Tip Tuesday: Tools for Effective Cleaning

Depending on the job you have to do, there are certain tools that you need in order to be the most effective at it. One of the worst mistakes people make is not having their supplies on hand for cleaning and back up supplies as necessary.

One of the main tools that you need is your vacuum. Depending on the type of flooring your home has and if you have pets will determine the type of vacuum you should use. You need something that will get the job done without making it more difficult on you (ie: too heavy, too awkward, etc.)Finding one that doesn't take multiple replacement parts can be an added bonus.

Another tool that is important is a mop. There are lots of different kinds of mops out there. Finding one that suits your needs/ability is key to having a mopping success. If you are just starting out, it might be a good idea to trial run different kinds. Usually friends are a great resource both for using their equipment and for asking questions. You need to take in account the type of flooring you have and the solutions you need to keep it looking its best.

Next on our list is the actual cleaning solutions. There are so  many on the market. You can find "GREEN" ones, all natural ones, store bought of all kinds of ingredients. The choice is endless. My best suggestion: Don't get caught up on all of the new 'stuff' on the market. When you find what works for you - keep it. Some items to consider: Kitchen - degreaser, cleaner; Bathroom - heavy duty, disinfectant, toilet cleaner, shower/tub cleaner; Most other areas - furniture polish, window cleaner, spot remover, etc. The cleaning 'rag' you use can be a complicated store bought one with specific duties and tasks or it can be a used towel or wash cloth that has seen its best days in the past.

Some other things to consider - make sure you read what your manufacturer suggests for ALL appliances, flooring, wall coverings, draperies, etc. Just because the commercial says it will work for you isn't a guarantee that it will do the job that it says on YOUR problem area.

No matter that jobs you have to do at your home/living space, you can improve the quality of your cleaning time by using common sense and having the products on hand that you need the most at the right time.

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday; Cleaning for a Trip

Here is the scenario: you just found out you have to leave to the Bermuda Triangle in 4 days. Just you. Your family is staying behind. What can you do to get things clean before you leave. Another scenario is you are leaving and you have to get a house sitter.

One important thing to remember is everybody needs to pitch in and do their part. It is completely acceptable to assign tasks that will *need* to be completed while you are gone. It is not beyond reason to expect them to be done, either.

The biggest areas that need to be addressed are the bathrooms, kitchen, and sleeping areas. All of your other spaces (hallways, living room and family common areas) should be picked up.

I would suggest picking 1 room to do each day. If you only have 3 days then pick one room 'area' (ie the bathrooms, or the bedrooms) to be completed each day. You are wanting to get these spaces company ready in as little possible time.

First, obviously in the bedrooms you need to pick up the floor and get all laundry where it needs to be. If you need to do some extra loads of laundry prior to leaving - this is a good time to do it. Otherwise, you need to clear and dust the tops of all of your surfaces, wipe down the blinds and wash the windows (if they are due). Making sure the beds are made ALWAYS makes the rooms look cleaner and more organized. It is like magic!

In the bathrooms, if you don't have time for a deep, scouring clean then a company ready wipe down is all you need. I like to start with the vanity basin and then move to the tub/shower. I will then wash down the outside of the toilet and swish out the inside. After that I will make sure that I  wipe down (or mop) the floor (depending on what it needs. You will want to wash the windows quickly and snap! You are done!

Next up you have the kitchen. Hopefully you keep up on the kitchen so it won't be any kind of crazy hard task to complete. If your sink and dining room table are clean and your floor mopped - you are good to go. If you are leaving the house for a house sitter - I would definitely make sure what they are going to be using is left out for them (ie toaster, food, etc.)

Whatever your trip may be, you can now go and enjoy it and know that your home has been prettied up for those left behind. Now the trick is to have them keep up on it while you are gone!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning your Windows & Sills

Once a year I like to work on our windows, sills and curtains. I don't do every room in my house at the same time but break it up throughout the entire year. This makes it completely doable and easier. This doesn't mean that I don't do window washing the rest of the year, but this is the deep cleaning that needs to get done. Once I figure out which rooms for what month (write it down!!) I set to work. A good schedule for me is downstairs windows in the warmer months and upstairs windows in the cooler months. I have also done it where the rooms that will be used around the Holidays are the ones that I want to do closer to that Holiday time.


If I have fabric curtains or sheers, this is when I pull them down and wash them, dry clean them or beat them with a stick outside - depending on the fabric and it's care. My blinds are wide and I like to get those completely cleaned. Each slat gets a wipe down (or a vacuum) and the strings as well. The tops of the blinds or the crown molding get washed down. Usually I just dust with a damp cloth. A microfiber towel would work well, too.


Once I get the blinds and curtains washed and cleaned I work on the sills. I like to vacuum them out fairly regularly (especially if they are in a common area and can be seen). I wash the outside of the sill (or the window ledge) and make sure I get the sill vacuumed out. Use the attachment on your vacuum to get all the bits that like to hide in there. Also, feel free to do any nearby cobwebs that might be hanging out by your windows.


After vacuuming, I like to wash the windows inside and out. This is a great time to wash off the edges of the windows and get them clean. You can take off the screen (downstairs windows) and really get those windows clean. I like to use a mixture of rubbing alcohol, drop of blue dish detergent, and water to wash my windows. It works fabulously!!


Once everything is ridiculously clean, just start putting it back together: curtains in place, blinds open, windows sparkling in the sun. It always makes me feel like the whole room is more vibrant and clean!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning up after the Holidays

If you have children cleaning up after the Christmas Holidays can really be daunting. Here are some tips and tricks to help you break it down into manageable pieces.

Pre-Holidays - 

It is a good idea to go through your childrens (& your own)toys and belongings. You know that the Holidays brings more 'stuff', so making room ahead of time can be a real life saver!

Trash -

Christmas creates a lot of trash. Making sure you keep things separated for recycling can be helpful. All the wrapping paper and boxes and bags  need to be gathered together and bagged. Keep it all together in a certain place. Don't wait to collect paper cups and plates, etc. Make sure you are vigilantly keeping things garbaged without making yourself crazy!

Decorations - 

It is a great idea to go through your decorations and get rid of broken or unused items. This will save you space and time next year. If you didn't use it this year, chances are you aren't going to use it next year. Unless it is a Keepsake - get rid of it! Outside decorations are no exception. Make sure it is going to be used if you are keeping it. If some lights on the strand don't work then it is time to either fix it or use it for something else or donate it.

Miscellaneous - 

For all of your other Holiday paraphernalia making sure you keep things labeled will help you keep things put away in a clutter free way. Labeling is a sure way of finding it next year so that it can be used. Keeping your storage space organized will help you in future Holidays because you will easily be able to locate the things you need. Make it a goal this year to label your things as you pull them out to use. You don't have to make a huge fussy job about it. Just get it done as you use the items in your storage. Once you have your storage space (for us it is our garage) organized you will feel better and it will make your life so much easier! You won't have to dig through everything to find that one thing that you can find. Everything will have its place and its own home and you will know exactly where to find it!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

December Odd Holidays

DECEMBER

2nd - Eat a Red Apple Day

2nd - National Pie Day

7th - National Cotton Candy Day

8th - National Brownie Day

12th - Poinsettia Day

13th - Ice Cream Day

16th - National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

18th - Bake Cookies Day

20th - Go Caroling Day

25th - National Pumpkin Pie Day

28th - Card Playing Day

28th - National Chocolate Day

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning your Floors

No matter the kind of floor that you have, chances are it can get a build up on it that sucks out all the pretty shine. Which is too bad, because if your floor is shiny and pretty it makes your entire home look sparkly clean.

I have a few tips for getting that sparkle back - just in time for the Holidays.

Tips for Cleaning your Flooring:

1) If you have carpet - getting the professionals in is a good thing to do at least once a year. 

          2) Make sure you wick up spills as soon as they happen
 
          3) Baking soda sprinkled liberally over the top of spots will remove any odor.

For All Other Floor Types:

1) Make sure your entire floor is swept, vacuumed, and free of all debris. If you leave particles on your floor, then when you mop you won't have a lasting clean because those particles can scratch your floor in the mopping process or keep your cleaning agents from reaching the surfaces that you need it to.

2) Once it is clean, thoroughly wipe down all stains and spots with a rag and your elbow grease. This will save you having to scrub at it with your mop, later and makes the mopping go faster and easier.

3) Once you have it clean, get out your vinegar and ammonia or pine-sol. Follow the directions on the cleaners - You can use a strength of 1 part cleaner to 4 parts water and get a wonderful clean. If you don't have enough water you can end up with a sticky floor. Which you will then have to rinse off until you get it un-sticky.

4) if the Pine-sol/Ammonia didn't clean up all of the residue on your floor then it is time to pull out the vinegar. Again, 1 part vinegar to 3-4 parts water. With the vinegar you do not need to rinse and the 'salad' smell will dissipate within an hour or so.

Once you have let your floor dry you can put all your chairs, furniture, etc. back in place. I have also, heard that just a couple drops of vegetable oil or olive oil in your water will add a nice sheen (with out being slippery) to your floors.

It is a good idea to make sure that at least 1 mop a month you use something to pull up the residue left behind from your everyday cleaner or else just move to using the vinegar on a regular basis.

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Kitchen Cleaning: Dishwasher

We have incredibly hard water where we live. This wreaks havoc on my dishwasher. The children load dishes into the dishwasher. This also wreaks havoc on my dishwasher. They aren't always good at removing food particles and this can easily jam up the drain and filters.

Here is a dishwasher detergent alternative that can save you money.

Dishwasher Detergent

1 box Borax (215 kg)
1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (55oz)
2 Lemmi Shine
3 cups Epsom Salt
Mix together and store in a cool, dry place. 1 tbsp detergent and 1 tbsp  vinegar in each load of dishes. If you don't add the Vinegar you will more than likely have spots. The vinegar acts as a deodorizer and as a spot remover. If you don't have hard water or you have a water softener, you will may not need the vinegar. 

Another one you can try:

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup citric acid
1/2 cup kosher salt (for scrubbing action)
Mix this together and store in an air-tight container. It makes about 24oz of detergent. Just use vinegar as your rinse agent.

You need to make sure that you clean your dishwasher regularly. We have crazy hard water, like I said earlier, and I have to do it once a month or else the dishes start getting crazy. I run it empty and HOT, HOT, Water on the Pots and Pans cycle. I can add vinegar to it or baking soda and it really makes a huge difference!

For the outside of the dishwasher I like to use a solution of 1 cup Ammonia, 1/2 c white vinegar, 1/4 c baking soda, 1 gallon boiling water. This is great for keeping the outside clean. I try to regularly wipe down the front and then just once a week I use the solution on it. This keeps it looking fabulous. This same solution is great for wiping down the interior - sides and bottom of the door as well.

No matter your circumstances, you can make your dishwasher last longer, work harder and better just by a little bit of care every day. I know when I take the time to take care of my dishwasher, it works better for me, as well!!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning Main Areas of the House

Have you ever needed to do some major deep cleaning, but didn't have the space to remove everything to do it? Read on for some tips and tricks...

One of the first things you need to decide on is what you are doing where and in what time frame. This kind cleaning is usually good to do on a yearly basis. This is the big, heavy-duty cleaning that needs on a regular basis. After you have decided on what and where and how it is time to get started. I like saving the most used areas of the home for last. This enables me to get the other jobs done in less seen areas more efficiently.

We are going to specifically discuss cleaning the family room area. We have 7 children at home right now. Let me tell you that they are great at achieving new strides in 'stuff-a-bility' on just about everything. We usually have to declutter surfaces in the family at least one time a week. It is amazing what stacks up. So, first thing you will want to do is put things in piles (give away, storage, by area of the house). Once you have it all sorted, take the time to get it put away right then. Don't wait until the cleaning job is done or else it will be easier to procrastinate it!

Next, you will want to vacuum or sweep. What makes this different is you are moving all of the furniture that you can possibly move and getting it cleaned up underneath everything. It is amazing what treasures you will find lurking in least expected places.

I like to vacuum out our couches and fabric covered furniture. I use a damp, lightly soapy cleaning rag and wipe down the exterior of our leather furniture. Once the furniture is cleaned up I focus on the windows. Vacuum out the sills and wash the windows are both key steps. Cleaning the blinds and/or washing draperies is another key step.

This is a great time to paint or shampoo carpets, steam clean floors, etc. The fun part is bringing in storage bins and containers that make your room more useful and keeps it looking clean and attractive!

I have moved furniture completely out of a room, but usually you can just move furniture around to get underneath and around them completely. However you choose to clean your most used areas, make it work well for you and your family!


Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Winter Cleaning

Ever wondered what types of things you can focus on in the Winter for cleaning your living space?

Here are some ideas to help get you in gear for some Fun in the Cold:

1) It is an excellent time to get your outdoor grill cleaned up, maintained and propane filled and charcoal built back up. Really spend time getting the grates all clean and making sure all of the hoses are in good working order

2) Sometimes our living spaces can feel 'stuffy' in the winter. A great thing to clean are any fabric drapes and blinds. Even if you take them outside and give them a good beating with a broom, you will be amazed at what a difference it will make.

3) If you are able to 'fumigate' well, you can do touch up painting around your space. If you can't open windows, then you better wait until Spring. 

4) Cleaning out all of your air ducts and vents. Changing out your filters and washing down the vents is vital to keeping your a/c and heater in great working order. It is also a great time to get your a/c a check up by a professional so it is in proper working order when you need it most.

5) Going through closets - this is a great time of year to go through your closets and remove unwearable clothing - donate it or make needed repairs. It is also a great time to go through your children's toy boxes and get rid of broken and unused toys. Organize as you go!

6) Get your winter accessories cleaned up - scarves, gloves, coats and sweaters all need some TLC. Whether you opt to clean them your self or take them to a professional - it is totally up to you! Some good saddle soap will work miracles on the exterior of leather goods. Using Woolite or other gentle laundry soap can do wonders for the interior of gloves, etc. Make sure you read labels and follow the manufacturers advice. Before the winter season is over, take time to clean up all of your winter items, including your boots!

7) Cleaning out the inside of your dryer lint. This is something that can be very important in preventing fires! 

8) Carpet cleaning - winter is a great time to do the carpets, especially after the Holidays and guests leave!

9) Laundering all of the comforters, pillows and storage blankets. 

No matter what you decide works best for you - remember that some good old fashioned Winter Cleaning might be just what you home (& wardrobe) ordered!

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cooperative Cleaning

Do you have big projects to take care of? Perhaps you are a single Mom with children and you need help. Perhaps you are older and climb as high as you used, too. Perhaps you just enjoy the company of others so much that it makes the work go by faster. Perhaps . . . well, it doesn’t actually matter what your situation is, does it? Sometimes that old saying, “Many hands make heavy work light” is good enough. Here are some suggestions to making it work more smoothly for you, plus a bonus Baby Wipe Recipe at the end of this article!

If you have some large projects that could go faster with more hands, you might want o think about setting up a Project Co-Op. Set it up so that people sign up to help, say for 6 months. Every weekend (or every Month depending on how many people sign up) you work at one persons home fulfilling their work needs. It could be anything from painting a room, weeding a garden, shampooing carpet, organizing a room, stripping and painting cupboards, etc. Whatever projects you have. You can even co-op the babysitting that might be needed for each of these project days.

With your co-op you will need to decide what people will need to furnish for their month. IF you set up clear rules at the beginning then things will run much more smoothly. Will the host person need to rent the equipment or can they ask for volunteers. If you co-op’ed the needed machinery and the labor projects could be completed at a very discounted rate. This works well for everyone involved. You will also need to be specific on the time frame that people are committing to. For example, if you are helping someone with their projects you will need to carve out 2 hours of time. You want it long enough to accomplish things, but not so long that people get pooped out after the first effort!

Beware of the people that sign up but never show up to help and still want their work completed.  It WILL happen. Count on it. Just be prepared to play nice and let it roll of your back. Then for your next Co-Op sign up, just remember to not let them sign up again.

The last thing you should think about is what projects you have that can the most beneficial to use a co-op for. Here are a few more suggestions: Organizing a spare bedroom, cleaning out a storage shed, basic landscaping, power washing the exterior of your home, painting outside, setting up for painting, etc. You might find that you have some very talented people in your neck of the woods that can help your projects get done quicker.

Whatever you decide to get accomplished, you can be successful at planning, setting up and following through with your Neighborhood Co-Op.


BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

November Odd Holidays

NOVEMBER

Peanut Butter Lovers Month

2nd - Deviled Eggs Day

3rd - Sandwich Day

16th - Button Day

21st - World Hello Day

1st Saturday - Book Lovers Day

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Carpet Cleaning - Homemade Stain Remedies

Looking for some carpet cleaning ideas? I have found some tricks for pulling stains (old and new) out of your carpet and tips for a great 'clean' after vacuuming. The reason that most of the recipes for cleaners use Vinegar is because it is inexpensive, effective at deodorizing, sanitizing and stain removing, and it definitely safe to use around your kiddoes and pets. Some final tips: make sure you test your cleaner on a small area before trying to use on the entire carpet or in a very visible spot. Finally, remember to avoid getting the cleaner in your eyes and wash your hands immediately after use. Remember, never mix ammonia and bleach - their combined fumes are TOXIC!

Natural Carpet Stain Removal Recipes:

Quick Stain Removal:

  Equal parts vinegar and water. Spray on the stain then let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You will want to scrub it with a soft brush.

Tough Grease Stains:

   Pour Cornstarch onto stain (liberally) until it is dry. Vacuum it up and then use the Quick Stain Removal.

Heavy Duty Stains:

   1/4 cup salt
   1/4 cup borax
   1/4 cup vinegar
   Rub mixture into stain. Let it sit until dry - then vacuum up. If any of the stain remains try using the Quick Stain Removal.

Spot Remover:

  1-2 tbsp of each: White Vinegar, baking soda and water (depending on how big the stain/spots are. You don't want to make this ahead of time.)
   Mix ingredients to form a paste. Work the paste into the spot/stain with a brush (toothbrush, carpet brush, etc). Allow it to completely dry, then vacuum it up. The stain SHOULD be gone, if not repeat procedure until gone.

Steam Cleaner Recipe:

   Using equal parts white vinegar and warm water. Then just follow your machine's instructions.
Need your carpet deodorized? Simply sprinkle baking soda (optional: add 10 drops essential oil into 1 cup of baking soda) around the carpet, let it sit for at least 30 minutes (great to do right before you leave to pick up the kiddies from school!) and then vacuum it up!

Carpet Shampoo:
   1/2 cup vegetable oil based liquid soap
   1/2 cup of laundry detergent
   1 cup ammonia

Add the above ingredients to 1 gallon hot water.Follow the manufacturers directions for use in your carpet cleaner. If you are doing it by hand, just work it into the carpet in sections. Make sure you rinse well and soak it up with towels.

   

Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Whitening and Disenfecting Your Toilets

If your bathroom is completely spotless and smells wonderful but you lift the lid on your toilet and it is a bit grubby - it just makes your entire bathroom seem dirty and unkempt. If you have children and are trying to teach them how to clean the bathroom, this might be the one area that seems entirely impossible for them to tackle correctly.

Here are some traditional and some not so traditional ideas to help your toilet bowl glisten:

Pumice Stone:

  Flush your toilet to make sure there is only clean water in the bowl. Wet your pumice stone and then scrub (gently) to remove the stain. You may need to follow the pumice scrub with a scrubbing with green scrubby.

  *** Caution *** 

Do not use a pumice stone on plastic or enamel toilets.

White Vinegar:

   Yes, vinegar is a great stain remover for your toilet. You will need to shut the water off and flush the toilet to remove the water from the bowl. Soak several paper towels (or old rags you want to throw away anyway.) in the vinegar. Then place the towels on the stained area. Allow it to sit there for several (2-3) hours. Then you will come back with your green scrubby or toilet brush and scrub at the area to remove the discoloration. Rinse the bowl with clean water prior to turning the water back on and flushing again. 

 Another use is to pour a quart of vinegar directly into the toilet bowl water for routine spot cleaning.

Bleach:

  Pour 1/2 cup of liquid OR powdered bleach into bowl and let sit for an hour. Scrub then flush.

Borax Powder:

  Sprinkle 2 tbsp into your toilet and let sit for about 30 minutes. Scrub it clean and then let it sit for another 30 minutes prior to flushing it away.

Coca Cola:

   Pour entire can of coke into bowl and let sit for an hour. Scrub then flush.
You can also turn off the water and empty the bowl, add an entire 2 liter of coke, let it sit over night (good for really tough stains) and scrub it in the morning and rinse then turn water on and flush.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser:

   Using gloves, scrub stains with the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. If you have eraser leftover - rinse out and put in baggy that is CLEARLY MARKED TOILET USE ONLY! 

Comet:

  Use 1/2 cup to 1 cup of comet and scrub, scrub, scrub.

Hydrochloric Acid:

   Use only for very stubborn stains, this caustic chemical is very powerful and can tackle stains as old as 40 years but be very careful in its usage and do not leave for it for any longer than the directions say, as it can eat away at the porcelain itself, thereby causing surface roughness that will make the toilet stain even quicker in future. 

Good luck!


BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: How To for Laundry

I hate it when our white clothes are yellow or not as bright white as when we originally purchased them. It is so frustrating! At least until I figured out that Hydrogen Peroxide could be my new BFF for Laundry Purposes! Here are a couple of easy recipes to help whiten YOUR white laundry. May we live yellow/dingy free forever more!


Dishwasher Detergent:

  If for some reason you don't have vinegar or baking soda on hand, but you DO have a dishwasher and the detergent for it - try adding 1/4 cup of dishwasher detergent along with your regular detergent. This is a great whitener!

Hydrogen Peroxide, White Vinegar or Baking Soda:

First you will want to set your machine on the hottest temperature that your fabrics allow. Add in the normal amount of laundry detergent for your load size. Just pour 1/2 cup to 1 cup of white vinegar, peroxide or baking soda to the water as it is filling up. Pre-treat stained white clothing before washing by spraying them with vinegar. LOVE THIS!

Lemon Juice Soak:

You will want to fill a large soup pot with water. Slice up one lemon and place the slices into the water. Bring the water and lemon slices to a boil and then remove the pot from the heat. Add the clothing you want whitening, allowing them to soak for at least an hour. Then wash as you normally would.

You can also try adding 1/4-1/2 cup of lemon juice to your washer along with your laundry soap as an alternative. Remember to get the water on the highest heat level that you can for the fabric you are washing. 

More Traditional:

   1. 1/2 cup of ammonia into the washer with your regular detergent
   2. Mix a tsp of bluing agent with 1 quart of water and the mixture to your wash water or final rinse.
   3. Pour 3/4 cup bleach in the wash cycle BEFORE adding laundry - NEVER put bleach directly on your clothing.
   4. Wash whites regularly and in COLD water
   5. Do not mix bluing agents and bleach
  

Sun:

Hanging your clothes outside will also be a natural way to brighten them. The sun is a natural brightener of white clothes!

How do YOU whiten your laundry?

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning Your Mess under Stress

Think back over your life. . . have you had an experience in your life that has brought a great deal of anxiety and stress into your daily routine? Let me share some tips with you of things that might help you in the future, because we all know that those times come around fairly regularly.

Somethings that help me and our family when we are in these type of situations:

1) Make menu's for EVERY meal and snacks - this relieves the pressure of not having an idea of what you have in stock and what you can use to prepare meals. This also gives you a chance to know in advance what grocery items you will be needing. We try to do Monthly Menu's every quarter. This saves the extra stress of spending unnecessary money and wasting things that you already have in your refrigerator or pantry.
2) Write in your journal - whether it is one sentence, one word or pages and pages - the more you can verbalize (in writing) how and what you are feeling, the more you are able to stay in control of your feelings. Plus, it is handy to have to look over and see what changes you can make or what you can do to improve your situation. Sometimes you don't have enough time to really do a journal 'justice' - just a few keywords will jog your memory.
3) Take care of yourself. This is when you need to spend more time on yourself - take a relaxing bath even if you only have 5 minutes. Do what will rejuvenate you. It is different for everyone. Try to make sure you look your best, even if you don't feel your best.
4) Think positive thoughts. The more positive reinforcing thoughts you share with yourself the more capable you will feel in taking positive steps in your stressful situation.

Cleaning Tips:

When you are in a stressful situation that is going to be long term or even fairly long term you can try focusing on the clutter and not the deeper cleaning issues. Keep the clutter put away and you will feel more in control of your situation. There is a time and a place for deep cleaning and when you are right in the middle of something emotionally big - that isn't the time to get rid of things. You need to wait until you are in control - fully - and have stepped away from the situation before you start discarding things. This is the best tip I can give you.

Don't forget when you are in the middle of a crisis that the deep cleaning can wait. Focus on the little clutter that comes in and don't try to get in to the whole sort and discard routine. Save those when the crisis has been resolved and you have all of your thinking capabilities at your service. Good luck!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

October Odd Holidays

OCTOBER

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Cookie Month

National Pizza Month, National Popcorn Popping Month

4th Sunday - National Mother-in-Law Day

5th - Do Something Nice Day

7th - World Smile Day

10th - National Angel Food Cake Day

13th - World Egg Day

16th - Dictionary Day

30th - National Candy Corn Day

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning the Interior of Vehicles

There really is nothing worse than going somewhere and your vehicle is 'trashed'. At least, there is nothing more embarrassing. For those of you that don't have a Honey-Do that "do's" it for you, hopefully these tricks can help.

One of the first things you need to do is gather like things together: trash, toys, books, etc. You need to put those away ASAP or else they will more than likely take up unnecessary space somewhere else. Having a garbage can close by is a real time-saver.

A nice tip is to have a basket or tray that you can carry in the house and keep all of the 'necessaries' in - so that you can tote it in and out every time. Too much chance of thievery to just leave in your car all of the time. Or maybe the temperature isn't moderate enough to leave things in (too hot or too cold). Whatever the reason, it is a good idea to have a 'landing spot' for things that you need in the house but that you have to take with you the next time you leave the house.

I always start by vacuuming the interior of the vehicle. Once that is done then I can go around and wipe down (using just water or a cleaning product of your choice) all of the leather/dash/plastic/metal areas. Once these are cleaned then it is so easy to clean the windows inside and out (if you already washed the exterior).

Sometimes it is great to use a product on the dash to keep it looking fresh. A good way to prevent cracks in the dash is to get a dash cover. Otherwise you will need to keep it wiped down - but not with a product that will attract the sun.

Once everything is clean then you can bring back the floor mats and the other things that you regularly keep in the vehicle - sometimes it might be attention-keepers for the children (ie: crayons, coloring books, books, snacks, etc) or even things for yourself to do when you are picking up/dropping off children. Best to have something for those moments when you are 'waiting'.

Keep a look out for future articles on cleaning products for the car!



BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning When You are Sick

When you (or a loved one) are sick it is hard to clean, much less WANT to clean. Unfortunately, you will regret it if you do nothing.

Here are a few tips that might help. Simple but effective.

1) Keep trash bags or garbage bags near someone with Tissue Issues. You won't believe what this will save in time in the long run.

2) Keep your needed medicines (room temperature ones at least) in a bucket so they are kept together and you ALWAYS know where they are. If possible have duplicate over the counter medicines upstairs AND downstairs.

3) ASK for help. You have family and friends that will help you. Don't deny them that opportunity. Ask family members to pick up your share of chores. If you live alone, ask a friend to help. They don't need to do DEEP cleaning, but basic things will be really helpful and keep your living space running smoothly

4) Keep to the basics. Keep dishes going in and out of the dishwasher. Or better yet, invest in paper plates and flat ware for the duration.

5) Eat simply and clean up is a breeze. Think Raw veggies and yogurts and yummy food like that. ;)

6) Keep Lysol or other disinfectant handy for toys or bathroom - where most of the germs keep breeding! Don't be afraid to spray and let things soak. 

7) Don't do more than you are able. Seriously. If you CANNOT leave your couch because you are feeling that badly - STOP WORRYING ABOUT IT! Stressing yourself out only makes you feel worse! That is no good!

8) Make sure you keep wiping down your phone and computer - easy places for germs to spread.

9) If you are in a long term situation - you need to call a maid service or a local friend that would be willing to help out. It will save you so much headache in the long run. Especially if you live alone!

Whatever your needs are - make it work for you. Don't make yourself crazy worrying about everything. There is a time and place for EVERYTHING and when you are right in the middle of a crisis of illness/giving birth/sickness it is time to 'let go' and share the load.

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Visiting Teaching handout for September

Here is the Visiting Teaching message for this month. This message can be tricky if you have sisters that are divorced or widowed or single, etc. But it is an important message. It is definitely one to be prayerful about what to share with your sisters!
VISITING TEACHING MESSAGE

Parenthood Is a Sacred Duty

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Prayerfully study this material and seek for inspiration to know what to share. How will understanding “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” increase your faith in God and bless those you watch over through visiting teaching? For more information, go to reliefsociety.lds.org.

Faith, Family, Relief

Our Heavenly Father established families to help us teach correct principles in a loving atmosphere. President Thomas S. Monson said: “Give your child a compliment and a hug; say, ‘I love you’ more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”1

Susan W. Tanner, former Young Women general president, taught: “Our Father in Heaven exemplifies the pattern we should follow. He loves us, teaches us, is patient with us, and entrusts us with our agency. … Sometimes discipline, which means ‘to teach,’ is confused with criticism. Children—as well as people of all ages—improve behavior from love and encouragement more than from fault-finding.”2

“If we faithfully have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and Sabbath day observance,” said Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “our children will … be prepared for an eternal home in heaven, regardless of what befalls them in a difficult world.”3

Additional Scriptures

1 Nephi 8:37; 3 Nephi 22:13; Doctrine and Covenants 93:40; 121:41

Living Stories

“I was reading the newspaper when one of my young grandsons snuggled up to me,” said Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “As I read, I was delighted to hear his sweet voice chattering on in the background. Imagine my surprise when, a few moments later, he pushed himself between me and the paper. Taking my face in his hands and pressing his nose up to mine, he asked, ‘Grandpa! Are you in there?’

“… Being there means understanding the hearts of our youth and connecting with them. And connecting with them means not just conversing with them but doing things with them too. …

“We must plan and take advantage of teaching moments. …

“… The more I live, the more I recognize that the teaching moments in my youth, especially those provided by my parents, have shaped my life and made me who I am.”4

Consider This

Why is the gospel best taught by the language and example of love?

Show References

Here is the handout we used with our sisters:

Email me and I will send you the pdf of 4 to a page and my Visiting Teaching lesson handout as well. :) Enjoy!

Make it a great one!

 Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B13, G10, B9, B6, G4, & B2), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

See Yourself in the Temple

See yourself in the Temple is the topic of Quentin L. Cook's 2016 April Conference talk. This talk is the subject of my 4th Sunday Relief Society Lesson this month. This is a long talk - I will more than likely have to pick and choose the best parts of this talk because it is about 5 pages long in a normal 14 pt font.

This talk isn't just for people that haven't gone to the Temple yet. This talk is for EVERYONE! If you have a recommend - this talk is for you! If you have a recommend but you have and/or haven't gone in a while, this talk is for you. If you are less active and need to renew your recommend and return to Church this talk is for you. If you have recently joined the Church, this talk is for you. If you are investigating the Church, this talk is for you!! Seriously!!

This talk is for each of us to See Ourselves in the Temple, A little history of the Temple and then a Challenge to See Myself in the Temple. He talks about promises and blessings given to the Saints and discusses how blessed we are to live at this time. He also discusses How Do We Prepare for the Temple and how the Atonement of Christ makes it possible for us to be forgiven of the sins that might keep us from thinking we are worthy to attend the Temple. He reminds us that our ability to go in the Temple is based on our Self Certification when answering the Temple Recommend Questions with our Bishopric and Stake Presidency Member. We have to fully forgive ourselves. This is key. One of my favorite quotes is "The Lord Organizes Eternal Families in the Temple" - What a great reminder. No where else is this remotely possible!!

I add my testimony of Temple work to his and again use his Challenge of See Yourself in the Temple for all of us to grow closer to Heavenly Father.

This is the handout that I am going to use for my lesson. I will print it in color in a 4x6 size for each member of our Relief Society. I am going to use Sams Club :) They are pretty economical!

    

Email me and I will send you the pdf of this handout. Usually I do it in a full size and a 4x6 or 3x5 size that is 4 to a page.  I am going to print out one in a poster size for our loft area. This is a great visual for my children to see everyday!


Make it a great one!

 Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B6, G4, & B2), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning Schedules - Daily, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly

Ever wondered how you could break up the chores that NEED to be done in and around your home but you weren't quite sure how to do it? This article is going to do just that. We will approach it in this way: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Bi-Yearly, and Yearly. Easy Peasy!


DAILY:

These are things that should or could be done daily - depending on your life situation. Make your bed; start a load (or 2) of laundry; clear your dishwasher; fix meals; Tidy living room, bedrooms, bathrooms and empty trash.

WEEKLY JOBS:

These are things that you can designate to a certain day of the week EACH week. Wash Sunday Clothes; pay bills; do paperwork; catch up on emails; catch up on blog posts; balance weekly budget; vacuum carpeted areas and sweep non carpeted areas (maybe 2x's a week or more - depending on your household. We have a large family and really our family room gets vacuumed at the least ONE time a day but usually twice; Wash bath and kitchen towels; deep clean bathrooms; deep clean kitchen; plan weekly menu's; prepare your grocery list; Wash sheets - you designate who's sheets on which day of the week - so there is never a question; grocery shopping (we get paid on Fridays so we do our grocery shopping on Fridays); Banking errands; Driving around errands - if you can designate one day that you are going to fulfill all errands it will save you time and energy in the long run; Dust - have different rooms get dusted on different days; mending/fixing day; Washing sleep wear; wash cars; mow lawns; sweep/clean outside  living spaces and walkways; clean children's rooms; write letters.

MONTHLY JOBS:

These can include thing like washing interior windows; organizing living spaces (designate which space gets the 'treatment' each month; dusting ceiling fans; wiping down minds and cleaning window treatments; clearing off the Office Desk; Filing papers into your permanent file; Setting up dr's appointments etc.; Clean vehicles inside and out; dust kitchen cupboard doors; file papers, articles and clippigns; write in baby books; write letters/emails; balance bank statements; take a day off :); Prepare next months budget; add your cleaning jobs to your calendar for next month.

QUARTERLY JOBS:

Organize children's toys; clean mirrors; clean shower door/curtain; check vehicles oil/tire pressure/battery; clean piano keys; check and or change furnace filters; & you may find that you have others that fit your family needs.

Make it a great one!

*** Some of the information is from Marie Ricks - Housecleaning Plan - She just lays it out so logically. While some of the strategies are mine alone - the bulk of the 'plan' is hers. I changed it around to fit my family's needs - as you can do for your family! *** 

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning the Bathroom

Have you been trying to figure out what the most important things to do in your bathroom would be? Well, look no further. There are simple tasks that you can do following your morning routine in your bathroom that will keep your bathroom clean, sparkly and more importantly GERM FREE!

Bathtub - 

If you take a bath you really should wipe out any excess water and have the exhaust vent on to wick away any excess moisture lingering in the air. A quick wipe down with your towel (or handy drying towel specifically for this purpose) will keep your bathtub looking the way it should!

Shower - 

If you are a shower girl, you need to make sure you wipe down your shower when you are finished as well. The doors/curtains can be particularly good at breeding germs and getting shower scum. The germ factor is more important here! You will definitely want to dry it - this will foil the attempts of the germs to build up. A weekly cleaning is easy when everyday you are wiping it dry!

Sink/Faucet - 

If at the end of your morning routine you quickly dried out the sink and wiped down the faucets (getting the tricky tight spaces, as well) your sink will never build up scum and germs. Once a week you can quickly clean it with your favorite cleaner, but you will have said good bye to the hard, scrubbing, yucky job!

Mirrors - 

Your mirror just needs a quick wipe down to get rid of any water spots that might have accumulated. This will keep your mirror looking crystal clear and you looking beautiful in it!

Toilet - 

The dreaded toilet should be swished through DAILY. If you clean it, using cleaner, then you need only swish it on the surfaces. It will have enough cleaner on the bristles to see you through your morning swishing. ***One thing to remember, you should train everyone in your house to close the lid when they flush***. Open lids when flushing can allow germs and bacteria to get on things that you really don't want them on. (like toothbrushes, hair brushes, makeup, etc.)

As you practice healthy cleaning rituals in the mornings you will find that it only takes seconds - once you make the habit! Don't forget, by doing this every morning, your bathroom will stay COMPANY READY!! (The tricky part is trying to teach our children to do it in THEIR bathrooms!!)

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

September Odd Holidays

SEPTEMBER

Honey Month

2nd Sunday - National Pet Memorial Day

3rd Sunday - POW/MIA Recognition Day

5th - Cheese Pizza Day

9th - Teddy Bear Day

12th - Chocolate Milkshake Day

18th - National Cheeseburger Day

19th - International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Make it a great one!

 Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: My Daily Cleaning Habit

If you start at one ‘end’ of your house you can have a tidy home in less than an hour. The biggest issue is finding a way to organize the things that tend to pile up: mail, shoes, toys, paper. This is how our family does it: we have buckets (one for the parents and one for the kiddies) for all shoes; mail stays on the computer desk and we go through it daily; toys are picked up by children about 10x’s daily (seriously); papers have to find a home asap (trash, filed, etc).

If you have lots of items as you are cleaning that are gathered up, then I would suggest giving everyone a time limit of, say 10 minutes to get the things out of the hamper and put away. Whatever is leftover is thrown out/given away. You can also do a ‘earn’ back – but that required space to store the stuff and with 9 people in my family I don’t have room to store things indefinitely.

I don’t believe Mom should have to do all the Housework. I believe the children need to be responsible and learn more responsibility for themselves. My goal is to have intelligent, self-starting, motivated adults and they will only become so as they learn to do and be responsible. Which also means I have to let go and let them. :)

I have sweeping and vacuuming assigned to a child DAILY. In fact, every time the kitchen is used it is swept - okay, I wish! It is my goal that this will be so. It would be unmanageable if we did it one time a day!! Vacuuming: we vacuum the family at least once a day, however, there are days that it is vacuumed about 3-5 times. This is the room we use the most, attached to the kitchen (although we don’t allow eating in the family room) and gets the most wear and tear throughout the day.  Other rooms/stairs are vacuumed once a week (more often, as needed). I mop at least once a week and spot mop daily, as needed.

Once a week we glass clean the entire house – but on different days. The bathroom is tidied daily and deep cleaned once a week (more if needed). Every morning the toilets are scrubbed (rim, toilet, seat, inside).  Wipe down the counters and faucet. Anything that needs to be put away is put away.It is a good idea to keep a bottle of your daily shower/tub cleaner next to the shower/tub so that every time it is used it can be sprayed down. This will greatly diminish the Deep Clean time that you have to spend on the bathroom. Make sure there is toilet paper and hand towels out for guests, at all times. Using the counter rag, wipe down the outside of the toilet and the floor around it. Then you only need to mop once a week. Make sure floor boards are wiped down and you are good to go!

My children are responsible for their own rooms. They are SUPPOSED to pick it up in the morning and once before bed.  One time a week they are supposed to DEEP CLEAN it. Does it always look clean – heck no! Are we trying to get them to be more responsible in that area? YES!

Here are some tips for having Tidying be quick and only a 5-10 minute job – daily. Make the bed – if the bed is made, the room looks cleaner and feels cleaner. Pick up and put away any clothes that are not where they are supposed to be and put dirty clothes in the hamper. Use a dusting tool (damp cloth, duster, etc) to dust all of the surfaces (including headboard and foot board and side rails if they can be seen). That’s it! DONE!

Our kitchen is cleaned after every meal. Once a week we move all the things on the counter and clean behind them. We run probably 3-5 loads of dishes daily. Stove is wiped down after every meal. I use a knife and clean between the stove and the counter at least once a week. If you keep your sink empty and shiny and your counters clutter free then your kitchen will look and feel clean.


BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Daily Chore Schedule

Here is a fun Daily Cleaning Schedule for the whole week. You can easily adapt it for the whole family and for different rooms in your home. I like having assigned daily tasks to accomplish. I like to add them to my phone and then be flexible on busy, filled-up days.

Mondays:

Make our beds
Wipe down bathroom, swish the toilet (I have the bathrooms assigned to children - I do the Master)
Clean one room, including vacuuming and dusting - (loft, library, family room, living room, craft room, entertainment room, stairs, etc.)
Do at least one load of laundry - including folding and putting away(We have 9 people in our family - we do 2 loads a day - more on the weekend)
Clean kitchen after every meal - (counters, floor, table, chairs)

Tuesdays:

Make our beds
Wipe down bathrooms, swish the toilet.
Clean one room - including vacuuming (see list above)
Do at least one load of laundry - fold and put away
Clean kitchen after every meal/snack - clean microwave - inside and out

Wednesday:

Make our beds
Wipe down bathroom, swish toilet
Clean one room - including vacuuming (see list above)
Do at least one load of laundry - fold and put away
Clean kitchen after every meal/snack - wash down fronts of appliances

Thursday:

Make our beds
Wipe down bathrooms, swish the toilet.
Clean one room - including vacuuming (see list above)
Do at least one load of laundry - fold and put away
Clean kitchen after every meal/snack - mop the floor

Friday:

Make our beds  - straighten rooms - vacuum
Wipe down bathrooms, swish the toilet.
Clean one room - including vacuuming (see list above)
Do at least one load of laundry - fold and put away
Clean kitchen after every meal/snack -
Vacuum living room/family room

Saturday:

Wash Sheets - then make our beds - Dust bedroom
Wipe down bathrooms, swish the toilet.
Clean one room - including vacuuming (see list above)
Do at least one load of laundry until completely finished - fold and put away
Clean kitchen after every meal/snack - Clean out refrigerator/freezer.
Organize Meal Plan for the following Week

This schedule works for us - most days. Like I have said before - schedules are only good if you don't have any plans. So be flexible and work things in around the things that you have planned. Time the children and yourself or put on some music and dance through it! However you choose to train your children - make it fun for them and you will have fun as well!

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Cleaning the Toilet

Who hasn't had trouble keeping their toilets clean, especially if you have children? Over the years I have used several things and there are some that I would promote and some that I would discourage.


The best solution for your toilet is to keep it from getting 'gunky' in the first place. This isn't always easy, especially if you are training your children to clean and be responsible. Which is where we are at our house. Unfortunately, their level of 'clean' isn't necessarily my level of clean. Honestly, that is okay, as long as there is a remedy. By no means, a quick fix, but definitely fixable.


First I would recommend turning the water valve off by your toilet. Next, flush it so that all of the water drains out. This is a good time to decide which direction you would like to go. I like to try regular household vinegar (a gallon or two depending on the size of your tank). Let it sit overnight so that the acidity in the vinegar can react with the breaking up of the calcium ring. It is amazing!! Hopefully when you get it all scrubbed out it will have removed all of it. If not, it definitely makes what's left softer than it started out being!


CLR is another option (or a product like it). This one needs to have the air vent on as it is highly stinky, but it will definitely do the trick. The only setback with this product is that it is too expensive to fill an entire bowl full of it to let it soak. What you end up having to do is putting it on the ring and letting it soak in and then add more, until you feel like it is ready to clean. This is a try as you go method and can get frustrating. There is the chance that it won't remove all of the ring, either.


What is left, you might ask. Well, sandpaper is great for scrubbing but not being so abrasive as to leave scratches on the porcelain. A pumice stone is a tried and true method, as well. These will definitely get the rest of the stubborn ring off.


The most important part of cleaning a toilet is keeping it from getting nasty in the first place. Everyday take some time to swish the bowl - getting all of the spots that are 'tricky' and prone to getting build-up on. Once a month you need to do heavier duty cleaning with your cleaner of choice. This will keep it from getting that embarrassing ring and scum build-up that makes you cringe when your friends and family use your restroom.

BellaOnline Cleaning

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Tip Tuesday: Back to School Cleaning

When the warm, sun-filled days of summer draw to a close and the children are heading back to school, it can be a bit daunting to get the house back under control. The following article has some tips to tackle what needs to be done anyway, why not do it now?

Right before (&/or after) each Season change it is good to step back and see what needs to be changed, added, deleted, etc. This stands true for wardrobes, cleaning habits, habits in general and goals. Back to school time is the PERFECT time to tackle some needed jobs.

The most notable item is to go through everyone's closets/drawers and get rid of items that are too small, too big, never-gonna-wear-despite-your-best-efforts, and things that won't be wearable for the upcoming season. This is the one that takes the most effort. Make sure that you save clothes you want to save - or if you are running of space (as we do with 7 growing children at home) donate what you don't need to a reputable charity or drop off box. Just keep in mind that a Not-For-Profit entity is much more worthy of your offerings, as opposed to donating to someone that will 'profit' from it. Some great ones in our area are: GoodWill, Deseret Industries, Salvation Army, etc. These places sell your clothes but they do it at a very reduced price AND help train, employ and give confidence to people that might not have that opportunity. Unfortunately, we have found as we donate items that some of the handy drop off boxes near grocery stores, strip malls and restaurants are FOR PROFIT and we haven't been comfortable with that. 

The next thing on your list will be to get into each room and get the windows vacuumed out - blinds, sills, tracks, etc. If you have drapes, this is the perfect time to get them washed/dry or steam cleaned. If you can do this at least quarterly, you will cut down on the dust particles that so rapidly multiply.

This is also a great time to get rid of toys that aren't played with or wanted or needed or out grown. This is something that if you don't stay on top of - it can easily take over your entire house, especially with a large family!!

Adding in some baskets to hold small items, a desk for school work and good lighting - your children's spaces will be much more enjoyable for them AND for you!


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Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!