There is a great visual demo of tying a bow at Simple Human.

I use bows like these on my Christmas tree, along with extra ribbon in a complimentary color, instead of tinsel or garlands. Looks nice.

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Though I don’t expect you to follow me in the craziness, I will pass on some tips I’ve found useful from good ol’ Martha:

* After-Christmas sales are the perfect time to stock up on paper and trimmings for the following year.

* Fill a wrappings box with papers, ribbons, and other embellishments you collect all year long; save bits of ribbons, seam binding, and twine, along with decorative fruit and leaves, and tiny ornaments.

* Choose a palette to unify the gifts you wrap—then vary the materials; everything you give will have your signature for the season.

* Use simple, inexpensive materials like tissue paper (we used silver, far left) or kraft paper, then transform gifts with special ribbons and items from your wrappings box. Kraft paper also makes an attractive yet sturdy wrapping for oddly shaped packages (center left).

I’ll add a few tidbits.

• Color co-ordinate kicks ass. I love simple papers in bright colors – gold, silver, blue, bronze, red, green. You name it. Shine says glamour.
• When you are giving more than one present, put them in square boxes and stack them – then put a bow and ribbon around the whole thing.
• Bigger (wider) ribbon makes a bigger impact. Look at big department stores, or Costco, for the best deals.
• Decorate with a candy cane or ornament tied into the bow

When it comes to the actual wrapping, it always surprises me how few people know how to wrap a package, or how people detest it. Really, I love it. I know, I’m probably abnormal that way. But, for the rest of y’all, here is a visual how-to from, who else, Martha – go there for the rest of the steps.

Good luck!

Post from: She Knows Best

Anyway, enough about me. I want you guys to make your beds!

Do you know how to make your bed? You know, with those fancy “hospital corners” and everything?

Well, if you don’t, here’s a handy resource from HGTV to learn the simple 8 steps to making your bed neat and tidy:

1. Put the bottom sheet on the bed and tuck in on one side. Start tucking at the head of the bed and move down to the foot.

2. Make hospital corners by pulling up the edge of the sheet or blanket about 15 inches from the end of the bed. Lift it up so it makes a diagonal fold. Lay the fold onto the mattress. Take the part of the sheet or blanket that is hanging and tuck it under the mattress. Drop the fold and pull it smooth then tuck it under the mattress.

3. Add the top sheet. The hemmed end of the top sheet should be at the headboard end of the bed, and the hem should be about a foot from the headboard when the sheet’s folded back. Next add the top blanket. Mark the center of the blanket with a small X so it’s easier to center it with the sheet. Tuck in the blanket using hospital corners.

4. Position the pillows at the head of the bed before tucking in the top sheet. The top of the blanket should lay a couple of inches below the top of the sheet. Tuck in the blanket using hospital corners.

5. Place a dust cover over the pillows. This hides the sheets and keeps dust off the pillows. Tuck the ends of the cover under the mattress.

6. At home, simply fold down the sheet and blanket and leave the pillows exposed.

7. A mattress should be rotated four times a year. A good way to remember this is to rotate the mattress when the seasons change. A mattress should also be flipped twice a year.

8. See if the finished bed can pass the Army’s quarter-bounce test. A coin will bounce on a tightly-made bed.

Post from: She Knows Best

You know women tend to, overall, spend a bit more time in the bathroom. And we do look around. We scan to see if it is clean. And sometimes even check the medicine cabinet. It we stay over, you better believe we want to step into that shower without feeling we need to tiptoe around dirt or avoid putting our clean feet on your bath mat.

I would rather see bathroom #2 than #1 below.

So, the bathroom is key. We look and we judge. This is a cornerstone for our opinion of your cleanliness.

Here are some tips for that best first impression:

• Make it clean. Top to bottom. Get the corners, get underneath shampoo bottles, and all around the toilet and sink. No hair or dirt or scum should be visible.
• Clean your shower curtain and bath mat.
• Have a dual shower curtain system – cloth on the outside and plastic on the inside for that water tight bit. It makes it look clean.
• Have a bath mat that doesn’t show fuzz or dirt as easily. Try one in a sandy colour.
• Throw out or hide in your linen closet all shampoo bottles or other stuff that you never use.
• Put everything away – get a nice cheap medicine cabinet for above the toilet or sink or a standing unit. Ikea is cheap.
• Have clean towels. Make sure they look folded, not thrown around. Oh, and make sure they don’t look a million years old. Matching towels, or towel sets, are great.
• Have a brand new bar of soap in the shower.
• Get nice accessories: a stainless soap dispenser for the sink, a nice cotton ball jar, vases with flowers, special soaps in a dish
• Have good mirrors
• Put stuff on the walls. It is nice to look at something
• Make sure your toilet seat has no chips or discoloration. Even if it is clean, it will look kinda gross.
• Have extra toilet paper near the toilet.
• Don’t leave your shaving stuff visible.
• Organize your medicine cabinet. Have it clean and remove anything you don’t want prying eyes to see. Even better – show your style by having your great products in there: moisturizer, hair gel, cologne, aftershave.

Hope these tips help!

Post from: She Knows Best