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The One Organization Tool I Use in Every Room of My Home

8 Jul

My favorite and most-used organization tool around my home is a clear plastic shoe box. They are available at big box stores and dollar stores. The ones I purchase are branded by the Container Store.  You can find them here.

Here’s why I like this particular line-up:

  • BPA free (important for food storage)
  • Relatively inexpensive (especially by the case and during sales)
  • Consistent sizing
  • Readily available in-store and on-line
  • Seem to fit spaces exactly!
  • Easily stackable
  • Especially handy to prevent liquids from spilling where they shouldn’t
  • Easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher
  • And most importantly, I can see what’s inside!

The 3 sizes I probably use the most are: men’s shoe box, small accessory box, and the regular sweater box. I keep a small stash of these on-hand for quick access when I get a sudden urge to re-organize a closet or pantry (insert Hubby’s deep sigh and shoulder shrug here).

Here are some action pics Around My Home –

Utility Cabinet in Laundry room:

IMG_3982

Continue reading →

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My Very Own Grown-Up Glassware

16 Jun

Last month I turned 40 and have since changed a few things Around My Home.

Not because I felt that I had to or because anyone told me to.

I just decided to. Glassware was one of them.

Love.

For years, I had owned a mis-matched collection of glassware:

–coffee mugs from around the world,

–the only two juice glasses left from an original set of eight,

–lots of plastic cups with various logos,

–and more Mason jars than I’d ever admit to having in public (for some mysterious reason that escapes me, Hubby loves to drink out of these).

When shopping for new glassware, I quickly discovered how expensive it is to replace – really expensive.

So, I researched options on-line and in-store. I held glasses in my hands. I read reviews – lots and lots of reviews.

Listed here are the options I settled on and why…just in case it might be time for a glassware update around your home. Continue reading →

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Love Your White Sink in Less Than 10 Minutes

5 May

BEFORE: Blueberry puree creates a tough stain.

AFTER: Less than 10 minutes to a beautiful white sink again.

Non-toxic cleaners are my choice in every area of my home except for one: the kitchen sink.

Although I do use a non-toxic soft scrub recipe for regular sink cleaning, I reach for something more powerful when it’s time to tackle tough stains.

It takes no time at all to re-store my sink to gleaming white and I’m going to show you how to do it.

Don’t have a white sink? This technique is fabulous for bathtubs, too!

My kitchen sink on an average day

The cast-iron sink pictured here is more than 45 years old. It’s the original that came with the kitchen when we purchased our home.

We liked the feel of the original kitchen and wanted to maintain some of its charm while still giving it an update. So we kept the sink  and cabinets but replaced the flooring, countertops, appliances, and lighting.

I’d never had a white sink and loved it – at first. It didn’t take long for me to become frustrated with how easily it stains.

Today I made some fresh blueberry puree for my baby boy. When I was finished cleaning up the pots, my sink wasn’t looking too great.

For the purpose of this post, I intentionally poured the leftover blueberry liquid over the entire surface of one side of the sink.

I then let it sit for ~30 minutes so that the stain would be nice and hefty.

Fresh blueberry puree I made for my little boy

What my sink looked like afterward

THE CLEAN-UP

Here’s the process I followed for cleaning my sink: Continue reading →

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Top 3 Cleaning Products I Use That You Can Make At Home

31 Mar

I’m a big fan of inexpensive, non-toxic cleaners that actually work.

Here are the top 3 that I use regularly in my own home along with popular uses and instructions on how to make each one.

Put these items on your shopping list!

1. GLASS AND WINDOW CLEANER

Magic ingredient: Joy Liquid Dish Soap

Uses: All-purpose glass cleaner for indoor and outdoor windows, mirrors, appliances, and sealed wood furniture. It shouldn’t be used on marble, which doesn’t like citrus-based products. For cleaning marble, you can substitute Ivory dish soap instead.

When using on exterior windows, hose the window down prior to cleaning in order to remove heavy dirt, pollen, or other debris.

Recipe:

–Fill a clean, empty spray bottle with water – I like the 32 oz. size. Use distilled or filtered water if you live in a hard water area.

–Add 1-2 tiny drops of Joy liquid dish soap (more is not better)

—Optional – add a drop of food coloring if you simply must have blue window cleaner.

I’m not kidding, that’s it.

It really is the best glass cleaner you’ll ever use and it will cut the wax residue left by previous ammonia-based cleaners.

I purchased a bottle of Joy on sale for $1.00 at Walgreen’s. It should last me about 600 years.

It’s best to use a lint-free cloth instead of paper towels on glass. My favorite window rags are cut-up old t-shirts. You could also use micro-fiber cloths. When you wash the rags, skip the fabric softener.

I discovered this recipe through one of Angela Coffman’s readers over at the Grocery Shrink.

2. KITCHEN COUNTERTOP CLEANER, DISINFECTANT, SAFE FOR WOOD FLOORS 

This product is a staple in our house and I use it Around My Home multiple times a day. Continue reading →

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