Hang Your Hat

Hang Your Hat wants 2019 to be the year you get your finances in order. In this episode I discuss budgeting philosophies, reducing expenses, and how the way we spend money has changed over the years.

On today’s special Christmas Episode of Hang Your Hat I am discussing the 12 Days of Christmas. In this episode I will explore the history behind the song, how it has changed over the years, and why there so many birds in the song.

Even though it is autumn now, down here in Florida it can still get pretty hot, and I was reminded just how hot it can get when Hurricane Michael struck my region. Hurricane Michael left me and thousands of others without electricity and therefore without air conditioning. It made me wonder, how did people stay cool before air conditioning existed? It turns out that ancient people didn’t just sweat it out. They actually came up with some really ingenious ways to keep their cool. On Episode 30 of Hang Your Hat, I explore some of the ways that ancient people stayed cool, even in the hottest climates, and what we can do today to stay cool without electricity.

There is a good chance you have heard the story about the inventor of the microwave standing in front of radar and noticing that the chocolate bar in his pocket had melted.  You probably haven't heard that the event that story was based on occurred more than 70 years ago, or that it wasn't actually a chocolate bar, or that despite growing up in poverty and having almost no formal education the invention of the microwave was among the least important contributions that the inventor of the microwave left to mankind.  Learn the real story on this week's episode of Hang Your Hat.

Here in the US when we think about Hygge, we usually think about cozying up with blankets next to the fire, but hygge can be a part of our lives all year round.  In this episode, I discuss the ways that we can bring some hygge into our lives this Spring, and why hygge is scientifically a good thing.

Whether you are traveling for Spring Break, Easter, or the Christmas Holidays, Hang Your Hat has you covered.  On this week's show, I interview world traveler Doctor Aaron Davis, and he shares his favorite travel tips.

Toilets in the US haven't changed much since the 1930's but change is on the horizon. Advancements in toilet technology will make us healthier, reduce the amount of time we spend cleaning, and even make deep space exploration possible.  Find out how on this week's episode of Hang Your Hat.  

What is the most important invention ever?  If you base your answer on the number of lives saved then it is the toilet.  Toilets have reduced disease, improved child mortality rates, and made it possible for humans to live in close quarters.  In this episode, I explore the long history of the toilet from Neolithic drainage to today's porcelain wonders.

Seventeen years ago the National Dairy Council put out a commercial about a little girl feeding Santa cheese instead of cookies.  Now, I have kids of my own, and we leave cookies for Santa every year, but I wonder if there is a better alternative, something Santa would like better than cookies and milk, like cheese.  On this episode of Hang Your Hat I explore the foods kids leave for Santa all around the world and hint, it isn't all cookies and milk.

The basic Thanksgiving dinner is pretty consistent throughout the US - turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and sides, however, there are significant differences in the ingredients and cooking methods used throughout the different regions in the country.  Most of those differences live in peaceful harmony, but there is one dish that has prompted more dinner table debates than any other - stuffing, also known as dressing. In this week's episode, we finally settle the debate.

No Halloween display is complete without a grinning Jack-o-lantern, but the Jack-o-lantern's origin story is not a happy tale. It is a tale of deceit and trickery and a murderous wondering soul. This week's episode is a modern retelling of the tale of Stingy Jack, the man behind the Jack-o-lantern.

One of the best things to do in the world is cozying up to a big book for some marathon reading, but a bad reading spot can spoil the day. On this episode of Hang Your Hat learn how to create a reading spot that perfectly suits you.

Wallpaper used to be a lot more like regular paper than the easy clean scrubbable stuff we know today, and in the industrial era, it got really dirty.  It turns out that the beloved kid's toy Play-doh was originally made as a wallpaper cleaner.  In this episode learn about Play-doh's long journey from cleaning supply to worldwide toy sensation.

It is time to officially make the transition to fall, and that starts with the Equinox.  In this week's episode we will explore what the equinox is and how it occurs, ways to celebrate the equinox, including several variations on harvest festivals, and how your work in the garden is not over even when the harvest is done.

Work, clubs, sporting events, parent teacher meetings, doctor’s appointments, sometimes there is so much family business to keep track of it is a wonder we remember any of it. In this episode I am going to discuss some of the ways I have found that help me keep track of everything that is going on in my life, and why you are better off doing one thing at a time despite the pressure to multitask.

It is time to head back to school, but why now, as opposed to any other time of the year?  In this episode, I explore why kids go back to school in the fall (hint:  it probably isn't what you think), the US educational system, ways to ease the transition back to school and the oldest educational institutional institutions in the world.

School will be back in session soon, but there is still time to squeeze in one more vacation this summer. Whether or not there is money in the budget to take that vacation is another story, however. If you need a break, but don’t have the funds to travel, there is an alternative - the staycation. On today’s episode, my husband and I are discussing the advantages and disadvantages of staycations, as well as some ideas to make your next staycation to best one yet.

Light. It is one of those things that we tend to take for granted until it isn’t available. Humans have been figuring out better ways to light our homes for hundreds of years, from fire, to cancels and oil lamps, but in the last 200 years lighting technology has truly advanced, and it all started with the creation of the electric light. This fortnight's show discusses the history and future of the electric light, the world's oldest working light bulb, Lumens, color temperature, and the coolest lighting event that is going to happen in North America this year, the 2017 Solar Eclipse.

It’s summer, and nothing says summer quite like a backyard cookout filled with good friends and grilled food. In this episode find out about how back yard grilling got its start, why lovers of grilled food should appreciate harbor buoys, and why the charcoal we put in our grills probably isn’t charcoal. I will also discuss some of the pros and cons of different types of grills, and some vegetarian options for your next cookout.

The Atlantic Hurricane season started a few days ago, and this year is predicted to be bad, but disasters, whether natural or man made can strike at any time.  In this episode my husband and I discuss the CDC's disaster preparation recommendations, and add a few recommendations of our own.

Is something bugging you?  Bugs are bugging me.  I can't enjoy my yard without something trying to eat me.  In this week's episode I discuss ways to keep mosquitos, ticks, and cockroaches out of the yard, some common bug repellants and their efficacy, and a super gross fact about roaches.

Do you know how big your living room rug should be, or which rug material is the most stain resistant?  What about how the technique used to construct a rug can impact it's durability?  This week's episode is all about rugs,  and in it I answer these questions and more, to help you make an informed decision when buying your next rug.   This week's music is by Kai Engel, and can be found at the free music archive:  http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

Hang Your Hat is doing another holiday special. This time we are counting down the 10 most unusual Easter traditions in the world, including Easter trick or treating, murder mysteries, and a rocket fight. Happy Easter!

Episode 9 is all about smell.  In this episode learn why you can't tell if your house stinks, why teenagers don’t care that their bedrooms reek, as well as odor removers, stinky feet, and why linen closets smell funny and what you can do about it.

Has the coming of spring left you with an inexplicable urge to clean and organize?  In this episode of Hang Your Hat I will give you some insight on why that might be, and what you should do about it.  I also talk about how not to kill yourself with cleaning supplies, and a couple of the more helpful cleaning hacks I found during my research for the show.

In this episode, I dig a bit into the history of the furniture mega store Ikea, divulge some of it’s dark secrets, and discuss why, despite it’s failings, I still love the store. I will also review it’s new and much lauded 2017 PS line, and talk about a recent accolade that we should all be excited about.

30% of American Adults do not get enough sleep, and it is time to do something about it. Learn how to create the ideal sleeping conditions, from the lighting to the smell, and beyond. Also explore some weird and wonderful sleep gadgets, that might just help you get some Zzzz's.

In this episode I will be discussing the Fair housing act in honor of MLK day, as well as the 2017 Pinterest home trends, and the new best friend of parents with young children, the Octopus Watch.

Learn how decluttering can make you happier and healthier, save time and money, and even loose weight.

Episode 3 is the Hang Your Hat Christmas Special, where I am counting down 10 of the weirdest, most unusual Christmas traditions from around the world.

Get ready for the holiday season with Hang Your Hat. In this episode I discuss the History of Christmas Cards and Addresses, a couple of Fun Finds that are perfect for the holiday season, and I have a special guest on the talk with me about consumable clutter free gifts that are perfect for everyone on your Christmas list.

In this - the first full episode of the New Hang Your Hat Podcast - I will be discussing; Early Colonial American Homes, The Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, The Thanksgiving TV Dinner Connection, Playing host to people with special diets, and The Timing of Shopping During the Holiday Season If you enjoy the episode please leave a review.

This is the very first episode of Hang Your Hat. A new, research based podcast about the home. In this short introductory episode you can learn why I decided to create a podcast.