Cleaning Power Hour - What Finally Worked For Me

Cleaning Power Hour Series

Just Give It 15 Minutes

I love my blog because I can share more in depth info about my videos than I can in the video itself, or things I forget to talk about.

My latest series on YouTube is about how I clean my house now, get a lot done and have fun while doing it. Really the video just shows me cleaning so I thought I'd share more about what I actually do.

First, I've tried all kinds of cleaning routines, Fly Lady, CleanMama.net and tons of other cleaning schedules I've found on pinterest. I have nothing against any of those routines and think they are wonderful for a jumping off point and I know they have helped many people get their homes in order. My problem is I cannot fit into any one box. I would do great for a couple of days and then I'd be out of the house one day and miss cleaning that day and it would throw my whole schedule off and discourage me. I need variety, flexibility and I need to want to do something not be told I have to do it on a certain day.

So after a long time of trying all kinds of different methods I finally came up with something that works for me, my schedule and my house.

It's very simple, my house has 7 rooms and I give myself an hour most days, there are days where I'm gone all day so I start where I left off the next time I clean. I tackle 4 rooms a day at 15 minutes each. I set a timer and get done as much as I can in that 15 minutes as possible. It's enough time to get a lot done, is not overwhelming and kind of makes it a fun game to see how much I can get done in 15 minutes. Sometimes I go over if there is a big mess or I want to deep clean but that's what is great is I can make it work for what I want at the time.

My trick is I treat my house like a clock, so the first day I started, I tackled my laundry/mud room first which is on the end of my house, then I did the kitchen, living room and then my daughters room. I work in a circle, so that next day I would start where I left off, my son's room, the bathroom, our bedroom and then back to the laundry room. This way I start somewhere different everyday and I'm hitting the rooms multiple times a week so I'm staying on top of the mess. If there isn't much of a mess then I don't spend all 15 minutes, it either cuts my power hour time down or I dedicate more time to another room if needed.

The kitchen gets cleaned every day no matter what, I dedicate 10-15 minutes every night after everyone is in bed to get it tidied up for the next morning. The kitchen has always been a struggle for me and for most of our marriage it has gone uncleaned at night but when I finally buckled down and realized it just needed a short amount of time at night my reward was so great in the morning when I start my day with a clean kitchen!

I feel like this system has finally given me success and keeps me from getting bored. Homemaking and taking care of my family is my number one job and I want to enjoy it. Do I like cleaning no, but I do enjoy the fruits of my labor even though it usually only lasts 30 minutes before the kid/husband tornado hits, ;).

I hope that this idea helps you mix things up in your house and get out a cleaning rut like I was in. 

❤️ Heather

YouTube Channel

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Come join our family journey on HeathersMommyLife! Subscribe so you always get notified when I upload new videos!

Hey! Welcome to my channel and thank you for checking it out! The videos I post will contain a wide variety of topics mostly related to motherhood with lots of hauls because apparently I shop alot, living in our 1947 true vintage home that my husband's Grandpa built and my simple everyday life. I've been married for 11 years, I have a 16 year old son Brenden who also has a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCixiq5GgWmM1D4VGG0lW4Zw), a 6 year old daughter Hannah and 4 year old son Daniel. One of my innate passions as you'll see from my videos is saving money. If I'm not getting some sort of deal, my stomach hurts, lol. 

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bind my heart

bind my heart to the holy interests of that unseen world. - DOPP, John Baillie

S. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 20:29 - Streams in the Dessert Aug. 31

O. Sometimes God has to keep away encouraging results until we learn to trust without them.

A. I have to learn to look away from myself and trust God alone and then I will see that what God promises He will perform.

P. Father God, help me to put you first. Help me to put all of my trust in you. You will help me do things I thought impossible. Help me believe! Amen.

This fall is going to be full of things I would have thought impossible 5, 3, 1 year(s) ago. The biggest of which is I will be helping co-lead a mom's group at my church and I have to share my story in front of the women in a couple of weeks. At this point I don't even know what that story is or really how to summarize it. Accepting this role has brought about many emotions I didn't know were there. I feel beyond blessed to have even been considered for such a role but then it brings up all of those voices inside my head of how unworthy I am. So I wanted to stop by here today and share what I'm going through. The truth is, is that God has put me here for a reason it is not by mistake or coincidence, now I pray that I believe He will get me through and help me not continually beat myself up and doubt myself along the way. I am so grateful for the moms that have come along side me and that is one of my biggest reasons for being a part of this mom's group. Praying for a year of  meaningful togetherness, growth and support....and that I can figure out what I should talk about and that it makes sense!


 

early to bed early to rise

A wise writer says, "I look with wonder on that old time, and ask myself how it is that most of the things I suppose my father and mother built on, especially to mold me to a right manhood are forgotten and lost out of my life. But the things they hardly ever thought of—the shadow of blessing cast by the home, the tender, unspoken love, the sacrifices made and never thought of, it was so natural to make them—ten thousand little things so simple as to attract no notice—and yet so sublime as I look back at them—they fill my heart still and always, with tenderness when I remember them and my eyes with tears." - J.R. Miller Home-Making

My bed where she usually ends up in the late morning.

One of my biggest yearnings is for our home to be cozy and inviting. A place of refuge and comfort. A place that gives the children when they are grown a memory and feeling of warmth and safety. Perhaps they will also yearn to be back there some time and make it a goal to give this to their children.

One of my favorite moments is being in a cozy bed with a dim light on reading a book. Some how bedtime in our home has become quite the opposite of warm and cozy. Somewhere along the road we got completely off course and bedtime got later and later and became a mad dash to get the kids in bed. I've known for a long time that it was a mess but some how every night it was way too late again and we were rushing to get everyone in bed. Rushing around and bedtime do not go well together.

Recently we went a week with getting to bed on time and it was glorious! But it was still summer time and somehow we ended up getting back to a late bedtime. A late bedtime (9 or usually later) for our 3 and 5 year old never really mattered because they could sleep in until later. We weren't usually up early for anything so the kids always got plenty of sleep. But I have always secretly wished for a little more down time before I have to go to bed. The plan is if they go down earlier then I will too without feeling like I haven't had a wind down time.

Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

With the new school year quickly approaching and a new commitment of needing to be somewhere before 9 am Monday through Friday I've vowed to get us on a better schedule. We have a little over a month to whip our bottoms into shape and by ours I mean my husband and I. Because let's face it we're the ones not sticking to our guns. Tonight was the first night of many nights ahead of wrapping up the evening in a calm blanket and slowly moving towards the bedrooms. 

With more time to get to bed things are much more calm. We do not do baths every night and sometimes they are during the day so we start our down time usually with a show (usually Caillou or Berenstein Bears). We like this because it gives the kids one last thing to enjoy, a wind down time and it's easy to see when it ends it's time to brush teeth, the kids understand it and they can't argue.

Then it's pj time, diaper changing, singing songs ( always "You Are My Sunshine" and "Jesus Loves Me"), then story time, prayers, kisses ( always counted for her and usually 19 and sometimes 5 extra), drinks of water and then night night. For the most part they stay in bed even though it is now 2 hours after we put them to bed and he is still awake. We all have to adjust.

Mama is looking forward to an earlier bedtime and getting up earlier. The plan is to get up earlier and get some Bible time in with a real Bible not laying in bed and doing devotions on my phone, which isn't a bad thing I just want to start journaling and making more of an effort, especially with the fall approaching. I'm just really looking forward to coffee, lit candles, pen, paper, Bible and time with my Teacher. Praying we keep this up!

Wishing for all of you a warm evening, sweet rest and refreshed soul.

slow Sunday

The desire to blog again has been growing for a while. I've been debating on starting up again and trying to decide on topics. After not being able to land on anything specific but continuing to feel the tug on my heart I've just decided to write about what's going on in the everyday. The not so exciting day to day stuff.

I feel the Holy Spirit moving I'm just not sure where we're going. I will take your hand in trust and follow you where you want me to go. Even if it's not what I except.

The youngest started off the morning with some counting. He's able to count to 12 on his own and he's working on recognizing the numbers. This little bundle of joy has come so far in his short 3 years. I'm so proud of him and I'm happy he's taking his time because I'm not ready to let go.

The family enjoyed pancakes this morning cooked in bacon grease. I'm on my second round of the Whole 30 so I enjoyed some banana pancakes, sugar free bacon, strawberries and fried eggs. Any form of pancake isn't really part of the Whole 30 program but there are just some traditions that are traditions for a reason.

Eloise, our new kitten is really settling in. We've had her for about 4 weeks now. She has constant companionship and has brought some precious moments to our lives.  Caillou is on repeat most days at my house and this reminded me of when he was pushing his cat around in a stroller.

One of the biggest things of the Whole 30 is no sugar and guess what has sugar in it, everything, seriously and mayo. It has sugar and many other things that are unnecessary. So if you want mayo then you have to make your own. When I first learned this I was a bit overwhelmed, it seems like a daunting task to me. Much to my surprise it's quite quick and easy.

One of my favorite Whole 30 lunches to make is Salmon Salad. The first time I made this I adapted it from another recipe with what I had on hand. It's pretty much my own original creation. The secret to this recipe is the raisins, I know it sounds weird but just trust me. Even my 15 year old took a bite and said the raisins make a huge difference.

Salmon Salad

Whole 30 Approved

1 can pink salmon

2 baby carrots chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

handful of raisins

red onion (as much as you like)

homemade mayo

mustard

Mix all ingredients together. Enjoys on lettuce as a wrap or salad or on sliced cucumber.

It's very light and refreshing but very filling.

For dinner we barbecued, which was a great ending to the day. Here I have just a hamburger patty, homemade mayo, mustard, onion, tomato, W30 compliant pickle in a lettuce wrap held together by a toothpick and some watermelon on the side.

We didn't really do much else on this slow rainy Sunday. It hasn't rained much here in forever and today it was storming. It felt great just to stay inside and get some cleaning done and some relaxing. I know I should be living in the moment but I am definitely looking forward to the fall, my favorite time of year.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Pray, Pray and then Pray again.

Here I am o Lord, here my prayer.


Change is on the horizon with the ever creeping fall season. We decided months ago that Hannah would be going to public school this fall and with that brings much change. The house will be missing two little feet running around all day, it will be quieter and both of us will gain a little breathing room in different aspects.

Danny will still be at home and I'm looking forward to spending some one on one time with him. I just realized that I got to have Hannah to myself up until she was two and now I get to have Danny for two years to myself until he heads off to Kindergarten.

I'm trying to spend this time preparing for the fall, reflecting on how far we've come, soaking up the summer with these little precious people and peaking over the horizon to what is next.

Change is coming as it always is and all I can do is pray...pray pray pray.

Weaver Interlock: Pre-k Week 6

((Hannah is 4))

((Danny is 2))

((Weaver Interlock Curriculum))

((Pre-K))

This week started with finishing up the week before, week five's lesson. We had one more day of studying clouds. We were able to go on a nice walk around the neighborhood, there were only a couple of clouds this time. They were in the far right distance and I didn't get a picture.  They were literally the only clouds in the sky.

Here's what the set up looked like prior to the lesson. That way I can go over everything real quick and get the supplies ready to go to keep school time quick.

 

Here Hannah is counting on her number line up to twenty. This week she actually learned to count to 29, we use the 100 days of school chart to continue counting above 20.

 

A week or two ago she painted a picture of the sky. The lesson told us to save it for a future project which we completed here. She glued cottons balls on to represent clouds, her cotton balls went in a row. She's very orderly, this one.

 

We of course did more Hooked on Phonics. We got to make a kooky K and lightening L. 

More number tracing, she is much more willing to try this now. She does still prefer to do it on a dry erase board over paper.

Danny and I had a rare snuggle time this week in bed. He never sits still long enough to cuddle and he's not really the snuggle type. So this was extra special.

 

On the Tuesday that we go to our therapy sessions we have about 45 minutes to spare while Danny is in his speech therapy that comes after physical therapy. So Hannah and I had another little date at a local coffee shop.

 

The next weeks lesson, week 6, was about how God created dry land. So of course I had to pull out my fancy vintage globe to show where all the dry land is compared to the water.

More number tracing and review.

 I am very proud of the hand writing for this 26-29.Compared to the 20's she traced on paper these are so much more clear, I think the smoothness of the dry erase really helps her.

We talked some about rocks during this weeks lesson. So we go to go outside and collect some. They are pictured to the left of the Hooked On Phonics book. This weeks HOP lesson was about review and rhyming sounds.

We had a very productive week this week. Weaver is such a blessing. We are learning so much and spending wonderful time bonding.

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Five Friday Faves: Hair Care Picks

The topic this week is inexpensive go to hair care products and my routine. 

I have tried loads and loads of different hair care products from expensive to inexpensive. Some have worked great and some have not regardless of the price. Recently I was watching the Youtube video below. Anna, whom I adore for fashion, beauty and all things mommy related mentioned she used Aussie hair products. I hadn't used them in years and actually had forgotten about them. I was in desperate need of a whole new line up of hair care products so I decided to go with all Aussie for washing and conditioning.

I'm so glad I listened to her advice. These products are truly a great value for the price. You can find them at most big box stores and drug store chains. I purchased the big pump bottles from Target. I have the opposite problem of Anna as my hair is very fine and oily so I wash most days. The Aussome Volume shampoo gives me a great clean and does add volume. The smell is amazing. I will definitely be repurchasing this shampoo which is a big deal for me!

I went ahead and went with the conditioner that goes along with the shampoo. This is the conditioner I use daily. It also smells wonderful and does not weigh down my hair. Most days I only condition the ends but occasionally I will condition my whole head and it does not leave my hair greasy or heavy at all.

Usually one day a week sometimes two I will do a deep condition with the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Moist Conditioner. This stuff really is a miracle in a bottle. The smell is beyond amazing, my favorite, and it feels like a super fancy hair treatment. A tiny little bit goes a long way with this product. Sometimes I do just the ends and sometimes my whole head. It takes a little longer than the Aussome Volume conditioner to rinse out but the the result is worth it. I feel like I'm really taking care of my hair when I use this. Also, even though it is a thick heavy conditioner it does not weigh my hair down at all.

Some days I do not wash my hair. I either don't have time or just don't feel like getting to it when I know I'm just staying home. But that doesn't mean that I want to look like I didn't wash my hair. By the time I wake up every morning my hair is a greasy mess. I can't figure out how to change this so I blame it on my genes. Luckily I discovered dry shampoo a few years back. Some of them can get pretty expensive but this Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo was super affordable at Target again. It smells wonderful and gives your hair a fresh smell to start your day. I spray it along my part at the roots and then along my hair line at my face and then in the crown area and sometimes along my neck line. I wait a minute and then rub it in with my fingers. It really does a great job of freshening my hair and taking away the oil.

The other product I use on no wash days is the Big Sexy Hair Powder Play. I sprinkle this along my part area and rub it in after I've used the dry shampoo. This adds some texture to my hair and soaks up any remaining oil that could be there. Once I've rubbed it in I brush and style and I'm ready to go. 

All in all I try to keep my hair care routine pretty quick. I do use other products when styling my hair after a wash but I wanted to share only my washing/refreshening products today. I have reviewed all of these products on Influenster as well. If you have not signed up for Influenster yet check my out the link below. It is a site where you can give your opinions on products that you use everyday and have the possibility of receiving boxes of free products to review called VoxBoxes. It's a fun community where your voice is really heard and put to use.

Weaver Interlock: Pre-K Week 5

((Hannah is 4))

 ((Danny is 2))

 ((Weaver Interlock Curriculum))

 ((Pre-K)) 

We had a little bit of an off week for the fifth week of preschool. We ended up getting a day or two behind because I got sick and needed rest time instead of school time. Another thing I love about preschool homeschool. There was no need to worry about missing a day or two and there is plenty of time to get caught up.

Our Weaver Interlock lesson was about how God created air on the second day of creation. We also learned about wind and clouds. On the day that we were supposed to go for a walk and look at clouds it was a wonderfully beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky, lol. But we enjoyed our walk anyways. Luckily we had some good books on clouds. 

My favorite books so far this year have been from the series "Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science" We have used several of these already in our lessons. They are easy to read, very informative and have great illustrations.

Hannah is just whizzing along in her Get Ready for the Code book. We just do two pages a day two times a week.

As well as her Hooked on Phonics lessons. I'm still so happy that I found something that is quick and simple but is really teaching her.

The past three times we have gone outside to play we had a friend visit us. He was in a different spot every time but in the same general area of the yard. This time he was at the bottom of the slide. He nearly escaped his death as Danny slid down the slide landing millimeters in front of him. I grabbed a branch and moved him onto the slide to get some photos. I eventually moved him to another part of the yard hoping to prevent his death or injury.

Even though I was not feeling well this week we ended up getting alot of learning time in. Hannah now knows how to count to 20 even though Interlock only wants her to count to 19. Looking forward to what each new week brings. 

Five Friday Faves: Five Pinterest Dinners

This weeks topic is some of the dinners I've made from Pinterest. I've made many but these are some of my favorites. They are all very simple and delicious. Hope you enjoy!

The first is a Veggie Burrito Bowl. I've made these several times, they are quick and very very good. The are great addition to Meatless Monday or any day of the week. It is also a great recipe to substitute ingredients with if you don't have something on hand.



This next dish is a vegan dish called Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup that I fell in love with. It certainly does not skimp on flavor. The whole family liked it for a cold winter day. It is a great way to sneak in some veggies. You could easily swap out the kale for spinach if someone doesn't like kale like my husband. I ended up freezing what we didn't eat and once thawed it was thicker so I spooned over couscous and had a super tasty quick healthy meal.



California Bowls are one my absolute favorites. It just has everything yummy mixed together and I'm a huge fan of blue cheese so I knew it would be good. It can be great anytime of year if you have an indoor grill.



This pin for Chicken Gnocchi Soup is actually a recipe video from a mom I follow on youtube. I've made a few of her recipes and they have all been good but this is by far my favorite. The whole family loves it and it tastes just like the real thing from Olive Garden.



Last but certainly not least is Pioneer Woman's Corn and Cheese Chowder. Beyond delicious and comforting, need I say more? I didn't use bread bowls for this recipe I just made some corn bread to go along.



I really hope you try and make some of these super yummy meals. You won't be disappointed!

Weaver Interlock: Pre-K Week 4

((Hannah is 4))

((Danny is 2))

This weeks Interlock lesson was all about how God made light and how light relates to shadows, reflection and colors. There are not any pictures that really reflect this part of the lesson. Most of the pictures cover our math lessons.

Hannah shocked me when she diligently traced her number worksheet.

We had a morning of errands and park time so we grabbed some quick lunch and then came home to go some school. Here she was working on a family color book. She colored a page for every member of the family and their favorite colors. This will be a cute keepsake.

Danny got in some computer time. This was his first time sitting at the desk by himself. He can't really do anything yet but had fun watching the screen.

Hannah was successful at her first alphabet dot-to-dot. Then she decided to color it. She does this thing where she lines up each color and then colors a little bit with each color as she goes down the line. The picture ends up looking like a rainbow. She's very particular about this.

More number tracing. I've learned that she will do the tracing if I put it in her dry erase activity board. This is helping build her handwriting skill confidence which is great.

Some outside time, we've had a little bit of rain so far but not too much so we're trying to get out as much as possible.

The last Friday that we did school we weren't able to finish everything so I made sure to add it into the next week. As part of the light lesson we learned about sight. How we wouldn't be able to see without light. We also learned about Helen Keller and her accomplishments. Another part of that lesson was learning about Braille. Here I wrote Hannah's name with Braille dots and added the glass beads so that Hannah could feel each letter of her name. Pretty neat idea.

Here we used the glass beads to work on our math lesson. We worked on counting to 10.

 She really loved playing with the glass beads.

Sammy square says "hi"! He is Sammy square and he has four sides.

More tracing, she kept asking to do this. Who am I to say no?

 

 

Another successful week in the books. I can't believe the first month of preschool is over! That flew by fast. We aren't doing everything I planned like being out of the house every morning like we were over the summer. I quickly realized that the summer was different because there was no school so once I was able to be home I could clean and do other things as time permitted but now that we've added school to our day I have less time to clean among other things. But we still go with the flow.