Have you started your essential and festive Exterior Christmas Decoration scheme yet? Yeah, yeah I know; it's a little early for Christmas decorations. However, if you truly want to get a jump start on things, you'd better get cracking. Okay, I'm actually just joking a bit. However, you don't want to put that outstanding Exterior Christmas Decoration scheme aside until the very last moment. That's never a prudent idea. Then you end up with the neighbors showing you up on Christmas Eve with their spectacular array of lights and nativity scenes.
Is it really ever too early to go out and do some Christmas shopping? I would have to say no in regards to this. I mean think about it for a moment. When is the worst time to Christmas shop? That would be right around Christmas time. Heck, no one wants to be out browsing the shopping malls in that utter chaos. It's plain and simply annoying at best. The same goes for any Exterior Christmas Decoration plans you have. Most folks tend to get started on this right after Thanksgiving. It is brilliant! You shouldn't wait until the 20th. That would be a mess trying to get everything together at the last minute. Not to mention that you would hardly enjoy it. That's one of the greatest things about any Exterior Christmas Decoration schemes. You want to enjoy them for as long as you can. If you don't, what fun is that? It's all about the beauty and aesthetic appreciation. You want those jealous neighbors to drive by and wince at the sight of your unique and amazing Exterior Christmas Decoration. That one that they could never find, but wanted so badly. Hey, it's all about where you do your shopping. Turn to the Internet for a vast plethora of Christmas decorations and gifts galore.
Now I'll bet you're all stoked about the holidays coming up fast. Hey, join the club. We all get enthused about the Christmas season and the several days off, and maybe even the Christmas bonus we'll receive. So, are you about to get on the web and find the most outstanding Exterior Christmas Decoration you can find? Your mission is to beat the neighborhood. Who says you can't have the coolest looking house this year? Maybe those carolers will actually stop at your door this time. It's all about that perfect Exterior Christmas Decoration.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Disney Christmas Decoration
Children of all ages would appreciate a Disney Christmas decoration for their holiday collection. The popular Disney characters have delighted generations of individuals and there is certainly a character for every one of us. If you put a little thought into your selection you might just find the perfect Disney Christmas decoration for just about everyone in your family.
After spending a day with extended family members I realized that Walt Disney movies are a common bond among all of us. Even older relatives seemed to enjoy talking about the various films created by this American institution during the visit. I decided that I was going to purchase a Disney Christmas decoration for my relatives this holiday season.
The process of choosing the right ones for different individuals was a little tricky but once I got the hang of it, the ideas started flowing like water. I just thought of the family member’s personality and I also thought of great memories that we share. The perfect Disney Christmas decoration followed soon after. Some of the ideas were sentimental and some were humorous.
My favorite uncle is a regular prankster so I immediately thought of Goofy for his Disney Christmas decoration. I was thrilled to find so many different presentations of this adorable character. Once I saw one that reminded me of my silly uncle I made the purchase. I know that he will enjoy his Goofy present.
The girls are much easier to buy for than the guys in general. Most of the guys in the family like Goofy or Mickey but I tried to make each Disney Christmas decoration unique and original. I accomplished the task of finding great gifts for each of the guys in the group by looking to the Seven Dwarfs.
Each family has a member who reminds them of one of those little guys so I figured that I would assign certain characters from this lot as Disney Christmas decoration gifts for the men. This helped me choose presents for individuals who are tough to buy for. I simply associated the character with the person’s characteristics. It worked beautifully.
The ladies were a cinch with this process. In no time at all I had a Disney Christmas decoration for everyone in the family. I just can’t wait for the holiday party that we have every year. I think that the Disney Christmas decoration theme will go over really well.
After spending a day with extended family members I realized that Walt Disney movies are a common bond among all of us. Even older relatives seemed to enjoy talking about the various films created by this American institution during the visit. I decided that I was going to purchase a Disney Christmas decoration for my relatives this holiday season.
The process of choosing the right ones for different individuals was a little tricky but once I got the hang of it, the ideas started flowing like water. I just thought of the family member’s personality and I also thought of great memories that we share. The perfect Disney Christmas decoration followed soon after. Some of the ideas were sentimental and some were humorous.
My favorite uncle is a regular prankster so I immediately thought of Goofy for his Disney Christmas decoration. I was thrilled to find so many different presentations of this adorable character. Once I saw one that reminded me of my silly uncle I made the purchase. I know that he will enjoy his Goofy present.
The girls are much easier to buy for than the guys in general. Most of the guys in the family like Goofy or Mickey but I tried to make each Disney Christmas decoration unique and original. I accomplished the task of finding great gifts for each of the guys in the group by looking to the Seven Dwarfs.
Each family has a member who reminds them of one of those little guys so I figured that I would assign certain characters from this lot as Disney Christmas decoration gifts for the men. This helped me choose presents for individuals who are tough to buy for. I simply associated the character with the person’s characteristics. It worked beautifully.
The ladies were a cinch with this process. In no time at all I had a Disney Christmas decoration for everyone in the family. I just can’t wait for the holiday party that we have every year. I think that the Disney Christmas decoration theme will go over really well.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Light Switch
It's not something you give much thought to, most people never consider replacing their power outlets or light switches unless it's for redecorating purposes. But sometimes there is a real need to do this, especially if they are worn out and becoming an electrical fire hazard. Worn out receptacles can be annoying if they quit working sporadically.
Replacing these isn't expensive, you can pick one up for a couple of dollars at any hardware or home improvement store. When you're ready, be sure you turn off the power to that switch because you do NOT want any electrical shocks or burns. Test to be sure the power is truly off with a circuit tester.
Here's a rough step by step on how to replace your outlet receptacles.
1. Remove the outlet cover and then unscrew it from the mounting.
2. Pull it out of the box so you can work with it easier. If you're not electrically inclined it's best to label the wires so you know what location to put them back to.
3. Disconnect all the wires and remove the old outlet.
4. Be sure your new outlet is rated for the circuit you're on. Reconnect the wires as instructed with the directions.
5. Put the outlet cover back on, screwing everything in again.
6. Test it for power.
What if you need to replace a light switch? This is not a difficult task either and the replacement part is also inexpensive.
Again, turn off the power to work in a safe environment. Repeat steps 1 through 3 from the outlet replacement above. This time be sure to mark the white wire as being hot. Disconnect the wires from the old switch and attach them to the new one. When everything is secured and screwed in tight, push the switch back into the receptacle box and replace the cover.
Replacing these isn't expensive, you can pick one up for a couple of dollars at any hardware or home improvement store. When you're ready, be sure you turn off the power to that switch because you do NOT want any electrical shocks or burns. Test to be sure the power is truly off with a circuit tester.
Here's a rough step by step on how to replace your outlet receptacles.
1. Remove the outlet cover and then unscrew it from the mounting.
2. Pull it out of the box so you can work with it easier. If you're not electrically inclined it's best to label the wires so you know what location to put them back to.
3. Disconnect all the wires and remove the old outlet.
4. Be sure your new outlet is rated for the circuit you're on. Reconnect the wires as instructed with the directions.
5. Put the outlet cover back on, screwing everything in again.
6. Test it for power.
What if you need to replace a light switch? This is not a difficult task either and the replacement part is also inexpensive.
Again, turn off the power to work in a safe environment. Repeat steps 1 through 3 from the outlet replacement above. This time be sure to mark the white wire as being hot. Disconnect the wires from the old switch and attach them to the new one. When everything is secured and screwed in tight, push the switch back into the receptacle box and replace the cover.
Brick-fireplace
What is keeping you warm this winter? Do you have forced heat, or maybe you're using a wood stove to heat your home? Hey, don't laugh! This is what I grew up with and I still love it. The next house I purchase is going to have a nice, old-fashioned wood stove. Oh, and of course a rustic brick fireplace. Yep, that's right. I'm a rustic kind of guy myself. I prefer the "outdoorsy" stuff over the new-age contemporary look. Regardless of what you use to heat your home, one thing is for sure; you want it to radiate heat well and be proficient. Well, fortunately now days you can get that ideal heat from a nice brick fireplace. Hey, if you don't believe me, then hop online and see what I'm talking about.
What is it about a brick fireplace that stirs a certain nostalgia? That wonderful feeling of kicking back with your loved one before a nice roaring fire. It's just so relaxing. The great thing about modern fireplaces is that they not only offer a variety of styles, but they can also heat your entire home. What do you know about burning wood as an alternative to the standard forced central heating or gas? I think it's awesome that you can have an ample brick fireplace that drives sufficient amounts of heat throughout your home. This even goes for two or three story homes. These days they have it as a sort of forced heating method that literally comes through a venting system. How cool is that? Furthermore, the nice thing about wood is that it burns so clean and warm. It's a slight upgrade from the standard forced heat.
Are you satisfied with your current fireplace, or are you in the market for something a tad more original? Check out the fabulous array of fireplaces online. You can acquire a brick fireplace for less than you think. Even if your home doesn't currently have a fireplace, there are professionals who can install these in no time. Find that cozy brick fireplace before the next winter hits. This way you will be lounging on your sofa with the family, while enjoying the gentle heat of a crackling flame. In addition, a quality brick fireplace is perfect for roasting those marshmallows and hot dogs. Have a blast inside your home this cold season with a rustic or modern brick fireplace.
What is it about a brick fireplace that stirs a certain nostalgia? That wonderful feeling of kicking back with your loved one before a nice roaring fire. It's just so relaxing. The great thing about modern fireplaces is that they not only offer a variety of styles, but they can also heat your entire home. What do you know about burning wood as an alternative to the standard forced central heating or gas? I think it's awesome that you can have an ample brick fireplace that drives sufficient amounts of heat throughout your home. This even goes for two or three story homes. These days they have it as a sort of forced heating method that literally comes through a venting system. How cool is that? Furthermore, the nice thing about wood is that it burns so clean and warm. It's a slight upgrade from the standard forced heat.
Are you satisfied with your current fireplace, or are you in the market for something a tad more original? Check out the fabulous array of fireplaces online. You can acquire a brick fireplace for less than you think. Even if your home doesn't currently have a fireplace, there are professionals who can install these in no time. Find that cozy brick fireplace before the next winter hits. This way you will be lounging on your sofa with the family, while enjoying the gentle heat of a crackling flame. In addition, a quality brick fireplace is perfect for roasting those marshmallows and hot dogs. Have a blast inside your home this cold season with a rustic or modern brick fireplace.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Dealing With Frozen Water Pipelines
We live out in the country but this story could just as easily happen to someone in the city. After 25 years of living in the same location, our water line froze on us this winter. We had a very early start to winter this year. In November the temperatures got down to single digits and we didn't have any snow. Had we had snow in combination with the cold temperatures, it probably wouldn't have been so bad. The snow tends to act as an insulator and keeps the cold from driving down into the ground. Where we live, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico, the frost line is down to about 3 ft. The conventional wisdom has always been that if your pipes are at least 3 feet deep, then they won't freeze. But, since we didn't have the snow covering the ground and, I'm thinking, since our pipes are buried underneath an area where the water often runs during run-off (out here, we call these little stream beds arroyos), there's a good chance that several inches or more of protective dirt has been washed away over time. Doesn't look like the ground level has dropped much, but it's hard to remember over time just what the ground looked like 25 years ago!
Bottom line is, our pipes froze and they froze hard. Our water line travels at least 700 feet from the well house to our home on top of the hill. By the time our line froze, we did have snow covering the ground and that made it even more difficult to deal with. I mean, where does one start when one has 700 feet of water line underground? Digging it up just didn't seem like an option. Luckily there is only my wife and I and our two dogs so we decided we would just wait it out until the pipes thawed. Don't get me wrong. I didn't just give up. I was pro-active.
I disconnected the main water line in the house, installed a union (plumbing device which allows for two pieces of pipe to be taken apart and put back together) in-line and tried running hot water back down the line - even with a small pump this didn't work, couldn't get it to push against the air block - and attached an air compressor to the line to try to blow it back out. This actually worked at one point. We had water for 4 days until we left one evening and didn't think to let the water drip to prevent another freezing! The 2nd time it froze is when we had the solid freeze that lasted for about 6 weeks and wouldn't budge, no matter what we did.
Even with our resolve to not let this situation get us down, after about a week and a half, I started to think "outside the box." It occurred to me that since we had a water hydrant down at the bottom of the driveway, just 250 feet away, that I might be able to use that to our advantage. I came up with the idea of running a hose from the hydrant up to the outside water faucet on the side of the house. Seemed reasonable enough to me, so after getting the correct adapters, I was able to do just that. During the day, as long as the temperatures were above 28 degrees or so, I was able to run the water from the hydrant up the hill and into the house. Since the outside faucet was right about where the main water line came in, the whole house system, including the hot water heater, became charged. All right! Water! At night, just as the temperatures were dropping way back down, I would have to shut down the system and drain the hoses and then, the next day, when the temperatures got back up to 28 degrees or better, I would hook the system back up.
I think this system would work in a pinch in the city or suburbs where the houses are close together. One would simply hook their hose to a neighbor's faucet until such time as the water line thawed or was other wise corrected.
I can't tell you how much this helped to ease what otherwise would have been a burden. We were able to shower, run the dishwasher, flush the toilet, do laundry and fill up bottles of drinking water, as long as we did all of the above before dark or when the temperatures plummeted. Luckily for us, February was rather mild and we were able to have many days that worked in our favor. But, it wasn't until almost the end of February that we had enough mild weather for the line to thaw.
Bottom line is, our pipes froze and they froze hard. Our water line travels at least 700 feet from the well house to our home on top of the hill. By the time our line froze, we did have snow covering the ground and that made it even more difficult to deal with. I mean, where does one start when one has 700 feet of water line underground? Digging it up just didn't seem like an option. Luckily there is only my wife and I and our two dogs so we decided we would just wait it out until the pipes thawed. Don't get me wrong. I didn't just give up. I was pro-active.
I disconnected the main water line in the house, installed a union (plumbing device which allows for two pieces of pipe to be taken apart and put back together) in-line and tried running hot water back down the line - even with a small pump this didn't work, couldn't get it to push against the air block - and attached an air compressor to the line to try to blow it back out. This actually worked at one point. We had water for 4 days until we left one evening and didn't think to let the water drip to prevent another freezing! The 2nd time it froze is when we had the solid freeze that lasted for about 6 weeks and wouldn't budge, no matter what we did.
Even with our resolve to not let this situation get us down, after about a week and a half, I started to think "outside the box." It occurred to me that since we had a water hydrant down at the bottom of the driveway, just 250 feet away, that I might be able to use that to our advantage. I came up with the idea of running a hose from the hydrant up to the outside water faucet on the side of the house. Seemed reasonable enough to me, so after getting the correct adapters, I was able to do just that. During the day, as long as the temperatures were above 28 degrees or so, I was able to run the water from the hydrant up the hill and into the house. Since the outside faucet was right about where the main water line came in, the whole house system, including the hot water heater, became charged. All right! Water! At night, just as the temperatures were dropping way back down, I would have to shut down the system and drain the hoses and then, the next day, when the temperatures got back up to 28 degrees or better, I would hook the system back up.
I think this system would work in a pinch in the city or suburbs where the houses are close together. One would simply hook their hose to a neighbor's faucet until such time as the water line thawed or was other wise corrected.
I can't tell you how much this helped to ease what otherwise would have been a burden. We were able to shower, run the dishwasher, flush the toilet, do laundry and fill up bottles of drinking water, as long as we did all of the above before dark or when the temperatures plummeted. Luckily for us, February was rather mild and we were able to have many days that worked in our favor. But, it wasn't until almost the end of February that we had enough mild weather for the line to thaw.
Plumbing Water Maintainence For The Best Home
Most people panic when there is a plumbing emergency or general repair that needs to be done. This panic is unnecessary if you have the practical plumbing knowledge. Getting help can be obtained in various ways it can be a phone call to a plumber for a fee or help from a do it yourself book if you are the handyman type or if your lucky you will have a friendly neighborhood plumbing/hardware store that can assist you with all your repair needs.
Water Leaks 101
If at any point in time you notice water in areas that water does not belong the first and most important thing to do is turn off the main valve. This is located at meter or in your home where the water line comes into the house. If you do not know where this is start by looking in your crawl space or basement. Once water has been shut off locate cause of leak determine diameter of pipe and material the pipe is made of ie copper or plastic or steel. You can remove a part of this to take with you if need be. Match up pipe or fittings needed to repair leak. If it is a threaded steel connection make sure you put thread seal on all threaded connections and tighten as snug as you can get it. This would be done by using pipe wrench or channel lock style pliers. If it is a copper connection you can use solder fittings or compression style fittings ( the easiest style for a novice). There are 3 types of plastic pipes used PVC, CPVC, and PEX. PVC and CPVC can be glued together with appropriate solvent. PEX pipe is either clamped or a grabber style fitting is used.
Clogged or Slow Drains
If drain is moving slow or completely clogged cleaners are not always a great solution. If the drain is slow moving a cleaner may help to make move freely. If it is completely stopped up a snake should be used to remove obstruction. If your home has old steal drain lines you might be fighting a loosing battle. I suggest to cut out and remove steel pipe and replace with PVC. Generally, the vertical pipes do not build up the same amount of debris or sludge the same as the horizontal pipes. If you are making a transition from steel to plastic make sure you use a approved coupling to make the transition. If it is a PVC to PVC connection use appropriate solvent.
That Leaky faucet
When your faucet develops a leak it is important to fix as soon as possible to save extra damage to the part from forcing it to shut off. First thing to do is to shut water off to faucet . Shut off valves are located below sink. Remove handle then locate the nut that holds the faucet stem in faucet body, use wrench to remove take to local plumbing shop or hardware store to match replacement gaskets or sometimes the complete stem. If faucet is not able to be repaired and you decide to replace it is important that you purchase a new faucet from a reputable manufacturer.
Toilet Woes
If toilet is leaking at the base it could be a wax seal needs to be replaced, or the mounting flange may be cracked. If it takes a long time for the tank to refill after you flush it is the ball cock that has failed. Sometimes this can be repaired with a replacement gasket if parts are not available replace complete ball cock. This is also the solution if it will not shut off. If you hear your toilet refill without flushing it the flapper assembly needs to be replaced.* there are lots of different style flappers used make sure you take your old one with you to match.*
Water Leaks 101
If at any point in time you notice water in areas that water does not belong the first and most important thing to do is turn off the main valve. This is located at meter or in your home where the water line comes into the house. If you do not know where this is start by looking in your crawl space or basement. Once water has been shut off locate cause of leak determine diameter of pipe and material the pipe is made of ie copper or plastic or steel. You can remove a part of this to take with you if need be. Match up pipe or fittings needed to repair leak. If it is a threaded steel connection make sure you put thread seal on all threaded connections and tighten as snug as you can get it. This would be done by using pipe wrench or channel lock style pliers. If it is a copper connection you can use solder fittings or compression style fittings ( the easiest style for a novice). There are 3 types of plastic pipes used PVC, CPVC, and PEX. PVC and CPVC can be glued together with appropriate solvent. PEX pipe is either clamped or a grabber style fitting is used.
Clogged or Slow Drains
If drain is moving slow or completely clogged cleaners are not always a great solution. If the drain is slow moving a cleaner may help to make move freely. If it is completely stopped up a snake should be used to remove obstruction. If your home has old steal drain lines you might be fighting a loosing battle. I suggest to cut out and remove steel pipe and replace with PVC. Generally, the vertical pipes do not build up the same amount of debris or sludge the same as the horizontal pipes. If you are making a transition from steel to plastic make sure you use a approved coupling to make the transition. If it is a PVC to PVC connection use appropriate solvent.
That Leaky faucet
When your faucet develops a leak it is important to fix as soon as possible to save extra damage to the part from forcing it to shut off. First thing to do is to shut water off to faucet . Shut off valves are located below sink. Remove handle then locate the nut that holds the faucet stem in faucet body, use wrench to remove take to local plumbing shop or hardware store to match replacement gaskets or sometimes the complete stem. If faucet is not able to be repaired and you decide to replace it is important that you purchase a new faucet from a reputable manufacturer.
Toilet Woes
If toilet is leaking at the base it could be a wax seal needs to be replaced, or the mounting flange may be cracked. If it takes a long time for the tank to refill after you flush it is the ball cock that has failed. Sometimes this can be repaired with a replacement gasket if parts are not available replace complete ball cock. This is also the solution if it will not shut off. If you hear your toilet refill without flushing it the flapper assembly needs to be replaced.* there are lots of different style flappers used make sure you take your old one with you to match.*
Friday, February 22, 2008
Making Home A Flower Place
Well, you've just spent an incredibly long week at work, shut inside your cubicle working on the quarterly report. You've had little time outside - basically the time it takes you to go from your house to the car to the office and back. By the end of the week you ate your lunch from the vending machine in the lounge rather than take the time to run out to visit your favorite hot dog vendor, just to get the work done. Now that you've finished and are ready for a much-needed and well-deserved weekend, you head home with nothing but relaxation on your mind.
Stepping into your apartment, you are greeted with a hungry cat (did you feed Speckles this week????), a basket of dirty laundry (the elves didn't pick it up?) and a dead houseplant. Not very inspiring.
Spruce It Up!
What to do? You've neither the desire nor cash to head out to the mountains for the weekend (packing, unpacking and then more laundry), but can't see spending a dreary two days with these uninspiring surroundings. It's easier than you think (and less expensive) to liven things up for yourself. Since you probably plan to eat this weekend and to do so must go to at least one store to get said food, take a look at what your friendly supermarket has to offer in respect to plants and flowers. Go ahead and buy yourself a bouquet. Get a big one that you can separate into smaller arrangements to spread throughout your home. Try again with the houseplants...pick out a few hardy looking ones and bring them back with you. Pick up a new watering can - just having something new to use can inspire you to actually use it. It's a lot more satisfying to water the plants with a groovy little watering can than with your coffee pot.
Once you've returned home with your new plants or flowers, open up! Even if it's hot or cold outside, it's a good idea to freshen up the place with some outside air. You may only be able to keep the windows open for a little while, but it will do you and your place a world of good. (Of course this wouldn't apply if you're currently in the midst of a dust storm, blizzard, hurricane, or plague of frogs...I would assume that if any of these things were happening you would not be looking to bring quite THAT much nature into your surroundings...)
If you've the benefit of a balcony, patio, or even a communal outdoor area where you live, take advantage of it. Get out there with a lawn chair and soak up some rays. You might discover that you have one or two interesting neighbors that are worth getting to know. One of them might even have some pointers for your houseplants. You could invite them over for a drink on those cool summer nights by your toasty chimenea; or you could plan a clean-up and planting day followed by a BBQ or a glass of wine or cup of coffee. You'll reap the benefits in more ways than one.
Stepping into your apartment, you are greeted with a hungry cat (did you feed Speckles this week????), a basket of dirty laundry (the elves didn't pick it up?) and a dead houseplant. Not very inspiring.
Spruce It Up!
What to do? You've neither the desire nor cash to head out to the mountains for the weekend (packing, unpacking and then more laundry), but can't see spending a dreary two days with these uninspiring surroundings. It's easier than you think (and less expensive) to liven things up for yourself. Since you probably plan to eat this weekend and to do so must go to at least one store to get said food, take a look at what your friendly supermarket has to offer in respect to plants and flowers. Go ahead and buy yourself a bouquet. Get a big one that you can separate into smaller arrangements to spread throughout your home. Try again with the houseplants...pick out a few hardy looking ones and bring them back with you. Pick up a new watering can - just having something new to use can inspire you to actually use it. It's a lot more satisfying to water the plants with a groovy little watering can than with your coffee pot.
Once you've returned home with your new plants or flowers, open up! Even if it's hot or cold outside, it's a good idea to freshen up the place with some outside air. You may only be able to keep the windows open for a little while, but it will do you and your place a world of good. (Of course this wouldn't apply if you're currently in the midst of a dust storm, blizzard, hurricane, or plague of frogs...I would assume that if any of these things were happening you would not be looking to bring quite THAT much nature into your surroundings...)
If you've the benefit of a balcony, patio, or even a communal outdoor area where you live, take advantage of it. Get out there with a lawn chair and soak up some rays. You might discover that you have one or two interesting neighbors that are worth getting to know. One of them might even have some pointers for your houseplants. You could invite them over for a drink on those cool summer nights by your toasty chimenea; or you could plan a clean-up and planting day followed by a BBQ or a glass of wine or cup of coffee. You'll reap the benefits in more ways than one.
Furnished Home Improvement Facilities
So you have bought a house and furnished it with a lot of care. You hope to enjoy your days in this abode or maybe sell it for a much higher value subsequently. However, no amount of decoration will be useful for your house if you do not take pains to maintain it. Maintenance is a prime necessity for any house as not only can a poorly maintained house pose health hazards, but also get devalued in the real estate market. Maintenance can make your house look new all the time. Thus, it is crucial that you spend some time on this task and ensure peace of mind. This article can help you organize your maintenance work by giving you handy tips on the process.
It is needless to say that you should have a well thought out plan before you jump into the home maintenance sphere. A plan keeps you focused and also breaks up your work so that you do not get overwhelmed by the tasks. This plan should be geared towards your family's schedule and lifestyle. You have to decide on the best time to look into this aspect. Since, this might involve some time devotion on your part; you may want to schedule the work on weekends when you are relatively free. However, the plan cannot be too rigid as it will inevitably fail if you do not allow some flexibility of timings.
An important aspect of home maintenance is to really look around the house to check for areas that need special attention. Are your beautiful Amish handcrafted furniture pieces in need of retouching? Are some of your appliances not working properly? Is the lighting of your house uncomfortably dim? Make note of all the issues you notice. Even the ventilation, wires and other electric devices need to be checked for problems. Taking care of each of the furniture items, cleaning the bathrooms, kitchen and the rest of the rooms and maintaining the wall color of the house can take a lot of hard work and persistence on the home owner's part. Do you need to get the legs of your dining table repaired? It is important to check that none of the furniture or appliances in the house present any hazard to people. So look carefully and keep noting down everything.
Though the record of to-dos may overwhelm you at first, you have to be persistent. The only way to take care of all the issues is to start with the first one. So get that wiring fixed. Start cleaning your bathrooms and closets. Polish all the wooden furniture pieces. Clean your yard and check that the dish washer has no junk. Take the broken appliances to the professionals or replace them. Wash all the bed covers, pillow covers, sofa slips, curtains, drapes and any other decorative fabric. Make sure the bulbs are changed if the light is too dim and do get any wobbly dining room furniture fixed.
Once you are at it, you will find everything getting handled perfectly and before you know, your house will be a safe and lovely home again!
It is needless to say that you should have a well thought out plan before you jump into the home maintenance sphere. A plan keeps you focused and also breaks up your work so that you do not get overwhelmed by the tasks. This plan should be geared towards your family's schedule and lifestyle. You have to decide on the best time to look into this aspect. Since, this might involve some time devotion on your part; you may want to schedule the work on weekends when you are relatively free. However, the plan cannot be too rigid as it will inevitably fail if you do not allow some flexibility of timings.
An important aspect of home maintenance is to really look around the house to check for areas that need special attention. Are your beautiful Amish handcrafted furniture pieces in need of retouching? Are some of your appliances not working properly? Is the lighting of your house uncomfortably dim? Make note of all the issues you notice. Even the ventilation, wires and other electric devices need to be checked for problems. Taking care of each of the furniture items, cleaning the bathrooms, kitchen and the rest of the rooms and maintaining the wall color of the house can take a lot of hard work and persistence on the home owner's part. Do you need to get the legs of your dining table repaired? It is important to check that none of the furniture or appliances in the house present any hazard to people. So look carefully and keep noting down everything.
Though the record of to-dos may overwhelm you at first, you have to be persistent. The only way to take care of all the issues is to start with the first one. So get that wiring fixed. Start cleaning your bathrooms and closets. Polish all the wooden furniture pieces. Clean your yard and check that the dish washer has no junk. Take the broken appliances to the professionals or replace them. Wash all the bed covers, pillow covers, sofa slips, curtains, drapes and any other decorative fabric. Make sure the bulbs are changed if the light is too dim and do get any wobbly dining room furniture fixed.
Once you are at it, you will find everything getting handled perfectly and before you know, your house will be a safe and lovely home again!
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