After a while, you can get so accustomed to seeing certain things in your home that you forget that they’re just clutter! Ditch these things today for a clearer home and a clearer mind before jumping into the new school year. Plus, we've got some tips on how to prep these items for the donation bin.

The stack of paper bags on top of your refrigerator.

The groceries are long gone! Their day is done – put them in the recycling.

Sheet sets for sizes of mattresses you don’t even own anymore.

Make sure your linen closet is keeping up with your furniture.

Any bottle in your bathroom that contains a product that didn’t work for you.

Why are you keeping that frizz-inducing shampoo or the acne-causing moisturizer?

The bowls or cups in your cupboards with tiny chips in the rim.

They’re not “still good” if you have to strategically sip so as to not cut your lips!

Shoes you bought on sale that pinch your toes.

Ouch! You haven’t worn them yet, and you won’t wear them anytime soon. Donate them!

The attachments for a vacuum you got rid of years ago.

Seriously – ditch them. They're just sucking up space!

The glass vase that your latest flower arrangement was delivered in.

How many of those do you have around the house now? Again, donate them!

That book you couldn’t finish and that other book you loved and devoured.

Take to a used book store, or better yet pass it on to a friend and then discuss over coffee (or wine)!

Your second-string black sweater.

You just wear your favourite one anyway.

The tent camping stove you used once – three years ago.

Extend this to any aspirational sporting equipment that never sees any action.

Any of these strike a chord? What else would you add to this list? But remember – don’t feel bad about getting rid of perfectly functional items if you donate them to people would really need them! You’ll free up space from all the clutter, and someone else gets something they need. Win win! Before you haul them to your nearest donation bin or to your friends’ home, make sure they’re clean – give a scrub with the One Soap or a wipe with the All-Purpose Cleaner before loading the items up. For those old sheets, be sure to launder with Nellie’s Laundry Soda and brighten them with the Oxygen Brightener so they look as good as new! Then, sit back and relax in your clutter-free home.

Most of us clean our home by going room to room, checking off the to-do list in each room. And when we keep up with it, our homes look great. But who can really keep up with that? Switching to task-based cleaning instead of going room-by-room simplifies the cleaning routine. Everything will still appear perpetually clean if you break up the task instead of by room: dusting would happen once a week whether you do it in the bathroom every week or throughout the house each Monday, as an example. Here’s a sample schedule:

Monday

Dust surfaces with a cloth and the All Purpose Cleaner (this means everything – including toilets and picture frames in every room)

Tuesday

Clean surfaces with the All Purpose Cleaner (this would be things like counters, glass, wooden tables, chairs, appliances, and again, toilets)

Wednesday

Vacuuming (every room with wall-to-wall carpet and all area rugs)

Thursday

Mop other floors with the WOW Mop and Floor Care (vacuum first, and then clean wood floors and tile floors throughout the house)

Friday

Clean out fridge, straighten pantry, clear off desk, organize mudroom and entry, and maintain closets

Saturday

Wash bedding with the Laundry Soda, Oxygen Brightener to freshen up your whites, and speed up the dry time with the Lamby Wool Dryerballs

Sunday

Rotate toys and books and plan for the week ahead

Another advantage to this strategy is that it’s much easier to remember what you’re supposed to do each day. If needed, you can break up that day’s duty into small chunks of time that more easily fit into your schedule – but you know throughout Monday that you’ll have your duster at-hand.
One thing that might need to be tweaked with this schedule is if you live in a multi-level home. In that case, it might be easier to group a couple days’ tasks together and stick to cleaning one floor at a time. Will you switch up your cleaning schedule? Let us know in the comments!

You know those people with always-clean homes? The kind where you can drop by whenever and their place is always sparkling and spotless? It’s safe to say we all have one of those friends that makes keeping a beautiful and tidy home look effortless. What’s their secret? We have 9 habits to help you get that effortlessly clean home too!

1. Make the bed

When you’re waking up in the morning, smoothing the sheets and fluffing the pillows can be the last thing you want to do. But it's one of the easiest ways to make your home look clean and tidy! Studies have also shown that making your bed every morning increases your productivity through the rest of your day. Try to make your bed before you run out of the house each morning, or at least pull the comforter up to the pillows and smooth out the creases. Better yet, do a quick spray of the Wrinkle-B-Gone to smooth and refresh your sheets. That way, you can crawl into a fresh, clean bed after a long work day.

2. Wipe down handles and light switches

Some of the germiest places are the surfaces that everyone touches all the time, like doorknobs, faucet handles, cabinet pulls, and light switches. Since bacteria and viruses can live on surfaces for several days, it’s important to disinfect them regularly. For an easy, toxin-free clean, spray the Nellie’s All-Purpose Cleaner on a lint-free cloth or paper towel and wipe them down. It’ll take you less than 5 minutes and instantly makes your home cleaner and healthier!

3. Fold and put away your clothes

We know how tempting it is to leave your clothes in a heap on the floor when you’re getting into bed, but don’t underestimate how much cleaner your home will look if you fold, hang, or place them in the hamper before hitting the hay. Not only will your room look better, but you’ll feel better mentally if your clothes are out of sight and not strewn about your bedroom.

4. Do a quick sweep of the floors

Dust can accumulate quickly - especially if you're a pet owner! Grab a broom and do a quick sweep around your baseboards and under large pieces of furniture to nab any dust bunnies at least once a week. Vacuuming will be a breeze!

5. Wash and put dishes away

Washing dishes is easy with the One Soap, and can be fun if you put some good music on and make it a dance party! Wrangle your partner or kids to help run the dishwasher as well as dry and put away the dishes after dinner, and then rest easy knowing there’s no pile of dirty dishes to deal with in the morning.

6. Clean the kitchen sink

Studies have shown that there is more E. coli in a kitchen sink than in a toilet bowl (gross!!). As bacteria feed on the food that is put down the drain and dishes left in the sink, it’s vital that you scrub your sink daily. Use the All-Purpose Cleaner to spray the sink basin and then scrub the germs away with a clean paper towel.

7. Wipe down countertops

Like the kitchen sink, kitchen countertops are germ magnets. Since sponges and dish clothes are often loaded with E. coli, they just spread germs around and make your countertops even dirtier. Spray the All-Purpose Cleaner on countertops and wipe them down with a clean rag or paper towel at least once a day.

8. Tidy up the bathroom

It’s amazing how one quick wipe down of bathroom mirrors, sinks, the toilet, and the shower can make your entire house feel cleaner. Every evening, wipe out the sink, clean toothpaste specks from your mirror and faucet, and give the toilet bowl a good scrub while you’re brushing your teeth. Use the Nellie’s Toilet Bowl Cleaner for a sparkling toilet, and the Shower & Bath Cleaner for a hassle-free bathtub clean!

9. Put away clutter

Last, but certainly not least, put away stray papers, used glasses, and electronics cluttering your desk, coffee table, and kitchen countertops. It’ll make it much easier to start your day fresh and focused if you don’t have to deal with mail and other stray items left out from the day before.

They’ve grown from the length of your arm to a full-fledged adult, and now they’re packing up and heading to college. Are your not-so-little kids ready for the big world of university outside of the nest? We’ve got a checklist to help you help them sort everything out (because everyone still needs help from Mom once in a while).

Room Needs & Storage

Bedside lamp
Alarm clock/clock radio
Mini trash can
Storage bins
Under-the-bed storage trays
Desk lamp
Fan
Drying rack for laundry
Bulletin board & push pins
Dry-erase wall calendar (so useful for exam season!)
Picture hangers (and double-sided tape for concrete walls)

Linens & Laundry Supplies

Sheets and pillowcases
Towels (three sets of each – bath, hand, and face)
Pillows (two!)
Mattress pad (comfy beds are key to a good sleep)
Blankets (two)
Comforter/bedspread
Clothes hangers
Laundry bag/basket
Nellie’s Laundry Soda Nuggets, WOW! Stick, Oxygen Brightener, and Lamby Wool Dryerballs
Lint Brush
Mini sewing kit
 
Don't forget to send them off with hugs, kisses, and reminders to call home regularly. If you're worried about them keeping things clean on their own, sign them up for a Bundle! You can shop our bundles here!

Good things DO come in small packages! Nellie’s Laundry Nuggets contain all the power of the best-selling Laundry Soda in a conveniently small pre-measured nugget. They’re perfect if you don’t feel like measuring a scoop for every load, or for plant-based and mess-free laundry while you’re traveling. You don’t have to miss out on clean clothes just because you’re vacationing on a distant island! Don’t worry – the Laundry Nuggets are still highly concentrated, quick dissolving, rinse thoroughly, and leave no residue.

How to Use

Use just one Laundry Nugget for each regular-sized load. For HE machines, throw directly into the drum. Wash according to instructions on garments, and always be sure to test on garments that may bleed or fade.
Nellie’s Laundry Soda is safe for HE and standard washing machines. If the Nuggets have hardened, simply roll between your fingers and soften them up before use.