Common Sense Living

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I’ve refined my secret window washing technique a little bit. If you’re like me and don’t have the time right now to ‘properly’ wash the windows – I mean, all that hanging out the window, or dragging the big ladder out, and up and down the ladder – it’s a whole day project!

I have devised a sneaky little system that will allow you to get the windows pretty clean. It won’t be as good as if you actually washed and shined them up, but it will take the majority of the grime off quickly.

If you have someone who can be inside the house and flip the windows up and down for you, this will go even faster!

You want to make a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar and one gallon of warm water. Add a few drops of dish-washing liquid. Just a few drops!

I have a spray bottle that sprays pretty far. Or use your kids Super Soaker. Or you can use on of those bottles that attaches right to the hose. You would have to decrease the water because the hose will automatically add water to the mix as it sprays.

Start on one side of the house. From the inside, you’ll want to move all of the storm windows and screens down so that the outside of the interior window is exposed. Do the windows in the same order through every step so the first window has time to dry while you move to the others. Spray the window with the cleaning solution. Let it sit for about a minute. Rinse off with the hose.

Now, put the storms in the closed position. Spray and rinse, again in the same order as before.

Now, move the lower storm and screen up so the outside of the interior window is exposed. Spray with cleaning solution and rinse.

Ta-Da! One side is done.

Vacuum off the screens and wipe them down if needed.

Do a quick clean on the inside.

Like I said, its not going to be perfect, but the windows will look a whole lot better and you can go do something else. Sometimes good enough is good enough, don’t ya think? And honestly, you are the only person that will notice that they’re not perfect.

Here’s the fastest way to Put an End to Grime – Even if you have No Time If you Love a really clean home, but Hate cleaning it, you’ll want these time saving secrets. Learn how to Clean Your House Fast- and Keep it That Way! http://HowtoCleanHouseFast.com

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Well, Cecelia knows that I’ve been working hard to get the house ‘guest’ clean. (Actually it was a good reason to get my butt in gear and get most of hte spring cleaning done.) She felt that I might need a little help and sent me this tip -

How to Wash a Toilet

Raise both lids and add 1/8 cup pet shampoo to the water in the toilet bowl.

Pick up cat and sooth him while you carry him towards the bathroom.

In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close the lid. You may need to stand on the lid.

The cat will self agitate and make ample suds.

Flush toilet 3 or 4 times. This provides power wash and rinse.

Have someone open the front door of your house. Be sure there are no people between the front door and the bathroom.

Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and open the lid.

The cat will rocket out of the front door where he will dry himself off.

Both the cat and the toilet will be sparkling clean.

Yours sincerely,

The Dog

Here’s how to get the rest of the house sparkling clean without killing yourself >>>

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 It’s one of the biggest curses. Moving Day. Just the thought is enough to make you break out in a sweat and fills you with a horrific sense of dread.

Don’t you wish we could just be like Merlin in The Sword and the Sorcerer and just wave everything into one suitcase? That would be great, wouldn’t it?

You just knew that Carole has a plan to make it easier, didn’t you?

Here are some tips to make your moving day less painful, both mentally and physically.

Lighten the load. Dispose of as much as possible before you start to pack. Donate to charity, have a yard sale or throw out.

Use the same size boxes. They will be easier to stack both while you are packing, and in the truck. No more spending time trying to figure out how to get all those different sized boxes stacked so they won’t fall over.

Use smaller boxes. Then you won’t have big heavy boxes that will wear you out fast. You, and your moving team will be able to keep going without struggling.

Use a good quality tape and tape gun. The couple extra bucks will save you tons of frustration.

A couple of wardrobe boxes are always a good idea. They keep your clothes clean and ready to hang. Plus, you can throw boots, shoes, and purses in the bottom.

Before wrapping your figures in newspaper, put them in a plastic shopping bag. It will keep them clean. A paper towel will work with smaller items.

Always write the room the box goes into on the outside of the box so your movers or helpers can deposit the boxes without you having to play traffic cop all day.

Write a description of what’s in the box so you can find things easily. If you are using recycled boxes (always a good idea), tape a sheet ofpaper on the outside to make a nice clean readable label.

When packing clothes, sheets, towels and such, put a plastic garbage bag in the box first, then place the items in the plastic bag. This works for pots and pans too. Then you won’t have to rewash them when you unpack. Throw a fabric softener sheet into the bag of clothes and linens before you close it up to keep them smelling nice.

Pack the items you will need the first night in separate boxes and label them so you can get to these things right away without having to go through 20 boxes trying to find things when you’re already exhausted.

Make sure the beds get set up, and other heavy items are in place. Other things can be moved around later.

Old fashioned as it may be – let the guys worry about the furniture. Take the girls and let them help you get the cabinets and drawers washed out and your kitchen set up. Then, once the truck is empty – everyone can easily sit down, relax, and have some pizza and beer and conversation.

If you packed well, the clothes can go right in the drawers. The sheets and towels can go right into the linen closet. Hanging clothes can go right into the closets. Depending on how ambitious you are, the entertainment center can be set up and books put in bookcases.

Take a break – the rest can wait for a little while……Rome wasn’t built in a day.

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Carole can show you how to keep that new home really clean right from the start. Get your copy of Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak and find out how you can easily keep your new castle gleaming. 

How to Clean House Fast … 

I just stumbled on a great blog filled with ideas for reusing household items. She’s got some good ideas. And since we’re all concerned about saving money, and the environment – I thought I’d pass this on!

One Small Step – Repurposeful

I was surfing around looking for some ways to make some extra money when I stumbled upon this site that has step-by-step plans for making your own solar panels and windmills. It says that you can build one of these portable panels for less than $200, and you can run all of your appliances off of it. That’s weird and interesting. Saving money on your utility bills is always a good thing. My neighbor and I have discussed the possibilty of putting up a windmill between us since the Chipolte Grill opened up locally. They use a windmill to power the restaurant.

I got to thinking that someone who is handy could probably make some cash building this stuff for people. It’s supposed to be the next big thing since money is tight and utilities have gone up so much – and we want to be concerned about the earth and resources too, right?

This could be a lucrative career for the right person.

Save money, make money. If you’re a little handy, and you have someplace where you can work on this stuff – it could be a good idea, you think?

Anyway – here’s the site for building your own solar panels and windmills >>>