A Portable Tool Bag
Saves Time and Energy

Reduce backtracking with a portable tool bag large enough to hold most of your housecleaning equipment and supplies.

You will be grateful for the time and energy you save by having everything close at hand during your cleaning.

And remember, to maintain your peace of mind keep your awareness in the present moment.

Don't fret if it strays off occasionally to a familiar negative ego thought, or to the future about what your will be making for dinner.

Just be alert and aware and bring your attention back to what you are doing now and carry on.

• Keep all your supplies and gadgets together in one tool bag with a shoulder strap that you can tote from room to room.
• Consider environmentally friendly hemp, recycled plastic or nylon sports bags.
• A comfortable sturdy apron with several pockets is also handy.

Less is more… less housecleaning products to cart around, more cupboard space, more dollars left in your pocket, and more healthy energy to sustain you while you clean.

Be prepared for…

• spilled candle wax
• globs of adhesive or glue
• loose screw nails
• grunge packed into corners
• minor temporary toilet tank repairs
• loose door knobs and handles
• electric power outage

Blue Wonder Cleaning Cloths – I carry two sets of cloths in my tool bag. Each set consists of a Classic cloth for dusting, damp and wet cleaning chores; and the Deluxe cloth for cleaning and polishing mirrors and windows, stainless steel and chrome.

One set is reserved for the bathroom, one for the kitchen and an extra Classic cloth for the rest of the house.

Blue Wonder E-Buddy Mop System – two different heads cover wet and damp mopping, as well as dry dusting; the telescopic pole makes it easy to clean under beds and other unmovable furniture; high ceilings; and hard to reach corners and windows.

Baking Soda – used with vinegar works well to remove tough grime and grunge and residue from housecleaning products. Protect the box in a plastic bag, or transfer baking soda from its original box to a plastic container.

Duct tape – Canadian TV character, Red Green’s solution for holding his world together – mine for unexpected temporary fixes, like a broken vacuum cleaner attachment. Duct tape has rescued me on many occasions - no self respecting Canadian should be without it.

Small plastic putty knife or scraper – a firm soft edge can be useful for scraping wax drippings, or adhesive spots from counter surfaces. Be careful not to scratch surfaces. A credit card also works well as a handy cleaning tool.

Plastic twist ties – keep several of these handy for quick fixes such as loose toilet tank parts. Yes, it happened to me when I was at a customer's house without the ties.

Swiss Army Knife or equivalent – great for digging out grunge in corners and the odd time you may require a screw driver with multiple heads, to make minor repairs; cupboard and drawer knobs occasionally come loose, not to mention the odd door knob.

Powerful, canister style, lightweight vacuum cleaner - Most people seem to prefer upright over canister styles. I’m still not convinced because I love convenient, efficient, lightweight and easy. It has to be easy to carry in one hand to reach into high places for cobwebs, and narrow enough to set down on a stair as I clean long staircases.

Note pad and pen – to take notes of important things to remember for your next housecleaning session.

Vacuum cleaner bags – if your vacuum cleaner uses them. Mine is an oldie, but goodie.

Rubber gloves – an extra pair is useful in case one pair gets a leak, or just gets wet inside.

Commercial style white cotton gloves - for under your rubber gloves. If you have sensitive skin, apply a good moisturizing cream before you put on your cotton gloves. It’s like giving your hands a soothing spa treatment.

Small bucket for water – works best with a handle to carry with you for cleaning mirrors and windows throughout the house.

Large bucket - for wet mopping floors and a rag mop, if you don’t have a Blue Wonder micro mop. A cotton rag mop wins over a sponge mop because the clusters of wet strands spread out for a better clean underneath appliances.

Nutritious energizing snacks - Just in case you get a bit peckish while you're cleaning. I always get hungry during three hour cleaning jobs so I carry energy bars and bananas, and of course water.

Next, take a look at my helpful housecleaning checklist

If you have any comments, questions and/or additional information to add, please do not hesitate to contact me.

From Tool Bag to Conscious Housecleaning Introduction