Home Decor Tips | Home Improvement

Hydroponic Grow Lights – Safety Tips You Should Know

Amy C. — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:00:31 +0000

If you have taken up the task of growing a hydroponic garden, one of the things you should buy is hydroponic grow light. This nifty lighting system mimics the functions of the sun when it comes to facilitating plant growth.

Hydroponic grow lights are generally safe to use. They are a lot like your ordinary lighting fixture. However, you still want to be cautious when using it to avoid fire hazards especially when you are growing indoor plants.

Here are some tips to remember:

Avoid installing or purchasing grow lights that have been damaged already. Those who want to cut down on the cost of lighting system is might opt to get their grow lights from second hand stores or online shops. If you do this, you should go the extra mile in checking the product for worn-out areas.

Make sure no cord is damaged or sticking out. Also check the system if there are parts covered by electrical tape. If there is any, it has probably been damaged already.

When installing your grow lights indoors or outdoors, make sure that you arrange the cords properly. You don’t want someone to trip all over the cords especially at night. Using electrical tape or cord organizing products.

Don’t install your grow lights close to any appliance or substance that catches fire easily. Keep it away from outdoor candle lanterns.

Plan your lighting usage. Unless you are still in the process of growing seedlings, you really don’t need to keep grow lights on all the time. Just 18 hours of sunlight should be enough. Let it rest for 6 hours.

Make sure that the lights are not exposed to rain or water. Never put it next to your indoor fountains. If you are installing it outside, make sure the lighting fixture is protected properly from the harsh weather.

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Vintage Canisters – 5 Ways To Use Them

Amy C. — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:00:33 +0000

There are a lot of reasons why you should start collecting vintage canisters. For one thing, these are cost-effective and eco-friendly decorating solutions. Place them n your accent tables to bring more charm into the space. Their beauty and charm alone are enough reasons to buy them. But if you are looking for ways on how to use them, you might want to consider the following:

1. Use them as entryway catch-alls.

Comparatively tall canisters can be placed in your entryway or hall table. This can be used to organize an assortment of things such as keys and tools. You can even use this to conceal a micro surveillance camera to guard the entry way of your house.

2. It works as a wonderful storage solution in the kitchen.

Store anything in them. You can store uncooked pasta, home-made cookies, candies, pickled food and even cereal. You can also turn them into a storage space for your coffee beans, salt, pepper, herbs and spices.

3. Use them as decorative items in the dining room.

Place them in the middle of the dining room table. Remove the lid of it has any and put in fresh flowers. You can even use this to store cinnamon sticks. The scent from the cinnamon sticks will definitely permeate in the room.

4. It can be used to store accessories.

This is an ideal storage solution in a girl’s room. If you have quite a collection of scrunchies, bow ties and hair clips, you can store them in these canisters and jars. These also work as storage solutions for jewelry. If you are a fan of the arts and crafts, you can store your arts and crafts materials in them.

5. They are perfect when it come to storing bathtub salts.

If you like putting perfumed salts into your bath water, you can store them in here. You can also use this to store flower petals for your home spa treatment.

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Growing Cucumber – Tips and Steps For You

Amy C. — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:00:03 +0000

If you are planning to grow a vegetable garden, you might find growing a cucumber a nice starting point. Cucumbers are easy to cultivate and even easier to harvest. There is a wide variety of things that you can do with your harvest.

Here are some tips and steps on how you can grow cucumber:

1. Learn more about the growth process of cucumbers.

Typically, their vines grow up. That means you’ll need trellis to allow the vines to grow up. It requires rich soil to grow. You can try seeding your soil with organic compost to ensure that your cucumber seeds will grow well. Locate a spot in your garden where the cucumber seeds can receive a good amount of sunlight. It should be a warm and sunny spot.

2. Start making your cucumber trellis.

It should be easy and inexpensive. You can even use wood from your old couch or from shipping crates. If you have old wooden wall plaques shelf you are no longer using, dissemble it and turn it into a trellis. Combine two wooden sticks to make a “v” shape. Make two sets of this. Connect them using a longer wooden stick. Bury the feet of the trellis in the ground for stability. Now start lining up wires vertically on the trellis.

3. Plant your seedlings.

Once your trellis is ready, you can now plant your seeds. Make sure there is a gap of 40 cm between the seedlings to allow the roots to grow well. Make sure you bury the seeds at about 3 cm deep.

4. Place organic matter in the soil.

This will help the seeds grow well. Water them every week.

5. Tend to your cucumbers.

Get rid of weeds growing around it. Be careful when removing weeds. You don’t want to damage the roots.

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Garden Space Ideas – Space Saving Gardening Ideas To Try

Amy C. — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:00:37 +0000

Not all are lucky to have a spacious outdoor space for gardening purposes. If you are one of them, don’t give up on your gardening dreams just yet. Even with limited indoor and outdoor space, there should be a lot of ideal gardening methods to try.

Here are some suggested methods you might want to consider:

1. Using metal troughs

One of the advantages of using this is that it is quite cheap. You can also find a variety of sizes. Choose the size that is suitable for the space you intended to put it. Metal troughs are deep enough so you can cultivate deeply-rooted plants and flowers. This is also perfect in creating the raised bed effect, which cannot be achieved in your run-of-the-mill planters.

2. Shipping crates

Don’t discard that shipping crate just yet. Use the wood for the shipping crate to create a narrow gardening frame. Make sure there are compartments inside. Use this to plant small herbs and flowering plants. The herbs and flowers can stick out of the spaces or compartments for a nice and rustic look. You can actually mount the crates on an empty wall of your house.

3. Jazz up your accent tables

Instead of using it as a regular table, try turning it into a make-shift indoor garden. Put protective barriers on the side and drill small holes on the surface of the table for drainage. You can put a plank underneath filled with moss and stones to catch drained water. Fill it with soil and plant away.

4. Hanging garden

Instead of using soil to grow plants, use minerals instead. This will be fed to the roots of the plants so they can live even if they are not planted in soil. Read our article, Hydroponic Gardening – Thing You Need To Know About Hydroponic Gardening

5. Try installing a garden bed to your porch or balcony

Even a narrow garden bed will liven up the space.

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Featured Blog Of The Week : Oh So Shabby by Debbie Reynolds

Amy C. — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:00:30 +0000

Southern living just sounds so peachy and dreamy. We usually associate it with being a rooted and having high respect for family values. People from the south pride them with being upright and their traditional ways have made an impact on the culture of most Americans. Southern homes are mostly filled with memories and priceless family experiences to be cherished. Improving the quality of each home is just what a Southern woman can relate to. Modern family homes still inscribe Southern designs in order for it to become more familiar and cozy.

Oh So Shabby by Debbie Reynolds is a blog that shares inspirational post about home improvement. What is lovable about this blog is its passion for quality home living and having an eye for what is beautiful. Loving the old ways is what makes it beautiful, embracing old features of houses, home decors and crafts makes the place overwhelmed with love and affection. The blog features various projects and sites to continuously inspire us to create the same homey atmosphere in our own place.

Get to know more about inspirational finds at http://www.ohsoshabbybydebbie.com.

Garden Shed – Maintenance And Upkeep Tips

Amy C. — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:00:10 +0000

The garden shed is easily the most useful part of your outdoor space. It is commonly used to store gardening and home equipments. In some households, it is even used as an extension of their living room. Many convert it into an attractive and livable space.

It is only right that you know how to maintain your garden shed. It shouldn’t be that difficult. Here are some tips that can help you out:

Most garden sheds have been treated with factory basecoat. But if yours didn’t, it would be a good idea to buy water resistant treatment and apply it on the external and internal part of the shed. This is true especially when dealing with wooden materials. Do this once a year.

Make sure no water will seep inside the shed from the windows. The windows have to be sealed tight with silicone treatment or what they call “timber beading”. If there are gaps or holes in the window, have them sealed right away.

Regularly clean your shed inside and out. Get rid of stuff you no longer need inside to clear up a bit of space. Make sure the place is not harboring pests and critters. You also need to trim your lawn or get rid of overhanging branches that might damage the exterior part of the shed.

Buy hinge lubricating oil and apply this on the door and window hinges.

Those using metal sheds, make sure you keep tit clean by washing it with clean water two times a year. Also try applying rust-resistant treatment to prevent the material from corroding. Since it is exposed to oxygen and moisture all the time, it is prone to corrosion.

Do not store flammable stuff in the shed. Also get rid of stuff that is likely to cause fire such as candle lanterns.

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Kitchen Remedies – Kitchen Remedies You Should Know!

Amy C. — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:00:04 +0000

Dealing with a small accident? Do you need to get rid of stains? Trouble getting rid of stinky smell in your mattress? Worried about pest infestation in your garden?

These small problems can actually be dealt with using kitchen solutions. You’ll be surprised to find out that a great number of solutions are found in the kitchen. Here are some of them:

1. Getting rid of ants.

Ant infestation can be prevented with the aid of citrus. You don’t even have to waste the juice of your lemon or orange. Just the rind or the peel will do. Steep it in water and then strain it. Spray the water in the areas affected by ant infestation.

2. Getting rid of soap scum and tile stain.

They sure are difficult to get rid of using ordinary cleaners. Why not use baking soda and lemon juice? Mix equal portions of this and a bit of water and then place it in a spray bottle. Spray it on the affected area. Leave it there for a few hours or overnight and the stains will dissolve easily.

3. Polishing wares and glass vases

You can use your good old baking soda. It’s a bit corrosive so it can get rid of dirt and grime. Just apply it on your wares and glass vases. Rinse it with water and you are good to go.

4. Getting rid of paint smell inside the house.

Charcoal works well in getting rid of unwanted smell. Just put charcoal pieces in small bins and then place them in the corners of the affected room.

5. Getting rid of blood stain

If you need to get rid of blood stain on clothes or upholstery, salt would help a lot. Mix hydrogen peroxide with water first. Apply it on the area affected. After that, sprinkle table salt. This will absorb the blood.

Portable Air Conditioner – Is It Ideal To Buy A Portable Air Conditioner?

Amy C. — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:00:58 +0000

Air conditioning units are indispensable home appliances. But aside from your main air conditioning unit, you might also want to consider getting portable air conditioners. It does have a lot of benefits that you can’t find in your run-of-the-mill air conditioners. Here are some of them:

It is easy to transport. You can use this at home. You can even bring it with you in the office. Got a room in the house that does not benefit from your central air conditioning unit, this will come handy. Since it is portable, it is easy to carry around from one room to another.

It can help improve air quality. Most portable air conditioners work in getting rid of harmful chemicals in the air. It also prevents the air from turning stuffy. If you are suffering from respiratory ailments, this appliance will definitely bring you lots of benefits.

Some brands of portable air conditioners are equipped with anti bacterial features. They can actually help filter viruses and bacteria. They even have UV lamp that can kill common micro organisms.

It is cheaper. Compared to bigger and more sophisticated air-conditioning units, this one is definitely cheaper.

It is more compact. You can easily set it beside your accent tables in the living room or beside your bed. It does not take up a lot of space.

It keeps the smell of the room fresh. This definitely comes handy when you are trying to get rid of the stink from the kitchen or the bathroom.

Some portable cooling units might even offer other benefits. You might also find those with heating benefits. So if you are after a two-in-one machine, make sure you look for them. You can save more money if you buy those models.

With these benefits, it is safe to assume that a portable air conditioner is indeed worth buying.

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Outdoor Space – How To Make It Look Unique?

Amy C. — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:00:37 +0000

Most home owners only pay attention to the uniqueness of their home outdoor design during Halloween and Christmas. Why settle for that when you can try to make your outdoor space look unique all year long? It doesn’t have to be an expensive project. Try the following tips:

1. Use personalized and unique house numbers.

Instead of using old and boring house numbers, try buying those unique, sometimes hand-crafted house numbers sold today. You can choose from an array of styles, sizes and colors that are more suitable for your outdoor space. Some even glow in the dark!

2. Install bulbs inside jars.

Instead of the usual outdoor lamps, you might want to use old and used jars. Clean them up to get rid of the fogginess of the glass. Place LED battery operated bulbs inside. You can hang it up on trees, bushes or your gate.

3. Create an attractive lounge and recreation area

It does not have to be too grand. You can even use a large clay planter and put an old rustic wood on top to serve as your outdoor accent tables. For your chairs, try using petrified wood or discarded logs.

4. Turn your outdoor walls into a garden.

If you have a brick or stone wall with lots of ridges and uneven areas, you can use those spaces to plant herbs or small flowering plants. If you don’t have this, try buying small clay planters and then wrap wire around the neck of the planter. Arrange them rustically on the walls.

5. Use Christmas lights.

Who said Christmas lights are only for Christmas? Buy enough Christmas lights to turn your tree into a focal point in the outdoor space at night. Just hang them up on the branches. The cascading lights will look like fairies at night.

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Buying or Building A Home – Which One Is Better?

Amy C. — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:00:47 +0000

When it comes to buying and building a home, it is usually decided in terms of money. At first, it seems like buying a home is more plausible than building one and starting from scratch. But before you completely write off building a new home, you might want to think further.

Cost

The cost is relative. Buying a home when the economy is down is a good idea since most homes have really low prices. Building prices when the economy is down is also good and reasonable. But there are a few things to consider when mulling at the over-all cost.

First, you have to consider repair or changes that you are planning to make in the home you are buying. There should be a few repairs needed here and there. You know how much repairs tend to cost. And if you compare that to building and just installing new equipments and facilities, building seems like a more plausible option.

Time

Buying a home is not as taxing and time-consuming as building one. Building definitely is a lot of hassle. You need to confer with the builders, regularly check the site and ensure that everything is going smoothly. It’s not an overnight job so prepare to be hassled if you are going to build your home.

When buying a home, what you’ll probably do is check the house, inspect the amenities and figure if you like the layout.

Flexibility

You have more flexibility when building a home. You are starting from scratch so you are practically building memories from the time that home was built. You also have full control over the design and structure of your house. You can even have the builders install Feng Shui fountains if you want to. Your design options are limited when buying a house.

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