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Organization 101 for Busy Families Get ahead of the game and make it easier on yourself and your children (NC)—All year long, families are faced with the collective challenge of balancing family life with the strict routine of school and parents' work schedules. The best way to make this daily ballet feel like a breeze is to get organized, keep everything in its place and involve everyone in creating an efficient routine. Everything in order Busy families can save time, tension and arguments by labelling most of their kids' belongings. Stick names on school clothing and supplies, sports equipment and favourite toys, and it can go as far as their favourite cereal bowl, their toothbrush, etc.  Once you've gathered everything that needs a label, let the kids be in charge of this project – it's a great way to get them involved. A good electronic labeller is a must-have for the organized crew. Brother pioneered electronic labelling more than 20 years ago and today offers its P-touch models at most office retailers and online at www.brother.ca.  Get everything in order by dedicating a storage space for each member of the family: from labelling shelves to drawers in the entrance closet. Plus, by labelling virtually everything, you can prevent mix ups or lost belongings: no more searching through the lost and found, and no more money spent replacing items.  On-the-go Mornings Every morning is a race against the clock. Save precious time by labelling names on lunch boxes, food containers, juice bottles, cutlery, etc. Clearly identified containers also prevent allergy mix-ups at school. This also allows you to easily scan for one's lunch in the fridge and to stuff lunch boxes in a snap! “Our P-touch labellers are ideal for busy families because they work on clothing, camping and outdoor gear, gardening, workshop and garage items, and so on. They are a quick, convenient and easy-to-use solution for on-the-go needs, so users just type, print, peel, and stick tough, long-lasting laminated labels in seconds,” says Brian Caldwell, Senior Product Manager at Brother Canada. “Our tapes are available in various colours and sizes, up to 36 mm, plus they are tested to the extreme so they can move from freezer to microwave to dishwasher. They can also withstand water immersion, abrasion and sunlight without ever peeling or fading.” Kitchen organization Countries have capitals, corporations have headquarters and families have their kitchen. To keep up with busy families, the kitchen must be the most organized room in the house. Optimizing storage space is the best way to get the most out of your kitchen. Design your kitchen storage taking into account its multiple uses, taking advantage of vertical and hard to reach shelves and corners. Items can be stored on hooks behind doors and on walls, and Lazy Susans turn dead areas into extra storage space. Group similar items together in containers and label them so that everyone can find what they are looking for. By making the most out of the house, you'll create order in the busiest home and spend less time organizing and more time enjoying your family. Debunking laundry myths Facts from laundering expert Dr. Laundry (NC)—Throughout my years, I've answered many questions about bleach and the safety of using it, but there are still a lot of misconceptions. Here are some of the most common myths I have encountered and the truth behind them:  MYTH: Laundry detergent alone is enough to clean your laundry. TRUTH: Detergent alone leaves behind unseen “body soil” made up of body oils, dead skin flakes and sweat. Adding liquid bleach to your laundry will remove more of this residue than detergent alone. MYTH: Bleach contaminates ground water. TRUTH: When bleach reacts with the organic material in stains and soils, 95 to 97 per cent is converted to salt water, and the remaining percentage is effectively treated at wastewater facilities. Remember to always read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products, including storing cleaning products out of reach of children. More information is available online at www.clorox.ca. Harold Baker aka Dr. Laundry is an associate research fellow at The Clorox Company. He has spent 30 years remedying tough stains and solving laundry needs across North America. |
Create a sweet retreat with a new headboard (NC)—Once a child moves away from home it might be time to consider updating their kid-friendly room to make it more guest appropriate. The main focus of any bedroom is the bed, so why not make it stand out with a unique and interesting headboard. “Headboards add a sense of sophistication to any room, but can often be expensive,” says Frank Turco, Manager of Colour, Trend and Design at The Home Depot. “A D-I-Y headboard is a great way to add class to any room without breaking the bank.” This year, experiment with one of these fun projects:  • Create a graphic focal point by painting grid boxes in bright vibrant colours on the wall, aligned above the bed • Get the illusion of a headboard by painting the wall area over the bed a different colour and lining it with wallpaper trim • Create rustic ambience by repurposing vintage doors or window frames and hanging them above the bed • Design a custom fabric headboard through The Home Depot's In-Home Decorating Services. Also create matching bed coverings, drapery and other accessories to finish the look “Once the headboard is complete, extend the project by adding a new coat of paint or wallpaper, a glamorous chandelier, a new area rug or even a fireplace to create the ultimate guest retreat,” says Turco. Prepare your garage door for winter (NC)—Fall is the ideal time to do an inspection of your house to be sure that it will be ready to meet the rigours of winter. The maintenance of your garage door is a main part. According to Nancy Labbé, director of communication at Garaga Inc., this task requires a minimal investment of money and time, and it will spare you a lot of worries in the future.  The door To clean your door, use a gentle soap (e.g. dishwashing soap) and rinse thoroughly. For those tough stains, use an all-purpose detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners or other strong liquids. To counteract the effects of acid rain and ultraviolet rays of the sun, apply a liquid wax to the garage door once a year, to protect its lustre and give back its brightness. The weather-stripping We suggest cleaning your weather-stripping with an all-purpose detergent and then rinsing thoroughly. Lubricate the weather-stripping every two months (more often depending on usage) with a weather-strip lubricant. Do not use a petroleum-based lubricant petroleum attacks the rubber, which must remain flexible. The tracks, rollers and springs To keep your door running, it's important to check all the moving parts. Garaga hardware is made from galvanized steel so it will not rust. However, the hardware does needs a minimum of maintenance to offer optimal performance. The track doesn't does not need to be lubricated. We suggest lubricating the rollers (the inside) and the hinges with a metal lubricant. Do not use a petroleum-based lubricant because it will acts as a degreaser as well as a lubricant. To prolong your spring's useful life, apply metal lubricant and wipe off the excess oil with a cloth. The safety cable also needs to be checked to avoid problems. For your own safety, never attempt to adjust the springs, the bottom brackets or the hoisting cables yourself because of the inherent risk associated with the great deal of tension in the springs. Call a Garaga-certified installer to handle the work for you. The garage door opener Weather conditions may cause some minor changes in door operation requiring some re-adjustment. So it is important to do a check up once a month. Work the door manually to ensure that it is well balanced. If the door is not balanced, contact a qualified garage door installer. Check that your door opens and closes completely. If necessary, adjust limits and/or force. Most garage door openers come with two knobs for these adjustments. Consult your owner's manual. Check the safety reversing sensor. The door must reverse on contact if an object or a person is under it. Also, check if your photo sensors are correctly plugged in and aligned. The door should reverse if any object passes through the beam. The opener does not require additional lubrication. Do not permit children to play with the opener; keep the remote control in an location inaccessible to them. Finally… Consider your garage door as an important part of your home. Perform the suggested maintenance, and it will provide you with carefree convenience for many years to come. We recommend you have the door inspected by a qualified installer at least once a year. You can obtain both metal and weather-strip lubricant through a Garaga door dealer. More information is available online at www.garaga.com . |
Back to school for
boomers NC)—It's that time of year again – back-to-school – and for many boomers this means the kids are moving out on their own, leaving them to start a new phase of their lives. Frank Turco, Manager of Colour, Trend & Design at The Home Depot suggests it's time to take advantage of the extra space, update your home and get to all those small projects that you have put off for years. The following easy, budget- friendly D-I-Y projects are the perfect way to create a fresh, adults-only environment. 1) Refresh the walls A fresh coat of paint is one of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to update a room. “Choosing the appropriate colour is very important.” says Turco. “If your taste is more traditional, I recommend something from the taupe family. Highland Plains by C-I-L is a great neutral tone that will create the perfect canvas for your décor. However, if your taste is more contemporary, you may want to experiment more with colour. Try Icon Grey by C-I-L and pair it with accents of high gloss blues for a cool modern feel.” 2) Shine a new light Lighting makes a huge impact on the look of any room. Light can be used to create ambience, add drama, or draw attention to a focal point. The fastest way to change a room's mood is to add a dimmer switch. With the flip of a switch, a room can instantly transform from bright and busy to dim and relaxed. Hang a chandelier in an unexpected room like the kitchen or a bedroom to give the space a feeling of high fashion and sophistication.  3) Clean-up the kitchen With the kitchen often being the most used room in the home, by the time the kids move out it is often in desperate need of an update. If a full renovation isn't in your budget, you can still completely change the look of your kitchen with a few small refresh projects. Add a new backsplash, update the cabinetry hardware, introduce new lighting, change the faucet or paint the cabinetry to really make your kitchen cook. 4) Closet chaos – be gone! With the kids gone, now is the time to organize those shelves still stocked with grade school projects, clothing keepsakes and vacation memorabilia. First, determine what you really want to keep, and then consider installing one of Rubbermaid's custom closet configurations to truly organize that miscellaneous closet. 5) Display all! Just because the kids have moved out of the home, it does not mean you can't still be proud parents. Building your own custom-designed display unit for a bedroom or living room is easier than you think and can be a beautiful way to celebrate your children's many accomplishments. Visit www.homedepot.ca and check out the Do-it-Yourself section for some interesting and unique display options. Mould: How to stop a growing problem (NC)—Health Canada estimates that Canadians spend almost 90 per cent of their time indoors, underlining the importance of good indoor air quality in keeping Canadians healthy. Air quality can be affected by a number of variables with one of the most common contributors to poor air quality being mould.  Mould is a highly preventable – yet surprisingly common – problem. Masonry products offer the unique advantage of being able to stop mould problems before they begin because brick, block and stone work to maintain good indoor air quality, as opposed to endanger it. Research shows that in recent years there has been a shift towards the use of inexpensive building materials, in part to help decrease building costs. However, while these materials may offer cost savings up front, they can have a devastating effect on the health of our communities. According to www.MasonryWorx.com, masonry products are the best choice for preventing mould growth for two reasons: masonry veneer wall systems offer superior moisture management, and they do not provide a food source for the mould to flourish. Concrete block, in particular, has been instrumental in ensuring commercial and public buildings remain mould-free. The increased use of materials such as vinyl or metal siding and exterior insulated finishing systems (EIFS) in residential communities may contribute to moisture accumulation in the wall systems and mould growth in two ways: by allowing water penetration into the wall system or by inhibiting the drying of moisture to the exterior. Choosing the right cladding materials is imperative to maintaining healthy indoor air quality at home. Masonry products offer benefits above and beyond the cost savings associated with alternative claddings. A properly designed masonry drainage wall system allows moisture to naturally pass through the wall and to drain out through the weep-hole system; moisture is contained in the cavity and never penetrates the vapour/air barrier, thus protecting the inside of a building or a home from mould. Incorporating masonry materials into the design of homes is not only more aesthetically pleasing, but also contributes to superior resale value and provides a healthier, safer home. |
