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Amy Bates
Here's What Happened When I Let My Family Clean ...

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? 

Here's What Happened When I Let My Family Clean the House for Two Weeks

Upholstery

Freshen Up Fabric Using Ingredients From Summer Cocktails

To battle the summer sweat, one of my favorite things to do is to get my friends together for some sweet, refreshing summer cocktails! Gin, vodka, rum, and bourbon are just a few of the spirits you can mix-in with fresh herbs and fruit to make your favorite summer cocktail. However, here’s the thing: I may be a cleaning guru, but an expert mixologist, I am not! Throughout the summer season, I like to explore the internet for new (and familiar with a twist) summer cocktail recipes to try. Here are the results from my latest search this week:

Oh Sh#% Tip: Removing Pen Marks From Clothing

Here is another one of my "Oh Sh#%" tips! Have you ever been sitting at work in a favorite shirt or blouse and suddenly realize you have ink on your sleeve? Or perhaps you have caught your kids writing on your car's upholstery?

What do you do?

You grab something you already have on hand! Follow these quick and easy instructions and be back to looking fabulous in no time at all!

#happycleaning, Amy Bates