The New Messies Manual: The Procrastinator's Guide to Good Housekeeping
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 2000)
list price: $12.99 -- our price: $9.74
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Reviews (21)

ALL MESSIES NEED TO BUY SANDRA FELTON'S BOOKS
I have been one of the worst messies.This book and her other books (I have them all)have helped me to get on track and I am well on my way to being very organized and a whole lot less messy.I would highly recommend all of Sandra Felton's books.If you need help, it's bound to be the answer to your prayers.

If I Had Only Known
I passed this book up on several occassions due to the "messies" title....sounded so juvenile.If I had only known what good it would do me to read it!!!!The previous reviewer hit the nail on the head when she said that this book works because the author is a reformed messie herself - her thought processes were exactly the same as mine!!!I felt I'd found a soul sister!She "got it".She understood my confusion and sometimes flat-out inability to complete my housework.I was a stay-home mom for seven years and got absolutely nothing accomplished in the way of housekeeping.Even though I had the whole day, my house was never "put together". How I wish I had read this book way back then!!!Thank you Mrs. Felton for such a well written and insightful book.I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone with trouble getting it together in their home.Even if you think the term "Messie" is a little juvenile.

Simple Solutions for My Chronic Disorganization
I highly recommend this book for people who are chronically "messy" homemakers.I have to admit that the book did discuss too much of the "whys" of messiness, but if you can get past the first part of the book, you will be surprised that the second half of the book provides just as much of the "hows".I have read quite a few de-clutteringand organizational books, which have been very helpful, but this one has helped in a way that none of the others have been able to.I have been struggling with a messy house for the last 13 years, and after 3 months, my home is organized!I've tried lists and time schedules and they just don't work for me.However, the "flipper" idea in the book works like a charm!It helped me from getting overwhelmed by distributing small jobs over a period of a month.Cooking and grocery lists are much simpler now also.If you are sick of having a home that you are embarrassed to show your guests, read this book! ... Read more

Isbn: 0800757262
Sales Rank: 18609
Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. House cleaning   

Hoover H3000 Floor Mate Hard-Floor Cleaner
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $249.99 -- our price: $144.99
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Editorial Review

Creating a new branch in the Hoover family tree while stilladhering to the company's reputation for innovation and quality,Hoover's Floor Mate is the ideal machine for anyone who has hard floors(including hard-wood floors, linoleum, tile, and others). A completefloor cleaner--and almost the definition of multifunctional--the FloorMate vacuums, washes, and dries a floor. It has both wet and dry pickupfunctionality (you make the choice via a foot-controlled pushbutton),meaning that it combines a broom and a mop, getting rid of the need fordustpans and mop buckets. There are two removable containers on thefront of the machine, one that serves as a receptacle for dirt and dustand another that can be filled with floor cleaner. The Floor Mate stands 43-3/4inches tall, is 11-1/2 inches deep, and has a 20-foot cord, whichconveniently wraps on the back. --A.J. Rathbun ... Read more

Features

• Convenient wrap around cord storage
• Great for cleaning hard floors (wood, linoleum, etc.)
• Both wet and dry pickup functionality
• Vacuums, washes, and dries the floor
• Sturdy at 43-3/4 inches tall, 11-1/2 inches deep

Reviews (487)

Very disappointed
I am not a mop person, I hand scrub all of my floors. I feel like Mops just move dirty water around. When the Floormate came out, it looked like it would be a great thing. It would actually scrub my floors and suck the dirty water back up, and I wouldn't have to hand scrub every week.
We have 2 large dogs with long hair, and 3 kids under 6. I found the vacuum feature to be completely worthless.Not enough suction, clogs easily. I'd still have to use my regular sweeper first before scrubbing. It just doesn't scrub hard enough. We have a white vinyl floor in the kitchen, and it just doesn't get it sparkling clean. If there is a spot of something grimy on the floor, I have to stand there with the Floormate for afew minutes and keep going over it.
I still have the Floormate but rarely use it anymore. It's actually quicker for me to scrub the floors by hand, and they get much cleaner. It's okay for between scrubbing touch ups, but that's about it.

Fantastic new gadget!
My entire house is hard floors (hardwood, tile and linoleum) and for a long time I couldn't even stand to walk around the house in bare feet because I never felt like the floor was clean. The hardwood floors had been covered with carpet for 30 years before I moved in and all that caked on and set in dirt never seemed to go away. As much as I like for things to be clean, I HATE to clean. The Floor Mate has been a godsend for me! I can use the Floor Mate without sticking my hands in dirty water, but still get that "mopping on your hands and knees" clean - and in half the time! I love the fact that you can dry vacuum, wet scrub and wet vacuum at the touch of a button with one machine. AND by the time you get halfway across the room, the first part you cleaned is almost dry.

One of the best parts of this is that not only does it work well but this sucker is easy to clean! The tanks snap on and off and all you have to do is rinse them out and snap them back on. The thing is clean and ready to be put away in 5 minutes.

Another thing I worried about was whether or not it would leak. With hardwood floors you don't want to set a vacuum in the closet if it's going to drip because it will damage the floor. Somehow this machine does not drip once it's been emptied. I do use the wet vacuum as the last step before I turn it off so I suppose that helps.

Long story short, I think the Floor Mate is wonderful and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a clean floor but doesn't want to do it the hard way!

Four and a half stars really...
I use my floor mate on vinyl kitchen flooring and I have to agree with the positive comments already given by the other reviewers.I won't bore you all to tears by saying the same thing in some new way.What I do want to mention is that I only give this thing 4.5 stars because the dry vacuum mode is not all that great.If you have a few crumbs in the middle of your floor this will pick them up no problem.If you have a few crumbs around your baseboard or in the corners (as many of us do), this thing will drive you mad as you try unsuccessfully to pull those crumbs.Eventually I give up and sweep with a broom first and then use the scrub/wet vac settings to produce a very clean floor.Its a small complaint but one I though worth mentioning.If the vacuum power on this thing were a bit stronger, it would easily be 5+ stars! ... Read more

Asin: B00005R19P
Subjects:  1. Hard-Wood Floors    2. Floor Polishers    3. Floor Care    4. Floor Cleaners    5. Vacuums   

Black & Decker S300 ScumBuster Cordless Wet Scrubber
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $39.99
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Editorial Review

Does cleaning the tile in your kitchen or bathroom feel like an aerobic workout? This lightweight, cordless ScumBuster by Black & Decker is sure to make cleaning your bathroom or kitchen much easier. With a nonslip, comfortable grip and four attachments (a 4-inch scrub pad for wide area cleaning, a 3-inch area brush for tub and tile cleaning, a detail brush for corners and around faucets, and a 4-inch mild pad for light scrubbing), the ScumBuster is great for a wide variety of jobs. And with 3.6 volts of power, there's no need for elbow grease. --Jane DePaolo ... Read more

Features

• Light-weight; two-year warranty
• Ideal for all bathroom or kitchen scrubbing needs
• Submerges in water without harm, can also be used outdoors
• Comes with 4-inch scrub pad, 3-inch area brush, detail brush, and a 4-inch mild pad
• Also includes one detachable battery and charger

Reviews (54)

removeable recharging
The original S300 ScumBuster is only limited to the number of spare charged 3.6v VersaPak type batteries you have. As somewhat of a guess 12 to 15 minites can be had with one battery in good order.The hook and loop attachment system for the scouring pads is a bit weak as nondispossible hook tends to wear out quickly if not pampered.- ddflashisagas -

Wish I'd found this years ago!

The B&D Scumbuster simply takes the elbow grease out of cleaning!The attachments are easy to take on and off and versatile enough to tackle almost any cleaning job you can imagine, from bathroom to kitchen, floors, even your car wheels. Battery life is pretty good, depending on how heavy a job you are tackling, averages 30-45 minutes; plenty of time to get the whole bathroom or kitchen done.Also, the caddy makes for easy storage and doesn't take up a lot of space.Highly recommended for anyone who has arthritis ( I got one for my mother in law and she raves about hers, too!), or back pain (the extender handle makes it easier to reach high or low places without so much bending).

One of the best things I ever purchased!!!
I don't know about you, but one of the things I detest most in life is scubbing my bathroom! The Black and Decker ScumBuster has made cleaning my tub and tiles SO much easier!! I bought it on a whim and it cut my cleaning time in half. I just spray the cleaner on my tub and bathroom walls and go over it once with the Scum Buster and I am done. It gets in the grout and everything. The mildew and soap scum just melt off my shower doors!
The ScumBuster is so user friendly, you can use it on your kitchen cuboards, or if you have dogs or kids like I do, you can even use it on your walls.
I gave one to my mother in Florida and she uses it to clean the tiles around her pool! She is also very pleased with this product.
All in all, the ScumBuster equals less work, and I think it is worth every penny! ... Read more

Asin: B00004SBGQ
Subjects:  1. Cleaning Supplies    2. Scrubbers   

Brother PT-65 P-Touch Home and Hobby Labeler with LCD Screen
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $49.99 -- our price: $28.49
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Editorial Review

Everything flows more smoothly when you have a system, and you'll discover, whether around the house or office, that the Brother PT-65 P-Touch Home and Hobby labeler helps you categorize, customize, and streamline your entire operation. Produce labels on 9- or 12-millimeter-width M tape for lasting labeling of shelves, storage boxes, cabinets, and archives.

The PT-65 P-Touch labeler is designed to print up to two lines in 200 dpi, with 8-by-1 LCD display, on nonlaminated tape. The maximum printable height is 6.8 millimeters in one font plus nine symbols. Plus, you can make multiples (up to nine copies) for added convenience. A QWERTY keyboard aids comfortable typing. It is so easy to use, the kids will want to label their gear, sports equipment, and school supplies. You'll use it in the garage, storage shed, and home office. Powered by six AA batteries, the small and light Brother PT-65 P-Touch Home and Hobby labeler is eminently portable, allowing you to create labels wherever you need organizing. --Barbara Price ... Read more

Features

• Package includes 1 tape
• Uses nonlaminated M tapes
• 200 dpi resolution
• QWERTY keyboard
• Prints up to 9 copies of the same label

Reviews (33)

"Reverse Table Technique" For Peeling Off Backing
1 star taken off because of the difficulty in peeling off the backing.

I would like to extend the "Table Technique" for peeling off the backing, mentioned earlier. The idea is to hold the label against a table, then scratch off the label at one of the edges.

While a useful technique, it has two problems: (1) the label curls upwards, so it is hard to hold the label edge against the table, and (2) scratching off the label will almost certainly damage the label.

Thus I would like to propose a novel extension to the "Table Technique", called the "Reverse Table Technique". It's exactly the same as the Table Technique, but you put the label *face down*. This eliminates the two problems: (1) the label curls downwards, so it remains flat against the table, and (2) scratching off the backing will damage the backing, which doesn't matter.

What you should know before you buy
well the price of the unit is cheap but the label tape is expensive. it advances the tape more than necessary before and after the label which ends up being about an inch of wasted tape per label.

it can do two lines on the smallest text setting but aligns to the left side.

the labels can be hard to peel as there is no feature to help you peel them whatsover.

BIG plus as you can see its standard qwerty setup. it's easy to use.

How do you rate a label maker?
It makes labels.It is easy to use.Oh, and it makes labels.

Great product, brings out the OCD freak in me when I have it in my hands. ... Read more

Asin: B00004VVIX
Subjects:  1. Electronic Labeling System (Label, Makers, Device, Making, Machine)   

Brother M231 1/2" Labeling Tape (Black on White)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $12.99 -- our price: $9.20
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Developed for the Brother PT-85, PT-100, and PT-110 label makers, Brother's M231 1/2-inch labeling tape features adhesive backing and direct thermal design. Each cartridge contains 26.2 feet of high visibility, .5-inch-wide white tape. ... Read more

Features

• Adhesive backing
• Direct thermal tape
• Allows black print on white background
• 0.5 inches wide
• For use with Brother labellers PT-85, PT-100, and PT-110

Reviews (4)

A handy labeler
I needed a label maker for a job at work, and this one was on sale. I used it, I like it, and I would recommend it. The only drawback is the price of the tape. It is a bit steep, but not prohibitive. I used all of the cartridge that came with the unit, and a part of a new, full cartridge, and I had no problems at all.

No warranty on these!Buyer beware!
We bought one of these labelers.The first surprise came as we started to use it.As has been noted at length by another reviewer on this page, these labelers are designed to waste the tape.OK, we thought.Whatever.

Then, when the tape ran out, we purchased more via Amazon.Wow, these refills are unreasonably expensive!Brother clearly has a "give away the razors and sell the blades" philosophy, seemingly making all of their money on the tape.But we bought it anyway, cause what else were we going to do?We were stuck.

We got the tape, inserted it correctly.But the cartridge was faulty and it unraveled on the second label.Irreperable.So we called Brother and -- guess what -- the tapes have NO WARRANTY!!

So, unless you are in the mood to give Brother a *blank check* for your labeling needs, don't get into bed with them.They will leave you angry and wanting.

It works, it's inexpensive and there is alot of it.
When I bought my Brother label maker, I bought two extra cartridges because I knew I'd be using it alot.Well its been almost six months, and I use the labeler every other day for something, and the cartridge that came in the labeler is still going strong.I've had no problems with running out or the labels not sticking.The only problem I have had was when I try to take the paper backing off of the label...maybe Brother could devise an easier way for a guy with no fingernails to get the backing off easier. ... Read more

Asin: B00000K135
Subjects:  1. Electronic Labeling Systems    2. Tape    3. Label Makers (Maker)    4. M-231    5. Tape Label (Electronic Labeling System, Maker, Device, Making, Machine)