Tip of the Day 1/28/11

Put together a "Friday Night Activity Basket." Have everyone in the home, whether you are single or there are 10 of you, put in ideas of things to do. Each week pull out one and do it for at least 1 hour. If the 4 year old put in coloring in the Barbie coloring book or building with Legos the whole family can do that and have fun with it.  

If you are single, step out of your comfort zone and put in the name and phone number of someone you would like to know better and when you pull that slip DO IT. Challenge yourself. Everyone should be encouraged to be creative and no one gets to not participate. Have fun with it.

Tip of the Day 1/27/11

You cleaned up and tossed old and expired toiletries, now it's time to do the same with medicines, over the counter and prescription. Do not flush! Place in baggies filled with cat litter. Be sure to destroy name and numbers on labels.

Tip of the Day 1/26/11

While waiting for pasta water to boil or meat to brown,etc. sort the utensil drawer. Put like items together, throw away broken, burnt, gross items. Put seemingly unused or duplicate items in a basket. If you use it in the next 3 months put it back in the drawer, if not it should go.

Christmas is only 11 months from today. Determine a pay period budget for Christmas spending and between now and Thanksgiving purchase at least 1 gift per pay period. If you get paid 2X a month or every two weeks you will have purchased at least 20 gifts by Thanksgiving. A theme for gifts, like I suggested a few weeks ago for birthday giving, will help in this area as well.  Always have your shopping list with you and if you see a bargain you will have the money to pick it up and mark it off the list.  Keep the money designated for gifts as cash, separate from other monies.   This will prevent over spending or using the money for another purpose.  Do not set a per person budget, as you may find an item for one person at a better sale price than the item you have chosen for another person.  It is the gift that counts, not what you spent on it.  A simple idea would be a small personal blanket and book/books.  Depending on your budget you could add a book light to the package.  This past year I picked up personal size blankets all year when I found them on sale until I had the number I needed.  By following my list I knew how many female colors and male colors I needed, as well as adult or child.  Then I shopped bargain tables, yard sales, and library sales for new books.  You will find many new books at these types of sales.  By the time I was ready to wrap gifts each grandchild had 4 - 5 books each and that was for 12 grandchildren.  I added a stuffed animal, craft project kit, or other small gift as an extra in each one.  The theme was appropriate for all ages and I had so much fun sorting through blankets and books picking who would receive which ones.  This years theme is PJ's and fun pillows or pillow cases.  I will once again add a book, game, stuffed animal etc. to each gift from the items I collect over the year.  Be creative with your theme and share with the rest of us any ideas you have.     

What is "Dinner's Ready 1-2-3"?

"Dinner's Ready 1-2-3" is a Digital Cook Book I have designed and written based on the philosophy behind Dee-Clutter, simplifying your life.  The cookbook is written in menu fashion so you never have to guess what side dish will go with the entree you have chosen.  The book contains 8 sections: Beef, Meatless, One Dish Meals, Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Soups, and Holiday Delights.  This compilation of over 150 recipes will help you plan the healthy home-cooked meals you want to serve.  Included in the cookbook is a Shopping List which includes every ingredient used in the recipes of the book.  By using the book you can learn to control your food budget by using a simple 3 step process, 1) Planning, 2) Purchasing, 3) Preparing.  My desire is to see a return to the concept of "meal time at home can be fun and delicious."  Happy eating.

Tip of the Day 1/24/11

Scald your toothbrush at least once a week. When ill scald after every use and replace when illness is past. Replace at least every three months. Prevention saves $.

Tip of the Day 1/23/11

"Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—Meditate on these things." Philippians 4: 8

Tip of the Day 1/22/11

Set a timer for 15 minutes and everyone in the family cleans up a part of the house of their choosing. Have the family vote who did the best job then that person gets to choose a movie, game, or free activity to do together as a family. Make this a regular Saturday habit.

Tip of the Day 1/21/11

It's snowy across most of the US, so let's have Christmas Family Night. Watch a Christmas Movie and pull out the Christmas cookies you put in the freezer. Play one of the new games you got for Christmas and talk about your favorite memory from this year.

Tip of the Day 1/20/11

When putting laundry away swipe used fabric softener sheet from the load over top of furniture in rooms you enter. Keeps the room clean longer and smelling fresh.

Tip of the Day 1/19/11

To freshen bed linens between weekly washing put pillowcases in with another wash load in the middle of the week. Ahhh!

Tip of the Day 1/18/11

Hang all of your clothes in the closet with the hook of the hangar backwards on the rod. As you wear the item re-hang it with the hangar facing the correct direction. When you are ready to "switch seasons" in the closet you will know what you have not worn and can get rid of it.

Tip of the Day 1/17/11

Pre-sort your dirty laundry.  By using 3 - 6 laundry baskets to drop dirty laundry into you will be able to see which load needs to be washed without having to sort everything.  1 - 2 baskets for darks, 1 basket for lights, 1 basket for whites, 1 basket for delicates, 1 basket for towels.  Wash one to two loads per day depending on the size of your family. With it pre-sorted you can drop a load in the washer when you walk in the door from work with out having to sort.  By the time you are ready to sit down after dinner to watch TV the load is ready for folding and the whole family can join in.  At commercial breaks or when the kids head to bed, have them  put their own pieces away and you do the same.  

Tip of the Day: 1/16/11

It's Sunday, don't make your bed. Of course this implies you do make it the rest of the week. If not, tomorrow is a good day to start a new habit. Set a good example for the kids to follow and enjoy a day of rest.

Tip of the Day: 1/15/11

Start the year with a clean oven. If you have a self-cleaning oven, use that feature, it is fantastic. If not, cleaners are pretty easy. Baking is much more pleasant in a clean oven.

Tip of the Day: 1/14/11

Welcome to the first posting of my "Tip of the Day" on my new Blog.  Check here everyday for a new tip to help you Dee-Clutter your life.

 

Take 5 minutes to rotate or flip all of your sofa and chair cushions for even wear.