Spring Cleaning: It's a Start


by Mama B

Spring may not officially be here for another 11 days, but I could not put off getting started on my spring cleaning any longer. I had great plans for this event but, unfortunately the weather has NOT cooperated and changes had to be made. Usually, I can go with the flow, so to speak, however this kind of messed me up for some reason this year. I put off starting on my plans because snow ,that doesn't visit us this time of year, extended it's vacation and threw me (and many others) off balance. Yesterday, we woke up to NO SNOW!!! It was all gone! Yay!!!! Of course, it was pouring down rain, but we live in a temperate rainforest and rain hardly deters any of us Islanders anymore. So, I got all excited and decided to begin on my plans with some minor adjustments. Instead of starting with my outside entryway, I did the downstairs powder room, which, of course, led into the upstairs bathroom.

I did all the usual deep cleaning things that I won't go into detail about, and got into what I really love - the fun stuff- the accessorizing of said rooms. If you have followed us from the beginning of our Two Hens adventure, you may remember that I did a total clean out and organization of these rooms last year. So, there is no need for any major organizing, just some tweaking here and there. It was a bummer, actually. I was hoping for some kind of spark or maybe an apopolyptic, earth shattering shakeup that would be the inspiration I am seeking to carry me on my path to minimalizing my household stuff. Well, that didn't happen exactly in that way. 

Our budget doesn't allow for those kinds of changes, and I don't really need anything for the bathrooms this year, anyways. What I did do was change a couple of things around. Last year, I bought four collage type photo frames from the dollar store. I put photos in them and hung two frames in each bathroom. The powder room got flower photos and the upstairs got seashells, all photos taken by yours truly. This added a bit of a personal touch to the artwork. I just switched the frames around this year. So now the seashells are downstairs and the flowers are upstairs. I was pleasantly surprised at the freshness this one little move made. I think it has to do with the colours in the photos. 

I am a bit of a hoarder ( okay....I am more than a bit of a hoarder), and I found things like make-up that I don't use, hair thingies that I won't be needing because I changed my hairstyle, bottles of expensive nailpolish that can no longer be opened, and how many hairbrushes do I really need?

 A trip to the dollarstore for a couple new containers and maybe some new paint for my little set of shelves will be all that is needed to spruce up the powder room. A new shower curtain for the bathroom, and maybe a whimsical set of shower curtain rings to add some spunk to the already organized and spring-cleaned room.

Before I forget, one of my new finds at the dollarstore was a couple of owl candleholders in the garden section. I think they are intended for patio use, but they look so cute on the back of the toilet!!! So think outside the box, my friends. Recycle, reuse, repurpose!

One of my favorite cleaners is the great old standby of vinegar and water with a squirt of blue Dawn dishsoap!!

Here's the recipe I use:

2 cups water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tsp blue Dawn dishsoap
1 tsp baking soda

Mix it all together in a spray bottle. Spray surface and wipe clean with a cloth. 

​I have been using this for years. One of my friends, who did housecleaning for others, used this in her job. It's great!!