Category: Home Improvements

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Kitchen Renovations

I can remember many years ago, hiring a custom cabinet maker to renovate my kitchen in a house that I used to live in. I had spent a lot of time looking through magazines and planning out exactly what I wanted. I spent several hours consulting with him, showing him the magazines, and going through his hardware catalogs, picking out exactly what I wanted. That was back in the early 1980’s, before I had a computer with Internet access. That was a lot of work back then.

From time to time, I day-dream about using some ideas that I found from here and renovating my existing kitchen. I love so many of the new ideas for cabinet storage! If only I was independently wealthy!

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Cool rain catchers

During the summer I went to visit a friend of mine. On her porch she had what she called rain chains. I had never seen them before, and she explained that they caught the rain and watered the plant below, that was in a pot with the chains attached to it. She had a lots of really cool ones all around her house. I knew right away that I wanted to get some for my gardens, yard, porch and gazebo next summer. I asked where she had gotten them and she told me she went online for them.

I of course got online and found the garden rain chains that I totally love and want for my gardens next year. So then that led me to start doing more garden planning for spring. I’ve listed all the seeds and plants I want and how I want to redo some of my gardens just for these chains. They will make really nice additions to my front gardens as well. I have a lot of little fairies and what I call peeky people situated in places that one would least expect them, but can be seen if a person looks closely.

While browsing, I found a gutter rain chain and thought that would be a great idea for dispersing more rain water than what my boarder flowers would normally get because of the overhang on the porch.

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Decorating Ideas

Although I don’t have a lot of money, I love to look at magazines and websites that showcase interior decorating. I like to fantasize about how beautiful my house could be “if only” I had plenty of money and the kind of family that wouldn’t break everything within two hours of the arrival of the items I had purchased! Today I was looking around at the domestications bedding section of a website that sells home and patio decor and was surprised to see that they were selling melamine serving ware for what I would consider a hefty sum of money!

I can remember when I first moved out of my parents’ house, my first set of dishes was melamine. I bought them because they were the least expensive set I could find. I was really pleased with them because they were not likely to chip or break, and they lasted a good long time. (I don’t remember whatever happened to them – did I donate them to charity?) Anyway, I was surprised to read the descriptions of these particular melamine products, how the descriptions said that melamine was highly valued for their durability. Made me wish I still had those plates (maybe they would be worth some serious money!)

But continuing to read the fine print about melamine, I saw that it is not recommended for use in the microwave, and that hand washing is recommended. The description said you could wash them in an automatic dishwasher but over time it would ruin the finish. Thinking about how almost all of my cooking is done in the microwave, and how much I use my dishwasher to wash my dishes, pots and pans, I was quite surprised to learn that there really is still a market for melamine dishware at all!

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Thinking about my kitchen

Since I’ve been cleaning out my cupboards, and throwing stuff away, I’ve decided to do some home improvement on the cupboard and also get more organized.

When I open two of my baking and cooking supply cupboards, they are a mess. Things fall out and in general, the kids who are now into cooking and baking, never put things back where they belong.

So.. this coming week, they all are going to be in for quite a surprise and also are going to learn that everything has its place.

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Finding drafts

Finding where these drafts are coming from tonight, as I walk around “putzing” and dusting since I can’t sleep, isn’t as hard with the weather like it is and the wind picking up. I’ve got a pad of paper that I am writing where the drafts are that need to be taken care of. I haven’t decided how yet, but I’ll figure it out.

I know I’ve got to get some sleep soon, but it will come after I write, find cracks and crevasses that not air tight, at least for a little while.

Next week I’ll fix these little problems and I bet even the dust will be cut down and the heating bill may even get lower. Old homestead houses, are hard to keep up some times.

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Bedroom and bed makeover

With the January sales upon us now, I’ve decided to get new bedding, starting with new mattress covers for my spare bedroom, which has twin beds. I know that I will undoubtedly have guests at some point in the near future, and since the spare bedroom has been needing somewhat of a makeover, I decided on starting with the beds first. There really isn’t anything wrong with the hand made quilts and such, but I want it to seem a bit more homey and inviting. Besides that, I use the spare room sometimes as a get away, to read and fall asleep in, and I want it to have more of my personality to it, along with a a touch of class, so to speak.

While I was looking for the covers, I found some really awesome satin pillowcases. I like these because I have really long and very curly hair, and if I don’t braid it before I go to sleep, I wake up looking sort of like someone who accidentally got stuck in a light socket. In other words, my hair is a total wreck, and I’ve found the satin pillowcases are great for sleeping on without wrecking one’s hair.

I’m also thinking about getting new bed skirts to match the quilts and comforters I have on the beds right now. The quilts are folded across the end of the beds in case it gets colder, and I really like the look of a bed skirts with the comforters. I’m looking forward to making this room more cozy, so I really can’t wait to go shopping for what I need. Who knows who the holidays may bring!

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Organizing the Spice Cupboard

This morning while I was looking for some cinnamon, I decided that I was in dire need of some kitchen spice racks. I opened the cupboard and I had an avalanche of spices fall out of it. My kids are all teenagers, or out of their teens now, and they have started to try their hand at cooking. Needless to say, they don’t put my spices back in the cupboard the way I like to have them, and since I have literally nearly every spice one can imagine, when they are finished cooking I can’t find what I’m looking for.

I have one wall in my kitchen, that I think a big wall spice rack would look great on and the spices would be organized plus close at hand for everyone to use. I like the idea of the spices to be displayed so we wouldn’t have to dig through the cupboard to find what we are looking for. I’m thinking about getting one for my baking spices, and then my cooking spices. Perhaps even one that would hold the various oils I use when I make candy.

My mom has some really nice looking spice racks that my sister got her for her birthday, and since she doesn’t have a whole lot of cupboard space, she has hung hers on the wall where everything is handy for her. I’m looking forward to getting rid of the clutter and have my spices organized.

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New floor

Last weekend we pulled up our old nasty carpet and put down a new wood floor. It was a huge job that took us the whole weekend to complete. I was very happy to have a lot of help the boys and one of their friends who is a carpet installer helped, I could not of done it without their help. The floor looks great and it is such a joy not to have that old ratty carpet on the floor. The whole house looks so much nicer and smells better, too! The dogs love it they go sliding when chasing the ball and I think they are having a blast on the new wood floors.

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Spring cleaning

Every spring I go through my house from top to bottom and throw out the old and bring in fresh new things. This year my focus will be getting new carpet in my living room and bed room. I will be looking for the best price and the best carpet when I start shopping for my new carpet. I have narrowed my choice of colors down to two shades of brown I need the brown due to my dogs and the amount of traffic these rooms have. As I get closer I will also look at the carpet outlets in near by Georgia to see if I can find a bargain.

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Roofing with Auckland Roofing and Co.

My friend Maxine needed a Roofing Contractor, but was kind of afraid to hire a team, since she is a single mom and lives alone with her daughter. She is so happy that she choose Roofers Auckland. She told me since she read the reviews, that this is the company that she would feel comfortable with.

I’m not from that area, but I too need a roofing professional to fix my roof, since shingles have fallen and also there is a great deal of wind and hail damage. From what I have heard, this company is one that I could trust and afford.

Auckland contractors know EVERYTHING about various types of roofing and since I’m a lay person when it comes to this kind of stuff, I felt totally comfortable. From my friend’s happy dance going on, and another friend singing praises for Roofers Auckland.