BARBARA GRUMME’S BLOG!

▪         Selecting your wall colour before choosing your flooring or fabrics is a common mistake

▪         Hanging a dining room chandelier too far from the table. Go with 3 feet from the table to the underside of the chandelier.

▪         Hanging artwork too high. The rule of thumb should be to hang your art work at eye level.

▪         Hanging mirrors in dark corners of a room. This common mistake only enhances the darkness of that corner.

▪         Painting ceilings a bright white is a common mistake. Soften the ceiling by using an antique or off-white colour.

▪         Purchasing furniture that does not fit your space. Ensure you measure the space, the openings and consider turns into the space before purchasing the new items.

It’s widely known that fruits and vegetables should be a large part of a healthy diet. Proper storage can save you from wasting food and money.

• Peaches, plums and other pitted fruits generally can be stored right on a counter at room temperature. These fruits are usually picked before ripe, and they will continue to ripen once you bring them home. If fruits are very ripe, them place them in a perforated plastic bag and put them in the top part of the refrigerator.
• Bananas are another fruit that is picked before optimal ripening, hence the green bunches you often find at a store. Bananas should be stored at room temperature until they are ripened. Again, if very ripe, bananas can be put in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. The skin will turn brown, but it won’t affect the flesh of the fruit.
• Apples should be stored at room temperature and away from other fruits and vegetables. They produce a gas that can ripen other produce very quickly. 
• Moisture is the enemy of most produce. You can store celery, carrots, lettuce, or cabbage in a crisper drawer in the refrigerator, but they should be kept dry and used quickly. Line the bottom of the drawer with an absorbent paper towel and be sure not to keep produce in tightly sealed plastic bags. Eventually moisture will rot these items or at least cause them to become soggy.
• Root vegetables such as potatoes, yams and onions do best at room temperature and away from the floor, or anywhere vermin may be present. A cool, dark place, such as a pantry cabinet, would be effective. Refrigeration may compromise the taste of many root vegetables.

Information was by Home and Garden Advertising Feature à Niagara This Week

 ▪         Use lighter colours and strategically placed mirrors to make smaller spaces appear larger.

▪         Avoid larger pieces of furniture. This only makes the space feel even smaller.

▪         Built-in furniture helps you maximize your small space. For example, book cases or window seats with built-in storage work really well.

▪         The open space or ‘negative’ space is just as important as the furnishing

▪         Avoid contrast in colours, rather, select similar color tones so spaces flow from room to another. This flow will create a sense of rhythm and continuity making the spaces appear larger and longer.

▪         Avoid an abundance of clutter and too many non-essentials in small spaces. Streamline your selection of furniture. 

Information was by Kickstarters.ca

The best thing that we can all do for the planet is to use less of it. Here are a few tips that you can use everyday:

▪         Turning down the thermostat one degree and reduce your energy costs by about 4%

▪         Conserve more energy by purchasing major appliances with an Energy Star Rating.

▪         Repairing leaky fixtures will reduce as much as 10 lost gallons of water each week.

▪         Installing low-flow showerheads and faucets will reduce water consumption and the cost of heating water by as much as 50%.

▪         Use compact fluorescent light bulbs

▪         Select carpeting and window treatments made from natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, which are free of toxins.

▪         Employ a strict recycling program in your house, such as green bags in the kitchen for all that food waste. Wine bottles can now be recycled at your local beer store. Use two recycling bins, one for paper and the other for bottles and cans.

Information was by Kickstarters.ca

 A contract is essential to your building project and in the long run is the only document that can really protect you, so make sure you get a contract in place with your builder before you start. Some things you should be aware of:

▪         Go with a fixed price, not a time and materials contract. The fixed price is the guaranteed price that the contractor must adhere to while a time and materials contract allows them to bill as they go based on how much time and materials they spend. The latter can become very hard to control and costly.

▪         Include start and finish dates

▪         Include an overall schedule of progress and billing schedule so you know ehen you should be billed throughout the process.

▪         Including a section on dispute resolution, for example, Arbitration can be a much faster and less costly process

▪         Include warranties and time to correct deficiencies. Ensure you put in a clause re: holdbacks which allow you to retain a percentage of the final bill to cover construction deficiencies.

Information was by Kickstarters.ca

 So you have planned your renovation project, set aside a budget and you are now ready to hire a contractor. Here are some helpful tips:

▪         Educate yourself by reading books on the type of renovation that you are planning so you can ‘talk the talk’ with a contactor

▪         Clip out pictures of designs and details that you like

▪         Get a detailed quote from at least 3 contactors and follow up with a minimum of 3 references

▪         Ask to see proof of insurance and licensing paperwork. The pros keep them handy!

▪         Make sure you get everything in writing: contracts, cost breakdown and percentages that they expect to hill, overall project schedule.

▪         Get a permit. It is one of the only ways to protect yourself

▪         Don’t give more than 10% down, use a 10 – 15% hold-back with the final payment to cover final deficiencies and clean-up after the contractor thinks he is done.

Information was by Kickstarters.ca

 Ease up on the control! When your kids are babies you have to do it all; feed them, dress them, you name it, we control it all. When your wee one gets a bit bigger, however, we need to learn to relinquish some of this control. And this scan be SO hard! It gets back to the old adage: ‘choose your battles.’ So what if the little Julie comes down with socks that doesn’t match and a shirt that clashes horribly with the pants? Will it really matter 5 years from now? What matters is she’s exploring her own independence, asserting herself and beginning to be her own little person. Remember, growing independence is an exciting and rewarding development (if not a bit embarrassing sometimes). Don’t think your strict wardrobe control reflects your ability or skill as a parent to the outside world. Ask yourself: ‘is this controlling behavior fulfilling a need in me?’ If so, try to uncover why you’re over-investing in them. Maybe you’re avoiding focus in other areas of your life (your career, your partner, your friendship). So, before you jump up to cut your 10 year-old steak, stop and re-think that impulse.

Information was by Kickstarters.ca

Weekday morning frenzy? If you find your family totally fried by the time they get out the door in the morning, take 10 – 15 minutes in the evening to prepare. A gew minutes prep in the evening before bed goes a long way to easing the morning routine. So, have the kids lay out their clothes for the nest day, including socks and underwear. They can also put out their cereal, spoon and bowl for the morning breakfast. Have them get the lunch/snakes ready the night before, like wash up a piece of fruit, if they’re old enough. In fact, the entire lunch can be prepared and refrigerated the night before, so all that needs to be done is to pull the items from the fridge and pop them in the lunch bag in the morning. Mom or dad can program the coffee maker the night before. Hey, little things make a Big Difference!

Information was by Kickstarters.ca

 Communication is about talking and listening, sharing interests, solving problems, talking about our experiences, expressing feelings, explaining what we need and want, and telling stories. When you talk with your family it helps to remember that they are people and not just partners, children and parents.

Everyone has negative times. How we deal with them is what counts. Using too much sarcasm, teasing, name calling, shaming, nagging, threats or blame makes you feel bad about yourself – not to mention everyone else.

 Information was by Kickstarters.ca

You can speak and listen to others better by:

▪         Really listening to what people say and mean

▪         Trying to understand each other

▪         Being aware of your own feelings/sensitive

▪         Trying to understand other points of view

▪         Speaking in ways which make sense to others

▪         Thinking about what you expect and expecting the best

▪         Keeping your sense of humor

▪         Solving problems together

▪         Discussing choices

▪         Knowing what responsibilities are appropriate for your child at different ages

▪         Helping children say how they are feeling

▪         Making some family rules, e.g., people are not for hitting or hurting

▪         Asking others how they spent their day

▪         Spending quality time with children talking, playing a game, reading a story, listening to a CD.