Around the House

Add a little flair to your home-office organization with these ideas from Better Homes and Gardens' January issue:

Place a vintage muffin tin or a deeper popover pan in your desk's top drawer to contain small supplies.

Use self-adhesive hook-and-loop fastener dots to mount mismatched forks on the wall, tine end down. The forks can serve as clips to hold business cards and reminders.

Raid the china cabinet for containers. Teacups, small bowls, mugs and tumblers can hold small supplies such as pens and paper clips. Positioning them on a picture ledge mounted on the wall keeps them within reach without cluttering the desk top.

Use a napkin ring to corral coupons.

Hang old drawer pulls on the wall to hold reading glasses, keys and other small items. Hang curtain clip rings from the handles to hold small papers.

Toxins in our homes

We've probably all worried from time to time about the potential harmfulness of stuff in our homes — the slimy black mold in the shower, the asbestos in the ceiling tiles, the mercury in the fish we're cooking for dinner.

"What's Toxic, What's Not" helps readers determine whether those concerns are well-founded.

The authors, Dr. Gary Ginsberg, a toxicologist with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and Brian Toal, supervisor of the department's Occupational Health Assessment Program, examine toxic substances that are common in homes and workplaces, such as air pollutants, pesticides and mold. They then assess those substances in terms of toxicity, the likelihood of exposure and the severity of the health risk.

The book helps readers separate myths from real threats and lets them base decisions on facts rather than fear. It is priced at $15 in paperback.

Better windowsills

Wood windowsills can be a maintenance nightmare when they are subjected to moisture, mildew and mold, but the new composite-wood sills by Sill-Rite help eliminate some of that concern. The sills, prefabricated and finished, can be used in new construction or existing homes. The white sills, which attractively wrap around the sides of the windows instead of being butt cut, can be painted to match your interior trim. They come in two profiles for a traditional look or streamline for contemporary needs, and are available in two depths — 5 and 6 inches. Available at www.sill-rite.com or call toll free 1-800-503-2334.

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