Quick Tips for Getting Organized
Volume 9 – January 2008

Laundry
Now that the holidays are over, save your empty wrapping paper tubes to smooth and store table linens. Launder and press your linens; then fold and roll on the tubes. The next time you need to dress the table your linens will not only be clean but also wrinkle free!

Manners
Tipping - There are two schools of thought regarding tipping. Some feel you should tip regardless of the quality of service and others think tipping is a direct reflection of the service and therefore, earned. However, one thing is usually true; the people receiving your tips are usually in need of extra money. Here are some quick guidelines to know how much to give above and beyond your bill.
Restaurants – usually 15-20% and if there are 6 or more the tip is generally added in. A good rule of thumb is 15-18% for breakfast/lunch and 18-20% for dinner.
Bartenders - $1 per drink
Food Delivery – 10% of bill – 15% if the weather is bad.
Hairdresser – 15-20%
Manicurist/Pedicurist – 10-20%
Masseuse – 10-20%
Valet Parking - $2 to $3
Airport Skycap - $1 per bag
Hotel Bellhop - $1 per bag
Taxi or car service – 15-20%

Beauty
As we head full on into winter take care that your skin is well-moisturized. This is accomplished best by hydrating both the inside and out. Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine. Buy a moisturizer that is free from petroleum and any petroleum derivatives. Be sure to wash your face every night and gently exfoliate with a washcloth or other exfoliating wash. This will help slough the dry, dead skin cells and allow the fresh cells to move onward and upward. Apply a good moisturizer liberally (use one with SPF for daytime) and enjoy your skin’s winter glow!

Cleaning
If your tub or shower has accumulated a layer of soap scum or mineral deposit here are some helpful, environmentally friendly ways to clean it.

Borax – a naturally occurring mineral that is water soluble and will rinse clean. Wet the surface, sprinkle the borax on a stiff brush and use some elbow grease.

Vinegar – apply HOT vinegar with a rag and then scrub with a stiff scrub brush.

Murphy’s Oil Soap – apply HOT with a stiff brush and elbow grease. Murphy’s Oil soap also works as a great preventative measure when applied to a clean tub or shower with a soft cloth and water. It’s very slippery so rinse completely and don’t apply to the shower or tub floor.

Prevention - Wipe down your tub or shower immediately after use to avoiding using too much elbow grease down the road!

If your shower head or faucet has mineral deposit build up; take a plastic sandwich or quart sized bag, add vinegar and twist tie the bag around the shower head so it is submerged in the vinegar and let sit for a few hours (the longer the better if build up is bad) or until mineral deposits loosened and water flows freely (use an old toothbrush if needed); rinse with clean water.

Home Keeping
The most common cause of clogged bathroom drains is HAIR. Consider installing sink strainers in your bathroom drains and teach family members to clean their hair out of the shower drain rather than flush it down the drain. Hair isn’t water soluble and will eventually slow the drain.

Paper Trail
Daily Newspaper Buildup can get overwhelming, especially if you don’t have a bird, gerbil or bunny cage to freshen regularly. Check out these quick tips for reusing yesterday’s paper.

Wrap a gift – especially with the Sunday comics!
Stuff into wet shoes to help absorb excess water and speed up drying process.
Recycle old newspapers by using them to ripen tomatoes. Wrap each tomato individually and leave out at room temperature.
Use to clean glass mirrors and windows. Spray window cleaning solution on waded up newspaper and wipe surfaces clean.
Line your vegetable crisper drawer with newspaper to absorb smells. This also works with plastic wear, lunchboxes and thermoses – stuff and seal overnight.
Use as packing material before mailing items.

Of course, always recycle any leftover paper you’ve already read. Contact your local Solid Waste Authority to get the appropriate colored bin and pick up days for your area.

Kitchen
The average person uses 2,200 paper napkins each year.

If everyone used one less napkin each day, landfills would be reduced by 1 billion pounds of paper every year. Another solution is to purchase cloth napkins or even cheap washcloths for everyday use. Keep a basket full on the kitchen table or counter in place of the usual napkin holder. You may have a little bit more laundry but the land fills with thank you!

Also, make the switch to recycled paper towels verses “virgin-fiber” paper towels. Here in the U.S. we could save 1.4 million trees, 3.7 million cubic feet of landfill space, 526 million gallons of water and prevent 89,400 pounds of pollution by making the switch.

Cooking
In January the days are cold and the evenings colder. Sometimes Chili is just the thing to warm the family up. However, January is also the time for diets and making healthier choices so this recipe is a perfect mix. I’ve personally made this a bunch and it is always good. My meat loving husband gobbles it up and doesn’t miss the meat.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper (red, orange or yellow or a mix)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 ½ Tbsp chili powder (add more if you like it spicy)
1 tsp grown cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
2, 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
2, 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1, 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1, 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add sugar and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Optional - Serve with rice, Fritos, shredded cheese, sour cream and diced scallions

Family
As you shift into 2008 remember how important it is to encourage your friends and family in their hopes, dreams and goals for the future. The golden rule, “do to others as you would have them do to you”, is something we should daily remind ourselves to live. Think of ways to encourage those around you and you may find they encourage you right back! In the mean time, let me be the first to offer you this encouragement for 2008 - You will make a lousy anybody else, but you will be the best “you” in existence! ~Zig Ziglar

Kim Freeman is a co-founder of Smart Moms – Smart Business. She lives in Florida with her husband, 3 year old and is expecting baby number two in March 2008.

If you’d like to send Kim your tips for consideration please email her at
kim@smartmoms-smartbusiness.com.


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