Filed under: Storage & Cleaning, Crafts & Projects, Parties & Entertaining, Holidays, Storage & Organization, Cleaning
Forget the flowers. Here's the best last minute Mother's Day gift you could give: Sit mom in her favorite chair, grab a sponge and clean her house.On Mother's Day I typically go to a local farmstand to buy my mom a flat of pansies or a hanging plant spilling over with colorful flowers. My mother loves flowers, and she loves spending Mother's Day planting whatever flowers my sisters and I bring her. At least I think she does.
According to the National Retail Federation, two-thirds of Americans will buy their mother flowers this Mother's Day.
Photo: amy_kearns, Flickr
But here's the rub: Now that I'm the mother of a 14-month-old baby boy, I think the last thing I'd want on Mother's Day is flowers. A flat of morning glories, while thoughtful and pretty, is only going to give me one more thing to do on a day when I'm supposed to do nothing but relax. Gardening is a chore, no matter how enjoyable or rewarding it may be.
Photo: mr_jeffreed, Flickr
If you really want to give your mother a gift this year, here's what you can do: Take on some of her most dreaded chores.
You'll make any mother's day by taking on one of these gross-out housework tasks on her "to do" list. Besides cleaning won't cost you a dime, just some elbow grease. (One caveat: If you already bought your mom a plant, don't fret -- Insist on planting it for her!)
5 Chores You Can Cross Off Your Mother's To Do List This Weekend:
1. Scrub your mom's tub, toilet and bathroom sink. Who enjoys chipping away at soap scum in the tub? Absolutely no one, including your mom. Here's the best way to remove soap scum, a guide to the dos and dont's of cleaning the tub and how to clean your tub the non-toxic way.
Short on time, but want to give your mom the gift of a clean bathroom? Here's how to do it in 15 minutes.
2. Clean out her fridge. Then stock it with gourmet goodies. Pull your mom up a chair, and she can direct you as to what in the fridge should be tossed. You can catch up while she watches you wipe away the syrup drips and onion peel shavings, and then disinfect the drawers and freezer. Here's tips on how to clean out your fridge in less than an hour. And don't just make the inside shine -- Use a sponge and cleaning spray to wipe down the top of the fridge, the coils and behind it.
When you're done, stock a few of her favorite treats inside. Then she'll get two gifts next she opens the fridge.
3. Do her laundry. Every mom spends a ton of time washing, drying and folding clothes. Some moms keep up with it on a daily basis, but many of us fall behind, and within a few days a mountain of laundry can appear. Tell mom you've got it covered. Spend the afternoon emptying all of the hampers, and play her personal laundry service for the day. If you've got extra time, air-dry her clothes so they smell fresh and spring-like.
Earn brownie points by putting the clothes away, returning hampers to their proper place, and wiping down the washer and cleaning lint from the dryer.
4. Disinfect the kitchen trash can. No matter how clean your mom is, chances are her kitchen trash can has a bit of an odor. It's normal -- All it takes is one tiny leak, a small scrap of food, and the trash can releases an icky smell when you open it. This is a job I often put off for weeks until it gets worse and worse. Here's how to do it: Empty the trash, and take the can outside. Dump any contents in the outdoor trash receptacles; you may have to scrape off any old crusty food bits. Then get out the hose and wash it out. You can add a small bit of spray cleaner to help disinfect. The job will take only a few minutes, but your mom will appreciate it in a big way.
5. Pull out the stove and clean behind it. Then tackle the greasy backsplash. Stoves are heavy, so this is hard for older moms to pull off on their own. Here's what you can do: Pull the oven out from the wall as much as you can without disrupting any gas lines, then reach a vacuum down and suck up as many crumbs and food particles as possible. Then spray the backsplash down and scrub.
If you're feeling ambitious and (particularly giving), move out the bookshelves, couch and any other pieces of furniture from the walls of your mother's house. Go around and vacuum all of the dustbunnies. A full deep cleaning is dreaded by all -- Your mother will breathe easy knowing she didn't have to do it!
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