BORAX to grind? Dab whites with 1 part borax, 6 parts water mixture to remove stains!

Santa Spotlight: Petroleum Jelly! Gum on your coffee table?  Smear PJ on it, let sit for 10 minutes, and it comes off easily!

In honor of Paul Bunyan Day, plant a tree! Trees keep the air clean and give us oxygen! (And they're really fun to climb!)

Make a master shopping list template for your groceries! When you need gingerbread cookies for example, just tic that box!  

Washing clothes in cold water saves big bucks by not heating up the water, which equals energy. Save the hot water for REALLY dirty clothes.

Tidy elves love shelves! Install an affordable plank in your backsplash space to free up needed cabinet and counter space!

A shady solution for high electric bills? Keep shades closed, especially on the west- and south-facing windows of your home!

Sticky mess on non-stick cookware? After cooling, put in freezer for 30 minutes and the grime comes off easily.

Lost earrings and vacuum cleaners both suck. What doesn’t - put a stocking or pantyhose over a vacuum hose to find and catch them safely! 

Doing dishes? Pack tomorrow's lunch (leftovers yum!) and fill the coffeemaker while you're at it. You're already in the kitchen so save yourself a trip!

Be a hoser, eh? Watering your lawn with a hose is twice as efficient as a sprinkler and saves THOUSANDS of gallons per year.

COUNTER intuitive: Keep essentials within reach (key ingredients, oils, knives, cutting board, storage containers, etc.)!

Wear clothes twice - hang near the shower between wears to let the steam dewrinkle. Cuts down on laundry, water and drycleaning bills!

Close shave? Close save! Foaming shaving cream helps remove wine stains from carpets. Borrow some from a happy father today!

When moving, take the opportunity to finally shred old documents and use that to pack your fragile boxes instead of Styrofoam or newspapers!

Santa Spotlight: ALKA-SELTZER! Drop 2 tablets into hard-to-clean cookware and vases, add water, and watch grime bubble away!

Gesundheit! Now, wipe your pets down daily w/a microfiber cloth to cut down on the yankee doodle dander on your upholstery. (Yankee Doodle...Flag Day...oh, nevermind.)

Healthy elves love PETS! Messy? Sometimes, but pets reduce the stress hormone cortisol AND cholesterol, and they encourage exercise!

Are you a walking static electricity storm when you’re “bolting” out the door? Rub a dryer sheet over the static-y areas and “charge” ahead!

Leave a basket at the foot of the stairs to fill with toys and stuff brought downstairs during the day. Make one trip instead of lots!

Out of wrapping paper and running late? Use the news! Wrap kids gifts in the comics! (When I’m done reading them, that is.)

Green? You use plastic food storage containers. Mean? They stink! Wash with two tablespoons of baking soda and hot water.

Tidy elves love STICKY NOTES. Wipe the sticky side across your monitor and between the keys to collect lint and crumbs. Clean computing!

Toy rooms double as germ zones. Be sure to disinfect toys regularly – 15 minutes lost cleaning beats days lost to a cold or virus!

Computers are our friends, except when they’re not.  Back up your files WEEKLY with a CD, USB, or external hard drive. Better to be redundant than regretful!

Plastic bags - so many uses, so little space. Store yours in an empty wet wipes container. Next time Fido’s making that face, pull one and go!

Santa spotlight: BAKING SODA! A serious scrubber and a time-tested, dandy deodorizer! And healthier than air fresheners!

Handle this: refrigerator handles are germ magnets. When pressed for time, keep this spot a priority on your cleaning to-do list.

Group items by type – everything from pots on a shelf to utensils in holders – for a systematic, organized look and feel.

Insulate your home and wallet - adding insulation to prevent leaks and drafts can cut your home’s energy consumption by 20-30%!