Happiness in a Bottle?

I am not what one would call a morning person...to the point that I am down right mean to anyone and everyone before 9:00am....or if I'm being honest...lunch. Also, I hate to clean bathrooms.

Why am I telling you these seemingly unrelated factoids about myself? Well, I have found a solution to BOTH!

There are few fragrances that instantly fill me with happy thoughts. Being a fatty, most are food related...obviously. However, I recently purchased a daily shower spray with ylang ylang...

Every morning, after my shower, I give the walls a little spritz and it literally fills the entire bathroom with this unbelievably wonderful fragrance. This smell makes me so relaxed that when Chris came in asking if I was ready to go...when obviously I wasn't since I had on no make-up and was only half-dressed...I didn't spiral out of control on him as usual. I simply answered and went about my business.

AND...my shower has never looked cleaner! I have the glass (ish?) doors on the shower that reveal instantly if I've been a good housewife or not. Now, it looks as if I scrub them daily...when all I do is give it a spray! DISCLAIMER: I still scrub them every other week, so it isn't like I've given up completely...this just prolongs that nasty, horrible task!

To add to my pleasure with this purchase, it is a naturally-derived, non-toxic, biodegradable product in a 100% recycled plastic package! Thanks Method!

You can purchase online...but I've found this product locally at Target and Lowe's for around $4. I've purchased Method hand soap and love that too, but this was the first cleaning product I bought. There are TONS of different cleaning products that I can't wait to try out. I recently purchased the dish washing detergent, and as soon as my other is completely gone, I'll actually be able to use it. I'll let you know how that goes.

Let me know if you use any product that you can't live without!

Safely Clean Clothes

I am a semi-professional clothes washer. I'm meticulous when sorting and I read labels like it's my job. Switching to a more responsible detergent was a difficult step for me because I didn't feel like anything was getting my clothes clean "enough". I'm not a stinky person or even a germ-a-phob...I'm just crazy about laundry.

I took the giant leap of faith and tried soap nuts. There is a cult-like following with soap nuts...some are just nuts about soap nuts...unfortunately, I am not one of those people. It didn't work for me...maybe I wasn't doing it right, who knows...I'm just not a fan.

While shopping at my favorite place on Earth...Sam's Club...my eyes fell upon Ecos Liquid Laundry Detergent. On a whim, we purchased to try it out....and VOILA...our search was over! This earth-friendly product has the warm and calming smell of lavender...which is one of my favorite smells! It is safe for high efficiency and front loading appliances. AND, it has a coconut-based softener in it! YAY! Since it is GIANT, it takes me a few months to work through it...so it is eco-friendly and budget wonderful...my favorite combination!

My search for an alternative to dryer sheets has not been as successful. I just purchased the Static Eliminator, which came 2 per box with an estimated 500 usage per sheet. The reviews were all very positive so I was beyond excited. However, I've noticed that my clothes come out great but towels and sheets are a different story. I'm dealing with it for now...but the search continues.

If you are having more luck than me, please share!

Love that fresh lemon scent!

In my opinion, nothing cleans a house better than vinegar! It is amazing stuff because it can literally clean everything! With vinegar, baking soda and fresh lemons on your side, dirt better watch out! =)

With spring cleaning in full gear, check out some of these vinegar tricks that I love:

Microwave:

Mix 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water with a squirt of fresh lemon juice in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean. SO EASY!

Garbage Disposal:

Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar with a squirt of fresh lemon juice into the disposal and  let sit for 5 minutes. Then run hot water down the disposal. Again, so easy!

Toilet:

Pour in a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with the toilet brush, flush, and appreciate your shiny toilet!

All-Purpose Spray:

Make a half and half solution of white distilled vinegar and water with a squirt of fresh lemon juice or your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. Perfect for counter tops!

Cleaning Floors:

Pour a cup or more of white distilled vinegar into a mop bucket and dilute with hot water and the juice of 1-2 fresh lemons. Your tile floors will thank you!

Freshen the Air

by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup water with a splash of fresh lemon or your favorite essential oil.

To see other great uses of vinegar, check out this site.

Detoxing the House!

As Chris and I get ready for the big wedding next weekend (YAY!)...we have started to accumulate TONS of stuff. Our house is sprinkled with wedding favors, gifts, centerpieces, and other craziness! A cluttered house stresses me out so we have decided to "detox" as much as we can now, so when we return from the Honeymoon it is a little easier to get back in the swing of things.

We sorted through our closets as we exchanged summer and winter clothes.  I have been motivated by a friend of mine who is having a "swap party" in June. Basically, a bunch of girls are going to get together with clothes we no longer need, swap if wanted and donate the rest to Goodwill. Fun idea, right! And sooo green! Anyway, it provided me with the great excuse of going through my clothes and getting rid of those "just in case" items. I've been keeping so many things "just in case" in comes back in style or "just in case" I get back down to that size...not anymore!

Next, we headed to the kitchen where we have so many things we don't need! Especially now that we don't eat meat. There isn't a ton of storage in our kitchen, so this was WAY overdue. Bye Bye plastic cups from various restaurants we haven't been to in years...see you later nasty plastic plates that Chris obtained in college! It was such a great feeling to box all that up and ship to Goodwill! None of it is horrible...we just had WAY too much...and I'm trying to have a grown-up kitchen now with things that match, so it was necessary!

We are hoping to get to the rest of the house soon. Hope ya'll had successful spring cleaning sessions as well!