Household Tips

TotalMom.com’s Hannah Keeley says that keeping the home fresh and clean in between regular cleanings doesn’t have to be a hassle or time-consuming and may even shave some time off regular cleanings. Simple tips include:

— Spread a fresh scent. Light scented candles or place dryer sheets inside garment drawers so the home smells fresh.
— Convenience cleaning. Put cleaning supplies in each room, so if there is a mess you can easily grab the right tool for the job.
— Prevent the mess. Leave shoes at the door so dirt doesn’t drag in.
— Pick up as you go. As you move from room to room, take a laundry basket and collect the items that need to go to their proper place, like mail, books, clothes, etc.
— Spot clean. Remove fingerprint marks and smudges as you notice them so that you avoid a fingerprint masterpiece on your glass table.

Our friends at Crest (of all places), have come up with some interesting tips for building the perfect stocking. While my favorite source will always be the dollar store, there are some gread ideas in this list!

For many, the traditional stocking (and included stocking stuffers) is the best part of Christmas morning. Whether it’s tradition for you to open your stocking before or after the bigger gifts, the little surprises found inside often inspire laughter, kisses or yelps of excitement. Just as fun as discovering your own stocking is the opportunity to create the perfect stocking for friends and family.

Keys to creating fabulous stockings are to think outside of the box and have fun! Below are some tips from SpinBrush(R) for stuffing a stocking with care:

– Stockings can be inexpensive: Stock up when favorite items are on sale.

– Create a theme stocking: Create a stocking theme that matches the recipient’s personality or interests, such as:

* For your “HERO” - This stocking might include a ‘Greatest Dad/Mom’ mug, superhero apparel or figures and a DVD set of any superhero flick or show.

* For Travelers - For the person who is always jet setting, suggestions include an alarm clock, a Crest(R) SpinBrush(R) Slim, a manicure set, a passport holder, a pack of cards, a stress ball, luggage tags, a paperback and a journal.

* For Pet Lovers’ - This stocking might include stationery, a calendar, cat/dog socks, a picture frame, a figurine and fuzzy slippers.

* For the Foodie - Gourmet nuts, cookie cutters, the latest kitchen gadget, a wine cork, a potholder, dishtowels and mints make a stocking that would thrill any food enthusiast.

* The “Kid” - An ‘adult’ stocking that celebrates childhood. A
slinky, crayons, bubbles, coloring books, candy and animated movies will take the recipient back to a simpler time in life.

* For the Gym Lover - This stocking is stuffed with the latest in exercise accessories and equipment. Smaller, ’stuffable’ items include a pedometer, an exercise band, an energy bar, an mp3 player and a water bottle.

– Stockings aren’t just for mantles anymore: Tradition says that stockings are ‘hung by the chimney with care.’ To add festive cheer, however, display stockings on the Christmas tree, a coat rack, the front door, along staircase railings or in other open spaces throughout the house.

– Start a tradition: Every year, fill a stocking with a collector’s item that the receiver would appreciate, such as a limited baseball card, a charm for a bracelet, an action figure or a special coin.

And while you’re preparing, remember these handy tips for wrapping your gifts!

Use dental floss to:

OK, let’s get it out of the way… Other than to DRINK! Here are some great uses for rubbing alcohol!

household tips, alcohol

Today at Elementary Chef, I gave instructions for brewing Southern style sweet tea. But what to do with the leftover teabags? I’ve talked before about using them to fertilize your plants, but there are other great uses for teabags, as well!

teabags, household tips

Kids are really, really, REALLY rough on DVDs! Last night, my son asked to watch a cartoon that he hadn’t seen in a while. OK, no problem. I got the DVD and put it in the player. The first 20 minutes played fine, then it went to some sort of impressionistic mess. Never fear, toothpaste is here!

Plain toothpaste (the mildly gritty kind) does a wonderful job at buffing our scratches. Simply apply about an inch-long strip of toothpaste to the DVD (or CD) and gently rub it around the DVD. Rinse off well. Dry. And play!

My favorite hose attachement is the multi-nozzle sprayer.

I have one on the hose in my front and back yard.

The best thing about this nozzle attachment is that you can water grass in a wide path, and tiny little seedlings up close, you just use the mist mode.

This Scott’s Website discusses techniques for getting the most out of watering your yard.

I know I am supposed to be the one who is full of good tips and little tidbits of suggestions about how to make things easier and more efficient around the home. Well ? I sort of still AM that person, but I have a problem and decided to stop using my own futile thoughts and ask you readers what you suggest.

We have several bird feeders on the deck. I have a medium seed tube feeder, a thistle sack for finches, a hummingbird feeder and a suet feeder.

We are routinely visited by a variety of finches, including some awesome bright yellow ones. I regularly feed a white woodpecker and a red-headed wood pecker. I also feed a family of squirrels and a suspected occasional raccoon.

I have a squirrel baffle on the seed tube but it does no good. This is due to the proximity to the deck railing. Those squirrels are nasty little suckers! However, I like all wildlife and I don’t mind feeding them but I cannot deal with them stealing my feeders!

Today I noticed that my suet feeder was missing. Now. I have a lot of bird feeders and I rotate them a bit seasonally so sometimes I look at it and feel like something is missing, but that is just because I rotate and forget what I put away. But today? No suet feeder. I think it might have been missing for at least a week. I can’t find it. It’s not on the ground, not in the cabinet, not hanging. I think some little creature stole it!

How can I secure a new suet feeder from being stolen off my deck? And, How can I stop squirrels from getting on my deck?

Because, they are also eating my plants!!! Grrrr.

Regardless of where you live, it is just about that time of year again. Time to start mowing your lawn again. The first time you mow, you might feel a little nostalgic for those long summer nights bathed in the scent of freshly cut grass, but soon, you will realize that you now have to mow weekly for the next four months and you are realizing how little television watching and ass sitting you will be doing on Saturday morning and how MUCH mowing and lawn maintenance you will have ahead of you.

Relax.

Lawn mowing is an art.

By following a few simple steps, you can achieve a healthier, greener and better looking lawn in no time!

- Mow in different directions. Horizontal, diagonal, vertical … mix it up each time you mow. This prevents the blades of grass from curving in a particular direction after many cuts.

- Never mow when the grass is wet.

- If you really want a flat, smooth lawn, consider purchasing law rollers and rolling them over your lawn after mowing in even, straight rows.

It is a big misconception that you should mow your lawn super short. Grass is actually healthier when it is a little bit longer.

In a recent visit to my in-laws house in Florida, we went into the guest bathroom to take a shower and found a severe lack of hot water. So severe in fact that there wasn’t any.

After a few cold showers and four people using the master bathroom shower, although, thankfully, not at the same time, my in-laws decided to have a plumber investigate the problematic faucet.

It turns out the repair, if you can even call it that was very simple. The mechanism that turns behind the hand-nozzle was stuck in place, from lack of use.

It is very common to have a bathroom in your home that you don’t use on a regular basis, except the very moment that you have guests in your home and NEED a second working shower. To avoid this common household malady, be sure to run your bathtub with hot and cold water and turn the shower on at least once a month. Twice a month is preferable.

Consider making a schedule or incorporating it into your house cleaning routine.

Do you ever wonder how much water you should be drinking each day?

Over the years studies have published varying recommended amounts.

Water is the main chemical component of your body. It accounts for 50-60% of your total weight. Every system in your body depends on water to stay moist and flush toxins.

When we don’t drink enough water, we are at risk for dehydration which can cause headache, muscle cramps, nausea, fatigue, dry mouth, dizziness, vomiting, and lead to severe problems like an irregular heartbeat, and even death.

Because we lost about 1.5 liters of water each day in urine and close to a liter of water through breathing, sweating and waste products, we have to replace what we lost. Food accounts for about 20 percent of total fluid intake. If you consume about two liters of water each day you will replace what you have lost.

However, some research shows that you should drink two to three liters of water each day to replace what you lose and to cleanse the body.

It seems rather daunting to have to drink so much water in one day, but if you space it out and drink a full glass before and after each meal and a few in between it isn’t so hard to get your recommended daily amount.

I like to carry a refillable, dishwasher-safe, plastic bottle with me and I keep it full so I can swill water at any time of day.

Pretty soon you’ll get used to drinking so much water and it will feel more unnatural to NOT drink water.

In light of the recent pet food recall this entry will detail how to go about make your own dog food.

I have four cats and a dog and the thought that the food I have been feeding them, high quality-brand foods, like Iams and Science Diet are possibly laced with harmful, fatal chemicals is absolutely overwhelming and very discouraging.

If you want to opt on the very safe side, you can prepare food for your four-legged friend fresh and from scratch in your own kitchen. Here are some instructions to follow when you set out to prepare a balanced and nutritious meal for your dog.

1. Before you change a pet’s diet, check with your vet.

2. Know that dogs need a diet that consists of about 40% meat, 30% vegetables and 30% starch. This ratio (similar to The Zone diet, ironic, no?) is recommended for all canine diets.

3. Always cook meat before serving it to your dog. Raw meat can cause illness and hold harmful bacteria.

4. While it may gross to you, organ meet, like liver and kidneys is very good for dogs. There are a lot of vitamins to be gained by eating these organs.

5. It is a well-known fact in many health-food circles that many commercial brand dog foods are very unhealthy for pets. Frequently, the meat used in these foods is considered unsuitable for human consumption.

6. Start with a mixture of ground turkey, rice and carrots for your dog food. There are also a variety of recipes that include ground beef, brown rice, brewer’s yeast and carrots.

7. Be sure to rotate the meals your dog eats so that Fido gets a variety of nutrients.

8. Add garlic to your dog food. Dogs like the flavor of garlic and it doubles as a natural flea repellant.

9. Include oatmeal, pasta, rice or potato for your dog’s starch needs.

10. You can also grind up some egg shells and add then to your dog’s meal. The eggshells have a lot of necessary nutrients.

11. Keep cooked dog food in the refrigerator and use it within three days.

12. Remember, whenever you change an animal’s diet, you risk stomach upset, including gas and diarrhea. Consider switching to homemade foods over a period of time, mixing commercial food and your homemade food.

13. NEVER EVER feed your dog chocolate.

Have you ever tried to unscrew a burned out light bulb and found it stuck in the socket?

This happens mostly outside with a porch light or in a bathroom or basement where moisture is present. Over time, the moisture gets in there and corrodes the metal just enough to cause a bit of rust to build up and before you know it, the light bulb seems permanently fixed in that socket. Occasionally, a light bulb breaks off in the socket leaving a mess of glass and an even more difficult situation.

To avoid this corrosion in the future, put a thin layer of Vaseline on the metal threads before screwing it into the socket. This will create a barrier and you will avoid moisture-induced corrosion of a light bulb in a socket.

Are you sneezing and coughing this time of year? It is SPRING and the trees are blossoming, the flowers blooming and the grasses are growing out of control. While this makes a great hillside photo, it can be real hell on you sinuses.

If you or anyone in your home tends to suffer from any kind of seasonal allergy, consider changing your air filter a few extra times during this high-pollen season.

It is well worth your money to get the best quality filter there is. Not only will you benefit from fewer particles and pollen in your air, your house will have less dust on surfaces, and it is more energy efficient.

It is also a good idea to try to change your filter every three months throughout the year.

airfilter, air filter, filtrete, allergies, house maintenance