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The Best DIY Glass + Mirror Cleaning Spray

The BEST DIY Glass Cleaner

This DIY Glass + Mirror Cleaning Spray is my most used DIY Cleaner. I have been using this particular recipe for a couple of weeks now and don’t know how I ever lived without it!

We own 2 glass top tables, one in the kitchen and one in the dining room. I use this spray several times a day to clean those off after use. Because of this, we go through glass cleaner quickly so I wanted a spray that not only worked but was inexpensive to make.

I also wanted a cleaner with ingredients that would not trigger my daughter’s asthma. Regular glass cleaner from the store with all of its harsh ingredients has been a major trigger for her asthma, and since I am spraying the product in my home every day all throughout the day, I want to know what is in it and that it will not make her react.

Thanks to Clean Mama and her new book, Simply Clean, I found this DIY Glass + Mirror Cleaner Spray recipe and it has already made me a very happy lady. It uses just 4 ingredients!

DIY Glass + Mirror Cleaning Spray

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 5 drops essential oil

The rubbing alcohol causes the cleaner to dry quickly, which eliminates streaks. Brilliant!

bottle of essential oil

Rocky Mountain Oils To Scent Your Glass Cleaner

The essential oil is optional in this recipe, but I highly recommend it. It is there to add scent, which is wonderful! I use Rocky Mountain Oils and their Lemon Oil is a favorite of mine to use in this glass spray… it is wonderful. It smells amazingly refreshing!

I also love peppermint as a scent for this oil. Did you know that Peppermint Oil is often used for focus & alertness? It helps awaken the senses. No wonder I love using this spray with peppermint oil, especially when I need to wake up in the morning when wiping breakfast crumbs off my glass tables. Love it!

 

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I bought these awesome glass spray bottles on Amazon, and I truly believe they make cleaning a little bit more fun! They had high reviews and did not disappoint. They have both spray and stream options and are very good quality. I love that they are beautiful and functional. They come 2 to a package and chalkboard labels are included!

I picked up the above cleaning caddy at Target. If you would rather order on Amazon, I am crushing over this galvanized carry-all container.  I have mine sitting out on my counter. Until I clean out under my sink to make room for my cleaning caddy, it is just fine sitting in all its glory on my counter. It sure makes it easy to grab a cleaner and get to work!

I used washi tape and a sharpie to label each bottle. It is easy to remove but has enough staying power to stay on until I’m ready to switch the labels out. The Sharpie is smear proof, which is important.

I keep my squeegee, eraser sponge and a scraper/scrub brush in the caddy along with some other DIY cleaners that I will be sharing with you in upcoming posts!

 

Keeping A Clean Home Printable

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Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss future posts by signing up for my email list to have new posts delivered right to your inbox!

If you sign up, you can download and print this handy “Keeping a Clean Home” printable checklist which divides tasks into Everyday, Once a Week, Once a Month, Once a Season, and Once a Year. This checklist allows me to focus in, know exactly where I am at and what needs to be done.


What about you?

Do you make your own cleaners? Have experienced the amazing-ness of essential oils yet?

If so, what brand do you use?

Decorating/ FAMILY/ Frugal/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Kids/Family

Family Room Basement Makeover With The Help Of Credit Card Points

Basement Makeover With Credit Card Points

My husband Todd is someone who has taught me many times what it looks like to live intentionally.  He is a thinker, planner, and is very strategic in making decisions.

He is wise and intentional when it comes to our family decisions and how we spend our money, including what credit cards we use. Thanks to carefully saving up our credit card points for 2 (almost 3) years, we were able to pay off our recent family room basement makeover.

Family Basement Makeover Paid For With Credit Card Points

We use the MasterCard Citi Thank You Preferred Card and earn ‘thank you’ points when we do. We use the credit card for everything that we can. Todd is careful to pay it off, in full, each month. The points add up, allowing us to do extra things that we normally would not be able to do, like makeover our basement.

family basement before and afte3r

Our girls are 13, 16 & almost 18. We wanted to create not just a family space to enjoy the little time we have left with them, but also a space that they could bring their friends (and boyfriends) to hang out and be comfortable (but not TOO comfortable…boyfriends..ahem..) in.

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We finished off our basement 10 years ago when we moved in, but it needed updating. The paint color needed to be changed, the couch was sad and sunken with so much wear and tear that holes were starting to form, and our TV was too small for the space. A bigger TV meant a larger TV console. We also wanted a table with 6 chairs for playing board/ card games and a ping-pong table.

Family Room Game Playing

Our Basement Family Room Makeover Wish List

  • paint
  • new couches
  • large television for movies and video games
  • television console with storage
  • table + 6 chairs for board/card games
  • ping pong table

Thanks to the help of credit card rewards/points, our wishes came true.

We changed the bright orange paint to a warm blue. We found gray couches that were firm but cozy. The table and chairs were hard to find since we were adamant about having 6 chairs but the space we had to fit them in was pretty small. Todd’s intentionality came in handy when measuring the space and making sure the table and chairs would fit. We have made some great family memories around that table already!

Family Basement Makeover Paid For With Credit Card Points

We have so enjoyed our larger TV during family movie nights and the storage in the new console is amazing. It hides all our video games and controllers. The ping pong table is very popular when friends come over.

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Family Room Games

We have so enjoyed our new family room basement makeover and are very thankful for the credit card we use, the rewards we receive and how it is the perfect match for our lifestyle!

Finding The Perfect Credit Card

There are so many types of credit card reward programs out there. There are some reward programs that literally give you cash back, others give travel points, and some even give gift cards to your favorite stores. Some have an annual fee, some don’t.

It can be overwhelming to decide which card is best for your particular lifestyle, but it doesn’t have to be. Creditcards.com believes in empowering people to make smart choices around their credit cards, which means using the right card for you in the right way.

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Their CardMatch tool helps you find the perfect credit card match. It is easy to use and securely matches you with offers in less than 60 seconds. Did you know that 10% of your credit score is determined by the number of inquiries you make to new credit cards? This is why the CardMatch tool is so amazing, you can get matched up with several cards in seconds without your credit score being impacted in any way.

CardMatch Landing Page

Using a credit card responsibly can be a great way to make life easier, and being intentional in saving the rewards or making sure the benefits fit your lifestyle can add much value to your life. It sure has ours.

A basement makeover is great, but the memories we are making and continue to make with family and friends in that new space are amazing. Intentionality pays off!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CREDIT CARD? DO YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REWARDS?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Decorating/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Seasonal

How To Divide A Flower Bouquet To Add Spring Color Throughout Your Home

ORANGE FLOWER

My new favorite thing to do during my once a week grocery shopping trip is to buy an inexpensive flower bouquet.  I then take it home and have so much fun dividing it up into different size vases to distribute around my home.

I’ve never been a huge fan of most mixed flower bouquets. I guess I just like the simplicity of one color and texture, so I have always preferred bouquets that have a bunch of the same type of flower–that is–until now.

FLOWER-VASES

Now I look for flower bouquets that have many textures and stems that would look great separated into individual jars & vases.

Continue Reading…

FAMILY/ HOME/ Kids/Family/ Simplifying

Everyday Family Dinner Buffet- Style

Dinner Served Buffet Style

{breakfast for dinner -local organic eggs, whole -wheat french toast, nitrate-free bacon & green smoothies }

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know I am a big fan of serving up our everyday family dinners buffet- style.  It has been fun to share some pics of our simple family dinners with you. It sure is easy to quick grab my phone, snap an insta photo & post it. I get so much inspiration on Instagram and love having a place to gather and share our everyday moments.

Dinner Served Buffet Style

{kale & lentil salad with coconut bacon, coconut crusted chicken, mango dipping sauce & pineapple}

Serving Dinner

I don’t know about you, but setting the table can get old and monotonous, especially on busy nights where just getting a simple homemade dinner in the mouths of my loved ones is a feat in itself. I have 3 teenage girls who often are coming and going, even at dinnertime, so it is nice to just set out a stack of plates, utensils, & cups; then quick set out the food for each family member to help themselves.

Oftentimes we ARE able to sit at the table and eat together, and even on these nights, I still like to have everyone come in the kitchen to help themselves buffet-style, then carry their plate, fork, napkin and self-filled cup to the table.  I have a small glass table in our kitchen that is perfect for setting out food buffet-style, and a larger table in our dining room where we have room to sit and eat as a family.

Dinner Served Buffet Style

Why Serve Family Dinner Buffet-Style?

~it keeps food mess in the kitchen where I already need to clean up from making dinner

~I don’t have to carry food into our dining room

~I don’t have to set the table

~everyone is responsible for getting their own drink from the stack of cups

~there is no clearing the table, except for each person bringing their plate back into the kitchen when finished

~if we have to eat at different times as a family, the food is in the kitchen, ready to be reheated for whomever is arriving late

~it keeps condiments close to the refrigerator, easy to grab, set out & put away.

Dinner Served Buffet Style

{super simple noodles & sauce dinner–with a very naked salad! Super simple is ok!}

Keeping Dinner Simple, Efficient & Beautiful

I’m all about keeping life simple and doing my best to live slow, but when it comes to getting dinner made and my people fed, I become all about fast, although still try to keep it simple.  Really, efficient is a better word than fast, but I have become pretty fast at whipping up dinner!

There is certainly a time and place for making a great tablescape and slowly setting the table & presenting beautiful food for the ones you love; to pass & savor & enjoy.  But I find during the busy teenage years, for most of our dinners, simple & efficient is good enough.

I do still love beauty when it comes to presentation, so even when setting food out buffet-style, I will light a candle and place my utensils in a mason jar, use pretty napkins & put a vase of live eucalyptus or dried flowers out. These are things I have set out anyway, so it really takes no effort at all, and as you can see from the above photo, I’m still not above serving food out of the pan & saving myself from having to do extra dishes.  Even service from pans can be beautiful if served with love and a lit candle!

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Doing Things In A Non-Traditional Way Is OK

Doing things in a non-traditional way is ok. Simple is ok. Breakfast for dinner is ok. Using prepared foods (like the pancake puffs above) is ok.  Serving from the pan is ok. Apples don’t have to be in cooked in a beautiful cinnamon sauce, just sliced and bare is ok. If you don’t have time for salad toppings, serving naked greens is a-ok!  Oftentimes, the more simple the food the more healthy it is.  A bowl of berries for dessert instead of berry crisp is easier, more simple and more healthy! I still love my berry desserts but tend to save them for the weekends while keeping things pretty pure and simple during the week.

Living simply for me is often a letting go of what is perfect or what I think the standard should be, and just being ok with what is.  Right now, what IS for our family right now is this…I’m running my girls around instead of making cinnamon caramel sauce for my apples, and that my friends, is ok!

Christmas/ Decorating/ Holidays/Parties/ HOME/ Homemaking/ Sponsored

Easy Simple & Functional Holiday Decor

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The holidays are a busy time, especially for Moms preparing their homes for kids winter break or out-of-town guests. Every year, I strive to make this time of year a simple and slow as possible, especially once my kids are on break from school.  This year, that has meant paring down my holiday decor and keeping only the things that are simple, efficient, practical, functional & bring us joy.

Here are a few ways I’ve kept holiday decor functional but still beautiful:

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Christmas/ Holidays/Parties

Family Christmas Tree Trimming: A Survival Guide

Tips For Trimming The Christmas Tree

It is the first week in December and time to trim the Christmas tree! We are big into traditions Christmas traditions and family tree trimming is one of them.  We have made some sweet memories over the years–and some not so sweet memories. If you follow me on instagram, you will know we had a tree topple while halfway decorated a couple of years ago. It made for a great photo– little me holding up a great big tree with lights all hanging off & ornaments all around my feet–thankfully we only lost a couple of them!

We are going to decorate as a family tonight, and I am really looking forward to it.  These moments with my family are so sweet right now, as I find my girls growing up so fast and have recently been reminded just how precious life is. I am trying to savor every moment.

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Here are a few things I am going to do that will help us survive trimming the tree as a family:

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HOME/ Homemaking/ Sponsored

How To Make Laundry Work Without Working Harder

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Laundry is just one of those things in life that will never go away.  It is here to stay, so I like to look for ways to make laundry work without working harder.  I have found some ways to make laundry easier, look great, and smell amazing– and THAT makes me happy! Let me share some of those ways with you:

 

~Use sturdy, pretty baskets.

The top picture was taken before I had my oldest 2 start doing their own laundry.  As you can see, I had 3 smaller baskets where I would fold and put each child’s clothes, and they would put their own clothes away.  I folded in the living room so the clothes would not sit.  If they are out and about in my way, I will remember to tell the littles to put their clothes away. This system worked well when they were younger.  The larger basket was for Todd and I.  The medium basket held all socks.  They are all quality, sturdy baskets that are pretty and fun to use.

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~Buy a laundry sorter.

I have one like this one and I love it!  I do NOT sort according to color.  I sort according to each person in the family.  Mark it clearly so everyone knows where to put their dirty clothes.  I have mine labeled with each person’s name. I keep in a central location (in the main floor hallway) where I can keep an eye on it, and where it is easy for everyone to bring their dirties when asked.

 ~Kids 12 and older do their own.

This has changed my life and my relationship with laundry.  My two oldest do their own now.  It has saved my sanity and our relationship!  Now, if clean clothes are on the floor, it does not affect me or my sanity, as I am not the one who will have to re-wash them.  They now take much better care of their clothes.  The occasional times I surprise them and do it for them, they are much more grateful. Kids who are grateful that their laundry is done = winning!
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~Use laundry detergent that works…

There is nothing worse than paying for laundry detergent that does not work.  If I’m going to pay for detergent, I want everything that my new favorite detergent, method, has to offer.  I’ve been using method brand and have found it to be everything I need it to be. Here are a few of those things that are important to me:

 

*Concentrated –NEW 4x concentrated laundry detergent-naturally derived cleaning power that is tough on dirt and stains
*Naturally derived cleaning power– proven to remove tough dirt + stains
*Keeps colors bright + whites white
*Works great in cold water so you use less energy for every load
*Biodegradable and hypoallergenic formula
*Can also be used as a really effective pre-treat for stains

 

I especially love the last point.  I’m all about saving money by not having to buy pre-treatment for stains!
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~…and makes you happy

What makes me happy is bright colors, bottles that are designed well, and delicious fragrances.  Method brand brings a range of fragrances to the laundry aisle that tends to be filled with the same old, common laundry scents, but not method! They have a super unique and fun fragrances for everyone, and I love them all!  The free & clear is great for those like my oldest daughter, who prefers that her clothes do not have a scent, but if you are like me and love clothes that smell good, check out these fun fragrances!
Fruity  {ginger mango}

 

Floral  {spring garden}

 

Herbaceous-Woody {beach sage and fresh clover}
Free + Clear {no fragrance}

 

The design of the method bottle also makes me very happy.  There is no handle, which makes the bottles 100% recyclable and made with post-consumer recycled materials.  Usually the handle on bottles is what makes them not fully recyclable, so instead of a handle, method includes an easy-to-use grip on their cute bottles.  Brilliant!
imagePHOTO: COURTESY OF METHOD X ASOS

Speaking of design, method has collaborated with ASOS and came up with a super happy spring lineup.

Check it out: ASOS X method.

 

~If you have younger kids, use baskets or buckets for their soiled clothes

I have a dirty clothes bucket in their room for dirties and another for clean clothes that need hung up.  The goal is to keep clothes off the floor.  If your kids are old enough, teach them to hang up the clean clothes.  Give it as one of their 3 daily chores.

~Use hooks in closets for things like robes, coats, jackets.

These things are a pain to hang up on hangers and kids will struggle with that.  If an item is used almost daily, have a hook for it.

 

~When you see a part of the sorter get full, you know whose turn it is to do laundry.

My laundry sorter  has 4 bags hanging from it.  One for my 14-year-old, one for my 12-year-old, one for my 10-year-old, and husband and I share one. A full bag makes a perfect-sized full load.  I only have to worry about 2 of the 4, as the older two girls do their own.  I keep our sorter on the main floor in the hallway.

 

~Don’t sort laundry.

Unless we have a new item of clothing that I know will bleed when first washed, I don’t sort.  I think it is a waste of time.  I like to do loads according to person, not according to color.  It makes the folding and putting away so much easier when loads are according to person.  I’ve never had a problem, but do this at your own risk!

 

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~Have a hook for each person in the family to keep their towel.

I only wash towels once or twice a week.  I just grab them from the hooks in the bathroom and throw them right into the washer.  Yes, I wash the white towels with the black towels.  It works fine, but make sure to wash separately when brand new a few times.  We only have one bathroom with a shower, so the girls towels are the three on the hooks…they know what color is theirs.  Todd and I use white towels on hooks behind the door.

~Keep a sock basket.

Keep the sock basket in a central location, where all mismatched or found socks go.  Occasionally grab the basket and have child match any socks as a chore.
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So what do you think? Do some of these laundry tips make you happy?
What do you think of some of those amazing new scents from method?
Want a $3.00 off online coupon?  Click here and use coupon code THREEFORME.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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