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  • Teaching Kids to Clean with a Bathroom Cleaning Station

    Teaching Kids to Clean with a Bathroom Cleaning Station

    This Bathroom Cleaning has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.#ScrubTheMess #CollectiveBias

    The last thing any pregnant momma wants to do is scrub the toilets, at least this one. I’ve been teaching my kids how to clean since a young age, and this year has been no different. So today I’m sharing with you my Bathroom Cleaning Station.

    Create a Cleaning Station and never Miss a Mess again! #ScrubTheMess #ad

    It was a jump for joy moment to find that there was a new Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber on the market! There’s not much about bathrooms that make people shout for joy, but us Mom’s know the real victories in life. A clean bathroom, HELLO! It’s like one the best feelings in the world, am I right? The Disposable Toilet Scrubber means no more wet toilet brushes being left in the bathroom. A simple click of the button and the scrubber is in the trash.

    Have you seen? NEW Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubbers and refills are at Kroger. #ScrubTheMess #ad

    After our rental with the moldy toilets, I get sensitive about having our toilets spic and span. So for the last few year I’ve been specifically focusing on teaching the kids how to clean the bathrooms. My 6-year-old happens to be the most fantastic bathroom cleaner you’ve ever seen, and when given the choice of cleaning her room or the bathroom, she’ll always go for the toilets. With a little supervision, like when we clean the toilet, she’s phenomenal.

    Check out these Elegant Bathroom Ideas

    So now that the kids know how to clean the bathroom, I decided it was time to make a checklist. With a wipeable checklist, I don’t have to hover when I send them to clean the bathrooms anymore. Instead, I can just hang out – haha – and wait until they finish everything before I head in and make sure it is all done. This awesome checklist allows the kids – and even forgetful grownups – to visually see what needs to be done, and double check that they got it all.

    Download this FREE Printable Bathroom Cleaning Checklist for kids! Laminate it for a wipeable surface to use over and over again. #ScrubTheMess #ad

    Click Image to Download and Print

    I won’t lie, the kids are really good at spiffing up their bathroom. It’s organized and looks from the surface pretty clean. Sometimes, though, I will find rolled balls of wet towels in the corner from their attempt at wiping off the counter, or cleaning around the toilet. So to combat that, I created the Bathroom Cleaning Station. Hand in Hand with the checklist, the kids can now see which cleaning product should be used where, and I can make sure it all got done.

    Bathroom Cleaning Station

    Supplies

    • Small box or Basket – same size as the back of the toilet works perfect
    • Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber and Refills
    • Wet Wipes
    • Glass Cleaner
    • Printable Checklist and corresponding Images
    • Dry Erase Marker

    Alright, so the kids have cleaned the bathroom -minus the toile – and grabbed me for an inspection. Things are looking pretty good, but the one area I let them skip is the toilet. Of course, they think it’s fun to do, but I prefer they get me before finishing it up so we can use the Disposable Toilet Scrubbers properly. The New Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber was designed to reach the messes we’ve been leaving behind – like under the rim – an often attempted spot to clean, but frequently missed.

    New Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber is designed to reach under the rim! #ScrubTheMess #ad

    Now if we ever live in a rental with those nasty moldy toilets again, I know I can trust Scotch-Brite in my bathroom cleaning arsenal. With its built-in bleach alternative cleaner with pumice – rust and hard water have no chance! You can pick up the New Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber and Refills at your local Kroger. 

    Find new Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubbers at Kroger. #ScrubTheMess #ad

    Right now there is an Instant Redeemable Coupon on the Scotch-Brite® Disposable Toilet Scrubber that will Save you $2. This coupon can be redeemed at the register during checkout!

    Looking for more Bathroom Cleaning inspiration? Check out these other great ideas!

     

  • Kids and Chores: It doesn’t have to be a battle

    Kids and Chores: It doesn’t have to be a battle

    I’ve touched on the topic before, but as the kids get older, and we keep moving around, we never seem to find a system for doing chores that really sticks with the kids. I believe a lot of it is keeping a routine, which has been lacking with our most recent move. 
    I came across this info-graphic from Terry’s Fabrics, and thought it was worth sharing. I hope I can be a bit better getting back into routine, and making chores FUN for the kids – or at least worthwhile. (2 hours wasted trying to get them to clean up the mess they made yesterday, blah!). 
    How to Get Children to Help With the Chores by Terrys Fabrics

    How to Get Children to Help With the Chores by Terrys Fabrics.

  • Cut the Clutter and Enjoy more Family Time {Think About It}

    Cut the Clutter and Enjoy more Family Time {Think About It}

    There has been so much going on in our lives right now. Between just being a Mom, and trying to really put more into this blog, as well as remodeling the bathroom, and other life stresses, I found myself getting completely overwhelmed. 
     I found my stress came out towards the house. I was tired of picking the same thing up over and over and over again. I was tired of feeling like the only one who cared to have a clean house.  So I stopped cleaning beyond the absolute necessary chores. 
    So then one day, I was talking to my mom, and she told me something she’s often said before 
    Less is More.
    Yes Mom, I know, but so many things have an emotional attachment to them. I often have a harder time getting rid of items then the kids because I remember what we were doing when we got them. And as before when she’s given me this simple advice, I pushed it aside, thinking I couldn’t do it. I’d be the mean mom taking their toys away, the mean wife tossing things away and saying no to more “stuff”.
    And then a day or two after I talked to my mom I came across this post – 
    Why I Took My Kids Toys Away from Living Well, Spending Less.

    This time, my moms advice came back to my mind, and I knew I needed to make the change. We needed to get rid of a lot of the “stuff” cluttering up our house. Not just for my sanity, but to bring our family back to true happiness. We’ve spent too many days crying over toys, not finding that special toy in the mess, and tears and tantrums because “It’s too hard to clean up Mom!”

    Before I made my plan of action, I presented the idea to Mark. We believe in team parenting, so I wanted to make sure he was on board, and felt good about what I was about to do as well.  We gave it a day to think about, and then presented our plan of action to the kids. 
    Hey Kids, Mom and Dad were thinking, we have too many toys.
    Noooooooooo! Don’t take our toys away!!!
    We’re not taking your toys away! Calm down and listen please.
    And then we did it. We involved our kids in the process to make room in our life for more family activities, instead of more toys. 
    The Idea:  Earn money by selling toys at a yard sale.  Use the money for a pre-chosen family activity.
    The Plan of Attack:  We told the kids they didn’t have to sell any of their toys, but if they did we could earn money for something we can’t normally afford to do. Mom and Dad wouldn’t make them sell anything, but we would encourage them to minimize and choose only a few favorites to keep. 
    We began with the stuffed animals. 2 large bins of stuffed animals stuck in storage, with more hanging around the toy room was a bit much. We involved the kids, and had a stuffed animal sorting party. Mark and I pushed to get each Princesses pile down to  5 stuffed toys. We ended with 1 full bin to sell (and a very happy Mama!). Now every night as we clean up the toys as a family, some may get tossed into our yard sale pile as the Princesses realize they don’t ever play with it. 
    The Goal: Bowling! Frequently we hear requests to take the kids bowling. Bowling can get expensive, and exhaustive with all the kids – but we know they enjoy it, and it will bring us closer as a family. It will be affordable as well.  For me though, I will enjoy more time with the kids playing, instead of cleaning up their crazy messes as they try to find that 1 toy hidden in the depths of the toy box.

    Think About It!

    Are you being overrun with clutter?  
    It might not be an insane amount of toys (my kids really don’t have that many), but if it’s enough that tantrums are a daily occurrence, and you feel overwhelmed just looking at them – then you probably have too many for your space and your kids. 
    The tantrums truly tell us something. It’s kind of like a hidden message.  To me “Mom it’s too hard to clean up” really was saying “Mom, I have too many toys, and I’ve just as overwhelmed by them as you are”


  • Wordless Wednesday – Kitchen Help

    Wordless Wednesday – Kitchen Help

    Mommy’s little Kitchen Helper. 
    Advice for the day – if you have children, include them in turning your house into a home. It gives them a sense of responsibility, and allows you some quality time with them.