Want a cleaner home but feel too lazy to actually clean? These tips and tricks are sure to help you spruce up your living space – no hefty shopping list necessary.

Quick and Easy Organizing

First things first: find a spot for everything, and if you can’t find a spot for it then you might want to seriously consider doing away with it. A good rule of thumb is to place like items together (clothing, kitchen wares, office supplies, etc.) For those items that you haven’t used in ages (or over 6 months) it’s time to either toss them, sell them, or give them away to someone. This quick and easy organization will enhance the look of your home right away.

Have a Shoe Bin

Or a basket, if that’s more your style. Whether you have wall-to-wall carpeting, some throw rugs here and there, or hardwood floors, you and your houseguests are probably tracking in loads of dirt and other particles with your shoes. You can make your home so much cleaner by simply designating a shoe bin or basket right by the door. Shoe racks are another great option, if you can afford them. Keeping shoes in one central location reduces the chances of clogging your house with dirt and grime.

When in Doubt, Vacuum it Out

Your vacuum cleaner or hand-vac can be your best friend. By just giving your floors and stairs a simple go-over with your vacuum, you can instantly increase the cleanliness of your house. Plus, vacuuming can be done on tile, hardwood, and carpets, so virtually every room in the house can look brand-spanking new. You’ll love how easy this task is, and hand-vacs are a cinch. In fact, it’s kind of addicting after a while!

Be Proactive When Messes Occur

By having a pack of disinfecting wipes close at hand, you can attack spills and messes as they happen. This is a great idea if you’re the type of person who sees a mess and vows to “clean it up later.” No more of that! Disinfecting wipes allow you to instant tackle that spill or spot right away, so that it doesn’t linger and develop into an even bigger mess. This is an ideal solution when entertaining or cooking.

Be Careful Where You Dine

Thanks to TV dinners and Netflix, a lot of us have become accustomed to eating in our living rooms or bedrooms. This is even more tempting if you have a smaller home or apartment. Yet the best practice is to eat in the dining room or kitchen. Not only does it confine the food to one area (which can keep critters and pests away,) but it also encourages healthy eating habits (the television is a huge culprit for causing overeating.) Keep your food in one place and you’ll have let worries about sweeping away scraps or vacuuming up crumbs.

A kitchen is certainly the heart of a house which supplies all its residents with all their edible necessities and families tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Even though a kitchen is one of the most crucial places in a house, it’s also one of the most dangerous place since all the items and equipment you use there is hazardous if not handled properly which makes this place a peril for kids since they have no idea how to use any of that stop. The fact that a kitchen contains a lot of things that are dangerous for a child also make it harder to childproof. Although an adult should always be present to watch over any children that enter the kitchen, there are a few techniques and items that you can include in your shopping list that your kitchen is safe for children this reducing accident chances.

Being Precautious

As the industries say, there is no safety equipment as a careful worker. This also applies in the case of kitchens, how you organize and keep your stuff in the kitchen decides how perilous it can be for a kid. Leaving your appliances plugged in can be really hazardous for children are attracted to these kind of things. Ensure that any item that can cause a serious injury is out of your child’s reach, breakable and sharp objects especially. Also make sure you return these things to their place once you are done using them. Another thing you should be mindful about is not to leave things at the edge of your counter top of cabinets for the children might pull them and everything will come falling down.

Modifying Your Kitchen

Try to place your stove at a place where you kid can’t reach it and when you are cooking, use the rear plates of your stove so that the front plates are cold and even if a kid somehow reaches the, stays unharmed. Another tip is to remove the knobs of your stove when you aren’t cooking, most stoves come with easily removable knobs. Doing this ensures that your kid can’t turn the stove on in your absence. If you can’t remove your stove knobs, you can also procure stove knob caps. All the cleaning products like detergents and pesticides should be stored in higher cabinets or you should buy cabinet locks that thwart the child from gaining access to sharp objects like knife or dangerous chemicals. Don’t ever leave your dishwasher accessible to your children and make sure that your trashcan is always covered. Children put into their mouth whatever comes into their hands. Dispose of any broken plate or glass that might hurt your child and take it outside your house immediately.

No matter what season it is, your home certainly has flowers. If you’re tired of the same pots or have received a new flower as a gift and you don’t have an adequate pot for this graceful plant, we are willing as ever to share some great ideas with you. Some techniques may be a challenge for you and your creativity, but you will certainly enjoy the process of creating your personal artwork and seeing it as a final product. Let’s begin!

Things you need on your shopping list:

• Ceramic and/or plastic pots
• Colors (acrylics, watercolor, oils, ceramic pigments, markers)
• Pen and/or pencil, ink
• Decorative material (lace, satin ribbons, sparkles, copper wire)
• Glue

Feel free to make changes in the given ideas and decorating the pots. These are just tips that should help you in the steps of production and that will awaken your creativity. Good luck!

Shaded pots

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Choose a ceramic pot and prepare the ceramic pigments; buy them in the form of powder and later prepare them by putting them in water. There are numerous ceramic pigments and you can mix two or more to get the desired shadow. For this purpose, you’ll need to dissolve a single pigment in a bowl. Dip half of the ceramic pot in the bowl and hold for 2 minutes (or longer, if you want a darker shade). Remove the pot, dip in the pot again but this time lower and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat the step by keeping the pot in the color only for 5 seconds. Let dry and voilà! Your first DIY pot is ready for a new plant.

If possible, use white ceramic pots to get beautiful shades of the used color.

Copper wired pots

To make these interesting pots, you’ll need copper wire (take as much as you think you’ll use to wrap the entire pot) and miniature satin ribbons. When making or buying the ribbons, choose the color you prefer (if you’re not sure which color you want, we suggest you to combine leek-green shade with the natural color of copper; it will look unique and sophisticated)!
Take the pot and carefully wrap the wire around it by making concentric circles. Be careful not to leave a space between the coiled wire. If you don’t have precise hand or patience, ask someone to help you (don’t be ashamed, not every one of us is willing to devote their nerves to this).  To strengthen the wire, affix the start and the end of the same, before starting the winding and after making the last circle. Apply glue in several places and fix the ribbons to the copper wire. You can circle the ribbons around the central part of the pot or arrange them diagonally.

Colored pots

This is the easiest way of decorating pots. Choose colors, shades and release the artist hidden in your soul. Draw patterns or entire applications on the pots and color them. Enjoy your time!

You have probably heard of the worrying decline in bee populations throughout the world. These beautiful creatures play a vital role in the pollination of flowers, vegetables, nuts and fruit. Now you can play your part in helping to save the world’s bees by making your very own bee hotel. This will be a nesting place where solitary bees lay their eggs and the eggs develop into adult bees.

Building a bee hotel is surprisingly simple and easy. A basic one could be made in less than half an hour. You can buy some bee hotels, but don’t add one to your shopping list just yet. It is much cheaper and more satisfying to make your own.

Benefits of a bee hotel

Bees are needed to pollinate flowers. Having bees around will help your garden or balcony to look more vibrant and colourful, as the bees will help your flowers to reproduce. The bees that will stay in your bee hotel will be solitary bees. These do not live in hives. Solitary bees are very unlikely to sting as they will not be defending honey and are generally not aggressive.

Making a bee hotel can also be a fun thing to do with your kids. It’s a great way to get them to take an interest in nature and encourages them to go outside and be creative.

A very quick and easy bee hotel

If you are rushed for time then you can make a very basic bee hotel. All you need is some bamboo and an old juice carton (use one made from stiff cardboard with a waxy coating). Cut two opposite sides out of the carton. Saw the bamboo sticks into pieces so that they will fit and fill the carton with them. The bees can then make a home for themselves inside the hollow bamboo tubes. Alternatively, you can fill the juice carton with a wooden block and drill some holes of different sizes into the wood for the bees to use.

A bigger bee hotel

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If you have the time, it is well worth making something rather more substantial, which will last much longer and be more likely to encourage bees to breed.

A larger bee hotel will be able to host a wider variety of types and sizes of bee. Instead of a juice carton, start with a wooden box to create the shell of your hotel. Remove one side of the box and fill it with tunnels for the bees to shelter in. These tunnels can be made from a combination of different materials. Examples include individual bamboo sticks, blocks of wood into which you have drilled holes and bricks.

You may also use foam (the type used for flower arranging) with holes punched into it. If using foam you don’t have to make the tunnels too wide as the bees can mould them out to their own preference. Perhaps add some pine cones behind some mesh wire for variety.
If you want a more natural look you can even make your simply hotel by drilling holes in a log.

Where to position the bee hotel

Place the bee hotel in a sunny, dry area in your garden or on your balcony. Ideally the hotel should face south or south-east. Make sure that there are brightly colored flowers or blossoming trees nearby. The hotel should be firmly attached so that it does not sway in the wind. Now sit back and enjoy watching the wildlife!

When it comes to spring cleaning, most of us would rather put it off until…whenever. But with just a simple shopping list and these great do-it-yourself techniques, you can quickly and easily clean up those everyday items that you use all the time but never actually clean. Yet if you learned just how dirty these common household items are, you would turn into Cinderella in a heartbeat. Here is how to have a spotless cell phone, keyboard, and more!

Cell Phone

Since many cell phones now have touchscreens, they are a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Sticky fingers and constant use tend to produce a lot more bacteria than we would bargain for. It is best to do this simple cleaning routine once a week.

Materials:

• Water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Cotton swab or cloth

Instructions:

1. Combine 3 parts water to 2 parts rubbing alcohol (which is available at your local drugstore.) Stir the mixture thoroughly.
2. Use a cotton swab or cloth and dip it into the mixture. You don’t want to completely wet it; just dampen it.
3. Gently rub the cotton swab or cloth over your cell phone to get rid of dried-up gunk and bacteria.

Keyboard

Did you know that the average toilet seat is 5 times cleaner than a typical keyboard? That’s disgusting! Get to this cleaning hack pronto! Do this as often as you like, or at least every month.

Materials:

• Disinfecting wipes
• Compressed air
• Cotton swabs

Instructions:

1. First, remove any batteries or wires from your keyboard.
2. Use the compressed air to spray in between the keys to dislodge any crumbs or particles.
3. Use the disinfecting wipes to cleanse the entire keyboard.
4. The cotton swab can be used to get into any crevices afterwards.

Earbuds

Yay, sweat and bacteria! Before you quit the gym for good, try this method out. To ensure that you don’t continually clog your ears with earwax, do this cleaning treatment once a month.

Materials:

• Water
• Dish soap
• Cloth

Instructions:

1. Mix together a bit of water and liquid dish soap; stir thoroughly.
2. Take the corner of a cloth and dampen it in the mixture. Rub the earbuds and let dry.

TV Remote

A whopping 30% of TV remotes are harbouring the cold and flu virus. Since everyone handles the remote (and probably eats on the sofa as well,) this is a cleaning job you should do every single week.

Materials:

• Compressed air
• Cloth or cotton swab
• Water
• Liquid dishwashing detergent

Instructions:

1. First, spray the compressed air into the tiny spaces in the TV remote control.
2. Mix equal parts water and dish soap and stir thoroughly.
3. Dip a corner of the cloth (or one end of the cotton swab) into the solution and gently wipe down the remote. Let air dry.

A wedding is certainly one of the most important and joyous occasion in one’s life which brings a union that lasts for a lifetime. It’s the time to celebrate the bond and wish the couple a happy journey. When one receives an invitation or hears the news about a wedding that will take place soon, the excitement and joy that flows in is followed by a worry of picking a good wedding gift.

Everyone wants to gift the couple something that will not only express love but also be useful in daily life but foraging for a gift like that can sometimes become a hectic task requiring a lot of thinking a research but there are certain things that everyone needs, especially when they are starting a new life and setting up a new house. Kitchen is one of those places which is filled with things that are crucial to daily life and are certainly appreciated as gifts on weddings. Here are a few ideas that you can include in your shopping list if you intend to get a wedding gift for someone.

Dish Sets or Cookware

Everyone requires dishes to eat in or cookware to cook in which is what makes these an amazing wedding gift. These might seem insignificant to some people but if you pick out a good dish set or cookware, it’ll last for a long time and the family will be more than grateful to you.

Microwave Oven

A microwave oven is one of those appliances that we find in every kitchen and it’s the necessity of owning a microwave that makes it an eloquent gift for the newlyweds. Even if the apartment/house of the couple came with a microwave, there is a substantial chance that unit is outdated. Just be careful what you go for, you need to choose the color of the oven according to the paint in their kitchen so that its presence compliments the kitchen.

Food Processor

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If you are feeling out of choices or that someone else has deprived you of your choices by buying the other good gifts before you, you can always opt for a food processor because people are ignorant of this great appliance’s potential as a wedding gift. Especially if a person likes to cook because for them, it’s like their very own ultimate weapon and their prized trophy. It can perform diverse functions like grating, grinding, whipping and kneading.

Slow Cooker

Once you are married, eating and cooking becomes a consolidated part of life which requires hours sometimes and that’s where a slow cooker comes into the scenario. It can help the newlyweds save a lot of time and enjoy great meals as well.

As well as looking beautiful and creating a relaxing ambience in your home, it now seems that there are health benefits to be derived from keeping houseplants! Let’s take a look at some of the surprising ways in which houseplants can protect you and your family’s health. We also give some handy tips on how to keep your houseplants alive and well.

The health claims

• Various scientific studies, including one by the space agency NASA, have found significant health benefits in having plants inside the house. Perhaps the most obvious benefit of having plants is simply the cleaner air. During the daytime plants do the opposite of us; they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. This increases our brain’s ability to function, including improvements to our attention span and creativity.
• Plants also release water into the air. They ensure that the humidity is not too low, but also not too high. The right level of humidity is known to be beneficial to our health and for this reason having house plants has been found to reduce problems such as dry skin, flu, and colds.
• Another benefit of having plants about the house is that they are very effective at absorbing dangerous chemicals known as VOCs – volatile organic compounds. These can be released by things such as paint, cigarette smoke, cleaning products and fragrances and have been linked to respiratory problems and even some types of cancer. However, these chemicals are found at much lower levels in houses that have significant amounts of houseplants.
• The benefits are also psychological with studies often finding that plants simply make people feel happier and more relaxed.

Which plants are the most useful?

Pretty well any plant is likely to help improve the air quality in your home. The following plants have been shown to help with air quality and might be good plants to add to your shopping list:

• Peace Lily
• Spider Plants
• Areca Palm
• Bamboo Palm
• Baby Rubber Plant
• Boston Fern
• Aloe Vera
• English Ivy and Weeping Fig (both toxic so best avoided if you have cats, dogs or small infants)
• Lilyturf
• Dwarf Date Palm

How to care for your plants

It is important to remember that plants need both light and water. They should be placed in a position that receives a lot of sunlight such as on a windowsill. Generally, it is best to give plants water that is at room temperature. If using tap water it is best to let the tap water sit overnight so that fluoride and other minerals will settle. Best of all, collect rain water to water your plants with.

Plants with furry leaves should generally be watered from below to avoid damage to the leaves, but most plants can be watered from above. Most plants will also benefit from being sprayed with water once in a while. You should regularly wipe large leaves with a damp cloth. Keeping the surface of the leaves dust-free helps the plant to absorb toxins. Keep the plants well composted with organic fertiliser.

With just a little bit of love you can keep your plants alive and healthy- and they will do the same for you!

You know, we can really tell a lot about how a person takes care of their home by visiting their powder room. And we’re not talking about the interior design or the size of this private room. We mean cleanliness. If you have been shirking your bathroom-cleaning duties, fret no more. We have some awesome cleaning tricks for your powder room. No expensive shopping list required here, just some set-aside time, good old-fashioned effort, and your creativity.

Soap Scum Vanishes with Vinegar

Who would’ve thought that this simple plastic bag hack would work such wonders? Use this trick to get all of the built-up gunk out of your shower head. Who wants to take a shower when there is soap scum and other debris encrusted in there? Here’s what you can do: simply grab a plastic bag (try for a large, freezer-sized one), fill it with vinegar, and tie it around the shower head so that the entire shower head it submerged in the vinegar. Leave it there for 30-60 minutes and…ta-da!

Kick Grime to the Curb with “Canned Air”

As crazy as it sounds, “canned air” really does exist, and you can find it in home improvement stores (such as Home Depot or Lowe’s.) This is a great solution for a dirty bathroom fan when you don’t want to take too much time out of your schedule. Simply spray that canned air right into the fan to dislodge dust bunnies, lint, and other particles.

Handle a Hairy Situation with a Drain Snake

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Another handy little cleaning gadget is a drain snake, which can slither down your bathtub or sink drain and pick up everything that is clogging the pipes. You may end up pulling out some pretty nasty stuff, but it will be worth it, because your bathroom will look better, smell better, and clogged drains will be a thing of the past.

Scrub Away Septic Tank Stains with Denture Tablets

Just don’t steal the tablets from grandma or grandpa. This cool tip is awesome, because all you have to do is place a couple of denture-cleaning tablets into your toilet’s septic tank and you’re finished! No more gross stains in there.

Rid Your Counters of Rust Stains with Cream of Tartar

Head to your kitchen for some cream of tartar, which you can apply with a toothbrush to get those rust stains off of your sinks and counters. Just use a small, circular scrubbing motion and then wipe clean. Discard the toothbrush when you’re done, and that’s it!

Get Granite Looking Great with a Do-It-Yourself Solution

Just a simple combination of two cups of water, ¼ cup of alcohol, and 6 drops of liquid dishwashing soap with clear away any goo and debris from your granite countertops. It is best to put this homemade solution in a spray bottle, for easy application.