Avoid Putting These Things Down the Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals are picky about what you put down them. As tempting as it is to turn on that switch and quickly throw left-over dinner in the sink, take a second look before you toss. Some things just should not go down the garbage disposal.

Here are a few prime culprits to avoid:

Pasta - No matter what type of noodle, all pastas will expand when exposed to water. If pasta goes down the garbage disposal, it will swell, causing major back-up problems.

Rice, Potatoes, and Beans- Same problems as the pasta.

Chicken, Turkey, Meat Bones - No explanation needed with this one, right?

Coffee Grounds - These innocent seeming coffee left-overs are actually harmful for garbage disposals. They can pile up down there. causing slimy sludgy build-up. Try tossing coffee grounds in your garden instead.

Celery, Asparagus, Corn Husks, Lettuce, Carrots, Onion Skins and Potato Peels - All these foods can tangle around your garbage disposal's blades. Not a good thing.

Grease, Fats and Oil - Grease is a no-no for disposals for a couple of reasons. First, as the grease begins to decay, it can cause an unpleasant odor in the kitchen. Second, grease can clog drains which can lead to expensive problems.

Egg Shells - Many of us might think egg shells are fine to put down the garbage disposal. However, many plumbing experts warn against doing this. The egg shells have stringy membranes that can cling to the disposal blades, and when the shells are finally ground down, the sandy consistency that forms can cause damage to the pipes.

2 Suprising Household Uses For Cornstarch

Have a box of cornstarch sitting in your pantry? Take that little box off the shelf and put it to good use around the house!

PopSugar has a great article on interesting ways you can use use cornstarch (besides cooking) that will save you money and time.

You really need to check out all 18 ways they have come up with, but just to get you started, here is a sneak peek:

1. Make Your Own Awesome Streak-Free Window Cleaner

Add just a tablespoon or so of cornstarch to your window cleaner to help get rid of those irritating streaks. Or, even better, make your own Cornstarch Window Cleaner:

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups warm water

**tip**

If you happen to have rubbing alcohol around the house, add about a 1/4 cup to this recipe to make an even more awesome window cleaner!

2. Shine Your Silver

Make that special silverware that you bring out for holidays shiny again. Just mix cornstarch and water until you have a nice mix. Then polish away.

Okay, so now go check out PopSugar's complete list of 18 uses for cornstarch (you know you want to!) - it is awesome!

Making The Bed Every Morning: Do You Do It?

 I admit I was once a neglectful bed-owner. I was the busy mom who left the house every morning without so much as picking a forlorn pillow off the floor.

In my defense, I  do manage to get two boys and one teenage daughter plus myself all out the door every morning - dressed, fed(ish) and on time(ish.)

I am proud to say however that I have reformed my ways and now make my bed ((almost)) every morning. That is to say, I get the comforter straightened up and pillows tossed back on top, more or less. And you know, it makes me happy. I almost feel like I am doing something just for me, sort of like pampering myself in a weird sort of way.

Actually, there are several very good reasons why we should be making our beds regularly . According to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, doing this one simple  task every morning can motivate us to cultivate other good habits.

"Making your bed every morning is correlated with better productivity, a greater sense of well-being, and stronger skills at sticking with a budget," says Duhigg . "It's not that a family meal or a tidy bed causes better grades or less frivolous spending. But somehow those initial shifts start chain reactions that help other good habits take hold."

There are more benefits to taking a moment or two every day to pull up the blankets and fluff those pillows.

You might just get a better night's sleep. 

A National Sleep Foundation poll found that survey participants who reported regularly making their bed were also more likely to say that they got a good night's sleep most nights.

Your bed linens and pillows will look better longer.

Carolyn Forte, the director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, recommends making your bed because it helps minimize wrinkles in your sheets and keep pillows fluffed. Being kind to your linens will help them look clean and new longer.

But really, it just makes you feel good. And feeling good when you leave the house in the morning is a great way to start your day, And coming home to a pretty made-up bed does wonders to help you start to relax after being busy all day!