25 (more) clever ideas to make life easier . We heard you loud and clear. When we published our first list of clever ideas to make life easier last year, we received an overwhelming response. So without further ado, here’s another 25 ingenious household tips and organisational tricks that will have you saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” Source: chezerbey.com Got an empty kitchen shelf? Source: maillardvillemanor.com Wall mount cutlery trays and add a cup hook in each compartment for brilliant jewelery storage. Source: apartmenttherapy.com Avoid messy dresser drawers by “filing” your clothing side-by-side instead of stacking items on top of each other. Photo: William Warby on flickr.com Has putting Toy Story on constant repeat finally taken its toll? Source: realsimple.com Packing tip: Protect breakables such as wine bottles or food containers with children’s inflatable floaties. Source: whatiwore.tumblr.com Rather than bundling them in your drawer, loop tights over a coathanger and store them in your wardrobe. Source: bakedbree.com
tutorials We get a lot of emails asking how to use brushes correctly so I hope this helps you out a little! A brow brush is designed to be stiff and angled for a reason. And we use the slanted edge to shade and the tip of the edge to outline. Last week we explored four different ways to wear Spring’s biggest Cobalt blue trend. This method has been around for centuries! A nod to the Uptown Girl, this look is very put together and polished. Highlighting Pencil — Try Too Faced Instant Attitude Highlighting Pencil.Taupe Pencil — I used Le Metier de Beaute Pencil in Champagne. Note: This is a really light nude lip so to keep it as chic as possible, add a hint of blush to the cheek so you don’t get washed out.
Stain Removal 101: Busy Mom's Guide For Cleaning, Laundry, And Stains Female Solo Travel- Travel Tips for Women Are you looking for female solo travel trips? Would you like to know what countries are best for women travelling solo to get their feet wet? We put those questions to our Facebook community as we love getting insider tips from other travellers. While most of my travel around the world has been done with Craig, my first adventures saw me setting off into the untamed wilderness on my own. Female Solo Travel Tips Don’t think about the possible dangers There are a million things that can go wrong, no matter how you are travelling. But, that doesn’t stop you from getting on with your life right? Be Aware Keep your wits about yourself and your surroundings at all time. Trust your intuition It always knows best. Don’t freak yourself out by imaginary monsters, but definitely pay attention to those little messages our animal instincts give us. Walk assertively and confidently When I was in year 9 we had to do a self-defence course for sport at school. Always walk assertively and confidently.
"One Good Thing" by Jillee: Easy Cheesy Enchilada Casserole There are several things I REALLY liked about this dish! #1. It reminded us of an old family favorite, Fireman’s Goulash, that we rarely make anymore since Celiac’s entered our lives. #2. and #3. Easy Cheesy Enchilada Casserole adapted from Get Off Your Butt and Bake! 1 pound ground beef 1 large onion, chopped (or season with onion powder or minced onion) 2 1/2 cups salsa (I used Blender Salsa I’d made that day!) 1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing (I didn’t have any Italian Salad Dressing, reduced-fat or otherwise, so I improvised and added about a tablespoon of dry ranch dressing mix and a couple tablespoons of oil. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the salsa, beans, corn, dressing, sour cream, taco seasoning and cumin. Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of 2 quart baking dish. Repeat.
Canal-U "One Good Thing" by Jillee: Make Your Own SIMPLE Moisturizing Lotion I have been wanting to make my own lotion for a LONG time! But I haven’t been able to find QUITE the right “recipe” for me. There are as many formulations for lotion out there as there are fish in the sea it seems! Heavy, light. I found this semi-homemade version on PatchworkTimes.com and thought it sounded like just the ticket for me. The original recipe called for: 16 oz. baby lotion; 8 oz. But after consulting with my staff of advisors (my sisters), we decided to try replacing the Vaseline with Coconut Oil. My sisters and I immediately started slathering this stuff on and my oldest sister said it reminded her of her favorite Burt’s Bees lotion, but at a FRACTION of the cost. So here is the revisedHomemade Moisturizing Lotion: 16 ounces baby lotion 8 ounces coconut oil (solid form, not melted) 8 ounces vitamin E cream Mix together with handheld mixer until it resembles icing. Store in air tight containers…keep it for your own supply…or slap on a quick little label for gift-giving! Ready?
The Fun Cheap or Free Queen: "You're Welcome" Wednesday tip: Keep your house clean with 1 chore per day Confession…I’m a messy person. Don’t get me wrong, I love having a clean house and try my best. But I have to really concentrate on staying on top of my messes (yes, MY messes). Plus I have 3 young kids (my oldest is 4) and a large house (5,200 sq feet, super-duper-clearance short sale – story for another day). Years ago I came up with a system for being able to keep your house clean (deep-cleaned at that) with just one chore per day. This system has gone viral on Pinterest and has worked for thousands of people. In addition to typical daily chores (dishes, taking garbage out, picking up your floors, wiping up spills, etc.), by focusing your attention on just one main chore per day, it will help you stay on top of your home’s deep-cleaning needs! Here’s a FREE PRINTABLE for you to print out and post in your home, to help you stay on schedule: Again, print this list HERE Here’s a breakdown of how this works: (For a printable version of this breakdown click HERE) Laundry day. Bathrooms.
Homemade Hardwood Floor Cleaner Recipes & Tips Here are several different recipes for mixing up your own cleaners for hardwood flooring, just a few simple ingredients are all that’s needed. Keep in mind that a little goes a long way, you just need enough liquid to dampen the mop (or cloth) and scrub away. If you’re happy to damp mop with straight water, try adding about 10 drops of essential oil per gallon of water for extra cleaning muscle. Some suggestions: lavender, tea tree oil, pine or eucalyptus oil will add antiseptic qualities. You’ll also find tips on this page for removing scuff marks, how to test for wax (and remove it), a few DIY polish recipes and a scratch repair method that may surprise you. Getting Started: Sweep or vacuum surface to remove as much dirt and dust as possible. Directions: When using one of the recipes below, damp mop only. Mix 1 gallon warm water with your choice of the ingredients below… Solution #1 1/4 cup vinegar1 TBS castille soap Solution #2 1 cup white household vinegar (*Is it safe to use? Solution #3
10 Remarkable DIY Cleaning Solutions I don’t know about you, but I was feeling ready to start some serious spring cleaning. This year, I decided to try some new (more effective) cleaning solutions using materials I already had (in true Picklee fashion of course!). I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of my cleaning experiments. From simple shower cleaners, to carpet stain removers, to wrinkle release spray, I found that not only were these DIY solutions much cheaper, but they worked SO MUCH BETTER too! I couldn’t be more excited to share the next 10 Remarkable DIY Cleaning Solutions with you! Here they are, 10 Remarkable DIY Cleaning Solutions: (cleaning solution sources include onegoodthingbyjille, bhg, livingsimple) Rating: 4.8/5 (537 votes cast) 10 Remarkable DIY Cleaning Solutions, 4.8 out of 5 based on 537 ratings