Spring Cleaning Series: Week 1

I know, I know, you looked at that list and thought "How in the world am I going to get all that done in one week?", didn't you?   That's what I thought, too.  Just imagine how nice it will be to have the bedrooms and hallway clean by the end of the week?  It'll feel really good!  Just do a bit at a time...like doing all closets on the list at one time, all ceiling fans on the list at one time, etc.  Break it up into doable lists. Go through and decide what you need to get done this week and divide it up into however many days this week you have time.  A lot of the items on the list are done on a regular basis on the Motivated Mom's Planner.  If you've been keeping up with that then you don't have to do as much. *wink*  Go HERE to order the planner.  It's only $8!

Another great idea...have your family help you.  Have a pow-wow at the beginning of the week and see which chores they would be willing to help you with.  You may have to barter cleaning for extra computer time or some other incentive, but whatever works for you!

I have the entire five week Spring Cleaning Check-List over HERE for you to print out. (If it doesn't print out for you send me an email and I'd be happy to email you a pdf copy.

I'll go through the list and share ideas for this week's chores...

MASTER BEDROOM

 declutter room & closets -- use 3 trash bags to divide up clutter (trash, donate, keep) and work around the room clockwise from the door

 clean ceiling fan  -- if your ceiling fan is really dusty then you may want to use the hose from your vacuum to suck off  excess dust before you use a damp rag (I save old towels and dish rags as they get unsightly from the kitchen and bathrooms cut them up to usable sizes)

 wash bedding/turn mattress -- air dry your quilts and mattress covers outside if it's a nice day

 vacuum corners/ceiling (closet) -- work from top to bottom

 vacuum valances

 clean off and dust furniture

 vacuum under bed and furniture, baseboards

 vacuum lamp shades

  

 wash windows -- I use vinegar and water in a spray bottle.  I like to spray the window, wipe the window with crumpled up newspaper to loosen the dirt then wipe with a sheet of paper towel, then spray again and use a squeegee as a final non-streak step.  It really doesn't take as long as it seems and it has quite the nice result.

    vacuum floor 

  wash marks from walls -- You can use either a Magic Eraser or some baking soda/water paste on a dampened rag to wipe away difficult marks.  Be sure to follow after with a clean damp rag...both processes leave a residue.

GIRLS' & BOYS' BEDROOMS

(Make a separate list for each room for checking-off purposes if you like.)

 declutter room & closets

 clean ceiling fan

 wash bedding/ turn mattress

 vacuum corners/ceiling (closet)

 vacuum valances

 clean off and dust furniture

 vacuum under bed and furniture, baseboards

 vacuum lamp shades

 wash windows

 vacuum floor

 wash marks from walls

UPSTAIRS HALLWAY

 vacuum ceiling and corners

  wash lights and walls (Be careful not to clean the lightbulbs when they are hot.  Not only is it dangerous, but the coolness of the rag may blow the bulb.  Not that I would know from experience or anything. a-hem)

 dust pictures  -- I usually just use the soft brush attachment on the vacuum or a feather duster. If the glass is really bad I might use a paper towel dampened with window cleaner (or vinegar and water solution).

 vacuum hampers, baseboards

 vacuum floor and landing

Think of how clean and nice these rooms will look and feel when you're done!  You'll be a fifth of the way done with finishing your Spring Cleaning! 

This post is part of Homestead Barn Hop.

Shamrock Shakes!

I posted this last year and thought ya'll would enjoy it again! I know we will! *wink*

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We aren't big fans of the double arches but boy do we love our Shamrock Shakes!    I found this recipe at Saving Dollars and Sense.
Enjoy! 

Photo Credit

Shamrock Shake Recipe

2 c. vanilla ice cream
1 1/4 c. milk (we use 2%)
1/4 t. mint extract
8 drops green food coloring


Blend it all together until it has a nice creamy texture and all of the food coloring has been evenly mixed in to give it that nice green tone.  This will make enough for two people.

Spring Cleaning Series

This is a repost from last year.  I was going to write a new spring cleaning series, but why reinvent the wheel, right?  Read on and enjoy!

 

This month is what we've all been waiting for!  The month that we can finally say the "S" word.  No, not Snow...the good "S" word!  SPRING! 

There's a light at the end of the tunnel!  We can almost smell it!  Remember what it smells like?  Bliss!  The green grass, the fresh dirt to dig our hands into, the flowers!  Then there are the sounds.  The sounds; birds chirping, animals scattering about, lawn equipment breaking out of their winter homes.  You can almost hear the buds popping out of the barren tree limbs.  Oh and don't get me started on the sights of Spring!  The baby animals, the bulbs popping from the earth, the small light green buds peaking their way through the brown branches, the greener than green grass.  O.K. so I got started on the sights.  You know you wanted me to.  *wink*

With Spring comes all of the fun activities.  Going to the parks for picnics, long walks down lonely country roads, bike rides, playing outside, and just soaking all the yummy sunny goodness that we've been missing all winter long.

Since we've been cooped up all winter long along comes the "C" word.  *whispering*  "Cleaning"...as in "Spring Cleaning".  It's not as bad as it could be.  Really.  Before all those fun aforementioned sights, sounds, smells, and activities start beckoning you from your home we need to get a heads-up on the cleaning.  It's not that bad.  Really.  I'll hold your hand along the way. 

Staring today I will get you started on the easiest Spring cleaning ever.  Just do what I say every week and everything will be alright.  Pinky promise!  *wink*

Below you'll find my Spring Cleaning Check-List.   Each page is a week of spring cleaning chores.  In five weeks, by the end of March, you'll have your house sparkly clean and ready for Spring!  If you are using the Motivated Moms planner (post on it HERE and purchase it affordably HERE) you may skip over some of the items on the check-list since you're doing those items regularly on the list anyway.

Spring Cleaning Check-List

Each week on Monday I'll post my list on the blog and give you some tips and how-to's.  Are you ready?  Let's get started! 

Photo credits:  Country Living, Carmen Hyde

This post is part of Homestead Barn Hop at

Homestead Revival.  

Taco Chicken Soup

As promised on my Facebook page, the winning category of Rush Hour Recipes would be the topic of a new recipe post!  Slow Cookers to the Rescue won and I've chosen Taco Chicken Soup as the recipe to try.

This recipe was super easy...especially since it cooked all afternoon while I tidied up the house, ran a kiddo to a friend's house, and did school with a few kiddos.  I tweaked it a bit, so I'll post GBP's version and my own.

Taco Chicken Soup  (as appears in Rush Hour Recipes)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
15 - 1/2 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 - 1/2 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz. can fat-free refriend beans
15 - 1/2 oz. diced tomatoes, plain or with green chiles
1 - 1/4 oz. package taco seasoning mix
15 - 1/4 oz. can corn, drained

Place chicken in a slow cooker; add beans and tomatoes with juice.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning; stir to mix in.  Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.  Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks.  Return chicken to slow cooker along with corn.  Cover and cook on low setting an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until warmed through. Serves 4 to 6.  

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Taco Chicken Soup  (my tweaked version)

2 lbs. of cooked chopped chicken
15 - 1/2 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 - 1/2 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz. can fat-free refriend beans
2 quarts canned tomato sauce from our pantry
4 tsp. of my bulk taco mix
8 oz. frozen corn

Place chicken in a slow cooker; add beans and tomatoes sauce.  Sprinkle with taco seasoning; stir to mix in.  Cover and cook on low setting for 3 hours until warmed through. Serves 8-10 (since there's more tomato sauce it will feed more).


Enjoy!