Spring is FINALLY here and I swear all I want to do is throw all the doors and windows open, diffuse some essential oils and sing Alleluia [cause the Canadian winters are so GOSH DARN LONG]. But the amount of clutter that has accumulated in my house while we've been cooped up is kinda embarrassing. I seriously need to take my own de-clutter challenge. 

This week I am most definitely going to tidy up- and if you are too here are some tips that really help me and my family.

1. MAKE MONEY ON VARAGESALE

When possible, I like to make money on items that I no longer need. With the various ages and stages of my six kids, selling my gently used and new stuff that just doesn't work for me anymore helps to keep the clutter low, and put money in my pocket for new items they will inevitably need. But I have often stayed away from it from the sheer hassle of posting the item, taking photos, waiting for people who don't show up, or playing telephone tag or email tag forever. At the end of the day the inconvenience was just not worth it. But recently, I posted on my Facebook wall for recommendations on an efficient way to sell my no longer wanted items and someone suggested the online app VarageSale– and let me tell you, my efficiency woes have been solved. 

It's an app that makes buying and selling new and used items really efficient, and super safe. People are rated based on their ability to communicate and show up for their purchase or sale, and all communication is done through the app so you're not chasing people so to speak on various forms of communication. I have bought and sold baby items, home decor items, even clothing.  And I have yet to have one person not show up, or haggle me at the door or anything like that. So clean out all your unwanted stuff, make your house loose a few pounds and make money at the same time : ) 

2. DEEP CLEAN AND PROTECT WITH CONCROBIUM MOLD CONTROL

Now that your house is a little lighter, let's deep clean it. I was recently introduced to Concrobium Mold Control Spray– this safe for people and the environment spray creates a protective layer to inhibit mold from growing on surfaces like wood, drywall, metal and plastic. I just used it to clean, and protect my plastic outdoor dining chairs, and used it to get rid of an unfortunate layer of mold that built up in my mini bar fridge that we turned off [but never cleaned- gross]. 

And then for all the winter items that you might be putting into bins for the season and storing in a potentially damp place like under the stairs, or your basement, consider using Concrobium Moisture Grabbers. These packets absorb moisture in a small space, which will help to ensure mold does not grow. Use it in bins, under the stairs, under sinks- anywhere moisture may cause mold. It uses the same materials found in diapers which I think it pretty cool. They can also help absorb gross smells in gym bags- love that. 

3. WASH YOUR DISHWASHER

We renovated our house a few years ago and put in a new suite of appliances– but lol, I learned the hard way that proper maintenance of appliances is important, especially in a house like mine where appliance run more than once a day. Do you know you are supposed to wash your dishwasher??? I did not- and apparently I am not the only one as only 27% of Canadians have cleaned the interior of their dishwashers in the last twelve months. From regular use, minerals build up on the interior of your dishwasher that can inhibit it from performing optimally. This can be solved super quickly by running a packet of Affresh in your dishwasher in a cycle [it's also sae to use with dishes in the appliance]. Affresh works with all major dishwasher brands and can be picked up on your weekly grocery run. 

4. BRING IN THE PRETTY

Now that the house is all cleaned, bring in some pretty. I am a big fan of the convenience Bouclair brings to my life. In one aisle, Bouclair curates on-trend, colour coordinated collections- which make bringing the pretty in after you have spring cleaned just so easy and efficient. Favourites for me include their marble serving platters, concrete candle holders, printed napkins for easy entertaining and coloured trays. 

IA great big thank you to these brands for partnering with me on this sponsored post. I love to work with brands that bring value, efficiency and beauty to my life, and I hope to yours as well.