You know how it is. Over time you collect this and that. People give you “stuff.” And before you know it, you have an entire tubby full of Easter decorations you don’t use, much less want anymore.

That was the case for me last year. I put out a select few favorites and everything else stayed in the Easter box. The Easter box stared me down for a solid month before I couldn’t take it anymore.

I went through everything and since I already had my favorite decorations out, it was easy to get rid of everything else.

I feel better just knowing that this stuff is out of the house.

And it makes it much easier to find and utilize the things that I actually want to decorate with. Like this cute Easter sign.

Have you done any spring cleaning yet?

Because they get dirty just like everything else.

I’m amazed at how crufty and gross our washing machine gets. Earlier this spring I gave it a good cleaning.

I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me… I mean we do put load after load of dirty laundry in our washers each week. Right?

So when your washer gets gross like this…

I’ve found the best way to clean it is borax powder (I’ve used baking soda too), a general purpose cleaning spray, a thick rag, and a Mr. Clean Eraser sponge.

Spray everything down. Even the inside of the drum. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Dampen the rag with the cleanser, then dip in the powder. The abrasive gives you extra scrubbing power.

Use a little elbow grease and give everything a good scrub down. You might need an old toothbrush to get in the crevices. I find that Q-tips work well too.

Once you’ve scrubbed and you’ve scrubbed and you’ve scrubbed till everything looks nice and new again (or you just can’t scrub any more, which ever comes first) wet the sponge and wipe everything down. It may take you a few rinses.

But look at all this nasty dirt, dust, lint, and fuzz that you’ve just saved from getting on your clean clothes:

That started out as a white rag! OMG, that’s so embarrassing. I’m officially putting this on my Spring and Fall Cleaning schedule. Don’t be like me. Don’t go years between Warshing Machine (as my Grandma says) cleanings. Don’t. Do. It.

Because they get dirty just like everything else.

I’m amazed at how crufty and gross our washing machine gets. Earlier this spring I gave it a good cleaning.

I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me… I mean we do put load after load of dirty laundry in our washers each week. Right?

So when your washer gets gross like this…

I’ve found the best way to clean it is borax powder (I’ve used baking soda too), a general purpose cleaning spray, a thick rag, and a Mr. Clean Eraser sponge.

Spray everything down. Even the inside of the drum. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Dampen the rag with the cleanser, then dip in the powder. The abrasive gives you extra scrubbing power.

Use a little elbow grease and give everything a good scrub down. You might need an old toothbrush to get in the crevices. I find that Q-tips work well too.

Once you’ve scrubbed and you’ve scrubbed and you’ve scrubbed till everything looks nice and new again (or you just can’t scrub any more, which ever comes first) wet the sponge and wipe everything down. It may take you a few rinses.

But look at all this nasty dirt, dust, lint, and fuzz that you’ve just saved from getting on your clean clothes:

That started out as a white rag! OMG, that’s so embarrassing. I’m officially putting this on my Spring and Fall Cleaning schedule. Don’t be like me. Don’t go years between Warshing Machine (as my Grandma says) cleanings. Don’t. Do. It.

Just saw an interesting video on Apartment Therapy about freezing your jeans instead of washing them. Huh. Ever heard of it?

How to Freeze Your Jeans from maxwell gillingham-ryan on Vimeo.

It’s spring cleaning time. And while normally I’d be out beating rugs and dusting up a storm, this year I’m focusing on getting rid of stuff. It’s so therapeutic. Don’t believe me? Try it.

Let go.

Let go of bags and boxes of stuff you never use and don’t need. Let go of old books you haven’t read in ages (and don’t have a design purpose of course. )

Let go of stuff that weighs you down and has no purpose. Remove the clutter. It’s easier than you think.

Take the room you’re in right now. Can you remove five things you don’t want or need right now? Sure you can (unless you’re in an empty room. )

If you’re unsure, get out a box. Put five things in it you would like to get rid of. Put a piece of tape on the box or write directly on the box with a date of six months from today. Write the date down in your calendar as well.

Put the box away somewhere. Six months from now when you check your calendar and you see that “Check box o’ stuff” reminder, go find the box. If you haven’t thought about the box or anything inside it in six months and you haven’t removed anything from the box, take the whole box to a local thrift store or charity. (I used to be a big fan of goodwill but ours is overpriced nothing but junk and I made friends with a local second hand store owner who supports spay & neuter programs with her store. A much better cause IMO.)

Last weekend DH got rid of HALF his wardrobe. I was so impressed!

>> What are you letting go? <<

I’m always interested in how other people fold things. My way is not always the best way. But don’t tell DH I said that. We still don’t agree on how to fold t-shirts.

Anywho, while surfing youtube for closet organization tips, I stumbled across this quick video. I think I like option two the best. How about you?

I’m trying one of Martha’s tips for getting wax out of table linens. A candle had an accident on my pretty red table runner, so the iron and I are in the process of cleaning up said accident. These steps should work for most fabrics.

You’ll need:

Iron
Paper Towels
Blunt tipped knife/object for gentle scraping

Step One: Remove as much extra wax as possible.

Step Two: Place the table linen and spot of wax on a stack of paper towels.

Step Three: Put another stack of paper towels on top of the wax spot and then place warm (not hot) iron on top of the paper towels. Leave it there for a minute at a time, then check for progress. Depending on the amount of wax, you may have to rotate or replace the paper towels as the wax soaks into them.

Can you tell where the wax was? (I can’t either!)

Spring is here in Atlanta. The sun is out again. Temp in the low 70s today. Sorry for all of you who have snow to deal with.

The warm temps are tempting me outside and I’m looking at my porch and deck thinking “hmm, it’s time for a makeover.” Whether or not a make over is in your budget, here are a few tips to tidy up your space and get it ready for warmer weather.

#1 Get rid of trash.

If there are pots of dead plants, wrappers, coke cans, plant labels and other assorted trash on your porch, grab a trashbag and clean it up.

#2 Clean up dead vegetation.

If you have dead or dying plants, or just something that needs a trim, now’s the time. Empty pots into your compost pile (or the trashcan.) And get your snips out and trim up any plants that need trimming.

#3 Declutter

What’s cluttering up your space? Forgotten decorations? Extra pots? It’s time to declutter. A clutter free porch looks so much better. So clear it off.

#4 Sweep

Sweep the walls and the floor. Dust off tables, chairs, and other surfaces.

#5 Add a decoration or two.

Now’s the time to add a colorful, Spring inspired decoration or two. Pillows, bows, wreaths are all great options. Don’t be afraid to switch out pillows, add a matching throw and/or tablecloth to give your space a little sparkle. Use old frames to create instant artwork.

#6 Add a Spring plant.

Tulips are great. So are daffodils and crocus. Even a boxwood would do. Create a focal point with a colorful arrangement.

#7 Make doors & windows sparkle

Take a damp cloth (a window cleaner may be necessary) and wipe down windows and doors to get rid of winter dust.

#8 Make a list.

Make a list of things that need fixing or painting. Perhaps the door could use a new coat of paint or you need to fix a shutter. Make your list as you’re tidying your porch so you’ll have it later.

Read more on this topic
Homemade Simple
Cindy’s Porch
Old Fashioned Living

I mentioned that I do things when they strike me… Like the coffee maker. One day you just look down and think, when was the last time I gave this thing a good cleaning.

I followed Real Simple’s instructions. 2 cups of white vinegar, 2 cups of water. Run it through the coffee maker like usual. Then I run clean water through two more times. Then I put any parts that can go in the dishwasher in to wash, give everything else a wipe with a damp cloth. And done!

I like this list of “Fall Cleaning.” Martha is all about getting ready for winter. She’s got some great tips for getting your garden ready but Penny has a good list for inside cleaning. I like to think of this time as the “getting ready for the holidays and being hunkered down inside for several months” month. Therefore, you need to do some deep cleaning.

The one thing I’d add to this list is cleaning your trashcans. I like to make sure mine get a good cleaning with baking soda and an old broom (and some strong hose action) once or twice a year.

Check out the list.