Did you have a good month? We seem to have packed an entire summer’s worth of activities in this past month. Now, it seems, it is back to school and time to get ready for autumn. Still, it is nice to look back toward warm sands and wearing shorts even as we will soon be crunching leaves and taking out the sweaters.
August 1st
With summer in full swing, chances are that your family has been playing outdoors quite a bit. And with all of that outdoor play comes the grass stains, especially if you are running around on a fresh-cut lawn. You might be tempted to try every laundry detergent in the book or just give up and throw the garments away. But there is an easier solution to banning those grass stains. And the best news yet is that you probably already have everything you need to get those stains out for good!
August 2nd
Smart Solutions for Non Recyclables
We know that we are doing well for the environment when our recycling is much larger than our garbage. Recycling to reduce the amount of trash you leave behind on the planet is a wonderful thing. But what do you do with all of those things that can’t be recycled, such as electronic equipment or plastics that aren’t collected in your area? Here are some tips.
August 3rd
Getting Out Stubborn Ink Stains
In my house, I have to hide all of the pens. This is because if I don’t, my two-year-old tends to create ink drawings all over himself and occasionally on a casual tan couch that we have in the play area. That isn’t all. Once school starts, my oldest son is bound to come home with stray pen marks on his clothes. it is just inevitable (sigh). Fortunately, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for getting out the stains.
August 4th
Home Week in Review: July 28th Through August 3rd
What makes a house a home? Is it the little decorating touches, the noises of little feet stomping down the stairs in the morning or the feeling that when you enter your home you’ve left the world behind? However you define your home, you’ll find lots of ways in the Home Blog to personalize it and keep it cozy and safe. Here is a review of last week’s articles.
August 5th
Prepared for Summer Adventures
It was a beautiful day yesterday, just right for some sort of outdoor adventure with the kids. We decided to head over to the park for a spontaneous playdate. But how many times do we just run out the door without something that we know we’ll need later, such as a change of clothes, or sunscreen or a snack? Kids come with requirements for stuff, no matter if you are taking a trip down the shore or just to the local park.
August 6th
Ceiling fans can keep you cool in winter and warm in summer. They can work alone or in conjunction with your regular cooling and heating systems, depending on the temperature and your needs. But choosing a ceiling fan isn’t just a matter of picking a style that you like and then installing it. There are some different things to consider. Keep reading to find out what you should know before you choose a ceiling fan.
August 8th
Host a Summer Olympics Party at Home
There may still be time to host a gathering together of friends for the Summer Olympics opening ceremony, which takes place tonight. No friends available? You can have a private little party with just the kids. Or, choose an upcoming weekend to host a real olympic-sized blow out. Keep reading for some tips to help you host a Summer Olympics party. We have ideas for invitations, favors and decoration.
August 9th
In our yard there have been all sorts of little houses springing up. Just talk a walk around our property, and you just might spot a few.
August 10th
Hail in August and Our New Walk
If I wanted a good excuse as any for stopping a home improvement project, I might choose something such as running out of materials or the occurrence of a warm summer rain. Maybe a minor family emergency or the need to watch the Summer Olympics could be a good reason to put things off for another weekend. I would never thought that marble-sized chunks of ice falling from the sky in might put an end to our summer project.
August 11th
Home Week in Review: August 4th Through August 10th
From summer adventures to falling hail in August, it has certainly been a busy week for us at home. Did you miss anything? Catch up on all of this past week’s Home Blog articles right here!
August 12th
This weekend we took on the project of repairing our front walk. It was made up of 18-inch square flagstone that acted as stepping stones from the long driveway to the front porch of the house. It traveld straight for most of the walk and then turned in to the left to the house.
August 13th
Simple Solutions for a Nondescript Room
You can give your room a bit of personality without being bold or brash or a design star. Just a little fabric switch or moving a new piece into a room can change the attitude of the room and give it a new look without the need for a major makeover. Here are some simple solutions that will help you make your nondescript room more inviting.
August 14th
In an earlier post, Putting in a New Front Walk, I talked about starting our new project of replacing the problem walk. Unfortunately the weekend project turned into a week-long project due to a need for additional supplies as well as a freak hail storm.
August 15th
Do you have a certain days of the week when you complete certain household chores? Traditionally, Monday was for washing, Tuesday for ironing, etc. Fridays were usually reserved for baking, I believe. In my household, though, it is a little different.
August 16th
Cooking oil can find its way into the strangest places. The most obvious place is clothing of course, but I recently had a run in with cooking oil on our playroom couch.
August 17th
Good evening master stain fighters! Let’s talk about getting out those hard to handle ketchup stains. With summer comes a lot of hot dogs and hamburgers and fries, and as a result, ketchup stains! Okay, in my house, the ketchup stains usually come from my Thanksgiving Meatloaf, but I am sure you can relate anyway.
August 18th
Home Week in Review: August 11th Through August 17th
This week, there have been a lot of simple and not so simple solutions, from getting out stains to putting in a new front walk.
August 19th
Sometimes a simple home improvement project that should have taken a day or perhaps even a weekend stretches out to last more than a week or two. Have you been following the adventures we have been having trying to get a simple front walk put in? If you missed out of what we have been up to, you can catch up here:
August 21st
The Olympics Is Changing My Household
Watching the Olympics has been an exciting thing, but boy has it had an impact on my home. Things are changing because of the Olympics, and it makes me wonder if they will change back.
August 22nd
Home Away from Home on Vacation
As you may have read from my Frugal Living Blogs, we are enjoying some vacation time at the shore. It has been a wonderful experience, and I don’t know quite how we will get back to the regular an normal routine once we return home.
August 25th
Home Week in Review: August 18th Through August 24th
Has your home gotten back to normal now that the Olympics are over? With the Olympics and our recent summer vacation, it may take a day or two to get back into our routine. Check out what has been going on in the home blog this past week.
This Winter Will Be a Cold One!
If you have been putting off getting new more efficient windows, caulking your window and door frames or even moving to a warmer climate, this may be the year to do it. According to the Farmers’ Almanac , which goes on sale this week, most of the United States of America will see colder than average temperatures with more snowfall than usual.
August 26th
How Long Should Your Appliances Last?
When you have to repair or replace a fancy refrigerator only two years after you purchased the unit, it can be frustrating. Yet, the 1960s dryer that you inherited from your parents is still going strong. Are modern appliances not built as well? Do refrigerators die out faster than do dryers?
August 27th
Now that we are back from vacation, and the temperatures have turned a little cooler, it is time to take a good look at the house and our clutter. This is a good week to do it, since it is in between the end of our summer activities and the beginning of school.
August 28th
Okay, Okay, I know it is not yet September, but everywhere I go I see the fall season. The weather has gotten cooler all of a sudden, with temperatures in the low seventies and comfortable, instead of the high eighties and nineties with humidity. Halloween and fall decorations are already in the stores, and our local orchard is advertising pick-your-own apples. All of this has put me in the mood for a pumpkin-theme craft for the home.
August 29th
You move a table or floor lamp and are left with circular dents in the carpet that seem to exist for days if not permanently. Carpet dents can ruin the look and feel of your carpet and can force you into a permanent furniture arrangement when you can’t get them out. Here are some ways of dealing with carpet dents.
August 31st
Mums are here. There is no other flower that really makes me think of the fall season. The colors of rusty orange, golden yellows and even green really stand out in the warm light of autumn. There are so many different types of mums. Which ones are right for your decorating? Here is a guide.