Today is the day to get our houses clean for the weekend! Here's the list!
1. Clean all bathrooms throughly. Sweep and mop the floors. Wipe down the shower, sink and toilet with a bathroom cleaner. Wipe down the windows with a glass cleaner. Check light fixtures to see if they need washed.
2. Thorougly vaccuum all rooms. Do not move any furniture unless its absolutely necessary. I'll add those as bonus chores in upcoming days and weeks.
3. Dust all surfaces in your home with a furniture polish. For TV's and other electrical equipment like DVD's and computers I use a glass cleaner.
4. Check all the windows in every room. Wipe off finger prints and smudges.
5. Thoroughly sweep and mop kitchen and any other rooms with hard surfaced floors.
6. Wash your master bedroom sheets. Do not worry about any other sheets in your house. They will be washed on Monday.
7. Check your children's room for items that don't belong. Toys, cups, books, ect. Clear that extra clutter out and put it where it belongs. Have your child(ren) help with this task!
In addition, this week I'd like to see you concentrate on deep cleaning your kitchen. If you can't get it all done today that's okay. Finish on Monday's Weekend Recovery!
1. Clean all surfaces...move items on counter out of the way!
2. Clean out your fridge, also...the TOP of it!
3. Get on your hands and knees and wipe the floor and kickboard area under your cabinets! (This can be gross..but if you do it regularly, it will get better!)
4. Clean your oven hood. *Click here and scroll to the bottom to find a great all natural cleaner.
5. Take just a few minutes to straighten the insides of your cabinets.
6. Organize your silverware/junk drawers.
7. Windex the windows and the door of your oven and microwave.
8. Clean canisters.
9. Take off the dials from your stove and wash them in hot soapy water.
10. Wash the light fixture.
11. Check the ceiling and corners for cobwebs.
And finally...if your dishwasher has some rust buildup in it (more common than you'd think), here's what to do!
Take 1/4 cup of powdered lemon or orange drink (think Gatorade, Country Time Lemondade...ect.) and add it to the detergent cup and run a regular cycle. REMEMBER: Do this when the dishwasher is EMPTY! You can repeat as necessary!
If you're wondering where the holiday tip is today. Cleaning your kitchen was it! Just think how happy you'll be when it's time to start all of that holiday baking and everything is looking spiffy!
Friday, December 01, 2006
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Getting Ready for the Chill
Today is shopping day, so I hope you remembered to make your lists yesterday. I'm sorry I wasn't home to post. I had a hair appointment and ended up spending the rest of the afternoon hanging our Christmas lights outside. Believe it or not we've been having temperatures in the 60's...but after tomorrow, it's all 20's and 30's for highs! I really needed to get those outdoor lights hung so I wasn't stuck out there this weekend in my hat and gloves!
Due to the weather getting frosy, I wanted to remind you of a few things you may want to consider adding to your shopping lists.
1. Vaseline Intensive Care hand lotion. Seriously, this stuff is the best!! No joke! I'm talking NO cracks at all if you apply it every night and during the day when you're going in and out from warm to cold temperatures!
2. New furnace filters! This is something that if you don't know if you need them...ask someone who can tell you!! It will save you money on your heating, make your home healthier AND cleaner!!
3. And finally...I wanted to share with you my holiday spice recipe and encourage you to go out, buy the ingredients and make it for yourself. It's just not the Christmas season for me without this. My mom made it when I was a child and when my husband and I first were together I made sure to make it in our home. I made it last night with my 2 1/2 year old's help and as soon as my husband walked in the door, he knew Christmas had came to our Comfortable Home!
If you're on a tight budget, these spices can be expensive. So, another idea is to put a 1/4 cup of sugar and a 1/4 cup of ground cinnamon on a pie plate and put on a back burner on low.
Please let me know if you have any other ideas on getting ready for the cold weather, or how you liked the holiday spice!
Due to the weather getting frosy, I wanted to remind you of a few things you may want to consider adding to your shopping lists.
1. Vaseline Intensive Care hand lotion. Seriously, this stuff is the best!! No joke! I'm talking NO cracks at all if you apply it every night and during the day when you're going in and out from warm to cold temperatures!
2. New furnace filters! This is something that if you don't know if you need them...ask someone who can tell you!! It will save you money on your heating, make your home healthier AND cleaner!!
3. And finally...I wanted to share with you my holiday spice recipe and encourage you to go out, buy the ingredients and make it for yourself. It's just not the Christmas season for me without this. My mom made it when I was a child and when my husband and I first were together I made sure to make it in our home. I made it last night with my 2 1/2 year old's help and as soon as my husband walked in the door, he knew Christmas had came to our Comfortable Home!
Holiday Spice ala Ms. Suzy
1 lemon rind
1 orange rind
1 box of cinnamon sticks
1 box of whole cloves
2 bay leaves
Put all ingredients in an open topped tea kettle (one that does NOT whistle) or an old saucepan.
Fill with water.
Bring to a boil then turn down to a slow simmer.
Enjoy the smell of the holidays!
If you're on a tight budget, these spices can be expensive. So, another idea is to put a 1/4 cup of sugar and a 1/4 cup of ground cinnamon on a pie plate and put on a back burner on low.
Please let me know if you have any other ideas on getting ready for the cold weather, or how you liked the holiday spice!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Holiday Wreath
Well, I'm back! I do apologize for being gone from the blog for so long, but the holiday weekend kept me busy with my eating and shopping! And we also are having some major unseasonably warm weather and it's kept us outside cleaning up for the winter. We have not started our holiday decorating, but that is to begin later this week.
Since Tuesday is supposed to be a day filled with ideas for around your home, I'm going to talk with you about making a holiday wreath. I made one for our home the first year my husband and I were living together, I also made stockings, but those I'll talk about later in the season. I made my wreath for a total of $11 and I used it every year for the past 4 years! But over the summer it got mildewed in the basement and now I get to make a new one! (It needed it anyway!)
Let me share with you how I made mine.
I just went Sunday night to get the materials needed to make my wreath at Dollar General! First I picked up a 24" lighted wreath...it was only $7! I then got a pack of gold jingle bells for $1 and a bouquet of red silk poinsettias for $1 where I cut off the long stems and stuck them into the wreath. I also got two small bundles of plastic frosty pine with a present, pinecone and gold berries 2/$1. And of course a big red bow for $1! I arranged them all around the wreath and it turned out so pretty! You can do this with any variation of decorations and colors! I live in a farmhouse with a big red front porch so the red and gold really pops against my white house..but you could do silver, green, blue and white, whatever!!
Please send me your homemade wreath pictures and information on where you got your supplies and how much it cost! I can feature it later in the month!
Since Tuesday is supposed to be a day filled with ideas for around your home, I'm going to talk with you about making a holiday wreath. I made one for our home the first year my husband and I were living together, I also made stockings, but those I'll talk about later in the season. I made my wreath for a total of $11 and I used it every year for the past 4 years! But over the summer it got mildewed in the basement and now I get to make a new one! (It needed it anyway!)
Let me share with you how I made mine.
I just went Sunday night to get the materials needed to make my wreath at Dollar General! First I picked up a 24" lighted wreath...it was only $7! I then got a pack of gold jingle bells for $1 and a bouquet of red silk poinsettias for $1 where I cut off the long stems and stuck them into the wreath. I also got two small bundles of plastic frosty pine with a present, pinecone and gold berries 2/$1. And of course a big red bow for $1! I arranged them all around the wreath and it turned out so pretty! You can do this with any variation of decorations and colors! I live in a farmhouse with a big red front porch so the red and gold really pops against my white house..but you could do silver, green, blue and white, whatever!!
Please send me your homemade wreath pictures and information on where you got your supplies and how much it cost! I can feature it later in the month!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Thanksgiving Countdown: Tick Tock
Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I know that there is lots of preparations in store for tomorrow, but still make your menu, grocery and errand lists today! Although you will not be making it out to the stores tomorrow for Shopping Day...that list will be ready for the first chance you get to use it.
As for Thanksgiving preparations today, I am going to get my table set up and all of my serving dishes laid out and labeled with scraps of paper in each one stating what is going in what dish. It saves time at the last minute, and also gives you a great sense of control over the outcome of the holiday. I'll also be "making my list, and checking it twice" of my menu, recipes and times that everything must cook. Today is the day to be prepared...take the time to get there!!
As for tomorrow, I wish you all the Happiest Thanksgiving! Please be careful if you are traveling, and be extra careful if you are staying in and cooking. Dont burn that bird!
Friday, I will be fighting the Black Friday crowds and shopping with my mom and daughter until I can't walk any further! We just started this tradition last year and I never want it to end! Unfortunatly, for my daughter it probably will have to after this year because next year she'll be 2 and will be old enough to give into her daddy's prying about what I bought him!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
As for Thanksgiving preparations today, I am going to get my table set up and all of my serving dishes laid out and labeled with scraps of paper in each one stating what is going in what dish. It saves time at the last minute, and also gives you a great sense of control over the outcome of the holiday. I'll also be "making my list, and checking it twice" of my menu, recipes and times that everything must cook. Today is the day to be prepared...take the time to get there!!
As for tomorrow, I wish you all the Happiest Thanksgiving! Please be careful if you are traveling, and be extra careful if you are staying in and cooking. Dont burn that bird!
Friday, I will be fighting the Black Friday crowds and shopping with my mom and daughter until I can't walk any further! We just started this tradition last year and I never want it to end! Unfortunatly, for my daughter it probably will have to after this year because next year she'll be 2 and will be old enough to give into her daddy's prying about what I bought him!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Thanksgiving Countdown: Crafts!
Preparing for Thanksgiving is such a huge, time-consuming thing if you're the one hosting! But for those of you who are either WAY on top of your game and have some extra time, or for those of you who are going to be a guest instead of a host. Here is a link to some great Thanksgiving crafts you can do with your kids over the next couple of days!
Again, because it is our Thanksgiving Countdown, let me tell you what I'll be doing today. Since I'm hosting I want my bathrooms to be nice and clean for my guests. If you've been following this blog, you'll know that that bathrooms get a quick wipe down on Monday's and a thourough cleaning on Friday's. But, due to company, I really want them shining! So today, I'll take down valances to wash, along with bathrugs and handtowels (even if it's just a guest bathroom and no one ever uses it! Get those linens clean because they'll be used Thursday! All surfaces will be thouroughly cleaned, and the new boxes of Christmas tissues will be set out! After all, Thanksgiving is the real kick off to the Christmas season!
After the bathrooms are cleaned, I am planning on cleaning out my kids' toy room. It needs it, and it's not a bad idea to get some things cleared out before Santa hit's our streets! But for those of you at your homes, this is not an important Thanksgiving chore, so if you are lacking in time, please leave this for now. It does need done before Christmas, but it is not imparative that it gets done today!
As for holiday cooking, my cranberries are nicely chilled in the fridge, and there is nothing that needs done today. I finished my holiday shopping yesterday and am ready (in that aspect) for Turkey Day! Are you?
Again, because it is our Thanksgiving Countdown, let me tell you what I'll be doing today. Since I'm hosting I want my bathrooms to be nice and clean for my guests. If you've been following this blog, you'll know that that bathrooms get a quick wipe down on Monday's and a thourough cleaning on Friday's. But, due to company, I really want them shining! So today, I'll take down valances to wash, along with bathrugs and handtowels (even if it's just a guest bathroom and no one ever uses it! Get those linens clean because they'll be used Thursday! All surfaces will be thouroughly cleaned, and the new boxes of Christmas tissues will be set out! After all, Thanksgiving is the real kick off to the Christmas season!
After the bathrooms are cleaned, I am planning on cleaning out my kids' toy room. It needs it, and it's not a bad idea to get some things cleared out before Santa hit's our streets! But for those of you at your homes, this is not an important Thanksgiving chore, so if you are lacking in time, please leave this for now. It does need done before Christmas, but it is not imparative that it gets done today!
As for holiday cooking, my cranberries are nicely chilled in the fridge, and there is nothing that needs done today. I finished my holiday shopping yesterday and am ready (in that aspect) for Turkey Day! Are you?
Monday, November 20, 2006
Thanksgiving Countdown: Weekend Recovery
Today is Monday and that means Weekend Recovery. For the list of additional chores go here, or here!
Because this is Thanksgiving week, I will be adding extra content everyday to help you get prepared for the holiday!
While you're washing your children's bedding, I always add to wash guest bedding if you had weekend visitors. This week, this chore is NOT optional. Even if you are not planning on an overnight visitor. Its the holidays, people drop by, and you never know when and if they may have that one glass of vino too many! Not only do I want you to wash sheets but wash up the comforter. AND, if you have a TV or phone in there, wipe down the remote and/or handset with and antibacterial wipe! You want to make that guest room cleanlier than a hotel room, dont you?
So, here is what Miss Suzy is doing today. I just put my turkey into the fridge to begin to thaw. If you haven't done that yet..than get to it! I am also going to be making my cranberry sauce because it's a recipe that needs to set for a couple of days to really meld together the great flavors. If you haven't thought of making your own cranberry sauce and always buy canned...please, try this recipe. It's super easy and will really WOW your guests!
I got the recipe from the Saving Dinner website last year when I was subscribed to their Menu Mailers. I have since not needed the Menu Mailers, but still plan to use the Thanksgiving Planner this year for my cranberries and for my dressing! If you are totally lost as to HOW to put together your Thanksgiving meal...I'd suggest printing this resource!
One last thing before I go. While I'm waiting on my cranberries to cool this afternoon. I am going to rearrange my living room furniture. Why? Because shortly after Thanksgiving we'll be buying our Christmas tree. And already having the furniture rearranged will be a huge timesaver that day, and will make it less stressful so we can concentrate on drinking cocoa, singing carols and putting the decorations on the tree!
Because this is Thanksgiving week, I will be adding extra content everyday to help you get prepared for the holiday!
While you're washing your children's bedding, I always add to wash guest bedding if you had weekend visitors. This week, this chore is NOT optional. Even if you are not planning on an overnight visitor. Its the holidays, people drop by, and you never know when and if they may have that one glass of vino too many! Not only do I want you to wash sheets but wash up the comforter. AND, if you have a TV or phone in there, wipe down the remote and/or handset with and antibacterial wipe! You want to make that guest room cleanlier than a hotel room, dont you?
So, here is what Miss Suzy is doing today. I just put my turkey into the fridge to begin to thaw. If you haven't done that yet..than get to it! I am also going to be making my cranberry sauce because it's a recipe that needs to set for a couple of days to really meld together the great flavors. If you haven't thought of making your own cranberry sauce and always buy canned...please, try this recipe. It's super easy and will really WOW your guests!
Orange Cranberry Sauce
Serves 12 (with leftovers)
Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (1lb. bag)
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
Rinse the cranberries in a strainer and remove any stems or blemished cranberries.
In a sauce pan bring the water, sugar and orange juice to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil for 5 minutes to ensure that the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to stir occasionally.
Add the cranberries and bring back to a boil. Cover for 5 minutes, still stirring occasionally. When you hear the cranberries beginning to pop, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Pour the cranberries into a container and allow to continue to cool completely before refrigerating.
Before storing in fridge, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the cranberries to prevent them from developing a film.
I got the recipe from the Saving Dinner website last year when I was subscribed to their Menu Mailers. I have since not needed the Menu Mailers, but still plan to use the Thanksgiving Planner this year for my cranberries and for my dressing! If you are totally lost as to HOW to put together your Thanksgiving meal...I'd suggest printing this resource!
One last thing before I go. While I'm waiting on my cranberries to cool this afternoon. I am going to rearrange my living room furniture. Why? Because shortly after Thanksgiving we'll be buying our Christmas tree. And already having the furniture rearranged will be a huge timesaver that day, and will make it less stressful so we can concentrate on drinking cocoa, singing carols and putting the decorations on the tree!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Clip Some More!
Any of you who were interested in last Thursday's post about coupon clipping and saving will want to check out this weeks link. Not every Thursday is going to be about *how* to clip coupons and save money using them. I wish I could help you more with that subject, but I'm just teaching myself. I will usually only lead you in the direction of great offers. But this week, I wanted to expand on last week's post so I decided to share with you the resource I'm planning on using to teach myself about coupon saving and organization.
Here it is, Check it out!
I'd love to hear your own ideas and experiences about coupons, so send them my way!
Remember, today is shopping day, so get out there and get those groceries and home staples bought! Just dont get sidetracked off of your list, it's so easy to break budget that way!!
Here it is, Check it out!
I'd love to hear your own ideas and experiences about coupons, so send them my way!
Remember, today is shopping day, so get out there and get those groceries and home staples bought! Just dont get sidetracked off of your list, it's so easy to break budget that way!!
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