Don't you just love to find a new product that makes your life better in some way? Well here is a list of my favorite things that I've discovered over the past year or so. Some of these things I don't know how I lived without...or at least I don't want to live without them now. Feel free to take any of them as recommendations for yourself and also, please share with me your favorites. I just love to find new things that make my life easier.
This first one is at the top of my list because it really is my favorite thing. It makes my life immeasurably easier. A neighbor recommended it to me and now I recommend it to everyone! The Swiffer Dry Vac. If you have wood floors (or any flat surface floor), and kids or a dog or both you NEED this. It sweeps and vacuums crumbs and dog hair and even reaches under the cabinet overhangs down by the base boards.
My favorite kitchen items this year are:
The iSi whipping cream dispenser. No more whipping up cream for ten minutes before you serve dessert. Just pour in your cream add the N2O charger and you're ready.
The Micro Fiber Auto Cloths. Yes those ugly yellow garage towels they sell in the garage/tool section of Costco have become my favorite inside, kitchen cleaning tool, especially for shining chrome and granite, and they're great at absorbing big spills or cleaning small things like a camera lens.
This one is pretty basic but I just discovered how great it is this year. Corn starch mixed in water is a great cleaner for windows and counter tops and mirrors, etc. I found the recommendation on line for cleaning exterior windows. Now I use it on everything including my glass sliding door that is constantly touched with sticky fingers and licked by a dog. AND there are no harsh chemicals to breathe in while you clean with it. For big jobs just mix about 1/4 cup of corn starch in a bucket of water. Wipe on with a cloth then use a squeegee to wipe off. For small jobs...if I'm just doing one window or a mirror I just sprinkle some starch on my cloth and then get it wet and wipe off with a squeegee.
This year I discovered digital scrapbooking. It is the only way I can even imagine scrapbooking right now. I can work on it for a few minutes or an hour at a time with out spending tons of time organizing and cleaning up my mess. There is nothing to put away in between so I actually do it when I have a few minutes. This year I've done three books that never would have gotten done the traditional way.
I've often gone through fazes of listening to audio books, but now I'm addicted! When you don't really have time to read it's a great way to, well, read. I listen on my ZUNE (Microsoft's version of the iPod). I've listened to many great books this year that I never would have had time to read otherwise. I've only had time to actually read about 6-7 books this year, and that required some great effort and dedication and babysitters. But now if you come to my house while the kids are sleeping I usually have a book playing in my ear. It's a great way to pass the time while you clean, clean and do some more cleaning. If you have kids you know what I'm talking about.
My favorite cookbook of the year is Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. I love everything I've made from it this year. And I've probably made about 50 different things from it so far.
Old favorites that remain at the top of my list include Netflix and Mr Clean Magic Eraser. But even though they are old friends, I can't leave them out when talking about what makes my life easier.
My favorite TV shows of 2008: Heroes (NBC), TrueBlood (HBO), and Entourage (HBO)
My Favorite Books I read in 2008: The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.
My favorite Movies of 2008: Batman Dark Knight, Speed Racer, The Other Boleyn Girl. (I didn't see very many of the new release movies this year...it's a side effect of having young kids)
This first one is at the top of my list because it really is my favorite thing. It makes my life immeasurably easier. A neighbor recommended it to me and now I recommend it to everyone! The Swiffer Dry Vac. If you have wood floors (or any flat surface floor), and kids or a dog or both you NEED this. It sweeps and vacuums crumbs and dog hair and even reaches under the cabinet overhangs down by the base boards.
My favorite kitchen items this year are:
The iSi whipping cream dispenser. No more whipping up cream for ten minutes before you serve dessert. Just pour in your cream add the N2O charger and you're ready.
The Micro Fiber Auto Cloths. Yes those ugly yellow garage towels they sell in the garage/tool section of Costco have become my favorite inside, kitchen cleaning tool, especially for shining chrome and granite, and they're great at absorbing big spills or cleaning small things like a camera lens.
This one is pretty basic but I just discovered how great it is this year. Corn starch mixed in water is a great cleaner for windows and counter tops and mirrors, etc. I found the recommendation on line for cleaning exterior windows. Now I use it on everything including my glass sliding door that is constantly touched with sticky fingers and licked by a dog. AND there are no harsh chemicals to breathe in while you clean with it. For big jobs just mix about 1/4 cup of corn starch in a bucket of water. Wipe on with a cloth then use a squeegee to wipe off. For small jobs...if I'm just doing one window or a mirror I just sprinkle some starch on my cloth and then get it wet and wipe off with a squeegee.
This year I discovered digital scrapbooking. It is the only way I can even imagine scrapbooking right now. I can work on it for a few minutes or an hour at a time with out spending tons of time organizing and cleaning up my mess. There is nothing to put away in between so I actually do it when I have a few minutes. This year I've done three books that never would have gotten done the traditional way.
I've often gone through fazes of listening to audio books, but now I'm addicted! When you don't really have time to read it's a great way to, well, read. I listen on my ZUNE (Microsoft's version of the iPod). I've listened to many great books this year that I never would have had time to read otherwise. I've only had time to actually read about 6-7 books this year, and that required some great effort and dedication and babysitters. But now if you come to my house while the kids are sleeping I usually have a book playing in my ear. It's a great way to pass the time while you clean, clean and do some more cleaning. If you have kids you know what I'm talking about.
My favorite cookbook of the year is Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. I love everything I've made from it this year. And I've probably made about 50 different things from it so far.
Old favorites that remain at the top of my list include Netflix and Mr Clean Magic Eraser. But even though they are old friends, I can't leave them out when talking about what makes my life easier.
My favorite TV shows of 2008: Heroes (NBC), TrueBlood (HBO), and Entourage (HBO)
My Favorite Books I read in 2008: The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.
My favorite Movies of 2008: Batman Dark Knight, Speed Racer, The Other Boleyn Girl. (I didn't see very many of the new release movies this year...it's a side effect of having young kids)
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