Wasp Free Summers

I hate bugs. I really do. When we moved to our home there were a couple of corners where there were small wasp nests... edges of the unused garage door, under the eaves, beside the porch. All creatures have to live somewhere and we humans have to share space, but I prefer if it's not wasps on my house. My spouse graciously took down the nests.

A natural nest - photo from pixabay.com

I've used wasp traps before and they are okay, but it's 'icky' and I'm killing them. I decided to keep them away using a very easy, natural solution which is chemical free, environmentally friendly, and does not harm the wasps. It uses wasp psychology: I simply set up my house as an 'occupied territory'.

Many species of wasps (yellow jackets, hornets etc) are territorial and won't build nest within at least 100 feet of another nest. If there is an existing wasp nest, they will simply leave the area. I bought a dollar-store paper-lantern looking wasp nest to hang and with the 100-200ft radius, that's my whole yard! Two years and no wasp nests... I don't even think about it.

Even easier, you can make your own for free from a simple paper bag and a little string. Poke two holes in the bottom of the paper bag and create a string loop to hang it from. Fill the paper bag with crumpled balls of newspaper to keep it's shape and then twist the bottom to create the same general shape as a natural nest. Use a twist-tie or string to tie the bottom shut so the bag holds its shape. Done!

About 5 minutes a year work (to hang it and take it down) and no wasps! That's Lazy genius!

Tips: I bought an inexpensive wall bracket hanger to place in an inconspicuous place close to my deck to hang this 'decoy wasp nest' from - it's under the eaves and out of the wind and rain. Ideally, the nest should be at about 6-8 foot height to look more 'natural' to the wasps - and to keep the paper safe, hang it in a sheltered spot. (I have lost 2 to storms and you do need to take it down in about mid-fall putting it back up in spring) Hang it near your eating area to provide better protection.

This was the last brand I bought...  I like how these look (unobtrusive and neat). It was two to a pack and inexpensive. I lost them to storms so now I know better! Found on: www.natural-insect-control.com

Snap Countdown for Surprise Visits

Yes, of course, my house always looks like this! 

Everyone should have a 15-minute panic-cleaning process if unexpected company is about to show up. For most friends and family, I let them see the chaos of everyday life. But sometimes... someone you need to impress just a little is about to show up. You KNOW this happens!

Don't just panic... have a plan for that panic! I'm not kidding... plan it out based on what areas of your home get seen by guests and what seems to be your clutter magnet. This is not about cleaning - this is hiding the detritus of life. Channel your panic adrenaline ... expect to run around for the next 15 minutes. Improve your routine each time you use it.

I will share my panic-routine ... time-worn and effective (and customized for my home):

1. Hall & Entry: Keep a little basket stored in the front closet - a plug-in air freshener and my most effective pet-fur brush. I plug in the air freshener near the front door and swipe up any pet fur on seats. Straighten the area throwing everything into the beautiful woven baskets under the bench seat... hidden storage is your friend!
2. Living Room: Pull chairs and furniture into their proper places in the dining room and living rooms. I have a storage ottoman which I leave empty (or virtually empty) I have a 2-minute grab-all-the-living-room-mess and dump it into the ottoman. Fluff the pillows and fold the throw - generally neaten. Fabreeze the couch, chairs, and carpet;
3. Bathroom: Refold the hand towel inside out or put in a clean one. Disinfectant wipe - a quick swipe of the counter, sink, toilet seat (top and under). The nice scented wipe in the garbage also adds a fresh smell and hides anything under it. Light the scented candle in there (a nicety for the guest and easy solution for you);
4. Kitchen: Quickly disinfectant-wipe the counters and fling everything into the dishwasher. Don't sort - fling. If you have clutter on the counters or magnets on the fridge throw it into bags and put them in the ottoman or front closet. Fold the dish towels;
5. Breathe: Put on some lipstick and just get centered.

• Floor Swipe: IF there is time, run the vacuum quickly (this never happens for me because I have to drag long hoses which are invariably upstairs!) or one of those wet-pad mops over the main areas. I love these because they are so fast, easy, and when you put the pad in the garbage it gives the room a smell of 'clean'... when people smell 'clean' they think 'clean'! 

Towel Reboot

If you find you are not loving your towels, if they feel stiffer, if they are not as absorbent as they once were, or if they feel weighed down and 'greasy', then these 3 simple 'DON'Ts' are for you:

1. Don't use too much detergent with towels, in fact use a little less than in a regular load. It's harder to wash out detergent from towels. Use a HE (high efficiency) detergent with them to minimize excess sudsing. Using vinegar in your towel wash will keep towels always smelling fresh. You can put the vinegar in the bleach dispenser (just don't ever let the two mix!) for use during the wash cycle or in the fabric softener dispenser for use during the rinse cycle. I think it's most effective in the rinse cycle.
2. Don't use fabric softener with towels: it weighs them down with buildup over time. There is a light 'coating' and there will be less loft to the towels. The scents can also aggravate some sensitivities. If you've been using fabric softener, run them in a wash with 1/2 cup of regular baking soda to help remove some of the build-up.
3. Don't use dryer sheets with towels - you don't need them and they will make your towels less absorbent. Just don't over-dry your towels - treat them with a little care and they will love you back.

Reboot and refresh them using the other towel tips I've posted - and keep them fresh with a cup of vinegar each time you wash them. 

By now you must think I'm obsessed by towels! I'm not... but I think we should all expect soft, absorbent, sweet smelling towels. That's why I'm posting the truths I've learned in these tips - because making sure your towels are wonderful takes no extra time or effort!

Last to the Party

image found on the web - original source unknown

Those who know me will not be surprised to learn that I only discovered Pinterest a couple of weeks ago. Was I living under a rock? Am I a Luddite? Am I a technophobe? Either way, I'm last to the Pinterest party.

The truth is that I opened an account well over a year ago, but I couldn't dream of what to use it for. I forgot the password and then forgot about it. Determination drove me back. I wanted to have a great place for photos of my naughty fabulous cat Nuala. I almost forgot about it again, but then I needed to find a recipe for a cocktail I'd invented for my sister Sharon. When I wasted 2 hours looking for it and found it (only to learn days later that her mother-in-law had my recipe), I created a visual recipe for it on a drink board. Then I indulged my obsession of courtyard cafes and bistros... oh crap... I lost literally an 8-hour day wandering through sigh-inducing photos!

I'd much rather be curled up at a bistro or cafe with a coffee in hand than doing any form of housework!

It's a given that I just had to look at housekeeping tricks now that I've started this blog of hard-earned wisdom. Wow - there is SO much out there... from decor (always an obsession with me but that is a story for another time), to organizing (which is like catnip!), to cleaning solutions. After losing about 4 hours in this rabbit's warren of links and articles I started to realize that a good deal of what was posted was crap, some bad advice, lots of useless time-wasters, and some genius bits.

Of course I created a board - and named it after this blog. I'm going to put things on there that I either a) know to be true or b) am willing to test and try in my own home.

I might test a few Pinterest solutions I find intriguing and post my findings here. Anyone Pinterested in that?? 

Do you use Pinterest? What do you think of the housekeeping info on Pinterest? Is it only as good as the pinner? Is a good part of it nonsense? Do you lose hours and days lost in articles and images there?

Liquid Gold

If you want to make your crystallized honey liquid again, put the glass bottle into a heat-safe container where you can submerge it to the top of the honey. Add very hot water and walk away letting it cool naturally. You may need to repeat the process, to return the bottle fully to liquid.

Avoid crystallization by using only a perfectly clean and dry spoon in the honey each time.

Mattress Tango

One of the best investments you can make is a good mattress. Get the best mattress you can afford - that doesn't mean the most money, it means you do the research and get a mattress that is right for you and your back. You spend 1/3 of your life in bed and you only get one spine... you're worth the time and money!

When you get that good mattress, make sure it sticks around for a long time and stays healthy too. Flip your mattress to balance the wear!

If your mattress is the same on the top side as the underside, then there are 4 possible positions:

1. The way it is right now
2. Turning your toes to where your head is
3. Flipping the mattress over to the underside
4. Turning the head to the toe position on the underside

If this describes your mattress, flip your mattress every 3 months (seasonally). To keep it sane, grab a permanent marker and write Jan-Mar, Apr-June, July-Sept, and Oct-Dec - one on each of the sides described above. This will take you about 20 minutes and lots of effort (2 mattress flips) - but it will save you lots of time, mental energy and hassle in the future. Every time you change the sheets you will be reminded that the current month should be written where your head is.

If you are like me and have a pillow-top mattress, there are only 2 possible positions because you can't flip your mattress over. I'd suggest writing on the top and bottom (since it's a great no-brainer visual reminder) Jan-Mar and July-Sept on the top and  Apr-June and Oct-Dec on the bottom. You will be turning your mattress every 3 months.

Picked up this wisdom working in a 5* hotel.

Lazy Housekeeper Advanced - If it's viable when the weather is below 0C, take your mattress outside and let it air. Freezing temperatures and sunlight both kill dust mites in about a half hour. If this is not possible, then steam your mattress at 120F (50C) to minimize the vile critters.

Get Crackin'

Quiche, omelets, pies, cakes, french toast... it's very easy to go through eggs!

Hang onto those egg shells because they are gold for gardeners. You can put spent eggshells in a brown paper bag in a ventilated area (I have mine in the mudroom) and they will never mold or smell. You can smash up the eggshells and use them to compost calcium-loving shrubs and plants.

They can also be used to create a crushed eggshell ring around plants that are slug/snail prone since they don't like to crawl over the sharp eggshells to get to the tender plants shoots.

Don't you love it when frugal wisdom you learned from your parents really works?!

The Lazy fun is grabbing the hammer and smashing them up in their paper bag before I take them out to the garden. Great way to take out your frustration and it only takes a few minutes!

Stinky Towels RX

I know - it happens to the best of us! Towels can get stinky fast - whether they are thrown into a hamper damp, hung on a hook so they don't dry properly, or they are hung in a place where there is so little air flow or such high humidity that they don't dry. Smelly towels are a big YUK.

Make them smell better! Fix the smell the Lazy way: put the towels into a bucket and add just enough water to cover them then add 2 cups of inexpensive white vinegar and mix. Let them soak for 6-8 hours. Wash the towels in hot water with a little soap and the soak-water. Dry immediately.

Towels always do best in a warm to hot water wash because they accumulate body oils - the hot water removes them.


Tip ~ This works with stinky clothing too, but you do need to be wary of the fabrics and not everything is compatible with a hot water wash.

No Wining

Friends and red wine... it's all good until someone knocks over a glass or spills on your light carpet. It happened at my place with some friends. I was just a rock-star while everyone else gasped and panicked  I just headed to the kitchen for the white wine and splashed a liberal amount on top while laughing and chatting with them. I was as cool as a cucumber and felt like a goddess.

Do you really want to know the science behind it? There's an enzyme in white wine which prohibits the colour of the red wine from setting. The white wine has to be added immediately, and then blot with a towel ... and go back later and clean your carpet in the normal way if the fibers feel a bit stiff from the sugars. Lazy Housekeeper's genius!

Dangerous Liasions

Adventures in housekeeping? Here's how NOT to turn your house cleaning into a toxic experiment:

Vinegar + Bleach = Chlorine Gas
Undiluted Bleach + Ammonia = Hydrochloric Acid + Chloramine Gas
Bleach + Dish Detergent (some) = Mustard Gas 
Rubbing Alcohol + Bleach = Chloroform Gas

You can actually kill yourself while re-inventing WWI chemical warfare. I am not kidding... I have unfortunately tried  two of these in my own home and you get dizzy, your eyes burn, and your lungs start to react almost immediately. You must go somewhere safe and breathe so you don't collapse, and air out the house for a few hours.

Be aware that some cleaners may not be clearly labelled as 'bleach', 'ammonia', or some substances (such as cat pee) are ammonia but you may not be aware that they are. 

Be careful out there... I want you Lazy, not Sick!