1. Think Always the End-First….When making a choice or decision, give thought to what the “End” results, events, occurrences and what the needs could be or will be. Also, write down these thoughts and what may be needed to resolve issue or dilemmas to are accomplish them. Think of what can happen, whether an experience (good or bad), fun, joy, even the responsibilities or needs it may create (one must be willing to make efforts to uphold their responsibilities it may take) not only for themselves, but for others as well.
2. Always Check The Weather….Either before your day starts or the night before (or for the week) check weather channel or use local weather apps. to help plan your days, traffic driving routes or in planning before a trip (check the weather of that destination), so to know what to expect. It is important to know what the weather will be like, to better plan days for your activities and clothing (cold or hot). Keep a jacket, sweater, extra pair of shoes and a small pop up umbrella (or any type you like) in your car and another umbrella at your home.
3. Prepare Your Days Ahead of Time….Whatever you can get done the night before, can always help with time management for the next day or week. Figure out clothing and/or food or needs for the next day, for yourself, your child, your pet, etc. Whether it’s the laundry, meals planned-out for 4-5 days, planning out what’s needed to get done through the week (month if any events, holidays or birthdays) or projects wanting to finish or get done. Have an area or place you can put your projects to get done aside and that is easy to recall and get to, to get done. **Get and Use calendars and each start of each new month take a moment to write plans, events, birthdays, shopping and how much you spent, laundry, date of paying due bills on-time and such (whatever you need to recall, reminded of or remember). Put them up in areas you frequently can check (like on your bathroom wall or kitchen). So, you can check it often and write on it conveniently.
4. When Making Appointments….Whether making a doctor, dentist, salon reservations or other appointments, coordinate setting up your appt. and in case you have to cancel or change the date, don’t let it be at the last minute. Always try to get in contact or call at the least a 24 hours before or as soon as possible. Being considerate of the schedule and time of the professional and those on a waiting list, someone like yourself may be in need for that time-space. Always keep appt. Reminders on your calendar to help you remember appointments, errands and chores, that need to get done or any event, birthdays or activities (dates and times).
5. Go Through Refrigerator Each Day….Clean out your refrigerator (check expiration dates), get rid of old or spoiling food. Wipe clean the insides daily or weekly, so it doesn’t become a hugh job later. Arrange food closer to the front on the shelves to be eaten first, so you can use them up and to help you recall what you have, so to remember what you have or need at the store to buy what you need to make meals. These are ways foods get eaten and doesn’t spoil, just sitting in there and be wasted. Try and keep food organized, where you can see them all, don’t buy so much food at one time (things go bad and have expiration dates). Buy what you will eat within 3-5 days (even with sealed saved left-over’s), that way you’ll be buying and eating fresh. Remember to check dates on foodstuffs you buy from stores and also, periodically check expiration dates on your stored spices, packaged and can goods etc.
6. Write Contents & Dates on Foods…. Use painters tape (it sticks, but comes off easy, area must be completely dry to stick) write on the ‘painters-tape’ to put upon container of food or other items of what the contents are, date made or write “eat by” a specify date. It can be used on various surfaces without ruining them when removing, it is good to be able to write on with a pen or marker, to leave a message to others as well. This way you can remember something about an item on the refrigerator or to help relay something and communicate with other’s you may live with.
7. Reuse Plastic baggies, all sizes….Rinse by swishing-out with warm water, a tiny bit of soap (if need be use a clean bottle brush), clean-out and wipe dry with clean towel or paper towel. Place over a bottle or something to dry and reuse plastic baggies. Do not try and rewash ones that had onion, garlic, strong odors or oily substances in them (or raw meat of any kind, throw those out after using ). If the plastic baggies had been only used for bread, fruit, cookies such like that or anything that, it can be rinsed-clean, dried and used a couple times before throwing out. I will even reuse paper plates or plastic plates & bowls if just bread or such that can be easily cleanened off and used again.
8. Water Pitcher to Collect Unused Water….Find a water pitcher or container that you can leave-out on the counter as you collect glasses of un-finished water (or plastic bottles of un-finished purified water), dump the water into pitcher as you find them or round them up, before dumping out or throwing away and soon you will be able to re-use that water to water plants, to cleaning or (preferably purified water) for pets. Keep a habit of turning-off running water at sinks, hoses and etc. when washing hands and such. Just amazing how much water we waste.
9. Must Have a Clean Mop & Water….You’d be surprised how dirty the mop is that you are using, to clean your floor with. Floors get clean and stay clean, when the mop being used, is clean before using it and when the pail of water is kept clean, as you clean. Floors should be swept thoroughly first, don’t use large amounts of cleaner and use clean hot water to wash and clean cool water to rinse when done. “YOU can’t get a floor or area clean, if you start with with dirty buckets of water or a dirty mop”, you MUST dump the water out (preferably in the toilet or outside) as you clean (possibly several times, even for one area), fill up bucket again with clean water (after dumping dirty water). Use the clean water in the bucket to rinse mop out (dump that water out), then repeat the process of filling bucket up with a little cleanser, then mop and dump. The floors will stay cleaner longer because you won’t be just moving dirt around and letting it dry. If ever using bleach to clean, hot water to clean (opens up surface pores) and then do a cold rinse, to close and seal surface, this keeps the surface from being so porous and gathering dirt faster. Hot water and white vinegar can clean tile floors nicely, but use only cleaning solutions recommended for specific type of flooring.
10. Waiting for Foods to Cook .. I always like to start with a cleaned-up area before I begin to prepare or cook foods. Never start to prepare a meal when you are tired (especially at night close to or before bedtime). Always cook when you will have time to appropriately be able to watch your food and never walk-away from cooking food (in oven or on stove). Always be careful of fire and burning hazards, such as things near your stove or burner areas as well as clothing and hair while cooking, (watch out for your sleeves & always tie hair back or put it up). Think ahead of what you are going to put the food in when it’s done or what to put the rest in, that’s going into the refride or freezer for left overs to eat the next day or after freezing for another time. I use wax paper or parchment paper to line my plastic containers, so that the food smells or residue doesn’t get into the plastic and its a very easy clean up later with just a minimal amount of dish soap and rinse. You can use the time (as food cooks) to clean-up the kitchen and around where you are cooking. Then, you’ll be ready to eat and have minimal time cleaning up and putting things away. If you are waiting for food in the oven or to be delivered, also use this time to clean, organize around the oven area and be ready to eat and clean-up after. Use parchment paper when cooking or baking in the oven, makes it easy for food removal and minimal clean-up. Put some parchment paper down on pan, bake or cook food in oven and when done, remove your cooked food and just roll up the used parchment paper near the trash and throw it out.
11. Easier Clean-Ups..When cooking n a pan or pot, after I’m done cooking, after I remove the food i was cooking, I use a mixture of food grade white vinagar and water mixture (I keep mine in a spray bottle) and spray it in the pan, pot or what have you, then wipe out all the residue and even grilled on stuff (use enough and let it sit on it a minuet), whether it is grease or what have you, then just wipe it out with paper towels and throw them in the garbage. If dealing with hot grease or oil after cooking, let cool a bit, pour in a can (coffee can or such, that won’t melt) if you don’t have anything to pour the excess oil or grease in, let grease cool and use plastic bag (like the ones you get from grocery store and place the plastic bag in garbage and carefully pour cooled grease into it, then use the food grade white vinagar and water mixture as mentiined above. Even if the grease or oil is completely cool and has a more solidified consistency, then use the same method (as above) to remove and wipe out (with paper towels) doing this there will be no big greasy mess to clean on item, in the sink or to transfer to dishes, scrib pads or water. Pour smelly (like tuna fish juice or such) or greasy substance in a paper or plastic cup or can, then put in garbage. These all also cuts down on attracting bugs from all that food, greasy, oil and smelly waste build-up in sink drains.
12. Laundry, Dish Soap (Using Way too much)….I have found that most of us use the wrong amount or use too much laundry detergent, dish soap, liquid hand or body soap and even shampoo. Laundry detergent is used as directed and for smaller load use (divide out clothing and items by material & color and make smaller loads instead of 1 extra large load, as they will clean better and then while one load is washing, another can be drying. Whatever is left in the detergent plastic container (when empty) fill container with some hot water, shake and pour in sink, in toilet to scrub with to clean or to clean hand washing of clothing etc.. Liquid-dish soap, hand soap and shampoo can be a bit trickier, as we squirt or pour those into our hands, try using less at a time because it still will work.
13. Line Small Garbage Pails (Bathroom or any) and cleaning floor-mats…. Using plastic grocery bags or from stores (it would be great if all plastic bags were bio-degradable), but nevertheless it will help keep your garbage pails cleaner, easier to just grab the bag and throw out in trash and you can wash or disinfect the pail out easier as well. Also, another tip is to use a sneaker or thick sturdy rubber-bottom-type-shoe to easily remove fuzz , pet hair and such, off outside/inside mats or rugs. This type of shoe-bottom seems to work (it can also work on rugs in house, on stairs to get excess hair and debris, then vacuum), for cleaning rug or mats; place hand in shoe and brush shoe bottom along one direction and it will pull off the hair and such, then remove all the debris, shake off outside/inside mats or rugs and then hose to wash-clean.
14. Make Efforts to Save Some Money…. Even if you can only put aside a small amount from your paycheck or earnings. Each week put it into a safe, a savings account, safety deposit box, (somewhere not easily taken or stolen) and wherever it will be safe and you won’t be inclined to easily take it out (only for an emergency, but then build up again). Let it be saved and build to larger amounts, even if it is difficult to do, it will add up. Don’t buy a lot of inexpensive little things, if you have your goal set on a bigger more useful item. Find ways to be able to save, go without something or learn more to earn more.
15. Finish Your Sentence with Children….Don’t constantly get upset at children, lose patients and contantly feel you have to scold them. Don’t get frustrated or just yell at them for not doing the right things. Tell them and show them (in a calm manner), what it is that they need to be doing and what they should be doing (age appropriate). Keep them busy and feeling like they are accomplishing something, by showing them how to play with toys and using their imagination, giving them something to do (age appropriate). Yet, don’t substitute keeping them busy or watching shows all the time, instead of giving them some of your time and attention. Get outdoors with your children (students, nieces, nephews etc.), look for items in nature (as in a tree, a flower, an insect, a rock), whatever there may or could be around and ask them to find it or point it out.
16. Clean Out Pets Bowls….As days goes by, it is easy to forget to clean-out your pets eating and drinking bowls. Their bowls build-up bacteria in them and get slimy films upon them. Remember to clean-out with hot water, soap and rinse and fully wipe out with paper towel and clean once at least 2 times a month (or more depending upon pet and bowls), it can get gross, unhealthy and cause various harmful and health issues for your pet. “A quick tip is that you can clean all out your pets bowl (in between fully washing), with a paper towel and then, use a spray bottle filled with 1/2 water and white vinegar . Spray this into the bowls and wipe clean in between feedings or cleanings, keeps them from building up slime”.
17. Cut Dog Treat Bones….My dogs get allergic reactions to most dog treats or dog bones on the market, no chicken or wheat ones are difficult to find. Rawhide can be damaging to their insides and the good-ones are very expensive. So I use a strong small garden clippers or larger ones (depending on the size and thickness of bone treats) I cut them up into 1/2 the size (not too small) just smaller portions, so they last longer and have more to give to them, for more days.
18. Think & Remember About Animals and Pets….Our pets (whatever they are dogs, cats, all animals), look at us for direction and for help. They may not be able to speak in the same manner we do, but they have much emotions, expression, much and feelings. In fact, they have similar emotions as; they get scared, often worry, have anxiety, they want to help, they get angry, they are sad, they can get depressed, they get lonely and they like having fun, can get thirsty, hungry, cold and hot and etc.. and we can see this, in observing them. They need to be shown and taught things too. Many a times they are punished or yelled at, when they are just trying to relay what their needs are, they may have to go to the bathroom or are thirsty or hungry etc. Keeping them on some type of schedule in feeding them and being able to go out and go to the bathroom and eliminate, so they can depend upon it. That way they’ll know they will get food and get to go out to the bathroom.. They may claw at you, bark or mis-behave or do something, anything to get you attention, so that you can help them. Give them time to go to bathroom when out, you can get to know when out on walks the signs they have to poo by noting what their behind (anus) looks like, take notice before thry go, it may have a certain color or puffiness, (i know that may sound gtoss, but sadly if theyhad to go and was taken in too soon, it’s not their fault if they have an accident!
“Every Action, may cause a Reaction; may it be positive and purposeful”.
C .STAR. V
