Some of the best advice I have received, or at least been able to hear, has been of the short-but-sweet variety. We are trying a new format this week: the short post. If you can describe something that you learned the hard way in seventy words or less, please send it to us.

Here is my first.

To get body odor out of clothing, even out of musty old vintage clothing, soak the garment in a tub full of cold water, baking soda, and vinegar. If it the garment is wool or requires dry-cleaning, let it dry flat. I did this with a vintage suit from the early 70’s and it worked like a charm. Be sure to test a sample of the fiber with the solution first.

Posted by Carrie Bickner-Zeldman at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It took three months for me to realize I had to do something about the cleanliness of my house. And a year more for me to accept the inevitable and hire someone to clean it for me. Don’t be like me: it is ok to pay someone to do something you don’t like to do or don’t want to do. Just make sure you pay them fairly and don’t think you are superior to them because you put them on the payroll.

I am a pretty hard-core feminist and I have read Barbara Ehrenreich on the subject of hiring people to clean. I honestly believe that I should clean my own dirt and moreover, that my husband should clean it with me. There is nothing inherently wrong with cleaning and I am a fairly hard worker when I want to be. I had to clean cabins at camp and mop and clean at various jobs. I’ve lived in apartments on my own since I was 19 years old. I have no trouble taking care of myself. I am also not one of those people who think that having a master’s degree means I am too smart to clean.

Continue reading "Outsourcing Housekeeping" »

Posted by Jennifer Weintraub at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)