         Faux Wallpaper Filing Important Papers Food Fun & Free Stuff Furniture                         |
 Sometimes we
get
tired of the plain egg shell white, Navajo white or
Thistle white (all these colors are almost the same) walls that are in
most apartments or houses that are available to rent.
You might
have an
apartment manager or landlord who doesn’t care if you
paint the walls a different color as long as you paint them back to the
original color before you move. ASK FIRST!! They may not allow you to
paint and you could be setting yourself up for an eviction if they
should do a walk through or need to send maintenance in for a repair.
An
alternative to
paint is Faux Wallpaper…which really isn’t paper at
all. It is cloth. You can cover the walls with it just as you would
wall paper but it will not damage the walls and is simple to remove.
Most likely you would not get permission to put up wall paper as it is
difficult to remove and if not done properly can damage the wall.
You will need:
First measure the height and width of walls you want to cover from the ceiling to the baseboard. If the wall is 8ft tall and 12 feet wide you will need about 12 yards to cover it. In reality you will end up having more fabric than you need but it is better to have more than rather than less. The extra fabric can be used to make covers for throw pillows. You also may need less depending on the width of the fabric you decide to buy. Fabric comes in widths of 45 inches, 60 inches, 90 inches and sometimes 120 inches. It is not recommended to use wider that 45 inches as it will be very difficult to control. You can find many fabrics at fabric stores, craft stores, variety stores and etc. You can check for fabric in the yellow pages in your phone book. Liquid starch can be found the laundry section of the grocery store. Choose a light weight material. Cotton will work and lighter weight material will work well too. Try to choose a fabric that has a finished edge and will not need to be trimmed. After you have selected your material and gathered all the supplies you will need, put newspapers on the floor to catch any drips. Pour liquid starch into the bowl or small pan. Do not dilute it. Saturate one end of the fabric with the liquid starch. Standing on the stool, place the wet fabric at the top of the wall at the ceiling. You will need to use the sponge to spread the fabric across and down the wall. At the top, put thumb tacks in each corner and if needed in the center. This will help hold it in place and the wet starch will also help. Continually wet the fabric, by dipping the sponge into the starch and wiping the fabric down the wall smoothing the fabric as you go. All the fabric needs to be soaked with the starch. Smooth the fabric continually as there may be air bubbles. If you can’t get the bubbles out, use the corner of the razor blade and cut the fabric just enough to release the bubble. At the bottom use the razor blade to cut the fabric evenly at the baseboard. Make sure the fabric is wet and smooth at the bottom with no air bubbles. Continue repeating the steps until the wall is covered. The fabric will dry, adhering to the wall. After it dries you can remove the thumb tacks. When you decide you are ready for a change or you are going to move just gently pull at one corner and continue pulling until the fabric is down. The wall should look just like it did before you put the fabric up. If there seems to be any residue from the starch on the wall then wipe it down with a damp sponge.    …
small
filing cabinets,
accordion file, file
size box rent receipts file on rental property
A filing system will help you keep track of your bills and payments or anyone you have dealings with. Anytime you receive a letter or paperwork that you need to keep track of you will have an organized system to rely on. It can easily be set up using a small box that can hold file folders. If preferred, small file boxes, either card board or plastic, can be purchased at an office supply store or department stores that sell school and office supplies. For a more sophisticated system these same stores have small two drawer file cabinets. You can shop around for the best price or check out a thrift store in your area. Besides a box or a filing cabinet you also need file folders. You can buy these in colors of your choice or the less expensive plain manila folders. Check office supply stores for folders as larger quantities are available at lower prices many times. Set up your system alphabetically with a separate file for each utility company you have accounts with, your credit card company, apartment complex or landlord, or mortgage company, bank, doctor, dentist, employer, taxes and etcetera. Use a permanent ink marker to label each file so the name will be easy to see. Place the files in the box or filing cabinet in alphabetical order.    Baking: The best thing that can be said here about baking is that if things don’t turn out perfect for the first time or the tenth time, don’t worry about it! You are learning and the main thing is not to be discouraged. Even experienced cooks make mistakes. If you realize you left out an ingredient, don’t worry it may turn out terrific any way. Start with a good cookbook or perhaps a favorite recipe from someone in the family or a friend or one you found in a magazine or newspaper. However you have found the recipe you want to try, read it through as it will tell you ingredients you will need and most of the time the utensils you will need. However this is not always true in regards to utensils so you’ll just have to think it through and it won’t be difficult. If you are going to make cookies you will need a large bowl to mix the ingredients in. You will need a measuring cup and measuring spoons to measure the ingredients. If you are going to roll the dough out and cut shapes of cookies to be baked then you will need a large flat surface to do this on. There are plastic pastry sheets for this purpose available in the section of your store that sells baking pans etcetera. If you can’t find one, you can use a clean white cotton cloth spread out on the counter and floured (spread about a half cup of flour over the cloth) so that the dough won’t stick to it. You could also use plastic wrap or wax paper. You will also need a rolling pin or a smooth surfaced glass (not a ribbed one) to roll the cookie dough out on and a cookie cutter. If you don’t have a cookie cutter use a glass turned upside down. After cutting the cookies out you will need a cookie sheet to bake them on. If the recipe is for drop cookies all you need to do is take a spoonful of dough and drop it on the cookie sheet. The recipe will probably describe this technique. You can also (with clean hands) take a little dough in your hands (don’t do this if the recipe is for drop cookies), roll it into a ball and place it on the cookie sheet. You can press it flat with a fork or just bake and it will probably flatten out.  Boiling Eggs:  The
number of eggs needed
determines the size of the cooking pot or pan
to be used. A small boiler or sauce pan is adequate for three or four
eggs and possibly six. A larger pan sometimes called a Dutch oven can
be used to boil a dozen.Put cold water in the boiler and gently add the eggs so they aren’t broken or cracked. Add more cold water if needed to ensure the eggs are covered in water. Place the pan of eggs on one of the top burners of the stove. If the burner is wider than the pan put the pan on a smaller burner and vice versa. Turn the burner on and set the heat at medium. When the eggs begin to boil allow them to continue to boil for At least three minutes. The eggs will be soft boiled and the egg yolks may be runny. The eggs can be cooked a few minutes longer. There is no great secret in cooking eggs using the boiling method. It will end up being a trial and error until you discover how long it takes to boil an egg you like to eat. If boiling to make deviled eggs boil a dozen (this will make 24 deviled eggs) for about ten minutes, turn the heat off and let the eggs stand in the hot water until the water is cool. Shake the eggs about in the pan so they bounce off each other and against the sides of the pan and the shells are cracked. Peel the shell off the eggs rinsing as you go in the pan of water. Place the peeled eggs in a bowl or on a plate or platter. When done with the peeling pour out the water and toss the shells. Rinse the eggs again to make sure there is no shell residue. Using a small kitchen knife cut the eggs in half, length wise. Scoop the cooked yolks into a bowl and place the cooked whites on a plate or platter or a dish made specifically to hold deviled eggs if you have that in your collection of serving dishes.
If its suits your taste … great … if not add more relish and maybe a dash of salt if your taste buds tell you you need more. If you think the mixture is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise and mix again. Using a clean, spoon taste again. If the taste suits you then begin filling the egg whites with the egg yolk mixture. If you like, sprinkle the filled eggs with paprika. It will add color more than taste and offers a pretty presentation when serving. This is a good recipe handled down in our family. It gives you measurements to work with and an opportunity to experiment and add a little more of the ingredients if you feel it tastes better by doing so. It gives you a little freedom and that is part of learning to cook. There are, of course, specific recipes for deviled eggs and just about anything else either in a good cookbook that you will find at your local book store or on the web. Don’t forget those great recipes from your family members! A HUGE TIP on boiling eggs … do not forget about them and leave them on the stove to boil dry. If you do, your memory will soon be jogged by the sound of exploding eggs. Not only does this ruin your pan but it stinks and what a mess to clean off the ceiling and the rest of the kitchen! Boiling Water:  Okay.....
I
know. I know. But there
are some young adults out there who , for whatever reason never
attempted cooking at all, let alone boiling water. This info is
for them.To boil water, fill a clean pot with cold water. Using hot water from the tap may seem like a better idea as it would boil faster. Not for cooking, because running hot water through your pipes releases accumulated debris unwanted sediments such as lime, scale etcetera into the water. Place the pot of water on a burner (stove eye) closest to the size of your pot and turn the heat on Medium and allow the water to come to a boil. It will begin to bubble. A rolling boil is when the water is bubbling fast and furiously. It seems to take forever for it to boil! Try not to forget about it as the water can be scorched and the pot can boil dry. The pot could be ruined and even melt! Dehydrating: If you are interested in dehydrating foods there are dehydrators available at discount department stores. You can also try dehydrating some foods in your oven. This works well when making crackers or cookies that you want to be especially crispy and dry. Bake your cookies or crackers and turn the oven off, leaving the baked goods in the oven until the oven is completely cool as well as what you have baked. You can also leave them in the oven overnight. Remove and store in plastic bag that can be resealed. Make Your Own Jerky In the Oven:
Mix the first seven ingredients well in a large bowl. Add the beef strips. The beef should be completely covered by the mixture. If not add water, a small amount at a time until the meat is covered. Gently toss the meat in the mixture so that the water is mixed well with the first seven ingredients. Cover and let stand 7 to 8 hours in the refrigerator. Occasionally turn the meat gently still keeping it covered with the mixture. While the meat in marinating in the refrigerator, cover the rungs of the oven rack with strips of foil and place a sheet of foil in the bottom of the oven to catch possible drips. After the 7 or 8 hours, place several layers of paper towel on a plate or on a clean counter. Remove the meat and drain on the paper towel. Hang the strips of meat over the foil on the oven rack. Set the oven temperature at 200 degrees. After one hour crack open the oven door so moisture can escape. Keep the oven door cracked and leave the meat in the oven for another 7 to 9 hours. At 7 hours taste test to see if it is ready. If not continue the process but don’t leave the meat in more than 10 hours altogether. Food Expiration Dates:  All
foods have
expiration dates. Nothing lasts forever, so be sure to check your
food items regularly; both at the time of purchase (definately, because
out-of-date items are sometimes missed during restock) and after you've
had them for awhile...sitting in your cupboard.Canned:  Canned
foods have
Best Buy dates stamped on the
bottom or possibly the
top of the can. When buying canned goods always check the expiration
dates. Store them in a cool, dry cabinet or closet on the shelves
closest to the floor because heat rises. Canned foods can be affected
by high heat temperatures. Don’t store them near the stove. Even high
summer heat can affect the cans.Dairy Products: All dairy products have an expiration date somewhere on the package. If you can’t find the date don’t buy it. Because they are perishable, expiration dates on most all dairy products are short term. Therefore, if buying a supply of yogurt, for example, and it will be used over the next few weeks make sure the expiration date in not within a few days of purchase. It would be best if it were in the next two to three weeks. Milk has a short term expiration date. Don’t buy milk if it is going to expire one or two days after you buy it. Eggs have an expiration date usually on the end of the carton. They should expire within three to four weeks after purchase. On all of these items the experation date is ink based, not stamped. At anytime during manufacturing, packaging, transportation and stocking this ink can be smudged or removed. If you pick up an item and you find no experation date or one that is hard to decipher, put it back! Don't take a chance on it. Not when food poisoning can occur. Boxed Foods: Many boxed foods do not show an expiration date but some do and the expected expiration may be as long as a year away. Packages Meats and Cheeses: DO check the expiration dated on packed meats and cheeses. These products can have a short shelf life. If you are buying on Wednesday something to be used on Friday or Saturday, you wouldn’t want the expiration date to be on Thursday! Cheeses usually have longer expiration dates than meats. Inexpensive
Snacks/Meals
Crock-pots: Crock-pots are excellent cooking utensils for preparing healthy and inexpensive meals and can become your “best friend” in the kitchen. Making a meal will only take a few minutes to put together. The meals can cook either all night or all day without another thought on your part . Meals can be ready to fit your schedule. Prepare before you go to work and when you come home … enjoy! Most crock-pots come with a small recipe booklet to help you get started in preparing tasty meals for you to enjoy. Recipes books are available at your local book store and at the library as well as online. Just put Crock-pot Recipes in Search. You can enjoy great meals such as: BBQ Pork Beef Stew Potato Soup Spaghetti Beef Stroganoff Chicken and Dumplings There are many recipes to choose from other than those mentioned and you can event your own too. The recipes will make a large pot of food and you can enjoy all you want and then freeze the rest for future meals. Using freezer bags (found in the grocery store in the same aisle as foil, wax paper, plastic wrap etcetera) divide the leftovers into portions sufficient for future meals. Freeze and reheat whenever you are ready. Instant Noodles:  Instant Noodles are
inexpensive and great for
snacks just as they are.You can easily turn that snack into a cheap meal.  Add
a small 4 ounce can of mixed vegetables,
drained or a meat. Make your choices based on the original flavor of
the noodles.
Sauté ½ onion in butter with mushrooms
and add to beef flavored noodles for a “French Onion” flavor. Add
1 to 2 eggs to the boiling water.
Stir slowly and you will have large pieces of egg. Stir quickly for a
creamy texture and small pieces of egg. Add
chopped celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms,
chicken, beef or whatever you have on hand and are in the mood for to
enhance the noodles and give you a more nourishing and inexpensive meal.Perfect Coffee:  Use a clean
coffee
pot or coffee maker.
Store coffee in an airtight container to preserve its strength, taste and aroma. Perfect Spaghetti Pasta:  This
“how to” is
based on the presumption that
you have already decided
on the type of pasta you are going to use. For this discussion we are
assuming you have chosen the regular thick spaghetti. Use a large pot.
The pot should be tall as pasta is usually quite long. If you
have a pasta pot, use that.Fill the pot with cool water up to two to three inches from the top of the pot. Add ¼ cup of olive oil or vegetable oil. Put the pot on a stove burner (eye) and turn on the heat , setting at Medium. Allow the water to come to a boil. When the water begins to boil, add the pasta. If the pasta is too long to fit into the pot and be covered by the water you can hold the pasta with both hands over the pot, twist, breaking the pasta in half and then drop into the water. Stir well with a wooden spoon or stainless steel spoon so the pasta begins to bend and does not stick together otherwise you can end up with raw hard chunks. The oil also helps to keep the pasta from sticking together. Adding the pasta to the water will drop the temperature and it will stop boiling temporarily. Leave the heat at the same temperature, it will return to a boil. Continue boiling for 10 to 11 minutes. After 8 minutes, remove one piece of pasta to taste for doneness. One way is to taste it. If it is still hard then continue cooking. Another way is to toss one piece of pasta at a wall ( preferably one painted with a semi-gloss). If the spaghetti sticks to the wall, it is done. If not and it drops or bounces off the wall, continue cooking until done. Do not over cook or the pasta will be mushy. Sweet Tea or unsweetened:  Sweet
tea is the
preferred way to drink iced tea
in the South.
You can use the same recipe to make unsweetened tea if you would rather.
Put four cups of cold water in a medium size pot or sauce pan. Add six bags of tea, the size used to make a cup of tea. (Remove the tea bags from the wrappers including the paper tag on the end of the string used to lift the tea bag from a cup of hot water/tea.) Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat on to medium. Bring the tea bags to a rolling boil. Turn the heat off. Allow the tea bags to steep while you prepare the tea jar or container. Empty the hot water from the tea jar (this should be 1 gallon size) Pour 1 cup of sugar into the empty jar. Place a metal tablespoon in the jar. Remove the tea bags from the brewed tea. Press the tea bags against the side of the pot with a spoon in order to get rid of excess liquid from the bags. Throw the bags away. Pour the hot tea into the gallon jug with the sugar. The metal spoon should help deflect the heat and keep the jar from breaking it. Heating the jar with hot water will also help to keep it from breaking. Using the spoon in the jar mix the sugar with the tea until the sugar is dissolved. Fill the jar with cold water. Serve the tea over ice. USDA Food Pyramid: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a goal to improve the nutrition and well being of Americans. It has issued dietary guidelines to help with this objective. To learn more about the program and the new food pyramid, visit: Washing Meats: Don’t do it. We have all been told to wash meats before cooking, particularly poultry which includes turkey and chicken. It has been discovered recently by studies done in England that washing turkeys or chicken only spreads the germs or bacteria around and can splash onto the counters, utensils and so even inside the poultry. The only way to kill the bacteria is to make sure it is cooked and cooked thoroughly. When cooking a turkey or chicken when you are not sure if it is cooked thoroughly cut into the thickest part of the meat and cut to the bone…gently pull the meat apart using a knife and fork to see if it is still pink. If it is cook longer. You do not want any portion of the meat to be pink. This is exceptionally dangerous and you can become very ill from eating undercooked poultry and pork for that matter. Washing Vegetables and Fruits: It is always safest to wash your fruits and vegetables before eating to get rid of dirt, pesticides and possibly other bacteria that you really don’t want to ingest. Wash in a clean dish pan. Fill the pan half full of water and add ¼ cup vinegar. Drain the fruits and vegetables either on paper towel or a clean dish cloth. It is a good idea to also wash prepackaged salad mix although the package may say it has been washed. You can wash it in a solution of vinegar water and drain in a colander. When completely drained then bag in a clean plastic resealable bag and store in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator. The vinegar solution does not need to rinsed off and it will not affect the way the vegetables or fruit or salad mix taste.  There are lots of free things to do. Walks in the park, on the beach, bike rides, hiking, and picnics. Go by your local library or your local Chamber of Commerce office and look for free brochures for free things to do in your area. Many times Museums are free or have special discounted or free days. Also check out the Chamber’s website as many things may be listed there as well. Go on line and in Search put in the name of your state and the word Events or Bike Trails or Festivals or Flea Markets. Many do turn out to be free and have many have entertainment. (See also page XYZ) Book Shelves: Inexpensive bookcases can be found at discount and salvage stores. Look for three or four shelf bookcases as low as $25 each and sometimes you can find them on sale for less. These can be temporary until you can afford better. You may need to shop around to find the best prices before making the purchase. Usually you will need a hammer and a screwdriver to put them together. These bookcases are made of pressed wood and come with directions and the nails and screws that will be needed. If not banged around or damaged with water they will last quite a long time … years., if needed. Used: You can find used bookshelves at used furniture stores and thrift stores. Sometimes they may be pricey but you can shop around. They may also need to be refinished and if you are into this it can be a nice weekend project. You can get the supplies you need at home improvement stores in the paint department. The people there will be helpful in explaining what you need to complete the project. The distressed look is in so you may decide not to refinish and just clean them up instead. Make Your Own: You can build your own book cases using boards and cinder blocks and these can be found at your home improvement store. You might select other kinds of blocks or brick. Select the lumber you want and have the boards cut to the length you want … so if you get a 12 foot board have it cut in half or if you just want a long low book shelf then get three or four 8 foot boards or what ever the length you want, as well as enough blocks to support the boards on each end for each shelf. If it is going to be eight feet long you will also need blocks for the center because the weight of the books will be heavy and this will prevent the boards from sagging. For a three shelf, eight foot long book case you will need three eight foot boards, paint if you want to paint them … you can leave them bare …its up to you. You will need nine blocks. They need to be wide enough to support the boards and not topple over. Compare the prices on the blocks and kinds of blocks you like. This kind of book case is should be inexpensive, but before you buy, add up all the costs you might be better off going to a discount store or buying used. Breakfast Nook: A breakfast nook is a corner area of your kitchen devoted to dining. Usually with built-in seating that also offer extra storage space. Build Your Own: This project is for the creative person or the one who has limited storage space and needs a little more. More that is also a functional item or piece of furniture. A small table either rectangular or square tucked into a corner is perfect. Use unfinished cabinets for seating. You can usually find these at building salvage or discount stores at reduced prices or at home improvement stores. Be sure to measure the height of the cabinets in comparison to the table for the proper seating height. Place the cabinets against one wall in the corner or even the two corner walls. Add chairs to the remaining two sides of the table. Place cushions or covered foam on the tops of the cabinets. You may want to paint the cabinets. Use a sealer first, otherwise the bare wood will absorb the paint and you will find yourself adding many coats of paint to cover it. You now have booth style seating! The doors on the fronts of the cabinets allow for extra storage! You will now have a place to keep extra kitchen appliances or items that you don’t use everyday and only need for special occasions including kitchen linens. Couches: If low on funds and you have limited space for guests use twin beds as couches … just the box springs, mattress without a frame. Put the beds in a corner. One on one wall and the other on the other with the end of one bed bumping the end and side of the other one that is in the corner. Or find a table that can sit in the corner and bump the beds against it and use as an end table for both. If possible find an small old wood breakfast table and cut the legs down so it will be the same height as the beds. Paint it to fit your choice in colors for the room. You will need four fitted twin mattress sheets in your choice of colors. Put the fitted twin mattress sheets on the box springs and the mattresses. Use three or four or more bed pillows on the mattresses against the wall so they will be the “backs” of your news couches. You can also use them for pillows when sleeping. To cover the pillows … use pillowcases that match your sheets. To close the ends of the cases use Velcro or neatly stitch them closed so the threads aren’t prominently visible. Use your imagination and whatever suits your tastes, just consider using something easily removable and washable. Tables and Chairs: Resin Patio tables and chairs or Picnic tables with benches will make inexpensive substitutes for a wooden table and chairs when you first get an apartment if you are on a limited budget. No, they are not fancy but they serve the purpose until better is affordable. If these are not something you want to consider then check out the local thrift stores or under “Furniture” or “Moving Sales” or “Yard/Garage Sales” in the classified section of the newspaper. You may be able to find something really nice for a minimum amount of work to clean it up. Whatever you decide to get, do clean it well and rinse with a vinegar water solution before putting your food and eating utensils on it. If it is wooden, after cleaning, oil it with lemon oil for furniture.  |
 
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website designed by: the promotionZ group
and
filezilla