When life gets crazy, it’s easy to put everyone else’s needs above yours. Your job, your family, and other commitments may take priority to keep the plates of life spinning.
The result is physical and mental fatigue that can take a long time to fully recover from. People get burned out and need to leave jobs or end up with serious health issues as a result of stress and anxiety. Don’t find yourself in that position! There are many ways to keep even the smallest amount of focus on yourself no matter how crazy life becomes. Relax and Play Even the busiest people need to take time to quiet their mind and relax a little throughout the day. Children play all day long and can be a great inspiration for this — sing a silly song, play a game, draw a picture, run around, or do whatever else is going to put your mind at ease. You’ll be surprised how much less stressful the rest of your day feels once you take that mental reset. Disconnect and Unplug Getting away from the screens we stare at all day long is another important aspect of that mental reset. Your email, calendar, texts, and voicemails will all be there when you come back. Stepping away from those distractions will allow you to clear your mind and dive back into the day refreshed and ready to go. Ask for Help Many of us become overwhelmed when we try to take on too much. We can’t say no when new projects or tasks come up because we don’t want to let others down, and our own physical and mental health suffers as a result. Stop this behavior by asking for help when things get to be too much. It will not be looked upon as a sign of weakness, but rather that you understand your own limitations and do not want to let the quality of your efforts suffer as a result.
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First, let’s be clear on what is meant by a laminated floor. This product is a bit of a hybrid in the flooring industry. It looks so much like a hardwood or stone floor that it can easily be mistaken for the real thing. However, it is not stone or wood. Laminate floor is actually vinyl tiling—sort of and engineered flooring.
Why laminate flooring? It gives the look of wood or stone without the cost and maintenance. It is also easy to install for DIYers and a cinch to keep clean. Because laminate flooring “floats,” there are no issues with nailing that plagues hardwood installation. The first step is to remove whatever was on the floor. Pull up carpet and underpadding. If there are tack strips remover those too. You may have to pry these up with a crowbar. Next, remove baseboards. You are now down to the subfloor. Make sure it is level. Use scrapers or putty knives to remove any lumps of glue or other previous flooring debris so the floor is perfectly smooth. Then sweep or vacuum what you have scraped off the floor. Make sure you get all those carpet tacks! Now you are ready to install laminate floor. Make sure the subfloor is perfectly level. If it is not, your laminate floor may have “spongy” spots where it creaks or moves. Sand out high spots or use a leveling compound so the entire floor is flat and even. This is tedious work but well worth the effort. Be diligent with your level to ensure perfect flat, even subfloor. Choose the flooring materials that will best suit your needs. Laminate materials vary in thickness and warranty. Some come with pre-applied padding. This saves an installation step. The most realistic ones have V-shaped edges. The thicker they are the more substantial the floor will feel and the longer the warranty. Next, “introduce” the laminate floor materials to the room where they are being installed. Give them three or four days to get acclimated. Measure the room and the width of planks so you know how many planks you need. Decide if you will need to cut the last row to fit. Undercut doorframes so planks will fit snugly. Install underlay if it does not come pre-applied to the planks. Lay the first row of planks cutting the last piece to fit the end if needed. Assemble by rocking the end tongue and groove joints together. Use even, firm pressure. Continue with each row until your floor is done using manufacturer’s installation tips for completing the project at doorways and corners. Replace baseboards and admire your finished product! Conclusion Laminate flooring is an inexpensive floor alternative. It lends beauty to almost any room in your house. Avid DIYer can install this flooring and make it look professional. However, avoid laminate floor in bathrooms and laundry rooms as the floor can buckle and warp in rooms that experience high moisture. If your kitchen gets spills, avoid laminate flooring there too as the spill can get under the floor before you get it mopped up. Anywhere else in your house, laminate floors provide the look of stone or hardwood without the high cost of materials and installation. An herb garden is a handy way to have fresh herbs ready for use in your favorite recipes. Moreover, an herb garden adds a cheery touch to your kitchen décor and is great for the air in your house.
Herb gardens are not hard to plant or maintain. Here are some tips: Many herbs grow well in a windowsill garden. The window should get lots of natural or artificial light. Otherwise, your plants will be spindly and not flavorful. Turn pots regularly so they get even amounts of sun. Buy herbs in small pots or start them from seed. Good choices are: basil, rosemary, chives, thyme, parsley, peppermint, cilantro, or lavender. You want plants that don’t grow too high or require more space than your windowsill offers. Plant herbs in a long tray or in individual pots. The containers should be two to four inches tall. Fill with two to three inches of potting soil. Keep soil damp but not moist. Watering from the bottom up avoids overwatering and water regularly. Fertilize with fertilizer for edibles every other month. Start with half strength and gradually increase. Once plants are thriving, start to use them. Snip them and store herbs in fridge or air dry for future use. Never snip until the herb is six inches tall and cut only a third of its height. If plants look ill, they may need more water or more sun. You can use interesting “repurposed” container as pots for your windowsill herb garden. Be creative. Mason jars are great containers. Use those old bowls or coffee mugs or just make sure containers are large enough and allow for proper drainage. Most herbs respond to any container as long as they have room to drain and to grow. You can bring herbs inside for the winter and use them in a windowsill herb garden. However, be careful what you bring in. These plants may contain diseases or pests they have acquired outdoors. In the spring, you might move your windowsill herb garden outside to a patio pot or an herb garden. You can combine herbs in a single pot as long as the herbs you use have the same moisture, light, and fertilizer needs. Try making your own herb fertilizer. Nettles, comfrey, yellow dock, burdock, horsetail, and chickweed make good fertilizer. Chop them up and add to the soil or dry them for future use. Try making your own potting soil. Combine peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, sand, and shredded bark or compost for a pure effective potting material. Think about adding natural substances to enrich your herb garden soil. If your herb garden gets overcrowded snip off some plants or transplant them. Consider an indoor window box for your herbs. Herbs that live well together and look attractive include chives, parsley, and tarragon. Add a few nasturtiums for color, variety and to use as edible garnishes for dishes. A window herb garden will at beauty and practical cooking materials to your kitchen. Paint is often touted as a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to update a home and give it a fresh look. However, picking the right paint color can turn into a major pain; who knew there were so many shades of white? Instead of getting overwhelmed in the home improvement store, use these tips to help you choose the best paint for your home.
1. Find the right sheen Before deciding on a color, think about what sheen you want the paint to have. The sheen you choose often depends on the amount of wear and tear the paint will take; glossy paints are easy to wipe clean with a damp sponge, making them ideal for homes with small children. Because it can show imperfections, high gloss paint is recommended for trims and baseboards, especially when paired with a flatter wall shade. Semi-gloss is often the most popular sheen choice for interior paints; it has the washability of high gloss while covering imperfections like a matte. While flat or matte paints are the best at covering imperfections on the walls, they also are the most difficult to clean and show stains and fingerprints easily. By thinking about the room you will be painting and the purpose it serves, you can easily find the paint sheen that is right for your family. 2. Identify the mood Do you want the room you’re painting to feel like a relaxing oasis or an invigorating space? Identifying the mood you want the room to have can help you narrow down choices in paint colors. Buttery yellows create feelings of hominess, while a brighter shade can be energizing. Warmer shades feel more welcoming, whereas cooler colors have a more formal ambiance. 3. Use color to create optical illusions The color paint you choose can do more than just change your mood - it can also impact how you view a room. Dark colors, for example, make rooms feel smaller, while lighter colors create an airy feel. Visually expand a room by painting the trim a few shades lighter than the wall color; paint can be used to highlight and complement the size, shape, or features of a room. 4. Think big… or small While it’s fairly easy to paint over a color you no longer like, many homeowners are scared to take the plunge into new colors or designs. Because of this, think small before you think big; tackling a smaller room can give you the confidence to make decisions for larger living spaces. Use spaces like a small bathroom or guest bedroom to experiment with color palettes and choices before you commit to painting the rest of the house. There are several stations in the South Bay area that offer listeners a wide variety of music genres. If you are listening from LA, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Long Beach or the surrounding areas, you’re sure to find a station that suits your musical tastes.
Los Angeles area radio stations include KAMP-FM 97.1 on your dial. This station plays the top forty from its studios at the corner of Venice Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in mid-town LA. It simulcast an AM sister station at KNX-AM. MYFM at 104.3 plays a mix of different types of music to suit the twenties-to-fifties crowd. Songs by Bruno Mars, Lady Ga-Ga, Rhiannon and John Mayer give them what producers call “uptown funk”. Your kids are sure to enjoy Pasadena based Radio Disney dialing KDIS 1110 FM for all the Disney movie music. KDIS 1110 FM is the number one twenty-four-hour station with a niche market composed of kids, teens and parents. Kids are given playlist input by dialing the station’s toll free number. Frequently requested tunes include Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, One Direction, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Cody Simpson, Mindless Behavior, and Adele. KBIG at 104.3 FM is owned by iHeartMedia. It plays what the station producers call “hot adult contemporary” hits of the 1990’s from its Burbank station. KDAY FM 93.5 appeals to a wide audience from high school kids to middle-aged professionals. Its edgy announcers include morning DJ’s Good Fellas, afternoon Celia the Mamacita, and nighttime Art Leboe, lure listeners with great contests and concert tickets. JACK FM 93.1 has listeners who enjoyed the music of the sixties and seventies including Bob Dylan,Neil Young, Paul McCartney and The Who Specific radio stations target new American immigrants hungry for a taste of the music of their homeland. If you’re an Indie fan tune into Spanish-speaking music station KDLE FM97. 5. Sometimes we remodel because we want to create a more pleasant home environment to live in. Other times, it’s all about the bottom line and getting the most bang for the buck when the house goes on the market.
If you find yourself in the latter situation where you are remodeling with the goal of reselling, there are a few things you can do to maximize your return on investment and make your home as appealing as possible to future buyers. Keep it Neutral Remodeling a home for resale is not the time to go crazy with paint colors, fixtures, or other design elements. You want to present the image that the house is a blank canvas that the new owners can make their own. Even though things like paint and fixtures are easy to change, you do not want to put the new owners through the hassle of having to do that right after moving in. You want to create a space they can live in while they are determining what their design plan will be. Choose Looks Over Function This is one of the only times that you can prioritize the way something looks over the way it functions. If you have a limited budget, spend it on things that will make your home look as good as possible. For example, a shiny new oven or refrigerator will impress potential buyers much more so than a new water heater or dehumidifier. As long as those more mundane items are in good working order, let them alone and focus your time and money on items that you know potential buyers will want to see. Add Space When it comes to a kitchen or bathroom, bigger is almost always better. If you have the opportunity to increase the size of these rooms without a major restructuring of your house, take it! What separates a major change from a minor one? Think knocking out walls vs. rearranging furniture or buying new pieces that serve a functional purpose and double as storage. Before you go embarking on a big change, consider if there are any smaller (and cheaper) steps you can take first. Allergies come in all shapes and sizes, but there are a few things you can do to make your home as allergy-free as possible. These simple activities apply whether you live in a studio apartment or a sprawling estate.
Your family and your guests with allergies will be happy you took the time to go through these steps: Air Filters Many allergens enter your home through your air vents; using clean air filters is one way to keep them out. Look for are high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which are specially designed to remove allergens from the air. Good filters are most important in your bedroom, which is where you spend the most time and often one of the worst rooms in terms of allergens. It’s also important to keep your home’s humidity at or below 50 percent to prevent mold from growing and spreading. Less Clutter, Less Dust If you were looking for a reason to go through the piles of junk that seem to spring up in your home, you’ve found it. The less stuff there is in your house, the fewer surfaces dust can gather. If you’re not sure where to start, focus on rags, clothes, and other porous items. Once you’ve cleared up space on the floor, make sure to dust and clean the space thoroughly — and try to avoid letting clutter pile up again. Bedding As we said, the bedroom is one of the worst places in your home when it comes to allergens. Keep them at bay by regularly washing your blankets and mattress pad and encasing pillows, mattresses and box springs in dust-mite-proof covers. Keep stuffed animals in your child’s room to a minimum, as they can be breeding grounds for dust, and commit to regularly washing any that they do have. If you have pets, you might want to consider keeping them out of your bedroom to prevent them from bringing hair and dander into the room where you spend most of your time. Spring is here, and that means it’s time to do a little spring cleaning! After a long winter cooped up inside, there’s nothing like opening the doors and windows with a clean home that’s ready for some fresh air and sunshine.
Even if snow is still falling in your neck of the woods, it’s time to spring ahead with these cleaning ideas. You can do these activities on your own, or grab your partner or some friends and make a day of it! Deep Cleaning When the weather starts to turn nice, you’d probably rather be anywhere than stuck inside cleaning, but chances are some part of your home definitely needs it. After all, a clean home is a happy home, right? Grab your cleaning supplies and tackle one or more problem areas, whether it’s the kitchen, the bathroom, or another room in your house. This work probably isn’t going to be easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it fun. Put on some of your favorite music and maybe even open up a bottle of your favorite adult beverage to drink while you work. If you are working with friends or a partner, take a few minutes to put a game plan together before you start cleaning so everyone knows who is doing what and there’s no miscommunication along the way. Decluttering Cleaning goes hand-in-hand with decluttering. Use the change of seasons as an opportunity to go through your stuff and separate things you really love from items that are just so-so. Anything that’s not in the “love” category can be sold, donated, or simply thrown away. Opt for selling, donating, or otherwise reusing things whenever possible. Something you no longer want might just make someone else’s day. This applies to your office, too, as you probably have old files and documents that can be shredded. Spring cleaning is a great activity to do with your significant other. Going through old closets or storage areas brings back memories of your relationship and allow you to reconnect over them. It’s also a good opportunity to get on the same page about what stays and what goes in your home. Tax time is upon us, and that can mean lots of stress for new and old homeowners alike. Even if you’ve been in your home for years, you might be making some common mistakes that could impact your taxes.
Here are some things to look out for as you prepare your 2017 taxes: Home Improvement Expenses Did you know that you can deduct home improvement expenses on your taxes? You can, as long as you itemize deductions and have records of what you did and when you did it. Store receipts and other documents in a dedicated place throughout the year so you don’t have to scramble to find everything when April 15th rolls around. If you haven’t been collecting receipts but want to utilize the deductions, make sure to start keeping track of things now so you’re ready for next year’s tax season. Property Taxes Most homeowners know that they can deduct their property taxes on their returns, but many report the wrong information when doing so because property taxes are paid a year behind your taxes in some places. Do you fall into this category? If you’re not sure, your local tax office should be able to tell you pretty quickly. Once you have the answer, double or triple check your return to make sure that you have the correct information before clicking “submit” to file. Home Office Deduction As work schedules become more flexible, more and more people are now able to take advantage of the home office tax deduction. Again, this is a great benefit as long as it’s done correctly. You can claim up to 300 square feet of your home office at $5 per square foot, for a maximum deduction of $1,500. However, this only applies to an officially sanctioned home office for your own business or at the discretion of your employer. Taking work home voluntarily on nights and weekends, while important to your company, will not get you any extra money back from Uncle Sam. Sometimes we remodel because we want to create a more pleasant home environment to live in. Other times, it’s all about the bottom line and getting the most bang for the buck when the house goes on the market.
If you find yourself in the latter situation where you are remodeling with the goal of reselling, there are a few things you can do to maximize your return on investment and make your home as appealing as possible to future buyers. Keep it Neutral Remodeling a kitchen or bathroom for resale is not the time to go crazy with paint colors, fixtures, or other design elements. You want to present the image that the house is a blank canvas that the new owners can make their own. Even though things like paint and fixtures are easy to change, you do not want to put the new owners through the hassle of having to do that right after moving in. You want to create a space they can live in for a while as they are determining what their design plan will be. Choose Looks Over Function This is one of the only times that you can prioritize the way something looks over the way it functions. If you have a limited budget, spend it on things that will make your home look as good as possible. For example, a shiny new oven or refrigerator will impress potential buyers much more so than a new water heater or dehumidifier. As long as those more mundane items are in good working order, leave them alone and focus your time and money on items that you know potential buyers will want to see. Add Space When it comes to a kitchen or bathroom, bigger is almost always better. If you have the opportunity to increase the size of these rooms without a major restructuring of your house, take it! What separates a major change from a minor one? Think knocking out walls vs. rearranging furniture or buying new pieces that serve a functional purpose and double as storage. Before you go embarking on a big change, consider if there are any smaller (and cheaper) steps you can take first. |
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August 2018
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