Bon Ami. It rocks.
As does Vinegar

I'm huge on buying flowers for the house (and ahem...myself). I generally tend to pick fuller blooms- think hydrangeas, peonies (my favorite), or a larger quantity of prim roses and cut them short to give the bouquet a full and expensive look. It's a small price to pay for adding some freshness and beauty to your home!

I already use mostly green cleaners, but is there a green dishwashing detergent for dishwashers? I've never really looked in to that.

Off to vacuum while the downstairs neighbors are at work . . . .

When my Method granite cleaner was empty and Target was out of stock I found this recipe and filled up the old bottle! I use sage essential oil. A great, inexpensive DIY granite cleaner, link below:
http://www.delightedmomma.com/2012/02/pin-tester-homemade-granite-cleaner.html

Xarcady, Ecover makes a good powder dishwasher detergent. It's a bit pricey, but it goes on sale periodically at our local co-op.

Any recommended substitutions for those of us allergic to flowers? (and who HATE artificial flowers) . . . I'm considering adding a house plant each week in January, but only have so much space for those, so would appreciate an alternative that can be done weekly. Thanks!

@dewluca - A few suggestions:
1 - Easy-to-care-for succulents, or even cacti (I usually find a decent sampling at my local grocery store) or .. maybe an Aloe plant?
2 - Small bowls of fruits (in winter, clementines are always on display in my apartment - they look pretty) is probably the easiest to do weekly
3 - Air plants - not much time required for them
Hope that helps! Good luck!

Xarcady, here is one recipe I've come across. Incredibly simple and very cheap:

Equal parts borax and washing soda. Mix the ingredients and store in a labeled container. Use the amount normally called for in your dishwasher. If your water is hard, you might want to increase the proportion of washing soda.

I got this from a wonderful little book I recently purchased which opened my eyes to the miracles of vinegar, baking & washing soda, and borax for the first time. I wish I had known about these combinations YEARS ago! It's called 'Organized Simplicity - The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living' by Tsh Oxenreider.

Also, just a little side note for anyone who might be wondering. Contrary to what seemed logical to me, powder detergent is actually better for your dishwasher than a gel or a liquid, as per the professionals who install and repair the machines. Who knew? Happy vacuuming! :)

Xarcady, here is one recipe I've come across. Incredibly simple and very cheap:

Equal parts borax and washing soda. Mix the ingredients and store in a labeled container. Use the amount normally called for in your dishwasher. If your water is hard, you might want to increase the proportion of washing soda.

I got this from a wonderful little book I recently purchased which opened my eyes to the miracles of vinegar, baking & washing soda, and borax for the first time. I wish I had known about these combinations YEARS ago! It's called 'Organized Simplicity - The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living' by Tsh Oxenreider.

Also, just a little side note for anyone who might be wondering. Contrary to what seemed logical to me, powder detergent is actually better for your dishwasher than a gel or a liquid, as per the professionals who install and repair the machines. Who knew? Happy vacuuming! :)

Cassidy beat me to it :) Maxwell suggests that fruit is the most comparable to flowers for the Cure, because it's eaten/goes bad, so it needs to be replaced each week like flowers. Though succulents and air plants are definitely a great plant option for those with flower allergies!

Thanks! I really should eat more fruit :) And the suggested plants are often small, so I might be able to find places to keep them away from the cat :)
Thanks again!

I've always liked the idea of regularly buying flowers for the apartment, but have never really been able to justify the expense, so I'm kinda happy it's been assigned as homework. I have to do it now! Thinking of hitting up Trader Joe's this afternoon for some cheap options.

I think the flowers will also help ease the sadness of taking down the Christmas tree.

As for green cleaners, I also love the Mrs. Meyer's line, particularly the geranium and lavender scents. Their wipes making cleaning the toilet a breeze. I also love me some Dr. Bronner's for mopping, and I use it to make a paste with baking soda to scrub the tub. And of course, as someone else mentioned, Bon Ami is the shiznit.

@dewluca - if you go with the small plants It might be helpful to think of it as building a small grouping over the month . . . something that would look great on a tall shelf away from certain furry beasties (which I'm dealing with as well). Of course, if your cat is a climber . . . ;-)

I've been phasing out store bought cleaners for awhile now and most of my homemade cleaners involve only two or three ingredients and water. Things like hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, castille soap, and baking soda work wonders, and cost less than any store bought cleaners out there. Natural, inexpensive, and useful...a winning combo

One hint for your lilies - pull the brown stamens off as soon as the lily opens. It won't damage the flower, but keeps you from having to clean up all the mess later. Watch out - they can stain!

I love the Trader Joe's sage scented all purpose spray --- smells great and you can use it almost everywhere! Also the bottles are great to reuse for homemade sprays --- peel off the label, use a little goo-gone on the adhesive, and you have a really sturdy clear plastic spray bottle for whatever you want!

Hilaw speaks the truth! My go-to cleaners are orange infused vinegar and Bon ami. I cave and get Seventh Generation's Thyme-scented wipes. They're great for the bathroom.

Ecover's dish washing detergent is pretty good. I've also used Method's Smarty Dish. I live in LA and seem to have very hard water so I stick with liquid detergents.

You guys are right, nothing beats fresh flowers in the house! As for cleaners, I LOVE Shaklee Get Clean. It's safe for the environment, pets, kids, and purse :)

Xarcady, why not put some herbs in water? Basil and mint could look quite pretty.
Or get a potplant specifically for the cat to eat - grass in a long, low planter or similar maybe?

I am having SO much fun doing the assignments. This is a new season (finished a degree last year and taking a sabbatical year) and the January Cure is just the ticket for renewing the house.

Today's "wash the floors" tackled my least favorite chore, bar none. We have mid-colored wood floors which don't show dirt. A thorough vacuum, edges and all, is what they get ... until today. Oh my! It was certainly time. I really enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment as I rinsed the cloth. I don't know how green Murphy's Wood Soap is - but it was recommended by a professional cleaner and works magic.

I'm buying flowers as my reward. Yippee! Have fun everyone. Thanks Apt Therapy for this New Year's boost. peacefulones.blogspot.com

I struggle with the fresh flowers part of this "homework." #1 - The expense for something that will only last a week, if you are lucky. #2 - Dealing with the viewing (and smelling) of the flowers as they die before the week is over.

I just can't justify the ROI.

@Xarcady -- We just started using Seventh Generation. Works fine so far.

I always have flowers in my house--I'm addicted to them! But not right now! All the flowers at the grocery stores I frequent are so ugly and expensive at this time of year, I just can't do it. I'm waiting until February, when the Valentine's Day flowers start coming in, and then fresh flowers will feel like a treat again.

I buy flowers fairly often; I'm worth it. But I hate the phrase "fresh flowers". Flowers are by their nature fresh; no need for further description. Then there are artificial flowers or silk flowers.
Phewww! Now I feel better.

I picked up a small, 3 stem hydrangea bouquet at the store today. It looks nice behind my sink. And I'm about to take 6 vases worth of different eucalyptus branches out to the compost. They lasted since Thanksgiving (well, they are pretty well dried out now), but it's time for them to go.

I had time today to clean my 2 living room windows & that made a big difference. Now time for the weekend & my family to help muck up the house again :)

I am so excited and getting right into the January cure, thus far I am up to date with -my 'January Cure' list, the 'Outbox' is up and running, and for day 3, I have come home from work tonight and started to have a little sort out, filling up even more my outbox which now contains
- 2 lovely deep red plastic boxes
- an entire boxed set of sex and the city (entire series on dvd - which I know will have to go *sob)
- a black giant box that was full of old paperwork from when I moved back to London from Geneva earlier this year (which I hasten to add I have tonight entirely emptied and sorted through important and unimportant paperwork, receipts etc.

My work desk where I am now sitting as I type; has been cleaned and it's drawer sorted and emptied (again, it was full of junk), AND I have sorted out all my half finished knitting projects and put them away into my special knitting trunk, having left just one out to work on.

It feels amazing to b getting straight in this little slice-of-heaven apartment where I live.

Tomorrow morning the floors (to be cleaned with Method laminate floor cleaner which I already had and LOVE the smell of) it makes my floors SO lovely and shiny. I have also extended the green clean concept to the bathroom - for which I use another method cleaner (it smells like spearmint - yum), and lastly FLOWERS, for which I have organized a girly walk along the beautiful Columbia Road flower market, with a friend on Sunday morning to treat myself to some lovely flowers - for some reason this tomboy homemaker fancies pink peonies... hmmmm

In small spaces, I have tried cacti, gotten a small cutting of a house plant (spider plant or such) from a friend, and also have gotten ceramic flowers, which I really like - a few stems at a time. Or how about a postcard of an Impressionist collection of flowers?

Bon Ami
Method Wipes for bathroom/toilet
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day /Lemon Verbena scent
Vinegar and water
Vinegar and water and dishwashing liquid for windows
Lysol Spray with peroxide for bathroom
I'm liking the washing powder and Borax idea for dishwasher!

I have purchased a bunch (5 stems) of Peruvian Lilies (also known as Alstroemeria) for as little as $2.50. Each stem has 4-5 flowers on it so a small bunch can fan out lovely in a vase. The lilies last 10-15 days for me and I am careless about changing the water. They don't smell as they age. Get a bunch that have mostly closed buds, they will open over time and last longer. I get white flowers in January, it signals freshess and a new beginning for me. But pick a color that makes you happy--they come in yellow, peach, red, pink, limey greenish...

I have purchased a bunch (5 stems) of Peruvian Lilies (also known as Alstroemeria) for as little as $2.50. Each stem has 4-5 flowers on it so a small bunch can fan out lovely in a vase. The lilies last 10-15 days for me and I am careless about changing the water. They don't smell as they age. Get a bunch that have mostly closed buds, they will open over time and last longer. I get white flowers in January, it signals freshess and a new beginning for me. But pick a color that makes you happy--they come in yellow, peach, red, pink, limey greenish...

I was excited about this week's assignment as well! I will be away for most of the weekend, but feel like I will still be able to get everything done by Sunday night. I already had the flowers done as I try to make a habit of buying fresh flowers every couple of weeks. I am a HUGE believer in the difference this small step can make in your home! I like the $6-$7 bundles at Trader Joe's and split them up into 2-3 small arrangements around the flat. Totally worth it.

I inherited some old, harsh bargain store cleaners from the apartment's previous tenant when I moved in, and have been trying to use those up before buying new green cleaners. But I hate them and they smell bad and are an eye sore, so this homework assignment was just the excuse I needed to freshen up and get some products I like! Can't wait to pick them out. I'll probably go with Mrs. Meyers.

You could also buy catgrass one week - a little green treat for your cat. :)

I LOVE Bon Ami. It is also inexpensive which is not always the case for some green cleaners.

I think I accidentally already did this :) The other day, I bought a new flowering plant and Method products were on sale... I've been meaning to regularly buy myself flowers. I did, however, order the Apartment Therapy Cure book, too, so I've got 'spoiling myself and my home' covered this week!

@Jenniannefer - I've experimented w/several similar receipes but glasses always come out cloudy. Going to adjust my ratio per your recipe & try again. The lemonade tip I saw on one site dows not work.

I already have some paperwhites on the coffee table. Sitting here with my feet up (and the cat on my knees) enjoying them. I should probably think about getting going on the floors!

Happy Friday, everyone!

I buy alstromeria frequently. I usually pick up three bunches for $10 and they last 2-3 weeks. I spread them around the house so I can see them when I am in all my favorite spots.

Any great green ideas/products for cleaning wood floors? I'm not even sure how they were finished (it's a matte look on possibly original old-growth pine floors) so I'm not sure how to clean them. Would appreciate any recommendations! Thanks!

Purchased a small pot of rosemary which is now perched at the edge of my kitchen sink. It's so fresh and green, and makes me happy to look at it! Best $2.99 I ever spent.

I totally took something out of my outbox...I removed a glass hurricane candle holder and filled it with river rocks and a lucky bamboo plant! I have placed the arrangement in my bedroom and it's definitely very pleasing to look at! I felt bad placing the glass hurricane in the outbox in the first place; it's very pretty, but since we don't burn candles (2 toddlers), I figured there was no reason to keep it. Anyhow, I feel good that I kept it and have filled it with something green.

As for our office, I also purchased a plant to keep in there and, tomorrow, we are going to a fabulous nursery to pick up some fresh herb plants and some flowers. I agree with everyone's comments; having flowers really does make you feel better and they are definitely worth it.

Our floors are steamed cleaned every other day, by yours truly, because of our little ones...they are just so dirty! So, that is a typical chore for me.

Addtionally, I began the daunting task of decluttering/organizing our office. I got through all of the paperwork today and have it neatly filed. I cleared off the desk (except for our laptop, lamp and phone) and added the new plant to the top of the bookcase. I still have some work to do in there, but will finish it by the weekend.

Finally, I have discovered that my husband is an electronics hoarder; I have never seen so many USB cables in my entire life. HE's got homework this weekend!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and happy Cure!

Cat lovers: lilies are poisonous to cats.
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/toxicology/a/Lily-Toxicity-In-Cats-And-Dogs.htm

My daughter's cat had to be in intensive care for nearly a week after nibbling the Easter lilies.

For my "flowers", I'm going to make an arrangement of holly, evergreens and fruit on a platter, perhaps with some candles. $$ are an issue at the moment, but the green boughs are free for picking.

My Outbox is a bookcase that I moved into a corner in the front hall. The Outbox is really ingenious idea. I love it that if you're undecided the item must stay in the Outbox for one week--a great way to test whether you prefer to keep or discard it.

What did I do wrong? Why is my comment all orange?

Peg M Probably when you cut an pasted the url, it also had an orange font for some reason. And the font just stayed orange for the rest of your comment. No problem - it looks quite energized.

I agree about the flowers. I have decided to take care of my dozen or so living plants instead. Food, water, pruning. They will like it I am sure. This floor business is larger than I first thought. So many hidden kitten hair puffs.

I use
Method wood floor cleaner - awesomely almond scented.
Mrs. Meyers Lavender or Geranium laundry detergent.
Mrs Meyers Geranium or Lavender, or Basil dish soap
Method Green tea r Trader Joe's Orange Blossom or Savon de Marseilles Bois de Santal liquid hand soap.

Though I love many Mrs Meyer's product, I really HATE Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day toilet bowl cleaner in the lemon verbena scent. There's no way of saying this nicely - it smells like pee, not the odor I want in my clean bathrooms. I threw away nearly a whole bottle of it.

I'm never sure, though, whether these products are actually that Green. I buy them because they smell good and they seem to be wholesome, but I've always wondered.

My intention this year was to save money. I made a list of things I wasn't going to buy and flowers were on it. I lasted three days, my resolve was so strong and then came this morning's assignment. I caved and the flowers look so pretty but please Maxwell no candles, books or mani/pedi's in the January Cure.

Can a guy buy beer not usually purchased or will a plant do?

I used to love Method products, until they started producing anti-bacterial products. (They were against anti-bacterial products before; that makes them a bit hypocritical.)

Instead of flowers, I prefer big tropical leaves.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Geranium products make me so happy. I have the dish and hand soaps, and make my own spray from the general cleaner.

I treat myself to flowers weekly - whatever is on sale at one of the four markets I frequent. This week seems to be all about tulips!

Oh woe is me and my allergies. I sneeze like crazy when I have them around but I still love them so. Sigh

Vacuumed the Bedroom and back hallway this morning, which gives me a little wiggle room since my weekend is going to be extremely busy.
Tomorrow it's off to the market to get some flowers! I've been meaning to buy some for ages, but I always ended up feeling guilty about the expense and that they wouldn't look nice in my cluttered home anyway. I don't know where to put them yet, but I will find a place!
This assignment is also finally giving me an excuse to order some Dr. Bronners online, since natural cleaning products basically don't exist where I live - I can't even get white vinegar. I just hope it arrives before january is over!

@decorkate-I love the method wood floor cleaner. It smells wonderfully almond-y and cleans well. I also have a a steam cleaner that doesn't smell quite as good.

I have to say, I tried this recipe and it didn't work that well---dishes weren't getting as clean as I wanted them to, and they were dull. I followed up by buying the Ecover tabs (they were on sale), and the difference makes it worth every penny. They happen to be on super sale at Vitacost right now; I just loaded up.

For those who prefer fruit - pomegranates will stay in fairly decent shape for longer than a week, and they are very pretty.

I usually buy myself flowers at the farmers' market - a bunch for $4 or 3 bunches for $10. Sometimes, I buy a bigger bouquet for $15 - the guy who makes them is very talented.
I was not planning on getting up early tomorrow and going to the market but I guess I will have to now.

Sorry---meant to direct the reply to @Jenniannefer and @xarcady re dish detergent. Also, found a good list of what's considered green here: http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/content/top_products and Whole Foods, if you have one, puts a scale underneath the products in the cleaning aisle (and on their own bottles).

No natural cleaning products in my neck o' the woods either. I started making my own several yrs ago out of pure desperation & never looked back. But, white vinegar? Really, you can't be serious!

I don't usually buy myself flowers, but I am going to look for some this weekend. It's a nice idea to buy flowers not for myself but for my apartment. :) I have been using Method cleaning products for quite a few years and I love the way they clean (and smell). I have heard a lot about Mrs. Meyers, but haven't tried it yet. I'm excited about this weekend's assignment!

I did a big bouquet of cut evergreens today - fresh greens indoors, but still wintery themed, and it didn't cost be anything.

I'm going to try making my own herb and citrus infused vinegars and vodka for light cleaning now.

"I'm about to take 6 vases worth of different eucalyptus branches out to the compost. They lasted since Thanksgiving (well, they are pretty well dried out now), but it's time for them to go."

Before it hits the compost pile, secure a small dried bunch w/a rubber band & hang from the shower head (or anywhere in the bathroom, really). The steam from the shower does a miraculous thing & your bathroom will smell heavenly. One small bunch will last for weeks on end.

Yay! I'm so glad that the houseplant versus "fresh" flowers debate has been opened. Because. When I logged on I planned to announce that I was going to give myself permission to gift my house with some seasonal blooming plant or fruit. Reason being that I already have window sills overflowing with houseplants which provide the visual symbol of commitment, adding life, and humidifying and clarifying the air. Their care also requires that about equal to the shopping for and arranging flowers. And if its about a budgetary commitment to something aromatic and beautiful, my splurge would be on some fantastic seasonal fruit like meyer lemons, clementines, bartlett pears or something along that line. So, it's good, healthy, happy for me to see others on the same wavelength, knowing that I share the same spirit for the basis of the 'rules'. I'm looking forward to cranking my collection of Simon and Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen and Melissa Etheridge and knocking out some floor detail.

Yeah, all I can get around here is white wine vinegar, which is 1) not nearly as cheap and 2) leaves a weird residue on everything. I'd love to make my own cleaners, but vinegar is sort of inevitable for most recipes I've found, and if it's not there's usually another ingredient I can't get.
I think there should be a white vinegar appreciation day or something, it's insane how much you can do with it!

That was done in two minutes.
1: "Honey, while you're out for bred, could you get flowers at the flowershop ?" Since he gets me flowers about twice a month anyway, that was a no-brainer. I now have five pink roses in my beloved Jonathan Adler vase on the kitchen table.
2. I already have green cleaners only, done ! Except for the bleach. I have yet to find something as efficient as bleach.

I'm off to do the cleaning... definately harder.

Washed my kitchen floor yesterday - really washed, right to the edges and under things. What a job! Hope to tackle the bathroom and hallways today, just leaving the main room and bedrooms for tomorrow...but need my DH to get the undecorated tree outside first!

Bought a flowering plant yesterday, cheap in a Christmas pot, so I'm off to repot it in the planter of the last plant I killed!

"However, if you feel strange buying yourself some flowers, use Maxwell's suggestion and think of it as buying flowers not for yourself, but for your home."

That's just goofy. Buy some damn flowers for yourself, people!

I've read some studies that show that bleach breaks down into relatively harmless substances. I always have tried to avoid bleach because I thought it was terrible for the environment, but now I feel okay using it when there really isn't a good substitute. Maybe every other month or so.

I'm struggling with the flowers assignment for the same reason as many of you - I have a cat who gets into EVERYTHING. Savannah cats are beautiful, but they're total SOBs. I used to love buying flowers until we got our furry tornado. The only room where he can't get at flowers is my husband's office, which has a closed door all the time, so I wouldn't be able to enjoy them. Catgrass is out, too. We tried to get him a pot of catgrass, but he quickly figured out that the dirt it grows in is much more interesting than the grass itself.

One idea I had was to put a small flower into a bud vase and put it on the highest shelf of our tall bookcase, like 6 feet up. It's too high for the cat to jump, and he hasn't figured out yet that he can climb bookshelves (knock on wood). It's not as lavish as a whole arrangement, but it's a start, and I won't have flower petal vomit all over my house. I usually just bring flowers to work...

Just an FYI, a lot of Method products are on sale right now at Target. I might pick up some pink grapefruit natural stone cleaner. Smells so good!

Wow, m, I feel for you. Can't imagine cleaning OR cooking without it. I buy it by the gallon at the dollar store, refill my bottle in the kitchen, then stash the jug with my cleaning supplies. If you frequent the same stores, try speaking to the store mgr about it. This tactic has worked for on several [what i consider] common items in the past few yrs. You can't be the only in your area missing this staple! Good luck.

I'm subbing trashing out a bedroom for floors this weekend. Note I said 'trashing out' not decluttering. I have a 5 X 7 wall area of stacked boxes from two dif family member's households to sort through. Should be quick work - a couple are papers I had to hold onto until estates were settled. The rest are family heirlooms & sentimental items but I've already completed my homework there. I'll be delivering or shipping various items to extended family next wk & reclaim that real estate. Yay! Please pray I can get dh to sit still long enough to make final decisions on what remains from his mom's household.

During the holidays dh & I FINALLY ripped up the carpet in the living room, hall & foyer. This is a project which will take several weekends to complete but it's neat & clean and I refuse to get sidetracked by it. We discovered tile under the carpet in the foyer/hall which is in excellent condition. Not my style but not ugly so the plan is to clean it up & live with it while we get the LR is done. Prob is there's decades old glue residue along the perimeter & looks like I'm going to be forced to resort to chemicals to remove it. ADVICE WOULD BE WELCOME HERE. I'm not a beginner diy-er but google has been no help & the 'experts' at the big box stores know less than I do :(

I may not be cleaning all the floors this weekend but it's sure & certain we'll be intimately aquainted with every nook & cranny of our home by the time we're done! Now I'm off to buy a few blooms to complement the greens I cut during my walk around the yard at the crack of dawn as I sing....

I WILL SURVIVE!

Bad thing about vinegar is the smell. Fine for descaling the coffee maker and some for cooking, but that's about it. Have tried the vinegar method for cleaning windows & didn't see it as a miracle answer. I'll take diluted bleach or rubbing alcohol for some cleaning over vinegar.

I just come home from my 4 days vacation in the Alpes and finally got some pink roses for the grocery store. I have a hard time keeping vases as my cats broke already two (a cheap but beauty full midcentury white one and a not so cheap hand thrown one), so the roses are in a vase that is a little bit too big. Have to change it. I can't wait to set up the outbox tomorrow

Flowers. Check. Cleaning the floors - including changing the vacuum cleaner bag - will commence @ 3:30 - after a nap and walking the dog. :)

I am really enjoying the challenge assignments. Flowers: check. Even received iris bulbs to plant on the patio where I sip coffee in the morning. Today, I set out to mop the floors and scrub the baseboards down. That took some doing as I had to clear everything in order to get to the floor! I had to get down and scrub with a brush and then mop. Wow does it smell great in here. It has been so long since I've taken the time to do this right.
Another side note: this cleaning also lead me to clearing out the bathroom cupboards! Hey I was down there anyway.
Tomorrow, we do the grocery shopping and pick up the cleaning supplies I need. Then I'll vacuum really well and assignment complete! I'm looking forward to next week.

Ok, I caved. Bit the bullet SPENT $ for blooms. Yes, me. Aieee! Had to grit my teeth as I'm accustomed to stepping out the door & snipping a few but being between seasons, there's nothing to snip and the holly has had a 3 wk run already. I fully expected to feel remorse upon arriving home with my purchase but my house was so happy I couldn't begrudge her the gift. And besides, $4 didn't break the bank. Right now I'm lamenting not taking advantage of the 3 for $10 deal. Maybe next week....baby steps...

p.s. the bright pink tulips are GLORIOUS!

Split my flowering plants from the UGLY Christmas elf/snowman planter they came in and repotted in three matching white planters, which are now in three different rooms in the house: front entry, kitchen, and main room.

DH got the tree out and swept the main room for me :) so I managed to wash the entry, hallway, bathroom, and main room yesterday. Also did the baseboards, which led to the door frames, and even part of the wall - the dog's favourite spot to lie down under the desk was soooo dirty! Hadn't been down there in a while to see it!

Goals for today: wash my son's bedroom floor, and move more things to my Outbox. My bedroom floor will get swept but not washed this weekend since DH is starting phase one of our mini-reno project in there on Wednesday.

for flowers keep in mind that some (i.e lilies) are toxic to animals. I learned about lilies the hard way and ended up with an $1,000 vet bill. Here is a list of toxic and non-toxic plants. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/

THANK YOU Home Cure for finally making me give my kitchen floor a real cleaning. I am ashamed to admit I have lived in this apartment for a year and have never done more than wet Swiffer it. Its a 50+ year old linoleum floor, and I thought it was a lost cause. Last night I washed it in sections to try out various cleaners I had on hand- I really can't bear the idea of using Ammonia or spending $8 on a special bottle of floor cleaner, especially when my cleaning supplies are limited to what a small file box sized tote can hold (I'm in 250 sq feet; my kitchen is actually pretty good sized for a place like this, maybe 8x8 feet, big enough to eat in!).
Oxyclean = not so good. Leave white streaks.
Simplegreen = ok, though I hated dumping half my bottle of concentrate into a bucket to clean the floor!
White vinegar = probably the best, and cheapest, seemed to dry fastest too.
I just topped it off with some Mop & Glo (I know, its not the best, but I had it on hand) and once I can move everything back in I can vacuum my main room again.

Since I'm still unpacking boxes and installing a floor (cork planking--saving the planet and Portugal's economy at the same time!), there was no mopping. But I did get some lovely pink tulips, a couple of Method products, and a chenille microfiber dust mop that did a super job on the part of the slate floor I could reach.

I love flowers for my apt! This just inspired me to post an entry http://www.liujia.me/2013/01/08/the-days-with-flowers-%E6%9C%89%E8%8A%B1%E7%9A%84%E6%97%A5%E5%AD%90/

I used to buy flowers for myself often but have fallen out of that habit. I am happy to get back in it, though. I shared about what flowers I got for this assignment on my blog here: http://turningithome.blogspot.com/2013/01/apartment-therapys-cure-day-3.html. So far, it's been my favorite assignment! :)