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Home Safety Tips: Make Your Home Safe For Kids

Image source: Sisal and Seagrass

Home Safety Tips And How To Make Your Home Safe For Kids

Why is it important to make your home more child friendly?

Your home, whether you’re aware of it, or not contains many potential (and invisible) hazards to your child’s health and well being.

Reading this article will provide some basic home safety tips that will help to make you more aware of a few things you can do towards making your home better and safer for your young children.

100% Wool Carpets

While your child goes through their crawling stage, they will constantly be in contact with the floor.

That is why comfortability for your child needs to be a huge factor to consider when choosing your flooring.

As well as comfortability, though, you must also take into account the health aspect of the floor you choose.

Therefore, choosing the right type of flooring is an important aspect of keeping your home child friendly.

Wooden flooring will be very uncomfortable for babies as it is extremely hard, so carpets are the more favored floor type.

Many synthetic carpets, though, carry various chemicals that can sometimes cause allergic reactions.

The most child friendly flooring to choose from, therefore, would be a comfortable, natural flooring like a pure wool carpet.

This carpet is not only extremely comfortable, but it also reduces the chances of any allergic reactions as it is completely natural so should contain little to no chemicals.

Have a Designated Play Area

All children need to play, but more importantly, all children need space to play.

Without a specific space, children will tend to just use the whole house as a play area; this can make tidy-up time a very long, frustrating process.

To keep your house tidy and as child-friendly as possible, try to dedicate an area of the home just for playing and creativity. This could be a complete playroom, the corner of your dining room, or anything in between – the aim is to offer unlimited creativity in this particular area.

By permitting a particular area for playtime, it should stay more confined and reduce the chances of you finding random toys in the kitchen or other parts of the house.

In this designated area, your children will have the opportunity to play, explore and create; they will need a few items to help them do this:

– Child-friendly scissors

– Glue and sticky tape

– Coloring pencils and crayons

– Reading and coloring books

– Egg cartons, cereal boxes, paper, and other recyclable materials.

Lock Up Cupboards and Drawers

There are lots of health hazards and dangers in your kitchen that you might not even be aware of.

A standard headache tablet, for instance, is no threat to an adult but for a child, it could be a choking hazard.

Similarly, your cleaning products, which you may store under the sink, are nothing but cleaning products to you but to a child, it’s a tasty drink they’re curious to try – they don’t realize it contains extremely harmful chemicals.

Installing locks to your drawers and cupboards isn’t the most attractive addition to your kitchen, but it is essential to prevent many accidents.

You don’t need to lock every single compartment, but the cutlery drawer, medicine cupboard, and cleaning cupboard are three that definitely need some form of security.

Any other cupboard or drawer that contains dangerous items should also be locked up.

Image source: Fresh Lawns

Artificial Grass

Artificial grass is becoming more and more popular, and the reasons why are obvious – it’s easily maintained, looks great, and has a wide range of uses.

But, how can it make your home more child friendly?

As children grow, they become more energetic, and there will be a time when they cannot contain their energy levels within the four walls of your home.

When this time comes, they will discover the endless possibilities of the outside.

The problem is: gardens are muddy, and a muddy garden plus an energetic child results in a muddy home.

This is where artificial grass comes in handy; it has all the positive elements of natural grass: the way it looks, feels, and absorbs liquids, but removes all the negative elements like covering your child’s clothes in mud and grass stains.

Therefore, your children can play outside for as long as they like and when they finally come back inside, you know your home won’t be in any danger of getting dirty.

Have a Designated Gardening Area

Gardening is a very important part of a child’s life; it has brilliant developmental benefits that they’d struggle to learn any other way.

All senses are engaged when gardening, and this gives children a better understanding of their body as well as the wildlife around them.

Children can touch and feel the dirt seeds and flowers; hear the bees, birds, and bugs; see the beautiful colors of the plants, and smell the various scents of flowers.

Not only does it engage all senses, but gardening also encourages healthy eating, teaches patience and responsibility, improves organizational skills, and highlights the importance of looking after the environment.

Building your own gardening area isn’t as hard as you’d expect either: just dig up a large enough area, contain that area with a border of garden sleepers or a similar material, and fill it up with gardening soil.

Then, remove your garden waste using either grab hire or skip hire – dependent on your requirements.

Make Certain Things Accessible

Children become very frustrated when they can’t reach things or do certain things for themselves.

Reaching things like light switches and door handles, for example, is vital for a child as it helps them become independent.

The more your child observes the things you do, such as open cupboard doors and put things in the bin, the more they want to it.

So, let them do it.

Leave a few cupboards unlocked in the kitchen – if it is safe to do this – and allow your child to open them up, or allow them to throw some recycled waste in the bin.

Once they know what it is and how to do it, they will become less curious and move on to something else.

If you don’t give your child these opportunities, their curiosity could become unsafe.

For example, if you don’t offer them a chance to put anything in the bin, they might choose to pull the container over – which could land on the child and injure them – just to see what’s inside it.

Prevent Trips and Falls

Falls are one of the most common causes of accidents in the home.

Once your child is capable of crawling, it’s imperative you take extra precaution to keep them safe.

As soon as your baby is mobile, you need to install stair gates at the top and the bottom of the stairs.

Children are curious, so once they see their parents walking up and down the stairs, they will try to do the same.

Gates are one method to prevent stair accidents, but you should also constantly check that nothing is lying on – or near – the stairs that could cause someone to trip.

As they grow up, children move quickly so ensure any damaged, or worn carpets are repaired or replaced.

Otherwise, this could be another trip hazard.

Finally, attach cushioned corner protectors and edge protectors on desks, sides, and coffee tables.

This will obviously not prevent a trip or fall, but it will help reduce the chance of a serious injury.

Prevent Burns and Scalds

Children burn themselves more often than adults do and the most common type of burn is caused by spilling hot drinks.

Even after 15 minutes of being made, a hot drink can still scald a child

To prevent scalds from drinks, remember never to pass or carry a hot drink over a child, even one drop can be painful.

Also, keep hot mugs away from the edge of surfaces, if they see it they’ll want to grab it.

Take similar precautions when cooking.

Pot and pan handles look just as tempting to grab as mugs do, so ensure the handles are turned away from the edge and are out of sight to stop the temptation.

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Finished Basement Remodeling Ideas

A great example of finished basement remodeling ideas that can be incorporated into your home basement with some imagination.

The remodeling of the above basement has provided a relaxing basement playroom with sofas and chairs adjoining a kids play room.

Great for keeping an eye on the kids as they play whilst relaxing at the same time.

Basement areas in homes can be a godsend, especially if the space is large and practically usable without having to excavate to create decent head height.

If you’re blessed with such a room in your home and you’ve yet to turn it into something practical and useable, take a look through this home basement decorating ideas gallery for some interesting and unique ideas.

If you do decide to make your basement area into a project, give some serious thought about what you need most in your home.

Do you need extra bedroom space? How about a media room, or an extra lounge or living room? Do you have noisy musical teenagers that this space would be perfect for some closed off separation? Maybe you’ve always wanted to turn the space into a workout area or gymnasium?

Whatever you decide, make it a project that adds value to your home.

If you think you need the extra room, then when it comes time to sell, prospective buyers will no doubt feel the same way.

Lower level basement area with multiple uses.

Storage boxes, music practice area, educational corner and even a kids play chest full of toys

A basic kitchen in the basement of an older style home with a large open plan floor area.

Home gymnasium in a basement room with a wall-mounted television in a private mansion residence.

Having a room dedicated to working out in a home these days is such a practical use of room space that may possibly go unused otherwise.

Basement play party room interior with snooker table, kitchenette, relaxing sofa all set in a large open plan space.

Party room in the basement of a large house showing the snooker table, tv, gaming machine and a number of stools

Luxury basement living room with a large fireplace.

Ample wall storage at the end and its large floor area provide lots of design options for those looking to add their own personal touches

Basement luxurious bar area with adjoining kitchenette and dining table and chairs

Lower level basement turned into a relaxing chillout room with large brick open fireplace, and soft luxurious corner sofa and large flat screen wall mounted TV.

Interior design of a downstairs basement showing a kitchen area adjoining a blank canvas of a living room

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10 Best Tips To Make Use Of Your Garage Space

Here are the best tips to make use of your garage space to create an organized and clean space where you can use it for other purposes apart from car parking only.

Have you ever thought the role of your garage can go beyond parking your car? It can be a warehouse, a toyshop or your workplace, saving you from creating extra space in your home for that purpose. To make that possible, you need to make your garage a clean and organized space, which is neither difficult nor expensive. Besides, you will turn it into a place, where your tools and belongings are relatively easily to find.

Whether you own a large garage or small one, there are many ideas you can execute to make the most of your garage. Here we’ve come with the ideas to make your garage the most functional space of your home.

Use Garage Shelving for Storage

Garage can be your storeroom, but that doesn’t mean you put all the stuff at once. You need to keep the things managed inside, and for that consider garage shelves for easy storage solutions. Installing wooden storage cabinets is a great idea to make the most of the garage.

In this way, you make your garage functional and beautiful as well. These shelves are really useful for keeping books, tires, paint, hardware and electricity accessories and other necessary things which otherwise occupy more space at your home.

Hang Everything:

From fishing rods to garden tools, you can use the unexpected spaces like walls or ceiling to create more space inside your garage. As an added bonus, it will look artistic. For example, you can hang up your bicycle by using special hook or rack on the wall. In this way, hanging things just utilize the little to no floor space.

Look For Ceiling Storage System:

Apart from wall hanging, ceiling is the good place to store rarely used items and seasonal belongings. You can think of a sliding storage system for the ceiling that is made of plastic bins attached to the tracking system. The modern ceiling storage system allows you to store up to 250 pounds and comes with sturdy crank or cable to lift and lower your items. The popular variants of this type of storage system are metal and wood, grid system, and steel box frame.

With overhead ceiling storage system, you get added floor and storage space while protect your belonging from the water damage.

Build Multi Use Rolling Workbench:

Multi use rolling workbench is very useful if you use the garage for both car parking and as a workplace. It rolls up against the wall when you need more space to park the vehicle and can be your workshop otherwise. While building it, make sure the plywood is sturdy enough to hold your stuff and tools, and use the strong folding material.

Install a Pegboard Wall:

Pegboard wall is the brilliant idea to keep your small tools and accessories managed on an easily visible space. It is essential for your workspace to keep clean, safe and planned by preventing the small tools go missing when you need them most. You can think about multiple pegboard walls if one wall is not enough for your tools. For example, multiple pegboards are attached to the wall in a way so that you can flip through just like books pages.

You can make a pegboard by cutting the wooden board and then make the multiple holes on it.

Find Suitable Wall Studs:

Like racks and shelves, wall stud is the convenient way to store your toys, sports equipment, tools, cups and many more. It is the vertical frame including small cross sections in vertical and horizontal style. Needless to say that wall studs are essential to keep your garage organized and managed. Make sure to install the one according to the space of your garage.

Invest in Vertical Bike Storage and Wall Mounted Shoe Rack:

As you read before that hanging bike on the wall gives your interior an artistic look. Besides, if you want to go further in that option, vertical bike rack can be the good choice for you. You can easily put off the bike from that racks easily. Apart from bike racks, you can go for the bike poll coming with a handlebar stabilizer to prevent the front wheel from turning and becoming disturbing your space.

Similarly, a wall mounted shoe rack is one of the clever ways to store your shoes while creating the more space inside your garage.This shoe rack comes handy when you don’t want to enter your home with the muddy shoes. You may like to go for the long variant to hang your raincoat also.

Use Wall Tool Holders:

If you find pegboard ugly, you can consider wall tool holders which are nice option. You can have some separate wall holders to sort out your tools and other accessories. After work, you can put back the things to these holders. There are variety of wall tool holders having slots for screwdriver, pliers, and chisel. You can mount them in the front of your work bench for an easy access.

Bring in Broom and Mop Holder:

Broom and mop holder makes the great choice if you have brooms, mops, or garden supply tools like spades or digging bars. You can make these kinds of holders easily at home. Just cut out the PVC pipes and then put up against your wall at an adjustable height. As easy as pie!!!

Build a Mini Garden Station:

If you have large garden tools and machinery, you would like to go for some dedicated space rather than the mop holders at garage. Like the picture in this point, you can create a garden station by using few racks and wall holders to organize your all garden tools and chemicals. In this way, you don’t need to store heavy equipment inside your home or leave outside where they may be stolen or get corroded with the rain and sunlight. Make sure your garden closet has organized hooks or some racks to easily pick the small accessories.

Bottom Line:

So, these are the ideas help you turn your little garage space for the workplace and store house other than parking just the car. Before starting with these ideas, declutter the garage and give a few paint touch ups for creating a good atmosphere.

Author Bio: Oren Linder is the author and founder of ASAP Garage Door Services Inc that provides garage door repair services in queens and other areas of NY. Oren loves to write about home improvement and his expertise is in garage door.

What’s Happened To Conservatories In 2016?

Is The Conservatory A Thing Of The Past?

If you could step back in time to a decade or so ago, you’d hear a lot of buzz around the enchanted conservatory. Giving people an extra room in their homes for a fraction of the cost of an extension, while bringing plenty of natural sunlight, they were a hugely popular way of adding square footage to a property.

In fact, it doesn’t really seem so long ago that the conservatory was in its halcyon days, but five to ten years later, what has become of the conservatory now? There’s no denying that they are still popular, but they’re really not as prevalent as they once were.

Those with conservatories often give mixed reviews. For some, it’s the best room in their home, a place the whole family comes together and relaxes, while others find they rarely use it, leaving it largely redundant. With all this said, it seems the future for the conservatory could be changing. So is the conservatory a thing of the past, or is the conservatory of 2016 just different to what is used to be?

Conservatories In 2016

The new wave of the ‘2016 conservatory’ really is a lot more that a five by five, damp room stuck on the back of a house. These days they’re much more!

Current trends include: New wave / Bi-folding doors.

They’re becoming gradually popular as more and more people want to add an extra dimension to their conservatories. Many people are going for these as they take up less space than standard doors while looking great. Plus, they don’t need a supporting wall. They’re also great because they comprise mostly of glass, they’ll insulate your home and reflect heat back in.

The Orangery

As the conservatory depletes in popularity, the Orangery is massively on the rise. An orangery is very similar to a conservatory in that it is essentially a room (or a dedicated building), found traditionally on the grounds of fashionable homes from the 17th to the 19th centuries. They’re where orange and other fruit trees were protected during the winter, also similar to a greenhouse.

So how is it different? Well, orangeries offer a slightly different take on traditional conservatories with an orangery, there’s a feeling of grandeur that comes from the interior height of the orangery. Today’s orangeries, are generally buildings with glazed sides and brick or wood supports. They also use, typically, a lot less glass than modern conservatory styles. The traditional orangery is the ultimate in home improvements, and the only place to get it.

The Décor

Another large difference is the décor of conservatories these days. While they used to be typically decked in outdoor style furniture like rattan sofas, conservatory furniture these days is a lot more modern and up-to- date. People have started dressing their conservatories like would any other room in their homes.

Large, plush sofas, cosy rugs and decorative lighting arrangements have meant that the conservatory is moving away from the ‘garden theme’ style, and integrating more into the rest of the home.

New Build Property

The most expensive, modern houses that are being built these days often feature large conservatories to the back of the build, as opposed to them being a later add on. These conservatories often come with dramatic flairs and wow factor finishes. Featured such as large glass panelling and even two story conservatories can be found now, allowing people to let floods of extra light into their homes. These are a thousand mile away from the conservatories of the 90’s!

Why Has The Conservatory Changed?

Conservatories basically got their bad wrap because of functionality issues. Many people found them too hot in the summer months, and way to cold and dank in the winter – resulting in them being seldom used. This has led to developments in the way they are built, the way the look and the way they feel. They are now much more integrated into a home, often having solid brick external walls as opposed to glass or uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) structured.

Modern conservatories are now fully insulated and have intelligent roofing systems with enables them to be kept cool in the warmer weather and retain their warmth during the winter. This is most likely what has saved the conservatory in recent years.

Should You Get a Conservatory?

If you’ve been put off getting a conservatory by friends, family or colleagues who have one that they don’t use, you might want to reconsider. The modern style conservatories of 2016 couldn’t be further from the old style conservatories that can be found up and down the country.

There is so much more you can now do with this extra add on to your home to make it a real feature. It can also add value to your property. Peer-to-peer lending company, Zopa, who had taken out home improvement loans through their platform what changes they made and how much profit they thought they had got on what they spent on the work.

They found that a new conservatory can add more than double the return of a new bathroom with a return on investment of potentially 108 per cent. Unlike an extension, you won’t need planning permission either – as long no more than half the area of the land of your original house is covered.

However, while a conservatory does provide an extra room in your house, it also means that you’ll have to give up some garden space, which is an important thing to consider. It’s a big decision to make, but you probably won’t regret it – especially if you use it regularly and it adds value to your property!

If you do decide to add a conservatory to your home, or if you already have one, and you need some tips on how you should decorate, please take a look at our other articles. From indoor house plants, to beach themed interior design ideas, you’ll find all you need here!

Pets and Pet Houses

This feature is all about pets and pet houses, and we kick the page off with this adorable British blue cat lying on a beautiful contrasting white fluffy background.

It is an exciting moment when you finally make that decision to own a pet and you’ve made a choice on what type of pet is suitable for you and your environment. There a number of things that you do need to consider before that day arrives to collect that special animal in your life.

Goldfish in a round aquarium fishbowl with pebbles

One of the more important things to consider is that your new pet will need a lot of your time and you need to consider how that is going to fit into your daily routine. Will you remember to walk your dog twice daily, grooming your cat if required, (if they are the type of cat that needs daily brushing). If you are time poor maybe you need to consider a lower demand pet like a fish or a bird. You want this to be a great relationship. Something you enjoy, so consider carefully what time you have to give to the animal you are getting, so that it works well for both of you.

Choosing a pet because they are trendy at the moment or on how cute they are is without doubt the worst decision people could make in choosing a pet. Unfortunately and tragically most of these pets end up being sold on or taken to animal shelters when they show themselves to be too demanding, high in energy or the cuteness just fades as they mature. There are a number of vital points that need to be considered carefully before making that ultimate choice in pet type and breed.

Black, tan and white colored Guinea pig. This is a popular household pet

When you have made a decision on the type of pet you are going to adopt/purchase, make sure to research thoroughly the breed that you are getting so you really understand all these characteristics and be honest with yourself if it doesn’t fit with your lifestyle.

A green and gold colored wavy parrot stands on a branch in it’s cage.

If you’re lucky enough to meet the breeder of your pet, ask heaps of questions about their temperaments and their likes and dislikes. Chat to your local vet and see what they can tell you about the breed you are considering purchasing. If you have children consider how your chosen pet will tolerate children, are they comfortable around typically noisy children running around. Some animals require a lot more attention and interaction while others are mostly independent. Research, Research and Research and then choose carefully.

Having a good vet is vital in helping you manage your pet’s care as needed. You need to really trust the vet you choose and have a good relationship with them. Don’t just pick them based on how they interact with you, watch them with the animals they treat to see if you are comfortable with how they do this. If you haven’t already got a relationship with a vet, shop around until you find one that suits your needs. Ask for testimonials from the vet and ask friends for their recommendations if they are already pet owners. Having a great vet is invaluable when you need them, which is often in an emergency.

The friendship of pets. Two rabbits and a dog

Bringing your pet home is one of the most exciting times to introduce them to their new home and the people that live in their environment. Before you bring him/her home look around and consider it from your pets point of view in making it safe for them. Will they chew cords lying about, have you got pills left out that they could get into. Check the plants inside and outside your home and make sure none of them are poisonous for animals. Certain foods can’t be left out such as chocolate; dogs will get extremely sick if they eat this. Making your home pet friendly before you bring them home will give you peace of mind.

Adorable French Bulldog relaxing on its cushion bed

Choosing the right food for your pet is crucial and this can change over time as your pet ages and has different needs. Good pet shops will be able to give you advice on all the different types of foods available and I would certainly ask your vet for their advice if you are still not sure. Getting their food right is essential for a happy healthy pet for a good long term healthy life. Always have fresh water put out daily, as all animals need to have a cool regular supply of water to keep them hydrated particularly when it is hot.

A cute dog standing on a brown welcome home mat

When you have finally got your pet home please be prepared for an adjustment period for everyone. Often it can take weeks for your cat/dog to settle into their environment and to feel safe and know their surroundings. If it’s a puppy you are adopting they might cry/whimper for the first few days and don’t be tempted to take them to your bed at night. It is better to make a snuggly warm bed for them in an enclosed space so that they can’t go wandering. During the day your puppy can be free to wander and explore so he/she can smell everything. Kittens usually are easier to settle, put their snuggly warm bed close to their litter tray so it is easy to locate in the first few days of settling in.

Two cats asleep and hugging in their soft cozy bed on a carpet floor

House training your pet is vital from day one if you want a contented happy home. There is nothing worse than stepping on, or discovering puddles or mess’s everywhere. If your chosen pet is a kitten as soon as you get home introduce the litter box and then place them gently in this a few times a day until you can see that they are comfortable at locating it. If it’s a puppy as soon as you get them home, take him/her outside for a walk around the neighbourhood so he can do his toileting and understands this is when he toilets. It doesn’t have to be a long walk just enough to get him used to the idea as this big new environment will seem a little scary at first.

A beautiful black and brown guinea pig taken from in side the cage

We all love to buy our pets treats and toys whether it is balls for our puppies, catnip bird like toys for our kittens or cool aquarium toys for our fish or turtle. There is a vast array of them in any pet shop and it is easy to spend a small fortune and get carried away. Select these toys carefully and make sure just like we would with young children that buttons or other small things won’t come off and potentially lead to choking.

Adorable Labrador dog lying on a messy sofa

Treats are another ‘must have’ especially for puppy’s. They can be used in the aid of training your puppy when used in the right way. Get the treats that have the highest nutritional value. Cats love treats too and again select the treats that have good nutritional value and don’t feed too much as they can sometimes be used too often, which can lead to a weight problem. Kittens will also love tall scratchy poles. They love clambering up and down these and get used to scratching the pole and hopefully not your prized furniture or rugs.

Another thing you may want to consider is getting your dog/cat neutered. Get advice from your chosen vet about when is the best age to get this done for your pet. Most get their pets done between four to six months but get advice on when the time is best for your pet if that’s what you choose to do.

Beautiful guard dog lying near it’s doghouse

There is nothing more devastating than when your pet goes missing. That is why every pet if possible should be microchipped or at least wear some kind of identity tag so if they wander off, you have a very good chance at getting them back as all your contact details are readily available on the collar or tag hanging from the collar. Also take good photos of your pet so he is easily identifiable and keep this up to date as they change through the years. This makes it easier if they are lost for other sets of eyes to help identify them quickly. If you change addresses remember to contact the company that has your details for the microchip so they can easily contact you if required.