Home decor gift ideas under $30

When the sky is the limit, there are an amazing number of home decor items that you can purchase. Most of us, however, have a budget. $30 is a perfect amount to spend for a housewarming gift or for a shower gift for someone who isn’t particularly close to you. With $30 you can find a plethora of budget home decor gift ideas.

If you are going to shop at a major department store or home decor outlet, you are not going to get very much for your $30. If you must stick to your budget then you will need to be creative.

Luckily for everyone who is budget conscious, there are stores like Home Goods, Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Stein Mart and Costco just to name a few. Everyone loves a bargain and at any of these retailers you will be able to spend $30 but get a lot more for your money.

Crystal Vase

A crystal vase can fit into any style of home decor. They can be quite intricate or very modern and simple. You can choose to go with clear crystal or if you are sure about the color scheme of the people or person you are buying the gift for, then colored glass or crystal can be a beautiful choice. If you are bringing the gift to the recipient’s home you may want to fill it with flowers from your garden. This is a useful as well as a beautiful gift.

A throw

It is very easy to find a great throw for less than $30. Chenille is a lovely material for a throw; it is soft and warm at the same time. Throws also come in a wide variety of colors from neutral to the most vibrant colors. If there are children in the home where the gift is going, be sure to check the tags to make certain that it is machine washable. A throw can be used on a chair or sofa or across the foot of a bed.

Picture frame

A picture frame is a gift that anyone can use. The only decisions you will need to make is the size and the material. They can be found in crystal, in chrome, in wood and in ceramic. With your $30 budget,you should be able to get not only one frame but perhaps several. You might even want to include a favorite photo or a watercolor.

Candles

You might not always consider candles home decor but the scent of a burning candle or even just an open one will be a welcome addition to any room. You can get jar candles or you can get a simple set of candlesticks and then get scented tapers.

Antique stores and malls often have great deals on candlesticks. They may not be a hundred years old but there are tons of depression glass ones available in a wide variety of colors.

These are just a few budget home decor gift choices. While you are browsing around any of the above-mentioned stores you will see lots of other home decor items that may be the perfect gift and most of them will be under $30.

Household uses for baking soda

Baking soda is a very popular item in most homes. Not only is it a staple for most home bakers, but it also provides double duty as a cleaning aid. Baking soda has been used as a cleaner for years, but it is getting more popular all the time due to the fact that not only is it a green way to clean, it is also inexpensive. Being good for the environment and your wallet is a winning combination.

Stains on wood furniture

Have you ever left a glass on a wood surface and left a ring? This has happened to most people at one time or another. Are you thinking that you need to have the piece of furniture refinished? Maybe not, depending on how deep the stain is. Take some regular white toothpaste and make a thick paste with some baking soda. Rub it gently into the stain. It may take a while, and it may take more paste, but chances are you are going to see the ring fade and eventually disappear.

Clean the bowl

In the bathroom, hard water is the enemy of a clean bowl. It often requires a lot of scrubbing if it is allowed to make a brown ring in the bowl. To avoid this, place a cup of baking soda in the bowl every week when you do the regular cleaning. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then spray with white vinegar and brush. You will be totally non-toxic in your cleaning and it is effective as well. This is especially nice if you have pets who like to use the bowl as a drinking bowl.

Skip the cleanser

When it comes to cleaning in your kitchen, baking soda can take the place of cleaners like Comet. If you have a stain on your counter top, sink, appliances or cutting board, a sprinkle of baking soda, a little water and a lot of elbow grease will remove just about any stain. If a stain is stubborn, make a paste and apply and let sit before scrubbing again.

Clean the air

One of the most popular uses for baking soda is as an air cleaner. A box can be placed in the refrigerator to tackle any offensive smells that may arise. To keep the carpets in your home smelling sweet, sprinkling some baking soda and allow to absorb a little before you vacuum. Another great use is in the litter box; a sprinkle a day will keep anyone from knowing that you have a cat or cats.

In the laundry

Baking soda is also very helpful in the laundry. Not only can it be used as a stain remover in a pre-soak, it will help to freshen the clothes as well.

These are just a few of the many uses of baking soda around the house. Additionally, it can help as an antacid if you have indigestion and can whiten your teeth and freshen your breath. All this on top of its use as a leavening agent in your baking.

Affordable ways to keep your home warm

Keeping your home warm this winter can be a very expensive proposition. Fuel prices have come down but are still high and have gotten to the point where some people are having to choose between being warm and being fed. It doesn’t have to come to that. Here are a few things you can do to help.

Keep the cold out

One of the most important things that you can do to keep your house warm is to keep the cold out. What that means is checking the insulation that you have to be sure that you have the recommended amount. This can be in the attic, between the walls and even under the floors. It is relatively inexpensive to add additional insulation and the rewards are substantial.

Another place where the cold can be entering is around the windows and doors. Windows can be enclosed with a plastic seal. These can be applied with a hairdryer or with tape and are temporary. They can easily be removed in the spring.

Additionally, caulking and weather stripping are great ways to keep the cold out and the heat in this winter. The cost to do this is minimal. Look for any place in your home including vents, where the cold can enter and the heat escape.

Compare prices

The majority of people use oil, gas or electricity to heat their home. The price differences between these different fuels can be quite substantial. Do some comparison shopping. Check not only the current price of the fuel you are using but the historic prices over the last five years. Once you have done that, comparison shop. Not all dealers charge the same price.

Some offer discounts to selected groups, consider joining in with one of these groups to get their group rate. Also if you are using electricity, check the rates among the different suppliers, there are some that are considerably cheaper than others. You do have the right to get your power from the cheapest provider. Don't hesitate to ask your fuel dealer if they offer any discounts, it could save you money.

Alternative fuel

If you own your own home, you have more options than if you rent a home or apartment. Depending on where you live, the price of burning  coal or wood can be a real bargain and offers plenty of warmth. This will require that you have a stove or fireplace to use to burn the fuel and of course a chimney to get rid of the smoke. It is more work as the fires have to be tended regularly. You also need a place to store the coal and the wood needs to be cut and stacked. It can be hooked into your entire system and even heat your water for showers and baths.

It is possible to get free wood, it requires a little more effort but when people or cities and states are clearing areas they often give away the wood. Tell everyone you know that you are willing to clear away any free wood and who knows you may have more free fuel than you can even use.

If you are not using propane, a propane heater that attaches to your wall can be a much less expensive way to heat your home than conventional fuel oil. There is a minimal amount of installation required. Space heaters can also allow you to turn the heat low in areas you are not using and heat the areas where you are with the heater.

Geothermal

Geothermal heating requires upfront expense. There is no avoiding the price of installing the system but there are tax credits  you can take on your income tax. Once you have installed the system it could save you as much as 50 percent off of what you are currently spending. It is a very green and affordable way to heat your home.

These are just a few of the affordable ways you can heat your home this winter. In the present economy, many people are willing to put more effort into getting and keeping their homes warm.

Additional information:

Insulation

Christmas shopping on a budget

Christmas shopping on a budget can be a challenge, but it is a challenge that can be easily overcome. With some determination and a plan, you can come out on top every year.

The first thing you need to do is to make a list of everyone with whom you must or want to exchange gifts. Don't forget any gifts that you might give to your hairdresser, paper delivery person, dog groomer etc. Now next to each name write a monetary amount that you would not want to exceed.

Add all the figures together and you have the worst-case scenario budget. Did I mention you should be doing this list in January? This is the best time to start your hunt for the best bargains on the items that you want.

Don't get rid of the list, refer to it often and add ideas you may think of for gifts for the people on the list. As the January sales start, you may be able to grab some fantastic bargains. Be sure that when you get some of the gifts for the people on your list, you write them on the list and show how much you have spent of your budgeted money. 

For example, you may want to spend $25 on your father. You know he likes good quality flannel shirts. In January or February, you might find him one that sold originally for $25 but is now reduced to $10.99. Don't give in to the temptation to buy him two, you only intended to buy one. You have now saved $14.01 off your projected budget. 

The most important part of the early shopping plan is that you must keep good records of what you purchased and what you spent. There is nothing worse than going to wrap your gifts and finding out that you purchased two gifts for one of your fellow office workers.

By the time Black Friday rolls around you should have your Christmas shopping well in hand and be able to go out into the jungle that is the stores that day and be very selective in which bargains you are going to be hunting for.

My second suggestion is to use eBay and Amazon to find hard to locate gifts. It may be that a friend is a book collector and is looking for a particular book that is out of print. This is the best way to find some of these items. If you know someone collects glass or aluminum or just about anything, you can be on the lookout all year. Bargains abound and with small items, the dealers don't have to maintain a store overhead so the prices are reflective of that.

Thirdly, if you are a wonderful baker or love to crochet, handmade gifts, especially for special people, can be more meaningful than anything that you could buy in the store and are a lot less expensive.

Making a scarf for your grandmother or granddaughter can be a gift that they will cherish for years. A busy mother or working woman who doesn't have time to bake will love getting homemade sweet bread or Christmas cookies to serve at her holiday events.

Having a Christmas shopping budget is the best way to have a stress-free holiday. You can do your purchasing throughout the year and use cash. This way when you wake up on New Year's Day you won't have that feeling of dread that people who have overspent and used credit cards will be feeling.

There is one other option for those who enjoy the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. The crowds, the decorations the smell of Christmas in the air. Use step one, then stop by your local bank or credit union, and open a Christmas Club. 

You can make weekly payments and at the end of November, they will send you a check to finance your Christmas shopping extravaganza and yet again, you won't wake up with debt and spending beyond your means hanging over you in the New Year.

The true meaning of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is about more than turkey and football. It is a chance for families to reconnect. It is the one non-religious holiday that can be pretty much universally celebrated no matter what religious tradition you follow. On Thanksgiving Day we are not Christians, Jews or Muslims, we are Americans. At the same time, it is not a patriotic holiday. It is not a day that celebrates the triumph of one country over another or war or a battle of any kind.

Thanksgiving celebrates the survival of a brave people over the elements. The best part of this piece of history is the cooperation of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. It was a short-lived alliance but an alliance it was and for that one day in that one year, they celebrated the fact that together they had conquered the cold and hunger and survived to begin the planting and growing that made the feast possible.

Thanksgiving celebrations in many families are very much like this first Thanksgiving. Members who don’t always agree, come together to share a meal and for this one day hopefully put aside their differences. Some families have their celebrations in a hotel, where the meal is provided for them and they can just concentrate on catching up on all the changes since last Thanksgiving.

Some families gather at grandma’s house to revel in the family traditions. These may involve baking pies together or it may involve all the different members bringing dishes to share. Depending on the ethnicity of the family, this may be traditional American food or it may be a time to enjoy the traditional food of the motherland.

One thing that makes Thanksgiving so special is that while turkey and stuffing are traditional, even the stuffing isn’t traditional from one family to another. It is just the type of holiday that encourages families to develop their own traditions. The stuffing of the north is the dressing of the south. It can be chestnut, giblets, oysters or just bread.

In times like these when there is a lot of unemployment and people don’t know where their next meal is coming from, more and more people will make Thanksgiving about giving to those who have less than they do. Their family tradition involves serving food at the local soup kitchen. When the hungry have been fed then it is time to go home and gather at the family table.

For some people, Thanksgiving isn’t even about family. It may be that they have no family or that their family is far away. It may be a time to share a meal with friends. Most of all Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be about turkey and football. It can be about being grateful that you can afford to have a meal, that you have good friends or a loving family. Thanksgiving is a great time to take a good look at what you have and about sharing with others.

Thanksgiving is here. You can decide what kind of Thanksgiving you want to have. If you decide that turkey and football need to be a part of it, that is fine. Thanksgiving is a day that offers you the choice of how you want to celebrate.

Holiday mantle decorating

In many homes, the fireplace is the focal point of the main living or family room. Decorating a fireplace mantel for the holidays is a great opportunity to showcase some favorite holiday traditions and decorations. I hope I will provide some holiday mantle decorating ideas that will help you to take advantage of this wonderful decoration showcase.

Thanksgiving

The holiday season begins with Thanksgiving. This is the season to bring out the fall colors. Fireplace mantels are the perfect place to use candle sticks. These can be heirlooms or they can be ultra-modern. There are candle sticks for tapers but you can also use a pillar candle. Some candles are scented which adds an addition touch to the overall décor.

The candle can have a fall flower ring or one made from acorns or pine cones. These can be homemade with things that you find in your yard during the fall. The center of the mantel is the perfect place for a vignette featuring pilgrims, pumpkins,and gourds, a horn of plenty or any other seasonal grouping. A swag is also a nice decorating feature, you can have one that sits across the whole mantel or it can drape in arches from the mantle.

Christmas/Hanukkah

It is hard to think of a fireplace mantel decorated for Christmas and not picture stockings that have been hung with care. Fresh greens are wonderful on a mantel but keep in mind that they have a shelf life especially if it is warm in the room and they will fall apart quite easily and may even become a fire hazard. Using artificial greens allows you to place your decorations up early and keep them up longer.

A table runner is a great choice on a mantel for the holidays. It sets the stage for the rest of your décor. If you are cool and modern you may like a blue velvet runner topped with clear glass containers filled with blue and silver balls. The runners can be made easily with material from your local fabric store. If you have special silver Christmas stocking hangers these can be placed as needed for the correct number of stockings needed for your family.

Have two sets of stockings, the ones you actually fill with goodies and the ones that you use to decorate. This color scheme without the Christmas stockings and with a menorah in the center will work for a Hanukkah mantle décor as well.

If you don’t hang stockings on your fireplace mantel, for a more religious touch a crèche can be the center of attraction. If you are a collector, which many people are, you may want to showcase your Christmas collection of music boxes, Santas, snowmen, carolers or any other seasonal collection that you may have. You can choose a gold, red or green runner for this decorating. Placing small glass bowls of mini glass ornaments will add a nice touch amid the collection.

If you have a small Christmas tree, it makes a great center piece for your mantel. It should be no more than 12 inches or so and can be traditional green or a more unusual color. This can be flanked with candles, mistletoe or some pretty poinsettias. Just about anything that is appropriate to the season will work. The mantel is a great place to show off all the Christmas cards you have received. They can be on a card rack, attached to the mantel or hung from a string with little red close pins.

Have fun with your fireplace mantel. It can be as simple or as formal as your lifestyle dictates. Use things you have and add a few new touches each year to keep if fresh.

What Black Friday means to me

If I am honest I will admit that for me, Black Friday is a very new phenomenon. I am one of those people who start Christmas shopping the day after Christmas. For years, all of my friends hated me because my shopping was complete by September. Not that I didn’t buy a few last minute gifts, I usually did but the rest were purchased and wrapped and ready to go before the first leaves of fall ever fell. It is just the way I am, I hate having tasks unfinished and hanging over me. Shopping for Christmas while enjoyable and something I put a great deal of thought into, was a burden and I wanted it done and over with.

Fast forward 30 years and my daughter is a mother of five boys and has a huge shopping list for Christmas. The two of us have started a tradition of tackling Black Friday together. We have also started the tradition of leaving home after all the clean-up is done on Thanksgiving Day and either heading for Cape Cod or to our lake home in Pennsylvania. We have spent many years at a resort on the Cape where the boys can enjoy the indoor pool with their father and grandfather and my daughter Kasey and I can head off to the Mall or to downtown Falmouth for some serious shopping.

At the lake house, there is a mall about 12 miles away and that is the only time we ever did anything crazy. We decided that it sounded like a good idea to get up at 4 a.m. and head to Kohl’s. This was one of the first years that stores decided to open this early. By the time we got there the entire parking lot was already filled with cars and we had to park someplace else. When we got into the store we could not find a cart but we still walked around for an hour or so looking for the bargains. We had our arms full and decided it was time to check-out. The line to pay was ¾ of the way around the interior of the store. It would have taken an hour standing in line just to purchase a few well priced items.

We looked at each other and walked over to a convenient spot, dropped the items in our arms and walked out the door. We found the car and decided to head over to Panera to come up with a new plan. Over a cup of coffee and a bagel we decided to relax and wait until Marshall’s and TJMaxx opened and take a look around those stores.

We ended up going there at 7 a.m. and we were practically the only ones in the store. We had shopping carts which we proceeded to fill with well-priced items. There are no special sales at these stores just the usual good buys that they always have. We left with a vehicle filled with Christmas present and a great deal of new knowledge. Since that day, we have never been so crazy as to get up at 4 a.m. We have breakfast at home and then mosey up to the mall for leisurely shopping and lunch. Another year, we just strolled through the streets of Falmouth with all five boys in tow and enjoyed shopping for everyone but the kids. Much more enjoyable I have to say.

For me, Black Friday is a day to spend with my daughter and to relax and enjoy the holiday season. We decided to let others do the crazy middle of the night thing. If there are electronics we want to buy, we elect to shop on cyber Monday and have the gifts delivered. It has ended up allowing us to not only find good buys but to enjoy the kickoff of the holiday season a lot more.

How real are Black Friday deals

Traditionally Black Friday is the day that kicks off the holiday shopping season. Economists use the day after Thanksgiving as a barometer to measure just how successful this year’s holiday shopping season will be. Black Friday fliers and Black Friday deals abound but how real are they?

Retailers are counting on shoppers wanting to get a jump on the season and using this day off to begin their holiday shopping. Shoppers are on the hunt for the great deals and retailers hope to sell shoppers lots of big ticket items. No wonder it is called Black Friday. It can certainly put you in a black mood while putting the retailer's earnings into the black!!

Flyers come out early to entice you to get up at 3 a.m. and rush to your local stores hoping that you will be one of the shoppers who really makes a killing. Past experience has shown that retailers will have a limited number of any items that are offered at an almost unbelievable price and that you will have to be a superman or woman to get one of these items. Waiting in line for hours and fighting off the competition are to be expected. How bad you want one of these items will determine if it is worth it to you.

Before you go to these extremes, you might want to check online and compare the prices being offered by all the other retailers. Typically electronics are the items that will be offered at ridiculously low prices. Time is money and your time is worth something. You will have to decide if you are willing to give up a night of sleep and hours in line to possibly save a couple hundred dollars. You need to be an educated consumer to recognize if the items being offered are exactly what you want and if the savings are legitimate.

Most retailers will be offering sales all day on Black Friday. At the crack of dawn, there will be lines and huge crowds for the few particular items that are sharply discounted. Savvy shoppers are going to start their shopping on Black Friday at the off-price stores where the stock is discounted every day. You may find that you don’t even need to head into the more crowded stores. Outlet shopping is a good way to share in the Black Friday experience. This is only a good option if they haven’t been advertising any additional discounts. If they have you will find that crowds are just as huge there as everywhere else.

Black Friday has become a traditional shopping day across the United States. How real are the Black Friday deals? If you are willing to fight the crowd, push and shove then run in the door to try to grab one of the items you particularly want, having gotten up at 3 a.m.; then you may actually find a deal.

But, if you want to enjoy your shopping, find some good buys, get your holiday season off to a great start, then sleep in, go to the off-price stores and outlets, have a leisurely lunch and come home with your arms filled with packages and bags and your sanity intact. Who knows, you may even enjoy the holidays this year. Maybe for you, it won’t be a Black Friday at all.

Tips for Black Friday shopping

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has traditionally been the busiest shopping day of the year. Shopping on Black Friday is a challenge for some and a family tradition for others. Depending on what you are hoping to buy, it can also be exhausting, frustrating or a great opportunity to snag a bargain. In order to get the results that you want on Black Friday, you need to have a strategy.

Check online

Look out Cyber Monday, more and more retailers are offering online deals on Black Friday. With sales starting as early as 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, you can eat your meal, clean up the dishes, pack away the leftovers and do your shopping all before sitting down to watch your favorite holiday shows. It is almost too easy. If however, you want the shopping in the store experience, here are some tips to get that done efficiently.

Plan ahead

You can give yourself an advantage over the other shoppers on Black Friday by signing up to receive the sales flyers online. This will give you the sales early enough to be able to plan your strategy.

Be careful, though, the online sale brochures may not give you the hours for your local store, you will have to find that out yourself. If all else fails, call the store and ask them what their opening time is on Black Friday.

Know your prices

Everything is not at its lowest price on Black Friday. There will be a few select items that are greatly discounted and the retailers use these to get you into the store assuming rightly that while you are there, you will be tempted to buy other items which are not as discounted. You need to know what the normal price is and be sure that it is the same model when you are comparing the prices.

Have a plan

To maximize the amount of savings that you can grab on Black Friday, you need to have a plan. Making a chart is not a bad idea. Write down what time all the retailers open and what they are offering that you want to buy. Hopefully, all the stores are not opening at the same time otherwise, you will either have to divide and conquer or prioritize. You want to get the maximum savings, therefore you need to know where the items are that will save you the most money

Do a dry run

In order to be able to work quickly and efficiently on Black Friday, you need to know the layout of the stores you will be visiting. While they may not have the items out that you are looking for, you can at least identify where the correct department is in the store. If you will be shopping for a DVD player at Target, you need to know where the electronics department is in the store you will be going to. Don’t assume that all stores of a particular chain are set up the same, they aren’t. You can waste a lot of valuable time looking for the correct location in the store.

Dress correctly

This is not the time to worry about fashion. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. You will be walking quickly and in some cases even running so wearing spike heels is not a good idea. Dress for the weather, pack a sweater or rain coat just in case it is required.

Get some rest

Try to get as much rest the night before as possible. Everyone can be a little slow after a big turkey meal and a lot of family fun but you may need to get up as early as 2 or 3 a.m. so make sure you get as much sleep as possible. You have to be sharp to beat the other shoppers on Black Friday.

Have your information with you

If you have made a chart, bring it with you. If not, have the ads with the items you are looking for circled. It doesn’t do you much good to arrive at Best Buy at 3 a.m. and have no idea what it is you were going to buy. With a smartphone, you should be able to look up prices, sales, and information within seconds.

Black Friday does offer some great deals, it also offers some great challenges. By following these tips you should be able to organize your thoughts and your plans and that will greatly increase the chance that you will have a successful shopping day.

10 Ways to an eco-friendly home

Can you make a difference when it comes to helping our planet? Yes, you can. Here are ten ways that you can have an eco-friendly home and a greener life.

Recycle

It doesn't take any special talent or equipment to recycle. You just need to start looking at the garbage you create and make sure that it is dealt with in the appropriate manner. Cardboard, paper, glass and plastic all need to be recycled.

Compost

Instead of using the garbage or the disposal for your fruit and vegetable peals and cores, why not compost. This uses these pieces of what would be garbage to make fertilizer for your plants. It's a win-win, no garbage and great plants.

Save Water

You should have water saver faucets and toilets. Conservation is also part of being eco-friendly. It will lower your water bill as well. You can also stop buying bottled water and get a water filter for your faucet. This will save money and cut down on the amount of garbage created.

Save Energy

When it comes time to replace any of your appliances you will want to look for the energy star on your new appliances.

Buy Self-sustaining Products

Bamboo is a self-sustaining plant. It grows quickly and there is no danger of over-harvesting. It is good looking, durable and makes a very minimal impact on the environment. It is very well priced too so you can feel really good about your new floors and not spend a fortune doing it.

LED Lighting

Everyone has a lot of light bulbs in their homes. If you switch them all to LED not only will you save a lot of money but these bulbs last longer and gives off a lot less heat which during the summer can also save on the amount of energy you need to cool your home.

Green Cleaners

Switching from harsh cleaners to eco-friendly version helps to save the water in your area. When you use harsh chemicals it affects the bacteria in your septic tank as well as possible the ground water near your home. The less you run down your sink, the better.

Chemical Free Paint

One of the eco-friendly things you can do for your family is to paint your home with chemical free paint. Several companies have come out with paint that will not add to the topic fumes that are produced by all the other materials in your home such as carpets.

Re-Use

When you need something for your house, instead of buying something new, consider purchasing something second hand. It doesn't have to be an antique, you can just go to a tag sale or an auction and find a slightly used version of what you want. It saves something from the garbage heap and who knows you may even have saved a tree.

Use A Power Strip

If you have a lot of items that have a remote start, place them on a power strip so that you can turn it all off with one flick of a switch. While you are at it, just unplug anything that doesn't need to be plugged in all the time.

We can all do our share to help make our world a better place, one eco-friendly home at a time.

Let's organize your freezer

When it comes to organizing your freezer efficiently, there are several things to consider. First of all, what type of freezer do you own? Is it a chest freezer, an upright or connected to your refrigerator? A chest or a free-standing upright freezer will be much larger than a freezer that is located either side by side or above or below your refrigerator.

Shelf life

One of the most important considerations in the organization of your freezer is shelf life. Not all frozen foods have the same shelf life. Things that need to be used sooner, should be stored in the easiest place to reach. It is a big help with organization if all items are marked with the date that they are placed in the freezer. Permanent markers are perfect for this, and items can be bagged and marked or wrapped and marked. Who hasn't looked at a piece of meat and tried to figure out if it is still safe to eat? Dating items cuts down on waste.

Food group

Another good way to organize a freezer is by food group. Place the meat on one shelf, vegetables on another and so forth. No one wants to have to sort through endless bags of spinach when what you really want to find is a steak. This is another case where using a magic marker to identify items is helpful. When items are frozen, it is often difficult to tell exactly what you are looking at. Your recipe may call for chicken thighs and you find out you have thawed out chicken breasts. Frustration can be avoided with a little bit of advance planning and organization.

Organize by Shape 

There are some items that you will be storing in your freezer that just scream to be laid flat on a shelf. When frozen foods are sealed and boxed, it is often easier to forget rule one and two and just pile items that are of a similar size together. This can work and does work for things like frozen waffles, pancakes and the like which have a fairly long shelf life because of how they are packaged.

Reserve the door storage for things you will want to use quickly, such as ice cream and that extra pound of butter that you bought because it was on sale. This might also be the spot for your boo-boo bunny and the thermal packs for your cooler.

A neat, efficient and well-organized freezer is no easy task. Between adding, removing and foraging family members it is easy to lose control and efficiency. Before it gets too far out of control, make organization a part of your regular weekly cleaning in the kitchen.  

Teflon cookware makes clean-up easier

Are you like most people, do you love to cook but dread to clean up after? Have you tried to convince your husband/wife or partner that they should do all the clean-up if you do all the cooking? Not having much success? You are not alone. Most people have better things to do with their time than scrubbing pots and pans. Teflon cookware makes clean-up easier. 

You have to make a choice, either you can spend your time cleaning or you can just go with non-stick. You can try good stainless steel pans with copper bottoms. Within a short time, you may have copper bottoms that look more black than copper. How to get, and keep them clean is the problem.

One option is to move away from the copper bottoms to just stainless steel and with plenty of butter or shortening they are relatively non-stick, if you keep a close eye on them. However, if you make a mistake and burn something in the pan it can be very difficult to remove the black burn from the pan bottom. It involves a lot of elbow grease and scraping and some sort of cleansing agent.

How has Teflon changed people’s lives? In the early days clean-up was easy at least for the first few months. Then invariably someone would forget to use only plastic utensils and what followed was a big scratch. Shortly the big scratch would begin to peel and now you need to buy a new pan or else you will poison the family.

That was then, this is now. There is a new generation of Teflon. So what if you use a metal flipper, you can laugh when you use you metal whip in the pan. Nothing happens. No scratches, no peeling and best of all no sticking. These are pieces of cookware that you can use and love, every day of the week.

This is not to say that you will never own a stainless steel pan. Everyone needs a large stock pot, a roasting pan or other pieces of stainless. When it comes to deep frying or boiling large pots of pasta, stainless steel can work very well. One thing that stainless steel has going for it is that it is offered in many more options than non-stick is. It is much easier to find a nice stainless steel double boiler then it is to find one with Teflon. For most of us, our kitchens will include a combination of both stainless and non-stick pots and pans.

Will you replace the stainless ones with non-stick? The answer is yes if it is possible to find the equivalent. It really is all about the ease of cleaning and the fact that we are all looking for ways to get out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. As more and more pieces of Teflon cookware become available, we will soon be stainless steel free and enjoying the extra time with our families and friends.

Making housework less of a chore

Do you love to do housework? If your answer is a resounding no, you are not alone. Housework is boring, repetitious and never ending. No sooner do you finish and it is time to start again. You can just give up on it and learn to live in chaos or you can make a plan that will allow you to work faster and more efficiently and allow you more time for the things you really enjoy doing.  Here are some tips for making housework less of a chore. 

Be a minimalist. The less you have, the less you have to clean and the less you have to move in order to clean. Less is better is a great philosophy. Take a look at your kitchen, are your counters cluttered? Is your mail out of control? Is your laundry piling up? Simplify, get rid of anything that you don’t need or haven’t used in a year. Go basic, it will make your life much easier and your house much cleaner.

Organize

Have your supplies all together and in a handy location. A large apron with multiple pockets works or a carrying tray. Have one in each bathroom and one in the kitchen. You just grab it and your supplies are right there, whatever sprays you need for the rooms you are going to tackle and the cloths or paper towels. Then have a place for everything and have everything in its place.

Convenient

Have a vacuum cleaner on every floor of your house. Have your main machine on the living room level, it services the kitchen, living room, and dining room. Have another bagless vac on any other floor that you have. This way you don’t have to lug the machine up and down stairs every time you want to vacuum.

The next two tips were given to this author by one of her friends who has her own housekeeping business and she is eternally grateful.

Mr. Clean Erasers

If you haven’t tried the Mr. Clean Erasers you are really missing out on a great cleaning tool. They are not organic but they aren’t though they are not toxic to pets. It is absolutely the best thing you will ever try for taking scuffs off of any surface. It also melts the scum on the shower door in a flash. Carrying one around to take marks off your walls, doors, woodwork and it is great on any stain on laminate counter tops.

Swiffer Dusters

The Swiffer Dusters are also amazing. Purchase one with the long handle and then two or three with short handles, again for each floor. They hold the dust and will grab webs off of ceilings even very tall ones. When they are dirty, throw them away and start with a fresh one.

Microfiber Mop

Another favorite tool of mine is a floor mop that has a head that Velcro’s on. The head is made of microfiber and it can be used dry or wet. Wet it is amazing. You just get it wet in the sink, wring and start mopping your kitchen floor. Take it back to the sink when it is dirty, rinse it, wring it out stick it back on and go back to work.

For any messy spots,  I spray them with Simply Green and let them sit a bit then mop. When you are finished you just clean the head in the sink and let it dry or you can just throw it in the washing machine. It makes daily mopping quick and easy and it only takes a few minutes to clean and store the mop with no wet head to worry about.

Cut the Clutter

Clutter isn’t dirt but it is messy and it takes up a lot of space. Dig into yours a little at a time, every day and in no time at all, it will be a thing of the past. Deal with your mail as soon as it comes into the house. File the bills and things that need to be dealt with and trash the rest, don’t let it accumulate.

Schedule

Assign each room to a day of the week. On that day give that room a half hour of your time. Vacuum, dust , straighten up any little messes and put things in their proper place. Half the battle is having a place for everything and then getting things into those places.

Rules

Set ground rules for children’s toys, outerwear, books, shoes and cups and plates. If everything has to be in its proper place before you go to bed at night you will begin each day in a good place. When cooking, whatever you take out, put back as soon as you are done using it. This cuts down a lot on the amount of time you need to spend after each meal cleaning up. If possible when cooking try to cook more than one meal, this way you get a few meals with very little clean up after.

Bi-yearly

Twice a year set aside a weekend for some of the big jobs. Doing the windows inside and out, re-lining your cupboards, cleaning the linen closet, throwing out all the outdated medicine and food in the house and putting a fresh coat of shine on wood floors and stairways.

Have the equipment you need

If you have carpets invest in a steam cleaner. Invest in quality vacuum cleaners. Whatever will make cleaner your hour easier and faster for you. I am a big fan of the Dyson cordless vacuum. It is powerful and light and easy to even lift over your head for those dusty ceiling corners.

Do large jobs in pieces

Cleaning the fridge can be a big job. Not so much if you do a shelf at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Dust one room today, another tomorrow. Use the time you have when there is a commercial, while dinner is cooking, while the children nap, or early in the morning before anyone else is up.

Housework is a necessary evil but it doesn’t have to take up your whole life. Making housework less of a chore will allow you to have more time for other things. Work often (for short periods), work fast and work smart and you will have a clean house and plenty of time of time left to do the things you enjoy.

Saving money on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating all the good things in our lives. It is a day of excesses and if you are not careful, it can be a real budget buster. You don’t need to overspend to have a wonderful Thanksgiving. The meal is the center of the day and it should be something that everyone enjoys. Here are a few tips to help you save money on the Thanksgiving meal.

The first thing to remember is that you are not in this alone. For most people, there will be guests. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with the food. If your guests are not great in the culinary department you can assign them to take care of things like condiments, bread or just making a monetary donation to the meal. Some people may not feel comfortable asking family and friends for financial help with the Thanksgiving meal but if it is going to put a financial strain on your budget, it is time to swallow your pride and let others chip in. You may be surprised at how understanding everyone is.

Create your menu

You can wait for the last minute to plan your side dishes to see what actually goes on sale but for many people, there are traditional dishes that they will have every year. Make a list of the items that you need to create your meal. You don’t have to get all the items in one shopping trip but if you keep the list and cross off the items that you purchase, you will stick to your menu and not go astray.

Start your planning early

By watching the sales in the weeks coming up to the holiday, it is easier to find the best deals. Any of the components of the meal that don’t have to be fresh, can and should be purchased ahead of time. These can include the ingredients for homemade pie crust or the frozen pie crusts already made. Try to match the sales with coupons. You can combine store sales and coupons with manufacturer’s coupons for double savings.

Have a plan

Don’t wait until the last minute and just start throwing things into your shopping cart. This is the sure way to overspend. Bring the list with you to the store and stick to that list as much as possible.

The largest purchase for Thanksgiving is the turkey. This is the one item that usually is definitely cheapest the closer you get to Thanksgiving. Don’t limit yourself to just one store. Check the sales flyers and the Internet for all the stores in your area. Comparing prices can save you a bundle. If you are really watching the pennies, go with a frozen turkey and the store brand is the most likely to be the lowest in price. If there is an off-price grocery store like Aldi’s in your area check out their prices. Often they are cheapest overall for not just the turkey but for many of the vegetables and other items you will need.

Keeping the cost of Thanksgiving under control takes a little more time and work. Use all the cost cutting strategies that you have at your disposal. Clip coupons, check the sales flyers and don’t fall victim to impulse shopping. These will all help you save money on your Thanksgiving meal.

Product-review: Kikkerland Hedgehog Dryer Buddies

My husband has Parkinson’s Disease. His was caused we believe, by exposure to a toxic chemical. This has made us very much more aware of all the toxins we have been using in our daily life. We have begun to use toxin-free cleaners around the house and in the laundry. Enter Kirkkerland Hedgehog Dryer Buddies.

I have been trying to get away from using dryer sheets which have lots of ingredients that are really not necessary. My first step was to buy some that use no toxic chemicals. While that addresses one issue, toxins, it is more expensive to use than regular bargain dryer sheets which create a whole other issue, the additional money spent. Thus Dryer Buddies seems to fit the bill nicely.

The packaging does not make any unrealistic claims it promises:

•    Softens fabric naturally
•    Controls dryer static
•    Hypoallergenic

I placed both Dryer Buddies into the dryer drum and then added a large load of dark clothes. I turned on the dryer and walked away. I returned when the buzzer told me that it was finished.

I was impressed with the fact that the clothes definitely felt soft and I could see that the socks were not stuck to any of the other clothes which are a pretty big deal. That is part of the static issue, especially in the winter time. The only issue I have had is that I found a pair of woman’s nylon and spandex panties stuck to a shirt. Since these types are particularly prone to static, I was not too surprised. 

They can get tangled into larger items. Last week when I was folding my sheets I found that one had become entangled within the sheet. I usually try to make sure that both of them are still at the bottom of the dryer when I finish removing the clothes.

Overall, I was very pleased with the job that the Dryer Buddies did. The initial cost was $8.00 and since they appear pretty indestructible, I can see them lasting for years. Best of all, there was no scent to bother anyone with allergies and they did what they promised to do. I feel as if it was $8 well spent. I chose the style that looks like a hedgehog. They are really quite cute and my little grandson Jack would like to play with them.

I purchased mine at a local specialty store, they are however available online directly from Kikkerland or on Amazon.com. They do come in several different animals besides the hedgehogs.

Decorating for Thanksgiving

 Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings together family and friends. Even though the main event, the meal, takes place in the dining room, guests spend more time in the living room than anywhere else. To keep with the spirit of the holiday, you can extend the Thanksgiving decorations to the other rooms in your home, including the living room.

Your front door may or may not be in your living room. Either way, you will want to decorate it with a festive fall themed wreath. Grapevines are a good fall choice, with seasonal fall leaves either artificial or dried. Chose a ribbon made of raffia in a fall hue, orange, brown or gold are all appropriate. If you are making it yourself, you can add acorns or small gourds.

Go into your yard and gather some pretty colored leaves, acorns and pine cones. These can be used in any type of glass or crystal bowl or compote that you may have. These can be placed on an end table or coffee table. If you decide you want to place them on your mantel, you may need to have more than one.

If you have a large picture or mirror on the wall in your living room, a garland made of fall colored leaves or flowers draped over the top makes an attractive fall statement. Keep it simple. Don’t do more than one of these, you want to create one dramatic focal point.

A cornucopia is a sign of Thanksgiving and of fall in general. You can use one as a tablescape in your living room. You can fill it with miniature gourds which come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The gourds may also be used in the crystal bowls or compotes.

Pilgrims were an important part of the original Thanksgiving and they certainly can be a part of your Thanksgiving living room décor. They come in a variety of sizes. Some can be hung on the walls and others are made to stand on a table or the mantle. Along with pilgrims, pumpkins that haven’t been carved into a jack-o-lantern, are very much a part of Thanksgiving.

To decorate and also to please all the children who will be visiting, fill a candy dish or bowl with seasonal M&M’s, candy corn or wrapped chocolate candy treats in Thanksgiving colors. If you are looking for a seasonal candy dish, consider getting a turkey dish.

Get out your Thanksgiving coasters to keep drinks off of your table. Fill a vase with seasonal fresh flowers and get your Thanksgiving throw and pillows on your couch.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to put out some seasonal decorations in your living room. These are just a few ideas to get you started. By going with the colors of fall, you are sure to create a warm and welcoming setting for your guest.