Tag Archives: spring cleaning

Spring Cleaning: Stoop Sale

07 Tuesday May 2013

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I spent a few hours while Ada was at school yesterday organizing her room and adding to our yearly stoop sale pile.  It always feels so good to clean out the closets and get rid of unused stuff.  I try to rotate the girls’ toys so they get to play with some they have forgotten, but things they have outgrown can be moved on to another home.  I love living in Brooklyn because we often put magazines and other little things out on our front fence and neighbors take them home within a few hours.  We have gathered lots of our own free books from stoops of our neighbors.  This easy way of recycling and sharing unwanted items always makes me feel good.  (There is nothing better than something that is both free and useful!)  We also organize a larger stoop sale with friends once a year.  (I usually have to send the kids to Nan and Pappy’s so they don’t bring home more than we sell).  Aside from clearing out things that we no longer need and meeting the neighbors, it makes us happy to match items with people who are excited to bring a bargain home.

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Spring Cleaning: Wooden Cutting Boards

03 Wednesday Apr 2013

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It is that time of year.  Time to tackle all of the little projects that show themselves in spring’s light: Window Washing, Quilt Airing, a good Floor Cleaning…I like to give our wooden cutting boards a good scrub with lemon and salt.  The lemon removes odors and the salt helps scrub away stains.  To clean your own wooden cutting boards you will need:

*Salt

*Lemon

*Baking Soda (For tough odors)

1. Cut lemon in half.

2. Sprinkle salt on lemon.

3. Scrub and squeeze lemon on board to make a paste.  Add more salt as needed to cover the board and rub in a circular motion.

4. Allow salt and lemon to dry in the sun.

5. Wash and repeat if odors still linger.

6. For really tough stains or smells, add baking soda to the salt mix and scrub.

7. When boards are clean, allow to dry in a sunny window.

Now on to the windows…

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Early Winter Spring Cleaning: Vinegar, Baking Soda and Baby Oil

14 Monday Jan 2013

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MirrorWe spent the better part of our weekend on spring cleaning. (Yes, I know it is only mid-January), but I’ve felt in a bit of a funk since the holidays ended and a major house cleaning always makes me feel better. The luxury of child-free time to myself to do a major overhaul feels like meditation to me. It clears my head. While Chris took the girls to the park I dug through junk drawers, washed windows, did some secret toy editing. I put away outgrown clothes and took down the bigger sizes. Aaahhh – so much better to wake up to a clean floor and a clear view out the window! Here are some of our essential and non-toxic cleaning supplies:

*White Vinegar – Nothing gets windows, mirrors, or picture glass more sparkling. Fill up a spray bottle with straight white vinegar (the cheaper the better). Spray, wipe with a soft cloth and voila! The smell disappears as soon as the vinegar evaporates, so you don’t need to worry about your space smelling like a pickle factory. Old clean cloth diapers are my favorite cloths for window washing.

*Baking Soda – Make a paste with water, or mix with your favorite liquid cleaner, rub on bathtubs, tiles and chrome faucets and rinse with water. The grit removes soap scum and bathtub rings and leaves tile shiny. My favorite liquid multi-purpose cleaner is Charlie’s Soap. It “Cleans Everything From False Teeth to Diesel Engines” and they aren’t kidding.

*Baby Oil – Unscented mineral oil works magic on our vintage wood furniture. Squirt a bit on a rag, wipe over the wood and let it sit for ten minutes. Wipe off excess oil and polish with a soft cloth. The oil helps hide the scratches left by little hands and toys and evens out any discoloration in the wood. Be sure to test in an inconspicuous spot if you are worried about darkening.

*Miele Vaccuum – I am in love with our vacuum. Chris and I both had our own Miele when we moved in together and neither of us would give up our model so now we technically have two. Mieles are quiet, super-powerful, easy to use and not ugly (an important count in my book). I have never used a better vacuum in my life and it is worth the price. I promise.

*These are our everyday favorite cleaning for everyday messes.

Happy Day!

Toy Storing

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

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In a burst  of spring cleaning we are opening windows, airing out winter quilts and organizing a stoop sale for the weekend.  I love getting rid of stuff we don’t need and passing it to someone else who does.  Very satisfying.  This storage cart from Steele Canvas is my favorite toy organizer for the things we can’t part with.  It is perfect for kids to throw toys into and easily moves when you want to rearrange a room.  I love Steel Canvas’s minimal industrial look and the uses are endless: laundry, firewood, pet food, yarn and craft storage…Their products are made for the commercial industry so they can survive your children.