Self storage units may well be the solution you are seeking if you have sold your home and haven’t a new place. If foreclosure is imminent or you have married and don’t have a large enough place to use both his and her furnishings, this might save the day…a storage unit gives you the time [...]]]>
Self storage units may well be the solution you are seeking if you have sold your home and haven’t a new place. If foreclosure is imminent or you have married and don’t have a large enough place to use both his and her furnishings, this might save the day…a storage unit gives you the time you need to work things out!
Your husband is in the service and you have an opportunity to stay with parents or friends? Self storage makes it possible. Let that rented apartment go, keep your furniture in the storage center, and when your husband comes home, you can set up housekeeping again, with little additional financial strain.
Check out self storage units online to get an idea of what services are offered at self storage facilities. Be aware that there are items that aren’t safely or legally stored in self storage facilities. Flammable, toxic, or any other hazardous materials are not allowed. Perishable foods are a no-no; they spoil and attract pests that you won’t want in your belongings. You may not reside in a storage center.
Remove the clutter and indecision from your life by finding self storage facilities near you that offer services and prices you can afford. Go to Houston storage to locate the center that will make life easier for you now!
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]]>Almost all of the hand knotted and woven rugs are made from natural fibers; namely silk and wool. Wool is both luxurious and durable…if you take good care of a wool carpet it can last as long as you do.
Hand tufted, and hand woven area rugs are valuable, long-lasting, pricey, and, when properly maintained, can become collectibles. They can be laid on bare floors, over carpeting and on the wall. They come from many parts of the world, but mostly from the middle and far East.
Let us journey though some of these countries and see the differences. We will begin with what is perhaps the most commonly looked for of the hand-tufted rugs. Persian carpets, which are also known as Iranian carpets have been hand made for literally thousands of years, as far back as the fifth center BC. From one part of Iran (formerly called Persia) to the other, the techniques and patterns vary.
The “city rugs” include Isfahan Persian rugs, Kashan Persian rugs, and Joshaghan Persian rugs. You can identify them by the floral motifs, which may include flowers, buds, and leaves. The “tribal rugs” include Baluch, Kurds, and Heriz rugs. They most often have geometric designs. Don’t be fooled by imitations. A real Persian carpet is one that was hand-knotted in Persia. It will always have a border around the pattern. It may have more than one border, of varying thickness.
Turkoman rugs are woven in Afghanistan, Khorassan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The background color will be red to a reddish brown, geometric, with an gul (octagonal) motif of flowers. The guls are repeated in both small and large rows , and using mostly beige, white, blue and black .
Turkish rugs go as far back as the Persians do. There are four kinds of rugs, categorized by materials used. They are usually a combination of red and blue, though green is used for prayer rugs. Both silk and wool are used, as well as wool and cotton combinations.
Anatolian rugs and kilims are considered to be Turkish rugs as well. Kilims are often reversible, have no pile, and were commonly used in Turkish society. However, they were made by the nomads in Morocco, India, Pakistan, China, and Russia, as well as those in Turkey and Iran. There are some color differences. The Turkish kilims were usually in turquoise, gold and orange, while the Iranian ones are darker, with heavy greens and blues, rust and burgundy. The kilims were used most often as prayer rugs and window and door coverings. You will never find two kilims that are exactly the same.
Moroccan carpets can be flatwoven or hand knotted rugs. They are always boldly colored, but have endless pattern variations. Every tribe had its own designs, mostly geometric. Moroccan carpets don’t have the history that these other hand tufted and woven rugs have. They originate in the nineteenth century.
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]]>Times are bad. We all know it. It makes us dissatisfied with everything; our jobs, our homes, our families. But sometimes all you need is a small change…something different…that won’t break the bank, but will still give you something to smile about when you return from your job…or from looking for one.
When we can’t afford [...]]]>
Times are bad. We all know it. It makes us dissatisfied with everything; our jobs, our homes, our families. But sometimes all you need is a small change…something different…that won’t break the bank, but will still give you something to smile about when you return from your job…or from looking for one.
When we can’t afford to go out a lot, our home becomes even more important. It needs to be a place where we can feel content, comfortable and secure. And what can help us do that better than a quick, inexpensive face-lift for our favorite rooms?
If you are walking into your family room and your eye sees only the stain in the carpet, or that damaged wall, stop right there. Yes, it would cost too much to repaint the room or replace the carpeting (or whatever else is on your floor). Enter the world of area rugs.
Area rugs can fix an awful lot of problems. Place one over that stain and turn that area into a conversation grouping. If it’s in the center of the room, use a larger one, leaving the older flooring as a border. If you use the room for more than one use, visually divide it with two area rugs, giving you your office or media area on one side and your family gathering or conversation area on the other.
Area rugs make great wall hangings. Not only do they cover damaged walls, but they also add warmth, absorb sound, and carry color themes up visually. If you are tired of that taupe sofa on that beige carpeting, why not add an area rug on the floor that brings in some vibrant earthtones, add a few throw pillows to the sofa in coordinating colors, and then add a wall-hung tapestry or area rug to that unsightly wall?
You have changed the whole look of the room, given yourself a new color scheme, and actually bought very little that was new into your room. Area rugs are perfect in children’s rooms, in front of drippy areas like sinks, showers, and tubs, as hall runners, and for added warmth when you set your feet down on that cold floor when you get out of bed.
Area rugs can be very pricey, depending on what kind you buy. Hand tufted, imported rugs from the middle east can be very expensive. Cotton, chenille, and synthetic rugs are much cheaper. However, there is a huge market for used and discontinued patterns. Estate sales, flea markets, consignment shops, thrift stores, garage sales, and, of course the web…Craig’s List, E bay, and countless other online sources all offer amazing prices that you will be able to afford.
So spice up that bedroom, bring new color and life to that family room, and love coming home again.
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]]>When comparing the antioxidants [...]]]>
When comparing the antioxidants and the flavanols in decaf versus regular green teas, these healthy components suffer a serious loss in the decaffeinated teas. There are still some left, and you would have to drink two or three times as much of the decaffeinated tea to pick up the antioxidants and flavanols again.
Before you make the decision to switch, consider some other pertinent factors. There are around eighty-five mgs of caffeine in your mug of fresh coffee, where green tea contains less than forty. Catechins (polyphenol antioxidants) are lost by decaffeination. Unless you have health problems that require eliminating caffeine from your diet, a reasonable amount caffeine is good for you. It makes you feel both more energetic and more alert. And caffeinated green tea contains more flavor, as well.
The two main processes used for decaffeination are ethyl acetate and carbon dioxide. Of the two, the carbon dioxide method is more desirable, as it retains more of the flavonols and antioxidants. The ethyl acetate method is used more frequently, though, and leaves a residue of solvent in the tea when decaffeination is completed. However, the level of solvent is considered safe for you to drink, and in fact, it does occur naturally in tea in very small amounts.
If you have made the decision to stay with regular green tea, there are a few things you can do to combat the effects of caffeine. For one thing, drinking it with food slows the absorption of the caffeine. The different varieties of green teas have different amounts of caffeine, and vastly different flavors. Some of the Japanese teas are lower in caffeine than the Chinese teas. Explore them!
It is also beneficial to brew your tea properly. The best tea to use is a loose leaf, fresh tea of good quality. Read the container for directions. It will surprise you to see that most teas do not suggest boiling water, but rather a very hot water, at about 170 degrees. Brewed correctly, several cups a day would not exceed the caffeine limits recommended by experts.
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]]>Most of us today are aware that fluorescent lighting is far more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting. The CFLs, or compact fluorescent lights cost a bit more than the others, but are coming down in price at a fast rate. And they are 75% more energy efficient, which saves you plenty on your electric [...]]]>
Most of us today are aware that fluorescent lighting is far more energy efficient than traditional incandescent lighting. The CFLs, or compact fluorescent lights cost a bit more than the others, but are coming down in price at a fast rate. And they are 75% more energy efficient, which saves you plenty on your electric bill every month. Obviously, they will pay for themselves very quickly!
So if you are doing some remodeling, or just buying some new lamps and light fixtures, choose them with that in mind. In fact, why not go around the house and replace all your bulbs when there is a good sale? They even have them now in three-way bulbs, and for strip lighting! By using a compact fluorescent light instead, you will cut half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere per bulb. Now if we all did that……
If you just aren’t ready to do that, be aware of a couple of interesting facts. An incandescent bulb with 100 watts emits more light than using two 60 watt bulbs simultaneously…and uses less power by 17%! And while the same amount of energy is put out by the 100 watt bulb and four 25 watt bulbs, it will give you two times as much brightness. And a couple of tips:
- Use energy saving bulbs
- Dimmer switches help a lot, both on incandescent and CFL bulbs(make sure the CFLs you buy can use them).
- Skylights are really amazing when it comes to saving on electricity. Unless it is stormy, you rarely need more than task lighting during the day in a room with skylights…and that is when you are paying the most for your electricity!
If you readers have any new ideas, suggestions, or comments, we would be delighted to hear from you…and learn from you!
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]]>That full basement you have is the perfect answer. It can be made into two bedrooms, a bathroom and a family room much cheaper and quicker than trying to sell (or should I say give away) your home and buying another. You can move the kids downstairs and convert that bedroom they’ve been sharing into an office. They will love having their own “apartment.”
What? You say you can’t stand the thought of them living like moles in a basement with no windows but those little half window jobbies in the family room area? No problem! It is really easy to make faux windows in each bedroom that will give them light and a pretty view.
After you have figured out where the furniture will go in each bedroom, you can conveniently decide where to place the window. If there are going to be study desks in their rooms, it is a good idea to place the window over the desk or, if it is in a corner, on either wall by the desk. Got that mapped out? Then you follow these easy steps:
• Buy a prepasted mural of whatever they would like to be looking at. It can be one large one that can be used for both rooms, or smaller individual scenes. Choose from mountains, the seashore, a garden, the woods, or even a grassy plain with a blue sky and puffy clouds. You might choose to pick one that most resembles your own landscape. Make sure it is large enough for the window size you have planned. Do yourself a favor and chose a standard size.
• Having drawn your window size on the wall in pencil, you can now install the mural, just slightly over lapping the lines.
• Next mount your window (with glass )over the mural. It needs to be at least two inches deep, so that glass does not touch the mural.
• Install a fluorescent single tube fixture inside the frame at the top of the window. It should be invisible from the room. You will need a light switch next to the window
• A nice, light mini blind needs to be outside mounted on the window frame. When tilted slightly upward, with the light on, it will appear to be natural outside lighting .
• A windowsill is a nice addition to this, and is a place to store a few small items.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you gave up your bedroom upstairs and snagged this intimate “suite” for yourselves!
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]]>The first time someone comes to look at your [...]]]>
The first time someone comes to look at your place, you may overhear comments that hurt your feelings; about yo
ur choice of colors, the style of your furniture…”What on earth ever made them pick those draperies for the living room?” You love those draperies! I know all about that, because I’ve been there.
Today there are so many homes on the market that buyers can pick and choose…and bargain. So what is going to make them purchase YOUR home? Well, it could be the best bargain, monetarily. It might, by chance, be exactly the right color scheme for the buyer’s furniture. But most often, the house they pick is one that is in good condition, clean, looks roomy and uncluttered, and is neutral enough that they don’t have to replace counters, carpeting, and other permanent fixtures.
Well, if you are selling because of tough times, you aren’t going to replace them, either, so what you have to do is make your home look comfortable and inviting, and ready to move in to. When prospects walk through, every room should be saying “Welcome to your new home.” If they can picture their furniture and their family in your place, you have a sale.
So how do you do this? By depersonalizing your home, removing excess “things” and eliminating clutter. Here are some tips for turning your house into a quick sale without having to give it away:
• This may surprise you, but uncluttered, orderly cabinets and closets are rally important. It doesn’t just tell a buyer that you took care of your space; it also suggests that there is ample storage throughout the house, and that there was no need to overstuff every available space and cabinet! So either pack away half of the stuff you won’t need for a while, or designate one closet that can be locked and put it all in there with a sign on it to stay out. Boxes should be marked for a move and stacked in the basement or the garage.
• Remove unnecessary furniture, especially if it is worn or needs repair. The room will look larger, and the impression will be better. The same goes of knicknacks, curios, and paintings, especially if they are religious, ethnic, or political. Unless you refuse to sell to anyone who does not share your beliefs, why risk negative feelings and emotions from a prospective buyer?
• Streamline your kitchen counters. Remove small appliances that aren’t used often, and make the ones that remain shine! Take the kiddie pictures off the refrigerator, remove your stacks of paperwork, and limit your personal notes. Again, cabinets and drawers need to appear orderly. When visitors are asked not to look in drawers, cabinets, and closets, they automatically assume you are hiding something.
• If the walls need painting, slap a coat of white or off-white on them. It will make the place look cleaner, brighter, lighter, and more neutral…something they can live with until they are ready to do some decorating.
• If your curtains are getting shabby, and you don’t want to replace them, remove them. Either put up a cheap white shade (you can buy them at Walmart for a couple bucks), or just wash your windows. You want the place to look bright, light, and airy anyway.
If your house looks light, bright, and well loved, the buyer will feel that. So throw on a few lights, invite them to look everywhere but in your dresser drawers, and get out of the house so they can look and talk and imagine without you listening. Oh…and don’t forget to add a nice homey smell. Lavender, vanilla, and holiday scents are very nice, but when overused appear to be masking unpleasant odors.
So much nicer to have a homey kitchen smell pervading the house. You know, bread cooling on the counter…or perhaps an apple pie that just came out of the oven. Fresh brewed coffee…you might even offer some to them and the realtor before you leave. And if you simply don’t have time for that nonsense, boil a small pot of water with a teaspoon of cinnamon in it, uncovered, for a few minutes, and then cover it and leave it on the stove. Yummy! Hope this helps!
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]]>That doesn’t mean that your own personality cannot be reflected in your artwork. If you are a formal, dignified, and quiet individual, you might want to keep your decorating tradition, and hang copies of the great masters on your walls in guilt frames. If you are a modern and eclectic person, hang a neon art deco print, or an unusual wall clock. deco print, or an unusual wall clock. Family photos should be standing on your desk or on the
credenza behind it.
If the company you work for is national or international, you might hang an iron map of the world on one wall…or something that refers is some small way to your business. The one thing you want to do is to keep it simple. This is not the place for a wall of art, comprised of different sizes and interests. While you want it to be attractive, you do not want to distract clients from the business at hand.
My favorite form of art for long hallways is the diptych or triptych. This is made up of either a series of continuing scenes, in a group of two or three, (or more) or literally one picture that has been cut into three sections; each bordered in white as if they are two or three individual paintings. This is a perfect device for a walk down a long hallway.
I have noticed that banks often by triptychs or even quads, and then hang one on each of four walls. NO NO NO NO NO. When you hang them that way it looks more like you bought four of the same photos, taken from different angles…boring and redundant looking. Another mistake often made is to stagger them, either on the diagonal or one dropped lower in the middle. Another nono. This is a continuing scene and can be hung in one of two ways only.
If you love the idea of a very expensive, custom made frame and matting, all three panels can be placed next to each other, with one large mat that has cutouts for each panel. Do not separate the panels by more than a couple of inches in the matting.
The most economical way is to mat and frame all panels in exactly the same manner, and then hang them in the correct order, evenly spacing them down the hallway wall. You don’t want them too far apart…remember that the print is incomplete without all its parts.
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]]>Before you rush to make any changes, stop to figure out exactly what you don’t like about it. If you are simply tired of the color, feel it looks drab, worn, and old, the fix will be easy to take care of, and shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, either.
A fresh coat of paint, new café curtains, recovering your kitchen chairs, a perky centerpiece on the table and some new throw rugs and dish towels should have you smiling in no time. If you wooden table is scratched and dull, try spray painting it, add some fun placemats and a table runner, and you will have a nice brand new look!
However, if the quick fix won’t do it for you, it is time to seriously analyze the problem. Ask yourself some pertinent questions:
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How many people use the kitchen at the same time?
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Does your family all sit down to dinner at the same time or is it catch as catch can?
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Is the traffic pattern convenient?
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Do you have enough counter space?
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Do the kids do their homework in the kitchen?
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Do you entertain a lot?
A lot of newer homes have center butcher block or appliance islands…even when the kitchen is really too small to sustain it. Why? Because it is the trendy thing to do. If you hate walking around that island to get from the sink to the refrigerator, and it is more of a mess collector than an asset, remove it! There are mobile kitchen islands that can be pushed against a wall or moved to the area you are working in, as you need it.
If you want the kids to do their homework in the kitchen while you are preparing dinner, and if you would like to observe their computer habits without appearing to be spying, tuck a small desk into the kitchen, making sure there is computer access, a few drawers for storing, and a shelf above to place their books on. A stool that pushes under the desk to clear floor space if necessary, and some task lighting under the upper cabinet, and you have a perfect set-up!
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