Thought for the Day

Life is Made up of Have to's 

& Want to's...

Choose to Complete Some

of Each Everyday!

Household Tip #4

Kitchen Cabinets

Here's the scene:  you decide you want to bake something special.  You proceed to the kitchen in search of the ingredients you need.  You find almost everything and keep rummaging through the baking supplies, because you know it's in there...somewhere.

Here's a tip that I picked up somewhere that will eliminate the endless searching and frustration in finding supplies in your cabinets.  Small plastic rectangular containers work great to store baking items.  One basket has spices, food coloring and the like.  Another basket has flour, sugar, etc.  You can store your chocolate chips, almond bark and the such in a basket.  When you are ready to bake, just pull out the basket and everything is neatly placed inside.  No more hunting for vanilla flavoring!  Take a peek at how nice the baskets look in the cabinet!

I picked these baskets up at the Dollar Tree for $1.00 and they even have a handle!
Happy Baking!

Household Tip #3

Organizing Made Easy

How many of us have had overfilled closets that you wouldn't dare let a guest open for fear they would be buried alive with the spillage that would come tumbling out?  The last time I moved, I saw it as an opportunity to really get organized!  I consulted several organizing books and found some very helpful tips.  Marcia Ramsland is an author to several books and they are very insightful to give easy methods for keeping your house the way you want it.  

One tip I want to share today is how to keep the closets, cabinets, etc. clean and neat.  (I can't remember where I picked this tip up.)  Every time you open a door to get something, look quickly around and see if there is one more thing you can pick up and put it where it goes.  For example:  I go to the closet to get a new purse out...I look and see a plaid shirt that I haven't worn...ever.  This shirt quickly goes in the donate bag/box.  After I change my purse out, I go to the refrigerator to get a drink...I see last week's leftover chili, so I empty the container and place it in dishwasher.  When I cook and reach in for a spice, I organize that shelf or check the expiration date on items. 

When you get in the habit of always cleaning out an item or organizing a shelf, etc. then the days of cleaning out closets are limited.  When I put away my son's clothes in the closet, I look around and immediately pull out items that no longer fit or he needs to try on.  It's a simple concept that really works.  

You may think...I don't have time to do this when I looking for something, but in the long run if you make the time, then you spend less time searching for things that you know are in there somewhere!

Household Tip #2

Organizing Tip:

Place a box near the front door in a closet, etc.  Line the box with a garbage bag.  When you come across clothes that don't fit or you don't want then place them in the box immediately.  This allows your closet to always be cleaned out and you never have the chore of going through it.  This works great for kids clothes too!

As you use things in your kitchen or play games with the kids, etc. you will see items that you never use anymore or just don't want...place them in the box immediately.  Once you get the hang of doing this, you will find that your closets, etc. have in them only the things you use & want.  It's a system that I read about years ago and really works.

Once the box is full, remove the garbage bag, place it in your car immediately so you can take it to your favorite charity when you have time.  Place a new garbage bag in the box.  You will be surprised how often you have a bag to give away.

Household Tip #1

While working around the house this week, I found myself using small little tricks that save time and money.  Many things I picked up from reading articles, heard from others looking to make their household run more smoothly and some I guess I just tried and they worked.  Understanding that everyone needs more time and money, I thought I would write a series of tips that can be integrated into your household routine.

Household Tip #1

Loading & Unloading the Dishwasher

It's a simple task, but takes time to unload, especially sorting the silverware.

Here's a tip to make the unloading a snap.  When you load the silverware, allow one compartment for each type of silverware.  One section for spoons...one for forks...one for knives, etc.  This allows you to easily grab the whole bunch when they are dry and just throw them in their compartment in the drawer.  It really does save you from standing there sorting and placing each one in a slot in the drawer.  

This may be a tip you've already put into practice, if not try it and spend that extra time doing something fun!