First of all I have to admit that this graphic (Sparkle Tips? are you KIDDING ME?!) is the CHEESIEST thing I’ve ever seen. Yes, I’m the one that came up with it, but still I think it’s downright cheesy. Maybe the next carnival can be called HOW TO NAME CARNIVALS WITH NAMES THAT ARE GOOD AND NOT STUPID. Whaddya think? You in?
Secondly I have to tell you that luckily I’m still alive. Thanks for all the horror stories though, really, I sleep with visions of Hobo Spider bites dancing through my head. Gak!
Now. I NEED, WANT and HUMBLY REQUEST THAT YOU GIVE ME your very best housekeeping tips. Please? Pretty, pretty please? With a cherry on top?
I need them. Desperately. And from what I can tell, a whole lot of YOU need them too. So maybe we can help each other. Because everyone… yes, even me… has SOMETHING useful to share. I’m sure of it.
So, be a pal and share your best-kept-practically-martha-homemaking secret. Either in the comments or (better!) write it up in a post on your blog and leave the link here, via Mr. Linky. I’ll leave it open through the weekend.
Together we can SPARKLE!
(gag)
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xo Jen
Pingback: Daily Mish Mash » Blog Archive » WFMW: 5 Secrets To A Clean House
July 9, 2008 at 9:44 am
I’ve been refreshing this page all morning thinking that maybe you really did get bit by a poisonous spider and weren’t going to be able to do your housekeeping carnival. And boy was I bummed. Thank goodness, you’re ok, though.
Jens last blog post..Can’t Stay Mad For Long
July 9, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Well, my house is TOTAL pit and I spend my every day desperately wondering how I can overcome my sense of being overwhelmed and DO something about it.
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
Each day after breakfast, I set the timer for 20 minutes and I clean the kitchen. That’s the only way it gets close to clean.
I decided that Tuesday was “home” day — so I do laundry and vacuum on that day (otherwise, it never gets done).
Also, a friend turned me on to the best homemade all-purpose soap (for hands and dishes) that really gets things clean. See! Sparkle!
Hm. What else?
I guess that’s it! :)
Maybe next week I’ll be prepared enough to write something up on my blog and do the Mr. Linky.
BTW, how about calling your carnival “Now I can see the floor! And it’s clean!”?
Stacy (mama-om)s last blog post..Is Giving Drugs to Our Children Always Wrong?
July 9, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I love the idea of having a “home” day. I need a home day. Although given current state I probably realistically need a home MONTH!
July 9, 2008 at 12:30 pm
As per your sparkle tips logo – I’m not sure I’d classify myself as a woman who knows how to make my house shine…but I try. Great idea for a post.
In 2008 I switched to using only natural cleaners where possible. Just because it’s not challenging enough to stay on top of all the dust that settles in an old farmhouse inhabited by 3 kids, 2 adults and various animals.
Also – I totally identify with the spider bite. I can’t begin to tell you how many exotic diseases I’ve “had” that turned out to be ingrown hairs or sommething equally innocuous.
Denise Nielsens last blog post..Clean it up!
July 9, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I hire somebody to scrub the house every other week during the school year (I teach full time).
Other than that… I do a lot of cooking in the crock pot, so there are less dishes to clean up. I also tie a cup towel around my son’s neck so that he has a cape – then he’s SUPERJET and can clean up his toys REALLY FAST!
Damsels last blog post..Oy, the questions!
July 9, 2008 at 8:45 pm
SUPERJET! brilliant! do you think that would work for my HUSBAND??
July 9, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Working on some tips.
Not sure what the ages of your kids are.
July 9, 2008 at 8:46 pm
One child just turned five. One husband, age 38.
July 10, 2008 at 5:23 pm
One of those may be a lost cause.
Jackie W transplanted Okie (Buried in Legos)s last blog post..Kansas Forest … Thankful Thursday
July 9, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I TRY to always clean up the kitchen right after we eat. For some reason it is easier to keep clean if I do it this way. Otherwise the dishes (and messes) tend to stack up!
I try to vacuum once a week and clean one bathroom a week. It seems like I do laundry every day!
If I think of any other FABULOUS tips I’ll have to write a post about it.
Good luck!
Honey Mommys last blog post..Sprinkler Splash
July 9, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Here is the altimate tip, okay ready, drumroll please ……
A cleaing lady, $80 and you’re done for the week. :)
Coris last blog post..Home Free
July 9, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Where’s the easy-peasy grab the button code? ;)
I linked in… Who’s going to give me kitchen tips? :)
Barbaras last blog post..Widman’s Candy Store
July 9, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I think I’ve got something. I’ll try to get it up by tomorrow. You tapped my specialty here…
World’s Greatest Mommys last blog post..Allergic To Water?
July 9, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Can’t wait!!!
July 9, 2008 at 2:16 pm
My best housekeeping secret?
Give up blogging and you’ll have a cleaner house.
I’ve noticed when I go on blog reading breaks, my house is WAY cleaner.
Not that I’m going to follow my own advice…
July 9, 2008 at 8:47 pm
ooh… you nailed it. but, like, there’s no way!!
July 9, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Dance music. Or any music. Just blare your iPod/MP3 or stereo, grab a broom and dance around with it. If you don’t get distracted by the computer or shiny things (like I do), it’s somewhat easier to get things done. Of course I usually just break out dancing in a messy room but eventually it gets clean because I can’t dance surrounded by clothes.
(That and I have my parents after me constantly but as you’re an adult with your own kid to go after you can either…bribe him to do some cleaning or put on music and see if that gets you energized to do something.)
As I’m going into a dorm next year, I’ll probably have to use these tips others are coming up with.
July 9, 2008 at 5:17 pm
well… I am not a neat freak but since the Prince has really bad asthma i kinda have to be…
I bleach all my kitchen floors with a spray bottle and a towel. The house smells nice and it is clean.
I vacuum while he naps… He can’t breathe in the crap.
I use water and vinegar to clean windows. Oh, and CHEAP paper towels.
2 words MAGIC ERASER!
Baking Soda and water clean stainless steel appliances
My daughter has to clean her toys before rest time and bed time. If all goes well I do not have to do that….
If I can think of more things I will let you know.
I always tell myself the faster I get it all done the more blogs I can read guilt free!
July 9, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I think this is key: doing the stuff you need (but don’t want) to do BEFORE you get to do the fun stuff like blogging.
July 11, 2008 at 12:09 am
Yeah, but with all the stuff that needs doing, we might never get to do any fun stuff :( Best to alternate: do a task, read a blog or two or three…
Emperorps last blog post..Housekeeping: The Baker’s Dozen
July 9, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I am a big FAIL when it comes to keeping things clean so I will be checking in here a lot.
Tomorrow.
Maybe that’s my problem.
Erins last blog post..Out and About with my Three-Ring Circus
July 9, 2008 at 5:59 pm
My house is a total house of horrors—we don’t invite people over, and they know better than to stop by un-expectedly :( It makes me sad, but I think back to how my apartment always was, I know I’m doing soooo much better…I can walk to my bed instead of laundry-surfing!
My tip is this: Flylady.net. What she preaches is total common sense to those like my mother, born organized, but she is a God-send to the rest of us!
And several people have said music…it doesn’t work for me, unless it is a nice, long classical CD. Every time a song ends, I am mindful of how long I’ve been cleaning. Hubby and I started de-cluttering the house this morning about 11:00, and didn’t put on any music. Before we knew it, it was 3:00! Our house is tidy, and the car is full of cr** to haul away!
July 9, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I think Flylady has great ideas, but I don’t like all her emails. I was a member for many years but the testimonials and salesy emails just got to be too much. I did learn a lot from her though.
Jens last blog post..Can’t Stay Mad For Long
July 10, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Me too on the email blizzard. Wanted to flyswatter flylady.
Jackie W transplanted Okie (Buried in Legos)s last blog post..Kansas Forest … Thankful Thursday
July 10, 2008 at 6:10 pm
hee hee. flyswatter for flylady… SO appropriate!
July 10, 2008 at 6:15 pm
You know, I’ve heard it said that people actually PREFER to be invited over to a house that isn’t picture perfect… makes ‘em feel at home or something. At least that’s what I tell myself!
Pingback: Pepper Scraps » Three lessons from Flylady
July 11, 2008 at 12:14 am
Okay, so I delurked to respond to this entry. I joined seattlemomblogs a while back and then promptly entered a period of inability to keep on top of the housekeeping, childcare and writing blog entries. So my blog suffered (shame on me!). Thank you so much for rekindling my fire to post an entry, delurk, comment on another comment above and start connecting with this great blogging community :) Your good…
Emperorps last blog post..Housekeeping: The Baker’s Dozen
July 11, 2008 at 12:21 am
I am honored to hear that I got you back on the bandwagon of MORE BLOGGING LESS HOUSECLEANING. A good bandwagon, to be sure! ;)
July 11, 2008 at 11:48 am
My house is far from the cleanest on the block. But here are some thing that help me day to day. 1) I save dishes (no dishwasher) for naptime. I do it first thing when my son goes down for a nap. I sit the laptop on the counter near me and watch a TV show online. It helps it go faster. Then I have the rest of naptime to do fun stuff, like blog reading. ;) 2) Do a load of laundry every day. For me laundry is a constant all the time chore. When I have a moment, I’m always checking to see if something needs moved into the dryer or put in the washer or folded. Honestly this is the chore I don’t mind staying on. But even when everything else is busy, one load a day gets me through.
Mommy Daisys last blog post..Random Friday
July 11, 2008 at 4:34 pm
flylady.net is the best tip I can give you. :)
Seriously? I hate housework. I do a load of laundry a day to keep it from overwhelming me.
Fleas last blog post..Helloooo Mosquito!
July 14, 2008 at 6:23 am
No one in my house covers items they heat in the microwave…lucky for them I can clean it in just seconds.
I take a bowl of hot water and put it in the filthy microwave. Set the timer for about 5 minutes (should come to a boil) and then I leave it closed for another 5-10 minutes (except for all of the times that I totally forgot about it). The steam will have loosened the food and assorted gunk and you can wipe it right off with a paper towel.
For The Love…s last blog post..ALL CLEAR: FeedMedic Alert for http://feeds.feedburner.com/ForTheLoveaMamasMantra