Ok, I like having a way to organize my posts… All of my cleaning posts will now be under the label “Keep It Clean”.  Just thought I’d throw you a heads up on the new label.

So, does washing your dishwasher sound a little redundant?  In order to keep your dishwasher running well, it’s a good idea to clean it every so often.  I have spent the last few days washing, almost literally, every dish we own BY HAND.  A year in storage left a layer of dirt and bleh on them.  At this very moment, I HATE washing dishes!  We finally got hot water yesterday so at least now I can finish things up with the dishwasher.  Boy, have I come to appreciate the dishwasher!  Which got me thinking I better make sure I take care of it.  Here’s what Mrs. Clean has this to say about cleaning your dishwasher:

We don’t always take the time to scrape and rinse food from plates and bowls before putting them into the dishwasher. Tiny bits of food, grease and soap scum cling together and are deposited in corners of the dishwasher and in crevices around the door. After a time, they can accumulate significantly and become a problem with appearance and odor.

Eww.  Right?  It’s easy to clean your dishwasher and will be a great thing in the long run.  Plus, your house will smell better.

 

Here’s the How:

1)  You can clean the outside of your dishwasher with hot, soapy water and a sponge or dish rag.  Use a toothbrush or cotton swabs to clean around the dials, buttons, knobs, hinges and other small and hard to reach spots.  You’ll be surprised how much gunk gathers there.

2)  Scrub down the inside of the door with a mild abrasive.  Baking soda, anyone?  Gently pull the rubber seal back and clean under there with your toothbrush.  A lot of times, that is where the odor is coming from.  Use your toothbrush again on the soap dispenser and the “Jet Dry” compartment.  Just clean the outside of the compartment.  Use some soapy water to clean the hinges and bottom of the door.  You may need an abrasive pad or your toothbrush for that.

3)  Take the bottom rack out and set it aside.  Although out of reach of curious toddlers that want to ride it…  Check around the drain for things that may clog it or become flying projectiles when you turn the machine  on.  Your dishes are more likely to scratch, chip or break if there is something more than water being thrown at them.  Wipe around the drain with your sponge and soapy water.  Check the rest of the inside for an visible food remnants and remove them.

4)  If you don’t routinely run vinegar through your machine, now is the time to do it.  I fill the “Jet Dry” compartment with vinegar every couple weeks.  I’ve tried Jet Dry and the vinegar does a better job.  Plus, it’s waay cheaper.  If you have hard water, this will help keep your dishes clear and get rid of that filmy layer.  Also, if dish washing soap (like Dawn or Joy) gets put in the dishwasher use vinegar to eat the mountain of bubbles that will be created.  Just pour some in the bottom of the dishwasher, let it run for a couple minutes and check on it.  If there are still bubbles, add some more vinegar and repeat until they are gone.  Ok, if you don’t use vinegar routinely, fill a cup (dishwasher safe) with it and set the cup in the top rack of the dishwasher, standing upright.  If you don’t have vinegar, you can use baking soda.  Sprinkle it lightly around the drain on the bottom of the dishwasher.  Run your dishwasher through a cycle on the hottest setting possible.  Except for your cup of vinegar, the dishwasher should be empty.

Not too hard, and after you do it a time or two, you’ll be able to clean your dishwasher in just a few minutes, ok like maybe twenty minutes.  I only clean our dishwasher maybe once a month or two.  It will help your appliance last longer and keep your home smelling better.  Which, since our kitchen is right inside our front door, is important.  Who wants people to walk into their house and think “yuck, it kinda stinks in here?”  NOT ME! 

 

I also found this at Mrs. Clean:

Gel Detergents

Mrs. Clean, Inc., does not recommend gel detergents! There are several reasons why.

1. Gels typically contain bleach – primarily chlorine bleach – which causes rubber seals to break down and leak.
2. Gels often leave a whitish or cloudy film on glassware.
3. Gels tend to stick to the inside surface of the dishwasher, never really being rinsed off.
4. Gels are intentionally thick so that they stick inside the soap cup and don’t run immediately into the bottom of the dishwasher. Therefore, they leave a sticky residue inside the soap dispenser, actually cause it to clog and not open during the timed sequence.
5. Gels are not effective in hard water – and almost always leave spots.

Ok, so I didn’t know all that… Maybe you didn’t either?  Oh, please tell me I’m not the only one.  I just bought a bottle of the gel stuff, because it was the cheapest option and I’d already spent way more money than I wanted to that day, but we will probably be sticking with powder from here on out.  My Mr Right prefers it anyway.

 

Happy Cleaning!

Krista

Ok, so I am pleased with the way this turned out.  Even if some of it looks like a three-year old did it.  Give me a break though, Most of it came together by the light of my cell phone.  Yes, while Little Monkey and I were trapped in the hotel room on the business trip we accompanied My Mr Right on, I had to craft with my cell phone display light while Little Monkey napped.  That’s hard core crafting right there.  If I wasn’t holding the glue gun with one hand and the jute with the other, I’d have taken a picture.  Because words don’t describe the ridiculosity (yes, I know that’s not a word).

Anywho, here’s the finished product… in the light even.  =]

My ABSOLUTE favorite part of this project: it cost less than $5.
Here’s the How:
1)  I found a set of three little terra cotta pots and a set of 4 glass bowls at the Dollar Tree.  At the time, I wasn’t really sure what to do with them, but thought I could figure something out.  On a different trip to said Dollar Tree, I also found some glittered eggs with ribbons attached to the bottoms.  At first thought, they were going on an egg tree I had in my brain.  Then, I started seeing them all over blogland and wanted something a little more original, so they were put on hold til a better idea hit me.  I had the jute on hand, as well as the glue gun and glue sticks.

2)  Turn the pot upside down and glue the bottom of the bowl to the bottom of the pot.  You may want to set the pot on a level surface first, not all of my pots sat flat.  You could use E6000 or Loctite glue for this, but I was in a hotel room after all.  They don’t have glue in their complimentary toiletries.

3)  Then, I glued the end of the jute to the bowl and started gluing and wrapping my way up the bowl.  This was rather tedious, although it took less time than I originally thought it would.  Also, it would have been easier if I’d had the light on.  Just sayin.

4)  When you get to the top of the bowl, lay down a layer on the lip of the bowl and then start working your way back down the inside of the bowl.  This was, by far the hardest part.  Mostly because my jute hit the top of the bowl at different times (I’m sure a much more experienced crafter could probably have laid the jute on there flat, but things have more… ‘character’ when it looks like a three year old did it, right?)

5)  Keep winding all the way down the inside of the bowl and secure with glue in the middle.  To clean it up a bit, I used an exacto knife to carve down any of the hot glue that seeped out from under the jute.

6)  Pull the ribbons off of the eggs, carefully.  Set them in the bowl, er, nest.  Wonder if you like the brightly colored eggs in the very naturally colored terra cotta nest.  Decide that you think you do.  Maybe.  Or maybe you’ll change them when you get home.  Decide it doesn’t matter at this point, and take pictures.

 
The last step is optional… Enjoy!  If you make one, I would love to see it! 

Krista

Ok, so when I was constructing the new nav bar I added a category called “For The Momma”.  Then, I had to come up with things that Momma’s might like to read about.  I thought about the things I enjoy, my guilty pleasures, if you will, and added those sections.  If you have topics you’d like to learn more about (or do a guest post on!), please let me know.  I know that we all have different interests, but the only ones I could think of were my own.  So, any suggestions are welcome. 

With that being said, I wasn’t sure where to start.  I did a little research and just ended up overwhelmed.  I decided to scale back, WAAY back, to the very basics.  To the make up bag.  Or basket.  Or drawer, as is my case.  Ok, confession: I keep my basics in a drawer.  But, I also have my “fancy” stuff.  Mostly, it’s my more eccentric colored shadows and liners.  Most of it, I should probably throw out, but remember my pack rat confession?  It’s a weakness.

 
Ok, rule of thumb:  If you have not used it in a year, throw it out.  If you can’t remember the last time you used it… throw it out.  A year is a long time for something to sit around, cluttering up your space.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a lot of extra space.  If you don’t use it, you don’t need to store it.  Throw it out.

Another rule:  If it has a wand, (mascara and liquid liners especially) throw it out after six months.  Three months is better, but I stretch it to six.  Make up is expensive!

Ok, now go grab your make up bag… I’ll wait.  ………………………………………………  Ok, now dump it out.  Just turn it over and dump the whole thing into a big pile on the floor (or kitchen table, whatever).  Now, separate your bag into categories: Eye shadows, liners, mascaras, lip sticks and gloss, blush, powder, foundation, bronzers, brushes and any other categories your supplies fall into.

Pick a pile, any pile and I’ll tell you what to do.  Ok, back to business.  Go through each piece in the pile.  Pick up each piece and ask yourself:
– When did I last use this?  If the answer is “Within the last year”, go to the next question.
– How old is this?  If it’s older than a year, toss it.  If it has a wand and is older than 6 months, toss it.  Don’t think twice about it.  Just do it.  If it doesn’t get tossed, move to the next question.
– Ask yourself “When will I use this next?”  If you can reasonably give an answer, put it back in your bag.  If you really have to think hard about the next time you might, just might,  use it… Throw it out. 

 
Go through the rest of the pile the same way, asking the same questions.  Then repeat with the remaining piles.  Take your trash bag out to the dumpster or trash can.  Remove temptation to put anything back in your stash.  If you find yourself missing something, go ahead and buy it again.  If you miss it, then you probably do use it. 

Most people only need the basics for their daily routine:  Foundation or powder, and mascara.  You could ‘get by’ with those supplies.  Eye shadow, blush, bronzer, lip color…. those are all nice, but you don’t need seventeen different shades of rose.  Sometimes, simplicity really is the best option.  You want to look put together, grown-up and professional.  Find out your best colors and stick with them!  They won’t betray you.

Awww, now doesn’t that feel better?

Krista

My sister turned eighteen at the end of February and one of my 101 in 1001 goals is to make all of our gifts this year.  Unless unavoidable.  Yes, I included a loop hole.  So, even though I ended up making this on her birthday, she got a handmade gift.  It was pretty frugal and has held up well.  Good combo, if you ask me.

Here’s the How:
1)  You will need a foam board, scrapbook paper, thumb tacks or push pins, ribbon to coordinate and your hot glue gun.  I got my foam board at the Dollar Store, however, it’s not as thick as ones you get at Jo-Ann, Michael’s or even Wal-mart.  I was going to put two of them together to make it thicker, but my sister told me not to.  Since it was hers, I didn’t.  You could though.

2)  Start by measuring your board.  Mine was 25”x30”, I think.  This was a month ago, after all.  If you want it smaller, cut it now.  TIP:  Cut it to a dimension with a common multiple.  Ok, I’m not a math whiz and probably just sounded like a moron.  What I mean is, if you cut 5”x5” squares of paper, they will fit perfect on your 25”x30” board.  Does that make sense?

3)  Cut your scrapbook paper into squares (or rectangles or triangles or whatever your little heart desires).  I did 5X5” squares.  I used tacky glue to glue these down in a random, patch-work pattern.

4)  Then take your ribbon and glue it diagonally across the board on the ends only.  Don’t glue in the middle of the ribbon.  Repeat, across the other diagonal too.  I wove my ribbons a little to make them look a little more fluid.

 
5)  Take your push pins or thumb tacks and put a little hot glue on the ends (the pointy ones).  Push them through where the ribbons cross.  My pins poked through the back of the board, so I cut them off and put a little hot glue over the holes.  If you cut the points off, please be careful…  That’s all I’m saying.  Oh, and it’s not an AWESOME craft if you don’t get a scar from it, right?!  Ugh.  Blood blisters are obnoxious.
6)  I left the bottom row of pins sticking out further so my sister could hang necklaces on them. 
7)  Attach ribbon to the back of the board to hang it on the wall.

TA-DA!  All Done!  Now, this thing won’t hold a ton of weight, but so far it’s help up everything my sister has put on it.  I did end up going back and super gluing the bottom row of pins in.  Little Monkey thought it was funny to rip them out.  Haha, not so funny for momma. =[  Boys!  Or toddlers!

By now I’m sure you’ve all heard about the tragic events that occurred last weekend in Japan.  When events like this occur, I can’t help but wonder, what would I do if something like this happened?  Would my family have what they needed to survive?  Sadly, right now, the answer is ‘no’.  Not my little family anyway.  My parents made up 72 hour kits when I was little and I think they are still in the garage.  So, the clothes might not fit and the food may be less than fresh, but they probably wouldn’t die of starvation.  Better off than my little family that has nada!  But, I’m going to remedy that.  Do you need to do a little remedying yourself?  Let’s do this together, yeah?

Here’s the How:
So, I looked at several 72 hour kit lists, they were all slightly different, but pretty much the same.  There are about 7 categories of things you will need to gather.  Each person in your family should have a 3 day supply (3 days=72 hours) of the things from each category.  If you have a large family (Like more than 3 people), this could be a little daunting.  But, it will be worth it when you have food to eat and everyone else is starving.  If you need to, gather things slowly, even over several months, and start putting your kits together in stages as your budget, time, or whatever allow.

FOOD & WATER –
Each person will need three days supply of food and water.  Think of things that are easy and require little to no preparation.  You may not have electricity or gas when you need to use this kit, therefore, cooking becomes more difficult.
Ideas-
Granola Bars
Trail Mix & Dried Fruit
Crackers & Dry Cereals for snacking
Canned Goods (tuna, beans, turkey, beef, Vienna sausages, corn, carrots, ect).  Pop-top cans may seem like a great idea, but when we cleaned out my parents kits a few months ago, some of the pop-tops were no longer sealed and made a huge sticky mess all over the inside of the bag.  Just buy a cheap can opener instead and throw it in with everything else.  Better safe than sticky, right?
Canned Juice (if you rotate your 72 hour kit supplies like you’re supposed to, bottled juice would be okay too).
Candy and gum (Jolly Ranchers can melt and mint gum can make everything else taste like mint).
Water (1 gallon/day)

BEDDING & CLOTHING
Every member of your family will need the following:
Change of clothes (1 or 2 pairs)
Underwear (3 pairs)
Rain Poncho
Blankets and Emergency Heat Blankets
Flat cloth sheet (size is up to you)
Plastic sheet (the thicker the plastic the better)
 
SUPPLIES
Each person will need the following (ok, obviously your two year old isn’t going to need matches, but having extras around can’t hurt):
Flashlights, lanterns, lamps or headlamps
Batteries for each of the above
Flares
Candles
Butane Lighters
Water-proof Matches
Dishes & Utensils (Camping sets are great, they tend to be a little more sturdy than your standard plastic dish set).
Pen & Paper (Younger children can be kept entertained with it, so be sure to put some in their kits too).
Pocket Knife
Rope
Duct Tape

FAMILY SUPPLIES
In most cases, one set of these things will be sufficient.  There is always the possibility of your family getting separated in a disaster, so each person having their own is not a bad idea either.
Dish Soap (I suggest storing this in a zippy bag, in case of spills).
Can Opener
Radio with Batteries
Axe
Shovel

PERSONAL ITEMS
Each person will need:
First Aid Kit (I wrote up a separate post with items to include in your first aid kits, as there are quite a few suggestions)
Toiletries (toilet paper, feminine hygiene, hair brush, tooth brush and paste, wet wipes to wash off with, soap, shampoo, hand sanitizer, ect.  Scented items may ‘flavor’ some food items).
Immunization Record
Over-the-Counter Medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Motrin, children’s medication, teething gel, ect).
Prescription Medication (enough for at least 3 days)
Diapers and Other Infant Needs Items (if applicable)

DOCUMENTATION & MONEY
Place these items in a water-proof pouch for protection.
Legal Documents (I will actually make copies of these to store in our kits.  I have to refer to the original documents more often than I want to have to dig into the 72 hour kits.  I may regret this later, but I guess I’ll cross that bridge if I ever come to it.  Knock on wood!)
Vaccination Papers
Insurance Policies
Cash
Emergency Credit Cards
Pre-paid Phone Cards
Other Personal or Important Documentation (Citizenship papers, if applicable.  Military documentation, religious documents, personal & family history records, ect).

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR 72 HOUR KITS
Kits should be updated every six months.  Some people schedule this into their calendars so they don’t forget.  Make sure all the food, medication, water and first aid kit supplies have not expired.  Check clothing sizes.  It would be awful to be 6 months pregnant and only have your skinny clothes available.  Or your 7 year old daughter in 3T sizes.  Make sure the documents (immunization records especially) are up-to-date.  Check for corrosion in flashlights, lanterns, the radio, and on your batteries.
It will be helpful if you have some things to entertain and comfort your children with in an emergency situation.  Small toys/games would be a good addition.
While gathering supplies, put your older family members to work.  They can gather their own supplies and you can check to make sure they didn’t miss anything.  This way they will know (at least, they should) what is in their kit.
Package anything that might leak, drip, spill, melt, or pass a flavor to other items in a zippy bag.  Beef jerky, mint gums and Jolly Ranchers are some that I came across as being problematic.

DISCLAIMER:  I have not put my own kits together recently, but I have put kits together before.  Most of this information came from {HERE}.  It is an about.com page under the category Latter-Day Saints.  This information is still pertinent, even if you are not a member of the LDS Church, although it is directed at those that are member.  If you visit this site, please be respectful. 

ALSO, I have never been in a situation where I needed to use a 72 hour kit, so I can’t say “I wish I would have had…”  If you have experienced using a 72 hour kit and have other suggestions, please leave them in the comments.

P.S. I didn’t visually cite the sources for the photos, but if you click the photo it will take you to the source.

Krista