Household Tips

Are you resolving to get in shape? (Me too!) Lady Foot Locker has published some great info on buying the right shoes for the job!

An important part of getting the most out of your new workout is selecting the proper footwear for your activity. “Each activity has its own must-have components in an athletic shoe, and you should make sure that you use the right shoe for the right function,” says Lauren Bristow, VP of Brand Marketing for Lady Foot Locker.

– Running shoes come in many forms, and most companies will offer both soft and stable options.

– If you are a beginner, choose a shoe that provides greater stability than cushioning. The Nike Shox Turbo and the Nike Pegasus incorporate the Nike Plus technology that will allow you to program a soundtrack for your run, which may help to keep you on track when beginning a new routine.

– Asics offers a variety of options for the seasoned runner, such as the Asics 2130, which is lightweight, and provides additional support and stability.

– Walking shoes, like the Sportwalker 4000 by Ryka, are designed for low impact activity. They should have good shock absorption in the heels and in the balls of the feet. They tend to be more supportive than running shoes.

– Cross trainers are great all purpose shoes. The Nike Shox Electro is perfect if you just joined a gym, or are trying out different fitness classes. Cross trainers are designed specifically to support a wide range of motion. Bristow adds, “Fit and quality are two critical factors to consider when selecting any athletic shoe.”

To ensure that you get the proper fit, have a store associate measure your foot before recommending a shoe for your specific activity. You don’t break in athletic shoes, if it doesn’t feel good in the store, it doesn’t fit. Try on two-three different brands, and of those, one should feel absolutely great. This is your shoe. You should expect to spend at least $65 or more for a decent shoe, and don’t forget the importance of athletic socks and insoles as well.

It’s not too early to start your New Year’s resolution, and if you’re resolving to be more eco-friendly in 2008, this simple list will be a great kick-start!

– Change Your Lightbulbs - switch out your incandescent bulbs and you will reduce emissions and save money on your energy bills.
– Turn the Lights Off When You Leave a Room - Lighting uses 19 percent of worldwide energy consumption. Even you can help bring that number down.
– Use Less Paper - Cut down on mail by paying your bills online this year. But don’t forget to send your grandmother a handwritten note every once in a while. She will forgive you.
– Recycle - If you haven’t started this yet, it’s about time. Find out what your city is doing.
– Use Paper Bags - Plastic bags are so passé. Consider buying a reusable grocery bag or stick with recyclable paper.
– Turn Off the Water When You Brush Your Teeth - Does it really need to be on when you aren’t using it?
– Unplug Unused Appliances - Just because you are not charging your cell phone doesn’t mean that the charger plugged in to the wall isn’t using energy. Unplug it.
– Take the Bus or Walk - Do you really need to drive everywhere? You can fit a little exercise into your busy day this way too.
– Make Wise Purchasing Decisions - If you are replacing appliances, be sure to buy low flow toilets or energy star appliances.
– Don’t Run Your Dishwasher Unless it is Full - Enough said.

I love having a real Christmas tree in the house! I hate getting sap on my hands. Easily comes off though — just rub some olive oil on your hands. No more sticky!

The queen of all things domestic has gone on record with her favorite tips for wrapping your holiday cheer!

Wrapping Paper
— To make gift wrapping less hectic, buy a variety of papers in a beautiful palette that works with any ribbon you choose.

— To distinguish identically wrapped presents, vary the color, width, and texture of the ribbons.

— Gift tags aren’t necessary if each family member is assigned a different color wrapping. Choose papers in solid hues that will
complement one another and enhance the colors on your tree.

Ribbons
— Ribbons and tags can get crushed, so don’t add them until you’re ready to unveil your gifts.

— Using the same type of ribbon is an attractive way to unify packages wrapped in different papers.

— Save bits of ribbons, seam binding, and twine along with decorative fruit, silk leaves, and miniature Christmas ornaments for adorning packages.

— With a little scissor work, basic self-adhesive bows are transformed into sumptuous blooms. For each “flower,” cut the loops of one small bow and one large bow at an angle. Then affix the small bow to the empty center of the large bow. Coil a short length of matching ribbon; place coil in center of the small bow, and secure with double-sided tape. Showcase a single bloom, or pair with more matching ribbon.

Tasteful Tags
— Gift tags are all the sweeter when they happen to be crisp cookies. To make them, cut gingerbread dough into shapes or letters, punch with a small hole for threading with cord, and bake. The cookies can be eaten while the unwrapping takes place, or hung on a tree as ornaments.

Photo Gift Toppers
— Decorate with a familiar face (or many of them). Print or copy a photo onto heavyweight paper. Then wrap the package with a wide band of ribbon. Using double-sided tape, secure the photo to ribbon. You can use the photos to identify the giver or the getter, or attach one favorite photo to all your presents.

I know, I know… I’ve TALKED about saving energy here. But this list is different! Here are some tips aimed directly at saving energy for the holiday season! (And they’re easy!)

Direct Energy is recommending these measures to reduce usage and maximize efficiency during the holidays:

– Turn down the heat a few degrees. Doing so could save 10 percent on heating bills. Reducing the heat before guests arrive makes sense, too, because all their extra body heat will soon warm up the room.

– Dim the lights and have memorable holiday meals by candlelight. You could even “go organic” and try soy candles.

– Decorate using LED bulbs, which have a rated life of 50,000 hours, representing nearly 20 years of normal usage. That’s a bargain, especially when compared with incandescent lights, which last just 600 to 1,000 hours.

– Wrap gifts with conservation in mind. If everyone wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or fabric gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 ice hockey rinks. (NOTE: I really don’t think we should be covering hockey rinks in paper! Who came up with that example!?!)

– Don’t open the oven door to peek at what’s cooking. It can lower oven temperatures as much as 25 degrees, which increases cooking time and gobbles energy. Use the oven light and window instead.

– Remember your other cooking appliances when preparing a holiday meal. Great for cooking or for heating up holiday dinner leftovers, microwaves use about 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens.

– Use your dishwasher for cleanup. A dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand.

– Buy miniature decorative lights, which use about 70 percent less energy and last much longer than bigger bulbs. Connect them to an automatic timer to reduce the chance of leaving your holiday lights burning all night or while you’re away.