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Monday 15 October 2012

Listen ... do you want to know a secret?

Hello everyone! After the torrent of wonderful comments on my previous post, the one where I told you how I set my timer to do my housework, I thought I'd share a few other little tips with you ...


Instead of throwing away old wellies (large or small) use them as plant pots! These look lovely and welcoming at the front door ... make a few holes with a darning needle to allow water to drain through, and put a few pebbles in the foot too, otherwise the stagnant water will get a bit whiffy! If you don't have any yourself they can usually be picked up very cheaply at car boot sales or charity shops.  These little darlings were 50p ... bootiful!


Whenever you use a lemon, don't just throw it away, instead put the shells into your dishwasher. The lemons will help to cut through grease, make your dishwasher smell citrus fresh, and sparkle your glassware!


When you return from your holidays, nothing brings you back to earth more quickly than emptying 4 or 5 large suitcases on to the kitchen floor and sorting and separating the washing.  To save yourself this heartache, take a few bin bags or large carriers with you and sort the washing on a daily basis.  It doesn't really take any longer than just slinging it in the suitcase! Have a bag for whites, one for coloureds and a dark one.  When you return it's much less daunting to just select and deal with one bag at a time than to sift through a mountain of dirty, smelly washing.


If you're of a sensitive disposition, or eating your breakfast, you might want to skip this one! If your daft dog, or indeed, your child, has an accident on your precious vintage rug, remove the excess whilst gagging and wearing a protective mask wipe with a wrung out, barely damp, cloth without rubbing too hard, and then sprinkle the area with good old bicarbonate of soda and leave for a few hours.  Then simply hoover the area,  and the stain will have disappeared, along with the smell.

Courtesy of Google
To avoid the torture of finding a matching set of bedding, simply fold the duvet cover, bed sheets, and pillowcases (saving one) and place into the saved one and fold ... your airing/linen cupboard will be transformed by the neat stacks of sweet-smelling, orderly bedding! All you need to do is select the set you want and remove from the pile, instead of all that flinging everything around to find a matching pillowcase! I've done this all my life and am amazed when I pass on this tip to others, as I just thought everyone knew about this one ... By the way, I really, really, have bedroom envy for the picture above!

Now I really must apologise for the next image ... not that it isn't beautiful ... but the 'C' word in October isn't always acceptable!

Courtesy of Google

In my defence, I can't do a post sharing my top tips without adding my 2 favourite Christmas ones!  If you have more than one child, I know what a nightmare it can be to wrap and label all their presents.  I pick a different roll of paper for each child, writing in a notebook which is which, as between one marathon wrapping session and the next I'm bound to you may forget.  This dispenses with any need for labelling as each present is colour-coded and on Christmas Eve (when the elves bring pyjamas, miraculously wrapped in the right paper), Father Christmas puts the wooden heart with the name of the child on the relevant pile so there is no mix-up on The Big Day.

Courtesy of Google


Just before (about 45 minutes) serving up the most important meal of the year, put all your plates and serving dishes into the dishwasher and put on a quick, hot wash.  When they are dry, but still very hot, put the food in the serving dishes and immediately wrap in tinfoil.  Leave the plates in the hot dishwasher until required.  This frees up valuable space in an already overloaded oven.

And remember, if all else fails, flowers will ALWAYS make it better!




Hope you all have a fabulous week!

Love, Claire xxx

71 comments:

  1. Morning Claire,what a beautiful day,not at work today so catching up on blogland.Love your post the christmas sitting room is lovely, wish it was mine!!Have a good day.Warm Regards Pam.

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    1. Hi Pam, and thank you, always lovely to see you! xx

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  2. More great tips - thanks - I do lots of these already, but love reading thru and finding new ideas. blessings x

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    1. Hello Angela, there's lots more where they came from ... will definitely share!

      Love to you, Claire xx

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  3. Like Angela, I knew about lots of these too - but love reading your blog anyway!
    www.hometalesfromanorfolkbroad.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Hello Maggie, lovely of you to drop in ... tried to find your blog the other day, will have another try now!

      Claire xx

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  4. Very clever post...although the one I loved the most was the flowers...they DO always make you feel better!

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    1. Hello Sarah-Jane ... Am envious at the thought of the lovely Spring flowers in Australia at the moment!

      Love Claire xxx

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  5. Fabulous tips Claire! Love the wellies! And I shall be popping the lemon in the dishwasher after the g & t :)
    Victoria xx

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  6. Wonderfull tips, specially the one about the plats in the dishwasher- very clever!

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    1. Hello, glad to be of help! I only have a small kitchen, and a large family, so this is a godsend on Christmas Day when my oven is full to burting!

      Love Claire xx

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  7. Top tips...wish I'd have known about the yukky carpet one on Saturday...we are just in the 'Chicken Soup Phase' of a nasty tummy bug with my 8yr old! xxx

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    1. Urggh, feel so sorry for you with this one! Hope all's well now xxx

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  8. Great tips there! I always sent two rolls of wrapping paper to Santa, my girls think Santa is so clever! Ada :)

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    1. Hi Ada, Santa sees all and knows everything!
      Claire xx

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  9. Oh my I love your tips ... and I am immediately going home (well when work has finished for the day ... its does get in the way sometimes!) and organising my duvets!!

    I employed your cleaning tips at the weekend ... brilliant!!

    xx

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    1. Hi Mellie, so glad my tips are useful!
      Claire xx

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  10. Oh Claire, I love your tip about the lemon. The wellies are a good idea too - I wish I hadn't given my daughter's ladybird wellies away - they would have been ideal. Your tip about the bedding is genius. Mind you, I'm going through a distinctly unmatchy phase at the moment.

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    1. Hello Loo ... never give a pair of wellies away again, especially ladybird ones!

      Claire xx

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  11. Love reading your tips, it's funny how what one person does all the time without thinking can be such a good tip for someone else. Will definitely start using the lemon shells, and love the duvet tip... what an excellent idea, thank you. x

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    1. Hi Cheryl, you're right, we take some things for granted, but it would be great if we could all share our tips!

      Claire xx

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  12. Hello Mrs!
    You know I use the lemon in the dish washer!! Brill...
    I always love those Wellie boots at your front door too!
    Have a good week Claire and hope to see you soon....
    love Maria x

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    1. Hiya Maria!

      Thank you and will be in touch soon ... we need a day out!

      Claire xxx

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  13. Thanks for the handy tips! I hadn't heard of any of these useful tips before. I really like the wellie plant pot idea..they would cheer up any front door.
    Magie x

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    1. Hi Magie,

      It would seem there are going to be a lot of cheerful wellie plant pots throughout the land!

      Love Claire xx

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  14. Hi Claire,
    Thanks for more of your wonderful tips. I love the wellies they look so cute. The dishwasher tips are great ideas.
    Have a lovely week.
    Ali x

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    1. Hello Ali,

      Always lovely to have you drop in!
      Love Claire xx

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  15. Thanks for sharing Claire! I used two lemons in lemon loafs today so will pop the leftovers on the dishwasher this evening! Great tips. Hazel i

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    1. Hi Hazel, loving your blog! Am looking forward to reading more about your nesting and getting ready for little Champ!

      Love Claire xx

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  16. Thanks for sharing your ideas, I love the wellies idea and can imagine wellies with plants in outside many front doors.
    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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    1. Hello Irene,

      That would be wonderful if that were to happen!

      Love Claire xx

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  17. Hi Claire,
    Great tips I think I will be doing all of those. My wellies look as if they will soon need to be replaced, a great way of brightening the entrance and putting a smile on visitors faces!
    Sarah x

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    1. Hello Sarah

      If you need an excuse to get some new wellies, this is it!

      Love Claire xx

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  18. Fantastic tips there Claire! Love the bedding tip, I honestly wouldnt have thought of that.(yes, I'm one of the ones who scrabbles through trying to find the matching pillowcase).
    I put some lemon halves in a jug of water in my microwave on full power for a few minutes to get rid of the smell of salmon. That definitely works!

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    1. Hi Anne ... your linen cupboard will be transformed! I used to do the lemons in microwave too, it is very effective ... my microwave blew up last Christmas and haven't replaced it, so probably won't bother now!

      I always buy loads of lemons, I just love them in recipes, love the smell too!
      Love Claire xx

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  19. Great tips again Claire ... you are a proper domestic goddess ;) ... love the Christmas tips ... never thought of the dishwasher idea for warming crockery ... genius ... Bee xx

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  20. Really great tips thank you so much!

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  21. agh!!! those wellies are so cool!! I will definately remember this!

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  22. I love the Wellies idea. I'm going to do this with my boys baby gumboots (that's what we call wellies) that I just can't part with. Thank you!

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    1. Hello there!

      Just be aware that your little boys precious gumboots may rot and disintegrate in time ... perhaps if you lined them with something to stop the water damaging the inside this may prolong their life! However, I live in the cold, wild, north-west of England ... they will probably last a lot longer in NZ!

      Love Claire xx

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  23. Lemon in the dishwasher! Brilliant! Baking soda really is helpful, isn't it. Thanks for sharing your tips, and I hope you have a lovely week as well. xx from Gracie

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    1. Hello Gracie, glad to be of help!

      Love Claire xx

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  24. Great tips - all of them! Thanks for sharing them with us :-)
    xx

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  25. WOW Claire - you are certainly the domestic goddess! You must write a book - I can see it clearly on the shelves now "CLAIRE SAVES TIME..." - or does that sound like it should be in the science fiction section - lol!
    Anyway, brilliant tips, and I shall certainly be following them all - well done!
    Paula xx

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  26. Haha, you're very kind Paula! Don't think I know enough ... it would be a very thin book!

    Glad to have helped you ...

    Love Claire xxx

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  27. Some great tips there - I particularly love the one about lemon shells and the dishwasher...must remember that one.

    Nina x

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    1. Hello Nina, than you and great if you to drop in!

      Claire xx

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  28. What a fabulous selection of tips here! I like the one about lemons. And the wellies - brilliant! (Never too early for Christmas tips for me) x

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  29. Hi Gillian, lovely to see you, and thanks for your lovely comments xxx

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  30. Hi... so nice to 'meet'you ... isn't blogland a wonderful place!
    Thanks for visiting my little blog ... I think I have gathered where you live and lived quite near to you .. just outside Ulverston .. when the children were little.
    They were both born I Furness/Barrow hospital. Small world!
    Looking forward to reading more of your blog.

    Vicky x

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    1. Hello Vicky, have popped ver to you and sent an email too ... Small world indeed! xxx

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  31. Great tips..and you are so right...flowers always do make you feel better. Love the lemon in the dishwasher...so going to try that. Thanks for sharing. xo

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    1. Hi Koralee, thank you and lovely of you to drop in! xx

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  32. Hi Claire. Just found your blog. Some great tips here!
    I`ll be back read more very soon!

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    1. Hi Sarina, and a very big welcome to Thriftwood! xx

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  33. I am in love with the little chair and the beautiful little cushions on it in your last post. So cute!
    I love your tips. The Christmas dinner one is great.I also like the lemon for dishwasher one. The can get a bit stinky and cloudy glasses look awful. xxx

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    1. Hello Tracy, lovely of you to drop in ad welcome! xx

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  34. Hi Claire,

    You have shared such wonderful tips and ways of making our lives easier, which I think we can all do with.
    Will use the one of the half cut lemon in the dishwasher and I find baking soda and vinegar so much better than a lot of the strong chemical cleaners.
    Thanks for sharing this and wishing you a happy weekend

    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  35. Hello Carolyn, glad the its are of use to you, and hope you had a great weekend!

    Love, Claire xxx

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  36. Goodness a fountain of brilliant tips over-floweth...can we do a weekly conference call? You can mentor me in all of the above, I am so ditsy, love organisation I just can't seem to organise myself to be organised if you know what I mean! I'm off to find pillowcases and stack bedlinen....you know it's because I sense a photo opportunity! Tee hee,

    Sarah -x-

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    1. Hi Sarah, hehe you've made me laugh! Everyone's calling me a domestic goddess ... I'm really not, my house is chaotic as well, with 6 people living here it couldn't be anything else really. These little tips help me, so I'm really glad they're helping other lovely people to find a bit of organisation in their busy lives xxx

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  37. Goodness me Claire - you are a veritable feast of top tips and wise words! That is a great idea about the lemon - I will give that a whirl (had pancakes at the weekend so wish I had hung onto the leftover bits!)
    Must start thinking about Christmas.....
    Many thanks for your great ideas
    Best wishes
    Jenny

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    1. Hello Jenny, it's funny but I take all my little tips for granted, don't really know where I got them from in the first place, I've made some up myself. but have been doing them all for years!

      Thanks for popping in, always lovely to see you!

      Have a Happy Monday,

      Claire xxx

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  38. Hi Claire, tried to look at comments on the most recent post but it wouldn't let me in.. I get the odd linky thing too. Did anyone explain how to get rid? jx

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I love to hear what you think of my ramblings and value all your comments ... I will try and get back to you, but am sorry if I don't always manage this ... sometimes real life just gets in the way! Claire xxx