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5 Things to Declutter

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Remember when they said computers will be the end of paper and books? So funny now. If anything it has helped increase our clutter ten fold. Not to mention the actual electronics themselves. They become obsolete so quickly they are clutter in their own right.

Below, you will find a monthly list of five quick things to declutter in your home. Enjoy.

1. Your school supplies. Target alredy has their back to school out. I’m starting to see sales too. We all have extra supplies we store at the end of the previous year. Toss things that no longer work or donate what you no longer need. Make a list of what you still need too.

2. Games and puzzles. Have any that are missing pieces. Let them go. Also a great time to donate ones you have outgrown.

3. Shoes. Some are worn out, some you only wore once, and several can be outgrown by the kids. If you are not saving them for family, donate or toss depending on the state of them.

4. Keychain. Some of us only have one or two keys on our keychain. Some have more. If you are in the more category can you let some of them go? Do you really need your grandmother’s keys from 40 years ago? Your family isn’t even in the house anymore. If it is sentimental keep one of the keys. Let go or the rest.

5. Kids keepsakes. Sure we all keep things from our child’s formative years. But the real question is how much have you kept. I’m talking about papers now. We will get to other items later. Artwork, old tests, and their book reports can be let go. If you want to, keep the best 5 are pieces of art and let the others go.

Hope this gives you some motivation. Remember, that these are quick tasks that you should be able to do in a short amount of time. Don’t ruminate on the items. Happy tossing.

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5 Things You Need To Clean ASAP!

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So much grime, so little time. We all know to make our bed, wash the floor, put the laundry away.  But there are small things, things you don’t think of that need cleaning.  Sometimes they are dirty, sometimes they are icky (germs) but all need to be done.  In this quick and hectic world we lose track of these things.  So here is a monthly list of five quick things to clean.  They take no time, but add so much to your overall household being sparkly and neat.

  1. Dust the top of all your tall bookcases, grandfather clock, curio cabinets etc.  If its high up and you can’t see it, you need to do it.  Prevent all that dust and gunk from floating down onto other surfaces.  This can be done quickly.  It also doesn’t have to be perfect.
  2. Light switches.  Do one level.  So if you have a two story home due the main level, then do the second level at another time.
  3. Dust the lights.  Again, this is only a quick dust.  I especially get the standing lamps as they always get missed.
  4. Clean your dining room’s lazy susans and trivets.  I use mine at every meal.  So sometimes they need a good scrub.
  5. Last but certainly no least, wipe all your remotes.

Check in next month for another quick list of five things to clean.

 

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5 things to Clean

nschristineLeave a comment

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Love this photo from the Unsplash website.  So beautiful.  A few days ago, I had posted 5 things to declutter.  It’s time for it’s sister list: 5 things you need to clean.  Here are 5 things that need a quick clean.  Happy cleaning!

1. Window Coverings.  When was the last time you laundered or dry cleaned your drapes?  Have you wiped down your blinds? Get going!

2. Clean under large furniture items like sofas etc.

3. Vacuum your air vents.  Get that dust out of the grates!

4. Wipe off you light switches.

5. Clean your coffee maker and toaster.  We use them everyday, but how often do we clean them?

There you go, your 5 for July!

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5 Things to Declutter

nschristineLeave a comment

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I’m not a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination.  I like stuff.  I don’t like a ton of stuff, but just enough.  This is why I love to declutter and organize.  I do it year round.  There is something relaxing about seeing a clean and organized pantry.  That’s why I do monthly lists in both cleaning and decluttering.  It’s 5 quick things you can do over the month to keep tabs and value your possessions.  Here is this months 5 for you.

1. Clean your hall or front door closet.  The one with all the shoes and coats.  Donate, toss or move stuff from this high traffic area.

2. Check all your condiments in the fridge.  Make sure nothing is past use by date!

3. Do the same with your freezer.

4. Do under the kitchen sink.

5. Clear off your dining room table.

Happy organizing and decluttering.

 

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Currently…3 Podcasts You Should Listen To

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Last year I got into listening to podcasts.  Mainly, true crime podcasts.  However, recently I’ve started to discover fictional series podcast’s stories.  I’m a big SciFi nerd, so I’ll begin in that area.

The first podcast I recommend is one called “Ostium.” Ostium follows one man on his quest to find an empty town named Ostium that no one else knows about.  When he arrives, the town is of course empty and locked. He finally gets in and he begins to explore. He finds a special wooden map table and each door in the city leads to a new location and a new time.  What is this place? Why is he here? Who are the others that he keeps seeing?  Add some danger, a romance and some intrigue and voila! Interested?  Check out this podcast.

The second podcast I want to tell you about is “Today’s Teenager.”  A good podcast that discusses relevant topics related to teenagers.  The host explains a teenagers point of view and gives the reasons behind them. Examples are given in a way parents and other adults can understand.  Topics include Teens and video games, how to talk with your teens, teen apathy, emotions and more.  If you have a teen in your life this is definitely one you have to check out.

The third podcast I would have you listen to is “The Earth Collective.”  At first listening to this podcast goes a little slow.  You are trying to figure out what you are listening to and why.  Humans have gone to the stars.  They have conquered and settled on other planets.  On one of those planets humans did amazingly well.  Then something happened.  The Darkness.  The civilization and population begin to decline.  The darkness took them, it was to be feared, stay away from the darkness.  To save themselves, humanity develops a way to stay in the light.  Now, all that humanity cares about is surviving the darkness by staying ahead of it. Constantly moving.  On what are house caravans and any means of motorized movement. One member of the caravan decided to make a broadcast about the history he knows and what their life is like now.  He uploads his broadcasts to the last satellite in orbit so maybe someday someone will find it.  The historian is beginning to figure things out.  Others may be listening in.  What happens to humans who can’t keep up? Mysterious things start to happen.  Conspiracy? Aliens? Afterlife?  Listen to find out.

What do you think? Interested in trying any of these?  Let me know what you think.  Do you have any podcasts you think I should listen to?

 

 

 

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5 Things to Clean

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Every month I post a short list of five things to clean.  I’m not writing about washing your floor or making your bed.  I’m talking about those little things, that you almost never clean.  Things like your remote control, you phone and so on.  I hope my list will make you say “Oh, that’s gross.  I need to clean that!” Yeah, I know.  I’m the sole blogger on this planet that wants you to exclaim “gross” over a suggestion from them.  What can I say? I’m an odd duck.  So here it is, happy cleaning!

1. lamp shades and bases: Rarely cleaned, cobwebs and dust abound.  Give it a quick swish.  Depending on the material what you use can be different.  Choose the best cleaning option for you.

2. Windowsills:  All that goop from rain and winter snow has accumulated in the sash.  Clean it! I use bleach wipes.  Quick and easy!

3. Filters in your air purifier:  It’s allergy season.  Anyone else suffering?  I am.  I rely on several air purifiers. When was the last time you cleaned them.  Some can be simply wiped out, others need a new filter.  Do it now!  Give that machine a once over so it can work optimally.

4. Water Bottles:  We all have those reusable mugs and bottles. You can run some of them through the dishwasher.  You can also use an infant bottle brush to scrub the inside if you prefer to hand wash.

5. Banister and Slats:  Ever washed your banister and the slats? You will be surprised at the amount of dirt and grime that comes up.  If you have real wood don’t forget to treat it with special cleaning products.

How is this list?  Do you have something you would like me to include in the next month’s post? Let me know in the comments below.

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Five Things To Clean

nschristineLeave a comment

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It’s a new month and I have five more things for you to clean as part of Spring Cleaning.  Here they are:

  1. Cabinets in kitchen.  Wipe them inside and out.  This is a great opportunity to add shelf liners, rid yourself of extra plastic bins and other extras or one offs.  Be sure to wash the silverware organizer.
  2. Clean the backsplash, walls, and light fixtures in the kitchen.
  3. The floor and baseboards in the kitchen.
  4. The counters, and any additional small appliances or furniture in the kitchen.
  5. The linen closet.

Keep in mind this is a great time to downsize and declutter too.