This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Duck Brand Easy Liner. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you’ve ever asked if it’s really necessary or worth the time to use shelf or drawer liners, you’re not alone. I’ve wondered the same over the years, and I’ve sometimes skipped this important step, only to go back and redo it later. Since it’s a common question, I thought it would be helpful to share why you need shelf and drawer liner. And since we all love cleaning and organizing hacks, I’ll also show you some other creative ways to use it.

I love to organize and I’m a firm believer that when you take a little extra time up front, you end up with far better results in the long run. In my guide, 10 Steps to Get Organized and Stay Organized, I talk about the importance of completely clearing out a space before you organize. Not only is it helpful to start with a clean, blank slate before organizing a space – it’s also important to take a few extra minutes to line your cabinets, shelves, and drawers to keep them clean and nice for the long haul.

Do You Really Need Shelf & Drawer Liner?

1. Protect Cabinets and Shelves from Moisture and Stains – Shelf liner is designed to keep surfaces clean and dry, protecting them from moisture and stains.
2. Make Clean Up Easier – Dust, crumbs, leaks, and spills are inevitable, especially under the sink, in the pantry, and in the fridge. A removable and wipeable shelf liner makes clean up quicker and easier.
3. Give Shelves and Drawers a Fresh Start – It’s smart to protect your shelves and drawers with liner right from the start, but when you’re not the first to own your home, there may already be years of yuck left behind. Adding shelf and drawer liner can cover up anything that can’t be cleaned, giving you a fresh start in the space.
4. Keep Drawer Organizers In Place – In addition to protecting the bottom or your drawers, a textured drawer liner also helps to keep drawer organizers in place so they don’t slide around each time you open and close the drawer.
5. Protect Painted Furniture – Whether it’s a piece you spent hours DIYing, or a special piece you purchased, painted furniture deserves a little extra care to prevent any chips or scratches. Lining the shelves and drawers will protect your investment of time and/or money.
6. Protect Shelves From Scratches – I always recommend using baskets and bins to keep shelves organized all throughout the house, but both plastic bins and baskets made from natural materials can scratch your shelves over time. Lining each shelf before you get organized will protect your shelves for years to come.
7. Add Style to Dresser Drawers – Lining dresser drawers provides a nice, clean surface for your clothes while a little dash of style. I prefer a cushioned, non-adhesive grip drawer liner, like Fabric Topped Easy Liner^® that can removed and washed in the washing machine.
8. Add a solid surface to wire shelving – Wire shelving is economical and durable, but they also allow dirt and dust to fall through, and in the bedroom and linen closets they can snag fabrics or leave unsightly bumps. Lining wire shelving keeps things cleaner and provides a nice solid surface to protect clothes.
9. Protect Your Security Deposit – If you’re a renter, adding non-adhesive shelf liner is a great way to protect your security deposit by ensuring you’ll leave the kitchen and bathroom cabinets in great shape.

19 Ways to Use Shelf & Drawer Liner All Around the House

Shelf and drawer liner – as the name implies – is great for lining shelves and drawers. But that’s not all! In fact, I’ve created a list of 19 different ways I use it all around my house, from cleaning and organizing hacks to simple DIY decor.

#1 Cabinet & Pantry Shelves

Lining cabinet shelves keeps them clean and dry. In your dish cabinets, shelf liner protects the shelves from nicks and scratches, and in the pantry shelf liner keeps shelves free of stains from food leaks and spills. [More kitchen and pantry organizing ideas]

I prefer to store my glasses upside down to keep them dust free, but once in a while they have a little bit of moisture in them after they’ve been washed. The texture of the Clear Classic^® Easy Liner^® not only protects my shelves from moisture, it also allows air to circulate so the glasses dry properly.

#2 Under the Sink

Adding shelf liner below bathroom and kitchen sinks protects your cabinets from water drips as well as spills from cleaners. [More Tips: organize under the kitchen sink | organize a small powder room cabinet | organize under a master bathroom sink]

#3 Fridge And Freezer Shelves

The fridge and freezer get messy – and the spills always seem to be sticky! Lining the shelves, drawers, and bins on the doors make clean up much easier. You can simply lift out the liner, wipe it clean, and put it back in place for a fresh start. As an added bonus – the Clear Classic Easy Liner is dishwasher safe!

#4 Beneath Drawer Dividers

Adding drawer liner in the kitchen keeps drawers clean and protects them from nicks and scratches. I used to think that drawer liners weren’t necessary when using drawer dividers, but I recently discovered that a textured liner – like the Clear Classic – actually prevents drawer dividers from sliding around as you open and close the drawers. [More drawer organizing tips]

#5 Protect Dishes & Pans

Our every day dinner dishes are pretty durable and inexpensive, but I have a few sets of nicer dishes that we use when we entertain. Rather than purchasing expensive plate protectors, I prefer to cut squares of Select Grip Easy Liner to create DIY plate dividers to keep my nicer dishware from chipping and scratching.

This Select Grip Easy Liner also provides a great layer of protection between you non-stick pots and pans.

#6 Under Garbage and Recycling Cans

I love my pull out trash and recycling bins that keep the garbage tucked out of site, but when things inevitably get messy, it’s really hard to reach to the back of the cabinet to clean it up {as you can see in the left photo}. To make clean up easier in the future, I cut a piece of Clear Classic liner to fit the base of this cabinet. Next time something gets spilled, it will be much easier to slide the liner out, clean it, and slide it back in place.

#7 Protect the Table From Kids Art

My kids every type of crayon and colored pencil under the sun, yet they still prefer drawing with markers. They are pretty responsible, and know that they can’t use markers without putting something under their paper to protect the kitchen table – but usually that just means stacking up more paper below, which can be wasteful.

For a reusable alternative, I cut a few pieces of Clear Classic Easy Liner for the kids to use under their art projects. With the smooth side up, the clear liner creates a perfect drawing surface that protects my table from marker bleed-through.

#8 Easy to Clean Place Mats

The pieces of clear plastic liner that I cut for the kids to use under their art fit perfectly in the kitchen drawer with my fabric place mats – which made me realize that these could also be sued as easy to clean place mats.

#9 Under Dog Bowls

A piece of Clear Classic Easy Liner under pet food and water bowls protects wood floors and makes cleaning up spills quick and easy. The texture of this liner also keeps the bowls securely in place so they don’t slide around as your furry friend eats.

#10 Shoe and Boot Shelves

When we redesigned our coat closet a few years ago, I added a couple of shelves where we keep our snow boots tucked out of the way below our coats. Lining the shelves with Clear Classic shelf liner keeps the them clean and dry, even when our boots aren’t. [More tips: how to organize a small coat closet | ideas for organizing a larger coat closet]

#11 Protect Painted Furniture

Whether it’s a piece you spent hours DIYing, or a special piece you purchased, painted furniture deserves a little extra care.

Lining the drawers and shelves will protect the paint and prevent any nicks and scratches. Be sure to choose a non-adhesive liner, like the Clear Classic, as adhesive liners may end up doing more damage to your painted furniture.

#12 Protect Shelves from Scratches Caused by Bins & Baskets

I always recommend using baskets and bins to organize on shelves, but sliding those bins on and off the shelves over and over can cause scratches. Spending just a few extra minutes to line each shelf before you start organizing will protect your shelves and keep you furniture looking nice for years to come.

#13 Cover Wire Shelves

Wire shelving is popular in the garage, pantry, and closet because it’s durable and economical, but it also has it’s downsides. Wire shelving allows dirt, dust and small items to fall through from one shelf to the next, and it’s very hard to clean, especially if you’re dealing with a sticky or greasy substance like food, detergent, or motor oil.

[More Tips: How to Install Garage Shelves & Drawers | Brilliant Garage Organizing Ideas]

In bedroom and linen closets, wire shelves also provide additional challenges, including potentially snagging clothes and blankets, as well as leaving ridges in the clothes folded at the bottom on the stack.

Adding plastic liner – like Clear Classic Easy Liner – gives your wire shelving a clean, solid surface that prevents small items from falling through and is easy to clean. Or for an even more upgraded look, line the wire shelves in your closets with the fabric topped shelf liner shown in #14, below.

#14 Style & Function in Dresser Drawers

Adding shelf liner to your dresser drawers provides a nice, clean surface for your clothes, and it also provides an opportunity to add a little dash of style. As I talk about in 10 Steps to Get Organized and Stay Organized, adding pretty touches can provide great motivation to keep your space organized.

This striped Fabric Topped Easy Liner® {which also comes in other patterns} is perfect for lining dresser drawers because it provides a clean, cushioned surface for you clothes and it’s machine washable! It’s very easy to cut to the exact size you need, and the gripper back keeps it securely in place until you’re ready to remove it.

#15 Custom Jewelry Tray

I love the striped, cushiony Fabric Topped liner so much that I found a few other places to use it as well. I cut a piece to fit in my acrylic tray, and it makes the perfect place to put my jewelry at the end of the night.

#16 Coffee Table Tray Instead of Coasters

The fact that this Fabric Topped liner is washable makes it so versatile. The same acrylic tray, lined with the premium cushion striped liner makes a super stylish and functional tray for the coffee table that replaces the need for coasters.

#17 Stop Things From Sliding

Any time you need to stop something from slipping, Select Grip Easy Liner is a great solution.

When we created an inexpensive, DIY countertop in our laundry room, we added a layer of non-slip, grip shelf liner between the machines and the counter. This allows the countertop board to shift and move as the washer and dryer wiggle and jiggle their way through the cycles, without ever sliding out of place.

When our boys were babies, I used a changing tray on top of a chest of drawers, rather than buying a dedicated changing table. A layer of Select Grip Easy Liner kept the changing tray firmly in place {even with a wiggly baby}, and when our boys outgrew diapers, it allowed us to easily move the changing tray with no damage to the dresser.

A Couple More Creative Uses…

Over time, I’ve come to prefer non-adhesive shelf liners – like the Clear Classic Easy Liner and the Fabric Topped Easy Liner – for my shelves and drawers, but adhesive liners come in lots of pretty patterns and can be used in a variety of creative ways. Here are two examples:

#18 Line the Walls Instead of the Shelves

In my pantry, I used adhesive shelf liner in a fun pattern to line the back wall between the shelves. Used as faux-wallpaper, the adhesive shelf liner was easy to measure, cut and install, but can also be swapped out quickly if I want a different look in the future. [Tips: How to Organize a Small Reach-In Pantry | Creative Pantry Organizing Hacks]

#19 Upgrade Open Shelving

When I added open shelving above the toiled in our master bathroom water closet, I gave the shelves a quick style upgrade by wrapping them in adhesive contact paper. This is an easy and inexpensive way to add a custom look to any space with open shelving. [Easy DIY Shelf Tutorial.]

I’d love to hear what other ways you use shelf liner around your house and beyond. Leave a comment with your tips and ideas!

The post Why You Need Shelf Liner + Cleaning & Organizing Hacks appeared first on Blue i Style.

SUPPLIES FOR DISH SOAP RESIST PAINTING:

• Art canvas
• Acrylic Paint (matte finish)
• Paint Brushes
• Dawn Dish Soap
• Spray Paint (NOT spray lacquer)

RESIST PAINTING: STEP 1

TIP: HOW TO GET PAINT OFF YOUR HANDS

TIP: HOW TO CLEAN PAINT BRUSHES

It’s always best to clean paint off of your brushes while the paint is still wet. For wet paint, you’ll need nothing more than warm water and Dawn Dish Soap to get the brushes clean. This works for craft paint, latex, oil-based paint, and even stain. Not only is Dawn gentle on the bristles, it’s also gentle on your hands, unlike many harsh paint solvents.

If the paint on your brushes has dried completely, a stronger solvent may be necessary. Methods like acetone and rubbing alcohol can be effective on dried paint, but they will also dry out the bristles, which isn’t good for your brushes. After cleaning with solvents, you can counteract the drying effect by giving the brushes a final rinse in warm water with Dawn Dish Soap to moisturize the bristles. Rub the dish soap into the bristles, rinse the soap out, and then reshape the bristles so that they dry in the right position before storing them.

RESIST PAINTING: STEP 2

RESIST PAINTING: STEP 3

RESIST PAINTING: STEP 4

ENTER THE GOLDEN DUCK CONTEST:

What could be more fun than creating this simple art project with your kids? How about a VIP Wildlife Experience?!Dawn wants to show you the amazing things their wildlife partners do! To celebrate their 40th anniversary of helping save wildlife, they are hosting the first ever Golden Duck Contest. From now until 11:59:59pm ET on October 6, 2018, follow these steps to enter:

1. Visit your local Target and purchase a 40th Anniversary Bottle of Dawn Dish Soap (here’s a coupon!)
2. Take a photo of the full receipt
3. Submit the receipt photo here, and complete the registration form for a chance to win an exciting wildlife experience.

The winning families will be flown to Dawn’s wildlife partner locations for a behind-the-scenes look at how they are helping wildlife and the animals they save.

The post Clean Up After Painting: How to Clean Paint Brushes and Get Paint Off Hands appeared first on Blue i Style.

I did a lot of research regarding both paint storage and disposal options, and learned that we could recycle some of our leftover paint, as well as recycling all of our empty paint cans. Today I’m sharing all the findings of my research with some helpful tips for how to store leftover paint, how to dispose of leftover paint, and how to recycle paint cans.

HOW & WHERE TO STORE LEFTOVER PAINT

How to Store Latex Paint

• Transfer left-over paint to airtight containers.  Air is the enemy of latex paint.  Latex paint is water-based, and water-based paints contain ammonia. Ammonia vapor attacks the protective lining of paint cans, leading to rust that can damage paint. Transferring left-over paint to airtight plastic containers eliminates the rust problem, extending the life of the latex paint.

• If storing paint in the original cans, ensure a tight seal.  Wipe as much excess paint as possible off of the rim before closing the can.  Stretch a piece of plastic wrap over the rim before replacing the lid.  When replacing the lid, don’t hammer it in place, as this can dent the rim or lid allowing more air to enter.  Instead, put a piece of scrap wood on top of the lid then tap with a mallet to seal the lid back in place.  Avoid storing paint cans directly on a cement floor, as the bottom of the can will rust much faster on cement than on other surfaces.

• Store Paint Away from Extreme Temperatures.  Avoid storing paint in locations that are likely to get too hot or too cold.  Freezing temperatures are particularly damaging to latex paint, so avoid storing paint in an un-insulated garage or storage shed. If you must store paint in such locations, keep the paint on a shelf, and off any tile or concrete floors to avoid constant contact with the ground which will drop the temperature more quickly and lead to repeated freezing and thawing.  Extreme heat can also damage the pigments in latex paint, so avoid storing paint in areas that are likely to get too hot, such as near a furnace or water heater if the room is not temperature controlled.  (We are storing our latex paint in our utility room near our furnace and water heater, but the room is well ventilated and temperature controlled.)

• Determine if Paint is Still Good Before Using.  There is no set answer to how long you can store latex paint. The most important thing is to ensure that you paint is still good before using it. Paint separation can occur regardless of the quality of the paint and the paint storage method.  Color enhancers separate, but if the ingredients easily combine, and the paint does not show signs of livering (rubbery or coagulating), it may still be good.  Usable paint should be creamy and have no lumps.  After thoroughly mixing, if the paint remains lumpy, is too thick or too thin, or does not have a consistent color, it has likely gone bad.  If the paint has gone bad, read the tips below for proper disposal.

Storing Oil-Based Paint & Spray Paint Storage

• How to Determine if Paint is “Oil-Based.”  Oil-based paints include enamels, varnishes, shellacs, lacquers, stains and sealers.  After reading the label, or if the label is missing or illegible, treat paint as oil-based for the purposes of safe storage and proper disposal, as outlined below.

• Read Labels Closely.  Read the paint labels closely to determine whether each particular paint or paint product is flammable or combustible when determining where to safely store the paint.  In reading the labels of our paint cans, for example, we discovered that the magnetic primer (which we used when creating our chalkboard wall) is highly flammable.

• Store Oil-Based Paint and Spray Paint Away from Heat Sources and Open Flames.  It is unsafe to store oil-based paint, spray paint, or any other paints that are flammable or combustible, near any devise with a pilot light.  The vapors can ignite and cause a fire, a flashover or an explosion. Read about the creative and space saving solution to store and organize my spray paint cans.

PAINT & PAINT CAN DISPOSAL & RECYCLING TIPS

Look for Alternatives to Paint Disposal First

If you have good, unwanted paint, consider giving it to an organization that can use it, such as a local charity or community groups, a high school or community theater, or a Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

How to Properly Dispose of and Recycle Paint and Paint Cans

• Recycling Unused Liquid Latex Paint is the Best Option. There are numerous organizations that offer latex paint recycling.  In Colorado, a company called Green Sheen recycles liquid latex paint and reprocesses it into new colors of paint that are then resold at lower costs than new paint. Not only is this an environmentally friendly option, but it is also much more cost effective (Green Sheen charges only $3 per gallon) as compared to disposal at a Household Hazardous Waste site (a minimum of $15 in Denver) where the paint likely ends up permanently in a landfill. Green Sheen a drop-off site in central Denver, and will even pick up the paint from your home for a small fee. Some Ace Hardware store locations have also begun offering paint recycling, so check with your local store. Otherwise, do an internet search for paint recycling companies and sites in your area.

• If You are Unable to Locate a Paint Recycling Company in Your Area, You Must Ensure that the Paint is Disposed of Properly.  Many counties and states consider latex paint to be a hazardous material, requiring that excess latex paint be disposed of at designated Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) sites.  To find a HHW site near you, call you City Hall, check your city’s website, or check online at Earth911 and input the word paint and your zip code in the appropriate boxes.  If there is not a HHW site near you, then contact the regional EPA office responsible for your state or contact your state Department of Environmental Quality.  Keep in mind that disposal of paint at a HHW site is typically not free. Additionally, be aware that most of this paint is not recycled and ends up going into a hazardous material landfill.

• If Your County or State Does Not Consider Latex Paint to be a Household Hazardous Waste, You Must Make the Paint into a Solid Before Disposing of it in the Trash.  A dry product called “Paint Hardener” can be added to old cans of paint to make the paint hard and acceptable for disposal in the trash.  Paint Hardener, or Waste Paint Hardener, as it is sometimes called, is sold at most hardware and some home improvement stores. As an alternative to Paint Hardener, you can pour the unused latex paint into a container of non-flammable absorbent material, such as cat litter or sawdust and then allow it to dry.  This works best if the absorbent material is placed in the bottom of a container, then slowly pour in the paint while stirring.  Once combined, let it dry outside in warm weather, if possible, or in a well ventilated area.

• How to Recycle Paint Cans.  If left-over latex paint fills a paint can to a depth of about half an inch or less, dry the paint by leaving the lid off of the can and placing the can outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.  Once the paint is dry, the paint can can be recycled, however you must first confirm whether your at home recycling company will accept such cans.  In the City and County of Denver, cans with a minimal amount of dried paint are acceptable to be thrown in the trash, but are not accepted for recycling through the City’s at home recycling collection program.  As an alternative to throwing away my old paint cans, I contacted my local Green Sheen paint recycling company and learned that they would accept my paint cans for recycling free of charge – all I had to do was drop them off at their location. If the recycling company that picks up at your home won’t accept your empty latex paint cans for recycling, there is likely a paint recycling company in your area that will gladly take the cans off your hands.

• How to Dispose of Paint Cans.  If not deemed a Household Hazardous Waste in your area, you may be able to simply throw away your empty paint cans that contain less than one half inch of dried paint in the bottom.  Of course, recycling the cans is preferable where this is an option, but if you opt to throw away your empty cans, be sure to leave the lids off so that the trash collector knows what they are dealing with and can see that the cans are, in fact, empty.

How to Dispose of Oil-Based Paint and Oil-Based Paint Cans

• Oil-Based Paint Must be Specially Processed for Disposal.  Oil-based or alkyd based paints must be disposed of professionally because of their high VOC content and resultant flammability which can result in environmental problems if poured down the drain, into a storm drain, or disposed of in the regular trash.  You cannot dry the paint and dispose of it yourself as you may be able to do with latex paint.  Oil based paint must be specially processed for disposal, which requires making arrangements for them to be picked up by, or dropped off at, your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility.  To find a HHW site near you, call you City Hall, check your city’s website, or check online at Earth911 and input the word paint and your zip code in the appropriate boxes.  If there is not a HHW site near you, then contact the regional EPA office responsible for your state or contact your state Department of Environmental Quality.  Keep in mind that disposal of paint at a HHW site is typically not free.

• How to Recycle and Dispose of Oil-Based Paint Cans. Check with your local Household Hazardous Waste guidelines to determine if empty oil-based paint cans can be disposed of in the regular trash or whether they must also be treated as Household Hazardous Waste.  Many paint recycling companies accept only latex paint cans for recycling, but check with those in your area to determine if they are able to accept empty oil-based paint cans for recycling.

• When in Doubt, Treat as a Household Hazardous Waste. If you are unable to determine if can of paint is latex or oil-based after reading the label, or if the label is missing or illegible, treat the paint as oil-based for purposes of disposal.

How to Dispose of Spray Paint Cans

• Must be Disposed of as Household Hazardous Waste. For aerosol spray paint cans that still contain paint, follow the instructions on the product’s label.  If you cannot get the paint out because the nozzle is broken or missing, then it must be disposed of at a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) site.  To find a HHW site near you, call you City Hall, check your city’s website, or check online at Earth911 and input the word paint and your zip code in the appropriate boxes.

• Disposing of or Recycling Empty Spray Paint Cans. Only if an aerosol spray paint can is completely empty can it be placed in the trash or recycled, although some counties and states may require that even empty cans be disposed of as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).  If these cans are not deemed HHW in your area, confirm whether your city or recycling company accepts aerosol cans for recycling before placing them in your recycling bin.  If they are not permitted in your at home recycling bin, you should be able to located a recycling site near you that will accept aerosol cans.

• Never puncture, crush or incinerate spray paint cans.

These tips are based on my research, including from the following websites, where you can gain further information:  Absolute Painting; Do It Herself; NDHealth.gov; Denvergov.org; Ohio EPA; About.com Home Repair; The Daily Green.

The post How to Properly Store, Dispose Of, and Recycle Paint and Paint Cans appeared first on Blue i Style.

I picked up a box of Hefty® Ultra Strong trash bags, placed one in my striped clothes hamper to hold it open, and went to work sorting clothes and bagging them up to be donated.

Hefty® celebrates strong moms, who tackle strong messes on a daily basis. The Hefty® Ultra Strong trash bags were the perfect choice for my closet clean up because they feature Triple Action Technology that resists tears and punctures, as well as break resistant grip drawstrings – both very important since I was really packing the bags full of clothes! The bags offer ultra strength at a low price and come in a variety of ARM & HAMMER patented odor neutralizer scents. The subtly lavender and vanilla scented bags I chose made my bathroom smell like a relaxing spa as I worked to sort my clothing donations.

The post Closet Clean Out: Donating & Recycling Clothes appeared first on Blue i Style.

I always do better when I have a plan, so I thought I’d embrace the idea of spring cleaning this year by coming up with a simple game plan that I can use throughout the year to whip the house into shape quickly. With young kids and a new puppy in the house, I’m always in search of green cleaning products that are safe for our home and family, so I’ve partnered with Safeway and their exclusive Open Nature household cleaning and care products to share my new Quick Clean Routine.

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Lots of stuff lying around makes even a clean house seem messy, so when you want your house to look clean in a hurry, start by clearing the clutter. But there’s nothing worse than tossing things in closets and drawers to make the house look clean, only to make a mess of those spaces and be searching for things later on.

For a while now, I’ve kept a basket at the top and bottom of each set of stairs in our house. I try to toss things in throughout the day that need to be put away on another floor of the house. For example, the basket at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the bedrooms is where we toss any kids clothes or books that belong upstairs, and the basket at the top of the stairs leading to the basement is where we drop any toys that need to be put away down in the playroom.

When it comes time to clean the house quickly, these baskets are a life saver! I can gather up all the clutter that’s lying around the house and toss everything into the right basket. Even if I don’t have time to put things away before guests arrive, I can fill up the baskets, get them to the right floor of our house, and then tuck them out of sight in a closet without loosing track of anything. After the guests leave, I can grab the baskets out and finish putting things away.

There’s nothing worse than walking into a house and smelling what was cooked for dinner the night before {unless chocolate chip cookies happened to be on the menu}. I like to light a candle to fill the room with a nice scent when guests are on their way. Turning on music is another nice, welcoming touch.

STEP 4: QUICK CLEAN THE KITCHEN

We seem to have little hand prints on every surface all the time, especially on the fridge, kitchen counters, and bar stools {little boys love to eat}. A spritz of the Open Nature All Purpose Cleaner removes hand prints, food spills, and water spots and immediately makes the kitchen look cleaner, in addition to disinfecting and providing 60-second sanitization.

The post Five Step Quick Cleaning Routine appeared first on Blue i Style.

 

The filter is where food particles get caught, so if it’s been a while since you last cleaned your filter {like me}, you’ll likely find quite a bit of slimy gunk built up on it. It turns out, it’s recommended that you remove and clean this filter weekly. A blocked filter can cause your dishwasher to overflow, so this is a very important first step.

 

Start by rinsing the filter off with hot water.

 

Then use a little bit of dish soap and rub it in with your finger. Rinse again with hot water until all the soap is removed.

Clean the Dishwasher Drain

The underside of the drain cover will likely look something like this {gross!}.

Rinse off as much as you can using hot water, and then use an old toothbrush and a little dish soap to remove the remainder of the gunk and get all the crevasses clean.

In less than five minutes, both my dishwasher filter and drain cover were sparkling clean.

Clean Water Spray Arm

Clean the Dishwasher with Vinegar

But after reading pros and cons of different vinegar methods, I opted to instead start a regular wash cycle with a completely empty dishwasher (and no dish soap). Once the bottom of the machine has filled with hot water, paused the cycle, open the door, pour 2 cups of vinegar into the bottom, close the door and let it sit for 30 minutes, and then finish running the cycle. This vinegar method removes any built up grease and grime, and leaves the dishwasher smelling fresh.

 

Important Note: I also read a number of recommendations for placing vinegar in the rinse aid compartment of the dishwasher so that it’s released slowly over time to help get dishes and glasses nice and clean. However, my research suggests that placing vinegar directly in the rinse aid compartment can actually damage the rubber components of this compartment, so I decided not to try this method. Be sure to refer to your dishwasher manual to determine what is appropriate for your machine.

 

Clean the Dishwasher with Baking Soda

Finally, sprinkle about a cup of baking soda across the bottom the empty dishwasher. Run a short, hot-water cycle (again with no detergent). The baking soda method will help to remove any stains and will leave the inside of the dishwasher sparkling clean.

 

I didn’t realize how dirty our dishwasher really was until I started to clean it. Now that I know, I definitely won’t wait so long next time!

 

 

In the future, I’ll definitely be cleaning the filter and checking that the drain area is clear on a regular basis (every week or two), and then I’ll use vinegar any time I start to notice a musty smell, and baking soda any time the inside starts to look a bit grimy or dingy!

 

 

Be sure to pin the image below so that you can find your way back to these dishwasher cleaning tips!

 

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We always use a wire brush to give the top of the grates a quick cleaning after each meal, while the BBQ is still warm. But overtime, the grates still get pretty dirty and a lot of left over gunk ends up in the bottom of the burner box.

Here’s what the grill looked like when I opened it up this spring… Lots of black char and in need of a good cleaning! And it got worse as I worked my way down through each layer.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scrub Daddy. All opinions are 100% mine. This post also contains affiliate links. If you purchase something I recommend, you’ll pay the same price, but I may receive a small commission.

I wasn’t really sure how to clean the BBQ grill. I didn’t want to use anything with harsh chemicals that might damage the various grill parts, I needed it to be food safe and non-flammable, and it needed to be tough enough not to fall apart with what I knew would be a lot of scrubbing. I looked around the house and didn’t find anything up to the challenge. Then I remembered recently reading a list of 50 unique uses for Scrub Daddy, including cleaning a BBQ, so I decided to give it a try.

The Original Scrub Daddy scrubber is made from a scratch-free FlexTexture® material that adjusts with your water temperature. In cold water, the texture is firm with lots of scrubbing power {perfect for cleaning the burnt on mess on the grill grates and burner box}, and in warm water he becomes soft {making it easier to get to those hard to reach places}.

The product line also includes a variety of other scrubbers, as well as sponges and erasers. The double-sided Sponge Daddy proved perfect for cleaning the outside of the grill, but first let’s start on the inside…

Every make and model of BBQ will be different, but I’ll walk you through how I deep cleaned my bbq grill inside and out. Before starting to clean, I made sure that it was disconnected from our gas line.

I dampened the Scrub Daddy with cold water, and went to work on the grill grates first. It made pretty easy work of removing burnt on particles from the top of the grates, but I was a bit nervous when I flipped the grates over and realized how much more charred they were on the underside. After just a couple of minutes of light scrubbing, however, I was able to uncover the stainless steel beneath.

Once the grates were as clean as I could get them, I removed the grates and started on the next layer – the heat plates that cover the burners. There was quite a bit of loose debris on some of these plates {and it’s easy to see which spot on the grill we cook on most frequently}.

I knocked off the loose stuff, then wiped down each heat plate, scrubbing off grease and burnt on particles.

Next, I removed the heat plates to reveal the burners and give me easier access to the grease pan at the bottom of the burner box. I softened the Scrub Daddy in warm water to gently wipe down the burners and check to ensure that none of the ports {small holes where the gas flows out} were blocked by grease or food particles.

The bottom of the grease pan was covered in lots of loose debris. I scooped out as much as I could {this is where my gloves came in especially handy} and discarded it into a small trash bag.

With all of the loose bits cleared out, what was left was a lot of grease and grime. I ran the Scrub Daddy under cold water to make it firm again, and then scrubbed up as much as I could.

Keep in mind that you’ll never get your BBQ looking brand new again after years of use, but I think you’ll agree that it looks a heck of a lot better. And when it comes to a BBQ, cleaner not only looks better, it’s also safer. If your BBQ has a drip tray {generally accessible from the back}, be sure to clean that out as well.

Once I had given everything a good scrubbing, I put all the parts back in place and admired my work. I feel so much better knowing we have a nice, clean grill to cook on this summer, and now that I know how easy it can be to clean, I won’t put it off so long next time!

You probably need to see the before and afters side-by-side to really appreciate the difference, so here you have it {you might also want to Pin this image to find you way back to this post the next time your grill needs a deep cleaning}:

Before cooking on the grill the first time post-cleaning, be sure to pre-heat the BBQ for about 15 minutes. This will help to kill any germs and will burn off any residual grease and dirt that may remain on the cooking surfaces.

So how did my Scrub Daddy fare after all the grease and scrubbing? When I finished he was looking pretty black and charred, but he was still smiling! If this was any other scrubber, I would have just thrown it away immediately, but I had read about Scrub Daddy’s ability to rinse clean, so I decided to see if he still had some life left in him. I rinsed him as much as I could in the sink, and while I couldn’t quite get him looking like new again, he came much cleaner than I expected after all he’d been through. I plan to run him through a dishwasher cycle as well, and suspect that he’ll come out even cleaner.

I definitely won’t be using this particular Scrub Daddy to clean inside the house, but he certainly has a lot of life left in him for future grill cleanings, and he’ll be great for other outdoor projects like cleaning up the patio furniture and the boys outdoor toys.

I was finally ready to get the outside of the grill cleaned up as well. For this job, I decided to use a Sponge Daddy. I used the scratch-free FlexTexture® side to wipe scrub away the tougher spots, and then flipped it over and used the sponge side to wipe down the entire exterior.

Now we are ready to get cooking!

I know we’re going to enjoy a lot of time out on the patio again this summer, grilling up delicious meals and making family memories.

I had been dreading deep cleaning the grill, but the Scrub Daddy method made it much faster and easier than I thought possible. It was so great being able to use one simple product to remove the debris and cut through the grease, and all I had to do was add water and a little muscle.

The post The Easiest Way to Deep Clean a BBQ Grill appeared first on Blue i Style.

I don’t post cleaning tips on the blog very often, but I was so excited to finally find an answer that eliminated some of my laundry woes, I thought I had better share it in case others have been struggling with the same frustration! This post contains some affiliate links.

Let the Dawn Platinum Erasing Dish Foam sit on the clothes for five minutes or so before washing.

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Last week I showed you my newly made over laundry closet, and shared all the stylish details, like the temporary wallpaper, the pendant light, and the abstract art. Let’s be honest, though… a pretty laundry room might make the chore more bearable, but if the space isn’t organized and functional, the bloom will soon be off the rose!

This post contains some affiliate links. If you buy something that I recommend, you pay the same price, but I may receive a small commission.

When designing my new laundry space, I spent a great deal of time focusing on the organizational and functional details. I followed the same 10 steps that I always do when tackling an organizing project, including completely emptying the space, measuring twice and making a plan, using every available space, and selecting appropriate containers.

You can read all about my organizing process here, but today I want to talk about the specific small laundry room organizing ideas and products that help our laundry closet function like a much larger space. 

Laundry Closet Organization Ideas

Despite the small square footage of our laundry closet, we’ve managed to pack in plenty of function by finding creative uses for the available space, including the walls, the doors, and even the floor.

Laundry Room Wall Cabinets

I am a proponent of using every available space for storage, so you might wonder why I chose to install only two cabinets above the washer and dryer, when there was room for three? It was about striking the right balance between all of my needs – and in this case, the need for better light in the formerly dark and shadowy closet won out. Leaving a space between the cabinets allowed me to add much needed light. The fact that the light fixture is also very stylish is just a bonus!

From the start, I liked the idea of glass front cabinets doors for added style, and because they would allow me add green to the cabinet doors without it being too much of a good thing. I knew, however, that glass door wouldn’t be the best decision if I planned to use the cabinets to store detergents and cleaning supplies, because seeing all of this inside the cabinets would make the space feel visually overwhelming. 

This is where the planning process comes in. Before purchasing the cabinets, I had already made a list of everything that I wanted/needed to store in the laundry closet, and in looking at that list I realized that the cabinets would provide just the right amount of storage to allow me to purchase paper towels and toilet paper in bulk.

It saves so much money to buy paper towels and toilet paper in bullk (at places like Costco), but I needed a dedicated space to store it all. I always keep a couple of extra rolls of toilet paper in each bathroom, but the remainder of my paper products were previously taking up too much space in the linen closet. Storing all the extras in cabinets above the washer and dryer was a much better solution for my needs.

I can now store 12 extra rolls of paper towels, and two large packs of toilet paper. Because these rolls are lightweight and soft, they are much easier for me to reach in the cabinets without fear of dropping something heavy.  

Once I decided that I would use the cabinets to store only my white paper products, the decision to select glass front doors was an easy one. IKEA Centennial, one of my sponsors of this laundry closet makeover, provided these SEKTION white wall cabinets with Björket birch and glass doors, which I painted in Sherwin Williams Kilkenny Green (SW 6740).  

Laundry Closet Back of Door Organizers

Using the cabinets for my paper supplies meant, of course, that I needed to find somewhere else to store all of my detergents, stain removers, and other laundry supplies.

To address this, we installed a platinum colored Elfa mounting rail from The Container Store to the back of the door on the left side of the laundry closet. From that rail, I hung three Elfa Utility Large/Deep Baskets. 

You probably noticed that all of the baskets are on the top portion of the door. This is because, when closed, there is very little space between the doors and the front of the my washer and dryer. In the picture below, you can see that a basket on the lower half of the door would bump into the washer.

I positioned my baskets carefully to ensure the bottom basket would clear the countertop when the door is close. But if you have a deeper laundry closet, or a full laundry room, you could certainly take advantage of more of the door space by adding baskets all the way down.

The Elfa utility baskets also come in a variety of other sizes, including narrower and shallower. I chose the widest and deepest baskets available to maximize my storage space. 

I use the top basket on the door for my bottles of stain remover spray and other laundry supplies.

Containing Small Items in Glass Storage Jars

When it comes to finding containers to fit in the Elfa baskets, I recommend taking one with you to test various container options. Relying on the measurements alone is deceiving, because they are based on the outside dimensions of the basket, rather than the inside. Additionally, the very center of each basket has an inset where it fits on to the Elfa rail.

I took one of my Elfa large/deep baskets with me to IKEA when I was in search of jars, and I discovered that four of the BURKEN jars with lids fit perfect in each basket. I purchased eight of these jars, and filled them of my small laundry items.

The first four jars contain sewing and mending related supplies, including a measuring tape and small scissors, thread {including those little packets of mending thread that sometimes come with your clothes}, extra buttons, and needles and pins.

The remaining four jars hold a variety of miscellaneous items, including my favorite tool for removing pills from sweaters, my mesh bags for washing delicate items, stain remover wipes and pens, and packets of HE washing machine cleaner.

I am normally a huge fan of labeling everything, but by choosing clear jars for all of these small items, I am able to easily see what is inside without the need for labels.

To make the jars more stylish, and to fit with the design of the rest of the laundry closet, I added a quick and easy black and white detail around each jar {get the 5 minute tutorial for these custom jar lids here.} These jars now also matches the washi tape detail that I added to the shelves in the linen closet.

Dryer Sheet Storage Container

The box of dryer sheets was too big to fit in the basket, and the individual dyer sheets were to too large to fit in to my glass jars, so I had to get creative in order to fit my dryer sheets in this space. I searched around for a smaller, refillable container that I could transfer some dryer sheets to for easy access, and I came up with a travel sized Huggies baby wipes case for the nursery!  

I can fit quite a few dryer sheets in here, and this case fits nicely in the Elfa door basket. Best of all, I can just pop the lid and pull them out one by one. I love finding ways to repurpose items for new storage uses! I’m storing the larger box of dryer sheets in the linen closet for refills.

Laundry Canisters for Detergent

After placing most of my laundry items in the back of door baskets, I was still left with two containers that were too large for these door baskets – my laundry detergent pods, and my OxiClean. For these, I purchased two larger canisters from Target {again, adding washi tape detail to each}.

I made sure to place these laundry canisters in the far back corner of the deep countertop, far out of reach of little hands! Similarly, I put the other laundry cleaners in the top basket of the door system to keep them out of my boys’ reach as well.

Laundry Room Countertop for Sorting and Folding

You’ll notice that other than the three small containers on the back corner of the laundry closet countertop, I have left this space wide open. Although I could have maximized my storage space by utilizing more of the counter, I specifically chose not to.

In my prior laundry closet design, the counter was cluttered with too many storage containers, which made it hard to use for its intended purpose of sorting and folding. This time around, I was very conscious of keeping laundry room countertop space wide open so that I could actually use it for doing laundry rather than having to drag my laundry to another room to find space to sort and fold.

In addition to this counter being very functional, I’m proud of how it looks! We had wanted a wood plank styled laminate counter, but the price was way out of our budget! We instead managed to DIY the look we wanted using a cheap melamine board and some vinyl flooring planks for a fraction of the cost! Get the DIY laundry room countertop tutorial here.

Laundry Room Lint Holder

Since our laundry closet doesn’t allow space for a garbage can on the floor, it’s a pain to walk to the bathroom down the hall between every load. Instead, I used to create a pile of lint on the counter that I’d eventually take to the trash every few days. When planning the laundry room makeover, I wanted to find a more function {and more stylish} laundry room lint holder.

My friend Melissa, at Polished Habitat, created the most fabulous wall mounted laundry room lint bin, so I initially thought of using her solution. But then I spotted a black and white striped, lidded jute basket at The Container Store that I was totally smitten with, and I realized it would be a perfectly as a lint holder for my laundry room. Now I just empty the lint to the bathroom trash down the hall once every few weeks when my lint collector basket fills up.  

Small Laundry Room Clothes Hanging Ideas

In the prior version of our laundry closet, I had a rod for hanging clothes as they came out of the dryer, but it was set high and above the washer where I could barely reach it, so it rarely got used.

I wanted to find a better hanging solution for our laundry closet {one that my short self could reach}, so I once again opted to use the back of a door. I purchased four bar towel holder from IKEA {similar to this towel rail}.

The outermost bar is just the right distance from the door to be used with standard hangers. Now I can hang clothes as I take them out of the dryer! And the four bars also provide an ideal space for draping multiple items that need to hang to dry!

Best of all, even with clothes hanging from the towel rack, I can still fully close the door when I want to hide the laundry away. We installed the rack high enough on the door to ensure that the bottom on my husband’s dress shirts hang just above the countertop when the door is closed.

I should also mention that I my hanger stacker {here’s a similar one} also makes doing laundry much easier. I fill it up with the empty hangers out of our closet so that I always have plenty of hangers on hand for clothes coming out of the dryer.

A Laundry Memo Board to Keep the Whole Family in the Loop

Laundry is a family affair, so to keep your clothes looking their best, it’s convenient to have a place to leave notes to keep everyone on the same page.

I often put a load of laundry in the washer, and then later my husband will move it to the dryer, or vice versa. It was always a challenge to remember to remind each other to check for stains on certain shirts, or not to dry certain items. To solve this problem, I’ve added a laundry memo board to the back of the door below the hanging rack.

To make the most of the space, I also designed a cute laundry symbol guide and placed the poster behind a KLUDD glass noticeboard from IKEA.

The noticeboard works well with either dry erase markers or chalk markers. Dry erase markers are more convenient because they just wipe away with a Kleenex or paper towel, where as a chalk marker requires water to wipe it away. However, I have chosen to use a chalk marker to make that the writing won’t rub of on clean clothes when I hang them from the rack above the laundry memo board.

HOW TO STORE LAUNDRY BASKETS BETWEEN LOADS

Laundry baskets can take up so much room between use. A few years ago I got rid of all of my bulky plastic laundry baskets, and replaced them all with the collapsible variety {these are my favorite}.

I like to keep a couple of these baskets in our master bedroom closet all the time to make it quick and easy to carry clothes down to the laundry room.

I tuck another couple in the space between the washer and the wall in the laundry closet, ready for use to carry clean clothes to the appropriate rooms. Collapsible laundry baskets pack a whole lot of function into very little storage space!

I love that our new laundry space is much more organized and functional than it used to be, but it’s also more prettier and looks less cluttered.

It just goes to show that you don’t have to sacrifice style for function! It’s all about finding the right balance and using the available space in a creative way!

A few more things to consider when planning updates to your laundry closet or small laundry room:

Should you stack the washer and dryer in your laundry closet?

We are fortunate that our laundry closet is wide enough to accommodate a side by side washer and dryer, but even so, at the outset of the makeover I strongly considered whether to stack the washer and dryer.

Ultimately I decided against stacking for several reasons: (1) the linen closet adjacent to our laundry closet already provides ample floor to ceiling shelving; (2) my boys love helping with the laundry by putting clothes in the washer, or by transferring from the washer to the dryer; and (3) I wanted to maximize my sorting and folding space with a large counter space.  

However, there are just as many good reasons that you might want to stack your washer and dryer, even if you have the space for a side by side. Stacking can add more space for easily accessible shelves and cabinets; can free up floor space if your house lacks a broom/vacuum closet. If you are thinking of stacking your washer and dryer, you might want to check out this room, and this closet for inspiration!

Do you want to raise the washer and dryer up on drawers or pedestals?

Another important consideration for your laundry room is whether to put the washer and dryer right down on the floor, or whether to boost them up onto laundry pedestal drawers, or onto a custom built pedestal with space for laundry baskets {like this one from Addicted 2 DIY}.

I quickly determined that pedestals weren’t the right choice for me because my priority was to have a usable counter space for sorting and folding, and placing the washer and dryer on pedestals would have made the top too high for me to use. But, depending on how you use your space, and what your needs are, this can be a very efficient use of space!

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TIP #7: GIVE KIDS AGE APPROPRIATE CLEAN UP TASKS

The mess was a combination of books and toys. Beckett loves his books, but he is still young enough that he has a hard time getting all of his books back on his shelf with the spines facing forward and without pushing some books off the back of the shelf. So when we clean up his room, I put away the books, and he puts away the toys.

Beckett’s books don’t go in any special order on his shelves, which makes it quick and easy to put them away. As much as I love to organize, it’s important to be realistic about the level of organization that you can maintain. There is a part of me {the part my husband thinks is crazy} that wants to group his books by topic or color, but the fact is that I just don’t have time to reorganize them in such a detailed manner every single time I put them away. Going back to tip 3 – I have to resist the urge to over organize!

Because we also make frequent trips to the library, we always keep the library books separated in to a basket on the top of Beckett’s bookshelf. By returning books to the library book basket each time we clean up his room, we never have to search the shelves looking for the library books on the due date.

TIP #8: MAKE IT EASY FOR KIDS TO KNOW WHAT BELONGS WHERE

When we designed Beckett’s bedroom, we added enough shelf space to accommodate both books and toys. He loves sorting and putting things back in place, so the DIY numbered bins have been perfect for us. When we first organized his room, I let Beckett decide what toys would go in each bin, so now he knows, for example, that his Sesame Street playhouse and all the parts and pieces go in bin number 3, while all of his small animals go into the number 4 bin. Because he made the decision about what to put in each bin at the outset, he feels more ownership over putting his toys back in the correct bins.

TIP #9: HELP KIDS FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND

When we are trying to clean up his room in a hurry, Beckett sometimes gets a bit overwhelmed running back and forth from bin to bin putting away one toy at a time. When this happens, I make things easier on him {and me} by putting all of the numbered bins back on the shelf and give him just one at a time. I’ll hand him the number 4 bin, and tell him to fill it with all the animals. Once all of the animals are away, then I’ll hand him a different bin to fill. This helps him focus, and makes the clean up process much faster.

Even if all the toys are out of their bins, and books are spread all over the table and floor, between the two of us, Beckett and I can always get his room picked up in about five minutes.

TIP #10: TOYS STAY IN THE ROOM THEY CAME FROM


This last tip is definitely the most important one for making clean up quick and easy. In our house, we have a rule that toys have to stay in the room that they came from. This means that if the boys are playing in their bedrooms and decide they want to play in the living room instead, they have to leave their toys upstairs and pick different things to play with from the living room toy baskets. By keeping small baskets and bins of toys in each room of the house, there is always something new to entertain the kids, and they actually wind up playing with more of their toys than they might otherwise. I also rotate toys on occasion, which helps keep the kids’ interested!

This rule requires a lot of reminding, and, of course, sometimes results in whining, BUT it also makes life so much easier! There is no way that I could clean up all the toys in each room in just five minutes if half of the toys had to be carried up and down the stairs to reach the right rooms. As an added bonus, because toys always stay in the room that they came from, we lose far fewer!

Featured at: http://gracefulorder.com/2015/08/20/wayfair-housewarming-party-kids-bedroom-storage-ideas/

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