Search Results for: blog know yourself when decorating

Are You Making Things Harder on Yourself?

Still in a turkey coma? I wish I was, too much cleaning and decorating going on at my house. Remember the good old days when Mom just made everything magically appear and all you had to do was enjoy? When I was growing up the tradition was that Santa put the tree up on Christmas Eve. Looking back I’m not sure if that made things harder or easier. Especially when my mother was a single mother. It’s so hard to get everything ready all by yourself. I can’t imagine how hard that was to do alone. Get the kids to … Continue reading →

3 Tips for Blogging Professionally

Blogs were first written by those who wanted to share their thoughts, family photos and stories with a small group of people. Most were used to chronicle the lives of person writing the blog. Blogs caught on due to the friendly nature and transparency of the authors. The popularity mounted and soon they evolved into the realm of making money. Once a blogger earns an income from her blog she becomes a professional blogger. When blogs were first conceived I am sure no one ever thought it would give rise to professional bloggers making a living reviewing products and chronicling … Continue reading →

Know Yourself When Decorating

Tricia raised the idea in her article of open shelving in the kitchen. To me that sounded like a nightmare. I could imagine everything getting grimy from cooking. When it comes to housework, I’m inclined to go for the easy option most of the time, and especially when it comes to kitchens. I often see kitchens where they have copper pots hanging from the ceiling and various other items on display and think how nice it looks, but it is not for me. My kitchen is easy wipe down surfaces and easy to keep clean laminate cupboards that I just … Continue reading →

Hints When Redecorating a Room

Before you even start to redecorate there are some questions you should ask yourself. First among them is what purpose the room is to be used for and who will use it. These will determine the types of materials and colors you chose to use. For example if you have young children an all white color wall and furniture color scheme and white or pale colored carpet would be highly impractical. You would spend your life getting stressed about keeping it clean and probably drive your family crazy in the process. We have white tiles on our family, dining room … Continue reading →

Giving Yourself Holiday Recovery Time

I have the unfortunate habit of getting sick over the holidays. It’s almost like my body knows that there are a few days off in my future, and saves up the sickness for those days so I don’t miss whatever important things are going on before and afterwards. On the positive side, it does kind of ensure that I use my holiday time for resting and taking good care of myself. Holidays (and vacations) can be wonderful and fun… but they can also be hectic and stressful. Travel can be full of worries, anxiety, and questions: will you make that … Continue reading →

Room Decorating with a Preschooler

If your preschooler’s room is ready for a makeover, but you don’t know where to begin, then consult with an expert—-your child. Spend an afternoon with your preschooler placing bedroom items where he or she would like to see them. Work together to place the bed, dresser, toys and other belongings in areas that will work for both of you. By spending time with your preschooler, you can get a good sense of what she values when it comes to design. Perhaps she sees something that you do not. For example, having the bed face the closet can be scary … Continue reading →

Home Blog Month in Review: October

As I sit here looking out my window at the backyard, the birds are hovering in the pine tree against a strong wind and steady rain. The temperature is chilly today, and the calendar reminds me that we have left October behind. October 1st Buy a Home for $1.75 It seems that the housing crisis has made some interesting news lately. Home Month in Review: September 2008 Has the weather turned cooler now that September has passed? Pretty soon, it will be time to get that heat turned back on! Meanwhile, check out all of the articles that were posted … Continue reading →

Single Parents are Do-it-Yourself Experts

I know that title sounds a little snooty and I don’t mean to imply that somehow single parents are “better” than anyone else in any way—but I did want to say something encouraging, positive, and I believe—pretty accurate. When I think of all the single parents I know, most of them are pretty thrifty and creative and quite versed in the ways of the do-it-yourselfer… I think that there is truth to the old saying that necessity is the mother of invention—there’s nothing like a limited budget, limited time, and a healthy helping of need to inspire a person to … Continue reading →

Decorating Tips For Your Thanksgiving Dinner Table—Part 1

By now I’m sure you have your Thanksgiving menu set. But, how are you doing on styling your dining room table for the big feast? On the years that my parents hosted the Thanksgiving festivities my mom used to fret about the table decorations. My dad tried to convince her that the turkey was an adequate centerpiece and flowers were really not necessary, and no one paid attention to how the candles were arranged or if the napkins matched the tablecloth. All my mom heard was: “blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada…” and on she went trying to put together … Continue reading →

What To Know Before You Light That First Fire Of The Season

It’s in the 30’s today in the Upper Midwest—a lot of residents here are recovering from a moderate storm that dumped up to 14 inches of snow in some spots. With chilly temperatures and a fresh blanket of snow outside, nothing is better than coming indoors to warm up in front of a roaring fire. Sounds inviting, but without taking the proper precautions, that warm and toasty fire can come back to burn you. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, there are approximately 11,000 chimney fires in the United States every year, which cause more than $7 million in … Continue reading →