Behind the Blog: Clean Mama + A Clean Mama Giveaway!

Hi Friends!  I'm really excited about today's subject for "Behind the Blog"… 

Becky from Clean Mama!  I first "met" Becky as a customer, when I bought one of the terrific printables she creates for her Etsy Shop.  She was so quick to respond and so accomodating.  Really easy to work with and nice. And her printables are fabulous!

As a matter of fact, Becky is giving away one of her Cleaning Kits from her Etsy Shop to a lucky YoT reader.

The cleaning kit is the tool you need to get and keep you organized.  It includes three different organizing collections (you can use over and over):

• The Weekly Cleaning List includes a checklist for chores for the week, daily chore checklist, and a meal planning section. The Weekly Cleaning List is for one month.

• The Monthly Cleaning List includes 12 sections – one for each month – you fill in the month so it can be started any month of the year. Each month has 8 rotating tasks with check boxes and one blank line with a check box for something that may need to be done in your home. There is also a section at the bottom where you can add any other home tasks. The Monthly Cleaning List is for one year.

• The To Do List is designed to function with your Weekly + Monthly Cleaning lists. Fill it in with tasks to remember and check them off as you finish for that great feeling of accomplishment. 

How can you win this fantastic set?  Each is worth one entry:

1)Visit the Clean Mama's Printables Etsy Shop and come back here and tell us what product you liked the most

2)Become a follower of YoT and let me know in the comments so I can follow you back

3)Become a follower of Clean Mama and let us know in the comments

The giveway will be open until 5 pm on Sunday August 23rd.

Even if you don't win the giveaway, we're all winners because Becky is offering free shipping to new members (through her) to Shaklee.

And now onto the interview…

Tell us about Clean Mama "The Blog"… how did it get it's start?

I started selling Shaklee products (after using them for over a year) and felt like I needed a place to connect to customers and help them get the most out of the products they were purchasing from me.  I am a former art teacher and really like the creative organizing side of blogging and just started to share some ideas and helpful (hopefully) hints and tricks that work for me.  Next month is my first blog-iversary – the Clean Mama blog has become more than I ever anticipated.

What's your philosophy on cleaning and organizing?  

My philosophy is to clean in planned spurts – a little bit every day – and to never let cleaning or organizing take precedence over family.

What do you think are the most common mistakes we make when it comes to cleaning/organizing our homes?  

Trying to do everything at once or all on one day, getting overwhelmed and not finishing.

For people who feel overwhelmed by the idea of going "green" with cleaning supplies– any tips?  

Get Clean Starter Kit

The Get Clean Starter Kit is everything you need to clean your home – you can get rid of everything else – it's under $100 and cleans the equivalent of $3400 of regular cleaning products.

Basic H2

Can you recommend a couples products/tools and explain why  

Basic H2 – I still have the same bottle I bought almost 3 years ago – it cleans everything from counters, mirrors, permanent marker off antique tables, crayon on walls, lipstick off linen napkins, carpets and on and on.  It's concentrated, non-toxic, and WORKS like no other cleaner I've ever tried. 

Scour Off 

Scour Off – cleans ovens fume free!

What's your least favorite room to clean and why?

Bathrooms are my least favorite room to clean – because I'm a germ-o-phobe – ha!

Have you always been passionate about cleaning/organizing?  Any cleaning "techniques" you can share? 

I have always been "passionate" about cleaning and organizing – I wish I had taken photos of my different art classrooms – they were so fun to create in and organized.  My students always knew where to find things – I went crazy with the label makers.  And everything was always clean – I had baby wipes at each table for the students to clean off their workspace – not super eco-friendly, looking back, but it worked at the time.

Free Toy Printable from Clean Mama

You offer some fantastic free printables on your blog– which are the most popular?  The recipe printables are popular and the toys printables – they are most likely popular because they're easy and practical. 

Tell us about your etsy shop– what can we find there to help us get organized?  

I have been making "printables" to help me stay organized for at least 10 years – a checklist and a cup of coffee are my motivators I guess.  You can find two non-customizable Kits – The Cleaning Kit and The Christmas In July Kit  and everything else is completely customizable.  My three bestsellers are The Cleaning Kit,the Weekly Docket and the Daily Planners. 

How can we get our families involved in cleaning?  At what age can kids help?  At what age can hubbys help (lol)?

As soon as they can walk :)  I love cleaning with Shaklee products, because my kids don't need to be napping and I don't need a haz-mat suit and mask.  My kids dust and wipe down anything they can – they are at the age where they love to help and I am taking full advantage of it, hoping that it'll carryover as they reach their teen years.  No advice on involving the hubbies – just make it easy and they'll do it.  For instance, I have a two slot laundry hamper for hubby and myself – that way he separates his clothes.  

Do you have a organizational tip for back to school?

Make a plan – any plan.  Planning ahead is the key to smooth transitions for everyone.  Set up some simple goals for getting off to a good start.  Plan outfits out the night before, have backpacks ready and homework done the night before, have spots for kids to stash stuff.  Cute plastic or metal containers with their names on it always works.  Kids thrive on structure – provide it and they'll make it work for them.

Do you ever leave a room messy?

Ummm, yeah.  There are toys everywhere on the first floor of our house and I'm okay with it – it'll get cleaned up before bedtime.  

Tell us about Becky… 

Home Comforts 

Favorite "Cleaning" Icon:  Cheryl Mendelson's book "Home Comforts" really got me interested in keeping a home.

What do you like to create for fun? I love to paint canvases for kids' rooms.

Favorite TV show?  "Sarah's House" on HGTV

Sleepless 

Favorite Movie?  Sleepless In Seattle – I have to watch it anytime it's on tv.  

Favorite Song?  "Marry Me" by Neil Diamond – I'm sure no one's heard it, but it's a beautiful love song.  

Favorite Quote?  It's actually a Bible verse: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God."  Philippians 4:6

Dessert?  chocolate, lots of it

Color?  Martha Stewart blue

Snack?  cold cereal

Inspiring person in your life?  Anyone that perseveres through life's trials and can see the blessings in everyday life

What's next for Clean Mama?  A little at-home preschool with my daughter this fall.  Hopefully a little Etsy shop revamp (new printables) and enjoying my favorite season, Fall!

How can we find you?

Blog:  http://cleanmama.blogspot.com/

Email:  [email protected]

FB:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/CLEAN-MAMA/122123047813068

Twitter:  @cleanmamablog

Etsy Store:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/CleanMamaPrintables

Shaklee Store:  http://cleanmama.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html

Thanks Becky!  And coming up next week on Behind the Blog… Amanda and Jen– the bloggers behind Kind Over Matter. 

To me, visiting Kind Over Matter is the equivalent of going for a walk in the woods or meeting a friend for coffee.  You leave feeling refreshed and peaceful. I can't wait to learn more about it and the wonderful people behind it.

BIG Hug!  Malia