Heather Solos 
The effort involved in this one can vary wildly. If you are an online reader, you may not have much tidying to do at all. If you have been grabbing books for many years, you may want to set this as a timer challenge over a few weeks. The Friends of the Library is a …
Dear Home-Ec 101, Why do my black shirts come out of the laundry with red/reddish patches? Signed, Spotty in Spartanburg Heather says: Laundry mysteries are always fun. Not too long ago we had an issue where one of my children’s s t-shirts were always ripping under one of the arms. We checked the inside of …
If you’ve ever taken the time to check out the weekly chore schedule. You’ll see that on Sunday. I suggest reviewing the upcoming week and figuring out what you must do and when. I used to be good at remembering everything that needed to be done, but then I went on some medication that strongly …
Recently we worked through organizing the kitchen. See Challenges 9 – 17 or 18, depending on where you keep your medication. Today is another budget-focused, pen-and-paper exercise combining our work in the kitchen with our last couple of weeks of financial focus. I want to be very, very clear. I know that little tips like …
This week is a continuation of last week’s theme, getting your finances in order. Last week we took stock of our finances, making sure money is allocated to the right places. Organizing a budget is the first step. This week, we are putting guard rails on that plan. Few things can blow a budget faster …
Now that we’re no longer chasing down our keys every week, we know what is in our fridge, freezer, and pantry we may have a little more mental space to deal with more challenging things like budgets. This week’s challenge: Take Stock of Your Finances and Make a Plan If someone else in your household …
Dear Home Ec 101,So, twice this has happened lately thanks to little girls who don’t always flush when they’re supposed to. I have all the towels to mop up the water and um mess, from the toilet overflow itself. Then I have to wash the towels, floor, and toilet. And then I feel the need to …
Hi Home-Ec 101, I admit, I am a terrible housekeeper, but I am trying to improve, and I long for a house I can be proud of. We have lived in our 1957 Cape Cod home for 8 years. It probably came with a certain amount of wear and tear, but our 3 kids, 2 …
If you have been playing along since January, we have completed a full one-third of the year. Are you noticing a difference in your home? Is it starting to get a little easier to keep up with the Weekly Chore Schedule? Today we’re tackling the medicine cabinet—or cupboard, or closet shelf. We don’t care where …
Hi, I have hardwood parquet flooring. When we moved into the house the previous owners told us to use Johnson’s One Step No Buff Wax liquid on it. I have used it every few months (especially on the kitchen floor) since 2000. The kitchen floor now looks terrible — darker with grime and dirt kind …