Showing posts with label Housekeeping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Housekeeping. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Motherhood: From the Archives (30 Minute Round Up)

My grandmother loved keeping a clean house.  I have the same values, but my time is spread pretty thin these days.  Between caring for two toddlers, blogging, working on my jewelry line or any of my five million and one projects, fitting in cleaning to my daily routine can be overwhelming.  There is no way that I can spend the whole day dusting, polishing, cleaning, sorting, and washing everything without taking much needed time away from my girls.

Since I don't have time for a tedious cleaning routine, the only way that I can accomplish everything that I would like to in my day is through timed cleaning sessions.  I like to call them 30 minute round-ups.  My 30-minute round up usually consists 30 timed  minutes of picking up everything off of the floor, vacuuming, loading the dishwasher, wiping down surfaces, or any tasks that has gone undone for a while. I am not always able to fit in 30 minutes so I have a 10-15 minute round up sessions instead.

By timing myself I become a more effective housekeeper. I able to complete the most important things such as mopping the floor, picking up toys, cleaning the dishes, and have more time to spend with my family. The laundry in our house piles up often, and my toilet doesn't get cleaned everyday, but I am able to maintain a neater space for my family.

I'm not a supermom, but I do have a couple of super ideas that help me make it through the day.  Here's to a better housekeeping!!!

Peace, Love, Happy Cleaning,

Najeema Iman, I AM Curly Locks
"I believe in Kingdom blogging!"

Originally Posted 3/14/11
Updated February 27, 2013

Friday, February 1, 2013

Frugal Friday: DIY Household Products and Cleaning Agents

Today's Frugal Friday post was inspired by the multitude of Frugal Home pin's that I have related to DIY Household cleaners, many of which can be made from things that you already have on hand. Here are a few of my favorites.

DIY Stain remover

DIY Laundry Detergent - 6 ingredients, cost you about $28 a year, this recipe makes a batch that will last a year! Works in HE washers and with cold water.
DIY Laundry Detergent


ONLY use this and it leaves floor spotless. (Heavy duty floor cleaner recipe: cup white vinegar 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap cup baking soda 2 gallons tap water, very warm.) It leaves everything smelling amazing.
Heavy Duty Floor Cleaner
Homemade Febreze
The DIY Stain Remover is definitely my favorite and I have used on just about everything, but I can't wait to try out some of the other ideas.  Happy cleaning.  What are some of your favorite homemade household products and cleaning agents?

Peace and Love,

Najeema Iman

Friday, March 4, 2011

Kitchen clean up

If I don't clean any other room my house, I am gonna' clean my kitchen. Of course there are days where I just don't have the time, and the dish water that I made turns sour, but this is a rare ocassion.  I guess it was instilled in me that the kitchen must be clean. As a child, my mothers (grandmother and mother) insisted that the dishes be done before I went bed. A defiant me would stay up all night, go to sleep and reep the consequences as I was woken up  in the middle of the night to get the dishes done.  Looking back on myself then I ask, "Why was I so insistent on persistently being disobedient in choosing not to do my weekly chore?" Who knows, but the dishes must be done and the kitchen clean for it affects tomorrow.

The kitchen is where it all goes done.   For us black girls its where hot combs were heated, hair was washed, and spiral curls were formed. The heart of the home where your body and soul is filled.  For me some of my most memorable experiences happened in the kitchen; making cranberry relish for Thanksgiving, licking cake batter from the mixing bowl, cornbread n' greens, New Year's corn-beef with cabbage on the side; Ummmmmmmmmm I can smell it now rosemary n' tyme, brown sugar n' butter, taste the double fudge bars n' lemon drop cookies, just a few of my favorite things.  Food is the foundations for family, and it comes out of the kitchen so it must be clean cause' I don't want yesturdays curls in tommorows goodies.

My mothers knew what they were doing when they made me clean the kitchen, they were teaching me a life lesson.  If the kitchen is the center of the home, then it is imperative to keep it clean because if it is not clean then the filth that you left can transfer into your body through the food that you prepare and put into your body.  I am by no means saying that having a few dishes in the sink is disaster, but I am suggesting that keeping tabs on kitchen cleaning is a must. If not taken care of properly mold, mildew, bacteria, and so much more can go in both the seen and unseen places of the kitchen.

Just like God washes us white as snow removing the dirt from our murkiest places, the ultimate clorox, we must do the same in our home.  A little bit of bleach n' water goes a long way.  God is already working on the inside, so we must keep up with whats on the outside.

My grandma always said, "'Our house is a reflection of us." My living room might be a little junky, heck I have a one year old, but my kitchen it's always a work in progress, always in the process of getting clean.  The center is getting aligned.

To my fellow mothers, single or married, if you can take the time to sit down and eat with your family and clean up afterwards.   There is great reward in this.  What nourishes our soul comes out of the kitchen, so it is good to keep the foundation clean. A little bit of bleach goes a long way to get rid of the filth.

Najeema Iman, I AM Curly Locks
"I believe in Kingdom blogging!"