TIPS Archives

PLASTIC FOOD BAG DRYING TIP IS A GAME CHANGER

August 11, 2022

This how-to-dry plastic food bag tip will have you asking why didn’t I think of this.

PLASTIC FOOD BAG TIP IS A GAME CHANGER

It started when I found these heavy-duty recyclable bags at Aldi’s in Knoxville while visiting my sister. I loved the thick bags and found myself using these reusable food bags more than the Ziplock bags because they were so durable. Amazon sells this bundle-its on sale.

But cleaning and drying these reusable bags were time-consuming because I planned to reuse them multiple times. But the thought of these bags drip-drying every night brought back memories of my childhood kitchen sink.

It always goes back to childhood. #wink

BEFORE RECYCLING WAS A HASHTAG

Growing up my parents repurposed and recycled before it was a hashtag. My mom gave new life and third chances to Folger coffee cans and empty Cool Whip containers.

And of course plastic food bags. I remember my mom and dad air drying a 1/2 dozen plastic bags on a kitchen towel, kitchen sink faucet, or drying rack every night.

That memory was hard to shake and as much as I love to repurpose things like this project or this paint can the look of Ziploc bags clutching the faucet drove my husband (and me) crazy- like first world probs crazy.

Sidenote: I have the messiest office desk with stacks of folders, pens, thank you note cards, a paper calendar and spiral to-do list notebook, but I don’t like disposable bags drying over my kitchen sink.

TIP TO DRY PLASTIC FOOD BAGS

It turns out the solution was in front of me the entire and next to the kitchen sink. It happened on a whim. Like, I wonder if this would work idea?

Ang ironically my tip was just above my mom’s 1985 Formica counters’ kitchen. Are you ready for this?

A roll of paper towels is the perfect kitchen accessory to dry all those plastic food bags.

Steps:

Wash your bags as usual (I use soap and/or vinegar) and warm water. If I am worried about cross contamination I may spritz a little bleach into the water. Give it a quick rinse. Give it a rinse.

Slip the reusable bag over the paper towel holder the way you put on a dress that is a little tighter than last season.
Give it a little shimmy.

I hang them over the roll of paper towels. One side air dries and the reverse side’s moisture is absorbed by the Bounty or Target brand paper towels.

Because the bags are opaque they blend right in.

All the work is done overnight and no drips or puddles.

I don’t have to use a dishtowel to dry the corners of the bag. The roll of paper towels does all the work.

Check out this tip to dry plastic food bags overnight.

That’s the tip! How many have you already do this? It really works. You can layer a 2nd bag on top because the paper towel absorbs the drips. And in the morning I reuse the paper towel to clean up my post-morning coffee spills!

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THIS RUG PAD WAS A GAME CHANGER

July 28, 2022

Most of us do not think of a rug pad as game changer. But if I had to explain the benefits of a rug pad to my girlfriends I would say it acts like comfy undergarments.

It’s a necessary game changer for wood floors.

I mean let’s face it a product called a rug pad does not create a cozy vibe.

Until… the 1/2″ precut felt, made in the USA pad was positioned under our new family room rug.

And then it became a superhero with both carpet cushion and floor protector powers.

This rug tip changed how I feel about rugs and bare feet. I may need to get a pedicure more often- that is how cushy this felt rug pad feels under this Wayfair rug.

If you don’t want to spend the cost of a one-month college meal plan on a rug you will want to spend a little change on the padding.

THE RUG ROLE (ROLL) OF A LIFETIME

Rug and floor protectors are like best friends to the popular girl. Think Margo, Serena and Elle Woods or Rhoda Morganstern and Mary. Richards. Or, Ben to Jerry. You cannot have one without the other.

Rug pads offer unconditional support even when the rug and the hardwood floors get all the attention.

A rug pad is a game changer for your rugs!

Everyone talks about the rug but does anyone ever think about what is propping up the rug? Maybe the hardwood floors because it really comes down to the padding to protect wood floors. The cloud-like cushion is the bonus.

BENEFITS OF A RUG PAD

the 1/2″ felt pad was like a cushioned yoga mat under our toes.
the felt padding meant I would never spend a Saturday morning scrubbing off plastic residue,
makes your rug feel (more) expensive and fancy.
It adds a protective layer between the hardwood floors and the rug.
And it offers a level of cushion that only bare toes can appreciate at the end of a day.
You can find all the benefits on their website .

Why you need a rug pad for your floors and rugs!

Over the years, I hauled in my share of 8×10 rugs. Some rugs were just rolled out and furgetaboutit.

A few of my rugshad a poly something waffle weave floor covering but those were only for the fancy rugs that cost more than $139.00 like my office rug.

I have the light blue but really like the deeper sea blue.

But after this trauma to our family room floors, I knew it was time to invest in a rug pad.

You guys I had no idea that an interior floor protector would feel so good under bare feet after a day of showing properties and walking the dogs.

I feel like I need a manicure.

If you are a follower at Everyday Edits you know I love to promote Made in the USA brands.

After this unfortunate incident, I hopped on Amazon and searched “made in USA rug pads.”

And, RugPad USA popped up and they had a sale!

Me and my new rug patiently waited.

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HOW TO MAKE PLANTS LOOK BIGGER

July 21, 2022

Sharing tips to make any house plant look larger. These tips work for fake potted plants and flowers, artificial indoor trees and real plants. These tips will elevate your plants and the room!

I haven’t tried to make anything look larger since middle school. #wink

Until the day my olive tree arrived. Recently when the artificial olive tree I ordered arrived at my door. The box looked like it contained an olive branch rather thanthe olive tree I ordered.

It was then I realized I was gaslighted by a fake olive tree.

But once I got it out of the box and adjusted the branches I realized it was not the height of the plants that made it look cheap and flimsy.

It was the base.

This is the before

This reminds me of a high heel when what the plant needs is a loafer or maybe a wedge.

I kept the original base, but dropped the olive tree into a grain-sack bucket I found here.

Just like Meghan Trainor’s pop favorite – It’s all about the base. And there it was a simple tip on how to make indoor plants look bigger. It works just as well on both faux and real plants.

HOW TO MAKE INDOOR PLANTS LOOK BIGGER

BIGGER BASKETS

I used everyday buckets and baskets around the house. It turns out I have a Homegoods-worthy stock room of baskets and metal buckets.

I discovered the size of the container matters by accident.

When we refinished our floors we had to remove everything off the main level. In a rush stacked this plant and bucket into a larger unoccupied basket.

It was magic! Are you thinking what I thought? How did I not know this? I mean I help sellers stage their homes with plants. But, I never thought to supersize the planter to make the top half of the plant look bigger.

SWITCH OUT THE CONTAINER

I never loved the container for my Fiddle Leaf Fig tree (the container came with the Homegoods tree).

But then when I switched the container with more texture it changed the look of the tree. It went from a flat to a wedge.

HOW TO MAKE SMALL FLORALS LOOK LARGER

I even used it with some stems in a vase. I beefed up the container and my floral stems just looked so much more substantial.

To a wider, shorter bucket. I bent the stems to adjust for the shorter bucket.

HOW TO MAKE REAL AND FAUX FLOWERS LOOK BIGGER TOO

I used a small picnic basket for my summer annuals. They look so much fuller in a smaller basket.

How to make flowers look larger in baskets!

So the reverse works well too! Use a smaller basket to make a smaller plant look like it is bursting out of the basket!

Here is one more example with my fern. I had him in a tall urn for years.

Total aside: I shared my love of ferns in this post.

And then after our family room remodel I moved my fern into an olive basket. The larger bucket made the fern look larger too!

What do you think? Take a look at your indoor plants. If they need a little boost look for a bigger basket or bucket. Thank you for stopping by today! If you are on Pinterest I would love if you pinned this image!

Tips to make real and fake plants look bigger!

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HOW TO MAKE FLOWER POTS LOOK AMAZING

July 14, 2022

My idea of planting flowers is to drop a Home Depot plastic container of annuals into a flower pot. If I remember to water and deadhead the blooms I am a good plant mum. Get it?

But do you remember when I shared this tip for porch planters? Well, that got me thinking maybe I could get a little more bang for my flowers on the front porch.

Here is what I came up with when I realized I had two identical wreaths.

I was not sure my flower pot idea would work, but there was no effort in testing my idea!

HOW TO MAKE FLOWER POTS LOOK MORE AMAZING

Here is how I turned my flower pots into something a little more amazing to finish out the summer.

SUPPLIES:

FLOWER POTS
IDENTICAL WREATHS IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE POT
OPTION I ADD A GRAPEVINE GARLAND AROUND THE EDGE OF EACH POT
IT GIVES THE POT A LITTLE MORE DEPTH AND INTEREST AND HIDES THE HOME DEPOT CONTAINER

STEPS:

This is a super easy flower pot tip and pretty much fail-proof. The only prep work is to give the existing flower pots water.

I add grapevine because I love the look but depending on the size of your pots it may be too much

Drop a wreath around the flowers. That’s it!

TIP: If your pots get heavy sun check on your wreaths to make sure they don’t fade.

My porch planters look so much larger. From the street or driveway, they look real!

How to Make Flower, Pots Look Amazing, Check out this tip to make your flower pots look fuller

SUPPLY LIST

I found my wreaths at Homegoods and I did not buy them at the same time. Homegoods tends to have a good supply of same-size wreaths and styles (check out Marshall’s too).

I love grapevine garland and found this two-pack.

Here is one my matching wreaths that have made multiple appearances over the years!

You may recognize this wreath from when I used it for a last minute centerpiece.

I just love the fullness that the wreath provides. It makes the flowers look more substantial. And they are super lightweight to when the flower pots need more water.

How do they look on the porch?

LONG SLEEVE COLLARED SHIRT HACK FOR HOT FLASHES

May 26, 2022

I did not set out to help women with hot flashes with this collared shirt hack. But hot flashes sounded better than collared shirt hack for sweaters.

So when I witnessed a friend experience a hot flash (I thought she was signaling for me to turn on the A/C).

I decided maybe a few people would appreciate my attempt at a collared shirt hack for hot flashes or for people like me who sweat in an air-conditioned office. I refer to myself as a heavy sweater.

It is also a repurpose project because it works for shirts that may be a little too tight under a sweater.

Personally, I do not like the bulk of a long-sleeved collared shirt under a sweater. I have broad shoulders and it just feels snug. And with this frustration, I ended up with this hack.

Some of you may be screaming at the screen telling me to buy a Dicky, which is in the form of a detachable collar or false blouse front. I purchased these collars and decided I like the feel of an undershirt for the warmth-just not the bulky sleeves.

STEPS FOR COLLARED SHIRT HACK

Disclaimer: Before I share the steps just know I am not a seamstress and I rarely use a tape measure. I tend to just eyeball it. I am married to a guy who measures 13 times and uses graph paper.

So here we go! I used a TJMaxx blue gingham, long-sleeved collared shirt. I loved this shirt, so I knew I would love it under a spring sweater. If this hack was an epic fail well I had a good run with this gingham print.

If my mom is reading this her mouth just dropped.

Place long sleeve, collared shirt on a flat surface. I do love this shirt. Look at those starched collars! So there was a brief minute of hesitation. Never hesitate.

Using a pair of scissors I cut the long sleeves. It sounds a little bit like Dexter Morgan, but why throw a shirt away when the collar can still take center stage.

In more shocking news I did not hem the frayed, lopsided shorter sleaves.

Who would ever know? And the freedom to move my shoulders freely under layers of clothing during Colorado springs felt amazing.

Or, if you want to skip the hack here are a few of my sleeveless collared shirts in my closet!

Here is the false collar front option mentioned above.

SO all you hot flashers or sweaters let me know if this collared shirt hack works for you or pin for later!

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TIPS FOR HOME BUYERS

March 24, 2022

Are you freaking out about the current residential market? Lately, I wake up wondering if my adulting kids will move back home to save money to purchase their first home or an RV. Or maybe we will be a short-term landlord between selling and buying. Either way, I decided to calm my own mind to create a shortlist of strategies and tips for first-time home buyers. These tips apply to all home buyers.

TIPS

I have three children and I have visions of my kids moving back home to save money to purchase their first homes.

tips for home buyers, tips for first time home buyers

Sidenote: This was our daughter’s first home. Her dad was the builder. Clearly, she was not happy with the walkthrough. I think she had a punch list for him. I wonder if she found a roof leak?

Over the course of sleepless nights, crazy low inventory, and an uptick in mortgage rates I created a list of strategies for first-time and third-time home buyers.
These tips are great for homeowners who have not bought a house in ten years.

STRATEGIES FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS

REMAIN CALM Take a breath. Use this time for more properties to come on the market. It will happen. The market always adjusts. Enjoy the luxury of no home ownership headaches as you get your ducks in a row.

2. INTEREST RATES I am not a lender. The key is to meet with a reputable lender and get your loan application documents in order.

Provide a conservative number for what you are prepared to spend in a monthly mortgage payment. I never want my buyers to keep inching up in price. If the home you want is not available in June it will be available as inventory picks up. Talk to your lender about fees and ways to lower your interest rate.

Avoid the temptation to look at homes on the high end of your budget.

Hopefully, as inventory picks, buyers will not feel the pressure to submit crazy over asking price offers, appraisal gap coverages, and offers to pay the sellers’ children’s first year of college tuition. The stories are crazy! And many are true.

3. REVIEW TERMS AND THE PURCHASE CONTRACT

I like to review a contract with my first-time home buyers and explain dates and deadlines and the section under additional provisions.

Make sure buyers understand what a post-occupancy agreement is and who typically pays this “rent back” after closing.

4. START DRIVING

Narrow down the radius and/or the zipcodes of a search
Pay attention to the parks, shopping, lighting, sidewalks, light rail, weekend and weekday activity and traffic patterns.
Make the drive to and from the neighborhood to the office office during commute times.
As you narrow your search drive the neighborhoods on the weekends
Are there pumpkins outside in the middle of March? Are there Christmas tree lights on the trees in April?
What is the parking situation? Is there restrictive parking on certain days/months?
Pay attention to HOA fees and taxes in the listing description.
What does the HOA include?
How far is the commute to the airport (Uber + parking adds up).

5. EXPENSES

Do your homework! Your lender will assist you with these anticipated and unanticipated expenses. It never fails-something breaks, leaks or smells the day after the closing (despite the inspection).

HOA DUES

PARKING

APPLIANCES

HOME OWNERS INSURANCE

TAXES (listed in the MLS)

UTILITIES +WATER

WIFI

PRIVATE MORTGAGE INSURANCE

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

MOVING HOME (TEMPORARY)

Oh, moving back home with the ‘rents is usually met with dread for buyers. Believe it or not parents don’t always love sharing the couch after dinner.

Juggling leases, closing dates, seller rent backs make a move home a viable option.

And no you can not ask the sellers if you can stash your stuff in the garage. No!

Here is the advantage to moving home for a wee little bit.

Your kids, relatives, niece can save money!

This photo was on her daughter’s first day at a big 4 accounting firm. She saved most of her salary the year she lived at home. She used the time to study for her CPA too knowing her mom was making her amazing meals every night. ;0)

If you think this post would be helpful please share or pin the image below for reference. If you have questions I am happy to answer to the best of my ability. I am a licensed and practicing Realtor in the state of Colorado. You can read how this Realtor became a home decor blogger on the side in this interview.

I get to use both sides of my brain most days.

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HOW TO STAIN SMALL OBJECTS IN MINUTES

March 10, 2022

I love a good hack! My family would say I hack most recipes. It’s true; following a recipe is so conventional. I created this hack on the fly when I had to stain multiple wood embroidery hoops for these orbs. I had a paintbrush, deadline and I needed to find a way how to stain small objects.

There was more stain on my hands than on the embroidery hoops. It was more labor-intensive than I anticipated; technically there are four sides to each hoop and the area around the hardware.

It was a messy process and each hoop required additional coats and touchups.

Staining each embroidery hoop one by one was slower than waiting for a load of towels to dry… while standing in front of the dryer. It was a brain drain technique.

This hack shows how to stain lots of objects in minutes.

I loved this hack when I painted dozens of cabinet pulls without incident, meaning they did not wobble and smudge the freshly spray painted cabinet pulls.

STEPS TO STAIN SMALL OBJECTS

I used an oversized aluminum tray
Disasembled a shipping box to place under aluminum tray
Poured just enough stain into the shallow aluminum tray
Then dunk the embroidery hoops into the tray- like dunking an Oreo cookie into a glass of milk.

This technique is perfect for small or odd-shaped objects. The stain adhered to the sides and edges of the hoop. The stain reached the nooks and crannies around the hoop’s hardware where the paintbrush could not reach.

This stain hack was a great way to stain small objects.

How to Stain Small Objects

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DO THIS BEFORE YOU ORDER ENGINEER PRINTS

February 28, 2022

I may decorate my entire house with engineer prints. This is the nickname for the popular, oversized city planning-like city maps. It is a great space filler for blank walls.

The hardest part was finding where to print engineer prints. If you are not familiar with the fancy name just look at the images below. But first, here is what you need to know before you order engineer prints.

But first, let’s talk about this fun and may I say rewarding project that solves

the problem of finding affordable wall art.

WHY I LOVE ENGINEER PRINTS

what to know before you order engineer prints

After recently updating my boys’ bedrooms, my goal was to add inexpensive artwork.

Engineer prints were a format that matched the industrial, urban theme I wanted to accomplish for their bedrooms/occasional guest rooms.

You know, like when they come home for Thanksgiving and sleep four of the five days they are home.

WHY I LOVE ENGINEER PRINTS

These oversized prints solve a few problems when decorating for spaces that are not in use everyday, but you still want your kids to have their room when they return home.

Fill valuable real estate on a wall
Add meaning to the room with the city or state reference
Conversation starters for space

where-to-find-print-engineer-prints-everyday-edits

WHERE TO PRINT ENGINEER PRINTS

I found several options for city and aerial maps at this Etsy shop. I choose two city maps to print- the city my middle child grew up in and the city where he attends college.

The Etsy images cost a few dollars and the seller-provided multiple sizes and formats in digital format. I ordered my black and white city maps from here to print the engineer prints.

how-to-print-engineer-prints-everyday-edits

STEPS TO PRINT

This is the point of the tutorial where I will save you ten minutes of aggravation.

To order engineer prints at Staples you have to create an account first.
Once an account is created upload your Etsy image on Staples website.
You can either pickup or pay to deliver. I paid to ship mine because I knew my prints would get trashed with dogs, kids and unidentified rolling objects.
Printing costs around $7.00-$10 depending on print size.
Staples print size options:
12″ x 18″, 18″ x 24″, 24″ x 36″ and 36″ x 48″.

While waiting for the prints to ship I purchased poster frames at Michael’s.

How-to-Decorate-with-Engineer-Prints-everyday-edits

SUGGESTIONS

I noticed there were big price jumps on poster frame sizes. And not all print sizes have corresponding frames at Michaels.

Knowing this in advance, you can decide if you need a 30″ width frame or if you can be just as happy with a 24″ size frame.

In hindsight, I wish I had upgraded my frames for my first two prints. For my boys, I bought the plastic frame and plastic front.

I upgraded the frame for our daughter’s room.

And, yes she has her own place in downtown Denver, but we still have a room of her own at home.

I love how these engineer prints turned out. The project was fun and added some much-needed character to the kids’ rooms. And, the best part the prints were inexpensive and the aerial maps were relevant to my kids and to us as a family.

Our hearts are now in three cities with our youngest now in college.

VIDEO ON HOW TO ADD CHILDHOOD KEEPSAKES TO THE DECOR

February 2, 2022

This is an updated post (and video) to this post. It’s all about creative ways to add childhood keepsakes where everyone can see them.

Hello! Have you checked on your childhood keepsakes? Do you have them in a storage tub or file box? Please stay a minute or two to find inspiration on how to add childhood or family keepsakes to the decor.

how to add childhood keepsakes and family heirlooms into decor

I shared an updated video on how to add childhood keepsakes to bookcases and corners. You can scroll to the bottom for the video at the end of the post or there is a link to my Youtube channel a few scrolls below. If you leave a comment or follow you can enter to win this Pottery Barn gift card.

The key is don’t overthink what you want to display. The memories and laughs are the goals of this rainy or snowy day Saturday afternoon project.

If they are like most of mine they are in storage boxes underneath the stairs in the basement. Until recently, the boxes were filled with art projects, Mother’s Day cards, Thanksgiving turkey recipes and holiday crafts.

Tucked in other boxes were my children’s first swimsuits (they were so tiny) and their baptismal outfits and blankies. Some of the keepsakes stayed tucked safely inside for another time.

HOW TO ADD CHILDHOOD KEEPSAKES

But others, too cute to not display, needed to be in the heart of the home.

My son’s cowboy boots are a favorite of mine. Now they have a new job title: bookends.

I smile every time I pass his little mud-caked boots I smile. They just make me smile.

If you are going to bail on this post watch the video. It’s a favorite of my new youtube channel.

My daughter’s pottery pieces are now tucked into the boxwood planters. Here glass marble stepping stone has seen better days (it had an unfortunate run-in with the edge of the lawnmower wheel), but it’s tucked between these pavers.

Adding childhood keepsakes into the decor (and they can be your own or spouses or parents’ keepsakes just make sense. Why not do it now?

And, with that realization, I sorted through a few favorites and worked them into the decor. And you know what happened? I smile every single time I pass these family keepsakes and works of art. Scroll below for the updated video. The first one was in the early days of my Youtube channel.

Below is the trifecta for one of my boy’s favorite, childhood keepsakes. The video shows my enthusiasm for this project idea.

CHILDHOOD KEEPSAKE VIDEO

It is a reminder to pull those keepsakes out of storage and share the memories with your kids, family and friends. They will love the stories. Here is a 80-second video I made on how and more importantly why I add child and family keepsakes to the decor.

I shared a little love with the future owners of our home when I dropped a few school crafts into this time capsule during our kitchen renovation.

DO THIS BEFORE THANKSGIVING

September 16, 2021

Sharing simple tips to prep the salt and pepper shakers simple before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving will be here before you finish the Halloween candy. It will be here because Hallmark and Starbucks tell us it’s fall (in August). So now is the time to do all the things you will wish you had done before Thanksgiving.

Pin this under tips!

PREP THE SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS BEFORE THANKSGIVING

STEPS TO PREP SALT +PEPPER SHAKERS

Gather all of your salt and pepper shakers and your salt and pepper.

Next, here is a tip I tried and it worked well. Place a damp paper towel on the counter and then set out your salt and pepper shakers. The damp paper towel holds the salt and pepper

HOW TO LOAD THE SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS

Next, load those petite seasoning vessels with salt and pepper. Now the debate starts here. Yes even salt and pepper shakers are a hot topice. The question is do we still want to use the two hole shaker for the pepper or is it better to use the two hole shaker with salt?

I found my pour was better when I raised the pepper above the mouth of the shaker. I mean it’s still messy, but the paper towel gives you a fighting chance.

You will feel great knowing it’s done because no one wants to pause while prepping the Thanksgiving table and fill (spill) salt and pepper over every kitchen surface.

Sidenote: Who decided shakers require microscopic holes the size of a needle.

I know what some of you are thinking. There is plenty of time to do Thanksgiving and holiday prep details. Right?

But, right now between Hallmark’s Autumn Leaves and White Christmas go ahead and haul out the salt and pepper shakers and get ‘er done before Thanksgiving.

What are some other time-saving tips you like to do now before the calendar says it’s two more sleeps until Thanksgiving?

Please share in the comments!

Here’s another weekly hack (tip) to start your Mondays!

In the meantime, stock up on the salt and pepper. Who knew ground pepper was so pricey.

Please pin for later on your Thanksgiving or Tips or Hacks Pinterest boards!

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HOW TO ADD QUIET TO YOUR DAY

September 2, 2021

Sharing a few ways on how to add quiet to your day

I can’t believe this happened to me this year.

I kicked this habit and traded it for a new one. My new year goal was to read more and scroll less.

Except, most nights I am seven minutes into a book recommended by this lady

and just like a squirrel- I pivot.

I start to Google “insert any number of random thoughts running through my mind” on my Ipad. Like what’s on sale at Pottery Barn or this Netflix documentary. The bots are winning. I was doing everything that the documentary told me not to do online. So here are five simple habits to add quiet to the day.

Even the squirrels need a nap.

HOW TO ADD QUIET TO YOUR DAY

1. Turn off the notifications on your i-phone. As a blogger and Realtor, I had one too many pings.

Go to settings, scroll to notifications and turn off notifications.

2. Set up an auto-message on your phone when you are driving. If someone texts you the sender receives an auto-response that you are driving and I will check my phone when I am parked.

3. Adjust the ringer, alerts for your phone’s activity. Are you seeing a trend here? My husband has a tone for every text, ban charge, sports and news update. Go under settings and scroll down to “sounds and haptics.” It’s right under “notifications.”

4. Practice a hobby. There is nothing that gets me outside of squirrel mode other than grabbing my camera and practice taking still photos of a pillow. It completely removes me from my thoughts. Whatever your hobby find 15 minutes to practice.

5. Coloring or Puzzles. During Covid College our youngest son unwinded after Zoom classes at the kitchen counter with a box of Crayola ( Made in the USA Youtube series) and a Paw Patrol coloring book.

Before I knew it I was coloring alongside him and doing my best not to chat about the name of every Crayola crayon I grabbed.

What do you do to add quiet toy your day? I would love to hear what works for you and maybe include it in a future blog post.

In the meantime, these Sunday hacks help make Monday a little easier.

Looking for a once-a-week newsletter on Saturday mornings. It’s quiet and deo

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5 TIPS TO LOSE THE LOVE HANDLES

August 6, 2021

Sharing 5 tips to lose the love handles without missing your favorite foods

Chloe, our Bernese Mountain dog, lost ten pounds this spring. Our veterinarian is thrilled.

Dr. Vicker likes his patients’ lean and he says the same tricks work for their human family members.

It turns out the way to lose those love handles was what our veterinarian suggested for Chloe.

Eat less.

It sounds so simple when you read those seven letters.

I noticed after the holidays my jeans were snug and my waistline had an extra inch (or two) on both sides. Oh wait, were those love handles?

I worked out regularly but started a few bad habits during our extended staycation.

It was time to end a few bad habits like when I quit this one.

5 TIPS TO LOSE THE LOVE HANDLES

And you know what I rediscovered? A feeling I had not experienced in years. Years!

Hunger pains.

Over the past year, I got into a terrible habit of snacking whenever my tummy grumbled. And my 45 Goldfish for 140 calories turned into a half bag of Goldfish …. every afternoon.

Here’s how I lost a few pounds and tackled that love handles. And I mean a few. I hate to diet and do not do well with restrictions.

Here’s how I did it.

1. Start every morning with 20 sips (gulps) of water.

Think about it what is the first thing you drink in the morning? If you say coffee this tip will work well with your early morning routine.

While my coffee percolates I drink 20 sips (gulps) of water. I like my water in a glass and so I don’t love a Nalgene bottle. My daughter uses something like this to get her water in for the day.

2. Stop eating 3 hours before bedtime.

This habit snuck up on me. Last year, I would snack my way through an entire Costco-size bag of popcorn while watching Netflix.

Now, I go to bed hungry which was a feeling I had not felt in years. I make exceptions when we have dinner out with friends or family, but I think this tip is the one that jumpstarted my metabolism

3. One glass of wine.

Glass, not a bottle.

Nothing goods happen when I pour a 2nd. Again there are exceptions, but one glass of wine forces me to slow down and drink water.

4. Make less look like more

I have the same breakfast most mornings- one egg + one egg white and 2 strips of turkey bacon. When I purchase my turkey bacon the first thing I do is take my kitchen scissors and cut the strips down the center (of the entire package).

Visually I have 2 strips of turkey bacon. And after a few days, you don’t miss that 2nd, 70 calorie strip of bacon.

I did the same thing with my turkey sandwich. I went from a whole sandwich to a half. And, then I did this to it. I added apples and spinach to my sandwich. It’s so good-even my younger son does it with his sandwiches.

5. Add greens to everything

Now if you are a real foodie this may be unconventional, but I add spinach leaves to many meals. I add spinach to my sandwiches, I layer my plate or bowl with spinach when we have pasta or nibble on spinach leaves as I prep for dinner.

6. Serving Size Chocolate

In my kitchen, I have a drawer dedicate for my sweet tooth. The second I cut out chocolate (or give it up at Lent) I will binge my way through a bag of M&M’s (full size). . And over the course of the year, I grabbed larger handfuls. Now I pay attention to the serving size and deduct a few M&M’s or my favorite cocoa dusted almonds from that serving size.

I am not a fan of scales. I get weighed at my annual exam and I weigh myself in January.

But there is a little accountability so I do weigh myself on Tuesdays until my habits stuck like a Simone Biles landing.

Now I can’t even imagine not starting my day without 16 oz of water.

DOG WATER BOWL HACK

July 6, 2021

Sharing a dog water bowl hack you can find at the grocery store.

Do you know when you are rushing out the door and you scan the dog’s water bowl and it is nearly empty?

And for a split second you think oh there’s plenty. But what do you do? You always put down your bag(s) and grab the water bowl.

And then after filling the water bowl you walk back across the kitchen floor or patio, like walking a tightrope, not wanting to wobble over like a Weeble. (80’s reference).

Here is a dog water bowl hack for your furry friends on those busy days.

Oh, and the dog days of summer when dogs are outside more enjoying the sunsets.

If you are a follower of Everyday Edits you know I love a good hack. Like this one.

And if your dogs need a new dog bowl here is a cute elevated dog dish.

DOG WATER BOWL HACK

I stumbled into this hack when I bought a plastic beverage dispenser at Kroger for under $8.000. I planned on using it for brewed tea.

Until I got it home and the dispenser was too big for the refrigerator.

And I thought this oversized, too big for the fridge beverage dispenser is perfect for Chloe and Elliott and the dog days of summer.

I added ice and water.

Now it’s just a little water bar for the dogs.

And the best part was the beverage dispenser with spigot fit on top of their dog dish tray.

Looking for a yummy dog treat to pair with the beverage bar? Try these homemade dog treats.

This Made in USA dog bone cookie cutter will set you back a few dollars and will make your dog treats too cute!

Shop for the dog days of summer. It’s never too early to shop for Halloween costumes for your dogs. ;0)

HOW TO KEEP PATIO CUSHIONS DRY + VIDEO

June 28, 2021

We all know the feeling when you are minutes from hosting a backyard BBQ on the back patio and we realize the cushions are soggy from the last night’s rain.

What to do with wet patio cushions?

Try this easy tip to eliminate or minimize the soggy soaked cushions before the rain! This tip minimized the wait time for the exterior fabric to dry (most are now made with water repellant fabric).

HOW TO KEEP PATIO CUSHIONS DRY BEFORE THE RAIN

After a rainstorm, our backyard looks like a drip-dry station for patio cushions. The rain and snow have to go somewhere. And, the cushion just soaks it up.

And, then on some random day, while taking a kitchen trash bag for the 14th time I came up with an effortless way to keep patio cushion inserts dry.

HOW TO KEEP PATIO CUSHIONS DRY

Sometimes the best ideas are based on the premise; do not overthink the solution to a problem. The solution is simple and most of us have to look no further than under our kitchen sinks.

How to Keep Patio Cushions Dry

Last summer, with a forecast of more than two days of rain, I worried about how to keep my outdoor patio cushions from getting soaking wet. It wasn’t practical to bring them inside for every afternoon thunderstorm.

But, who wants to sit on a soggy patio cushion when the weekend comes around? I needed a solution that did not tie me to the weather app every afternoon.

And, then inspiration struck when I grabbed a handful of plastic kitchen bags.

It turns out plastic trash bags are a great resource to keep the foam cushions dry.

STEPS TO KEEP PATIO CUSHIONS DRY

Use kitchen size plastic bags with ties
Unzip the pillow fabric cover and remove the foam cushion
Stuff the foam cushion into the kitchen plastic bag.
Tie the bag shut and place the wrapped foam cushion back into the pillow cover.

You can watch the video tutorial on my Youtube Channel.

That’s it! And, it works. The reality is when the rain penetrates the pillow cover the cover dries after an hour of sunshine. Sadly, it’s the foam cushion that traps the water.

PROTECT THE CUSHION INSERT

Those wet patio cushions lead to fun stuff like mold spores. Not to mention it breaks down the material inside the cushion.

Who wants to sit on a cushion full of icky stuff?

More importantly, who wants to have a backside that has an imprint of our well.. backside? Do you know what I mean?

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Thanks for stopping by! Now go slip those cushion inserts into a plastic bag.

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HOW TO FIX SAGGING COUCH CUSHIONS WITHOUT BATTING + VIDEO

June 24, 2021

Sharing a hack to fix sagging couch cushions- it’s like Botox for cushions. I added a video to answer previous questions. Scroll for video.

I have a couch cushion hack today that does not involve batting. If the thought of measuring or wrestling with heavy batting sends you into a sweat this tip is for you!

HOW TO FIX SAGGING COUCH CUSHIONS

For most homes, the couch anchors the room. So you can see where sagging couch cushions easily make the space look tired and disheveled.

And, no amount of strategically placed throws or throw pillows can hide the sag.

And, then there’s the elephant in the room- who wants to sit in the middle of the couch where you sink. It’s like sitting at the kid’s table at Thanksgiving.

It’s awkward and no one wants to sit in the center of the couch.

After awhile sagging couch cushions need a little life. It’s kind of like Botox-there’s only so much sag the toxin can lift. And, then you need to move to a filler- something to plump up the slump.

My hack does not use batting, but rather something you likely have in your linen closet.

THE HACK

Pillows! Pillows are the easiest to solution to a sagging couch cushion.

contained
come in different levels of firminicity
budget friendly
new sewing required
rectangtular in shape

I ordered these Made in the USA pillows this spring when I shared how to clean down pillows.

Well, I had an idea and I tested it out on my couches.

My couch has foam cushions inserted into the couch. Essentially, this is an oversized pillow for a couch.

I thought it was going to be a sweat session to add pillows to the insert. I used a clean low density pillow.

The sofa covers are designed to fit snug so keep that in mind. Less (fluff) is best.

I was surprised at how little wrangling I had to do to get this pillow into the back of the couch pillow cover.

It immediately plumped up the back cushion. The best part no lumps or bumps. The pillow straightened the slouch.

This is an easy peasy hack with no batting or lumps. The best part is no one noticed. Which in our house is the best compliment. The minute my husband starts fidgeting with the pillows (or anything) I know he is on to me and one of my hacks or projects.

So that really is my litmus test for any project. Subtle but solves a problem.

HOW TO FIX SAGGING COUCH CUSHIONS VIDEO

I posted this on Hometalk and readers had a ton of great questions so I made a video to show you how it works. You can find it here on my Youtube Channel. I would love it if you subscribed too! The earlier videos are worth the free signup. :0)

Here is another popular tutorial on how to clean down pillows.

Here’s a recent pillow hack if you are staging a bedroom before listing a home. It’s literally a pillow flip.

As a Realtor, I often do last minute staging while the photographer sets up the room. I may bring a few new pillows for those tired couches that should have stayed in the dorm room and need a little lift.

Before you go I would love for you to sign up the Weekend Edit- an easy, breezy four minute read of tips and decor ideas delivered straight to your inbox on Saturday morning. It’s free (someone asked me).

MONEY SAVING TIP FOR ONLINE SHOPPING

April 12, 2021

my favorite money-saving tip for online shopping enthusiasts

Does anyone shop at Overstock with the jumbo wheel of price savings when you land on their page? I always “win” 15% off, but I have yet to figure out how to redeem the savings at checkout. Today I have a money-saving tip for online shopping. And, the best part is you never have to remember the sale code at the top of the site that always disappears at checkout.

MONEY SAVING TIP FOR ONLINE SHOPPING

Here’s a money-saving tip for online shopping purchases that is like spinning the discount wheel at checkout.

I am talking about the Capital One extension on your browser. You don’t have to have a Capital One account or card.

STEPS

1. Google the Capital One Extension in Chrome (or your browser).

It’s super easy and takes a few seconds and works with the major browsers.

My screen shows a “remove from Chrome” because I have the extension installed.

When enabled successfully you will see an italicized grey “S” at the top of your screen.

Here is the direct link to add the extension to your browser.

2. Next time you shop online and you get to the checkout page something magical happens at checkout. The shopping extension searches quietly in the background for any potential coupon codes tied to that retailer.

The next screen will show something like this:

At the same time that you get to apply coupon codes to your purchase, you also accumulate credits (money) for future purchases on popular sites. I used mine to buy a Homegoods electronic gift card. And turned around and applied that credit to these chairs.

The best part is you never have to remember the codes at checkout. I am always surprised when the familiar pop-up window appears at checkout. I ordered popcorn tins for my kids for Valentine’s Day and I got $10 off the order.

Now, sometimes the retailer may not have any coupons and then this message pops up:

You have the option to ad your credit card for future purchases but I just skip that step as I don’t like to store my credit cards with retailers.

That’s it! Here is just one of the items I purchased at Pottery Barn last winter when both our boys returned home in mid-March. I got the discount and then I got a reminder to “cash out” for an electronic gift card. I chose Homegoods for my gift card.

Sometimes you feel like you hit the lottery when you get more than one discount.

Here is the direct link to add the extension to your browser. It will add a grey “S” at the top of your screen that let’s you know it was enabled successfully.

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