Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Easy Decluttering: Just Count to 10 and You're Done!

Decluttering. Does that very word make you shudder? Let's all take a soothing, deep breath and then read Declutter by Counting to 10. Ten a day, and your piles and clutter will be dealt with in no time. Less stress, now that is more like it!

PS. Post a comment - what are YOU currently trying to declutter? For me, it's my basket of 'catch-all' mail, bills, flyers, and other assorted papers. Off I go to tackle just 10 for the day...

An easy, steamy way to clean the microwave

Microwaves are workhorses for many families - from popping corn, to heating up coffee, or leftovers - we all rely on our microwave ovens in our day-to-day life. So, it's no wonder they get pretty dirty and gunky after a while. Today, let's clean our microwaves!

  1. Let the steam do the work for you. In a large, microwave safe mug, throw in either a splash of white vinegar, or a couple of slices of fresh lemon. Fill the mug with water. Heat on high for 3-5 minutes - until good and steamy. Then, this is the trick: DON'T open the microwave door! Set your kitchen timer for at least 10 minutes (I usually leave it for 20 minutes).
  2. Scrub the gunk away. Using a scrubby sponge or a favorite scrubber, scrub the gunk away. Remove the revolving glass bottom and give it a good rinse off. If you need a little extra scrubbing power, just sprinkle on a little baking soda onto your cloth or scrubber.
  3. Dry the interior with a microfiber cloth, towel, or paper towel.
  4. The outside matters too. Using our favorite Very Vinegar Cleaner, spray down the outside of the microwave and give it a good wipe down, too.
And, voila! You have a gorgeous, gleaming, sparkling clean microwave. Your family just might not recognize it. ;)