Hailey's Helpful Hints

  ...to leave a charger plugged in when you aren't using it? I am notorious for doing this. Along with the majority of you I'm sure. But I learned in HGTV magazine, that while it's not a fire or safety hazard to leave your cell phone, laptop or camera charger plugged in, it is a pretty big no no. So what's the big deal? Count the number of chargers you have in your home. We have an iPad charger, a iPhone charger, and the Bose speaker charger all in the kitchen, We have a laptop charger on the desk and another in my husband's office. We have two iPhone chargers in our bedroom. That's seven chargers in a house with NO kids that have their own devices. Having just those devices plugged in 24/7 adds an extra $25 to my annual electric bill. Not a bank breaker but every dollar should count if you're being smart with your money. Now consider that there are 130 million homes in the US. According to Paul Scheckel, author of The Homeowner's Energy Handbook ...

  ...you gotta to tune in tonight (Friday, 8/20/13) for the season premiere of Shark Tank  at 9pm on ABC!!! My girl, Lynnae Schneller, a young entrepreneur from my hometown of Tacoma, WA, took her grandma's 100 year old pickle recipe to market and now Lynnae's Gourmet Pickles is blowing up! I am so so proud of this pickle princess! Her pickles are legit. Some of the best I've ever tasted. The "Hot Mama" is a favorite in our house. So addicting with just the right amount of sweet and spice. Tip:  Order  in bulk. You will literally eat the entire jar as a snack. "Mrs. Pickle" is the original recipe with a unique blend of sweet and sour. Again, better than any other pickle on the market. So enough reading, get buying. And don't forget to watch these girls rock it tonight on Shark Tank!!

  People always ask me how I manage to always have my hair washed, dried and flat ironed. Besides the obvious that I have to get up a tad earlier to make this happen, I do also clean the lint/dust trap in my hairdryer on a consistent basis which according to Glamour magazine and Harry Josh, celebrity hair stylist, will cut your get ready time down significantly. By cleaning out the lint, the air flowing into the dryer will circulate better so it can continue to blow out with full force, so the process is shorter. Wow. What a aw-ha bit of information. Wondering how often you should do this? Hairdressers do it almost daily as their hairdryers get used much more but for the average home use, once a week is recommended. If the grooves on your hairdryer are small, I recommend using an old toothbrush or tooth pick. I will warn you, it is a bit tedious so don't attempt this on a morning you have to be out the door at a certain time. Once you have all the lint...

  Imagine biting into juicy strawberries or crisp green beans...in January. With the help of your freezer and tips from Teri Gault, CEO of the deal finding website thegrocerygame.com, you can savor the deliciousness of colorful fruits and veggies all year round. {FRUIT} Stock up on :: berries, tomatoes, and stone fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines. To preserve :: Wash and pa dry with paper towels. Hull strawberries and cherries and quarter tomatoes. Peel, slice and toss stone fruits with lemon juice and simple syrup to prevent browning. Place fruit in a single layer on a baking sheet (to keep it from sticking together) and freeze; transfer to zip-top bags. Use within :: 3 to 6 months. Label the date of when you packaged with a Sharpie. Toss if you notice crystallization. {VEGGIES} Stock up on :: zucchini, green beans, peas, and spinach. Avoid produce with a high water content such as cucumbers. To preserve :: Blanch first - drop vegetables in a pot of salted boiling water ...

BRING BACK GOOD 'OL FASHION PLAYTIME. This week I encourage you to bring back the art of having fun without any electronic thingamajigs. Think about your week ahead and carve out at least 30 minutes doing outdoor activities that will have the young and the young-at-heart jumping for joy. My own personal observation is that parents nowadays don't partake in outdoor activities with their children like they used to. And should. I believe the majority of parents (some - not all) see their time shuttling the kids to and from practice, tutoring, music, etc as all they should do. Sure you are spending time with them but is it quality time? Through the eyes of a child, quality time spent is actually getting down at their level. Those moments that in five, ten, twenty years from now they will say, "Remember when we used to climb that big tree and pick the apples? That was so fun." Or "Remember when Dad used to throw the worst spirals?" Those are the times they will ...

DON'T EAT THE UNEATEN FOOD OFF YOUR KID'S PLATE. Who eats the crust of the sandwiches, the left over mac n' cheese at the bottom of the bowl, a few pieces of diced chicken or cheese here and there? I do. And it's no wonder I can't lose those last 5-10 pounds. I think I eat good. But then I catch myself finishing off the last of Chase's quesadilla or remaining Wheat Thins on Lance's highchair tray. Essentially I'm consuming a 4th meal - a meal that is not meant to be had. Mindless munching where calories add up. Accounting for an entire extra meal in my day. I do. You do it. Hey it happens. And if you're not a stay at home mom that's finishing off the last of the PB&J, most likely you'll do it at work. The "I'll take just one more for later" cookie as your walking out of the meeting, a handful of jellybeans off a co-workers desk. You might not realize just how quickly calories can add up though. An extra tablespoon of salad...

LEAVE YOUR SHOES AT THE DOOR. Think of removing your shoes when you enter a home as the equivalent of washing your hands. First, it couldn’t be easier. Second, it allows for a more "green" home by prevents the outside gunk like car exhaust, chemicals, and pesticides from being tracked all over your home.  And third, it leaves the nasty outside world out. After walking into public restrooms, city streets, yards where there are animals, etc., do you really want all that bacteria and filth in your home? There was a study by the EPA conducted in 1991 titled the “Door Mat Study.” It measured the amount of lead dust that was in homes. The study found that in homes where there was a doormat at the entrance and where shoes were NOT worn, there was a marked reduction (about 60%) of lead dust and other chemicals in the home. Not only that, but in homes where shoes are removed, there is a reduction in allergens and bacteria being tracked into the house.  Try it for a da...

BE A 'REAL' FRIEND. It's that time of the day - overnight guests are gone. lunch mess is cleaned up. boys are napping - and it's time to rally together an inspirational blog post for y'all before it's off to swim. When I sat down to the computer, I myself needed inspiration and thanks to Facebook, an article just popped into my news feed that is a great reminder for the week. So thanks to my "real" friend Jodi, here is a blog post from Marc & Angel's Hack Life  on what it means to be a real friend (and a good partner) --- As we grow, we realize it becomes less important to have more friends and more important to have real ones. {Isn't that the truth? Something I feel I didn't really grasp until I hit my 30's. What a breath of fresh air.} Remember, life is kind of like a party. You invite a lot of people, some leave early, some stay all night, some laugh with you, some laugh at you, and some show up really late. But in the end, af...

SWAP YOUR STANDARD CUP OF COFFEE WITH A GLASS OF HOT LEMON WATER. It is recommended by nationally known nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "Fat Flush for Life" and other books to start your day with a hot glass of water flavored with lemon. The combination can benefit your body in numerous ways, including helping you to lose weight and keep hydrated, improving your digestion and upping your vitamin C intake. You can even spice up this morning drink to boost its benefits. Types: Gittleman recommends combining the juice of half a lemon with 1 cup hot water. If you don't want to squeeze your own lemons, you can substitute 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Make sure to use 100-percent organic lemon juice. You can spice up this drink and further rev your metabolism by adding a pinch of ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger, Gittleman says. Lemons will keep for up to 10 days at room temperature, so you can shop for them weekly. You also can store fresh lemo...

FIX IT TOGETHER. Ok ok, I know I'm a little late on the post. If you're an avid HHH follower, I usually post this on Monday but I had guests in town since last Wed, my son's first birthday, Easter and then I got terribly sick. Enough said. What do I mean by fix it together? If you have somehousehold minor repairs say a leaky faucet, a furnace filter that needs to be replaced, a fence that needs to be painted, a tire that needs to be changed around the house, I suggest you never do it without your kids. Home improvements are a great way to spend time with them while teaching them about tools and life at the same time. The attic, basement and crawl spaces are wonderful classrooms for learning how things work and how to safely fix things. Hand them a flashlight and talk them through the job you are doing. As they get older, moments will be seen as bonus chances for time with your kids amongst their busy schedules. An added bonus -...

Use less - of EVERYTHING. If you’re looking to save money, there are some obvious solutions; you might want to track your spending, avoid impulse buys or try going cash-only. But have you ever thought that you might be throwing savings down the drain, literally? Do you know how much you really need of things of consumable goods like like shampoo and dish soap? Sierra Black of Get Rich Slowly recommends  using half of what you normally would. The idea is to reduce half the amount of these things you use by doling out smaller portions. Normally use a quarter-size dollop of shampoo? Try cutting back to a dime. There’s no need to stop at half, actually. You can keep scaling back your usage gradually until you hit a point where you actually don’t have enough, and then creep back up to the last place it felt good. Maybe that dime-size drop of shampoo isn’t enough for your hair, but a nickel-size portion gets the job done nicely. This approach  - he calls the 50% solution...

STREAMLINE YOUR MAKEUP. If your mornings are a race against the clock, give yourself an edge by corralling your toiletries in the smartest possible way. Conquering your cosmetic clutter not only will save you time, but is also the easiest way to start making your looks a priority. Once you downsize to what you actually use - and use it - you will be looking pretty in more ways than one. So to streamline your makeup, you need to separate your necessities from your nonessentials. Here's some tips how: 1) Designate a spot for your "5-minute face" - aka whatever products you use every morning to get you out the door. A drawer with dividers or a box lets you see everything you need. The goal is to not be digging around for the essentials. If you're tight on space, a makeup bag works too. Especially if you travel a lot or are on the go. 2) Part with the 10th place lipstick. The rest of your makeup (if you're the most of us) needs a serious purge. Dump what's expi...

DE-GUNK THE KITCHEN CABINETS. The kitchen is one of the dirtiest rooms in our homes. Because it is usually a high traffic area that gets daily use, kitchens get dirtier, faster than other areas of the home. Kitchen cabinets are often the dirtiest area of the kitchen because we are often afraid to clean cabinets for fear of ruining them. Kitchen cabinets can get really dirty over time though, if they are left unattended. Everything that comes in contact with them, or that is in the air in your kitchen builds-up over time and causes your cabinets to look dull, dingy and old. Grease, food particles, smoke, moisture, finger prints, grime, smudges and more are all found on the face of cabinets, with the bulk of it being found on handles and other high contact areas. In most cases, if your cabinets are starting to look bad, a good cleaning is all they need. Cleaning kitchen cabinets can be a quick and easy job, but many people make it harder than it has to be. One rule of thumb is that the ...

STREAMLINE YOUR SPICE RACK. My mom always had the most disorganized spice cupboard. I am convinced it had (and probably still does) spices from the '70's. She's got at least two of everything. If not five. It's just a hodge-podge of randomness and it brings me anxiety any time I have to rummage through it. If this sounds like you, it's time to do some spring cleaning. Contrary to popular belief, spices do have a shelf life and even if you possess a perfectly organized kitchen, a twice-yearly reassessment of your seasoning situation is smart.  You'll be amazed at how much faster meal prep goes after doing this. To streamline your spices, follow these steps and you'll have it done in no time: 1) Gather all herbs and spices in one place. Empty your spice cabinets and spice racks. Grab seasonings from drawers, countertops, the fridge, or wherever else you've got them stashed. Gather everything on a clean table or countertop, so you can see what you've g...

Disinfect your toothbrush. Just get over a cold? Bristles not yet worn down? No need to buy new; just disinfect. Here's how: 1. Disinfect a toothbrush in the microwave - Wet the toothbrush bristles and microwave for one minute. 2. Disinfect a toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide - Soak bristles in hydrogen peroxide for several minutes, then rinse thoroughly with hot water. 3. Disinfect a toothbrush with Listerine - Soak bristles in Listerine for several minutes, then rinse thoroughly with hot water. 4. Disinfect a toothbrush in the dishwasher - Dishwashers clean and disinfect our dishes so why not our toothbrushes? Just put in the silverware tray and run the dishwasher as usual. Wondering if you can really re-catch a cold from your toothbrush? According to Slate.com , the answer is no, unless it's someone else's toothbrush (or someone else's cold). Much like the admonition from shampoo companies to "lather, rinse, repeat," the idea that a toothbrush must be rep...

Sit down and eat dinner as a family. Life is busy. We get it. But this is important. Studies have shown that kids who eat dinner with their families do better in school, feel more socially connected to their parents, have better peer relationships, and are less likely to try drugs and alcohol," says Grace R. Freedman, Ph . D., executive director of eat dinner .org, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing awareness of the benefits of family meals. "Research also suggests that working parents feel like they're better at balancing their work and personal lives when they find time for family dinner, and families that eat together tend to have healthier diets. Sadly, a 2010 Pew Research poll showed that only about half of families make dinner a daily ritual, and roughly one in five families eat together only occasionally, or never. The bottom line: Work as a team, make a commitment, start small, and don't get discouraged. Do it once this week. Try two times the next. It's ...

WASH YOUR BED PILLOW. Not just the pillow case. The entire pillow. Ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their droppings. Gross. According to HGTV & Good Housekeeping, you are supposed to put your pillow through a spin in your washing machine every three to six months. My guess is that this is something you've never done. If so, this is the week so hop to it! How to : Always wash two at a time and read washing instructions on pillow label. For synthetic filled pillow - wash them two at a time, with detergent, on the gentle cycle with hot water. An extra spin cycle will remove excess water and keep bacteria and hold at bay claims Lisa Shives , M.D., a sleep expert in Chicago. Tumble dry on low, fluffing pillows every so often. When drying the pillows you can also add a new tennis ball or dryer ball to help the pillows retain their shape. For pillows filled with down or another natural filling - follow washing instructions. Some mig...

Pencil in a car de-junking day. Is your car full of old coffee cups, kid's socks, and crumpled water bottles? If so, it's time to conquer the chaos. It's amazing how quickly the car can get filthy when you're running from school to soccer, PTA meeting to music lessons. Snack (both the snack itself and the wrapper), changes of clothes, balls, school papers. It all seems to float from front to back and everywhere inbetween. If you're embarrassed to open the door or are constantly making excuses for your dirty car, these six steps are going to help you tremendously; 1) Carve out 30 minutes to empty the entire car and vacuum inside . Sort stuff into two piles - what belongs in the car (registration, maps, napkins) and what doesn't (bubbles, hair brush, screwdriver). 2) Buy a "car-bage" bin. Don't get debris get too comfy . Besides being dirty, it's germy and certain things can become moldy and toxic. Outfit your car with a functional trash can. Thi...