Housework
A new study by sociologist Chloe E. Bird suggests that once
married, women do about twice the amount of housework as their spouses, which
increases the women's sense of anxiety, depression and worry.
Magazine Recipe/Article Labels
Ever tried to find that special recipe or article you read in a magazine and
can't remember which book or magazine it was in? I found that address labels
work wonders. Simply place the label on the outside or inside cover and note the
page number of the article or recipe you liked. Better yet, tape a piece of
paper to the cover for a more thrifty way of keeping track. Then, when you want
to find the article, you have a quick reference.
Cheaper Kitchen Towels
I never buy kitchen towels in the housewares department. Go to the automotive
section of your department store and get the white terry cloth towels. A package
of 12 in my area costs under five dollars and they don't shed or wear out
quickly. They're great in the kitchen and for cleaning around the house. I also
hang a fresh one in my waistband or beltloop when I'm cooking to wipe my hands
on.
Clean And Dry Floors Fast
But I can't do that for
every cleaning so I came up with a way to get a nearly comparable result. I wash
my floor in sections, using a regular mop. But instead of futilely trying to sop
up the dirty water, I toss down an old bath towel. I then push the towel around
with my feet over the floor. It works great and is fast! Usually when I mop, no
matter how much I rinse, a dingy film remains. This way the towel soaks up all
the dirty water so the floor really shines. Plus, it keeps the bucket water
cleaner so I don't have to change it before I finish. An added bonus is the
towel also dries the floor. By the time I'm done with the last section, the
floor can be walked on!
Save on Costly Kitchen Towels
Instead of paying upwards of three dollars each for kitchen towels that don't
last long, buy bar towels. These are available from restaurant supply stores and
sometimes can cost approximately one dollar each. In addition to being
inexepensive they are more absorbent than regular kitchen towels and hold up
well during repeated washing and drying. I bought two dozen of these towels
about four years ago and they still look good.
Lampshade Cleaning
I have fabric lampshades with very fine pleats which are hard to clean. So I
remove them, take them outside and brush them with an old baby hair brush. The
bristles get between the pleats to remove the dust and dirt, but they are soft
enough so as not to crush or damage the pleats. My shades look like new.
Toothpaste--a Versatile Cleaner.
Want to remove a stain without damaging the smooth surface of furniture and
countertops? Use toothpaste. The extra mild abrasives in toothpaste remove
stains without scratching the surface. I have used toothpaste to remove water
stains on finished furniture and stains on kitchen countertops. It also works on
small rust stains. Simply rub a dab into the stain for about 30 seconds and wipe
it away.
Paper Towels
When cleaning mirrors with paper towels save the paper towels for several more
mirror cleanings. After I clean my mirrors I 'wad up' the paper towel and stick
it under the trigger on the bottle. By the time you are ready to clean your
mirrors again, towels have dried and are ready to be used again. This has saved
me from buying paper towels so often.
Electrostatic Cleaner Pads
The electrostatic cleaners are great but the refill pads are pricey. I've been
using washcloths (old ones or cheap new ones) for dry dusting and picking up
hair. I spray a dry cloth with Endust on both sides and when one side's dirty I
turn it over and use the other side. For wet mopping add a little ammonia or
dishwashing liquid and 1/2 cup of water to an empty baby wipe container and put
five or six washcloths in for ready to use wet pads as needed. Throw dirty
cloths in wash as needed. Never by replacements again. Even cut old towels to
fit and use the same way.
Clean Kitchen
Mix one teaspoon of vinegar with 2/3 cup of water and place in microwave for one
to two minutes. The vinegar prevents the water from boiling over while making
the microwave a breeze to clean, including the splatters from tomato based
sauce. Once the water cools slightly use it to clean the kitchen countertops. It
will sterilize the countertops for a lot less than expensive cleaners.
the Cleanest Windows
The best way to clean windows and mirrors to a sparkling smear free shine is to
spray on a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water and buff dry with newspaper. No smears
even when the sun shines.
Free Hangers
I've stopped buying hangers since I discovered most department stores are eager
to give away their excess hangers! I always ask for the hangers with my
purchases and as needed, request any extras behind the counter. Usually, my
requests are met with literally bags of plastic, swivel-neck hangers. I
especially like the large hangers from the men's department for my husband's
garments and the small clamp-type pants hangers from the children's' department
for hanging everyone's wet trousers bottoms up (wrinkle free!).
Don't Throw Away Junk Mail Use It!
Junk mail can be a great and cheap stuffing material if you need to send a
delicate item via postal service. Just put it (catalogues, newspapers and so
on...) through a shredder and voila, no need to buy expensive peanuts!
Another Use For Used Dryer Sheets
I save my used dryer sheets for a lot of reasons. This week I found another use
that is really a labor saver. Take a used dryer sheet and cut it to fit inside
your air vents. The sheet acts like a filter thus reducing the need to dust and
run the vacuum so much. Just change them as needed
Cheap And Easy Oven Cleaner
A great way to clean your oven with no smell and little money is to mix baking
soda and water to form a paste. At night I put on a pair of disposable latex
gloves and smear it all over the inside of my oven. Then throw away the gloves
and go to bed. (leave the oven door open) The next morning when it is dry,
simply use a wet sponge to remove the dried mixture, and all that icky oven
stuff comes right of with it!
Window Cleaner
I buy the gallon size windshield washer fluid instead of Windex to clean my
windows. For about 1.29 or less it doesn't streak, is a great refill size, and
is so much cheaper.
Easy Address Book
Instead of using those expensive address books I make my own by using a pack of
4x6 index cards and a card box. Each person or family gets a card. Write
everything in pencil. There is plenty of room for address, birthdays, email
addresses, etc. When your friends or family members move, simply erase the card
and fill in the updated information. And if someone gets married and changes
their name, you just have to move the card to its new spot in alphabetical order
instead of crossing out previous entries and drawing arrows to new entries.
Reformed Messie Saves Money
Recently I read 'The New Messies Manual' by Sandra Felton. I have always
struggled with being able to keep my house clean and in order. The methods in
this book have helped me to do just that. I now save $120 per month because I no
longer pay a housekeeper to do my housework. I also save because I have half the
laundry I used to have. And I no longer buy two of everything ( I used to do
this with some things so that if I couldn't find one brush for example there
would surely be another one around somewhere). .
Household Cleaning Distribution
I set my kitchen timer for 30 minutes and clean one room in that time. When the
30 minutes is over, I reset the timer and move to another room. That way I don't
spend too much time cleaning it and I am able to clean the whole house in a
reasonable amount of time. The time can be adjusted according to room size and
how much needs to be done.
Toilet Paper Tubes
I save the tubes from toilet paper rolls and reuse them in various ways... They
make great holders for storing bundles of extension cords or to help keep those
long appliance cords from being such a tangled mess. Use several to get control
of all those cables hanging behind your desk. Another use is around gift wrap
rolls. Simply open a toilet paper tube and place it around the opened roll of
gift wrap. It secures the wrapping paper without having to use tape or rubber
bands which tear and waste the expensive paper. One of my favorite ways to
recyle the empty roll is as a package for a small gift. A scarf pen, earrings,
or other small gift can be beautifully wrapped in tissue paper in and around the
tube and tied with ribbon, making a unique package for gift-giving. Another use:
snagfree stocking storage.
Baking Soda Cleans: Sinks Laundry Pans...more
I've found that baking soda does an excellent job of cleaning my stainless steel
kitchen sink pots and pans with burnt on food, and porcelain bathroom sinks. I
keep a sugar shaker of baking soda on the kitchen window sill. The baking soda
is also good for cleaning stains off the kitchen countertops. If you have a
porcelain collectible with 'dust' that won't come off, or a sticker mark that is
gathering dust, a little baking soda and water rubbed on gently with your finger
will do wonders. (Don't use this though if you think the finish or decoration
will come off with the mark you're trying to get rid of.) A wet paste of baking
soda will also remove smoke stains from glassware, including fragile cut glass
antiques (only cold water though.) Baking soda is really great on heavy soil
when added to the laundry.
Keeping Phone Numbers Handy
Make a phone list laminate it and keep it near the phone. Your Parents Brothers,
Sisters, relatives, doctors and dentists with Insurance information, Poison
Control. Don't forget Ambulance, Fire Department and the Police or Telephone,
Water and Garbage Companies. All numbers frequently used. And if you want you
could make a smaller version for your purse of any numbers and addresses that
could come in handy when you are not home.
Microwave Potpourri
I love the smell of potpourri and candles but I hate leaving anything burning
unattended. Since I cannot be in every room at once I had to find a way to
freshen each room without using a flame. I found it: thermal coffee mugs (we
have accumulated many of them.) I just mix liquid potpourri with water in a
thermal coffe mug, microwave for about a minute, and place the mugs in whatever
rooms I want to freshen. It's quick and the mugs stay warm for a good while.
When the mug cools down, it's easy enough to pop back into the microwave and
reheat.
Mopping
I use a plastic shoebox with a hinged lid as my mop bucket. It's the right shape
for the mop holds just enough liquid for my kitchen or bathroom floors (smallish
rooms) and I can store the cleaner/polish bottle in it with the lid closed until
next time. I don't have to walk across wet floors or struggle with a round
bucket.
Inexpensive Household Cleaner
To clean all surfaces in your home (exluding wood) add 3/4 cup Pinesol liquid
cleaner to 1 gallon water. Fill spray bottle to use. Rinsing isn't usually
necessary. This is much cheaper (and just as effective) as using pre-filled
spray bottles you buy.
Swiffer Refills
Instead of buying those expensive Swiffer refills I just use a fabric softener
sheet and attach it the same way it works great and costs just a fraction of the
real refill sheet.
Moving/packing Tip
Last time we moved I called our local grocery store and asked them to save their
liquor boxes for me. The boxes with their dividers, were great for packing
glasses, vases, knick knacks and other fragile items. The breakables were simply
placed into each compartment with no wrapping necessary. I saved a tremendous
amount of time (and packing materials) both in packing and unpacking. And the
boxes were free!
Swiffer Mop Substitution
I love my Swifter mop but hate the high price of the replacement cloths. I find
using a paper towel does a great job. Often I was finding myself using more than
one of the expensive cloths at a time I now have found I use the paper towel for
light duty and save the regular cloths for tougher cleanup!
Cleaning Those Silk Flowers
How to clean those silk flowers--place 1 cup salt into a small paper bag add
individual flowers and shake. Dust, cobwebs, etc. come right off and into the
salt.
Streakless Windows
When washing the windows wash vertically on the inside and horizontally on the
outside then finding where the streaks are occurring is very easy
Cleaner Carpets
For those of us who cannot afford a carpet cleaner. I use a 5 gallon bucket with
about 3/4 bucket full of very hot water and about 3/4 cup to a cup of ammonia.
Vacuum the carpet good before cleaning. I use a thick white terry hand towel and
ring out almost dry and scrub the carpet. It does not have to be rinsed but when
dry it will need to be vacuumed to bring back the fluff.
New Life For Dry-Erase Boards
To add luster and a clean writing surface to dry erase memo boards I simply rub
them with used fabric softner dryer sheets. This works like a charm!
Inexpensive Cleaner
As most of us have read by now vinegar is a great cleaner. Keep a spray bottle
in each cabinet (kitchen bathroom etc) for the quick clean up. (50/50 water to
vinegar solution). It is great for shining up faucets, glass doors, etc.
Eliminate Your Diaper Pail
Anyone who has ever had a baby knows that diaper pails are a hassle and the new
pails that require special inserts can be very expensive. Instead of purchasing
a pail that requires plastic inserts use the bag your newspaper is delivered in
each day. The newspaper bag holds two diapers perfectly. Simply place the soiled
diaper in the bag and knot the bag right above the diaper. There will be enough
bag left over to hold another diaper. Then simply throw the diapers away in your
regular trash. You cut down on the odor in baby's room, recycle the plastic bag,
and you don't have to make a special trip to the curb with that stinky diaper
pail.
Emergency Supplies
Feeling somewhat foolish now that you have a little stockpile of food water
toilet paper, etc. for the y2k that never was? Don't! You've got a good start on
your disaster preparedness kit for your family. Now you can slowly add the
rest-- flashlight, batteries, matches, blankets, pet food, etc.--all the extras
you might need when the earthquake, tornado, power outage hits. Rotate your food
and water and replace, and you'll be prepared for the unexpected,.
Cleaning Silk Plants
To easily and inexpensively clean your silk plants, mix one part vinegar to two
parts water and mist plants with a spray bottle (I find outside to be the
easiest place to do this). Bring inside after dry and enjoy a clean dust free
decoration once again.
Organizing My Closet
Recently when cleaning out the hall closet I installed long shank screws on the
the side of the closet. I hung up the bike helmets life jackets and swim
goggles. I also put the containers of play dough in a plastic bag and hung that
up. This saves time from having to dig in the bottom of the closet for items we
will need all summer.
Cleaning Your Bread Machine Kneader Blade
I used to struggle to clean the small hole in my bread machine's kneader blade.
Then I had a baby and I discovered that a nipple brush (99 cents at the baby
superstore) does the job perfectly!
Waterproof
Mattress Covers
When my children were little and wet the bed I discovered how expensive
waterproof mattress covers were. So I bought a cheap shower curtain liner at
Walmart for about $2.50. Then I took it home and sliced it in half length-wise.
Each half was the perfect size to cover a twin-sized bed. I layered it with
their regular mattress pads and sheets; if they had an accident I just stripped
one layer off and the next one was clean. And the magnets in the bottom of the
liner went into my craft box for a later project!
Silver Polishing
I found this out by mistake while cleaning my woodwork! A great way to clean up
your silver and have the shine last longer is to take some Pledge or other
furniture wax and wipe it on. Just buff it off and it is shined up and ready to
go and the wax stops it from tarnishing as quick as normal silver polish.
Reusing Fragranced Candles
To reuse scented votive candles after they are all melted and messy, just put a
piece of the hardened wax into a simmering crock pot with some water and plug it
in. This really makes the room smell great, and it gives you more life out of
each candle. When done, just unplug and let it cool. When the wax has hardened
again, simply plop it out. Reuse.
Scouring Pads
To make those expensive scouring pads, like Scotch Brite, last longer, cut them
into small squares. I get 6 to a pad. To sanitize them, put them in the
dishwasher. If you do not have the covered holder punch a hole in the corner and
use a twist tie to secure it to the dishwasher rack.
Swiffer Saver
The new Swiffer is a marvelous cleaning tool, but the Swiffer cleaning cloths
aren't free. It is possible to use a cloth twice - especially if you hand dust
using only one side, and then put the cloth clean-side-out (of course!).
Housekeeping & Home Repairs
The best time to see all the little imperfections in your house is when you're
cleaning. Cracks, loose grout, chipped paint, loose molding, etc. Making
"mental" notes as I cleaned never worked. Now I always clean house
with a pocket notebook and small pencil in my pocket. Make sure it's a small
pencil so you don't stab yourself bending and crouching. When I see something
that needs repair or touching up, I make a written note and go on cleaning. Then
when I plan my "home fix it" projects, I just get out my notebook and
my to do list is already complete.
Cheap and Simple
All you need to keep a clean house is bleach or ammonia! Every product, without exception has either of
these in them, so why pay for the water, the dyes, the additives? Even on
dusting wood, use a very "dry", wet cloth and wipe clean. Most wood
items are varnished and "polishing them" is usually nothing more than
coating as oils can't penetrate varnish!
Crayon on the Wall
Here is a quick and easy way to remove crayon on painted or wallpapered walls.
With blow dryer in one hand (set on low) and a clean cloth in the other, simply
heat the wax and wipe clean with the cloth.
Inexpensive Carpet Cleaner
Over the years, I have purchased many different commercial cleaners to no avail.
Here is a cheap, easy cleaner that will remove all kinds of stains including
coffee. Mix enough baking soda and water to make a paste. Apply to the stained
area. Let it sit for about an hour. Remove excess and then vacuum the rest.
You'll be amazed at the savings and the beautiful carpet.
Cleaning Vaulted Ceilings
Get rid our vaulted ceilings of cobwebs. He puts
PVC pipe (cut with a hacksaw to the desired length) into the hose attachment of
the vacuum cleaner, places his hand around the tip of the hose to create a
greater suction, and the cobwebs are gone instantly. It's a fast and easy way to
clean even the highest ceilings.
Spills in the Fridge
Boil Water! Pour enough boiling water over the spill to cover it.
Close the door. Then, read Psalm 91. Then using a putty knife, scoop the mess
into a bowl. Then wipe up the sticky residue with favorite spray cleaner.
Wall & Ceiling Cleaner
To make a good cleaning device to reach your walls and ceiling, wrap your dust
rag around your mop and secure with a rubber band. I spray furniture polish on
it and this way the walls and ceiling come clean and easy to reach without
having to use a stool. Then you can take the rag off and the mop does not have
furniture polish on it. I wash my cleaning rags and they are used over and over.
Clean in 5 Minutes!
Have your cleaning supplies handy. Set your timer for 5 minutes. Clean each room
in your house for just these 5 minutes. You will be surprised at how much you
can get done in just 5 minutes!
Use That Last Inch
Don't you hate it when your pump sprays stop working and you know there's almost
an inch left of liquid there? Just pour that last bit into the replacement --
the manufacturers always leave an inch or so space. This works for any pump
spray: cleaners, hair spray, etc. Just don't use this for medicines (Use an
eyedropper to get the last bit of these, so you don't risk contaminating the new
bottle) and never mix different kinds of toxic chemicals such as bleach or
pesticides -- add same to same).
Mattress Turning
Everyone knows that turning your mattress at regular intervals is important,
however remembering to turn it and remembering what side or end needs to be
flipped is not so easy. To remember take a permanent felt tip pen and write J F
M (for the first 3 months) at one end of the mattress, then A M J (next 3
months) at the other end and then flip the mattress over and write the other 6
months putting 3 at each end. This really eliminates the guess work.
Subborn Pot Stains
Recently I had the misfortune of burned-on cream of wheat cereal (with scorched
milk) on the bottom of my expensive stainless steel pot. I tried everything but
the black mess would not budge. In desperation, I used an old family remedy.
Fill the pot with water until it covers the mark. Add two tablespoons of cream
of tartar. Boil for ten minutes; the stain will gradually lift off.
Odor Control
Bowls of white vinegar will absorb the odor of cigarette smoke after a party or
gathering. After the party, just put out two or three bowls of white vinegar
overnight. In the morning there will be no smoke odor left.
Guest Book
We moved into our new home and we got a guest book to keep track of all the
people that visited us. They put their name, address, and phone number and a
little note about the house or some little saying or thought. This really adds a
flair to people visiting and it helps us with Christmas card list.
Waxed Paper Keeps Things Moving
Don't throw away your used wax paper! Crumple it up in a wad and run this wad of
paper over your shower rod, closet rods, and sliding door frames. Your shower
rings, doors and coat hangers will now slide with ease! New waxed paper can be
used. A wad covers a large area.
Masking Tape Cleans Your Carpet
Everyone hates those little dust bunnies, lint and hair particles that manage to
make a home on your carpet and refuse to be vacuumed. That kind of debris also
quickly causes the vacuum to need repair or be ineffective. Well, a fairly fast
and easy solution is to use masking tape to remove the unwanted stuff from the
carpet. Just tear off a piece, place sticky-side down on the carpet and pull.
Depending on how much stuff sticks to the tape, you can generally use each piece
several times before you throw it away. The sticky part of the tape does not
affect the carpet. You will still need to vacuum up dirt, but you would be
amazed how much cleaner your carpet looks after using the tape. This is a good
aid for allergy sufferers, too ,who don't want to miss any dust.
Down the Drain
Have you ever dropped an earring or a ring down the drain. Instead of calling a
plumber which can be very costly, get out your wet/dry vacuum and put it over
the drain opening. Chances are excellent that whatever you dropped will be
sucked up into the vacuum for easy retrieval.
Inexpensive Window Cleaner
1/2 cup household ammonia, 1 pint isopropyl alcohol (70%), 13 and 1/2 cups warm
water, one tsp. liquid dish detergent. Mix all of the above in large container
(I use an old plastic juice container with a lid clearly marked
"Poison" - I also use it to store the extras in). Pour into spray
bottles and you have an inexpensive window wash that works fantastic on windows
and most surfaces. I've been using this for years!
Vacuum Extensions
If you have tall ceilings that seem to collect spider webs and sometimes bugs,
here are two cheap ways of cleaning them: Save those Christmas wrapping paper
tubes and slide one end over the vacuum hose extension rod and tape it securely
and it will give you more hose to reach those high places. The other tip is to
keep your old vacuum hose extension rods when your old vacuum dies and slip them
onto your newer vacuum hose rods Or better yet, pick up extra extension rod
hoses at flea markets or garage sales. I use this last tip and I can reach my
foyer entry and dormer ceilings without getting the ladder out!
Mini-blinds
To help keep miniblinds cleaner, just add a few drops of baby oil or something
similar to a cloth and wipe (must start with clean blinds).
Free Trash Bags
I recycle my plastic grocery bags, by using them as trash bags in all my small
wastebaskets, such as those used in the bathroom or at the bedside. I also keep
a couple in the diaper bag to place dirty clothes in should my 2-year-old have a
potty training accident. While I store them out of reach of my toddler, I also
tie them in one knot so that he can not put them over his head should he get his
hands on one.
Inexpensive and Quick Cleaning
For great receipes on various cleaning items and some great tips on how to spend
your time away from cleaning, check out the "Queen of Clean" at
http://www.azfamily.com/gmaz/clean/archives/19980511.html. I'm never buying
cleaning supplies again!
Neat Garbage Cans
Do you hate damp and dirty garbage cans? Do you throw garbage directly into an
empty can by mistake ? Prevent it by having an extra garbage bag lined tightly
to the can by tying it or using a tape. Put your regular bag over this. Change
the liner whenever it gets dirty.
Cleaning Porcelain Sinks
Use automatic dishwashing soak (gel type is best) to clean and brighten your
porcelain kitchen sink. Just drizzle a bit in, and smooth with a sponge till it
coats the sink. Let sit for a minute, and then rinse with hot water. Works
better than cleanser, and requires little or no "elbow grease."
Cheap Cleaning
Clean your whole house; floors, bathroom, kitchen, and windows CHEAPLY! All you
need is vinegar, baking soda, ammonia, and bleach. Vinegar will kill germs in
the kitchen and make your windows sparkle, as well as clean the floor. Bleach is
the active ingredient in name brand bathroom cleansers. Baking soda scours.
Ammonia cuts grease. Stop throwing your money "down the drain!" The
"recipes" are on the box or bottle of each product! Happy cleaning!
All-Natural Air Freshener
Buy an inexpensive spray bottle. Fill it with water and 10 or so drops of your
favorite essential oil (available at most health-food stores; eucalyptus deters
insects, lavender is soothing... choose your favorite or mix several.) Shake a
few times and you're ready to go! Use as you would an aerosol air freshener or
spray lightly on sheets & mattresses to keep them fresh and cool during the
summer! Will not affect fabric, carpet or pets; leaves a light, fresh scent,
costs pennies and will not harm the ozone layer!
Trash Compacting
When disposing of your plastic milk jugs, first place them (without the lid) in
the microwave for a few minutes. This will soften them so that you can smash
them smaller and they won't take up so much room in your trash can, or recycling
bin.
Clean Your Windows
Watch for sales of the gallon size windshield washer fluid used in cars. You may
find a price as low as 69 cents per bottle. This is the time to stock up, not
just for your car, but for an inexpensive window/glass cleaner for your home as
well. It's convenient, inexpensive, and it works!
MaCrayon on your wall?
If your child writes with crayon on your painted walls, try using Resolve spray
carpet cleaner. Just spray on and wipe the crayon away!
window washing
When washing windows it isn't necessary to use paper towels. Take any newspaper,
spray cleaner and dry off with the newspaper. I was shocked at the results.
Stretch Household Cleaners
When using a liquid cleaner for the bathroom, kitchen, etc., I pour the cleaner
in a spray bottle and dilute it a little with water. As I clean I spray the
surface and wipe clean. My cleaning products work better and last much longer
than if I poured them straight out of the bottle. Plus, it saves time if I am
cleaning a large area such as the shower, it allows me to spray the entire area
so that while I am cleaning one section, the cleaner is doing its job on the
rest of the area!
Carpet/Upholstery stain removal
To get a stain out of a carpet or upholstery (I spilled coffee of a light
colored berber carpet) pour seltzer on the area then sop up excess with a towel.
Then spread corn starch on top of the seltzer and let stand overnight. The next
morning vacuum. There will be no trace of the stain!
Making Cloth Napkins
Cloth napkins save a bundle, but buying them is costly.If you find them used
there will not be enough that match. I bought three dozen white hankies and
green (to match my kitchen) dye. Follow the direction on the bottle using just
enough dye and water to allow free movement of all (prewashed) napkins. I threw
in my 5 year old's underwear since green is his favorite color,(easy when
sorting laundry later.) Bottle the dye solution for a later project! Each napkin
cost about .20 each without reusing the solution.
County Dump
Everyone on our street pays 20 to 30 dollars for their trash to be picked up
each month. Our family takes our trash, after sorting for recyclable goods, to
the dump. One weeks worth of trash usually cost any where from $00.40 cents to a
dollar. Then we drop off the recyclables at the same place for free. Must have a
few trash cans, and use good quality trash bags, especially if you must use your
car trunk.
Quick Dusting
I discovered a use for old mittens or ones that have lost their mates. I put a
mitten on and use it to dust. It works great and helps you to dust almost every
object thoroughly. Just step outside and clap your hands together every once in
a while to remove excess.
Create Your Own Cookbook
When trying a new recipe, I observe how well it goes over in my household. A
definite "hit" gets typed into my "recipes" computer file,
which is formatted with title page, contents page, graphics and special fonts. I
note the source and include special sections for Christmas gift ideas, kids'
crafts, homemade cleaning supplies, and yes, cheapskate tips! To save paper, I
call up the recipe needed and refer to it right on the screen. When someone asks
for a recipe, I highlight the text needed and "print selected text,"
then pop into an envelope. Great gift idea for a bride-to-be (print the whole
file and spiral bind with card-stock title page and protective plastic covers).
Makes a special gift for the kids as they leave for college, too (include family
memories & sayings!).
Kids Cleanup
At the end of the day when it's time for my children to check around the house
for any stray toys that might be lying around they just grab their own personal
basket. We just reused 8-quart baskets and each child decorated their own with
whatever they wanted stickers,stamps, paints,etc.. These are small enough for
the children to carry easily and we seldom have to make more than 2 trips to
collect everything!
Magazine subscriptions
If you don't mind waiting 1 to 1&1/2 months after a magazine has been
published to read it just ask you dentist or doctor for their copies after the
next issue is displayed. I get between 10-15 magazines each month without having
to pay for them and then pass them along myself to others.These "used"
magazines are usually thrown away when the next issue is displayed.
Permanent ink removal
If your child is like mine and draws all over your walls with a red permanent
marker (UGH), you can easily remove the ink by using cheap hair spray in a heavy
coat. The ink will run off the wall. To remove the stickiness, use bathroom
cleaner!
Candle wax removal from carpet.
To remove candle wax from carpets, try this, using a cool iron, place paper
towels over the affected area and iron the paper over the wax. Repeat until the
paper no longer becomes opaque. Use fresh paper if necessary.
Listening Skills
Easy ways to get some sleep
Kids
100 Ways To Reduce Stress
Make-up Tips
Housework: Tips for easier housework
organization tips
Skin Care
Easy Pet Care Tips
Jokes and Funny Stories
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