Archive for July, 2011

Television commercials take up as much as eighteen minutes of a one hour program.  Let’s face it – who actually watches only one hour of television? So, instead of sitting on the couch and watching those useless commercials why not do some cleaning and get some exercise? Of course, this works even better if you do it with a couple of kids, or a kid and a spouse. The more, the merrier.

Here’s my commercial break cleaning tips and quick exercise plan (and even a game!):

Here’s the game. You be the parent. Think of short cleaning tasks before the show. These should be routine things the kids can do in the space of a two-minute commercial break. If you need to, write each one on a slip of paper; I just have a clipboard with a list. For each commercial break, choose two family members to race. I leave one child for each break to alert everyone at the end of the break, and to referee who completes the task first. I literally yell, “GO!” and they fly. Next break a different child (I have three, so it works well) gets to stay behind.

While the children race to complete their task, I clean as well. I just personally believe that if parents are seen, they will be heard. Besides, I need the exercise. Often, I dust, with a microfiber cloth. These fantastic cloths pick up large amounts of dust, hair and dirt and make my job much easier. 

I start by attaching the cloth to the end of the broom with a rubber band and going around the edge of the ceiling and down the walls, stopping when the referee calls. I also do pictures, knick knacks and their shelves, coffee tables, the computer, and so forth.

One trick to keeping this going is to focus on one room per program. I find if I send the boys to the bedroom to put away laundry during one break, then send them to the kitchen to take out the trash and feed the dog the next, they see it as a contest and not just having to do housework. Getting chores done is really a side benefit. We have some fun, they get snacks for the program, or computer time, as a prize for “winning” and they’re not camped out on the couch for a whole hour. Or two. Or longer.

Lastly, two of my three are teenagers. When they began to be aware that this was contrived for their own good and maybe not just for the fun of it, they began to balk at the races. I had to take them aside and explain that I understood the tendency to be cynical about it, but that little brother still thought it was fun. This, by the way, was where I made good use of the fact that I participated with the same enthusiasm that I expected from them. We still enjoy the whole process.

Chelsea Myers is a proud mother of three and has been working as a freelance writer for the past 10 years.

Looking to sell a used car or know someone who is?  By following a few simple, inexpensive guidelines, you can maximize the price you get for your car.  For starters, find a good estimate of your car’s worth by going to Kelley Blue Book.  You can enter all of the pertinent information and rather quickly get a rough value for your car.  With this number in mind, by following the tips below you can get as near to this number as possible or perhaps a few dollars more if you can justify your car as being in “excellent” condition.

-Unless you have some type of special deal with a car dealership, selling your car privately will get you a lot more money than doing a trade-in.  By comparing the trade-in or private sale value on Kelley Blue Book, you can see that the trade in value is typically only around sixty percent of the private sale value at most.

-Wax and polish your car, using proper car wash soap.  Don’t use dish soap as it isn’t quite as good at bringing out the original color of the car.  The color of your car will fade over time – to see what the original hue was, the inside of the car door is a great place to look as it doesn’t fade nearly as much as the outside of the car.  This will be what you are aiming for as you wax and polish your car. Don’t forget about using Armor All on the interior surfaces.

-Fix minor dents and body damage if you can do so cheaply, it will be worth the time by being able to get a higher price for you car.  Major work however should be avoided and simply pointed out to the person you are selling to.  If you spend too much getting your car ready for sale you’ll likely end up losing money overall.

-Have paper evidence for work done to your vehicle.  If you have custom work done on your vehicle, the person buying will be more receptive to seeing the paperwork for it than taking your word on it.

-Pay attention to those small details.  The first reaction at the seller seeing your car should be positive.  Make sure the lights are bright, the wheels are shiny, clean the floor mats, vacuum the car, get rid of any smoke smell or other bad odors, and clean all of the glass with a good glass cleaner.

Good luck with selling your used car!  Hopefully following these tips will help you get a few more dollars for your vehicle.

In honor of Get To Know Your Customers Day, we’re asking, What’s your least favorite chore? Share your pain with us on Facebook. We will try to recommend products and tips to make your least favorite chore easier to handle! Participants receive a free canister of GreenWorks Wipes.

I particularly hate mopping the floor. I don’t do it nearly enough, so when I notice that the floor needs mopping, it needs it really bad! Then I have to put the chairs up, and wait for it to dry before I can do anything in that room without tracking water all over the place.

It’s time to celebrate Independence Day this 4^th of July, and many Americans will be spending their day cooking out and enjoying firework displays.  Make sure your 4^th of July weekend is a safe one by observing these safety tips.

Firework Safety

-Obey the fireworks laws of your state.  Regulations vary from state to state on the type of fireworks that are legal or illegal, or if having fireworks at home are legal period.  The American Pyrotechnics Association has a great breakdown of firework laws by state.

-Only use fireworks outdoors, and always have a bucket of water or hose handy.

-Spectators should stay a safe distance away from the fireworks, and the launcher should wear safety glasses.

-Never use home-made fireworks, and don’t drink and handle fireworks; have a designated firework shooter.

For more firework safety tips visit the National Council of Firework Safety.

Cooking Out

-Do not leave a grill or stove unattended, and keep any flammable items (like pot holders and paper towels) off of the cooking area.

-Cooking appliances should be plugged directly into an outlet and not an extension cord.  With an extension cord the circuit can easily be overloaded causing a fire.

-Keep children and pets away from the grill, make it clear there is no playing near the grill area.

-Wear short, close-fitting clothing while cooking.  Dangling or loose fitting clothing can potentially touch the heat source and ignite.

For more tips on staying safe while cooking out visit the U.S. Fire Administration.

Need paper plates, napkins, or other supplies for your summer cookouts or camping?  Shop with us this weekend and save an additional 10% this on all items at CleaningProductsWorld!  Deal ends July 6^th, buy now and save!