At Your Service

Considering "spring cleaning" is a popular term, I'm assuming I'm not the only one who uses this time of year to clean up, refresh, and renew.  Ever since coming up with my cleaning schedule, I've actually done a much better job of staying on top of things, which means I actually won't be spending this April deep-cleaning the abode (yahoo!).  This also means, though, that over the year, I've come across a few easy, time-saving cleaning/organizing tips, and I figured with it being April and all, now was  good time to share them with you!

1.  Last year, I shared with you how I discovered the wonder that is using dryer sheets on your baseboards.  Well, guess what?!?  Turns out those babies are awesome for keeping dust off anything, so I now use them on the blinds, fans, and anywhere else that tends to trap dust!

2.  Speaking of the fans, I used to despise cleaning those freaking blades because it felt like all the dust would just rain down on me...GROSS!  But then I discovered the genius idea of using a pillow case to clean each blade.  Just wrap it around the blade and give it a good wipe down...all the nasty stuff will end up in the pillow case and you can just throw it out when you're done!  Bonus points if you want to put a dryer sheet in there!

3.  In the interest of saving you a bit of time, I wanted to pass along this little tidbit I heard on the "Today" show a few weeks back.  Turns out you should not rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher...seriously, you're not being lazy.  Turns out your dishwasher is designed to strip off that residue, so if you've scrubbed your dishes clean, the dishwasher is going to strip off your dishes instead!  I have been washing mine clean for years, so this little tip feels like I have a whole lot more time on my hands all of a sudden!

4. This week I've been busy switching out and cleaning out our closets.  I was telling my sister the system I used, assuming it was a pretty obvious one, and she seemed impressed, so I figured I'd pass it along to you all too!  Basically, I put all of my clothes in the closet like regular.  But as I wear things, I put them back at the front of the line, instead of just putting it somewhere random.  Not only does this system help me to remember what I've worn recently, so as not to repeat too frequently, but it also helps me figure out what needs to go.  At the end of the season, then, the stuff that is still at the back of the line is the stuff I haven't worn all year!  And then I figure if I haven't worn it all year, it means it's time to get rid of it!  PS: I use the same system for the boys, but more for the sake of mixing up their outfits since they pretty much outgrow stuff anyway and I don't have to make decisions about what to keep!

So there you have it.  I've said it before and I'll say it again...cleaning is definitely my major housewife weakness, but these little tips sure have helped me out!  Hopefully, you'll find something to help you out too!