I received a mail from a mom wanting general tidy tips that may help lessen her child's allergies. My son is also allergic to dust so here are a few tips to help keep allergies at bay in your home.

• Keep the bedroom well ventilated to keep the humidity down.
• Air the bed daily and wash the bedding frequently at temperatures over 55 degrees. I have also heard that placing the mattress in the sun regularly helps to kill the dust mites.
• Vacuum and clean the room and b...

We all have those 'things' that we can't bear to part with. That adorable blankie that our child had or that lovely scarf that once belonged to our grandmother.

There isn't anything wrong with this unless of course you start to hoard everything - even those you don't want to keep. BUT, no matter your outlook, you need to organise your things, so why not start organising the things you don't use every day but want to hand down to your children or significant others?

Archive o...

I know it may sound crazy that you have to establish a routine with your keys to avoid losing them, but it really is important. We use our car keys every day, for example, and it makes sense to put them in the same place when you get home.

Often, however, people throw them on the couch, on the coffee table, in their bag or some other place they forget about. But if you came home and put them in the same place every day without fail, you will always know where they are. Your '...

Doesn't the cost of wrapping paper and birthday cards annoy you? I know I dislike spending money on this so I decided to get creative. I made up some basic square cards using clipart from Word, and printed these out in colour on thick paper. When I need one, I cut it out, punch a hole in the top and add some thin ribbon (colour depending on the gender of child). I use the ribbon to tie the card onto the birthday present.

Quick, easy and it will save you a penny or two for t...

I have taken to making lists as a result of my constant 'porridge brain' (you know that syndrome that makes an appearance when you're pregnant and doesn't leave?).

There is the priority to-do list in my diary, the work-around-the-house list on the white board, and the shopping list in the kitchen. I try to place these strategically on the way to the car or the office so that I see them and therefore remember to do what is on them.

I know writing lists doesn't work for ever...

It has been said over and over and yet we don't seem to hear it. STUFF can make it hard to breathe because it just takes up space so it makes perfect sense that getting rid of things will make life easier.

But it seems that we don't like hearing this so we dig our heels in and will not give anything away. I challenge you therefore to do this slowly. Choose a room that is frustrating you beyond belief and start purging. Decide beforehand how you will get rid of that PESKY ST...

Paper is present everywhere - be it newspapers that you receive daily, mail, flyers, newsletters and notices. Leaving this unchecked can quickly add up to a lot of paper.

You should immediately upon reading it, decide if you're going to:
•    toss it in the bin;
•    keep it for future referral (only if you really need to);
•    recycle (either by dropping off at a depot or throwing it into a compost heap); or
•    shred it (one of the best buys I ever made was buyin...

It stands to reason that items of clothing you use often, need to be accessible. So store these at eye level or below whilst keeping items you seldom use, higher up. If you don't have a lot of space in your cupboard, then store seasonal clothing like large jerseys or conversely, your swimming gear, in clear and labeled boxes. That way you have more shelf space for the items you need this season.

I have made labels for years on my computer - thus being dubbed the 'label queen'. My family jokes that if they stand in one place long enough they'll be labeled.

What is the big deal you may ask? Well if you label something you know where things are and where they belong. Labels will 'jump' out at you and remind you to put things back where you found them.

SO, if you haven't got one yet, do yourself a favour and get one! Having a label maker makes a world of difference ...