Timely Tips Tuesday

Introducing Timely Tips Tuesday!  Each Tuesday, I will share a handy household tip that will focus on all aspects of keeping the home. 

Tiny Tasks

If you have growing children (and all the children I know are always growing!) review your roster of chores frequently and delegate more.  Here are some jobs even toddlers can help with:

• Putting trash into the waste basket.
• Emptying all the waste baskets into the main trash can once a week.
• Keeping the family pet's water bowl filled (a squirt bottle is least messy for a child still acquiring motor coordination skills).
• Feeding smaller mammals, birds, and fish -- just keep an eye on how they are doing.  It's wonderful training for the responsibilities of a more demanding pet like a dog. 
• Watch and advise; communicate your standards, offer praise for a job well done well -- but never "do it better" or redo what has been done if they just put their all into their work. (Such a tactic is better saved for a lazy child who didn't really try.)

One Season at a Time

Tomorrow is June and most regions are safely past the cooler weather.  This means that if you haven't already done so, it's time to organize your apparel.  Store only this season's stuff in your closets and bureaus.

• Decide how many seasons (climactic, not retail!) you really have where you live.
• Put this season's things into the closet.
• Break up all-season garments (T-shirts, blouses, shirts) into seasonal collections by color, pattern, or material.
• Store the rest by season.
• Use vacuum storage bags or plain large zipped or resealable bags (get extra air out using a vacuum cleaner, unzipping just enough to fit the nozzle).
• Another idea to store seasonal clothing is to use empty luggage (unless a vacation is imminent).
• Along with the clothes, throw in some natural cedar wood, whole cloves, mint or lavender to deter moths and give a fresh clean scent when you pull them out again. 

Storing your out of season clothing is better for your clothes (they won't get squashed in the closet or bureau drawers) and better for your closet (it will be roomier and easier to put laundry away).  Plus this annual ritual allows for an easy way to see what you have and what items have outlived there use.