A handy tip I got from my mother involves Clorox wipes and the bathroom.  Instead of soap and water, use a wipe to clean your hands upon departure of the lavatory.  I thought it was brilliant – no hand towel to collect germs through the uses, no paper towels to waste, no water mess around the sink – just pop the lid open, yank a wipe out, pop the lid shut, wipe your hands, then throw the wipe in the trash.  Yes, brilliant I say, and my mom even kicks it up a notch.

My mother showed me how easy it is to clean surfaces while you’re at it.  “I mean,” she said, “you might as well wipe it across the faucet while you’ve got it in your hand.”  She has a point.  And if you take ten seconds to wipe something every time you’re in there, you can bet that your bathroom will pretty much always be clean.  I’m in the habit and I’m hooked.  And by the way, it only takes five seconds to wipe the seat.

My parents not only have a container of the Clorox wipes in their bathroom (both of them), but you can find a canister in the kitchen, the living room, the laundry room and in their car.  My husband on the other hand, gets frustrated and wants to know why we have one of these in every room.  “Don’t you just love Costco?” I ask.  Then he asks why there’s anything, anything at all, on the kitchen counter tops.  He is more of a minimalist.  More shelves I say, more shelves!