Backyard Tips and Tricks

Grandma was right when she said a good bed is important because we spend one third of our lives in it. So we don’t want to scrimp on the amount of money we’re willing to spend on this all-important piece of furniture. But with so many types of beds out there–mattress and box spring, waterbed, and airbed to name three—which one is right for you?

Mattress and Box Springs

The secret to choosing this traditional type of bed is in getting a really good one. Check in to your local 5-star hotel to see how you enjoy sleeping on that bed. After all, for the past few years hotels have been engaged in a skirmish with each other, trying to win vacationers and business travelers alike with claims of the best beds in the industry. Then, if you agree, figure out what kind it is and where you can purchase one. Many believe that the “Heavenly Bed” at Westin Hotels lives up to its name. It may have been created especially for them, but it is a Simmons and that may be a good place to start.

Waterbeds

Waterbeds have been around since the 1960s but some still swear by them. They’ve improved since the original waterbeds consisted of one piece, called a bladder. Separate bladders have become popular and are more comfortable and easier to fill and maintain. So what’s so great about a waterbed?

A waterbed simulates the effects of weightlessness when you sleep and conforms to you, ridding pressure points and providing the best support possible for the human body. Such principles of flotation have been proven to be therapeutic in treating numerous conditions such as premature newborn development, orthopedic problems, paralysis, severe burns, trauma, auto accident injuries, plastic and general surgery recovery, cardiac rehabilitation, Cystic Fibrosis, Cerebral Palsy and other common conditions with musculoskeletal effects.

Airbeds

Airbeds such as Sleep Number by Select Comfort beds provide almost everything that a waterbed does, but you can adjust each side separately. The downside of a waterbed is the comfort is determined by the fill and it’s not so easy to adjust each separate bag and it’s a lot of work filling them and unfilling them. But a sleep number bed has a control where you set a number and the bed fills accordingly. So if your back is sore one night, you can adjust the number. One night you may want the bed to feel more firm and another night not so firm. Or you can find the one setting that feels right for you and leave it at that. No adjustments necessary.

So, whatever bed you choose, do your homework, try it out, and don’t be afraid to spend the necessary money on getting a good night’s sleep.

You may think that only small spaces are difficult to decorate or to make the most of. But large spaces can present a problem all of its own. For example, it’s more difficult to make a large space to feel cozy or decorated or even useful. And a small space can be difficult to fit in everything that you’d like to be in that room. So here are some tips for decorating a large space and a small space.

Small Spaces

Let’s consider the small space first. Often, living in a small space is one of the problems of an apartment or condo. But even homes can have small spaces, especially if the house is trying to serve the large family by breaking the rooms into several bedrooms, family rooms, and dining rooms, rather than just a few bedrooms and one main living/dining area.

Touring a model home will show you how skilled a professional decorate is in making the most of a small space. They decorate so cleverly by choosing small, attractive furnishings that you don’t even notice they’ve done that until you try to fit your large or even normal-sized furniture in the room. If you do have a small space, you will want to furnish for the small space and not try to squeeze in furniture that really doesn’t fit. So this may be the time to replace that old, big furniture with new, small furniture. Your space will be more comfortable and look more attractive and you’ll be less-frustrated by having a room that just doesn’t work with the old stuff.

Large Spaces

Decorating a large space has the opposite problem. This is when you want to visit the large warehouse-sized furniture stores and select new furnishings to fill the space. This is when you can get that large family-sized sectional and or chaise lounge for two.

But even large furniture may not completely fill the space. You may need to break the room into small rooms and decorate accordingly. Create separate seating areas; perhaps one by the fireplace and the other by the television. Depending on the room, you may be able to divide them into a TV viewing area and a game room with pool table or card table.

Don’t forget the walls in a large space and decorate in groups of odd amounts, such as three or five. Use room dividers and/or tall plants to fill in the empty spaces. Get more ideas from home decorating TV shows and magazines or tour model homes to get a feel for how a room feels.

Remodeling and do-it-yourself projects have become quite popular. All you have to do is tune into HGTV or DYI on television to see that this is true. And one thing you walk away from after watching a few of these shows is that new homes rarely have all of the dream features that you can get if you remodel your home yourself. So is that the wise thing to do or should you sell the old home and buy a new one?

First of all, you may want to consider why you feel the need to remodel or buy a new home. Do you want the latest and great stainless steel kitchen with cherry cabinets that the neighbors just put in? Is your house in need of updating? Have the kids moved away and the house feels too big? Are the kids getting bigger and the house feels too small? Do you love the neighborhood and wouldn’t want to move to a new one?

If you choose to remodel, you need to consider how this will impact your day-to-day living with rooms torn up and construction workers coming and going. Do you have small kids or pets? How will this affect them? Is it cost-effective? Also, don’t forget to pad the budget because it always takes longer and costs more than you first expect.

What about moving to a new home? Doesn’t selling your home, moving, and buying a new home cost money too? The costs of selling your home, buying a new one and moving, can drain away 10% or more of the value of your home each time you move.

But a study printed in theWall Street Journal reported that the price of keeping a typical home up to current standards over a 30-year period is almost four times the home’s purchase price. In fact, if you’re not a committed do-it-yourselfer, you might be no better off than had you rented all those years. The cost of repair and renovation bills as you deal with failing household systems can easily overwhelm your profit.

Are there alternative to a fully remodeling your home or selling it and buying a new one? You may want to consider some of these solutions:

Declutter—It’s amazing how new a place can look if you get rid of the old and bring in the new or just get rid of the old.

Refurbish—You can update your kitchen and give it a fresh new look if you reface the cabinets, resurface the countertops and replace worn flooring. You’ll save a lot of money over ripping out the whole kitchen and you’ll still get the desired new, updated look.

Repurpose—Maybe the formal dining room you never use can be converted into a home office or maybe it’s time to put away the college kids’ things and use that room for a guest room, office, media or crafts/hobby room.

Sometimes a small change can make a big difference.

So you’ve decided to buy that big house out in the suburbs. The house is a dream and you’re excited. The problem you hadn’t anticipated is that this brand-new house comes with a big yard and you have no idea how to care for it. Maybe the builder included a landscaping package and you have grass, trees, and shrubs to start with but no idea how to maintain them. Or there may be no landscaping package and all you’ve got to work with is a pile of dirt. What you do next will depend on which situation you are in.

Landscaping Package—If your property comes with a landscaping package, then you’re off to a good start and if you’re only responsible for the backyard, even better. Many new communities include maintenance of the front yard as part of the homeowner’s association. But if you’ve never used a lawn mower in your life, you may be a bit overwhelmed. The first decision you need to make is (a) are you willing to purchase a lawn mower and do the work yourself or (b) would you prefer hiring a lawn service to do the maintenance for you?

You may enjoy getting outside and may think that mowing the lawn is something you’d be willing to do. But note that mowing the lawn isn’t the only part of lawn maintenance. You need to think about controlling the weeds, adding fertilizer, and edging where the grass meets the sidewalk or driveway. And if you live in a hot, wet climate like Florida, you have to do these chores twice a week during the six-month summer season. Note that you will need to cover yourself even during the heat because of the bugs and mosquitoes that live in the grass.

No Landscaping Package—If you have a blank slate, then you get to choose how to landscape your backyard. You may purchase a landscaping package from a local landscaper and this can include sod, plants, trees, and flowering bushes. If you don’t like the idea of lawn maintenance, but want the look of grass, synthetic grasses have improved quite a bit and you can find one that looks real. Or you may decide to forego the grass for a combination of patio, desert rocks, and a few trees and shrubs for low maintenance—especially if you live in desert areas, which will also give you a break on your water bill.

So unless you have a burning desire to get your hands dirty and do-it-yourself, you may want to leave this to the professionals, and focus on what it is that you do best.

You’ve heard the jokes about not wanting to create too comfortable of a guest room or the guest may never leave. But if you put yourself in the guest’s shoes, what would you say then? Many people are uncomfortable staying in someone else’s house. Perhaps, you are, too. And wouldn’t it be nice if you could create the kind of guest room that you would enjoy staying in. Feeling comfortable, having enough space to unpack and access your belongings easily, and privacy are all what would be important to you. Here are some things to keep in mind then when designing a guest room:

• Create a guest wing with private bedroom, bathroom, and entrance if at all possible. Some homes have a separate apartment-like dwelling such as a separate cabana or apartment over the garage. This is the ultimate guest room and will give you and your guest the ability to feel comfortable and private.
• Furnish a separate bedroom with a comfortable bed, attractive furnishings with nightstand and dresser and a closet. An attached bathroom allows for a guest suite.
• Choose a room with a bathroom nearby for convenience. Stock the bathroom with special amenities such as soft, fluffy bath towels, hand towels, specially-scented soaps, robe and slippers.
• Change the sheets and keep extra blankets and pillows nearby. You don’t want your guest to have to ask.
• Keep the room clutter-free, especially if it doubles as another room when guests are not there. Murphy beds are popular choices for turning an office into an instant guestroom, but you want to put the office clutter away before your guest arrives.
• Welcome your guest with a fruit basket or sparkling cider cooling in a champagne bucket. Small touches like candles, a pleasant scent, and a small note of welcome create and bed-and-breakfast atmosphere and says more about you than your guest.
• Add a comfortable chair and ottoman in the guest room to give your guest a quiet place to relax. You and your guest will appreciate that.
• Put an alarm clock with a CD player in the room and leave them a variety of CD’s. Listening to music before sleep is a good way to help your guest relax in an environment not their own.
• Make sure the room is well lit. Add a nightlight and/or table lamp within reach of the bed.

These amenities are important to allow your guest to feel like he/she is at home and in a separate area from you and your family. You also benefit from offering your guest a comfortable place to stay while you and your family go about your business, keeping your privacy as well.