And the Answer Is...

Did you guess correctly? That's right, folks, even though I bought this little tray two or three years ago, it still sports the plastic ring that held its original price tag.

The funny thing is, I didn't even realize that I had left the thing on there until I was posting these photos and saw it for myself. This is yet another reason I suggest using a camera as a part of your mess-fighting arsenal, because sometimes it takes a picture to show us the oversights that are right in front of our own eyes.

So am I the only one in the world who doesn't think to cut tags off after I buy something? Once I posted these photos, I went around the house with a pair of scissors and found three more tags, one of them on a rug I bought about five years ago. I'm not sure why I forget to snip tags, but I do know they can give an area a messy feel--and they don't belong in a House That Cleans Itself.

Time for a Paint Job, Part 2

Take a look at the before photos:





and now the afters:







of this little kitchen. Once again, a can of paint and small investment of time gives a great big payoff.

Time for a Paint Job

What's wrong with this picture?



Nothing that a little can of paint can't fix! See how nicked the chair is? Even when the room is clean, that banged-up chair makes it feel dirty.



In a House That Cleans Itself, sometimes just a little time and a fresh coat of paint can work miracles!



So what could use a little painting touch-up in your house?

True Magic, Part 2

See what a difference the Magic Erasermakes near her refrigerator? Here it is before:



And here it is after:



Obviously, she's got "have a new kitchen floor installed" on her future upgrades list, (and the fridge could use some help as well) but for now some simple wiping with the right tool has made all the difference on the floor, as you can see.

I hate to sound like a commercial, but there are few products that I recommend as wholeheartedly as I do the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
Put simply, it rocks.

True Magic

Okay, you've heard me praise Magic Eraserson here before, but this time I'm saying it with pictures. Take a look at these photos from the house of a friend.

This was her kitchen floor before:



Though the black and white tile pattern is a real nightmare to keep clean, she's not in a position to replace it with a more HTCI-friendly pattern. Thus, I suggested we try sparkling things up with a Magic Eraserand some elbow grease instead.

This her kitchen floor after:



And that's why they call it a "magic" eraser!