My mom rolls them up in a ball, too.

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Now that our teen is helping with the laundry, I would like to show him to fold a fitted bedsheet.

I usually just roll it up into a ball. (bad, I know)

Signed,

Life Skills Teacher to Growing Son
Ivy says:

The person who actually showed me how to fold a fitted sheet is my dad. My mom kind of wads them into a shape somewhat resembling a rectangle, but my dad folds the neatest fitted sheets ever. Weird, I know.

The object of making fitted sheets look all nice and neat is to get rid of the waddy end. We accomplish this by hiding it into the center of the sheets. Observe:

Gather all the little fitted ends together. Smooth out the rest of the sheet.

Take the sheet and fold ends over to make a rectangle-like object. It will not be a perfect rectangle on the end with the fitted mess, but it will be close.

Now, fold that not-so-neat end so it is in the middle of the sheet, kind of like folding a letter.

Fold the other half over the top, and you finally have a completely neat and smooth rectangle. Fold it in half again, and you won’t be able to tell your fitted sheets from your flat sheets!

Musty, mildewy, downright funky towels

Dear Home Ec 101:

My towels all smell funky. Is it my teenage son? He’s usually pretty good about hanging up his towel, but lately they’ve all developed a stink. There is nothing quite like stepping out of the shower to be greeted with a musty, smelly towel.

Help!

~Musty in Muncie

Heather says:

Funkified towels will shortly be the merest whiff of a memory. First of all, go sniff your washer. No, really, especially if you have one of those new fangled, high efficiency front loading wonder machines. They are notorious for harboring mildew. If the machine is the source of your funk, check out this post, you’ll have things smelling sweet in no time.

If your washing machine is not the source of the odor problem, we must dig a little deeper. Make sure your son is hanging up his towels. If they stay wet for any length of time, it’s like inviting all your mildew friends to party and just like your husband’s obnoxious cousin, they just don’t take a hint.

Now that we know that little Bobby is hanging up his towels and the washer is not the source of the funk, it’s time to address the towels themselves. This may sound counter-intuitive, but often an underlying cause of odor is the overuse of detergent. Deposits can build up on the towels and odor molecules just love to cling to these sticky spots.

The following tips apply ONLY to your everyday towels. For your guest and decorative towels always follow the label directions. These methods are for the ones you don’t mind fading. Personally, I’d rather use soft, slightly-faded, odor free towels on a regular basis and have a few set aside for decoration or guests.

If your towels are fairly ripe, it may be time to strip them of the residue. Wash them in very hot water with baking soda, borax, or washing soda, and add vinegar to the rinse cycle. If possible, observe the rinse water for sudsing. If the towels are creating soapy bubbles, you may need to repeat the first step. Otherwise, dry them immediately and thoroughly.

Fabric softeners can build up on towels making them less absorbent. 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle will naturally soften towels and help retard mildew growth. If all you have on hand is vinegar of the balsamic or red wine varieties, temporarily skip the vinegar step.

*Frugal Tip* Manufacturers often include suggested amounts well over the minimum necessary to complete a desired job. With items such as laundry and dish detergent it may be worth your time to experiment and find the least amount necessary to achieve desired results. Too much detergent can build up on your clothing while too much dish soap just washes down the drain unused. Rather than blindly scooping to the recommended line with each load, try cutting back. When you first notice that you are not getting the desired results, go back to the last amount that worked well. Don’t forget to mark your new amount on the measuring cup.

Menu Monday 4/30

Heather says:

In my part of the country the weather is getting warmer and for the most part meals are getting lighter. The local produce stand is once again becoming an integral part of my weekly rounds.

• Monday - Tomato pie, caesar salad, homemade stove-top mac and cheese
• Tuesday - Lentil enchilada casserole, green salad
• Wednesday - homemade chicken nuggets, green beans, ranch potatoes
• Thursday - chili mac, cornbread, steamed broccoli
• Friday - oven fried fish and chips, coleslaw
• Saturday - meatball calzones, zucchini and summer squash with parmesan
• Sunday - grilled steaks, baked potatoes, asparagus, cucumber salad

Sunday special

Heather says:

No person can be “on” all the time. Whether you’re a college student, a parent of young children, or a work-a-holic, a person must take some time to replenish themselves. Life, in all of its wonder and aggravation takes a toll that must be paid. Aside from adequate nutrition and rest, the mind and spirit need time to recharge.

I’m the mother of two small and very active little boys. From the second their eyes pop open in the morning until the last one closes at night, there is very little “down time.” It took me a while to realize I had to carve out some time for myself. For some, that time may be at the end of the day. In the evenings I hear the call of all the “I shoulds.” I should be writing an article, I should be prepping this for tomorrow, I should… I should… I should. I take my time in the morning, while the house is still quiet, a cup of coffee and silence.

Each day is filled with a hundred details, what to eat, what to wear, where will I find the money to pay for it all, and where on earth did I put my keys?  Perspective is easily lost. Life is hectic, but it won’t grind to screeching a halt by setting aside a few minutes each day for reflection and thanksgiving.  Learning to find even a few minutes peace takes practice, but the overall effect may be priceless.

Maybe we should change to Jam 101

Dear Home Ec 101:

How long can an open jar of jam or jelly be kept in the fridge before it spoils? (And how do you know when it spoils?)I’m not a big jam eater, but enjoy it once in a while. However, I end up throwing out a lot of jam because I don’t know whether it’s still good after it’s been in the fridge for months.

Signed,

Puzzled in Punxsutawney

Heather says:

Who knew that jam would be such a hot topic?  I spent some time researching your question.  Homemade full sugar jams and jellies will keep at 40F for a month or a little longer.  Freezer jams and jellies are more prone to weeping and tend to degrade faster than conventionally preserved jam.  Low sugar and no sugar jams also tend to have shorter shelf lives than their full sugar counterparts.

Commercially packaged jams and jellies may be stored in the refrigerator at 40F for up to one year.  Donning my tin-foil hat - I tend to trust food that has a lifespan shorter than that of polyester.  I kid!  If you looked in my fridge, you’d find some Smuckers cozied up to my homemade strawberry jam.

Use your eyes and nose to tell you if your jam has gone bad.  If you smell yeast, alcohol, or an ‘off’ odor it’s time to say goodbye.  Also toss any jam or jelly that has changed color or appears to be growing friends.

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