A Refresher on Recycling Plastics

What am I doing up at 3:30 am? Didn't have any caffeine before bedtime. I have been wide awake for about an hour and decided to get up and be useful. So why not send out my blog?

Refresher on Recycling Plastics

Lori Bongiorno from The Conscious Consumer blog has written an article detailing the ins and outs of recycling plastics - a great reminder, especially in light of Earth Day coming up.

"Figuring out which types of plastic you can recycle is not easy. Just because a plastic bottle or tub has a "recycling symbol" on it doesn't necessarily mean you can throw it into your curbside bin.

The container's shape, color, and your location are also key factors in indicating whether that bottle or tub is destined for a recycling plant or the dump.

The little number with chasing arrows around it is actually called a "resin identification code." It indicates which type of resin is used to make a plastic. This symbol can be incredibly useful when it comes to figuring out what you can and can't recycle, but it doesn't tell you the whole story.

Different additives and manufacturing processes are used to mold plastics into varying shapes, which can change their characteristics enough so that they may not be able to be recycled together, explains Darby Hoover at the Natural Resources Defense Council. The EPA points out that many facilities sort materials by hand and group them by shape rather than by code.

The most commonly recycled types of plastic are Polyethylene terephthalate, PET (number 1), and high-density polyethylene, HDPE (number 2). Well over 80 percent of curbside programs only take number 1 and 2 bottles and jugs, says David Cornell, of the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers. The other types of plastic are less likely to be collected and recycled, although that is slowly changing and some cities, such as San Francisco, take all hard plastics.

So, what can you throw in your blue bin? Finding out your community's rules is the only way to know for sure. Visit your city's website or look for fact sheets on your local waste management authority's website. You can also search Earth 911's extensive database to find out your local recyling options.

Here's a quick guide to the plastics most of us can recycle at the curb:

* Bottle and jugs -- Container mouths need to be smaller than the sides. Water, soda, milk, juice, personal care product, shampoo, detergent, and household cleaner bottles are commonly made from PET or HDPE and are recycled in most curbside programs.

* Ketchup bottles are sometimes made of number 1, sometimes not. Cornell says about 96 percent of plastic bottles are made from PET or HDPE, so it's a safe bet that you can recycle most of your bottles.

Here's a list of plastics most of us shouldn't throw in our curbside bins:

* Yogurt cups
* Butter tubs
* Microwaveable trays
* Take-out containers
* Cutlery, plates, and cups
* Shopping bags (many grocery stores and other retailers take them back for recycling)
* Plastics made from corn and other agricultural products

Cornell points out that there should be more widespread recycling options for yogurt cups, butter tubs, and plastic trays within the next two years.

In the meantime, those who want to recycle number 5 plastics should check out Recycline's Preserve Gimme5 program. The company recycles clean plastic containers that have a #5 stamped on the bottom. Drop your stash off at participating Whole Foods Markets or mail it to the company. Recycled plastic is transformed into razors, bowls, and other colorful products.

Some other tips worth mentioning:

* Remove caps.
* Rinse out bottles that contain food.
* Step on bottles to flatten so trucks can fit more."


Similar blogs:

Getting Rid of Stuff While Saving the Environment

More Eco-Friendly Recycling

Earth Day Energy Tips

Spring Cleaning the Garage - Storing Hazardous Materials

Today's forecast is abundant sunshine! After several days of rain, I'm so happy to have some sun come our way. Our flowers have flourished with the rain, though, so I shouldn't whine. They made it through last week's snow I'm happy to say.

Today we're meeting a new girl in our program who will be coming into our home tomorrow. I'll be making menus and stocking the house with food after our trip.

Today's a perfect day for spring cleaning the garage ...

Spring Cleaning the Garage - Storage Hazardous Materials

Spring is the time to clean out the garage, swapping out winter items for summer ones. As you attempt this task, here are a few pointers from Don Townson of the Vancouver Sun about storing hazardous materials:

"If you have to keep hazardous materials in the garage, follow these rules:

- Store products in their original containers with their labels

- Never mix products

- Keep gasoline in an approved container

- Do not store gasoline or volatile solvents near water heaters or other appliances with pilot lights

- Keep flammables away from outlets, electric tools and appliances

- Store all hazards out of reach of children and pets; use a locked cabinet

- Buy containers with child-resistant caps

- Dispose of hazardous materials appropriately."


More blogs on spring cleaning the garage:

Shadow Boarding the Tools in Your Garage

It's that Time Again - Swapping Out Your Seasonal Tools

Storage for Your Garage

Some Local Organizing Opportunities

Even though we had a wonderful time with family over Easter, it's so nice to be home again! Before we left, we prepared the house for receiving foster girls on Friday, so it was nice to come home to a pleasant house. Mounds of laundry to do now! :)

Here are a couple of local organizing opportunities:

Some Local Organizing Opportunities

iShopSummit.com

Bargain Hunter suggested a website for NE Ohio to help us organize our entertainment and shopping. She sent it to be included in Mom Audience, but I'd . thought I'd share it here, too. I especially loved being able to find all the Cuyahoga Valley Railroad discounts and schedules in one place. Here are her comments:

iShopSummit.com - "There are tons of coupons for breakfasts, lunches and dinners all over Summit County which I expect would be helpful for a lot of moms.

Better yet, all the businesses listed are local and there are all sorts of deals to be had, including, now, the Akron Zoo and coming the Akron Aeros!!

Saving money is a priority for me, but helping people is what makes the world go 'round."

What to Consider When Contemplating Downsizing

I'm giving a seminar at Cuyahoga Falls Library on April 30, at 7 pm about various factors that affect your downsizing decisions. Please register for this free seminar by calling 330-928-2117.

Organizing a Classroom for ADD and ADHD Students

My first edition of Mom Audience went out this morning. You can see it at the Mom Audience blog. It's a place for moms, mompreneurs and mom-appealing businesses to connect.

Here's our blog for today:

Organizing a Classroom for ADD and ADHD Students

I came across the following article by Angela Powell about organizing a classroom for students with ADD and ADHD. Teachers and homeschooling parents can apply these tips directly. Parents of ADD and ADHD children can pass these tips on to their children's teachers.

"It doesn't take much to distract students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Maintaining an uncluttered and well-organized classroom can make a big difference in a students' ability to attend to lessons.

Here are some tips for organizing your classroom to support students with ADD and ADHD:

1) Keep the front wall of the classroom as bare as possible. Many teachers like to fill their classrooms with colorful posters and decorations, but this can make it difficult for children with ADD and ADHD to stay focused. Try to hang the majority of your teaching aids on the side and back walls so that students have little to focus on in the front of the room except your instruction. Even colorful rugs with maps or other teaching aids can break children's' concentration, so you may need to keep such carpets in the back or sides of the classroom.

2) Arrange classroom furniture to minimize distractions. Have students face away from windows and your classroom door if possible. It can be difficult to accommodate all of these distractors, but make every effort to keep students' desks clustered near the main teaching area and all other classroom features behind them throughout the day, turn the computer monitors so that students cannot view the screens from their desks. Keep your small group instructional area in the side or rear of the room so that students working independently are not distracted by your

3) Turn students' desks around so they aren't tempted to play with things inside. Children with ADD and ADHD can easily become distracted by school supplies in their desks, so it can be helpful to turn the desks around backwards so that the contents cannot be accessed while children are sitting.

4) Minimize the number of materials students keep in their desks. Utilize cubbies and other storage areas for items less-commonly used so that only essential items are within arm's reach. This will not only limit distractions, but will make it easier for students to stay organized.

5) Post visual aides of the materials students should have out. This can be done by writing the names of the materials needed on the board (e.g., math book, red notebook, pencil, eraser). For young or very visual children, take photographs of the school supplies, print out, laminate, and stick magnets on the back so you can display photos of the needed items. Dedicate a special area of your chalkboard or whiteboard for 'Materials Needed' so that students always know where to look for this information.

6) Structure lessons so that only a few materials are needed at a given time. When children with ADD or ADHD have numerous items in front of them, they tend to either play around with the materials or become overwhelmed by trying to manage them. Plan your instruction so that children are not constantly moving things around or keeping extra items on their desks. If you will use a textbook for only a few problems, try writing the problems on the board so that students need only paper and a pencil in front of them. Limit how many papers students have by completing practice activities on the back of worksheets instead of on a separate sheet. Pre-make materials that need to be cut and glued if children have difficulty managing multiple materials at a time."

Green Baby Gifts

Hope you had a nice Easter weekend. We had 26 of us at my parents' home on Saturday for lunch, an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and a family picture. Sooooo nice!

In light of Earth Day being this month, here's an article by Jackie Kass with some ideas for green baby gifts:

Green Baby Gifts

"It seems like someone is always pregnant, and you’re once again forced with the daunting task of purchasing yet another baby gift. If the baby department at your local retailer is simply too overwhelming, yet you want your gift to be thoughtful and appreciated, then a pre-assembled Green Baby Gift Box is the perfect choice for you.

Green Baby Gift Box is a small, mom-owned business based in Vermont that is dedicated to making eco-conscious gift giving effortless, fashionable and fun! All baby gift boxes include vibrant, creative, and useful objects that baby can use every day. The company searches the planet for sustainable and often handmade gifts that show little ones how much they are cherished.

Green Baby Gift Boxes are organized by theme and bring together baby items, toys and clothes made from the highest quality sustainable materials by the best natural and socially responsible companies in the world---the very places we wish we had known about when our first child was born. Green Baby Gift Box tries to mix companies you'll be able to find at your local toy store with gorgeous handmade and recycled items, many of them made in Vermont. Everything is thoroughly researched and tested for safety, beauty, durability, and sustainability.

The pre-assembled gift sets fit a range of budgets. The $36 "In the Swim" collection, for instance, contains a set of pool- and beach-side essentials, including an organic cotton sunhat from Kate Quinn Organics, a reusable swim diaper from Bummis, a Kathe Kruse squirting-fish toy, and a copy of Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli.

Feeling flush? You can go for broke with the "Adventure Calls," for would-be explorers. For $119.40, you get a silk/organic cotton hooded sweatshirt set from A B Sea, a Kate Quinn Organics sunhat, a pair of handmade wool felt/recycled leather shoes from Diddle Dumpling, a Bummis reusable swim diaper, a wooden chew toy from Haba, a Kathe Kruse organic cotton ball, and a copy of Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli.Each gift comes packaged in a recycled box topped with Of the Earth's recycled-paper EcoTwist ribbon.

Green Baby Gift Box is a socially responsible company that assesses all of its operations on an ongoing basis to ensure that it minimizes its environmental impacts. Green Baby uses 100% post-consumer recycled paper for custom gift cards & internal printing."

An Clever Idea for Creating a Family Hub

Happy Good Friday! I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend. :) My entire family - my parents, siblings, and our children - are going to all be together for the first time in forever! I'm so excited!

Here's a clever idea:



Homestead Mamma has created a unique system to keep her family organized:

"I keep 2 of those plastic 3 drawers sets by the back door. The drawers are labeled Marty, Susan, Colt, Riley, Needs Attention (Bills), Need to Mail/Go Out.

When I get the mail each day, I sort it into the drawers. I also put phone messages in the drawers and things that a person needs to attend to (permission slips, etc.), I also put in there reminders of things they need to do (chore lists, etc.).

Everyone is responsible for their own drawer, and they need to check it on a daily basis and follow up on anything that needs to be done.

When I leave the house I always check the Need to Mail/Go Out drawer for things that I need to mail or take with me also my grocery list. I often put my lists of things to do or purchase in the Need to Mail/Go Out drawer.

The Needs Attention (Bills) drawer gets checked on a weekly basis on Friday (pay day), and any bills get paid then."


I love it! How do you organize your family? If you receive this via email and would like to comment, use this link.

Interesting Clutter and Organization Statistics

I thought the following statistics were interesting and motivating! The first several statistics are from the National Association of Professional Organizers.

- 80 percent of what we keep, we never use


- People who multitask are less efficient than those who focus on one project at a time


- 23 percent of adults say they pay bills late because they lose them


- We wear 20 percent of the clothes we own 80 percent of the time


- 50 percent of homeowners rate the garage as the most disorganized place in the house


- Americans waste nine million hours per day searching for misplaced items (source:
American Demographics Society)

- The average US executive wastes six weeks per year searching for missing information in messy desks and files - translates to one hour a day (source: The Wall Street Journal)

- The average American burns 55 minutes a day – roughly 12 weeks a year – looking for things they know they own but can’t find. (source: Newsweek, June 7, 2004 citing a study by a Boston marketing firm)

- 25 percent of people with two-car garages don’t park any cars in there and 32 percent park only one (source: U.S. Department of Energy)

Scary, huh? If you'd like to comment, use this link.

Decluttering Your Books with BookMooch

Good morning! We got about six inches of snow yesterday! My poor flowers are buried.

Let's move on to a brighter topic ...

Decluttering Your Books with BookMooch

I heard about BookMooch from some fellow organizers and thought it was a great way to declutter books and save some money at the same time - even give to charity! Here's how it works, according to their website:

"BookMooch is a community for exchanging used books.

BookMooch lets you give away books you no longer need in exchange for books you really want.

Give & receive: Every time you give someone a book, you earn a point and can get any book you want from anyone else at BookMooch. Once you've read a book, you can keep it forever or put it back into BookMooch for someone else, as you wish.

No cost: there is no cost to join or use this web site: your only cost is mailing your books to others.

Points for entering books: you receive a tenth-of-a-point for every book you type into our system, and one point each time you give a book away. In order to keep receiving books, you need to give away at least one book for every three you receive.

Help charities: you can also give your points to charities we work with, such as children's hospitals (so a sick kid can get a free book delivered to their bed), Library fund, African literacy, or to us to thank us for running this web site .

World wide: You can request books from other countries, in other languages. You receive 3 points when you send a book out of your country, to help compensate you for the greater mailing cost, but it only costs the moocher 2 points to get the book. John Buckman, who runs BookMooch, has lived in California, England, France and Germany, and was frustrated by the vast number of books that were printed in just one country and not available in the other countries (for example, many books are published in Britain and never made available in America).

Wishlist: you can keep a "book wish list" that will automatically arrive to you when you have the points and/or the book becomes available in our catalog.

Feedback score: each time you receive a book, you can leave feedback with the sender, just like how eBay does it. If you keep your feedback score up, people are most likely to help you out when you ask for a book."

Isn't this a great idea? If you'd like to comment, and receive this email via email, use this link.

Don't forget to sign up for Mom Audience!

Mom Audience is Live!

Mom Audience is now live! Mom Audience is a marketplace for moms. My goal in creating Mom Audience is to provide a place where moms, mompreneurs and businesses with mom-appeal can come together.

So ... if you're a mom and you'd like the convenience of shopping at a mom-specific location, please subscribe!

If you have a business, blog, product, sale, giveaway, contest, event, employment need, or other important news you want to get out to moms, you can list it FREE!

Your listing will go out on a weekly email to our subscribers - every Tuesday. The first Mom Audience email will go out on Tuesday, April 14, so listings need to be in by Sunday noon on April 12.

Mom Audience provides you with a central location to showcase your stuff and get some attention. If you want some additional attention, sponsor one of the emails or be seen on the sidebar of the Mom Audience website or Mom Audience email.

Would you do me a favor? Could you forward this information to your email lists, social network lists, your moms groups and to anyone else you know who might be interested in Mom Audience? I'd like your listings to get as much attention as possible!

Thanks so much!

Bev Coggins

Questions? Email me at Bev@momaudience.com

10 Eco-Friendly and Wallet-Friendly uses for Olive Oil

Good morning! I hope you had a nice weekend. We did a variety of activities (a class on making Faberge eggs, a farm park, National First Ladies Library, a hike) with our foster daughters over the beautiful weekend. And today we're supposed to get 1-3 inches of snow! Will winter never end?

In light of Earth Day coming up and people trying to pinch pennies, here are a few ideas that are kind to our environment and save us from having to buy unnecessary household products.

10 Eco-Friendly and Wallet-Friendly uses for Olive Oil

An article I read suggested several uses for olive oil which I thought were creative, green, and money-saving:

"Use Olive Oil to:

1. Shave. Olive oil can provide a closer shave when used in place of shaving cream.

2. Shine stainless steel. Many cleaning standbys, such as ammonia, can dull and even corrode chrome and stainless steel. Olive oil, however, is a safe and effective shining agent.

3. Remove eye makeup. Dab a little under the eyes and rinse off with a washcloth.

4. Prevent wax from sticking to a candle holder. Rub a thin coat on the base of the holder before inserting a candle. Dripped wax should peel away easily.

5. Care for your pet. Add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to your cat’s food to help prevent hair balls.

6. Moisturize cuticles. Apply a small amount of olive oil to the nail beds.

7. Treat dry skin. Rub a thin layer over the skin after a shower or a waxing.

8. Unstick a zipper. Using a Q-tip, apply a drop to lubricate the teeth. (Avoid touching the fabric.) The zipper should move up and down freely.

9. Dust wooden furniture. Apply a bit of oil to a cloth and wipe.

10. Silence squeaky doors. Lubricate hinges by applying a small dab to a cloth, then wiping the top of the hinges so that the oil runs down the sides."

Do you use household products creatively? Let us hear from you! If you receive this via email, use this link to comment.

Quadruple Batch of Teriyaki Marinade

It's that time of year - time to think about grilling! This is also the time to make a quadruple batch of Teriyaki Marinade. It keeps for a long time in the fridge, and it simplifies your life when you want to make fajitas, teriyaki chicken or London broil. During grilling season, I always make quadruple batches so I have some on hand at all times.

Our girls requested fajitas this week, so yesterday morning I made the marinade and let the steak marinate all day. I also cook the onions, mushrooms, and peppers in the marinade as well. Here's the recipe for the best Teriyaki Marinade I have ever tasted:

Teriyaki Marinade

3/4 c. oil (3.c.)
1/4 c. soy sauce (1 c.)
1/4 c. honey (1 c.)
2 T. vinegar (1/2 c.)
1 T. garlic powder (1/4 c.)
1 1/2 t.ground ginger (1/8 c.)
2 T. dried chopped onion (1/2 c.)

Combine ingredients in a jar or a container with a lid. (Amounts in parentheses are for the quadrupled amount.) Shake or stir together and pour over meat to be marinated. I usually place meat in a zip lock bag, and turn the bag over occasionally.

For boneless chicken breasts, marinate 4-6 hours.

For London broil, marinate up to 3 days, but at least 1 day. Grill 6-10 minutes on each side, turning frequently. Or broil at 400 degrees for the same length of time. Let steak rest for 10 minutes before cutting so it won't lose its juiciness.

You can fin this recipe and other great recipes on Hassle Free Dinners and Three Steps to Planning Dinner.

Spring Cleaning Bedrooms

Good Morning! It's going to be a beautiful day here today - in the upper sixties. We haven't seen that kind of weather much yet this spring! I think we may take another hour to wash living room walls this afternoon - we might even get to the windows, as we have three girls in our house this week - lots of help!

But let's talk about spring cleaning the bedrooms now ...

Spring Cleaning Bedrooms

When the weather starts to warm up, it's a great time to spring clean the bedrooms. Spring is one of the times during the year I like to wash all the bed linens for each bedroom. When the girls clean their rooms this week, I will ask them to completely strip their beds down to the mattresses. If you have children and they are old enough, they can do this chore for you, too.

It's a logical time to clean all the linens, as it's time to remove blankets for spring and summer months anyway. And it will be nice to store a freshly washed blanket, ready to use when it gets cold again.

I'll take down the curtains since they are washable. If yours are not, send them to the dry cleaners or vacuum them, using the brush attachment.

While the linens are off, you may want to take the opportunity to recruit the family to sweep the ceiling, wash the walls, clean ceiling fans, vacuum, dust, and wash windows. While you're at it, flip the mattress, too.

Even little ones can dust or wash walls with Mr. Clean Magic Sponges. All you have to do is wash the walls and rinse the sponge - no rinsing of walls!

If it takes longer than an hour or so, you may want to break it up into hour-long segments so as not to overwhelm yourself or your family. Repeat for each bedroom until you're done. You'll be surprised at how quickly it goes!

It's a lot more fun if you all work together. Put on some fun music and enjoy! Tell jokes or funny stories. Then do something fun to celebrate everyone's hard work.

It's amazing how washing walls brightens the room! And freshly laundered comforters, sheets and curtains add a spring crispness to the room! It's a big job, but a clean fresh bedroom is worth the effort!

More blogs on spring cleaning:

Spring Cleaning the Walls and Windows

Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Lemons

Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Salt, Newspaper, Coffee Filters, and Olive Oil

If cleaning isn't your thing, and you need a little help, try Three Steps to Clever Cleaning - a short, colorful, glossy, fun little book.

A Dozen Helpful Hints to Simplify Your Life

Happy April Fool's Day! We received a new house of girls yesterday, and one of the girls is dreading going to school because of all the pranks. She's in middle school - need I say more?

Our blog today originated from an email I received from a friend. I thought the hints were worth passing along:

A Dozen Helpful HInts to Simplify Your Life

1. Broken Glass clean up:

 Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily. 




2. No More Mosquitoes : Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away. 




3. Squirrel Away!: To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant, and the squirrels won't come near it. 



4. Flexible vacuum nozzle: To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge, add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum . It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings. 



5. Reducing Static Cling: Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- ta da! -- static is gone. 



6. Measuring Cups clean up: Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out. 



7. Hate foggy windshields?: Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!




8. Reopening envelope: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily .




9. Hair Conditioner: Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair..




10. Goodbye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies , take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid , mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever! 




11. Get Rid of Ants: Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it , take it "home," can't digest it, so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed! 




12. To Extend the Life of Your Dryer and Prevent Fires: Dryer sheets cause a film over the mesh of the lint filter - that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film , but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free - that nice fragrance, too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire and potentially burn your house down with it!

The best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take the filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. It doubles the life of your dryer.



Wait - Don't Throw That Away!

Are you ready for April Fool's Day tomorrow? If not, here are some ideas. My favorite is the kitchen sink trick. I'll use it on the girls - after school, though!

So here's our blog for today - can you believe I'm encouraging you to keep things rather than throw them away? This article by Amanda Kwan encourages us to save money and our landfills by finding uses for things we would normally throw away.

15 New Uses for Old Clutter

"Springtime is here again, and with it the annual tradition of cleaning house. But that doesn't have to mean bag after bag of garbage.

Given fears of a recession and worries about overflowing landfills, there's new incentive to find second lives for many household items.

"We can't afford to keep living disposable lives," said Lori Baird, a co-author of Don't Throw It Out: Recycle and Reuse to Make Things Last, a compendium from Yankee magazine. "It makes sense for all of us to be more careful about how we spend money."

Some of Baird's favorite tips include using the wire racks from an old refrigerator as cooking racks for baked goods, and donating old towels to animal shelters, which use them for dog baths.

But not everything can be salvaged. Baird warns against reusing items such as children's car seats, which have expiration dates because of frequent changes in safety features. "If there's ever a question of safety involved in reusing an object, I'd say don't do it," Baird said in an e-mail.

For everything else, repurposing often requires just a little washing and a touch of imagination. The next time you're contemplating giving something the old heave-ho, here are 15 tips to give it new use.

OLD DISHES, NEW PLANTER

Filling large outdoor planters with soil for a small plant can be costly. Pieces of a broken clay pot or ceramic dish help drainage and prop up undersized plants. Place shards at the bottom of a large pot until almost half the pot is full. Add a layer of plastic foam pieces or a mixture of gravel or pebbles (you can also use filler from old aquariums or wine corks), and then fill with potting soil.

OLD BRANCHES, NEW DECOR

If you're trimming trees to prepare for the growing season or cleaning the yard, save long fallen twigs or branches that are in good condition. Tie in a bunch and let dry completely in the garage. Spray paint them in white, silver or gold, and display in a vase or large urn as indoor decorations.

OLD MAILING TUBES, NEW WINE RACK

ReadyMade, a savvy do-it-yourself magazine, suggests making a wine rack with mailing tubes and an old milk carton crate from your college dorm years (or a box that's at least 12 inches deep). Measure the depth of the crate and cut the tubes to this length with sharp scissors. Stack the tubes in the crate and turn the crate on its side on a flat surface. Each cubby hole can fit a wine bottle. Be sure to store the crate in a dry, cool area.

OLD PENS, NEW SILVERWARE

Forks, spoons and knives with broken handles can get new bodies from old pens, according to Jaspal Marwah and Sarah Hunt of Vancouver. They're winners of ReadyMade's MacGyver Challenge, a monthly contest that challenges readers to find innovative ways to reuse common objects. To make their pen cutlery, discard everything inside the pen except its tube and cap. Fill the tube with hot glue, shove in the heads of the cutlery, and let dry.

OLD SHOWER CURTAIN, NEW GRILL COVER

Got a stained or tired shower curtain? Baird suggests using it as a waterproof cover for outdoor furniture or a grill.

OLD PAPERWORK, NEW DOG BED

Shredded paperwork from your home or office shredder, small rugs or bath mats, and old towels can be donated to local animal shelters. The paper and bath mats make beds for dogs and cats, and towels are needed to wash animals.

OLD BINDER, NEW CD CASE

Watch this: Three-ring binders from yours or your children's old school days can house CDs or DVDs that've lost their cases. Don't Throw It Out says to store them in album refill pages for 5 x 7 photos.

OLD SOCKS, NEW ORNAMENT SAVER

Save old socks or ones that've lost their partner to store delicate Christmas ornaments. You can also use socks to stuff the insides of shoes so they don't lose their shape in storage.

OLD PANTYHOSE, NEW BROOM

Revitalize an old broom by covering the bristles with ruined pantyhose. Cut a piece from the leg, and stretch it over the broom's bristles. The nylon's static will attract lint and small dust particles as you sweep.

OLD BOOK, NEW SAFE

Make a safe out of an old hardcover textbook or outdated encyclopedia. Don't Throw It Out suggests opening the book to a spot at least one inch from the back. Prop the book open with a paperweight. Use a pencil and a straightedge to mark a rectangle in the middle of the page. Cut out the rectangle with a craft knife - score the edges heavily, and you'll be able to cut through several pages at a time. Repeat until you're about to cut into the back cover. Place a piece of cardboard or a thick piece of scrap paper over the cover so that you don't cut into it.

OLD PILLOWCASE, NEW TOY

Fashion a toy for Fido from a discarded pillowcase. Roll it lengthwise and make three knots - one in the middle and two at the ends.

OLD NEWSPAPER, NEW WINDOW WASHER

Go through the paper recyclables before you wash the windows, because you can use old newspapers to clean glass surfaces. Scrunch up newsprint and dip it into a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and warm water. Wipe windows with the wet paper.

OLD YARN, NEW NEST

Another tip from Don't Throw It Out: Help birds build nests by giving them leftover yarn from a crafting project. Cut the yarn into 3-inch strips and put them in a netted bag, similar to the ones garlic or onions come in. Hang the bag in a tree.

OLD MOP, NEW CURTAIN ROD

The long handle of a broom or map makes a cheap curtain rod for a small window or doorway. Wrap the length of the pole with metallic contact paper. Drill a small hole at the ends of the pole to insert an L-hook, from which you can hang the curtain.

OLD SOAP, NEW MOTH REPELLANT

Dry leftover slivers from bath soap bars and place them in a large zip top plastic bag. Use a hammer to smash the bars into small pieces, and then close the bag. Poke several small holes in the bag with a pin, and then toss the bag into storage bins with clothes. The soap will repel moths and other insects, and keep clothes smelling fresh."

Please share your ideas on repurposing clutter! If you receive this via email, use this link.

Reduce Your Stress - Say No

Happy Monday! Hope you had a nice weekend! We concluded a lovely visit with my friend Margaret, worked on taxes (yipee!) while watching two different versions of Pride and Prejudice (not at the same time!), had one of our former Shelter Care girls over for dinner (she's in college now), and relaxed a bit.

I'm also discovering how clutzy I am! I hurt my back on Thursday (don't know how!) and can't pick things off the floor. So I've become aware of how many things I drop and have to leave on the floor for my husband to pick up! Looks like the chiropractor is in my future.

So, on to our blog ...

Reduce Your Stress - Say No

Why is it so hard to say no? Maybe it's because we don't want to disappoint, or maybe it's because we feel empowered when we rescue others. We may not know our own skill sets well enough to know if we are equipped to meet the need. Or maybe it's because we don't have a clear picture of our own priorities against which to measure others' requests.

Whatever the case, saying no can be difficult! If you have trouble saying no, you may find yourself over-committed, doing things you are not passionate about, feeling used, ill-equipped to do the job, or seeing your own priorities take a back seat to those of others.

How do you learn to say no?

1. The first step is to know your own priorities - at work and at home.

If you are asked to take on an assignment at work and you are already overloaded, you can say something like this: "These are my current top priorities. Where do you see this fitting in, in light of them?" Then your boss sees your current workload and must decide if the new assignment is more important than those on which you are working. He/she also gets a sense that you have clear priorities, yet are available for clarifying input. If need be, draw up a time line of when your current projects will be completed, to give context to expectations.

If someone asks you to take on the PTA bake sale, or even just donate a batch of brownies, ask for some time to think about it. If you have trouble saying no, this should become your mantra, "Let me look at my schedule and get back to you." This gives you a chance to think calmly about whether this is something to which you want to commit your time and efforts.

2. Ask yourself if you are the best person to do the job.

If you are well-equipped to do the job, ask yourself if it is something that fits with your priorities and time availability. If you are not well-equipped to do the job, suggest someone else who might have the needed skills. If the job is something you'd like to learn, ask to be mentored by someone who could teach you to do it.

I was asked to be the church treasurer for our little church. I immediately said no. I don't know how much time it would have taken, but I don't have much of that. Nor am I well-equipped to do the job. There is a reason I switched from accounting to business finance in college! Plus I hate tedious jobs like that, and I think I would have dreaded doing the job.

By knowing yourself well, you can choose to operate in the areas of your strength, which is energizing and satisfying. Operating in areas of weakness is draining and high-risk.

3. Ask yourself why you want to say yes.

Are you committed to the project or cause?
Does it fit with your priorities?
Do you have the time to do it?
Do you want to look good in the requester's eyes?
Do you feel you can't say no to a boss, client, co-worker, friend, etc?
Are you attracted by the power it would give you?
Are you only thinking about how good it would look on your resume?
Do you have a realistic picture of your skills?
Do you want to have the feeling of rescuing the person/project?
Do you have a realistic picture of the time the project will take?
Are you feeling intimidated by the person asking?

Evaluate your answers to the above questions to gain insight into your own motivations.

4. Make your decision based on your priorities, time availability, skills, passions, and motivations. Becoming over-committed at work or at home not only affects you, but those closest to you.

If you are stressed because you can't say no, you are losing opportunities to say yes to the things that are important to you!

5. If you are unsure of your gifts, priorities, and passions, start studying yourself. Enjoy your unique design and shine in areas you love! If you need some help getting started, see the resources below.


What helps you say no? If you'd like to comment and receive this by email, use this link.


Similar blogs:

Why Throw Shallow New Years' Resolutions at Yourself When You Really Need to Rethink Life?

Getting Organized for School (and life!) - Determining The Legacy You Want to Leave Your Children

To Do List or Not To Do List - That is the Question!

Resources:
- Any of the 1-2-3...Get Organized time management books will help you determine your priorities, passions, and gifts. Available in books, ebooks, workbooks, and eworkbooks.

- If you prefer one-on-one interaction, a Rethinking Life coaching session may be of interest to you.

- Myers-Briggs Personality Type Inventory. Discover your own distinctive design - understand and appreciate yourself and others in a new way! Comment below if you'd like more info.