Spring Cleaning 101

Spring Cleaning, you hear about it all the time, but do you know what it entails? After reading another blog I have decided to start to write some E-books about Spring and detailed cleaning. The first up will be the kitchen. I am excited about this. I have always been good at cleaning areas and if I can help someone else clean their house more effectively, then great!

I have spent part of today writing about cleaning the stove in the kitchen. It is funny how much I do to clean the stove and didn't realize what all I did until I had to type it! Lol! I will write more soon to keep you updated on when the E-book is done.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Steph

Helpful Websites

I wanted to pass on a few sites I have found to be helpful. I ran across a web-based "refrigerator." It has a refrigerator door look to the site. You can add to-do lists, grocery lists, contacts, emergency numbers, photos and more on the site. It is found at http://www.yadahome.com/. I have not spent much time on it but thought I would pass it on to you.



I also receive updates from http://www.organizedhome.com/. This site has cleaning and organizational tips for your home. They recently posted their Cleaning Grand Plan on the site. It breaks the house down room by room and give tips on how to "Spring Clean" the house. It motivates you to thoroughly clean an area of your home a little at a time. I have not read all of the articles but it looks pretty good.

Price Book

Here is a start of a Price Book. As we gather more information it will be updated. You can use the following link to view the price book. http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcAo0kql85yCpfbhQETkAfw You can use the same link at any time and you will always receive the most updated information. We have a long way to go but, I think this will be really helpful once it is finished. We hope to add Kroger, Meijer and Wal-Mart into the price book.

$25 Gift Card from Sam's Club

Hey, I was reading through some of my emails and I read an advertisement for Sam's Club. If you sign up as a new member by January 21st you will receive a $25 gift card for Sam's! That is only like paying $15 for your membership! I just thought I would pass it on.

Steph

'Shop Smart, Save More'

I was watching a little Good Morning America this morning because I was waiting to see the news so I could understand why my kids had no school. Anyways, they had a woman named Teri Gault on the show. They call her the Queen of Cheap. She authored a book called Shop Smart, Save More. You can read a short excerpt from her book on the ABC website. Here is the link to the article. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/JustOneThing/Story?id=6573895&page=1 The book looks good from what I read so far. Enjoy!

Forget the Jonses Boot Camp

Hey, I just wanted to pass this on to you. I get emails from www.mommysavers.com and they have started a free program to get your New Year started right. They have little assignments each week to complete. It started January 1st but it is not too late to start. I was reading through it a little and she mentioned something about making a price book in the third week. I know we talked about making one so this sounds like it would be great to be involved in. Click on the link to get the info. You have to be a member of the mommysavers site but, that is free. I am excited! Is anyone with me?

http://mommysavers.com/boards/forget-joneses-bootcamp/107756-running-list-ftj-boot-camp-assignments.html

Homemade Laundry Soap and Fabric Softner

I have been using my homemade laundry soap and fabric softner and they seem to work well. Here are the recipes I promised!

Laundry Soap

2/3 Bar of Fels Napthta Soap
1/2 Cup of Washing Soda (not Baking Soda)
1/2 Cup of Borax

Grate the Soap, add Washing Soda and Borax and stir until blended. Use approximately 2 Tablespoons of the mixture per wash load. I have a scoop from an iced tea container or something and I fill that up about 2/3 of the way.

Fabric Softner

2 parts Water
1 part Vinegar
1 part Baking soda

I added 4 cups of water, two cups (1 box of baking soda) and two cups of vinega. Add the water and baking soda in a large bucket and mix until well blended. The baking soda will not dissolve completely. Then slowly add the vinegar and stir until it stops bubbling. It will start fizzing as soon as you add the vinegar. The baking soda will never fully dissolve.

Then you can add drops of essential oil for scent if you want. I added Lavendar to mine. Scent to your liking. Add 1/4 cup of fabric softner to the wash. I put the fabric softner into an old fabric softner container I had and use the lid to measure.

For the Fabric Softner sheets:

You can either dillute the store bought fabric softner and place in a spray bottle or add your homemade fabric softner to the bottle. Spray a piece of felt, washcloth or heavy duty paper towel and place it in the dryer with your clothes.

I hope this helps. I searched online and found several recipe variations.

Steph