Cleaning Rhythms: Reclaiming Time, Joy, and Sanity

Source: yelp.com

As a family who values hospitality and homeschooling, we use our home a LOT.  Our kitchen is where we prepare meals, gather with friends, and conduct science experiments on any given day of the week.  Our den (family room) is a landing pad for snuggling on the couch with a good book or movie, but also serves as a gathering place for weekly small groups and bible studies and functions as a study hall, board game parlor, and wrestling arena for the kids and cats.

All of this wear and tear, love and abuse, can make my head spin when it comes to keeping a clean home and a sane mind!  I have struggled for years to keep up with caring for our home while cleaning behind three active children and two pets, all while maintaining an active lifestyle.  I never want to be slave to cleaning and caring for my home, but it is something that needs to be maintained regularly, and I want it to be a haven for peace and calm.

For over a year now, we have settled into a few cleaning rhythms that have worked well for my family, and I'd love to share them with you today.  Please do not misunderstand me--this is certainly not the only way, the best way, or a perfect way (what IS perfect?) to clean a home, but it has been a life-saver and a game-changer in our household.  Before these rhythms were established, certain household tasks were often neglected (cleaning ceiling fans and kitchen appliances) OR when they did get done, they left me completely drained, exhausted, and dreading the next time I would have to tackle them (yes, I'm talking about you, windows!).  In many ways, these cleaning rhythms have given me back time in my day, joy in my heart, and sanity of mind!

Now, I intentionally call these cleaning "rhythms" and not "systems" because in my view, rhythms work with your family schedule and are a natural outgrowth of routine habits.  I give myself *grace* with these rhythms, and if you experiment with them in your own home, I want you to give yourself lots of grace, too.  If something doesn't happen this week (or month), at least it is on my radar to complete at some point soon (instead of being neglected for--true confession--years).  I have found these cleaning rhythms to be kind and gentle; I do not feel like a slave to them.  Rather, they serve me as an unobtrusive guide to my days, weeks, and months.

There are two parts to these cleaning rhythms: daily/weekly and monthly/annually.  Allow me to share about both in turn.

First, let's talk about our daily/weekly cleaning rhythms.

Over the years, I have tried a multitude of weekly cleaning schedules and lists (Pinterest and general internet searches will glean hundreds!) and they were all too complex for me to realistically make into a lifestyle.  Instead, I do this: I keep a running list in my head--super simple, so that it is easily remembered, and super-doable so I feel like I can make progress towards keeping a clean home.

My weekly rhythm looks like this:

• Monday: Laundry (wash, fold, put away--kids do their share of putting away); water indoor plants

• Tuesday: Clean two bathrooms (sinks, toilets, change out towels, and empty trash cans only...I save showers/tubs/floors for a later time, but we will cover that in a bit)

• Wednesday: Dust and vacuum master bedroom and upstairs hallway; kids complete their room cleaning checklists** (Result: entire upper level gets clean at the same time--Ah-maz-ing!)

• Thursday: Clean other two bathrooms (my house has four bathrooms, so I divide this task into two days)

• Friday: Laundry (see Monday); scrub kitchen sink 

Now, you might be thinking: that sounds like a great start, but how does your living room get dusted and vacuumed, dishes washed, trash taken out, etc?

Great questions.

Many of these daily tasks are either done in the moment as needed (ex: loading the dishwasher after a meal, taking out the kitchen trash when the can is full) OR handled by the kids. (If you missed my previous post about cleaning with kids, be sure to check that out here.)

Here's our current cleaning rotation for the kids (ages 8,10, and 12):

• Empty dishwasher (daily)
• Dust and vacuum main living areas (den, living room, foyer) (weekly)
• Clear the kitchen table after meals (three times a day)

As you might have noticed, more time-consuming duties happen less often, while quicker jobs happen more frequently.  For the past two years, this rotation has worked well for our family, and it seems to be a fair distribution of responsibility for the kids, regardless of their month's particular tasks. They also clean their own rooms weekly (as noted above) and clean out kitty litter boxes, too.

So that covers the daily/weekly stuff.

The second cleaning rhythm in our household involves deep-cleaning and includes monthly, seasonal, and annual cleaning tasks.  Each month, I jot down seven cleaning tasks on the side of our family's monthly calendar (which is in clear view in our kitchen).  When there are a few spare minutes in the day, I (alone or with a child) will tackle a task and scratch it off the list.  (If the task gets completed twice in the month, awesome.  But at least I know that it will get done once and that is enough for me at this stage of my life.  You may look at this list and feel differently; that's perfectly OK--you do you, as the saying goes.

Here's our monthly list right now:

• Steam mop the kitchen floor and foyer

• Steam mop bathroom floors

• Change and launder kids' sheets

• Clean master tub and shower

• Clean kids' tub and shower

• Vacuum carpeted stairs

• Dust/vacuum finished basement

Now, for the annual cleaning tasks. For each month of the year, I've chosen a particular room to deep-clean that makes sense to me, depending upon the time of the year (this is an idea my sister shared with me, given to her from a mentor, so I take NO credit for it!).  For example, I deep-clean our dining room in November to prepare for holiday entertaining, and the den in December after our Christmas tree gets tossed since we are already missing a piece of furniture and the carpet is covered with pine needles.  See how that works?  This is easy to remember (but I do write it down!), and it fits into our lifestyle.

So what does "deep-cleaning" entail exactly?  For us, it involves pushing all the furniture to the center of the room and wiping down baseboards, vacuuming wall-to-wall, wiping down ceiling fans or chandeliers, taking window treatments down (I throw them in the dryer on an air fluff cycle and then rehang), washing comforters/bedding, cleaning windows, dusting thoroughly, and decluttering/donating (as needed).

Here's our annual tasks at a glance:

Jan—Foyer and stairwell chandeliers (new year, new lights!)
Feb—Master bedroom (Valentine's month)
Mar—Living room
Apr—Kitchen (includes appliances—fridge, oven, microwave)
May—Windows (any that have not been cleaned as part of other rooms)
June—School room (school is out of session by now)
July—One child’s bedroom (kids have lots of time to help)
Aug—Two other children’s bedrooms (ditto)
Sept—Storage area (in time for fall neighborhood yard sale)
Oct—Garage and outdoor shed (sweep out those leaves)
Nov—Dining room (holiday entertaining)
Dec—Den (cleaning after Christmas morning extravaganza)

So with these daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning rhythms, *most* of the house gets cleaned on a very regular basis.

What I love most about these cleaning rhythms is that they allow for REST. What do I mean by this?  Let’s say I have a few spare minutes on a Thursday afternoon.  Unlike when no cleaning rhythms were in place, I am no longer riddled with guilt or indecision about what I could be/should be cleaning in that moment. Should I get some laundry done? Is the bathroom presentable for small group tonight? I can, with peace and confidence, brew a cup of coffee and sit down with my feet up.  Why? Because I know the toilet just got cleaned yesterday and the laundry will get done the next morning.  Or, if I knock out two bathrooms on a Tuesday morning (either alone or with the kids' help), I know that I am DONE with household cleaning for the day.  Awesome.

Keep this in mind, too: start slow and like I said before, show LOTS of grace to yourself, and your children, as you all establish cleaning rhythms in your own home!

I hope this post has been helpful for you, dear friend.  I am the kind of person who wants to share anything and everything I discover that helps me keep my household running well, redeems my time, and fosters rest and sanity. If any of this feels burdensome to you, by all means, don't use it!  But I have found these rhythms to be just the right amount of structure and flexibility to serve my family well.

(**Hey friend! As mentioned above, if you missed my previous post about cleaning with kids, be sure to check that out here.  I love to use natural cleaning products when I can, so check out this and this post to learn more.)

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Cleaning with Kids

Since we are a homeschooling family, we live, work, and play in our home a lot.  We open our home to weekly ladies' Bible studies and church small group.  We frequently host play dates, invite over other families for dinner, and are a stop-in station for neighborhood children on a near-daily basis.  In short, our house gets a LOT of use, and it has taken some planning on my part to keep it clean and organized over the years.

Now don't get me wrong--I certainly don't have it all figured out (and never will!), but like any good friend, I'd love to settle in and tell you what I DO know and what has worked for us.  My hope is that this post will serve to encourage, inform, and inspire you...not make anyone feel less than, unworthy, or late to the party.  Any day is a day you can start to change your housekeeping habits and routines.  My only advice is to start small!  I first started with deep-cleaning my kitchen sink on Fridays.  That was it.  Then I moved on to laundry on Mondays and Thursdays.  Little by little, I started to create a structure to clean my home that has freed me to enjoy it more and spend less time working at it.  Now, I'm actively working toward enlisting and empowering my children to do the same.  It's never perfect, but it is progress.  And that is what has made all the difference!

So, here's what has helped me, in no particular order:

1.  Realize that no routine IS a routine.  Not having a defined routine is not freedom...it's chaos.  When I finally came to terms with that and saw that having no cleaning routine was in fact adding stress and sucking the joy out of our days, I became more willing to follow a cleaning schedule.  Now, I am never a slave to it--life happens, company visits, etc--but it does serve us and enables us to keep the household moving on track.  Kendra at Mother Like a Boss has some wonderful cleaning routines, tips, and tutorials if you want to learn more (website and podcast).  Personally, I have found that it is best if I make up my own schedule, fitting in my household's unique needs.  But pre-fab lists are a great way to start!

2. Change your mindset.  In our household, we no longer call cleaning tasks "chores."  Instead, we call them "household responsibilities."  This was a tip Kendra changed my mind about, too! Each child has a responsibility that rotates on a monthly basis: clearing the table, unloading the dishwasher, dusting and vacuuming our living room and den.  In addition, each child is responsible for cleaning their own room (thoroughly picking up, dusting, vacuuming) on a weekly basis.  Obviously, the expectations have changed as the children have grown.  (The internet is full of age-appropriate cleaning lists for kids: here is just one). We talk about how we "get to" clean our home because we "get to" live in this comfortable, beautiful space.  We "get to" be messy with paints and clay, and so we "get to" put it away at the end of our craft time.  Reframing our talk from we "have to" to we "get to" has made all the difference!  Don't misunderstand--I've had to check my attitude and words just as often, if not more than the kids!  But it has given me more joy in doing mundane things like hand-washing dishes and scrubbing out my shower and tub when I reframe it in my mind first.

3. Lower your expectations--I still battle with this one as I LOVE a clean and organized house, but it is worth saying to yourself and practicing often.  Ultimately, connection and relationship must trump a clean bathroom or an organized closet. I've often had to learn, and relearn, this the hard way--yes, I have been that angry mother, wielding a trash bag, threatening the kids to clean their rooms or else!  I've often had to repent of sacrificing the peace and harmony of our home on my self-made alter of "neat and clean." Over the years, I've realized that the sweet spot comes when I come alongside my children, teaching and equipping them to clean and declutter on days when I have the extra time and patience.  Which brings me to my next two points...

4. Own less--this sounds simple, but it hasn't always been easy.  However, this one reality has made a profound impact on my housecleaning.  It didn't take long, when our babies were little and the time I could dedicate to housekeeping was very minimal, to realize that having fewer things out on our dresser meant an easier and faster job of dusting our master bedroom.  In fact, I remember telling my husband that if there were more than five things on any particular surface, I wouldn't dust it (poor man!).  Fortunately, he understood what I was getting at and was happy to be supportive and comply.  This principle has held true over the years, too, and now my tween has minimized her room a bit to make less work of cleaning it herself.  There's no way around it folks: if there is less stuff, then there is less time cleaning and maintaining the stuff, less time wasted picking things up, or moving them around, to clean off surfaces and vacuum floors.

5. Train your children to clean--notice I say train and not tell your children to clean.  It took me a few years to fully understand this one!  I would tell one of my children to dust the living room, and then be frustrated when I'd notice dirt (or a dead bug or two!) on the window sills.  It wasn't until I realized that I had never showed them what "cleaning the living room" consisted of, that I reformed my ways.  In our homeschooling lifestyle, I must deliberately carve out time for this.  I have been known to put on my child's list of daily school assignments to "meet Mommy upstairs for a kids' bathroom cleaning tutorial."  It has also meant posting checklists on the back of the bathroom and bedroom doors, so they can know what cleaning that room consists of in case they forget (or are tempted to make the false excuse of "I didn't know...").  Now, this has meant more time spent up-front, making the lists and teaching my children.  After all, it is so much faster to clean it myself! However, I am confident that this teaching time will reap dividends on the back-end (and I am already seeing this!) as the kids take more and more ownership of cleaning their individual and shared living spaces. (FYI, we give our children a weekly allowance, but keep it unrelated to doing household responsibilities).

I place lists in plastic page protectors so the kids can check it off with dry-erase markers (if they wish)

6. Use kid-friendly cleaning tools--for my household, this has meant ditching most of our store-bought cleaners and using Norwex brand cleaning cloths and water instead.  I also use simple, multi-purpose natural cleaners (like baking soda and vinegar) that are kid-safe and easy to use.  We also recently purchased a light, upright vacuum cleaner that stays on the top floor of our house and is used only for that floor.  The kids helped to pick it out at the store and were comfortable with how easy it was to push and swivel on carpet.  Now there's no more need for me to carry the main-level vacuum cleaner upstairs in order for them to be able to use it!  Cloths and cleaners are staged where they can reach them, in the room they need them.  Easy and convenient.

7. When all else fails--baskets and bins! This has been, and will probably always be, my favorite way to keep our house clutter-free.  Baskets and bins make a space look tidy, but also allow for a lot of storage.  They look nice and provide an easy system to maintain, even for the youngest child.  If a toddler can dump a bin out, they can be shown how to pick things up and toss them back in.  "Gamify" it if you have to, clean up to a song, or set a timer and race the clock!  Baskets and bins can also grow with a child, being moved to closets or repurposed for another room.  I often switch baskets from holding things to becoming home decor accents above our kitchen cabinets or in our entryway.  You can never go wrong with baskets and bins!

I've seen it posted too many times that cleaning with kids is impossible, but it's not true!  I'm not buying it, and neither do you!  I hope this post has been helpful for you, offering you a few tips to try in your home or inspiring you to enlist and empower your children to come alongside you as you clean.  I firmly believe they will thank you one day for teaching them these important life skills of cleaning!

I don't care what they say: cleaning with your kids does NOT have to be like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos!

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The Heartbeat of Homemaking: Part 2

In the previous post, we discussed the importance of homemaking and glorifying God in the midst of all that that entails.

In this post, let's dive into some specific areas of homemaking, in no particular order:

• Cleaning--I have DRASTICALLY simplified my cleaning routine over the past decade, and I think my house is the cleaner for it!  Years ago, I started making my own cleaners using baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar.  Check out this previous blog post to learn more about the cleaners I use (or have used in the past).  Although I still use many of these products, I have found that I've needed to scale back (as my homeschooling responsibilities have increased) or simplify, in order to train my children.  Nowadays, I use Norwex brand microfiber cloths that clean well without using any sprays or cleaners.  (My favorites are this glass-cleaning cloth, multi-purpose cloth, and dusting mitt, and I also use their laundry soap).  I am currently working on establishing a more thorough deep-cleaning practice, as well as striving to teach my kids how to clean (ba-bye, perfectionism!), so they can also contribute in a more meaningful way.  For this, I am turning to Kendra at Mother Like a Boss, who has GREAT free resources about cleaning routines, cleaning lists, and getting the kids to help.  I also tune in to her weekly podcast where she talks about cleaning and homemaking.

• Managing the family calendar--for the past two years, I have really enjoyed using the Living Well Spending Less (LWSL) planner and notepad materials put out by Ruth Soukup to plan out my days, weeks, and months.  I love how personal goal planning is also a part of this planner, too.  Her sticky notepads are very helpful for prioritizing my day, using the A-B-C system (see photo).  Highly recommend!

LWSL Planner

LWSL Daily Focus sheets, Weekly Wizard, and Daily Do-it notepads

• Meal planning and cooking--this is probably my weakest area, but a few things have helped me.  I have a printed grocery list on the fridge, which features the food we buy most often at our favorite grocery store, listed in the order of appearance when shopping through that particular store.  When someone uses up a food item (or sees that it is running low), they just circle the item on the list.  It also makes for faster shopping at the store, preventing the need to double-back for items, and the kids can easily read the list and help me shop, too (very important for us homeschooling mamas with the kids always in tow!).  As far as meal planning, the planner I use daily for our schedule (see above) has an area to plan meals for each day, which is handy.  Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't, but it is nice that it is there to remind me!

Grocery list on fridge--always keep a pen handy!

• Prayer--yes, this is the MOST important homemaking area!  I pray my mantra prayers over my home and my children, and I use this compose prayer journal put out by Val Marie Paper to organize my daily prayer requests each month.  I love how there is an area to reflect upon Scripture and record answered prayers, too...plus they are GORGEOUS!  I also love her daily sheets where you can record things you are lifting up in the day.  They are self-adhesive, so I stick these to my LWSL planner.  I just purchased her 2019 yearly journal to try out soon, too (this replaces two of the compose journals, and includes additional sections for gratitudes and writing out your prayers).

Compose journal, yearly prayer journal, and daily sheets

Inside of yearly prayer journal 2019

• Establishing holiday traditions--I encourage you to check out this post if you want to learn more about how we do Christmas around here with our kids!  There are also traditions we enjoy at Easter, discussed here, as well.

• Teaching God's Word--check out this post about our morning Bible time around the breakfast table, as well as this and this post about children's devotional materials we have enjoyed using in the past.

Last but not least, a well-made home is a home of PEACE--I discuss pursuing peace in our home here.  It is also one that is lit up by a passionate marriage between mom and dad.  Check out more about prioritizing that, here.

Whew!

As we've seen, SO many things fall into the subject of homemaking!  We could not POSSIBLY do it all in our own strength!  Thankfully, we don't have to!  I'd encourage you to pick an area where you need the most help, and bring it prayerfully before the Lord.  Pray for passion in this area and wisdom with how to begin.  Then, let's be obedient to do what HE tells us to do--NOT what Pinterest shows us we ought to do!  I'm here, as well as a small army of many other women, to cheer you on and support you, dear friend!

May we bring honor and glory to Him as we faithfully step into the impactful role of homemaking that God has created us for!

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The Heartbeat of Homemaking: Part 1

I've been thinking about the subject of homemaking lately as it relates to the modern age and to my faith in Christ.

You don't have to be a wife or a mother to practice the skill of homemaking.  You don't have to stay at home full time, and you certainly don't have to don an apron or wear a string of pearls around your neck! In truth, I've been "making a home" since my teen years--whether it was my bedroom, dorm room, apartment, or house--by creating a peaceful, clean, and beautiful space within which to live, study, and work.

Let me be clear--this is not a lifestyle blog, and I have no intention of turning it into one!  There are a TON of those out there, as well as many, many books and webinars on the subject of homemaking that are waaaay more thorough and insightful than my little blog post here, dear friend!  The reason I wanted to talk about it today, however, is that homemaking intersects with faith in a major way.

So many things fall into the category of "homemaking"--so many things, in fact, it can make your head spin!

Cleaning the house.
Cooking the meals.
Meal planning.
Laundry.
Managing the family calendar.
Establishing holiday traditions with the kids.
Decorating.
Hospitality.

The list could go on and on!

And while I do all these things as a homemaker (some better than others, mind you!), my spirit also cries out to include the things that are not on this typical list.

It seems that so much of our attention can be spent doing all.the.things (and for many, that includes a home-business or working outside of the home!) that we can very easily miss the heartbeat of homemaking.  We can spend our days decorating a comfortable and inviting space, preparing delicious meals, tidying our home, and yet tear apart this very place by our words, selfish attitudes, passionless marriages, and our disregard for teaching God's Word and praying in our home.

One Scripture that has convicted me over the past few years as it relates to homemaking is from the book of Proverbs.  It speaks to how we as women can actually tear down our homes, sabotaging the very thing that we strive to build:

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down."  Proverbs 14:1

Oh, I know I have done it, dear friend!

I've invited a family over to enjoy a meal with us, all the while, barking orders to my kids and husband to get the house clean and meal ready in time.  I've scoured the house, only to struggle with frustration and perfectionism when my kids clomp into the house from outdoors, or when they've endeavored to clean the bathroom...ahem...their way (hand over the toilet brush, and no one will get hurt!!).

So, I'd like to spend today's post exploring the subject of homemaking from an aerial view.

But first a disclaimer: personally, I cringe when I write blog posts like this one, because it might seem like I have it all together. Let me assure you, I don’t. I need Jesus every minute of every day. But perhaps I’ve been placed in this position--on your Facebook feed or in your inbox--for such a time as this. Maybe you need some encouragement. Maybe you need a resource or a fresh idea. Maybe you’ve never thought of homemaking in the context of prayer or teaching the Bible to your children. In today's post, I will try my best to direct you to previous blog posts here at Risa's Reflections, as well as to other online resources that discuss the particulars, for those of you who'd like to learn more.  I'll discuss categories that we all traditionally think of as "homemaking," as well as areas that we might not, at first pass.

Since this blog post is already pretty lengthy, I'll post the particulars in a second post for the day, so don't run away!

May we bring honor and glory to Him as we faithfully step into the impactful role of homemaking that God has created us for!

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All-Natural Update

Photo source: goodhousekeeping.com

Hi friend!  I have recently fielded some questions regarding my natural skincare and cleaning regimens, and I realized that it has been a few years since I last updated about these things on my blog.  I am still in love with coconut oil and essential oils and natural skincare, but I have added a few things (and tweaked a few things) that I make for personal hygiene and housecleaning that I'd love to share with you!

For almost three years now, my husband and I have been using homemade deodorant.  You read that right--deodorant--and we are never going back to the store-bought, chock-full-of-aluminum stuff!  I love how I can customize the essential oil profile for him, and me (and neutralize our BO in the process!).

Here's the recipe I use.  I found it in this book, which I highly recommend, especially if you are just starting out with essential oils.  LOTS of great diffusing recipes in this book, too!  Oh, and before I forget, I use Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO, formerly Native American Nutritionals) both for their purity and their fabulous price point.

Absorbant Deodorant
4 T unrefined coconut oil (melted)
4 T baking soda
4 T cornstarch
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil
For men: substitute out the lavender and tea tree oils for frankincense and clary sage essential oils
Stir everything together and store your deodorant in a screw-top mason jar (to be applied by your fingers) or an empty deodorant container (or buy new ones here).

For my facial moisturizer, I have added in frankincense for wrinkles to my original recipe, as I talked about here, so my new formula is as follows:

Face Moisturizer
3 T fractionated coconut oil
5 drops lemon, frankincense, and lavender essential oils (each)

I store it in a screw-top mason jar in my bathroom, right beside my jar of straight-up unrefined coconut oil that I use to cleanse my skin with; however, I do not oil pull my teeth anymore (as described before, it is a 20 minute habit that can be time consuming!).

For cleansing my body and shaving, I add essential oils to a wonderful goat milk soap base I buy here (I go in with some friends to buy in bulk and save on shipping!).  There are many different types of soap bases to choose from on the site, but my husband likes the goat milk one best for shaving his face, as it is oh-so-moisturizing.  Here's our favorite soap recipe, found on Pinterest:

Mock Irish Spring Soap
Cube soap brick and melt down in microwavable container.  Let cool a bit and add the following essential oils:
10 drops rosemary
8 drops lemongrass
2 drops geranium
1-2 drops lavendar
Stir and pour into silicone soap molds.  Cool.

As far as housecleaning goes, I honestly do most of my cleaning without any sprays now (homemade or otherwise) thanks to Norwex!  I dust with their dust mitt, clean bathrooms with water and their envirocloth, and clean mirrors/windows/glass with water and their window cloth.  My granite countertops look great after using their kitchen cloths with water and really shine!  And these cloths work great on my shiny appliances and stove top. If I do have a stubborn pot to scrub or dirty kitchen sink to clean, I use my friend Kerry's homemade soft scrub:

Kerry's Soft Scrub
3/4 c baking soda
1/4 c liquid castile soap (I now use this one)
15 drops essential oil (I love grapefruit)
1 tsp vegetable glycerin (found here)

This is the same scrub I use for tubs and showers and tile.  Oh, and for the toilets, I still stand by my toilet brush and some bubbly baking soda and vinegar.

Now, over the years, I have slowly moved away from making my own laundry detergent and dish detergent, simply because I have had to direct more time and energy toward homeschooling my three children.  For laundry soap, I now whole-heartedly recommend Ultra Power Plus (again, from Norwex) for being natural and making whites oh-so-bright!  It only requires one teaspoon(!!) to do a load in an HE washer, so the bag will last you a loooong time.  Love that!

I still dry my clothes with essential oils (usually lavender or tea tree) on dryer balls, and I have stood by this homemade stain remover for spot-treating soiled clothes for almost three years now:

Homemade Stain Remover ("Shout")
1/2 c Dawn liquid
1 c hydrogen peroxide
1 tsp baking soda
Place all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well before pre-treating stains.

Okay...now on to the kitchen!

For handwashing dishes, I use straight up Sal Suds or Palmolive pure and clear.  Easy peesy.

For my dishwasher detergent, I went back to the Aldi-brand tabs (boo me!) because after about 8 months or so of my old recipe, my glasses were starting to look cloudy.  I have since learned that if you add some vinegar to the jet-dry dispenser in your dishwasher, that problem might be solved (but I haven't tried it myself).  So...I need to find a chemical free, DIY dishwasher tab recipe sometime soon! (Feel free to leave a comment if you have a recipe you like and are willing to share!)

As you can see, all of this is a process of learning and experimenting with what works, and what doesn't work, for you and your family, within your time and budget constraints.  All-natural cleaning and skin care can be fun and very affordable though, after the initial investment of some great cleaning cloths and essential oils.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me by leaving a comment or contacting me via Facebook or email!  I hope this post was helpful and inspiring to you and yours!

Have a blessed week!

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Live Simply with your Skincare

Photo courtesy of nbranch44.wordpress.com

I don't know about you, but recently I have been increasingly convicted to simplify my life to free up TIME, ENERGY, and MONEY to be better used by God to further His kingdom.  Now, don't get me wrong, I have a looooong way to go, but one way in which I have recently been led to be obedient to this call is in the area of my household cleaning and skincare regimines.  What if I could make cleaners and skincare products at home to simplify our lives, save some cash, and ditch caustic chemicals in the process?

I started in the month of December to think about our household cleaners and detergents.  How can we simplify these things?  How can I clear the "cleaning clutter" under every sink?  How can we save on expensive laundry and dishwashing detergents, hand soaps, and dish soaps?  Well, that journey has been VERY productive and beneficial to my family so far and you can learn all about it in this post here.

What I didn't expect at the time was how my new found knowledge about household cleaners and chemicals would spill over into my personal hygiene!  The more I learned about simplifying our household cleaning regimine, the more I learned about ways to simplify my personal hygiene regimine, ditching the dozens of beauty products I currently buy/store/consume, and sticking to just a handful of basic, time-tested ingredients!  What if by using FEWER products, I could clear up my blemishes, smooth and tone my skin, moisturize and firm my face, and enjoy beautiful and healthy hair, skin, teeth, and nails?

Well, cue the entry of my new found love...COCONUT OIL!!  Seriously, after Jesus, my family, and my friends, I absolutely love this stuff!  Over the past month, I have seriously used this to clean and moisturize my face, polish my teeth, treat my hair, shave my legs, and I can't forget about simply eating it and using it as a coffee creamer (and if I were more adventurous in the kitchen, I'd use it in a mean Asian stir-fry or a luscious pineapple upside-down cake, but I digress...)

Check it out--this is my face yesterday with NO makeup on my skin.  Just some eye makeup and lip gloss.  No eye creams, concealers, foundation, powder, blush, NADA.  I swear, it looks like I had Botox on my forehead and my skin is soft, clear, even, toned, and firm.  Cool.

 Some of you have asked for more details to try it out for yourselves, so here goes!  I will also give you some helpful links to learn more, and you can always follow my Pinterest Board "Essential Oils" if you want to take a peek at some recipes I am in the process of trying.

As far as coconut oil goes, you can honestly find it anywhere--grocery stories, Walmart, Target, BJs, Sam's Club, Costco, etc.  You will want to look for any of the following buzz words on the label: "unrefined," "virgin," "organic," "cold-pressed."  I have used refined but it lacks the coconut smell because it has been bleached and deodorized (ewww!) but if you HATE the smell of coconut like my son, give it a try.  Coconut oil is rather strange in that it is SOLID at room temperature.  However, it has a melting point of 76 degrees F so it will melt quickly and evenly into your skin!

For practical use, I scooped out a large chunk of coconut oil straight from the jar/tub and placed it in a smaller (and prettier) jar in my bathroom drawer.  This is what I use for cosmetic purposes.  The original jar is stored in the kitchen for cooking and to plop a tablespoon into my coffee to consume for general health.

Okay, as a quick disclaimer, I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that you can use OIL to CLEAN your skin!  I was always taught to avoid oil at all cost on your skin, especially your face!  If you struggle with that concept, too, just push through and give this a try!  Definately check it out and learn more here as to the "why" behind this method!

To wash my face in the evenings, I simply scoop out a tablespoon or so into my hand (it melts fairly quickly) and apply it to my dry face in circles.  I pay special attention to removing my eye makeup and rub my lashes between my fingers with the oil.  When I have done this for a bit, I then wash it off with several passes of a warm wash cloth to remove the oil.  I do this same thing in the mornings, but it is quicker as I do not have on makeup and I simply step into the shower to rinse my face with the hot washcloth as the water is running.  If I am not showering right away, I will coat my hair with coconut oil and wear it in a bun for a few hours, then shower and shampoo.  It leaves your hair very silky and serves as great hair masque/oil treatment!  I also use a little bit of coconut oil on my fly-away ends after I blow dry and style my hair.  I have ditched all the smoothing gels, leave-in conditioners, and heat-protectant sprays I was using, and so far, my hair doesn't seem to be missing them. (NOTE: Summer aka humidity might tell a different story but we are a-ok for the winter so far!)

To moisturize my skin after I shower, I simply scoop out some more coconut oil, melt it between my palms, and coat my arms and legs with it.  (I like to close my eyes and inhale and pretend I am on some exotic, far away tropical island paradise...but I digress...).  For my face, I honestly like to use the fractionated coconut oil (FCO) best.  This is liquid at room temperature and I keep it in an empty screw-top jar.  It just seems lighter to me and less likely to clog my pores, but I think it is more of a mental thing with me.  I add 5 drops of lavender and 5 drops lemon essential oil to approximately 4 ounces of the FCO.  The lavender acts as an anti-inflammatory (eliminating red blotches, eczema, rosacea, etc) and has anti-septic qualities that prevent acne.  Lemon is invigorating and has astringent qualities, too (bye-bye toner!).  I also plan to add frankincense as this does wonders for wrinkles!  In fact there are a lot of recipes that involve JUST the coconut oil and frankincense.  It is a pricier essential oil (I've seen it over $90 a bottle!), but not too bad at Native American Nutritionals .

Lastly, check out these pearly whites!  I can't believe how shiny and white my teeth are by "oil-pulling" with coconut oil in the the mornings!  This is my mouth mid-afternoon, after 2 meals and 2 cups of coffee...

Okay, goofy picture I know!  But my teeth have never been this plaque-free!  I honestly have that just-home-from-the-dentist feeling every day now!  What I do is simply scoop out a teaspoon or two of coconut oil from my bathroom jar, pop it into my mouth, chew it up until it liquifies, and then slowly swish it in my mouth as I step into the shower.  You will want to do this for 15-20 minutes.  Yes, you read that right: 15-20 minutes!  And yes, the time MATTERS (I checked into that!).  By spending at least half of that time in the shower, I am distracted enough so that it doesn't feel quiet like an eternity!  And if your cheeks get tired, just SLOW DOWN!  This is not a race :)  After 20 minutes, I spit it in the toilet and flush (don't spit down the sink or you will clog your drains over time!) and then rinse my mouth out a few times with warm water to make sure all the oil (and germs!) are down the drain.  Then I brush with an all-natural toothpaste like Tom's. To learn more about oil-pulling for oral health, check out this great article here!

There's so much more I am either in the process of trying or want to try soon!  Shaving cream!  Deodorant! Body wash!  Sugar scrubs!  If YOU have any great recipes or ideas, please let me know, too!  It is fun to learn about it and give it a try together :)

So to review, here are all the products I have ditched to date....foundation, powder, wrinkle-cream, eye makeup remover, eye cream, face masque, hair masque, night cream, face moisturizer, face cleanser, toner, mouth wash, concealer, heat-styling spray, smoothing hair gel.

Money saved?  Probably in the neighborhood of $40-50 a MONTH!  But that is not going to re-line our own pockets!

What could the Lord do with $600 a year??  Now THAT is an exciting prospect....!

Give it a try yourself and let me know if you have any questions!  If I don't have the answer, I will try to find them for you!  God bless and as always, thanks for stopping by!

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"Cleanliness is Next to Godliness"

Okay--just a quick departure from my usual biblically based blog posts.
Altho' if you believe that "cleanliness is next to godliness" then I guess it might be right on!

Have had a lot of interest and questions about some homemade cleaners I have recently made as part of my New Year's resolution to ditch the household chemicals and save some money...so I thought this place might be as good a place as any to post what I've tried so far!  I am really very happy with the changes we've made to date--time will tell, of course, but I have enjoyed trying out new things and cleaning and laundry have become FUN for me!  YAY!

So, I plan to just walk you through my cleaning and laundry routines as they are right now.  I will supply recipes as I am able for you to try at home, too.  I have a feeling this will be trial-and-error as I play around with things, but for the most part, these are the recipes I will use.  I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Okay...let's start with the laundry.

I would really, really like to ditch the Tide FOR GOOD.   It is pricey and who wants all that blue-dye in your clothes?  I have settled on a dry powder laundry detergent that is super easy to make.

Laundry Detergent
1 c grated soap (use a cheese grater--I used Kirk's Castile bar, but plan to try it with Ivory as well--both can be found at Walmart or Target)**
1 c baking soda
1 c super washing soda (in the detergent aisle)

Pulse all together in a food processor and store in an air-tight jar.  Scoop approx 3 T for a front-loading HE washer.  Add 1/2 c vinegar to the softener compartment (don't worry--your clothes will NOT smell like vinegar after the wash!).  I usually use cold water (NOTE: Borax is not effective unless in hot water and has questionable toxicity so I do NOT use it).  If doing whites, wash on hot water cycle and add 1/2 c hydrogen peroxide to the bleach compartment instead.

For dryer sheets, I've been putting 3-5 drops of lavender essential oil on a 4" cloth square and tossing it in with the clothes in the dryer.  (NOTE: putting more drops of oil could result in oil transfer to clothing, so I've read).  Do this each time you toss it in the dryer--you can do this up to 3-4 times per cloth, then throw them in the washer and start fresh.

I am still using Shout spot treater, but once I figure out a substitute for that, I will let you know!

I've also used baking soda and hydrogen peroxide on carpet stains, but was unhappy with the results.  I understand it works best with fresh stains.  May also just use hydrogen peroxide (putting a spray nozzle on the bottle) for vomit or potty-training spots as they happen--have read this does a great job!  But, had to go to my Resolve for the pesky old stain today.

Okay...on to the bathroom!

I have LOVED ditching all my smelly, fumy cleaners in favor of these natural ones!  It is like a spa and an aromatherapy treatment while you clean!  BONUS!  Seriously, the soft scrub recipe I use can be used as a facial scrub, so tells my friend--it is that gentle!

For the glass/mirrors, I have tried various recipes.  To date, my FAVORITE is actually from my Dad....

Dad's Glass Cleaner
1 T vinegar
1 c rubbing alcohol
1 c water

Combine all in a spray bottle (I used my old Windex bottle).  Wipe with a cloth.  You can add an essential oil to off-set the alcohol smell, but it does dissipate quickly!

For countertops, you can either use Sanitizing Spray (use a dry cloth--no need to rinse) or an All-Purpose cleaner (think Fantastic) which has a soapy component, so wipe down with a wet rag.

Kerry's All-Purpose Spray
14 oz distilled water
2 T liquid castile soap (I use Kirk's)
30 drops essential oil (you can use 10 drops of 3 different kinds)***

Kerry's Sanitizing Surface Spray
7 oz vinegar
7 oz distilled water
21 drops essential oils (I used lemon and lavender)

This spray is great for all those surfaces and toys and door handles in the house when people are sick!

For the sink itself, I have been sprinkling baking soda (I put mine in a tall plastic spice shaker bottle from Sam's or Costco) into the sink and either pouring or spritzing vinegar into the sink.  This will create a bubbly, foamy reaction (close drain to keep the vinegar in the sink).  When the fizzing stops, unplug sink and wipe out with a wet scrubby sponge and rinse with lots of water.  It will SPARKLE!!  (Plus, it can interest the kids into doing the sinks themselves and serves as a great chemistry lesson...win-win for Mom!)

The tub and tiled showers get this soft scrub treatment.  I used grapefruit essential oil and LOVE it!!  I let my shower get pretty gross with mildew (wish I had a before picture--sorry!)--but check out these results!!

Kerry's Soft Scrub
3/4 c baking soda
1/4 c liquid castile soap (I used Kirk's)
15 drops essential oil (I used grapefruit)
1 tsp vegetable glycerin (I found glycerin in the candy-making aisle at Michael's or you can purchase vegetable glycerin here)

Combine in a screw-top jar.  Scoop out with a wet scrubby sponge and clean using circular motions.  Add more water to get sudsy and use a grout brush for the moldy grout areas.  This will feel amazing on your hands, and as I mentioned above, you can actually use it as a facial scrub!  Now, I always rinse the shower using a watering can--I rinse top to bottom such that the water runs down in clean cascades.  Then I use a squeegee to wipe down the glass walls.  I plan to use a mold deterrent spray using tea tree essential oils when I get some of my own soon (will add the recipe soon).  That would serve as sort of a daily shower spray for the tile (and a daily post-shower aromatherapy session!)

And finally, for the commode, I simply spray the outside, lid, and seat with Kerry's Sanitizing Spray or just plain vinegar.  Let it sit while you sprinkle baking soda into the bowl and spritz or pour in some vinegar.  This will create a fizzy reaction (like the sinks).  When that dies down, scrub the bowl with a brush.  Then wipe down toilet starting with the lid, then seat, and lastly the rim with a cloth.

Okay...onto the kitchen.

You can sprinkle your cook top or stove top with baking soda, then spray with Kerry's All-Purpose Cleaner (above) and wipe down with a damp cloth.  Dad's Glass Cleaner (above) or Granite Cleaner (below) is great for the front of glossy appliances like the dishwasher, microwave, fridge, and stove.

For the microwave, I've heard you can just heat up a bowl of water or vinegar for 2-3 minutes, then wipe out the steamy microwave with a cloth.

And for the granite counter tops, I am trying this from a blog site:

Granite Cleaner
1/4 c rubbing alcohol (may increase to 1/3 c)
3 drops castile soap (I used Kirk's)
water (I used distilled)
5-10 drops essential oil (I used lavender)

This is portioned for a 16 oz spray bottle--I used less of everything as my bottle could only contain 10 ounces.  Shake it up and spray down counter tops and wipe with a cloth.  (NOTE: granite does NOT like acidic mixtures, so avoid vinegar or other such sprays)

Now, for hand washing dish soap, I simply diluted down some liquid castile soap (Kirk's) and added 3 drops lavender essential oil, 3 drops lemon, and 3 drops tea tree oil in a washed out Palmolive bottle.  I plan to play around with the fragrances such as lemon, peppermint, eucalyptus, etc.  Castile soap is very gentle--you can honestly wash your skin and shampoo your hair with it!  Your hands will smell so nice using this soap, too! Now, as far as boosting grease-fighting, you can add some lemon juice to the sink water.  Have a tough stuck-on pan?  Sprinkle some baking soda in it and let it soak for a bit.

UPDATE:  Be sure to shake it up before use--you will want it to emulsify like this:

For foaming hand soaps, I did the same thing as above but used washed out Bath and Body Works foaming hand soap bottles (the special nozzle foams up soaps quite nicely!).  Again, be sure to shake it up and mix up the oils before you use it.

I plan to try some dry dishwasher detergent next week, but I am short one ingredient for that one!  I will let you know!  If it leaves a film...it is a NO GO!

UPDATE:  Okay, so I tried making the dishwasher detergent and was super stoked by the results!  NO film and NO spots!  Woohoo--check out these dishes that came out this morning--

Here's the recipe I used from this blog:

Dishwasher Detergent
1 1/2 c Lemi-Shine (basically citric acid)--this amount will be the entire 12 oz can
1 1/2 c super washing soda
1/2 c baking soda
1/2 c sea salt

Mix all together and place in an air-tight container.  Use 2 T per load.

Lastly, for dusting, I honestly rarely grab for the furniture polish due to being short on time--it is quicker to hand the kids a microfiber cloth or travel around quickly through a room with one myself.  Honestly, we have very few pieces of real wood furniture that is either not covered up with a tablecloth or a glass top.  So, I may try a few recipes for wood polish, or I just might continue to use my Pledge on a rare basis. (UPDATE: I mixed up a furniture polish today using distilled water, fractionated coconut oil, and lemon essential oil.  I will let you know how it turns out on the furniture when I get a chance to use it for a bit!)

I really am liking this wood furniture polish!  Here is the recipe:

Lemon Furniture Polish
1/3 c fractionated coconut oil
1/2 c distilled water
30 drops lemon essential oil

Shake and pour on cloth and rub into furniture.

I hope that answers all your questions and helps out all you ladies who want a fresher, cleaner, and chemical-free home for 2015!  Woohoo!!

**NOTE: Dr. Bonner's is another popular castile soap, sold at Target and online.  My husband was uncomfortable with using it as it contains Hemp oil, thus supporting the growing of marijuana and possibly interfering with office drug testing.  Decide for yourself, but please be aware of this as an informed consumer!

***Essential oils are not just used in these cleaners for fragrance, but many have anti-septic qualities which make them very useful!  I also plan to use essential oils in my home to diffuse for immuno-boosting, mood uplifting, concentration and calming in the school room, etc, as well as to make some of my own body oils to use for eczema.  I will let you know how that works as I continue to incorporate more oils into our daily life!  Being an M.D., I will be the first to admit that I am a skeptic, but with continued research, I am feeling more confident about the use of oils and their safety. (See the Petri dish below--"Thieves" is an immune-boosting oil blend containing clove and cinnamon among other oils and it simply decimated the Staph!)

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