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7 quick cleaning hacks that can make your life easier

Whether you love cleaning, hate it, or fall somewhere in between, these quick cleaning hacks are sure to make your life so much easier.

1. Cleaning The Toilet

When it comes to cleaning the bathroom, the toilet is probably the worst part of the job. To make it easier, pour toilet bowl cleaner into the commode, leave it sit for a few minutes, then give it a quick swish with a toilet brush. Use disinfectant wipes to wipe down the outside toilet surfaces and you’re all done!

2. Remove Floor Scuffs

Hardwood floors are beautiful, but they require a bit of work to keep them looking great. For scuff marks, use a sock or tennis ball to buff the mark away. If that doesn’t work, add a small bit of baking soda and buff again. Wipe any residue away with a damp cloth.

3. Freshen The Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals are great and all, but they can get rather stinky if not cleaned properly. To freshen your garbage disposal in a hurry, cut up a lime or lemon and run it through the disposal. The citric acid will clean and disinfect the inside of the unit and leave it smelling lemony fresh.

4. Dusting The Blinds

If you haven’t dusted your blinds in a while, this hack won’t work to remove the thick layer of sticky dust that’s sure to have accumulated. However, if there isn’t much dust on your blinds, close the blinds and use a microfiber cloth in a side-to-side motion to remove dust. Turn the blinds the other direction and do it again.

5. Deodorize Your Home

There’s no need to buy expensive deodorizer products from the store to get out stubborn smells in your home. All you need is a box of baking soda and a vacuum. Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on carpets, rugs, pet beds, and other soft surfaces. Let it sit for a few minutes and then vacuum. It’s really that simple and cheap to remove stale odors from your home.

6. Clean The Microwave

If the walls of your microwave hold more food than what you actually heat in it, this hack is for you. Cut up a lemon, add it, and a couple of teaspoons of white vinegar to a cup of water, and microwave the concoction until you see steam form on the window. Turn the microwave off, leave the door shut, and allow the steam to continue permeating the inside of the unit. After a few minutes, remove the cup and wipe the walls of the microwave clean with a damp cloth.

7. Shine Stainless Steel Appliances

Stainless steel appliances add a sleek, modern look to any kitchen, but when they’re covered in fingerprints, they can be quite the eyesore. Remove those prints and make your appliances shine again by using a soft cloth and some olive or coconut oil. Just be careful not to use too much of either oil as it will leave behind a sticky, oily mess.

4 Easy DIYs To Spruce Up Your Kitchen

The kitchen is often the most used room in the house, which means it’s likely the most visible, too. As such, even the smallest changes can have a big impact. If you’re looking for ways to give your kitchen an upgrade without spending a great deal of time or money, check out these cheap and easy kitchen DIYs below for inspiration.

1. Replace The Faucet

One of the easiest upgrades that make a dramatic statement in your kitchen is to replace the faucet with something sculptural-looking and high-tech. The upgrade will make your kitchen seem more high-end almost instantly. To complete this DIY, simply turn the water off underneath the sink and detach the hot and cold hoses from the old faucet. Remove the old faucet and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing the new faucet. Once everything is in place and tight, turn the water back on and check for leaks.

2. Redo The Backsplash

A backsplash redo is easy to do and can change the look of the room without changing anything else. A modern choice in kitchen backsplashes is self-adhesive metal tiles. Just cut the tiles to the correct size and shape for the space, then apply them using the pre-applied adhesive on the back.

3. Update The Lighting

One of the most dramatic and effective changes you can make in any room is to update the lighting. Add some under-the-counter LED lighting using double-sided tape or small screws – if you can hang a picture on the wall, you can do this – or change out your old light bulbs for smart bulbs you can control with your phone. This will allow you to change the ambiance in the room to suit the mood with just a touch.

4. Replace The Drawer And Cabinet Pulls

One of the most cost-effective changes you can make in your kitchen to make a big impact is to replace the old drawer and cabinet pulls with new ones. It’s as simple as unscrewing the old hardware and turning in the new ones, so there’s really no excuse not to make this upgrade, especially when most hardware and home improvement stores carry a wide selection of handles and knobs to fit any budget. If you’d like to give your kitchen an updated look without spending a great deal of time or money, try one or all the ideas mentioned above.

Creative Ways To Expand Your Closet Storage Space

Even if you have enough living space in your home or apartment, having enough closet space is another thing entirely. If you’re like most people, there’s never enough closet space to accommodate all the things you want to store. From clothing to shoes and everything in between, closet space is valuable and often not enough in many households.
If this sounds familiar, don’t panic. You don’t have to begin knocking down walls to make bigger closets. Below are several creative ways to expand your closet storage space cheaply and easily.

Bookcases Aren’t Just For Books

If you’ve never thought a bookcase was good for anything but holding books, think again. Bookcases are great for holding all sorts of things, and they work especially well in the closet for holding bins, baskets, and more. You can find used bookcases at thrift stores, or you can opt to build your own. Either way, try to find ones with deep shelving that will accommodate almost anything you want to put on them. If you need lots of added space, add more than one bookcase to your closet, and be sure to anchor them to the wall for safety sake. An alternative to bookcases in the closet is using small dressers instead. Dressers designed for use in a nursery or kid’s room are the perfect size for a small closet.

All Closet Space Is Valuable

The space inside your closet isn’t the only space usable for storage. Consider using the back of the door for storage, too. Add coat hooks or a towel bar to the door for hanging things like robes or necklaces. If permanently adhering hardware to the door isn’t an option, use over-the-door options instead. An over-the-door shoe organizer works great for things like socks, underwear, shoes, and other small items that can be separated and organized. Check stores like Ikea for other over-the-door storage solutions.

The Top Shelf Is Your Friend

It might be difficult to reach, but the top shelf in your closet is perfect for items you don’t use that often. Put it to good use for seasonal items like beach towels, winter hats and gloves, boots, and sports gear you only need periodically. Use boxes or bins to keep things organized, and don’t store any heavy object up there for obvious safety reasons. Label the outside of each box so you know exactly what’s inside at a glance.

Rethink The Way You Hang Your Clothes

Most people hang their clothes on good old-fashioned hangers. Wire hangers take up less space, but many people prefer sturdier plastic or wooden hangers that take up lots of space on a closet clothing rod. You can double – or even triple – the space you have to hang clothes by switching to the Wonder Hanger. This As-Seen-On-TV invention allows you to hang several articles of clothing on a specially designed slotted bar that folds down to save space.

Think Outside The Closet

No one says that closet storage has to stay inside the closet. You can expand the closet storage space you have by going beyond the closet itself. Use your imagination and repurpose old furniture pieces to work as storage anywhere you need it. Look for an antique armoire for the bedroom, or maybe a rolling storage cart for the bathroom or kitchen. Underneath the bed is a great place to store seasonal clothing, too. Just purchase the appropriately sized bins to place them in so they stay clean and fresh until you need them again. For many people, the closet space they have just never seems to be enough. Whether you own a home or rent an apartment, you can use the creative ways to expand your closet storage space above to get the most out of the closet space you already have.

7 Tips For Making The Most Of Your Limited Kitchen Space

Rental apartments aren’t known for having large, spacious kitchens. In fact, they usually have barely enough counter space to prepare a sandwich on. If your rental kitchen is on the small side, the following tips will help you transform that limited space into something reminiscent of a well-designed, functional kitchen.

1. Get Rid Of Stuff You Don’t Use

As you pack up to move into your new apartment, get rid of all the kitchen appliances and gadgets you don’t use. For example, when’s the last time you used that panini maker? Or what about that espresso machine? If you haven’t used it in a year or two, donate it to the thrift store. Doing so will free up valuable real estate in your new but tiny kitchen.

2. Store Things Vertically

In a small kitchen, every inch of space is valuable, so get creative and store things vertically. The walls in your kitchen hold lots of storage potential if you use your imagination. Things like magnetic knife strips, hanging pot racks, dish-drying racks installed above the sink, and hooks for hanging aprons, potholders, and small tools all help you make the most of your limited space in a small kitchen.

3. Decorate With Everyday Items

It just makes sense to leave things you use every day out for easy access. For instance, brooms, dish brushes, and soap dispensers can all be used to “decorate” in a small kitchen. Look for a wooden broom, glass soap dispenser, or a natural fiber dish brush to soften the look of your kitchen while still getting the job done.

4. Light It Up!

Good lighting can make even the smallest of spaces seem bigger and brighter. Invest in new light bulbs that provide plenty of cool light that’ll wake you up in the morning and get you going.

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