Featured Blogger!

I am so excited to share my friend, Lauren's blog with you!  She is the newest distributor on our Shaklee team and she has an amazing blog geared toward moms who want to keep our planet green and make healthy choices for our families.
Here is what Lauren says:

I’m the germ-a-phobic mom who was cleaning all the baby toys with Clorox wipes as my son’s playgroup was still at our house – because I was so afraid of germs! My friends can attest to this!

I can honestly say that I have tried every cleaning product on the grocery store shelves. You name it, I have bought it at least once in my lifetime. I love to try new things to see which products work the best. I always thought the cleaner things smelled, the cleaner they were. However once my son was diagnosed with Asthma at age 3, I started doing research to eliminate the Asthma triggers in my own home and found this startling fact:

COMMON HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS GIVE OFF FUMES THAT CAN POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF CHILDREN DEVELOPING ASTHMA.

What? I thought I was preventing him from becoming sick as I scrubbed everything down with the most “effective” chemicals known to man… You mean these “tried and true” cleaners that generations have used may be the reason my son was up at night, coughing until he threw up? Was so tired all day every day with dark circles around his eyes?  Came down with pneumonia twice in a 6 month period?  Was on medicine around the clock? Antibiotics, nebulizers, inhaler, steroids, Zyrtec, Singulair… Numerous trips to the doctor, chest x-rays, etc.  A LOT of money was spent, and even more tears were shed – by everyone.  All I wanted was for my little boy’s pain to go away and to feel “normal” again. 

So then I was on a mission to find non-toxic cleaners that actually worked.  Again, I tried many different brands of “Green” cleaners but nothing “worked” as well the conventional ones.  Until one day I found SHAKLEE.  It’s been around for 50 years and everything they make is safe for you, your home, and your planet.  Every product in their “Get Clean” line has exceeded my expectations.  You cannot get their products in the store.  The only way to get it is to order through someone.  I was wrestling with the decision to become a distributor but have taken a leap of faith and decided to go full steam ahead.  I am being completely sincere when I say that I am not in this for the money.  It’s a way to get their products more affordably for my family!  Plus I want everyone to know how safe they are, how effective they are AND to help prevent anyone else’s child from going through what my son went through.   

My favorite fact: Shaklee is the FIRST company to become certified in the U.S. as Climate Neutral – they completely offset all of their CO2 emissions – leaving a net zero impact on the environment.  Also all of their products are bio-degradable or recyclable.  I love this company’s philosophy and I know you will love their products too if you give them a chance.

Update on Chase: He is completely off of all medicines since March.  Not only have I changed all of my cleaning products to non-toxic ones, I have also made some changes to the way we eat including buying organic whenever possible and staying away from processed foods.  He is one happy boy these days!  

Amazing, right?! If you visit Lauren's blog, leave her a comment and tell her how you found her!

There are only two days left to join Shaklee and receive a free lifetime membership.  If you are interested, click this link and add the membership to your cart.  Then shop for any products, making sure you spend $30.  The membership fee will automatically be deducted when you check out.  This is a great chance to join if you have been considering it!

If you aren't sure what would be best for your family, I would love to speak with you about some choices you could make.

Shark Vac n Steam

Ohhh I just got the shark vac n steam and I love it!!! Our entire home is hardwood floors and I have been looking for something that would make the cleaning of them easy and chemical free.  This is the perfect answer!  I vacuum first and them steam the floors.  Today I did my kitchen and it took me about 10 minutes to vac and steam.  The steamer uses only water but you can put basic h in for a little more disinfecting power;)

I went to bed bath and beyond used my 20% off coupon and I saved around $40!
Look at my floors after they were cleaned!  So shiny and so easy!  I am in love;)

Basic G

I get a lot of questions about what I use to clean my bathrooms and to disinfect.  Shaklee has an easy answer called Basic G.  It's a much safer, more effective alternative to Lysol.  It's nonflammable, non toxic and biodegradable.  All you need is 3/8 tbsp mixed in 16 oz of water.  

Basic G has a three year shelf life and its residual effectiveness lasts up to three days.  Bleach only lasts an hour!  And it kills 99.9% of bacteria!!!

Safe for stainless steel and aluminum

Safe on hard, non porous surfaces

EPA registered

Kills 32 pathogens while Lysol only kills 8!

According to EPA standards, bottles must be labeled according to what is IN the bottle.  More than 80,000 products are not registered with the EPA or labeled correctly.  This is a plus for Shaklee and their reputation for integrity in that it is registered and labeled correctly.  So when it comes to the concentrated form of Basic G, if what is IN the bottle were to be consumed, it is toxic by EPA standards.  However, it is not nearly as toxic as other cleaners. However, in it’s properly diluted form it is completely non-toxic and not harmful at all.

So I use Basic G on my doorknobs, the bathroom sinks, toilets, the appliance handles in my kitchen, my kitchen sink and anything else that needs disinfecting!

And great news for this time of year--you can use basic G as a weed killer!!! I haven't tried yet but this week I am going to mix a batch for the garden.

one gallon of water

1 tablespoon basic g

1/2 c white vinegar

Shaklee also carries Basic G wipes that are a quick easy way to wipe down things that need to be disinfected.

***Remember, the free membership deal ends on May 20!  Spend $30 get a free lifetime membership which entitles you to 15% discount on all products forever!!!***

Fitting it all in-Springtime

My priorities in the spring shift from organizing the inside of our home to spending time outside with my family.  There's been a lot going on around here.  My kids really live outside especially in the spring.  We go out around 10 am, eat lunch outside, come in for naps and then return to the yard for the remainder of the day.  I love the freedom they have to play, the no-mess meals outside (the booster seat hasn't even made it in for four days) and just the energy that the kids get to use up.  All of that being said, not much organizing or even cleaning has been happening inside!
I try to do the upkeep of the house in the morning...usually I get two loads of laundry done and then I fold during naps.  I keep up on the dishes as they come but lunch is an easy clean up.  I do the upstairs while the baby naps and the older two watch Curious George (a household favorite).  I move pretty fast and can get everything looking pretty good in those first few hours of the day.
Some of my everyday cleaning things are different in the spring.  I have to sweep the laundry room several times a day because of everything that gets tracked in.  I think it saves me time to spend the two minutes sweeping rather than have dirt tracked all through the house.  I also beach towel washing and hand washing bathing suits (which is really a pain).
There's really not much of a point to this post except to check in!

Special

Shaklee is running an amazing special right now that I thought was worth mentioning.  They have put together a special bundle of their cleaning supplies for $30.  The package includes  "Basic H2 (16 oz), Two Spray Bottles, Get Clean Super Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, Get Clean Dish Wash Liquid Concentrate, Get Clean Fresh Laundry Concentrate (32 oz), and Shaklee Energy™. Only available at the time of sponsoring, at the amazing Member Price of $30.*"
If you purchase this, you also get a free membership.  This is a great opportunity to begin the journey to a healthier home!  I encourage everyone to use "green" cleaning products.  One of my members is purchasing this package/membership for her mom and grandmother for a mother's day gift...what a great idea!
Basic H is organic and one 16 oz bottle makes 48 gallons of cleaner!

Kitchen

 In the boxes are supplies that would normally be kept in a "junk" drawer.  I love white boxes to hide stuff!

 Using all one color dishes is an easy way to make your cabinets look really streamlined.

This is the top part of her "pantry".  Not too special but I love these big glass containers that hold flour, sugar and another mystery white baking substance;)

The "Queen"

Over the next few days I am going to feature a few areas in my mom's home.  She is selling her house and one of her friends helped her stage it.  It looks awesome!

Today the spotlight is on her closet...

She chose blue with white accents.  Everything is labeled and put away in containers.

All of her clothes are color coded and organized by type (pants, shirts, summer and winter)

I love how everything is so streamlined.  A great way to start your closet organization is to have all of the same hangers facing the same direction.

What do you think???

Stay tuned for bathroom, kitchen and linen closets...

Hall Closet

Yesterday was another day when I had a spare few minutes to clean out the hall closet.  Since I am trying to purge 30 in 30 I thought the hall closet was a good place to start.  I knew there were a lot of coats in there and really, there is no reason for me (who is non stylish) to have more than 2-3 coats.  One thing that really bothers me is that there is ZERO light in the closet or the hallway near it.  Maybe someday we will get a light fixture installed...

So here are the befores.  It was hard to take pics cause the hall is small and dark...

 The kids "spare" coats are on the top right and my coats are on the bottom right.

 The mystery pile in the back left is just that...a pile of random, begging to be tossed items.

In the middle of the redo.  Notice the random potty training seat...yes, the hall closet is a great spot to keep that...note my sarcasm!

 That pile of coats on the floor are all of the ones that are going to be out during our yard sale.  There were 7 that I got rid of!

 The kids had a great time playing with hats and winter gear...

 I used these two cloth bins.  One for hats and one for the grown up winter gear.

 These are the afters...not too impressive but the whole space is clutter free!

Have you taken a few minutes to organize a space?

Behind the Fridge

Last night my hubs spilled a glass of water and most it went under the refrigerator.  So nothing like a Sunday night project that involved cleaning behind/ under the fridge.  I had been waiting to do this so that D could help me move the fridge.  When he did, I felt like crying and throwing up....do you want to see what was under my refridgerator in my "clean" home???
We were both so grossed out...

 But really ten minutes later with the help of my Dyson and a little Basic H...

I know that I rave about Basic H, but really...look at the floors!  There was sticky stuff and dust and ick! I just love love love how it doesn't have a smell either...if you are considering switching to healthy cleaning products, this is the way to go!!!

30 in 30

So I was reading one of my favorite blogs and Jen is hosting a challenge for the month of April.  She challenges her readers to purge 30 items in 30 days.  I love this idea!  To be honest, I throw out/ donate things all of the time.  I can't stand "stuff" but there are some spots that need to be cleaned out for sure!  The boys have large closets and I know that there are things lurking in the corners that can be tossed.  I don't even want to think about the attic cause that has been our "toss" place for the past 4 years.  Our neighborhood hosts a huge yard sale and we have vowed to go up there before hand...but that's a whole other post.
Anyway, do you think you can do this?  Purge (donate, throw out, give to a friend) 30 things in 30 days?  If you want to participate, just leave me a comment.  I am going to take pictures (or try) of the things that I throw out.  On Saturdays I will post the pictures and any pictures that you send me of your purges.
This is so exciting!
On that note, there are some things that make it easier to get rid of things.  I try and think about the true purpose of things.  For example, I don't keep many of the projects that come home from preschool and church.  I toss them.  If I kept all of their art work it would be overwhelming.  So I usually pick one project per season and get rid of the rest.  Then I store that in a box (I have one per child) and sometimes I take pictures of special things too.  (takes up less space)  It's probably easy for me because I am not really sentimental and I don't see much value in keeping things.  The other good rule of thumb is that if you haven't used it in the past 12 months, get rid of it!  That old video camera, those shoes that might come back into style, the kids old stuffed animals...
Good luck and let me know if you are "in"!!!

Why It Matters

Why does it matter if I use regular products to clean my home?  I have been reading so much about the dangers of the ingredients in regular household cleaning products.  It is so scary!!!

Since switching to nontoxic, natural household cleaners, we are noticing big changes!  My husband has asthma but hasn't had ANY problems since we switched. I love how the cleaners don't have a harsh smell, it really makes a difference!
Here are some emails that I have gotten from people that have recently switched to Shaklee's Get Clean line.
"I'm in LOVE!! That cleanser is wonderful. Its so nice to use one bottle for everything. Thanks!!"


"Getting more familiar with my Shaklee products. Totally loving them. The window wiper is awesome!"


I really challenge you to think about switching...it will even save you money!  


Here are the links to get started:


Get Clean Kit


Get Clean Mini Kit


Get Clean Kitchen

Get Clean Healthy Home Pack

Don't forget, this month if you spend $30 you get a free life time membership!!!

Featured Organizer!

I am sooo excited to post my first "featured" organizer!  My friend, Jess, has recently started a new blog that is fabulous!  It May Be One Messy Life, But It's Mine (great title) is a fun blog about one mommy's journey and her quest for organizing.  Jess sent me these pictures of her before and afters and they look great!

Here is the before shot of her kitchen counter:

 And the after shot:

 Love the flowers, they brighten up the room!

I love how Jess tackled a small area in her home and made it look so great!  I am hoping to feature more of her before and afters as she continues her journey:)  Stop by and follow her blog~

So one more time!

Before

And AFTER!!!!

WooHoo!

It's a new month which means a new Shaklee special!  

Jump on this one!!!

Join Shaklee for Free this month with a $30 minimum order.  Shaklee will wave the $19.95 member fee with $30 or more orders.  For new distributors who purchase any Gold PAK ($299, $599, or $750 option), Shaklee will give that new business builder an extra three months of personal website access to hit the ground running with a new Shaklee business. So thats 6 months of your own Shaklee website!!  These are fantastic offers that won't be around for long.

Seasonal Allergies

It's that time of year in NJ.  The temperature is on the rise, the trees are budding and the pollen is getting ready to kick in! I am one of the lucky people that doesn't suffer from seasonal allergies (well a tad in the early fall but nothing too bad) but my husband gets them pretty bad in late April.  We aren't big on medication but every year he ends up on Claritin to simply enable him to get through his days.  This year we researched and we are trying something different.  After reading the testimony below, he began taking Formula 1 in the morning along with extra Vitamin C.  We have really high hopes that he can avoid the terrible side effects of the over the counter allergy medicine!  This is a healthier and less expensive approach.  Worth a shot!  I will let you know how it goes!


Read this amazing testimony:

“I grew up with severe allergies and consequent chronic sinus infections.  I stuffed every pocket full of Kleenex every day before I went to school.  Sometimes I would run out before lunch be traumatized for the rest of the day because I was too shy to raise my hand and ask the teacher for some Kleenex.

Over the years, at one time or another, I’ve used every OTC drug you buy that ended in “-aid” or “-off.”  Sine-aid, Sine-off, Alleraid, Alleroff, and the like.

When I was a sophomore in college in 1971-72, my mother took me to an ear, eye, nose, and throat specialist every single month.  He put me on tetracycline for the chronic sinus infections, which I took continuously for almost 3 years.  Today they say you shouldn’t take it for more than 3 months.  I ultimately just stopped it because I couldn’t see that it was doing anything for me.

The one thing the tetracycline DID do was permanently damage my immune system so that I developed a severe allergy to cats which I did not have before.  I can just sit down by someone in church who owns a cat and start having a severe allergic reaction.

In April 1993, during the annual explosion of dogwoods and azaleas in Athens when I would usually be suffering tremendously, I providentially discovered the secret to eliminating any allergic reaction at all during most days — which for me was an absolute miracle.  In subsequent experimentation, I discovered how to stop an allergic reaction in its tracks.

I took 3-4 Immunity Formula I all at the same time in the morning with my Shaklee protein for breakfast.  This greatly reduced my tendency to have a reaction during the day.

But when I did feel an allergic reaction coming on, I immediately took 3-4 more Immunity Formula I.  This usually knocked my allergic reaction out within 5 minutes, especially if I took it as soon as I felt the twinge of a reaction coming on.

It is that simple.  But I personally found that it was important that I took 3-4 all at once in the morning and then 3-4 more anytime I was having a reaction.  Spreading it out didn’t work for me.

Our youngest daughter is the only one of our children who inherited my tendency toward allergic reactions.  When she was just 3 years old, she’d be sitting in the high chair eating breakfast  and eat something that caused her to start having an allergic reaction (we generally eat only fruit, Shaklee protein and supplements, and whole grain toast for breakfast).  It was usually fresh pineapple that would sometimes cause her to react.  Her eyes would start itching and turning bloodshot, her nose would start running, and she’d start sneezing.

I would give her 1 Formula I, and it would knock the allergic reaction completely out in less than 5 minutes.  She couldn’t swallow supplements yet, so she’d have to chew it.  It is extremely vile tasting, but she’d chew it real fast and I’d give her something to wash it down quickly.  Even though it was extremely vile, she could see at 3 years of age what it was doing for her, and if she was having a reaction, she come say, “Dad, I need a Formula I!”

JoAnn carries a little bag of Immunity Formula I for me in her purse at all times in case I get into a situation where I start having a reaction.  I can just sit down beside someone at church who happens to own a cat and start having a severe allergic.

But the effects of taking 4 Formula I every morning for years has had a cumulative effect, and after about 3 years I hardly ever had any tendency allergic reaction anymore — except to cats.  But for 14 years now, the severe sinus allergies that traumatized my childhood, teen years, and young adulthood have been no more!

There is something unique about Formula I.  I also take lots of Vita-Lea and other supplements and get lots all the things listed on the Formula I label from other places.  But NOTHING did what Formula I did for my allergies!”

Stan and JoAnn Pullium

Protein Bars

I figured since this blog is about healthy ways to clean, it would work if I did a post about a healthy snack. Yesterday I made these protein bars for my family, and they are so yummy!  Please know that I am a huge sweet tooth and dessert is my friend.  I was a tad skeptical when I got this recipe from my friend but I decided to try them.  I even took pictures of the step by step:)
One of the best things about this recipe is that the bars are so high in protein.  I used Shaklee Instant Protein ( you can use this protein to substitute flour in any recipe) and the entire pan has over 120grams of protein.  They are really filling!!! The baby loved them, too!!!

 The ingredients (no added sugar!!!)

 Mix the dry items together

 Just wanted to include a picture of my favorite pampered chef item-the measuring cup!  All you do is slide it up and peanut butter slips right out!!!

 Heat the agave

 Find a really cute helper (who should have been napping)

 Add the almond butter and stir

 Press into a 9 x 13 pan

 Sprinkle chocolate chips (optional but I added obviously)

Yummm!!!

Here is recipe:

Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes

Yield: 1-9 x 13 inch dish cut into squares or Roll into balls

Ingredients:


1 cup Shaklee Instant Protein Soy Mix
*(Sometimes I use 1/2 cup of the Instant and 1/2 cup of the Shaklee Cinch)


1 ¼ cup oats


½ cup of flax meal

Add-Ins—Add some or all:


1 cup slivered almonds
 (I added)

3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
 (I added)

1 cup Organic Chocolate


1 cup of Coconut


1 cup Honey or Agave **


1 tsp Pure Vanilla
 (I added)

1 cup Peanut Butter or Almond Butter***

Directions:
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  In sauce pan, bring Agave to a boil then immediately remove from heat and add Peanut or Almond Butter and Vanilla. Stir until combined.  Pour Almond/Peanut Butter mixture into bowl of dry ingredients and stir till combined. You may need to use your hands.  Press down into ungreased 9 x 13 in. glass dish. Cool in the refrigerator.  Cut into squares.  You also can roll the mix into balls if you prefer and then cool them.

Variations:
Add Fruit to dry mix— ½ cup chopped dates, raisins, cranberries, or cherries
Add Nuts to dry mix— ½ cup almonds, walnuts, pecans, or other nuts
Add ½ cup Chocolate Chips ON TOP of mix after it is pressed into pan. Turn oven on Broil. Place bars into oven for 1 minute. Remove and use a knife to spread melted chocolate chips around on top of bars.  Refrigerate.

Tips:

I typically use the Shaklee Instant Protein Soy Mix for my bars. You can use any of the Shaklee protein powders for this recipe and it will come out pretty close to the same. The Instant Soy Mix Protein is flavorless and is a substitute for flour in other recipes. I keep this as one of the staples in my pantry. You can throw it into muffin, pancake, cookie or cake recipes and it will cut back on the carbs and of course the flour! It’s also a great add in to oatmeal or applesauce to make sure the kids are getting heir protein!

I also have used in this recipe: Shaklee Energizing Soy Vanilla, Shaklee Energizing Soy Chocolate, and both flavors of the Shaklee Cinch for weight loss: Cinch Chocolate and Cinch Vanilla. I love using Shaklee Cinch shake mix because its powered by Leucine**** to help preserve muscle while you loose weight.

If you choose to use Shaklee Instant Protein, your entire dish or protein bars will have 120 g of Protein that offers all of the amino acids, especially the 9 essential amino acids that your body does not produce on it’s own.

** Agave is the ideal sweetener because it does not raise your Glucose level like honey does, which will help your insulin level not to rise as much.

***If you use Almond Butter(I prefer) instead of Peanut Butter, you may want to cut back on the agave or it will taste too sweet!  If you only have peanut butter, try to avoid PB with added sugar or preservatives.  Get the Natural PB or Organic.

****Leucine helps with the regulation of blood-sugar levels, the growth and repair of muscle tissue (such as bones, skin and muscles), growth hormone production, wound healing as well as energy regulation.

Please let me know if you make these!!!

Turn Key Company

So cool!! Shaklee was mentioned on CBS news! If you watch this short clip, it talks about turnkey companies, where all of the work is done and you "buy" into an established business.  Shaklee was named as a great job for women who want to work from home.

This is what they wrote:

The key thing to know about Shaklee is that it is the No. 1 natural nutrition company in the US and is focused on creating the most sustainable and effective whole health product on the planet. To get started, Shaklee offers a full kit of products for $600. They also have a less expensive kit at $300 (with slightly fewer products), but there's also the ability for new distributors to start for $40...but for that price they only receive business materials (no products). Under their compensation plan, people earn between 20-50 percent and have the ability to participate in a car payment program, trips and other cash bonuses. Their sweet spot is women aged 35-45 that have come out of the workplace or want to come out of the workplace and create their own businesses. These are people that have a passion for healthy living and understand that the things they put in, on and around their bodies make a difference in their long term health. Their key product categories include Healthy Nutrition (core and targeted health solutions), Healthy Weight (weight management), Healthy Home (natural non toxic cleaning products) and Healthy Beauty (personal care products).

I just started distributing for Shaklee and I love it!  It's a great way to make money from home and I really believe in their products.  Let me know if you are interested in becoming a distributor.  If you join before March 31, the Cinch Sampler Pack it free!! (it retails for $101)

It's The Little Things

Organizing your house can be really overwhelming.  I think that one of the biggest tips I can share is to start small.  You don't have to spend a lot of money or even a lot of time.  Pick a room or even a spot in a room and just go for it!  Last week I opened a drawer in my kitchen.  I had a spare five minutes so I reorganized it.  Simple, quick, done!

Before

Emptying and Trashing

Wiped out and ready to be filled

So much better!  No money spent, just throwing out and putting back in!

A spare bin that I use for the kids face cloths