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Welcome to Cleaning
Yes cleaning , the word that makes many people cringe just when someone says it .It dosnt have to be so bad though just follow these simple and easy steps.
1. call in reinforcements ,aka kids lol ask them to clean there room or help you with the dishes start off slow it takes around 21 days for a habit to form . So hang in there,things take time.
2.Take breaks , every 45 minutes or so of cleaning take a ten minute break , dont even think about cleaning , just clear your mind ,read a book , watch part of a show,take a quick nap ,etc.
3. Clean in layers when you clean in sections its not as overwhelming ,each time you finish a job keep saying to yourself one down . Some layer ideas are have the first layer that you do be take out all the dirty clothes out of the room . Second layer take all trash out of the room . Third take all toys and so on .
Remember to not totally stress your self out the floor does not have to be swept or vacumed everyday try do it every other day instead .The best way to get kids to clean is not by yelling , it is by asking them nicely and maybe make a game out of it .
Good Luck everyone ,
Love
Sister Kae Lai
Better Indoor Living: Give Your Home a Comfort Makeover this Winter
(ARA) - Even with today’s hectic pace, Americans still spend more than 50 percent of each day in their homes. In a recent Honeywell survey, consumers ranked their top-three homeowner pet peeves that impact home comfort and livability: particles in the air (especially dust, pet hair and allergens), uneven temperatures and high utility bills.
Taking those concerns into consideration, here are some home comfort makeover solutions that can help you improve your home’s livability.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
Remember the last time you saw sun beaming through a window? The visible particles that dance in a sunbeam represent only one percent of all the particles actually present in home indoor air. That means 99 percent of airborne particles -- everything from pollens, pet dander and mold spores to bacteria -- are too small to be seen with an unaided eye. A standard 1-inch furnace filter, the most common form of home air filtration, removes less than three percent of these particles.
What can you do to help improve indoor air quality? Consider a whole-house solution -- installed in your home’s central heating and air conditioning system -- to zap, trap, moisturize and ventilate.
Zap. Mold and bacteria often blow through the air when a heating and cooling system’s fan runs. For many years, hospitals, pharmacies and commercial kitchens have used ultraviolet (UV) light to “zap” or kill airborne particles like mold and bacteria. Now homeowners can benefit from UV technology, too. Mounted in the return-air duct of a home's heating and cooling system, a UV system emits energy that can kill a high percentage of airborne pollutants passing by the light. UV systems can also prevent mold growth on moist air conditioning coils.
Trap. A standard 1-inch furnace filter removes some of the larger contaminants that would otherwise enter your furnace and circulate throughout your home. And it removes a very small percentage of dust, pollens, pet dander, plant spores, fungi, bacteria, tobacco smoke and other small particles that can cause harm. A top-performing whole-house electronic air cleaner, installed into new or existing forced-air heating/cooling systems, can trap more than 90 percent of fungi and ragweed pollen, and more than 70 percent of certain bacteria that passes through it.
Moisturize. During the winter in cold climates, the relative humidity inside an average home is 15 percent. People generally are most comfortable when the relative humidity is approximately 40 percent. Indoor air that’s too dry can take a toll on your family, and your home suffers, too.
A whole-house humidifier combats uncomfortable conditions that can contribute to dry skin, out-of-tune pianos and damage to hardwood floors by automatically regulating the humidity levels in your home. As an added benefit, homeowners can reduce heating bills because people feel more comfortable at a lower temperature setting if humidity is at a proper level.
Ventilate. According to the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute, your home should have new, fresh air every three hours. In drafty older homes, built before the emphasis on energy conservation, fresh air exchange occurs naturally as stale air seeps out and fresh outside air is drawn in. But in a home that is tightly weatherized, it can take as long as 10 hours to bring in new air.
Choose a ventilation or air exchanger that fits the climate where you live. Whole-house air exchangers for cool climates helps reduce excess moisture problems -- like condensation on windows -- that contribute to mold growth. It’s the same principle as using your bathroom exhaust fan to remove moisture created by running the shower. Systems for warm climates help guard against too much humidity entering the home from outside.
Too Warm or Too Cold?
Humans are extremely sensitive to temperature fluctuations. We’re able to detect a temperature change of just two degrees. One of the most frequent homeowner complaints today is uneven temperature from one room to the next.
Temperature zoning -- or managing temperature control room-by-room -- is one way to fix that problem. Just as we don’t use a single light switch to control lighting throughout the house, it’s inefficient to use a single thermostat to control an entire home. In a zoned home, you install multiple thermostats and customize the climate in each room or area. Whether you want to keep the bedrooms cooler at night, adjust your living room temperature to account for large windows, or help control the temperature difference between floors, how you customize your home’s temperature is up to you.
Programmable Thermostats Save Money
This winter, experts are forecasting sharply higher home heating bills because of natural gas shortages. In the Midwest, for example, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates the average residential winter heating bill could increase 19 percent, sending the average heating bill to $915 for November through March.
A recent Honeywell study found 91 percent of homeowners turn off lights to save energy. That’s a good idea, but managing temperature settings is a far more effective way to save money. Heating and cooling account for nearly 60 percent of home utility costs, while lighting represents just 10 to 15 percent of annual costs.
Homeowners could save up to 33 percent in annual energy costs by correctly using programmable thermostats that adjust the temperature to preset, lower-cost levels at specified times. Programmable thermostat studies by Honeywell estimate energy reductions based on adjustments of 10 degrees -- typically overnight or when the house is unoccupied during the day. Actual energy use depends on the amount of temperature adjustment, the duration of the adjustment, a home’s energy efficiency, and the weather conditions in a given region of the country.
For more information on improving home indoor livability by managing air quality, comfort level and energy use, visit http://www.honeywell.com/yourhome.
Courtesy of ARA Content
(ARA) - There’s no greater feeling of satisfaction than when you complete a home improvement project and can stand back and admire your work. And every do-it-yourselfer knows that a successful project depends on having the right tools. That includes the right products to protect the work area and to clean up quickly and effectively if something gets spilled.
The folks at I Dig Pig have a lot of experience in this area. Their products, made from PIG Absorbent Fabric, are designed to tackle tough, messy jobs. For 18 years, Industrial users have relied on this fabric to handle big messes in thousands of factories worldwide, and the PIG brand (named for the way it “eats” up grime) is known for innovative solutions for cleaning up workplace tasks. Now the company is making their versatile products available to consumers.
The special PIG Absorbent Fabric is a multi-layer material specially bonded to make it 100 times stronger than paper towels. It absorbs large amounts of liquids evenly and quickly. The fabric comes in many different forms and its uses around the house are endless.
One of the most popular incarnations is the PIG Cleanup Tablet, 12 perforated 14-inch by 15-inch sheets that can be hung in the workshop, or stored in the broom closet, and even can be kept in the trunk of your vehicle. Each sheet holds up to one quart of liquid. Simply tear off a sheet any time you need to clean up a messy spill, whether in the kitchen, the car, the garage or the workshop. Keep a sheet on the bottom of the kitchen cabinet to protect against leaks from cleaning supplies. And in case that plumbing repair didn’t work out quite the way you planned, these sheets can handle big messes, too.
You’ll also find multiple uses for the PIG Absorbent Mat Roll, 25 feet of tough, thirsty fabric, in your choice of 15 inches or 30 inches wide The roll is perforated every 10 inches for easy sizing and the larger roll is also perforated down the middle; the fabric can be easily cut with scissors or a utility knife as well, making it a snap to get the perfect fit for any job. The roll makes a great drop cloth for painting -- it not only catches drips, it absorbs them, so you won’t track spilled paint around the room. Or spread a piece of the mat on the workbench before you tackle messy repairs and you won’t have to worry about oil stains or other spills and cleanup will be a breeze. It’s great for holding dirty tools or wet paint brushes, too. And if your washing machine overflows, or you forget to shut a window during a rainstorm, this is just what you need to clean up the resulting mess. The mat is available with an optional polyethylene backing to help protect surfaces from those heavy liquid jobs or applications.
To keep dirt from entering your home, break out the PIG Tough Mat. It absorbs just about anything -- oils, water, coolants and solvents -- making it ideal for use in garages and workshops. Its non-slip backing makes it safe to use as a doormat without fear of slipping or tripping. Put a mat by every entrance to your house and it protects against muddy boots, wet shoes and dirty paws. Instead of trying to figure out how to clean mud off your white carpet, keep it from reaching the carpet in the first place. For example, protect your carpet the next time the plumber, cable installer or other repair people are due by laying down PIG Tough Mat before they arrive. When they’re done, simply roll it up and store it for next time if it didn’t get completely dirty or throw it away and order a replacement.
PIG products are perfect for your home, car, RV and boat. They also come in handy for many do-it-yourself and craft projects. You’ll find endless uses for these products for hobbies ranging from hunting to scrapbooking and everything in between. For more information, visit the company’s Web site, www.idigpig.com, or call (866) IDigPig (434-4744).
Courtesy of ARA Content
(ARA) - What’s the fuss? You walk into a room; flip a switch. Light. You walk out; flip. Dark. Sure, it works, but you are missing the big picture. Lighting isn’t just there to make sure you don’t trip over the rollerblades in the middle of the floor.
“With a few easy changes it can enhance the décor of any room and set a mood unique to any situation, and it can save money in the process,” says Larry Lauck, vice president of communications for the American Lighting Association (ALA) in Dallas, Texas.
“Dimmers give us complete and intimate control over our lighting systems,” adds Dan Blitzer, the American Lighting Association’s consulting director of continuing education. “I say complete because it allows us to adjust the intensity of the light to meet the needs of different individuals and different tasks, to warm the color, and to extend the life of incandescent lamps.”
Such control allows the homeowner to set a mood in any room, not just the dining room. Adjusted lighting is ideal in a living room, bedroom, bathroom, and breakfast nook -- nearly anywhere. The only rooms that may not benefit from dimmers are laundry rooms, storage areas, and pantries. Basic dimmer controls are simple to install in any existing or new setting, but there is more to the dimmer than the common knob-style.
“As a category, lighting control is virtually unknown,” says Suzanne Miller, of Lutron in Coopersburg, Pa. “But not being able to control your lights is like not being able to control the volume on your TV, or the temperature in your oven. People want choices, they want control -- and that includes being able to control lighting levels in their own homes.”
Lighting controls come in four different types:
* Integrated dimming systems allow the most variety. Homeowners can create several preset lighting settings in a single room. With the touch of a single button from a wall box or a wireless remote control, they can recall the pre-selected settings.
* Touch dimmers create a lighting change with the press of a single button. One-touch recall allows the homeowner to return to the previous lighting level without resetting the light. Some dimmers also have a lighted indicator to show the intensity of the current setting.
* Slide dimmers offer manual control of the lighting in a room. Some also include a button on the plate so it is easy to return to the previous setting.
* Rotary dimmers are the ones most likely to conjure images of your Mom’s dining room. The manual dial allows a homeowner to alter the lighting level by turning the dial. Some have push-button control to switch the light off while keeping the current setting in place.
It is also possible to control the lighting in your entire home by building in a custom system. This is the most cost-effective route, but it is possible to add a whole-house lighting system to an existing home. Wireless, infrared systems and radio wave dimmers are available, and can go with you when you move. Another easy way to add the control of dimmers is an extension cord dimmer, which is a quick way to alter the light level of individual lamps.
Prices for lighting control systems vary based on their technology and the extent of their control. A single dimmer will cost a few dollars, but an automated system for the entire home will run in the thousands.
“Every incandescent light in your home should be connected to a dimmer,” says Lauck. “Just so that you can get the benefits of installing the light the way you want it and take advantage of a dimmer’s ability to extend lamp life.”
A dimmer’s operation is fairly simple. It essentially limits the amount of electricity that goes to the light. “The end result is you use less electricity,” says Miller. “Dimming a light 10 percent cuts electricity usage by 10 percent and [that] generally has a direct correlation to cost. What’s more, the human eye adapts to light so easily that you probably wouldn’t even notice a 10 percent decrease.”
Dimming controls will also extend the lamp’s life, which will save you cash over time. It can also save you the hassle of replacing bulbs in hard-to-reach places.
“I think the real benefit is to lamp life,” says Penny Henderson-Maher of Lightolier’s in Garland, Texas. “By dimming the light somewhat and turning it on with a soft fade, the lamps last a long time, like 3 to 4 years on a lamp that would normally last 6 months. That’s really convenient because the light bulb always blows out when you don’t have a spare. It’s all sorts of drama, convenience, and comfort, and energy, and lamp savings all wrapped into one.”
Light can dictate the activity in the room it is illuminating, according to Henderson-Maher. Bright light creates motion and a lot of activity. It’s ideal for getting everyone going in the morning, but not for relaxing. For that, or if an intimate party is what you have in mind, keep the perimeter of the room a bit darker. The “campfire effect” will draw people to the brighter area at the center of the room. Trying to get folks to mingle at a large gathering? Brighten the accent lighting around the perimeter. It will encourage people to move around.
Experiencing the environments varied lighting can create is really the key to understanding its importance in a room’s décor.
“It is one thing to say dimmers create an ambience,” says Miller. “And it is another to see it for real. Why settle for ‘on’ and ‘off’ when you can have ‘on,’ ‘off’ and everything in-between?”
ALA-member retail showrooms carry a wide selection of dimmers for the homeowner to choose from. Consumers can visit the ALA Web site at www.americanlightingassoc.com or call (800) BRIGHT IDEAS.
Courtesy of ARA Content
(ARA) - Next to your dining room, your den or family room is one of the most important gathering places in your home. Therefore, it’s very important to try to make it a pleasant, happy place for relaxing family times. Make decorating the family room a genuine family effort, so that everyone can feel a part of, and enjoy the decorating results.
How do you accomplish that? Well, you start by asking your family members what they like or don’t like in the way of colors, patterns and textures. You may be somewhat constrained by the color of the carpeting or of major pieces of furniture, assuming you’re not planning a complete makeover for the room. But those limitations notwithstanding, you still have a lot of flexibility in mixing or matching colors, tones and textures in the window treatments, and in accessories, such as pillows and throws, that you introduce into the room. So start by asking what your family likes and see if you can work with their preferences. (Of course, what you like counts, too!)
Typically, a family room is an informal, busy place, with lots of traffic. So durability and practicality in the approach to decorating will be important. What you’ll want is something that will stand up to the wear and tear of everyday use, but that will look great for a long time. Among the best choices for family room window coverings are fabrics such as woven checks or plaids, ticking stripes, or the solid colors found in homespun weaver’s cloth or washable duck. Each of these fabrics has a wonderful texture, and a casual, sporty look. And each is available in a variety of colors that will coordinate with almost any color scheme. You’ll also find a variety of styles, such as tailored curtains, tab curtains, Roman shades, swags, and more that will support any decorating theme. Each is available in widths that will work well on most sliding doors, too!
Another nice option for the windows in a family room is wood blinds, with perhaps a textile top treatment over the blind to soften the look. Blinds are great for light control, especially if your television or computer is in the room. And wood blinds have such a nice feeling of warmth that people always seem to enjoy.
Decorative rods are yet another consideration to spice up the overall look in a casual family room. There are so many choices today in decorative wood, brass and wrought iron rods. These rods make a wonderfully evident difference, especially with tab style curtains, and with some of the more informal top treatments, such as fishtail swags. And notice the fabulous choices available in decorative finials for the decorative rods. They’re just great!
After the window treatments are decided, don’t forget to accessorize with decorative pillows and throws. Matching or coordinating pillows and throws are readily available, and can add plushness to a room that will really make it warm and inviting. This extra touch can literally pull a room together, and is so affordable.
That’s really all there is to planning an exciting new look for the family room. Ask your family what colors they like, ask whether they prefer checks, plaids, stripes or solids, and pull the choices together in a style that fits the room. Then plump it up with accessories, and there you have it -- a whole new look, affordably without new furniture and without the mess of wallpaper or paint!
And by all means, enjoy your family in your cozy, new family room!
For more curtain ideas or to request a curtain catalog visit www.sendcatalog.com or to locate a retail shop near you, visit www.countrycurtains.com or call (800) 456-0321 and ask for department 21304.
Courtesy of ARA Content
Take Control of Messy Household Projects
Dimmers Set a Lighter Mood
Make Your Den or Family Room Cozy and Inviting . . . Affordably . . . With New Curtains
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