Housekeeping on Shine

6 ways to clean up your space to clean up your life

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My dishwasher came to a grinding halt and so, I am washing the dishes. Don’t feel sorry for me. Washing the dishes reminds me of my connection to my mother, grandmother and great grandmother – their wisdom, laughter and stories. The warm soapy water cleans a plate, one at a time, to its…

User post: Green cleaning products—buy them in the store, make them at home

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Next time you pull out your rubber gloves and bucket of cleaning supplies, take a second and look at the labels on the bottles. Do you see a list of ingredients? In most cases, answer is no. And if there is a list, it's a very limited one. That's because the companies that make these…

One simple, straightforward way to help a cancer patient

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I used to write for a wonderful site that supports people who are going through an illness or injury. I interviewed many people who were recovering from devastating challenges, and out of that, was often tasked with writing up lists of creative, budget-friendly ways to support those people while they were undergoing chemo, in the hospital, or house-bound.

Over and over, we heard readers who said they wanted to offer assistance to loved ones in need, but that they just didn't know how.

The mystery of lost socks

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At Home and Work + Money Editor Dory Devlin and I were having a little instant message moment as we contemplated the Great Mystery of Lost Socks. How is it possible that one can buy…

Parenting poll: Do you make your kid's bed?

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My boys sleep in bunk beds with lots and lots of handmade quilts. My older kid rearranges his blankets most mornings to make the bed look slightly assembled. My younger kid, who is nearly four, digs a messy nest. Why? Because over the course of a day, his bed is a pirate ship, a diesel train, a jet…

11 easy ways to make more money

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By Katie McCaskey, Geezeo.com

One common New Year’s Resolution is to “make more money”. Here are eleven ways you can increase your bottom line this year.

1. Host a Garage/Yard Sale
Yes, the weather may be cold. Still, it’s a great time to look around your home and collect the items you no longer use or want and prepare for a garage sale. People may be shopping less overall but everyone is still looking for a good deal. You can give them a good deal.

(You can also consider donating these items to a charitable organization if you’d like to have an extra tax write-off instead).