Holiday time is the right time to toss what’s old in your cupboard and stock up on what you need for Thanksgiving and Navidad entertaining. Try these easy tips for streamlining your kitchen and saving money at the supermarket -- just in time for las festividades!

1. Check Expiration Dates

Anything that is past due gets the boot. Better to be safe than sorry! Start by looking through your spice rack. How long has that onion powder been hanging around? The rule of thumb is that herbs and spices keep their flavor for six to 12 months. The best way to tell if your dried herb or spice still have flavor is to give it the crush test. Crush a pinch between your index finger and thumb: you should immediately get a rich, full aroma. Also, color fades with time: Do your red spices look brownish and your green herbs grayer? It may be time to replace them.

2. Make Counter and Cupboard Space

You need loads more counter and storage space when you’re entertaining. Consider hanging your pots and pans to give you coveted cupboards inches, and either put away or give away handy kitchen gadgets sitting on your counters that you haven't used in years.

3.  Save Money at the Grocery Store

Fresh produce can add up quickly, so don't overlook frozen fruits and veggies, which tend to be cheaper. And nutritionists say they might be healthier for you because they are picked and frozen at their peak of ripeness. Another trick: Buy paper products at discount stores instead of the grocery store. You can also save money at the grocery store by keeping your eyes focused on the register at the checkout counter. Americans lose between one and three billion dollars per year in scanning errors, either because of human error or because sales prices have yet to be entered into the computer.

Updating your home’s look can be as simple as adding one special piece -- such as a plush rug, a throw or a stunning lamp -- to a room. But if you want to start from scratch, then follow these suggestions to create the home of your dreams.

Define Your Home’s Style
Just as your wardrobe reveals whether you’re a carefree mujer or the prim-and-proper type, la casita, too, is an extension of your personality. Figuring out what style you want for your home is crucial. If a warm and cozy space makes your heart leap, then you may want to opt for traditional or country furnishings, such as brass lamps, plush sofas and area rugs. Other styles to consider are classic, modern, rustic or eclectic.

Choose the Main Element
In any given room, decide what will be the element around which you will decorate. Will it be the color scheme or will it be fabrics? The furniture? Or will it be the home’s architecture that takes precedence? Whatever you decide, choosing a single element will bring your options into focus whenever other design possibilities become overwhelming.

Color Scheme
The next phase is to select a color scheme that best fits the style you’ve chosen. Experts suggest using colors that would not ordinarily occur to you. Keep in mind that any color you choose, whether bold or cool, should complement the main element that you’ve chosen.

Play with the Design
Make a diagram of your home, and lay out the color and fabric swatches, then the furniture cutouts for each room you will decorate. Experts say this is a good time to incorporate personal themes from your hobbies, heirlooms, wardrobe, favorite paintings, photographs or travel destinations. Also tear out any magazine clips of home design that inspire you.

Edit, Edit, Edit
t’s easy to have too many competing ideas. So keep things simple with this general guideline: If you choose neutral wall colors, then you will have more room for creativity or boldness with the furnishings. But if you choose bold wall colors, then you will be limited by the boldness of the furnishing you use.

Photo: Corbis Images

Most of us abide by the yearly spring-cleaning ritual. But a growing number of Latinas con la falda bien puesta realize that spreading household chores over the year lightens the load. Here are five timely reminders when giving your home a deep scrub this season.                

Clear the Clutter
Before you do anything else, open up more of the surface area that you will need to clean. That means disposing of unwanted items, such as clothing you haven’t used in more than a year, unnecessary cooking utensils, piled-up magazines and papers, withered plants, and any other items that you are ready to let go. If you find expired vitamins, canned goods, or cough medicine, well, you know where those go.

Vacuum Everything

Use your vacuum on every household item that collects dust, and insert it into every nook and cranny that you find. Remember to vacuum such things as moldings, window curtains (in front and behind) and windowsills, upholstered furniture, sofa cushions, and both sides of your mattress. Give a wipe-down to closets, as well as kitchen and bathroom cabinets.                     

Deep-clean Your Carpet
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a carpet acts as a “sink” for indoor pollutants, such as pesticides, dust mites and fungi. But since a regular vacuum will not pick up the mites and mold that are hiding deep in the carpet, many experts recommend steam-cleaning at least every six months. If you want to hire a company to steam-clean your carpet, remember that carpets dry faster in warmer weather. So schedule your appointment early in the month.

Disinfect Linen
Because dust mites thrive in used bedding and may trigger allergies, wash pillows, comforters, duvet covers and mattress pads to get you through the winter. Remember to wash bed sheets on a weekly basis in a hot rinse and a dry cycle. And in order to prevent overusing one side of your mattress, turn it over bottom-to-top and head-to-foot.

De-grime Your Home Appliances
Remember to clean the filters and bins inside washing and drying machines. Another popular spot where dust gathers and grime accumulates is behind refrigerators and dishwashing machines.

Photo: Corbis Images

As children, we rolled our eyes when our padres demanded we speak fluent español and attend our neighbors’ quinceñeras. But in the process of acclimating to an American lifestyle, we may leave too much behind. Here are nine nuggets of Latino wisdom we should never forget, and how to incorporate them into our complicated modern lives:

1. Familia comes first. In good times and in bad, no one is there like the family. But it’s not just obligation that should compel you to put the ones closest to you first. After all, what’s more relaxing: reality TV drama or story time with your children?

2. Pool your resources. Saving in groups has helped Latin-Americans around the world to start businesses and buy homes. Combine energy with like-minded professionals by starting a Latino affinity group in your field.

3. Dinner is sacred. At least once a month, make a whole meal from scratch for a small group of close friends. The memory will last longer than a night at the movies.

4. Don’t spend what you don’t make. Immigrants don’t use credit cards, but we have to sometimes. Make sure to keep a careful log to justify each charge.

5. Never complain. This may be unrealistic, but do we really have to whine so much? Try cutting all negative comments for one week.

6. Invest in people, not things. Our families helped out the neighbors; we barely know who lives on our block. Create a sense of community by joining a local parent group, cultural organization or food coop.

7. Romance is king. Our abuelitos never quit dancing or date nights.

8. A little fat never killed anyone. Even research backs Mami up on this one: the body needs monounsaturated fats -- so bring on the guacamole and pepitas. (Skip the chips.)

9. Don’t bring work home. If you can’t pull this off, budget at least 30 task- and media- free minutes a day. You’ll be more relaxed and effective in the morning.

Before they were famous, celebrities like actor John Leguizamo, Olympic wrestler Henry Cejudo and writer Leila Cobo-Hanlon looked up to Mami for guidance. And since we know that raising accomplished and disciplined individuals is no easy feat, we applaud these moms’ countless acts of faith and persistent nudges that undeniably ignited their kids’ ambitions. Here, a dose of inspiration from three stellar mothers’ wise lessons:

For Luz Leguizamo, it was all about creating an artistic environment for her sons to thrive in New York City. “I truly believe that John was profoundly affected as a boy by watching my talented musician friends give extraordinary performances. My two sons always saw how hard their father and I worked. As immigrants, we studied English, which was difficult to do while we worked full-time. When John told me that he was going to be an actor and study drama on his own without going to college, I said firmly, ‘You must go to college. I won’t accept any excuses.’ I stood by my decision.” John Leguizamo eventually attended New York University and later enrolled in the prestigious Actors Studio. The rest is Hollywood history.

Nelly Rico came to the United States from Mexico seeking better opportunities for herself and her family. For decades, she worked multiple jobs to provide for her seven children. She consistently gave her family the resources and encouragement they needed to succeed. After raising four sons, three daughters and more than one wrestling champ, including Cejudo, the youngest American wrestler to ever bring home Olympic gold, Rico won the American Heritage Award in 2010, which is given to immigrants for their unique contributions to the U.S. “My mom is an amazing woman,” Cejudo once said. “She has influenced and encouraged me my entire life. She is my hero.”

Olga Sefair de Cobo raised four children in Cali, Colombia, with the belief that if her family always dined together and discussed what was on their minds at the table, the world could be their oyster. For her daughter Cobo-Hanlon, the executive director of Latin content at Billboard magazine and author of the critically acclaimed novel Tell Me Something True, having her mother close by made a difference. “Aside from dinner conversation, the most important thing was putting them to bed,” says Cobo. “Every night, les daba la bendición and listened to their secrets. The biggest secrets always came out at night,” she adds with a wink.