On a typical day, my microwave is disgusting. We’re talking completely splattered with caked on gunk that I try really hard not to think about because how do you even begin to clean that crap up? Except I don’t feel that way anymore. At least, not since I stumbled upon my new absolute favorite cleaning trick of all time.

Let me get really real for a second by showing you the actual level of grossness I’m talking about, so you don’t think I’m being dramatic or pretending a little soup spill is my definition of gross.

I’ve gotten really into green cleaning products recently. With all of the attention we pay to the chemicals we ingest, we sometimes forget about the stuff we clean with. I collected some of my favorite DIY green cleaning recipes to share with you. If you’re looking to cut down on using chemicals that are harmful to the environment and to our bodies, this post is for you.

Whenever I tell people I make my own cleaning products, the first thing I get is the Huuuuh? face. As in, why on earth would you do that when you could run to the store and pick one up that’s already made for you?

Let me start by telling you right off the bat that if it wasn’t easy, I wouldn’t do it. I’ve got way too much going on to be bothered with complicated green cleaning recipes. The recipes I use are incredibly simple and nontoxic—in my book, this is key when you have a toddler who not only puts just about anything in her mouth but scales furniture when I turn my back.

The next thought that flickers across a person’s face is usually, How do you know it actually works? Most people don’t ask that out loud but you can totally see that they’re thinking it (my sister, however, absolutely asks it out loud). Once I explain the ingredients I use and their magical powers (which I’ll get to in a bit) the face is usually all Tell me your secrets!

Since I can never remember these magical recipes off the top of my head (I keep them on a card in my recipe box), I thought I’d lay them all out for you right here…

When I was younger, I never really gave a second thought to the ingredients in my cleaning products. As long as they did their jobs, who cares, right? But then I had a baby. And babies? They bring out the neurotic in people. Suddenly I was really thinking about my cleaning products. It started with the bathtub. The thought of cleaning it out with harsh chemicals and then plopping a fresh new human inside made me a little crazy.

When she got bigger, I started to think twice about the products I used to wipe down toys and tables and her high chair tray. When everything finds its way directly into her mouth, did I really want it coated in chemicals?

For me, the answer was a big, fat, bold, NO. And that no got bigger and bolder once my second (much messier) daughter was born.

Since then, I’ve tried a bunch of different products and found some that I loved and some that I hated.

Let’s get real. It’s impossible for me to sit here and tell you that I know exactly what you should get your mom (or any mom in your life) for Mother’s Day. I don’t know if she hates the smell of grapefruit or if she would rather gouge out her eyes than entertain at home. I don’t know what she loves and what reminds you of her.

But I am a mom. And I know what I like. I also know what my mom likes and what my mother-in-law likes and what my mom friends like. So I put together a little Mother’s Day Gift Guide for you—not to tell you to rush off and make these purchases, but to inspire you to think of something special for the in your life.

peppermint chocolate truffles // circle scarf // custom initial bracelet (via Brit + Co, no longer available)// chamomile and grapefruit bath set (via Brit + Co, no longer available) // cheese and crackers serving board // The Inappropriate Baby Book: Gross and Embarrassing Memories from Baby’s First Year // geometric bamboo coasters

I love having girls. Aside from the insanely adorable clothes and doing fun things together like getting manicures or playing with glitter, there’s the fun of decorating their space.

We’re going to be moving in the near future and although we’re staying local, it’ll be a big adjustment. For one, the ladies will be sharing a room. They’re pretty excited about it. I’m a little leery about the whole sleeping thing (more importantly, the staying asleep thing) and storage, so I took to the internets and did a little exploring  for girls room inspiration. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a lot of fun.