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Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 6
Good morning, ladies! It’s a new week! How was your weekend? The weather has cooled down here. We spent the weekend wearing sweaters! We are also enjoying our new chicks and baby rabbits. What have you been up to?
Download Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 6
If you have found this devotional to be helpful and would like to support our ministry at A Virtuous Woman, you can donate! As always your prayers and gifts are appreciated!
Suggested Donation: $8.95
Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 5
Good morning ladies! We have come to the end of the first week of our challenge. How are you doing? I hope you have been inspired to let God have the glory in your home! Remember, we meet back here Monday morning for another week!
Download Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 5
Today’s giveaway is:
A Vintage Apron and Pan Holder e-Pattern, available in our Proverbs 31 Bookstore!
About the e-Patterm: This sweet half apron with matching pan holder is from a vintage pattern in my collection. Just print the pattern, cut out the pieces and tape together. Then, just pin to your fabric, cut, and sew!
In order to be entered into the drawing, you must comment below. Let’s discuss the lesson!
If you have found this devotional to be helpful and would like to support our ministry at A Virtuous Woman, you can donate! As always your prayers and gifts are appreciated!
Suggested Donation: $8.95
Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 4
Photo Credit: Dovile Cizaite
Good morning ladies! How has your week progressed? Are you feeling inspired? Today we are going to look at our homes with an honest heart and list the problem areas we need to tackle! Don’t get overwhelmed!
Download Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 4
If you have found this devotional to be helpful and would like to support our ministry at A Virtuous Woman, you can donate! As always your prayers and gifts are appreciated!
Suggested Donation: $8.95
Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 3
Good morning ladies! How are you today? We are going to continue re-evaluating our lives today. It is a good thing to do periodically. That way, you don’t wake up one morning and look back on your life with regret! As we progress through this study, and after we complete the study, begin to diligently work on spring cleaning your home! Share your accomplishments with us!
Download Spring Clean for the Heart and Home: Day 3
Today’s giveaway is:
The Pretty Practical Notebook Dividers e-book,
available in our Proverbs 31 Bookstore, value $5.95!
About the book: Organize your Household Notebook/ Planner with these pretty, practical Dividers and Tabs! Just print onto cardstock, cut out, and insert into your notebook. Perfect for homeschooling moms! Included in this package are 26 Household Planner Dividers and over 50 Homeschool Planner Dividers!
In order to be entered into the drawing, you must comment below. Let’s discuss the lesson!
If you have found this devotional to be helpful and would like to support our ministry at A Virtuous Woman, you can donate! As always your prayers and gifts are appreciated!
Suggested Donation: $8.95
Or you can purchase Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home e-Book here.
Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 2
How are you ladies this morning? Did you complete yesterday’s workbook pages? What did you learn about yourself? Today we continue to look into our hearts. It’s time to re-evaluate our priorities!
Download Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 2
Today’s giveaway is:
Momma’s Saving Grace Daily Planner e-Book by Melissa Ringstaff,
available in our Proverbs 31 Bookstore, valued at $4.95!
About the Book: Get organized with this easy to use weekly planner!
- Momma’s Daily Schedule
- Birthdays and Anniversaries
- Housekeeping
- Weekly Planner
- The weekly planner includes a calendar for the week, weekly menu plan, and shopping list.
In order to be entered into the drawing, you must comment below. Let’s discuss the lesson!
If you have found this devotional to be helpful and would like to support our ministry at A Virtuous Woman, you can donate! As always your prayers and gifts are appreciated!
Suggested Donation: $8.95
Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 1
Photo Credit: Wendy Domeni
First of all, I have to apologize that this was not up on time. We had some unexpected things come up!
Are you ready to get your heart and home all sparkling clean? I know I am! This study is not for the faint of heart! We will be looking at the deepest darkest corners of our heart to see why we struggle to keep our homes in order. So be prepared for change!
Download Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home: Day 1
Today’s giveaway is:
The Homemaker’s Journal: Keeping House e-Book by Melissa Ringstaff,
available in our Proverbs 31 Bookstore, valued at $16.95!
About the book: Practical Instruction for Keeper at Home First in a series, this beautifully designed book, is filled with practical instructions for getting your house clean and organized. The Homemaker’s Journal is filled with tips, recipes, personal notes and photos from Melissa’s journal. Also included are planning pages for getting your life organized and some easy needlework patterns. You are sure to enjoy every page. Who knew housekeeping could be so enjoyable?
In order to be entered into the drawing, you must comment below. Let’s discuss the lesson!
If you have found this devotional to be helpful and would like to support our ministry at A Virtuous Woman, you can donate! As always your prayers and gifts are appreciated!
Suggested Donation: $8.95
4th Annual Spring Clean Challenge
Get ready for this year’s 4th Annual Spring Clean Challenge.
It begins April 2, 2012!
There will be print outs and homework and heartwork… So plan ahead!
We will have discussion here on Weekdays (Monday – Friday). You can report your progress, discuss questions you have, or share insights you have discovered.
Plus! We will be giving away some great FREE PRIZES!! To enter to win, just comment on your progress and discuss the daily devotions each day!
Cleaning the Bathroom
From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Six
Cleaning the Bathroom
Scripture Memory: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
Photo Credit: CountryKitty
Download the .pdf version of this article.
Today’s Scripture memory calls us to humble ourselves. If any task in the home calls for us as wives and mothers to humble ourselves, it is cleaning the bathroom. The bathroom is one of the dirtiest rooms in the house and the tasks are not very pleasant.
Your bathroom should be one of the cleanest rooms in your house. It is typically a small space. And remember – the bathroom is the only room where guests go alone with time to sit and just look around… at the corners, around the bathtub, etc. Everyone will know your standard for clean by looking at your bathroom.
Make the bathroom part of your morning routine. Wipe down sinks after making the beds. Rinse the bathtubs after each bath has been taken, and so on. Then on a regular basis, make cleaning the bathroom part of your schedule with the following tasks…
Care for the Bathroom: Monthly:
1. Clean under the sink.
2. Clean out medicine cabinet.
3. Throw out old medications and old make up.
4. Take inventory of toilet paper, paper towels, soaps, shampoos, etc. Add those items that need replenishing to your shopping list. Purchase items when on sale and stock up.
Care for the Bathroom: Weekly:
1. Use a small hand held whisk broom or brush and sweep the floor, dusting the baseboards as you go.
2. Fill a bucket with warm or hot water and add a disinfectant to the water.
3. Add a disinfectant to the toilet bowl. Swish it around with the toilet bowl brush and allow to soak while you clean the rest of the bathroom.
4. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
5. Use separate cloths or sponges for cleaning the toilet and sink and floor.
6. Begin by cleaning the sink and cabinets. Use a mild detergent or abrasive for cleaning inside the sink, around the fixtures, the cabinets, and the walls around the sink.
7. Rinse and clean soap dish. Wipe off the light switch.
8. Dust vanity light bulbs.
9. Clean mirrors.
10. Sprinkle a mild abrasive or spray your preferred bath tub cleaner into the bath/ shower. Use a sponge to scrub away soap scum build up and water marks. Doing this weekly instead of once the tub is gross will reduce the effort! Liquid bleach gets rid of mildew. Rinse tub well.
11. Saturate a sponge in the bucket of water. Squeeze excess moisture out and begin scrubbing the baseboards. Because of the moisture in the bathroom, dust tends to dry and stick to the baseboards causing them to look dingy and unattractive. Move around the room, rinsing your sponge as needed. Dust window sills, cobwebs, top of door molding, and top of shower.
12. Saturate a sponge in the bucket of water. Squeeze excess moisture out and clean around top of toilet, working your way down the sides of the toilet. Rinse sponge as needed.
13. Using a sponge and a product such as Mop and Glo, scrub floor until it sparkles. Begin mopping in the corner of bathroom and work your way out of the room. Leave the room and make sure no one goes in until the floor is dry – about 20 minutes. You can place a fan on the floor to speed this drying time.
14. Pour dirty water outside or down the toilet. Disinfect sponges or cloths in a bucket of fresh water and bleach. 1/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Soak them for at least five minutes. Rinse well and air dry.
Care for the Bathroom: Daily:
1. Rinse tub after bathing. ** Optional: Spray a Daily Shower Spray formula in the shower to help prevent soap scum build up. **
2. Wipe down sink, faucets, with a fresh cloth.
3. Wipe down toilet seat with another fresh cloth.
4. Clean mirror after everyone has brushed their teeth.
5. Hang fresh hand towels.
6. Spray air freshener and leave the room.
By cleaning the bathroom on a regular basis, you will find that the task only takes minutes each day and hardly more on your weekly cleaning day. If you have not already, add this task to your daily schedule and determine when is the best day to do the scrubbing.
Cleaning the bathroom shouldn’t be drudgery! Smile in your heart while doing these ordinary, seemingly mundane, tasks. Let peace wash over you and feel content knowing that your family is well taken care of.
A Schedule Check-Up
From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Four
A Schedule Check-up
Scripture Memory: “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11
Photo Credit: John Nyberg
Download the .pdf version of this article.
By now you should have your kitchens clean. If you have not had time to finish the kitchen, which was a huge job (I know!) I want to encourage you to set a day this week and complete the project before continuing.
Today, I want you to get out your schedule again and let’s look at it. What is working? What isn’t working? What do you think is hindering you the most?
When I look back at my own struggles with working out a schedule and sticking to it… I realize that for me, it was often hard to keep a schedule for more than one reason.
Reason #1 – A Lack of Self-discipline. For those of you who are not naturally inclined to being organized or who are prone to laziness, this will be your greatest challenge. As you tweak your schedule, don’t overdo the details. You will only frustrate yourself if you try to be detailed in your planning. Begin by setting aside chunks of time for certain tasks, but do not plan in 15 minute intervals. As you make your loose schedule a habit, you can incorporate more details one at a time.
Reason #2 – Too Much to Do. This is a hard one. I recently found myself in this position. Actually, I often find myself in this position. As a homeschooling mom, a pastor’s wife, writer, and Director of A Virtuous Woman, it is easy to get overwhelmed by everything I need to accomplish on any given day. My solution is to schedule only the basics and do what I can to work the rest in. I keep my children on a schedule and work around them. When I follow my schedule, I often find myself with small bits of free time to sit and relax during the day!
Evaluate your schedule and make changes as needed. You can sit down and do this any time you feel that your schedule is not working well. It is not set in stone. As your life changes, so you will your schedule!
If you feel like you’ll never get it right, trust that God will pull you through. If you struggle, if you fall off track, if things go wrong one day or many – just keep picking up where you left off and start over. As we continue to clean the house, make it your priority each day to keep the areas we have covered clean before you go to bed. The kitchen should be your priority. If you are only able to keep the kitchen clean for now, don’t sweat it! Feel proud of yourself as you go to bed each night with that clean kitchen. Thank God for His power that is working in you to create the home of peace and calm you have always wanted.
Fall Cleaning
The holidays are fast approaching… which often means parties, over night guests, and lots of picture taking. Get your house clean now so that when the candles are lit and the tables are set, you can breathe easy. Download this detailed checklist and get your house in order for the holidays!
Download: a homemade holiday- Fall Cleaning Checklist.
I am working this week to get my house in tip top shape. We have quite a few quests expected over the next few weeks. I want my home to feel welcoming to everyone who enters – including my own family. A clean home makes the holidays even more fun and inviting. This week at my house is devoted to cleaning.
Fall is my favorite time of the year. It makes me want to putter around the house, get cozy, and have everything “just so.” That way, instead of worrying over tasks that need to be accomplished, I can curl up by the fire, under a blanket and read a good book.
I’ve been baking up a storm the last few days. I’ve made four loaves of my wonderful, easy Sweet Sourdough Bread, three loaves of Spelt Bread and three mini loaves of Spelt Banana Bread for my daughter who doesn’t eat, an Orange Cake, Gluten Free & Vegan “Sausage Patties” for the freezer – not to mention all the canning I’ve been doing. I still have 14 bushels of apples left to preserve!
I pulled out my autumn decorations a few weeks ago, so the house looks festive. I have also enjoyed lighting candles around the house everyday – just because. Despite of all my “busyness” (or should I say “inspite”?) my house needs an overhaul.
Are you ready for the holidays? What needs to be done at your home?
