Hi everyone:

Some folks wonder if it really is necessary to separate dark clothing from light when washing them. I would still answer “yes” to that question, unless you want to have grey underwear and socks.

There is a product available in the grocery store that will help if you accidentally put that fushia towel you picked up for $10 in Florida last year  in the washing machine with your brand new white shirt. The product is called “Color Catchers.” I have not used it but I have friends who swear by it.

Be sure to follow the label directions as you use it in the washer and do not dry your bleeding-red towel with your light clothes after you try the product. The idea here is that you have to re-wash the clothes but the dye that deluged your light clothes should come out.

Think of this as the “morning after pill” for washing machines.

Good luck!

Sheri

Hello everyone:

Ovens and stoves are wonderful, but do not ever leave something cooking and walk away. You will forget it and it will burn. Our neighbors in Tennessee were frying onion rings and got distracted by something that took them out of the kitchen for a minute…..or two….or ten….Their whole kitchen burned down. While this may seem like a good way to clean out the kitchen and start over, it is not. It did not do wonders for their relationship with their landlord, either.

When using measuring spoons, there is a huge difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. The spoons are marked as to which one they are, so take a moment to get your reading glasses out and check out what the side of the spoon says it is.

There is also a huge difference between sugar and salt. One tastes good in pies and the other will gag you. (Don’t ask!) There is also a difference between ketchup and tomato sauce. One is great on hamburgers and the other….not so much. Do not refill your ketchup bottle with tomato sauce – or worse,  tomato paste! Your guests and family will notice. I promise.

Best,

Sheri

Hi everyone:

One way to keep your kitchen clean is to clean while you cook. Take everything that you will need for a recipe out of the cabinet before you begin to cook and then put things away as you use them. This way, you will not forget to put something in a recipe and you won’t accidentally put it in the food twice.

As you use an ingredient, don’t put it down, put it away! When the counter is empty of everything except the dish you are preparing, you will know that the food item is ready to be cooked. While it is in the oven. wash the preparation dishes and wipe down the counter. Your kitchen will be clean while you wait for the dish to cook.

BTW, if you notice that you are getting low on any ingredient, put it on your shopping list now. That way, you will remember to buy it at the store and you won’t run out of anything.

Best,

Sheri

Hello everyone:

Today’s blog is on candle safety. As a former Home Interiors and Gifts displayer, we were frequently given tips on how to handle candles safely and I want to share those ideas with you.

When using an open-flame candle, make sure you never leave the candle unattended. Keep the wicks trimmed to 1/4 inch; do not keep them burning more hours than their width in diameter. That is, if you have a candle that is three inches in diameter, it should not remain lit for more than three hours.

A candle can cover up the smell of  a burned dinner. My hubby used to say that he could tell what type of dinner I would be serving by the size of the candle that was burning when he got home. If it was a big candle, he would take me out to dinner.

Have a great day!

Sheri

Hello everyone:

When driving in Florida this past weekend, I got a flat tire. Sadly, I do not have AAA (it’s a mere $66 per year for the basic membership). When calling the rental car company, they told me that it would cost $78  to get them to come take care of it. Happily, my brother came by and changed the tire for me, but here are some tips he gave me on how to do it:

Read the car’s Owner’s Manual and follow the directions on exactly where to place the jack (you could rip off your car’s bumper if you put it in the wrong place!).

Let the car’s weight help you loosen the bolts that hold the tire on. Loosen (but not completely) the bolts holding the tire on and then jack the car up. Finish loosening the bolts and remove the tire.

When you put the spare tire on, make sure you put it on correctly (not wrong-side out!). The Owner’s Manual should have a picture that shows how it should be placed. Tighten the bolts, using your body weight to make them tighter. When you have used all of your strength to tighten them, jack the tire back down to the ground and tighten them again. You are once again using your car’s weight to tighten the bolts.

Since you will then be driving on your spare tire, get the original tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible, since you no longer have a spare tire. Get AAA sooner rather than later, so that they can change the tire next time!

Best,

Sheri

If you plan on getting new furniture for your new home, as that it be delivered and set up in your new location. A friend of mine ordered new bedroom furniture that was very heavy. She thought she would have some help on moving day. She was wrong.

The furniture was delivered to her old house in boxes. She had to move it, sight unseen, to the new location, drag it up the stairs, and set it up herself. Have your purchases sent to the new house, so that you won’t have to store it until moving day or have to lug it around yourself.

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my blog on practical advice for living. Today’s tip is about moving to a new location (which I have personally done 22 times).

Keep in mind that you need to mark your boxes on all the sides, so that you can tell what is in it, no matter which way you look at it. Marking a box on the top will not help, since your boxes will be piled high. Instead, list the contents (and the room the box belongs in) on all four sides.

A very dear friend of mine once moved across country and she wrote index cards for each box. Her sons needed to be entertained as they drove, so guess what they did? Right! They played “how many cards can we dump outside the car without Mom noticing?” They were very successful.

She, on the other hand, had a boatload of numbered boxes and no idea what was in them.

Best,

Sheri