Stanley Steemer Giveaway

Now that spring has arrived and we are all in the mood to clean house, let's not forget our carpet! And our air ducts, our furniture, and many other sometimes overlooked areas. Stanley Steemer cleans all of these and offers other great services as well (including restoration services). We can't wait to use have them clean our carpet, which really needs a nice deep clean after so many years of use.

And guess what? We have a $100 giftcard to give to one lucky reader so you too can get some spring cleaning done!

Did you know that having a deep clean can help combat allergies? Allergens often get caught in carpet, upholstery, and other fibers. Stanley Steemer’s equipment and cleaning processes remove more than 98% of dry soil from floors, and with over 70 branches and 220 franchise locations in 48 states, Stanley Steemer services 95% of the country.

My house stinks!

Confession time: our house stinks. Smells, reeks, whatever you would like to call it. It's embarrassing, but there it is. Our house is funky.

We have come to the conclusion that a lot of it has to do with our odd house plan, and the fact that air circulation is virtually nonexistent. Our top level doesn't have an air return vent, and there is nowhere to add one on. Add to that the way everything is spread between four smaller levels and our house doesn't exactly get the air currents flowing.

So I am always on the look out for ways to make our house smell good. I would hate to have people thinking it's actually US that smells funky, or that we don't keep our home clean or something! Fall and spring are awesome because I can throw open the windows and let in fresh air. Other things that I love? Wax melting things (do they have a proper name?), our Greenleaf diffuser, and the smell right after we bake something delicious.

We have racked our brains for a more permanent solution to the issue, but haven't come up with anything as of yet. Thank goodness for all the products out there that can help hide odors. 

What are your favorite ways to keep your house smelling fresh?

Do you live with a hoarder?

Have you ever watched the show Hoarders? Scary, isn't it? Sad too. This post is not meant to make light of those who have serious hoarding issues. My paternal grandfather was a hoarder, so I know the enormity of the issue, especially for those who have to clean up the mess. Turns out my husband's paternal grandfather was also a hoarder. It makes me wonder if it was something generational, maybe something also to do with the area they grew up in? Whatever the cause, it's a sad problem.

So of course in my home I have always been careful to not have too much, but always to have what is just right. It's the way I grew up, being taught from my parents to always let go of the things you are no longer using and no longer love. Send them along to charity so they can be used and loved by someone who really needs it. It's a great way to look at things, and I am glad that I learned to live that way.

In my 30 in 30 challenge I'm finding it to be hard to find enough to fill a bag! There are still areas to be tackled though, and I am sure I will reach my goal, but I am happy to say that for the most part we live a fairly clutter free lifestyle. If you want to read an excellent book on the subject pick up It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff by Peter Walsh. He is excellent at showing why it's important to let go, and gives wonderful tips on how to do it.

Hopefully none of you live with an actual hoarder, but what do you do if your partner keeps a lot more stuff than what you think is good? What about keeping more than your home can actually hold (it amazes me how many people pay money each month for storage units for things they probably never even think twice about)? Are you the one in your home that holds onto things? Or are you the one that is more prone to let things go?

30 Bags in 30 Days

Even though summer has only really started here, the days are getting shorter and fall is right around the corner. With that comes a need to declutter and dejunk our house. I've decided to give myself a challenge to get rid of 30 trash bags of stuff in 30 days, 1 bag per day.

Now, since I am already quiet a clutter buster, I hope that I am not overshooting with my goal of 30 bags, but I have a feeling that once I get going (especially if I can get hubby on board with letting go of some of his stuff) we will be able to meet the goal. My fingers are crossed that most of the bags will be headed towards our local charity and not the landfill.

If you would like to join the fun please do! Feel free to begin your 30 days anytime you feel inspired to do so, or at the start of August (or any other month) if that is easier. If you decide to join in I would love to know about it! Feel free to use the little graphic I made too!