Inspirational Quote of the Week
Unique chalkboard craft projects are a stylish way to stay organized
Definable drawers
Is your home being overrun with clutter? The best way to overcome clutter – and keep everything tidy – is to ensure everything has its place. Labeling is a great way to stay organized and alert family members where items are – and where to put them away. Using stickers and markers for identification can sometimes look plain and boring, and are more permanent. Luckily, there is another way to label: chalkboard paint.
Time to…
Start by finding a large, flat, wall-hanging clock and carefully remove the hands. Then, apply a coat of Krylon Indoor/Outdoor charcoal black primer to cover the entire clock, making it the same even color. Once the primer has dried, apply three coats of chalkboard spray paint. Finally, when the clock is fully dry, reattach the clock hands and finish by designating certain hours for your daily tasks. This project is especially ideal for young children who don’t yet know how to tell time; simply use drawings to help them know when it is time for their activities and you’ll avoid the everyday question of “is it time to (fill in the blank) yet?”
Inspirational Quote of the Week
Details on carpet stain removal
Carpet stain removal can be a daunting task. It should also be done with much care and precaution to prevent damage on the carpet. While using the vacuum cleaner will do fine, it will only remove the dirt. Stains are different, thus, they should be treated differently.
Regardless of the approach employed in removing the stains, it is best to act immediately and quickly. If you wait in doing the cleaning, you risk ruining your carpet for good. Whether oil, wax, solid or liquid substances are spilled on the carpet, you need to grab a clean cloth to remove the solid substances or what can be removed from the stain.
Then you have to blot out as much of the stain as possible. If a liquid substance spilled the carpet, there might occur wicking. Wicking means that the liquid substances have pooled at the bottom of your carpet. Hence, it will weaken the fiber of your carpet, causing the stain to spread and resurface; and eventually, serious damage is done on your carpet.
To prevent wicking, you need to cover the area with a thick dry cloth, and weigh it down with thick books or something that is heavy. Leave it overnight and remove the stain as normal in the following day.
In the morning, when you are certain that no more liquid or staining material will come out, blot out the stain using a dampen cloth or sponge. Avoid scrubbing the carpet as it would weaken the fiber and cause the stain to spread to other areas.
Blotting the stain gently will remove the stain without causing further damage to the carpet. If the stain remains after blotting it with water, you may want to squirt mild dish washing liquid onto it to clean. Blot the stain gently and let it sit for an hour before you blot again with a cool damp sponge or cloth until the stain is totally removed.
There are many carpet stain removal products available in the market in case you do not like to use dishwashing liquid detergent. Commercial products designed for removing stains vary based on what types of stains on your carpet.
For them to be effective, you need to figure out what type of stains your carpet has. If it is greasy like oils for cooking, body, automotive or moisturizing, use grease-based stain removal products.
If the stains are acid-based like coffee or urine, your choices are oil-based or acid-based products. In oil-based, the stains are dissolved, while in acid-based, the chemical quality of the spots are changed in order to make them easy to remove.
If you are not certain on the type of stain your carpet has, choose the all-purpose type of carpet stain removal product.
In all your undertakings, it is best to test the carpet stain removal product in a corner of the carpet or in any out-of-the-way area of the carpet, lest, you may risk creating a faded spot that may look more hideous than the stain itself.
by Rudy Silva
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_6257.shtml
6 Things You Should Never Do When Renovating a Kitchen
(BPT) – Whether you’ve heard it in the office, a classroom or a soccer field, that old saying about mistakes being valuable learning tools really rings true, doesn’t it? If those mistakes occur during the course of a kitchen renovation, however, it may be difficult to be philosophical about them. Bungle a kitchen redesign, and you’ll either have to live with the consequences for a long time or invest even more money to correct them.
It’s better by far to avoid making a big mistake when renovating a kitchen. Here are six totally wrong moves that you should never make when improving the most-used room in your home:
1. Give up cabinets.
Maybe you long for a window over the kitchen sink. Perhaps replacing or upgrading all the cabinets in the kitchen will take too big a bite out of your budget. Or maybe you intend to become a minimalist and need storage space for only two plates, two mugs and two wine glasses. Whatever you think your “reason” is for reducing the number of cabinets in your kitchen – don’t do it. Cabinet storage space is a top priority in any kitchen; it can help keep clutter off your countertops, and improve the room’s appeal to potential buyers. Never give up cabinet space unless you have a ridiculous number of cabinets, in which case, see move No. 2 ….
2. Cover every inch of wall with cabinets.
The only thing worse than not enough cabinets is having too many. We’ve all seen kitchens where the cabinets visually overwhelm the space. Sometimes they’re too large for the scale of the room. Other times there are just too many of them. Keep in mind the need for visual balance, and turn to online calculators to help you understand how much cabinetry is appropriate for your kitchen.
3. Cheap out on appliances.
New appliances can be a large part of your kitchen renovation budget, and the temptation to cut costs by buying cheaper quality products can be compelling. Yet kitchen appliances are among the most-used in any home. When you consider how often you’ll use them, how much wear and tear they’ll endure, and how great their impact is on the usability of the room, it makes sense to invest in the best appliances you can afford. What’s more, if you choose cheaper models – or worse yet, keep old, inefficient appliances – you may miss out on the energy savings that new appliances can deliver.
4. Give up even a single ray of sunlight or breath of fresh air.
More than one kitchen renovator has chosen to solve the problem of too little cabinet space by covering up a window. Not a smart move, especially when you consider the value of natural light and fresh air in a kitchen. If you have no wall space to spare for windows, adding Energy Star-qualified no-leak fresh-air skylights, like those from Velux America, can solve the problem.
Modern skylights are as dependable as high quality vertical windows and they admit much more natural light. Solar powered fresh air skylights passively vent humidity and cooking fumes from the kitchen while bringing in light. Pair them with solar-powered designer blinds, and your skylights become not just more energy efficient, but more functional, since both are operated by a programmable remote control. As an added plus, solar powered skylights, blinds and installation costs are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit for energy-efficient home improvements.
5. Pick materials that are too fragile for life in the kitchen.
Just as you never pick a partner or a vehicle based on their looks alone, choosing kitchen materials based on beauty is doomed to disappoint. For example, recycled glass countertops can chip, scratch or crack more easily than other options, and may not stand up to rigorous use. Limestone has a lovely, luminous look but is vulnerable to stains. Before you choose a material for its looks, find out its durability and weigh that against your tolerance for cleaning and repairs, as well as how brutal you’re likely to be on the surfaces in your kitchen. And in that vein ….
6. Let looks trump practicality.
Choosing an overall design or materials that look great and are fashionable, but that aren’t practical for your lifestyle, is a recipe for regrets. Whether it’s buying a refrigerator that’s too big for the scale of the room, or opting for a countertop color that’s too unusual to be universally appealing, conceding practicality to appearance will make the kitchen harder to work in and harder to sell down the road.
A well-executed kitchen renovation can boost home value and improve your enjoyment of the kitchen, which is the heart of the home. With planning and care, it’s possible to avoid the kind of renovation mistakes that no one wants to live with.
How to Get a House Ready For Sale
CALL YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT
One mistake that home owners make when they are ready to sell their home is getting their home “ready” to sell before they call an agent. The home owners will make repairs or upgrades that have will little or no return on their investment. Your real estate agent (hey, that’s me) will give you tips on what renovations are necessary to sell, if any.
DE-CLUTTER
Remove everything but the essentials. Donate what you don’t want and store the rest. Plenty of people prefer to use storage units for items they want to keep. Take a minute to organize kitchen cabinets, closets, bathrooms and the pantry. It if looks like a clothing store in your closet and a well-fronted grocery store, you’re doing great.
DE-PERSONALIZE
Potential buyers want to be able to walk into your home and imagine themselves living there. They can’t do that if you have pictures of your family up and decor like “Thomas Family. Established in 1988” hanging on the front door. Remove these items, and any built-in items that you’ll be taking with you. Place personal items from your bathroom vanity in accessible boxes.
DEEP CLEAN
Wax the floors, dust everything, and polish metals. Get every single crack and crevice as clean as it can be and remove odd odors. If this seems like an overwhelming task, break it down into smaller tasks and put it on a calendar.
REPAIR THE BASICS
If the door squeaks, get some WD-40. If the bathroom needs re-caulked, that’s okay. Small projects are good, large ones are not (i.e. you do not need to replace all of the windows in your house). The biggest project you should tackle is painting bright colored walls. Bright colored walls says to potential buyers “this is going to take work.” Try neutral colors, off whites and light grays.
SPRUCE UP THE CURB APPEAL
Maintain the lawn, pressure wash the exterior, and clean up the shrubbery. Hire a professional or shell out a couple of bucks for flowers or seasonal plants for the garden!
How to Decorate a Small Space
Living in a small space can be quite a challenge! If you’re like most people, you tend to let stuff accumulate, and that can make you feel quite claustrophobic. But with a few suggestions, you can learn how to manage your space and all your stuff!
The first thing to do is to let go of unnecessary items. If there is something in storage that you haven’t used in six months to a year, you probably won’t use it again. Also, a good place to check is your closet. Go through each piece of clothing and if you haven’t worn it in the past year, it’s time to get rid of it. The best thing to do is to donate the goods to your local charity. There are plenty of unfortunate people out there who would treasure what you consider trash!
Now it’s time to tackle the stuff that you do have. When living in a small space, it’s all about storage. Consider multi-function furniture such as chests and ottomans that are useful for storage of blankets and clothes and can be used as tables or seats. A futon can serve as a couch during the day and a bed at night. With the things that you do have, it’s best to try and store as much as possible as to make the room appear uncluttered. Less is definitely more in the case of small space living.
On the same note, bigger is also better. Small furniture does not make the room appear bigger. Rather, larger, bolder pieces of furniture draw the eye to them creating the illusion of a bigger room.
Create a wall of shelving to put books, magazines, and knick knacks. Grouping most of your belongings in one place rather than scattered all around the room frees up space to move around. Place baskets on the shelves for stray items and papers. Baskets can also be used to hold magazines and placed next to the couch or a chair.
Light is important in a small room. Try hanging a big mirror opposite the window(s) to reflect light into the room. Also, try to keep the fabrics used in the room a light color. In my studio I use a beige colored slipcover over my futon which I then cover with different colored pillows. Remember that dark colors absorb light and light colors reflect light.
You can divide space in a room by using screens or bookcases. Screens or bookshelves can be inexpensively made by purchasing wood at your local hardware or home store. They can be covered with fabric or painted to add a personal touch. Area rugs are also a good way to create division in a room.
With a little creativity you can make living in a small space as comfortable as living in a castle!
by:
Maria Palma
10 Tips to Help You Save Home Energy
Before you spend money on the latest energy-efficient gizmo that’s supposed to save you money, let’s look at some energy saving ideas that will really help you save home energy. The strategies that we will look at will maximize the effort you put in, and help reduce your home energy consumption.
First sit down and think about all the different ways your family uses energy around the house. Now put an approximate type and cost of energy used. You may have trouble breaking down the cost but try to do it. Now all you have to do is find ways to save on your resources at the same time cut your costs. You may have to think creatively but it can be done.
So here are some tips to get you started:
- Turn the lights off when you’re not using them. This is really simple and easy to do. Do you really need your bedroom light on when you’re in the living room? Do you leave lights on when you leave the house? Do you even need more than one light on in a room for what you are doing? Believe it or not it makes a big difference.
- Turn all electronics and other appliances off when you’re not using them. No one can do everything at the same time. Can you really listen to a radio, watch television, and use your computer all at the same time?
- Set your thermostat down a couple of degrees in winter, or up in summer, to conserve energy. And dress appropriately indoors for the time of year it is. For instance in winter, put on a sweater or some extra clothing, or may snuggle under a blanket to stay warm. In the summer, wear less and stay cooler naturally.
- Only turn an appliance on when you have a full load. This is true especially for the washing machine, dryer and even the dishwasher. It is amazing how much extra energy is used doing multiple small loads in comparison to one full load.
- Do regular maintenance on your appliances. Keeping them clean means they don’t have to work as hard. Changing filters reduces the energy needed to accomplish a task. Regular care will also mean any maintenance bills that you might come up against may well be cheaper.
- Be careful how you use your water. Like when brushing your teeth or washing your hands, use only the water you need. Don’t let the water run the entire time. Also, try and use less water if you take a bath, or control your shower times.
- Simply let your hair air dry, instead of using a blow drier every day.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees F.
Don’t forget the bigger projects as well.
- Seal the cracks around your doors and windows. You are paying for your hot air that escapes through cracks all around your house. You need to make sure you are doing all you can to keep the warm air you’re paying for inside your house.
- You also need to check your house’s insulation. Though this has been done by many homeowners nevertheless you still need to do it before you pass it over. It is probably the biggest thing in reducing heating costs.
Now some of these things may seem trivial to you but let me assure you that even the small things add up over time. And really most of them you won’t even notice the difference to your life except your bills.
These tips and suggestions will make your home more affordable, and take some strain off of our world’s resources. Just think if all of us would make a few of these changes, it would make a huge difference.
by: Dave McIntosh
Worried about the new Mortgage rules?
If you’re looking into the option of buying a house, you probably already know that the Mortgage Rules have changed recently, and you’re probably concerned.
What is this new rule anyway?
“Effective October 17th all high ratio buyers will have to qualify at the benchmark rate for all terms.”
And just what does that even mean?
It means that you’ll have to qualify for a higher interest rate than what you’ll actually end up paying, which will reduce the dollar amount for which you’ll qualify.
Dominion Lending Centres gives this example:
“… a home buyer currently qualified to purchase with 10% down for a mortgage of $527,000. After October 17th, this home buyer would qualify for a $420,000 mortgage. This equates to a 20% drop in buying power. (All things being equal in terms of property taxes, income, debts, etc).”
So what do we do?
In this situation, you have a few of options:
- Make up for the shortfall with more money down; or
- Add another person to the mortgage to help qualify; or
- Purchase a lower priced property
But mostly…talk with your REALTOR® Ann Hayes, and your mortgage professional about your options.
So what’s the purpose all this?
Well, the new mortgage rules will likely reduce the risk of a housing crash. The government and the banks are looking out for own interests in keeping the housing market going, but in looking out for their own, they’re also looking out for yours. Qualifying for a lower amount might just put less stress on your wallet. That can’t be too bad.
How to Make Your Bathtub Sparkle!
Let me preface this post by saying…I like using chemical store-bought cleaners. I mean, I really like using them. I know everyone is jumping on the “all-natural, eco-friendly, chemical-free” band-wagon for cleaning products, so my stance is usually an unpopular one. Feel free to disagree with me, but I like the smell of chemical house-cleaning products. To me, it’s the smell of a clean house.
But yesterday I took the advice of a post I saw on Facebook. It told me how to make my bathtub sparkle. My bathtub never sparkles! My husband is a mechanic. And a volunteer fireman. And a part-time hockey player. I also have a 3 1/2 year old son who, like any other little boy, is like a magnet for dirt and grime and other sticky things. My bathtub never sparkles.
I do my best though. And the only thing I’ve found that helps me (somewhat) easily remove the grime from my bathtub is Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They work wonders, but it still takes a lot of elbow grease to get my bathtub clean.
So a couple of a days ago I was scrolling through new Facebook posts and my friend Mikie had posted a video on how to make your bathtub sparkle, using only two ingredients found in your home. I saved the video, like I save many posts (usually to never see them again anyway). Then yesterday it came time to clean my grimy bathtub, and I remembered the post, and I looked it up and thought ‘hey, let’s try that!’
The instructions are to take 1 part dish soap and 1 part warm white vinegar, mix it together in a spray bottle, spray it on your tub, leave it for 20 minutes and then simply wipe away the grime. I have about 5 types of vinegar in my cupboards. White vinegar was not one of them so I used Apple Cider Vinegar (right, I know that’s weird). I didn’t have much faith that it would work. So I warmed it up and mixed it with the dish soap, wandered upstairs to my bathroom and spray the heck out of the bathtub. The smell was stifling (vinegar is never easy on your lungs). But as I didn’t have much faith that it would work, I didn’t bother waiting 20 minutes, I didn’t want to waste my time. So nearly right after I finished spraying my bathtub I grabbed my sponge to start wiping.
Despite the Apple Cider Vinegar, despite not waiting 20 minutes, one quick, easy wipe and that one little spot of my bathtub was so shiny white I just stared at it for a moment, almost wanting to believe I was seeing things. But no, less elbow grease and more sparkle than Magic Erasers!
For the record, it also works on toilets and sinks.
I wonder if I can add chemicals to make it smell better?
Anyway, here’s the video, found from here.
2-Ingredient Bathtub Cleaning Spray
2-Ingredient Bathtub Cleaning Spray ✨Full instructions: http://bzfd.it/2BkfhlR
Posted by Nifty on Monday, August 22, 2016
Do you have any favourite cleaning tips? Feel free to comment!!
Take care!