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The Challenges of Downsizing Homes: How to decide what to keep, sell, or donate

June 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

There often comes a point in ones life where they decide downsizing is a good option. Maybe you are looking to reduce cost of living or maybe you just don’t have use for all of the extra rooms anymore. Either way, the process can sometimes be difficult, as reviewing and deliberating on what to keep and what to get rid of can be emotional. These are belongings you’ve likely had more many years and letting go of them forever is not easy. We’ve helped clients with this process in the past and have found a few general guidelines to be helpful:

1) Give Yourself Time: The process of downsizing, if possible, should be done over the course of several months. Once you decide a move is possible, begin to slowly start reviewing your belongings room by room. Do a little each day or a couple of rooms each weekend until you have made it through the lot. If it helps, use small post-it notes to designate keep, sell, donate or trash.

2) Work with a Friend or Professional: Having a friend or a professional organizer assist in the process can be great. They are able to offer neutral viewpoints on whether to keep certain items, ask questions that will help guide you to make decisions, and organize the process in an efficient manner (if working with a professional).

3) Sell vs. Donate: This is a common question. While selling all of the belongings can result in extra money, it can also be a great deal of work. When deciding if the investment in time is worth it consider the following questions. If your answers to these questions are mostly yes, it may make sense for you to organize an estate sale, a garage sale, or sell the items via Craigslist. If not, donation is likely your best option.

  1. Are the items valuable?
  2. Are the items estate sale quality?
  3. Are the items in good to excellent condition?
  4. Are the items useful today? (i.e. selling a VCR probably isn’t worth the effort, but a recently purchased iPhone might be)
  5. Are the items unique or potentially collectables?

4) Think Rationally, Not Emotionally: When reviewing items in your home, attempt to think about each item in a rational way. In addition to remembering the emotional connection you have with the item, also evaluate it’s frequency of use. While it may be something you liked years ago, if it hasn’t been touched since then, it probably isn’t going to be missed if you let it go.

Good luck in your downsizing!

TWOW

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3 Common Excuses for Clutter & How to Stop Making Them

June 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Many of the individuals we work with struggle with maintaining a clutter-free home. They truly want to have an organized home and life, but when it comes to the execution we often hear the same excuses again and again. While we understand that things do come up and that no one is organized all of the time, there are ways to minimize the excuses and get on a consistent organizing plan.

1) “It’s Not Me, It’s My Partner”: Occasionally this excuse is true, but often times both people are contributing to the problem in some way. With this issue, we recommend several strategies. First, work together to devise an organizing and cleaning plan. Both partners must contribute to the design and it should include responsibilities for each person. If need be, create a physical chart with check marks for completion of tasks each week. If someone isn’t pulling their weight, schedule a meeting to discuss what obstacles are getting in the way and how you can work together to achieve the goal. The second part of this plan is to reinforce when effort has been made. If you see your partner picking up the house, thank and compliment them. Expressed appreciation encourages continued effort more than anything else.

2) “I don’t have the time”: Many people are very busy with work and life, but typically the average person has extra free time that they just aren’t utilizing to the fullest. For example, while watching tv at night you can also be folding laundry or putting items back where they belong. The other part of this issue, is the ability to clean as you go. If you are cooking dinner for the family, try to wash a few pots along the way. At the end of dinner, all you’ll have left are a few plates and silverware, making the clean up process quick and easy.

3) “I don’t have enough space to be organized”: This is one we see a lot! The underlying issue is that for people like this, no amount of space will ever be enough. They accumulate to their max capacity and if they had a bigger home, they would do it there too. To rectify these situations we recommend a few tips. First, doing a major purge two times per year will help keep the possessions to an acceptable and livable level. The one in one out strategy is also great for individuals like this. For every new item that comes into the home, one must leave. This will assist you in maintaining the smaller amount of items after your first purge.

Clutter happens to everyone, but recognizing when you’re making unnecessary excuses for it can help keep the problem from happening in the first place.

TWOW

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Childproofing Checklist

June 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Babyproofing your home before your child starts crawling and especially once they are on the move is important for the safety of the child. Here is a comprehensive checklist of what needs to happen in each room of the house:

KITCHEN:

  • Add appliance latches to oven, fridge, dishwasher and all other lower appliances
  • Add child-proof door latches to all cupboards and drawers below counter level
  • Install a stove guard and knob handle covers
  • Move knives into locked drawer instead of the counter top
  • Remove table cloths from tables if there are heavy items on top that could be pulled off and hurt the child
  • Install a safety cover on the garbage disposal

AROUND THE HOME:

  • Add electrical plug covers throughout the home
  • Hide all cords or user cord storage boxes. Ensure that if a cord was pulled, nothing heavy could fall on the child
  • Add baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs and to dangerous rooms (garage)
  • Add locks to all doors and windows
  • Install corner and edge bumpers, if desired
  • Secure all large furniture to the walls
  • Secure all guns and other dangerous weapons in a locked safe
  • Remove all toxic plants from the home
  • Install window guards
  • Secure up high or remove window coverings with hanging cords.

BATHROOM:

  • Add a child-proof latch to the medicine cabinet (even if it is located higher up)
  • Check the water temperature to make sure it is not above 120 degrees Fahrenheit or have a plumber install an anti-scald device
  • Add non-slip mats or stickers to the bathtub floor
  • Never leave flat-irons or curling irons on when unattended and ensure the cord is not dangling below the counter

LIVING ROOM:

  • Block the fireplace with a cover or gate

CHILD’S ROOM:

  • Purchase a crib approved by baby safety associations and do not use bumpers
  • Install a fire latter outside the child’s window once they are old enough to use it safely
  • Remove any sharp toys or anything that could wrap around a child’s neck

OUTSIDE:

  • Add a fence or safety cover to the pool
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Organizing Bills & Payments

June 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dealing with financial management, including monthly bill payments can be difficult for many people. The may find themselves sending in payments late for no other reason than the fact they forgot. If you are looking to get organized and set up a plan for efficiently dealing with finances and bills, check out our simple steps.

1) Automate: Although this option does not work for everyone, automating payments via your bank’s online bill pay system can save you time and money. You’ll never have to worry about whether or not you sent in the payment on time or if you’ll incur a late fee. This plan works especially well for monthly recurring bills, such as gym memberships, cable service, or cell phone bills, but you can set up almost all accounts to be paid this way. Automation is also a great tool for increasing your savings. Automated savings deposits (especially to another bank account that you don’t see or touch) can ensure you contribute each month.

2) Go Paperless: Requesting paperless bills will help to keep you and your home organized. This allows you to maintain all of the records you need, without having to store a physical copy. In terms of payments, many people like the system of keeping the email reminder in their inbox until it has been paid. Once you’ve scheduled the payment, archive the email and you’re good until the next month.

3) Physical Organization: If you are going to manage bills the old fashioned way, set yourself up for organizational success by creating a system. Store all unpaid bills together in one folder and only relocate them after they have been paid. The folder should only contain one month’s worth of bills. Once something been paid, mark it as paid and file the paper bill in an organized cabinet. You can also shred it, as you’ll always be able to access the information online, should you need it.

4) Schedule Bill Pay Time: Scheduling 2-4 days per month for bill pay can help you keep on track. Mark the recurring days and times on the calendar and allot enough time to get everything paid that’s due before your next bill pay appointment.

5) Management & Tracking Systems: For more tech savvy people, a financial management system such as LearnVest or Mint.com can help you monitor income, expenses, bills, savings, and investments. It can also remind you when things are due, alert you to excessive interest charges and give recommendations for improving your financial situation. The ability to access your entire portfolio of finances in one place or on-the-go is also a nice feature.

TWOW

 

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Organizing Your To-Do List

May 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

An overflowing to-do list is always a source of stress. We’ve complied our favorite methods for organizing, planning, and executing the tasks on your list in a way that is both efficient and easy.

1) Like with Like: Write out your to-do list in a way that groups like tasks together. Potential categories include: phone calls, computer work, physical errands, personal errands (dentist appt., nail appt., etc.)  and requests from others and long-term projects.

2) Consider Location: When organizing your list, consider the locations of where physical errands need to be completed. If there is a shopping center that contains multiple stores at which you have tasks, get them all done at once instead of making multiple trips.

3) Timing is Everything: When planning the execution of your to-do list, take into consideration the timing needs of the various tasks. For example, calls to vendors need to happen during business hours, while internet research could take place after hours. If you plan ahead you won’t find yourself pushing off tasks due to an inability to complete them during your free hours.

4) Prepare Yourself for Success: If certain tasks on your list involve physical processes, such as returns, prepare for the possibility of getting them done when the opportunity arises by placing the items (including receipts) in your car. This concept is also true for all other tasks that need to be completed while out and about.

5) Enlist Help: If a task on your list would take you twice as long as it would your husband or a friend, hand it off. In the same respect, if your hourly worth exceeds the cost it would take you to outsource the task to a personal assistant, it likely makes sense to pay for it to be handled instead of doing it yourself.

What are your favorite to-do list tricks?

TWOW

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Common Questions (and Answers) for a Professional Organizer

May 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

When organizing people’s homes we often answer the same questions again and again. While our answers occasionally change based on the situation, we’ve also come up with general strategies and concepts that seem to ring true for most.

1) Should I keep all of the sizes I fluctuate between? This is a common problem. We find that many individuals with overflowing closets are often holding on to wardrobes in several sizes because of frequent weight changes. What we always tell people is that it’s easier to fluctuate between sizes when you have the next size up available to you. If your jeans were getting a bit tight and you had no larger size available, you might be more conscious of eating healthy and working out to make the current jeans fit again.

2) What do I do with the stuff I’m storing for family/friends? The first question to ask is how long have you been storing the items. Next ask yourself if there was a time limit placed on providing the storage and when the last time the owner mentioned the items. If you’ve had clothing from a relative for several years, chances are they don’t need it anymore and would be fine giving it away. If they truly want the items give them a deadline by which to move them and stand by it. Just remember, this is your home, not a storage unit.

3) How do I maintain the organization? This is the most difficult part of organizing for most people. They love the idea of getting organized, but struggle to maintain it after we’ve left. To assist in keeping your home tidy and organized, commit to a daily routine of putting things back where they belong. Each night, before you go to bed walk around the home and conduct a mini-reset. This will help keep things from getting out of control. Labels are also a great idea to ensure things go back to their rightful homes.

4) What papers do I keep and what can be tossed? In general, if you can find a copy of the document somewhere online, shred, recycle or trash the hard copy. For documents that are currently being used, maintain a inbox/outbox system that is reviewed each week for expired/unnecessary items. To determine what documents need to be stored long-term or for tax purposes, review Suze Orman’s Financial Clutter, What to Keep List.

5)  Am I a Hoarder? It is common for individuals using a professional organizer to feel like perhaps they are a Hoarder. The reality is that the amount of collecting or acquisition that it takes to become a Hoarder is significant and most people do not fit the clinical definition. That being said, there are many people with hoarding tendencies. If any of the following statements are true, you may benefit more from a mental health professional, than an organizer.

  • You acquire belongings to fulfill an emotional need
  • You hold onto excessive amounts of items with little or no value (i.e. newspapers, old magazines, trash, etc.)
  • Your belongings have taken over the space you require to live comfortably in your home
  • You are extremely reluctant to part with any belongings, no matter their frequency of use, value, or usefulness
  • The collecting of items has otherwise impaired your life or health

What are some of the questions you’ve always wanted to ask a professional organizer?

TWOW

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Guest Post: 8 Ways to Have Fun Cleaning

May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

While everyone wants a sparkling house, getting there can be…well, a chore. For working and stay-at-home moms alike, jam-packed schedules often limit the time available for cleaning, and it can be easy to do a lackluster job or simply not do it at all some weeks.

Some people hire a housekeeper to clean for them, but if you don’t, here are eight ways to make cleaning fun for yourself and your family:

1. Create a Theme
Parties and special events often have themes that make them special. Borrow that magic for cleaning day. By adding a simple theme, you can turn chores into fun. Pick something like Pirate Adventure. Everyone in your family can dress up in leftover Halloween costumes, play music like the soundtrack toJake and the Never Land Pirates and talk like a pirate while cleaning. Make cleaning silly and you’ll forget that you’re actually working.

2. Make it a Race
Becky, a mom and cleaning expert who blogs at Clean Mama, recommends that you: “Time yourself and try to beat last week’s time.” If you’re the ultra-competitive type (even with yourself), this can be a great way to get motivated. Challenge your kids to see who can make a bed the fastest and give a prize to the winner — maybe they get to pick the next flick for movie night.

3. Get the Family Involved
Cleaning isn’t just something that mom handles. Every member of the family should pitch in. “I like to involve my kids in the chores so we are doing them together,” says Becky.

Like Becky, Jan Dougherty, cleaning expert and author of “The Lost Art of House Cleaning,” says cleaning should be a family affair. Dougherty believes cleaning is an important life tool all children should learn. “Give your children the proper tools to do a good job. Rather than instructing them to clean their room and walking away, give them one-on-one instruction,” she suggests. Kids will enjoy the personal attention and feeling of importance you’re giving them.

4. Shoot Hoops
If you’re getting the whole family involved, set up a few trash bins around the room you’re tackling and have family members take turns trying to throw trash or other items you’re getting rid of into the bins. This can be fun in its own right, but for a little extra motivation, you can award the person who makes the most baskets a prize. The prize can be anything from a homemade “MVP Cleaning Trophy” to even getting to opt out of the chore of their choice for next week’s cleaning duties.

5. Head Outside
We mainly think of cleaning as things to do inside the home, but there’s plenty of work that needs to be done outside as well. Get some fresh air while tackling yard work. Have the kids help rake up leaves and then have fun jumping in the piles before scooping the leaves into garbage bags. In the winter months, getting the kids to help shovel the driveway is easy when you promise they can use the extra snow to make igloos and snowmen when the shoveling is complete. And teach them how to garden by starting with easy tasks like weeding and watering.

Learn more Tricks to Get Kids to Do Yard Work »

6. Skate to Clean Floors
Who doesn’t love that scene from Pippi Longstocking where she puts sponges on her feet to mop the floors? Have everyone remove their socks and shoes and tear up old towels so that everyone gets their own pair of “skates.” Fill up the sink or a bucket with soap and water and have everyone dip their skates into the soapy water before putting them under their feet and gliding around the room. To dry the floor, grab an oversized towel and have everyone jump on board, single file to create a cleanup choo-choo train.

7. Multitask
Cleaning can be a great way to sneak some exercise into your life. Kill two birds with one stone by wearing light ankle weights or watching your form while you polish the counter tops. If you aren’t interested in the weights, Becky recommends you “wear a pedometer and see how many steps you can take while you do your house cleaning.” Cleaning can be great cardio if you’re willing to look a little foolish in your own home. Who knows? You may be motivated to take more steps, and thus, clean more.

8. Entertain Yourself
One of the best ways to make cleaning fun is to make it entertaining. Becky recommends playing music or putting on a kid-friendly movie while you all fold laundry. In the same way music can motivate you to workout harder, it can also pump up your chores. After all, who hasn’t used their mop handle to pretend they were Adele at the Oscars? Put on some upbeat tunes and dance around the house while de-griming. You will be done in no time.

Cleaning doesn’t have to be tedious and boring. By taking it step-by-step and incorporating small games and challenges into each chore, you can make it a fun, family activity rather than bemoaning all of the things you have to do. The next time cleaning day rolls around, bust out your MP3 player, put on some ratty clothes and get down with your bad self.

This post was generously written by Alaina Brandenburger, a Contributor for Care.com (www.Care.com), the largest online care destination in the world.

 

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Guest Post: 7 Benefits of Green Cleaning

April 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Learn why you should switch to eco-friendly cleaning products.

As lives become busier, over-scheduled and more stressful, it’s easy to gravitate towards the latest products that promise to make annoying chores even easier. Need a bathroom cleaner? On your next trip to the store, you grab one of the many bright and colorful bottles promising to be a quick fix. But did you ever think about what’s in that container?

Whether you’re a housekeeper who cleans with these products all day or someone who cleans your own home regularly, you should take the time to consider it.

Most are made up of harsh cocktails of chemicals, which can be bad for your health — and your kids’ health. As people rethink what they’re bringing into their homes, they’re looking for greener solutions.

Two experts Leslie Reichert, author of “Joy of Green Cleaning,” and Sara Snow, author of “Sara Snow’s Fresh Living,” share the reasons why people should make the switch to green cleaning products.

What to try green cleaning for yourself? Read up on Green Cleaning: 12 Natural Solutions that Really Work »

1. Healthier Home
If you go green, “No longer will there be chemicals absorbed into the skin or breathed in by the person cleaning,” Reichert says. Health benefits extend to family members who are no longer breathing in cleaners lingering in the air and sitting on surfaces.

Studies have shown that using a household cleaning spray, even as little as once a week, raises the risk of developing asthma. Snow says that using green cleaning products can reduce the chances of developing asthma, which “today is the most common chronic illness and the leading cause of school absences due to chronic illness across the country.”

2. Purer Environment
When you use many cleaning products, “harmful chemicals are being released into the environment,” says Reichert. Not great for you and the people around you to breathe in.

Changing to greener methods, “helps reduce pollution to our waterways and the air and it minimizes your impact on ozone depletion and global climate change with fewer smog-producing chemicals,” advises Snow. Many green products also use recyclable packaging which minimizes waste.

3. Safer Products
Conventional cleaning products pose risks such as chemical burns to the cleaner’s skin and eyes. Green cleaners aren’t corrosive and meet strict standards regarding inhalation toxicity, combustibility and skin absorption.

4. Better Air Quality
As with most people, Snow can’t stand the “stench of strong chemical odors.” Many green cleaning products — including store bought and ones you can make at home — include pleasant natural essential oils. Reichert even refers to cleaning with these products as her “aromatherapy.”

5. Less Expensive
“For home cleaning, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, etc. can do the trick for pennies on the dollar, compared to buying conventional cleaning products,” Snow says. Why go out and buy products when you can use things you already have in your pantry?

Investing in green products also makes sense for companies. “The cost of environmentally friendly cleaning products has become much more competitive, while cleaning in an environmentally sound way reduces the risk of sick days for employees and the risk of fires and chemical spills,” mentions Snow.

6. Fewer Antibacterials
Do you really need to look for products that say “antibacterial”? “We’re now told by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that washing with antibacterial soaps isn’t any better than regular soaps, and the American Medical Association (AMA) says that the frequent use of antibacterial ingredients can promote bacterial resistance to antibiotics,” Snow says. “Triclosan, a common antibacterial agent found in many soaps, [may] mess with your hormonal system and thyroid. Most green or environmentally friendly cleaning products don’t contain antibacterial agents.”

7. More Knowledge of Ingredients
Government regulations don’t require ingredients to be listed on any cleaning products. This is another reason Reichert is a strong advocate for making your own products at home, so “you know exactly what the ingredients are in your cleaning recipes.”

As concerns for health become more prevalent and people become more aware of the harsh effects cleaning chemicals are having, they’re going back to basics and looking for greener ways to clean. To hear our experts tell it, the benefits speak for themselves. 

This post was generously written by Carol Ruth Weber, a Contributor for Care.com (www.Care.com), the largest online care destination in the world.

 

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Guest Post: 17 Cleaning Secrets from Housekeepers

April 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

From pet odors to dusty TVs, every home has cleaning challenges. Whether you’re a homeowner or a professional cleaner, you need to know how to solve these problems. Need help cleaning your home? Hire a housekeeper who is already an expert on the subject.

We talked to housekeeping companies around the country to get the dirt on removing dirt. If you want to make your home or your clients’ homes sparkle, take a page out of the pros’ books with these 17 helpful tips.

1. Use Multi-Tasking Products
“Manufacturers love to sell home consumers lots of little specialty tools and cleaning chemicals that only do one thing or clean one special type of surface because it is an easy excuse to get you to buy more stuff,” says Melissa Homer, chief cleaning officer at MaidPro. “Since we all fall for it, most people have a cabinet full of partially-used chemicals we almost never use!”

Stick to products Homer suggests you really need: a disinfecting all-purpose cleaner that can also clean glass, a disinfecting bathroom cleaner and a floor cleaner that is safe on wood and tile.

2. Have the Right Tools
The same is true for cleaning tools. “If you bog yourself down with too many specialty tools, you’ll feel overwhelmed,” comments Homer. You can keep your house spotless with some quality microfiber cleaning cloths, a few sponges, a handle and detail scrub brush, a plastic scraper, a vacuum that can clean hard floors and carpets, a microfiber “feather” duster and a microfiber mop.

2. Grab a Toothbrush
“It’s hard to find a tool that will beat this all-purpose cleaning gadget,” says Amy Olson, spokesperson forThe Maids. Add it to your kit. A toothbrush or grout brush can help you get the toughest grime out of the tightest corners — and make cleaning vents simple. The strength is in the bristles though, cautions Olson. “Let them do the work for you.”

3. Make a Cleaning Caddy
Once you have your supplies assembled, how do you organize them? “One of the biggest differences between the way professionals clean and the way regular people clean is we pros make sure all of our best products are right at our fingertips,” says Homer.

Don’t waste time looking for different tools and products from around the house. Buy an inexpensive shower caddy and fill it with your essentials, so it’s easy to just grab and go and tackle any room.

David Lieberman, owner and operator of Blue Spruce Cleaning Company in Minneapolis, Minn., even keeps basic equipment and sprays in a tool belt while he cleans.

4. Declutter First 

Most homes have too much clutter. Removing that excess stuff is key to getting the house clean. “You need to find a place to keep your books and magazines before you can begin to dust and polish,” says Curtis Timsah, marketing director of Squeaky Clean House in Edmond, Okla. If you need help, many cleaning companies also provide a decluttering service to customers.

5. Follow a System
Don’t just walk into a room and start cleaning. For Lieberman, having a system is key to effective cleaning. “I start at one point in a room, and then I clean in a circle around the room,” he says.

This method will keep you focused on one task, so you don’t get distracted and tackle another project before the first is complete. And scour each room top to bottom, so you’re catching dust as it falls.

6. Vacuum Efficiently 
Speed up your vacuuming tasks with one quick change. “Plug in your vacuum in the central room in the house,” suggests Matt Ricketts, president of Better Life Maids in St. Louis, Mo. “This will save you time because you can continue vacuuming in every room before doubling back to remove the cord and plug it into another socket,” If your cord is too short, add an extension.

8. Dust Electronics
Can you write “clean me” on your flat-screen TV or computer monitor? If so, it’s time to dust those electronics with this tip from Samara Lane, operations manager of April Lane’s Home Cleaning in Seattle: “Turn off the TV or monitor, then use a dry microfiber cloth and gently wipe the screen. If necessary, dampen the cloth with distilled water or with an equal ratio of distilled water to white vinegar.” Never spray liquid directly on an LED, LCD or plasma screen — it could damage it.

9. Get a Fresh Scent
Many cleaning products have harsh chemical odors that leave a home smelling like a laboratory. Debra Longfellow, owner of Gaia Home Services LLC in Tacoma, Wash, makes her own cleaning solutions with Borax, washing soda, vinegar and baking soda, uses a few drops of essential oils like lavender, grapefruit, yang-ylang and lemon.

10. Scrub Your Showerhead
Is there yucky residue on your showerhead? According to Lane, removing the grime is easy. “To get built-up residue off a showerhead, tie a baggie of vinegar around it and leave it to dissolve overnight. In the morning, rinse the showerhead.” It’ll be squeaky clean.

11. Remove Grease
Getting a buildup of grease on things that are touched often, like door handles and light switch plates is normal. Tabita Cruz, director of operations at Maid Affordable in San Antonio, Texas, uses Magic Erasers to get these spots clean. “They cut down on grease left by everyone’s hands,” she says.

12. Clean Fridge Coils
To get your refrigerator completely clean, get ready for some heavy-duty vacuuming. “Remove the refrigerator’s kick plate and vacuum the fur and hair around the coils,” says Cruz. Not only will your refrigerator be cleaner, but also it will run more efficiently — saving you money on your energy bill.

13. Wash the Windows
There’s more than one way to clean a window, and it all comes down to the size of the glass. For smaller windows and mirrors, Lieberman suggests using balled-up newspaper because it’s gentle and won’t scratch the surface. For larger mirrors and windows, he suggests using a squeegee with a handle attachment; not only will you cut down on time, but also a squeegee can help you reach the high edges of the window.

14. Eliminate Pet Odors
Does Fido occasionally leave a mess on the floor? To remove pet odors, consider this tip from Longfellow: “Use a spray bottle filled with white vinegar,” she says. “Next, cover the vinegar-soaked area with baking soda and allow to dry. Sweep and vacuum up the excess soda. There will be a strong pet odor with this method, as the mixture actually pulls the odor out.”

15. Vacuum Grout Tiles
If you have tile floors, don’t start scrubbing just yet. According to Sheila Jonson, manager of Unique Cleaning Solutions in Rockford, Ill., you should vacuum or sweep your tile floor to remove all loose dirt and debris before washing it with a cleaning solution.

16. Reach with a Yardstick
Have trouble dusting high-up or hard-to-reach areas? Grab a yardstick. “Fit a sock onto the end of the yardstick and secure it with a rubber band,” suggests Olson. “It’s a nifty tool to reach behind headboards and under furniture.”

17. Get Low
When you think you’re done cleaning a room, Ricketts suggests getting down to eye level and examining your home from a new angle. “By getting close to your surfaces, you can see if you still have any crumbs or dust that needs to be cleaned up,” he says.

This post was generously written by Megan Horst-Hatch, a Contributor for Care.com (www.Care.com), the largest online care destination in the world.

 

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Custom Closet Design & Organization: 8 Step How To

March 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Recently, we completed a closet organizing project for a client, which included an Elfa-designed custom closet installation. The end result provided an excellent organizational structure, a significant increase in visual appeal, and overall better utilization of the space. We highly recommend that clients consider a custom design when conducting a closet overhaul. The option ensures that you’ll have specially designated space for all of your belongings and tends to encourage long-term organization. If you are considering a custom closet sometime in the future, we have put together the basic steps of how to go about the process. 

HOW TO DESIGN, INSTALL, & UTILIZE A CUSTOM CLOSET

1) Review the contents of your closet and dresser. Determine how much will stay, add in to the new closet space, and how much you’d like to purge.

2) Take measurements of all walls, angles, and dimensions in your closet. Get an accurate count of shoes, handbags, scarves, ties and belts.

3) Work with a closet design expert at The Container Store, California Closets, Home Depot, or other company and decide on a design that works for your individual needs.

4) Prior to installation, conduct a major closet purge and donate all items that you no longer wear, like, or do not fit. Don’t forget to purge your dresser drawers at this time too.

5) The day of installation, ready the closet by removing all clothing and other belongings.

6) During the install, prepare your clothing and other belongings for reintegration – rehang clothes if switching hanger styles and wash anything that hasn’t been touched in a while.

7) Following the install, add clothing back into the closet, keeping in mind that this is your best chance to implement a new organizational strategy such as by color, style, frequency of use, or post-wash folding vs. hanging preference.

8) Enjoy your new closet and work hard to maintain the organization!

If you have any questions or would like to have us consult on your closet, please feel free to get in touch.

TWOW

 

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