Archive

November 2019

Browsing
Mom Stuff

Gift Ideas That Are Perfect For New Homeowners

You have exactly three hours, 20 minutes and eight seconds to choose a gift. Even worse, you have a very strict budget that eliminates most of the fancy, high-tech gifts in the store. Your good friend and her husband have just purchased their new digs, and in a couple of hours, they will host a housewarming celebration. All week long, you have been scratching your head trying to figure out what to purchase. As you stroll down the aisles of ACME Home and Garden department store, you actually consider showing up empty-handed – major faux pas. In this day and age, would-be gift givers have plenty of options when giving gifts to new homeowners.

New homeowners might receive gifts from family and friends for a variety of reasons. Granted, not everybody can afford to spend oodles on appliances and technology for a gift that homeowners might or might not use, or even appreciate. However, the importance of giving a present to new homeowners is not related to the cost of the item but to celebrating this milestone with the homeowner. Another reason friends and family give gifts is to help new homeowners – homeowners who have already spent a good chunk of money – defray the cost of needed items such as appliances and home and garden tools.

When buying a gift for a new homeowner, gift givers have many options. Gift givers can draw from the homeowner’s life for inspiration. For example, if a friend is a novice wine taster, give her a six-month trial subscription to a wine club, and for those on a budget, a carafe or a wine-tasting kit would also suffice. In fact, would-be gift givers can draw from a variety of sources for inspiration.

For those homeowners who love to cook and eat, give the person an apron, monogrammed if possible. Another good gift choice is a recipe book that contains the homeowners’ favorite type of food; for example, Italian food, Mexican food, soul food, Chinese food and vegan food cookbooks are great ideas. Purchasing cookware is also a good idea for novice chefs. For instance, purchase a small grilling pan for someone who likes to grill, but not on an outside grill, or a rice cooker, to avoid uncooked rice. Food items such as specialty hot chocolate, wine, cheese and crackers, tea and flavored coffee can also be inexpensive gift items.

For those homeowners who like to spend time in the yard, gift givers have numerous gift ideas from which to choose. Lawnmowers, edgers, planters and garden hoses are common gifts. Gift givers do not have to go to into the poor house, though, to give to those with a green thumb. In fact, potted trees and flowers that can be transferred into a garden are inexpensive gift ideas. Other gift ideas for those gardeners include a gift bag that contains small packets of both flower and vegetable seed kits, in addition to directions on how to grow these plants.

For those homeowners who are all-around homemakers, candles, potpourri and incense and their burners are all excellent gift ideas. In addition to these aromatic gifts, collages, framed pictures and art can also be given to someone who likes to decorate their home. Pricier gifts can include area rugs and glass vases. For those homemakers who despise yard work, gift givers can arrange for a gardener to mow the lawn for a month. Furthermore, those would-be handy men or women would appreciate a set of tools.

For those homeowners who are tech-savvy and need the latest and greatest gadgets, consider purchasing a traveling doorbell that lets the homeowners take it to wherever they are in the home. Another techie gift can be a smartphone-friendly garage door opener or even smart bulbs that can be controlled from a smartphone.

Those gift givers on a tight budget can purchase small gift items such as key chains that hold the house keys, cutting boards for the kitchen, measuring cups, a nice table cloth, and martini shakers and glasses, in addition to a plethora of items under 20 dollars.

If all else fails and the new homeowners are fussy beyond measure, purchasing a gift card to a favorite department store and enclosing it in a beautiful card, hand-made or not, so they can choose a gift, is also acceptable. The point in purchasing a gift is to let the homeowner know that their milestone of purchasing a home is being celebrated. Furthermore, for every visit to the home, the gift giver sees their contribution to their friend’s home.

Keep Reading
By
Business

REASONS WHY BUSINESS CARDS ARE STILL NOT DEAD

Many business people think they can use social media, search engines and websites to replace the magic tool of business cards. But that is far from the truth. No matter how social media and search engines have transformed the business and communication landscape, business cards still matter!

As a small business owner or corporate professional, you cannot afford to take business cards out of your marketing matrix. You have to understand the role of business cards and how important it is to your success. You also have to ensure that you get the best design possible for your business cards.  

A crappy looking business card is not going to earn you any point. And this why you have to be adamant about the design as well as the text you put on your business card. Whether you are looking for handyman business cards or travel agent business cards, you want the best design possible that projects success and professionalism.

While many people think the internet era has killed business cards that is rather contrary to fact. It has rather created new uses of business cards. Today, you can have your business cards either in a digital form or in print. Your business can be shared and distributed to many people to help you build your network.

If you think business cards are dead, rethink your option. The following are reasons why business cards are still not dead and useful for business growth:

1.    Networking Tool
Networking is one of the primary ways to connect with people, know them and build new relationships. Some of these people can end up being customers, partners or even investors. Whether it is an event, a party or social gathering, you want to make sure you are ready with your business card. Your business card will enable you to professionally connect with people and build rapport.

2.    Great First Impression

We live in an age where people have a short attention span. When you meet a new potential client or investor, it is important you get prepared with your elevator speech and business card. You need to quickly let them know what you do and what you stand for. But because there are a lot of things on people’s mind, just talking is not enough, you’ll need to give them your professionally designed business card.

3.    Easy and Effective Marketing Tool

Your business card is not just a card with your contact details on it. It’s an important marketing tool for your business. Sometimes people might not have their phone or a pen at hand. Your business card will serve as a medium to market, promote and showcase your business.

The design and outlook of your business card will tell a potential customer that you are serious and committed to what you stand for. With a few words and your business card, you can end up getting new clients, closing deals and improving your bottom line.

Designing a business card be a lot of hassle. That is why top-notch firms like Basic Invite makes it easy to get a new, custom business card for your business with almost unlimited colors, custom samples and address capturing service. Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51. If you are looking for foil cards, they are available in gold, silver and rose gold. You can choose either flat or raised foil cards on all business card designs.

Keep Reading
By
Uncategorized

4 Signs You Need to Call an HVAC Professional Right Away

HVAC units seem to break down on the coldest and hottest days of the year. Prolonged hot or cold weather patterns can certainly cause an HVAC unit to work overtime to keep your home climate controlled. However, an HVAC unit often offers warning signs to let you know that you should consider calling a professional to service your system. Discover a few signs that indicate you need to call an HVAC professional right away.

Your Unit Isn’t Running Properly

If you or a family member is sick, you go or take the person to visit the doctor. If your car is making a strange sound, you visit the mechanic. Likewise, if your HVAC unit is demonstrating signs that it’s starting to malfunction, you need to call an HVAC professional. If your unit isn’t heating or cooling your home as it should and you don’t have obvious blockages to heat registers or air filters, you should call a professional. Contact a technician if you notice unusual sounds coming from your HVAC unit as well.

Finally — and most importantly — if you have a gas unit, you should already have installed carbon monoxide detectors. If a carbon monoxide detector alerts you to the presence of this deadly gas, contact a professional immediately.

Your DIY Actions Haven’t Resolved the Problem

Several issues related to HVAC units are simple to resolve. You can change the unit’s filter, check the thermostat, and confirm that the unit’s circuit breaker has not tripped. Such repairs are simple, inexpensive, and take only a few minutes.

You may also move draperies, furniture, and other items around your home to keep them from obstructing the air flowing through your registers. Make sure your registers are fully open to allow maximum airflow. If simple do-it-yourself HVAC system repairs such as these ones do not solve your problem, then you need to call an HVAC technician.

You Renovated Your Home

Home and garden television programs offer plenty of inspiration for renovating your home. You may find yourself planning to upsize your home to suit an expanding family or to customize your living space to meet your tastes.

When selecting floor plans, paint samples, and design touches to complete your renovation project, make sure to place “call your HVAC professional” on your must-do list. Your HVAC professional can alert you to new features to maximize your HVAC unit’s efficiency while climate controlling your new living space. HVAC professionals can also make sure that your home is as efficient as possible, including assessing your current insulation and ductwork.

Your Home Is Exceptionally Dusty

Cleaning your home may seem like a never-ending process, and your HVAC unit may make your cleaning efforts moot. Over time, dust and dirt build up on your HVAC unit’s elements; that dust and dirt then gets distributed throughout your home, landing on surfaces you just dusted. Schedule a maintenance visit with your HVAC professional to have your HVAC system thoroughly cleaned once a year. Not only will a thorough cleaning keep your whole home cleaner, but a clean HVAC system also runs more smoothly and efficiently, thus prolonging its overall life.

Don’t wait until your HVAC unit completely breaks down to call an HVAC professional. From preventative maintenance to annual cleanings, you can make sure your system keeps you comfortable year-round.

Keep Reading
By
Home

Protect Your Family: Enhance the Security of Your Home with Iron Doors

Each year, burglaries and home invasions occur in cities and towns across the United States. The most common way a burglar or home invader enters a residence is through the front or back door to the home

There are a number of practical steps that you can and should take to beef up  home security at your home. One effective step you can take is the installation of iron doors at your home.

With the installation of iron security doors at your home, you increase overall security at your residence in a number of ways. Understanding this important possibility, there are also some other facts and factors associated with iron security doors for your residence that you need to keep in mind.

The Expense of Iron Doors

You need not break the bank when it comes to installing iron security doors at your residence. In fact, iron doors are cost effective. Iron doors come in a broad spectrum of prices. Nearly any person is able to find quality iron security doors for a residence within a specified budget.

You may be able to save money when you purchase more than one iron security door at a time. As was mentioned a moment ago, securing both front and back doors at a residence. Both of these entryways are common targets of burglars and home invaders.

The Effectiveness of Iron Doors as a Security Device

Wooden doors, even when properly secured, are fairly easy to penetrate. On the other hand, an iron door is virtually impenetrable. The idea of an iron residential door being knocked down or taken out is laughable.

Style and Iron Doors

When it comes to the installation of iron doors at your residence, you most definitely do not need to sacrifice style for security. The reality is that iron doors can be highly attractive and stylish.

One option you have available to you when it comes to iron security doors for your home is to go the custom made route. You can develop your own design for iron doors and have the created by professionals. In the alternative, you can have a custom iron door designed and crafted by professionals. No matter which of these particular courses you take, you will end up with secure, wholly attractive, and unique iron doors for your residence.

If you don’t want to venture down the custom iron door route, you have a multitude of premade options available to you. You truly will be able to find premade iron doors that will meet your security needs as well as your sense of style, even if you are a highly particular individual.

Adding More Iron Security Measures to a Residence

When it comes to enhancing security at your residence, you may want to think of ways you can incorporate iron into the process beyond just entryways to your home. One addition you may want to consider for your residence is the placement of an iron gate or gates.

An iron gate can be added to any type of fence line as a means of enhancing security. As is the case with iron security doors for your residence, iron gates for a residence come in a variety of stylish designs. Moreover, as with doors, you can have a gate or gates custom designed, if you so desire.

In addition to adding an iron gate or gates at your premises, you can take an addition step in improving security by adding an iron fence at your home as well. There is a myriad of different types of fence designs, one of which is certain to work well at your home.

Doors as Deterrents

One important factor you want to keep in mind is that its far better to deter a criminal from attempting to break into your home in the first instance than stop that miscreant when it progress of doing so. Another important benefit that can be derived from residential iron security doors is the fact that they are effective deterrents.

Time and again, individuals who were involved in criminal activity in the past have stated that they would avoid a home that included iron doors in its overall security scheme. These criminals well understood that iron doors were next to impossible. They simple were not going to waste their time trying to find away around an iron doors. In addition, these criminals also concluded that if a person went to the trouble of installing iron doors, they likely maintain other types of security systems around and inside the home.

========

Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Abby Iron Doors. Abby Iron Doors specialize in designing and manufacturing wrought iron entry doors, wine cellar doors, windows and balconies for residential and commercial customers.

Keep Reading
By
Travel

Las Vegas: The City Of Si..Fun

It can be fun traveling to exotic locations and immersing ourselves in a culture and country we have entirely no knowledge about. Trying something new can be exhilarating. The whole idea of walking into unknown waters may be scary for some and exhilarating for others; and this is true, to an extent.

Traveling to exotic locations is fun, and it does bring out in us a delightful experience. It shows there is so much more to life than our little bubbles. And for those who would like to break out of her bubble but don’t want to travel outside the country then there is no other place to be had then Las Vegas.

Okay, maybe that is not true.

America offers so much to it;’s residents and tourist that there can be said to be something in almost every state. Which is why America is unique. But for those American residences who would love to travel and experience a place that is exciting but don’t want the jump straight into leaving their country; Las Vegas is the place to go.

Las Vegas. The gambling, the casinos, the live entertainment. The easy cash. The place to get a married in a heartbeat. The area considered by many to be the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.

Whatever it’s reputation to some, there is no doubt that Las Vegas also is genuinely one of the fascinating places to visit in America. Las Vegas offers a wide array of shows, and entertainment t be had, and for the who are curious, the live shows are right to die for.

Heck, Las Vegas isn’t restricted solely to casinos and gambling and to other things which we will not discuss “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

But aside from these Las Vegas offer a wide array of shows all that range from Magic, to live music to show that are all the rave.

Las Vegas is fun, and it will surely give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone more and more and maybe even better to try and leave the country and see more of the world.

“The City of Sin” will be a blessing in disguise it will show you there is much to this world. Is it a panacea for those who are scared to leave their country no.

But it is a good starting place and heck you gain courage all while having fun.

Keep Reading
By
Mom Stuff

How To Throw A Terrific Summer Party

If you live in a major metropolis like Los Angeles or Seattle, you know that throwing a party can sometimes be challenging — considering the density of living in the city. Often, your yard space is small (if you’re lucky to have any outdoor space at all), and you’re surrounded on all sides by neighbours. But just because you have a smaller space to work in, doesn’t mean you can’t pull off a great time for friends and family.

Send the Invites Early

People — especially those in the Millennial or Gen Z cohort — are busy these days. Many people work in the creative or precarious sphere and have to ration out their time carefully. Make sure to send invites at least a month in advance and then send everyone a reminder a week beforehand. Facebook is often the go-to mode of communication, but for those who choose not to buy in, a simple email with a Google invite will do. This way your friends can simply add the event to their digital calendars.

Get Creative with Catering

We can all do better than chips and dip, so get creative. If you want to create a sense of sharing (and save money in the process) insist on a pot luck, where everyone brings a little bit to share. In the summertime, keep the fare light and cool. Summer salads (think mango and spinach, or a classic Cobb), cold sandwiches (cucumbers, anyone?), and chilled drinks like beer and wine are always a great bet. If you’re catering for friends who love trying something new and fun, consider Mochi ice cream from a vendor like MyMo Mochi, that offers delicious ice cream with delectable sticky rice-cake on the outside. As refreshing as ice cream, Mochi adds another layer with a crunchy and flavorful shell. To peruse the interesting and unique flavors available (such as Green Tea, Ripe Strawberry, or Mint Chocolate Chip) and to find MyMo Mochi Ice cream near you simply visit the link, or ask your local grocer for more information.

Games are In

If you want to get people moving but don’t feel comfortable blaring music over speakers, why not consider a fun, adult game to get people talking, laughing and moving. Games have come a long way since the days of Twister, and some can be downright hilarious. Whatever your age, so many party-goers are being swept up by games-mania, so there are plenty to choose from. If you have creative types, then a game like Scattergories or Balderdash. This will keep people thinking and working in teams. If you are catering to an older or more mature crowd, consider classics like charades, or even a game of Taboo and — maybe even design these as party games with prizes for the best performance.

So, if you’re planning on throwing a shindig for fun-loving party-goers of any age, remember that good company, food, and games make for a fun, exuberant, and memorable affair. Keep our tips in mind and enjoy your next event!

Keep Reading
By