National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

Guess what today is? It is National “Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day.” And the timing couldn’t be more perfect, with Thanksgiving right around the corner. If you are hosting the Thanksgiving meal, you want to make sure everything is spotless. And you definitely want to make room for the food, so why not take advantage of this National event? Personally, I will be saving this job for the weekend. If you can do it today, go for it. But remember, this isn’t just about taking out the stuff that’s growing mold (oh, I hope that isn’t happening in your fridge—talk … Continue reading

National Recycle the Refrigerator Day?

It seems there is a day for everything! Today is a two-fer and both will help you get your house cleaned. It is America Recycles Day and National Clean out your Refrigerator Day. Talk about double duty! Just in time to fill the fridge with Thanksgiving goodies. Go and ruthlessly toss those random containers in your fridge. Since we are also recycling today, see if you can recycle any of those leftovers into a meal for tonight. Kill two birds with one stone, the fridge gets clean and dinner is a breeze. Don’t go crazy cleaning the fridge since next … Continue reading

What is ON Your Refrigerator?

They say you can tell much about a family based on what they eat. After all, there are anthropologists who specialize in figuring out what cultures and civilizations ate and how that connected with other aspects of their lifestyle. I would like to propose that not only can you tell a great deal about a family by investigating what they have IN their refrigerator, you can tell even more about them by what they choose to stick to the outside. What you have plastered ON your refrigerator says a lot about your family values and “personality”… Is it all about … Continue reading

Keep Food Fresh Longer

I could just scream. I just threw away a container of fresh strawberries that cost me early $4. What a waste. I bought them on Sunday and when I went to use them today there were maybe four berries that were worth saving. Granted, it’s not strawberry season, but still, for $4 you’d think I could have salvaged a few more. I did examine the container before purchasing it and can’t understand how they spoiled so quickly. I know I’m not alone in my frustration. According to one consumer advocacy group, the average American discards $300 worth of fresh produce … Continue reading

How Long Will Your Kitchen Appliances Last?

My parent’s microwave is dead. My dad called last night to inform me of its demise. Frankly, I was never attached to the thing, but it has been a staple in their household for more than a decade so I suppose parting is sweet sorrow… My dad went out and bought another one, but his shopping trip was not without dismay. His problem is that he was trying to find an exact replica of the one that sat on the counter of my parent’s home for the last decade. (Good luck… I told him as much.) In the end, he … Continue reading

How to Maintain Your Refrigerator for Maximum Efficiency

Take care of your fridge and it won’t leave you! Maintain your refrigerator to save money on energy. Proper maintenance will also allow you to extend the life of your refrigerator, so you won’t have to spend money on an appliance replacement. We tend to think of the fridge as a useful fixture in our kitchens that will always be there when we need it. But a refrigerator is an appliance, like any other, that needs regular care to keep it running smoothly. You wouldn’t let your car go for years without any maintenance would you? While a refrigerator is … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning: What To Do After You Purge Your Closets

Currently, it is –5 degrees Fahrenheit in my neck of the woods (-26 degrees with the windchill). Nowhere near spring-like temperatures, but that’s not stopping me from continuing my “spring cleaning” project. Last week, I told you that I was purging my home in an effort to find space for all the goodies we received over the holidays. Today I worked on the front closet and my daughter’s closet. The latter was a lot more challenging than the former. My daughter had a major growth spurt during our recent trip to Hawaii (she went from fitting into 2T’s to now … Continue reading

Home: Week in Review Nov. 12 – 18

Here’s your weekly rundown of articles, posted in the Home Blog between November 12 and 18. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’ve had lots of articles filled with tips and ideas for holiday decorating, traditions, organization, and entertaining. We also talked about holiday stress and safety, and we had some sentimental thoughts and lighthearted articles as well. For example, did you know there was such a thing as National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day? I didn’t know, but as usual, Michele found something new and interesting to share. It’s a pretty cool concept, intended to get the fridge ready … Continue reading

Happy National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!

Happy National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! Today (what’s left of it anyway) is dedicated to the chore most of us dread to undertake. I realize that in most time zones the day is almost over, but if you are anything like me then cleaning the frig is more of a week long process than a day long one, so why not turn the event into a multi-day “celebration.” What’s more, the day was created to fall near Thanksgiving to inspire all of us to clean out our refrigerators to make room for the turkey and all of the fixings. … Continue reading