Tiny Tip : 2

Banana stains?

Hang your freshly washed clothes in direct sunlight to remove banana stains.

Tiny Tip : 1

Chopped fruit

Chopped up too much fresh fruit? Pop the excess into an airtight container, drizzle lemon juice over (nature's own preservative) and shake it up once the lid is firmly in place - lemon juice coated fruit pieces will not go brown. Inadvertently, this also makes a mobile snack pack or a healthy dessert for later.

NEW!! Tiny Tips

No time to read a full blog? No problem, Tiny Tips could be just the ticket!

Not all tips are worthy of a full blog which is why I am adding "Tiny Tips" mini-blogs to my Minrva repertoire. 

My life is at that young family stage and it follows that this dominates my output. That said, Tiny Tips need not have such a narrow focus, and besides, this is more about sharing best practices and efficiencies. So, please pay those favours forward and share any Tiny Tips you have.

My first Tiny Tip will be published later today!

Top Ten Terry Nappy uses

I love a multipurpose gadget.

Impending parenthood is a great time to convert nay-sayers, like my husband, who has what I call a 'single purpose gadget' infatuation. I respect a gadget that works every time, without fuss and without taking up a great deal of space. But also, it simply must be multipurpose. These are a few things I have learnt about alternative uses for one of my most "multi-" multipurpose gadgets, the terry nappy.

1. Nappy - an obvious inclusion...
   
   
2. Liner - in winter months a terry nappy covering your change table/mat will keep your Miss/Master a wee bit warmer during a nappy change, in the summer months it helps prevent them from sticking.
   
   
3. Weaning - my Miss was quite tidy in her weaning (once Mama got the hang of feeding her), but my Master likes to touch everything, all the time. Putting a terry nappy underneath him keeps the cloth high chair cover cleaner for longer (terry nappies are quicker and easier to remove and clean than the high chair cover).
   
   
4. Spit cloth - essentially, the same use as for a muslin cloth. Terry nappies are especially handy if you have a reflux baby (with a great deal more 'spitting').
   
   
5. Clean up cloth - again, similar use as for a muslin cloth, but I found terry nappies clean up a great deal more than a muslin (think gastroenteritis, eek)... Should a tummy bug outbreak occur in your home, I suggest storing a few terry nappies in strategic locations.
   
   
6. Bed liner - I used terry nappies in between the sheet and Miss/Master when they were very young to catch the inevitable reflux mess and during periods of snotty noses when I would otherwise have to change the sheet after every nap.
   
   
7. Potty training - it will not help them train, but it will help catch some of the accidents if placed in key locations (favourite chair, etc).
   
   
8. Blanket - really! Okay, so it is Miss who uses terry nappies as blankets for her 'Baby Eve' doll. Seriously though, nappy rash is a horrid thing for which fresh air is often recommended to aid healing. Try sitting or laying Miss/Master on a terry nappy covered change mat (on the floor) with another terry nappy across the lap. This should help keep Miss/Master's bottom warm and help catch any 'business' and at the same time offer valuable bottom-airing time.
   
   
9. Hair towel - my Miss had a lot of hair from the minute she was born. Aside from using a hooded towel, a terry nappy works well as a baby hair towel.
   
   
10. Modesty cloth - ok, so this is a weak number 10. Terry nappies were a handy impromptu modesty cloth either when I was out (and inappropriately dressed for easy breastfeeding) or at home with unexpected guests. My nappy bag was mostly full of fresh changes of clothes for my reflux Miss and Master so had no space (or any inclination) for a purpose-built modesty shield when something else worked double time. 

What is your most called upon multipurpose gadget?