MOM!!! ARE THE DISHES IN THE DISHWASHER DIRTY????

This is a question that's always asked when I tell the kids to get their own bowls in the morning, water cups, spoons, plates... you name it... Well, I've figured out how to fix that:

Enough said.... Thank you dry erase markers for helping fix my dilemma!
I'm sure I could have used a darker marker to get a better picture, but if you haven't realized that I'm a little too busy for that now.... well, then you don't really know me, and I'm not sure how long we can continue this relationship :) Let's work on that - shall we?

Clutter, clutter.... Go away!

I love my beautiful black coat rack with a storage bench that stands by my front door. I found this beauty on Craigslist (my second favorite place to shop), and I found it for a ridiculously low price. However, lately I've been neglecting it... Things are piling up on it, and I'm thinking, that's gotta stop.

So I went from this:

Do we really need all that stuff up there looking so messy?

To this:

Besides clearing off the clutter, I made one of my favorite things.... Paper covered boxes. If you get a gift from me, you better know that you'll be getting a paper covered box. I'll either use cereal boxes (the big ones from Costco), boxes from my Mary Kay orders (yes, I just did a selfless plug there... but what can I say? I LOVE being a consultant!!), or any ol' box that crosses my path. For the paper/wrapping, I'll use anything from comic strips, to scrap-booking paper, to music sheets, to magazines.... Heck! Even the papers that my sons bring home from school works too! These boxes are a gift by themselves!

For the boxes above, I cut the top off of the box to fit the height I needed. If your box has flaps on it, cut those off so that it's a topless box (ooooh la-la). I really meant to make it an open box. You get it? Anyhow, I ususally use spray adhesive on the paper, and then press it onto the box. If you're making this a gift box, still cut off the top & wrap it, but then poke 2 holes on opposite sides, string some twine through and wha-la! You've got handles! Throw some tissue paper (or comic strip paper) in as your stuffing, and you're ready to rock :)

*GASP* - this was a short post. Imagine that!

Easy Laundry Basket

This was too easy for me not to post. During the garage sale season (my absolute FAVORITE time of the year might I add) I snagged a few burlap sacks, wood pant hangers, and a slew of other things. So when I was faced with the dilemma of clothes being thrown on the bathroom floor with no space for a laundry basket, I came up with this quick and easy fix!

All I did was lay newspaper on the inside of the bag (so that the letters didn't bleed through to the back), lay the letter stencil on the bag, and then I used a sharpie marker to fill in the letters. I just made this, so I haven't had a chance to wash it (after stenciling the letters on), so I'm not sure if the letters will bleed or not. I will do my best to update you if they do. 

After you stencil your letters on, clip the back of the bag with the pant hanger, slam a nail into the wall, hang your hanger on it, and call it good! Now you have a laundry bag that you don't trip over, AND it's easy enough for a guy to use!! I think I'm going to add this to my boys bathroom behind the door (it's a smaller bathroom) for them to drop their skivvies into before they take a bath. 

By the way, if something like this has been done before - please accept my apologies for not giving you credit. If you leave your link in the comments section I'll be happy to link you to this post. Thanks!

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Ridiculously easy microwave cleaning

Can I share a secret? I used to absolutely hate cleaning my microwave. It ran up there with the 'I hate cleaning the top of our refrigerator, I hate dusting, I hate cleaning in that little crevasse between the washer and dryer.....' Well you get the idea....

Anyhow, this tip has saved me (and my flappy triceps) some serious scrubbing. Now all I have to do is wipe in order to get my microwave clean :) The only problem is that since it's so easy to do, the ACTUAL chore still rarely gets done because it's lack of difficulty... Isn't it ironic? Whatever.

So I began with a sauce splattered microwave:

(Don't judge me)

Added a big glass bowl of water and microwave the water for about 10 minutes (or longer if you've put off cleaning it for a long time - Ha!)

Pull out your bowl (being careful NOT to spill the hot water on YOU, OR the CHILDREN that think it's funny to dart in front of you when you're carrying a hot bowl of death)

I did not take a picture of the next step because if you don't know hot to do this without a picture, then.... I'm not sure you're cut out for this cleaning thing... Anyhow! Wipe the inside of your microwave with a cloth. If you still have those stubborn stains, or particles of splattered food that just insist on clinging to the walls of your microwave,  or if you're just plain lazy like me... you can repeat the 'microwave your bowl of water' step instead of scrubbing.

Step back and go "AAAAAAHHHH! AREN'T YOU PRETTY?!"

Then, think about how easy that was, and do what I do.... make it one of the last things on your list to clean lol! Anytime I'm feeling I haven't done much house work, I do this, and get a big "Wow honey! The microwave looks awesome!" Maybe that's the trick to cleaning... don't clean it until you (or someone else) can't stand it. Then when you do clean it, you'll get major recognition for being a good house wife! That's not what I do on purpose.... it just sometimes happens that way.... ONLY to my microwave might I add! :)