Sprung

With the spurts of cleaning I have gone through lately, I have to say that the feeling of spring has definitely sprung in my home. I emptied out half of my closet and donated it to the local Goodwill. A couple of days later I followed up with a second trip after I eliminated two bags of shoes and whittled my collection to only 17 pairs. No room is safe in the house because I want to get rid of everything. At least everything that I don't need or haven't touched in the last year or two.
Yesterday was the day that I tackled the front room. I used another Pinterest find to help me navigate my way with a weekly cleaning schedule. I was able to manage the daily chores that were recommended in about 30 minutes, give or take. The cleaning for the living room on the other hand took me hours to finish. I am hoping that after the first week it will get easier. The only substitution I made was for Thursday. I don't have children which means I don't have a kid's bathroom. I subbed this day out for the office and spare bedroom and will pretty much follow the guidelines for the living room and master bedroom.
With the front of the house clean, I decided that it needed just one more touch. I headed out to Trader Joe's and picked up a bunch of flowers. Can you believe that this gorgeous bouquet only cost me $9.99?

Last night I took on another project from Pinterest. I made a spring wreath. I had debated on making a St. Patrick's Day wreath, since it is my favorite holiday (I have no idea why but I look forward to it every year) but decided to go with a longer lasting spring wreath instead. I know that it isn't officially spring yet but in California with its temperate weather it might as well be. I used a couple of ideas learned from the pins I had saved. First up, because I am a cheapie, I made my foam wreath (found HERE) instead of forking out for the high price I saw it for at the local craft store. I took it one step further and took a wire hanger from the dry cleaners and stuffed it in the middle of the foam to reinforce it. I found out the hard way when the last wreath I made ended up more oblong than round. Next I followed THIS tutorial. Instead of using a flower garland I used inexpensive fake flowers I found for 50% off at the Hobby Lobby and stuck pins with yellow heads through them to attach to the wreath. I was very happy with the results (although I still struggle making bows, grr...).

Mrs. Clean

(What I used to think...I am starting to change my opinion.)

One of the little spats the Mr. and I get into repeatedly is over housework. Who should do it? How clean should the house be at all times? How much does our working schedule play into how much time each of us spends on keeping things tidy? That sort of thing.

He likes things military clean, I on the other hand don't mind the mess. If you ask my parents or any of my former roommates, my living spaces might have been a little...hmm...what's the right word? Scattered. Yes, that term will do nicely, thank you. 

I am not a disgustingly messy person by any means and as much as the Mr. likes to make the comparison to me and a person that we might see on Hoarders ('See? They have boxes of yarn throughout the house that they won't get rid, just like you babe.') I am in no way unsanitary. Besides, we BOTH make the mess. His expectation is that I be the primary one to clean it up. 

I used to take his reasoning as some barbaric, outdated, sexist, 1950s nonsense. Now that I am the housewife, I really don't have any recourse. After being the housewife for a whole week and attempting to keep the house spic and span I have to say, I really don't mind it. It gives me something to do during the day and it gives me something to plan out before I go to sleep at night. What really excites me about taking on these new domestic duties is that I can finally start putting all those pins in Pinterest to use. I have a board completely committed to 'Tips for the Home'. I thought I would try some out over the weekend. I want to share with you what worked for me and what gave me only so-so results. 

I gathered the needed ingredients: 

Dawn Dish Soap (apparently Dawn is the answer to everything according to Pinterest, but it has to be Dawn)

Hydrogen Peroxide

White Vinegar

Baking Soda

Vanilla Extract

The DIY cleaners I made with those ingredients were: 

Shower Cleaner

Drain Cleaner

Stain Remover

Microwave Cleaner

Let's start with the microwave cleaner. It was very, very simple.

Mix 2 cups water with 1 tsp vanilla extract. Heat on high in the microwave for 5 minutes. Wipe down microwave with a clean dishcloth. 

This method in the end worked well. It wasn't as simple as wiping the microwave down when done, it did take a little bit of elbow grease but I had a spotless microwave in the end without having to use any sort or soap or other chemical cleaner. I give this tip a B+. 

For the drain cleaner, again another simple solution. 

Pour 3/4 to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour 1/2 cup white vinegar into the drain. Immediately cover (I used a plate) and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove cover and run hot water down drain for 2-3 minutes after. 

This cleaner worked perfectly, I could not have been happier with the results. I give it an A. 

The shower cleaner I am 50/50 on. 

Mix equal parts Dawn with white vinegar that has been heated up. Fill up spray bottle with solution. Spray desired area. Let sit for 30 minutes and then wash clean. 

Let me tell you what it worked well on: 

The shower grout and tile. 

Let me tell you what it did not work well on: 

The toilet

The shower floor

The shower seats

Saying that it worked well on the shower grout and tile is a little of an overstatement. Let's just say that it worked. My grade on this one, C-. 

Last we come to the stain remover. I save this one for last because I used it last. I wasn't sure I would need it at all but thanks to the Pup's late night upset tummy, I found my opportunity. 

Mix 1 part Dawn and 2 parts hydrogen peroxide. Fill spray bottle with solution. Spray on affected area, let sit at least 10 minutes (I opted for 30). Scrub area with water, pat dry. Repeat until suds stop appearing when scrubbed. 

For me, this worked faster than the chemical cleaners I used before. It was a little bit time consuming but in the end I was very happy with the results. A-.

There you have it. Some were great and some were just so-so. I have a couple more tips I would like to try and about a gazillion other things on Pinterest that I would like to attempt. Stay tuned and I will try post updates and reviews. 

Sensing Sunday: March 4, 2012

Hearing: A little Bob Marley, 'I Can See Clearly Now'

Seeing: The Mr. channel surfing in the other room.

Smelling: Dolce and Gabbana, Light Blue.

Tasting:  An ice cold Heineken...perfect for this unbelievably beautiful weather.

Feeling: Tired but relaxed. I never seem to fully recuperate after the 6 miles I walk with my dad every Sunday, neither does the Pup. Getting my second wind anticipating my husband grilling ribs for dinner tonight though. The end of this week could have been completely different considering all that the Mr. and I faced in the last seven days but I am glad that it ended with such a lovely day.