Food Storage and Pest Control

Posted on March 31, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Bugs! They are everywhere and we need them. However, they also create a lot of problems. One of those problems is the destruction of food. They cost us billions of dollars a year in lost foods. It isn’t that they eat that much, but they do contaminate a lot of food making it unusable. If food that is contaminated by bugs and rodents is eaten it can lead to serious diseases.

One place that bugs and rodents can do their damage is in individuals storage of food items like meals ready to eat that people have purchased for their food crisis plan. If these foods become contaminated, they must be destroyed and the place where they were stored cleaned thoroughly. Malathion is sometimes used for cleaning. The surfaces and even crevices need to be cleaned. If the cleaning is not done completely, then the new foods could also become contaminated.

Of course, it is much better to prevent any contamination from taking place. This will save a lot of money and cleaning work. You want to keep the pests out. Check the storage area for any cracks or openings where bugs might get in. As you know, they don’t need much space to get in. So the storage area must be sealed up completely.

Second, bugs and rodents love darkness and warmth. It may be difficult to have a storage area that is not dark, but you may at least be able to store your foods in a cooler and less humid place.

Third, keep the food storage area clean. Spilled foods will draw insects in like a magnet.

Fourth, only use storage containers that are designed to keep insects and rodents out. These may cost a bit more than other storage options but will save you a lot more money if your food is not ruined.

Fifth, you can check with your local hardware store and ask what types of insecticides they would recommend that you use to keep your storage area free from pests.

A good pest control plan for your crisis food storage goods will be time and money well spent.

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Simple Design Ideas for Your Lawn and Garden

Posted on March 30, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

You just moved into your new home. So far you love your house and its interior so much so that you cannot really complain about anything at all. But as you inspect your property, you find that there is just one thing that you have to work on – your lawn and garden. To easily fix your eye sore you only have to do one thing – to hire a landscape artist. But in as much as you want to do that, you really can’t because your financial resources may not be enough right now.

So what are you to do? Are you supposed to just let your lawn and garden look like a barren land?

Definitely not! If you cannot hire a landscape artist right now, then why don’t you try designing your garden yourself? Do not be intimated. Designing a landscape is actually easy. And if you do not know where you should start, here are a few tips that may just help you.

Before you work on something, walk around the neighborhood or browse over some pictures of gardens in the Internet just so you can get an idea on what you want to achieve. You do not really have to copy one specific design entirely. If you want to be more diverse, then you can create a composite of certain features that stuck to you.

To create a professionally landscaped look, then try to incorporate layering in your design. You can achieve this by combining different shrubs or perennials that can grow at different heights and can provide flowers of different colors.

Work on a centerpiece for your lawn and garden. If you want to be lavish, you can have a big fountain be installed right in the middle of your lawn. But again if budget is an issue, you can just have your husband build a simple gazebo for you and work with it. You can train some flowering vines to go up its walls and encircle the whole structure with colorful flowers.

Lastly, if you are having a hard time coming up with a specific landscape design, then go simple. Just plant a tree on the spot where you want to have some shade, line your porch with colorful grass and flowers, cover your lawn with some Bermuda grass and you are good to go.

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Sprucing Up Your Bathroom Design

Posted on March 30, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Have you seen the styles of bathrooms in the latest home decorating magazines? The styles of products available to use in designing a bathroom are a lot more varied then they used to be. You can find PVC wall units that you can install yourself around the tub and shower area. For bathroom installation of these walls you need to measure the area you want to use them in to get an exact fit. The PVC material is waterproof and helps prevent mold and mildew from growing on the surface area.

The designs of the wall panels are in all types of colors including several shades of marble look material. The panels add a nice touch of professional design to a bathroom. You can coordinate the rest of your bath items to match the color of the panels you choose. You could design an elegant bathroom by choosing black marble wall panels and adding a black tub and sink to match. The design would further be enhanced by the use of gold plated faucet fixtures. The type of bathroom design you choose to go with should create a welcoming feeling to the bath area.

There are a lot of ideas for decorating and remodeling bathrooms to be found by looking through magazines. The interior design magazines will also include listings of where you can purchase any items that have been showcased in their issue. You could also choose to use wallpaper for decorating the walls of your bathroom with.

The wallpaper comes in a broader range of colors and designs than the PVC panels do, but it is not as durable or mold resistant as the panels are. You can also choose to add a storage unit. There are many different styles of cabinet and shelving units you can use as storage in your bathroom. The styles vary greatly so you can easily find the type of bathroom storage to fit your area and your needs.

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Discount Blinds And Shades

Posted on March 28, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

When you are looking at purchasing a new home, you will want to save as much money as you can when it comes to getting the things you need for inside or outside of it. This can be hassling since you may need so much in so little time, and have only so much money to purchase everything with. This is one of the good reasons that you can purchase discount blinds and shades when you find out where to get them right over the internet. They will be able to help you save money when you need it, so you can spend it on other items that you are going to need for throughout your new home.

If you are replacing the shades throughout your home, or maybe just one or two of them that were ruined, then you’re going to want to find out how you can just pay a small price to get one or two of them so you do not waste your money on just blinds. Get something of substance when it comes to your home, and your money. You should make sure the blinds are easy on the pocket, and nice on the windows but you don’t want them to fall apart if something small were to happen to them. They should be a nice quality without having to spend a lot of quantity into them. This means you should be sure you have all the information that is needed when it comes to finding the best for quality and price. Make sure to let everyone that you know in on this secret as well since you want to ensure they get in on it too.

You will be able to have the blinds you have been searching for without spending a small fortune in order to receive them.

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Customize Your Closet With A Closet Organizer

Posted on March 27, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

A closet organizer can take a messy jammed packed closet into a dream come true. A typical closet that we all have is a room with one rod across it that we have to hang all of our clothing on. Doesn’t really provide space utilization does it? In addition, our bedroom can house only several dressers with drawers. A closet organizer actually utilizes all wall space in your closet and makes it neat and tidy. You can even install drawers for your lingerie, your jewelry, belts and accessories. Let your imagination run wild, and customize it for whatever you have. So some thought will go into what you want to put in it as the options are endless and will be customized for you in mind.

However, prior to putting in a closet organizer, you may want to clear your closet and sort out what you want to keep. Like many of us the closet is so full, we don’t even know what we have. Have you ever cleaned your closet out and discovered something you forgot you had? A good rule of thumb is, if you haven’t worn an outfit or a suit for a year, chances are you never will. So it is best to get rid of things you know you won’t be wearing. In addition, every year our shape changes. Sometimes we gain weight and sometimes the diet was successful and we lost weight. Nonetheless, clean your closet out first so you know what clothing you have to organize with your custom closet organizer.

There are some very expensive closet organizers and then some cheaper ones. So do your homework as to which one will suit you the best. If you are lucky and have a walk in closet, you have a lot of space to work with which is the ideal situation.  Any closet organizer you put in will also add value to your home. So it is worth the effort not only to organize yourself, but increase the value in your home. Get organized and customize your closet organizer today. You will really be happy, and the mess will be gone forever with your closet organizer!

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Tips To Find A Good Carpet Washer

Posted on March 27, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Ask your friends and family for advice on what carpet washer they bought. Did it actually do a good job of removing dirt and stains from the carpet? A lot of carpet washers claim to do a good job, but few actually do.  Online reviews are most definitely the best place to get an idea if a particular model is living up to what the manufacturer is saying it can do.  I often times check Amazon and read some of the latest reviews.

Size is something I always look at when buying anything and the carpet washer is no different. You want to find a machine that has all the needed features while still maintaining a fairly small design making it usable to take around the house and up and down stairs without to much trouble.  You also have to think about storage when you aren’t using it.  If you have a giant thing to store it will become a problem and end up in your basement where it never gets used.

Refurbished carpet washers will do just as good of a job as a new unit and most times you’ll save almost 20%. Local repair places around town usually sell a lot of models that they have repaired themselves and then certified as good working units. The great thing about this is you have some place to take the used unit back to if you have any problems with it a few months down the road.

Having a carpet washer is something I never thought I needed until I bought one and now I couldn’t live without one. Not only does it do a great job on carpet, but also can clean furniture around he house. It’s just a matter of time before someone will track something into your home or a guest will accidentally drop some food when they’re over. That carpet washer will quickly get the stain out and make the guest feel a lot better about the accident.

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Examining Ceiling Hung Quilt Frames

Posted on March 26, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Quilting is a time consuming but enjoyable hobby that can include the use of a variety of accessories, such as a ceiling hung quilt frame.  A quilting frame is an assembly usually made of wood.  Quilting frames are used to help the quilter hold pieces of the quilt together while they are working, before sewing or while sewing the pieces together.  These frames are often hung from the ceiling in order to save space and allow the person sewing room to work or to pause their work without having to take care of all of their materials.

Quilting frames are not often used in modern times, as machine sewing has taken the forefront, but many devoted quilters feel that a sewing machine manufactured product does not offer the same rustic look as quilts made on traditional frames.  Frames can be found at many antique and salvage shops, or quilters can make their own.  A number of designs and assembly instructions are found online for people looking to make their own frames.

E-How is one site that has instructions for creating a ceiling hung frame.  Lumber necessary to build one’s own ceiling suspended frame is two ten foot boards that are one by four, and two eight foot boards that are one by four.  Cedar is a good wood to use for a quilt frame.   Additional materials are four quarter inch bolt and wing nut sets, A large hook such as a planter hanger to attach to the ceiling, a good length of quarter inch cotton rope, four bags of cotton batting, and a drill with a quarter inch bit.  Once the quilt pieces are cut and ready to put together, they can be placed on the frame in the desired design and placement.

A ceiling hung quilt frame can be useful for people hoping to create an authentic and beautiful quilt.  Not only is a frame of this type handy and suitable for small spaces, but it can lend a rustic look to the room as well.

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Applying Garden Netting For Birds

Posted on March 26, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

One of the more troublesome problems that home gardeners face is keeping nature out of their garden. Threats come from many different places, and left unattended can leave your garden exposed and picked over. Particularly in more remote locations, pests can quickly turn your harvest into nothing more than a couple of half-eaten plants. A strategy that many gardeners are forced to use is application of garden netting for birds around their yard.

Birds pose a unique sort of problem. For the most part, birds are a welcome addition to the backyard. They are fun to look at, peaceful to listen to, and do a good job of keeping the bug population down in your yard. Most people even implement measure to draw different varieties of birds to them by installing bird houses, filling seed feeders, and providing a safe environment for them to reside.

The trouble comes when the birds begin to find your garden efforts. Berries are a particularly appealing fruit for birds to pick at. Raspberries, cherries, and other berry bushes can be quickly wiped clean of their fruit, leaving nothing for you to enjoy.

One of the best ways to keep birds out of your garden is by covering your plants with garden netting. Bird netting is specially designed to cover your bushes, keeping the birds at bay. The netting allows you to protect your plants without harming their growth. Sufficient sunlight makes it through, and removal for harvest is simple. The netting is colored to blend into your garden naturally, ensuring that it is not an eye sore to look at.

A product that is quite similar to bird netting is garden insect netting. This is designed to function in much the same way, but has slight variations in implementation. The netting is often tighter, intended to keep small pests out of your plants. For those with significant insect problems and do not want to worry about sprays, netting is great solution.

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Organization Is Key To Painless Junk Removal

Posted on March 25, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Is there actually anyone in this world who likes coming home to a messy, dirty, congested, disorganized house? Although no one really likes their homes to look dirty, most of the time the thought of exerting effort to clean the house is itself already tiring. Thus, the result is a procrastinated house cleaning project which causes more junk to build up with the passing of time. What you should do then in order to deal with such a problem well in such a way that you will also be able to save time in the process is to prepare list of house cleaning chores and schedule particular duties and agendas ahead of time.

If you don’t schedule such a project and just decide to do it whenever you feel like doing it, chances are you would be giving up faster than you could start cleaning. This is why it is important to stay organized. Before you gather your cleaning supplies, first make sure that everything is in their proper places so that the cleaning process will flow smoothly. You wouldn’t want to do vacuuming with multiple pauses in between just because you need to move things out of your way. Thus, take away the stuff that have to be disposed of and set them aside, preferably at your garage or front yard. Include huge, useless items like broken appliances and furniture which already need to be disposed of. Dust and polish tables, magazine racks, chairs, etc.—simply put, get the smaller tasks done immediately. Doing so will make the whole project far easier later on. Lastly, decide which room to clean first and which one to clean last, and then you can finally gather your tote and start cleaning.

Once you’re done, the final straw is to call the junk removal company to haul the stuff which you placed outside your house away. If you reside in Seattle, give Scrap-B-Gone Junk Removal Seattle a call at (206) 734-4735 and ask them to come over and pick up your garbage. If you want, you can also go to their office at 1122 East Pike Street #707, Seattle WA.

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Reasons to Use Gas Heaters

Posted on March 25, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Winter is always accompanied by firing the heater up for the first time of the season. Many people are finding that gas heaters are a much more effective way to heat a home than electric. There is a wide range of heaters, styles, and heating systems that can meet your needs. Propane heaters are an excellent options for people living away from city services.

There is also a wide range of prices when it comes to gas heaters. If you live in the south and do not find it necessary to install a full central heating system gas space heaters could be a good answer for you. And, if you live in the north you may require a more sophisticated furnace system.

One of the most important considerations when evaluating a heating system is how much heat you need and where you need the heat to come from. This is going to have a lot to do with how well your home is insulated. Well insulated homes hold heat much better and require much less energy to keep warm. If you have problems with the cold you may want to consider adding insulation to your home. Extra insulation can cost less than a high dollar heat system that you may not need.

One of the best things about gas heat is that you can distribute the gas through the house through pipes and heat the areas that you need to heat. In a traditional furnace central heat system much of the heat is lost in the transmission process. Having space heaters allows you to avoid this problem by bringing the heat directly where you need it.

When using any type of open flame heater it is suggested that you take the necessary safety precautions. You should use a carbon monoxide detector and an air quality monitor. These can be wired directly into your fire alarm system or simply plugged into electrical outlets. Gas heaters can provide excellent warmth and be very relaxing.

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