MAKING A HAPPY HOME MONDAY

So I skipped last week's installment of Making a Happy Home Monday because I was just crazy busy and didn't have time for my normal stuff. BUT, I do want to start the new year off on a positive note, so I'm very happy to have worked on some stuff already. I hope you will join me.

I started this carnival awhile back with one hope in mind - to inspire and encourage women to make their homes happy. As women, we set the tone of our households. We can be positive...and everything else will fall positively into place. OR, we can be negative and things go sour. Kids are unhappy, hubby is unhappy, housework is not getting done and YOU, the mom, the wife, are unhappy.

NO MORE! Take control and do something to make your home a happy home. Some people are better at this than others. You just keep trucking. YOU, of all people, should be posting here to give the rest of us the much needed, and desired inspiration that we need. Please link up down below on Mr. Linky. Leave me a comment, too. Tell me how you like (or don't like) this. Tell me if there is something you would like me to try. Post pictures in your links. CHALLENGE OTHERS to be women of God and take care of our domains.

Find a place in your house. Make it happier by making it prettier or more functional. If it makes you happy by relieving a bit of stress then you have a happier state. GOOD JOB! Now share it with us.

For my Happy Home, I chose my refrigerator. There are 2 reasons. First...it was just getting gross. (I gross out easily when it comes to my fridge.) Secondly, my grocery store day is either Monday or Tuesday, so I really need my kitchen area ready to receive the items that I purchase. I have decided (as I'm working on my cleaning schedule) that Monday will be my "appliance" day.

The refrigerator should stay clean for several reasons...the least of which is the "EW Factor." Temperature aside, there are certain "yuckies" that can grow in your fridge. Clean out the leftovers. (Now leftovers are not a favorite here, but there are times when we have them. Generally, they sit in the fridge for about 4 days before I throw them out. I'm trying NOT to accumulate leftovers. If you do leftovers, clean them out regularly. Really, do you WANT to eat 7 day old chicken spaghetti? YUCK!) Somethings should only be opened and in use for 3-5 days. Pay attention to your dates...they are there for a reason.

Throw out those upside down salad dressing bottles. (Honestly, nothing in the fridge grosses me out more than the remnants that are allowed to drip down to the lid and pool in the cap. BLECH!!!!)

Empty the veggie bins. Clean them out. YES! THEY CAN BE COMPLETELY REMOVED AND WASHED! Line the bottom with paper towels. If the items in the veggie drawer feel soft or have fuzz, this is NOT a variety of said veggie, it is ROTTEN! Toss it.

If you don't remember when you opened the lunch meat, DON'T SMELL IT! Toss it.

Milk....to each his own, but if the date says January 5, 2009...well, I don't care if it's a full gallon, it got tossed YESTERDAY!

If it is crusty, remove it. If you have trouble getting stuck on gunk off the shelves, I suggest a soapy paper towel. Lay it on the spot for a few minutes, then wipe up. Disinfecting wipes are a favorite of mine in this.

Empty, clean, and reload the shelves.

Wipe out the grooves in the rubbery seal of your door. You'd be amazed what accumulates there.

You should pull out the fridge and vacuum the coils and clean out from under the fridge. Also, there is a pan under the fridge gets nasties in it. Pull it out and clean it. Now this is where I get help because this is just gross gross gross. I wait and bribe my honey to help. (Now he knows of one of his jobs during his vacation. :) )

So here we go.

Do you see that nasty stuff on the shelf? That is where my kids have been removing and replacing the milk jug and sloshing it out. (The cap is a pop on cap so it doesn't always stay on.)

Lots of leftovers that have to be discarded.

No more crusties.

Drawers removed and cleaned. Whole inside wiped down.

I'd love for you to join me! Have a Happy Home!