How-to & Tips Archives

Remodeling Tips for Your Multipurpose Rooms

Today, it does not matter the place we are living in. Whether it is an apartment within one-bedroom in urban centers or a suburban home with a single-family, there is extra space. However, you do not need to incur many costs of upsizing for you to get that space.

Through creative remodeling and space planning, you can make you’re your multipurpose rooms to be stunning. Furthermore, remodeling your rooms to create multipurpose rooms may be a daunting task. However, using these tips can make your work easier and excellent.

Look for space upward

The vertical expansion will give you an extra space that you need for your multipurpose room. It would help if you had a small space designer, and he will do a fantastic job for you. Furthermore, the walls are in your room are a valued aspect of your home. In addition, they are not just a place where one can hang the pictures. They can be used for other significant roles.

Moreover, they can be used for hanging your folding chair, bicycle as well as hanging fold down table. Besides, the less space occupied by these items on the floor, the more you get square footage space that can be utilized for other roles. Accordingly, it can be for gusts entertainment, working from home, or even exercising area. However, if your wall space is strained, the back of your door’s space is an excellent alternative to serve the purpose you are looking for.

Utilize the considerable space hiding at the corners

Despite how small your room might be, there is always an incredible amount of space found in your home at the corners. What you need is to know where to find it. Many times, people tend to overlook and underuse corners at storage spots. Therefore, through the simple addition of a corner shelving unit or an L-shaped table, you can instantly convert the corner space into a reading nook. You only needy cozy chairs made with soft materials after placing a table. However, since the color possesses the power of inspiring instant happiness, make your reading nook at the corner, your happy place by using a punch shot of colors.

Besides using the corner space desk as a reading nook, it can be an ideal place for your home office. Furthermore, it will keep your items of work at arm’s length. The L-shape distinction table at the corner will create a sense of delineation hence providing a serene environment for reading and concentration.

Moreover, the corner space should not only be for shelves and desks. You can use such space to create a corner dining nook through the use of a banquette. This will instantly increase your kitchen size. The toys used by your children can as well be stored in the corner spaces.

Furthermore, you can make the corner of your multipurpose room to feel like separate space unto itself through painting the corner walls using colors that are touchy and different from the other parts of your room.

Style your multipurpose room

While there are many things and many ways of remodeling your multipurpose room, the feeling of homey should remain irrespective of the many functions it is being remodeled to serve. Besides, you wouldn’t want your bedroom to feel and appear like the office cubicle where you work in.

For your furniture to serve the double duty, ensure it can match your preferred style as well as décor within all the aspects of its configuration. Just choose contemporary design tables that suit almost all the environments. Therefore, they will never bring the feeling that they are out of place irrespective of the way they are being used. Besides, the contemporary design tables within your multipurpose room can transform into length, height and can be changed from a standard coffee table into a banquet table.

Furthermore, style your multipurpose rooms by playing with the colors and textures. Accordingly, this will help in creating a unifying theme within your rooms. Uniformity of the color palettes and your furniture style will make your multipurpose rooms change from the appearance of crowdedness to cohesiveness. Even when the wall colors are used for delineating a space from another, everything will appear spectacular.

Conclusion

With the growth of family members and the acquisition of new items, there is a need for more space in our homes. Therefore, use the above tips to remodel your rooms to create amazing multipurpose rooms.

6 Ways to Upgrade Your Kitchen Curtains

How-to & Tips

Whoever said your kitchen windows are drab as the curtains are nothing to write home about, need to sit up and pay attention as we are about to reveal 6 ways to upgrade kitchen curtains.

Kitchens are usually neglected when it comes to home decor as it’s seen as a utilitarian area that is in place to serve our feeding needs.

There is no doubt about it that kitchen window treatments can have a huge impact on how your space turns out. For the best effect, opt for resources that will express your preferences and lifestyle, such as colors, texture, and style.

Follow along as we discover 6 useful ways to upgrade this area of your home.

1. Drapes, Shades, and Curtains

Some of the best tools that will make an impact right away would be drapes, shades, and curtains, seeing that our eyes are drawn to light anyway. Have you considered adding a bit of color and experimenting with patterns, such as a classy print to spruce things up?

What you can do is settle on a grounding, neutral material or fabric that will give you a crisp, clean, and modern feel. All you need to do is search the web to find a way to bring your imagination to life.

Get this! Once you discover the fabrics and patterns you like, you can get to work by sewing your own curtains. It is the kind of prospect that sounds very exciting, especially if you are new to all of this. But, before you head out to shop for colors and fabrics, you need to ensure you take a good look at the best sewing machines for beginners, so you know that to look out for when buying the materials you need.

2. Modern Kitchen Window Treatments

There are numerous methods to upgrade your kitchen curtains and ensure this area gets the attention it deserves. Modern details and classic elements are just one of the ways to create a welcome balance that will enhance the color, style, and design of your kitchen window.

Always keep modern in mind as you play around with minimalist design ideas that tend to favor something starker and unusual that is also brought to life by bolder colors and unique materials.

To bring about the perfect accent, one should consider bolder colors and use natural fibers as these will complement the modern kitchen theme. Also, when used near your kitchen sink or stove, these would easily absorb any spatter.

It boils down to using the right materials to ensure it is much easier to maintain the incredible look of your kitchen and new kitchen curtains or other window treatments. An example of this is fabric draperies that are a breeze to launder.

Solar shades, shutters, and synthetic blinds are some alternatives to using kitchen curtains. These can just be wiped down with soapy water. However, maintenance can become a problem once you have to manage shutters and wooden blinds as you have to clean and condition them using a wood cleaner.

3. How Cool Colors Can Accentuate Your Kitchen Curtains

It is essential to have natural light in your kitchen area. Modern designs and the use of aesthetically pleasing designs for your kitchen curtains will liven things up. Particularly, if your kitchen is small. In this case, cooler and lighter colors will do their part in making this area of your home appear brighter and larger. On the other end of the scale, warmer and darker colors for your kitchen curtains will bring balance to an oversized kitchen and be more inviting.

Modern kitchen curtains need to sport straight lines. What comes to mind in this regard would be luxurious materials like micro-suede. One can also simplify matters with a monochromatic color palette. Have you thought of experimenting with draperies that feature grommets as these can slide open and provide balance to a traditional kitchen?

4. Contemporary Kitchen and the Use of Valances

These are very popular and can be found in most contemporary kitchens. What’s more, one can look forward to a variety of curtain styles. Valances were originally invented to cover the metal section of curtain rods as they were regarded as unsightly.

For the most part, these swathes of cloth ended up being used by themselves or to take its rightful place along regular curtains. Valances were merely looped over the kitchen curtain rods so it may hang down on either end.

Valances compliment kitchen curtains perfectly as can be seen in large varieties such as tiers, swags, and so on. It turns out to be among the best ways to make your kitchen look elaborate.

As long as you make a point of buying sturdy materials such as cotton and chintz you will be fine. Veer away from silk and lace materials, as these are highly flammable.

5. Large Kitchen Windows Kitchen Curtain Ideas

Large windows or kitchen windows that have odd shapes can be adorned using curtain panels that go right down to floor level. Now is your chance to play around with a range of patterns and colors to accentuate your French doors or large bay window.

While you’re at it, why not opt for fabrics that resemble eye-catching hues, featuring an array of tassels, trims, and fringes to ensure a well-polished finish? This way, you get to discover the decorative side of you.

6. Experiment with Kitchen Curtain Patterns

There is so much you can do to brighten up your kitchen such as making use of semi-see-through material for your kitchen curtains. It is up to you whether you want to settle for a blue and white striped swatch or another pattern that will be the perfect decor while ensuring there is plenty of light shining through to ensure an airy and open feel.

One can also dress up plain kitchen curtains by experimenting with shibori tie-dye. All you need to do is mix a bit of indigo dye in a large bucket. In utilizing shibori tie-dye, you would make use of various rubber bands together with wooden blocks to fold your curtain panels. Then, you would place the panels in the mixture you made and leave it for a while. Once you’re happy with the effect, simply remove your kitchen curtains and allow it to dry.

There you have it. You just discovered some handy ways to upgrade your kitchen curtains and adorn this area of your home.

Resources – Rural Living Today, HGTV

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7 Tips on Designing Your Reading Nook

How-to & Tips

If you’ve spent even five minutes on apps such as Pinterest or Instagram, you probably know just how gorgeous a reading nook can be. But having a designated reading area in your house has a load of psychological benefits as well. It offers you a place to read before you go to bed and helps immerse you into the latest fantasy novel you’ve meant to read.

But maybe you’d like a reading nook, but don’t know where to start or are a little tight on space. Well, don’t you worry, because our tips can help anyone create that reading nook they’ve been dreaming of!

Keep it soft.

Remember, you’re not going to be sitting here for five minutes, but hopefully for many comfortable and creative hours. So you want to make sure your reading nook is as soft and comfortable as it can be. A deep armchair you can just sink into is a perfect first step to creating a reading nook. Alternatively, you can get a hanging wicker chair (if space permits it) or a comfy chair that you then cover in cozy blankets and pillows.

Tip: Focus on comfort rather than aesthetics!

Make sure you have plenty of light.

You’ll want as much light as you can get. And since natural light can improve mood, many people prefer a window seat for their reading area; they set up their chairs by the window.

If you can, include a bookshelf.

It doesn’t have to be big, and if you’re tight on space, it might just be a few paperbacks stacked by your reading nook. Having books around you (no wonder) encourages you to get in the reading zone. It’s also great to have your favorite stories on hand, just in case you suddenly want to reread a favorite passage or even if you get bored with your current read!

Doesn’t a bookshelf scream reading space?

Having a table nearby is more important than you think.

It doesn’t even have to be a big one, just a small side table, to set your steaming hot coffee mug on. Or maybe you’re treating yourself to a box of chocolates while you read. In any case, you don’t want to put these things on the floor.

A side table is also convenient if you want to include a lamp for some evening reading in your nook.

Give your nook some privacy.

Ideally, set up your reading area in the corner of the room or on a closed balcony, if you have one. If you share the house with someone else, a significant other, roommate, or kids, you don’t want them milling about you while you try to get to the end of your novel, do you?

Embrace the power of plants.

It’s no secret that a pot plant or two can lift our spirits while also having this great, relaxing effect. This is why you should consider adding some plants in your reading area to enhance the pleasurable feeling.

Let the Internet inspire you…

… but don’t forget to make it your own. It can be tempting to replicate that awesome design you saw on Pinterest. But at the end of the day, it’s not you. What you want in a reading nook is the freedom to be yourself, because that’s the best way to immerse yourself in a story truthfully. So copying some online design piece by piece can work against you. Don’t be afraid to put your unique print on it.

Photo by Andriyko Podilnyk on Unsplash

Why You Should Love Soft and Soothing Color at Home

How-to & Tips

It stands to reason that when you’re decorating your home, you should put some serious time into thinking it through. After all, the environment hugely affects your productivity, the quality of your sleep, and overall mental well-being.

And one of the most important (yet often overlooked) details about decorating your home is the color!

A soft pastel color will calm you down after a long day.

Chances are that when you come home from work, you’re tired, and seeing a bright, screaming color jump out at you is the last thing you want. Bright colors are agitating and only tend to heighten the stress you’ve accumulated during the day.

Soft pastel walls work with pretty much any aesthetic.

Sure, that can also be said about white walls, but for many, white walls are simply too bland. The great thing about using a pastel wall color is that it can actually complement your furniture and the room’s décor if used right. For example, if your furniture in the kitchen tends toward a light yellow palette, then a similar wall color can really complete the room’s look.

With bright colors, it’s much harder to find a balance between the wall and the furniture, and even one tiny piece can ruin the entire room. Pastel rooms are much more difficult to ruin.

Soft colors also offer great versatility.

While sometimes it can be fun to have your walls matching your furniture, with soft colors, you don’t have to. See, pastels tend to be very versatile and allow you to play around with contrasts a lot. By their very nature, contrasts tend to be quite jarring, and when done with bright, bold colors, they can actually be quite tiring on the eye.

A pastel contrast creates an interesting opposition, without making you feel like the wall might jump out at you.

Pastel makes you happy.

This is true, regardless of what your favorite color might be. You might prefer bright green or even black, but the fact remains soft pastels will boost your mood. Why? Because pastels aren’t in your face. They’re not bombastic, but rather shy, in the background. Besides, light pastel colors suggest happiness and well-being. No one associates light pink or baby blue with sadness, which is excellent news for you.

Many pastels can offer that warmth that brighter colors usually have, without being overbearing (which often has the opposite effect on your mood).

So what’s the right color for you?

You might have noticed we didn’t at all focus on naming any actual pastels in this article and for a good reason. Rather than telling you what pastel color is the best, we showed you some of the main benefits of soft colors. That’s because the decision in which color is the best is a highly subjective one.

So we won’t tell you which is ‘better’, but we will tell you what they’re most commonly associated with. Keep in mind that we’re talking about the soft, pastel versions of these colors!

· Blue is a very soothing color, much like looking at the sea;

· Pink is also very peaceful and believed to balance out the energies in your room;

· Green is a calming shade that promotes rest and is reminiscent of the tranquility of nature;

· Yellow is optimistic and offers you a gentle energy boost;

· Purple forms an exciting mix of calm and excitement;

· Beige is an earthly shade that also nourishes the soul and promotes inner peace.

Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash

How to Set Up Your Home Office

How-to & Tips

We’re living in a time when working from home has become a much-coveted possibility. More and more people are struggling with the restrictions (which are pretty similar in any country across the globe) and trying to find ways to earn from home.

But working from home can be quite difficult. It’s not an environment you’re used to working in and there are plenty of distractions available, either wanted or unwanted. Because let’s face it, who can resist the temptation of getting up in the middle of work and going to the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee? How about wondering to the window to see what’s happening? Distractions that would’ve been easily avoided at the office are now taking up valuable time.

Another big issue with working from home, particularly in these difficult times, is that the whole family is there. Your spouse, your kids, your pets. Chances are there’s always talking going on somewhere in the background, or your kids want something or your dog’s barking. All these details make concentrating impossible.

This is why we’ve come up with a quick and efficient guide to setting up your home office so that you can actually get some work done:

If at all possible, get the room to yourself.

Even if in reality, it’s just your bedroom or your kitchen and not an office per se, it’s important that you isolate yourself in that room, if you can. You need space and silence to concentrate and having other people there is bound to create distractions, ‘cause you can’t really ask your wife or your kids to sit silently, without moving for a few hours, right?

Also, it’s important to clearly define your working space from your ‘personal’ space. For example, if you work off the sofa, it might feel weird at night sitting there watching TV, as your brain will come to associate it with work.

Try to sit as close to the window as possible.

It might seem counterproductive, as what’s happening outside might distract you, but it’s vitally important that you get adequate light. Cool daylight has actually been proven to boost productivity and keep you more alert. Light also helps with your mental well-being. People tend to be happier in the sunlight, than in darkness, so make sure you consider that when setting up your office.

Invest in an office chair.

While a kitchen chair is alright if you’re only working at home for a day or two, you’ll need to invest in something more comfortable if you’re going to work long-term. You’ll be spending a good deal of time here, so make sure you get an ergonomic, back-supporting chair for your work.

Create as clean an environment as possible.

Things like pictures or crazy wall décor can distract you from your work, so ideally your home office needs to have a uniform color and be as clear as possible. The clearer the space, the clearer the mind, and the easier it will be for you to get your work done.

Set up your office as close to the Internet router as possible.

You don’t want to spend hours waiting for the network to load, do you? Aside from wasting time, this also proves really irritating and can put you in a bad mood, which of course will mean less productivity.

An organized office is a good office.

Invest in a file cabinet or a chest of drawers that goes right beside or underneath the desk. Once again, clutter is distracting and counter-productive, as you will waste valuable minutes looking for the stapler or a certain file.

Don’t forget to take breaks.

We know we said that wondering off every two minutes can be counter-productive, but it’s important that you allow your eyes and your brain to rest every couple of hours or so. Get up and go for a walk around the house. Fix yourself something to eat. Stretch a little.

Bonus Tip: Take into account any other equipment you might need, such as a printer, for example.

Working from home can be a wonderful experience, provided you set up an efficient and comfortable office for yourself. And with our quick and easy guide, that should be a piece of cake.

Photo by Norbert Levajsics on Unsplash

9 Tips on How to Attract Positive Energy at Home

How-to & Tips

Have you ever tried to examine different areas of your home and noticed which parts do not line up? These areas devoid the energy and eventually affect your mood. So, what are the best way to attract positive vibes into your home? Here are some simple and easy and inexpensive methods to attract positivity into your home.

1. Unclutter your space.

Very simple, yet get ignored. One thing that can cause you low energy is the clutter in your life because it represents confusion. Keeping those stuff that you do not use anymore takes a lot of space in your home. Discard everything that you no longer need like old clothes, broken appliances, books, CDs.

2. Tidy up your home now and then.

Keeping your home tidy and clean takes a little effort. Make your bed as soon as you wake up can make a big difference. And make sure to place everything back where it should belong.

3. Avoid heavy furniture.

Dark bulky furniture makes your home dull. Choose the furniture that doesn’t cover much space. The same goes for the curtains. Heavy curtains block natural light, making the room dark; hang on some airy curtains.

4. Natural lights and air.

Combine these two, and you will benefit from having good energy. Everyone knows the sun for the warmth and light that it gives us. And that is enough to recognize it as a valuable energy source. So as opening the windows is a simple way to circulate the air and reduce the amount of toxins inside.

5. Add plants.

Add some air purifying plants is also a good idea. Place them in different areas, including your living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and even at the front door, as it provides a fresh and lively atmosphere.

6. Essential oils.

Essential oils will promote energy, relax the body and mind, and enhance the mood. You can also use essential oils as decors and fresheners. Some of the best-sold scents are jasmine, lavender, cinnamon, and peppermint.

7. Set your favorite music.

Tidying and cleaning the house can be boring for many of us. Tune in your favorite music to make the house chore easy and enjoyable for you. In contrast, some types of music can provide significant energy in the right environment.

8. Healthy relationship.

If you are living with your family, it is essential to maintain a healthy relationship with them. The family members should feel comfortable with each other. Remember, positive thoughts, positive emotions, and a peaceful atmosphere attract positive energy.

9. Pets.

Adopting your favorite pets and caring for other creatures brings in some beautiful vibes. It could be a dog, a cat, or a bird. Try setting up a small aquarium, add a couple of fish and sit in front of them whenever you feel tired.

Conclusion

Your home will change for the better, and visitors will sense the change as well. Be familiar with certain areas of your home. You will then be able to apply this to other areas of your life, including your relationships with family members and friends.

Photo by Amit Gupta on Unsplash

Keep Your Home Clean: How to Prevent Infection at Home

How-to & Tips

The repercussions of an unhealthy, unsanitary kitchen seem to be universally known. When eating out for dinner, most of us care (at least a little, if not a lot) about the cleanliness of where our food comes from that night. We inspect meals and double-wipe silverware. We feel uncomfortable if our cashier or server has a noticeable cough or cold, and we stay on the lookout for bugs. A single fly buzzing around an indoor eatery can be enough to send up red flags—all of these gut instincts are for good reason, as the kitchen’s potential for contamination and infection spread is exceptional.

Not only do some raw and contaminated foods present a significant grouping of bacteria, viruses, and parasites if not handled and cooked properly, there is also the important issue of human contact working against kitchen cleanliness. These threats together make sanitizing the kitchen to prevent contamination and infection crucial, even at home. Illness can be caused and spread within any kitchen, and residential kitchens are just as affected by touching, sneezing, improper food handling, and germ spreading like any other.

Keeping ourselves and our home-families safe and healthy relies on our food safety habits and a regular effort towards both cleaning and disinfecting.

When it comes to food, there are many potential sources of contamination. Foodborne illness can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, nausea, fever, fatigue, dehydration, gas, headaches—and that’s just to name a few of the unpleasant options. Mishandling of food can also spread inter-household illnesses from one person to another, which may have their own unique and terrifying symptoms.

E.coli, the most serious of the bacteria that can be contracted from raw fish, chicken, and other meats such as ground beef, is the top cause of foodborne illness. Bacteria, such as salmonella, can come from chicken, turkey, and other poultry. Seafood presents its own bacteria as well, along with potential hepatitis A contamination. Fruits and vegetables are also at risk, with E.coli also often presenting in cases of tainted lettuce. Regardless of whether the source is carnivorous, vegetarian, or even vegan and organic, all foods need to be washed, handled and prepared properly to eliminate the risk of spreading these illnesses.

Being clean is at the top of the contamination prevention list. It is critical to wash our hands before and after we touch food, as well as after dealing with germ-ridden tasks like using the bathroom or helping someone in need with using the bathroom, playing with and touching pets and their toys, taking care of sick people, and any of your own coughing, sneezing, or nose or eye touching. Use plain soap, warm water, and count for at least 20 seconds while scrubbing all over the front and back of hands in between fingers and around fingernails.

You can use hot, soapy water to clean cooking prep surfaces, paying special attention to those areas that come into contact with raw meats, poultry, and seafood, along with any raw egg. If you use non-disposable rags or towels for cleaning, do not forget that they, too, can become a source for bacteria. After using them to thoroughly clean, be sure that they get their own hot water cycle through the washing machine.

Note that cleaning is not the same as disinfecting, both of which are important when it comes to maintaining our kitchen’s tools and surfaces. This maintenance is the other key element to health and safety, beyond food handling. Some bacteria may be cleaned up, along with residual cooking grease and debris, but disinfecting is what will truly eliminate bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

Disinfecting is the “sanitization” part of the process. Once your kitchen looks clean (surfaces are wiped, items are put away, and the floor is clean), some items may also need to be disinfected with a disinfecting spray, wipe, or home solution. Items to consider disinfecting include: can openers, countertops, floors, sink drains and basins, any handles and buttons on the microwave and refrigerator, and cutting boards.

With cutting boards and wherever else possible, try to keep meats separate from your fruits and veggies. While cooking, never use a utensil that has touched raw meat on anything else. Be sure that the cleaners you select for any purpose are appropriate and non-damaging to the material they will be applied to. The wrong cleaner might cause damage to the surface, actually creating greater potential for bacteria to deposit there.

When it comes to dealing with dishes in general, keep in mind that sponges and towels can become thriving grounds for lots of bacteria and germs, so it is a good idea to keep potential sources of contamination and infection separate, even in the washing process. Overusing sponges and towels without cleaning them will reduce the effectiveness of dishwashing, as well. In fact, using a dish towel to dry clean dishes has been proven to be the least effective way to maintain sanitization.

Thankfully, there is no advantage or disadvantage to household size when it comes to contamination and infection, so long as safety precautions are taken. A two-person household is equally at risk for foodborne and person-to-person illness contraction as a six-person household if they are not cleaning and disinfecting regularly. Obviously, it is much more difficult for a single person to be in charge of this responsibility. However, with increased household size, so be sure to get everyone involved!

Create a sanitization station with easy access to alcohol-based hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. Ask kids to sanitize their hands (or, if possible, wash with plain soap and warm water) when entering and leaving the kitchen space. If they eat or work on a craft, have them use a wipe to clean the area they utilized, and teach about germ prevention and proper handwashing. Utilize disinfecting sprays and keep tissues on-hand during cold and flu seasons, as the kitchen is typically a very high-traffic area, perfect for passing these germs around.

When handling raw meats, cleaning, and disinfecting, be aware of your surroundings; sprays and spills often go a lot farther than we imagine, and no one wants to bite into the skin of an apple and taste glass cleaner. To ensure a deep, sanitary clean without any collateral damage, remove any food, silverware, plates, and other materials out of the potential line of fire while cleaning and replace them when surfaces are dry.

With these tips, you can enjoy a happy, safe, and sanitary kitchen, year-round!

5 Tips for an Awesome Backyard Birthday Party

How-to & Tips

Having a backyard birthday party for your child is one of the delights of childhood. You can fill them full of sugars and cakes and then make sure they jump it out in a bouncy house. However, before you get the rental or even begin looking for what kind of bouncy castle you’d like, you have to think of a few things. First, consider how many people will be present. Second, consider how much space can you spare in your yard. Thirdly, what is the theme of the birthday party? Fourth, how can you protect your yard? And, finally, will you have a wet or dry party (depending on the season, it can make your choice either)?

After you begin to think about these things, the next step will be renting a bouncy castle of your child’s dreams. Make sure to think about decorations and how long it will take to set up your bouncy castle—an average-sized castle takes about 10 to 30 minutes to blow up completely.

1. Safety first.

As with everything, safety should always be first. Make sure when you are blowing up the bouncy castle, you notice the safety instructions posted to one side of the unit. Reading them will help you let other parents and the children know what they can and cannot do.

Remember always to put the bouncy castle on flat ground, if you don’t have room in your back garden, see if the size will fit on your front grass.

If you have any questions or would like more instruction asking the attendant who drops off the castle should be able to give you verbal cautions as well.

2. Protect your yard.

It turns out that bouncy houses won’t ruin your yard unless you do a few things like, add a tarp down before you blow up the castle. The material a bouncy castle is made from is light-weight and usually light in color to repeal heat as much as possible.

It is the sun that damages your yard. Adding a tarp under your bouncy house will usually absorb the sun and heat due to its dark color. Once it does that, your grass begins to suffer, mainly because most children’s parties are thrown between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., which are peak sun times.

3. How much space can you spare?

Knowing how large your yard is and how much space you’d like to use up will help determine what size bouncy castle to get for your back-garden. Measuring the yard will be helpful, but you won’t want the house to take up too much room in case the guests would like to sit or walk around somewhere that isn’t bouncy.

Bigger-sized bouncy castles will cost more, so if a budget is set in your mind to make sure to research price as well as size.

4. Facts and Figures.

Wattage: small to big bouncy play areas can use from 863 watts to 1,600 watts. Most of the standard outdoor outlets can hold this amount of electricity. If you are worried about some form of outage due to electricity use, purchasing a small generator can eliminate the fear.

Surfaces: bouncy units can be added to grass, concrete, and wood chips. While it is recommended that the bouncy house be put on grass, any flat surface can work. When the house is set up on a hard surface, add a soft cover around the perimeter of the bouncy house. They should not be used during rain or when winds have reached twenty mph (or higher). If you want to use the house indoors, make sure there are at least two to three feet of space between the top of the house and the ceiling of the room. Lastly, each bouncy house you set up should have a soft surface at the entrance and exit. Sandbags will anchor your house correctly when setting it up indoors or on a hard surface.

Overinflation: happily, you cannot over-inflate a bouncy house. The way that all bouncy houses are made provides the unique set up where centrifugal blowers allow air to not over-inflate. Bounce houses are also not sealed 100%, and air passes through the seams.

Deflation: just as with the inflation, it depends on the size of your bounce house as to how long it will take to deflate. The bouncy house sizes do have an average of ten minutes to deflate. If your bounce house does not have a zipper, deflation time may take longer and even require manual help when flattening the house.

Weight Limits: all bouncy houses have a weight limit. Checking the safety sticker on your bouncy house or asking the rental company will help you decipher what the weight limit is and what size bouncy house to get.

5. Themes.

The theme may not be an essential part of the party, but it is up there on the list. Having a theme for a child’s birthday is all the rage, and when you go to rent a bouncy castle, you will see that there is no shortage of houses to match any theme your child can think of. Aliens, pirates, and popular cartoon characters are big sellers, and if you want one of the popular cartoon characters to make sure to rent the house in plenty of time in advance.

If you find that the theme you are looking for is out of stock on your chosen day, remember that any house will do. Most of the time, kids are only looking to jump on the inside and will only pay attention to what the outside looks like if they are pointed to it.

Lastly, if the season permits it, you can get water slides or bouncy pools as well. These will come with other forms of safety hazards, so make sure everyone at your party knows the rules. They will also be great for a mermaid or a pirate-themed party.

Keeping Your Child’s Room Clean and Safe

How-to & Tips

Do you have kids between the age of 2 and 12? Are you concerned about how messy and untidy their rooms might be? Are you finding it challenging to clean their rooms? If the answers to any of the questions are yes, reading this article till the end is very important. It is an undisputed fact that kids are naturally overactive. They care less about picking up things themselves or keeping their room tidy. However, regardless of the self-discipline stage, your kids are, cleaning and organizing the bedroom is one of the things you might have to do yourself.

The next set of questions you might begin to ask yourself include: where do I start the cleaning from? How should I organize the toys and clothes? How can I ensure the room is safe? There is no need to worry about the answer to those questions. This article will explain in detail how to keep your kid’s room clean and safe.

The importance of maintaining a clean and safe room is invaluable because the kids prefer to spend most of their time using their hands and knee while playing. This means they must always touch clean things. This is why it is not just about keeping the room clean; it is crucial to keep the room safe.

The first stage of room cleaning is to tidy up.

Kids generally put most things away and become lazy to return it to their perfect position. The first thing you need to do is to pick up everything that has been scattered around before you start cleaning, ensure you put everything back to their usual place. Keep their toys and other objects away too to avoid trip over.

Make use of eco-friendly cleaners.

Remember, you are cleaning the kids’ room, and they spend most of their time playing with their hands and knees. This is why you need to minimize the number of chemicals you will expose them to. After you have chosen chemical-free toys for them, ensure the cleaning product you are using is environmentally friendly and child safe. The alternative method: make use of natural homemade cleaners that will work correctly in cleaning the kid’s room.

Use the antibacterial spray in cleaning the furniture.

There is a funny connection between kids’ hand and their mouths. They also like putting anything that gets to their hands (including their toys) in their mouth. Instead of making use of cloth and ordinary water to get rid of dust when wiping the furniture, you should use an antibacterial spray to sanitize every surface in the room. The bedside table, the bed frames, the doorknobs and study desk as well as other items that draw their attention quickly and are frequently touched.

Vacuum the floor and mop, clean the wall and upholstery.

The typical routine is to vacuum the floor and mop. After vacuuming the floor, most people tend to neglect the part of cleaning the walls and upholstery (it is a must to do this to keep the room safe and clean). The reason why cleaning the walls and upholstery is essential is because dust collects on their surface. Dust can trigger asthmatic attacks or allergies in children. If you have a vacuum with the right attachment head, use it to clean the corners of the room, the curtains, the walls, and upholstery.

It is best advised to clean when the kids are not around.

The best time to tidy up the kids’ bedroom is when they are in school or when they are not around. This is because you will be able to do more, even at a faster pace. However, it is also essential that you teach your kids how to organize and clean their rooms themselves. You can supervise them while they do it on weekends.

Tip to keep the room tidy:

Create a play area for the kids
Keep the necessary cleaning tools in the room so the kids can clean themselves too
Create a temporary storage area using a trunk

To arrange their toys and shoes

Keep their toys under their bed or in a locker
Create a shelve for stuffed toys
Hang shoes neatly

Photo by Katie Emslie on Unsplash