Ology Review - Exclusive Walgreens Brand #OlogyPledge

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

We all know that eating healthy is very important, but what having a healthy home and environment? Are there things you do to help keep you, your family, your pets and environment safe? One simple thing you can do is make the switch to eco-friendly, green products like those from Ology!

About Ology:
Thanks to our friends at Moms Meet we got to review 3 amazing products from Ology. Ology is a Walgreens exclusive brand and makes household cleaners as well as paper, personal care, and baby products. We got to try out the Ology Laundry Liquid Detergent, Paper Towels and All-Purpose Cleaner. All of the Ology products are designed to give you peace of mind. They contain no harmful chemicals and are 100% tree-free! That means that their products are safer for you, your family, your pets, and the environment! Ology avoids toxic chemicals, and uses sustainable raw materials and nature ingredients during their production process.

Ology Laundry Detergent:
Detergent is a sensitive area for our family, literally! All 4 of us have sensitive skin and will either break out or get itchy when we use many of the detergents, soaps, cleaning products, lotions, make ups and even sun tan lotions on the market. I first used the free and clear scent Ology 2x Laundry Liquid Detergent on my children's clothes, yes I totally used them as guinea pigs. Not only did the detergent get out the tough stains on their clothes, but neither of them broke out or got itchy. So I washed my clothes and my husbands next and neither of us broke out either. I was totally sold!

Ology Laundry Detergent Highlights: 

• Works in both HE and regular machines and is formulated to thoroughly clean all types of loads (regular, delicates, and woolens).
• Available in a free and clear scent as well as a spring lavender vanilla scent, both of which are derived using only natural ingredients—nothing artificial.
• Contains no dyes, artificial fragrances or phosphates.
• Contains no ammonia, chlorine bleach, DEA (diethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine), parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, nonylphenol ethoxylates, triclosan, and SLS/SLES.
• Made using plant-based and mineral-based raw materials.
• The bottle is made from 100% post-consumer materials.
• Never tested on animals and do not contain any animal byproducts.
• Endorsed by Healthy Child Healthy World, a national leading independent nonprofit organization, dedicated to the protection of children from harmful chemicals.
• Affordable retail price of just $6.79.

Ology Paper Towels:
I generally use inexpensive rags or old clothes and socks to clean with because they are more environmentally friendly and cheaper. They can be washed and reused many times before they have to be thrown away. But there are times that paper towels come in handy and they are certainly more sanitary when cleaning dirty bathrooms.

Well now we have our solution to paper towels because Ology Paper Towels are 100% tree-free and they are whitened with H202, a non-chlorine based bleach. The paper towels are made from a readily renewable sugar cane husk which is quick-growing bamboo that regenerates in as little as 6 months. Plus they are ultra absorbent and biodegradable. The paper towels are available in a 2 pack for $3.99 and there are 65 two-ply sheets per roll and each sheet is 11 inches by 8.9 inches.

Ology All-Purpose Cleaner:
This was my favorite product out of the 3!!! Why you ask well because it works amazingly well and the children can use it too! I generally use vinegar to clean with because it is inexpensive and safe for the children and pets, however it doesn't always get tough grease and grime cleaned. When our Ology package arrived the cleaner and paper towels were used immediately. You see it just so happened that we had family and friends coming into town for vacation and they were all staying with us. That meant the house needed a deep cleaning and my little ones were going to be in charge of scrubbing walls, baseboards and counters. I had nothing to worry about as I handed them the Ology All-Purpose Cleaner bottle because it is suitable for use on most household surfaces including kitchen counters and stove tops. And since the cleaner is free of harmful chemicals I didn't need to worry about them getting sick. Ology cleaner is plant-based and does not contain any harsh solvents, dyes, ammonia or artificial fragrances. And what's even better is that it works GREAT and cuts through grease and grime with one swipe, plus it smells great too (meyer lemon and lavender). My walls, counters and base boards never looked so good after being cleaned by a 8 and 7 year old! The Ology All-Purpose Cleaner retails for $3.99 per 26 fl oz bottle.

Take the Pledge:
Ology has won over our family and will hopefully win over yours. If you have been inspired to make positive changes in you home I encourage you to submit a pledge for a chance to win a $100 Walgreens Gift Card. Simply visit the Ology Pledge Page on Green Moms Meet for details (or read below). Then make a pledge and share it on social media with hashtag #OlogyPledge (you can also include a photo or video). If you wish to submit your pledge privately visit this link.

Links to follow:
-Walgreens Website
-Walgreens Facebook
-Walgreens Twitter
-Moms Meet Website

Where to purchase:
You can purchase Ology products at your local Walgreens. Prices vary on products (the laundry detergent is $6.79, paper towels are $3.99 and all-purpose cleaner is $3.99)

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC. or the manufacturer of the product.

Save Valuable Time With Homejoy Cleaning

I am a wife, mom, blogger, social media guru, teacher, nurse, cook, chauffeur, coach, secretary and maid...but I really dislike that last title. In all honesty the last title is the one that I try to avoid! My house is by no means filthy, but I don't spend nearly enough time doing a deep cleaning like I should. But what if there was an easy way to find an affordable professionally certified cleaning company to do it for you?

Well there is and their name is Homejoy Cleaning!

Homejoy Cleaning offers services currently in San Francisco, New York, Boston, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Austin, Boca Raton, Dallas, Miami and many more major cities around the USA and even Canada.

The company was founded in 2012 by a brother-sister duo Aaron and Adora Cheung. They are based in San Francisco and match professional cleaners with clients in need at nearly half the price. Isn't the internet amazing?

Homejoy offers affordable cleaning solutions for everyone including the mom with many hats, the busy college student or the savvy business owner. Homejoy charges $20 an hour for a basic cleaning service, with a variety of other offerings like laundry and fridge organization. They also offer a 100% guarantee.

Homejoy is simple to use:

1) Enter your zipcode.
2) Select rooms, square footage, extras you want to add and number of hours, and whether or not you will provide cleaning supplies.
3) Enter your contact information.
4) Choose your appointment time.
5) Enter payment information.
6) Review your order.

Homejoy will then dip into their network of certified professional cleaners and assign someone to tackle your home!

Now I don't know about you but I am all about saving money and time! Thanks to Homejoy you can do both. You will no longer have to spend hours searching for a reputable and affordable cleaning service, because it will be done with just a few clicks. And afterwards you can get back to focusing on more important things like spending time with your family.

Flush To Paradise - Get A Dazzlingly Clean Toilet With Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Who would have thought that flushing could be paradise? When I saw this Balls Dream Band video for the first time I just knew I had to share it with you. I love creative commercials and actually have a YouTube channel set up with commercials that I love, so I can watch them over and over again on days I need a good laugh.

A stay-at-home mom's work is never done. There is cleaning to be done, meals to cook, blog posts to write, a husband to spend time with, children to tend to 24/7 (especially if you are a homeschool mom), and the list goes on. Cleaning is definitely one area that I am always looking for help in! I don't know about you, but I dread cleaning the toilets...mostly because a certain little someone always miss's. I am always looking for great cleaning products, or ways to make chores a little more easier and fun! Well after watching this video you will definitely see your toilet in a whole new light!

The Balls Dream Band is back with a fun, creative commercial. With one flush you will be whisked away to a paradise where The Balls Dream Band will show you how sexy a clean, hygienic toilet can be. Your heart will race as you meet four very handsome gentlemen cleansing foam, anti-limescale formula, dirt  protector and extra freshness. Each represents an active ingredient in Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care. Together these 4 provide you with a dazzlingly clean toilet...well I wish it was really them that came and cleaned the toilet for me!

Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care is a powerful toilet cleaner with four powerful active ingredients:

• Cleansing foam: cleans the toilet with each flush
• Anti-limescale formula: prevents the build-up of limescale stains
• Dirt protector: helps prevent toilet grime
• Extra freshness: for a pleasant, fresh fragrance

These 4 balls work together to keep your toilet clean for up to 4 weeks. Just pop it in the toilet!

I don't know about you, but I will definitely be thinking about something else now when I clean my toilet, which won't be nearly as much thanks to Soft Scrub 4-in-1 Toilet Care!

What to know more? Simply scan the QR code below or click here.

After you watch the video be sure to have some fun with the Balls Dream Band! Share The Balls Dream Band video with your friends, Paradise Yourself, or share funny messages and photos of The Balls Dream Band.

Sign up for promotional offers here. And then leave a comment letting me know your thoughts about the commercial.

FreeBEE Friday - FREE Character Training Resources

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

If you have homeschool FreeBEEs to share

please link up at the bottom of this post!

You can copy the button from my right sidebar to share

somewhere on your blog.

Welcome to a New Year of FreeBEEs. Every Friday I will share a great list of educational FreeBEE resources. PLUS...there's the added bonus of this being a monthly link up...where you can showcase your freebie posts or discover more amazing freebies from my blogging friends. The blogger link up will start on the first Friday of every month and end on the first day of the following month. Each month there will be a new link up. Link up anything that is educational and FREE including GIVEAWAYS!

FreeBEEs:
Character training is very important to our family. It is one thing that we are constantly working on...and not just with the children. Both my husband and I have things we could fix in our own characters and improving ourselves is just as important as helping our children with their character. It is our hope that we will raise our children will have good attitudes, perseverance, respect, honesty, self-control, contentment, etc. We also want them to be kind, loving and helpful to everyone. And hopefully with good character qualities they will one day become great leaders.

Are you frustrated with your children's attitudes? Do you wish the children helped around the house a little more? Are you constantly yelling at your children? Then keep reading.....

This week I started watching the "Building Character With Children" videos by Shirley Solis. Currently 2 videos have been posted so you are just in time to sign up and join in the fun. Video 1 discusses, "how to teach new habits to your children" and Video 2 discusses, "why children don't want to do their chores." The videos are really short less than 10 minutes and provide lots of great information. Best of all they are FREE. They are great for ALL parents and both secular and Christian families.

I must admit that the habit trick in video 1 really works and is so simple. I had tried something previously but it never really stuck...but this trick did!

Also be sure to check out my Character, Virtues and Organization for Kids Post from 2012 there are lots of helpful FREE resources in that post too. Also Spirituality For Kids Tools To Win The Game Of Life is another fabulous FREE resource for helping children with character training.

More information:
Building Character with Children is a brand new video-based program with homeschool mom, author, and speaker Shirley Solis. In these short, 7-minute videos, Shirley shares her experience as a mom of 6 children, with tips and tricks to build strong, desirable character traits in your children!

In Building Character with Children, you will learn:

• How to train your children to learn a new habit in just a few minutes a day (so you won’t have to keep repeating yourself!)
• The 3 reasons why your children don’t do their chores AND what to do about it!
• What to do about sibling rivalry and how to resolve conflicts easily and peacefully!
• The #1 reason why children are lacking character today and how to change that!

I hope you find these resources useful. If you ever have any questions feel free to leave me a comment or email me. Also be sure to follow my FB page where I post FreeBEEs daily.

Link up: FreeBEE Fridays with Kathy's Cluttered Mind.

Remember when it comes to FREE resources the internet and a good search engine are your best friend. Oh and a library card!

*Don't miss a single FreeBEE... Subscribe to Kathys Cluttered Mind*

  


Linking up with: 3 Boys and a Dog

Marvelous Cleaning Tips For The New Year

This New Year cleaning resolution tips post is brought to you by Mr. Clean as part of a Type-A Parent Community Sponsored Post.

Made with Tagxedo.

I am a stay at home, homeschool mom. That means that my two kids are pretty much always home (well expect for when we are out on a fun adventure) making messes. And boy can they make messes, they are like little tornado's. I am also a wife, blogger and social media manager so when I am not helping the kids learn I am busy working or spending time with my husband. After tending to the kids, my husband and work there is little time left for household chores.

I am always looking for ways to streamline cleaning, organization and meal times. And since the New Year is right around the corner it is a great time to make those cleaning resolutions.

Here are some of my MARVELOUS cleaning tips:
All of these tips help make cleaning go more smoothly in our house and help free up time for me and the rest of the family. With these tips implemented cleaning is no longer dreaded and mundane.

Make cleaning easier in 2014 by.....

1) Getting the ENTIRE family (including the kids) involved in cleaning and organizing. This is my number one tip for a reason! With a little perseverance and teamwork household cleaning and organizing will no longer be difficult and exhausting. Don't be afraid to ask for HELP around the house even when you don't think you need it. Start children out at a young age. Even a 1 or 2 year old can help out by picking up toys and dusting. Letting children help to clean up messes, fold the laundry, wash the dishes, etc will teach them valuable life skills, perseverance, patience, time management and the value of helping others. Children need to understand that as a family it is everyone's responsibility to clean up and help out around the house not just mom's. I have even had my children help with breakfast, lunches and dinner and they are only 6 and 7 year's old. Also did you know that learning to do tasks, helping out around the house, and being relied on by others in their family can help build self confidence and self esteem in children?

If you need some ideas on what kinds of chores your children can help out with be sure to check out my Top 10 Kids Chores post.

2) Utilizing the one minute rule. If there is something that needs to be done and takes less than one minute to do, do it immediately rather than waiting until later. Doing a small task right away will help alleviate more work later. A few toys and books or a little spill on the floor only take one minute to clean up!

3) Breaking up chores throughout the week and taking a little time each day (even if it is just 10 minutes) to clean and tidy up. Perhaps you focus on one task (like laundry) or one room a day. Anyway you choose to do it you will save yourself from having to take an entire day (or two) to tackle all of the chores at once.

4) Making chores fun...yes I totally just said chores and fun in the same sentence. This is especially important for children. Listen to music or turn cleaning up into a game. Heck even dress up as the cleaning bandit.

5) Making sure you have helpful all purpose cleaning products like Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle gel that helps get rid of tough dirt with one swipe and very little muscle. Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle can be used on all surfaces porous and non-porous and provides 2.5x more power than regular all-purpose cleaners. It doesn't contain phosphates, chlorine, bleach or ammonia so it's great for people like me with sensitive skin. And it's perfect for both household and commercial use. Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle not only gets your counters, floors, toilets, stoves and tables sparkling clean but it also leaves them smelling good too. This awesome product is around $5 and comes in lemon scent, Febreze meadows and rain scent, Gain original fresh scent and lavender scent with the grease fighting power of Dawn. The Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle bottles come with a unique dosing cap to make sure there is no waste. You can dilute Liquid Muscle in water or apply it directly to a sponge or surface. This cleaner really packs a punch and penetrates dirt and grime like no other.

Here are a couple photos showing how well it worked on our foyer hardwood floor, a floor that sees the most traffic in our home. And my children's filthy toilet (little boys really are kind of nasty). And the kitchen linoleum.

Make sure you not only have great cleaning products but also the right cleaning tools (make sure some are child sized). Stock up on Magic Erasers (perfect for kids), sponges, spray bottles, brooms (adult and child size), mops (adult and child size) , feather dusters and dust pans. I have found that Dollar Tree has a great selection of child sized cleaning tools including brooms, mops, dust pans, feather dusters and spray bottles. For children be sure to also use safe cleaning products like vinegar, baking soda, and plain water in spray bottles so there is no need to worry about them coming in contact with harsh chemicals. These inexpensive household products work great for cleaning walls, mirrors and windows. Which are all simple chores for children to help with.

6) Purging clothes, shoes, toys, household items etc. every couple of months (or quarterly).  If you purchase something new be sure to donate an old item. Decluttering can really help make cleaning and organizing much easier in the long haul.

7) Making organizing simple, even for kids. Use storage drawers, plastic shoe boxes and canvas bins for organizing toys and other materials. Label drawers, boxes and bins so everyone knows exactly where to find things and put things back!

And if you are still dreading cleaning in the New Year and need a little laugh to get you started here you go:

I thought it would be fun to ask my Facebook Followers their best tips too and here they are: 

• The rule of 3 (or 4, or 5, or 6 whatever) works wonders. Pick a number and whenever you enter a room you put that many things away or throw them away , and before you leave the room you take 3 things with. Going around the whole house for a few hours this way will get it clean, but it also helps maintain clutter if you do it as part of your normal routine. KM from kmlogan.com
• Make it a part of your routine. 15 mins in the morning and 15 mins at night will get a lot done over time and you won't be overwhelmed. Set a timer and clean for that amount of time and when it beeps, you're done. It's amazing what all you can do! Stephanie from burbstoboonies.blogspot.com
• I combined two things people hate...exercise and bathroom cleaning. Maybe for laughs. Stacey from layeredsoul.com/bathroom-exercises-to.../2013/05/
• My best cleaning tips: 1. Use music to give you energy and make it less boring 2. Always tidy up for 10 minutes (set the timer on your phone!) before you go to bed so you can wake up without feeling overwhelmed by the mess 3. Have a nice basket in every room for easy toy clean up 4. The more organized a home is, the easier it is to keep clean so go room by room in January and get rid of junk, create systems, etc. Alisha from thesavvybump.com
• I keep a 3 gallon pail in my laundry room with a scoop of oxyclean and filled with water. Clothes that need pretreating go straight into the pail to keep stains from setting - and even a small child can put their soiled clothes in it. Also, a sponge/soap wand filled with a squirt of dishsoap and the rest white vinegar makes a great day to day tub cleaner and is easy to give the shower a quick scrub while/after showering. Adrienne from abiglittlefamily.com
• I have a laundry basket that I carry around with me when I clean. Anything I find that isn't where it belongs goes into the basket for the owner to claim and put away. Saves me a lot of time running around. Chrissey A.
• I periodically pour boiling water and baking soda down my drains. It keeps them running fresh and clean, you can add vinegar too. Lilith D.
• For the ceilings, walls and corners, I have a small spray bottle with water and peppermint. I spray my fluffy duster that has an extender pole and duster all the hard to reach areas where spiders tend to go. They do not like peppermint and it keeps them spider and web free for months. I also wipe down my window and door frames and sills with the peppermint to discourage them from coming in. Lisa from thehappyclownwithafrown.blogspot.com/
• I try to spread out my laundry during the week by doing at least 2-3 loads a day. Not only does it keep me from getting overwhelmed, it helps me plan days when I can't/don't want to do laundry (i.e. hubby's days off - Sunday). I also *try* to deep clean one room/area a day so I don't spend one entire day cleaning & getting exhausted. Annette from www.inallyoudo.net/
• Have the kids help by cleaning up their areas. Also I read once that it's best to tackle the hardest & most disliked task first and get it out of the way. Melissa D.
• Everything has its place! We use small containers to organize in the bathroom. Taralyn from keepmovingforwardwithme.com/2013/04/day-2-bathroom-organization/
• I hate to clean the shower/tub so I like to get it done quickly. I keep a magic eraser in there and do a quick swipe on the walls and tub a few times a week while I'm in the shower. No need for deep scrubbing when you give it a quick swipe a few times a week! thesunnypatch.blog/
• Save money use vinegar\water and essential oils (for scent) to clean. I use it for all my cleaning. Sarah H.
• The boys pick out their chores at the beginning of each week and they are responsible for them. It helps a ton. Dayna from lemonlimeadventures.com/
• Having a schedule for cleaning really helps me do a little bit every day and not get overwhelmed - but I also thinking having kids involved with chores from an early age is helpful. At 2 it is already habit to bus their dishes, put away their laundry, help with groceries, etc. We did one post about watering plants. Erin from bambinitravel.com/Pages/Activities/activityitem.php?id=35

Have a great and clean New Year!

This is a compensated post brought to you by Mr. Clean. Mr. Clean is kicking off the New Year with the launch of a new product called Mr. Clean Liquid Muscle, a new multi-purpose, multi-surface concentrated cleaning gel that delivers superior cleaning performance on and off the floor. Be sure to like Mr. Clean on Facebook and follow @RealMrClean on Twitter.

Linking up with: List It Tuesday, ABC Blogging

Top 10 Kids Chores

This week I want to share 10 Great Kids Chores. Saturday was the dreaded cleaning day. Since I woke up with an icky sinus infection I decided to enlist the kids help. Here is a list of 10 easy chores that we have our kids do to help out around the apartment. They do not get paid daily or weekly for these chores. They do them because they are part of the family and need to contribute. Occasionally though I will take them to Dollar Tree and let them pick out something as a thank you for helping out, good behavior, etc.

1) Fold their laundry and put it away.
2) Sweep the kitchen floor (I bought them a little dust pan from Dollar Tree that works great).
3) Clean their bathroom counter and mirror (we use vinegar so there is no worry about harsh cleaning chemicals).
4) Sweep the balcony.
5) Empty the various trash cans around the apartment.
6) Mop the kitchen floor (again we use vinegar).
7) Rinse off dishes and put them into the dishwasher.
8) Unload the dishwasher.
9) Vacuum the carpet.
10) Help take care of the family pets. Feeding, bathing, cleaning out cages, etc.

Be sure to browse through all of our other Top 10 Posts!

Thanks for stopping by!

*Disclaimer - Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. Please note that prices indicated in the post are subject to change. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.

Linking up with:
Top Ten Tuesday

An Awesome App - Available For Android, iPhone, Kindle, Windows Mobile

A couple of days ago I snagged the FREE app of the day from Amazon called iRewardChart. I would like to note that I am not receiving anything from this review, I just really LOVE it and want to share about it with you.

This app is a must have especially for homeschooling parents. If your family is anything like ours you have sticker, star, check mark reward/chore charts all over the house. And if this sounds like your family then you probably also forget to give rewards throughout the busy day. Then your're going to love this app.

This simple to use, fully customizable app has been such a time saver. And its great for parents that are on the go. With this app you can help your children understand consequences, incentives, patience, and the value of setting goals and working to achieve them.

1) After you download and install the app you will need to get it set up by creating your children's accounts. You can create multiple accounts and even customize them with an avatar.

2) Next set up each child's individual tasks. There are many preset ones to choose from but you can also add your own. You can also set how many stars they receive for each task. You can set tasks for virtually everything: behavior, virtues, responsibility, chores, extra curricular activities, etc. We have been using the We Choose Virtues curriculum, which has a sticker chart that I forget to put stickers on. So I added the virtues into the other category and track them on the app throughout the day. Later when I remember I add the stickers to their chart.

3) There is one item to set up before you can start using the app and that is choosing what rewards the children can "payout" for. Again there are preset rewards or you can choose your own as well as how many stars they need for each reward  (e.g., "20 stars = $2 Pocket Money" or "15 stars = One Hour of TV").

4) Now put it into action. When you see your children meeting one of their goals simply tap on their name and the corresponding star. If you think they deserve more than one star just tap it multiple times.

5) If your a social media addict like me you can also connect your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts and share your children's progress with friends and family.

iRewardChart Recognition:
While the iReward App has been busy implementing an effective reward system, it's gotten quite a bit of recognitions itself!

• Recipient of "Best Parenting App" award two years in a row (2010, 2011) via BestAppEver.com
• Featured on NBC Today Show, CNET's top5, AOL's (ParentDish) top10 parenting app, CNN-Money
• Featured under Apple iTunes AppStore "Busy Parents" essentials

Links to follow:
-Facebook
-Twitter
-Website

Where to buy:
If you're an Andorid user order it right here on Amazon, its now $3.99 but believe me it's worth buying. Other platforms visit the iReward website.

Now time for the giveaway: 

IReward has graciously offered to give away two apps for iPhone (sorry Android users apparently iPhone makes it easier to create giveaway codes). Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winners will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winners must reply within 48 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. The winners will receive their app codes via email. 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer - IReward has graciously offered to giveaway two iPhone Apps. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions are our own! Many of the links found on my side bars and in my blog posts are affiliate links. As a result, I might get paid money and I will most likely spend the money on homeschool supplies.