Category: Healthy Home

The kitchen is the core of the home. It's where we drop off our books and bags after a long day at work. It's where we share our most personal secrets, our best (and worst) home cooked meals, and special occasions formal or informal, planned or spontaneous. The kitchen is the place to be, which is why it needs to be cleaned often.

Each night before I go to bed, I do a quick but thorough cleaning routine, making sure the germs from the day are wiped away and the kitchen is ready to tackle a fresh day's crumby counters, sticky messes, and burnt on food. I usually begin this cleaning routine right after dinner while the kids are doing their homework and getting ready for bed.

I follow this routine religiously and my kitchen regularly looks like I spent hours cleaning it when, in reality, it only takes about 30 minutes each night. You can have similar results too, if you...

Do these 5 things nightly for a sparkling clean kitchen:

1. Clear and clean the counters. Because the countertop is used for cooking, unloading groceries, placing mail, and storing appliances, it may harbor more germs than you think. The kitchen countertops are definitely one of the areas to clean often and after each use, most importantly before and after prep work for cooking. To reduce bacteria from harboring, be sure to clean and dry each countertop. A microfiber cloth, some warm water, a sprinkle of baking soda and some dish soap will keep any kitchen countertop safe and clean.

2. Wipe down the sink. The sink should be wiped down at least once each day. For copper sinks, simply wipe down with a microfiber cloth, warm water and some dish soap and us another cloth to dry the sink.

For stone sinks, add some lemon juice to dish soap and warm water. Clean with microfiber cloth and pat dry.

For stainless steel or porcelain sinks, sprinkle some baking soda in your wet sink. Use a microfiber cloth to scrub and an old toothbrush to clean around faucets and drain. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

NOTE: Never use acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon juice on marble!

Don't forget the cabinet beneath the sink. Wipe the cabinet door with vinegar and warm water. Dry thoroughly. Check inside since leaky pipes or small insects may be hidden from plain view.  Spot clean cabinet liners. Throw away spent sponges instead of saving them to prevent mold growth. Rehang kitchen gloves on small hooks placed inside the cabinet and stow the day's plastic bags in an empty tissue box or plastic container.

3. De-gunk the stove and oven. Keeping the stovetop and inside the oven clean can be a breeze if you make a habit to wipe them down each night. The top of the stove can be cleaned the same way as the countertops, with warm water and dish soap. For tougher stains sprinkle on baking soda and gently scrub, rinse, and wipe.

After the oven cools, take a damp cloth and wipe the inside of the oven. Adding baking soda, warm water, and mild dish soap can help remove tougher stains. Just a quick wipe each night can reduce the “torture” of the seasonal deep oven cleaning that we do every four months!

4. Pantry patrol. Check the pantry, refrigerator and freezer for spills, open food boxes and containers nightly. It's far easier to clean up a spill right after it happens than to find it a week later, after it has spread and dried over an entire shelf of food! Once again, warm water, dish soap, a dab of baking soda and a damp microfiber cloth can clean up any spill fast and easy. Making sure all cereal and snack boxes are tightly shut in the pantry will keep bugs and ants away.

5. Sweep the kitchen floor. It's a must last thing each night to keep the dirt and dust to a real minimum. Mopping the floor each night is not needed, and who has time anyway? Just sweep with a good bristled broom, or vacuum on heavy days with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to keep your home a lot cleaner.

Finding your own routine for tidying up your kitchen can save you time and energy in the long run. Start by figuring out which areas of the kitchen are important to you to keep clean and incorporate a quick and easy cleaning strategy that can fit into your busy schedule. Save the deep cleaning for another day and concentrate on just keeping your home germ-free, healthy and tidy.

A pot of fresh rosemary by your kitchen window provides easy aroma therapy to boost your mood and promote healthy living.

Did you know that some of your favorite scents of the season can also work wonders on your mood? Here are four natural scents that not only keep your home smelling clean and festive, they also boost merriment AND mental health in some important ways. These therapeutic aromas are part of a natural healthy living strategy and the best part is, they can be found right in your own kitchen cabinet:

1. Cinnamon. One of my favorite holiday scents. It reminds me of the good ole days, when my sisters and I would help my mother make all kinds of Christmas cookies for the big Christmas feast. My mom’s kitchen would smell like gingerbread and cinnamon for hours after baking! One small whiff of cinnamon can actually sharpen your attention span and improve your working memory. But don’t over-do it. Only a small whiff is needed!
2. Rosemary. Another lovely scent, for any season really. Rosemary can also help to improve your memory. Before you begin your next busy day full of working and running errands, remember to “stop and smell the Rosemary.” After all, a few smells of this natural essential oil and you’re more likely to remember future tasks when its necessary.
3.  Vanilla. Ahh Vanilla. The sweet smell of holiday time, relaxing time, and dessert time all wrapped up in one! Smelling a little vanilla essential oil can leave you feeling calmer, more relaxed, and happier. Sounds great, right? It also works wonders for anxiety.
4.  Peppermint. Good ole peppermint! The Christmas holiday would never be the same if the air we breathe and the candy we eat doesn’t emit our classic “peppermint candy cane” smell! The best part of this essential oil is that peppermint helps curb your hunger and make you feel more energized.  Getting a small “whiff” of peppermint throughout the day helps keep you feeling full, not hungry, which, in turn, allows you to reduce your caloric intake throughout the day. The minty aroma of peppermint increases your energy, so try using it before a workout, a run, or even before an early morning work shift or a final exam!

Feeling good is what the holiday season is all about, so why not take advantage of that by adding some essential oils to boost your energy and your mood!  A few drops is all you need.  To get your entire home smelling natural and festive and to promote healthy living, dab a few drops of each essential oil onto a cotton ball and place them around your home.

Looking for other holiday tips? Hop on over to our Pinterest board: Holiday How To's.

Keeping a "clean" home reduces exposure to environmental toxins that can cause health problems.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “follow your nose?” When it comes to environmental toxins, we should follow our noses. Why? Because the number of synthetic chemicals that we are exposed to can be alarming. And so is the toxic material they contain.

There are over 80,000 synthetic chemicals in use today, so it's no wonder that when we are inside our homes, in the office, and even at school, we are exposed to all different kinds of synthetic chemicals by inhaling them in the form of VOC’s, or Volatile Organic Compounds. These VOC’s are the off-gassing from perfumes, upholstery, paints and cleaning chemicals. They are found in our drinking water as pesticides, and even in our toiletries, creams, cosmetics, and shampoos.

Environmental toxins, indoors and out, can be dangerous to our health. Neurological problems, developmental problems, reproductive problems, respiratory problems, liver, kidney and blood problems can result from unhealthy or long-term exposures to these toxins. Health problems may range from something as mild as a headache to something as severe as dementia.

We need to protect our families and ourselves, but how can we reduce our exposure to the environmental toxins found all around us? Why not start at home!

My home is my sanctuary. I try and keep it as clean as I can so my family and I can stay as healthy as we can. Here are a few things that I do at home that help lessen our environmental toxin exposure:

1. Leave it at the door. As soon as I get home from work, I leave my shoes by the front door and I change my clothes. In fact, my husband and my children have learned to do the same thing. I also wash my face and my hands to get rid of any extra germs that have come home with me.

2. "Clean" up your sleep: Each bedroom in my home contains a bed with allergy-free mattress, mattress cover, pillow, and pillow case. During my weekly “bedding” cleaning, while the bedding is in the laundry, I like to air the mattress out by opening a bedroom window. Also, all of our pajamas are organic cotton.

3. "Clean" up your clothes: After bringing clothes home from the dry cleaners, I unwrap the clothes right away and I hang them out for at least one to two days outside. When ironing, we use steam to remove the wrinkles in our clothes. No starch needed! I clean all my laundry with Borax and white vinegar. My clothes come out nice and clean everytime!

4. Air exchange: I try and open some windows as much as possible to air out the house and let the fresh, clean air come in.

5. Power down: My family has finally gotten in the habit of unplugging all electronics and appliances when we are not using them.

6. Clean green: I only clean with non-toxic green cleaning household cleaners. It really makes a difference in reducing toxins.

7. "Clean" bathroom cabinet: I use only natural, preservative-free skin products. There are just too many preservatives in cosmetics and skin care that contain phthalates, parabens and formaldehyde. Our deodorants are also non-aerosol. Every day I treat myself to a great tasting probiotic yogurt. It boosts the immune system and keeps me “balanced.”

8. Re-clean: I got into the habit of washing my hands often each day, with soap and warm water. Castile soap is a great germ fighter.

9. "Clean" air: I use natural smelling essential oils to make my home smell clean.

10. Tools are everything: I have a really good HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner that works wonders when I am cleaning my home. I also use microfiber cloths to clean each room of my home. My water system contains a carbon filter which helps reduce the contaminants in the water.

11. Clean intake: I drink one glass of lemon water each day. I also spice up my food with pepper instead of with salt.

12. "Smart" phone use: I try very hard each day to reduce my toxic exposures by limiting smart phone use.

Once you get the hang of reducing environmental toxins in the home, you will realize what a great step in a healthy direction you've taken, for yourself and for your family!

What is confined but takes up a lot of space and is filled with all sorts of things? You guessed it…our indoor air!

We need air to survive, we cannot breathe without it. Which is why our indoor air must be as healthy as we can make it.

Americans spend about 65 percent or more of their time somewhere indoors. If the indoor air we breathe in everyday is contaminated with toxic chemicals and endocrine-disrupting pesticides, we are harming our bodies more than we know.

Past research has shown that toxic pollution inside the home is about 2 to 5 times higher than outside. This means that for the majority of our days and our lives, we are spending our time in toxic environments.

Research has also shown that indoor air can contain about 19 different compounds, and dust can contain about 26 different compounds, including bacteria and fungi species.

The primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes stem from indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles that we cannot see. Not having enough adequate ventilation indoors can increase indoor pollutant levels. By bringing in fresh outdoor air occasionally indoors can help remove emissions and air pollutants.

Believe it or not, the air inside our homes can be polluted by formaldehyde, radon, lead found in house dust, shed skin cells, fire-retardants, chemicals, fragrances, and volatile organic compounds. Dust mites, mold pet dander and other allergens may also be “floating around” our homes.

Four of the most common chemicals found in the air in homes are:

Phthlates, which are endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in hair spray, fragrances, and nail polishes.

Alkylphenols, found in laundry detergents, all-purpose and disinfecting cleaners, hair color, spot removers, spermicides, and hair care products. Alkylphenols have been known to mimic female estrogen hormones in the body.

Parabens and Phenols, which are found in many household products.

Pesticides, which are dangerous chemicals that still manage to get into our homes from the outside.

It is probably impossible to keep a “100% dust-free” home, but it is possible to reduce dust to a minimum by getting rid of carpets, investing in a high-quality air purifier, and placing doormat by each entryway. Controlling the moisture level in your home by keeping your air temperature low will also help reduce moisture in the air. Installing exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens, ventilating attics and crawlspaces, and cleaning evaporation trays in air conditioners, dehumidifiers and refrigerators also helps.

Be sure there is no mold lurking in your home, especially in the bathrooms or basement. Vacuum with a HEPA filter vacuum, and reduce dust mites by washing bedding often and in hot water. When cleaning your home, use non-toxic cleaners to reduce the toxin level in the air.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no wait…its clutter!

Clutter. It creeps up on you when you least expect it. It lives in corners, closets and countertops. Just when you thought you were rid of it, it comes back. Will there ever be an end to all this clutter?

Let’s face it. Clutter happens to all of us, some more than others. Research has shown that about 1% of our population are known as hoarders, while the other 99% suffer from some sort of stress due to clutter at least once in their lives. Clutter can cause lost paperwork, missed deadlines, unnecessary storage rental, lost valuables or even duplicate purchases.

So how do you conquer all this clutter? Start by looking at yourself. What personality type are you? What is your way of thinking when you clean, sort and organize? Figuring out which clutter personality you might fall under just might help you solve your organizational issues and improve your habits.

The Deceiver. Your home seems to be in order, but don’t look too close. You live the “out of sight, out of mind approach.” Instead of decluttering, you store items in hidden places, like the garage, the closets, and the laundry room. My advice: Make time to clean by creating a chore schedule. Stay abreast of clutter by organizing regularly.

The Supplier. “You never know when you are going to need it,” are the words you live by. Your home is filled with all kinds of “extras,” from large rolls of twine, plastic containers, spare pieces of wood, spare parts of old electronics and Keeping old air conditioners, televisions, cracked planters or dishes that you plan to fix in the near future are scattered throughout your home. Having a house full of “spares” that you might need someday is a true sign of the Supplier. My advice: Only buy what you need. Learn to say “no” to extras. Limit your storage space to a few storage boxes only. Donate the rest.

The Storage Closet Keeper is a lot like the Supplier but on a different level. The Storage Closet Keeper has multiples of everything. You don’t have one hairbrush, you have three. You don’t have one type of moisturizer, you have four types, not including the facial moisturizers. There are at least four bottles of shampoo and conditioner in your shower. The Storage Closet Keeper keeps multiples of common household items where one is only needed. Look around. Do you own five pairs of scissors, have multiple sheets sets or an abundance of dishes? You live for the “buy one get one free” sales. My advice: Donate, donate, donate! Learn to stay away from items on sale that you don’t need. Lessen your shampoo bottles by using only one in the shower at a time.  

The Frugal Deal Hunter. Buying in bulk is the only way you shop. You see nothing wrong with having a year’s supply of pizza sauce, toothpaste, and toilet paper stocked up in your home. You always shop with coupons and never pay full price. You buy things just because they are on sale and you got a great deal. You are proud of your inventory! Saying no to a good thing is not your personality. You hunt for the best deals, discounts, freebies and sales and keep everything. You’re an accumulator. My advice: Limit your purchases to only what you use. Try not to overwhelm yourself. Keep your pantry organized to prevent canned food from expiring before you use it.

The Can’t Let Go Memory Keeper holds on to anything with a story. All the kids' art projects, cherished items, photos and baby clothes are neatly tucked away. You have trouble letting go of a loved one’s items, even if the items are not your taste. You have boxes of special mugs, collectibles, love letters, or clothes that remind you of the past. You tend to keep things just because of the way they make you feel. My advice: Keep only treasured items that remind you of your most cherished memories. Instead of saving all of your items from the past, take a photo of each and display them in a memory book.

The Electronic Guru. When it comes to anything electronic, you’re the “go to” man. You keep bins filled with old devices, gadgets, cords, cases, and cables, even if they are outdated and you won’t use them. My advice: Label and store what you really need for the future. Since you will not use every device, charger, or remote you have collected, donate them. Recycle used electronic boxes after the warranty has expired. Store cords by wrapping the cord with a label specifying the gadget they belong to with masking tape. This way you can find exactly what you need quickly and easily.

The Unorganized Perfectionist. You have too much stuff but it’s all organized to perfection. Your collection of 75 clown figurines and 100 silver spoons is gleaming, dust free and perfectly displayed. Your 20 photo albums are arranged chronologically. Your three bookcases of fiction novels are sorted in alphabetical order. Your collection of books makes you look smart, even though you never read any of them. You keep running out of room for all of your new collections. My advice: Keep only the books you love to read and donate or give the rest away.

The Good Intentioner holds onto things until the right time. You have a stack of newspaper clippings for a friend. You have a pile of stuff in your laundry room you’re saving for your next yard sale. You have to find the other shoe before you can donate the pair to a thrift store. You’re waiting until you find the time to sell it on ebay or craigslist. My advice: Don’t hold onto items that you plan on giving to someone longer than one week.

The Scattered Brain. You have too much stuff and it’s scattered everywhere. You bring in the mail and drop it on a stack of papers on your kitchen counter. Your clothes are neatly stacked and stored on the floor. You can’t find your favorite DVD, only the case. You tend to lose things on a regular weekly basis. You seem to buy a new version of something you already own because you need it right now and can’t find it anywhere. My advice: Fold and put laundry away right after washing it. Lessen the amount of clutter on the countertops by finding a place for each and every item. Donate the rest.

As soon as the task of cleaning up the clutter is mastered, it no longer is an issue. Understanding why your clutter is happening in the first place should motivate you enough to maintain good organization skills that will help you lead a clutter-free life.

Refresh, organize, revitalize...

                                                               ...three small but powerful words to live by.

Every now and then I take a step back and look at my life.  Most of the time I am happy with what I see.  However, there are times I need to re-evaluate and find a fresh new way of dealing with things that don't seem to be going my way.

Recently Maid Brigade has partnered up with Organizing U Home Organizers and Working Moms Against Guilt, to make our lives a little easier , a little more healthy, and a lot less stressful - all to improve our overall well-being. Our fresh, new "Lookbook" is filled with 20 of the best tips - things like how to declutter and how to refresh your living space - to help you jump into the spring season in tip top shape, physically, mentally, and environmentally green!

Check it out and let us know how you like it:  Fresh New Take: 20 Ways to Overhaul Your Spring Routine 

The holidays are such a mixed blessing…there’s the family time, good food, honoring old traditions and making new ones.  And then there are the preparations and all the stress they bring.  If you’re like us, by the middle of the month you’re ready to pull your hair out and the idea of eggnog seems more tempting than ever.  Fear not for behold, we have a solution!  Spend an hour with us on December 18^th at 1:00 pm ET to attend our last-minute holiday help webinar:

“Brilliantly Smooth Holidays – Keeping your Home AND Your Head!”

Susan Wenner-Jackson, founder of the popular blog Working Moms Against Guilt, will host a moderated panel discussion exploring ways to help you pull off the holidays brilliantly, while maintaining your sanity!  Get great advice and last-minute tips from renowned cooking, decorating, entertaining and home-making experts to help make this holiday season smoother, less stressful and more enjoyable.  So grab a fresh cup of coffee or tea, close the door to your office, put on your phone head set, and get some great advice to help you hold it together while holding forth through the holidays!

Here’s an idea of what you’ll learn during this lunch-hour webinar:

Cleaning & House Prep Tips for Entertaining: Marie Stegner, Consumer Health Advocate for Maid Brigade, shares healthy and affordable cleaning, organizing and decorating.

Festive Food:  Kerry Dunnington, Culinary Consultant, Caterer, Food Author gives us tips and exciting ideas for holiday dining.

Balancing It All:  Liz O’donnell, Work/Life Balance expert, Author, Blogger and Huffington Post Writer helps us enjoy merriment not meltdowns.

Organizing Holiday Gear:  Sarah Buckwalter, Certified Professional Organizer and Founder of Organizing Boston and Organizing University, tells us how to tame our string lights, curly ribbon, wrapping tissue and more.

So don’t let your guest lists, grocery lists, and general To Do lists get the better of you this holiday season.  Mark your calendar and relax knowing help is on the way!

Click here for more information and to register.

I love the holidays. I love everything about them. As a native New Yorker, going to New York City during the holidays is the best! From the Thanksgiving parade to ice skating under an 85 foot Christmas tree in the middle of New York City, I have experienced it all!

One of the things that make the holidays special are the decorations. Houses and buildings, parks and trees, cars and boats, are all decorated for this festive time of year! Beautiful shining lights, red poinsettias and decorated strands of garland can make anything look spectacular!

Every year I decorate the inside and outside of my home a little different from the previous year, but the underlying theme of “green” never changes. Since I am a traditional style girl at heart, my home is always filled with holiday decorations that make you feel like you are “walking in a winter wonderland.”

Here are some of my favorite green decoration ideas for the holidays:

• Small indoor plants and a few medium-sized Christmas trees combined with silver, gold, white and beige candles look elegant. The natural aroma of the trees and the beautiful shades and textures of the plants keeps your home smelling fresh. Each room is decorated with its own unique design by bringing the outdoors in by using berries, pinecones, cinnamon sticks, tree branches, ribbons and small homemade ornaments. Add a few small figurines here and there and voila, you transformed your home into a timeless display of elegance!
• Add a touch of nature to your front porch and your windows by decorating them with evergreens, pine, red bows and ribbons. Fill your planters with branches of different evergreens and sticks spray- painted silver and white. Add some faux snow or berry branches for a pop of color.
• Indoors, mix and match small indoor plants and larger evergreens in groups. Display plants in white, antique white, black or gray containers to create a more peaceful look. Use indoor plants like ivy and poinsettia, which have lush foliage. Use branches with holly berries or ones from rowan trees.
• Drape some fresh pine roping over your fireplace mantel. Add some pine cones, branches of evergreens and red berries to the roping. Use beautiful red ribbon and hang bird ornaments, stockings, or any other traditional decorations made of glass, wood or metal along the roping. Add a touch of sisal twine or burlap to complete the look.  Fill old, larger lanterns with round ornaments and smaller ones with candles and display on fireplace mantels. Place small topiary trees green moss balls in planters on the mantel. Wrap moss and green leaves around candles of all sizes and use a centerpiece for the mantel or a table. Hang a gorgeous evergreen wreath on the wall over the mantel for a stunning look.
• Decorate your home using small indoor plants with lush foliage, like ivy and poinsettia. Add touches of outdoor elegance by decorating with branches of holly berries, and evergreens. Add red ribbons to larger topiary trees and place in the corners of your rooms. Display white, gold, and silver candles along your tables for a final touch.
• Create table decorations by using bouquets of Christmas balls and evergreen twigs. Use an old cleaned out vegetable can for the vase. Place cinnamon sticks, mint leaves, or berries in small glass jars and place them on bathroom countertops. For the kitchen, add some evergreen twigs to a basket of apples and use as a centerpiece.

How do you decorate your home for the holidays? Share your ideas with us below!