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The kitchen, with all its appliances, gadgets and heat, is a
real hotspot for potential energy saving. As the oven uses
the most energy and creates a vast amount of heat while
cooking foods, it is a good place to start.

For instance, when baking cookies use two trays. While
one is in the oven baking, the other one is prepped with raw
cookies - ready to replace the tray in the oven with no
wasted heat and some time saved. When we bake bread
we also fill the oven with foil wrapped potatoes. The
potatoes can be stored in the fridge without the foil and
used throughout the week in a myriad of recipes, or as a
side dish. This method can be applied to a menu plan in
that if you are baking one dish, try to include a side dish that
is baked as well.

By turning off the oven a minute or two before the dish is
done, the residual heat will finish the cooking. When done
with the oven, open the door to allow any leftover heat to
warm the home.

Pasta cooking water can be left out until it has completely
cooled - so that the heat and moisture are released back
into the air. Before pulling the plug, consider leaving hot
dishwater (and bath water) until it cools. Why pay to heat up
your sewer pipes? When cooking vegetables, consider
steaming instead of boiling. When steamed, more nutrients
are retained in the food, and because it requires less water
to heat - there is less energy used.

In summer, consider cooking on the barbecue to help keep
the house cool. Most barbecues now include side burners
that make outdoor cooking all that much easier.

All these methods are relatively easy to adopt and when
added up, the savings in energy and time really do make a
difference.

– Written by Dave and Lillian Brummet based on the
concept of their new book Trash Talk. The book offers useful
solutions for the individual to reduce waste and better
manage resources. A guide for anyone concerned about his
or her impact on the environment.
(http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)

[tags]Reduce Waste, Save Energy, Save Money[/tags]

Divide and transplant perennials

Fall is the ideal time to divide and transplant those overgrown perennials. The plants will benefit from cooler autumn temperatures and will establish themselves for fresh, vigorous spring growth.

Plant spring flowering bulbs

Tulips, crocus, daffodils, hyacinths are all planted during the autumn months from late August through January, if the ground is soft enough to get them in. Most of the bulbs need a minimum of about sixty days of cooling in the soil to guarantee spring flowering.

Cut back and clean up perennial beds

The perennial bed by fall is usually looking kind of untidy and needs to be cleaned up. Cut back the foliage to about an inch above the ground line. Compost the foliage, or shred it. Use the shredded foliage to mulch areas of the garden. Pull any weeds you can find. You may also sprinkle a bit of slow release fertilizer around the plants and use a garden scratcher to work into the soil.

Mulch perennial beds

Most perennials will benefit with a light mulching of shredded tree leaves, usually in good supply this time of year. Don’t mulch too heavily, but an inch or so of finely shredded leaves will help keep down weeds the following spring, help conserve water, and enrich the soil as they break down. The mulch will also encourage earthworms, which also fertilize the earth with their castings as the eat the decaying mulch.

Plant pansies

South of USDA Zone 5, pansies make an excellent fall flower to plant. They endure cold winter temperatures. Pansies have bloomed during mild spells on Christmas Day, New Years Day and one year on February 29th. By late March the pansy will begin blooming in earnest and continue until July heat exhausts them. My Indiana garden once had a stretch of sixteen consecutive months with something blooming, mostly because mild spells during the winter allowed the pansy enough time to bloom.

Leaf cleanup

Raking leaves is an annual chore, and many people just throw the leaves away. But the leaves, after running; them through a shredder, make an excellent mulch for the perennial garden. The leaves can be vacuumed up with a lawn blower/vacuum and added to the beds. These machines usually produce an extra fine mulch which is ideal for garden beds.

Plant perennials and shrubs

Fall is the best time to plant most perennials and shrubs, especially potted or balled and burlaped stock. The plants have time to establish themselves before the rigors of winter and will continue putting out fresh root growth during mild spells. By spring they are raring to go.

Take advantage of the beautiful autumn days to spruce up the perennial garden. Working outside in the garden is great exercise for both body and soul with the added benefit that the perennial garden will be ready to produce excellent blooms next season.

Paul Wonning is the owner of Gardens and Nature.com a web site about gardening, hiking and other nature related topics.

http://www.gardensandnature.com

[tags]fall garden, chores, perennial garden[/tags]

Your kitchen should reflect your lifestyle. Many families gather in the kitchen and it is truly the focal point of the home. Other people only use the kitchen for cooking and want to focus improvements on function and efficiency. The first step to improving your kitchen is to determine which type of person you are and plan accordingly.

The latest energy saving appliances are a great way to remodel and update the kitchen. Not only can energy use be significantly lowered than with new appliances, but the look of stainless steel and black finishes can also be very fashionable and bring a kitchen into the twenty-first century. Only a few years ago, these finishes were the most expensive commercial appliances but are common and more affordable in today’s economy. Consider simple remodeling by replacing old, inefficient appliances. This may be the best single step to improving the look of your kitchen!

Painting the walls, back splash and cabinets can update a kitchen quite inexpensively as well. If you have a small kitchen, paint all the surfaces in one lighter color to open the room and make it appear more spacious. If you have a roomy kitchen, you can be as creative with the use of color as you wish. Keep in mind that before you go out and by kitchen paint, it is best to bring home samples and test them against the color of cabinets in your kitchen. It will save you the frustration of realizing the colors don’t go together after you start painting.

Many times older homes have wallpaper in the kitchen area, making the kitchen seem outdated. Many people don’t want to bother with remodeling the kitchen colors because they assume it will be costly or time consuming. Removing wallpaper can be as simple as getting a bucket of hot water and a cloth to remove it from the walls and spending time to make sure there is no wallpaper adhesive left by wiping it down with a wet sponge.

If your counter tops are scarred and dated, another way to update the kitchen is to install new counters. Smooth surfaces without any seams are best for kitchen counter tops because no food particles can gather in the seams, posing a serious health issue.

Flooring for the kitchen can be changed in your remodeling project as well, although this can be one of the most expensive portions of a remodeling project. While vinyl or laminate flooring used to be the typical floor choice for the kitchen, many homeowners are switching to tile or even pergo flooring for easier clean-up and durability. You should choose a flooring type that will provide easy cleaning and won’t scar if kitchen utensils or pots and pans happen to be dropped. Remember to bring home samples and compare them to your kitchen appliances and cabinets before getting started.

Visit Dot Com Women ‘Home & Lifestyle’ channel at http://www.dotcomwomen.com/home for more articles and tips on Home Improvement, Decorating Styles, Holiday and Seasonal Decorating and Creative Homemaking Ideas.

[tags]kitchen, remodelling, updating, home, home improvement, home decorating, kitchen decorating[/tags]

As the big day approaches, a little advance planning can save us from headaches and stress. Use these three simple steps to organize and prepare for your upcoming celebration.

Get ready Set out all your recipes, on the counter, in plastic sleeves, so you can refer to them as you cook. I keep a Holiday 3 Ring Binder just for this purpose. All my recipes are organized and catalogued for my Holiday Cooking, so that every year I have my recipes “at the ready” when it comes time to “gear up” My Holiday Kitchen.

Get set Before starting a recipe, set out all the utensils and ingredients you will need.Read through the recipe to refresh your memory.

Go but cook what you know. Stick with recipes you’ve made before and are comfortable with. Now is not the time to experiment with that Beef Wellington or Baked Alaska
you’ve always wanted to try. You will only frustrate yourself if it doesn’t turn out the way you had hoped.

Visit www.rushhourcook.com/holiday.htm for a full holiday meal plan with shopping list and www.changeyourlifechallenge.com for a free weekly newsletter with sanity-saving solutions.

The Change Your Life Challenge
http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com
Take control of your home, finances, relationships, clutter, time-managmenet and more with this 70 Day Program. Sign up for the free Challenge Weekly Newsletter and the motivational daily Good Morning.

[tags]recipes, holiday planning, holiday cooking, cooking, Christmasn, holiday men, Thanksgiving[/tags]

Surface preparation is vital, and can make or break a paint job. Ensure you fill any holes and take off any old flaky paint, and then sand back to form a smooth finish. The “she’ll be right, the paint will fill in the holes” theory is totally incorrect! Always check the surface before starting to paint with a light to see if there are any blemishes.

Make sure the surface you are going to paint is clean!! This is essential, especially in kitchen areas where the walls can have oily residue from cooking. Use sugar soap for cleaning.

Get rid of any problems before you paint, mould - use household bleach diluted 1:5 with water to remove the visible mould and find out why it is happening, and fix it. Stains from nicotine - these are nasty as they bleed through the paint. Seal the area with a proprietary stain block, or use a couple of coats of solvent based paint.

Select good quality paint products, if you are unsure of what you are buying, make sure you ask and get the experts to specify the correct preparation required, product, and sequence of application.

Always use quality branded equipment (brushes & rollers etc), as they usually have a guarantee or come back if they brake or don’t perform as expected.
Always look after your quality equipment so you can use it again. For cleaning acrylic paint from brushes use water to remove most of the paint residue, and then use a brush cleaning product and rinse again, then use dish washing liquid and a final rinse in water. For Enamel, use mineral turpentine to initially clean the brush, and then the brush cleaner, then the turpentine again. Use a bucket for these processes, you use less product and can use the side to press the brushes against to remove any paint residue.

Remove all fittings that you can, ie door handles, light fixtures, and use painter’s masking tape around any that cannot be removed ie door hinges, light switches, glass in windows. A sloppy paint job is obvious when you see paint all over the light switch!

Lee Brown is an experienced professional designer and co founder of interiordezine.com, a website dedicated to providing free interior design and decorating information. Go and look at interiordezine.com to see if you can answer some of your home decorating questions now! You can also get a free decorating ebook at free ebook
Try this site on color

[tags]paint, DIY, painting, painting preparation, painting materials, home revovation, home improvement,[/tags]

You’ve just moved into a beautiful apartment but the white walls are going to drive you over the edge. Not to worry! A few accessories, some window treatments, and an etched mirror and suddenly your room will come to life.

When you rent sometimes there are restrictions about what you can or cannot do. Some landlords won’t let you get the paint brush out and add some color so you have to use other creative means. Here are some ideas to bring a little life to your room.

1. Etched Mirror

You might be wondering what a mirror can do for your white wall d

If smooth and sleek is what you fancy in curtain rods, there’s no better curtain rod than a magnetic one; if you have no one handy to help hammer or screw in brackets, the magnetic rod should be your choice. It’s a no-fuss option and it’s ideal if you have metal doors or window frames, as you can put it up it without interfering with the installation.

People who have had no curtains because they have steel doors and windows that ar too difficult to drill through now have a solution. What’s more, no tools are needed and the work can be completed in the wink of an eye. It is very easy to install a magnetic curtain rod.

You could choose a single or double rod and these may be had in any of three finishes, brass, white or off white. When you say ‘yes’ to a magnetic curtain rod, it’s the easiest thing to install or remove, when you want a change of drapes or you need to launder them. Goodbye to screws, bolts and arduous drilling.

Magnetic rods are so sturdily built and have such powerful magnets to hold the brackets in place that they can bear the weight of the heaviest of drapes, even canvas ones. They are adjustable and come in a range of sizes, and cost upwards of $20. The kit carries self-adhesive strips so you can use the rod on any other smooth surface like aluminum, wood or even fiberglass.

Decorative magnetic curtain rods are the latest offering in curtain rods. The brackets and finials are trendy in design. These rods have been slam-tested to safeguard against slipping from their moorings. The magnets are designed so as not to scratch the surface and the diameter rod is stronger for its lock-seam construction.

If up-to-date is what you want to be, go for magnetic curtain rods. There is a wide range to choose from, to suit any curtain rod needs.

Curtain Rods provides detailed information on Curtain Rods, Shower Curtain Rods, Decorative Curtain Rods, Magnetic Curtain Rods and more. Curtain Rods is affiliated with Kitchen Curtains.

[tags]Magnetic Curtain Rods[/tags]

In choosing your bathroom sink, several points must be considered: bathroom size, usability, and function. This is probably why pedestal sinks have amassed such popularity. Aside from their practical and space-saving design, countless varieties have been offered by manufacturers to fit every need and budget. Due to the high regard received by consumers, pedestal sinks are probably the most frequently found type of sink in a lot of countries. It is also the sink of choice not only when building new houses, but also in bathroom renovations.

Just as with any bathroom sink, pedestal sinks must be firmly attached to the wall. The sink is then fitted to a column or pedestal, usually ceramic, not only to provide some support to the sink itself but also to conceal most of the plumbing. Aside from the functionality of the columns or pedestals, they now come in an assortment of styles and colors that will definitely complement your bathroom’s over-all design. Interesting shapes and lines define contemporary pedestals that would fit your bathroom theme.

Sink shapes are no longer limited to the more conventional round or oval. More modern shapes, such as semi-circular or rectangular, are also available. Whatever shape you later decide on, the perfect pedestal exists for you.

Due to the columns that go with the sinks, the average sink size is only 55?65 centimeters wide. It may seem quite awkward if pedestal sinks go any wider. No matter what shape you choose, remember that the sink’s bowl depth is also very generous. There are also different added features such as molded soap dishes and decorative moldings that are meant to complement either flat or upright taps.

Whatever your taste and budget may be, you are sure to find the perfect pedestal sink for your bathroom. Pedestal sinks will definitely live up to your expectations in proving their practicality and stylishness through time.

Bathroom Furniture provides detailed information on Bathroom Furniture, Bathroom Storage Furniture, Contemporary Bathroom Furniture, Wicker Bathroom Furniture and more. Bathroom Furniture is affiliated with Bathroom Vanity Sinks.

[tags]Bathroom Furniture, Bathroom Storage Furniture, Contemporary Bathroom Furniture, Wicker Bathroom Fur[/tags]

A well-laid path is essential for the successful management of every garden. The direction that it takes must be very clearly thought through to ensure its efficiency. It must be arranged so that there are no temptations to cut corners across the lawn or flower beds and yet as far as possible it should be unobtrusive.

Like the garden itself, a path should be properly drained, especially if it is to be constructed from gravel or a similar porous material. Surrounding ground must also be drained in such a way that the path does not become a watercourse during periods of heavy rain or after snow-melt in colder districts. The scouring out of neatly raked gravel by fast-flowing ground water can be a great source of irritation.

Before construction, consider the possibility of the path also being the line that takes services. Water and electricity can very conveniently be directed along the line of the path so that there is never any danger of interference from cultivation. It is ill-advised to place such services beneath a solid path, such as concrete, but ready access can be gained through gravel, or beneath a paved path.

A sound foundation is vital, even for a simple gravel path. If a generous layer of stone foundation is not laid down first of all it is almost certain that mud will squeeze through and within a season the path will become an unpleasant mud and gravel mixture which will then play host to weeds. Prevent this by using fabric landscape matting laid over the soil in the path area before spreading the gravel. Such material permits water to seep through, but prevents the mud from squeezing upwards.

There are all kinds of gravel and gravel-like materials that can be used for path construction, but all require a proper edging to retain the material. Many gardeners choose 15mm (1/2in) gravel as this is substantial and looks good. It is not the best utility choice though for it is quite difficult to push a wheelbarrow or pushchair over and it creates havoc with high-heeled shoes.

Fine shingle makes a far better surface providing that it is not scattered too liberally. However the best of all is self-binding gravel. This is of gravel-like appearance but of such a texture that it binds together in a neat hard surface. Once laid it merely needs rolling with a garden roller. Crushed limestone can also serve the purpose, but it tends to become dusty during dry weather and stick to shoes on wet days. It can also increase the alkalinity of nearby soil.

Concrete is a serviceable but harsh option, which if laid properly with expansion joints, will last indefinitely. It is not a comfortable path to walk along or work from in hot weather, as there is considerable reflection and glare. The same applies to some of the modern paving slabs made from reconstituted stone. Select these with great care choosing softer more subtle colors to reduce discomfort. Also carefully select the surface. There are a number of more or less non-slip surfaces available; the most natural looking of which is referred to as riven paving.

Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively overseas. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers’ Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He writes a popular daily gardening blog with gardening news, views and updates http://www.gardenmessenger.blogspot.com/.

[tags]Path, construction, garden, gardening, gravel, foundation, concrete[/tags]

Fall is for planting trees. Planting hardy trees in the fall allows them to form a good root system before they must compete with the heat and humidity of hot summers. Fall and early winter are the best time to plant a tree. November is perfect month for this job.

Planting in the dormant season puts less stress on the newly planted trees. There is typically more than enough natural moisture, which allows the new trees to start forming roots without much intervention from us. However, if there is no rainfall for several weeks, you must water, even if it is chilly.

Do not plant your tree under or in the vicinity of power lines. Give the tree plenty of room to form its natural canopy and shape. Do not forget to take into the account the width of a mature tree. Do not plant a shade tree any closer than 15 feet from the foundation of the building.

Select tree that love the conditions you have. If you have a moist boggy soil, choose tree that prefer moisture. Similarly do not put something that likes water (for example, River Birch) in a dry site.

When planting a new tree, you should dig a hole which is 3 times as wide as the plants root ball, but only as deep as the root ball is. Do not change the existing soil. You can mix organic matter with the existing soil.

The depth of the hole should only be as deep as the root ball, or somewhat shallower. You must allow natural settling of the soil. In addition, do not bury your tree too deep. If you do, the roots will not develop because they will lack oxygen. No fertilization should be used at planting your new tree.

Once you planted your tree, apply mulch around it to a depth of 2 to 4 inches. There should be some space between the stem of the tree and the mulch.

Water is crucial aspect for success. Too little or too much can both cause the death of your tree. The site should be well drained and water deeply to support root formation.

If your tree is structurally good, staking is not required. On the other hand, if you have a tall tree with a small root system, or live in a region with strong winds, staking is required. In this case, use 2 or 3 stakes used with a flexible tie material.

Do not stake too tightly because there should some natural movement. Remove ties and stakes after the first year of growth.

Visit Gardening Information website and learn about
planting fruit tree as well as fruit tree pruning instructions.

[tags]tree planting, gardening, gardening tips, gardening information[/tags]