Posted in Tip of the Day

So many bad storms already this year. It pays to be ready.

Grandma Rosie 

Be Prepared for Storms

By Heidi Hunt

Lightning and wind and rain – oh my! Severe storms, plus the blackouts and flooding that accompany them, can be life-threatening. But, with a bit of advanced planning, you can weather them with relative comfort and minimal anxiety.

Food and Water

For most short-term emergencies, when the power goes out, experts recommend that you have on hand 1 gallon of water for drinking and sanitation per person per day for at least three days.

Here’s how to do this: When storms threaten, fill jugs with drinking water and fill your bath tub to have water to flush the toilet. (If water pressure fails, you can still flush by pouring water into the tank and flipping the lever.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has information on disinfecting water for drinking and cooking.

Keep on hand some foods that can be eaten without being cooked and can be easily carried if you need to evacuate your home. Energy bars, jerky, dried fruit and nuts keep a long time, are easy to store and carry, and contain concentrated energy and protein.

If you have pets, you also will want to develop a plan for their care and safety, especially if you have to evacuate. Add water for pets to your stored supply and sealable bags of dry food, plus leashes, crates and bowls to eat and drink from, if you have to evacuate. It’s good to have your animals’ shots up to date and their records handy to take with you.

Some folks keep an evacuation backpack ready to go in case of an emergency. If you and your family have to leave the house in a hurry, having just the basic supplies listed below will make the situation more comfortable. Store the backpack in a location that is easily accessible and known by all members of the household. Ready America, a government Web site, has more information about emergency supplies.

Emergency Kit

Weather radio
Flashlight
Old cell phone
Cell phone car charger
First aid kit
Water bottles
Hand sanitizer
Sealable plastic bags for food
A rain parka for each member of the family
Spare batteries
Cash, including some change
Addresses and phone numbers of family members and emergency services
Local map
Deck of cards

Stay Informed

If the power goes out, you won’t have TV, radio or the Internet to provide you with up-to-date information. Battery-powered or crank weather radios, available from $9 to $90, will keep you informed of conditions during a weather emergency.

Even if the power goes out, a landline, non-electric phone may still work, so keep one around. And you can use your car to charge your cell phone using a cell phone car charger, which plugs into the 12 volt DC car power socket (cigarette lighter). And any charged cell phone that can receive a signal, even one without an active service account, can dial 911.

Have a Plan

Know where to go in case a tornado or high water threatens your home. If you don’t have a basement, go to the most interior room or go to the nearest storm shelter. In cases of high water threatening your property, you should know the safest escape route to high ground that will not take you through the flood waters. Practice these strategies with your family so everyone knows where to go in case of a weather emergency.

Unless your house has been damaged by high winds or is being threatened by flood waters, the safest place to be during a weather emergency is your own home. We all cope best during times of stress when we are in familiar surroundings. This is especially true for children, the elderly and pets.

First Aid

Having first aid knowledge is another valuable resource for your family and your community. The Red Cross and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) offer first aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes. The time to take these classes is now, before you need to use the skills.

Ready America also has a list of first aid kit supplies that includes the following, plus special supplies for at risk situations:

Two pairs of Latex, or other sterile gloves (if you are allergic to Latex)
Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect
Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection
Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid
Laxative

With preparation and planning, you can make a short-term power outage relatively easy to deal with. You and your family might even be able to make it a fun experience, similar to camping out

Grandma Rosie

Posted in Tip of the Day

When we get together with friends and are using plastic cups, I am the Keeper of the Sharpie Marker. Everybody knows that I am ALL about writing the names on the cups so people don't waste extra cups because they can't tell whose is whose.

I even made wine glass charms to use when we go to my mom's house since we usually drink out of stemmed glasses there.

But ALAS, on Thanksgiving we faced another challenge - she used just regular drinking glasses. Couldn't use a Sharpie, couldn't use the glass charms. What to do?

Well we tried the strategic glass placement method, but that's not really reliable. A lot of glasses end up getting moved around and dumped out. Very wasteful.

Today though, I feel like I've seen the light. Dell had a great suggestion on her Taming the Chaos entry on the HomeschoolBlogger Company Porch. Simply use colored rubber bands to mark the glasses! Isn't that a great idea?! Totally simple, but the thought had never occurred to me.

Don't you just love it when you learn something new like that? Everybody better watch out - I'm going to buy some colored rubberbands and then I'll be the Keeper of the Sharpie AND the Rubberbands!

Blessings,
~Nancy
The Unlikely Homesteader

Posted in Tip of the Day

Ok, it's not organic pastured poultry, but Chick-Fil- A does make a yummy chicken sandwich (at least I like em!).

If you go to their site www.FreeChickenandCoke.com right now, you can register for a coupon for a free chicken sandwich and medium Coca-Cola. They're going to give away a MILLION of them! The drawing is scheduled to run until September 29, 2007 or the 1,000,000 coupon, whichever comes first. The coupons will come in the mail.

So go register on their site and have lunch on Chick-Fil-A!

Blessings,
~Nancy

Posted in Tip of the Day

Emergency Kit Checklist

What To Include in an Emergency Kit
Water

Experts advise storage of one gallon of water per person per day. At least 3 days of water for each family member and pet should be stored for emergencies.

Food

Non perishable foods like crackers, canned meat, and ready to eat food should be stored. Don't forget to store a can opener in your kit if your food will require it. Also store pet food.

Communication Needs

Cell Phones, battery powered radios and extra batteries, as well as important family documents should be easily accessible for your kit. Make sure copies of important papers are stored in waterproof containers.

Safety

Whistle
First Aid Kit
Dust Masks
Wrench or Pliers to turn off utilities.
Basic Tool Kit including flashlights.
Bleach can be used to disinfect and clean in emergency situations.
Make sure the bleach is chlorine bleach, and not oxygen or color safe bleach. Take special care when storing bleach.

Health
Moist Towlettes
Trash Bags
Medicine
Medicine Droppers

Individual Needs
Feminine Hygiene
Diapers
Personal Hygiene Items
Health Needs
Pet Items

Other Items to Consider:

First Aid Manual
Rain Gear
Cold Weather Gear
Disposable plates, cup, utensils
Paper Towels
Fire Extinguisher
Tents
Compass
Matches (store in waterproof container)
Flare Signals
Paper and Pencil

Changes of Clothing

Bedding or Sleep Bags

Heavy Duty Shoes

Preparing For Household Emergencies
Household Emergency Plan

Have a great day!!
Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips and article courtesy of: Houskeeping @ About

Posted in Tip of the Day

Here are some simple tips from EPA's WaterSense program for saving water year-round:

1. Don't flush money down the drain:

• Check your toilet for leaks. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day. Add a couple drops of food coloring to your toilet tank and if color appears in the bowl within 15 minutes, you have a leak.
  
  
• If you replace your toilet, shop for a high-efficiency model that uses less than 1.3 gallons per flush. In 2007 you'll be able to find these toilets by looking for the WaterSense label.

2. Think before you turn on the tap:

• Scrape rather than rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.
  
  
• Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth or shave. You could save more than 100 gallons per month.

3. Use appliances wisely:

• Wash only full loads or set small loads to the appropriate water level.
  
  
• Replace old clothes washers with Energy Star labeled appliances that use less water.

4. Stop leaks:

• Easily corrected household water leaks can account for eight percent of your water bill. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is used. If the meter doesn't read the same, you probably have a leak.
  
  
• Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. Fixing a faucet that drips at a rate of one drop per second will save 2,700 gallons per year.

5. Test your WaterSense:

• Find out how much you know about the water you use in your home. Go to the WaterSense Web site at www.epa.gov/watersense and take the Test Your Water Sense quiz.
  
  
• Look for the EPA's Water Sense label, which makes it easy for consumers to recognize products and programs that save water and perform well. Water Sense labeled products such as toilets and faucets will begin to appear on store shelves next year. Also, look for a WaterSense partner when selecting a landscape irrigation professional - a smart irrigation design can help save water that is normally lost through evaporation, run-off or over-watering.

Have a great day!!
Simply Sherry
Homesteading Journey

 Tips courtesy of: Houskeeping Channel

 

Posted in Tip of the Day

Washing Wisdom

Despite all the added features and cycles, it’s still possible to ruin your favorite shirt. Besides the obvious — such as sorting laundry and reading care labels; CR’s experts recommend the following tips:

• Use the right detergent. All front-loaders and some top-loaders recommend high-efficiency detergents for best results. Check your machine’s manual for which to use.
  
  
• Delay adding bleach. Chlorine bleach loses effectiveness if added to the wash too soon, so wait five minutes or so into the wash cycle.
  
  
• Don’t overstuff the washer. Clothing needs room to move so that it can be properly cleaned and rinsed, especially in a top-loader.
  
  
• Don’t toss stained garments into the dryer. It’s hard to tell whether stains have been removed when laundry is wet. Hang dry stained garments; otherwise the dryer’s heat will set the stain.

Have a great day!!
Simply Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of: Housekeeping Channel

Posted in Tip of the Day

8 Can-Do Ways to Simplify Your Life


Life doesn't have to be work, work, work, from the second you wake up to the second you go to bed. Try these eight anyone-can-do ways to simplify your life:


1. Choose 10 meals. If you don't like having to come up with a different meal idea for each night of the week, why not come up with 10 standard ones you just rotate? Put the work upfront into thinking through a variety of meals such as:

 Day 1: Chicken dish
 Day 2: Pasta dish
 Day 3: Fish dish
 Day 4: Vegetarian dish, and so on.

Once the initial planning is done, you'll never have to think about your meals again. Shake it up every 11th day and go out to eat, or order in.

2. Sign up for automatic payment. More and more companies these days are allowing you to automatically debit your bill payments from your checking account. No more worrying about making out a check and having to drop it in the mail.

3. Use what you have. If you have a crafty hobby, chances are you have crafty supplies piled high in your closet. Make it a point to put a halt on buying yet more supplies, and instead use up those you already have. This applies to hobbies such as quilting, scrapbooking, card making, knitting and more.

4. Focus on an area each day. Rather than worrying about everything you'd like to organize and/or clean in your home or office, choose just one area each day and focus on it for a minimum of 15 minutes, and a maximum of one hour. This will help ensure you don't feel overwhelmed and will also give you a rewarding feeling that you worked on something that has been on your mind.

5. Take three. Take a look at your to-do list and choose three tasks to work on today. Try to choose at least one A Priority, one B Priority, and you can toss in another A, B or C Priority as your third choice. Don't work on anything else on your list until you've completed all three of these.

6. Avoid unnecessary overload. Fill the dishwasher as soon as you're done eating, go through your mail on a daily basis, empty your email inbox each night, fold clothes as soon as the dryer cycle ends — in other words, if you don't delay on most tasks, they will never get out of hand.

7. Take off your shoes. If you want to spend less time vacuuming, don't wear your outside shoes inside your house. Of course, this applies to anyone else in your house and visitors. Less dirt and dust will be tracked in, which means less cleaning is necessary. Plus, you'll prolong the life of your carpet.

8. Kick back. Everyone needs time to simply kick back and do something relaxing, even if it's for only 30 minutes each day — and I wholeheartedly recommend an hour whenever possible. Schedule this time on your calendar. You are the only person who can control how your time is spent.

Have a great day!!
Simply Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of: Housekeeping Channel

Posted in Tip of the Day

 

Introduction

Kitchen counters never have enough space. Think vertical and make extra room!

Instructions

Steps

Step One

Install a fold-down rack under a cabinet to keep utensils, cords or spices handy and out of the way.

Step Two

Put a lazy Susan in a corner cabinet to make use of wasted space.

Step Three

Purchase a wall-mounted wire dish drainer at a kitchen shop. This gets the drainer out of your way and frees up a lot of counter space.

Step Four

Buy a roll-out pantry to fit between the refrigerator and the wall. Store canned goods there and use your cabinets for more frequently accessed items.

Step Five

Put in a wire shelf rack to double your storage space under the sink.

Step Six

Buy portable shelves from discount stores. They come in wood or wire styles and are designed to just sit on the counter ' no installation required.

Step Seven

Add wire baskets to the inside of cabinet doors. Baking goods are easier to find in an upper cabinet; wax paper, aluminum foil and plastic wrap are easy to reach on an inside pantry door; dish soap and sponges stay out of sight on the door below the sink.

Have a great day!!
Simply Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of : EHow

Posted in Tip of the Day

Handwashing the Dishes and Mealtime Cleanup

By Melissa Ringstaff, Director

Whether or not you own a dishwasher, knowing how to properly wash dishes by hand is something everyone should be familiar with. Often I have found that handwashing the dishes is much more efficient that rinsing the dishes before loading the dishwasher. Handwashing dishes after an average meal should take about 15 minutes or for a larger meal 30 to 45 minutes. This task is easily done immediately and harder to do after dishes have been allowed to sit unattended for a period of time.

First, wash any dishes you use in your meal preparation as you use them. You can then allow them to air dry as you eat the meal or dry them immediately and put away. Soak any hard to clean pots or casseroles in hot sudsy water while you are eating to help with clean-up afterward.

Once your meal is completely finished, clearing the table is your first priority. Place leftover foods into refrigerator boxes, plastic containers with lids or cover casseroles with plastic wrap and place into refrigerator. Leaving foods uncovered causes unpleasant odors to form in the fridge that will affect the flavors of other foods.

Stack like dishes together and place on either the left or right of the sink opposite of your drying area. Using a clean cloth, wipe down the table, removing all crumbs and debris as you go. If you have used a tablecloth that has been soiled use a clean small hand brush to sweep crumbs into the trash. Fold the tablecloth and place in the laundry room for washing. Hard to remove spills should be treated immediately with a stain remover such as "Shout" or "Spray n' Wash".

Now you are ready to wash your dishes.

Mealtime Clean Up: Tools Needed:
1. Dish draining rack and mat
2. Clean dish towel
3. Rubber dishpan (keeps dishes from breaking)
4. Dish Cloth, Clean Sponge, or Dish Brush (for Cleaning the dishes)
5. Bottle Brush
6. Pot Scrubber
7. Rubber gloves if you prefer
8. Dish liquid soap

Have a great day!!
Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of: Practical Homemaking

Posted in Tip of the Day

Homemade Floor and Wall Cleaner
From Barbara Whiting,

You can make your own inexpensive and effective cleaners at home.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 5 minutes
Here's How:

   1. Fill a bucket with about 1 gallon of warm water.
   2. Add about 1/3 cup Borax.
   3. Add 1 teaspoon liquid dish washing detergent.
   4. Mix in about 1 tablespoon ammonia.
     
Tips:

   1. Borax can be found next to the powdered laundry detergents in most grocery stores.

What You Need:

    * Bucket
    * Water
    * Borax
    * Ammonia
    * Dish washing Soap

Have a great day!!
Simply Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of: Homeparents @ About

Posted in Tip of the Day

Tips for Backyard Entertaining

• To rid a deck of tree sap, try rubbing affected spots with mineral spirits and an old rag. Then wash the area with an all-purpose cleaner.
• To keep flies and bees at bay, hang a piece of raw bacon away from the picnic area. The flies and bees will be more attracted to the bacon than the goodies at the picnic. Flies are repelled by the smell of basil, so setting a pot of basil close to the table also gets rid of the pests. Crumbling some of the basil leaves releases more fragrance.
• Add a delicious flavor to barbecue by sprinkling the coals with fresh herbs that have been soaked in water first.
• Worried about undercooked chicken while barbecuing? One easy trick is to microwave the chicken for just a few minutes after removing from the grill because the microwave cooks the juicy areas near the bone first.
• Spray plastic chairs with a solution of half liquid bleach and half water, wait five minutes, then wipe dry. This takes care of any mildew problems.
• Instead of treating an entire piece of wooden outdoor furniture with a preservative, just brush the product from the bottoms of the feet up about three inches on the legs. This will keep the furniture from absorbing water from the ground.
• The cushions for the furniture will also need to be cleaned before people sit on them. Even if they have been covered all winter, they will be filled with dust and will need freshening. A great way to do this is to take them to a do-it-yourself car wash and spray them with the pressure washer.
• Outdoor furniture may have acquired a few rust spots as it sat in the garage all winter. To fix this problem, rub the rusted areas with turpentine to make the furniture look as good as new. After removing the rust, apply liquid car wax to metal outdoor furniture. This will protect the furniture from rusting over the season. It is a good idea to give it another coat before putting it away for the winter.

Have a great day!!
Simply Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of: HGTV: At Home

Posted in Tip of the Day

How To Give Your Kitchen A Spring Clean Up
Difficulty: Hard
Time Required: 1-2 hours

Here's How:

   1. Begin with a 15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup.
      This will clear out the clutter and dirty dishes, and give you room to do the actual spring clean up. Don't worry about cleaning the floors in the 15 minute clean up. We will do this later.
 
   2. Dust down the ceiling and corners of walls. Determine if the walls need washed in dirty spots.
      Spot wash, remembering air vents, doorknobs, doors, switch plates. Walls will likely need to be washed more often in this room than in others. You may not have noticed that the hand mixer or blender sloshed goop all over the wall. Take your spring cleaning time now to clean the grease, grime, and spilled food from your walls.

   3. Dust and clean all art and photographs along the wall.
      Be careful when cleaning framed art and photographs. Never spray cleanser or water onto the frame. The liquid can seep behind the glass and damage the pictures. Instead lightly wet a clean cloth to wipe the frame and glass.

   4. Dust and clean the ceiling fan.
      You may need to use a gentle cleanser like Murphy's Oil Soap. Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing.

   5. Take down draperies, curtains, and blinds to wash or have cleaned according to the manufacturer's directions.
      Vacuum and clean windowsills and corners. Wash the insides and outsides of the windows. Take down and rinse off screens, before replacing.

   6. Apply oven cleaner to the oven and clean the refrigerator.
      Leave the windows in the kitchen open to avoid the overpowering smell. Don't forget to vacuum the coils of your UNPLUGGED refrigerator. This is a great time to sweep and mop underneath it too if you can find some help to move it. Be careful of scratching your floor.

   7. While the oven cleaner works, begin sorting through the freezer and refrigerator.
      Throw out any expired food, mostly empty containers, and items that you bought and never used. Put the stuff to keep on the counter. Take out the refrigerator shelves and drawers. Wash them down, being careful with glass shelves. Wipe down the entire inside of the refrigerator and freezer before replacing shelves and food. Wipe down and clean out the oven according to the directions on the oven cleaner.

   8. Take the knobs, burners, burner covers, and spill catchers off of the stove.
      Follow your stove/oven owner’s manual for information on proper cleaning methods for your model. (The one you carefully filed, when you bought the stove, just for an occasion like this.) Some stovetops lift up to allow easy access to spills and crumbs. Wipe down the entire stove.

   9. Wipe down and clean the toaster, blender, and other small appliances.
      Wipe down and clean the microwave. If the spills in the microwave are fossilized, try bring a water-filled glass cup to boiling in the microwave. The steam should help loosen the gunk. If the microwave smells, boil lemon juice. Unplug all appliances first. Don’t forget the turntable.

  10. Clean out kitchen cabinets.
      Reline if needed. Remove mismatched lids and bowls. Take out anything that isn’t being used on a regular basis. Reorganize and wash down the insides and outsides of cabinets.

  11. Run the dishwasher empty.
      Try adding vinegar or baking soda to the empty dishwasher before running it. If your dishwasher has a food trap in the bottom, clean it out. Wash down the outside of the dishwasher.

  12. Wash down the countertops in your kitchen.
      Don’t forget backsplashes. Check here for ideas on cleaning different countertop surfaces.

  13. Wipe down and clean out any drawers.
      Organize your flatware. This is a great time to install drawer dividers to better organize your kitchen drawers.

  14. Wash down the sink. If you have a garbage disposal now is the time to pour baking soda with warm water and/or a lemon peel down the disposal to freshen the drain. Put ice cubes through the disposal to sharpen the blades.

  15. Sweep and mop the floors.
      Don't forget baseboards. One of the best ways to get a floor REALLY clean is to use a rag or towel while on your hands and knees. If this is not an option try going barefoot and scooting a large towel around the floor with your feet. It provides more contact and pressure with the floor. Press gently, and be careful and slow. Even though this is the last step, the floor is not the best place to rest.

Tips:

   1. Gather all of your supplies together first thing. Trying to sort through the pantry cabinet for your oven cleaner might make you frustrated enough to declutter the cabinet. It's easy to forget what your initial goal was.

   2. Reward yourself by ordering in for dinner tonight. Forbid anyone to touch your spotless kitchen at least until breakfast the next morning. Any longer is probably cruel, but they can handle it overnight.

   3. Listen to music, an audio book, or a foreign language tape. The time will pass a lot more quickly if you have an enjoyable atmosphere. This is a great time to commandeer the stereo for what you want to listen to. If anyone objects, offer to let them have a turn with the stereo and the spring cleaning.

What You Need:

    * Dust mop (preferably with a long handle)
    * Step-ladder
    * Cleaning cloths
    * Small bucket with handle
    * Sponges
    * Vacuum with attachment
    * All-purpose cleanser, dish soap, or mild cleanser of choice
    * Oven Cleaner
    * Shelf or cabinet liner and drawer dividers
    * Broom and mop or towel

Have a great day!!
Sherry
Homesteading Journey

Tips courtesy of: Housekeeping @ About