$ense & $ensibility Monday: Quick Fixes

There are plenty of quick fixes in life that can save you a penny or two. We hear them all the time from our grandmas and mothers and friends – it’s just a matter of remembering them with every thing else we have in our wonderful minds! Here are a few I've been using lately:

Clothing and Accessories

-Use a permanent marker to disguise scuffs on your shoes.
-Keep the zippers on your purses and clothes working well by occasionally running a pencil or beeswax over them.
-To avoid scratches, store handbags in old cotton pillowcases.
-Hang trousers and pencil skirts from the bottom hem – the weight of the garment will help pull out any wrinkles.
-Cashmere, lingerie, and other delicates can be hand-washed to help prolong their lives. You don’t even need a fancy hand-washing detergent – a very gentle shampoo or body wash (like those for babies) works wonders on delicate fabrics and wools.

(Spring) Cleaning

-Vinegar can clean and disinfect nearly everything. Check out this website for some vinegar tips.
-A good castile soap like Dr. Bronner’s can be used to clean everything from your body to your clothes.
-Baking soda can be used on a damp sponge or cloth as a gentle abrasive to cut through grease and grime.
-To clean a microwave, put some lemon slices or lemon juice in a bowl of water and microwave for a few minutes. The steam and the lemon will help loosen any grease or foodstains and the lemon helps neutralize odors. Just wipe the interior with a cloth (and beware of the hot bowl of water!).
-Buff windows and mirrors with newspaper to give a brilliant shine.

Feel free to share any tips you may have! I’m always on the lookout for more!

Also, happy Ides of March, everyone! Beware of soothsayers and backstabbers today. :) I will be watching the 1953 version of Julius Caesar tonight to unwind and commemorate the day.

Katharine Albritton is an art market specialist and writer. Procrastinate with her at The Fine Taste Emporium and follow her on twitter.

Images from Kaboodle and Imp Awards.