Category: Home & Lifestyle

March 22 is World Water Day. First celebrated in 1993, this event is designed to bring awareness to the world’s need for safe drinking water. For most of us in the United States, water is something we take for granted; something that is readily available, whenever or wherever we need it. Outside our borders, things are a little different.  In fact, they’re a lot different, especially in third world countries.  Nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean water, and more than 2.6 billion don’t have access to adequate sanitation. So, what can you do to help? Start by checking [...]

Using your fireplace to heat part of your home isn’t as simple as starting a fire and letting nature take its course.  In fact, there are several things you can do to maximize the heat generated by a woodstove, fireplace, or fireplace insert: Use your home’s air flow If you have a forced air heating system, you can turn off the fan feature to help move the air in your home. You can also turn on ceiling fans to help push warm ceiling air downward. Fan the flames of your fire A small fan or box fan can be set [...]

You’ve spent weeks preparing for the perfect holiday season gathering – Christmas, New Year’s, you name it.  And now, it’s come down to this:  your house is spotless, the table is set, and your guests have texted or Tweeted that they’re on their way.  Perfect, except for one minor detail:  suddenly, you’re staring at a kitchen sink that refuses to drain. That’s just one of many cruel little jokes your home can play on you at any given time.  So, let’s have a look at how to prevent at least a few of them: Clogged Kitchen Sink The holiday season [...]

How prepared are you for a personal, home, or weather-related emergency? Would you have a warm place to stay should your neighborhood experience a lengthy power outage? Do your children know how to exit your home safely in case of fire? Are you familiar with CPR basics to help someone who is choking? The truth is, as prepared as we might think we are to take on the challenges often associated with distress or crisis, many households do not have basic plans in place to deal with real life emergencies. Here are several “take action steps” that will help you [...]

Poisoning in one of the top 5 causes of accidents in the U.S.  In fact, more than 2.5 million people report a concern over accidental poisoning every year, while over 60,000 young children are treated annually in emergency care facilities. Here’s just some of what you can do to prevent accidental poisoning in your home: Medicines & Prescription Drugs If you have toddlers at home, it’s probably good enough to keep them safely out of reach of any poisons for the time being.  Still, the older they get, the more inquisitive they become, so at some point, you might want [...]

You wouldn’t drink expired milk or eat foul smelling poultry, would you? Of course not – you trust expiration dates and your senses to steer you away from unpleasant (and potentially dangerous) experiences. But expiration dates aren’t just for food. Here are some common household items that many homeowners use long past their use-by dated. Child Car Seats - They’re designed to keep your littlest family members safe in a vehicle, but did you know that over time, the plastic and foam used in a car seat deteriorates, putting children at risk in the event of car accident? Look for [...]

For some kids, bath time is a blast. A bath can fix or alter a bad mood or temper tantrum and act as the perfect reset button for even the worst of days. And yet some kids hate bath time. Period.  Not to mention passionately!  And that makes it doubly difficult and more stressful for you.  So, instead of waiting them out for the next few to several years, here are a few ideas to help make bath time more fun and relaxing for all concerned:  mommies and daddies included. Reevaluate your routine. Sure, most folks give their kids a [...]

Walk through just about any neighborhood during dinnertime and you’re sure to get a whiff of burgers, hot dogs, and other treats roasting away on a hot grill. After all, warm weather and grilling are almost synonymous. Still, before you fire up your grill, make sure it’s ready for another fun-filled and delicious season by giving it a thorough cleaning. With a little time, effort, and elbow grease, you’ll help prevent a grill fire, extend the life of your grill, and ensure a summer’s worth of tasty meals. Only clean your grill when it’s completely cool to the touch, or [...]

You spend countless weekends caring for your lawn; babying it, watching it like a hawk, and waging war on anything that dares to threaten its beauty and health. But sometimes, try as you might, it just doesn’t reward you for all your time, effort, and hard work. Well, believe it or not, your lawn maintenance routine might be to blame. Here are 6 lawn care mistakes you should avoid if you want to reap the benefits of a lush, green lawn all season long. Don’t water too often. You may think your lawn needs daily watering during those hot summer [...]

Cleaning your toilet bowl(s) probably doesn’t rank as one of your favorite pastimes.  And yet we all do it because it’s a necessary step in maintaining a clean, sanitary, and aesthetically pleasing household. But what happens when mold makes a sudden appearance inside your bowl?  Black mold, to be exact.  The natural reaction is to clean as usual.  If you do, you will indeed remove the mold. The only problem is that, unless you’re cleaning with vinegar, the mold is more than likely to return. Sound familiar?  Then here’s how to get rid of mold so it doesn’t return: Get [...]

We all know that a little squirt of dish soap can get your dishes, glasses, and silverware sparkling clean. Perhaps you’ve even found a few of your own clever uses for this multi-purpose liquid, like home-made bubble solution. But if that’s it, the best is yet to come as dish soap has a multiple of practical uses for your everyday cleaning and other home maintenance needs. Here are 10 such ways you start implementing right away. Add a few drops of dish soap to a bucket of water for an easy and inexpensive tile floor cleaner. Skip the pricey marble [...]