How to Clean Your House Really Fast

It's always easier to maintain a clean house than to have to start from scratch and have to clean the whole thing. Sometimes, though, things just get out of hand and suddenly company is coming or you're just busier than usual and it's been neglected. It actually is possible to have your house looking nice in not very much time at all. Of course, you'll have to go back later and do the deep cleaning stuff (especially depending on how long you've neglected it) but you can pull it all together with these tips. (If it's for company, I would only clean what they will be seeing and clean the other spots when I have more time but if it's to make you feel better about the state of your house, do as many as you have time for.)

Bathroom: (6 and a half minutes)

• Wipe down countertops, sink, mirror, and outside of toilet (2 minutes)
• Swish your toilet brush inside the bowl (30 seconds)
• Do a quick wipe down of shower and tub (2 minutes)
• Sweep the floor (2 minutes)

Living room: (7 and a half minutes)

• Clean up clutter, I recommend grabbing a laundry basket and just throwing everything in (2 minutes). You can choose to just hide this somewhere and put away at a later date, put things away as you clean from room to room, or use the most time and put everything away at this time. 
• Quick dust coffee table, shelves, etc (2 minutes)
• Straighten magazines/newspapers on coffee table (30 seconds)
• Vacuum rug/carpet (3 minutes)

Kitchen: (8 minutes)

• Wipe down countertops, stove top, fridge handles, and sink (3 minutes)
• Put dirty dishes in dishwasher, run if full (3 minute)
• Sweep floor (2 minutes)

Bedroom: (8 minutes)

• Make bed (1 minute)
• Pick up clothes and clutter (2 minutes)
• Quick dust (2 minutes)
• Vacuum or sweep (3 minutes)

So you can have a practically clean house in a half hour! I guesstimated on the times with how dirty my house gets and how long it usually takes me to do things. Of course every house is different but as you can see, it doesn't take long to get your house back in shape. If you have more time, you can do more cleaning but really, just 30 minutes will do. 

The Mashed Potato Debate

I grew up with boxed mashed potatoes. We rarely, if ever, had the homemade kind. I still like them but I agree with my husband that the real ones taste better. However, I still like them really creamy and smooth instead of chunky and he prefers the chunks. There are many "secrets" online as to how to make the potatoes smoother and the only thing I can agree with is to use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Russet. Too bad for me because we only have Russet in the house right now and I was planning on making mashed potatoes with dinner. Of course my husband is nice enough to eat anything I make regardless of lumps or smoothness but I wish there was a better way to get the potatoes more my way with the Russet.

It probably doesn't help that we don't have that great of a potato masher. For one thing, it's plastic. It has these little circle holes in it that the potatoes then ooze through and then we get potato worms instead of just potatoes. It drives me crazy and I don't think David has ever even noticed. They make some really nice metal ones with double the amount of those metal lines that mash to help them mash even better but I don't know if it's worth the 30 dollars when I believe ours was found at the dollar store.

I think our favorite way to eat mashed potatoes though, is to make our recipe of Mush. We named it (and came up with it) all on our own and it's called mush because that's what it looks like. You mix tvp (or ground beef or ground turkey or whatever you want for meat) into your potatoes and then you add vegetables. We usually do peas and corn but I think carrots would work out too. As a little kid, you always smush your vegetables into your mashed potatoes anyway (I think my older sister taught me that) so now, the chef does it for you! I have also thought it might be good with gravy but I've never tried it. I'm not usually a big fan of it but lately it's been sounding better and better. If you make a mushroom gravy instead of a beef one, it's just one more way to get more vegetables on your plate! Win-win!

Taco Pizza

Last night, David and I got Papa Murphy's taco pizza. It was AMAZING! I used to get the taco pizza from Pizza Hut, which was equally good! It got me thinking though that you could make it yourself. It's pizza crust, refried beans (no pizza sauce..it's a taco!), cheese, and then whatever toppings you want. They vary from place to place but green onions, black olives, tomatoes, and whatever else you put in tacos would be tasty. At Papa Murphy's, they have chicken or beef with taco seasoning and that adds to the taco flavor also. If you aren't putting meat on, I would recommend mixing taco seasoning into the refried beans. I'll have to try to make it and get back to all of you.

(I am in no way endorsing Pizza Hut or Papa Murphy's. I am not affiliated with them or getting any compensation for this review. I just really like pizza!)

How to Overcome Nausea

At some point in their lives, everyone experiences nausea from time to time. I am no doctor (so consult a doctor before trying any of these) but in my experience, here's what I found can relieve nausea.

• Take slow, deep breaths. This one is best if you're only a little nauseous, not on the verge of vomiting.
• Ginger. This could be sprinkled in tea, ginger ale (as long as it's made with real ginger, some kinds aren't), or in any food you can tolerate.
• Laying down. Try to lay on your left side (which I know is your stomach but then your stomach is lower than your esophagus. If you lay on your right side, you're just asking your stomach to drain into your throat.) This isn't always the most comfortable but sometimes if you can distract yourself into relaxing or even taking a nap, it'll subside.
• Eat bland foods and drink clear, carbonated drinks. Examples: saltines, pretzels, crackers, toast, 7UP, Sprite, sparkling water
• Peppermint. Be sure it's peppermint and not just any mint like spearmint or wintergreen. Even just smelling it should help so it could be an scented oil, gum, hard candy, tea, etc.
• Eat multiple small meals throughout the day instead of 3 big ones. This makes it easier to digest and never lets your stomach get empty (which can especially trigger that nausea).
• Suck on ice or popsicles. This may not be in the most pleasant in winter but for some reason, it works.

I hope these ideas work just as well for you as they do for me! 

How to Survive the Dentist

Before today, the last time I was at the dentist was last July. It was the place I had gone just about every six months since I was a baby. Today, I went to the dentist in my town and it was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Okay maybe not pleasant. Going to the dentist is never pleasant but they didn't even try to talk to me with tools in my mouth! So I survived the dentist and now I will tell you how to also. (By the way, no cavities today! I've only had one my entire life.)

• Don't let your teeth get bad in the first place. Brush, floss, and use mouthwash daily. 
• Know that tooth stains are common and they don't mean that you have unhealthy teeth.
• When in the chair, try to think about other things or sing in your head. I personally think the worst part is the polishing because they use the "drill" that sounds much worse than it is. As a little kid, I don't remember the cleaning part at all, just the drill. Now I realize the drill is only like 5 minutes compared to everything else. 
• Put on chapstick or vaseline before you go. You're going to have your mouth open for a long time and your lips get dried out. This is a nice way to avoid that.
• If you get nervous while in the waiting room, distract yourself. Read magazines, play on your phone, talk to strangers. 
• Know that when you're being lectured about brushing or flossing, it's not meant to be embarrassing but for your own good. It's much cheaper (and easier) to prevent cavities than it is to fill them in.
• Have insurance. Of course you can't always help this one but it's definitely more of an incentive to go than if you have to pay out of pocket.
• Remember that it's never as bad as you think it is. 

I read somewhere this morning that only 50% of Americans regularly go to the dentist. At that rate, you can pat yourself on the back even for just making the appointment. 

Taco Dip

Lately, Mexican food just sounds amazing to me! I'm not sure how authentic any Mexican food I eat is so maybe I only like Americanized stuff but regardless, sometimes you need a new idea instead of tacos or enchiladas. Last night, David and I bought pre-made taco dip from the grocery store. It was good and faster than making our own (but only slightly because taco dip is really easy to make) but not as good as when we've made it in the past. So I thought I'd share our recipe (that of course you can tweak to your tastes as we have too).

This recipe claims to serve 10 but if you're anything like us, it's more like 4.

1 (16 oz) can refried beans (you can also make your own from pinto beans. It's rather easy and probably slightly less sodium and fat than this method but I'll let you decide for yourself)
1 package taco seasoning (we use the reduced sodium kind)
1 large tomato, seeded and diced (you can also use salsa instead)
1 cup guacamole (expensive if store bought but easy to make yourself)
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar is recommended but really you can use anything)
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup black olives
tortilla chips (to serve, obviously)

Mix half of the taco seasoning with the beans. Spread beans along your dish (we used a serving platter kind of thing but I would recommend using something big and flat instead of bowl shaped). Next, layer the tomato (or salsa) on top. Then spread on the guacamole. Next, mix the other half of the taco seasoning with the sour cream and layer that on top of the guac. Sprinkle cheese on top. Add the onion and olives. Cover and store in fridge until ready to serve (but it's ready right away if you're hungry now).

See? Doesn't that sound easy and delicious?

Non-Caffeinated Ideas to Stay Awake

Everyone gets tired due to various reasons (poor sleep, up late, not enough sleep, etc) but we all have lives that we can't just put on hold because we would rather spend a few extra minutes (okay, hours) in bed. So here are some tips to help you keep your focus and stay awake, even if you're doggone tired. 

• If you work in an office (or a job where you sit a lot), try to get up and walk around at least every 30 minutes. Sometimes this isn't possible so you could also try desk yoga. These are simple stretches to keep your blood circulating and your body alert. (Rather than try to describe the different methods, I'll let you google about them. Some are really simple like tipping your head back and forth and some require you to get out of your chair. Try whatever works for your situation). 
• Drink plenty of water. You may be tempted to grab that caffeine or sugary drink but both of these will lead to a crash later. Staying properly hydrated is very important and water can help you stay awake. 
• Keep yourself busy. This not only distracts you from being tired (depending on the task) but also that feeling of getting something done can give you a second wind.
• If possible, get some sunlight. Maybe this means opening the blinds or maybe it means going for a walk during your lunch break. I'm sorry this isn't possible on rainy days (which may be why rainy days seem so perfect for naps!). 
• Don't skip breakfast. This can help give you energy throughout the day. Same goes for lunch. However, don't have a heavy meal at lunch or you may feel more tired. You could also snack on high protein snacks throughout the day (not constantly, just every couple hours). 
• Chew gum or ice to keep your mind working. I know this sounds odd but it gives your body something to do other than the task at hand. 
• Splash water on your face or wrists. 
• Try to avoid getting too warm. I know this makes me sleepy but you can't always control the temperature of your environment. Perhaps dress in layers, splash water on your wrists, have a desk fan, etc. 

Hopefully these will help you but of course it's easiest to just not get tired in the first place. That's easier said than done and there will always be times when we are unable to keep our usual sleep schedule, throwing us off the next day.