Thanks to the amazing people at Sylvane, we have some awesome tips about Spring Cleaning! 

Spring cleaning is a time of year that many people dread – after all, nobody likes cleaning! But this year will be different. This year you’ll have some new cleaning techniques that will make things easier, faster, and even reduce the need to clean again anytime soon! This seems too good to be true, we know, but let’s take a look at some of the unique methods being used by some creative household owners that have been proven to work.

Scrub-Free Toilet Cleaner

Although not something that many people keep handy, denture cleaner works wonders as a toilet cleaner. It makes sense that denture cleaner would be good at removing stains and sanitizing toilets because it was created to clean porcelain dentures, which is the same material that your toilet is made from. Just drop a few tablets into the bowl and let it go to work for you!

Robo Vacuum

The modern world runs on technology, so shouldn’t your cleaning techniques keep up with the times? Using a robotic vacuum can save you hours of vacuuming, and they are quite nifty at getting into small areas and completely cleaning your carpet. Some robotic vacuum cleaners are even pet friendly, so they will steer clear of any curious animals coming around to investigate. Neato Robotics is a well-known maker of intelligent robot vacuums that are capable of this.

Easy Microwave Cleaning

Photo credit: http://bit.ly/112K8Qi

Microwaves can be difficult to clean when you have to scrub all the hard, crusty buildup that has accumulated over time. You might be surprised to learn that you can clean your microwave in almost the same way that made it messy in the first place. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with about two cups of water and half a cup of white vinegar. Place it in your microwave and heat it for 3-4 minutes. When the bowl is cool enough to touch, remove it and give the inside of the microwave one good wipe. Voila!

Newspaper Your Cabinet Tops

Lots of apartments, condos, and townhouses have prefab kitchen cabinets installed that don’t quite touch the ceiling. The tops of these cabinets need to be dusted and cleaned regularly, but they can be very difficult to reach. To make the result of your cleaning efforts last as long as possible, line the tops of your kitchen cabinets with newspapers to prevent dust from collecting directly on the cabinets themselves. The next time you’re cleaning, all you will have to do is carefully remove the old, dusty newspapers and replace them with fresh ones.

Organize Your Clutter

“For every minute spent in organization, an hour is earned.” That quote by Benjamin Franklin couldn’t be more true. If you want to take your organizational level up a notch, it’s time for some creative solutions! Clear some extra space in your home by looking for functional furniture pieces that allow you to organize within them. One example would be a chair bookshelf, which allows you to store your books and magazines inside your reading chair. You could always start with something simple, such as using a stylish storage chest as your coffee table. Even easier still, you could use these stackable storage cubes to create a completely custom clutter solution. Add a set of wheels to your creation and roll it around the house as needed.

Couch Cushions and Upholstery

If you don’t want to pay a king’s ransom to have your couch professionally cleaned (and who does?), you can do it yourself using a steam cleaner. Most common household cleaning products release harmful chemicals into the air you breathe, which can cause serious health problems. But steam cleaning your home will actually improve your indoor air quality because steam cleaners use hot water vapor (not chemicals) to clean almost any surface, and to kill germs and bacteria.

Countertops

A mixture of vinegar and water will be enough to remove most tough stains and grease from your kitchen countertops. For those hard food or make-up stains that won’t come off easily, create a baking soda paste by mixing baking soda with water. Use the paste on a hard scrubber to clean the stubborn areas. They should come up rather easily, and again you’ve avoided using toxic chemicals!

Wax Your Shower Walls

After cleaning your shower walls initially, a little car wax can go a long way. Waxing the inside of your shower makes it harder for soapscum, limescale, and other objects to stick to your shower walls. Never wax the floor of your shower though, as this could pose a threat because it will make the floor really slippery. There are several manufacturers that produce eco-friendly car waxes that do not contain harsh chemicals or VOCs.

Guest post from the amazing Natalie Wright, creator of Natalme and Organized Mom!

It’s no secret I love to be organized, but I often forget the correlation between health and organization. I recently just cleaned out my fridge, and yeah… I was definitely hoarding some unhealthy expired food! So I decided to take some time during my week to look through other areas of my kitchen, and not only organize them, but promote healthy eating. My goals are to organize my canned goods, baking necessities, and spices.

Here’s a simple and affordable way to organize your spices. I love this project because not only does it make my seasonings easier to find, but it also forced me to throw out old and expired spices I never use.

All of my baking and cooking spices I keep in a drawer near my stove. Since the bottles are all difference sizes, they often get jumbled around and the one I need ends up being difficult to find.

I purchased about twenty of these glass jars at Ikea; four jars for under $4. I also used chalkboard vinyl to create labels or each jar. The great thing about these little babies is that you can adhere your labels to the top or the front of the jars.

I created scalloped labels with a scrapbook paper punch, but you could easily cut circles or squares by hand.

After emptying my drawer and throwing away expired spices and seasoning, I inserted a layer of decorative gift wrap, and added a clear plastic drawer liner on top.

My jars fit perfectly side by side! I was able to fit twenty jars in all.

With a white chalk marker I labeled all of my seasonings. (Note: A chalk marker is easier to write with versus regular chalk. It does not smear when touched, but easily wipes off with a damp cloth.)  If I ever run out of a spice or decide to try a different seasoning, I can easily erase the chalk and write a new label.

This is such an easy and quick project that took me less than an hour from start to finish. And I love that it’s a much prettier, functional, and healthier way of organizing my seasonings!

To follow me as I continue to organize other areas of my kitchen and home, be sure to check out my blog at www.natalme.com!

It is so easy to let your healthy eating go when you are busy with school, kids, house, pets, etc! Here are some tips from two amazing bloggers about how they eat healthy and stay organized!

Brittany  (from Eating Bird Food) “Keep a food and exercise journal. It’s extremely helpful to track how much you’re eating –- sometimes you don’t realize how many small bites here and there add up. You can keep a hand-written food and exercise journal or go digital and log your food/fitness from your computer or smartphone. MyFitnessPal is a great tool for this. “

Darya (from Summer Tomato) “Keeping a clean and orderly fridge can help you eat healthier by making cooking at home more appealing. Research has shown that the easier and more enjoyable the healthy habit, the more likely you are to stick with it.”

What do YOU do to stay healthy and organized? Be sure to check out their blogs for more amazing tips, recipes etc!

Let’s make this short and sweet. For ways to get rid of those nasty toxins and breathe in clean air, follow some of the tips below!

1. Suck, Wipe and Prevent! – In general terms: vacuum it up, Mop what is left, and put a mat by all entrances so people don’t track in allergen-causing dirt!

2. Open windows! (Enough said)

3. Bring plants indoors! It is amazing what these little suckers can do for air quality.

4. Ditch the air fresheners – Air fresheners usually contain petroleum products which are no good for the lungs (or any other part of your body).

5. Kill the mildew – Keep your home at a good level of humidity. Science terms are between 30-50% but some good pointers are: open a window after/ during showering, use air conditioners in the summer and humidifiers during the winter.

6. NO smoking indoors

7. Animals – love the little furry guys but be sure to clean up their fur on a regular basis.

8. Test your home for radon – new or old, your home could contain radon which is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause lung cancer. Check out this website for how to test: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

9. Cut down on the fertilizer in your garden. Try compost instead! Much better smelling and better to inhale!

10. Smile. Not really an air quality improver but it does improve the mood of a home!

Any tips to add to the bunch?

Dear Devoted Way Basics Fans,

Thank you so much for your continued support! We are so sad that Facebook has asked small businesses like us to pay to promote our page.  Unfortunately, at this point only 10% of you will see our daily organizational tips, customer photos, and eco-friendly news posts.  This is so sad because we miss your interaction and involvement! YOU make the Way Basics community what it is!

To continue connecting to the Way Basics community, you can do the following:

1.  Hover your mouse over the “Like” button (see pics below) and select “Show in News Feed.” You could also add us to an interests list (may we suggest: We <3 Organization!) You can access those interest lists by clicking on the Facebook icon on the left and seeing your groups and interests.
2. Check out our page for our daily tips, tricks, and suggestions relating to organization and living eco-friendly!
3. A “Like” or “comment” doesn’t hurt every once in awhile. In fact, it helps increase the likelihood that you will see our updates!

Of course, you can always check out our blog (here!) and Pinterest or Twitter (@waybasics) for all things Way Basics!

You make this community special, and it has been really sad to think that we have only been reaching a small percentage of you! Thank you for your continued support and we hope to see you in the social-media world soon!

Best,

The Way Basics Family