Works For Me Wednesday

This week my tip has to do with the Littermaid automatic kitty litter box. I have one of the old one's from several years ago but this will work for the new ones as well.

I was worried about using all those plastic receptacles and how long they would take to breakdown in the dump, etc... when I came upon this solution on eBay...

Plastic bags that are the perfect size for the receptacles. I bought a pack last year and still have a ton left. They are so simple to use.

For demonstration purposes (lol), here is a brand new receptacle along with one of the bags. Simply place the bag over the receptacle and

pop it into the litter box...

TADA!

They are so easy to clean up too. Simply pull the bag off, knot it and toss it. Everything stays cleaner this way too!

It's way cheaper than buying new receptacles too! My neighbor down the street bought some extra large litter box liners and cut them in half. He said they worked just as well too.

I don't know about you, but anything that makes my job easier when it comes to these three stinkers is worth a shot.

Works for me!

For other tips click here!

Works For Me Wednesday Backwards Day!

Ok, my burning question has to do with flies. How do you get rid of them and keep them gone?

My neighbors recently purchased a horse and WE are under attack. I have flies in my house.My poor dogs are covered with them to the point that they are bleeding.

We keep the trash cans shut tightly and we pick up the dog poo twice a day if there's anything out there.

HELP! Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

For more questions this week, click here.

Works For Me Wednesday

Two weeks ago, I started Menu Plan Monday. I had bought this weekly pad at the Dollar Store and I was planning on that. I started to think ahead about what I would do when I ran out of these weekly pages and I came up with the idea to laminate them and post them on the refrigerator. So first, I took out my hand laminator and laminated four weeks for monthly planning. I cut them out and I remembered I had these magnets that I was saving for whatever. Well, my original thought was to print pictures that I liked of my kids and laminate them and glue the picture to the magnet.



Anyway these are just magnets that were given to me or that came with the phone book. Ones that I don't need anymore.


I cut and glued them to the back of the weekly pages. Then wrote in our menu for the week with a dry erase marker.

Last, of course, I posted them on the door next to the school lunch menu. The kids were thrilled because now they know what is for dinner too.

I'm thrilled because it was so easy to do and now I can keep track of the menu easier too.

Works for me!

For other tips click here!

Also, if you were here last week for my label tip, I posted them for download here.

Didn't think I forgot about ya...did'ja??

Ok, for those of you coming back for the label download... I think I got it.



Click here for the"Opened On" label link and click here for the "Frozen on" label link.



We used Avery 5895 labels but any 2 1/3" x 3 3/8" label will do.



I write on them before I put them on the ziploc bag. I also put them on the bag first before the food or I make sure that the surface is dry.



I used to use sharpies to write on the bag but they smeared or I was covered in marker by the time I was done.

If you have any problems with the download let me know and I'll e-mail them. I just wanted to make it easier for everyone who asked for them to get them.

Enjoy!

Works For Me Wednesday

When I was cleaning behind and under the refrigerator a few weeks ago, I discovered that we had water access behind the refrigerator.

I actually have two refrigerators: one in the kitchen and one in my laundry room. They both desperately need to be replaced. But the one in the laundry room has an ice maker. So I decided when I had the time, I would switch them out.

Well, I didn't exactly have the time but I switched them out anyway. In the process of switching we discovered many items that we couldn't identify in the freezer. Even worse, between the two refrigerators there were items that we had no idea when they were opened or even that there was one opened to begin with.

So I asked Hubs to create a simple calendar type label for me and this is what he came up with:

He used word to create the calendars and simply printed them on Avery mailing labels. The labels pictured above say "opened on" because as I mentioned above how many times have you opened something that there are multiples of (i.e. milk, OJ) and then found that your kid or someone else opened another and you have no idea when or which is which or how long it's been sitting there. Or really anything in general. I also liked the "opened on" idea for salad dressings and BBQ sauce. Just stuff that I'd like to see dates rather than chunks or something when I pour it. I know there are expiration dates on things but I've also noted that some things don't last as long as they should after they have been opened or if you can't remember how long it's been in there and it only has so many days to begin with. (* I hope I'm not rambling too much and that I am making sense...I'm beat! lol *)

Can you identify what's in the bag above? Probably not...and even though I cooked it and bagged it, chances are I wouldn't be able to identify it either.

Plus Hubs eats buffalo steaks and ground buffalo. I do not eat buffalo and I wouldn't want to mix that up with my beef.

The labels really make the whole freezer process less of a hassle.

Works for Me!

To see other tips and ideas go visit Shannon!

Works For Me Wednesday

Kitchen Organization

Ok so, My tip is about labels.

See my hubby and my oldest tend to cook dinner together because they both like to cook. Don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate when they cook dinner but it drives me crazy because they don't put anything back. So I decided since I got the new P-touch I could label things to help make it easier for them.

I bought one of those tiered organizers for the spices and I labeled each shelf. Putting most used spices in the front. I put extras in my spice rack that is above the stove. I don't use it much because I can't reach it very well. It took about a half hour because I also wrote down all the spices I had and how many so that I can begin to make a master grocery list.

The other thing my kids like to do is "help" unload and put away groceries. I'm now sure it's more about spying on the goods than actual helping. I'm embarrassed to post this pic but I hadn't really looked at my pantry because the kids not only put them away but they usually want to help when I am in the kitchen and so I ask them to get me things that way no one gets burnt or cut. This time, I happened to need a case of soda and I almost died when I opened the door. ARGH!

So I decided to label in there too. It was pretty easy but time consuming because once again I inventoried everything for the master grocery list. But this is what it looks like now. (above and below)

It's great because the kids love it and they know where everything goes or where to find things right away.

I love it because when they help me it will be a snap for them and I can see at a glance what I have for meal planning (another new task I am taking on.) But most of all because I hate clutter and love when everything has it's place. Since the kids came, my house has been all about clutter. Yuck!

Such a simple thing makes such a big difference and it works for me!

For more tips and tricks go visit Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer.

Works For Me Wednesday: Brand Loyalty

Wow, I didn't realize that I was a brand junkie until I uploaded these pictures and saw the brands.

Apparently, I love Clorox. I know I LOVE this spray. It takes anything off of almost anywhere. I've bought generic bleaches but I still keep coming back to Clorox. It's just the best. I don't really eat mayo. But when I am making macaroni or potato salad it's Best Foods only. I tried generic before...blah..it separated and was soooo gross.

I've tried other oils but I really prefer Wesson oil for liquid oils. Just checked the rest of my oils and they are Wesson. Funny thing is I use Crisco in the solid form for my deep fryer and such.

What can I say about Tide? It's the best. I love the smell of my laundry room. Mmmm. I was given Tide in a going off to college basket that my coworkers gave me back in '94 and I've never used anything else.

Oh and I love Snuggle. I have to admit it was the bear that pulled me in. I forgot to take pictures of the matching dryer sheets. Actually, I've tried other fabric softners but they just weren't the same as my cuddle soft.
This is the only green enchilada sauce I will use. period. It's not watery and it has a lot of flavor and chunks of green chili in it. Yum!
Coke! How do I love you! Let me count the ways. When it comes to a cola, I only drink Coke... Just Coke, none of the diet, cherry, vanilla, zero, vitamin crap...just straight Coke.

Heinz Mustard...not French's, just Heinz...Same goes for Ketchup (or catsup) Heinz only...Hunts...bleh.
This multi surface cleaner is great for my wood table that I don't want the kids to polish. Just clean. A little goes a long way. Good stuff here.

Oh and although I am oh so loyal to Tide. I have to use Dreft on my hubby's clothes. Being that he's a quadriplegic and sits all day. There is something like walnut shells or something like that in Tide that just doesn't agree with him. Dreft is the only thing that doesn't irritate his skin...HOWEVER...if you noticed in the picture above...I had liquid Tide coldwater. I've used that on his clothes and he had no reaction...sooooooo....





Oh..two words. Pine Sol...LOVE the smell. A bathroom isn't clean unless it smells like Pine Sol. My mom used this stuff and now I use it. I don't love it as much as she did (She used to want to drink it when she was pregnant.) But I still have a soft spot for it in my home.

Do you think I like Electrosol much? LOL I didn't realize I had this loyalty until I was poking around and noticed I have three of the canisters and another box of the powder on the otherside. We have two places for soap in my dishwasher. We put powder in the first cycle space and a tab in the second space with the door.
Spray and Wash. Another product my mother used. Works for me. I just spray the areas and wash and it's all gone.





When I first started gathering stuff for this post, I was thinking "I'm not loyal to anything." Guess I was wrong. lol At any rate, they all WORK FOR ME!

For more tips and great ideas go visit Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer.

Works For Me Wednesday

Last year when the kids started school we were inundated with paperwork and school assignments. With 5 kids it quickly got out of control and I found that I couldn't keep on top of it. There were letters that I had recieved 5 times and needed to trash. Assignments I wanted to keep to give the children when they are older so they can see how they got their start. Finally, I picked up a few baskets at the dollar store and came up with this.

Basically, I labeled the files with each kid's name and grade and placed them in this basket. When the kids come home from school they leave their backpacks at the door and have quiet time where they take a break and unwind before they start homework and chores. This gives me time to go through their papers. Anything I want to keep for them I drop in their folders. Any multiple papers I toss and either keep one copy in the front of the basket or record the info I need in my planner.

The best part, at the end of the year, all I have to do is place their folders in my filing cabinet so that when the time comes to give them these things I have a complete folder for the year for them to look back on.

Works for me! (For more Works For Me ideas go see Shannon over at Rocks in My Dryer)