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100 Tips To Save Energy in your home

by shedboy71

These are our first 50 of our 100 tips

1. It begins with your commitment. If you want to save energy, you have to be committed enough in doing the necessary things for it. Without your commitment, you may not become mindful of you actions, which can directly or indirectly affect your overall energy consumption. Thus, you have to be committed, so that you can see results on it.

2. Make it a practice to turn off the lights in your room. Lots of people today leave their bedrooms without turning the lights off. Although lights do not consume much electricity, lots of energy would be wasted if you constantly left them turned on for the most parts of the day, even if you are not inside the room. Thus, make it a practice to turn off the lights, so that you can save energy.

3. Replace your filters regularly. Most heating and cooling equipment require clean filters, in order for them to run clean. The filters can also help them in becoming more energy efficient. With that, replacing your filters regularly can help you save a lot in terms of energy consumption. Ask your technician about it, so that you would know when is the best time to do so.

4. Dirty coils make your appliances consume more electricity. Refrigerator coils can get dirty over a certain period of time. In most cases, they can accumulate a lot of dirt within the six month period; and, when that happens, the dirty coil would make your refrigerator work harder in order to achieve its desired temperature. Thus, it is best if you practice cleaning and vacuuming your refrigerator coils every six months or so, so that you won’t have to endure higher electricity bills.

5. Close the windows. Whether you need to achieve lower or higher temperature inside your house, it is best if you close your windows. This is because, open windows would make your cooling or heating equipment require more energy to serve you better. When you close the windows, your equipment would not work too hard, which means it can help you save energy.

6. Do not forget the timer. When you sleep at night and you are using your air-conditioning system to make your room temperature cooler, it is a good idea to make use of its timer. The timer would ensure that your AC would be turned off in time. Aside from that, if you won’t use the timer, you may get tempted to extend its usage, especially when you don’t feel like going out of your bed yet.

7. Make use of solar energy. There are lots of DIY solar panels that you can make use for your home today. One of the best things about this new technology is that, you no longer have to pay high electricity bills with them. All you have to do is to have someone install it properly, and you should be good to go.

8. Dry your clothes the natural way. One of the best ways to conserve energy is to dry your clothes naturally. If you are going to use your washing machine’s dryer for them, then you would be consuming lots of energy. Just hang the clothes outside, and let the sun dry it so that you can save more energy.

9. Unplug all unused appliances and electronic devices. You need to keep in mind that many appliances and other electronic devices consume electricity when they are plugged into the socket, even when they are turned off. Thus, the moment that you turn them off, you should ensure that they are unplugged. If it is a hassle for you to do, then just do it just before going to bed.

10. Your computer monitor. If your computer’s monitor is still the large type, or the CRT, then it is time to replace it. CRT screens actually consume more energy than the LCD types. Thus, it is time to make use of the newer computer screens. Aside from consuming lesser amounts of energy with them, it also improves your whole experience in using your desktop PC.

11. Open up your windows during summer. Summer heat can be hard to beat, which is why it is best to come up with ways to get around it without consuming lots of energy. Open up your windows during summer time, so that you can let fresh air go in and out of the house. This is effective, especially if your house is surrounded with trees.

12. In going for a vacation. When you go for a vacation, you need to make sure that all the appliances, except the refrigerator, are turned off and unplugged. Aside from that, if you have a water heater, then you should also ensure that it is turned off as well. Minimize energy consumption by leaving just a light in the porch and in your living room while you are away.

13. Minimize the number of times you open the door. When it is warm and you are using your air-conditioning to achieve cooler temperature inside your place, then you should minimize the times that you and other members of your household are opening the door. Each time you open the door, warm air would get inside your place. When that happens, it would make your cooling equipment work harder.

14. Turn off your light when you go to bed. Turning off the light inside your bedroom when you go to bed can help save lots of energy. If you are not very comfortable, you can always use a lampshade instead or a night light. When you do this, aside from saving energy, it can also help you sleep better.

15. Using water heater. If you have a water heater installed at your place, it can make your energy consumption go up, if you have leaky faucets. Thus, you should fix any leaky faucet as soon as you spot them. Aside from saving energy, it can also help you save on water usage.

16. Cut off cooling areas in your house that don’t need it. When you turn on your cooling equipment at your place, you have to consider the fact that it would try to lower down the temperature on the entire space. Thus, if you have rooms that don’t need cooling, then you should close the door to that room. By minimizing the space that it has to cool down, you are ensuring that it would not consume more energy that it needs to.

17. Block the summer light to save energy. Blocking the summer light can go a long way, as far as saving energy is concerned. This is because, it can help in bringing down the temperature inside your house. Thus, you need to install awnings, shades, blinds, or sunscreens in spots where sunlight can enter. Reflect away the heat from your house to make it cooler.

18. Have a technician check your electric wirings on a regular manner. Checking your electric wirings inside your house is necessary, in order to lessen energy consumption. Routine check up would ensure that no wires are damaged by pests, which can cause more energy consumed or even short circuit. Thus, this practice would not just conserve energy, but also make your home safer as well.

19. Installing an exhaust fan in your kitchen. Whenever you are cooking, an exhaust fan inside your kitchen can help a lot in blowing hot air from the place. This can help you save a lot of energy especially during summer time. Your savings when it comes to using energy to cool down your place would be more than the electricity consumed by the fan.

20. Air dry your dishes whenever you can. Using the dishwater heater consumes a lot of energy. Thus, it is best if you turn it off, whenever you leave your place and also when you are not making use of it. Aside from that, it is also a good idea to simply air dry your dishes whenever you can or when you have the time for it.

21. Be mindful of your cooling system’s thermostat levels.

It is best to be mindful of your cooling system’s temperature or thermostat levels. This is because, it can determine the amount of energy that it would consume in cooling down your place. Thus, you should take note of the comfortable temperature that you want to achieve, so that you won’t go lower and consume more energy in the process.

22. An alternative to using your air conditioning system. If it is warm and you don’t want to turn on your air-conditioning system for a while, you can make use of an alternative for it. All you have to do is to place a bowl that is filled with ice cubes in front of your electric fan. Turn on the fan, and you can feel cool air blown towards you.

23. Reduce the humidity inside your place. Reducing the humidity inside your place can greatly help in making you more comfortable during warm weather conditions. To achieve that, all you have to do is to use a dehumidifier. When you make use of it, you can minimize the number of times that you have to turn on your airconditioning system.

24. Use your air-conditioning system’s timer. It is a good idea to make use of your air-conditioning system’s timer on a regular basis to save energy. For example, when you turn it on at night before going to bed, set the timer to turn off the system by dawn. This is because, it is usually pretty cold during that time, and you won’t even notice that your AC has already been turned off.

25. Minimize the use of your shower’s heater. There are times when people make use of their showers’ heater even on summer times. Thus, whenever it is warm, you should see to it that your shower’s heater has been turned off. Do this, so that you can enjoy cooler water, and save on energy consumption.

26. Minimize the times your kids open up the fridge. Whenever you open the door of your refrigerator, its cool air would go out and warm air would go in. Therefore, it can make your fridge work harder, and consume more energy because of it. Thus, you have to remind your kids not to open up the fridge a lot. Aside from that, let other members of your household be aware of it, so that they can all help out.

27. Purchase an air-conditioning system that can help you conserve energy. There are air-conditioning systems today, which are designed to help you conserve energy. One example of it is that, it has a plug that comes with a socket in it, in which you can plug your fan into. With that, once the timer turns off the system, your fan would automatically be turned on, so that you won’t even have to get up of your bed to do it.

28. Buy more food items to place inside your refrigerator. Keep in mind that a cooling system usually works harder with larger space. Thus, if your refrigerator is half empty, then it needs to consume more energy to cool it down. With that, you should try to consume more space inside your refrigerator, so that you would be able to save energy.

29. Turn off your computer. Lots of people think that when they turn their computer off and on, it would wear out the system faster. However, it is actually untrue, especially with the newer computers. Thus, it is time to make it a practice to turn off your computer whenever you are not using it, so that you can bring down your electricity bills.

30. Turn off all heat sources in summer. One of the best ways to minimize heat during the summertime is to turn off all the heat sources inside your place. Some of which would be lights, appliances, and other electrical items. Turning off these things whenever they are not in use would minimize heat inside the house, and would help you save on energy cost.

31. Use LED for your lighting needs. LED lighting is now being used by a lot of companies, in order for them to reduce their electricity bills. This is because, these types of lighting are energy efficient compared to traditional types. Thus, it is time to make use of such types of lighting, so that you too can enjoy more savings from them.

32. Add light timers in your place. Reducing the amount of time you make use of the lights inside your place can help a lot when it comes to energy saving. Thus, installing light timers can help you achieve your goal in it. With a timer, you can ensure that the lights in your porch or garage would be turned off, even before you go out of bed.

33. Energy saving in cooking. Whenever you are trying to cook something with the use of a pot, it is better to make use of the lid for it to conserve energy. By using the lid, it ensures that heat would not go out of the pot and be focused on the food that you are trying to cook. This is actually one of the reasons why the lid is always included whenever you purchase a pot.

34. Having a swimming pool. A swimming pool can greatly help you during summertime, since it can reduce the amount of time you make use of your air-conditioning system. However, running your pool can also consume lots of energy, especially if you let the water pump run 24 hours a day. To get around it, just let it run for 6 to 8 hours each day instead, so that you can save energy.

35. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Using the traditional incandescent light bulbs use a lot of energy. This is because, aside from providing light, they also produce heat. Thus, it is time to replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs today, so that you can save more energy. They do not produce heat, and they consume 80 percent less energy.

36. Motion sensing devices. Motion sensors can help you a lot when it comes to conserving energy. This is because, you can make use of them for your outdoor lighting. With motion sensors, you can ensure that your outdoor lighting would only be used whenever the sensors detect something moving outside your place.

37. Your furnace filters. Keep in mind that your furnace filters can get dirty in just a matter of time. The dirtier they get, the more energy your furnace fan needs to consume in order to work. Thus, it is best if you replace the furnace filters on a regular basis, so that you can consume less energy.

38. Give your computer a break. Keep in mind that your computer becomes slower as you fill it up with more and more data. Thus, it is time to clean out unwanted data from it. By doing that, your computer would work faster, which would reduce the time you need to spend in doing something in and it that would result to more energy saved.

39. Get your family to watch television in the living room. It is quite a usual thing these days for each of the members of the family to have their own television set insider their own rooms. Whenever you are all trying to watch the same TV program though, convince all the members of the family to watch it in the living room. When you do this, you won’t just be saving energy, but it can also give you time to bond with each other.

40. Buy energy efficient appliances. If you are shopping for appliances, you would realize that in most cases, the energy efficient products are usually more expensive. Although they are, they can actually provide you with more benefits in the long run. Aside from helping you minimize energy consumption, these models usually are also made in higher quality than the others.

41. Charge your mobile phone’s battery, when it is almost empty. Lots of people today put their mobile phones with its charger every time they arrive at their place, even when the battery is still half full. It is actually a better practice to charge your battery, when it is almost empty, so that you can minimize the number of times that you plug it into the socket. Aside from that, it can also prolong the life of your battery.

42. Using the right amount of detergent. When you make use of your dishwasher, you should see to it that you are putting just the right amount of detergent. This is because, too much of it or too little can affect your dishwasher’s efficiency. It is time to read the instructions well, so that you can conserve more energy.

43. Use a dishpan whenever you are hand washing dishes. Hand washing dishes is actually a good way to save energy, especially if there are only few of them that you need to deal with. However, you should not let hot water run continuously whenever you are doing it. To avoid this, you can always make use of a dishpan, in order to hold water. This would not just minimize the energy consumed, but it would also conserve water.

44. Using an electric oven for cooking. When you are using your electric oven to cook something up, you can always turn it off in advance. In other words, you can turn off the oven even when you are not done cooking yet. There is no need to worry in doing that, since the oven can retain heat. This can also be done when you are just trying to heat your food.

46. Do not over dry your clothes. Whenever you make use of your washing machine’s dryer, you have to be careful not to over dry your clothes. This is because, over drying them would waste a lot of energy. Aside from that, it can also ruin your clothes if you do it all the time.

47. Cook barbeque and steaks every weekend. To enjoy your weekends, you can always cook barbeque and steaks with your family. This would reduce the amount of time that you make use of your electric stove and oven. Aside from that, it would also provide you a chance to spend time with your spouse and kids.

48. Have smaller cooking appliances. Unless you are constantly throwing a party or there are lots of members in your family, you should make use of smaller cooking appliances to save energy. This is because, smaller ones simply consume lesser energy to do the same cooking task. Thus, it is time to make use of the smaller appliances, and use the larger ones only when you really need them.

49. Moving your refrigerator. Always remember that the temperature around the place where your refrigerator is situated, can affect the appliance’s energy consumption. Thus, it is important that you situate your fridge in a cooler place. Do not let it stand near a cooker or where the sunlight comes in, so that it won’t have to work harder to cool down the food items it contains.

50. Do not forget to defrost your refrigerator regularly. It is important to defrost your refrigerator on a regular basis. This is because, it can greatly help when it comes to its efficiency. Aside from that, it can also help in prolonging its life. If you don’t want to defrost manually though, then it is best to buy a refrigerator that has an automatic defrosting feature.

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Home and Garden

63 fantastic uses of vinegar around the home

by shedboy71

The origin of the word vinegar can be traced back to the Latin words for wine, ‘vinum,’ and sharp, ‘acer’ and the French words for wine, ‘vin’ and sour, ‘aigre.’ The word ‘vinaigre’ literally means sour wine.


Vinegar was almost certainly discovered by accident when a cask of wine, past its time, fermented and turned sour. An fortuitous accident that has been performing miracles ever since.

There are many types of vinegar available on the market with new specialty vinegars surfacing each year.

Here is a brief description of how some of the more common vinegars are created.

Pure White Vinegar: Corn is converted to starch and then sugar, and then the secondary fermentation of a neutral spirit alcohol is converted into vinegar.

Malt Vinegar: Made from the alcohol obtained from the fermentation of barley malt.

Red Wine Vinegar: Made from the wine of red grapes.

White Wine Vinegar: Made from the wine of white grapes.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Made from the alcohol obtained from the fermentation of apples.

For Hundreds of years people have used white vinegar for a whole range of purposes and these tips have been passed on from generation to generation. However, in today’s hectic times many of these great uses for white vinegar have been forgotten.

This book sets out a broad range of vinegar usage tips that are both convenient to use and more importantly they really work.

The advantages to the family budget, our planet and our health, compared to toxic cleaners and chemicals are truly miraculous.

1. Arthritis tonic and treatment; 2 spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar and honey in a glass of water several times daily.

2. Thirst-quenching drink: apple cider vinegar mixed with cold water.

3. Sagging cane chairs: sponge them with a hot solution of half vinegar and half water. Place the chairs out in the hot sun to dry.

4. Skin burns: apply ice cold vinegar right away for fast relief. Will prevent burn blisters.

5. Add a spoonful of vinegar to cooking water to make cauliflower white and clean.

6. Storing cheese: keep it fresh longer by wrapping it in a vinegar-soaked cloth and keeping it in a sealed container.

7. Remove stains from stainless steel and chrome with a vinegar-dampened cloth.

8. Rinse glasses and dishes in water and vinegar to remove spots and film.

9. Prevent grease build-up in your oven by frequently wiping it with vinegar.

10. Wipe jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent mould-producing bacteria.

11. To eliminate mildew, dust and odours, wipe down walls with vinegar-soaked cloth.

12. Clean windows with vinegar and water.

13. Hardened paint brushes: simmer in boiling vinegar and wash in hot soapy water.

14. Clean breadbox and food containers with vinegar-dampened cloth to keep fresh-smelling and clean.

15. Pour boiling vinegar down drains to unclog and clean them.

16. Clean fireplace bricks with undiluted vinegar.

17. An excellent all-purpose cleaner: vinegar mixed with salt. Cleans copper, bronze, brass, dishes, pots, pans, skillets, glasses, windows. Rinse well.

18. Make your catsup and other condiments last long by adding vinegar.

19. To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapour mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.

20. Apple cider vinegar and honey as a cure-all: use to prevent apathy, obesity, hay fever, asthma, rashes, food poisoning, heartburn, sore throat, bad eyesight, dandruff, brittle nails and bad breath.

21. When boiling eggs, add some vinegar to the water to prevent white from leaking out of a cracked egg.

22. When poaching eggs, add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water to prevent separation.

23. Weight loss: vinegar helps prevent fat from accumulating in the body.

24. Canned fish and shrimp: to give it a freshly caught taste, soak in a mixture of sherry and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

25. Add a spoonful of vinegar when cooking fruit to improve the flavour.

26. Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking for a tender, sweeter taste.

27. Add vinegar to boiling ham to improve flavour and cut salty taste.

28. Improve the flavour of desserts by adding a touch of vinegar.

29. Add vinegar to your deep fryer to eliminate a greasy taste.

30. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to fruit gelatine to hold it firm.

31. Steep your favourite herb in vinegar until you have a pleasing taste and aroma.

32. Use vinegar instead of lemon on fried and broiled foods.

33. To remove lime coating on your tea kettle; add vinegar to the water and let stand overnight.

34. To make a good liniment: beat 1 whole egg, add 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup turpentine. Blend.

35. Apply vinegar to chapped, cracked skin for quick healing.

36. Vinegar promotes skin health: rub on tired, sore or swollen areas.

37. Reduce mineral deposits in pipes, radiators, kettles and tanks by adding vinegar into the system.

38. Rub vinegar on the cut end of uncooked ham to prevent mould.

39. Clean jars with vinegar and water to remove odour.

40. Avoid cabbage odour by adding vinegar to the cooking water.

41. Skunk odour: remove from pets by rubbing fur with vinegar.

42. Paint adheres better to galvanized metal that has been wiped with vinegar.

43. Pets’ drinking water: add vinegar to eliminate odour and encourage shiny fur.

44. For fluffy meringue: beat 3 egg whites with a teaspoon of vinegar.

45. Pie crust: add 1 tablespoon vinegar to your pastry recipe for an exceptional crust.

46. Half a teaspoon per quart of patching plaster allows you more time to work the plaster before it hardens.

47. Prevent discoloration of peeled potatoes by adding a few drops of vinegar to water. They will keep fresh for days in fridge.

48. Poultry water: add vinegar to increase egg production and to produce tender meat.

49. Preserve peppers: put freshly picked peppers in a sterilized jar and finish filling with boiling vinegar.

50. Olives and pimentos will keep indefinitely if covered with vinegar and refrigerated.

51. Add 1 tsp. vinegar to cooking water for fluffier rice.

52. Add vinegar to laundry rinse water: removes all soap and prevents yellowing.

53. After shampoo hair rinse: 1 ounce apple cider vinegar in 1 quart of distilled water.

54. For a shiny crust on homemade bread and rolls: just before they have finished baking, take them out, brush crusts with vinegar, return to oven to finish baking.

55. Homemade sour cream: blend together 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup skim milk and 1 tsp. vinegar.

56. Boil vinegar and water in pots to remove stains.

57. Remove berry stains from hands with vinegar.

58. Prevent sugaring by mixing a drop of vinegar in the cake icing.

59. Cold vinegar relieves sunburn.

60.When boiling meat, add a spoonful of vinegar to the water to make it more tender.

61. Marinate tough meat in vinegar overnight to tenderize.

62. A strength tonic: combine raw eggs, vinegar and black pepper. Blend well.

63. Douche: 2 to 4 ounces of vinegar in 2 quarts of warm water.

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Home and Garden

Sixty Great Uses For Salt

by shedboy71

Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food.


The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you probably didn’t realize:

Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.

Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.

Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.

Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.

Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.

Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.

Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.

A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.

Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.

Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won’t stick.

Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.

Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.

Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.

Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.

Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.

Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour

Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.

Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.

Clean you iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.

Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.

Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.

To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.

Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.

Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.

Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.

Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.

Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.

A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.

Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.

A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.

Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.

Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.

Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.

Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.

Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.

Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.

Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.

Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.

Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.

Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.

Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.

Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.

Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.

Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.

Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.

Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.

Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.

Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odour.

A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.

Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.

Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.

Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.

Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.

A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.

To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.

Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.

Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don’t want grass growing.

Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.

Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.

If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won’t smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.

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Home and Garden

Sixty Uses For Baking Soda

by shedboy71

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household.

Although much more expensive products have been developed over the years to do the same jobs, baking soda can work for you just as well, if not better.


Use it in the following ways:

1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.

2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.

3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won’t damage anything it touches.

4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.

5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.

6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.

7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.

8. Oil and grease – stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.

9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry soda sprinkled on a damp cloth.rinse with clear water.

10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odours. Stir and turn over the soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.

11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odours. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part soda; then add a layer of 3 parts kitty litter on top.

12. Always add 1/2 cup soda to your washing machine load.

13. Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.

14. Wash food and drink containers with soda and water.

15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3 tablespoons of soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.

16. Clean Formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.

17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with soda and water to get rid of stale smells.

18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, Formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.

19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminium) in a soda solution ( 3 tbsp. soda to 1 quart water).

20. Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.

21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with soda and hot water.

22. Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.

23. Sprinkle soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.

24. Polish silverware with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.

25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminium foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tbsp. baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.

26. Reduce odour build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some soda on the bottom.

27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.

28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.

29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.

30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.

31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.

32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water.

33. Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smouldering and reduce odour.

34. Clean your bathroom with dry soda on a moist sponge – sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.

35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.

36. Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.

37. To remove strong odours from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.

38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.

39. Sprinkle soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odour.

40. Add 1/2 cups or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.

41. Putting 2 tbsp. of baking soda in your baby’s bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.

42. Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.

43. Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.

44. Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.

45. Gargle with 1/2 tsp. baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.

46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.

47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.

48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.

49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.

50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.

51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.

52. Use soda as an underarm deodorant.

53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odour will go away.

54. When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.

55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.

56. Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.

57. Add to water to remove the “gamey” taste from wild game.

58. Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.

59. Use dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.

60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

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Home and Garden

5-Minute Guide To Enjoying a Minimalist Lifestyle

by shedboy71

What is a minimalist lifestyle?

There’s a simple answer and a complicated answer. The simple answer: it means having less stuff, doing less and generally ‘getting back to basics’.

The complicated answer?

It ultimately comes down to a change in your mindset. It comes down an understanding that you can get fulfilment and happi-ness by having less going on rather than more – and that living more simply is not only better for your mental health but also better for your finances, your family, your health and the envi-ronment!

Don’t believe me? Get too much enjoyment out of those new suits and fancy gadgets? Then read on and we’ll discover why less really is more.

Newsflash: You Have Been Duped
Here’s the kicker: you have been duped.

It’s not just you. It’s all of us. We are all being manipulated by our politics and by big companies that want to get more money from us. This is what keeps the economy ticking over and what keeps certain people wealthy and it all comes down to our strange desire to have more.

The other day I bought a computer game on Steam. That’s a program that allows you to download and store games on your PC.
That game cost me $50. And here’s the thing: I haven’t played it yet. And nor do I intend to play it until I finish the last game that I bought.

And I actually have several more games on my computer that I have yet to finish or even play!

That game would still have been there had I waited. It probably would even have been cheaper. So why did I buy it?

Marketing. And the strange feeling we all get sometimes that we would be happier if only we had more stuff.

I’m sharing this story with you because you’re probably the same. You’ve probably spent loads on things you didn’t really need and those things are probably taking up space in your home right now.
The problem comes from advertising, from jealousy and from magazines showing off very glossy lifestyles. It’s human nature to want what other people have and to feel jealous when others seem to have more than we do. It even has a fancy psychologi-cal term: ‘social comparison theory’.

So we get the idea in our heads that we need this or that and that owning these things will bring us status and importance.
So we buy more things and we fill our house with more stuff but it doesn’t look good – just cluttered.

And now we have more expenses and more debt. So we need to work longer hours in order to afford the lifestyle that we have become accustomed to.

And in order to buy the next thing we think we want.

Meanwhile, we’re getting more credit cards than we can keep track of and huge amounts of stress at work.

At least we’re providing for our families, right? Sure: except they’d probably rather that you were at home and spending time with them!
At least you’re successful and doing well, right? Sure: if you base your success on how much responsibility you have in a company that sells toilet paper, or handles deliveries or does whatever other bland thing…

The point is that a lot of us work really hard to fill our lives with stuff… and we don’t even really know why!

The Alternative: Going Minimal

So let’s look at the alternative shall we?

That means recognizing what you actually want in life. What’s important to you? Is it spending time with friends and family?

Or is it making music?

Perhaps you love sports and you want to become a great ama-teur athlete.

Whatever it is, you should think of this as your passion and pur-pose and now you should build a lifestyle that will support you in that quest rather than just getting in the way.

You start this by looking at what you need to support the things you care about and what the easiest way to afford this is.

Because it’s important to remember that ‘wealth’ and ‘financial security’ do not come purely from your salary. Sure, that helps, but if you were to move to a smaller house in a less desirable area on your current salary, then you would still have more money left over at the end of the day and you would feel ‘richer’ as a result.

Would this actually impact on your quality of life? Probably not! You’d still have your family and friends to spend time with, you’d still have your passions and you could still make your house stunning!

In fact, it’s actually often easier to make a smaller home look in-credible because you have less space to worry about. It be-comes easier to keep tidy, easier to keep clean and easier to make a strong visual statement.

So suddenly, you can be saving yourself $300-$500 just by liv-ing somewhere smaller.

And that means you don’t really need to fight for that promotion that would involve tons of extra stress and tons of extra respon-sibility. Now you can come home and use more spare time – and more spare energy – to do those things that you love doing!
Now you can spend time with your family and now you can ac-tually appreciate the home you’re in.

And this is really the key word: appreciate.

Too many of us have become trained to feel like what we have is inadequate and to be upset that our neighbors or our friends have more. That’s why we work so hard and push ourselves, leaving beyond our means.

But if that’s your mindset, then you’ll never be happy. You won’t stop long enough to appreciate what you have – you’ll always be pushing for the next thing.

By adopting this more minimal lifestyle, you now have a smaller home, jam-packed with less stuff. You have fewer commitments and more money left-over.

And you’re going to extend that in other areas of your life too. You’re going to eat simpler meals, use simpler décor and intro-duce systems and processes to handle life’s stresses.

What you’re doing is creating space. Physical space and mental space. So that now, you can come home from a long day at work and relax in a home that is tidy, organized and clean. And you can not have to worry about all those bills. Or about things going on at work.

Instead, you can just appreciate how happy you are with what you have and where you are.

And what of fulfilment you ask? Where do you get your sense of accomplishment and success if you aren’t acquiring worldly goods, or trying to progress in your career?

Simple: by doing those things you love!

Why get your sense of accomplishment from your job when you could get it from making a beautiful painting? Learning another language? Travelling the world? Or just being the best parent you possibly can be.

Who really cares if you’re regional manager? Would you really rather throw away all those other things, just so you can im-press people with that widescreen TV?

It’s a big mindset change to make but once you make it, it opens up so many doors to new ways to live your life!
Creating a Minimal Home
To truly embrace a minimalist lifestyle means not only changing the way you think about your priorities but also actually taking action and living that minimalist ethos. And the simplest and easiest way to start doing that is with your décor and your be-longings.

And so to that end, we’re going to end this guide by looking at how you can start making some simple changes to live a more minimal life at home.

It starts with one bold move: removing 60% of the ornaments you have on display right now.

60% might seem like a huge amount and you might think that your home will look sparse once all that is gone. In reality though, it will almost always look much better for it!

That’s because removing clutter will mean that there is less vis-ual distraction from the things that you really care about in your home. By giving each item more space, it will look far more im-pressive and have much more of an impact than it did before.
At the same time, this has now increased the average value of each item on display.

Once you’ve gotten rid of over half of your items, what’s left will be only the cream of the crop. The result is that it will look much more stunning than it did before because on average the quality is higher!

Finally, by creating more space, you’ve made the room look bigger and lighter – and MUCH easier to clean! Now you can clean your surfaces with a simple wipe. Think about how many countless hours of cleaning you’ve saved yourself over the next few years with this one simple move.
Now you’re starting to see how you can actually have a much more impressive looking home by reducing the clutter. Your home actually looks wealthier even though there’s less in it!

And you can take this idea and run with it. When you come away from someone else’s home and you just feel amazed at their incredible décor, it will almost always be because of ONE standout item. That might be a smart fridge of some sort, or it might be an amazing water feature in their garden. Usually it will be something different and unique that stands out because it is original.

So what you can do, is to sell off the items that you’re no longer displaying and use those to buy something that is unique, beau-tiful and valuable. Now your home is starting to look like the kind of show home you might see in a magazine but actually it’s easier to maintain and costs less. This is the true power of min-imalism!

There are many more changes you’re going to make too though. One more is to remove boxes from under your bed and on your wardrobe. Most of us are guilty of this because we assume it won’t make much difference having storage ‘out of the way’ like this.

But actually, this has a big unconscious impact on the feel of a room. By removing that negative space, the room feels much more claustrophobic and much less tidy as a result. Just try it yourself – take the boxes out of the room for a bit and see what happens!

So what do you do with those boxes? Simple: you remove any-thing you’ve used in the last three months, anything valuable and anything sentimental. Then you just get rid of the rest.

This will not only make your home look more beautiful but you’ll even feel lighter. You’ll be able to travel and put your stuff in storage should you ever have to, you’ll be able to find the things you need quickly… it’s a small thing but it makes a MASSIVE difference.

The last thing I want you to do for now, is to create a ‘zen space’ for yourself. This will be one space in your home that you promise to never let get cluttered. To accomplish this, you are going to refrain from bringing food or plates into the room and you’re going to always tidy it when you leave.

One space that is clean and calm is something that everyone should have.

Once you’ve made these changes and started to think in a more minimalist way, you’ll find it’s possible to be happier with less – that space and time are more valuable than stuff and status.

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Home and Garden

Taking The First Steps to a Minimalist Lifestyle

by shedboy71

If you’re like most people, then you’re probably living a lifestyle that is a long way from minimal right now. Chances are that every single surface is covered in unneeded clutter and that you have a long list of things you want and that you intend to spend your money on and feel like you can’t quite afford the quality of life that you want or feel you deserve.

You’ve learned why this is a problem and how it can make you unhappy. Now it’s time to start doing something about it!

Follow these steps to begin your journey toward a truly minimal lifestyle…

Reduce Your Clutter

We’ve used the word ‘clutter’ a lot already and that’s because it really is one of the biggest problems. Minimalism doesn’t mean not having nice things, it means not having the things you don’t really need or want.

As an experiment, I want you to head into any room in your house and go over to one of the surfaces – whether that’s a bedside cabinet, a desk or a windowsill. Now, take a look at those items on display and remove 60% of them.

This is going to feel wrong at first. It will feel as though you’re getting rid of things you really like or that you’re leaving that surface too sparse. But go with it.
What you’ll find, is that far from looking worse, removing those items actually makes your surface look a LOT better. That minimalism provides space for your possessions to breathe and it makes them stand out more. What’s more, is that it reveals the actual surface underneath and removes the visual ‘noise’ out of the corner of your eye that can actually end up creating a lot of stress.

What’s remaining is now the top quality 40% of your items. That means that what you’ve left behind will be things that you really love. It means that the average quality of what’s on that surface will go up significantly, as will the average value. And those few remaining items will say much more about you and will attract much more attention – instead of just blending into a crowded mess.

The best part though, is that when you then come to clean that surface, you will be able to do so by simply removing 3 or 4 items and then wiping. This has now become a 3 minute job, as opposed to a 10 minute job. And imagine what will happen when you apply that same logic to all the other surfaces in your home!
Now go and do the same thing for all those other surfaces in your room!

Remove Boxes

The reason that removing clutter is so powerful, is that it provides you with mental space. Our brains are designed to pay attention to contrast and things that stand out and they do this by releasing small amounts of stress hormone. The more clutter and noise there is in a space, the more there is for our brains to process. This can be overwhelming and after a long hard day at work, it makes it very hard to relax and unwind.

The fact that they also create more work only further enforces the fact that an abundance of items doesn’t add to your space.
The same goes for a number of other items that you probably don’t realize are causing you stress. Case in point: boxes that you are keeping under your bed or on top of your wardrobe. This probably seems like a great place for storage, that will be out of the way and help you to keep more items. But the reality is that it will again create visual clutter and work.

For starters, boxes under the bed and on the wardrobe get badly dusty unless they have a lid. But more importantly, they once again will play on your mind by taking up room and by removing those crucial areas of ‘space’ that make a room feel much bigger and much lighter.
Just try taking the boxes out from under the bed and on top of the wardrobe and see if this creates a more relaxing and clean looking environment. Do the same for things on top of bookshelves, under coffee tables and stuffed behind sofas.

And again, just think how easy tidying and cleaning is going to be…

It’s time to start thinking about the negative space in your home as being just as important – if not more important – than the clutter that surrounds it.

Cable Management
Another important tip is to think about your cable management. Right now, you probably have cables running under desks, across the floor and just about everywhere else.
Can you guess what these do? That’s right: they create more visual clutter! And they make your home seem much more untidy and disorganized than it probably is. There are a great many different cable management solutions, which range from using boxes to store your cables, to attaching them to the underside of desks and the backs of monitors. Get creative and you can create a lot more space!

One In, One Out Rule

One of the best things you can do to maintain an uncluttered home, is to introduce rules that will help you to maintain a more minimalist décor.

One such rule is ‘one in, one out’. This simply means that every time you buy a new item, you need to choose one to get rid of. This will help you to keep a sensible number of items in your home that never become overwhelming and it will help you to save money – especially seeing as you can sell the items that you don’t need in order to get money off of the new item. It creates a space for your new item immediately and it also forces you to think much harder about the things that you truly want.

This sounds like a harsh rule to make with yourself but once you start to see and feel the benefits of living a more minimalist lifestyle, you’ll be happy to do it!

Getting Rid of Things

If you follow all of these tips, then you’re going to find that you’re disposing of a lot of things. This can be a painful process but there is an art to getting it right.
To begin with, you are going to do a big ‘de-clutter’ and get rid of a lot of items quickly. This will help you to reset your life so that you have a good starting point to work from.

The first step is to throw out boxes of items that you’ve been keeping in storage that you never use. The rule that is often given here is to throw out any box that you haven’t gone into in the last 3 months (you’d be surprised how many that includes!). Remove anything that is sentimental or worth a lot of money of course – but everything else can be replaced if you need to!

Likewise, remove clothes that you haven’t worn in 3 months from your drawers.
Another tip is to get rid of these things swiftly. If you have items you think you can get a lot of money for, then these are worth selling on. But everything else you should give to charity shops or throw out.

It’s a mistake to leave items in bags, to let friends and family go through them, or to try and sell every last item. This not only creates a lot more stress as you have to go through all the items you own (thus meaning a lot of people will put it off and not do it!) but it also creates the temptation to change your mind and take items back. This is not the aim of the game!

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Home and Garden

23 tips and advice for a minimalist lifestyle

by shedboy71

3 Tips on How You Can Adopt a Minimalist Lifestyle Today

Do you find yourself full of respect for those people who live truly minimalist lifestyles? The people who go for long walks during the day, come home to small homes and cook simple meals so that they can enjoy a quiet evening together?

Sounds kind of ideal doesn’t it! And presumably, it must have taken a lot of time and work on their part to get to that point.

Well… not necessarily! Actually, few things could be simpler than adopting a minimalist lifestyle. In this post, we’re going to look at exactly how you can go about doing just that and start enjoying a more minimal life today!

The Mindshift
The first thing you need is a mindshift. You need to change your mindset and learn that you don’t always have to push harder and further to be happy. What you need to be happy is right there in front of you and if you don’t agree, that’s because you’ve been misled by clever marketing.
You don’t need beautiful clothes, a sports car or a huge mansion to be happy. You just need your family and friends and some spare time. And that doesn’t cost anything.
The more you chase after promotions so you can have more shiny things, the less time you’ll have to actually enjoy said shiny things…

Simpler is Easier
This of course extends to your décor and this is a very tangible expression of a minimalist outlook. A good thing you can do today to start being more minimal then, is to take your belongings and reduce what’s on display by 60%. Sounds extreme? It may well be but once you do that, you’ll find that what’s left is only the most beautiful and most important to you – meaning your entire home will look much better.

Better yet, it will now be very easy to clean and tidy. See how simpler is easier?

Scale Back
From there, you can begin to scale back. Cancel subscriptions to services you don’t need, address whether you really need the latest phone. Learn to appreciate the things you already have and try making the most of free time with your family and friends without necessarily having to spend a huge amount.
All this will move you closer to a minimalist lifestyle. As soon as it ‘clicks’, you can count yourself a member of the club!

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Become a Minimalist

You’d think that throwing a few things away and adopting a simpler lifestyle would be easy. How hard can it really be to do less and buy less?

The reality is that this is actually much harder than it looks. We have become so used to being stressed, so used to being jealous and so used to wanting more that it is very hard to let go when we decide to try. Here are five mistakes that people often make and how you can avoid making the very same errors…

Using Technology too Much
Technology is in many ways the antithesis of a minimalist lifestyle. While no one is asking you to turn off your phone permanently, what you should avoid is the kind of ‘mindless browsing’ that leads many of us to end up making purchases of things we don’t need. Take some time off your tech!

Not Finding Fulfilment Elsewhere
If you just remove things from your life, then you’ll find that it can quickly seem quite empty. Instead, you need to find new things to fill your life just as you take things away.
The best way to do this is to think about what makes you happy and how you can get more from what you already own. Keep yourself busy with things that don’t require ‘more’.

Not Keeping it Up
A big mistake is to go all-out creating a minimalist lifestyle and then to give up only a few weeks later. The key here is consistency and introducing a few simple rules can help a great deal. For example, make a rule that you have to get rid of something in your home each time you buy something new!

Being too Strict
A lot of people act as though being minimal is a binary choice. You’re either minimal or you aren’t. And thus the only way to go minimal is to throw everything out and live entirely off the land.

Not so! You can become a ‘little more minimal’ and reap many of the benefits without making it too hard on yourself.

Missing the Point
Many of the issues people have with minimalism come from missing the point. The point isn’t to be mightier-than-thou and it’s not to shun society. The point is just to scale back a little so that life becomes more manageable again! And it is to reap a few of the rewards that just so happen to come as a by-product of that.

Top 7 Tips to Making More Out of Less

The secret to becoming minimalist is not to throw out all your things and to stop doing the things you love. It’s not all about less.
Rather, being minimal is about making the most out of what you already have. It’s about finding enjoyment in simple things, so that you can stop chasing rainbows. This is the secret to minimalism and actually, it’s the secret to happiness!

Make a List of All the Things You Have Yet to Do
Why are you thinking of buying a new book or game when you haven’t finished everything on your shelf? And just how many other fun activities could you be enjoying using the things you already have? Make a list and keep this in mind!

Try More Free Activities
Yes, you could pine after that expensive holiday, or another expensive meal. Or you could cook for your partner and have a romantic evening in, visit a museum, go for a walk or try learning another language.

Try a Gratitude Attitude
A gratitude attitude means learning to appreciate what you already have. Try writing down five things you’re grateful for every night before bed!

Try Cooking With Less
One area that many of us spend a lot of money in and can be very wasteful in, is food. Try cooking with fewer ingredients and see just how delicious simple food can be!

Create Your Own Style
Don’t splash your cash on expensive fashion items! Instead, try creating your own style that doesn’t depend on expense. You’ll have a more unique look and will save money at the same time!

Reduce Your Clutter
If you have lots of ornaments, then you’ll find they’re actually fighting for attention. The result is that no single item on your shelf looks as good as it could because it’s being drowned out by all the others. Take away 60% of your ornaments and you’ll find that what is left looks much more beautiful!

Look Into Minimalist Design
Look into minimalist design and try to learn some of the basic tenants. The idea is to make things functional – that form and function are one and the same. When you stop trying to create ‘artificial’ decoration, you’ll find that the simple straight lines that need to be there actually look quite stunning in their own right.

Learn these principles and apply them to your life to start enjoying less, more!

How to Adopt a Minimalist Lifestyle in 5 Easy Steps

Adopting a more minimalist lifestyle can be a simple way to make yourself happier and more fulfilled. Too often, we hold the belief that we need to do more and fill our lives with more things in order to be happy – but actually this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Scaling back is what will allow us to focus on the things we have and to really appreciate what is already going well in our life. At the same time, having less and committing to less will give us more time to relax, to recharge and to attack the day refreshed. Minimalism brings fewer money concerns, a less stressed calendar and so much more. So how do you embrace it? Here are five easy steps that will help you do just that…

Reduce Your Surface Clutter
The first place to start is by focussing on your ‘surface clutter’. That means you’re going to remove around 60% of ornaments and decorative items from your surfaces. This seems extreme but the result will be that what remains is your very favourite, increasing the average quality of what’s on display. Furthermore, it will be much easier to clean your rooms and you’ll feel less claustrophobic thanks to a bigger looking room!

Cut Things Out
Look for the recurring commitments and tasks that are taking it out of you. Learn to say ‘no’ and cut down on the amount you do every day!

Get Rid of Old Boxes
If you have an old box of things on your wardrobe, under a bed or anywhere else, then get rid of it if you haven’t looked in it for the last 3 months. If there was anything in there that you turn out to need later, you can just replace it!

Make a ‘One in, One Out’ Rule
Make a rule for yourself that every item you purchase must replace an item you currently own. This will make you think twice before getting more clutter!

Introduce Systems
Look at the things in your life that are eating up the most of your time and introduce systems to help you cope. This can mean buying technology to automate jobs like washing up, or it can mean finding ways to spend less time sorting through email, commuting or even choosing clothes! Rotas and organization systems will save you hours in the space of a week or month!

3 Powerful Ways to De-Clutter Your Life

Clutter is probably causing you more stress than you realize right now. When life is stressful and our calendar is jam-packed with activities, we all need a quiet and clean home that we can come back to in order to relax in. That should mean a calm, organized space that feels light, spacious, homely and safe.

But for too many of us, our homes are just yet another thing that causes stress. And clutter is to blame. Clutter makes a space busy, disorganized, dusty and hard to clean. Conversely, if your space is emptier, you’ll be able to keep it looking pristine with minimal work.

So how do you go about reducing that clutter?

Learn to Detach
To declutter, first you must detach. How many items do you have that you never use but that you feel you can’t get rid of because they were a gift? Or because they have some kind of sentimental value?

Of course sentimental objects are important and we should all have a few keepsakes. But this can go too far if it means you feel the urge to hold on to every last item that you’ve ever owned!

If you are keeping items in memory of someone, then how about keeping just one gift? And if you’re worried about hurting feelings, you can always lie and say the item broke!

Break Collections
When it comes to hoarding clutter, one of the very worst things you can do is to view something as a collection. You probably think of your DVDs as a ‘collection’ for example and there’s a good chance you’ll have made sure to include every DVD in a particular category, or that you feel says something about you. Now you can’t throw any away without ruining your massive collection!
This is a big cognitive shift but as soon as you realize that collections don’t mean anything, decluttering will become much easier!

Take a Pause
When you’re thinking of buying anything new, always take a pause. There are a lot of factors that contribute to a purchase and many of these have been purposefully designed by marketing and sales teams to prey on our emotions. When we buy based on emotion, we end up making the wrong decisions. When we buy because we have gone away to think about something and then come back to it that means that we genuinely need or want the item.

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Home and Garden

100 Gardening Tips

by shedboy71

1. Getting started with gardening.
Before you start with gardening, you need to make sure that you are going to have the time in taking care of your plants. Growing your plants requires tending loving care, and there are lots of things involved in it. Thus, check if you would be able to come up with an effective daily schedule first, before you start planting the seeds.

2. Acquiring the necessary materials.
When you start gardening, there are certain materials that you would need such as a rake, pots, shovel, and such. Thus, it is best if you gather all the materials first, so that you would be able to start with your gardening in a smoother way. If you need to purchase some of them, make sure that you visit reputable stores for it, so that you can be assured of their quality.

3. Making a plan.
Make a plan for your gardening. Your plan should include the kind of space that you would need for your plants. Aside from that, it should also involve the steps that you want to take, so that you would have something to refer to from time to time. Making a plan and following it should get you started on the right path when it comes to gardening.

4. Choosing the right plants.
When you are about to start with your gardening, do not forget to decide on the plants that you want to have in it. Whether you want vegetables, herbs, or flowers in your garden, it is best that you choose the ones that you really want, so that you would be motivated in caring for them. Gather more information about what various plants can offer to you, so that you can decide better.

5. Tell your friends.
It is best if you tell your friends about your plans in gardening. This way, they may be able to provide you helpful information such as where to purchase seedlings, where to buy gardening materials, and such. Aside from that, it can also entice them to have their own gardens at their backyards.

6. Focus on cleanliness.
Once you have already set up your garden and have started planting, it is best to focus on maintaining its cleanliness. If the surrounding is clean, you can ensure that your plants would be safe from lots of bugs and other pests. Aside from that, it would also help you work better when the environment is clean.

7. Do not forget to check the soil condition.
Learning about how to check for the condition of your soil can be done through research. However, if you do not have the luxury of time to do that, you can always find experts that can help you with it. By checking the condition of your soil, you would be able to take the necessary steps in order to ensure that your plants would grow as healthy as they can be.

8. Do organic gardening.
Lots of people today practice organic gardening for a lot of reasons. It is best that you follow them, especially if you are planting fruits and vegetables. This is because, if you are planning to sell some of your produce, then you would benefit from the fact that most people today would prefer vegetables and fruits that are organically grown. Aside from that, if it’s for your own consumption, then you won’t be putting yourself at risk to the side effects caused by chemicals.

9. Using mulch.
Mulch is a covering, which you can place over the soil in order to reduce erosion, retain more moisture, prevent the growth of weed, and provide more nutrients. Thus, it is a good practice to make use of it on your flower beds, vegetable patch, and such. Doing this would help you save more water, provide your plants with more nutrients, and keep pests away.

10. The importance of keeping your soil healthy.
You should always remember that the soil in your garden, is one of the vital sources of life of your plants. Thus, keeping it healthy would also help in keeping your plants as healthy as they can. On top of that, when you are able to maintain the soil effectively, it would also make your plants tougher in fighting off diseases, and it can keep pests away.

11. Getting rid of aphids.
If you notice aphids on the leaves of your plants, it is best to take care of it immediately. One way to do that is to spray the leaves with soapy water, which you have to rinse off after a while. This practice should take care of the aphids. Aside from that, it can also encourage lady bugs to hang out in your garden, which is good.

12. Avoid chemical fertilizers.
When you use fertilizers made out from synthetic chemicals, then you are not doing organic gardening. Thus, it is a good idea to avoid them as much as you can. To provide your plants with the nutrients that it need though, what you can do is to make your own compost, which is more effective, safe, and economical.

13. Make your garden more attractive.
When you make your garden more attractive, you would be adding more value to your property. Aside from that, it can also make you more motivated in working in it. To achieve that, you can do some landscaping for it. This you can do on your own, or seek the advice of a landscaping specialist.

14. Planting trees.
If you are planning to plant trees in your garden, you should think about it for some time first. This is because, trees can grow so tall, and take up so much space in your garden. Aside from that, since they are bigger than most plants, they can also absorb most of the nutrients from the soil, which are also needed by the other plants.

15. Choosing the plants to grow.
Properly choosing the plants that you want to grow in your garden is very important. Although you want to select those that you really want to see in your backyard, you should also consider the general climate of your place, such as the amount of rain fall per year, the temperature, and such. By doing that, you can ensure that you would be able to choose plants that would easily thrive at your place.

16. Do not forget your budget.
When you are in the process of making up a plan for your gardening, you should not forget to include your budget in it. You should not forget to consider how much you would be willing to spend for your plants, in accordance to your overall monthly budget. Aside from that, you should also consider that there may be times in the year, when your garden would require more from you. By doing this, you can properly determine the kind of size you want your garden to have.

17. Shopping for your gardening needs.
When you step out of your place to purchase the things you need for your gardening, do not forget to make a list for it. Shopping for your gardening needs is similar to visiting the grocery. Thus, coming up with a list would make your shopping experience more pleasant and effective. It also ensures that you stay within your budget, as well as purchase all the things you need.

18. Sharing is better.
If you check out the costs of the supplies that you need for your garden, you would realize that the bigger their packages are, the better the price. Thus, it is a good idea to buy them in bulk. If you think that you can’t use them all, then you can always have someone split it with you. By doing that, you and your friend would be able to enjoy the savings.

19. The benefits of trees.
Trees can offer you lots of benefits, especially during the summer. Trees can offer you the shade that you need during that time of the year. Aside from that, it can also act as protection for your plants. If you decide to plant trees though, make sure that you have ample space for them when they grow tall and big.

20. Purchasing expensive garden equipment.
There are certain equipment for your garden, which may come pricey, such as lawnmowers. However, in most cases, you may only need them once in a while. Thus, it is best if you split their costs with a friend or a neighbor. You can also take turns in storing them. By doing that, you won’t have to pay much for the tools, and you won’t get bothered in thinking that you are not using them much.

21. Check your tools every 6 months.
Checking your tools on a periodic basis, such as every quarter or every 6 months can help a lot. It is wise to constantly check those tools that you make use of on a regular basis, since they are most likely to get worn out first. By doing all these, you would ensure that your tools are always in good condition, and you can easily replace those worn out ones immediately.

22. Don’t hesitate planting herbs.
Planting herbs can offer you with a lot of benefits. Most herbs are actually easier to take care of, than other plants. Aside from that, most of them would also improve the image of your garden. More importantly, most herbs can be used as home treatments for different types of ailments, and they can also help in improving your cooking skills.

23. Don’t forget the flowers.
Whether you want to plant fruits and vegetables or herbs, it is also a good idea to plant some flowers. A few spots of attractive and well grown flowers in different parts of your garden, can go a long way, as far as beautifying your garden is concerned. Choose the right color combinations, to maximize their effects.

24. Making compost.
When you make compost, it is best to dig just below the surface, and not make it too deep. There are lots of things that you can use for it. In most cases though, it is best if you use dead plants for it, such as dead stems, dead lives, dead roots and such. Maintain your compost properly, so that your plants can really benefit from it.

25. Don’t worry about earthworms.
If you see a bunch of earthworms in your garden while you are working on it, then you should be happy. This is because the presence of earthworms confirms that the soil where your plants are situated is healthy. This is because earthworms keep the soil fertilized, which can make your plants happy.

26. Planting a tree properly.
In planting a tree, you should make sure that you are going to dig a hole that is deep enough for it. It is also best if you provide it with a tree guard, especially on the first few days after planting it. On top of that, it is also important not to make the edges of the hole you are planting it in too smooth or square, as this can make root penetration more challenging for it.

27. It is best to diversify.
There are some people who may only plant one type of vegetable or plant into their garden. Although this is not bad practice, it is actually better if you diversify and plant a good variety of vegetables or plants in your garden. This is because it brings you closer to what a natural setup would be, which would encourage beneficial insects to visit it.

28. Planting plants out of plastic containers.
If you are going to use seedlings or plants that have been grown out of plastic containers, you may have to rip the roots just a bit once you transfer them to the ground. This is because, at some point in time, they may have already attached their roots unto the walls of the containers. Thus, you need to remove them gently, so that you won’t get their roots damaged.

29. Getting rid of weeds.
The best time to get rid of weeds is prior to planting your fruits, vegetables, or flowers. Aside from that, it is important to remove their roots, so that they won’t grow back.
However, if they still manage to grow after you planted your fruits and vegetables, you can use vinegar in removing them. Using vinegar is effective, and it won’t harm the environment.

30. Ground covers.
There are different types of ground covers that you can use for your lawn or your garden. Aside from grass, some of which would include vines, shrubs, and herbs. Using alternative ground covers in your garden can make it more interesting, and prevent it from looking boring.

31. Don’t forget about free stuffs.
There are cities or communities that compost or offer free mulch from time to time. If your community does this, then you should take note of the dates, when they regularly offer such things for free. By doing that, you would be saving money, aside from keeping your plants happy.

32. Make good use of old items in your place.
When you take a look around your garden or your backyard, most likely, you would find old items, which you can use. For instance, if you have a good number of old plastic containers, you can actually make use of them to start your seedlings. Aside from that, you may also find other things inside your house, which you can use to decorate your garden. Use the old things in a new way, so that you can save more money.

33. Choose multi-purpose plants.
There are plants that can be utilized not just to beautify your garden, but also serve as foods. For example, there are lots of fruits and vegetables, which are attractive aside from the fact that they taste good. By choosing to plant such fruits and vegetables in your garden, you won’t just be beautifying your backyard, but also provide more healthy foods on your table.

34. The best plants for beginners.
If you consider yourself a beginner in gardening, it is a wise decision to choose plants that are naturally resistant to fungi and bugs. This is because they are easier to take care of, which saves you time, money, and effort. More importantly, since they won’t get easily affected with bugs and fungi, you won’t get discouraged in planting them, since they would grow faster and healthier with little effort.

35. Considering the plants’ yield.
If you are one of the many people who want to have their own fruits and vegetables to have more savings, then do not forget to consider your plants’ yield. Aside from your plants’ ability to produce, you should also consider how long it will provide you with fresh fruits or vegetables. By doing that, you would be able to save more money and enjoy your produce long.

36. Conserving water.
Aside from praying for more rain, one of the ways to conserve water with your gardening is to purchase a rain barrel or two. Having a rain barrel in your backyard can help you save more water, since you can easily let it get filled up with rain water. Aside from saving on water costs, your plants will love the fresh untreated water that you can provide to them.

37. Having a barrier for pests.
Rabbits and deer can feed on your flower buds as well as young foliage. Thus, it is important that you protect your plants from these animals by putting up a barrier for them. A circular wire collar, which comes with netting on its top can provide adequate protection against pests. Make sure that your fencing is tall enough though, so that such animals won’t simply jump over them and destroy your plants.

38. Protecting sweet corn from raccoons.
One of the favorite types of plants that raccoons attack are the sweet corns. Thus, if you have a corn patch, it is vital that you make use of protection such as a single wired electric garden fence, to keep raccoons away. Single wired electric fences do not give out too much shock for the raccoons to endure; however, it would get them frightened enough from returning back.

39. Doing insect control manually.
Since you don’t want to make use of insecticides, one of the best ways to control insects is to make use of your hands. This is considered by lots of gardeners as the
oldest method of insect control, but still very effective. If you don’t want to do it with your bare hands, you can always use a knife, or a certain object, which can help you push the insects into a container that has soapy water.

40. Always go green.
There are lots of benefits that you and your garden can take advantage of when you encourage natural and organic biodiversity. This will not just protect you and the environment, but it will also protect your plants. The reason behind that is, such kind of practice will attract insects and microbes, which will all help in protecting your plants from getting afflicted with diseases and pests.

41. Having too much sun or rain.
When your garden has too much sun or rain, it can either have soil erosion, or your plants may not grow as healthy as you want them to be due to lack of moisture. To prevent this, you should make use of mulch. Mulch will keep the soil in your garden intact. Aside from that, it can also prevent the sun to damage the roots of your plants.

42. Properly applying mulch.
Applying mulch provides a lot of beneficial effects to your plants. However, you need to apply it properly by not piling it up against a plant or a tree. You need to spread it evenly, so that you can let all the plants benefit from it. Aside from that, it is also important to water the plants just after applying the mulch as well as prior to it.

43. Landscaping your garden.
If you don’t want to make it too difficult for you to landscape your garden, then choose locally grown plants for it. By doing that, you can ensure that maintaining your landscape would not be difficult. This is because the plants won’t require too much attention when it comes to taking care of them.

44. Having an orderly garden.
To make your garden look for attractive, then you should plan its lay out well. To do that, it is best if you come up with a sketch that represents your garden. When you do that, you would be able to properly determine what goes where, which can make your garden not just attractive, but easy to work with as well.

45. Having a garden when kids are around.
If you have kids in your house, who may go to your garden from time to time, then you should avoid certain types of plants, especially those that are poisonous. Always remember that there are certain plants that have poisonous leaves such as sweet peas and elephant ears. Thus, it is best that you do your research about them, so that you can prevent having them in your garden.

46. Having plants in a dry area.
There are certain types of plants that can resist drought. Thus, it is important that you learn which types of plants they are, so that you can choose them for your garden. By doing that, you won’t have to deal with a lot of problems when it gets too dry in the place where you are living in.

47. Providing water for a large enough garden.
If you have a garden that is quite large, it can become quite a challenge to water them, especially if you are just using a simple sprinkler or hose. Thus, it is important that you install a good irrigation system. When you do that, your gardening work would not just become lighter, but it can also ensure that water would reach the base of your plants, and not just the leaves.

48. How to make compost properly.
When you are making compost, it is important that you are careful when you are digging it, so that you won’t be damaging roots. Aside from that, you should also take note of the things that you can include in it such as dead plant materials like grass cuttings, vegetable leftovers and such. Make sure that you won’t include meat or bones in it though, since it is not a good idea to do so.

49. The order of preference when it comes to dealing with pests.
If there are pests that threaten the safety of your plants, it is best to deal with them in a certain order. For example, you should start with doing it by yourself, such as removing them manually. If that does not work, you can also install barriers or guards. If you decide to make use of biological agents though, choose those that are as natural as possible.

50. Transferring a tree.
Whether you have just planted a tree or transferred it to a new location, you should take good care of it for a few weeks. Keep in mind that transferring a tree can be quite a shock for the plant. Thus, you should provide it with lots of water for a week or two, to help it recover.

51. Using autumn colors for your garden.
Autumn colors are some of the colors that you want to make use of in front of your garden. When you do that, your garden would attract more attention to people that would pass it by. This is because autumn colors are not just attractive, but are very pleasant to the eyes. In addition, they can also make your garden look bigger than it is.

52. Making your plants grow faster.
If you want to have your plants grow faster, it is important that you water them on a regular basis. Aside from that, you may also want to let them listen to good music from time to time. Pleasant sounds can actually make your plants grow faster, especially the seedlings.

53. Getting rid of noise.
Relaxing in your garden can be made possible, even if there are lots of noise coming from traffic. To make sure that traffic noise won’t bother you, you can install wind chimes for it, to encourage more natural sounds in your place. Aside from that, you can also attract more birds by having bird feeders around.

54. Seeing insects in your garden.
Always try to remember that not all insects are harmful to your plants. Thus, when you see insects in your garden, you should investigate first, whether such insects are good or bad to your plants. Do your research on it, so that you would be able to know which insects to kill and which ones to set free.

55. Preventing dryness from the hot sun.
Properly timing your planting activities can go a long way, as far as having healthy plants is concerned. Thus, it is best to plant during nighttime, so that your plants won’t have to endure the heat coming from the sun. Aside from that, you can also plant during the daytime, especially if it is cloudy.

56. Consider the season.
Whether you are planning to plant fruits or vegetables, it is vital that you consider the season for them. Keep in mind that not every plant can flourish the whole year. Thus, it is wise to do some research about which plants go with what season, so that you can plant according to it.

57. Invite beneficial insects into your garden.
When you have beneficial insects in your garden, then you won’t have to worry about a lot of pests and diseases, since such insects can help your plants in fighting them off. Some examples of insects you want to see in your garden include preying Manti, wasps, and butterflies. Organic gardening should help when it comes to attracting more of them.

58. Having more vegetable protecting insects in your garden.
One of the best things that you can do to protect your vegetables is having insects to do the job. Lots of insects can actually provide the protection your plant needs against pests. To get them to visit and stay in your garden though, you should plant more lavender, carrots, mustard, thyme, spearmint, and clover.

59. Getting rid of fungus and mildew.
When it comes to getting rid of fungus and mildew, it is wise to approach it in an organic way. To achieve that, you can come up with your own organic spray by mixing 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of household bleach, and 1.5 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid, into 4 liters of water. Spray the mixture sparingly, since too much of it can damage the leaves.

60. Choosing the best tools for your gardening.
When you are in the process of choosing tools for your garden, it is best to purchase those that are ergonomically made. Ergonomic garden tools and equipment can prevent certain injuries, since it can make your job easier. Thus, it is best that you purchase them instead of the regular kinds.

61. Things to do before working in your garden.
In any sporting event, it is best if you prepare your body for the tasks that it would be facing ahead. This is actually applicable even to gardening. Thus, you should do some warming up exercises as well as stretching, a few minutes before you start working on your garden.

62. How to get rid of cutworms.
Cutworms can destroy your plant, which is why it is vital that you get rid of them as soon as possible. To do that, you can come up with your own spray for it by mixing a good handful of pawpaw leaves, 5 cloves of garlic, and a cup of water to be blended in a blender. Store it for 2 days, and use a single cup for it mixed with 1 liter of water as a spray.

63. What to do with the grass clippings.
When one mows the surroundings of his garden, it may be a practice for him to pick up the grass clippings, and throw them into the garbage bin. However, since you have plants in your garden, you can actually let the clippings stay where they are, since they can provide more nutrients for the soil. This will lessen your job, as well as lessen your need for more fertilizers.

64. There is no need to purchase seeds on a yearly basis.
Purchasing seeds is actually required when you are about to start with your gardening. However, there is no need to do that again for the following year. This is because your produce from the first year, can already provide you with the seeds that you need. Just learn how to properly harvest and save seeds, so that you can still use them for your purpose.

65. Come up with a good harvest plan.
One of the objectives that you can attain when you harvest the product of your garden is to save up on your grocery bills. However, you have to make sure that you are properly storing all the fruits and vegetables that your garden produces, so that they won’t go to waste. If you can’t store and preserve their freshness, then you may want to sell some of them after harvesting. Aside from that, you can also donate them so that you can help a lot of people with it.

66. Keep an eye out for sale and coupons.
Although you don’t want to purchase cheaper tools and seeds, since it may lead to sacrificing quality, there are also other things that you can do to save some money. One of which is to become more aware of the sales and discount coupons. By doing that, you would still be able to prioritize quality, but able to save on costs.

67. Buy seeds online.
If you don’t have much time to scour for the seeds that you need, and your garden is already prepared for planting, then you should buy your seeds online. Online shopping for seeds can now be done with lots of online stores that offer them. With online shopping, you can save on time and money, aside from the fact that it is very convenient to do.

68. Growing high value plants.
When you want to save money or if you want to earn more, growing high value crops in your garden could be an idea that you can really consider. However, you should also consider whether such plants are well suited on the climate of your place. Aside from that, you should also learn more about how to properly take care of them.

69. Spreading the leaves from trees.
There are certain trees that have leaves, which are very beneficial to the plants. Such trees would include birch, beech, honey locust, and silver maple. Thus, if you have them in your backyard, spread them around your garden. The dead leaves would actually become mineral nutrients, and the earthworms would convert them into fertilizers.

70. Grow things that you can drink.
Aside from planting fruits that you can eat, it is also best if you have plants that you can drink. Keep in mind that fruits like strawberries and grapes, can also be made into tasty bottles of wine. Thus, if you are able to grow them yourself, you would not just be enjoying more drinks, but also enjoy the savings.

71. Planting perennials.
Having perennials in your garden can offer you with lots of benefits. They can provide you with their produce year after year, and they can save planting time. On top of that, maintaining them is limited only to the regular mulching, weeding, and fertilizing. Check out what perennials grow well in your location, and include them in your list of plants that you want to have in your garden.

72. Planting herbs.
Herbs like basil, mint, parsley, and dill, are pricey; however, they are actually easy to grow in your garden. Thus, you should include them, since they can offer you a good way to cut down your cost for the essential kitchen herbs. Aside from that, you can also sell them if you want to, especially if you got lots of them to spare.

73. Growing too much.
When it comes to the volume of plants that you want to grow in your garden, it is very important to consider the amount of space that you have. If you have too much plants, then they may not grow as healthy as you have expected them to be. This is because they would start to compete for the nutrients from the soil. Thus, have only the amount of plants that would be accommodated by your garden effectively.

74. Keep it fun and interesting.
If you have extra space in your garden, try something new in it each year. One of the best ways to keep gardening fun and interesting is discovering new things. When you grow a different plant each year on a certain part of your garden, you would be anticipating how it would look like, and its rate of growth, which can make you more excited in working for it.

75. Protect your equipment properly.
Always remember that your gardening tools and equipment can cost lots of money. Thus, you should protect them properly, by cleaning them each time you are done using them. Aside from that, you should also find a good place to store them, so that they would remain in good quality for a long period of time.

76. Monitoring your garden
Monitoring your garden can be done easily if it is relatively small. However, if it is quite big, then it may become a bit challenging. What you can do about it though is to divide your garden into a certain number of parts or sections. With that, you can schedule to walk through each section at least once a week, to check for possible diseases or insects.

78. Planting large trees.
If you want to plant large trees in your garden, you have to make sure that you have enough space for them when they grow. Keep in mind that as trees grow old, their roots would also grow beneath the surface. Thus, you don’t want to plant it near your house, or any kind of structure, since it may cause some problems later on.

79. Your garden is your own territory.
Once you have established your garden, you should consider it as your own private territory. In other words, each person that would set foot unto it would have to ask for your permission first. Aside from that, since it is your creation, which came from your own imagination of what a garden should be, then you should be proud of it and prevent people to criticize it.

80. What your garden should have.
Aside from having plants in your garden, it should also have ample light from the sun. This is because most plants will need the sunlight in order to grow and bare fruits. Aside from sunlight, it should also have enough shade to keep the soil from drying out. More importantly you should also apply your skills unto it, so that you can grow your plants as healthy as possible.

81. Don’t hesitate to change.
Gardeners all around the world are into constant change. In other words, they continue to evolve into something better each day. Thus, if you feel the need to change something, such as your garden’s setup, the plants that you have, and such, then you should not be afraid to do it. Just make sure that the modifications you would apply are practical and sensible, so that you would continue to improve in it.

82. Be careful at all times.
Whether you are watering your plants, or cleaning the surroundings of your garden, care should always be practiced. This is because you would not know whether a broken piece of bottle is around, or even a snake. Always be on alert, to avoid any kind of accidents or injuries to happen.

83. Choosing plants that climb.
Climbers are some of the most useful plants that you can have in your garden. This is because they usually would not take a lot of your space. Aside from that, they can also spice up your fence or make a wall look more interesting. In addition, they are also very easy to take care of.

84. The best time to water your plants.
When it comes to watering your plants, it is a good idea to do it early in the morning. Doing it this way would help your plants maximize the benefits they can derive from water, since it would reduce water loss due to evaporation. Aside from that, it also prevents certain diseases since it allows foliage to dry off quickly.

85. Harvest in the morning.
When it is time to harvest fruits and vegetables from your garden, it is a good decision to do it in the morning. Doing it at this part of the day would ensure that you are harvesting them at their peak, since it is the time when plants are provided with more moisture and nutrients from the environment. Preserve your harvested fruits and vegetables by placing them inside the refrigerator a few minutes later.

86. Providing the best nutrition for your plants.
One of the best ways to ensure that your plants are provided with the best nutrition is to care for the soil more. To achieve that, feed the soil by covering it with dead leaves that are small or large. You can also place more leaves on vegetable beds as well as under the skirts of shrubs. By doing this, you are feeding the soil, so that it would feed your plants.

87. Expand your awareness to care for your plants better.
It is best if you could allot a time each week, which you would spend in your garden, and sit back on your favorite chair. While you are seated, try to observe and understand the harmony and complexity of different plants, insects, water, wildlife, and soil. With this greater awareness of nature, you would know better about what to do and what not to do, in your garden.

88. Know the size of your plants.
Prior to planting the seeds, you should make sure that you are aware of how big your plants would become in time. This is to ensure that you would be providing them with enough space as they grow old. Aside from that, this would also prevent you from having to remove it, when it already takes too much space in your garden.

89. Utilizing free fertilizers.
There are lots of sources of free fertilizers around you. Some of which would be grass clippings and human urine. When you make use of these free fertilizers, you are making sure that your plants are provided with the nourishment that they need. Aside from that, it also ensures that they grow without being contaminated with chemicals.

90. Weeding your garden.
In general, there are lots of kinds of garden crops, which would require weeding for at least three times. When it comes to weeding though, it is best done early. You should weed 5 to 7 days after sowing or transplanting. You should do it again 7 to 10 days later, and the third time would be after 3 to 4 weeks.

91. Get your kids involved with gardening.
If you love gardening so much, then it is more likely that some or all your kids would also love it. Thus, it is best to get them involved with it early on. By doing that, they would be able to pick up valuable lessons in gardening from you, which they would always remember when they grow old. With them on your side, you will have enthusiastic little helpers, who can ensure that your garden is always attended to properly.

92. Using the right tools.
In most cases, you can actually create a garden with only a shovel on your hand. However, if you want to be able to come up with a garden that is clean, organized, and productive, then having the right tools on hand would help you a lot in achieving it. Keep in mind that there are lots of different tools available today, and they are available in different designs. In fact, some are designed for men, while others are for women.

93. How to nurture young gardeners.
If you want to develop your kids’ interest in gardening, then you should carefully choose the activities that you get them involved with. For example, if you are dealing with very young children, then you should show them things that would grab their attention such as roots, earthworms, bugs, sprouted seeds, and such. Aside from that, you should also increase their awareness by letting them see how water disappears into the ground when you water the plants.

94. Continue to learn more.
Many experts in gardening do not admit that they know everything about it. In fact, if you are going to ask them, most would say that they continue to learn something new every day. Thus, you should not stop learning more about gardening. Continue to do your research such as visiting websites, asking experts about certain things, and reading books, so that you would learn new things and get to apply them.

95. Make gardening a more fun activity for kids.
When you are trying to teach your kids some lessons regarding gardening such as weeding, then you should not make it a boring activity. Make it as fun as it can be by making it a game. Aside from that, you should also make it short and simple, and don’t insist on making them complete certain tasks when it is already too hot outside.

96. Teach your kids about insects in the garden.
Whenever your kids are with you in the garden, make them more aware about how insects can help the plants. You should teach them which insects play important roles in the garden, and which do not. By doing that, you can ensure that your kids won’t kill beneficial insects when they see some of them, and would even help you remove those that can destroy your plants.

97. Search for free pickings.
There are gardeners today, who would offer free pickings for their excess produce. You can find them by asking your friends, or even through the internet. Once you find them, visit their place and see what they can offer to you. Aside from that, don’t forget to ask the farmers some questions, since you may be able to acquire helpful information from them.

98. Getting kids to get more interested with plants.
If you want your kids to develop more interest in plants, then try to get them involved with miniature vegetables. Since they are little, they also would be interested in little plants like grape or cherry tomatoes. Let them pick the miniature vegetables that they want, and guide them in taking care of it.

99. Trading your produce.
Whenever you have excess produce on certain types of vegetables, you can actually benefit more from them by trading them. You can trade them for vegetables that you don’t have, or even fruits. Try to have an eye for neighbors and nearby farmers who are willing to trade, so that you can do it anytime you need to.

100. Plant certain vegetables at the right garden spots.
In your garden, there may be places or spots that would have abundance of sunlight, while other spots would have more shade. With that, it is best to plant vegetables that need more sunlight in non-shaded parts such as tomatoes, and the same goes for the vegetables that need more shade. By doing that, you are ensuring that your plants would have the amount of sunlight that they really need to attain peak flavor as well as nutrition.

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