LilSugar

Mommy's Lil Helper: Table Topper Placemats

babysugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:00:56 PST

Taking your babe out to dinner can be stressful with people staring, highchairs in short supply and the possiblilty of temper tantrums. One way to make it easier is to bring along your own disposable placemats made by Neat Solutions ($9).

The placemats have two adhesive strips that you stick down on the table to keep it in position. You can choose from Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer or good old Sesame Street. While you protect your child from the germs on restaurant tables, the designs and characters will keep your baby occupied and entertained. When baby is finished eating, all you have to do is wrap it up and throw it away.

if you're lucky, you'll get a bite to eat too.

25 Easy Organizing Changes You Can Make Today

Wise Bread — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

I have a bad tendency to let things - paperwork, tasks, laundry - pile up. That's why I'm often not as organized as I should be. By the time I go to put things away, I feel like I'm dealing with clutter so powerful it could defeat Godzilla (I've already started on the screenplay for Godzilla vs. That Pile of Stuff I Still Haven't Put Away Since Moving).

Thus, I am a huge proponent of making little steps towards organization. Below are 25 ways to organize your home, your finances, and your life that are quick and easy enough to attempt today. Seriously, start making a dent in your disorganization before it turns into a movie-worthy monster.

Organize Your Stuff

From the fridge to the filing cabinet, here are some ideas for organizing your things.

1. Identify What You Want to Organize

Yes, I am telling you to organize your organizing. Make a specific list of what you want to organize - the bookshelf? Your closet? Your drawers? If you have time, start to formulate a plan. Now, when you have a couple of hours over the weekend, you're ready to attack.

2. Buy Masking Tape and a Marker

Masking tape is a great way to create temporary labels for everything from storage containers in the basement to Tupperware in the freezer. Buy a roll of masking tape and a Sharpie, and always keep them in the same place.

3. Buy Containers and Dividers

If you're planning an organizing project, buy any containers or other organizing tools you need now. Just as with making the list, you're now totally ready to tackle the project when you have a moment.

Read on for more organizing tips.

25 Things to Do With Old Jeans

Wise Bread — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:00:46 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Recycling fabric is a powerful green living and cost saving strategy. Denim is one of the coolest fabrics to do it with. It's sturdy, gains character with age and can be acquired very inexpensively at yard sales or in your own "old clothes" closet. Some of the coolest ideas I've found?

Pot holders. In my opinion, these look far better out of used denim than the new stuff. And you can incorporate your own style via choice of trim or a patch stitched to the outside. Here's a link to some tips for making your own.
Cool quilts. You can do this in many forms. Different shades of denim patchwork options abound and are certainly sturdy and fun. Unfortunately, one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen I've been unable to find pictures of. It was done with pieced denim, but they had left on all the details like pockets, buttons, belt loops, etc. It made for a really fabulous unique quilt with a lot of attitude. If anyone has a link to a picture of one of these, please post below in the comments section.

For more ideas, read on.

No Closet? No Problem! Here's Why

Elka Karl — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:16 PDT

Recently, one of our readers wrote in asking, "I'm a college student moving into a room in an apartment with no closet - any open-closet ideas?" I posed this question to our Facebook friends, and did they ever come through! Check out some of the great ideas our readers had for dealing with a bedroom that's missing the standard closet.

Ronda recommended, "Learn how to fold neatly. Install shelving units along one wall and use pretty baskets to store things in. If you have things that you just can't fold, you can buy a wardrobe closet. You can get metal ones really cheap at a second-hand store or Goodwill. Sand it down and paint it, let your imagination run wild . . . paint, stencils, contact paper.
Rue magazine wrote, "Yes! Cupcakes and Cashmere has the perfect solution - a showroom-style garment rack that makes your space feel like a glam fashion studio!
Tara noted, "This is my favorite idea ever, it's an open-shelving system complete with rack for hanging clothes."
Lumens Light + Living shared, "I had no closet in my grad school apartment! One word: Ikea. I bought a big Lack shelf to section off a corner then put a wardrobe rack next to the dresser. It made it feel like its own little dressing area. That was for a big studio though - for a room, Ikea still has some great and inexpensive armoires that close up."
Kristian said, "I actually have this same dilemma in my room. I chose the far wall to install a closet organizer system (I went with simple wire shelving from Lowe's), and then hung curtains in front of it. I like it so much, I may never bother having a proper closet built in."
Dharti recommended, "If an armoire is not an option, I've worked with two tallish dressers with tension rods between them to hang some clothes. They are tension rods and could only take so much weight, so only the fancy silk tops and dresses got to hang."
Krisanda suggested trying a "free standing tension rod closet. It has different levels."
Emily added, "Definitely get some of those transparent plastic containers that fit right under your bed!"

Do you have more solutions? Add them in the comments!

Source

Brilliant or Baffling: Stand-Up Desks

Emily Co — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:56:51 PDT

A study recently said that sitting all day can shorten your life span, but for those who hold office jobs, sitting at a desk all day is just part and parcel of the daily grind. This scary fact cited by a Medical Billing and Coding infographic says it all: "sitting 6+ hours per day makes you up to 40% likelier to die within 15 years than someone who sits less than 3. Even if you exercise."

So what's the solution? Taking mini breaks and doing a bit of stretching in the bathroom or walking back and forth in the hallways. However, that seems a little tiresome, especially for those busy worker bees who don't want to take breaks when they are "in the zone."

Another alternative solution you can consider is the stand-up desk. If a sedentary lifestyle isn't for you, the stand-up desk will enable you to stand up all day long to do your work. I found a neat Safco stand-up desk at Overstock for $165. Unfortunately, this type of desk seems to be priced on the higher end . . . perhaps because it's such a unique product?

What do you think of the stand-up desk - brilliant or baffling?

9 Things You Shouldn't Do in the Loo

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:17:00 PDT

There are plenty of healthy things you can do in the bathroom like stretch in the shower, lube up on sunscreen while naked to protect every inch of your skin, and floss to prevent gingivitis. There are also plenty of things you shouldn't do in the ladies room:

Drink water from the shower head: Not only have studies found that shower heads are breeding grounds for disease-causing bacteria, but the hot water itself is also not safe to drink.The hot water heater is also a place where bacteria thrives.
Keep the shower curtain closed: Mildew and mold love dark, wet surfaces, and breathing them in can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. Aside from letting the curtain air out, you can prevent mold and mildew by running a fan or opening a window, allowing air to circulate.
Flush with the lid up: Germs and other particles can become airborne when you flush, so limit the amount misting into the air by lowering the lid before flushing.
Store your toothbrush on the counter: Although toothbrush holders look neat and tidy next to the sink, it's healthier to put your toothbrushes away in the medicine cabinet or vanity drawer. Why? Every time you flush the toilet, your toothbrush gets sprayed with bacteria. Even if you put the lid down as suggested above, microorganisms can still be ejected into the air and land on your toothbrush. So gross. Keep your mouth protected by drying off the bristles after each use and putting your toothbrush away.
Use Q-tips inside your ears: The label clearly states, "Do not insert swab into ear canal. Entering the ear canal could cause injury." Along with potentially rupturing the membrane, the swab is likely to push wax deeper into the ear canal, where it will need to be professionally removed. Using cotton swabs isn't even necessary since earwax naturally moves toward the opening of the ear canal and is sloughed off during daily routines and showers.

Keep on reading to find out what other unhealthy habits you should avoid in the bathroom.