MyFurnitureOK.com

Did you ever feel like you are looking at the same furniture no matter where you go? There are some homes that have the same styles and the same features that so many others have. There are some people that want to be different and want to have their own personal style reflect in the furniture that they purchase for their home. You can do this when you shop with an Ashley furniture store.

There are so many different looks that you can have for your home. There is country, contemporary and modern. No matter what you want for you want for your home, you can get it with the Ashley furniture that you can find in many stores. You will find the unique styles that fit your lifestyle best and offer you great comfort at the same time.

Getting the furniture that you want for your home is some thing that anyone can do. You do not have to accept the same old thing time and time again for your rooms. You will be able to find different and fabulous looks for any room that you need to decorate. Ashley furniture takes pride in making good dependable furniture that you can have for a lifetime and that is exactly what you will get with every piece that you buy.

Choosing furniture for your home is fun, but it can also be tiring. There are so many different styles and looks to choose from. You may find that you will have a difficult time finding the right pieces to set off your room. This is not something that you will have to worry about with Ashley furniture. The experts at each store will help you find the perfect accent pieces, main living pieces and decorative items for your home.

Once you have picked the right furniture for you, Ashley furniture stores will then make sure that all of your precious goods are delivered to your home in a timely manner. You will have great service that you will rely on and get the satisfaction that you deserve when purchasing new furniture for your home or office.

If you are into a certain theme, you may just find pieces to accentuate your space even more. You will find beautiful fabrics and patterns to bring out the rest of your living space and make your home more inviting to you and to others.

Your new furniture will match and compliment every little detail in your room. You can expect to have a great d

Recently, I noticed an increase in the number of large black ants on the deck attached to the back of my house. Until my father mentioned it I did not really give it a thought but when he pointed out that these were carpenter ants I began to get a bit concerned. The fact that some of them were working their way under the siding indicated that I should probably do something about this before it became a major issue.

Previously, I had used some commercial sprays and/or granules to control small (probably sweet or grease eating ants) colonies next to my driveway but this problem appeared to be more widespread. Checking in at the local DIY home repair superstore, I found there were a number of different options for treating this problem. What I failed to do is to consider how/when to apply my chosen solution. Note: Before applying any pesticide make sure to thoroughly read all of the instructions and warnings. It is also a good idea to discuss this with a professional or somebody who has gone through the process previously.

Choosing a concentrated liquid pesticide I applied it to my deck, foundation and portions of the siding with a garden sprayer in the areas where the ants were seen. So far, so good. However, around an hour later I ran into an unforeseen consequence of NOT getting some advice first - mainly that the ants that were disturbed and/or dying had to go someplace. Around an hour later I started to notice a tremendous number of dying ants inside my house adjacent to the treated area. Since this seemed to indicate that I might already have an ant problem in my house and not just on the deck I decided it was time to call the professionals for an analysis.

Getting some suggestions from co-workers and neighbors, I contacted a local company to have an analysis done - some of the larger franchise operations can be very expensive but the company I selected provided a free estimate and their treatment options were reasonably priced. Upon being told of the problem and what steps had been taken, they suggested a localized treatment instead of a full home treatment - a considerably less expensive option. They pointed out the likely problem area, where there seems to have been moisture damage in the past, and explained how the treatment should kill any ants my spraying had not as well as providing a residual knock down for any unhatched ants that came along later. They informed us that the treatment would take 7 to 10 days during which period I would still see a few ants but to let them know if the problem persisted.

The professional was very willing to share some suggestions on what to look for and what preventitive steps to take to help prevent this from occurring again. Here are the suggestions I have gotten from the professionals as well as those that friends and neighbors have gotten from them as well.

Border/Area Treatments - If you live in an area with a lot of old trees, there are probably carpenter ants in the area. Keeping them out of your house is the best solution. There are many granular and liquid treatments. Apply them from the house outward (you want to keep them out, not push them closer to your home!). If you are using an area treatment as more than a border guard, make sure that you start near the home and work outward.

Look for Ants - The most obvious sign of a problem is ants - if you see many of them in a small area, you might have a problem. You may always have a few isolated ants around, but if you are finding a couple every day in a specific area you may have a problem.

Check the Interior - Carpenter ants often gain access in areas where water damage has softened up the wood for them to work with. Look for discolored areas where you have have had water (where it should not be) in the past. Also check for signs of ant activity. The most obvious sign is small areas where there appears to be sawdust (a result of the ants boring through wood). Also look for any areas that might indicate access to the outside - in my case, there are areas where (once the insulation is moved) you can see daylight between the foundation and the frame of the house.

Seal it up - Caulk, putty, or otherwise seal up any openings you found. Caulking seams is a fairly quick and easy process. If you see areas where there was water damage, you will want to address whatever may have caused the damage (if water can get in, ants probably an also!)

When in doubt, call a Professional - Many local companies will provide free analysis and estimates. If you are unsure you have a problem, contact them. The sign of a good DIY home handyman is knowing when to call for backup.

Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs.

[tags]DIY home repair,ants,carenter ant,pesticide[/tags]

You probably already know that your bedroom should be your safe haven… your oasis… your special place.

It makes sense… I mean, after all, it is the place you end your day with and begin your day with.

Shouldn’t your bedroom make you smile and feel comforted?

Well, if you choose to not be in your bedroom until it’s dark outside, here are some bedroom design ideas that will create a calming, relaxing space.

1. Paint your bedroom in your favorite color.
Waking up to a color you love is the perfect way to start your day.
Don’t get so wrapped up in what a bedroom should be or shouldn’t be.
If you love orange, then paint your bedroom orange.

Or paint your bedroom in the complement of your favorite color and then add accents in your favorite color.
The complement is the color on the opposite side of the color wheel.
Red’s complement is Green.
Blue’s complement is Orange.
Yellow’s complement is Purple.

So, if you love purple, maybe paint your walls lavendar and add yellow pillows and a vase of yellow tulips.

Just use colors you truly enjoy for a personal bedroom design.

2. Use one fabric, but use it everywhere.
Many people find it difficlut to coordinate different fabric patterns successfully.
In fact, many bedroom design ideas become too busy with mixes of plaids and florals.

So, choose a fabric that matches your paint color and use it in your drapes… in your bedding… and even in an upholstered chair.

If you’re really worried that this is too much of one fabric, then choose a solid fabric to go along with your main fabric.

3. Add candles and mood lighting.
Lighting can enhance a bedroom design far more than you may realize.
Yes, you need lamps for task lighting, but to really create a bedroom that is glowing, soft and relaxing you need some mood lighting.

This can be created with candles, floor cans that project light upward from the floor, wall sconces and even picture lights.

4. Add soft textures
Keep in mind that the goal of your bedroom design idea is to calm and soothe.
So, choose fabrics that are soft and cozy. Select silks, cottons and suedes. Even terry cloth can add an unexpected luxury.

Use lots of pillows for comfort, and visual interest.

5. Don’t forget privacy
In the evenings, you shouldn’t have to worry about privacy. Make sure your bedroom design ideas include window treatments that cover your windows at night. This will also close the room in and add to the coziness of the room.

Planning the perfect bedroom design idea doesn’t have to be difficult.

Keep it personal, choose the colors and fabrics you like… select artwork that makes you smile and enjoy the decorating process.

Happy Decorating!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free home decorating ideas for all rooms of your home. Visit http://www.homedecoratingideas4u.com to enjoy free interior designer tips, home decorating ideas and dozens of interior decorating articles.

http://www.homedecoratingideas4u.com

[tags]bedroom design ideas, Bedroom Decorating Ideas, Home Decorating, Interior Decorating[/tags]

When it comes to our home, we all want it to be comfortable and inviting to those who take the time to visit us, as well as one we can be proud to show off. If your home seems a little dreary or feels a little outdated, you can make some changes that will brighten it up and leave you with a feeling that you’ve just given your home a much needed facelift. The following are some fast and frugal ways to redecorate your home.

Painting Tips

One of the main ways people tend to redecorate their homes is by painting. This is an inexpensive method to creating a whole new look. When painting your rooms, it is important to remember that you should match the shade to the colors in your furniture, unless you plan on new furnishings, as well. If painting your room is not something you want to do, consider adding a wall boarder or choosing a wallpaper to brighten up your room. These are all inexpensive ways you can change the dicor of your home.

New Curtains

Another fast and frugal way to redecorate any room is with new curtains. Whether you are aiming for the sleek look or the country look, you’ll find a variety of styles and colors to choose from. Cafi curtains are a great way to let some light into your kitchen and for a new look in your living room, try something bright and cheerful. If you have the skills to sew, try new looks for the cost of fabric. If you’re crafty, you can even try your hand at a new cover for your sofa to match your curtains. For those that do not have sewing skills, you’ll be able to find one-size-fits-all sofa covers in almost any department or home decorating store.

Candles and Candle Holders

One of the most enjoyable ways for you to change or add to your dicor is with the use of candles and candle holders. Candles can be purchased in a variety of scents and colors that will add to the aroma, as well as the style of your home. Place them on tables and windowsills, as well as on the mantel and hearth. The candle holders you purchase should go with the decor of your home and may include many different styles, the most popular of which is metal candle holders. From candle holders made of stone such as an amethyst cluster to a work of art made from metal, they are an inexpensive and subtle way to change the atmosphere in your home.

To change or improve your home dicor, you do not have to spend a lot of time or money. From a simple paint job to adding candles and candleholders, you can create a warm and inviting atmosphere in which to live. If you are tired of having the same old look in your home, consider making small changes to your home a little at a time. When you redecorate, it does not have to be done in one day. By slowly creating the atmosphere you desire, you’ll be able to insure that it will be done in the dicor you really desire.

This article was created for http://www.metal-candle-holders.com

[tags]home, design, redesigning, frugal[/tags]

Is there too much digging and not enough harvesting going on in your garden? Try these ideas to make your garden work harder for you without breaking a sweat!

Rotation:

When one crop comes out of the ground, quickly turn the earth and plant something else straight away. This could be late summer lettuce or over-wintering salad varieties. Some beans can be successfully planted in the autumn, in particular broad beans, along with late cropping cauliflowers and other brassicas.

Make small cloches to protect the young plants from autumn weather. Cut a clear plastic bottle in half to produce two min-cloches!

What you plant as a second crop will depend heavily on your region, climate and availability of seed. However, when this crop comes out in the Spring, there will be far less weeds than if you had left the patch fallow all winter.

Don’t do this every year as the earth will need feeding and resting, but even a small garden can be divided into rotatable patches, and if you get double your crops from one space, you won’t need the extra space every year. Pile on as much green manure as you can and keep your fallow patch weed free.

Companions:

Plant your crops close together so those pesky weeds don’t get a chance to grow. Companion planting enables you, not only to save space in the garden and control the weeds, it will also help with pest control. A line of onions next to a line of carrots confuses the onion fly and the carrot fly!

Plant your good companion plants close together but avoid putting large crops of the same species too close. Plant a tomato plant here and there round the garden, then if one plant gets a disease, it doesn’t easily spread to the other plants. The same with cabbages. The cabbage white butterfly, dreaded enemy of brassica growers everywhere, won’t be so attracted to your garden if the cabbages aren’t neatly planted in rows.

Raised Beds:

Not only good for controlling the weeds and saving space for those extra crops, but also great for controlling aching backs! The raised bed system in principal means you don’t walk on your beds, and therefore they should be no wider than a couple of metres, preferably less. You need to be able to reach everywhere on the bed without stepping onto the soil at all.
Once dug, fill with your plants and hoe regularly. When your first crop is harvested fork over the soil lightly. It shouldn’t need any heavy digging again for some years.

Permanent Patches:

Keep permanent patches in your garden. A small herb patch or corner in your vegetable garden will attract bees and also give you and your family lots of new tastes, natural medicines and even cosmetic preparations.

Herbs will establish themselves fairly quickly and will thrive with regular picking. You honestly won’t know what to do with all those wonderful fresh herbs, that would otherwise cost you a fortune in the supermarket.

Another great permanent patch to create is asparagus. Most new gardeners are put off growing this wonderful vegetable because of all sorts of crazy reasons. I’ve even heard it said that it’s a “luxury crop” - whatever that may mean! Asparagus is extremely good for you, is ready to pick during the ‘hungry gap’ in the vegetable garden, and best of all, with very little attention, it will produce more and more every year. Create a permanent asparagus bed and indulge in the luxury!

Indulge in the healthiest hobby in the world - produce your own food and feed your family well! Join Linda at http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com for the best gardening tips, up-to-date garden bargains and her free monthly ezine. See you there!

[tags]gardening,less digging,garden space[/tags]

If you have ever considered building your own kitchen cabinets and aborted the idea by convincing yourself that you have no woodworking tools, or I know nothing about wood staining and finishing, or
little about cabinet making in general, then read on and believe me when I say it can be done with minimal tools.

With the rising price of lumber and plywood on the market today a set of kitchen cabinets bought pre made, or custom made is becoming an unreality for some home owners. Consider building your own and saving money.

Now it would be nice to have a complete woodworking shop all ready to just punch out a set of kitchen cabinets on demand, but that is probably not the case and here is the alternative to the solution.

You can measure and layout on paper the design of your kitchen using the existing kitchen as a example of how things are constructed then break it down into a parts list forgetting any doors, drawers, or hardware for the time being. Just concentrate on the shell.

When you have your parts list ready you can buy the materials and hire a cabinet shop to cut and mill the parts for the boxes and what your left with is assembling the boxes. This is not uncommon practice in cabinetry now days as more cabinet manufactures are farming out there work so they can produce more. The cabinet shop will package the order for each box making it easier to identify the cabinet and understand the assembly.

When your kitchen cabinets are assembled you measure the door and drawer opening and take your list to a company that specializes in building just doors and drawers.

Once the cabinets are assembled and the drawer slides installed to cabinet box and drawer it is a good idea to dry fit all parts before installing your kitchen cabinets.

At this point you need to decide what type finish and top coat you want to use on your kitchen cabinets and how it should be done.
We are not going to discuss in detail how to finish your cabinets in this how to because it is a separate issue altogether, but suggest you install the cabinets and hire a professional painter to do the final step.

Another alternative to save money, labor and error factors is to buy Ready to Assemble cabinets from companies that specialize in this area. The savings may not be as great as doing it all yourself, but Ready to Assemble cabinets cost less to ship than pre made kitchen cabinets and usually provide professional assistance in design.

You can read more detailed information on Building Your Own Kitchen Cabinets at our website in the Interior Home Improvement section.

Chet Holcomb of Home Improvement Handyman is a experienced carpenter and contractor with many years doing home repair and specializing in cabinetry and considered an expert in the field of home improvement.

[tags]kitchen cabinets,diy kitchen cabinets;interior home improvement[/tags]

1. Planning Renovations

Any project will be more successful, given well-defined goals. In every household project, the following three points can be applied:

FORM: What do you want it to look like?
FUNCTION: What do you want it to do for you?
COMPATIBILITY: What factors exist that might limit what you can do, and will the finished product look good on your house?

Once you’ve completed this part of your homework, it’s time to decide if you’ll built it yourself, hire a contractor, or be your own contractor and perhaps sub-contract some of the work. Sub-contracting may sometimes seem to over-complicate things and even look wasteful, but just remember - some jobs can look deceivingly simple until you actual get into the nitty-gritty of them. A general contractor’s job is to co-ordinate and orchestrate the whole schmozzle to completion.

2. Finding A Contractor

My card…The process of finding a good contractor is essentially the same, whether you decide to hire a general contractor, or one or more sub-contractors. The best reference for a contractor is word of mouth from a satisfied client. If you don’t know anyone who has had renovations or repairs done in the area you need, look for work trucks or signs in your neighborhood. Knock on doors, and ask the homeowners if they are satisfied with the work being done. Once you contact a contractor, ask for references, and follow through by calling their previous clients with a set of questions that will give you the information you are looking for.

The following are samples of questions that could be asked of any reference:

1. Did the job come in at the quoted price?
2. Did the job come in on time?
3. Was the work site left clean each day?
4. Was the quality of the workmanship satisfactory?
5. Was the quality of the materials used satisfactory?

It is always recommended that you talk to more than one company, so that you have a basis for comparison. Listen to their technical information, and note their customer relation skills. If the contractor doesn’t do a very good job of communicating with you before you hire him or her, there may be a higher likelihood of miscommunications during the work.

Sometimes the best companies will be very busy and you will have to wait for their services. Other times, good companies may have time slots between large projects that smaller jobs can fit into. Ask what the company’s schedule has been like for the past 6 months to a year. Reputable companies are usually busy all year round in any economic situation.

3. The Estimate, or Quote

Meeting the Contractors

Remember that the contractor you choose could be spending a lot of time in your home, so look for someone you feel at ease with. You should meet individually with each potential contractor. Be prepared to discuss products and designs; know what you want and how much you can spend. Take note if the contractors are on time, if they listen and answer questions, willingly give information about their company and their customers; and if they seem to have any aversion to your ideas.

The Estimate

This is where you’ll likely make your choice of contractor. Each potential contractor will present a proposal, including design and cost information. Review the estimates, ensuring that they accurately relfect your wishes, and make comments and/or any changes that are required.

How Are Jobs Estimated?

Work that involves structural changes to the home, custom designs, or enlargement of some of the mechanical systems is typically quoted by the job. It can be very difficult for a contractor to know exactly how much time an intricate custom job will take, particulary if a number of trades are required, and the different parts of the job are interdependent.

Get it in writing!Simpler, straightforward jobs are often quoted by the square foot. Examples are laying sod, painting, roofing, drywall or refinishing floors. The quoted price will typically be set to include everything (ie. labour, materials, travel, etc.).

Smaller jobs may also be quoted buy the hour, and if the job is fairly routine, such as installing addtional electrical outlets or drywalling, the figures are typically in line. In this situation you will pay the tradesperson for time, plus the cost of the materials used in the project.

The Final Design and Quote

If you have a contractor with good references and the estimate looks good, you now need to get a firm quote, including final designs. The design should include detailed specifications for the work and the materials to be used.

(Another option is to have an architect or designer produce the plans and ask the contractors to bid on the job, based on these plans.)

Make sure the final specs are accurate and reflect your wishes, and make your final comments and changes. After you accept the final quote, the cost of further changes will likely be added to the job. Ask how long the stages of the work will take, so that you can monitor progress.

4. The Paperwork

Cash is King, however…

… take care, lest the cash deal of the century turn into the mistake of a lifetime! One reason for cash payment is the avoidance of paperwork and taxes. Taxes and other legalities aside, the absence of contracts and permits can be extremely risky.

Ooh, I love to save money!Cash contractors often don’t pay Workers’ Compensation fees, and you could be held legally responsible for any worker injured on your property. If the contractor gives you the product warranty cards, you’ll be covered for defective materials provided they were properly installed, but don’t expect good follow-up service on a cash deal. You would also have difficulty supporting any legal actions without any paperwork. The overall quality of a project may be compromised in the absence of paperwork, and cash paid in advance (rather than by cheque) will be all but impossible to retrieve if things go sour.

Building, plumbing and electrical codes may require that all or parts of your project be performed by licensed tradespeople, and sometimes licenses are required to obtain the permits. If the tradespeople aren’t licensed, the contractor probably isn’t insured. And if your contractor isn’t insured, then depending on the nature of the job, neither is your house while he works on it.

The Contract

Agreements in writing are less vulnerable to miscommunications, than are verbal ones, and far easier to enforce. Some of the points included in a good contract are:

1. Full job description, including all aspects of the work; demolition, renovation, reconstruction and finishing.

2. Material specifications, including type, model, number, color, and size where applicable, and who’s supplying what.

3. Start and finish dates.

4. Payment schedule; 40/40/20 is generally acceptable.

5. Permits, and who’s responsible for obtaining them.

6. Clean-up and trash removal.

7. On site behaviour.

8. Change order clause: Have any changes to the original job specifications in writing with a requirement that you “sign off” any change before the work is performed.

9. Arbitration: Aree how disagreements will be handled before the work begins.

10. Contractor’s insurer and policy number.

5. The Work MORE POWER!

Problem Avoidance: If you’ve carefully chosen your contractor, and made adequate preparations (including making the site ready for the trades people and workers), this part should be easy! The actual work should closely follow what was written into the contract, however you still need to monitor the ongoing project, and in some cases you’ll be required to make additional decisions. There are often unforseen difficulties, or you may simply wish to ask for changes as the work proceeds.

Site Preparation: Remove furniture and stored articles from the work area, and cover carpets and other items that may not be moveable. It is in your own best interest to make arrangements for storage, clean-up and refuse areas convenient to the work area.

Project Coordination: Effective communication is the greatest secret to successfully completing any project. Maintain regular contact with your contractor(s) so that the unexpected can be dealt with expediently.

Hidden Conditions: A thorough inspection performed in conjuction with estimation should preclude any major changes, however there are structural and mechanical conditions initially hidden from view, which even the most experienced renovator may not be able to predict. Be prepared to negotiate changes for “hidden conditions”.

What to do if a problem develops:

1. Bring all problems, perceived and real, to the attention of your contractor(s).

2. Is it major or minor? If minor, and the contractor is present at the time, discuss it and negotiate a resolution. If it’s minor, and/or looks like it can wait, start a list of minor observations that you can bring to his or her attention when appropriate.

3. Major problems should be dealt with immediately. If your contractor is not present at the time, make every effort to contact him or her as soon as possible. This may avert furtherance of the problem.

4. Given that your contractor responds satisfactorily, carry on. If not, try again and if necessary, write a letter. If you still don’t get satisfaction, look to a third party such as the Ontario Renovators Council or the Ontario Home Builders Association. These agencies should be approached only if you are certain that a resolution cannot be achieved with the contractor. Legal counsel should be an absolute last resort. There’s no use making a mountain out of a molehill, and thereby delaying succesful completion of the project.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

careful contractor selection + a good contract = successful job

Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

“The Home Reference Book”
You can probably find a home inspection for a little less than what we ask, but you probably won’t find the Home Reference Book. A $60 value, this solutions-oriented reference tool comes free with every inspection we perform.
It’s the first tool you should have around the house!

[tags]diy home remodeling,home improvement plans,home addition blueprint,diy home renovation[/tags]

In most cases, home improvement projects are rather costly. A lot of people tap their savings to be able to get some home improvements done. This can be very harmful to ones pockets, leaving you short of a comfortable reserve in the event of an unforeseen expense. In some cases, people resort to getting home improvement loans which can sometimes drag your budget off track and getting you more buried in debt than ever.

However, you should not be discouraged. There are alternative ways of doing home improvements that don’t require spending a truck load of money. Your money is a resource that’s very important and should be spent wisely making sure you have enough to take care of the more important things. For example, your children’s education and emergency situations like unexpected illnesses.

Here are some tips on how you, as a homeowner, can do home improvement projects the cheap way.

1. Know what you want

Many people hire contractors to do home improvement jobs for them precisely because they do not have a clear idea of what they want to do with their homes. Consulting these professionals can really hurt your pockets only to find out later that you don’t want what they have done to your house.

You can read home improvement magazines, watch some television shows regarding home improvements or even look around in other people’s homes to get some ideas regarding what you would want to do with your house. These free ideas can be put on paper in drawings or in short descriptions. Now you have some direction.

2. Feasibility

There are many ways of improving your home. You should think about the feasibility of home improvement projects before undertaking them. Not all projects will make sense for all homes. Are you willing to commit the required time, effort, finances, and temporary inconvenience for the proposed changes? Nothing is a greater waste of resources than half finished projects that weren’t practical to begin with.

3. Rearranging

Changing the arrangements in your house can be considered as home improvement projects. Putting your furniture in good and new positions can be a good way to change the overall ambiance of the house.

4. Change the color scheme

Colors play a huge role in terms of defining the home’s character. If you are getting bored with the overall ambiance of your house, you can do some repainting jobs yourself. You can also involve the other members of the family and this will make the job easier and more fun. Try wallpapering for some interesting and fun effects.

5. Be green

Putting plants into the overall scheme of home improvement is an awesome way to give the house a fresher look. Plants add warmth and freshness to every home. Even artificial flowers or fruit bowls add a richness to your homes living areas. A few well placed shrubs around the exterior will do wonders for the overall curb appeal.

These are just a few tips on how to achieve a better home using less of your budget. However, a cheaper way doesn’t necessarily equate to a less effective way. The most important thing is that you enjoy your house and feel comfortable with it.

Want to learn more about improving your home with decks, sunrooms, or garages? Visit http://www.NiceHome101.com today!

[tags]home improvement, project, cheap, inexpensive, paint, wallpaper, plants[/tags]

Whether you want to plant an herb garden for culinary purposes or to use as medicinal healing. You need to know how to first begin to plant your garden.

You need to decide if you want to do a small container garden or find a small piece of land in your yard to till up and use for your herb garden. When deciding to do a container garden you need to find a nice part sun and part shade area to place your container in. Container gardening also allows you to bring in your herb garden during bad storms and not worry about your plants drowning should you get hit by a bad rain storm.

Container Gardening:

Go to your local home garden store and look at the variety of containers, have your list of herbs that you want to plant so you know about how many containers you may need. When I use to do container gardening I would place about 4-5 herbs in one container at one time I had 6 containers, hence why I now use a space in my yard for my garden. Container gardening is great if you are just starting out or if you cannot plant in your yard or you live in an apartment.

Be sure to purchase planting soil for your containers as using soil from your yard is not porous enough to use in containers. I was just at our local garden store this spring and saw that they do sell organic planting soil, I have not used it but the bag stated that it was better for growing herbs and vegetables as there was no fertilizer in the planting soil. You do not want to use chemicals in your herb or vegetable garden as you will be eating these plants.

Once you have purchased your containers, soil and herbs you need to plant them as soon as possible as the soil the plants are planted in dry out quickly.

You want to place the plants about 6 inches apart so depending on the size of your container will depend on how many herbs you plant in each container.

Place the gardening soil in the container then place the plants still in their containers on the soil to determine how you want to plant them.

Use a sturdy shovel to dig about an inch or two deep into the soil and gently take the herb plant out of its container. Be sure to gently separate the roots before planting. Place a small amount of water into the hole and place the herb into the hole. Be sure to cover all the roots so none are showing. Then water again gently.

Once all your containers are planted set them out where you have already pre-determined you want them to be.

Be sure to water your herb garden, to check if they need water test the soil if it feels dry water, if its still moist check it again the next day.

Yard Garden:

Take a walk around your yard to see where you want to plant your herb garden. Determine how big you want the garden to be. Till the ground. You can do this either by using a hoe or by using a tiller. I do recommend a tiller as I have done both and after using a hoe my back hurt, but if you have no choice a hoe will do just as well.

Now you need to get on your hands and knees, I purchased a nice knee pad so that my knees didn’t hurt kneeling in the dirt. You need to pick out all the huge chunks of grass, you can also take a garden rake and rake out all the tilled grass and weeds. Once you have that done take your herbs and place them in the spot you want to plant them. Remember to read the tags so you know just how far to place them apart so that they have room to grow.

When you are ready to plant be sure to have these items on hand to make the job easier:

Hand shovel

a container of water

a knee pad

your herbs

a notebook to write down where each herb is and what day you planted it

When you are planting the herbs be sure to plant them about 1-2 inches deep and add water to the hole before adding the herb. Be sure to gently break apart the roots and gently place the herb in the hole. Now take the dirt and cover all of the roots. Gently water again, the herbs will be in shock at first and may look droopy but don’t worry they will spring back.

Since your herb garden is in the ground you will need to be sure to be on the lookout for pests and be sure to check them daily to see if they need water. Some insects are good for your plants for example ladybugs, praying mantis and bees.

Everyday write down in your notebook what you have done to your garden. Do research on your herbs and see how you can use them. Don’t worry if at first your garden does not do well, once you learn how your soil is and the best places to grow your herbs it will become second nature.

Good luck with your herb garden.

Rebecca White is a mother to 3 boys ages 12, 10 and 4. She loves to grow herbs for cooking and medicinal uses. Rebecca owns http://www.medicinalherbguide.com where you can find many more tips and great articles on owning your own medicinal herb garden. Be sure to stop in to see books she recommends using and software that saves you time when recording your plants progress. Rebecca also owns http://www.supportformoms.com, http://www.experts4wahms.com. Gardening is Rebecca’s hobby and passion.

[tags]herb gardening, garden, gardenins, planting an herb garden[/tags]

Often times, your kids bedroom is the most disorganized and cluttered room in the house. Of course, children are a bit messy by nature but if you have inadequate storage or a disorganized storage plan, this can make things even harder. Here’s some tips on creating more storage in your kids closet which can help declutter the whole room.

The first thing you should do before you even start organizing the closet is to go through everything in the room and throw out anything that is not used. To accomplish this effectively, you should sort everything into 2 piles - the “keep” pile and the “toss” pile. You can further break down the toss pile into items that can be donated and items that should just be thrown out.

Using a closet organizer in your kids bedroom closet can really help to add extra storage space to the room. You can use one of the simple wire organizers that have some shelves and two tiered racks or go hog wild with one of the nice wooden ones with all kinds of drawers and other storage areas.

No matter what type of closet organizer you have (or even if you just have a pole with a top shelf) you want to make the most use of your closet space. Since the very top shelf is not easily accessible for your child you want to store off season clothes and other items up there. Buy some plastic containers and put the clothes inside - label the outside of the box and you will be able to easily see what is in what box. You can also store clothing from an older relative that might be too big this year but will fit next year in boxes up on the top shelf.

Another way that you can double the closet space is to use hanging racks or double up on the rods. Since your childs clothing is not very long, it is not necessary for a full length from rod to floor - adding a second rod will double the amount of space you have to hang clothes. Most closet organizers come with this type of system, but if you don’t have a closet organizer, you can buy a simple hanging rod that hangs from the top rod to double the space.

Help your kid to get his dirty clothes up off the bedroom floor by using a tall garbage can or tall cloth laundry bin inside the closet. Children are more apt to use a hamper if it is near where they are taking off their clothes and putting it in the closet will create more room in the bedroom and keep the dirty laundry out of site.

A wicker basket can be placed inside the closet on the floor or on one of the shelves of a closet organizer in which to store stuffed animals and dolls. You can also use a hanging shoe bag for small toys and stuffed animals.

Use another basket or shallow container to store shoes - this will help keep them together instead of all jumbled up all over the room.

If you have small children, you can organize their clothing for the week by choosing several outfits and then placing each outfit inside a hanging accessory bag. That way your child can simply go to the bag and take out everything he need to dress himself!

In addition to the closet, you can organize shelves and use the space under the bed by storing toys and mementos in plastic storage bins and wicker baskets. The wicker baskets can look nice on shelves or in open areas and can even add to the d