DIY Life

We all have eaten oatmeal for breakfast at some point in our lives. It is inexpensive, easy to make, and if we believe the health claims, it is exceptionally good for us. Helping to lower cholesterol, fighting diabetes, and reducing the risk from certain cancers, to name a few of its benefits.

But did you know that oatmeal can do more than just make a tasty breakfast?

1) Chicken pox, poison ivy, dry itchy skin? Have an oatmeal bath. Grind a cup or so of plain oatmeal in your food processor. Put it into an old stocking or cheesecloth and tie the open end so it form a pouch. You can hang the pouch over the water faucet so that the warm water runs through the pouch as the tub fills, or you can use the pouch the way you would a washcloth and apply to the affected areas.

The first step of wallpaper removal: NEVER put it up to begin with.

Please. If you are thinking of moving out of your house in the next century some time, don't hang wallpaper. You might think that there is no way people won't love your paper, but trust me it is a guarantee that someone will hate it. Remember how stylish the dark background wallpaper with teeny tiny flowers was a decade or so ago, or the large striped paper with a 12" border around the ceiling that made the room look like a big hatbox, or the cows and ducks in pastels phase, which screams outdated like your parents avocado green appliances. Yeah, how many of the people who hung those wallpapers now regret it. Or to be more accurate, how many current owners of those houses regret it.

You don't want to be that previous owner. You know that one that is talked about at dinner parties and neighborhood gatherings. The previous owner with no skills and even less taste.

One day you will sell your house. And the new owner will be faced with your wallpapering decisions. They will wonder how you could have ever thought it was worthy of hanging on the wall. Then when they are removing it and it has adhered to the wall and tears the plaster off in chunks, they will curse you.

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home. It is the busiest place in the house, where guests and family congregate. But do you know what congregates with them? Stuff, that's what. And before you know it your counters are covered with clutter and all of your drawers resemble the junk drawer.

How do you keep your kitchen organized and clutter free?

1) If you don't use it daily, put it away. I am not a fan of appliances on the counter. At all. It doesn't take much effort to put things away and take them back out again. The only appliances that live on my counters are my coffee pot and my huge stand mixer. Some people argue for the toaster to be kept on the counter and to them I say, "Do you really eat that much toast?"

Anyone who has ever tried to outfit their bedroom knows that bedroom furniture is not cheap. So what do you do if you are short on cash, yet long for a stylish room? You do-it-yourself, of course.

There are a few things to consider before you begin. Think about your decorating style. Are you looking for something as a short term solution or are you looking to invest the time and energy into making a headboard that will last your for the long haul. How much time and energy do you really want to spend making a headboard? Do you want to make your headboard from items that you already own, then look around your house, garage, or attic at things that you have laying around that could be repurposed.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Think beyond the metal scroll screen. There are many types of screens out there that can suit your own personal taste. You can even use vintage shutters hinged together.

So you are moving. You are not alone. Approximately 40 million Americans will change their home address this year. Whether you are moving across the country or around the corner being organized will help things go more smoothly on both ends.

1) Purge. Moving is the perfect opportunity to lay your hands on all of your belongings. Give them the critical eye. Is it useful? Is it beautiful? Does it make your life better? If the answer to all of those questions is no, then get rid of it. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you might find a place for it at your new house. Odds are if you didn't like it enough to find a place for it at our current home, you won't find a place for it at your new home either.

We all know people who can no longer fit their car into their garage. Perhaps we are even among them. (Hey, I just moved, okay? And we downsized dramatically! And there are no basements! And, and, and... I'll take my own advice soon, I swear!) The garage has become a repository for all the stuff that they have nowhere to store. Look around your neighborhood, I am willing to bet that most people are using at least one of their garages for storage.

Did you know that Americans are renting storage units to store all of the stuff that won't fit into their houses? According to this article "self-storage units cover 72 square miles, the area of Manhattan and San Francisco combined." That's a whole lot of people storing a whole lot of stuff, that frankly they probably do not need.

My take on the self storage phenomenon for the average suburban American? Get rid of it. Make decisions about what you really use and need, then get rid of the rest. If it isn't useful or making your life better in some way, then you do not need it. The problem that most people have is that they do not organize their stuff and therefore they cannot find it when they need it.

Not everyone has a dedicated mudroom for storing their coats, shoes, backpacks and other paraphernalia. However, even the smallest coat closet can be made into an effective and organized space. Many people like to keep the coat closet relatively empty for guests. Unless you're entertaining daily, reclaim your coat closet and instead get a coat tree for your front hall for hanging guests coats.

Reclaim your coat closet in these three easy steps:

Everyone has had the experience of a light bulb breaking off in the socket. Getting the bulb out of the socket can be a real challenge.

Have you ever heard of the potato trick? You take half of a raw potato, push it into the bulb base, and then turn the potato to remove the bulb. I guess this would be effective if I had potatoes on hand, but I usually don't. Also, potatoes can be messy and I picture a lot of moisture, something which doesn't seem like a good idea around electricity.

There are other more effective ways to get the broken light bulb out of the socket. So get out your toolbox.