Today's PixieTip!Today's PixieTip!http://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010-03-10T05:00:13ZSquarespacePantyhose to the rescuehttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/10/pantyhose-to-the-rescue.htmlKelly McMenamin2010-03-10T05:00:12Z2010-03-10T05:00:12Z

So, you're getting ready, you've got your outfit on already and darn it all ... you spill some powder on yourself. Before surrendering and changing your outfit, try rubbing it with some pantyhose. But, more importantly than make-up, pantyhose are great for getting white deodorant stains off of clothes. I got this tip from Giella, a friend of mine who has her own make-up line (my favorite product is that she can match any old favorite lipstick/lip-gloss).

I rarely wear pantyhose (and even when it's required, I avoid it like the plague — tall boots with skirts, pants, etc.) Despite my hatred for this undergarment, I always have some on hand because it’s the easiest way to get rid of make-up stains, and because I’m the kind of person who saves bad white wine for possible red wine stains.

So, a few weeks back, I was packing for my friend's wedding and saw that my rehearsal dinner dress had white pit stains (I'd had it tailored but forgot to have it dry cleaned as well). Pantyhose to the rescue!

I think this is an awesome tip for Organic Freedoms because they're the least likely to have a morning routine set-up to prevent make-up from getting all over your clothes. But, as I'm a Classic, I'll say that this has happened to me before because I often don't want to get dressed post make-up as it might smudge, etc.

Now if only someone had a trick for when you're brushing your teeth and dribble toothpaste on your outfit ... ooh, I just had an idea. I think tomorrow's tip might work on that kind of stain. Stay tuned!

Best for Organic Freedoms but Good for All

]]>Vanish Red Wine Stainshttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/9/vanish-red-wine-stains.htmlKelly McMenamin2010-03-09T05:00:15Z2010-03-09T05:00:15Z My friend Elizabeth (a Smart) swears by pouring boiling water repeatedly over offending red wine stains. And when SHE does it, it works. When I do it? Not so much. And unfortunately, I can't store her in my closet and whip her out when someone spills a little red. My secret? Soaking the red wine stain in white wine.

I learned this tip from a Brit that I dated in my early twenties. During a trip to visit him on my last night in London, he accidentally spilled an entire glass of red wine all over a light blue silk shirt of mine. This was after I'd broken up with him so I felt there was a certain Karmic retribution in it. But, he actually saved the day (and the shirt).

We soaked the offending shirt in white wine overnight and then I packed the wine soaked blouse in a plastic bag in my suitcase and travelled on my Virgin Atlantic flight back to NYC — every time I fly Virgin I think, "Why isn't every airline like this?" — and enjoyed more wine. When I got back to the city, I took the shirt in to be dry cleaned and voila, no stain.

So, on to the how to ... I'm going to do it like eHow — where I got today's photo from — writes their "how to's" (plus making lists is also my natural instinct as a Classic)

1. As with any stain, blot, blot, blot. Don't rub (my husband always rubs). B L O T.

2. Liberally soak with white wine.

3. Let sit for a while. I know this will frustrate Funs and Classics looking for precise minutes but sometimes you need to trust your gut and your eyes.

4. Repeat soak if necessary.

5. Dry clean shirt/article of clothing or for rugs/upholstery use your then regular cleaning method for them.

The following is a Cautionary tale for Classics like me: Don't go saving bottles of white wine for "just in case" moments. I did this because I once found myself with a red wine stain and had no white wine on hand. As a result, I started to hold on to unfinished bottles of white "just in case" (nothing scars a Classic into hoarding more than not having something on hand in a pinch)  I've stopped this habit because of what happened when my mom, an Organic Structure, came for a visit.

It never crossed her mind that I'd keep more than one bottle of white wine for cleaning purposes in my fridge — a valid assumption. I didn't realize she was drinking my 2 month old half drunk bottle of cheap white wine that I was saving for just in case I get a red wine stain until she was onto her 2nd glass. Personally, I was a little frightened that she didn't notice how bad it was, but since I have been told I have a barbarian's palate, I really shouldn't tease. (Last time Katie watched Kelly and Mom share a bottle of wine, MOM is the one who had the cojones to send back a bottle which was clearly bad, whereas Kelly would have kept on drinking like a good barbaric Celt.)

Good for All

]]>Cutting brownies 101http://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/8/cutting-brownies-101.htmlKelly McMenamin2010-03-08T05:00:48Z2010-03-08T05:00:48ZJust one word, plastic. Ever made brownies and wanted to eat them while they're still warm or make them attractive for a party, only to cut into them and have everything stick to the knife? We've got your solution and it's courtesy of Fred, one of our faithful subscribers, a Classic (Kelly's husband and to Kate's blog followers, her lousy judgmental brother-in-law). And while crumbly, non perfect brownies is probably something that only detail oriented Classics and Funs might obsess about ... everyone can benefit from this 'knowledge' — and I use this term lightly because I realize that imperfect brownies is a First World Problem (a hilarious Facebook® page). The trick to perfect brownies is to use a plastic knife.

No, not some fancy special brownies plastic knife. ANY plastic knife. Even Organic and Smart Freedoms (and Smart Structures) will have a random plastic knife floating around in one of their many junk drawers (even if it's from take-out). And Classics, Funs, Organic Structures all undoubtedly have a home for plastic cutlery.

I did some digging around and found out that Fred wasn't the only one obsessed with perfect brownies. Today's photo is from amysfinerthings.com, who has a whole bit on this topic. When I asked Fred (our household's Chief Brownie Maker), where he got this tip, he couldn't remember. When I pressed further about just how cool the brownies need to be before cutting (because when I make brownies, it's almost always for IMMEDIATE gratification) he said, "I don't know how long I let them sit. But, if you're really desperate, just do small, small cuts." As he spoke, he imitated a cutting action equivalent to what one looks like when playing the game Operation. It takes a steady hand ... with a plastic knife.

Best for Classics and Funs, Good for All

]]>3 Bad Uses for 3 Old Thingshttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/5/3-bad-uses-for-3-old-things.htmlKatie McMenamin2010-03-05T05:00:15Z2010-03-05T05:00:15ZWhile New Uses for Old Things is a column targeted toward Classics, I sometimes wonder if some creative Organics or Smarts are just making stuff up. I mean really! I love Real Simple like it was my annoying older sister that I didn’t have, but sometimes these solutions are far fetched if not damaging!

Binder clips to keep your linen/cotton napkins in order. Okay I’m not even a Classic or a Fun, meaning I don’t usually pay attention to details and even I could tell you that these binder clips are going to leave a mark. (And strangely I worry that if you got some water on them by accident they might rust and then stain the napkins) Also, um, why not just organize them together when you put them away! Why would you even need binders?

Using crushed eggshells to clean the hard-to-reach places in bottles and vases. Um, yeah, how does this work exactly? Do I wait till I’m making scrambled eggs to clean all the vases? Or why don’t I just, um, throw them in the DISHWASHER. Novel. Or just use the baby bottle cleaner that sits beside my sink. There IS a better way and eggshells ain’t it.

Lemonade Kool-Aid to clean the lime deposits and iron stains inside your dishwasher. First, you can only use lemonade Kool-Aid and why exactly would you even have lemonade Kool-Aid on hand? I mean, wouldn’t you just have Minute-Maid or Country-Time and do those work just as well? (It says that the citric acid in the mix wipes out the stains, so maybe?) All right, if that’s the case then perhaps this is just a cheaper alternative to whatever lime deposit/iron stain cleaner there is out there? But let me tell you, my dishwashers tend to break down irreparably WAY before they’ve gotten to the lime/iron deposit stage.

]]>Chop Tomatoes with Scissorshttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/4/chop-tomatoes-with-scissors.htmlKatie McMenamin2010-03-04T05:00:01Z2010-03-04T05:00:01ZOkay, this one is ingenious and it’s for EVERYONE. Using scissors to cut something? I mean, it’s not exactly outside the box, but it blew my mind the first time I saw someone cutting their kids’ pizza into little pieces. How did I never think of this before? How many times had I painfully tried to cut pizza into little bits with a fork and knife? Sigh. Scissors and food? It’s elementary, and yet, revolutionary.

It took my Smart husband a bit to acquiesce to this technique because he was worried about the scissors not getting clean enough. But all of you Classics and Funs worry not. They actually design kitchen scissors to separate easily so they can get super clean.

And the uses are endless. Tomatoes, greens, chicken (cooked or raw) meat. I mean, it really is endless. We highly recommend getting special kitchen scissors to work with food. That way all the different types don’t have to fight or worry about bacteria and cross contamination.

Best for All

]]>Straight Hair, Pressed Collarhttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/3/straight-hair-pressed-collar.htmlPixiesDidIt!2010-03-03T05:00:09Z2010-03-03T05:00:09ZOkay this one just floored me. What an awesome idea! It might be because I usually don’t notice the detail of a rumpled shirt, and also because there are three solid floors between me and my iron. It’s hard to tell from this photo in Real Simple, but that’s a flat hair iron. Works in a pinch.

This is one of those ingenious ideas because you’re not hoarding something you should throw away. You’re coming up with a clever additional use for something that stays in your drawer when curly hair is trendy. Which for Organics and Smarts means they’ll probably forget about this idea. (Sadly, out of sight is out of mind for us.)

So, this will work for Organics and Smarts who notice the detail of wrinkly shirts, and who also are sporting a straight hair style. But y’know the Smarts probably already had their shirts pressed at the dry cleaner, so that leaves Organics, who frankly more than any other type, forget about these details…(But not all! My Organic Structure mom is a stickler for pressed shirts, although she refused to do my Smart Structure dad’s.)

No, this idea is a special clever practical idea for Classics and Funs. But, chances are that you guys have an iron and are good at wielding it. This column of Real Simple’s is especially made for you guys whilst traveling. Our only aim is to prevent the hoarding. Just make sure not to get more than one (like one for travel and one for home use). You only need ONE. Really.

Best for Classics and Funs

]]>Recycling Paint Chipshttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/2/recycling-paint-chips.htmlKatie McMenamin2010-03-02T05:00:54Z2010-03-02T05:00:54ZBeing fiscally challenged makes even the most laziest of Organic Freedoms (um, like me) inclined to think outside the box and so this paint chip idea is pretty cool. Cards are SUCH a waste of time and money, especially for kids.

At the kids’ parties I get to attend, they usually don’t even OPEN the presents while everyone is in attendance, so it's best to have that card firmly affixed to the present. And if you’re like me and are down to the huge white roll of paper I bought for my kids to draw on, then the whole white backdrop is a great contrast.

So, while this idea from Real Simple's New Uses for Old Things does appear to be a hoarders’ dream, don’t keep more than you can safely tuck away (Classics this means you), and we highly recommend taking those wayward paint chips and stashing them with your wrapping presents gear.

What if you don’t have that stuff all in one place? Use this tip as a call to arms. Start today and gather it all together in one little corner. Throw in some scissors and tape and try to remember to put it back, so it’s always there when you need it. (That’s for you Organics Freedoms and Smart Freedoms.) Everyone else, yeah, we know you’ve got it together.

Oh and if you tend to have a lot of them? Stash a bunch with your silverware. This way the next time you have a dinner party you’ll remember to use them for seat assignments. This might be too wild for you Classics, but it looks pretty cool. Just make sure that the colors match, or that the chips are the same style.

Best for Organics and Funs

]]>Great Hostess Giftshttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/3/1/great-hostess-gifts.htmlKatie McMenamin2010-03-01T05:00:58Z2010-03-01T05:00:58ZWe love this idea from Real Simple for a hostess gift. It’s a bit more thoughtful than just a bottle in a bag, and more decorative as well. Plus, it’s two gifts in one.

It’s a clever idea so I can see Organics of both the organized and spontaneous variety being drawn to this idea. It's homemade, so crafty Classics will adore it, and Funs might already be doing this already. They are probably the type who came up with the idea in the first place (and might just have unstained dishrags).

The only catch is it’s not really a new use for an old thing because, are you going to gift a used/old hand towel? Yeah, I didn’t think so. BUT, having a stash of gift wine and dish/hand towels on hand is a great idea. You could take this idea in a different direction for the host who isn’t a big wine drinker, and buy a bunch of quality olive oil bottles wrapped in the towel.

No matter what your type, go ahead and do this all at once. While Funs aren't adept at advance planning, it is practical and you do best when you get things out of the way when you feel like doing them. This way you can just grab it as you jet out the door to another fabulous party. Organic Freedoms? We know you can pull off the last minute thing (Funs don’t do it! You’ll be late, trust us.) So, if you don’t do it in advance, give yourself a break and simply use it as an opportunity to personalize the gift to the hostess. You know it will make you feel better too.

Smarts? Yeah, pretty soon, I’m sure someone will start marketing this idea and you can just buy it.

Best for Classics, Good for Funs and Organics

]]>Real Money, Just Laying Aroundhttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/2/26/real-money-just-laying-around.htmlKelly McMenamin2010-02-26T17:00:00Z2010-02-26T17:00:00ZReal Simple had a great easy way to find money on their Savings web page ... change your change into cash. Now, as a general rule, we find that men have more coins hanging around their house than women because men don't generally have wallets with change compartments. So, this tip might not be super helpful if you're not living with a guy or a gal who doesn't have a change purse.

Real Simple suggests theunderstory.com as a good spot to find free places to change your coins. I was underwhelmed by the site. I change coins without putting them in rolls for free at TD bank branches. But, beware of changing too much all at once at TD banks. I've read of one complaint where the machine stops counting at $500 and he knew he had more coins than that (long story if you want to read it). Even easier, but not free, is using Coinstar machines. They're everywhere.

If you are having one of those days where you feel like you're not saving enough or you can't buy something because you don't have the money. Go on a treasure hunt (or if you have kids, make them do it and give them a cut) and then find the nearest Coinstar machines

]]>Track Every Dime, Effortlesslyhttp://www.pixiesdidit.com/todays-pixie-tip/2010/2/25/track-every-dime-effortlessly.htmlKelly McMenamin2010-02-25T05:00:21Z2010-02-25T05:00:21ZI've finally found a way to track my spending. Almost every dime for free at mint.com. You might wonder why this matters and I can't believe I'm about to admit this (Katie will read it and say, "Oh my god, what the frak is wrong with you?? Why would you have wasted your time on earth doing this??") I used to collect all of my receipts (seriously, gum purchases) and at year end tally them up per category to know how I spent my money and see where I needed to cut back. It was SUCH a pain in the arse. Then my now-husband told me that if I got an Amex Gold card, they'd do a year-end summary for me. Really!? Boom. I started putting everything on my Amex and dropped my year-end misery ritual.

Only problem was that I never did get that statement. It's listed as one of the card's benefits but perhaps the fine print is that I need to request it? Who knows and I no longer care because mint.com exists and it's even better. They download and categorize your balances and transactions automatically every day— making it effortless to see graphs of your spending, income, balances, and net worth. For free. And their security is the same level as that of online banking. Smarts, see their explanation here. Plus, I did some web surfing research to ensure what they said was true.

This site produces an end result that is great for all and makes managing your money super easy (all in one spot). But, it's going to be easiest for Classics, Organic Structures and Smart Structures to actually sign up and get it working for you. Funs, Organic Freedoms and Smart Freedoms will take a little longer as it does take awhile to get it all set-up.

Oh and even though I've delegated my year-end receipt ritual to mint.com ... I still keep most of my receipts as a precaution. One never knows whether the IRS will knock at your door. And my motto is always keep stuff to defend yourself against (in the words of my Fun sister-in-law) "The Man."

Good for All

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