Make a Clean Bed

www.rebuild-from-depression.com

     As the season changes to cooler weather, I am airing out my winter bedding.  Before the cold really snaps and I want to sleep in my down comforter I take the time to clean and air the bedding.  A good airing is better than an expensive dry cleaning.  A gentle breeze dries and freshens better than any bottled spray or chemical freshener.  

     To clean bedding before and during the season, spot clean any stains with hydrogen peroxide.  Replace heavy detergents with a vinegar/water rinse instead of heavy soaps. 

    UV rays can kill some bacteria (mostly the odor causing kind).  So as long as you are airing bedding, get those stinky shoes out in the sun!  Airing in the sun is safer than trying to dry boots or shoes near a heater or fireplace.  It's called multi tasking, but today, the sun is doing the real work.

• Twin Extra Long Mattress Cover
• $19.99

http://www.dollartree.com/

     I have been considering travel, the fact that I am in and out of so many homes of business travellers and the spread of bed bugs.  Once you see one, it changes your thinking.  
     I wanted to put mattress covers on my beds to save them from any possible infestations.  The best value for dollar I found was at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  Then, I came across a mattress cover at my local Dollar Tree store.  It is not the envelope fully encased style, but a sheet with some elastic at the corners.  The thought of bed bugs escaped me when I realized, it's a barrier.  It's a water barrier, it's a heat barrier, it's a start at a rock bottom price.  

    
     Before covering or encasing your mattress, clean it.  Pull everything off the mattress, spot clean any stains with peroxide.  Freshen with a spray, if you think you need it, but PLEEEEASE, vacuum  the mattress.  Many mattress manufacturers use the fact that humans slough off skin as a reason to sell you a new mattress.  Prolong the life of your bed by vacuuming it at least four times a year.  Vacuuming the mattress removes human dander, pet dander, hair, mites and dust.  If you have a vacuum with a wind tunnel that lets you see the dirt as it comes up, empty it and just watch the whirlwind of fuzz and debris coming out of your mattress.  It's impressive!  


     Now you are ready to rotate or flip the mattress.  Seasonal cleaning and rotating preserves the life of the mattress.  Planning to do this is okay but doing it is better.  It's like changing the batteries in your smoke detector.  Just do it and forget it till next season change.  Take care of your back.  Get help if you need it.

     You now have a clean, dry, encased or covered foundation, clean fresh bedding.  It's time to make your clean bed.  
     

Weathering the Weather

    This afternoon's thunderstorm and yesterday's trip to the beach have gotten me charged up to type.  

www.srh.noaa.gov

     We were at the beach when we saw clouds gathering in the distance.  As the weather got closer, we prepared to leave noting that over half the people there were prepared to stay with thunder in the background and lightning on the horizon.

Just another day at the beach

     Today, the weather bucked up again, as it does this time of year.  With moisture off the coast and the interior of the peninsula heating up, the two systems collide to create sudden onset thunderstorms.  People scurry to avoid cold wet water drops.  BUt, they scurry into their cars and forget how to drive.  they skid and slide home and complain about the rain.

MIR3 issues Hurricane Business Continuity checklist

www.continuityforum.org

     I had a manager I worked with who moved here from Wisconsin.  One morning while she was pacing back and forth, shaking in her boots, I asked what was wrong.  She asked, you don't see that?  I looked out the window.  It was raining.  I said, yes, I saw the rain and she told me how frightened she was of thunderstorms.  oops.  In the course of the conversation I asked if she had ever heard of hurricanes because this was Florida and that days' rain storm was fairly mild.  She moved.  

Safe Driving in Heavy Rain | CARCHEX Blog

blog.carchex.com

     Well, this is Florida.  Stuff is green here.  It rains here.  The roads get wet, it is not always a good idea to drive in  a torrential downpour.  Soooo, get some skills.  Learn to drive in the rain.  Slow down.  Hydroplaning occurs at speeds as low as 38 mph and even sooner on bad tires.  Stay out of the ditches.  If you begin to skid, fight the urge to fight the skid and turn your wheels into it as you tap your brakes. 

Milk in a box, no refrigerator required - Detroit Stay-at-Home ...

www.examiner.com

     Stock your shelves so you don't have to go out last minute.  There is no gallon of milk worth your life.  Stock dry milk or milk that stores on the shelf, and stay indoors.  Substitute crackers for bread.  Do without the desire to run out every time you need just one thing, especially in foul weather.


     Weathering any weather requires some preps inside the home as well.  Every layer you add to your home adds a layer of protection.  Just attaching a shower curtain to a suspension rod and hanging it in the window between the glass and curtain, can add a layer of sunscreen, cold block and slow down glass shattering.  

Weather fatalities in one chart - The Washington Post

www.washingtonpost.com

     Preparing for foul weather starts with knowing more about what to expect in the area you live, making a list of ideas or projects and then following through.  I am personally comfortable living under the threat of a hurricane watch.  I know what to expect, what to do, where to go if needed and I am ready to act.  

      I am sure, even if I have no proof, some of the fatalities from this chart could have been prevented with knowledge and preparedness.

Creating Storage Space from items you may already own

     I have been shifting and sorting things in the spare room.  I wondered when I came across a box of shower curtain rings, why I had an extra box.  I believe I have all I should need hanging the curtain from the rod in the bathroom, so, why, I wondered did I have an extra?    

     I know I often say one is none and two are one, meaning to always have a backup, but shower curtain rings?  Then, later I sorted the hall closet next to the bathroom and found I owned yet another box of curtain rings.  So, I either had to come up with a good use for the 'extra' rings or I had to donate them to charity before I turn into my grandmother with a case and a half of A-1 steak sauce stored in three different cabinets throughout her house.  Yikes!  

apartmentgeeks.net

     I came up with some ideas for shower curtain rings.  Then, I found some great sites with even better ideas.  Apparently, I am not the only one with extra shower curtain rings!

     Open the rings and attach them to a single heavy duty clothes hanger.

www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com

     Use the ringed hanger to sort and organize belts, ties, scarves, handbags, and bulky jewelry that doesn't fit in the standard jewelry box.

www.acehardware.com

My mother came up with this next tip.  We had towel racks, long after we had a real need for them.  She folded a half inch wide piece of velvet ribbon over the arms, she whip stitched it shut around each arm and used the towel racks for a jewelry display.  Her clip on earrings were on the top arm, bracelets on the second arm and necklaces on the bottom arm.  Clip on earrings are out of style, but it still works for for the kidney wire earrings.  If you use a large needle to punch holes in the ribbon, you can affix post style earrings.  These racks are available on Ebay and ETSY, also, yard sales and brand new at your hardware store.  

www.spacesavers.com

     These are two good ideas to organize the bulky accessories that tend to clutter up drawers or dresser tops.  

Amazon.com

     Pants hangers are great for pressed pants but you can also use them to double up on space in the closet.  They tend to hang one from the other, literally stacking your clothes.  In the space you can hang a single dress you can hang six pairs of pants.  The type of hanger, above, will allow you to hang a pair of pants folded over the bottom while using the clips to hang a matching belt and/or tie.  The type pictured here at the left allows for use as not only a pants hanger, but, a way to stack any hanging prep supply.  If you are organizing a surgery, four sheets or table covers can be hung.  If you have cammo netting that needs to be deployed quickly, take it out of it's packaging, and re fold to hang making it easy to grab and go.   The same can be done with plastic sheeting.  No time to wrestle with static and peeling layers apart in an emergency.  have it ready to use and easily stored in layers.

www.howardsmalta.com

www.countrycurtains.com

     Utilize your closet space better by installing expandable tension poles.  These rods shown are curtain rods and can be placed in the closet, behind your hanging street clothes to hang folded items, concealed from view.  they may be used in the space inside the windows to hang blackout curtains or insulating plastic.  Use larger rods to hang bags and heavier items as well as drapes.  

     

www.amazon.com

     Use that bathroom shower organizer in the corner of a closet to store the easy grab weapon out of sight of children or invaders.  Use the dark empty space in the corner of closets for storing foods and other supplies.  

www.craftionary.net

     Attach spice racks inside closets to continue making use of empty spaces in cool dark places.  Spice racks are designed for storing small bottles and would be great for an additional med station.  Door mounted spice racks take spices out of sight while keeping them nearby.  The door mounted spice rack can give you the same out of sight remedy for every door in your home.   

     Small devices like these solve huge problems throughout the prepared home.  Use what you have, then get more !