House Tips !
Tips, Hints and Ideas….
1) If you find yourself running out of closet space use this easy and efficient idea. We always have extra decorative chain in the garage (from old hanging lamps etc. that my husband saves) so I use those by separating them into foot long pieces and hanging over an existing hanger. From there you simply add additional hangers by spacing along the hanging chain. It works like a charm and I don’t spend any additional money by using it. P.S Better to use higher quality hangers then risk snags with a wire hanger.
2) I needed to set up some placards but didn’t want to spend money OR go to a lot of trouble to accomplish this so…using binder clips (the mid to large size works the best) I place my note, card or picture centered in the clip then simply remove the two metal pinchers on either side and you have a quick and easy placard holder. Just hold onto the removed metal pinchers so you can change notes, cards or pictures etc. down the road! (To remove the pinchers just squeeze on either side and they will come out). You can also paint these any color you want for a matching look.
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3) I have a customer that stored some vintage white items for many years and they ended up yellowed with age and stained. She wondered if we could restore them back to original. I told her I’d love to try so off I went with a sack full of vintage clothes to experiment on! By the way, these were family heirlooms so the pressure was on NOT to ruin them. In the picture you see a vintage petticoat made of polished cotton with a crochet hemline. It was yellowed in numerous areas and though I’d been told that Borax works I couldn’t locate that in any of my local grocery stores. I replaced that with Oxi Clean White Revive and it worked like a champ! The petticoat was soaked in a deep sink full of warm water with 1 full scoop of the Oxi clean dissolved in it. I periodically would swish it around over the course of 2 hours. It was gentle to the vintage material and it came out lovely. I won’t hesitate to use again on any whites (including vintage) that are in need of ‘spiffing up’. Remember to use with care, try on an isolated spot, and to supervise the soaking in case of a negative reaction to the material.
4) Food mixes i.e. cake, corn bread etc. – when you pour the dry mix into your Mixing Bowl you inevitably find lumps of mix that have hardened. I refuse to trust my mixer to make these hardened lumps disappear so…I always use a fork to break them up BEFORE I mix; the smooth finished product is always worth the extra few minutes of work.
5) If you keep nothing else in your junk drawer be sure and keep “Loctite Super Glue Gel Control.” I’ve found nothing like it for repairing ceramics, wood, plastic etc. It makes quick and non-messy work of broken items that you’re not quite ready to get rid of.
6) Birdbaths are a wonderful way to attract birds to your yard or garden even during the cold winter months. One of the most important things to do is keep it filled with fresh water and keep it clean of algae and sediment – changing water every couple of days and scrubbing when first noticing algae is the best way to maintain easy effort throughout the seasons.
The birds appreciate it!!! I’m including an article to help explain other tips for attracting birds. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/notes/BirdNote09_ProvideWater.pdf
7) Last but not least…guarantee longevity of your vacuum by doing some simple maintenance every time you use it. Don't let the canister over fill since units can overheat when the canister is packed full, though most units will automatically cut off you don’t want to test the theory (I already have!!!). The air must always be able to pass through the canister for efficient suction so when the canister is full, stop and empty. Next, the little filter, usually, in the top part of your canister can be clogged with debris, which will also slow the suction down or stop it completely. Check this periodically and clean when needed.
I’m always on the look out for ideas that will help make our lives simpler, more efficient and less stressful. Would love to hear any and all ideas that help YOU maintain a fuss free life.
