ihalvorsen1's Profile

When my brother and I were kids, Mom insisted that the beds be made before breakfast. If not made, she would pull the bedding and pillows off the bed and toss them out the window onto the front lawn! It only took once (for each of us) for that humiliating consequence to sink in. Fifty-plus years later, the habit is still in force. I do love coming home to crisp sheets and a tidy bed. I'm not so anal about other housekeeping chores. Thank God for a bi-weekly housekeeper, worth every penny!

I had 50 year-old peach-colored tile and bathtub refinished by professionals. Both look great! The refinishing was not very expensive. It was much more economical than ripping out and replacing the tile and bathtub. Google "bathroom tile refinishing" to find a local service company. I did replace the ugly formica vanity with a pedestal sink, put in a new space-saver toilet, and replaced the mirrored medicine cabinet. With a fresh paint job and new towel bars and fixtures, the bathroom looks brand new.

Stupid fad. Do you buy the books by the yard?

I put all my herbs and spices in magnetic metal tins and hung them on a metal sheet secured to the wall behind the counter and on the side of the refrigerator. It really clears up cupboard space. I also emptied a linen closet and now use it as a pantry. It's only 6 feet from the kitchen and it enables me to store staples and cookware that won't fit in my limited cabinet space. The linens went into pastic bins, stored in a bedroom closet.