Keep Flowers Fresh Longer

If you place cut flowers like carnations and pinks in lemonade instead of water, they will last much longer. Ensure that you use the proper lemonade and not the diet sort. You will need to change the lemonade after every four days.

Putting an aspirin in the flower vase will also keep flowers fresh. Never mix daffodils with other flowers. If you still need to do that, soak them separately in water for one hour and then rinse them again. The topmost buds of delphiniums, gladioli and snapdragons should be nipped to increase their life.

These tips will come in handy before a party for sure.

Remove Gum Easily

I have already shared some tips for removing bubble gum from the sofa or clothes. Today I will tell you how to clean something that has gum stuck on it.

You can try putting the item in a freezer and let the gum freeze. Once it is frozen, you can simply scrape it off using a knife or even use our usual vinegar for the same. Vinegar makes the cleaning process easier. Be careful while doing so and don’t damage the interiors of the freezer.

What do you do if you have bubble gum stuck up somewhere in your home? Tell me.

How to Fix a Sticky Key

Use a standard lead pencil and run it over the grooves in the key and slowly inside the key hole too. Do this carefully or else the pencil tip might break. The pencil actually contains graphite that is helpful for lubricating the brass or iron without the risk of corroding it.

After the key is done, put the key inside and out of the lock for a few times, and nimbly try to work upon the lock and key together. After a while, the key will smoothly operate in the lock and you can use it again.

Good idea, isn’t it?

Save Water

We all know about how water has to be used discretely as it is a scarce resource. But how many of us implement this at home?

Fix up the leaking taps and faucets as soon as you notice them. Don’t keep the tap running till you finish brushing your teeth or shave. Use limited water for bathing. Try and reuse water left from washing vegetables in the garden.

Of course, drink lots of water as it is good for health. But take care that you pour in only as much quantity as you can finish. This is another way of saving water.

Chimney Cleaning Tools

A chimney needs cleaning at least once a year. This is applicable for wood-burning fireplaces. A gas fireplace does not produce smoke and also does not form soot on the chimney. If your home is filled up with smoke, the chimney probably needs urgent cleaning.

For this, you will need chimney rod and brushes, a stiff scrubbing brush and a flashlight. Always wear worn out or old clothes while cleaning and use a facemask, gloves and goggles too. You will also require a broom, a metal bucket for collecting soot particles and a ladder. Keep some drop cloths handy for cleaning the inside of a chimney.

Don’t Stress Yourself for Home Buying

The decision to buy a new home is really exciting. But I find that some people go through really stressful situations in the process. Why is it so?

Before you start hunting for a suitable home for your family, make a list of requirements that you expect in your new home. Fix up the budget and your limit for the monthly loan installment. If you are confused about which questions to ask the home seller, log on to the Internet. You will find many Home checklists for the home buyer.

You can also hire a real estate broker for a seamless experience.

Let Go

During spring cleaning or Christmas time I find much more space in my home. How do I do this?

I choose a room and remove ALL the items kept in the cupboards and closets on the floor. Next is the all important task of sorting out these things according to their purpose and level of use for me. This helps me greatly in organizing the room and I can classify everything neatly.

Lastly, I do the ritual of letting go of those things that I don’t need anymore. I usually donate such things for a deserving cause and derive satisfaction out of it!

Kids Room in Order

If you think that your child’s room can never be orderly, it is not so. It all depends on how you train them since childhood.

When your kid is as little as a toddler, play the ‘wind up’ game with him or her. Don’t increase your daily chores by favoring to clean up the toys everyday. You have a lot of other important things to look after.

So if you wish to achieve the dual goal of a responsible child and an orderly home where all things are in their rightful place, start early! Try this on your spouse too!

How to Organize Your Garage

The garage is one room in our home which is used to stack away all those things that we no longer need in near future. To start organizing it, first make a map of the garage area. This will come in handy while planning the space.

This map can be hand drawn and you can assign each section of the garage for a particular use, for instance, gardening, sports etc. You don’t need to draw it to exact scale, a rough estimate will also do. This will help you decide what kind of storage system will suit your needs and budget.

Spotless Pans in the Kitchen

These days everybody uses non-stick or anodized cookware, so there is hardly any chance that you might need brass or aluminum utensils. I am sharing a helpful hint for cleaning utensils other than steel at home conveniently.

Mix equal portions of vinegar and water. Pour this mixture into the vessel and let it come to a boil. This will loosen the lime and mineral deposits at the bottom of the utensil. This solution is very good for removing deposits from aluminum and chrome vessels.

If you mix salt with it, the solution can clean brass, bronze and copper vessels too.