Monday, March 17, 2014

Spring Cleaning with Balance Bar and J.R. Watkins {Prize Pack Giveaway!}

balance bar logo
While there are many days that I would like nothing more than to bury myself under the covers and hibernate until spring has truly arrived, I know that isn't possible.

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!

balance bar

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.

good nutrition
As they have long crafted their products with the perfect balance of great taste, quality nutrition and lasting energy, it is easy to see why their 40-30-30 nutrition principle (40% of calories come from carbohydrates, 30% from quality protein and 30% from dietary fat) provides balanced energy... as opposed to a sugar rush and subsequent crash.

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!
These are definitely great tips! As well as being impressed by Sharon's knowledge on how to clean up my kitchen and my eating habits, I was happy to be able to try out a selection of her favorite Balance Bars from the Dark line.

Balance Bar spring cleaning giveaway

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!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Balance Bar

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?

J.R. Watkins natural hand soap

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?

J.R. Watkins natural cleaner

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!

Balance Bar spring cleaning

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
*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:

Madeline said...

My best spring cleaning tip is to donate and throw out anything you haven't used in the past 3-6 months.

latanya t said...

take your time and go room by room

tawndam said...

Start at the top! & don't forget the fans @ filters

Madelyn Sue said...

My best tip is to hire a maid. =)

Unknown said...

My tip is to take your time! Don't feel overwhelmed by a long list but just tackle one room at a time :)

Traci said...

get rid of stuff not being used and have garage sale...whatever doesnt sell donate. Dont bring it back into the house

Karen said...

Always clean from top to bottom, and from one side of the room to the other.

Jackie said...

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!

bettycd said...

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

Darlene said...

My tip is to go at it early in the morning and do it all in one day then its done.

Unknown said...

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.

Unknown said...

Using homemade solutions from the internet saves you money.

Anonymous said...

Open all the windows, you will be surprised at how much cleaner the air in your home will be.

Heather said...

thow out or donate!

Frugal Tumbleweed Acres said...

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.

Wild N Mild $$$ said...

My tip is to take your time.

Robin O said...

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!

Unknown said...

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.

cjabdelnour said...

MY TIP IS TO PUT SOME MUSIC ON AND THEN DO YOUR THING. Cheryl Abdelnour cjabdelnour@hotmail.com

d schmidt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
d schmidt said...

My best tip is to tackle a room a day! I tend to clean the downstairs living areas before tackling upstairs.

walk9 said...

I use newspaper to wipe down windows and mirrors- it doesn't leave lint behind.

playswithclay said...

I enlist the help of my children and assign smaller chores to them.

Andrea said...

I try to clean a little something everyday, especially drawers and closets during the spring.

Natalie B. said...

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!

Helen Keeler said...

My best tip is to clean as you go through out the day - so you don't get too much of a mess going.

Joanne said...

I do one room at a time and do it thoroughly.

janetfaye said...

My tip is to make a spring cleaning plan for each room.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Jennifer T. said...

My best tip is to declutter each room first before you begin the cleaning process.

Tara said...

Put on music, Declutter the house and then deep clean.

aperry said...

Go through your closets... If you haven't worn it in the past year... donate it.

sdavis said...

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.

DebbyM said...

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.

jlee said...

Make a checklist of all the areas that you want to have cleaned and do them one by one.

Unknown said...

Clean out under the fridge!

greenhome said...

My tip is to take a room at a time and organize, deep clean and toss old stuff.

stowelljg said...

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!

Unknown said...

My best spring cleaning tip is if you haven't used in the last year, throw it away or give it away.

Unknown said...

Its best to clean a mess right away and not wait till the last minute when lots of messes have accumulated..

Anonymous said...

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

Anonymous said...

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!

Kobi said...

I don't spring clean. I super clean one room a month so I don't have to do it all at one time.

Nancy P said...

I put a lemon rind in my garbage disposal and grind it. Freshens and cleans up any junk down there!

llinda29 said...

best Spring Cleaning tip is don't wait for spring

bbrittbrat1398 said...

I would split of the household chores between the family members so it wont become overwhelming.
Brittney House BBrittBrat1398@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

My best tip would be to set them by category so that it would be easier to sort out

Unknown said...

Use baskets to prevent multiple trips up and down the stairs.

Lee said...

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.

Edna Williams said...

My best tip is to tackle one room at a time.

julis55 said...

My tip is to do one room at a time.

Unknown said...

My best tip is to pace yourself!

Kelly Massman said...

Clean with vinegar--it works without harsh chemicals and it is inexpensive!!!! thanks

Liz said...

Tackle one small project first to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Diana Lane Utley said...

My best tip is to take it one room at a time, and have boxes ready for donations.

Halation said...

Use a sock on a ceiling fan blade, then all the dust falls into the sock, and not all over you and the floor!

tiffanynichole89 said...

Best tip is to do a little at a time.

bison61 said...

I go and clean one room at a time and donate clothes and unused stuff

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Do your spring cleaning before the first warm day. Once it gets warm you won't want to be stuck inside all day cleaning.

Unknown said...

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.

ChickadeeSays said...

Go all natural! You don't want to clean up your house with chemicals!

Kelly O said...

Opening up all the windows, turning up the radio nice and loud, tying hair up, and dancing while I clean :)

PAIGE said...

Start early and be consistent.
elysesw@aol.com

Tamar said...

Clean a bit at a time.

Unknown said...

Dust first then vacuum

Denise S. said...

Take everything you haven't used lately to a charity center.

Blog of Lists said...

Take at least 2 boxes of things you no longer use to donate.

Unknown said...

White vinegar can be used to freshen smelly drains.

Unknown said...

White vinegar can be used to freshen smelly drains.

Unknown said...

Make sure everyone is out of the house bedore you clean-makes things a lot easier with no one to get in your way.

Unknown said...

i try to use vinegar for cleaning instead of harsh cleaners

wen budro said...

My best tip is to purge whatever you haven't used in a year and to take plenty of reward breaks while you clean.

mecarolks said...

My tip is to take your time.

Unknown said...

Get the whole family involved. It's not going to kill any of them to do a little extra work around the ol' homestead

Elizabeth said...

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. :)

Tammy S said...

My best cleaning tip is to take it one room at a time/ That way you don't get over whelmed.

luckynordberg said...

Work from top to bottom. Dust the ceilings, fans, pictures, etc. so you don't end up having to clean again!

Betsy Barnes said...

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. :)

Kayla said...

To clean one room at a time, defiitely!

Unknown said...

Refreshed for Spring!

Sadie said...

My best tip is clean from top to bottom, room by room. I like to see each room at it's cleanest.

Rebecca Orr said...

My tip: start with a room and don't finish until it is done.

Stephanie said...

My best Spring cleaning tip: Start up high and work your way down.
Stephanie
Steph0828 at hotmail dot com

Michelle said...

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

Let's Grow said...

my best spring cleaning advice would be to make your own cleaners. they are all natural and work really well.

dfraley3 said...

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.

Cassie Eastman said...

I like to use an old toothbrush to clean hard to reach or tight spaces!

Anonymous said...

My tip is to take your time.

Anonymous said...

open the windows, turn up the music and jam out!

ide2678 said...

One step at a time, one project at a time.

Nancy said...

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

Diane W said...

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.

LesleyfromWI said...

I like to clean one room completely before I move on to the next one

SnowflakeDay (Audra) said...

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.

jcwega27 said...

You have to start to finish!

SexyBrat said...

If you don't use it, get rid of it.

Helga said...

My tip is to plan each room before starting.

Melody S. said...

Use a timer:)

Christy H said...

One room at a time! It's the only way for me to stay sane.

clc408 said...

My tip is to do at least one small task a day so you don't feel overwhelmed.

Marilyn said...

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.

sheila ressel said...

I try to assign a specific task to each day so I don't get overwhelmed.

terrajunebug said...

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

tammmm said...

My best tip is to create a cleaning schedule and stick to it.

Unknown said...

Try to keep everyone out of the room your cleaning so you can fully concentrate on the task at hand.

puye said...

My best tip is to hire a maid.

agnesye@hotmail.com

slehan said...

My tip: Loud, dance-able music will make any chore more fun.

slehan at juno dot com

Rita M said...

I like to assign certain days to certain rooms - then, cleaning the whole house doesn't seem so overwhelming.

CarrieAnn13 said...

Purge anything you haven't used in the last year.

bettycd said...

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

Vicky said...

My tip would be to clean everyday so you would never have to clean for hours

Becca said...

My tip is to do your cleaning gradually. Tackle a piece every day until it's done. sbcashortie at hotmail dot com

msrodeobrat said...

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

Linda Meyers-Gabbard said...

My best spring cleaning tip is to hire someone to come in and do the cleaning for you.

Anonymous said...

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.

Unknown said...

I use my discarded orange peels to clean and freshen my garbage disposal.

Unknown said...

My best advice is get everyone involved, play some music, and make it fun.

matope said...

top to bottom and dont be afraid to purge! simplicity is key

polly said...

My best tip is to do just clean 1 or 2 rooms each day so it's not so overwhelming!

Robin A said...

My best tip is after you clean your ceiling fan blades spray them with Pledge. It will keep the dust from building up

Denise said...

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!

Roy F. said...

Don't do it all at once. Otherwise you'd be overwhelmed.

Julie said...

Use something fresh smelling so your house smells like spring

Caitlyn said...

It's easier to do one room a day.

dawn keenan (newnameford) said...

Declutter, declutter, declutter. Then everything else goes much faster.

K.Pugh said...

Go room by room and break it up into smaller tasks.
Thanks for the chance.

bkittie said...

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.

GabbyLowe said...

I use essential oils to make my own cleaning products

Ryan said...

We have not spring cleaned yet but I would say to clean regularly and declutter so it isn't so overwhelming.

Ryan said...

We have not spring cleaned yet but I would say to clean regularly and declutter so it isn't so overwhelming.

Yona Williams said...

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.

Unknown said...

Always clean from top to bottom and allow myself enough time so I wont feel pressured

Shannon said...

Go room by room

Paula V said...

Make a to do list and tackle one task per weekend.

Unknown said...

If you want something done you better do it yourself because if you ask a man he wont do it :P Lol.

Unknown said...

Start early before it becomes a mess!

Gypsymoon said...

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.

Crystal K. said...

I do a little cleaning each day so I don't get overwhelmed.

Lisa V. said...

I use vinegar to clean the windows.

Unknown said...

just make a plan to do it and stick to it. getting started is the hardest part.

danielle marie xdanimarie(at)yahoo(dot)com

Tylerpants said...

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

trixx said...

Instead of continually buying expensive single-use mop pads, invest in a reusable/washable mop!

Karen said...

Go room by room and wipe everything down with a diluted vinegar - he deodorizes everything !!

Unknown said...

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.

Erica C. said...

Do a little bit of cleaning everyday so that it doesn't add up.

{ Mom of 3 Dolls } said...

Make your own cleaning solution.

annemarie562000 said...

Do about 30 minutes of cleaning every other day, so it does not seem overwhelming!

annemarie562000(at)yahoo(dot)com

Shannon said...

Do one room/area at a time.

Cassandra Davis said...

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.

cowboyswife said...

I start in the kitchen and remove all counter top items and clean and organize as I go.

yellowlabs said...

Keep up on the cleaning and don't let it fall behind.

Unknown said...

I pick a great book on tape to listen to while I clean. I also try to break up the cleaning over several days.

Anonymous said...

My best Spring cleaning tip is to use natural products like vinegar and baking soda instead of harsh chemicals.

susansmoaks said...

i like to do one room at the time so i do not get overwhelmed

Unknown said...

clean everything thoroughly starting from top to bottom

blew415 said...

Donate any clothing item not worn in a yr

Sky Evans said...

Do not ever procrastinate.

Vikki Billings said...

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

Karrie said...

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

jdine said...

Donate or freecycle anything you have not worn or used in a years time.

Running In Boise said...

mine is giving away a lot of things for free on craigslist.

Unknown said...

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.

Brian E. said...

Thanks for the giveaway…every spring we clean out our clothes dryer exhaust vents, and our bathroom exhaust vents.

Rafflecopter: Bryan E.

Unknown said...

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.

amanda whitley said...

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

Angela Ash said...

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.

ken ohl said...

do one room at a time before moving onto the next. thankyou, ken pohl19@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

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.

Anonymous said...

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.

Missa said...

Don't be afraid to throw things out!

lilyk said...

My tip is to dust from top to bottom.