Ultimate Fall Cleaning Routine ~ Family Room

After the kitchen I would say our Family a Room areas are the worst as far as needing detailed attention. 

We have a small living room/office area that we haven’t really done anything with yet. A large bonus room/school room that has already taken a beating the last 2 weeks and then our main family room. 

I haven’t decided if I will split each room up or do it by task yet. Getting a room completely done is appealing but also not having to get supplies out more than once is too. 

Starting at the top so all the dust falls 

Dust ceiling/walls

Change filters

Start washing the couch covers 

Then wash the throw blankets, or get them out if I haven’t yet. 

Replace pillow inserts/covers if needed

Polish furniture 

Windows and window tracks 

Clean walls(I just use these and they work like a charm) 

Fill in nail holes 

Update pictures 

Clean baseboards 

Go through magazines, candles

Make sure CDs and movies are in order 

Vacuum and mop  

Spot clean rugs that can’t be washed 

Touch up wall and baseboard paint

When it’s all done, I usually treat myself to a couple new candles or something 🧡

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Ultimate Fall Kitchen Deep Cleaning Guide

Its been a few years, and a few houses, since I've updated and shared this.  Between birthdays, Halloween and then Thanksgiving, it can get pretty busy here and doing a thorough deep clean before the madness really gets underway helps things run smoother and makes decorating easier also. You know that's one of my favorite parts!

Before you even look at the list below, remember this, it takes days or even a week! Don't get overwhelmed if you don't have a chunk of time to do it. I'd  guess most of us don't, I just add a few things to my regular cleaning each day until it's done. This is meant to reduce stress, not create it :) 

First things first.. diffuse, or light a candle, good music on (if you like slightly dark sad songs, I've got ya 90 minutes on Spotify HERE lol.  The list below is in the order I go, because some stuff needs to sit and work. But you can do what you have time for. 

Oven. Get something working on that. I use Bar Keepers Friend paste and get it on the crusty parts and let it sit while I do other stuff. 

Get ready to dump stuff. Trash expired items in your fridge, freezer, pantry, spices etc. Anything you aren't going to use can go to food pantry if it's not expired.  MAKE A LIST of the things you need to replace though so you don't end up without a key ingredient.   

After the trash is done, leave the bag out and clean the inside of the trash bins. I just use hot water and some dish soap, maybe a sponge if it's really bad, usually the hot water and soap soak takes care of everything though. While that is out, I clean under the sink. Take everything out, wipe it out and don't put crap back in that we aren't going to use. 

Do the dishes, get the dishwasher going and the sink empty.  While the dishwasher is going, polish your sink. I use bar keepers friend here also, along with a Scrub Daddy.  clean the inside of the microwave. I use water in a bowl with a drop of lemon oil, microwave for 1 minute, let sit to loosen junk up and then wipe out.  I use that warm water and my sponge to clean the small appliances like our Instant Pot, that get used and ABUSED all year, every day. 

Once the dishwasher is done, I put 1/2 C of Baking soda down the disposal, and then 1 C of vinegar, run the disposal and wrap that up with about 2 C of ice.  Take the disposal cuff off (gag, trust me, so gross) and I toss that in the dishwasher, clean the dishwasher filter, also super gag, then making sure no kids are helping with dishes, and run the dishwasher on a clean cycle to get them both done. 

1. Throw Curtains in the washer 
2. Dust/vacuum above your cabinets
3. Clean Out Cabinets and pantry, purge, wipe, organize etc. 
4. Clean Window Tracks.. this is super handy 
5. Clean Windows.  E-Cloth Polishing Cloth is my jam! I just use water with it. 
6. Wipe Out Fridge and Freezer
7. Get the Oven and Stove cleaned up before you start the cabinet fronts
8. Polish/Wipe Down Cabinet Fronts
9. Really clean your chairs, barstools and table legs
10. Clean Baseboards. I promise if you do this every couple weeks, it will be a breeze
11. Counters and Backsplash, use whatever you love. I love my Scrub Daddy for this too. 
12. Sweep/Vacuum I do both when I am being really thorough. 
13. This is not a popular opinion, I am ok with that, hands and knees scrubbing on the floor. Not the whole floor, but you know that spots the mop hasn't managed, or where it doesn't reach. I just use the eraser side of the scrub daddy and water, it doesn't take too long.  
14. Then mop, I use a microfiber mop similar to the Spin Mop 

After that I have a huge warm drink, tea, coffee, whatever. And I rest and let the floor dry, order microwave and fridge filters that need replaced and hang curtains back up.

Then when I have time and know little hands and feet won't be a problem, I touch up the paint/stain on cabinets and baseboards, caulking and wall paint. 

DONE! Then, weekly maintenance makes Spring Cleaning feel like a breeze.

I added the products to my Amazon Storefront.. They should be on the top depending on when you view this.  Direct links in post too, and feel free to shoot me a message with questions. I want to help you feel good about home. 

*May contain affiliated links* I participate in Amazon Associates Program occasionally. I won't recommend a product I wasn't myself interested in trying or have tried. I may receive monetary compensation for participating. This does not change the price for you.

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Bonfire Bars

These are super easy, only a few ingredients and they don't take long at all!

3Tbs Butter/Coconut Oil (or combo)

6C Golden Grahams Cereal

3C Marshmallows

2 Tbs Mini Chocolate Chips

3 MORE C. Marshmallows 

First spray your 9x9 (or 8x8) pan with nonstick spray. I just used some coconut oil

 In a saucepan melt the coconut oil or butter, then on medium heat, add 3C marshmallows and stir until it's all melty and combined.

*Turn oven on to broil*

Turn stove heat off, add 6C Golden Grahams Cereal. Stir it all together to coat.

Pour into pan and press down with spatula.

Sprinkle Chocolate Chips evenly

Add 3C marshmallows on top to cover evenly.

Put the pan under the broiler until marshmallows get all melty and crispy and brown and perfect!

Let cool, then

Good Luck Cutting them even ;)
Prepare to be sticky

*May contain affiliated links* I participate in Amazon Associates Program occasionally. I won't recommend a product I wasn't myself interested in trying or have tried. I may receive monetary compensation for participating. This does not change the price for you.

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Cozy Fall Home Essentials

Fall just calls for WARM and COZY!

Warm colors and warm drinks, comfort food and pumpkin everything!

We have Halloween stuff up until Halloween, but usually right after Trick or Treating I pack it all up while we unwind.  I am on the hunt for Fall stuff, not Thanksgiving, just Fall.
I am NOT looking for all things pumpkin or leaves. I am just choosing a couple colors that already go with our home, which is mostly grey, black, white and browns.  I am maybe looking to add a little orange to that mix and some yellow and a touch of gold.
Some things I am watching my favorite resell pages and thrift shops for:

A couple pillows like these!

 

I really love the sweater pillows! So cozy!

 And I need a couple of these, I haven't attempted them before but I might!  

Anyone make these?

And I am LOVING all these cute tartan throw blankets!

And to mix it up a bit I love this!!

Sources for all this stuff right here!

We keep our blankets and a couple extra pillows in this basket, it's fun to be able to add a little color but not have it take up much space!

totally should have swept again before taking this, eh, real life.

And while I would love to go all out and do everything seasonal, I am doing just my favorites!

Swapping out some pictures, changing up our chalkboard. I love these!

adding a couple of signs and doing our mantle  

Once the big stuff is done, I like to add just a couple smaller things that aren't too loud or big or attention grabbing. Cute subtle things. 

 Love this!

I don't know that I would hang it, but on the mantle maybe.

And these seem like a simple DIY, would look cute in a little vase!

And doing our kitchen table

  This year our table is quite a bit smaller though.

What do you change out for Fall?
Any Favorite DIY projects?!

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September {Week 3} Meal Plan

We are about to enter a crazy time in our lives with multiple sports going on at the same time!

Chances of us eating all together are going to be slim for a while, will be taking advantage of crock pot, pressure cooking and grab and go meals. Don't have a pressure cooker? I would say they are a busy moms best friend! This is the one I have, and love. Has paid for itself already, in just a few months. 

Monday~Chicken Tortilla Soup

No canned soup in this recipe!

Tuesday~Tacos

Just throwing some ground beef in the pressure cooker, saute for a few minutes, then adding some seasoning and a little beef stock. Pressure cook for 20 min and leave it on warm until we get around to eating!

Wednesday~Perfect Fall Chili

I promise the couple surprise ingredients make it extra tasty and very fall like!

Thursday~Pressure Cooker Potatoes

Easy to use up leftovers!

 

Friday~Pressure Cooker Mac 'n' Cheese

 

Our first day this week with no sports! Can't wait to just sit and be with everyone at the same time!

I made this recipe a few times, it's SO good but goodness I don't have time to make it often. Changed it up a bit and now I do it in the pressure cooker then under the broiler for a few minutes. In the pressure cooker 1 lb of pasta, 4 C of water, salt and nutmeg.  Pressure cook for 4 minutes, release pressure, add the rest of the ingredients besides topping, stir it up a few minutes and spread in a baking pan, top with crackers and stick it under the broiler for a few.

 

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Our new Favorite Fall Chili!

 

We had some leftover to use, and we got some good deals at the outlet so I started thinking how I could make them work together.

 

I already had chili on the menu for the day, I made our usual with just a few little differences.

 

 

 

I don't do fancy recipes, and I didn't take a picture for every step either. I prefer to just dump it all in the crock pot and call it good! For this one I added all of the below to the crock pot and let it do it's thing for the day.

 

~2lb Ground Turkey

~1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes

~1 1/2 C Spicy V8

~Chili Seasoning (homemade or packaged, whichever you prefer)

~We skip the beans, no one here is a fan, but adjust your liquid if you add beans.

The 2 things I added this time that I don't usually were 1C of pureed pumpkin and 2tsp of pumpkin pie spice.

I couldn't taste the pumpkin at all but it for sure changed the texture for the better. And the spice was barely there but good.  I got pumpkin english muffins at the outlet for $1 the other day, and I didn't have to make cornbread. Win/Win for Mama! 

 

Hubby said this was his favorite Chili so far.. and that was before I told him I snuck the pumpkin in!

 

I was really hoping this filling easy dinner would give me the energy to work on some Fall Cleaning. Haven't started yet!

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October has been a blurrr!!

I cannot believe it's the 22nd already! The Hubby and I took a vaca and were gone until the other day. I haven't finished any of the Halloween costumes. I haven't made any Halloween crafts this year, we haven't been to the pumpkin patch yet and there are a ton of other things October usually holds for us we haven't done yet. I NEED A DO OVER!

I did have a good time on vacation but feel SO behind now! I think I am going to have to call October a wash and get a head start on November instead!

My Pinterest home page already has a few Thanksgiving ideas!

So I am taking the rest of this weekend to catch up on laundry, grocery shop and prepare snacks for this week. I will be alone this week with Hubby out of town so I need to prep as much as I can!

Monday for sure will have some Thanksgiving cuteness!

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Fall Cleaning

It's like Spring Cleaning but better, at least in my opinion. My reward for getting it done is usually some yummy smellin' pumpkin-y candles and/or a Vanilla Chai Latte,

and I prefer those over spring/summer smells

My favorite candle right now is Bath and Body Works Caramel Pumpkin Latte!

The first day of Fall is Sept. 23rd this year! That is our little Finnley's birthday! So I am not starting then, and the next day is his party! And I am pretty sure we will need Sunday to recover.

But Monday I am planning on getting my week long FALL CLEANING started!

I have done this every year for a while, and it's always a little different. Maybe last years, or the years before plan would work for you. Find them HERE. If you need time to clean Article Writing Services will make sure you still have free content for your blog.

 I won't actually start cleaning until then, but for now I need a plan and to make sure we have all the supplies so I can actually get it done without any extra trips to the store!

Here is my plan:

Monday~ Kitchen

Tuesday~Family Room, Living Room

Wednesday~Bathrooms

Thursday~Bedrooms

Friday~Anything inside I missed the other days/outside

Saturday~Garage/outside (depending on weather)

Sunday~(wrapping up outside)

It will take me a few days, but I will have my notepad, or phone, and make lists for each room of the things that need to be done. Sometimes it's just weird little things I wouldn't put on the everyday list or a generic deep cleaning list.

But a few things make the list just about every time. The usual are

Touch up paint

Touch up moulding

Vacuum vents

Cobb webs

I can pretty much figure all the rooms will need this done,

 moulding painting is one of my least favorite things to do.

If you fall clean, what is on your list?

I'll have a list for Kitchen's soon!

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Monthly Cleaning Schedule!

HOW did I not ever think of this?!

Such a clever idea and soo much better than my haphazard way of doing things!

I saw a couple examples on pinterest (of course), like this one

I had to alter mine, I usually have to deep clean a little more often than once a year for some of our things.. but I do like the idea of having a designated month to do the big rooms!  So although I do some stuff that people consider "deep" cleaning every week, some stuff can be done just 1 or 2 times a year. Here is what I came up with, going to add it to my HMB and make my Fall/Spring Cleaning a lot easier, they will probably need an overhaul too!

How do you all organize your deep cleaning?

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Halloween Wreath

I know it's just a little early for Halloween stuff, but my girlfriend was hosting a crafting night and I didn't have anything else to work on. She is a total sweet pea, check her out HERE.

So I had one of those straw wreaths from a project that did not turn out, I used some black ribbon and hot glue to cover that, then some of the cheapy boas at Michaels, not the feather but the fluff and wrapped that around the parts that were still showing straw, just attaching with hot glue. Then I spent a couple weeks collecting the black feather boas with coupons, I think I used 3. Still just wrapping and securing with hot glue.

Once that was done I just used some fishing line, and my random collection of keys, empty pocket watch, and crystals and hung them from the top, I wish the fishing line was less visible, but it will work until I figure something else out.

I'm actually really liking it, and it doesn't scream Halloween, there is no orange, purple, pumpkins or ghosts and that is just the way I like my Halloween stuff!

And please forgive the horrible pictures today :)

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Ready for Halloween!

I am SO ready for Halloween and some crafting! So I am starting to find some stuff to attempt now.

I LOVE black and silver together, or black and white so I am looking for stuff in those colors like this ADORABLE boot! My plan is to try and find a similar shaped pair of boots at Goodwill and add the fluff and then paint it up

Oh and look they make a matching hat!

And I LOVE Potter Barns wreath from a couple years ago from the holiday catalog

But I am thinking I will love it even more if it was black and silver! I have a lot of Halloween keys too, so if I don't find enough clocks (I have a few already) then I will use keys

Another Pottery barn favorite is their mercury glass pumpkins!

I have got to find a DIY way to do these! And if I don't do those, then these for sure (better homes and gardens) But I think I would paint them black first so the rhinestones show up really well!

All these cutesy things have me excited to start! I know it's only July but Halloween IS my favorite and I have all that Back to School planning too, sometimes my eyes need a break from pencils and backpacks!

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Is it too early?

To be thinking and planning for some Back To School?!

I don't want the kids to go anytime soon, but I am kinda excited to get the decorations out and work on a few crafts!

And I need a day to check out what each of the kiddo has for Fall and Winter, but I am in no way rushing Summer, it JUST started here really. But I also don't want to miss a sale on something that one of the kids will need either.

When do you all start planning for Fall, back to school and all the end of summer craziness?

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Thanksgiving #9

I just want to say that I WISH we lived in an area where this picture was a possibility!

via Country Home

Because I love this setting, it looks so natural and unfussy and pretty at the same time! It is rarely dry here in the Pacific Northwest in November so that isn't an option for us.  But I still have some cute stuff to share even if it isn't stuff we will get the chance to use.

Like this All White Table Setting

via Style Me Pretty

But we have kids.. white stuff and kids usually aren't good companions!

And Square dishes, because I think food looks more interesting on square plates

Not that I wouldn't use them, we just don't have any.

Couple things I WOULD do

is add old and more recent photos around the table. I am sure some of the pictures would be great conversation starters, especially if you have new people over!

via Apartment Therapy

Any of these super cute little favor boxes or place card holders!

via Manolobrides.com

And these are easy but still pretty, in that simple natural unfussy way!

Any of the cute apothecary jars or even canning jars and a tealight would be very simple and cute! Beans and lentils are very inexpensive but look just right for fall!

source unknown, let me know if it's yours!

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