I’ve been thinking a lot about being greener over the last few weeks, since I’ve also started editing iVillage’s Green Channel. That’s one reason why these tips from Alison Shoemaker, owner of Alison Designs, seemed both timely and useful. Check out Allison’s tips for greening your home or office.
- Pitcher This. Keep a water pitcher near a faucet to conserve water when running the tap. Choose a pretty decorative glass or ceramic pitcher to add a personal design touch to the space, the same way a beautiful vase does in another room. Save the water in the pitcher for future use, such as watering house plants.
- Two in Every Room. Place an ornate waste basket in every room for recycling biodegradable items and another for non-biodegradable matter. The baskets can either be uniform or different in style. The key is to focus on getting creative with everyday household items, while helping to save the environment.
- The Zen of the Shoe Basket. Establish an area near the front entry where people can take their shoes off. Approximately 85% of dust, allergens and chemicals in the home are from shoe traffic. For a clean entry look, place the shoes in a low woven square basket with a lid. Maintaining a shoe-free space will prolong the flooring and also control the pollutants in the home.
- Rolling in Bamboo Sheets. Bamboo bedroom sheets are temperature controlling. This means they keep you cool when you are warm and warm when you are cool, allowing you to save on energy costs. Bamboo is one of the softest fabrics in the world and offers a drape-like silk look. It comes from a rapidly renewable resource and does not require pesticides to grow.
- Get Your Green Thumb On. Adding house plants to the home naturally cleanses the air of indoor toxins, while providing a green aesthetic look. House plants, such as Lady Palm, Peace Lily, and English Ivy, are known for their ease of growth and maintenance, removal of vapors, and resistance to insect manifestation.
I’m secretly, or not so secretly, coveting a cleaning service. It’s something that I’ve mentioned once or 1,000 times to my husband, without much response. It’s not that he doesn’t want me to have help, in fact he’s extremely supportive of the idea. It’s just that the same conversation about hiring someone to help out also inevitably involves a discussion of how much it’s going to cost, which then leads me to put the idea on hold because I can’t justify—to myself—paying someone to clean our tiny house. Of course, the flip side of this is that I’m tired of spending my Saturdays with a mop and dust rag.
So I ask you, who helps with your housework? Is it your cleaning service? Your husband? Your kids? Your Momtourage—the group of people in your life who help, support and motivate you when you need it? Whether you have a Momtourage or are in need of one, check out these organizing ideas and creative cleaning tips. Or share the story of whose in your Momtourage and be entered to win that housekeeping help that I’ve been wanting.
So I ask you, who helps with your housework? Is it your cleaning service? Your husband? Your kids? Your Momtourage—the group of people in your life who help, support and motivate you when you need it? Whether you have a Momtourage or are in need of one, check out these organizing ideas and creative cleaning tips. Or share the story of whose in your Momtourage and be entered to win that housekeeping help that I’ve been wanting.
A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine decided to have a “stoop sale.” I’m not sure if this is just a New York thing, but she’s got some great tips for how to clear out your stuff and make a little extra cash at the same time, no matter where you’re from.
Stoopin' It
By Alexis Finc
I have a confession. I own a lot of crap. I have clothes with tags still on them, more knick-knacks than your grandmother, and too many books to fit on my two full-wall bookshelves. You get the picture. But with a quickly approaching move date and an apartment bursting at its seams, I knew I had to do something drastic—and fast! What's a girl to do? Hold a stoop sale. (For non-city folks, think garage/yard sale, but on a sidewalk.) Two weeks later, my apartment was a bit cleaner and I was $230 richer. Not bad. And that clutter burden on my shoulder? Lifted. How did I do it? Here's my nitty gritty guide to making your sale successful:
Prep:
• Team Work. I was lucky that my best girlfriend, Jaymie, was in a similar boat. Not only could I advertise "multi-family" (a real eye catcher), but I wouldn't have to hang out on a sidewalk all day by myself.
• Location. While the day was no-brainer—Saturday is best but Sunday works as well—we had a hard time deciding where to hold it. My apartment was a little too out of the way, and we were relying on foot traffic. However, four blocks from my place was a cute park that was always packed on the weekends. I made a few phone calls (to city hall and the neighborhood association), and in a few hours we had the green light! Nothing is more important than a prime location.
• Sorting. It's hard to get rid of things, like those Chinese-inspired platforms that my mom gave me in 8th grade and I still haven't worn (sigh). But it was time to be ruthless. Sure, I kept a few things that I still hope to squeeze into one day, but for the most part, if it didn't fit or I hadn't worn it in over a year, it went into the sale box. The same with the knick knacks, though I appreciated all the little tchotchkes that my friends had given me over the years, (like the miniature cow statue that read "Moo Jersey Diner") I had to ask myself “Was this necessary? Does this object bring me joy?” Was there a better way to remember my friend or the sentiment?” In most cases, there was.
• Publicity. I knew that the park would bring a lot of traffic, but Jaymie and I did a little extra advertising. A friend designed a cool flyer, which we stapled around town. We posted on Craigslist.org under "garage sales," and I sent out a bulletin to all my friends via email, Facebook, and MySpace. You might also want to try your local paper or community bulletin boards.
The Big Day:
• Be Prepared. Don't wait until the morning of the sale to think about how much things will cost, or spend an hour trying to find markers, tape, paper and other necessities 'cause you didn't pack it the night before. (And yes, you will need those things!) Have everything sorted and ready to go once your alarm goes off. You might not get to rest all day!
• Start Early. I normally sleep past noon on the weekends but not on stoop sale day! I arrived promptly at 8:30am to set up and there were tons of people out already! In fact, most of the sales I made were before noon, while people were taking their morning jog or dog walk.
• The Fanny Pack. So not attractive, but so necessary. I tried to look cool with a decorative tin can but I quickly realized why people wear fanny packs at garage sales. You don't have the hands to hold everything, or the time to run back to a tin can every ten seconds. I quickly strapped on my bright red AARP pack. (Don't worry. It's a loaner, not a permanent wardrobe staple.)
• Bring Snacks. Obviously, if you're having this at your house, you can just run inside for a quick bite. That wasn't really possible with our stoop sale situation. Luckily, Jaymie's mom came with a cooler of drinks and a bag of munchies (Thanks Fran!). AND my good friend, Maggie, culinary genius and food editor of iVillage, came to hang out and brought some hot dogs—fixin's included. (Read Maggie's blog about what to serve at your sale.) Later, she made us s'mores! Needless to say, we were stuffed and happy.
The Pay Off (and not just in $$)
At the end of the day, Jaymie and I were exhausted. Not only did I sweat a good deal, but I was covered with a thin coat of dirt from the park and the junk we were peddling. But our hard work paid off! I made $230, which was pretty awesome considering most stuff was selling for $3 or under. There were a lot of other benefits to our stoop sale as well. I got to meet a bunch of my neighbors, all of them nice and some extremely…interesting, and I got to pet a bunch of super cool dogs. Plus, everything that didn't sell was donated to the Salvation Army. That's some pretty good karma right there.
Oh, and did I mention I got a pretty nice tan?
Stoopin' It
By Alexis Finc
I have a confession. I own a lot of crap. I have clothes with tags still on them, more knick-knacks than your grandmother, and too many books to fit on my two full-wall bookshelves. You get the picture. But with a quickly approaching move date and an apartment bursting at its seams, I knew I had to do something drastic—and fast! What's a girl to do? Hold a stoop sale. (For non-city folks, think garage/yard sale, but on a sidewalk.) Two weeks later, my apartment was a bit cleaner and I was $230 richer. Not bad. And that clutter burden on my shoulder? Lifted. How did I do it? Here's my nitty gritty guide to making your sale successful:
Prep:
• Team Work. I was lucky that my best girlfriend, Jaymie, was in a similar boat. Not only could I advertise "multi-family" (a real eye catcher), but I wouldn't have to hang out on a sidewalk all day by myself.
• Location. While the day was no-brainer—Saturday is best but Sunday works as well—we had a hard time deciding where to hold it. My apartment was a little too out of the way, and we were relying on foot traffic. However, four blocks from my place was a cute park that was always packed on the weekends. I made a few phone calls (to city hall and the neighborhood association), and in a few hours we had the green light! Nothing is more important than a prime location.
• Sorting. It's hard to get rid of things, like those Chinese-inspired platforms that my mom gave me in 8th grade and I still haven't worn (sigh). But it was time to be ruthless. Sure, I kept a few things that I still hope to squeeze into one day, but for the most part, if it didn't fit or I hadn't worn it in over a year, it went into the sale box. The same with the knick knacks, though I appreciated all the little tchotchkes that my friends had given me over the years, (like the miniature cow statue that read "Moo Jersey Diner") I had to ask myself “Was this necessary? Does this object bring me joy?” Was there a better way to remember my friend or the sentiment?” In most cases, there was.
• Publicity. I knew that the park would bring a lot of traffic, but Jaymie and I did a little extra advertising. A friend designed a cool flyer, which we stapled around town. We posted on Craigslist.org under "garage sales," and I sent out a bulletin to all my friends via email, Facebook, and MySpace. You might also want to try your local paper or community bulletin boards.
The Big Day:
• Be Prepared. Don't wait until the morning of the sale to think about how much things will cost, or spend an hour trying to find markers, tape, paper and other necessities 'cause you didn't pack it the night before. (And yes, you will need those things!) Have everything sorted and ready to go once your alarm goes off. You might not get to rest all day!
• Start Early. I normally sleep past noon on the weekends but not on stoop sale day! I arrived promptly at 8:30am to set up and there were tons of people out already! In fact, most of the sales I made were before noon, while people were taking their morning jog or dog walk.
• The Fanny Pack. So not attractive, but so necessary. I tried to look cool with a decorative tin can but I quickly realized why people wear fanny packs at garage sales. You don't have the hands to hold everything, or the time to run back to a tin can every ten seconds. I quickly strapped on my bright red AARP pack. (Don't worry. It's a loaner, not a permanent wardrobe staple.)
• Bring Snacks. Obviously, if you're having this at your house, you can just run inside for a quick bite. That wasn't really possible with our stoop sale situation. Luckily, Jaymie's mom came with a cooler of drinks and a bag of munchies (Thanks Fran!). AND my good friend, Maggie, culinary genius and food editor of iVillage, came to hang out and brought some hot dogs—fixin's included. (Read Maggie's blog about what to serve at your sale.) Later, she made us s'mores! Needless to say, we were stuffed and happy.
The Pay Off (and not just in $$)
At the end of the day, Jaymie and I were exhausted. Not only did I sweat a good deal, but I was covered with a thin coat of dirt from the park and the junk we were peddling. But our hard work paid off! I made $230, which was pretty awesome considering most stuff was selling for $3 or under. There were a lot of other benefits to our stoop sale as well. I got to meet a bunch of my neighbors, all of them nice and some extremely…interesting, and I got to pet a bunch of super cool dogs. Plus, everything that didn't sell was donated to the Salvation Army. That's some pretty good karma right there.
Oh, and did I mention I got a pretty nice tan?
My husband’s family loves to take pictures. At every family gathering there are at least five flashbulbs going off at all times. We always joke that it’s like being surrounded by paparazzo. Unfortunately, though, most of those photographs are still buried in their digital cameras.
If you’re looking forward to capturing all those special moments of your family’s summer vacation, but aren’t sure what comes next, you might consider spending the next rainy afternoon at one of CVS/pharmacy’s Digital Saturdays. Every Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. through August 2, 2008, all CVS/pharmacy stores with a photo center are running free seminars where you can learn the secrets to all those settings on your camera, as well as basic photo editing and help with printing out your photos. Plus, get help- turning your photos into albums, calendars and more.
If you’re read this blog before, you probably know that I’m in the middle of a kitchen remodeling project. The workmen came very early yesterday morning to start ripping everything out and when I got home last night the kitchen was gone. This is both a good thing and an extremely stressful thing, as my husband and I are making our morning coffee in the guest bedroom. It’s also probably why I found the August issue of Consumer Reports so riveting. In this issue they’re revealing the secrets to a successful kitchen remodel and some advice to help consumers save money and avoid aggravation. I wonder how many of their suggestions I’ve followed? How about you?
Learn about appliances and products that have been rated by Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports top tips for saving money and avoiding aggravation.
Consumer Reports’ suggestions for where to get the best deals on appliances and service.
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