Mano Caliente?

After years of killing everything I planted I think I finally have a semi-green thumb. My window boxes are in full bloom with help from the staff of Abide a While Nursery. So you might be wondering what the title of the blog means. My sweet sitter speaks Spanish and told me today that I have "mano caliente", or "hot hands", the spanish version on having a "green thumb". Grandma, if you are watching I have finally arrived!

As you all know I am a huge fan of Mrs. Meyer's and after last years honeysuckle spring cleaning line I was wondering how she could beat it. I love the smell of fresh rhubarb and have loved admiring it's beauty at the local farmer's market as well. My mom used to make strawberry-rhubarb jam every spring and we would eat it all winter. When the last jar was gone we all looked forward to hitting the strawberry patch in the spring. Check out this yummy addition to Mrs. Meyer's collection, a cleaning product that actually makes scrubbing a joyful experience. 

May - August is the time to win! My friend Grace of Sam & Bellie has just launched a giveaway. Each week she will feature a new designer of children's products. The products will be reviewed and then one lucky individual will win the item, no strings attached! I have hopped on board to review some of the products as well. The first being, Mom Spit, and no-rinse cleanser for hands and face. Check out her site and sign up! 

In-House Recycling Center

It would be nice if we all carried every recyclable item straight out to the blue bins the the garage, but not likely. Laziness often takes over and it ends up in the trash and therefore a landfill. Easy solution, an in-house recycling center. One for paper and one for plastic and glass. This is a great way to minimize your trash and maximize your recycling. I used to have a wire basket on my counter that we would fill up and take out at the end of the day, definitely not a clutter free option. Recently during a trip to Ikea I picked up these great bins that stack. I bought two and printed off signs to designate paper and plastic. When the bins get full the kids take them out to the garage and empty them into the blue bins.  If space is an issue keeping two cans under the sink is an option as well. 

Organizing your Appliance Manuals

Here is a great way to organize appliance manuals so you have them nice and handy in the kitchen. Purchase a file box big enough to hold all your manuals. Pull out your trusty label maker and start filing. Here are some sample categories: small kitchen appliances, small electronic devices, washer/dryer, ovens, home fixtures, just to name a few. While you are at it get rid of any manuals you no longer have an appliance for, and by all means send in those registration cards! Happy Filing!

Patio Gardens

Do you need a huge yard to have your own garden? No! I started small and am already excited but the results. I have included some pictures from my patio garden. From lettuce to tomatoes all my organic veggies are looking great don't you think? I have a wide variety of herbs as well. Parsley, rosemary, basil, sage, and mint looking delicious ready to eat. I purchased the small starter plants from the local farmer's market and used compost from my compost pile as well as organic soil the fill the pots. Any suggestions for other veggies that

do well in pots let me know. 

I am ready to expand to a raised bed very soon! 

Ideas for Storing Laundry Soap

Looking for a stylish, efficient, and simple way to store your laundry soap? Check out my personal soap jars to the left. I like to purchase my soap in bulk to save on packaging (more eco-friendly) & money. With the jars you always know when you are running low so you can pick up more when at the market instead of running out just for soap. They are also more pleasing to the eye then boxes of various detergents lining your shelves, ick. The final perk is you don't have to lift the whole box up to get a scoop out, here you just open the top and scoop out what you need, efficient and easy. 

Create an "Idea Book"

Lately I have been working with clients who can't seem to part with magazines because of one article, picture, or recipe.  I help them to create an "idea book" that way they can save all these ideas in a binder and recycle the rest, minimizing clutter and maintaining order. Here is how I do it. Take a binder ( I love the Green Room Eco brand from Target) use plastic sleeves to hold your pages and dividers to separate categories. Some of the categories in my book are: green living, home ideas, crafts, good things, kids. Every time I add something new I usually can purge something else. Say good-bye to the magazines from three years past, an "idea book" is the clutter free way to go. 

Are you a Locavore?

What is a locavore? A locavore is an individual who primarily eats food grown locally and within a certain distance from their home. This is a movement sweeping our country for many reasons. One being to support our community farmers. Another reason is food grown locally travels less of a distance to arrive on your plate. Why does this matter? Several reasons: less travel means fresher food, less preservatives to maintain the freshness, less gas to fuel the trucks/boats/planes to get the food to the market, & overall this is healthier for you and the environment. The first step to becoming a locavore is checking out your local farmer's market. The Charleston Farmer's Market is a great place to meet your local farmer's and try all their yummy treats. The market meets at Marion Square on Saturdays from 8-1 pm. Pack your canvas bags and head to the market! Join the movement!

Open Shelves in the Kitchen?

So I have been toying with the idea of removing some of my kitchen cabinets and replacing them with open shelving. I have two concepts I like, first is to remove the cabinet doors and paint the inside of the cabinets and the second is to put shelves with brackets up. I also like the idea of doing a combination of the two. So I would love your feedback. Here are a few pictures I like. I like this idea because it opens the room up and eliminates the desire to hide clutter in the cabinets. You only have what you need, nice and simple. Let me know what you like and why! Thanks! (Oh, and a great place to donate those extra cabinets is Habitat for Humanity)

Method Does It Again!

I love natural cleaners and make a point to try them all so I can recommend the best to my clients. When you are using natural cleaners a good old fashion scrub can be hard to find until now. Method has just introduced a kitchen and bath scrub called, Le Scrub, it smells like mint and eucalyptus and works like Comet. The line also includes a toilet bowl scrub I will try soon as well. Another great part of this product is the design of the bottle. A cut little sponge/scrubber has a spot to rest and dry right on top. Stop by your local Target and pick some up, or check it out online at the Method website. 

Save Water & Cash on your Bill

It is a known fact that 20-35 % of toilets leak about a gallon per hour. How do you determine if yours is one? Here are a few tips to checking for toilet leaks. Find you water meter and write down the reading, then turn off all water fixtures in your home, don't use any water for one hour, then recheck your meter. If the meter reading has changed you may have a leak. Another way is to drop food coloring into the tank of the toilet. If the colored water makes its way to your toilet bowl after a few minutes then you have a lose flapper. This alone can add thousands of gallons of water to your usage each billing cycle. Save water and $ and make sure you are leak free!

Community Composting at Hampton Park

Are you interested in composting but do not have the space or funds for a composter? Recently I found out that the Hampton Park Horticulture Center has community compost bins. You can save up your food scraps in a nice compostable bag and then drop them off at the bins. A few months later they will give you some "black gold" for your contribution. You can use this nutritious soil in your garden and plants at home. I have been researching composters because the one I had fell apart, so off the the recycling center it went. Luckily I was able to retrieve the "black gold" first. So until I find a new composter that will last forever and it easy to use I will bring my food waste to the community composter & wait for it to turn to "gold".

Cookware Beware!

Here is the basic bottom line on the safety of cookware:

Cookware to Avoid:

1. Aluminum - it is highly acidic and worst of all considered a neurotoxin and may be linked to Alzheimer's disease
   
2. Teflon - the chemical used to make the product is not only toxic to the environment but is toxic to you and your family
   
3. Any Non-Stick Pans (containing PFOA) - considered by the EPA to be toxic to the environment and is a suspected carcinogenic

Safe Cookware Alternatives:

1. Stainless Steel
2. Cast Iron
3. Glass and Ceramic such as Corningware or Pyrex
4. Enameled Cast Iron such as Chantal or Le Creuset

Another opportunity to clear out the clutter lurking in your cabinets!

A Ban on Bisphenol A?

I know we have covered the dangers of Bisphenol A before. But here is some new information. As mentioned before this chemical leaches out of your polycarbonate plastic into your food and beverages when the plastic is heated. BPA has been linked to many disorders such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, changes in brain structures,  and early puberty. Now they are noting that this chemical is also present in tin cans. The lining of the cans contains BPA. This is especially a problem with old cans; another reason to clean out that pantry! In Canada they are working towards banning this dangerous chemical because the research is so alarming. Avoid the concern and store leftovers in mason jars and glass containers. I tossed the plastic years ago in exchange for a set by Martha Stewart, it is still in excellent condition and has lots of sizes and shapes to store my leftovers and goodies.