My Favorite Home Products

I've seem similar posts from time to time, most recently at For the Love of a House.  I really enjoyed reading Joan's favorite home items, so thought I'd try to come up with my own list of favorites.  How do they stack up to your top products?

1.  Willowbrooke envelope sachets (above).  Especially Lily of the Valley and Pomegranates.  They have a nice subtle scent (I don't like to be knocked up the side of my head with a fragrance) and can be tucked here and there without being overly obvious.  They are usually about $5 for a 3-pack.  I've purchased them at JoAnn's and Bed, Bath and Beyond.  See also freshscents.com.

2.  Paint fans.  Many years ago, I was able to get them free.  Now, you may have to pay about $15.  Still, they are invaluable even if you're just doing your own home.

3.  Sherwin Williams (SW-6155) Rice Grain paint.  All of my trim is in this color, as well as, our built-in entertainment center and glazed pillars.  I've painted m--i--l--e--s of trim in this color and if I ever paint my kitchen cabinets, they will be in--wait for it, wait for it--Rice Grain!  I've gotta say, I don't really think it looks a lot like the above sample (maybe it's my eyeballs?), but if you're trying to combat a houseful of white tile, and don't want to add more white, you'll be happy with it. 

 images from lowes.com HERE

4.  Touch on/off switches.  Both styles give you the same result.  If you have a metal lamp or a lamp with metal bands around the top or bottom, these will work.  They aren't really cheap at about $10 a pop, but I use them on the lamp at Darling Husband's chair, daughter's nightstand and my mom's bedroom lamps (she has mild arthritis in her hands), and a couple of other spots.  They usually last for several years.

5. Cordless drill.  I don't know what I did before I started using one.  Oh, wait, I asked Darling Husband to do things for me.  I use it for hanging drapery hardware, craft projects, installing under cabinet lighting, adding new cabinet hardware....  (And, because I didn't have anything better to do with my dork-self this dreary, rainy morning, thought I'd throw in an almost-in-action shot.  The camera's on a tripod, so I must be moving.)

 6.  One we all love:  Dimmers.  They are in all of our hallways, at kitchen and dining tables, chandy over tub and master sitting area.

Onto a few cleaning solutions:

 

thefind.com

7. An old fashioned broom  sorry no *wiffers for me, as their cleaning surfaces seam to be about thisbig!  Yes, mine is ergonomic like this.

 image freebirthdaytreatsblog.com

8.  A Libman mop.  The sponge mops kept getting smaller and smaller, my floors did not.  I like that I can mop good-sized swaths on the floors.  (I had to snatch this blogger's photo, as my mop is quite ratty.)

 image acehardware.com

9.  Murphy's oil soap.  It seems more thorough, somehow, than a "squirty" product.  I like this if I'm doing a lot of woodwork, for instance, all of the kitchen cabinets.

 image http://www.homebits.co.uk/acatalog/SQUEEGEE.html

10.  A shower squeegee.  Used every time I shower!

 image http://www.janitorialsupplies.com

11.  Dust wipes.  I'm not usually a big fan of "convenience" products, but I can tuck these in my closet and swish my dressers at a moment's notice.

12.  A crevice tool (for a tank style vac!).  Dust bunnies and Polly Pocket shoes, beware!  I used this for around the edges of a room, near table and furniture feet, under the bar, and window sills.  When I have this in my hand, you just never know what will get sucked up next.

13.  Scrubbies--I can't live without these for the dishes. And, if you didn't see this at FTLOAH, I'm repeating it for you here.  How to make your own scrubby!  I was so delighted to find this "how to," because the style I used to buy are almost impossible to find and I happen to have a lot of leftover netting from a bedskirt project I made some years back, yeah, I bought the entire 50 yd. bolt. 

1. Use stiff nylon netting.  Unroll about 32-34".  (It comes in three layers, keep in layers.)
2. Cut lengthwise at 6" intervals.   The netting is folded at an 18" width, so you will have three strips.  
3. Stack all of the strips together.
4. Gather, not too neatly, and rubber band tightly (if the rubber band isn't tight, they will come loose when you use them).  I found my broccoli rubber bands work perfectly--good, now I won't have to feel bad throwing them out.
5. Fluff, like you would a pom pom.  Trim uneven pieces.  

So far I've used mine in the kitchen only, although, I'm sure they'd work well in the bath.  Love!  Waddaya think? 


Sharing here: