Vacuum Cleaner Bags: a Common Issue

17 May 2012

It's not always as simple as this of course, but more often than not, a problem will have a simple solution. I know, it would help if we could define simple really wouldn't it? Well, as sweeping a statement as the opening line of this article includes, there is a lot to be said for looking at a problem in depth as you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that what appeared to be a complete disaster at first glance is actually not that big a deal when you focus in on the individual issues.

Imagine if you will that you've fallen from your bike for the very first time as a kid. Sure, the landing wasn't too pleasant and you may have been left a little shaken by the whole incident but you're probably more concerned about your bike, no? Why did it stop working? As a child we tend to assume the worst and if you had never before experienced something as simple and as fixable as a chain coming off a bike, you'd no doubt assume that it was broken beyond repair and that you would need a replacement. Well, as adults, many of us still act in this fashion and it's nothing to be ashamed of, in fact it makes sense really as few of us will be overly familiar with the finer workings of a vacuum cleaner.

So, your vacuum cleaner just won't work. You've tried everything, seemingly, but it just doesn't pick up dirt any more. Surely the only answer is to pick up a replacement right? Perhaps, but before you do have you considered vacuum cleaner bags? Yes, we've all done it, but sometimes bags can be clean but still have damage from wear and tear so it simply will not do its job, rendering it pretty much useless. This can be hugely frustrating, but it really is a very solvable problem. Thanks to websites such as Ransom Spares, replacement Vacuum Cleaner bags can be picked up for very little, particularly when you consider how much a replacement cleaner would cost!

Of course, there is no shame in not understanding the finer aspects of your machine, but knowing that vacuum cleaner bags are a common problem, might just save you plenty pennies!

This article is bought to you by Ransom Spares, helping customers save thousands by fixing their own appliances.


Bring Spring Into Your Home With Some Flowers

12 May 2012

Well as I write this, the sun is shining down on me in the UK, and that's quite remarkable considering the washout we had in April (the wettest on record). The only thing I miss about my current home is that we don't have much of a garden to speak of. I do love the springtime - the colours, the light, the feeling of re-generation. So if I don't have a garden outside, I can bring into my home the best spring has to offer - lovely flowers!

I love decoarting my house with flowers - in fact, I have a regime of watering them all every morning - you could call me an indoor gardener of sorts! I buy a lot of my flowers at the local florist, but when I'm gift buying flowers, I tend to send flowers online to my friends and family, since it's just a lot more convenient.

With Mother's Day coming up, I have a few Mother's Day flowers 2012 ideas already for my dear old mum.

I think in my not so humble opinion, I'm a positive influence on my family and friends, since I've noticed my own love of flowers in the home has extended to my sister, and a good friend of mine - unprompted by me - has started decorating her house with flowers too.

Perhaps the greatest thing I love about flowers is that they mark seasons so well. I only use perennials through the lonely dark winter months, but in spring and summer, it's the short-lived seasonal flowers I love to have in my home.


On Giving My House a Complete Overhaul

21 April 2012

I inherited my house from my parents, and most of the furniture harks back to the 60s and 70s. It's a testiment to the craftsmanship back then in regards to how they've weathered they years. However, I must just state the obvious here - they just look so dated. When people visit me, I can sense they're feeling as if they're stepping back into the past somewhat. The trouble with me is I'm no DIY enthusiast or home-maker, but even I am feeling forced to sell the old things and bring in new sticks of furniture - a new bed, new lockers, new curtains, carpets, filing cabinets and storage cabinets (which I actually bought myself 15 or so years ago), and certainly new wallpaper.

But it doesn't just mean a change in furniture. That's actually the easier part of this makeover. I'm going to need to look at the downstairs plan. The kitchen is just too small, and I never use the dining room at all. I want to knock the wall down between the two and create a bigger kitchen. I do enjoy cooking but I need my space so a bigger kitchen will really help here.

I live on my own so I'll certainly need help with the kitchen makeover, and some help with shifting the furniture around. Still, I need to drag this house somehow into the 21st century.


How To Make Your Garden Into A Summer Haven

19 April 2012

After March's hot weather, people are looking forward to the summer and wondering what they can do to make sure they make the most of the sunshine. Many gardens across the UK will have suffered the wrath of a cold winter, leaving plants dead and paving stones damaged. People who have thought ahead will have planted their bulbs in the autumn and their flowers will now be blossoming. However, if you did not think ahead, you can always visit your local garden centre to buy some already potted plants. If your plants are sorted, it is time to start thinking about how you can make your garden a comfortable place to spend warm summer evenings.

Teak furniture is a good investment to make for any garden. Summer weather is unpredictable and if a rain shower suddenly appears, teak wood will not be damaged by the water. An essential piece of garden furniture is a teak bench, providing a place to sit and have a glass of wine. A bench does not take up much space so it is especially useful if you have a small garden as it can be pushed against the wall of the house or against a garage. Taking cushions from the sofa out onto the bench will provide extra comfort if you want to spend a long period of time sat outside.

If you have a lot of space in your garden and want to give it a more tropical feel, teak loungers are good to have. If you have a south facing garden that receives a lot of sun you will benefit from having loungers. It is easy to spend a Saturday afternoon sun bathing and drinking wine when you can properly relax in your own garden. A small garden table between two loungers means you can keep everything you need with you, from a bottle of sun tan cream to your favourite book.

If you want to fully furnish your garden, teak tables and chairs are available. People try to fit in as many barbeques as they can over the summer and teak dining furniture will provide you with a comfortable place so sit and eat.

Whether you have a small garden and are just looking for one or two small items of furniture such as benches and coffee tables, or if you have a huge garden and want to hold garden parties, teak furniture is ideal for everyone as it does not have to be moved inside during the winter and it provides a comfortable place to enjoy your summer.

This article was written by Ed at Home Life Direct.


Spring Home Improvements

5 April 2012

Sometimes the annual spring cleanjust is not enough. The season of transformation may inspire some homeowners to go one step further and make some real changes about the house – both internally and externally.

Painting
A new coat of paint is the easiest way to make an instantly noticeable change. Moving from a dark colour to a lighter shade allows more light to be reflected, brightening up the immediate area.

Exterior surfaces
If painting exterior surfaces, take into consideration the weather and your own safety. Hire a mobile tower or scaffolding rather than working from ladders. Clean exterior surfaces and make sure that they are relatively smooth and solid before painting. Seal surfaces with a masonry paint primer before applying the top coat. Wooden surfaces should be sanded down and pre-painted with a primer and undercoat. Once dry, add several top coats of gloss.

Interior surfaces
When painting interior surfaces, the key consideration is preventing paint from finding its way onto other objects. If possible, move everything from the room being painted or use dust sheets to cover everything. Use an infrared heater to help speed up the drying process.

New garden path
Changing the route through a garden alters your perspective of it. If your garden has a line of mud from where you have deviated from the pre-existing path, then it is probably time to install a new one.
The easiest and cheapest way to create a new path is by using mulch or gravel. These substances need a border to prevent them from spreading laterally. Plastic landscaping edging is the cheapest, but brick or stone are the most appealing visually.

Garage maintenance
The garage is an often overlooked part of a property. By giving it an annual inspection, any nascent problems can be prevented from becoming serious. Remove all contents and check for damp patches on the wall or roof, as these may indicate a leak.

Check metal surfaces for signs of rust. If any is found, sand it down and apply a water-based latex paint designed to prevent it from spreading. Get rid of any unnecessary junk from the garage and make sure that all essentials – tool box, jump start kit, spare tyres, car jack – are in working order.

Replacing doors
The wrong style of interior door can ruin an otherwise delightful room. Thankfully, replacing a door is a relatively simple project. The first thing to do is to make some practical considerations. Should the new door have a window in it to allow extra light? Does it need to be a fire door? How much insulation should it provide?

Style-wise, the choice is between panel doors, moulded doors and flush doors. When the old door has been removed, measure the width and height of the doorframe in a number of places – this will make fitting the new door far easier.



Stopping the British Weather Ruining Your Gatherings: How to Choose the Right Patio Heater

29 March 2012

With the weather hard to rely on especially during the Summer months, it's no wonder patio heaters remain so popular in the UK.

Choosing the right one, however, can be a minefield in itself.

According to Simply Patio Heaters.co.uk the key is narrowing down your requirements right from the start.

"Sometimes overlooked but think about the space you want heated. Also have you got a place for a full-size commercial heater?

A 16kw gas patio heater, for instance, has an 80cm," John Mitchell from the internet retailer advises."Those heaters would generate warmth for an area of around 9 metres in diameter."

John adds that a tabletop patio heater might be more suitable if you are only having small gatherings. A wall mounted heater might be better if you have pets or small children.

As well as the difference in size, potential customers also need to decide on whether to buy gas or electric. Electric heaters do not need gas cylinders but do need to plugged in. This means the heater has to be near a socket and there is a potential for wires to become a trip hazards.

Gas patio heaters can however be moved around but cylinders need changing. How frequently depends on use but a typical gas patio heater could use between 0.4 - 0.9kg of gas per hour

Safety
Patio heaters are very safe, according to John. They often come with sturdy safety features but it makes sense that you purchase one with an automatic shut-off in case they become overheated or are tipped over.

"That all said they are unlikely to tip over unless there are high winds and it would be sensible then to take inside. Some retailers will sell spares for the patio heater if it becomes damaged."

There is also another difference to look out for - whether you can regulate heat.

"It's certainly one to watch - some patio heater do not allow you to turn heat up or down. Some will only reach a certain output, typically 13KW but it makes sense to buy one which produces 16KW, which allows you to regulate heat. After all you can't turn up heat if it's already at maximum."

The key is to find a patio heater to suit your requirements. Consider how much space you want to heat and whether you want electric or gas. More information on patio heaters can be found at http://www.simplypatioheaters.co.uk



On Planning Compliant Log Cabins

17 March 2012

From late 2010, the local planning regulations in relation to our door structures were changed to include garden sheds, log cabins and summer houses.

This was mainly due to the fact that in the the UK we have seen a lot of out-buildings being converted to illegal living accommodation - basically bits of sheds and garages have been turned into bed sits! Apart from being unsightly, they look down-right dangerous. Who knows if the wiring has been installed correctly or that the plumbing and waste water is not being dumped into some one else's property ?

So to combat this blight on the landscape the local planning regulations were changed to try and make it simple to understand what you can and can not do with an outside structure such as a log cabin.

Although it all sounds rather complex, don't worry it is not. If you do a Google search for "planning portal" or "local planning regulations" or "planning compliant log cabins" - it will give you a number of good sites full of relevant information. But if you are in any doubt simple call your local planning office and they will always advise you on what to do.

As a general guide your new building must not exceed 2.5m in overall height and not be more the 30 square meters in total floor space.

With our own log cabins, we have made this whole process simple by manufacturing a selection of Interlocking Timber Buildings and Sectional Timber Buildings to save you the hassle of working out the total floor space. At uk-logcabins.co.uk, our team of experts have over 35 years of experience with timber buildings, and are always on hand via telephone on 0151 709 0969. We offer you free advise on any matter concerning sectional or interlocking timber buildings for home or commercial use.



A Recent Trip to Japan Inspired me To Get Some Sliding Wardrobe Doors

13 March 2012

Nowhere is space at such a premium like it is in Japan. And because of this, the Japanese have become masters at saving space when and where they can - you have futons that can be easily folded away to create space (instead of traditional beds), and sliding doors where traditional doors would be. And it's those sliding doors that gave me the inspiration to buy my own Sliding wardobe doors for our bedrooms which were beginning to look rather cluttered. We bought some wardrobes with sliding doors and they helped in so many ways:-
Overall, these new wardrobes have made our two bedrooms look a lot more spacious and better organized.

I'm not sure about getting futons in to replace our beds, but who knows in the future....!


A Few Interesting Facts About Log Cabins

2 February 2012

It's often said that the simplest of things perhaps have the most stunning stories behind them. The same is proved true by the incredible tale of the log cabin. About seven of America's presidents were born in a humble log cabin; the names include Abraham Lincoln, James Buchanan and Andrew Jackson. This was why log cabins became a symbol of America's politics. Many politicians used it to show the humble beginnings they had and win votes. Abraham Lincoln is very well associated with log cabins. So much so that there is also a very popular toy named Lincoln Logs. It is nothing but a small game that kids play to build miniature log cabins.
The first log cabin was constructed in the Bronze Age, around 3500 B.C. So much is the enduring charm of these simple homes that centuries have passed by but they still fascinate people across the world. Till today the modern architects are building them and evolving them with the changed requirements of the masses.

Originally log cabins were built in Scandinavia and eastern parts of Europe. They were used as temporary shelters and out houses. Unlike today's version where they are constructed in lavish designs and sizes and are used as beautiful homes. In the year 1930 the world's largest log cabin was constructed in Quebec it was named "log château", it was built in a private resort. Even today many resorts build log houses to attract guests. The Upside down house in Szymbark (Poland) is the strangest log house in the world as it is constructed upside down.With log cabin size does matter as the log homes now a days are built on a completely different scale. The biggest log home is built for an Oklahoma businessman. It is 114,000 square feet in size and priced at 28 million dollars. The log cabins have become a style statement as more and more people are spending huge sums of money to build them. The tallest log cabin can be found in the city of Arkhangelsk in Russia. It is about 144 ft high with 13 floors and is surprisingly owned by a gangster. It is considered to be half as tall as the Big Ben.

In today's world where the environment is getting damaged every second, log cabin seems like a blessing. Almost every material that is used to construct a log cabin is absolutely renewable and bio degradable. They don't damage the environment and yet they provide durable and safe shelters. Perhaps log cabins are the only form of houses that can be built with the cheapest of resources as well can be made as lavish as possible.

The log cabins have the unique ability to restrain the effect of an earthquake. They can be slanted by tremendous force but they never fall apart. This makes it possible to completely restore a log cabin. That's what makes them a very popular option for houses that are constructed in earthquake prone zones.

These are few very interesting facts about log cabins. The list of facts is exhaustive but in this article I have tried to touch up on the ones that top the list.

Contact North Coast Log Cabins For more information about log cabins in Cornwall.


A Guide to Garden Fencing

19 December 2011

Whether it's keeping intruders out, or pets and children in, fencing has long been viewed as an essential feature of British gardens. In 1856, celebrated lumber baron, Henry Cleveland, declared that 'though the fence ranks among the minor matters of building, it is far from being unimportant. Without it no residence can be properly protected, or regarded as complete. Its style and condition often indicate, unmistakably, the taste and habits of the owner.'

At its most basic a fence is a barrier - most often used to delineate the line between public and private space. It is, however, up to homeowners to decide whether to make these barriers overt, or to subtly blend them into the landscape of their garden, for instance by growing espaliered trees on them.

Materials
Historically, the ultimate fence was a hedge. Nowadays, wood is by far the most popular material used. Other options include UPVC, which is also known as vinyl. This is a durable and relatively maintenance-free material, though it can look a little homogenized. Metal fences are popular for commercial properties and those with security concerns. Their installation and upkeep may require the use of a welder.

Types of Fence
Aesthetic and economic considerations are important when deciding on a particular type of fence. Close-board fencing consists of thick vertical panelling forming a solid 'wall'. This provides complete privacy, though it can be relatively expensive. A cheaper version of close-board fencing is the style that consists of horizontally overlapping boards.

Lattice or slatted fences allow light through, creating a more open-space impression. Picket fences are most often associated with the traditional cottage gardens, where they are used to accent the cottage by providing a partial view of the garden.

Boundary Law
Before erecting or replacing a fence, it's worth obtaining a copy of the property's Title Deeds as registered at HM Land Registry. These are available for a small fee from the HM Land Registry website.

The 'T" shaped marks on the plan point in the direction of the owner tasked with maintaining the fence. If the deeds don't indicate responsibility for a fence, then the law usually presumes that the owner on the side containing the fence's posts or struts is responsible for its upkeep.

Always discuss any new plans for fencing with neighbours before starting construction. This can prevent future boundary disputes. Custom dictates that the fence posts are placed entirely on the erector's own land.

Fitting a Fence
Most people's first attempt at erecting a fence involves buying panels of overlap-style wooden fencing from a hardware store and concreting the fence posts into the ground. A nail gun is useful for fixing the fence panels to the posts. Caps can be fitted to the posts and the resulting structure should be coated with a good quality wood preservative.



How Corner Sofas Can Help Transform Any Living Room

7 December 2011

Corner sofas are a fantastically stylish alternative to the standard two seater or three seater sofa. These sofas typically have enough room for at least four people to sit on. You can buy corner sofas to take advantage of a small amount of living space, to maximise on seating capacity, or to eliminate the need for a sofa suite. You can even take advantage of the shape and size of these sofas and use them instead as static recliners.

Having a small home or living room shouldn't stop you from entertaining. Trying to cram a three-piece-suite into your lounge can leave you with very little room to manoeuvre around in. If you like to recline you can by positioning your self at the sofas corner. The benefit of this over an actual reclining sofa is that you can use this seat, whereas recliner sofas don't offer you the same option. These sofas aren't just great space saving pieces of furniture, they're stylish too. You can easily add a modern twist to your room by placing one or two of these in a corner. If you want to make a statement you could also place the sofa in the middle of your room instead.

Corner sofas don't come in one standard style. You can also buy chaise corner sofas and modular sofas. Chaise corner sofas usually have one extended seat that is used for putting your legs up whilst you relax, the extended seat doesn't always have a full side to it, and may not be considered to be a corner sofa by all. Modular sofas are really interesting. Instead of buying a fixed sofa, you buy sections of one. These sections are then fixed together to create the perfect seating arrangement for you. You can also turn these into U-shaped sofas to make the most out of narrow rooms.

Like standard sofas, corner sofas can be made of a variety of fabrics and colours too. You can buy the typical fabric or leather corner sofas or you could experiment and go with the lesser used but nonetheless interesting materials like corduroy, suede or velvet. Colour choices should be made to compliment your room's current decor. If you enjoy relaxing with a lot of cushions, you could buy a scatter cushion corner sofa instead. These sofas don't have solid cushioned backs; instead they come with a number of cushions that can be arranged according to your style preference.

These sofas don't have to just go into a living room. There are a number of special corner sofas on the market that may be better suited to other rooms in your home. You can buy corner sofa beds for your spare room, to turn it into a multi purpose living space, or if you're a film lover you may be interested in the cinema corner sofas that can be used to turn your spare room into a movie theatre. These sofas come with built-in DVD players and memory banks to play your favourite films. There's a corner sofa choice available to suit all budgets and all tastes.



On How to Select Your Garden Planters

29 November 2011

Selecting your Planters
The exact choice of planters is very much a matter of personal taste but the correct scale and shape are of the utmost importance for creating a pleasurable effect.

Size
A planter with a sizeable volume of growing medium will dry out less quickly than a smaller planter and it will be capable of sustaining larger, more vigorous plants. As a general rule, planters with a diameter smaller than twenty three centimetres shouldn't be used for hot dry situations. A number of vases and urns which are extremely attractively shaped and proportioned have a soil capacity and planting area that are relatively small. Always make sure they will give adequate depth of soil, or compost to accommodate plant root systems both in the middle and at the fringes of the planter. Ten centimetres is only just enough to ensure adequate root area for small edging plants. It's best also to consider carefully before choosing containers with small mouths, as despite their overall volume these offer only a very confined area for planting. To some degree this difficulty may be overcome by grouping several planters together to produce a bolder display.

Stability
Always look for planters with large or heavy bases to provide stability, particularly where there is to, be a regular through flow of people. At planting most plants used are going to be fairly small. Always allow sufficient space to accommodate the plants once they are fully grown.

Weight
Some planters, especially stone ones may be very heavy to pick up and move around, although this is a bonus for stability. These planters aren't easily brought home in a car. Some planters are made in sections but even their individual parts could be weighty and difficult to transport.

Drainage
For drainage there should always be one large hole or several smaller holes in the bottom of the planter.

Style
Contemporary designs will more often than not be out of place in old surroundings, but the converse isn't necessarily the case.

Materials
Planters made in natural materials will usually look best, but will be more expensive to acquire, particularly if they're hand crafted or sculptured.

Ease of Maintenance
When siting a planter take into consideration ease of access to enable maintenance. For instance, it should be possible to reach window boxes for watering especially if the windows do not open at the bottom. If you propose to site a hanging basket over an doorway, keep in mind the nuisance of dripping water. Situations exposed to continuous sun light often leads to rapid drying out and wind could cause damage to plants.

Grouping Containers
The grouping of planters requires a certain sensitivity. Size and number needs to be proportionate, to the situation. A lot of small planters scattered about an area don't necessarily make a bold impact and can look fussy. A group of small planters can also be more difficult to maintain. One large container placed to dominate an area may be considerably more eye catching and effective, and certainly offers the benefit of easier maintenance.

Tall Planters
Unless skilfully planted, a single tall, narrow planter, similar to a chimney pot or drainpipe can look insignificant. These planters tend to appear more imposing when grouped. Chimney pots of various heights will always produce a better effect. Even if it's only possible to get pots of similar heights, extra height may be achieved for variation by standing some of the pots on bricks or by setting the front ones lower by digging a hole in the ground where this is possible. The pots will also be more pleasing if grouped close together. The same principle could be extended to different kinds of planters as a general rule a group of pots should present a range of different heights.

Designs
If several planters are to be used the group usually looks better if they are similar in design, or made from the same material. Though, totally different kinds of planters are usually acceptable, positioned apart and separated by more permanent plantings. There'll of course be no problem if dissimilar planters are planted with a covering of trailing plants.

Stone, Clay & Lead Containers
Sculptural stone containers with ornamentation sculpted by hand are extremely effective but can be costly in addition to being very heavy to move. Some are elaborately decorated, but often the simpler shapes and styles suit small to medium-sized gardens best. There is little point in buying a stone container with an elaborate relief design if the carving will be obscured by the plant.

Clay and Terracotta
Clay and terracotta pots may be plain or ornamented. An unglazed terracotta pot kept outdoors all year must be frost-proofed. Heavily glazed ones are frost-resistant and more water-retentive. Some smaller pots have deep saucers to act as short-term reservoirs.

Lead
It is still possible to purchase planters in traditional styles produced from lead. These are heavy and expensive but extremely long lasting. They'll look well in most settings.

Concrete
Very large containers produced from concrete with various finishes of exposed aggregate are suitable for forecourts of large buildings. If they are to be planted for seasonal effect, it is wise to make use of separate, smaller planters that fit inside them: these can be made up beforehand, so that the planting may be removed and replenished without difficulty. Concrete and reconstituted stone are used for smaller urns and troughs, and when well crafted can look like sculpted stone.

Plastic and Glass Fibre
Gardeners shouldn't discount the simulated stone planters made from glass fibre or plastic well planted these may be very effective. They are light weight and simple to transport when empty; also they are much less costly. Some can be partially filled up with sand for stability. That is best done in situ. Glass fibre is extremely durable and can simulate a variety of natural materials very realistically. This is also true of plastic, but plastic can deteriorate rather badly, faded by daylight and battered by the weather, so check the quality very carefully.

Containers in Natural Wood
These look good in most situations and can be obtained in a variety of styles. Prior to purchase, check the planters for soundness of manufacture. Pay particular attention to the quality of the wood, checking for signs of potential splintering or warping and that the metal bands are securely fixed.

Barrels and Tubs
Properly coppered barrels have become more difficult to get than they once were, and increasingly expensive. However, garden centres sell wooden planters that serve well enough and can give years of service. The circular type of barrel suits most situations: square or triangular planters, fit well into corners. Half-barrels are very popular and of pleasing proportions. Some have integral handles to make lifting and moving easier. Some others have ornate tops, largely obscured once planted. Barrels are sometimes cut along the length and installed on wooden feet to create a type of cradle providing a good planting area that is ideal for bold, relatively permanent displays.

Painting and Varnishing
The wood of the coppered planter ought to be sound in its natural state, but the external surface of other planters is best either varnished, or treated with a clear wood preservative, or painted. There is much to be said for keeping the wood its natural colour. lf you paint it, repainting at regular intervals will likely be necessary. Paint the metal bands also. The colour is really a matter of choice but should naturally, tone with its surroundings.

Storage
lf unplanted planters are going to be stored for any length of time. It will be worth keeping them wet. When the individual slats dry out they contract and fall apart. Keep empty planters outside in a cool, shady position and regularly soak or submerge them in water.

Charring and Preservative
Although a planter could be lined with polythene sheeting before planting, charring is the best way to preserve the inner surface of a wooden planter. Some planters are purchased ready charred; otherwise using a blowtorch is the easiest way. Alternatively, give a good application of a good preservative but avoid creosote that is injurious to plants.

Written by Ian at thelichfieldplantercompany.co.uk


Home Improvement For The Hard Of Hearing

27 November 2011

9 million of the UK's estimated 65 million strong population are thought to be hard of hearing. The overwhelming cause is age related (presbycusis), a natural process that diminishes one's ability to hear. Because the condition happens as the body matures, there might be a time when certain home improvements may be required to accommodate the loss of hearing.

Fit a doorknocker - These are particularly useful to amplify the sound to resonate around the home. Most hard of hearing are unable to hear the sound of a normal knock, however a doorknocker that is made from metal has a better chance to allow visitors to announce their presence.

Fit a door sign - Depending on your level of hearing loss, you may require visitors to use the doorbell instead of knocking. It might be a good idea to place a sigh outside the door asking visitors to use the bell. Depending on your area, you might wish to exclude mentioning that a hard of hearing resides in the home so not to attract the wrong king of attention. A simple sign can be made using your home printer on a photo paper and protection from the weather can be achieved by laminating the sign or using a fixative varnish spray.

Fit a hard of hearing doorbell - There are certain home doorbells designed with the hard of hearing in mind. These are extra loud devices that often include other sensory clues. It is natural for the body to compensate the loss of one sense by heightening another sense. Hard of hearing doorbells therefore will include flashing lights that together with amplified sound provide better sensory clues to announce a visitor. Often wireless and working on battery power, they require only the most basic DIY skills to fit.

Replace conventional smoke alarm - In 2010 over 340 people in the UK died in fire related deaths. Smoke alarms designed for the hard of hearing feature high-intensity strobe lights and vibration pads to wake the person during the night if there is a fire alarm. Additionally, in case of fire or other emergency, it is important that exits should always be clearly marked as loss of hearing in an emergency may lead to confusion.

Fit an amplified or text phone - Depending on the level of hearing loss, a deaf or hard of hearing phone may be needed. These devices vary from traditional phones in that they provide amplified ringer together with amplified speaker. You can get home improvement equipment and advice about the different types of aids available from retail shops, National Health Service audiology departments and voluntary organisations.


A Primer on Pressure Washer Cleaning

24 November 2011

Pressure washers are the ideal tool for cleaning stubborn dirt and can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks. Typical uses for pressure washers include garden tidy up in autumn/spring such as patio cleaning, garden furniture cleaning and even BBQ cleaning.

Many people often use pressure washers to clean their cars as it is a cheaper alternative to the car wash and normally gives a better result. Variable nozzles enable you to control the water pressure and provide adjustable cleaning conditions. Foam lances provide an even distribution of car washer detergent. You can even get accessories including rim brushes and underchasis nozzels to deliver the perfect car wash.

Today there are a wide variety of pressure washer models and accessories to tackle almost any outdoor cleaning task. Brand leader Karcher have the widest range of pressure washers on the market, however Nilfisk is a popular alternative brand whose machines are built to a similar quality.

When choosing a pressure washer it is important to determine the type of cleaning tasks you will be using it for. Entry level pressure washers are typically sold in bundle packs with useful accessories from as little as £59.99. These units generally have a pressure bar rating of 100 bar or less and are suitable for general cleaning tasks. They are great for car cleaning and suitable for outdoor cleaning tasks such as bin cleaning, wall cleaning and patio cleaning.

Bar rating is important when choosing your pressure washer as it determines how strong the pressure is. The higher the bar rating the more cleaning power the pressure washer has.

More professional models have a pressure bar rating of 150+ and a higher water flow rate which delivers more water at a higher pressure, quickly removing dirt and debris. These pressure washers are ideal for larger cleaning tasks such as the cleaning of machinery or boat cleaning. Expect to pay in the region of £300 plus for more professional models.


On How Gardening Can Be a Year-round Hobby

21 September 2011

When I was looking to buy plants for my own garden via the internet the other day, I was reminded of my grandfather's old gardens. He had green fingers - the ability to let shape and bend a garden to his own will, with ease. He had a skill of creating gardens that accentuated every season. The springs were seasons of outrageous colours in his backyards, followed by the lush greens of summer, and the autumnal hues of brown, yellow and orange. And winter? Well, we often forget about this season when we consider gardening. Actually, it's this season I remember most about my grandfather's gardening skills - he had the most unlikely perennials growing in the garden through winter. Nowadays you can buy plants online for all the seasons - lemon trees, olive trees, bay trees, even miniature orange trees. We are spoilt these days with so much choice from the internet, yet I can still remember having to drive far to find anything remotely exotic to plant in my garden. Whatever you decide to put in your garden, just know that gardening can be a 12 month hobby if you want it to be - there are many hardy perennials out there you can buy.


A Primer to Get You Started on Garden Decking

6 September 2011

Decking is a type of outdoor flooring structure commonly used in gardens. You will find decking is gardens of various sizes and in commercial properties as well as in residential gardens. This guide is meant to help you understand the various options.

Popular Decking Material:

There are two common types of decking, wood and composite. Each has its pros and cons.

Wood Decking - As the name suggests these decking boards are made from timber that can cope with the elements. The timber will have fire rating similar to steel, natural oils that in return will reduce the need for preservatives and sealants, as well as, containing decay, insects and fungus resistant properties. Popular species of wood include Ipe (pronounced e-pay), Teak, Iroko and Angelim. The benefits of wood decking lies in its looks that is second to none. On the other hand, wood decking requires up keeping and maintenance.

Composite Decking - These decking boards are made from plastic and some degree of wood, however you will almost always be able to notice a difference between wood and composite. The benefits of composite decking include low (almost zero in some cases) maintenance, UV resistant, mould resistant and water resistant. On the other hand, low quality composite boards look artificial due to the ratio of plastic materials used vs. wood, and the surface can become slippery. Composite is considerably cheaper and often fitted in gardens where low maintenance is required.

Design Benefits Of Decking:

1. Counteract Uneven Areas - It is common for gardens to have uneven parts and gradients of various degrees. Using a simple decking technique of creating steps can counteract uneven areas.

2. Improve Access Around The Garden - Access to various areas within the garden can be improved (if needed) by covering parts of the garden in decking. Doing so also has the added benefit of making the garden look bigger as it extends the living space.

3. Additional Area For Entertaining and Socialising - Having your breakfast in your garden on a warm and sunny summer's day is priceless.... Decking can transform the look of the garden, but also improve its potential for entertaining others.

How To Maintain Garden Decking:

Composite decking requires very little care, however the surface can become slippery if dirt is allowed to accumulate over time. Therefore the occasional brush and jet wash will suffice. On the other hand, wood decking does require basic maintenance to increase the durability of the wood. Follow these simple steps:

1. Start by making sure that the decking surface is free of any clutter, obstacles and garden furniture. When doing so, do not drag furniture on the surface of the wood as it might scratch the wood.

2. Using a stiff broom brush the area to get rid of any dirt that has accumulated over time. If you have a jet washer (below 1500psi in pressure) wash the wood ensuring that you cover every plank and every edge.

3. Now oil the wood again. The best result is achieved by using dedicated decking oil (from homebase or BandQ) which will seal the wood by penetrates the wood leaving a natural looking finish on its surface.

Bonus tip - After the winter months, the surface might contain stains from debris, food or any other material that has been allowed to settle. To remove these stains, use soda crystals in conjunction with warm water. Spray warm (not boiling!) water on the surface of the deck and then spray soda crystals. Allow the deck to dry naturally and wash away using a jet wash. This treatment will do wonders and is often cheaper compared to commercial cleaning solution.

The Environment and Decking:

Most UK sellers source their decking material from sustainable forests where trees are replenished and ethically transported. If you come across a species of tree previously unknown or you wish to check their status, you can check the endangered list of trees online at www.iucnredlist.org. Furthermore, sellers displaying the FSC mark which stands for 'Forestry Stewardship Council" have been accredited for sourcing their woods from managed forests - you can visit their site here: www.fsc.org.

Written by Wood and Beyond. FSC timber vendor of wood flooring, decking and other timber products such as solid oak worktops.



Gardening Tips for the Lazy Man

8 August 2011

Like you and everyone else time doesn’t wait for me and it also doesn’t wait for your garden! Not spending the right amount of attention or care for your lawn or garden can spell disaster mid-summer for that special place on your property that should equate to peace and serenity.

If gardening makes you squeamish or if you don’t think you have the free time to spend every weekend caring for plants, flowers etc? Go to your local hardware store and buy a few pounds of nice looking rocks. Dump them in the trunk of your car with a blanket underneath and have a friend help you grab the blanket on either side and scatter the rocks in heaps over your garden. Once you have deposited the rocks all you need to do is distribute them all over the very top of the garden. This will kill any plants or flowers that were living there, but if you don’t have time to care for a garden, this might be your best bet.

Now you have your garden problem figured out but you still have a lawn that needs care, and you don’t have time? Easy, all you have to do is go ahead and mow it once. Depending on how the summer is in your neck of the woods, you may have to water the lawn regularly to ensure that is survives the suns rays. If you do live in a dry, arid climate then I say let your lawn die! If you followed the previous step you have mowed the lawn, now the lawn is dying because too much direct sunlight and not enough water. Weeds will be popping up here and there, but don’t worry, this is actually a good thing. Weeds suck the life energy from grass and other plants, in doing so they remain vibrantly green. Go through your lawn and cut them all down, leaving them in heaps where you found them.

The next step is to ask your friendly neighbor for their grass clippings, they might find this request strange, but just tell them you’re really into composting. After your friendly neighbors give you all their lawns’ grass clippings, late at night so that no one in your neighborhood sees you, toss the grass clippings over your dead lawn, making it look, in effect like you have a beautiful well maintained lawn! The benefits of this lazy mans approach is far reaching in that it saves you gas for you mower, saves maintenance on your mower for not using it, also it will save you money for not buying gas in the first place and will give you some extra exercise late at night!

Let’s face it, lawn work is hard work. Take it easy and let your lawn fool everyone you know this summer; you’ll be the richer for it!


Cleaning Up Our New Home Garden

7 August 2011

We recently moved into a beautiful old house in the downtown neighborhood of our city. The house is everything we were looking for, but it was built in 1905 so it has its share of problems. The windows are drafty and the floor is slanted in parts of the home, but probably the biggest place that needed improvement was the yard.

The previous tenants had done a lot of haphazard work on the yard and had not kept up any of it. When they moved out they left us with an unfinished porch, tree branches down all over the yard, and several gardening projects halfway done. The front yard was just as bad, overrun with weeds. To get started on this huge project, we first began by clearing as much of the debris from the yard as possible. We took a hand saw to the largest tree branches, and broke up the ones we could manage by hand. We put them in a pile in the far corner of the yard to use as firewood. Next, we had to take care of the weeds. We pulled the bigger ones by hand, took a weed whacker to some of the harder to reach areas, and just mowed the rest down with the lawnmower. This took care of most of the weeds, but I would not recommend using a lawn mower if you can help it because it's bad for the machine and spits weeds out at random. After everything was cleared away, we started cleaning up the fixtures in the yard. We gave the peeling deck a fresh coat of paint, and nailed some straying boards back in place.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but giving ourselves a fresh slate to work with will make the process easier. Disposing of all the yard trash has also proven to be a hassle, so we're trying to do controlled burns with as much as we can.


How to Remove Wallpaper With No Sweat

3 August 2011

When we moved into our house last July the previous owners had gone for a ‘Spanish Villa’ theme. All the walls were covered in terracotta coloured wallpaper with a bright yellow boarder. It was the first thing we wanted to redo so we set to stripping the walls. However, we found that the wallpaper was stuck on with some sort of industrial strength glue (maybe from Spain, I don’t know.) We tried so many ways to try and get the wallpaper off easily, which cost us a small fortune until I tried this:

Hot water and cider vinegar.

It’s dead cheap and works like a charm. You’ll need to get some sort of bottle that has a spray nozzle; I used an old Mr. Muscle kitchen cleaner bottle. Boil the kettle and when it comes to the boil take of the lid (carefully, it’s SUPER hot, believe me, I know) and let the steam escape; this will let you pour the water into your nozzle bottle without it melting the plastic. Fill your bottle with water until it’s about three quarters full and then add your cider vinegar. Give the bottle a good shake and leave it alone for about 10 minutes. Then spray your walls all over. Start at the top, the excess water will run down the walls and soak into the paper below rather than into your carpet. Spray a whole wall at a time and then again, leave for 10 minutes. Test the walls; run your finger along it and if the wallpaper seems to be crumbing away on to your fingers you’re ready. I find it easier to pull the old paper from the bottom but the top will work just as well. Loosen the paper until you are holding a whole strip and slowly and smoothly pull away from the wall – the vinegar will have dissolved the glue so all you need to do is give the walls a quick wipe afterwards, no sticky mess left on the wall. Hey presto, easy as anything!


My First Attempt at a Kind of Farming

2 August 2011

"Farming" is the grand term we like to use for our first effort at growing a square-foot vegetable garden. My husband and I moved into our cookie-cutter home two years ago. You know, the ones that all look the same, have postage stamp-sized lawns and barely enough room between them to get the wheelbarrow through. We've always wanted to grow our own food, and to tell you the truth, even though our first try wasn't the greatest success it has definitely been worth it. We started with one idea in mind - as little chemical interference as possible.

So, we built our boxes out of untreated lumber, and even cut the wood by hand. After doing a little research at the local garden store, we selected our produce and got to work. Well, honestly, my hubby did most of it, but I enjoyed watching. We planted a lot of different things like beans, onions, beets, carrots, squash, zucchini, herbs, potatoes, tomatoes, you name it, we tried to squeeze it in. This may have been our downfall in retrospect, but we've been eating a ton of spinach and zucchini and we're really looking forward to fall when we can harvest the rest.

I've learned three lessons when it comes to the garden and really, they all apply to life in general: Timing is everything! A lot of our food won't be ready until late summer or fall and we've had relatively little to consume all summer. Pick foods that peak at different times of the growing season for a more fulfilling experience. Love what you grow! If you're not crazy about spinach don't plant it. We had so much we almost didn't know what to do with it. Don't try to squish too much in! We underestimated the size and heartiness of squash and zucchini. Those delicious gourds take up a lot of space, and our little peppers didn't stand a chance.


Keeping the Weeds out of My Garden

1 August 2011

I spent alot of time preparing my small garden last year, and planned carefully where I would plant each vegetable and how much I would plant. My husband tilled the ground and I worked it over thoroughly to remove every weed and finally my garden was ready to plant. I had the seeds and seedlings ready and carefully sowed and planted everything just where I wanted it.

Then I watered and watched and soon my garden was looking very nice. That didn't last long though, since the weeds and quackgrass moved in and in spite of my best efforts, it took over. I determined to make a garden without weeds this year, so after the same careful preparation and planting, and waiting for all the seeds to sprout, I sprinkled everything with a weed preventer. I now have a beautiful little garden with only a few sickly weeds showing up, and I can pull those out before they grow much. I am now looking forward to harvesting the bounty of my garden, and even being able to share some with friends and family. I think I have learned a valuable lesson in gardening, and that is the fact that it's much easier to prevent a weed than it is to try to keep up with pulling them once they are established. I will, of course, continue with this method so long as I want to have a garden and maybe over time the weeds will completely disappear since they no longer have an opportunity to drop their seeds and wait until spring to germinate and grow. I think I may even try to expand the garden space somewhat in the future, so I will need to start thinking about what other types of vegetables I would like to grow. I could also possibly use the same system on a couple of my flower beds since the weeds seem to have moved into them for now.


Restoration of Old Painted Wooden Furniture

1 August 2011

If you have an old piece of furniture that was painted over throughout the years then this can be bought back to life and made to look absolutely stunning. I have done this with various pieces of furniture and infact I have many pieces throught my house. The procedure you need to take is as follows: First find a piece of furniture, perhaps at a car boot sale of sometimes people just throw these things away. The remove any handles or removable pieces from the furniture. Equip yourself with a breathing mask and gloves and either use paint remover or I find that burning the surface to heat the paint and scrapping it off is also good. Either methods with leave quite a bit of residue so it is important to remove as much paint as possible.

For stubborn parts pour oil of any kind on the painted area and leave for a couple of days. The paint should infact rise to the surface and you can scrape it off with a scrapper. Once you have removed as much paint as possible, still using safety precautions mask and gloves proceed to sanding down the furniture with an electric sander using a rough sandpaper. If you come across any holes fill them with polyfiller that has been mixed with a little paint colouring which you can find from DIY stores in many different colours. After sometime reduce down to a finer sandpaper until the piece of furniture is smooth to touch. You may need to use your hand on difficult to reach areas but this can also be done with a sanding sponge found at many DIY centres. Clean up any of the accessories that you removed using the original screws if possible. Now you need to cover the piece from top to bottom with something like cuprinol woodworm killer so that you don't end up with any worms eating at the wood.

Lastly, use some wax to give the product a good finish and buff it up as much as possible. Now you should be proud of your work.


Remodeling a Small Home with a Big Family

29 July 2011

Remodeling with children can be a struggle, especially with several small children. With a bit of planning it can be done.We bought a two bedroom home two years ago, knowing we would need to remodel it to suite our growing family. Right now, we are expecting our fourth child. Our plan is to turn the den into a third bedroom. Making one room for the boys and one room for the girls. The den is the bigger room, so it will house the girls. Our lucky little boy will have a bedroom to himself, at least for awhile!

The first step is to have a plan. What are your remodeling ideas? What do you intend to tackle first? Who is capable of what job? Put everything down on paper! There will be plenty of surprises during your remodeling project, save yourself some trouble and have a good solid plan.

Step two is to prepare the children. Let them know what you expect of them and cover all safety rules. If they will be helping in any way, teach them how to do things properly. Whether it's cleaning out debris or hammering nails, show them how to do it.

Step three is containing the mess. It is no fun having children running around spreading dust and debris everywhere. We used heavy plastic and taped off the area we were working in. This worked so well, we never saw any extra dust in the rest of the house.

Step four, tackle your project! Involve everyone. Kid's love to be a part of the goings on in the home. For our children it was a huge delight for them to help build their bedroom. Keep them involved. Don't put too much on your plate. Set realistic goals. Remodeling doesn't happen overnight, especially with little ones in tow. Have fun! This is a great life experience for your children. It is an opportunity to grow closer as a family. Happy remodeling!


Gardening: Raised Beds Are The Way To Go!

26 July 2011

My fiancee and I have lived in our current home for a little over three years. Upon moving in, the landlords were kind enough to allow us to build a garden in the front yard since the backyard gets poor light. We did not have much experience gardening, so we checked out a lot of books from the library to being our research. We quickly discovered that many avid gardeners recommend using raised beds to grow food.

So, we took a trip to Home Depot to buy some lumber and galvanized nails, and then we got to work on placing our beds. First, we double dug the area where we were going to place the beds. This means that we dug several feet into the ground in the location where we were to place the bed. This breaks up the soil, and then we added some topsoil to enrich the soil. Once we finished this, we placed the box we had built on top of the newly amended soil. Then, we filled in the bed with more topsoil. We started with two raised beds and now we have six! I highly recommend them, like many other gardeners. Because the beds are raised, it is easier to reach and water the beds. Plus, since you are not walking on the soil, it does not get compacted and the plants have an easier time growing. And since the soil is amended, weeds are far less likely to make their way into the beds. In fact, our neighbors have followed suit and they now have six raised beds in their yard as well.

Although home improvement stores sell pre-fabricated kits for making raised beds, it is so simple to make your own. If you want to get started, I would suggest looking at Rodale's Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening as a reference. Good luck!


Beware of DIY Projects on Friday Afternoon

20 July 2011

Based on my experience, I strongly encourage you to not plan a “do it yourself” project on a Friday afternoon. Of course, that is when most people plan to do their home projects. They get home from work on Friday afternoon, and they see forty-eight hours of free time ahead of them. Why not plan to re-model the living room during time? Why not fix the leaky faucet in the kitchen then? Why not install new flooring in the bathroom?

I will tell you why.

It might even be one of those Murphy laws. If you plan to do a home project on a Friday afternoon, you will make a terrible mess of things, and you will not be able to get a professional to fix it for you until Monday morning. Let me tell my experience, and you can judge for yourself. I had a leak in the kitchen. Actually, water was leaking from the drain. I figure out that the drain needs to be resealed. That seems simple. I read the book on house projects, and it tells me exactly what I need, and how to do it. So I start in on the project. I turn off the water. I start to unscrew the drain, so I can lift it up and put in the plumber’s putty to seal it. Apparently, I was too strong, but the PVC pipe under the sink cracks.

That is a problem.

And, of course, while my trusted book of household projects tells me how to fix it, I don’t have a clue what they are talking about. So, I call a plumber, and ask if he can come and fix the pipe. On a Friday afternoon, his answer is, he can’t come until Monday morning. For the rest of that weekend, my family did not have a kitchen sink. Of course, that meant we could not wash dishes, which meant we could not eat in the house, which meant, of course, eating out for every meal. Total cost to repair a leak in the sink: $450 (including the $2.99 for plumber’s putty).


How to Get Rid of Slugs from Your Garden

1 July 2011

Ugh! Slugs! Surely one of the grossest aspects of gardening. Not only are they slimy and yucky, but they will also eat your plants. Ever noticed holes in young leaves close to the ground? Guess who's responsible for that? That's right, our friend (actually our enemy) the slimy slug. You have probably wanted to get rid of these creepy crawly little animals for years, buy maybe you want to avoid using dangerous chemicals, especially on your vegetables. And, of course, if you have small children or pets of any size, poisonous gardening solutions of any kind are best avoided. So what is the slug-plagued gardener to do?

One word: beer.

No, not for you! I'm not suggesting you quit gardening and go on a bender. The beer is for the slugs. That's right, slugs love beer! But why would you want to treat these slimy guys to a drink? Well, not only do they love beer, but they also drown in the stuff. All you have to do is leave shallow containers of beer in your garden or near any plants you want to protect from slugs. Leave the beer there over night and the next morning you'll find dozens of drunk, drowned slugs; slugs that would otherwise have been chomping up your lettuce, tomatoes, and celery. Too good to be true you say? Not at all! In fact, it gets even better! It doesn't actually take that much beer to do the trick: just a few shallow dishes of the tasty beverage scattered about the garden will do it. Chances are you'll have more than half a can left for your own enjoyment. You work hard in the garden growing healthy food for your family and beautifying the neighborhood with decorative blooms. You deserve a drink! And now that you're ridding the area of pesky, slimy slugs, you can have one. Cheers!


Planting a Herb Garden is Easy and Fun

2 June 2011

This spring I decided to improve the quality and productivity of my herb garden for the upcoming summer months. I began in early April by removing the debris that had built up in my garden over the past fall and winter. This included a large pile of old leaves and some sticks and branches that had blown in during winter and early spring storms. I collected this waste material and put it in my compost pile, a pile of fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen as well as grass cuttings from the lawn that, over time, breaks down to produce excellent fertilizer.

Once I had cleared my planting area of these unwanted materials, I went to the store to purchase seeds for the plants I wanted. Because I do not have much of a green thumb and wanted to be able to use the plants I grew, I decided to plant basil, parsley, rosemary, and chives, all of which are common ingredients in recipes. I waited until late April to plant the seeds, as it stays cold late in the spring where I live in Vermont, and about a week after putting the seeds in the ground, I began to see the first sprouts. I spent about half an hour every other day working to maintain my garden, which, at this point, mainly involved removing any small weeds that had sprouted before they could grow big and become a significant problem. By the end of May, my herbs had grown so big that I could hardly use everything I had!

One great characteristic of all of the plants I have is that they continue growing throughout the entire season, so there is always something to enjoy from the first few weeks of summer until the first frost in the fall. Having a small herb garden is easy and great for anyone who likes to cook.


Creative Gardening Containers: Leave No Bin Unplanted

25 May 2011

When your yard is small, yet you want to have some fresh greens and vegetables on your dining table, an obvious answer is container gardening. With unlimited funds for a variety of expensive garden boxes, pots and grow bags, it would be easy to increase your yield despite the size constraint. But, if you are not in the market for an expensive solution, you need only gaze around your home and yard to find materials to re-purpose into your movable feast.

Just this summer, I retired a twenty five year old wheelbarrow. Remarkably deep, the contraption was missing one wheel and sagging after the years of ferrying compost, leaves and kids wanting autumn rides around the yard and down the alley. It is made of recycled plastic, so it seemed inappropriate to lean it against the trash bin after the brand new replacement yard cart arrived and was assembled. About the same time the wheelbarrow was pensioned off, I was contemplating where to put the vigorous, yet fragile, cucumber plants this year. If I plant them in the same place each year, the cucumber beetles feast. The old wheelbarrow is still kind of portable, if you push it slanted toward the good wheel. Inside my brain, other wheels started turning, and before you knew it, I had drilled a number of drainage holes in the bottom, and had located the old wheelbarrow in a fenced in corner of the yard, where the chain links just begged a vine to cling.

A bag of good container soil and a little compost filled the sturdy bed of the wheelbarrow, and it was ready for a sprinkling around the edge of pale oval cucumber seeds. I added a couple of sweet peppers that needed a home, and then I was dreaming of healthy vines filled with green cukes for those jars of pickles my boys and their friends demand throughout the winter.


Quick Do It Yourself Tip For The Experienced Renter

17 March 2011

I've never been much of a handyman, in fact I don't even own my own home. But just because I don't own my own home doesn't mean that I haven't picked up a few tricks along the way that can keep a place to live in top condition without breaking the bank.

Being thrifty as a renter is just as important as being thorough, so you need to remember to leave your house or apartment in as good or better condition than you left it in, if you want to avoid paying high amounts in fees for cleaning and security deposit retraction. So I'll lay out a few of the best ways to keep your security deposit via a few handy do it yourself tips for around the house.

If you've ever signed a lease contract, I'm sure you've seen large bold letters that tell you not to damage the walls. If you live in a condo or an upper class rental property this is almost always the case. If you do feel so inclined to put up pictures and throw some nails haphazardly into the wall, do be prepared to pay a lot at the end of the lease term for repairs.

Using some wood filler or caulk isn't a wise choice either, because those can discolor and becomes quite obvious that there was a former hole in that spot, and it won't be fooling anyone if the walls are a completely different color. One of the best solutions is to use plain, white toothpaste. Gel toothpaste will not work, it needs to be the paste. Dabbing a little bit of toothpaste into any nail hole or screw bore can fill in the hole without needing a trip to the hardware store for supplies. This can be a convenient last minute solution or the main strategy to tackle all of those pesky nail holes all over the walls.


The Beginning of My Gardening Odyssey

6 January 2011

Recently I stopped at a flower tent along side the road I was driving on. Not being in a hurry to get home I decided to stop and browse. To my surprise they also sold fruit and vegetables that had been growing and allowed the purchaser to simply replant them. Never having grown vegetables of my own I decided to give it a try. I purchased a few tomato plants, some strawberries, and some hot peppers. It was a cheap purchase costing no more than ten dollars. I did not want to spend to much being this was my first attempt. At the time of the purchase I was not even sure as to where I would plant them. As I looked at my house when I pulled into my parking spot I immediately noticed a perfect area to try my new hobby. In front of my house is a deck. One of the braces for the deck is surrounded by a large crate filled with clean dirt. I assumed since so many weeds grew in the dirt my new items should to. So I began by pulling out all the weeds which was not to troublesome. I had to deal with some very long roots and since I did not want the weeds to grow back I made certain to get the entire weed. After the weeding I leveled off the dirt and began deciding which fruits and vegetables would go where. Each item I purchased came with an information tag. Each tag was useful because they described what conditions were needed for each plant to grow optimally. By reading the tags I made my decision as to where each plant would go. Tomatoes in the front, strawberries in the middle, and peppers in the back. I planted everything problem free. Roughly a month later I picked the hot peppersand they were splendid. My tomatoes are growing fine and some are now turning red. Unfortunately, the strawberries have been showing little progress and I am losing hope for them.