My husband checked out some of the books from my reading list yesterday. After skimming through them, I realized that Better Homes and Gardens: Stretching Living Space was not what I had hoped for. The photos were reminiscent of the 70s and did not inspire me. I will be removing this book from my list and substituting it for Don Aslett’s Clutter’s Last Stand: It’s Time To De-junk Your Life! and Is There Life After Housework. A friend gave me these books a couple of years ago and I devoured them.

The latter book had some wonderful cleaning tips. Mr. Aslett gave instructions on how to clean a microwave’s fan. He gave advice on how to let your spray cleaner do the work for you, what types of doormats to use, and numerous other time-saving tips.

I did not agree with his dismissal of vinegar as a cleaner. While I do not like using vinegar on windows or mirrors, I often use it to clean counter tops. Since I like having my children clean with me, I lean towards safer or more natural cleaning products. Baking soda and peppermint-scented castille liquid soap work really well when cleaning a bath tub. My eldest son thoroughly enjoys sprinkling the big bag of Costco Baking Soda into the bath and helping me scrub away the soap scum.

Oops, I am rambling again. Happy cleaning!