Site Meta
Blogroll
I love my walk-in pantry!
If you’re like me your pantry needs some extra storage space. Each time I walked into my pantry, I growled. I needed to utilize wall space but didn’t know how or what to use to make it work without looking hodge-podge. My handy-man Michael really racked up some big brownie points last Saturday by “fixing” my pantry dilemma.
We took a quick trip to a local home improvement store to purchase some shallow boards we could paint and nail in place. We happened into the wire storage systems department and found exactly what we needed for a fraction of the cost of board shelving! Thank you Lord! We chose a few ClosetMaid wall racks that were perfect for limited wall space such as ours. Installation was easy and went quickly. As soon as they were in place I had everything sorted and ready to fill up the wall racks! Because these particular wall units are nice and shallow, they worked out perfectly for my gazillion spices, and smaller canned goods, etc. We even purchased some little hanging basket accessories just perfect for seasoning packets and snack bars. Making this minor change freed up one full upper cabinet in the kitchen and allowed us to really organize our dishes and cooking utensils.
I love to cook and my attitude in the kitchen has really changed due to some simple storage racks in my pantry. Michael and I actually had a great time working in the house that Saturday. He doesn’t know it yet but my master bedroom closet is next. Oh honey, where are you?
by Steph Nelson
Is your teen’s computer in a common area?
Be sure to keep your child’s computer in a common area to help manage internet usage. It’s worth the fight – I can assure you. Don’t let the world wide web educate your youth and steal their innocence in a matter of seconds! There’s nothing more important than family and it’s our responsibility as parents to know what are children are doing, who they’re involved with and what they view and listen to. If you are remodeling, than consider using a hall closet as a computer center. If you are planning to build then be sure to choose a home plan that has special areas such as study centers and kid’s nooks.
Many of our Nelson Design Group home plans have computer centers that are strategically placed in areas such as a main living area hallway NDG 314, cluster bedroom hallway (NDG 918) breakfast rooms and kitchens and living rooms (NDG 309).
by Steph Nelson
Replace your light bulbs ASAP!
We all need to save energy wherever we can and energy savings translates into saved dollars – right? Therefore, I urge you to waste no time and go purchase GE Energy Smart CFL Bulbs to replace your standard bulbs. If you can only replace a few at a time then begin with frequently used fixtures such as reading chair and bedside lamps and any floor standing or buffet lamps. I use these CFL bulbs in all of my overhead fixtures such as pendant lights over my kitchen bar area. You’ll save hundreds of dollars with the same soft pleasing light and less heat output. The GE Daylight 60 compact fluorescent spiral light bulb saves energy and lasts for years. This light bulb uses just 13 watts to produce the same amount of light as a 60-watt soft white light bulb for a savings of up to 75%. The daylight color produces a cool, natural light. Average energy savings per year for six bulbs is $41. Each bulb is guaranteed to last five years when used an average of four hours per day.
Let Natural Light Save You Green
Natural lighting can be a real plus even in the summer months. Master bathrooms and kitchens are the best locations for skylights and strategically placed mirrors can help carry the natural light across a room, hallway, master bedroom or bathroom. If searching for a home plan, be sure to choose plans with slightly higher ceiling and window transoms which combined with a deep overhang (like NDG1145) or covered porch (NDG139) can give you great indirect light.
Contributed by Steph Nelson
Water Heater Blankets
We as a nation are becoming more aware of our impact on the environment and on our energy consumption. The increasing cost of petro products are a factor in this awareness, but our increasing knowledge of global warming and the subsequent melting of polar ice caps and other factors are also pushing that awareness to the forefront. A $15 dollar water heater blanket could save you an average of $8.35 per month by reducing your energy use. This is a small amount of money, but it is an investment that would normally pay for itself within 2 months, and could be done by most anyone in an hour or less.
The only important thing you should know when installing a water heater blanket is to make sure you have cutouts that keep the safety information and specifications visible (you can void your warranty if you don’t do this). By doing this, plumbers and others can get to important data, and the manufacturer’s warranty will remain intact.
House Fires
Few things are more devastating than standing by helplessly while all your memories, keepsakes, and valuables go up in flames. I can tell you from personal experience that its something that changes your life. There are many different causes of house fires, from cooking mishaps to candles to natural causes like lightning, wildfires, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
Prevention methods are often simple, but the effects can be amazing. This article illustrates some of the benefits of simple brush clearing.
By Jessica Gresko
Los Angeles Times Staff WriterJuly 17, 2005
Don Crocker’s home in Rolling Hills burned to the ground on a windy summer day in 1973.
So when another fire raced up the same coastal hillside last week, his wife worriedly packed the car.
But this fire turned out to be much different. While it swept up the canyon, firefighters were able to stop the blaze before it reached the first row of ocean-view houses below Crocker’s.
“I was thinking — it’s so much different this time than last time,” he said.
The 1973 fire, which burned about a dozen homes in Rolling Hills and Rancho Palos Verdes, marked the beginnings of a fire-preparedness revolution in the two communities and the rest of Los Angeles County.
The two communities became among the first in the region to aggressively enforce brush-clearing regulations, a model later copied by the county Fire Department.
Firefighters credit brush clearance with preventing a major loss of homes during Wednesday’s blaze, which at one point threatened 400 residences and burned more than 200 acres. No houses were damaged.
“Everything was basically the same as it was in ‘73 when we showed up,” said county fire Battalion Chief Al Schriver, who, as a Rolling Hills firefighter, battled that blaze and who coordinated efforts Wednesday. “I think it’s a lesson to people. It could have had the same results. It’s very stark evidence that what we’re doing works.”
Firefighters said the Palos Verdes Peninsula blaze offers an example to the rest of Southern California as the summer fire season unfolds. Some officials are predicting a potentially dangerous season because the near-record rainfall this winter produced extensive plant growth.
Although most brush fires start on remote or undeveloped hillsides, brush clearance is considered a crucial barrier when flames reach developed areas.
A Times analysis of the 2003 wildfires in San Diego County — which destroyed more than 2,300 structures — found that brush clearance was the single biggest factor in whether a home burned or survived. Many of the destroyed houses had flammable vegetation within 30 feet, the analysis found.
“Every time we have one of these fires, the first thing out of the public information officer’s mouth is that brush clearance helped,” said Assistant Fire Chief John Todd of the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Forestry Division. “I think it’s sunk in with people. They’ve seen the results.”
Other prevention methods include paint additives and other types of coatings that can greatly reduce the flammability of a home’s exterior. Internal sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and other products can also help prevent fires and minimize damage once they start.
It is also important to know how to turn off the electricity to your home and how to turn off any gas lines that you might have coming into your home as well. During natural disasters like flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes you might not even consider a house fire happening, but these are exactly the types of situations where rogue electrical wires and ruptured natural gas lines can start major fires at times when emergency workers are already working at full force.
Your home can be replaced, but your loved ones can not. Make sure everyone knows how to get out of the house and where to meet at once they do. This is especially important for children. There are many in depth documents and videos on how to do this properly.
Difference Between a Basement and a Swimming Pool
If you believe there is no difference between the two, you may need to lean how to waterproof your basement. No one wants to walk down into their basement after a big rain and find a couple of inches of unwanted water. This alone can ruin a perfectly good weekend. If you don’t have much experience with doing this type of work, you may seriously want to consider some professional help. There are some great builders and contractors out there that have vast experience with this type of work.
Water flow is important. After a big rain, go outside and look around. See where the water goes, and where it stays. Improving the water drainage around your basement can stop the water from even having a chance to get in. There are many methods available for doing this, but it could be as simple as adding a little dirt around the basement walls or making small drainage ditches.
Good old tar and cement can go a long way in fixing any problems you might find. There are also other newer products available, like certain epoxys that you can inject into cracks, and other methods. Check it out now, so you don’t have to go swimming in your basement later.
