Nearly five years ago my husband and I were featured on an episode of HGTV’s House Hunters. It wasn’t but two minutes into the episode that Twitter trolls came out expressing their disdain for my “quirks” that made me seem like a pyscho home-buyer. While my tastes have changed a bit since House Hunters, I still stick to my guns when it comes to keeping things simple and clean. Here are a few tips I use in {an attempt to} keep a tidy, organized home.
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Bins, boxes & reusable containers
Its amazingly easy to watch toy boxes overflow or maybe take over the living room. I’ve found that by reusing ice cream buckets, animal cracker containers and whatever else we can get our hands on, it allows small toys to stay fairly organized. In order to keep my OCD to a minimum, I spend time once a week ensuring that all of the like-toys can be found in the same bins. For example, all of the matchbox cars go in one bucket, dinosaurs in another, and Paw Patrol “guys” in the next. At the end of the night all of the buckets go into a storage bin so that the toys aren’t in plain sight as a distraction when he can’t fall asleep. Amazon has great options for kids storage that can fit any themed bedroom or playroom.
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Place mats in the refrigerator or pantry shelves
I’m not sure about you but cleaning out the refrigerator is one of my least favorite tasks, period. There’s nothing worse than being greeted by a jar that sticks to the glass or crumbs that appear out of nowhere. A low-cost (see dollar store or Target clearance), yet effective way to keep your refrigerator clean is by lining the shelves with washable place mats; They’re removable, can be wiped down with a washcloth and don’t succumb to stains. The placements in my fridge have saved me on numerous accounts from having to remove everything from the shelves due to a milk spill or overflow from leftovers. Depending on the interior capacity, you’ll likely need 6-10 place mats. These also make great pantry liners and you don’t have the hassle of having to cut or stick anything to the shelves.
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Managing Stainless Steel
In our HH episode the biggest “problem” viewers had with me was the fact that I didn’t want stainless steel appliances. Fingerprints, splatters and spills are an eyesore. The truth is (especially if you have little hands that touch EVERYTHING!), stainless steel is a pain in the butt! Over the last few years, I’ve tried dozens of products and have landed on these two favorites:
Formula 409 Natural Stone & Steel Cleaner: This spray not only cuts thru greasy messes and splatters, it smells good too! I use it as the main cleaner for our appliances and countertops throughout the house.
Sprayway Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish: Want your appliances to sparkle? Use this polish! As an oil-based spray, a little bit goes a long way. This is my finishing step that keeps fingerprints from showing for at least a few days at a time.
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Steam cleaner mop
I learned from my mom at a young age that the real way to make sure your kitchen and bathroom floors stay clean is to scrub on your hands and knees; But after two knee surgeries and pregnancy, I figured that there must to be another way! This Christmas I asked my mother in-law for a steam cleaner for my tile floor and now am obsessed. I have the Shark but there are tons on the market that do a great job. The best part about steam cleaning is that I don’t have to use a bunch of chemicals on the floor that the kids or dog are exposed to regularly. Plus I don’t have to wear holes in the knees of my pants when scrubbing the floor and my son always wants to help!
As spring cleaning season quickly approaches, don’t let it overwhelm you. Take your time and go room-by-room when sorting through closets, clothes or attempting to organize your basement clutter. Is there a product you love that other moms could benefit from? What are your favorite tips or tricks for spring cleaning?
