Toss It! Things You Should Throw Away During Spring Cleaning

We’ve all heard that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and most of the time that’s true. “Upcycling” has become downright trendy, with people turning their dumpster-diving finds into one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture for their homes. Likewise, repurposed, recycled and reclaimed items are a badge of honor among the younger crowd. The “waste not, want not” mindset behind giving items a second life as something new and unique is commendable and fantastic. Most of the time.

Then there are those things you should absolutely toss in the garbage without delay- things that are so gnarly that they can’t be repurposed by even the most optimistic dumpster-diver. Here are a few household items it’s almost never a good idea to hang on to when you’re organizing your home for spring.

Old cosmetics- If you are or ever have been female, or if you have lived with a female member of society at any point in your life, chances are you are familiar with the Mascara Conundrum. Though common wisdom dictates that a tube of mascara, an eyeliner, or any other cosmetic that touches your eyes should be thrown out once every three months to avoid contamination which leads to eye infections, few women have the heart to actually go through with it. For one thing, cosmetics can be quite pricey, with even the drugstore brands of mascara costing upwards of $6 per tube. Secondly, when you are faced with the possibility of conjunctivitis or the prospect of chucking your limited-edition plum eyeliner sample you received as a free gift with purchase, a good number of women will roll the dice and opt to keep the eyeliner. Hard as it may be, you really need to purge your eye makeup at regular intervals to keep your eyes healthy and infection-free.

Expired food- There are probably no people on earth who need to be told to get rid of their spoiled dairy, meat or produce- at least we hope not! However, dry goods and spices are another story. Since you don’t have to refrigerate these items, people can mistakenly think they never go bad, or that they should be able to keep just fine for indeterminate periods of time in your cupboards or pantry. This is not accurate- there’s a reason for the “use by” dates stamped on most dry goods and non-perishable items. It may seem like a waste to toss out unused food because of an arbitrary date on the box, but you’ll be glad you did.

Broken toys- As your kids get older, it’s natural to want to keep some of their toys as keepsakes or mementos, or even put them away in case they want to pass them onto their own children someday. Additionally, any toys that are still in good shape can be donated to charity so they can be enjoyed by other kids. But there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to keeping toys that are broken. Dolls without heads, trucks without wheels, or puzzles that are missing pieces all need to find their way out of your attic and into a garbage truck ASAP.

If you have any spring cleaning tips, including suggestions for where to toss unwanted items, let us know in the comments below.

Time-Saving Holiday Cleaning Tips

The holidays are a time for family and friends coming together to celebrate the season and enjoy each other’s company. Unfortunately, this also means the holidays can be an often-hectic parade of parties, family dinners, and events that leave you with absolutely no spare time. How do you check all the items off your holiday to-do list and still keep your home presentable for all the guests (both expected and unexpected!) that may be popping by to share a cup of cheer? Follow these quick and easy housecleaning tips to keep your home in tip-top shape no matter what the holiday season throws your way.

Clean in Advance- This may seem like a no-brainier, but it’s worth mentioning that a little advance planning can save you a world of stress on the actual day of a party or dinner in your home. About a week prior to your holiday event, tackle the chores that can be done ahead of time, such as spot-cleaning any stains on your upholstery or walls, steam-cleaning the rugs or dusting the blinds. This leaves you free to do only a few last-minute housekeeping duties on the day of your party, and keeps the house looking tidy in the event of unexpected guests in the meantime.

Follow the 5-Minute Rule- If time has gotten away from you, see how much you can do in 5 minutes. Look at your house through the eyes of your visitors- chances are they aren’t taking in the minor details or running over every surface of your home with a white glove. (If they are, it’s time to find new friends!) Use your 5-minute window to go over surfaces with glass cleaner or furniture polish and a soft cloth, run the vacuum in the major traffic areas such as the living room rug, and wipe down your kitchen countertops. Also take a moment to make sure your bathrooms are clean and presentable with Clorox Wipes and a quick swish of the toilet brush. Boom! Instant clean house!

Grab a Laundry Basket- If it’s getting down to crunch time and you haven’t had any time to pre-clean and organize, don’t worry- just grab a laundry basket and make a general sweep of the areas of the house where guests are likely to congregate. Throw everything that is cluttering up your surfaces into the laundry basket, then stash it in a closet to deal with later. Sure, it’s cheating, but it will maximize your time, cut down on stress, and give you more time to spend with family and friends. Sounds like a win!

At the end of the day, remember that your loved ones are there to see you, not your sparkling clean house. Wishing you a stress-free holiday season!

Bust the Dust!

Does it seem like you are always dusting? No matter how often I dust, it seems like a fine layer has settled back on every surface of the room before I’ve even finished! Although there is no way to ever completely get rid of dust, here are some tips and tricks for keeping it under control so your home can have a clean, dust-free appearance.

Throw out the feather duster. Sure, you may feel like a cute French maid while using it, but that doesn’t change the fact that you are essentially just moving the dust from one surface to another, not getting rid of it. When we dust off the top of a table or the entertainment center with a feather duster, we are just sending that dust airborne so that it can be redistributed on another surface of the room. Dusters like the Swiffer 360 are designed to trap and hold dust, which is better than the feather duster (and still looks very cute, actually!) but if you really want to banish dust long-term, consider using your vacuum with the crevice tool attachment to dust things like blinds, lampshades and hard-to-reach places like the ceiling fan.

Change those air filters. We live in an area with a high pollen count in the spring and summer months, and we have two dogs who shed like it’s their job to do so. Needless to say, it can become pretty obvious that it’s time to change the filters in our furnace and A/C unit when we let it go for too long. Try to change your filters once every three months, and you will see the difference in the amount of dust and dander you have to keep up with in your cleaning routine.

Close your windows. Yes, it’s tempting to keep the windows open during the spring and summer to reduce air-conditioning costs, but it’s also a great way to let in every speck of dust from the great outdoors. Dust particles move around naturally in the wind, so a delightful spring breeze is bringing a lot more than you think into your home. Keeping your windows closed, especially during high-pollen times of the year, will cut back on dust particles in your house and hopefully keep hay fever symptoms at bay.

Banish the Winter Blues: 5 Fun DIY Projects

The groundhog may have predicted an early spring this year, but that’s still no consolation when you look out the window and see all that snow. Shake those late-winter blahs by shaking up your indoor décor- not only will you have a fun project to work on, but your home will look great in the end!

Add a Splash of Color- Sometimes all you need is an accent wall to brighten up your living space (not to mention your mood.) If the gloomy grays and browns of winter have got you down, head to your local hardware store and pick up a quart of paint in a cheerful hue, and get to work transforming a wall of your choice. Accent walls provide visual interest and can often create the illusion of space and depth.

Lighten Up- Replacing a boring light fixture or ugly chandelier with a fresh, modern look can give your room an instant facelift! And the fixture doesn’t necessarily have to be costly to make an impact- in addition to bargains at the big-box stores, if you scour thrift stores, flea markets and eBay you can find interesting, unique fixtures for cheap. Make a day of it!

Switch Up your Switch Plates- Who says everything has to be beige? For a fun and funky, as well as cheap and easy, upgrade to your home, opt for decorative, eye-catching light switch and wall outlet plates. Look online for all kinds of decorative options to fit your personal style (check out SnazzySwitch.com), or simply spray paint your existing plates with a vibrant color or striking metallic finish.

Clean Your Carpet- If you’ve got 30 bucks and a few spare weekend hours, why not get rid of some of that tracked-in winter dirt by cleaning your carpets? Machines like Rug Doctor are available for rent at Walmart and other local grocery stores, and most machines take less than 20 minutes to do a room. An added bonus is the workout you will receive from taking the DIY approach to shampooing your rugs- a great way to burn some calories on a cold day!

Invest in Some Vinyl- Vinyl tiles, that is. Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles are a perfect way to transform an ugly concrete or wooden floor with minimal time and cost. These days, vinyl tiles come in a variety of attractive patterns resembling stone, wood, or metal, to name a few finishes.