Homemaking Organized Blog

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It’s late Friday and I had meant to blog all day but kept forgetting. But I’m hear now so…

I keep my Peanuts shampoo and baby soap in a little bucket I cart back and forth from her room to the bathroom. Just my way but that’s not the point. I shove this bucket under her changing table (a badger basket folding thing). So the other day I accidentally kicked it over ONLY I didn’t notice I had kicked it over until much later when half the bottle of baby bath had nicely soaked into the rug

Well hubby came to the rescue. He told me he would clean it up and I of course grilled him on exactly how was he going to do this as I may need this information for future reference. He made cute little comment about the pointers on my website (honey I have none for an occasion such as this) and got busy on the job.

So ladies in watching him rectify my error here is what he did.

1. Scooped up as much soap as her could with towels.
2. Got a bucket of water and this brush we often use to get spots out of the rug
3. Add a little bit of water with the brush to the soap spot and then used the shop vac to suck up the suds.
4. He kept doing this until there were no more suds to suck up just water.

Would I do it this way ? I would call him again! Hopefully it won’t happen anymore. Bad me
Of course that section of the rug looks fabulous!

We all know how difficult stains are to remove. The stains baby’s acquire can be some of the most challenging. From baby formula to pureed foods. Well my sweet baby had a juice fest with her father and got some nice deep purple grape juice stains on her once lovely white onsie and a cute pink top . I was so disgusted I dumped the tops in the laundry hamper and didn’t think about them for about 2 days. Well okay I thought about them but with great disgust.

I didn’t even bother to research my stain removing guides or the numerous laundry tips I have around. In my state of continuing disgust I just picked up my new tub of OxiClean Versatile – The Original! and followed the directions for treating a stain on clothing.

Making a paste with 16 oz of water and 1/4 cup of OxiClean Versatile. I let both of the tops sit in the sink with the paste on them for a about an hour while I did other things and then I dumped them in the wash with a load of laundry (toddler clothes). Again, to make sure I really got the stains, to the laundry I added a scoop of OxiClean Versatile and then filled the washer with hot water. I soaked her complete load of laundry (minus a blanket that likes to color everything) overnight and then completed the laundry this morning.

Boy was I surprised! I truly expected to find a least some trace of the stain because as we know grape juice can be a bear to get out. They were all gone!!! Both tops are like new! The OxiClean Versatile got all of the grape juice out and of course the rest of the laundry is wonderfully clean.

I was and am still very happy.

We love salad but the lettuce always wilts too soon. I try to only shop once a week so this has been a bit of a bother. But! Alas! Working from a tip in one of Emilie Barnes’ books.
I now have been able to save my lettuce a full week (we eat it by then) without the inevitable wilt.

So here is my method…

You will need a plastic food bag. I use freezer bags because they are so much sturdier and I can wash and re-use them. Some paper towels and your preferred lettuce! Oh and water. Yes! To wash your lettuce in. Let us begin…

First wash and dry your lettuce. I actually fill my sink (after cleaning it) and dump all the lettuce in there. Swishing heavily. I then drain it on paper towels or the less wasteful me lays it out on waffle weave kitchen cloths (as above). I do have one of those windy things but it’s put away so far I want to get rid of it. Emily Barnes says put it in the spin cycle in your washing machine. I can’t do that. I have a front loader and if I did that my lettuce would be smoosh!

Next get your paper towels ready. These will be at the bottom of your bag.

I use about 2 nice thick ones from Costco.

Fold your paper towels in half and place them at the bottom of your bag.

Mine has been through a few washing as you can see.

Now place your semi dry leaves in the bag. Mine always have a few droplets of water still on them.

The paper towels serve to soak up that excess liquid.

The lettuce bagged and ready to go.

• Place two more folded paper towels on top and voila! Place the closed bag in your fridge and enjoy lettuce a wee bit longer.

Depending on how much lettuce I’ve worked with sometimes I’ll replace the paper towels mid week.

Enjoy!

I’ve been in a homemaking funk lately. Not too bad but it has taken extra energy to get homemaking things done and I don’t like things going undone.

Sometimes I’ll focus heavily on one area of my household and the other areas suffer.

Lately I’ve really been into this homeschooling bit and everything has been suffering. My little Peanut is only 2.5 but she asks about everything and almost drives the whole homeschooling thing herself. So I got a little homeschooling book and some flashcards, some drawing paper, stickers, paint, more books, a file cabinet to keep it all in, some crayons, a book about shapes, some DVDs… you get the picture.

Needless to say the rest of my home has been suffering from a bit of neglect.

So out comes the apron. The trusty, not dusty, apron.

My mom wore an apron all the years I was growing up, and still does. She worked out of the home all of my childhood…and still does. My grandmother wore an apron and still does. She worked part time out of the home.

Even though my mom was a working (out of the home) mom she was still the best homemaker. All I learned I learned from her (before a few professionals taught me some extra tips). She got it all done and then some and I have to wonder if the apron had anything to do with it.

My mom’s apron is the style like a smock. It goes over your head and ties on both sides. It’s orange with little flowers all over it and I’ve seen that same apron for over 20 years. When our first son was stillborn my mom came over in her apron and cooked and cleaned for me for 2 weeks. She wore that apron and left if behind…by accident I came to discover as I was wearing it one day and she asked for it back.

My aprons… for I have four, are all the kind with the ties that go behind your neck and the ties in the back on your back. They are blue, black (2) and green because people were thinking of my husband when they gave me these aprons for gifts. He prefers the green one and yes he does wear an apron when he cooks.

I’ve been pulling out my aprons these last few days to help me get over my homemaking slump and low and behold they actually help! The kitchen has been cleaned, wiped down to be sure (no I’m not from the Midwest). The bathrooms scrubbed. I got some dusting in and the laundry is all caught up. The Peanut’s homeschooling has been moved to afternoons as that let’s me get some housekeeping done and she is not grumpy as in the am.

I think there is something to this homemaking and apron wearing. I have not thought too much about it all these years for I have always worn one (the foster case worker laughed when she came over to do a homestudy and I was wearing one, pooh on her). They are a part of my childhood memories and a permanent part of my home.

I hope this post was poetic and thoughtful. I’m not that poetic but I love my aprons. I have my eye on some vintage quilted ones at a store near me.

Wear an apron today!

So today is Tackle it Tuesday time. This is the time when you get something done that you’ve been meaning to do or better yet procrastinating about.

My main goal for today is to unclog the bathtub drain. I keep forgetting to add the drain cleaner to my weekly grocery list. If I’m not walking past the list when it’s on my mind then sheesh! Forget it!

I make these wonderful detailed grocery lists and keep forgetting this one small badly needed item!

I think that is a clue to try another method. So I’m going to do just that!

This month in honor of my Vintage Homemaking site I’m going to attempt to unclog our bathtub drain using natural methods.

I’m trying not to think about what is making it clogged in the first place. My goal is just clean it!

Want the recipe?

1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup vinegar (I’ll be using white)
1/2 cup salt
Pour them in this order down the drain and let gurgle and bubble for 15
minutes.
Then, wearing gloves, and holding your face waaaay back pour a pot of
boiling water ever so slowly in after them.

* I can’t be held responsible for any accidents or unforeseen problems
so please use this with caution meaning be careful of splattering hot
liquids etc. Hold your face and your hands back from the happenings please.

For more Tackle it Tuesday people visit 5 minutes for mom here.

Update: I did the drain unclog and sat waaay back as I was really expecting Mt. Vesuvius but it was not so. It did gurgle and toil but I was extra zealous and kept pouring half cupfuls of vinegar down there (total of 3 to be exact). I did the salt too as I have a big box left over from last Thanksgiving’s brining.

I now need to fill the tub and watch it empty. Pretty cool. I’m going to have to share this with my sister. I also need more baking soda…