GeekSugar

Website of the Day: How to Clean Stuff

GeekSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:00:19 PDT

If you use your gadgets half as much as me, you probably know how easy it is to get food in your keyboard, get finger smudges on your iPhone, or splash your laptop screen with tea or coffee. We've posted a few tips here and there for getting the goods off your gadgets, but for all your cleaning needs, you must head on over to How to Clean Stuff. This site not only tells you the tricks of the trade when it comes to getting your gadgets gleaming again, but you can find tips for things like stain removal on clothes or the best way to wash fruit. Helpful and handy indeed!

Do you have a favorite website you want to share with us? Submit your faves to our Website of the Day group! To learn how, just

read more. I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group.
Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page.
Choose "Blog" and “Regular Post.”
Give your story a “Title.”
Fill in the “Body” with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it.
Click “Next."
Choose the audience for your story to “Website of the Day” in the drop-down menu
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day").
Change channel to “Technology and Gadgets.”
Fill in tag field with relevant tags.
Click “I’m done” to submit content.

A Few of My Favorite Things: New Orleans and Beyond

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:07:26 PST

Get ready for your mouth to water. Food Orleans invites us to share some of her favorite iPhone food photos from New Orleans and beyond.

I've been cleaning out my iPhone photo roll and came across some great shots that made me swoon, laugh, and shake my head at how good this stuff was. This year I got to go to my first LSU game in Baton Rouge, and although I probably lost a small percentage of my hearing, I had a great time. And the jambalaya was great! We're also enjoying some shucking-good oysters these days. Come visit!

Creole Creamery: knock your flip-flops off good!

a fried-potato omelette from Camellia Grill (Riverbend). I think this should be on everyone's to-eat list.

For more, keep reading.

11 Rules to Dramatically Increase Your Productivity

Wise Bread — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:04 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

There's a problem with a lot of productivity advice out there, and it's this - your "rules" for personal productivity are often going to be different than mine. Sure, sometimes there's overlap. Sure, you can always learn from others.

But if you want to see a dramatic increase in your productivity, spend less time reading and memorizing other people's rules, and more time figuring out what your own rules are. You'll be more productive and in a way that works with who you are.

So I'm sharing a few of my personal productivity rules. Maybe some of them will work for you or inspire you to think of your own.

1. Small Daily Movements Become Big Accomplishments

I tend to think that I must have big blocks of time in order to get any forward movement. So I hesitate and procrastinate, waiting for that "open time" when I can really push and get a lot done on whatever the current project is.

Turns out, that's a waste of time. Small daily movements add up. It's just that the movements or steps themselves are so small, I think they don't count. They do.

I have to constantly remind myself that I don't need a whole day or a whole week to devote to some project. I just need to take the 10 or 20 minutes I have here and there and use them. I need to achieve a little bit of forward movement every day. That adds up, and it builds momentum, and pretty soon there's been quite a lot accomplished.

For more rules, read after the jump.

How to Organize Your Beauty Products

Real Beauty — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 PST

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Real Beauty.

If you have to dig though drawers and rummage through an overstuffed makeup bag to get ready every morning, then it's time to bring order to your beauty stash.

For more great tips check out: How to Clean Out Your Makeup Bag.

These expert tips will help you de-clutter your loot and streamline your storage space. See what they are now.

10 Things You Do to Save Money That End Up Costing You More

Wise Bread — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:15:37 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Have you heard of the expression “penny wise, pound foolish”? It’s something I heard a lot growing up, from my parents, and it can have multiple meanings:

You are very careful with small amounts of money, but throw caution to the wind with large amounts. This is akin to someone who eats from the dollar menu every day but then blows a hundred dollars every month on a gym membership that’s never used.
You do things to save money now, only to have those savings cost you more farther down the road.

The second definition is what I’m focusing on today, because it’s a lot easier to fall into the trap of saving money only to have it bite you later on. Here then are 10 things that you may be doing to save money that could actually cost you a lot more in the weeks, months, or years to come.

RELATED: The Case For Expensive Shoes

1. Avoiding Regular Checkups With the Doctor, Dentist, or Optician

It’s something I did in college when money was tight. “Aah, who needs to pay money to a dentist to have him tell me I should floss more?” Well, after leaving the dentist alone for a few years, I paid the price. Avoiding the regular cleanings and checkups left me facing a hefty bill later on when I needed a bunch of costly fillings. I was lucky that I didn’t need root canals or replacement teeth. Now I have a dental plan that covers free checkups twice a year, but even if you don’t, get to the dentist and doctor for health checks. It’s a lot better to pay a co-pay now than pay for major surgery later on. And worse still, it could even cost you your life, especially as so many conditions can be treated if they’re caught early enough.

Read on for more.

Savvy Links: How to Stop Buying Stuff and Start Refurbishing

Emily Co — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:54:27 PST

How to stop buying stuff and start refurbishing - Budgets Are Sexy
One way women fare better after divorce - HuffPost Women
Smart ways to use your year-end bonus - Real Simple
$400K of loose change left in US airports during 2010 - Geek.com
Discount grocery stores: are they worth the savings? - Money Crashers
Delicious dinners under $1 - AllYou
7 surprising facts about Roth IRAs - Wise Bread
Keep your home clean in 20 minutes a day for 30 days - Apartment Therapy

Wabi-Sabi Design Uncovered

Anna Monette Roberts — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:26:52 PST

We've seen a lot of wabi-sabi design out there - but not a lot of explanation. If you're scratching your head wondering what wabi-sabi is, here's your chance to learn a little something new about this ancient Japanese style. While it includes an entire Japanese philosophy of living, wabi-sabi also applies to a specific design style that celebrates rustic imperfection, mismatched items, and simplicity. Wabi-sabi is a sort of yin and yang balance, because designs are simultaneously structured and simple while weathered and irregular. Accepting transience of the material world, wabi-sabi recognizes that the world is an imperfect place and that material goods wear away and change form over time.

Rather than seeking design perfection or preservation of material things, wabi-sabi submits to the ephemerality of material items. All things gradually and naturally change over time - be it a chip in a ceramic bowl, a scrape across a leather sofa, or the fading colors in a woven fabric. In the philosophy of wabi-sabi, these imperfect items are actually seen as more valuable and interesting! If this style appeals to you, learn how you can easily decorate your house with wabi-sabi design.

Jonathan Adler Transforms Taboo Topics Into Groovy Style Statements

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:16:48 PST

Interior designer, potter, and color-enthusiast Jonathan Adler takes happy chic to uncharted territory this month with the launch of his new toilet paper roll covers for Cottonelle's Spring collection. The three limited-edition roll cover designs are available online, and at just $2 per cover, practically everyone can afford to stash their spare rolls in Adler's signature style.

We caught up with Adler to chat about his Cottonelle collaboration and so much more! Keep reading to get the skinny on his bathroom must haves, bucket-list mantra, squeaky-clean lifestyle, and why he'll never use the male form in his designs.

OnSugar Blog: Audrey's Big Score

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:14:09 PST

Lots of moms like to think out loud, and MiaFT is one of them. This is an excerpt from one of the latest posts on her Baby Love blog.

So this is what Audrey is going to get this year for Christmas! Yes, I went a little overboard, but I couldn't help myself!

So let me give you a rundown of all of her loot. As you can see, I hit the Disney Store...hard! I bought her both nightgowns for Snow White and Belle, as well as the Animators' dolls. I also bought the Mrs. Potts tea set, from Beauty and the Beast, as well as the movie itself. It's her new favorite. I recorded it recently, and she is in love!

How cute is the little red rocking horse....I mean, moose? She saw that at Ikea and we literally had to tear her off kicking and screaming. She is going to love it! I'm sure she'll be on it all Christmas Day.

I also shopped at Buy Buy Baby and got some great stuff! The cutest Melissa and Doug clock puzzle. What a great toy! On this one little toy she can learn about numbers, shapes, colors, and time. I challenge you to find a more educational toy. I also picked up the Melissa and Doug mailbox. She is always fascinated by the mailboxes we pass on the street. I think she'll love having her own! I picked up a cute little Wizard of Oz book, which is kind of for me since it still is my favorite movie ever. Oh and I got her a VTech digital camera. Yes, you read that right, a digital camera. It is only $40, so don't think I'm crazy. But it is built kid-proof, and can actually take pictures and videos. I am looking forward to seeing the world through her little eyes!

Finally, I stopped at Kohl's. I got a little fish tank lamp. She is in love with fish (since her Nemo phase) and it will be much easier than getting a real fish tank that would have to be cleaned. While I was there, I also picked up their Nancy Tillman hardcover books. They are part of Kohl's Cares. They only cost $5 each and 100 percent of the profits will support kids' health and education initiatives in communities nationwide. It's a great deal, and it helps others. And books make the best gifts!

Christmas is really for the kids, and I can't wait to see her smiling face on Christmas Day! I guess now I have to start shopping for everyone else on my list...

Want to see more? Start following Baby Love or start your own OnSugar blog. It's easy, it's free, and we just may feature your content on our site!

Vacation Over? Do-Ahead Tips to Return to Work Stress-Free

Michele Foley — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:47:13 PST

After an extended period of travel, getting back into the swing of a normal day-to-day routine can seem stressful and overwhelming. This is especially true when it comes to work-related tasks: coming back to an inordinate amount of emails, pending deadlines, and just office life in general is often hard to manage after spending a week or two away. To make the transition from vacation to work go a little smoother, do these things before even boarding the plane.

Wrap up any unfinished business: Before you say, "see you later" to work, finish up as many projects as you can - this also includes getting through all of your email. It'll keep you from worrying about all the stuff you need to catch up on once you're back, and you can relax and enjoy yourself. It's also much easier to come back to the office when you don't have a pile of folders waiting for you. If it's impossible to finish every task on your desk, leave yourself notes about the status of where you're at and touch base with any colleagues that are working on these projects with you.
Clean your work area: After a week in paradise, the last thing you want to see is a cluttered, disorganized desk - it's only going to make it that much harder to transition from vacation mode to work mode. Before going on vacation, file away anything that's on your desk, clean out and organize your drawers, and give your workstation a good wipe down. It's such a simple thing to do, but coming back to a clean desk makes returning to work much easier.

See more tips on making the return to work stress-free after the break!