Tag Archives: homeowners

Winter Weather Weapons No.2—Comforters

In my previous blog I decided to impose a moratorium on my winter weather complaints. I live in an area nicknamed: “The Frozen Tundra” so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that we are now starting week three of temperatures in the single digits and teens. Okay, we’ve established it is bitterly cold. Now what? This blog. I’ve decided to write a series of blogs detailing the ways we stay warm around our home. In “Winter Weather Weapons No. 2” we look at a cozy and effective alternative to the electric blanket—comforters. When I was growing up, comforters were not … Continue reading →

Lighting and Your Home: The Master Bedroom

I am a lighting fiend. I blame it on my poor vision. For years I suffered from frequent headaches, eyestrain, and yes, on one occasion I accidentally paired navy blue shoes with black pants (and that was with my contacts on). I finally determined I am someone who functions better with proper lighting. It may sound cliché, but don’t underestimate the proper placement of lighting in your home. It can save you from sore eyes and some most embarrassing fashion disasters. My ophthalmologist provided me with the following preferred placement measurements for different lights: A General Rule to Remember: For … Continue reading →

Transforming Your Bedroom Into A Valentine’s Day Retreat

Still trying to pay off those credit cards you maxed out during the holidays? Then the prospect of taking a Valentine’s Day trip to Aruba may be out of the question this year. In today’s world, money can be tight, but just because you don’t have extra cash doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice a romantic evening with your sweetie this February 14th. Forget about dinner at a crowded, overpriced restaurant and reservations at the cute B&B across town. You can create a memorable night of romance in your own home. With a few decorations, some imagination, and the right … Continue reading →

The Standard Fire Insurance Form

The traditional and most time-tested property insurance policy offers coverage for fire and a few other specifically named perils. Standard fire policies are commonly known as the “165-line policy” because of the standard form (format and language) used to offer property insurance in most states. These policy forms are not complete, they require additional forms and endorsements to be added in order to cover boarder coverage for other direct and indirect risks. Homeowner policies typically start in with the Standard Fire Policy as a base for coverage insurance companies often combine coverage to create more complete package policies such as … Continue reading →

The Return of Baby Jesus

Just in time for Christmas baby Jesus has been returned to his manger… make that 32 Jesuses. Call it a Christmas miracle, of sorts. Chicago homeowners whose statutes of baby Jesus were stolen from their outdoor nativity scenes have finally been reunited with their missing items. According to local police, dozens of plastic baby Jesus dolls were stolen last week from nativity scenes in people’s front yards. Then on Saturday morning a woman found all the missing Jesuses lined up along the fence on her lawn and called her local church. The pastor there told local news reporters that the … Continue reading →

Don’t Let Your Pipes Freeze-Tips to Avoid Home Water Damage.

Most homeowners don’t consider the damage from frozen and broken water pipes as catastrophic as a natural disaster, but the damages caused from water pipe failures are one of the most common and least recognized catastrophe losses homeowners suffer every year. Second only to hurricanes, frozen and broken water pipes cause more losses in terms of the number of homes damaged and the total amount of claims paid by insurance companies in the U.S. Repair costs of $50,000 are very common for homes that suffer damage from frozen and broken water pipes. These damages can be a homeowners worst nightmare. … Continue reading →

Painting Your Child’s Room The Frugal Way

A child’s room will go through many changes over the course of their infant/child/teenage years. First and foremost it is their place in this world, and should be treated as such. But decorating it can be expensive, especially when their interests change and grow continuously. I’m going to give one big piece of advice today, that now after having five children I can completely say with confidence. Do not, I repeat, do not paint your child’s wall with any color other than a neutral color. Ever. Do not attempt to paint one wall blue, another green, another yellow and the … Continue reading →

A Child’s Frugal Bedroom

A child’s room is their safe haven. It’s where they go when they are happy, sad, afraid and angry. It is a place for them to be alone, share secrets with friends, read, write, do homework, play and just be a kid. I’ve come to understand that this place is almost sacred to a child. And no matter their age, it’s important that their bedroom reflect who they are and certain parts of the personality. If you had asked me a year and a half ago if I thought I’d ever have any more children than my beautiful little girl … Continue reading →

Tips for a Tidy Bedroom

Bedrooms can get messy fast, especially if we don’t attend to a few simple tasks. First, a neat bed goes a long way to making the room look tidy, since it is generally the first thing that attracts the eye when one enters the bedroom. It helps to use bedding that isn’t fussy so the bed can be made easily. Straighten the top sheet and the comforter and plop the pillows on top. Done. Another item that can lead to a sloppy look is clothing. Many people dress in their bedrooms, try on or change clothes throughout the day, and … Continue reading →

The Transient Room For Transient Guests

Although many homes have an additional bedroom that serves as an occasional repose for weary guests, many homes do not. What they do have is an unused space that has become a catchall storage area for clutter and other things unwanted. The key is adaptability in a hurry, for like all species known to man, guests and the rooms they sleep in will survive the Ice Age also known as an annual, perfunctory visit. Here are some hopefully helpful tips to transform any room into a make shift guest boudoir that even the likes of Conrad Hilton might have approved … Continue reading →