Lumpy, Dumpy, and Frumpy

Lumpy, Dumpy and Frumpy are not the three dwarfs that Disney left behind. Lumpy, dumpy, and frumpy are looks that nobody should be wearing.

Are you aware that the majority of people wear only twenty percent of their clothes eighty percent of the time? That means that you could easily pare down your present wardrobe drastically. Imagine using one fifth of the space for your new stylized wardrobe.

But, what to keep? What to let go?

There is one closet cleaning technique that any person can do on their own. Turn all of your hangers with the open side of the hook facing you. It makes the first time you use the item a little bothersome. However, when that item goes back in the closet the hanger is hung properly. At the end of a 12 month cycle any hooks that are backwards are unused/unworn clothes.

Have a personal attachment to the clothing? Take a picture of it and write a little note about what it meant to you. Pictures take up much less space than a full garment.

I am not suggesting that you take a picture of your tuxedo, one good outfit, or wedding gown. These things can be quantified as keepers.

As for the over-full dresser drawers. Take everything out and put them in clear bins. Every time you use need an item take it from the bin. When you do laundry - return that item to a drawer. Just like the closet cleaning, at the end of the year the items still in the bins are unused/unworn.

The wait and see method is well tested and used by many. But, who wants to wait a year for results? There is more clothes than the closets, dressers, and laundry room can handle now.

Here is where Lumpy, Dumpy, and Frumpy come into play.

Here are the things you will need: At least one person that will NOT lie to you, all your clothes out in the open, all your shoes and accessories, really good lighting, a good chunk of time.

The goal here is to couple up closet cleaning, home organization, an afternoon with good company and some self improvement thrown in.

Have your friends join in by bringing their clothes, too.

If serving food and beverage - keep it to finger foods that don't stain. And, try to keep alcohol consumption down you will need unimpaired judgement.

Next step is to put on a bathing suit, or your best set of underwear.

You will now model all your clothes.

Be on the look out for lumpy, dumpy, frumpy clothes. Do not keep clothes that make your skin look sickly. Do not keep clothes that make a part of your body that you're trying to hide or not accent stand out like a sore thumb.

Do keep the clothes that people always compliment you on. Do keep clothes that hide or play down imperfections. Do keep clothes that make you look lean, sleek, stylized, and sophisticated.

There is a metaphysical saying that states: "as without so within". I do not advocate being model perfect. I advocate being at your best for yourself. If you look great on the outside it shows. And, that great feeling is reflected back by others. So, take a little pride in your clothes and enjoy the benefits.

Okay, let's talk a bit about under garments. Please, ladies make sure that you have proper support. Without proper support the outer clothes can look like crud. Weight and age fluctuations effect your bra size.

There are stores that have fitting services. And, there are companies that have in home parties. A brassiere party would have a professional fitter and under garments for purchase. Either way you really should go and get a professional fitting. If not for the fit of your clothing for the health of your back and shoulders. Undergarments should not ride up, dig in, hang loose, or be uncomfortable.

Any and all clothes that have shot elastic, rips, tears, bleach spots, large stains, are too big, are more than 2 sizes too small, are out dated should be let go. Be cut throat about it. Remember you can take pictures of the clothes you'll miss.

What to do with all the clothes that are not going back into the closet. Separate it into three groups: Garbage, Donate, Consignment. Garbage items are unwearable items. Donate are clothes that are out of date, wearable, have no major label. Consignment items have a label name, leather, furs, are classic and/or have style.

An extra green tip: in lieu of throwing your clothes in the garbage check your local area for fabric artists with an ad on Craigslist or FreeCycle.

When making a clothing donation make a conscious decision of where they go. You can choose a larger organization with pick up services, a church, homeless shelter, women and children's home, or a charity dear to your heart.

If your closet cleaning takes you to the linen closet - sheets, towels, and blankets are accepted by most local animal shelters.

Now, doesn't that feel better? Nice to have more space. Great to feel so put together.

Cutlery Sets

What is Cutlery

Cutlery is basically just about anything that you can cut with. Cutlery, therefore, encompasses kitchen knives, outdoorsman knives, scissors, shears, and personal grooming implements like nail scissors and clippers. Flatware like knives, forks, and spoons and their accompanying accessories can also be classified as cutlery. However, most often knives such as those used for cooking in a kitchen come to mind.

Basic Knives for the Kitchen

We think you need at least one chopping knife (chef's knife), one paring knife, and one slicer. The chef’s knife is for chopping and mincing. If you prefer hefty knives, the bolstered models will feel better to you, if you prefer light knives, then something else is the answer. Chef’s knives are very popular since they are so versatile. The paring knife is best for fruits and small vegetables, peeling, and intricate work. In a pinch a paring knife can be used to fillet. Paring knives have a straight edge, a blunt tip and are smaller than most other knives. The slicer could be a bread knife, as an example, which can cut more than just bread. The slicer has a thin blade with a serrated edge making it perfect for slicing through hard to soft surfaces as found with foods like bread, pineapple, and melons.

What Comes In a Cutlery Set

Some basic kitchen knife sets may include several highly used knives like the chef’s knife, paring knife, bread knife, utility knife and possibly a slicing knife or pair of shears. The specific number and type of knives that come in each set may vary but most sets will contain a chef’s knife, a paring knife, a bread knife, and a slicing knife, as these are the most widely used knives. They may also include some steak knives as well if the set is a primary kitchen set. Many of these sets will come with a wooden storage block or tray. Many of these knives will come with a storage block, box, bag or other accessory to protect and keep them in when not in use. A more complete set will have more knives in more sizes and types. To select the set that is right for your needs you must think about how often and for what purposes you will use the set.

Knife Blocks

Knife Blocks

Knife Blocks come in many shapes, sizes and materials to match any kitchen décor and use. Knife blocks, like the magnetic knife strip and sheaths are one way to properly store your knives.

It is important to take good care of kitchen knives since they can last for years if they are properly maintained. By using a knife block, cooks can ensure that blades are not damaged by being knocked around.

It is also important to ensure that knives fit all the way into a knife block; if part of a blade protrudes, it can be very unsafe.

If you are purchasing a block for your countertop, remember to get one with feet so that the block will not sit in puddles of sauces, grease, or other spills. A basic knife block simply consists of a piece of wood with slots of varying sizes to insert knives securely. The knife block can also prevent warping of blades while they are stored, and it makes knives convenient and easy to access.

A knife block can also be a great safety tool, as it gets knives out of drawers and off of counters and into an organized location.

Knife Block Safety and Design

For people who are especially concerned about safety, some knife blocks have child locks which need to be opened before a knife can be removed. These locks also prevent knives from falling during earthquakes, and they ensure that curious pets cannot injure themselves on knives either.

Some kitchen suppliers also sell blocks which can fit into drawers, which can be convenient in a kitchen with limited space. This can also be safer, as the drawer can lock or tightly latch to prevent unauthorized access.

Cooks who prefer a leaner design can purchase magnetic strips which are designed to mount to walls or cabinets; the magnet holds knives against the strip and they can quickly be removed when they are needed. The block may be designed to sit on the counter, or mount to the kitchen wall.

Such knife blocks can also be built into kitchen cabinets or kitchen islands. Other materials may be used as well, although wood is a good choice because it will not nick blades as they are inserted.

Edge Up Edge Down

How do you store the knives in your knife block? Do you store them cutting edge up or cutting edge down?

I believe in edge up knife storage. With many knife blocks being made of materials other than wood nicking of blades is much more prevalent. I have knives that are now 3rd generation in use; and this is due in part to edge up knife storage.

Where edge down knife storage is much more optically pleasing, (which is why photographers use edge down for sales), with the curve of a nice handlepoint downward it is not good for the knife blade’s edge.

Think about it with edge down knife storage you are hitting and storing the blade’s edge on the knife block’s surface. This is one reason many people choose wooden blocks, like wooden cutting boards – there is less nicking on the blade’s edge.

Outdoor / Outdoorsman Knife

The Outdoor / Outdoorsman Knife - taking cutlery out of the kitchen.

The outdoorsman knives can offer a beauty and style not usually found in the kitchen cutlery world.

Gentlemen's pocket knives come with a variety of handles from wood to horn to shell and more.

Outdoorsman knife blades also offer different surfaces and colorings than are usually found in the kitchen.

Kitchen Shears

Kitchen Shears or Kitchen Scissors, although not technically a knife, is a great piece of kitchen cutlery. Kitchen Shears are used to trim pastry dough, snip herbs, cut twine, or freezer/wax paper. Be careful not to cut food with shears that do not separate, as they can not be cleaned properly and may harbor bacteria.

Utility Knife

The Utility Knife can cut just about any food you want. It is a good all-purpose or should we say utilitarian knife that works well on most mid-sized fruits and vegetables. Utility Knives typically have blades that are four to seven inches long and are often used to slice cold cuts or small pieces of meat. Utility Knives can either have a plain edge blade or a serrated blade.

Trimming Knife

Trimming Knives are like small Boning Knives. A Trimming Knife is used to remove excess fat from beef for a more appealing presentation. The Trimming Knife blade is usually 2 to 3 inches long and has a curved blade that is shaped somewhat like a Boning Knife. They can also be used for small tasks like peeling and decorating.