Tip of the Day #238: Leftover Pasta

It is known that most of us have a difficult time gauging how much pasta to cook for a meal. I know myself that I am always left with enough to feed the entire neighbourhood! Instead of pitching it because the pasta generally doesnt 'keep' too well in the fridge afterwards, try this:
After your pasta has finished cooking and it’s time to drain it, don’t pour the water down the drain. Drain it into a large bowl and let it cool while you are eating.  When you have leftovers, put the leftovers back in the water.  Make sure the pasta is completely submerged. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge. This will give you at least another week to finish the leftovers!

QUICK TIP: Lunchbox Love for School-Aged Children

Make your little ones feel special by creating some 'Lunchbox Love' for their lunches! Use colourful and cheery cardstock or scrapbook to produce little notes they can read while at school :)

Tip of the Day #237: Hang Pictures Easily

A useful tip for hanging pictures or wall decor is to use TOOTHPASTE! Dab a small amount on the back where all screws/nails will go, find your perfect place on the wall, press frame firmly against the wall-- and you're all set to hammer in your nails. It's that simple!

Tip of the Day #236: Easy Cleaning on Cupboard Tops

You may not think about this area very often--probably because you rarely see the top of your kitchen cabinets, that doesn't mean they aren't busy getting dusty and dirty. Grease, humidity and general kitchen use can make this a tricky and icky spot to clean. Forget the hassle and bust out a pantry staple to do the dirty work for you--WAX PAPER.

To keep the top of your kitchen cabinets (and tall armoires, bookcases and storage units) clean, simply tear a sheet the same depth as the cabinet and let it sit. It will collect the greasy, dusty goo that collects and then every few months you can change it out and ditch the collected junk. Easy peasy!

Tip of the Day #235: How to Clean Faucets Effectively

Soak a rag or cloth in white vinegar, then spread overtop of your faucet (including taps). Leave for 1-2 hours then wipe away all debris. If some dirt still remains in crevices, take an old toothbrush and scrub away!

DIY i-SPY Game

I guarantee this will occupy your kiddos for hours!

I have two very active children, so I am constantly looking for ways to occupy them. While brainstorming one night recently, I thought of this cute little game to make! It's easy, quick and doesn't require many materials.

So what's the object of the game? You create a game card with a list of the objects included in the bottle. Your kids have to shake the tube around to search for the items that you have hidden within the rice and tick them off!

When making, 'layer' the rice--in other words, you must pour the rice in, add a little trinket or two, then add more rice and so on. This is so all objects do not float along the top. Also, leave about 1 inch at the top of the bottle to ensure the rice is easy to shake around.

Some items you can include are:

-stickers
-bottle caps
-marbles
-beads
-bouncy balls
-barbie shoes
-fake flower petals
-pen lids
-little balls of foil
-small erasers
-dinky cars
-paper clips

Or anything small around your home!

WARNING: Always remember to seal the lid tightly on the bottle to ensure no small children can ingest any objects.

Tip of the Day #234: Organizing Office Supplies

We all know how office supplies from paper clips to elastic bands can really get out of hand and cause major clutter. I suggest using an ice cube tray or two to place the different items in each spot--then place in a cupboard or deak drawer. Remember to always return the objects to their designated area when necessary.