Anne is a 30-something full-time SAHM mom of 5 ranging from 3 to 17 and grandma of 1 who resides in Ashwaubenon (Green Bay) Wisconsin. She started blogging in 2008 as a way to regain her sanity. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, cheeseburgers and vodka along with spending time with her husband and kids.
Community is important in this part of the world, and I’m sure it’s the same for you, too. We’ve covered a whole bunch of community-themed posts on this blog before, but one thing we haven’t considered is this: what if your local neighborhood doesn’t have a community that you are interested in?
We all take part in the charitable and local events, of course. But of there is something you are particularly interested in and you know others are too, why don’t you start something yourself? The whole whole world has gone community mad in the past decade or so, and it’s not just local citizens, NGOs and nonprofits that are starting them. The good news for all of us is that this means there is plenty of information out there about starting one – here are a few tips.
A quick education
In theory, a community can be formed with a single meeting in a town hall – it’s really that simple. But of course, like most other things in life the chances are that it will be a little trickier, depending on what you want to do. If you want to raise awareness of a minor local problem, for example, you are likely to find many people willing to back you up. But if you want your community is involved in something like human rights campaigns or larger, political issues, some training might be required. A lot of people in these kind of fields start off with something like a Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership. This is the kind of thing you should be looking for if you really want to understand the theories and practices behind community organization.
Giving an education – and an inspiration
Once you have learned all you need to about building a community, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use. The whole point of this is to inspire, educate and inform people – to turn them onto your kind of thinking. You also need to motivate them to take action, and for them to be inspired they are doing something good. You can see brands doing this everywhere, from Levi’s raising money for water reclaiming initiatives through to Coca Cola setting up two way cameras in India and Pakistan. The more creative you are, the better.
Taking names
Once you have a few people on board, it’s time to ask them to start spreading the word. The best communities are largely leaderless, so see yourself as a navigator rather than anything else – and your initial influx of interested people as your first mates – and your ambassadors. Over time the spread of communication between yourselves and everyone else’s contacts needs to be collected so you can start to loop people in with what’s happening. Email addresses, phone calls, and anything else you can get your hands on will ensure that you get as many people motivated and turning up to meetings as possible.
Hopefully, these simple ideas will inform you about how to start a small community and get it up and running. Do you have any more tips?
One of the most popular rooms for remodeling is the smallest in the house: the bathroom. There’s nothing worse than creating a beautiful bathroom for it to develop an unpleasant smell and spoil it. Nevertheless, even if you keep your bathroom meticulously clean, nasty smells can still emerge and ruin the effects of your interior design. No-one wants to have a beautiful but smelly bathroom after all!
You can find out more about how you can transform your bathroom into a luxurious haven and visit UniqueVanities.com but in the meantime, let’s take a look at how to prevent that unmistakable aroma of sewage permeating your home.
Here are 7 tips on what to look for when there’s a persistent pong emerging from your bathroom and what you can do to fix it:
Check the Bathtub
Sometimes you can notice a smell coming from the bathtub drain. This isn’t actually caused by sewer gas although it can smell as though it is. Unpleasant smells from the tub drain are usually down to bacteria growing in some of the things that get lodged there, such as hair for example. If your bathtub is used regularly, it is more likely that things will get lodged in the drain quite a lot and so it’s important to clean the drain more often than for a guest bathroom for example.
There’s a quick fix for this kind of smell:
Pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain to clean and deodorize it
Follow that with half a cup of white vinegar poured directly on top of the baking soda
The foam that is created should be left to do its work for around an hour before rinsing
Repeat this process monthly to ensure the bathtub is always odor-free
Is it the Sink?
Because sinks work in the same way as bathtubs and drain water out rather than letting it into the tub, they can sometimes stink a little for the same reasons. Regularly brushing your hair over the sink or rinsing toothpaste down the drain can lead to blockages which are a breeding ground for bacteria.
Using the same process as above once a month cleans and deodorizes the sink’s drains in the same way. Obviously, the more a sink is used, the more often you may need to repeat this process.
The Toilet?
There are a number of reasons why a toilet can start smelling including the following:
The water in the toilet bowl has evaporated which happens more with toilets that are not used very much
A broken seal under the toilet which allows sewer gas to leak into the bathroom
Bacteria collected in the sides of a toilet trap
An internal crack in the toilet bowl which can cause the water level in the bowl to drop
The Shower?
Showers are fitted with something called a p-trap which is a piece of pipe designed to hold water. The job of this piece is intended to prevent sewage gases from coming up the shower drain and creating unpleasant smells in your bathroom. Thoroughly cleaning the p-trap which is located under the drain will ensure it remains bacteria – and odor-free.
Using baking soda and vinegar as above will help to keep the p-trap free of blockages. It’s only natural to expect to clear the p-trap as often as the shower is used and so it’s less likely that you’ll need to clean a shower in a guestroom as regularly. This process helps to break down any organic waste that’s built-up in the p-trap and deodorize the shower.
Blocked Plumbing Vents
Most bathrooms have some kind of vent system to release any odors and also to prevent a build-up of humidity which can lead to damp. Sometimes the vents can become blocked, particularly on the outside of the property, with leaves and other organic matter.
Most bathrooms have extractor vents to take out the humidity in the room. These also become blocked over time and can create extra humidity in the bathroom which can lead to damp. It’s important to keep all vents clear as part of your home maintenance, whatever their purpose.
When a drainage system has become blocked, it is often not possible to find out where the blockage is and clear it yourself. In these cases, you will need to hire a firm using special cameras they feed into the drainpipes to detect blockages. Then they use specialist equipment to shift the blockage so that all bacteria trapped in the system is eliminated and shifts the bad smell in the process.
Of course, if you regularly clean your vents and outside drains as part of your home maintenance program, you’re more likely to avoid having to call in the professionals. Obviously, the fall is without doubt the worst season for falling leaves causing blockages in drains and so you’ll need to up the ante on your home maintenance during this time.
General Damp
Sometimes when rooms have been converted into bathrooms, they are not sufficiently protected to deal with the shift in purpose. Imagine a former bedroom becoming a wet-room for example and you can understand that you have to make sure the walls, floors and ceilings are prepped for the change. This avoids damp from developing in your bathroom and creating unpleasant odors.
The other issue you will have with damp is that it can cause health issues at home. Damp eventually leads to mould which has spores which can spread bacteria around your bathroom. This can have a harmful effect particularly on young babies or people with respiratory problems. The way to avoid mould forming in the first place is to fix any damp issues before they become serious.
Hot tubs can get a bit of a bad rap. When it comes to children being safe around a hot tub, it certainly is possible, but there are a few reasons that parents express their concerns about hot tub safety. It is understandable that parents have their concerns, but with a few little tips, you will be sure to keep your children safe in and around hot tubs.
Risks for Children
Hot tubs can be dangerous when precautions aren’t taken. Some of the most common risks associated with hot tubs for children include:
Drowning: Even in a tiny amount of water, there is a risk of
Overheating: Small children can’t regulate their body temperatures as well as adults, so they are at risk for overheating in hot water.
Jet and Drain Injuries: The jets and drains in the hot tub can snag hair. Children may also put their fingers in the jets and drains, which could lead to injuries.
Falls: If children are running, playing, or climbing, in, on, or near a hot tub, they could slip and fall into the water. This could cause injuries or lead to drowning.
How to Keep Your Kids Safe
Now, just because there are risks doesn’t mean you should swear off hot tubs forever. There are ways that you can keep your kids safe when they are going to have access to a hot tub.
1. Talk to Your Kids About Hot Tub Safety
It seems simple, but before your kids are allowed to be near a hot tub, have a conversation with them about hot tub safety. This is the time that you can establish a list of rules with your children, such as never go into a hot tub without an adult present. Much like the rules that you will find posted at a public swimming pool, these rules can prevent accidents and injuries that are common in hot tubs. Be sure that you aren’t scaring your children, but instead, explain all of the risks and how to prevent them.
2. Supervise Children When Near a Hot Tub
As an adult, you will want to watch children when they are playing in or near a hot tub. There is a potential risk of injury and drowning, so it is important that there is an adult nearby to manage any situations that may arise. You can even tell your children not to get in a hot tub without adult supervision.
Learning CPR may also help you feel more comfortable allowing your children near hot tubs with supervision. This way, you can help in an emergency situation. It is also a good idea to always have a phone nearby when children are near a hot tub or pool.
As you supervise your children near the hot tub, you can also ensure that they aren’t running near the tub or playing and climbing on the hot tub, which could cause them to slip or fall.
3. Lower the Water Temperature
One of the main risks that children face in hot tubs is overheating, because hot tubs can reach up to 104°F. Children are more sensitive to heat than adults, so if you are going to let your children in a hot tub, you should consider dropping the temperature to 95°F or lower. This will make the hot tub much safer for kids, and it will be more comfortable for them to sit.
Even at lower temperatures, caution is needed. Be sure that your children are drinking plenty of water while they are in the hot tub to avoid dehydration.
4. Don’t Let Children Play Under the Water
Hot tubs aren’t swimming pools and playing under the water in a hot tub can be dangerous. Hair can easily get caught in spa jets or drains, while children are swimming in the hot tub. Once hair is caught, children may not be able to free themselves and come up for air.
Kids also have a tendency to put their fingers in the drains and jets, which not only could cause injuries, but it could also get them stuck and trap them under the water. For these reasons, it is a good idea to make a rule against swimming in a hot tub.
5. Get a Spa Cover and Keep It Locked
If you don’t have a hot tub cover, it is time to buy one. Not only do spa covers keep debris out of your hot tub, but they can also prevent accidents near the hot tub. Once you have a spa cover, you will want to get a lock for it to prevent anyone you don’t want to give access from hopping in the hot tub without warning.
6. Buy a Drain Cover
Even with a rule that prohibits swimming in the hot tub, it is a good idea to get a drain cover that will help minimize the risk of hair getting sucked into the suction drain. When paired with the rule you have put in place, your child is less likely to have problems getting their hair caught in the drain of your hot tub.
7. Know Where the Cut-Off Switch is Located
Just in case there happens to be an emergency, you will want to know where the cut-off switch is located on your hot tub. You can also educate everyone else in your household and any visitors who will be using the hot tub on where the switch is and how to turn the hot tub off. This knowledge could help you or someone else save a life.
While it is impossible to prevent 100 percent of accidents, a little education on safety measures can help prevent most accidents. Give yourself the peace of mind of knowing that your children know how to stay safe near hot tubs. Well-educated kids are much less likely to be hurt near or in a hot tub.
A bathroom is an essential place of a house. You probably can’t imagine living in a place without a bathroom. You use it every day to do your hygiene and grooming routine. But having the same bathroom for years can get boring, and a dark, shabby bathroom is not at all conducive for relaxing baths.
If you haven’t upgraded your bathroom in a long time, now is the right time to freshen up the place. Get inspired by these creative ways to decorate your bathroom.
Repaint Your Walls
If you’re tired of looking at the same old walls, freshen up your bathroom with a new paint job. Color is a game changer in decorating any space. For example, you can make a tiny bathroom look spacious and airy by using soft colors—like white, taupe, powder blue, or serene green—on the walls. You can also add colorful geometric patterns for a playful design.
Unleash your artistic skills, and paint a mural on an entire wall. You can create your own design or follow a theme, like nature, retro, or galaxy. There’s nothing like original art to express your creativity.
Add Lighting Fixtures
Lighting can dictate the mood of a room. Replace or add new lighting to brighten up your bathroom and make it feel large and airy. Bright lighting is also more convenient for shaving and doing makeup. Update old lighting with modern options and add style and personality to your bathroom.
Add a chandelier or sconces to make your bathroom feel luxurious and spa-like. Direct lighting can cast an unflattering shadow on the room and on your face in the mirror. Try indirect lighting or recessed lighting for a softer and more flattering glow.
Opt for LED (light emitting diodes) lamps when you change your old lighting fixture. LED lamps use lesser energy than standard incandescent light bulbs do while producing the same brightness. Plus, they last thousands of hours longer than your average incandescent light bulbs do.
For example, a LED lamp can produce 850 lumens using 10 watts and lasts for about 25,000 hours, while a standard incandescent light bulb needs 60 watts to produce the same lumens and only lasts for 1,200 hours. In short, LED lamps are the eco-friendly and budget-friendly choice.
Create a Wall Gallery
Get creative, and build a wall gallery in your bathroom. Find the perfect spot to build that will perfectly showcase the art pieces you’re including in your gallery, as well as keep them from getting wet. Choose paintings or photographs that have a cohesive design element yet have enough differences to be interesting.
The color, texture, and design of the art pieces should also go well with the overall theme of your bathroom. For the frame, you can use basic solid black or white frames for cohesion, but if you can, also mix and match different designs that go along with each other and the interior.
Use your own art to make your decor personal, but if you can’t do that, choose pieces that you love or ones that have significance to you.
Accessorize Your Bathroom
Who says you can only have toiletries and hygiene essentials in your bathroom? If you want to level up your bathroom decor, then you should add in some stunning accessories. Every bathroom should have a should huge mirror. Your bathroom is not just for doing your skincare routine, shaving, or doing your makeup, but it’s also for making your bathroom appear brighter and more spacious.
A mirror is a vital centerpiece that can dictate the overall feel of your bathroom. Depending on the mirror you use, you can make your bathroom look sleek, luxurious, or retro.
Other than a mirror, you can also use plants and flowers to enhance your bathroom’s look. Display a vase of lifelike silk flowers to add color and loveliness in the decor. Unlike real flowers, silk flowers can fare better in the hot and humid bathroom environment. Or you can also use real plants that can survive in such environments to improve the air quality inside and liven up your bathroom.
Upgrade Fixtures
Take the opportunity to upgrade your bathroom fixtures while you’re freshening up the room’s decoration. Over time, even stainless steel fixtures can rust when exposed to corrosive elements (like chlorine, which many bathroom cleaners have) and when the chromium (which protect the steel from corrosion) concentration falls below the 12 percent threshold.
Sure, you can clean off the rust, but that doesn’t solve the problem all the time. Rust affects the quality of water flowing out of your fixtures and puts you at risk of certain health effects and injury. Save yourself the trouble, and replace your old bathroom fixtures.
Upgrading your fixtures has an added benefit of saving water and getting long-term savings on water bills. If you switch to low-flow faucets, you can reduce the use of water from 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm) to 0.5 gpm. Similarly, low-flow showerheads also use less water, 2 gpm, as compared to standard ones, which use 2.5 gpm.
If you want to take saving further, consider switching your old toilet (consumes about 3 to 7 gallons of water per flush) to a water-efficient model (uses about 1 to 1.3 gallons) with an upflush system and its own macerating pump, like the SaniPlus toilet. The upflush system makes it unnecessary to break ground to connect the toilet to your sewage system since the upflush toilet has an external discharge tank. The macerating pump grinds wastewater to facilitate a smoother flow to the sewage system or septic tank.
Final Word
Your interior design is crucial in creating a good and conducive home environment. And that applies to your bathroom too. It’s not just a place where you shower and do your business; it’s also a place for relaxation and introspection. Having a visually pleasing bathroom environment can make doing your daily routine more enjoyable and peaceful.
You don’t have to completely renovate to spruce up your bathroom interior unless it’s irredeemably worn-down. Sometimes, a few cosmetic interior upgrades will do just the job.
This time of year can be a very dangerous time for road travel, especially if you live in a state that gets a lot of snow and seriously hazardous road conditions.
With weather, you never know what to expect, so I find it best to always be prepared for anything. As the seasons change, I like to make sure we have whatever we may need with us, in case of an emergency.
You can put together your own winter roadside emergency kit and ensure you are ready for anything this winter.
DIY Your Winter Roadside Emergency Kit
Grab a large backpack, duffel bag, or even a covered storage bin and add the following items to it to make sure you are always ready. In the winter, we keep a large storage bin in the back of our minivan whenever we travel more than 30 minutes from home or somewhere that we might not be able to find help immediately.
Here are the items you should have in your winter kit:
Blankets
Hand warmers
Extra gloves/mittens/hats
Non-perishable high calorie foods
Strike-Anywhere Matches
Bottled water
Roadside Flares
Small Shovel
Snow brush
Flashlight
Jumper Cables
Cat Litter (for traction)
Automotive cell phone charger
First Aid Kit
In addition to these items, it is also important to make sure your phone is fully charged before traveling as well as making sure your vehicle is in proper working order to travel in winter conditions. We recommend you have your vehicle inspected by a reputable mechanic like the ones at Performance Dodge RAM in Woodbury Serving Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, Mount Ephraim.
