March Question Month: To-do Lists

Anonymous asks: When you can't keep your focus or get overwhelmed by the endless to-do list, what helps on stay on track to get it all done?

For me, it helps to break those overwhelming lists into smaller lists. Instead of focusing on the big picture and ultimately throwing in the towel because it seems an impossible task, I rewrite the lists into manageable portions. You can divide daily tasks into morning and afternoon tasks. Do one weekly task a day. You can assign bigger projects to one afternoon a week, or one weekend day.

Prioritize things with the help of the ones who care. For instance, I might think that it's a huge deal that I don't dust every single day, when Master only thinks it's necessary to dust once a week. I can then scratch dusting off of the daily chore list, guilt-free. If you've really just got too much on your plate, sit down and figure out which things have to go. There really are only so many hours in the day, and so much energy to go around. Maybe that 3 acre garden needs seriously downsized. Maybe the artsy side business needs to be shelved for a few years. Maybe every night home-cooking organic and creative meals can wait until the mandatory overtime at work is cut out. Maybe hiring a once a week/once a month maid service is feasible and opens up time to rejuvenate.

Find out what makes things go a little more smoothly. If shopping day is Monday, then Sunday night means going to bed with morning chores completed; then Monday doesn't feel so rushed. If certain days of the week run later and making dinner is stressful on those days, choose another day that has more time and make a meal ahead of time, or make a double batch a few nights (which is barely any extra work at all) and pop them in the freezer.

Sometimes I use a timer to help. I can set the timer for 15 or 30 minute intervals and spend that much time tackling one huge task that I find overwhelming, like organizing a closet or storeroom. Looking at it in terms of minutes rather than completion helps me to find the gumption to go at it. I can do anything for 15 minutes. If I want to work at it longer, I do, but I don't allow myself to quit until the timer goes off. And if it takes me several days to complete it, that's okay. I AM completing it and that's the bottom line, plus I'm not crabby, tired, frustrated or irritable in the process. Nor am I doing it at the expense of ignoring other necessary chores.

Delegate, delegate, delegate. Got kids? Use them. My 2 yr old granddaughter loves to put the silverware away when I unload the dishwasher. She likes matching the spoons and forks and she loves to help. Win-win. My older kids do their own laundry, which cut down significantly on my loads. When my son walks to the bus stop, he takes the garbage out with him. When my daughter goes to take a shower, she scoops the litter box. Streamline it for them, too, and there is less balking.

Good luck!

Guest Post: Pack like a Pro and Other OCD Tips

Is packing intimidating to you? Do you avoid it till the last minute because it is just too overwhelming? Do you find yourself repeatedly on vacation with no underwear and eight pairs of socks? Never again! Take my hand – we can get thru this together!

First off you need a spreadsheet. This is a NEED not a want. Just trust me. Don’t be afraid. You do not have to color code it or do anything fancy, that is for the advanced course. I use Google Docs because it is web based and can be shared with others. That way your owner can review it and add or delete. AND, you can copy it and adjust it for different trips.

Now think. What kind of trip is this? Camping? Conference? Vacation? Work? Will you have electricity (will you need a voltage converter)? Do you have to prepare meals? Will there be special clothing needs (formal, costume, sports)? What will the weather be like? How long is the trip? If this seems overwhelming don’t worry we will take it one day at a time. No, I mean it. Really . . .

Are you as excited as I am? Of course you are! Let’s get started.

On the first page I like to include a section for Transportation, Accommodations and other information like contact numbers of those I am traveling with and their travel and accommodations.

Under Transportation you might include:

• flight confirmation numbers
• flight numbers and times
• rental car confirmation numbers
• numbers for local taxi
• phone number of accommodations if they provide free transfers
• address of your destinations (through the trip)

Under Accommodations you might want to include:

• hotel confirmations numbers
• address and phone of hotel
• address of place near by you may need like; grocery, drug store, liquor store, beauty shop.

OK now you are there safe and sound! What to wear? Start a new page and make a column or list for each day of your trip.

Will the weather be warmer or colder where you are heading? Think about what you will be doing. Tonight you might be going to a formal dinner. Picture yourself getting ready . . .(dream sequence)

You are wearing your little black dress, definitely need the super tummy holding in panties for this or, will someone be seeing those panties later? Better to go with the sexy ones then. Eeks - bra straps - toss that one to the side and get the strapless. Nylons . . . no thigh highs – need a garter belt, grrr a run - good thing you brought an extra pair! Add your heels - think ahead a little - can you choose a pair that will go with another outfit? Now that you look beautiful grab your little evening bag and wrap as you head out the door. And when you get back from your awesome evening, will you visit the hot tub or just slip into jammies? So your day one clothing list might look like this:

AM:

• comfy travel pants
• t-shirt
• comfy bra and panties
• sweater
• socks (remember you have to take your shoes off in security if you are flying)
• comfy shoes
• travel bag (spreadsheet with travel info, tickets, ID/passport, purse, snacks, reading material, travel pillow/blanket, etc.)

PM

• black dress
• strapless bra
• black lace panties
• 2 pair thigh highs
• garter belt
• heels
• evening bag
• wrap or sweater

• swim suit
• cover up
• slippers or flip flops

• PJs
• Robe

Go through this process again for hair and make up. Do you need something special for your hair? Will you do false eyelashes? Chip a nail? Headache or catch a cold on the trip? Once you have this list you can use it for every trip and refine and add things as you learn you need them. No worries if you forget something in the beginning, you have the address of a nearby drug store remember?

Use this same method when packing for someone else. Picture their process getting ready and all the little things that might go wrong. It is so satisfying to have that one thing they did not know they would need.

The process also works for food, camping supplies, any trip you can think of. There are also many packing lists online you can compare with yours. Packing this way is so much fun and every time you have something you need in a pinch, you get to do a tush wiggling happy dance!

BIO: My name is Lacey. I am is a service submissive from the Baltimore Maryland area. I have been in service to the same Master for four years and am constantly striving to find new fun ways to please Him.  I have presented classes on Service Submission, Mental Orgasm, Rope Bottoming and others at Atlanta Bound IV 2011, Duck Stock Lite 2009, 2010 Duck Stock 2010, 2011 and Frolicon 2011. I love to share my passion for service! You are welcome to contact me any time on Fetlife or email. 

Tuesday Tips

Caring for "The Good Crystal"
We’re talking about the tumblers, stemware and serving pieces you only take out for company…special company…and on special occasions. To clean these irreplaceable treasures, fill a basin or the sink with a 3:1 combination of hot water and distilled white vinegar.

Note: For crystal that is really grimy or filmy, use 3 parts hot water to 2 parts distilled white vinegar.

When you wash crystal in the sink, line it with a fluffy towel or a rubber mat in case a piece slips out of your hands.

Once all the crystal is clean, rinse and dry each piece with a lint-free cloth. Your best bet in terms of lint-free is a linen towel, or a cloth made of at least 25% linen.


Will You Pass the Hand-Washing Test?
How much time do you spend washing your hands before you handle food? Go through the motions of your typical hand-washing session, and you might be surprised at how quickly you do it. Maybe for six seconds?

To be sure your hands are bacteria-free, the recommended amount of wash-up time is 20 to 30 seconds using warm, soapy water (and plain soap is often better than anti­bacterial). If you sing the "Happy Birthday" song or recite your ABCs while washing up, you will spend the right amount of time cleaning your hands. Finish the job by wiping your hands with a clean piece of paper towel.

Cutting Board Cleanup
Do you have cuts in your wood cutting board? Of course! But those cuts can be home to germs. Every now and then, smooth away the cuts with a piece of fine sandpaper.

Give Your Oven Racks a Bath
Run very hot water in the bathtub—enough to completely cover the oven racks. Add 1⁄3 cup of liquid dish detergent and 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Let the racks soak in the tub for at least one hour. Then scrub if necessary, rinse and wipe dry.
If some stubborn caked-on crud refuses to come off, you can carefully scrape it away with a knife.

How to Dust Hard-to-Reach Places
Clean hard-to-reach high-up, under and behind places with a golf club or hockey stick.

Wrap a cloth or hand towel around the head of a golf club or the blade of a hockey stick, and secure it with string or rubber bands. Both club and stick are perfect for dusting the tops of picture frames, high shelves, the tops of doors, ceiling molding and the tops of bookcases.

Tuesday Tips

Toilet Overflowing? Quick Do This...
If, after you flush, the water is rising higher than it should, quickly turn on the cold water in the sink as well as in the bathtub or shower. The cold water coming through the pipes will cause a vacuum that will suction the water in the toilet down the drain.

Commit this tip to memory. It’s a great thing to know, especially when you go to somebody else’s home.

Surprising Way to Keep Ice Off Your Windshield
If snow is coming, and your car is going to be out on the street all night, pull up your windshield wipers and coat the windshield with sulfuric compounds.

Does that sound complicated? It’s not! Just cut an onion in half and rub the glass with the onion’s cut surface. The coating will prevent the formation of ice on your windshield. Don’t forget to onion-up your side mirrors as well.

Quick Trick Makes Dripless Candles
Keep candles in the freezer for several hours before lighting them. The candles will burn longer and hardly drip, if at all.

Speaking of freezers...

Cheese Please!
Before you cut or grate a block of cheese, put the wedge in the freezer for about 20 minutes. This will prevent it from clinging to the knife or grater.

  Perfect Piecrust
When a piecrust recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of ice water, instead use 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar—this will make a crispier crust.

And for a flakier piecrust, substitute the same amount of sour cream or plain yogurt for the liquid called for in a crust recipe.

Speaking of vinegar...

When Something Smells Fishy
Fish-cooking smells can be absorbed—just place a small bowl of distilled white vinegar or fresh coffee grounds near the stove or wherever the fish is being prepared.

(I just used the vinegar trick in my microwave after warming up some fish and finding that the microwave stunk to high heaven the next day. I filled a small bowl with some vinegar, put it in the microwave and shut the door. A few hours later- no smell!)

Tuesday Tips: Holiday Party Edition

Fun Place Cards for Your Holiday Party

Instead of using the usual place cards, buy miniature picture frames and put each guest’s name in a frame—they make great keepsakes. It would be even more fun if you happened to have a photo of each guest to put in the frames.

Cookie-Cutter Napkin Rings

Create your own distinctive collection of napkin rings by using cookie cutters. Each person gets a different shape, with his or her napkin rolled up and slipped through the middle.

Matching Christmas Serving Platters

Don't want to use up your budget on buying holiday themed serving platters? Use vibrant, shiny, thick wrapping paper to line each serving tray or plate. Suddenly, all your platters and plates will match the mood.


Putting an Elegant Spin on an Old Classic

Veggies with dip on a big platter can be ordinary and boring. But take those same ingredients and place them in individual glass votive candle holders that people can pick up and carry while mingling and you've got something special.


Making a Fire in Your Fireplace? Add a Lovely Scent...

First, spread the rinds from an orange or lemon on paper towels, and let them dry out overnight. When the rinds are thoroughly dry, toss them on the fire to create a lovely citrus aroma. If you are not into a citrus scent, you could toss in a few pinecones for a more woodsy fragrance.


Cookie Gift Sleeve

Favors for guests to take with them - cookies packaged in CD envelopes and sealed with festive tags.


A Holiday Pick-Me-Up

Are the holidays running you ragged? The scent of cinnamon stimulates the trigeminal nerve, the area of the brain that governs wakefulness and raises energy levels. Have cinnamon at breakfast-time—sprinkle it on toast, hot oatmeal, cold cereal or even coffee. Or, during the day, put a drop of cinnamon oil on the inside of your wrist and sniff the invigorating scent.

Tuesday Tips

Stock Your Car for Winter Now

There are some things you should have in your car during the winter—for your safety and in case of an emergency...

*Cell phone and cell-phone car charger
*Sand or kitty litter for traction
*Lubricant for frozen locks
*Small container of motor oil
*Funnel—for an emergency infusion of motor oil or water
*Two roadside flares
*Safety matches
*Jumper cables to start a dead/low battery
*Flashlight and fresh batteries
*Thermal blanket(s)
*Bottled water
*Packages of crackers, protein bars and/or nuts
*Small hand shovel
*Spare tire, jack and lug wrench
*Work gloves
*Ice scraper and brush
*Small fire extinguisher
*Tire chains
*Money (keep $20 in the glove compartment)

One thing not listed here is candles. I remember my Dad once telling me that a candle can provide enough warmth in a car to keep a person from freezing so I always keep a couple of candles in the glove box.

Though a lot of those are things you should have in your car all year-round, I'm reminded of how, at least once a winter, and usually more than once, I hear on the news a story of a traffic jam stranding motorists in the snow for upwards of 12+ hours. I always feel for the little kids and wonder if the parents were prepared Have some snacks, some games, some blankets and for the wee ones, extra bottles and formula, if necessary.



Skin Feeling a Little Dry? Kitchen Cupboard Help...

Olive oil is an effective moisturizer. Massage some into your hands and give it time to sink in. (You may also want to put on a pair of rubber or latex gloves to avoid getting oil stains on whatever you touch.) After about 30 minutes, take off the gloves and wipe the oil off your soft, moisturized hands with a dry paper towel.


A Place for Everything...

If you have a closet in your entryway, hang a shoe holder on the inside door. To store accessories that you may need before going outside—such as scarves, gloves, hats, sunglasses—assign compartments of the shoe bag for each of those things.
You can also store pet accessories in the shoe bag, such as your dog’s leash or winter jacket, as well as a small flashlight.


Simple Way to Revive Your Winter Woolens

When you take sweaters and other wool clothing out of storage, throw them in the dryer with a couple of fabric-softener sheets. Dry on very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. The sheets absorb odors and the dryer action fluffs up fibers. The wool items will come out looking and smelling good.
(The idea of wool in the dryer makes me nervous, though!)

Easy Refrigerator Deodorizer

Dab a few drops of vanilla or lemon extract on a cotton ball and put it in a shot glass inside the fridge. Any unpleasant odor will be replaced with an appetizing scent.

Simply Service is Coming Back!

I know I have mentioned Simply Service before on Domestic Servitude. It is a newsletter that is full of great service tips, thoughts, ideas,  personal experiences, and everything else service.  There hasn't been an issue in a while and Bootpig left a little teaser on FetLife about a month ago and then recently posted details.  I wrote her to ask if I could share the details here. 

So from Bootpig posted on Simply Service FetLife group:

As you know, from the previous little teaser, Simply Service is coming back in the first quarter of 2012, aiming for around Valentine’s Day. Partnering with me to share the workload…err… fun is Master Obsidian’s lovely slave, namaste. We have been friends for years, often joking that we’re twins. In case you didn’t notice, I’m the tall one. And maybe the loud one. She wears a sari better. 

The Spring edition – we’re hopeful so we’re calling January, February, March – “Spring” will be focused on New Beginnings, Setting Intentions, Starting New Habits (Resolutions, anyone?), Rebirth. We hope for a positive issue filled with ideas for bringing us all out of winter into a bright new year. Unless you’re coming out of summer and headed into winter, in which case, what are your intentions for that time of year?

How you can participate:

1. Send us your 2012 intentions, resolutions, new skills you’re acquiring, new habits and adventures. You can include a name or leave it off but we’ll have a list of what the goals and ideas for the year are. If it is in writing, you’re already on the way there. Commit to the new intentions. Mine is: Working on friendships with service people and building those relationships to increase my skills, particularly in some homesteading areas like natural healing & canning. I’d like to improve my yoga practice.

2. Send us articles to support this theme. You don’t need to ask if you can submit an article – just do it. Well, you may need to ask your Permission Department, but you don't need our permission. It may or may not be included but may appear in a future issue. Ideas for articles: how you changed a habit, how you helped an Owner change a habit, how-to articles for a new skill someone may be adding in their New Year. Remember, we’re not just about service philosophy, but actually getting the job done. We are particularly interested in skills that focus on holistic methods for integrating and upgrading service, including green/organic/healthy habits.

a. Articles will be due by February 1 – as a note, one of the reasons it was originally ended was that begging/chasing for articles isn’t fun. Please participate and help this be a resource for all of us.

b. Articles should be 500-1500 word unless otherwise discussed and include your short bio.

I can be reached at wmb.bootpig@gmail.com and namaste can be reached at Hisnamaste@aol.com

Happy Holidays from both of us, and our Permission Departments, who have blessed this adventure.

Tuesday Tips

Handy Way to Store Sugar

Clean and dry a plastic one-gallon milk jug, and use it to store granulated white sugar. The closed container will not attract bugs, the sugar will not clump up, and the jug’s handle makes it easy to pour.

Easy-Care Houseplants

If you haven’t had much luck with plants due to your unintentional neglect, start over with those that require very little care. Select from devil’s ivy, snake plants, corn plants, Chinese evergreens and begonias. And, this time, don’t forget to water!

Gum Stuck in Your Rug? What to Do...

Start by blow-drying the gum with your hair dryer on the warm (not hot) setting. You want to melt the gum, not the carpet’s fibers. As soon as the gum seems very gooey, put a small plastic bag around it and gently pull off the bag, bringing the gum with it.

Repeat the process until all of the gum is out of the carpet, or there’s just a stubborn little bit left. For that little bit, work in a dab of petroleum jelly, rolling the gum into it. Then wash the spot with a gentle laundry detergent formulated to fight grease. Finally, rinse with water and blot dry.

Caution: Petroleum jelly may stain the carpet, so be sure to do a spot-test first.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Sweet-Smelling Sheets

To enjoy a special sensory treat at bedtime, when you launder your sheets, add a small amount of your favorite bath salts during the rinse cycle.


Feeling Down? Sing a Song!

When you sing out loud, you trigger the release of endorphins—chemicals in the brain that can elevate mood and help kill pain. Find a song that you like to sing and then personalize it with happy and positive lyrics that will lift your spirits.

How to Open an Envelope You’ve Already Sealed

How many times have you sealed an envelope—and then realized that you forgot to enclose something?

Place the sealed envelope in the freezer for about three hours. When you take it out, slip a knife under the flap and you should be able to open it neatly. Then repackage it and reseal it.

Meatballs with a Twist!

Put a new ingredient in an old standard—meatball hors d’oeuvres. When making the meatballs, start with a little chunk of something— sautéed mushroom, pitted olive, cheese, grape tomato or come up with something even more creative—and pack the meat around it, forming the meatball.

Then cook, grill, broil or fry the meatballs as usual. Ahh, but there will be nothing "usual" about them! Guests will love tasting and comparing the fillers.

If you want to stick with the standard meatball, but want them perfectly moist, place a small ice cube in the middle of each before cooking.

Migraine Manager

To prevent migraines, mix 2 teaspoons of unfiltered apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of honey in an 8-ounce glass of water. Drink it once or twice a day.
This remedy works like magic for some (former) migraine sufferers.


From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

For Sparkling Glassware...

For squeaky-clean glasses, we fill an empty dish-detergent bottle with one part dish detergent, one part distilled white vinegar and three parts water, and shake it a few times.

We use this solution daily—a little on a sponge—to do the dishes and glasses. It’s a winning combination that leaves everything clean and sparkling.

Simple Squash Slicing

It’s generally hard to cut into a butternut or acorn squash—but it’s easy if you use a serrated knife. Try it yourself and see.

Also, when you slice squash (or any other round, awkwardly shaped food), do it on a nonskid cutting board or plastic mat to reduce the chance that you’ll inadvertently cut yourself.

Natural Help for Itchy Skin

A Japanese study reported that drinking oolong tea reduced itching and inflammation in people suffering from eczema. Drink 34 ounces (about 1 liter) of oolong tea (available at supermarkets and health-food stores) throughout the day—after meals and between lunch and dinner. Its antioxidant properties relieve itching, redness and swelling.

Note: Oolong tea is NOT caffeine-free, so you should not have it close to bedtime if you’re sensitive to caffeine.

A Nutty Treat

Toasting brings out the full flavor of nuts. And it’s easy to do. Start with nuts that are shelled and about the same size. Then decide whether you want to toast them in the oven or in a skillet...

Oven— Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook them at 400°F for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to turn golden. Halfway through the toasting, carefully rotate the nuts by shaking the pan.

Skillet— Place nuts in a single layer and put the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir or shake the nuts while they’re toasting for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they start to turn golden.

Always aim for golden. Toasted nuts taste best if they’re not darker than light brown.

A Magical Centerpiece

Whatever your centerpiece—flowers, leaves, fruit, candles—place it on a mirror to create the illusion that you have twice as many flowers, leaves, fruit or candles. Candles will be especially dazzling because of their reflection in the mirror.



From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Make Your Own Pita Chips!

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut a large pita into 16 triangles—first, by cutting the pita in half, then by cutting each half in half, then by cutting each quarter in half. That leaves you with eight double triangles. Now, turn them into 16 single triangles by pulling them apart.

Put them on a tray and bake them at 350°F until they’re crisp…about five minutes. Let them cool, then you can use them for dips. Or spray them lightly with vegetable spray and sprinkle on your favorite seasoning(s). They’re great with a little garlic powder.

Fall Allergy Help

If you have a runny nose, sore throat and/or itchy eyes, you may be suffering from seasonal allergies. These allergies generally occur when your body overreacts to the pollen from trees, weeds, flowers or crops.

When the pollen count is sky-high and you dread going outside, dab the inside of your nostrils with a little sesame oil. It can help stop the irritation and allergic reaction caused by breathing in environmental or seasonal allergens.


Do-It-Yourself Magnifier

When you want to read a price...or look up a phone number...or see what time it is on your watch, but the type is too small to see without your glasses, try this:

Make a fist, leaving a small hole in the middle. Bring your fist up to your eye, look through that small hole and focus on the number you want to read. For some unknown reason, the small channel of light entering your eye clears the vision.

(I've actually done this without wearing my glasses (horrible, horrible vision over here!) and it WORKS. Weirdest thing ever. ~kaya)


Down-Filled Drying

After washing a down-filled item—such as a coat or comforter—put it in the dryer along with three or four tennis balls. The balls will do a good job of fluffing up the down item. (They will also do a good job of waking up anyone who is taking a nap!)


Time to Get Organized

First, invest in a three-ring, loose-leaf binder. Every time you buy something that comes with an owner’s manual or instructions, punch holes in the paperwork and store it in the binder. Also, staple the purchase receipt and any guarantee or warranty (as well as instructions for ordering replacement parts) to the item’s manual.

If you ever need the proof of purchase...or you have a question about using the item...or need a replacement part—you will have all the information organized in the binder without going through a frantic sweat-and-search routine.

Of course, you should keep the binder in a special, within-sight and within-reach place so that you always know where it is.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Painting Pointer

After you open a can of paint, but before pouring it into a tray, put tape (masking or transparent) around the entire rim of the can. When you’re finished painting, take off the tape and close the can. The rim of the can will be paint-free and the lid will not get stuck the next time you need to use the can of paint.

Bird Droppings on Your Car? How to Clean It Now!

Bird droppings contain harsh acids that can burn through your car’s paint. The secret to cleaning up—and saving your car’s exterior—is to take action as soon as you spot the plop...
Pour on some seltzer water and let it bubble up. Once the bubbling stops, wipe the area clean with a microfiber (available at supermarkets and hardware stores) or cotton cloth.

Freshen Up Your Child’s Lunchbox

To deodorize a stinky metal or plastic lunch­box, moisten a slice of bread with distilled white vinegar and let it stay in the lunchbox overnight. The next morning, throw away the soggy bread, wash out the lunchbox with warm soapy water, and rinse and dry thoroughly—then load it up with your child’s sandwich and fruit.

A Place to Hang Your Hat—or Watch

If you normally wear a watch, a bracelet, rings or any other jewelry that shouldn’t be worn while cooking or cleaning, it’s good to have a safe, reliable place in the kitchen where you can stash it.

Put up a hook large enough to hang a watchband on (or whatever jewelry you wear on a regular basis). Position it near enough to be convenient when you start to work in the kitchen, but out of harm’s way when the stove, microwave, dishwasher or garbage disposal are in use. Don’t you wish you had thought of this years ago.

Going on a Trip? Don’t Forget to Do This...

A house can smell musty if it’s been closed up for a while. Before you go away on a trip, place small bowls of distilled white vinegar in each room. The vinegar will keep the air fresh, so you’ll breathe easier when you get home.


From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Fun Way to Store Extra Towels

If you have counter space in your bathroom—and you want to have extra towels on hand for you or for guests—get a freestanding wine rack (available at household-supply stores). It’s perfect for holding rolled-up towels.

Home Office Help

If your bottle of correction fluid is too gooey to use, add one or two drops of nail polish remover. Shake the bottle vigorously until it sounds like there’s liquid sloshing around, and it will be ready to use again.

Banish Bad Breath

After eating onion, garlic or anything else that stays on your breath, dip your toothbrush in a small amount of distilled white vinegar and brush your teeth as well as your tongue. This should help clean your breath and may even help whiten your teeth.

Perfect Pancakes

Put batter in a clean plastic squeeze bottle or a turkey baster, and you will have an easy time forming perfect pancakes.
While you’re at it, have some fun with it... make odd-shaped pancakes, or pancakes in the shape of big letters for the names of the people who will be eating them.


Fish Fact

To determine the proper cooking time for your fish, lay out the whole fish, fish fillet or fish steak. Pinpoint the thickest part, and then measure it with a ruler. For each inch of thickness, figure on 10 minutes of cooking time.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Bad Smell in Your Car? What to Do...

A pet has an accident in the car…a child gets sick—you get the idea. There’s a baaaaaaad smell in the car! Put a shallow bowl of distilled white vinegar on the car’s floor, both in front and in back. Then close the windows and lock up the car for the night.

In the morning, the offensive smell should be gone. Remove the bowls, then open the doors and windows for a few minutes so that any lingering vinegar smell will also disappear.

(I've heard people tell of using the vinegar-in-a-bowl trick in a smoker's home or for pet smells, too!)


Blister Prevention

To prevent blisters, apply any type of antiperspirant to the bottom of your feet before you go jogging or hiking. The antiperspirant should prevent the friction that causes blisters.

You can also use other types of lubricants to prevent blisters, such as petroleum jelly.


Smarter Packing

If you’re traveling with your partner, family or friend(s), pack a change of clothes in someone else’s suitcase and pack one of their outfits in your suitcase. That way, if one of your suitcases gets lost, you’ll each still have something to wear.



Window Screens Need Cleaning?

Easy Trick...
Before you wash a window screen, vacuum up the dirt that’s sitting there. Then, get any leftover dirt by pressing a sticky lint roller over the screen’s surface. After vacuuming and lint-rollering, you may not need to wash the screen after all!


To Freshen Stale Rolls...

Put your stale rolls in a small, brown paper bag, moisten the bag with water, and put it in the oven (pre­heated to 300°F). When the bag is dry—in just a few minutes, so don’t leave the kitchen—take out the bag and remove the rolls. They should taste like they did when they were baked the first time!


From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Wrap It Up

Plastic wrap can be tricky. Try these helpful tips...
If plastic wrap gets unmanageable because of the way it sticks to itself, keep the box in the freezer. Cold plastic wrap will behave the way you want it to.

If you have a hard time finding the beginning of the plastic wrap roll, take a piece of tape (any kind), and dab at the roll until it picks up the loose edge.

If plastic wrap doesn’t stick to the bowl or dish you’re covering, dampen the outer edge of the bowl or dish, and then put the plastic wrap on.


Homemade Conditioner for Sun-Damaged Hair

If your hair seems damaged from commercial products...or the sun...or just neglect, you may want to try this deep conditioner—mash half of an avocado (which is rich in vitamins A and E) into one-half cup of mayonnaise (don’t use low-fat), and massage or comb the mixture into your damp hair.

Cover your hair with plastic wrap and stay that way for 20 minutes. Then shampoo, rinse and know that you did something good to help restore the health of your crowning glory.


Secret to Buying Fresh Corn

Don’t consider buying a cob of fresh corn unless it has husks—nature’s freshness seal. The husks should be moist (rather than dried out) and bright green, with a little brown corn silk on top. The kernels should feel full and plump.

Note: Do not remove the husks until you are ready to prepare the corn for eating.

Keep Nails Clean in the Garden

Right before you start to garden, scratch a wet bar of soap with your nails. Make sure that a bit of soap gets under each fingernail. Doing so will prevent soil from getting under your nails. Soil under the nails is hard to clean, whereas soap can be easily washed and nail-brushed away as soon as you’ve finished gardening.

For Radiant Summer Skin...Try a Peach Mask

Peel a ripe peach, remove the pit and pulse the fruit in a blender with 1 tablespoon of brandy. When it’s a purée consistency, smooth it on your damp face. Relax and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water and pat dry. (Throw away any leftover purée.) This mask should unmask a radiant complexion.



From Household Magic Daily Tips

Friday Favorites

I apologize for lack of posts this summer. It always seems the summer gets away from me so that my best laid plans often get toppled. So some times I just have to accept that I am doing the best I can with the time I have. Hopefully thing get back to normal and all the unfinished posts I have will be completed. But for now here is a Friday Favorites post.

Overwhelmed by Your To-Do List - tiny Buddha posts help me with my mental, emotional

Homemade Lemon Pepper - Jouet passed this link on and now I am sharing it here. We love lemon pepper and use it all the time - I would love to make it homemade. The rest of the blog has so many recipes that look great.

National Center for Home Food Preservation - this website has info on drying, freezing,canning, curing, smoking and several other ways to preservation. Just a huge resource.

Tip for washing Trash Cans

How to Clean Your Bathtub with a Grapefruit and Salt - just looks like an interesting cleaning method

Tuesday Tips

A Hair Dryer in the Kitchen?

Yes, keeping a hair dryer in the kitchen is a good idea. It can help you dry just-washed salad greens...soften too-frozen ice cream...set icing on a cake...dry a big water splotch you got on your blouse right before your guests are due to arrive...and probably a dozen more useful things that you’ll think of when the dryer is within reach in the kitchen.

A Fresher Carpet in Minutes

Dry-clean your carpet by sprinkling it liberally with baking soda. Use a flour sifter to help distribute it evenly. If you can leave the baking soda on your carpet overnight, do it. If not, let it stay for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, sprinkle one tablespoon of your favorite fragrant herb (optional)—such as lavender—on the carpet. After waiting, vacuum up the baking soda and whichever herb you used. The unpleasant carpet odors—cigarette smoke, mustiness, wet dog, cat urine—should be gone, and the fragrant aroma of the herb should be in the air.

Make Your Summer Guests Feel Welcome

To make guests feel at home, hang a shoe bag over the bathroom door and fill the pockets with items they might need—for example, bars of soap, washcloths, body lotion, shampoo, a hair dryer, combs and brushes, gel, mousse, a toothbrush and toothpaste...even a rubber ducky!



For Juicier Chicken

If possible, when cooking chicken leave the skin on. There’s a membrane between the skin and meat of a chicken that keeps moisture in and fat out while it’s cooking. So, for juicier, more flavorful chicken, remove the skin after it has been cooked.


Pest-Free Picnic

When you’re having a picnic, barbecue or any other kind of outdoor gathering, put portable, battery-powered fans around the area (at least two). Place one facing the center of the party, and one aimed at the food table.
The fans will keep flying insects (such as mosquitoes, bees, wasps, flies and gnats) away while keeping your guests cool.






From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Garden Hose Care

Do not store a hose where the sun will shine down on it. The sun’s heat will dry it out. Also, keep a hose away from any kind of heating source, like a furnace or outdoor barbecue.

If the hose has sprung a little leak, instead of using glue or tape to repair it, try this fix—heat up the tip of an ice pick or Phillips-head screwdriver, and gently touch the rubber around the hole in the hose with the hot tip of the tool. It should seal the hole closed.

Fruit Facts

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), fruit should be ripened at room temperature. When it is ripe and refrigerated, you can plan on it staying edible for the following amounts of time...

Apples—1 month
Apricots, bananas, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums—3 to 5 days
Berries and cherries—2 to 3 days
Citrus fruit—2 weeks
Cranberries and melons (except watermelon)—1 week
Watermelon—3 to 5 days

A Natural Mosquito Repellent

A popular mosquito repellent is the mosquito coil. The coiled, clay-like material sits on a stand and is burned. It releases a pleasant odor that is very repellent to flying pests. Each coil burns for about two hours.

But many of these contain a potent lung carcinogen. Studies show that burning one coil could be the equivalent of smoking more than 100 cigarettes!

You may want to try the following suggestion to deal with those nasty little buggers...

Drink 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. The smell of vinegar, emitted in your normal perspiration, will repel mosquitoes, whose sense of smell is about 10,000 times better than ours.

For Fresher Cheese...

To prevent a chunk of cheese from getting moldy, place it in a resealable plastic bag along with one or two cubes of sugar (try to squeeze any excess air out of the bag). The cheese should stay fresh longer, and the sugar deters mold.

Fast Fix for Frizzy Hair

If you wake up with out-of-control frizz and have no gel to tame it, take an ice cube and run it over your hair. It’s a cool way to calm down frizz.

Or, buy great-smelling fabric-softener sheets to run over your hair from top to bottom. Softening ingredients in the sheets lubricate hair and counteract the static that causes flyaways and the frizzies.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Tuesday Tips

Best Way to Freeze Strawberries

First, rinse the berries in a colander (do not soak in water), and let them dry thoroughly (it helps to pat them gently with paper towels). Then, cut off the green leaves on top. Spread the unwashed strawberries on a baking sheet, and put them in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, transfer them to a resealable plastic freezer bag, and put them back in the freezer. (Don’t forget to label with the date they were frozen.) Frozen strawberries will stay good up to three months.


Chop Onions Without Crying

To slow down the enzymes that cause tearing, put onions in the freezer for 15 minutes—or in the refrigerator for one hour—before you have to cut them. But if you don’t plan ahead, here are some other suggestions...

Work with the onion under cold running water, or fill a basin with cold water and submerge the onion while you cut it.

Burn a candle in the area where you are cutting. The tear-causing vapor from the onion is drawn to the heat source from the flame, and it will burn off some of the noxious fumes.

Bite on a slice of bread and have the rest sticking out of your mouth to absorb the tear-making fumes.


Jeans Too Long?

Try This...
If your jeans are too long and you don’t like the style of shredded hems, consider an easy way out. Rather than dealing with the difficult chore of denim hemming (say that three times fast!), turn your pants inside out, turn up each hem and iron the folded edges. Finally, tape the turned-up edges with duct tape, and turn your jeans right-side out.

Duct tape now comes in many colors, so you can match the tape to your jeans or other clothing…not that anyone will see it. The duct tape should stay stuck on your clothes through many washings.

Quick Tomato Ripening Trick

To ripen tomatoes quickly, place them in a brown paper bag with a banana or a couple of apples. The ethylene gas emitted by the banana or apples will help the tomato ripen.


Easy Waffle Iron Fix

Nobody wants to clean the mess made by a waffle iron that won’t let go of the waffles. To bring your waffle iron back to its nonstick condition, place a piece of waxed paper where the batter goes, close the iron and let it heat up. Keep an eye on it, and as soon as the waxed paper turns brown, remove it. Your waffle iron should be good as new.

From Household Magic Daily Tips

Friday Favorites

Specialty Bottle - I found this site and was really happy. I have been searching for a gallon jar without a spout for a while. And it is hard to find a gallon. Find half gallon or smaller but not gallon in my area. This site has so many different kinds of bottles. I saw many uses. Look at the bottom of their home page - they have Martha Stewart using their bottles for many entertaining ideas.

Curbly - is a site I just started exploring. But have found some interesting articles on it. From the about section: "Curbly is a Web community for people who love where they live. Curbly is the best place to share pictures of your home, find design ideas, and get expert home-improvement advice."

How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others - this was geared towards creative types but I think it really works for everyone. It is such a hard thing to conquer at times the comparison game. And although it might seem like a strange link to put here I think we can get caught up it in service - all types of service.

Making your Own Reusable Swiffer Dusters and Mop Covers - a little tutorial on how to do make them

Cooking Light Taco Party Menu - menu includes Blackberry Margaritas,Baked Black Beans with Chorizo, Flank Steak Tacos, Chimichurri Halibut Tacos, Cabbage Slaw, Grilled Pineapple-Avocado Salsa, Pineapple-Mint Sangria Sorbet - so many good recipes and a taco party is great for entertaining