Dear Home-Ec 101, Home Ec 101 is awesome. I am deficient in all things home ec-y. For example, I never learned how to put my hair in a proper bun. Oh, and how am I supposed to figure out where the heck to go for a haircut in a new town? Signed, Bunless in Beantown … Read more
Heather says: Today is one of those days, the kind of day where nothing is a crisis on its own, but added together it becomes one great big mess. I live in Hurricane Country, seven or eight months of the year I ensure I have clean enough clean bottled water to last my family for … Read more
Dear Home-Ec 101, How do you get the foot-stink out of shoes? Specifically, leather shoes, since those make your feet sweat like a fat guy chasing after an ice cream truck in August? Signed, Ron Ivy says: Stinky shoes are no laughing matter, and neither are fat guys and ice cream trucks. We on the … Read more
Dear Home-ec 101, I hang pans up above the stove and cruddy looking, stained bottoms look bad. I bought two new shiny ones and the smaller one looks like heck after just one run through the dishwasher. The packaging did NOT say to avoid the dishwasher so what happened? It said it was “professional grade” … Read more
Dear Home-ec 101: I’m tired of the same food. The delivery place knows our order by heart. Help! ~In a rut in Wheeling Heather says: This recipe will pop you out of that rut; it’s one of our favorites and tastes complicated enough for company. Thankfully it’s quite simple to make, but I write at … Read more
Dear Home-Ec101, Hi Home-Eccers! Love the site – thanks so much for a return to the basics (that I should have learned LONG ago). My husband and I have been in our new home for about a year and a half, and we’ve never been happy with the cleanliness of the tiles in our shower. … Read more
Dear Home-Ec101, I’m going crazy, my house is a wreck, my kids are a mess, my job is in shambles, I’m broke. I feel like I’m failing adulthood miserably, can you help? Signed, Imperfect Ivy says: Boy, do I ever hear ya. I’ve been exactly where you’re at. We women have so many hats we … Read more
Dear Home-ec 101: I had to change a lightbulb in my kitchen the other day and the globe is nasty with dust and grease. Is there an easy way to fix this? Grimy in Greensboro Heather says: I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a klutz. The only way I’ll be able to pass … Read more
Dear Home-ec 101: I hate going to the grocery store each week and spending so much money. I’ve heard that I need to have a stocked pantry, but I don’t understand how that will help me. If I buy twice as much food so that I have some in the pantry for next week, won’t … Read more
Dear Home-Ec 101, How do you control the dog hair in the house and keep the little ones from turning into little puppies themselves? Vacuuming does not seem to be enough. Signed, Buried in dog hair Ivy says: I have 2 cats and a dog, so I feel your pain. We’ve had times where we brushed so … Read more