The Sensual Home meets Spring Cleaning

Ilse Crawford has written the best book about how to care for your home. This is a real find, a beautifully laid out book, filled with useful information. I picked up this treasure about six years ago, and it's one of the few books that I consider a keeper, not a pass-along. Too much good info in it, I use it as a reference all the time. Top of mind right now is that annual rite of spring, yes, that horror of all horrors, spring cleaning. Sorry to say, I was raised on Ajax, Comet, Mr Clean...you get the picture. But fortunately for me and my home, Ilse cleaned up my act, and turned me on to a really simple but effective way to get things sparkling. The magic cleaning cocktail? A heady mix of distilled white vinegar, water, baking soda, salt and sometimes when I really want to go wild, lemon. Yes, I've seen this approach touted elsewhere as The Green solution to cleaning, and if you haven't already converted, I'm here to tell you that it really works.

Try your library, or pick up Sensual Home online. Once you have this beautiful baby, kick back and treat yourself to a relaxing read. With the right mindset, you may be inspired to clean those cobwebs out of the corners of your room and soul. Don't be surprised if you follow her advice -- find an old pair of clean, white cotton sox, stir up the non-toxic concoction she recommends, and go for it. Yeah, spring cleaning can be Zen-like. Almost like going on spring break.