Day 91: Do You Roll?

I have several lint rollers. Big ones. "Mini" ones. One in the bathroom. One in my car. And I LOVE them all! They are so handy - a total "must have" for neat freaks! And you can use them on more than just that unsightly lint!

Here are a few more uses:

• craft bits, or "sniglets" as a friend of mine calls them... Ever have those random paper pieces, ribbon snips or fabric threads all over the place after some crafting? Well, a lint roller is a perfect solution for getting those up and out of the way!
• stray hairs... Just roll the back of your shirt, sweater or jacket and remove those "strays" that fall out or fly away after brushing or styling your hair! This is also a perfect tool for picking up those little ends after a bang trim... or after a gray hair annihilation!
  
• pet fur... I roll the couch and chairs, regularly, to remove Rowdy's fur clumps.
• dust bunnies... Hey, if you can't grab the vacuum, roll away those dust bunnies with a lint roller! It's a quick fix. Not a permanent solution!
• lampshades... Oh, yes, these decorative beauties LOVE dust and grime. So, roll over them with a lint roller to bring them back to their old glory! With that in mind, try one out on a curtain or a table cloth! I use mine on the table runner in our dining room when I don't feel like removing the heavy vase and candle holders to give it a good shake outside!
  
• crumbs... Again, this is a quick fix, but a lint roller can be a handy tool for crumb removal! I've used it on counter tops, highchairs and car seats MANY times! I also have used it on baking spills, to roll away some of the flour, sugar or baking mix splatter before attacking with a antibacterial wipe!
  

What do YOU use a lint roller on?


Now, THAT's neat!

Day 90: Oh, It Smells So GOOD!

I love cleaning products that smell good. It makes me want to use them even more! AND.... it makes me feel good when people come into the house and comment, "Oh, it smells so good in here!"

Of course, sometimes the odoriferous wonder in my home is due to some delicious, homemade goodness. I LOVE to bake (and eat baked goods!), so there is often a pound cake, some sweet bread or a batch of chocolate-chip cookies cooling on the counter. BUT, when I am on a clean streak, I love to use just about anything citrus or "fresh laundry" scented. (What about you? What scents make your nose happy?)

With that being said, I was quite interested in trying out a pretty well-known product that I had never tried: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day. Their natural, plant-derived essential oils are "powerful against daily dirt and grime, but leave your home smelling like a garden, not harsh chemicals." And, oh..... it's SO true!


I tried out the lemon verbena scent. I was not so sure about the smell in the bottle, but throughout the house, it's absolutely wonderful! (Even my outdoor-working husband and his rough-and-tough co-worker commented on the delightful scent!) And, most importantly, the toilet bowl cleaner and the countertop spray worked VERY well! With just a swipe of a paper towel or swish of a bowl brush, dirt and grime were disappearing right before my eyes!

I assure you, I will be purchasing more! I even got the laundry detergent in the same scent! And since Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day also offers dish soap, all-purpose cleaner, dishwasher packs, wipes, hand soap, fabric softener, dryer sheets, candles, room fresheners and window spray, *WHEW!* I may be trying out some other things, too! ;) (They also have other scents. So, I may have to explore!)



Now, THAT's neat!

Day 89: Quick Tip for Wayward Pouches

I have a bunch of food pouches in my pantry... you know, those mixes for tacos and chili and seasoned fries. Well, those said pouches tend to fall through the cracks, literally. And I was pretty tired of mounting an all-out search for these seasonings and such while in the middle of cooking.

So... simple solution: I took one of those "throw-away" plastic containers and stuffed all the pouches inside. Now, I can find what I need without straining my back while leaning over, balanced on one foot, digging around the bottom of the pantry where extra paper towels and other odds n' ends reside! :)

Add THAT to your neat freak bag o' tricks!



Now, THAT's neat!

Day 88: Microwave Quick Clean

Ok, I know we've talked about tackling the dreaded microwave gunk before (see THIS post), but this morning, as I was boiling some eggs, I did a quick clean on my microwave. WHY? Well, first of all, I wipe it down after every use. And second of all, if your microwave happens to be over the stove, like mine, the steam from whatever is cooking will go straight up. So, why not use this to your benefit? Oh yes, it's another little Neat Freak Cheat Sheet tip: use the steam from cooking to help clean your microwave, counter tops, or whatever. Just open the microwave door, and let the steam do its work. Then, take a paper towel and/or Lysol wipe (depending on the amount of dirt!), and wipe it down. Ta-da! A quick clean... and some multitasking! LOVE it!

Now, THAT's neat!

Day 87: Neat Facts

Sorry for the absence... I've been sick, and my 13-month old has been sick. Yuck...

SO, to get us back on track, I have some really neat facts that I found recently....
1. Women spend 17 HOURS A WEEK cleaning. This is down from 26 hours, 30 years ago....
2. Men have more than doubled their domestic duties, from 6 to 13 HOURS a week.
3. BUT... having a husband creates an EXTRA 7 HOURS of WORK each WEEK for women.


OH, and don't forget about the great giveaway from Wear-N'-Write! Just go back to day 86 for details!

Now, THAT's neat!

Day 86: Get Neat With Wear-N'-Write

Y'all know I enjoy gadgets that help with cleaning and organizing. And I am trying out a NEAT, new product... It's called Wear-N'-Write. Get this: It's a mini, dry-erase board that comes in 2 nifty styles: 1 that you can WEAR on your wrist, and 1 that you can CLIP on somewhere convenient.

I know we live in a day and age of fancy phones and electronic what-nots, with technologically advanced ways of taking notes, but how many times have you been searching under the seats in your car for a pen or a crayon and a receipt or even a gum wrapper to jot down a phone number or a quick note? And think about people who work outdoors... or in hospitals! What about contractors, waitresses, nurses and carpenters? This little, note-taking wonder is perfect for wearing "hands free" or for clipping on a car visor, a tote bag, a backpack, etc, etc.

My daughter is already chomping at the bit to steal a Wear-N'-Write from me and use it for her own imaginative projects, but I am envisioning clipping one to my cleaning basket so I can jot down things that I need (like: buy more Lysol wipes) or stuff that I notice (like: change batteries in smoke alarm) while I am doing everyday chores from room to room! Hey, I could even clip one in every room of the house... I could write down my kid's chores on them. Or, we could jot down messages to one another or mention necessities that are required... or missing (i.e. need toothpaste, running low on laundry detergent, need more toilet paper, or must have clean-and-dry basketball uniform for Saturday!). It's a perfect solution for anyone who is already busy... with always more stuff to do. And it's a great gadget for any neat freak! ;)

I've already tried the wrist version on, too... just for fun! I like that the marker (that comes with it) not only has a neat little place to attach to the board, it has its own eraser! So, no dirtying up your sleeves, fingers or whatever else is handy at the time!


It will be fun testing these out, here and there, and everywhere! Oh, and best of all... while I am giving this new product a whirl, YOU, too, can try out this little gadget for yourself! Just go to the Wear-N'-Write Facebook page and click on "like." The first 10 people who post the comment "Wear-N'-Write makes my busy life EASIER!" and mention that they saw the product on the "Get Neater" blog will win FREE products! Yep. It's that easy! (And, hey, just because you're not one of the first 10 folks doesn't mean you can't like their page! "Like" them, and get details on what they are been up to and what they have to offer!)

GOOD LUCK!

Now, THAT's neat!

Day 85: Even my iPhone has OCD

A friend of mine just showed me that one of the iPhone updates allows you to FILE and ORGANIZE all of your phone applications (apps). WOW! SO... you'd better believe that I took full advantage of this neat little trick!

If you, too, are an iPhone-usin' neat freak, and you haven't yet organized YOUR apps, you will LOVE it! You can categorize everything in neat, little, 12-app squares... and then name each square!

So, instead of having little app icons spread all over the place, taking up every "page" on my iPhone, I now have 1 "regular" page with all of the items that I use most often or just feel like I need to see at any given moment (see picture, above)! And... I have 1 page of "files!"
AND... YES, they are all alphabetized! (I know... I can't help it!) And... all of the contents in each folder are alphabetized, too! See, here is my "Games I Love" file. It's GLORIOUS!


And I am certain it will confuse the heck out of my husband! ;)


Now, THAT's neat!