Tackle It Tuesday

For THIS I went to college????

 When considering time management issues in life, one thing that always seems to come up is the area of home management. Today we're going to tackle saving a bit of time when cleaning -- it always has to be done, and can be a real bear!  One of the best sites I found years ago was called www.flylady net, which helps you learn how to clean and gives you a schedule and helps you organize it.  It was a lifesaver for me, as at the time this single mom was raising a daughter, working two jobs and going to school.  Any help I could get was more than a small blessing!  I love the quote from the site: "Guilt is our enemy. It eats away at our health and happiness. When we establish these habits, we free ourselves of the guilt that overcomes us when our homes are a mess." ~FlyLady  There aren't many wild women out there that I know that don't carry around some weight of guilt that their homes aren't the way they'd like them to be.  It's hard when you suffer from C.H.A.O.S - Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome, because you feel your home is too messy. Frankly, I'm a bit suspect of anyone who has a picture perfect home 24/7, and I consider dust bunnies very accommodating and non-demanding pets.  If you can afford to have someone else do the job for you, more power to you, girlfriend!  But there is nothing nicer than feeling relaxed and comfortable when someone drops in.  Hey, if a "friend" has issues because I don't have a freshly scrubbed floor, then the title of "friend" may come into question!  That being said, though, it really is an "ahhhhh...." feeling to know you can invite someone over spontaneously and not feel completely embarrassed by the clutter and mess that is draining your energy and stressing you out.   I'm hoping this website and the magic below will help ease any false guilt you may be harboring and put a bit more sparkle in your home and eye today.  Trust me, I'm no Stepford Wife, but I do think a lot of women struggle with the whole "clean house" stress/guilt, and today's blog is simply to offer a few tips that might save you a few minutes around the house.

I discovered Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser about a year ago, and am constantly amazed at how good it works.  It really is a bit of magic!  I know, I sound a bit like an infomercial, and I really am not getting any kickbacks from this unsolicited endorsement!  I just like to pass along good info and products.  So when I saw this website (courtesy of one of my favorite addictions - www.pinterest.com) with a listing of ways it can help around the house, I just had to share it with my wild women!  I've put the list below, but click HERE to surf over for lots of  household tips.

Hello big boy - now THIS is my idea of a knight in shining armor!

Hey, who doesn't want to hang out with a hunky and muscular bald guy with an earring who wants to do your cleaning for you?????  Roll up those sleeves, exercise your time-saving cleaning muscles, and go for it.  If you have any cleaning tips that you can pass along, please email me at linda@coachlindabush.com and I'll post them here!  After all, wild women are also domestic goddesses!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

• Removing scuff marks from floors, doors, and baseboards (…not only scuff marks, but also years of black grime & built-up hairspray on white baseboards in the bathrooms & door panels of cabinets/doors)
•  Making tennis shoes look like new again
•  Cleaning white grout effortlessly
•  Removing set-in tea stains in the Mr. Coffee Instant Tea Maker (pitcher & tea holder)
•  Cleaning the textured plastic parts of the computer monitor, keyboard & mouse
•  Removing set-in stains from drink coasters (…even those ceramic ones)
•  Cleaning in the tiny nooks & crannies of the electric can opener
• remove dried paint from door hinges
• remove tarnish from silver
• remove mold & mildew from anything plastic
• clean & polish gold jewelry
• remove soap scum in the tub and shower
• remove marks on walls
• clean splatters inside the microwave
• remove marks on vinyl siding
• clean mirrors in the bathroom (keeps shower mirrors from fogging)
• remove adhesive residue after removing stickers
• remove waterline mark around the pool
• remove hair dye from countertops & floors
• clean light-colored suede
• remove black scuff marks from baseboards (where the vacuum cleaner hits)
• clean the outdoor side of window sills stained from leaves, dust and dirt
• clean plastic coolers inside and out (…even dirty grimey ones used by men with greasy hands!)
• remove rust spots & stains on countertop
• remove cooked-on stains in pots and pans
• remove soot off the walls near the fireplace
• clean within the grooves of lawn ornaments
• clean sticky/dusty range hood over the stove
• remove nail polish spills or stains
• clean airbake cookie sheets & bakeware (the kind with all those tiny grooves)
• clean oven shelves & the grates on the grill
• remove wet nose marks from pets on the windows (even car windows)
• remove toothpaste splashes from bathroom mirrors
• remove melted plastic on the side of the toaster oven
• remove grimey green algae from cement (bird baths, steps, ponds, etc)
• clean stained elbows from dirty work
• remove green mildew from siding and gutters
• remove paint spills & oversprays
• remove toilet bowl rings (cut a piece off & let it set in your toilet overnight; don’t flush it; doesn’t always work)
• remove built-up algae, water deposits, etc from ceramic flower pots
• clean dish drainers that are gunked with lime and build-up
• remove bird poop from concrete bird bath
• remove coffee & tea stains that remain inside a mug, caraffe, thermos even after washing
• clean the plastic agitator inside your washing machine
• clean window screens (even when they are still in the window)
• remove built-up baked on grease inside the deep fryer
• clean inside the crock pot
• remove melted plastic on a glass top stove
• clean swimming pool steps
• remove baked on brown spots on cookware
• clean antiques & collectibles
• polish collectible coins (UPDATE: coin experts recommend that you do NOT clean coins.)
• clean & shine things up before you sell them in a yard sale
• clean boat & outdoor furniture upholstery
• clean vinyl striping on motorhomes, vans, boats
• clean car tires, including white walls
• clean pebbled surfaces like the outside of plastic coolers
• remove pet & child vomit from carpet or clothing
• remove scuff marks on motorcycle & ATV helmets
• remove grass stains from shoes after mowing the lawn
• remove scuff marks from hangers/shoes in the walk-in closet
• clean oven door
• remove pollen from patio furniture, cars, etc.
• remove soap scum and gunk from around the bathroom faucets
• remove hairspray build-up on countertops and vanities
• remove soap scum inside porcelain & utility sinks
• clean stained caulking along the kitchen sink & countertop
• clean your bicycle, even the tires & rims
• clean tile & grout
• remove mildew from tents, vinyl canopies, awnings, fiberglass items
• remove paint overspray that has dried
• remove shoe marks from the kickplate of house doors & car doors
• clean inside your car (along the handles, window ledge, arm rests, dashboard)
• remove scuff marks and dirt from linoleum floors
• remove stains on leather seats, purses, chairs, etc.
• remove food stains inside plastic food containers
• remove brake dust from tire rims
• remove dirt and grime on a vinyl convertible top
• remove nail polish from walls, carpets, wooden objects, plastic
• remove soil or scuff marks from ceramic tile flooring
• clean non-skid surfaces with tiny grooves (bathtub floors, refrigerator handles, pool steps, cooler lids)
• clean & shine bathroom faucets & fixtures
• remove magic marker, permanent marker, and ballpoint ink from virtually any surface
• clean doll faces
• clean textured handles on major appliances (dishwasher, refrigerator, stove)
• remove fingerprints and dirt on light-colored kitchen cupboards
• clean inside of the refrigerator
• remove crayon marks from walls
• remove dirt from plastic trash cans
• remove dark paint on light-colored carpet
• clean soap scum and oils from hot tub
• clean a car’s vinyl interior (gets into the tiny crinkles in the vinyl armrest, etc.)
• clean white porch railings, columns & pillars
• remove bugs from car windshield, grille, and bumper
• remove paint scratches on your car from minor fender benders
• remove rust and corrosion that’s built-up on the outside of pipes (kitchen/bathroom)
• clean & shine hubcaps
• remove built-up grime on the car steering wheel
• remove finger prints & build-up on the keyboard and mouse
• remove oxidized paint from an old car
• remove built-up gunk from vinyl seats
• remove tar from your car’s paint
• remove set-in stains inside glass and plastic pitchers
• remove scuff marks from the back of car seats (from kids’ shoes)
• clean kids’ plastic toys
• remove dirt and grime from athletic shoes and shoes with leather uppers
• remove stains on the underside of the toilet seat
• remove fingerprint & handprints from light-colored doors & walls
• remove scuff marks from your patio furniture

Thanks so much for this great info from:  http://household-tips.thefuntimesguide.com/2006/01/magic_erasers.php

Tidy Up Thursday

No, wait; before you decide not to even bother reading this… give it a shot! Try to have an open mind...

Let me be the first to admit – I am not a fan of cleaning. Oh, I always feel wonderful when my home is shiny, tidy and everything is organized and in place. Let’s see… that was back in 1980-something???? Truth be told, when the mood hits me, I feel great about organizing my household. But cleaning, well, let’s just say a maid service is definitely on my “Please Santa May I Have” list! I remember reading somewhere that Old Hollywood movie star Ingrid Bergman loved to clean. I also know some women who, when stressed, go on a cleaning rampage around the house. Anyone who wants to get out their stress, let me just say I would gladly be willing to give you the opportunity to work that out at my place! I know – it’s a remarkably large gesture of love on my part, but hey, I’m there for you, sister wild woman!

Especially with the holidays coming up, our stress levels skyrocket when we think of people coming over to our homes. We imagine them sneaking their little white gloves on and testing our shelves to see if we’ve properly dusted. Are you kidding me? Hey, if I can’t see the top of it, then it doesn’t need to be dusted! You pray they won’t snoop into your bathroom closets to see an unorganized mess. Well, girls, here’s a little trick I learned about curing “Nosy Aunt Mable” on that one – fill a cup with marbles and tilt it forward then slam the medicine cabinet mirror shut. Anyone who decides to snoop will be found out with a LOUD CLATTERING!!! I know, a sneaky move… but VERY effective! Just make sure Aunt Mable isn’t wearing a pacemaker, as we don’t need the “CALL 911” drama!!!

Like any other project, you need to think of it in little bits of manageable time and effort. For example, I’ve mentioned before about setting your kitchen timer for 15 minutes and going gangbusters on one little project. Then, it’s done, and you’ve begun the task. It feels good, and it’s not overwhelming. So let’s think of cleaning in the same way.

My favorite site for cleaning is www.flylady.net. That’s where the 15-minute timer idea came from, as well as one of my all-time favorite cleaning tips. At night before you go to bed, clean your sink until it shines. It sounds really strange at first (oh, there she goes again, going all “Donna Reed” on us), but it is amazing how great you feel in the morning, coming down to an empty, gleaming sink instead of a icky, sticky, “aren’t those dishes from last week” monster that just screams GROSS at you before you’ve even had a chance to take your first sip of coffee? She has lots of tips and ideas for cleaning, organizing and just making life less cluttered.

Another two sites have helped me – one is www.organizedhome.com, and the sister holiday site www.organizedchristmas.com. They help you plan, organize and get better control over your home and holidays. Now sometimes any of these sites may get a little too enthusiastic for your taste, but just be open-minded and use what works for you. You don’t have to follow everything to the letter. Just pick out a couple of ideas that are manageable/workable for you. Begin with baby steps. Incorporate one idea a day into your routine. If only one or two ideas work, great – all the better to work down that stress level little by little. Do what you can with what you have. As my friend Karla’s tat says, “It is what it is!” One of my favorite sayings!

So exercise those cleaning and organizing muscles, grab your Swiffer, and get started one dust bunny at a time (and you can always adopt the others and name them). Remember to keep your sense of humor and have fun with it!

Blessings,
Linda