January 2013 Tips, Tricks & Techniques

In case you missed any of the daily tips posted on Facebook and Twitter, here they are on one page and grouped by category. Enjoy.

Time Management

Sometimes you have to spend time on things that aren’t priorities for the sake of your sanity!

Do you know what really makes you tired? The things you put off, not the things you actually do!

Planning tonight what you’re going to do tomorrow gives you a head start.

Cooking

When cooking, especially on a gas stove, be careful with long hair, towels too close to the flame, or certain types of clothing. My sweater has strings at the neck that I tie back when I’m cooking.

Keep your PB&J sandwich from getting soggy by spreading peanut butter on both slices of bread w/jelly in the middle.

There’s no rule against using multiple crockpots at the same time! Meat in one; potatoes in another; dessert in a third. Crockpots are your best friend!

When you’re making oven baked chicken, turn the chicken half way and both sides will be crispier.

When using your crockpot, be sure it’s at least half full but no more than ¾. Too full or not full enough can cause your recipe to fail!

When trying a new recipe, reduce stress by reading through to be sure you know what you’re doing & getting all the ingredients ready to go.

When making a sweet bread, instead of dusting the pan with flour, use sugar. If there’s any residue on the bread, it will taste much better than flour!

Use extra hot dog buns or hamburger buns to make garlic bread. Spread w/butter, sprinkle w/garlic salt & bake at 400 for 5 minutes.

When ground beef is on sale, buy a bunch, cook it and freeze it in zip lock bags.

Before opening a can for a recipe or drinking out of a can, wash the top. There are all kinds of bad things on top of those cans!

Menu Planning

Lists are like magic! Having a grocery list helps me spend less & having a to-do list helps me get more done!

When you notice you’re getting low on something, stop & put it on your grocery list. That way you won’t run out!

I buy baby carrots every week at the grocery store–it’s automatic. So if I DON’T need them, I put “don’t buy carrots” on my list.

Organizing

Did you ever put something away that you don’t need very often & then forgot where you put it? Set up a “remember” file on your computer & record what you put away & where you put it. Might save you from a panic attack later.

Before you head out to a special occasion where you want to take lots of pictures, be sure your camera battery is fully charged.

If you use the library & have books checked out, put a little L on your calendar the date they’re due.

“Man’s best friend, aside from the dog, is the wastebasket.” Business Week

Just because you’ve always done something a certain way doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do it. Re-evaluate your systems now & then to be sure they’re serving you as well as they could be.

Cleaning

The fewer things you have, the less you have to clean.

I normally use the hose attachment on my vacuum to clean my dog’s bed but I recently discovered I can vacuum it just like I do the floor! Easier & faster!

Have you checked your furnace filter lately? Changing it regularly will keep your house cleaner & your furnace working better.

“Cleaning around clutter is like trying to bail out a leaky boat & continuing to bring new things in is like bailing out a leaky boat in the rain.” Crazy Suburban Mom

If you have impossible-to-dust items, like dried flowers, lampshades, intricate vases, figurines, etc. – try compressed air.

Laundry

Don’t overfill your washer or dryer. You might think it will save time but it doesn’t. Clothes take longer to dry & they come out wrinkled.

Decorating/Remodeling

If you have paneling and hate it, paint it! The paneling will give the wall an interesting texture and the paint will lighten the room.

Odds & Ends

“If you want your children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders.” Abigail Van Buren

Keep a pen & paper by your front door & if you ever see anything suspicious, write down details & let the police know. You never know!

When you hear the little voice in your head telling you something you’re about to do is a bad idea, you should listen. Like setting eggs on the counter.

these tips first appeared on Homemakersdaily’s Facebook and Twitter