^Lady'sHeart of the Home
Home Management

As a high school and college student, I worked at a local grocery store to help pay my way. I learned a neat way to save money on my groceries from the way the cashiers put away the "misplaced" items that customers picked up on an earlier aisle and then decided against purchasing. When putting up these items, it was much faster to start on the opposite end of the store than customers normally started from. As we picked up items that were out of place, we were on our way to where the item originated.

It occurred to me one night while performing this chore that if I shopped that way (from the last aisle towards the first aisle), I would end up with more of the things I truly needed and fewer that were "impulse" buys. Most items that resulted in "impulse" buys were located in the first few aisles or the front of the store. Through the years, this method has saved me countless dollars, allowing me to stay in budget. Plus, I save time by not dwelling on things I don't really need.
Wanda in Fayetteville, NC

A young organic gardener gave this tip at a recent dinner party I attended. When you are buying plants, look for ones where they have put two or three plants in one pot to make the plant look fuller. When you get home, you can divide them up and have two or three plants for the price of one!
Mary of Woods Hole, MA

I have always washed all of our down pillows, comforters, and clothing. I finally got smart and got the item wet first before I use soap by running it through a wash and spin cycle. Then I re-distribute the load and start over with the soap. That solves the problem with floating and not having the soap incorporate correctly. I had always used Nikwax to wash my down items, but when I could no longer buy it at a store nearby, I tried Woolite and it works just as well as the Nikwax. After I dry the item, I lay it out for a few days and check again for moisture and dry it again if necessary.
Aleta

My favorite way to clean out old toys from my daughter's room was simple. When I planned a yard sale I tell my daughter that she could sell her unwanted toys. After the sale, she could pick out one new toy to buy with her money and the rest went into her bank account. The idea of picking out a brand new toy really encouraged her to part with the old toys.
Sandra P. in Pennsylvania

My mother has an older cat and she ended up urinating on my new mattress. If you put witch hazel in a spray bottle, soak the spot, let it dry and repeat several times, it will completely eliminate the odor. I can put my nose to that area, and I do not smell a thing. My cat hasn't even noticed it. Witch hazel can be bought in the pharmacy section near the rubbing alcohol.
Pam

For a lovely table decoration, fill a big glass bowl or an oversized clear glass vase with lemons, limes, and water. It is so lovely, and you can make limeade and lemonade after! You can also put some food coloring in the water if you like to be very different and creative!
ECB

Six years ago, I purchased a home with a fairly large lot and plans for massive gardens, but unfortunately, the soil was like beach sand and would not hold any nutrients or moisture. Where I live, I can get free wood chips (mixture of all types of trees that grow into the roads or wires). I put a top dressing of 10-15 inches over all the gardens (76 truck loads over 5 years). Since I have a pickup truck, the total cost was about $100 for gas. The soil is now rich, black, fertile and full of earthworms.
Frank

I'm getting married in about six weeks and my father and stepmother are hosting the rehearsal dinner. My fiance and I decided that since we were having a big fancy dinner the next day and because we have so much to do the day before and need to relax a bit, we should have a pizza party. We found a pizza place near the chapel and "tested" their pizza and then asked the manager if he could accommodate around 20 people for dinner. He said it was no problem and it's so inexpensive and fun!
Karin

Before moving, we, of course, tried to get used boxes from a few stores, only to find that we needed to show up at 3 a.m. to get them. We went to a storage place. Yikes! It would have cost $4 to $5 per box. We found big plastic storage tubs on sale at Target for $2.48 each. We bought every one they had. They worked out wonderfully for the move. They were see- through, stackable, and easy to carry with lids and handles. A one-time investment will take care of future moves. Meanwhile, we can use them for storage, or stack them neatly in the basement or shed.
Corinne, Las Vegas, NV

Instead of tossing my old nylon net "puff" body scrubber after buying a new one, I found it works great for scrubbing down the tub and shower walls.
Naomi in NE

After shampooing and rinsing off your pooch, finish the bath by drenching him with one cup of vinegar diluted in a bucket of warm water (adjust quantities to size of dog). Do not rinse off. Squeeze off excess water and dry as usual. The vinegar completely eliminates soap residue and makes any coat shiny clean. The "vinegar smell" evaporates after drying, leaving a beautiful clean coat. And there will be no scratching!
Nicky

For years, I tried every product I could think of to keep my aluminum combination doors looking new. After all the money I'd spent on products that really didn't do a very good job, I found the secret when some of the solution I was washing the door window with ran down onto the aluminum, leaving a shiny, clean streak in its wake. What was in the bucket? A gallon of warm water, five or six drops of dish soap, and two cups of white vinegar. Magic!
Donna M.