Simple Tips for At Home
Simple Living
Home Life
Paper is enemy number one. It's my biggest source of clutter, so I'm trying to go paperless. (No laughing out there, it's a work in progress.) I try to handle paper only once. If I can't toss it, I ask, "do I really need to keep this" and then scan it onto my computer. Scanning often takes less time than filing, and electronic documents take no physical space, plus allow for much easier searches in the future (just do a keyword search on your entire hard drive).
Household cleaners - I used to end up accummulating a closet full of products, and most people do have a pile of products under the sink or in a closet, never being used. Instead, just use... soap and water, vinegar, and baking soda! Use a sponge, old toothbrush, or a scrubby, Scotchbrite or similar thing for more stubborn stains. Save the earth, it's less toxic and does not lead to antibacterial resistance. I like to use Palmolive dishwasher soap or softsoap. If it's safe and effective enough to use on dishes and hands, surely it's good enough to use on the counter, floor, bathtub, toilet, etc.
Vinegar and water in a squirt bottle to shine up mirrors, windows, counters, etc.
60 uses of vinegar
http://www.bagelhole.org//article.php/Miscellaneous/14/
Baking soda can be used to eliminate odors, put out fires or
61 uses of baking soda
http://www.bagelhole.org/article.php/Miscellaneous/12/
More low tech cleaning ideas
http://www.bagelhole.org//article.php/Miscellaneous/264/
Skin so Soft
Over 100 uses for Skin so Soft
http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/skinsosoft.html
More homemade cleaning products
http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/skinsosoft.html
Wash dishes as soon as you are done. They are easiest to clean since food hasn't dried on them yet. There will be no huge pileup of dishes in the sink latter.
Turn off the computer when you aren't using it. No checking email or browsing the internet all day. It also consumes electricity.
Go through your closets and drawers. Get rid of items you have not used in a year, preferably by selling them on Ebay, half.com, etc. or donate items and clothing to Goodwill, St Vincent de Paul, or the Salvation Army, books to the local library, etc. (Get receipts for your tax-deductions).
Other places to donate items:
http://www.savekaryn.com/PayItForward.htm
Failing that, give them away, or as a last resort, throw them away (preferably, recycling them). Try Freecycle throughout the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK.
http://www.freecycle.org/
Only check your mail once or twice a week. Most of it is just bills or junk mail, and can wait until a dedicated day. Sort mail near a wastebasket. Throw away Junk mail immediately without reading it, and pay bills promptly via online bill payment. To reduce junk mail: check out these tips--http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wasteprevention/junkmail.asp
I tried them; they work! Also: to stop getting the Pennysaver or Stopwise ads, call the numbers on the address postcards that come with the ads, and leave a message asking them to take you off their mailing list.
Mom always insisted we take off our shoes when we came home! I still do it. The docs want me to wear something so I have flip flops everywhere. (Even in the car.) This reduces the amount of dirt brought into the house, (we had light beige carpet) saves the carpet, and dramatically cuts down on the need for vacuuming. Taking off your shoes takes 10 seconds tops and, personally, I think it is MUCH more comfortable to walk around the house in socks or barefoot than in shoes! My kids do it too and they are all grown up.
Food
Drink water, not coffee or soda. Water has no calories or caffeine, and is arguably healthier than the other beverages (it also doesn't stain teeth like coffee, tea, and cola, or cause cavities). Secondly, water from the tap is free but if you live where water is softened like I do get bottled water. (If you don't like the taste of tap water, get a filter). If you replace your morning coffees and, other drinks (Coke, juice, etc.) during the day, that's already a substantial savings right there. (Add it up!) What I do is buy bottles of water by the case (they deliver), when I fill the teakettle I leave 1/3 to 1/2 in the bottle and stand it up in the freezer. Then when I want ice cold water, I open a new one and taking a frozen half full bottle from the freezer I fill it with water, returning the bottom of the fresh bottle to the freezer. That keeps my supply ready for the next time I need an ice cold water. It helps me drink the 8 glasses of water my doctors recommend I drink each day.
Grocery shopping is a big time-waster. Get enough groceries at one time so you don't have to do it more than, say, once or twice a month. Get groceries on your way home to conserve time and gas. Go with a friend. Make a list! Keep it in the kitchen to note what you need to replenish. Do other errands on the way.
Make one pot meals. Less clean up. Leftovers can go in the fridge in the pot
Personal Growth
Stay in-- have a potluck, play a game, bake bread, write a letter, cuddle a loved one.
Meditate
Quiet Time if you can't get into meditation just stop and concentrate on breathing, filling your lungs, and totally expelling the air. Or sit outside and look at nature unfold. Or have a silent quiet reading time set aside.
Don't watch or listen to the news. News fed to you is largely "bad news" or impacts your life in no way except stir up paranoia, depression, or insecurity. If you must get your daily dose of news, read a newspaper, news feed, or web news instead: at least you have greater control over what you read, in contrast to being fed whatever a TV or radio news reporter feeds you.
Reserve books from the local library. Instead of buying books from the bookstore you will only read once (or not at all) and that will clutter up your home, use a free resource that has many times more books than any bookstore: the public library! Go to the library's online web page, search for a book, and the place an online reservation for it. Then after work stop by the library, go directly to the circulation desk, present card, and the library staffer gets the book. Done within 2-5 minutes. The lending time usually is ample enough for one book and if not, just renew it (or be a little late paying a fine per day, which is still a whole lot less expensive than buying a book even if you are 10 days late!)
The library also stocks music and movies. So instead of buying them or renting, order them and run over to library and pick them up!
John December offers more tips:
http://www.december.com/simple/live/
Home Life
Paper is enemy number one. It's my biggest source of clutter, so I'm trying to go paperless. (No laughing out there, it's a work in progress.) I try to handle paper only once. If I can't toss it, I ask, "do I really need to keep this" and then scan it onto my computer. Scanning often takes less time than filing, and electronic documents take no physical space, plus allow for much easier searches in the future (just do a keyword search on your entire hard drive).
Household cleaners - I used to end up accummulating a closet full of products, and most people do have a pile of products under the sink or in a closet, never being used. Instead, just use... soap and water, vinegar, and baking soda! Use a sponge, old toothbrush, or a scrubby, Scotchbrite or similar thing for more stubborn stains. Save the earth, it's less toxic and does not lead to antibacterial resistance. I like to use Palmolive dishwasher soap or softsoap. If it's safe and effective enough to use on dishes and hands, surely it's good enough to use on the counter, floor, bathtub, toilet, etc.
Vinegar and water in a squirt bottle to shine up mirrors, windows, counters, etc.
60 uses of vinegar
http://www.bagelhole.org//article.php/Miscellaneous/14/
Baking soda can be used to eliminate odors, put out fires or
61 uses of baking soda
http://www.bagelhole.org/article.php/Miscellaneous/12/
More low tech cleaning ideas
http://www.bagelhole.org//article.php/Miscellaneous/264/
Skin so Soft
Over 100 uses for Skin so Soft
http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/skinsosoft.html
More homemade cleaning products
http://www.kitchencraftsnmore.net/skinsosoft.html
Wash dishes as soon as you are done. They are easiest to clean since food hasn't dried on them yet. There will be no huge pileup of dishes in the sink latter.
Turn off the computer when you aren't using it. No checking email or browsing the internet all day. It also consumes electricity.
Go through your closets and drawers. Get rid of items you have not used in a year, preferably by selling them on Ebay, half.com, etc. or donate items and clothing to Goodwill, St Vincent de Paul, or the Salvation Army, books to the local library, etc. (Get receipts for your tax-deductions).
Other places to donate items:
http://www.savekaryn.com/PayItForward.htm
Failing that, give them away, or as a last resort, throw them away (preferably, recycling them). Try Freecycle throughout the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK.
http://www.freecycle.org/
Only check your mail once or twice a week. Most of it is just bills or junk mail, and can wait until a dedicated day. Sort mail near a wastebasket. Throw away Junk mail immediately without reading it, and pay bills promptly via online bill payment. To reduce junk mail: check out these tips--http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wasteprevention/junkmail.asp
I tried them; they work! Also: to stop getting the Pennysaver or Stopwise ads, call the numbers on the address postcards that come with the ads, and leave a message asking them to take you off their mailing list.
Mom always insisted we take off our shoes when we came home! I still do it. The docs want me to wear something so I have flip flops everywhere. (Even in the car.) This reduces the amount of dirt brought into the house, (we had light beige carpet) saves the carpet, and dramatically cuts down on the need for vacuuming. Taking off your shoes takes 10 seconds tops and, personally, I think it is MUCH more comfortable to walk around the house in socks or barefoot than in shoes! My kids do it too and they are all grown up.
Food
Drink water, not coffee or soda. Water has no calories or caffeine, and is arguably healthier than the other beverages (it also doesn't stain teeth like coffee, tea, and cola, or cause cavities). Secondly, water from the tap is free but if you live where water is softened like I do get bottled water. (If you don't like the taste of tap water, get a filter). If you replace your morning coffees and, other drinks (Coke, juice, etc.) during the day, that's already a substantial savings right there. (Add it up!) What I do is buy bottles of water by the case (they deliver), when I fill the teakettle I leave 1/3 to 1/2 in the bottle and stand it up in the freezer. Then when I want ice cold water, I open a new one and taking a frozen half full bottle from the freezer I fill it with water, returning the bottom of the fresh bottle to the freezer. That keeps my supply ready for the next time I need an ice cold water. It helps me drink the 8 glasses of water my doctors recommend I drink each day.
Grocery shopping is a big time-waster. Get enough groceries at one time so you don't have to do it more than, say, once or twice a month. Get groceries on your way home to conserve time and gas. Go with a friend. Make a list! Keep it in the kitchen to note what you need to replenish. Do other errands on the way.
Make one pot meals. Less clean up. Leftovers can go in the fridge in the pot
Personal Growth
Stay in-- have a potluck, play a game, bake bread, write a letter, cuddle a loved one.
Meditate
Quiet Time if you can't get into meditation just stop and concentrate on breathing, filling your lungs, and totally expelling the air. Or sit outside and look at nature unfold. Or have a silent quiet reading time set aside.
Don't watch or listen to the news. News fed to you is largely "bad news" or impacts your life in no way except stir up paranoia, depression, or insecurity. If you must get your daily dose of news, read a newspaper, news feed, or web news instead: at least you have greater control over what you read, in contrast to being fed whatever a TV or radio news reporter feeds you.
Reserve books from the local library. Instead of buying books from the bookstore you will only read once (or not at all) and that will clutter up your home, use a free resource that has many times more books than any bookstore: the public library! Go to the library's online web page, search for a book, and the place an online reservation for it. Then after work stop by the library, go directly to the circulation desk, present card, and the library staffer gets the book. Done within 2-5 minutes. The lending time usually is ample enough for one book and if not, just renew it (or be a little late paying a fine per day, which is still a whole lot less expensive than buying a book even if you are 10 days late!)
The library also stocks music and movies. So instead of buying them or renting, order them and run over to library and pick them up!
John December offers more tips:
http://www.december.com/simple/live/
posted by Bluesbaby at 1:13 PM
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