So Fresh and So Clean Clean

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I am a bit of a clean freak. I am always on a mission to try to make our apartment looking as best as it can and smelling great. There is no greater smell than a house with freshly mopped floors or squeaky clean countertops. Even living in a small apartment, keeping things clean can be challenging with a little one around. There are times when I will pick everything up off of the floor only to turn around and it is right back there because Harlan has messed with it.

After living here for nine months, I have learned that there are many ways that we can keep our apartment looking and smelling great. The first thing that I rely on is help from others. My husband and I recently made a “weekly cleaning” list that we work on every Saturday. I try to do as much as I can during the week because I stay at home most of the time, but there are just things that I cannot get to. Having a weekly list allows us to get whatever needs to be done in a decent amount of time. We tackled our list pretty early last Saturday and had the rest of the day to enjoy with the family in a great smelling, clean apartment.

I also LOVE having candles lit. Not only does it allow for great ambiance, but it also leaves off a great smell. We have candles everywhere around the apartment and will almost always have them lit if we are having guests over. There is nothing more pleasing than walking into a room that smells amazing.

Another aspect that can make your home looking fresh and smelling fresh is flowers. With Spring right around the corner, there are a ton of amazing fresh flowers blooming. Creating a beautiful arrangement for your kitchen table or a hallway can spruce up any room. Prior to living here in the city I had a garden outside of my house that I would love to get flowers from and make my own arrangements. Now that I don’t have that luxury, I look forward to visiting the local market for fresh flowers.

Having a clean apartment is something that can make my day. As weird as it sounds, I love it. It is a lot harder to clean with Harlan around, but I have learned to be patient and work with it. Isn’t that what motherhood is all about?

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Photo via Martha Stewart