favorite {cleaning supplies}

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Oh happy Friday! It always feels so good to get to the end of your work week - even when you love your job, taking a weekend off is so relaxing. 

So…. cleaning. I know. You don't want to do it, but it feels SO good when it's done! A few months ago I blogged about how I am using a cleaning schedule and how that has been a total game changer for me. Sounds so simple… and it is… but it may as well be revolutionary considering how it has rescued my sanity and made it completely realistic to maintain our household. 

As I was cleaning this week, I realized how much I love picking out cleaning supplies, trying new ones, and figuring out which ones work the best. Almost as much as I love trying new makeup {almost}. Ha!

Also, I have a lot of people in my life (as I'm sure most of us do!) who place a lot of value on a clean home! So, I have collaborated with all of these folks to come up with a list of must have cleaning supplies. 

Some of these items are my own personal favorites as well. 

In no particular order…

Fabuloso

Brick was feeling particularly generous and said he would endorse this product for Sweet & Modern. 

Bless his heart! 

Okay, but seriously. I love this stuff. And it's on this list because I wasn't the only one who agreed. I use it for EVERYTHING! Floors, sinks, toilets, bath tubs, walls, tile… it is all purpose. And the smell is heavenly. Sometimes when I am done cleaning, the smell sticks on my hands. And I don't even mind. So, yes. If you haven't tried Fabuloso, pick it up next time you are at the store. Pretty much every store carries it and you mix the concentrate with water. I like to use it to mop, too! 

Bonus: SO cheap. 

Pine-Sol

Ah, good ol Pine-Sol. Basically, this is used exactly like Fabuloso. One of my friends swears that if you are doing a good on-your-knees-with-a-rag floor scrubbing, that nothing is better than Pine-Sol. So, there you have it!

Personally, I think Pine Sol has a fresh and "I just used cleaning supplies" scent. Which is sometimes very nice. Just your pref!

Lysol Toilet Bowl cleaner 

Having a photo of toilet cleaner on your blog does not scream stylish, but that's not what we are discussing today. Big fan of this stuff. I tried a different one a while back and I was so disappointed. I love how it is thick and clings to the side of the toilet bowl. I always put it on, let it hang out for a while, and THEN scrub. 

Windex Multi Surface spray

If I am in a hurry and am looking to wipe countertops down, I really love to use this and a paper towel. I used to buy regular Windex for mirrors, but I have experimented and this works JUST as well, and doesn't streak the mirror. So now I just buy this and save myself the $$ and space. Also, it smells so light and fresh! 

Homemade Floor Cleaner 

{vinegar + baking soda + Dawn} 

My sister-in-law swears by this concoction, and she is a total clean freak (and I mean that in the most admirable and respectable way possible!) According to her, the vinegar neutralizes any unpleasant odors in your home AND homemade = less toxic. Perfect, especially for those of you who have little hands and feet crawling around on your floors. Like she does. 

Magic Erasers

By now I am going to assume everyone knows about these little guys. They are magical. They also claim to clean better than bleach, which could very well be the case. I am also amazed by the old grime and marks (that I thought were permanent) that I can get off with the Magic Eraser. If you haven't tried these for some reason, they are worth every dollar. 

Straight Up Bleach

{for the BA housekeepers}

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Again, my sister-in-law likes to go old school and make a bleach cocktail and go to town! I mean, there's no doubting that something is truly clean if you spray bleach on it, right?! I only use bleach when I am trying to get super serious, like on mold spots or something. The smell makes me way light headed. 

Bar Keepers Friend

Okay. Call me old school, but I LOVE the powder cleaners. I remember in Home Ec, we always had to clean the sink out at the end of the cooking session with Comet. And my mom also did this at home. Years later, my mom started buying Bar Keepers Friend. Same concept, but somehow better. This stuff is magical. It's like the powder version of a magic eraser. There is nothing more satisfying than coating your sink in this powder, sprinkling a little water over it, and scrubbing until everything shines. My favorite part? It takes those annoying food and drink stains off your counter tops in a snap! 

Also, incredibly cheap. 

There you go! I love this list. There are more products that I use occasionally that didn't make the list, but these are the big ones. 

Now tell me, what are your favorites?! Truly, I am dying to know. Cleaning supplies, cleaning concoctions, homemade mixes (that work), tools? I want to know it all. 

And while we are at it, I have to hear from the pet owners: what vacuum do you have? 

THANK YOU for stopping by! And have a great weekend :)

project:retro side tables

Hi everyone! So happy to be back blogging. I didn't mean to take a break… it sort of just happened! We had an amazing weekend hanging out together and seeing some family. We also went out to eat at our favorite restaurant, did some thrifting (our favorite), and saw The Secret Life of Pets (adorable)! And now the week is half over! Yikes!

Anyways, one of my favorite things to do in the evening (besides bake) is work on little projects. About a month ago I picked these awesome, blonde, retro side tables up at a garage sale. For free, might I add. I thought they were so fun and I knew I would think of something to do with them, eventually.

Well, it's taken me a bit, but I finally finished up! The tables are a far cry from my original "vision," but that's how it goes, right?

Most of the bedrooms in our house have a "sitting room" followed by a back bedroom and closet. The guest room downstairs is no exception. We have had this chair sitting down in the sitting room area for quite some time. After I finished up the tables, I realized it only made sense to have a little reading/sitting area in the guest room as well! 

{Side note: I desperately want to get new carpet in all of our bedrooms. This lovely navy carpet just doesn't exactly do it for me. But in the meantime, I picked a color scheme that works with the navy. You do what you gotta do ;) }

And so it was born. I'm super pleased with how it turned out!

For those of you who enjoy projects, I cannot say enough good things about General Finishes milk paint! It is the easiest way to repurpose furniture. You seriously cannot mess it up! There is no prepping required. Most of the time I wipe the furniture off and just start painting!

If you are already a GF Milk Paint lover, and curious, I used Antique White + Patina Green to create that nifty shade!

Thanks for stopping by!

Old Fashioned Niceties

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A few months ago I read an article in my Real Simple magazine about "old fashioned niceties." I loved the article, and consider myself to be somewhat old fashioned. For example, I love cards. And letters. And sending mail. And writing thank you notes. And having people over for dinner. And taking baked goods to our neighbors.

I think life is made up of the little things that we do for others. For me, receiving a letter or card from someone I love is invaluable. I am extremely sentimental (bordering into hoarder...) and so I have had to draw the line about things that I save these days. Anything from my husband is an automatic save. Other than that, I try not to hold on to every.single.card I get in the mail. It's a work in progress...

Anyways, when I read this article, I remembered that my Grandma had a guestbook at their house. Yes, as in for guests who came through their doors. Does anyone do this anymore? I remember I LOVED to read through the book and see who had been there. Some of the pages were even faded and discolored. Regardless of whether I knew the people, there was something very charming about the memories.

Since getting married, we have tried to make it a priority to entertain as much as possible. I love when people stop by, and our favorite is to have a few people over for dinner. For me, it's the perfect time to try new (and old favorite) recipes... and bake. For my husband, it's a great time to mix up cocktails and grill up something amazing (and it's always amazing!)

Considering these things, it took me all of 5 seconds to get on Amazon and find a guestbook for our home. My only regret is that I can't go back and have our first 6 months of guests sign it. :)

If  you are looking to add some sentimental charm to your home, order a guestbook! Or add it to the list of unique presents you could give. Weddings, housewarmings.... yes!

So... do you have a guestbook in your home? Let me know in the comments!

xoxox


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