Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Carseats & Backward Headrests

I know, a strange title for a blog post, but you'll understand...

When installing kids' carseats into my van when I first got it, I found I had to remove the headrest from the bench in order to get the carseat to fit in properly. Then I made a discovery (out of fear of losing said headrests that were removed): the carseat will fit just fine if you take the headrest all the way out, then put it in backwards and slide it all the way flush with the top of the seat. Carseat fits and the headrest is much less likely to get lost. :)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Road Trip!

We go on road trips a LOT - mostly since it is cheaper than flying. Every road trip requires munchies: little treats and snacks to keep the kids (and grown-ups) happy for hours at a time. This time around I packed my road trip munchies in individual sandwich baggies. I packed each baggie half-full, then pushed out all the air and sealed it. I wrapped the baggie around itself, then stood each baggie on end in a plastic bin with a lid. That way, you can see all the munchie options at a glance. Because the baggie is only half full, it cuts down on spills and messes. The lid keeps it tidy when not in use.

I've come up with a few rules for such munchies:

1. All munchies must be bite-sized (to cut down on crumbs).
2. All munchies must be non-melting.
3. All munchies must be non-sticky.
4. Some munchies (if not a majority) must be fresh fruit/veggies.
5. No candy whatsoever. (Can be purchased at a gas station as a reward, but not packed into the car to begin with.)

I also decided to take water bottles instead of soda this time around. I purchased those little packets of individual sugar-free flavors to add to the water bottles, but all choices were non-brightly-colored (such as apple, orange, and lemonade - forgo cranberry, fruit punch, and grape as they will surely stain clothing and/or car upholstery should they spill). The kids get sippy cups or sport cups to be refilled in the car on the road.

Other road trip necessities:

  • roll of small garbage bags
  • roll of paper towels
  • container of baby wipes
  • hand sanitizer
  • extra set of clothing + blanket, favorite stuffed animal, diapers + wipes for babies/toddlers
  • DVD player + movies
  • books on CD or kids' music CD's
  • coloring books, colored pencils (not crayons - they melt!)
  • learning workbooks for older kids (math, spelling, etc)
  • favorite small toys - but none with small pieces
  • pillows, light blankets
  • jackets (in case the weather is bad)
  • first aid kit
  • cell phone + charger
  • jug of water, in case car over-heats
  • Ball, Frisbee, or jumprope (something that helps the kids quickly use up a lot of energy at rest stops) [Thanks, Denise!]
  • Kid-friendly map for older kids with the route highlighted so they don't have to keep asking if we're almost there yet [Thanks, Denise!]

What else do you include when you go on road trips???

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Smooth Legs

Did you know that hair conditioner makes an EXCELLENT medium for shaving? No kidding! Any kind of hair conditioner, spread generously on your legs, makes for a close, smooth shave without niks and cuts. Give it a try. I promise you won't be disappointed. I've actually switched from using any type of "shaving cream" to using conditioner exclusively. I like it better. :)

Sprucing Up the View

We live in a basement apartment. The "view" (if you can actually call it that) is anything but interesting. I attempted to do a little gardening - which I love - in one of our empty window wells and improve the view from our living room window...

BEFORE: Dirty window, almost un-transparent & yucky window screen, gravel & an empty hole to look at...



AFTER: Sparkling window, new-looking squeaky-clean window screen, a little bit of spring with more to come. I took window box planters and filled them with a few flowers from the nursery and seeds to fill in the empty spaces as they grow.

Air Drying the Space-Saver Way

We recently purchased a couch from Ikea. We love our couch because the cushion covers are removable and machine washable. They are not, however, machine dry-able. They have to air dry or they'll shrink. About once a month, I unzip all the cushion covers, take them off the pillows, rezip them, and wash them. There are eleven, which makes it difficult to find a place to let them all air dry. I took plastic hangers and zipped all but the hook inside the cushion cover and hung them up on my shower curtain rod. There's plenty of room for them to each air-dry, and I get sparkling clean couch cushion covers (at least for a few minutes till my sticky-fingered toddler gets anywhere near them...). Happy drying!!!

Steaming Out the Wrinkles

I was walking through Lowe's the other day when I saw the fancy new dryers that have the ability to steam wrinkles out of your clothes. [LG Steam Washer & Dryer pictured.] They claim to take wrinkles out of your clothes, but cost a pretty penny. I can do the same thing without spending an-arm-and-a-leg on a dryer...

Take a clean washcloth and get it wet. Ring it out gently (you want it wet, just not dripping). Toss the washcloth and your wrinkled item into the dryer, turn it on the regular drying cycle (mine has a sensor dry that I like to use) and leave it in there for 10 minutes or so. The washcloth will steam out the wrinkles in your clothing. When it's done, you can put the washcloth back in the drawer. :) Hang the item up right away so it doesn't re-wrinkle while it cools.

I don't claim in any way that this process will remove all wrinkles from all fabrics, but it's a great way to freshen up your clothing during your shower in the morning - all without the time and effort of getting out the iron and ironing board.

Consolidating Cookbooks

I always found myself having to sift through my 30+ cookbooks to find "that one ____ recipe" that I was looking for. I finally went through each of my cookbooks and typed up my favorite recipes into a Word document that I saved on my computer in categories such as veggies, main dishes, and desserts. Each category is its own document, which makes it easier to add more recipes to it later. I slip them into clear plastic sheet protectors and snap them into a cute binder. I found dividers with pockets in them to hold recipes I find in magazines, newspapers, etc that I want to add to my printed pages later. This is the cookbook I keep in my kitchen. I threw out the cookbooks that I know I just won't ever use. The others (since they're the cookbooks I always look through to find a new recipe) I keep in my "library" bookshelf in another part of the house. No more searching through a stack of cookbooks to find a single recipe! :)

Eating Leftovers - Really!

Purchase "sandwich-size" square plastic storage containers with lids at the store. They are approximately 5 inches square and 1.5 inches deep. Use these containers to hold single servings of leftovers.

For instance, instead of putting all the leftover pasta in one bowl and the leftover sauce in another, put them together in single-serving-size portions into these square containers (see picture below for an example). Use masking tape (easy to remove later) and a sharpie marker to put a "last day to use" date on them. These can then be grabbed by the hubby on his way out the door to work in the morning, or by hungry kids who are tired of PB&J. Because they're clear, it's easy to see what is in them.

At our house, we have a "Leftovers Night" each week. With leftovers seperated into single serving-size containers, everyone can grab their own and heat it in its own container. Less dishes, less mess, and a much greater chance that leftovers will get eaten! :)

When leftovers are near their "last day to use" date and you don't anticipate using them before they "expire," you can toss these containers into the freezer. Just be sure to heat them all the way thru. No food gone to waste! I've also used this method with chicken breasts, along with rice and veggies in the same container. The vast majority of leftovers can be stored using this method, and will help eliminate food waste and save money!

For safety's sake, refer to the information below from WhatsCookingAmerica.com on using leftovers safely:

Storing Leftovers

All cooked foods should be reheated to 165° F, refrigerated, or frozen within 2 hours after cooking. In hot weather, that time limit is only 1 hour. Remember that the "safe" period starts after the food is cooked. It includes the time that the food sits before being served and the time it sits on the table while the meal is being eaten. This period lasts until the food is actually in the refrigerator or freezer.

Remember to wash your hands with soap and water before handling any cooked food, especially food you store to eat later. Use clean utensils to handle the food, and store it in clean containers. Do not put food back into the same container it was in before it was cooked, unless you have carefully cleaned the container with soap and water. Do not place food on a counter or cutting board before refrigerating or freezing, unless you have carefully cleaned the surface beforehand.

You should place foods to be refrigerated or frozen in small, shallow containers, 3 inches tall or less, and cover them completely. Don't stack these containers right next to other containers, but leave some air space around them. By using shallow containers and by leaving air space around the containers you can promote rapid, even cooling of the food. When you refrigerate or freeze cooked food in a large, deep container, the food in the center of the container remains warm for a longer time. Dangerous bacteria may grow in this warm spot without making the food look or smell bad. If you eat this food later, you may get food poisoning.

Never taste leftovers that are of questionable age or safety. As a general rule, never keep leftovers for more than 4 days.

Remember to remove the stuffing from cooked poultry and refrigerate or freeze it separately. You should do this because the stuffing in the center of the bird can stay warm long enough for food poisoning bacteria to grow. By removing the stuffing and placing it in its own container, you allow it to cool more rapidly.

If you date leftovers before refrigerating them, this can help you ensure they don't remain in your refrigerator too long.

When leftover foods are reheated, make sure you heat them completely. Leftovers that are merely "warmed" and not heated throughout are much more likely to cause food poisoning. Cover any leftover sauces, soups, gravies, and other "wet" foods, and heat them to a rolling boil before they are served. Heat all other foods to 165° F throughout. Be sure to stir foods while you reheat them, to ensure that all the food reaches the appropriate temperature.

Throwing Away Leftovers

When leftovers have been in the refrigerator too long or if they look or smell unusual, throw them out! Anytime you are in doubt about the freshness or safety of any food, dispose of it. This is especially important for leftover foods. Dispose of any potentially unsafe food in a garbage disposal or a tightly wrapped package, so that it cannot be eaten by other people or animals.

If you follow these suggestions for handling leftover foods safely, you will improve the safety of your family's food. Food poisoning is a preventable tragedy, and you can prevent it by following these simple guidelines for handling leftovers safely.

Out of Liquid Fabric Softener???

In a pinch, you can use 1/3-1/2 C. white vinegar in place of liquid fabric softener (the amount depends on the size of your wash load). You just put it in your fabric softener dispenser along with enough water to fill it. Your clothes won't come out of the dryer smelling like vinegar - in fact, they don't even come out of the washer smelling like vinegar. Your clothes won't be as soft as if you'd used regular liquid fabric softener, but it is better than nothing in a pinch and will keep static under control.

Introductions...

I've started this blog to share clever ideas for household management. Many of these are my own ideas, but I'm thrilled to share others' ideas here as well. If you have an idea you'd like to share or a question you'd like me to try and tackle, please email me at cleverhomemaking (at) gmail (dot) com.