Mrs. FIXIT's Blog

Love your Mrs. FIXIT tips on TV? Follow my blog to get inside info, decorating ideas, project help and household hints. It's just that simple~

Cleaning Electronics

From the Phone to the computer keeping your electronic equipment clean will help it work properly and last longer! Dust and dirt can settle in the keyboard of your computer. Use a small paintbrush or a clean make-up brush to loosen the dust and then use a soft brush attachment on your vacuum to remove it. Use a baby wipe to clean surface dirt from the housing of your computer and monitor. The television? Spritz a little window cleaner on a soft, lint-free cloth and use it to clean the screen. Never spray a cleanser directly onto your TV screen. For flat panel television and computer screens gently wipe with a soft, lint-free, cotton cloth. If you still have some dirt, use a tiny amount of rubbing alcohol on your cloth. Dirt and oils from your skin can make a CD skip. Wearing cotton gloves, hold the CD by the center hole and the rim, and use a soft, clean, lint-free cloth to wipe in straight lines from the center outward. If it is still skipping, dip your cloth in a mild soap and water solution. To clean dirt and grime from your phone, wipe it down with a soft cloth and a little rubbing alcohol. Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to get into the tiny crevices. If your cordless phone isn't charging, use a clean pencil eraser to clean the metal contacts on the base unit.

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Build-Up on Wood Furniture

Sometimes a build-up of wax and polish can cause a hazy film on your wood furniture. The good news is that it is usually pretty easy to clean up. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to a pint of tepid water. Soak a clean washcloth in the solution and wring it out. Rub the haze lightly with the cloth being careful not to get too much water onto the wood. Then, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe up any excess. If there are several layers of polish you may have to repeat the process. A white haze can also be caused by moisture stuck in the wood's surface. Try taking some wood ashes from your fireplace, and mixing them with a little water to form a paste. Work that paste into the piece with a washcloth until you see the haze disappearing. Then clean the wood off with the vinegar and water mixture. (If you don't have a fireplace, you could also try some baking soda on a damp cloth. Rub it into the spot and wipe it away with a clean cloth.) Once you've removed all that white film from your furniture, try polishing the surface with some lemon oil. Hazy build-up - gone!!!

Clean that Woodwork!

Just about everybody has some type of molding or wood working in their home, and more often than not they get grimy and dusty and they're usually forgotten during those weekly chores. Well I can help. First step, a cleaner. I use a quarter cup of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Pour it into a spray bottle and you're good to go! This mixture is great for cleaning painted and stained wood. My favorite cleaning tool for cleaning woodworking is a fuzzy carwash mitt. It covers wide areas and you can use your fingers to push it into corners and crevices. You can also use a paint brush or a baby hair brush as a cleaning tool. The paint brush will work especially well when you're cleaning moldings above your head. If you're worried about getting your surrounding walls wet, use one of my painting tricks. Hold a squeegee in place at the edge of the woodwork to protect the wall. If you have some stubborn scuffs and stains, simply spread some white toothpaste onto an old soft toothbrush, scrub them out of the wall and then follow up with a good cleaning. You can also use some baking soda on a damp cloth.

Picture Groupings!

Grouping pictures together on a wall can really make a statement, but it can be intimidating. Lay a large sheet of paper out on the floor. Play with arranging the pictures on the paper. Remember that the top line of an arrangement should be level to guide the eye in the right direction. When you're finished, trace around each picture frame to make a template. Number each picture with a sticky note and write that number on the template. Remove the pictures. As you do, flip each over and use a ruler to measure how far down you will need the nail and mark that on your template. Attach the template to the wall with some tape, and gently tap an awl at each spot you've marked for your nails. Take down the paper and put in the nails. Then you can hang the pictures according to the numbers on your map. Simple strategy for a perfect picture grouping!

It's all coming together....

When you embark on a project like renovating a house you put your heart and soul into, you plot and you plan and you search for just the right touches. The studio house has been a labor of love and I am so happy that it is finally coming together.

I hope you enjoy the pictures as I post them and are inspired to make your own mark on your home.

If you like the look and would like to know where I found the special touches just let me know~

It's just that simple!!

Mirror, Mirror...

A mirror can be a great tool in your home, whether you're trying to make a small space look bigger or a dark space look brighter.

Hang a mirror at the end of a hallway; it will make the space appear longer. Hang two across from each other to make it appear wider. Plus it will bounce light from the fixtures to brighten a normally dark area.

The same holds true for a dark room, hang a large mirror and flip on the lights. The light in the room appears to double making the whole room look and feel brighter too.

Mirrors can also help accent great architectural features in the home like a fireplace. Hang a mirror directly across from the object so it appears as a highlight on both sides of the room.

All of these mirror tricks work especially well in small rooms, that's why you'll see mirrored doors in a lot of smaller rooms.

Now to keep those mirrors doing their job, clean them with rubbing alcohol! Use a lint free cloth to rub it into the surface of the glass and then use a squeegee to clear the liquid and leaving a streak free shine!

Marble Bathroom - Yummy!!!

Since I'm posting pictures - check out the white marble & tumbled stone bathrooms in the new studio house:

Next Project: Pocket Doors

I'm working on picking out hardware for my pocket doors - browsing the House of Antique Hardware website - amazing stuff! http://houseofantiquehardware.com/mrsfix

Knock Out Knobs - House of Antique Hardware!

Ok, so I told you the knobs for the studio house were all in and installed - I have some amazing pictures to show you - if you're looking for antique reproduction knobs there is simply no where else! If you'd like to visit their site here is a link:

House of Antique Hardware

Now for those pictures! Simply Stunning!! It's just that simple!

Olive Oil - Cooking up Some Household Solutions!

Olive oil is used in hundreds of recipes, but did you know it can be used for so many other household tasks?

1. Use it in the kitchen to season cast iron pans, or wooden cutting boards and salad bowls!

2. If you have some leather shoes or a baseball glove that need some revitalizing try olive oil. Put a little on a soft cloth and work it into the leather, remember a little goes a long way!

3. Use it to shine up plant leaves. A little dab on a paper towel will make your plants look great.

4. Dented, pitted wood furniture? No problem! Just rub a little over the surface and the dents will disappear.

5. In the yard it can help keep moles away. Saturate an old rag with olive oil and stuff it into a mole hole. The animals hate the smell and will stay far away.

6. Keep some olive oil in the garage too. A quick coat on gardening tools will keep them from rusting. It will also lubricate garage door tracks.

7. Olive oil is also a great hand cleaner for greasy, grimy hands! Rub it in and wipe it away with a paper towel.

8. This also works on dry hands and feet. Just rub some in before you go to bed and slip on a pair of cotton socks or gloves you won't believe the difference in the morning.

Olive Oil - Who knew!~

Do you have the top five home essentials in your house? Here's the list and a few of the things you can use them for.

1. White vinegar - Fill the bottom of a burned pan with vinegar and bring it to a boil. You'll see the mess flaking off. Or, pour it on the cracks in your sidewalks to kill grass and weeds, or mix it with the number two item on the list, baking soda, to free up clogged drains.

2. Baking Soda - Dip a damp cloth in baking soda to clean stains from painted walls and woodwork. Or, sprinkle some on aluminum foil and cover with boiling water to make silver cleaner.

3. Lemon juice - It is a natural bleach and disinfectant. Spread some on a white laundry stain and put it in the sun; the item will look like new in no time. Or use lemons to clean brass. Cut a lemon in half, dip it in salt and scrub no more tarnish.

4. Dryer sheets - They clean off television screens, freshen drawers and sneakers. Or, put a used dryer sheet in a baked-on pan, cover it with boiling water and leave it overnight. It will clean up easily in the morning.

5. Denture tablets - They clean anything from narrow-necked vases to toilet bowls.

Now that you have the essentials - you're ready for anything!!!

Cabinets, Cabinets, Cabinets - Love Them!!!! Thank you Kitchen Express!

The cabinets are all in and installed in the studio house and I have to say, I may be in love - can you say stunning?? Kim at Kitchen Express here in Syracuse was so amazing - helping find the perfect look for the kitchen. Second to None!

Beefing up Shelves

Click to Play

Mrs. Fix It shows you how to make skimpy shelves look more substantial.

Mrs. FIXIT on AOL's - DIY Life

Build a Simple Trellis - DIY Life

Happy Mother's Day

These fast and fun tips will make Mom's life easier!
*Unknown carpet stains? Try white shaving cream! It's a great spot treater just spray a little on and then dab it out with water and a clean white cloth.
*Clean away Picasso's prints with baking soda! Baking soda on a damp cloth will clean crayon and marker from painted surfaces.
*Preserve your Mother's Day bouquet with bleach! Clean vases with bleach before you use them to kill any bacteria left from your last arrangement.
*Pick up a broken egg with salt! Pour salt over the egg and it will solidify so you can sweep it up.
*Make perfect pancakes with a turkey baster! Squeeze the batter up into the baster and then out onto a hot griddle!
*Sour thermos? Denture tablets will help! Fill the thermos with hot water and drop a tablet in, then leave it overnight.
*The formula for baby stains, unflavored meat tenderizer! Just rub it in and wash with cold water!
*Organize the car with a hanging shoe bag! It's an easy and inexpensive way to contain toys, snacks and books!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Planning a Springtime Getaway?

You want your vacation to be the best it can be so plan ahead and pack smart to save yourself time and hassles down the road. Pack a first aid kit, you may think this is silly but if you've ever spent a fortune for a couple of aspirin on the road you know that it is cheaper to pack from home! Include band-aids, antiseptic wipes, aspirin, antacids and prescriptions! Rather than packing extra items that you don't need, think about things you can use as double duty. Shampoo doubles as a great laundry pre-treater, hair conditioner is good substitute for shaving cream and petroleum jelly can be used as a lotion, a lip balm and in a pinch it will shine your shoes! Another idea is to think about things that can cost a lot of money or hassle on the go. Buy a book of stamps so you don't need to seek out a post office, buy a multi-pack of film, it is better to have too much than too little, and don't forget a pre-paid calling card to save on those outrageous phone bills.
Think of tiny toteables that can help you on the go, a pocket sized lint brush, a miniature sewing kit, a small safety lock that can be programmed so you don't need to worry about keys.

Reusing Bathroom Accessories!

You refinished your bathroom and you changed the towel bar and the toilet paper holder and the accessories, well don't throw them out. I have some ideas to put them back to work. Hang the towel bar on your wall and use it as a display rod for pictures. Simply twist some screw eyes into the back of your frames and run some ribbon through to hang your pictures. You could also hang a towel rod in a closet to organize ties, belts, scarves or necklaces. Hang the toilet paper holder and you have an easy pop out bar to organize hair accessories and bracelets. How about that toothbrush holder? If it will hold water, use it as a vase for flowers that you don't want squished like roses or Gerber daises. If it is not the type that will hold water, put it on your desk or by the phone in the kitchen to hold pens. Soap dish; put it by the back door to catch keys, or on your dresser for spare change or jewelry that you wear everyday!

Basic Toolkit for DIYers!

As you empower yourself to become a fixit person, assemble yourself a basic tool kit. Here's the low-down on what you should have. First, buy the best quality tools within your budget. If you buy tools in a kit rather than individually:

BASIC TOOLS: You need a curved claw hammer for obvious reasons. A nail set to counter-sink. A staple gun for screens and upholstery; plus phillips and flat-head screwdrivers for all knids of household repairs from furniture to lighting. I would also add a power drill for pilot holes in walls and wood.

GRIPPING TOOLS: Slip joint pliers, an adjustable wrench, a set of open end wrenches and a pair of needle nose pliers. A nut driver is also handy to tighten nuts in small spaces.

MEASURING TOOLS: A tape measure, combination square and a torpedo level will help you with jobs from handing shelves and artwork to positioning furniture to checking doors and drawers for square.

CUTTING TOOLS: To cut through more repairs have a wood saw, wire cutters, utility knives, craft and hobby knives and a hacksaw.

BEYOND THE BASICS: You should always remember safety, so have glasses, masks, gloves and ear protection.