A stew hack is any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases your job productivity and efficiency. And I got ten that will make your stew duties so much easier. Ok, let's get to it!
1. Say goodbye to silver creams and horrible chemicals!
And say hello to baking soda, aluminum foil, water, and shiny silver! Tarnished silver is no match for this aluminum foil "recipe." Bring one liter of water, one tablespoon of baking soda, and one piece of aluminum foil to a boil. Drop silver in the container for 10 seconds (longer if it's very tarnished), then remove using kitchen tongs or reusable gloves. Magic! Watch here the video of the last time I used this trick! (is at the end of the stories).
2. No more ironing on turndowns!
Don’t waste time ironing the beds. Nature knows best, spray a fair amount of water on the wrinkles (don't be shy), use your hands to brush the fabric, and stretch the bed nicely. In less than 10 minutes, you will have an ironed-looking bed again! This works best on sheets that have been ironed right after drying. If you have, this trick will work amazingly whenever you need to make the bed.
P.S. no need to spend money on Downy Wrinkle Releaser; water is what makes the Releaser work; the rest is chemicals to make your sheets smell. Here is a photo (3 minutes apart) of me using this trick in the Master sheets.
3. Use vodka to keep your flowers looking flawless.
Before putting your flowers in a vase, add several drops of vodka and a teaspoon of white sugar, which delays wilting. When your flowers eventually start to die, add a shot of vodka into the water, and the stems will stand up straight again for a day or two.
4. No more lint or unwanted streaks in mirrors, glasses, or stainless!
After 14 years in the industry, I don't care what people say; this is the best cloth to use, SALT Micro Fiber cloth (get it in Bed Bath and Beyond). It only uses water to clean (say goodbye to getting high with rubbing alcohol, LOL), plus it ensures there are no lint or unwanted streaks left behind in mirrors, glasses, and stainless. If you are not in America, this one from Riedel will do the same for you.
5. Wool Balls are the new Drying Sheets. Get on it.
Some of the many benefits of wool balls are:
No chemicals. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets contain chemicals and perfumes, whereas wool dryer balls are natural and made from a renewable resource (sheep's).
They decreased drying time.
Won't affect the absorbency of your linens or your workout wear.
Softens fabric naturally.
Environmentally and human friendly
My favorite ones are Tumblewool and Molly Suds.
6. Invigorated Water
It's 2020, climate change is real, and you are a conscious stew. Every purchase you make onboard affects the planet and its inhabitants, so I invite you to make better ones. Since I came across Invigorated Water Systems, I have implemented it on every boat I worked on. Its alkaline water filter system will allow you to hydrate faster, be a conscious consumer, and give back to the planet by saying goodbye to plastic water bottles, which translates to not breaking your back with bulky water cases and having more space for what matters onboard. I have changed plastic water bottles to reusable ones by integrating this system that gives impressive hydration via alkaline water. Swell and Corkcicles are the bottles most owners and crew have preferred. Everyone loves invigorated Alkaline water, and the fact that they are contributing to a better planet makes them happy. This is a Win, Win! Get yours here; I always get the pH RECHARGE 3F Countertop Alkaline Water Filter.
7. Deep Clean Kettle Au Naturale
Clean your kettle by adding a few wedges of lemons into the water. Add the maximum amount of water and 3/4 lemon wedges, turn the kettle on, and let the water boil. You can also do it with water and vinegar and avoid the lemons altogether, but make sure after it is clean, you boil the kettle at least 2/3 times with water only to get rid of the vinegar's taste.
8. Get rid of permanent markers “Oops” marks!
As much as we want to avoid it, a crew member always uses the permanent marker instead of the erased one on the whiteboard. No need to worry; use rubbing alcohol to remove the unwanted marks from the board. And if this happens on wood, use nail polish remover instead.
9. No more writing numbers on Crew Uniforms; use this instead.
Don't you hate when there have been so many numbers scratched and re-written on the uniforms that you can't figure out which number/crew it belongs to? Yeah, I hear you, sister. That's why I no longer write on uniforms. I only use Iron-on Fabric tapes instead. When a crew member changes, all you have to do is replace the tape on the garment! And the best part is that you can get them for Brother and Dymo label makers, making this task easy and professional.
10. Save the Best for Last
My last and number one stew hack is drums, please… REST. Yes, that is correct, rest! As a stew, you believe that everything and everyone is more important than you and that your job is to be there 110% of the time, no matter if that means not eating and resting properly. I am here to tell you, you're mistaken. You can't be 100% in your job if you don't rest properly. Avoiding taking care of yourself because you believe you don't have time is a lie that will cost you your health and career. I know cause I experienced a massive burnout back in 2012. You have time to rest if you make the time. Believe me when I say the boat will continue to run efficiently without you for 2/3 hours or hopefully a day if you are in your bleeding phase.
If you want to learn how to implement time off during your menstrual time while working onboard, invest in the Mermaids Kick-Starter Bible.
With the MKSB, you get over 90+ Interior Management Templates and access to an Exclusive Members Area filled with workshops, masterclasses, and courses to support your career. Download yours here, and if you need private mentorship in your transition as a Chief Stew, click here.
