Two weeks ago I had an opportunity to head to Chicago to visit the International Housewares Show, courtesy of the Hoover Vacuum team. I was excited to go for a lot of reasons, but mostly because of what it meant for readers of this blog.

As I’ve dug into this topic of organization for the past 3 years, I’ve gotten really clear on the two things that are essential for organizational success.

The first is “right-sizing” the problem. Too many people give up before they even start because they are too overwhelmed by the thought of what they need to do; so shortcuts are key. Our monthly challenges have grown out of this insight (if you haven’t signed up for April yet, there’s still time!).

The second is tools. We all need items that make the chore of organizing and cleaning up, well, less of a chore. And I knew that’s just the kind of thing I’d find at the Housewares Show.

So, on Monday, March 12th, I kissed my boys goodbye and headed to the airport. 36 hours later, I was back home (and in my car heading to Philadelphia for a segment on the 10! Show), my brain swimming.

It was a whirlwind trip, we crammed a lot into those 36 hours! Imagine the biggest airplane hangar you can. Now double it. THAT’S how big the show was. It was pretty amazing. But, by far, the most interesting things were happening inside the Hoover/Dirt Devil booth.

An All-Star Team Passionate About Battling Dirt

Not only did I get to spend some time with the folks that are actually responsible for dreaming up the latest and greatest Hoover and Dirt Devil products, but I also had the pleasure of getting to know three other lovely bloggers (that’s them in the picture with me), who regularly conduct in-depth reviews of lots of cool products. I definitely encourage you to check out their sites.
Jessica Matthews of Jabbering Jessie
Onica Cupido of The Mommy Factor
Anne McGowan of Deal Wise Mommy

I always love to meet the brains behind big operations, as it gives me a good sense for the quality of the organization (i.e. do the really care about their customers or is this just a big schill). The Hoover team was unabashedly in the former camp. Not only were they lovely people, I can honestly say they are downright passionate about dirt (and making machines that will get rid of it easily)! Each member of the team I spoke with had personally used every, single machine they offer and knew the ins-and-outs of each. Their eyes lit up when they spoke about product improvements and how they put them to use in their own homes.

What I Learned About Bags vs. Cyclonic Technology

I have to admit, that I was never 100% clear about the difference in efficacy between the new cyclonic vacuum technologies and bags. Except the cyclonic options negated the need for bags and generally made clean-up easier.

The patient Hoover team helped me understand the difference. Both options are good – so you can’t go wrong, but there is a difference.

Bagless vacuums, which use cyclonic technology, have a clear, hard plastic containers that capture the dirt and dust. When the container is full, all you have to do is simply remove the top or bottom cover to dump the dirt out. They win high marks for ease of use – and for the fact that you an actually see what you’re sucking up. I personally love that aspect of them as I need all the visual gratification I can get from doing the cleaning chores. On the downside, to keep the filters functioning at their highest capacity, you do have to clean them out and/or replace them, which can get expensive (a new filter can be $20+).

Bag vacuums use high-quality material in their bags to capture microscopic dust particles, so they are great options for people with allergies or other respiratory issues. While you do have to replace bags frequently, they are relatively cheap (roughly $3 each).

3 New Products You Need to Know About

1.The Hoover TwinTank™ Steam Mop

I officially lust after this product (price $129). It is ideal for the everyday cleaning of all hard floors including laminate, tile, hardwood, engineered hardwood, vinyl, and sealed stone. Unlike competitors that rely on steam alone, Hoover provides a proprietary 100% biodegradable formula cleaning solution that allows the Hoover® TwinTank™ Steam Mop to OUT CLEAN other steam mops. Bottom line: it takes what I love about the Swiffer Wet Jet (you can toss your old “regular” mop) and ditches what I don’t (using all those pads is environmentally wasteful). The Microfiber Pads (price $19.99) are machine washable and reusable so you save money over the long run.

We got to test the efficacy of this item by seeing if it would get crayon marks off of a wood floor. I tested it once using the regular steam setting and a second time using a little extra boost of the cleaning solution. Both worked extremely well. In the first instance, I had to rub the mop head over the crayon marks about 5 times to get it off completely. The second, it literally lifted off the first time I ran the mop over it. Amazing.

Here’s a cool video that shows it in action.

2. Hoover Cyclonic Upright Vacuums
Ever wonder how powerful the cyclonic technology is in your vacuum? I do.

I got to see first hand how powerful the Hoover Cyclonic technology really is via two pretty incredible demonstrations.

You really can actually stick the vacuum to a wall.

And it really will lift 150 pounds of weights.

If it can do that, imagine what it’s doing to the dirt on your floors.

3. Dirt Devil Whiskers

As you know, I am a big fan of delegating. What I love about this little Whiskers vacuum (price $169) is that it lets you do just that. It sweeps and vacuums tile, linoleum and wood flooring at the touch of a button. Simply place in an enclosed area, switch it on and you are now free to go tackle something else on your list besides vacuuming. It may not eliminate your need to vacuum entirely, but it will cut down on your need to do a big vacuum considerably.

So, that’s why when the team invited me to join the Hoover Insider program, I was thrilled to say yes. I’m excited about working with them over the coming year, sharing what I learn about their products here on the blog and of course offering some great giveaways to our buttoned up readers.

To learn more about Hoover products visit Hoover.com or connect on at Facebook.com/Hoover
To learn more about Dirt Devil products, visit DirtDevil.com or connect on Facebook/DirtDevil

Buttoned Up will be hosting a Hoover FloorMate Tweet-A-Way next Tuesday, February 21st – and this is your chance to win one of ten FloorMates they are giving away.

Why You Really, Really Want to Win One of These Bad Boys

The Hoover FloorMate is on one heck of a mission: eradicate mops. For a girl who loves to clean, I loathe mopping. Too bad with two little boys I can’t put it off for long until it becomes…well, an issue.

As I got a look at the specs and saw things like patented spin scrub brushes, wet/dry settings, and quick release cord, I heard the mop in my cabinet quaking on its pole. Imagine a vacuum that washes, dries, and sucks up all the dirt on your hardwood floors. Yep, that’s exactly what’s up for grabs here people.

Go ahead, oogle the picture below. And click here for more information.

So What Do You Need to Do to Win One?

To secure your chance at snagging one of these cleaning beauties, put your creative hat on and start snapping some photos of your dirty floors. The Hoover judges will be looking for the most creative photos with the #HooverCleanMyFloor hashtag that show off just how badly you need a FloorMate. I’m thinking flour on the floor with the words Hoover FloorMate written in with your finger, pictures of things about your mop that make you crazy, piles of boots by the door… Think and get creative!!

Once your camera (or smart phone) is loaded with creative shots, send them out to the twitter universe. Below are instructions for using the TweetPic functionality, but you could also easily send links to your photos from Flickr or your own blog too.

3 Simple Steps

1. If you don’t already have a Twitter account: it’s time to test the waters. Go sign up for one here

2. Create a Twitpic account. Trust me, it’s VERY easy, if you don’t already have an account, all you need to do to get one is pop on over to Twitpic for a quick sign in. When you sign up, you will receive a TwitPic email/ID. Make your life easier and add that email address into your contacts.

2. Email Your Entry Photos to Your Twitpic Email Address For each photo you want to submit (and there’s NO LIMIT), simply “email” it to Twitpic using the hastag #HooverCleanMyFloor.

3. Double Check the Hashtag Before You Press Send. You have to include the hashtag #HooverCleanMyFloor to be eligible. When you are sending a Twitpic, you simply put the hashtag in the subject line and it will be associated with your tweet.

The top ten images Hoover receives will win a FloorMate!

When To Submit Your Photo

1. Date: TUESDAY, February 21st – ALL DAY LONG!
2. Place: Twitter
3. Sign Up: If you have not signed up yet, go to twitter.com and get an account.
4. Twitter Hashtag: #HooverCleanMyFloor

Enter your photo on Tuesday!!

Congratulations to Carol K – the winner of the Hoover vacuum!

Have you ever slaved away over the stove to get a wholesome dinner on the table only to be rewarded with a big pftpftpftpftpftpft after your child takes her first bite, broccoli spewing in every direction…?

It happens to me regularly, which I’m sure is a big part of why we tend to go through vacuums at a rapid clip in this household. Between the mess my guys make and the dirt that seems to stick to them like glue, they just don’t stand a chance at longevity. Since the birth of my first son five years ago, I swear, I’ve gone through at least 3 vacuums – with most giving up the ghost after a mere 365 days.

So I was thrilled when Peter, our UPS guy, knocked on my door a few weeks ago with a big package from Hoover. I had literally just buried my Dyson the week before (I admit, I was a sucker for the British accent), and was starting to panic at the layer of grime that was rapidly accumulating – especially beneath the kitchen table. Brooms can only get so much.

Inside the box was a gorgeous blue Hoover MAX Multi-Cyclonic…(the angels sang)

Within the hour I had it assembled and working hard.

It’s a beast! The darn dirt doesn’t stand a chance anymore — and even though this machine packs a powerful punch, it is an absolute dream to use.

Here are a few of my favorite things about the marvelous Hoover MAX:

It’s got no fewer than seven floor settings – so it is perfect on everything from the plush carpet in the nursery to the hardwood floors in the kitchen and family room.

A brushroll on/off pedal that stops the brush from spinning when you’re over a hardwood floor. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE being able to vacuum the hardwood floors without worrying they’ll get scratched or scuffed.

Automatic cord rewind. Seriously, this might just be my favorite thing about it. No struggling with cords – just push the button and zzzzziiippp, the cord retracts beautifully. I also love the belly laugh it elicits from my 2YO.

The big 15″ footprint – so I get more vacuuming done in a lot less time.

The tools, especially the one designed to get in those tiny little crevices under the lower kitchen cabinets that attract stray grains of rice or bits of flour. The upholstery brush is also amazing. One swipe even I can’t tell my boys were just having a monster truck rally on the couch.

The amazing (and amazingly easy-to-clean) filter. Honestly, the first time I ran this new vacuum, I was slightly horrified to see all of the dirt that had clearly been ground into my carpets swirling around the filter. But it was very easy to clean up. And subsequent clean-ups have yielded much less dirt, which tells me this vacuum is doing its job well.

The only (extremely minor) downside is the fact that there is nothing quiet about this vacuum! If you must clean during a nap window, learn from my mistake and make sure your child is absolutely sound asleep before you turn it on.

Other than that – it’s perfect.

Would you like to win one? All you have to do is leave a comment telling us why you would love to own a Hoover MAX Multi-Cyclonic (or another Hoover!)

Also, make sure to visit Hoover on facebook to get more special offers and tips!

This contest is open until Wednesday, August 31, 2011, at 10:00 pm EST. ONE winner will be selected at random using Random.org and announced later that week. Please read our disclosure policy and contact us with any questions you might have. Sarah received a complimentary vacuum for review, which she put to the test — and the opinions here are all her own.

You can also purchase this vacuum at most Target stores, or on Amazon.com.

Hoover has upped their contribution to Clean For A Reason from $1 to $2 when you add a Twibbon to your twitter site! Go here to do that and ask your supporters for their help as well.

Cleaning For A Reason is a nonprofit organization that recruits local, professional cleaning services to provide free home cleanings for women undergoing cancer treatment. They connect the patient applicant to the cleaning service partners.

For more information on Clean For A Reason, go here. To learn about Hoover’s campaign to raise $25,000 for this cause, go to our post here.

Please help this worthy cause – it only take a minute and you can help improve the life of a woman undergoing cancer treatment!

Cleaning For A Reason Week!

Nothing makes me feel better as when my home is clean and shiny. I’m pretty sure most, if not all women would feel the same way. But when you are ill, undergoing cancer treatment, let’s face it, the focus is on getting through the treatments and getting better – not on cleaning.

That’s where Cleaning For A Reason week – April 18-April 24 – comes in.

Cleaning For A Reason is a nonprofit organization that recruits local, professional cleaning services to provide free home cleanings for women undergoing cancer treatment. They connect the patient applicant to the cleaning service partners. Women undergoing cancer treatment need to feel as good as possible and this organization is a great help!

Founded in Texas in 2005 it is rapidly expanding to cover all 50 states. For more information and a list of participating cleaning services in your area, visit http://www.cleaningforareason.org/maidservice.php

Wish you could help? Well you can!

Hoover (as in Hoover vacuums and carpet cleaners) plans to donate 700 vacuums throughout the year to participating cleaning services, and has been a charity partner with Cleaning For A Reason for the past two years. Hoover will donate $1 to the cause for every new Hoover Facebook “like” and new Twitter follower, up to $25,000.

Pretty easy way to help this worthy organization isn’t it? Simply visit www.facebook.com/Hoover or www.twitter.com/hooverclean and help Hoover reach their goal!

Please Tweet and Like Hoover today!