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Update on new group. I just heard from Skinner.

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Paper Roses Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 11:10 AM
Original message
Update on new group. I just heard from Skinner.

We need a mission statement and a name for this new group. If you will click on the link, I have described my initial proposal. I also have this posted in C&B and got a good response there too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6891107

This should be a joint effort from all who would read and perhaps post. WE all need help, hints, you name it as it relates to our lives on an at-home daily basis.

I am excited about this and already have a few good things to share that do not fit into any existing category.


Lets have some fun with this, please chime in with at statement and name.

My thought for a name: Around the house.

Mission statement: To share information and ideas and to offer advice to DUers as they conduct their lives in and around the house.

Lets hear yours.
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Vadem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 06:19 PM
Response to Original message
1. I like the name: "Around the House" and the mission statement...
I really like to receive and give out tips about things around the house. Here is an email I received on kitchen tips. I actually used the one about bananas: break them apart so they don't ripen as quickly and peel it from the bottom up and you won't have those strings to peel off! It works:

Subject: FW: HINTS FOR THE KITCHEN-

You're sure to learn at least one new thing here.
HINTS FOR THE KITCHEN-

DID YOU KNOW?


Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to
Pick the little 'stringy things' off it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.
If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.
It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef.
It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of
spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream; then beat them.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste
of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Reheat Pizza
Heat leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove; set heat to med-low
and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the food channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal; mash till they are all broken up Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy; squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done - easy clean up.

Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in
a microwave next to a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food
moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away
Start putting torn newspaper in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers,
put layers around the plants, overlapping as you go; cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic; they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! ... static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water.
Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient (peanut butter, honey, etc.) and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside,
just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2 with Apple Cider Vinegar
and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS
The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load of clothes.) He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material . I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well .... the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us
that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh - that's what burns out the heating unit.
You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your
clothes soft and static free. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box ... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your
house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush ?at least every six months.
He said that increases the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that!?!
Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share!
Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds. Then when
I rinsed it ... the water ran right thru the screen! There wasn't any puddling at all! That repairman knew what he was talking about!


I'm gonna love this forum as much as the C&B forum--I read it every day, even though I don't post much.






:bounce:
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Beaverhausen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 07:27 PM
Response to Reply #1
7. great post! thanks for those tips!
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Paper Roses Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-10-09 07:26 AM
Response to Reply #1
11. Great info. Just the type of hints we all need.
I will be contacting Skinner again today with a name and mission statement. Looks like this will be rolling soon.

I hope participation will be as good as the C&B group. When I vac today, I'm going to try the towel roll suggestion. I can never get to some of the parts under my refrig because the attachment to my vac is too rigid.
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japple Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 06:38 PM
Response to Original message
2. Thanks, Paper Roses, for taking this on. I look forward to adding
this group to my list.
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southernyankeebelle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 06:40 PM
Response to Original message
3. I like that "Around the House" or how about "Welcome to my House"
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kestrel91316 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 06:44 PM
Response to Original message
4. I'll join!
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Duer 157099 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 06:53 PM
Response to Original message
5. Perhaps more broad than just around the house/home
More generic, like "Handy Tips" or something. That way it encompasses shopping tips, auto maintenance/repair tips, vacation tips, etc.

The Tip Jar?
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Phoebe Loosinhouse Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 07:03 PM
Response to Original message
6. I would love it - I'm quite the homebody. nt
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Scurrilous Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 07:35 PM
Response to Original message
8. Kick
:kick:
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Kingofalldems Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 07:40 PM
Response to Original message
9. Kick and rec
Great idea.
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Suich Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Nov-09-09 08:11 PM
Response to Original message
10. K & R!
:kick:
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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-10-09 08:58 AM
Response to Original message
12. are we going to combine the Consumer Advice and Frugal group into it?
the name and mission sound fine, if you want to beef it up maybe steal a line or two from the above named groups??

:yourock:
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Paper Roses Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-10-09 06:50 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. Hi, quick update. I sent the reply to Skinner with the name,
mission statement. I included your suggestion about combining the Consumer and Frugal groups and asked him to feel free to combine any features of the mission statements of the other groups should he decide to combine them.

We'll see that he has to say. I do hope they are combined because they are similar in intent and would be a stronger presence as a larger group.

I'll keep you all posted. Shouldn't be long.
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MagickMuffin Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-10-09 09:15 AM
Response to Original message
13. Household Tips and Tricks ???
I would visit this forum and add my tips or tricks as well as learn some new ideas from other DUers. Thanks for thinking about this and getting Skinner on board :thumbsup:


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