Are you getting an itch to throw a little shindig to welcome this delightful weather back into your life?  How about a casual gathering with close family and friends in the backyard or patio?   Here are some thoughts and ideas to organize an impeccable spring party, and for all the fellows out there, this may be the perfect time to put the flat screen to a good use, and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer.

The special ingredients you need:

1)      Great company

2)      Healthy appetite

3)      ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher D5954

Simple enough!

Alright, let’s first start with the table setting. Here’s a trick, utilize what you already have at the house.  For instance, empty coffee, soup cans and mason jars make perfect flower vases.  You can paint or put ribbons around, but it is an efficient way to decorate your table!

Next, your plate setting.  I found this nice DIY from House of Earnest.com.  All you need is a pair of wire cutters and one artificial blossoming branch.  Cut each stem off, twist it around a napkin and you’ve created something that brings a new life to your table.

 Lastly, the menu.  Raid your pantry, refrigerator and freezer for items you can grill. Wrap up chopped vegetables in foil packets, marinade chicken, poultry, steak, tofu and veggies and throw them on the grill!

Mix in all the greens for salad, add a little bit of cheese and almonds and drizzle balsamic vinaigrette for a tangy taste!

 For dessert, how about Raspberry Tiramisu? Click on the picture to follow Giada’s delicious recipe from Food Network.

  For other menu options check out this link:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/seasonal/patio-dinner-recipes

Now here comes the easy part.  Put all the dirty dishes, pots & pans into ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher  and let it do the magic!

The first dishwasher specifically designed for outdoor use.  You can now dine, load dishes and continue entertaining guests without so much as a break in the conversation. No more running back inside with piles of plates and missing out on the fun.

With its smart, user-friendly features, the ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher can handle just about anything the serious outdoor entertainer can throw at it. Incorporating high-end Scandinavian design and quality that ASKO is famous for, the ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher features a stainless steel top, sides and back for added environmental protection.  All steel parts come with advanced corrosion protection while sealed electronics keep out harsh weather elements.

The ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher has been designed to make outdoor entertaining more convenient; giving you added time to enjoy your time outside with your guests. With exclusive outdoor programming, you can rest assured your precious glassware and serving platters will be cleaned to perfection.  And at a whisper quiet 48dB(A), you can enjoy a glass of wine after dinner without being disrupted by noisy cleaning.

With holding capacity for you and 13 guests, there’s more than enough room for all your plates, bowls, and grilling utensils.

Visit www.askousa.com to find out how you can remodel your outdoor living space with high-quality, functional and energy-efficient solutions to your outdoor kitchen design.  Join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest to stay in tune with ASKO!

Learn more about Asko Family Size Laundry products here: ASKO Ultracare Laundry

Let’s start with the different rooms in your home! Beware, in order to get truly organized, you have to make a bit of a mess first. We recommend you tackle one room at a time.

Kitchen: Get everything off the counters! We know you love those little knick knacks, but this is a busy room where your family spends a lot of time.  To keep an easy workflow when cooking, you need the least amount of clutter possible. Once you tackle the counters, make your way to those drawers and cabinets! Baskets can be your best friend.  Better Homes and Gardens has some great examples! For more ideas, check out our Tips For the Kitchen Pinterest board.

Laundry room: Folding space is key! Clear those counters! It’s also really helpful if you have all the tools that you need in one place. Find a place for the steamer, laundry baskets, and ironing board. Asko’s HiddenHelpers™ are great tools for hiding these items. Tuck your ironing board or folding shelves away, and pull them out when you want to use them. Thinking about redoing this room all together? We have laundry room inspiration for you!

Closet: Go through your clothes. If you haven’t worn that shirt in the last 6 months, there’s a pretty good chance you won’t be wearing it again. Same thing goes for clothes that don’t fit anymore. They’re taking up room in your overstuffed closet. Make sure you’re using all the space you have. Don’t just think horizontally. Go vertical! Shoes that you only wear for special occasions can go on the top shelf!

Garage: Pegboards! Pegboards! Pegboards! Get things off the floor and off the work bench! It’s much easier to find items if you can easily see them hanging on the wall.

Being organized is one of the greatest feelings! Once you accomplish organization bliss, you can free your mind to focus on other things. If you’re inspired by your fresh and clean home, think about updating your appliances. Asko Appliances manufactures environmentally friendly dishwashers and washers and dryers. Swedish quality since 1951, these Asko Appliances focus on purity, simplicity and naturalness, themes which recur in the design language and choice of colors and materials.

Spring is upon us! Explore our blog for spring inspiration. Also follow us on Twitter and Pinterest to keep up with our posts!

Here are a few things to consider:

• Christmas trees: Some people consider artificial trees to be the most environmentally friendly option, because they reuse these trees yearly. While that is beneficial, the chemicals released from the manufacturing of fake trees are quite harmful to the environment, and off-gassing continues year after year, as the tree sits in your home releasing dioxin. This toxic chemical accumulates in fatty tissues, affecting immune systems, and contributing to cancer. It is far better to purchase a real tree, grown without pesticides or chemicals, from a farm that will plant another tree in its place. After Christmas, remember to turn your tree into compost or mulch. Alternately, choose a live Christmas tree that lives in a pot and can be planted after the holidays. If you’re a wino and you’ve saved your wine bottles all year long, take inspiration from the Gaylord Texan. They created a Christmas tree from upcycled wine bottles.
• Ornaments: Using the ornaments passed down through your family is a green option, as is reusing anything! As an added bonus, those ornaments and decorations that you reuse year after year add a nostalgic feeling to your holiday, and help you to preserve your family memories. Another eco-friendly holiday option is recycled ornaments, cleverly fashioned from a variety of materials, from old light bulbs, to glass bottles, to tin barn roofs! Using natural materials, like gingerbread men, garlands made of cranberries and popcorn, or pine cones painted gold and silver, to create ornaments is another way to make your Christmas merry and green.

• Holiday lights: LED lights are the best choice, as they use less power, are cool to the touch, and are eco-friendly. Candles, too, are a great way to bring a warm glow to the holiday season—just be sure you are using them safely, away from the tree and other flammable items.
• Deck the Halls: Skip the plastic garlands, and hang real greenery around your home. Not only will it create less waste and pollution, it will bring a lovely fragrance into the house. Think beyond evergreen boughs of spruce and fir, and incorporate eucalyptus, pepperberry, and even magnolia, for a unique look.
• Bake your décor: The traditional gingerbread house is a wonderful piece of home holiday décor. Creating it is a fun activity to do with your family, and once it is finished, it will not only look wonderful, but also smell wonderful as well! However, that is not the only way to incorporate baking into your home holiday decoration. Ornaments, and even wreaths can be made from baked goods.

• Wrap greener. Wrapping paper is a tremendously wasteful product, and wrapping paper cannot be recycled. Create your own wrapping paper from old maps, comics, or children’s drawings, or put gifts into reusable grocery bags, for a more ecologically sound option. If you have some wrapping paper left over from last year, use that before you buy more, and always save gift bags to reuse.

Caring for the environment is something we should all think about when we are bringing things into our homes, from holiday home decorations, to furniture and appliances. If you are in the market for a new appliance, consider ASKO, manufacturer of high quality, environmentally friendly washers, dryers, and dishwashers. Because ASKO cares about the environment, they offer some of the most energy and water efficient appliances in the world, designed to fit your home and lifestyle. Visit their website to learn more, or join the online community on Facebook and Twitter. For more holiday décor ideas and recipes, check out ASKO’s Pinterest Board, Wonders of Winter!

Introducing the ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher – the first dishwasher specifically designed for outdoor use.  You can now dine, load dishes and continue entertaining guests without so much as a break in the conversation. No more running back inside with piles of plates and missing out on the fun.

With its smart, user-friendly features, the ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher can handle just about anything the serious outdoor entertainer can throw at it. Incorporating high-end Scandinavian design and quality that ASKO is famous for, the ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher features a stainless steel top, sides and back for added environmental protection.  All steel parts come with advanced corrosion protection while sealed electronics keep out harsh weather elements.

The ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher has been designed to make outdoor entertaining more convenient, giving you added time to enjoy your time outside with your guests. With exclusive outdoor programming, you can rest assured your precious glassware and serving platters will be cleaned to perfection.  And at a whisper quiet 48dB(A), you can enjoy a glass of wine after dinner without being disrupted by noisy cleaning.

With holding capacity for you and 13 guests, there’s more than enough room for all your plates, bowls, and grilling utensils.

The ASKO Outdoor Dishwasher is the final piece to your outdoor kitchen.

You can make your dream outdoor kitchen a reality by checking out ASKO’s new outdoor dishwasher, D5954 Outdoor. Visit www.askousa.com to find out how you can remodel your outdoor living space with high-quality, functional and energy-efficient solutions to your outdoor kitchen design. join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest for more great ASKO information.

Book Page Pumpkin

Have old, damaged books around the house? Upcycle them into smart pumpkin decorations! All you need is an old book, scissors, an ink pad, a stick from the yard, and a little ribbon.

Googly Eyed Cereal Box Mummies

Fun craft for the kids! Grab some cereal boxes, old white t-shirts, a pair of scissors and some googly eyes! Before you know it, you’ll have spooky mummy decorations!

Garlic Wreath

Use a wire coat hanger you have around the house and find some moss and leaves to weave onto it for the base of the wreath. Use floral wire to weave the garlic around the coat hanger. This wreath might be stinky enough to ward off all those vampires on Halloween.

Cozy Sweater Pumpkins

Have old white, cream, or orange sweaters you’ve outgrown or have been in your closet since the 80’s? Turn them into adorable pumpkins! The Country Chic Cottage has easy step-by-step instructions. These sweater pumpkins will last through many Halloweens and Thanksgivings!

Pumpkin Lollipop Holder

Instead of placing your candy in a plastic bowl this year, use one of your pumpkins. It will not only be cute decoration, but can be composted once your party is over.

Backyard Leaf Garland

Instead of raking the leaves in your backyard and throwing them away this week, save some for an easy DIY leaf garland.

Explore the ASKO blog for tips on what to do with your carved pumpkins when Halloween is over. We also have some great recipes to bring the warm, fall scents of cinnamon and cloves into your kitchen. Check out our easy simmer pot recipes for wonderful fall aromas!

While you are learning how to have an eco-friendly Halloween, check out energy efficient appliances from ASKO. A maker of fine European appliances for more than half a century, ASKO is committed to the environment and it has been an important part of ASKO’s philosophy, perhaps because the factories have always had nature on their doorstep. ASKO dishwashers, for example, have a very low energy and detergent consumption and are among the most water-efficient in the world.

Visit the website to learn more, or join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest

1.       Where is your dishwasher located? Kitchen.
2.       Ok, where are your dirty dishes? Kitchen. Ok, that makes sense.
3.       Where are your washer and dryer currently located? Laundry room.
4.       Ok, where are your dirty clothes? Bedroom.
5.       Hmmm, so you have to walk all the way across the house with your dirty clothes to wash them? Umm, yeah. That doesn’t make sense.

A growing trend in laundry is to have your washer and dryer in rooms other than just a laundry room. Why waste a space devoted entirely to laundry, when your washer and dryer could go anywhere in your home? Isn’t it odd how often times laundry rooms will be on the opposite side of the house from your bedroom, so you lug your dirty clothes across the house?

Thanks to ASKO’s Quattro™ suspension and condenser dryer, your washer and dryer can go anywhere! The Quattro™ suspension system allows us to isolate the drum from the cabinet, therefore reducing noise and vibrations.  ASKO also offers condenser dryers, which don’t require venting so they can be installed in closets, bathrooms, wrapping rooms, sewing rooms, really anywhere! It’s the perfect laundry pair for someone remodeling their home!

Check out all these great multipurpose laundry room examples! For more ideas, check out our Beautiful Laundry Rooms pinboard on Pinterest.

When you are coming up with your laundry room or multipurpose room plans, do not settle for ordinary appliances, ASKO Appliances has been designing high-quality European appliances since 1950, and they know how to execute flawless style with phenomenal functionality. If you are looking for inspiration for your kitchen design, check out these celebrity kitchens you’ll love and want to imitate! Visit the website to see ASKO’s sleek and fashionable washers and dryers, or plug into the online community on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Subscribe to the ASKO Appliances Blog so you will never miss a post!

All you need is a simmering pot of water to add a few ingredients to.

1. Fill a large pot with water and begin to simmer.
2. Add ingredients.
3. Let it simmer for a couple hours, and your home will smell wonderful!
4. Add more water to the pot as needed.

Option 1: Vanilla Cinnamon

2 tablespoons of whole cloves

A few drops of vanilla extract

3 cinnamon sticks

Option 2: Citrus Warmth

1 orange peel

1 lemon peel

2 cinnamon sticks

A few drops of vanilla

Option 3: Apple Pie

One red apple sliced

2 tablespoons of whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks

Option 4: Evergreen

A few sprigs of rosemary

A few drops of vanilla

1 lemon peel

Feel free to mix and match any of these ingredients to make it your own style.

While you are learning how to make your home smell wonderful for the new season, read our blog on how to save on energy bills this winter. Also, check out the energy-efficient dishwashers from ASKO. ASKO designs products that are not only eco-friendly and energy efficient, but also sleek and stylish. Visit the website to learn more, or join the online community on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.

Loading Your ASKO Dishwasher

We have a great new YouTube video featuring ASKO’s Webstar, Marty Bausch, “How to Properly Load an ASKO Dishwasher!”  ASKO dishwashers have 7 to 10Spray™ wash systems and we want to teach you about each spray’s great powers so you know how to load your dishwasher to get maximum cleaning power.

There are seven sprays found on every ASKO dishwasher with three additional as you step up through the line-up.

1. Self Cleaning Filter: The filter in the bottom of the tank is continuously sprayed.
2. Filter/ Tank: Rinses the bottom of the tank.
3. Lower Spray Arm- Up: Cleans the dishes and cutlery in the upper rack.
4. Upper Spray Arm- Down: Washes the dishes and cutlery in the lower rack from above.
5. Upper Spray Arm- Up: Cleans the dishes in the upper rack from below.
6. Pots and Pans PowerZone™: Powerful spray nozzle scrubs heavily soiled pots and pans.
7. Cutlery Basket PowerZone™: Fan power sprays cutlery basket anywhere in the front horizontal row.
8. Plates PowerZone™: Powerful spray nozzle scrubs food and sauces off your plates. (Available on: D5644XLCS, D5554XXLFI, D5654XXLHS, and D5894XXL)
9. Middle Rack: Sprays just the middle basket to clean bowls, casseroles, cutlery, etc. (Available on: D5554XXLFI, D5654XXLHS, and D5894XXL)
10. Upper Cutlery Rack: Spray zone for the 4th level cutlery basket. (Available on: D5894XXL)

You can also watch our video on the 10Spray™ system on our YouTube channel. Visit the ASKO Website for details.

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Let’s quiz your laundry detergent knowledge with a couple of questions. First, what does clean smell like? Trick question! Clean has no scent at all! If you can still smell the detergent in your clothes, that means your clothes are not being rinsed well enough. ecoVantage’s formula doesn’t have any fillers in it, so when your clothes are clean all you will smell is the scent of your clean fabrics.

Second, do you know what happens when the wash gets too sudsy with detergent? Your clothes don’t get super clean, detergent and dirt get left in your fabrics! Oversudsing may lead to longer wash times, soap residue can be left in your tub, or you will find error displays on your control panel. Oversudsing can occur if you’re using too much detergent or a regular detergent for your high efficiency machine. No worries, ecoVantage’s low suds formula will prevent this from happening! All you need is one scoop and your clothes come out nice and clean! The 7 pound bucket of ecoVantage will go far. You can get 110 loads out of it!

What makes ecoVantage laundry detergent so great you ask? Well, here are some of the awesome key features:

To find ecoVantage near you, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you find buckets.

800-898-1879 Option 1