Archive Category: 'Household Tips'

• Start A Coupon Club At Work: Workplace coupon exchange clubs can work out very well, giving everyone who participates a regular flow of rebates, extra store club bonus points as well as hefty coupon savings at checkout. Given all the coupons, rebate offers and extra bonuses that are provided in newspapers, magazines, flyers and mailings–no one can possibly use every single one [...]
• Make Seed Starting Pots From Newspaper: Today’s feature tip is from Mr. Brown Thumb with the instructions on How To Make Seed Starting Pots From Newspaper: One easy and frugal way to get lots of pots for seed starting is to make them from things you may find around your house. Seed starting pots from newspaper is not only very cheap but [...]
• Let’s Use Our Minutes: from Kitchen-Klatter Magazine, January, 1952: LET’S USE OUR MINUTES By Mildred Cathcart A New Year is a good time to begin doing something that you may have wanted to do for many, many months. Perhaps you have wanted to piece a quilt, crochet a tablecloth, read a number of books, or do some other interesting thing. If you [...]
• Grow Your Own Catnip: Although approximately 1/3 of cats couldn’t care less about catnip, the rest flip for it. And drool. And race around! Why do cats love it so much? Catnip (or catmint) produces Nepetalactone oil and that acts something like an aphrodisiac for cats. Is it harmful to them? Experts say no, there are no short term or [...]
• How To Make Waterproof Matches & Firestarters: Here are different methods to waterproof your own matches and make firestarters, you should use wood stick matches rather than the cardboard sticks. Although they’re waterproof, make sure to store them in a sealed, waterproof container. Ziplock bags, old prescription bottles, film canisters and small tins should work just fine. Waterproof Matches Method #1 Dip the first half of [...]
• How To Make An Outdoor Cat An Indoor Cat: Today’s feature tip is from the San Diego Natural History Museum with their tip How to Make Your Outdoor Cat a Happy Indoor Cat Although it takes patience, an outdoor cat can be turned into a perfectly content indoor pet. The key is to make the conversion gradually and provide lots of attention and stimulation while [...]
• Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss & Lip Balm Recipes: Here are two different recipes that moisturize lips nicely as well as taste delicious…chocolate anyone? mmmmm. Homemade Chocolate Lip Gloss 1 1/2 tsp grated cocoa butter 1/2 tsp coconut oil 1/8 tsp vitamin E oil 3 chocolate chips Microwave the cocoa butter and oils until melted–watch so it isn’t heated too long. While still hot, add the chocolate and stir [...]
• How to Tie A Tie, Make a Tie Stay & Cleaning Tips: Today’s feature tip(s) is from three different sites, the first by The Art of Manliness for instructions on how to tie a tie. There are videos and detailed steps for how to tie The Windsor Knot, The Half-Windsor Knot, The Four-In-Hand Knot and the The Shelby Knot. The second tip is from Open Loops with instructions [...]
• How To Crate Train Your Dog: Today’s feature tip is from PuppyBuzz with Instructions For Puppy Crate Training: If you won’t be home full time with your puppy, crate training is necessary. Puppies love to roam around, investigate things and chew – chew – chew! As puppy gets older, he’ll also find ways to get into the garbage. This can be a [...]
• Homemade Shower Spa Bags: Start the day with a pampered feeling by using shower spa bags. Fill a cloth bag with the ingredients below and use to scrub in the shower for a nice skin treatment. Details: The cloth bag can be made from muslin, handkerchiefs, cheesecloth, or even strips of nylon pantyhose cut to size then knotted at both ends [...]
• DIY Make Your Own Designer Dog Leash: Today’s feature tip is from Anna Maria Horner’s blog with her instructions for How To Make A Dog Leash: As promised I have finished up one doggie-inspired project and I am offering it here for you to try. It is really simple, pretty quick and I’ve got a few photos to walk you through it. Then [...]
• How To Train A Dog To Potty In One Spot: Choosing one area in the yard for your dog to use for potty breaks helps keep the rest of the yard nice and green, clean for kiddos to run and play in and your garden area urine free. Here are a few tips to potty train dogs in one area: First choose the area to best serve [...]
• Martha Stewart’s Good Things For The Kitchen: Martha has a new booklet out “Good Things For The Kitchen – 91 shortcuts & smart ideas”. The shortcuts and ideas are quite useful and basic, nothing complicated or so off the wall you wouldn’t use them. Things like how to cut in butter and using the right measuring cups. The booklet also has a [...]
• How To Make A Terrarium: Today’s feature tip is from Inhabitat with the tutorial HOW TO: Make your own terrarium I found a large, clear, sphere-shaped glass bowl at a floral supply shop. A glass vessel of this shape is called a “rose bowl” and they come in many different sizes. Mine happens to have a 15″ diameter at the widest [...]
• Mending Small Tears In Upholstery: Mending Small Tears Minor tears in smooth upholstery can be repaired by first cutting a strip of adhesive tape somewhat longer and wider than the tear itself. Insert the tape behind the tear and then gently pull the torn pieces back into place. Hold a slightly warmed flatiron against the mended spot until the fabric and [...]
• How To Make Seed Balls: Today’s feature tip is from Path To Freedom with their project Making Seed Balls (link updated to webarchive since original web page is no longer available): Seed balls are a method for distributing seeds by encasing them in a mixture of clay and soil humus. Some native North American tribes used forms of seed balls. More [...]
• Cold Sore Tips: Here are several different methods that I’ve tried for healing or preventing cold sores from forming and they have worked for me. It’s best to apply any treatment as soon as you notice the “tingling” that happens right before a blister appears. Some of the methods can burn or cause a sting, numb the sore spot [...]
• How To Remove Bumper Stickers: This works for removing decals and windshield stickers as well. You can use old credit cards or plastic rulers or blades to help peel back the sticker when using one of the methods below. How To Remove A Bumper Sticker Method #1 Heat the bumper sticker with a hair dryer or heat gun until the glue underneath softens and [...]
• Make Your Own Organic Potting Soil: If you make your own organic potting mix, you still have to avoid using any prohibited ingredients, and that means checking out all the individual ingredients for their organic acceptability. It may surprise you to learn that products like peat moss or limestone are sometimes treated with prohibited materials such as wetting or anti-caking agents, so [...]
• How To Wax A Wood Cutting Board: Wash the wood cutting board well and rinse in a sink of hot water with a splash of bleach. Dry the board as best you can, then let sit overnight to ensure there is no moisture left in the wood. Pour melted paraffin wax over the board with enough wax to cover it completely. Now iron the wax [...]
• How To Make Flowers Last: Today’s feature blog post is from Frugal Upstate with this tip: Making Flowers Last: I really love cut flowers, but we don’t splurge on them very often. Of course I like to make them last as long as possible when I do get them. So here is what I do. The tips are: Keep the flowers out of [...]
• Using Gift Cards To Manage Grocery Budget: Today’s feature blog is Frugal Homemaker Plus with a tip for budgeting with gift cards: Then it occurred to me- Gift Cards. You can buy gift cards at most grocery stores. Since I primarily shop at one store, with very occasional stops at a few others for super sale items, I thought it may just be [...]
• Ideas For Recycling Magazines: I hate the idea of throwing away magazines, it seems so wasteful when you consider how many people would enjoy a chance to read them. However, magazine mountain piles grow out of control fast. Here are a few ideas for moving out and recycling the magazines that you don’t collect but just read once… Ideas For [...]
• How To Build A Cat Tree: Tutorial: Today’s feature is from Pandecats with information on How To Build A Cat Tree: Multi-tiered, carpeted cat trees are often priced at between $100 and $200 dollars… but you can make your own five foot tall cat tree for a fraction of the price if you are even the tiniest bit handy with tools. I designed and [...]
• How To Get Rid of Moths With Natural Repellents: Mothballs are made from paradichlorobenzene and can cause all kinds of health problems including damage to liver and kidneys. They’re especially hazardous to children if swallowed–and they don’t smell all that good either. Natural Moth Repellents Dried lavender Cloves (see How To Make A Clove Apple) Rosemary Mint Thyme Cinnamon sticks Eucalyptus Peppercorns Dried lemon peel Cedar (chips, balls, planks or essential oil–cedar lined closets, drawers [...]