Hi, I'm Amy Bates!
I own a professional cleaning business, have two kids, two dogs, a husband and a VERY busy lifestyle! And let's face it...keeping the house clean with an on-the-move family and schedule can be challenging!
But guess what? We DON'T have to spend all of our free time cleaning! Our homes can be a place of sanctuary, not a constant to-do list of scrubbing! So, let's start a conversation, share cleaning ideas and tips, and make life easier for us all!
Join me for #happycleaning tips on YouTube
- Amy at Don't Look Under The Rug®
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:
This month, I was thrilled to talk to Tulsa People Magazine about my cleaning tips for keeping allergens in check! My tips were a part of a larger story on the facts behind allergies and asthma, with expert advice from local doctors..."If you’re sneezing inside your home, allergy triggers might be present. Some of them might be coming inside the house with you..."
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?
I didn’t have seasonal allergies issues until I moved to Oklahoma, and it sometimes feels like it’s the allergy capital of the U.S.! In fact, Oklahoma City was ranked third and Tulsa 12th on the list of most challenging cities for spring allergies from The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. As a result, dealing with dust and pollen both inside and outside is a priority in the Bates house!
My friend and Don’t Look Under The Rug® team member, Jenna Schario, is sharing her struggles with cloudy dishes today on the blog. It was too good to pass up, so enjoy:
I didn’t grow up with a dishwasher. I spent my childhood on a farm washing dishes in an old, double sink that sat below two windows looking out at the garden. When your cracked the windows just right a cool breeze would come through the screens, giving the washer relief from the soapy hot water that was constantly spilling everywhere.
I just got back from the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago and it was a blast! This truly was a Mecca for the cleaning obsessed! I loved previewing innovative new products, and exploring the event with fellow cleaning nuts!...I even got to meet MR. CLEAN (he does exist!)...scroll through my photos for proof:
