Cleaning the Dishwasher

Have you ever looked, REALLY looked, at the inside of your dishwasher, right below the bottom rack, near the door? If you are like me, you never have. I have one word - YUCK! You are always cleaning your dishes in the dishwasher, but when was the last time that you cleaned your dishwasher?

I didn't take a picture, but believe me, it was pretty bad, I am surprised we didn't get sick with all the tiny bits of food, grease and soap scum stuck together and were deposited in corners of the dishwasher and in crevices around the door. YUCK! It took cleanser, a small scrub brush, an old toothbrush and a lot of scrubbing to get it clean.

I just ran the rinse cycle to wash all the cleanser away. Next I run the dishwasher empty and place a bowl in the bottom rack with a cup of bleach in it, and will set my dishwasher to run a complete cycle. The bleach will whiten the tub and kill any mold that may be growing it.

Once that is done, I will open the door and place a cup of Vinegar in the bowl, and again set the dishwasher to run a complete cycle.

I just added "clean the dishwasher" to my monthly kitchen cleaning list so this won't happen again!

Suggestions and comments are always welcome.
See you soon!
Judy

Tips to Help Stop Junk Mail

I came up with these steps to get rid of all the Charity and Sweepstakes mail and catalogs my 95-year-old mother was getting. She was entering contests, buying things she never used and donating more money than she could have afforded.  It took about 4-5 months but these steps work.  She went from getting 10-15 pieces of junk mail a day to maybe 5 a week.

After seeing the success, I had with my mom’s mail, I did it with my own junk mail and got the same results.

NOTE: it takes about 4 months to get off junk mail lists because at least 95% of junk mail lists are not done in the company – they pay another company to do it.  IF you are still getting junk mail from companies after all this, see if they have an Facebook page and send them a message and if possible, post about it on their Facebook page.  I had to resort to this with some companies – mainly banks that kept wanting me to get a credit card.

These ideas sound drastic, but if you want the junk mail and junk emails to stop, you must BE drastic. 

NOTE – if you donate again or enter a sweepstakes again, you will probably wind up back on the lists again. If you really want to donate – send a money order and don’t give your correct address.

If you are willing to pay postage, send this letter to each of the companies that is sending you things. 

You can also use this letter in an email or on the charity Facebook page or in an email to them.

Basically, you will be lying to these companies, but using the “family member passed away” line will get you the best results. 

In the letter where it reads “CHARITY/SWEEPSTAKES” choose the correct one.

I am ANY NAME, and my mother (YOUR NAME) has passed away. 

I am requesting that she (YOUR NAME), see address below be removed from all your mailing lists.  In addition, DO NOT send any CHARITY/SWEEPSTAKES requests to “Current Resident” as my family & I are now the current residents and do not wish to receive your charity requests.

Under State and Federal laws, you are required to remove her name from the mailing list and refrain from sending her any mail without my prior written approval.

Do not rent or sell her name or address to other organizations

Your Name

Your Complete Address

FOR CATALOGS

For Catalogs that you don’t want to receive:

Go to Catalog Choice - https://www.catalogchoice.org/.  They work pretty well.  With a few catalogs, I had to write them directly. 

My biggest complaint with companies that have catalogs & also sell online is that when you buy something from them online, you start to get their catalogs in the mail as well.  EVEN if you tell them not to on the order form.  I have stopped buying from many companies that do that – I warn them first, wait the three months and if I continue to get catalogs, I stop buying from them.

ADDITIONAL WAYS

Go to https://www.dmachoice.org/ and to https://www.optoutprescreen.com/

JUNK EMAILS

You can also use the letter for any junk emails you receive when unsubscribing doesn’t work.

If that still doesn’t work, send this message

This is your final notice!!!

I have the right not to receive e-mails from anyone I choose and if someone continues sending emails against my wishes, IT’S HARASSMENT!

I have asked you to remove me from your list since XX.

Notice that I have also sent this message to the SPAM patrol, and I will repost it on the FTC site as well.

Next stop is contacting my lawyer.

Suggestions and comments are always welcome.
See you soon!
Judy

Start Decluttering in Your Bedroom

The reason I suggest this is that way, you will have a relaxing & calming space to start & end your day.

Rather than try to box up and tackle the whole house at once (which makes it an even bigger overwhelming job) take it slow.

I started with the bedrooms. Biggest tip - DO NOT leave the room that you are working on to put things away - that is what the box if for. No matter what room it belongs in, put them all in the same box. If you are going to be doing your closet - get some nice velvet covered hangers, it will help to make your closet look nice and the clothes you keep will stay on the hangers and not slip off.

1. Go through the room and toss all the garbage into a trash bag - put bag nearby the bed (you will find garbage hidden away).

2. Get boxes and label them – “Donate”, “Keep in This Room in Another Place”, and “Belongs in Another Room”. Get your favorite cleaner and rag, you will need it to wipe things off. Personally, I used laundry baskets or the Keep in this room and belongs in another room.

3. Throw a sheet on top of the bed. Start with one item - a closet, a shelf, a drawer. The easiest way for me was to dump the drawer (or shelf, etc) onto the bed and go through everything. For clothing - try everything on. Yes, it is a pain in a butt, but you will find things that you don't like anymore, that don't fit you right or that you wonder "why did I even buy this".

• Dumping it on the bed makes it much easier to go through things rather than rummaging through the drawer, shelf, etc (and you can wipe out the drawer, shelf, etc) Once you go through it, put it back in its home and continue.

4. When you get to the closet - pull out all the non-clothing items and go through them first. Then your shoes (try them on and make sure you still love them). Now, the clothes. Either pull them all out or just part of them.

• If you are holding onto something that you haven't fit into in years ("I will wear this when I lose/gain weight") - pass it on - if you do lose/gain weight the item will be dated.
• If you are holding onto something like your wedding dress, take it out, get it clean and store it in an archival box to preserve it. Personally, I donated mine to a group that rents wedding dresses, gowns, and prom dresses to those that can't afford to buy them.
• Now, try everything on in the closet on. Again, it is a pain in a butt, but you will find things that you don't like anymore, that don't fit you right or or that you wonder "why did I even buy this". You will probably be surprised at the pile of clothing you have created out of the clothes from your dresser & closet.
• My suggestion is before you hang up your clothes, sort them by type. Then put them on your nice new hangers and hang them up. If you did your closet in sections, continue the process.

When you are done for the day. Take the donate clothing and put it in a garage bag and TIE IT SHUT tight. That way you aren't tempted to go back and pull clothes out. For the non-clothes items you are donating, close the box and put it in the garage or outside.

Take the garbage out to the garage can. Lastly, put the items that belong in other rooms away. Unless the room you are putting stuff away in is already done, DO NOT get tempted to clean the room - you will get to the room eventually. If the room has already been done, the things you are putting away probably already have a home so put it there or find it a logical home in that room.

Suggestions and comments are always welcome.
See you soon!
Judy