Decluttering The Kitchen

How do you get from Clutter to Clean?

Clutter. Everyone gets it. You let things go for a little while, people give you gifts, things come as free bonuses when you order something and before you know it your countertop is buried. So what do you do about it? How are you supposed to get your kitchen organized when there’s all of this stuff? 

You know you want to organize your kitchen., but you’re not quite sure what that looks like. The answer then is to back up and look at the idea you have. 

When you close your eyes, what do you see? Do you envision a series of open cabinets showing off the beautiful dishes or tools  you’ve collected? Or do you want clean minimal lines with everything hidden away behind paneling unless you’re working there? What about a kitchen that’s so organized you can lay your hands on anything within 30 seconds? Which one appeals most to you? 

You’re here to declutter, so the question is, how? How does this idea mesh with paring down the mountains of stuff in your kitchen? 

The Aesthetic - 

 If you said you wanted to focus on highlighting different aspects of your kitchen, this is for you. Think about how everything in your ideal kitchen fits together. Pick the cabinets you want to use as your display. Start there and arrange what you’re showing off to their best advantage. Now, are you going to have no cabinet doors? Or would you rather go with glass? Once you have that done, move around the kitchen from there, keeping in mind that everything should point back towards that central display.  How do you want your countertops to look?  If you want to move things off your counters, consider how you can use vertical spaces. What can you hang from your ceiling or on the walls?  If you’re going for everything being open cabinets, we suggest looking at boxes and baskets that coordinate for storing all of the smaller things that you need day to day, ingredients, pans and the like. 

The Minimalist - 

Here you’re looking to have everything hidden away and neat. So your best bet is to start by paring down and repurposing drawers. Start by going through everything in your kitchen. Could it be better served by storing it elsewhere? Do you actually need that little ceramic palm tree that Aunt Katie picked up when she was in the Bahamas? Once you’ve pared down as far as you can, go back and sort things into groups. Now let’s take a look at your drawers. One of the things that storing everything away means is repurposing the drawers you have into new and useful shapes. This can be everything from creating a custom knife block inside of a drawer, to having a smaller drawer set inside of a second one to maximize the use of the space. There's a lot of ‘dead’ space in traditional cabinets that you can put to use if you get creative. 

The Utilitarian -

Much like the Minimalist, you’re going to want to start by paring down. If it doesn’t serve a purpose, donate it. If it’s out of date, get rid of it. Now that you have that done, you’re going to think about how you use your kitchen. Do you have one spot that you always use for working on and another for plating? Do you have an island in your kitchen that you use just for entertaining guests and mixing drinks? Think about these things and organize around them. Taking two of our examples, your work area and an entertaining area. You’d want to arrange things so that your mixing bowls, knives, and cutting mats were at your prep area, while your glasses and drink supplies were where you entertain guests. The name of the game is keeping things at hand for different areas. Much like the Minimalist, it might behoove you to look into custom storage, but unlike them, you can also put your countertop or vertical space to use the way the Aesthetic can. (In our opinion, this is the best of both worlds, but that’s just us!) 

Now that we’ve taken a  look at your kitchen and how to make it fit what you want, go get it! Remember, the easiest way to go about this is to picture the end and work your way backwards. 

Where do you fit in? Are you an Aesthetic or a Utilitarian? What about a Minimalist? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. Or you can send us a picture of your ideal kitchen! We’d love to see! 

If on the other hand you’re here because something in your kitchen is broken, we’re still here for you! Appliance Rescue Services is the best appliance service in McKinney and the surrounding area because we care about YOU, our clients. If one of your major appliances isn’t working right, we want to hear about it. You can call us at (214)-599-0055 or visit our website to make an appointment. We want to help keep your home running smoothly

How to Beat the… Freeze?

 Or How to Stay Warm Even When The Power is Out

 In the wake of the massive power outages across 10 states, we’re having to look at things we don’t normally. “How do you keep warm” is not a question Texans typically have to deal with. While we can hope that it won’t be necessary, we also believe that it’s better to be safe than sorry. That’s why we’re tackling 5 things you can do to prep your home for another deep freeze and how to stay warm during one. 

• Seal window and door leaks 

Start off by going around your home and examining every door and window closely. Look at the seals closely. Keep a running list as you go, splitting them into two different categories. One list is for where the seals just need touching up. The second is for if the window or door needs replacement rather than repair. The first is if there are gaps or tears in the caulking or weather-stripping. If the caulk is dried or flaking, or if the weather-stripping is in poor condition, you can fix that. If however the wood around the window is rotted or allowing moisture in, that’s when you need to replace it. The upside to this is that the tighter a seal is on your doors and windows, less air is going to leak in that way. 

Another good idea during winter is to swap out your curtains. Try swapping them out for something heavier, or for blackout curtains. When the weather is nice, you can pull them back to let light in. At night, or when it’s particularly cold out, you can close them to keep more of the heat inside. 

• Get a Generator

This one we advise doing, but not until spring, or fall. Reason being is that during the height of winter and summer is when most people think to get them, and that is when prices will be at their highest. So, if you can, wait until then to get one and keep it in reserve. You can buy a small battery pack one, to just power a heater and your handheld devices. However, we suggest also buying one that’s large enough to also power your refrigerator and a portable heater. You don’t want to buy one after the power is already out, when you’re working by flashlight and might skip a step or miss something. It’s all too easy for mistakes to be made and people do die due to carbon monoxide poisoning related to generators. 

What if though you haven’t had the time to prep as so many of us didn’t prior to Winter Storm Uri? The power’s out and you’re looking for answers now. 

• Stay in a southern facing room

Start by relocating. Figure out which room of your home faces south. That’s going to be the room that gets the most sun during the day, even if the sun isn’t out too much. Something is better than nothing.  Drag everything you’ll need into this room. Mattresses, blankets, pillows, entertainment, bring all of that here. From now until you get power back, this is your base camp. If you  have multiple people in your home, and the room is tiny, you can spread out to a second room, but we advise keeping everyone in one room if you can. 

• Use a fireplace or another heat source

The exception to the above is if you have a room with a fireplace or a portable propane heater. Make sure that you use one which is rated specifically for indoor use and that you’re following all safety instructions. You’ll also want to ensure that you have functioning carbon monoxide sensors on all floors of the home. 

• Camp out indoors

If you have a tent and sleeping bags? Set them up inside the room you’re staying in. It might sound strange, but they are meant to keep heat in and will be especially useful at night when the temperatures drop even lower.  For clothing, you might be tempted to bundle on the thickest clothes you have, don’t. Instead, opt for multiple thin layers with a thick sweater on top. You want to be warm enough to be comfortable, but not enough to sweat. 

Some Don’ts

• Don’t keep your oven running 24/7. Not only is it not meant to do that, but it can produce heat unevenly causing damage to the unit over time, or produce carbon monoxide. 

• Don’t run a generator inside your home, unless it is meant for that. They do produce carbon monoxide which again, we want to avoid. 

• Keep a generator at least 20 feet from your home while it’s running.

While we hope you won’t need these tips, we do also hope that you found them helpful. Let us know in the comments or over on our Facebook. 

If on the other hand you found this page because one of your appliances is busted, we can still help! Whether you’re needing a refrigerator fixed, or your ice maker descaled, we can help. Appliance Rescue Service aims to be the best in Addison and the surrounding areas, and that means taking the best care of you, our clients. 

You can call us at (214) 599-0055  or make an appointment on our website. We’re here to keep your home running smoothly. 

The “Healthier Than Your Average Sandwich” Sandwich

5 Servings of Veggies in ONE Dinner That Doesn’t Taste Like Sawdust

Like a great many people, you may be looking for ways to boost the nutritional value in your meals. We're always on the lookout for little ways to make the same tasty foods we already love work a little harder. We also love to hide some veggies in other foods, but that's a story for another time.

This time around, we're making chicken sliders. But with veggies. And we aren't just talking about the lettuce and tomato you might put in your sandwich - we're hiding a whole three servings of veggies in the chicken patty itself, and some oats.

We know it sounds crazy. Just trust us here. It still tastes like chicken, but you have a bunch of extra fiber, vitamins and minerals working in your favor now. You know exactly what went into it (unlike some brands of frozen patties, where the ingredients list is so long and so chemical-sounding that by the end you're still not sure whether or not it's food), so the slight difference in color from the norm shouldn't be a shock. And besides, you're putting it on a bun anyway, probably covered in ketchup, barbecue or buffalo sauce and a mountain of lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion.

Ingredients:

1 pound raw ground chicken

3/4 cup quick or old-fashioned plain oatmeal

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese

1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper (you can use paprika instead if someone's not into spicy food)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons powdered chicken bouillon

2 Tablespoons dried parsley 

2 cups butternut squash puree

1 yellow squash

3/4 lb chopped cauliflower

Buns, cheese and sauce or veggies of choice for serving.

Tools:

Knife, cutting board, grater, food processor, measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, loaf pan, aluminum foil, cooking spray, meat thermometer. A gallon zip-close plastic bag can also make the process easier, if you have one.

If you're not buying you butternut squash already peeled and cubed, the first thing you should do is preheat the oven to 350 and toss the squash in. It's much easier to skin, cut and mash or blend if it's been roasted first - and roasting it will take about an hour. Your oven needs to preheat anyway, so go ahead and put it to work a little early.

However, if you brought home the peeled, cubed, steamable kind, you've just saved yourself about 40 minutes of waiting, and can skip this part and go right to the steaming process. Steam it according to package directions, and once it's done, just set it aside for a bit. We'll pulverize it later.

Start out by measuring your oatmeal and your grated cheese, cayenne or paprika, salt, pepper, and powdered bouillon into the food processor. Pulse it a couple times for about ten seconds, and once it's fine and powdery, transfer it to another bowl or container to make room in the food processor.

In the event you have a whole head of cauliflower, give it a wash and chop it now. If your cauliflower is the fresh or frozen already-crumbled variety, you get to save a bunch of effort and skip those steps. Whichever one you started with, put it in the steamer or microwave now. It'll need a little time to cook up - but not near as much as the squash. Keep an eye or an ear on it to make sure you don't end up turning it into baby food by overcooking it. Although honestly, if it does turn to mush, it just saves you from having to put it into the food processor later - so pick and choose your battles. (Would you rather poke cauliflower mush out of the steamer basket or scrub it off the food processor blades?)

Take your yellow squash and shred it with the fine side of your grater. This will be the first ingredient into the plastic bag, if you're using one - and into the mixing bowl if you're using one of those instead.

Turn your pound of ground chicken into the bag or bowl you just put the shredded squash into. Add the parsley to this mix, too.

About now, that cauliflower should be finishing up. Drain off any excess water and put the cauliflower into the food processor (assuming you didn't choose the cook-it-into-mush route). Give it a couple quick pulses, scraping down the sides occasionally, until most of the major lumps have been pulverized. You don't need it to be totally smooth; the texture helps with holding the chicken mix together. Once it's done in the food processor, add it to the chicken mixture.

This chicken thing will have to sit and wait until your butternut squash is ready to go - so hopefully you planned ahead a little, or you can keep yourself occupied until it's done roasting.

Once your squash is done roasting, peel it and hack it into rough cubes. It should be pretty soft by this point. If you started with a whole squash, you'll likely only need the neck portion of it to make up your two cups. Put the squash cubes into the food processor and give it all a whirl. You'll probably have to pause often and scrape down the sides, as squash tends to be a bit sticky and climb out of reach of the blades.

After you've pureed your squash, add it to the chicken mixture, pour the dry ingredients (oats, cheese, spices) over top, and mix it all together. If you've been working with a plastic bag like we tend to, zip it closed with a little air left in it and try not to be too rough when you squeeze. Containing the mess is a lot harder if you explode the bag by splitting a seam.

Once it's all thoroughly mixed together, line your loaf pan with a layer of aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. The end goal is for this chicken to come out in a neat, single piece - although if you end up with chicken sloppy joes, they'll probably still be just as good. More fun for the kids, even.

Transfer your chicken from the mixing bowl or bag into the lined loaf pan, and bake it on the middle rack at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half. Make sure to test the temperature with a meat thermometer before serving - your goal is 165 or higher before we can call it done.

Allow it to cool in the pan for a few minutes after removing it from the oven, which will make removing and slicing it easier. Lift it from the pan using the aluminum foil as a grip, and turn it over on the cutting board. Peel back the foil and slice into half inch pieces. For best results, you can toast them in a frying pan to crisp them up a little on the surface before putting them on a bun and covering with sauces, cheese and whatever other veggies you prefer. * We’ve tried ranch, buffalo, caesar, honey mustard, spicy mustard, sweet Thai chili, barbeque, and Chick-Fil-A's chicken sauce. All of these were varying degrees of good, let us know what you try and think! 

Adding some veggies to the sandwich and/or eating with a side of roasted veggies, carrot sticks or salad can bring you up to all five recommended servings of vegetables with one meal! *Disclaimer: not an excuse to eat potato chips and cookies for the other two meals of the day.

This week’s post was a bit of an experiment. We already had a recipe ready to go, but it just wasn't enough. So we tinkered and we toyed and we cooked some more until we came up with this. It’s a strange concoction, that’s for sure. It’s also amazingly versatile and we’re already discussing all the ways we use this recipe in other meals. What did you think? Let us know over on Facebook, or in the comments below! We love to hear from you and hear what you think about the foods we make. 

What if you’re not here for food though? What if you showed up on our site because your fridge is busted or you need help with your dryer? We can still help you. In fact that is our primary business! If you live in Richardson, or any of the surrounding areas, we aim to be the appliance rescue service for you. We can help with any and all of your major appliances, and we won’t stop until we’ve solved the problem. All you need to do is call us at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out to us via our website. 

4 Things To Find Out Before You Redo Your Bathroom

Why you might not want to grab your tools just yet.

Hold up! Put down the sledgehammer and tile, you’re not ready for that just yet. If you're looking at redoing your bathroom, there are things you need to know beforehand. No, we’re not talking about what you want it to look like, and what all of the fixtures are going to be made of. We’re talking the nuts and bolts that go into your bathroom.  Yes, you do need to know all the details, but this time we’re taking a look at the bare bones. If you’re hiring someone else to handle all of that, no worries!  On the other hand, if you’re more of the DIY type, we’ll walk you through some of the things you’ll need to look for beforehand.

Blueprints… sort of

Starting off, you need to know what your measurements are. We don’t mean just the room itself, but also where the studs and outlets are. The outlets can be changed if you really want to, but we are inclined to suggest leaving that to a professional. The studs on the other hand, you’ll want to grab some graph paper, a pencil, a stud finder and a plumb line. If you don’t have one, you can always improvise by attaching something like a few rings at the end of a length of string. The biggest reason to know where your studs are is so that you know where you can affix things like storage, mirrors, lights etc and where you can’t, such as the cavity where your pipes are. 

Begin by sketching out the dimensions of your bathroom. To keep it easy, we like to go 2 squares on the grid is the same as one foot. Now, most rooms are going to have studs on either side of the doors, windows and one side of the outlets. Using that, you can go up to the ceiling of the room and start to use the stud finder. Once you’ve found two of them next to each other, measure between them to find the distance. In modern houses you’ll typically have a stud every 16”. If you don’t have a studfinder, try looking at your crown molding. Typically that’s going to be nailed on a stud. Then you can use the plumb line to drop straight down and figure out where the studs are behind your existing fixtures. 

A tub is still a tub, no matter where it stands.

Moving on, are you planning to include just a shower, or do you prefer a tub in your ideal bathroom as well? If so, you need to take into consideration how you’re going to frame the tub.  The bare minimum around the sides is 4” of wall, that’s including studs and the drywall. However the wall in front of the tub, if you choose to put one in, can be as thin or thick as you like. We like adding in a bit of a ledge if the chance is given, for two very good reasons. The first is that it gives you somewhere to lay different bath items, a book, your phone, etc. The second is that it gives you room for storage. 

 (Take a look over at Better Homes & Gardens for their ideas on what you can surround a tub with!) 


All of the hidden storage!

Speaking of storage, that leads us straight into our next section. You can never have enough hidden storage. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it a hundred times more, but having empty storage is better than not having enough. If you’re taking the time to redo your bathroom, spend some time here to dream up what would make your life easier as well. Do you have a standing shower separate from a tub? You can put a hidden set of shelves in the gap between the two. What about around the tub? Having hinged panels to store away all of your bath supplies when you’re not using the tub? Or as a place to store extra towels? There is of course the old stand by of a cabinet behind the mirror, but what about having some hidden in between the studs of the wall as well? Having storage is only limited by what you can dream up, and where the pipes or electrical wires for your bathroom are. 

Sub flooring is final, right?

Finally, let’s take a look at your floor. For many, the reason they’ll start looking at redoing their bathroom is that something has happened to the floors, usually flooding. Given the winter we’ve had so far, we know several people who’ve had that happen. While you’re ripping up your current floor, take a look at what’s below it. Was the flooring uneven previous to you taking it up? Spots where it was raised or uneven? Are there any remnants of grout, glue or other materials from previous flooring?  You want to keep an eye out for that so that you know whether it will affect what you lay down next. If not, what about the subfloor? Is it still able to hold weight? Are there any molded or wet patches? Are there places where bugs or other vermin have gotten at it? If so, you’ll need to go about replacing that before you lay down the new floor and fixtures. Las but not least, are you thinking of laying down in-floor heating? If so, now’s the time to look at that and any thing that might make one version better over another, or nix the idea entirely. 

With all of this, you should be ready to start remodeling. Keep in mind that this isn’t everything you need, and that if you’re ever in doubt, it’s always better to call in a professional. If you do opt to sketch out a plan, would you show us over on our Facebook? We’d love to see what you get up to! 

Now, if you’re not here for tips on home remodeling, but for your appliances, we can still help! We’ve got trained professionals to help, no matter what your appliances are getting up to.  Whether it’s something that’s outright broken or you’re just wanting to get some tips on how to maintain your appliances, we can help.  We’re here for all of our clients in Garland and the surrounding areas, and we want to be there for you too. You can get hold of us by calling us at () or by setting up an appointment via our website. Let’s work together to get your home running  smoothly today. 

3 All in One Washer Dryer Combos From LG

We’re looking at the Good, the Bad and the Ugly about these compact appliances. 

A few weeks ago we were looking at dryers, both electric and gas and came across something new. Well, new to your blogger anyway. An All-In-One washer and dryer combo. Now, the majority of our clients don’t need them, but you might have children going off to college or moving out on their own. These units are.. Interesting, and that’s what we’re going to be taking a look at today. We’ve chosen to look at three of them from LG to see what can be done to best exemplify what the machines can do. 

 

Model: WM3488HW All in One Washer and Dryer Combo

Brand: LG 

 

Features: 

Sanitize Setting

Short Cycles

Can dry thick or bulky items

Nine Wash cycles including hand wash garments

Dryer mode kicks on automatically. 

Ventless Dryer 

Notes: An average wash and dry cycle should last between 2-4 hours, depending on size. It’s not the best on the market, but it’s also not the worst.  

Model: WM3998HBA  All-in-One Washer Dryer Combo

Brand: LG

Features: 

4.5 cu ft drum

Three and half hours for a full cycle

Connects to your phone

3 different dryer cycles

Specialty settings including for activewear and wools

Model: LUWM101HWA Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Washer and Dryer Combo

Brand: LG Signature 

Features:

Can be remotely controlled

Has an automatic dispenser for detergent

Can be paired with a pedestal washer. 

Has one of the largest load sizes at 2.8 cu feet

The digital touchpad can be a bit finicky, which is something we don’t like about it. Much like your phone you swipe left or right to access the full menu. Also like your phone, you need to ensure your hands are dry or else the input isn’t recognized. 

The automatic dispenser will gauge the load size and dispense the correct amount. 

After looking over the three different models from LG, here are the good things we could see about an all-in one. They can fit just about anywhere. Depending on your home this could mean that you could tuck it into a corner of your kitchen, or you could have a storage room that you keep it in when its not in use and just wheel it to where you want when it’s laundry day.  If you have a 120V outlet you can put one of the units there, and then when you’re done, wheel it back into storage.  The majority of the models out there, not just the three that we showed today, are ventless. This is great because you don’t have to have external ducting and you don’t have to worry about them filling your home with lint while they run.  Many models are engineered to be conscious of water and energy use.  There are models that can handle thicker materials like bedding, towles and dog beds for those who need those features. 

Naturally though, there are some downsides, and here is where the all-in-one hits some problems. They cost as much, if not more just buying a standard washer and dryer set. They do radiate moisture from both the front and back panels, which is something you need to be aware of whether you set them in one space or have them mobile.  Not all of them are ventless many are, but not all. Then you have the issues that any washer or dryer is going to have, like vibrating, noise levels, and having specific detergents that you can or cannot use. Still we think that despite these drawbacks, an all-in-one does have its uses, depending on what your needs are. 

So, that is three different models of all-in-one washer dryer combos made by LG. We still think that they’re a better option than having to drag your clothes over to the cleaners or a laundromat every week. They do have some drawbacks, but we think that for what they are, they are incredibly useful.  What about you? Do you know anyone who could put one of these to use? Or are you looking to revamp your laundry room and turn it into something else? Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you. 

Don’t forget that if your appliances are giving you trouble, we’re here for you. Whether you live in  Carrollton or the surrounding areas, we can help. If you’ve got an appliance that’s broken, or you just need some tips on how to maintain them, we want to help. You can give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out to us through our website. At Appliance Rescue Service, we aim to be the best for you.