Spring Cleaning - Washing the Windows Naturally & DIY Cleaning Solution

Now that you’ve organized your closet for warmer weather, it's time to clean the windows from winter's storms. Because harsh fumes from traditional window cleaners may do more harm than good, it is important to use chemical free cleaning solutions. However non-toxic cleaning products can be expensive, so here is a simple, inexpensive natural window cleaning solution you can make at home:

Combine three teaspoons of vinegar to one quart of warm water and pour the solution into a reusable spray bottle. That's it!

Now for washing the windows. First, schedule time during the day when the sun is not shining directly on the windows. Dust away cobwebs and dirt with a soft-bristle brush.

Spray a small amount of natural window solution onto the window and squeegee the glass starting from one of the upper corners and move straight down. Repeat and overlap until the entire window had been wiped. To prevent streaking, use crumpled newspaper to wipe small drips and recycle the newspaper after cleaning your windows.


Windows. Check. Now what's next on your spring cleaning list? Also, check out more organizing tips at Organize & Decorate Everything's blog party here.

*images courtesy of William Hefner, Inc. and Things That Inspire

Spring Cleaning Tips: Making Your Closet Functional & Beautiful

Keeping a house clean is a year around task, however many bigger cleaning projects are saved for when the seasons change. Washing windows, cleaning upholstered furnishings and washing outdoor furniture many be some chores on your spring cleaning checklist. Getting your closet organized is also an important task as we go into spring and here are a few tips to help you get started:

Store. As you transition your wardrobe closet from cold-weather clothing to warm-weather clothing, make sure that you store sweaters, coats and pants away in zipped bags that protect your garments from moths and other pests. And before you store, make sure your garment is cleaned. The Container Store has some great storage options and a spring organization sale going on now.

Give. Donate clothing that you do not wear to a local charity. Don't know one in your area? Excess Access will match you with a charity organization in your zip code. They link each donation with the wish-lists of your nearby charities that can provide pick-ups or will accept drop-offs. And donors get tax-deductible receipts.

Organize. If you have a large or walk-in closet it's best to organize it into zones by season or garment type (i.e. work, casual, formal). Next arrange the clothing into sections for each category (i.e. blouses, dresses, pants, etc.). Then arrange the clothes in each section by color from left to right (i.e. black, blue, brown, red, orange, yellow, ivory and white). This makes it much easier to find outfits and is more pleasing to the eye. Wouldn't you agree?

Function & Style. To help keep shirts, shoes and sweaters arranged neatly I recommend stackable boxes with clear fronts like these tweed drop-front boxes. The clear drop-front allows you see what's inside and to access items without having to unstack them.

Plan. The Today Show recently highlighted Closet Lite, a high-tech clothing organization/planning application for your iPhone. It allows you to organize your clothing, create outfits, plan them for certain days and view them. This app can even create packing lists for any upcoming trips. Love this!

Speaking of trips - are you taking a vacation for spring break? If so, here are some more tips on packing for a trip.

Happy spring and happy organizing!

*images courtesy of House Beautiful, Martha Stewart, Canadian House & Home, Making it Lovely

Organizing the Kitchen Pantry in 5 Simple Steps

Is your pantry an eyesore? Are you buying duplicate food items because you don’t know what’s inside? Has your pantry had any unwanted visitors lately {i.e. ants}?

photo source: BHG KitchenBathIdeas

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, it is time to organize your kitchen pantry. Does this seem like a daunting task? If so, here are five steps to help you organize your pantry with beauty and function:

photo source: BHG KitchenBathIdeas

First – Clear, Discard & Sort
Remove all the items from the pantry and place into boxes based product similarity (i.e. cereals, snacks, canned soups, pasta, baking products, etc.). In the process, check expiration dates and throw away products that have expired {recycle the container / packaging if possible}.

photo source: Martha Stewart

Second – Clean
Clean the pantry shelves and floor with a damp towel.

photo source: La Dolce Vita

Third – Assess
Determine the group of items {cereals} that you use most frequently. With a post-it-note mark that box number one. Proceed to number all boxes from most frequently accessed to least. Also make notes on items that are out-of-stock and need to be replenished.

photo source

Fourth – Make it Pretty
Use decorative storage containers to hold certain items {i.e. tea, rice, flour } and to help you maintain a clutter-free pantry. I particularly like baskets, tins and jars to hide unsightly items. If you opt for plastic, buy BPA (Bisphenol) free containers. BPA is a chemical in many polycarbonate plastics that may breakdown and add harmful chemicals to food. Avoid types 3 and 7 plastics because they may contain BPA.

There are so many adorable ways to label the container like the DIY glass-etched storage jars above from Martha Stewart. It's also important to determine the type and size of container needed before beginning this project.

photo source: Country Living

Fifth - Arrange
Ideally your most used items should be placed at eye-level {except for heavy items such as large water bottles which would need to be at the floor level}. Again use post–it-notes to number / categorize which shelve each group of items will be housed. Fill the shelves on the appropriate shelf. If you are running out of space, consider storing non-essential items in the garage or basement.

Have you organized your pantry? If so, what tips do you have for keeping your pantry organized?

An Inexpensive, Nontoxic and DIY Way to Polish Silver

With the holiday dinner parties fast approaching, festive table settings are on our minds. Tarnished silverware can ruin a perfectly set table, so polishing the silver is one task that shouldn't be overlooked.

Because commercial silver polish contains toxins, I searched for non-toxic and inexpensive alternatives to cleaning silver flatware. The Daily Green had a silver cleaning recipe that looked promising, but did it really work? I decided to test it out myself.

Here is a sampling of some of my tarnished silver before it was cleaned.

What you will need - aluminum foil, boiling water, baking soda and salt.

Line your sink or a bucket with aluminum foil, and drop in tarnished silver. Pour in boiling water, a cup of baking soda and a dash of salt.

Let sit for a few minutes. The tarnish will transfer from the silver to the foil.

If you can't immerse your items, rub tarnished silver with toothpaste and a soft cloth. Follow by rinsing items with warm water and let dry. As an alternative to toothpaste, rub a mixture of three parts baking soda to 1 part water. I should have tried one of these methods with my silver bowl which did not get fully immersed.

It might be hard to tell with the lighting, but the results were great - much better than I expected!

Here is a image of one of my spoons tarnished and the other just cleaned - in case you were wondering, the sterling silver flatware pattern is Repousse. As I said, I was very pleased with the results. Best yet, it's eco-friendly, non-toxic and inexpensive!

Please note that Martha Stewart also had this DIY silver polish method on her site and warned that "with this technique the good tarnish (a desirable patina and the dark crevices in a pattern) may be removed as well, and pitting may result. Experts recommend using a good-quality commercial polish, and there are some less-toxic ones available. For silver, the best way to prevent tarnish is to use the pieces frequently and store them properly when not in use. For flatware and hollowware, wash and dry the pieces by hand after each use. Also, dust display items regularly, and store them in flannel that has been treated to slow tarnishing".

* first and last images from Southern Accents

Household Cleaning Tips and Chic Housewares From Alice Supply Co

It's a bummer and there's no way around it. Keeping your house clean is a chore. If you are falling behind on housecleaning it is time to create a schedule. Create a list of each chore that needs to be completed, how often and when (days/times). Post the list in a spot that you will see often - inside a kitchen cabinet, message board or daily planner. Sticking to the schedule will help you tackle those chores and keep your home clean.

In addition, I always advise my clients to try to make tasks as fun as possible. What better way than to use some super cute and chic houseware products from Alice Supply Co? The collection which includes dust pans, plungers, brooms and pails in vivid colors and designs was launched by fellow Californians, Maria Barnes and Raili Clasen. These women have brought serious style into the mundane world of domestic products. We thank you and we salute you!

What is next on your housecleaning chore list?

*images from Alice Supply Co.