Improve Your Home With These Solid Tips

Personal home improvement can be a great way to increase the efficiency of your home life, and even add value to your property. Many people are intimated by the thought of even holding a tool, but there are a variety of do-it-yourself projects that can be undertaken even by a complete klutz. Keep reading to find out some of the things you can do to improve your home.

Considering the cost of hiring a plumber, you will probably want to do some of the simpler plumbing tasks yourself. An essential tool is the pipe wrench. It is adjustable, so it can fit a pipe perfectly, and it provides an excellent grip and leverage. This one tool will more than pay for itself.

A great way to add ambience to a room is by lighting a candle. Candles are a romantic gesture in any setting, but also give off a warm glow providing a room with the feeling of warmth and coziness. If your candle is scented, it also gives off a nice scent in the room while making you feel relaxed.

Use flour for emergency wall paper glue! That's the way the old timers always used to glue their wall paper in place. Just mix some flour with enough water to make a paste. Apply it just as you would any other wall paper glue. It will last for years!

Drive nail holes in the rim of your paint can! The groove where the lids goes on metal cans of paint usually fills with paint, causing it to spill over the sides when you attempt to put the lid back on. Use a nail and drive several holes around the perimeter of the can into the bottom of the channel to solve the problem.

Home improvement projects allow you to stamp your own style on your home, and they can be simple to do if you plan projects out. This allows you to put your focus and effort on the actual project rather than stressing over the details. Inspiration can come from anywhere: home improvement shows on TV, magazines, or even features that you notice in your friends' houses.

You can stop heat loss from your hot water heater easily by covering it in a jacket. The jacket, which can be found at any hardware store, stops heat loss by 70%, making your home more energy efficient.This saves you money in the long run, as you can quickly regain the cost of the jacket in as little as 6 months.

You should not work with a contractor before finding out more about their reputation. A company that does not list a business address and conducts business primarily by phone is probably small and possibly not reputable. Stick with companies that are reputable and reliable.

By following these tips you will be able to increase the market value of your home. This is essential in the current environment in the United States. By adding small touches to your home you can give your property an edge over the competition and sell your real estate much more quickly.

Photo Credit: Betta Living via Flickr.com

Closet Organizing Tips with Microfiber Dusting Cloths

Microfiber dusting cloths are really effective in getting rid of dusts in your closets. Today, we are giving you easy and smart closet organizing tips.

Certainly we like dressing up, and most often, we have at least one for every occasion. As such collection of wardrobe, a bedroom closet may be stuffed of many things that call for organizing and cleaning. You would prefer to search for your clothes, shoes, bag, even your scarf and other clothing apparel in the quickest time when you need them, don’t you?

However, having such collection of clothing paraphernalia need not be stressful. You can actually organize your bedroom closet, maximize it to accommodate more if needed be, or make it neater to look at. You can get from the following ideas:

• Sort out. Declutter. Go over the clothes you really wear, and then be heartless to let go.
• Try embracing the Discardian’s Closet Trick for regular closet clear outs. This closet trick believes that clothing not worn in six months is clothing you will not wear again. All clothing you did not wear following the six-months rule maybe opt for donation or garage selling. Someone may really need it which you are not aware.
• You can always install wall racks and hangers on the wall if closets are not enough.
• You might want to place items you often used in the eye-, easy-to-reach level in your closet. The clothing you often less used could be placed below the closet or stacked-up high on the closet. Those that will be put to uppermost of your closet can be placed in suitcases or coordinated boxes to accentuate your room.
• It is best to use coordinated hangers: it will not only look neat but it will also care your clothes. You may choose hangers with satin padding for your more delicate items while sturdy hangers for your tailored jackets and jeans.
• Be organized according to storage units like drawers for folded clothing, hangers for long clothes such as dresses and suits, and boxes for other items. You may save for see-through boxes so that you can easily determine their contents.
• In a hanging closet, group all the long hanging clothes on one side while at the other end of the bar would be shirts or folded pants so that underneath of which is an area for other items that can be placed in a box.
• You can always be creative with shoe boxes for stacking your shoes or it can be used for rolled towels, scarf, handkerchief, and for your other clothing accessories. The boxes can also be used for paper-and-clips stuff.
• You may as well choose by making more room in your closet by having the out-of-season clothes stored in boxes up high or under the bed. Also, you might want to consider the suitcases for out-of-season blankets, sweaters, and other seasonal clothes.

In instances where you think you need a bigger closet or a closet makeover, you may start planning to determine how much space for hanging and storage you need. Take note that having a hanging bar, pigeon-hole storage or drawers assure you that there is a space for everything you need. While rectangular closets are common, embracing a curved design helps you in maximizing space especially in a small area. Also, if you live in small space, you may consider changing to closet doors that slide, swing out with curtains or hanging screens.

Finally, you can always keep your closets free from dusts and mold using high quality microfiber dusting cloths.

photo credit: GElisbeth via photopin cc

Make Your Garden Organic With These Top Tips

Organic gardening can be a very enjoyable hobby. It involves particular growing techniques, along with the gardener's choice of equipment and seeds. This vast world has so many different kinds of seeds, equipment, and techniques that it can seem a bit confusing as to where you need to begin. These tips can help you make sense of the confusion at the same time practice Eco-friendly cleaning.

Use groundcover perennials in sunny areas. Groundcover perennials can be used as an alternative to grass where there is minimal foot traffic, or in an area where grass is difficult to maintain, such as on a slope. They are also handy in between larger perennials, as they help to suppress weeds and keep the soil moist and cool. Good choices for groundcover perennials are creeping thyme, ajuga, various sedums, alyssum and armeria.

Make sure your pot is the right size for your plant. If the pot is too small, the plant's roots may not have enough room to grow. The roots will become "root bound", stop growing, and begin to suffocate. The size of the root system can determine the size of your plant and yield.

Use seedlings to run relay planting. Using seedlings can allow you to get a jump start on the growing season and improve yields to the harvest by extending time. If growing lettuce and a squash harvest is needed for summer, then after the lettuce has been harvested you can plant seedlings to get a jump start on another crop and a higher yield for the garden.

Weed the garden often and early. Plan on a weeding schedule for the garden at least three times. The first should be five to seven days after sowing, and again seven to ten days after that. The third time should be three to four weeks after planting, by this time the plants should be rooted well enough to add mulching and sufficient leaves to shade the surface.

An old wagon can help save time as well as your back. Instead of constantly having to retrieve your gardening tools as you work your way around your garden, commandeer an old child's wagon. An old wagon works as well as a garden cart, and can often be obtained free or very cheaply if you get it used.

Sometimes you will need to re-pot your plants. One good way to check if your plants need re-potted is to turn them over and look at the bottom. If you see many roots, it is time to get it into a new pot. If you see few roots, you may not need to disturb the plant.

If you have room, consider putting in a raised bed in your garden. A raised bed prevents soil compaction from people stepping on the soil. Raised beds also provide better drainage for your plants, allowing roots to breathe better. Another advantage is that you can control the soil quality better in a raised bed.

While organic gardening can be a personal hobby for everyone, it does share the main goal of wanting to grow healthy and happy organic plants. As you have seen in these tips, there are various approaches, but they all share the goal of being a successful organic gardener.

Photo Credit: John RobInson via Flickr.com

TIPS FOR CLEANING YOUR HOME FASTER THAN EVER!

You’re expecting company. You rush back home after finishing up some last minute errands. The second that your sandals hit the carpet, you nearly drop the bags you have cradled in your arms. Couch cushions are laying on the floor.

A layer of dust covers every shelf and picture frame. You notice food stains all over the counter and stove. The carpet looks like it hasn’t been vacuumed in a year. You have two hours and still have to frost the cake! No need to panic, we’ve got you covered. With these simple tips,  cleaning your home  should be more quickly than ever.

Use a caddy

to tote supplies We all have that cabinet that never sees the light of day until cleaning day. When you open the door, you’re greeted with a gloomy, cluttered, and most likely dusty, mess. How can you clean your house quickly when your cleaning products aren’t even organized? Our solution: use a caddy or a basket to cart your supplies around. No more running back to the cabinet to pick up things that you have forgotten. Simply carry your caddy to each room as you move on, and tuck it back in its place when it is no longer needed.

Make a list

Home organization makes cleaning much easier. You will be less likely to forget to do things in your rush, and will also be able to estimate how much time you will need fairly accurately. Make a list for each room with the areas that need cleaned. For the first time, add things as you remember them. At the end of the day, type the list out in a word document. Afterwards, you can print it out for the next cleaning day! Listen to music Jamming to your favorite, upbeat tune will put you in a great mood and speed up your progress.

Use bins and baskets

This is a quick and easy way to remove clutter. Remote controls that once covered the coffee table can easily be stashed away to be seen only when in use. Magazines that you had intricately stacked at one point in time, but now face every which way on the shelf, can be neatly stored in a basket for a more clean and manageable look.

Open the windows

Weather permitting, open the windows when you can. This lets stale air out and fresh air in. Clean using microfiber cloths No need to wet down a landfill’s worth of paper towels; microfiber cloths are dirt magnets! They clean deeply, and leave behind no trace of lint! They are also great for a streak-free shine on windows and mirrors.

photo credit: Making breakfast via photopin (license)

How to Have a Clean House without Using Harsh Chemicals

With microfiber cleaning cloths, very few (if any) chemicals are necessary for removing dirt and grime. But we understand that old habits are hard to break. For those times when you still want an “extra clean” house but would like to avoid harsh chemicals, try using lemons! Citrus fruits, with their high acid content, can be used to dissolve dirt and grime just about anywhere in the home. 

They also have an appealing, “clean” scent. You can probably recall having used many cleaning products that place a particular emphasis on the cleaning properties of citrus (lime-away, orange glo, pine-sol, Clorox wipes). What you may not know is that you don’t need all of the other chemicals found in these products to get that clean feel in your home. 

Try some of these tips for a cheap, eco-friendly alternative to achieve a clean house! Rub a lemon on your faucets to remove stains and residue. Lemon juice can be used as a supplement to laundry detergent for removing stains and brightening whites. Leave your dishes spot-free by adding half a lemon to a dishwasher load. 

Combine lemon juice, vinegar and water in a spray bottle for an all-purpose cleaning solution. Lemon rinds ground in the garbage disposal can reduce odors, leaving behind a pleasant citrus aroma. One alternative to dish soap is to cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on top. Use this as a dish cloth to break down grease and leave behind a spot-free shine! Mix a little bit of lemon juice (~4 tablespoons) with water. Use this solution with your microfiber window cleaning cloth to dissolve dirt to leave your windows and mirrors streak-free. 

  photo credit: sermoa via photopin cc

Best Cleaning Cloths

The microfiber construction of our cleaning cloths allows them to effectively clean both wet and dry surfaces without the use of any chemicals.

*Glass Surfaces

• Dusting: use the cloth dry; or spray with a sprig of water for damp dusting.
• Cleaning: dampen the cloth, wring well and wipe…OR mist a cloth with water to get the right amount of dampness.

*All Hard-Washable Surfaces: Sinks, counter-tops, etc. – turn on the water and start cleaning. Use a clean microfiber towel to wipe surfaces dry.

*Carpets: To remove spills and stains, get the carpet thoroughly damp with hot water. Using a very damp (hot water) microfiber cloth, rub in different directions using “elbow grease”.

Care Instructions:

*Quick cleaning: hand wash with any hand soap or dish washing liquid; rinse well.

*Thorough cleaning: use the washing machine. Microfiber loves hot water — the hotter the better! It makes the microfibers swell to release trapped dirt.

• Machine Wash
• Tumble Dry Low or Hang to Dry
• Do NOT Iron
• Do NOT Use Any Fabric Softener as this Clogs the Microfibers and Reduces Performance
• Do NOT Use Chlorine Bleach as this Prematurely Breaks Down the Fibers
• ONLY Wash with other Non-Linting Materials (NO Cotton!) to Maintain Proper Water and Dirt-Gripping Properties and Lint-Free Characteristics

- See more at: http://kleen-eez.com/cleaning-cloths/#sthash.6F0hNWq7.h7Y58z7j.dpuf photo credit: Parker Knight via photopin cc