HOW TO ORGANIZE AND MAINTAIN A REFRIGERATOR

Many a times you feel that the refrigerator at home is not sufficient as you need to constantly stuff things into the fridge. They look overflowing. And it becomes a tedious task to take out containers. That’s the right time when you need to organize your fridge. A well organized fridge has its advantages as there is space to store more and there is access to all racks in the fridge. Biggest advantage if you store upto ¾ capacity is that you save on electricity than an usually empty stored fridge. A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one. Once you organize the fridge you realize that your current fridge is sufficient and there is space for further storage too.

Note: Never store hot food in the fridge. Bring the food to room temperature and then place it in the fridge.

Tips On Organizing Your Refrigerator

Here are a few tips on organizing your fridge. I’m sure it will not consume much of your time to read and follow. So let’s take a look at the compartments in the fridge and how we utilize and organize .Take into consideration the number of times we access and place the items accordingly in the fridge.

• Freezer:

Store only food items that has to be frozen in the freezer. The latest models are having racks and provided with brackets to stack .

Store meat , fish in the bottom rack. The top rack or door rack can be used to store ice cream. Replace the water to make ice at a regular frequency . Discard ice cubes even if not used.

• Door :

Store eggs in the top racks . The middle racks to be used to store soft drinks, pickle, butter. The bottom rack can be used to hold large bottles and drinking water.

• The Main Section:

The main section of the fridge is divided in to 3 separate parts meant for 3 different purposes.

The chiller is at the top of the main section. You need to store cream, milk packets,  chocolates.

There are racks below the chiller. The height can be adjusted based on the height of container to be stored. Transfer leftovers into plastic containers with lids and keep them in front row such that we can access it upon need quickly. This will enable us to stack one container over the other too based on availability of space.

The bottom rack is designed for vegetable storage or crisper. Use zip pouches or poly bags. Wrap the vegetables in paper and then store, to avoid decay with excess moisture.

How to get Rid of Bad Refrigerator Odor

Regular inspection of the status of stored bags and containers will avoid bad odor. A well organized fridgewill not only allow you to access the food easily but will also make it easy for you to keep the fridge clean.

The lingering bad odor in the fridge can cause a tumbling feeling in your tummy and you may get annoyed. The foul smell spread fast and can affect the stored food also. You can be relieved of this dilemma by following the following tips to get rid of bad odor in the fridge.

• Remove all the food from your refrigerator. Push the defrost button. If that option is not there, unplug the power supply.
• Once defrosted unplug the power supply . Remove all the detachable trays and racks and dip them into a basin which has soapy solution . Using a sponge,  clean the dirt, grime and food residue from the trays.
• Dissolve little baking soda into lukewarm water. Baking soda ( Sodium bi-carbonate) is an excellent deodorant and contains a unique chemical property that allows the particles to absorb the odor and other foul smell from your refrigerator.
• Scrub out the entire mold, food particles and other stains on the walls of the refrigerator and deep freezer using a scrubber. Do not use a scouring pad as it will cause scratches.
• Clean the inner parts of the refrigerator by dipping sponge in warm soapy water. Clean the chiller, egg rack and the rubber lining of the doors thoroughly. These are storage places for pests like cockroaches.
• Once clean dip the sponge in clean water and thoroughly clean all the parts and the racks. Repeat once more to ensure all soapy and baking soda smell has disappeared .
• Keep the fridge open for 30 minutes. Allow to dry. Once dried, place all the detached racks back into the slots.
• Plug the power connection. Store all the food containers and bottles into respective brackets and racks.
• If you are still not experiencing good smell from the fridge even after cleaning, place a cut lemon . Cut lemon into half, squeeze a little lemon juice in water and place the container in the refrigerator. You will be relieved of the foul smell

 

THE ART OF HOME MANAGEMENT

Home management is not merely limited to the cleaning and sweeping of house, cooking food or washing clothes. Home management is also an art. There is a lot of planning, budgeting, money spending. All this needs to be done with a smile. Is this possible?? Yeah, follow the easy home management tips.

Planning is a key requirement for home management.

•  In a dairy list down the tasks to be done for the day-internal as well as external like shopping for groceries, hair cut etc.  You will be able to decide the work at hand and the time to complete each of the tasks.
•  At the end of the day you can check plan vs completion.
• You can make a plan for weekly menu taking into consideration special days. This will help you decide the groceries required for the coming week . Keep a track of important occasions in the family, maintain a calendar on the kitchen wall, you are not sure not to miss it.
• You can allocate time to clean up the house, re- arranging your living room and work areas. Time for dusting and cleaning too.
• You can plan to wash clothes twice in a week, this will bring down the load and you will not be stressed also.
•  Health is Wealth. Allocate time for exercise. Plan your activities and maintain schedule. You can go to bed early and rise early too.
• Set aside one day in a month to complete all bill payments. You can do it from home too…on line payments.
• Plan to clean your entire house in schedules. Do not do all the cleaning in one go. Schedule rooms as per your convenience. Changing  of linen is time consuming, therefore plan one at a time.
• Keep removing clutter as you progress and this will ensure more space around you. You will have a spic and span house around you.
• Plan budget for the entire month. Take into consideration the important and special occasions in the month – children’s birthday, anniversary, grand parents special days.
• Plan for children’s education expenses, essential domestic bills. Ensure you do not miss out and you will not have surprises.

Budget Planning:

• Plan budget for the entire month. Take into consideration the important and special occasions in the month – children’s birthday, anniversary, grand parents special days.
• Plan for children’s education expenses, essential domestic bills. Ensure you do not miss out and you will not have surprises. 

Allocating work- easy management tips:

• You can enjoy the work at home by taking interest in the work you do. The work will interest you and you will not feel a burden or the activity boring. Allot the duty and responsibilities to every family member at home. You be a role model and train them to help you.
•  You can plan for multi tasking like watching TV and cutting vegetables, mixing dough, folding washed clothes etc.
•  Seek the help of family members to do small jobs. Train children to clean their room for eg: clearing the beds , folding blankets, bed sheets when they wake up. They can help you by washing their undergarments, kerchief and socks
• Inform your husband to place things in an organized manner. Help him initially to follow a pattern. Ask everybody in your family to wash the cups and glasses to avoid the overload on a single soul after drinking tea or water.
• Plan to wash the utensils in between schedules to avoid overload. It can be done simultaneously while cooking.
• Take helps in soft works from children and husband also. Put back everything on their designated places after their use.
• In case all in the family leave home early in the morning, it is advisable to keep things ready for next days work. This will avoid unnecessary delays.
• Prepare a chart with time schedule and learn the art of management.

 

HOUSE CLEANING USING NATURAL RESOURCES

Here are a few natural cleaning solutions readily available at your home. Listed below is their solutions.

 LEMONS

The acidic property in lemon removes dirt and rust stains. Very effective when mixed with salt and applied as a paste.

Lemon is good to clean kitchen counter tops, cutting boards, stains on plastic storage containers , to remove grease from utensils,  remove bad smell in a container.

Cut lemon into half, squeeze a little juice in water and place the container in the refrigerator. You will be relieved of the foul smell . This can be applied for trash bins too.

To relieve smell off your hands after you touch or cut fish , rub hands with lemon juice and you will be relieved off the odor.

Lemon is widely used to brighten white clothes  . Add half a cup of lemon juice to the final rinse  and you will observe the difference.

To remove hard water scales on tiles and wash basins apply lime juice on the areas , leave it overnight. Next day you can gently scrub and remove the stains.

Lemons are used to clean the microwave oven too.

Note: Lemons are not recommended on marble surfaces.

TABLE SALT

The granular texture of table salt makes it suitable for scouring. There is a range of salts to select from. Table salt is the preferred and cheapest choice.

To remove tough stains on glassware, add some salt to the scouring pad and gently remove scrub.

Table salt can be applied on crockery too. Apply salt on a piece of lemon and apply on the crockery which has a tough stain.

To remove dust and dirt from artificial flowers and leaves , put them into a paper bag and add half a handful of salt to it. Shake it well and you will see great results. The flowers and leaves are clean now!

Coarse salt helps remove fins of fishes during cleaning activity. Put a handful of salt into a wide pan and shift the fish upside down in the  pan. The fins will totally be removed.

Salt is good to absorb any spills in the oven. It can be cleaned after use with a damp cloth.

TOOTHPASTE

The combination of surfactant, stain fighter and anti bacterial agent makes toothpaste an efficient stain fighter.

Toothpaste is good for cleaning tarnished silver articles. Use a toothbrush to enable better application. stains on glassware, add some salt to the scouring pad and gently remove scrub.

To remove hard water scales on taps and wash basins , squeeze toothpaste on the area and rub for some time with a soft cloth until it shines.

Tooth paste removes scuff marks on acrylic finishing and linoleum surfaces. Squeeze toothpaste on the desired area . Scrub it with a soft dry cloth until the toothpaste residue is removed.

Tooth paste is good for small burns . Apply on the affected area, It acts as a first aid remedy.

COOKING OILS

Vegetable and plant based oils removes dirt and minimizes scratches on the wooden surfaces. It hydrates wood that has aged or dried out from exposure to the sun

To prevent burning of hands during handling of spices like chillies, apply vegetable oil on the hands. You will not feel the intense burning.

To get paint off your skin, rub with vegetable oil and wash thoroughly with soap.

To brighten leather shoes , clean the leather shoes thoroughly off dust and grime. Add a few drops of oil on a cloth and apply on the shoe and rinse properly. This will make the shoe shine.

To prevent rattan and wicker articles or furniture from drying or cracking, lightly brush them with vegetable oil and gently rub in with a cloth. Warm the oil to enable east application

It is advised to use vegetable oil for getting the shine and cleaning Stainless steel . Lemon is not recommended for cleaning Stainless steel .

To clean wood furniture, mix 1 cup of vegetable oil or plant based oil with half a lemon. Add this on a soft cloth.  This will help smooth scratches too.

BORAX

Due to its alkaline property,  Borax kills mold, fungus and softens water. When added to a laundry wash you will observe excellent results due to its effectiveness.

You can remove foul smell from a dishwasher. Sprinkle borax in the bottom, let it sit overnight, then wipe down with a damp sponge. No need to rinse; continue washing operations.

Rub borax into cookware with a damp cloth and rinse well . This will remove stains.

Borax  gets rid of toilet rust stains also . Sprinkle borax in the toilet bowl, leave it overnight. Rinse it with a toilet brush and flush water.

VINEGAR

Due to its acidic property, Vinegar can wipe out tarnish, soap deposits, mineral deposits, and more. It is widely used for its varied benefits. It also prevents the growth of mold, mildew, and some bacteria.

You can clean glass ware and ensure no spots. Add 6 table spoons of vinegar to the rinse water.

Vinegar is used to disinfect the dishwasher. Rinse with 1 cycle of vinegar, add half cup. Follow rinse with plain water.

Remove hard water stains from Stainless Steel surfaces, shower heads. Dip the unit in vinegar mixed with water and leave overnight. Rinse with water in the morning.

Note: Vinegars are not recommended on marble surfaces.

BAKING SODA

Baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate) absorb odors. Baking soda is useful to remove odors from upholstery.

Baking soda removes stains from a can opener. It removes tough stains from mugs and cups.

Erase crayon marks by applying a baking soda paste (equal parts baking soda and water) to white painted walls (baking soda may dull colored walls). Let dry before brushing it off with a clean cloth.

WASHING SODA

Washing soda (sodium carbonate) absorbs odors. Recommended to use rubber gloves while handling washing soda as it is slightly stronger .

Washing soda is good to clean oily stains seen in workshops and garage floors. Lavishly sprinkle washing soda and leave it overnight. Thoroughly wash and rinse the floor with water.

Washing soda helps  remove grease from stove burner grates, garden tools.

Your accessories will be bright and sparkling.

MAXIMISING SPACE IN YOUR HOMES

Homes are reflection of the individuals that live there. Organizing the space around can create more space and a clutter free environment.

Home is the place where it feels right to walk around without shoes. Especially with kids around we need to nave a clear space to move around . We can plan to organize our rooms to avoid placing all furniture on the floor. We can look around us and decide ways to decorate our rooms with innovative ideas and creativity we can utilize the unused areas.

We need to think Out of the box and can definitely come up with excellent solutions to re-arrange the furniture and create space. We can also focus on the ergonomic side of each activity and plan storage accordingly.

Ways To Help Maximize Space In Your Homes 

• You can use furniture with less leg space. This will create more floor space. Floor area can be used constructively by folding furniture and keeping it close to walls
• General guideline is that if you haven’t used an item for more than a year, then you can dispose it as you need it no more. Donate items that are not in use. Cleaning the clutter will not only add space to your room but will also give you peace of mind
• Use multi purpose furniture for eg: a sofa used in the day can be converted into a bed at night, study tables can also be used for ironing needs, Dining table can be hooked to the wall and brought down upon need. You can watch out for new designs in the market too…
• Finalize a central focus point for a room. You can then develop further on  with your decorations and designs. This will give your room a spacious and bigger view than it really has.
• Attic is the place built in below the ceiling. You can use the attic to store seasonal items thereby creating more space in the living areas.
• Use blank walls by placing cabinets, built in cupboards. The cupboards can be used as libraries, storage for kitchen crockery .

• Use bulletin boards to pin up messages and papers. You’ll never misplace important notes.
• Allocate space of wall for racks to store toys, reading books, stationary storage,  library books too. Avoid broad base cupboards, this will ensure suitability in the room and appropriate usage of wall.
• Convert the broad based bed space known as deewan into racks for storing pillows and spare linen i.e  sofa covers, table cloths, bed sheets.
  
• Make small compartments in cupboards for segregation of clothes. This will save time for retrieval too.
• The kitchen cabinets can be modified with racks for each type of storage. The background space can be used as hooks to hang kitchen accessories.

• Create specific spaces and shelves in closets of bedrooms. You can split your cabinets of the bedroom into smaller sections. Once you categorize and organize the stuff, you will have less mess around and more clear space.

• Beds can be provided with inbuilt cabinets to stack winter clothing and blankets.

• Similarly good planning will enable us to use a rack with mirror within a built in cupboard and avoid a dressing table.
• Bathrooms can be provided with racks and cabinets to store associated accessories. Segregation can be done with the help of shower curtains. This will provide privacy and create space for a bath tub too.

Hope you will generate great ideas and maximize space at your home!!

HOW ESSENTIAL IS GOOD HOUSEKEEPING IN HOME MANAGEMENT

Home is where the heart is. If this is true we need to make the home look clean, comfortable and safe too.

Housekeeping or housecleaning is the systematic process of making a home neat and clean in approximately that order. Good housekeeping is a key factor in Home management.

Cleaning of the rooms and furniture is good house keeping. It is one of the basic chores done at home. Housecleaning includes activities such as collecting all litter, disposing of waste, cleaning dirty surfaces, dusting and vacuuming

Housekeeping activities involves interior cleaning and exterior cleaning of home surroundings too such as the gates, fence and garden.

Many problems are observed at homes due to improper cleaning or without house cleaning. Accumulation of dust, grime in kitchen, cobwebs accumulate, fungus and molds in damp areas, smelling toilets, entry of pests , safety incidents due to slip,etc. The home will become a hell. We need to select appropriate toolssuch as vacuum cleaners, dry dusters, brushes, soft cloth etc for cleaning of areas based on the requirement and cleaning products such as detergents and disinfectants

Removing Trash or Waste

Disposal of waste matter is an important aspect of house cleaning. You need to place suitable plastic covers in the trash bins to collect litter. Segregate the rubbish to ensure the recycled material is dispensed correctly.

Dusting the Home and Furniture.

Dust is a major source of concern at homes and offices. Dust leads to allergies and breathing problems for many. Dust spreads from one unit to another and is heavily suspended in air due to tremendous industrialization and vehicle usage  and movement . We need to keep our homes clean by cleaning the surfaces of furniture. Wet cleaning can be done but not possible for all items in the home. Vacuuming is advisable as it does not spread the dust. The accessories enables us to get the room clean including carpets, curtains etc.

Cleaning Aids

A range of cleaning cloths are available in the market for wet and dry cleaning as per specific surface requirement. The cleaning products provide maintenance and are good disinfectants too. Read and understand the labels of cleaning products prior to usage. Understand the dilution factors and the duration it can be stored after mixing . Use appropriate gloves and personal protective equipment (PPE) to avoid skin problems for the user.

Tools for cleaning

A range of cleaning tools are available in the market. A simple broom to a automatic mop machine with dry and wet cleaning. Mopping aids, buckets for mixing cleaning products, vacuum cleaners for dust free surroundings. Tools are available for specific needs like cleaning carpets, cleaning cob webs at heights,cleaning glass, cleaning greasy surfaces.

Back yard cleaning

Back yard is sometimes the most neglected area for cleaning. The frequency of cleaning is also less. Exterior cleaning occurs for safety, upkeep and usefulness. It includes removal of paper, litter and grass growing in sidewalk cracks. Rain gutters, doormats, pools and the screens and glass of windows are also cleanable. The back garden can be cleared of growth and debris. Remove all waste accumulated over time. You will be excited to watch an organized backyard and more space around you.

HOW TO MAINTAIN A PROPERTY OR A HOLIDAY HOME

Holidays are something we often look forward to. We make great plans with our family members. If you own a holiday home a property that we seldom visit we need to take good care. Proper maintenance of a holiday home goes a long way in preserving the property and retaining its essence. So for a property owner it is important to pay sufficient attention towards your home’s upkeep.

To get better mileage and availability of a vehicle we ensure timely maintenance. Similarly we need to prioritize the upkeep of property and home . If the property or holiday home is not maintained the outcome will be negative and costly. You will come across more breakdowns and the holiday will be a disappointment too.

Here are some tips to keep your property in good shape:

• Check for all doors and windows if they close properly.  Oil hinges of doors and windows regularly to avoid creaking noises. Prior to leaving the holiday home close all doors, windows, grill doors, gates. Check if they are bolted properly and locked.
• Check for electrical connections. This will prevent safety incidents. Check for the functioning of alarm systems. Check if the fire extinguisher is valid for usage.
• Cover all furniture when not in use. If the duration of the next visit is long. This will prevent dust accumulation.
• Check for all water connections. Check for leakages in the water system. Fix it on time to avoid water loss.
• Check for the operations of the cooking medium. Replace kitchen ware based on use. With time few articles will give a faded look, ensure to replace essential items.
• Inspect insect screen of all rooms. If there is any with loose fittings, replace at the earliest.
• Check for the condition of bed and the accessories. Replace the pillows and mattress if not comfortable.
• Check for cracks on walls. If there are any, plaster the walls . Paint the walls to ensure aesthetic appeal.
• Plan for a pest control program at least annually. Ensure all gaps for electrical fittings and ventilations are sealed.
• If you have a garden trim plants and prevent growth onto buildings. Organize the tools and garden shed.
• Have a schedule made for changing the curtains and getting them washed. Maintain a checklist for all critical cleaning.
• The swimming pool should be emptied. This will minimize maintenance.
• Keep a stock of essentials like spare bulbs and tube lights to avoid surprises.
• Check if all bills are paid. No outstanding dues…taxes etc. This will avoid any tussles after you have left.
• The garden accessories, fence , gate and wall needs to be checked for the condition. The damages needs to be fixed. Grills need painting at least bi-annually as they are exposed to environment.an be checked
• Leave an emergency contact number for contact in case of emergency. Make a list of essential services i.e plumber, electrician to avoid time loss.

Plan for a maintenance program which covers all aspects of the house and a planned schedule to ensure your investment is well taken care of. The holiday home is maintained and you’ll enjoy your stay without any hassles.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HOME MANAGEMENT

Home Management is the process of preserving, protecting and maintaining your home. Home is the place where we spend most of our time. Home is where we relax after a busy day . Relaxation is required for people of all ages. To begin with, think of your home as a collection of systems and structures. Finally home management is the activities carried out to preserve, protect and improve your home and its systems.

Why is Home Management Important?

Home management is all about improving one’s home. As the famous quote says, “ An ounce of Prevention is better than loads of Cure”. Similarly the house needs to be maintained to ensure it is worth the buy. Houses are huge investments and proper planning is emphasized to ensure it lasts. A well managed home is more satisfying to live in, saves you money in the long run , the accessories are available all the time.

How to Preserve Your Home?

Preservation is to make things last. Preservation is the first line of defense in the protection of a home. The gadgets used at home needs regular maintenance to avoid any breakdowns.
House cleaning, painting, replacing requirements in the home ensures you are preserving the quality of your home, beautifying your environment. An effective home management solution is a homeowner’s most valuable asset.

How to Protect your Home?

Protection means defending or guarding against attack and shielding from danger. Biological threats like rot and mold are not only expensive to repair, but can be threatening to the health of the occupants.A check in time can prevent major cleaning and minimize costs too.

Protecting your home from natural calamities like fire, earthquake , water flooding. Check for insurance coverage to protect the investment and family. Check for any damages occurring to the home by means of pests, building damages like cracks. Planning, organizing will keep away crisis.

How to Enhance Your Home?
After a huge investment it is essential to have a good upkeep of the home, furniture and surroundings. Organizing the home and the available space is a big challenge.

Owning a home can be a challenge. However, managing your home is a great way to organize tasks in ways that allow you to complete them easier and more efficiently. Your involvement in home upkeep enables you to take pride of your home and you may be your neighbours envy. Enhancing your home does not call for additional penny, it is a way of regular maintenance.

Today’s homes are more complex and sophisticated than ever. Home owners are also busier than ever. This is why an effective home management is a godsend opportunity.
Managing your home properly makes real sense in terms of your property, lifestyle and value.

 The benefits of Home Management:
Home management is rewarding and a major support to the homeowner.

However, home management requires constant push and resources to be applied. Organizing tasks and completion of proposed activities are complete will ensure an efficient running home. Start home care with passion and you’ll enjoy the benefits

Owning a home is a big challenge…. Have Fun!

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