Cleaning out the Cleaning Cupboard

I cleaned out our cleaning supply cupboard the other day. It felt wonderful to get rid of things that were never used or just didn't belong in there. It made room for the things that *do* go in there! I'm not sure what it is about them...but I must admit that I love cleaning products. I love them all. I like to use homemade products the most...but I do keep a few other products that do a really great job at cleaning certain areas. 

I keep extra dish soap in this cupboard as well (right now I am using Mrs. Meyer's lavender dish soap....glorious!). I also *love* and put to great use my swiffer duster. It has a handle that extends so I can dust walls and ceiling fans as well as things on ground level...all without standing on a chair!

The pot and ingredients on the top shelf are for making my homemade laundry soap. I will buy laundry soap when it is on sale for a great price at the store...otherwise, I make and use my own!

Keeping your cleaning products together and neat makes it a joy to open the cupboard to use something! We keep a small basket with a few cleaning supplies in our upstairs half bath so we don't have to lug things from the downstairs to the upstairs. I used to have a cleaning caddy that I would tote my supplies around in while cleaning...but it proved cumbersome and not helpful to me. I prefer to take one thing out of my cleaning cupboard, use it and then return it back to its spot!

It's nothing super-fancy...but it works and stores my supplies well. When we complete our home addition project and I have a new laundry room, I will have a different way to house all my items. For now though, I use what I have and do my best with it!

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies. They are a homemaker's annoyance, seemingly coming out of nowhere to terrorize you and your food. In my home, we set aside all food scraps for either compost or to give to our chickens. We have lids for these containers and they should be taken out daily...but it doesn't always happen right away and all of a sudden, fruit flies invade our kitchen! One or two would be bad enough...but it seems like they keep multiplying! 

If you have this problem...never fear! I have the perfect solution! My children think I am amazing for it (but to be honest, it's a trick I read about online years ago!). I have every intention though of *letting* them continue to think I am amazing! ;) 

All you need to do is put a piece of fruit (starting to over-ripen is best) into a jar or container. Cover this with plastic wrap, tightly. Then punch a few tiny holes in the top of the plastic...

 
Thankfully for us, fruit flies are not very intelligent. They can get *in* to the jar but they can't seem to find their way out again. Once you have noticed a good number are stuck in the jar, carry it outside and lift up the plastic and let them go free!

If you still have more fruit flies to catch...simply reattach the plastic and place the jar back on your counter and repeat! :)

Can you see them in there? All along the top of the plastic.

So there you have it! A tried and true method of getting rid of those pesky fruit flies using no chemicals or difficult procedures! I hope this helps you!