No kitchen is complete without basic staple ingredients such as pasta, rice, flour, spices and seasoning in your pantry.

Did you know that there are more than a hundred different pasta shapes. Most pasta is versatile and suitable for use in a wide variety of dishes. When storing pasta in a spaghetti tin make sure the tin is thoroughly dry before filling it with the pasta.

Rice – You can store white rice in an airtight container in a cool dry place. White rice will keep for about a year. You can store whole grain rice for a maximum of six months. Store rice in a clear, straight sided container that is marked off in ½ cup increments. Use the measure as a guide to pour off the exact amount you need.

Storing flour should not be a problem as long as you transfer it from any paper sack to an airtight container after you open it. If the temperature rises above 75°F, store your flour in the refrigerator to prevent infestation and mold.

Legumes, such as bean, peas and lentils store well, but buy them in small quantities, since they get tough with age.

Most herbs are great stored in dried form. Freeze dried herbs retain their color and are visually more attractive, but they’re a little more expensive than traditionally dried herbs.

Herbs and spices are best when they are stored in a dark place like the back of a kitchen cabinet or a kitchen drawer.

I’ll be back with more tips later.

Cosmetics get spilled all of the time and frequently they end up on your clothing and bedding and sometimes they spill inside of your purse. Unfortunately there is no all purpose remover when this happens. However, I do have a few tips that just might remove a couple of those stains.
For a nail polish stain on fabric, hold a white absorbent pad beneath the stain under the fabric and dab the stain with non-oily nail polish remover.
For mascara on clothes, spray a liquid stain remover on the stain. If any marks remain, allow it to dry and apply a solution …read more

Shelves can not only provide storage space, but also enhance the look of a room. They can be made from different materials like wood or metal and hold everything from books and ornaments to photographs and small plants.
Be careful not to overload a shelf or it may sag. If you are building the shelves, add more supports than you think you will need.
Keep the shelves organized. Don’t put frequently used items too high up, or out of reach. Label the front of the shelves so that everyone will know where an item belongs.
Drawers provide a different type of storage. They …read more

Refrigerators and freezers are valuable appliance to have in your kitchen. Freezing fresh foods lets us have a wide choice of food any time of the year to help us maintain a healthy diet.
Add storage baskets to a chest freezer and organize your contents. That will make it easier to put your hands on the item you need.  You can usually order extra storage baskets from the manufacturer.

If you are looking for an upright freezer, choose a model that has content cards on the front of the drawers.  List the food that is in each drawer on the card. That …read more

If you are planning on updating your kitchen, I have a few inexpensive ideas your might want to consider. You can change the style of your kitchen just by replacing your cabinet door, or by improving your existing doors with a new paint finish.
To create a wok surface that you can use if space becomes tight, you can cut a piece of wood to fit neatly over your sink. You can put the wood in place when the sink is not in use.
Make use of counter space, store small appliances like food processors or can openers in the corners.
Cut a …read more

Moving to a new home is exciting. It will probably be one of the busiest days of your life also. There are a number of things you can do to make things run smoothly. Being organized is a big part of making a successful move. Here are a few tips to help you get organized for the big day.
Choose a day that will be less stressful. Arrange to move in the middle of the week when traffic will be the lightest. Weekend traffic, no matter how early you start out, will only add stress to your day. The less stress …read more

This subject hasn’t been touched on very much so I thought I would give it a shot. If I run across a tip that I can’t personally use I still try to put it in one of my posts. Maybe it will help someone else. I hope you all can use a couple of these tips to make your life a little easier.
Scratch the number, not the street name, and zip code of your home on two hidden areas of your child’s bicycle and take a picture. Write the date on the picture and make sure the parts of the …read more

I don’t know about you, but I need all the help I can get when it comes to stains. It seems like everything I eat ends up on the front of my blouse. My husband is even worse than me, he is a stain magnet. I have a few tips for you. Try these solutions for getting rid of some pretty stubborn stains.
Tomato sauce on washable fabrics. Hold the fresh stain under running water and rub between your fingers. Apply a prewash to the stain and launder according to the fabric care directions.
Mustard stains are the worst. Rub the fresh …read more

Wood can be easily damaged by heat, water and scratching. Take care to use a trivet or a coaster to protect your wood tables. Even when you try your best, accidents happen. I have a few tips for removing marks from wooden furniture.
Alcohol will damage polished wood and leave a white mark. Wipe up any spills as soon as possible. Rub the area vigorously with your regular polish. If that doesn’t work, rub along the grain of the wood with cream metal polish on a soft cloth.
If hot dishes are placed on wooden surfaces that can cause white marks to …read more

I have another list of bright ideas for you today. I hope you’re enjoying these little quips. I know you have probably heard a lot of them before, but I think a couple of them may be brand new.
For dripless candles, place them in the freezer for a couple of hours. This really works, I tried it.
If you don’t have enough closet space to hang your skirts, wrap them in tissue paper to prevent them from creasing and store them in a drawer.
Stuff wet shoes with newspaper and let them sit overnight. This will help them keep their shape as …read more