Life Undivided: May 2008

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Got Dryer Sheets?

Here are 20 fun uses for old dryer sheets, if you still insist on using them even after my very convincing previous post!

1. Use it to dust your television screen. The anti-static chemicals in a dryer sheet will help to repel dust and lint.

2. Use old dryer sheets to easily wipe up talcum powder, flour, and other messes of this type.

3. Used sheets usually have enough fragrance in them to freshen up other areas in your home. Stuff them in tennis shoes, place them in closets, in laundry hampers and in pieces of luggage -- anywhere your house needs a little "refreshment."

4. Run a sheet over a piece of thread when you're doing sewing tasks. The thread won't tangle up as easy.

5. Have pet hair on your clothing? Simply wipe it off with a used dryer sheet! Also works great on cloth furniture too!

6. Keep dust and other contaminants off your glass computer screen by carefully wiping it with an old sheet.

7. Did you purchase some old, musty books at a garage sale or thrift shop? Make them smell good again! Simply place the books in a sealed plastic bag with a used dryer sheet. Allow the bag to sit undisturbed for a day or two, then remove the contents. The musty smell will be gone!

8. Got a problem with mice? Find where they are entering your house and stuff the hole shut with a used sheet. Mice won't chew through the smelly material.

9. Place a used dryer sheet in the bag of your vacuum. Sweep your house, and, once you're done, the air will smell as fresh as your clothes do.

10. These wonders of the 70's are also said to repel mosquitoes as well as other annoying, flying insects. Don't rub it on you. Instead, stick a used sheet in your belt loop.

11. You can use dryer sheets to clean and polish the chrome on your vehicles.

12. Is there a build-up of soap scum on your glass shower door? Simply use an old dryer sheet to eliminate the mess.

13. Is the interior of your car or truck smelling a little stale? Forget the pine tree on a string!

Place a few used dryer sheets under the seats of your vehicle instead!

14. Use sheets to clean and polish the glass lens of your eye glasses. They're not recommended for plastic lens, though!

15. Is your hair dry and full of static electricity? Gently wipe a used dryer sheet over your head to get rid of it.

16. Dryer sheets make great dusting cloths for your wooden furniture.

17. Help keep dust and other contaminants out of your house. Simply place a used sheet inside every furnace/AC register in your house. Make sure it covers the openings and replace once they are dirty.

18. Keep your window blinds clean longer by wiping them periodically with used dryer sheets. The anti-static properties of the product will actually help to repel dust and dirt.

19. Are your scissors not cutting as smooth as they should? Wipe the blades clean with a used dryer sheet to remedy this problem.

20. Used dryer sheets make great little cloths for quick shine ups in the bathroom and kitchen too. Just use one on each of your chrome faucets and see how brightly they shine!

These lovely suggestions were brought to you by/directly copied from apartmenttherapy.com, your site for all things handy!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Cool things deserve to be shared

Have you heard of Toms Shoes? I think that the name sounds a bit like a small shoe store located in the downtown of a small Midwestern town, but it is not! Tom's Shoes is a great company that sells...shoes. But that is not all! For every pair of shoes purchased, Toms Shoes gives a pair to a child in need in the third world. The shoes are purposely distinct in appearance because they are designed for comfort and long-term wear, not style. I like them a lot! I have noticed that they are really becoming popular among college students and young hippie types. :) Here is a picture.

Did you know you can make your own dryer sheets? I should really start by asking a different question. Did you know dryer sheets are really made of flimsy, thin pieces of fabric? Crazy! "But Carrie," you say, "why should I make my own dryer sheets when the box from Wal-mart is working just fine?" Well my friend, you can save a lot of money by making your own sheets at home; and you won't be putting a lot of dryer sheets into your garbage can either!

Here is how:

Directions for Homemade Dryer Sheets:

1. Grab scrap fabric or old cloth napkins (come on, do we really use them anyway?) or washcloths. You can make as many as you want, but you really only need two or three.

2. If you used scrap fabric you can either leave the edges un-hemed, or hem them. Un-hemed they will eventually fray a bit, but if that doesn't bother you, it is just fine!

3. Now comes the fun part! Go to the store and pick out your favorite fabric softener, but this time, buy the liquid version.

4. Using an old (and well marked) spray bottle and dilute the fabric softener with water. The solution should be 1/1.

5. Take your new "dryer sheets" and give them a good spray down with the softener. You can spray them all at once and keep them in a Tupperware container until use, or you can spray them just before you put them in the dryer.

Variation:

Instead of the spray bottle, soak the "dryer sheets" in either the 1/1 solution or the full-strength softener and let them get fully saturated. Hang them to dry. You can then use this dryer sheet for 2 or 3 cycles rather than just one!

Important:

Every 3 or 4 loads you should send your dryer sheets through the wash cycle too so they don't get any sort of gummy build-up.

I have heard that people save a LOT of money using these homemade dryer sheets; and it helps the environment too!

You can even make your own fabric softener if you want! Here is one that sounds great, but I have not tried it yet. People swear by this!

Ingredients for Fabric Softener:
3 cups distilled white vinegar

2 cups hair conditioner (get a cheap good smelling one)

6 cups water

Directions:

1. Mix together and store in an air-tight container.

2. If you want a spray-on to use with the dryer sheets, add equal parts water and put it in a spray bottle.

I'm planning on trying this out soon, so I will try to remember to update you on how it works. Let me know if you try it!

Friday, May 23, 2008

I Graduated... and I am FREAKED OUT!

Well friends, I am a little nervous about an upcoming interview. It is for a public relations/community relations/development position at a children's home. My first interview with them went very well and I was invited back for a second interview next week. The only thing that makes me nervous is they want me to do a writing/editing exercise when I am there next week. While I normally do quite well in these areas it is still a scary unknown. My editing skills are the thing I am most worried about. I have been known to split an infinitive or two in my day. :)

So I suppose this post is really a request for prayer. I really respect this organization and love the people that I have met so far. It is a job that I am very excited about and an organization that I can totally stand behind. Please pray that if this job is for me I would feel prepared--and be prepared--for the interview. It is hard to be peaceful sitting around in Texas waiting for my "future" to start; and it is hard to be present in the present when I really want to know what it coming up around the bend.

Speaking of the future, look what I just did!

I honestly have to say that the 4 1/2 hours I spent "graduating" and sitting watching all of the undergraduates walk across the stage was more painful than the two years I spent in graduate school. At least in graduate school we got bathroom breaks! :) The final picture with my hubby and parents is from my hooding ceremony on Friday night. It was great! We each gave a speech and then were awarded our hoods. And there were only 18 of us... not 1800!