House work can be really tough and draining. All the little chores left and right do not seem to end if you want to keep your home clean, tidy and in order. The good news is, a little planning, redecorating and remodelling can cut the amount of work to maintain your home. Here are some tips on cutting those household chores in half.

• Wipe of spills from furniture as soon as you spot them. This will save you time and energy if these small spills turn into stubborn stains.
• Put indoor plants in saucers or plates to prevent water spills on the floor.
• Place coat racks by the front door on top of a waterproof mat. This should prevent water spills during rainy days. Make sure you place a container for wet umbrellas as well.
• Buy a vinyl board or a blackboard for your children to discourage them from writing on the walls. A restricted play area will prevent the toys from appearing on random corners of the house.
• Install low clothes rack so that the children can arrange their clothes on their own.
• Opt for water-based art materials for the children’s art corner or art room. This will save you a lot of time and effort in removing your kids’ artwork from the living rom walls
• Hold a garage sale to prevent your attic from piling up with unnecessary stuff
• Clean-up oven and stove spillovers immediately.
• Discourage all members of the family from eating in bedrooms. Always have meals in the dining room or the kitchen.

If you’re like most people, your home is filled with clutter. And your garage is filled with junk and boxes. So is your attic. And your basement. Ever noticed that if you have moved, that you have boxes that remain unopened from your previous abode? All they’ve been doing is taking up space. Here are some ideas to sort out your clutter.

How old are your stuff? As some organizing gurus would say, if you haven’t touched a thing in three months, you probably have no use for it. Most of the time this is true. So if you do have stuff that you haven’t used in a long while, consider disposing of them (whether through a garage sale, donation or eBay).

Take inventory. Take a detailed inventory of the stuff that you have at home. Classify them based on “keep,” “throw out” and “not sure.”  Most stuff will inevitable be classified as “not sure” but don’t worry. You can still evaluate them based on other factors such as…

Future use. Has it ever happened to you that you suddenly have a need for something that’s magically stored in one of the boxes in your attic? Those would probably be very rare occurrences so the first tip would probably hold. However, if your plans for the future would most likely involve using them. Say, I considered disposing of my old college textbooks when I graduated but since I planned to teach eventually, I kept them. I still use them today.

Consider space. You might be the sentimental type  who considers everything a memorabilia for every event in your life. However, think of how much space your home actually has to allow you to keep them. If it would impede how you function at home, consider disposing of them.

Cleaning up after a paint job can be more of a chore than the actual paint job. It is not as easy as simply washing it off with soap and water since there are more materials to take into consideration. Here are some tips on cleaning up after a paint job.

First of all, to ensure the quickest, safest and easiest clean-up, opt for water-based latex paint. Just rinse off the paint residue in running water to clean-up.

Here is a DIY formula for paint removers if commercial paint remover is not available: mix four ounces of TSP (trisodium phosphate) with one quart of hot water. Apply the solution on the paint using a brush. You can rinse the paint and the solution off with plain water after 30 minutes. Remember though that you should always wear gloves when dealing with TSP.

Commercial paint thinners and removers can contain a number of toxic materials including methylene chloride which is a known carcinogen. When handling paint thinners and removers, wear masks, gloves, goggles and other protective gear. Also, do not work on an enclosed space and avoid these products if you have lung, liver or kidney problems.

Accidental splashes of paint, thinner or paint remover can be a normal occurrence. To get rid of them immediately, have a bucket of warm water nearby to rinse off the accidental splashes.

Do not dispose of paint, thinners and paint removers by simply disposing them down the drain. These usually have solvents that can be hazardous to the environment when uncontained. Call your local recycling center, health department or sanitation agency on how to dispose of these products.

Quite a lot of stuff have stickers slapped on to them – whether labels or price tags. Now, if you’re planning to reuse them or just remove the unwanted eyesore, it can be quite tricky. Here are a few tips on how to remove stickers.

To remove stickers from glass and metal surfaces, try using mineral oil or baby oil. Apply the oil on a piece of cloth or rag and cover the surface of the sticker. Saturating the area would be better. After the sticker soaks, you can peel the sticker from the surface. Use the cloth to remove any sticker residue. For bare metal surfaces, try using WD-40.

For plastic surfaces, try using alcohol to remove the sticker. Follow the steps mentioned in the previous section. For harder plastics such as those use for storage, you try using cooking oil. To remove the oily feel usually left on plastic food ware, a good wash using dishwashing soap would do the job nicely.

It can get tricky with porous materials such as cardboard and paper products. Commercial solvents are available for this sort of thing. Just make sure you don’t get too much on the surrounding surface or it can ruin the material.

In some instances when the surface isn’t that sensitive to contact such as plain glass, you may use a razor blade or craft knife to scrape off and peel away at the sticker. With care, this can be used to remove vinyl from car surfaces.

Adjustments around the house should be made if ever an elderly relatives decides to visit or live with you. You have to make sure that the house is safe for them and that moving around inside the house will not be too tiring and bothersome. Fortunately, adjusments need not be drastic and extreme. Here are some tips on preparing your home for the elderly.

Have a quick run through of the house and see if there are possible hazards that needed to be dealt with similar to when you are childproofing. Lessen the clutter around the house and keep the pathways clear and wide to prevent any accidents from tripping and falling objects.

Keep the temperature amiable to everyone expecially the elderly guets/residents. Older people often have reduced blood circulation and tend to stay put in one place. This makes them more susceptible to the cold even if the weather is not that nippy. Let the thermostat stay within 18.3 to 20 degrees celsius. Also, make sure that blankets are readily available for their use.

Telephones should be within their reach whenever they need it. Install one beside their bed but do make it easy for them to disconnect the phone whenever they don’t want to be disturbed. Also, opt for phones that have programmable memory. Store all the important numbers such as police hotlines, doctor’s contact numbers, ambulance and other emergency contact details.

Put night lights in different corners of the room and make sure the main switches are easily recognizable. This will make it easier for the older people to walk around at night while others are fast asleep.

One of the irritating things about home maintenance is keeping your basement dry. Worst case is that your basement gets flooded. While this can be drained (professionally and can be expensive), there’s still the threat of mold (since spores love damp and dark spots). Here’s how you can keep your basement dry.

One of the most critical things is the landscape. The ground surrounding the foundation of your home should be sloped away from your home so that rain (or even sprinkler) water would be directed away from your home into a proper drainage.

Make sure your rain gutters are clear from debris and is designed to direct water away from your home. Many faulty rain gutter placements actually just help water pool in a spot where it can actually flood the ground surrounding your home.

Caulk windows and frames of basement doors to prevent water from seeping inside. You can also try painting the basement walls with waterproof paint to prevent moisture from seeping through the walls.

If you live in a flood-prone area, consider installing a water pump with an automatic switch. This would at least mitigate a full-blown flood in your basement.

If flooding becomes a consistent thing for your basement, consider consulting with a landscape contractor for a more comprehensive solution to your problem.

Insects and other pests brings germs and bacteria everywhere they go. Also, their bites can cause serious itching and infection. It can be difficult to get rid of them completely but you can prevent them from going near you and all the things you come in contact with. Here are some tips on preventing insects and pests.

Bees are common in areas where there are fruit trees, flowers, clover or food. Be careful when passing through these areas as they can attack you any moment. Bees are most rampant during summer or after rainstorms.

The clothes that you wear can either attract or repel insects to you. Insects are drawn to clothing with bright colors and prints. Other products such as perfumes, hair spray, scented lotions and soaps, and aftershave can also attract insects to your direction. Try to avoid these when outdoors. Always wear shoes especially when walking in rass to avoid any unwanted bites and stings.

You can also prevent insects from going near your some by building a barrier of sand or concrete around the house. Some plants are also known for repeling insects effectively. Placing a stand of tansy near doors and windows help drive away mosquitoes and prevent them from comming inside the house. Basil, when placed in windowboxes or the patio can also keep biting bugs at bay.

Sweet liquids like juice and soda can bring in wasps and other stinging insects. Avoid keeping these drinks open or if possible, cover the cups and use straws to drink them instead.

Brick is just one of those timeless materials that you can use for your home or garden. They provide you with that quaint look that makes your house more inviting and homey. Bricks, though, still need to be maintained. Here’s how you can clean brick surfaces.

Brick surfaces and the spaces between them covered by grout or mortar can attract nasty mold and mildew so be on the look out for them. Some of these growths can eventually take on the color of brick so don’t assume that since there’s nothing that they’re not there.

Wear a dust mask and wear household gloves. If you also have goggles to protect your eyes, wear them. Dust from bricks can irritate. Plus, if you’re getting rid of mold and mildew, it’s best to be protected.

To clean mold and mildew, use a half part bleach to half part water solution. Spray the solution onto the brick, let sit and scrub with a scrub brush.

Make sure you air out and let plenty of sunshine hit the brick surfaces to keep them dry and prevent mold and mildew growth. If you have spillage, mop up and dry it out as soon as possible.

Bricks can also stain. For whatever reason, one quick way to restore the color of the brick is to get a spare brick of the same color and gently rub the surface with stain with the spare brick. This should rub off the offending stain.

Rust is a natural occurence. One really cannot stop it from happening especially if the environment is conducive to rusting. And yes, even the most expensive tools can turn to rust if not stored properly. Don’t give in to the urge of replacing rusty tools with new ones regularly. Proper handling of equipment will definitely save you from all the trouble. Here are some tips on dealing with rusty tools.

First things first. Do not give your present tools the chance to rust. As much as possible, store all your tools and equipment on a dry toolbox. Add pieces of chalk or charcoal inside the toolbox. These will absorb the excess moisture inside the toolbox which causes rusting. If you don’t have a toolbox, regularly clean your tools with steel wool. After cleaning, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the tools.

Using a steel wool pad, try to rub the rust off from already affected tools. If this does not work, use sandpaper. Sand the rust off the tools starting with a fine grade sandpaper. Reach for the coarser sandpaper if removing rust with fine grade sandpaper prove to be more of a challenge than a simple chore.

Try some lube. A can of WD-40 should be a stable in anyone’s toolbox. Spray on WD-40 to your tools to get rid of stubborn rust. You can then wipe it off with a rag or brush it off using a steel wool pad or sandpaper. WD-40, however, isn’t a long-term lubricant. For longer lubrication, consider using a true lube. Gun oil is a personal favorite.

For an all-natural take, prepare a large container filled with apple cider vinegar. Make sure that the tools can fit inside the container perfectly. Marinate your tools in apple cider vinegar for half a day. Dry the tools with a cloth and it should be rust-free and usable again.

I’d have to admit that my favorite all-around power cleanser at home is bleach. However, too much use of this thing can actually be harmful. Since it’s powerful stuff, it can actually eat away at material and if used full-strength can be harmful to you as user. Here’s an alternative to bleach for use for bathroom tiles and similar surfaces.

What you need:

• can of cream of tartar
• lemon wedges

What to do:

1. Wet the tiled surface
2. Sprinkle cream of tartar on the tiled surface
3. Rub the surface with the cut lemon
4. It takes quite a bit of effort and elbow grease but the effect would be great

Note: Basically, cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) is a combination of acids while lemon contains a mix of acid (ascorbic acid) and oils that prove to be great natural cleansers.