New Arrangements for the New Year

On this last day of 2009, I hope everyone has been enjoying a cheery holiday season. I wish you all happiness and prosperity in the New Year, too! This beautiful floral surprise greeted us this morning. It seemed such a positive portent I wanted to share it.

As usual, for me, at this time of year, I feel the urge to do some redecorating. This year that means reorganizing furniture that was hastily placed when we moved. The dysfunction of those placements has quickly become apparent.

Usually, this blog is about saving money and, in some aspects, the environment. Today's blog is about saving time and energy – human energy, that is. After all, when it comes to rearranging furniture, there can be plenty of both spent. I've found a way to save these less tangible but nevertheless valuable resources. Adapting the idea from some home design shows, I created scale-sized cut-outs of our furniture on (thin) cardboard, and room layouts on graph paper to the same scale. These pieces are saved in an envelope until each redecorating bug hits me. Then, I use these pieces to arrange – and rearrange – furniture, in various orders and groupings, all without straining hubby's muscles...and patience.

To make your own cut-outs and floor plan, you'll need:

1. Graph paper – I use 1/4-inch (approximately 6mm) [Download PDF file: Graph paper]
   
2. Scrap cardboard, thin, non-corrugated – I use old file folders or worn out gift boxes
   
3. Tape measure (25')
   
4. Pencil
   
5. Ruler
   
6. Scissors
   
7. Paste or glue (optional)
   

First, you'll need to decide on "scale." On 1/4-inch graph paper, I use the length of three squares to represent one linear foot. (Sorry for the imperial measures but the graph paper is older than my adult children.) Once you have decided on scale you'll need to measure and record the dimensions of all your furniture, appliances, and other items which take up floor-space. You'll only need to measure length and width, as height is irrelevant for most rooms. An exception would be rooms with bulk-heads or built-in cabinetry. You can take height measurements when the situation requires it.

Now, draw scale outlines of each piece of furniture on the graph paper. Trace that outline onto the cardboard, pressing hard to create a visible indentation. Cut out the cardboard pieces and label them (e.g. Sofa, desk, Grandma's side-board, etc.) If you wish, you can paste the graph paper pieces onto the cardboard, and then cut them out.

You'll make each room layout by first measuring and recording their proportions, and then draw those dimensions onto graph paper. If the room is large enough to necessitate it, you might have to tape two pages of graph paper together.

Initially, this project will be time-consuming as you measure, draw, and cut all your furniture pieces and room layouts. However, once they're created, a lot of time and energy can be saved. The only time you'll need to do any part of the scale-modeling process again is when you purchase new furnishings or move.

Finally, using the relevant furniture pieces and room layout, organize any room, moving things around and around until you achieve a pleasing and/or functional configuration. Then, you're ready to move furniture – once only! And, each time you feel the urge to redecorate those scale models are ready. Your helper(s) will thank you for sparing their backs...and tolerance!

Atmospheric Disturbances

Winter stinks. Literally. Cooking aromas, body odours, and laundry pong have nowhere to go so they just hang around. Often times the weather is just too foul to open windows and doors to get fresh air introduced and moving through the home. In colder climes, houseplants would be risked!

There are numerous brands of air fresheners on the market but, for me, their cloying scent is overwhelming. If the intense and artificial fragrance weren't choking enough, most leave an airborne slick of chemicals that, if you have the misfortune to inhale, leaves a bitter taste that lasts hours. Most are worse, even, than the winter reek they're meant to cover up. So, how to keep the home smelling fresh in those closed-home months? There are a few common household products that not only work well, they're thrifty to use, too.

First on my list are houseplants. Depending on the type of plant and its size, they scrub the home's air through the process of photosynthesis (Wikipedia: Photosynthesis.) Plants consume water and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and produce oxygen as waste. Their waste is our gain. Not only is the home cleaned of excessive carbon dioxide – which results from merely breathing – they convert that gas into clean air. The more plants you have, the more square footage of household atmosphere they'll clean. Dispersing plants around the home ensures odours have no hiding places.

Lingering food aromas can be the worst offenders. Rather than mask cabbage or fish smells with spray bursts of chemical lavender or citrus, consider using vinegar. Simmering a few ounces of vinegar on the stovetop for 20-30 minutes will clear the air. If you have a piece of cookware (stainless steel or brushed aluminum) which is blue-stained from cooking alkaline foods, you can serve two purposes by using it to simmer the vinegar. The pot will sparkle, and so will the air quality! After a party, a few small bowls of vinegar, strategically placed, will neutralize any funky remains.

Carpets and rugs tend to absorb odours and, when people tread on them, they're released back into the air. An easy solution is to sprinkle carpets and rugs, liberally, with baking soda and let stand for a half hour before vacuuming thoroughly.

Soda is also great for cleaning and refreshing the refrigerator. A tablespoon or two of this common kitchen ingredient in the wash water and fridge odours disappear. Then, leave the remainder of the box open in the fridge to collect odours until the next cleaning. If objectionable smells happen between cleaning, try adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to couple tablespoons of water, in a small bowl, and put that in the fridge overnight.

For many years, my mother used charcoal to keep her refrigerator smelling sweet. In my opinion, it worked even better than soda. That type of charcoal (small chunk) is hard to find. Some Garden centers or Nurseries may sell it. If you are lucky enough to find this charcoal – I, so far, haven't been – you'll need about a cup of it in a mason jar with a perforated lid. When it no longer cleans the fridge air (usually about twice a year,) spread the charcoal on a baking sheet and heat it in a low oven (approximately 200 F degrees,) for about half an hour or until odours were purged. Then, cool the charcoal, replaced in its jar and back into the fridge. Used, heated, and re-used, time and again, this fridge freshener lasts years.

There are a number of ways to sweeten the air in closets and drawers, as well. I like to store fragrant guest soaps in with clothing to lend them a fresh scent. Cedar chips, balls, and bars, can be used in closets, and won't add intrusive odours to the garments. Homemade sachets, using common herbs and spices, are another easy way to freshen closed spaces. I buy these spices in bulk for much less cost that pre-packaged brands.

If you wish to create ambiance with scent, try simmering your favourite whole spice (most herbs will not work as well in this application,) combined with a cup of water, in a small pot on the stovetop, and simmer off and on throughout the day, adding water as needed. My favourite combination is cinnamon bark and whole clove, which lends a very nice holiday fragrance to the home. At other times, I use fennel seed, whole cardamom, bay leaves, or star anise. Use your imagination. The aromas you'll create will smell – and taste – so much sweeter than any chemical spray. It's a bonus they're thrifty as well!

Don’t Take A Bath On Dry-cleaning

Many of the clothes worn at this time of year are dry-cleanable. For this reason, laundering costs can be far higher in the winter months. Most heavily-structured or "couture" items of clothing – blazers, jackets, gowns – are not able to be washed at home. Their seaming, lining, and/or particular fabric could, and probably would, buckle or bunch. Keep those dry-clean only items out of the laundry! However, some clothing labels merely recommend dry-cleaning while also allowing laundering at home, given a little caution and extra care.

Woollens are one example. Many can be washed at home, but certain cautions must be taken or you'll end up with doll clothes. First, cold water must be used. Even warm water could cause shrinkage. Most delicate fabrics have tags recommending no scrubbing or wringing action should be used when hand-washing. That's why I have a clean toilet plunger I use on laundry only. The plunger gently forces water through the fabric with a gentle cupping action. I'm careful not to plunge completely, though, as the greater pressure can distort fabrics.

Another thing to remember when hand-washing is to rinse thoroughly. Cold water makes it more difficult to get rid of suds, so a couple or few rinses may be required. This is important. If soapy residue remains, fabrics will stiffen and be uncomfortable or irritating on the skin. To help the rinsing process, add a generous amount of white vinegar to the final rinse water. It'll not only help dissolve any remaining soap, it'll soften the clothing, prevent lint from clinging, and neutralize mildew and/or other odours. If you have any sensitivity to wool, you can also add a capful of creme hair rinse to the final rinse water and they will be softer to the touch. Glycerin can be used in place of creme hair rinse, but more will be needed to achieve the same result.

Before washing, test the fabric along the inside seam to ensure the colours won't bleed. If you choose to hand-wash non-colourfast items, make sure to wash them individually to prevent cross-colouring. It's possible to stabilize the colours and prevent fading by adding Epsom salts (1 teaspoon per gallon) to the final rinse.

Drying hand-washed clothes can be challenging, particularly as most cannot be wrung out. Again, I use my handy laundry-plunger to squeeze as much water from the fabric as possible. For clothes that could stretch, you'll want to lay them flat to dry. A blanket or towel works well to absorb the moisture, but the drying item should be kept in a well-ventilated area so the fabric dries as quickly as possible. A fan helps speed the process. A suspended drying rack will greatly improve the drying time by allowing the free flow of air around the garment. For clothes with resilience (non-stretching) hanging them will achieve faster drying but, again, hang in a well-ventilated area and make sure you have a drip catcher in place.

One drawback of hand-washing is the need for ironing. Woollens, of course, won't require ironing, but most other hand-washed garments will. Iron delicate fabrics on a low setting to smooth out any wrinkles. If the material is synthetic, use a piece of brown paper (cut from a grocery bag) between the iron and fabric to prevent shine developing. Ironing with brown paper will also enable a slightly higher temperature if a crease is desired (e.g. dress slacks.)

Although there is money to be saved by hand-washing, the main reason I duck the dry-cleaning is smell: I just can't stand the chemical odours that accost the senses upon entering the shop, and waft off the garments I bring home. So, for me, the greatest bonus of washing clothes by hand is the air-freshening attribute: damp clothes, smelling of mild soap, actually deodorize the room they're hung in. They smell great when worn, too!

Ultimately, the cost of dry-cleaning influences how I shop for clothes. I consider the garment's price to be not only what's printed on the sticker, but its lifetime cost of cleaning, too. Many items of clothing, unable to withstand that cost-analysis, never make it into my closet.

10 Warming Winter Ways

The snowline is creeping down the mountainside and our new home is getting cooler and draftier. As a woman who's been producing her own heat-waves for a few years, this drop in household temperature is welcome change. However, for hubby, who prefers things warm, it's not a good feature.

So, there's been a minor battle waged over the thermostat. It goes against my frugal nature to turn the furnace up over 20 Celsius. There are other ways to stay warm, I argue. Here's my top-ten list of warming ways for winter living:

1. Use weather-stripping and caulking to ensure all doors and windows are sealed against drafts.
   
2. Sew/buy curtains of heavier-weight fabrics, or add a backing/liner onto existing curtains.
   
3. Dress in layers and add or subtract pieces as needed for fluctuations in household temperatures.
   
4. Wear slippers, warm socks, and/or indoor footwear – keep the feet warm and the rest is easier to warm.
   
5. Close heat registers in and the doors of rooms that are infrequently used.
   
6. Use ceiling or stand-alone fans to keep air moving rather than lying in hot and cold pockets around the house.
   
7. Use throw blankets in cooler seating areas.
   
8. Maintain moderate humidity levels with humidifiers or de-humidifiers, as needed.
   
9. On chillier days, consider roasting or baking. An oven heated to moderate temperature is a great source of household heat that, through the use of those aforementioned fans, can disperse throughout a wide area, eliminating the need to bump up the thermostat, and all the while making something delicious.
   
10. Another way of staying warm through food is to enjoy soups, stews, and warm drinks. The body's temperature rises during the digestive process anyway, but when that food is braised or boiled, the warmth spreads when you raise a steaming spoonful or mug, and swallow its hot contents.
    

There are other – ahem – more "adult" ways to stay warm, but those are outside the scope of this blog.

One adult favourite of a tamer variety, is the hot toddy. Like most hot drinks, the warmth begins as soon as hands grip the mug. When the toddy is consumed the magical heat begins, firing belly and body. If you'd like to try this "medicinal approach" just email me with "Hot Drink" in the subject line, and I'll gladly share my recipe for a simple and deliciously sweet mix for hot buttered-rum. It can be served with or without the alcoholic content.

Getting Crafty

This is my busiest period. With sixteen birthdays and three anniversaries occurring between September and January, and Christmas – with all its baking, cooking, decorating and gift-giving – squeezed in there, too, this season is downright frenzied. So, how do I cope?

Mainly, I don't do all the shopping during these months. That would overtax both our budget and schedule. Instead, shopping for gifts, cards and dry foods begins months ahead. In the case of Christmas-gift crafting, immediately after the holidays when seasonal fabrics, notions and decorations go on sale, is when I shop for next year's supplies. Their availability passes with the season and I like to putter at crafts throughout the year.

Birthday cards can be bought ahead, too. Years ago, I found a handy sorting calendar that enables me to take advantage of card sales, and keep them ready for delivery, or mailing, well ahead of their due dates. This lead-time also allows for creation of cards, when I'm inspired to do so. For this purpose, I keep my eyes open, throughout the year, for sales of remnant lace and ribbons, glitter, and decorative stickers.

When it comes to gift-giving, I use a similar tactic but for different reasons. As often happens when birthdays fall in summer or winter, many available items (like clothing, sporting goods, etc.) are very seasonal. By shopping for those gifts at other times of the year, selections are more varied. Also, when shopping ahead for gifts and cards, it's much easier to stick with a budget. Each month we set aside funds for gift-giving and, whether or not an occasion is current, we have money available for those "perfect gifts" when we find them on sale.

By far, though, Christmas poses the greatest gift-giving challenge. It strains the budget, the seasonal mood, and creativity – the latter, in particular, when every store seems to offer the same (mostly useless and cheaply made) merchandise. This is why I like crafting gifts months in advance: it eases the budget; it calms that holiday frenzy; and there's real opportunity to give unique and keepsake-quality gifts.

So, if you like to knit, sew, or scrapbook, and if you want to make Yuletide-themed gifts, this is the time to buy those yarns, fabrics, stencils, baubles, or stickers. You needn't hurry to create with them, either. These supplies will last the year, giving you plenty of opportunity to complete your projects before next winter brings forth a whole new crop of materials to purchase for the following year's holidays.

It’s No Grind to Grind

In preparation for the recent move, our freezer needed its load lightened. Hubby took some food with him to the new location, leaving me three weeks to consume what I could of the remainder. Fortunately, we'd been reducing our frozen foods over the last few months in anticipation of defrosting and painting the freezer, so little food remained. Certainly, the move came at a fortuitous time.

The situation was paradoxical, though. I wanted the freezer emptied, but the emptier it got, the more stressed I became. There's something very comforting in a freezer filled with meats, fish, bread, stock, and vegetables. It's like a big piggy bank of food in which my mind's eye sees a calendar of meals. The more barren our freezer became, the more my accountant's brain chalked up a growing grocery bill. Having lived through some hard times, a sense of panic gripped me whenever I saw our freezer's diminishing contents.

Now, with the move behind us, one of the first things on our agenda was to start restocking. Our ability to replace all the usual content in one shopping trip was logistically and financially impossible, but we began by buying a few basics. One of which is ground beef. However, we don't buy store-ground meats, for a few reasons.

1. I was once an accountant for a mall complex including one of its stores, a large grocery market. It was during this employment that I learned what cuts of meat are generally used in ground beef. That knowledge was enough to prompt us to begin grinding our own.
   
2. Following close on the heels of that revelation were outbreaks of BSE, e-coli, and salmonella which affirmed our choice to grind meats at home. By grinding a whole hunk of meat, we know it comes from one animal, and we avoid the cross-contamination that is one cause of bacteria and disease spreading. Keeping our equipment clean and sterile assures the ground meats won't be contaminated during processing.
   
3. Large, whole pieces of beef (about 25-30 pounds,) usually purchased from a butcher, require a substantial outlay of cash, yet cost per processed pound is ultimately less expensive than store-ground. By choosing a tougher cut of meat (brisket, chuck, etc.,) cost remains low and tougher cuts are perfect for grinding or stewing.
   
4. Depending on the butcher, extra aging can sometimes be requested. A well-aged cut will be more expensive, but flavours are intensified and, for dishes in which ground meat is featured, such as grilled hamburgers, the heightened beef flavour may be desired and worth the added cost per pound.
   

I'm happy to say we found a great butcher shop in the city (Kamloops) and bought a whole beef brisket. It was just over 29 pounds but, by the time we'd trimmed the connective tissue and extraneous fat and ground the meat twice, we ended up with 23 pounds of ground beef and 2-plus pounds of stewing meat. We ended up paying a little less than $3.20 per pound for lean ground beef we feel is safer and tastier. Currently, the cost of lean ground beef at our usual grocery and butcher's markets is $3.99 per pound. The grocer's price for regular grind is $3.69 per pound, and the butcher charges $3.49 per pound. Stewing meat is even more costly. Any way you look at it, we've saved money by expending a little time and energy to grind our own meat.

We're still in the process of moving into our new home, so the connective tissue and fat were grudgingly wasted. Normally, I would've boiled those remnants to render out the suet, which can be then be used as "glue" for seed-balls to feed winter birds. Next time...

Now it's time to restock our stocks. I noticed our new butcher sells marrow bones and stewing hens that look fantastic.

It’s the Little Things

The move is behind us. All that remains now is a maze of boxes to unpack once the cleaning is complete. In the meantime, we make do with a few essentials that were last packed and first unpacked. Among the many things we're currently doing without – they were used for packing material – are cloth napkins. Sure, it's a little thing, but one which makes life comfortable, makes mealtime homier.

For expedience, we're currently using paper napkins and, until this move, I had forgotten just how nice cloth napkins are. Not only do they save on paper use, they're so much softer and face-friendly. Now, some may say laundering napkins has its own environmental impact, and food stains can be hard to remove. Neither argument deters me. First of all, the few napkins we use each week are not enough to over-burden regular laundry loads. In fact, in our two-person household, it's often difficult to make a full load, so the napkins added to smaller loads actually make laundering more efficient. Besides, we don't change napkins for every meal – more on that later. As for stains, I use dark-coloured napkins for meals which might stain the napkins – such as those which include gravies or tomato sauces – and save the light-coloured napkins for meals which aren't likely to stain.

For everyday meals we use simple napkins. In fact, some everyday napkins can be made from salvageable portions of old tea towels or from remnant cloth purchased at fabric stores (usually for much-reduced prices). For entertaining or special occasions, I bring out the nice linens. Inevitably those special linens begin showing signs of wear and discolouration. That's when they become everyday napkins and new linens replace them.

Depending on the type of usage (read: messiness factor,) we don't usually replace the napkins for each meal. Sometimes, napkins will be used for a few days. Napkins rings which are easily differentiated help keep each napkin with its original user. For instance, on our everyday set of napkin rings, I've affixed a sticker to the bottom of one to distinguish the two wooden holders from each other. Guests, of course, get fresh linens and the "good" napkin rings (without stickers).

Now, all I have to do is get the china unpacked so I can free up our napkins. At least I won't have to wash newsprint ink from those dishes!