Mix and match bed linen for fun

My hubby likes brightly coloured sheets, but pale and non-descript colours are generally all that can be purchased.

That is not to say the red, apricot and mulberry sets of sheets aren’t available, it is just that the manufacturers don’t seem to make many of those types of colours which requires a lot of searching through many stores to obtain them.

As my linen press holds some bright and some dullish sets of sheets, I have come up with a solution, that each time the sheets are changed the overall effect is colourful. It does require a certain amount of sorting the sheets prior to remaking the beds, but the effort is worth it.

There are various combinations you can use to give you that extra colour. Of course the original combination so the top and bottom sheets as well as the pillow cases all match, is the regular way of using the set. But, although I use this setting for one change of linen, the next time I mix two sets of sheets together.

Being a top and bottom sheet with pillow cases allows you many alternatives. I only work with two colours at a time so the pillowcases will either match the bottom sheet or the top sheet, or the pillow cases are from a completely different set to the matching top and bottom sheets.

Of course it all depends on the colour schemes you have for your linen. Pale colours work well with anything bright, so your alternatives are many. It is up to you to work out what works best with what, and where to place each item.

I have four sets of sheets for my bed. Two are pale and two are bright. Unfortunately the two bright sets won’t mix, but they work with both sets of pale sheets. Because of the various matches I have with the sheets, the storage in the linen press can become difficult. I make a point of always placing the same colour sets together, then when I decide how I want to mix the settings I pull out the required sheets and pillow cases to achieve that result.

Using the systems I have set out above, gives me the option of at least 22 different ways I can set the sheets and pillow cases on the bed, making life and my bedroom bright and fun.

Protecting wooden knife blocks

I was cleaning my kitchen bench the other day and moved the knife block to clean under and behind. As I moved the block I noticed the dust sitting on the flat surface between the knife handles. From the

look of the dust it must have been there for quite some time, but I hadn’t noticed it before. I realised the block, especially the top flat surface had to be cleaned.

As with all knife blocks there are holes to house the knives. This means submerging the block in hot soapy water is not a clever idea because the water will soak down into the holes and make the inside of the block wet. This will affect the knives and in the end ruin the whole block.

After removing all the knives and scissors that sat in the block I rubbed down the sides with a damp cloth that had been rinsed in hot soapy water. The sides were shiny and covered with lacquer which was a protection. Using a damp cloth to wipe the sides was not a problem. I did dry it with a tea towel after I had removed the marks and dirt.

But it was the top of the block where the knife handles sat that I was more concerned about. That was the dustiest spot and I did not want to use any water, as the rim of the holes needed to be cleaned as well as the top surface.

I finally decided to use a micro-fibre cloth with some multi-purpose spray to wipe over the top and rub the hole edges. This worked well and made the top surface look much cleaner. But I knew leaving that surface unprotected was going to be a problem in the future.

My first thought was to use furniture polish over the area, but as all the polishes in my house are made with oil, they would only penetrate the surface and not cover the surface to protect it. It meant a trip to the hardware store where I purchased a furniture polish with silicon.

Many years ago furniture polish with silicon was the preferred polish, until people realised the polish was sitting on the top of the surface and not being absorbed into the wooden furniture. Actually the silicon furniture polish became more useful for protection of other articles of furniture not made of wood, especially water proofing marble bench tops. But as sales of silicon contained polish declined it has become more difficult to find. Thankfully there was one version on the hardware shelf.

When I got the can home I sprayed the polish onto a polishing cloth and rubbed it over the top surface of the knife block and around the edges of the holes. After the initial coating of the top surface I actually sprayed the surface so some of the polish could penetrate down into the holes. I then completely wiped over all the knife block with the polishing cloth to remove any excess and coated the sides.

I must admit, because of the shine of the polish the knife block does look a lot better. It is not only clean, but it shines and make the knives look more elegant.

Cleaning your home when you are sick

Covid 19 has had a big impact on people when they get the virus. When you are not feeling well the worst thing is to have a dirty home. Not only because of the germs you know you are carrying, but a dirty home makes you feel sicker. Usually you are too lethargic to do cleaning but you see the dust or the scum in the bathroom and know you want to make it look better.

There is a way to clean your home when you are sick, and it can be done in short bursts. Although it won’t be perfect, It will make you feel better, and that will go a long way to improving your health. The first thing to remember is to take on jobs one at a time and that you can wipe over everything with a sanitizer or disinfectant wipe.

If you are stuck in the bedroom, try wiping over the bedside tables with the wipe, making sure you rub over all the articles on the table as well as the top. Once you have finished that, you will have accomplished something and can lie down and rest some more.

When you need to visit the bathroom, clean the sink after washing your hands. Once again a sanitizer wipe will be enough. If you are having difficulty standing for too long, cleaning the sink shouldn’t be too bad. Next time you are in the bathroom, clean the mirror.

For the next visit try removing the dust from the toilet cistern and give a wipe over the seat. Do not flush the wipe down the toilet. Place the used ones in your rubbish bin. When you feel a little stronger you can clean the toilet by pouring in some cream cleanser and scrubbing it around the bowl and under the water line with the toilet brush.

Once you feel a lot better and you are having a shower, give that area a rub over, but the sanitizer wipe will work until you are strong enough to give it a proper clean.. Bit by bit the bathroom will have been cleaned although not perfectly.

When you are making something to eat, no matter how ill you feel, never leave the dishes and utensils in the sink. It only makes it worse the next time you enter the kitchen. Rinse what you have used under hot running water and rub over the items with a washing up brush or sponge. That way they will be clean and you can hide the items in a cupboard until you feel better. In the meantime you will not have a buildup of crockery and the kitchen will keep that tidy look. You can give everything a proper wash when you feel better.

If you are lying around the lounge, use the sanitizer wipe to remove the dust from the coffee table. It is only a little thing, but something that makes the room tidier and will give you more strength.

Although you will not be able to vacuum, you can dust and clean other areas in small sessions, and the rooms will look reasonable. When you are completely better that is when you do a full clean, but in the meantime, each little bit helps and you can relax knowing you have made the effort to clean.