Protect pets from dangerous spring blooms
While you might be excited to fill your home with flowers and plants after a long, dull winter, you have to be careful with your fur babies and your home gardens. In fact, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), about one-quarter of the poisonings related to non-drug products are due to common houseplants and backyard plants.
Pets love to nibble on plants, and busy moms can't keep an eye on toddlers and fur babies all at once. Good pet mamas are aware of what plants can lead to illness in pets, ranging from mild nausea to death.
Lily plants may make you think spring and get you ready for Easter, but they can be detrimental to the health of your kitties. If your cat consumes even a small amount of any part of a lily, it can lead to kidney failure and death. Notice odd behaviors in your cat? Think they might have gotten into a plant that could be poisonous? Contact a vet right away.
READ MORE: Easy tips for a safer home with pets
Just because you have a pet doesn't mean you have to skip the bouquets this spring. Fill your home with blooms that are safe even if Rover and Fluffy get a taste.
Zinnias, African violets, cornflowers and some types of daisies are beautiful and totally non-toxic for pets!
Make a spring cleaning checklist
It's finally starting to feel like spring again in the Hudson Valley. The sun is out, the flowers are budding and its time for spring cleaning. Don't waste a sunny day! Next time the April showers come thundering our way, spend the rainy day inside transforming your home.
Stay organized and go room-by-room to take your house from winter drab to springtime fab!
Start in the rooms that don't need a deep clean and call in some reinforcements! Get your kids to clean and organize their own rooms. Older kids can help in other rooms of the house and with bigger chores while you focus on projects you have been wanting to tackle all season.
A checklist will keep you focused and make your cleaning adventure as stress-free as possible. Hudson Valley Parent has done the hard work for you. Click here for your own, handy-dandy checklist to help you as you clean room-by-room.
Sneak in me time whenever you can
Busy moms know that they have to sneak self-care and me time in whenever they can. Regular, every day tasks can easily turn into a moment of relaxing me time.
Next time you have a few moments to yourself, amp up your regular shower. Break out the bath salts or bath bombs, light a few aromatherapy candles and grab a glass of your favorite wine (in a plastic glass of course to avoid accidents!). Settle in for a soak and ease your sore, overworked muscles.
Take your regular bedtime routine (of falling into bed and knocking out) and turn it into a special way to end the day. Treat yourself to a soothing face mask and refresh your dry, winter skin. Moisturize your hands and wear gloves to bed tonight. You'll wake up feeling rejuvenated and ready to start a new day!
Find a special place just for you
You don't have to leave the house for some quality me time. That means turning your home into an oasis and finding a special place that you can claim just for you.
While you are spring cleaning, find a new, clean corner of your home that you can turn into your new favorite place to find relaxation and alone time.
Do you have an office in your home? Revamp it to add some special touches. Add some lights and new art on the walls and spark up one of your favorite scented candles.
No extra rooms? Claim a spot in the family room as your quiet corner. Grab a new lamp or throw pillow and a nice soft blanket.
While your kids are napping, at their piano lesson or soccer practice, find a sunny spot in your new favorite spot in the house and do whatever relaxes you! Read a book, grab a magazine or queue up a video to learn a new hobby.