CasaSugar

Guess What Hangs From This?

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:00:20 -0700

This clever little invention is used to dry some of your personal possessions. With 18 suspended clothing pins, it's likely to hold your entire collection. Even better, it can expand and contract to fit into any small space. Can you guess what this hanger is used to dry?

DIY: Dryer Balls

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:15:32 -0700

My eyes are always peeled for alternatives to chemical cleaning solutions. So, when I came across a DIY for making dryer balls from wool yarn rather than the blue plastic PVC alternative, I had to share. If you've got some spare yarn in the house, you'll likely have all the ingredients necessary to rid your garb of static cling, so check it out!

Supplies:

100 percent wool yarn (use scraps!)
Old pantyhose or a sock
Cotton or acrylic yarn, or string
Scissors
Small crochet hook
Measuring tape

To learn the steps, read more.

Here are the steps, from Good Mama:

Winding the core. Start by wrapping yarn a few times around two fingers. Then, take your fingers out and wrap more yarn around the bit of yarn. Continue wrapping until you have a small ball. Then, cut the yarn and tuck it under itself using the crochet hook, so it doesn't come loose.
Felting the core. Put the ball in your pantyhose or sock, and secure it closed with a piece of cotton or acrylic yarn, or string. Toss it in the washer and then dryer on high heat. Once complete, cut the strings and take out your core ball. It should be slightly felted.
Winding the dryer ball. Wind the ball with more wool yarn until it about the size you want. 10-10.5 inches in circumference is good. Then, tuck the end into itself using the crochet hook.
Felting the dryer ball. Again, put the ball in your pantyhose or sock, and secure it closed with a piece of cotton or acrylic yarn, or string. Toss it in the washer and then dryer on high heat. Once complete, cut the strings and take out your dryer ball. They should be at least slightly felted, if not completely.
Use it!. The dryer bell will felt more with use. Toss it in the dryer with your laundry to eliminate static cling without the use of chemicals!

Source

How To: Wash Your Sheets

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:00:42 -0700

Ask the Decorator online home-improvement and decorating show host Meghan Carter interviewed Alan Jesseman, the creative director at Anichini, to learn the right way to wash your sheets. He offered some expert tips on the task, some of which may make you realize you've been doing it all wrong! I've summarized a few for you:

Sheets should always be washed; you don't want dry-cleaning chemicals close to your body.
Use a mild detergent or soap, something that doesn't have any whiteners or brighteners, and something that has minimal fragrance or colorings to it.
Test oxygen bleaches on a corner before using to make sure it won't take the color out.

There's more where these came from and a video of the interview, so read more.

Always dissolve your detergent in the water first and let it agitate for a minute before you put the clothes in.
Everything will last longer if you use a front-loading washer; they're much more gentle because they don't have the agitator in the middle.
Hot water is very harsh on the fibers and colors, and will shorten the lifespan of your sheets. Use cool or lukewarm water.
If you line dry your sheets, the wind will blow most of the wrinkles out of them, and you won't get lint (a sign of your sheets breaking down). If you live in a city and can't line dry, use your dryer on the air tumble (fluff dry) cycle.
Take your sheets out of your dryer before they're bone dry (hot and dry) because that's hard on the fibers.
Sheets smell best if you line dry them in the snow!

Check out Ask the Decorator for more videos and tips like these!

Casa Quickie: Save Money and Energy

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:00:30 -0700

We've all gotten better about ditching plastic bags and using CFLs, but there are plenty of other simple ways to be "green" and save money that we often overlook. One of these is to make a habit of only running full loads of dishes in your dishwasher and full loads of laundry in your washer and dryer. This is particularly true for your dishwasher, because most dishwashers don't have a "small" option. It'll save water, money, and energy, not to mention detergent. Stay tuned for more energy saving tips!
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Casa Quickie: Bon Voyage Wrinkles!

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:00:25 -0700

If you leave your clothes in the dryer after the cycle has ended, your clothes will wrinkle. Since you probably don't want to sit around and watch that pot boil, and most dryers aren't equipped with a loud siren to let you know when the time's up, wrinkles are kind of inevitable. To smooth out the wrinkles, throw a slightly damp, white towel in your dryer with your clothes. Then, turn the dryer back on for 20 minutes. The wrinkles should disappear. How about that for a magic trick? It's too bad this trick doesn't work for your skin . . . Oil of Olay would totally be out of business.
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Casa Quickie: DIY Fabric Sheets

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:00:26 -0800

Instead of buying a box of disposable dryer sheets, make your own! Just take an old kitchen towel and soak it with liquid fabric softener. Wring it out, let it dry, then throw it in with your laundry the next time you dry some clothing. This "fabric sheet" will be good for at least 40 loads of wash!

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Casa Quickie: Fluffy Laundry

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:00:14 -0700

To help dry your clothes quicker, and to make your laundry fluffier, throw a couple of tennis balls in with your drying clothes. The balls will create air pockets in the dryer, which will speed up the drying process and fluff up your drying garments.

Casa Quickie: Reuse Your Dryer Sheets

CasaSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:00:54 -0700

Your dryer sheets aren't only good for eliminating static cling and leaving your clothes smelling so fresh and so clean, you can reuse them for other household chores once your laundry is finished. They're great for picking up dust on your furniture and window blinds. You can also use them to remove food stuck on your pots and pans. Just fill the dirty pot or pan with water, toss in a used dryer sheet, and let it soak for about an hour. The sheet will help lift and loosen the gunky stuff. Then, wash the pan as usual. Presto! Pots and pans so fresh and so clean!

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Casa Quickie: Sayonara Stickies

CasaSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:00:28 -0700

If you've got stubborn adhesive labels on any of your home purchases (bottles, plates, books, etc.) or gifts, there's a simple way to remove them that doesn't involve picking at them with sticky fingers. Just blast your hair dryer onto the label for a few seconds, and then use a basic craft blade to scrape it off. The heat from the dryer will loosen up the adhesive, making it a cinch to peel off the label. Ahh, if you'd only known . . .
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Coveted Crib: A Paper-Perfect Studio Loft

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:00:50 -0800

If I had my druthers, I probably wouldn't choose to live in a studio. But if I had to, I cannot imagine a more perfect space than this studio loft in Lägenhet, Stockholm (which is for sale). With tall ceilings, a bed and extra storage are tucked up high, making for a true living room. The apartment's bright white walls and beautiful natural light expand the space, while a select few gorgeously wallpapered walls give it depth and serious style. The kitchen has streamlined modern white cabinetry and one of my favorite elements: concrete countertops. The bathroom is complete with a towel warmer (woot!), a washer/dryer, and a sharp zebrawood sink basin. And better yet, it boasts what every girl dreams of: a walk-in closet. Take the full tour when you read more.

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