Ultimate Blog Party 2013!

This week I'm participating in the 2013 Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Min for Mom!  This is a great opportunity to meet new bloggers and link up your blogs to promote and encourage one another!  If you are interested in linking your blog too, just click on the pic and it will take you to the site to link up.

Welcome to Jen's Cleaning Corner!

I'm so glad you decided to stop by!  I started this blog to share my love of cleaning and organizing with others and to help make life easier for everyone.  I didn't expect to meet such great people and I look forward to meeting more creative, wonderful, friendly bloggers!

 Who am I? 

Hi...I'm Jen a born and raised Minnesotan. I have two wonderful kids...a 16 daughter and 14 year old son and two new step kids...an 11 year old son and spunky 7 year old daughter. I am also a new wife to my awesome partner in crime with life and DIY projects, Scott. I own a residential cleaning company and love my job and life and am surrounded by awesome people! An artist at heart, my creativity is always glowing and gets me in trouble sometimes with too many ideas.

Please come follow me!

My follow buttons are to the left at the top of the sidebar.

Thank you for coming by and I hope to see you again soon!  If you aren't already linked up, click the pic above so you can link up to the Ultimate Blog Party 2013!!  Meeting new writers, contests, giveaways...it's the ULTIMATE PARTY!!

Clutter....busted!

Clutter can take over your life, make you feel out of control and overwhelmed.  And the more clutter the more it looms over you....you avoid it, shut the door but you know it is still there.  It takes over your counter, then the floor and next thing you know you are sleeping on the couch. 

Here is a bedroom I worked on the other day.  After 4 hours we had taken back the room and my lovely client slept in her beautifully made bed once again. 

The room isn't finished yet but the difference is a good nights sleep for her!
I love my job and clients!

How to Clean a Bathroom

Cleaning a bathroom sounds so simple but there are several steps to keep your bathroom in tip top shape that get missed most of the time.  I clean, on the average week about 20 bathrooms!  I have lots of practice!

Do you know why bathrooms get so dusty?

Toilet Paper is the culprit!  We behinds are sensitive and so we like the soft, fluffy toilet paper...but that creates lots of dust!  Then it gets wet and melts onto everything...the towel and toilet paper holders, walls, sinks, mirrors and even the lights.

Here are some quick tips to get the bathroom sparkling clean without much time!

You will need:
Bleach spray
Window cleaner
Comet spray cleaner
Ajax
White cloth, microfiber cloth & a body poof scrubber (the cheap ones)
Toilet brush
Small scrub brush
Poly duster (easiest to wash out)
Pumice stone (for hard water rings and rust stains)




Fact: Most bathrooms take 15-20 minutes to clean if they are not in bad shape.

Tip:  Use a poly duster for all your dusting.(found at most home repair stores...I get mine at Menards for $2.00)  I clean them out as often as needed, usually almost every room.  To clean them, run them under a tub faucet to remove dust and dirt.  Then place the handle between your palms and roll it back and forth to spin the excess water out of it.

1.  Dust everything...start from high and work down.  If light fixtures need a good dusting, grab a chair and polish them up! I used my duster to remove some of the loose dust from behind the sinks and toilets too.
2.  Empty garbage can and wipe it out with a damp cloth.
3.  Spray the sink, toilet and tub edges that have mold with bleach spray.
4.  Spray Comet spray on vertical walls of shower to cut through soap scum.
5.  While the bleach and Comet are working, spray your mirror and wipe it clean with a white cloth.


Sink

First of all...Put EVERYTHING away!

To clean a sink, let the bleach spray work its magic and if there are water spots and soap scum use the Comet spray.
     ~ Get the white cloth you used on the mirror wet and start washing around the faucet, making sure to get behind the faucet really well.
     ~ Now dry the faucet and sink edges with the microfiber cloth.
     ~ Use the small scrub brush to get around the edges of the drain.
     ~ If your drain plug comes out, pull it out and clean the mold off of it.


Cabinets and Fixtures

Most people don't think about the cabinets and other fixtures but they get just as dusty and dirty as the rest of the bathroom.
     ~ Use your white cloth to get along the molding of cabinet fronts and remove any toothpaste or soap marks from the cabinet.
     ~ Wipe all the towel and toilet paper fixtures down then dry them off.
     ~ LIGHT SWITCHES and DOOR HANDLES!!!!


Tub/Shower

Now that your cleaning products have had a chance to work it's time to add a little elbow grease!
    ~ Use your white cloth and run along the top edges of the shower to get dust that has collected there.
    ~ Grab the body poof scrubber and scrub the shower enclosure starting at the top and working down.
    ~ Make sure to get under all the bottles and wipe the bottles themselves before putting back.
    ~ If the tub itself has a oily film, shake on some Ajax and then use your scrubby to remove the soap scum.
    ~ Do a final rinse and wipe down the tub edges.

Tip:  If you have a tub with jets, fill just past the jets and pour a cup of bleach into it and let the jets run.  It will kill any mold built up within the jets.


Toilet

Make sure to scrub around the hinges on the toilet with your small scrub brush and then use your toilet brush to get it nice and clean!
     ~ If you have hard water or rust stains, use the pumice stone to buff them away.
     ~ Flush...and it's clean.
     ~ Use your white cloth to wipe behind the toilet and around the sides of the toilet and bolt areas.
Tip: Always dry after you have wiped the toilet down or you will have streaks.

Floors

Use a white cloth to wipe up the floors.  Make sure you have gotten behind the toilet, sink and door and in every corner.

Final Touches

     ~ Fold towels neatly and make sure they match!  I always love having matching towels.
     ~ Wipe down any other items that are remaining on the counter such as perfume bottles, mirrors, canisters, cups and toothbrush holders.

Here is a before and after photo of the bathroom...

Before...

After...

What a difference it makes to put things away and polish up everything!

A Mouse Hoarder Story

I ran across this photo I took a couple years ago....

It made me laugh and I decided to share it.

One day, I was cleaning at one of my weekly clients.  I went to move his shoes in the closet and there was a pile of "something".  Unsure of what it was, I examined it closer.  Well, my first instinct was that it was mouse poop, but it really looked like chocolate chips.  I just wasn't sure what to think of this small pile under the shoes...but I was pretty sure it was chocolate chips...by why under the shoes?

I decided to look in the pantry down the hall and see if I noticed any evidence.  Sure enough, a bag of chocolate chips sat on top of a basket with a large hole chewed in it.

I laughed...and suddenly a mouse came running out of the pantry at me!  I screamed!
I sent the wife a text saying..."You may want to talk to your husband about his midnight snacking!"  haha...we both had a good laugh over it.

The mouse was a hoarder!

Think outside the box!

Before

Many people get stuck in where things should go.  Once they move in, their decorating stays the same and certain items are just always used in the same way.  But what if you look at things in a different light...think outside the box!

Here are a few examples of how some simple changes made a world of difference!

Room 1: The front porch.

After

This front porch was used as a storage area.  Blah and not much fun to sit out on, but moving some pillows and cushions out here went a long way!  I added some candles, books, a basket to hold blankets and a couple plants and this room is a delightful place to lounge and enjoy!
Tip: Add ambiance to any porch by placing small tealight candles in each window and light in the evening.
Too hot?  Hang shear curtains with spring-rods in each window to block out some of the sunlight.


Room 2: Attic Closet
My Client worked at a bath shop and had TONS of products crammed in every possible place but never could find anything.  I decided to take a cube shelf she wasn't using and turn it sideways since the wall slanted in this attic closet.  Then I sorted the products by lotions, body wash and so on.  Now she can go shopping in her beautiful bath closet!
Tip:  Her rule is...if you take something out...put something that is in the bathroom back into the closet so that there aren't too many products out at once.

Room 3: Cluttered Bedroom

This room was getting taken over by stuff...lots of stuff!  But once we found a place for everything this room came together quite quickly!  And now it is a clean, simple space and much easier to take care of.

Before

After

Linked up on...

Making A Bed

Making a bed is a great way to start the day!  It shows you are ready to get up... Get Moving...And be productive!

When you are rushed in the morning it sets the tone of your day.  If have enough time in the morning and you are not rushed, the rest of your day goes smoothly.  If you are rushed you feel frantic and hurried, you make mistakes and get stressed.  Take just 5 minutes in your morning to make your bed and it shows you have More than enough time!  

Plus...
When you crawl into bed at night it feels so good to have a straightened, neat bed!




Did you know?

~ When you make your bed every morning, it take about 3 minutes less to make it because the sheets don't get as messed up and pulled out.  

Treat your bed as if it 

were your sanctuary!

Here is the difference between a messy bed and a bed all made up!

My special touches...

1.  Make sure the sheet is tucked deep under the mattress at the bottom of the bed.  It will stay tucked even through the most restless sleeper...like me.
2.  Fluff all pillows.
3.  Openings on pillow cases always face to the outside of the bed.
4.  If the pillow cases are too long, tuck into itself.
5.  Fold down top sheet over the comforter to create a finished look.
6.  Add a contrast pillow or something fun...like a cherry on top!

Linked up on...

The "Job Karma" Theory

    I'm sharing this from my creative blog since I think it pertains to this area as well...

    I've tried to keep my blog mostly about my creative side but I find my other parts of life affect my creativity.  With the New Year now upon us, I have been thinking a lot and have many challenges ahead of me this month...hurdles, I will admit, I'm terrified of.  So read on if you would you like...I could use some words of encouragement.  If you do not feel like reading, I completely understand.

So it starts with my job...

Do you believe in Job Karma?

     I clean houses for a living and I absolutely love my job!  It has been 4 1/2 years since I started my company and I still love helping people keep their house clean and have time for their lives, family and the things they love to do.  I love being a part of a house...seeing the changes as life comes at each of my clients and see the reactions in clutter, design and additions (literally, house additions, family member additions, pet additions and materialistic additions)  Seeing the seasons come and go and children grow up, toys get packed away.  I find it very satisfying, almost like a shepherd watching over it's flock.

    I have five girls that work for me...as of today, only four now.  I'm very sad to lose one, but she realized that cleaning isn't for her and I respect that and wish her the best in whatever she does.  Each of my girls has special strengths and weaknesses but they are all wonderful cleaners and give the clients all they can.  This is all I can ask of them...to love their job as much as I do!

So, this is where Job Karma comes in...

    If you love your job and feel appreciated, you give your all.  Strive to put 100% into every day and you are grateful for your employer, employees, clients, office...whatever comes with your job.  So can you help someone else love their job too?  Somewhat of a Karma sharing?  Lets say you go to a restaurant and your waitress does a great job.  You show that you appreciate it by giving her a good tip and you are kind to her and treat her with respect.  It makes her feel good...and lets her know she is doing a great job!  In return, she loves her job a bit more and she will go home feeling she is doing the right thing...she loves people.

    Now, lets turn that around and say you go to a store and you are standing in line.  You overhear the customer in front of you being rude and condescending to the girl checking her out for making a mistake.  The customer leaves and you approach the employee and she is visibly upset and snappy with you.  Your first reaction is to be snappy back, but you can pass on Job Karma to her and change her view on her job.  It may feel awkward at first...but be nice.  I mean...Really nice!  Ask her how she is, how her holiday was...something positive and that will bring her attention away from the rude customer before and show her why she loves her job...she loves people!  One person can squash a mood but one friendly person can bring back faith that people, in general are nice, kind people.

    Back to earlier today, I got an email from one of my girls, telling me she is quiting.  That she hates cleaning and just can't give it her all.  I was very upset about this...she is an awesome cleaner and clients really love her!  She will be missed very much.  This comes in the midst of planning a big surgery for me in three weeks, which will put my out for 4-6 weeks and I will be depending on my girls to help me out in any way possible.  I went into a panic and poor Scott felt the brunt of it.  Me crying, sobbing, threatening to delay the surgery more and then realizing that if I don't have this surgery it may take me away from my clients and my family completely.  Who does that benefit?  No one...I can't let my family go without me and I would not have a job that I loved!  Scott passed on that Job Karma...being the good Husband (his job) and giving me good feedback and making me remember why I love my job as a Mom, Wife and House Cleaner.

Pass on the Job Karma...be kind and share your happiness with everyone you come into contact with!

Jen

~stepping off her soapbox now