Wrap a tape measure around your waist, keeping the tape measure parallel to the floor and taut against your body. Mark down your waist measurement so that you'll be able to remember it more easily. You should measure the area of your body where you want the skirt to sit. Your natural waist is usually a good choice if you aren't sure, but if you want the skirt to sit higher or lower, move the tape measure higher or lower accordingly. Figure out where on your body you want the bottom hem to land, then measure from your waist down to that point. Keep the measuring tape perpendicular to the floor, and mark this measurement down. Keep in mind that the waistband will add another 1 inch (2.5 cm) to the skirt. When determining your ruffle measurements, subtract 1 inch (2.5 cm) from your desired length before using that figure to calculate your ruffle width.

Summary: Measure around your waist. Determine your desired length.


After 3-4 years, your lilies will have developed a large bulb structure underground and can start to get crowded in your garden. Wait until the fall when the stems and leaves turn from yellow to brown before you dig up the bulbs. That way, you won’t harm any plants while they’re blooming.  You can also try to transplant in the early spring, but your lilies may not bloom as well or produce as many flowers. Avoid digging up the bulbs on a warm, sunny day since you could damage the bulbs. Start your shovel about 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) from the base of your lilies and drive it straight down into the ground. Once you get the tip of your shovel 6 inches (15 cm) down, pull the handle toward you to pry up the bulbs.  If your lilies don’t pry out of the ground right away, then pull your shovel out of the ground and go on the opposite side of your lilies and push your shovel in again. Continue loosening the soil around the lilies in a circle until you’re able to ease them out of the soil. Don’t start your shovel too close to the lilies since you could damage the bulbs underground. You can also use a gardening fork if you don’t have a shovel. Put on a pair of gardening gloves to protect your skin from any possible irritation. Grab the bulb structure of the lilies and brush off as much soil as you can to find where the bulbs are stuck together. Gently pull the bulbs apart to separate them from one another. Put the bulbs into piles based on their sizes since larger bulbs will bloom sooner than small ones.  The largest lily bulbs that you dig up will bloom during the next season. Medium-sized bulbs will take about 2 growing seasons before they produce any blooms. The smallest bulbs will take 3-4 seasons before they make flowers. Inspect the bulbs as you dig them up for any soft spots or black mildew growing on them. Clean off as much soil as you can so you can see any diseases on the bulb. Toss the bad bulbs in your trash so you only plant healthy flowers again. Don’t put diseased bulbs in a compost bin since you could spread the disease to other plants in your compost bin. Grab the base of the stem at the top of the bulb with your dominant hand. Rotate the bulb either clockwise or counterclockwise with your nondominant hand until the stem breaks lose off of the bulb. Continue removing the rest of the dead stems and leaves from the healthy bulbs. If you’re dividing daylilies, then cut the stems so they’re 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) long. Remove the leaves and other foliage from the stems. Plant your bulbs as soon as you possibly can so they stay healthy and don’t dry out. However, if you’re unable to plant the bulbs right away, fill a plastic bag with moist sphagnum moss and place the bulbs inside. Keep the bag in your refrigerator until you can plant them again.  You can keep the bulbs in your fridge for up to 8 weeks if you need to. Don’t keep the lilies in a drawer with other fruits and vegetables since they could release gases that could affect future blooms.

Summary: Divide your lilies in the fall every 3-4 years to prevent overcrowding. Loosen the soil around your lilies in a circle to pry them up. Pull apart the bulbs by hand and organize them by size. Throw away any bulbs that have disease or rot on them. Twist the stem until it separates from the bulb. Put bulbs you can’t plant right away in a plastic bag with sphagnum moss.


Cut inward until it reaches the bone. Remove the knife. Cut a 1-inch (2.5 cm) slice of ham from skin surface to the bone. Repeat until the top section of the roast fans out into slices. Then, cut away the sides of the ham along the fat lines on each side. Carve the slices from top to bone, just as you did on the first side. Reserve the bone for soup.

Summary: Insert your carving knife in the side of the ham. Cut in a circular motion around the bottom of the bone. Slice at a slant from your initial cut into the bone. Serve the top slices. Flip the ham over. Finished.


Did you know that appliances and electronics continue sapping electricity as long as they're plugged in, even when their switches are turned off? Making a habit of unplugging these items when they aren't in use saves a lot of energy over time.  Power down your computer and unplug it when you aren't using it. Computers are one of the main culprits when it comes to using a lot of energy in a household, so unplugging them when you're finished checking your email for the night is worth the hassle. Unplug your TVs, radios and sound systems. Leaving these plugged in day in and day out is a waste of electricity and money. Don't forget smaller appliances like coffee makers, toasters, hair dryers and phone chargers. These use small amounts of energy, but it really adds up over time. What appliances do you really need to use on a daily basis? Think about your routine and determine where you might be able to save some energy. In some cases it might mean spending extra time on certain chores, but the reward is saving energy, money, and having the satisfaction that comes with being more self-sufficient. For example:  Dry your laundry on a clothesline outside instead of using the dryer. This saves a lot of energy, and many find the old-fashioned task of hanging clothes on the line to be among the more relaxing of chores. Fill your dishwasher to the brim instead of doing a partially-empty load. You could also wash dishes by hand  using a water conservation method rather than relying on the dishwasher to do the job. Sweep instead of vacuuming. If you have carpets you'll still have to vacuum once in a while, but you can sweep up large crumbs and clots of dirt with a broom in between sessions. Pulling out the vacuum every day uses up a lot of energy. Do all of your baking on the same day of the week. Heating the oven requires a lot of electricity (unless your oven is powered by gas), so it makes sense to heat it once and bake more than one thing, rather than spacing out your baking over the course of the week. Reduce your reliance on small appliances, too. Let your hair air dry more often than you blow dry it, throw out that plug-in air freshener,  and chop food by hand instead of using a food processor. Manufacturers didn't used to pay much attention to how much energy their products used, but times have changed when it comes to the design of large appliances. Many are made to be more energy efficient, and some include settings that allow you to choose how much energy to use in a given cycle. Next time you need to replace a large appliance, do some research to find a model that doesn't use too much electricity. If purchasing appliances made and distributed in the United States, look for an "Energy Star" certification. This certification means the appliance was tested by the United States Department of Energy and it outperforms federal requirements for energy efficiency.
Summary: Unplug everything. Reduce your reliance on appliances. Replace your appliances with energy-efficient models.