Spring cleaners, start your engines

Why not get a head start on your spring cleaning while the cold weather is keeping your trapped inside?

Unlock your door by text message

The wave of the future, or a whole lot of work for little payoff? It's hard to say. But either way, I'm kind of impressed by this guy who programmed his door to lock and unlock with a text message.

Hattip to @laurenonizzle

For the love of vodka

Turns out, vodka's a powerful substance. And while I have been known to indulge in a sip or two of this potent beverage, I'm actually referring to its many uses around the house, or, to quote a recent release from Iceberg Vodka, vodka is "the Swiss Army Knife of liquids."

A few ways you can put vodka to use around the house, outside of that after-work cocktail:

1) Get the ink out. Dab a splash of vodka on that ink-splattered shirt as soon as possible to prevent the stain from setting.

2) Make it sparkle. Vodka, when diluted by roughly 25 to 50 per cent with water, makes a great glass cleaner. Mix it in a spray bottle for shining surfaces in no time.

3. Sweep it under the rug. Vodka can help life unexpected and messy stains out of your carpet after a wild party. Clean up what you can, then spray the area with vodka and scrub.

4. Clear the air. Vodka diluted with water, in addition to cleaning glass, can also be used to eliminate odours. Just spray it on fabrics that are smelling less than fresh (it never hurts to do a test area first just to make sure you won't leave any discolouration) and let it dry.

Resolutions for the home

The new year offers a fresh start for so many of us - whether we're committing to live healthier, pursue a dream or simplify our lives, it's a time to make promises, and, hopefully, follow them through.

And, when you're revamping your health and beauty routines, career and lifestyle choices, why not also tackle your home?

It's not too late to resolve to do better in 2011 - so I've rounded up some of our top tips to help you make your space even more beautiful and functional this year:

Clearing clutter top of mind these days? Start by tackling these common clutter zones then learn how to organize your closet in 10 minutes. And don't miss our top 9 ways to banish common clutter problems.

Resolving that this is the year you'll finally get into a perfect cleaning routine? Revisit our spring cleaning guide for our top tips.

Sick of stacks of papers, out of place toys and swamped surfaces? You need our guide to getting organized and our dos and don'ts for reining in home chaos.

Dreaming of a space that looks magazine ready? Check out our top five swoon-worthy styling tips.

Plan to redecorate in 2011? Learn how to keep the peace while decorating with your mate.

Wishing for peace, prosperity and relaxation in the new year? Try one - or all - of these 10-minute feng shui fixes.

Personally, 2011 is going to be about editing my possessions. With "curation" a big buzzword these days, it's about cutting back on the amount of stuff in my space, and selectively choosing which pieces to showcase, stow or ship out.

By cutting back on what I own, I'll be able to max out my storage space for the things I really need and use, simplify my cleaning routines and give myself lots of space to breathe and relax at the Jen-nasium - because really, shouldn't we all be focusing on enjoying our homes in the new year?

http://www.yourhome.ca/homes/repairsandrenovations/article/817882--tackle-your-clutter-zonesher

Why not spruce up your home this long weekend? 4 days, 4 projects, $400

If you're among the fortunate souls taking an extra long weekend in honour of Canada Day (can you tell I'll be working?), why not seize this chance to tackle those weekend chores you've been putting off?

And, to help get you started, I thought I'd share this handy weekend project guide from the Home Depot - four projects, one for each day of the four-day weekend, each with a $100 budget.

Of course, you could also pick and choose your tasks - two days, two projects and $200 works just as well.

Project 1: Improve your curb appeal

Paint your front door - which will make it look new at a fraction of the cost of replacing it. To get started, scrape off the old flaky paint and debris, give it a quick sand, wash, then paint. Easy-peasy.

And, if you want to take the look even further - and invest a little more money - there's always new lighting, door hardware, house numbers, door mats, planters, and mail boxes to provide even more polish.

Project 2: Paint your space

You know those rather dreary walls you've been staring at all winter? Odds are you're sick of the colour, and, come next winter, you'll be thankful you devoted one day of your long weekend to updating it!

Patch your walls, apply your painting tape, prime and paint, then go out and enjoy a cold beverage on a patio while you wait for it to dry. 

Project 3: Stain your deck

You can extend the life of your shabby looking deck with a coat of outdoor stain. A little bit of elbow grease is needed for this one, as you've got to thoroughly clean and prep the surface. Then start staining! Home Depot suggests remembering to pick up a stain brush to ensure an even distribution and prevent streaks.

And, of course, you can top your newly spruced up outdoor space with goodies like a new dining set, an outdoor area rug, lighting, planters and accessories. Get more exterior decorating ideas in our outdoor living guide.

Project 4: Organize the garage

If you've got to move the garbage bins, a couple of bikes, a toy chest and your gardening gear just to find the mower - and, truthfully, this is the case for many of us - it's not a bad time to tackle the garage. (Check out the seven deadly sins of garage disorganization here).

Empty out your storage space, chuck, donate or sell what you don't need, then restore the rest with some smart storage solutions, like shelving, hooks and pegboard.

(SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO ILLUSTRATION)

Maxing out my closet storage

While my three bedroom semi is certainly more than enough space for Mr. Speedy and I, like most older homes it's a little lacking in the storage department. 

We're lucky enough to have these his and her wardrobes in the master bedroom, but I still find it a bit of a challenge to keep everything organized and within arm's reach (especially on those frantic rushes out the door on weekday mornings).

That's when I realized I wasn't using a prime piece of storage real estate - the inside of the doors! Armed with a few adhesive hooks, and a little bit of patience after they fell off the first time, I was able to create a bit of hanging storage for belts, bathing suits and the like.

I've given an example here with a bathing suit top, cause even though I'm offering a peek into my closet, a girl's gotta keep some secrets!

For $5 worth of hooks, I've cut about 10 minutes of digging around my closet out of my morning routine - valuable time to savour a hot cup of tea!

What are your tricks for keeping your closet organized?

Check out our full spring cleaning guide.

My five-minute, free chair makeover

Mr. Speedy and I are currently in the process of replacing our dining room table and restoring the balance in the room with a matching set of chairs, to be painted a glossy black.

We've had mismatched chairs since just before Christmas, when one of our slightly rickety set of four finally kicked the bucket. That, of course, leaves us with three stragglers that can be deployed throughout the house!

The first one to find a home ended up in front of my vanity. But, it was in serious need of a makeover.

Without the time, patience or weather to give it the white paint job it so richly deserves, I turned my attention to the upholstery. I wanted something more fun and modern.

Scouring my stack of remnants (with a little advice on my final decision from the Twitterverse), I grabbed a piece left over from my mantel art makeover.

After cutting it to size, and carefully folding and re-folding it to get the corners just so, a few hits with my staple gun and the chair was transformed (without costing me a penny).

I was careful to keep the fabric taut, and used a little bit of glue to secure the roughly half-inch of excess fabric that came past the staples and risked being a little floppy.

And, here it is in front of my vanity! The mirror was a Craigslist find, and I have some under-counter lighting that still needs to be installed to finish off the look. All told, setting up my vanity will have cost less than $40! Now I've got a great place to stash away my jewellery and put on my makeup - plus something pretty to sit on!

Stay tuned for the rest of my master bedroom makeover (on a $200 budget).

Fold up some Easter bunny napkins

Easter has kind of sneaked (or hopped) up on me this year. Not a single egg is dyed, nor a single basket made ready. In fact, I haven't done one speck of decorating! I'm letting myself off the hook because I'm not hosting any dinners or brunches this year, but I still can't help but think about what I would do, had I the time and motivation.

And, this cute little bunny napkin fold from Good Housekeeping has certainly caught my eye.

While I haven't tried it myself yet, it seems simple enough - start with a square napkin (they recommend a starched one, and note that thinner is better), then do a series of 10 folds! (Read the full instructions).

If you're feeling particularly ambitious, the 12th step suggests capping it off with a button nose and whiskers, though I think it still looks cute (and obviously bunny-like) without it.

Check out the full instructions, with illustrations, here. And check out our story (featuring these cute critters) on setting your Easter table without breaking your budget.

(MCT photo)

Tip: Banish soap scum

With nice temperatures forecasted for the long weekend, I'm certainly thinking about tackling some of my spring cleaning! So, our last tip for "Make life easier" March is a cleaning one!

Soap buildup, especially on shower stalls and tiles, can be a real bother to clean. It never seems to come off completely!

An anti-static sheet - like the ones you use in the laundry - can actually help. Just use it in place of your regular cleaning cloth, no cleaning product required. You'll still need to use some elbow grease, but it works better than anything else I've tried!

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

- Whip that closet into shape

- Remove red wine stains

- Silence squeaks

- Bust clutter

- Remove gum from your fabrics

- Organize your cables

- Re-deploy your accessories

- A (slightly) less painful way to dust your blinds

- How to critique your decor

- Take better photos of your home

- Clean windows like Sarah Richardson

Sarah Richardson's window cleaning tip

As we near the end of "Make life easier March," it only seemed fitting to share a secret from superstar designer Sarah Richardson. 

To get clean and sparkly windows, just in time for all that lovely spring sunshine, start by diluting window cleaner with some water. Then, instead of paper towels, use a sponge to wipe and a squeegee to dry.

"You'll get a professional look without adding a thing to your garbage bin," says Richardson in a release from her work with Clorox Green Works. 

Read more tips from "Make life easier" March (and please share your own tips in the comments, too!)

- Speed wallpaper removal

- Remove stickers and price tags

- Keep your bathroom mirror from fogging up

- Cut down on painting cleanup

- Banish tea (or coffee) stained mugs

- Quiet that dripping faucet

- Make sure your furniture fits before you buy

- Don't let your paint can drip on the floor

- Why every tool box should include nail polish

- Check those smoke alarms

- Whip that closet into shape

- Remove red wine stains

- Silence squeaks

- Bust clutter

- Remove gum from your fabrics

- Organize your cables

- Re-deploy your accessories

- A (slightly) less painful way to dust your blinds

- How to critique your decor

- Take better photos of your home