Care of Bedding

From the mattress to the pillows, bedding can be an investment, so you want to take care of it the best way to make it last longer.

1. When you change your bedding, vacuum it thoroughly to remove dust.

2. Buy a good mattress pad. It fits on snugly like a sheet and protects the mattress from excess dust and oils from your skin.

3. Protect your pillows with zip-on covers. This way you can just unzip and throw the cover in the wash, instead of washing the whole pillow.

4. When you wash your blankets, use the delicate cycle, to help prevent matting.

5. Bedspreads are generally too big to wash at home. Check the care label for instructions, then either take it to the laundromat or the dry cleaners.

6. If you're not sure, you should test for colorfastness before you wash it. Mix a little water with some soap and dip the corner of the bedspread into it. If the fabric dyes start to bleed, you may want to go with dry-cleaning.

7. To fluff and freshen A down comforter, pillows or a bedspread, put them in the dryer with a clean pair of sneakers and some dryer sheets.

Clutter Busters

If clutter just seems to appear around your home and you can't get a handle on it, I have some handy clutter busters to help you out!

1. When the mail comes, force yourself to sort it right away. Toss the junk mail and file mail that you need to tend to in a napkin holder. It will still be visible so you don't forget about it, but it looks nice and neat.

2. Piles of placemats? Clip them together with a large binder clip and hang them on a cup hook inside a cabinet or pantry.

3. Cup hooks can also help with the keys all over the counter. Hang a couple of hooks on the inside of your closet door. This way you can hang up your keys when you hang a jacket or handbag. They'll be out of the way and you'll always know where they are.

4. Don't want to make ten trips up and down the stairs everyday? Get a stair basket, stash things inside that need to go upstairs and bring it with you once a day!

5. If you're plain short on storage space think creatively. Store items in plastic shoeboxes. Then stash them under a bed or a skirted couch or chair. This is also a perfect spot for extra leaves from your dining table. Make sure you have carpeting or use a pad under the leaves so you don't end up scratching them.