Good Things!

7 Ways you can tell something is a Good Thing!

1. Good Things are "small" ideas that are quick, clever, simple, and smart.
2. Good Things make you say, "I wish I knew that before!"
3. Good Things come with clear, concise instructions and beautiful photos.
4. Good Things don't take a lot of time, or a lot of money.
5. Once you learn a Good Thing you won't forget it.
6. You feel good using Good Things.
7. Good Things get better with time.

This Holiday Season, let us remember the Good & Blissful Things in Life!

Get-R-Done!

Having company for the Holidays?

Why does it always take so long to clean the house? 3 things slow you down: inefficient tools, time-wasting products and too many steps. The truth is, your home only needs a deep cleaning four times a year.  The rest of the time, do what the pros do: Spot-clean using the right tools, cleansers and techniques.

The 5 Tools to get you started.

Hotel maids clean so quickly because they carry key tools right on their bodies.
A cleaning apron.
Get one with a loop large enough to hang 2 or 3 spray bottles, deep pockets for your tools, and at least 1 wide pocket big enough to stash trash.
Reusable Microfiber Cloths.
They attract and grip dust and dirt, so you only need to wipe surfaces once. Get 2 fine-woven cloths for glass and shiny surfaces, and 3 large-loop cloths for general cleaning of dusty surfaces.
Eraser Sponge.
A special 2-sided sponge made to easily remove countertop stains with plain water.
Old Toothbrush.
Great for cleaning small crevices and hard-to-reach places.
Deactivated Credit Card.
Use it for scraping up stuck-on gunk.

These must have cleaning tools will make your cleaning routine much more blissful.

Save 7 Hours (or more)!

Computer Time.
     Computers are like phones. When you use them it's easy to lose track of time. Check e-mail twice a day and return messages all at once. You'll save and hour a day!

TV Viewing.
     Establish 1 or 2 TV-free nights every week, families can gain back 8 hours a week this way, since on average, Americans watch 4 hours of TV a night.  If you have such service as TIVO or, on-demand, or a DVR, record your favorite shows without the commercials and watch it later. You could save as much as 8 hours a week. Add up all these time-savers and you could win back as much as 24 hours a week-more than 7 weeks of recovered time, multiplies over a year. Even though you may save only a fraction of this time, you'll still find minutes and hours you can spend in more meaningful ways.

You can use the time you save to build more blissful memories that make life special!

Save at least 3 Hours!

Errands.
     Map out your errands before you go.You'll save time if you make a circular route of your stops, or try to group your purchases in one retail center. You can also save time coordinating errands with your partner, you could shave off 2 hours a week if you tackle your list together.  Cut down on driving time altogether by using Web services. You can get photos printed through services such as shutterfly.com, or any grocery/pharmacy center.

Phone Calls.
     If you tend to lose track of time on the phone, keep a small hourglass or egg timer nearby, and use it on those busy days when 40-minute chats are out of the question. Or tackle those yucky jobs you put off, like dusting, or bathrooms and do while you're on the phone, you'll be amazed how much you got done without realizing it till later. Another great tip, save those phone calls till you have to go sit in the parking lot at the school or practice while picking up your kids. You could save 30 minutes a day.