Freezer Burn.

It's a sad day when a candle burns out...but it also means a new craft is waiting to be born!

There are a lot of different techniques to get wax out of a jar but we use and recommend the freezer method!  It's easy, quick and foolproof!

Put the jar in the freezer.

After an hour or so, take it out and use a butter knife to pop out the wax.  
Most of the time it will pop out easily but sometimes you might have to work at it a bit.

Remove any excess wax with a paper towel before rinsing and cleaning.

Candles. 
The gift that keeps on giving.

All signs point to lock.

Our locks in our apartment are so confusing.

These arrows help us lock up quick and save us from struggling at the door! 

We used pencil because it can be easily removed with a Magic Eraser.

Don't they look cute?!?!

 

Spring Forward.

It's slowly starting to get warmer in Astoria!

We wanted to get a head start on our Spring Cleaning.

Your environment has a big impact on your emotions and stress level, so get to it!  

Here are some tips that helped us out. 

1. Plan ahead!  Come up with a strategy and you'll save hours of wasted time.  Take some time to gather all your cleaning supplies and make a list of supplies you need to purchase.
2. De-clutter before your begin!  40% of cleaning time is spent putting stuff away. Tidy up a few days before...throw away unwanted items, donate your old clothes or try to sell some stuff on Craigslist!
3. Make a Spring Cleaning playlist.
4. Clean when you're already dirty!  No need to shower before hand, just jump right into it.
5. Focus on one room at a time, hardest-to-easiest.  If you get the hard stuff done first, it will make the rest of the cleaning seem easy!  We started with the kitchen.
6. Work top-to-bottom.  Dust and dirt will loosen as you work and gravity will take effect, this approach prevents wasted effort.
7. Spring cleaning is ambitious enough, don't make it harder for yourself. If you have to, break it down into a few days and don't stress!  

-Don't forget to sanitize the "germy' spots: the faucets, light switches refrigerator-door handles, all doorknobs, salt and pepper shakers, remote controls, phones and cases.

-Change your batteries in your smoke and CO2 alarms.

-Dust and clean the refrigerator coils.  This will help your fridge to run more efficiently and help save some money on your electricity bill! Woohooo! 

Listen, we know it's a pain...but it is important work.  

Noticeable or not, less dust means better breathing, fresher smell, lower bacteria count and the personal satisfaction of knowing you did a thorough job!

All-Natural Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
For an easy cost effective all-purpose cleaner mix equal parts water and vinegar (for a fresh smell, soak lemon peels in vinegar and strain before combining.) 

All-Natural Homemade Floor Cleaner
For an easy cost effective floor cleaner mix equal parts water, vinegar, alcohol with a few drops of dish soap.

Let's start the Spring off right!

Happy Cleaning!