Image: iStockphoto.com/Kirk Johnson
About This Quiz
You can just about fill every month of the year with a different organizational task. One month, it's time to clean the blinds and curtains; the next month it's time to sort out the garage. To plan your calendar well, you'll see that every season has a task to suit it and every month its own home maintenance project. Take this quiz to hone your organizational skills.
When you sort out your medicine cabinet, what should you throw out?
all unused antibiotic pills
the non-prescription medicines
anything that's damaged or after its expiration date
Anything that looks damaged, old or broken should be first to go. Also, anything that's already passed the expiration date should be thrown away.
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If you've been regularly vacuuming your drapes and carpets, is there any need for a yearly super clean?
Yes, you should launder or dry clean them once a year.
Yes, even if you clean them regularly by vacuuming, it's a good idea to give them a really good laundering or dry cleaning once a year to keep them long-lasting.
No, regular vacuuming is all they need.
Yes, you should call in the professional cleaners once a year or they won't last.
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What does deep carpet cleaning achieve?
It picks up dirt, dust, mites and allergens.
Fortunately, it removes dirt, dust, mites, allergens and you-name-it that have been embedded in the carpet for a year.
It removes dirt only.
It only neutralizes odors.
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Once a year, it's a good idea to clean the air conditioner's:
outdoor and indoor coils
outdoor unit, especially the condenser coil
Clean out the condenser coil at least once a year. The indoor coils can wait -- you only need clean them every few years.
indoor coils
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends replacing an air conditioner that is more than 12 years old in order to save _____ on your energy bill.
10 percent
30 percent
According to the EPA, you could save up to 30 percent on your energy bill if you replace a unit that old.
50 percent
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The recipe for an eco-friendly do-it-yourself window cleaner is:
1 cup water, ½ cup baking soda and 1 teaspoon mineral water
2 cups vinegar, ¼ cup vanilla and ¾ cup rose water
2 cups water, ¼ cup vinegar and ½ teaspoon detergent
The trick is to keep it simple using one of the best in-your-kitchen cleaning agents: vinegar. Mix 2 cups water with ¼ cup vinegar and ½ teaspoon detergent. It makes a great window cleaner.
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What is the recommended distance that you should keep your grill from the house?
at least 10 feet (3m) away
Whether it's a gas or charcoal grill, you should not operate it within 10 feet (3m) of your home for safety reasons.
no more than 10 feet (3m) away
none of the above
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In June, it is worthwhile sorting out your linen closet. What should you do to plan for the next cold season?
Hang all the linens out in the sun and bang them with a carpet beater.
Pack your linens by color and take them to the attic for storage.
Discard what you don't want, wash what you can and store the linens by size.
Toss what you don't want anymore, wash the linens and store them by size for the next cold season.
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When you organize your bedroom closets, it's a good idea to leave 15 percent of the space free for:
clothing for recycling
new purchases
Leave about 15 percent for new purchases. This will mean first going through your existing wardrobe and discarding what you no longer wear or want. When you've finished, you should have the space for your new purchases.
air fresheners and moth balls
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How should you label the storage boxes containing your sorted clothing?
on the front and back of each box, and preferably using an index card system
It would be ideal if you label the front and back of each box. To really allow for easy identification, use an index card system, with each box and its contents clearly listed.
on the front of each box, and preferably using an adhesive label system
on the back of each box, and preferably using a sign-and-arrow system
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What is meant by the term "dumpster diving"?
thieving your personal information by going through your trash
It means what you hope will never happen: that someone is low enough to rummage through your trash in order to steal your identity or personal information.
diving into dumpsters to retrieve lost rings and other valuable items
freefall diving from heights using dumpster-style harnessing equipment
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How can you prevent someone from getting your personal information from your discarded waste paper?
by burning it
by shredding it
Get yourself a home shredder (not the vegetable-shredder variety) and shred your waste paper periodically. Better safe than sorry…
by storing it indefinitely and not throwing any documents away
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What is the key to de-cluttering your garage and other storage areas?
throwing out 50% of the stuff
sorting out the contents
The key is to sort out as you go. There's stuff you don't need and stuff you won't need for a while. It all needs sorting out.
getting your family members to help you -- without them, it won't work
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You de-cluttered your garage and put seasonal items together in storage containers. As you congratulate yourself on a job well done, you remember that you forgot to do something. What is it?
to put down mouse traps
to wipe down the shelves
to label the containers
While all of the above may be a good idea, the one that is essential under all circumstances is to label the containers. Otherwise, come next season and you'll have no idea how to find what you're looking for.
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When is the best time of year to clean out the gutters and downspouts?
March, before the summer sets in
October, when the leaves have fallen
The best time is at the end of the fall season, when all the leaves have fallen. This is usually around October.
December, while the snow is falling
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How do you clean the downspouts?
Pull out leaves and general gunk. Loosen the rest with a hose. If necessary, use a plumber's auger.
See what you can achieve manually. Pull out leaves, then hose them down. If they're still blocked, use a plumber's auger.
Call in an expert. A layman can't clean them.
Pour acid down to free any clogging. Then use pipe cleaners for the residue.
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Before the Thanksgiving holiday, it's a good idea to:
compile your Christmas present list
organize your pantry
Before you plan your Thanksgiving turkey, now is the time to organize your pantry.
take stock of the year that's passed
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Which of these are valid ways of stocking the pantry?
grouping all canned items together
grouping all food families together, such as all legumes
both of the above
Basically, it's up to you how you group the foods together in the pantry. You can group, say, all canned items together or all food families together -- both are valid.
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Many people don't realize that the risk of food poisoning increases when food is stored at temperatures of:
32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) or lower
40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.44 degrees Celsius) or higher
Even when the refrigerator temperature is standing at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius), the risk of food poisoning is already on the rise.
50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) or higher
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To clean out your deep freeze, what are the first two steps?
Turn the temperature up to high and use a knife to scrape the frost of the interior walls.
Defrost the food and spray the interior walls with a special freezer cleaner.
Empty everything out and turn the temperature to OFF.
First empty out all the food, making sure to put it in a cool place temporarily. Second, turn the temperature to the OFF position. Now, you're ready to clean it out.
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You Got:
/20
iStockphoto.com/Kirk Johnson
