Cleaning Tips for Moms Without Maids

As much as I would love a regular cleaning service, I've chosen to do as much of the cleaning as I can so I can spend my money on bags and shoes.

As a busy working mom, there are times when it is hard to stay on top of the housework. However, I have found some ways to keep my house clean without losing my mind through trial and error.

NOTE - While I love a clean house, I have also learned to accept imperfection. There are seasons when life is busier, and the house is messier. If you are in one of those seasons, don't beat yourself up.

Here are the things I am doing to keep my house clean without a maid.

Create a Cleaning Schedule

One of the most effective ways to keep my house clean and presentable is to keep a cleaning schedule. So I planned out certain days when I could do regular household chores.

Monday – Living Room and Shared Spaces
Tuesday – Bedrooms
Wednesday – Kitchen
Thursday – Bathrooms
Friday – Floors and Dusting
Weekends – Deep Cleaning Needs

When we stick to this schedule, it takes away the pressure to do everything at once.

Enlist Family Help

Someone told me when my girls were babies that instead of waiting to clean while they were sleeping, to do the cleaning when they were awake and watching. This teaches kids the importance of cleaning (and how to clean).

As a result, my girls have seen me clean our home since they were little, and now they are big enough to help.

My husband and I have also talked about which chores we hate and which ones we love and delegated them accordingly. For example, my husband hates cleaning bathrooms, but he doesn't mind doing dishes. I hate doing dishes, so we trade these chores with one another.

Whistle While You Work

Cleaning your home is so much better if you find ways to make it enjoyable. When the whole family is cleaning together, such as Saturday morning deep cleanings, we play music and dance and sing as we clean. When I am cleaning on my own, I put on a podcast or audiobook.

Make a Quick Cleanup Part of Your Evening Routine

Deep cleaning Saturdays haven't been as bad or time-consuming since we started making 15-minute cleanups part of our evening routine. After dinner, we spend 15 minutes picking up from the day. Someone in our home is doing the dishes while the others walk around, pick up things, and put them where they belong. Someone else is busy wiping down the counters.

Embrace a Less is More Philosophy

The more stuff you have to clean, the harder it will be. That's why I've embraced the idea that "less is more." Years ago, I started following the idea of one thing in, one thing out – and it has made a huge difference! Whenever I make a purchase, I follow it with a donation. It keeps my closets from overflowing and my shelves from turning into mounds of clutter.

Get the Right Tools

If you don't have the right cleaning tools, you'll make more work for yourself. We have a robot vacuum and a robot map, and both were well worth every penny. But it's more than just fancy electronic gadgets. I also invest in quality cleaning products, such as Clorox. When I'm cleaning my home, I love to use @Clorox products, and I'm excited they've launched another sustainable option with the NEW Clorox Multi-Purpose Refillable Cleaners! With the recyclable pods, I can use my bottle up to 30 times, which means 80% less plastic waste - not to mention, it's easier on my wallet too!

Do you have any cleaning tips to share?

7 Ways to Keep Your House Clean with Kids Home All the Time

All moms have heard the saying, “Cleaning with kids in the house is like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.” But what are we supposed to do in 2020 when the kids are in the house all. the. time?

Within the first few weeks of the pandemic, our clean house was starting to show signs that it was lived in. In other words, it was messy.  Between virtual schooling, working at home, and the kids having nowhere to go and nothing to do except make a mess, things started to pile up. But the usual chore charts weren’t working.

Here are some of the things I am doing instead to keep the house clean with kids home all day every day.

1. Let Them See You Clean

I remember being told by a wiser, more experienced mom the importance of cleaning while the kids were awake. There are so many moms who do chores during their kids’ naptimes or after bedtime. All this does is put all the housework on you, and it keeps kids from learning how to clean a house. Instead, vacuum right under their feet, load the dishwasher while they are at the counter, and fold the laundry in front of them. Children learn by watching you.

2. Give Them Age Appropriate Chores

But don’t stop at just letting your kids see you clean – they need to clean, too! It is important to give your kid’s age-appropriate chores. And, the sooner, the better! Even toddlers can help out around the house. WebMD has a great list of age-appropriate chores for kids starting at age 2.

3. Reward Their Hard Work

And when the kids do their chores the right way, make sure you reward their hard work! This can vary from giving them praise and compliments to giving them an allowance. Consider your kid’s love language to know type of reward that will work best.

4. Offer Choices

We like having a choice, and so do our kids. Try giving them choices when it comes to chores, such as, “Will you clean the dishes or dust the living room today?” You are giving them a choice between two different chores – not giving them a choice between doing chores or doing nothing.

5. Create a Cleaning Playlist

We call cleaning a chore for a reason. It’s not exactly fun. But there are ways to make cleaning a little more enjoyable, such as creating a cleaning playlist of all the songs your kids love. Plus, you can use your cleaning playlist as a timer to get chores done. For example, tell your kids they have until the end of the playlist or a certain number of songs to get their chores done.

6. Make Them Work for What They Want

Many moms have found success by making kids work for what they want. In this scenario, you don’t let your kids do what they want until they do what you ask. For example, you withhold the Wi-Fi password or TV privileges until their chores are done.

7. Get the Whole Family in on the Cleaning Action

During the quarantine, I’ve had cleaning success by making cleaning a family affair. Every Saturday, we work together as a family to do some deep cleaning before we start to enjoy the weekend. Working together helps it get done faster. And, we are teaching our daughters that they can contribute to the family unit and help the household.

What tips do you have for keeping a house clean with kids home? Share in the comments!

How to Get the Whole Family Clean After a Hot Day

This blog has been compensated by Dial®. #DialFamilyFavs #sponsored

Let’s talk about things we love. I love Target (as all moms everywhere shout out in agreement). I love that Target has everything I need and then some. I love that I can escape the busyness of the city by slipping through the doors of Target.

I love summer. I love that things slow down a bit and I get to spend more time with my girls. I love that it warms up and we get to stay outdoors for hours.

Here’s what I don’t love. I don’t love when the summer gets so hot that you turn sticky and sweaty and feel like you are always dirty — it kind of ruins the fun of playing outdoors when you end up feeling gross. But, the good people at Dial® brand have come to my rescue time and time again this summer.

For those moms who get what I am saying about the hot, sticky, dirty summer blues, I am here to tell you how you can revive your summer, still have fun, and get clean after a long, hot day.

Load Up on Fun and Supplies at Target

When summer is starting to become a chore, it’s time to head back to the glorious haven known as Target. Since you can count on Target to have everything you need, it is a one trip shopping excursion. Pick up some goodies for outdoor play, some cute summer outfits, some special summer food and drinks, and some summer scented cleaning supplies.

If you love Target as much as I do, then you have likely heard about Cartwheel. Cartwheel is Target’s genius money-saving feature on the Target app. If you haven’t started taking advantage of this super easy money-saving program, the time to start is yesterday! Here’s how it works:

1. Download the app at Cartwheel.com or Target.com.

2.       Create a new account or log into your already existing Target account.

3.       If you have a Target REDcard or Target gift cards, you should add them to your account.

4.       When shopping in Target, you can open the app to find nearby offers (Cartwheel coupons).

5.       In the stores, Target will place some signs advertising Cartwheel app discounts. However, there are TONS more offers on the app, so don’t just look for in-store signs on products.

6.       The app allows users to search for deals according to categories. Plus, the app creates a list of personalized offers based on your previous purchases.

7.       When you see an offer you want, simply click the + sign and it will be added to your Cartwheel.

8.       When it is time to check out, you scan the app’s “wallet” barcode, and your Cartwheel offers will be applied.

See how easy it is to save money at your favorite place on the items you love? 

Stock Up on Dial® Brand Products

Here’s even more exciting news: Cartwheel will have a 10% off deal on Dial® Brand products while supplies last.

For those who have been paying attention, I love Target, and I love summer. But, I do not love feeling gross at the end of a hot summer day. That’s where my love for Dial® Brand comes in. My family trusts Dial® Brand products because they have been in the business of helping people get clean since the 1940s. They are quality products at low prices – especially when you can find them on sale using Cartwheel. When my family comes in sticky and sweaty, I know I can trust Dial® Brand to help us all feel clean and fresh.

Give Your Kids a Good Scrub with Dial® Kids Body + Hair Wash

This summer, my girls tried out two different Dial® Kids Body + Hair Wash scents: watery-melon and peachy clean. They loved both scents equally – and I found the scents very refreshing as I hugged them close and sniffed their clean hair. Not only do they smell great, but they also are two-in-one products combining body wash and hair care. Ask any mom, and she’ll tell you – this is genius! It saves you time and tears at bath time. And, finally, Dial® Kids Body + Hair Wash was developed by pediatric dermatologists. Who better to trust with your precious little ones’ skin?

Dial® brand also offers outstanding products for mom and dad. After a long day of playing with kids outdoors and then handling bath time and bedtime, you deserve some me time. I love having time to myself to clean all the dirt and grime from playing outdoors and exercising. So, I was thrilled to discover Dial® Himalayan Salt Body Wash, which works so well to clean and exfoliate my skin. I leave the bath feeling clean and refreshed and ready to do summer all over again the next day.

Once again, you can find my favorite Dial® brand products at your local Target. Be sure to take advantage of the Cartwheel offer before supplies run out!

Spring Cleaning Made Easy

A clean house makes me happy. But, like most working moms, it is not always easy to stay on top of the cleaning, which is why spring cleaning is so necessary. When our homes are clutter or dirty, we don’t feel our best. It’s true! Reader’s Digest has a great article entitled Who Knew? 7 Unexpected Health Benefits of Spring Cleaning that explains how clutter leads to stress and dust leads to unhealthy breathing.

If you are like me, you know spring cleaning is important, but it also seems overwhelming. I’m here today to share what I’ve learned that has made spring cleaning so much easier. After you read these tips, you’ll feel ready and prepared to take back your house this spring.

The Right Attitude

First things first – you must have the right attitude. For example, I’m not someone who loves cleaning, but I do love a clean house. So, I have to do the work. By focusing on the end reward, I am more motivated to get started.

Similarly, if spring cleaning feels overwhelming because you are thinking about ALL the things you have to clean, stop thinking about everything at once. Instead, focus on cleaning one area at a time. Prioritize what matters the most. For me, this means prioritizing the places that are used the most frequently and seen the most. Think about it. If you could clean one room in your house, which would it be? Okay. Now that you’ve named the room start there first.

You know the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”? This saying applies to spring cleaning. Too often, we think of spring cleaning as one day or one weekend in the spring to get everything done. That’s not always possible. And, for some of us, that feels like too much work. Instead, clean in short bursts of time. Clean one space or complete one cleaning task, stop and take a break. Then, do a little more. If it takes you a week, who cares?

The Right Tools

Next, you want to make sure you have the right tools to get the job done. I have found that by purchasing the right cleaning products, I save time and my sanity. Why work harder when you don’t have to?

For example, I absolutely love the Swiffer Dry and Wet Sweeping Kits. This 2-in-1 sweeper is perfect for my hardwood floors and saves me so much time and energy. When it comes to cleaning furniture and walls, I use my vacuum cleaner.

I also always stock up on safe cleaning products, soaps, disinfectants, and dusters before I begin my spring cleaning. But, by far, the favorite spring cleaning tool is a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. These things are amazing and can be used to clean practically everything. I have used them to clean my walls after my girls colored them and to clean my appliances.

When it comes to purchasing the right tools, you can’t go wrong with Walmart. Walmart has the best prices for spring cleaning products and offers free 2-day shipping. You can order all you need and have it in time for your weekend spring cleaning extravaganza!

The Right Plan

Finally, you want to have the right spring cleaning plan. While I already said you don’t have to do it all in one day, you should have a plan to clean it all. This is the time of year when it makes the most sense to clean those spaces of your home that are often neglected (such as baseboards and window screens). I’ve found using Taste of Home’s Room-by-Room Spring Cleaning Checklist helps me deep clean every area of my home.  

Don’t Miss This Spring Cleaning Giveaway!

You can win a cleaning bundle from P&G (Febreeze, Dawn, Swiffer, Tide, etc.) worth up to $100 by sharing a photo of your own Spring cleaning win on Instagram or Twitter and tagging me, #SpringCleaningWin and #Inrachelshoes

Head to my Instagram page to find out more!

Enjoying family time with my girls with Ivory

This post is sponsored by Ivory. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Inrachelshoes.

Like many of the women of our world today who are both working and being a mom and wife, it’s easy to find ourselves running around from one thing to another. Whether it be dropping the kids off at school, grocery shopping, or picking up the dry cleaning, I think it’s safe to say  as women, we have many responsibilities to fulfill leaving us ever so busy without us even realizing it! Through the strong love we have for those who are important in our lives, we have an intrinsic obligation to Go! Go! Go! and constantly strive and work so hard to keep those who are around us safe, happy and well. From the world looking in, we mothers can seem like superwomen, and yes, while we do have super hero qualities, we are worrywarts! Naturally, I want the best for my two girls; I am always trying make sure that whatever products we are using are pure and natural at best, to say the least. Though, when I find a brand I can trust and believe in, it leaves me a great deal less to be worrying and thinking about. It allows me the mental space in my mind to really enjoy the small moments.

One of the simplest most treasured moments in my day is when I get to spend the quality time of bathing my two girls. They both have very sensitive skin, especially my little one, and I used to always find myself worrying about the products I would use to bath them, that maybe the ingredients were too strong, or contained additives or scents that would irritate their skin. It was until I discovered Ivory for instance, a brand I can trust my girls with giving me the peace of mind whenever I was washing them. When I purchase any of their products, I know I will be bathing my girls with the most caring, gentle cleansers designed to seriously clean with sensitivity. Their ingredients are chosen carefully, reassuring me that I make the right decisions for my family.  Ivory’s products allow me to be invested in just spending a carefree quality bath time.  We’ve recently been using Ivory’s Original Body Wash and Original 3-bar, both are free of dyes and heavy perfumes, which is perfect for sensitive skin. I’ve also enjoyed using the Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood, as it smells amazing and includes the #1 Dermatologist-Recommended moisturizing ingredient.

We need to realize life for its simpler pleasures and Ivory makes it easy for me to fill my life with moments that really matter!

Ivory, a trusted brand for generations!

This content is sponsored by Ivory. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Having two girls makes me more aware of the chemicals I put on their body, whether it's moisturizers or body wash.  Even my skin gets very sensitive, so I’m picky when it comes to what I use in the shower.  I put gentle cleansing at the top of my priority list.  I use Ivory, a soap and body wash that's been trusted for generations and use pure ingredients.  Ivory is a brand that only utilizes pure and gentle ingredients, making it trusted for many years.

If I want a rich, refreshing lather to hydrate our family’s skin, we choose Ivory original body wash.  The new, gentle formula is free of dyes and heavy perfumes.

With the Ivory Original 3-bar, there's no dyes or heavy perfumes and it's 99.44% pure.  Everybody knows what Ivory soap is, and it's been a trusted brand for 138 years!  That's a proven fact and simply the reason why me and my family use Ivory.  It works and is gentle on my skin.  

If I want a body wash with a nice scent, I use the Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood.  This body wash contains the #1 Dermatologist-recommended moisturizing ingredient and works great on my skin.  My daughters love the fresh smell and I love that it provides moisture for them, especially in this New York City weather.  It also does not contain any dyes or parabens and uses strictly pure ingredients. 

Click here to learn more about Ivory.