~Bona Vita~

I love clean windows. They can make your home feel so fresh. If your home needs a little lift, simply clean your windows. Clean windows add a brightness to a home that regular housecleaning can’t always achieve.

It is really quite easy to clean your own windows on the main floor of a home. High windows can be tricky and may require ladders and assistance from others. Proper equipment is the ticket to easy and successful window cleaning. I always utilize a high-quality squeegee, a fleece scrubber attached to a squeegee, proper window cleaning solution, and extra clean cotton towels.

Ettore products are my favorite. They have an entire line of window cleaning squeegees and solutions. I particularly like their cleaning solution, Squeegee Off – Liquid Window Cleaning Soap. It makes for easy, streak free cleaning.

There are techniques for squeegee use. I have found that you just have to work with the squeegee for a while and you will come up with a method that works best for you. Don Aslett has terrific cleaning videos that offer specific tips on cleaning windows.

Clean your windows and brighten your world.

“A cloudy day, or a little sunshine, have as great an influence on many constitutions as the most real blessings or misfortunes.” – Joseph Addison

I would like to talk about a modest area of most homes: the bathroom.  Do not underestimate the power these diminutive areas have to add comfort and refinement to your home.  These pint-sized rooms communicate a powerful message about your housekeeping.  Even more, the condition of the bathroom illustrates your concern for the comfort and well-being of your family and guests alike.

Make a quick assessment of one of your bathrooms.  Does it need general cleaning?  You actually should be able to completely clean a bathroom, from the shower to the floor, in under 20 minutes.  Be methodical and use appropriate cleaning solutions.  I generally clean the sink, counters and cabinets.  I then move on to the shower and/or bathtub:  remove everything first, discarding unwanted bottles, soap pieces and even toys.  Make sure you clean off all of the high edges and even the rails if you have sliding shower doors.   Wipe off the bottles and containers before you replace them.  Next, move on to the toilet.  Clean all surfaces.  Use an appropriate cleaning product and brush for the bowl.  Now, move on to the mirror  and faucets, polishing these to a beautiful shine.  You can finish up by cleaning the floor and floorboards.  You may need to vacuum or sweep before mopping.

Now that you have a fresh, clean bathroom, you can step back and accessorize.  Make sure it is well stocked with tissue, baby wipes, toilet paper, soap, air freshener and even lotion.  Consider adding pretty towels that are soft and absorbent.  A basket of assorted magazines is always a nice touch.   Do not forget to have a trash container conveniently located.  This container can be attractive and should be lined and changed frequently.

Your bathrooms should be maintained daily.  This does not neccesarily involve an intense cleaning every day.   Instead, a clean bathroom should be incoporated into your  family’s lifestyle.  Your children can learn to help keep the bathrooms clean.   They  can pick up their own clothes and towels.  As they get older,  they can be taught to clean the sink and mirrors after they have finished getting dressed. Boys can even be taught certain “rim rules”  that will always help maintain the general appearance of the bathroom.

Your bathrooms can be a point of contention, a source of embarrassment or simply another lovely room in your home.   “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (I Corinthians 14:33).

Wikipedia defines a still life as:

“A work of art depicting inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural (food, plants and natural substances like rocks) or man-made (drinking glasses . . .).”

It has been suggested (the source eludes me at the moment…) that our refrigerators should exemplify a still life.  This would be lovely!

At first glance, this suggestion may seem outlandish.  Yet, it is achievable on some level.  Simply begin by cleaning and organizing your refrigerator.  Actually, if this can become a bi-weekly or at least weekly habit, you have tackled a large part of this project.

-Remove everything from your refrigerator.

-Clean off every surface.  Use glass cleaner on the shelves and an all-purpose cleaner  on the other surfaces.  You should even remove the drawers and wash them in warm, sudsy water.

Now that the interior is presentable, move on to the contents.

-Discard anything that you know is no longer workable…do not be sentimental.

-Clean off all lids and containers so that they are pleasant to work with.

-Organize your  deli-meat, cheese, fruit and vegetables:

Cheeses and meats should be wrapped in a manner that allows easy access  and yet protects the product.  They both lend themselves to storage in drawers within the refrigerator.

Now for the fruits and vegetables…this is where you can add a beautiful touch to your refrigerator’s interior appearance.  Utilize attractive containers for storage.   It’s great to open your refrigerator and see inviting bowls of pretty fruit and vegetables.

Apples store nicely carefully placed in the larger fruit bins after they  are washed.

-Eggs appear fresh and lovely arranged in a bowl or metal basket.

-Left overs can even look particularly presentable if they are stored properly.  I tend to like glass storage containers with locking lids as opposed to plastic.  They look nicer and do not take on the color or odor of food stored in them.

-Drinks, including large containers of milk and juice, can be stored in a pleasant manner if they are simply kept clean.

Now, just arrange the items in a pleasing, useful manner on the shelves.

Everyone in the family will enjoy the look and usefulness of your refrigerator.

I love spring.  After being under a shroud of snow for so long, it’s exciting to experience a fresh world again!  I look forward to gardening, grilling outside, and even washing my windows.

Spring is a time to reassess the physical nature of your home.  The first step to creating a lovely, pleasant atmosphere is to declutter.  Everyone has heard this mantra before, but it really is one of the crucial initial stages to organizing your home life.  It’s difficult to think about color and candles and even meal planning when your are fighting piles in every room.  Start small and attack one project at a time.  Perhaps the pile of papers on your kitchen desk needs attention or maybe a closet is sending you over the edge.

As you work on manageable small projects in your home, you can also implement a daily plan that will allow you to see more immediate results in the physical nature of your home.  Here are  five steps that you can follow regularly.

1)     Throw something away every day.  Everyone has something they are holding on to that needs to be tossed!

2)     Complete one major cleaning project daily, i.e.  the floors or the bathrooms or dusting.  This will allow you to feel like some aspect of your home is always clean.  It’s a mental exercise more than anything.  This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed, as well.

3)     Initiate pickup moments in your home 2-3 times per day.   Even toddlers can stop pulling out toys for a little while and help.  This should only take 5-10 minutes.  You will have to train your children to help but they  will quickly learn what you expect from them when you ask for assistance.

4)     Do your dishes as you cook.

5)     Neaten your home before you go to bed.  This will allow everyone to experience a fresh start in the morning.