Tackling The Bathroom

I straighten daily and do a general cleaning weekly, but it's been a long time since I really tackled the bathroom like I did today.

Before starting I took down the shower curtain and curtain-liner and gathered them together with towels, washrags, and rugs to be laundered.

Next, I made a thick paste out of baking soda and water and coated the shower walls and tub with it and let it set for a while before wiping and rinsing. 

(I had forgotten what a joy it is to clean with baking soda and what a great job it does of whitening and cleaning without bleach and other harsh chemicals.) 

While I was working with the tub, I unscrewed the drain strainer, and using one of those drain cleaner tools, removed several big globs of hair that was trapped there. Yuck!!! 😝

I cleaned the sink with a baking soda paste and cleaned the toilet bowl with Clorox Clinging Bleach Gel.

I finished up by spritzing the sink and toilet with Mrs. Meyers Peppermint Scented Multisurface Cleaner and wiping them down with paper towels.

That's what I used today in cleaning my bathroom. What are some of the products that you use when cleaning yours?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Spring Cleaning 2019 - Day Two

Yesterday was 'Day Two' of Spring Cleaning 2019. 

Most of the day was spent taking down all the teapots, cups, saucers, canisters, and other things atop shelves and cabinets and giving them a good washing before putting them back where they belong. It's amazing how much grime can collect on stuff in a little over a year's time! 😲

A Few of My Teapots

I have several teapots and a lot of cups, saucers, creamer and sugar sets, etc. The amazing thing is, out of everything in my kitchen, including wall hangings, I have only purchased two or three items. The rest have all been given to me by friends and family members. 

The Shelves Above My Kitchen Sink

Yesterday, as I lovingly washed each piece, I was, at times, overwhelmed with emotion. Memories of when and how I acquired each piece came back to me, as well as, sweet memories of each giver. Many of them are gone now, but each piece in my collection serves as a conduit for a flood of precious memories...of them and sweet times shared together. I am thankful! 💗

A Few of My Teacups, Teapots, and Saucers

This is always a big job, but, after it's done, I love how everything sparkles and shines! It's always so pretty and it makes me happy! 😊 In addition to washing all the glassware, I wiped down, cleaned, and straightened all the kitchen drawers and lower cabinets. 

My plan today is to do a general cleaning of the living room and Van Gogh room. I'd like to shampoo the carpets, but, at the moment, the Rug Doctor isn't working properly. I plan on taking it to the repair shop the next time we go to Joplin. We don't make it there too often, but plan on being there twice later on in the month, so we should be good to go before month's end. Until then, a general cleaning will have to suffice. 😁

If time permits, I will do a food inventory today, as it's time for another Dollar-S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-Up-The-Food Project! (Yeah! I always look forward to the challenge that comes with one of these!) 💗

So, that's it for me today. How about you? How are spending your day today?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Spring Cleaning - Day One

Today is 'Day One' of Spring Cleaning 2019. Here is a list of what I have accomplished so far...

BEDROOM

- took down curtains, washed, and put back up
- washed bedding
- washed doilies and coverlets
- dusted surfaces and all pictures and wall hangings
- polished mirrors
- oiled furniture
- vacuumed floor including edges and corners

I will save dresser and vanity drawers for evening, sorting and rearranging one at time, while watching westerns on Amazon or something. None of them are in bad shape...mainly just need straightening.

BATHROOM

- took down curtains, washed, and put back up
- washed shower curtain
- dusted from ceiling to floor
- scrubbed tub, sink, and toilet
- washed towels, rugs, and coverlets
- straightened cabinets
- emptied trash
- mopped floor

KITCHEN

- took down curtains, washed, and put back up
- straightened and rearranged upper cabinets
- straightened and rearranged drawers
- washed down counter tops, stove, microwave, and fridge
- washed tablecloth and replaced on table
- washed silverware holder

Have yet to straighten and wipe down lower cabinets, clean out fridge, and wash down all the teacups, tea pots, and such, but not today. I'm beat! 😴

How about you? What does your 'spring cleaning' look like?

Until next time,
~Rebecca

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My Weekly "Home Blessing"

I have written about my weekly "home blessing" before, but my home blessing today looks much different than it used to.

I first got the idea of the weekly home blessing many years ago from Flylady. I started with her list and, over time, developed my own list that fits my own situation. What used to work then, though, doesn't work now because we moved and things have changed.

We have lived in, what used to be my dad's house, since October of 2016. It has taken time, but, over the months that we've lived here a new cleaning routine has taken shape and a revised "home blessing" occurs on a weekly basis...generally on Mondays. 

(At least that is the target date each week. Sometimes something comes up and the home blessing doesn't take place until Tuesday or Wednesday, but I don't think that a week has gone by since getting established here that it has been skipped altogether.) 

The weekly home blessing is not a substitute for, or meant to be, a deep-clean by any means. It is designed to cover surface cleaning that can be done quickly, yet makes a world a difference in the look and feel of your home.

(Monday is my main wash day, too, so I add laundry tasks to my home blessing list, but that's because it works well for me and my schedule. Not everyone would probably want to pile that much stuff into one day, but I sort of have to make everything work on my end.)

So, what does the weekly "home blessing" look like? For me, it looks like this:

Each Monday morning I make a list of all my cleaning tasks. As I complete each task in a specific room, I cross it off the list. When all the tasks in that room are done, I cross that room off the list and move on to the next. 

(And none of these tasks take very long. In fact, some of them take less than a minute to complete; laundry, of course, takes the longest.)

My basic "home blessing" task list looks like this:

Bedroom 

- straighten

- wipe mirrors 

- dust and oil furniture

- vacuum 

Hallway

- straighten

- dust

- sweep 

- mop

Bathroom

- straighten

- wipe mirrors

- dust

- swish tub, sink, and toilet

- clean toilet bowl

- empty trash

- wash rugs

- wash dirty towels and washrags

- wash shower curtain (first Monday of each month)

- sweep

- mop

Van Gogh Room (Office)

- straighten

- dust

- vacuum

Livingroom

- straighten

- dust

- clean glass shelves

- wipe window panes in front door (first Monday of each month)

- vacuum

Kitchen and Back Porch 

- straighten

- wipe down dish-drainer

- do dishes

- wipe stove and counter tops

- straighten fridge

- clean microwave

- take out trash

- sweep

- mop

- sweep back porch

- wipe down washer and dryer

Laundry

- bedding (first Monday of the month)

- darks

- towels and washrags

- bathroom rugs

- shower curtain (first Monday of the month)

- whites

Well, that's what my weekly "home blessing" looks like. Do you do a weekly home blessing in your home? If so, what does your list look like?

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Homemade Natural Air Freshener

Ingredients For Making Your Own Natural Air Freshener

I love Fabreeze and have used several bottles of it over the years, but I do worry about the harmful effects of chemicals in products like this one, especially when using it on furniture and/or carpet where our skin touches it.

After reading an article about the dangers of Fabreeze this morning, I decided to try my hand at making my own natural air freshener and am quite pleased with the results. I decided to share the recipe here.

To make your own air freshener you will need:

• 1 tbsp of baking soda
• 2 cups of water
• 10 drops of essential oil (I used lavender)

Mix the baking soda and essential oil in a bowl with a fork to keep the oil suspended in the water. Pour the mixture into a clean spray bottle and top off with the water. Shake before every use.

Blessing,
~Rebecca

The Weekly Home Blessing

Photo Credit

I got into the habit of doing a 'Home Blessing' on Mondays when I first met the Flylady. While I don't keep up with her posts at present and, while my home is far from what most people would consider clean, I still enjoy doing my own version of the Flylady's Weekly Home Blessing when I am home and can. 

My 'Home Blessing' list includes:

1. Spritz and shine the sink, tub, and toilet. 

2. Shine all the mirrors.

3. Mop the bathroom floor.

4. Feather dust the furniture, pictures on the wall, etc.

5. Change the sheets.

6. Vacuum the floors (including the edges).

7. Empty all trash.

My house is very small and it doesn't take long to do any of these things, so I do not set a timer. I do enjoy the spruce up though and it keeps things looking somewhat better than they would otherwise.

Do you do a Weekly Home Blessing in your home? If so, what's on your 'Home Blessing' list?

Have a blessed day everyone! 

Until next time...

All My Love,

~Rebecca

Cleaning Out The Freezer (Part 2) - Three Months Later

Good Afternoon, Sweet Ladies!

If you remember, I first wrote about cleaning out the freezer back in July. It's taken me three whole months to accomplish it, but I have FINALLY got the big freezer unloaded and UNPLUGGED!!! (In mind's eye I immediately started seeing that wheel on the electric meter start slowing down and all those $$$ start migrating over into the piggy bank!!!) I've still got to defrost and clean the big freezer, but, the point is, all the food is out! Some of it we've eaten over the past three months. Some of it went into the trash bin. (I hate throwing food away, but, honestly! Some of that stuff has been in there for EV-ER and we're never going to eat it anyway! No meat...mostly vegetables from our garden a couple of summers back.) Some of it I'm defrosting to feed to the chickens. The rest of it went into the small freezer. I plan to inventory all that this afternoon and plan meals for the month of October around what's on hand. This has been my plan for ages, but things just kept happening to prevent me from getting it done. I was so excited to finally get that freezer unplugged that I just had to share! I hope you all are having a lovely and productive day! God's blessings over all!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Monday's 'Home Blessing' Routine

Good Morning, Sweet Sisters!

I've got a few extra minutes this morning so I thought I'd drop in and say, "Hello!" How are you this morning?

Yesterday was the first full day of fall here in the Midwest. After taking my son to work I came home and got started on my Monday morning 'home blessing'. Due to visitors my 'home blessing' went on well into the afternoon, but that was more than okay. I enjoyed the unexpected company!

"What is a 'home blessing'?" you might ask. Well, the idea originated with Flylady, and, while my house will never be CLEAN clean, I am working on it and have developed my own routine. The 'home blessing' comes on Monday, and, before doing anything, I light scented candles in the living room and kitchen, and turn on Pandora Radio on my computer, which I have tuned to a Celtic music shuffle. It's the Celtic music station shuffled and mixed with the Celtic Woman station. (So beautiful!) For me, the Monday 'home blessing' looks like this:

     - Go through the whole house and, using a feather duster, dust all vertical and horizontal surfaces in each room. This includes pictures and things hanging on the wall, lamps, knick-knacks on the piano, etc. I don't fuss over this. I just do a quick run through of each room and be done with it.

     - Spritz and clean all mirrors and the front door glass using the homemade glass cleaner that I have used for years and love!

    - Gather all laundry and start beginning with the rug out of the bathroom, towels, and washrags.

    - Spritz down the bathroom sink, toilet, and floor surrounding the toilet with all-purpose cleaner (here again...homemade, used for years, and love!) and wipe with paper towels or cleaning rags. While I'm in the bathroom I go ahead and clean the toilet bowl and Comet the tub. When I'm done everything is clean and sparkling and ready for the fresh rug and towels to be replaced as soon as they come out of the dryer or off the line.

    - Dust all wooden surfaces using a rag and a mixture of equal parts olive oil and lemon juice.

    - Vacuum whole house.

    - Do any dishes that might have accumulated.

    - Hang, fold, and put away laundry.

That's pretty much it. It doesn't take long and when I'm done the entire atmosphere of our home is brighter and more cheerful!

In addition to yesterday's 'home blessing' my husband brought in my 'autumn box' and I pulled out all my fall decorations and used them to accentuate the season. I also changed the curtains in the kitchen from my summer blue and white ginghams to my winter northwoods bears. The whole place feels cozy and ready for winter!

It's time to go! Have a blessed day and I will talk with you again soon!

All My Love,
~Rebecca




'One Thousand Gifts' - #222 - sun-drenched mornings dipped in dew, #224 - apples!, #251 - Living Water from the Word, #254 - socks, #266 - our home without television, #276 - healing...physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual