All posts by Anne Younger

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.
Totally Random

Dining With the Dust and Debris: Strategies for Surviving Your Complete Kitchen Renovation Project

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Owning a home of one’s own is a big part of the American Dream. Nothing’s quite as exciting as moving into a brand new place, unless it’s refurbishing an older home to your precise specifications. Transforming your house into a dream home can be a lot of fun and stressful, too. In the interest of saving your sanity during a complete kitchen renovation, we are pleased to present these helpful survival strategies.

 

Timing is everything

Before you start calling contractors and carpenters, it’s wise to give a lot of thought to the weather. Certain seasons are better than others when it comes to planning a kitchen remodel or any other major home improvement project. If you’re remodeling a kitchen in Minnesota in wintertime, and workers are constantly coming in and going out, you may lose valuable heat. The opposite applies to a kitchen remodel in Arizona during the scorching summer months.

Want your new kitchen to be ready by Thanksgiving? You should probably start with the design phase no later than the first week in September, say design experts at Houzz magazine. Be sure to speak with your contractor about his or her plan to prevent air loss. The savviest contractors will offer to hang an insulating sheet of thick plastic or even make a temporary locking door from plywood in order to reduce heat or cool air loss. As an added bonus, an insulating curtain or door can help to prevent dust buildup and debris accumulation, too.

Speaking of timing; plan on scheduling your life according to your contractor’s clock. Most work crews like to get an early start. Some homeowners find a 7:00 a.m. start to be a bit too early. Some contractors can adjust their work day to begin at 8:00. Any later than that, and you should be prepared to pay for the hour delay.

Cooking and eating sans kitchen

A complete kitchen remodeling in which everything from floor to ceiling is replaced can take many weeks or even months. Unless you intend to dine in restaurants for every meal for the duration of your renovation project, you will need a place to store food, as well as a place to prepare and eat meals. 

Work with the space you have, and make the most of it. Roll the refrigerator into the garage or laundry room. If you have the right sort of outlets in your garage, you might want to stash your old electric oven in there, also. Just be sure to keep it well away from flammable chemicals and oily rags to reduce the risk of fire. If you can’t plug in a stove, invest in a hot plate, toaster oven and electric tea kettle or one-cup coffeemaker.

Some people park a recreational vehicle or camper-trailer on their property during a kitchen remodel. Doing so eliminates the need for creative indoor cooking solutions while your kitchen is out of commission. Still, it’s a good idea to keep a small refrigerator indoors and a coffee station, too.

Maintaining your normal life

This is a tricky one. As mentioned above, you may need to adjust your own schedule to coincide with your carpenters and contractors. But what about nap time for the kids? This may be difficult to accomplish when there are workers with saws and hammers making a racket at all hours of the day. A simple solution might be to ask a neighbor if you can bring your little one over for a “nap date” at a specific time in the afternoon. Offer to repay the favor once your kitchen renovation is complete.

Find out ahead of time whether or not your water will be turned off while your kitchen is being renovated. A rented water dispenser can go a long way toward keeping your family refreshed during a remodel. Bottles of water can be stored on closet shelves or in the garage.

Keeping your non-kitchen clean

You can cook in the garage or on a grill in the backyard, but where in the world can you do dishes while your kitchen is under construction? Easy answer: wash dishes in the bathroom sink. Insert a screen over the drain to avoid clogs and set up a drain board in the tub, suggests Pretty Handy Girl.

A kitchen remodel is a hassle to be sure, but the once it’s done, you will undoubtedly find that all the adjustments you made during the project will be very much worth the effort.

Lauren Howard is in the process of renovating her home, one room, or project, at a time. She loves interior design and loves putting the final finishing touches to a room. Her articles focus on this; sharing her DIY knowledge and ideas with like-minded folk around the web.

 

Totally Random

Remember This Checklist the Next Time You Order Flowers Online

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You would think that with the increased frequency of people buying things online, people would not commit as many errors when filling out the information form. But that is actually not the case for some people. It could be as simple as misspelling a street, getting the number wrong and some such; however, these are errors that could delay the drop off of our purchased goods.

 

The same is true for flower delivery, most especially the rushed, same day flowers delivery. People excitedly ordering in a bunch of flowers to be delivered right at the doorstep of their loved ones, not realizing that they have botched the information form.

It is a good thing online florists, or any online shop, are well aware of our tendency for error. But do not worry because there are ways to avoid it. Read out this checklist closely so that you would not have to give yourself and the online florists a bit of a headache during delivery.

Never forget to double check the information you have given

Writing down an address is such a simplistic task, it almost laughable to think that we can mess it up. But because it does happen, let us find ways to completely avoid it. When you are filling out the information form, make sure that you have typed in the right address of the recipient by double checking the house number, street name, and so on. If all you have written is correct, then there is no reason for delays.

Make sure to choose florists within the recipient’s area

One of the ways to make sure there will not be any is if you choose a florist that is within, or at least near, the recipient. It will be easier for the store to prepare your orders to your specifications without the worry of being there late.

Inquire about tracking codes

There are online shops that offer guests a tracking code after every purchase so that they will know the progress of their orders. Ask the florist about it so you can monitor the delivery. If they do not offer any, ask to be contacted before and after they make the drop off.

Add in additional information pertinent to the delivery

Try to provide additional information about the place the delivery guy will go to like landmarks and gate colour. Tell them if there is a construction going on somewhere so that they can plan out their route. Also, take this opportunity to add additional instructions, too, like making the delivery at a specific time of day.

Follow this simple checklist and you will never have to worry about delays on your flower delivery. So go on and execute that surprise you have been planning for your special someone, and it will surely go off without a hitch.

Family Fun

Could Your Love of Crafting Be A Money Maker?

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When thinking about a career change, we are always advised above all else to look at things we are good at. Things we enjoy. This obviously works out well if you happen to be a genius at stock trading on the side, but for the rest of us, it can be a trickier thing to do.

For one thing, many of us look at our hobbies as something we do outside of work and/or school. It often doesn’t cross our minds to turn them into a money-making proposition. You may enjoy making candles and feel comfortable lighting them in the house. Selling them for a profit is a bigger step.

Similarly, you may be an excellent cook when making dinner for four people – but if someone tells you to try it for a living, it’s another matter. Cooking in your kitchen and then sitting to eat it is fine. Cooking in a packed, noisy kitchen with a lot of people shouting and an angry manager telling you to do it faster? Nobody’s idea of a dream job.

But if you enjoy crafts in your spare time, it is worth looking down that road if you are trying to make money without being a wage slave. Sure, there is an argument that making it a job takes the fun out of it. The only answer to that is that it’s not, if you do it correctly.

Starting Small: Keep Your Freedom For Longer

There are many people who point out that to make money, you need to spend money first. The thing about turning a hobby into a business is that this may not be the case. At least, it may be a much easier process. Say, for example, that you like to make your own clothes. You wear them yourself and have even made a few things for friends and family.

In that case, you clearly have most of what you need. To begin with, you don’t need to spend hundreds on a dedicated sewing machine. A home machine like the Brother PE770 will work more than fine. You may need to up the amount of fabric and thread you buy, along with elastic and other little helpers. But the truth is you’ve got more of a start than a lot of people.

Going From Hobby To Business: How Do You Get Attention?

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When it comes to turning a crafty hobby into a business, there is always the question of how you start making money. The big designers whose pieces you see in stores have sales departments and associations with outlets. To begin with, you can’t expect to have the same.

You need to get more creative and be prepared to make a nuisance of yourself if you want to make sales. You need to be ready for people to say “no” to you, for reasons that may not be clear. If a buyer for a boutique tells you they won’t carry your designs, it may not be a reflection on their quality. It could have a lot more to do with them not having much budget to play with, or existing deals with designers.

Sometimes, visibility is going to be your best friend. Charity fashion shows are set up with the intent of raising awareness and funds rather than a designer. Speak to people who are organizing these shows and see if they’d accept a donation of a few items. It’s a way of getting your name out there. The same applies, incidentally, to makeup artists and set dressers.

A More Conventional Route: How Much Time Do You Have?

For many people who make their living in the clothing or beauty industries, it’s about paying their dues to begin with. This could mean taking on an apprenticeship or intern post. You may well find yourself opening mail, sweeping the atelier or sorting hundreds of buttons initially. It might seem like glorified hazing, but this is how the industry works.

The upside is in getting your name heard and your work seen by people who are already successful in the industry. After some time, they may choose to use your design and give you credit as well as a cut of profits. They may instead just help get your name heard by people who will buy your designs, which doesn’t sound as good as money but can be invaluable.

However you go about it, it is important to realize that people who get to do what they love for a living are rarer than those who don’t. It takes hard work, patience and a tolerance for disappointment. On the other hand, people do it all the time. So why not you?

 

Travel

Don’t leave home without it: How to put together a simple medical kit

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For frequent travelers, it tends to become apparent pretty quickly that it’s important to travel with a few items to keep you healthy away from home and out of your regular routine. Indeed, if you do find yourself flying here and everywhere each season of the year, it’s most likely you’re doing so for work and that means you have to be on top form wherever you go; you can’t afford set-backs due to ill-health when your schedule’s bulging with business appointments and meetings all over the shop.

What’s needed then is a sensible, well-prepared medical kit, the core of which will be typical over-the-counter medication and, of course, any specific medication you might need for whatever reason. It’s worth pointing out, though, that when putting together your kit you should keep the pills in their original packs (instead of throwing them all together in, say, a small jar); otherwise you might confuse one tablet for another or even have them confiscated at customs – yes, really.

The essentials

  • Antacid – likely to settle down an upset stomach

 

  • Ibuprofen – a pain reliever that’s ideal for sore muscles, headaches, fever, sunburn and, because it’s anti-inflammatory, sore or pulled muscles

 

  • Paracetamol – great for pain related to viruses and fevers, especially headaches; in many cases, you can also combine it with Ibuprofen

 

  • Pseudoephedrine – excellent for congestion and sinus issues, although unfortunately it can only be obtained via prescription in some countries (so may be taken off you at customs)

 

  • Plasters – simply don’t leave home without them; you’ll realise just how obligatory they are as soon as you suffer a stinging cut or painful graze that clothes rub against and make worse.

    Be prepared for anything with a travel medical kit.

And what about?

  • Supplements – it’s very easy to fall into the trap of not eating as well as you might or would like to when travelling regularly, but notwithstanding it’s important to keep up your vitamin and nutrient intake; you might wish to try B12 spray (a vitamin-rich natural alkaliser that may aid digestion and detoxification) and Green Magma UK (can help boost energy, improve sleep, reduce stress and increase immunity and mental alertness)

 

  • Sunscreen – everybody’s free to wear it (as the tune goes); quite frankly, if you’re exposing your skin to the sun it’s essential to keep those powerful and very harmful UV rays off your skin

 

  • Lip balm – believe it or not you can use some lip balms as something of a sunscreen substitute or even as hair product (if you’re really desperate); their intended use for aiding chapped lips caused by chilly climes or worsened by air-conditioned plane cabins, though, can be a lifesaver

 

  • Loperamide – an antidiarrheal that can be highly useful when your gut disagrees with something, but be warned; always follow the label!

 

  • Loratadine or cetirizine – good non-drowsy antihistamines for allergies to everything from pollen to dust to bug bites

 

  • Diphenhydramine – need rest and a good night’s sleep? This anti-histamine can effectively act as natural sleeping pill.

 

Finally, you might also consider jotting down any of your significant medical history on a card and keep it in your medicine kit just in case you get properly ill – you can’t be too careful!

 

Get Yo' Drink On!, Recipes

Deliciously Creamy Crock-Pot Hot Cocoa

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Hot cocoa is something we really enjoy in our house, especially this time of year.  Since we are doing our best to stay warm,  we decided to whip up a batch of our deliciously cream crock-pot hot cocoa and share it with you!

The great thing about making hot cocoa in the crock-pot is that when it is ready-to-serve, it is truly ready-to-serve at just the right temperature for everyone to enjoy!

 

Grab the recipe below and make a batch for the whole family to enjoy!

[yumprint-recipe id=’33’]