# What are your Best Household Tips?



## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

Anyone want to share their best tips/ideas?

Here's mine: I bought one of those small, inexpensive multi-tab cupon organizers. Half of it I use for budgeted cash catagories and the rest I use to organize cupons. It is always in my purse and I always know how much money I have to spend and what cupons I have to use. In the front I store my shopping list so there is no "I left it at home excuse." I also keep Christmas/Birthday shopping lists in there so I always know who I have bought for and what I need to get.

Ever guess I have a bad memory! :LOL


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## Jennisee (Nov 15, 2004)

Two of my favorites:

I like to sort through my freezer and pantry and make a list of things that are nearing expiration and need used up quickly. Then, when making my meal plan for the day, or week, I consult that list and use up those items first, instead of "discovering" them much later and having to throw them out.

Any time we're considering buying a new item, we spend time researching what's available, scour the internet for reviews, shop around for the best price, check eBay. That way, we're rarely stuck w/ an item that wasn't what we expected or wasn't worth the money.


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## CandyApple (Nov 1, 2004)

I love cheap, little plasic baskets/boxes. They've been great in keeping every drawer in my house organized, junk, bills, clothes. When I can see everything, I waste less time and money buying duplicates.

I'm also fond of the dry erase boards that stick to the fridge, I use them like Jenisee to keep track of what's in the freezer, what projects need to be done around the house, ...

And lists, lists, lists... I've got a long grocery list that has all our normal items on it, I print a bunch of copies off the computer, and just check off what we need each week. Its so much easier than starting from scratch. I also list our common easy dinners, and post it on the fridge. Then dh or I can easily remember other possibilities and check for ingredients.

I've been trying so hard to stay on top of things since Christmas, and these few things have really helped. I can't wait to hear other great pointers!


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## Super Pickle (Apr 29, 2002)

I noticed that I was wasting a lot of mental energy on my kids' (4 yrs and 18 mos) socks. I'd lose one of a pair in the laundromat; I'd have to match them up while folding; I sometimes ran out of socks for them and they'd have to wear dirty ones, etc.
So I ordered twenty identical pairs from Maggie's Organics in a size that fit both my boys. And, since they were getting old anyway, cut the toes out of every other sock to make rags. Now they have 40 identical socks; I never have to match them up, just put them all in a drawer and pull out 4 a day. If one gets lost, I won't even ever notice. I'll never run out of socks between washings. It feels really good. I have decided to do the same thing for my husband's socks once his get thin and holey.


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

I LOVE the sock idea!!!

Sorting socks is killing me!


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelBee*
I LOVE the sock idea!!!

Sorting socks is killing me!


Love the idea too. I dread folding socks...it is always the last thing done!


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## bdavis337 (Jan 7, 2005)

1. I don't fold underwear, socks, etc!







I cheat, I admit it, but honestly, who looks in that drawer anyway??? Saves me tons of time!

2. I keep a wooden crate in the family room to hold my 3 year old's toys. At the end of the play day we just toss them all in, and sort things out whenever we do a thorough house-cleaning, usually on the weekends. Keeps my floors free of dangerous Hotwheels cars, and nobody spends any foot time trekking toys back into his bedroom.


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## mommyoftwo (Apr 6, 2004)

I did the sock idea too. My dd has 12 pairs of white socks from old navy that she got as a present, my request. Only a couple of color pairs. That way no sorting required.
Bought all tan socks for my toddler ds. Now I don't have to sort by size, just color.


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## hlkm2e (Aug 24, 2004)

We do the sock thing for my husbands socks. He wears dress socks everyday, so we bought all black and tan at the same time and that way they wear at the same rate and he can just pull out two and not worry about light and dark black socks.


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## Bippity (Sep 12, 2003)

My best household tip: Get your husband to do the laundry like mine does! :LOL








He does dishes & changes the cat box too!


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## SpiralChrissy (Apr 5, 2004)

I keep bins on each floor of the house. We have a 3 level split and I was forever running up and down the stairs to put things away. Now I just use the bin on one floor and when it's full, THEN I around the house and put things away. It makes everything so much easier and all the clutter is contained!


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## moma justice (Aug 16, 2003)

put my toddler in the high chair with a big bowel of frozen blueberries while i do a power clean...
she is happy to have her daily treat that helps her teething pain too
and i am happy to be able to accomplish SOMETHING while she is not pulling at my legs beggin for attention or making messes faster than i can clean....i have a highneeds toddler and my hubby is a fulltime student and works a full time demanding job that requires four hours of drive time
in otherwords, i have no help
this has been a good solution for me, as we do not believe in TV


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## MamaOui (Aug 9, 2002)

We have tons of kids books. They used to be on bookshelves, which meant they were always stacked on the floor in front of the book shelves, haphazardely put on the shelves, and covering every surface in our home.

Now we have covered bins. One is downstairs for my older dss and we keep the cover on, one is downstairs filled with board books with the cover off, so that my babe can get at her books. We have a couple more bins upstairs and we rotate them. It's great because we store them upright and it's so easy for the kids to flip through their books now.

We have two small open basket that hold 10-12 books (upright) that we keep current favorites in. One in the living room and one in the bedroom.


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## wildmonkeys (Oct 4, 2004)

After the kids get out of the bath - throw in a couple of denture cleaners. You can go in 15 minutes later and wipe out the ring without scrubbing (works great on toliets & sinks as well)

BJ
Barney & Ben


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## Cloth4Colin (Dec 12, 2004)

1:1 mixture of baking soda & Borax solution instead of detergent in the dishwasher

vinegar in the washing machine (added during rinse cycle) for natural fabric softener

1/2 cup Borax solution added to fresh toilet water overnight for sanitizing toilet

3:1 mixture of hot water & vinegar for cleaning anything around the kitchen

2 c. baking soda added to diaper pail for freshness

1/2 c. Borax solution added to washing machine during diaper laundry removes all smells from dipes!

making lists & buying only what's on them... I NEVER go shopping without one - cuts down on spontaneous/impulse buying

use a small mesh laundry bag for DS's socks...an alternative to the posts above...but I love the idea of having all one kind of sock - great idea!!

use a nylon laundry bag for diaper pail - just cinch it closed, tote to laundry mat, and throw in with the dipes to wash!

labeled bins (small) for sorting recycling - paper, plastics, glass, etc.


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## coleslaw (Nov 11, 2002)

The only thing I have (I am learning!) is to clean the bathroom while dd is taking a bath. I only use vinegar/baking soda/Dr. Bonner's (sp?) so it works. The tub is done by dh (he insists on chemicals, so I told him that he needs to do it then because I refuse!







)


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## darsmama (Jul 23, 2004)

Hmmm...
My best household tips:

The 27 fling boogie as Flylady preaches is a wonderful thing!

Everyday attain to do SOMETHING, thats it.

Sorry I am not much help here.


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## momto l&a (Jul 31, 2002)

35% H2O2 for cleaning toilets.


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

I always try to wear pants with pockets, particularly cargo type pockets, when I clean. I'm always finding little things, toy bits, trash, coins, cloth napkins that fell on the floor and scooted under the organ, etc. etc. that need to be elsewhere. If I leave them in a pile on the table to collect later, I'll never get back to them. If I run to the trash can or toy room every time I have some little thing, I waste a huge amount of time.

I was also doing great with a 5/5 list for a while, five things to do first every morning, five things that must be done before bedtime. I found that I was just more focused all day on keeping up if I knew I wouldn't go to bed until things were done. Like, on the list was going through the house looking for random pieces of laundry (socks and sweaters that DD and DH shed and leave laying, dish towels that were co-opted to wipe up a mess and left laying, etc.) I was more likely to notice them and grab them right away when I knew I would otherwise be cleaning them up at bedtime. Same with keeping up on dishes all day.


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## moma justice (Aug 16, 2003)

another tip that i do at least once a week is have people over....
some friends with babies etc or a neighbor for dinner, whatever

this is my biggest speed clean inspiration....
i always amaze my self with what i can get done in a short amoun to ftime when i feel like i am really on the clock.

also i sometimes make a smoothie first thing in the morning and let my dd eat it with a spoon in the highchair while i do all the previous day's dishes and sweep and sometimes mop......

while i sip smoothie in between

then i feel like i have really earned my breakfast and sinc ei don't drink coffee it can really get me going for the rest of the day!


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## Kavita (Dec 7, 2004)

One thing I have started doing is cutting down on clutter from the mail. I flip through it when I am at the mailbox, pick out anything that needs to be recycled (like sale flyers or catalogs or advertisements I don't use, etc.) and take it to the outside recycle bin immediately, so it doesn't even make it into the house. Then I open all the mail immediately, throw out all the envelopes, shred any credit card offers or at least put them into the "shred pile" on top of the shredder. I put any bills into a special box I have for them. This really keeps the mail from piling up and turning into the towering pile of overwhelming clutter on the dining room table or coffee table. I also have a nice square wicker basket inside the door, where I put mail for DH or things I need to look at later.

DH and I have a joint checking account, and we both have debit cards that we use quite often, but I am the one who keeps the checkbook and pays the bills. I bought a rectangular tray/box (the same one I put the bills in, above) and all unpaid bills or receipts from debit transactions or cash withdrawals go into the box. At the end of the day (or every couple days at least) DH goes through his wallet and puts the receipts in there. (You need a trainable DH for this system to work! :LOL) Then I will go through and write everything in the register, then shred the receipts I don't need and file the ones I do need to keep (like major purchases, possible returns, etc.) I do most of my bill paying online, and what I do so I have a handy record is write on the portion of the bills that you would send into the company in a red pen, "Paid, OBP (online bill pay), 1/07/05, $50.00" Then I stick the bills, most recent on top, into a file folder in the file cabinet creatively labeled, "Paid Bills."







I also do my checkbook as I go, looking online to see what has cleared and ticking those items off with a red pen. I keep a post it "flag" (the kind used to mark pages in files in offices) next to the first uncleared transaction in the checkbook register, poking out a bit--that way I don't have to flip through pages and pages of items that have already cleared, checking to see if there is something I've missed, because everything behind that first flagged item is already cleared, checked off and accounted for. I sit down and work on this for a little bit once or twice a week--it's much easier for me to do it as I go this way than to do a major "Balance the checkbook" thing every month--I would get overwhelmed and never do it.

I hope this doesn't all sound too complicated--for me, developing an organizational system for finances and bill paying and paper clutter management has been a MAJOR piece of getting/keeping the house in order.

As far as other household tips, I don't suppose I have anything new and revolutionary!! Oh, except one--I bought one of those pressurized pump sprayers, the type with the wand used by exterminators and gardeners to apply pesticides, weed killers, etc. Anyway, I bought one (a relatively cheap one) and I mix up a big batch of solution to clean the shower, and that way I just pump up the container, spray with the wand, it covers the entire area really fast and my hand doesn't get a cramp from squeezing a trigger spray bottle repeatedly!! It also makes it easier to spray up on hard to reach areas like the shower ceiling (mine is really high and tends to collect water spots/mildew.) You just have to be careful--you are not supposed to use caustic solutions in it, and you can't use anything TOO soapy. But something like a vinegar and water solution will work.

For cleaning my tile floors, I use about a cup of vinegar in a gallon of warm/hot water and then I put a few drops or either lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, or both. It smells great, it makes the house smell so great and nice and clean, and they are both antibacterial and I think tend to repel certain bugs.


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

*Unusual Uses For Everyday Items*
Hi, just thought I'd share this interesting link I found. It has a huge list of houshold items and unusual uses for them. If you look past the advertising links, there is a lot of neat info...check it out!

http://www.tipking.com/Use_stuff/Unusual_uses/

I just found this site which has almost the same info with less advertising!

http://www.unusualuses.com/index.shtml


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## carolsly (Oct 5, 2004)

Strap pieces of sherpa on the kids feet and let them clean the pergo floors as they skate across them LOL.


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *carolsly*
Strap pieces of sherpa on the kids feet and let them clean the pergo floors as they skate across them LOL.

This is my favorite!!!

My best is putting damp mismatched socks on dc hands. They can dust, wash tables, or mop!!!

They LOVE it!


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## Greensleeves (Aug 4, 2004)

G


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## Greensleeves (Aug 4, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tboroson*
I was also doing great with a 5/5 list for a while, five things to do first every morning, five things that must be done before bedtime. I found that I was just more focused all day on keeping up if I knew I wouldn't go to bed until things were done. .

tboroson,
I'm curious about this: are the 5/5 things always the same, or do you have a new set every day? Sounds intriguing.


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## monkaha (Jan 22, 2004)

Go to work. Come home to find DH has cleaned and vacuumed the living room, found and washed the kitchen counters, mopped the kitchen floor, and purchased and set up organizers in the black hole corner of the counter.
















Then proceed to spill milk on the floor and re-bury the counters....







: (guess what my project for tomorrow is? )

the other best thing for us is a hanging letter holder with key hooks mounted right inside the front door. keeps me from losing my keys all the time.


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## greyskye (Oct 21, 2004)

hot water sets stains? should i wash my diapers in cold water first then?


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *greyskye*
hot water sets stains? should i wash my diapers in cold water first then?

Does your washer have those settings that allow you to set the wash for cold and the rince for hot? That way you get the benefits of both.


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## BinahYeteirah (Oct 15, 2002)

One very simple thing I do is to never leave a room without picking up something that doesn't belong. For example, when I get up from the computer, I will look around and see if there are any empty cups or dirty plates sitting around (I often eat while surfing the net). Also, I look around the bedroom when I get up in the morning and pick up any dirty clothes and put them in the laundry room.


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## Rainbowbird (Jul 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *greyskye*
hot water sets stains? should i wash my diapers in cold water first then?

I always do a cold wash first, no detergent, then a hot wash with detergent and extra rinse cycle. I have read this on many diapering sites as a way to avoid stains and get them really clean. The cold wash gets a lot of urine and any "stuff" out, the hot wash sanitizes. It does mean two trips down to the basement, but my dipes are always really clean and rarely do I get a stain.

Also have to second the PP's idea of always checking to see if something needs to be put away before leaving an area. Basically I just pick up after myself all the time. If I'm going upstairs, I check to see what needs to be carried up. Same thing for going downstairs. Now if I could get DH to do that...

Ditto handling the mail once. I toss it immediately, recycle, or file. DH will let his mail build up for days...weeks...I have actually put pieces of mail in a brown paper bag for him to look at because he says they're important...do you know there is a brown paper bag full of important things in the front closet that has been sitting untouched for a year? (Amazingly he is wonderfully successful in his career. At home, incredibly disorganized..don't get me started though..)

Another thing I find works for me is to put a load of laundry on first thing in the a.m. Then keep it going all day as I have time. Never builds up this way.

I try to give the kitchen appliances a quick wipedown every night. Grease never really builds up this way and they always look clean. Takes just a second or two.

When I mop the floors, I put the chairs upside down on the table or floor nearby and wipe the bottoms of the feet with a damp rag to remove dirt, pet hair, and crumbs.

Use online grocery delivery service. I keep my lists in their program, it's always there, and I can check any list from any order from months back. No need to write everything down over and over. Saves a lot of time. I notice I'm out of something or running low, I add it to the online list. Don't spend 3 hours out shopping and lugging groceries home either. And it saves me money, as I only buy what I need and I'm not tempted by fake sales or displays.

That's all I can think of for now.. alot of my tips and ideas and routines are from Flylady. I've just UNsubcribed from her list for the 3rd time or so. The emails begin to drive me nuts. But I find when they drive me nuts, it usually means it's b/c I have my act together and don't need the reminders...so I guess I have to give her some credit!

Thanks for all your great ideas, ladies!


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## meco (Mar 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelBee*
I LOVE the sock idea!!!

Sorting socks is killing me!


I love it too, but it is a given in this house that your socks *will* be mismatched. I do try to get complementary socks, but I leave as all singles and just grab two! :LOL


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greensleeves*
tboroson,
I'm curious about this: are the 5/5 things always the same, or do you have a new set every day? Sounds intriguing.

I do the same tasks every day. It's all stuff that I don't want to pile up, like laundry and litter boxes, and it helps to think about them in terms of a routine to remember to do them daily. Of course, some days I'm actually caught up enough that I don't have to do laundry, but at least I look to see if I need to do it. On nights we eat out, I still glance around the kitchen to see if there is any tidying to do.

In the morning, I:
1. Run a load of laundry.
2. Wipe down bathroom as needed (check toilet and scrub if needed, that's only needed every few days; Wipe counters and mirror.)
3. Vacuum one floor of the house.
4. Make and clean up from breakfast.
5. Hang laundry when it's done, fold yesterday's load.

In the evening, I:
1. Clean up from dinner (dishes, wipe down table, counters and stove, spot vacuum if needed.)
2. Collect any misplaced laundry (sweaters that were shed right inside the door, used dish towels).
3. Tidy playroom.
4. Scoop litterboxes.
5. Set up for breakfast in the morning.

On top of that, I have things that only need to be done weekly, one or two a day - mopping, dusting, baking, tidying the porch, making up menu for week and shopping (I suck at that one, I really need to get better at it,) and occasional special projects or less-frequent chores (cleaning out my car, decorating for holidays)


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## late-night nan (Jan 28, 2003)

The sock idea is a good one indeed. I figured this out for dd before his sock collection got very big, so he mostly has navy socks since his blue robeez were staining his white socks. For dh and my socks, I can't afford a new "sock wardrobe" so when I remember I pin the dirty socks together with a large safety pin. I try to catch a good amount of fabric in the middle of the socks laid on top of each other. if you only pin the ends, the socks can get twisted up in the spin cycle. I know this from experience and a seriously wrung pair of socks!


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

To keep potatoes from growing eyes, place an apple in the a basket or open container in a cool dry place. Your potatoes will keep longer and won’t get soft and shrivel up as quickly.


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## Messac888 (Jan 24, 2005)

I like this thread! Anyway, we do the sock thing over here too. One thing that has helped me get more on top of the household cleaning is, as soon as I wake up, before I even serve my toddler bkft, I start a load of laundry. I feed him, I feed the baby, and I eat. I try to get a load of dishes together into the dishwasher and then, after it's started, it's usually time to throw the wash into the dryer. If I'm feeling particularily ambitious I'll start a second load of wash. In summer I hang much of our clothes on the line while ds is playing outside.

Another thing we do, and it helps ds a lot, is that, at nighttime before bed, ds has to help put his toys away. That means taking them fromthe living room to the playroom (where they belong). He puts them in a milk crate and, when either the crate is full or all the toys are picked up (including under the couch) we carry the crate to the playroom and set it next to the bookshelf. All done!


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

Great ideas mamas!!!


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## VikingKvinna (Dec 31, 2003)

A few kitchen/cooking tips:

Wrap your celery in aluminum foil. It lasts forever.

Before measuring shortening, molasses, honey, or anything else greasy or sticky, line the measuring cup with plastic wrap; makes cleanup much easier.

I've posted this one elsewhere, but it bears repeating: put all your vegetable scraps, peelings, and leftovers into a big baggie or plastic container in the freezer, and when you've enough, use it to make vegetable broth. You can do a separate container of just leftover vegetables, or ones you don't think you'll use before they go bad, and then make those into soup.

HTH!
~Nick


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

celery in aluminum foil...who'd a thought?

Here's another one that I like. Hang up your kids art work on the fridge or other place, take a picture and use the pictures to fill a scrapbook or small photo album. Saves space and the memories are not lost or cluttering your house. Works great for sculptures and other art projects that take up a lot of space too.


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## mzfern (Nov 16, 2004)

I hope I can be as cool as all of you one day. Great tips!


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)




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## momcat (Aug 9, 2002)

Ditto on the hanging keys by the door thing - was forever losing them, and now I don't! 

Also love the laundry first thing in the am - and we have developed a sorting system that works beautifully, too. Darks go in a basket in our bedroom. Whites/lights go in the hamper in the bathroom. Cold water wash stuff goes in basket in dc's room. In the morning, I look to see which basket is full and then wash that load. Saves tons of time in sorting!

For dh and I, who work lots of weird hours, we had to synch our calendars. Now we have a family calendar hanging in a very obvious place in the house (near phone and door) and put all 4 family members' commitments on them. Makes life seem a whole lot less hectic. I keep meaning to try to do it in color, too (Mom gets green, Dad gets blue, etc), but haven't been that organized. Think I'd lose the pens!

Making meal plans for the week and then building a grocery list works great for us, too, so we know the nights we need something that is a quicker-fix vs the nights we feel like cooking a more elaborate meal. This way, everyone gets input into meals, too, which cuts down on complaints later!

Thanks, everyone!


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## kamilla626 (Mar 18, 2004)

Don't bring laundry that needs to be folded into the room where the TV is. It may never make it to the drawers & closets where it belongs.









To clean my kitchen floor, I use the tea kettle to dribble hot water over the worst area, then spray the whole floor with a mist of vinegar, then "skate" over everything with Scotch Brite pads under my feet. Then I skate a 2nd time with dry towels.

Dh and I are always buried in paper clutter. Our file cabinets are in the basement and we would always just end up making piles of "things to sort through later", or "things that should probably be filed". Finally I bought one of those file pockets that attatch to the walls (like in doctors' offices) and put it up at the top of the basement stairs.

When we come across some paperwork to be filed, we just reach around the corner and stick it in there. It's out of sight and we know we won't end up having to look at it again in a "to be sorted" pile.


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## yeni (Nov 1, 2002)

Loving this thread. I can only think of two kitchen tips at the moment:

Cut the top end off carrots before putting them in the fridge; they'll last longer and won't grow.

We always used to have shredded cheese go bad before we'd use it all. Now I store in the freezer, slam the bag against the table to loosen it after it's frozen, and I always have what I need on hand. Just be careful not to let the bag thaw out or it'll stick together -- measure what you need and get it right back in the freezer.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kamilla626*
Don't bring laundry that needs to be folded into the room where the TV is. It may never make it to the drawers & closets where it belongs.









:LOL Being able to watch a video while I fold is the only way I can get myself to fold clothes. I do have trouble putting things away though. :LOL I've started having luck by immediately taking the basket full of folded laundry and putting it on my bed. Got things put away by day 2 the last 3 laundry days.


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## rainsmom (Dec 5, 2001)

I bought the book CLEAN HOUSE, CLEAN PLANET....and use vinegar and baking soda to clean everything. Ive got a little collection of essential oils too. I bought a bag of 6 industrial sprayers....and they are all filled with recipes from this book. Ive got one with floor cleaner....so I sweep the floor with a microfiber mop....then spray the floor with the wet mop. No bending! I also clean the shower while Im in it. ANd pour borax in the toilet for overnight cleaning.

On diapers........for stains....I would do a presoak in a cup of baking soda. It is a natural whitener and I STILL use it for my whites. My dipes were always nice and white. For the worse stains I would hang in the sun.

Bins and baskets......must to organize EVERYTHING in my house. around xmas time I found some great canvas bins in all sizes....and some woven baskets that are lined....all at amazing prices at ROSS. We just had bookshelves with cabinets that line our new room....one whole wall......and the bins fit inside perfectly.....each with dress up clothes, puzzles, puppets, games, etc etc. Makes it easy for dd to find what she wants...and for clean up too.

I keep my cloth bags for shopping under the back seat in the car so I always have them. I also keep extra plastic bags in the pouch in the car...they always come in handy to pick up dog poop, wet kid clothes......etc.

Another laundry helper has been this thing I got a Walmart (before I started boycotting them)....its a canvas laundry holder that is in a steel frame, divided with three large pockets (about a load full each) So now the dirty laundry is already sorted by whites/colors/towels.

Not a house cleaning tip.....BUT.....I keep my workout clothes in a lined basket under my bathroom sink so they are always available to just throw on first thing in the morning.

When refilling my stainless steel water container......I pour the old water into nearby plants. I also like to keep a bucket near the shower....while Im waiting for water to warm up.....I fill the bucket and use that to water plants.

I use shampoo that I have bought and didnt like.....for hand washing clothes.

I have a pantry filled with large items I buy at Costco and Trader Joes....so now my cupboards just have the essentials......more room to put my cookbooks where I need them (in one of the cupboards near the stove). I have a nice spice rack (came w/its own bottles)......but still hve alot more spices that I now keep laying down in a drawer.....more accessable that way!

I have a wooden serving tray that I keep in the kitchen as a catch all. Once a week or so I go thru it. I usually keep reciepts in there too.....

Dh does bills once a week.....but once a month he writes out checks, then he puts them in envelopes, w/stamps....and writes the date they need to be mailed by. We keep them in a basket by the door below a rack for our keys. I also organized all our keys one day....and bought clear plastic tags that you can write on. Who would have guessed we had about 15 house keys!! I put them in a metal container by the back door.

I also keep a bag in the car with wetwipes, sunscreen, snacks, change of clothes for dd so Im always prepared.

I would love to hear more tips on how to get housecleaning done......

and how to get those photos in to photo albums! Im so behind!!


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## celia (Apr 22, 2005)

My favorite is boiling some lemon juice in a glass container in the microwave- then wiping the microwave out. It softens any gunk in there and makes it smell nice.

I love this thread- I have a brand spankin' new DD at home and work full time. My once organized super clean house as fallen to chaos. I need you all to come over and help me!


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## rainsmom (Dec 5, 2001)

thought of some more:

Put lemon, lime or orange peels in the garbage disposal.....grind up...keeps the disposal smelling great! also.....egg shells keep the blades sharp

too ripe bananas and no time to bake banana bread? Peel and store in a ziploc in the freezer until you do.

Spray teaspoons and measuring cups with PAM before using for sticky things like molassas or honey.

We have to keep our paper separate for the recycle bin.....so I store junk mail and newspapers in a paper bag in the garage, (its right outside our door). Mail with private info gets shredded when dh does the bills. I get alot of junk paper w/my Sears bills (why do they do this)....and have made a practice of sending it back to them with my bill







.....but who knows if this gets recycled, but at least they know I dont like it!

I go thru our mags monthly and now take them to the library for their book sale. THey make money and its better than just throwing them in the recycle bin.

I also make monthly trips to a thrift store to deposit old clothes,etc. I found one in town that uses their profits for the humane society and other local animal shelters.


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## troymama (Feb 21, 2002)

I'm trying a new idea this week, to get my husband to understand (a) how much I do, and (b) how he can help. I have gone back to work full time and our house has been turned over to the fur monster.

I've made a list of the tasks I am trying to keep up on: vacuuming (and running the roomba in between), quick cleaning the bathrooms, wiping down the counters in the kitchen and the microwave, changing the sheets on the beds, etc. Stupid stuff that seems obvious to me, but maybe isn't so obvious to him. I've broken it all down into manageable steps. There's a section at the end for "ongoing" tasks like laundry, dishwasher maintenance, and cat box cleaning.

I've put the list on the refrigerator with a 2 week period at the top. Each task, when done, gets a checkmark. This way he can see what has been done, what needs to be done, and he can choose what to help with.

When 2 weeks is over, I'll print it out again and start over.

He understands the system and the need for it. Hopefully he will look at it and act on it. I feel optimistic! I hope it works! I'll let you all know how it goes!!
-d


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## momcat (Aug 9, 2002)

It just occurred to me - the reason it takes me so long to get in and out of the bathroom in the morning, or go to bed at night, is because I'm multitasking! One hand is brushing teeth, the other is wiping down the sink... you get the picture! I love the checklist idea for chores - brilliant!


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## rainsmom (Dec 5, 2001)

Yea....I like the check list idea too....would love to see it.....

Do you have even minor tasks.....or just general?


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## troymama (Feb 21, 2002)

I can email a PDF of the list to anyone who wants to see it... just PM me.

It kind of runs the gamut between detailed and not. I didn't want it to get TOO detailed (that would scare BOTH of us off!!) But its a good way for me to remember to change the sheets on the beds!


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## siennaflower (Aug 31, 2004)

I have a daily/weekly routine that really helps me save time and keep my sanity lol:

~I aim to clean one room in the house top to bottom per day. Dust, scrub, vacuum, swiffer, whatever needs to be done. If I vacuum I do a run through the major traffic areas while I have it out as well. I have a specific room assigned to each day of the week. It takes me 20-30 min tops and I do it while dd is napping or she comes into the room with me and colors or plays (I clean with Melaluca so no worry about toxic fumes).

~I wash a load of laundry in the AM when I get up right before I work out, then hang it to dry as soon as I'm done (my two least favorite chores done in 45 minutes lol).

~After breakfast I run a dishpan of hot soapy water and put dirty dishes in to soak. All dishes go there until the end of the day when they are thrown in the dishwasher. Soaking the dishes keeps the food from crusting so no need to rinse before putting them in the dishwasher. Also any pots or bowls too big for the dishpan get hot soapy water in them once cooled as well.

~After dinner I bring in the laundry, fold and put away while watching tv. Also I pick up toys/messes in the living room during commercial breaks.

~Every night I review my meal plan for the next day and do whatever I can to prepare ahead of time-put frozen meat in the fridge to thaw, pull out the crock pot to have it ready to go in the morning if using it, etc.

~I pack dd's day care bag and pick out her outfit for the next day (as well as my own) and pack my snack for school in my own bag. Everything that can be done ahead of time saves time in the morning, a good thing with young ones!

~I do a quick wipe down of kitchen counters before going to bed, toss the dirty cleaning rag into a bin under the sink (washed when full) and turn on the dishwasher before going to bed. Its so satisfying to wake up to a clean, neat house instead of a mess.

~Once a week I make a shopping list. I go through my meal plan (I have 2 months worth of plans that I rotate) and double check what I have onhand and list what we need. I also go through the house and double check toiletries, laundry detergent, tp, anything we use regularly. I shop for whats on my list and only allow myself to buy something not listed if its something we NEED and is at its absoulte lowest price. I do stock up in those cases.

It sounds like a lot more work when reading it, but its actually really quick and easy and being a full time student it makes life much less difficult for me and my family. Also, as far as cleaning goes, if I end up missing a couple days for whatever reason the house is decent enough to just hit key items when I can and not worry about things til next week. Plus keeping up on things gives me more time to spend with dd and dh, which is worth all the effort in the end. I used to put everything off until the weekend and my house was unbelievably messy, and I had to clean instead of spending time with my family or studying.


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## JamesMama (Jun 1, 2005)

I was always loosing DS's socks in the wash, so I went and bought a lingere bag for under $1 and have it tacked next to DS's hamper so I put his socks in there and wash the whole sack, haven't lost a single one since I did that!


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## SouthernMommaOf2 (May 31, 2005)

My tips are:

Use newspaper instead of papertowels when cleaning windows and your china...makes it shine so much better..don't have to use paper towels and you are recycling plus it leaves no streaks!

If you pull a tab off a diaper and don't want to throw it away because they are so $$$ then place the diaper on your child and then place another diaper over the damaged one. Once they use that diaper up just take it off throw it away and you already have another diaper ready!

Vinegar, Lemon Juice & Water mixed together sitting in the sun takes spagetti like stains outta your tupperware!

That's all I got to share for now


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## PancakeGoddess (Oct 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mommyoftwo*
I did the sock idea too. My dd has 12 pairs of white socks from old navy that she got as a present, my request. Only a couple of color pairs. That way no sorting required.
Bought all tan socks for my toddler ds. Now I don't have to sort by size, just color.

yea! I finally got a clue and did this - pathetic when you notice how much older my boys are. :LOL

one wears only white, the other can wear anything BUT white. The toddler's socks are obviously his.


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## PancakeGoddess (Oct 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *celia*
My favorite is boiling some lemon juice in a glass container in the microwave- then wiping the microwave out. It softens any gunk in there and makes it smell nice.

this is great! I do something similar - dp likes sponges for doing dishes but they always get so nasty to me, so I microwave them daily for a minute. After that, they're sanitary and the microwave is easily cleaned out.

the only other thing I can think of:

If you have clutter that you hang on to for sentimental/childhood reasons but don't really WANT to store it or keep it, take a good photo of it, and let it go. Photos take up way less space than that big pink pillow that was on your bed...


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## mcmrymoon (Jul 31, 2003)

the best thing i ever did was screw 3 file bins onto the back of my pantry door with a small piece of cork board above it. each file bin is labeled - one for me, one for my 6 year old and dh and the baby share one. every piece of paper that is not recycled or put away immediately goes into each person's file. this has helped tremendously with lists that i need to keep handy (phone lists, forms to be filled out etc) game/sport schedules get tacked on the cork board. every week or so i go through the bins to see what needs to be filled out or tossed.

also - i have 4 containers (one for each member of the family) that i have stored in a cupboard that serves as a mini-mudroom. in it i keep mittens, hats, scarves whatever for each person. everyone can easily find their stuff and put it away too.


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## minasmom (Jul 14, 2004)

great ideas, i hope to add my own one day, but for now i'm subscribing!








:

--Angela


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## Peppermint Leaf (Jan 11, 2008)

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:s nap


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## heldt123 (Aug 5, 2004)

I was wondering who bumped this old thread!

One good tip is to do your least favorite thing first thing in the morning. Like if you dread balancing your check book or cleaning your plunger caddy, do that first. Then the rest of your day seems to go so much more smoothly without having to worry about that "thing" you don't want to do.

Don't procrastinate!!!!


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## naturelover (Nov 15, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Greensleeves* 
Great tips!

I have a light tan carpet--I've gotten out some tough stains with the following regimen:

Make a solution of oxyclean in lukewarm water--1/8 scoop oxyclean to 16 oz water I think is the recipe for carpets? check label. (Dissolve the powder in a small amount of hot water and add the lukewarm water). Put in spray bottle or squeeze bottle, (or dip rag in to sponge on stain). Spray or sponge stain with solution, working in a little bit with your fingers. Let sit about 15 to 30 minutes, then blot and press with a clean soft cloth/towel. Use a bowl of clean water, and dab area with water to rinse. Blot/press dry. If there is still stain remaining, repeat process. Remember that the stain area will look darker until it's dry, so if there's still a slight stain after a few rounds, let dry and chances are it will be unnoticeable.










I also have a light tan carpet with lots of little dark gray marks on it. I made up a bottle of the above solution and it got rid of the majority of the stains...WOO HOO!! We've tried all sorts of stain removers on them in the past with no success so I'm so happy you posted this. I would have never thought about trying Oxy Clean! Thanks for this tip!! And I enjoyed reading all the others too!


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## harmonymama (Feb 4, 2005)

subbing


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## aaronsmom (Jan 22, 2007)

kamilla626 said:


> To clean my kitchen floor, I use the tea kettle to dribble hot water over the worst area, then spray the whole floor with a mist of vinegar, then "skate" over everything with Scotch Brite pads under my feet. Then I skate a 2nd time with dry towels.
> 
> 
> > I'm glad to know I'm not the only person who "skates" to clean my kitchen floor!!


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## lightheart (Jul 2, 2005)

I hang wet clothes directly on clotheshangers and hang them out on the line, once dry they can go directly into the closets.... to keep them from sliding together and bunching up, hang towels and socks and underware between. it also saves tons of space on the line so you can hang up more.


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## melissel (Jun 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *naturelover* 







I also have a light tan carpet with lots of little dark gray marks on it. I made up a bottle of the above solution and it got rid of the majority of the stains...WOO HOO!! We've tried all sorts of stain removers on them in the past with no success so I'm so happy you posted this. I would have never thought about trying Oxy Clean! Thanks for this tip!! And I enjoyed reading all the others too!

Us too! I've thought of trying Oxyclean but was afraid it would fade the carpet in patches. After two recommendations, I'll have to actually try it. Thanks!


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

At our old house, we didn't have a washing line so I got used to drying clothes on the clothes horse. Our new house does have a washing line, but the clothes horse is WAY more convenient. I can bring it inside right by the washing machine, peg everything on without having to reach up, and then just carry it outside to dry. If I'm really organised I can even bring it into the bedroom to unpeg everything, which saves me steps!


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