Cleaning Up with the Dyson V6

Cleaning Up with the Dyson V6

Previously I discussed how one of the key components to making your spring cleaning an easy experience is through daily and weekly housekeeping and maintenance.  The Dyson V6 cordless is a tool that will revolutionize the way you keep up with cleaning your floors (and upholstery). [Read more…]

Securing Your Home after the Storm: Assessing Your Garage Door System 

Most of us think of a garage door as a convenience, allowing us to park our cars in a relatively protected space so that we don’t have to get too cold or wet. Garage doors do much more though. They protect your home from intrusion, help to regulate the internal environment of your home, protect your car from crime, and withstand the elements to protect not just your car, but your home from flooding and other types of damage. Garage doors aren’t immune to damage, however, so inspecting your garage door after a storm is a good idea to ensure that it is good condition and can still offer you all of the benefits it should. Get more information on great garage doors here:  https://www.garagedoorguruny.com/garage-doors-whitestone/

To help you with that inspection, here is a list of components to investigate.

Hinges

Hinges allow the door to pivot in specific locations, but also ensure that, when closed, the door cannot be moved in a way that would allow a person or wind-blown debris to enter. Inspect every pivot point after a strong storm to ensure that they operate properly as the door is opened and closed.

Springs

Springs are necessary to help counterbalance the weight of garage doors. Without working springs, it is nearly impossible to open a garage door, even with an electric assist motor. Springs also help to keep doors from falling when they are open, so they are critical safety devices. Inspect springs for weak points and breaks. Broken springs are relatively easy to identify, but stressed springs can be harder to spot. Look for areas where the spring doesn’t coil uniformly or where the metal appears to be discolored (usually lighter than surrounding areas). Watch the springs as the door opens and closes, looking for points where the spring appears to bind or where the door appears to stick.

Tracks, Drums, Cables, Belts, and Chains

To keep your garage door opening smoothly, a number of tracks, cables, chains, and belts may be used. The exact components differ between different door types, so the exact inspection needs will vary based on your door. Look at all of the moving parts of your garage door system to see if any are broken, don’t move smoothly, or are not aligned properly. In general, these components are easily fixed or are inexpensive to replace. Not repairing them promptly, however, can lead to more extensive and more expensive damage. You can read more over at GarageDoorService.com to learn about specific garage door components and how to inspect them for damage.

Electronics

Lightening is the main cause of damage to the electronic components of a garage door. Lightening can damage the electric motor itself or electronic components of the opener. Signs of lightening damage include an opener that functions erratically, failure of a remote or keypad to work, lights that are not lit, or flashing lights on the back of a circuit board. Most people don’t use surge protectors on their garage door openers, but most manufacturers recommend them. You can use the same surge protectors you would use with electronics to protect your garage door opener from lightening.

Weather Seals and Insulation

Weather seals are easily damaged by debris, ice, and extreme temperatures. In the cold weather, a seal can be damaged when it is frozen to the ground and you attempt to open the garage door. Inspect your seals every few months and after severe weather. Look for tears, discoloration, dents, and debris stuck to the seal.

Most modern garage doors are insulated to provide resistance against heat loss and gain. This insulation can be damaged in a number of ways, but generally only if the door façade is penetrated or damaged in some way. Inspect the surface of your garage door for damage and inspect the insulation in any area where you do find damage. Ensure that the insulation isn’t wet and that it is intact. If you find damage to your garage door, repair it immediately to avoid more extensive damage to the insulation.

When to Inspect a Garage Door

You should inspect your garage door after every major storm, but you should also do bi-annual inspections as well. The best times to do routine inspections are right before winter and right after winter when the weather begins to warm. By inspecting your door regularly and addressing problems before they become serious, you can ensure years of trouble-free operation from your garage door.

Elliot Pugh is a home improvement contractor. He likes sharing his insights online. You can find his posts on many home improvement blog sites. 

Simplify Your Spring Cleaning: Tips & A Printable

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyPledgeCastle #CollectiveBias

Simplify Your Spring Cleaning

Over the last couple of week’s we’ve been discussing spring cleaning.  This is a time when we go above and beyond our usual chores and take the time to make our home our castle!  Today I’m specifically going to focus on how to simplify your spring cleaning.  One key to simplifying is to make sure that you maintain a clean home everyday.  To help you do this, I have a free printable checklist for you.  Then I’ll have some product recommendations and tips to help you get your spring cleaning chores done.

Let’s start with the checklist. It includes a lot of little things you can do each day that will go a LONG way toward keeping your house clean so that you can avoid a lot of the stress that comes with a messy and cluttered house, and it can also help you to avoid what I like to call “marathon cleaning.” [Read more…]

Getting Ready for Spring Cleaning

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Kimberly-Clark and The Motherhood. The opinions are my own.

Getting Ready for Spring Cleaning

It is time to spring in to spring!  And you know that means!  It’s time to do a little spring cleaning!  Last week I showed you some outdoor projects and tips to get your yard spring ready, and today I’ll be talking about how you can prepare to do some spring cleaning within your house, and I’ll share some of my spring cleaning must-have supplies  and must-do projects and tips. [Read more…]

DIY Cat Scratcher Tutorial + Cat’s Pride® Fresh & Light Ultimate Care®

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #UltimateLitter #CollectiveBias

DIY Cat Scratcher Tutorial and Cats Pride

Today we have another fun post starring the Simply Sweet Home Cats! Yay!  Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE my baby cats and would do anything for them.  And I have to say, I think I’m very lucky to have a couple of really good-natured and well behaved cats!  But like all relationships, a relationship between a cat mommy and her cats can get quite interesting!  For example, my sweet Sugar cat likes to cuddle, but only on her terms, and she will give you a very small love bite when she’s ready to stop.  Meanwhile, Rebels love to lounge around, and he often chooses to make clothing, backpacks, purses, and anything that’s new his bed (and every now & then he likes to scratch on things)! [Read more…]

Living Room Makeover

Living Room Makeover

Last year I was happy do a little home improvement.  One project we took on was to do a little makeover in our living room.  Today I’m going to share some of the items we purchased and (hopefully) provide a little insight and inspiration on how you can decorate and do room makeovers on a budget! [Read more…]

When and How to Use Dark Wood in Your Home

Many people shy away from using dark colors in their homes for fear of making a space look smaller, darker, and less appealing. But with some of the most beautiful woods, such as mahogany, walnut, and rosewood, naturally coming in dark tones, leaving them out of your interior design is a shame, especially when adding a noble dark wood cabinet to a lightly painted room can really make the design pop.

Choose the Right Room

Remember that your choice of colors will create a feeling in your home, and using the wrong color scheme from the beginning will dictate how you decorate your space. While dark colors can be more intimate, they can also create the notion of a smaller space, so you should avoid decking out a low-beamed area, small downstairs toilet, or closet with dark wood. An open hallway or high ceilinged living room is a much better choice.

Create Contrast

Use dark wood wisely and you can create beautiful and stylish contrasts; go overboard and you can create a black hole. Don’t add dark wood to dark walls, as the wood and color will overwhelm the space. Dark wood works great when contrasted with light backgrounds and used in moderation. Nice soft neutral tones with dark cabinets on the walls can look amazing.

Too Much Wood’s Not Good

If you live in a wooden cabin, with wooden floors and wooden walls (especially if it’s dark wood), adding wooden furniture to every room can be overwhelming. And dark wood on more dark wood can look like a living nightmare. To add light and space to your home, think about using open glass sliding doors or windows with a dark wooden support in the middle. The dark wood will really stand out in the light space. If you want to mix up your furniture, try a combination of wood and steel, or a dark wood kitchen unit with white marble top. Check out vintage industrial designs if you want to modernize a rustic cottage feel.

Use the Light Wisely

If your home doesn’t get a lot of natural light, then make sure you position your artificial lighting carefully. Highlight what you want people to see and don’t fit powerful overhead lights that make people feel like they’re being interrogated. If you’ve got a lot of dark wood furniture, try painting the ceiling white and using brighter light bulbs.

It’s true that an excess of dark wood in your home can create an almost sinister impression, but if you keep these few key factors in mind when deciding on the distribution of your wooden pieces, you can achieve the right balance and convert your home into an interior designer’s dream (rather than a comic book nightmare).

10 Outdoor Projects for Your Spring To Do List

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveYourLawn #CollectiveBias
10 Outdoor Projects for Your Spring To Do List

Spring is almost here, and you know what that means!  It’s almost time to get out and work in the yard!  At our house, my hubby does the mowing and the majority of the yard work, but I do assist him with a lot of projects, particularly things like working in the flower beds and any project that involves building, painting, and making our yard and home prettier.

Last year we did a number of simple budget-friendly projects to improve the look of our yard and front porch area, and this year we will be continuing our work.  We have some general maintenance to do this spring, and then I hope we can accomplish a few new goals this year as well!  Today I’m going to share 10 outdoor projects for your spring to do list! [Read more…]

5 Easy Ways to Get Your Lawn and Garden Ready for Spring

lawn image 1

For anyone who adores gardening, winter can be a form of torture. Unless you have a greenhouse where you can while away the frigid months caring for your seedlings, chances are that you gaze out at the frosty landscape and dream of spring.

Spring and gardening go hand in hand, but until you can dig your hands deep into the soil and feel the warm sun on your back as you plant to your heart’s content, there are things that can and should be done to your lawn and garden to get them into top shape for planting.

These winter garden preparations not only create the best possible environment for your spring planting, but they also can help cure that burning desire that every gardener has to be outside digging and weeding, even if there is still no sign of spring. [Read more…]

5 Tips for Menu Planning Success

Have you ever struggled to get dinner on the table?  Have you ever felt like your head was spinning after being asked the question, “What are we having for dinner?”  Has the subject of dinner ever started an argument in your house?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you probably need to start menu planning!

Now before we start, I have to confess that I am not a die-hard menu planner.  I don’t spend a lot of time making out a plan, and when I make a plan I like to leave myself some wiggle room.  Sometimes things come up, and we just don’t have the time or frankly, we don’t feel like cooking!  I also reserve a right to change my mind and my husband reserves a right to change his mind, and when that happens, we divert from the plan!  BUT…overall I find that the week goes a lot smoother when I have a menu planned out.

On one hand it’s good to know what I will be cooking each day, so I can properly schedule my cooking around the day’s events.  Secondly, by making a menu plan, I can ensure that I have all the groceries I need for the week.  (No more eating out, because we’re missing key ingredients!)  Third, I can actually save money on my groceries, because I will only buy the items on the list I’ve made, and the list is based on my menu plan! [Read more…]