How To Spring Clean Like A New Yorker

Anjie Cho March 18, 2014

Featured this week on BondNYMagazine.com

by guestblogger Anjie Cho, who is a holistic interior architect and a sought-after expert in the fields of feng shui and green design. A New York state-registered architect and certified feng shui master, Anjie creates beautiful and nourishing spaces throughout New York City and beyond. Check out her Blog, Facebook, Twitter.

The spring equinox is March 20th and everyone will be out and about, bursting with happiness and liveliness. I imagine it will be even more so after this extraordinarily snowy winter, because we’ve been stuck inside even more than normal. The first day of spring marks an especially auspicious time to start spring cleaning. Below are spring cleaning tips to get that dormant winter energy moving!

1. Non-Toxic Cleaners

Let’s start with the basics. Spring clean your cleaning products! Take an honest look at your cleaning products. Unfortunately, many conventional cleaning products are made up of toxic chemicals. We barely have enough fresh air living in an urban area – why make it worse inside your home? It’s so easy to find or make non-toxic alternatives to most household cleaners. You can make your own all-purpose cleaner by mixing 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. I love eucalyptus because it is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-microbial.

2. Clean The Entrance

Start spring cleaning at the entry of your home. Vacuum your welcome mat, toss all the clutter that has accumulated over the winter and sweep up the dusty corners. In feng shui, your entry represents the mouth of “chi”, where energy comes into your space. Therefore it is important to clean out this area and keep it clean and fresh so you can attract the best energy in your life.

3. Deep Clean the Refrigerator

Next, move into the kitchen and go through the entire refrigerator. Look for any expired food and put it aside to compost. Your refrigerator represents how you nourish yourself. Old and moldy food may indicate or even lead to health problems. There are many locations where you can drop off your food scraps for compost now in NYC. Click here to see where. Be sure to scrub the inside of the refrigerator including all the shelves, drawers and interior walls with a sponge and your new non-toxic cleaners!

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by Anjie Cho

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eHow.com Video: How To Upgrade To Cheap & Efficient Lighting In The Home

Anjie Cho March 12, 2014

It's easy to switch to energy efficient lighting in the home. Save money and our precious natural resources. CFL and LED bulb are great options.

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Video Transcript:

I'm Anjie Cho, and this is how to upgrade to cheap and efficient lighting in the home.

There are various inexpensive, energy-efficient lighting options for your home, and it doesn't have to cost a lot of money to go green. The easiest and least expensive way to upgrade to efficient lighting is to replace your incandescent bulbs, like this one, with compact fluorescents or CFL's.

CFL's are becoming more and more common place and affordable. You can find them at your local store for a few dollars. Although, CFL's are a little bit more expensive than incandescent bulbs, they actually last much longer. A good CFL will last approximately 10,000 hours, while an incandescent will only last a thousand hours. And this 13 watt CFL gives off six watts, 60 watts of light. So, in fact you save a lot of energy.

CFL's have a bad rep because they used to give off very blue lights. The technology has improved so much now, that you can get a warmer colored temperature that's flattering and comforting to have in your home. Make sure you get warm or soft white bulbs. They also have bulbs that don't look squiggly like this one. You can get one with a dome like this one. Just screw the bulbs into your regular fixture and you're all done.

Energy efficient lighting doesn't have to be expensive and better yet, the upgrades will pay for themselves quickly. As you see savings on your utility bills when switching to eco-friendly in your home.

by Anjie Cho

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eHow.com Video: How to Make Home Products More Sustainable

Anjie Cho February 26, 2014

This video gives some easy Do It Yourself solutions to keep your home cleaning products eco-friendly, non-toxic and sustainable. Please share with us some of your favorite non-toxic cleaning recipes!

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Video Transcript:

Hi, I'm Anjie Cho, and I would like to share with you some tips on how to make home products more sustainable. I will be specifically talking about home cleaning products, an easy place to start to make the green shift in your home. I will also create a do-it-yourself recipe for an effective, non-toxic all purpose cleaning solution.

Unfortunately many of the conventional cleaning products found in stores are made up of toxic chemicals. Not only do we breathe in the toxins but they get absorbed directly into our bloodstream through our skin. One of the easiest ways to make your home products more sustainable is to make some simple substitutions.

Instead of paper towels use reusable towels, microfiber towels are excellent and don't leave any lint. They are great for windows. Baking soda is another great one. It can deodorize, neutralize acids, it has an abrasive scrubbing action so it can shine and polish. It's very good for cutting the grease on stoves or on pots and pans, especially when using in conjunction with steel wool. Steel wool and baking soda together are great so you can toss the chemical abrasive powder. White vinegar can dissolve mineral deposits, grease and remove traces of soap, mildew or wax buildup. It also polishes metals and deodorizes. It can be used for glass, stone, mirror, etc. I encourage you to substitute sustainable solutions in your home.

So I'll leave you with my favorite recipes for an all-purpose cleaner. You need white vinegar, water and your favorite essential oil. Eucalyptus or tea tree oil are both very good because they are naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial or for a bright clean scent try orange or lemon essential oils. Citrus oils are very brightening and they smell so good, very clean. You take one part vinegar to three parts water, put in the essential oil and mix them in an empty spray bottle. Shake it up and you are ready to go. This all purpose solution is great for wiping down counters, windows, glass, bathroom surfaces, floors, etc.

I am Anjie Cho, green interior architect with Anjie Cho Architect and founder of Holistic Spaces and this has been how to make home products more sustainable.

by Anjie Cho