Back to School Year Resolutions

School starts on Monday. Are you ready? Has your school year already begun? A hundred million years ago before I had kids of my own, I remember my friend Jenny talking about Back to School Year Resolutions. I didn’t really get it, but I decided that I might as well make a few of my own come each September since I LOVE New Year Resolutions, and having a few new ones (or the opportunity to tweak my current/old ones) could only be a Good Thing. Now that the kids are both in school, I understand so much better the importance of starting the year off organized and with some goals.

Organize the Homework Space.

I’m working on that today. Since everything is on sale right now, I decided to stock up on all the homework supplies we might possibly need throughout the school year. I also bought some extra scissors and rolls of tape, because those items seem to disappear in our house—no matter where they are housed, or how many we own. It’s kind of a mystery. If you can find plastic pencil boxes on sale, snatch one up for each of your children (I found them for 50 cents each!) and put in pencils, scissors, markers, a ruler, eraser, etc. Younger children will need crayons and safety scissors. Label the boxes and bring them out only at homework time, otherwise the materials will be used on the weekends or on play dates for arts and crafts, and the homework supplies will go missing.

And you will feel frustrated. Trust me.

Clothes.

We don’t have a school uniform, but oh how I wish we did. My kids are still relatively  young, but are both girls (with another girl on the way!) and they take an awful long time to pick out their clothes in the morning. They also have the tendency to change their minds halfway through breakfast and completely change their outfit, leaving strewn clothes all over the floor. Until I got mean. I balked at the idea of picking clothes out the night before for quite a while. It seemed controlling and I didn’t like the idea of stifling creativity. That changed when I realized that the kids just don’t seem fully awake enough in the morning to make choices. It was overwhelming, and they ended up wearing the same clothes over and over, causing wear and tear on only a few pieces of clothing. Now (on their own, surprisingly) they decide on clothes the night before, and get everything out, down to socks and underwear and get dressed without (much) mayhem).

Before stuffing new clothes onto the old, take the time to PROM (purge, remove, organize, maintain) the dresser drawers and closets for outgrown, stained, or damaged clothing.

Meals.

If you aren’t a meal planner, you might really want to become one. The new school year brings a new soccer season, boy scouts, girl scouts, PTA meetings, new music lessons, and homework. It’s much easier to go throughout your day in relative peace when you don’t need to run to the store at 5pm (with all the crazies) for something for dinner. I try and plan breakfasts, lunches, and snacks, too. Nothing elaborate, but just a rough skeleton of what food we’ll need in the house, and what I’ll need to pack for snacks and lunches. I am not a night-before lunch packer, but many people are, and really find that it eases the morning rush. If your children are old enough to make their own lunches, have them–especially if you find that food is regularly coming home uneaten.

Kid Goals.

My little one is starting Kindergarten this year, and even she has a list of goals of what she’d like to achieve this year. She’d like to learn to read, and she’d like to play on the “big playground.” The beginning of the school year is a great time to introduce your children to goal-setting and achieving. If they have a lofty goal such as getting straight As, walk them through the steps needed to help achieve that goal. If you know from personal experience that the goal is completely out-of-reach, then kindly help steer towards an obtainable one. Goals are like mini-dreams, and no one likes to have their dreams squashed.

Parent Goals.

You have a clean slate. What occured last year that you weren’t so pleased with? Homework battles? What should happen differently this year? Were meals hectic? Was there lots of bickering in the late afternoon? It’s not reasonable to have a Stepford Home, but it is reasonable to have a plan in place for relative peace. Many children need a bit of decompression time when getting home from school or from late-afternoon activities before re-entering the home community. Understanding this need, and limiting it to a certain amount of time can help to ease tears and frustration.

How have you been doing with your own New Year (or similar) goals and resolutions? This is a perfect time to reassess and gain motivation to close the year out with a bang. Do you want to kick your workout routine up a notch so come Halloween and the winter holidays you can indulge without guilt? Do you need some new Back-to-School clothing items to spruce up your own wardrobe?

Have you been waiting to start a project now that school is back in session? This is your opportunity. Go for it!

There is no such thing as a perfect home, perfect children, or a perfect life. All you can do is focus on each teeny tiny step and task, and give it  your full attention. You are doing a wonderful job.

What Are the Necessary Cleaning Supplies?

I have a weird hobby. I enjoy browsing for cleaning supplies, and enjoy trying out new ones on the market. If I wasn’t so gosh-darn-cheap, I’d gladly pick up the phone to order the newest (and best! and brightest! and fastest!) cleaning whatever-it-is advertised on late night TV. You know the Scrubbing Bubbles shower cleaner thing with the “magical cleaning fairies” that clean your shower after you leave it for the day? I bought it. I also have tried KaBoom, and have owned a Scooba.

Oh how I loved my Scooba. I used it every single day for the six months that it worked, and talked about it incessantly. I even wrote a glowing review on Amazon, I loved it so much. And then it died. Thrice. And the shipping cost for sending it in for repair (not to mention the 6-8 week turnaround  time) turned my love into disgust. My Scooba now sits under the utility sink in the garage waiting for someone to love it again. I don’t think it will be me.

One of my favorite pastimes is to slowly walk the aisles at Target and ogle the new cleaning supplies on the shelves. I usually refrain from buying them, but I do love to read the labels and compare ingredients. I really shouldn’t share this outloud, huh?

The secret though, is that you don’t really need much to keep your home tidy and gleaming.

These are the items that I use in our home, and what I’d recommend getting if you are trying to streamline your cleaning process and materials.

Sponges

There are tons of different sponges that you can buy—some claim to keep bacteria from growing, some are sturdy enough to throw in the washing machine or dishwasher, some are all-natural, and some are synthetic. I buy these Scrub Buddies. I get them at the Dollar Tree, and have seen them in the 99 cent store, as well as non-name brand discount stores. I like that 6 come to a pack, and that I can switch them weekly (or more often, if they get terribly icky) or save them for non-kitchen use. I buy a dozen packs or so at a time, and then keep the old and used ones in a basket in the garage to use for scrubbing the floor, toilet bowls,  the car tires, etc. Then they are thrown out for good.

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

I love these cloths for dusting, and for wiping up spills. They are super absorbent, trap dust and grime, machine wash well, and don’t require a spritz with a cleaning solution (although you certainly could use one if you prefer). They are relatively inexpensive, and last a long time. They are also able to be used on a Swiffer or the like dust mop—just shove the corners into the slots made for the throw-away dusting sheets. I’d suggest having 4 or 6 on hand, depending on how large your home is, and how often you choose to dust. 4 serves my family quite well. If you’d rather not spend money on cleaning rags, you can use old cloth diapers, or soft T-shirts just fine, but you’ll need to have a larger stack because the absorbency is just not the same.

I am not a fan of feather dusters. Although they are fun for children to play with, the dust spreads around instead of getting trapped (even with the expensive fancy ostrich dusters) and the maintenance is not worth my time.

Broom and Dust Pan

This is a no-brainer. You need to have a broom to sweep any hard surfaces in the home. Most people choose to have more than one, and don’t bring an outdoor or garage broom into the house. I like having a dust pan and whisk broom in a few places throughout the house so children can quickly clean up spilled pencil shavings, the little dots from the hole punch, and crumbs from under their seat at the table.

For Small Hands is an online company that specializes in Montessori teaching supplies and tools. They have a fantastic selection of kid-size cleaning tools (gardening, too!)

Mop

Mops are controversial. Everyone seems to have one that they absolutely love, and no amount of persuasion will change their minds. That’s fine. Whatever works the best for you, use it. The Swiffer Wet Jet system is WILDLY popular, and for good reason. It’s simple, the refills are readily available, and it works. Some people swear by the cotton “yarn” mops that you can toss into the washing machine. Those are fine, too. I like the sponge mops or the microfiber dusters with removable terry-cloth heads for mopping my floors. Some housekeepers don’t even use a mop, and prefer to wet a towel and shuffle it around with thier feet. It really doesn’t matter—all that matters is that you have some sort of cleaning apparatus that you use on a routine basis to get the stick and ick off of your hard floors.

One trick to mopping is to let the cleaner that you’re using work for you. If you have a high-traffic area that attracts stuck on grime, spray your floor with an everyday de-greaser (409, Fantastik, vinegar and water, or something similar) and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then wet your mop with hot water, and wash as usual. There is no need to rinse the floor afterwards, since those cleaning supplies are meant to just spray and wipe. Your floor will be left clean and shiny.

Vacuum Cleaner

Much like mops, many people love their vacuum and wouldn’t switch brands or models, ever. If you are in the market for a new vacuum, I’d suggest reading the reviews on Amazon, and at Consumer Reports to find one in your price range and with your personal specifications. I have never owned a Dyson. Many of my friends have one, and I’ve used it a few times at their houses to see what the fuss is. My favorite feature is that you can get it in purple or pink. Otherwise, my $99 Dirt Devil seems to do just fine, and has lasted a good 5 years. I, personally, just can’t justify spending much more on a vacuum (says the woman who plunked down $250 for a Scooba which died 6 months later…)

If you are in the market, I’d suggest getting one that has a canister instead of bags, so you aren’t trying to ration bags. Most vacuums come now with an air filter, which is a huge plus for anyone with dust or mite allergies. Vacuum your flooring regularly to keep carpeting looking the best, and to keep sand and dirt from scratching your hardwood, Pergo, or tile. All of the new vacuums are perfectly safe to use on a variety of floor surfaces, and they do such a better job than sweeping or dust-mopping to keep the dust level of your home in check.

One trick I do with my vacuum is to attach the cord to a 30-foot extension cord and plug in at a central location in the house. That way I can move from room to room without turning off the machine or taking the time to find a new outlet in every room.

Scrub Brush

Gotta have one. The stiff bristles are great for cleaning tile, grout, and sticky jelly off of the kitchen floor.

Toothpicks

Yes, toothpicks. I promise I’m not losing it. Toothpicks are the exact perfect size and pointyness to get into little cracks where you can’t get to the dirt and scum. In the kitchen, you’ll find them useful around stove knobs, around the control panel on your microwave and dishwasher, and around the buttons on the ice dispenser on the fridge. In the bathroom, they are ideal for getting the ick out of the crack around the white flappy-thing that hides the toilet seat bolt. Toothpicks are cheap, and do a great job. If you have a particularly dry grit that’s stuck, wrap a corner of a clorox or baby wipe around the toothpick point for an itty bitty cleaning tool.

And then there are the cleaning products…

I’m not a name brand girl when it comes to the powders, sprays, and goops. I gladly get off-brand products from the dollar store, if they fit my needs.

Glass Cleaner: yes, you can use vinegar and water, but I happen to like the smell of the blue stuff. There are many new products available that are friendlier to the environment than the old standbys, which is fantastic.

Degreaser: Spic and Span, 409, Fantastik and the like. These will cut through grease quickly, saving your back and elbow. Let these products do their job–spray them on, and let them sit. Then wipe with a scrubby sponge or microfiber cloth. You can buy large bottles of concentrate and pour into your own spray bottles, diluting with water to save money. These products will work just fine sprayed directly onto flooring, saving a separate cleanser purchase. If prefered, vinegar and water can be used instead.

Powdered Abrasive: Baking soda works just fine, as do the standard powdered cleansers. Some have a bleach in them, take care to not let the dust get in your eyes, or sprinkles on nice towels or bathmats. A powdered abrasive is helpful to get tough stains out of porcelain sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets.

Bleach: Sometimes you just need bleach. It works phenomenally and is inexpensive. (now I’m off to make a sacrifice to Mother Nature…) I like the bleach pens, too.

Disinfectant Wipes/Baby Wipes: The convenience factor of these products beats out any uncomfortableness I have about using disposable products. If these bother you, opt for cleaning rags instead.

Magic Erasers: The “magic” in these is that they are abrasive, and will scrub away any surface dirt, grime, or grease. They work great on walls, refrigerator doors, soap scum, and floors. They will take the finish off painted banisters, or on delicate wood, please be careful and check on a “hidden” spot. Due to the abrasive quality, watch children carefully so they don’t scrub their skin—their skin will come right off.

Lemon Oil: Lemon oil is a great product to use in small doses for polishing hard wood furniture or flooring. It also works great in the shower to wipe down shower doors—the built up soap scum will come right off, and the remaining slick surface will deter future build up. Do not use on stainless steel faucets or fixtures, lemon can cause pitting.

What are you favorite cleaning supplies? Anything particular I should try out and add to the list?

for further reading:

Clean Less, Play More

The Daily 7 for a Highly Successful Household

Super Simple Spring Cleaning

A Beginner’s Guide to a Clean and Organized Home