Housekeeping Tips

Published July 20, 2012

Do you find yourself purging your home at this time of year? Perhaps we all feel a sense of wanting to Spring clean our homes and tidy things up for the warmer weather. Part of this cleansing process is to become more organized with our daily routine and finally getting to all those little tasks we have been putting off for months. If organization is not one of your strengths, here are a few helpful tips.

Make a list. I know you have probably heard this many times before from teachers and other people who make professional careers of this but it is important. By making a list of all the jobs you would like to get done, you will find yourself ticking off the list one-by-one and actually feeling like you have accomplished something.

To help get you started, purchase an inexpensive wood clipboard from a large office supply store like Staples. You will need some clear, glossy varnish, craft glue and a paintbrush. If you have some leftover wallpaper or decorative paper lying around the house, here’s your chance to use it. Simply cut a piece of the paper to fit the inside of the clipboard and glue the paper onto the front side. Once the paper has dried, apply a think coat of clear varnish over the top of the paper making sure to cover the whole clipboard. Repeat with another coat of varnish.

To organize all those haphazardly organized pens and pencils that you are constantly trying to find, make a glass bowl holder. Colorful glass beads may be purchased at craft stores and florist shops. They are often used in clear vases for displaying flowers. There are other uses for these beads, one of which is to hold a multitude of pens. Simply take a decorative bowl from your glassware and fill it with these coloured beads. Insert all your pens and pencils into the glass beads in an upright position. The beads will hold your pens and make it easy for you to grab one on the run.

Speaking of haphazardly stored items, do you have knives all lying around in a drawer? Not only is this dangerous but the constant rubbing of the blades can seriously damage the edges of the knives over time. To avoid this, simply purchase some artist’s sketch board liner at any craft shop. This is a rubbery material that can be easily cut to fit any size drawer and place inside. Use double-sided tape to secure. Lay your knives on top of the non-slip surface for storage.

Don’t throw away those used votive candles you were given as a hostess gift. Simply place in the freezer for an hour or so and remove the wax. Place in the dishwasher and use them to store leftover change in the laundry room, buttons, safety pins and other items you would normally throw in your “kitchen junk” drawer. And don’t try to tell me you don’t have a “kitchen junk” drawer…because we ALL do. I guess that’s the next thing to get to….