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Today's homemaker is usually a harried soul. She may well have a houseful of children or pets, even if she is single. She probably does her housework when she is not working at her "day job." She has the pressures of entertaining, of impromptu visits from family and friends, and of wanting her surroundings to be neat, attractive, sanitary, and comfortable. To top it all off, the homemaker can as easily be a "he." The modern homemaker has a full life outside of cleaning the home, and thus, has the goals of finding housework techniques that are simple and that quickly result in a clean house. This goal of "simple and clean" is one that can be attained. What is more, with thoughtful planning and a housework checklist, the homemaker can quickly have a clean house, and have completed a daily workout as well.

To achieve these goals, the first step is to get the right tools. As every construction worker, artist, seamstress, engineer, cook, or mechanic knows, jobs are easier with good, sturdy, well-designed tools. Good tools are designed specifically for each job, taking into consideration the motions a person makes as he does the job, the best size tool to complete the job, and the best materials to create a tool that lasts. Brooms, mops, brushes , and dust pans are some of the tools for efficiently completed housework. A carpenter will shop around to find a well-made hammer, knowing that purchasing a good hammer is an investment that will enable him to produce quality goods. A homemaker must also invest in good tools to meet the goals of "simple and clean." A broom that sheds straw will never sweep a floor clean.

Second, write your plan down. Not only will this housework checklist help you stay on task, but you can organize your activities for the week so you will plan to clean the kitchen floor after the heaviest cooking days (instead of mopping the floor and then spilling the flour) and will remember to dust Aunt Tillie's photo BEFORE she shows up at your door on Sunday afternoon. As an added bonus, write down how many calories you will burn if you complete each task in a certain amount of time. Keep a daily log of these "housework calories."

Studies have shown that it is not the type of exercise you do but the combination of how vigorously and how long you exercise that creates quick results. Simply taking a 10,000 step walk every day will keep most people fit. If the exercise activity you choose is one you can work into your everyday life, it can also create permanent results, without the guilt or stress of trying and failing to include an inconvenient exercise routine in an already busy schedule. Housework done in a consistent, vigorous manner is an excellent aerobic exercise, and has the added benefit that necessary work is completed at the same time, freeing time for relaxing and socializing in a clean house.

These "housework calories" can easily be scheduled throughout the week, during one continuous session a day or scattered throughout the day. Doctors now say that frequent ten-minute bursts of activity are just as effective as one long stint of exercise in controlling weight. Your list may look like the one below. These calorie counts are for a 150 pound person doing a task at a moderate speed for ten minutes. Recommendations are for everyone to "exercise" for thirty minutes to an hour a day.

Making Beds - 39 calories
Mopping Floors - 46 calories
Standing while you fold clothes or wash the dishes - 24 calories
Wash Windows - 42 calories
Light gardening - 36 calories
General housework (i.e., sweeping floors, picking up toys) - 41 calories
Walking up stairs - 175 calories
Walking downstairs - 67 calories

As you can see, each of these chores would probably need to be extended for twenty to thirty minutes in order to complete the task at hand. Twenty minutes of mopping floors and another twenty minutes spent sweeping and tidying up will become a workout that burns 174 housework calories. Walking up and down stairs while straightening the house can add another 200 calories burned. Counting these chores as part of your daily exercise routine allows you to focus on their benefits to your health. Keeping a housework checklist and calorie count of chores completed will bring the homemaker closer to the goal of "simple and clean," and a bonus goal of being physically fit.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vincent Platania represents the Fuller Brush Company. Fuller Brush has been in business since 1906, and offers safe, environmentally friendly products for keeping your home and your body clean. Visit http://www.fuller-bru sh-products.com .

Does your wallet seem to get smaller with each visit to the grocery store? Salary increases are not keeping up with rising food prices, but we still have to eat! Keep your family well fed with these 5 tips and stop the shrinking wallet syndrome.

Worldwide food shortages. A weak U.S. dollar. Corn feeding our gas tank instead of our beef cattle. The results are hitting our wallets with a vengeance. Overall food prices increased nearly 5% in 2007, and it looks like 2008 will have a similar increase. Already this year egg prices have increased 25%, dairy products have risen 13% and poultry prices are up 7%. Experts agree we won't see prices dropping soon. So with everything increasing except your salary, how can you feed your family without going broke?

1. Save Money by Spending It: It seems counter-intuitive, but purchasing quality (and often more expensive) foods like all-natural or organic whole grain breads, bean and lentils dishes, and fresh fruits and vegetables will save you money. Quality artisan and local foods are full of healthy fiber and nutrients and will fill you up quicker than cheaper processed foods. A full belly leads to less money spent overall and better health all by choosing high quality foods. Shop specialty foods, gourmet stores, and farmer's markets for local or artisan produced foods.

2. Learn to Cook: Take a class, buy a basic cookbook, attend cooking demonstrations, get together with your friends and hire an expert. Now is the time to learn to cook. If the proliferation of celebrity cooks and cooking shows has somehow led you to believe that you need to be a chef to fix dinner forget it. If you can boil water you can prepare a nutritious, delicious meal that your family will eat. A meal that will be healthier than your usual take-out fare. A bonus- cooking at home will save you thousands of dollars each year over eating out. There's no down side, healthier food, healthier family, and money saving. Learn to cook today.

3. Eat Less: The time has come. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, a condition that costs every one of us in increased medical costs. We eat too much. We eat on the run, in our cars, mindlessly in front of the TV. Slow down, sit down with your family (to a meal you cooked) savor the actual flavors of the foods, and eat less than you currently do. You'll not only increase your life, you'll save money in the process.

4. Keep Treats to a Minimum: When the most commonly ingested vegetable for a two year old is French fries, you know we have a problem. A recent study done in the United Kingdom shows that most children don't consider potato chips a treat. So skip the soda, the chips, fries, candy bars, ice cream, and lattes. Eat out less often. Use treats to celebrate a special event like ice cream after the Little League game, chips and soda with Friday night (homemade) burgers. Make coffee at home and splurge on a latte once a week instead of every day to save nearly $1000 this year.

5. Write a Weekly Menu: Develop a grocery list from the menu and stick to it. Keep a well-stocked pantry. Dust off your cookbooks and choose 5 simple recipes each week. Planning a menu saves time every evening no more wondering what to have for dinner or running to the grocery store for a forgotten ingredient and money at the grocery store no more impulse purchases that end up in the garbage because you really didn't know what to do with the chayote squash that looked so good in the produce section. Not very good at menu planning? Start with a basic cookbook that includes suggested menus and a pantry list or subscribe to a recipe service like www.myonlinemeals.com.

You may not have any control over rising food prices, but you can stop them from shrinking your wallet. Start today. Tonight serve a simple, inexpensive but filling dish like Minestrone or Chili or burgers or a casserole; and feed your family without going broke.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Renee Pottle is a Family and Consumer Scientist and the author of several cookbooks including, I Want My Dinner Now! Simple Meals for Busy Cooks. Contact her at: 509-531-9225 or mail to: info@winebarrelgourmet.com.

www.MormonChic.com - I found this site doing a search for pillow case sewing patterns. It has really detailed instructions and is a fairly easy sewing pattern. You can make pillowcases featuring your kids favorite characters, elegant his and hers pillowcases for newlyweds or guests, or simply fun patterns for everyday use. I've made many of these with different themes for both kids and adults. To visit click Here.