JFF This for That

When we go to a restaurant that has paper dip cups, I grab a few for my toddler to use at home. I keep a dustbuster charged and my 3 1/2 y.o. will sweep under his chair after meals. I also use it on our highchair seat. I keep an extra box of baby wipes on the table for easy hand and mouth wiping. I keep a coffee mug on the counter with all the baby spoons so they are easily accessible. I keep a pair of Pampered Chef kitchen shears in a holder on the kitchen backsplash to cut up food for my 13 m.o. It is so much easier than a knife! I line my baking sheets with foil for almost everything, that makes for super easy cleanup. I prepare as much as I can for dinner during the day. I will measure out ingredients and put them in the fridge until dinner. I line the baking sheet and put the food on, then put back in freezer. I make salads, cover, and put in fridge. My kids are a little crazy right before dinner, so this makes it a little less stressful! When we get home from an outing, one of the first things I do is replenish the diaper bag. Then, it is always ready. I have a large handled basket right inside the mud room door for gloves, hats, scarves, ect...

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Hand sanitizer is great to remove stains from microfiber. Whether it's pen or spilled milk, put a glob of sanitizer on, let sit for a little while, and wipe off.

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we "reuse" alot of plastic. we make tea in washed out juice or milk jugs. store leftovers in plastic containers that sour cream, yogurt, or butter comes in. and use plastic grocery bags for our smaller trashcans

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Shoe boxes to keep drawers organized--baby food jars, nail the top to a piece of wood, hang the wood in the basement or garage over a work table, use jars to hold nails, screws, washers, nuts, bolts ect. sprinkle used cat litter (take out poo) around flowers to deter bunnies from eating your flowers. old shoe laces to tie up plants in garden
yorgurt containers to make larger pieces of ice during the summer (top has to be bigger than the bottom)

I almost forgot ice cream buckets for uncooked pastas and rice--keeps the bugs out. And for small cleaning jobs better than lugging a big pail of water around, use the covers under plants and fountains to catch water overflows. Tin trays bakery comes in to start seeds, even if you punch a hole in it it still works and will drain if over watered. Jelly jars to start plants in, trim plant and put in to root. Peanut butter jars to put that last little bit of milk or juice in to make more room in the refridge. Any odd jars or bottles as vases. Paper lunch bags to make popcorn in microwave, non fat popcorn.

Do not put re-used plastic containers (cottage cheese or margine) in microwave, they can make food toxic.

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little gerber plastic containers...wash 'em out and use to store buttons pins etc....also, glass jar great for when kids decide they want to paint and need water.

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I use colgate tooth paste and a little water to clean my rings with gemstones(diamonds, aquamarine etc), I brush and rinse and everything is shiney. I also use the toothpaste for small pimples, dries them right up. I use dryer shhets and rub them inside my dress or pants when there is static, which tgere has been plenty with this dry cold air. I can't stand the smell of static guard spray.

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I use vinegar on my carpet to get out smells. For instance, my son threw up on our carpert. I tried like the dickens to scrub it with all sorts of rug cleaners, but the only thing that really got rid of the smell was plain white vinegar. Yahe

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Pam sprayed on noisey door or cabinets

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unused cloth diapers-burp cloths

plus i keep every baby jar, or tiny jar i ever had and keep paint in them

i use baby wipes for everything!,i use baby wipe containers for storage of pens, pencils thumbtacks, glue sticks, etc

My husband uses old pickle jars in the garage, he will screw the top in under the workbench then store nails and screws in the container, it works nicely

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You can reuse citrus bags - like the ones that lemons come it - as a dish scrubber! Just roll the sides of the bag down and secure sides to center with fishing line! Takes practice, but you can make them look just like the round puffs they sell in the store and they work very well!

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1. White vinegar or baby oil - I soak a cotton ball in vingar and squeeze it out really well to clean out my dog's ears to keep them from smelling. If his ears are really dirty looking, then I use baby oil instead. (Wish I could find unsented baby oil.)

2. Plastic Chinese take out containers/TV dinner containers - Great for starting plants in for the garden.

3. Yellow Nesquik boxes - Used for storing small toys or hardware like nuts, bolts, nails.

4. Instant coffie containers - Used for pet bugs.

5. Soup cans - Covered with contact paper and used for pencil holders.

6. Old vinyl table cloths - Great for drop cloths when panting.

7. Old baby bumpers - Used with bungy cords to cover the car windshield in the winter, so I don't have to scrape the windows. (Just attach the bungy cord to the car frame and baby bumper.

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I re-use my plastic coffee containers for everything. When it's yucky outside, I let my kids decorate them with construction paper to make them look pretty.

I use tennis balls in my dryer to speed up drying time. It also eliminates the need for dryer sheets. When the tennis balls get linty, I give them to the dog to play with.

I save all the tissue paper and gift bags, even if they're ripped. If they aren't able to be used again to give a gift in, we cut the designs out and make home made birthday cards.

I use a pizza cutter to cut everything up for my kids.

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Dawn dish soap (the blue stuff) works great to take those not-so-pleasant smells from the laundry. My husband's workout clothes especially need that treatment! I just add one teaspoon of Dawn to the washing machine, and when the load is done, it smells great!

We also use Dawn on hard-to-clean stains on the carpet. So far it has taken out orange juice, hot chocolate, poo, and vomit.

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old burp cloths make the best rags. my coffee grinder also grinds spices and sugar for powdered sugar in a pinch.