Today I’ve been busy cleaning and packing away my Christmas sweaters to hide under my bed for another year. And yes, I do wear Christmas sweaters, not the tacky kind that would win one of the popular holiday Tacky Sweater contests. But I like them and enjoy wearing them.

Some are decorated with beads, some with ribbons, some with sequins. But how do you clean them without ruining them (or shrinking them to doll size)?

Here’s the scenario: you get up early to chop the veggies and meat for that perfect crock pot recipe. Coming home that evening, the luscious aroma hits you as you walk in the door, only to sit down to a crock pot full of mush.

I work from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. outside the home. Although many times a crock pot/slow cooker recipe says it can cook for 8-10 hours, by the time we eat it, the meal is mushy. The recipe would taste so much better if it had cooked for 4 hours.

Here are some easy tips for household cleaning and repair that uses simple, inexpensive items that most people already have in the house.

1. To restore finished wood furniture, steep two tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes. Let cool, then dampen a clean soft cloth with tea and wipe over wood furniture. It will bring out the woods natural color and shine.

2. Use kitty litter mixed with baking soda in a pan to neutralize musty or bad odors.

3. If the tip of your shoe lace becomes frayed, snip off the frayed end. Then paint or dip the end of the shoe lace into clear nail polish and let it dry. Good as new.

If you are like me, I no longer use the non-stick coated cookware in my kitchen. I prefer the heavy stainless steel; however, I miss the ease of cleaning up after cooking in a non-stick pan. After a few messy scrubs and a little research, I don’t miss my non-stick pans anymore.

After removing the food from a hot pan, immediately add hot water. The hotter the pan is the better results you will have. In a few minutes the pan can be easily cleaned with a light scrub pad. If that doesn’t work, try using a solution of 1 part baking soda to 1 part hot water and let it soak. I have yet to have a pan not come out sparkling clean. Please share any tips or suggestions you may have.

Hint: I purchased 6 of the scrub pads during a sale with coupons and paid zero for all of them. Watch your sales and cut those coupons!!

There are some folks out there who love to clean, and there are some of you that hate it. And right now, it’s hard to afford the $150 a visit that services cost. Being in the latter group, I have developed some typical and not-so-typical quick cleaning techniques to hold off the house until the next big cleaning day.

Like most women I know, I’m a multi-tasker, not by choice but by necessity. Do you iron while watching TV? Clean the toilet while talking with your friend on your phone? (You know she’s multi-tasking too!) This is the way I clean in-between my cleaning days.

I’ve always heard that you should be able to pick up your house in 15 minutes if unexpected company arrives.