#i dedicate an hour everyday to clean the bathroom floors and surfaces and i just dont stop vacuuming wtf

[xamaxenta]

I just got rly mad over the apartment being not perfectly clean 😔 i legit cleaned everything twice over this morning whys it dusty again

[aaagaragedoorpros]

Try These Spring Cleaning Tips for a More Functional Garage Space

Written by Teri Watson and published on https://www.tailoredliving.com/.

Life as we know it is on pause right now. People are out of work, working from home or even working reduced hours. We’re not allowed to congregate in groups of 10 or more and that means not seeing our own family. While this is a hard time for everyone, the good news is that we all have a lot more time on our hands. If you’re not sure what to do with all the free time that you suddenly have on your hands, how about doing some spring cleaning in your garage so you can have a more functional space?

Spring Cleaning Tips to Keep Your Home and Garage Immaculate

Today’s house cleaning is very different from just a few decades ago. Once upon a time, floors were cleaned by sweeping (brooms) and mopping (heavy mops and hot, soapy water), or scrubbing floors on hands and knees. Rugs were rolled up, hauled outside, hung on a line and beaten to knock all the dust and dirt out. Renewed by the sunshine and fresh air, they were then carried back inside and unrolled onto the freshly scrubbed floors. Now we are bombarded by multiple companies all advertising different products. We’re talking at least a two-person job here! However, with all this confusion, there are still some websites offering guides on the best products, for example, Best Products Pro have produced a guide on the top 10 best mops on the market right now. But there are plenty of other websites like this!

Thankfully, we have cleaning assistance our great grandmothers could only dream about.

Vacuum cleaners

Swiffer Wet Jets

Robotic vacuum cleaners and mops

Dishwashers and washing machines

Self-cleaning ovens

Numerous whirring, spinning cleaning gadgets

As you’ll see, the first and perhaps most important equipment you need is a vacuum cleaner. We’d recommend a corded stick vacuum for cleaning out the garage. These are lightweight and easy to carry around. Go ahead and read about the best corded stick vacuums, buy some cleaning products, and consider a robotic cleaner (if budget allows).

But despite all this modern technology, Spring cleaning is still a real chore. Houses continually accumulate dirt, dust bunnies and cobwebs, and the ritual Spring cleaning goes beyond everyday tasks to a deeper clean.  Here are some helpful tips from Tailored Living® for successful Spring cleaning of your home and garage.

Tip One:  Clear away the clutter and get organized

Don’t try to clean a room that looks like a bomb went off. Pick up and put away whatever is out of place like shoes, jackets, books and dishes. Once the area is cleared, it can be effectively cleaned.

Assemble your cleaning supplies so you have what you need without hunting down window cleaner, dust cloths or furniture polish. A handy tote can make it easy to go from room to room.

Order the chores in a way that makes sense. Don’t vacuum and then dust furniture and ceiling fans that will dump dust back on the cleaned floor.

Going room by room lets you tackle this big job in smaller pieces, but realize this is probably not a one-day task.

Tip Two:  Start with the walls and ceilings

Wipe down walls and ceilings to eliminate dust and cobwebs (dry Swiffer, vacuum attachment or a Shop Vac in the garage).

Wash away smudges, spackle nail holes and dings and apply touch-up paint.

Wash baseboards, handrails, doors, doorknobs and switch plates.

Dust light fixtures, light bulbs and ceiling fan blades.

Wash vent covers, then coat with car wax to slow dust buildup.

Dust or vacuum window coverings; toss washable curtains in the laundry.

Wash windows, window sills and screens, inside and out.

Tip Three:  Clean horizontal surfaces and furnishings

Vacuum sofa, chairs, ottomans or other upholstered furniture.

Dust all picture frames, knick-knacks and decorative décor.

Dust furniture and cover scratches on wood with furniture oil or stain.

Polish mirrors and dust monitors, TVs and computer screens with a tech-safe cleaner like Windex® Electronics Wipes.

Launder throw rugs and (washable) upholstered cushions and pillows.

In the kitchen, clean the oven, stove top and microwave; scrub countertops, back splash, faucets, cabinet fronts and knobs.

In the bathroom, scour the tub, shower, toilet and all fixtures; clean and reseal grout lines.

In the garage, dust the water heater, electrical panel, garage door opener, etc.

Wash the laundry sink, countertops and inside and outside of the washer and dryer.

Tip Four:  Declutter and clean cabinets and closets

Enclosed cabinets and closets are wonderful for hiding clutter, but they can also accumulate items you completely forget about.  Going into declutter mode, label some boxes for keep, garage sale, donate or discard and begin the assault!

In the kitchen:

Start with the refrigerator, throwing out any expired or unrecognizable foods.

Empty all cabinets; wash the shelves and drawers before replacing contents.

In the pantry, discard any expired spices or foods.

Sort dishes and pans and get rid of duplicates, non-working appliances, or things you don’t use.

In the bathroom and laundry room:

Empty out any cabinets, drawers or vanity; wash shelves and drawers.

Discard outdated medications or cosmetics.

Sort laundry supplies; replace what you need and throw out old or unused items.

Closets in bedrooms, hallways, entryways and living rooms

Empty each closet and sweep, vacuum and wash down the interior of the closet including shelves and drawers.

Sort items before returning them to the closet: keep, toss, donate, or move elsewhere.

Install a closet organizational system if closet space is not being efficiently used.

Repaint the closet if needed, enhance the lighting and install an aromatic freshener like cedar, rosemary or lavender to deter bugs.

NOTE: Closets alone may take up to one full day.

In the garage:

Admittedly, the garage is about 100 times worse than any other space, but the same principles apply–decluttering, cleaning, organizing and putting away. We recently needed our garage door repaired so we searched for Garage door repair services near me, I finally came across a great company!

If your garage is a complete jumble, Tailored Living has the ideal solution for efficient garage storage with a system of metal garage storage cabinets from our private label, PremierGarage Metal Cabinet Series.  Specialty components, designed to fit together in any configuration you desire, allow you to customize one wall or your entire garage with floor-to-ceiling elegant, black powder-coated metal cabinets. You can outfit any size space with commercial-grade garage cabinet components, including a multi-use locker, two-door base cabinet, five-drawer tool cabinet, multi-function cabinet, wall cabinet, corner wall cabinet and worktops in bamboo or stainless steel.

Cabinets and lockers have 1,000-pound weight capacity to store your heaviest tools and equipment, and the shelves and drawers have 100- to 200-pound weight capacity to ensure safe storage of everything. Additional benefits include locking doors, double-walled, dent-resistant doors, 18-gauge welded steel frames, soft-close hinges and slides, and more.

Tip Five:  Finishing touch … the floors

Now that everything above the floors is clean and decluttered, the final step is cleaning the floors to eliminate all the dust and dirt from your home and garage (until the kids get home or the dog comes in).

Vacuum the carpet, rugs, stairs, hallways and hard surfaces like wood, tile and concrete.

Move furniture and vacuum underneath; including refrigerator and the refrigerator coils, the washer and dryer and the lint trap.

Mop all floors with appropriate cleaners for the individual surfaces such as hardwood, Porcelain tile, epoxy garage floor coverings, laminate, slate, concrete and marble.

Well done! You have survived another Spring cleaning and your home and family thank you. If the decluttering steps took longer than you’d like, talk with your local Tailored Living designer and get on the pathway to custom storage and organization solutions that will streamline year round home maintenance.

We are whole home organization specialists, dedicated to helping people live more comfortably in their space. We can help with closet organizers, entryways, home office design, pantries, laundry rooms, garages and custom garage flooring.

Original post here https://ift.tt/2ZJKXPI.

[wallythayer]

16 Ways to Move More

We’re a nation of sitters. Thanks to TV binge watching, desk jobs, and the ever-present allure of the Internet, the simple art of moving — at work and at home, indoors and out — is disappearing.

A 2011 study found that Americans spend more than half their waking hours sitting down — and at a considerable cost to our health. The more we sit, researchers discovered, the higher our risk of first-world illnesses of affluence: diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

“Our physicality is like an endangered species, and that’s potentially catastrophic,” says Frank Forencich, founder of Exuberant Animal, a health-leadership organization that advocates for our connection with nature, our bodies, and our communities. “Losing physicality would be like losing all the artwork from all the great museums of the world.”

The disheartening kicker is that formal exercise — walking, cycling, or hitting the gym for the recommended half-hour or so every day — does little to protect us from these health risks. A study in The Lancet warned that only the most dedicated exercisers (those who exercised 60 to 75 minutes daily) could effectively undo the damaging effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

“We live in an alien environment,” similar to animals in captivity, says Forencich. Cars, easy chairs, couches, smooth walking surfaces, refrigerators, climate control, and, of course, computers all conspire to keep us comfortable and sedentary.

So it may be time for a shift in how we think about physical activity. For our long-term health and well-being, we need to recognize that it’s as important to decrease overall sedentary time as it is to maintain a regular practice of intense, formal exercise.

Without turning back the clock, quitting our 9-to-5 jobs, or forgoing modern conveniences, we need to figure out ways to resist the siren call of the sofa and work more movement into our daily lives.

To help you do that, we hit up some of the world’s foremost experts in movement, fitness, and lifestyle for strategies on staying in motion in a sedentary world.

1. Lend a Hand

Most of us go out of our way to avoid chores. We let dirty dishes pile up, hope someone else changes the water jug at work, and pay the neighbor’s kid to shovel the walk. But performing these brief physical tasks has benefits beyond breaking up sitting time. A 2015 study published in the journal Mindfulness showed that paying attention to subtle sensations — say, texture and temperature while washing dishes — could reduce nervousness and increase inspiration to be more active.

2. Hit the Deck

Sitting, lying, kneeling, or squatting on or as close to the floor as much as possible can pay big dividends in hip mobility, spine health, and kinesthetic awareness, while simultaneously encouraging more movement.

“Reclaim the ground as much as possible,” says MovNat founder Erwan Le Corre, author of The Practice of Natural Movement. Even while working on your laptop, playing with your children, or brushing your teeth, “you can extend your legs forward, bring them to the side, sit on your heels, squat.”

3. Steal Steps

In 2017 researchers examined the walking habits of people from 46 countries and found that, on average, Americans take fewer than 4,800 steps per day — below the worldwide average and less than half the 10,000 steps (roughly five miles) many health experts recommend.

So whenever and wherever you can, steal a few hundred steps. Park farther away from the door at the mall; take the stairs, not the elevator; get off the bus a stop or two early. Small changes can net you several thousand extra steps a day.

4. Play in Your Environment

Your surroundings dictate your movements, says Le Corre. If you have the luxury to make a change, choose where you live with movement in mind. Do you have access to open space, woods, mountains, water? If you live in a city, is there a park near home, work, or both? Are nearby streets safe and clean for a bit of urban exploring? Can you access green spaces given the other demands in your life?

Just venturing outdoors means you’re more likely to be in motion. It also lifts your mood: A 2015 study found that a 90-minute walk in nature reduced activity in an area of the brain associated with depression. People who took their walks in a high-traffic urban setting showed no such reduction.

“Ultimately, where you live is the No. 1 consideration for healthy, frequent movement,” Le Corre says.

5. Enlist Canine Support

Dogs may be the ultimate workout partners; they’re always up for fun and play. That combination makes them good motivators: A 2017 study published in BMC Public Health found that dog owners exercised 22 more minutes per day (usually in the form of moderate-intensity walking) than people without dogs.

No pups in the family? Don’t worry. Consider offering to walk neighbors’ or friends’ dogs, or begin volunteering at a shelter near your home. (For an inspiring story about the health rewards of dog ownership, visit “Eric O’Grey’s Success Story.”)

6. Walk and Talk

Conversation is an important part of life, but only convention says you need to do it sitting down. In fact, conversation may be more gratifying and productive in combination with movement: A 2014 study found that walking boosts creativity and increases the free flow of ideas.

So, go ahead and grab that coffee with your friend — but instead of taking a seat, walk while you talk. Ditto for phone conversations, which you can conduct on your cell phone using headphones virtually anywhere. You’ll squeeze additional movement in — up to several hours a week — and may enjoy livelier conversations, too.

7. Reframe Your Mindset

When Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer, PhD, told a group of hotel maids that their daily tasks counted as exercise, it led to measurable improvements in their blood pressure, body fat, and waist-to-hip ratio after one month, compared with the control group.

The takeaway from this 2007 research? How you feel about movement — whether or not it counts as exercise — makes a difference in how it affects you.

Reframe physical tasks like making beds, cooking, and sweeping as mini-investments in your health to reap greater benefits.

8. Gear Up

When you dress inappropriately for the season, you create a built-in excuse for staying indoors and for moving less. Conversely, says Forencich, “when you have the right gear, you’ll get outside more often.”

Essentials include cool, nonrestrictive summer clothes, such as a bathing suit; shoes you can comfortably walk in, regardless of weather or terrain; warm gloves and a hat for the cold; and a high-quality winter coat that’s made for movement, not just for warmth.

9. Reconsider Your Space

The configuration of your home is also a key factor in how you move, whether you live in a house or an apartment. Do you have open space in your home to crawl, stretch, and jump? Are there stairs to climb? Is there a backyard to explore?

If your home is brimming with plush, tempting spots to sit, chances are you’ll wind up in them more often than you intend, says Forencich. “Rethink your furniture and get rid of unnecessary temptations to sit down.”

It’s possible to take this to the extreme. Katy Bowman, author of Movement Matters and Move Your DNA, did away with her couch and dining-room chairs and installed monkey bars in her home. Still, even small changes to the environment can make a difference. Consider leaving hand weights or a yoga mat in the living room, or installing a pull-up bar in a frequently used doorway.

Or simply try different ways to sit without pulling up a chair. See if you can squat, kneel, stand, and lean with legs in different configurations. (Learn more about Bowman’s strategies for more everyday movement in “Purposeful Movement.”)

10. Get Grateful

How you move, it turns out, is just as important as the movement itself.

“Most people think primarily about the quantity of movement they’re getting: how many miles they ran, or steps they took, or reps they did,” says Le Corre. But the quality of your movement is equally, if not more, valuable to your health.

Ask yourself: “How am I sitting? How am I getting off the floor?” Check in with your body, energy, and mood.

By paying more attention to your alignment, breath, and ease of movement, even in simple tasks like driving, standing in line, and checking your phone, you increase awareness and enjoyment in movement.

11. Empower Yourself

Fitness products and programs can make us feel less empowered to be physical on our own.

Don’t let that happen to you! Remember, the point of formal training is to make movement more accessible and joyful in your life outside the gym. So, if you’re a regular exerciser, start putting your fitness into play everywhere else: Join teams, run 5Ks, take hikes.

“People do lunges and twists as part of a functional routine,” says Le Corre. “But they’re afraid to play soccer or Frisbee — which use exactly the same movements. It doesn’t have to be complicated.”

12. Fly Fit

Air travel is usually cited for its pitfalls: chiefly, long hours in a confined seated position. But it also offers some overlooked opportunities for movement.

“On the plane, stretch to reach overhead whenever you think of it,” says Jolie Kobrinsky, a trainer and functional-fitness expert whose mission includes helping people “unstick” themselves from patterns of inactivity.

When you get up to use the bathroom, circle your arms and roll your shoulders, she suggests. At the gate, walk around and stretch rather than planting yourself in a chair. You’re not only moving, but you’ll also arrive at your destination feeling fresher.

13. Master Mini-Workouts

Many people assume that healthy movement must take place at a certain time, at a certain place, in certain clothes: the 6 a.m. yoga class in your flowy pants or the 7 a.m. boot camp in your camo headband.

But you can move virtually anywhere, anytime — for as long as you wish, wearing anything you like.

“Get up and walk for a few minutes every 20 to 30 minutes you’re sitting down,” says Lynn Shuck, a Minnesota-based yoga instructor who teaches Eischens, an alignment-based style that uses weight resistance to activate underused muscles.

Her advice to move when and where you can applies whether you’re at work, at home, or waiting at the airport. Every time you pass through a doorway, stretch your arms overhead on the door frame, she suggests. Stretch your calves; get into a half-kneeling pose and stretch your hips for a 30- to 60-second hold.

If you’re up for something more vigorous, try two rounds of 30-second sets of body-weight squats, hands-elevated pushups, reverse lunges, and jumping jacks to get your heart seriously pounding. It will take less than five minutes.

(For more quick-hit workout ideas, check out “Take Five.”)

14. Take a Stand

The jury is still out on whether stand-up or walking desks directly affect health and productivity. Some studies have shown modest improvements in workplace performance, mood, and back pain; other research suggests they’re unlikely to facilitate weight loss — or even significantly decrease sitting time.

Still, a stand-up option at your desk undoubtedly increases your options for healthy movement throughout your workday: You can place a book under the balls of your feet and stretch your calves, or put your knee on your desk in a half-pigeon pose and stretch your hips. You’re also more inclined to shift positions, to walk down the hall to talk to a colleague, or to visit the water cooler for some hydration at a moment’s notice.

Advising people to just stand up isn’t a cure-all, says Kobrinsky. “But standing more can definitely be part of a healthier, more movement-rich lifestyle.”

15. Go Small

Most people think big movement patterns — squatting, running, jumping — form the crux of physical fitness, but your smallest body parts can dramatically affect how you feel and move. Specifically, experts suggest homing in on the feet to get a big bang for your fitness buck.

“There are 33 joints in the feet,” says Shuck. “We use about three of them.”

Our feet are designed for varied terrain, she says, but hard-soled shoes and unvaryingly flat walking surfaces offer them little stimulation. Solve that by going barefoot whenever convenient and massaging the soles of your feet by rolling them over a small ball when you can.

Opening up the fascia and musculature that run between and around your foot joints not only feels good on the spot at that moment; this small action can also release the hamstrings, hips, and lower back — setting you up for even more good-feeling movement later.

16. Pay it Forward

“Physicality is not just about our personal health. It’s a gift we pass on to future generations,” says Forencich. So, whether or not you’re raising children of your own, embrace opportunities to enable and encourage young people to move — vigorously, joyously, frequently. Run around with your kids, nieces, and nephews at the park instead of sitting on the sidelines. Coach a team or help teach a sports or exercise-based class. And model a movement-rich lifestyle for everyone around you.

“The most potent influence on kids is adults’ behavior — not what they say, but what they do,” Forencich says.

Get the full story at https://experiencelife.com/article/16-ways-to-move-more/