There's no denying that we live in a society obsessed with saving time.
Consider the business world. Remember how enamored we all were with the
Internet when this technological wonder first made its debut? Now we find
ourselves tapping our fingers and talking through clenched teeth when we
have to wait for Web pages to download.
This impatience transfers over to the homefront, of course, where we're on
a perpetual quest for the faster appliances -- the shortcuts that will make
our lives simpler and give us more time for ... well, we're not sure. It's
rather ironic that Martha Stewart has become a national icon when her
recipes and various household projects are anything but simple. They
require the patience to go through multiple steps. It's all about delayed
gratification. That's perhaps why so many of us just read her recipes and
projects; we don't actually perform them.
It's not likely we're going to do a "180" and stop trying to save time in
nearly every area of our lives. So, with your need for speed at heart, I've
poured through various channels -- online and otherwise -- to compile the
following tried-and-true household timesavers:
Hot wax spilled on a carpet may be removed by placing a paper towel on
top
and running a warm iron over it. The wax lifts right up.
Scuff marks on a kitchen floor are most easily removed by placing a paper
towel on top, followed by your foot, and moving the paper towel around
(this is a good time to learn a new dance step). The scuff should wipe off
the floor easily. If not, add a little vegetable oil to the scuff mark, and
repeat.
To remove pesky pet hair from upholstery or clothing, either place a
latex
glove on your hand, and wipe it over the surface; or cut a large piece of
electrical tape off a roll, place it on the fabric, and lift. You can also
dip your hand in water and run it over the fabric lightly.
Keep a few drops of water in the base of your candle holders. The water
will help to extinguish your candles when they burn to the bottom, and it
will also allow you to pull the remaining stub of wax out easily. If you
have any problems, place the holder in your freezer for 15 or 20 minutes,
and you should be able to pry out the remaining wax with a blunt edge.
Make a promise to yourself that you'll go through all of your mail each
day, and discard anything you don't absolutely need. Place all bills in one
spot, and assign a specific time for bill-writing. Don't let junk mail or
bills accumulate; clutter causes undue stress.
Keep two or three empty trash bags in the bottom of your trash can so
that
when you empty it, you won't have to search for new bags.
Clean as you cook. Don't eat until all pots and pans have been cleaned.
Delegate specific jobs to family members. For pots that are hard to scrub,
fill the bottom with water, place on the stove and bring to a boil. The
stubborn build-up should lift right off with a little steel wool or a
sponge.
Keep a running list throughout the week on your refrigerator that lists
items for which you're either running low or you've completely used. Make
sure your family members write items down, too. Take this one list to the
grocery store on the day of your choice. This should avoid the hassle of
forgotten items and multiple trips.
Purchase an inexpensive bucket or caddy for your cleaning items, and
store
them all in one place. If you live in a two-story home, have one container
on each floor.
If the prospect of cleaning your house has you feeling overwhelmed,
tackle
the project one room at a time. Hit your living room one Saturday, your
bedroom the next. You'll feel less stressed as a result. And congratulate
yourself upon completion of each room. Remember: The mess wasn't created in
a day, so you can't possibly clean it in a day's time, either. If you can't
set aside an entire day for cleaning, spend 30 minutes on the room of your
choice.
Keep a spray bottle of cleaner in your shower, and spray after each use.
When you're ready to scrub at the end of the week, your job will be
considerably easier.
Cook larger portions than usual, and freeze the leftovers for work/school
lunches or weeknight dinners. Have the kids make their school lunches and
set aside their clothes the night before.
Begin setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier than usual. You'll appreciate
this extra time, and your mornings won't be as harried. Once you get used
to this new schedule, you might consider trying 20 or 30 minutes earlier.
These mini shortcuts all add up to considerable time saved. Even if you're
not sure how you'll spend all of this extra time of yours, the best part is
that it's up to you to decide. If you've forgotten how to do
nothing, you may consider relearning this lost art.
Published: August 4, 1999
Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
Courtney Ronan is a freelance writer who contributes a weekly column profiling various communities. She also writes a weekly review of real estate related web sites. Courtney's career in journalism has included recent stints as managing editor of Agent News and as associate editor of Texas Business magazine.
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