6 Reasons to Hang-Dry Your Laundry

(source)

There's not a lot of situations where I actually prefer to go for the slightly longer less convenient path than the most efficient and easiest one, but when it comes to laundry, I change my ways. I hang-dry my laundry instead of using the drier.
Okay, so one of the reasons is that we don't actually have a drier (we have a very bad one, hardly counts), but even when it was available to me in the past, I would still hang-dry my laundry whenever possible. All you need is a bit of dry space and a line or rack to hang up the clothes.
How long does it take? I'd say about 5-10 minutes. No more than that. You get more efficient too as time goes by.

So why would you opt for hanging up the laundry instead of just popping it in the drier? Here are my main reasons:

1. Environment.
   Using the drier takes up a lot of electricity. You're wasting electricity where you could just use the air around you to accomplish the same job. Even if it takes a little longer, after you hang up the laundry, you don't have to look at it until you take it down.
2. Price.
   Running a drier costs money. You have to pay for the machine and for the electricity. Wind/air is free! You'll even notice the effect more directly if you usually go to a laundromat that charges for the drying.
3. Absorption.
   Laundry that has been machine-dried just doesn't absorbed water quite as well as laundry that you dry on  line. That's also the reason I don't use fabric softener (actually, the previous two reasons are also good for not using softener: they're expensive and entirely unnecessary chemicals. Yuk!)
4. Shrinking.
   When you hang-dry the laundry, it dries at room temperature. That means you don't risk shrinking it because of the heat in the drier.
5. Lint.
   The lint from one sweater isn't swirled around and automatically transported onto every single other item in the drier. I made the mistake of putting one of my sweaters in with some sheets once and was never able to get them quite lint-free again.
6. Static.
   I can't stand static. My hair goes in crazy directions and you end up with handkerchiefs stuck to your jeans while you're running out the door. Static may be harmful to your body as well as uncomfortable.

My mother brought us up to hang-dry the laundry. I'm sure she was mainly being frugal, just like her parents before her, but in these days of economic turmoil, that may just be the best reason there is.

What about you? Do you use a drier? Ever considered using a clothes-line instead? Is there something that prevents you from doing so (bad weather, small apartment)? Perhaps we could figure out a solution together!

Triple Inspiration in a Single Minute

What are you looking forward to next week? Any busy projects lined up? Dreadful meetings you need to attend? I'm sure that whatever it is you're doing, you could use a bit of extra inspiration. I know I could. So here are the quotations for this week.

Get Productive!

"The use of self-control is like the use of breaks on a train. It is useful when you find yourself going in the wrong direction, but merely harmful when the direction is right."

(Bertrand Russell) 

Get Happy!

In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.
(Albert Schweitzer)

Get Inspired!

We should not judge people by their peak of excellence; but by the distance they have traveled 

from the point where they started. 

(Henry Ward Beecher) 

Have a great week!

5-Minute Foot Bath

(source)

Winter is one of the times we really enjoy taking a foot bath because our feet tend to get so cold. Being a writer and computer geek, we spend a lot of time sitting behind our screens and both hands and feet get cold quickly. Foot baths help heat up our feet and are relaxing at the same time. They're also a great way to pay more attention to our feet in a time when we are usually wearing socks and shoes, so don't notice them nearly as much as in Summer.
Here's how to draw yourself a quick foot bath without it being a hassle.

You start by collecting what you need: a basin/tub that's big enough for your feet (but not too big). Also get a towel ready, a pumice stone, soap, bath salts, toenail clipper and whatever you want to use on your feet. A good moisturizer is great, and have some thin socks you can put over so you don't have to step on the floor with your feet covered in lotion.


Fill up the tub with water that's a little hotter than comfortable. You can always let it cool off and you will get used to the temperature. Dissolve your bath salts in the water and add anything else you may want to (my hubby adds Epsom salts and apple vinegar to help prevent athlete's foot). Then put your tub in a convenient location and get something ready for the mean time. It can be a video, a knitting project, a nice book, an old CD. Make sure you have all your necessities nearby (towel!) and ... dip in.

Foot baths are wonderfully relaxing. And they don't have to cost tons. You can have them in the comfort of your own home and it only takes a couple of minutes to get ready.
Enjoy!

Tape Your TV-Shows

(Source)

I hate commercials! I absolutely detest them. Okay, there are some which are mildly amusing, but only for the first 10 times you see them. After that they just get annoying.
I also really don't like how they take up so much of your time. Ever tried to time how much of a show/movie's time slot is taken up by advertising? Of course, without ads there wouldn't be any television, but let others spend their time watching it and save yours!

To be honest, we don't watch ads at all anymore. We watch TV shows on the Internet, where you can watch lots of them for free on websites like Hulu. Or we rent them on DVD. I don't miss it one bit.

So what's my advice for today? Instead of watching a show the very day it's on television, tape it and watch it the day after (or whenever you feel like it). That way YOU are the one who decides when you spend your time on it, and you can fast-forward through the commercials.
It's also quite likely that you'll watch less TV if you record the shows, because you'll be thinking about what is actually worth watching instead of just popping on the couch and flipping through the channels. Watching TV used to take up quite a big part of my life, and I couldn't believe the change after getting rid of it. 

Want to read more? I wrote previously on turning your TV off and on donating your TV to charity.
Do you watch a lot of TV? Do you stay home to watch your favorite shows or prefer to tape them?

5 Quick Ways to Stay Warm in Winter

Our friend Sookie staying warm in a Belgian Winter

It's December, which means Winter for those on the northern half of the globe. This morning, the puddles turned ice reminded me that it's time to start pulling out a few tricks to stay warm.

Today I want to share a couple of those tricks I've learned over the years. Maybe you already know most, but I'm hoping some of them may be new or helpful reminders to you.

1. Dress in layers.
   One of the best ways to keep your body temperature in is by using layers to trap the heat. It's animals with thick fur stay warm too: the air in between the hairs acts as an insulation. So instead of just wearing pants, put on a pair of tights underneath. Instead of wearing thick sweaters, wear three thin ones. Summer tank tops can serve as underwear in Winter, which is a great way to save money too!
   
2. Heat it up.
   Ever tried drinking hot water? It's very common here in China and it makes perfect sense to me now. Why drink cold water in Winter when you can have the added benefit of warming up when you drink it hot or warm? If you bring your water bottle with hot water, it also acts as a great hand-warmer!
   The same goes for milk and even juice (adding hot water to juice can help it get warm and reduce your calorie intake. Then it also won't get so hot as to kill all the good stuff).
   Another bonus: drinking coffee and tea is a lot better for you than drinking soda. As long as you don't put sugar, that is.
   
   
3. Stay active.
   No surer way to freeze than to sit down and stop moving. Stomp your feet. Clap your hands. Walk to places instead of taking the car and you'll find that you'll get just as warm as in a heated car. But you'll be getting in shape, saving money and helping out the environment. It's a win-win-win!
   
4. Eat 'warming' foods.
   The Chinese believe that some foods help you stay warm while others cool you down (yang and yin foods). Eating more of the warming foods can help your body keep in more heat. Some examples are dried fruits, nuts and oats. Thinking of muesli yet? You can find more on warming and cooling foods (with a list!) on this website: Raw Foods Diet Center.
   
5. Cover the sensitive bits.
   And I mean your head and throat. We lose a lot of heat from our head (why do new-born babies always wear those cute little hats?) and our throat is sensitive too. The same goes for wrists and ankles which carry blood to our hands and feet. Keeping the extremities warm helps to keep a good circulation going, not allowing parts to cool off completely.

Any more great tips on how to keep warm? Do you have a typical Winter habit that helps you get through the dark days?

Let me know in the comments below!