energy
Less to landfill. Back-to-school time is at hand, and students may be looking for easy ways to be green. The Pilot Pen Corp. has an alternative to throwing away used-up writing devices — BeGreen. This line of pens and pencils is made primarily from recycled content and packaged in recycled materials. Most are refillable for continued use and cost around $2. Look for them at Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and Target or online at .
money
Scrimp or splurge? Consumers increasingly pass over expensive, well-made products for highly designed, mass-produced merchandise, according to a recent MSN Money article. The piece explains that being removed from a time when women sewed clothes and families passed handmade goods down from one generation to the next has created an expendable mind-set. The instant gratification of using credit, and the proliferation of budget stores like Target and Kmart makes matters worse. But some things are worth a splurge:
An expensive, well-made coat lasts for decades.
A good mattress is worth the money because we spend at least a third of our lives on it.
A high-quality chef’s knife is worth the splurge, because one good 8-inch knife is all most home cooks really need.
Scrimp on non-essential things like dress shirts, table linens and accent chairs because these fashions quickly change.
time
Slowpoke housekeeping. Anyone who ranks housekeeping alongside cleaning fresh fish as their least favorite activity might heed these speed-cleaning tips from .:
Keep supplies together. Quick and easy access to your tools and supplies is key. Having to hunt for supplies can zap your motivation to clean.
Pump up the tunes. High-energy, fast-paced listening favorites make chores breeze by.
Worst comes first. Start with your least favorite room to avoid further procrastination. It helps to do the most difficult and annoying areas first to stay motivated. Once you’re done, everything else is a piece of cake.
Clean as you go. When you see a mess, clean it up. This can be as simple as grabbing a handful of items that belong upstairs when we know we’re heading upstairs anyway. It also includes wiping up spills and splatters before they have the chance to harden.
