Vacuuming Without Electricity

 

 





If you live in an area that loses power when there is a storm, you probably already have a carpet sweeper.  They require no electricity and very little effort to use, but they pick up crumbs and threads from carpet.  A carpet sweeper won't clean as deep as a high powered vacuum cleaner with a beater bar, but will pick up anything on the surface of the carpet, making you feel much better about your rugs when you can't use the vacuum cleaner. 

You can get one for around $30 and here's the best part.  Kids love to use them.

 

Living with Organization

It's that time of year again, when the frenzy of cleaning and home organization articles start.  Everywhere you look are photos of perfectly organized homes with coordinating colors in baskets, hooks, pegboards, and gorgeous containers.  Each one looks like a shelf at Bed Bath and Beyond.

I would love to have every shelf and cabinet in my home look like this bathroom cabinet.  (iheartorganizing.blogspot.com)  Daunting cleaning checklists for daily chores, seasonal tasks, and special tasks are everywhere.  It makes my head spin just thinking about all that work. 

Here's how it works at my house.  I take everything out of the pantry, wipe off the shelves and start putting it all back:  canned goods on one shelf, baking supplies on another, beans, rice, and pasta on another.  When I'm done, I stand back and admire all that work that lasts about 3 days.  Then my schedule gets busy, company is coming, I go to the store and buy all the food I need to entertain them and suddenly there is no more room on one of the shelves.  So what do I do?  I put it on the wrong shelf just to have it out of sight and pretty soon the whole system is shot.

My life is hectic, as is yours and most other people's lives, and since I don't live in Pleasantville and since I work and just signed up for some online classes, plus have a lot of other obligations, I have more to do than keep my house looking perfect.  Some people have that clean, make it look effortless, keep it organized gene.  My mother has it, but unfortunately, I don't.  It's a real effort to keep things in order.  I have many interests and lots of supplies and materials for each of them.  I get a lot done each day, but things are usually not in perfect order.

creative space organizing

I have a friend whose home is always spotless.  She works, yet her laundry is always done and nothing is ever out of place.  I feel like a failure when I'm in a perfect house like that, but the reason her house is always immaculate is she has no hobbies.  She doesn't cook, sew, craft, garden, scrapbook, or do anything that ever makes a mess.  Her free time is spent watching a movie or reading a book.  There is something to be said for not making messes, but I'm a creative person to the max.  There is almost always a project in process somewhere in the house and I really cook.  Last night I made ribs, greens, lima beans (because in our area I couldn't find black eyed peas), and cornbread for New Year's Day.  I made a spice rub to put on the ribs and oven baked them.  They turned out super tender and delicious.

While the ribs baked, I fashioned new handles and a knob for a popcorn pan that has been passed down for generations in my family.  http://anamericanhomemaker.blogspot.com/2014/01/happy-new-year-and-pot-facelift.html  It's a seriously ugly pan and the handles and knob were crumbing, so now it has new red handles.  I know most people would have thrown it out, but it has history and makes the most amazing popcorn you've ever tasted. 

I once designed my ideal house on paper.  It had more space in storage, cabinets, and closets than in living space.  I'd love to have a big room to sew, craft, and paint in; something organized and pretty as well.  It would be great to have a designated space for all that fun stuff and not have to constantly be clearing off the table so we can eat, only to drag it all out again after the meal.  We all have dreams and that is a good thing.

Gotta go get ready for work.  I'm seriously going to try that Spring Cleaning 365 Day plan where you work on organizing a specific area for at least 5-10 minutes a day.  I think I can find that much time, but you never know.

Life goes on, no matter how clean or dirty your home is and the really important things are the people and relationships in our lives, but I still want my home to be clean and organized.  It's a challenge, just like the rest of life.

Gift Shop Home Scent

Gift stores and candle shops all used to have a wonderful scent that I couldn't pin down.  It was a woodsy spicy scent that drew me like a moth to a flame.  It has been a long time since I've smelled the elusive redolence, but I happened to throw some things into a pot to simmer today and BINGO!

 

If you are tired of the traditional orange, cinnamon, and clove variety of simmering pot, give this one a try.  It's wonderful.

To a pot, add :  2 Tbs. dried Rosemary
                         1 lemon, sliced
                         3-4 bay leaves

Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer.  Add water as needed.  The magic is in the bay leaves.  This lemon had been zested, so you don't see much yellow and much of the fragrance is in the peel, so it would be even better with a fresh lemon.

Home Keeping Recipes

A few months ago I was in an airport and spied this gorgeous book.  It had blank pages and the design on the front is William Morris, a particular favorite of mine.  The book is small and I couldn't resist.

It sat on the book shelf for a while.  I knew it had a special purpose, but I hadn't yet determined what that would be.

During those months, I began making homemade cleaning supplies, experimenting with essential oils, and even making a few beauty products.  Little scraps of paper, post-its, and random notebook pages with recipes written on them were building up; but then I realized the purpose for this beautiful book.

I haven't posted many of these recipes, because most of them came from other blogs.  I've tried many recipes.  Some worked and some didn't work so well.  I kept them anyway because I've found from moving around that some things work in hard water and not so well in soft, and vice versa.  Since I've moved twenty times so far, I figured they might come in handy before long.

The ones I really like are highlighted so I can find them quickly, and the book is divided into categories: cleaning products, natural pest repellants, and beauty products, to name a few.

If you want to put your home keeping recipes in a book, find one that is beautiful and "sings" to you.  If you are like me and clean only because it is necessary, not because you enjoy it, every little thing you can do to make it more pleasant helps.  Writing the formulas in a pretty book, scenting them with your favorite essential oil, or buying sponges and rubber gloves in your favorite color all make cleaning less of a chore and more of an aromatherapy experience, and make it more likely that you'll do the tasks needed to keep your home clean.

Saving Containers for Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Over the past year, I've made almost all the cleaning solutions we use in our household.  It took some trial and error, but I've narrowed the recipes down to a hand full of very effective solutions that cost a fraction of commercial cleaners, plus they are less toxic and better for our environment.

Like many of you, I save jars to put these solutions in ( I like the Marketside salad dressing bottles that look like old fashioned milk bottles.  The salad dressing is very good too.)  Sometimes getting off the old labels is a real chore.  Yesterday I ran across a tip that worked like a charm:  Put one scoop of oxygen cleaner in a sink full of hot water.  Place your jars in the solution and let them soak 15-20 minutes.

The oxygen cleaner (I used Sun brand) bubbles around the jar while it soaks.  The bonus is that it cleans the sink while it soaks off the labels.

 

After a few minutes, the label lifted off in one piece and the sticky goo that usually has to be scraped, soaked some more, and scrubbed to get it off, actually wiped off with a sponge!  This tip saves tons of work and frustration.

 

 

 

In just a few minutes, all that was left was a sparkling clean mason jar and a very clean sink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Soap

The other day I was at Whole Foods and purchased EO All Purpose Soap in Lavender.  I am not sure whether I purchased it for the gorgeous deep lapis bottle (darker than it shows here) or some other reason, but I LOVE this soap!  I'm still a fan of Dr. Bronners and have every scent they make, but there is something so lovely about this one.  I've used it for several jobs and it worked as well as any castile soap.  The back has a chart telling you how much to use for everything from showering to cleaning the grill and keeping bugs off your plants, plus all sorts of house cleaning tasks.  It comes in lemon, peppermint, and lavender - some of my favorite scents.  EO stands for everyone and is made in California.

This soap is gentle and not as medicinal smelling as some lavender can be, which makes it perfect for use in homemade skincare recipes.

I'm all for good smelling cleaning products.  It makes the job so much more pleasant.  And isn't it nice that one beautiful bottle can handle windows and greasy pans plus gently clean your car?

Cleaning Schedule

Years ago most women were housewives.  Their job was to maintain the home and raise the children; and most did it happily.

To make their homes run smoothly, they had a cleaning schedule.  A typical schedule went something like this:

Monday:  Wash Day
Tuesday:  Ironing
Wednesday:  Darning and Sewing
Thursday:  Free day to shop or visit
Friday:  Clean house
Saturday:  Baking
Sunday:  Family Day/Worship

It sounds simple, but I know from trying to keep to a schedule, there are too many variables and life doesn't always run on a schedule.  These days, we seem to fill our days with constant activity and our obligations are heavier than they were back then.

With good intentions, I make schedules and try to stick to them so I can accomplish more, but even as an empty-nester, my schedules and good intentions often explode in my face.  Still, I believe a regular plan is the best way to stay on top of household chores.

We have the benefit of automatic washers and dryers.  Wash day is much easier on modern wives.  We don't have to stick to a schedule with this.  If your son must have his favorite or lucky t-shirt for school the next day, you can wash it with minimal effort.  In reality, it's easier to wash a load or two per night rather than wash a whole weeks worth of clothes for a family in one day.

Most of us can't imagine a whole day designated to ironing.  Our grandmothers ironed everything that anyone in the family wore, and then ironed the bed linens and tea towels.  It was hot work and they were on their feet the whole time.

 

I'm so happy we don't have to iron everything these days, and if we want to iron something, it doesn't take nearly as long with a modern steam iron.

 

Who darns socks anymore?  My sewing machine has a darning foot and will do that, but I've never used it.  We are fortunate indeed to be able to throw out our holey socks and just buy a new package for a couple of dollars.

 

A visiting day may seem quaint in our day.  We text more than we even talk on the phone, but just imagine going to a friend's house and sharing a cup of coffee and catching up - even for just an hour.  I like that idea.  It builds relationships that you can't build with a cell phone.  We are all on the run and texting is an easy way to keep in touch and keep track of our kids, but it is impersonal.  I love hearing a friend's voice.  Maybe technology is cheating us out of time with friends and family.

Having a cleaning day sounds like a good idea.  You know what a great feeling it is when everything is done and you can sit down and enjoy your sparkling home.  With our busy schedules, many of us don't have the luxury of getting it all done on one day.  We more than likely clean a room each day or just rake out the middles during the week and spend our weekends trying to catch up while our energy reserves are running on empty.    Or maybe you do one task per night:  Dust one night, vacuum the next, mop the hard floors another, etc. in between shuttling your children from ball practice and piano lessons and shopping, paying bills, and doing laundry.

 

A baking day is obsolete unless you bake for a hobby or are making homemade bread because of dietary restraints or to avoid preservatives.

 

 

 

Sunday used to be a family day where everyone went to church.  It was a good thing in so many ways!  Spending time together lets your children feel part of a family unit.  Worshipping together gives them a faith to practice, values, other decent people to spend time with.  If you are going to do anything for your children, this is one of the best things you could ever do for them.  Sitting down to eat together, not just on Sunday, keeps you abreast of what is going on in your children's lives.  It's important to keep the lines of communication open and to know who their friends are.  I could go on about this for days, but I'm getting off subject. 

 

Our lives have changed over the years, but some things never change.  You still have to clean the house, do laundry, cook, shop and run a household, even if you live alone.  Our chores are basically the same, but we are fortunate to have superior tools with which to do them.   Our grandmothers never had microwave ovens, convenience foods, or dishwashers.  Count your blessings;  they are many.

 

No matter how much our lives change, these constants will always remain.  Women will always be the homemakers and bear most of the chores and childcare.  We will always  be the ones taking care of things and making sure the house runs smoothly.  Do you have a cleaning schedule?

 

 

 

 

 

Ironing Water

 

 

 

Do you hate to iron?  I used to dread it, but a few  years ago I got a Rowenta iron.  Before that, I burned up an iron a year.  Other manufacturers have improved their steam output, so there may be other brands that compare to the Rowenta, but I'm really sold on mine.  I'm still using it after 17 years, so it was worth every penny and irons clothing twice as good in half the time.  How's that for an endorsement?   I use my iron when sewing to press down every seam and I usually iron everything we wear when we leave the house.  Pressed clothing looks so much nicer than unpressed.  I've never seen a no-iron garment that didn't look better if you ironed it.

 

My grandmother used to iron everything - even the sheets and pillow cases.  Her ironing always smelled good. 

 

Here's a really easy linen water recipe that will make ironing an aromatherapy experience.

 

4 drops lavender essential oil

1/4 cup unflavored Vodka

about 3 1/2 cups distilled water

spray bottle

 

Just put everything in the spray bottle and shake it up.  You can omit the Vodka if you want.  It helps the water evaporate faster and can be used to remove odors from clothing with no detrimental effects to fabric.  Let the linen water sit overnight before you use it.  If you want more scent, you can add it, but start with a light touch.  You can always add more.  Mist the fabric lightly.  When the hot iron hits the damp fabric the scent rises.

 

I've been making aprons to give away.  I ironed them with Ironing Water and folded them.  I'm hoping the scent will waft up when they are opened. 

 

 

 

After making one for me, I liked it so much I made several others.  They are addictive.  Must be the rick rack that brings back memories of cute shorts and tops from childhood trimmed with this nostalgic trim. http://anamericanhomemaker.blogspot.com/2012/10/in-love-with-rick-rack.html