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January declutter challenge must haves

by Home Organising

Decluttering is more than just a trend it has surprising health benefits such alleviates anxiety and depression• Helps you sleep better
• Reduces allergies
• Creates a happier environment
• Gets you moving around the house

I have been sharing product choices to help keep spaces more organised across my socials but in case you have missed them I have popped a few of my firm favourites for the kitchen and bedroom here.

Kitchen Ideas

Lazy Susan

The amazing Lazy susan turntable will help you organise and locate your most used kitchen items like condiments, spices, and napkins. The spinning motion of this useful organizer allows you to access those hard-to-reach items in your pantry.

Expandable Spice Shelf

The three-layer design of this spice rack makes it easy for you to see the spice jars or condiment labels on the spice racks of different heights, which is convenient for you to use the spices when cooking.

Cupboard Shelf Organisers

These shelf organisers can create additional space in your cupboards, cabinets, wardrobes, and various countertops, keeping your things well organised and orderly stored around your home.

Recipe Organiser

If like me, you like to keep recipe pages from magazines then this folder will help you keep them nice and neat.

The Three-ring recipe binder comes with 50 plastic full-page sheet protectors, 16-tab dividers & 32 tab labels. If you find a recipe online Just print and slide it inside the plastic sheet protector to start creating your favourite recipes binder.

Bedroom Ideas

A few bedroom must haves to keep your bedroom organised and tidy, a clean tidy bedroom helps you sleep better and gives you a real sense of calm.

Hanger Bag

Everybody enjoys a nice and tidy wardrobe where you have all of your clothes organised with no empty hangers just sitting there waiting to be used, but sometimes when hangers aren’t being used there is nowhere else to put them other than on your clothing rack or at the bottom of the wardrobe. This hamper provides a new way to store your empty hangers. The foldable hanger basket allows you to neatly stack unused hangers, meaning less mess in your wardrobe and more room for your weekend outfits favourite outfits!

Jean’s Organiser

This Transparent Jeans Storage Box is convenient for you to locate clothes, wardrobe organiser is in a foldable design, saving time and space, which greatly improves the utilisation rate of wardrobe space.

Bedroom Drawer Organiser

If you are tired of rummaging through cluttered drawers and losing your items, then drawer dividers are the perfect solution.  

Honeycomb Sock Organisers

This is perfect for organising socks, ties, and belts. These organisers connect with buckles and will save you space for an even tidier home.

Hope you find these items useful and they help you in your organising and declutter process.

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Moth Season

by Bedroom Tips

Moth season in the UK runs from May until October, so one benefit of the cooler months is that we do not have to worry about moth infestations.  I am often asked how to rid of moths, especially the ones that get into your wardrobe and carpets, so I have put together some of my top tips using natural methods to help prevent them and keep them at bay.

Wardrobes & Cupboards 

Use Eucalyptus Oil – Wipe neat onto the inside of the doors and walls in your cupboard or wardrobe, alternatively add a few drops onto a padded coat hanger.

Use Lavender Oil – Pop some fresh lavender into small drawstring mesh bags and hang in your wardrobe and cupboards. Link to lavander: https://amzn.to/3SdMubk

Vacuum – Vacuum inside wardrobes and cupboards regularly, and look for any moth nests. 

Cedarwood Rings – These are fantastic, natural eco products that help keep moths at bay. Hang on hangers or put inside drawers. They will last for up to 3 months. Link to Cedarwood Rings: https://amzn.to/3d18UfK

If moths have made their way into your wardrobe, they may have also begun to start nesting and laying eggs. If untreated, moths in our clothes can be the cause of skin irritation, blisters, and rashes.

Freeze any clothes or belongings that show any signs of moth activity. Keep these items in the freezer for at least 24 hours in a sealed plastic bag to make sure any larvae are killed off.

Wash clothes that contain larvae or eggs. Use the hottest setting you can and use the highest heat in your dryer. Wash and scrub any areas you found larvae or eggs with a vinegar and water solution.

The Carpet

Moths also enjoy taking residence in our soft furnishings and carpets. If you notice your carpet fraying or small white patches where they are eating away the fibres, you know you have a moth problem.

Keep Rooms Cool – Moths like warm areas where dead skin and hairs are present such as carpets, rugs, blankets, and bedding.

Steam Clean – Use a carpet cleaner or steam cleaning to kill off the eggs. Move and clean under furniture.

Lavender – Mix lavender, white vinegar and water then lightly spray your carpet daily.

Let the Light in – Keep curtains and blinds open when possible as moths don’t like natural light.

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pillow

How to look after and clean pillows

by Bedroom Tips

Every night we put our heads on our pillows but do we actually ever thinking about cleaning them?

Here in the UK we have had the best summer on record for many years.  It has been really hot at night and our bedding has needed changing more often than usual.  But do you think to wash your pillows? I have covered mattress cleaning before so lets now talk pillows and give them a little TLC.

Here are a few ways to help keep your pillow clean and fresh

Always use good thick pillow protectors and wash these every time you change your bedding.

If you pillows are made from polyester then these can go into the washing machine on a low heat using your usual detergent although DON’T use fabric conditioner.  I would advise that you do a double rinse to get as much of the suds out as possible. For the second rinse you can also add a cap-ful of White Wine Vinegar which will help get rid of any nasty odours and those yellow patches.

Once washed tumble dry as you will want your pillows to be as dry as possible plus the heat from the tumble dryer will also aid in killing more germs.  Put them on a relatively low heat and add in a few tumble dryer balls. The tumble dryer balls will help them dry faster and keep them fluffy too.

If you want to give you pillows a quick freshen without washing just pop them in the tumble for 15 minutes as the heat will kill germs.

Foam pillows are not as easy to clean and require a little more attention.  If you do decide to give these a wash choose a warm breezy day as you need to relay on the weather as these pillows CAN NOT be tumble dried. As pillows are quite big wash them using your bath tub. Fill you bath tub a quarter full and add in your usual washing detergent and again DO NOT use Fabric conditioner but add in some White Wine Vinegar if you fill you need it.

Using a large sponge hand wash your pillow well. Give it a good scrub and focus on any sweat stains.  Once you are satisfied that your pillows are clean.  Change to clear product free water and rinse them thoroughly. You will probably need to repeat this process a few times.   Once you are happy don’t go squeezing your pillow to get all of the water out.  Cover in a large bath sheet and soak up as much as the water as possible.

For drying you need a clean flat surface outside and you will need to turn the pillow on a regular basis. So I do highly advise that on a day you decide to do this you are at home most of the day.

If this whole process seem a bit to much which if I am completely honest it’s not easy then look at investing in some new ones. There are some reasonably priced foam pillows that you can buy and if you are going to replace them a few times a year then you really don’t want to spend too much. These one I have linked here are great value. Foam Pillows

Don’t forget animal shelters will be grateful of your old pillows.

#queenofcleaneffect

As always thank you reading Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This post contains affiliate links

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Do you have trouble sleeping

by Family Organising

Do you spend hours trying to fall asleep at night? Or perhaps you keep waking up in the night and never seem to get into a deep sleep? Insomnia can be frustrating and can have an effect on everything from your general mood to your physical health. There could be many reasons as to why you’re struggling to get to sleep – here are just a few possible reasons and how I can help you solve your sleep issues.

Are you stressed 

If life is stressing you out, you’ll likely have too much cortisol flowing through your body to get to sleep. Cortisol makes your mind and body more alert, which is good is a dangerous situation, but not good when you’re trying to sleep. You may not be able to remove stress triggers from your day to day life, but you should try to take the time to destress before going to bed – activities such as taking a long hot bath, listening to music or meditating will lower your cortisol levels and help you get to sleep.

Are you drinking enough water

Dehydration will cause you to keep waking up in the night with a dry mouth. If you’re drinking lots of water throughout the night and constantly waking up thirsty, consider whether you’re drinking enough water during the day. Ideally, we should all be drinking 2 litres (half a gallon) a day – which is about 8 glasses of water.

Are you consuming the wrong foods/drinks before bed

Your general diet can have a big impact on your sleep quality, but you should pay special attention to what you eat before you go to bed. Foods that are high in carbs or high in fat will give you lots of energy before going to bed, which you won’t have time to burn off. Coffee and dark chocolate meanwhile are full of caffeine, which will also keep you awake – these culprits should also be avoided. Good things to consume before bed that will help you sleep include milk, cherries, bananas and turkey.

Are you getting enough exercise

If you’re not getting enough exercise during the day, your body and mind won’t feel as tired. A lack of exercise can also make it hard for you body to differentiate between night and day. Start being more active during the day and you could find it easier to sleep.

Are you looking at too many bright screens before bed

Bright screens from TVs, mobile phones and laptops can trick our brains into thinking that it’s still daytime, preventing the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Try to not look at any bright screens an hour before bed and sticking to activities such as reading, meditating or having a bath.

Is your bedroom too bright

A bright colour scheme or too much light from outside could be similarly tricking your brain into thinking it’s day. Choose cool colours and consider blackout curtains that prevent outdoor light from getting into your bedroom.

Do you need a better mattress

An uncomfortable mattress could be preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep. Mattress comfort can be a matter of personal preference – some people prefer a hard mattress, whilst other prefer something soft and springy. Consider looking into new mattress materials reading this mattress toppers guide. Never use a mattress for more than 8 years as its likely to lose its comfort after this period and become unhygienic.

Do you need new bedding

Your sheets may also be keeping you up at night. Certain materials are better at staying cool on a hot night, whilst others are better at retaining heat in the winter. Some materials are also rougher than others such as fleece, whilst others are smooth like silk. This again is likely to be a matter of personal preference so consider trying out new sheets and seeing the difference.

Does your bedroom has bad air quality

If your bedroom is too stuffy, it could be causing you to wake up a lot in the night. Consider opening a window or growing houseplants in your bedroom to keep a fresh supply of oxygen in the room. If you’re getting mould in your bedroom, you may also want to consider investing in a dehumidifier to soak up moisture – mould can cause headaches and respiratory problems, which will keep you up at night.

There are too many distractions in your bedroom

Last but not least, you should consider what items you keep in your bedroom and for what other purposes you use it. Try to limit reminders of work or personal projects – put your laptop in another room. You may even want to consider doing without a TV and putting your phone in another room if this is a distraction that is likely to keep you awake.