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In British Columbia

AspenClean: Eco-Friendly Cleaning Services in Metro Vancouver

March 13, 2019

Spring is not quite here yet, but getting a deep cleaning of the home early this year isn’t a bad thing at all. With Marie Kondo inspiring millions of people to tidy up and determine what in their home sparks joy or not has motivated many to get the clutter taken care of in their home. For myself, being at the third trimester of my first pregnancy, I either fell into the Marie Kondo mantra or I began the nesting phase of pregnancy. Either way, I was determined to get our home ready and clean for Baby E who will make an arrival in a few weeks.

With 2 cats, I have cat fur everywhere except the bedrooms as that’s a no-no zone. Everywhere else, there is fur and litter debris. Just look at that carpet.

I’ve never had cleaners in our home before but I was excited to hear about AspenClean from Healthy Family Media. They offer house cleaning and maid services in and around Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. What sets them apart is that they use all natural, green, cleaning products. Their mission is to keep families safe from harmful chemicals while still providing an effective cleaning solution. I actually have been using their products for years and didn’t realize it as I was gifted some products years ago. I just know the products smell darn good and are effective.

Booking Online

booked my cleaning online through the website and it was easy. I only had a very short form to fill out specifying exactly what I wanted done to my home. We wanted them to clean 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and living areas in a space of around 1,000 square feet. We also did an add on to clean the inside of the fridge and some organizing too.

I got a response on the same day confirming the cleaning services, price and any additional details. I also got a reminder 3 days prior to the service as well as an email with the arrival time.

Arrival

The AspenClean team showed up promptly between the 8:30am – 9:30am window given in the email. 3 team members showed up with smiles on their faces to get the job done. I gave them a quick tour of the home to let them get oriented with the space and they were very respectful and cleaned the room in an order where I could still be productive on my computer as they strategically cleaned my home.

They started in our office, master bathroom and kitchen as there were 3 of them. They were very quiet and focused on their craft, while I could relax and browse the internet on my computer.

Alternatively, you can not be home and they will do their thing. As I am already on maternity leave, I didn’t have anything else to do during the day so I stayed home.

Cleaning

They have all the necessary equipment with them to get the job done and I didn’t have to worry one bit at all if they needed anything.

As we had so much grime in the bathrooms and kitchen, that’s where they focused most of their efforts. Also with the bedrooms, there was so much organizing to do too. They spent more than the estimated time and asked kindly if I would like them to get it done within the time frame or extend it by 30 minutes. I told them to get as much done as possible but they ended up finishing most of the job anyways and spending a bit more time without charging extra to make sure the space was clean. It was very nice, so I made sure to tip them extra for the courtesy.

They did have to rush some spots but they did point it out to me.

Results

After cleaning, it was good that they were able to find some knickknacks that have fallen on the floors and group them together so later on I can decide if I want to throw it away or keep it.

In my office, they found my birth certificate and I was looking for that for some time. It must have been hidden or fallen on the floor.

The biggest differences was the bathrooms and kitchen as those were the most troublesome spots.

You may not be able to see all the details, but a lot of that grime build up has been cleaned away. It’s one of the things I hate most about cleaning, so I tend to avoid it.

The fridge and all the shelves were wiped and cleaned up. I didn’t get them to throw out the expired items because there was quite a bit and wouldn’t warrant the time spent since I can do it later.

A few days later, I thew out all the expired items and composted as much as possible and I’ve never seen my fridge so bare in years. It’s pretty darn amazing and made me feel so empowered.

There were some areas that I was surprised that they would clean and organize like our figurines and collectables. It has been collecting dust and several figurines has fallen over.

What’s next?

As we did this initial deep clean, we can continue with weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly regular maintenance cleaning. It’s very refreshing to have a clean home and not worry if there are harsh chemicals used.

We are going to try to see if we can maintain it ourselves with the Whole Home Cleaning Product Kit from AspenClean, but once Baby E arrives, that might be a whole different story. I love how there is a cloth and spray for certain areas of the home. I’ve been using the all-purpose cleaner the most as it’s more versatile and I spend a lot of time wiping down the dining and living rooms tables.

Would I recommend them? Yes I would! Being so pregnant doing deep cleaning by ourselves is a pretty massive task. We did declutter ahead of time, but the scrubbing on our hands and knees would cause us more harm that good. The AspenClean staff really work hard to give us a nice clean home.

If you are looking for eco-friendly cleaning services for a one time clean or regular maintenance, definitely check out AspenClean.

Website:
https://www.aspenclean.com/locations/vancouver-house-cleaning-and-maid-services

This blog post was sponsored by Healthy Family Media but all opinions are all my own.

In Cleaning

Easily Cleaning the Bathtub with Scotch-Brite Shower Scrubber

July 28, 2018

I never thought I would have so much enjoyment writing reviews about cleaning products, but I’ve been doing a lot of Spring Cleaning and wanted to share some of my favourite products. I hate cleaning the bathroom the most, so I’ve been delaying the bathtub for quite some time now. Because I wear glasses, I’ve been ignoring the grimy issue for a while. But, I couldn’t keep a blind eye on it any longer, so off to the store I went. When looking for the perfect cleaning product, I know I didn’t want to be on my hands and knees scrubbing away. So, when I saw the Scotch-Brite Shower Scrubber, I knew it would be a good product to clean the tub with ease so I didn’t have to bend over and have a back ache later on.

What does the Scotch-Brite Shower Scrubber include?

The brush was $9.99 and comes with one non-scratch scrubber and handle. The handle extends to 3 feet, so it’s a good length for the bathtub or shower.

You probably want some sort of cleaning fluid to go with it. I grabbed whatever was in the house, so I grabbed a can of scrubbing bubbles. Not the most eco friendly option, but you can alternatively equal parts of water and vinegar. Or just plain shampoo too.

Keeping the Stick Extended

At first, it was hard to figure out how to keep the stick extended as you’re washing the tub. I thought it was broken until it was suggested that I extend it and then twist firmly. That seemed to do the trick and didn’t collapse anymore.

Results

It did a pretty good job and was clean in a few minutes. It was pretty gross before but I’m glad that it’s now clean. I can probably use the scrubber for several uses and wouldn’t need to be replaced any time soon. I made sure to dry the scrubber before putting it away so nothing grows on it.

In Home

Weber Spirit II E-210: Liquid Propane Gas Grill Review

June 24, 2018

Summer is here and that means we need to get grilling outdoors. It was Father’s Day and we wanted to do something different and we really never have BBQs in the backyard. The family debated which BBQ to get and we finally settled on the Weber Spirit II E-210, which uses liquid propane gas as it’s source of fuel. We had 2 previous charcoal BBQs, but it was time to move to propane and get something a bit fancier. Just remember, the propane tank is separate so you’ll need to buy this in addition.

Weber Spirit II E-210

This two-burner grill is built to fit small spaces, but there is the larger E-310 version with three burners. The grill has 450 square centimetre of total cooking space, which is good for 3 -4 people. We had 7 people and didn’t find this an issue at all since we were all taking our time and casually eating through the evening. We used the warming rack to cook our tinfoil packs of veggies. With side tables for placing spices, containers and whatever else you need, it’s convenient to have the extra space. One of the side tables is collapsable if you want to make it more compact for storage or to fit it into an even smaller space.

The burners were very strong and we were able to preheat the grill to 500 degrees. With the built in lid thermometer, this was easy to keep track of. Preheating is key as you want to get beautiful grill marks on your food and helps create a nice crust on your steak. One thing we found a bit problematic is that you can’t turn on the secondary burner (right side) on its own, the primary burner (left side) needs to be on at all times.

Some Assembly Required

When we got the BBQ home, there is some assembly required. With my mom and I, we spent about 1.5 hours on it. I dubbed it adult Lego. There were so many parts, that we had to be organized and read the instructions carefully. You can’t be half paying attention or else, you have to redo steps like what we found out several times. Sometimes hardware stores will provide free delivery and assembly, but we opted for no tax since we couldn’t wait almost a week for it to be delivered from the local store. We wanted to make sure we had it ready for Fathers Day.

Grill, Grill, Grill the Food

The Weber Spirit II E-210 was a great upgrade to what we had previously. We got it for $549 CDN at Lowe’s, which is a good price and we didn’t have to pay tax as there was a promo going on. No regrets getting this as we will be using it for years to come in the Summers.

Website:
https://www.weber.com/CA/en/grills/gas-barbecues/spirit-ii-series/

In Cleaning

Easily Cleaning a Glass Stove Top with the Weiman Cook Top Kit

May 26, 2018

My glass stove top is a mess after a week of cooking. There are stains from pasta sauce and water that has boiled over. I have a love hate relationship with glass stove tops because they are a pain to clean up the burnt on gunk that just won’t go away from a good wipe. I feel pretty embarrassed when people look at my kitchen and see all the uncleanliness of the stove.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

I went to my local store and saw the Weiman Cook Top Kit for $9.99 to see if it would do the trick.

What’s in the Weiman Cook Top Kit?

In this small box, there is the cleaner and polish in a 2oz bottle, scrubbing pad, cleaning tool, and a razor scraper.

The cleanser and polish are really small, so don’t expect it to last long. I find this kit kinda like a tester to see if you like it or not.

Let’s Get Cleaning!

The instructions says to add a quarter sized amount of cleanser and polish on the cook top. Then you can start scrubbing away.

The scrubbing pad isn’t anything special, but the cleaning tool helps you apply even more force on the burnt stains. I added another quarter sized amount of cleanser since it didn’t feel like it was enough.

Afterwards when you’re happy that you’ve scrubbed hard enough or when your hands get tired, you can take a soft cloth or a paper towel to remove any residue.

Oh man, it sure did get A LOT of that residue off. Just look at all that grease and filth. I was really surprised it looked so brown.

For any spots that are still on there, you can use the scraper at a 45 degree angle to scrape it away. You need to flip the razor before using it to expose the sharp side. This device works pretty well as it lifts those stubborn spots.

The Results

I was surprised at the results. It took out about 95% if the grime. There were still a few tricky spots that I couldn’t remove but so far it’s been the best product I’ve used so far. When my husband walked home he instantly noticed how clean the stove is and didn’t notice the tiny spots.

A job well done and I would use the Weiman Cook Top Kit again. If I do run out of cleaner and polish, I’ll probably just buy a bigger bottle instead of getting the kit over and over again.

Where to buy

You can get it on Amazon for $9.99 and get it shipped to your home. Your local hardware or grocery stores may have it in the cleaning aisle.

In Home

2018 Summer Patio Inspiration by PC Home

April 16, 2018

It’s never too soon to plan for patio weather. As it is getting slightly warmer across Canada, Summer will pounce on us quite quickly before we know it. To give you some patio inspiration, Real Canadian Superstore will be carrying their various collections of PC Home products to deck out your place to have a festive party.

Tropical Toucan Collection

To give the feeling of the tropics, there are colours of greens, oranges, and yellows that give it a nice complementary look. Imagine having a nice margarita in these cups.

Desert Spring Collection

Dessert Spring is another nice collection with pink and green colours. Imagine cacti, birds and foliage. I also love all the little pineapple decor. Who doesn’t love a good tropical pineapple?

Moroccan Escape Collection

Escape into a new place with these Moroccan inspired dish ware. The patterns on the dishes would looks so good with traditional dishes like tagine, chicken marrakesh, and couscous.

Micro Mosaic Collection

This beautiful collection take you to Greece with the striking blue and turquoise colours to visually cool you for the hot summers ahead. The coral, octopus, and fish look great.

Dessert Ikat Collection

To contrast the cool micro mosaic collection is the Desert Ikat with its warm tones and patterns that bring you to Egypt. Imagine just serving up a delicious exotic meal with these dishware.

Canadiana Home Collection

With Canada Day around the corner, PC Home has a range of pure Canadiana items to deck out your space for July 1 or if you’re heading out to the cottage or cabin and want an all-Canadian look. From retro coolers, cute camp mugs to lanterns, these items scream Canadian pride.

BBQ Cleaning Essentials

Like many BBQ owners like myself, I can’t wait to fire up the grill and start cooking outside again. We love flipping burgers, grilling veggies, and cooking smokies.

Cleaning the grill is the aftermath of a good evening. They sell 3 different brushes to replace the dangerous metal bristles that might fall out. One is made out of pumice stone, the other is wood and the last one is an interwoven steel mesh brush.

Final Thoughts

I personally love the dish ware that are part of the different collections. It gives you variety if you want to have cooler or warmer tones to you Summer BBQ on the patio. The dishes make your food pop with extra colour. My favourite are the micro mosaic and Tropical Toucan collections.

You can find these new PC Home items at your local Real Canadian Superstore in the coming months. Keep an eye open so you can add some colour to your Summer.

Website: https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca/

In British Columbia

Deck the halls with the Home Collection at Real Canadian Superstore

November 3, 2017

I love the holidays season and it’s just around the corner. A great time for friends and family to gather around the home and enjoy in delicious eats and conversation. My kitchen is really the heart of the home as that’s where all the delicious baking happens. I really like the Real Canadian Superstore to pick up a few key pieces in their home collection. The quality and price are very good. Below are a few of my favourite items available this year.

Ornaments

There are some super cute ornaments and the sock monkey really stole my heart. I love mismatched ornaments because I feel like each ornament has a story to tell. They even have another ornament with a skiing squirrel.

Plaid Everything

I love the plaid pattern on some of their items as it gives it a very Canadian feel. It gives it a warm cozy feel and the nutcracker all dressed up is a modern twist to what is traditionally done.

Zodiac Mugs and Candles

If you love constellations, they have a bunch of zodiac/astrology inspired items. They make a good gift for a bit of personalization if you know the other person’s sign.

Nordic Icon Mugs

These oversized mugs are so cute and can you imagine them all filled with hot chocolate?

Holiday Charcuterie Plate

All parties need an obligatory charcuterie platter and possibly some wine to pair with it. Their huge wooden cutting boards work so well as a base for all the meats and cheeses. To tie it all together, they have some festive napkins too.

Final Thoughts

There’s so much more that I didn’t cover as they have so many new items coming up to help you make your home feel a bit more festive. After getting a sneak peek of their collection, I already purchased a few items for my home and I didn’t break the bank. Very affordable and I’ve never had an issue with quality.

Website: https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca

In Home

Kenmore Pro Blender: Review

November 25, 2016

The Kenmore Pro Blender by Sears Canada just released last week and this blender delivers all the functionality you’d expect from competitors, at a fraction of the price. It retails for $149.97, which is pretty good compared to some other models that are $550+.

Sears Canada sent me a blender to review and try out a few different recipes to really test the limits of this blender. Smoothies, soups, and sauces are some of the more usual items to make with blenders.

In the box, you will find:

2L jug
jug lid
lid plug
tamper
recipe book

Spaghetti Bolognese

Instead of getting pasta sauce straight out of a jar, I thought it would be fun to make it from scratch.

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Ingredients:

1 medium brown onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
800g of diced tomatoes (I used a mix of tined and fresh)
500g ground lean pork
250ml beef stock
Handful of basil and Italian herbs
Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

Place onion and garlic into blender and blend on medium speed until roughly chopped.
Add to sauce and olive oil in pan on medium heat until softened.
Place tomato and herbs in blender on medium and blend until smooth.
Add mixture into sauce pan with ground pork.
Let simmer for 30 minutes until sauce thickens.
Season with salt and pepper.

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Putting together the bolognese sauce wasn’t too difficult at all. The hardest part was waiting for it to simmer down to a thicker consistency. After 30 minutes, the sauce started firming up and it looked more like pasta sauce.

Then, I quickly cook the pasta and begin plating the dish. I also made some croutons in the oven just for some extra texture.

Potato and Leek Soup

I wanted to try a soup recipe as well since it can chop, blend, purée, and even heat up soups in a flash.

[tabs tab1=”Potato and Leek Soup” ]

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Ingredients:

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 stalk of Celery, roughly chopped
600g potato, peeled and roughly chopped
800 ml veggie stalk
4 tbsp cream
Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

Add celery and leek into blender and chop at medium speed.
In a pan, add olive oil and soften leek and celery mixture.
In the blender add stock, potato, and the celery and leek mixture.
Increase speed gradually to maximum for approx. 5 minutes until steaming.
Add cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to a pot on stove top to continue heating.

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The blender actually did a really good job at blending all the ingredients together.

I gradually turned it up to the maximum and I was surprised that the soup got hotter and hotter.

You can tell by the steam collecting at the top that the blades are spinning so fast that its heating up the soup.

I placed the soup on the stove top to cook some more as I like it super hot. The soup was very smooth

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a pretty awesome blender and I love how it’s a really good price and still has a strong and powerful engine to chop up all shorts of items in the blender.

It’s sold exclusively at Sears Canada and they have free shipping for purchases over $99, earn points for the Sears Club Rewards, and easy returns.

Website: http://bit.ly/2goi3AI

In British Columbia

Lagostina Artiste 3-Ply Hand Hammered Knife Set Review

November 21, 2016

As a foodie, an important aspect of the kitchen are having amazing knives that can cut through anything and of course have an amazing aesthetic look. I’ve been browsing around for a knife set for the past year waiting for some knives to drop in price as it gets closer to the Winter holidays. I got them at Canadian Tire for 75% off. $329.99 sounds a lot better than $1,399.99. The sale is on till Nov 24th.

I was stalking various knife brands but Lagostina Artiste 3-Ply Hand Hammered Knife Set stood out to me since it has a sleep one piece look rather than the black handles like other knives.

These are made from Japanese 3-ply stainless steel and blades are hand-hammered to create air pockets that prevent food from sticking. Plus, they match my appliances.

The blades for all the knives are very sharp, so there is a little bit of plastic at the ends to protect yourself as you unpack them.

Whats in the box?

The set comes with:

3.5″ pairing knife
4.5″ utility knife
7″ santoku knife
8″ chef knife
8″ bread knife
set of six 4.5″ steak knives
sharpening steel
shears
wooden block

Performance

The knives are curvy, smooth feeling and has a good balance to them when holding. Easy to cut through meat, veggies and fruit. The Santoku is the ideal multi-function knife out of all the knives in the set. A great everyday knife.

They advise you to hand wash only, do not soak, and dry with clean towel before storage. Never put them in a dishwasher as the heat could warp and dull the blades.

We had them in our Thanksgiving meal this year too as my parents have the same set of knives. I was just a bit behind to purchase them myself. it cut through all the roast with ease and looked great.

Final Thoughts

For the price, it’s definitely worth it if you can catch it at 75% off. I’ve seen knives sell for the price of this entire block set. I’m in love with these set of knives, but you have to make sure you take care of them so it prolongs their life. If they end up warping within a year, Canadian Tire offers a free 1 year exchange warranty redeemable at any of their stores.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/lagostina-artiste-3-ply-hand-hammered-knife-set-14-pc-1428331p.html