Spring Cleaning!

It's warming up and spring is in the air.  For us spring means longer days, outdoor festivals and events, playing in the yard, and evening walks.  It also means it's time for a good spring clean of our house!  Though we try to keep up with it all year long, about once a year, we do a massive deep clean.  More Than Paper consulted with the experts at Martha Stewart and a few of our favorite housekeeping blogs to bring you some deep cleaning tips!

There are three things you need to do before you start your deep-clean: 

1. Declutter your home.  All those things that have been building up on counters and desks, sort them and put them in their proper place. 
2. Put things in storage.   Seasonal decorations should be put in storage.  Heavy sweaters, coats, hats and gloves should be put in bins and in the attic, basement or garage.  Perhaps rotate out toys in the play room, putting away items that your children no longer play with. (Bring them out in a few months - they will feel like "new" toys!) 
3. File your paperwork.  If you are like many who let it pile up, don't start a deep clean with papers, mail, and important documents everywhere.  Get organized first! 

Once you have decluttered, filed, and put things in storage, you are ready to really clean the house. Here's a fantastic checklist that we found on It's Jello.   One of the biggest tips we got from Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook is that you can do a lot of the cleaning with soap and water.  Don't reach for bleach right away when soap and water may do.  Read more about using harsh chemicals and cleaners!  It's also very important during a deep clean to properly clean your air vents since that's where mold can build up, cleaning them is very important for your health. 

Download this free checklist here. 

If you find that a list this long is intimidating, check out Clean Mama.  We absolutely love her "31 days to a clean house" approach, where you do a little each day.  In a month, you have truly accomplished a deep clean.  If you love free printables like we do at More Than Paper, Clean Mama has lots of checklists and kits to organize your weekly cleaning routine, monthly routine, and deep cleans. 

Of course, if you want a cute, personalized apron to wear while cleaning, More Than Paper has you covered with this one by Pen at Hand.  Sure -- it won't clean the house for you but it you'll definitely feel special in it!  Personalize it any way you choose. 

How do you stay organized and keep your house clean? What are your top tips? Share your ideas with us here or on our Facebook page! 

All about Pen at Hand

At More Than Paper, we've carried Pen at Hand for years and now through January 31st, we have over 300 products at 10% OFF our already low prices.  

Pen at Hand is the original stick figure company with personalized characters to look like your friends and family printed on all types of stationery and gifts.  Since the debut at the National Stationery Show in 1994, Pen at Hand has been recognized in the Wall Street Journal as best Children's Stationery, the directors of ABC's The View picked several products for Director's Choice, lunch sacks have been featured on NBC's Today Show, and there are hundreds of thousands of happy customers around the world.  We love their quality manufacturing and quick turnaround time. 

It's amazing how specific you can get with your character, the choices are plentiful! Check out all your options for your stick figure "heads" below. 

Choose your stick figure and place it on gift tag stickers like this one for a little girl.  This makes gift giving easy, personal and fun! 



Or choose address stickers for your camper to encourage letter writing home while at sleep away camp. 



We love these camp notes! 



We have a wide selection of laundry bags! (Who says laundry can't be fun?) 



We also have tote bags and lunch sacks by Pen at Hand, all which make great gifts. 



So what do you think?  What is your favorite Pen at Hand product that we sell?  We have over 300 products from which to choose -- share your favorite here or on our Facebook page!  Shop now through January 31st and stock up for camp, school, and your desk for 10% OFF our already reduced prices!