Living Clean

All Blog Posts (81)

Getting Started Making 'Home Order' a Higher Priority.

So I'm just getting started making 'home order' a higher priority than it has been in the past. "Living Clean" without KAOS as Jan says....

I realize that I have lived at a breakneck pace, using my home more as a place to 'dash through,' than as a home which invites me, my family, and friends to rest and renewal.

But as long as I breath it is not too late to begin treating my home in a new way. That is to begin living in a new way.

Between work, family, and… Continue

Added by Deanne Gibbs-Brown on August 9, 2009 at 4:43pm — No Comments

DAY 10 - A New Look At Inlaws

Yesterday my mother and father in law popped over. It's been awhile since they have been here and they have seen a few things that have probably made them want to run screaming from the room I'm sure.

I usually do a running inventory of all the stuff I 'wish' I had done when they come in.

NOT TODAY

Today, although their visit was unexpected, I saw a few messes around but it wasn't the overwhelming kind of MESS that can knock an unsuspecting person right out of… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 29, 2009 at 8:54am — No Comments

Day 9 - BOOST Circuit Saves Toe!

Not!

Yesterday I didn't do my BOOST. It's 'that time of month' and I was feeling really disoriented and tired. On top of all the activity going on and too many late nights, I couldn't even tell you what I did most of the day.

The good news is that the BOOST circuit actually does allow for a day of rest, for the most part I choose not to take it because I like the results and don't find it to be a huge deal most of the time.

The other good news is that missing… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 27, 2009 at 10:05am — No Comments

Day 8 - My Baby Graduated Junior Public - whahhhh!

Yesterday was quite busy with a last minute trip down to the hairdresser so that my daughter could get her hair cut for her grade 6 grad, next year she goes to senior public. She will love it.

It is the end of an era for me. At one time all 3 of my kids were in junior public and it seems like it would always be that way.

Now one is out of school completely, my middle daughter is going into grade 11 and youngest is moving on.

It's hard to believe.

So,… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 26, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

Day 7 - Floors Washed Before Daughter Leaves for School

Yesterday I barely squeaked through in getting my BOOST finished.

Today I totally rocked it out.

The first reason is that I took the extra time even though I didn't really feel like it to vaccuum on the floor that our kitchen/office/bedroom is.

This set me up perfectly when this morning came along. I noticed that the dog area needed changing (our pom is paper trained because she can't get to the front door… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 24, 2009 at 8:30am — No Comments

Day 6 - I Almost Didn't Do It

We've been having some great summer weather and I my schedule has been a little loser than usual. (knock on wood!)

Funny, I seriously considered skipping my BOOST today.

Why?

Mostly because I missed my morning session which put me off of my schedule. I almost forgot that I didn't do it.

And then when I remembered I almost didn't bother.

But I did and now I'm glad that I did.

There were a few things that needed 5 minutes and I… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 23, 2009 at 5:55pm — No Comments

Day 5 - Long Time No Blog!

You may have noticed that there were some problems accessing the iShine site. I got out of the habit of writing my daily BOOST blog post so I am going to pick it back up now!

I am still going strong and getting more blown away every day at what has been happening here.

The biggest win is that my family members have really been jumping on board.

My son was kind of tip toeing across the kitchen floor. He had been helping his dad do some lifting so I thought he… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 22, 2009 at 12:42pm — No Comments

Freedom - Day 4

Today I realized as I pecked away at my BOOST Housework Circuit that in a relatively short time I've achieved a freedom that I has been missing for quite some time.

The freedom to go somewhere if I choose without having to leave the house in a state or scheduling time to clean up.

The freedom to have people drop by without my scurrying to clean something up, or feeling 'caught' again because I hadn't gotten around to… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 6, 2009 at 12:17pm — No Comments

Sparkle - Day 3

Today was a much better day.

I did so well yesterday that i contemplated skipping today.

DANGER! WARNING! DON'T EVEN GO THERE!

Although I could have, and picked up tomorrow without any dire consequences, I'm glad that I didn't.

Firstly because it sets a bad precedence.

Very bad.

This is the first step on the way to finding ourselves someday right back in the mess and wondering what happened.

Secondly because every day… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 5, 2009 at 2:48pm — No Comments

Oy Vey! Day 2

I've been really interested to see the goings on lately. It's been like Murphy's Law on steroids for about 2 weeks, almost as long as I've been back on my BOOST circuit.

What is really interesting, is that the exact same thing happened the last time I was really excelling with it. Everything started breaking and generally caused enough diversion and distraction that I went off of my routine and never got back at it for… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 4, 2009 at 11:26am — No Comments

I Can Do More Than I Think - Day 1

I've been doing my BOOST Circuit for awhile now but today is the first day that I am starting my BOOST journal.

I will record what went well, surprised me, was interesting etc and also what I may be able to do better.

As time goes by, it will be a good record to go over and get ideas from.

I've done this kind of thing in the past and it can often be repetitive.

But in the repetition I can… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on June 3, 2009 at 7:01am — No Comments

Another Good Day

Tuesdays I am out of the house by 8:30 a.m.and not home until 4:00 p.m. Well, this morning I was up by 5:30, walked, finished most everything on my Boost list. It felt so good walking into the house this afternoon and seeing a neat and pretty clean house.

The thing I would like to do better still is just do one thing at at time. My big boo boo today was I set up the slow cooker with a slow cooker meal and forgot to plug it in. Duh! When my husband got home from golf about noon he… Continue

Added by Lori Chase on June 2, 2009 at 6:37pm — No Comments

Day one

I feel like I accomplished a lot today in a short amount of time. I volunteered a good portion of today, but after walking this morning I had an hour to accomplish quite a bit. Since I have not been in a routine lately I have allowed at least 15 minutes in each area. I didn't accomplish all, but wow, what I did accomplish was great.

The one thing I would like to do better is to not become distracted from what I am doing.

Added by Lori Chase on June 1, 2009 at 8:05pm — 3 Comments

What to Do? What's Nagging You or the Next Big Thing...

It's the long weekend here and I find myself with a few hours to do what ever I want.

Hmmm.

It comes down to two things.

What's nagging me.

Or what will give me the biggest bang for my hours.

I have a few options...

Work in the garden before the bugs come out - I will thank myself later.

Do a little more clean of a few piles that are taking up prime real estate around here.

Paint a chair. I have an old… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on May 18, 2009 at 1:49pm — No Comments

Breaking News! Smoothie Explosion!

OK, it's not that dramatic but it is big news at our house.

I've been really hitting it lately with stepping up my nutrition and eating habits, primarily through drinking more green smoothies and raw foods.

I am still eating cooked things, but not in any large amount and only things that I feel have got good nutritional benefit.

I'll have recipes and more about my actual eating tips and habits on the… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on March 13, 2009 at 11:39am — No Comments

The Grass Couldn't Be Greener on THIS Side!

Have you ever heard the saying "The grass is always greener on the other side"?

Well, our grass is still under snow for the most part, but it's plenty green around here anyway!

We're getting 'green and clean' with our Spring Cleaning Challenge, I've started some plants in my aerogarden and as soon as I have a minute will be planting my tomatoe… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on March 11, 2009 at 5:30am — No Comments

2009 - In With a Bang!

In many ways I'm just getting my feet wet with 2009.

Our electricity was out for a 5 days starting Dec. 27, then to add insult to injury, our septic pipe backed up.

Laundry, dishes, showers. All running into a frozen line that landed in my kitchen!

I highly don't recommend you try that at home!

How is your new year coming along so far?

More importantly, what's your big thing?

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO BIG

Your… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on January 9, 2009 at 5:03am — No Comments

Clean Up Your Messy House Tour with Peter Walsh on Oprah - Did You See It?

Anyone doing the Clean Up Your Messy House Tour on Oprah that Peter Walsh is organizing?

I watched the show yesterday - of course.

It's the one show that I try to catch most days, and I wouldn't miss Peter Walsh or 'the tour' and the words of wisdom about clutter, messy houses and how to get it cleaned up and organized.

Oprah says, "Your Home Should Rise Up to Meet You".

That's the exact feeling that I find so… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on November 13, 2008 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Something Big

I've been doing really well in sticking to my morning housework routine lately.

Part of the reason is that it is really showing. I am excited to get started because I am

peeling back layers, like an onion.

Every week shows noticeable improvement on some of the things that had been put to the

backburner.

But this morning, I found myself not so excited to get started.

THERE IS ALWAYS… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on November 11, 2008 at 6:10am — No Comments

I Need a New Cupboard - NOT!

I was looking around my kitchen this morning and I realized that I am collecting small appliances that need a home.

It seems to me not long ago that they were all nestled into my kitchen cupboards, unseen, ready to go when I needed them, but until then, not causing any commotion.

I'm not really sure what happened, I've looked and there is not a spare place to be found.

So I immediately thought, I sure could use another cupboard for these… Continue

Added by Jan Ferrante on October 29, 2008 at 9:19am — No Comments