My TOP 5 Organizing Web Sites

I hope to start the New Year off on the right foot with decluttering our home and organizing the things that are left.  Having clutter around me is a huge downer to my motivational skills.  I am just sick and tired of living in 'messy' every day; it makes me stressed, sad, and sometimes downright mean because I feel like I am not in any control.

So, I have been searching through websites, blogs, and articles on decluttering and organizing.  I have come up with my own Top 5 sites and thought I'd share them with you!! :)

1.  IHeartOrganizing: Jen over at IHeartOrganizing has the skills and design know-how I dream of.  I just stalk her blog and take some of her ideas and tweak them.  I just finished this DIY Storage Box project I found on the blog, and will be posting soon!

2.  ZenHabits is a truly interesting website.  The set up is different, but the information is wonderful.  Get used to the layout and help rid yourself of clutter (and chaos).

3.  Home Storage Solutions 101: this is a great resource for decluttering and household management. I love this quote from this blog, "Clutter robs us of peace, tranquility, time, and enjoyment, and instead gives us stress. "

4.  Unclutterer: is a website that offers posts on decluttering and organizing.  They also have funny reviews...

5.  Home Your Way/Organizing Your Way/etc.: has something for everyone.  Here, bloggers write about all thins organizing.

So, with all of my purging, putting away Christmas stuff, etc., I am pretty overwhelmed.  Calgon, take me away!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Good luck to you in your New Year Chaos Clearing, too!

Our Sick House Nees to be Decontaminated

We have been sick here for too long!  My son got sick during his first week at Kindergarten {of course, I said to myself; it's a germ fest in school}.  And, I finally got some antibiotics for me for what was found to be strep throat.  My mom told me she's not feeling well (we see the grandparents A LOT).  Then, we get word from my son's pediatrician that all the revolving sickness has brought some worsening to his asthma, and that is why he's coughing like crazy.  On man!!  My poor little guy, my poor mom, and POOR ME! :(  This is exactly what I wanted for my 40th Birthday (yep, it was on 9/11)!!

Well, I am feeling so much better with these antibiotics.  I mean these started working within 4-5 hours that I took them!  WOW!!  Now that I'm feeling better, I think it's time to put a tent over this sick hole and decontaminate it!!  No, not that 'harsh', but definitely a deeper cleaning than normal. 

I went to the Internet to see what I could do.  Here is what I found:

1.  The most important thing is to wash all of the sheets, blankets, towels immediately!  Even clothes, too.  You might have a giant pile of laundry to fold, but....  On top of that, I think I am going to run the 'naked' pillows through several minutes in the high heat of the drier.

2.  Get rid of your toothbrush OR disinfect the head of the toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide.

3.  Wash all of your dishes in HOT water or the hottest setting in the dishwasher.

4.  Use disinfectants (like Lysol, vinegar & water mix, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree [meleleuca] oil)--whatever your preference--on everything anyone could have touched everywhere, including door knobs, handrails, switches, etc.!!

KITCHEN = refrigerator/freezer/dishwasher handles, door/cabinet handles, light switches, stove/oven handles, water spigot, tabletops, chairs, floors??, trash cans (if you can manually open them), etc.   Then, take out the garbage...

BATHROOM = door handles, light switches, the whole flippin' toilet seat (under, over, + around), the toilet flusher, the tub & sink water spigots, the floor, and anything else you may have that I haven't thought of.  Then clean the garbage can, and take out the garbage...

BEDROOM/LIVING ROOM = (any room the sickie was in, sterilize it)  phones, t.v. switchers, door knobs, light switches, chairs, recliners, toys, bed, vacuum or clean floor, window handles, etc.  The, take out the garbage.

When you're all done with that, maybe wipe down your car as much as you can (steering wheel, door handles, buckles, etc.), then dump some Lysol all over you and jump in the shower to sterilize yourself from whatever yuckies you cleaned just up!!  Do you think I am serious??  No, people...  But, if you want, go and take a shower.  It will make you feel better...

So, I guess this could be called a "Fall Cleaning" instead of a Spring Cleaning.  And, remember to please not go nuts trying to get all of the germs out of your house.  In my germophobia days, I used to think it was possible.  But, now with a Kindergartener, I realize that is highly unlikely to happen. :(  I know, it'll be ok.  Don't stress.  It's not worth it.  Your family is just getting better.  No more unneeded stress... :)

Now go get a Flu Shot!!  And, WASH your hands!! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Clean Sink = Happy Mama

I posted a picture of my spic 'n' span kitchen sink on Facebook the other day:

I had promised a post on how I did it, so here it is... 

I got the idea of having a clean kitchen sink from The Fly Lady.  I came across one of her posts, FLYing Lesson: Shining Your Sink.  She was so right when she said that "You have struggled for years with a cluttered home and you are so beaten down."  Just having the dishes done and a clean kitchen sink when you get up in the morning is such a sense of accomplishment and it is!!  I definitely was a happier mama when I woke up that first morning and had NOTHING in my sink.  I just couldn't believe the effect it had on me!!  And, it can have that same effect on you, too...  

Start by taking all the dishes out of the sink.

Run some very hot water into the sink and fill it to the rim. If you have a two-sided sink, only do one side at a time. Then, pour a cup of household bleach into the hot water. Let it sit for one hour. Now, pull the plug with a pair of tongs. If you don’t have tongs, then scoop some of the water out of the sink into the other sink and use your hand to pull the plug. Make sure you wear gloves so the bleach doesn’t irritate your skin, and don’t get the bleach water on your clothes.

Rinse your sink well.

Use some powdered cleanser (Comet, Ajax, or baking soda) and scrub your sink. Be sure to rinse ALL of the cleanser from the sink.  (I used Bon Ami--with the cute little chickadee on the label.)

Take a sharp edge, such as a butter knife, and clean around the rim of the sink, just like you would clean dirt out from under your fingernails.

Clean around the faucets.

(Don’t have a fit if someone doesn’t take as much pride in your sink as you do. It is very easy to fix. You have already done the hard part; you will never have to go through this process again. Daily maintenance will keep it looking this way all the time. Nasty, hurtful words are not as easy to repair. Just be sure and tell your family what you are trying to do. They will think you have gone crazy.)

(The parts above were taken right from the FlyLady's suggestions.)

And, the clean and clear sink is still going strong.  Love the feeling...

Did you try this, too?  How did it affect you?

Day-to-Day Cleaning Schedule {Free Printable}

Hello, my name is Kim and I am a cleaning schedule addict!  I love looking through Pinterest and the variety of daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning arrangements.

I finally came across one I could possibly use at a blog called Made by Marquette.  Her cleaning schedule was nice and concise, easy to figure out if you were on "outsider" to the household, and it was simple.

So, I wrote down chore descriptions for many other blogs, some of Made by Marqutte's ideas, and added some of my own.  Then, I shortened the list, so it could fit on one sheet.  Here are the actual chores that I figured out would work best for our home each day.  I have also included a PDF of the 'working' document.  If you would like it in Word to add your chores, then email me!

Let me know how your cleaning schedule is going for you!

-Kim
{Linking to: http://itssoverycheri.com/2013/03/31/its-party-time-3-31-2013/}

monday

bedroom/linen closet:

  *launder sheets & towels

  *org. nightstand/dresser

  *dust (incl. ceiling fan)

  *vacuum

  *dirty laundry in hamper

  *clean sheets on beds

  *put clean towels away

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe (this one is for my hubby & son because their toilet is disgusting!  Do I have an AMEN???) :)

*empty dishwasher (morning)

*load dishwasher  (evening)

*wipe table, sink,counters & island

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

tuesday

bathroom(s):

  *clean bathroom(s):counter; sink;  

   toilet;floor; mirror; tub/shwr.

*tidy bed(s)

*empty dishwasher (am)

*load dishwasher (pm)

*wipe table, sink,counters & island

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

wednesday

*laundry: adults’ & kiddo’s

*tidy bed(s)

*empty dishwasher (morning)

*load dishwasher  (evening)

*wipe table, sink,counters & island

*clean kitty litter

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

thursday

Kitchen:

  *sweep & mop floor

  *clean out refrigerator

  *take freezer inventory

  *dust: blinds, pot rack,etc

*tidy bed(s)

*empty dishwasher (am)

*load dishwasher (pm)

*wipe table,sink, counters & island

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

Friday

Living room & kiddo’s room:

  *dust (blinds & ceiling fan)

  *Sweep or vacuum floor  

   (and under couch)

  *pick up toys, shoes

*tidy bed(s)

*empty dishwasher (am)

*load dishwasher (pm)

*wipe down kitchen table, 

 sink, counters & island

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

saturday

Miscellaneous:

clip dogs’ & cats' nails

wash rugs

plan menu

*tidy bed(s)

*empty dishwasher (am)

*load dishwasher (pm)

*wipe down kitchen table, 

 sink, counters & island

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

sunday

Miscellaneous:

  *dirty laundry in hamper

  *clean out car
  *take out garbage

  *market OR Costco?

*tidy bed(s)

*empty dishwasher (am)

*load dishwasher (pm)

*wipe down kitchen table, 

 sink, counters & island

*wipe toilet w/ Clorox wipe

*pick up things in livingroom

*take out item(s) for meal

Cleaning Schedule by Kimberly Wilson Simons