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What would we do without a washing machine? Most people have grown so accustomed to walking into a laundry room and throwing in a load of laundry that they do not even think much about it until something breaks. The very thought of having to load up the laundry and head to the nearest laundromat is dreadful. Therefore, to keep your washing machine running like a charm so you can count on them working, some simple things can be done.

Once a month, close and then reopen the water faucets for the washing machine. This is especially important if your water is hard, as it will help reduce or eliminate build up that can cause the faucet or hose to leak. Additionally, you should look to see if the hoses have any bubbles or cracks. Read more »

What did we do before the microwave oven? Have you ever stopped to think just how much time you save each day by this one appliance alone? If you used to heat baby bottles or warm up pizza before the invention of microwaves, you know! Although microwaves are used primarily for heating and reheating, as well as thawing out foods, the microwaves on the market today are capable of so much more.

Another nice aspect of the microwave oven, especially during the summertime is that they produce no heat. That means you can cook a meal for your family and not sweat in the kitchen as you cook. Microwaves are convenient, affordable, and designed with multiple features to enjoy. Read more »

On a hot summer day, there is nothing better than a nice, cold glass of brewed ice tea. Buying a refrigerator with a built in icemaker is expensive. While convenient, you can expect to pay a pretty penny. If you want, why not consider installing one in your good old-fashioned refrigerator. Having an icemaker installed will save you unnecessary trips to the store at the last minute to have ice for your dinner guests. Besides, having your own icemaker will actually save you money in the end.

The great part about installing an icemaker is that you can do it yourself without the need to hire someone especially for the job. In fact, do not think that just because your refrigerator is a 1981 model that there is no help because you can find an icemaker for installation even for older models. Additionally, icemakers are not expensive, usually ranging from $100 to $200. Since the price can vary from one place to another, shop for the best bargain. Besides the icemaker, you also need to purchase the water line kit, which includes the line, shut-off valve, and other miscellaneous parts. Read more »

Having an extra freezer is a wonderful option for many families, especially large families. With the additional space, you can cook more food ahead of time and simply store it. An extra freezer also provides the solution when you find great bargains on frozen food items or for people that enjoy hunting or buying sides of beef to last an entire year. However, with all the benefits of owning a freezer, things can and do go wrong. When this happens, knowing what to do can be the difference in saving or losing all your food.

First, if you know a time when your electricity will be turned off, you can prepare. For instance, if you have remodeling or if something else is being worked on in your home, then the best thing is to turn your freezer to about minus 10 degrees. This way, the food will freeze harder, thus lasting longer. Now keep in mind that you do not want to freeze your food to this level all the time but you can do it for this type of situation. Read more »

If you want to give your kitchen a fresh, new look, changing out the flooring can make a huge difference. The great thing about changing flooring is that you can replace it at any time. In other words, it can be a stand-alone project or something you do as a part of changing the entire kitchen. Regardless, your kitchen will look amazing and the value of your home will benefit.

In most cases, a new floor can be placed over an old floor as long as the sub-flooring is in good condition. Just keep in mind that if the flooring will be connecting to other rooms, there would be issues with imbalance. Therefore, while this is an option, the better choice would be to tear out the old floor and have new flooring installed, especially if the new floor is hardwood. Read more »

One of the latest fads going today, and for good reason, is to save on furniture by taking advantage of thrift store finds, estate sales, garage sales, and hand-me-downs. Without doubt, new couches, love seats, and chairs can be quite expensive. The wonderful thing about using older furniture is that many times, the furniture is made better and the architectural design is more interesting and strong.

To create a fresh new look on used furniture, you can use slipcovers. It used to be that a slipcover was nothing more than a bedspread type piece of fabric that was simply thrown over the couch, tucked in, and that was it. Today, there are some incredibly creative slipcovers. In fact, some of them are so amazing that you can hardly believe they are slipcovers at all. Take Sure Fit for example, they are the leader when it comes to the design and functionality of slipcovers. The one drawback is that unless you find them on sale, some of the designed slipcovers can be costly. In fact, many of them cost more than the used piece of furniture. Therefore, while this is certainly a good option, you might consider other options as well. Read more »

Changing the look of a bedroom is a fun and easy project to do. With so many possibilities, you can completely change the look as often as you like. One option that is probably the most popular and creates the most dramatic results is using fabric. Unfortunately, too often when people are changing a bedroom, they think of paint, wallpaper, and even new furniture but often overlook fabric, which can make an incredible difference. By using a variety of fabric textures, patterns, and colors, your bedroom will have a brand new look.

Before you choose your paint or anything else for your new bedroom, pick out your fabric. The following guidelines will give you an idea of which fabrics to choose for creating a specific look although you can do whatever you like: Read more »

If you want to enhance your bedroom, an excellent way to change its appearance and work within most budgets is to work with pillows or a canopy. You can use a few simple pillows with a pop of color, muted toned pillows for a more subdued look, or go over the top with lots of pillows of various colors and textures. If you want a clean and chic look, try stacking pillows vertically, graduating the sizes. For example, place the larger pillows in the back and then top those with smaller pillows. Finally, in front of the smaller pillows, you can place a neck roll for a great look. Then, to add interest, choose pillows of various colors, textures, and embellishments. You might consider mixing checks with strips and floral designs as well. Read more »

As your child grows from being a baby to being old enough to leave home, they will go through numerous changes. One of those changes has to do with their bedroom. Once your kid is moved into a regular bed, you should start planning for the first change. You want your kid’s room to be fun, energetic, and a place they will enjoy being.

If you have a one-year-old, you want a room that is a little more mature than that of a baby’s room but not quite too mature. Using a color scheme that is bright and offers a nice variety will keep your kid’s interest best. Perfect colors choices include bright blues, greens, reds, yellows, oranges, and pinks. Rather than using an oversized comforter, make the bed soft, cozy, and fun. To achieve this, many vintage bedspreads are a perfect option. Although the themed comforters are cute, your child will quickly outgrow it. For this reason, a simple bedspread that is accented with colorful pillows will last longer. Read more »

Many families around the country have discovered the benefits that come along with using a dehumidifier, especially those living in regions with high levels of humidity. When shopping for a humidifier, be sure you buy one that has an Energy Star raging. This means they will perform the same but you will enjoy a nice annual savings. In fact, over five to ten years, the savings is enough to pay the cost of the humidifier.

The Energy Star units are designed with top efficiency compressors, fans, and refrigeration coils. Additionally, they will remove the same amount of moisture from the air as the standard models while saving you up to 25%! In addition to the Energy Star rating, you should also consider features such as capacity, placement, operating temperature, water removal options, and relative humidity (RH) and humidistat. Read more »