TresSugar

Handle This: Your Roommate Is Lazy

DearSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0700

When you first moved in with your friend, you both decided it would be in the best interest of your friendship if together, you sat down and divided the household chores in two. With a firm schedule, nothing would be overlooked and you wouldn’t waste any time wondering who should do what.

But while you’ve followed through on your end of the bargain, your roommate has not. Though she’s managed to do all her chores each week, she does such a poor job, you end up redoing them each time. Yet she still manages to complain about them constantly. How would you handle this?

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Group Therapy: My Fiance Is a Slob

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:00:00 -0800

I have been with my fiance for about two and a half years now, and engaged since last August. We have lived together for about a year and a half. He never does his share of the housework. This might sound trivial, but it is driving me absolutely insane. We can't have people over because our place is always a mess. I basically do all the cooking and cleaning because he works long hours for a manual labor job. When he comes home from work, he is always really tired and just wants to chill. I am a student, so my schedule is a lot more flexible. I feel guilty because he pays more of our bills, so I just end up cleaning.

I've tried to tell him that he has to cook once a week (it has actually been a challenge to get him just to do this), and he is now finally starting to. When he comes home from work, he just throws everything on the floor right in the middle of the living room! I complain to him about it so much, but he just says that I am nagging. I want kids, but I can't imagine having kids with someone like him, because it will be too much work for me.

I have never had this problem before. My past boyfriends were clean and would cook for me. I am so tired of cleaning up after both of us. He has suggested getting a housekeeper, but I would be embarrassed for anyone to see how we live, and I would rather spend the extra money on dinners out. I really love him, but I'm going crazy. Any advice?

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To be involved in more GROUP THERAPY, click here]

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The How-To Lounge: Cleaning Your Boots Before Winter

DearSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:00:00 -0700

Since it's technically boot season, it's time to dust off last year's favorites and make them look like new again. For some tips on how to care for your leather boots, click here to read more

It's best to send your beloved shoes to a trusted cobbler as they are the pros.
Before you take the cleaning in your own hands, be sure to test a section of your boots to make sure you don't cause discoloration.
If you want to make them fresh yourself, your first order of business should be to deodorize your boots. Try rubbing a dryer sheet in the inside of your boots to neutralize the smell.
Remove dust with a dry but soft cloth.
Mix water with a mild soap like Dove and wipe your shoes with a damp cloth of that mixture. Do not use too much water as it's not good for your leather.
If you are cleaning patent leather, it's been said that in a pinch, you can remove fingerprints with a drop of vinegar mixed with warm water. Again, be sure to test a small patch before dousing the entire shoe.
Once you have cleaned away all your scuffs and nicks, wipe your shoes dry with a new dry cloth to prevent streak marks.
If your shoes need a sheen after cleaning, polish with a good quality leather polish.
If you haven't already weather treated your boots, be sure to do so before the first rain hits.

I hope these tips help, and happy boot season!

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The How-To Lounge: Cleaning your Jewelry

DearSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:00:00 -0700

With all the lotions and soaps women use on a daily basis, our jewelry can get really dirty. Here are some tips to help clean your jewels in a safe way.

Click here to read more

Before you clean your jewelry, make sure there are no loose stones or settings
For diamonds, gold and gem stones, use a nonabrasive cleaner, which can be purchased at any jewelry store or a simple mixture of mild soap and warm water will do the job just as well
Dip your jewelry into either solution and use your fingers to wipe your pieces clean. Rinse with warm water, and I highly advise you to plug your sink just to be safe!
Buff dry with a soft cloth until sparkly clean!
For silver pieces, simply use a nonabrasive silver polish. Dab the polish on a soft cloth and wipe your jewelry clean
Keep in mind that the more you wear your silver jewelry, the less tarnished it will get
Do not get pearls wet - it's best to wipe them with a damp cloth
Jewelry designer Temple St. Clair has a great home remedy that she swears by to clean her precious gold, platinum, silver, and gem stone pieces: mix 1/4 tablespoon of ammonia with 1/2 tablespoon of mild dishwashing soap. Soak the jewelry for a few minutes and gently polish with a soft bristled toothbrush and rinse clean
Rumor also has it that Windex works wonders when shining up your diamond ring

If you have any other great DIY remedies, please share them below!

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The How-To Lounge: Cleaning out your Closet

DearSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:00:00 -0700

Even though we have passed typical "spring cleaning" time, it's never too late to clean out your closet. I just tackled one of my closets yesterday so I am here to give you some tips to make it as painless of a chore as possible!

Click here to read more

Commit a chunk of time and make an afternoon out of it. Play some loud music, make sure you have snacks, even turn your phone off so you can really concentrate without any distractions
Take everything out of your closet so you can not only see what you have, but you can also clean your shelves, dust your hanging rack, and vacuum the floor
Some people suggest giving things away if they haven't been worn in a year, but I disagree with this statement. Fads come and go, so if you have a piece that you love that is simply out of style right now, keep it. Some vintage pieces are timeless and irreplaceable
If something doesn't fit, give it away, no ifs ands or buts. Alterations can save some things, but most of the time the shape and form will get lost in translation
Try on the clothes you are unsure about. Model it - if you like what you see in the mirror, keep it!
Sometimes a second opinion is incredibly helpful. We all get emotionally attached to certain pieces even if they don't look good or don't fit, so a sister or best friend that can give an unbiased response is invaluable
If you have limited space in your closet, store your sweaters and coats during the summer time, and your beach wear during the winter season
Once you have inventoried your clothes, it's a great way to see what needs to be cleaned, repaired, and what is missing (if you have lent something to a friend)
Once you have piles of things to give away, donate them to your local Goodwill -- not only will it make you feel good, but it will leave more room in your closet for new stuff!

Good luck, and remember, leave ample time as this takes a lot longer than you might think! If you have any other suggestions, please share them below.

You Asked: Can I Force Them to Clean?

DearSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:00:00 -0800

Dear Sugar,

I live with my boyfriend and his brother, mostly for financial reasons. If I had the money, I'd live just with my boyfriend. Kris, who is 26, just moved out from his mother's house. He's a very nice guy but he is the baby of the family. His mother always cleaned up after him, cooked for him often, did his laundry, cleaned his room on occasion, kept the kitchen clean, did his dishes, the works. Now that we all live together, I find that Kris doesn't do a very good job of cleaning up after himself. I'm not perfect, believe me, and neither is my boyfriend, but when the trash is full, I don't think that it's common sense, or very nice, to just pile things on top of the lid rather than take the trash five feet to the garage!

I am the only person in the house who puts my dishes in the dishwasher, turns it on when it's full, and empties it when they're clean. I've avoided doing it occasionally to see who will do it without my asking, and neither of them will step up to the plate. The dishes will pile in the sink while the dishwasher is full either with dirty or clean dishes. If I ask my boyfriend to do it, he'll complain about my "nagging." Finally, the kitchen will get so disgusting that Kris will call their mother and she'll drive the 20 miles to our place and clean it up for them.

The main problem is that I find it offensive that their mother, my potential mother-in-law, still babies them. I feel like this is our house, I live here too, and that the people who live here should take care of it and come to an agreement. I can't really put into words WHY I find it offensive that she cleans up after them, but in some ways I feel like she's looking down on me as a bad "woman" because I'm not doing a good enough job at keeping a clean house. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy for feeling this way yet doesn't do anything to chip in. How can I convey to them how I feel? Am I really just acting crazy? Please help! - Living with Two Slobs Tommye

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Dear Living with Two Slobs Tommye -

When you share living space with someone, it's imperative to be respectful of your roommates, and it sounds like your boyfriend and his brother are just so used to someone picking up after them that they don't know the basic fundamentals of cohabitating. With that said, you need to lay down the law ASAP. Living together before marriage is a good way to get a glimpse into the future, so set your ground rules now before it's too late.

If I were you, I would call for a house meeting and suggest hiring a maid immediately. If you split the cost three ways, it can't be all that expensive and it will eliminate the "nagging" that your boyfriend feels and the frustration you feel about the boys being slobs. To maintain a clean house, I would also fairly assign chores and make sure they understand how important it is to respect each other's living space.

You are not crazy for feeling the way you do and I happen to think it's completely inappropriate that their mother still cleans up after them. She certainly isn't doing them any favors by continuing to baby them. Hopefully, once the maid comes on a weekly basis and everyone pitches in accordingly, you will be future mother-in-law free and living in a clean house before you know it. If they aren't willing to change their lazy ways, you're going to be better off living on your own. Good luck!

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It's Your Last Chance to Win a Restoration Hardware Spring Cleaning Set!

DearSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Spring has sprung, which means it's time to do a little Spring cleaning! In the spirit of the season, and to make this chore a little easier, DearSugar is giving away two Restoration Hardware Fresh Cleaning sets, valued at $134 each. Two winners will get one of every product in the collection, which includes everything from surface cleaner to vacuum BBs and a fragrant kitchen candle. All of the products are biodegradable, nontoxic, and made without animal products or testing.
To enter, you must log in and take the quiz below. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just by completing the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member, and you must log in before taking the quiz. If you're not already a member, register here for an account. One quiz entry per person, as all repeat quizzes will be ignored.

The contest is open to US residents only and ends on Mar. 27, 2008, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Click here for Official Rules. Spring cleaning always make me feel lighter and more focused not only at home, but also in my life, so I hope you reap the same benefits. Enjoy and good luck!

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The Coen Brothers Take on Dirty Clean Coal

CitizenSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:38:02 -0800

Academy Award-winning directors Joel and Ethan Coen are taking on the oxymoron that is "clean coal." The brothers directed the spot for the Reality Campaign to "call out the coal industry on their dirty lies." The group wants to spread the message that "clean" coal is like a healthy cigarette, while also pointing out that no clean coal plant actually exists in the US.

While the Coen brothers work on the powerful PR message against clean coal, President Obama gave it a shout-out in his speech to Congress this week, calling it an environmentally friendly, and cost-effective energy source. Maybe Obama was swayed by the American Coalition For Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), which spent millions of coal industry money in advertising last year to promote clean coal.

5 Spring Cleaning Tips

DearSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:30:00 -0700

I've always felt that being organized and neat helps in every other aspect of my life. If my house is in shambles or my to-do list is multiple pages long, anxiety starts to kick in and everything else suffers as a result. If you're the same way, it might be time to get a head start on your Spring cleaning. Now I'm not just talking about scrubbing your floors and clearing out your garage; I'm talking about getting your life in order so you can successfully put Winter behind you and move forward toward Spring! Check out my five tips.

Start by cleaning out your desk drawers and removing all the clutter from your counter tops. Throw away all that lose paperwork you don't need and start a new filing system to organize the things you do need. It's key for everything to have a home.
Get rid of all your old cosmetics, lotions, perfumes, and medications, as they all have expiration dates. To get ready for Spring, be sure to load up on allergy medication, sunscreen, conditioner, razors, and self tanner.
Store all your Winter clothes or put them in the back of your closet and drawers. If the temperature is about to change where you live, this would be the time to swap out your heavy Winter comforter for your lightweight sheets and blankets.

Want to see my other tips? Just read more.

Go through your closet and make sure your Spring/Summer clothes don't need cleaning or alterations. If they do, take care of it now so you're ready for the warm weather when it arrives!
If you've been putting off repairs or repainting your bathroom, now's the time to do it. Ask your friends for help or just dedicate a day to tackle the chore yourself. Pump some tunes and reward yourself at the end of the day for a job well done!

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Do Tell: Spring Cleaning, What do you Need to Purge?

DearSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 08:30:00 -0700

Spring cleaning gives everyone an excuse to rid their homes of excess clutter and piles of paperwork collecting nothing but dust. While our homes might look clean, we sometimes forget to check in with ourselves to do exactly the same thing-- inventory our emotions and baggage.

Oftentimes it is easier to sweep feelings of worry and angst under the rug, store your ex boyfriend's favorite sweatshirt in the back closet or even your favorite maternity dress that you will never wear again. So in the spirit of Spring cleaning, ladies, do tell, what do you need to purge in order to lighten your load?

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