As a Mom, sometimes it seems like I spend half my day “picking up” after my family. I often spend so much time getting the small stuff in order that I never make it to the deep cleaning. Consequently, I’m always looking for cheap tools to help speed up the the process. Two of my favorites are my Butler’s Broom and my ultra-handy Grabber.

It’s kind of amazing how quickly the kitchen floor can go from clean to crumb-covered. Even if the mess is isolated to a certain spot (like that pesky area under the stools) - the kitchen gets so much foot traffic that the initial mess seems to spread within minutes. My solution? Catch the mess early with a Butler’s Broom - or better yet, make your kids do it. I bought this handy little tool in the cleaning supplies section of Wal Mart for around $10. Its short size makes it very kid-friendly and allows it to tuck away neatly on my pantry door. It’s perfect for sweeping up small messes and reaching into tight corners. As a bonus, the handle-mounted dustpan saves you from bending down and it’s large enough to hold even the bigger kitchen clean-ups. I’ve used mine several times a day for the past two years and - although it’s starting to signs of wear - still works like a charm.

My Grabber was another Wal Mart find that I can’t live without. On any given day, I probably pick up dozens of random items off my floors, tables, sofas (and pretty much any other horizontal surface). I guess it might have something to do with the 4 people in our family that are less than 40 inches tall. You long time readers might remember the stash boxes I created to help deal with this pick-up-after-yourselves problem. Although the stash boxes and our weekly stash box challenge help a ton, I still hate bending over a zillion times a day to pick up what remains. That’s where this handy tool comes in. Designed to help people with disabilities extend their reach, the Grabber is perfect for Moms looking to streamline their clean-ups.  It’s narrow and lightweight which makes it incredibly convenient for grabbing kid shoes, papers, matchbox cars, couch cushions and pretty much everything else that wanders out of place each day. Best of all, the long handle virtually eliminates the need to bend over and provides extended reach for when your son decides to stash his rotten apple core behind the way-too-heavy-to-move-by-yourself armoire.

I loved having my Grabber during pregnancy - especially during that last trimester when I couldn’t bend over to tie my own shoes, let alone pick up Polly Pockets. If you’ve got a baby shower to attend in the near future, I highly recommend skipping the sea of traditional pastel baby presents and picking up a Grabber instead. Trust me, yours will be the first thank you card she’ll write! You can find the Grabber at various sites online or in the “as seen on TV” section of your local Wal Mart for around $10. Just thought I’d pass it on.

Share This

Well, it’s official…less than three weeks until the big day.  You’d think, since this is my fourth, that I’d have this whole baby thing down.  Yet, if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last eight years of motherhood it’s that you can never have too much good advice when it comes to managing your ever-changing family.

So, for today’s Talk to Me Tuesday post (sorry they’ve been a bit sporadic), I’m asking for your very best baby advice.  Whether it be survival suggestions for those first few sleepless months, tips and tricks for juggling busy schedules, or baby products that you can’t live without…I hope you’ll pass on all your bundle-of-joy wit and wisdom.

As a fun new twist for this Talk to Me Tuesday post I’ve got a great giveaway for you.  A few weeks ago I was searching Etsy.com for handmade baby supplies when I came across a sweet little shop aptly named The Pat-a-Cake Baby.  I was charmed by their trendy fabrics and ended up purchasing several of their perfectly packaged products.  One item I was particularly drawn to was their diaper diddie (TM).  It’s a clever little tool that tucks easily into your diaper bag and doubles as both a diaper/wipe holder and a comfy changing pad.  Unlike the boring vinyl versions you can find at the store, this diaper clutch is soft, thick and utterly adorable. 

Thanks to the generous donation of Jamie (the stay-at-home mom behind the Pat-a-Cake Baby Shop), I’ve got a fabulous diaper diddie (TM) to giveaway to one lucky reader.  You can see more photos and read the full product description by clicking this link.  Whether you’ve got a baby of your own or you simply want to have a charming gift on hand for your next baby shower, you won’t want to miss out on this great giveaway. 

To win, simply pass on your favorite baby tip in the comment area of this post before Saturday night (just one comment per person please).  On Sunday, I’ll draw a comment number at random and send an email to the winner.  The shipping is on me, so start thinking of your favorite baby tip now and join in the fun.  As always, to those of you that comment, thanks - in advance - for passing it on.

Share This

If you live anywhere in the Midwest you’ll probably understand why I’m posting this today. At the moment, my house, car, grass, and pretty much everything else that’s exposed to the elements is coated in two inches of solid ice.

Today, my kids spent the better part of an hour smashing zillions of icicles with wooden spoons. Of course, immediately after peeling off all their cold, soggy outerwear they started begging for cups of steamy hot chocolate…so I pulled out one of my favorite appliances - my Cocomotion.

I used to hate making instant hot cocoa. I could never manage to get the right temperature with the microwave and the cocoa powder never seemed to mix into the milk without making a gloppy mess. Then, a few years ago my mother-in-law introduced me to this little wonder. Made by Mr. Coffee, this handy gadget makes the perfect cup of hot cocoa every time and costs less than $25.

The clear, easy-pour canister is marked like a measuring cup so you can make up to 4 mugs of hot cocoa in a single batch. Simply fill the canister to the desired level with milk or water, dump in your powdered cocoa or cider, twist the lid, and hit the button. The Cocomotion whips the contents into a frothy concoction for a few minutes and then shuts off automatically when the perfect drinking temperature is reached. To clean it, I just rinse it under the tap and dry it with a paper towel. As a bonus, the cord wraps up into the base allowing it to store neatly in the back of my cupboard.

I found my Cocomotion at WalMart a few years ago but you should still be able to get your hands on one because I’ve seen them at both Target and WalMart this year. In fact, since it’s late in the season, you may be able to find it in the clearance area. If you do find it for a steal, you might want to pick up several. They make great Christmas gifts when accompanied by a basket of gourmet cocoa packets. Just thought I’d pass it on.

Share This

Thanks for all your great homework suggestions from last week’s Talk To Me Tuesday post.  I’ve already put several of them to the test.  You guys are going to be a fabulous resource for me!  Keep up the great comments.

I love sweater season.  I yearn for the first chilly days of fall like most people look forward to the first signs of spring.  As soon as the temperature starts to drop I stock my closet with stacks of cozy cashmere, cotton, and wool.  Of course the downside to all that sweater binging is that by mid-January my favorite sweaters and jackets are inevitably showing signs of wear. 

Little fuzzy balls and bits of woolen fluff can make even the most expensive sweater look cheap and unattractive.  Over the years, I’ve tried several sweater shaver gadgets and gizmos but never been pleased with the results.  Then, a few weeks ago I was watching a home makeover show and saw the host use a cheap little plastic razor to remove the pilling from the cushions of an old sofa.  I immediately thought about my sweater pilling problem and wondered if this easy solution could work for them as well. 

I whipped out one of my favorite sweaters and grabbed a little pink daisy razor from my bathroom drawer.  Much to my surprise it worked fabulously.  Thirty minutes and two razors later, I had managed to remove the annoying fuzz balls from 10 sweaters, 2 jackets, and my favorite wool coat.

Generally I’ve found that I get the best results if I lay the sweater out flat on the kitchen table but if you’re in a pinch it also works when you’re wearing the sweater.  Just pull the section you’re going to shave very taught use short vertical strokes.  Sharp razors yield the best results and you’ll want to replace it when you find the razor rolling over the pilling instead of cutting it off.  Don’t worry about using the more expensive multi-blade razors, the cheap one or two-blade razors work just as well.  One package of those little pink disposable wonders can save a whole closet full of sweaters and cost you less than a dollar.  It’s tough to beat a bargain like that.  Just through I’d pass it on. 

Share This

So it appears that Wal Mart no longer carries the cool little laminator that I mentioned in my last post.  Sorry to have led you guys astray.  Although I can’t seem to find that particular laminator on any other site, I did a little research last night and found a few good alternatives.  Both of them are under $50 and received good consumer reviews.  I’ll post the links for you below.  If you’re in the market for laminating supplies, you may want to check out the pouch prices at laminator.com.  They’re 3 for the price of 2 deal on laminating pouches is a steal.  Much better than the price I’d been getting at Wal Mart and Sams.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

Laminator.com
LM910 Pouch Laminator - 9 inch Pouch Laminator
$49.00

Factory-Express.com
Fellowes Mars ML-95 Pouch Laminator
$39.95

Share This

Sorry for the long delay in posting.  There’s nothing like cramming a birthday party, back to school, and a baptism all into one week to make you fall behind in your posts. 

Last week I received a great little email from Arian regarding my home laminator.  For years I thought a home laminator was out of my range.  After countless trips to the teacher supply store to laminate my stuff, I finally decided it might be worth the investment.  Thankfully, before I forked out the $150 I was planning to spend, I came across this little wonder.

Made by Duck brand, this inexpensive heat laminator is perfect for home use.  It’s small, lightweight, and folds up on itself for easy storage.  I found it at Wal Mart for under $30.  I bought mine a few years ago, but last time I checked, they still had them in stock.  The laminator’s instructions recommend using their laminating sheets (available in packs of 25 at Wal Mart for around $7).  However, I’ve tried it with several different types of film and it seems to work well with all of them.

I’ve used my laminator for tons of different projects around the house.  It’s kind of addictive, actually.  Trust me, once you make a simple sheet of paper toddler-proof, it’s tough to stop.   So far, my little laminator has held up fabulously; well worth the $30.  Just thought I’d pass it on.  Thanks for the great question, Arian.

If you’ve got a question you’d like to throw my way, please feel free to email me.  I’m no expert, but I seem to stumble through most organizing dilemmas sorta-successfully.  You can find the link on my About Me page. 

Share This

I’ve been a big fan of Consumer Reports for years.  In fact, my husband teases me because I’m constantly checking their website to figure out the consumer best buy for everything from digital cameras to dishwashing detergent.

Last week I was perusing the magazine rack at Sam’s Club when I came across a great new magazine produced by the editors of Consumer Reports called Shop Smart.  Like Consumer Reports, Shop Smart is completely ad free and offers tons of advice based on independently tested products.  However, unlike its popular counterpart, this female-friendly magazine ditches the car comparisons and techie charts and replaces them with cleanly designed shopping suggestions on everything from tips on slashing your grocery bills to picking the best birth control.  Overall, I was really impressed.  I looked into subscribing, but unfortunately all the links on their site (www.shopsmart.org) link you to the original Consumer Reports magazine.  I’ve written to the editor for more information but I haven’t heard back yet.  When I do, I’ll let you know.  Until then, you may want to look for it on the racks.

While you’re there, you may also want to grab a copy of Better Homes and Gardens special interest issue of Storage for Kids Stuff.  Although I wasn’t terribly impressed with their organization ideas…Organize Mag does a much better job of that…I did love flipping through their cleverly designed kids rooms.  I found several great decorating ideas that I pulled out and added to my decorating ideas binder.  If you like idea magazines like Pottery Barn Kids, you may want to give this one a try.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

Share This

As I mentioned before, moving to a new house always has its challenges. In addition to finding new spots for our ocean of toys, I’ve also had to come up with a new solution for our mudroom. In our new house, the entryway from the garage is a small mudroom/laundry room. It’s only about 5 feet wide and the washer and dryer take up a significant portion of the width. I needed a place to store backpacks, keys, jackets, purses, and other ‘out the door’ essentials without interrupting the traffic flow.

As I was wandering the aisles of Target searching for a cheap solution, I came across these awesome peg boards. Yet another successful Pottery Barn knockoff from our friends at Target, these square peg boards are a perfect solution for tight spaces. In addition to the cool peg boards, they also offer coordinating dry erase boards and cork boards to allow for tons of configuration options. But of course, the best part is the customization. Much like their garage wall predecessors, these peg boards offer tons of flexiblity. Target sells a wide variety of hooks, boxes, racks and clips to help you create a perfect spot for all your must-haves.

On our board, I’ve got several small silver key hooks, a few sturdier hooks for my purse, a box for things like sunglasses and sunscreen, and a 4-arm swinging hook for the kid’s backpacks and jackets. At first, the hooks seemed a little loose and tended to pop out if I pulled at the wrong angle. I solved that problem by picking up a pack of ticky tack and placing a small dot of it around the peg of each hook. Now everything stays in its place and can the hooks can stand up to my kid’s toughest yanks.

In addition to mud rooms like mine, they’d be a great addition to any kid’s rooms, garages, craft areas and much more. We’ve used the system for a few months now, and it’s held up beautifully. The total set up cost me around $35. Considering I haven’t lost my keys or tripped over a backpack yet, I’d say it’s well worth the price. Just thought I’d pass it on.

[ratings]

Share This