In the classic musical Annie there's a great line imitating Miss Hannigan during the "Hard-Knock Life" number that I always think of when I'm mopping the house:"You'll stay up until this floor shines like the top of the Chrysler Building." The image of how that landmark sparkles in the skyline is actually a great motivator for me. But, sadly, the plot, which involves the hard labor of orphans, isn't the nicest thing. But, it turns out that there is a trick to making your floors sparkle just so, and it has nothing to do with child labor or actually mopping.
Depending on where you live, if you haven't been
excessively watering your yard like Lance Armstrong, you may not need to mow your lawn come Fall. But if you've gone though a muggy, rainy Summer in the Midwest, I'm sure your lawn is in need of a trim. After your last mowing of the season, you should clean out your lawnmower of its flammable fuel, and send it into hibernation for the Winter.
It's not only your
beauty regimen that should incorporate an antiaging system. You should also keep your household supplies looking good until they're on their very last legs. Brooms, especially natural fiber brooms, are really built to last, unless you're careless with them.
As much as a I hate to have bugs in my personal space, I'm also repelled by having chemicals on my skin. I prefer to be free of those artificial substances whenever possible. When it comes to keeping bugs away, I live by the same rules.
Yet again, Martha Stewart wins me over with an ingenious and simple craft project. By gluing wooden plant markers to a wooden planter box, and painting it white, you can create your very own indoor white picket fenced garden. Here, herbs are grown, but you can certainly choose any plant you like.
Danny Seo recently shared a wonderful tip
on his blog to keep water from rushing out of your gutters too quickly, and I had to share. "Just connect a chain to the downspout of your gutters and let the rain slowly and gently trickle all the way down the chain," he says. The softening rain chain creates a beautiful sound when the rain dances down the chain, adding a sweet musical element to your home.
It's hard to enjoy your
endless Summer if bee stings come hand in hand with taking a dip in your pool. But bees have many uses for water, including drinking and using as material to build hives. So, unless there's another source of water nearby, you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be making a poolside visit.
If your home is smelling a little pungent thanks to good old-fashioned Summer sweat or maybe the fish and chips you fried up for dinner, you can make a natural air freshener to kick those odors to the curb. During your
endless Summer, citrus is the key to keeping things smelling sweet. Peel off the rinds of lemons, oranges, grapefruits, or what have you and simmer them in a large pot.
Having a vibrant home is crucial to an
endless Summer. For some, that may translate to kids running through the house wet from a sprinkler, and others, a fresh coat of paint and some perky new throw pillows. But, I try not to always advocate consumerism because it really shouldn't be necessary to buy, buy, buy with each new season.
You can't have an
endless Summer if your house looks like it's ready for a blizzard; you and your home should live and breathe the warm season until the leaves turn. So, if you've got a fireplace in your home, get to work and clean it. Store your fireplace tools and logs out of sight until next season.
