For those who took home economics, what are the first things you made?

[csziggy]

58. I think everyone should get education in home management

That is pretty much what Mrs. Girtman taught us. I forgot - she also taught us basic bugeting - though it was geared towards household budgeting, it was still helpful when I moved out on my own.

Maybe decrease the emphasis on sewing since few have the time to sew and it really doesn't save much money - other than getting better quality clothes. But all the rest would be useful to anyone who is ever going to live without paying other people to do all those things for them. Planning meals seems to be a lost talent. Simple home decorating may seem frivolous but it can make a home more comfortable and enjoyable.

Hey, I've also built a LOT of IKEA furniture! All the cabinets in our new house are IKEA. I just didn't have the time to build them from scratch and I had just had knee surgery when we started the house. I checked prices and IKEA had the best quality for the best price plus they were low VOC which was important because of my asthma and allergies.

With the help of the people on the IKEA Fans Forum I planned the kitchen, bathrooms, and closet layouts. I managed to get all the cabinets (and some of the appliances) for 20% off, then assembled them all myself. I'm a whiz with an Allen wrench!