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Healthy Cleaning Tips: Greener ways to Clean

January 6, 2022 by Heather Filed Under: Health, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Tips & Resources, Uncategorized 1 Comment

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to de-clutter, organize your closets and create a clean and fresh start in our homes. The following healthy cleaning tips are meant to help you understand what your putting into your homes and bodies.

There are so many cleaners and cleaning products on the market but do you really know what’s in them?

With the recent focus on sanitizing since Covid, it’s important to understand how to make cleaning choices that will keep our homes and bodies healthy.

How healthy are the cleaners that you use?

Non-toxic, more healthy cleaning should be part of your everyday home cleaning routine – and especially if you have small children. The benefits of these healhty greener cleaners include; fewer toxins and chemicals being absorbed into the skin, less damaging to the environment and better air quality in your home and they are less expensive in some cases (DIY cleansers!). If you want to better understand the toxic chemicals to look out for in your cleaners, check out my previous wellness post on the subject.

GreenWorks Multi-Purpose Cleanser is a great cleanser to use for virtually any room in your house. It can be used for a variety of different tasks and is safe for your home and your children. Not only is it made with 97% organic materials, but it also works on those stubborn stains or hard to handle messes.

Method is another cleaner that has the environmental seal of approval. The method product line comes in a variety of different cleaners including hand soap, dish soap, laundry detergent, bathroom cleaners, all-purpose cleaners and even a body wash for men and women! They come in a variety of scents and uses all biodegradable materials. They’ve thought of everything!

Mrs. Myers is a wholesome midwest cleaning brand started by Mrs. Thema A. Meyer. She created Mrs. Meyers because of her penchant for keeping things neat and tidy and the scents were inspired by her garden. Her line of cleaning products which range from hand soap, body soap, laundry detergent and air fresheners are all made with natural scents like mint, basil, and lavender. If you want your home smelling like a bouquet of roses this Spring, you better get cleaning with Mrs. Meyers!

For those who want to know EVERYTHING that is in their cleaners, DIY is the way to go! Many homemade cleaners are made with ingredients you probably already have around your home. Vinegar, essential oils, baking soda, olive oil, and water are the key players in most of your homemade cleaners.

Bathroom

Vinegar is a key ingredient to getting rid of bathroom dirt and grime! For tough toilet stains, add ½ baking soda along with a few drops of essential oils into your toilet bowl when you’re ready to tackle the toilet add ¼ cup of vinegar and scrub away the mess as it works its magic.

A spritz of pure vinegar can be used in your shower and sink on soap scum and hard water residue. Add it to a spray bottle and spritz it on, letting the vinegar soak for 20-30 minutes before wiping off. If that doesn’t work, add baking soda to the mix and try again in 15 minutes.

Kitchen

Most kitchen surfaces can also be treated with vinegar, but if your surfaces are made from marble, granite or stone stay away from the high acidity and use vodka or rubbing alcohol instead- which both have anti-viral properties. Mixing equal parts water and vinegar/alcahol will make a very effective multi-purpose cleaner that can be used on most surfaces including countertops, floors, and walls. Add your favorite essential oils to increase the anti-viral (think tea tree, thyme, lavendar or citrus sents) properties and make your home smell wonderful!

More healthy cleaning tips

To tackle greasy frying pans just add salt – and give it a good scrub! If you need to clean a cast iron pan add olive oil and a teaspoon of course salt and rinse well with water. The best way to sanitize surfaces is with a lemon, simply cut it in half and run it over the surface you would like to disinfect.

Having the right ingredients is only half of the job, having the right cleaning tool is the other half. Sponges that have a harder edge are good for scrubbing stubborn pots and pans. Rags or microfibre clothes are excellent for disinfecting surfaces and the magic eraser is great for removing soap scum, scuff marks and any other war wounds your child puts into it!

Laundry

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The laundry room is where most people run into trouble with the homemade detergents because if you throw a cup of vinegar in with your clothes, they wouldn’t come out smelling very nice. Laundry detergent is a bit tougher to make, only in the sense that you have to add more ingredients. Combine bar soap (chopped and processed), baking soda, essential oils, vinegar and washing soda and you will have created a very effective and pleasant-smelling laundry detergent.

Instead of using dryer sheets that lose their scent after one use, try using laundry ‘scenters’ that will stay fresh for up to 30 loads of laundry, or more! Add your favorite herbs or loose tea to a sachet (one that has holes that the herbs can aerate is best). For more laundry organizing and cleaning tips, check out this post.

Floors

Every room in your house has one and floors can be tricky to keep clean. Anyone with hardwood floors can keep it simple by washing (or steam cleaning) with warm water, just be sure not to over soak your mop when washing the floors.

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If your floors still aren’t looking as clean as they should, add a bit of dish soap in to bring out the dirt and let those floors shine.

Laminate floors are very delicate and steam mops shouldn’t be used on them. When cleaning a laminate floor clean with a light mop and spray the cleaner onto the mop, not directly onto the floor. Using a mixture of three parts water, one part vinegar and a squirt of dish soap should do the trick.

Most other floors are easy enough to care for and don’t require any special precautions. A typical all-purpose floor cleaner is a cup of water, ½ cup of vinegar and a tbsp of vegetable oil to bring out the floors natural glow.

There are hundreds of different homemade cleaner recipes out there, all have different purposes and work differently for all homeowners and their grime, but the one thing we can all agree on is that they are made from natural ingredients and have a positive impact on your home and the environment. If you have any recipes you’d like to share, please leave them in the comments below!

Fuzzy Goals-Smarter than SMART?

December 9, 2021 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, Home, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

Recently, I learned about Fuzzy Goals!

I have been so accustomed to SMART Goals I had never heard of this contrasting term.

But, I liked the sound of it enough to do a little research. I think of Fuzzy goals as a spectrum.

Fuzzy Goals: A different strategy for goal setting

At one end there is a quantifiable goal (such as a SMART Goal) and at the other end, there is something vague you might wish for but have no idea how to achieve. At this end of the spectrum, there might be an emotional or intuitive feeling that motivates you to act in a certain way and gives you a sense of purpose.

They land somewhere on the spectrum I describe above and you can work through them using the following tips.
They align with your sense of passion or purpose, giving you an emotionally compelling feeling that motivates you.

Fuzzy Goals consist of several elements

They are sensory, they elicit a visual or imaginary reaction that gives you something concrete to recreate.

You can enact these sensory components by drawing, mapping, or collaging your ideas, dictating them into a voice recorder, singing them, writing them in poetry, whatever creative sensory expression that helps you get your ideas flowing.

They can change due to their nature of being fuzzy- they may shapeshift or morph from what your original vision was into something slightly different, and that’s okay!

Think of fuzzy goals as progress over perfection. Perhaps what is perfect is not what you originally envisioned and that the outcome might be even better than what you could imagine.

This might be just the right thing to explore if you’re struggling with goals, now or in the future.

I love the creative, flexible, forgiving nature of fuzzy goals. Sometimes you just can’t force clarity and there is no sense in trying to, but that does not mean you have to remain stuck or paralyzed.

Please let me know what you think of using Fuzzy goals for planning your future!

There SHOULD BE no judgment about organizing

November 4, 2021 by Heather Filed Under: Inspiration & Education, Organize, Tips & Resources, Wellness & Mindset Leave a Comment

There should be no judgment about organizing. Unfortunately, there are a lot of very distinct ideas and stigmas about what it means to be organized. When I tell people I’m an organizer it prompts many conversation and comments like, “I’m totally organized, I love to organize, it’s in my nature” or “I NEED YOU”, or “really, you like peoples closets?” Yes, to all of that. Then there are those who shy away from saying anything. Their quiet hesitance leads me to think they feel less than organized or feel others might judge them (or maybe the subject just BORES them:).

It makes me sad when people feel ashamed about being or not being organized; there should be no judgment about organizing.

A space like the one above might make us feel ashamed but sometimes, this happens and it’s okay!

When I start working with someone new, I asess their organizing style and needs through both conversations and a tour of their spaces. An asessment includes alot of questions about how we learn our organizing habits and how we feel about being organized (or not). I never want someone to feel they are being judged for how they organize their life!

Wouldn’t you hate someone coming into your home and telling you that how you’re doing something is WRONG?

I work with many clients who are chronically disorganized. It’s a real thing, and it’s not a judgment. There’s a non-profit dedicated to better understand how different people think about organizing! ICD does a great job of dispelling myths about disorganization through both education and research.

How did you learn to organize? Did someone teach you and if so, how (through words or actions)? Most of the time, we pick up habits around organzing and they are neither intentional or necessarily the best way for us to organize. That’s exactly why we need to go easy on ourselves, and others when it comes to how we organize.

There is no RIGHT or WRONG, there are just differences! There should be no judgment. I feel nothing but compassion for anyone who wants to learn new organizing skills. This can be through a combination of hands-on, one-on-one training with an organizer, reading books, watching video’s etc., it’s all good!

Your home or business doesn’t have to look like a magazine to be functionally organized for you! We all get messy, clothes pile up, kitchen counters get cluttered (my kitchen is tiny and this can’t be avoided) and tables and surfaces are rarely bare.

Being messy isn’t the same as being disorganized.

If you know where things go and are able to maintain, than organization isn’t too far away.

The example above is better. It migh not be perfect but it’s functional with room to breath, space to find things & work. It’s all about how you feel in the space.

Once you have successful systems in place, it’s not too difficult to keep things in order. If you’re looking for help in creating systems because what your doing is a good fit, or you don’t think you ever learned how to be organized… please send me an email and lets talk. Even if we don’t work together, you will learn something helpful and I promise, there will be no judgment about organizing, I promise.

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Indoor Gardening for a Healthy Home

October 27, 2021 by Heather Filed Under: Home, Inspiration & Education, Wellness & Mindset

I love to garden for the joy that it brings me and to maintain my well-being. As we move towards winter, my craving for the garden also moves indoors. Today I’m sharing simple tips for indoor gardening for a Healthy Home. Fresh air, lush greenery, colorful flowers, and sensory interaction (check out the sound of plants!) are a few reasons I love to garden. All of this can also be done indoors.

Many people don’t think they have a green thumb but with a little practice, anyone can grow at least one or two plants indoors. There is no mistaking how popular indoor gardening is. This is especially true over the last couple years while our homes have become our everything!

Each fall, I spend a bit of time tending to my indoor garden, before bringing plants indoors. Some of my fravorite ‘house’ plants are a 20 year old philodendron, orchids, ZZ palms, pass-along ‘Christmas’ cactus and an assortment of terrarium plants. If you have ever been to tropical climates, you might have recognized some of your favorite houseplants growing as outdoor tropicals. This trend began in the victorian era, when lush tropicals filled parlors and conservatories. Some of us still can’t get enough!

Seasonal plant tips

To freshen up indoor plants seasonally (Fall & Spring), prune, fertilize, repot or replace leggy or unwell plants. For your terrariums, do the same as above but start by cleaning terrarium glass (with H2O only on the inside). The best time to move plants in/out is when temperatures indoor and out are about the same. Be sure all chance of frost has passed-or as it dips below 50s in the fall.

I hope these indoor gardening tips will encourage you to try (or expand) what you grow indoors. It can take a little practice to find and maintain indoor plants in the ‘right spots’ but keep trying. My friends over a The Botanary do a great job of sharing right plants for right spots and ‘paring plants with people‘!

Good reasons to garden indoors

Plants are natural air filters! They clean toxins like formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, toluene, and trichloroethylene from the air. Certain plants do a great job with certain chemicals. About 1 plant per 100 sq’ has been proven to significantly purify the air.
Express personal style through plants and indoor gardening to add beauty and round out your interiors.
The act of caring for and nurturing a plant can be a meditative and calming practice.
You are bringing a piece of nature’s beauty inside where you can appreciate it more often.

What grows successfully inside?

Start by observing your surrounding, especially the quality of light and location of airflow/vents. Also, be honest about your lifestyle and how much time you want to spend with your plant babies. These are the two most important factors for plant selection. Determine which direction your house and windows face. Have this information available when you go to select plants. Your sure to be more successful by selecting the correct plant for your conditions.

Factors in plant selection

light/exposure (N, S, E, or W)
humidity (run a humidifier if needed)
maintenance time (watering, pruning, fertilizing, re-potting, etc),
design style and colors in your home
pets, check out the ASPCA list of pet-safe plants here

With this you will be able to make the best selections for your space. Do your research before you head out to buy anything, check out a variety of reputable local garden centers or floral shops, and talk to the staff. They can usually make excellent suggestions if you know the direction your windows face and the size and space and will tell you the common and botanical names, and maintenance requirements.

The maidenhair fern above will dry out quickly and make you feel like a failure if you can’t give it daily attention. Alternately, the ZZ Palm or Snake plant below both require low light and maintenance to thrive.

The ZZ Palm: above great for low light: image via James Saper

Sansevieria or snake plant image via Gardenista

Plant maintenance and troubleshooting

The biggest mistake people make with houseplants is overwatering (I worked in the tropical greenhouse of a local garden center). Genearally speaking, let plants dry out completely before watering again deeply (some exceptions, like ferns). Potted plants are more quickly depleted of nutrients, so re-pot every 2 years using an appropriate potting mix with a slow-release fertilizer in it or sprinkle a little slow-release once or twice a year (see package for the rate of use). Otherwise, fertilize according to a regular schedule when you water, prune out dead leaves and sections, and keep an eye out for pests. If you spot something moving, take a good picture and look up pests online or take the plant/photo back to your local garden center for help.

There literally is an indoor plant for just about every situation. Ask questions and do your homework before you head out shopping so you can make the best choice for yourself. Your inddors plants can bring you joy, a sense of calm and beauty, and cleaner indor air.

Do you have an indoor garden? If so, drop a comment about what your favorite, or oldest plants are, or who you got them from. Are you trying something new or have you had some complete failures (we all have!)? I’d love to hear about your indoor gardening experiences.

The Sacred Space of Home

October 6, 2021 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, Home, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Wellness & Mindset 2 Comments

This is the time of year that I find myself craving the sacred space of home. How about you? Even while the weather can not make up it’s mind which seasion it wants to be, my attention begins to turn inward. I’m happy for rainy cooler weather when I can stay inside, wrapped up with a blanket and a book, knitting and a movie or cooking in my kitchen.

Lets dive into cultivate the practice of creating the sacred space of home.

Each of us needs to define what makes a place home. I invite you to explore all of your senses.

How does home feel? Cool, warm, dry, soft, cozy, clear, cluttered, bohemian, calm, energetic, loving, nurturing etc…

What does home look like? Is it colorful, minimalist, bright and sunny, eclectic, sentimental?

What are the smells of home? Fresh, like baking or cooking, do you use aromatherapy, candles, what scents do you love?

What do you hear? Children playing, birds singing, trains, pets talking, traffic, sirens, the school nearby, filled with music, stop and notice.

What do you taste? Does home mean homecooked meals and nurturing food or are you happy to have coffee and grab something elsewhere.

Each of our senses invite us to explore what makes home meaningful for us.

Through the journey of our senses we come to notice the objects, the light, the people, the smells, the memories that we create and evoke when we cultivate home as a sacred space.

When our homes are overly cluttered, overflowing with so much stimulation that we begin to feel crowded out and confused, we need to re-connect with how we want our homes to feel. I invite you to take some time before the holiday season to get clear about what defines the sacred space of home for you. Spend some time clearing out or at least packing away what no longer feels sacred. Life can become so busy and overwhelmed with obligations, we frequently turn away or ignore things that no longer serve our lives.

The popular books The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy by Marie Kondo have become quite popular over the last several years. I personally think it is because Marie hit on this idea of sacred space and sacred objects in our home. She invites us to hold and gather our objects to determine if they “Spark Joy”. At the root of what she is cultivating is the process of reconnecting with our life as sacred!

The things we invite into our home and our lives should express who we truly want to be but so often we settle for less.

How sad is that? Having spent so much time in our homes over the past year and a half, have you created a sacred space for yourself and family? Have you cleared out clutter and celebrated the sacred through objects that have meaning? Special mementos and objects carry energy and I certainly want to be cultivating a practice of surrounding myself with what feels sacred, meaningful, has the least impact on our planet…things that are well designed and function beautifully!

What does Creating Sacred Space of Home mean for you?

Take some time to envision and intentionally edit out and create this space for yourself and your family to nurture you in everything you do.

I’m here to support you if your feeling overwhelmed, having a hard time envisioning your home as a sacred space or just need a fresh perspective and helping hands. If so, please let me know how I can help. We all deserve to feel supported and nurtured in our homes.