Tip of the Day #214: Pizza Cutter Uses

When cutting or dicing veggies or meat (ex: scrambled eggs or stirfry), using a pizza cutter will make the job a lot quicker than chopping with a knife.

Tip of the Day #213: Toothpaste on Yellow Nails

Whiten nails all up by rubbing toothpaste to remove the stains. You can also add a few drops of lemon for extra whitening, it’s a natural bleaching agent!

Tip of the Day #212: Uses for Q-Tips

Candle-Lighter- If the wick on your candle is burned out, dip the end of a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol, light the end and you can now reach that burnt down wick.

Dust Buster- Use a Q-tip to dust the creases and cracks of a picture frame or statue.

Zipper Un-sticker- Is your zipper stuck?  Dip that cotton end in olive oil to act as a lubricant and rub on the zipper for an easy zip.

Electronics Cleaner- Q-tips can be used to clean CDs, DVD players, radios,  cameras and computers.

Kid Paintbrush- It is obvious; kids make a mess when painting, so they might as well use a brush that you can throw away and is easy to hold in their little hands!  Use a Q-tip to eliminate a mess.

Tip of the Day #211: *REPOST* Eggs in the Oven

For anyone that may not know, the BEST way to make hard-boiled eggs is in the oven! Place your eggs in a muffin tray so they do not roll around, then pop in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 325 F degrees. Not only are they tastier, but they become much easier to peel! Do not worry, they will never explode...well unless you have a very powerful oven! :)

Limit Your Clean-up Time When Cooking!

The last thing any of us feels like doing after slaving over a meal is cleaning up afterwards. Even if you have little helpers whose nightly chore is to do the dishes, there are sneaky ways you can minimize 'tidy-up time' to get most of the work done before dessert. Here's how:

Empty the dishwasher

This should be the golden rule of tidy cooking - before you even think about pulling out a chopping board, empty the dishwasher, or better yet, get a little helper to do this job before you step into the kitchen--then re-stack the dishwasher as you cook.

Soak it

If you don't have a dishwasher, clean any dirty dishes before starting. Follow by filling the kitchen sink with hot, soapy water. As you work, drop in the utensils and dishes you've used into the water and let them soak. Washing up will be a cinch when the gunk easily slips off from pots and pans and all that's needed is a quick rinse and dry. BONUS: You use less water by filling up your sink and soaking dishes as opposed to running your tap while you scrub each dish!

Cover the counter

To catch mess quickly, line your working space with butcher's paper (or place a sheet of baking paper under a chopping board), then fold it up with the scraps and toss it when you're done. Easy-peasy.

Keep it simple--UTILIZE YOUR CROCKPOT!

It goes without saying that the simpler the meal, the less mess there is to clean up. Make your life easy by cooking slow-cooker family favourites--the Internet is packed with so many wonderful crockpot meal ideas! And the best part? You'll only have the one pot to wash up afterwards!

Clean up in stages

Clear away any dishes and ingredients you've used for preparation before you start cooking. Likewise, after you've finished one task, have a quick tidy up before you start the next one. Cleaning up in stages like this will lighten the load at the end.

Have a garbage bag on the go

Keep a bag or bowl beside your cutting board to toss scraps into as you work, instead of spreading it over the counter top.

Cook cleanly

Avoid unnecessary elbow grease by lining baking and roasting pans with aluminum foil to save scrubbing them later. Likewise, spray measuring cups and spoons with non-stick spray not only prevents stains, but sticky ingredients, like honey, slide right out and the cups and spoons clean up easily.

Wear your tea towel

Tuck a tea towel or cloth into the waistband of your apron or pocket to wipe up small spills to stop them from becoming sticky blobs that need scrubbing later.

Be a multi-tasker

If you are a Mother, you should have mastered multi-tasking a long time ago. So while the water is boiling, load the dishwasher, while the oven is firing up, do a quick wipe down and while the rice is cooking, sweep the kitchen floor. You'll be amazed how much you can get done while cooking.

Turn on the dishwasher before bed

And lastly, flick the switch on your dishwasher before you go to bed.

Tip of the Day #210: Heart-Shaped Cupcakes!

To make heart-shaped cupcakes, just drop a marble at the top between the liner and cup!

Tip of the Day #209: Cooking with Garlic

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a subtle taste and towards the end to blast it with flavour!

Tip of the Day #208: Organizing Clothes in Drawers

I came upon this idea after trying to put (well, 'stuff') all my children's clothes into their drawers--between birthdays, holidays and other various gifts, they just have WAY too many items! Piling clothes in their drawers never stayed in piles and not everything fit, so I really had to think of what would work! That's when I thought of piling their clothes the other way, or almost 'rolling' them (see picture.) Not only did everything fit nicely, but now rather than sorting through their drawers looking for a specific shirt, everything is now displayed in view--beautiful! This idea has now taken effect with every member's dressers and so far so good!

Tip of the Day #207: Makeup Remover

One night I had finished my normal makeup remover and was in a bit of a bind so I used a few drops of my kids body wash (Johnson's Original in the yellow bottle). I was honestly shocked at how easily my makeup was removed, and after rinsing my face, my skin was extra soft! An added bonus is you know it is gentle enough for baby's skin, so it is not loaded with harsh chemicals. Needless to say, I now use it on a daily basis! Give it a try! :)

Tip of the Day #206: Cleaning grates on Gas Stove

1. Place each grate in a large Ziploc bag (ensure there are no holes in plastic.)

2. Fill bag with 3 tablespoons of Ammonia and close bag.

3. Let sit overnight for 12 HOURS!

4. Remove grate from bags and rinse thoroughly. There shouldn't really be a need to scrub at this point.

That's it--so easy!

Tip of the Day #205: Scrap the Bed Skirt!

Use a fitted sheet to cover your box spring as well! Makes such a difference :)

Tip of the Day #204: Preventing Fluff on Clothing

Place an old towel in the wash with tracksuits, sweatshirts and jerseys to stop fluff from forming on the garment

Tip of the Day #203: Cleaning Bath Toys

Bath toys can get pretty disgusting with mold and old water..and not to mention the smell that comes along with it all! Use your glue gun and squeeze glue into the hole on the bottom of each toy to close it and prevent nastiness in the future!
To clean out your existing ones, soak in straight white vinegar for a day or so.

Tip of the Day #202: Keeping Berries Fresh

Prolong the life of fresh berries by preparing a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider work best) and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, then rinse and pop in the fridge!

Tip of the Day #201: Organizing your Clothes

When it comes to clothes hanging in your closet, turn all the hangers backwards--once you wear a piece of clothing and return it to its place, hang it back up with the hanger facing forward. At the end of the year (or after 6 months), toss any items that are still on the backward hangers--you probably won't miss it if you haven't worn it that entire time.

DETOX--Green Smoothie Recipe

I have recently began whipping up this little concoction after hearing how 'Green Smoothies' are all the rage these days! I had no expectation, because the thought of 'spinach' going into my drink  really didn't seem all that appetizing!
Now, I can tell you I am ADDICTED! Not only IS the entire smoothie delicious, but it is jam-packed with healthy ingredients and you are sure to see the pounds dropping if you stick to it!

Here is the recipe:

2 handfuls of baby spinach
5 strawberries
1 banana
1/2 peeled orange
1 apple (optional)
1 cup of yogurt (any flavour)

Blend and Enjoy! :)

Tip of the Day #200: De-yellowing Formula

De-yellowing Formula for White Appliances

1/2 cup bleach
4 cups warm water
1/4 cup baking soda
Blend, wash appliance with mixture, allow it to set for 8-10 minutes. Rinse well & Dry with clean cloth.

Tip of the Day #199: Nylon Stocking Strengthener

2 cups salt
1 gallon warm water

Soak nylons overnight in the above mix. Rinse in cool water and hang to dry.

Tip of the Day #198: Porcelain Sink Stain Remover

1 teaspoon Dawn dishwashing detergent
1/2 cup liquid chlorine bleach (or 1 cup  ammonia)
1/2 cup white vinegar

Close drain and run several inches of warm water into sink. Add above ingredients. Let stand in sink overnight. Rinse out sink with hot water.

Tip of the Day #197: Road Salt Cleaner

Removal from Car Exterior:

1 cup baking soda
2 cups warm water

Combine and use a soft brush to remove the road salt from your vehicle.

Tip of the Day #196: Squirrel Repellent

1 capful Murphy's Oil Soap
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine items in a 22 oz spray bottle, then fill with water. Shake to combine well.Spray wherever squirrels are not wanted.

Tip of the Day #195: Toilet Bowl Stain/Ring Remover

Borax
Lemon juice

Flush toilet then make a paste of the above ingredients. Apply with toilet brush, leave overnight, scrub in the morning.

CROCKPOT APPLESAUCE

I thought I would share my delicious recipe for my homemade crockpot applesauce!

Ingredients:
8-10 medium size apples (I use a mixture of Golden Delicious & Empire, but the choice is up to you)
1 cinnamon stick
2 pieces of lemon zest
4 tbsp of brown sugar

Peel and cut apples and place in crock pot with all other ingredients. Cook on low heat for 6 hours. One hour before completion, open lid and stir apples--they should be soft by now. Once done, let cool and serve. Very easy and yummy! :)

Tip of the Day #194: All in one!

Create a shaker consisting of 75 percent salt and 25 percent pepper for an all-in-one flavour!

Tip of the Day #193: Kitchen Solutions

Build a tray stand to hold your kitchen necessities--purchase a candle stand and a cake plate or tray from your local dollar store and hot glue them together. This will keep items dry and out of the way while working in the kitchen!

Tip of the Day #192: Organizing Games & Puzzles

In my home, it is inevitable that game boxes get torn and broken, and pieces of these games or puzzles always go missing. That is until I thought of this idea--I purchased multiple zippered pouches from my local dollar store, labeled each one along with a picture of the game/puzzle, and placed all contents inside. These pouches now stay up HIGH until the kids want to play with them lol. It has definitely helped in salvaging the kids nice things! :)

Tip of the Day #191: Trapping Wasps

Wasps can really be a nuisance! Add a mixture of vinegar(1 cup), sugar( 1tbsp) and salt(1tbsp) in a dish or use the bottom half of a 2L pop bottle and place around your yard. The wasps are attracted to the sweet and sour scent. Bees will be safe as they don’t seem to be attracted by this sour mixture.

Tip of the Day # 190: Dusting Lamps

When dusting, I insist on using a lint roller on my lamp shades. After completion, they always look brand new!

Tip of the Day #189: Vacuuming Tips

1. To find something on the floor: place a stocking over the vacuum cleaner nozzle and vacuum the area

2. Add a paper towel or wrapping paper tube to the end of your vacuum hose to act as an 'extender' to get under tough to reach areas like your refrigerator, stove or couches.

Tip of the Day #188: Natural Oven Cleaner

Looking to clean the inside of your oven and even the door??? Sprinkle baking soda over the entire surface then pour lemon juice over top. It should fizz, then allow to sit for approximately one hour. All debris should wipe away very easily! Repeat if necessary, but you can swap lemon juice for vinegar!

Tip of the Day #187: Traction in the Snow

Keep a small bucket or tub of kitty litter in your trunk during the winter months--when your car is stuck in snow, sprinkle the litter around your tires and you will be out in no time!
This actually works drastically better than using sand :)

Tip of the Day #186: Vehicle Fresheners

1. Put a sheet of fabric softener underneath each seat in the car to make it smell nice.

2. For bad odours in cars, put some new ground up coffee beans in area where odor is. Leave for a few days if possible and vacuum it up. The odour should be gone and the car will smell 100 times better!

Tip of the Day # 185: Dealing with Ants

1. If you have a problem with ants coming in your door,  take a piece of white chalk and draw a line. The ants will not cross the line!

OR

2. Buy Corn Meal and sprinkle lightly around wherever the ants have built their colonies. They will flock to the the pile immediately, eat them, and the corn meal will make the ants implode and destroy them.

OR

3. Ants don't like cayenne pepper sprinkled around their anthills, or cucumber peelings.

Tip of the Day # 184: REMOVAL OF ADHESIVE STICKERS

For stickers on glass, use vegetable oil--soak the item in oil for a couple minutes to remove the sticker easily.

For plastic, use WD-40--let it soak on the item for a couple minutes to remove easily.

For metal, use nail polish remover on a cotton ball and let soak in for a couple minutes

For wood, use vegetable oil and let it soak in for thirty minutes. Scrape off sticker with a Teflon scraper.

Tip of the Day # 183: REVIVE OLD MARKERS

Acetone nail polish remover will revive an old marker pen when it becomes dried up. Simply dip the tip part in the acetone & recap. Within a couple of hours, you will be able to re-use it.

Craft Ideas--Valentines Day Inspiration

Why spend your money on expensive crafts when you can make lovely art with items already in your home?!
Your children will have a blast dipping paint in various objects to see what design each makes!
Here are two examples of household things you can use:

1. Save the end of a stalk of celery--when dipped in paint, the stamp makes a ROSE impression.

2. Save toilet paper tubes--they can easily turn into a HEART stamp! If need be, tape the heart tube in place while in use :)

HAVE FUN!!!

Tip of the Day #182: Spice Organization

If you are like me, you have countless small packets of random spices you have only used once or twice--and everytime you go looking for something else in your pantry, you have to sort through their scattered mess. Well today ends that frustration--buy a small box or tin with a lid, place all packets inside (you can even paperclip or bulldog clip the top of any that are open) and label the box.
I say a box with a LID because I had placed all my packages in a small plastic tray, and they STILL managed to be everywhere they werent supposed to!
Hope this tip helpw many of you!

Tip of the Day #181: Repairing Scratches on Glass

If you have thin surface scratches on glass, rub a little toothpaste over the surface. Finishing by polishing off with a soft cloth.

Tip of the Day #180: Ironing Time-Saver

Cut your ironing time by putting a piece of aluminum foil under the ironing board cover. The foil will reflect heat so you're actually ironing from both sides at once. 

Tip of the Day # 181: Removing Chewing Gum

To remove chewing gum from clothing, upholstery or carpets, heat some white vinegar in a pan and apply it to the gum. This is quicker and more effective than the normal method of freezing with ice cubes.

Tip of the Day # 180: Drying Wet Shoes

Dry wet shoes more quickly by putting crumpled balls of newspaper inside them. This will also absorb any odors that would normally linger inside the shoe from dampness.

Tip of the Day # 179: Prevent Fine Dishes from Breaking

Before washing fine china, crystal, or anything fragile, place a towel or rubber mat on the bottom of the sink to act as a cushion.

Tip of the Day # 178: Homemade Pedialyte

Mix 4 cups of water, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 2 tbsps of sugar. Add a 1/2 tsp of Jell-O powder or Kool-Aid to give it flavour if you choose.

Tip of the Day # 177: Stains in Coffee Mugs

Remove coffee or tea stains from the bottom of a mug by swishing white vinegar around it.

Tip of the Day # 176: Tub & Shower Cleaner

REPOST: BEST TUB & SHOWER CLEANER EVER!

Heat 1 cup of vinegar for 90 seconds in the microwave then pour into a spray bottle and add 1/2 cup of dish soap. Let sit for about 15 minutes then wipe away effortlessly! That's it! :)
Better than anything, even a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!

UPDATE: If you find that there are too many 'suds' when wiping clean, rinse with COLD water

Tip of the Day # 175: Freezer Efficiency

Freezers run more efficiently when 3/4 full--if you find yours on the empty side, fill jugs with water & place inside.

Tip of the Day # 174: Removing Musty Smell from Basement

Does your basement have a permanent musty smell? Take an onion and cut in half--place both halves on a plate and sit on the floor of your basement--they will absorb any odor that may be lingering.

Tip of the Day # 173: Easy Clean up with Glad Press n Seal

Use Glad Press 'n Seal saran wrap to line your refrigerator shelves. When dirty, just peel off and re-line!