Save Time/Money: Give Up Ironing, the Drycleaner, or Both!

DRY CLEANING

Without question, there are some delicate items that MUST have the special care of a good, professional dry cleaner* - I have a few items that I wouldn't dream of handling myself. However, many ready-to-wear items in your closet don't need to go to the dry cleaner every time, and some never at all.

If you haven't heard of Dryel and Woolite -"The Dry Cleaners Secret," they are marvelous products. They are kits that turn your dryer into a dry cleaner, using steam and dry cleaning chemicals to do so. Located on the shelves of stores such as Target and Walmart, they are easy to find and coupons are frequently available online or in circulars.

Dryel requires a starter kit, which has a special bag that holds the items to be cleaned.  Simply follow the product directions, remove promptly and let any wrinkles fall out by hanging immediately. Woolite-"The Dry Cleaners Secret" does not require a special bag.  Items can go directly into your dryer, which I find to be especially convenient for larger items like blankets, pillows, winter coats, etc.

If you like a crisp crease on your dress shirts or pants, simply pull out your iron do so.  Using your iron is not so much a time saver, but the money you will save by doing dry cleaning at home is worth the cost. One kit can clean up to 24 items . . . all for under $10. Have you EVER taken 24 items to the dry cleaner and paid only $10?  Ive used these products to freshen suits, sweaters, blankets, pillows (including feather and down), jackets, stuffed animals, dresses, blouses, dress pants (including light-weight wool) and skirts.

IRONING

If Dante wrote Inferno for modern times, I'm convinced one of his nine levels of 'hell' would be ironing.  Some people may consider it a relaxing, cathartic exercise.  Not me. I avoid it like The Plague.

By simply hanging your clothing as soon as it comes out of the dryer, you can avoid a mountain of ironing. My husband's work khakis and oxford button-downs, and my knit tops, go from dryer to hanger, with a few wrinkles that drop out after hanging or being worn for a few minutes. On occasion, a collar or a cuff will look a little wonky and I'll press it. But for the most part, the iron gets little or no use.

What if you have a pile of laundry that has a bunch of impossible wrinkles? You can steam them out. I like a product called the Steam Mate, but there are others such as Mr. Steamy and Steam-n-Go. Add water to the sponge inside, toss into the dryer, and within minutes most of your wrinkles are gone. Again, hang immediately to let the soft wrinkles fall out.

These short cuts are not for your delicate clothing items or for items that have complicated stains.  But even if your attire requires the crispest creases with flawless fabrics that hang like a dream, you can lessen the cost and time of maintaining your more casual outfits by learning how to care for them at home. Once you get comfortable using the products, you'll be surprised at how much less money youre spending at the dry cleaner. And once you get used to responding to the dryer buzzer promptly (or using steam to do the wrinkle removing for you) you'll have gained tons of free time by avoiding the iron and ironing board.

*See the link below for fabrics and special items that SHOULD go to a dry cleaner:

http://www.howmuchdoeseverythingcost.com/costs/how-much-does-dry-cleaning-cost-cost-of-dry-cleaning/

Both of these sites offer coupons at this time:

http://www.dryel.com/

http://www.drycleanerssecret.com/

Toy Organization: Buckets of Fun!

My toddler is two. The baby is four months old. Yet somehow they have accumulated an impressive collection of toys, scattered so thickly on the dining-room-turned-play-room floor that I was in danger of breaking my ankles at just the thought of entering that room.

Don't get me wrong  - I don't a mind a little disarray. After all, it's a space for kids. And it seems like exploration and imagination are just no good to children unless its accompanied by loads of wonderful, glorious messiness!!! So for the majority of the day, the toy room is under Little People Management.  And at the end of the day, Mommy (that's me) wants to restore a little order to the black hole of play things, sippy cups, shoes, and anything else we might actually want to use in other parts of the house.

And so, I began keeping an eye out for simple ways to loosely organize the room so that my toddler could actually find things without me. It also had to be simple enough for him to begin to learn how to put things away.

I was flipping channels one day and landed on a reality show about a family with eight small children - this house had the mother load of toys! While I wasn't that interested in the show, I noticed they installed a wonderful shelving system with colored bins that looks very similar to the cubbies at our son's daycare.  When I can afford the investment, and take the time for the three hour drive to IKEA in Chicago or Detroit, I will install those same awesome shelves. 

But in the meantime, I still needed something, anything . . . because I'm pretty sure the toys were partying, mating and multiplying during the night.  And as much as I'd like to be a relaxed, 'go with the flow' kind of mom, I'm just not cut out for toy Bacchanalia.

While shopping for recycling bins, I saw these large, brightly colored plastic buckets with rope handles. Perfect for toys in so many ways:  They're big. They're lightweight and can go from room to room. They have large openings for kids to easily rumage through or throw toys into when it's time for clean up. They can be repurposed elsewhere in the house when they are no longer needed for toys. And they were $5 each on sale (at Lowe's.)

In 10 minutes, the entire floor was cleared up with plenty of room for playing and horsing around.  I divided the toys into groups, and put some picture labels on them (obtained from the clip art section in Microsoft Word 2010.)  The labels serve two purposes: 1) they'll come in handy later when I'm ready to work with my toddler a little each day on putting things away.  2) I use the words and pictures as a learning tool for reading, similar to the concept used in "Your Baby Can Read." 

After Teddy goes to bed and the baby has been fed, I gather toys from around the house, throw them in their bins, remove items that dont belong, and forget about it. 

Lots of room to play. . . . for now!

The room rarely looks this put together, but sometimes it does.

Protect Your Techy Things - Org Your Cords



(Microsoft Word 2010 clip art)



About 10 years ago, I had a stroke of genius (<---- a highly questionable statement).  I was moving, or helping other people move - a lot, which included dealing with a mind boggling array of cords, cables and equipment.  I kept thinking: "there has got to be an easier way to set up computers and A/V stuff. Why not label both end of the cords, so that I know immediately where everything goes? This is too good to keep to myself.  The WORLD must be informed!!!!"

Okay, so I get a little excited :)

Having labeled cords is not just about being neat and speedy. In today's techy world, where it seems there are similar looking cords, with similar looking ends everywhere, it's especially important to know what you're plugging in where.  Our toddler recently inserted the Notepad adapter into the baby monitor. The next time the monitor was used to check on the baby, it started smoking!  I know not all adapters are alike, but I didn't know using an adapter with too many amps can literally fry valuable equipment.

So remember how I said above that I had a stroke of genius? Turns out this was a good idea, but certainly NOT original. Apparently, cord management has been a proverbial thorn in the side of organized people for a long while. Fortunately, there are many options to choose from to avoid that tangled, time-consuming, not to mention dangerous,  mess.



(marthastewart.com photo)

Personally, I like the options that dont cost a thing, such as using a Sharpie on masking tape.

Martha Stewart's website has a great idea to use old bread tabs.

And I love an opportunity to print off labels on my label maker (good old trusty-dusty Brother P-touch!)

 

Here are some seldom-used, labeled cables stored in a box. They are purposefully left unplugged to avoid the use of vampire energy (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.vampires). 

It only takes a few minutes to label your electrical and extention cords and cables, but it will save you a bundle of time and money down the road.  Happy labeling!

See references below for information regarding cord lableing:

http://www.moosetags.com/

http://www.marthastewart.com/269075/cord-labels

http://www.amazon.com/The-Storage-Store-COLOR-ORGANIZERS/dp/B000QWAMJ6

http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/perspectives/consumer/productsafety/cords/

Why Do You Keep All Those Clothes?

Considering that I wear only a few favorite outfits each season, I have to wonder what my attachment is to all the other items in the closet, not to mention the seven large tubs of clothing stored elsewhere.

Yes, we have four seasons in Michigan, so I can justify keeping more clothing than say if we were living in San Diego (where the average temperature is a beautiful 72 degrees all year.)  And I could justify the seven tubs if I actually wore the clothing I've been hording. But honestly, some of it hasn't seen the light of day in 10 years. A decade!  Really?

It's definitely time to purge again.

You may have a similar closet scenario. I have to warn you about what you already know - it's not easy letting go of clothes you've been emotionally attached to for a decade.  But if you're ready to rip off the Bandaid, it's super liberating.  And if you just cant imagine the feeling that a good clothes purging provides, think of weight being lifted from your shoulders, the freedom of flight, etc.  Yeah.  It's that good.

Below are some bullet points of what I did to my clothes cache. Try one or two of them.  I promise you won't regret it.  If you can go whole hog, prepare for closet nirvana!

• TOO BIG - Do you want to gain weight, or do you plan on using those maternity clothes again? Why hang on to them? Unless you are a person who needs to put on a few pounds, keeping clothing too big is like giving yourself permission to NOT eat more healthy and NOT exercise.  It is fall-back position most of us don't want or need.
• TOO SMALL - Are you realistically going to lose two or three sizes before all those clothes are out of style?   Let's say you get back down to that size you were in high school - chances are your shape will have changed just enough so that even the most classic cuts will not fit your body the way it used to.  I kept one size below what I wear now (because I'm currently losing weight and almost ready for that size.)  I did keep a couple of items that are two sizes below for inspiration only.  If by some spectacular miracle I actually wear them again, I will have officially entered a hotness of physical fitness I thought I'd never see again. :)
• WRONG COLOR - If it doesn't do anything to lift your spirits or complement your complexion, let someone benefit from it by donating it.
• NOT A GOOD FIT  - If you find yourself tugging, pulling, pinning, taping, re-buttoning, gapping, etc. this item of fussy clothing is doing you no favors.  Either put it in the mending pile if it can be saved, or get rid of it.  It may be a beautiful blouse in your current size, but all anyone will notice is that your bra is playing peekaboo. Is that the kind of attention you want? 
• WAY OUT OF STYLE - Dated clothing makes you look older and out of touch. While it's true that styles reappear, the cut and length will change to an updated, modern twist. Changes also occur in the types of cloth, material designs and colors. That leisure suit from 1970 (and everything from the 80's) is good for a costume and that's about it.  Say goodbye!
• WORN AND TIRED - if frayed, faded, pilled and limp describes any of your clothing, why not retire it?  Some items can find a new use, for example in the rag bin, or the yard work/painting clothes category. But even here, you don't need an overabundance.  Like Moses said to Pharaoh: "Let them go."
• EXPENSIVE/GREAT SALE ITEM BUT NEVER WORN - Most of us do it. We spend money because it was a great deal, or perhaps we allowed ourselves a splurge  . . . . but for some reason it never gets worn.  If you haven't touched it in a year, it's time to admit it wasn't a good purchase and let someone else benefit from your mistake.  (Dust on the shoulders is a good indication you can give this to charity.)
• TOO MUCH TROUBLE - If you find yourself liking but not wearing an item because you don't want to iron it/dry clean it/brush off pet hair that is magically drawn to it, throw it in the donate pile. This is a high maintenance item taking up valuable real estate in your closet.  Be strong.  You can do it.

Emotional attachment to clothes is pretty common. And, without embarrassment, I'm guilty of hanging onto to clothing too long as well. But like me, eventually you may get tired of making space for things you don't wear. Try stepping out of your comfort zone and apply a couple of the suggestions above. And if you really can't handle it alone, call me or a professional organizer in your area to help you see it through.  It's so worth it!

Travel: Roadtrip Snack Attacks

ROADTRIP!  I love a good roadtrip.  There is something exciting about heading out on the open road, full of anticipation about getting to the final destination.  Within reach are all the things to keep us occupied for the journey ahead: music, radio, DVDs, books, books on CD, activities for kids and a pillow/blanket for naps.

But what about snacks?

How many times have you regretted eating that king-sized candy bar, or a day-old, shriveled up hotdog at the gas station because your mouth was a little bored? Or perhaps YOU have the will power to purchase a questionable looking apple, but your kids are whining for snacks that will rocket them into hyperspace (only to send them crashing down into a sugar coma a few minutes later.)

If you pack a snack box in advance, you can avoid wandering the gas station for goodies.  Instead of Moon Pies and Pecan Logs from Stuckey's (those who have been through the South will get these referrences) you can have at your fingertips things that are good for sustained energy: water, Gaterade, nuts, fresh fruit, whole grain crackers, cheese, granola/granola bars, healthier versions of trail mix, etc.

I also like to pack a thermos of coffee with the perfect amount of milk, rather than settling for old coffee with those creamers that have a half-life of 3 kazillion years.  Granted, 10 hours into a trip I might drink anything resembling coffee, but will avoid the powdered machines if at all possible. 

My friend Jeff and I took a road to trip a couple of years ago - while listening to NPR and a few CDs from each of our collections, we shared various sandwiches, grapes, clementines and of course, a little bit of chocolate. There were no internal discomforts that often accompany eating on the road, and we saved a little time as well. It was great!


If you absolutely MUST pack junk food, at least you've saved a little money by buying it ahead of time.

Mulch: Making a Big Job Faster, Smarter

Every Spring, we play a guessing game at what quantity of mulch to buy, and how much of our weekend will be spent toiling away in the yard. We usually guess wrong at both.  We have to reorder more mulch (which means a second delivery charge,) and spend more of our precious free time spreading it than we bargained.

Recently, we got smarter, thanks to a little help from my husband's workmate, who used to work in landscaping.  We never realized we were using ineffective tools, making the chore more arduous than necessary.  Perhaps you seasoned gardeners know all about a thing called a pitchfork, and how is SO MUCH easier to use than a shovel?  Revolutionary!

Steve picked up a 10-pronged pitchfork at the local Tractor Supply Co., but I imagine they are available at home improvements stores as well. The prongs make it easy to drive anywhere into the mulch pile and pull it out with ease. (With a shovel, you pretty much have to go in at the top, which is harder on your back.) Since it also works like a rake, it makes the mulch easier to spread. Any time we can cart around one tool instead of two is hit. With the time we saved, the $40 price tag was worth it.

We also switched from dyed bark mulch to cedar.  Cedar is supposed to last twice as long because it's shredded and therefore sticks together, which means it isn't washed away or disintegrated by rain. When it does break down, it adds nutrients to the soil.  Because of its aromatic scent, it repels insects such as termites and roaches that are attracted to other kinds of mulch. Cedar's natural tendency to mat, keeps the sun out (discouraging weed growth) but allows moisture to seep in and retains it (less watering for plants.)

We will have to aerate the cedar with a rake (or pitchfork!) next spring so that mold isn't allowed to set in. And we paid $12 more per cubic yard than the other mulch. However we will see the savings next year when we don't have to mulch. The only true con I can think of is that, though I'm fine with the color of cedar when it goes down (blond,) it will eventually fade to a silver gray - our house doesn't need more gray.  Taking all into consideration, I can overlook the aesthetics of the mulch in favor of everything else it has going for it.

Finally, there is a way to effectively estimate how mulch you will need. I have included two links to explain the process (just in case one is discontinued.) The steps are also mentioned below:

• Measure the area to be covered in feet. (Rectangles: L x W = A, Circles: R x R x 3.14 = A. Measure from the middle of the area to the outside to get "R", or the radius.)
• Multiply the result from step 1 by the depth you want the mulch in inches (typically 3-5 inches.)
• Divide the final number by 324, the number of square feet that a single cubic yard of mulch will cover if spread 1-inch thick. The result is the number of cubic yards you need for sufficient mulch coverage in your garden or landscape.
• You can work backwards if you've already ordered the mulch and want to see how coverage you will have.
• There are online calculators that will do the math for you - just plug in the measurements. For more information, see http://www.kamlar.com/calculator.html

http://www.gardenguides.com/80791-estimate-mulch-coverage-yard.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5799750_estimate-mulch-coverage-yard.html

Best Time of Day for Yard Work

I love working in our yard, but I don't like getting super hot and sweaty. Becoming overheated will not only send me to a state of unnecessary, perspiring grumpiness, but it's dangerous too, especially if you are older, have a heart condition or other sensitivities aggravated by heat.

Here are a few tips I've picked up over the years, and though there is no new information stated here, it's always good to be reminded:

• Get up early to tackle all quiet chores such as weeding, watering, planting, mulching, etc. There's no noise to bother the neighbors, and it's THE coolest part of the day. Catch up on any missed sleep during the hottest part of the day, if you can. Weeding or turning sod is always easiest right after a good rain - take advantage of it if you can!



• Twilight is also a great time for working in the yard and no one cares much about the noise if you are using the mower or the blower. (Be careful about what kind of watering you do before nightfall though - without the sun to burn it off each day, there is a greater chance of mold, mildew, diseases, etc.)



• Try to avoid doing any kind of strenuous work outside in the heat of the day (10am-3pm.) If you must work midday, stay in the shaded areas: north and west during the mornings, east and south in evenings. Even during the coolest parts of the day, if I'm getting warmer than I like, I'll work back and forth between sunny and shaded areas to cool down periodically.



• Stay hydrated with lots water or sports drinks. Your body perspires as a way to cool itself, but needs replenishment often. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will dehydrate you, no matter how refreshing at the time of consumption. However, there's nothing that says you cant enjoy a tasty margarita or cold beer when dehydration is not an issue!



• Wear light colored, loose fitting, moisture wicking fabrics.



• Protect your skin and eyes with sunblock, sunglasses and a hat if needed. Remember the often forgotten areas: back of the neck, ears, scalp, hands, and feet.



• Avoid next day stiffness and muscle fatigue: stand up and stretch often.

I hope you have a great summer!