haven't seen in years? Take a big truck (don't look at anything!) and drop it off at the nearest thrift store. You'll be glad you did and you'll save money by not renting the space anymore. And if you have something for which you can't think of a use or purpose, it probably means you don't need it.

Beginnings

My favorite thing to do when I have free time is to organize and clean. I decided to dedicate an entire blog to just that so that I can keep track of my ideas, and hopefully give someone else ideas in the process. My fish picture is a good way of expressing how I feel about organizing: if I'm all over the place, the big things seem to difficult to overcome, but when I get organized, I can do anything. Happy organizing!