Archive for July, 2012
Everyone loves the holidays, especially the little ones! Why not get them involved in getting your home ready for the holidays? Having kids help you is a great idea, for many reasons. First, they feel included in the holiday preparations. It’s also a great way to teach them some good values and it’s also a fun family activity to do. So, if you want to get decorating with the kids, here are some good tips to get you started.
Plan It Out
Getting organized will ensure that you can get everything you done in time. You should also get your kids involved in your decorating plan. You can solicit ideas from the kids and try to pick and choose from good ones. Why not ask the kids to make drawings to show what they’d like to do? Then you can choose which ones you can do and have them create a “final” plan for your holiday décor.
If your kids are old enough, you can make your own decorations. There’s something for every age, as long as you tailor the activity to the kid, you’re sure to have fun.
For very young kids, you may want something a little simple. Filling a bowl or bowls with items can be easy. Take them out for a walk and find some branches, twigs and pinecones and once you’ve cleaned these items, they can help tie ribbons and arrange them on bowls to make beautiful holiday centerpieces.
Speaking of ribbons, you can make bows with your kids or purchase pre-made ones and use those to decorate. Encourage your kids to decorate the house with bows, such as banisters, candles, doorknobs or even the Christmas tree.
There are many activities that kids of all ages can join in on. For example, why not encourage them to make their own Christmas Village? Pick a tabletop or surface to build on. Use a green cloth or base and use some white cotton to represent snow. Then you can have your kids start arranging buildings, streets, cars, carts, etc. around your Christmas Village (you can buy pre-made ones of make your own if you’re inclined.)
Finally, for that all-important Christmas tree, get your kids bundled up and take them with you when you pick your Christmas tree. You can make a day of it, and pack up some hot cider or chocolate and some snacks while you’re looking for the perfect tree (make sure you have some Christmas songs in the car.) When you get the right tree and set it up, your kids can help decorate. You can ask them to string popcorn or beads to put around the tree.
There are many more things you can do with your kids to do some holiday decorating with your kids, so just be creative!
The move was successful. You had a safe and less stressful move. But just like most people, you spent some cash for it. Unfortunately, the spending isn’t done yet. You still have to furnish your new home. Well, it’s everybody’s dream to have a beautiful and comfortable house. Don’t worry. This article will give you inexpensive ideas on furnishing your new home. Ready? Let’s get started!
Determine Your Dream Home
Your goal is to make a home out of your new house. You can achieve this by determining what kind of place you enjoy. Do you prefer having few ornaments or otherwise? Do you want to build a warm and inviting atmosphere, or do you want it cool and cozy? Weeks before the move, you can start planning for the interior design of your new home. With this highly fashionable world, you will not run out of choices as to the design. You can look online or browse some magazines for more ideas. You see, it’s very hard to start furnishing a house without you having a clear picture of what your dream house should look like.
Know Which Items Can Be Retained
Before you buy home furniture, you want to consider the size of your home. The bigger it is, the easier it is for you to find the right fixtures. But if you have a limited space, you should make sure you’re not going after heavy and bulky furniture items. You want to keep it simple as to not create an uneasy atmosphere. You may also want to use some of your old items. For sure, you still have two or more home fixtures that are still in good condition. If you’re on a budget, you want to as much as possible minimize your spending. And there’s no better way to do that than to reuse! You may also want to have some items repaired if they have minimal damages. Sometimes, it only needs a bit of dusting, wiping, and fixing to make the old furniture look brand new!
Buy Cheap yet Beautiful Décor
You want to make your new home more stunning by putting frames, paintings, display items, ornamental rugs, etc. But in these difficult times, it’s not practical to buy elegant furnishings. There are many stores (online and offline) that sell cute decorative items at low prices. But take note, this is only ideal for decorative items not on furniture. When it comes to home furniture, you want to prioritize the quality over the cost.
Choose a Nice Wall Paint
The color of the wall greatly affects the total look of your house so take time to decide what color you will be using. Colors such as red, orange, and yellow are called the warm colors. They can make a welcoming atmosphere in your house. On the other hand – blue, green, and purple are cool and very homely.
You don’t need a professional interior designer to furnish your new home. It all takes a bit of creativity and resourcefulness to come up with a great idea.
For many people, the colors of fall are some of the most gorgeous shades and palettes today. The earth tones of browns and oranges bring memories of that slight chill in the ear, leaves turning, pumpkin pies and apple cider. It’s no wonder many people love designing and decorating around these shades. If you want to bring an autumn wonderland feel to your home, designing with fall colors is a great idea. In order to use these colors effectively, check out this tips and tricks for decorating with autumn palettes.
Splash Colors Sparingly
Earth tones can be quite strong, and so it’s easy to overdue the fall colors. To prevent your room from looking like the inside of a pumpkin, use the strong colors sparingly. Use muted colors for major areas, like walls or your couch. Then use oranges, dark reds and browns to add a splash or colors here and there, like pillows, throws or panels.
Use Different Tones
Using a single color can be difficult, as it might overpower a room. However, if you layer different tones of the same color can make a difference, plus adding texture and pattern can break up the colors and bring variety to a single-color room.
Contrast colors
Fall colors are rust, oranges, browns, etc., but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with just these colors. Contrasting these tones with a bright yellow and even a nice bright green will add some color into your room without clashing, and really make it pop out. For example, if your living room is all dressed in earth tones, why not add a yellow couch, or perhaps green pillows? This will add some brightness to the room.
Use textures and patterns
Aside from color, you can use the textures and patterns of fall to decorate. Wallpapers or duvet covers with leaves can bring fall into your room. A brown leather ottoman can add some richness to your living area. Flowers and fruits can be used as well. You can bring in some earth-toned flowers and leaves (like sunflowers, ginko and bittersweet branches), apples, pumpkins and use them creatively to decorate your space. Adding a plush throw will remind you of curling up by the fire and drinking apple cider on a cold autumn evening. Houndstooth and plaid are both very fall-inspired patterns, so see if you can bring this into the room by replacing your pillow covers or with a nice warm throw.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a bed for your child. Among the main things to consider are the safety, functionality, and design. But aside from these considerations, parents should find out what sort of bed their child would like.
Safety
Once babies become toddlers, they are ready to leave the crib and move to their new bed. At this stage, safety is the parents’ top priority, especially because their child is still young. Toddlers are not yet ready for an adult’s bed. Beds specifically designed for three or four year olds are called starter beds. These beds are usually lower than the normal adult bed, and come with adjustable or removable side rails. Parents should check the quality of workmanship to make sure the bed is sturdy. A badly built bed is of course not safe for your child. The mattress should also match with the bed design so it is always best to buy the bed and mattress as a set.
Functionality
Starter bed models, because they are for toddlers, are a lot shorter than your average bed (around 4.5 feet long). If budget is not a concern these specialized beds, which usually come in whimsical designs, are ideal. However, for more practical parents looking for furniture that can be used for many years ahead, a good option would be extendable models. These starter beds are designed in such a way that you can add an extra section and extend the bed (as well as replace or add to the mattress) as your child grows up. These starter beds are also usually the types whose side safety rails are detachable.
For parents with more than one child, they might consider trundle beds which are space saving and practical. Or, when the children are much older, a double bed is always an exciting proposition for active kids who look forward to climbing up and down the ladder.
Design
Design is a big factor if you want to give your child a memorable sleeping experience. For parents who are keen to decorate their child’s bedroom design is important. The bed is the biggest piece of furniture in the bedroom, and so is central to the décor. In the past ensuring that the bed was in theme with the interior design meant you bought matching sheets. These days the bed itself is in theme, and there are dozens of fun ‘theme beds’ to choose from with designs ranging from sports and cartoon characters, to fanciful princess-type models with which to pamper your daughter. These them beds need additional examination, though, as sometimes safety, functionality and quality may be compromised.
But even with these considerations in mind, parents should also let their child choose his or her bed. One way parents can encourage the child to help make the choice is to take the child to the store so they can take a look at what’s available. It is also ideal to let the child try out the mattress. A comfortable mattress, aside from a sturdy bed, makes for your child’s good night’s sleep.
Moving can be very overwhelming. Imagine the entire task you need to accomplish. The papers you need to get done, and the money you have to spend for the preparations, and for the new house. And one of the most tiring tasks is finding the right place for you to relocate. Knowing that you have to move can be very stressful and nerve-racking. Choosing the best neighborhood for you to relocate may take much of your time. But you don’t have to worry. It is much easier than you think if you know what to do. Below are some tips how you can choose the best place for you to move.
Make a list
Not of the place you want to move in – at least not yet. Make a list of your preferences when it comes to your ideal place. Do you want it to be near the school for your kids? Or you want near your work place? Or maybe you want it strategically situated near the grocery store, the park, the church, or the hospital – make your list. You may ask your kids, or your spouse for that matter.
Once you have identified your criteria, it will be much easier for you to determine which neighborhood best fit your needs and preferences. What is important is that you’re comfortable and you have a sense of security in that place.
Do research
You may want to ask some friends about the city where you want to move to. Or if you want you can browse the web for easy and convenient research. Websites like “City Data” have comprehensive and detailed statistics of all US cities, which includes, employment, crime, housing, and other demographics you may want to know about the city. There are also active discussions about the cities in the forums found in many sites. Feel free to join the forum and ask your questions.
Go for a visit
After your research and with the help of a few friends, narrow down your choices based on the details you gathered. Find time and schedule a visit to these places. Try to drive around the neighborhood, try to feel the ambiance. You may also want to take the main streets and the back streets. Try your best to observe the situation in the area.
If you have finally decided on which place you want to move, it’s time that you find a realtor. You may want to surf the internet to search for a broker. Working with a broker will make it easier for you to locate the perfect house for you and provide you with comprehensive listings of the properties you might find interesting.
Choosing the best neighborhood may involve quite a number of tasks and may take a little time. But in case you’re having a hard time finding the right place for you, always remember that there is always a home that fits every preferences and budget.
