The Fly Lady: Beginners Baby Steps

Day 1: 

Recently, I posted that I was finally putting The Fly Lady's advice to practice, and Day 1 begins in the kitchen. Kelly recommends cleaning your sink before going to bed, that way it's still shinning when you get up in the morning. :)
The only probablem here is that I have a husband, and he's not reading The Fly Lady and nor is he even interested in keeping the sink clean and shiny. So, this will not only be a cleaning moment but it will also be a marriage moment as well. 
How to get your family on board with your idea of clean??? That is the question! I don't know. I'll take any advice I can get. Also, I'd like some advice on what cleaner to use on a porcelain sink. Bleach works well, but I don't always enjoy the chemicals. 
Til next time...
Like this post? Vote for me!

The Fly Lady

Ok, we all know her, right? The Fly Lady , her moto: Finally Loving Yourself.

Also, daily rules she lives by:1. Dont sweat the small stuff; what doesn't matter, doesn't matter.2. Laugh everyday. Even if it's at yourself.3. Love like there is no tomorrow.
Kelly, The Fly Lady, and her team of do-gooders has helped hundreds of people declutter their lives, and I hope she can do the same for me.  The Fly Lady actually offers a section, Beginner Baby Steps, where she walks you through 31 days of declutter. I'm taking the challenge. I'll also be adding a section to my side bar that will document all my posts as I simplify my life.  :)  I hope you'll stick around for it all, and even join me as I Love, Laugh, and Let the other stuff slide. 



Like this post? Vote for me! 

Recycling 101

I recently created a compost pile for my garden and without even giving it a second thought, I also began recycling paper and plastic products. I recycled as a child and was pretty anal about it. :) We had brown paper bags in our basement where we stored old newspapers til my stepdad could haul them off to who-knows-where. As a child, it never occurred to me where the paper went, I never seemed to care, it was as if I had done my good part and now it was time for others to take over.

I was a born delegator. :)

Anyway, below are a couple of tips, if you're interested, in making recycling easy and fun, to those who enjoy sorting and stacking, and making a different for future generations.

EASY RECYCLING TIPS

http://www.countryhome.com/projects/shopgirl/recycling-basics_1.html

1. Find a convenient place to collect recyclable items. Most things come from the kitchen, making it a good spot to set up a recycling center.

2. The great thing about recycling is that it lets you put your favorite old containers, bins, or baskets to use. Assign containers for glass, plastic, and aluminum. To avoid messes, choose solid containers for storing items such as glass jars or cans that may have a sticky residue.

3. Take leftover plastic bags back to grocery stores where they are collected and reused to make plastic lumber.

4. Check the bottom of plastic items to identify what type of plastic they are. If the type is not recycled at your local center, consider ways to reuse the container.

5. Save water and time when recycling cans and bottles. You no longer need to rinse them out or remove their labels.

6. Recycle junk mail or reuse it as scratch paper. To opt-out of certain junk-mailing lists, go to opt-out.cdt.org.

7. Newspapers, magazines, and white paper can all be recycled as long as the paper is clean and dry. Plastic wrap, stickers, or rubber bands should be removed, but staples and plastic window envelopes are OK.

8. Recycle worn-out rechargeable batteries like those used in cell phones, computers, or power tools. Go to www.rbrc.org to find a drop-off location in your area.

9. Divvy up recycling duties among family members and sort items on a daily basis.

10. Print out [a] list of commonly recycled materials. Post it where you recycle for easy access.

 

Clean Up In 30

I've recently added a new page, Voluntary Simplicity, and, for those of you who are unfamiliar with voluntary simplicity, check it out here  and here . I hope to add my own take on the idea as well as grow and learn more great ways to simply my life.

And on that note, a couple of nights ago I looked around my home and felt swamped by all it's clutter, I then decided each night before tucking the kids in bed, we'd take the last 30 minutes to clean up and get ready for the next day {putting up toys, cleaning up dishes and clothes, and getting clothes and school items together for the next day}. I must say, it's made a HUGE difference in my house as well as my mood. I tend to become stressed when stuff starts falling out of place...which seems to be a constant thing around here.

Anyway, I love the feeling when I wake up in the morning and the house is clean. I love walking into my kitchen and there are no dirty dishes piled up in the sink, waiting for me to load the dishwasher, instead, I now unload the clean dishes and have everything ready for dinner that night. I also feel as if I help my husband out now that he's home with Maddie during the day. By keeping the house picked up, he's able to spend more time exploring and learning with our daughter, rather than sitting her in front of the tv and having to clean all day. Now, don't get me wrong, there was a time when I felt that it was his responsibility to take care of the house now that he was out of work, however, I'm not sure I was being completely fair to him. Like I said, it's a huge responsibility to take care of kids and I'd rather that be his priority than having to keep the house up. And, I feel good about helping out, too.

So, what about You? How do You manage to keep a house clutter free? I'd love to learn some new ways of organizing this ol' home. :)