Day 96: Supplies and gadgets and doo-dads, oh my!

So... in all my ramblings about cleaning and organizing and getting neater and such, I have had some really great opportunities to share some of my old (and new!) favorite products and gadgets and doo-dads. BUT, I was thinking that, perhaps, you, like me, might want to go on a wee, little shopping spree this spring to kick your spring cleaning up a notch or two!

SO, HERE is a lovely site (and new partner of mine), Organizing A to Z, that has everything a neat freak (or those aspiring to be neat freaks) could ever want. AND, some things are on a deep-discount sale! (Yes, there's a spring cleaning blowout! HOORAY!)


Happy shopping! Hope you find all your neat needs!

Can't choose what to buy? Don't know where to begin? Need any advice? Let me know!

Here are a few of my favorite SALE items! :)




Now, THAT's neat!

Day 54: The Shower Door... & More SonicScrubber Cleaning

"WARNING: You will get wet."

Ever been at an amusement park and seen those signs, posted ominously at the start of a line for a water ride? Well, I think we need those signs for the shower. And I don't mean for taking a shower. (That's a given.) I'm talking about for cleaning the shower! And I should know better by now, but it's really pointless to attempt to clean a shower if you are on the dry side. It's dumb, really. Because countless times I have sprayed the shower and gotten myself covered in cleaning products. And just about every time I've used any kind of product with bleach, of course I've splattered it all over my favorite pajama pants... and made polka-dotted pajama pants! ;)

Well, today was no exception. I decided to try out my new SonicScrubber again, this time on my gross shower door. I used the velcro attachment thing and selected a disposable, non-scratch pad (AKA: "the yellow one;" they're color coded!!!).


I literally threw some Comet on the shower door, splashed a little water on it... and went to town with the SonicScrubber.


Now, this door was pretty much covered up with soap scummy goop. It's supposed to be a privacy-glass door, with just a little touch of that can't-quite-see-through look. As you can see in this before shot, however, it's more like that haven't-really-cared-to-clean-in-a-while look!


Now, be warned... the SonicScrubber spins. I covered that in the last post, right?!?! (Think giant electric toothbrush.) So, of course, as I started to clean the shower door, I promptly sprayed Comet all over my hair, my arms, my knees, the floor, the rug... Oops! I am so bad at the prep work. I could have removed said items, and, as mentioned before, I could have done the smart thing and cleaned the shower from the wet side, while I was actually in the shower. (Pre-shower is usually a good time.) No harm done, though. And, as you can see: it was well worth it for this kind of clean!!!! Ta-da!


That little cleaning pad sure did its duty -- In fact, I may have overused it a bit! :) It looks pretty worn out here! Funny, though, I did not have to use much pressure or effort.


If you would like to clean without using much effort, don't forget to enter the contest to WIN a SonicScrubber of your very own! The giveaway ends tomorrow, and I will randomly draw for a winner! Just click HERE to add your comment to the SonicScrubber post from the other day for your chance to win!


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 53: The Beginnings of a SonicScrubber Super Fan (and a Get Neater GIVEAWAY!)

I was lucky enough to very recently receive a SonicScrubber to test out and review for my "Get Neater" blog... and I agreed -with elation- to try out this very handy little cleaning tool this weekend!


And now that a SonicScrubber is in my possession, I must ask: Where in the world was I that I did not know about this clever and amazing tool!?!?! (I suppose it could be that we haven't had cable TV in our home for 3 years, so I may have missed out on a commercial or two.) But, boy -- am I glad that I have access to one now!

Just to fill you in, the SonicScrubber is like a giant electric toothbrush... with WAY more power.... and way more options!


And I suppose you could clean your teeth with this rotating, power-cleaning wonder tool, but the manufacturers recommend using it for other items... like doors, walls, tile, grout, pots, pans, windows, counters, floors, appliances, furniture, fabric, carpet, toys, baseboards, ovens, grills, and YES... even (and especially) the kitchen sink! *whew!*

With just a twist of the wrist, you can switch the rotating tool or add special, disposable cleaning pads for just about whatever you can think of that needs cleaning! That means I am going to be a very busy (and very happy) cleaning whiz... for quite some time. (I can see this turning into a regular segment! Can't you?)


At any rate, to test out my new SonicScrubber tool, I decided to tackle the stove top. My hubby had recently used it, and that meant a dirty, crusty, splattered mess was left behind. See for yourself! (You can click on the photo to see it in more eeeewy detail!)
BEFORE:


Well, I squirted on some stove-top cleaner (the same Cerama Bryte cleaning product that I always use), twisted on the correct SonicScrubber accessory and non-scratch pad... and attacked that cooked-on, stove top gunk. Now, it took a few minutes to work through that cleaning paste, but with barely any effort at all, I had beautiful results. Check it out!
AFTER:


Typically, I spend about 15 minutes of hard, wrist-wrenching scrubbing to get a clean like that! But this suped-up toothbrush did all the work... with much better results! LOVE IT!

I am on a mission now to try the SonicScrubber on everything in my home! Ok, not everything! My 8-month-old son might be a messy eater, but I promise not to SonicScrub the greenbeans off his little chinny-chin-chin! So... just be sure to check back for more posts on this great cleaning tool as I work through my entire house!

*** GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!!!
Oh... and YOU can try the SonicScrubber in your home, too! I have an extra cleaning tool for this fun - and very first - Get Neater GIVEAWAY! To enter, just leave a comment on THIS post telling me how YOU would use the SonicScrubber to make YOUR home neater! (And get an extra entry if you follow this blog.) You can check out the SonicScrubber website by clicking HERE to get some more information and ideas! GOOD LUCK!
(The winner will be chosen by random drawing on August 31, 2010. Check back on September 1 to see if YOU won!!!)


* NOTE: Products were provided by the manufacturer, but all opinions are my own, and NO payment was received for this post! These are purely my own rantings and ravings, as always!


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 46: No, the dust bunnies did not eat us alive....

I am alive. Really! And I have been organizing and straightening and cleaning, just as always. But I have not set aside time for blogging. I've just been so busy! July was a whirlwind of activities and deadlines and events! *whew!

At any rate, I've been thinking, lately, about all the stuff in our house, thanks, in part, to watching too many episodes of "Hoarders" and the like.... I believe I went into panic mode after every show! I had a insatiable desire to clean out every cabinet, closet and drawer!

And I will get back to blogging about the projects that I've been working on (including the decluttering, rather than just the making neat!). For now, however, I wanted to share "The Top 6 Excuses For Clutter," as presented by my favorite magazine, Real Simple! See if you can find yourself in any of these! I know I can! Hopefully, that's motivation enough for you to rethink a few items around the house! I know it's changed the way I think!

1. “If I get rid of this wedding vase, I’ll feel guilty.” People feel guilty about gift items others have chosen for them that they don't particularly like, want or have use for. I know I do! And while I may not always display or regularly use these items, they ARE in my house.... somewhere. And these items are taking up space! :(
   
2. “I think this brooch/chair/ugly knickknack might be valuable again.” I don't have too many valuables like that around our house. So this excuse does not really apply to me! But I know many people with collections upon collections.... as well as people with those few "rare" pieces that might just one day be worth something....
3. “But I might need seven sleeping bags one day.” Ah, yes, the fear that as soon as you get rid of whatever it is, you'll need it! I do this most often with clothes.... ones that are just a bit too small that I believe I may one day fit into again. *sigh. But that's another story! ;)
4. “I want this chartreuse muumuu to go to a good home.” Sometimes you just hang on to things because you like them and want them to be useful! Somehow. Somewhere. I have a few things around the house like this. I am not using several decorative items, for instance, but I like them. And I don't want them to just go anywhere. I'd love for someone to really enjoy and appreciate them. So they sit here. In a drawer. Or in a cabinet. Taking up more of that useful space...
5. “If I put the bills away, I’ll never pay them on time.” I don't have this problem; I LOVE to put things in their proper places (even bills), but I certainly understand the "out of sight, out of mind" problem. I suppose this issue would just take some time.... you'd have to make a new habit! Determine where things go, and make a conscious decision to ALWAYS put those things in their places!
   
6. “I want to declutter, but I can’t get motivated.” Indeed. The piles of clutter can be quite daunting. But as they say, you eat an elephant one bite at a time! The whole world does not need to be conquered in a day, and every little task helps! So, as Nike aptly says: "just do it!"
   

For more details on clutter as well as ideas for solutions to the above-mentioned "top 6 excuses for clutter," click HERE, and check out the Real Simple website!


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 34: Grocery shopping... from home!?!?

Sorry I have been absent from blogging for a little while. I have been VERY busy these last few days! So busy, I can barely find time to get groceries. Ever have those days?

Well.... I can't even recall where I heard about this, but it sounds really amazing! What is it? It's Alice.com

It's a website where you can do your GROCERY SHOPPING! And it automatically adds coupons... and it ships for FREE! Really! For every product you add, they'll remind you when you might be running out, find coupons for you and help you avoid the chore of shopping for household essentials at the store.

I have yet to try it, officially, but I can't wait to see my groceries arrive at my front door -- from here on out! :) Ok, so I'm not planning to stock up on ice cream, filet mignon and fresh iceburg lettuce. But I DO plan to get all the rest of those pesky little non-perishables out of the way! *sigh of relief* Now I'll have time to clean the closet, reorganize my pin collection, sort through my kids' too-small clothes, put some items up for sale on craigslist, straighten-up the pantry....

If you'd like to try out Alice.com, I added their banner to the left side of my page. Looks like you'll get $10 off your order! LUCKY!


Now, THAT's neat!


* Once again, no one asked me to write about this, nor did they pay me to do so. I am writing about Alice.com on my own accord.... because it sounds really neat!

Day 31&32: The Real Simple Library

I have been an AVID reader of Real Simple magazine since it came out 10 years ago. Don't be fooled, though: this magazine is NOT just for neat freaks! :)

I just love all the helpful tips for organizing and simplifying things in your everyday life. If you haven't checked out this mag yet, then please do so! Not only does it just have a great look and feel... It's inspiring!

Along with that, Real Simple has a host of great books! The one I just added to my library is "The Organized Home." I can't wait to dig through this oh-so-fitting book and fill y'all in on the wonderful advice and helpful hints!




* Just FYI: These are ALL my own opinions and thoughts. Real Simple magazine has not contacted me, paid me or asked me to say anything about their magazine. I just LOVE it! And you will, too! You can click HERE to get a FREE preview issue ... and start streamlining your home... and your life! :)


Now, THAT's neat!