Cleaning With Back Pain

Back pain... OUCH!  Everyone, at one time or another, has or will experience back pain in their life.  regular  back pain usually last for about a week or so.  It is always best to check with your doctor first!!!

 About a year ago, I had severe sciatica.  This caused severe, SEVERE shooting pains that radiated from my lower back down the back of my leg.  This also cause numbness in my lower leg and foot.  I could not move for almost a month!  As my pain started to diminish, I realized my house needed a major cleaning!  I was terrified it do anything because I never wanted to feel pain like that again.  This is when I began asking my doctor and researching at-home ways to prevent the pain from EVER happening again. Although I haven't had another sciatic nerve flare up since, my back hasn't been the same since.  But a girls gotta work!

Here are some of the ways that I prevent future back pain and help relieve some of the regular back pain I sometimes experience.  (always ask your doctor first)

Ergonomics
Everyone has heard the phase "lift with your legs, not your back".  But what does that mean?  Let me break it down for you.  Plus, other ways to move properly while you get those chores done.

-In my opinion, this is the best way to prevent back pain.  I know it sounds cliché, but so true!  This is so simple, but easily forgotten.  Do this every time and it will become habit. Do not bend your back or neck when working in low areas.  Lower your body with the knees, like your squatting. Keeping your back straight and neck high.
 -If the chore your preforming required extend time in a lower area of on the floor, try kneeling. You can use support if needed.  Remember to keep that back tall and straight.
-Do NOT twist from your waist.  If you are reaching for something, move your feet so your whole body turns. 
-Keep frequently used supplies close by.  By eliminating the number of times your reach for an item, you eliminate your chance of a strain.
-Practice good posture everyday.  Sit up, stand tall, and suck it in!

Tools of the Trade
There are a number of items you can use to make chores easier when your back is sore.  These same items may also help prevent further injuries.

-Get a back support belt.  In my experience, these belts do very little once your back is hurting.  But it is a great way to get a little extra support.  My favorite part, back support belts help to prevent  bending at the waist, which will help moving correctly a habit.
-Use the extension hoses on you vacuum.  This will help reduce the amount of bending and reaching preformed during vacuuming.
-Use the end of the broom.  This trick is very versatile.  Simply  wrap a damp rag around the end of your broom stick to wipe up low areas, such as behind the toilet or the floor boards.  No bending over!
 http://www.housekeepingchannel.com/a_576-Housework_and_Back_Pain

Thanks to my super stretcher, super model!

Stretching and Strengthening
-Stretching every day will help prevent future back injury.  There are a number of different stretches that focus on the back.  Every morning before I even step out of bed, I pull each of my legs to my chest, one at a time and hold the stretch for about 15 seconds.(refer to the cute little girl on the right)  It loosens up my tight back every time. Below is a site to help you find more stretching techniques that focus on the back.
http://gentlestretching.com/back_stretches.htm
-Try some yoga.  Yoga has worked miracles for me. Practicing yoga will improve flexibility and strengthen muscles gently. Plus, those yoga  poses are just so darn fun!
http://yogainternational.com/article/view/yoga-for-lower-back-pain/

Just in Case
No matter how careful I am, I still experience lower back pain regularly.  Here are some ideas to ease the pain

-Pre-treat.  Start long days with an anti-inflammatory such Advil. (Check with your doctor first)  Preventing pain from starting is the key to treating back pain.
-Move around a little.  In my experience, when I experience regular back pain it only gets worse when I lay around not doing anything.  Move around a little.  Take a short walk or do a little stretching.  Only do what your body tells you is right because over working will make things worse.
-Heat.  Use a heating pad twice a day for about 15 minutes.  Be sure to place a barrier between the heat and your skin so you don't get burned.
-Always check with your doctor if your back pain does not get better in a few days or your experience any other symptoms along with the back pain.

As I leave you to ponder these wonderful ideas, remember, take your time!  Overdoing it and pushing through the pain will only make a aggravated back even angrier.









 

Tip of the week: 30 Seconds to a Cleaner Home

If your like me, you save all your major household chores for the weekend.  There's so much going on through the week, cleaning MY house is the last priority.  But, I have a few tricks I use that make the major chores just a little easier.  The best part... they only take about 30 seconds!  Now there is no excuse (but I'm sure I can find one) not to do a little clean-up in every room, every day!

Kitchen
Wipe down the appliances
Sprinkle baking soda in the trash can to absorb odors

Living Room
Dust the TV Screen
Empty the vacuum cleaner dirt bin or change the vacuum bag

Bathroom
Empty the bathroom trash can
Clean the mirrors

Bedrooms
Dust the air vents
Wipe down the blinds
Make your bed!!!


Have fun!

No Point Crying Over Spilled Wax

Wipe those tears away, I have a wonderful tip for those of you who have spilled wax on your carpet.  I know we've all done it at one time or another. You blew a candle out just a little to hard or moved a candle before the wax has set up. Whatever the situation, this trick will get the wax OUT!

Supplies

- Iron
- Brown Paper Bag
- Goo Gone (optional)
- White Cotton Cloth (optional)

How- To

This is so easy.  It is basically a one step clean-up. 

After the iron is warmed up,  place your brown paper bag over the wax spill.  Then, run the hot iron over the paper bag until you see the residue from the wax on the bag.  Move the a clean part of the bag over the spill and continue running the iron over the bag.  Repeat this process until no more waxy residue seeps through the paper bag.

If there is any remaining wax, spray a small amount of Goo Gone on the area. Always test a hidden area before spraying onto large area, but the Goo Gone did not affect my brown carpet.  Let the Goo Gone sit for 30 seconds then gently rub clean with a white cotton rag.

This works beautifully, both with or without the Goo Gone.  Try this trick and let me know how it worked for you!
 

 

Tip of the Week: 5 Random Cleaning Tricks

                                               

 

1. Make dusting between small spaces and cracks a breeze by using an old make-up brush.

2. Remove blood from fabric with hydrogen peroxide. Pour a small amount of peroxide onto a cleaning rag and gently rub until the stain is gone. (Always test a small area first)

3. Remove chewing gum from most surfaces with ice.  Rub an ice cube over the gum until it hardens.  Then scrape it off with a dull butter knife.

4. Remove permanent marker from almost any surface by spraying with hair spray.

5. Clean window screens with ease by covering a sponge with nylon stockings.

Keeping Your Mani Looking Fresh... Even Through Cleaning the House

 

When you put in the time, effort, and money to keep your nails looking good, you want them to last for more than a day! But it seems like the minute you wash that first dish your mani is done for. *sigh!* In a perfect world, I could get my nails done and then sit on the couch with my feet up for the next week looking at my nails, eating Bon Bons, and watching soaps. But I don't live in a perfect world, and I'm willing to be you don't either! So I've gathered up a few tips to keep that mani looking fresh while still living life in this imperfect world.

Moisturize

My first, and probably most important, tip is to keep those digits slathered in lotion. This is especially important now that the dry winter months are upon us.  This will keep your cuticles in shape, help prevent hang nails, and keep your nails growing strong and healthy.

Buff 'em

Buff your nails before polishing them. This will provide for a smooth, even surface for the polish. Polish is less likely to chip off smooth nails

              
Clean 'em

Wipe your nails down with nail polish remover, even if you don't have any old nail polish on. The nail polish remover will clean away any oils and dirt.  This will create a clean canvas for your nail polish. When nails are clean, polish can adhere to them more strongly.
             
Top Coat

Apply a protective top coat to your nails. Choose a clear top coat that purports its strengthening and protective qualities. Reapply the top coat every few days to keep the polish protected.

Sit Still             

This is the hardest step for me to follow! Let the polish fully dry before participating  in any activities. If you disturb the polish before it is fully set, it won't have time to bond with your nails, which will make it more likely to chip later.
             
Protect Your Investment

Whether you did a DIY manicure, or paid for a pro manicure, protect the time and/or money you put into making those nails pretty. Wear rubber gloves whenever you clean and wash dishes. The chemicals in most cleaning products eat away at polish, causing them to chips. Just keeping your hands in water, like when you wash dishes, can destroy your manicure. Rubber gloves will protect your nails from damage.

Check out this site for even more nail care tips
http://www.hairsprayandhighheels.net/2013/07/nail-care-routine/
 

Tip of the Week: A Clean Refidgerator, Always & Forever

All you need to keep your refrigerator clean  for the rest of you life (seriously!) is a roll of Glade Press N Seal and the two simple steps listed below.  You will love me forever for making your life just a little easier! 

The first thing you need to do is an initial cleaning of your refrigerator.  I know, I know! This doesn't sound like fun but, I promise, this will be the last time you will have to deep clean your fridge, so enjoy it!

Now that you've cleaned  your fridge, line all the shelves, including the shelves on the door, with Glade Press N Seal. 

That's it!  If you spill something on the shelves or they start to get sticky simply peel off the dirty Press N Seal sheet and replace it with a fresh sheet.  You should probably change out all the sheets every 6-12 months just to keep your refrigerator fresh and clean!

I don't pretend to take credit for this ingenious idea. Nor do I remember where I read it, so no, I can not cite my work. But, I've been doing this myself for a few years now and I haven't had to deep clean my fridge ever since!

The Dreaded Junk Draw

My Junk Draw

Junk Draw, Catch All, Fibber Magee, whatever you call it... We all (with the exception of my dad❤️) have one!  About once a year I TRY to clean and organize my junk draw but it never lasts for more than a couple weeks. Mine is overwhelmingly messy right now (refer to picture) so it's time to clean it, but this time I've picked up some new tricks to help me get organized and stay organized (hopefully). And to help you do the same!

So, to start with, I took out as much of the "junk" that ended up in the draw due to my laziness and relocated these items to their proper home. Then, I threw out the larger pieces of trash. Now that I think about it, it may have been easier to pick out the trash first, but I still achieved the same end result. 

After picking through SOME of the junk I dumped the whole draw out on to a table. I then wiped all the crumbs and dust from the empty draw, paying special attention to the corners. 

Now for the fun part, organizing!! The inspiration for this project was some draw organizers I found at, you guessed it, the Dollar Tree. There were a few colors I could choose from, but the color wasn't a big concern for me.  They also had metal wire basket type draw organizer, but I decided on the plastic organizers so that none of the smaller items would fall through the bottom. 

The next step was deciding on what REALLY belongs in that draw. I decided on only trying to keep items in there that I need easy access to or don't fit in other organizational categories. There was a lot of stuff in my draw that did not belong or was trash, so that made organizing what did belong very easy!  From there I just started grouping like items together in like piles. This gave me a better idea of what I was really going to keep in this jungle of a draw.


On a totally unrelated note, I think I have a chapstick problem! I had 9 tubes of Burt's Beeswax in my junk draw. I guess I need to do inventory before I buy anymore chapstick!

Holy Chapstick, Batman!

After that, I simply placed draw organizers in the draw.  Then I began putting the items that I have decided belong in and around the draw organizers.  As I said before, my junk draw caught a lot of stuff that didn't really belong there, so this was the easiest part of the process for me. 
 

My draw looks amazing! Now, I just need to keep it that way.  Do you have any tips to help me keep an organized Junk Draw?  I just KNOW this will not last...Help!

Finished Product