May 1   The addictively fun and challenging Sudoku puzzle was first introduced to America in May 1979. LifeOrganizers will be putting up a new puzzle every day…Click here to get started. 

May 2   Tired of your home smelling like a mix of sterile bleach and store bought floral infusers? Fill the home today with a great natural scent. Put on a pot of coffee to percolate and a bake batch of cookies in the oven. Then sit back and enjoy the aroma that will fill your home.

May 3   Baking soda is an excellent cleaning agent; there's no need to use harsh, abrasive chemical products when this home remedy will give you great results. Sprinkle some on a wet sponge and it will scour and absorb odors as it cleans. Would you like to make your own eco-friendly homemade soft scrub?  click here to read our easy homemade soft scrub recipes .

May 4   Today is Space Day! Do you still remember the 8 planets in our solar system? Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Here is a simple rhyme to help you:

My Vicious Earthworm Might Just Swallow Us Now

- contributed by J.Schwartz.

*Remember, Pluto has been relegated to a Dwarf Planet.

May 5   Cinco de Mayo is today. Try making a few fresh tortillas and salsa as a pre-dinner snack or end supper on a fun, sweet note with piñatas.

 

• Would you like to learn more about Mexican cooking? click here for our article on Authentic Mexican Food .

• Here are a few easy to follow Family Favorite Mexican Crock Pot Recipes to help you along today.

 

May 6   Organize your hobby space today. Round up the scissors and ribbons the children have commandeered for school projects and think of your next craft project.

May 7   Tomorrow is the SAT registration deadline. Here is a link to Sparknotes 1000 Most Common SAT Words , even if you're not taking the SATs have a look through them to see how much you remember.

May 8   Now that spring is here, pack a picnic basket kit that will stay in your car for impromptu picnics at scenic spots.

May 9  This week is National Children’s Book Week. Your local library will have plenty of popular children’s novels and activities on display. Plan a trip down to the library with your kids, and while they are entertained with the week’s festivities, why not pick out a few classics for you.

May 10   Preserve handbags in storage by placing loosely balled up tissue paper inside them. Make sure the paper is color and acid free.

•  We've added great articles on ideas for gifts, quotes, poems and special treats to help you prepare for Mother's Day. Click here to take a look at our new Mothers Day category .

May 11   Organize your music collection today. First get it all in once place. Upload as much as you can to your MP3 player and donate anything you feel you'll never listen to again to charity - like the 'boyband' ballad Christmas carols your niece sent you. You can either store your collection alphabetically or by genre.

May 12   Hang up your apron and put down that recipe book. Take the day off from the kitchen and make arrangements to go out to dinner tonight.

May 13    Today is Mothers Day. Celebrate with a day off from all chores if you are a mother, and don’t forget to make that special phone call to your beloved parent.

May 14   Out of stain remover? Your automatic dishwasher detergent makes an excellent replacement. Spread a little on the stain and massage with a soft bristled brush. Remember to be careful with delicate clothing by testing a small inconspicuous area.

May 15   Get yourself a cordless phone that can be clipped to your apron while you clean or vacuum. Now you will no longer be rushing into the next room or straining to hear the telephone ring.

May 16   Did you know that your brain never stops growing even when you've hit old age? Socializing, as well as affectionate activities like hugs and pats on the shoulder, help the brain produce a stress reducing hormone called cortisol. Call an old friend or give a special someone a hug today.

May 17   Is it time to teach your kids how to do laundry? Start of with the basics: emptying pockets and turning clothes the right way round before placing them in the hamper. Once they have mastered this, next month they can practice separating whites and darks.

May 18   Devote some free time today to the family pet by giving man's best friend a special treat or even a little exercise in the park.

May 19   I bet it's been ages since you went to your local aquarium. Why not take the day to enjoy nature's aquatic wonders?

May 20   Daisies and Sweet Peas are this season's flowers. Fill a vase with these gorgeous fresh buds and bring a little bit of spring into your home.

May 21   Toy Room Rescue. Clearing the children’s playroom can feel like an ongoing daily battle. Make your pick-up routine that much easier by using a behind the door shoe organizer to keep small toys off the ground. Store old favorites in the lowest pockets for easy access to little hands. Read more on clutter control in your childs bedroom.

May 22   

“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”

E. B. White

Change one thing in your daily routine to positively impact the environment. This month take a few minutes to deregister from receiving unwanted junk mail with the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service.

May 23   Today is World Turtle Day. Just how endangered are sea turtles? All 7 species are arguably the most endangered species on earth. A simple way to keep these little guys protected is to not litter when you are at the seaside, as pollution is a key factor to the loss of their habitat.

May 24   Restock your guest bathroom with soaps, towels and extra toilet rolls. If you’ve planned a cookout for Memorial Day, make sure you have conveniently placed boxes of paper towels and trash receptacles for the extra traffic.

*Click here for more tips on how to clean your bathroom.

May 25   Makeup Expires Too! Toss out powders and eye shadows that are over 2 years old, creamy foundations after 1 year, and mascara after 3 months. Now get a few labels and mark the rest off with expiration dates.

May 26   Treat yourself! Have you been forgetting to moisturize your Neck, Chest and hands? As we get older these areas become more important to keep supple, as they have fewer oil glands than the face and are more prone to show aging by ongoing dryness.

May 27   Keep your most used cleaning supplies in a handy pail or tackle box. This way you can eliminate wasteful return trips to the supply cupboard by having what you need with you as you move from room to room.

May 28   Today is Memorial Day. Use few moments to honor those who gave their lives to keep our freedoms. Anything from a simple wreath at the dinner table to a poem read at sunset is enough to show your appreciation.

May 29   Go through your planner or kitchen calendar today. Are there any incomplete items that haven’t been crossed off yet? Use some time to reschedule these items and add them to your current to do list.

May 30   Take advantage of temporarily marked down prices on cookware this month. May is the season for graduations and wedding ceremonies. Retailers like to take advantage of this time where couples will stock their future homes together, (let’s not forget all those ‘wedding registry gifts’). New graduates often start their lives afresh away from college in their own apartments, and cookware is a vital ingredient to any kitchen.

May 31   Keep your garbage disposal free of gnats and smelling fresh by grinding a lemon or lime peels at least once a week.

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By Leanne Naidoo