Tips to Make Life Easier

blueyedgirl5946 · Sep 30, 2010

I think a thread with tips to make life easier would be interesting. For the first tip, I will post what I recently learned about how to keep the shower curtain from getting mildew across the bottom. First you have to start with a clean curtain of course, Lay it flat or either after hanging it, coat the bottom of the curtain on the inside that will get wet with baby oil. Wipe it on for about four inches from the bottom of the curtain to the bottom. I read this somewhere and decided to try it. My curtain has been hanging there for a while now and it is still clean across the bottom. Now somebody else post a good tip to make my life easier.

nekomania · Sep 30, 2010

I hate looking for sheets and pillow cases that match so when I wash a set of sheets I always fold up the entire set and then store the whole thing in one of the matching pillow cases, that way everything is right there when I pull it off the shelf. This is something my grandma does and I always used to think it was silly until I got my own place.

Also I'm not very fond of the scent of bleach so I use peroxide to clean my counters in the kitchen. It cleans just as well and I don't feel overwhelmed/nauseated by the scent of bleach while I am cooking.

rockcat · Sep 30, 2010

Originally Posted by Nekomania

I hate looking for sheets and pillow cases that match so when I wash a set of sheets I always fold up the entire set and then store the whole thing in one of the matching pillow cases, that way everything is right there when I pull it off the shelf.

I love that idea!

This is just a little teeny tip:
When spritzing clothing while ironing I used to do only a section at a time. just yesterday I decided to spritz the whole shirt. It kept me from having to pick up and put down the spray bottle so many times.

starryeyedtiger · Sep 30, 2010

How to open a pickle jar:

I love kosher dill pickles...I recently bought a 1 gallon jar of them at Costco

(the tiny jars the grocery store sells just wasn't cutting it for me

) Anways, I could NOT for the life of me get the lid open! I tried everything- silicone trivets, hot water, cursing, praying, tapping the bottom of the glass jar, you name it....

I finally googled help online and found a tip that said to run the lid of the pickle jar under hot water for a good minute or two, then take a butter knife and run it under the rim of the lid and push out a tiny bit all of the way around- this creates an air pocket. Once you've done this, take a silicone trivet and then voila....opened jar lid and instant pickles!

(you may have to repeat running it under the hot water and going over the lid with a butter knife if the lid is stuck on there tightly, but normally one-2 tries is all you need!

stephanietx · Sep 30, 2010

Use baking soda to scrub your kitchen & bathroom sinks and bathtubs.

Use a 50-50 mixture of vinegar and water to clean mirrors and windows.

1 C blue Dawn
1 C vinegar
2 C water
Mix together in a spray bottle. Spray on shower walls and shower curtain after showering. As the water heats up for your next shower, it will rinse off and you'll have a sparkling shower wall and curtain with no soap scum.

cruiser · Sep 30, 2010

Stephanie i use straight vinegar to clean my windows,also a tsp of vinegar in the cats BIG water dish is good for there urinary tract.
We shampoo the dog and then mix half water and half vinegar to rinse,makes for a nice shiny coat,even if they do smell like a vinegar potato chip until they dry.

I don't have carpet anymore and instead of sweeping my place,i just run my vaccum thru the whole house,saves a lot of time and get ALL the dirt and dust.Good thread.If i think of more i will post them.
I looked some uses of vinegar up so if anyone wantsto ck it out.
Also good washing floors,so many uses.
http://www.squidoo.com/whitevinegar

stephanietx · Sep 30, 2010

I love to use vinegar and baking soda. Not only is it cheap, it's good for the environment and doesn't harm the kitties.

You can add 1 C of baking soda to your laundry and cut back the amount of laundry soap you use by half.

Instead of filling the liquid softener dispenser with Downy, use vinegar. It will make your clothes soft and it doesn't make them smell like vinegar.

Use tennis balls (or dryer balls if you want to be fancy) in your dryer instead of dryer sheets. Dryer sheets coat your clothes and dryer vent trap with an anti-static substance. The dryer balls keep your clothes and towels moving so the static doesn't build up.

gailuvscats · Sep 30, 2010

I make most of my cleaningproducts. No harsh chemicals, and very inexpensive. here's the link.
http://www.lesstoxicguide.ca/index.a...household#carp

blueyedgirl5946 · Sep 30, 2010

Originally Posted by stephanietx

I love to use vinegar and baking soda. Not only is it cheap, it's good for the environment and doesn't harm the kitties.

You can add 1 C of baking soda to your laundry and cut back the amount of laundry soap you use by half.

Instead of filling the liquid softener dispenser with Downy, use vinegar. It will make your clothes soft and it doesn't make them smell like vinegar.

Use tennis balls (or dryer balls if you want to be fancy) in your dryer instead of dryer sheets. Dryer sheets coat your clothes and dryer vent trap with an anti-static substance. The dryer balls keep your clothes and towels moving so the static doesn't build up.

My favorite use for vinegar is: Mix equal parts of honey and vinegar. At the first sign of cold or sore throat start taking it by the tablespoon. Take as often as you think about it during the day. Nine times out of ten, it will cure the cold or sore throat for me. I know it tastes bad, but I rather take it that get sick.

stephanietx · Sep 30, 2010

Oh! That reminds me! To soothe a sore throat and calm a cough, try this. It's not tasty, but it really does work.

1 T honey
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)

Mix into a mug of water and warm in microwave. Mix well and sip on until gone.

nekomania · Sep 30, 2010

Originally Posted by stephanietx

Dryer sheets coat your clothes and dryer vent trap with an anti-static substance.

I don't know if you are all aware of this either but that anti-static substance builds up on the lint trap as well which causes your heating element to go out sooner and can also cause your dryer to catch on fire.

If you like to use dryer sheets because they do smell nice, just make sure you wash the lint screen with hot soapy water every few months as it gets rid of that waxy buildup.

I wash mine once a month just to be safe.

natalie_ca · Sep 30, 2010

Or you can use the edge of the handle of a dinner knife and tap the edge of the lid on the jar in a few places, then simply turn the lid

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

How to open a pickle jar:

I love kosher dill pickles...I recently bought a 1 gallon jar of them at Costco

(the tiny jars the grocery store sells just wasn't cutting it for me

) Anways, I could NOT for the life of me get the lid open! I tried everything- silicone trivets, hot water, cursing, praying, tapping the bottom of the glass jar, you name it....

I finally googled help online and found a tip that said to run the lid of the pickle jar under hot water for a good minute or two, then take a butter knife and run it under the rim of the lid and push out a tiny bit all of the way around- this creates an air pocket. Once you've done this, take a silicone trivet and then voila....opened jar lid and instant pickles!

(you may have to repeat running it under the hot water and going over the lid with a butter knife if the lid is stuck on there tightly, but normally one-2 tries is all you need!

cococat · Sep 30, 2010

I am very into eating healthy, tons of vegetables, and make most all meals at home due to that. When we come home with groceries we start to prepare each to last longer and be easier to eat/cook. This takes awhile but really helps, boiling eggs, cleaning and washing and preparing produce, and so on. And many times when dinner is made enough is made so that leftovers can be eaten for lunch. I make two pots of homemade tea at once and store in the fridge. All this extra prep helps make my life easier during the week.

strange_wings · Sep 30, 2010

Originally Posted by cococat

I make two pots of homemade tea at once and store in the fridge.

You must not notice that day old tea taste terrible. I can't even drink it after it's been chilled in the fridge, even if it had plenty of time to cool down before.

I'm not really sure how most of the tips so far are tips. I thought these were common sense things everyone did... I suppose growing up without much that it all seems normal to me.

otto · Sep 30, 2010

In the winter I hang my clothes on hooks over the bathroom heater, they are nice and warm when I put them on. (the hooks are high enough so nothing touches the heater)

It also airs them out, so I do less laundry in winter. (back in the day people used to have "airing cupboards" attached to their stoves.)

cococat · Sep 30, 2010

Originally Posted by strange_wings

You must not notice that day old tea taste terrible. I can't even drink it after it's been chilled in the fridge, even if it had plenty of time to cool down before.

Don't notice one bit

I love ice cold tea with a slice of lime and/or lemon. Green tea or black, plain, no sugar. It really doesn't sit around long though, I forgot to mention my DH brings a massive container every morning instead of coffee for work, we go through a lot in one week.

strange_wings · Sep 30, 2010

Originally Posted by cococat

Don't notice one bit

I love ice cold tea with a slice of lime and/or lemon. Green tea or black, plain, no sugar. It really doesn't sit around long though, I forgot to mention my DH brings a massive container every morning instead of coffee for work, we go through a lot in one week.

My DH doesn't notice it, either, but than he eats nasty foods... He takes tea to work, too. Cheaper source of caffeine than soda and settles on the stomach better than coffee.

I'm a bit picky about tea, though. I take the ice tea brew tea bags and put them in plastic baggies after opening the box they come in because I can tell if the tea has slightly staled. You can taste the staled tea even in freshly brewed tea at many restaurants, too. So far only Sonic (at least the ones locally) have great sweet tea.

Primula · Oct 1, 2010

How to make life easier? Get divorced.

katiemae1277 · Oct 1, 2010

Originally Posted by Primula

How to make life easier? Get divorced.

That actually works tho

Primula · Oct 1, 2010

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

That actually works tho

I wouldn't know, I'm still stuck with my old man.

Tips to Make Life Easier

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