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Squeaky Clean Challenge Day #9 - The Dining Room

• Clear the dining room table and any side tables/cabinets/counters of clutter
• Dust
  • Make your own Swiffer Reusable Dusters
• Wash table cloth if it has gotten dusty 
• Polish silverware etc
  • Make your own Silver Polishing Cloths
• Check the fabric chair-covers for stains, and clean if neccessary 
• Wash windows and mirrors 
  • Make your own sparkle spray window cleaner
• Mop or vaccuum the floor

Brand new to the MomsBudget Squeaky Clean Challenge?  Click here for all the details, plus get the full list of all thirty days.   Comment below when you are done with today’s task!

Squeaky Clean Challenge Day #8 - The Living Room

Do a ten second tidy, gathering up items that really belong elsewhere in the house.
Dust and straighten items on mantel, coffee and end tables, clearing out anything that belongs elsewhere.
Remove old TV Guides, magazines, newspapers etc that can go into Recycling.
Clean the floors.
Clean the TV screen - you can be astounded at how much clearer the picture will be without the layer of dust! (How to prevent dust build up on glass & televisions)
Check sofa cushions. Spot clean or flip if needed. Straighten if neccessary.
Dust blinds, lampshades, bookshelves and all other places that accumulate dust. (Make your own Swiffer Duster reusable dusters)
Clean curtains (How to clean & wash curtains)

Brand new to the MomsBudget Squeaky Clean Challenge?  Click here for all the details, plus get the full list of all thirty days.   Comment below when you are done with today’s task!

Some people get really good about packing lunches to save money, for themselves, their partners and their kids.  But did you know that if you don’t pack some sort of drink, the temptation to buy an expensive coffee drink or even just soda pop out of the vending machine can put a serious dent in your carefully planned budget?

Think how much the vending machine charges for a can or bottle of soda, juice or even bottled water at your work.  Now compare that to what you can pick up the same thing for at the grocery store… huge difference, right?  And even if you have packed a lunch, sometimes thirst is what does the budget in because it is so easy to buy a drink. 

Make sure you pack a drink with all the lunches you pack.  Juice boxes for kids are frequently on sale, or you can buy re-usable drink box containers and fill them yourself each day - which also means you can dilute them with water to cut down on the amount of sugar, or even just add ice cubes, since they will melt by lunchtime.  If your partner insists on soda, buy cans or bottles in large packs, then send one each day.  Or pack tea bags or bring a small packet of hot chocolate into the office and use the hot water there.

Don’t forget we also have plenty of drink mix recipes at MomsBudget, so you can leave a jar of these inexpensive homemade drink mixes right in your office, or bring a plastic bag with enough for a cup each day.

If you have had to replace carpet in the past few years, you know just how expensive it can be!  There are fortunately some tricks to keep your carpet looking newer and lasting much longer.  Here are some things you can do to ensure your carpet has a longer life span

Take off the shoes
Yes, what your mother had nagged about you as a child really works.  Shoes add to the war and tear of the carpet, even if they are perfectly clean.  Make it a rule to never wear shoes in the house, even if they look perfectly clean on the bottoms.

Wear slippers or socks
Have a look at your child’s bare feet and you will probably be amazed at just how grubby they actually are, even when you think they haven’t been walking anywhere in bare feet other than just inside.  And not only that, since feet sweat, walking barefoot on carpet can deposit sweat and oils on the carpet too.  So keep everyone in socks or slippers when walking inside.

Rearrange the furniture
Carpet wears out in those heavy traffic areas first, so make a point of arranging furniture and other decor items around so that the same path doesn’t become completely worn out.  Switch around where the coffee table and sofas are, or move where the kitchen table is regularly (and it also helps to prevent one place having a concentration of spilled food if you have a messy toddler!)  if it is a hallway, place a plan or small table on one side, then switch sides every month or two. Christmas time is a great time to switch up, since most living rooms will be accommodating a large Christmas tree too.

Vacuum at least weekly
The longer dirt sits on carpet, the more opportunity it has to become ground in.  So make sure you regularly vacuum, with a once-a-week routine ideal.  And if you have a shedding pet, you will need to up that to twice or more a week.

Steam clean or hire cleaners
Once or twice a year either steam clean the carpets yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.  Keep your eye out for coupons in your coupon inserts, you will often find discount coupons available for a free room done or a bonus sofa cleaning when the carpets are done.