Christian Homekeeping

There is an app (also a website version) called "Remember the Milk" that has been a valuable tool for me to keep my to-do's and chores organized and to also have my kids (and even husband) know what it is they need to do in the house on a daily, weekly, monthly, etc. basis.  It has been the BEST tool I've ever used and something a lot of people don't know about unfortunately.

Not only can I put all the house chores and the frequency they need to be done, but I can easily see who has done what through my main account.  Both of my kids have a phone with the app - my son has a phone with no cell service and limited usage availability and monitored!  So they look at their chore list every morning and check off when they've completed their chores as they go throughout the day.

Here are screenshots of our lists and I also included a MISC list I had of random things I want to eventually get done.  I have most chores set to repeat at certain times I have set - some repeat daily, some weekly, etc.  I have the whole house cleaning organized for the year!  We've already done our big deep clean a few months ago, so it won't happen again until spring.

You can make as many different lists as you want for anything really!  Now that we are getting back to school, I plan on making a homeschool list for the kids and for myself of all that I need to remember to do each day/week, etc.  I have everyone's synced through my main account but they all have their own individual accounts that they can create their own private lists on too if they choose.  I can also edit their lists or change when they are due - anything really.  It is very customizable and the best part of all it is FREE!

We finished our school year, took a vacation and then I've been doing deep cleaning throughout the house and organizing.  Here are some pics of our our visit to the Ark Encounter:

Maybe I'm the only one excited about a trash can but this was one of my best buys.  It is trash bin and a recycle bin in one unit but both bins are removable with a wire handle.

I've had my IKEA Karlstad sofa since 2013 and I still absolutely love it!  It has really held up and it is so comfortable still.  However, the dry-clean only covers have frustrated me because no matter how much Lysol and vacuuming you do, they really just need a good wash.  I finally decided to take the risk and I put them in the washing machine on warm!  First, I did a rinse cycle, then I did a full wash on warm/cold.  Then, I even put them in dryer and guess what!?  They came out looking new and smelling wonderful!  No shrinkage and no issues at all.  I was super happy.

14 years ago we bought a used dryer for $99 and well... it caught on fire and thankfully the Holy Spirit nudged me to go check the dryer, ok, several nudges before I finally listened - to save the house just in the time!  It burned the back wires, thermostat, element and metal before I turned it off.  The top of the dryer was so hot, I almost burned my hand.  We were going to fix it but the appliance repair said it was too dangerous and to get a new one.

Since it took a few days to deliver, I took the opportunity to do a deep cleaning on my laundry room.  I cleaned everything - like look at the dirty wire racks:


Nice and clean now:


We still have the washing machine we bought 14 years ago used too, I think its from the 80's originally.  All we've had to replace was the dogs (hooks in the agitator) and those are $3.


I got the rug in New Mexico, I would decorate my whole house in this decor if I could!  Absolutely love New Mexico!

I've had these burn marks on the stove, probably a year or more and I've tried everything and just gave up and dealt with them being there.  I tried magic eraser, Softscrub, all-purpose cleaner and bar-keeper's friend and nothing worked.  I finally decided I couldn't take it anymore and set out to go to war with these stains and eradicate them.  Several places online shared about using baking soda and peroxide and though it did work some, I still had to do it twice (letting it sit the second time longer) and I had to scrub and use a butter knife for the parts that nothing was going to get off.  I'm so happy it is all gone!!  Talk about oddly satisfying - this made my week.

I put about 1/4 cup of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide in a bowl to make a paste. Then, I put it on all around making sure everything was covered and let it sit for 30 minutes. I scrubbed with a stiff cleaning brush and then used a butter knife to get up the stubborn burns.

Pour into your spray bottle and turn upside down a few times to mix.  Then spray and wipe as you go.  If you don't like the smell, you can add in a drop or two of your favorite scent.


I found that using a microfiber mop works really well.  I use Rubbermaid's Reveal mop and I found it is so wide that it covers more area with one swipe than other brands.  Not only that but it has a spray bottle attached and you just pump the handle and spray and then wipe.  It also has removable cloths that easily go in the wash (I have 3).  My daughter loves cleaning the floors too because it really is easy, fun and rewarding to see the results!


Mop image from Amazon

Yesterday, I took pics of my house and how horrible it was because I had planned to blog about living with chronic illness.  I was going to show the reality of it all and how my house has been looking for a long time because I've been physically unable to clean, pick up, etc.  I woke up this morning and felt good - which is not normal LOL!  I ended up, along with my husband and daughter, being able to do a clean up and I was amazed at how much we got done and so I decided to take some after photos!

I will start with the living room - things everywhere and toys as usual and the after after my daughter vacuumed and we all picked up and folded the throws.  Yes, I'm aware our ADT yard sign is IN the house, we hope to eventually get it in the yard.

This is becoming a series of sorts I guess and you can read the previous post on My Once-A-Week 3-Hour Cleaning Marathon.

I used to do 7-14 loads of laundry a week and I'm not kidding!  I would do small, frequent loads and didn't realize how much it was costing us to use the washer/dryer everyday UNTIL I switched to doing it all in one day.  Now I have it down to 5 loads most weeks, unless I'm washing rugs, bed sheets or our comforter.  Not only do you only have to wash laundry once-a-week, but you save on electric and water costs because you are washing extra-large loads instead of several small loads daily.  It really does add up and is more efficient and takes less time this way.

I start as soon as I wake up on Monday morning by throwing a load in the wash.  I don't have to sort because it's already sorted with that great laundry unit I posted about here.  It is so handy to just grab a bag and throw it in the wash!  For towels/rags, I keep those in a tall basket with holes so it has air and won't grow mold.  I also try to air-out my rags before I put them in the basket so they aren't so wet.

Here are my main 5 loads and water temp:

1. Whites - hot
2. Colors - warm
3. Delicates - cold; sometimes 2 loads
4. Husband's Work Clothes - cold
5. Towels & Rags - hot

I only clean once a week on Mondays and just wash dishes and wipe counters on the other days.  I do, what I like to call, a cleaning marathon.  It takes me 3 hours to clean my home - that is TOTAL for the week.  Remember, I don't have many dishes because I haven't had to cook dinner meals since October with freezer cooking, so dishes are very minimal most days, except on baking days.  I also get all of my laundry done on Mondays, saving the towels/rags for last after my cleaning is finished.  I start a load first thing Monday morning.

Your house should stay clean for a week if everyone picks up after themselves.  My house stays "picked-up" (most of the time) meaning I make my daughter and husband pick up after themselves and then I pick up after myself.  If you do this all the time you shouldn't have to go through the house and pick up before you do your weekly cleaning.

Here is my routine for my cleaning marathon and I almost always follow it exactly.  I will have my mp3 player on and water bottle nearby because it is a workout!  I'm not just slowly cleaning - I'm running, sweating and burning some serious calories and so I don't schedule a workout in for Mondays because this is it:

1. Vacuum entire house - I start with the rug in the laundry room, one in the kitchen and the rugs in both bathrooms.  Then do the 3rd bedroom, hallway, dining room, living room and bedroom at a cardio pace.  My daughter vacuums her room, so it isn't included.
2. Dust entire house - I use a damp cloth for dusting.  I dust all the bookshelves, dining table, computer armoire, desk, printer cart and surfaces in the bedroom.  Then I clean my glass coffee table with glass cleaner and a t-shirt scrap.
3. Empty trash - empty all trash cans in the house.  
4. Clean bathrooms - toilets, sinks, chrome fixtures and mirrors in both bathrooms.  I use my all-purpose cleaner for everything except the toilet bowl; I use comet there.  I use 1 rag for counters/mirrors/chrome fixtures and another rag for the toilets.  Tubs are once a month.
5. Clean Kitchen - clean all surfaces and appliances
6. Sweep all floors - sweep kitchen, laundry room, both bathrooms and entryway; I mop when needed or once a month because we take our shoes off at the door and if something falls on the kitchen floor, I simply clean the spot right then.  My floors have stayed clean this way and only need mopping monthly.

I posted a recipe back in 2007 about homemade dishwasher detergent, but can't seem to find the post!  Either I accidentally deleted it or missed it while searching.  Anyway - I had shared the powdered version of dishwasher detergent that has been around for years:

Equal parts of Borax and Baking soda; Combine; Use 1-2 T per load

I used it for a while but I've never been a big fan of powdered detergent, so I just bought some cheap store-bought liquid dishwasher detergent and have been using that.  Until it dawned on me that I could easily make a paste by adding water to the borax/baking soda powder.  (yes, I know that should be common sense, but it seemed to have escaped me until recently lol). 

So, to get homemade liquid dishwasher detergent, simply add water until you get the consistency you want!  I use 2-3 T of the liquid per load.

I love my Laundry Sorter! I bought it a little while ago and it is one of my favorite things for homekeeping now. Not only are the bags super sturdy, but they are each their own bag that can be lifted by the handles and taken wherever you need them. Also, because each bag is separated on its own, it can hold more weight than some I have seen where all the bags are connected. I was amazed that each bag could fit just as much as one my normal laundry baskets! It is also chrome and not plastic, which makes it more durable and thus would last you a lot longer than some of those cheap plastic sorters.

It also has wheels and is easy to move around the house. However, I keep mine in the laundry room because I find it fits best there and is right across from my washer, so all I have to do is grab a load from a bag and wash. I've shown my husband what each bag is for and he has been using the system and no longer do I have to sort through piles of clothes on laundry day!

Here are the categories for my 4 bags:

• Whites
• Colors
• Delicates
• Hubby's Work Clothes

We keep our towels in the bathroom in their own laundry basket, because I don't want to put wet towels in my cloth laundry bags! Also for kitchen rags and cleaning rags, I have always kept those under the sink in a bucket and when its full, I wash them. I normally do laundry on Monday's, so once a week.

I highly recommend this Laundry Bag Sorter. It is made by Mainstays and sold at Wal-Mart. It was just a little over $30 but has already proven to be money well spent!

If you are using the standard large size soap bar, then this recipe will work fine. However if you use smaller soaps or a specialty one, you may have to add more or less water depending on the consistency you get when it is cooled. One bar of soap makes us around 10 cups of liquid soap and that only costs 30 cents!

• 1 bar soap
• 10 cups water
• Shredder
• Pan
• Stirring spoon

Pour your water into the pan on the stove and turn to heat to medium high. While the water is heating, shred your bar of soap (you should get a cup of shredded soap).  Then add your soap to the water and heat till all the soap is dissolved, stirring occasionally. (Don't allow it to boil)

Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into storage container or individual hand pumps. Once cool and set, it should be a thin gel, like the store-bought, if not you have used too much water and/or not enough soap. It will clean your hands nevertheless, even if you made it too runny......keep trying and you will get it right eventually.

** You can also make face soap using this recipe by using a facial soap bar (Dove, Olay, etc). You could also add essential oils for a scented version or even add some moisturizers if you want.

All Purpose Disinfectant Cleaner

Here is a recipe I invented myself and have used for a long time and love it! It disinfects (tea tree oil) and cleans really good and I love how it can get rid of odors as well!

Here is how I make it:

• Equal parts of warm water and white vinegar
• 1-2 drops of dishwashing liquid
• 5-10 drops of Tea tree oil

Lightly shake together and your done!

I use one of those large sized spray containers you get at Walmart to make this cleaner in and I use this on our kitchen countertops, stove, etc.

If you want to mask the strong smell of the Tea Tree oil, simply add a drop of your favorite essential oil. But leave the Tea Tree oil because it is what disinfects!

Bar Keeper's Friend

Another tip, do you ever get those stains on your counter-top that seemingly no matter what you do they won't come off? Well I had a few stains from one of my cast iron pans and then a stain from koolaid. I had tried all I could think off......lemons with salt, different cleaners and nothing would get the stains off! Then I sprinkled some Bar Keeper's Friend on there and it QUICKLY came off! So now I use that for things I can not get off! It took the iron rust right off my countertop, when I thought it was there to stay permanently.

Why buy cleaners such as Fantastic, 409, Windex, etc?? When you can make your own cleaners and get it just as clean (if not cleaner, cheaper AND safer) than buying the store cleaners. There are so many different variations of cleaner recipes but you basically just need the following items:

White vinegar
Lemons
Lemon Juice
Lemon Oil (for real wood)
Salt
Baking Soda
Borax
Castile Soap (or some cheap dish soap)
Tea Tree Oil
Washing Soda
Toothpaste
Basic soap

White vinegar and baking soda are the top items you will need to clean with. White vinegar cuts through soap scum and dirt. It is a natural deodorizer also, so while you are cleaning you are making it smell good too! ; ) You can take equal parts of vinegar and water and combine them in a spray bottle for a great everyday cleaner. Spray the counters with it and wipe surfaces.

Baking soda is also a deodorizer and a great tool for jobs that need some scouring. It is a mild abrasive, so it will clean but it won't be too harsh on surfaces. For deodorizing, sprinkle 1 cup in the bottom of your trash can! It will keep it smelling a whole lot better than before. Also keep baking soda in your fridge and freezer.......this is no secret to others I'm sure, as you can now buy the fridge/freezer boxes of baking soda in the grocery store.

Lemon juice, along with vinegar, is good for hard water deposits and soap scum. They are both acidic and that is what helps them work great!

You can really mix and match with all the products above. Most cleaning recipes can be interchanged with the different items above. Borax is like baking soda, in that it is a mild abrasive and deodorizes. With salt.....you will want to use that on surfaces that can stand a hard scrubbing! Don't use it on surfaces that it will scratch!!

Take 1 tablespoon of Tea Tree Oil and pour it in 16+ oz of warm water for a disinfectant spray. The Lemon Oil would be used on real wood products to "feed" them.

Then you have the soap products.....washing soda, castile soap and basic soap. Use these in places you are going to rinse with water after you have cleaned.

Ok....you are probably saying.......what is the toothpaste for?? Basic, white toothpaste (not the gel kind) can do a lot! You can shine silver with it, remove crayon from walls........treat a pimple and there is MORE here.

So the next time you pick up that bottle of 409 at the store and get ready to whip out your 3 or 4 dollars a bottle.........how about mixing up your own batch of homemade cleaners and saving some money!!

I decided to post a list of things I keep in my Homemaker's Journal so you can get an idea if you would like to make one of your own. When my daughter becomes 17, she will receive a copy of my Homemaker's Journal and her Hope chest. So it really is a treasury of homekeeping tidbits and how-to's. This is what I have so far:

• Contact List - Master list of friends, family, doctors, important numbers, emergency contacts, etc.
• Birthdays, Anniversaries and Events List - self explanatory!
• Bible Study/Reading material - Some add this to their journals but I prefer to keep my separate in another binder
• Entertainment Guide - Here I put places we go to have fun, the address, phone and times they are open. Such as the library, Zoo, Fairs, Parks, etc.
• Daily Schedule - Laying out the whole day from morning till night
• Bi-weekly and Monthly Schedules - Includes things I would do every 2 weeks or once a month, such as Clean out fridge, make laundry soap, cleaners, etc.
• Seasonal Schedule - Spring and Fall Cleaning lists....for deep cleaning, decluttering, this includes washing drapes, blinds, cleaning behind stove/fridge, carpets, etc.
• Cleaning Areas - List of each area of the house and things that need to be done in that room
• Meal Planning - My monthly meal rotations, Pantry Lists, Price list, coupons
• Recipes - Tried and Good recipes....it has to be really good and cheap to make my recipe list! I get most of my recipes from my Amish Cookbooks I have because they are cheap to make and the recipe makes a lot to last 2-3 days!
• Homemade Cleaners/Personal Care Recipes - Here I put my recipes for my cleaning solutions, laundry soap, shampoo, etc. That way I always know where to find them if I forget how to make something!!
• To Do List - Master to do list and when it has to be done by
• Clothing and Shoe Sizes for Family/Friends List
  

You can have so many things in there......I'm always adding more things it seems LOL. But this gives you a general idea. There are sites online you can print of some pages for this or you can easily buy notebook paper and page protectors to put in a notebook! My notebook has pockets for pens, calculator, etc and of course the 3ring binder with side pull out filing pockets for coupons, etc.

I only spend $10-12 for the supplies to last for a years worth of detergent. I have a 5 gallon bucket and I make a large batch every 3 months usually.

Here is the recipe:

• 1 bar Fels Naptha soap
• 1 1/2 cups Borax
• 1 1/2 cups Washing soda
• 5 gallon bucket
  
  

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 12 cups water and heat on medium until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 8 cups hot water into the 5 gallon bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 2 gallons plus 12 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel.You use ½ cup per each load and 1 cup for very large loads.

Optional: If you want your soap to have some sort of scent you can scent this with ½ to 1 oz. of essential oil or fragrance oil of your choice.

After 24 hours it will be very gelled, but I use a whisk and mixing spoon and stir it several times while it sets and it has stays at a nice consistency.

* The detergent does not bubble in the wash but it is cleaning!

* If yours did not gel correctly after 24 hours then use more soap next time....like 1/2 bar, but you can still use it if it isn't very gelled anyway.

* When it sets you may get a "egg drop soup" effect.....just mix/stir with a whisk, mixer or blender.