Tool Time – Domesticated

I think I’ve crossed off the rest of the lingering items: sleep, shower, insulin in my fridge? Yup, I live here now. As I try to settle into a groove I’m continuing the checklist of things I want to do. Luckily there are plenty of pages in my notebook to jot down ideas. The big problem there is that my ideas are scattered among the many pages available, a fitting metaphor for how my brain feels right now. So much to do, impossible to focus, thoughts are scattered all over the place. Hopefully I will be able to focus at the right times, on the right tasks and I can slowly transform this place into something special.

Also helping me out with the organization is a dry erase board placed on my refrigerator. The kitchen is a high traffic area (for one person) and the board right there is something I can go back to if I quickly think of something I want to remember while I’m in the middle of another task. And, it was only $4. Not quite brilliant, but a smart move considering how often I’m thinking of random tasks. And lately it feels like most of my tasks involve cleaning.

There was a round of cleaning before major items were delivered, but as I add, organize, settle and think about resting I find more stuff to clean. Considering the scope of battle, it’s best to come prepared. I’d like to introduce you to my Army.

First wave of assault: Lysol Disinfecting Wipes. These bad boys have been able to handle about 80% of the enemy filth they have faced. Also good to have around for general surface wipe-down, there’s really no excuse for not having these around.

Depending on the foe, I’ve gone into battle with Lysol All Purpose Cleaner with Bleach or Heavy Duty Fantastik. I purchased Fantastik over the weekend and I think this is going to be my go-to all purpose cleaning spray moving forward. Both are intense, if the smell/aroma of bleach turns you off check out Fantastik. It’s fantastic.

Now when you need to call in the big guns, Mr. Clean’s Magic Eraser is your end-game Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. Ka-freaking-boom.

I have heard about these things from other blogs throughout the intertubes and couldn’t get past the infomercial-ness of these things. It’s called a Magic Eraser. Act now and we’ll throw in these extension cords at no additional cost! But then I used it. All it took was a test swipe on something as simple as a smudge on a cabinet door and I became a convert. Pro Tip: Elbow grease isn’t required to get this product to function properly. It took me a while to figure that one out, but even as I was cleaning out my nasty, filthy sink I continued to think that this was one of the better intermediate purchases I have made.

And speaking of my nasty sink, in memory of Billy Mays I snapped a photo of the sink cleaning mid-effort. Left = cleaner. Right = not touched.

Click to enlarge and really experience the Magic (Left) and the Gross (Right).

I’ll try to focus future home improvement posts on the bigger tasks as they are completed. Also I’ll try to do better about taking intermediate pictures to tell a better story. You know, in case you want to know how I did what I did.