MY 2017 HOUSEKEEPING RESOLUTIONS

I stopped making New Year's resolutions about 2 years ago, because I have a back log trying to implement those from the previous years. However, this time I will set some health resolutions; like I will have only 5 cokes in 2017, and social resolutions like visiting my Nai relatives more often (at least once each!) These resolutions will be cast in stone (well, typed in WORD). But I have to say, it's the Housekeeping resolutions that I'm not so sure of.

IT'S A THROWDOWN

Christmas is here, you're in shagz for the next two days. Your pilau is on the jiko, the entire village can smell it. Your grandma's creepy neighbour strays into the compound and takes his place in the sitting room. No welcome needed. It's the season, so you ignore him. After all, it's nice to see long lost cousins and meet some distant relatives for the first time. The fellow is introduced to you as "The husband of your grandmother's niece on her babu's side..."

JINGLE ALERT (PART 3): POP & RnB

In Part 1 and 2 of this series, I posted Christmas carols and songs that rocked the 80s. We're in the 21st century now and so music has evolved. Some musicians have managed to maintain the spirit, others have taken it to a whole new level. I wasn't surprised to come across Snoop's 2008 album, Christmas in tha Dogg House.

JINGLE ALERT (PART 2): Zilizopendwa

This post is all about the sounds of Christmas in the 80s, when everyone listened to pretty much the same kind of music because we only had one broadcasting station, VOK. The music was soulful and the crackling sounds of the LP aged it even further. The music was rich and deep. Listening to it right now, it takes me back to christmas tree decorating,

JINGLE ALERT (PART 1): CAROLS

Will Christmas carols ever grow old? Not in my world. For many like me, the season begins on Advent. In the Anglican Church calendar, we celebrated this year's Advent on the 27th of November. At All Saints Cathedral, this is an evening, candle-lit service. There is no sermon, but readings or Lessons telling of the birth of Christ.

PREPPING for CHRISTMAS

December is here and honestly, all I can think about is family, friends and food. Here's my itinerary: Turi for 2 nights - Vihiga for 5 nights - Nakuru for 1 or 2 nights - Nairobi stopover - Shagz (where there's an invite practically every other day) for 10 days. Looking forward to that,

MONSTER IN YOUR SINK

The Kitchen sponge is 200,000 times dirtier than the toilet seat. That's from the Daily Mail. Actually there's more after that quote that will paralyse you, literally. In my not-so-glamourous business of cleaning, I have had to study dirt just as much as hygiene. Granted, the internet has a lot of BS, but I have found ways to get the juice from reliable sources

UNWANTED GUESTS: Rattus Norvegicus and Mus Musculus

My cousin was recently bitten by a rat. It's an occupational hazard, no fault of his. I mean how many mouse-traps can one set? Musa owns a chicken feed manufacturing plant. He sells and distributes it in Ngong area. The problem with this is that chicken aren't the only ones that eat it.

SHOPPING HAUL @ ORGANIZED PLANET

My home is sort of organised. I think. Or maybe it's just that I don't hoard too much stuff. I may know a few cleaning tips but when it comes to storage, I'm a bit all over the place.

TULIP HOUSEHOLD 101: MYSTERIOUS WD40

If your husband has the old-car-syndrome, chances are that he spends an awful amount of time in the hood of his bonnet. With all the sticky, rusty, jammed parts found in old cars, he's definitely got WD40 nearby, or he should. WD40 is by far the most versatile solvent I have ever come across. It tackles stuff pretty much the same way salt seasons food. It will bust jammed joints quicker than you can say Open sesame! So I have it in my cleaning box. Dr. Melly has it, and so should you. Here's why:

THE UNLIKELY CLEANER

I know a good number of mums who would swear by Axion "the grease stripper”. It was my mum’s favourite until a few years ago when she discovered that panga soap could pretty much strip off any food grease if you just had time and a little more elbow grease. Some cleaning products are self-explanatory. For instance, you use the toilet duck to wash the duck - in the toilet. I love my unlikely cleaners. Some will put your bad habits to good use.

THE MESS YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH

Living in a house with multiple pets, multiple kids and a husband who collects auto parts as a hobby, can create messy situations that seem impossible to deal with, such as excess fur and pet odour; grease on clothes; hard-to-clean chandelier, non-commissioned wall-art... Well, let's look at a few simple solutions:

TULIP HOUSEHOLD 101: HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

Before I started my cleaning service, the only antiseptics, antibacterials, antifungals I knew were Dettol and friends. The only bleaching agent I knew was Jik. The only disinfectant cleaner I knew was methylated spirit. Things changed when I decided to go on a hunt for environmentally friendly cleaning products. Enter Hydrogen Peroxide, my new best friend. What can it do for you? Question is, what can't it do for you?!

5 WAYS TO RE-USE TP TUBES

We're saving tp tubes now?

There was a time when I loved arts 'n crafts. I probably could have figured how to reuse a lot of things, as my kids often do (they don't have Play Station so they get pretty creative in their free time). Toilet Paper tubes are still bio-degradable that means we can do a lot of safe things with them. Here are 5:

5 THINGS TO TOSS

Staying on top of the news...?

It's no surprise that my very first post would be about getting rid of clutter to create space for serenity. It's true, if your environment is cluttered, so is your mind. Looking for peace of mind? Then clean up! Here are my first 5 Things to Toss. That means, "Bye-bye". Do not donate these, please. There's no point trying to clutter up someone else's life. Here we go: