Summary ECONOMY & ECOLOGY
BETTER EVERYDAY LIFE
Creativity on a plate
Easy home cleaning
Pre-planning and a creative attitude can help with cutting back on food expenses and food waste. “It all starts with planning,” says Marita Suontausta, Development Manager of Maa- ja kotitalousnaiset. “You should make a menu for the whole week and plan it so that you can use the remains of one meal to prepare another one. But be flexible with your shopping list. If you spot a special offer at the grocery shop, you should definitely grab it and change your plan on the go.” “When buying products with red price labels and end-of-shelf-life product boxes, remember to also use them. Perishable products, such as fish or meat, can be cooked and put in the freezer, thus prolonging their period of consumption.” Before going to the grocery shop, it is a good idea to take a look at what you already have at home. It is also recommended to follow the seasonal offering. Finnish root vegetables are healthy and affordable. “I encourage everyone to get creative! Unlike in baking, recipes do not need to be followed literally when cooking. Left-overs in the fridge can be used, for example, in making a pie, soup or a casserole,” says Marita.
Auri Kananen’s tips for cleaning your home are simple, but they make everyday life easier and improve the comfort of your home. It is recommended to maintain a basic level of cleanliness every day. “Do the dishes and put things back to their places. If you let a couple of things gather on the table, soon there will be 500 of them. The messier it is, the dirtier it will be. Things turn into more things!” Auri is known, among other things, for barely using the vacuum cleaner when cleaning. “I wipe down surfaces and carpets. The working width in wiping is twice as large and I don’t have to wash the floors when I wipe them down frequently with a damp cloth. It’s a real time saver,” says Auri. For wiping down the floor, Auri recommends a floor squeegee combined with a damp microfibre cloth. She only uses detergent once a month. Auri’s trick to cleaning carpets is to wipe the dust off with the rubber part of a floor squeegee or window wiper. “The window wiper can get a lot off of the carpet. It’s great for removing hair,” says Auri.
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Finnish root vegetables are healthy and affordable.
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Lehti Espoon Asuntojen asukkaille 1/2022
Cleaning checklist Every day • Do the dishes. • Put things back to their places. Weekly • Clean the toilet. • Wipe down the kitchen surfaces and wash the sink. • Vacuum and wipe down the floors.
Monthly • Dust off difficult to reach areas with a duster. • Wipe down all surfaces and touched areas with a damp cloth. • Clean the shower. Annually • Clean the sauna. • Wipe down the ceiling and walls. • Vacuum the bed and wipe down the frame surfaces. • Organise and wipe down cabinets.
