Notabilia

Miscellaneous

Nifty Knacks

401 through 425

401. The art of packing a suitcase.
     When you are packing a suitcase, put heavier items at the bottom so that the more delicate items do not get crushed. Never fill a suitcase or travelling bag so much that it is difficult to close. If you do, your clothes are bound to come out crumpled and creased.
     Pack shoes with the soles against the sides of the suitcase. They take up less space that way. Pack jeans and sweaters before other clothes. They do not crease easily and the things that go on top of them will weigh them down so they take up less room.
     Put socks and underwear inside shoes or in bags (you will need bags in any case for dirty laundry). The most delicate and lightest things should go at the top.
     Any remaining underwear can be packed between other layers of clothes. Before fastening the straps inside the case, lay a towel over the clothes as protection against crumpling.

402. Prevent smells.
     If you plan to be away for more than a week, take any food that might go off out of the fridge. Wash the fridge and place a bowl of yeast in it. The yeast will absorb smells.

403. No unpleasant surprises.
     Never write your home address on suitcase labels. Write your work address instead. Then people will not be able to locate your empty house.

404. Fragrance for the car.
     Keep an aromatic candle in the car - but don't light it. It will release its fragrance and will last longer than commercial car fresheners.

405. Keeping the car cool.
     Hot sun can turn a parked car into an oven. A beach mat over the windscreen is just as effective as specially made windscreen covers.

406. Neat hand luggage.
     Sprinkle a few drops of lavander oil on a bath mitt and put it in a plastic bag in your hand luggage. Use it as a face and hand freshener.

407. Keep children amused on a journey.
     When you go on long car journeys, teach children about road signs and the Highway Code. Picking out road signs will keep them amused and the time will pass more easily for them.

408. Stop dry skin.
     Keep a tube of hand cream in the car. Soap and hand-drying machines in the various stopping-off places dry your skin out.

409. Games for the children.
     Make sure you have a few extra games with you to keep the children amused.

410. Happy memories.
     Buy a picture postcard of every place you go to. Write the date on it and a short comment. It will bring back happy memories in winter.

411. Keep older children amused.
     Give older children a map and suggest that they follow the route on the map and note down anything that makes an impression on them.

412. Keep rubbish in one place.
     Always keep a few plastic bags in the car for rubbish like wrappers from sweets, crisps and anything else that the children might eat.

413. Getting sand off toys.
     Whenever you go to the beach with young children, remember to take a string bag with you. Before setting off for home again in the evening put all the toys in the bag and give it a rinse. The sand will come off easily.

414. Stop the baby eating sand.
     Does your baby get sand in its mouth when it plays on the beach? Take a small inflatable pool for the baby to play in. Put the baby in the pool with its toys and it can play without being able to reach the sand and put it in its mouth. The deflated pool is very easy to carry.

415. Spot your children easily.
     Never let your children out of your sight when you are out for a walk. Dress them in brightly coloured clothes so you can easily spot them, even in a crowd. Make sure they know they should never wander off for any reason whatsoever.

416. Always stay with your children.
     Never leave your children alone, especially in crowded places. Go with them to the toilet, even though they may be capable of managing on their own.

417. Watch your children.
     Watch your children when they are involved in some kind of sporting or other activity. Even children who are perfectly confident at home may run into difficulty in strange surroundings.

418. Eating outdoors.
     Use plastic plates and cups when eating outdoors. Make sure that there is insect repellent on every table. Clear the area of any poisonous plants, especially if children are coming. Keep serving dishes covered with cling film until it is time to eat. Keep food that goes off easily in the fridge until the last moment. Things like mayonnaise soon go off if left in the sun. Serve such things on a bed of ice. Cover food to keep insects off.

419. Garden tools.
     Keep all garden tools in one place.

420. A smart barbecue.
     If you are planning a barbecue, make sure you have a contingency plan in case it rains. Do not invite more people than you can entertain indoors.

421. Get rid of moths.
     Empty perfume sample bottles or empty perfume bottles placed in a wardrobe will keep moths at bay.

422. Boiling cracked eggs.
     If you rub the crack with a slice of lemon, the egg will boil without leaking egg-white into the water. You will not have this problem if you put a little vinegar in the water when you boil eggs. Even if the eggs crack, the egg-white will not leak.

423. Quick cooling.
     Reduce oven temperature quickly by putting a container of very cold water on the oven shelf.

424. Cutting an uncut loaf for toast.
     It is difficult to slice an uncut loaf for toast when it is fresh. It is easier if you leave the loaf in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing it. Then use a sharp knife and the job is simple.

425. Keeping pancakes warm.
     Don't put pancakes in the oven to keep warm because they go hard. It is better to put them on a plate on top of a saucepan of boiling water. Cover them with another plate turned upside down and they will keep warm.