I recently was the victim of a sty in my eye-ick, right? Now, I remember my dad always said when this happens, rub a gold ring on it and it will go away. He even used to keep a gold ring in the medicine cabinet! Well, I did... and it worked. I don't know why or how, but it worked.
So what does this have to do with real estate?
Well, I've been wanting to start a newsletter to send to my email list and I thought it would be fun (along with real estate info) to include a helpful household tip-something tried and true that makes life a little easier.
Recognizing my limited knowledge :-), I'd like to open this up to you all (or "y'all" for some of you!) to contribute your fun little hints for around the house. Nothing "magical," just home remedies, cleaning helps, health helps, garden tips, etc. that might be Useful. When we have a great big list, we'll all have great tips to pass on to our mailing list!
So to start us off, here are a few:
1. Plant a banana peel right next to a rose bush-they love it!
2. Quarter an orange or other citrus fruit and run it through the garbage disposal to freshen and clean it.
3. Sprinkle coffee grounds around acid loving plants such as azaleas, hydrangeas, and rhododendrons to give them a treat.
4. To freshen your microwave, heat vanilla extract in a mug or bowl for a few seconds (don't burn it!)
5. If your heating and air conditioning unit is in an enclosed area (like a laundry room), place an air freshener near it-the scent will be gently circulated throughout the house.
6. When shopping for flowers for the garden, don't forget to add white and yellow, especially along walkways. They will brighten your garden in the evening when all the other flowers have faded into the background.
7. Stubborn stains on clothes? Lestoil directly on stains, even old ones, does the trick and usually does not fade the fabric.
I'm sure I have others but that's enough to get us started. So how about you?
What are your tips and tricks for around the house?
I have two tips:
1. Use toothpaste to remove rings from wooden tables. Rub it on, polish, then follow with an orange oil.
2. If you are making a stew or chili and want it to cook faster, chop a kiwi fruit and throw in the pot. The enzyme in the kiwi will tenderize the meat in less time and won't alter the flavor of the dish.
Fixing a loose screw in a door jamb:
When a screw is loose on a door hinge, remove the screw, break a toothpick into several pieces and use Elmer's Glue to glue the broken toothpicks inside the screwhole. Don't be afraid to fill the hole where the screw was with toothpicks, the more the better. When the glue hardens (give it a day) you can now safely re-secure the hinge by screwing the screw back into the original hole, (now filled with the toothpicks.) Tighten the screw till it is tight and leave it alone. The toothpicks will be firm and the screw will bite into the toothpicks. This works great. Try it!
Oh, and remember..."righty tighty, lefty loosey"
Now if you know someone who has a screw loose, this does not work!
Wow I am going to reblog this...very interesting tips! The replies too!
Using a q-tip apply vodka to a cold sore and it will help dry it out.
Next time you have a splinter just put scotch tape over it and pull it right out!
This is great :)
A denture cleaner tablet dropped in the toliet bowl is great for a quick clean( well, about 20 min, but no work) :)
Michele, I dont have a tip but I love this kind of stuff. GREAT POST.
Baking Soda -
You always hear about it, but did you know...
And it costs only 79 cents a box!
~Michelle
Marcy-- I'm sure I'll be using the toothpaste tip, especially cleaning up tables I "find!" And kiwi? Who knew? Great!
Dan-- I've especially come across this problem when re-doing kitchen cabinets. Thanks!
Debra-- what a compliment! I don't think I've ever been reblogged! I'm thinking with enough vodka, I won't care if I have a cold sore LOL! And why didn't it occur to me to use tape for a splinter-- makes perfect sense!
Wendy-- I LOVE anything that keeps me from scrubbing a toilet :-)
Thanks Janelle-- I think I may need to add some of these "tools" to my staging kit!
Michelle-- Baking soda, definitely worth having on hand. Another great thing to add to my staging kit and in my medicine cabinet!
Thanks all! I can't wait to see what other great tips the AR community comes up with!
Michele this is fun and useful. Will return after the MLS mtg and add mine. Thanks.
Michele-here's a health tip that has worked for me. If you have sinus problems/allergies, take a daily teaspoon of honey that has been locally pollinated. I tried it when I lived in Houston and it worked!
Michele, here's another one for plants. (BTW I do the banana peel with my roses). Buy a whole chicken (not pieces) from the grocery. When planting toss the chicken into the bottom of the hole. Or supplement your plants and give them a boost by digging a hole adjacent to the plant, without disturbing the root ball and toss in the chicken. I know that chicken manure is very effective on plants but so are chickens.
Kathy, I'll definitely try this! I just started using allergy medicine again but would rather have something natural-- and much less expensive!
Ginger-- a chicken! Who knew? I think I would try this only in a fenced in area-- where the dog won't dig for it! LOL! Really, though, it seems the bones, the meat, everything would make fantastic fertilizer!
I started this blog thinking I would get great tips for my newsletters and am discovering I'm getting great tips that I want to use too! Keep 'em coming!
wow Ginger have you ever had an animals digging up the chicken - like racoons or coyotes? great tips everyone
Michele and Christine, If it's a new plant and they're in the bottom of the hole there are two reasons why they don't get dug up, 1)depth, 2)I have to put all of my plantings in chicken wire baskets so no one digs around those sharp edges. IF I plant the chicken adjacent to the older plant, then I also put chicken wire on top of it and plant it deep so that there's little scent. Whole chickens are cheap and it's amazing what they do.
To be free of itchy Chigger bites, go swim for an hour in a chlorinated pool. Voila the bites are gone! This works far better than nail polish.
Plant a banana with your tomato plants, they will produce tons of fruit!
Thanks for the tips & good luck!
;)
For sticker residue left on mirrors, windows, etc., apply peanut butter! Just slap it on, let it sit for a few minutes (allowing the oil to break up the sticky residue), and then wipe. Works like a charm!
Ginger, good idea with the chicken wire! This is worth a try!
Betina-- thanks for the re-blog-- what an honor :-) I knew roses liked banana peels but I didn't know about tomatoes too! I want to plant tomatoes next year so I'll keep it in mind.
Shayla-- I've heard about mayonnaise but not the peanut butter. Thanks!
Michelle, I think you started something! I use an old juice cup with peroxide in it in the bathroom to keep my toothbrush. I brush my teeth everymorning just with the peroxide (it whitens teeth) and then put toothpaste on and finish up. Don't swallow the stuff, it's nasty, but my teeth look pretty good for a coffee drinker! My Mom puts salt in the palm of her hand and dips the wet toothbrush in it and scrubs her teeth to get stains out in close quarters. She uses peroxide to wet the toothbrush.
Healthy tips:
Spice it up: Hot spicy food can help the body burn up calories. Using spices like cayenne peper and chili powder elevates the body tempreture which makes the heart beat faster and requiers more energy.
Sip on a lemon: Lemon is a very good oil for detoxifying and stimulating a sluggish system which can help with wight loss. Rosemary is also recommended as it can help promote clearity of thought and improve concentration.
Oil your joints: We all know that fish oils help fight arthritis but olive oil is also helpful in protecting against this inflammatory disease. It is said that those who include it in their every day diet, reduce their risk by 2.5 times, possibly because of its high levels of antioxidants.
Great information from you all~ Thanks Michele
Thanks Rima! LOVE natural remedies! I did not know that about lemons, rosemary, and olive oil! Great tips!
Denture cleaner tablets are great presservatives for newspaper clippings. dissolve one in some water and then lay the clipping flat in it. Take it out and let it dry. Won't yellow and get all crumbly.
Thanks Mary Ellen! I will definitely try that!