House Cleaning Tips

House Cleaning – My house for me is truly a place where my heart is. It’s a place where I am happy to be there. A place which makes me forget the stress and hard work of the day. My and my family’s memories are attached to it, the good and the bad!  I love my house and I want to keep it clean and hygienic every time.
I feel good about myself when my house is clean. Not just that even my family appreciates me and I spend a good time with my family when my house is clean
Here are few tips from my personal experience that I use to keep my house clean. They are easy and simple and will not take more than 60 seconds to do.
Clean a Mirror
You don’t have to buy glass cleaners and paper towels to clean your mirrors.  Just some vinegar and an old newspaper is all you need to keep your mirrors shining as new. Your house will look cleaner if the mirrors are clean.
Rinse Your Plate
Cleaning plates is a tuff thing if its kept for some time un cleaned. I rinse my plate after dinner and have all my family members do the same and it makes washing plates so easy. It is a small and simple habit but makes a lot of trouble easier. I don’t like trying to wash dried food off of dishes, do you?
Cleaning the Oven
Does your oven get used every day?  Someday if you’re not using your oven, give it a quick spray of oven cleaner and keep it like that till the next day. Before you turn on your oven the next day, give it a quick wipe down. The baked on stuff comes off much easier than ever.
Cleaning the Microwave
Cleaning a microwave is easy. Fill up a cup of water and put it in there on high for a few minutes. The steam from the cup will loosen any stuck-on food, and then you can just wipe it away. It’s that simple.
Cleaning the Fridge
A fridge looks big and cleaning it looks even bigger. Follow my steps and the work will be a bit easier. First toss out any bad food. Then start with wiping down the top shelves and work down. Baking soda and water make a great cleaner and won’t leave your fridge smelling like
harsh cleanser. After you wipe out the crispers, line them with paper towels for easier cleaning next time. Cleaning the fridge was never this easy.
Cleaning your Bathroom
You can use lemon oil to shine the tiles of your bathroom. Lemon oil will also prevent mold and mildew. Use a false teeth bubbling tablet to avoid rings. Sometimes the problem with shower is that hard water gets build up there. Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and place it over shower head to remove hard water buildup. You can use alcohol to  shine bathroom faucets.
Toilet Hygiene
One of the most hated things to do but fortuitously, it can be done very fast if you follow the way I do, few steps to follow to get it done quickly. First pour some cleaner in the bowl to soak. Then wipe down the seat and outside of the bowl with an antibacterial wipe or spray cleaner. After that scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and finally wipe down everything again with a dry cloth to make it shine.
Bathtubs can be cleaned too EASILY
To clean bathtubs here are a few things that may help:
Use a cleanser that will foam or bubble. This allows you to “soak” your tub or shower,
even if it’s a vertical wall. Get a scrubber that fits your needs, a long-handled one or
an extra firm one, pick a scrubber that will be easiest for you to use.Moreover, spraying the tub or shower down after each use can make deep cleaning easier.
Carpet Sweeping
If you have a carpet sweeper or a cordless hand vacuum handy then your job gets easier. This way you don’t need to drag the big vacuum out every time your floor needs a quick clean-up.

Meet The Neighbors

Now that you’ve got the boxes unpacked, it’s time to meet your neighbors. Meeting new people can be a little nerve-wracking, so here are some hints on how to meet your new neighbors.
Just say “hi”
The quickest way to get to know the new neighbors is to simply wave to them. When you’re standing on the porch of your new home or driving by in your car, give them a big smile and a wave. This will tip them off that you’re a friendly person. Greet your neighbors as you see them out and about.
When you stop by for introductions, be sure to keep it short and not ask too many questions. You don’t want to seem like you are prying. Just keep the conversation light. For example, tell them where you moved from or ask for a local restaurant recommendation. Another benefit to keeping it short is that you can get a good read on what that new neighbor is like. If you aren’t getting a good vibe, then you’ll know it’s not a friendship you want to pursue. You don’t have to be friends with everyone, but you should give them all a chance until you find the folks you bond with best.
Join in the fun
Your next move is to start getting involved in community activities, so you can get to know everyone better. It’s easy to start up conversations when you are sharing a common interest. It can be as easy as going to the neighborhood pool or gym and chatting up friendly-looking folks. It’s also good to participate in a regular meeting like neighborhood watch or the homeowner’s association. Or go nuts and start your own club! If you love to run, create a running group. Put flyers on mailboxes announcing a kick-off meeting at a neutral location like a clubhouse or local coffee shop. Taking the initiative shows everyone that you want to be a part of their community and aren’t afraid to step up.
Connect online
Meeting face-to-face is great, but if you live in a really big neighborhood it’s sometimes hard to reach everyone — and you don’t want to miss out on meeting the other guy who loves building miniature train models! You can connect online by searching your neighborhood’s name and the phrase “neighborhood association.” Once you find yours, sign up for the email list, Facebook page, or whatever tool they are using to network. Connecting electronically gives you access to informative conversations about local events, political issues, activities for kids and neighborhood meetups. Even if you just read the emails and don’t post your own, you can get a good idea of who’s who in the neighborhood.
Open the doors
Okay, you’ve been working really hard at meeting the folks on your block and finding new friends with common interests. Now it’s time to open your doors and invite your neighbors over! After a few months, you’ll know enough people that you feel comfortable with, plus you can branch out by inviting some neighbors you haven’t met yet. Host a casual open house, barbeque or potluck where people can come and go over a period of a few hours. Be sure to have nametags on hand.
Before you know it, you’ll be making new friends in your neighborhood. Don’t forget to pay the goodwill forward and say hi to other new folks on the block when they move in.

Money Tips for Young Professionals

So you’ve landed your first professional job, but you’re not making a lot of money – at least not yet. Though you may be a few smart career moves away from your dream job and its rewards, you’re treading water in the present. This is the scenario a lot of young professionals face when starting a career.
Breaking into an awesome career may mean struggling with a low-paying job for a while, but some planning and awareness may help with your long-term financial goals. These money tips will show you how to invest in yourself.
Surviving on a too-small paycheck
If paying your dues (or starting over in a new career) means receiving a smaller paycheck for a while, consider using credit wisely to fill in the gaps. While most financial planners will tell you that credit card debt is a bad thing — and they’re right — credit cards can help you survive when you simply don’t make enough to live on. The key, however, is to use credit only for bills and living costs after you’ve divvyed up your paycheck. Use a card for your needs – not your wants — and you’ll be using credit wisely.
If you need to use credit to cover living expenses like utility bills, food or rent, shop around for a low interest rate credit card. Do your homework, and you may be able to get a card with an initial zero-percent interest rate, provided that you’ve got a high credit score. Failing that figure, shoot for an interest rate that’s 15 percent, or lower.
Think of using this credit card as giving yourself a career loan. You’ll be able to afford a lower-paying job and get great experience while financing your extra expenses for a time on a low-rate card.
Pay off high-interest debt first
When you finally do get a raise or land that dream job, you can set yourself up for financial success by paying down your highest interest rate debt first. Don’t confuse high balance with high interest. Even if you’ve got $500 in credit card debt and $30,000 in student loan debt, your best bet is to pay off the credit card first. That’s because credit cards usually come with higher interest rates, and if that $500 debt comes with a 20-percent rate, you want to chip away at that balance first so it doesn’t grow exponentially.
Start an emergency fund
If you have extra money at the end of the month, sock it away in an emergency savings account. Aim to save four months’ salary, and don’t touch this fund unless you’re in dire straits. Having that emergency fund will be important in the event you lose your job. (It might keep you from having to sell everything you own and move back in with Mom and Dad!)
Begin saving as soon as possible
Even though you may be strapped, saving money is a good habit. Train yourself to save when you don’t have very much extra each month, and saving will be second nature when you begin to make more money. As soon as you can manage it, start saving part of your paycheck by investing in a retirement account like an IRA or a 401K. (In fact, if your employer offers a 401K, you’d be wise to contribute to it. 401Ks are fantastic retirement savings vehicles because they allow you to make contributions that your employer may match. That employer match is basically free money, so don’t pass it up.)
Hang in there
Finally, one of the best money tips for young professionals is a reminder to be patient. When you’re starting a career, you have to work hard to achieve your goals. Do great work, hang in there and in time your employer will likely recognize your hard work by rewarding you financially. You may not have your dream career yet, but you’ll be working hard, steadily building a resume of great experience that will help you move up the ladder of success.

How to Declutter Your Apartment

Apartment dwellers often battle for storage space, beating back an ever-growing deluge of belongings, paperwork and the accumulated detritus of daily life. It is possible to win the war, however, and maintain your clutter-free supremacy with a short daily skirmish. Read on for some tips and tricks on how to keep clutter from taking over your apartment.
Pick a room
Where to start is often the hardest part of any cleaning endeavor. If you are a brave-hearted soul, begin in the messiest room in the apartment. More timid persons may want to start in a smaller space, like a closet. Whatever your choice, be sure you are mentally prepared to be ruthless and have assembled the proper arsenal.
Decluttering equipment
The tools are simple. Arm yourself with garbage bags, empty boxes, magic markers and a dust rag. Now label each box with “donate”, “toss” and “keep” or whatever similar phrasing suits you.
Let the games begin
Your first step is getting rid of things that don’t belong in a given space. Put the ones you want in the “keep” box, and worry about where you will actually put it later.
Your criteria for deciding what to do with the remaining clutter is to ask the following questions: Do I love this? Have I used it in the last year? Do I have two? Am I sentimentally attached? Do I feel sad and guilty when I look at it? Then get rid of everything in the room that doesn’t make you feel positive in some way or that you just don’t need. Either pass it on to someone else who would enjoy it, or, if it can’t be used by another, toss it!
When your garbage box is full, take it outside to the bin and bring in another. Do the same for your donations, sealing each box and taking it to your car as you work. The goal is to get the stuff you don’t want anymore out of your place.
When the “keep” box gets full, pick it up and carry it with you around the apartment, putting each item in the proper room, if not yet the perfect storage place. Go back and keep at it, taking breaks or setting a timer over several days so you don’t burn out on the big jobs.
The daily drill
Flylady.net offers a detailed decluttering method that works for any size household. She advocates daily 15-minute sessions, focusing on cluttered hot spots that collect items, such as entranceways, countertops, desks or catch-all dresser drawers and baskets. For serious cases, also try going through your home daily with a garbage bag and throwing away 20 items, then doing the same process with a box for donations.
There are a number of online resources to help you curb the chaos of your worldly possessions. Use the tips above, or sign up for free emails that offer advice on how to organize your home, such as CreativeOrder.com, and you’ll be sure to stay on the straight, narrow and uncluttered path to happiness.

Ways to Make Cleaning Chores More Interesting

Do your cleaning chores feel like a scene out of Cinderella, but with extra drudgery and fewer singing birds? Perhaps it’s time to make your everyday tasks more interesting.
Mixing in some creative cleaning ideas can make common chores downright cool. Check out these tips on how to improve your daily duties about the apartment.
Pump up the volume
Dance the dust away! Common chores instantly become more fun with the right soundtrack. Crank up a clean-house playlist that puts you in a good mood and shake your booty while you sort your laundry. If you continue using your same house-cleaning music mix each time you tackle your cleaning chores, the sounds may actually trigger you to get excited about cleaning. Take it to the next level by slipping on a pair of cleaning slippers to mop the floor. By the time you’re done, you’ll be warmed up and ready for a night out on the town.
Grab a buddy
Solo chores can be a bore, so why not dish the dirt while you clean up? Grab your partner, spouse, child, or (very helpful and generous) friend, and put him or her to work. Cleaning your apartment is much more fun when you have someone to chat with while you scour the bath. Plus, your everyday chores will take half the time!
Reward yourself
If you like having deadlines, make plans with a friend for a specific time so that you have a real incentive to get your tasks done by then. If you are cleaning alone, you can motivate yourself by setting goals and rewards. It could be something small like setting a timer and treating yourself to a piece of chocolate every time you finish fifteen minutes of cleaning chores. Or you could reward yourself with a pedicure or movie once you have completed your housework chores.
Get fancy
Another way to add some spark to your sparkle is by testing out new cleaning products. Swap out your grocery store degreaser for something sassy like the cleansers from Better Life or Method. Pick up some new tools like hand-knitted dish scrubbers or fun reusable cleaning cloths. Give these new products a whirl, and then write reviews of the products online afterward.
Soak in the benefits
After you’ve spent the day making your apartment shine, take time to stop and smell the cleanliness. Settle on the sofa for five minutes and really appreciate the benefits of the hard work you’ve done. Notice the lemony scent of your spic-and-span home. Admire yourself in your newly-clean mirrors. Take in the joy of climbing into a freshly-made bed. A few moments of appreciation might help you realize it was all worth it.
Cleaning chores don’t have to be a drag. Simply tackle your tasks in a fun way and they’ll be done before you know it!