Spring Cleaning For Today's Mom
With spring comes all of the beauty of the changing season. We finally began to see our grass; we enjoy seeing the new buds on our trees, and the sweet smell of a good April shower. What also comes along is the dreaded ritual of spring cleaning. Maybe you went through this awful experience as a child. Your mother would be pulling all the linens, washing the drapes, deep cleaning every nook and cranny of your home and then collapse after a full day of cleaning.
I don't remember this as being a fun ritual for our family and have decided to try a different method of cleaning in our own home.Spring cleaning ironically is not as necessary as it once was. Back in the olden days, spring cleaning was a much different concept then it is today. This cleaning was a necessary routine because of how they had to heat their homes and keep them lit. Using kerosene, wood, gas, oil, and candles caused the house to develop dark sooty grime around it. This grime created the need for a deep cleaning of the home.
Their deep cleaning restored the beauty of the home and also gave them the opportunity to get out the lighter linens, rugs, and furniture that they used during the warmer seasons. Not only did they divulge in spring cleaning, they also did fall cleaning as well to prepare them for the cold season of winter. Today we do not have the need to do spring cleaning although in many families it is a ritual that brings about peace and renewal in our homes after an entire day or week of intense cleaning. In this day and age, however, it is hard to be able to set aside that much time to get all of these tasks done. Our schedules and days are so full that it hard to devote more than the few hours necessary just to keep our home running smoothly.
Instead of doing one deep cleaning I have vowed to "spring clean" all year long rather than trying to set aside a specific time to do this.
With a very busy toddler and just the daily maintenance of my home, there are days when I feel really proud of myself if I can get out of my pajamas. If you are anything like me, try and incorporate these tips into your daily routine so that you can relax while everyone else is tired and haggard from their day of spring cleaning. Here are a few ideas for getting these tasks done:Begin by making a checklist of everything that you would normally do during your spring cleaning.
Things like washing all the linens and drapes, wiping down baseboards, washing windows inside and out, cleaning out your pantry, washing your shower curtains, organizing your linen cabinets, wiping down walls, and cleaning doorknobs and light fixtures.
Take inventory of your cleaners and the tools that you will need in order to accomplish all of the necessary cleaning. Nothing is worse then getting ready to do your task and then finding out that you are missing that one component needed to complete your task. Put the items that you will need on your shopping list and get these items on the day that you perform all of your errands.Continue doing your normal daily routine, but add an extra hour each week towards accomplishing just one of these tasks on your list. Check off the items that you accomplish and press on to the next one. By just devoting one hour a week towards your spring cleaning goals you will have a more manageable deep cleaning routine.Clear out as much clutter as you can.
Make a box for trash and a box for charitable donations and fill these with all of the unnecessary clutter in your home. By donating these items to those less fortunate you will gain so much. Not only will someone who needs these items more benefit from your donation, but you can receive a tax break and reclaim space in your own home. I have decided to look at every item in my home in a new light. There was a time when I used to want to fill my home with loads of stuff.
Now I look at everything as one more thing to dust and care for. If you don't like to dust it, don't love the item, and want an organized home- donate it!!Keep a caddy of cleaning supplies on each floor. I find it much easier to clean my house when I know that the tools that I need to accomplish my task are just a few steps away. Keep your checklist either in one of your caddies or somewhere that is accessible so that you can always stay on track with your deep cleaning.Do your cleaning when it is convenient for you. Some people work better during morning hours while others of us would rather be snoozing and do better in the evening.
Take advantage of the times that you work best. If you would rather break the hour into smaller increments that is totally up to you. The idea behind all of this is to make it as easy as possible so fit it in wherever and whenever you can. Put your spring cleaning task on your calendar each week. It sounds silly, but don't you remember your appointments and engagements better when it is written on your calendar? It is hard to ignore scheduled tasks in glaring print.
Write your tasks in red, capitalized, or exclamation points- anything you can to draw your eye to the one task for the week.Enlist your helpers to help you on these tasks. Your children and your husband can be active participants in getting your home organized just like they help to contribute to the clutter. Schedule dad for clearing out the garage, taking inventory of the tools you will need to do your gardening, cleaning out the basement, or other tasks inside and outside of the home. Children can aid in cleaning their own rooms by helping to remove some of the clutter in the house. Involving your family can be beneficial in showing them all that you do to keep your house running smoothly.It is hard to accomplish tasks around the house if you have a poor attitude about what you are doing.
Unfortunately, every house requires a little maintenance and your attitude towards your work can be the difference in your spring cleaning being bearable or just plain awful. I certainly don't jump up and down when I clean and it isn't my favorite thing to do, but I take great pride in keeping my household running smoothly. Turn on some fun music, watch television while polishing tables, do whatever you can to make getting your home clean easier and fun..
© 2003-2004 Amy Allen Clark. All rights reserved.Amy Allen Clark is a stay-at-home mother of a two year old son. She is founder and creator of http://www.momadvice.com.Her web site is geared towards mothers who are seeking advice on staying organized, living on a budget, and for those seeking work-at-home employment. Please visit her site to sign up for her free monthly newsletter filled with more great tips to help simplify your life.amy@momadvice.com
How to Plant Spring Flower Bulbs
Spring is the favorite season of many. It is a time of rebirth, renewal, and rejuvenation. One of the greatest joys of spring is the beautiful assortment of flowers. You can get this joy at home by planting spring flower bulbs. These are bulbs that bloom in early spring while other plants are still developing.
There are many spring flowering bulbs, but some of the most popular are crocus, tulip, narcissus, and hyacinth.
These bulbs should be planted before the ground freezes, preferably in late September or early October. This enables them to develop a strong root system before the first frost.
Spring flower bulbs should be planted in an area that drains well. Bulbs will rot in standing water. They must also receive adequate sunshine?at least six hours daily. The soil doesn't need any special treatment, but it should be loose and workable.
If you are working a new area, you might want to add some compost or peat moss.
When it...
Spring break > How to Plant Spring Flower Bulbs
WagerProfits to Sponsor the 'Poolside BBQ' At CAP Spring Break 2006
Fountain Valley, CA (ContentDesk) February 14, 2006 -- CAP Spring Break, a unique networking event presented by CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com CAP is excited to announce that top casino affiliate program WagerProfits will sponsor the poolside bbq at CAP Spring Break 2006 in Miami Beach, Florida May 20-23, 2006. WagerProfits is a CAP Certified Partner who manages affiliate programs for some of the best online casino properties. WagerProfits gives casino affiliate webmasters the opportunity to earn substantial revenue promoting some of the finest casino sites available. For more information, visit http://www.wagerprofits.com. We are pleased to welcome WagerProfits as a gold sponsor at CAP Spring Break 2006, said Lou Fabiano, founder of CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com and CAP Spring Break.
The poolside bbq is sure to be a party to remember. CAP Spring Break 2006 will be held at The Palms in Miami Beach and feature presentations...
WagerProfits to Sponsor the 'Poolside BBQ' At CAP Spring Break 2006
Spring break > WagerProfits to Sponsor the 'Poolside BBQ' At CAP Spring Break 2006
Central Park Productions Unveils Plans for Spring-A-Palooza? in April 2005
Atlanta, GA
March 15, 2005 ? With an event that is bound to take most people by surprise, Central Park Productions announced today that it will be bringing Spring-A-Palooza? to Piedmont Park at the Park Tavern during the Dogwood Festival the weekend of April 9-10, 2005."Spring-A-Palooza? is an exposition of lifestyle services and products with "an extravaganza of everything that is spring," according to Central Park Productions' Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mitch Esmond.Music, aromatherapy scents and thought-provoking staging will set the tone for Spring-A-Palooza? at the Park Tavern.Inside the tent, guests will find a re-creation of the New York cityscape and the feeling of Soho, the center of fashion in New York. Outside the tent in the "Central Park" area, visitors will think they are in New York's Central Park, Esmond said.The extravaganza includes some 50 exhibitors who will present artistic & unique products and services such as designer and designer-inspired...
Spring break > Central Park Productions Unveils Plans for Spring-A-Palooza? in April 2005
Spring & Home Decorating - A Fresh New Look
Open Windows ? Curtains fluttering from a warm breeze ? The air smells fresh and clean ? Buds on the trees are beginning to open ? Tiny flowers are popping up threw the ground ? Finally that little bird with the red breast is backAll of these can only mean one thing "Spring" has arrived.Those days of blustery storms and frosty drafts have come to an end.With spring comes a renewed burst of energy. Having been shut inside for months we now want to get up, get going and do things.This presents a marvelous opportunity for home decorating, a chance to give the inside of our homes a fresh clean look to match the emerging new look outside.You now want to think light, bright and breezy, exactly like a beautiful spring day.The following are a few ideas to help get you started.Hang a wreath covered with pretty silk flowers on the front door. This makes a cheerful greeting to anyone entering you home.Replace heavier drapes with lighter fabric and color. For example: Pastel colored shears or Caf?...
Spring & Home Decorating - A Fresh New Look
Spring break > Spring & Home Decorating - A Fresh New Look
Bottled Spring Water
Spring water is ground water that flows unassisted or by a pump or well to a surface opening. In other words, a spring is a concentrated discharge of ground water to the surface. Ground water flows through aquifers from certain recharge areas on uplands where it is replenished by rainfall and snow to discharge areas in valleys so that it flows to the surface into streams and rivers.
The water flowing from this recharge area has energy acquired from the higher elevation of that area. This gravitational energy forces the water to move through the aquifer.
Mostly, the energy is used up by the time the ground water becomes a stream. Most of these springs can be classified as the gravitational springs due to the above mentioned reason.
Natural spring water is protected from microorganisms, but companies producing bottled drinking water in most states are required to reveal its source and the treatment system used to the state, and the source of...
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Absolute Poker to Sponsor the Beach Olympics At CAP Spring Break 2006
Fountain Valley, CA (ContentDesk) March 14, 2006 -- CAP Spring Break, a unique networking event presented by CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com CAP is excited to announce that premiere poker property Absolute Poker will sponsor the Beach Olympics at CAP Spring Break 2006 in Miami Beach, Florida May 20-23, 2006. This unique event features a variety of fun in the sun activities where affiliates and managers face a series of obstacles to win gold. Beer is to be served, in large quantities. Absolute Poker is a CAP Certified Partner which features online poker game play and an attractive affiliate program. They offer competitive compensation plans for affiliates including up to 35% of net revenue or up to $125 per player.
For more information, visit http://www.absolutepoker.com. The Beach Olympics is such a great, interactive format that gets everyone working together to win, said Lou Fabiano, founder of CasinoAffiliatePrograms.com...
Absolute Poker to Sponsor the Beach Olympics At CAP Spring Break 2006
Spring break > Absolute Poker to Sponsor the Beach Olympics At CAP Spring Break 2006
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