Home Security
Home security is important to everyone. It’s a good idea to take a look around your home when you are cleaning to make sure that your home is secure and safe for your family. Doing the best that we can do to assure this will put your mind at rest both when you are home and away from home.
Here is an excerpt from http://www.homesecurityblog.com
“Unfortunately, most people don’t think or do anything about home security until they or someone they know has had a break-in. Burglars look at homes they think are easy targets. There’s many things you can do to make your home less likely to be burglarized.”
Here is a list of things to check for when looking around your home:
smoke alarms - for every bedroom and hallway; make sure batteries are always fresh. Install a battery operated alarm in addition to any electric alarms you may have.
fire extinguishers - you should have at least one or two in the house and one in the garage. It is important to make sure that they are full at all times.
carbon monoxide alarms - always important in order to detect high carbon monoxide levels especially in winter months when we are heating our homes.
windows - in addition to latches on windows, there should be locks on each window. These are easily installed and removed to open the window. You can even open the window a few inches and reinstall the lock so that the window cannot be opened further.
doors- all entry doors should have a deadbolt lock. In some cases, you may also want to install a chain lock. Installing a peephole in each door, especially the front entrance door, is another very good idea. It is advisable to have a lock on screen doors. Some even come with dead bolt locks nowadays. Sliding glass doors have locks but an additional safety measure is to put a rod or piece of wood inside the track.
garage doors - this is a common place for burglars to enter a home. Make sure that the garage door locks when closed. If you use an electronic garage door opener, make sure that you have programmed it; never leave it with a factory programming.
motion detector lights - another home safety measure to deter intruders is to install lights that go on when motion is detected outside at night.
security camera - you can now purchase security cameras and security systems in any large department store or home improvement store. They can be easily hooked up to a television set.
fence - yard fences should always be locked especially if you have a pool. It is important to prevent wandering children who can fall into the pool or get hurt on backyard toys.
shrubs - keep all greenery trimmed and away from the house. Do not block windows. This not only will eliminate a hideout for intruders but will also protect the house in case of fire.
first aid kit - always keep one handy in the home, garage and also in the car.
It is up to us to be proactive to create a safe environment in our homes. What other things do you do in regards to home security? Please share your thoughts and ideas below.
Revitalize Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are the one room of the house that not only has a tendency to become cluttered but also boring in a short period of time. I have found that the best time to spruce up the looks of the bathroom is when I am cleaning out the cabinets and de-cluttering. For a small amount of money, you can easily change the bathroom. Keep reading for ideas on how to revitalize your bathroom.
- De-Clutter
The first thing you need to do is clean everything out. Bathroom cabinets tend to become over stuffed with all types of items. The body cream you didn’t like, the latest and greatest razor that cut your legs, the shampoo that made your hair flat. This is probably something a lot of us do. We store these things and then never use them. So it’s time to get rid of it and give yourself more storage space for the next round of never-to-use products.
- Remove All Accessories
Once you have de-cluttered, it is time to remove everything from the bathroom. Give yourself a blank slate to work with. This includes, towels and shower curtains and any other accessories placed around.
- Paint
Nothing perks a room up like giving it a new color. I am a great fan of paint. The most inexpensive decorating item around. Go ahead and paint the bathroom any color that you want. It can be soft or bold. This is a great place to try out sponge painting. Make your own statement or create your own mood.
- Now Clean
After the painting is done, it is time to give the place a good cleaning. Scrub the shower, the bathtub, the toilet, the sink and the floors. Don’t forget the light fixture and bathroom fan when cleaning. The bathroom will look sparkle like it is new and will smell great too.
- Time To Accessorize
Here comes the fun part. Use items you already have that match your new color or buy inexpensive items within your budget to accessorize. Most of us already have different colored towels and face clothes. Go ahead and use them. Instead of buying expensive vanity items, use baskets. They will go with any color that you have chosen to paint your bathroom. Use clear glass accessories that you can use again with any color you decide to change to in the future.
- Hardware
If you haven’t blown the budget on accessories, go ahead and get new hardware. A newer modern towel rack, toilet paper holder and cabinet door knobs will add detail to your new look. You can also purchase a can of spray paint and paint your old hardware to match your new color.
- Lighting
If the light fixture is old, you can opt for purchasing a new one or just change the covering. Sometimes just giving the light fixture a good cleaning will do the trick and make it shine like new. Placing some scented candles in the bathroom will give it a softer look and add a fragrant smell.
It doesn’t take much to redesign and give a bathroom a new look. Most of it is your time and energy. In the end, it is really enjoyable to see what you have done without breaking your budget. By doing it this way, you can change it often to go with the most recent trends in colors.
Do you have other easy bathroom ideas? Go ahead and share them with everyone.
Planning An Outdoor Autumn Wedding
Autumn is another time for weddings and many people are right now in the midst of planning an outdoor wedding right in their back yard. It makes a lot of sense since it can be much more affordable but it does come with challenges. You never know what Mother Nature has in store for that day. It can be hot or it can be cold. Anyone who is planning a back yard wedding needs to take a look at these ideas so that their special day will run smoothly. Since we had an outdoor wedding at our home for friends of ours, we had to plan it so that it worked out well for them.
- If your back yard is landscaped, it will provide the natural backdrop for your wedding. If you plan to use any type of ribbons or streamers, attach a fishing weight to the bottom to hold them down in case of wind. You can even secure fishing weights to your veil to keep it down. Just paint them white.
- If you are having a DJ or band, ask to use their microphones for the ceremony so the guests can hear you clearly.
- Secure all table linens.
- If you are lighting candles, place glass hurricanes on them to prevent them from going out.
- If you have a pool, use floating candles. You can also throw dry ice in the pool for a misty effect.
- You can rent an arch or trellis or make one out of lattice. Decorate with flowers or vines.
- Use torches for the nighttime. Fill with citronella to keep the bugs away.
- Spray the yard ahead of time to treat for bugs.
- Just about any kind of decoration that is used inside can also be used outdoors as long as you secure it in case of wind.
- Unless you are prepared for guess to be in the house, it is a wise idea to rent a tent with sidewalls in case of rain.
- In case it is hot, have water, lemonade and punch available during the ceremony to keep guests cool. In case it is cool, have hot chocolate and coffee available for guests.
- In case it is cool, have propane heaters available or better yet, have a fire pit going.
- If renting chairs, make sure to get wood chairs since metal gets too hot. Have guests sit facing against the sun.
- Keep the flowers indoors until the last minute so that they don’t wilt. Or opt for silk flowers.
- Any food that has the potential to spoil quickly, such as mayonnaise, should be kept indoors until the last minute.
- Use fondant or marzipan on the wedding cake in place of frosting. Regular frosting has a tendency to melt when it gets warm or left out for too long.
I hope that some of these ideas help those who are planning an outdoor wedding so that it truly is a special day without stress. If you have any other ideas that can help those planning an outdoor wedding, please share them.
The Importance of Home Inspections
One of the most important things to do when purchasing a home is having a home inspection. By doing this, you will not only have peace of mind but will save yourself money by knowing if there are any issues with the home. The cost of the inspection is minimal compared to a major repair that may have to be done. Make sure to use a licensed inspector for this as they are trained to look for things that may not be very noticeable to the untrained eye.. Here are some things that are checked during a home inspection.
If the home is not occupied, make sure that the electric is turned on and active. The inspector needs the electric in order to check the appliances. He will check the heating and cooling systems, the washing machine, the dryer, the stove and any other appliance that is part of the transaction. He will also inspect the plumbing and electrical systems of the home.
Checking the roof for damage is another thing the inspector will do. He will also check the fascia and soffits and gutters. He will be looking at the foundation and structure of the house for cracks that may cause problems or need to be repaired. He will make note of any rotten or deteriorated wood around the home. If there is a sprinkler system attached to a well, he will put the pump on to make sure that it is working properly and will check the pressure of the well pump. He will also check to see if the sprinkler heads are in place. If there is a pool, he will check the condition of the pool along with the pool pump. Again, he will put the pump on to make sure that it has enough pressure and is working properly.
One of the most important parts of an inspection is checking for termites and other wood destroying organisms. What may look like old wood to you may really be termites. If this is discovered, it should be taken care of prior to the final transaction of purchasing the home. After all, this is not something you will want to be responsible for as soon as you buy a home. It can be an very costly endeavor. If it is wood destroying organisms such as ants, you can possibly replace the wood yourself.
Any mold found on the interior of the home also can become an issue. Mold can be very dangerous to your health. If mold is found, your inspector can advise you on what the next step is to take in order to make certain that it can be removed and will not come back.
The inspector will look at the walls, ceilings and floors. He will also look at any visible insulation, windows and doors. If there is an attic and basement, he will also check those areas along with heating and cooling ducts.
This is why it is vital to have a home inspection done by a licensed inspector. It will give you peace of mind and can prevent you from making a very costly mistake.
Did you or did you not have a home inspection? Go ahead and reply in the comment section below.
Blog Carnival Edition No. 6 Scheduled
The next edition of Blog Carnival - Everything About Home - will be posted on September 10, 2008. Deadlines for submissions are Monday, September 8, 2008. Please submit all articles through
