Recycle Kitchen Wastes Using a Home Worm Bin

Written by Sherry Palmer


Recycling your kitchen wastes using a home worm bin is an easy, ecologically sound way to dispose of kitchen wastes. Just think about how much water is used every day when you wash garbage downrepparttar garbage disposal in your sink!

Besides saving water, a worm bin produces an organic compost that can be used instead of chemical fertilizers in your garden and on your house plants. This is a fun and educational activity for youngsters. They will learn something aboutrepparttar 116339 biology of worms and alsorepparttar 116340 importance of reusing and recycling to preserve resources.

Here are 10 easy steps to setting up your worm bin:

1.Select a container to house your worms. Both wooden boxes and plastic storage bins work well. 2.Determine what size you need based onrepparttar 116341 amount of waste you generate per week. An average household of 4 creates 6 lbs of food waste per week. They would need a 6 sq ft bin. (2’ x 3’). Keeping your container fairly shallow 12”-18” helps keeprepparttar 116342 bedding from compacting and makes it easier to handle. 3.Your bin should also have a lid to keep predators out and protect your worms from exposure to light and sudden temperature changes. 4.Drill some holes about 1/8” diameter and about 4” apart inrepparttar 116343 sides and bottom to provide air circulation and good drainage. 5.If you keep your bin indoors, set it up on blocks and place a tray or thick layer of newspapers under it to catch any excess moisture that may drain out ofrepparttar 116344 bottom.. 6.Add damp bedding torepparttar 116345 bin. Strips of old newspaper, shredded paper, leaves, or peat moss all work well. Use what you have. Makerepparttar 116346 bedding about 6” deep. 7.Addrepparttar 116347 food waste. You can addrepparttar 116348 food in piles or spread it out into a shallow layer. But cover it with about another 2” of damp bedding. Worms will eat anything that has once been alive including paper. Vegetable scraps, spoiled leftovers fromrepparttar 116349 fridge, cereal, fruit rinds, coffee grounds (includingrepparttar 116350 paper filters), and stale bread all make great worm food. Don’t feed raw meat, dairy products, or pet feces.

Budget Furniture Fix Ups

Written by Kathleen Wilson


Faced with my own furniture dilemma recently, I thought what a great opportunity for me to share ideas with you on how to turn around that tired piece of furniture, without having to spend big bucks! So here it is, secrets from The Budget Decorator on transforming your furniture from trash to TFTE! (Treat For The Eyes!)

One ofrepparttar most expensive items in our rooms is our furniture, and we can’t always afford to just replace it when it gets worn, outdated, or just no longer works in your room. The number one concern for those trying to update existing furniture is slipcovers. Now, unless you are an experienced seamstress, sewing fitted slipcovers is no easy task. However, fortunately today’s trends lean towards casual, and that includes furniture. Here are instructions for some simple, casual covers that almost anyone can do. First of all, use sheets instead of pieced fabric, it is MUCH easier and cheaper! Measure your furniture, and buy a sheet size that will cover your furniture piece without it’s cushions, tucked in and aroundrepparttar 116338 arms.(Don’t forget to check out garage sales for good deals!) Use decorative cording if you like to tie aroundrepparttar 116339 “skirt” area to give it a more structured look. Simply tuck ends underrepparttar 116340 couch or chair.( You could even tape or staplerepparttar 116341 ends torepparttar 116342 bottom ofrepparttar 116343 piece, if you wanted.) Now take each of your cushions and look at it as if you are wrapping a gift. Cut a piece large enough for your cushion, wrap it like a present, and safety pin it torepparttar 116344 underside ofrepparttar 116345 cushion. (Who’s gonna see it?) Add a few pillows and a throw, and you have changedrepparttar 116346 entire look of your furniture for little money,repparttar 116347 covers are washable, and you can make one for each season if you want. Sheets, blankets, and quilts can all be used for this project, and can be found at garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe even your own linen closet. Try wrappingrepparttar 116348 cushions with another, different fabric fromrepparttar 116349 room. Remember, this is all about casual style, and slipcovers are definitely stylish! Even dining room chairs can be slipcovered. Simply make an open envelope of fabric to fit overrepparttar 116350 back ofrepparttar 116351 chair, similar to a pillowcase. If you like, this can be dressed up by tying it with cord or ribbon, sewing on decorative buttons, or adding a little lace. This project can easily be made from leftover curtain fabric and scraps lying around your sewing room.

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