Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2005

Home briefs

Book helps busy families stay organized

Joan Goldner came up with a simple system for keeping track of her family’s schedule.

The executive and single mom has published “BusyBodyBook,” a daily planner designed for families. It contains a simple grid that lets up to five family members record a week’s worth of activities and appointments on one page, making it easy to spot scheduling conflicts.

The book also has spaces for recording important dates and contact information, as well as a place each week for family members to jot notes or write messages to one another.

“BusyBodyBook” can be ordered online at www.busybodybook.com for $19.95 plus $4.95 for shipping and handling.

Brushing up on cleanliness

The VIOlight helps you stay healthy in style.

The high-tech toothbrush holder uses ultraviolet light to disinfect toothbrushes in 10 minutes.

The VIOlight holds up to four toothbrushes and can accommodate most electric toothbrush heads. A removable drip cup makes it easy to keep the unit clean.

The device sells for $49.95 and is available online at www.violight.com. It is expected to be in stores in the spring.

Primer key to painting over paneling

Q. Is there some way to paint over dark paneling?

A. Primer is the key to achieving a good paint job over paneling.

The Paint Quality Institute recommends first cleaning the paneling with detergent and warm water, then sanding it with 220-grit sandpaper to roughen the surface and improve adhesion. Wear eye protection and a dust mask. When you’re done sanding, wipe the surface with damp rags to remove the dust.

Apply a stain-blocking primer, then follow with a good-quality interior latex paint.

The secret of ‘smart’ glass

Looking for the ultimate in natural daylight control? There’s something new that’s growing fast. It’s slick and simple and called “smart glass” — window panes that go from clear to black with the flip of a switch.

The secret lies in millions of microscopic particles suspended between two panes of glass. With no power, the particles lie horizontally, allowing full light to pass through. But as power is increased, they become vertical, until they line up to block all light (under full power).

Smart glass, with suspended particle devices, is still an emerging technology. Where it is available, it’s expensive — costing from $80 to $160 per square foot.

System helps make closet organization easy

The hardest part of organizing a closet isn’t weeding out your old stuff or folding everything neatly. It’s planning and installing a closet-organizing system.

Rubbermaid makes the task a little easier with its Configurations system.

All the elements of the closet-organizing system hang from adjustable brackets, so it’s quick to install and easy to rearrange. Expandable rods and shelves eliminate the need for cutting.

A kit big enough for a 4- to 8-foot closet has a suggested retail price of $219.97.

Configurations is available at The Home Depot and eventually will be in other stores. More information is at www.rubbermaidcloset.com.

Special refrigerator needed for garage

Q. We want to keep an extra refrigerator in our garage, but the garage is unheated and has minimal insulation.

A. Refrigeration engineers at Whirlpool say energy-efficient appliances have the same life span as their older counterparts. But a garage does present some special issues.

Some refrigerators are designed specifically for garage use, with heaters that keep the temperature around the fridge at 55 degrees or above even when the garage temperature drops.

Vacuum-seal for better food storage

On other occasions, we’ve told you how to vacuum-seal big and bulky things, such as blankets, pillows and sweaters, by putting them in a large plastic bag, drawing the air out with a vacuum cleaner hose, then quickly sealing the bag with a twist tie.

But what about food storage for freezing or vacuum-sealing smaller items to protect them from tarnish and rust? Here’s how:

To vacuum-seal small stuff such as food (for freezing), or to prevent tarnish or rust, put the item in question in a plastic zip-top storage bag. Insert a drinking straw as far to one side as is possible, then zip the top, suck out the air and quickly zip the bag closed as you pull out the straw. After one or two practice sessions, you’ll be a regular vacuum-sealing machine.

Taking command over that last bit of snow

Toro has added oomph to the single-stage snow thrower with its new Snow Commander.

The Snow Commander is lightweight and maneuverable, but it has a 141-cubic-centimeter engine — equivalent to about 14 horsepower, a company spokesman said — and a large funnel that can move a large quantity of snow. The machine clears a path 24 inches wide and throws the snow up to 35 feet.

Two models are available, retailing for $859 to $959. To find a Toro dealer, call 866-336-5205 or visit www.toro.com.

Stressed ficus may be overwatered

Q. I have a ficus tree in my office that’s about 5 feet tall. The leaves, which are green, are dropping off. I recently changed the soil and put it in a larger pot. What’s wrong? — C.H., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

A. Kim Summers of House of Plants Florist in the Merriman Valley said it’s very common for a ficus to become stressed and lose leaves after being repotted or moved. It will become acclimated to its new situation eventually, she said.

However, Summers said it’s also possible the plant is being overwatered. She recommended making sure the soil is on the dry side before you water it.

Forget your keys? No problem

The “touch” system is making it easier than ever to open entry doors, with numeric pads that replace keys. Tired of fumbling for house keys in the dark? Or looking for (and replacing) lost house keys? Keyless entry locks let you open doors by the numbers.

There are a few basic types to consider. Some are mechanical, wherein you punch in a code. Others are electronic and more sophisticated — with multiple codes or multiple persons, and with temporary settings for guests and service people.

Recent offerings also include electronic “keyless” deadbolts. And, if you want the ultimate in new lockset hardware technology, check out those with miniature fingerprint readers. They scan hundreds of stored fingerprints in a nanosecond.

Detergent saves energy by working in cold

Tide Coldwater is formulated to provide deep cleaning in cold water, saving the energy needed to heat water for warm-water washing. Laundering with cold water can save up to $63 a year, according to figures provided in connection with a joint promotion of the product by the manufacturer and the Alliance to Save Energy.

The product comes in both liquid and powder forms in two scents, with a suggested retail price of $6.99 for 100 ounces.

Consumers can request a sample at www.coldwaterchallenge.com as part of the ColdWater Challenge.

Turning floor to stone

Q. Do you know where a do-it-yourselfer could buy materials to make a floor like a Nature Stone floor? — H.K., Barberton, Ohio

A. I know of a company in Florida, Epoxy Systems Inc., that makes a two-part epoxy adhesive used for bonding stone for floors. It sells the pea gravel, too, but it might be cheaper to buy the stones from a local supplier, company President Norm Lambert said.

Epoxy Systems can be reached at (352) 489-1666. The company also has a Web site, www.epoxy.com. The product you want is simply sold as Epoxy Systems Product No. 17.

— Wire services