Category: Home & Living

January Recap

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

Here’s a little recap of what we were up to in January:

January 10th was Dennis & Lisa’s 25th wedding anniversary as well as Dennis’ birthday!

We shared our Instant Pot Potato Soup recipe which has become a favorite quick dinner on a cold evening.

Alissa shared her 2023 reading challenge. She’s quickly working her way through the challenge. You can follow her read and currently reading books page for updates.

It was best January ever for sales in our store! We got some fantastic reviews & a good customer service badge from Etsy!

Dennis made quite a few hearts, and eggs while Alissa made some pillows, mugs, and treat containers!

We shared some custom order updates on our Facebook & Instagram

Thank you for being part of our Cherished Cottage family!

Safety tips for traveling with your furry friend

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

I frequently take my dogs places with me- so much so that whenever I open the door to leave they are by my side, ready to go in the car. In fact, they know that when I say “in” that means to get in the car. Not long after we got Hershey, I heard about a local car accident where one of the drivers had a dog in their car that wasn’t buckled in so when paramedics arrived & opened the door the dog bolted from the car.* This scared me so bad; I kept thinking ‘How would Hershey react?’ and realistically, most dogs run when they’re scared.

Let’s go over some statistics from PetPro Supply Co first: 

  • 43.3 Million households in the United States have at least one pet.
  • 84% of dog owners who take their dog in the car don’t have their dog properly restrained; only 16% properly restrain their dog. 
  • 60% of dog owners have been distracted while driving due to their pets
  • If a car crashes at 25mph their unrestrained dog can be projected forward at a force that is equal to 40 times their body weight. So, a dog that is 75lbs can reach impact at a force of 3,000 pounds… this could be fatal. 
So what can you do to keep your furry pal safe? 

Passenger seat, yay or nay? 

A lot of websites recommend against traveling with your pup in the passenger seat due to the risk of injury resulting from an airbag but if you DO travel with your pup in the passenger seat make sure they’re properly restrained.

Why & how should my dog be restrained?

If your dog is in the front or back seat they should be restrained; this will keep them from wandering, jumping out of windows, jumping out of the car when the door is opened, and will reduce the risk of the driver being distracted. It will also keep your pooch safer if an accident should happen. There are a variety of restraint types by weight/car that can be found on websites like Chewy. The AKC website recommends crash-tested safety harness seat belts that clip right into your car’s buckle. These will keep your pup’s neck safe & prevent them from flying off the seat in the event of an accident.
If you prefer to not have your pup on your seats then another option is to get a crate. There are dog crates made specifically for cars; they are crash-tested and are usually made from a durable material like aluminum and have some padding for impact protection. A crate for the car needs to have enough room for the dog to be able to move around & lay comfortably. It also needs to have good ventilation. 

What else can I do?

Scared dogs often run away from whatever is scaring them; so dogs often flee car accidents if they are not restrained properly & if paramedics/help don’t know there is a dog in the car. So what can you do to keep your dog safe in the event of an accident?
– Get your dog an ID tag with their name & your info. You can find some here and here. 

– Keep an ID card in your car. This one has a detailed card to keep in your glovebox, wallet, or center console & a smaller one to keep with/near the dog. 

dog-id-for-carDownload

– You know those “Baby on Board!” stickers parents have on their cars? Get one for your dog! These are made with durable magnets/material to withstand changing weather conditions & stay on the car. 

– Don’t open the windows too far & lock the windows so your pooch can’t jump out or open them further (Milton has done this). 

– Train your dog early on to be comfortable in the car. 

Happy and Safe Travels with your Furry Friend!

You can find Milton & Hershey on their Instagram account.

*The dog mentioned in the story was found a few days later & was returned home safely.

*Some links shared are affiliate links.

Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

How are you & your family handling social distancing? I’m sure a lot of you, like our family, are trying to find ways to stay entertained or to keep the kiddos busy. I’ve been coming up with resources for our family & thought maybe it would be beneficial to share these resources with all of you.

I’m going to be posting at least once a day with some sort of activity/idea/etc of things to do with your little ones or things you can do yourself.

Some ideas that I have so far are: indoor scavenger hunt, free online field trips/tours of museums, state parks, and aquariums, game ideas, recipes, etc. If you have any requests/ideas please feel free to comment, message us, or email us with your ideas! We’d love to hear them!

Today I thought I’d share the indoor scavenger hunt I designed for the kids. There are two options, one is pre-filled in for you & the other I’ve designed to be fill in the blank so you can print a few copies & have unlimited scavenging opportunities! Both copies offer 20+ items to find around your home.

Both copies are free to download; just enjoy!
We’d love to see our scavenger hunts in action so if please feel free to tag us or hashtag us (#cherishedcottage) on social media so we can see!

indoor-scavenger-hunt-pdfDownload
indoor-scavenger-hunt-fill-in-the-blank-pdfDownload

Stay tuned tomorrow for two other scavenger hunts plus some additional ideas/activities to keep the kiddos busy at home.

Stay safe & healthy everyone!

How To Unclump Sugar

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

Have you ever been cooking/baking something only to discover your bag of sugar is hard and clumpy? It really stinks, doesn’t it?

I’ve had a 5lb bag of sugar I’ve been avoiding simply because it was hard & I didn’t know what to do with it. Every time I came across it I stressed a little thinking “I don’t want to throw this away but I also can’t use it for anything other than a rock”.
This (unfortunately) wasn’t my first hard bag of sugar so it was the final straw. I did some research hoping that there was some way to fix this. Lo and behold there is!

Why does sugar harden?

When granulated sugar is exposed to moisture it hardens; so your first step to prevention is to not store it in a moist location. A cool, dry, place is best!

How do I Unclump Sugar?

There are two options here that I’ve found to work best. I recommend the strainer/microwave method but you can also use an oven.

The Strainer/Microwave Method

You’ll Need:
– Bag of sugar (obviously)
– Large bowl
– Airtight container to store sugar
(I use the second largest in this set from
Tupperware)
– Strainer
(I use the red one in this set from
Walmart)
– Spoon

Time: Approximately 5 minutes

Directions:
– Place your sifter over the top of your sugar storage container; make sure you are using one that can sit on top of your container without being held.
– Open your bag of sugar and slowly pour your sugar into the sifter.
* By slowly pouring out the sugar the fine granulated pieces that are not clumped will
go straight through the sifter into the container.
* Pro Tip: If you’re bag is one big clump or has a big clump you should first squeeze the
bag to break your large clump down into smaller pieces. If it’s too hard tap the bag
on the counter.
– When your sifter fills with clumps dump those into your large bowl.
– Continue this process until your sugar bag is empty.
– Place the large bowl with sugar clumps in the microwave for 30 seconds.
– After 30 seconds check the sugar. The warmth of the microwave will soften the sugar
clumps; using your spoon crush the clumps of sugar.
– Continue this process until there are no more clumps in the bowl.



Voila! Unclumped sugar; ready to use in 5 minutes!

The Oven Method

You’ll Need:
– Oven-safe container large enough to
hold sugar
– Spoon
– Airtight container to store sugar

Directions:
– Preheat oven to lowest temp
(usually 150 to 200 degrees)
– Dump sugar in oven-safe container.
– Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes
– After 15 minutes check sugar. Push on
the clumps with a spoon. If the clumps
break apart, turn off the oven and leave
sugar inside the oven for for one to two
hours.
– Transfer cooled off sugar to airtight
container.

Time: Approximately 2 hours 15 minutes

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Stay up to date on coupons and new recipes by joining our email list! You can subscribe here & stay up to date on all the happenings here at Cherished Cottage. 

** The opinions/views shared in this post are solely that of the author. Some links might be affiliate links.

Planning for Summer Break with Kids

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

As I am writing this the kids are on their way home from a half day at school which means summer vacation has officially begun! Even though this won’t be posted for a few days I’m already feeling the pressure haha.

The summer last year was completely new for our family. Homeslice and Monster were no longer in daycare meaning that they were home all day, every day, all summer. My father and myself changed jobs so I was now working from home and he was doing a variety of handy work for local farms as well as working night shift on occasion.

I really thought that the summer was going to go smoothly, I really thought that I could take it a day at a time, I really thought it would be rainbows and butterflies. I was really wrong. The kids didn’t seem to know what to do with themselves without the set-in-stone schedule provided by their daycare. They were completed bored any time there was more than 10 minutes of down time. I hadn’t planned anything ahead of time and it left a lot of things being rushed and half-done on my end. I was completely stressed which was certainly more my fault than the kids fault but we all suffered because of the lack of planning.

I decided that this summer needed to be different. I decided that I needed to have a better system set in place so that I don’t go crazy…really so that we all don’t go crazy.

I started out by sitting down and coming up with the main things that each kid is interested in and the main things that they need to work on. Luckily for me, they all share basically the same interests and have the same areas that need a little extra work; just on various levels. All three of them are incredibly interested in hands-on activities so I have made sure to come up with a wide variety of activities that will be hands-on and educational.

The areas I have focused most on are their chore charts, education, and a simple plan of themed weeks.

Before I get into these areas I also wanted to share with you another thing that I’ve worked on. Our little’s really enjoy their cartoons (especially Homeslice..if the TV is on he’s glued to it) but sometimes they get Cartoon-Tunnel-Vision in the mornings and instead of finishing their morning chores they zoom out to the tv. So to combat this habit we created a simple list of screen time rules.

Camp Welgo Screen Time Rules

Before they can plop (quite literally) in front of the tv they must have finished each item on the list. I keep this posted on the fridge so all I have to say is “Did you do everything on your screen time rules list?” rather than running through a string of the same questions. This is also a great way to teach them responsibility while making our mornings go much, much smoother. I had this personalized to say Camp Welgo which wasn’t an additional cost. If you’d like to get one of these for your family it can be found here.

Chore Charts

So, for starters each child has their own chore chart with their own list of chores. However, in anticipation of the start of summer I made some changes to them allowing the kids to have a little more responsibility.
These are the chore charts that we use. I printed them and then put them in a simple picture frame from the dollar store. This allows the kids to use a dry-erase marker to mark off each chore as they do it and in this way I am able to set up a rewards system for them. They obtain a certain number of points each time a chore is completed, then at the end of the week I add up the points and they earn the rewards that coincide with the number of points earned.

I decided to get a little more creative with the chore chart/rewards system process for this summer. This is an example of the rewards I have come up with for this summer. There’s no guarantee that they will stick but I’m pretty proud haha

65-74 Points: Cartoons in the morning
75-79 Points: Prize out of the prize box
80-84 Points: Tablet or video games
85-90 Points: Pick an individual prize
91-95  Points: HOLY COW! Awesome job! You get a SURPRISE! If all 3 of you got this many points you can work together to pick out a GROUP PRIZE

So I’ll explain the theory behind my madness here, the kids love to watch tv and it’s often difficult to pull them away once they’ve started but they also really enjoy the morning cartoons (like Tom & Jerry) so if they do well on this area (which is pretty easy considering they can skim by on their chores and usually still earn these points) they can watch some cartoons in the morning but within a designated time frame.

The prize box is a little shoe box tote I purchased at the dollar tree. This contains a variety of items that the kids enjoy such as stickers, various crafts, silly putty, gum, and grab and go craft packets. Inside the same tote I have rewards tickets split into the “Individual Prize” group and the “Group Prize” group (how many times can I say group in one sentence?) that they can pick from when they earn those rewards.
The individual prizes include things such as one-on-one time with mom, stay up later one night, 1/2 hour of extra TV time..etc. and then the Group section has things like go mini golfing, go out for dinner, go to the movies, etc.

Learning

I want to be sure that I am encouraging the kids to broaden their minds and their abilities this summer and to be prepared when they go back to school. We will be doing the summer reading program at our local library and I will be working with them on various other subjects.
Homeslice and Monster’s teachers gave them some worksheets that they can work on throughout the upcoming summer months and I have my own curriculum with Murry. I also buy these books pertaining to their upcoming grade levels and work with them throughout the summer.
I also have saved a variety of worksheets and craft ideas on Pinterest that I can print whenever we’re ready to work on them.

This is an example of one of the worksheets the kids will be working on during the first week. One of the overall goals of this summer is to build each child’s confidence level and to help them be an encourager as well as a positive thinker.

All About Me Worksheet JPG

If you’d like to get this worksheet to do with your child you can find it here.

Schedule

I haven’t come up with a set-in-stone schedule for the kids because let’s face it- it just isn’t going to work out. Our family has so much going on on any given day or at any given time that a set schedule just doesn’t work for us. Because of this I have come up with a weekly theme schedule and then at the beginning of each week I’ll map out a more specific plan. This is what the themed schedule looks like:

Week 1: Welcome to Camp Welgo
Getting to know the Camp Welgo rules, guidelines, and themes. Learning about the new chores and rewards. Take a week “off”

Week 2: Kindness Week
Make kindness rocks, hide kindness rocks, do something kind for a stranger, write thank you notes for loved ones. The kids have a 3-Day camp this week too.

Week 3: Camping Week
Fire safety, learning to set up tents, lunches over the fire pit, DIY walking sticks, how to make a teepee/shelter, leaf/plant/poison identifications, nature hikes, camping out.

Week 4: Color Week
Make tie-dye t-shirts, playing tag with paint balloons, melted crayon art, paint balloon darts, face painting, sidewalk art with chalk, finger painting, DIY thank you cards for people the kids know.

Weeks 5/6: Handy/Science Week
Can robots, washer jewelry, homemade birdhouses, diy solar oven, ice cream in a bag, food coloring with flowers & veggies, regrow veggie experiment, hydroponic gardening, clay art, volcanoes, mento/soda experiment.

Week 7: Spy Week
Scavenger hunts, search and find clues, fingerprinting, mystery dinner, mystery movie night, seek and find

I have been saving a bunch of ideas on my Pinterest account so if you’d like to see some of the ideas that I have saved you can check out my board here.

**Disclaimer: this post may contain some affiliate links. The views expressed in this post are solely that of the author and not of anyone else.

Making a Cleaning Schedule

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

I think it’s really important to try to set up some sort of cleaning schedule; if you can. Obviously I know that we all have busy lives and we all have stuff going on and sometimes finding the time to clean can be difficult. So what I recommend is coming up with a cleaning schedule to help you tackle everything you need to do in a week.

The way I did mine was I sat down with a pen and paper and wrote down all the cleaning tasks that need to be done.

This is what I got:

Cleaning List

Then I labeled everything for the frequency I felt it should be done:

Cleaning List(1)

Now I sat down and wrote out my basic schedule. So the things that I know I have going on every day no matter what; like work. Then I filled in what I already know I do on certain days.

The easiest way for me to do this was to fill in a calendar template. I only filled in the things that I hadn’t written in as “daily”. I also was realistic…my parents and I have a strong tradition of watching certain tv shows together.

Sometimes it’s the only time we get as a family so I made sure to put that in here because I knew if I didn’t I wouldn’t be realistic and I’d overlap or not get stuff done. I also kept it realistic by not sticking all the more time consuming things on one day.

Don’t STRESS about how you’re going to stick to your schedule, or what you’re going to do if something comes up and you don’t have the time. Really, the idea behind having a cleaning schedule is just to 1. make sure that your tasks aren’t all piling up to the point where you feel overwhelmed and 2. for you to be able to see what needs to be done and be able to kind of do it at your own pace.

So my final tip for having a cleaning schedule and probably my post important tip would be to write it in a place you’ll see it.
I keep a planner (by keep a planner I mean: I carry it with me everywhere and may be a little obsessive about it) so I write this schedule in there. The type of planners I use have a monthly overview as well as a weekly overview where I can write things day by day and put notes. At the top of the monthly overview above each day I wrote the chores that I aspire to get done. So on Sunday’s I try to do all of my laundry, vacuum, dust, and mop so I wrote this above the heading “Sunday” for the month of September. Obviously this isn’t something you’d have to do for every month but for someone like me whose schedule is constantly changing this way works best. Then the second thing that I do is add the cleaning chores to my daily to do list. These two things really help me to stay on top of my cleaning and not allow it to pile up into a big stressful heap of messiness.

 

Let me know how you guys keep a cleaning schedule or if you need help writing your own!

Etsy Fall Finds 2017

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

Hey guys!
Happy Fall Yall!
Alright, so since it’s officially September I’ve decided (as I’m sure many of us have) that it’s also officially fall. That means I’m getting ready for the cooler weather and I’m decorating my house for fall. I have even gone so far as to buy pumpkin spice creamer and restock on my chai latte k-cups haha.

So since I’m getting ready for fall (and hopefully I’m not alone) I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite fall finds from Etsy.

So let’s get into this!

  • Chai Love You A Latte Soy Candle

    soy candle, chai latte, chai latte candle, fall candle, chai love you a latte, chai latte, chai latte candle, soy chai candle, soy fall candle, cinnamon candle. black tea candle. vanilla candle– Price: $14.45
    – 100% Soy Wax 8 Ounce Candle
    – Wooden Wick
    – The jar is recycled as well is the label! How cool is that?!
    – Only Ships within the US
    – Burn Time: 45+ hours

  • Plaid Throw Blanket

    Plaid afghan, plaid throw blanket, fall blanket, pink plaid blanket, plaid throw, infinity scarf blanket, infinity blanket, afghan scarf, fall finds– $72.00
    – Size: 72 inches long and 44 inches wide
    – Made from Cotton, Flannel, and Wool (super super cozy!)
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    – Ready to ship
    – Only one available, so if you’re interested order soon!

  • Pumpkin Spice Bath Bomb

    pumpkin spice bath bomb, pumpkin spice, bath bomb, fall bath bomb, pumpkin bath bomb, handmade bath bomb, etsy bath bomb– $2.95 for 1 bath bomb
    – Ships within US
    – Made from Shea and Coconut Oil.
    – Also includes essential oils, organic rolled oats, and pumpkin spice!
    – All bath bombs from SimplyBombBySydney are designed to moisturize and soften skin as well as help to reduce inflammation and relieve body aches as well as stress.
    – The owner this shop makes it very clear that her bath bombs are Not Tested On Animals.

  • Autumn Tassel Garland

    thanksgiving garland, fall garland, autumn garland, fall fireplace decor, autumn fireplace decor, thanksgiving fireplace decor, fall tassel garland, autumn tassel garland, thanksgiving tassel garland– $20 for standard length (20 tassels) or $40 for 40 tassels
    – Ships from US
    – 5-7 days before shipping
    – 4-5 feet long

  • Burgundy Gold Headband

    Burgundy Gold Headband, Fall Baby Headband, Fall Wedding Headband, Maroon Champagne Baby Headband, Gold Hairbows, Glitter Felt Headband– $18.95
    – 3.5″ long and 2.25″ wide
    –  Ships from US
    – Made to Order
    – Sizing: Size small fits a preemie/newborn baby best: starts at 8″- stretches to 15″ in diameter.   The regular fits newborn – toddler: starts at 9″- stretches to 24″ in diameter
    – Each headband is packaged so that it’s ready to be given as a gift (how cool is that?!)

  • Women’s Pumpkin Spice Shirt Pumpkin Spice Shirt // Women's Fall Shirts, Christian Shirts, Christian T shirts, Christian Fall Shirts, Fall t shirts, thanksgiving

    -$24.49
    – Made with Heat Transfer Vinyl
    – There are a ton of color and size options! So if you have a preference I’m sure that they have it!
    – Ship from US

  • Candy Corn Bath Bombs

    Candy Corn Bath Bombs - Bath Bombs - Halloween Bath Bombs - Fall Bath Bombs - Bath Bomb - Large Bath Bombs - Mini Bath Bombs– $4.00 for 1 Bath Bomb
    – Made with: Apricot Oil (moisturizing), Candy Corn Fragrance, Vitamin E Oil, Epsom Salt, Citric Acid, Corn Starch, Baking Soda
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    – 2 Size Options
    Mini: Approximately an inch in diameter, fizzing for about 90 seconds.
    Large: Approximately 2 inches in diameter, fizzing for just about 4 minutes.
    – This shop has a ton of other awesome scents available!

  • Autumn Rain Bath Bomb

    Autumn rain bath bomb , wholesale bath bombs , bath bombs , winter bath bomb fall bath bomb
    – $7 for 1
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    – Contains: Vitamin E (Protects and repairs skin) and Organic Sweet Almond Oil (Softens the skin)
    – Scented with Autumn Rain- reminds you of hay bales, fresh cut wood, fallen leaves..that amazing aromatic autumn air!

  • It’s Pumpkin Season Pillow Cover

    $19.99 Quantity Etsy Purchase Guarantee Get what you ordered or your money back. Learn more Overview Handmade item Made to order Ships worldwide from United States Feedback: 20 reviews Favorited by: 5 people This shop accepts Etsy gift cards Share thecottonandcanvasco in United States Fall and Autumn Favorites Soft and Absorbent Kitchen Tea Towel, Flour Sack Towel and Dish Cloth, Autumn, Gift, Thanksgiving, Fall Decor Fall and Autumn Favorites Soft and Absorbent Kitchen Tea Towel, Flour Sack Towel and Dish Cloth, Autumn, Gift, Thanksgiving, Fall Decor $10.99 Cotton Canvas Give Thanks Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn Home Decor, Harvest Cotton Canvas Give Thanks Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn Home Decor, Harvest $19.99 Cotton Canvas Hello Fall Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest Cotton Canvas Hello Fall Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest $19.99 Cotton Canvas Blessed Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest Cotton Canvas Blessed Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest $19.99 Cotton Canvas Grateful Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest Cotton Canvas Grateful Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest $19.99 Cotton Canvas Thankful Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest Cotton Canvas Thankful Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Throw Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor, Harvest $19.99 Cotton Canvas Grateful Hearts Gather Here Cushion Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor Cotton Canvas Grateful Hearts Gather Here Cushion Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Decorative Pillowcase, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor $19.99 Cotton Canvas Happy Fall Ya'll Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Decorative Throw Pillow Cover, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor Cotton Canvas Happy Fall Ya'll Pillow Cover, Pillowcase, Cushion and Decorative Throw Pillow Cover, Fall, Thanksgiving, Autumn, Home Decor $19.99– $19.99
    – Material: 100% Cotton Canvas Fabric with a heavy duty canvas with fabric lining
    – Size: 16″ W x 16″ H
    – Ships Worldwide from US

  • Instant Download Hello Fall Sign
    il_570xN.1277807892_alt7
    – $4.99
    – Size: 8×10
    – Digital Download (meaning once you purchase it, it’s available to download and you can print it at home or at any local printing store!)
    – 1 JPG and 1 PDF file included in purchase
    – The words are hand-lettered (how awesome!?) so it’s a one of a kind piece of art!
  • Happy Fall Y’all Mug
    Happy Fall Y'all Mug // Fall Mug // Pumpkin Spice Mug // Fall // Fall Season Mug // Deer Floral Mug // Floral Deer // Y'all– Price: $12.95-$15.95
    – Two mug sizes: 11 oz and 15 oz.
    – Ships from Oregon 3-5 business days
    -This mug is printed and pressed (NOT made using vinyl)- Top rack dishwasher and microwave safe

  • Gold Pinecone Necklace

    Gold Pinecone Necklace. Gold Filled Necklace. Small Pinecone Charm. Fall Jewelry. Layering Layered Necklace. Dainty Delicate– $27.50 + chain length varies- 14 inches to 18 inches
    – Ships Worldwide from UK
    – Features: Antique gold plated pine cone charm that is suspended from gold filled chain.
    – Pine cone charm measure approx 12 x8 mm.
    – Chain lengths offered: 14, 15,16, 17 and 18 inches.
    – Your order arrives in a gift box.

  • Fall Scarecrow Decoration

    Fall Scarecrow Decoration - scarecrow decoration - Wood Scarecrow - fall decoration - scarecrow pumpkin hay wagon - Wooden Scarecrow– $30.00
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    – Size: 8 inches tall and is 7.5 inches from front to back of wagon
    – This adorable wagon stands on it’s own and the wheels really do move!

  • Rose Gold Fall Planner Stickers

    il_570xN.1323981927_tflg– $8.80
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    -Fits Erin Condren Vertical and Mambi
    – Includes: 4 full sheets.
    – Also comes with a free sampler!
    – Printed on high quality matte sticker paper.
    – Packaging: comes in a cellophane bag and photo mailer

  • Apple Butter Caramel Candle

    Apple Butter Caramel Soy Wax 8 ox Tin Candle– $10.00
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    – Made from soy wax, fragrance, coloring, and a lead free wick
    – Candle comes in an 8 oz tin
    – Scent info: Apple butter with a swirl of caramel! (yum!)
    – Phthalates free!

  • Printable Autumn Happy Planner Stickers

    Fall Planner Stickers Printable, Autumn Planner Stickers HAPPY PLANNER STICKERS Weekly Kit,September Happy planner Kit, Instant download– $2.00
    – Digital Download- no need to wait for shipping!
    – You get:
    – 3 JPG planner sticker (8.5in x 11in 300dpi)   – 5 PNG transparent background, (each PNG is 6×8 inches)
    -3 PDF file (3 files included, US Letter Size, 8.5×11 inches)
    -5 DXF files (each dxf is 6″ x 8″ inches
    -1 PDF – Instructions

  • Personalized Real Leaf Necklace

    Personalized Real Leaf Necklace, Woodland Jewelry, Personalized Fall Necklace, Fall Leaf Jewelry Rose Gold– $43.20
    – Ships Worldwide from US
    – This necklace is made from a real     lacy oak leaf, aspen leaf, acorn or that has been dipped in 14k gold yellow gold, 14k rose gold or sterling silver. Each leaf is unique and one of a kind.
    – Size: approximately 1/4 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. Pine cones are about 1/2 inch in length.
    – Keep in mind that they will vary in size and shape because they are real leaves and pine cones!
    – 3/8 of an inch engraved 14k yellow gold filled, rose gold filled or stainless steel initial charm accompanies the leaf and is hanging from an 18 inch chain.
    – Write the initial that you need in the “notes” section of your order at checkout

              HAPPY FALL YA’LL

 

***Disclaimer: I obtained permission from each Etsy seller before writing up this post. I had permission to use their link, main photo, and details from every listing.

*** Every link title goes directly to the item pictured below it. All purchases made through this post benefit only the Etsy seller who’s item you purchase.

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Cleaning Caddy

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

I love my cleaning caddy; it’s like my best friend when cleaning.

So what is a cleaning caddy and why do you need to have one?

Well for starters you need the caddy itself. This is basically something that you can keep your cleaning supplies in and carry around with you. This could be a bucket, a basket, a bin, a shower caddy- anything that will be easy for you to carry and will hold your cleaning supplies. It also helps to have something that you can wipe out if a product leaks.

I got mine from the dollar store but you can use whatever you’d like; pick something that will be easy for you to handle and to store away.

baskets
I have one of these green baskets.

Now that you have your container you want to go through all of your cleaning products and set aside all the ones you use regularly around the house. These would be like your window cleaner, multi-purpose cleaner, dusting spray, things like that. Those all go in your cleaning caddy.

Now you want to put your scrubbers, rags, and sponges in your bin and gloves if you use them. I personally use rags that are labeled with the name of what they clean on them but you can also just had a rag/sponge designated specifically to a certain cleaner. So, the blue rag is for dusting, the red rag is for the counter tops, etc.

You’re all set!

Clean With Me

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

Hey guys!

So, I have a confession; I hate cleaning.

Okay, that isn’t really a confession I guess because I can’t think of many people who truly love to clean. But putting my hatred aside my real confession is that I love YouTube clean with me videos. I don’t know what it is about watching someone else clean but it gets me really pumped to do my own cleaning.

I could watch various YouTubers clean for hours on end without getting bored. But while this gets me pumped up to tackle my entire cleaning list and not stop until I drop (pshhhh) sometimes I get so engulfed in these videos that, *sigh* I end up losing track of time and getting no cleaning done at all.

So throughout the last few years I have tested various techniques to keep my space clean, to be motivated to clean, and to create an effective and useful cleaning schedule. The majority of these things have failed immensely and a few have really stuck with me and I have worked to improve upon them and set small goals for myself along the way.

SO I have decided to write a mini cleaning series for you guys. I want to share with you some of my favorite products, tips, tricks, and routines that I have found to be effective. My hope is that this helps you to avoid the struggles I’ve put myself through.

 

So, for this first post I’d like to share my top 10 cleaning tips.

  1. Make A Cleaning Caddy.

    This is a great time of year to get a “cleaning caddy” for yourself. Some people use a dorm room shower caddy (which can be found in most stores right now as students prepare for college), a basket, a bucket…whatever works for you.

    I have used all of these and for me personally the most useful thing I have used was actually a plastic bin from the dollar store. The holes in the sides help to vent the cleaning rags so they don’t get smelly (which I feel is a big pro) and there’s a lot of room to keep everything I need.

    In your caddy you’ll want to make sure you have all the cleaning products you use on a regular basis. This helps when you’re going room to room- it’s all there and you don’t have to juggle your supplies in your arms or have to run around trying to find the one you need.
    In a future post I’ll talk about my own cleaning caddy essentials.

  1. Try To Set A Cleaning Schedule.

    You don’t have to drive yourself nuts sticking to it but it really helps to kind of break up your chores throughout the week so you don’t stress or feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have staring back at you.

  2. Make Your Bed Every Day.

    I know, I know, your parents probably told you this growing up and it drove you nuts (or maybe that was just me?). But for me, no matter how messy my room is, just having the bed made helps me to think clearer and to feel like I’ve got my life/room somewhat together. It’s such a small thing and only take a few minutes but it really helps me keep a clear head and start the day out better.

  3. Straighten Up As You Go.

    I still struggle with this one but it’s probably one of the best tips I’ve ever been given. Basically, the idea is that whenever you leave a room you take the things that belong in the room you’re going to with you. So when I’m in the living room and heading to my bedroom if I have my phone charger, laptop, etc in the living room (and I don’t need them anymore) I take them with me to my bedroom and put them away right away.
    This lessens the amount of clutter build up and lessens the chance of me having a panic attack when I go to do work the next day and can’t find my laptop.
    Everything has its place and everything is in its place.

  4. Involve The Kids.

    I have a whole post coming up about chore charts/responsibility charts to help teach kids responsibility from the start. When I was younger my sister and I helped mop, vacuum, made our beds, and were responsible for putting toys away. As we got older we were given other chores to help out such as doing the dishes or taking the trash out. It lowered my parents stress levels because it took some of the household stress off their backs and taught my sister and I responsibility and we felt like we were contributing to the family.

  5. Try To “Clean As You Go”

    This is different than the concept of “straighten up as you go” because what you’re doing is cleaning up after yourself right away.
    Basically the idea is to “make your mess less” so when you get ready in the morning you could wipe down the mirror and sink when you’re done so you won’t have to scrub it like a maniac when it’s time to clean it. Or so that if you have unexpected company you know you’re bathroom is decent.
    Another idea is to have a shower spray on hand that when you’re done showering you can spray your shower walls and such down and it will help to prevent mildew and stains from appearing. I’ll go into more detail on bathroom cleaning in a future post!
    Another idea is to wipe down your kitchen counters and stove each night when you’re done eating and doing the dishes. Things like this just prevent you from having to do a deep and aggravating scrub in the future!

  6. Get A Room/Linen Spray.

    Do this. We have 2 dogs and 3 cats and try as we might sometimes we think our house smells like our adorable stinky beagles. We use air fresheners and carpet freshener but we still sometimes feel like our house smells like the pets. So one of the easiest things to do is use a linen/room spray.
    You can get these at a store like Bed, Bath, and Beyond or at a local fragrance bar. We actually have two local stores that we buy our linen sprays from and they are amazing!
    We go to Stinkleberry Soap Co. and Paisley and Company (LINKS). I’ll also have a future post about making your own linen/room spray so stay tuned for that!

  7. Do A Power Hour Once In A While!

    Power Hours are amazing and I take some time maybe once a week to do one; I get SO much done! There’s a whole post coming soon about Power Hours and how to make the best out of them and use your hour to its fullest but for now you just need to know that it’s great and it’s an hour of uninterrupted cleaning time!

  8. Make It Fun!

    Use music, put on comfy clothes (those crazy patterned leggings you bought on a whim and now are unsure about wearing in public – again, is this just me?), put on a TV show that you like, anything that makes it fun but doesn’t distract you.

  • DON’T STRESS

 

**None of the posts in this series are sponsored. Everything is my own personal opinion or from personal experience.**