Fortunately, I can keep reminding myself that although much of the country still has snow on the ground, warm weather is truly right around the corner. By the end of March, it's time to dust off our winter cobwebs and freshen up not only our homes, but also our lifestyle and eating habits.
While people traditionally consider Spring Cleaning to mean window washing, shower scrubbing and more, Balance Bar is celebrating the change in season by setting the refresh button and "cleaning up" some of our bad eating habits and introducing some healthier habits – including healthy snacking!
Founded in 1992 by a group of sports enthusiasts, scientists and people with a passion for life, Balance Bar was one of the originators of energy bars and the nutrition bar category.
Add to that the many different flavors, styles and formats of energy bars that Balance Bar offers and there is no reason that nutrition can't be easy and delicious for everyone. These convenient bars can be eaten at home, work or on-the-go, so no matter if your day has you attending meetings, running errands, picking up the kids, squeezing in a workout or more, you can stay balanced and ready to keep up with it all.
So, with the official start of spring later this week, it is the perfect time to check out some great Spring Cleaning advice from registered dietician Sharon Richter:
- Step 1: Empty everything from your food pantry. It's okay to start with a mess and you'll be surprised what's hiding in there!
- Step 2: Throw away anything that has expired, has been open for more than a couple weeks or you know you're just not going to use.
- Step 3: Organize everything by category – snacks, meal starters, nuts and dried fruits, oils/dressings, cereal and carbs, etc.
- Step 4: Check the labels. Here are a couple ingredients you simply shouldn't have in any foods: hydrogenated oil, HFCS, MSG.
- Step 5: Make sure you have plenty of portion controlled snacks readily available and at the front of the pantry as you tend to eat more of what is eye-level or easily accessible. Tip: stock up on Dark Balance Bars!
Yum, yum and yum! I love that each of these bars include a great deal of fiber and protein, while keeping the calories fairly low. Instead of reaching for an unhealthy snack to satisfy my chocolate cravings, I'm definitely grabbing a Dark Chocolate Peanut, Dark Chocolate Crunch or Dark Chocolate Coconut Balance Bar instead!
At the same time, I love the way that the J.R. Watkins White Tea & Bamboo All Purpose Cleaner and Hand Soap have been able to provide premium natural ingredients for our hands as well as our home. Who doesn't want soap that will leave our hands exceptionally clean without added chemicals?
And why wouldn't I choose to remove grease and grime from most surfaces in our home (including appliances, sinks, countertops, floors, walls, fixtures, and more) without the harsh toxins found in other all-purpose cleaners?
Whether you are struggling to add some much-needed Spring Cleaning to your life or you simply know that it is better for your body to eat healthy snacks throughout the day to stay fueled (and not starving!), Balance Bars are a delicious way to keep you on track... while giving your taste buds a treat at the same time.
Why not combine the great taste of sweets with healthy nutrition, energy and convenience and stay energized and ready to take on some much-needed cleaning? You can find out even more ways to spring clean your pantry and starting the new season on a healthy note at the upcoming Balance Bar Twitter Chat this Thursday!
Join @BalanceBar and @TheRichterReco (nutritionist Sharon Richter) for a one-hour Twitter chat using the hashtag #SpringIntoBalance on Thursday, March 20 at 3:00 PM ET!
To find out more about the HUGE variety of Balance Bars and the endless number of flavors available, visit them at Balance.com as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. As well as keeping an eye out for these bars at your local grocery store and health food store, you can also find them at ShopBalance.com as well as on Amazon.
To learn more about the great collection available from J.R. Watkins and their commitment to making hard-working products from high-quality natural ingredients, be sure to visit them at JRWatkins.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Plus, thanks to the generosity of Balance Bar and J.R. Watkins, one person will be even more prepared for great Spring Cleaning as well, because...
One lucky person will win a
Balance Bar/JR Watkins Spring Cleaning Prize Pack*!
Balance Bar/JR Watkins Spring Cleaning Prize Pack*!
*Prize Pack includes 15 Balance Bars in Dark Chocolate Peanut, Dark Chocolate Crunch and Dark Chocolate Coconut as well as J.R. Watkins White Tea & Bamboo All Purpose Cleaner and Hand Soap.
A big thank you to Balance Bar for providing a prize pack for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.
170 comments:
My best spring cleaning tip is to donate and throw out anything you haven't used in the past 3-6 months.
take your time and go room by room
Start at the top! & don't forget the fans @ filters
My best tip is to hire a maid. =)
My tip is to take your time! Don't feel overwhelmed by a long list but just tackle one room at a time :)
get rid of stuff not being used and have garage sale...whatever doesnt sell donate. Dont bring it back into the house
Always clean from top to bottom, and from one side of the room to the other.
I always wait until after the pollen is finished before washing the windows. If I do it before, the windows are covered in green pollen.
Thanks!
Clean a closet at a time, a room at a time and finally shampoo the carpets. And please don't just throw stuff away. Donate to a thrift shop, or a shelter
My tip is to go at it early in the morning and do it all in one day then its done.
Try to break the task up into sections so that you don't feel overwhelmed by the big job at hand. I can't even start if I think about cleaning the whole house at one time.
Using homemade solutions from the internet saves you money.
Open all the windows, you will be surprised at how much cleaner the air in your home will be.
thow out or donate!
My best cleaning tip is gather your clothing that you don't wear befire ut breaks the rod they hang on and donate to the Salvation Army.
My tip is to take your time.
My best spring cleaning tip is to enlist the help of your whole family and divide up tasks according to ability. It will make the ordeal less daunting!
I have some tools (screwdriver, wrench and pliers) nearby and tighten knobs, handles and table legs as I clean. Surprising how things loosen up in a year.
MY TIP IS TO PUT SOME MUSIC ON AND THEN DO YOUR THING. Cheryl Abdelnour cjabdelnour@hotmail.com
My best tip is to tackle a room a day! I tend to clean the downstairs living areas before tackling upstairs.
I use newspaper to wipe down windows and mirrors- it doesn't leave lint behind.
I enlist the help of my children and assign smaller chores to them.
I try to clean a little something everyday, especially drawers and closets during the spring.
Hi! My Spring cleaning tip pertains to children's clothes/closets. Make piles on the bed of throw-away, donate, and keep. Put everything back in with the Spring/Summer stuff having the easiest access. Make notes as to what items are needed. That way I don't just buy clothes all willy-nilly. Thank-you!
My best tip is to clean as you go through out the day - so you don't get too much of a mess going.
I do one room at a time and do it thoroughly.
My tip is to make a spring cleaning plan for each room.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
My best tip is to declutter each room first before you begin the cleaning process.
Put on music, Declutter the house and then deep clean.
Go through your closets... If you haven't worn it in the past year... donate it.
my best tip is to do the closets first and organize them, then you will have room to put things in when cleaning up the other rooms.
My tip is keep a laundry nearby when cleaning...when you find something that doesn't belong in the room...toss it in the basket and keep going. Sort through and put the stuff in the basket away at a later time...so you don't get distracted.
Make a checklist of all the areas that you want to have cleaned and do them one by one.
Clean out under the fridge!
My tip is to take a room at a time and organize, deep clean and toss old stuff.
Tackle one thing at a time. Work on it until it is done and then take a rest. After you are revitalized, tackle the next thing on your list. Repeat until you are finished and everything is renewed!
My best spring cleaning tip is if you haven't used in the last year, throw it away or give it away.
Its best to clean a mess right away and not wait till the last minute when lots of messes have accumulated..
My best spring cleaning tip is Open all windows, light a candle and blast the music to getyourself pumped:)
jmatek AT wi DOT rr DOT com
Take a timer and set it for 15 minutes, for that long in each space. Take a break, then come back. A fresh view helps!
I don't spring clean. I super clean one room a month so I don't have to do it all at one time.
I put a lemon rind in my garbage disposal and grind it. Freshens and cleans up any junk down there!
best Spring Cleaning tip is don't wait for spring
I would split of the household chores between the family members so it wont become overwhelming.
Brittney House BBrittBrat1398@yahoo.com
My best tip would be to set them by category so that it would be easier to sort out
Use baskets to prevent multiple trips up and down the stairs.
I like to wet everything down with soapy hot water (soak dishes, mop the floor, wipe the stove, pour cleaner in the toilet), then go back in 10 minutes and wash thoroughly once all the dirt is loosened. Doing it all fast is the key. Of course, this is once you've run through the house picking up scattered things or trash and putting them away where they belong.
My best tip is to tackle one room at a time.
My tip is to do one room at a time.
My best tip is to pace yourself!
Clean with vinegar--it works without harsh chemicals and it is inexpensive!!!! thanks
Tackle one small project first to feel a sense of accomplishment.
My best tip is to take it one room at a time, and have boxes ready for donations.
Use a sock on a ceiling fan blade, then all the dust falls into the sock, and not all over you and the floor!
Best tip is to do a little at a time.
I go and clean one room at a time and donate clothes and unused stuff
tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com
Do your spring cleaning before the first warm day. Once it gets warm you won't want to be stuck inside all day cleaning.
My best tip is to throw away at least 5 more things than you planned on throwing away. Chances are, you won't miss 'em.
Go all natural! You don't want to clean up your house with chemicals!
Opening up all the windows, turning up the radio nice and loud, tying hair up, and dancing while I clean :)
Start early and be consistent.
elysesw@aol.com
Clean a bit at a time.
Dust first then vacuum
Take everything you haven't used lately to a charity center.
Take at least 2 boxes of things you no longer use to donate.
White vinegar can be used to freshen smelly drains.
White vinegar can be used to freshen smelly drains.
Make sure everyone is out of the house bedore you clean-makes things a lot easier with no one to get in your way.
i try to use vinegar for cleaning instead of harsh cleaners
My best tip is to purge whatever you haven't used in a year and to take plenty of reward breaks while you clean.
My tip is to take your time.
Get the whole family involved. It's not going to kill any of them to do a little extra work around the ol' homestead
For spring cleaning, I just try to focus on any tasks that haven't been done in a while! Also remembering to clean out clutter. :)
My best cleaning tip is to take it one room at a time/ That way you don't get over whelmed.
Work from top to bottom. Dust the ceilings, fans, pictures, etc. so you don't end up having to clean again!
My best Spring cleaning tip, do one room at a time. Start in one corner and use plastic bins to organize things, go to each corner, put things away and in bins. :)
To clean one room at a time, defiitely!
Refreshed for Spring!
My best tip is clean from top to bottom, room by room. I like to see each room at it's cleanest.
My tip: start with a room and don't finish until it is done.
My best Spring cleaning tip: Start up high and work your way down.
Stephanie
Steph0828 at hotmail dot com
I like to get help from the husband and kids and spend a few hours at a time to make it less painful. Thanks for the chance to win!
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com
my best spring cleaning advice would be to make your own cleaners. they are all natural and work really well.
My best spring cleaning tip is to get everything organized in a cleaning tote so you don't spend alot of needless time going back and forth getting your supplies.
I like to use an old toothbrush to clean hard to reach or tight spaces!
My tip is to take your time.
open the windows, turn up the music and jam out!
One step at a time, one project at a time.
My tips is to get all the supplies you need ready to go, crank up energetic, upbeat music and get started.
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
My best cleaning tip is not to spend a lot of money on different cleaners. White vinegar can be used to clean lots of items. I also use WD-40 and fine steel wool as a stainless steel cleaner. Just go with the grain of the steel lightly and finish with a paper towel.
I like to clean one room completely before I move on to the next one
I like to take practically everything out of a room and clean, then put it all back in organized. Not a very quick tip, but it's amazing the dust that settles under beds and dressers.
You have to start to finish!
If you don't use it, get rid of it.
My tip is to plan each room before starting.
Use a timer:)
One room at a time! It's the only way for me to stay sane.
My tip is to do at least one small task a day so you don't feel overwhelmed.
Make a list of all jobs that need to be done (big and small). Try to knock out at least 1 job a day and save the big ones for the weekend when you have more time. Oh... hire someone to wash your windows for you - it's not very expensive and that's a huge job.
I try to assign a specific task to each day so I don't get overwhelmed.
I tend to do a room a week... and do deep cleaning, purging, donating etc items. and once a week, I take things to the donation areas or the trash... I don't let them pile up in the garage!
terra j sweeps
tradewindsbar@hotmail.com
My best tip is to create a cleaning schedule and stick to it.
Try to keep everyone out of the room your cleaning so you can fully concentrate on the task at hand.
My best tip is to hire a maid.
agnesye@hotmail.com
My tip: Loud, dance-able music will make any chore more fun.
slehan at juno dot com
I like to assign certain days to certain rooms - then, cleaning the whole house doesn't seem so overwhelming.
Purge anything you haven't used in the last year.
Spring cleaning is wonderful. Do a room at a time, a closet at a time and keep to a schedule so you get thru it all before spring turns into summer
My tip would be to clean everyday so you would never have to clean for hours
My tip is to do your cleaning gradually. Tackle a piece every day until it's done. sbcashortie at hotmail dot com
I clean one room a day all year. That makes spring cleaning easier to tackle because my house is already pretty clean
Addictedtorodeo at gmail dot com
My best spring cleaning tip is to hire someone to come in and do the cleaning for you.
I love to put on the music LOUD and just GO do it. The music helps, it honestly and for real does.
The right tools for the job, too. Brushes, and the right cloth.
I use my discarded orange peels to clean and freshen my garbage disposal.
My best advice is get everyone involved, play some music, and make it fun.
top to bottom and dont be afraid to purge! simplicity is key
My best tip is to do just clean 1 or 2 rooms each day so it's not so overwhelming!
My best tip is after you clean your ceiling fan blades spray them with Pledge. It will keep the dust from building up
I invite my clean-freak inlaws over and let them start cleaning when the spirit strikes them. They're that way. They love to clean as a form of recreation, it seems. It used to annoy me, but now I figure, I might as well benefit from it!
Don't do it all at once. Otherwise you'd be overwhelmed.
Use something fresh smelling so your house smells like spring
It's easier to do one room a day.
Declutter, declutter, declutter. Then everything else goes much faster.
Go room by room and break it up into smaller tasks.
Thanks for the chance.
I've been making a point of choosing 10 items each day to either throw away or give away. It's amazing how much junk we've collected over the winter!
Diane L.
I use essential oils to make my own cleaning products
We have not spring cleaned yet but I would say to clean regularly and declutter so it isn't so overwhelming.
We have not spring cleaned yet but I would say to clean regularly and declutter so it isn't so overwhelming.
Spring cleaning tip - dust, dust, dust with the windows wide open. Also, to clean ceiling fan - use a pillowcase, it slips right over so you can wipe without dropping lint balls everywhere.
Always clean from top to bottom and allow myself enough time so I wont feel pressured
Go room by room
Make a to do list and tackle one task per weekend.
If you want something done you better do it yourself because if you ask a man he wont do it :P Lol.
Start early before it becomes a mess!
I'm not a great organizer or anything. But my tip would be to tackle one room or area at a time. Trying to do it all at once, especially if you have little kids wrecking other rooms as you clean like I do, will make you crazy and can't be done.. at least not be me anyway.
I do a little cleaning each day so I don't get overwhelmed.
I use vinegar to clean the windows.
just make a plan to do it and stick to it. getting started is the hardest part.
danielle marie xdanimarie(at)yahoo(dot)com
If you actually time how long it takes to do certain chores, you won’t mind them as much. Most chores only take 10 minutes! Lisa L tylerpants(at)gmail.com
Instead of continually buying expensive single-use mop pads, invest in a reusable/washable mop!
Go room by room and wipe everything down with a diluted vinegar - he deodorizes everything !!
Pull the furniture (and other items) away from the wall before you start cleaning the Base Boards to make it easier and less time consuming.
Do a little bit of cleaning everyday so that it doesn't add up.
Make your own cleaning solution.
Do about 30 minutes of cleaning every other day, so it does not seem overwhelming!
annemarie562000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Do one room/area at a time.
Great tips, vinegar is wonderful to use when cleaning & deodorizing. Making a check list can be very helpful, I would knock the hardest tasks out first.
I start in the kitchen and remove all counter top items and clean and organize as I go.
Keep up on the cleaning and don't let it fall behind.
I pick a great book on tape to listen to while I clean. I also try to break up the cleaning over several days.
My best Spring cleaning tip is to use natural products like vinegar and baking soda instead of harsh chemicals.
i like to do one room at the time so i do not get overwhelmed
clean everything thoroughly starting from top to bottom
Donate any clothing item not worn in a yr
Do not ever procrastinate.
My best spring cleaning tip is to get 3 boxes, one for keep, donate and sell. Then go through all closets and drawers and decide where items go. Then have a garage sale with the sell stuff.
vikki.billings@yahoo.com
One of my better ideas is to get the mess out of the way first. So i put all the extras sitting around in a plastic bin and got through the box one by one. some things I donate. so i keep and put in the keep pile. it keeps things from cluttering
Donate or freecycle anything you have not worn or used in a years time.
mine is giving away a lot of things for free on craigslist.
Start off by selling or donating stuff you have no more use for. Getting rid of the unnecessary clutter first can help to make the deep cleaning process seem less intimidating.
Thanks for the giveaway…every spring we clean out our clothes dryer exhaust vents, and our bathroom exhaust vents.
Rafflecopter: Bryan E.
I like to take one room a week unless the room is small. I just start in a corner and try to take one task at a time.
i'm the one who needs tips lol but i guess i would say don't hang on to anything you dont use in hopes of needing it some day
My best Spring Cleaning tip would be just to get everything done before it gets too hot out - then you don't want to and won't do it.
do one room at a time before moving onto the next. thankyou, ken pohl19@comcast.net
I plan ahead and figure out what I'm doing and what products I'll need for each project. That way I'm not running back and forth to get cleaning supplies.
I plan ahead and figure out what I'm doing and what products I'll need for each project. That way I'm not running back and forth to get cleaning supplies.
Don't be afraid to throw things out!
My tip is to dust from top to bottom.
Post a Comment