It’s been a long time since I’ve taken you on a tour of b5media’s Lifestyles Channel. Once again, I found some really informative posts that will help us in our homemaking efforts.

* Marye, at Baking Delights, made some Old Fashioned Cloverleaf Rolls

* Cyndi shares her gelato experiments at Busy Family Meals

* What can you do with s’mores? Find out at Chocolate Bytes.

* Jennifer wants to know whether you’d toss unfolded towels in a pretty basket, to save time. Let her know at Declutter It.

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We know that baking soda is extremely useful for cleaning around the house. But did you also know that it can also be used to:

* tenderize meat? Rub the meat with baking soda and let is sit in the refrigerator for 3-5 hours. Rinse before cooking.

* bake better beans? A pinch of baking soda will reduce the bloating and gas that results from consuming baked beans.

* make omelets fluffier? For every 3 eggs, add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

* deodorize your garbage can? Use a a wet paper towel dipped in baking soda to clean the inside of the trash can. Rinse with a clean damp towel or rag, and let dry. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the can before putting in a new liner.

These tips and many many more are in Reader’s Digest’s compilation of Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things. This is a mega-list that is sure to provide with hours of reading, and tons of useful information. I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of this treasure trove of tips. Take a peek and share your most surprising finds with us!

Plastic crates and baskets are everywhere in my house. They are my favorite tool for small organizing jobs! Though natural baskets are definitely prettier, containers made of hard plastic are more durable and versatile, IMO.

I have two go-to types of storage containers, both of which are made by Sterilite.

* Ultra Basket. I have these in various sizes to accommodate different storage needs. I use one as a temporary catch-all for socks that are missing their partners; to corral baby diapering necessities; to keep my sons’ snacks on a shelf in the kitchen; and to hold cardstock and paper for making cards. These are great in every room of the house.

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There have been reminders going my way about the coming school year: back-to-school sales, which I’ve been taking advantage of, as you should; my son’s list of things to bring to the first day of class. Everything he needs would fit nicely in a backpack. Not so for the college student, especially one who will live away from home for the first time.

To help you along, here’s a list of basic essentials:

For your comfort:
bedsheets (at least 2 sets, one to use and one to launder)
pillows
blankets
bed risers (to increase under-bed storage)
mattress pad/cover
alarm clock
fan
night light
pajamas
storage containers

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Thanks to everyone who threw their names into the hat to win a 1-year subscription to Domino magazine!

I picked the winning comment using random.org. And the number that was picked was:

#85! Congratulations to Patti!

Patti
Jul 30, 2008 at 6:26 pm

This magazine is wonderful. I’ve picked it up a few times, but don’t subscribe! Thanks for the chance!

I hope you enjoy this magazine as much as I do. I will send you an email about the details.

I’ve been reading some useful info at several blogs today. Here are some, which I know you’ll enjoy too!

* 101 green changes to save some green (written for small business owners, but totally applicable to the home) at Greener Assets

* No-bake Mango Griddle Scones from Baking Delights

* Turn old uniforms into a cool diaper bag, at Craftster (thanks to Tangled Thread!)

* 30 ways to use baskets for storage at Declutter It

Even coffee-makers are smarter these days. As example is the Braun Tassimo Coffee Maker can deliver coffee, tea, espresso, hot chocolate, cappuccinos and lattes. Discs containing measured ingredients for your drink of choice are brewed perfectly each time. The secret are barcodes in the discs. The machine reads the barcode and knows the temperature, amount of water, and brewing time needed for the perfect beverage.

Products like this take the guesswork out of the perfect cup of coffee, or tea.

Spotted at Macy’s.

affiliate links

Working from home presents certain challenges with regards to separating work and family life. To maximize productivity, it’s best to set aside an area for storing files, references, and projects, as well as actually doing the work you need to do. The best solution is to have an entire office or at least, a dedicated desk and a set of shelves.

As a blogger and an at-home mom, I not only work from home, but I’m also highly mobile within my home. Sometimes, the place where I work is my own choice, but there are times when it is dictated by my children’s mood for the day. For now, there is just no way I can seclude myself inside an office to work in peace and quiet. As a result, I’ve blogged from just about every room in my house.

While I’ve been working on setting up a space just for my files, I also found that I need a container of some sort that could move around with me. RealSimple’s Portable File Tote is just the right thing for the purpose.

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Have you visited the Bloggy Giveaways? There are lots of cool and lovely stuff you can win at the participating blogs! Here are some you may want to visit:

* Coach Soho Multi Print Hobo Bag from La Vie de Laurie

* SweetPea3 MP3 player from Mom Most Traveled

* Gifts from a Jar cookbooks (2) from The Fat Bottomed Girl

* Vintage apron from Confessions of an Apron Queen

* “Eat, Shrink and Be Merry” healthy eating cookbook from All Holiday Cafe

* Busy Body Book academic year planners (2) from That Crazy Mom

* Gift certificates from Extraordinary Mommy

* MoGo Mouse from Guerilla Parenting

* Let’s Go Green tote bag with green household products from A Mama’s Blog

It’s the week of the Bloggy Giveaways! Here at Keeping the Castle, there’s a 1-year subscription to Domino magazine for one lucky reader!

Domino is my current fave homemaking and decor magazine. I find a lot of inspiration in the pages of this magazine. If you want to win this giveaway, just leave a comment. One comment per household please.

This contest is open until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, August 1, 2008. I will randomly pick a winner this weekend. This contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Good luck!

image via Amazon.com