opalbabe's Full Review: Haley's Hints: A Compilation Books
Haley's Hints by Graham and Rosemary Haley. This review is based on the 1995 hard covered edition.
Haley's Hints is a book that covers over 2000 household tips and helpful advice. The back covers read:
"Your home may need special care and attention, but so do you! That's why we're taking special care compiling thousands of time-tested ideas that will not only make your household management simple and efficient, but will also leave a lot more time just for you!
We've included hints on saving money and effort, on cleaning and repairs, on children and seniors, plants, pets and pests - even tips for the sports-minded. We've also included ideas for recipes, stain-removal and sewing hints, advice for the workplace and, finally, a section on pampering yourself. You'll find that many of the hints we've collected involve natural ingredients, readily available!
To help you find the exact hint you need, when you need it, we've prepared an amazingly comprehensive index. This book will work for you. Enjoy it. Read it cover to cover, or consult it whenever you need to!
Whether you work full-time, part-time, or all the time, you'll work less with Haley's Hints!"
With that out of the way... Let me focus on what this book it all about.
Haley's Hints is a 400 page, hard covered book, that teaches us different ways to manage our lives. Chapters include Kitchen Magic, Order in the House, Laundry Day Helpers, A Stitch in Time, Kids' Korner, 'Specially for Seniors, The Home Handyperson, Pet Parade, Pest Peeves, The Car Mechanic, Gardening With A Green Thumb, Roughing It... The Easy Way, Sporting Life, Nine To Five, Just for You and Hint Grab-Bag.
1. Kitchen Magic handles all of our cooking, storing & cleaning problems in the kitchen. It talks about what to do if we run out of certain ingredients and what can make a good replacement. There are tips, tricks & "old wive's tales" to help in just about any situation.
2. Order in the House is a chapter about cleaning, making your home a safe one...and just about everything in-between! For instance: Always wash your windows with horizontal strokes on the inside and vertical strokes on the outside, or vice-versa. This way, if there are any streaks, you'll know which side of the glass they are on! Pretty nifty, huh? The chapter also discusses how to use everyday household items to clean with. "Use cold tea to clean woodwork". "Use mayonnaise to get rid of water rings". "Save the last of the shampoo instead of throwing it out... let it drip into a pump dispenser for washing your hands.".
3. Laundry Day Helpers says to add a teaspoon of ammonia to the laundry water to help keep colors from running. (I haven't had to guts to try that one!). "Keep your hand-washable sweaters in shape by first placing the un-washed sweater on a large sheet of paper. Outline it. After the sweater has been washed, pin it to the paper form and it should dry perfectly".
4. A Stitch in Time says "A pattern sprayed with sizing, before pressing, will last longer". "Sharpen your machine needle by running it through a piece of sandpaper several times".
5. Kids' Korner will teach you how to use a heating pad to keep baby's "spot" warm in the crib during a feeding! (I might try this in MY bed during a bathroom run!!). You'll also learn how to make your own baby wipes out of old flannel diapers or shirts. It also has a recipe for making your own Play Dough!
6. Pointers for People in their Prime is a wonderful chapter on how to take medications, how to make your own orthopedic towels, tricks to use in the bathroom if you have a hard time reaching & bending. I love the tip on using a hair dryer to reach those "hard to reach" places!! I use this on my toddlers when they are in a hurry to get back to their television shows after a bath!
7. The Home Handyperson explains just what the average home-owner needs to keep on hand, how to clean rusty tools, finding wall studs, tips on wallpapering and painting. This is a must have for new home owners.
8. Pet Parade is a chapter that I have not read yet, since we do not have a pet at this time. But, it looks like it could be very helpful with how to handled a "skunked" pet. Did you know that feeding your cat sardines in oil sauce once a month will help him avoid coughing up fur balls?
9. Pest Peeves will help you get rid of what's bugging you! Everything from ants to earwigs to spiders & mice! Ever have a bumble bee get into your house & you go running outdoors? Well, just turn off all the lights, open the back door (or front I assume), turn on the patio light & let the bee fly to the light.
10. The Car Mechanic gives you tips on increasing your cars life. It covers everything under the hood, under the car and exterior and interior. Ever thought about keeping potpourri in the ashtray as an air freshener? Frozen locks... try lighting your key with a match first to warm it up!
11. Gardening with a Green Thumb give you "serious soil care" advice. Does your fern need some new fertilizer? Try four raw oysters, finely chopped and work it into the soil. Save the water after boiling pasta or potatoes... cool the water then sprinkle it over plants!
12. Roughing it... the Easy Way have tips to use when camping, picnicking or entertaining in the backyard. Add some pine cones to your campfire kindling to burn well & hot. Waterproof your matches with candle wax before a camp-out! To remove tar on your feet from the beach sand, rub them with toothpaste! Flat beer at a barbeque? Next time, try placing a matchstick across the rim of your beer bottle.
13. Sporting Life has advice on taking care of your sporting equipment. Tennis ball problems? Try placing them in a gas oven overnight & the pilot light heat should help restore the bounce! Are you a hockey player? Try keeping your hockey pucks in the freezer until you need them... they'll stay harder.
14. Nine to Five have hints for the office. Turn a pill bottle into a handy stamp dispenser. Use a pencil eraser to double as a lost earring back! Give your feet a massage with a screw top bottle, hot water and a desk!
15. Just for You. A collection of tips to pamper you, relax you and keep you looking & feeling great. Recipes for oatmeal scrub, oatmeal mask and strawberry mask. Tips on blackhead & oily skin using milk of magnesia! Homemade moisturizers to relieving puffy eyes is all here in this chapter! Apply a little petroleum jelly whenever you dab on perfume... the scent should last longer! Learn how shaving cream will avoid the mirrors from fogging up!
16. Hint Grab Bag are for the miscellaneous tips. Keep spare candles in the freezer and they'll burn slower & more evenly. Grind a 1/2 cup of uncooked rice through your coffee grinder for a quick clean!
Haley's Hints also lists a website which is www.haleyshints.com.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS WONDERFUL BOOK
Haley's Hints is a GREAT book with some unbelievable advice. Granted, I've tried a few that didn't cut it...but most were extremely helpful.
This is certainly a fun book that keeps the reader interested. It is put together in a fashion that makes it very easy to look up what you need in a flash. The print in this book is slightly larger which is wonderful news for anyone who finds reading a problem with their eyesight.
I personally purchase a new copy of this book for every wedding shower & baby shower I attend. I think it's a must-have for every household.
Haley s Hints includes environment friendly hints on cleaning and stain removal, on pest control and pet care. Tips for children and seniors, gardener...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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