We all have good intentions about “keeping house”, but life is crazy busy and reality keeps most of us from having that pristine “magazine” look.

I consider myself more organized than clean (although that may change with a baby crawling around), but we do have a weekly routine that helps us stay (mostly) on top of things. As I mentioned earlier this week, hosting friends regularly is great incentive to tackle this  weekly chore.

We reserve our cleaning for a weeknight, if possible. Weekends are for playtime! Here’s how we tackle our speed cleaning in less than hour:

1. Spray bathroom toilet and let the cleaner work while finishing the rest of this list.

2. Put away any clutter lying around. If there is a “place” for everything, then usually it takes less than 10 minutes to put things back.

3. Vaccuum - vacuuming kicks up dust, which is why I like to do this first.

4. Dust - If crunched for time, I focus on the furniture in public spaces, like the living room.

5. Kitchen - Sweep daily, mop weekly. Wipe countertops. Load dishwasher/put away clean dishes.

6. Bath - brush toilet, clean mirror, sink, counters and floor. Clean tub & tile separately, before a morning shower, each week.

The key: tackle cleaning up on an ongoing basis so the weekly routine doesn’t take half the day. Taking 10 minutes here and there to pick-up items that have accumulated around the house makes a world of difference. Stay tuned for the products we use, and how we’re simplifying in that area.

If you’re like most of us, you tend to hold on to years worth of magazines at a time, only to have them take up valuable space in your home, closet, attic or bookshelf.

I’ve found a good rule of thumb to be: Do not keep any more than one year’s worth of a magazine. And, even less if you don’t use them for crafting or decorating ideas. In my household, I receive 3 subscriptions and my husband receives two. My husband actually reads through his quicker than I and they then go into the recycling bin. I find January to be a good month to go through mine, tear out pages I can use for making cards, ideas for home decor or organizational tips. Then, the remainder is recycled.

Better yet, if you don’t stash magazine ideas or use them for crafting, consider donating them to a local school (if appropriate material), doctor’s office or gym. Give them a second life BEFORE they hit the recycling bin.

Whether or not you’re fortunate enough to live in a town that picks up your Christmas tree post-season to turn into mulch, make a few of these sachets, offered by Create Studio.

Wondering which companies have sustainable practices as you take care of your Christmas shopping? You just may be surprised…check out the list of companies at Earth911. Of course there are many other factors to consider when deciding where to shop, and shopping local or handmade ranks high on my list, BUT I always buy a handful or gifts at the big box stores.

For those in possession of an iPhone or iPod touch, Earth911 has introduced a new app….iRecycle. If you’re out and about and need to know where or how to recycle something, you’re in luck! You can also read news from Earth911 and find eco-friendly events in your area.

A friend from church gave me some information a couple years ago on Fair Trade and I’ve been working on learning more ever since. It makes sense to me that workers should be paid fair wages for their time and effort, however it easy to forget who is even on the other end of all of our many purchases.

Transfair USA, a fair trade certifying agency, spent October educating others on what Fair Trade really means and how we can make a difference. As with everything else, taking the first step is a great start and other habits will follow. For me, committing to buying fair trade coffee, despite the increased expense, was the place to start.

Old worn sheets make great, soft material for crafting projects. Crafting a Green World offers useful information on translating sheets to fabric yardage. Take a look and save it in your resource file.

I still own sheets given to me by my great-grandmother, but the elastic has completely worn out and they are thoroughly faded. I think that set may make the perfect accent fabric for my T-shirt quilting project.

My No Impact Week experiment from last week has come to an end, and I needed to use up a few of my locally purchased goods. The local bread was delicious, but the shelf life short. After some weekend French Toast, I chopped up the rest for some homemade croutons.

This is a great trick for ANY bread that is about to be past it’s prime - sandwich bread, french bread, hamburger and hot dog buns. Just toss cubes with olive oil, salt & pepper, and whatever herbs are on hand for salad croutons that far surpass anything store-bought.

In the midst of my first pregnancy, I’m always looking to save a buck. One of the best tips I’ve gotten from a friends, besides borrowing maternity clothes from others for free, is the use of Bella Bands. These stretchy tubes are getting me through the middle of pregnancy without having to fork over lots of money for new clothes as I grow out of my pre-prego clothes.

The idea is that you use them to hold up your pre-pregnancy slacks, jeans, etc. that you are now unable to button. I’ve been using them for a month and expect to be able to do so well into my pregnancy and am thrilled that I can save some money in this way, particularly on clothing for work.

You can find Bella Bands on various sites online, but I’ve also recently seen them at Target.

As you know, I’m always looking for new uses for old things. If I have something in my home, I want it to be used (and not in a box somewhere in the attic). I’m fortunate to have some beautiful crystal pieces from my grandmother and remember them displayed in her house when I was a child. Sweet memories.

I certainly use crystal for entertaining, or as I’ve mentioned before even alternative vases, but here’s my latest usage. In the bathroom to store cotton swabs and balls, and makeup brushes. This is my frugal attempt at using what I have when I needed to store something without running out to the store to buy something new.