Low-energy pursuits for sick days

Revive the cleaning power of your dishwasher

You’ll need: rubber gloves, small crescent wrench, two liters of white vinegar, scouring pad, dish soap

1. Put on rubber gloves, and open the dishwasher.
2. Slide out and remove the bottom dishwasher rack. Remove the upside-down basket-looking thing from the bottom of the dishwasher; to do this, you will most likely need to unscrew the little bolts using the crescent wrench.
3. Once you’ve removed it, examine the basket thing and any other removable parts from the bottom of the dishwasher. Are they covered in slimy blackness or food residue resembling curdled cheese? Probably. Scrub these parts in the sink with hot water and soap until they sparkle.
4. Check out the area of the dishwasher from which you removed the basket thing. Is it clogged with old food and nastiness? Probably. Scoop that stuff out and throw it away.
5. Reinstall the (now clean) basket thing and any accompanying parts.
6. Put the bottom dishwasher rack back into the machine.
7. Pour 1 liter of white vinegar in the bottom of the machine, close it, and let the dishwasher run on its normal cycle.
8. Once the cycle is complete, repeat step 7.

You will notice that your dishes come out much cleaner!

Make your coffee more delicious: 7 steps to coffee maker maintenance

Over time, coffee residue builds up in your coffeemaker. You’ll know this is happening when you notice that your coffee tastes a bit dull. For this mini project, you’ll need: tap water, white vinegar, and about 45 minutes’ time.

1. Remove old grounds from the machine, and rinse out your coffeepot.
2. Fill up the water reservoir of the machine 2/3 full of water and the remaining 1/3 with white vinegar.
3. Turn the coffeemaker on.
4. When coffee cycle is complete, discard the used water and vinegar mixture and repeat steps 2 and 3. Important note: be sure to let your coffeemaker cool for 10 minutes between each cycle! Let the vinegar water sit in the pot while it cools to loosen any coffee residue that might be in there.
5. Discard the old water and vinegar mixture.
6. Do two “rinse” cycles using water only. Don’t forget to allow for 10 minute cool-down periods in between.
7. Finally, wash the coffeepot itself in warm, soapy water. As an alternative, you can also run the pot in the dishwasher.

Enjoy! Your coffee should taste much better now!

Organize your glove compartment and trunk

• Gather your car registration, proof of insurance, roadside assistance information, and any other important documents you may need to access when on the road. Paperclip them together, or better yet, put them in a folder like this one.
• Throw away all those crumpled up gas receipts, B&B brochures and tourist maps which you don’t need to keep and will probably never look at again.
• File away any receipts and documentation from past oil changes or repairs.
• Purchase an inexpensive, sturdy crate for your trunk, and use it to organize your automotive necessities. The crate keeps the stuff from rolling around and getting jumbled up. Keep an extra crate handy (they are collapsible) for groceries or other purchases.
• Suggested trunk items should include, but are not limited to: jumper cables, tire iron, rubber gloves so you can change a tire without ruining your nails, windex, paper towels, large road atlas, flashlight, extra flashlight batteries, several clean towels, a change of clothing including socks and shoes, and a large jug of spring water + economy-size box of energy bars for emergencies.

Put the pizazz back into your closet
If you’re anything like me, you’ll actually avoid wearing clothing that requires any amount of maintenance, particularly ironing. After a while, our clothes closet starts to look droopy and depressing. Ever wonder why we so enjoy looking at new clothes in the store? My guess is that it is partly due to the fact that new clothing is neatly steamed and pressed when on display.

You can give your wardrobe a little “oomph”: simply pick five shirts or pairs of pants and whip out the old ironing board. Use just a touch of spray starch (“Faultless” Regular is my favorite) to help the clothes hold their shape. For stubborn wrinkles, spritz ‘em with a bit of water. Not good at ironing? Practice is the only way to get better.