The Secret to a *Really* Clean House NO ONE TOLD ME!!!!!!!!!

I used to think I was a clean and tidy person. Then I had children, and… not so much. I struggled to keep up with the basics of dishes and laundry, let alone the deep cleaning that I knew needed to be done. New checklists and routines only worked for a few days, till this weekend! Now I have truly discovered the secret to getting a deep cleaned home, that is guaranteed to stick!! And I’m here to share it with you! Scroll down to discover this AMAZING secret for yourself!!!!!

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The secret to a really clean home is… CATCH A DISEASE!!!!! (Or bug, virus, parasite, etc)

Yes, it really IS that simple!

Here’s how it works:

(Certain names and details may have been change to protect involved parties.)

1. Discover you have said disease/bug/etc in your home.
2. Call doctor and obtain necessary medication; meanwhile, send hubby to the store for antibacterial spray and wipes.
3. Wash your hands, and scrub counters/sinks/obvious germ culprits.
4. Go online to WebMD and read about the life span, life cycle, egg laying, and propagation of said infection.
5. Immediately take shower, bathe children, wash all sheets, towels, and your entire wardrobe, just in case you touched it trying to decide what to wear that morning.
6. Dust whole house and vacuum the floors.
7. Chat with your neighbour and swap medical horror stories.
8. Return home to wash down all your walls, steam clean all the floors, and bleach the bathroom, all of it, top to bottom.
9. Take another shower.
10. Fight children into another bath.
11. Google natural organic remedies you may not have considered, in case the medicine doesn’t work, and implement as needed.
12. Call the doctor regarding his preferred anti-anxiety medications.
13. Sit down and enjoy your CLEAN, GERM-FREE home!!!!
14. Recheck WebMD, in case there was anything you missed. Reread about the spread of said disease, & remember that you have to go outside tomorrow.
15. Repeat.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! It’s THAT easy! From now on, you have a spotless, REALLY clean home (and certified paranoia)!

31 Days of Cheap & Free Decor: Day 31- Be Content

You know what the absolute cheapest way to decorate your home is? Be content with less.

I love that I've been given ways to furnish and decorate my home cheaply. I love that the internet and DIY show me how to give old furniture a second life. I want to have a home that is beautiful, calming, welcoming. I want to have a home that people love to visit.

But a home can also be an idol. And furnishing it and decorating it can be an idol as well. If I continue to always want more, better, newer, cooler... that could still be greed. If I'm worried about what people think when they visit, that could be fear of man. If I'm wanting change all the time (even if it's free), that could be discontentment.

Check your heart. (As I've realised I need to check mine.) God gives us good things. God gives us earthly joys and pleasures. But check your motivation. Are you building a sweet home to provide joy and comfort for your family and those you have over? Or are you building a cushy little kingdom- to your comfort, your good taste, your diy abilities. What are you hoping for with every project you complete?

A friend of mine admitted once that as she sat down to start a project, she realised she was already imagining all the great feedback she'd get when she posted pictures online. I've been guilty of the same thing more often than I care to admit.

Maybe the best thing for your home to put away the paint and the sewing machine, log off Craigslist and ebay, and just sit. Thank God for what you do have. Maybe go for a time without something you know you could get cheaply, to remind yourself that you don't need every creature comfort right away. Look outside your home to the needs of those around you.

Maybe, for a time, do nothing new, and just be content.

31 Days of Cheap & Free Decor: Day 30- Don't Get Greedy

I'm a bit ashamed to admit this is a lesson I've been having to learn lately.

I've never thought of myself as a greedy person. I'm moved so often that I don't often become attached to things or places. My home has been almost entirely second-hand, and I liked it. I never felt like I had to have designer furniture, or even new. Didn't that at least get me out of the 'greed' category on sin?

Then came the coffee table incident.

I love my coffee table- I really do! The problem was that it was like the fourth coffee table I'd had in a month. Or close. When we first came, I used a black Ikea lack table. £5. Easy. It worked, but it was small, and more modern than I like. A couple months ago, someone lent us a small wood table. I liked the look much better, but still, it was more like an end table than a coffee table and we were constantly moving it around to whatever chair we were using. So, using some pallets and wood I found, I made another one (not pictured). I was okay... but an awkward size for our living room, and the pallets were a bit too uneven to sit a drink on. Then I found this, and yay! I love it!

But it wasn't just the coffee table. It was summer and people were clearing out. So I was picking up Freecycle finds a couple times a week.

In my mind, every change was an improvement. And they were free. But I realised that I was becoming known for having 'new' things, even if they were second hand. I realised that wanting something better can still be greed, even if it doesn't cost a penny.

There are some amazing bargains out there. If you have the time and freedom to pursue them- do! Enjoy it! Save your money for better uses and make your home a place of beauty on a budget! But don't let a constant desire for 'more' rule your life. Don't let greed slip in.

** Even Apartment Therapy has decided to write about greed this week!**