We Talk Shop

I was in need of storage bags for some old toys, clothes, etc. and I stumbled upon these bags at Target - Ziploc® Big Bags.

The advertising on the box stated that they “are the biggest, strongest, most versatile Ziploc® Brand bags ever created. Use them to store clothing, bedding, holiday decorations, sports equipment, and more. No more clutter in the garage, the basement, or your car. Plus, Ziploc® Big Bags have the natural, flexible shape of a bag so they can fit into places where storage boxes can’t”.

Ok so I thought that I would give them a try. I know what you might be thinking, these remind you of the vaccum sealed bags, these are very different. First off they are huge and very durable. I was amazed at the amount of toys, clothing and stuffed animals that I was able to get in them.

I even bought an extra box and placed it in my hurricane kit, they do not advertise that they are water proof, but I am sure that they are water resistant. I’m thinking that they would be perfect for the photo albums, frames, etc. that you need to take down off the wall and protect.

Get em: Target for $4.99 (box of 4 bags).

I love my Swiffer Sweep+Vac. I can whip this thing out in no time and remove almost all of the dirt, tumbleweeds and dust bunnies from my laminate flooring and tile in minutes. And any dirt it doesn’t get, the cloths will. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, just the way I like my cleaning. Cleaning isn’t something any of us like to do (but if you do, let me know, and I’ll Mapquest you to my house), but this lightweight tool makes it less of a chore. The kit comes with three filters, a battery recharger, and a starter supply of four dry cloths — a bit skimpy on the cloths, a 16-count box would’ve been preferred.

I keep my Sweep+Vac handy and use it almost daily. I can clean about 1500 square feet of hard flooring on one charge with juice to spare, and I keep it charged so it’s ready to use. Tip: Empty the dirt cup after every use because it fills up quickly, and when it does it won’t pick up as well.

Get it: For around $30, it’s a great value. It can be purchased at Wal-Mart, Target and other retailers.

My husband saw the Roomba vac when it first came out, and he wanted it right away. I kept saying, “that’s not gonna work — it’s just a gimmic.” Well, we did finally get one and now I couldn’t live without it. There’s something about lugging out a big vacuum that has always deterred me, but with “Spot” (yes, our vac has a nickname) it’s as easy as pushing a power button on. My kids (9 and 12) never argue about vacuuming their room. “Spot” is a robot, so we tend to refer to him as if he were our pet and feel a real affection towards him. I’ve even seen on websites, where folks make outfits for their Roombas — not us of course! — but they were kind of cute…

It comes with a wall charger and two virtual walls. If your wall charger is in the same room that he is vacuuming in, he will automatically go back to charge, when he gets tired. The virtual walls are little units that you can sit on the floor, so he won’t go past a certain point. This is good if you have steps, or an area where he might gobble up something he shouldn’t.

There’s no bag to replace; you just pull out a little tray and empty it in the garbage, and there’s a little filter piece that pops in and out easily so you can shake it free of dust. It’s really amazing how much it picks up. On our carpeted areas, it looks “vacuumed” when he’s done; the same as if you had used a heavy upright vacuum. We also use it on tile and it picks up all the crumbs.

So, I love it, my family loves it, and we’re saving now to expand Spot’s family and bring in “Scooba,” which is Roomba on steroids. The Scooba vacuums, mops and dries your floor. Now that’s cool!

Git it! Roomba Discovery, around $280. We got ours at SharperImage (check out the video in the images area), but I’ve also seen them at Sears.

I’ve used Rubbermaid for years, but after a while they turned dingy and/or stained; It was time to toss them. A Bed, Bath & Beyond flyer extolled the virtues of Snapware and my interest was peaked. Armed with my 20-percent-off coupon, I picked up an 18-piece set, sold by the box lingo with words like watertight and airtight. Rarely does the box tell the whole truth; there’s usually a fib in there somewhere, but my fellow organizer junkies, Snapware does not tell a lie.

The crystal clear containers make it easy to tell what food is inside. They stack and store easy, you can even nest them. Easy to open, easy to close; You can put them in the dishwasher, the microwave (lift the latches to vent), the freezer and the fridge. They’re so nice you can even take them filled with your cheddar-carrot balls to an afternoon tea party. And did I mention they’re airtight, watertight, stainproof and shatterproof? It’s true. I slammed one against my countertop a couple times; filled another partly with water and shook it like a paint shaker; and I filled one with coffee grounds to see if I could smell it after it was closed - I couldn’t.

Snapware came so close to that coveted five stars, but even with all the sizes and types (Snap ‘N Lock, Snap ‘N Serve, Snap ‘N Stack, and airtight canisters, etc.), there are still a few sizes they’re missing. I’ve been supplementing needed sizes with another brand, Lock & Lock, sold at Target and Organize.com, the makes the same claims. They’re cheaper, but I’ve read reviews from consumers who said their food went stale, and they also don’t have the crystal clear containers that Snapware’s Snap ‘N Serve provides. Snapware costs a little more, but with a lifetime guarantee, that can be overlooked. (Btw, they also offer household, craft, pet and seasonal storage.)

Get it: $3.88 - $28.36 (includes boxed sets). Can be found at Snapwareusa.com, Bed Bath and Beyond and other retailers.