A simple guide to spring cleaning

I see a lot of spring cleaning guides around this time of year that are so complicated and I just don't understand how cleaning can be such a task.  So here is my list and here is how I spring clean my home.

First step, open your windows!  Ahhhhhhh, feels nice doesn't it?  Let that fresh air come and let it swift its way through out your home.  Now you are ready to clean.

Rule number one:  One room a day.  That is right, do not over do yourself and try and spring clean your whole home in one day. One room at a time and it usually lasts a week.

Rule number two: Everything has a place.  While you are cleaning your house and you find something you just end up throwing on the counter top or in a drawer.  Throw it is the trash or get rid of it.  If you don't have a place for an item you don't need it.  This helps eliminate clutter. 

Rule number three:  Always go and straighten up the rooms you did the day before to help keep it spotless and clean.

Living Room: 1 day

Shampoo/Clean Carpets/floors

Wash Walls

Wash Windows 

Dust

Wash TV

Vacuum out couches

shampoo couches

(If you have a hall way and or stairs shampoo/clean these carpets/floors as well)

Kitchen:  2 days

Wash Walls

Wash table 

Take everything off counter and wash

Take everything out of drawers, clean drawers inside and out and reorganize.

Take everything out of cabinets,wash cabinets inside and out and reorganize

Take everything out of pantry, wash inside and out and reorganize

Clean out fridge

Clean top and inside stove

Clean fan and area above stove

Clean kitchen sink

Clean out toaster

Clean out microwave

Wash floors

Dust

Wash Windows 

Bathroom: 1 day

Wash walls

Clean toilet

Clean bathtub/shower

Clean inside and out any cabinet and drawers and organize.

Clean sink and counter top

Wash floor

Clean mirror

Clean Door

Wash Windows

Dust

Your bedroom: 1 Day

Go through all your clothes and give away anything that you haven't worn in over a year.

Wash bedding

Vacuum your mattress 

Shampoo floors/Clean floors

Clean and organize closet and dressers

Wash Walls

Wash Windows

Dust

Clean out night stand

Kids Room: 1-2 Days (depending on how many kids)

Wash bedding

Go through clothes and toys, give away everything they don't play with, wear or fit.

Vacuum mattress

Shampoo/Clean floors

Wash Walls

Clean organize closets/dressers

Wash Windows

Dust

Randoms:

Clean Computer with spray duster

Clean phones or any electronics

Wash curtains/blinds

Organize movies case

Clean/dust picture frames or any book cases

Clean out washer and dryer

Outside: 1-2 days depending on yard size

Power Wash your porch

Rake your yard

Clean up any garbage

Organize tools and toys

Wash outside windows

Wash your car

You are now done doing your spring cleaning. Remember to always do a quick touch up to each room daily before you start on a new room.  

Have a deep clean day once a week.

Once you get down a schedule you will always have a clean home.

The last baby

We decided a while ago that Lauren would be our last child but it is making me sad.  She is getting to that stage where she isn't looking like a baby anymore.  She is big, she is talking, she is laughing and being goofy.  She is just big.

So I sat down and thought about it maybe it would be nice to have a 4th, maybe a boy, smell a newborn again, watch them grow all over again it would be amazing.  I love babies!!

But then I thought, I only have 3 bedrooms and we don't plan n moving for another 3-5 years, a fourth means another set of winter and summer clothing, boots, hats, snow pants, coats, shoes, Christmas presents, birthday, food budget and more.  I know that may all seem petty but when you have 3 girls that will be on their periods in years to come and shoes,make up and clothing alone, girls are expensive.

I also cannot wait to go on vacation with all the girls, go camping, go hiking, go canoeing and more.  

So them growing up will be fun also because we can finally make memories, finally have a fun outing and more.

I will miss the learning stages, the cute baby talk, the cuddling,the hugs and kisses because I know soon they will turn into yelling, eye rolling arguing and fun family memories.  

J'Adore VoxBox

So I received another voxbox and I am finally getting around to blog about it!

Hershey Kisses were gone before I could even touch them haha.  Who doesn't love Hershey kisses?   I guess that is why my 3 kids and my hubby had a chance to eat them before I could touch them.  I wanted to bake with some one them darn it! 

Frizz Ease!  I am in love with product! Now as you see before my hair isn't curly it is more frizzy and semi wavy but all you do is spray it on your hair while wet, blow dry and then straighten and it is suppose to stay straight for 3 days.  My hair is very greasy so I need to wash my hair daily but I stuck it out and got to day 2 and my hair still looked amazing!  I cannot tell you how it works on someone with curly hair but I am in love with this product and already bought myself another bottle for soon!

Red Rose Tea.  I myself am a tea person, I drink tea in the morning, noon and night it is my choice of drink.  The tea is good but it is to sweet for me.  The flavors I got was Cream Caramel and Lemon Chiffon and I ended up giving them to my kids who sucked them right down.  It was just like drinking melted caramel and a lemon meringue pie.  I have a horrible sweet tooth but I just don't like my tea super sweet. So if you like sweet drinks you will love this tea.

I am in love with the kiss eyelashes!! I got "shy" and they are gorgeous and natural looking. They were super easy to put on and this was actually my first time using and putting on false eye lashes.  So I do recommend this for every one to use. They are amazing

I didn't get a photo of me in the clay mask but I love it.

Here is what the website said

Treat your skin to deep cleansing with this clay mask. Willowbark helps draw out oil and other impurities without over drying the skin. Designed for use on normal skin, the unscented, hypo-allergenic formula prevents irritation. The hydrating properties of this mask leave skin feeling clearer, softer, smoother and less oily. Treat yourself to a great product!

And they were right!  My skin feels amazing, it is not to heavy and it made my oily skin less oily and with the last week of using it my pores have shrunk and my skin feels smooth and overall looks better

These are my reviews and I have received all products complimentary from Influcenster. 

We are done

So I told you all I would update you with my living room and we are done as of today except the window blinds.  First off I am sorry it has been a while since I updated, life has been super crazy, school, basketball games and practice and more.

But I don't really wanna make you wait.  I shall show you the before and after pics

Before

After

Before

After

Exciting right?!!  I am so overjoyed right now and I am just so happy.  Kids will be home in about 5 mins I cannot wait to see their faces.

New walls, new windows,new couches,new paint,new trim, and new carpet and also I would like to add this took one year to finally finish!  Now onto the kitchen

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish

So I got another Voxbox! YAY

I got the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish and I am loving it!

First let me say I am in rehab for being a nail biter, so my nails are not long and pretty but they are slowly getting there and some days I relapse..

Keeping my nails painted helps me tons, any ways

The colors are gorgeous!! The color I have on in the photo is Jaded.

This polish says it is 7 in one!  Here is what they say

"Skip the salon, get the results. Don't settle for just color when you can get a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, salon-inspired color, top coat, chip-resistance and a gel finish all in 1 bottle. Featuring the unique precision brush for a flawless finish and patented Vita Care technology for advanced 10 day wear, more shine and nourishing care."

Let me tell you how true that whole thing is.  No matter what I do or what I use my polish is always chipping off by night time.  Now I am rough with my hands, I wash dishes with no gloves, clean with bleach, play in the dirt with my kids and more but I am on day 3 so far and they are still on like brand new!

I have nothing to bad to say about this product.  It really is amazing!

I  received all products complimentary from Influenster.

How to grocery shop on a budget.

So here is the thing I have a family of 5 and I spend $400 a month.  I get crazy reactions all the time and people asking me how I do it.  so I thought I would explain it in here.

I do not coupon.  I could coupon but I never find a coupon for food I actually buy so if you DO coupon don't cut out coupons for things you will not buy usually.  Just because there is a coupon doesn't mean it will save you money on an item you might not eat.

Make a list!!

Make a menu! I swear by this!  Make a menu at the top of your shopping list for one week.  Figure out what you are having for dinner.  Write down the ingredients below that you need and make sure you look around to see what you have in your house so you might not have to buy as much!  Making a menu is a must.

Look in the almost expired bin of meat.  Every grocery store has one.  Every time I go in I get hamburger meat,chicken,ribs pork at $2 off the original price.  That little goes a long way.

Make your own: french fries, hash browns or etc.  Buying them frozen costs a lot more than buying a bag of potatoes  and making them yourself.

Make your own desserts.  Leave alone the oreos, frozen pies, bakery cakes.  I make a dessert weekly homemade and I stay inside my budget.  You will be surprised how cheap it is to make your own cookies and more.

Buy sandwich meat at the deli.  If you buy meat in the package it will cost you almost $5 a package and that will only make maybe 4 sandwiches.  Buy at the deli, look for sales and ask for shaved meat!  It will save you money and shaved will give you more.

Look for deals for Milk else where.  At my grocery store milk is $4.50 a gallon but myself I buy milk at a gas station called Kwik Trip.  Their milk is 2.99 a gallon even cheaper if you buy the bags of half gallons!

Bread is even cheaper and eggs.  So look around at prices you might want to shop for certain things else where.

Look for generic.  We get generic chips, gummy snacks, OJ, soups, noodles, speg sauce, and more.  You have to know your generic brand to know which is good and it is cheaper and sometime better!

I also make my own ice cream, because it is is more expensive to buy .  I make my own pasta salads, coleslaw and more because sometimes the deli is outrageous.  

Buy fruit fresh and on sale.  

Buy frozen veggies they are actually cheaper and you get more.

Buy your condiments whenever you see them on a great sale.

There are my tips.  Yes I am a mother of 3 children, we are a family of 5 and I spend $100 a week on food.

If you need help with any fun,family friendly, and pocket friendly recipes

go to my blog

http://chickwhocooks.blogspot.com/

Baby it's cold outside

So Jack Frost hates us this year in Wisconsin.  I don't even want to step out side to take out garbage, this kind of cold is un real!  I have dealt with negative 30 many times but negative 70?!  I will be doing lots and lots of baking and cooking to help keep warm.  This weather actually starts tomorrow Sunday through Tuesday so today I need to go shopping so I don't run out of food since Monday is my shopping day!

Anyways besides the cold we have been painting and redoing our living room! Want to see a photo??

NOT YET! it isn't done lol.  We took down a wall put in new windows, new paint and trim.  Now we need new carpet and we are making a new book shelf and then I need to hang everything back up oh and do some crafts I want for my new book shelf and then you can see it because then it will be done.  So just wait until around February or near the end of February and I promise before and after photos

Other wise Luna is adjusting well, oh and we ended up keeping this kitty because no one would take her.  She is sweet but loves to attack feet at night, I sleep in slippers.

We made these AMAZING homemade oatmeal cream pies they are to die for! 

New years was great I stayed home sick with my sick Lolo and we are both doing better now. Just gotta make it through this cold!

Stay safe everyone