Vegmom Moments

Way to Reuse

When we got our new Dishwasher a while ago, it had the door thing that holds your Silverware.  So I know longer needed the big wonky thing that came with my original dishwasher.

But couldn't see throwing it away... Some day it would be useful, I thought....

 

And now it is..... I use it to hold all my microfiber reusable cleaning rags under the sink.... 

Nice and Tidy!!  Reusing, at its finest!

CLEANING TIPS VEGMOM STYLE

So I've learned a lot through the years, especially the past couple weeks about cleaning quickly.  And thought it was my duty to share these tips with you, and save you the years of learning.

Here are my top 5 ways to feel the need to clean things fast:

• Plan to trade in your vehicle.  This requires a quick cleaning of inside and out for higher trade value.  Then don't trade your vehicle and you have a very clean car.
• Give your Dog a bath in the family tub/shower.  This requires a VERY good scrubbing of said tub and shower.
• Sneak in the bed room at some point and move all the sheets/blankets to your side of the bed.  Then let Hubby get to the bed first.  He'll make the bed, because he can't just pull them to his side, and you end up with un-messed sheets upon arriving.  (Not that I have Ever done this)
• Teach your child the following at an early age... "Everything left on the floor when the vacuum comes out will be sucked in or donated if too large for the vacuum tank"....  Then at random moments, just pull out the vacuum... don't even use it, just pull it out... You would be surprised how fast EVERYTHING gets put away...  It works for years......  (maybe it works... I dunno, I wouldn't ever do such a thing... nope not me)
• Spill something sticky in the middle of the kitchen floor... Then forget about it and let it dry...  After sticking while you walk multiple times but not knowing exactly where the mess is, you quickly clean the entire floor.

So there ya have it!!  5 ways to quickly get things clean....

*disclaimer- this is for humor only and any/all tries at these techniques would be doing so at your own risk!

WHEN A CRAFT CLOSET THROWS UP

Here is my Scrapbook/Card Making area:

Very Nice, Very Organized Very Easy to find stuff.... (until I finish a crafty night, then its a mess)

BUT...   This is all other craft stuff... Its my supply closet for kids crafts and other fun things... Its in another room (shared by the toy area), when Christmas has come to an end and I've been digging to find stuff....  This is what it looks like:

It seriously looks like the Closet threw up!!  It normally doesn't look like this, but by the time I go digging for things I need, it ends up like this... Then I have to put everything back until the next time....  And this past month, its just looks like this... I haven't had the time or energy to put everything back....

Well.... No more!!!  I have completed the project I had set out to do....

And what better way to start out 2009 then to find 20 Plastic Shoe Boxes for $20... Yup, Kroger was my friend tonight that helped me complete my task....

Here is the demolition....The take down of stuff, the Avalanche of craft supplies....

And here was the point that Hubby asked if I was done yet?? 

"Ummm, NO"

 

I see an empty area... Its looking a little better....OK, maybe not!!

By the way... If you still have magazines from 2004, 2005 & 2006... That you haven't used yet... I don't think you still need them.... 

Yes, Ladies and Gents... I have been PURGING!!!  

My poor sweet Hubby...when he saw what was being tossed out of this room, he decided it was best not to speak to me any longer... he knows that walking away and not touching anything, is the best thing he can do in situations such as these.....

But Look Look Look....... 

And I'll show you again, just in case you didn't notice.. *smile*
The bottom totes are actually stacked 2 deep inside that gigantic tote.

The shelves to the right are also cleaned up.. one now holds some Birthday presents I found today while out shopping to last for a few kids parties.  The other holds all the stuff that will go in to our next Scrapbook yard sale...Another has a big bag of all of Veg's art work and family momentos from trips and things, along with more painting supplies in bigger containers.

Its all better.... Everything has a home, from Cross stitch to Tissue paper....And look, you can even see the floor in front of the closet!

And yes, I know the carpet is ugly!  But at least you can see it now!  In all its Ugliness.

So, what is left of my cleaning frenzy of Jan09???...  I have to take out the two full bags of garbage from this mess, drop off 4 bags of recyclables... Put a few things away in my bedroom (hubby is sleeping in there right now, so it isn't an option)  And bring down some Christmas stuff that was found in the wrong place.

Then I will venture in to using the last of the $1 totes to re-sort Veg's toys into nicer containers... Tomorrow (or today), I will call that room complete!

Then it is on to bills/balancing/filing and sorting receipts for taxes... If by chance I get that done tomorrow also... Then 2009 can officially begin!  If not... then it must wait another weekend....

GETTING SOMETHING COMPLETE

Check out this little motivational idea from Lit and Laundry .....Complete something each Friday and post about it... Helping each other along to not be so overwhelmed one Friday at a time!!

Today, I'm going to get all the Christmas decorations put away at work (those at home are already done).. And plan to finish up at least 4 major things before leaving the office to prepare me for 2009...

Thanks to Casallamedos for the link and for Lit and Laundry for the motivation!

Yes, because its not really here yet!  Not until I've finished up 2008...

UPDATE:  YAY!!!... I FINISHED UP EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO FOR WORK THIS WEEK TO CLOSE THE YEAR...  the house is another story!  But hey, still two days till Monday and that is my Official start to 2009 anyway!  So there!!!

WATER AND SHEETS

A few more time saving tips from the Veg house of 2008...

• Fill the dogs water bowls at night, so you don't have to do it in the morning.  If their like mine, they will sleep at night, and still have fresh water in the morning.
• Change Bedding as needed for the little ones in your house, but then change yours on the opposite weeks.  This way the laundry doesn't pile up as high....  So example, if I washed Veg's bedding this week, I would wash mine next week...  Blankets make the laundry pile look much bigger then it really is.  With multiple kids or accidents, you can change them as needed for accidents, but other wise, pick a day for each family member...  Child 1 gets their bedding changed on Monday, Child 2 on Wednesday, adults on Friday... Or something like that!   Less work on you and less stress watching the piles grow having all the bedding changed at once.
• While my son is taking a shower, he no longer needs me holding him, so this is a great time to clean the bathroom.  I can watch him or be there if he needs me, but get the counter, sink, mirror and floor all tidy at the same time!

LAUNDRY A DAY

Hubby was nice enough to help me carry down the filled laundry basket today and as I'm sorting everything in to its proper load formation... Yes, I have to have everything sorted before I put it in the machine... I have two baskets in the garage, one for lights and one for darks.  So as I'm sorting everything, I made a comment... "Well, there goes my nice empty baskets"

It was just a comment... It wasn't in need of a response... But in true hubby fashion he feels like he has to give a resolution to this problem.  Do I want his input?  NO... But he is standing there,and so there will be input...

His wonderful suggestion to keep my laundry piles kept up was this "Ya No, if you came home every day and put a load in, then took it out, they wouldn't pile up like that?"

DUH!  Ya Think????  Can you see the daggers in my eyes during this look??? 

Sure Honey, and if I came home every day to a nice clean house, dinner on the table, no work to do, no errands to run, no dogs to feed, no playing and teaching to do, no showers to take, no phone calls to make, I may just may take you up on your suggestion of remembering to do a load of wash every day.

Hmm?  What a brilliant idea he had, Now why didn't I think of that???

CLEAN THAT DRAIN

Thanks to another tip from our Local Mom's site, I decided to try a Natural Drain Cleaner for my Bath Tub...

Pour in 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup Vinegar.... fizz fizz fizz

After a couple minutes, pour in 2 Qts of Boiling water.... fizz fizz, super fizz

Shish Bam Boom - no more standing shower water in the tub.

VINEGAR AND SILLY PUTTY

I found my self in a situation yesterday where silly putty had become "one with the carpet"  (don't ask how?)

Put a little Vinegar and Water on a wash cloth and scrub scrub scrub.... Voila, no more silly putty on my carpet.

*big smiles*