Health & Beauty
We all know that exercise is vitally important to getting in shape and maintaining good health. The common question is, "How to I get started?" Gentle, low impact exercises like walking and stretching are best. If you haven't tried Yoga it may be just the fit. It is gentle yet challenging, and literally means "balance." Yoga is not about competing but accepting yourself where you are and finding calmness and self acceptance; the very root of balance and health. Weather you buy a home DVD or join a live class, give yoga a try for your health!
Home Decorating
This is a beautiful time of year! Why not bring some of that beauty inside by way of fresh flowers? For a simple, classy look, buy either all the same type of flower or the same tone of flower and arrange tightly together in a vase without any of the added greenery or fillers. To help the arrangement last; change the water daily. Eventually the arrangement will start to fad, to get even more show out of these flowers pull the 'good' ones out, cut the stems short and float in a bowl of water. Enjoy bringing the beauty of nature inside!
Laundry
Annoying perspiration stains - rinse and soak stain with hydrogen peroxide and wash as recommended.
Sweaters that are labeled "hand wash only" - Place wool, cashmere or fine cotton sweater inside a pillowcase and wash on 'delicate' in cold water. Then dry flat on a towel or sweater rack. Don't put in the dryer.
Clothing 'dimples' from hangers - Wire hangers are the worst offenders but plastic and wooden can cause this also. To fix quickly, take your iron, fill with water and set to the steam setting. A blast of steam will fix the warp in moments.
Snags - DON'T cut it!!! Cutting it will likely create a hole. Use a sewing needle and push the snag through to the inside of the garment. Then tie it in a knot to finish it off.
A load of whites are now pink or grey - remove the guilty item and re-wash the load immediately with chlorine bleach. Do not dry or you will set the new color and have to live with seeing your husband in pink underwear.
Home Keeping
Let's talk about the BATHROOM. This is one of the most useful rooms in the house but also one of the most potentially dangerous. You can unwind after a long, stressful day in a tub full of suds, shave your legs and lotion up but have you ever taken the time to look under the sink and behind the mirror? Old prescriptions & over the counter drugs need to be thrown out or flushed. Cosmetics that are over 1 year old need to be toss and replaced. If you don't have a first aid kit, get one!
Here is a quick list of what to include in your home's first-aid kit:
List of first-aid supplies to have on hand:
Antibiotic ointment or spray
Antiseptic
Assorted Band-Aids
Burn ointment or spray
Calamine lotion
Elastic bandage
Epsom salts
Eyewash and cup
Heating pad
Hydrocortisone cream
Icebag
Thermometer
Sterile cotton balls or pads
Sunscreen
Tweezers
List of over-the-counter medicines to have on hand:
Antacid
Anti-diarrhea medicine
Antihistamines
Aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Laxative or stool softener
Nasal spray
Oral decongestant
Be Prepared
Have you ever found yourself at work and your skirt or pants decided to stick to your legs like a shy toddler? To avoid this you can spray some Static Guard on your lower garments before leaving for work. However, if you are anything like me, that isn't something that you think about until after you're at work and it's too late! To solve this problem in the future, pack some dryer sheets in a zip-lock bag and store in your office desk. Then when the situation arises, you can wipe down the inside of your skirt/pants and knock out the static!
Closet Maintenance
Most people toss their shoes onto the floor of the closet to become a sea of shoes, dust and other misplaced items. It would be better to keep this space clear, one, so you can easily vacuum and two, so items don't get ruined. Consider investing in plastic shoe boxes, a shoe rack or even shelves to store and organize this fun accessory. If space is an issue, there are wonderful plastic containers with wheels and lids that slide under your bed that would be perfect for protecting and storing shoes - dust free! Just slide them out to vacuum and slide them back in to store.
Schedules
If you have the space in your home, invest in a large, whiteboard calendar and hang in a common area where the entire family can have access to putting and seeing everyone's schedule. Having a family calendar is very helpful in getting and staying on the same page, especially in families with more than one child. Give everyone their own color marker to keep it even more organized. If kids are old enough, help them start being responsible by letting them record their own events and functions.
Family
Typically, one spouse is more prone to organization. If this is you, there are a few things you can do to help your spouse grow with out being pushy or nagging.
Communicate - be kind in your words, understanding that this isn't their strength. Let them know exactly and specifically what you are hoping for and how they can help. Whether it's the family filing system or the daily routine with the kids, communicating clearly and without guilt, can help the less-than-organized be on the same page!
Be a good example and inspiration - you can't make someone be organized but you can encourage it with your actions. If you keep your areas organized they may be attracted to learning from your example.
Don't constantly pick up after them - if you always clean up their messes why would they ever help out? Also, be sensitive to the fact that they may not know how to help out. Maybe they were never taught and now you have the opportunity to give a simple lesson in folding clothes or running the dishwasher. Do this with the attitude of love and you won't seem condescending.
Stay positive- nothing can kill your spouse's desire to help and learn faster than a negative attitude.
Cooking & Kitchen
One of the best tips I know when cooking or baking is to have everything ready before you start the actually cooking/baking. That means, get all ingredients out, measure, chop, dice, mince, rinse and dry everything before you actually turn on the stove and get the oil hot. This will actually SAVE you time in the cooking, help you be able to watch the pot NOT boil over and make the whole meal taste better because the garlic didn't burn while you diced the onion. So, grab a glass of wine or your drink of choice and enjoy PREP time!!
Relationships
Sometimes we hit bumps in the road with our spouse, family or friends. I want to encourage you with this quote by Zig Ziglar. "You cannot tailor make the situations in life, but you can tailor make the attitudes to fit those situations as they arise." Keep looking up and know that you are not alone in this journey.
To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.
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