Five F’s to organize home in minutes

DEAR READERS: Use these "Five F’s" to organize your home. It will only take 5 minutes a day to handle the clutter that can build up.

1. File it — Sort and file paperwork, bills and coupons that have piled up.

2. Forward it — Take objects or items that are scattered about and move them to where they should be.

3. Fix it — Collect all items that need to be repaired and get them fixed.

4. Fill it in — Complete school permissions forms, insurance forms and bills.

5. Forget about it — Toss it, pass it on, donate it to charity or take to the recycle bin.

DEAR READERS: When you cut yourself or have a minor accident, you might bleed on your clothes before you can stop it. Once you’ve attended to your cut, get to the blood stain ASAP. Here’s how to deal with this type of stain on a washable garment when the blood is fresh. Use a kitchen spice!

Grab unseasoned meat tenderizer to get rid of new stains. Wet the stained area with cold water and then lay the garment on top of a couple of paper towels. Sprinkle the area with the tenderizer. Let stand for several minutes. Brush away the blood with a clean toothbrush until the blood is gone. Wash as normal.

DEAR READERS: Microfiber cloths are key tools in household cleaning. They are effective in cleaning just about everything by wiping off grime and dust.

But they do need to be cleaned. Here’s how.

Machine-wash them in warm, soapy water, but wash them separate from towels because the microfiber will attach to the lint from the towels in the water, and then it will stay on the cloth. Do not use fabric softener or chlorine bleach, because those items will make the cloth lose its effectiveness. Tumble dry on low heat. Be aware microfiber can melt at high heat, so do not iron.

DEAR READERS: Bacteria can grow on plastic or wooden cutting boards. After using, always wash and sanitize to eliminate bacteria. Try this to properly clean a cutting board.

First, wash the board in hot, soapy water. Then soak it for about 1 to 2 minutes in a mixture of 3 tablespoons of household bleach and 1 gallon of water. Rinse and dry well with a paper towel or air-dry.

To get rid of the odor, scrub the inside with a paste of baking soda and water. Then wash as you usually do. This should be enough. But if the smell does not dissipate, you should repeat. You also might need to air out containers that have been sitting with lids on them for a while.