Build a mini kitchen out of empty boxes
Instead of paying $200 for a child-size gourmet kitchen, Joanne Fernando, an architect in New York City, made a sink and stove (with oven!) for her four-year-old daughter out of cardboard boxes, CDs, and hardware-store staples. Here are her tips.
Cover the boxes with white contact paper to disguise the cardboard.
Cut a hole in the top of one box and drop in a brownie pan for the sink. For a faucet, connect plastic piping with an elbow joint.
Use blank CDs or the undersides of CDs that you don’t listen to anymore for the burners; put down black tape in an X shape for the grates. {from Real Simple Magazine}
And here are some {Neat Tips} I'd like to share with you : D
Paint
As in: That rusted can that has been sitting in the garage since the Clinton administration.
The fixes:
Cover and seal paint cans. To preserve paint for later use, clean around the lip of the can, as any buildup will prevent a perfect seal. Then cover the top of the can with plastic wrap before replacing the lid. “This prevents rust from seeping into the paint and makes the lid easier to pry off,” says Alison Keane, environmental counsel for the National Paint & Coatings Association. Next, place a piece of wood on top of the lid and “hammer it once hard in the center for a good seal,” says Carl Koebbe, division merchandising manager for Home Depot. Store the can upside down so “the thin paint layer that forms will be on the bottom of the can when you use it next,” says Koebbe.
Store cans inside the house. Keep the cans in a room not subject to freezing temperatures. “The garage is the worst place to store paint,” says Keane. “Latex contains up to 80 percent water―once it freezes, it’s ruined.”
Source: {Real Simple.com}
Books:
I use old books to add height to my home decor. For instance, if you are decorating the top of your kitchen cabinets and you want to add height to a particular item, stack some books on the cabinet then put your plant or other item on top. Instant height and now it can be seen from down below :) I do the same for the top of my armoire and top of other tall furniture. (if you don't have extra books around you can always buy some cheap ones at the Goodwill, garage sales and even the library has some to give away free! Check with them. Books make great, inexpensive decorative accessories.
Decorate in three's. When making an arrangement, be it on your coffee table, side table, entry way, etc, do it in three's. And I always like to use three different elements, wood, metal and glass. This adds interest to the display :) Try it!
Notice the books and the different textures
After adding a few more books under the giraffe and greenery ties it all together.
Add greenery to your home decor. Sometimes I enter some very lovely homes and all I see is wood and metal. I always want to just take in some of my own greenery and spruce up the place. Greenery ties things together (like the decorating in three's above. Use greenery to tie it all together for a WOW factor)
You can use faux greenery. It's easy to clean (take it outside and hose it off then put it in the shade to air dry) and you don't have to water it every day (except to clean it and I do that maybe twice a year !)
Here I added another picture and more greenery to tie all the display together on top of the armoire.
Here, greenery adds depth to the top of this china cabinet.
Source: ME : D
Condiment Holder:
Here's something we like to use at our house: Take an old cardboard soda holder and use it to store condiments, etc. My kids love hot dogs, so when we set up the counter with the hot dogs, buns, etc, this condiment holder can sit in your pantry ready to be whipped out when hot dog night comes!
Realsimple.com
Packing:
When going out of town, pack your bags by rolling your clothes then putting them in your suitcase. I often travel with two boys, so I roll up our clothes one by one and pack them in. You'll be amazed at how much more fits and they are virtually wrinkle free.
Packing list:
I have a spreadsheet that I keep for myself for business trips, family trips, and hubby and I trips :)
The spreadsheet is saved on my computer and I have it as a checklist for me not to forget anything when going away. You can see it here.
You can set it up, type in the number of -for example pants, tops, shoes, socks, you'll need and then print it out and check it off as you pack them in your bag. I also keep a travel bag that is readily available to me and it contains all the toiletries I need. This bag has an extra toothbrush for each member of my family, soap, toothpaste, brush, shampoo, lotion, conditioner, you get the picture. So that I can just add a few misc. items if need be. I also pack a little ziploc baggie with a few days worth of Benadryl, Tylenol (both kids and adults), bandaids and Hydrocortizone cream JUST IN CASE.
It cuts down on time for packing and unpacking.
Here's what mine looks like :
{I always bring home the small bottles of shampoo, lotion and soaps from my hotels. I then create a little camping pack for each of my kids to use. I buy travel sizes of deodorant and add them to the little camping pack. Then when they are off to camp they just toss the pack into their bag :) }
Condiment Packets:
We like to go on picnics! That's why we don't throw away any of the condiment packets and napkins that are left from fast food places. We have a kitchen drawer where we keep the stash in a ziploc baggie. So when the mood strikes and we want to have a picnic with sandwiches or hot dogs we just grab the baggie and go! So convenient and free! The last time we went to Six Flags we took a cooler and we had a picnic at their outdoor area. This was a perfect time to use this baggie!
So what time savers do you have? I'd love to hear from you. Leave me a link to your blog so I can check it out. I love learning from others.