September Tip-a-Day Calendar; Hints and tricks to make life easier

[Texasmujer]

1 Sept: Use different color files to keep track of projects: green for the lawn, blue for dress pattrens, red for parent-teacher group.

2 Sept: To release a stuck window, put blocks of wood at various places on the sash and lightly tap with a hammer.

3 Sept: For perfectly shaped pancakes, use a clean meat baster to squeeze th ebatter onto a hot griddle.

4 Sept: Take a bicycle ride with the family.

5 Sept: When you make an appointment, write down the person's phone number on your calendar in case your plans change.

6 Sept: Put cat litter or a fabric softener sheet at teh bottom of awaasttbeaket that has an unpleasant odor.

7 Sept: Use premoistened babby wipes to clean spilled paint before it dries

8 Sept: Slip a paper plate between cast-iron pans to prevent rust, and etween nonstick skillets to stop scratches.

9 Sept: Number lids and bottoms of plastic storage bins with permanent markers so they're easy to match up.


10 Sept: Iron only what shows: the collar of a shirt under a sweater, the front of a blouse under a jacket.

11 Sept: Pump up the soccer ball and get a lesson from your kids. Have a tournament in the back yard.


12 Sept: Use an old leather belt to store the garden hose. Loop the hose around the belt, buckle it and hang from a nail in the garage.

13 Sept: Replace pots of fading dummer plants with bright chrysanthemums.

14 Sept: Designate a drawer for healthy snacks like pretzels, rice cakes or trail mix so kids can help thenselves.

15 Sept: If you drop a raw egg, saturate it with salt. Let it stand for a minute, then sweep or scrape up with a spatula.

16 Sept: Use self-sealing bags to hold screws. They'ere easier to solve in a small spave than jars.

17 Sept: Clean soft cheese from a grater by rubbing a raw potato over the grater openings.

18 Sept: Use plastic bread-wrapper tags as stitch markers for knitting
projects.

19 Sept: Sew extra buttons to the seams of jackets and pants. If you need a spare, you'll know where to find it.

20 Sept: Have the chimney and flue checked by a professional for cracks and other damage.

21 Sept: Iron clothes needding the lowest temperatures last. You'll avoid waiting for the iron to cool down.

22 Sept: Check your garden center fpr marked-down shrubs and trees. Plant them now and roots will be settled by next spring.

23 Sept: Wet your hands in cold water before mixing or shaping ground beef and the meat won't stick to tehm.

24 Sept: Harvest the last of the summer herbs and vegetables. Make pesto from basil and freeze in ice cube trays.

25 Sept: Start a reading group with your friends. Meet at a different house each time and discuss a new book.

26 Sept: Before putting them away for the season, wash or dry-clean clothes. It will discourage moths.

27 Sept: Get the leaf blower serviced before the leaves start to fall.

28 Sept: Reach for the rubbing alcohol when you need to clean your eyeglasses. It dries instantly and won't leave streaks.

29 Sept: Schedule a tiem for a furnace inspection and cleaning by a professional.

30 Sept: Clean outdoor furniture and do any necessary repairs or paint touch-ups before storing for winter.