Five Smart Solutions

Busy moms have to make the most of their allotted 24 hours each day. This includes finding smart strategies and shortcuts to save time and energy. Smart Solutions by the Editors of First for Women magazine have compiled “250 simple remedies and quick fixes for everyday life.” Five random solutions are:

1. When shower doors are covered with soap scum and you don’t have time to run out for cleaner before your guests arrive, try this: Wet a dryer sheet and use it to scrub the doors. Lubricants in the laundry staple loosen the scum’s bond to surfaces, while the sheet’s woven texture scrubs away grime.

2. Forget spending hours vacuuming and fluffing pillows before visitors are due to arrive. Instead toss the décor pieces into the dryer with two old tennis balls for 30 minutes. The heat and movement of the dryer shake dust particles loose, while the pounding of the tennis balls plumps up the fabric and stuffing, ensuring fresh cushions that will impress even persnickety guests.

3. No time for a touch up? Here’s an instant fix for redheads and brunettes: Choose a mascara that closely matches your hair color and apply it to visible roots along the hairline. A quick blast from a blow dryer sets the mascara so you get a fast shot of confidence until you have a chance to color.

4. Sprinkle shoelaces with talcum powder to untangle a tricky knot. The powder works its way between the shoelace fibers, lubricating and loosening the locked-up laces for easier untying.

5. When there is no time to shampoo, sprinkle one tablespoon sea salt onto dry hair (two tablespoons if your hair falls below your shoulders) and massage with your fingers from scalp to ends. Leave on for 15 minutes – or as long as it takes to apply your makeup or eat breakfast – then brush it out. The coarse crystals absorb oil and product residue, so you get a relaxed start to your busy day.

This book has so many more great tips for the kitchen, bath, home, garden, beauty, and fashion. You can find more info at: http://bit.ly/955IiQ.