Too Busy or Too Lazy?

Hmmm, I haven't been posting in a while - that seems OK, not a whole lot of readers out there anyway!
I have a few tips to share with you though, tips that are like trivia - not always useless, but fun to know just the same. For instance do you know...

• to vacuum a drawer with ease, just cover your hose attachment with an old pair of pantyhose - just shove the hose through a leg- and vacuum away, the pantyhose will allow the dust to get sucked up, but won't swallow up all the small pieces.
• use Alka-Seltzer tablets to clean your drains.  Crumble up 2 tablets and then pour 1 cup of vinegar down the drain.  After 20 minutes, flush the drain with hot water.
• dip your dry markers in vinegar for 10 seconds and then let them sit for 10 minutes before using. 
• use a pencil eraser to clean your jewelry.
• use cooking oil and salt to remove water rings from wood surfaces. Use 1tsp. salt and a few drops of oil to make a paste and gently rub into the stain, wait 20 minutes and wipe away.
• wrap your cheese in foil to make it last longer.
• fix a scratched DVD by spraying furniture polish onto the mirrored side and gently wipe it off with a soft cloth (like the one used to clean your glasses).

I have tried these and they work for me but I cannot guarantee if they will for you, if you know what I mean!

Just within your reach...

Ever wonder where all of those missing puzzle pieces, Polly Pocket accessories, plastic animals, and game pieces went???? Well, just reach into your couch, really reach in.  Not just lift up the cushions and pull out the 2.89$ that lies under the cushions... Reach down into the depths of the couch, between the back and the springs....that little valley of space holds some real deep treasures.  I found all sorts of things and that is not even including all the stray goldfish crackers, cheerios, and misc. crumbs.  It was an AH HA! moment.

Today's Ten

Being at home all day with my kids allows me to notice how gross things can get around the house.  For example, I noticed how scummy the bath toys can get, when I walked by the bathroom and found the 2 year old trying to suck the water out of the little holes in the toys made for squirting your mother or father while they bathe you.  Many times I have thrown everything in the dishwasher to clean them or soaked them in diluted javel (and then rinsed them), but as I gagged at what she was doing, harsher measures were needed.  A soap scum/mildew build-up could be seen on some toys that were no longer in circulation, so I hauled them all over to the sink, filled it up with straight vinegar, and squeezed the vinegar into them all and left them to soak.  After about an hour, I squeezed out all of the vinegar (and watched the grime be spit out...eww) and refilled them again.  I did this a couple of times and then threw them all in the dishwasher for a final cleansing, dried them out overnight, and then voila! - very clean! Then, my kids found them and brought them all back into the bath tonight...*sigh*.