Some great tips!

Figured I'd share some tips that I learned, all thanks to Pinterest!

(Have I mentioned that I REALLY LIKE am obsessed with Pinterest?)

-store sheets in their matching pillow cases to keep things together and neat in your linen closet!

-In January, hang every item in your closet up backwards. Each time I wear an item, I hang it back up in the normal fashion, which takes zero effort to remember or do. In June, any item that is still hanging backwards has not been worn in 6 months, and it is time to donate it! :)

-fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water and spray on your car windows at night to prevent icing! Or in the morning to melt the ice!

-Take the tabs off of canned drinks, and use them when hanging up pictures! Great for keeping your pictures straight.

-A great way to re-use this coffee creamer bottle. Store sugar, dry beans, snacks, the fillers are endless. Great spout for pouring or easy twist off top.

-recycle a wipe dispenser into a plastic bag dispenser.

Hope some of these tips were useful for you! Btw, You should definitely check out Pinterest! :)

Tuesday Tips

~Live for now. Don't worry about past mistakes.

~Never go to bed angry.

~Tell everyone how you feel.

~Take lots of photos.

~Make lots of good memories.

~Hug everyone.

~Spend lots of time with the people that you love.

~Remember that time is precious. Take a few minutes to figure out

what is truly important to you, and spend your time on that.

~Live every moment as if it were your last...because it might be!

Tuesday Tips

For this week's Tuesday Tips

I am listing tips to get those windows sparkling!

*Use overlapping strokes so you cover all the window and don't miss spots.

Helpful Hints:
*Don't clean windows in direct sunlight – the window may dry too fast and streak.

*Exterior windows should be first be washed with a hose or

clean water to remove grease and grime.

*Wash windows side to side on the inside and up to down on the outside.

If there are streaks, you will know which side they are on.

*Change wash and rinse waters often.

*Vacuum screen to remove dust, etc.

*Outside screens can be scrubbed with warm water and rinsed with clean water.

Allow to air dry.

*Choose a "hard" paper towel (soft ones leave lint) or cotton cloths such as old t-shirt or socks.

*The new micro-fiber cloths work well for cleaning windows.

Follow the instructions for use of the cloths.

When washing micro-fiber cloths or towels do not use fabric softener as it reduces the absorbency.

Homemade Cleaners for Windows:
*Mix two tablespoons of ammonia OR white vinegar with two quarts or warm water.

*Mix one-half cup ammonia, one pint of 70 percent rubbing alcohol and one teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent. Add enough water to make one gallon liquid.

*Mix one tablespoon liquid dishwashing detergent with one quart water.

*To clean window sills, pour a little diluted rubbing alcohol on a cloth and rub the entire surface. The spots will disappear and the sills will look freshly painted.

*Polish windows to a sparkling shine with crumpled newspaper. The paper also leaves a film that's resistant to dirt.

What are some tips that you have?

Surely you have at least one or two cleaning tips!

Tuesday Tips

So, it's time again for Tuesday tips.

I hope that at least one of these are helpful for you.

*To stop static shocks from carpets, fill a spray bottle with two parts liquid fabric

softener, and five parts water. Then lightly mist the carpet. It will not only eliminate the static, it will also freshen the room! :)

*If you don't have your Muscle Man at home and need to open a jar, try using rubber dishwashing gloves. You can also put a rubber band around the lid. You'll have a great grip and be able to unscrew the lids easily.

*If your new jeans are just too stiff, break them in by washing with detergent and a half cup of table salt.

*Ants will not walk through baby powder.

*If your dog has bad breath, try mixing some parsley into his food once a day.

(this tip works for humans, too!)

*When baking on a cookie sheet, cover it with foil first. Then just ball up the foil,

toss & clean up is done!

*Wrap celery in foil to keep it fresh for weeks.

*To get the most juice out of your lemons, bring them to room temperature

and roll under your palm on the counter a few times before squeezing.

*An easy way to peel oranges: soak in boiling water for five minutes. Then peel as usual.

Bonus: The white part comes off all the way using this method.

Those are all of the tips I have this week.

Do you have any tips to share?

Tuesday Tips

Today's tips are from www.3fatchicks.com

A fad diet recently made the rounds that promoted no Sugar, no Seconds, and no Snacking. The first two are up to you, but we recommend Snacking! Eating 3 meals and 2 snacks daily keeps your energy levels up and helps ensure you won’t overeat at your next meal. Snack, and snack wisely.

The next time you get a craving for a Mars or other candy bar, keep in mind that it will take an hour of power-walking to burn off the calories. Is it still worth it?

If you must purchase high fat foods for other family members, try to purchase small quantities, and freeze (or let someone hide) the excess amounts.

Replace your morning glass of fruit juice with a piece of fresh fruit to get the same amount of vitamins and minerals, plus a dose of hunger banishing fiber.

Grill your sandwich with nonstick cooking spray instead of oil or butter.

Many people don’t think of beverages as food. You can consume a lot of excess calories in your juice or latte without giving it much thought. Save several hundred calories per day by drinking your coffee black, or by drinking diet instead of regular soda. Forego juice and consume whole fruit. You’ll get the benefits of fiber and other nutrients that juice can’t always provide.

Always order your salad with the dressing on the side, then lightly dip your forkful as you go. The dressing is usually high in fats, but a little can go a long way.

Tuesday tips

I thought for this week's Tuesday tips, I would post some helpful hints for measuring.

When cooking, do you ever wonder how many tsps. are in a TBS.?

How many cups in a pint? Well, here you go.

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp)

1/4 cup =4 tablespoons

1/2 cup =8 tablespoons

1 cup = 48 teaspoons

1 cup = 16 tablespoons

8 fluid ounces (fl oz) = 1 cup

1 pint (pt) =2 cups

1 quart (qt) =2 pints

4 cups =1 quart

1 gallon (gal) =4 quarts

16 ounces (oz) = 1 pound (lb)

1 inch (in) =2.54 centimeters (cm)

1 teaspoon =5 ml

1 tablespoon =15 ml

1 fluid oz=30 ml

1 cup =237 ml

1 liter
34 fluid oz= 4.2 cups= 2.1 pints= 1.06 quarts= 0.26 gallon

So those are my "tips" for today.

Do you have any to share?

Tuesday Tips

So, if you're like me, you want to be organized. One way to help with that is

to use check lists. I am a check list addict. If you were to look through

the papers in my home, you'd find tons of lists with things that

need to be done, things we need to buy, get rid of, pay off, etc.

Anyway, I've come across a great website with TONS of printable checklists. I really

thought that I should share this with you for my Tuesday tips. So, here it is!

http://www.printablechecklists.com/menu/parenting.shtml

There are lists from babies to vacations, and lots more.

Happy printing!

Tuesday Tips

As you can see, I'm still not back in the swing of things, with posting on here.

I am trying to get the house clean and organized,

in between work and running the kids around, so

I don't get online as often as I used to. Anyway, back to today's post.

Tuesday Tips

It's winter, and that means dealing with snow and mud along with

boots, coats, hats, gloves, scarves, extra blankets, etc.

So here are some tips to keep your home clean this winter.

~Encourage your family to leave their shoes at the door. Maybe consider placing a box or special mat by the door to help catch melting snow in shoe and boot soles.

~If you have pets that venture outdoors, keep a towel by the door to give your pet a quick rubdown - especially paws - before letting them in the house.

~Place throw-rugs in high-traffic areas - even over other carpets - to keep your wall-to-wall carpets from aging prematurely and make quick-cleaning as easy as shaking out a rug.

~Salt and grit tracked into your home can scratch tile floors.

Regular cleaning will help keep your kitchen and bathroom floors safe and clean.

~Vacuum carpets daily to remove tracked in salt and dirt.

~Keep jackets, blankets and comforters clean all winter by washing them once or twice a month.

~Also remember: Since winter is "cold and flu season," keep a supply of hand soap at every sink and Encourage your family to wash their hands regularly.

Tuesday tips

My Tuesday tip for this week is:

Don't try to cram all of your Christmas shopping

into two days!! :)

Have a great holiday!!

Tuesday tips

So, It's time once again for Tuesday tips.

It's that time of year again. Snow, ice, freezing rain.

Here are some tips to keep you safe while out driving in it.

**The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is to not drive at all.**

*Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.

*Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.

*Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.

*Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.

*Keep your lights and windshield clean.

*Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.

*Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.

*Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

**If your rear wheels skid...**

*Take your foot off the accelerator.

*Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.

*If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.

*If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

**If your front wheels skid...**

*Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

**If you get stuck...**

*Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.

*Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.

*Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.

*Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.

*Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.

*Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.

Be Safe.

Tuesday Tips

It's Tuesday again, so that means it's time for Tuesday tips.

So, my tips this week are :

Christmas tree decorating tips

Keep Your Tree Fresh and Green. Cut the stump of the tree with a fresh cut and set it in water immediately. A fresh-cut tree will absorb several quarts of water right from the start. So it's important to check and refill the

water level several times a day for the first week.

After that, check the water once daily.

When decorating your Christmas tree, put lights on first,

then ribbon and/or garlands, then the ornaments.

Don't hang all your ornament on the tips of the branches.

Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree to add depth and interest.

You could choose a theme for your tree. For instance, a silver theme can use silver ribbons, silver ornaments, and garlands of silver beads. Choose the decorations according to the theme. An elegant theme would use velvet, satin, sparkles, and beads. A country theme would make use of raffia, cookie cutter ornaments, popcorn and cranberry garlands, and wooden toys.

You can never really have too many decorations on the tree.

If they're evenly spaced and carefully selected, the more the better.

Instead of a garland, attach holiday colored

ribbons or long strands of raffia to the top branches of the tree.

Wind them down and around the branches to the bottom of the tree.

Be sure to involve the whole family, play Christmas carols and have fun!!

Tuesday Tips

For this week's Tuesday tips, I am going to help you

have a sweet smelling home this holiday.

~One of the best ways to do this, is to buy a real Christmas tree. You can't

beat the smell of fresh pine.

~Put bounce sheets every where! Under cushions, in the toilet paper roll

when you change it. In your clothes drawers.

~Put a small saucepan on the stove, and simmer together: 1 cup of water, cloves, cinnamon,

and a few drops of vanilla or orange extract. A yummy smell, for a low price.

I've done this many times. Sometimes I'll throw in some apple peels as well.

~If you have extra time, bake some Christmas cookies. Then you'll be doing two

things in one shot... getting your holiday baking done, and making your home smell great!

(If you don't want to eat them, package them with some colored saran wrap and

a bow to give as gifts!)

~You can also make your own room spray to freshen up your home.

Here's a recipe that I found online:

1 cup water

1 cup household (white) vinegar

1 TBS vanilla extract

1 tsp cloves

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Then simmer over med. heat for two min.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Strain cloves, pour liquid into spray bottle. Shake and spray as needed.

Thought that sounded yummy smelling. :)

Happy sniffing! LOL.

Tuesday Tips (part two)

This is part two of my Tuesday tips for this week.

I hope that something will be helpful to you.

(These tips are from BHG.com)

Set the Stage
-Well in advance, write down your entire menu and post

it somewhere in your kitchen so you don't remember

midway through dinner that the mashed

potatoes are still in the refrigerator.
-Prepare a cooking schedule and timetable

based on your recipes and write it down.

Post it in a visible place in your kitchen.
-Clean out your refrigerator a few days before you

begin cooking to make room for make-ahead dishes.
-Set your Thanksgiving table the night before --

or earlier, if you don't use your dining room every night.
-Assemble and organize your serving dishes

and utensils a few days before.

Pair them up and put a sticky note on each serving dish that tells you what's going in it so that in the last-minute

frenzy of getting dinner on the table, you don't forget.
Turkey Tips
-Defrosting a turkey: Defrosting time for your turkey depends on how big your bird is.

- Use these figures as a guide -- and always defrost a frozen turkey in its original wrapping in a pan in the refrigerator (don't count the day of roasting):
10- to 12-pound bird: 2 days 12- to 14-pound bird: 3 days 14- to 18-pound bird: 4 days 18-pound-plus bird: 5 days
-Consider grilling your bird: Free up oven space for side dishes by cooking your turkey (unstuffed!) in a covered grill. (Although this can be done with a charcoal grill, a gas or propane model will be much less work.)

-An 8- to 12-pound turkey will take between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 hours to grill over medium coals. Be sure to grill indirectly (with the heat source coming from under each side of the bird rather than directly under it).

-You can bake your stuffing in the oven with the rest of the sides.
-Turkey for a smaller crowd: Unless you really relish lots of leftovers, consider roasting a turkey breast rather than a whole bird if you're having six or fewer guests.
-Herbs for stuffing: The best herbs for your stuffing are the ones you enjoy the most, though you may want to consider some of the sturdier, highly aromatic ones such as sage, thyme, lemon thyme, rosemary, and flat-leaf Italian parsley.
-For the shortest cooking time: Keep the oven door shut as much as possible. -Slow, steady heat coaxes maximum flavor from the bird and produces a golden, crackly skin.

-Basting is not necessary, and may lengthen the cooking time.
-How to tell if your turkey is done: A meat thermometer inserted into the thigh (but not touching bone) should read 180 degrees F and the stuffing should be 165 degrees F. The drumsticks should move very easily in their sockets and juices from the thigh will run clear when the thigh is pierced with a long-tined fork.

Simple Starters and Sides
-Instant appetizers: Need something for guests to nibble on while the turkey finishes roasting?

Try these:
-Thawed, frozen puff pastry dough cut into strips, twisted and sprinkled with any of the following toppings, and then baked: sesame seeds or fennel seeds, dried herbs, finely grated cheese, smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper.
-Purchased seeded-top rolls or bread cut into pieces and served with flavored dipping oils such as basil, roasted garlic, lemon, or orange.
Roasted almonds or pistachios.
-A blend of blue cheese and cream cheese spread on a dried apricot and topped with a pecan half.
-Dress up your vegetables: A simple, slightly fancied-up roasted or steamed vegetable dish is a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving table. Toss hot cooked vegetables with one (or more!) of the following:
-Homemade herb butter (your favorite fresh herb blended

with softened butter)
Chopped, toasted nuts
Chopped, sauteed caramelized garlic, shallots, or onions
Finely zested lemon peel and coarsely ground black pepper
Toasted, buttered bread crumbs
Diced bits of prosciutto or crumbled, crisp-cooked bacon
Finely chopped fresh chives or green onions
Any finely grated grana-style (grating) cheese, such as Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago
Baking
-Butter's better: For basting a turkey and making crust for pumpkin pie, use butter; nothing beats its flavor and richness. If you do decide to use margarine instead of butter, use only a stick margarine that contains at least 80 percent vegetable oil.
-How to tell if your pumpkin pie is done: Insert a table knife near the center of the pie. If it comes out clean, the pie is done. (The knife test may cause the pumpkin filling to crack as it cools.) You can also shake the pie gently on the oven rack; when the filling is set, the pie is done.
-Shortcut piecrust: If the thought of making homemade piecrust is overwhelming, take one of these shortcuts: Frozen unbaked pastry shells, which come in regular or deep-dish foil pans; folded refrigerated unbaked crusts (a 15-ounce package contains two 9-inch piecrusts); pie sticks, each of which can be combined with water and rolled into a 9-inch single-crust pie (they come in packages of two or four sticks); or a package of piecrust mix, which -- when combined with water -- yields enough pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie.

I hope that some of these tips help you with your Thanksgiving feast!

Tuesday tips (part one)

(Psalm 79:13 KJV)

So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever:

we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

For this weeks Tuesday tips, I have two.

The first one is Thanksgiving prayers for you.

The second is tips for the Thanksgiving meal.

☺♥☺

Dear Lord, We give thanks

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For all the blessings that you send.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

♥☺♥

Dear heavenly father,

We give thanks for the pleasure Of gathering together for this occasion.

We give thanks for this food Prepared by loving hands.

We give thanks for life, The freedom to enjoy it all And all other blessings.

As we partake of this food, We pray for health and strength To carry on

and try to live as You would have us.

This we ask in the name of Jesus,

Amen.

☺♥☺

Dear Lord God in heaven,

You have cared for the earth, and have filled it with your riches.

Abundance flows in your steps, through the pastures and wilderness.

You provide for our land, softening it with showers, bathing it in light, and blessing it with growth.
The hills sing with joy; the meadows are covered with flocks; the fields deck themselves with wheat; and together they glorify your name!
On this occasion of our Thanksgiving, we as a nation take rest from our labors to

consider your many blessings. We thank you for our freedoms, and for the opportunity to contribute our skills, our attributes and our values toward the good of society.
We thank you for the mixture of our cultures, blending us into one people under God.

Help us to be a light unto other nations, and to further the cause of freedom and justice all over the world.
We remember those who are less fortunate than we. We lift up in prayer the victims of poverty and racism, and all those who suffer from forms of political and economic oppression.

Let the word that goes forth from our mouths speak of your peace,

and let us proclaim our hope in Christ as Savior of all humankind.
We pray that you will bless all those who gather here, as we have come to experience your presence among us.

Give us your guidance, O God, and empower us for your work.

For we claim nothing for ourselves, but return all honor and glory unto you,

and offer our thanks and praise.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

♥☺♥

Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be

And bless these gifts

Bestowed by Thee.

And bless our loved ones everywhere

And keep them in Your loving care.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

☺♥☺

God is Good,

God is Great.

And we Thank him for this food.

By his hands,

we are fed.

Thank you God

for daily bread.

Amen.

(This one is our Everyday prayer)

♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥☺♥

Tuesday Tips

( Psalm 107:1 )

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

It's almost Thanksgiving, so I figured for this weeks Tuesday tips, I would post some helpful tips on how to cook a great turkey for Thanksgiving.

(These tips are from the Butterball ® website. http://m.butterball.com/)

HOW MUCH TURKEY DO I NEED?

First, think about how many adults and children you will be serving and if you want leftovers.

Butterball's Perfect Portions Calculator will tell you what size turkey and how much stuffing to buy.

HOW DO I THAW A TURKEY?

Refrigerator thawing is best.

If you are short on time try cold-water thawing.

For refrigerator thawing, Thaw breast side up, in unopened wrapper, on a tray in the refrigerator. Allow 1 day of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey.

For cold water thawing, Thaw breast side down, in unopened wrapper, in enough cold water to cover it completely. Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per pound for a whole turkey.

MARINATING?

Always marinate meats covered in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
Marinating meat in sealable plastic bags makes cleanup easy.
Use a container or plastic bag that’s big enough to position food in a single layer and easily turned to coat both sides.
Allow 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinade for every 1 to 2 lbs. of meat.
Marinate 2 to 8 hours, depending on how strong you want the flavor.
Marinating too long will produce an unappealing, mushy texture. Poultry should not be marinated longer than 8 hours.
Discard leftover marinades that have been in contact with raw meat.
Do not reuse marinades.

STUFFING

Stuffing can either be placed (or "stuffed") in a turkey or it can be cooked separately in an oven-safe dish.

Here are some tried-and-true guidelines for stuffing your turkey:
Prepare your stuffing right before you place it in the turkey.
Use only cooked ingredients in stuffing
Use pasteurized egg products instead of raw eggs.
Place the prepared stuffing in turkey just before roasting. Do not stuff the night before, as it could cause food-borne illness.
Stuff both neck and body cavities of a completely thawed turkey, allowing 1/2 to 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound. Do not pack stuffing too tightly, as it may promote uneven cooking.
Do not stuff turkeys when cooking on a grill or water smoker. Do not stuff your turkey if you are using a fast-cook method in which the turkey will be done before the stuffing.
Stuffing should reach 165°F when done.

HOW TO ROAST

It’s easy with the Butterball® Open-Pan Roasting Method.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from bag. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels.
Place turkey lifter across full length of flat rack in a shallow roasting pan, 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep.
Tuck wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Place thawed or fresh turkey, breast up, on the turkey lifter. Rest loops on turkey, not over edge of pan during roasting.
Brush the skin with vegetable oil. Further basting is unnecessary.
Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh, not touching the bone. (Thigh should reach 180°F. If the turkey is stuffed, move thermometer to center of stuffing. Stuffing should be 165°F when done.)
Place your turkey in the oven.
When the turkey is about 2/3 done, loosely cover the breast and top of drumsticks with a piece of foil to prevent overcooking.

IS IT DONE YET?
Start checking for doneness about 30 minutes before end of recommended cooking times.
Turkey is done when the meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:
180°F deep in the thigh. Juices should be clear when thigh is pierced deeply.
165°F in the center of the stuffing, if turkey is stuffed.
Lift turkey onto platter and discard turkey lifter.
Let your turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

Your turkey is done when a meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:
180°F deep in the thigh. At this temperature, juices should be clear when thigh muscle is pierced deeply.

165°F in the center of the stuffing, if turkey is stuffed. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and let the turkey and stuffing stand 15 to 20 minutes.

WHERE DO I PUT THE THERMOMETER?

Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, before to placing the turkey in the oven.
For the stuffing temperature, the tip of the thermometer should be in the center of the body cavity.
Insert instant-read meat thermometer in thigh and/or stuffing to take the temperature, but do not leave the thermometer in the turkey during roasting.

Within 2 hours of roasting, remove stuffing from turkey and carve the remaining meat off the bone.

CAN I KEEP IT?
Store leftover turkey, stuffing, and gravy separately, then refrigerate.

Eat within 3 days.
Freeze leftovers if you plan to store them for longer. Wrap in heavy foil, freezer wrap or place in freezer bags. Use stuffing within 1 month and turkey within 2 months.

HELP! IS AVAILABLE.

***Butterball® also has a Turkey Hotline, in case you have any questions.

Just call 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time (Central Time) from Nov. 3 to Dec. 26.***

I know that these tips weren't actually mine, but I thought that they

were very helpful. I hope that some of them will come in handy for you.

Tuesday Tips

It's Tuesday again.

So, here are my Tuesday Tips.

~Clean as you go. Fill your sink with HOT, soapy water.

As you are cooking and using dishes, put them in the sink right away to soak.

This will cut your washing time WAY down.

~Keep a small scrub brush and stain pre-treater wherever you keep your

dirty laundry so that you know right where it is. This will help you fight those stains as

soon as you see them.

~When you take the trash out, don't just put one bag back in the can. Instead, line the

can with two or even three extra bags. You could also keep the entire roll or box of bags

in the bottom of the can.

~When you buy grapes or baby carrots, wash and sort them into snack sized bags that

you can just grab out of the refrigerator on the go. This also works for crackers, chips,

etc.

~Use a file box for all of your bills. Keep them in the front section for "to be paid" bills, and then

after they are paid, file them in the correct sections in the back.

That's all I have for now. I look forward to reading your tips. After all, who doesn't need

a little household help?? :)

Tuesday Tips

Tuesday Tips

Every Tuesday, Rachael and I (along with hopefully everyone reading this!) will post tips for housework, cooking, etc... for busy moms. So, here are mine for this week.

~Work in little bursts. Set your timer for 15 minutes, and tackle a spot. Wash dishes for 15 minutes. Vacuum for 15 minutes. Take breaks in between. You'll probably be surprised by how much you can get done this way.

~Keep a "running list" of items that you need or run out of on the fridge. The night before your grocery shopping day, go over the list, and add anything that you may have forgotten. If you do this, you won't spend countless hours at the store, wandering the isles.

~Try to schedule cleaning. (If you work, this has to be planned according to your work schedule.) For example: this week, I am scheduled to work Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So, Today, I will try to do a few loads of laundry, vacuum and tidy the bathroom. Wednesday night I will go over my grocery list. Thursday I will do the banking and grocery shopping. There just aren't enough hours in the day. I usually try to get some cleaning done on weekends, when I am off from work.

~Menu planning! Plan your meals for the week (or weeks, depending on how often you shop) before you go to the store. This way, you know what you need and you don't waste time trying to plan your meals as you walk the grocery store isles.

~Keep cleaning supplies in the bathroom (not just in the kitchen). At least paper towels and spray cleaner. This way, you can do a quick clean while you are in there, any time!!

Well, that's all the tips I can think of for now. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have to share!!