Another Monday List

1. Jackpot. An entire list of pumpkin recipes that are all low-fat and healthy. Click here to feel like you've won the lottery. I'm most excited about the Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Yogurt Cupcakes.

 

2. Apple season is just starting up and I am excited to hopefully do some canning this week! I'll keep you updated.

 

3. Free advice: keep one dish sponge in your dishwasher and one to use in the sink. Every time you run your dishwasher, switch them out as you unload your dishes. That way your sponges stay as germ-free as possible. And when one starts to bite the dust, switch it out with a new one!

 

4. Staying on the cleaning topic, after washing and drying your towels (bath, kitchen, etc.), and are putting them away, put them on the bottom of the stack in the closet or drawer. So, you are pulling your towels from the top of the pile and replacing the recently washed ones on the bottom. That way you aren't using the same few towels over and over again and wearing them out. I heard this from Martha (Stewart, if you aren't on a first name basis like we are) once.

 

5. I can't stop perusing Etsy for little girl headbands. How are there so many cute options? But what if I buy newborn size and she's born with a massive head (like my husband keeps telling me that he had) and none of them fit? These are the things that keep me up at night. Oh, and my top-heavy, kool-aid man-esque self (see photo for example).

 

via

 

Oh yaaaaaa (said like the kool-aid man, of course),

Laura

Grandma's Spot Remover

I really dislike it when I ruin a shirt because of a stain. Good intro, I know.

If I'm cooking and some oil, grease or anything lands on my clothes, I immediately regret it.

Well, the kind ladies at Hobby Lobby introduced me to Grandma's Spot Remover and it is my go-to stain remover! I've used it to get rid of oil splatters, blood, sweat marks and wine. This stuff is like liquid spot remover gold. I use it on our sheets and pillowcases, too (anyone else get mascara on their pillowcases sometimes?).





You can find this little gem at the checkout lane at Hobby Lobby!

Grandma knows what she's talking about!
Laura

Cleaning Time

Maybe it's nesting or maybe I just need a schedule to keep me from getting stressed out but I am loving all these cleaning tips and ideas. Now I just have to incorporate them and not just blog about them...oh, life.

Shower Cleaner

Keep this in your shower filled with half vinegar, half dish washing soap. Clean while you are showering and it will always be sparkly! Genius!

Dry Erase Cleaning Checklist

Surprising Uses for your Dishwasher

Manageable Cleaning Calendar

Let's do this!

Laura



Nightlight Wallflower

Have y'all seen these?





Nightlight Wallflowers from Bath and Body Works!

My grandma brought me some and I love them. We all know that Bath and Body Works has the best smelling scent options (not to mention they have about 746 options...) and the nightlight is a bonus! Even better, the light turns off when you have the room light on and flips on once you turn off the lights in the room.

It's so smart.

Check them out in store or online here!

Bath and Body Works is so technologically advanced,
Laura

Another Monday List

1. I feel like an 80 year old woman trapped in a 26 year old woman's body...with a 6 month old fetus inside of that. What I'm trying to say is- my back hurts. Sweet Charlotte is just pushing back there and it does not feel wonderful. Whew.

2. I have a lot of recipes brewing in my head that contain popcorn, pretzels, avocado, marshmallows, black beans, orzo and m&m's...not all together. Now, if I could only find some time to play around in the kitchen!

3. Another thing I'm trying to find some time for is to deodorize our mattresses using this method! Must be part of that whole nesting thing...

4. I can't stop drinking this smoothie! I think I need an intervention.

5. Thanks to your advice- I am going to go ahead with the DIY embroidery hoops! I'm on the fabric hunt now!

via

Basically, what this post has made me realize is that I have lots of things I want to do and not a lot of time...thanks, guys.

Anybody want to come over to help cook/DIY/clean mattresses?

Laura

I really love my...{knife holder}

(see here for all previous posts in the I really love my... series!)

I don't know if you heard, but we just moved. (Please note the sarcasm; we all know I can't stop talking about it.)

Anyways, when we moved out of our rental house, I didn't want to take my magnetic knife rack down from the wall because I knew the massive holes in the wall probably wouldn't go over too well with the landlord. So, instead, I chose to appear as the gracious ex-tenant and leave this on the wall. Saintly, I know.

Now that we are in our new house (it's OUR house! Eeek!!) I have been looking for a new knife holder but really didn't have a place in our kitchen that I loved to hang a magnetic rack. When I was shopping at the Container Store the other day, I stumbled upon this gem and haven't looked back since!

It's a bamboo knife holder that fits in your drawer and safely holds all your knifes without dulling the blades.

The flexible cork-like material easily separates to accommodate multiple knifes of all different sizes.

Here it is in our drawer. This takes up half the drawer with lots of room on the side for other really important kitchen utensils. They also make a deluxe knife holder that is double this size if you're really a knife junkie or just love to have options when cutting your onions. To each his own, you know?

To say that I am pleased with this purchase would be an understatement!



You can get this little beaut online or in stores at The Container Store!

Off to stare at my cork and bamboo obsession,

Laura



The Laundry Method

I love laundry. I'm being serious. I really, really love doing laundry.

It's a task that can easily and quickly be completed from beginning to end.

And I love that.

I wanted to share my favorite laundry product with you, Method Laundry Detergent from Target.

Method is a plant-based detergent using 95% natural and renewable ingredients in an eco-friendly bottle. I like being able to use the same detergent for sheets, towels, delicates and our normal laundry.

And the best part is the pump top! It is super simple to pump 3-5 squirts, depending on the size load, into the washer and let it go!

To make things better, when you run out, you can buy a refill pack that pours right into your original bottle! So great for our Earth!

Saving our environment one load of laundry at a time,

Laura

I really love my...{simplehuman soap dispenser}

(see here for all previous posts in the I really love my... series!)

I really love my simplehuman Soap Dispenser! My grandparents (Hi, grandma and grandpa!) gave us this soap dispenser for Christmas a few years ago and it's wonderful!

It has a sensor by the top that dispenses the perfect amount of soap without touching the dispenser. This is great for the kitchen when your hands are covered in raw meat, onion, or who knows what else!



The clear back makes it easy to know when to refill and there are 4 options for the amount of soap that is dispensed. You can buy this germ-a-phobe friendly dispenser at Bed Bath & Beyond or lots of places online!

Nobody likes raw chicken all over the place,

Laura

Great Ideas

I love ideas that are simple to implement and make my life more organized. I love even more when other people think of them and I get to reap the benefits of an organized home!

Check out these creative and easy ideas...

Use Toilet Paper Roll for Wrapping Paper

Shower Cap for shoes in your suitcase

Paper Clip Dispenser as Bobby Pin Holder

Tension Rod to Hang Spray Bottles

Colander as Ice Bucket

(hmm...the mini-colander would be perfect for this!)

Swinging Pant Hanger to Hold Ribbon

Dry Erase Marker as a Reminder of What Not To Dry

People are so creative! 

Off to organize,

Laura

Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away Now

Stuff.
Everywhere.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all our "stuff"?

The hubster and I set up this "donation station" in our closet that has really made me feel organized about all that extra stuff!

We keep this box out in our closet and whenever we are getting ready and find some clothes that don't fit or we just don't wear anymore (side note: aren't we blessed to have clothes that we just don't wear anymore?!) we toss them in the box!

This goes for any place in the house- old books, movies, etc. - it all goes to the donation station. Once it is full, like it just was in this picture, I bag it up and take it to our local Goodwill!

It is so nice to purge through things slowly and as we are thinking about each item versus a giant, weekend long cleaning!

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Organization Lover,
Laura