tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27785799801747480232024-03-13T00:38:55.265-04:00From Messed to BlessedMindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-84387299302424888442023-12-15T17:27:00.000-05:002023-12-15T17:27:02.049-05:00Big Book Sale<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> Just a heads up, I've got a <a href="http://www.mindystarnsclark.com/autographed-copies.php#cousins-series" target="_blank">big book sale on my website</a> right now, offering <i>The House That Cleans Itself</i>--and most of my other books--for half price. Grab them while you can!</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mindystarnsclark.com/autographed-copies.php#cousins-series" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="6600" data-original-width="4200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lgdwiWcPnZxaDIHvJ1KVigtDBl3KT7lksF4RydfHfM7rjefbMxumpcbI5xGLdnwlLrF2taUNuznhUZ-HQLthDq508J6RHfXsdy0tQx2PpdqkXGmZ9AAKKdlxMzQzTMDPB6XhrnZ9eL9IPdXiqjxrXDZVNYl20jn642VXE6Oe83lqX-R3gvgsjcX3Yf5x/w408-h640/inventory%20reduction%20sale%20graphic%20copy.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-21963202207797661472023-12-12T17:19:00.003-05:002023-12-12T17:19:55.315-05:00Sometimes It Pays to Be a Pessimist<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I heard a great quote today that I thought I'd share, one similar to the advice I give in <i>The House That Cleans Itself</i>. This was from professional organizer Star Hansen, who says:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Make your maintenance systems for your laziest day."</span></h1><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd6U4oZwzUdSApoBqv6Rl4WxtNYeTx__0-cEKSRjWvsHegooHzA0J9wIDl__g7yayvRfsG2Zj72t_jm3gEeG7DFAV8TMHV3UMV90fLirevj3Jvi6dkZhbT6FktFfyAxi_pIFEKy6SGdll-KbvrFFd4a1cv0ZVcfXWXH9d30qRsoJc5kIXD_R8cumIqPYj/s6720/AdobeStock_467895824.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBd6U4oZwzUdSApoBqv6Rl4WxtNYeTx__0-cEKSRjWvsHegooHzA0J9wIDl__g7yayvRfsG2Zj72t_jm3gEeG7DFAV8TMHV3UMV90fLirevj3Jvi6dkZhbT6FktFfyAxi_pIFEKy6SGdll-KbvrFFd4a1cv0ZVcfXWXH9d30qRsoJc5kIXD_R8cumIqPYj/w400-h266/AdobeStock_467895824.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In other words, don't set up your household organization so that it only works on those days when you're feeling energetic and organized and efficient. Instead, think forward to your most difficult days, when you're feeling tired or overwhelmed or just lazy. Set up all of your systems with <i>that</i> person in mind, and you'll be far more likely to use the systems you set up!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I couldn't agree more. We all prefer to see ourselves in the best light, but when it comes to household systems for organization, it pays to be pessimistic about our future behaviors. As I always say, make the <i>easy</i> choice the <i>clean</i> choice, and you'll do it far more often than not. </span></p><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-66684502665953267592023-07-07T07:22:00.000-04:002023-07-07T07:22:41.513-04:00Basket Winner<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And The Winner Is...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Congrats to Susan Peters, winner of the house basket giveaway. Enjoy!</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisP6ci3DVv1DX3c_zbXgDA2wKlXXrXHcVjr8TizMSEFxptkaeDViPJ3KAaUutv6HhXxJRVDY1IBAppwqfnjaI3FKz4Ad-mymK7Oq9aHIpjCmw6kmsmsNkX83P7Cu90xNLVXWCmQLLv_wzJ5uWZjHOXSpMIZs3qYNycCmoAuMINF4Q648U8f2wUXlse3lfJ/s2270/IMG_9265.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2080" data-original-width="2270" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisP6ci3DVv1DX3c_zbXgDA2wKlXXrXHcVjr8TizMSEFxptkaeDViPJ3KAaUutv6HhXxJRVDY1IBAppwqfnjaI3FKz4Ad-mymK7Oq9aHIpjCmw6kmsmsNkX83P7Cu90xNLVXWCmQLLv_wzJ5uWZjHOXSpMIZs3qYNycCmoAuMINF4Q648U8f2wUXlse3lfJ/w400-h366/IMG_9265.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-23824321368824806162023-06-19T07:30:00.028-04:002023-06-19T07:30:00.144-04:00Free Basket GiveawayI just found the cutest basket at Home Goods and thought it would make a perfect giveaway for readers of my <i>The House That Cleans Itself </i>blog! It's about 10" high and 9" wide and would make an adorable addition to any House That Cleans Itself.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAOtGP65OQXHv-WDDw7wHckRtF1_OcpHeU0Aa1yMtafriZMCAHUHuK-ZKVkG_duOzbJU9muzjTbELab1ofeD9t5GOJbC11s-uTzDmrE3V5J5xgtlrxSdNXN9AZUsymhj74K2uZHx7971q1vNMyAU7r9iKYMa_TpRgxtmzdMDMqRSwNnZdXcSDZR78yQ/s2270/IMG_9265.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2080" data-original-width="2270" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAOtGP65OQXHv-WDDw7wHckRtF1_OcpHeU0Aa1yMtafriZMCAHUHuK-ZKVkG_duOzbJU9muzjTbELab1ofeD9t5GOJbC11s-uTzDmrE3V5J5xgtlrxSdNXN9AZUsymhj74K2uZHx7971q1vNMyAU7r9iKYMa_TpRgxtmzdMDMqRSwNnZdXcSDZR78yQ/w400-h366/IMG_9265.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Simply click on the "ENTER To Win" button, below, to enter. But be sure to do it by June 30th. After that, I'll use a random number generator to pick a winner, whom I will announce on this blog on July 3rd. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://forms.gle/KWBrYdGSus8xoYGa8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tY3ZXWh6KEP03Qyo7WhukTBABZRVpkN8fGi0RqGKm719luKILRtYltlOCz3sJ0VhRa2wrrIb4RGpsEnMMrCLnmJgxX-KogR8wKTVpR1uTqurIgHzmh7e9GUt79RZ1e03V4beu0ksaPMN8IW3YueeyNigqt4PoYg3wt1a3EyYNqXjPxD4WHajJHmvxw/w200-h200/AdobeStock_116241784.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WviMOaS4BJNHo8TqJONTOI3vUclo2h6z6ZfnX50TWNeioKKf60w3HHXxRbOnoa54LRG1w9AXAv8MVEmOLJKonVYIvKZoN8LwyDWezvn9mwmXP65Wb5piwjD4HwRFWf8Nfa_NrnVwIp8f-pqbEKJIiCbguDLbrhbkYK_FTRlbl0GvmSs5oMtfgxsZ9g/s2461/IMG_9266.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2461" data-original-width="2226" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WviMOaS4BJNHo8TqJONTOI3vUclo2h6z6ZfnX50TWNeioKKf60w3HHXxRbOnoa54LRG1w9AXAv8MVEmOLJKonVYIvKZoN8LwyDWezvn9mwmXP65Wb5piwjD4HwRFWf8Nfa_NrnVwIp8f-pqbEKJIiCbguDLbrhbkYK_FTRlbl0GvmSs5oMtfgxsZ9g/s320/IMG_9266.jpeg" width="289" /></a></div><br /><div>Good luck, and don't forget to check back!</div></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-53447954607278976322023-06-12T07:30:00.007-04:002023-06-12T07:30:00.142-04:00Use This For That #2<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19_8VI5pS451oVFJVyeV-7v06c57Bc6PF0XmeAEtySYmAI64rbHbcVAlBln_tTIw6DhGBmXql-d1wNfgNRnqOfbtkCM-esHCphGRBaJSlYPXWa7hHwovTIouMbMFX3HRODNxy9J5vk5YAoYKJG-bSpgnqU-MuAVxf1sz-EdOIn20bellI5h9cdBYB0w/s6912/Mindy%20Starns%20Clark%20Blog%20Banner%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="6912" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19_8VI5pS451oVFJVyeV-7v06c57Bc6PF0XmeAEtySYmAI64rbHbcVAlBln_tTIw6DhGBmXql-d1wNfgNRnqOfbtkCM-esHCphGRBaJSlYPXWa7hHwovTIouMbMFX3HRODNxy9J5vk5YAoYKJG-bSpgnqU-MuAVxf1sz-EdOIn20bellI5h9cdBYB0w/w400-h145/Mindy%20Starns%20Clark%20Blog%20Banner%20(1).png" width="400" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you ever been at home, found a small, sticky, mess, and wished you could just squirt some water on it? Maybe a stubborn glob of food on the floor? A dirty threshold of a doorway? Bird droppings on an upstairs window screen?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEy81WbqYZsCDiQHtp-X_a8TplgymS-T-0P97oEHfBwBm4_v5kW2RlCTKs6rEUaTpcnlh-4Lk2XjqzjkHN-mGD3B5m35T7fsM4RV9UXcGFhRz_TpPm1xJ0FY3k-GuXEXJNXhHVRbUtQC9V_kvFe9QMOxvjMQBDauLe7Y0XL179FMCeYhGlxs0fc0d8g/s3885/AdobeStock_6942640.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3861" data-original-width="3885" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEy81WbqYZsCDiQHtp-X_a8TplgymS-T-0P97oEHfBwBm4_v5kW2RlCTKs6rEUaTpcnlh-4Lk2XjqzjkHN-mGD3B5m35T7fsM4RV9UXcGFhRz_TpPm1xJ0FY3k-GuXEXJNXhHVRbUtQC9V_kvFe9QMOxvjMQBDauLe7Y0XL179FMCeYhGlxs0fc0d8g/s320/AdobeStock_6942640.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">That last one was the mess that inspired the idea for this "Using This For That" post, where we talk about alternative uses for various items around the home. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In a house where we used to live, I opened the curtains in the upstairs bedroom one morning and discovered a big glob of nasty white bird droppings had spilled down the window screen. A while later, I went outside to get the hose and spray the poop off--only to find that the window was up too high and the water pressure wasn't good enough to reach the mess.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So what's a girl to do? Frustrated, I put the hose away and marched back upstairs, all the while wishing I had some portable method for spraying water from inside the house. Not like the gentle, "spritz" kind of spraying, but more like a strong, hose-like spraying.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">And then it hit me.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaachUmiGWtNywSYXHtD-llZz08fiyO7avcJVCPPwxKXl5zNq67NtLVf1xH1WQql0Vl1LZLINFJnxY9iji3rYuPlJ2mB1EDaWq9nlP2R3FoLh5hsz9lnT4pvDe7yeW93wsGBuceBBD1-VifyP_pJ7GygW-2P7W0R8nXge5xU6Rj9YxFc-ycjWremrWA/s3632/IMG_9054.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaachUmiGWtNywSYXHtD-llZz08fiyO7avcJVCPPwxKXl5zNq67NtLVf1xH1WQql0Vl1LZLINFJnxY9iji3rYuPlJ2mB1EDaWq9nlP2R3FoLh5hsz9lnT4pvDe7yeW93wsGBuceBBD1-VifyP_pJ7GygW-2P7W0R8nXge5xU6Rj9YxFc-ycjWremrWA/s3632/IMG_9054.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5lg4IN2xcQl2-Si8nkj1TohGoI5qbdSsgukHweOBIc4pmnUEZj79Wwg1RuC413nvaHp9bLJH0vW5I36tY_1-vmJEE7HEMdepQRxziJOV6RC-azZ-nR_O2N96aKQtHUbE7h0K_bgCUSxfr-7g2_Wni-SrDE-hEf2XOoZBEAjfHed3bCERbW9UoTL80w/s3556/IMG_9061.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3556" data-original-width="2046" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5lg4IN2xcQl2-Si8nkj1TohGoI5qbdSsgukHweOBIc4pmnUEZj79Wwg1RuC413nvaHp9bLJH0vW5I36tY_1-vmJEE7HEMdepQRxziJOV6RC-azZ-nR_O2N96aKQtHUbE7h0K_bgCUSxfr-7g2_Wni-SrDE-hEf2XOoZBEAjfHed3bCERbW9UoTL80w/s320/IMG_9061.jpeg" width="184" /></a></div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">A few weeks before, I'd bought my kids a little <a href="https://amzn.to/3OrkUrU" target="_blank">pump for filling water balloons</a>. The way it worked was this: You filled the bottle with water, screwed on the top, gave it 5 or 6 pumps of air to build up the pressure inside, slipped the balloon on the nozzle, and pulled the trigger. The water came out so hard that it managed to fill the balloon. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If I didn't put a balloon on the nozzle, I realized, it would still spray out water, really hard, and I could direct it to where I wanted it to go. So I decided to give it a try. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I grabbed the bottle, filled it up, gave it a few pumps, went to the open window, and pulled the trigger. Voila, the bird poop washed away in seconds. Better yet, I had discovered a handy new tool to use all around the house and anywhere outside that my hose wouldn't reach.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's a clip to show you how it works. (Though don't gross out, this is a reenactment, using mayonnaise, haha, not actual bird poop!)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='423' height='352' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwShoEpbWFkHhDWhrtKPXx4Xh8w5PlFIFOVUnSFl1BNa2KtENA0SOLsNcqi1iMcOL1KafY9wiaTy3dQPk9FRg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm sure the makers of that little water balloon pump never imagined it would be used as a cleaning tool, but there you go. A big part of turning your home into a House That Cleans Itself involves creative problem solving—and sometimes the best solutions may be right under your nose. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Happy squirting!</span></p></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-7320127997449749122023-06-08T07:30:00.001-04:002023-06-08T07:30:00.153-04:00How to Never Lose A Ring or Necklace Again, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSLsmDOYcm7c_7xETdxA8-kQhWUKqIM9T51txSALw0W6MZEa2dL14c96ztUGzsEjSWjAb2pyepDjqq547YTRrn_bQLY85FgmMa9-VH2Ob2wxtSmis0yD8Ub3hchpE3ToaAzWGEXzbkGJcCr6dOeAFMJMT2631h0eUmYKyVz2CbRcjGQX9prbUvDA2mg/s1280/IMG_1203.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSLsmDOYcm7c_7xETdxA8-kQhWUKqIM9T51txSALw0W6MZEa2dL14c96ztUGzsEjSWjAb2pyepDjqq547YTRrn_bQLY85FgmMa9-VH2Ob2wxtSmis0yD8Ub3hchpE3ToaAzWGEXzbkGJcCr6dOeAFMJMT2631h0eUmYKyVz2CbRcjGQX9prbUvDA2mg/s320/IMG_1203.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/06/how-to-never-lose-ring-or-necklace.html" target="_blank">Monday</a>, I talked about the problem of misplacing jewelry and how this can be a common issue for the housekeeping impaired. If this has ever happened to you, you may want to consider implementing the solution I came up with for my home. I used to lose jewelry all the time—mostly just cheap costume items, but also the occasional really nice piece as well. Then 30 years ago I figured out a solution and put a system into place, and I haven't lost a single piece of jewelry since. Clearly, for me at least, it works!</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4567" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XXS08KMlaZr84BfPv09M1AhfjpkHdpldxZaoF-Z5kkfuon2zlX3WuuvOMkL548gs2BTu8vF887jkajsO5gy377dW69qvZRvoRmiAGsypHEi8CqOEGUxqoFYjwF6OOlEpSyBJ1nL33JJ_ywgKjh8rIFr-NFTP4tRXyoxC5RCwOaUYL5yh55fsiPc-vQ/s320/IMG_1199.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Beside the couch</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The key to solving this problem is simple:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Figure out <b>where you usually are</b> in your home (or car or office, etc.) <b>when you remove your jewelry</b>. Are you at the kitchen sink, about to wash some dishes? In the living room, watching TV? Driving home from work? Heading outside to do some gardening? In bed about to go to sleep? All of the above? Identify <b><i>every single place</i></b> where this happens.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4212" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3afrEgzQqtK04jivjWTFNsvPiM5KneZjP329ggpW-jlQNfcmXNxSVJjR884jtwSyrYIfquD5aWUykR5jw9rt2cYLZlJZNfvrKA1zMAZa40AAzOqp2NUIWRTClAxQcUA1zKbL2Jv-Mszf7SpDSTFS0K6yBPNtjz3SYX6k6CxSnYFT-2jKcMlLx7aorBw/s320/IMG_1189.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the desk</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">2. For however many places you have identified in step one, obtain that many small containers that will serve as safe but temporary holding zones for any jewelry you remove from your body. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Place those containers near the spots you identified in step one, within arm's reach of the position you'll be in at that time. For you, that could mean putting one container beside the kitchen sink, another on the coffee table in front of the couch, another in your purse, another next to the back door, and another on your bedside table. Don't berate yourself if you need a whole bunch of these temporary holding zone containers. You're solving this problem by changing your <i>house</i>, not your behavior, and that's the key to the whole House That Cleans Itself system.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Force yourself to maintain this rule: <b><i>My jewelry will always ONLY be either on my body, in my jewelry box (or whatever you use for your permanent jewelry storage), or in one of my temporary holding zone containers. Nowhere else!</i></b> Never compromise on this, and never stop tweaking the system until you've got a temporary holding zone container in every single place where you're tempted to take off jewelry and set it aside to put away "later." There is no later. It's either on your body or in a temporary holding zone container or in its permanent location. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3v7bGE1ONIfXdNEhzqcRNjd7VpRZZnaovYYzAhGFj2eOayuzdppXHEt0TZwom0691fwmxrWu6-9ePGP5-EYbTt4mgSI1bFApsNy3Cre6EV_2UfI_iSz5V0BGIt5stjX9eKJR9FqrbaFMxAgVTQ60Lk43WlwF8Zfy6Zv5Pbv44qJhQoyU9Z7TjQN_K6Q/s4284/IMG_1184.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="4284" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3v7bGE1ONIfXdNEhzqcRNjd7VpRZZnaovYYzAhGFj2eOayuzdppXHEt0TZwom0691fwmxrWu6-9ePGP5-EYbTt4mgSI1bFApsNy3Cre6EV_2UfI_iSz5V0BGIt5stjX9eKJR9FqrbaFMxAgVTQ60Lk43WlwF8Zfy6Zv5Pbv44qJhQoyU9Z7TjQN_K6Q/s320/IMG_1184.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By the kitchen sink</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">5. Once in a while, collect the various pieces from the temporary storage containers and return them to your jewelry box (or other permanent jewelry storage area.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That's it!<br /></span><p></p><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A Few Caveats</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">• Make sure the containers are extremely convenient to the places identified in step 1 but that they're not sitting in harm's way. </span></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2741" data-original-width="3883" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-3fO7elxcT4QMBJ-ohH54yIVXU0U_i5zixZ6tDxN4GTahKihXLvQ7V9MSMpMQzNgvaeSQKdOLONJmj32GTi_ZIO9P2-teDuSNNP8EsJP2y5_68Gu7rCs_K88YUQpjn7zqjMRRsZA9FurYk5JaDs0YOT_aRPouaxzEF8qTEo6K7qCcr3sMkwug8ZDoA/s320/IMG_1197.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On the bedside table</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For example, if you have small children, don't put a tempting little box on your bedside table, which would have it within easy reach of tiny hands. Instead put it in the bedside table's top drawer. When kids are a part of the equation, find the location that's within arm's reach (otherwise, you won't use it), but that's not going to be bothered with by others.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">• If some of your temporary holding zone containers are in high-traffic areas, considering "camouflaging" them a bit, perhaps by using a hollowed-out book or other clever "fakes" like these: (click on any of the images below for more info)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dispenser-Diversion-Valuables-Discreet-Removable/dp/B08R76ZHF7?crid=1O1JUI5XUDTZ6&keywords=hide+jewelry&qid=1685987786&sprefix=hide+jewelry%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-69&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=c835b6081d06c22d10f590b83d359755&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08R76ZHF7&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="192" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tosnail-Decorative-Antique-Decorations-Vintage/dp/B08JQ3BYD6?crid=FNI6UG815SJX&keywords=hollow+book&qid=1685987448&sprefix=hollow+book%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-34&linkCode=li2&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=a3307f8ff9daeac8954814e1cf008707&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08JQ3BYD6&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="200" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Seasoning-Diversion-Storage-Jewelry-Anything/dp/B07PNDDB6N?crid=1O1JUI5XUDTZ6&keywords=hide+jewelry&qid=1685987565&sprefix=hide+jewelry%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-24&linkCode=li2&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=7cfdae4e42bfcad65eb40b7dbcba2adf&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="169" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07PNDDB6N&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="200" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B07PNDDB6N" style="border: medium; font-family: arial; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Homewares-Diversion-Jewelry-Security/dp/B081XQBFK5?crid=1O1JUI5XUDTZ6&keywords=hide+jewelry&qid=1685987565&sprefix=hide+jewelry%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-23&linkCode=li2&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=501a69ce0e4c1e75c6614ceb3290bc15&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B081XQBFK5&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="200" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Just don't make the mistake of using anything that's too hard to open and close. There are tons of clever devices made for hiding your valuables, but if they have a lock and key or are too time-consuming to implement, they won't work as temporary holding zone containers.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B081XQBFK5" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">• Make sure the container is appropriate to the space. For example, if you regularly remove jewelry when you're in the car or otherwise away from home, get a temporary holding zone container for your purse that isn't bulky (otherwise, you'll leave it at home half the time) and that will zip or snap tightly shut (otherwise pieces might fall out in transit.) </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Unlimited Options</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEReiVHJaznVhukdVPNNOjCW0nF0xucBkOim_UtI9yXvBwaztXgDzh3bKK6nQSkH39-MEyVlu9Iq7JPyV7Mh2_rCjcsSXJdyrWUHe066ZuzrxuHwUCTGASNG1InufipRTY0g5m-IUEhBYf0BSGsV_tWHt2_RI-orS9FrEcNBWwqI7czMB0jey46yEgw/s1280/IMG_1180.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVEReiVHJaznVhukdVPNNOjCW0nF0xucBkOim_UtI9yXvBwaztXgDzh3bKK6nQSkH39-MEyVlu9Iq7JPyV7Mh2_rCjcsSXJdyrWUHe066ZuzrxuHwUCTGASNG1InufipRTY0g5m-IUEhBYf0BSGsV_tWHt2_RI-orS9FrEcNBWwqI7czMB0jey46yEgw/w200-h134/IMG_1180.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>I must have a thing for pretty little boxes, because over the years I have collected quite a few. Many came from loved ones or were picked up as souvenirs during trips. Regardless of how they were obtained, I now have far more than I could ever need as temporary storage zone containers. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv69f1BZrKtLApG3UQYSQsi9g7IYfPLSKB5cPSXVYL0Az1uTpFOpS-AsJVPDRoIUFJOBXy5Y28jGz7oW25OyRoc_pRYiC_6EDy5i_55XaoDJRQszvJJ_XIcHKjwxuXw7Fa0G21FWwwGRZaTX6R-jbdPKTXAIjN74kL4NbZp-e8ECBUlYyEPaPqatbhAA/s3902/IMG_9271.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2729" data-original-width="3902" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv69f1BZrKtLApG3UQYSQsi9g7IYfPLSKB5cPSXVYL0Az1uTpFOpS-AsJVPDRoIUFJOBXy5Y28jGz7oW25OyRoc_pRYiC_6EDy5i_55XaoDJRQszvJJ_XIcHKjwxuXw7Fa0G21FWwwGRZaTX6R-jbdPKTXAIjN74kL4NbZp-e8ECBUlYyEPaPqatbhAA/w400-h280/IMG_9271.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">These days, I use the non-fragile ones with my grandsons, hiding tiny toys inside for them to find. They love it! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Boxes for You</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have a problem keeping track of your jewelry, I hope you'll consider trying out this system in your home. Just for fun, here are some pretty containers I spotted on amazon that you might consider...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0971FSSW1" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/MyGift-Hexagonal-Vintage-Trinket-Ceremony/dp/B09Y9JS45W?crid=129D74UGBUK96&keywords=trinket%2Bbox%2Bwith%2Blid&qid=1684527110&sprefix=trinket%2Bb%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-9&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=fbb1e0213921bc54b6c326448494cbde&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09Y9JS45W&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="320" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09Y9JS45W" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lilly-Pulitzer-Decorative-Jewelry-Ceramic/dp/B0BV3GJM9J?crid=129D74UGBUK96&keywords=trinket+box+with+lid&qid=1684527110&sprefix=trinket+b%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-4&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=415d036280215479d6b83a1e925eab89&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BV3GJM9J&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="320" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BV3GJM9J" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/JWT-Astyle-Boxes-Enameled-Decorative-Decor-Butterfly/dp/B0BY6GYCDV?crid=2XQBYFZBZTFAB&keywords=trinket%2Bbox&qid=1684527242&sprefix=trinket%2Bbox%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-1-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExM1g3VzFLTlNWMjI1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjIwMTIzMzJZSjRGMkcyWTAyNCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjg0MTI0M1Y4VFk4QUtCVDA3MiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b97f4f4005a5b57e1e97aa031fbba412&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BY6GYCDV&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="306" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BY6GYCDV" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hashcart-Handmade-Handcrafted-Organizer-Traditional/dp/B01MCYJ7KD?crid=2XQBYFZBZTFAB&keywords=trinket%2Bbox&qid=1684527302&sprefix=trinket%2Bbox%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-50-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUlZBT0pIU1pCQ1ZHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODM1NjQwUkc2RjVZWjBBS1ZaJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0NDE5NTYzTUxZQzQ0Q0swVTc2JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmX25leHQmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=08a934281c67e66f9248151eb9260b3e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01MCYJ7KD&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="320" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B01MCYJ7KD" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Let Me Know</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you ever lost a piece of jewelry because you took it off and set it aside to put away later? I'd love to hear about it!</span></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links. That means when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></p><p><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></p></div></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-72928866786532469702023-06-05T07:30:00.002-04:002023-06-05T07:30:00.146-04:00How to Never Lose a Ring or Necklace Again, Part 1<p><span style="font-family: arial;">This post isn't exactly about how to have a House That Cleans Itself, but I hope you'll find it helpful regardless. That's because the type of person who is housekeeping-impaired is often the same type of person who tends to lose things. On the other hand, a lot of the principles of a House That Cleans Itself can be used to solve this tendency for good.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI55Zz-9uFVBKIuOZus-5kkOuwRGT6_BUKTpc4L5AlDR-PDgyI49L3AKiZ_hyjKxwQfELoS8Z8qXLbHFdXDwuwnRoMiHX4tHxlR7X1CyWVyZZJQXl2IlzGys3z0ERMx1rX9g3KLz259B6hY8uP4psiOQsmfy_eBO0P9pEZ-EI97DiS4dbr0nJHLy-cw/s5472/AdobeStock_177623577.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI55Zz-9uFVBKIuOZus-5kkOuwRGT6_BUKTpc4L5AlDR-PDgyI49L3AKiZ_hyjKxwQfELoS8Z8qXLbHFdXDwuwnRoMiHX4tHxlR7X1CyWVyZZJQXl2IlzGys3z0ERMx1rX9g3KLz259B6hY8uP4psiOQsmfy_eBO0P9pEZ-EI97DiS4dbr0nJHLy-cw/s320/AdobeStock_177623577.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the worst (and most common) things to lose is jewelry. In my lifetime, I have misplaced some truly special pieces just by being careless. Rings. Necklaces. Earrings. Bracelets. I always tried to be careful, but somehow I would still misplace these jewelry items that I loved. Then one day, about thirty years ago, I decided this was a problem I needed to solve.</span><p></p><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">An Ultimatum</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms6mNFXCWIHSoqQEmKEsUf_BNcMrY23eCyXVFBedzx6tMLczwpm_GcITcaJP4JHLRqANUCp2f0ZOS65nd2ie_n5lneyYvnsEfVlqIlMeFELBxByCK4auzwfm0vNs1pEzcLlSPCpJhtS9dO_24FHqTR7TJgyQmDP7vugHOMk2BBTR0eoyAP250rZNatA/s4368/AdobeStock_79795153.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="4368" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms6mNFXCWIHSoqQEmKEsUf_BNcMrY23eCyXVFBedzx6tMLczwpm_GcITcaJP4JHLRqANUCp2f0ZOS65nd2ie_n5lneyYvnsEfVlqIlMeFELBxByCK4auzwfm0vNs1pEzcLlSPCpJhtS9dO_24FHqTR7TJgyQmDP7vugHOMk2BBTR0eoyAP250rZNatA/w200-h133/AdobeStock_79795153.jpeg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Early in our marriage, when I lost yet another lovely pair of earrings my husband had given me, he declared, "That's it. No more new jewelry for you." Considering that my hubby has always had great taste in jewelry, I was devastated. But I didn't blame him for feeling that way. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead, I set about fixing this problem once and for all. Just as I would later learn how to do with a messy house, my problem solving began by analyzing the what, where, when, and why of what was happening.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>What</b>: I was repeatedly losing my jewelry.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Wh</b><b>ere</b>: Usually somewhere around the house.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>When</b>: Whenever I got home from somewhere with jewelry on but didn't take it off right away.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Why</b>: Because after I was home for a while, I would realize I still had jewelry on and that it was irritating me, so I would take it off, but I was too distracted or busy or lazy to carry it all the way to my jewelry box in the bedroom and put it away. Instead, I would set on the coffee table or beside the kitchen sink or somewhere similar, and then proceed to forget all about it. By the time I remembered I had done that, it often wasn't there anymore, and I couldn't find it anywhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In a messy house, it's easy to misplace things. We housekeeping impaired people are always pushing things aside, piling things up on top of other things, shoving stuff into bins or bags, and basically losing track of tiny stuff along the way. Given that, it was easy to see that this problem was never going to stop unless I changed my behavior.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Thus, I decided that from that day forward, whenever I came home, the first thing I would do was go to my bedroom and take off all of my jewelry.</span></p><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Change the House, Not the Behavior</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjS4aMBbann9fdiHynUqaW9x8QHJNM1zLADXKf8H9_fO7fp0tUfsosMMMgWt-1c2-f-cte2brzFvwgZTM0Wo-FDl9zSaFLudtHOdytAjW8mhHkqNuwZTrK4oDescxTYnFK0IzEYgCwWHBxXccEZPq9nwNzokZu2E1N3wklAD760dTthqgwaIx9D6iJmg/s6000/AdobeStock_192456797.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjS4aMBbann9fdiHynUqaW9x8QHJNM1zLADXKf8H9_fO7fp0tUfsosMMMgWt-1c2-f-cte2brzFvwgZTM0Wo-FDl9zSaFLudtHOdytAjW8mhHkqNuwZTrK4oDescxTYnFK0IzEYgCwWHBxXccEZPq9nwNzokZu2E1N3wklAD760dTthqgwaIx9D6iJmg/w320-h213/AdobeStock_192456797.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, this brilliant idea worked for less than a week. How does a woman who's exhausted from doing the grocery shopping with an infant and a toddler remember to go to the bedroom and take off her jewelry as soon as they get home? Or, how does a mother come into the house and breeze past her excited children in order to put her jewelry away? Answer: She doesn't!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">At least I recognized fairly soon that determination and good intentions weren't going to solve this problem. I needed to come up with another solution.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The funny thing is, I wouldn't figure out how to create a House That Cleans Itself until many years later, but back then I was already figuring out some of the fundamentals. Bottom line, I knew my behavior wasn't going to change, nor was my lifestyle, at least not any time soon. Thus, I reasoned, if I couldn't change myself or my life situation, then I needed to make a change to my environment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My first idea was to relocate my jewelry box from the bedroom to a closet near the front door. Maybe I could remember to take my jewelry off and put it away as soon as I got home <i>if</i> I didn't have to walk through the entire house first to do so.</span></p><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Tweak the Solution Until It Actually Works</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, once again, I found that my solution was quite flawed. While I was able to put my jewelry away much more easily, keeping that jewelry in the front hall created an entirely new problem: It was far too inconvenient to get dressed back in the bedroom without any of my jewelry handy. Worse, I would run out to the front hall, grab a few pieces that I thought might work with my outfit, run back to the bedroom and try things on till I figured it out--and then leave the extra pieces on my dresser to put away "later." It doesn't take a genius to know that much of those extra pieces never made it back to the jewelry box and in some cases ended up disappearing forever. Ugh!</span></p><h3><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">A Lightbulb Goes Off</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The good news is, my next solution ending up being the one that worked. Better yet, it has continued to work for more than 30 years. Since the day I came up with this final solution, <i>I have never lost a single piece of jewelry again.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Best of all, over time, once my husband saw that I had straightened out the problem and was no longer losing jewelry, he felt safe in dropping his edict and gifting me now and then with some more. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrl86IzqKQerx0R9Z-Y6st6CfmIFyPXiM8G7vRlWnyRxNqEimtolQflepKSFe8a7RvJDlAAezFmfsFlGALf9OWxXxHRW6E1xPjYSolBS4GPMbBnAJX1UzLgVCwbywani3Mc4nTrvTO8Nexjd-LIaSsjlksn5mlmq0J3PyevaIo-x8KG7Mt_Pjvw8OK-Q/s6770/AdobeStock_141062665.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4518" data-original-width="6770" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrl86IzqKQerx0R9Z-Y6st6CfmIFyPXiM8G7vRlWnyRxNqEimtolQflepKSFe8a7RvJDlAAezFmfsFlGALf9OWxXxHRW6E1xPjYSolBS4GPMbBnAJX1UzLgVCwbywani3Mc4nTrvTO8Nexjd-LIaSsjlksn5mlmq0J3PyevaIo-x8KG7Mt_Pjvw8OK-Q/w400-h268/AdobeStock_141062665.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Want to know what that final solution was? Come back Thursday and I'll show you in Part Two of How To Never Lose a Ring or Necklace Again.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-56248103892752732312023-05-29T07:30:00.009-04:002023-05-29T07:30:00.154-04:00You "Kneed" This Quick Tip<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have trouble with your knees, as I do, here's a quick tip that you might find helpful around the house: Invest in some industrial-strength kneepads. I don't mean the regular, wimpy kind, like this:</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVBKHDbselSIf9MyEXBUyFgsTtjgCzIZu2m0sabkJblBEoOSHalbBqbLtDzbp-ghyTb6sRRDM5SrdZRjHhP1N--fP_f3apSCI0cAfqa0kj-yQy2oHU5hZllh6pH_BJQY-Za036RTbw55V_tmm_YQn6rsvs5Ehbeh9aN6h3MMjfBOd77-0yjn7ZkKhjA/s1000/AdobeStock_330070828_Preview.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVBKHDbselSIf9MyEXBUyFgsTtjgCzIZu2m0sabkJblBEoOSHalbBqbLtDzbp-ghyTb6sRRDM5SrdZRjHhP1N--fP_f3apSCI0cAfqa0kj-yQy2oHU5hZllh6pH_BJQY-Za036RTbw55V_tmm_YQn6rsvs5Ehbeh9aN6h3MMjfBOd77-0yjn7ZkKhjA/w400-h266/AdobeStock_330070828_Preview.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm talking about the <a href="https://amzn.to/45foACV" target="_blank">big, heavy duty, industrial kind</a>, like this:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQQZCdhTQ8P2rLikLT3jBymPhNn7ASPkFTPLoDU5cSjxMIAdwruewqxJI0Z2LURzdR2CglzhEw-L1Bn2DqjeYtH8bfoN0zZSwxgF8lqiNW3Qovl1RhUWlucRTlP4RgWm-7t4HLkjwl9cETpqrXEm7Fu2Ph62U0C8oEUHzu3cHKyUMa_ET1ezletiOBw/s7360/AdobeStock_188171227.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4912" data-original-width="7360" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQQZCdhTQ8P2rLikLT3jBymPhNn7ASPkFTPLoDU5cSjxMIAdwruewqxJI0Z2LURzdR2CglzhEw-L1Bn2DqjeYtH8bfoN0zZSwxgF8lqiNW3Qovl1RhUWlucRTlP4RgWm-7t4HLkjwl9cETpqrXEm7Fu2Ph62U0C8oEUHzu3cHKyUMa_ET1ezletiOBw/w400-h268/AdobeStock_188171227.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've had osteoarthritis in my knees for years, which has prevented me from being able to kneel down at all. In an ordinary day, that's not necessarily a big problem, but a while back it struck me that I was avoiding certain cleaning tasks because they required me to get on the floor. I tried using regular knee pads and a "gardening cushion" and even a big pillow, but nothing ever worked.<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then I observed something interesting. We were having some new flooring installed, and the guys who were doing the job wore kneepads<span style="font-size: 12pt;">—</span>but not like any kneepads I'd ever seen. These things were huge and tough and industrial-looking, and it struck me that maybe I needed a set of them myself.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PDB2hoVadreKvJly3DFl82-uZvWPOPPbvpT49YerwCk5q8g3WnFm-aUTrlyaYyLgXddXo_-7EEcprwZs4pXM5r21CZZX74LTrqXq29MS1aGrf-wvRNhnu2hkphTOFX1MVnj0z7nmNLhTNkZ5v6EnxuywnOJjw5DfSXfp-ExgayeoOmtJaE1XHWCXBQ/s7360/AdobeStock_188171297.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4912" data-original-width="7360" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PDB2hoVadreKvJly3DFl82-uZvWPOPPbvpT49YerwCk5q8g3WnFm-aUTrlyaYyLgXddXo_-7EEcprwZs4pXM5r21CZZX74LTrqXq29MS1aGrf-wvRNhnu2hkphTOFX1MVnj0z7nmNLhTNkZ5v6EnxuywnOJjw5DfSXfp-ExgayeoOmtJaE1XHWCXBQ/w320-h214/AdobeStock_188171297.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">A quick trip to Home Depot allowed me to inspect a pair up close, only to find that while the outside shell was hard as a rock, the inside was padded with something dense and soft, like memory foam. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">That very day, I brought home one of my favorite cleaning tools of all time, my <a href="https://amzn.to/45foACV" target="_blank">professional-grade knee pads</a>. To see just how amazing these things can be, <a href="https://youtu.be/PW1kfIwDbqM" target="_blank">check out this video.</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, as I suspected, the kneepads were game-changers. For the first time in years, I was able to get on my knees without pain and stay down there for a while. I could even crawl across the room if I wanted to! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What's the Point?</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;">You may be wondering why you'd ever need to be on your knees cleaning if you have a House That Cleans Itself. Well, there are plenty of times when things might come up...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03EnoPZL21upSIIKxn2oV_mqA_WhHc-l2-2jc1715b65lIieMkPSnejfrfAclERl1AV1_FUiZjY3G1XHtgNyed3Bgc-Zn_-AExeQBXUJr1zJI5DuhwYIPN6ucwgzBI1JLeBBjVzJ8Jq1mBummenJNYTXqQoLf9Er5DXHL0defqtZIT3VM6rSqcGaUMg/s5818/AdobeStock_353692929%20copy.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4413" data-original-width="5818" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03EnoPZL21upSIIKxn2oV_mqA_WhHc-l2-2jc1715b65lIieMkPSnejfrfAclERl1AV1_FUiZjY3G1XHtgNyed3Bgc-Zn_-AExeQBXUJr1zJI5DuhwYIPN6ucwgzBI1JLeBBjVzJ8Jq1mBummenJNYTXqQoLf9Er5DXHL0defqtZIT3VM6rSqcGaUMg/s320/AdobeStock_353692929%20copy.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">For example with this poor mother, whose toddler put aside the drawing paper and colored on the floor instead. (We've all been there, right?)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Or maybe something down low needs a quick repair or touch-up. You may need them when picking up kids' toys or arranging things on a low bookshelf or crawling under your desk to neaten up all of those computer wires. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">However you use them, you'll probably find them coming in handy in all sorts of ways and far more often than you think.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And, as added bonus, they're great when playing with little ones. With my knee pads on, I can get down on the ground with my grandkids, pain free, and that's the best reason to have them of all. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-89909338319407903532023-05-22T07:30:00.014-04:002023-05-22T14:49:17.987-04:00Use This for That<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiq-Rp0VygP0h2ZEQpZ8YpHJXKIMJTPcPdSkwnxj1-wW_PBVVH7txd9pA6Sq67BUWriuSWYkVnFGmCCDAjGNhqQWXchRPS0NUYdec-tLbUE4Kmn-YxS18BtMCB7xF60h9n8gj7HbUiRqls0WwylVhz9W_eNDQ1x747Py3BXmoPRzdoaPP94astIsuxA/s6912/Mindy%20Starns%20Clark%20Blog%20Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="6912" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLiq-Rp0VygP0h2ZEQpZ8YpHJXKIMJTPcPdSkwnxj1-wW_PBVVH7txd9pA6Sq67BUWriuSWYkVnFGmCCDAjGNhqQWXchRPS0NUYdec-tLbUE4Kmn-YxS18BtMCB7xF60h9n8gj7HbUiRqls0WwylVhz9W_eNDQ1x747Py3BXmoPRzdoaPP94astIsuxA/w400-h146/Mindy%20Starns%20Clark%20Blog%20Banner.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />A big part of turning your home into a House That Cleans Itself involves creative problem solving—and sometimes the best solutions may be right under your nose. That's why I'll occasionally be featuring "Use This For That" posts where we talk about alternative uses for various items around the home. <p></p><p>Today, let's discuss those clear, pocketed hanging jewelry holders, like this one:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/BB-Brotrade-Organizer-Embossed-Jewelries/dp/B07ZYTB8JL?crid=2Q6HNHSLKO0G4&keywords=clear%2Bpocket%2Bjewelry%2Borganizer&qid=1684526382&sprefix=clear%2Bpocket%2Bje%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-10&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=9d21f1dcafdb736cacb0c1bc26cb6e82&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="283" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07ZYTB8JL&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="283" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07ZYTB8JL" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B07GKHQT3Z" style="border: medium; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></div><p>I have two of these in my house, and they each serve an important purpose, but neither one is used for jewelry. Instead, I have turned them into mini "stations" for specific necessities.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Fastener Station</h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jNVP8w2wIzr7U0wH4LKAPxT-fVEZJ697ue48hx9y1n6dHznvxdpVJ4RZNIiOPsaAvmn-3F0UJaC-JtOL3lQx7L0UGRFrErRpZwNjM2uB-Oonxdt9CQ-9_o5ieItmiyJsv8qxry2vcgm9af9UCxn4iUGlKKfW3HZm0X0kUEx_SB8Fbs4EfKAt4FYxGw/s4032/IMG_9035.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jNVP8w2wIzr7U0wH4LKAPxT-fVEZJ697ue48hx9y1n6dHznvxdpVJ4RZNIiOPsaAvmn-3F0UJaC-JtOL3lQx7L0UGRFrErRpZwNjM2uB-Oonxdt9CQ-9_o5ieItmiyJsv8qxry2vcgm9af9UCxn4iUGlKKfW3HZm0X0kUEx_SB8Fbs4EfKAt4FYxGw/w300-h400/IMG_9035.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>You may have a place where you store all the screws, nuts, bolts, picture hangers, washers, anchors, rivets, etc., that you might ever need, but how much trouble is it to access them when you're in a hurry and only want one or two items? I keep my fasteners in divided containers in my tools and hardware closet, but I used to make such a mess going through the entire collection, wasting time and energy, just to acquire two screws and a nail. <p></p><p>Then one day it struck me that I should assemble a little sampling of every fastener I have and keep it in a handier place. At the time, I had an extra one of these clear pocket hanging jewelry organizers on hand, and it struck me that it just might work for this very purpose.</p><p>Voila, I "used this for that" and ended up creating the perfect fastener station, as shown.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYfOrrWssYB4XdmB-pCUxtCC8HJ8tOF06rZF9gqBJ63MLjbRGcsNIYTtymc_P31iQ8CHZ8QKlj42CjuwU4guy8iEUhq_0dvAGpk_tbkvrWJ169bTblHHlVAQ4oX5aZA89dDhUOnD440d_nVuPmSbKJ4yaUD7jUD5ZpxISVW_jmUbK-35n0I-zybKZSg/s1076/IMG_9035.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="984" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYfOrrWssYB4XdmB-pCUxtCC8HJ8tOF06rZF9gqBJ63MLjbRGcsNIYTtymc_P31iQ8CHZ8QKlj42CjuwU4guy8iEUhq_0dvAGpk_tbkvrWJ169bTblHHlVAQ4oX5aZA89dDhUOnD440d_nVuPmSbKJ4yaUD7jUD5ZpxISVW_jmUbK-35n0I-zybKZSg/s320/IMG_9035.JPG" width="293" /></a></div></div><p>This organizer is two-sided, and each pocket is filled with anywhere from one to twenty similar items such as ten little picture hangers or four large cup hooks. There are so many pockets in this thing, I haven't even used them all.</p><p>The organizer hangs in my most convenient closet, one that sits right off the kitchen at the very center of our home. If I decide to hang a picture, add a screw to something wobbly, or tighten something with an Allen wrench, all I have to do is open this closet door, look at the little pockets to find what I need, and take it out. As long as I replenish the items periodically (usually about every six months or so), this thing continues to serve me well, saving time, effort, and trouble all over the house.</p><p>Isn't it too heavy? I will admit that when the pockets are all full, it is fairly heavy, but I've been using this thing for about 10-12 years now, and it's still hanging strong.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">"Junk Drawer" Station</h3><p>Almost everyone has a junk drawer somewhere in their house, into which they toss all sorts of miscellaneous household items that need to be kept handy. Unfortunately, my house is a bit short on drawer space, especially in the kitchen, so I've never really had room enough for everything I wanted to put in there.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VIx9yfVfJZPtq2aIdWi2Fzh_Z_I0uqP2BaE1GY0slsF5cAXHpcrR5M1nGaPJwkqqRRhmvhFCkXJvFowjHzSfzFx3y9xL46mwHFf1GrIuU_qg6d2FT2vkgB4s3tVo7jASr1jGSVlQi7Dw9_LuxxB_abQgDSag5WLkpqP31lvYAI1w46747ZqnKSWhaQ/s4028/IMG_9037.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4028" data-original-width="2791" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3VIx9yfVfJZPtq2aIdWi2Fzh_Z_I0uqP2BaE1GY0slsF5cAXHpcrR5M1nGaPJwkqqRRhmvhFCkXJvFowjHzSfzFx3y9xL46mwHFf1GrIuU_qg6d2FT2vkgB4s3tVo7jASr1jGSVlQi7Dw9_LuxxB_abQgDSag5WLkpqP31lvYAI1w46747ZqnKSWhaQ/w446-h640/IMG_9037.JPG" width="446" /></a></div><p></p><p>My solution? A second one of these <a href="https://amzn.to/42Nuqtw" target="_blank">clear pocket hanging jewelry organizers</a>, this time filled with everything from tape and post-it notes to glue sticks and white-out. I hang it in front of my ironing board inside a convenient closet, this one in the living room, and it's my handy go-to for all sorts of household necessities.</p><p>I keep a larger supply of most of these items in other places, for example office supplies are in cabinet in my home office, lens wipes are in my "landing zone" near the main door, and safety pins are in a container in my bedroom closet. But I save a lot of time and trouble by keeping these small samplings here, and it works great as long as I replenish them as needed (again, usually once every six months or so.)</p><p>I hope this post inspires you to think outside of the box and "Use This For That" throughout your home.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links. That means when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </span></i></p><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-26514478192627807572023-05-11T07:30:00.004-04:002023-05-12T13:20:52.812-04:00Clarity Throughout Your Home<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYLsAhlJL3Ex8XK1msyWketwRIqYFcw0Ci08MKjiftXpYs40LVPGNoj-PcuBA64Q9zvJrnPeixei03wBvaUgwEam0poOaYa5_gvpT9G3Z8kwQTyNerBDPjihbjGj0gJcFdMDE4cmqcUiKl21UY31txmiF96cib0QiguzJ6yghhr48u0sQGGFHD7mD6Q/s4030/IMG_8865.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2127" data-original-width="4030" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhYLsAhlJL3Ex8XK1msyWketwRIqYFcw0Ci08MKjiftXpYs40LVPGNoj-PcuBA64Q9zvJrnPeixei03wBvaUgwEam0poOaYa5_gvpT9G3Z8kwQTyNerBDPjihbjGj0gJcFdMDE4cmqcUiKl21UY31txmiF96cib0QiguzJ6yghhr48u0sQGGFHD7mD6Q/s320/IMG_8865.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">On <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-solution-is-clear.html">Monday</a>, I talked about the "out of sight, out of mind" issue and how some people do a lot better when they use clear storage containers rather than the kind you can't see into. Today, I've got some links to all sorts of clear items you can use throughout your home. Enjoy!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Kitchen</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Fun for the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XB68ZB8?coliid=IBJQRBQ6W232Q&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=c2412f0a98e7652651365e9ee79f0dad&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1" target="_blank">fridge</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XB68ZB8?coliid=IBJQRBQ6W232Q&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=29565e5565ae3740344b98ea38b9a9d9&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09XB68ZB8&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09XB68ZB8" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Perfect for the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091V74W4N?coliid=IAO37OGRO51MT&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=dc20c8a3a2767b538fc9eb2253f9388c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Pantry</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091V74W4N?coliid=IAO37OGRO51MT&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=ccf4c28addad35419f6c213287e6729a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B091V74W4N&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B091V74W4N" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCFTCDVH?coliid=IY6RPKY7GMSMV&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=d98d321fecb8d268c820c9ac3c9dbf23&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Tea</a> Time!</span></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCFTCDVH?coliid=IY6RPKY7GMSMV&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=99944fd4bd0b647c85612c969f9a0c5e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BCFTCDVH&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></span></a><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BCFTCDVH" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Bathroom</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Great for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XF7N2L9?coliid=IGGUQQN1Y9HRL&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=16f6e168be3fa4d6b0fcd5b23fc68111&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">toiletries</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JG29RKQ?coliid=I2NT74WR918IQ9&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=920b37138142ee058953de67d75198d7&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">cosmetics</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XF7N2L9?coliid=IGGUQQN1Y9HRL&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=cdf182652c1341acb6d68306cbc39aaf&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09XF7N2L9&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09XF7N2L9" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JG29RKQ?coliid=I2NT74WR918IQ9&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=896b8abcf8656db250814b54bdbeeafb&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07JG29RKQ&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07JG29RKQ" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Closet</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLC6YL53?coliid=I35Y5JK7R7RCRE&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=6d3fec6a37af2815ea17884ba2c7110e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BLC6YL53&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BLC6YL53" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TCH1JDF?coliid=I1YUKY34BEMLR4&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=dcd322d7a105f958bb482f80951661c3&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07TCH1JDF&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07TCH1JDF" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Perfect for your costume <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PW3Z5K6?coliid=I1F219HTGDQYYJ&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=e38147faec862043bbd99cb1e54011a6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">jewelry</a>:<br /></span><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumeO5fsuVfuSBmjC-FiWlwStUwPhCYvNFpvPzVuX9OK_6VRaGd37aifuGozu-cSfGt7u6H9gwGSjCVE5cmO_pbZygTxn6q_fmVsnJIWaD4VI5HDpSkQlo6dA3-Sx1WUvNdVdxY3TqOnQcXDDxXm9EjSIc5337wxaIll0tzOV81GRktpH6nvaZgxm5Vg/s2900/IMG_8861.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2798" data-original-width="2900" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumeO5fsuVfuSBmjC-FiWlwStUwPhCYvNFpvPzVuX9OK_6VRaGd37aifuGozu-cSfGt7u6H9gwGSjCVE5cmO_pbZygTxn6q_fmVsnJIWaD4VI5HDpSkQlo6dA3-Sx1WUvNdVdxY3TqOnQcXDDxXm9EjSIc5337wxaIll0tzOV81GRktpH6nvaZgxm5Vg/w320-h309/IMG_8861.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I use this type of container instead of a jewelry box so I can see and choose <br />what I want before I ever even open the boxes up and take the jewelry out.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumeO5fsuVfuSBmjC-FiWlwStUwPhCYvNFpvPzVuX9OK_6VRaGd37aifuGozu-cSfGt7u6H9gwGSjCVE5cmO_pbZygTxn6q_fmVsnJIWaD4VI5HDpSkQlo6dA3-Sx1WUvNdVdxY3TqOnQcXDDxXm9EjSIc5337wxaIll0tzOV81GRktpH6nvaZgxm5Vg/s2900/IMG_8861.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></a></div><p></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PW3Z5K6?coliid=I1F219HTGDQYYJ&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=dd007f6f161d50658d11b642451d3b65&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07PW3Z5K6&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07PW3Z5K6" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Home Office</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GTX8GTI?coliid=I2GIMSQUP1EO1U&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=e94e75792b64247901950edeb38a6ee2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01GTX8GTI&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B01GTX8GTI" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017D3R7W?coliid=I1EDOVO194P7JL&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=f2855c139eb1d7766f22f52e85c53f23&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0017D3R7W&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0017D3R7W" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000QE2T4A?coliid=I33CEUWMH3STCU&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=9aa89f6acfa632a1caac7cd62413216e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B000QE2T4A&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B000QE2T4A" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Crafting Area</span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvWVd2GNS7_H4OT5ov8uFHcdAYNd26OHYvQUcoSXAHTfO9OHN4LPIuB5QVtOC1s2iObqCQu2mkjbSHp8isC0nAeL9rD0SNMzSmucl79pUbTBdcyDS6_vScgcf-0I4QFl6UGgAkKcZMIYQQ-ImEYsdY7T0cDc7OiZ_9Uo2KfpXkJnG0yrr2P21GQ1yuA/s1706/IMG_8864.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1009" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvWVd2GNS7_H4OT5ov8uFHcdAYNd26OHYvQUcoSXAHTfO9OHN4LPIuB5QVtOC1s2iObqCQu2mkjbSHp8isC0nAeL9rD0SNMzSmucl79pUbTBdcyDS6_vScgcf-0I4QFl6UGgAkKcZMIYQQ-ImEYsdY7T0cDc7OiZ_9Uo2KfpXkJnG0yrr2P21GQ1yuA/w238-h400/IMG_8864.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I use this type of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VH5WVYY?coliid=I1T2BUX70AP2Q0&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=757607b93042f0d9f860b24f30c285bc&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">stackable container</a> for all of my different colors of felting wool. Very handy!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VH5WVYY?coliid=I1T2BUX70AP2Q0&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=1373beee6ec0e770a62f52bd37d0cd16&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08VH5WVYY&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B08VH5WVYY" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All Over the House</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Just be sure to measure before you go shopping so you don't end up with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EH1GH2?coliid=ILUW1QEGBTXEQ&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=abfc292bd869608b5b68f4c3873ed5e3&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">containers</a> that are too big or too small!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003EH1GH2?coliid=ILUW1QEGBTXEQ&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=74638f9a0a118a264665cf7b0f48daa6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B003EH1GH2&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B003EH1GH2" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QJIAXU?coliid=I3NX5NJVLZF39U&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=c600e8c1e4acb0a805982ae789c18713&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004QJIAXU&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B004QJIAXU" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Love this <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVKMGBE?coliid=I2CZX9HFU94HCO&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=115a6aeb4efedfa0cb249c6d08da4d6f&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">locking box</a>, it's perfect for everything from candy bars to cell phones.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KVKMGBE?coliid=I2CZX9HFU94HCO&colid=2YU4FC1AM63VE&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=8b07d8d75de4a3e4557802b41db35424&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01KVKMGBE&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B01KVKMGBE" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hope this was helpful. I'd love to hear how you use clear storage in your home!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links. That means when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-35255571775469346112023-05-08T06:00:00.003-04:002023-05-12T13:20:35.041-04:00The Solution is Clear<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZHRvw3VuJQi0e_PDwyTVsZRjPOcjEB8-w1W6GwWB-923ax7A05x_VgGhjUQi6SXDMNt8hUff1CcN_IA4PcdZ8HC-iptFePbJMzAAu5bgEtkqfiOAW5-Y9bkIxs5F6LniDxKpI8CPKqpeeGw62pyz4QdYu1ocEzeOQQm2vdRnDCSCB5qGkP9fV2JkhQ/s3755/AdobeStock_28006033.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3383" data-original-width="3755" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZHRvw3VuJQi0e_PDwyTVsZRjPOcjEB8-w1W6GwWB-923ax7A05x_VgGhjUQi6SXDMNt8hUff1CcN_IA4PcdZ8HC-iptFePbJMzAAu5bgEtkqfiOAW5-Y9bkIxs5F6LniDxKpI8CPKqpeeGw62pyz4QdYu1ocEzeOQQm2vdRnDCSCB5qGkP9fV2JkhQ/s320/AdobeStock_28006033.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes the solution to a household problem is so quick and simple that it feels too good to be true. But if your brain works a certain way, then it can be true for you! Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about and how you can use this solution in your home.</span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Horizontal Thinking </span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Are you what is known as a "Horizontal Thinker"? That's someone who can't remember something unless they can see it. If the expression "Out of Sight is Out of Mind" is one of your life mottos, then this is likely an issue for you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I address this problem in <i>The House That Cleans Itself</i>. Here's an excerpt…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3YDzhiTsndJR_LGowffGFOwEM_jPTTN28IgnMzQvZXn3S-CXLFJQB0NGiseoP2zSOqXL1jbLPgskHg7gqeo6XEbszDJHovnj0TAEWeJC9Wo1dUYWVjhP7bf7P4FFqdjSfz0UAVR4ahYuFRw1vGFPtk1uQsYmBiBICbjCvOi_Fs6P8hb5d-WN6a7Cow/s2550/10b%20HTCI.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3YDzhiTsndJR_LGowffGFOwEM_jPTTN28IgnMzQvZXn3S-CXLFJQB0NGiseoP2zSOqXL1jbLPgskHg7gqeo6XEbszDJHovnj0TAEWeJC9Wo1dUYWVjhP7bf7P4FFqdjSfz0UAVR4ahYuFRw1vGFPtk1uQsYmBiBICbjCvOi_Fs6P8hb5d-WN6a7Cow/w129-h200/10b%20HTCI.jpg" width="129" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></i></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">Problem: If you can’t see it, you don’t remember it. </span></i><span style="background-color: white;">As it relates to clutter, this is a far bigger issue than most people realize. Do you tend to forget about something if it’s not out and visible to you? Could that be one reason your house is a mess, because subconsciously you know if you put these things away you might never again find or even remember you have them? Maybe you don’t have this problem so much with objects, but you do with papers. If your desk is covered with horizontal piles, I daresay this is an issue for you. Let a piece of paper go (or, worse, place it in a vertical file folder), and you know for a fact you will forget it ever existed.</span></span> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="background-color: white;">Solution:</span></i><span style="background-color: white;"> <i>If you are a “can’t remember it if you can’t see it” person, your main household goal must always be to set up systems that aren’t just useful but are also visible.</i> Think see-through: clear bins, clear containers, clear drawers. Once I committed to using only clear storage, it made a world of difference! </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">You also need to set up whatever memory-jogging helps you can throughout your house, such as bulletin boards, signs, labels, and reminders. Be sure to integrate them into your decor in such a way that they can easily be hidden or camouflaged when you want to tidy up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: -0.05pt; text-indent: 0px;">F</span><span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 0px;">inally, you may need to forego vertical files almost entirely and find some other substitute for your papers. It’s not easy to live a file-free life, but you can carry this idea much further than you might think by substituting horizontal sorters, boxes, and drawers.</span><span style="text-indent: 0px;"></span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">I must admit this has always been a problem for me, though once I figured it out and began to change my house to fit my behavior, things got much much better. Here are a few tips if you're thinking clear storage might make a difference in your home too.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">1. Sometimes clear storage bins can be way more expensive than opaque ones. Keep shopping till you find affordable options, because they are out there. Usually, the more expensive versions are made of lucite or acrylic. In most cases, you don't need that; what you're looking for is plain old clear plastic.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">2. I have many different brands of clear containers, but if I had to name a favorite brand, it would be <a href="https://amzn.to/3LTLt7g" target="_blank">Sterlite</a>. I like the different size options they offer, and their lids are great. <a href="https://amzn.to/3NKUocF" target="_blank">Rubbermaid</a> also has some nice options. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXZ7t2KncQSmXyLuCoq37fRa8FW95toqVcB4o106UJXBOB5QzSaQncRQrwgfxJ54R-tzh5_eW49t1wUC-NPvPX5QTZcAJLt9KrI1ai806nrREcLlPpCSoS-79-f1EG5pgZ5NQMn8u3zG8NoJLmiiI57vev7dJnFay8qyfo0-2PUQ8U1jrbaKfzE3Y9w/s2110/IMG_0231.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2110" data-original-width="1061" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXZ7t2KncQSmXyLuCoq37fRa8FW95toqVcB4o106UJXBOB5QzSaQncRQrwgfxJ54R-tzh5_eW49t1wUC-NPvPX5QTZcAJLt9KrI1ai806nrREcLlPpCSoS-79-f1EG5pgZ5NQMn8u3zG8NoJLmiiI57vev7dJnFay8qyfo0-2PUQ8U1jrbaKfzE3Y9w/w201-h400/IMG_0231.jpg" width="201" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Make sure that any clear storage you use in your <a href="https://amzn.to/3p5uG8d" target="_blank">pantry</a> or <a href="https://amzn.to/3pbnnvV" target="_blank">fridge/freezer</a> are made to be food safe. These are more expensive, but you can't really put a price on your family's health! <br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">4. Watch for after Christmas sales, and you may find some good deals on clear storage bins. I got a whole bunch one year, and the only difference between those and other clear bins I'd bought in the past was that the lids for these were bright red. I didn't care! At 75% off, they were a real bargain.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">5. Speaking of lids, make sure whenever you buy a new bin you always grab its lid as well. Sometimes, they can be on a different shelf in the store and you miss them entirely—and then don't even realize it till you're home and ready to use them. Trust me, I've learned this one the hard way!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Clearly Better</span></span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">I hope this post is helpful to you. Be sure to check back here on <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/05/clarity-throughout-your-home.html">Thursday</a>, when I share all sorts of ways you can use clear storage throughout your house.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links. That means when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-55516113948509218222023-05-04T14:30:00.001-04:002023-05-12T13:19:47.246-04:00Fixing the Key Situation for Good<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn493gAgmN-PjnWhwUtSSaKV_aT99WjD2THEGeZYyMG7ivz3ZBuBEIYr0mNaFOf91QcBTFnBzRwrAFBSVI0RbmFrfYs7esIv7SVMjN4v7nAxsXc0sZezXb3Buoq0VbdopKVFepKdrvay3_OXn7IfktaMTG_KkTXw0Q4Y4P11r93R6549J_bWyrcwoE8g/s6720/AdobeStock_441313333.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn493gAgmN-PjnWhwUtSSaKV_aT99WjD2THEGeZYyMG7ivz3ZBuBEIYr0mNaFOf91QcBTFnBzRwrAFBSVI0RbmFrfYs7esIv7SVMjN4v7nAxsXc0sZezXb3Buoq0VbdopKVFepKdrvay3_OXn7IfktaMTG_KkTXw0Q4Y4P11r93R6549J_bWyrcwoE8g/s320/AdobeStock_441313333.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>On <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-key-to-key-problem.html">Monday</a>, I talked about the problem with keys and how you should handle them in a House That Cleans Itself. Today I'd love to share with you some really fun options for key holders to use in your home. Enjoy!</span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Key Holders for Hook People</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Keeping track of keys got your goose? Then give <a href="https://amzn.to/3KoT8Zh" target="_blank">this one</a> a try!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRPY7W8C?coliid=I21OFD52H8RGH8&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=359ca87baf98c7e3ff8345d369860ec3&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BRPY7W8C&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BRPY7W8C" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This <a href="https://amzn.to/3UDXWPn" target="_blank">handy key-hook unit</a> holds a lot of other stuff as well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHQYN9YP?coliid=I1I1KL2CYD22K6&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=80d9455316e9296ef3bedd776c405fad&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BHQYN9YP&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BHQYN9YP" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Can't resist these <a href="https://amzn.to/3Kp91z0" target="_blank">cuties</a>!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVTQQFY3?coliid=I162A9XS8UCY4X&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=36dbe81cd8ac4df2b35bcbbe5634cdec&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BVTQQFY3&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BVTQQFY3" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Key Holders for Non-Hook People</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Hooks don't work for you? How about a <a href="https://amzn.to/3MvmO9G" target="_blank">pretty wooden bowl</a> like this one instead?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2SDY635?coliid=IKT9A8HRONWZJ&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=de37603c01a0f7aea19d0e8d79df5ca0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B2SDY635&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B2SDY635" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or <a href="https://amzn.to/3KMS0jx" target="_blank">this one</a>?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FR2LY78?coliid=I1XO2FAHLZEBIB&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=9d0132ac7256d7c2c0e5d07fab6dd3ef&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01FR2LY78&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or maybe a <a href="https://amzn.to/3zKtVn1" target="_blank">nice basket</a> or a <a href="https://amzn.to/3GrYoKE" target="_blank">brass tray</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZB25YY9?coliid=I1AQJ66VNTMR18&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=32f1adeb86b8249e33d023c688aa4e47&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09ZB25YY9&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09ZB25YY9" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HNZXC2K?coliid=I31L0OC7ER7R5Y&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=016ededa62a4afd3d457f3078ac1aef2&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07HNZXC2K&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3GywsVf" target="_blank">Cat lovers</a> rejoice!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C1BQJ9PD?coliid=I1NUJ9HMPWKNOH&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=9918990fa2c58e385331dc9ae5605920&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0C1BQJ9PD&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0C1BQJ9PD" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZVG0AD" target="_blank">This hippo</a> would make a great key holder—and a fun addition to anyone's front hall.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0932Z1HRH?coliid=I1YCH4WKIGRC5&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=f129c139622b629b10de8bd3946b57c5&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0932Z1HRH&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0932Z1HRH" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07HNZXC2K" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Perfect Compromise</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If your household has a mix of hook people and non-hook people, maybe you should give <a href="https://amzn.to/41dxcaq " target="_blank">a combo like this</a> a shot.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097NGZZ3F?coliid=IDD5GX2UXYFCA&colid=Z681QOF0W76S&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=7a83c17be911b39e15cc11a551ca6661&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B097NGZZ3F&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B097NGZZ3F" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Are keys a problem in your household? If so, I'd love to hear about it—or how you've decided to solve the issue—in the comments below!</span></p><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links. That means when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-4915364944055790312023-05-01T07:00:00.007-04:002023-05-12T13:18:53.965-04:00The Key to the Key Problem<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq0we9lfnhxV4pyKCdtAuyeSf91mBaE9qnDzvThlE-S3PzTluQG3SThsunT8OsKiExfuFuwQC4jHIx9VWgMkFDm-x0WvRd8TkQObpIsrpMp10uG_UwLXmcRDeHuaqaQ-AdCrjUqGbdYVESFcrdxdvQwXefHKaMfPoAmv5PKPFL5fX0KVDBrpTTk4-1w/s8102/AdobeStock_360844965.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5401" data-original-width="8102" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq0we9lfnhxV4pyKCdtAuyeSf91mBaE9qnDzvThlE-S3PzTluQG3SThsunT8OsKiExfuFuwQC4jHIx9VWgMkFDm-x0WvRd8TkQObpIsrpMp10uG_UwLXmcRDeHuaqaQ-AdCrjUqGbdYVESFcrdxdvQwXefHKaMfPoAmv5PKPFL5fX0KVDBrpTTk4-1w/s320/AdobeStock_360844965.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Where do you keep your keys? Do you always know where they are? Or do you waste way too much time each day trying to hunt them down?</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If keys are a problem in your home, don't feel bad. A LOT of housekeeping-impaired people share this particular issue! Here's what I have to say about the key situation in <i>The House That Cleans Itself</i>...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Do you have hooks on which to hang keys, but no one is using them? If so, you may be surprised at the reason. Believe it or not, in this world there are hook people and there are nonhook people. If the key hooks are not getting used, chances are it’s because the nonhook people in the house subconsciously think it’s too much trouble. (Nonhook people have to </span><i style="background-color: white;">focus</i><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">and</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><i style="background-color: white;">think</i><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">in order to use a hook, which distracts and confuses them for a moment, causing them to lose momentum. Over time they stop seeing hooks so they won’t have to pause and think about using them.)</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Replacing the hooks with a small basket might solve the problem. If there’s no tabletop on which to place the basket, try using the kind of basket that hangs from the wall. Just make sure it’s only big enough to hold keys and nothing else, or people might begin to use it for other things as well. You may be surprised at how a simple change—like switching from a hook to a basket—can eliminate the keys-piled-on-the-counter problem entirely.</span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, there are a lot of cool choices when it comes to the key-holders you use in your house. Be sure to check back on <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/05/fixing-key-situation-for-good.html">Thursday </a>when I'll share some links to some really fun options.</span></span></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-75711445345437635632023-04-27T07:00:00.001-04:002023-04-27T07:00:00.140-04:00Don't Forget It's National Library Week<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzX9lpxhl9Gs4D0JJAULDpbwYrTxtDYBYo6l8diEAAFvIMOXptj43N98169oGVJrFn6-rx5Xqt0dEsPZ1B7cya9OnA9VxA6Gitxu4SVJuyypVNUffRls6vbIK7Z5Ga6gZVjL3m9tCWk7g6wMYbRWXGuacxxD5O8kLTG-aA0E475XrMOcHoWyUPubDUA/s1080/nlw23-social-english-3-insta-share.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzX9lpxhl9Gs4D0JJAULDpbwYrTxtDYBYo6l8diEAAFvIMOXptj43N98169oGVJrFn6-rx5Xqt0dEsPZ1B7cya9OnA9VxA6Gitxu4SVJuyypVNUffRls6vbIK7Z5Ga6gZVjL3m9tCWk7g6wMYbRWXGuacxxD5O8kLTG-aA0E475XrMOcHoWyUPubDUA/w400-h400/nlw23-social-english-3-insta-share.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-72189036454188383802023-04-24T07:00:00.011-04:002023-04-24T07:00:00.213-04:00FREE Coloring Page<p>Let's take a break from household matters this week. :) Instead, here's a free coloring page, in honor of National Library Week, for you to download, print, and use. Enjoy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBGADev0qSoT19fShMRODI9v886i_l-VyGyFeE3weiF2YcBWRUY619Nnm38HpI3Yc7Eo_ojg4dJp3liePJ5w_AegSr_XngQQOsPBhIOC0NYOBByZ90ohCOwJ-m8S8UkaMYF3P4WnzQddOHxEoPSjEH4AHIo0-leDygxVmaObmO1BaX22IcLu35ZOWCg/s3300/National%20library%20week%20coloring%20page2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBGADev0qSoT19fShMRODI9v886i_l-VyGyFeE3weiF2YcBWRUY619Nnm38HpI3Yc7Eo_ojg4dJp3liePJ5w_AegSr_XngQQOsPBhIOC0NYOBByZ90ohCOwJ-m8S8UkaMYF3P4WnzQddOHxEoPSjEH4AHIo0-leDygxVmaObmO1BaX22IcLu35ZOWCg/w309-h400/National%20library%20week%20coloring%20page2.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-55419009357196958422023-04-17T07:00:00.001-04:002023-04-17T07:00:00.706-04:00A Fix That Does The Work For You<p>Do you have central air conditioning and/or heating? If so, make sure you're changing your filter(s) regularly. A clean filter can prevent the spread of dust and improve the air quality in your home. It can also prolong the life of your machine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifr5mIOAShzcz0C_RAt-EXhVGtBkA6wXrMAQ7Zjdo4NSIZWOy1rM3nVo1Tebpa0f6USaaCLTDYRcK_Vwtlj_g0vGr8A46IK-WxMdoJiA3_HVgMIEYjgiQCtNHso-btxpU1DhKevYuo3xkzoGrDAVveRdlC5aKjUSlorqY295sS2tAAyFv4hcTuebQUkg/s5000/AdobeStock_372324765.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3750" data-original-width="5000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifr5mIOAShzcz0C_RAt-EXhVGtBkA6wXrMAQ7Zjdo4NSIZWOy1rM3nVo1Tebpa0f6USaaCLTDYRcK_Vwtlj_g0vGr8A46IK-WxMdoJiA3_HVgMIEYjgiQCtNHso-btxpU1DhKevYuo3xkzoGrDAVveRdlC5aKjUSlorqY295sS2tAAyFv4hcTuebQUkg/s320/AdobeStock_372324765.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>How often should you do it? That depends. Most manufacturers recommend changing your filter every 3 months or so, but I say that advice should be a bit conditional. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Change your filter(s) once a month if you…</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Have pets.</li><li>Have four or more people living in your home.</li><li>Have someone who smokes in your home.</li><li>Run the unit most of the time.</li><li>Have been generating more dust and/or grime than usual, for example through renovations.</li><li>Live in a dusty, dry climate.</li><li>Live in an area with poor air quality (such as in a large city.)</li><li>Live in an area where wildfires have been occurring.</li><li>Have an HVAC unit that is old and/or problematic.</li><li>Use cheap filters.</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Change your filter every 3 months if you…</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Have no pets.</li><li>Have three people or less living in your home.</li><li>Run the unit less often (for example only at night, or only when it's really hot outside.)</li><li>Have a unit that's relatively new.</li><li>Use pleated and/or higher quality filters.</li></ul><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Change your filter every 6-9 months if you…</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Don't live in the home full time (for example, you're only there on weekends.)</li></ul><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Do you need to buy expensive filters, or will the cheap ones suffice?</h3><p>Depends on your goal. If you just want to protect your unit from dust and debris, you should be able to get away with using the cheapest version as long as you change it often enough. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOEc8bY02amBBwWjvfYSSV6NVTd6MR_tAQugkXhHK8arGxuwM3WtRxh7xUaUMYmCk01JRPUg12lH90lpbNx3Z6ozm0DNAqCtY3ZIe4YULrILYnxxT6GTSvT4E87N4PXM84Oce0BypLthOAsN8Re8PVUaLNGtJzkoqnzibKzf43Yi2VZFa7uNloFqQSg/s3654/AdobeStock_7429611.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2436" data-original-width="3654" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOEc8bY02amBBwWjvfYSSV6NVTd6MR_tAQugkXhHK8arGxuwM3WtRxh7xUaUMYmCk01JRPUg12lH90lpbNx3Z6ozm0DNAqCtY3ZIe4YULrILYnxxT6GTSvT4E87N4PXM84Oce0BypLthOAsN8Re8PVUaLNGtJzkoqnzibKzf43Yi2VZFa7uNloFqQSg/s320/AdobeStock_7429611.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p>But if you also want to improve the air quality inside your home—which is the goal in a House That Cleans Itself—go with a somewhat higher quality filter.</p><p>On the other hand, you probably don't need the highest quality, most expensive filters unless…</p><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Someone in your home suffers from environmental allergies like dust or pollen.</li><li>You have multiple pets.</li><li>You have an infant in the home.</li></ul><p></p><p>Learn more <a href="https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/air-filter-buying-guide/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90e10394fb" target="_blank">here</a> about filter rating systems and how you can decide what's best for your house and how you live.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Most Important Step</h3><p>It has been my observation that the main reason people procrastinate when it comes to changing filters is simply that they can't remember what size they're supposed to buy. Check your manufacturer's instructions, then record that size (usually expressed in inches, such as "24 x 24 x 1") somewhere that the information can be easily accessed, such as in a memo in your smartphone. Better yet, subscribe to a repeating delivery for the desired time interval of the correct size filters for your home. Whenever they show up, that means it's time to make a change. And it doesn't get much easier than that!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="page" title="Page 75"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><br /></p><p> </p></div></div></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-15488466088832910352023-04-13T07:00:00.029-04:002023-05-12T13:17:14.362-04:00Up and Away All Over the House<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzsFmf_-gf4NHrTdWqW83AJXxdh-Q8IVCiz21yyAEUBY3sDtBsS0zUFTaAqkdVDK7JyJ0Ia0AdVpdQBjvb3vI5fhTMGLj-UwCBX3QNkHjC6y4jccyLidczHQ7TLkgOwjpAjxyvKDtRckZAsbmqsdi80ts8GbfHmoEtOpCbYaPCyUeDeBKZyb-XTuc4w/s6720/AdobeStock_221017220.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzsFmf_-gf4NHrTdWqW83AJXxdh-Q8IVCiz21yyAEUBY3sDtBsS0zUFTaAqkdVDK7JyJ0Ia0AdVpdQBjvb3vI5fhTMGLj-UwCBX3QNkHjC6y4jccyLidczHQ7TLkgOwjpAjxyvKDtRckZAsbmqsdi80ts8GbfHmoEtOpCbYaPCyUeDeBKZyb-XTuc4w/s320/AdobeStock_221017220.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">In <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/04/up-up-and-away.html">Monday's</a> post, I talked about the House That Cleans Itself principle of "Up and Away". Today I'll share some links to a few handy wall-mountable items that you might find helpful as you employ this technique throughout your home. Enjoy!</span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kitchen and/or Home Office</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Clean up your charging area with this handy <a href="https://amzn.to/40597Sa" target="_blank">wall-mounted phone holder</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DWDS1S?coliid=I2409WDN1O0RQY&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=bdb29e53f4656b046584347e99c7da49&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B071DWDS1S&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B071DWDS1S" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">While you're at it, get those pens and pencils off the table/desk/counter and onto the wall with this cool and artsy <a href="https://amzn.to/43pSROq" target="_blank">pencil holder</a>.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HBNFTBC?coliid=I1OEH9G00Y75FZ&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b9ee0f331ad083926d9abb790076b807&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09HBNFTBC&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09HBNFTBC" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Use those pencils to jot down notes on this helpful <a href="https://amzn.to/3MCbatK" target="_blank">roll of note paper</a>.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZDMLXXF?coliid=IQWBZDOVE9QNZ&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=ec173fbb5d7f2fa4b7002e82053eab63&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08ZDMLXXF&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B08ZDMLXXF" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bathroom</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Try this <a href="https://amzn.to/3KwetQz" target="_blank">holder for your q-tips</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088QXF1V9?coliid=I3N1LK5BI0CS9U&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=91948894cf2e3f61ef5119607cc8e3e8&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B088QXF1V9&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B088QXF1V9" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">and this one for your <a href="https://amzn.to/419WFSA" target="_blank">tissues</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T57RC5U?coliid=I3ST26K0JMPG37&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=9437fcc725c1fc45936371959c082789&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00T57RC5U&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B00T57RC5U" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Get that messy blow drier off of the bathroom counter and onto the wall with this handy <a href="https://amzn.to/3ms4zay" target="_blank">blow drier holder</a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVHQY9SR?coliid=I162F0GJGFQVDM&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=d462f7c721e332ffca288ccf13d7fbac&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BVHQY9SR&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BVHQY9SR" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For hand soap, mount one of these <a href="https://amzn.to/3KWcYwC" target="_blank">soap dispensers</a> near every sink in your house.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XWJRXDL?coliid=I1JZROYT20HKOF&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=59417a2f7adfa78ba109489a35bc0349&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09XWJRXDL&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09XWJRXDL" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you prefer bar soap rather than liquid, check out this cool <a href="https://amzn.to/43q4FQL" target="_blank">soap bar holder</a>, which uses a magnet to keep the bar of soap up on the wall. Clever!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYGNLGBR?coliid=I2RB1183B2GI1A&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&psc=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=47add28fd658a008cea74227ce389d18&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0BYGNLGBR&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0BYGNLGBR" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Laundry Room</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Need a temporary place to put clothes as you're hanging them up? Try this <a href="https://amzn.to/3zWDDTD" target="_blank">collapsible clothes hanger rack</a>, which you can mount near your dryer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ND76W5N?coliid=I14RDUOLQL1PXN&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=a42a29114f59928499ff16952df7f498&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09ND76W5N&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09ND76W5N" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">General Use Throughout Your Home</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, here are some nice finds that you can use for various mounting tasks around the house. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">These <a href="https://amzn.to/3MD5vn6" target="_blank">magnets</a> can be used to hold remote controls, scissors, lightweight tools, and anything else small and light that you want to keep up on the wall.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2DC691F?coliid=I9DQYZAYED107&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=c4ddbba74d21ef1cff0fc69c226c302c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B2DC691F&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B2DC691F" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Finally, I really like the look of these mountable <a href="https://amzn.to/3Kuczjr" target="_blank">baskets</a>, which you could hang up in a variety of places and use for all sorts of things such as incoming mail, magazines, newspapers, and more.</span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7CFRWSQ?coliid=I1LXXZ375EW18I&colid=2RY6CY5N9PURM&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=e0911afaf621fb6ec3551c0ee8473e24&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B7CFRWSQ&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B7CFRWSQ" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That's it for this week's round-up. I hope you have fun getting some of the clutter off of your counters and onto your walls for good!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Please note that this post contains affiliate links. That means when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><br /></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-48329113689726791632023-04-10T07:00:00.013-04:002023-05-12T13:16:25.239-04:00Up, Up, and Away<p>Have you heard of the "Up and Away" Principle for keeping your house cleaner? You can read all about it in Chapter 7 of <i><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BZ91WY4N/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-343838&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_343838_rh_us" target="_blank">The House That Cleans Itself</a></i>, but here's a quickie version: Bottom line, <b><i>the fewer items that have to be moved out of the way at cleaning time, the easier and faster it is to wipe and dust</i></b>. Thus, you do yourself a real favor every time you trade out some common household item for a mounted version instead. </p><p>Let's say, for example, that your bedside table tends to get a bit messy. Take an honest look at that mess and think about the types of items that usually combine to make it. Remote controls? Bedtime reading material? Eyeglasses? Toiletries? Electronics? Other stuff?</p><p>Now guess what happens if you mount as many of those items as possible? One by one, the tabletop gets a little less cluttered until, eventually, almost nothing accumulates there anymore at all. Then because the tabletop is already clear (or nearly so) when you're ready to give it a quick swipe with some cleaner, it just takes a few seconds rather than the minutes you used to spend having to clear it off first.</p><p>Take a look at the before and after of this bedside table...</p><p>BEFORE:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruY1PqgzQwSzz5JjuncexQuJSHfIZO3NfEXaeYVb7iOGFn-j1ex60Xs_D0WYc4Pc9VRFP0fNMeMN2HMY09hTK8_F5WTLhSavu1uD_itWdGrpcyVRr_Fxp2-xAAeW3kzlx_L_6n06_iQWidtiaU6VUAbOnlAFZdWVT9PirqiwhqF0QfWtMnsqohFiVJw/s3564/IMG_8538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2807" data-original-width="3564" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruY1PqgzQwSzz5JjuncexQuJSHfIZO3NfEXaeYVb7iOGFn-j1ex60Xs_D0WYc4Pc9VRFP0fNMeMN2HMY09hTK8_F5WTLhSavu1uD_itWdGrpcyVRr_Fxp2-xAAeW3kzlx_L_6n06_iQWidtiaU6VUAbOnlAFZdWVT9PirqiwhqF0QfWtMnsqohFiVJw/w400-h316/IMG_8538.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>AFTER:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNJUv2NznRkqOzTIyiNd-Jk6lZ8vQYWkqBBjoEgAVjaM76CjDr0z14PtOnpMj1zedC5YfYKMFj00Wyhlr1a5tHSf1YcTQv-NY4Ekkj8HWE0pfT7XK4Q5dDUgNZOWwNUCgythW04zdRZA6n5yUjOWkJm1lChy2fPBnAuW_EtEuVi8qH4WmIrUSEgZ6UA/s2732/IMG_0339.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2732" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNJUv2NznRkqOzTIyiNd-Jk6lZ8vQYWkqBBjoEgAVjaM76CjDr0z14PtOnpMj1zedC5YfYKMFj00Wyhlr1a5tHSf1YcTQv-NY4Ekkj8HWE0pfT7XK4Q5dDUgNZOWwNUCgythW04zdRZA6n5yUjOWkJm1lChy2fPBnAuW_EtEuVi8qH4WmIrUSEgZ6UA/w300-h400/IMG_0339.png" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>Everything you see in the "before" photo is still there in the "after" photo, plus we've added a trash can and recycle basket besides. The difference is that we fixed the mess in part by mounting much of it on the wall and the sides of the bedside table. (To be honest, there's even more here that could be mounted, including the box of tissues and a water bottle holder. But we'll save those for another day.)</p><p>Let's break it down. Where did everything go?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbUf64aGOnXji8DFnEPjdiUa-C8Opo1-L4dMntwThFM0UrPZBQt0Qj0jTt5cOr1ku_KUP31FI2P6Wv9xP85sup3z01Nuz902_nwcLV8ZKDM14ievRMP9_BgMLQN9V6vKcL30drI2Ux0AyfRbongP4q1ln9sgfW90-R4dWoZJMkyN4FSqQJuAKhzWWbA/s2048/IMG_0341.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="2048" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbUf64aGOnXji8DFnEPjdiUa-C8Opo1-L4dMntwThFM0UrPZBQt0Qj0jTt5cOr1ku_KUP31FI2P6Wv9xP85sup3z01Nuz902_nwcLV8ZKDM14ievRMP9_BgMLQN9V6vKcL30drI2Ux0AyfRbongP4q1ln9sgfW90-R4dWoZJMkyN4FSqQJuAKhzWWbA/w400-h314/IMG_0341.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>1. The lamp was switched out for a <a href="https://amzn.to/3o2nbP2" target="_blank">wall-mounted version</a>. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUr-NI29P6QVP-ukJR-tkQ_ZEmFC5K5DGahT8oG1pZIBNWF9yV73DfkYpdJ7t4WF3Jc2Yg6bXZj312ZKVU8dkQm-DdlFS95_JAzVxhOjesxQjVtEKFe4FyjzHbaB09f3q8AoW1AovQK5k6dzv2yolv6JL6xZgChQJMuirll7eC5XRLlypRG5tsx0ydw/s1119/IMG_8547.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="976" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUr-NI29P6QVP-ukJR-tkQ_ZEmFC5K5DGahT8oG1pZIBNWF9yV73DfkYpdJ7t4WF3Jc2Yg6bXZj312ZKVU8dkQm-DdlFS95_JAzVxhOjesxQjVtEKFe4FyjzHbaB09f3q8AoW1AovQK5k6dzv2yolv6JL6xZgChQJMuirll7eC5XRLlypRG5tsx0ydw/s320/IMG_8547.jpg" width="279" /></a></div><p>2. The remote controls, AirPods, glasses, and dental floss were mounted on the right side by using a combination of <a href="https://amzn.to/3nYRV3h" target="_blank">mounting hooks</a>, an <a href="https://amzn.to/3nRT4JQ" target="_blank">eyeglass holder</a>, and <a href="https://amzn.to/40TzsUd" target="_blank">velcro</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE5yhmxrU5FZJHfKRitztVzj46YMTQGk8GMLRcN6FWVJkBqzsb8_OLUEtdEhRUw-r1O5fsmrBDyxeXtiF1u1PHgvarypi2oJOzoqggfRITvRtLlEZMMbuOEUarBAHwygFIO47btWSbSC7BP4Mwr8Js32Vk5ZIQurauD99ADU7YjuszFruKL2gq73eRg/s2164/IMG_8545.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1953" data-original-width="2164" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE5yhmxrU5FZJHfKRitztVzj46YMTQGk8GMLRcN6FWVJkBqzsb8_OLUEtdEhRUw-r1O5fsmrBDyxeXtiF1u1PHgvarypi2oJOzoqggfRITvRtLlEZMMbuOEUarBAHwygFIO47btWSbSC7BP4Mwr8Js32Vk5ZIQurauD99ADU7YjuszFruKL2gq73eRg/s320/IMG_8545.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>3. The reading literature went into a <a href="https://amzn.to/43jAmem" target="_blank">rack</a> mounted on the left side.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGJf_9XXChrWzucq_Z53yyOJFveBJG1a-bDLAT1uFhyxlLlBD5je7sd4GB05rct4-_oTPZ1Tnvw6axq9bct-pMsn-Z3PZULSsAqOpxM1o-zYBTqrkShD19NxmZP8nIA3DUFtbEux7AioozgMmwPqW087_g1Jc-t4Zz88DjUoHEcCpVp-lCxUY4OAk8A/s2428/IMG_8549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1886" data-original-width="2428" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGJf_9XXChrWzucq_Z53yyOJFveBJG1a-bDLAT1uFhyxlLlBD5je7sd4GB05rct4-_oTPZ1Tnvw6axq9bct-pMsn-Z3PZULSsAqOpxM1o-zYBTqrkShD19NxmZP8nIA3DUFtbEux7AioozgMmwPqW087_g1Jc-t4Zz88DjUoHEcCpVp-lCxUY4OAk8A/s320/IMG_8549.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>It's actually simple when you think about it. Put the items that make up your messes up and away and save yourself a lot of time and trouble!</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Other Adjustments That Turned This Into A Beside Table That Cleans Itself</h4><p>What else did we do to clean up this problem for good? We identified that trash and recyclables were collecting on the bedside table because there was nowhere handy to toss them out. Hence the addition of the recycle bin and trash can. Everything else went into a neat little <a href="https://amzn.to/3KMRHVS" target="_blank">basket</a>. </p><p>In theory, even the basket should probably be eliminated, simply by putting those items into the bedside table drawers instead. But I wanted to show how a mess could be permanently contained on the outside with just a few simple tweaks.</p><p>Be sure to come back <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/04/up-and-away-all-over-house.html">Thursday</a> for examples and links to even more nifty items that can be mounted around your home!</p><p><i style="font-family: helvetica;">Please note that this post includes affiliate links, and when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-50158794271992985652023-04-06T07:00:00.008-04:002023-04-12T15:24:59.030-04:00Greet Your Guests With a Smile—And Clean Off Their Shoes While You're At It<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2ebPQcJDbYkngvLP1A38IVQqLIOQUX1GvzUerOOacQkFtJTW0_0sXmqKtX--vwesOZ0fceA2cMGjqQE-aAHD5GSiPtJr9QlsOhvXFqhGg5HM2AutGN7xVQV0xn8Ew_gJQIKJNT8nj2uocr6nZUu1K4F105Uh1aHOJgsQeqcp8xqax-vNJV6j1xTZLw/s5616/AdobeStock_136933525.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2ebPQcJDbYkngvLP1A38IVQqLIOQUX1GvzUerOOacQkFtJTW0_0sXmqKtX--vwesOZ0fceA2cMGjqQE-aAHD5GSiPtJr9QlsOhvXFqhGg5HM2AutGN7xVQV0xn8Ew_gJQIKJNT8nj2uocr6nZUu1K4F105Uh1aHOJgsQeqcp8xqax-vNJV6j1xTZLw/s320/AdobeStock_136933525.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />In <a href="https://thehousethatcleansitself.blogspot.com/2023/03/think-like-hotel.html" target="_blank">a recent post</a>, I talked about the importance of doormats in a House That Cleans Itself. As I've said before, one of the most effective changes you can make to your home is to p<span>lace large, sturdy mats inside and outside every exterior door you have. The rougher and bigger the mats, the better. This is because the more </span><span>thoroughly the bottom of your shoes can be scrubbed off on the way in, the less work you will have to do to keep your floors clean. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>This is the kind of fix that does the work for you, a technique you should employ throughout your home. </span><span>And that's what a House That Cleans Itself is all about!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here are some really cute doormat options I found online…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">FUNNY</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theodore-Magnus-Natural-Doormat-Non-Slip/dp/B09R4ZDJ94/ref=sr_1_60_sspa?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023706&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-60-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyOUlBN1FDUVJCRlRZJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM1NDk2MTY5MldPTVdQRUpYTSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTg3MzA2NDRTNVZCN1I2TFBaJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==" target="_blank">This one</a> seems perfect for the times we're in these days.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theodore-Magnus-Natural-Doormat-Non-Slip/dp/B09R4ZDJ94?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023706&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-60-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyOUlBN1FDUVJCRlRZJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjM1NDk2MTY5MldPTVdQRUpYTSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTg3MzA2NDRTNVZCN1I2TFBaJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfbXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ%3D%3D&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b7d6e36a64667b52abb30d795a60e880&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09R4ZDJ94&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="360" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09R4ZDJ94" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Doormats-Entrance-Absorbent-Anti-slip-Cassette/dp/B075RCXTZS/ref=sr_1_53?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;keywords=door%252Bmat%252Bcute&amp;pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp;pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp;pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp;pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp;qid=1678388454&amp;sr=8-53&amp;th=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=1f1e373fc46353e46e071240d450b69e&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">Mix tape</a>, anyone?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Doormats-Entrance-Absorbent-Anti-slip-Cassette/dp/B075RCXTZS?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&keywords=door%252Bmat%252Bcute&amp=&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp=&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp=&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp=&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp=&qid=1678388454&amp=&sr=8-53&amp=&th=1&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=6e817d305bb99fcfff8014901ed16a87&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B075RCXTZS&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B075RCXTZS" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Visitor <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Definitely-Doormat-Durable-Non-Slip-Housewarming/dp/B0B85778XP/ref=sr_1_52?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;keywords=door+mat+funny&amp;pd_rd_r=d9d20cf8-8b25-4137-b1e3-aa009e858106&amp;pd_rd_w=fjsYd&amp;pd_rd_wg=IHLKV&amp;pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;pf_rd_r=W5TF88Z2RX1GX1YAR0S1&amp;qid=1678388162&amp;sr=8-52&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=f874644a2af62429dab85d88bda33c8e&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">beware</a>!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Definitely-Doormat-Durable-Non-Slip-Housewarming/dp/B0B85778XP?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&keywords=door+mat+funny&amp=&pd_rd_r=d9d20cf8-8b25-4137-b1e3-aa009e858106&amp=&pd_rd_w=fjsYd&amp=&pd_rd_wg=IHLKV&amp=&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&pf_rd_r=W5TF88Z2RX1GX1YAR0S1&amp=&qid=1678388162&amp=&sr=8-52&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=3b77be020d8d6d03413e6c7b0ee2a0c0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B85778XP&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B85778XP" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">STYLISH</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/DII-Outdoor-Natural-Backing-Exterior/dp/B01KXN6AHK/ref=sr_1_10?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp&keywords=door+mat+cute&amp&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp&qid=1678388375&amp&sr=8-10&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=c71c3437f300313b106740c3a23d20f1&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">This one</a> looks downright yummy.</span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/DII-Outdoor-Natural-Backing-Exterior/dp/B01KXN6AHK?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&keywords=door+mat+cute&amp=&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp=&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp=&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp=&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp=&qid=1678388375&amp=&sr=8-10&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=16f92dfbbcdfdd83503918b383a2ff82&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01KXN6AHK&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B01KXN6AHK" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A warm and friendly <a href="https://www.amazon.com/DII-Doormat-18x30-Hello-Sunshine/dp/B074GTK9WF/ref=sr_1_41?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;keywords=door+mat+cute&amp;pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp;pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp;pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp;pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp;qid=1678388375&amp;sr=8-41&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=86e326b7ecec6afc862f2c60e4931e55&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">greeting</a>:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/DII-Doormat-18x30-Hello-Sunshine/dp/B074GTK9WF?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&keywords=door+mat+cute&amp=&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp=&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp=&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp=&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp=&qid=1678388375&amp=&sr=8-41&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=efd06b6f66c569a999cdf13853989d07&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B074GTK9WF&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B074GTK9WF" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://amzn.to/43f9MTY" target="_blank">Perfect</a> for Spring!</span></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Absorbent-Entryway-Watercolor-Bathroom/dp/B0B5W9WRP8?&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b2a4548c6742c417f01d8527950dc1a0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B5W9WRP8&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B5W9WRP8" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></p><br /><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">GEOMETRIC</span></h3><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I like the textures (and the colors) in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Absorbent-Entrance-Entryway-Washable-Low-Profile/dp/B094D12KLZ/ref=sr_1_53?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=undefined&keywords=door%2Bmat%2Bcute&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&qid=1678388454&sr=8-53&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=e0217494e85c709bd342d3bdd69b240b&camp=1789&creative=9325&th=1" target="_blank">this one</a>.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Absorbent-Entrance-Entryway-Washable-Low-Profile/dp/B094D12KLZ?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=undefined&keywords=door%2Bmat%2Bcute&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&qid=1678388454&sr=8-53&_encoding=UTF8&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=c492921bb75e8ed3745f32ff857b3d2e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B094D12KLZ&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B094D12KLZ" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Steppin' out in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/THRILRUG-Entryway-Semicircle-Low-Profile-Waterproof/dp/B09928Y9PX/ref=sr_1_76?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;keywords=door%252Bmat%252Bcute&amp;pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp;pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp;pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp;pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp;pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp;qid=1678388454&amp;sr=8-76&amp;th=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=e410b7fd99db5c18addbfb1149dcaf7c&camp=1789&creative=9325 https://www.amazon.com/Rnivvi-Anti-Slip-Entryway-Minimalism-Stones/dp/B0B24X8J8K/ref=pd_rhf_d_se_s_pd_crcd_sccl_2_7/142-8250116-7069634?pd_rd_w=Do4XS&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.840d50bc-9f73-460b-8793-15925b0bb70e&amp;pf_rd_p=840d50bc-9f73-460b-8793-15925b0bb70e&amp;pf_rd_r=B0PTVGJC5VNWHTHSJYYP&amp;pd_rd_wg=DezM3&amp;pd_rd_r=9244302d-2f46-4bc9-969c-4eebd387a615&amp;pd_rd_i=B0B24X8J8K&amp;psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=fromestoble-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=8ba6b1bd04afc8878ad625623715fc40&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank">style</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><br /></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/THRILRUG-Entryway-Semicircle-Low-Profile-Waterproof/dp/B09928Y9PX?content-id=amzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b%253Aamzn1.sym.1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&keywords=door%252Bmat%252Bcute&amp=&pd_rd_r=de3ddb66-3ab0-4328-8b18-dcfe76212725&amp=&pd_rd_w=UYBb5&amp=&pd_rd_wg=f3GuJ&amp=&pf_rd_p=1b55e175-aab2-4228-be7e-b2330901df8b&amp=&pf_rd_r=SJKWY85XH2WK4BDXNDCP&amp=&qid=1678388454&amp=&sr=8-76&amp=&th=1&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=80506d50ff36e99faff0d1bc63a00992&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B09928Y9PX&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B09928Y9PX" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>Fun and <a href="https://amzn.to/40ZAAp5" target="_blank">funky</a>.<br /></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rnivvi-Anti-Slip-Entryway-Minimalism-Stones/dp/B0B24X8J8K?pd_rd_w=Do4XS&amp=&content-id=amzn1.sym.840d50bc-9f73-460b-8793-15925b0bb70e&amp=&pf_rd_p=840d50bc-9f73-460b-8793-15925b0bb70e&amp=&pf_rd_r=B0PTVGJC5VNWHTHSJYYP&amp=&pd_rd_wg=DezM3&amp=&pd_rd_r=9244302d-2f46-4bc9-969c-4eebd387a615&amp=&pd_rd_i=B0B24X8J8K&amp=&psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b64e3de22bc09bf6adc2329d89cb4aa3&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B24X8J8K&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B24X8J8K" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /><br /></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">FOR MY FELLOW SOUTHERNERS</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Couldn't resist sharing <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Anti-Slip-Entryway-Entrance-Farmhouse/dp/B08VJPM3RR/ref=sr_1_45?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-45" target="_blank">this one</a>.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Southern-Anti-Slip-Entryway-Entrance-Farmhouse/dp/B08VJPM3RR?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-45&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b695951d0c4819144adf3549b88747d0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08VJPM3RR&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B08VJPM3RR" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">FOR PET LOVERS</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/MR-FANTASY-Absorbent-Anti-Slip-Anti-Fatigue/dp/B07QL7BWCH/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A2A4TRLSHWR1CB&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRVRWSzVCWjg4RTFCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTA3MzkyMlpWSEZVVTAzUU42MiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTUxNzg2TDJFR0cyNlozVThPJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==" target="_blank">This one</a>'s too cute.</span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/MR-FANTASY-Absorbent-Anti-Slip-Anti-Fatigue/dp/B07QL7BWCH?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A2A4TRLSHWR1CB&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzRVRWSzVCWjg4RTFCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTA3MzkyMlpWSEZVVTAzUU42MiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTUxNzg2TDJFR0cyNlozVThPJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ%3D%3D&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=e556c000347ea09087a0bd7ce7077feb&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07QL7BWCH&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07QL7BWCH" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ain't it <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Coco-Doormat-Heavy-Duty-Backing/dp/B07THNCBN8/ref=sr_1_32?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-32" target="_blank">the truth</a>!</span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Coco-Doormat-Heavy-Duty-Backing/dp/B07THNCBN8?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-32&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=bbf5eb6a3df5e06dae0bf780721cab0f&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07THNCBN8&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B07THNCBN8" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">FOR THE CURMUDGEONS AMONG US</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes I feel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Outdoor-Depends-Non-Slip-Farmhouse/dp/B095S847JZ/ref=sr_1_9?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-9" target="_blank">this way</a>, for sure.</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Outdoor-Depends-Non-Slip-Farmhouse/dp/B095S847JZ?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023272&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-9&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=53b5cd17c74275df113477937550ce6e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B095S847JZ&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B095S847JZ" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></span></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A great idea—and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Entryway-Non-Slip-Entrance-Bathroom/dp/B0B3N1QL5F/ref=sr_1_105?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023903&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-105" target="_blank">perfect</a> for a House That Cleans Itself!</span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Entryway-Non-Slip-Entrance-Bathroom/dp/B0B3N1QL5F?crid=D4PLGC33VTHU&keywords=door+mats&qid=1680023903&sprefix=door+mat%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-105&linkCode=li3&tag=fromestoble-20&linkId=b30ca889136d5acb9090dc4f0889f018&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0B3N1QL5F&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=fromestoble-20&language=en_US" width="400" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fromestoble-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B0B3N1QL5F" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Please note that the above are affiliate links, and when you make a purchase I earn a small commission, which helps offset the costs of this blog. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-77476377043284832812023-04-03T07:00:00.001-04:002023-04-03T07:00:00.212-04:00His Space/Her Space<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">A while back, I asked about the messiest room in your home, and one reader commented: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Arial;"><i>Messiest room in the house? My husband's office. I can't see the carpet in there anymore. And it's messy because he's a packrat and won't throw out anything and won't let me near the mess either. Like I might make it worse or something :-) </i></span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Arial;">If this sounds familiar, then you'll be happy to know that <i><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BZ91WY4N/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-343838&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_343838_rh_us" target="_blank">The House That Cleans Itself</a></i> has a chapter called "Of Marriage and Mess," which helps you navigate the tricky waters of cleaning issues that involve your spouse. But because I, too, have a packrat for a husband, I was curious about his take on this specific comment. I read it to him, and this is what he had to say, which I thought was pretty insightful. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #202020; font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">He reminded me that most men feel like the majority of their house is not really "theirs," i.e., like it belongs to <i>her</i> but not to <i>him</i>. Your husband may help pay the mortgage, he may have helped pick out the furniture, but it's a universal truth that deep in his heart he thinks of the house as yours in almost every way except that he just happens to live there. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvlIFySw-M9vQrvrOFmLHk-h8kb0d78CbIAsm68dSA60vScMFfk0A7CNWyo82pDEQYF3nwk3TisjeDG5GBVAguz7UKf1O1FRXdgWyWwR7553Xn27e-qv4Dl4ILkBaZYM-A-JwI3Rbrj-M4Var9k6-TgUZ45btvvMXnQLB3XRlUUiHCGBpOilP25U_GQ/s4743/AdobeStock_391560139.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3162" data-original-width="4743" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvlIFySw-M9vQrvrOFmLHk-h8kb0d78CbIAsm68dSA60vScMFfk0A7CNWyo82pDEQYF3nwk3TisjeDG5GBVAguz7UKf1O1FRXdgWyWwR7553Xn27e-qv4Dl4ILkBaZYM-A-JwI3Rbrj-M4Var9k6-TgUZ45btvvMXnQLB3XRlUUiHCGBpOilP25U_GQ/w400-h266/AdobeStock_391560139.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">That is why, <b>if your husband has a space that's actually been designated
as "his," then there's a good chance it's getting junked up simply
because it's the only safe spot in the entire household where he can plop his
things down and know they'll be left alone. </b> Even if that's not really
true, it's how he feels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thus, the key to getting his space clean and keeping it that way is
this: Whatever organization or structure for cleanliness the room has, it has
to be for HIS purposes, to make it so that HE can use the room better, not so
that it will appeal to your sensibilities or taste or decor. For example,
maybe he needs more shelving in there, so he can get stuff off of the floor. Or
maybe he doesn't really need everything that's in there and can pack up and
cart away some of it, out to the shed or garage or attic. Maybe he needs help
with establishing a simple filing system, or he just lacks a few big bins to
keep it all sorted better. Whatever it takes to get that room cleaner, it
has to work for HIM, not for you. Hard to hear, I know, but that's just how it
is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">That's why the most important element involved here is a <b>door</b>, one that you can
close so you don't have to see in there very often. Help him set up his
designated space for his convenience, utilizing House That Cleans Itself
principles as much as possible, then decide to ignore it to the extent that you
are able. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Chances, are, what you sacrifice in overall household cleanliness you'll gain in marital harmony. :) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-20319283640897172382023-04-01T07:00:00.001-04:002023-04-01T07:00:00.214-04:00If Only<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg3LuJurywqsJypXRLK9KIs-NWppYiTU_oZ2SbnwbMqOOxLqBT8-9V8tS5ga73esmT6hW0bh1aXlczC8PSIJhqzgOSbumoU1CQZPgHABoXI7eixdNtclUjvkX9cNVaEaR5JvGWOBGF60MvW4we4fHW7CH2pmQ_eGgmtS15M9HeuFHicMKlWV2ZZF_wQ/s2700/AdobeStock_101240955.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="2584" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg3LuJurywqsJypXRLK9KIs-NWppYiTU_oZ2SbnwbMqOOxLqBT8-9V8tS5ga73esmT6hW0bh1aXlczC8PSIJhqzgOSbumoU1CQZPgHABoXI7eixdNtclUjvkX9cNVaEaR5JvGWOBGF60MvW4we4fHW7CH2pmQ_eGgmtS15M9HeuFHicMKlWV2ZZF_wQ/w383-h400/AdobeStock_101240955.jpeg" width="383" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-61071167248405996702023-03-31T07:00:00.001-04:002023-03-31T07:00:00.222-04:00Free for You!<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Just wanted to let you know that if you sign up for my e-newsletter, you will receive 3 FREE e-articles, including:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">15 Steps to Vacuuming Your House Once a Month</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Renovate Your Kitchen the HTCI Way</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Special Encouragement to Parents with Small Children</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To sign up <a href="http://mindystarnsclark.com/contact.php#newsletter" target="_blank">click here</a> or go to my website at <a href="http://www.MindyStarnsClark.com/contact.php#newsletter" target="_blank">www.MindyStarnsClark.com/contact.php#newsletter</a>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Enjoy!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mindystarnsclark.com/contact.php#newsletter" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="672" height="649" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrpuL7LDiSvKY2qTWL6kh1B2Afdo90TXcae4Hl20CNn6t48WYXcCQtGgd6EywZBlxtp6jOkBgj09E-9do7hqTukhGzmUd0irnitUU2I0Umv_6eB_CVyV_8eiwEPWVbjq3o9Civk8krDxaJLumlfE7EX26ocGZon3KGqgrYbpBbHx9DYWiA1Omxn_eGw/w418-h649/get%203%20free%20e%20articles.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-5410981229314223152023-03-30T07:00:00.000-04:002023-03-30T07:00:00.221-04:00The Sad Truth<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;">A</span><span style="text-align: left;"> baseball player who repeatedly strikes out can always quit the team...</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRiUi2IPqhjlpGnmQuSBUJ0hg6f_Xv1lZ5PlA8zqcZn2bBRfm6lOc5ivuk6drKavzFGzxvciqJEmPtwgg61cuu724dcI5im80ZmozK4EdrLw8B4gNMNxox9loO30HPf0MBuZ0ThrrILyRRJfEKCechgE6sQJ7G2kZ1u5SxSfSHltQofZDOpmcxz9-Zw/s1648/BASEBALL%20BOY.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1648" data-original-width="1127" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRiUi2IPqhjlpGnmQuSBUJ0hg6f_Xv1lZ5PlA8zqcZn2bBRfm6lOc5ivuk6drKavzFGzxvciqJEmPtwgg61cuu724dcI5im80ZmozK4EdrLw8B4gNMNxox9loO30HPf0MBuZ0ThrrILyRRJfEKCechgE6sQJ7G2kZ1u5SxSfSHltQofZDOpmcxz9-Zw/s320/BASEBALL%20BOY.png" width="219" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">…and a bad singer can always resign from the choir...</span></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_Cjn-IqPX68fVCn6kcL5A2UKlToCyljTgDcb5_H_aJbJAuMIQZXscQAGAvaH40tKx4D1MnNVnx04riEjgnDgoij917ueMkyLSYkUnxvKZQKRxALs1RiUOOv5FZ-tA5mYo1K6IS_3v-cBfVEYWrDVNZzrPMN6LN6TmzoCgNlSxUxHwyKBcNvxan84wA/s4869/AdobeStock_454647222.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3080" data-original-width="4869" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_Cjn-IqPX68fVCn6kcL5A2UKlToCyljTgDcb5_H_aJbJAuMIQZXscQAGAvaH40tKx4D1MnNVnx04riEjgnDgoij917ueMkyLSYkUnxvKZQKRxALs1RiUOOv5FZ-tA5mYo1K6IS_3v-cBfVEYWrDVNZzrPMN6LN6TmzoCgNlSxUxHwyKBcNvxan84wA/s320/AdobeStock_454647222.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">…but <b>a person who is housekeeping impaired still has to manage their stuff as they go through life. </b>With few exceptions, no one can avoid the basics of cleaning.</span></p><div><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">That’s why you need to turn your home into a House That Cleans Itself!</span></i></b></p></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-76096531656405714792023-03-29T07:00:00.000-04:002023-03-29T07:00:00.213-04:00Let Your Walls Do the Work For You!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYerasVcq2lAFhMnUkuWxGkgo-Y6yn-_ZihvG_JKb6zwfFFemgEkoogEIMD9XvnOn_RAnXkA4z8PQ5dySeZsZgppM3Oco2wXB0bCgJiJXvbpwArLfv7hDRk4z-AXQIgJgeefDTAFKPtjmmbzVp3LwdaaTsDJ3D8NleIJ1lXxnyWheLnRrZHEUd9Gk-nA/s1600/Blogger%20graphics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYerasVcq2lAFhMnUkuWxGkgo-Y6yn-_ZihvG_JKb6zwfFFemgEkoogEIMD9XvnOn_RAnXkA4z8PQ5dySeZsZgppM3Oco2wXB0bCgJiJXvbpwArLfv7hDRk4z-AXQIgJgeefDTAFKPtjmmbzVp3LwdaaTsDJ3D8NleIJ1lXxnyWheLnRrZHEUd9Gk-nA/w400-h300/Blogger%20graphics.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2778579980174748023.post-27640714636560423582023-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:002023-03-28T08:00:00.228-04:00Book Sale On My Website<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Just a heads up, there's a <a href="http://www.mindystarnsclark.com/autographed-copies.php" target="_blank">big book sale</a> going on through my website right now, where you can get autographed copies of almost all of my books for 50% off—including the print version of <i>The House That Cleans Itself! </i>Enjoy!</span></p><p><i><br /></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsq8-s_QG8fqnWAl90cV4wPlCRwgtebcMcIyfyFMmauNFqZ6v9Rg9L_t6GwNQFWGdguPoYpmMn82br6mr7IuZEaOVrxBdVsYkbYLTAGjqg43VzHWKvret_lbn11zW28zoN_aTQbLSrCFLyJsIxNqGmRjFsQp9RKXNGvmecZ4C1p3jPh3n-TFZuHUMZw/s400/fall-book-sale-2022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsq8-s_QG8fqnWAl90cV4wPlCRwgtebcMcIyfyFMmauNFqZ6v9Rg9L_t6GwNQFWGdguPoYpmMn82br6mr7IuZEaOVrxBdVsYkbYLTAGjqg43VzHWKvret_lbn11zW28zoN_aTQbLSrCFLyJsIxNqGmRjFsQp9RKXNGvmecZ4C1p3jPh3n-TFZuHUMZw/w254-h400/fall-book-sale-2022.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10438126703800978094noreply@blogger.com0