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Are you already fed up with the mess you see once you open your closet? Maybe it’s high time that you take time off to organize it and make it look like a human being is using it.

Everyday we pull out clothes that we are going to use from our closets. Also, at least once a weak, after the laundry is done, we add these clothes back to our closets. Most of the time, due to our busy schedule or just because of our laziness, we take for granted the way we do these things.

We pull out clothes and accessories in a quick manner and then other stuff gets disarranged. After the laundry, we put back these clothes unmindfully. Thus, we end up having a total mess in our closets.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can organize your closets and make them look neat again.

1. The very first thing you have to do is to remove everything from your closet. This will give you an idea, in case you have forgotten, of how big a space you have in your closet. Once you see the whole empty space, you can now have a plan in mind on how you are going to arrange everything.

Make a mental note on what you want to put where. If you also have a space for your shoes and other accessories in your closet, make sure they will all be in the right place and well seperated.

While your closet is empty, take the advantage to clean it. You can probably rub it down with a washcloth, soap and water. For a more enticing smell, you can use a scented liquid soap to clean your closet.

2. The next thing you have to do is to seperate the pieces that you have just removed from your closet. This might be the most difficult part of the task especially if you already have a monstrous mass piled up in your closet. You might even discover things that you thought you’ve lost a long time ago.

When separating the items, it is best to have storage bins at hand to help you do the task easily. You may want to have at least three bins - one to hold the things you will be keeping in your closet, the second bin to hold stuff that will be of no use to you anymore and needs to be thrown away, and the third will be for items that you can recycle, donate or sell in your next garage sale.

Needless to say, the only bin that you need to keep here is the one that holds your important stuff and those that you will keep in your closet. These items are your current clothes, underwear, accessories, shoes, and other things that you think you will still be using. The other two bins can be forgotten for now. You can organize them later, after you finish your main task of organizing your closet. Just keep them out of sight so you will not be tempted to look at them again.

3. Now that you have only the essential things that need to be in your closet, it’s time to divide them into categories. Of course, accessories, shoes and clothes should be separated from each other. Your clothes also need to be divided into different types and categories.

Your professional clothes should be placed separately from your casual and regular clothes. Pants, blazers, long-sleeved polos, coats and other clothes you wear in business should be kept together. Identify your casual clothes and keep them together. Separate your underwear and socks from your main clothes.

Once that is done, you can now rearrange them again based on the frequency you wear them. Make sure that each of your pieces are neatly folded or ironed. If you think something needs to be ironed again, especially your professional clothes, do not hesitate to do so. This will make your closet look much better.

4. Now that you have divided the important pieces that deserve to stay in your closet, it’s now time to put them back. You may want to use closet organizers from now on like clothes hangers, shelves, and shoe rack. Hang all your pants together, make sure your jeans go together and are separate from your business pants. Hang your other top wear like polos, blazers, and coats keeping the same kind together.

Have those clothes that you frequently use placed on top of the others for easy access. Arrange your shoes in the shoe rack and place them below the hung clothes. You can put shelves on those extra spaces in your closet and place your underwear and accessories on separate shelves.

It may really be a tedious task to organize your closet. But it sure is worth the time and effort. Having a neat closet to open in the morning will keep you inspired to go through the day.

The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of http://www.quotecity.com, a buzzing online homeowner and contractor community which allows homeowners to find the right contractor for their home improvement projects! Also check out the QuoteCity Blog for more related home improvement articles and resources at http://www.quotecity.com/articles

[tags]contractors, home improvement, do it yourself home improvement, home additions,[/tags]

The History and Potential Uses of Hydroponics
Hydroponics is the science of growing plants without soil. History shows us that this is by no means a new concept. In ancient times the hanging gardens of Babylon, the floating gardens of the Aztecs of Mexico and those of the Chinese were all early examples of ‘Hydroponic’ culture. Egyptian writings dating back to several hundred years before Christ have descriptions of the growing of plants in water.

During the 1930s, scientists experimenting with the growing of plants without soil, using nutrients dissolved in water, discovered that the soil was needed only as an anchor for the plant’s root system. Since that time more and more research has resulted in the development of commercial nutrients and purpose built systems of differing types. Hydroponics is now popular in Western Europe, Australia, Canada and many other areas of the world.

As technology advances more and more of the world’s food is produced using hydroponic methods. Although rooted in history, it is still a relatively young science, Hydroponics has progressed rapidly over the past half century, it has been adapted to suit many and varied situations from outdoor farming to greenhouse production and now also indoor home cultivation. The military use it for growing fresh vegetables in submarines and the space programmes are even experimenting with Hydroponics to feed the crews on board manned space stations

The potential use of Hydroponics for future cultivation is enormous. It is already being looked at for increasing the food production in underdeveloped countries where space can be a factor. Because it is feasible to grow in areas of poor and even barren soil, arid regions of the world such as deserts could be utilised to grow crops hydroponically. The desert sand could be used as an ideal growing media and the nutrients even mixed with sea water, once the salts have been removed.

Even in countries with a more temperate climate Hydroponics can be used for food production, the temperature being maintained with the use of modern grow lights.
In Holland and other European countries the production of vegetables, such as Lettuce and fruits, like Tomatoes is showing that Hydroponic methods can be very effective and cost efficient. A large proportion of this produce is now being grown that way.
Some 20 plus years ago racehorse stables in the U K were looking at production of highly nutritious barley and wheat ‘grass’ as a feed. It was then very expensive and in its infancy, however today a large number of horse owners feed there animals in this way. It is also not unheard of for farmers to use the same methods to feed their cattle during the winter periods when the fields are too wet to graze.

With the advent of more efficient methods of production the uses of soil-less culture will advance and multiply as more people experiment with the systems available.

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business, Rickie Haughton is the owner of http://www.hydroponics-gardening-information.com The Hydroponics-Gardening-Information website is packed with good content about all aspects of hydroponics gardening and offers a free Hydroponics Information Club membership to all subscribers.

[tags]hydroponic,history,Basic Hydroponics,Beginners,History of Hydroponics,[/tags]

The Mentha species or mints as they are commonly called include many varieties that flavour everything from appetizers to desserts. The best-known species in North American are peppermint (M. x piperita) and spearmint (M. spicata), which are highly valued for commercial use. Mint symbolises “hospitality” and can be grown in pots and containers indoors and out. In the garden, mint should be grown with a barrier around the roots, as it can be extremely invasive. Most mints do not come true from seed so it is best to purchase plants from a nursery or garden centre. Fresh mints are a source of Vitamin C and pro-vitamin A.

Peppermint and spearmint are perennials growing 12 - 36 inches (30 - 90 cm) tall although some mints are ground hugging. Produced at the end of square stems, terminal spikes of dainty lilac, purple, pink, or white flowers usually bloom in mid-to-late summer. Cultivation requirements for growing mint: grows best in moist, deep, loosely textured sandy soil; full sun but will do well in partial shade; keep well watered; pinch off flowers to promote bushy growth; and if growing indoors, fertilise with an organic fertiliser at half-strength every 3 or 4 weeks. Where winters are harsh, mulch with straw or leaves to protect your plants.

Mints have creeping roots that require sufficient room to develop. When establishing indoor plants, pot up in good houseplant soil and sufficiently large containers to accommodate their root system. To bring indoors for the winter, check for insects, and spray with soap and water if necessary. To harvest and prevent indoor plants from getting scraggly, keep the stems cut back to 5 inches (13 cm). This will also keep the plants from blooming and ensure tastier leaves.

Indoor mints require at least 5 hours of strong sunlight daily. Grow them on a southern or eastern exposure. If you are growing them on a windowsill, rotate regularly to ensure each side receives equal amounts of light. Better yet, grow them under fluorescent lights hung 6 inches (15 cm) above the plants and leave on for 14 hours a day.

In the garden, mint is a good companion to cabbage and tomatoes. Mint deters cabbageworms and spearmint may help keep aphids off nearby plants. Mints attract bees so planting them near fruit trees will improve pollination and increase yields. Add fresh mint leaves to water in the birdbath to keep the water attractive for birds. In the kitchen, use mint with roast lamb or fish, butter, salads, cheese, fruits, fruit salads, jellies, soups, sauces, plain meats, poultry, stews, sweet dishes, teas, bean and lentil dishes. Add fresh sprigs to cooking water of peas, carrots, fresh beets, new potatoes, and in vinegar. Mint flowers can be used in salads as well as garnishes for desserts. In Middle Eastern dishes, mint is used for cheese pastry fillings, yoghurt dressings, and stuffings for vegetables such as bell peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. Mint tea is useful for soothing upset stomachs. To brew a cup, use 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried leaves or 3 teaspoons (15 mL) crushed fresh leaves in 1 cup (250 mL) of boiling water. Steep to taste. Mint can be dried or freeze leaves in butter, oil, or ice cubes.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace - Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen’s Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 - 2005. All rights reserved.

[tags]mint, growing indoors and out, cultivation requirements, popular species, uses in the kitchen and ga[/tags]

When it comes time to get new flooring you can save money by removing the old flooring yourself but if you have old linoleum on your floors you might be in for quite a challenge. Depending on how old the linoleum is and the type of adhesive that was used it can be extremely difficult to get up.

First of all, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to just remove the linoleum and adhesive all at once. The surface under the linoleum and the damage you might cause it needs to be considered - especially if that surface is wood. Concrete floors can take a lot more in the way of rough treatment. The type of scraper you use has a lot to do with your success as well as the damage to the floor underneath. Many people use paint scrapers but those with a razor blade are usually more efficient. Be prepared to break some blades it if the adhesive is hard, and you’re working on concrete.

Try cutting the linoleum into strips or sections instead of removing the whole chunk at once. This will make it easier to get an edge to pry up. Of course, the linoleum probably won’t come up in nice neat sections so be prepared to deal with a lot of left over backing and glue that is still attached to your floor.

One way to deal with those remnants that just won’t come up is to apply some kind of solvent or remover. A popular brand is Krud Kutter, which appears to work very well from the customer feedback comments. Follow directions on the label of whatever product you employ, and wear gloves to protect your hands. Do a small section at a time, and then move to the next one.

Another technique is to use boiling water and pour it directly on the backing and adhesive. Let it soak and then scrape up. If you don’t want to use water, you can try to heat up the glue with a hair dryer or heat gun. Pick a very inconspicuous area, such as behind a door, to try it. Heat the adhesive with the hair dryer and scrape it up with a straight-blade scraper (like a stiff putty knife with a beveled edge). Move the scraper in the direction of the grain of the wood if you are uncovering a hardwood floor. Have a pan or some other container handy to drop the scrapings into - one that is unlikely to either melt or ignite when coming in contact with hot materials. Be very careful if you are using a heat gun as this can easily damage the floor underneath if it is wood.

If worse comes to worse and you are left with some stubborn adhesive on the floors, it might be time to sand. Of course, if your floors are wood and you plan to refinish them you would need to sand anyway, but during this step you must be careful not to damage the particular area by keeping the sander on it for too long.

Once you finally get the linoleum and all traces of adhesive up, you are ready to seal the floor as recommended for the type of flooring and apply the new floor as recommended!

Lee Dobbins writes for A Kitchen Decorating Idea where you can find more tips on kitchen remodeling and decorating on a budget.

[tags]kitchen, decorating, interior decorating, interior design, remodeling[/tags]

Not all houses have perfect surroundings that will be easy to transform into outdoor recreation and entertainment areas with good lawns and gardens. It is frequently necessary to undertake some construction projects to obtain the quality and type of outdoor area you want. One of the basic construction problems for any landscaping task is grading the soil. Generally, grading means building a slope into the garden area. Sloping ensures that there is proper drainage, and it can make the house look better while allowing for easier maintenance.

Whether you want to have a garden, a lawn, or a terrace, you must do your grading first. The best time to grade is when a home is being constructed, since it is relatively simple to add a few inches between the entrance level and the ground level at this point. Just a few inches can ease the creation of a grade away from the house to improve its appearance and make for a drier basement, if you have one.

It is difficult to measure a grade by eye. Even professionals cannot do this. You should use a piece of twine as a guide. Pull the twine tight between two sticks imbedded in the ground. Once you’ve completed the rough work for levelling, use a long board as a straight edge on the ground to make sure you’ve been accurate. Rough grading is the first step in landscape construction. The extent of the grading depends on the condition of the ground and what ground levels are desired. You must also pay attention if there are extreme slopes and try to keep as closely as possible to natural contours. This reduces the expense of grading in a big way.

Begin grading by stripping and separating topsoil from the areas where the level is to be altered. Even if you are grading for a stone or concrete terrace, you should save the topsoil. You can spread the topsoil in areas where it is thin, or you can use it a flower garden and save yourself some money. Once you have stripped the topsoil, subsoil can be graded to the desired contours, leaving space for adding the topsoil that has been removed. You should also plan to have a slope for every one-hundred feet of lawn. The same measurement can be applied to a stone terrace to prevent pools of water to develop during periods of rain.

When you level an area for a terrace, you don’t need to insert subsoil drainage. Just save the topsoil. For nearly all terraces, it is good practice to tamp the soil down and even to put a layer of gravel cinder or crushed rock as a base for the terrace. Terraces typically require a level area, but the grade that slopes away from the house should be maintained.

Read more articles and find gardening tips by visiting http://complete-gardening.com.

[tags]article submission, articles, writers, writing, publishing, ezine, email marketing, email newsletter, email[/tags]

Broad beans are one of the oldest known vegetables and certainly one of my own favourites. These beans are easy to grow being hardy so can be sown in autumn as well as in spring. They do not seem to suffer from any real adversaries if certain steps are taken to discourage pests before they become a problem. One advantage is that they will grow in any soil whether light or heavy.
Beans are high in protein, fibre and other essential vitamins and minerals.

Soil Preparation

Autumn sown seeds should go into well-manured beds from the previous crop. Alternatively two or three weeks before the crop is sown, work into the soil plenty of well-rotted manure and compost. At the time of sowing lightly fork a fish manure with 10 per cent potash contend into the ground at 3 oz. (90g) to the sq. yd. There is a variety of named broad bean seeds to choose from, including some excellent dwarf ones, some with dark coloured pods that look particularly attractive.

Sowing

If it’s an early crop that you want, then sow long-pods can be sown in boxes in John Innes seed compost in a greenhouse or cold frame about the middle of December or early January, where they should remain until at least the end of March when they can be planted out in the beds. For most of us the first sowing will be out-doors in April, then a second sowing for late crops about the beginning of May.

After the soil has been raked level and fish manure has been scattered on the surface, a hoe can be used to draw out 3 in. (76mm) deep drills. Space out the seeds to about 8 in. (203mm) apart then make another drill roughly about 8 in. away, making another row keeping the same distance between the seeds. This is known as a double row method. The next set of double rows should be positioned about 2

Teen Bedroom Furniture forms an important part of the d

Perhaps the most important part of decorating your bedroom is getting the right accessories for the style of bedroom that your are going for. Getting this one detail right can make or break your new bedroom design and every style has accessories that will help make it shine. Here’s some tips on accessories you might want to include in your bedroom interior design.

Rustic Decor

For that rustic look that goes with a country, log cabin or lodge style decor make sure to add in a variety of wooden bowls and baskets together with old snowshoes and other camp gear. You might even try certain vintage lodge style blankets in traditional black and red plaid or stripes to add some punch to your bedroom. If you are really brave, you might add some taxidermy mounts which will certainly add a unique look to your bedroom.

Tropical Decor

For tropical or safari style rooms you want to be sure to add in lots of jungle animal prints as well as silk or real plants. Sprinkle in some knick knacks of exotic animals like zebras, lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes and monkeys. Palm tree accessories such as lamps, mirrors and even table stands can help bring the wilds of the jungle into your bedroom.

Romantic Decor

Romantic styles like Victorian, Tuscan, French and Shabby Chic go great with antiques and feminine yard sale finds. Fill the bedroom with elegant vases filled with flowers and put lots of flower paintings or prints on the walls. This look begs for drippy crystals so be sure to have a chandelier or table lamps with lots of crystal prisms. Combine that all with some chippy painted items and you’ll have a look fit for a magazine.

Contemporary Decor

With contemporary or modern bedrooms less is better, but that doesn’t mean the room should be totally void of accessories. Some strategically placed items that have straight clean lines can really add interest. Think about adding a single plain vase with one flower in it, or a simple floral arrangement that is linear in style. A couple of interesting art glass pieces can really add some punch to this style as well.

No matter what style you choose for your bedroom, the accessories are important. Look in decorating magazines and books to see what accessories the decorators put in the rooms that have the same style you are going for. You can buy accessories for less money at consignment stores and yard sales - no one has to know that you got them second hand!

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com where you can get more bedroom decorating articles.

[tags] interior decorating, interior design, decorating, bedroom, decor, remodeling[/tags]

Cactus is very easy to grow and doesn’t require much time to take care or occupy much space in your house. Therefore, this plant is very suitable for modern homes. Collecting cacti has become a popular hobby. Although cactus is an easy-to-grow kind of plant, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have to take any care of it at all! There are some basic things you should know when growing cacti:

Tubs: You should choose tubs which don’t retain too much water and the underneath holes should be big enough so that your cacti will not be waterlogged. Moreover, you shouldn’t put too much soil into the tubs because substances which are needed for your cacti can flow out when you water.

Water: Cacti don’t require much water. However, water helps cacti clean, healthy and strong to cope with insects. A good schedule of watering will help a cactus grow well in all its life. You can notice when your cacti need water by observing the dryness of soil in your cacti’s tubs. When the it looks very dry, it’s the time you should water the cacti. In different seasons, the cacti require different amount sof water. In winter, you should water once a week and in summer, twice a week. However if it rains or the humidity level is high, you don’t have to water them.

Temperature and light: Cacti need to be in a place which is full of air and light. The most suitable places to put your cacti tubs are on balconies or by windows. In addition, cacti grow the best in temperatures of 15-28oC.

You may want to put your cacti in your living room or bedroom for decoration. However, you should bring them back to the sunlight after 2 or 3 days because your they won’t grow very well without the help of sunlight. In addition to that, they are flowering, you shouldn’t bring them into an air-conditioned room as the flowers will die very quickly.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Gardening

[tags]gardening[/tags]

Televisions come in a variety of sizes ranging from the corner stand TVs to the complete range of home theater systems. While finding a place to store a normal size TV proves no problem, finding space for your big screen entertainment center may require some elaborate planning.

For setting up a big screen entertainment center, you need to first make a list of components and equipment that will be needed. A typical list of components will include the TV, VCR, laser disc player or DVD player, stereo system, and console-based game station.

Given the varied assortment of the components involved and their sizes, big screen entertainment centers take up a lot of space in any room - living or bedroom. That means they need to be aligned to any one wall in a room. Apart from the electronic equipment, these big screen solutions also have provisions for books and a computer.

This means that these centers can fulfill the relaxation and recreational needs of several people at once and therefore, these entertainment centers become the converging point for entire family. The position of a big screen entertainment center also determines the setting of the entire room.

An entertainment center aligned to a wall can become the anchor of the entire room, around which the rest of the furniture such as the sofa, is arranged. The entertainment center and the rest of the furniture of the room should blend aesthetically with the d