country living simple country wisdom: 501 old-fashioned ideas to simplify your life

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

thehomethatwelcomes

1WHATMAKES

AWELCOMINGHOME?

2CLUTTERCONTROL

3WHATMEETSTHEEYE

behindthescenes

4THEELEMENTSOFCLEAN

5THETAOOFLAUNDRY

inthekitchen

6KITCHENWISDOM

7THEA–ZOFFOOD

8BETTERLIVING

THROUGHBAKING

harmony

9INTHEGARDEN

10AGREENERLIFE

_________________________________

FOREWORD

TheopeningwordsofLeoTolstoy’sAnnaKareninastrikeaninstantresponseintheheartof almost every reader: “Happy familiesareall alike; everyunhappyfamily is unhappy in its own way.” We think not only of families we haveknownbutofhousesandhomesthemselves.Ahomeismorethanacollectionoffabricandfurniture,ofroomsandwallsandobjects.Itisathinginitself,withapersonalityofitsownandanaurathatbothreflectsandinfluencesallwhocomeitsway. Tolstoymight just aswell havewritten, “Happy homes are all alike;everyunhappyhomeisunhappyinitsownway,”forthatishowitseemstous.Asyoucanimagine,wespendagooddealof timeseeing, thinkingabout,andknowing what makes a home special—the kind of homes we’d like to spendmoretimein,thekindofhomeswelikeenoughtoinviteCountryLivingreadersinto. Unhappy homes are like patients in a doctor’swaiting room, somewithobviousailments—clutterorneglect—andsomewithdisturbanceslessobvious,likethehomethatlooksjustfinebutissoaggressivelyorderlythere’snospaceleftforliving.Happyhomes,likeTolstoy’shappyfamilies,allhaveawonderfulfamiliarity to them.Theyhumwithenergyandefficiency.Theyarenotatwarwith thosewho live there,withamillion taskswaitingatevery turn,butglowwiththepromiseofcomfortandrespite.Howtoachievethisjust-rightharmonycouldbethestudyofalifetime,forit

isn’tjustamatterofhavingcleanfreshsheetsoraninvitingguestroom—it’samatterofknowinghowtohavethemwithaslittlefussandwasteaspossible,soyoucanspend thepreciousresourceof timewithyour friendsandfamily,andenjoy the art of living in a home that’s in harmony with itself and itsenvironment. Author Susan Waggoner, self-described student of old ways aswellasnew,hasgatheredthebestofherknowledgetosharehere.Whetherit’sano-scrubtricktomakebathroomfaucetsgleam,creatingagardenguaranteedtoattractbirdsandbutterflies,orsimplenocostwaystoslashenergyconsumption,her tips will help us all to live in homes that are more efficient and lessdemanding,withlessclutterandmoreroomforallthat’sjoyousinlife.

TheeditorsofCountryLiving

THEHOMETHAT

WELCOMES

1WhatMakesa

WelcomingHome?

Whereandhowwelive,whatwedothere,andhowweembracethespacewe’regiven,issurelyoneoftheworld’sgreatthemes.TheIliadmaybeaboutwar,butthefargreaterOdysseyisaboutmenwhowantnothingmorethantogetbacktotheir wives, children, and vineyards. By the time she reaches the end of theYellowBrickRoad,Dorothyhasnoqualmsatallabout returning toa farm inKansas.TheWindintheWillows’Mole,enticedtosetoffonawildadventure,beginstolongfor“thatlittlecurtainedworld”leftbehind.Mostofushaveahomelikethissomewhereinourhearts.It’sthehomewe

try to create everyday.Somedayswedoagood jobof it, somedayswe fallbehind.Often, there’sa loomingsense thatweshouldbedoingsomething—ordoingmore—thanweare,butwearen’tquitesurewhatitis.It’sauniquefeatureof thepast fewgenerations thatmanyofusgrewup in

chore-freechildhoods.Eventheword“chore”hasanold-fashionedringtoit.Sodoafewotherwords,like“visit,”“frontporch,”and“graciousplenty.”Yetallofthesewords,andthethingstheyrepresent,arepartofthathomewestrivefor,whetherweknowitornot.

PUTTINGTHEELEMENTSTOGETHER

Overtheyears,we’vekepttheidealbutlostmuchoftheknowledgeofwhatittooktogetthere.Mymother,thefirstwomaninherfamilytoworkoutsidethehome,neverlearnedtobakebread—thatwasthepointofcollege,afterall.Mygrandmother never taught me because she assumed that baking bread wassomething everybodyknewhow todo.Eventually, I learned tobakebreadonmyown.Andyearslater,mymotherdecidedthatbreadwassomethingshewas

interestedinaswell.Together,throughthecourseofmanytrialsanderrors,wecloned the Swedish rye bread my grandmother had made so effortlessly.Retrieving that one little scrap of the past filled us with a profound sense ofcontentment. When I think of my mother’s house, that day is the one Iremember.

Ofcourse,ittakesmorethanaloafofbreadtocreateahomethatisgraciousandcomforting to those within. But sometimes, the exact qualities seem elusive.Showyluxuryandstadiumsizedspace—thequalitieswearesupposed tostrivefor—don’t seem to be the secret. The ingredients that go into a home thatembraces and welcomes aren’t obvious, and they aren’t exactly the same forevery home. Yet over the years I’ve noticed that such homes have certainqualities in common; understanding them can help us restoremuch of what’sbeen mislaid in the scramble and tussle of modern life. Here are those keyqualities.

Oneofthehallmarksofawarmandinvitingkitchenisprovidingacentralfocus,suchasthisantiqueislandcompletewithbarstools.

HARMONY

Thereareallsortsofharmony,startingwiththehouseitself.Ahomethatsuitstheneighborhood,andsuitsthelotitsitson,conveysasenseofneighborlinessand community. I alwayswonder about the personwho breaks up a block ofvintagebungalowstoerectahigh-techconcretebox,orthepersonsodeterminedtohavehisstartercastlethatthere’sscarcelyafootofspacebetweenthehouseandthelot’sperimeter.

Gooutofyourwaytoestablishabitofneighborhoodharmony.Acousintoldmeaboutagoodfriendofherswhoownedalargedog.Sweetandgentle,tobesure,but adog that sizecould leavequiteamess ifhewere to slipoutofhis

yard.So soon aftermoving, the owner tookher dog,Vernors, on ameet-and-greetaroundtheneighborhood.Vernorsleftabusinesscardwitheachneighboraskingthattheypleasecallhishomeifheshouldgetoutandsomeonewouldbeover to clean up immediately. That was all it took, and Vernors has been apopularmemberof thecommunityever since.Allmost folkswant toknow isthat,ifaproblemarises,theycanmentionitwithoutriskinganuglyepisodeofporchrage.

Noroomshouldbeanisland.IfsteppingfromthelivingroomtothekitchenislikesteppingfromVersaillestoAmericanfarmcountry,andthediningroomisalessoninDanishmodern,theeffectisjarringandtheroomsfeelclosedofffromeachother.Whenroomsharmonize,eachseemsanextensionofthenext,andthewholehousefeelsmorespaciousandatpeacewithitself.

Selectharmoniousfurniture.Doesthefurnituresuitthepurposeoftheroomit’s in?Or does it hinder it, like a dining table centerpiece that’s too big, thedrive-insizedtelevisionsetintheconversationroom,orthereadingcornerwiththebeautifulbutimpossible-to-readbylamp?

CLEANLINESS

Theworldmakesalotofdemandsonus.There’salwayssomethingthatneedsto be done, someonewe need tomake time for, an item to pick up here andanother to drop off there, traffic that tests our limits, friends and coworkerscaughtindramasoftheirown,andoften,attheendoftheday,anynumberofto-dosandshould-dosthatalreadycastingtheirshadowovertomorrow.

Your home should be a refuge from all that. The “shelter” in the food,clothing,andshelterequationmeansmorethanmereprotectionfromwindandrainoraplacetostowone’sbelongings.Italsomeansshelterfromthestressesofthegreaterworld,alittleoasiswherewecanrelax,pursueourowninterests,sharetimewiththosewelove.

Ahomethat’sdirtyorclutteredcan’t fulfill thatpartof themission.Howcan it,whenyou seenew taskswaitingat every turn: thevacuumcleaner thatdidn’tgetput away, thepileofmailwaiting tobe sorted through, the laundryyoumeant to put away three days ago, the gritty, sticky corner of the kitchenfloor thatyoumeant togoatwithhotwaterandsudsbuthaven’tquitegottenaroundto.Andevenifyouputallthesechoresoffonemoreday,youstillfeeloppressed by them, drained of energy and a little guilty. Far from being amundane concern, learning how to keep a house clean and uncluttered is thegroundwork for many loftier achievements—happiness, thriving familyrelationships, intellectualpursuits, hobbies thatnurture creativity, and renewedenergyandenthusiasmforthelifeweliveoutsidethehome.

ANEATLYORGANIZEDRIBBONANDBUTTONSTATIONHELPSTOMAKEWRAPPINGPRESENTSANDCRAFTING

PROJECTSINUNIQUEPACKAGESAJOYFULANDEFFICIENTTASK.

Beyondacertainlevelofclean,I’venoticedthathomesthatfeelwelcomingall have a “tended to” look. Items that need repair aren’t in evidence; they’vebeenremovedtothebasementorgarage.Valentine’sstreamersaren’tdangling

asEastereggsarebeingdeviled.Mostofall,someonehastakenthetroubletomake things nice—to fluff up the pillows, fill a vase with flowers, put downfreshly laundered throw rugs, or set a pot of potpouri to simmer. These littlegrace notes of sight and scent do more to make a home feel gracious andexpansivethanalltheexpensivefurnitureintheworld.

EFFICIENCY

BeforeyouconjureimagesofCaptainvonTrappmarchinghischildrenaroundtothebeatofamilitarywhistle,oratimemanagementspecialistmovingpeoplefromonetasktoanotherwithoutasinglepause,restassured:that’snotwhatwemean.Yes, itmight bemore efficient to set the table for breakfast as soon asdinnerisfinished—butthennoonecouldplayMonopolyatthekitchentableorrelaxoveracupofbedtimecocoa,nowcouldthey?

Anefficienthomeisonethatrunssmoothlyanddoesn’tgetinthewayofthepeoplewho live there.This takes somebehind-the-sceneseffort—planning theroomstoaccommodatetheneedsandactivitiesofthepeoplewholiveinthem,understandingwhat tasksneedtobedoneandwhowilldothem,andplanningfor the“when”and“how”ofseeingthe jobthrough.Justas in thedaysof thefamily farm, efficiencymeans that everybody has a job to do, and pitches inwhen someone else is sick, has a test to study for, or extra responsibilitiesoutsidethehome.

Thosewho live ingracioushomes tend not to bewasteful. Furniture andpossessionsaretreatedwithcareandmadetolast.Waterisn’tleftrunningandlightsaren’tlefton,andpossessionsaren’tacquiredwithoutthought.Thismeansthatwhatisusedisneeded,whatisboughtisfullyenjoyed,andwhat’sleftovercanbesharedwithothers.

Thischeerfulkitchendisplaysitsplatesandbowlsintheopen.Theycoordinatebeautifullywiththeblueandwhitecheckedtilebacksplash.

Tryaddingapersonaltouchwithyourdishdisplay,suchasthishennestingwithstonewareyellowbowls.

SELFRELIANCE

Noonecanbetrulyself-sufficientinthisdayandage,andIwouldn’teventry,butI’msurethatawayoflifeinwhicheachofusdoesjustoneortwothingsandoutsourcesalltherestwon’tbetoorewarding,either.

Households thatpreserve thedo-it-for-ourselves tradition seem tomehappier,livelier,andmoreinterestingplacestobe,andthepeoplewholivetherearealmostalwayspeopleIwanttoknow.Youdon’tneedtospinyourownwoolormake your own furniture to get in the spirit, either. Trymaking your ownpizza instead of having it delivered, growing no-fuss vegetables like scallionsandradishes,ortakingonado-it-yourselfprojectthatyou’reprettysureyoucandoyourself.Pickupa craftinghobby likeknitting,quilting,or sewing.You’lllivearicher,morevariedlifebecauseofit.

Fun isanotherkindof selfreliance that’sworthbringing intoyourhome.

Turnoff theDVDplayer,shutdownthecomputer,andactuallydosomething.Readabook,playcharades,workajigsawpuzzle,getoutthebadmintonset,letthe rafters ring with activity— studies show that any of these will make youhappierthananothernightinfrontofaglowingscreen.

GENEROSITY

We’veallbeeninoneatonetimeoranother—ahomethat’sthebestmoneycanbuy, filled with expensive objects and furnished for royalty. There’s just oneproblem:youcan’twaittogetoutoftheplace.It’samazinghowmanytop-flighthomeshavea total absenceofgraceandcharm.They’re filledwithexpensiveantiquesyou’reafraidtositon,overwhelmyouwithenoughmarbletopavethecourtyards of Versailles, and do everything they can tomake you feel out ofplace.

At the other extreme is the modest home that might charm if only theownerwould stop fussing over everything and everyone in it. SigmundFreudmayneverhavecleanedahouse,buthehad thisonepegged. Inanearlycasestudy, describing the home life of his troubled young client, he noted thathouseholdwasaspaciousandwell-appointedone,butpresidedoverbyamotherwhocleanedandpolishedsorelentlesslythatitwasimpossibleforanyonewholivedtheretoenjoyit.

Ahomehastobecomfortable.Onceuponatime,everyoneknewthat,andfilledtheirroomswithoverstuffedchairs,afghans,andpaddedfootstools.Thatwasbeforetheageofoverdesign.Now,alltoooften,thewayachairlookscantrumpitsusability,andhomeownersgetcarriedawaywiththenotionofstagingaroomtolookjustso.

Try sitting in every chair in the room for about half an hour. Is itcomfortable?Youshouldneverkeepapieceoffurnitureyoudon’tlikesittingin—even if it’s a chair thatonlygetsusedwhencompanycomes.Whatkindoflogic is that?While you’re sitting there, youmight also try reading a bookorhavingacupoftea.How’sthelighting?Isthereaplacetosetyourteacup?Oh,that’s right.Youdecided a lampwould spoil the room’s look entirely, andnoone should be drinking tea there anyway because the cupmight leave a ring.

Whileyou’reholdingon toyour teacup, evaluate the room’semotional effect.Doyoufeelateaseandconfident,ordoyoufeelthatyoudonotfit,andperhapssomeoneelseshouldbesittinginyourspot?

YOUSHOULDNEVERKEEPAPIECEOFFURNITUREYOUDON’TLIKESITTINGIN—EVENIFIT’SACHAIRTHATONLYGETSUSEDWHENCOMPANYCOMES.

PERSONALITY

Homes thatwelcome you in don’t eradicate signs of life, they embrace them.They reflect the personalities and interests of the people who live there andconvey a sense of life going on in all its bustling, varied, and not necessarilypredictableways.

Ihaveafriendwho’soneoftheliveliest,mostintelligentwomenIknow,oneofthosepeoplewithadynamicpersonalityandsparklingpresencethateveryonerespondsto.YetthefirsttimeIvisitedherhome,Iwasstunned.Theroomsweretastefulandwell-decorated,thefurniturewascomfortableandinviting,yetIwasboredoutofmymind.Therewasn’tasinglescrapofmyfriend’spersonalityinthe room,or of her husband’s or her children’s. I felt I’d visited a rather nicesuiteinaverygoodhotel.Whenwebecamebetterfriends,shetoldmeabouthercollection of vintage tablecloths and kitchenware, and the daisystrewn dishesshe’d inherited from an aunt. Thinking of how much I would have enjoyedseeing these things, I askedherwhyshedidn’tput themout.She toldmeshethoughttheymight“clutterup”thekitchen.I’mnotsosuretheywould,butevenif they did, I’d take some really good, interesting clutter over antiseptic,impersonalneatnessanydayoftheweek.

Puttingpersonalityintheplaceyouliveiseasy—justgowithyourtastesandinterests.IfyouthinktheDepression-eraglassplatesyourgrandmothergotwithcereal coupons isprettier thanyour sophisticated, eggshellthinRosenthal,go ahead, fill your shelves with the Depression glass and put the Rosenthalaway. If you adore your collection of Populuxe barware, complete with pinkelephants cavorting around a cocktail shaker, find away towork it into yourdecor.Theeasywaytodothis,ofcourse,istostartoutwithanoverallstyleyoulikeratherthanthetrendofthemomentorthestylethat’ssoneutralitdoesn’tevenhaveaname.Chancesare that all the thingsyou loveandhaveacquiredover the years go together pretty well, and will work to create a home thatreflects your personality. The worst question to be asked by the person whovisits for the first time is, “I love this,who’s your decorator?”Butwhen youhearsomeonesay,“Thisplaceissoyou,”youknowyou’vecreatedsomethingspecial.

Acollectionofmismatchedeggcupsbecomesaquirkycandleset,perfectlymatchingtheowner’stastes.

Asetofbinocularsinvitesgueststotakeaseatonthisquaintporchandindulgeinafewmomentsofbirdwatching.

JOY

Warm,life-filledhomeshaveapulseandarhythm.Theycelebratetheseasonswith wreaths of autumn leaves in the fall and baskets of tulips in the spring.Theygetdressedfortheholidaysandsometimes,justliketheiroccupants,theyget new haircuts and outfits and even major makeovers. Most of all, theydevelop traditions of their own. Itmaybe a gesture as simple as turningon alamp in thewindow for the one coming home, or popping corn andwatchingmoviestogetheronFridaynights.Itmayberushingouttotoastthefirstsnowfalloftheseasonwithabottleofchampagneoranannualsummergaragesale,heldby everyone in the house,with the proceeds going into a piggy bankmarked“DisneyWorld.”Itmatterslesswhatthetraditionsarethanthattheyexist.Whenwegoaway, this iswhatweremember—howthingsweredone in that specialplace,andhowthedoingandthesharingfilleduswithhappinessandasenseofwell-being.

They say that people fall in lovewith houses, but houses never love youback,andIsupposethat’strue.Butifyoutaketimetomanageyourlittlepartoftheworld, if you put energy and thought into theway things are done, you’llreceivesomethingsthatareprettyvaluableinreturn—comfortandjoy,timetorelaxandappreciateyourlifeandthepeopleinit,androomsthatwelcomeyoueachtimeyoureturn.Allinall,prettywellworththeeffort.

2ClutterControl

Theloveliest,best-plannedhomeintheworldcanbecompletelyundonebythedetritusofeverydayliving.Inourmore-is-moreculture,weareconstantlyurgedtobuymore,havemore,actnowandgetonefree.Clutterissopervasiveinourlivesweoftendon’tnoticeit.Weaskourselveshowourneighborscanlivewithstacksofmagazinesormuchtoomuchfurniture,thengohomeanddon’tevennotice that the kitchen counter has become such a jungle of canisters, smallappliances,andbottlesofgourmetoilsthatthere’sbarelyanyworkspaceleft.Whetherwenoticeourclutterornot,itstilltakesitstoll.Wepayforitintime

spentonextracleaningandsearchingforitemsthataren’twheretheyshouldbe.Wepayforitinstrainedrelationshipswiththepeoplewelivewith,andlossofthe comfort and joy a home should bring. Oftenwe literally pay for it, sincemisplacedobjects tendtogetbroken,accidentally thrownout,or lost foryearsonend.Aperpetuallyclutteredhomecanmakeyouhesitatetoaskguestsover,or make you so self-conscious while they’re there you can’t enjoy the visit.Suddenly,you’reseeingyourhomethroughtheireyesanditisn’tpretty.

Filledwithcollectedtreasures,thisbookshelfoffersupmorethanjustbooks—butstillremainsfunctional.

THEFIRSTSTEP

Thisisn’twhatwehadinmindwhenwemovedin,orboughtpaintandfurnitureandinvestedsomuchtimeandenergyinmakingthingslookjustright.Yethereit is—clutter. And the more clutter there is, the more overwhelmed we feel.Insteadofbeingacalmingoasis,thehouseweliveinbecomesonegiantto-dolist,withacleanuptaskateveryturn.Beforethingsreachcriticalmass,herearesomewaystotakecontrol.

Cuttheclutterbynotbringingitintoyourhomeinthefirstplace.Resistsalvagingthingsyourfriendsaretossingout,andonlybuythingsthatareonsaleifyouwerealreadyshoppingforthem.

Knowwhereit’sgoingtogo.Ifyoudon’tknowexactlywhereit’sgoingtogo,andwhatyouplantodowiththeitemcurrentlyoccupyingthatspace,don’tbuyit.

Be realistic about the storage space that’s available in your home.Appliancegaragesaren’tbottomlesspits,andchancesare that thearmoire thatseemedsoemptyayearagohasfilleditselfupwhenyouweren’tlooking.

Agoodspottostartparingdownisthebookshelf.Havingboughtthousandsof books over the course ofmy lifetime, I’ve learned a few things. First, if Icheckabookoutofthelibrary,itwillgetreadyearssoonerthanifIownit,sothe library is alwaysmy first choice.Second, of the 50 to 100books I read ayear, thereareprobablyonlyoneor twoI reallywant toown.Everythingelsegets passed along to friends or donated to the library. Third, most of thereference books we think of as must-haves—dictionaries, world atlases,encyclopedias,andthelike—arenowavailablefreeontheInternet,alongwithresources like road maps, information on illness and disease, and consumerbuyingguides.The fun stuff is available too, frommovie guides to recipes tohow-tosforhobbiesandcrafts.

Gothroughyourholidaydecorationsonceeveryfewyearsandthrowoutdecorationsthathavegrownshabby,thatyounolongeruse,orthatnolongerfitwithyourhome’sdecor.

Furniturethatdoesn’tfit,nomatterhowwonderful, is justclutterunless it

trulyfitsthespaceandstylesurroundingit.Rethinkyourroomarrangementortradeitinforsomethingbetter-suitedtoyourdecor.

WHENIT’STIMEFORAMAJORCLEANUP,GIVECHILDRENGUIDELINESTOWORKWITHIN,THENLET

THEMDECIDEWHICHTOYSTOKEEPANDWHICHONESTOPASSALONG.

Makeanannual giveaway part of your schedule. Find outwhen the localrummagesalesare,orfindlike-mindedfriendsandagreetohaveajointannualgaragesale.Havingatargetdatewillgetyoumoving.

Giveyourselfan incentive.Decidewhat youwant to dowithmoney fromitemsthataresoldatgaragesalesoroneBay.Ifyoudonateitems,getareceipt—asacharitablecontribution,it’staxdeductible.

MAJORCLUTTERCLEANUPS

Everyhomehasspots thatareaSargassoSea forclutter.Objectscome to restthereandcirclearoundinasulkytide,buttheyneverseemtobreakfreeandsailaway.Identify the troublespots inyourhomeandtackle thosefirst.Don’t justpickup theclutter,but look forways topermanently resolve theproblem.Formanyofus,thehotspotisthekitchentable.Thesolutionmaybeassimpleasmakingahabitofclearingthetablecompletelybeforeeverymeal.Itemsthatendup in one place over and over againmay have no home of their own.Or thehometheyhaveisn’tworking.Ifthedeskatwhichyou’resupposedtodoyourhouseholdaccounts iscrampedandpoorly lit, chancesareyouraccountbookswill end up in whatever area you find more comfortable. Ask yourself whatwouldmake that forlorn little deskmore appealing to you.Better lighting?Aradio to keep you company? Amore comfortable chair? The answer may besimpler,andfarlessexpensive,thanyouthink.

Makeamasterplanfordoingamajorcleanupifyourhomehasbecomeverycluttered.Giveyourselfanamplecalendartoworkwith,setspecificgoals,andtakeononeroomata time—oroneclosetata time if that’sallyourschedule

allows.

Makingsureeachspaceinthehouseworkswellandservesits

Makingsureeachspaceinthehouseworkswellandservesitsintendedpurposewillhelpcontrolclutterthroughouttheentirehouse.

SETASIDETIMEEACHDAYFORCLEARINGUPCLUTTER.ILIKEDOINGITWHILEDINNERISCOOKING,

ORJUSTAFTERSUPPER.THENICANRELAXANDSPENDTHEEVENINGENJOYINGMYTIDYHOME.

Get out a camera and start taking pictures. I learned this one from aphotographer’s stylist.Photos showyou things the eye editsout, andanythingthat’soutofplacewillstandoutlikeaflashingneonsign.

Don’t try to do it all yourself unless you live alone.Ask everyone in thehouse to be responsible for stowing their own things at the end of the day.Givingchildrenbrightplasticbucketsorbinsandhelping themroundup theirtoysbeforebedcutsyourworkloadandencouragesgoodhabits.

Makesureeverythinghasaplacewhereitbelongs.Itemsthatarefloatersneverreallygetputaway,justmovedfromroomtoroom.

Stopobjectmigration. Look around the roomyou’re sitting in.Howmanyitemsdoyouseethatdon’tbelongthere?Neverleavearoomempty-handed—alwaystakesomethingwithyou,andreturnittoitsrightfulhome.

Keep going until it’s done. If you’re clearing up the kitchen and findsomething that belongs in the bedroom, don’t drop it off in the dining room.That’snotclearingup,justshiftingtheclutter.Oncesomethingisinyourhand,keepgoinguntilyou’vereturnedittotheroomitreallybelongsin.

Investinalarge,attractivebasketwithahandlethatyoucantotethingsupand down your stairs in. You can let objects bound for the next level gatherthere,yetthebasketisattractiveenoughtoseemlikepartofthedecor.

Whereverpossible,godigital.Anythingyou can storeor access indigitalformat—music,video,research,andalltherest—isagiantspace-saver.

Cleanthehiddenstash.Rememberthatwhirlwindcleanupjobyoudidafew

weeksago,whenyougatheredallthemagazines,projects,andotherclutterinashoppingbaganddumpedthebaginacloset—andleftit there?Sometimesanemergencyclean-and-stashisunavoidable.Butoncethecompanyhasleft,finishthejobtherightway.

Anumbrellastandbythefrontdoorwillhelpkeepbothyouandyourfloorsdry.

Don’t alphabetize your books, CDs, or DVDs—it takes far too long to re-shelve them.Arrangeby categories, andwhen it’s time to put the itemsback,closeenoughwillbegoodenough.

Haveasystemforkeepingmagazinesfrompilingup.First,enjoythepleasureofpagingthroughthemagazineandreadingit.That’swhyyousubscribedinthefistplace.Whenthemagazineisafewweeksold,gothroughitasecondtime.Tear out whatever youwant to keep, stapling continued articles together. Puteverythingyou’rekeeping in anoffice envelopeanddiscard the rest. In a fewmonths,sitdownandgothroughyourstackofsavedstuff.Invariablyyou’llfindthat, swept up in the excitement of themoment, you saved a lot of things forreasons you can no longer remember. I can’t tell you how many times I’veturnedapageofrecipesoverandover,unabletofigureoutwhichoneappealedtomeinthefirstplace.Allofthesemysterypagescannowbediscarded.Goingthroughyourstack,you’llalsofindarticlesthatdelightyoualloveragain.Theseare thekeepers, andyouwant tobe able to find themwhenyouneed them. Ikeepmysavedarticlesinfoldersinafilecabinet,withafolderforeachmajorinterest—reviewsofbooksIwanttoread,recipes,craftideas,homedecoration,andsoon.Everyfewyears,IweedoutthingsI’mnolongerinterestedin,sothefilesstaytrimandtidyaswell.

WHATNOTTOSAVE

When the clutter has accumulated and you need to do a general clearing out,herearesomeeasydecision-makers.

Don’tsavesomethingyouforgotyouhad.Ifyouhaven’tmissedityet,youprobablywillnevermissit.

Justbecauseitwasfree,youdon’tneedtokeepit.Ifyoudon’tlikeitwellenoughtohavepaidforit,tossit.

IFYOUHAVELOTSOFSHIRTSANDBLOUSESINYOURCLOSET,THESPACEUNDERNEATHTHEMMIGHTBEBIGENOUGHTOHOLDACLOTHESHAMPER,SOMESHELVES,OREVENASMALLCHESTOFDRAWERS.

Don’t warehouse pieces of furniture, appliances or electronics that“stillhavesomelife in them”and“somebodymightneedsomeday.”Someoneneedsthesethingsnow,andthey’llfindthemfasterifyoudropthemoffatthesecondhandstore.

Itmight come in handy someday, but not anytime soon. Yes, youmightneed package wrap and tissue paper sometimes, and your 12-year-old willdefinitelyneedsheetsandtowelswhenhegoestocollege,butchancesare99to1 that youwon’t be able to find the tissue paperwhen you need it, and yourcollegefreshmanwon’twantyouroldsheetswiththefadedvioletsonthem.

Toss the guilt. This includes gifts you never liked, family “heirlooms” thatseemmore like albatrosses, andbuyingmistakes you’ve sentencedyourself tolivewith.Ifyoureallywanttobekindtotheseobjects,givethemanewhomewithpeoplewhowillappreciatethem.Sharetheheirloomswithfamilymemberswhowantthem,andleteverythingelsebesomeoneelse’sfleamarkettreasure.

ALLABOUTCLOSETS

Closetsweren’t invented until fairly recently. For thousands of years, humansran about in blissful ignorance, stowing extra skins in the back of the cave,tossingclothesinchestsandtrunks,keepinglinensincupboards,andleavingthebroomrightoutsidethecabindoor.Thenonedaysomeonemusthavelookedatanassortmentof itemshiswifehad justaskedhimto takeout to theshedandthought,“Ifonlythisstuffhadalittleroomofitsown,righthereinthehouse,Icould shove it all in there andbe donewith it.” Itwas a real turning point inhistory.Because,ofcourse,wherespaceexists,clutterfollows.

Thisarmoireservesasaneatlyorganizedandaccessiblelinenclosetinthekitchen.

In 1900, closets barely existed. A few decades later, the jammed-to-burstingcloset was the biggest laugh Fibber McGee and Molly ever got. For anyonewhoever’s ever been afraid to open that door, here are some tips for neaterstorage.

Lotsofthingsdon’tfitconveniently,andshoesarerightatthetopofthelist.Theworstoptionisleavingtheminaheapontheclosetfloor.Attheveryleast,findabaskettocontainthem.Ifyouhaveroomonyourclosetshelves,storingseldom-wornpairsintheirboxesisanexcellentwaytotametheclutter.Displayingyour

rainbootsinthemudroomwillkeepyouorganizedandserveasaremindernexttimeitpours.

Knowwhat’sinyourclosets.Lotsofusdon’t,andthedeeperintotheclosetyougo,themoreyoufindyourselfstumblingacrosstheunknown.Ifthisisthecase, drag everything out of the closet. Anything that makes you say, “I’dforgotten all about that,” shouldgo into the discardpile.Anything thatmakesyousay,“I’vebeenlookingalloverforthat,”shouldbegivenanewhome,soyoucanfinditwhenyouneedit.

Setalimitonnostalgiaclothes.Saveoneortwoofthedressesyouloved,andafewofyourchildren’soutfits.Lettherestgo.Youhadthegoodtimes,andthesweetmemorieswillalwaysbewithyou.

Behonestwithyourselfwhendecidingwhichclothes tokeepandwhich todiscard.Areyoureallygoingtofitintothosetoo-tightitemsanytimesoon?Andyes,thoseolderitemswillbebackinstylesomeday,butwillyoubeinstyleinthem?Vintage clothes only reallywork if they’re from someone else’s youth,notyours.Asforthe“perfectlygood”piecesthatyoudon’tlikeandneverwear—letsomeoneelsefindthegoodinthem.

Ifyoubuyapieceofclothing to replacesomething that’swornorstained,throw the old piece away as soon as youget home. If youdon’t, youhaven’t“replaced”anything,justaddedtoacrowdedcloset.

DIVIDEANDCONQUER

Whenyoucleanacloset,trythe“fourpiles”method:

1Establishfourpilesintheroom:Keep,Repair,GiveAway,andDiscard.

2Asyoutakeeachitemoutofthecloset,putitinoneofthepiles.Youmustempty the closet completely, and everything must go to one of the piles.Noticethatthereisno“decidelater”pile.

3 When the closet is completely empty, look at theKeep pile. If it’s stillbigger thanyouhoped, trim it by10percent.Repeat this stepuntil you’resatisfiedwiththesizeofthepile.Returnthekeeperstothecloset.

4 NowexamineeachitemintheRepairpile.Whichonesarereallyworthrepairing?Who’sgoingtodothework?Whenwilltheworkgetdone?Howmuch will it cost, in time as well as dollars? Answer these questionshonestly, and you’ll probably be able to reduce this pile by 50 percent ormore. Give yourself a deadline for items you plan to repair. Bundle themtogether inabagorbox,write thedeadlinedateonit,andmoveit toyourworkarea.Ondeadlineday,throwawaywhateverhasn’tbeenattendedto.

5 TakeasecondpassthroughtheGiveAwaypile.Transfer itemsthatareshabby, stained, and badly broken to the discard pile. Bag or box theremainingitemsanddropthemoffwithinthenextweek.

6 Bag the items in the discard pile and carry them out to the trash.

Immediately.

Thinkcreativelywhenlookingforstorage.Anattractivewayto

Thinkcreativelywhenlookingforstorage.Anattractivewaytodisplayyourpearls,hats,andpursesisbyhavingthemaspartofthe

décor.

Iusedtolinemypursesuponaclosetshelf,buteverytimeIpulledonedown, several more came tumbling with it. Then one day I was in an officesupplystoreandsawaworldofpossibilities—stackablelettertrays,desktopfileholders,tiereddeskshelves.Thedimensionswereperfectforthecloset,andforlessthantwentydollarsIsolvedmyproblem.Noweachofmypursesisstoredinitsownslot,andIcangetonedownwithoutdraggingtheotherswithit.

Smallclothespins—thekindyoufindincraftstores—areanexcellentwaytokeepwide-neckeditemsfromslidingoff thehanger.They’llalsokeephangersfromcreatingthoseannoyingbumpsinyourshoulderseams.

Addextrastoragetoclothesclosets.Anarrowbookcase,turnedonitssideonaclosetshelf,makesaseriesofcubbiestoholdT-shirts,sweaters,shoes,andotheritems.

Attheendofthewinter,roundupallthecoats,scarves,mittens,andcapsanddecidewhichshouldbegivenawayordiscarded.Takecareofanyrepairs thatneedtobedoneontheitemsyouplantousenextyear,havethemcleaned,thenputthemaway.

Storeawayscarves,caps,andmittens inhatboxesmade to fit on closetshelves. Ifyouhaveachoice, alwayschoose squareor rectangularboxesoverroundones—yougetmorestoragespacefortheroomtheytakeup.

Cedarwoodblocksmakeexcellentclosetairfresheners,butalltoosoonthescentvanishes.Don’tthrowtheblocksaway—getoutyoursandpaperandgivethemalightsanding;thescentwillcomebackfullstrength.

3WhatMeetstheEye

Furniture,wall color, lighting, accessories, even the scent drifting in the air—beyond our home’s utilitarian purpose, most of us want a home to please,comfort,andeveninspireus.Mostofall,wewanttolookaroundtheplaceweliveandseeourowninterestsandtastesreflected.YetthetaskofgettingfrompointA to pointB, of choosing from somanyoptions and adding details andtouchesofourown,can seemoverwhelming. I sometimes feel that, togetmyhome looking theway Iwant it to, Ineed to stopworkandenroll inadesigncourse.Fortunately,itdoesn’treallyneedtobethatdifficult.Youhaveanideaofhowyouwantyourhometo look.Herearesomedesignreminders toget itthatway.

CHOOSINGYOURCOLORS

Paint, as almost everyone knows by now, is the quickest, easiest, and leastexpensiverenovationtoolknowntoman.Paintcanchangearoom’smoodandstyle.Itcanmakeagloomyroomseemcheerfulandasmallroomseemlarge.InColonialNewEngland,wherewinterswerebleakandhomeheatingwas in itsinfancy,brightcherryredwasthewallcolorofchoicebecauseitmadetheroomfeelwarmandfirelit.Andit’snoaccidentthatinScandinavia,wheresunlightisscarce or wholly absent for many months of the year, yellow houses dot thelandscape. Ifyou loveyourhouse,orwant to rekindle the romance, it’sworthknowing how to use paint. Then you’ll be free to change, freshen, andexperimenttoyourheart’scontent.

Visit paintmanufacturers’Web sites.Many have sample rooms you can“paint” with colors and contrasts to see how the shade you’re contemplating

would look. Computer colors aren’t exact because monitors don’t all displayalike,butyou’llgetagoodideaofhowyourshademightlookinabigspace.

Buy a small can of the colors you’re debating between and try them. Youdon’t need to mess up your walls to do it, either. Find some large pieces ofcardboard or posterboard, give them a few coats of primer, and paint them.Thumbtackthefinishedmasterpiecetothewall,livewithitforaweekorso,andyou’llprobablybeabletomakeadecision.

Tapeseveralcolorswatchestothewallyou’regoingtopaintandforgetaboutthem.Wheneveryouwalkbyorhappentoglanceinthatdirection,withallthedecisionmakingpressureoff,youreyewillautomaticallygravitatetoonecoloragainandagain.That’syour

color.

DON’TBEAFRAIDTOGOBOLD.MOSTPEOPLEPLAYITSAFE,ANDDON’TGETTHEEFFECTORTHEDRAMA

THEYWEREHOPINGFOR.

Thebeadboardpanelingpaintedastarkwhiteservesasadramaticbackgroundtothefireplace,mantle,wallpaperedbookcases,and

furniture.

Ifyouwant lightceilingsbutnotwhite, as itsprone toglaring, lookat thelightestcoloronthesamplestrip.Often,it’sanoff-whitesubtlytintedwiththedominantpigment.Ifthatisn’tthecase,askthepaintstoretomakeacustomtintforyou.Youceilingwilllookwhite,butwon’toutshineyourwalls.

Buymetal paint trays, even though they costmore than plastic and you’regoingtothrowthemawayintheend.Theplasticonescrackeasilyanditdoesn’ttake much to tip them over, so metal reduces the chances of a really messyaccident.

Askstorepersonnelforadvice.Mostofthemareveryknowledgeable,cantellyouthebestwaytoaccomplishwhatyouwanttodo,andcankeepyoufrom

gettingoffonthewrongfoot.Findingoutwhetherornotyouneedtolaydownacoatofprimerfirstisagoodplacetostart.Paintingadarkwallalightershadeorusinglatexpaintoveranoilbaserequiresaprimer,butthereareotherconditionsthatdoaswell,sotakethetimetofindout.

After painting a room, but before putting away your tools, find a piece ofcardboardthesizeofasheetoftypingpaperandpaintitthecolorofyournewroom.Whenit’sdry,writethenameofthemanufacturer,thepaintnumber,andthenameoftheshadeonit.Whenyougoshoppingfornewitemsfortheroom,youhaveagiant-sizedswatchtotakewithyou.

LIKETHEWALLPAPEREDLOOKBUTDON’TWANTTHEWALLPAPER?CONSIDERSTENCILING.AMOTIFCANBEREPEATEDATMEASUREDINTERVALSTOGIVETHESAMELOOK,BUTWITHOUTTHECOMMITMENT.

Sometimes,there’saboldcoloryoulovebutjustknowwouldn’tworkinthewholeroom.Trypaintingalimitedareawithit—asinglewall(suchasthisorange

overhanginthischeerfulbedroom),theinsideofbookshelves,thewallextendingabovethefireplace.Thatjoltofcolorcanaddabrightnotewithoutoverwhelming

theentireroom.

HOWTOPAINTAROOM

Arefreshedroombeginsatthepaintstore.Ifit’sbeenawhilesinceyou’vepainted, be sure to check out the latest gadgets. As I discovered last time Ipainted,edgers,extenders,pint-sizedrollers,andalotofothergearnowmakeitpossible to do perfect walls and ceilings in places that won’t accommodate aladder.Onceyou’rehomewithyourpaint, it’s time to takeeverythingoff thewallsand take everything that’smoveable—including furniture—out of the room. Itseems likea lotofwork,but itwillmore thanpayyoubackwhen it’s time topaint.Pushalltheremainingfurnituretothecenteroftheroomandcoverwiththeplasticsheetsyouboughtatthepaintstore.Cover the floor as much as possible with drop cloths. You may not bepaintingontheothersideof theroomyetbut trustme,someonewithpaintontheir shoewillbesure towalkwherever there isn’tacloth. Iprefer touseoldsheetsthatcanbethrownawaywhenI’mfinishedasdropclothsratherthantheplasticdropclothssoldatthepaintstore,becausetheplasticslidesaround.Examinethewallsforcracksanddivotsthatneedspackling.Ifyou’refillinginadivot, remember that spackle shrinksas itdries, soyoumayneed todoasecondapplication.Besuretoletthespackledryatleastaslongasthecansays—longer,ifpossible,tomakesurethere’snofurthershrinkageorcracking.

Wash the walls with soapy water, even though you’re about to paint overthem.While you’re at it, dust or wash the baseboards as well. Paint doesn’tadhere well if the walls are dirty, and painter’s tape doesn’t cling to dirtywoodwork.Aquickversionistodustthewallslightlyandthoroughlycleanthebaseboards.Removeelectricaloutletplatesandregistercovers,andcovertheswitchesandoutletswithtapetoguardagainstdrips.Tapeeachsetofscrewstotheplatetowhichtheybelong.Protect the baseboards by running a strip of painter’s tape along the upperedge. Press it down as you go and, instead of pressing it down to cover thebaseboard, let it stickout horizontally—itwillwork like a tray to catchdrips.Tapearoundthewindowsanddoorframesaswell.Work from the top down. Splatters happen, so this way you won’t besplatteringawallyoujustpainted.Startwiththeceilingandcrownmolding.Ifyouarepaintingthecrownmoldingadifferentshadefromtheceiling,youwillneedtoavoidmarringthefreshlypaintedarea.Ifyouhaveasteadyhandandalotofconfidence,usea smallbrush tocarefullypaint theedgeof themolding

thatabutstheceiling.Smallspotsandsmearscanbetoucheduplater.Ifthisideamakesyouweakattheknees,thereareacoupleofalternatives.Oneistoaholdastraight-edgedmetaltrowelagainsttheceilingasyoupaint.Youcanalsousepainter’stape,butthatmeanswaitingfortheceilingtobethoroughlydry.I’velearned that “dry” and “thoroughly dry” are two different things. The ceilingmayfeeldrytothetouch,butusingtapetoosoonmaycausedamageifitisn’tcompletelyset.Howlongthistakesdependsonthehumidityinyourhome,andhowthickorthinthecoatofpaintwas.

Nowyou’rereadyforthewalls.Again,startatthetop.Useabrushoranedgingpadtopaintacleanstraightedgewherethewalljoinstheceilingormolding.Useabrushtopainttheupperfewinchesofthewall,thecornerseams,andaboutsixinchesaroundthewindowsand

doors.

Afteryou’vetakencareoftheareasthatmustbedonebyhand,switchtoyourroller.Thankstoallyourprepwork,you’llbeamazedtoseehowlittle timeittakestocoverthewall.Step back every so often to see if there are places you missed. Remember,though,thatpaintchangescolorconstantlyasitdries,sothepieceofwallyoujustdidwon’tlooklikethepatchyoustartedwith.I’vefounditeasiertoletthewholeareadry,thenapplyasecondcoatifneeded.If you’ve finished yourpaint job in one day, throw the rollers away. If youplantopainttomorroworthenextday,washyourrollersandbrushesinwarmwater(assumingyou’reusinglatexpaint),squeezethemout,andletthemdry.Mypersonaladvicewhenitcomestorollersistobuyarollercoverforeverydayyouplantopaint.Ittakesgallonsofwatertogetthepaintoutoftheroller,

andmineseldomdrycompletelybeforeI’mreadytopaintthenextday.Thisisaproblembecausetherollerthatfeelsjustalittledamphasaconsiderableamountofmoistureinit,andthemoisturedilutesyourpaintandmakesforabadpaintjob.Sostartingwithanewrollercovereverysessionismucheasier,savesalotofwater,andresultsinafarbetterpaintjob.Whentheroomisdry,replacetheswitchplatesandregistercoversandenjoyputtingyournewroombacktogether.

Iusedtosaveallofmyleftoverpaint, just incase.Eventually, I realizedtwo things.First, if Ieverneeded todomore thana touch-up, I’dhave tobuynewpaintandre-dothewholeroomanyway,becausetheoldpaintwouldhavefadedandthelargetouch-upswouldn’tmatch.Ialsorealizedthatpaintleftinacanwitha lid thatno longer sealsdriesout, andpaint takenout to thegaragefreezes.NowIpourenoughforminortouchupsinasmallmayonnaisejaranddisposeoftherest.

Useadropofpaintonacottonswabto touchupascratchorother typeofblemishonapaintedwall.Youwon’twasteabunchofpaintandyouwon’thavetowastetimecleaningapaintbrush.

Keepadampclothwith youwhen you’re painting.Wipe up any splattersright away, andwipe your hands often to avoid accidentally leaving a trail offingerprintswhereyoudon’twantthem.

DECORATINGTIPS

Whenitcomestohomedécor,trendsaren’tnecessarilyyourfriends.It’seasytogetsweptupinthecolororstyleofthemoment,buttheresultcanbeacookie-cutterlookand,afewyearsdowntheline,anembarrassingabundanceofpeachwallpaper,shagcarpeting,andavocadoappliances.It’sbesttostickwithastyleyoulove,whetherit’sEnglishcottage,mid-centurymodern,orfarmhousestyle,andleavethetrendsettingtoothers.Yourpersonalstylewillalwaysbeclassicforyou,andtheonlyreasonyou’llendupwithgreenshagisbecauseyouloveit.

Asmallcollectionofmirrorsbrightensthiswhitestaircase.

Keepa folder or notebookof ideas you like, and look through it often.Over time, two thingswill happen.You’ll keep coming back to certain looksoverandoveragain,and they’ll seemas freshandenticingasever.When it’stimetoremodel,you’llhaveamuchclearerideaofwhatyouwant.Infact,youmay find that,without realizing it, you’ve already been subtlymoving in thatdirectioninyourchoiceofnewaccessoriesandminorupgrades,soyourmajorremodelmightnotrequirethemajoreffortandexpenditureitotherwisewould.Theother thing thatwillhappen is thatyou’llweedout ideas that appealedatfirst but don’twearwell over time. I am just soglad I didn’t buy that $6,000hand-carvedsandalwoodChinesebed.

Bedeckedwithvintagelace,theantiquefurniture,mirrors,andchinasparkleagainstthecleanwhitepaintpalette.

Ifyouseearoomyoureally,reallylove,copyit—evenifeverythinginthephoto isway out of your price range and a few don’t quitematch your style.With a little thought and creative shopping, you can find items that give thesamelookandfeel,andadapttheonesthatdon’ttobettersuityou.

Makeasmallroomseemlargerbychoosingglass-frontedcupboardsandcabinetsthataddvisualdepth.

Keepafileforyourhouseaswell,andtherecordoftheworkyou’vedoneon it. It’s especially useful to note the name, number, and brand of paint youused on a room, as well as a super-sized paint chip to help you choose newfabrics and furniture that harmonize. It’s also a good idea to note themanufacturerofvariouspiecesoffurniture,andkeeparecordandreceiptofthepurchase.

Investinstorage.It’seasytogetcarriedawayoverlampsandchairsandyetanotherendtable,butstoragethatlooksgoodisworthitsweightingold.

GIVEACUSTOMLOOKTOYOURHOMEBYADDINGWOODWORKDETAILSSUCHASCROWNMOLDING,

WAINSCOTING,ANDCHAIRRAILS.

Make the things you love part of your decor. There’s no point incollectingvintagelinensorantiquetoysifyounevergettoseethem.Showoffyourcollectionsandfindcreativewaystodisplaythem.

Replace standard issue hardware or hardware that’s at odds with yourdecor with something that’s a better fit. Upgrading cupboard handles, drawerpulls, and doorknobs gives an expensive custom look and underscores yourhome’suniquestyle.

Ifyouhaveafireplace,makeitthefocalpointoftheroom.Evenifit’snotaworkingfireplace,nomatter—thinkofitasapictureframeforyoutofillwithsomethingbeautifulandeye-catching,likealuxuriousfloralarrangementoranantiquequiltdisplayedtoshowoffitsrichcolors.

Fillthebarespotsonthewallthatarecryingoutforamajorpieceofart.Ifyou haven’t found the right one yet, take the pressure off yourself and try agroupingofsmaller,thematicallyrelatedpictures.Ifyoufindtherightpieceofmajor art, these fillins can be put to use elsewhere.And if you don’t find themajorpieceyou’relookingfor,youmightdecideyoulikethearrangementyouhave,andtheimpactcanbejustasdramatic.

Whentheseasonschange,dressyourroomsfortheseason.Lightercurtainsandbrighterpillows,slipcovers,andthrowswelcomeinspringaswinter’sonitswayout,whileswitching toaccentcolors likegarnetor topazset thestageforfall andwinter.Nomatterwhat the season is, there should be items you lookforwardtosettingoutandseeingagain.

Growafewattractiveplantsinpotsandyou’llleverbeatalossforindoorflowers.Justarrangetheminawickerbasketdeepenoughtoconceal thepots,tuck in some added greenery, and you’ll have an impressive display at amoment’snotice.

Replaceho-humoverheadlightinginyourdiningroomwithauniquechandelier.Peopleoftenmakethemistakeofeconomizingonlightfixtures,butyoureally

shouldn’t.Agoodlightfixture,especiallywhenotheroptionsarelimited,shouldbelookeduponasapieceoffurniture.Nomatterwhatyourroom’sstyleis,there’salightingoptionthatwillmakeyourheartsing.Thisstrategyhasanotherplusaswell—bydrawingtheeyeupward,totheairierpartsoftheroom,therightfixturecan

makethespacefeellighterandlarger.

Giveyourbedroomaluxuriousfeelbyaddinganextrasetofpillowstothebedandbuying thenext size largerduvet.You’ll neverneed to fightover thecoversagain.

Rememberall thesenseswhenyoucreateyourhome.Vary the textures infabrics and materials, give the nose a bit of a treat by adding vases of freshflowersanduselampsaswellasoverheadlighting.

TEMPTTHESENSES

Decoratingyourhomewith scent is as important asdecoratingwith color andfabric.Hereareafewwaystomakeyourhomesmellasgoodasitlooks:

Letthesweetsmellsofsummerinbyusingfansandcrossventilationandavoidingairconditioningwheneverpossible.

Findhigh-qualityscentedcandlesandburnthemwithabandon.(Tip:Keepyourcandlesinthefreezerandthey’llburnlonger.)

Make your own simmering potpourri by filling a pot with water and

addingcitrusrinds,wedgesofcitrus,oramixofapplepeelsandcinnamonsticks. Turn the burner on low and your house will smell delicious—justdon’tleaveitunattendedorletitboildry.

Soak cotton balls in concentrated extracts such as vanilla, lemon, ororangeandtuckthemawayinacorner.Ifyouhavechildrenorpets,guardagainstaccidentalingestionbyputtingthefragrantballsinanysmallplasticbottle with a childproof cap, punching numerous holes in the bottle, andmakingsurethecapisonsecurely.

Mypersonalfavorite isanall-purposefragranceIuseasanaftershowersplashandroomspritz.Tomakeit,findanold,emptyperfumebottlewithanatomizer(though any spray bottle will do) and fill it with about a cup of witch hazel(availableatanydrugstore).Nowaddateaspoonortwoofpurealmondextract.This isespeciallygood for fresheningdraperiesandupholstery, since it’s lightandfreshanddoesn’tharmorstainfabric.

Openthewindowsandairoutroomsyearround,evenduringwinter.

Achairsitsbesideasmalldresserinthecornerofthisrusticbedroom;theperfectplaceforthemorningritualoflacinguponesshoes.

HOWTOSTAGEAROOM

Isyourfurniturepushedbackagainstthewallslikebalesofhay,waitingforthebarndancetobegin?Thispopulararrangementisalsothemostmisguided.Mostpeopleoptforitbecausetheywanttheroomtolookspacious,butitneverquitedeliverson thepromise.Nomatterwhereyousit,youfeel isolatedandon thefringes.Tomakeconversation,youhavetocallacrosstheroom.Evenifyou’rein the roomalonewithabook, thearrangement stilldoesn’twork.There’snosenseofcoziness—youjustfeelliketheflyonthewall.Andhavingbeenaguestinmanysuchrooms,Icantellyouthatwhenitcomestomingling,youmightaswellfilltheroomwithroadblocks.Thesimpleactofgoing to the buffet table makes you feel as conspicuous as a high schoolgraduate crossing the stage to get a diploma, while the idea of introducingyourself to a stranger on the other side of the room makes you fear beingmistakenforastalker.Nowonderpeopleusuallyendupinthekitchen.Thebare space in themiddleof the room becomes an alleypeoplewant topassthroughasquicklyaspossible,becausethere’snothingtokeepthemthere,noobjectsof interestorcomfortableplaces toperch.Tomake the roomwork,you want to reverse the equation, and go back to what Vikings, NativeAmericans,Africanvillages,andhundredsofothercivilizationsknew:lifetakesplace in thecenterof thehut.Whatyouwant is tokeep thefoot trafficon theedgesof the room,andclusterpeople closer to the center.True,youprobablydon’thavea firepitorcooking fire there todraw thecrowd,butyoudohavefurniture.Sopulltheseatingawayfromthewallsandmakeclusterpointswherepeoplecangatherandtalk.AgoodarrangementisthecapitalH,withsmallsofasservingas thetwoparallel linesandacoffeetablecreatingtheconnectingbar.Chairsflankingafireplace,positionedtofaceeachotherratherthantheroom,orchairs buttoned together by a small end table—all these simple arrangementsworktomakearoomseemfriendlyratherthanforbidding.Ironically,theyworktocreatesomethingelse,too—spaciousness.Pullingthefurnitureawayfromthewallcreatesanextralayerofspacethatmakestheroomexpand.Takethetimetomakeafloorplan,drawntoscale,oftheroomsyoulivein.Since this is a bit of work, have several copies made or scan it into yourcomputer andput theoriginal away for safekeeping.Working fromyour floorplan, draw simple shapes to represent your furniture, and shapes to representfurnitureyou’re thinkingofbuying.Nowyouhaveaneasyway toexperimentwithdifferentarrangementsandseehownewpieceswouldfit.Itmayseemlikechild’splay,butitreallydoeshelpyougetafeelforwhatwillworkandwhat

won’t.Match the scale of the furniture to the size of the room.As a rule, a largeroom will make small-scale pieces look fragile and even cheap, rather thandelicateorstreamlined.At theotherendof thespectrum, largepiecesshrinkasmallroomandmakeitfeelcramped.Onewayyoucanmakealargepieceoffurnitureworkinasmallareais toreducetheamountoffurniture.Iftherejustafewpieces,thespacedoesn’tfeelclaustrophobic.Ifyoucanresisttheurgetoaddmore,yourlargepieceturnsintoafocalpointthatmakestheroomarounditseemlargerratherthansmaller.Can’taffordthatmajoradd-onjustyet?Youmayalreadyhavethespacethatwillmakeyourhomefeellarger.It’strulyironichowmanypeoplefindporchesinvintagehomesirresistible,butignoretheirownporches,decks,andpatios.Inthepast,people revered theirporches, and treated themasanextensionof thehouse itself. If youhadgrandparentswith a porch, youprobablyknowwhat Imean. I remember porches with fancy gliders and round oak tables wheresummer suppers were eaten. My grandparents’ porch had a built-in benchspanning one end, piled high with cushions and pillows, just begging you tostretch out for a nap. Times have changed, but this is one tradition worthbringingback.Chancesareyourporch,deck,orpatiohasplentyofspacetotap.Thetroubleis,thespaceisoccupiedbyabarbecuegrillwithaweather-rumbledcover,thegardenhosethatreallydoesn’tbelongthere,andlawnchairsthathaveseenbetterdays.Startgivingyouroutdoorspacethesamecareandattentionyougiveyourindoorspace.Paintorrefinishthesurface,upgradethefurniture,addsome conversation pieces and accessories and “indoor” touches like rugs,tablecloths, and lighting.The areawill seem like an extension andyour homewillfeelmorespacious,evenwhenyou’reinside.

Bigcouchesflankachestintheengaging“H”layout.

WHATMAKESAGREATGUESTROOM?

Oneofthejoysofhavingaclean,well-run,andthoughtfullydecorateddwellingissharingitwithguests.Youwantyourfriendsandrelativestoenjoyyourhomeasmuchasyoudo,andyouwanttomaketheirstayspecial.Havingbeenaguestaswell as a host, here’smy list of guest room ingredients for a pleasant andmemorablestay.

Make the space clean and inviting. It’s especially important that a guestroomisbrightandcheerful.Noonelikestofeelthey’vebeenwarehousedinagloomy, forgotten corner. If your guestroom does happen to be somewhatsomber,doalittlecreativestaging,suchastossingabrightthrowacrossthebed,addinganextralamp,orchoosingsheetswithapunchofcolor.

Take away the clutter. Many guest rooms are dual-purpose rooms, andfunctionmostof the timeas thehomeoffice, thesewingroom,or theexerciseroom.Taketimetoclearoutorputawayasmuchoftheroom’sotherlifebeforeyourguestscome.Unclutteredalsomeansprivate—for the lengthof thestay,familymembersshouldfindanotherplacetochecktheiremail,exercise,andalltherest.

Show your guests they’re special. There’s a particular kind of happinessthat happenswhen you see something thatwas put in the room especially foryou. It could be a small vase of flowers from the garden, a little coffeemakerwith an assortment of coffees, or a few homemade cookies on a pretty plate.Whateveritis,youfeelspecialandwelcomed—andhowoftendoesthathappeninlife?

Provideadeskandachair.Mostofusorganizeourselvesarounddesks.It’sthewaywe live in themodernworld,andnothavinga familiarplace to leave

yourkeysorpurse,orsitatwhileyouplanyourday,canbeabitdisorienting.

Beagoodconcierge.Ifyourguestsaregoingtogoadventuringontheirown,givethemmapsof thearea,keys,adviceaboutwheretogoandwhat tosee—whatevertheyneedtofeelenthusiasticaboutexploringyourneckofthewoods.

AWARMANDINVITINGGUESTROOMCANSERVEASAMULTIPURPOSESPACE—ESPECIALLYWHEN

DECORATEDWITHADESKANDCHAIR.

Providingbedtimereadingforguestsisamust.

Don’t forget the basics. Some people can’t fall asleep without the radio,

othersneedtoreadabit,andstillothershavetoknowwhattimeitistheminutethey open their eyes. We all have our little habits and ways of comfortingourselves.Offer something to read or look at before bed.One of the things I lookedforwardtomostaboutvisitingmyfavoriteauntwasthebedsidereading.Itwasalwaysabookchosenwithgreatcare,oneshewasconvincedIshouldnotlivewithout reading, and it always delighted me. I’ve carried on the tradition ofleaving a book or two on the night table, but I also leave vintagemagazines(preferably from the year of my guest’s birth), family photo albums whenrelatives are visiting, and old letters and greeting cards my guest and Iexchangedyearsago.

Add a “just for you” touch. Everybody likes goodie bags, and puttingtogetheralittlebasketofwhimsicaltreatsletsmyguestsknowhowhappyIamthat they’ve come to seeme.Anything can go into the basket, as long as it’sinexpensive and not at all practical—little bars of chocolate, crochetedpillowcase edgings for the cousin who has a countrythemed home, a ceramicolive tray I got at a flea market for fifty cents, a dummied-up newspaperheadline announcingmy guests’ arrival. It’s fun, it feels good, and it gets thevisitofftoagoodstart.

BEHINDTHESCENES

4TheElementsofClean

Whenyouthinkaboutit,cleaningisreallyaformofdecorating.Allofushavebeen inordinaryandevenhumblehomes thatheldconsiderablecharmsimplybecause theywere faultlesslyclean, justaswe’veseen thecharmofotherwiselovely homes ruined by dingy shower curtains, streakywindows, and scuffedfloors.Sodislike cleaning thoughyoumight, theonlyway tomake sureyourhome’sbeautyshinesthroughistomasterthebasictaskofkeepingitclean.

PREVENTATIVECLEANING

Thebest,mostefficientwaytohaveacleanhomeistokeepdirtandmesstoaminimum in the first place. With a little thinking ahead, you can cut yourcleaningtimeinhalf.HerearesomeofthebestwaysIknowtocleanless—andenjoyyourhomemore.

Most household dirt—about 75 to 80 percent—is tracked in from outside.You can keep much of it outdoors where it belongs by cleaning driveways,porches, sidewalks,andgarage floors regularly.Oil spills in thegarageshouldbeimmediatelyattendedto,asoilspreadseasilyand,oncespread,isextremelydifficulttoremove.

Vacuumorshakeentrywayrugsandmatsat leastasoftenasyouvacuumtherestofthehouse,andwashthemonceamonth(ormore,whentheweather’sbeenbad).Outdoormats should alsobewashed just as frequently.There’snopointinleavingthedepositeddirtthereonlytopickitupandtrackitthroughthehouselater.

VisitingrelativesinSweden,Inoticedthateveryoneautomaticallyshedtheir

shoesatthedoor.Nowondertheirgleamingwoodenfloorsborenoscuffmarksorgrit.Ibroughtthistraditionhomewithme.

Positionyourumbrellastandasclosetothedooraspossible,soyouwon’thave to carry a dripping umbrella into the house. If there’s room, keep a fewrolledupnewspapersconcealedinitonwhichtosetwetshoesandboots.

Ifyouhavepetsthatgooutdoors,wipetheirpawsandcoatswhentheycomeinfromaruninnastyweatheroramuddyrun.Theextrafewminutes it takeswill savea lotofcleaningdown the line,andmostpetsenjoyanice rubdownwithadrytowel.

Pressingthatlittlebuttontoturnontheexhaustfanwhileyou’recookingisoneofthemosteffectivestepsyoucantaketoacleanhome.Smokeandgreasearestickymagnetsfordirtanddust.Dispersedintotheair,somedriftintootherroomsandsettleonfurniture.

Makesureeverydoorhasadoormat.Ifpossible,usethedoubledoormatsystem—oneoutsidethedoorandasecondmatorruginside.Mostpeoplewillautomaticallywipetheirfeetasecondtime.

Haveyourcarpetsandarearugsprofessionallycleanedonceortwiceayearwillreduceyourdustingandvacuumingdutiesthroughoutthehouse.

Hardwood rockers on hardwood floors are usually a high-maintenanceproposition.Evenifthewoodsareevenlymatched,theywearthefinishoffeachother.Saveyourselfthetroubleofre-stainingandfrequentwaxingbycoveringthebottomofeachrockerwithastripofmaskingtapeorpainter’stape.Besideskeeping both floor and rockers in good shape, the tape repels dust.All you’llneedtodoisreplaceiteverysooften.

IFYOUHAVEAFIREPLACE,YOUCANKEEPSOOTFROMGATHERINGBYTHROWINGAHANDFULOF

SALTONTHEFIRE.

HOWTOCLEAN

Sad to say, I reached adulthood without the vaguest notion of how to clean.MuchofwhatIknowtodayIlearnedfromafriendwhogrewupinafamilyofeight. Here are some of the best tips he gave me, along with a few I’ve

developedonmyown.

BEREALISTICABOUTTHETIMECLEANINGTAKESANDDON’TFRUSTRATEYOURSELFBYTRYINGTOCRAMINTOOMANYTASKSATONCE.WHENTIMEISSHORT,DO

WHATNEEDSDOINGMOST.

Understandthethreelevelsofclean.LevelOne:Tasksthatmustbedoneeverydayorseveraltimesaweek;LevelTwo:Tasksthatmustbedoneweeklyormonthly;andLevelThree:Tasksthatmustbedoneonceortwiceayear.

Makealistofthetasksyourhomeneedstostayinthecleanzoneandassigneach one to a category.Make a plan for how each onewill get done.Bakingchocolatechipcookiescanbelefttochance.Cleaningneedstobescheduled.

Haveaplan.Don’t just sayyou’regoing to“do thebedroom”or“clean thebathroom”—makeamental listof thingsyouwant toaccomplish. Is today theday to change the sheets?Dust under thebed?Clear out themedicine cabinetandwashthethrowrugs?

Gatherallthesuppliesyou’llneedforthetaskathandandkeepthemtogetherinacaddyorcleanbucketsoyouwon’twastetimerunningbackandforthforthemorwonderingwhereyoumislaidthespray

cleaner.

WHENBUYINGBOOKCASESANDSTORAGEUNITS,CONSIDERGLASS-FRONTEDDESIGNS.YOU’LLSTILL

BEABLETOSEEYOURBOOKS,ANDPUTYOURFAVORITEOBJECTSONDISPLAY,BUTOH,THETIME

YOU’LLSAVEDUSTING.

Doitall,nomatterwhateveryoudecidetoclean,evenifit’sonlythecluttereddesk. Cleaning one thing halfway, and another thing halfway, means nothinggets completely cleaned, and you never get the satisfaction of seeing the jobdoneright.

Trytovacuumwhenthenaturallightintheroomisatornearitsbest.You’lldoabetterjobandwon’thavetocomebackfortouch-ups.

Rememberthat thepurposeofcleaning is to removesoilandclutter,notshiftitaround.

Putontheradioorsomemusicwhileyouclean.Musicwillboostyourenergyandmakeyoumoreproductive.Avoidthetelevision,though—you’llbetemptedtowatchit,andevenashortglancefromtimetotimeslowsdownyourprogress.

Don’tgetsidetracked.Nowisnotthetimetositdownandgothroughthoseoldmagazinesortryoutanewfurniturearrangement.Keepmovingandgetthecleaningdone,thenrewardyourselfwiththefunstuff.

Television commercials are so long these days you’d be surprised howmuchyoucangetdoneduringthem.Beforetheshowstarts,plotyourcourseofaction—dusting,vacuuming,emptyingthedishwasher,ordozensofothersmalltasks.Theminutethecommercialstarts,getoutofyourchairandgetbusy.Foreveryhourof television,you’llgain twentyminutesofcleaning time.A lotofthe chores on your to-do list will vanish painlessly, and youwill have gottensome exercise in the bargain. If you’re watching a TV program with nocommercials, find someworkyoucandowhileyouwatch—paybills, sewonthatmissingbutton,orgothroughthosemagazinesyou’vebeenmeaningtosort.

Look for opportunities to multitask. Wiping down the tiles, faucets, andsoap dish while you’re take a shower is a painless way to eliminate a morechallenging job later. If you brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day,you’vegotanextratwentyfourhoursayearthatcouldbeusedwipingdownthesinkorcounterswithyourfreehand.

Dustwheneveryouseedust.IseldomnoticedustwhenI’mactuallydusting.Instead,InoticeitwhenItakesomethingoffashelf,changethebulbinalamp,

orturnonthetelevision.NowIhavecleandustwipesstasheddiscreetlyalloverthe house, ready to go.Whenever I notice the dust, I take an extraminute towipeitaway.Wallsneeddusting,too.Notjustthefarcorners,wherecobwebsgather,buttheentirewall.TheeasiestwaytodothisiswithaSwiffer-styledrymop.Fitthemopwithafreshdustcloth,swipetheentirewall,workingfromtoptobottom,anddiscardtheclothwhenyou’refinished.

Every home has impossible-to-dust items. Instead of avoiding them, trycompressed air. Designed for computer equipment, it’s convenient to use andcan be found in any office supplies store. It’smy favoriteway to clean driedflowers,candles,lampshades,intricatevases,figurines,andcarvedwoodpieces.

THEORDEROFCLEAN

When you’re going to tackle an entire room, here’s the order that’s mostefficient:

1Removeanythingthatdoesn’tbelongintheroom.

2 Put away objects that belong in the room but are out of place. Hang upclothes,returnbookstoshelves,putawaytoysandcraftsprojects.

3Gatheruprugs,slipcovers,throws,tablecloths,andanythingelseintheroomthatneedswashing.Ifyoudon’thaveasecondsetoflinensfortheroom,gettheloadoflaundrygoing.

4 Start at the top. Dust overhead lighting fixtures, ceiling fans, coffers andopenbeams,draperyrodsandcornices.

5 Unless they are too heavy to handle, take artwork,mirrors, pictures, andother ornaments off the walls. Put them in the center of the room (oranywhereawayfromthewalls)anddrapeasheetoverthem.

6Dustthewindowframes,doorframes,anddoors.

7Dustthewallsfromtoptobottom.

8Bythistime,yourloadofwashingshouldbedone.Transferittothedryer.

9Returnmirrorsandpicturestothewall,dustingeachoneasyoudo.

10Dustthefurniture,lamps,countertops,andelectronicsintheroom.Asyougo, straightenanyareas thatneed tidying—bookshelves,end tables,knick-knackshelves,andsoon.

11 Pick one thing to do in the room that isn’t absolutely necessary, such asstraighteningthedrawers,washingthewindows,orsortingthroughastackofoldmagazines.

12Dustthebaseboardsiftheyneedit.

13Vacuumupholsteredfurniture.

14Vacuumthefloor.

15Openawindowtoairouttheroom.Ifit’scoldout,closethedoorwhenyouleavetheroomtokeeptherestofthehousewarm.

16Finishtheroom’slaundry,andreturnanythingthat’sdrytotheroom.

17Closethewindowandleavethedooropen.

Useslipcoverstokeepyourdiningroomsetpristine.Justtossthemintothelaundrywhentheygetscruffy.

COMPANYCOMINGANDYOUDON’THAVETIMETOSCRUBTHEFLOOR?RUNADAMPMOPAROUNDTHE

EDGESOFTHEROOM,PAYINGSPECIALATTENTIONTOTHECORNERS.PEOPLEWILLTHINKTHEENTIRE

FLOORISSPOTLESS.

There are substance abuse issues concerning compressed air, especiallyamongchildrenandteens,andfatalitieshavebeenreported.Ifyouhavechildreninyour house, and this is a concern, skip the compressed air anddust theoldfashionedway.

Useapaddedlintbrushtodustfabriclampshades.It’sgentleanditworks.Aconventional dustcloth doesn’twork—it either releases the dust into the air orgrinds it into theshade—and theupholsteryattachmenton thevacuumcleanerdoesn’tsuitmostshades.Sostickwiththelintremover.

Bookjacketsareeasytodust,butthegroovesalongthetopofthepagesareadifferentstoryaltogether.Dustseemstosettlethereandevenadust-attractingclothdoesn’tgetitall.Thesolutionistoforgetthedustclothanduseaclean,drypaintbrush,thesametypeyou’dusewithhousepaint.Theindividualbristlesdigoutthedust,andyoucanbrushvigorouslywithoutfearofharmingthepages.

Getridofthesmell.Oldbooks,withtheirstampedleathercoversanddecklededges, add interest to any bookshelf. But if that fascinating old volume has aslightlymustysmell,you’llwanttogetridoftheodor.Aneasywayistoputthebooks in a brown paper bag with an open box of baking soda, fold the bagclosed,andputitawayandoutofsightforaweekortwo.

Scratches on a glass-topped table can often be smoothed away withtoothpaste.Usetraditionalpasterather thangelandrubgently.If thescratchesaren’ttoodeep,theyshouldbemuchlessnoticeable.

Vacuumyourcouchandupholsteredchairsregularly,eveniftheydon’tlooklike they need it. When invisible dirt and dust are left on the surface of thefabric,peoplesitonitandgrindtheparticlesdeepintotheweaveofthefabric.Over time, thisbuildsupandbecomesnoticeable,andby the time itdoes, it’stoolatetovacuum,andevenupholsterycleanermightnotwork.

Doonelastthingatnight,nomatterhowtiredyouare.Whetherit’semptyingthedishwasherorjustwipingthebathroomsinkandfaucets,itwillbeonelessthingtodotomorrow.

BATHROOMTROUBLESPOTS

Keepingabathroomacceptablycleaniseasy.Takingittotheleveloflike-newclean is anothermatter altogether. Below is rapid relief for common ailmentssuchaswaterspots,mineraldeposits,andsoapscum.

Fornaturalandcontinuousair-freshening, dousecottonballswithyourfavoritefragrantoilandstickoneortwoincornersandinthemedicinecabinet.

Clean the bathroom after your shower or bath, when the steam hasloosenedthedirt.

Mildewinthegroutingbetweentiles lookslikedirt, rangingfromgraytoblack.Eliminating itmaynotbe asdifficult asyou think.Try the easiestwayfirst—fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and apply directly to the affectedgrout, wait ten minutes, the rinse. If this doesn’t do the trick, dip a cleantoothbrush directly into the vinegar and scrub gently. The grout should comecleanwithsurprisinglylittleeffort.

Wash the shower curtains. There are all sorts of home remedies forscrubbing mildew and soap scum from these, most involving a lot of elbowgrease. I’vehad thebest resultsbyputting thecurtain in thewashingmachinewith ordinary laundry soap and the recommended amount of bleach per load.The bleach eliminates themildew,while the laundry soap goes after the soapscum,shampoostains,andalltherest.Thismethodwillworkonclothaswellasheaviervinylandplastic.

Preventmildew in thebathroomwithgoodventilation.Run thebathroomfantodrythetubandshowercompletelyafteruse,anddrawtheshowercurtainclosedtopreventmildewfromgettingatoeholdinmoist,dampfolds.Washingthetubandtileswithadisinfectantcleanser,thenrinsinganddryingthoroughly,willalsohelpkeepmildewatbay.

Rubyourceramic tileswithcarwax, let stand for tenminutes, thenbuffthemasyouwouldyourcar.They’llgleamforyou.

To get your cloudy faucets gleaming, you could spend a lot of timescrubbingoryoucoulddowhatmygrandmotherdid.First,wipeoffwhateveriseasytoremove.Next,swabthefixturesliberallywithordinaryvinegar.Soakaclothorpapertowelwithvinegarandwrapitaroundthefaucet.Goawayforanhour—spendsometimeinthegarden,ormakethosecookiesyourchildrenhavebeen asking for.After an hour, remove thewrappings and give the fixtures a

finalrubwithafreshpapertowel.

POLISHYOURBATHROOMMIRRORWITHSHAVINGCREAMTOPREVENTITFROMFOGGINGUP.ANYBRANDWILLDO,SOLONGASIT’SFOAMRATHER

THANGEL,ANDTHEEFFECTWILLLASTSOLONGASYOUDON’TRUBTHEGLASS.

Prevent soap scum and residue from building up on shower doors bygettingintothehabitofrinsingandwipingthemdownaftereachshower.

If soap scumhas built up on your shower doors, you’ve probably alreadydiscoveredthattheusualgo-tocleanersaren’tespeciallyeffective.Oddasitmaysound, lemon oil does the trick. If the build up is heavy, it may take a fewapplications, but soon your doors will be smooth to the touch. Once they’reclean, wiping them with the oil once a week should prevent scum fromreappearing.Lemonoilwillalsoremovethosesplotchywaterspotsonthemetalframesaroundtheshowerdoors.

Ifmineraldepositshavemarked thewater line ofyour toilet bowl, addenough water to cover the line, toss in a few denture tablets, let them workovernight,andwhiskwiththebowlbrushinthemorning.Repeatifneeded,andpreventfuturestainsbyrepeatingweekly.

Mineraldeposits thatbuildupinsideashowerheadcanbeeasilyeliminated.Removetheheadandmixonehalf-cupofvinegarwithaquartofveryhotwater.If the showerhead has plastic parts, soak them in this solution until thewatercools.Ifmineraldepositsremain,repeatthetreatment.Ifyourshowerheadisallmetalandhasnoplasticparts toworryabout,pour thesolution inasaucepan,addthehead,andsimmerforfifteentotwentyminutes.

Clean the tracks on sliding medicine cabinets and shower doors bywrappingtheheadofasmallbrush(suchasanoldtoothbrush)withareusablewipethat’sbeenmoistenedwithcleaningsolutionandrunitalongthetroughsofthetrack.

AFRESHLYLAUNDEREDSHOWERCURTAINWILLBEMORERESISTANTTOMILDEWIF,IMMEDIATELY

AFTERWASHING,ITISRUBBEDWITHLEMONJUICEANDDRIEDOUTSIDE,INFULLSUNLIGHT.

Botheredbythoseimpossible-to-cleanspots in tightcorners?Spraywithcleaner,giveitaminutetoloosenthedirt,thencleanwithacottonswab.

Ifyouhaveatiledfloor,dirtandtalcumpowdercanworktheirwayintothecrevices, especially where the floor joins the tub or meets the baseboard. Toavoidscrubbingonyourhandsandknees,dothisfirst:broomthecrevicesandtroublespotswithaclean,drypaintbrush.Aninexpensivemodelthreeorfour

incheswidewilldothetrick.Thensweeporvacuumasusualandwashingthefloorwillbeasnap.

THEWAYWITHWINDOWS

Nothing is as pleasing as clean, sparkling windows. Yet with all our modernproducts,thissimplegoalisn’talwayseasytoachieve.Whenclearasglassisn’tclearatall,it’stimetogobacktothebasics.Here’swhatyouneedtoknow.

Ifyourwindowsalwaysseemdirty,thereasonmayhavenothingtodowithyour cleaningmethods.Whenwas the last time you checked the filters in theheatingandairconditioningsystems?Mostofusdon’tcleanandreplacetheseasoften aswe should, and thismeansmoredirt, dust, andpollen stays inourindoorairand,eventually,migratestothewindows.Whileyou’reatit,checktomake sure registers and vents are clean as well, so you aren’t inadvertentlyblowingdustbackintotheair.

Pick your cleaning day. There’s a natural instinct to wash windows on abrilliantlysunnyday.Unfortunately,thisistheworstweatherforthejob.Brightsunlight causes the glass to dry quickly, which promotes streaking. Choose acloudydayforyourwork,ordoitlateintheday,whendirectsunlightnolongerstrikestheglass.

Remember the squeegee. Invented over seventy years ago, the squeegee isstill theweaponofchoiceamongthosewhocleanwindowsfora living. If theonly examples you’ve seen of this single-bladed piece of rubber fittedwith ahandle are industrial-sized, take another look. Squeegees come in all widths,including sizes small enough to fit into tiny-paned windows. They’re alsoavailable with extenders, so you can reach tall windows without a ladder. Inadditiontotheircleaningpowers,squeegeesarefriendlytotheenvironmentandthefamilybudget,sinceyouwon’tneedpapertowelsorwindowspray.Here’satipfromthepros:cleananddryaone-inchstripatthetopofeachwindowfirst;startingasqueegeeonathoroughlydrysurfacewillpreventdrips.

Homemadeisstillthebest.Sincewindowscollectnotonlydustbutthefilmofcookingandnicotine,ifthere’sasmokerinthehouse,cleaningsolutionneedstobemore than justapolisher. I’vefound thathomemadesolutionsworkbestfor this. The recipe I use is quick and easy tomix: combine onethird cup ofwater with onethird cup of rubbing alcohol and add one teaspoon of whitevinegar.Therearemanyothergoodhomemaderecipesaswell,andtheonesI’vetriedallworkwell.

Besides getting the glass clean, they do not streak, as commercial productsfrequentlydo.Thereis,however,onedrawback.Almostallhomemadesolutionscontain ingredients such as vinegar, alcohol, or ammonia that will harm yourwoodwork,soyouwillneedtocarefullyapplysmallamountsbyhandormaskyourwoodworkwithpainter’stape.Ontheupside,homemaderemediesseemtokeepglasscleanerlonger,soyou’llbeabletogetbywithfewercleanings.

For perfect, clear windows, and for everyone who’s ever gone back andforth trying to figure out which side the stubborn streak is on, try this: useverticalstrokesononesideoftheglassandhorizontalstrokesontheother.Thedirectionofthestreakwilltellyouwhichsideneedsattention.

Ifsmudgemarksdevelopbetweenwashings,tryspotcleaning.Fingerandpawprintsmaycomeoff simplybyswipingwithanold-fashionedchalkboarderaser—justmakesureit’sneverbeenused,oryou’llbespreadingchalkdust.Ifthemarkisn’terasable,dabwithalittleisopropylalcoholandrubdry.

NOTHINGPOLISHESGLASSLIKEGOODOLD-FASHIONEDNEWSPAPER.JUSTBESURENOTTOUSEANYSHEETSWITHCOLOREDPICTURESONTHEM.

Thereare tworeasonswhy frost formson the insideofwindows incoldweather.Thefirstisthatyourhumidifierissettoohigh,andneedstobeloweredastheoutsidetemperaturedrops.Thesecondisinadequateinsulation.Whileyoucan’t eliminate this problem without addressing the underlying cause, usingisopropylalcoholtopolishtheinsideofthepanewillhelp.

Windows are part of your home’s overall climate system. Strategicallypositioned window fans can draw air through the house on days that mightotherwiserequireairconditioning—andwhowouldn’tratherlivewithfreshairandthenostalgichumofafanthantheantisepticchillofthatgiantappliance?

CURTAINSANDTRIM

Those little discolorations that appear on aluminum window frames areoxidation. To keep them from forming, wash and dry the frames thoroughly,

thenapplycarwaxtotheframes.Dothisonceayearandyouwillneverseeafreckledframeagain.

Ifoxidationdiscolorationshavealreadyappearedonyouraluminumframes,first try washing them away with liquid detergent. If this doesn’t work, trywetting the spot, then applying amildly abrasive cleanser and rubbingwith acloth.Don’tusesteelwoolorabrasivecleansersthatmightscratch.

The fastest and most effective way to dust blinds is to put on a pair ofinexpensivesoftcottongloves,givethemashotofdustingspray,andglideyourfingers over the slats. I actually have a fewpairs of gloves, so if theyget toosoiled, I canswitch toacleanpair.When I’mfinished, I just toss them in thelaundry.

Can’tgetyourcurtaintiebacksevenlypositioned?Forgetaboutyardsticksandpencilmarksonyourwoodwork.Lowertheshadeorblindstothelevelyouwantthetiesanduseitasaguideonbothsides—yourtiebackswillbeperfect.

Get into the habit of adjusting shades and blinds tomoderate your home’senergy.Blindsareespeciallyeffectivebecause, inaddition tobeing raisedandlowered,theslatscanbeadjustedtodeflectharshsunwhilestilllettinglightintotheroom.Incoldwintermonths,loweringshadesandblindsassoonasthesunsetsprovidesanextrabarrierofprotectionagainsttheseepingcold.

Letsomefreshairiniftheweatheroutsidecooperates.There’snothinglikethatfirstbreezeinautumn.

WHENWOODENWINDOWSILLSANDWINDOWSHUTTERSGETDIRTYANDDUSTYTOOQUICKLY,GIVETHEMACOATOFFLOORWAXBOTHINSIDEANDOUT.

Curtains help control indoor climate. Bright, lightcolored fabrics reflectsunlightandencourageairflow.Incoldclimates,heavydrapesabsorbthecoldair that lingersaroundwindows.Youmaywant toconsiderhavingtwosetsofwindowtreatments,andchanging themwith theseasons. If this isn’tpractical,

simplymakingcurtainlinersofheavyfabricandthreadingthemonanexpansionrod,whichcaneasilybepoppedinandoutofthewindow,willgoalongwaytosavingenergyinthewinter.

5TheTaoofLaundry

E.B.White,authorofCharlotte’sWeb,hadamarvelousapproachto life:“Weshouldalldowhat,inthelongrun,givesusjoy,evenifitisonlypickinggrapesorsortingthelaundry.”Iconfessthatthelaundrydoesgivemejoy.Itseemstomeoneof themorepainlesshouseholdchores,maybebecauseIharbordistantmemoriesofmygrandmothermakingherownlyesoapandmymother trying,often without success, to free some article of clothing from the maws of awringerwashingmachine.Laundryhascomealongway,andthereturn—cleanclothes, fragrant sheets and towels—seems like a great bargain for a modestinvestmentoftime.Ifyoudon’tquitelovelaundryday,herearesometipsthatwilllightenyourworkload.

THEWAYWEWASH

When you take off a pair of socks, pin them together with a safety pinbeforeyouthrowtheminthehamper.Itwillsaveyoutwosortings—oncewhenyou do the washing and another when you’re folding and putting away drylaundry.

My mother was a great believer in soaking, long before pretreatmentsprays.Simplyfillingatubwithwaterandlettingclothesbatheovernightgoesalongwaytowardlooseningdirtandgrime,givingyourwashingmachineaheadstartondoing its job. It’sespeciallyeffectivewhenyourclothesaren’tstainedbuthavethatdingy-all-overlook.

Why do shirt and blouse collars get so grimy? Body oils rub onto thecollarandattractdirt.Togetthecollarclean,youhavetodissolvetheoils.Thesolutionisn’tinyourlaundryroom,butyourbathroom.Grabyourshampooanda clean paintbrush and paint a line of shampoo over the soiled collar beforewashing.

Liquid dish soapworks aswell, and sometimes better, thanmany of thepretreatmentspraysformostfoodstains.First,blot thespotwithcoolwater toremoveasmuchofthestainaspossible.Thendabthespotwithasmallamountofliquiddishsoapandletsitforabouthalfanhour.Don’trub,justletthesoapdoitswork,thenrinseincoolwaterandblotagain.Ifthestainstilldoesn’tcomeout,repeattheprocessbutgivethesoapseveralhoursorovernighttowork.

Didn’tgettosoakabloodstainincoldwaterbeforetheblooddried?Beforeputting it in the wash, dampen with hydrogen peroxide, then rinse with cold

water. Ifpossible,set thewashtemperatureforcoldaswell.Evenif itdoesn’tlift the stain completely, it will lighten it considerably. Repeat the peroxidetreatmentswitheachwash.

Ifyou’vewashedastainedgarment,examinetheresultsbeforetossingitinthedryer. If the staindidn’t comeout, thedryer’s heatwill set it andmake itevenhardertodealwith.Yourchancesofsuccessaregreaterifyouretreattheitemwhileit’sstilldamp.

We’veallsentsomethingthroughthedryeronlytodiscoverastainlateron.Whenthathappens,yourbestchanceofrescueistosoakforthirtyminutesinasolutionthatishalfwater,halfhydrogenperoxide,thenwashimmediately.Hydrogenperoxideisstrong,sothisisn’trecommendedforfragilefabrics.

If you use bleach on your whites, they will eventually acquire a dingy,discoloredlook.Toremedytheproblem,letthewashingmachinefillwithwater,add one-half to one cup of hydrogen peroxide to the load (depending on thevolumeofwater,notthedinginessoftheitems)andsoakforhalfanhour.Afterthirtyminutes,addaboutone-thirdlesslaundrydetergentthanusualandwashasusual.

Laundry can develop a stale, musty smell, especially in the summermonths.Addingaquartercupofordinarybakingsodatothewashwillfreshenboththeclothesandthemachineitself.

Howyou loadyourmachinematters.Take the time to straighten sleevesand pant legs, close zippers and fastenings, and untangle sheets and towels.Clotheswillgetcleaner,keeptheirshapebetter,developfewerwrinkles,andgetdrierduringthespincycle.

Separateclothesbyfabrictypeaswellasbycolor.Don’twashheavyweightfabricswithdelicate sheers,andseparate towelsand fleeces fromsmoothdarkfabricsthatshoweveryspeckoflint.

For stubborn food stains, such as coffee, soy sauce, ormustard, try foamshavingcream.Follow the instructions for liquiddishsoaponpage96,givingthefoamatleastanhourtowork.

ACUPOFVINEGAR,ADDEDDURINGTHERINSECYCLE,ISAPERFECTNATURALFABRICSOFTENER.IT’SESPECIALLYGOODTOSOFTENANDPLUMPUPTOWELS,WHICHCOMMERCIALSOFTENERSCAN

SOMETIMESMAKEABITTOOTAME.TODISCOURAGE

SOMETIMESMAKEABITTOOTAME.TODISCOURAGELINT,ADDACUPOFWHITEVINEGARTOTHEWASH.

To keep black clothes from fading, turn them inside out and choose thecoolesttemperaturesettingthatwillgetthemclean.

If you’rewashingheavy items that take a long time to dry, running themthrough an extra spin cycle before taking them out of thewasherwill reduce

dryingtime.

Ifagarmentbleedsontoother items in the load,don’t let the stained itemsdry.Instead,wasthemagainimmediatelywithdetergentandacolor-safebleach—andwithoutthegarmentthatcausedthetrouble.

Afteryouemptyyourwashingmachine,checktheinsideandwipeupanylint,threads,ortracesofdetergentthatareleftbehind.Alsowipearoundtherimof the bucket, where soil can build up. Wiping with a cloth or paper towelmoistenedwithvinegarwillkeepmildewfromgainingatoehold.Whenyou’refinished,leavethedoororlidopensotheinteriorcandrythoroughly.

Cleanyourwashingmachineofsoapresidueeverysooftenbyrunninganemptycycleofhotwatertowhichaquartofvinegarhasbeenadded.

Ifyou’vedyedclothing inyourmachineand thedyehas left stains, runanempty cycle of hotwaterwith two cups of bleach added. If traces of the dyeremain, repeat the process but let the diluted bleach soak in the machine forseveralhours.

Howmanytimeshaveyoufoundabuttoninthebottomofyourwasher,dryer,orlaundrybasketandhadnoideawhereitcamefrom?Keepasmallplasticcontainerorzip-styleplasticbagnearbytokeep

Keepasmallplasticcontainerorzip-styleplasticbagnearbytokeepthestraysin,andwhenyoufindthegarmentthat’smissingitsbutton,

you’llknowwheretolook.

Ienjoydoinghandlaundry,especiallyonahotdaywhenthetouchofcoolwaterisdelightfulandrefreshing.ButIalwaysseemtoaddtoomuchdetergent,leavingmewithsudsthatarehardtorinseout.Afriendtoldmetotryaddingalittlevinegartotherinsewater.Theverdict:itworks.

Sweaters and knits absorb an incredible amount ofwater. Nomatter howmuchwater you squeeze out, the garment is still so saturated and heavy thathangingitupwouldpullitoutofshape.Ifinallysolvedthisproblembybuyingameshshoppingbag.NowIplacethegarmentinthebag,hangthebagintheshower,andletitdripuntilit’sdryenoughtolayoutorhang.

Save energy by letting laundry partially dry on a rack before finishing in adryer.Accordingtoenergyexperts,youcancutdryercosts25to75percentthisway.

INTHEDRYER

Takeamomentwitheachgarmentandyou’llsaveonwrinkles.Straightenout waddedup sleeves and pant legs and untwist garments that have gottenbunched up.Give the garment a few snaps before adding it to the dryer, andyou’llfindfoldingandironingamucheasiertask.

Drylikewithlike.Syntheticsandverylightweightnaturalfabricscanbedriedtogether on the permanent press cycle,while sheer and fragile fabricsmaydowithashorttumbleincoolair.Evencottonfabricsshouldbesortedbyweighttoavoidoverdryinglightweightitemsandneedlesslyprolongingthedryingtimeofheavierfabrics.

Gettheloadright.You’dthinkdryingjustafewitemsinaloadwouldspeedthedryingtime,wouldn’tyou?Well,oddasitseems,theanswerisno.Toofewclothesreducesthetumblingaction,whichlengthensdryingtime.Ontheotherhand, an overloaded dryer is also inefficient—air doesn’t circulate evenly andclothesmay emergewith damp patches. Even if clothes are dry, theymay bemorewrinkled than need be. Find outwhat the optimum capacity is for yourdryerandloaditaccordingly.

Drying two loads back to back is more efficient than drying them at

differenttimesbecausethedryeronlyneedstoheatuponce.Ifyoudoadoublebatch, do the lighter-weight clothes first.Thedryerwill be thoroughlyheated,anditwillshortenthedryingtimeoftheheavieritems.

CLOTHESTHATAREPRONETOFADINGWILLFADELESSIFYOUTURNTHEMINSIDEOUTBEFORE

LOADINGTHEMINTHEDRYER.

Whendryingheavyitemssuchasbluejeans,rugs,orblankets,addaclean,drybathtoweltotheload.Thefluffierthetowel,thebetter—itwillabsorbextramoistureandreducedryingtime.

Reduce staticcling by removing items from the dryer before they are bonedry.

There are all sorts of methods for drying down items, from adding atennisball toaddingasneaker.But really,neitherof these itemswas intendedfor thedryer, andbothcan spreaddyeanddirt, andevenbegin tomelt. It’s abetterideatothrowafewclean,drybathtowelsinwiththedownitemtoabsorbmoisture, and stop the dryer from time to time to remove the item and shakevigorouslytomakesurethedownisn’tclumping.

BEFORESTARTINGTHEDRYER,CHECKTOMAKESURETHEVENTISN’TBLOCKEDANDTHELINTBASKETISCLEAN.OVERLOOKINGTHESEBASICSLENGTHENS

DRYINGTIME,COSTSMONEY,ANDWASTESENERGY.

THELOSTARTOFLINEDRYING

Whoshouldlinedrytheirlaundry?Almosteveryone.Betweentheenergydryerstakeandthedamagetheydotoclothes,linedryingisahugemoneysaver.Justtwocaveats:First, ifyouoranyoneyou livewithhasasthmaorallergies, linedrying usually isn’t a good idea because pollen drifting through the air getscaught on clothes and stays there. Also, some communities have bannedclotheslinesasunsightly,althoughmanyhavehadtoliftsuchbansduetopublicpressure.Sobeforeputtinguplines,checktoseewhereyourcommunitystands.Ifyoudolinedry,herearesometipsforsmoothsailing.

Make sure your laundry lines are strong and taut. Laundry doesn’t dryevenlyonsagginglines,andthiswillcauseyoumorework.

Cleanyourclothespins.Placetheminameshbag,swishinabucketofwarmsudsywater,rinsethoroughly,thenhangthewholebagonthe

linetodry.

When the weather is raw and chilly, put on a pair of thin, lightweightcottonorknitgloves, thenaddapairofrubberglovesover them—youfingerswillstaydryandtoasty.

Chooseadaythat’ssunnyandwindyoratleastbreezy.Themotionofthebreeze prevents clothes from stiffening. If you do have a good breeze going,leaving itemson the line a fewhours after they’redrywillmake themall thesofter.

Thekeytolessironingisgoodhanging,soit’sworthtakingthetimetodoitright.First,shakeeachitemtoreleasewrinkles.Shakedelicateitemsandknitsgently.Giveheavieritemsagoodshakethatmakesthemsnap.Thensmoothandstraighten eachgarment asyouhang it.No twisted sleeves, turnedbackcuffs,rumpledcollars,orwaddedpocketlinings,please!

Makeuseofeveryinchof line. Ifyouhave thespace, leavea footor twobetweenitems.They’lldryfaster.

Hangsheetsandwhites in the sunlight early in themorning toget the fullbleachingeffectofthesun’srays.Hangcolorsandbrightsinpartialshadeorintheafternoon,afterthesunhaspasseditszenith,topreventfading.

Prevent colored clothes from fading by turning them inside out beforehanging.

Hang your shirts andblouses on hangerswith the top button buttoned topreventclothespinmarksontheshoulders.Hookandpinthehangersontheline.

ONCEAMONTH,USEARAGTOGOOVERYOUROUTDOORCLOTHESLINESWITHWARMWATERANDPINEOILCLEANER.DIRTYCLOTHESLINESWILLGET

YOURCLOTHESDIRTYASWELL.

TWELVEGOODREASONSTOLINEDRY

1 Conservingenergysavesyoumoney.It isn’t justtheplanetyou’rehelpingout,it’syourownfinances.Useofdryersaccountfor50to65percentoftheaverage household’s electric bill, and that doesn’t count the extra airconditioningyoumayneedtocounteracttheheatthedryerputsout.

2 Clothes last longer. You know the gobs of lint you pull out of the dryerfilter?Thosearebitsofyourclothes,fluffedandshreddedfromcontinuousrubbing against each other. The unsightly pills that send otherwise goodclothes into early retirement have the same cause.Dryer heat is especiallyhardonspandexandelastic,solinedryingmeansbasicslikesocks,undies,andlingeriewon’thavetobereplacednearlyasoften.

3 Say goodbye to shrinking and set-for-life stains. Unless youwash a dry-clean-onlyitembymistake,shrinkagealmostalwayshappensduringdrying,notwashing.Andonceagarment shrinks, itwillneverbe the sameagain.Thesamethinggoesforstains.Washcyclesareseldomhotenoughtosetanuntreatedstain,butdryercyclescanmakeitpermanent.

4Sunlighthasagentle,naturalbleachingeffect.Nothinggetswhiteswhiterorpreventsyellowingaseffectively.

5Saveonanti-staticsheets.Clothesthathangdrydon’tdevelopstaticcling.

6Linedryingcoolstheyarddown.Airpassingoverwetclothhasadecidedlycooling effect. Compare your backyard on a hot summer day to yourbackyard on a hot summer daywhen laundry is drying. The difference isastounding.Dependingonwhereyourclothesline ispositioned, itcanevenshadeandcoolawallofyourhouse.

7Linedryingalsocoolsyoudown.Onahotdryday,hangingdamplaundryiscoolingandrefreshing.

8 Noneedtoscheduleyourdayaroundthelaundry.Line-drieditemswillbefineleftonthelineafewextrahours.Youdon’thavetobeonhandtogetthemoutofthedryerbeforetheywrinkle.

9Line-drieditems,especiallysheets,aremucheasiertofoldthanthetangledmassthatcomesoutofthedryer.

10 It’sgoodforyourbody.Thebending,stretching,andliftingit takestogetlaundry on the line is a good way to get in some exercise, without evenrealizingit.

11Usually,youcanmultitaskwhilehangingyourlaundryoutsideandusethetimetoaccomplishsomeothervital task—likewatchingyourdogscamperandrollinthegrass,teachingyourchildrentoplayhide-and-seekinvalleysof billowing sheets, and getting your own dose of relax-and-refresh

aromatherapyasyouinhalethescentoffreshlaundryandsoakupthesun’svitaminD.

12Andfinally,thebestreasonofall—haveyoueversleptonsheetsdriedinthesun?Pureheaven.

LINENSTHATNEEDIRONING(SUCHASDISHTOWELS,TABLECLOTHS,ANDPILLOWCASES)WILLBEEASIERTOWORKWITHIFYOUROLLTHEMRATHERTHAN

FOLDTHEMWHENYOUTAKETHEMIN.

The hangermethod should also be used for lightweight knits to help themkeeptheirshape.Heavyknitslikesweatersshouldnotbelinedried.

Sheetswilldry smoother if you follow this procedure. First, fold the sheethorizontally,hemtohem.Now,turnaboutfour inchesof thefoldededgeoverthe line and pin.Run your hands down the selvages tomake sure they aren’tcrumpled, and along the hems as well. Not only will the sheets dry moresmoothly, butwhen it’s time to take them in, your folding job is already halfdone.

Don’thangbathtowelsbythecorners—theirrelativelyheavyweightwillpull thecornersoutofshapeandleavepermanent indents thatspoil their look.Instead,doublethemovertheline.

Beforeyouthrowawaythatstainedordingyitem,launderandhangitinthesunforafullday.Ifyou’relucky,thesunmayhavebleachedoutthestainandlightenedthedinginess.

Isyourlaundrystiffwhenyou take itoff the line?Themost likelycause isthatyouusedtoomuchsoapinthewash.Heavyitemslikejeansandbathtowelswill stiffen a bit even if you used the right amount of soap. To soften them,tumbleinthedryeroncoolforafewminutes.

IRONING

If you don’t have time to iron right away, hang your laundry anyway,preferablywhile it’s stillwarm.A lotof thewrinkleswill smoothouton theirown.

If items have developed wrinkles from being left to cool in the dryer orlaundrybasket,putthembackinthedryerandtumbleuntilwarm.Hang,iron,orfoldimmediately.

Fold small items suchas towels, pillow cases, andT-shirts on top of thewarmdryer.The heatwill help smooth awaywrinkles and youwon’t need toironthematall.

Beforeyoubegintoiron,gooveryourironingboardcoverwithadampclothtoremoveanylint,dust,orstraypethair.

Iron items that need the least heat first, moving on to those that needhotter,thenthehottest,settings.Sinceironsrequireagooddealofelectricitytoheat,you’llbeconservingenergy.

All fabrics, and the thread they’rewoven from, have a finish to them.Somecotton garments feel almost nubby, while others feel smooth to the point ofsilky. To avoid spoiling the finish, it’s important to iron with smooth, evenstrokes.Keeptheironmoving,preferablywiththegrainofthefabric,andavoidpressingtoohardorgoingbackandforthoversuchasmallareathatheatbuildsupinthefabricunderneaththeiron.

To irona shirt or blouse, beginwith the underside of the collar, then theupperside.Dothesleevesnext,backfirst, then thefront.Thendo thebackofthegarment(yokefirst,bodynext),thenthefrontinsidefacings,andfinishwiththeexteriorfront.

Toironadress,dothebodicefirst,intheorderdescribedabove,thendotheskirt.

When facedwithpleats,most people instinctively start at the top and irondown, either holding the pleat in place by hand or trying a whole host oftimeconsuming shortcuts, ranging from clothespins to paper clips to tape.Invariably, theeffortgoesawryand thepleatmeandersoffcourse.This isonetimewheninstinctshouldnotprevail.Foreasier ironing,startat thebottomofthepleatandironup.Yourpleatswillbeperfectlystraightwithfarlesseffort.

TOPRESSITEMSMADEFROMDARKFABRICSORSYNTHETICBLENDS,IRONINSIDEOUTSOTHEYWON’T

DEVELOPASHEEN.

Adjusttheheightofyourironingboard.Howmanytimeshaveyouusedthatlever?Probablynever.Butreally,ifyouhavealotofironingtodo,standinginoneplacecantakeitstollonyourfeet,knees,andback.Takeabreakfromtimetotimeby

adjustingtheboardtotableheightandpullingupachair.Toironstandingup,adjusttheboardtohipheighttoavoidbackstrain.

For perfectly pressed slacks, iron the inside pockets first, then thewaistband,backside,and frontdown to thecrotch.Lay theslacksoutwith theinsideseamstogether.Straightenandsmooththelegscarefully, thenpeelbackthetoplegandpresstheinseamsideofthebottomleg.Pressfromtheseamout,smoothingandadjustingasyougotocreatestraightcreasesfrontandback.Last,pressthesideseamportionofeachleg.Nowcomesthemostimportantstep—hangthemupbythecuffs immediately.Drapingthemoverorchairorfoldingoverahanger,evenforafewminutes,willspoilyourhardwork.

Itemspronetoexcessivewrinklingshouldberemovedfromthedryerwhenthey’re still a bit damp and hung up to finish drying naturally. They’ll be fareasiertoiron.

Insteadofusingthesteamfeatureonyouriron,mixonepartfabricsoftenerwith fivepartswateranduse it tospray laundryasyou iron.Wrinkleswillbeeasiertogetridof,andyourclotheswillsmellwonderful.

Linensandcottonswill be easier to iron if youmoisten themwith a spraymist,bundletheminaplasticbag,thenchilltheminyourrefrigeratorforseveralhours.Wedon’tknowwhyitworks,butitdoes.

Iloveusingtablecloths,butironingthemisanothermatter—itcanseemabitlikeraisingsailsinagaleforcewind,andIoftenendupwithmorewrinklesthanwhen I started. Then someone told me how to do it right. First, make thetablecloththelastitemyouiron.Foldtheclothinhalflengthwise,mistwell,andironfromtheedgetothecenter,stoppingaboutsixinchesshortofthefold.Nowflip the cloth over and iron the other side. Finally, open the cloth and pressstraight down the center— the tablecloth is perfectly ironed, without a singlecrease.Letitcoolontheboard,thentransferittothetableorfoldandputaway.Ifyou fold thecloth, itwilldevelopa fewgentle foldmarks,but theywillbemucheasiertosmoothawaythanwrinklesthatformedinthecourseofironing.

To removea stubbornwrinkle from lace or any delicate fabric you don’twanttheirontotouchdirectly,mistacleanhandkerchiefwithwater,layitoverthe item, and press gently. The wrinkle should disappear, and your delicategarmentwon’tbeharmed.

After ironing, letgarmentscool completelyonhangersbefore transferringto your closet or wearing. They’ll be less prone to wrinkling, and look crisplonger.

Ifyou’repackingforatrip,foldyourironedclotheslengthwiseratherthancrosswise—when you hang them up, the creases will be more likely todisappear.

Forme,thegreateventofthetwentiethcenturywassomebodyfiguringouthowtofoldafittedsheet.Todothetrick,putonecornerofthesheetoveryourhand,rightsideout.Now,puteitherof theadjacentcornersover thefirstcorner,insideout,sothattherightsidesaretogether.Nowdothesamewiththeother two corners, so that you have two sets of corners. Now fit one set ofcorners over the other, smoothing the turned-downedgeof the sheet so it liesflat.Foldintoquartersandyouhaveareasonablytidy,easy-to-stackbundle.

Tuckpillowcasesbetweenthefoldsofthesheettheymatch,andkeeptopandbottom sheets together, so you can easily find a complete set when you’rechangingsheets.

Whenreturningsheetsandtowelstothelinencloset,putthecleanitemsat

thebottomof thestack.Thisway,everythingwillgetusedbefore itgetsstalefromsittingintheclosettoolong.

Storelinenstogetherbyseason;thenyouwillnothavetodigthroughyoursummersheets tofindyourheavierwinterones,andyourcoldweather throwswillnotbefarfromyourholidaytablecloths.Thisisespeciallyefficient ifyouhave a deep linen closet. Take an hourwhen the seasons change tomove thewaningseason’slinenstotheback,andbringforwardtheitemsyou’llbeusinginthecomingmonths.Notonlywilleverythingbewithineasyreachwhenyouneed it, butyoucanpull out linens aheadof time tomake surenothingneedsmendingorwashing.

INTHEKITCHEN

6KitchenWisdom

Tome,ofall theroomsin thehouse, thekitchenis theone thatmustbewell-managed.It’stheheartofthehome,andreflectstheoverallspiritoftheplace.Thekitcheniswheremostofthefamilyconversationgoeson,wherewegathertonourishourbodiesandsharetheeventsoftheday,wherewe’remostlikelytosit with friends over a cup of coffee. Some people treasure the first scent ofmorningcoffeeasitmingleswiththefloodingsunlight.Ilikethekitchenbestatnight,witheverythingcleanedandputaway,thewholeroom lit by the dim glow of the stove hood and stars winking outside thewindow.

ORGANIZATION&MANAGEMENT

Arrangeyourkitchentokeepequipment,utensils,andingredientsasclosetowhereyou’llusethemaspossible.Keepplasticwrapandplasticcontainersforleftoversnear the fridge, flourandsugarcanistersnearyourmixerandbakingcounter,andladlesandspatulasnearthestove.

Every kitchenneedsa junkdrawer, but it doesn’t have to be junky.Useexpandabledividerstoorganizeandseparateitems.What’sthepointofhavingareallygoodstashofjunkifyoucan’tfindwhatyouwantwhenyouneedit?

Keeparunninginventoryof thecontentsofyourfreezeronthesideof thefridge.Howmanytimeshaveyouthrownoutfreezerburneditemsthatgotlost—and forgotten about—at the back of the freezer? Cross out items as you usethem,andaddnewitemsastheygoin.

When you buy fresh meat to rewrap and freeze, snip the label off thesupermarketwrapper and toss it in the freezer bagwith themeat.Thenyou’llknowwhattheitemis,howmuchthereisofit,andwhenyouboughtit.

Buyinginbulksavesmoneyandtime-consumingtripstothegrocerystore,butkeepingallthoselargeboxesandbottleswithineasyreachcanbeachallenge.Theanswer:storedrygoodsinsmallerplasticcontainers,andanythingliquidinsaladdressing-sizedbottles,andtransferthecumbersomeboxestoharder-to-reach

shelves.

Keepa pantry inventory too.When you use the next-to-last can or jar ofsomethingfromthepantry,addittoyourgrocerylist.

Makethemostofshelfspacebystoringlidstoyourplasticcontainersinaplasticbinoftheirown,andkeepthebottomsinnestedstacks.

Freeupdrawerandcupboardspacebyhangingcookwareandutensilsonthewallsorfromracks.

WHENYOUTRYARECIPEANDDON’TLIKEIT,THROW

WHENYOUTRYARECIPEANDDON’TLIKEIT,THROWAWAYTHECARDORMAKEANOTEINYOUR

COOKBOOK.YOUWON’TLIKEITANYBETTERTHENEXTTIMEAROUND.

Choose square or rectangular storage containers instead of round ones.They’reeasier tostack, less likely to tipover,andprovidemuchmorestoragecapacityforthespacetheytakeup.

Expandable wire racks can double your cupboard space, while attractivecountertopunitscanactuallyaddtothedecor.Ihaveacornercountertopshelfthat’sperfectforcookbooks,andkeepsthemsafeanddrywhenIspillsomethingonthecounter.

Spongesanddishcloths need to be disinfected daily. There are all sorts ofwaystodothis—includingsoakingindilutedbleachsolutionandzappinginthemicrowave.Perhapstheeasiestwayistosimplytosstheminthedishwasherandrunthemthroughwiththelastloadoftheday.Tomakesurethedishclothgetscompletely clean, I use safety pins to hang it from the upper rack, clotheslinestyle.

Countertopsaremagnetsforstrayobjectsthatdon’treallybelongthere.Onceamonth,removeeverythingfromyourkitchencountersandcleanthem.Whenit’stimetoputthingsback,putbackonlywhattrulybelongsthere.Findahomefortheremainingitemsorthrowthemaway.

Keepwalls,countertops,andfloorscleanlongerbyrunningtheexhaustfanwhenyoucook.Itwillremovemostofthosetinygreaseparticlesthatsettleandbecomestickylittlemagnetsfordustandgrime.

Unpackyourgroceries andput themaway immediately.Don’t leaveboxesonthecounterorsacksofcannedgoodsonthefloorto“takecareoflater.”Nowisthetime.

Ifyourcommunityrecycles,haveasystem.Iusuallykeepasackforpaperinthekitchenbroomcloset.Cansandbottlesgettakenouteverynight,sincetheirbulkfillsupspacefast.

Flattenemptyfoodboxesandcartonsbeforethrowingthemaway.You’llbeabletofitfarmoreinyourtrashorrecyclebin.

Checkthefridgeandfreezerforstaleorspoiledfoodthatneedstobetossedwhenthetrashisreadytobetakenout.

Keepthekitchendrainclearandfreshby throwing inahandfulofbakingsodaandrinsingwithhotwater.

Takeanextrafewminutesatnighttocleanthesinkandfaucets.Washanddisinfectthecounters,andwipethefridgeandthestove(thefrontaswellasthetop).Givethefloorasweep,straightentherug,andfillthepets’bowlwithfreshwater.Yourworkisdone.

KEEPINGAPLIANCESANDTOOLSCLEAN

A clean garbage disposal begins with a pitcher of homemade lemonade.Makeasusual,combinewith icecubesinaglass,andhaveanice,cooldrink.Whenyou’recompletelyrefreshed,throwoneortwooftheusedlemonsintothedisposalandgrind.Seehoweasyitis?

Forfirmer,fresherfruitsandvegetables,lineyourrefrigeratorcrisperwithpaper towels. The towels will absorb excess moisture and your fruits andvegetableswillkeeptheirsnap.

If your refrigerator has become musty or outright smelly, place freshcoffeegroundsinasaucerandputitonalowershelf.Thesmellshouldbegonewithinaweek.Ifitisn’t,replacewithfreshgroundsandchecktomakesurethesourceoftheodorhasbeenthrownout.Oncethesmellistakencareof,anopenboxofbakingsodainthefridgewillkeepitsmellingfresh.

Whenyoucleanyour fridge, don’t forget towash the seals aswell.Useasmall,cleanbrushtogentlysweepawaycrumbsanddirtcaughtinthegroovesoftheseal.

STOVE

Ifyouhaveawhiteenamelstove,agentle,effective,earthfriendlycleanerisalwaysatyourfingertips.Justmakeapasteofbakingsodaandwater,wipethe

range top and doors until clean, and finish by going overwith a clean, dampclothorspongetoremoveanyresidue.Yourstovewillgleam.

Makecleaningagreasesplatteredoveneasyonyourself.Beforeyougotobed,pouraboutacupofammonia inanaluminumcakepanandput it in theoven.(The oven should be off, and cool.) Be sure to close the oven door. In themorning,removethepananddiscardtheammonia.Yourovenwillwipecleanwithadampsponge.Dothisonceeverythreeorfourweeksandyoumayneverhavetoresorttochemicalovencleaners.

Keepdripsandsplatteringtoaminimum:Placeapanwithabitofwateron the rackbelowanythingyou thinkmightdriporbubbleover, suchas fruitpies.Thedripsgointothewater,there’snoscorchingsmell,andthecleanupiseasy.

Ifyouendupwithmeltedplasticonyourovenracks,there’saneasywaytodealwith it. First, using a pair of kitchen shears, snip asmuch of the cooled,hardened plastic away as possible. Put the rack back in the oven and turn theoven on.When the plastic that remains iswarm and pliant, use ametal puttyknifetoscrapeitaway.

Don’t use window spray on the window of your oven. The spray causesbrownspotstoformand,asIdiscovered,youwillnevergetthemoff.Instead,wipeyourovenwindowwithwarmwaterandalittledishsoap.Ifthisdoesn’tdothejob,tryalittlevinegaronapapertowel.Ifthespotsareinsidetheglass,thewhole oven door must be taken apart and the glass carefully removed andcleaned.

Touchpads on stoves, microwaves, and other appliances can be a cleaningchallenge.Youdon’twant touse toowetaclothbecausewatermightdamagetheelectronics.I’vefoundthebestmethodis toavoidwateraltogether.Iputalittlevinegaronasoftclothandwipethetouchpadgently.

TheeasiestwaytocleanthemicrowaveistoplaceasmalldishofvinegarinitandzaponHighuntilthevinegarbeginstoboil.Generouslywetaclothorspongeinthevinegarandwipethemicrowaveclean.

If yourdishwasher isn’t cleaning your glassware quite aswell as it once

did,itmaybebecauseofagradualbuildupofsoapresidue.Toblastthebuildup,runacupofvinegar throughanentirecyclewhen thedishwasher isempty. Ifthisdoesn’tdothetrick,repeat.Dothiseveryfourtosixweeks(dependingonhowmuchuseyourdishwashergets)tokeeptheproblemfromrecurring.

SOAKTHEPOTS

Whenconfrontedwithfoodburnedontopotsandpans,myfirstoptionistotrysoakinginwarmsudsywater.Ifthatdoesn’twork,Itryoneofthese:

1Fillthepanwithwaterandthrowinadenturetablet.

2 Sprinkle thepotwithdishwasherpowder, addwater, bring it to a boil,thenturndowntheheatandletitsimmerforafewminutes.

3 Addahandful of baking soda, fill halfwaywithwater, and boil for tenminutesorso.

4Ifanyofthesemethodsdoesn’tworkcompletelythefirsttime,Ikeepatit.Itmaytakeabitlonger,butIstillpreferittoharshchemicals.

Tocleanthereservoirofacoffeemaker,dropadenturetabletintoit,pourinhotwater,andrunthebrewcycle.Discardthewaterandwashtheglasspotwhen finished. This will work for coffeemakers up to ten cups. For larger-capacitycoffeemakers,addanotherdenturetablet.

Putonecupofuncookedwhitericeinyourcoffeegrinderandgrindasyouwouldbeans.Thisnotonlycleanstheunitbutsharpenstheblades.

Ifyourwoodencuttingboardorrollingpinhasdarkenedorbecomediscolored,rubwithhalfalemon,thenrinsewithclearwater.Dothis

regularlyandeventuallythewoodwillbelighterandbrighter.

Useatoothbrushtoscrubthesmallholesofagarlicpress.Atoothbrushisalsogreatforcleaningstrainers,sieves,colanders,andgraters.

Ifparticlesofdough or food are stuck like glue to the countertop, try this:soakaterryclothkitchentowelunderveryhotwater.Wringitoutsoitdoesn’tdrip,thenspreaditoverthecounter.Pressacookiesheetdownontopandleaveitforseveralminutes.Whenyoucomeback,thehottowelshouldhaveloosenedthefoodconsiderably,andyourcounterwillbeeasytoclean.

Allow metal baking sheets and cake pans to cool completely beforewashing them.Washing themwhile they’re stillwarmwill cause themetal towarp,anditwillneverbakeevenlyagain.

If your aluminumpans have lost their luster, try boiling apple peels inthemtorestoretheirsheen.Tokeepthembrightaftereachwashing,wipethemwithlemonjuiceanddrythoroughly.

Brownspotsthathavebecomebakedontoglasspansandcasseroledishescanbe removed over time. Each time you wash them, spend some time scouringthemwithatoothbrushandapastemadeofbakingsodaandwater.Overtime,you’ll get the stains off. To keep those brown spots from forming in the firstplace, spray your glass bakeware with cooking spray or grease it with a thinglossofoilbeforebakinginit.

Spotsonpotsareeasier toscrubawayifyoufirstfill thepothalfwaywithasolutionofonepartwhitevinegartoeightpartswater,thenboilthemixtureinthepot.

THEJOYOFCASTIRON

Youwillsavealotofscrubbingandscrapingifyoucookinwellseasonedcastiron.Apanthat’sbeencaredforovertheyearsdevelopsacookingsurfacethatis almost impervious and requires very little oil to cookwith.AwellseasonedskilletorDutchovenwillgiveyoucrispfriedchickenwithjustafewspoonfulsofoil,whileagriddlewillgiveyouevenlybrownedpancakeswithnooilatall.Cast iron is also extremely versatile, and the one pan to have if space is at apremium.Thesameskillet thatpopsperfectpopcorncandoubleasawokandturnintoabakingdishforbiscuitsandcornbread.

WHETHERYOURCASTIRONPOTSWEREINHERITEDFROMYOURGRANDMOTHERORYOUSEASONEDTHEMYOURSELF,COOKINGWITHTHISVERSATILE

METALWILLSIMPLIFY—ANDADDTO—YOURCOOKINGEXPERIENCE.

Thebestwaytogetagoodpieceofseasonedcastironistoinheritone,ortoget luckyatagarageorestatesale.On theotherhand, it’s rewarding tobuyapiece fresh from the factory and season it yourself over the years.Whicheverrouteisavailable,takeit.You’llneverregretyourinvestmentoftimeandeffort.Follow these guidelines and you and your cast iron will live— and cook—happilyeverafter.

Whenyoubuycastironadvertisedaspreseasoned, theseasoningprocessisnotcomplete.Themanufacturer’s treatmenthasgottenyouoff toagoodstart,butthecookwareisstillrelativelyraw.It’ssteelgrayincolor,mayfeelroughtothe touch, and food will no doubt stick to it. Don’t be disappointed. Trueseasoningissomethingonlytimeandusecanaccomplish.Overtheyears,yourcookware will turn from dark gray to deep black. The cooking surface willbecomesmoothtothetouch,andfoodwillnotsticktoit.

PROTECTYOURCASTIRON

Onceyourcastironiswellontheroadtobecomingatreasuredheirloom,keepitthatway.Hereareafew“don’ts”tobeawareof.

Don’tsoakacastironpieceinsoapywaterformorethanalittlewhile,asthesoapwillattackanderodetheseasoning.

Don’texposeahot-off-the-stovepantocoldwater—itcanmakethemetalbuckle.

Never put cast iron in the dishwasher, and never use soapmeant for adishwasheroncastiron—it’sfartooharsh.

Don’tuseametalscratchpad tocleancast iron,unlessyou’reremovinglayersofrust.Foreverydaycleaning,anylonscrubberisbest.

Never throwaway a cast ironpiece, even if it’s coatedwith rust and alayer of char and grunge. Unless there are cracks in it, it can berehabilitated.

STUDIESINDICATETHATCOOKINGINCASTIRONCANADDIRONTOYOURFOOD.IFTHISISAHEALTH

CONCERNFORYOU,YOUWILLWANTTOLIMITORAVOIDFOODSCOOKEDTHISWAY.

What,exactly,isseasoning?Cast ironisheavyandlookssolid,but infacthasmillionsoftinypores.Whenthepanheatsandthemetalexpands,theporesexpandaswell.Seasoningoccurswhenoilgets into theporesandseals them,givingthepanasmoothinvisiblecoating.

Toseasonanewskillet,griddle,Dutchoven,oranyotherpieceofcastiron,washinwarm,sudsywater.Rinsethoroughlyanddrycompletely.Usingapapertowel,coattheentireutensil—inside,outside,andhandle—withpeanutoil.Youdon’twant theoildrippingoff thepiece,butyoudowantagenerouscoating.Place ina300°Foven for twoor threehours, then remove from theovenandwipeofftheexcessoilwithapapertowel.Dothisseveraltimesbeforecookingwiththepan.There’snosuchthingasone-sessionseasoning.

Whenyou’rereadytocook,alwayspreheatthepanforafewminutesovermediumheat.Atfirst,whenapieceisstillnew,avoidcookingthingsthatmightundotheworkthat’sbeendone.Noblackenedfish,please!Also,avoidcookingacidicfoods,suchastomatoes,asacidwillalsoattacktheseasoning.(Oncethepiecebecomeswellseasoned,thisisnotanissue.)

Whenthepieceisstillrelativelynew,gooutofyourwaytocookitemsthatwillreinforcetheseasoning.Inotherwords,anythingthatwillinvolvegreaseoroil.Fryingbaconisagoodidea,asissautéing.Don’tturntheheatuptoohigh,asthatwillalsoundermineyourprogress.Itwon’ttakelonguntilyoubegintonoticethatyourskilletiscookingbetter,withlittleornosticking.

Traditional advicewarnsagainst using soap to clean cast iron. I confessI’ve never been able to forgo soap. Instead, I usemild dishwashing solution.After towel drying, I wipe the inside of the skillet with a paper towelwith asmallamountofoilonit,setthepanonaburner,andturntheflameonaslowasI canget it for aminuteor so.Thiswasmymother’smethod, andworked sowellforherI’vefollowedsuit.

Toreclaimacastironpiecethat’sgotalotofrust,scrubawayasmuchoftherustasyoucanwithasteelwoolpad.Washinwarmsoapywaterandscrubsomemorewhilethepieceiswet.Washagainanddrythoroughly.Repeatthisasmanytimesasittakestoremovealltherust,thenreseasonasdescribedabove.

Youshouldreseason if younoticeblackbits of charonyourdish towel orfoodhasametallictaste.

TAKINGCAREOFTABLEWARE

If you store silverware in selfsealing plastic bags, it will tarnish much moreslowly.Betteryet,useyourgoodsilverdaily.Ifyouwashitbyhandanddryitimmediately,youcangoforyearswithoutneedingtopolishit.Apieceofchalkplacedinyoursilverchestwillalsohelpprevent tarnishing,becauseitabsorbsmoisture.

Cleantarnishedsilverwarewithbakingsodaandhotwater.Fillakettlewithwater and bring to a boil.While it’s heating, put an aluminum baking pan in

yoursinkandspreadthetarnishedsilverwareinit.Sprinklebakingsodaliberallyover the silverware. When the water comes to a boil, pour in enough tocompletelycoverthesilver.Therewillbealotofbubblingandfizzing,butit’sharmless.Whenallisquiet,checkthepan—you’llseesilversparklingupatyou.Repeatifnecessary.

Asmallcollectionofsaltandpeppershakersbrightenthisglass-frontedcabinetofstackedChina.

Hand wash vintage dishes and glasses, and be cautious about subjectingthemtoveryhotwater.Idon’tknowwhetherglassandchinaweren’ttemperedaswellbackthenorwhethertheyhavebecomemorefragileovertime,butI’ve

seen lovely pieces split in two when plunged into hot dishwater. To be safe,wash and rinse gently in warm water. The same goes for your good crystalglasses—the dishwasher can cause etching, fine scratches thatmake the glasslookcloudy.Onceetchinghasoccurred,thereisnoremedyforit.

Wakinguptoaclean,brightkitchenisaneasywaytostartyourmorningright.

Ifcrystalglassesarecloudyasaresultofmineraldeposits,youcangetthemclearagain.First,trywashingtheminagallonofwatertowhichyou’veaddedacupofwhitevinegar.Ifthisdoesn’tdothetrick,stepitupanotchandsoaktheminthesolutionovernight.Iftheglassesarestillcloudy,fillthemwithundilutedwhitevinegar and let themstandovernight.Use anon-scratchingpad towashthemoutinthemorning.

To wash crystal, avoid plunging it in hot water—the sudden change intemperaturemaycause theglass tocrack. Instead,dip theglass into thewatersidewaysandletitwarmgradually.Washandrinseinwarmwater.

Avoiddriedeggresidue ondishes andplates by sprinkling salt on the eggrightawaywhenyoustackthedishes.Evenif it’sseveralhoursbeforethey’rewashed,theeggwillcomeoffeasily.

Roundup stray glasses and disheswith a quickwalkthrough of the housebeforeyoudotheday’slastloadofdishes.

KITCHENENERGYSAVERS

Refrigeratorsandfreezershavebecomemuchmoreenergyefficientoverthelastdecade.Ifyoursdatefromthe1990s,youmayactuallysavemoneybyreplacing

thembeforetheywearout.

Freezersrunmostefficientlywhenthey’reabout75percentfull.If your freezer doesn’t havemuch in it, milk jugs filled with water are goodstand-ins.

Setyourrefrigeratorsto38–40°Fandmakesuretheyarefulltocapacitybutnotsocrowdedthataircan’tcirculate.

Ifyouhavealargerrefrigeratorthanyouneed,considerreplacingitwithasmallermodel.

Coverallfoodinthefridge,especiallyliquids.Otherwise,themoisturewillcausethefridgetorunlonger.

TRYNOTTOOPENTHEOVENDOORWHENYOU’REBAKINGORROASTING—THATLITTLEPEEKCANLET

20PERCENTOFTHEHEATOUT.

Lethotfoodscoolnaturallyonthecounterbeforeputtingthemaway.Everythreetosixmonths,pull therefrigeratoroutandvacuumthecoilsatthe back. Dust-clogged coils make the appliance work harder, using more

energy.

Locateyourfridgeorfreezerasfarawayaspossiblefromhot-runningitemssuchasovensanddishwashers.

Adding salt to the water you boil your food in will make the water boilhotter,reducingtheamountofenergyneededtocookthefood.

Bakeinglassorceramicpansratherthanmetalones,andyoucanreducetheoventemperatureby25°F.

Whenbringinglargeamountsofwatertoaboil,suchasforpasta,keepthelidon—thewaterwillcometoaboilmuchmorequickly.

Try cooking dishes simultaneously in the oven. Differences of up to 25degrees can be made up for with adjustments in time, and won’t affect thefinisheddish.Ifyouhavemoreitemsthanwillfitintheoven,trychaincooking,sotheovenwon’thavetoheatupalloveragain.

Cleanyourovenmanuallyandonlyusetheself-cleaningfeature,whichusesa significant amount of energy, when the job is major. When you do use it,conservebystartingwhiletheovenisstillhotfromcookingsomethingelse.

7TheA-ZofFood

Where ordinary cooks gather, genius happens.Tome, a few really good foodtips are more valuable that a four-star chef’s most treasured recipe. Here aresomeofmyall-timefavorites.

A

ADDADASH

Sometimesevenyour favorite recipesneeda little sprucingup.Next timeyoucook,tryaddingjustadashof:

Balsamicvinegartospaghettisauce:Yoursaucewilltastelikeit’sbeensimmeringalldaylong.

Celeryseedtobarbecuesauce:Celeryseedaddsafreshgreennote,eveninasaucethathasbeenstoredforweeks.

Cinnamontochili:Thesweetnessofcinnamonisaperfectcounterpointtohotchilispices.

Cocoa powder to rye bread dough: Ever wonder how they getpumpernickel so dark? The secret is unsweetened cocoa powder, about twotablespoonsper loaf. Inaddition to richcolor, itgives thebreadanicebiteaswell.

Coffeetochocolate:Coffeeamplifiesthetasteofchocolate.Addasplashtocakes,brownies,andhotfudgesauce.Thestrongerthebetter—useespresso,ifyouhaveit.

Hotsaucetocheesesauce:Cheesesaucesandfonduecansometimesseembland.Sparkyour tastebudswithafewshakesofconcentratedhotsauce.Thesametrickworkswithanotherrichfavorite,guacamole.

Lemonjuicetocreamyspreadsanddips:Likecheesesauce,above,sourcreamandcreamcheesespreads,nomatterhowgoodtheytaste,canseemabittoo thick and rich.A good squirt of lemon juice brightens the taste and thinsthemjustenough.

Mustardorhorseradishtobeefstew:Aspoonfulofeitherofthesewillputsomezinginyourbeefstew.

Nutmegtomuffinbatter:Nutmegisthespiceflavorinplaindonuts,subtleyetdelicious.Addapinchtoyourfavoritemuffinrecipe.

Oiltopastawater:Ineveraddsalttomypastawater,butIdoaddafewdropsofoil.Asaresult,mypastaneverclumpstogetherorstickstothebottomofthepot.

Paprikatoflour:Ifyou’reflouringpiecesofchickenorsteaktofry,addagenerous dash of sweet paprika to the flour along with the salt and pepper.

Depending on your tastes, experiment with other seasonings as well, such asonionsalt,celerysalt,andsage.Salt topotatowater:Potatoesabsorbmore salt taste from thewater they

cookinthanfromsaltaddedlateron,sosaltingthewaterreducesyouroverallsodiumintake.

ARTICHOKES

Unlikeotherfruitsandvegetables,artichokesdon’tturnbrownordevelopspotsastheypasstheirpeak.Evenastheflavordeteriorates,theappearanceremainsthe same.What’s a poor shopper to do? First, sneak a little squeeze. A freshartichoke,whichisactuallyaflowerbud,willmakeaslightsqueakingsound.Itwillalsobecompactandweighty.Passupanartichokethatfeelslightforitssizeorwhosepetalsareopen.Youcanalsogaugefreshnessbyexaminingthebitofstalkattheend.Itshouldbefirmtothetouchandagoodmatchinsize.Astalkthatissoftorthinwascutsolongagoit’sbeguntodryout.

ASPARAGUS

Tokeepasparagusfromturningdryandbrown,treatitlikefreshlycutflowers.Trim the stalks an inch from the bottom, then stand them in a container tallenough tokeep themfromtippingover.Addabout two inchesofwater,coverlooselywithaplasticbag,andput themintherefrigerator.Addmorewaterasnecessary.

B

BEANS

One advantage of making baked beans, bean soup, and similar dishes fromscratch is that you reduce the effect of the gas-producing legumes. Add a

teaspoonofdriedfennelseedtothewaterandyourstomachwillthankyou.

BREAD

Notsurewhattodowithbreadthat’sgoneslightlystaleordownrightdry?Herearesixideasforusingitup,fromtheleastdrytohardasarock.

French toast: The French, who invented it, called it pain perdu—“lostbread”—agoodnameforadishthatusesbreadthat’stoostaletobeeaten.FreshabsorbstoomuchliquidtomakegoodFrenchtoast,butbreadafewdaysold—whatatreat!

Bread pudding: This delicious old-fashioned dessert can be made witheverything fromplainwhitebread tocroissants toHawaiianbread. It’sagoodwayofusingupstraybitsoffruitaswell—apples,bananas,figs,anddriedfruitof all sorts go a long way when mixed with stale bread, custard, sugar, andspices.

Crostini:Ifyourstalebreadisabaguette,sliceverythinandtoastthesliceson a cookie sheet until completely crisp and golden brown. Crostini are lessexpensive than cocktail crackers,muchmore elegant, and theperfect platformforspreadsandcanapes.Storedinanairtightcanister,theykeepformonths.

Croutons: Toss cubes of stale bread in melted butter and olive oil (justenough to flavorandmoistenslightly,not saturate)andseasonwithherbsandspicesasyourmoodcommands.Celeryseed,basil,oregano,onion,garlic,chilipowder, turmeric, cumin—all canmake youwonderwhy anyonewould settleforstore-bought.

Stuffing:Drybreadbrokenintocubesisthebackboneofclassicstuffing,andthemorekindsofbreadinthemix—fromyeastbreadstoquickbreadsandevensweetrolls—thebetterthefinishedproduct.

Breadcrumbs:Therecomesadaywhenbreadissorockhardlargechunksareimpossibletocut,cube,orbreakintopieces.Whenonlyajackhammerwilldo,getoutthefoodprocessorandmakebreadcrumbs.Inadditiontotheirroleinmeatball and meatloaf recipes, bread crumbs toasted in a skillet with a littlemelted butter and garlic seasoning are great sprinkled over casseroles and

vegetabledishes.

BROWNSUGAR

Brownsugarthathashardenedcaneasilybereclaimed.Placethehardenedsugarinacontainerwithanairtightlid.Thoroughlymoistenapapertowelandsqueezeout excessmoisture.Make a small cup of aluminum foil and place the damppapertowelinit,placeit inthecontainerwiththesugar,andsecurethelid.Inaboutanhourthesugarwillbegintosoften,andbytomorrowitwillbeasgoodasnew.

BUTTER

Ifyoubuyunsaltedbutter(which,tomymind,tastesfarbetterthansalted),storesticks you don’t plan to use right away in the freezer.Unsalted butter has nopreservatives,andsohasashortershelflifethatsaltedbutter.

C

CANAPÉSPREAD

CanapéspreadismadewitheightouncesofcreamcheeseorNeufchâtelmixedwithastickofbutter,andyoushouldalwayshavetheingredientsonhand.Withcanapéspread,youcancomeupwithaninterestingsnackspreadatthedropofahat.Goodthingstoaddare:ChoppedgreenonionsGratedcheddar,garlic,andashotofWorcestershireorsteaksauceSlicedblackolivesSlicedpimento-stuffedgreenolivesandchilisauceCrumbledbaconandhorseradishChoppedfreshvegetablesSautéedsweetredpeppersandonionsSautéedmushrooms,freshdill,andasqueezeoflemonjuice

CANEDFOOD

Notallcanscanbeopenedfromthebottom,butit’sworthwhileknowingwhichonescan.Whenyouopenacan fromthebottom, food thatusuallysettlesandstickswillcomeoutfirst,andyouwon’thavetogoafteritwithaspatula.

CARROTS

Rawcarrots thathavegoneabit limpcanberevivedifyoumixa teaspoonofsugarwithcoldwater,addthecarrots,andchilltheminthefridgeforonetotwohours.Thesametrickworkswithcelery.

CELERY

Mostpeoplestoreceleryintheplasticbagitcamein.I’vefounditstayscrisperand lasts longer if Idiscard theplasticbagandwrap it inaluminumfoil.Andwhilewe’reonthesubject—don’tdiscardtheceleryleaves.Addthemtosaladsor chop themup and sauté themwith onions for spaghetti sauce, gravies, andotherdishes.

CHEESE

Grating soft cheeses like mozzarella and Muenster can be a sticky, crumblymess.Fortidiercooking,putthecheeseinthefreezerforhalfanhourbeforeyougrateit.

CHILI

Ifyouusegroundbeefinchili,tryamixoftwo-thirdsgroundbeefandone-thirdporksausage.Theporkaddsatender,slightlysweetnotethatblendsperfectly.

CUCUMBERS

Cucumbers seem to begin turning to mush almost as soon as they hit thevegetable bin. You can make them last longer by wrapping them tightly inplasticwrap.Thesameapproachworksforotherhighwatercontentvegetablespronetomushiness,suchassweetpeppers.

D

DESSERT

Don’tpanicwhenfriendsshowupandyoudon’thavedessertonhand—goto

yourfruitbowl.Freshfruitisalwayselegant,anddressesfordinnerbeautifully.Herearesomefavoritecombinations: Banana slices drizzledwith a quick caramel sauce (butter and brown sugar

meltedtogether),toppedwithwalnutsorpecansCherries,pittedandsimmeredthreetofourminutesinasmallamountofwater

and sugar (about three tablespoons of each per pound of fresh dark sweetcherries),andasqueezeoflemon,withbrandy(aboutaquartercupperpound)stirredinafterremovingfromheatOrangesliceswithadollopofsourcreamPeachesandraspberriestossedwithasprinkleofpowderedsugarandasplash

ofamarettoPearslicessautéedinbutterandbrownsugar(thisalsoworkswithapples,but

pearsarebetter)Strawberriesandasplashofbalsamicvinegar,strawberrieswithgratedorange

tossedinaniseliqueur,ortheclassicstrawberriesandwhippedcream

E

EGGPLANTS

ThistipchangedthewayIfeelaboutthislittlevegetable.I’dallbutgivenuponbuying them because so many seemed bitter rather than sweet and slightlysmoky.Avendor at the local farmer’smarket toldmewhat the problemwas.Since it’s the seeds that add the bitter taste, the trick is to buy male plants,because theyhave far fewer seeds than female ones.Theway to tellwhich iswhich is to examine the large, rounded end.Males have a slight indentation,while females have a deeper, more pronounced indentation. If you look atenougheggplants,you’llsoonbeabletotellwho’swho.

EGGS

Everyone loveseggsaladanddeviledeggs,butpeelingahardboiledegg isnopicnic if you don’t know how. First, choose older eggs to boil, because fresheggsarethehardesttopeel.Assoonastheeggshavecooked,putthemincoldwater.Whenyou’rereadytopeelthem,gentlycracktheshellsinseveralplaces.Holdtheeggundercoldrunningwater,rollingitgentlybetweenyourfingersto

loosentheshell.Beginpeelingatthelargeend,passingtheeggunderthewaterfromtimetotime.Theshellshouldslipoffwithouttakingchunksofthewhitewithit.

G

GARLIC

Whenchoosingaheadofgarlic,giveitasqueeze.Itshouldbefirm,andthereshould be no soft spots, browning sports, ormissing skin.Missing cloves arefine,itjustmeansyou’rebuyinglessgarlic.Rejectanyheadthathassproutingcloves—thegarlichasbeeninstoragealongtime,andsproutingdrainsthecloveof its goodness. The same is true of onions—unless you’re buying scallions,don’tbuyonionsthathavestartedtosprout.

GREENTOMATOES

Peopleseemtothinkthewaytoripengreentomatoesisonasunnywindowsill.Well, no. Tomatoes ripen from the inside, and even if the skin reddens, thetomatounderneath itwon’tbewhatyouexpected.Nothingsubstitutesforvineripening,butthebestmethodforripeningoncethey’vecomeoffthevineis towrap them loosely in newspapers and put them in a dry, dark place at roomtemperature.

H

HAM

Whenyourbakedhamdwindlesdown to the last fewslicesandnoone in thehouse can bear the thought of another ham sandwich, chop it into half-inchcubes.Chopsomesweetredpepperandoniontogowithit,bagthemix,andputitinthefreezer.Youmaybetiredofhamjustnow,butthedaywillcomewhenaWesternomeletsoundsallbutirresistible.Justshakesomeofthemixinapan,sauté,andaddeggs.

HAMBURGER

Thesecrettoatrulyjuicyhamburgerisnottopackthemeatfirmly.Toshape,hold theburger-to-be inyourpalm, flatten the top lightlywithyour fingertips,thengoaroundtheedge,usingyourthumbtotapstraypiecesintoplace.Insteadofaleaden,meatball-denseburger,you’llhavealightandtenderdelight.

HERBSANDSPICES

Haveyoubecomealittletooreliantonsalt,pepper,garlic,andonions?It’stimeto hit the spice rack and try somenew flavorings.Youprobably already havemostofthesecommonherbs:

Beef: allspice, basil, bay, caraway, cilantro, coriander, cumin, curry, dill,horseradish,lemongrass,marjoram,mustard,oregano,sage,tarragon,thyme

Chicken: bay, basil caraway, coriander, cumin, dill, curry, ginger,lemongrass,marjoram,mustard,rosemary,sage,tarragon

Duck:dill,ginger,lemongrass,rosemary,sage,tarragonEggs:chives,dill,basil,chervil,coriander,cumin,curry,lemonbalm,lovage,

marjoram,mint,mustard,parsley,rosemary,sage,savories,tarragon,thyme

Fish: anise, basil, caraway, chives, coriander, curry, dill, fennel, ginger,

lemongrass,marjoram,parsley,rosemary,sage,tarragon,thyme

Pork:allspice,anise,basil,chervil,cilantro,cinnamon,coriander,cumin,dill,fennel, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, mustard, rosemary, sage, savories,tarragon,thyme

Lamb: basil, bay, caraway, coriander, cumin, curry, dill, lemon balm,marjoram,mint,rosemary,sage,thyme

Salads: anise, basil, caraway, chervil, chives, coriander, cumin, dill, edibleflowers,lemongrass,parsley,tarragon,thyme

Turkey: bay, basil, caraway, coriander, cumin, curry, dill, lemongrass,marjoram,mustard,rosemary,sage,tarragon,thyme

I

ICEDCOFFEE

Ifyouloveicedcoffeeonasummer’sday,keepcoffeeicecubesonhand.Madefromfreshlybrewedcoffee,they’llchillyourdrinkwithoutdilutingit.

L

LETTUCE

Saladgreensthathavegoneabitsoggycanbyrevivedbysoakingincoldwaterwithsomelemonjuice.Tostore,placeinazip-stylebagwithapapertoweltoabsorbmoisture.

M

MASHEDPOTATOES

Oneofthesecretsofgoodmashedpotatoesisboilingthepotatountil it issoftenough to mash well, but not so soft that it has become waterlogged andflavorless. It’s a narrow window of opportunity, and one I’ve missed manytimes.Oneday at a farmer’smarket, I lamented about this to awoman Iwasbuyingheirloompotatoesfrom.Shetoldmetoforgetaboutboilingthepotatoesandtrysteamingtheminstead.Althoughthismeantbreakingwiththousandsofyears of tradition, I was desperate enough to try it. I’ve been steaming mymashingpotatoeseversince.

O

ONIONS

Onions that havebeen stored a long time canbecome too strong to enjoy.Totake the edge off their taste, slice and soak in cold water for ten to fifteenminutes.Drain,patdry,anduseasusual.

OVENFRIES

Forperfectovenfriesfromeitherregularpotatoesorsweet,soakthepeeledandslicedpieces inverycoldwater for ten to fifteenminutes.Drainwell,patdry,tosswithoil,seasonwithsaltandpepper,thenbakeasusual.

P

PASTA

Keepingpastahotuntilitgetstothetableiseasy:placeacolanderintheservingbowlanddrainthepastaintoit.Letitsitforaboutthirtyseconds,thenremovethecolander,emptythebowl,andaddthedrainedpasta.

PECANS

The easiestway to shell pecans is to freeze them in the shell.This causes thenutmeat to pull away from the shell, and the shell to become slightly brittle.Shellthemfrozenandthenutmeatshouldcomeoutwithouttoomuchtrouble.

POPCORN

Popcorn loses its popabilitywhen it dries out. For this reason, it’s best not tostorepopcornintherefrigeratororinself-defrostingfreezers,asbothtendtodryfood out. For best storage, keep unpopped corn in airtight glass or plasticcontainers.

POTATOES

Mygrandfatherwas amaster at growingpotatoes, but itwasmygrandmotherwho knewhow to store them and keep them tasty through thewinter. I don’tknow all of her secrets, but onewas to cut an apple in half and add it to thestoragebintokeepthemfromsprouting.Anotherrulewasnevertostoreonionsandpotatoestogether,aseachwouldcausetheothertospoil.

R

ROASTDUCKORCHICKEN

SomeoneoncetoldmeIcouldmakesomethingverymuchlikePekingduckifIletthebirdsit,unwrapped,inmyrefrigeratorforafewdaysbeforeglazingandroasting it.Havingmade realPekingduckonce, I laugheduproariously.But Itrieditandtheresultwassurprisinglycrisp.Simply unwrap the birds, rinse inside the cavity and out, and pat dry. Set theduckon a rack in a roastingpan, breast sideup, and leave it in the fridge forthreedays.Whenit’stimetocook,rubwiththeglazeofyourchoiceandroastas

usual.

S

SUBSTITUTIONS

Don’tdropeverythinganddashtothestorewhenyou’recookingandrunoutofsomething.Chancesareyouhavealternateingredientsonhand.

Bakingpowder: 1 teaspoon baking powder =½ teaspoon cream of tarterplus¼teaspoonbakingsoda

Brownsugar: 1 cup brown sugar= 1 cupwhite sugar plus 2 tablespoonsmolasses

Butter:½cupsaltedbutter=½cupunsaltedbutterplus¼tspsalt.Ifyouusesaltedbutter ina recipe that shouldhaveunsaltedbutter,omit¼ teaspoonsaltcalledforper½cupofbutter

Buttermilk: 1 cup buttermilk = 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or vinegar) andenoughmilktomakeonecup

Chocolate, semisweet: 1 ounce semisweet chocolate = 3 tablespoonssemisweetchocolatechipsor1ounceunsweetenedchocolateplus1tablespoonsugar

Chocolate,unsweetened:1ounceunsweetenedchocolate=3tablespoonsunsweetenedcocoapowderplus1tablespoonbutter

Cornsyrup,dark:1cupdarkcornsyrup=¾lightcornsyrupplus¼cupmolasses

Cornstarch:1tablespooncornstarch=2tablespoonsflour Flour, cake: 1 cup cake flour = ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour plus 2

tablespoonscornstarch,siftedtogether

Flour, self-rising: 2 cups self-rising flour = 2 cups flour plus 1 teaspoonbakingsodaplus2teaspoonsbakingpowderplus1teaspoonsalt

Garlic:1clovefreshgarlic=1/8teaspoongarlicpowderGarlicsalt:1teaspoongarlicsalt=1/8teaspoongarlicpowderplusenough

salttomake1teaspoon

Ginger:1teaspoonfreshginger=¼teaspoonpowderedginger

Half-and-half:1cuphalf-and-half=1tablespoonmeltedbutterandenoughwholemilktomake1cup

Herbs:1tablespoonfreshherbs=1teaspoondriedherbsLemonjuice:1teaspoonlemonjuice=¼teaspooncidervinegarMilk:1cupwholemilk=½cupevaporatedmilkplus½cupwaterMustard, prepared: ½ teaspoon groundmustardmixedwith 2 teaspoons

vinegar

Onion:1small,choppedonion=1 teaspoononionpowderor1 tablespoondriedmincedonion

Pumpkin pie spice: 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice =¼ teaspoon nutmegplus¼teaspoongingerplus½teaspooncinnamon

Sourcream:1cupsourcream=1cupplainyogurtSugar:1cupsugar=2cupspowderedsugar(Donotsubstituteinbaking!)Tapioca:2teaspooonstapioca=1tablespoonflour

T

TOMATOES

We all have happy visions of a pantry filledwith home-canned tomatoes, butfewof ushave the samehappyvisionsof standing in ahot, humidkitchen inJulyandAugust.Staycool.Washandcorefreshtomatoes(skinthemtoo,ifyoudisliketheskins),thenplaceinfreezercontainersorbagsandfreeze.Defrostatroomtemperatureandenjoyyour“canned”tomatoes.

TURKEY

There’snodoubtthatbriningmakesforjuicierroastturkeyandchicken,butit’salso a bit of a nuisance. There’s amuch easierway to ensure juicy, flavorfulroast fowl.Loosely stuff the cavitywithquarteredapples and stalksof celery.Their high water content will keep the bird moist, while their subtle flavorscomplementpoultryperfectly.

TURKEYDAYLEFTOVERS

I love turkey and don’t understand people who complain about Thanksgivingleftovers.One ofmy favorite dishes usesmost of the foods used in the grandmealitself.Tomakeit,pressleftoverbreadstuffingintoaquichepantoformacrust. Chop leftover turkey and firm, cooked vegetables—such as carrots,broccoli, green beans, spinach, or leeks—into bite-sized pieces and set aside.(Youshouldhavetwotothreecupsaltogether.)Makeaquichebase(foureggsperone cuphalf-and-half), add about a cupof grated cheese, and seasonwithsaltandpepper.Stir in the turkeyandvegetables,pour into thepreparedcrust,andbakeuntilfirmlyset.

W

WALNUTS

Lovewalnutsbutgetfrustratedtryingtogetthemeatoutoftheshell inwholepieces?Soak themovernight insaltedwater. (A teaspoonof saltwilldo.)Thenextday,drainanddrythewalnutsonpapertowels,andthemeatwillreleasein

wholepieceswhenthenutsarecracked.

WILDRICE

Igrewupinwildricecountryandamamazedthatsomanypeopledon’tknowwhattodowithit.Firstofall,wildriceisagrain,notarice,soifyoucookitplain, it’s a bit ho-hum.NativeAmericansmixed itwithwild blueberries andaddedittovenisonstews,twoideasworthyofafour-starkitchen.IuseitwhenIwant a quick, elegant side dish that goeswith almost everything. Tomake it,chopsomeonionandbaconandsauté togetheruntilbotharecrisp.Drainwellandsetaside.Cookthewildrice.Feelfreetomixitwithsomewhiteorbrownrice if youwant, just be sure to cook them separately, as they have differentcookingtimes.Mixthebaconandonionwiththericeandserve.Akeyfeatureofwildriceis that it’sgoodhot,atroomtemperature,andevencold.Sothenextday,turnyourleftoversintowildricesalad.Dresswithalittlelemonjuiceandoilandaddwhateveryouhaveonhand.Youcangosweet,adding ingredientssuch dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries, walnut, and pecans and dressingwith a little orange juice; or you can go savory, adding sliced mushrooms,juliennedcarrots,andotherrawvegetablesanddressingwithlemonvinaigrette.Ifyouhaveleftoverchicken,turkey,orduck,cutitinchunksorsliversandadditforalight,elegantmainmeal.

8BetterLiving

throughBaking

Ilearnedtobakeyearsagobecause,asastrugglingwriter,Icouldneveraffordtobringwinetodinnerparties.Ihadtodevelopanalternative,anddecidedthathomemadecakes,rolls,bread,andpieswoulddothetrick.Tothisday,Ifeelabit guilty about the accolades I received for commonplace items like cobblersandhotcrossbuns,whileexpensivebottlesofwinewereacknowledgedwithashrug. The highlight of my efforts was a standing ovation from some Italianmusicians who had come to America to give a concert. According to theirtranslator,minewasthefirst“real”breadthey’dhadsincelandinginAmerica.Ifyoueverwanttobeextremelypopular,withafulldancecardandinvitationsasfarastheeyecansee,learntobake.Istillbakeatamoment’snotice.Inanoverscheduledworld,it’sawonderful

stressreliever.Itremindsmeofwhatfoodisallabout—thecarethatgoesintoitspreparation,thebeautifulalchemyoftheingredients,thewarmingaromathathas comforted mankind for thousands of years. Nothing signals “home” asclearlyasthescentofbakingbread,ormakesmefeelasoptimisticaboutlifeasanapplepiecoolingonthecounter.

BakingissomethingIcandowellandsharewithothers,andit’shealthy.Asliceofhomemadebreadtakeslongertoeatandisfarmoresatisfyingthanasliceofbread bought at the store. Pie isn’t something that comes from a vendingmachineandgetswasheddownwithsoda.Cookiesareaspecialtreatsomebodytook the time tomake.Whenyoubake,youcontrolwhatgoes intoyour food.More raisins, less sugar. A pinch of salt instead of a tablespoon. Naturalingredientsinsteadofpreservatives.Thereareprobablyasmanyreasonstobakeastherearebakers,andIhopeeveryonefindstheirssomewherealongtheway.

Onefinalword:bakingisnothard.Onceyougetthehangofit,itisn’teventimeconsuming.

THETHREECOMANDMENTSOFBAKING

Toomanypeoplethinkyoucanonlygetgreatbakingresultsbyusingaspecialrecipeorsecretingredient.Notatall!Goodbakingisnomorecomplicatedthandoing the right thingat the right time.Herearea fewsimpleguidelines togetyouoffontherightfoot.

Bakeoften.Themorefrequentlyyoubake,themoreyouwilldevelopafeelforhow dough should look and feel. In the old days, they called this having a“hand,” referring to someonewhoknewby touchwhether thebreadhadbeenkneaded enough, or if the pie crust would be flaky or tough. The more youdevelopyourhand,themorechancesyouhavetomakecorrectionsbeforeyourdishisbaked.Soit’simportanttobakeoften.

Accept mistakes. Baking has variables that aren’t completely within yourcontrol.Oneyear’s cropofwheatmayproduce flour that’s slightly lighter, ordryer,ordenser thananotheryear.Thehumidity inyourhousemaybehigherthanusualoryourbakingpowdermaybelosingitszest.Mostofthetime,theseslightalterationsdon’tmatterbutsometimes,forreasonsyoumayneverfigureout, the forces of darkness conspire and you have a genuine failure on yourhands.Shrugitoff, ithappenstoeveryonesometimes.Notallfailuresarebad,either.Themostpopular cookieof the twentiethcentury, theclassic chocolatechip,beganasabakingfailurewhenthebakerthoughtthechunksofchocolatesheaddedwouldmelt,mingle,andmakeanall-chocolatecookie.

Bakesmall.Many recipesgot their start decades ago,whenbig families andbigappetiteswerethenorm,andthat“cookingbig”stylecontinuestodominatemost contemporary cookbooks. Large quantity results can seem daunting, andwasteful, especially sincemostbakedgoodsarebest eatenwhen thebloomoffreshness is still on them. Fortunately, most recipes can be divided. I dividerecipesallthetime,anddividethemagain.Adeepdishpie,withfruitthatneedstobepeeledand large topandbottomcrusts thatneed tobemixedand rolledout, isamajorundertaking—somajor,Idon’tdoitoften.ButIwillmakeany

number of pies in my small-sized pie pan, using up stray handfuls of fruit,turningaleftovereggwhiteintomeringuetopping,andcombiningleftoverbitsofhamandcheeseintoaperfectquichefortwo.

BETTERBAKING

Read the instructions. Then reread them. It’s amazing howmany people—includingmyself—either skip thedirectionsbecause they feel the item isonetheyalreadyknowhowtomake,orreadthedirectionsandgetsomethingwrong.Therewasonce abanana cake recipe I loved the taste of andmade for years,eventhoughitrepeatedlycameoutdenseandflat.Oneday,flippingthroughthecookbook, I noticed that the two eggs I’d been adding should have beenseparated,andthewhitesbeatenbeforeadding.Thecakewasevenbetter—nottomentionhigherandlighter—thenexttimeImadeit.

Uselargeeggsforbaking,notextralargeorjumbo.RecipesarewrittenandtestedwithGradeAlargeeggs,andusinglargerorsmaller

eggsthancalledforwillthrowyourrecipeoff.

Have ingredients at room temperature. Eggs produce better volume atroomtemperature,andbuttercreamsmoreeasily.Ifyourkitchenisverywarm,youwantbutter slightly cooler than true room temperature, asyoudon’twanttheoilstobegintoseparatefromthesolids.

Useunsaltedbutter.Most recipes call for salt, and the amount rests on theassumptionthatthebutteruseddoesn’tcontainany.Inadditiontokeepingyourcooking accurate, unsalted butter tastes better—fresher because it has nopreservativesandsaltisnotcoveringupitsnaturalsweetness.

Frostyourcupcakesthenightbeforeservingforabakery-perfectlook.

Shouldyousift?Ifflourseldomhastheclumpsandoccasionalstrayhusksthatflouroflongagodid,whyarewestillsifting?Well,there’sanotherreasonwhysiftingisimportant.Youalsomayhavenoticedthatdirectionsusuallysay“siftthedryingredientstogether.”Thisisbecauseyoudon’twanttobeatflourlongerthannecessary.Whenyoumakebread,youwanttoworkandkneadtheflourtodeveloptheglutens.Butforotherbakedgoods,suchaspies,cakes,andcookies,workingtheflourwillmakepastrytoughratherthantender.Ontheotherhand,leaveningsandspices,whichareaddedinrelativelysmallamounts,havetobethoroughly blended into the dough. Sifting dry ingredients together is a goodwaytogetthejobdonewithouthavingtobeattheflour.Youcancheat;insteadofsifting,measuretheingredientsintoabowlandstirwellwithafork.

Giveyourovenenough time to preheat, at least ten and preferably fifteenminutes.

Ovens don’t bake alike. Smaller ovens seem to bake more quickly, whileolderovenscandevelophotspotsandcoolspots.Thefirsttimeyouusearecipethatinvolvesbaking,watchitlikeahawk.Notethetimewhenyouslidthepanintotheoven,andmakeanoticeofwhenyoutakeitout.That’sthetruebakingtime, theone thatworks foryouroven, and itmaybedifferent fromwhat therecipesays.

Oven thermometers are great, but many people make the mistake ofhanging the gauge on the front of the rack where it’s easiest to read. Theproblem is thatyoudon’tbake foodat thevery frontofyouroven,where thetemperature is the coolest. Hang the thermometer in the center of the oven,wherethefoodwillgo.

Nopeeking.Everytimeyouopenyourovendoor,youloseatleast25degreesofheat.Thisnotonlywastes energy, itwill throwyour timeswayoff and, insomeitems,willaffectthequalityofthefinishedproduct.

LEAVEYOUROVENLIGHTOFFDURINGTHEBAKING

LEAVEYOUROVENLIGHTOFFDURINGTHEBAKINGPROCESS.ITADDSHEAT,BUTADDSITUNEVENLY,ATTHEBACKOFTHEOVEN,WHICHISALREADYHOTTER

THANTHEFRONTOFTHEOVEN.

TIPSFORBAKINGPOWDERBISCUITS

Forextra-flakybiscuits,usefrozenbutterfortheshortening,andgrateitintotheflourorpulseinafoodprocessor.

Mymotherrolledherbiscuitsoutandusedacutter.Iseldomhavetimeforthat,andsimplypatmydoughintoarectangleandcutthebiscuitsintosquares.Youcanalsoturnthedoughoutontoasheetandpatitintoalargecircle.Usingthedullsideofaknifeblade,scorethedoughintopie-shapedwedges.Bake,andcutapartwhenthebiscuitsaredone.

Awell-seasonedcast iron skilletmakes a perfect pan to bake biscuits in.Melt a tablespoonor soofbutter in it, tilt thepan so that theentirebottom iscoated,addbiscuitsandbake.

Before you put your biscuits in the oven, sprinkle them with salt andpepper.Thistastesespeciallygoodifyou’reservingthemwithamild,richdishsuchasclamchowderoroysterstew.

THEPERFECTLOAFOFBREAD

Breadisfareasiertomakethanmanythingsyoualreadycook.Ifyoulackconfidence, go to the library, find thebooksonmakingbread, and take a fewhomewithyou.Browsingthroughthem,you’llnoticethateveryrecipehasfourbasicingredients:leavening(usuallyyeast,butsometimesastarter),water,flour,and salt. While there are differences from one recipe to the next—differentproportions, different mixing methods, different added ingredients—the basicfour are always there, and so long as you don’t kill the yeast, and give thechemistrytimetowork,youwillendupwithbread.

Onceyou’vemasteredpizzacrust, branchout toother flatbreads, suchasfocaccia, fougasse, naan, lavash, or pita. Since some flatbreads are yeastrisenandsomearen’t,itwillgiveyouagoodfeelforthetwotypesofdough.

PIZZACRUSTISAGOODPLACETOSTARTBECAUSEYOUDON’THAVETOWORRYABOUTITRISING,AND

EVENIFIT’SNOTQUITEPERFECT,NOONEWILLNOTICEALLTHATMUCH.

NOTICEALLTHATMUCH.

Don’tuse fast-risingyeast.Somepeopleget into suchadither about theirbreadnot rising they takeout “yeast insurance”—theybuy rapid-riseyeast, ortrytogivetheyeastaboostbyusingself-risingflourwithit,oruseregularyeastbutthrowinanextraspoonfulforgoodmeasure.Allofthesearebadideas.Thesaltintheself-risingflourisantagonistictoyeast,andwillslowdownorlimititseffectiveness.Attheotherendofthespectrum,thesatisfyingtasteandtextureofbreadcomesfromgivingtheglutentimetodevelop,andwhilefast-risingyeastcanproducealotofbubbles,itcan’treallyspeeduptime.

Usegoodwater.Waterisoneofthedominantflavoringsinbread.Ifthetapwaterinyourareahasalotofchlorine,ordoesn’ttastegoodforotherreasons,usegoodbottledwater.

Usegoodflour.Whiteflouristhebackboneofmostbreads—evenryebreadsandwheatbreads.Everyonewhobakeshasafavoritetype.Mineisunbleached,andIcan’timagineswitchingmyallegiance.OthersIknowusebleachedflour,whilestillotherswanttoseethewords“BreadFlour”onthesack.Allofthesearegoodflours,andthey’reallavailableinthegrocerystory.Experimenttoseewhichyoulikebest—aslongasyouavoidcakeflourandself-risingflour,you’llbe fine. Health food stores are also good places to explore, and you’ll findgreatervariety,too—semolinaflour,organicallygrownflour,andstone-groundwhiteflourarejustsomeofthetypesI’vefoundthere.

Mix bread in the largest bowl you have. In the old days, peoplemixeddough inwide, shallowwoodenbowls.This shape, larger thanneeded toholdtheingredients,meantthatalotofairgotmixedinrightfromthestart.Youcanget the same advantage by using a bowl that doesn’t crowd ingredients to thebrim,andisshallowenoughtoletaircirculatefreely.

Don’taddflourallatonce.Instead,addabouthalfacupatatimeandbeataftereachaddition.Thisisanotherwayoflighteningthedough.

Mostrecipestellyoutoturnthefinisheddoughontothecounterandletitrest tenminutes before kneading. I’ve had better luck anotherway. I turn thedoughontotheboardwhenit’sstillsticky,andworkinthelastoftheflourwithmyhands.ThenIkneaditforafewminutes,putaclothoverit,andlet itrestfifteen to twentyminutes.When Icomebackandbegin the“real”kneading, Ifind that the longer resting period, and the little bit of kneading I did before,makesmyjobaloteasier.

AWAYTOGETSHINY,CRUSTYLOAVESISTOMIST

AWAYTOGETSHINY,CRUSTYLOAVESISTOMISTTHEBREADWITHASPRAYMISTERSEVERALTIMESWHILEIT’SBAKING,ONCEEVERYTENTOFIFTEEN

MINUTES.

Anothertrickthatmakesformoreefficientkneadingistodelayaddingthesalt.Don’t add it to the dough while you’re mixing, but hold back until halfwaythroughthekneadingprocess.

Themostcommonerrorinbreadmakingcomesduringthekneadingprocess.It’seasytodecidethedoughistoosticky,andstartaddingmoreandmoreflourtocorrecttheproblem.Theproblemisthattoomuchflourgetsadded,andaddedsolate in theprocess that thebreadbecomesleaden.I learnedall this thehardway. Ultimately, I learned to resist the impulse to keep adding more flour—kneadingwillusuallytakecareofthestickiness,itjusttakessometime.

Ifyouwantacrusty,artisan-styleloaf, tryadding lessyeastandslowingdowntherisingtime.Ageneralruleofthumbisthatcuttingtheyeastinhalfwilldoubletherisingtime.

Rotatethebreadhalfwaythroughbaking,tomakesureitbakesevenly.Decidingwhenbreadisdonebakingcanbetricky,sincenotwoloavesareeverquitethesame.Thefoolproofwayistobuyaninstantreadthermometertocheckthebread’sinternaltemperature.Sandwichbreads,whichyouwanttobeslightlymoist, are donewhen the internal temperature hits 180°F.Breads thatyouwanttobecrisperanddryer,suchasbaguettes,aredoneat200°F.

Alwaysletbreadcoolonarack,tokeepthebottomcrisp,anddon’ttrytosliceituntilit’scooledconsiderably.

Whenthebreadisstillwarmbutcoolenoughtocut,besuretoenjoyaslice.Freshbreadwithbutterorasliceofsharpcheddarisaboutasclosetonirvanaasyoucanget.

CAKESANDMORE

Boxedmixcakeshavegivenustheideathereareonlyahandfulofflavorsand

frostings.Gofindavintagecookbookandyou’llseehowfaroffthemarkthisis.Backinthedayswhenpeoplebakedfromscratch,thereweredozensanddozensof flavorsandcombinations.You’ll findenough inspiration tokeepyougoingforyears.

Tobakeaperfectcake,getoffontherightfoot—makesureall ingredientsareatroomtemperature.

Don’tskimponthetimeyouspendcreamingthebutterandsugar—thisishowtheairthatmakescakelightgetsincorporatedintothebatter.Creamthebutteronitsownforaboutfiveminutes,thenaddthesugarandcreamuntilthemixtureisnolongergritty.

Combinethecake’sdryingredientsinabowlandstirwell,usingaforktofluffandlightentheflour.

Whenadding dry ingredients, don’t beat.Mix in atmedium speed, anddon’tmixlongerthannecessarytoblendthoroughly.

Ifyouusebutterormargarineinthecake,usethewrappertogreasethecakepan.Ithasjustabouttherightamountofshorteningclingingtoit.

Ifyoudon’twanttogreaseorflourthecakepan,linethebottomofthepan

withwaxedpaperorbakingparchmentand leave thesidesbare—thecakecanbeloosenedbyrunningaspatulaalongtheedges.

USETHEFRESHESTEGGSAVAILABLEFORYOURCAKES.THEFRESHONESPRODUCEMOREVOLUME

WHENBEATEN.

TOMAKEYOURCHOCOLATECAKEMOISTER,MIXTHEBAKINGSODAWITHATEASPOONOFVINEGAR

BAKINGSODAWITHATEASPOONOFVINEGARBEFOREADDING.

Chocolatecakescanpickupwhitestreaksfromtheflourthatcoatedthepan.Toavoidthis,dustthepanwithcocoapowderinstead.

Lookforarecipewithbuttermilkinitforacakethatwillstaymoistalongtime.Keepthecakeintherefrigerator,wellwrapped,anditwilllastforweeks.

Whenit’stimetofrostthecake,decidewhatkindoflookyouwant.Foracasual,rusticlook,stackthelayersrightsideup.Forabakery

shoplook,trimthedomesoffeachlayerandinvertthem.

Anotherplus:thebuttermilkaddsarichnessthatmakesfrostingunnecessary.Adusting of powdered sugar, simple glaze, or dollop of frosting is all that’sneeded.

Rapthefilledpansharplyonthecounterafewtimesbeforeputtingyourcakeintheoven,tobringtheairbubblestothesurface.

Tobakeacakethat’smorelevelthandomed,usethebackofalargespoontopullbatterfromthecenterouttowardstheedges.

Alwaysmakeplentyoffrosting.Youcanfreezetheleftovers,orspreaditongrahamcrackersforaspecialtreat.

Beforefrostingalayercake,gooverthelayerslightlywithapastrybrushtosweepawayloosecrumbs.

Tofrostacakeontheplateyouplantoserveiton,cutwidestripsofbakingparchmentandarrangethemtoformasquarecoveringtheedgesoftheplate.

Putadollopoffrostingatthecenterofthecakeplateandspreaditout.Thiswillanchorthecakeandkeepitfromslidingaroundwhenyouworkatit.

FROSTINGTOPERFECTION

Tofrostatwo-layercake,followthisorder:

1First,thebottomlayer.Spreadthefillingorfrostingevenly,rightuptotheedge.Add the top layer. If the frosting is a bit runny, pop the cake in thefridgeforabouttenminutes.

2Mixaboutone-thirdcupoffrostingwithafewdropsofmilk,andspreadathincoatoffrostingoverthecake,sidesfirst,thentop.Returnthecaketotherefrigeratorfortentofifteenminutes,untiltheundercoathasset.

3Nowfinishthecakewiththeremainderoftheundilutedfrosting,beginningwith the sides.Make sure there is plenty of frosting on the spatula at alltimes,so that itglidessmoothlyover thecakeanddoesn’t tugor tearat it.When reloading the spatula,wipe the excess off on the edge of the bowl,thenwipethespatulacleanbeforereloading.

4Dothetoplast.Plopagenerousamountoffrostinginthecenterofthecakeandspreadoutwardtothesides.

Giveyourselfroomtospreadoutwhenyouarebaking.Clearthecountertopsoruseanisland.

Ifyouwantyourfrostedcake tohaveasmooth,shinybakery look,holdaflat metal spatula under hot running water. Shake off the moisture or wipelightly,butleaveitabitdamp.Glidethespatulaofthesidesandtopofthecake,reheatingasnecessary,untilthewholecakeissmooth.

TRICKSFORCHEESECAKES

Placeapanofwater on the rackbelow the cheesecake.Your cakewill be

particularlymoistandcreamy.

Make sure all the lumps are out of the cream cheese when mixing acheesecake, before you begin adding the eggs.Keep themixer set atmediumthroughout— not high. The reason is that you don’t want to beat air into thebatter.Youwantasmooth,densecake,notalightandfrothyone.

Acheesecakeisdonewhenaninsertedknifecomesoutslickbutwithjustabitofcakeclingingtoit.Ifbatterisclingingtothewholeknife,itisn’tdoneyet.Ifyouwaituntiltheknifecomesoutcompletelycleananddry,you’vebakedthecaketoolong.

Ifyourcakecracks on topwhenyouwant it to lookperfect, don’t despair.Pull it outof theovenas soonasyounoticeand set aside.Mixa cupof sourcream with one-quarter cup of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. When thecheesecakehascooledjustenoughtoavoidmeltingthesourcream,spreadthemixtureevenlyoverthetopandbakeanotherfifteentotwentyminutesat325°F.You’llhaveapictureperfect—anddelicious—cake.

If you fear you’ve overbaked your cheesecake, don’t despair. Let it cool,remove the springform ring, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, and put in therefrigerator.Byservingtime,thecakewillnotseemoverbakedatall.Theplasticwrapremoisturizesthecake,andanytougheningthatoccurredvanishes.

Try replacing half the vanilla with pure almond extract for a subtlevariation.

Nospringformpan?Noworry.Anysturdy,straight-sidedovenproofdishwilldo.Ihaveasix-inchsoufflédishIusewhenIwanttomakeasmallcake.Thefirst time I did this, I wasn’t quite certain how I’d get the cake out. I lightlybutteredthedish,andwhenthecakewasfinished,Iflippeditoutontoaservingplate. Iwasgoing toflip it toanotherplate toget it rightsideup,but itwasachocolatecheesecakeandIlikedthewayitlooked,soIserveditasis.Thecakewasasuccess,andthecruststayedniceandcrispuntilthelastpiecewaseatenseveraldayslater.

TEAWITHALEMONSLICEISAPERFECTCOMPANIONTOASWEETCHERRYPIE.TRYATOPCRUSTTHATIS

SLIGHTLYTOOSMALLFORAREDRING.

QUICKCOBBLERSANDMORE

It’shardtofindadessertasdelicious—oraseasy—asfruitcobbler.Mymotherusedtorolloutherdoughforthetop,butIpreferdroppingmineoverthe

fruit by large spoonfuls. It’smuch quicker, and the unevenness of the dollopsmakesdeliciouspeaksandvalleystocatchcreamthat’spouredoverthetopasafinishingtouch.

Someofmyfavoritecobblersaremadefromsoftfruits—suchasberriesandpeaches—thatcancollapseandbecomealmostunrecognizableduringbaking.Isolvedthisproblembyusingfrozenfruit,tossingtheice-cold,rock-solidberriesorpeachesinamixofcornstarchandsugar,gettingthetoppingonquickly,andpopping the whole thing in the oven as fast as possible. This way, the fruitspendsmuchofthebakingtimethawingout,withlesstimetoturntojam.

BAKECOOKIESANYTIME

Betheladywiththefreshlybakedcookies—anytime.Almostanycookiedough will work as slice-and-bake. Slit the cardboard core of a roll of papertowels or aluminum foil lengthwise and line with a piece of plastic wrap.Holdingthecoreopen,spoonincookiedough,pressingfirmlywithaspoontoeliminate air pockets. Squeeze the tube together, scraping off any dough thatoozesout.Wraptheexcessplasticwraparoundthetube,foldingovertheends,thenstoreinaplasticbaginthebackofthefreezer.Whencompanydropsby,just slice and bake asmany cookies as desired.Keep a fewdifferent kinds ofdougharound,andtreatyourfriendstoarealcookiefest.

DON’TUSECOOKIESHEETSTHATGOWALL-TO-WALLINYOUROVEN.YOUNEEDSPACEONALLFOURSIDESINORDERFORAIRTOCIRCULATEPROPERLY—ABOUT

TWOINCHESONEACHSIDEISRECOMMENDED.

Whenbringingbuttertoroomtemperatureforcookies,don’tletitsittoolong.Butterthatistoosoftmakesbatterthatistoosoft,andyourcookieswon’tbecrisp.

When recipes call for creaming butter, sugar, and eggs until light andfluffy, they mean it. Many people mix just to combine, then add the dryingredientsandbeatmuchlonger,atahigherspeed.Thisisexactlybackwards.“Light and fluffy” should get the lion’s share of time, until the mixture hasincreasedinvolumeandlookssmoothandalmostfrosting-like.Thenlowerthespeed andmix in thepresifteddry ingredients just until thoroughly combined.Beating dry ingredients for prolonged periods is where the phrase “toughcookies”originated.

Insulatedcookiesheetsproducegreatcookieswith fewerburnededgesandbottoms.Ifyoudon’thaveaninsulatedsheet,improvisebyplacingonecookiesheetontopofanother.

Try to avoid greasing your cookie sheets. Greasing with butter can makecookiesbrowntooquickly,whilemargarineorsprayscanleaveataste.Investinasiliconmattoputonthesheet,usebakingparchment,ortryanonsticksheet.

Besureyouroven is fullyheatedwhenyouput thecookies in. If it isn’t,yourcookieswillbetooflat,andevenslightlygreasytothetouch.

Ovens are hotter at the back than the front, where the door is. Halfwaythroughthebakingtime,reversethepanforthoroughlyevenbaking.Thelongerthebakingtimeis,themoreimportantthisstepbecomes.

Assoonascookiesarecoolenoughtoslideontoaspatulawithoutbreaking,transferthemtoawireracktocool.Cookiesthatcoolinthepanwillnothavecrispbottoms.

Eitherletyourbakingsheetscoolbetweenbatchesor,ifpossible,usetwodifferent cookie sheets. Shortening has a lowmelting temperature, so placingcookie dough on a warm baking sheet causes it to melt and ooze out of thedough.Youwant tokeep theshortening in thedoughwhere itbelongs. Ifyoudon’thavetwobakingsheetsandaremakingdropcookieswithmediumtostiffdough, you can form the drops on a plate. Then, quickly transfer them to thebakingsheetwhenit’sfree.Workfastandallshouldbewell.

Burnedcookies? Let them cool completely, then try using a small grater togentlyremovetheburntedgesandbottoms.

PIECRUST

Youwillnevergetflaky, tender,old-fashionedpiecrustwithbutteroroil.Youmustuselard.Andbeforeyouwrinkleyournoseupattheidea,knowthefacts:whencomparedtobutter,lardhaslesscholesterol,lesssaturatedfat,andagreaterproportionofunsaturatedfats.

Forgetthepastryblender.Tocutshorteningintoflour,puttheingredientsinafoodprocessorandpulsetothedesiredconsistency.

Avoid the “chilled pastry dough” pitfall. Yes, chilling re-solidifies theshortening andmakes for flakier crust, butmany people think thismeans thedoughshouldbechilledbefore itgets rolledout.This isamisconception,andchilling dough before you roll itwill only give you a stiffmass that youwillhavetooverworktorollout.Rollthebottomcrustoutfirstandputitinthepan,thenchill it in thepan.Then roll the topcrustoutonapieceofwaxedpaper,slidethepaperontoabakingsheetorplate,andputitinthefridge.Orbetteryet,uselardassuggestedaboveandyourcrustwillbeflakywithoutchilling.

Handlethedoughaslittleaspossible.Ifthepieceisunevenorsplitsduring

rolling,it’sbettertodopatchworkrepairinthepanthantorollitoutasecondtime.Rollingitoutasecondtimewilltoughenthecrust.

If you have trouble rolling out pie crust, try rolling it out between twosheetsofwaxedpaper.Whenit’s therightsize,carefullypeelonesheetof thepaperaway,flipthecrustintothepieplate,andgentlypeelawaytheremainingsheetofpaper.

When you flute the edges of the dough, remember that this isn’t just fordecoration.You reallywant to seal the topandbottomcrusts together tokeepjuicesfromtricklingoutduringbaking,sogivethemagoodpinch.

Ifyourcrustturnsoutsoggywhenyoumakefruitpiesorpumpkinpie,trypartiallyprebakingthem.Abouttenminutesat350°Fshoulddo.

Don’t throw leftoverscraps of pie crust away.Cut them into cookie-sizedpiecesandbakeuntilgoldenbrown.Sprinklewithseasaltandeatplain,orskipthesaltandeattoppedwithasliceoffreshpeachoradollopofraspberryjam.

QUICHEMAKESLEFTOVERSFUN

Quiche iswonderful for turning leftovers into deliciousmeals. Startwith agoodbasicegg-and-dairymix(foureggsperonecupofhalf-and-halfworkswellfor a nine-inch quiche) and add combinations of meat, cheeses, and cookedvegetables.Goodcombinationsinclude:

ArtichokesandpecorinoorRomanocheese

Corn,bacon,andcheddar

Hamandbluecheese

Peppers,onions,andmushrooms,sautéedtogether

Spicysausageandsautéedpeppers

SpinachandfetaorGruyèrecheese

Turkey,bacon,andbroccoli

Zucchiniandmozzarellacheese

Ifyoudon’thavehalf-and-halfonhandwhenyouwant tomakequiche,and stillwant something richer thanmilk, cannedevaporatedmilk is aperfectsubstitute.

HARMONY

9IntheGarden

Countrygardensconjureup imagesof treeswingsand tellises,hollyhocksandpolebeans,vine-ripenedtomatoesanddewygrassticklingsleepybarefeet.It’sauser-friendly setting, perfect for quiet afternoons in a shaded hammock,boisterous holiday celebrations, and easy-living family suppers at the picnictable.Evenifabusyscheduleleaveslittletimeforafull-blownvegetablepatch,wildflowergardens, ivy,andshrubsare low-maintenancealternatives.Whetherwehaveanacretocallourownornomorethanawindowbox,thepleasuresofgetting one’s fingers in the wet earth and seeing what comes up has anirresistablepull.

ABIGBOUQUETOFALL-PURPOSETIPS

Ahouse starts inviting you in before you have even fully approached thefrontgate.Keepaneat,trimyardwithatleastafewflowerstowelcomeguests,andbewareofovergrownlandscapingthatburiesyourhouseinsomuchgloomtheneighborhoodkidsstartreferringtoitas“thescarywitchhouse.”

Protectyourhomefromwinterblastsanddriftingsnowbysheltering theexposed side of your house with a windbreak of trees and shrubs. For bestresults,thedistancebetweenthewindbreakandthehouseshouldbetwotofivetimestheheightofthematureplants,butdistancesdoubleoreventriplethiscanstill produce results. Expect to save 25 percent on heating costs in ordinaryconditions, and savings up to one-third in windy areas. Windbreaks on threesides (west, north, and east) can cut heating costs by asmuch as 40 percent.Whenchoosingplants,considerthosewithlow,bushycrownsandtreesthatwillstillgiveshelterinthewinter.

Ifyoucan’tcreateawindbreak,youcanstilluseoutdoorplantingstomaketheindoorscomfortable.Shrubs,bushes,andvinesplantednearthehousehelpmaintainindoortemperaturesinbothsummerandwinterbycreatingpocketsofdeadairthatactasinsulation.Spacetheplantssothat,whenfullygrown,therewillbeatleastafootofspacebetweenthemandtheexteriorwall.

Drawascalegridofyouryard—front,back,andsides.Drawinanythingthat’s trulypermanent—thehouse,driveway,andanydetachedbuildings.Savetheoriginalandmakeseveralcopies—you’llalwayshaveahandycanvastotry

newlayoutson.

Be boldwhen you lay out your garden, and don’t just settle for borderplantingsthathugthehouseorfencing.OneofthemostcharminggardensIwaseverinbelongedtomysister’sneighbor,who’dtreatedthespacethesamewayyou’d treat a living space. There was a winding stone walk that led to aconversation area with two bright yellow chairs, an area near the house foroutdoor dining, a spot sheltered from these “people places” for a bird andbutterfly garden, and farthest away from all of these a place for sports andrecreation.

To make a shallow yard seem larger, use horizontal layers of differentheightstocreatetheillusionofdepth,suchaslowshrubsbeforeaslightlyhigherfence,flowerbedsandanarborbeyond,andtallershrubsnearthehouse.

If you’re good at computer imaging, take exterior shots of your home,enlargethem,anduseanimagingprogramtopasteorpaintinvariousplantingsyou’recontemplating.

Keep ground plans, notes, and inspiration pictures together in a gardenworkbook.Note your plantings for each season, howwell they produced, andany problems you had along the way. Over just a few years, you’ll build aremarkablyrichresourcebook—andyou’llhaveyourownpersonalwishbooktogetyouthroughthoselongwinternights.

AWAYTOMAKEAYARDORGARDENAPPEARBIGGERISTOOPTFORCURVINGPATHSANDWALKWAYS

RATHERTHANSTRAIGHTONES.

Carveoutasittingspotinyourgarden.What’sthepointinhavingabeautifulyardifyoucan’tenjoyit?

Keepagardencalendar.Ifyouplantfromseed,it’sespeciallyusefultonoteyourplantingdayandthedayseedlingsfirstappeared.(Thewaitalwaysseemslonger than it is, and Iconvincemyself theplants shouldbeupsooner than isrealistic.)It’salsohelpfultonotewhichdaysitrainedandtheamountofrainfall,soyoudon’twaterunlessyoureallyneedto.Savingyourcalendarsfromyeartoyear can give you a good record of conditions in your area, so I note once-a-season events such as the first killing frost, winter precipitation, and springwarming.

Fillabasketorcaddywithallyourtoolsyou’llneed,soyouwon’thavetokeepgongbackandforthandsearchingforthetrowelorrakeyoujustknowisinthegaragesomewhere.

Iftheshadeatthebaseofatreeistooheavyforanythingtogrowthere,tryfillingthebareringwithredmulch.Itlookstidyandaddsabitofnaturalcolor.

Lawn not living up to its potential as an emerald beauty? The twomostcommonissuesarethewrongsoilandthewrongcutting.Fortunately,bothcanbe corrected. Have your soil tested to make sure it’s sufficient in iron andmagnesium, thenutrientschieflyresponsibleforgrass’srichgreencolor. It’sacommonproblem,andfertilizerstailoredtocorrectthedeficiencyareavailableatyour localgardenshop. If soil isn’t theproblem,chancesareyou’recuttingyourlawntooshortandtoooften,andthesunistakingitstollonthosetendershoots.Grassshouldnotbecutshorterthantwoinches,whichmeansyou’vegotsometimetokickbackandhaveanicedteaonthedeck.

It’sbettertogiveyourlawnandplantsagoodsoakinglessfrequentlythanseveralsprinklingsmoreoften.Thereasonisthattheroots,theonlypartoftheplant that can really absorb thewater, lieunderneath the soil.Smallwateringsare quickly absorbedby the topsoil, or even themattingof plantmaterial thatcoversit,andtherootsremaindryandthirsty.Forthemtodrink,thewaterreallyhastopenetrate—aboutfourtosixinchesdownformostlawnsandplants,moreforlargerplantsandshrubs.

DON’TPRUNEONAWINDYDAY.THESTIFFBREEZECANDRYTHETIPSOFTHEBRANCHES,WHICH

HAVEN’TYETHADTIMETOFORMAPROTECTIVESEAL.

Lawns need about an inch of water a week, although this can vary

dependingonfactorssuchascloudcover,airtemperature,andhumidity.Araingaugehelpsyoukeeptrackofnaturalrainfall,buthowdoyouknowhowmuchwateryour sprinklersputout?The answer is todo a test using the rain-gaugemodel.Mark an empty tin canone inch from the bottomand set it in a level,stable place in the sprinkler’s range. Make note of the time and turn on thesprinkler. Keep watch on the can, and when the water reaches the one-inchmarker,notethetimeagain.Thedifferenceishowlongyouneedtowatereachsectionoflawnaweek.

I tried planting in the rain after reading a book about Russian peasantswaxingnostalgicforthegoodolddaysandwouldrecommendtheexperiencetoeveryone. The pleasure of getting completelywet andmuddy, the extra-sharpscentofgreeneryanddampearth,andthefeelingofbeingcompletelyinnature’sgraspisnottobemissed.Andwhenit’sover,thegreatestpleasureofallawaits—thereisnothingthatfeelsasgoodasalonghotshowerwhenyouarechillyandsoakedtotheskin.

Whenstartingseedlingsinflats,addalittlefertilizertotheirwaterwhentheplantsbegintoappear.Thiswillstrengthenandfortifythemfortransplanting.

Save your small plastic yogurt containers and cut the bottoms—they’reperfectforprotectingseedlingsfromspringweather.

For thosewho prefer the inefficientway to clean up fallen leaves: rakethemintolinesintheshapeofafloorplanforasmallhousewithafewrooms.Don’tforgetthedoors!Nowyouryoungonescanplaywhileyoufinishraking,

andyouwon’thave toworryabout themwanderingoff.Don’tbe surprised ifyou’reinvitedforteaandgrahamcrackers.

Don’t transplantonabrightsunnyday.Wait forearlyduskoracloudyday, so the plants won’t dry out. Since moisture is a key to successfultransplanting, I like to do itwhen the soil is still damp from rain.Evenwhenthat’s the case, new transplants need to be watered immediately, to keep therootsfromdryingandwithering.Tobesafe,watereachplantasyougoalong.

Theefficientwaytocleanupfallenleavesistorakethemintoapile,thensoakthepilewithagardenhoseonhighpressure.Oncethey’rewettheyclumptogetherandwon’tblowaround,makingiteasyto

transferthemtoamulchpileorshovelthemintotrashbags.

Ifyouhaveaworkingfireplace,mixtheasheswithclean,dryleavesandlettheleavesdecompose.Youwillhaveanexcellentleafmold.

What to do with that pile of soot from cleaning your furnace pipes or

chimney?Blend it into thesoilaround rosesand liliesand itwilldeepen theircolor.

Manyfolkswhowantahotbedbutthinkit’stoomuchworkareignoringanalmostready-madeopportunityintheirownbackyards.Itisn’tdifficulttobuildahotbedframethatsitsflushagainstabasementwindow.Whentheweatherisbadyoucanpullupastepladderandgardenfromtheinside,andwhenitturnscold,leavingthewindowcrackedopenwillletheatflowintothebed.Thebestsidetobuildonisthesouth,buteastwillalsowork—thesearethesidesthatgetthemostnaturalheatandlight.

Gardentoolsgetdull—especiallytheonesthatprunebark-coveredbranchesandhackthroughtough,fibrousroots—sosharpenthebladesfromtimetotime.Anordinarymillfile,availableatanyhardwareorhomeimprovementstore,isallyouneed.

Washanddryyourtoolsaftereachgardeningsession.Dirtleftonbladesturnsintosomethingmuchlikecement,andiftheearthis

damp,rustmayform.

Beforeputtinglawntoolsawayforthewinter,performamaintenancecheckand inventory of all the items. Wash and thoroughly dry each tool. Checkwooden-handledonesandsandawayanysplinters.Finally,give theclean,dry

metalpartsagoodwipewithaclothdippedinanykindoffatoroil,includingordinary salad oil or bacon fat left from breakfast—it will keep rust fromforming.

Gardeningquestionyoucan’tfindtheanswerto?Tapintoanyofthemanyextension services attached to public colleges and universities. They’re anexcellent source of information, and the ones in your area can give youinvaluablepointersonthesoil,climate,andgrowingconditionsinyourregion.Don’tdiscountfarther-flungbranches,though—mostspecializeinlocallygrowncrops. Iknowfrompersonalexperience that theUniversitiesofMinnesotaandWashingtonknowaboutallthereistoknowaboutapples,andIbetthefolksinVermontcouldtellmealotaboutharvestingsapformaplesyrup.

ATTRACTINGBIRDSANDBUTTERFLIES

We’ve all had dreams of a garden space alive with rainbow-colored butterflywings and the spiritlifting chirp of birds. But does your weed-and insect-freeyard,withitsscrupulouslyprunedtrees,dead-headedflowers,andwidestretches

ofclose-croppedgrass,keepgettingthecoldshoulder?Nowonder—tobirdsandbutterfliesthis“perfect”landscapeisasinvitingasapicniconthemoon.There’snothing to eat here, no place to rest, and no protection from weather andpredators. Here are some ways to put out the welcome mat withoutcompromisingtoomanyofyouraestheticideals.

Dotheresearch.Findouthowthebirdsandbutterfliesinyourlocalitythrive.Whatkindof landscapeandplantsdo they like to livenear?Naturewalkscangiveyousomegoodinsights,andyourlocalnurserymightalsohelp,butwe’vefoundextensionservices(runbystateuniversitiesandlocalgovernments)tobethemostabundantsourceofinformation.

Startan inventory. In thewild,birdsandbutterflies live inhabitats that aremultitiered, among a diverse assortment of plants that provide for their needsthroughouttheseasons.Assessyourspaceandstarttakingnotes.Doesyouryardprovide some “prairie,” some “woods,” and some border areas in between? Isthere foodandshelter throughout the seasons?Keep takingnotesasyoubuildyour knowledge, and use them as a guide to make gradual changes over thecourseofseveralplantingseasons.

Shun chemicals. Look into natural ways to control pests and weeds. (SeeNaturalPestControl).Notonlycanchemicalsdoharmwheningested,theyareoften indiscriminate killers, wiping out helpful insects along with pests.Increasingthenumberofplantsnativetoyourareaisagoodstep,sincethey’vealready developed a resistance to local fauna, but your biggest asset is thecreaturesyou’retryingtoattract—birdsthriveoninsectsandworms,soletthemdotheirpart.

Foodfirst.Butterfliesenjoyfruit,drawingoff thejuice that’s in it.For them,juicy,overripeofferingsworkbest,placedwellawayfromthebirdfeederandatflowertoshoulderheight.Yourlocalgardenstorewillhavegoodseedmixesforthebirdsinyourarea,butdon’tstopthere.Birdsalsoenjoyfruitsuchasberries,cherries, apples, peaches, plums, and grapes, while suet and peanut butterprovidevitallyneededextrafatforwinterbirds.Scattersomemilletorcrackedcorn on the ground near the feeders inwinter aswell, for ground-feeders likesparrowsandcardinals.

Chooseaspotforyourfeederthat’svisiblefromindoors,soyoucanenjoythe comings and goings, but where birds won’t be unsettled by house traffic,noise, or prowling pets.Because birds need to feel securewhen they feed, anidealspotoffersthemanunobstructedviewandiswithinsixtotenfeetofatreeor other high perch, in case a quick escape is needed. Remember that somespecieswillonlyfeedfromtheground,sowhenfillingyourfeeder,scatterafairamountofseedonthegroundaswell.Ifpossible,locatemorethanonefeederinyouryard,assomespeciesareterritorialandwillnotsharespacewithothers.

Addtothesupplyoffood thatattractbirdsbyplantingspecies thatprovidenuts,seeds,andfruitthroughouttheyear.Notalloftheseareobvious—juniperberriesmaynot interestus,butbirds love them,while theevergreenconeswethinkofaslawndebrisarerichinnutritiousseeds.Here’salistofbirdsandtreesthey find especially appealing, either because the produce food or provideshelter.

Americangoldfinch:birch,easternhemlock

Bluebird:redcedar

Chickadee:butternut,whitepine

Grosbeak:balsamfir,crabapple,easternhemlock,maple

Nuthatch:butternut,hickory,spruce

Pinesiskin:birch,easternhemlock,spruce

Purplefinch:balsamfir,maple

Robin:whitepine,redcedar,crabapple,mountainash

Sapsucker:floweringdogwood

Thrush:chokecherry,floweringdogwood

Toattractbutterflies,concentrateonplantswithlongbloomingcycles,suchas hollyhocks, coneflowers, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and even blossomingweeds.Bloomingherbsareaspecial treat,as irresistible tobutterfliesasapplepie is to humans. Plants particularly irresistible to various species of butterfly

are:

The aster and daisy family, including asters, dandelions, marigolds,sunflowers,andzinnias

Thelegumefamily,includingpeas,clover,andlupine

Themintfamily,includingmint,lavender,basil,rosemary,andoregano

The parsley family, including parsley, dill, carrot, fennel, and QueenAnne’slace

Thevioletfamily,includingviolets,pansies,andviolasOffer water in a birdbath, which has all the features birds want—it iselevatedtodiscouragepredators,itoffersgoodfooting,itsslopeisgradual,anditisshallow(birdsshunwaterthatismorethanafewinchesdeep).Youcanaddtotheattractionbykeepingthewaterfreshandscrupulouslyfreeofdirt,leaves,andalgae.Butterflieslikefreshwatertoo,butwillnotwadeasbirdsdo.Afewlarge stones added to the bath, with flat surfaces that protrude just above thewater,offerbutterfliesaperchtodrinkfromandasunnyplacetorestandwarmtheirbodies.

Butterflies, hummingbirds, and most songbirds prefer brush or mixedwoodlands, while wide stretches of clipped grass attract starlings, grackles,pigeons, and other species that competewith songbirds. Consider interrupting

thosebroad sweepsofgreenwithmore trees, flowerbeds, borderhedges, andshrubs.Smalltrees—especiallyfruit-bearingvarieties—andevergreensaregoodchoices,asneitherwillburyyourlawninshade.

Thegreatervarietyofplantsyouryardharbors,thegreateryourchancesareofmaintainingyear-round appeal.Evergreensmaygounnoticed in spring andsummer, but in winter the shelter and berries they provide will keep visitorsinterested.Inaddition toplants thatflourish indifferentseasons,chooseplantsthat create different levels and different minihabitats. If possible, offer somewoods-likepatches,somesunnyopenareas,andsomemeadow-likeborderareasbetween.

Birdsandbutterfliesareattracted tobright colors, somake sure youryardhasplentyofboldsplashesthroughout.Redisafavoritewithbothspecies,andhummingbirdsareespeciallydrawntored,pink,andorangetubularflowers.Inadditiontoredsandoranges,butterflieswillbedrawnbyblues,purples,andwhites.

BRINGINTHEBIRDS

I’ve often wished I had a patent on those hummingbird feeders you buy ingarden stores and fillwith nectar. Itwould be a goodbusiness to be in.MostpeopleIknowarefascinatedbyhummingbirds,andmosthaveboughtafeederat one time or another. The salesmust be staggering.Unfortunately, the tiny,

jewel-like creatures don’t find the feeders nearly as promising as we do, andsightings can be few and far between. To improve your chances, try plantingnaturalsourcesofnectarfromthesesources.

Trees and shrubs such as azalea, buddleia, cape honeysuckle, floweringquince,mimosa,andTurk’scap

Vines such as cypress, coral honeysuckle, morning glory, and trumpetcreeper

Flowers such as geraniums, bee balm, wild bergamot, cardinal flower,columbine, coral bells, firespike, four o’clocks, foxglove, fuschia, hosta,impatiens,lupine,prairieblazingstar,petunia,andyucca

Give them shelter. Both birds and butterflies need respite from theweatherandasafeplacetorest.Birdsenjoyshady,secludedbranches,wellawayfromnoise and predators, and smaller birds will often nest in arbors. Butterfliesespeciallylookforshelterfromthewind,soplantflowersattractivetotheminasunny, protected spot next to a vine-covered fence, awall, or awindbreak ofshrubsortrees.

Bepatient.Rememberthatyou’retryingtodosomethingthat’sverydifficult:attract wild animals into a habitat that is to them unfamiliar, unnatural, andpossibly hazardous. It may take several seasons and a good deal ofexperimenting to coax them to you, but the ultimate reward iswellworth theeffort.

Butterfliesandbirdsflocktobrightlycoloredflowergardenssuchasthisone.

NATURALPESTCONTROL

Itturnsoutthereareallsortsofproductsmostofhaveinourownkitchensandpantriesthatareapest’ssigntogetupandrun.Mostofthemareprettyeffectivebutnotaslong-lastingaschemicalpreparations,soreapplicationisneeded.Ontheupside,youwon’thavetoworryaboutthekids,cats,anddogsgettingsickorwhat the runoff is doing to the groundwater, and you won’t be inadvertently

killingbeneficialinsectslikeladybugs,soit’saprettygoodtrade.

Inaddition to takingactionagainstspecificpests,a fewgeneral rulescanhelpyougaincontrol.First,useyellowbulbsinporchandoutdoorlights—theydon’tattract bugs. Another is to bring in insect-eating species such as frogs, toads,lizards, and nonpoisonous snakes (black snakes are especially effective bug-eaters).

Ants: Plant borders act as barriers to ants. Plants that repel them includespearmint,peppermint,andpennyroyal.

Aphids: Nitrogen fertilizers produce just the kind of fastgrowing tendershootsthataphidslove.Switchtoaslowreleasefertilizer,settleforanaturalgrowth rate, and you won’t attract nearly as many of them. Any that doshow up can be discouraged by planting spearmint, peppermint, orpennyroyalneartheplantsyouwanttoprotect.Aphidsdisliketheseandwillbediscouragedfromcarryingouttheirraids.

Deer:Thisidealiterallystinks,andmostofuswouldneverconsideritforanyothercritter.Butdeeraresopervasivelydestructive,andsoimpervioustomost home remedies, it’sworth the unpleasantness.Mix two raw eggsandput theminaclean,emptyspraybottle.Fill thebottlewithwaterand

leave it in the sun for an afternoon.Spraywhatever thedeer are eating—theywon’tlikethesmellanybetterthanyoudo,andwillmoveon.

Flies: Include lotsofbasilandmint inyourgardentokeepcommonfliesaway.

Mice: The best mouse repellent I’ve found is well-used cat litter—thestrongertheurinesmell, themoreeffective(I’veactuallyfounddeadmicein the open bag I’ve left in the garage). Mice also dislike the smell ofpeppermint,sosprinklingsomepure,strongextractaroundtheirhauntswilldrivethemaway.

Mosquitoes:Plantmarigoldsaroundtheyardandkeepseveralpotsonthedeck and picnic table—mosquitoes can’t stand the smell. If you have abirdbath, it’san ideal spot formosquitoes to lay theireggs.Youcankeepthisfromhappeningbypouringafewdropsofsaladoilonto thewater. Itmakesafilmthatkeepsofftheinsects,andwon’tharmorinterferewiththebirdsatall.

Slugs and snails: Because they’re closely related, what repels onewillusually repel the other, but are not always equally effectively, soexperiment.Bothslugsandsnailshateashes,sosaveyourwinterfireplacesweepingstouseinyourgardencomespring.Ifyoudon’thaveasourceofashes,befriendawoodworker—theydon’tlikesawdusteither.Ifyoudon’thaveashesorsawdust,usebeer:pressajarlidupsidedownintothesoilsothat the lip is evenwith the ground, fillwith stale beer, and give them apleasantfarewell.Thebeerlosesitsappealaboutdaythree,soyou’llhaveto replenish it. In between, remove the soldiers. Neither likes copper, somounting copper stripping (two inches orwider) around flower bedswillkeepthemout.

Squirrels:Ifsquirrelskeepgrabbingthegoodiesinyourpole-mountedbirdfeeder,buyalengthofPVCthat’sfourtofiveinchesindiameterandslideitoverthepole.Thesquirrelswon’tbeabletogetagriponit,won’tbeabletoclimb,andonlytheirpridewillbetheworseforwear.

10AGreenerLife

It’sthetwenty-firstcentury.Doyouknowwhereyourenergydollarsare?Livinggreener isn’t a punishment, nor is it a fad. It’s the smart thing to do, and nomatterwhoyouareorwhereyoulive,youcanfindasmanyreasonstogogreenastherearewaystodoit.

Line-dryingyourclothes,inadditiontothereasonsoutlinedhere,isagreatwaytoloweryourutilitybills.

GREENATHOME

You don’t need to do a major home renovation to be more energy efficient.Therearesomeremarkablysmall,simplestepsyoucantakerightnowthatwillmakeabigdifferenceintheresourcesyourhouseholdconsumes.

Heatingandcoolingyourhomearewheremostofyourenergydollarsgo.Agoodplacetostartsavingistokeepalidonthethermostat.Dependingontheweather,everydegreeabove68°Fincreasesyouroverallfuelconsumptionbyasmuchas3percent.

Ifyouhaveforced-airheating,checktheductstomakesuretheseamsandjointsaretight,andthatheatedairisn’tleakingawaybeforeitgetstotheroomyou’retryingtoheat.

Saytheword“insulation”andpeopleimmediatelyenvisionamajorleaguerenovation.Butsomeofthemostenergy-savingstepsyoucantakearedefinitelyminor.Youcancutheatingbillssignificantlysimplybywrappinghotairductsandwaterpipesthatpassthroughunheatedpartsofthehouse(likethebasement)with insulation. You might need some guidance getting the type that’s bestsuitedtothejob,butonceyou’vemadethepurchase,youcaninstallityourselfwithoutmuchtrouble.

Installaprogrammablethermostatorgetintothehabitofloweringtheheatbeforebed.Cuttingbackbytendegreesovernightinwinter,andraisingitbytendegrees in the summer could also cut your annual fuel bill by as much 20percent.

Don’ttrytoconservebyusingaspaceheaterinoneroomandturningtherestofthehouseintoanArcticzone.Youdon’twanttherestofyourhousetogettoocold,andelectricspaceheatersusethemostexpensiveformoffuelthereis.Moreover,they’redangerous,andaccountformorehomefiresthananyothersingleappliance.

IFYOUDON’THAVEAPROGRAMMABLETHERMOSTATANDPLANTOBUYONE,CALLYOURENERGYPROVIDERFIRST.MANYUTILITIESARENOW

OFFERINGTHEMFREETOCUSTOMERS.

Useyourwindowstohelpcontrolthetemperatureindoors.Ifyourwindowsarewell-insulated,takeadvantageofthem—keepcurtainsopenonsunnywinterdaystogetthebenefitofthesun’sheat.Insummermonths,lowertheshadesonallbutnorth-facingwindows

duringtheday.

Buildingafireinthefireplaceisacozywaytowarmuponabriskwinterday.

WHENTHEWEATHERGETSCOOL,REMOVEWINDOWAIRCONDITIONERSOR,IFTHEY’RENOTREMOVABLE,

ENCLOSETHEMWITHCOVERS.

Closeregistersanddoors inroomsthatgounusedforlongperiodsinbothwinterandsummer.

Make sure that drapes, sofas, and bookshelves don’t block radiators,baseboardheaters,orregisters.Ifyouhavenochoicebuttopositionapieceoffurnitureinfrontofaregister,closeitoff.

Useahumidifierinthewintermonths.Coldandfurnaceheatdrytheair,

butreturningittonormallevelswillmakethehousefeelwarmerwithoutraisingthetemperature.

Havea professional do an annualmaintenance check of your furnace.Whatever thecost,you’ll recoup it inhigherperformance.Takecareofminormaintenanceyourself,suchascleaningorreplacingfiltersregularlyandmakingsureregistersarefreeofdust.

Checkforairleaksaroundwindows,baseboards,electricaloutletandswitchplates, wallmounted air conditioners, and openings that accommodate pipes,wiring,andventscomingintothehouse.Sealuptheleakswithcaulkorweatherstripping.

Ifyouhavecentralairconditioning,makecheckingthecondenserpartofyour regular lawn care routine.Keep the unit’s fins and coils clean, removinggrassandleavesastheycollect.

Insummermonths,keeproomsat78°Forwarmer.Below78degrees,energyconsumptionbeginstoskyrocket,andcanincreasefueluseby40percent.

Beforeyouturnontheairconditioner,tryfans.Theyusefarlessenergy,and in theearlymonthsof summer,beforeheat andhumiditybecome intense,they’re often enough to keep you comfortable. Experiment with creatingcrossventilationcurrentsthatdrawcoolairthroughthehousebypositioningfansin windows to expel hot air. This is especially effective at night, when theoutsidetemperatureislowerthantheinside.Andwouldn’tyouratherenjoythesummer scents of mown grass and blossoming flowers instead of sealingyourselfin?

Afanisespeciallyeffectiveifyouhaveanattic.Awhole-housefanspeciallydesigned for this purposewill pull cool air in and send heated air up and outthoughtheroofvents.Theatticwillactasacooledcushionprotectingthewholehouse.

Youcanalsocutenergyusebyalternatingairconditioningwithfans.Afteryouturntheunitoff,thehousewillstayconsiderablycoolforseveralhours,andfanswillkeeptheairfromfeelingstagnant.

Ifit’stimeforanewroof,gopale.Alight-coloredroofreflectssunlightandwillkeepyourhousecoolerinthesummer.

Inwarmweather,runheatproducingappliancessuchasthewasher,dryer,anddishwasherearlyinthemorningorlateatnightwhenthehouseiscoolerandcan

dispersetheheat.Incoolweather,usetheseappliancesinthelateafternoonandevening,whenpeoplearehomefromworkandschoolandcanmakeuseoftheextrawarmth.

Inwarmsummermonths,keepthedoortothelaundryroomclosedtoavoidaddingheatandhumidity to thehouse. In thewinter,keep thedooropenand,afterthedryerisfinished,leavethedryerdooropenaswell.Everybitofwarmthreducesyourfurnace’swork.

DRESSYOURWATERHEATERININSULATEDWRAP.IT’SANEASYANDINEXPENSIVEDO-IT-YOURSELFPROJECTTHATWILLRESULTINENERGYSAVINGS,

ESPECIALLYDURINGTHEWINTERMONTHS.

Whenit’stimeforanewwasher,considerafrontloader.Thesemodelsuselesswaterthetoploaders,andareusuallymoreefficientin

thespincycle,meaningyou’llrunthedryerless.

Stop power leaks. If you think your home electronics are turned off, thinkagain.Most—including televisions, CD and DVD players, DVRs, and almost

anything else that operates by remote control, aswell as computer peripheralssuch as monitors, scanners, printers, camera bays, routers, hubs, and externaldrives—aren’treallyoff,they’reinstand-bymode.Energyexpertsestimatethat,inatypicalmodernhome,5to15percentoftheelectricityusedgoestothiskindofseepage.Attheveryleast,unplugallthesegadgetsbeforeleavinghomeforavacation.Youmightalsoconsiderpluggingseveralelectronics—suchasthoseinyourentertainmentcenter—intoasinglepowerbar,andturningitoffbeforeyougotobedatnight.Mostpeoplesetthetemperatureontheirhotwaterheatershigherthanneedbe.Simplyloweringitfrom130°Fto120°Fwillresultinnoticeablesavings.Inthe summer,whenpeoplewant cooler showers andbaths, youmaybe able tolower the setting even further. Experimentwith lowering the setting until youfindthelowesttemperaturethatworksforyou.Evenafewdegreeswilladduptoanenergysavingslargeenoughtoseeonyourelectricbill.

Ifyourwaterheater ismore than tenyearsold, itmaybeoperatingat lessthan50percentefficiency,evenifitdeliversallthehotwateryouneed.Itmightmakemoreeconomicsensetoreplaceitthantowaitforittowearout.Ifyoudodecide to replace it, see ifanon-demandwaterheatermakessense foryou,astheyuselessenergythanconventionaltypes.

A drippy faucet is more than just annoying—it’s a major source of wastedwater and higher water bills. That little kerplunk, kerplunk, kerplunk can gothroughtwentygallonsofwateraday—over7,000gallonsayear.Checkallthefaucetsinyourhouseandtakecareofanyproblems.Usually,thesolutionisnomorethanreplacingthewasher.

Checkthetoilets.Thequietmurmuryouoftenheremaybethesoundofwatercontinuouslydrainingfromthetankintothebowlandsendingasmuchas200gallonsadaystraightintothesewersystem.Toseeifyourfixtureisdoingthis,sprinkleafewdropsoffoodcoloringinthetank.Ifitshowsupinthebowlinthenexttenminutesorso,you’vegotaproblem.

TheInternet isa formidableresearchtool.When it’s time tobuyanewappliance,useittoresearchthemostenergyefficientmodelsavailable.Evenifanoldapplianceisn’tquitewornout,youmayfindthatreplacingitwithanew,moreefficientmodelismoreeconomicaltorun,sodoyourhomework.

Ifyouhaveachoiceofpurchasingagasdryeroranelectricdryer,optforthegasdryer.Therearemuchlessexpensivetorunthanelectricdryers.

Doathoroughlightingcheckoftheentirehouse.Makenoteofwhereyoucan switch to more energy-efficient or lower-wattage bulbs. Dimmers andmotionsensingnightlightsaregreatwaystosaveenergy,especiallyinroomslikethebathroomandkitchen.

Whenchoosinglampsandlightfixturesandplanningthelightinginyourhouse,rememberthatwherebrightlightisneeded,onehigher-wattbulbismoreefficientthanseveralsmaller, lower-wattones.Asingle100-wattwillcostlesstooperateandproducemorelightthanthree60-wattbulbs,andone60-wattbulbwilloutperformthree40-wattones.

INTHECAR

Usinglessgasmakessenseforsensefortheenvironmentaswellasthefamilybank account. Here are some steps you can take right now to drive moreefficiently.

When miles per hour increase, miles per gallon decrease. Peakoperating efficiency formost cars (including hybrids) is in the 30 to 55mphrange,with gas use steadily increasing at higher speeds.Above 55mph, eachadditional10mphwillburnabout15percentmoregas.

Cleanhouse.Lotsofushaveitemswedon’treallyneedinourcars.Oldbookswe mean to donate. Tool boxes with enough gear to repair the Titanic. Lastsummer’s picnic hamper, soft drinks and bottles still inside. Sports equipmentandsleepingbagsandevenfirewoodthathasyettobeunloaded.Forevery100poundsofweightyoucarry,yourengineusesanextra1to2percentoffuel.Thefigure may sound inconsequential but it all adds up, so clear out the clutterperiodically.

Know your PSI. PSI stands for pounds per square inch, the standard formeasuring air pressure inside a tire. In addition to the tire’s maximum PSI(stamped on the tire wall), which you don’t want to aim for, there’s arecommendedPSI (found in theowner’smanual aswell as somewhereon thecar itself),which you dowant tomaintain.When air pressure falls below therecommendedPSI,theenginehastoworkharder,soitpaystoknowyourPSI.

Checking isn’thard todo,butyoumaywant tobuyyourowngauge touseathome, sinceyoucanonlyget an accurate readingwhen the tireshaven’t beendrivenforthreehoursormore.

EVERYONECANMAKEADIFFERENCEBYMAKINGSMALLCHANGES,WHETHERITSSOMETHINGASSIMPLEASBIKINGRATHERTHANDRIVINGORAS

PLEASURABLEASREUSINGSOMETHINGOLDINANEWWAY.

Don’tidle.Everyoneknowsthatidlingsendspollutantsintotheair,butlotofusfeel it’smoreefficient thanturningthecaroffandoninthespaceofafewminutes.Inmostcases,thisisn’ttrue.Ifyou’regoingtoidleformorethantentofifteenseconds,it’sactuallylesspollutingtoturnthecaroffandrestartit.

Don’tfloorit.Sudden,all-outaccelerationsandabruptstopsarehardonyourcarandburnfuelunnecessarily,sokeepa lightfooton theacceleratorandgetintothehabitofbrakinggradually.Hybridsrequireaslightlydifferentapproach,soconsultyourowner’smanualtolearnwhatdrivingstyleismostefficientforyourvehicle.

Use theACwisely.Because running theair conditioning takesextra fuel, itmakessensetoparkintheshadeonasunnyday,orshieldyourwindowswithasundeflector.If thedayisn’t toowarm,runningthefanandopeningtheventsmaykeepyoucomfortable.

Before you get in the car, consider the alternative. DuringWorldWar IIpeoplewere encouraged to ask themselves, “Is this trip necessary?” Today, agoodquestiontoaskis“Isthiscartripnecessary?”There’snothingwrongwithbikingtothelibrary,orwalkingafewblockstoafriend’shouse.Inadditiontoconservingfuelandgettingsomeexercise,it’sachancetofeelthesunonyourface,noticethingsinyourneighborhoodyoumaynothavenoticedbefore,andhaveanexperiencethatisn’tpartofyourordinaryroutine.

REUSEANDREPURPOSE:THENINELIVESOFEVERYDAYOBJECTS

There’s something satisfying about getting that little bit of extra use out ofsomething. Our grandparents and greatgrandparents did it as a matter ofnecessity, and alongwith the flour sack dishtowels and re-canedwe inheritedtheirsenseofthrift,industry,andindependence.Findingnewusesforolditemsseemsmorechallenging today, inaworlddesigned tobedisposable,but therearestillwaystogetthemostoutofitemsthatwouldotherwisegettossed.

Inadditiontoitsgreenappeal,thereuseofoldobjects,suchasthesedoorhandles,canaddgreatarchitecturaltouchestoyourhome.

Don’tthrowoutoldplacematswhentheynolongersuityourchinaoryourdecor. Cloth and vinyl placemats can be used to line picnic baskets, dresserdrawers, and even silverware drawers, or cut in half and used as paddingbetweendelicate china plates. If themats are cloth, sew two together, leavingone of the short sides free, roll the top edge down and stitch in place over aribbon drawstring, and you have amini laundry bag for your next trip out oftown,justtherightsizeforsoiledlingerie.Twooldplacementswillalsomakeaperfect set of shoe bags. Fold each in half, bringing the short sides together,stitch along the bottom and sides, add a drawstring at the top edge, and yourexpensive shoes will be protected from dust and accidental scuffing. Quiltedplacemats are a special prize, as they make perfect potholders. Trim to thedesiredsizeandcoverrawedgeswithseambinding.Cuttheseambindingthreeincheslongerthanneededtomakealoopatthefinishingcorner.

Before you scrap your old range, save the burners. Scrub them well,scrapingoffanycarbonbuildup,andkeeptheminthegarage.They’regreatfordrainingpottedplants thathavejustbeenwatered,andmakeperfect trivetsforthepicnictable.Ifyoureallywanttogocolorful,givethemafewcoatsofhigh-glossspraypaint.Or,forarusticgardenlook,tryafauxverdigrisfinish.

Insteadoftossinglastyear’sYellowPagesinthetrash,tosstheminyourcar.Youneverknowwhenyou’llneedamaporanemergencytow.

Oh,thoselittlesliversofsoap.It’sprobablythenumberonethingpeopletrytosave,tryingeverythingfrommeltingandpouringintoanewmoldtomeltingwithabitofwatertomakeliquidsoap.Whilebothofthesework,I’vealwaysfoundthemabittoofussy.Mymethodwastomakeasmalldrawstringbagofnylonnetting,putthesliversinside,anduseitasamini-loofah.Thoseweretheold days. Enter the best friend soap slivers ever had—the small, pretty,inexpensive, and available at-any-party-store organza gift bag, drawstringsincluded.NowIbuytheminlusciousshadesthatcoordinatewithmytowels.

Fleamarketchairsandchinacabinetsfindasecondhomeinthislivingroom.

ANOLDTIERACKMAKESGREATUNDER-THE-SINKSTORAGEFORDISHCLOTHS,TOWELS,SPONGESANDOTHERITEMS.NOTONLYARETHEYOUTOFSIGHT,BUTTHECIRCULATINGAIRALLOWSTHEMTODRY

RATHERTHANMILDEW.

Plasticbagsfromthegrocerystorearegreatforliningwastebaskets.Thelighter-weight, almost papery ones are ideal for storing baguettes and artisanbread in, as they keep it fromdryingwithout smothering it somuch the crustgoessoftandtough.

Oldtoothbrushes,cleanedandsterilized,arerightatthetopofmycan’t-do-withoutlist.Usethemtocleananythingsmallandintricate,fromjewelrytobicycle chains to graters and the garlic press.They’re great for brushing dust,crumbs,andpethairsfromthecomputerkeyboard,scouringthegroutbetweentiles,anddozensofothersmall-scalecleaningjobs.

Ifyouseeanoldvinylshowercurtainatagaragesale,grabit.Itwillmakeagreat paintingdrop cloth,waterproof ground coveringwhenyou’re campingout, protective covering for firewood andoutdoor furniture or, comewinter, awindshieldblanketthatwillkeepfrostfrombuildinguponbothfrontandbackcarwindows.Tomakethewindshieldblanket,cutapieceslightlylargerthanthewindowandgluemagnetsalongtheupperandloweredgestoholditinplace.

Tired of your crafts and fine art brushes getting their bristles bent? Ortippingoverandspilling?Dustall thesaltandcrumbsfromaPringlescanisterand store them there. Even if it gets tipped over, the lidwill keep them fromscattering.

Empty egg cartons are great for storing jewelry, office supplies, and othersmall items. Theymake perfect trayswhen you’reworking on a craft projectwithsmallpieces—suchasbeads,embellishments,orsequins—thatyouwanttokeepseparate.Andeveryhomeworkshopshouldhaveoneforscrews,washers,and small nails,whichwill be even less likely to getmixed up if you glue asmallmagnettothebottomofeachcup.

No room in the linen closet? Store extra blankets in your empty luggage.Tuckauseddryersheetinaswellandbothyourblanketsandyourluggagewillsmellfreshwhenit’stimeforuse.

Mymother never bought wrapping paper. She bought tissue paper andkeptaboxoflastyear’scards,alongwithglue,glitter,andribbon,andleftthedecoratingtous.Watchingsomeoneunwrapagiftdecoratedespeciallyforthemisoneofmyfavoriteholidaymemories.Theonlywrappingpaper Ibuy is thecheapest,ugliestpaperthereiswhenit’sonsale—thenIturnitoverandusetheblankside.Thecardboxisalsomysourceforgifttags,placecards,mattingforsmallpictures,aswellasscrapsforpapermosaicsandcollage.

Avintagebasketservesasaflowerpotwithakitschflair.

OldcleanT-shirtsmakeexcellentsoftclothesforpolishingdelicateglasswareandsilver,andanythingelsethatneedsasofttouch.Wraponearoundtheheadofamoporbroomanduse tosweepdustandcobwebsfromhighcornersandgentlydustceilingfixtures.

DRYERSHEETS:THEINDISPENSABLEDISPOSABLE

Isn’titironicthatsomethingdesignedtouseonceandthrowawaywouldhavemorelivesthanacat?Dryersheetscameonthemarketwaybackinthe1970s,andpeoplehavedelightedinfindingsecondusesforthemeversince.Below,the

bestusesforspentdryersheets:

When sewing thread tangles, running the sheet over it will cut down onsnarls.

They wipe up fine, dry spills such as talcum powder and flour moreefficientlythanapapertowelordampclothcan.

A used sheetmakes a great dust cloth—especially for television screens,wherestaticanddustcombine.

Wipewindow blindswith a used sheet and the blindswill stay dust freelonger.

Since used sheets retain their scent after use, use onewherever youwantlight freshening. Tuck them into gym bags and linen closets, slide themunder the litterboxand floormatsof thecar,or cut them intopiecesandplacebetweenthepagesofbooksthathavebeguntosmellabitmusty.

Wrapadrysheetaroundyourhandanduseittobrushpethairfromclothesandfurniture.

Not all living creatures love that subtle fresh scent. It repels mice, andstuffingusedsheets intocrevices theymightuseasentrypointswillkeepyou from hearing those disturbing, tell-tale rustlings in themiddle of thenight.

Ifyouplanonspendingtimeoutdoors,tuckoneinapocketortieonetoabeltloop—mosquitoesandothersummertimepestswillleaveyoualone.

Whenyoujustdon’tfeellikescrubbingthepanwiththebaked-onfood,adda used dryer sheet, fill with water, and your job will be easier in themorning.

ACHANDELIERRESCUEDFROMTHELANDFILLCANSTILLBEGREENWHENITISOUTFITTEDWITHCFLS.

Old, dull steak knives belong in the kitchen junk drawer as well as everypencil cup in thehouse.They’reuseful for all sorts of tasks, including slicingthrough packing tape, diggingmeltedwax out of candle holders, and poppingkeys off the computer keyboard to clean underneath.They’re sharp enough togetthejobdoneyetdullenoughtoavoidcutsandaccidentaldamage.

Longbeforetherewereexpensivepettoys,therewereoldsocks.Knottedinto lengths or loops, they’re perfect for chew toys and tug-of-war ropes fordogs.Forcats,knotascoopofcatnip into the toeandeven themostaloofcatbecomesakittenundertheinfluence.Toyourpets,theseinexpensivetoyshaveanaddedbenefit—they’recomfortingbecause they’reyours.Even if thesocksarewellwashed,theystillhavethefamiliarsmellofhome.

If you burn scented candles, save the wax that’s left when the wick hasburned away. Punch holes in an envelope, then seal the bits inside or placeseveralchunksinasachetbagandusetoscentyourdrawers.Orre-meltthewaxtomakenewcandles.Ifyoudon’thaveenoughofonecolorforawholecandle,combine colors that go together, pouring one layer and letting it cool beforeaddingthenext.Sincetheprocessofmeltingwaxcanbedangerous,besuretofindhow-toinstructionsforsafehandling.

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