> Spring break - Spring Cleaning For Today's Mom

Spring break > Spring Cleaning For Today's Mom

Spring Cleaning For Today's Mom

by: Amy Allen Clark

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.

About The Author

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

Break In With Fillers: The Best Market For New Writers

Break In With Fillers: The Best Market For New Writers

by: Shelley Wake

Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new area? You can?t go past writing fillers. Fillers are one of the most overlooked opportunities in the freelance writing world and offer one of the best opportunities for new writers.

Fillers Are In Demand

I?ve spoken to hundreds of editors and been told over and over again that fillers are the one thing they never get enough of. Most publications tend to publish more freelance fillers than they do freelance articles. Yet, they often receive 100 times more articles than fillers.

This is a gap in the freelance market that you can take advantage of.

Fillers are a Great Place to Get Started

Many publications are careful about publishing feature articles from writers they don?t know. Even if your article is good, an editor might decide not to publish you because they don?t know you as a writer....

Break In With Fillers: The Best Market For New Writers

Spring break > Break In With Fillers: The Best Market For New Writers

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by: Charles "Chuck" Harmon

Have you ever wondered how anyone got the idea to start sleeping on springs in the first place?

I mean, think about it for a minute, what would it feel like to lay down on the bare springs?

And why is it, that laying on springs with some kind of material over them, is considered any better?

The creation of a coil spring mattress was first documented, by patent, in 1865, and there have only been a couple of minor changes, to that original design, in the following 140 years.

During that same period, we went from plowing fields with oxen, to men living in space.

Don't you think it's conceivable that we could find new ideas and materials to improve the mattresses we spend 1/3 of our life on?

The differences, between a regular coil spring mattress and a memory foam mattress, will be presented, to help you understand the difference....

Memory Foam Mattress vs. Coil Spring Mattress; How Do They Differ?

Spring break > Memory Foam Mattress vs. Coil Spring Mattress; How Do They Differ?

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Spring Flower Gardening

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Spring is the time when nature and your garden awakes and comes alive after the long winter. That first spring flower or that first green leave is the sign that winter in coming to an end and that a new growing season has arrived.

Spring and Flower gardening is almost synonymous. Spring is the time to interplant perennials, shrubs, roses and plant or transplant your annuals.

It?s time to shape up your soil, loosen the mulch around your plants and prune your early blooming shrubs. Rake and remove leaves and debris from your garden. Without a good planting medium your flower garden will never be at its best.

Perennials will save you a lot of work in your flower garden. So keep perennials high on your list. These hardworking beauties eliminate yearly replanting and will still give you that spring and summer color that you are longing for. It?s best to choose varieties that don?t need a lot...

Spring Flower Gardening

Spring break > Spring Flower Gardening

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Break Out of Your Comfort Zone

by: Ted Kushner

Are you having a hard time breaking out of your comfort zone?

Everyone has a comfort zone- they are the routines in your life that you've become accustomed to. Routines and habits you are comfortable with and have a hard time changing.

-- Personal comfort zones may include certain routines you have like:

Getting up every morning- you may go to the bathroom first, then make a cup of coffee next, and then finally you may get yourself dressed, etc.. .

-- Business and financial comfort zones may include:

Your trusty day job- the one you've been going to work for at the same place at the same time doing the same thing for the past 10 or 20 years.

Or maybe it's using the same marketing method(s) over and over again without testing new ones.

-- Personal preference comfort zones may include:

Your die-hard vehicle, the trusty friend that has given you reliable transportation...

Break Out of Your Comfort Zone

Spring break > Break Out of Your Comfort Zone

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by: Bridget Allen

When the snow starts to melt and flowers begin to dot the scenery, you know it is spring!
What better way to celebrate the coming of the season with packing away your heavy winter sweaters and coats and welcoming the spring season in with pastel colors, feminine prints, and gauzy clothing?
When it comes time to plan your spring wardrobe, it may be tempting to run around in thin, flutter sleeve shirts and flirty skirts, but your local weather may not allow it.
Keep your physical weather in mind before you buy silky tops, cropped pants, and flippant skirts?finding yourself out in the cold!

Many places in the country equate spring with rain.
If you live in an area where the March, April, and May showers mean summertime flowers, then take this into account when choosing your spring fashion wardrobe.
Consider purchasing a fantastic...

Tips On Choosing Chic Spring Fashions You Want To Know

Spring break > Tips On Choosing Chic Spring Fashions You Want To Know

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If you own a pickup truck or SUV chances are your vehicle looks quite a bit different than from the day that you bought it home from the dealership. I?m not talking about wear and tear, scratches or dings, or any other thing that may have happened to it over the course of time. Rather, I am suggesting that you have customized it to look the way you want it to look. Let?s take a peek at some popular accessories...

suv Spring break Spring Cleaning For Today's Mom Top Truck and SUV Accessories

Spring break > Top Truck and SUV Accessories

Is Your Car Tires Safe?

by: Joseph Kenny

Do you know most of the car accidents are caused because of one or the other fault in the car tires? Most of the car accident reimbursement that the car owners have to pay to the accident victims or the loss they have to incur in terms of insurance money they get is all due to fault in car tires. So, when you go out to buy a car then with all the factors like performance, brand, price, appearance, comfort, and maybe even...

car insurance

Spring break > Is Your Car Tires Safe?

Garden Leaf Blowers - More Power to Your Elbow

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Garden leaf blowers are powered generally either by gas or electric. Our article below will guide you to make the best choice of leaf blower for your portability needs, and garden size.

Gas Leaf Blowers

These are more powerful (and noisier) than electric ones, and with a reach beyond the limits of an extension cord. Two-cycle engines require a mix of gas and oil. Gas powered leaf blowers...

Spring break Garden Leaf Blowers - More Power to Your Elbow

Spring break > Garden Leaf Blowers - More Power to Your Elbow

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When searching for a used car, one of the most important factors to consider is whether the car you are looking for really is worth its tag price. Even though the car may look like quite a deal, it is possible that you are being ripped off. Here are a few tips to help you make that decision when considering used cars.

1. Do a Little Research

When you find a used car that catches your fancy make...

How To Estimate A Used Car?s Value

Spring break > How To Estimate A Used Car?s Value

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Sometime along your golf games, it might have entered your mind to bark on a golf vacation but have never got started with it. To help you realize your golf vacation plans, here are some guidelines you can use:

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Once you are totally decided to pack your things up, the...

purses Need Some Time Out: Get A Golf Vacation Spring break Spring Cleaning For Today's Mom

Spring break > Need Some Time Out: Get A Golf Vacation