A Washer Dilemma

It has been a while since I would take a peek on some washers in appliances store. My five year old Whirlpool automatic washer seem to be heading towards retirement. I am thinking of getting a combo that will do washing and drying, then straight to folding. My current washer still needs some air and sun time to be fully dry.

But then again, we could actually still have our old one work like new if we have the pump replaced. For some reason, the pump that gets the water to the tub failed to work some months back. So the loading of water is manual. Although I could really use a no air/sun time washer, having the pump replaced could be a good decision for now.

For later, I would love to have one of those no water needed washer. It seemed unthinkable some years back. But technology is coming up with breakthroughs on a daily basis that we just might not be able to keep track anymore. This one's for the household that really intrigues me.

Learning a New Craft - Stamping

After the major holidays have breezed through, you might think all the preps are over. But we all know how fast time flies. They are here before we even notice. One of the things that you could actually put extra time in is making your own custom rubber stamp. This will be easier for those who are in the crafty side. Don’t you know that rubber stamping can actually make you an artist in an instant.

Gone will be the days that you have to painstakingly etch on those personalized greeting cards or what have yous. Stamping is one hobby that has gotten my interest, but just never had the chance to try my hands on. If you happen to have that extra time, then maybe you just might be really good at it. It easily takes out the hassle of cramming during the holidays. When holiday is near, all you have to do is stamp, stamp, stamp. Sweet!

Washing Walls

It is way cheaper to wash walls than have them repainted. Sometimes all you really need to have done is have your walls professionally washed. You are more likely to save 75% of what you have allotted for a professional wall painting.

For those regular wall washing that you do yourself, keep in mind to wear a washcloth around your wrists to catch all the drips from the wet cloth. A wristband might do the trick.

Lights and Fixtures

Lamps, sconce and light fixtures are easy to maintain. Dusting and wiping with a damp sponge usually does the job. Make sure to clean the metal parts with the right polish so as not to mess up with adverse metal reaction. Never attempt to submerge the lamp base in water or else you might end up damaging the wiring altogether.

How to Care for Resilient Floors

First of all when you choose your resilient floor, keep in mind that solid colored resilient floors are high maintenance compared to the patterned ones. In caring for resilient floors, all you need to do is spray the floor with your usual disinfectant and wipe dry with your cloth floor cleaner. Just make sure you have tested solvent based products to make sure it does not mess with the colors of the flooring

Protect Floors

A rough textured mats will help keep the dirt at bay. You are actually stopping them at the door. Make use of bunion pads on the feet of the tables and chairs to keep them from scratching the floor. It also helps to place a piece of plush carpet, with its pile side down, under heavy furniture legs when you move them.

Use area rugs to protect carpet and waxed floors. Heavy socks could also be place unto the legs of furnishings when you are mopping and waxing the floor.

Frame Pictures for Pop Art-Style Portraits

Turn those boring walls into more interesting ones by framing pictures for pop art-style portraits. It will not just add color to your walls but showcase your family in such a cool way. Small frames could go side by side on the walls.

The challenge will be the decision on the kind of look you would like to have. Experiment and it would be nice to test the layout on the computer first before finalizing the setup.

Annual Checklist

Creating an annual checklist can be very handy. These are the premiums that need to be paid on a yearly basis. While it is true that companies do provide a reminder by mail, it is still best not to miss anything out just in case the mail comes in late – they always do in this side of the world. Usually these are the subscriptions to different important companies. You can also add in the list companies that you might want to get insurance quotes from if you happen to consider shifting subscriptions.

A Furniture Dilemma

Have you tried scouting, canvassing and going through every possible furniture shop and got convinced that manufacturers just don't make quality furniture like they used to. I long wanted to replace our couch and lazy boy but for this reason, I chose not to.

Come to think of it, I could very well just choose to resuscitate my couch by having it reupholstered. It is not just better for the environment but also easier on our family's budget.

Cisco Telepresence for OFW Families

Technology is the one thing that is probably never going to stop moving forward. Innovations come on a daily basis. People will hardly be surprised by anything anymore. But there is this one technology that has gotten me at the edge of my seat. It was one of the recent blog posts of my friend wherein the company she is working for used cisco telepresence to unite a mother in hongkong and her two kids here in Manila. It was just like one of those scenes in the Star Wars movie. It was hardly believable at all in the eighties, to say the least. But it is here now, whether we like it or not.

Grabbed photo from my friend, Beth's blog.

It is just the neatest to be able to bridge the distance, especially of this OFW family, with the use of technology. A handy tip for those who would like to be reunited with their loved ones, albeit virtually.

Audio Visual Gears

It is always nice to be able to find that album or movie without having to stoop. Storage for these collection ideally should be at eye level while players just above waist level.

One thing that you have to make sure in maintaining these equipment is an adequate ventilation. Two inches of space on all sides would be nice. Leave an inch space for wires at the back of shelves that will carry electronic gears. An extension strop should also be handy instead of running all the electric cords to a baseboard outlet.

Maximizing Home Space

When we chose to build a small home rather than continue renting a place than is bigger, we knew we were going to have "space" issues. A lot of our furnishings had to go, which made the house look bigger than 48sq.m. Aside from the fact that the hubby's layout was perfect - it maximized the four corners of the tiny space. One major thing to keep in mind when you have limited space is – no white elephants are allowed.

I’m sure that if we were not allotting a homeschool base space, we could even afford a home theatre seating space. But since we have practically embraced homeschooling, it is not an issue. The thing is in the two years since we have acquired our home, we have maximized it and made it as comfortable as possible.

How to Clean Floors and Ceilings

Have you ever wondered what is the best way to clean floors and ceilings? We do this regularly, so we figured, the regular way is just the way to do it. For painted surfaces, it is always best to dust the walls with a broom covered with a flannel cloth. Change cloths when it gets dirty. This will make cleaning easier. Rather than wipe the walls with a damp cloth right away. More often than not the dust makes ugly marks on the wall, when truth is this can be prevented by dusting first.

When you see cobwebs, keep yourself from pushing them into the surface as you would regularly clean ceilings and walls. Cobwebs tend to be stickier and can put a stain on your walls. Maintaining ceilings and floors can be fairly easy, you really just have to choose the more effective way to do it. It does not just lessen the cleaning time, it takes away the risk of staining.

Choosing a Webhost for Handy Tips and Hints

It has been months since this site’s own domain was claimed. With the purpose and vision to be able to share bits and pieces about household hints and valuable tips about random things, I knew there were a lot of things to talk about. Since then, I made, you, my readers, partners in my quest to doing things a little easier. I am continually searching for things that could help a regular homemaker to a busy bachelor or bachelorette who would love to maximize their time.

It has been a consideration for me to be get a webhosting for this domain. I am currently in the lookout for the best one and it is not easy. From the surveys that I have conducted in some social networking sites that I am a member of, there are so many webhosting facilities available online. It helps to go to the experts and read reviews for non-biased, actual testimonials from the clients themselves.

You might want to read this blog that talks about web hosting, for more detailed information. Read for yourselves what users say about some webhosting companies. This lowers the risk of making the wrong choice. This is what I have been into recently. I will get you updated what webhosting service I decide to choose.

Summer Colors for Your Homes

How would you love to go natural this summer? I am currently thinking of splashing shades of mother nature around the home to neutralize the nasty feeling of summer sweats. It's one thing to sweat when you want it and it's another to sweat all the day long.

Sometimes giving your home a new look makes things better even as just an eye candy. It's always nice to have something to celebrate about. Beautiful hues of green, orange, mustard and chocolate brown can be the most delightful for summer theme.

Advantage of Having Your Own Home

Maintaining a home of your own really be a handful. But most if not all homeowners would agree that it is way better than having to spend and maintain a place that you only rent for a time and you know will never be yours. This has been a thought for my husband and me during our first five years of marriage. We keep on getting some things repaired, do improvements inside the house and everything’s on us.

The usual dilemma of family is the cost of house construction can really be steep. But the truth is one can actually get their dream homes now without having to spend what one is usually shelled out. This is what I have been reading about the Schumacher Homes. I’m sure if you will read about it you will see how feasible house construction is against what people might have thought in the past.

Empty Tissue Box as Plastic Bag Dispenser

One of the nagging things that creates clutter around my kitchen sink are the plastic bags that come in with the weekly grocery shopping. If this happens to be one your household issues, you can actually make use of an empty tissue box so you can easily pull one out when you need it.

Maintain Computers Properly

When our computer workstations cease to function as it did when they were in mint condition, it is so easy to consider dropping them off and getting ourselves  brand new units. The truth is even if we had the means, we should give this more than just second thoughts.

First thing that we should do is properly maintain our personal computers. Defragmentation and files clean up should be done every so often. This is often overlooked. Sometimes an upgrade on the laptop memory will do the trick. We ought to be more conscious in replacing things around our home. Recycle when you can and maximize things before dumping them to get a replacement.

Worn Out Rubber Gloves in Lieu of Lint Rollers

Did you know that you can actually make use of worn out rubber gloves for those times that you cannot find your handy lint roller.  It is easy. You just slip on a glove and get the shirt and wip it with downward strokes as you would a lint roller.  No more stray fibers! :D

Jobs Wanted

As true as the global economic crisis is currently on, we still see a whole lots of job fairs everywhere. That is good, right? It means employers are still seeking employees, albeit new ones to fill in their requirements for lesser damage for their compensation. Wall St jobs have become scarce but still there.

The crisis might be here for a time, but life would still go on. Struggling to survive sounds sweeter than not struggling at all.