No one is going to want to clean while their friends are at a great Spring Fling event or their team is playing. Schedule the clean up day when there is no, or very little, schedule conflicts. Double checking with everyone shows you respect their life and insures no excuses, no whining. Once you have a date set let everyone know there are no excuses accepted. This is a family event and the maintenance of the household is their responsibility, too.

No one likes chores so creating a fun and unexpected environment will create a productive atmosphere. Stock up on good food, snacks and drinks. Set up a schedule, just like a well run production firm, and use predetermined breaks that the family can count on for food, fun or relaxation.

Music has been scientifically proven to motivate higher production in workers and even better milk flow in cows. Imagine what would happen if you gave everyone a chance to have an hour of their favorite music on CD. Not only will music cause more movement but can you get to know each other better; opening up discussions that will make the time go by faster.

It can be an oversight to give chores to children that do not have the staying power or the organizational skills needed. Keep chores age appropriate. Providing work for even the youngest child is a great way to keep them busy and instill good habits. Sorting, carrying small items or even stacking things like books can provide them an opportunity to help. Children too young for even this should be sent to a sitter for the day, in order to keep the day flowing and productive.

Give a brief class on caring for the items in your home such as your Amish furniture investments. While the Amish use ARESISTOVAR for all of their finishes and it a high quality, catalyzed, performance coating for all types of interior furniture, it does need some basic care. Dusting your wood furniture often and carefully with a soft cloth following the grain pattern is a good idea. Also, occasionally clean the surface with a mild, non-alkaline soap and water and a soft sponge or cloth. Dry immediately with a soft cloth and buff lightly following wood grains. Always avoid polish that contains and silicones.

Organize you supplies before spring cleaning day arrives. A great idea is to fill a bucket with basic cleaning supplies that can be brought from room to room. These can be given to each individual or team. Include items like:

(Remember to avoid including furniture polish with silicone)

• Glass-cleaning spray
• All purpose spray
• Soft scrub for bathrooms and kitchens
• Flannel cloths to dust
• Terry cloth towels
• Paper towels
• Sponge
• Toothbrush
• Squeegee
• Scrub brush
• Rubber gloves
• Lint roller for pet hair (and humans!)

If the job is a good size you can make it more fun by dividing the home in to equal parts and jobs. The person or team that accomplishes the most by the end time is rewarded with a prize or a dinner.

As difficult as it will be, turn off the ringers to your phones. Let everyone important know what your plans are for day and that you will contact them upon completion. For every phone each of you take that many minutes are added to a job that your family will tire of more quickly than you can complete.

Don’t forget to add to the fun by creating a scrap book of the day. Pictures of the event can be used as evidence that you are the meanest parent on earth!

More important than maintaining the healthy physical environment in your home is to maintain a healthy loving one. Plan a reward for a job well done. Movies or dinner out or better yet order a pizza and rent a movie and enjoy it on your Amish dining room table, freshly polished during your memory building family spring cleaning day.

As independent a creature as the domestic housecat, when a cat is ready to socialize with humans they love to play, cuddle and purr for no reason other than being near you. That alone is reason to own them…or, let them own you. Unfortunately, the thing they love even more than snuggling with you is to scratch. Cats are not particular about what they will scratch and quite often the target is the legs of your heirloom Amish table, your custom upholstered sofa, or your expensive carpeting.

Although many humans do not appreciate when their cat is scratching their personal possessions you have to know that kittens and cats do not scratch to destroy your investments, they have a natural need to scratch. Scratching is a behavior in domesticated felines and in the wild. Whether tame or wild cats scratch to signal their presence to other cats and to claim territory.

There are two target areas in the home, usually near important territorial areas like their sleeping area, litter tray, or play areas. Cats can also destroy doorways, trim, blinds, windows, and furniture.

HELPFUL TIPS TO SCRATCH-PROOFING YOUR HOME:

DECLAW- Controversy surrounds the idea of cat declawing, yet daily some people faced with cat scratching problems consider the declawing surgery. Many veterinarians believe declawing is a painful and unnecessary surgery and many refuse to perform it.

Trimming the nails regularly may help keep a cat from scratching the furniture, or at least reduce the damage done by its scratching. Start trimming your cat as a kitten in order to get the feline used to having its nails clipped while it is young.

FREEZONE – By providing multiple scratching opportunities you can hinder their desire to destroy the good stuff. Cats often like to scratch after they eat and sleep. A scratching post is a valuable investment for your cat and is now available in almost designer concepts, such as the cat tree. These posts provide scratching, stretching and exercise all at once.

CAMOUFLAGE & BOOBY TRAPS- Cats don’t like certain textures such as plastic or aluminum foil and double-sided tape. The noisy sound of foil and the fur sticking tape can cause a cat to think twice before ascending Mt. Expensive Sofa. Create booby traps with a soda can with pennies in it. Like a burglar alarm, the can clinks noisily as the cat scratches. Doorknob alarms can be used on your curtains. When attached to the drapes, the alarm will sound every time your cat tries to climb the window.

You can also tape inflated balloons to the areas. Theoretically the cat will avoid scratching there again when a balloon pops when clawed. Remember to only do this when you are present and pick up the balloon pieces before your cat tries to eat them.

EXERCISE – Keeping a cat mentally stimulated and physically exercised will create less opportunity for destruction in your home. A cat that is frustrated and bored may scratch your furniture or climb your drapes.

HOME THEATER FOR KITTY – Create a window perch for your feline friend that will give your cat hours of entertainment. Place a bird or squirrel feeder in the garden outside the window and remember to be sure the window is closed.

WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE – Try squirting the misbehaving cat with a water pistol or squirt bottle while using a firm ‘no’. This of course, only works when you are present.

STINKY – Use some sprays like bitter apple or actual orange peels as good deterrents.

Never use physical punishment or cause real fear by displaying aggression toward the cat.

REMEMBER – It does not matter which methods you will choose to prevent your precious Amish custom furniture from being destroyed, every cat owner mush know that it is impractical and unfair to expect cats to stop scratching entirely.