space
Tackling your closet. Consumer advocate Angie Hicks culled these tips from leading professional organizers to reclaim sorely needed space inside stuffed closets.
Start with one room or area because if you try to do it all in a day, you’ll become frustrated. Allot an hour or two dedicated to one area to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
Avoid buying duplicates by keeping items accessible. Return them to a designated spot when you aren’t using them to avoid misplacing or losing the item.
Bring in new, toss out old. When you purchase something, get rid of a similar item. When you shop, buy to replace, not to add.
Purge your wardrobe by donating things that don’t fit or are out of fashion.
Consider hanging pants the long way rather than folding, which takes up twice the space.
Use stacking hangers that can hold multiple garments.
Organize your clothes by color or by type.
Invite a friend or neighbor to help you organize and reciprocate in kind.
Keep in mind that round containers take up more space than square ones
Box, label and stack several large plastic storage bins with lids. Organize items according to their use, and label the bins accordingly.
energy
Safe decorating. While decking halls for the winter holidays, use these guidelines from Tab Hunter, president of Franchise Operations for Mister Sparky, America’s On-Time Electrician, to prevent fires and injuries.
Look for labels that say “fire resistant” when purchasing artificial trees.
Do not place trees near radiators or fireplaces, which should have a screen to prevent sparks from igniting nearby flammable materials.
Don’t burn wrapping paper or bows in the fireplace. They can ignite and result in a flash fire.
Never use electric lights on metallic holiday trees. If the lights are defective, they can charge the tree with electricity, resulting in electrocution.
Choose decorative lights that have been tested for safety by a reputable laboratory to make sure they are safe.
Outdoor lights should be fastened tightly on trees, house walls or other items used to hang them, to protect them from wind damage. Secure with insulated staples, or run the lights through hooks.
Plug decorations into circuits that are protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters to protect against electric shock.
Turn off all holiday lights — both indoor and outdoor — when you leave your home.
money
Cutting holiday costs Shrinking utility bills with a couple of tips from the December Ladies’ Home Journal.
In the kitchen, use a slow cooker for your holiday feast. Using an electric oven burns more than 22 times as much power per hour.
Beware of “vampire power.” Even though your appliances are turned off, leaving some of them plugged in automatically keeps energy flowing, driving up energy bills.
