The following is part three of a ten-part guest post from best selling author of Stop Throwing Money Away Jamie Novak.
Think organizing has to be a costly endeavor? Think again!
I love to shop from home (or a friend’s home) usually we can find what we need to get the job done. Sometimes I even pull stuff from the recycling bin, I talk more about those clever re-uses in a one-minute video at JamieNovak.com
One of my favorites is a basket. Do you have a few spare springtime baskets sitting around? Let’s use them to organize with…
Simply clip off the handle and you have a container perfect for sitting on a shelf in the pantry with snacks to grab or in the play area for small toys or rock collections. How about in the linen closet for spa products or in the wardrobe closet for socks, the ideas are endless. These baskets are perfect for storage so let’s put them to use today!
Next time we’ll talk about catalogs, specifically how to pare them down with just one click.
Jamie’s newest book Stop Throwing Money Away is on shelves now and she hosts an online community at www.BiteSizeLiving.com where you can join her for free by phone every month!
To be honest with you, I never knew what a junk drawer was until my husband and I moved in together. When he wanted to keep one I thought- are you serious? We never had a junk drawer in my house growing up… well actually we probably had more than one junk drawer, we just never knew to call it that.
Since it’s called a junk drawer, my assumption was that it was okay to keep it junky. Therefore, the junk drawer definitely became the place to toss all of the unknowns- things that didn’t really have a place anywhere else in the house. Also it just became the place to toss things very quickly when I was cleaning up without explanation- no one was going to judge me for throwing this in here… it’s the junk drawer, duh!
In the past 4 years, our junk drawer has gotten disturbingly out of hand, gaining more and more occupants.
The Before Shot.
The Junk Drawer Organizer from Rubbermaid comes with 6 interlocking pieces to help you get organized. Rubbermaid recommends setting aside an hour to tackle your junk drawer and to start by separating everything in your junk drawer into common piles (batteries, pens, small tools, etc.). There should also be a trash pile. You’d be surprised (or at least I was) at how much of that stuff can actually be thrown away.
Then, simply place the junk drawer organizer into your junk drawer (or as much of it that can fit) and place your junk drawer items in there neatly. Now, you can actually find things without digging through the drawer!
I did have one tray that did not fit (the one with the pens), but I simply placed it on top of the others.
HUGE difference there and I felt so accomplished when I was done!
Here are three tips Rubbermaid gives regarding keeping your junk drawer functional:
Give junk drawer inhabitants a specific place to live in the drawer.
Do not throw things in the junk drawer that belong elsewhere.
Clean the drawer out every once in a while.
And there you have it!
Rubbermaid has offered one of our readers the opportunity to win this junk drawer organizer!
How To Enter:
First you must answer the following question: Do you have a junk drawer? Do you keep it organized? This step is mandatory. All other entries will be void if this is not done first.
Extra Entries:
-Place the spring cleaning/organization event button on your site (1 entry)
(If you had the button on your site & commented prior to March 7th, you have three extra entries for this giveaway)
- Enter any other giveaway on my site or Danielle’s site. (Leave a comment saying which giveaway for 1 Entry)
- Tweet about this giveaway, leave the permalink to your Tweet in the comment box. You may do this twice daily. Tweets must be at least four hours apart.
(You may not Tweet a giveaway unless you are following me- ABittersweet1- on Twitter first) You may copy the following:
“Get organized! Win a junk drawer organizer in the #springcleaning & #organization event w/@ABittersweet1 & @ZealandsMom http://bit.ly/bCfmdo”
- Leave a message on the A Bittersweet Existence Facebook page. Let me know you are entering this giveaway.
Please leave the permalink to your comment in the comment box.
- Leave a message on the Rubbermaid Facebook Page. Let them know you are entering this giveaway.
Please leave the permalink to your comment in the comment box.
- Subscribe to my blog via email (Top right box). Leave your email address in the comment box.
(You must confirm your email subscription) Current subscribers count too!
- Follow my blog publicly using Google Friend Connect (or tell me if you already are). (1 Entry)
- Digg or Stumble this post (use social links below the post). Leave your username in the comment. (2 Entries for each)
- Grab my button and place it on your site (or tell me if you already have it). Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 Entries)
- Grab Danielle’s button and place it on your site (or let me know if you already have it). Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 Entries)
- Visit my personal blog. Read and comment on any post on the website. Leave a comment saying what post you commented on and what name you commented under. You can receive one entry for each comment you post on my blog.
- Visit Danielle’s site and comment on any non-giveaway post. Leave a comment saying what post you commented on and what name you commented under. You can receive one entry for each comment you post on her blog.
Please remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.
This contest is open to residents of the USA only. Contest ends on March 26th at 5:00 pm PST. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be notified via email. The winner will also be announced on the review section of my website in a new post. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me. If you fail to contact me within the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen using random.org.
These products were given to me for free for review purposes by Rubbermaid. All information about the company and their products were taken directly from the Rubbermaid website and were placed in quotation marks. I cannot verify the validity of these statements. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may have a different experience with this product. See my disclosure policy for more information.
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Posted in Uncategorized by , March 12, 2010 6:00 am Comments Off
The following is part two of a ten-part guest post from best selling author of Stop Throwing Money Away Jamie Novak.
Last time we talked about setting a timer and breaking up large tasks into smaller, more doable ones. How is that working for you?
For some of us even that timer idea is not enough to get us to stop putting things off. So I thought before we jump into actual organizing ideas in the next post we’d talk about one more sure-fire way to get things done in this post. After all no sense reading a bunch of great organizing ideas if we never take action!
So here’s the next best way to get things done: Create a Deadline!
Many times we can put off a task because it has no true deadline. Maybe you’ve been meaning to clear out the basement? but you can do that anytime, so you procrastinate about getting started.
If you want to get it done than create a self imposed deadline. You can call a local charity to make a date to drop off a bag, and then you have to do it because they are waiting for you to arrive. Personally I love this tip and I hope you do too, let us know if you give it a try.
Next time I’ll share cheap ways to get organized by shopping at home, you won’t want to miss it!
Jamie’s newest book Stop Throwing Money Away is on shelves now and she hosts an online community at www.BiteSizeLiving.com where you can join her for free by phone every month!
SKOY ” is a European made product and 100% biodegradable because it is made from a natural cotton and wood-based cellulose pulp. SKOY cloth is a chlorine-free product using water-based colors and inks. After an independent composting test, SKOY cloth broke down completely within 5 weeks.
The SKOY cloth is a durable product due to the reusability factor and can last months. Using a SKOY cloth is equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towels in an average home. With the high cost of paper towels, as much as $2 per roll, SKOY cloth is the obvious choice for your wallet and the environment.
The SKOY cloth has an absorption factor of 15x its own weight. As a result, producing the most superior cloth product available. The SKOY cloth is long-lasting because of the wash-ability feature. It dries quickly, so it is not a breeding ground for bacteria.”
The Skoy Cloths come so cutely packaged with a bow.
I use my SKOY cloth for everything that I may have used a sponge or paper towel for. This includes:
washing the dishes
cleaning up spills on the floor
cleaning the bathroom (tub/shower & counters)
cleaning off appliances
I love that the SKOY cloth can be tossed in the dishwasher, put in the microwave (while wet), or put in the washer & dryer to be cleaned.*
How long does the SKOY cloth last?
“Since SKOY is reusable and washable it can last a very long time, some people still use them after a year. A normal life cycle of a SKOY cloth starts in the kitchen to wipe countertops and table tops. After using the SKOY for a week or two in the kitchen, it can be renewed in the washer and “downgraded” for indoor cleaning such as floors, bathrooms, etc. After a few months in this stage, being washed a couple of times, the SKOY can then be used for outdoor messes, such as wiping patio furniture as well as for garage use. This is the great thing with SKOY, it can be used over and over again.”
How To Use the SKOY cloth:
“Wet your SKOY cloth before using. Be sure to squeeze out the excess water for optimal absorption. It can be used with popular household cleaners, but works just as well with water.
Note: Rinse cloth very well when combined with dish soap in order not to leave residue.”
The SKOY Story:
“We are two stay-at-home moms living in Encinitas, California. Our children have begun Elementary school and we have a little extra time. We decided that this would be the perfect time to start our business.
We had a desire to share a cloth that is better than any cloth we have ever used and was environmentally friendly. We started to do a little research and were shocked to see how people were cleaning their kitchens. We were even more shocked to find out how many tons of paper towels were being used annually (2.5 million tons) and filling up our landfills.
The idea originated when Michelle was living in Europe in the late 90’s. She discovered a product that was similar to the SKOY cloth and it was just amazing. Over time she found the cloth to be indispensable. When she moved back to the US, she realized that the use of a sponge was inadequate and the excessive use of paper towels, wasteful. Michelle searched and searched for a similar cloth and nothing even compared; nothing was of the same caliber. This is when Michelle introduced the cloth to Karen. She immediately fell in love with it and could not imagine cleaning with anything else.’
We then put our heads together and discussed a way to bring this product to the US with the requirement that it meet our high standard. Now we are so excited to be able to offer the SKOY cloth to you—which is everything that we had hoped it would be.”
The SKOY has turned out to be such a great find for me. I love using it knowing that because of the SKOY cloth, I am using less paper towels. It brings me comfort to know that it is biodegradable, so it’s not harming our planet.
SKOY has offered two of our readers the chance to win a set of SKOY cloths. That’s right, TWO WINNERS!
How To Enter:
First you must answer the following question: Do you use paper towels or sponges? How would you use the SKOY cloth? This step is mandatory. All other entries will be void if this is not done first.
Extra Entries:
-Place the spring cleaning/organization event button on your site (1 entry)
(If you had the button on your site & commented prior to March 7th, you have three extra entries for this giveaway)
- Enter any other giveaway on my site or Danielle’s site. (Leave a comment saying which giveaway for 1 Entry)
- Tweet about this giveaway, leave the permalink to your Tweet in the comment box. You may do this twice daily. Tweets must be at least four hours apart.
(You may not Tweet a giveaway unless you are following me- ABittersweet1- on Twitter first) You may copy the following:
“Ditch the paper towels! Win @skoycloth during the #springcleaning & #organization event w/@ABittersweet1 & @ZealandsMom http://bit.ly/dDu1o0 ”
- Leave a message on the A Bittersweet Existence Facebook page. Let me know you are entering this giveaway.
Please leave the permalink to your comment in the comment box.
- Leave a message on the SKOY Facebook Page. Let them know you are entering this giveaway.
Please leave the permalink to your comment in the comment box.
- Subscribe to my blog via email (Top right box). Leave your email address in the comment box.
(You must confirm your email subscription) Current subscribers count too!
- Follow my blog publicly using Google Friend Connect (or tell me if you already are). (1 Entry)
- Digg or Stumble this post (use social links below the post). Leave your username in the comment. (2 Entries for each)
- Grab my button and place it on your site (or tell me if you already have it). Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 Entries)
- Grab Danielle’s button and place it on your site (or let me know if you already have it). Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 Entries)
- Visit my personal blog. Read and comment on any post on the website. Leave a comment saying what post you commented on and what name you commented under. You can receive one entry for each comment you post on my blog.
- Visit Danielle’s site and comment on any non-giveaway post. Leave a comment saying what post you commented on and what name you commented under. You can receive one entry for each comment you post on her blog.
Please remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.
This contest is open to residents of the USA only. Contest ends on March 24th at 5:00 pm PST. The winners will be chosen using random.org and will be notified via email. The winners will also be announced on the review section of my website in a new post. The winners will have 48 hours to contact me. If you fail to contact me within the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen using random.org.
These products were given to me for free for review purposes by SKOY. All information about the company and their products were taken directly from the SKOY website and were placed in quotation marks. I cannot verify the validity of these statements. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may have a different experience with this product. See my disclosure policy for more information.
*According to a scientific study microwaving a wet sponge for 2 minutes is an effective method to sterilize it and kill the bacteria. Click here for more information.
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Posted in Uncategorized by , March 10, 2010 9:06 pm Comments Off
10 Ways to get organized and save money
a series of 10 guest posts by Jamie Novak
I thought we’d kick off our fantastic Spring Cleaning Event by sharing one of the secrets to getting things done. You know how so many times we plan to give an area a clean sweep…then life happens and we never really get around to it?
Well if you’ve been known to put off or procrastinate about tackling a job I want to share the secret to getting things done, ready?
Set a timer. That’s it, simply set a timer.
I’m not kidding, this is the single best way to get things done. See often what happens is we plan to tackle and area, but that’s overwhelming. Say you want to clean the play area, sure sounds like easy, but then you realize you have to sort toys, make decisions, clean the rug, pick which toys to keep, come up with a way to store stuffed toys, find a home for the rock collection and locate the missing puzzle piece plus choose storage bins and so much more.
What if you set a timer for just 18 minutes and did a corner of the play area? When the bell sounds you feel accomplished (not done, I know there is more- frankly there is always more!) But you set a goal and reached it, you did something. Tomorrow you can do some more.
That’s easier right? Keep in mind; this is not all or nothing, rarely do we have hours to tackle a project. But we can all squeeze in 18 minutes. Some is better than none and getting started is the hardest part, so will you try this today?
Stay tuned; next time we’re talking about one other sure-fire way to make things happen!
Jamie’s newest book Stop Throwing Money Away is on shelves now and she hosts an online community at www.BiteSizeLiving.com where you can join her for free by phone every month!
Everyone knows Post-It. How could you not? They are the organization tool to have. Especially if you are a list-maker like me. When I was still teaching, there were post-it notes everywhere and the trend carries over to my home office where the post-it notes are stuck to my piano and computer monitor. It’s the only way that I can remember to do everything it is that needs to be done!
Post-It offers a very wide range of products in order to help you organize and communicate with others- they are just the sticky note people, folks!
Whatever your organization or communication need, chances are Post-It has it in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Their product line includes:
“Post-it® Notes are a great way to jot, remind, share, list, plan and brainstorm.
Express yourself with dozens of unique shapes, colors, sizes and designs.”
Post-It Notes are available in the following colors:
and in the following sizes:
8×6- that’s almost the size of a sheet of paper! So you can always find a post-it note to meet your needs?
Want to add a little flair to your post-it notes? Check out these special die cut shapes and patterned post-its:
They even have this awesome weekly planner that you can stick post-it notes on!
Post-It Flags are my FAVORITE THINGS. I use them to keep my page in a book or mark recipes that I want to try in cook books. When I was teaching, if there were documents that I had to type up, I could use the flag to remind me what points I wanted to highlight.
“Organize and emphasize information quickly and easily with Post-it® Flags. Use them to draw attention to critical items, for indexing and filing, or for color coding. Learn more about the different types of Post-it® Flags below – there’s a useful tip on every page!”
You read correctly! Did you even know that Post-It/3M made desktop organizers? I, did not until recently!
“Organize your desktop in a style that’s right for you. Our Professional Series Dispensers give you sleek desktop styling. Our Designer Series Dispensers are for those who want contemporary European styling. And our mountable options put notes anywhere you need them.”
Of course, their desktop organizers can hold your favorite Post-It product, depending on your needs!
Need help finding a specific type of label? You can search for them by template here.
I’m not really sure where I would be without Post-It, especially their sticky notes and flags. I use post-its so much, it should probably be a sin. BUT if it helps to keep me organized and reminds me of the important things, there is nothing wrong with that!
Sustainability:
3M and Post-It care about our planet, too. Here’s a short video clip out their sustainability efforts:
For every Post-It or 3M recycled product you purchase, they will plant a tree. That is a great way to help give back to our planet!
Need help getting organized in your office?
Post-It has teamed up with Smead to help you get organized. Click here for information.
About Post-It:
“They’re little and they stick — but not too hard. That’s why everyone loves Post-it® Notes! Yet the unique that makes these little notes so indispensable waited more than a decade for its chance to change the world.
Dr. Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist, discovered the formula for the sticky stuff back in 1968. But it was Silver’s colleague, Art Fry, who finally came up with a practical use for it. The idea for repositionable notes struck Fry while singing in the church choir. His bookmark kept falling out of his hymnal, causing him to lose his page. So, taking advantage of a 3M policy known as the “bootlegging” policy, Fry used a portion of his working hours to develop a solution to his problem. Now the world is singing the praises of his pet project: Post-it® Notes.
After years of product development, 3M introduced the concept of Post-it® Notes in four major markets in 1977. But, without actual samples in hand to try, consumers didn’t catch on. A year later, 3M blanketed the Boise, Idaho, market with samples upon samples of Post-it® Notes. After trying the notes, more than 90 percent of users said they’d buy the product themselves. The test was a success! By 1980, Post-it® Notes were being sold nationally. Today, they’re used and enjoyed throughout the world.”
3M & Post-It have offered readers of A Bittersweet Existence & There’s No Snakes in New Zealand a chance to win a variety pack to help you get organized!
Four Winners will receive a prize pack* & There are plenty of ways to enter!!
How To Enter:
First you must answer the following question: Do you use post-it products? How do you use them? This step is mandatory. All other entries will be void if this is not done first.
Extra Entries:
-Place the spring cleaning/organization event button on your site (1 entry)
(If you had the button on your site & commented prior to March 7th, you have three extra entries for this giveaway)
- Enter any other giveaway on my site or Danielle’s site. (Leave a comment saying which giveaway for 1 Entry)
- Tweet about this giveaway, leave the permalink to your Tweet in the comment box. You may do this twice daily. Tweets must be at least four hours apart.
(You may not Tweet a giveaway unless you are following me- ABittersweet1- on Twitter first) You may copy the following:
“Win an @postitproducts Prize Pack during the #springcleaning & #organization event with @ABittersweet1 & @ZealandsMom http://bit.ly/bKQ7TL ”
- Leave a message on the A Bittersweet Existence Facebook page. Let me know you are entering this giveaway.
Please leave the permalink to your comment in the comment box.
- Leave a message on the Post-It Facebook Page. Let them know you are entering this giveaway.
Please leave the permalink to your comment in the comment box.
- Subscribe to the Post-It YouTube Channel. (Please let me know your username in the comment) (2 Entries)
- Subscribe to my blog via email (Top right box). Leave your email address in the comment box.
(You must confirm your email subscription) Current subscribers count too!
- Follow my blog publicly using Google Friend Connect (or tell me if you already are). (1 Entry)
- Digg or Stumble this post (use social links below the post). Leave your username in the comment. (2 Entries for each)
- Grab my button and place it on your site (or tell me if you already have it). Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 Entries)
- Grab Danielle’s button and place it on your site (or let me know if you already have it). Leave a link to where I can find it. (2 Entries)
- Visit my personal blog. Read and comment on any post on the website. Leave a comment saying what post you commented on and what name you commented under. You can receive one entry for each comment you post on my blog.
- Visit Danielle’s site and comment on any non-giveaway post. Leave a comment saying what post you commented on and what name you commented under. You can receive one entry for each comment you post on her blog.
Please remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.
This contest is open to residents of the USA only. Contest ends on March 22nd at 5:00 pm PST. The winners will be chosen using random.org and will be notified via email. The winners will also be announced on the review section of my website in a new post. The winners will have 48 hours to contact me. If you fail to contact me within the 48 hour period, a new winner will be chosen using random.org.
These products were given to me for free for review purposes by the PR company representing 3M Post-It. All information about the company and their products were taken directly from the 3M Post-It website and were placed in quotation marks. I cannot verify the validity of these statements. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own. See my disclosure policy for more information.
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Posted in Uncategorized by , March 8, 2010 4:18 pm Comments Off
By definition, “the term ‘corked wine’ is applied to all wines with TCA contamination because corks are the source of most of the problems. Even a very tiny amount of TCA in a wine can ruin it. When TCA is present in quantities high enough to be evident to a person, it comes across as ‘musty’ aromas and flavors. If you get a ‘corked’ wine, you should return it to the store from which it was purchased or refuse it at the restaurant.” (Definition taken from cellarnotes.net)
This book is about a daughter (Kathryn) who suffers from depression after a tragic accident and is plagued by the thought of her father’s death. In order to get to know her father better before he dies, she suggests they embark on a wine tasting trip through France.
The book, for me, was a very difficult read. I felt as though Kathryn were trying too hard with big words and a great deal of metaphors which often made no sense to me. I found myself thinking “get to the point” on numerous occasions. I wanted to stop reading the book after only a few pages, but continued to read it for two reasons: a) I was hoping there was be a big turn and it would get interesting. So, I wanted to see what would happen- would her father die? and b) I thought I would not have been able to give you an accurate review had I not read it all.
For me, the book did not become interesting until page 250- then I began to smile. Kathryn and her dad have a sort of “aha” moment and their wine trip (which is almost at the end) becomes enjoyable for both the reader and the father-daughter duo. Otherwise, the book was painfully long, filled with Kathryn letting us inside of her thoughts, where she goes off on nonsensical rants often. Torturing us with stories of her ex-boyfriends, their break-ups and the like.
Her father, though, was extremely likable and I enjoyed reading the stories of his past that he would share with Kathryn from time-to-time. I also enjoyed reading about his angry fits that he would have with certain people they meet. As a woman who has a highly complex, on again-off again, love/dislike/happy/sad relationship with her own father, I completely “get” Kathryn’s dad as he is presented in the book. I get her embarrassment with him at times, but still love him. He is who he is and at the very end of the book, Kathryn learns why.
We learn the names of many towns in France as well as types of grapes. We meet very interesting keepers at the wineries they visit and go on at-times boring tours through the imagery Kathryn uses.
Something that I did find very annoying was the fact that though there is a great deal of French language used in the book, only some of the language is translated for the reader. I, myself, studied French for seven years and I am slightly familiar with the language, having lost it along the way. I felt bothered, though, for the reader who knows no French and therefore a piece of the storyline is lost for them because they do not know what is being said.
Having said all of this, I am no better for having read this book and it was a completely torturous read and waste of my time. You, though, may feel differently about it.
*This book was given to me for free review purposes by the Hachette Book Group. The views/opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may have a different experience with this product. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.*
When I contacted Delta’s public relations representative, I honestly set out on a quest for information. I wanted to write about how sick my entire family has been, for the past few months, it has just been one person after the other. Chris, Me, Cadence- Me, Cadence, Chris… it’s just ridiculous.
Then, I saw this commercial on television:
Besides the catchy tune, I thought, no way- touchless in the house? How cool!
Now, let’s think about this. In the past few months we have had:
- A baby with the flu
- A husband with a stomach virus
- A baby with a stomach virus
- A mom with walking pneumonia
- A baby with a cold
and the list could go on.
Every time I saw this commercial I thought, that may be the answer to my problems… well, sort of- that and Lysol spray and Clorox wipes. In addition to Lysol-ing our homes to the ground, I thought this product is a step in the direction of decreasing the spread of germs.
When you are in the kitchen handling food, raw meats, etc. and go to wash your hands, those germs get on the faucet. When you use the bathroom and go to wash your hands, those germs get on the toilet handle and the bathroom faucet. I am a semi-germaphobe- not fully there yet, but knowing that germs like that are there kinda bother me. If I could have touchless everything in my home… I probably would.
Back to Delta. So I wanted to blog about this awesome new faucet I’d seen and I just wanted some in-depth information about the technology so that I could write knowledgeably about it. And by the grace of God and through the kindness of strangers- boom!
My new Delta® Faucet with Touch2O® Technology
There are so many things that makes this faucet incredible.
About this faucet:
This bad boy (or bad girl) is the Pilar® Pull-Down Faucet with Touch2O® Technology.
“Pilar is a distinctive kitchen faucet that coordinates with any décor and provides all the convenient functionality Touch2O® Technology has to offer. Pilar also features Delta’s exclusive MagnaTite™ Docking to keep the wand securely in place.“
Product Features and Benefits:
“The High-arc design of Pilar™ provides graceful functionality
Sleek design coupled with the latest valve technology.
You also have your choice of two different finishes- chrome or brilliance stainless.
Here are some of the amazing features that I love about the Pilar faucet:
It’s touchless- duh! No more chicken, vegetable, pasta sauce, sneezing, coughing hands touching the faucet!
You save water. While washing your hands, or the dishes, or tending to your food- you can touch the faucet with your wrist to turn it off and then touch it again when you are ready to use it!
Another water-saving feature it has is that it automatically shuts off after 4 minutes. This can catch you by surprise when you are washing dishes or something and you think- “did I touch it?” But again, I think it’s an awesome reminder that you shouldn’t have the water running that long anyway.
There is a blue light on the lower front of the faucet which illuminates when the touchless technology is activated. It also will turn red when the battery is low and needs replacing, so you never have to question whether or not it is time to change the battery.
The faucet features a pull down spray wand- which I LOVE. You have the choice of the water streaming or spraying out.
The spray wand features Delta’s MagnaTite® Technology. “MagnaTite® docking keeps the kitchen pull-down spray wand firmly in place with a powerful integrated magnet, so it stays docked when not in use.“
Lastly, it’s gorgeous. Bottom line. It really brings a lot to our kitchen. We are very happy with it.
Now if I could just have a touchless faucet in the bathrooms in the house, that would be one less thing that harbors germs that I have to worry about!
Something that you should know about this faucet is that it is very sensitive to touch and can easily activate when you aren’t even trying to do so. I often set it off when emptying the dish rack or wiping off the counter- so I have to be careful because that can be a pain.
In the Fall of this year, Delta plans to introduce a new faucet into Touch2O® the family.
Here is my little demonstration of how the Delta Faucet works.
**Please Note: When I say “I don’t understand how the touchless works,” what I mean by that is that I don’t understand how touchless devices know to turn on and off. How do they know that my hand is touching them? There’s no sensor like in public restroom facilities- where you see a red light or a sensor to put your hand in front of to activate the touchless technology. Technology fascinates me and so I would love to know the core of how this technology works.**
Okay, carry on…
And that is the Delta Pilar® Pull-Down Faucet with Touch2O® Technology.
These faucets are available at home improvement stores such as Lowe’s or Home Depot across the country. You can click here to find a store near you that carries the Delta faucet line. As with any home improvement item, it can be quite an investment to purchase one. The Pull-Down Faucet retails around $495 and the Pull-Down Faucet with soap dispenser retails at $525.
About Delta Faucets:
“Delta Faucet Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Masco Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of faucets, cabinets, architectural coatings and other consumer brand-name, home improvement and building products and services.
As part of the Masco family, Delta Faucet Company’s sister companies include:
“To provide branded faucets and related solutions that consumers and business partners cannot live without.”
About Delta Products:
“The flagship Delta® brand develops stylish, innovative products and solutions that add convenience, enhance performance, and improve consumers’ daily experiences with water. Brizo®, a premium, fashion faucet brand, meets the demand for aesthetics and performance with a collection of distinctively designed faucets that create a fashion statement in the home. The Peerless® brand offers affordable faucets with proven design in a range of styles and finishes for both consumers and trade professionals.
Delta Faucet Company offers an extensive line of commercial product; incorporating style and innovation into faucets and flush valves, both manual and electronic. The Company also extends its product offering into the urban-loft, high-rise, hospitality and long-term care sectors, providing faucets and related products to suit both residential and commercial buildings.”
A huge and never-ending thank you to Delta Faucet’s absolutely amazing Public Relations rep (you know who you are!) for giving me this amazing opportunity to review such an incredible and forward-moving product. Thank you.
*This product was given to me for free review purposes by the PR firm representing Delta Faucets. The views/opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may have a different experience with this product. Facts about the product and the company were placed in quotations marks and were taken from the Delta website. I cannot guarantee the validity of those statements. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.*
This is probably one of the biggest giveaways I’ve ever done next to the Imprecious Jewelry giveaway. I had well over 100 entrants! Crazy stuff!
First, the blog winner:
Soha!
And the two Twitter winners:
Winner number 1: @BessieBurnsed
Winner #2 is @xriyah!
Congratulations to ALL of the winners, you have 48 hours to get in touch with me with your mailing address and shoe size. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee what color slippers you will get. If you do not respond withing 48 hours, new winners will be drawn.
Those are the words that I saw upon opening the box of the Calphalon Removable Plate Grill that I received for review. To me, those three words say: This product is appealing to the eye (a.k.a. it looks good), it does it’s job with ease of use. Sounded like my kind of product, so I had high expectations for this grill. The George Foreman that I owned previously did its job, but often let me down and had plenty of room for improvement.
Though larger than the George Foreman I had before, I have to admit it is pleasing to the eye!
Removing the plates:
Removing the grill plates proves to be very easy. There is a button on the top right outer portion near each grill plate. Press that button and the plates simply pop up for removal.
Replacing the grill plates:
There proves to be some sort of Science to this, in my opinion. I have tried just pressing the plate on, but when cooking chicken the other night, when I raised the lid, the top plate fell off. Oops! I am still perfecting the skill of putting the grill plates on and after washing the plates today, I believe that I’ve put them on well. I guess I will find out the next time I cook something.
Using the grill:
The Calphalon grill has two very easy to read and use controls on the front of the grill: one is for temperature selection and one is for time selection- easy enough, right? Simply turn the knob on the left to select your temperature and turn the knob on the right to select how long you would like to cook for. You also have the option of setting the timer to “always on” if you want to cook for a prolonged time period. I like that I am able to actually select a temperature setting. This is a huge step up from the low, medium and high knobs on the George Foreman grill. I was never quite sure how hot the grill was actually going to get.
Speaking of heat, the Calphalon manual suggests using a heat setting of 400 degrees for cooking chicken breasts and pre-heating the grill for five minutes. After five minutes, the heat definitely kicked in and this grill gets hot! This is something to be cautious of in regards to placement on your counter and also safety regarding the children. I like it, though, I know that my meat is going to be cooked and at what temperature. So I do not mind that it gets hot.
End Result:
I decided to test out my Mesquite Chicken on the Calphalon and…
Looked and tasted great. I love it!
Other great features:
The cord to the grill can be put away underneath the grill which is awesome, so you don’t just have a cord hanging around on your counter when not in use.
The drip tray for the grill is underneath the grill plates and therefore not visible to everyone. Again, a step up from my George Foreman which had a grill plate you had to put on the counter underneath the grill to catch any dripping that may have occurred. For clean up, simply remove the drip tray, clean it up and slide it back into place!
Clean Up:
Clean up is a cinch! Simply press the aforementioned buttons to release the grill plates and wash them. If you have dried on food, or grease build-up, Calphalon recommends using a Dobie pad and a nonabrasive cleaner such as Soft Scrub. The grill plates are also dishwasher safe and can be cleaned that way!
One thing that I had trouble with:
We plugged the grill in to pre-heat it and heard a great deal of popping and cracking. My husband and I were a bit concerned, but thought that maybe it was because it was new that it was making all of that noise. We later learned when taking the grill apart to clean that there were little styrofoam balls that we assume had fallen off of the styrofoam blocks used to hold the grill in place and protect it in the packaging. These little balls were underneath the grill plates and we never noticed them because the grill plates came attached, so we just wiped them off with a sponge and plugged the grill in. Be sure to check underneath the grill plates for minuscule styrofoam balls. My guess is, if they go unnoticed they can potentially be a fire hazard.
All-in-all, I love the grill and it’s a great addition to my kitchen countertop and yes, I would highly recommend this grill to anyone over the George Foreman, hands down.
About Calphalon:
“Our mission at Calphalon is to be the culinary authority in kitchenwares, enhancing the home chefs’ food experience during planning, prep, cooking, baking and serving.”
It all started in 1963 when “Ronald Kasperzak purchased a small metal spinning company located in Perrysburg, Ohio called Commercial Metal and established the Commercial Aluminum Cookware Company.” In 1968 “Commercial Aluminum Cookware adapted an electrochemical method of treating raw aluminum called hard-anodizing, a new technology, developed by the aerospace industry. This new line of hard-anodized aluminum was called Calphalon.” Calphalon was introduced to the retail market in 1975 and has been making quality products ever since.
The company has what they call “The Five Key Ingredients,” which are:
- Their company
- Their people (employees)
- Their consumers
- Their products &
- Their role
You can read more about The Five Key Ingredients here.
*This product was given to me for free review purposes by the PR firm representing Calphalon. The views/opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may have a different experience with this product. Facts about the product were placed in quotations marks and were taken from the Calphalon website. I cannot guarantee the validity of those statements. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.*
The Before Shot.
The Skoy Cloths come so cutely packaged with a bow. 
