The living room, or family room, often becomes a catch all place. At my house it’s where we love to crash, watch a movie, have a snack, play with toys/games, and more. I’ll confess that we let the dog on the couch in there too. A lot of use of the room means a lot … Read more
When I think of my dream home it is perfectly organized from floor to ceiling, basement drain to roof vent. Real life organization is a bit different than my dream. I found this quote by Christina Scalise that sums up my goal for organization: “Organization isn’t about perfection; it’s about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving … Read more
We might wish we could say, “I don’t do windows,” but we don’t have that privilege if we want to keep our house looking nice and our view unobstructed. It can be a rewarding job to shine the glass, wash the blinds, and let the sunshine in. Following are some articles full of tips about cleaning … Read more
They surround us, protect us, and shelter us. Walls also take a lot of abuse from dirty hands, shoes, feet, and the ends of brooms/mops that are taller than my children. Lately, I’ve heard myself saying, “Please take your feet off the wall – or – Please don’t put your dirty hands all over the wall.” Is … Read more
Sensitive readers, if you don’t currently have to deal with messes of a bodily nature, just make a mental note or better yet, bookmark the page and mosey along. Dear Home Ec 101, I have four dogs, they are housebroken, but every once in a while they have an accident. What is the best way … Read more
Scientists say that people can smell at least one trillion distinct scents, scent cells are renewed every 30 to 60 days, and women have a better sense of smell than men. Combine all those things together with a house full of people and there is potential for A LOT of odors. On top of all that … Read more
Dear Home-Ec 101, I just found your site. I could totally read it all day! I was not given a lot of training on house keeping and still struggle in my 40s now on how to do things properly. I was reading your article about cleaning fine dust from construction mess and you said don’t … Read more
Heather says: Why did Spring Cleaning become a tradition? In the past many homes were heated with wood fire or coal stoves, both of which produce soot that gets deposited on walls, windows, and flooring. Over the winter this soot and the mud and filth tracked in would build up. Spring cleaning meant opening the … Read more
Dear Home Ec 101, I love receiving your info! So much fun to read! Anyway, I really need help with the following: I bought a beautiful dining room table and chairs from a friend with children. Unfortunately, she has never instilled the clean-hands rule with them and the table is sticky and dulled with finger … Read more
It’s said to be the heart of the home. The kitchen is certainly the most used area with a lot of traffic. It’s also the source of a lot of work, but there is a certain satisfaction in making it clean and shiny. Here are some articles that might help you; click the title of … Read more