Habits are built slowly and over time. If you find yourself gaining traction and getting derailed easily, you need to put some guardrails in place. As our schedules change, I’ve found that this is something that will help me out and I think it might help you too!

If you’re doing the full Clean Mama Routine you can also coordinate this with the Monthly Focus and concentrate your decluttering in that area of your home. January = Whole House Declutter, February = Kitchen, etc.

Go to the free printables page to grab this free printables and many, many more! If you are new to the free printables page you’ll need to enter your email address ONE TIME and I’ll send you the password you can use to access the free printables page. If you already have the password, simple enter it and grab these goodies.

Everyone needs a fresh start from time to time. If you’ve been doing the Clean Mama Routine for years or a few weeks, you know that there are specific tasks we do throughout the year (Daily Tasks, Weekly Tasks, Rotating Tasks, Monthly Focus). These tasks keep our homes clean most of the time! We also know that real life brings messes and clutter. The Whole Home Reset Course is the system that I use when I need to do a reset in the house. I’m so excited to share this method with you!

The post The One Bag Quick Declutter 2023 appeared first on Clean Mama.

Communication is the key to making a cleaning routine stick – sit down and talk about it or just start delegating and teaching how clean around the house. Set expectations and provide plenty of encouragement and you’ll see quickly how the old expression is true: Many hands make light work.

QUICK TIP: Print out the free Homekeeping Calendar or use the Cozi + Clean Mama app to keep everyone on task and to share the routine without nagging.

There are 4 parts to the Clean Mama Routine – start with the Daily Tasks and add the Weekly Tasks as you are ready:

Teach your family the Daily Tasks – there are lots of ways to include them – here are some suggestions, pick and choose what works for your home and family. 

DAILY TASKS

These five tasks are essential to the Clean Mama Routine and the secret to getting started with your clean home; make the beds, check the floors, wipe the counters, tackle clutter, and do a load of laundry.

• My favorite one to include the family on is ‘wipe counters’. This includes the full kitchen clean up. In our home, we all contribute and get this done as quickly as possible after dinner.
• Kids can make their own beds – don’t go back and correct or fix, just let them make their own beds.
• Give everyone a laundry day – that day of the week is when their clothes get washed, dried, put away. Teaching kids to do laundry isn’t as hard as you might think!

Let them know what the Weekly Tasks are and have them help – if they have their own bathroom, they clean it on Monday, they can dust their own rooms on Tuesdays, etc.

WEEKLY CLEANING TASKS

These tasks should only take 10-15 minutes once you get in the swing of the routine – this gets easier every week, stick with it and you’ll see how the consistency is what makes it work. On Monday we clean the bathrooms, Tuesday we dust, Wednesday we vacuum, Thursday we wash the floors, Friday we do anything we didn’t get to and on Saturday we tackle sheets + towels. By having specific tasks for each day of the week you’ll take the guesswork out of what needs to be cleaned and when it needs to be cleaned – it’s wonderful!

If you’re looking for cleaning and laundry products safe for you and your family, check out the Clean Mama Shop. I love creating cute cleaning products that really work and that you can use without worrying about safety,

Want to learn more about the Clean Mama Routine? Head to the Start Here page!

The post Three Easy Ways to Include Your Family in the Clean Mama Routine appeared first on Clean Mama.

It’s Declutter Quick Start – Day 3 and today we’re going to set a timer for 10-30 minutes and see how much stuff you can find and get clear from surfaces. If you feel overwhelmed, pick one surface and completely clear it (coffee table, kitchen table, kitchen counters, desk, etc.).

Taking that visual noise out of the equation makes a huge difference! Once you’ve cleared one surface, wipe it clean and leave that surface empty for a bit before you put anything back.

Work quickly and notice how you FEEL with a surface or two cleaned, cleared, and decluttered. It’s okay to leave the surface empty for a bit before you decide what you want to return to that surface.

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 3 – Surface Declutter appeared first on Clean Mama.

It’s Declutter Quick Start – Day 2 and today we’re going to concentrate our time on the floors. This challenge is intended to help you get started quickly with minimal effort. Set a timer for 10-30 minutes and gather everything that you can remove from the floors. This might be clothing, shoes, toys, anything that doesn’t belong on the floor. Quickly remove it and put it where it belongs or get rid of it.

If it’s helpful, just continue what you started yesterday. Add a couple more bags and a little more effort to clear those floors. Ready? If you don’t have your free printable, keep reading and get started!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

The post Declutter Quick Start – Day 2 – Floor Declutter appeared first on Clean Mama.

Cleaning Posts

How to Choose a Vacuum Cleaner

How to Wash Towels

Guide to Washing Floors & Favorite Floor Washing Tools

How to Safely Clean & Disinfect Around the Home

DIY Nightly Sink Scrub

How to Clean a Toilet

DIY Daily Shower Spray

A Manageable, Realistic Cleaning Routine for Any Schedule

Clean Mama’s 3 Tips to Get Started When You’re Overwhelmed

How to Automate Your Laundry Routine

How to Create a Capsule Wardrobe With the Clothes You Already Own

Musts for a Filing System

Start a New Ritual with Clean Mama’s One Bag Quick Declutter + free printable

Organizing Posts

How to Organize Toiletries

How to Organize a Refrigerator – So it Functions for your Home

Favorite Organizing Products for the Kitchen

Favorites for an Organized Bathroom

Favorites for Holiday Decor Storage

Going back through the posts from 2022 makes me so excited to share more in 2023 – Happy New Year! You can see all the posts from the past by clicking here. What post was your favorite?  What do you want to see in 2023?

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy one around Clean Mama – don’t miss anything!

Join Me for the Free Declutter Quick Start! If you’re feeling like you need to do a little (or a big) declutter, join us on January 2nd-6th for the Clutter Quick Start!

What’s the Clutter Quick Start? It’s a FREE 5 day challenge that’ll be on the blog and on Instagram next week. Each day we’ll be working together on 5 clutter areas and clearing the clutter together.

Grab the FREE checklist and get ready to join us next week! Want to head straight to the free printables page? Head here!

Don’t miss the sale on the Whole Home Reset Course – New Year’s Declutter Edition, it’s perfect for this time of year!

The post The Best of the Blog 2022 appeared first on Clean Mama.

First up, I grabbed these soft sided organizers for dishes and I cannot tell you how happy I am with this purchase. Not only did it help me clear bins of holiday dishes stored in boxes, it simplified the holiday dish situation. I’ve been collecting Spode Christmas Tree dinnerware for over 20 years and started with just wanting to do mugs and dessert plates, but a couple years ago I found a set of dinner plates on clearance after Christmas and completed the set. I have some serving pieces too – I love using this during December and Christmas Eve and Day.

If you have a good set of china in storage in boxes, this is a great way to get them out of boxes and into safe storage. The dish storage also comes with felt rounds to go in between each plate.

via Amazon

A couple years ago I grabbed one of these boxes for each of us. They have two layers and hold a lot of ornaments. The kids each have their own ornament box – this keeps their ornaments separate and some day they’ll be able to take their box to their own homes.

via Amazon

When I start undecorating I quickly go through the house and gather things up by type and put them on the kitchen and dining room tables. Then once I have everything taken down I take those items and put them in bins or boxes. Make it easy to find holiday decorations by sorting and storing like with like. Take it a step further by labeling the exterior of boxes and bins and by keeping your holiday decorations grouped together.

Sort like with like – soft items like stockings and the tree skirt go together in a bin. Garland and other greenery are stored together in another bin.

I use these white storage totes in the basement for holiday decor and storage of other items as well. They’re large, stack easily and keep the storage light and bright in the basement.

I put smaller ‘collections’ in 2 gallon zip top bags to keep the items together and easy to grab and decorate. Lights, smaller greens, and ornaments are great to keep sorted out this way.

Make sure you have a place for your decor and that it is easy to locate. This makes holiday decorating and undecorating easier and so much more enjoyable when you have less and can easily locate anything you’re looking for!

If there are decorations you haven’t put out for a while consider donating them instead of continuing to store them. It’s okay to not keep everything. Less is more when it comes to holiday decorations.

I use large divided storage bins for large items like village homes and snow globes. They keep these items together and eliminate the need for the large, bulky boxes that these items came in.

via Amazon

I linked up all my favorites for organizing holiday decor below and in my Amazon shop.

Wheeled Storage Bin – Great for keeping your holiday decor color-coded and organized. I love the wheels for easy access.

Wreath Storage – If you have nice wreaths that you’d like to keep separate from other items in a bin, these are great!

Tree Storage Bag– This is a great tree storage bag with plenty of height options to choose from so it fits your tree perfectly.

Latching Storage Box– These are great if you are tight on space, you can see what’s inside and slide it under a bed or stack them up in a basement or attic.

Light Organizer – If your lights are a tangled mess you’ll love these light organizers!

Green Storage Bin– Green makes it easy to separate from other storage bins – I love that these are see through too!

Ornament Organizer – I love these ornament organizers – everyone has one in our home. They’re sturdy and fit so many ornaments!

See-Through Storage Bin– Another bin, another option for storage!

China Storage – These were a game changer for our holiday dishes – such a great find!

White Storage Totes – My favorite storage totes!

Large Decorations Storage– Love these for storing larger items together – snow globes, Christmas villages, etc.

Gift Wrap Station – Perfect for keeping your wrapping paper contained and organized!

The post Favorites for Holiday Decor Storage appeared first on Clean Mama.

Planning ahead for guests

Block out the week before company is coming – do the normal Daily Cleaning Tasks and Weekly Cleaning Tasks. On each of those days, think ahead to something you could do to make preparing for company a little easier. New here? The Start Here page details the Clean Mama Routine. If you’re

Let’s say company is coming on Friday – this is how I plan ahead for guests. This is an example giving you a full week to get ready. Generally speaking, I find that the Monday before  is when I start to get ready for guests.

The perfect companion for your planning is the Homekeeping Planner – it’s ideal for keeping all of your to-dos straight in the simplest way possible. Bonus:  it’s undated so you can start using it the day it arrives, not after the New Year.

These are the Weekly Tasks in the Clean Mama Routine – find the full Routine here.

Friday before: Catch-All Day Plan the menu out for the week ahead and the weekend that company will be in town. This is a great day to clean out the fridge too.

Saturday before: Wash sheets and towels – if you have a guest room, guest bedding and towels takes priority. Make sure bedding is clean and clean towels are ready. If your guests are staying in a child’s room(s), save the bedding until the day they arrive.

Sunday before: Prep ahead any food that can be made ahead and frozen. Want to have muffins on hand for an easy breakfast? Make a batch and freeze them.  Revisit your menu plan for the week ahead and make any tweaks before doing your grocery shopping.

Daily Planner Notepad

Monday before: Clean all the bathrooms, concentrating on the bathrooms that guests will be using. Make sure that you are stocked up on paper products – tissues, toilet paper, etc.

Tuesday before: Quickly dust the entire house making sure to dust where guests will be staying thoroughly.

microfiber duster

Wednesday before: Vacuum the entire house thoroughly – if you have extra time, run your attachments over corners, vents, and baseboards if needed. If it works better for you and your schedule you can also split this up with floor washing over two days. For instance, vacuum and wash the floors on one level on Wednesday and the other level on Thursday.

Thursday before: Wash floors thoroughly – if you have extra time, wash baseboards. Depending on the state of our floors, I will often leave them to wash after we have a party or guests. Just doing a little spot-cleaning will do the trick!

Friday – or whatever day guests arrive: Use the 30 Minute Quick Clean Checklist below to do a quick clean through the house if needed. Do any last minute grocery shopping and food prep. Relax and enjoy your guests!  You can also find this as a free printable checklist on the free printables page here.

What if my house is a disaster? What should I do?

If you are reading this and thinking, this list would work for someone that has a clean house already but mine is a MESS, here’s my recommendation. Start now and spend 15-30 minutes a day on the daily tasks – concentrate half of that time on the ‘clutter’ task. Clutter is what holds us back from a clean home most of the time. Need more explanation? Head to the Start Here page.

Keep doing this week after week – once you feel like you have a handle on them and like you’ve cleared some clutter, do a whole house clean.

How we clean while we have guests:

While we have guests staying at our house I never want them to feel like they need to clean so I keep the cleaning minimal. I make sure we clean up the kitchen after meals – everyone typically helps, I toss a small load of laundry in when I can so I don’t get behind, and wipe bathroom and kitchen counters daily (not the bathroom guests use), change out kitchen and bathroom hand towels, and we pick up little messes as we go. So basically, we keep up with the 5 Daily Tasks.

The post Holiday Guests? Do This Now to Enjoy Your Guests Later appeared first on Clean Mama.

Happy Friday to you! I looked at the calendar this week and had to do a double take. I can’t quite believe Christmas is this next week. Somehow I was thinking it was two weeks away. Oops! We are finalizing our Christmas menus and have been enjoying the light dusting of snow this week has brought. 

I have some fun finds for you, including a great yet simple gift idea from Boxwood Avenue and an absolutely delightful kitchen tour from Golden Boys and Me. It wouldn’t be a little things post without a recipe, so I included a hands off crock pot meal from Half Baked Harvest. Lastly, I love a good recipe binder and wanted to share my holiday binder with our favorite recipes that we come back to again and again.

I love a cozy simmer to a gentle and cozy scent to our home. This stove top potpourri from Boxwood Avenue would make such a great gift. I love the free printable label too!

via Boxwood Avenue

This kitchen tour from Golden Boys and Me is pure delight! I love the kitchen tree with the kitchen-y ornaments in the Pyrex bowl – I grabbed a screenshot to show you but go give her a follow if you like vintage and cute!

via @goldenboysandme 

Hello, pure comfort food! I love utilizing the crock pot or Instant Pot in this busy season and can’t wait to make this sundried tomato chicken recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

via Half Baked Harvest

Did you get a chance to peek at my holiday recipe binder post yet? I love a recipe binder for all those random pages and recipes and decided it was time to share my holiday designated one. 

How to Make a Holiday Recipe Binder via Clean Mama

Save the dates! Check out what’s coming up – what are you most excited for?

The post It’s the Little Things #200 appeared first on Clean Mama.

Years ago, I outgrew the one ‘Recipe Binder’ and split that one binder into three: Recipes, Desserts, Holidays. If you’re not interested in doing a recipe binder, might I suggest a Holiday Recipe Binder OR if you are already a recipe binder fan, maybe you’d like to add a Holiday Recipe Binder to your collection? I love menu planning and looking back through recipes and cookbooks and find the binders to be scrapbook-y and a visual history of sorts. It’s super simple and might just save your sanity next year when you’re looking for that awesome fudge recipe you made last year and can’t remember where you found it!

I used the Holidays & Celebrations Divider for the inside cover from the printable kit in my shop – Dinner Rotation & Menu Planning Guide Kit – it includes a full Recipe Binder Kit with tabs. I like keeping recipes I haven’t tried yet in the pocket – once it’s a keeper it gets a permanent spot in a plastic sleeve.

You can see in my Recipe Binder Kit below that I used the tabs included in the kit – I find it necessary in this binder because it’s so much larger and more extensive.

I love the simplicity of a Holiday Recipe Binder – make a decision on how you want to organize it and start to file away these special recipes. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Make dividers for each holiday and put them in calendar order, for example: Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Birthdays.
• Divide it into 2-3 sections: Holiday Main Dishes, Holiday Side Dishes, Holiday Desserts.
• Maybe you just want to do a Birthdays Binder or a Christmas Binder or a Thanksgiving Binder – you don’t have to combine all the holidays into one binder, you could do separate binders for each occasion!
• Just put it all in a binder as you get started and make a decision later on your sections.

When I first started this Holiday Recipe Binder I photocopied the recipes in a holiday color – you can see some red pages from those days. Now I just cut out a recipe from a magazine or print it on white paper from my printer.

Larger recipes are folded in half and occasionally if I have multiple different recipes of the same item I’ll pair them in the same sleeve so I can access them and cross reference the recipe.

Here are a couple supplies I’ve used to make my Recipe Binders:

• Dinner Rotation & Menu Planning Guide Kit
• a binder (or 2 or 3) – similar to what I used
• bookplates – not necessary but cute
• plastic sleeves to put the recipes in – this protects them, but you could omit them and three-hole punch the recipes if you’d prefer
• that stack of recipes that you have in your kitchen cupboard or drawer – put them to use!
• divider pages if you’d like

Do you have a Holiday Recipe Binder?

The post How to Make a Holiday Recipe Binder appeared first on Clean Mama.

Here’s the system I follow:

I start with The Basics. These are the main areas in the home and most noticeable if someone is dropping by or if things have gotten away from me a bit. If this is all I get to, that’s FINE!  If I have extra time or if I’m feeling like continuing, I move beyond the basics.

THE BASICS

These tasks are a great starting (or ending) point. Work in this order for maximum efficiency.

• pick up entryway
• do a quick declutter on main level
• vacuum/sweep noticeable dirt
• wipe down kitchen counters & table
• put dirty dishes in dishwasher or sink
• put out clean kitchen towels
• wipe down bathroom sinks
• clean toilets
• put out clean bathroom towels

CLEANING EXTRAS

Extra tasks that step up the reset up a notch, use these to start off your extras and feel free to add any others to the blank spots on the checklist.

• wipe down mirrors
• fluff pillows and arrange throw blankets
• wipe off appliance fronts
• quick dust

AMBIENCE

If you’re using this checklist before company comes over or just want to create a cozy atmosphere, check these things off the list.

• light a candle or start a diffuser
• turn on tabletop lights
• turn on the music
• adjust the thermostat

I put this 30 Minute Quick Clean into checklist form if you’d like to follow along. Come check out the  Free Printable Library – you’ll find all sorts of cleaning checklists perfect for getting ready for the holidays! A couple of my favorites? The Kitchen Speed Cleaning Checklist and the Appliance Quick Clean Checklist – they simplify the process of cleaning in the kitchen and make it a little easier.  Go to the free printables page, enter your email address ONE TIME and I’ll send you the password you can use to access the free printables page. If you already have the password, simple enter it, check out the updates.

Here’s a visual of the steps too if that’s easier to follow! Put on a holiday playlist and I bet you’ll be quick cleaning your house in no time!

I also have a whole section in the shop with printable kits designed to make your life easier. They are all fillable so you can type in your own info or fill it out by hand. You can find them here in the shop.

The post Get Ready in a Hurry – Free Holiday Cleaning Checklists appeared first on Clean Mama.

Planning ahead for guests

Block out the week before company is coming – do the normal Daily Cleaning Tasks and Weekly Cleaning Tasks. On each of those days, think ahead to something you could do to make preparing for company a little easier.

Let’s say company is coming on Friday – this is how I plan ahead for guests. This is an example giving you a full week to get ready. Generally speaking, I find that the Monday before  is when I start to get ready for guests.

The perfect companion for your planning is the Homekeeping Planner – it’s ideal for keeping all of your to-dos straight in the simplest way possible. Bonus:  it’s undated so you can start using it the day it arrives, not after the New Year. Watch for it to be on sale for the Black Friday Sale (it starts on Wednesday).

These are the Weekly Tasks in the Clean Mama Routine – find the full Routine here.

Friday before: Catch-All Day Plan the menu out for the week ahead and the weekend that company will be in town. This is a great day to clean out the fridge too.

Saturday before: Wash sheets and towels – if you have a guest room, guest bedding and towels takes priority. Make sure bedding is clean and clean towels are ready. If your guests are staying in a child’s room(s), save the bedding until the day they arrive.

Sunday before: Prep ahead any food that can be made ahead and frozen. Want to have muffins on hand for an easy breakfast? Make a batch and freeze them.  Revisit your menu plan for the week ahead and make any tweaks before doing your grocery shopping.

Legal Pads / Homekeeping Planner / favorite pens

Monday before: Clean all the bathrooms, concentrating on the bathrooms that guests will be using. Make sure that you are stocked up on paper products – tissues, toilet paper, etc.

Tuesday before: Quickly dust the entire house making sure to dust where guests will be staying thoroughly.

microfiber duster

Wednesday before: Vacuum the entire house thoroughly – if you have extra time, run your attachments over corners, vents, and baseboards if needed. If it works better for you and your schedule you can also split this up with floor washing over two days. For instance, vacuum and wash the floors on one level on Wednesday and the other level on Thursday.

Thursday before: Wash floors thoroughly – if you have extra time, wash baseboards. Depending on the state of our floors, I will often leave them to wash after we have a party or guests. Just doing a little spot-cleaning will do the trick!

Friday – or whatever day guests arrive: Use the 30 Minute Quick Clean Checklist below to do a quick clean through the house if needed. Do any last minute grocery shopping and food prep. Relax and enjoy your guests!  You can also find this as a free printable checklist on the free printables page here.

What if my house is a disaster? What should I do?

If you are reading this and thinking, this list would work for someone that has a clean house already but mine is a MESS, here’s my recommendation. Start now and spend 15-30 minutes a day on the daily tasks – concentrate half of that time on the ‘clutter’ task. Clutter is what holds us back from a clean home most of the time. Need more explanation? Head to the Start Here page.

Keep doing this week after week – once you feel like you have a handle on them and like you’ve cleared some clutter, do a whole house clean.

How we clean while we have guests:

While we have guests staying at our house I never want them to feel like they need to clean so I keep the cleaning minimal. I make sure we clean up the kitchen after meals – everyone typically helps, I toss a small load of laundry in when I can so I don’t get behind, and wipe bathroom and kitchen counters daily (not the bathroom guests use), change out kitchen and bathroom hand towels, and we pick up little messes as we go. So basically, we keep up with the 5 Daily Tasks.

The post Company Coming For Thanksgiving? What you can do now to enjoy the day! appeared first on Clean Mama.

Ready to see what caught my eye this week? Let’s start with the incredible side recipes from The Real Food Dieticians. I couldn’t possibly choose a favorite, they all look so good! If you have a budding seamstress in your home, or maybe you would love a project yourself, be sure to check out the 50+ simple sewing projects from Polka Dot Chair. I love Kylie M. Interiors’s paint colors suggestions and posts and pinned her kitchen cabinet post as inspiration. Lastly, I shared a little luxuries gift guide this week for your gift giving needs for friends, family and even yourself on my blog. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love turkey as part of our Thanksgiving meal but I secretly love the sides even more. I could literally eat a meal of all sides from these delicious recipes from The Real Food Dietitians. 

via The Real Food Dietittians

Our teenage daughter loves to sew and has become really talented at whipping up all sorts of creations. I know she is going to love tackling some of these easier projects from Polka Dot Chair. I might even try my own hand at some!

via Polka Dot Chair

Are you considering painting your kitchen cabinets some day? I really appreciate all the science that Kylie puts into her color choices and suggestions. Her eye for colors is spot on and her suggestions for lighter cabinet colors are spot on. 

via Kylie M. Interiors

I had so much fun putting together my little luxuries gift guide this week. I included all sorts of ideas at different price points that bring me and my family members joy.

Little Luxuries Gift Guide

A couple Clean Mama items you won’t want to miss and couple dates to save!

• The Black Friday Cyber Monday Sale is coming November 23rd! Lots of discounts on the shop and 20% off the courses. Stay tuned!
  
• Sweet Mint is in the shop! Shop all the new Sweet Mint products – just in time for holiday cleaning!

Sweet Mint is the perfect holiday or any day cleaning scent!

The post It’s the Little Things #196 appeared first on Clean Mama.

You’ll see each mini category broken down a bit – I hope this helps you find quality items that last. I love a less is more approach to gift giving.

You’ll also see some Clean Mama products on this gift guide – the Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale is coming early, on November 23rd. It’s going to be epic with plenty of discounts and sale on sale items too!

FOR THE BEDROOM

1. Sheets set – My favorite sheets are from Boll & Branch – they have all sorts of sets and even a set that doesn’t include the top sheet.
2. Noise Machine – The perfect practical gift – we have one in every bedroom and we travel with ours!
3. Oversized Plaid Throw Blanket – You can never go wrong with a throw blanket for a gift. The pictured plaid blanket is definitely a luxury item, here’s one with a lower price point.
4. Book Light – The perfect gift for a reader – this is great for kids too!

FOR A COZY HOME

1. Seasonal Candle – My favorite go-to gift is a candle!  There’s a packaging update coming to the shop and there are just a couple candles left in the old packaging and over 50% off. Add your email address to the listing to be notified when the new candles are in stock!
2. Espresso Maker – This is a luxury gift and my favorite appliance – I’ve blogged about it here too if you’re curious. An alternative fun gift under $10 is a milk frother!
3. Glass Mugs – I love glass mugs for a little luxury gift and these from Rifle Paper are so pretty. I also own these plain ones too!
4. Candle Lighter – These electric lighters are a fun stocking stuffer or a gift to go along with a candle.

GIFTS FOR HER (OR YOU)

1. Slippers – These are a splurge, but worth it for the quality. They last for years, not just a season.
2. Notepads – Love a quality notepad as a gift for a host or to slip in a gift basket.
3. Sweater – My neighbor was wearing this sweater/coat/sweatshirt and I asked for the link. I love it, it’s cozy and cute!
4. Planners – A planner is a great gift, especially if you know your recipient will use it! Or maybe an end of the year gift for yourself?

GIFTS FOR THE KITCHEN

1. Cookbook Holder – A practical gift that gets plenty of use? A cookbook holder! This one is beautiful and can also be used for a digital device too.
2. Kitchen Towels – You can never go wrong with a set of kitchen towels as a little gift. My favorite towels for wiping counters are the Premium Bar Mop Towels – they’re also Good Housekeeping Cleaning Award Winners! 
3. Measuring Batter Bowl – Super practical, I love this batter bowl. Add a set of towels, a box of pancake mix and a nice bottle of maple syrup and you have a fun little gift!
4. Cutting Board – A cutting board with handles is a favorite!  Great for a charcuterie board – this makes a fun gift paired with crackers and cheese. Offer to bring the charcuterie board and leave it as a gift!

Do you have a favorite ‘little luxuries’ gift to give?  Share it in the comments!

The post Little Luxuries Gift Guide appeared first on Clean Mama.

Homekeeping Planner

So what’s the secret? How can you get motivated to clean?

I don’t wake up wanting to clean but I enjoy a clean house and feel so much better when things are tidy in our home. When I don’t want to clean, I try to reframe my motivation and think about how much better I’ll feel when the kitchen is clean or the laundry is folded. I’ll also think about how much harder it will be if I put it off another day. Cleaning a little bit every day makes it easier AND it keeps cleaning from being overwhelming. New here? Head to the Start Here Page.

In preparation for this post I asked my followers on Instagram how motivated they are to clean – check out these results. If you aren’t motivated, you’re not alone!

• Think of your tomorrow or later today self.  How will cleaning the kitchen, getting caught up on laundry, etc. make you feel?
• Choose cleaning supplies that you enjoy using. Color coordinate or just choose supplies you like the look of – I find that having cute supplies make cleaning more fun.
• Don’t put it off – get it over with and get on with your life.
• Get others involved – delegate and ask for help!
• Watch other people clean – follow me on Instagram – I share tips and tricks daily.
• Start in the worst area first and keep going with that momentum.
• Start with something easy and build momentum on that little win.
• Listen to a podcast, audiobook, or your favorite music – listening can provide a nice distraction.
• Call someone and chat while you’re cleaning. Cleaning with friends is awesome and probably my favorite way to clean. Chances are you’ll enjoy the conversation more than you realize that you’re cleaning.
• Make it a game – set a timer and race yourself.
• Invite someone over – you’ll probably get more done in a shorter period of time as you hurry to finish up a task or two.
• Reward yourself with something that motivates you when you accomplish your goal. Me? A couple chocolate chips or an episode of my current Netflix show usually do the trick.

One of the best parts of the Clean Mama Routine is that you don’t need to think about what needs to be cleaned and when it needs to be cleaned. Just do the Daily and Weekly Tasks and you’ll find that your home is clean most of the time and it takes LESS time than any other cleaning routine!

shop Clean Mama supplies

Tell us your ideas in the comments – this is what works for me, I am confident that there are lots of other great ideas to help us get motivated!

The post Not Motivated to Clean? Try these ideas to help you get started! appeared first on Clean Mama.

This week I have some favorites and fun finds for you, a little kitchen inspo, our current protein bite obsession. If you have family photos coming up, be sure to look at the post I shared from The Small Things Blog to ensure a successful session for you and your family. I love a good blanket and I have my eye on a couple that Chris Loves Julia shared in their new blanket roundup. Lastly, I am often asked how to safely clean and disinfect without the use of bleach, so I polished up a new post with all my best tips and DIY cleaners.

I love arrangements of kitchen storage, pots and pans, and functional spaces, so this image from The Cook’s Atelier popped right out at me on Instagram. I love the look of accessible serveware and utensils. Simple and functional and lovely!

via The Cook’s Atelier @thecooksatelier on Instagram

I have been making a double batch of these protein bites from Gimme Some Oven pretty much weekly for snacks and lunches and they are a consistent favorite. The added touch of unsweetened coconut is perfection.

via Gimme Some Oven

Tis the season for family photos! I appreciate all these tips from Kate about how to prep and prepare for your best session yet.

via The Small Things Blog

We are a family that loves a good blanket for the colder months and have a huge dedicated antique Red Wing Crock for our collection. If you are in the market for a new blanket or two, you will appreciate this roundup from Chris Loves Julia.

via Chris Loves Julia

The sniffles seem to be going around our neck of the woods here in the Midwest, so I thought it was the perfect timing to share my favorite tips about how to safely disinfect around the home. I included options for different surfaces so you and your home are covered!

via Clean Mama

A couple Clean Mama items you won’t want to miss and couple dates to save!

• November 7 – FREE Cleaning Class for the Holidays – more info to come!
• Homekeeping Society is getting a new site, look, and functionality – I can’t wait to share that with you!  AND the Annual Homekeeping Society Sale is coming along with the release!

The post It’s the Little Things #193 appeared first on Clean Mama.

microfiber cleaning cloth

Let’s start with some definitions – what is the difference between clean, sanitize, and disinfect?

Did you know that regular, consistent cleaning reduces germs in the home? Sanitizing is taking it one step further by removing any remaining germs left from cleaning and disinfecting kills any remaining germs/bacteria and viruses on surfaces. Generally speaking, cleaning is all that is necessary in an average home. It’s also helpful to recognize that some germs are okay – germs help to build up our immune systems. If we lived in homes that were germ, bacteria and virus free, once we were exposed to something we would get it because we hadn’t built up a healthy immune system. Once I realized this, I loosened my grip on disinfection in our home.*

*If you haven’t read my 3rd book, Clean Mama’s Guide to a Healthy Home, I go into extensive detail about how to great a non-toxic home – check it out here.

CLEAN: Removing dirt, stains and grime. Similar to how using soap and water and washing hands removes germs and washing them down the drain, spraying a surface with a cleaner and wiping it clean is cleaning it.

SANITIZE: Kills bacteria on surfaces.

DISINFECT: Kills bacteria and viruses on surfaces.

Bonus: Microfiber cleaning cloths can remove up to 99% of germs! They don’t spread germs around the way paper towels, cleaning wipes, and other materials do. Here are my favorite microfiber cleaning cloths.

glass spray bottle / hand and dish soap / sponge / towels

Now that you know the difference between cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting, let’s talk about when you need them and then how to safely clean, sanitize, and disinfect.

QUICK TIP: Did you know that regardless of what you are disinfecting with, in order to truly disinfect you need to let the cleaner sit on the surface for at least 10 minutes before wiping it off?  

When Should You Clean/Sanitize/Disinfect?

This depends on your own personal comfort level, but generally speaking, cleaning removes most germs. I err on the side of caution and have a simple routine for what and when I clean vs. sanitize/disinfect. If there’s an illness running its course in our home, I’ll add a level of disinfection to the entire house. If you have an immune-compromised family member, you’ll want to follow the instructions from your physician.

microfiber cleaning cloth / glass spray bottle

Here are some steps that I take/unwritten rules I follow:

DAILY:

• Clean kitchen counters and sink; check bathroom counters – spray and wipe clean if necessary.
• I do laundry daily – if anything needs to be sanitized or washed on hot, I keep it separate and wash it.
• Use the sanitize cycle on the dishwasher for washing dishes.

WEEKLY:

• I follow the Clean Mama Routine  – this allows for consistent cleaning. Consistent cleaning keeps germs off surfaces.
• Clean bathrooms on Mondays – I use my DIY All-Purpose Disinfecting Cleaning Spray for normal weekly cleaning and a stronger solution if necessary – see below for my Natural Disinfecting Spray recipes
• I use Hydrogen Peroxide to disinfect toilet brushes, kitchen and bathroom surfaces – see more below.

ILLNESS:

• • Spray Everclear-based disinfecting cleaner (see below) on all hard surfaces – bathrooms, kitchen surfaces. Let sit for 10-15 minutes and wipe clean. 
  • Wipe remotes, door knobs, light switches, etc. with rubbing alcohol.
  • Launder sheets and towels on sanitize cycle and dry on high. Repeat laundering after illness has passed.
  • Change hand towels daily. Wash all towels on sanitize cycle and dry on high.
  • Use steam cleaner on soft surfaces to sanitize – sofa, pillows, etc.
  • Launder throw pillows and blankets.

I love using Hydrogen Peroxide as a disinfectant on kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Simply add a sprayer and keep the bottle handy! Spray toilets, toilet brushes, sinks, and other hard surfaces that you want to disinfect.  I sell sprayers in the shop if you need one.

If you want to mix up a cleaner to clean, sanitize, or disinfect, I have lots of DIY recipes here. If you’d like a little more guidance on using alcohol in a DIY cleaner, keep reading.

In order to disinfect with alcohol, you need a final mixture that is made up of at least 60% alcohol – that’s why I recommend using Everclear with 95% alcohol. We don’t drink Everclear, I only use it for cleaning. It’s similar to vodka – it’s clear and is a grain alcohol so it’s ‘non-toxic’. For reference, Vodka has a 40-60% alcohol content which is why I add vinegar and essential oil to it to up its germ-killing qualities for my original All-Purpose Disinfecting Spray recipe.

Please note: If Everclear isn’t available in your state, look for vodka that is at least 60% alcohol and don’t dilute it with water.

NATURAL DISINFECTING SPRAY (WITHOUT VINEGAR)

Best used on stone surfaces – granite, marble, quartz.
1 cup Everclear (look for one with 95% alcohol)
2/3 cup water
1 -2 drops dish soap
15 drops essential oil – I use lemon (optional)

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle, shake and spray on surfaces you wish to disinfect. Spray thoroughly to saturate surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes to disinfect surfaces.

NATURAL DISINFECTING SPRAY (WITH WHITE VINEGAR)

1 cup Everclear (look for one with 95% alcohol)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
15 drops essential oil – I use lemon (optional)

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle, shake and spray on surfaces you wish to disinfect. Spray thoroughly to saturate surface and allow to sit for 10 minutes to disinfect surfaces.

I hope that this post gives you some information on cleaning vs sanitizing and disinfecting and gives you the information you need to safely clean and disinfect your home when needed!

The post How to Safely Clean & Disinfect Around the Home appeared first on Clean Mama.