30 Days of Pinterest: Day 30

Woo! Day 30. I managed to stick with it! I wanted to try today’s methods out on my own kitchen but fortunately it was never too dirty. So when I got the chance to clean someone else’s, I decided I’d try some of the baking soda tips I'd read here and here.

This is what the cooker hob looked like before.

When mixing up the baking soda, I added just enough water to make a thick paste. Then I spread on the hob and left for about 15 minutes before scrubbing off. This was the results!

Now, it does require some elbow grease to get the tough parts off but this has honestly worked better than any other products I’ve used. So when I moved onto cleaning the shower, I decided to try it there. Instead of making a paste, a just sprinkled the baking soda in the shower and scrubbed with a just damp sponge. This was a half way through shot, the right side you can see is nice and clean!

I also used it to unblock the drain, put the baking soda down the drain and followed with some vinegar. The result is a fizzing that helps unclog the drain. I also used it in the sink as well. I still have some cleaning to do so I’m sure I’ll find some more uses for it!

A nice side by side picture!

Decluttering my room (and life)

I warned you all last year, I’m a horrible procrastinator. This time last summer I swore that I’d clean my room out. And did I? No, I bloody well didn’t. Don’t get me wrong! It was tidied and cleaned a bit throughout the year (Despite what others around me might say and think!), but I never got down to it and cleared out all the junk. Two weeks ago, I started this epic quest, to get rid of everything that’s no longer used, has any use or that I’ve grown out of. And boy is it amusing!
It turns out that not only am I a serious procrastinator but I’m also a major hoarder. These do not go hand in hand, it’s just a good thing these are in some weird balance, cause if they weren’t I’d be on an episode of Hoarders or something. We moved into this house in 2001, so it could have been a lot worse. Let’s take a look at what I’ve found in my room so far.

1. Instruction Manual for a Walkman! Bear in mind I was 9 when I got a Discman. So I haven’t owned a Walkman for 14 years. Why the hell do I have an instruction manual for this?! (On a side note, I was on a train in February and I spotted someone using a Walkman. And not in an ironic hipster kind of way. Unless this was a hipster granny. Hmmm, Hipster Granny, sounds like a comic book…).

2. A bunch of Christmas cards from when I was 10 and upwards. Completely useless! Although hilarious to read as so many people could never spell my name right. Something I’ve addressed in the comments of this post by CherrySue.

3. Speaking of hilarious, I have some letters that my now 17 year old cousin sent me when she was probably 7 or 8. Bless! I’m debating scanning them up on Facebook to show her, but I’m not sure if she’d like it or not! (Hi Emma!)

4. Magazines dating back to when I was 12 or so. Yep, teeny magazines that I have no use for anymore. As well as plenty other magazines from the last 10 years that I probably don’t have any use for but keep on to just in case I want to read them again (rarely happens).

5. Beanie Babies. I haven’t counted them, but probably a billion of them (or like 30 maybe?). While I have no issue throwing away magazine and cards from my childhood, I’m not sure I can part with these. Or at least some of these. I spent ages building up my collection and some that were gifted to have very sentimental.

This is just scratching the surface of what I’ve found. Old clothes that no longer fit. Books that belong to my Aunt, some read, some still unread. Stacks and stacks of blank CDs that have been filled with all sorts of music and no labels on them. College notes from last year. I’m still expecting to find some Junior Cert notes when I dig deep into my storage space! I’m sure there will be a part two of this, once I get some more cleaning done. Not sure when that will be, I have loads of, em, more important stuff to do (like write blog posts, bake and play computer games…).
Pictures from here, here, here and here.

In times of stress (part 2)

Different people find different things stress busting, it's a well known fact. And I know I'm not alone when I say I find cleaning stress relieving. To some, this sounds alien and something that would possibly stress them out more. For others, it's therapeutic. Of course for me, cleaning for stress relief does not include my room, oh no that's always a chore. For me, it has to be good ol' fashioned housework. To really work that stress away, there has to be lots of scrubbing, polishing, dusting, hoovering and mopping, getting right down to the nitty gritty. However, I also find organizing things can have a calming effect, I used to sort all my books and cds when I was younger and still do to a certain extend now.

And while on the subject of organization, another thing that seems to soothe my anxieties is making lists. Be it food shopping, what I have to do around the house, what I want to read next (or even things that relieve stress!), whatever it is, it does help. I suppose it's like airing out your mind and getting it all into order. Doesn't even matter if I don't stick to them, cos then I can write some more!

And lastly for now, music is a great mood buster. Sometimes when I'm down I like to listen to some sad songs, just for a bit to get it out of my system and then move on to something happier to cheer myself up (most likely some 80s music and/or something I can sing/screech along to). And if I'm angry, well there's so many songs out there that are perfect for venting frustration but the one that comes to mind straight away for me is Caught Out There by Kelis. 'I Hate You So Much Right Now!', don't think I could have put it better myself!

I have a secret....

I'm a serial procrastinator. Ok, so maybe it's not that much of a secret to some people but I'm hoping that by admitting it like this it will help me recover some of my much missed motivation.

I used to be seriously organized and motivated but all shreds of that are long gone. It's gotten so bad that the self confessed magazine queen that I am has bought a few magazines the past month and instead of devouring them in one sitting like I usually would, they are still sitting there half read (though that could be because I'm getting bored of reading the same articles over and over again, that's for another post methinks). I think the saying 'If you want someone to do something for you, ask a busy person' is so true, I have a list of things as long as my arm to complete, some so easy and yet seeing as there is no real urgency to complete them and I haven't got a lot on my plate right now, the list keeps piling up. I need some sort of deadline to put on myself so right here and now, I vow that by this time next week I will have cleared that list.

One of those things on my list is to clean my bedroom. Sounds easy enough but believe you me, it's not. I came home from college and just kinda landed my stuff in my room and that was it. Bags and boxes have become covered with more bags. My wardrobe might as well be completely empty, seeing as the floor has now become the wardrobe (though at least Tim the Clothes Camel feels loved and used). I would take a picture to put up on here but the holy mortifying shame is too much for me to handle. It's strange, I love the rest of the house to be clean and tidy and enjoy doing most household chores but when it comes to my room, that has never been the case. I think that needs to be the main thing on my list, declutter this room. In doing so, I hope that it will help me declutter my mind and kick start that motivation. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it!