Spring Cleaning Essentials

This post may contain affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure page for more info.

Spring Cleaning brings our homes back on track. We can throw our doors open, crank up the jams, and clean our heart out. I was so tired of the cold weather and ready for some spring flowers. Ready to rock some sandals and shorts already!

Here are some of the must-haves when it comes to spring cleaning.

Homemade Cleaners Quick-and-Easy, Toxic-Free Recipes by Mandy O’Brien and Dionna Ford 


Go natural with the cleaners- try and replace as many as you can. It's cheaper and better on your health.

Quick-and-Easy, Toxin-Free Recipes to Replace Your Kitchen Cleaner, Bathroom Disinfectant, Laundry Detergent, Bleach, Bug Killer, Air Freshener, and more…


 Swiffer Pads + Solution

A Swiffer is a must in my house. I think I would go bonkers without the ability to just go- I don't like traditional mops. The only negative thing was buying the pads and solutions. Throwing them away makes me feel guilty AND who wants to spend all that money anyway? SO DIY-er that I am, I searched how to create my own. These are the best tutorial that I could find.

DIY Swiffer Pad from Natural Nesters

All Purpose Cleaner

The kitchen is the most cleaned room in the house it seems. I am always doing dishes or wiping something down. Our food is prepared on the counters and being germ-free is a must. Choosing an all-purpose cleaner is the best way to go.


This Better Life ™ What-EVER! ™ Natural All-Purpose Cleaner is an amazing choice. Not only is it made with natural products, it has a very light scent. This would be the perfect cleaner for those who are sensitive to scents or certain ingredients.

Carefully formulated in the USA with natural ingredients, this plant-based solution effectively handles your toughest cleanups and is safe to use on any surface.


Toy Cleaner

Kids are like tornadoes at lightening speed with grubby hands. You wash their hands to de-germ and keep them clean. Now you can easily do the same for their toys and high chairs with this Dapple All-purpose cleaner. It’s natural and only cost $5. Great deal!

• Perfect for toys, high chairs, swings…even countertops.

Air Wick Life Scents

What better way to refresh your home and kick off the spring season than with the first-of-its –kind Life Scents home fragrance line by Air Wick?  Give your home a refreshing makeover, Capture and share the world's springtime best with Life Scents™ Spring Collection scents from Air Wick®. Life Scents™


Shark Rotator


The new Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away may be one vacuum, but its abilities are limitless. Essentially three vacuums in one, the capabilities will not only leave your floors, furniture, ledges, and even your ceiling fans looking as good as new, you yourself will feel better restored and refreshed for the spring.


Washing Machine Cleaner

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live without my washing machine. To give our always working washing machine a little TLC, get a washing machine cleaner. You can also choose to clean it naturally. Naturally Clean Your Washing Machine

“HE washers tend to hold water in certain components, becoming a breeding ground for mold and mildew and causing unpleasant odors.” DIYnaturals.com
Kill mold, mildew, and keep odors down inside your washer. Mixing Baking Soda and Vinegar will work just as well as store-bought

Cleaning Caddy

Photo: TheContainerStore
I love the Container Store. They have a large variety of storage solutions, which I love to look through. This ones has a large, open design to accommodate cleaning supplies, shower necessities, car washing accessories or dog grooming essentials.


Cleaning Help:
If you need a way to get all the cleaning organized, here is some help>
Cleaning Printables will help you get your weekly, daily, monthly, and entire family schedule organized.


Cleaning Tips:
Natural Kitchen Cleaning via Wellness Mama



What can’t you live without during your spring cleaning? Is there something you MUST-have?

Vinnebago- The Amazing Modern Canteen

 

Image Source: TheFrisky.com

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I received a sample for review purposes only. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.*

The Vinnebago isn’t just another bottle. It expands an age-old insulation technology to keep your drink cold (for 25 hours) or hot (for 12 hours). It has a beautiful modern, sleek design and goes where glass and plastic wouldn’t even have a chance.

Vacuum sealed, containing three walls of proprietary insulation, Vinnebago is the best-performing insulated bottle….ever!

Enjoy 25 Hours of cool. Vinnebago by Corkcicle is the ideal way to keep your beverages perfectly chilled while you’re on the go. No cumbersome cooler needed. No annoying “bottle sweating.” No Freezing Required.

Now you can bring those Pina Coladas down to the beach. Enjoy an ice cold Bud Light at the creek or refreshing cool wine by the pool. Not to mention ice cold water on those adventures and hikes that this spring and summer will bring.

Since there is no glass, it’s great for the slopes, hockey rinks, soccer fields, wherever.  Vinnebago can fit a full 750mL inside – equivalent to three cups.

How to use:

Step 1

Pour your favorite drink into the Vinnebago. Drinks must be poured in at the temperature you desire. (Already hot or cold). It keeps the temperature, not heats or cools anything.

Step 2:

Seal Vinnebago with screw-on cap. Wide mouth allows for spill-free transfer from bottle to your Vinnebago.

Step 3:

Enjoy! Your drink will remain virtually at the same temperature for up to 25 hours for cold drinks and 12 hours for hot ones.

*In order to maintain temperature, cap must be fully secured in place.

Thoughts**

The Vinnebago works like a high-tec sports bottle with an amazing modern design. There are two sides that are flat so that it’s easier to grip when pouring or sipping. It’s not only elegantly designed but made tough as nails. It can withstand drops and slips like a pro.

Image Source: DrinkMeMag.com

The outside of the black and white versions are NOT made with enamel or paint. So you don’t have to worry that it will chip/ wear off after using it for a period of time. I’ve washed it many times and it’s still the same as when I pulled it out of the box.

You do NOT wash this in a dishwasher. Wash it by hand with soap and a sponge/dishcloth so that the seal on the top stays secure. If you break the seal, it isn’t going to keep temperature. It has a wide spout (opening) so ice cubes definitely fit inside. That makes it even better!!

I’ve used the Vinnebago with both hot and cold beverages, and it totally gets a thumbs up on both. My mom bought a new house and I went with her to clean it up and move the stuff that was left in it. I HAD to bring my coffee, so I was thankful for the Vinnebago. No electricity in the house as of yet, so it was definitely a god send! Toted it in my purse with some sugar and a spoon (ha ha).

It took us quite awhile to get things done. About 6 hours I’m sure. I had to come back and get the kids off the bus. Guess what?? The coffee (the small amount that was in there) was still as hot as when I poured it in!! I would’ve drank it all but I was curious as to how hot it’d be after that period of time.

It’s finally been a little warmer here in KY, so we went outside and played for awhile. I brought the Vinnebago outside with us with juice in it. I just kept thinking how awesome this would be to have on trips to the park. (Mom, I’m thirrrsty) After they just drank their kid-sized juice bottles. I can bring the Vinnebago and have more play time before we have to leave or tug a ton of drinks with us.

Even thought it was placed directly in the sun, and still the juice was ice cold. Super awesome. We absolutely LOVE it!

Key Features

• Keeps beverages cold for 25 hours
• Keeps beverages hot for 12 hours
• Stainless steel construction--chemical free
• Vacuum sealed, proprietary three walls of insulation
• 25-ounce capacity (intentionally big enough to fit a full bottle of wine)

The Vinnebago retails for $29.95 and is available at www.corkcicle.com.

Connect with Corkcicle:

Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest

Air Wick Announces NEW Life Scents Collection! Constantly Changing Fragrances!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.

Have you heard? Air Wick is once again changing the home fragrance category with their NEW Air Wick Life Scents^TM Collection. This first of its kind collection features new scent technology with constantly changing fragrances crafted to mimic real life experience.

Air Wick® to Recreate Real Life Experiences with New Life Scents^TM Collection Constantly Changing Fragrances Help You Say What You Want to Say About Your Home

Unlike other home fragrances which feature only one scent, each scent uses patent-pending technology with three distinct fragrance notes that are easily experienced alone but also work together to provide one harmonious multi-dimensional experience which evokes unique, personal memories.

RB’s Air Wick® brand is introducing a first of its kind Life Scents collection, a collection of constantly changing fragrances that help us say what we want to say about their homes. The Life Scents collection features patent-pending technology that allows us to experience multi-dimensional fragrances at home.

Unlike ordinary home fragrances, Air Wick’s Life Scents collection is crafted to mimic real life experiences. Only Life Scents fragrances deliver a constantly changing, multi-dimensional experience of singular scent accords. Each Life Scents fragrance contains three distinct fragrance accords that are easily experienced on its own, however the notes also work together to provide one harmonious, multi-dimensional experience that evokes unique, personal memories.

“We wanted to create something that was truly innovative and new to the air care category,” said Tiffany McLaud, Air Wick Marketing Director. “The story your home tells is an important one and we wanted to provide consumers with a fragrance technology that helps to curate and personalize that story.”

How It Works: With their new Mom’s Baking fragrance, one person may smell vanilla first while another will immediately smell the scent of a homemade pie crust or a layer of baked pear.

Air Wick has also launched its Scent Decorator, a new tool designed to promote self-expression in the home.

Users are asked to choose a combination of images that match the environment they are looking to create at home. After selecting images, users are provided with a page detailing the desired mood, as well as Air Wickfragrances, home décor tips, and DIY projects they can use to curate their homes.

Both the Everyday and Spring collections are available in Scented Oils and Freshmatic Automatic Spray Refills in the following scents:

The Everyday Collection includes: Mom’s Baking, Paradise Retreat, Summer Delights and Sweet Lavender Days!

The Seasonal Spring Collection includes: Lush Hideaway, Mystical Garden, Turquoise Oasis, & Sunshine Gardens~!

^Everyday Collection>

                                 

Say ‘Welcome Home’ with Mom’s Baking. Vanilla, Pie Crust, Baked Pear. Enjoy the aroma of caramelized pears with a hint of spice, baked inside a crumbly, buttery pie crust topped with cool vanilla cream. The fragrance creates a sense of coziness and inspires warm childhood memories at home.

                     

Say ‘Get Away’ with Paradise Retreat. Coconut, Almond Blossom, Cherry. Bring home your own exotic isle with the aroma of almond blossoms and a concoction of creamy coconut and sweet cherries, without ever leaving your living room.

                                

Say ‘Stay a While’ with Summer Delights. White Flowers, Melon, Vanilla. Use this scent to transform your home into a garden on a beautiful, breezy summer evening with its cool, fruity, floral combination of fresh cantaloupe slices, white flowers, and vanilla ice cream.

                           

Say ‘Relax’ with Sweet Lavender Days. Red Currant, Lavender Petals, Spun Sugar. Let the intoxicating aroma of endless lavender fields, layered with dewy summer berries and warm sugar cane, create a sense of comfort, freshness and relaxation in your home.

-Seasonal Spring Scents Collection>

                    

Say ‘Cool Down’ with Lush Hideaway. Wild Berry, Coconut Water, Fresh Mint. Let the invigorating aroma wild berries, fresh garden mint and splashes of refreshing coconut water create a cooling effect within your home, transforming it into a lush rainforest.

                  

Say ‘Let’s Reminisce’ with Mystical Garden. Rose, Raspberry, Marshmallow. Allow the blissful aroma of delicate pink roses and succulent plump raspberries, combined with sweet marshmallow to tell the stories of your childhood. Get lost in a maze of sweet memories, without leaving the comfort of your couch.

                     

Say ‘Summer is Near’ with Turquoise Oasis. Driftwood, Sea Spray, Warm Breeze. Turn your home into a seaside retreat as a warm breeze carrying salty sea spray washes over you, bringing with it the invigorating aroma of weathered driftwood.

                     

Say ‘Drift Away’ with Sunshine Cotton. Sunny Laundry, Sweet Sunshine, Coconut. Tell a story of warm sunny days at the beach, even during the dreariest April shower. This bright cheerful medley of fresh laundry, sweet sunshine and coconut will take you to the beach beneath gently swaying palm trees, warm sunshine and fluffy laundry-fresh towels.

Air Wick Scented Oils and Air Wick Freshmatic Automatic Spray refills from the Everyday and Spring lines retail for $4.99 at Walmart.

WE WANT TO SEE WHAT HOME MEANS TO YOU.

Tag #HomeIsInTheAir #ad on a picture of something that helps make your house a home. & be featured in the Air Wick online Gallery!! For inspiration check out the Home Is In the Air page. Don’t forget to post on Social media and tag Air Wick too!

     

Image Source: These are from the gallery on the Airwick page.. and are in no way MINE. Just thought they were pretty.

 

Pledge to Relax- You Deserve it! ♥ #PledgetoRelax

Disclosure: I am receiving product in exchange for posting. All my opinions are my own and completely honest.

           
HoMedics launched a new campaign called #PledgeToRelax. #PledgeToRelax is a "pin your inspiration" sweeps all about relaxing this holiday season! The campaign will be running until December 22nd.


You can search #pledgetorelax hashtag on Pinterest and re-pin what others find relaxing. The best part is making your own though, huh? Just create your new board and pin whatever it is that helps you relax using the #pledgetorelax hashtag..

To find the url of your board—go to Pinterest and click your picture.. it should show you all of your boards like below. Hit Ctrl+F to FIND your board easier. A box will pop up on the top right. Type in the name of your board and it will automatically highlight your board.
 
Click on that board.. and it will bring up whatever you’ve pinned.


look at the top of your page and see the url of your board. Copy your URL and then submit it to the sweepstakes page.


Good Luck!!

The 3D Shiatsu & Vibration Massage Pillow with Heat ($49.99) offers brand new 3D-Massage technology that most closely mirrors an authentic Shiatsu massage. The massage nodes in the new cushion not only offer traditional up and down movement, but also in and out movements,allowing you to reach your deepest aches and pains in your neck and shoulders and lower back. You can now get a professional massage without ever leaving your home!

Air Wick National Park 2014 Fall Fragrance #Review #AutumnOasis

*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way. 


Just in time for fall, Air Wick has continued their partnership with the National Parks Foundation for their second fall National Park Collection. With five scents inspired by our National Parks, this collection includes three scents that were chosen and voted on by consumers as their favorite National Park Scent through Air Wick’s Facebook contest last fall—Great Smoky Mountains, Shenendoah and Acadia. This collection will also include two brand new scents inspired by the essences of Isle Royale and Cuyahoga Valley.

Although my favorite season is Summer, Autumn definitely gets second. I love the cool crisp days that bring crunchy colorful leaves. I love the bonfires, hoodies, and any reason to wear my boots. I love the fact that Halloween and Thanksgiving are right around the corner, and Football season is here. I also love the scents that are associated with fall.


The National Park fragrances that I received include:

• Acadia – Sweet Vanilla & Pumpkins

Sweet Vanilla & Pumpkins

Bring the magnificence of Acadia National Park to life with it's rich blend of sandalwood, vanilla and creamy pumpkin.
*I absolutely fell in love with this scent. I love the smell of pumpkins but most candles and scents mix spice in to make “Spiced Pumpkin”. Air Wick has given me exactly what I wanted in a fall fragrance. I swear this smells just like a fresh baked Pumpkin Pie mixed with a hint of sweet vanilla.

It has such a warm and inviting scent that is perfect for the fall season. It gently releases it’s pumpkin/vanilla scent so that it isn’t overpowering. It is a subtle sweet scent that has gotten me many compliments on how amazing my house smells.Warm scents actually invite people in to your home because it draws them in with the comfy atmosphere.
Two thumbs up!

• Shenandoah – Apple Harvest

 
Apple Harvest & Cinnamon Spice
The aroma of the ripening apple harvest combines with cedarwood and cinnamon spice to inspire rich memories of the fall in Shenandoah National Park.

*I love this. Apples and fall always go together for some reason. It’s a mixture of all the things we use apples for in the fall. Apple pies. apple cider, bobbing for apples, and candy apples. I love that this is more apple and less spice. It does have a subtle hint of cedarwood, which is what helps it smell like a real apple harvest.

It kind of has that crispness we associate with fall. I don’t know if it reminds me of apple picking and  crunchy leaves or what. Psst… and did you know that the cinnamon scent boosts brain power and learning ability? Another win/win.

• Cuyahoga Valley - Sweet Pear & Amber Woods

Cuyahoga Valley

Indulge in Cuyahoga Valley's lush orchards with fresh picked sweet pears ripened by the fall amber woods and complemented by touches of warm cinnamon and nutmeg.

*This is my absolute favorite out of the 3 scents, although it was hard to choose. This one just draws me in. The sweet sugared pear smell mixed with amber, cinnamon, and nutmeg is just amazing. I’ve never smelled an in-home scent like this before. It’s got the warm and inviting intrigue yet it’s also crisp and sweet.

I love the fact that you can smell the spices but they aren’t overwhelming. The spices kind of take a back stance to the sweetened pears, which is also why it’s my favorite. Nutmeg is also an amazing stress reliever when used in candles and essential oils.

Air Wick’s National Park Collection of fragrances for fall are available as scented-oil refills, freshmatic spray refills and NEW wax melts at retailers nationwide for $3.00-$4.99.

Connect with Air Wick on Facebook
Have you tried any of the Air Wick Fall scents? If so, which is your favorite?