When GoodHousekeeping.com asked me to stop doing housework for two weeks, I was terrified. For starters, we're your typical, busy Midwestern family with two teenage sons and two dogs. My husband Alan is a tidy and fastidious civil engineer, and I am the proud owner of a Merry Maids office and the founder of the Don't Look Under the Rug blog. The two of us divide the chores (Alan washes dishes, cooks, and vacuums; while I handle laundry, grocery shopping, and monitoring general clutter) and the boys are expected to pick up after themselves. That said, I do feel I handle more than my fair share of housework after a day at the office.
I don't think my standards are unrealistic. I love things to be clean, but I also enjoy living in my home. We do have a mail pile and a "take it up the stairs" collection. So, eventually, I felt cautiously optimistic about taking a two-week hiatus from housework. My boys are well-behaved, helpful, and only slightly sloth-like when it comes to picking up after themselves — how bad could it be?
Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. My Mom, aka "The Mother Bear", carried her beloved china back in her steamer trunk after teaching a year in Germany. Since I am the trusted keeper of her dishes, I know she is inspecting it during turkey dinner at my home. How do I keep it looking fantastic? Watch my latest cleaning tip below!
Feel free to share your favorite holiday hint... or ask me questions in the comment area at the bottom!
As I write this, I am finishing up a glorious cup of french press coffee. I admit, I make multiple batches of coffee throughout the day. With all that use, my coffee carafe can get stained and dirty from the coffee ground overload. However, if your coffee carafe is insulated, you can't simply put it in the dishwasher to get it clean. However, there is a natural way to get it clean safely! So I checked-in with my friends at News on 6 in Tulsa this week with a quick tip to help keep those overworked coffee pots ready for the next brew!
#happycleaning - Amy
Are you a coffee lover?
Do you hate having a dirty coffee or tea pot but don't want to wash the carafe in the dishwasher (who can part without it for so long!)?
Try this quick and easy tip and say goodbye to using a coffee-stained pot... without using vinegar!
#happycleaning, Amy Bates
