COFFEE TALK

The older I get the more difficult it is for me to filter my (often) blunt opinions when it comes to just about everything, especially interior design. I was recently asked by a friend of ours to help make the decision between two family room "sets" she was vacillating between. I didn't have the heart to tell her they both were hideous...rule #1, never purchase a "set" of anything unless it's for your daughter's (or sons) doll house(when I was a kid I LOVED buying the cute little sets of doll furniture from the Horchow catalog http://www.horchow.com/)! After testing out the over-sized Lazy-boy set complete with cup holders and hidden storage compartments (Lovely if it's a feature in an SUV, Mini-Van or Motorhome but family room furniture???) I took her to coffee to discuss her options. With A.D.D in full swing, as the Barista was preparing our half-caff, non-fat, sugar-free vanilla lattes I thought of a few great tips:

WHEN NECESSARY, FILTER!

While coffee filters are one of the things I can't live without in the morning, on occasion when I've run out of paper towels in the middle of cleaning I've turned to my morning friend for a little help:

1.) PREVENT RUST: Place a coffee filter inside a cast-iron skillet to absorb the excess moisture when it's not in use.

2.) AIR FRESHENER: Place a tablespoon of baking soda in the center of a coffee filter and tie it closed with string. Stash the packet in the fridge to absorb odors.

3.) HOUSE PLANTS: Place a coffee filter in the bottom of indoor flower pots to stop soil from falling through the drainage hole.

4.) SHINE SHOES: Buff your shoes with a coffee filter!

5.) KEEP WINDOWS CLEAR: Clean windows and mirrors with a doubled-up coffee filter for lint and streak free cleaning.

6.) ABSORB SPILLS: Use filters to blot liquids off sofas or fabric car seats. They won't leave the mess paper towels leave behind!

TIME TO COMPLETE TASK (S): FIFTEEN MINUTES

COST: Package of filters: $3.99

STRESS LEVEL: Filtering out the nonsense: LOW