Thinker, my niece's cat, doesn't allowed to go outside. But when she's at school, once in a while, I let the cat out and kept my eyes open to ensure that she only played in the front yard.
The Weekend in Black and White
| |
Dec 24, 2011
8 Cheap and Easy Ways to Secure your Home
Home protection is something that we should all take seriously and should be willing to spend money on. It will cost you dearly in the long run if you do not make your home visibly and physically secure to burglars. Installing crimsafe in Brisbane is one of the best things that you could do to protect your house because it offers security with no repeated effort. A similar level of security can be achieved with the use of security shutters in Brisbane but this will require more commitment to checking that they are all locked when you leave the house each day. Whilst creating a high level of security for your windows is perhaps the most efficient use of security expenditure, there is much that you can do without breaking the bank:
1. Burglars are far less likely to attempt to rob a house which is occupied. No one wants to get caught right? Use timers on your TV, lights and radios to create the image that you are home, even when you aren’t.
2. Leave your curtains exactly how you normally would when you go away for a long period. Don’t half open curtains which you would normally open and don’t close curtains because it will be visibly strange. Just leave your curtains in the positions that you normally would so that it looks like you are still there.
3. Turn your phone and answering machine down. People casing your house will be more likely to enter if they hear repeated rings and no answer. An answering machine should never tell callers that you are on holiday or away for a long period. It is just asking for trouble if you state how long you are away from your home.
4. Get your mail and papers collected. A build-up of mail and newspapers will attract attention so get someone to pick it up each day on your behalf.
5. Hire a gardener if you are going away for a long period. An overgrown lawn is a sign of absence and will be noticed.
6. Use natural defences to deter burglars. Whilst it may not be legal to use razor wire as a deterrent, it is perfectly justifiable to plant roses under all of your first floor windows. By planting painful plants you will cause discomfort and most likely deter the burglar.
7. Don’t leave ladders lying around. Leaving a ladder in your garden is just stupid, and so is allowing trees to create access to your roof or windows. Be sure to trim trees regularly and keep all tools under lock and key.
8. Never leave a spare key somewhere near your house. Burglars have far more practice looking for spare keys than you do at hiding them. If you plan to leave a spare key somewhere make sure that it is with a friend or family member and is not labelled. It is far better to have to drive for 10 minutes to pick up your spare key than it is to come home to an unlocked door and an empty house.
/image:canstockphoto.com/
1. Burglars are far less likely to attempt to rob a house which is occupied. No one wants to get caught right? Use timers on your TV, lights and radios to create the image that you are home, even when you aren’t.
2. Leave your curtains exactly how you normally would when you go away for a long period. Don’t half open curtains which you would normally open and don’t close curtains because it will be visibly strange. Just leave your curtains in the positions that you normally would so that it looks like you are still there.
3. Turn your phone and answering machine down. People casing your house will be more likely to enter if they hear repeated rings and no answer. An answering machine should never tell callers that you are on holiday or away for a long period. It is just asking for trouble if you state how long you are away from your home.
4. Get your mail and papers collected. A build-up of mail and newspapers will attract attention so get someone to pick it up each day on your behalf.
5. Hire a gardener if you are going away for a long period. An overgrown lawn is a sign of absence and will be noticed.
6. Use natural defences to deter burglars. Whilst it may not be legal to use razor wire as a deterrent, it is perfectly justifiable to plant roses under all of your first floor windows. By planting painful plants you will cause discomfort and most likely deter the burglar.
7. Don’t leave ladders lying around. Leaving a ladder in your garden is just stupid, and so is allowing trees to create access to your roof or windows. Be sure to trim trees regularly and keep all tools under lock and key.
8. Never leave a spare key somewhere near your house. Burglars have far more practice looking for spare keys than you do at hiding them. If you plan to leave a spare key somewhere make sure that it is with a friend or family member and is not labelled. It is far better to have to drive for 10 minutes to pick up your spare key than it is to come home to an unlocked door and an empty house.
/image:canstockphoto.com/
Dec 23, 2011
5 Benefits of a Clean Bedroom
Remember when mum told you to clean your bedroom? As a kid, you probably didn’t care about the messy bed linen, the clothes all over the floor and the toys lying around. However, as adults, most of us develop a sense of cleanliness that we wouldn’t have believed as teenagers.If you’re having trouble convincing yourself (and your kids) to clean up your bedroom at least once in a while, here are five reasons why a clean bedroom is actually helpful for your mood and daily activities.
1. Less clutter means less stress
Let’s admit it: clutter is kind of stressful. In certain cases it denotes a cluttered, unfocused mind; most times it’s just because we don’t have time. But less clutter means less distractions and visual stress. Don’t you find the pile of things on your nightstand or the jumble of shoes in your closet a bit distressing? A sense of order in your environment will also promote a sense of order in your mind.
2. A clean bedroom is more appealing
2. A clean bedroom is more appealing
Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the day and let ourselves go to sleep calmly. Some of us even avoid our bedrooms because it’s not exactly relaxing and we’d rather sleep on the couch. But a clean bedroom will entice you to go spend some relaxing time there with a good book or with your partner.
3. A clean bedroom is easier to keep clean
If you always wait until you have a mountain of things to clean, it always seems worse and takes much, much longer. By cleaning regularly, not only do you reduce the time required to clean up, but you also reduce the stress related to cleaning. An empty (or near-empty) room is easier to vacuum or sweep than one that’s littered with things.
4. A clean bedroom helps with emotional stress
Why do people clutter their space? It’s usually a safety net—and hoarders are an extreme example of people whose emotions run over into their environments. By cleaning your room, not only are you ensuring a relaxing environment, but you’re also working through the negative emotions that push you to clutter. By getting rid of old objects or by putting them in order, we’re also ordering our hearts and our minds. It might feel distressing at first (ask any hoarder to get rid of their things and they’ll have a panic attack), but the relief after is extremely rewarding.
5. A clean bedroom makes everything easier to find
Some people argue that they find order in their clutter. But ask them to find something quickly, and they will fumble around forever. Having a clean room also means that you can find what you need quickly, which reduces the time that you spend looking for that white shirt or that special pair of shoes.
And while you’re cleaning your room, why not add a nice accent with some flowers or decorative cushions? Your now clutter-free room will enhance decorative touches much better than a room filled with useless things.
/image:clipartguide.com/
3. A clean bedroom is easier to keep clean
If you always wait until you have a mountain of things to clean, it always seems worse and takes much, much longer. By cleaning regularly, not only do you reduce the time required to clean up, but you also reduce the stress related to cleaning. An empty (or near-empty) room is easier to vacuum or sweep than one that’s littered with things.
4. A clean bedroom helps with emotional stress
Why do people clutter their space? It’s usually a safety net—and hoarders are an extreme example of people whose emotions run over into their environments. By cleaning your room, not only are you ensuring a relaxing environment, but you’re also working through the negative emotions that push you to clutter. By getting rid of old objects or by putting them in order, we’re also ordering our hearts and our minds. It might feel distressing at first (ask any hoarder to get rid of their things and they’ll have a panic attack), but the relief after is extremely rewarding.
5. A clean bedroom makes everything easier to find
Some people argue that they find order in their clutter. But ask them to find something quickly, and they will fumble around forever. Having a clean room also means that you can find what you need quickly, which reduces the time that you spend looking for that white shirt or that special pair of shoes.
And while you’re cleaning your room, why not add a nice accent with some flowers or decorative cushions? Your now clutter-free room will enhance decorative touches much better than a room filled with useless things.
/image:clipartguide.com/
Dec 20, 2011
How to Find the Perfect Holiday Home
Owning a holiday home is something that all Australian’s dream of. Despite living with the beach literally just down the road, over 8% of Australian’s own a holiday home in Australia and over 70% of these are at beachside locations. There are obvious attractions to owning a holiday home in a coastal area, but for most people it requires that they rent it out when they are not using it. This can be a difficult task which is both time consuming and even expensive. Renting Noosa accommodation each year will be far easier and more cost effective for most Australians, but if you’re brave enough Sunshine Coast real estate will both please and challenge you at every turn. This article will consider some of the practicalities of buying a holiday home.1. The potential costs
Whilst you save money on travel costs and the expense of hotels, there are many ongoing costs to a holiday home that can take a toll. General maintenance will fall to you, for example, and this will slowly absorb your wealth. Gardening, repainting and general fixes will be required throughout the year to keep the property looking good and all of this comes at a cost. You will also be expected to pay tax for the land you own but are not resident upon. The level of cost that this will incur depends largely on the state, but if you aim to rent the property when you are not using it you will certainly need to pay commission to a real estate agent for every customer.
2. Legal issues
When renting a property you will become liable for the condition it is in and what is offered. You will need property insurance as well as public liability insurance to cover you in case anything happens. In the worst case scenario you will rent the property for a period, only to have it trashed by the occupiers in the first week. If this happens you will be liable for compensating any customers who are then unable to stay in the property and will have to find alternative accommodation for them. It is of vital importance to make sure you are covered against any eventuality because otherwise some bad temporary tenants could cause you to lose far more than you can afford to.
3. Rental opportunities
When renting a holiday home it is very different from renting a property for a year or 6 months. Your customers will be arriving for a week only and they will want a single serving experience of a lifetime. They will expect new and clean appearing living conditions and they will want a dishwasher so that they do not need to wash up.
Holiday tenants want elements like outdoor entertaining areas with patio heaters. They are not worried about electricity cost for the week and they want to be able to enjoy every comfort. When furnishing the property consider things like the supply of matching tableware.
It is important to consider how many people the property can comfortably sleep. If you jam it full of beds then you can sleep more people but they will not be happy having to wait in a queue of 6 people to use the shower every morning. Consider what you can realistically offer and always try to be flexible in your rental offerings.
4. Advertising
Properties are no longer only advertised in travel agents, they are also online. There is a multitude of destinations and holiday homes everywhere so you really need to make your property stand out from the crowd. Make sure you take flattering pictures of the property as people will want to see what they are getting for their money. It is essential that the advert is both clear and honest because any discrepancies can be questioned later on by the customer if you do not fulfil the agreement.
Organising a Cost Saving Weekend Party at Your Home Itself
A question (this goes out to the gents and the ladies alike): what is the point of a weekend party? The answer – it’s for celebrating your oldest and best friendships before you get married. So why spend a fortune trying to live it up some place you have never been before (and which is normally full of hundreds of other stag do and hen parties, all acting up and spoiling the mood)? The best and cheapest weekend parties happen at home.Here are the advantages:
1: It’s your house, so you don’t have to spend any money on travel or accommodation. Even friends coming from out of town only have to find the cost of fuel or a train ticket.
2: You’re not tied to any itinerary other than the one you set for yourselves. You can get up when you like, eat when you like and drink what you like.
3: You can hang out with your oldest and best friends in a familiar environment, reminisce, let it all hang out – and then stagger up to bed without having to worry about getting lost!
So how do you arrange a good one? Bear in mind that even a party at home needs to be organised, to make sure that it is all going smoothly.
The first thing you need, of course, is food and drink. I’d advise starting the weekend with a Friday evening meal, something informal with a few drinks. The best kind of food for these occasions is stuff you can cook together and pick at, at will, without having to necessarily do a big sit down thing. Pizza, fajitas, curry, buffet food – all of these are good.
Keep Friday light, a few bottles of wine maybe and some music while you all catch up. Then arrange to meet back on the Saturday (if your house is too small to sleep everyone) or just wake up (if it’s big enough) when you want.
At this point you probably want to go out somewhere, unless you live in a mansion with plenty of entertainment possibilities. I’d suggest either taking a few things to the local park - a picnic lunch, some wine and beer, and maybe a Frisbee or a few board games), or going for a long walk. Depends where you live of course. You will know what the best things to do for a chilled Saturday afternoon are. If you can’t think of anything, find a nice pub or a good outdoor location and do a quiz. You can find plenty of questions online.
Saturday night is the main event. Your choice here is between eating in and staying in, or eating in and going out. I would recommend, again, buffet style food and plenty of wine and music – then you can all go out if you want to, or stay in and chat and party if you feel like it. If you do go out, make sure everyone knows how to get home and don’t let anyone go off on their own – this is your weekend for togetherness.
Sunday is all about a slow breakfast and seeing everyone off on their various ways home. If you’ve had a really good weekend (and you will have!) then the rest of the day is for you. Put your feet up, drink tea (or finish the wine!) and watch old movies on DVD. Come Monday, you’ll have had the best weekend party ever and won’t have broken the bank.
Appliances Your Home Can't Do Without
There are some appliances that you just can't do without in your home. Some are obvious, for example, you can't do without your Westinghouse fridge, and every household needs a washing machine. There are, however, other appliances that you shouldn't go without because they are just so fantastic and are real time savers. You may even need to call in the electrician to install extra power points to cope with your collection of new appliances.Fridge
Every household needs a fridge. In days gone past people would store food that need to be kept cold in the cellar or a cool room, but today we have the convenience of being able to have it right there in our kitchen, safely and hygienically stored in the fridge. When buying a fridge get the right size to suit your family and your lifestyle. If you live by yourself you will only need a smaller fridge, but if you entertain often you should buy something larger to accommodate all the food. If you have a larger family you will naturally need to store more food so buy a fridge that is going to hold everything comfortably.
Washing machine
Another appliance that households can't do without. It is something you realise how much you need when it breaks down. Going to do your washing at the laundry mat not only becomes expensive it is also inconvenient. You can buy either a top loader or front loader and they come in various sizes. A larger machine may use more water but if you have more clothes to wash because of a bigger family, invest in a bigger machine.
Dishwasher
Dishwashers are one of those appliances that really do make your life a whole lot easier. Doing dishes is time consuming and is usually the last thing you feel like doing at the end of a busy day. All you want to do is crash on the couch but instead you have to face up to an enormous pile of dirty dishes. Having a dishwasher will also help you keep your kitchen tidy. No more piles of dishes sitting on the bench waiting to be washed. You can stack the dishwasher during the day as you go.
Bread maker
A bread maker is a great appliance and is really easy to use. You can set the timer too so that it starts during the night and you will have fresh hot bread all ready as soon as you get up. The bread is better than store bought bread and you know it is always fresh.
Slow cooker
A slow cooker is a great appliance and will make your life a lot easier. All you have to do is throw the ingredients for your dinner into the cooker in the morning, turn it on and it will have your dinner perfectly cooked by dinner time. Easy.
Coffee machine
For lovers of coffee a coffee machine would be considered the most important appliance in the house. You will find that you save a lot on buying coffees on the way to work if you have already had your freshly brewed cup before you leave home.
/image:illustrationsof.com/
