cleaning

Hey hey! It’s currently Thursday morning as I type up this post and I think I have the pets all settled in and relaxing (for now…). Does anyone else have animals that are just straight. up. hyper. first thing in the morning?

I have to take my fasting blood sugar right when I wake up and every day, without fail, Malcolm tries to knock my lancets, test strips, or glucose monitor off the table while I’m pricking my finger, haha. Then I’m also trying to wrangle Mavis and Lola… one of which is barking, whining, wanting to go outside, trying to jump on the couch, chasing Malcolm, or begging for food. Our little zoo is a wild place to be in the morning!

Something I’ve been trying to remind myself when I get overwhelmed with the animals is that I can choose joy and contentment, even when things are crazy. Would I like our house to be quiet and clean? Yes. Would I like to start the day without chasing after animals the second I get out of bed? You bet.

These animals are mine and Jimmy’s fur babies and we love them, even when they’re crazy. Instead of getting frustrated when they’re acting up, I remind myself what our pets mean to me, and give thanks for the joy they’ve brought to our lives. Am I perfect at this? Nope, definitely not. It’s a work in progress, and I’m okay with that. It’s a blessing to live with our little fur balls, and I never want to forget that, even during the hard moments.

Alright, off of that tangent and onto a few favorites from lately!

1. Walmart grocery pickup.

I’m still going strong with ordering our groceries online from Walmart and picking them up. I’ve found the whole process to be super easy, simple, and convenient. I really like that I can see exactly what the bill will be while I’m shopping. It definitely helps me stay within our budget!

2. Full Circle Detail Brush.

Is anyone else a cleaning nerd like me? I don’t know what it is, but cleaning makes me so happy. There’s nothing like giving the sink a good scrub and getting it all shiny or mopping the floors until they gleam. I just love it.

I bought this detail brush for cleaning the kitchen and immediately ordered another one for the bathroom once I used it. The top part is a scrubber and the bottom is a scraper-type tool that’s amazing at cleaning crevices.

3. Homemade laundry booster.

Okay, one more cleaning related favorite! I made homemade laundry booster last weekend and it’s making our clothes smell amazing. It was pretty simple to put together, and I don’t think I spent more than $10 on all the ingredients. Is anyone interested in the recipe?!

3. Shark Week and Battle Bots. It’s Shark Week this week!! Enough said, right? Jimmy and I have also been enjoying watching Battle Bots on the Discovery Network each Friday night. Do you have any favorite TV shows?

4. Mavis is feeling better!

Little May May has been recovering so well from her surgery. She has been such a good girl with keeping her cone on and definitely has her energy and spunk back. I’m taking her to have her stitches removed on Monday morning, so hopefully all goes well with that!

5. Grace, Not Perfection. Remember how I said I picked up a few new books and Grace, Not Perfection by Emily Ley was one of them? It’s such a great book! I’m really enjoying the fact that it’s so interactive, with spaces to write and reflect on the author’s writing and prompts. I definitely recommend it!

I feel like I could share a million other favorites and updates, but this post is long enough! I’m off to start my day, which is probably going to include real estate work and wrangling animals 🙂

What’s a favorite of yours lately?

I have been called a clean freak by my family and friends. While it can be seen as a good thing, Jimmy would probably tell you it borders on annoying 😉

I’m sharing my favorite cleaning products here on the blog today. Most of these are self-explanatory, but I will make comments on the products that are particularly great!

For the floor

Dyson DC65 Vacuum Cleaner // Murphy Oil Soap // Swiffer Sweeper Wet Mop // Swiffer Gain Scent Wet Mop Refills // Holloway House Quick Shine Multi-Surface Floor Finish // Quickie Microfiber Twist Mop

Dyson vacuums are amazing. Yes, the price tag is steep, but it’s 100% worth it. Jimmy and I bought ours on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond and used a 20% off coupon, so we got ours fairly cheap (for a Dyson, ha).

If you have hardwood or laminate floors, the Holloway House Quick Shine is awesome! It makes our scratched up floors look so shiny. When I don’t have time to mop, I like using the Swiffer wet mop. It’s quick and easy.

For the bathroom

Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Hemp Pure-Castile Soap // Mr. Clean Extra Durable Magic Eraser // Windex Original Glass Cleaner // Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner

I don’t have a lot of products in the bathroom category because I use castile soap mixed with water in a spray bottle to clean our shower, bathroom counter, and toilet.

For the toilet bowl, I love the Seventh Generation toilet bowl cleaner. It smells great, and I love that it doesn’t have a lot of harsh chemicals. The Magic Erasers really are magic.

For the kitchen

Heinz White Vinegar // Method Gel Dish Pump // Weiman Cook Top Scrubbing Pads // Pledge Revitalizing Furniture Oil Spray // Weiman Glass Cook Top Cleaner & Polish // Scotch-Brite Dobie All-Purpose Cleaning Pads // Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish // Cascade Complete Dishwasher Detergent

I’ve tried other dishwasher detergents, but there is nothing like Cascade. It’s also pricier than other brands, so I buy the powder (which I think is the most economical choice?!) from Jet.com, which I’ve talked about before. I’m a huge fan of the Method dish soap. I don’t know why, but the fact that it’s in a pump bottle makes my life easier, haha.

The Scotch-Brite cleaning pads are my favorite because they never seem to get smelly or gross. I use the Pledge Restore and Shine on our (wood) kitchen table and it makes it nice and shiny, plus it smells amazing. Good old vinegar is what I use to clean our countertops. I put it in a spray bottle with water and essential oil and it’s a lot cheaper than buying all-purpose cleaner.

Laundry and Miscellaneous

Dryer balls // Swiffer Dusters // Ultra Downy Infusions Fabric Softener // Tide Free & Gentle

I love using dryer balls to make our towels fluffy. I literally stop and smell the Downy fabric softener every single time I use it. The botanical mist scent is heavenly! Tide Free & Gentle is my go-to laundry detergent because it’s free of dyes and perfumes and still gets our clothes clean.

So there you have it, all my favorite cleaning products. I like a mix of natural and chemical-laden products. I’m always trying to find the least expensive, most natural way to clean. Sometimes it means creating my own all-purpose cleaners… and sometimes it means buying the chemical stuff. It’s a work in progress 😉

Living My Full Life

A Few Favorites