Gadgets that give your home a warmer feel

When skies are gray and the weather is chilly, there’s nothing like coming back to a nice warm home. A roaring fire is a real treat, but that’s not practical for everyone, and even when it is it will often only heat one room. The good news is that constantly evolving technology has led to the development of some great gadgets for keeping your home snug. These are some of the best.

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Smart thermostats
Once upon a time the only way you could control heat sources in your home was to manually turn them on and off. Thermostats made it much easier, enabling you to set precise temperatures for your central heating, and now the next generation of thermostats lets you do that from wherever you are – even if you’ve gone overseas on vacation and forgotten to turn the heating off. You can make sure you have a warm home to return to even if you’re working irregular shifts, and it’ easier than ever to avoid waste, which also makes this good for the environment. in addition, you can sync it to other apps, so that, for instance, if your fitness app notices that you’re working out, it can tell your boiler to heat water ready for a shower.

Thermal bedding
If it’s hard to get your home to warm up in the mornings or if you tend to get cold at night, thermal bedding is a great solution. It’s now much more diverse – and much safer – than the traditional electric blanket. A thermal pillow, for instance, can aid relaxation, and some emit a gentle scent of lavender, known for helping people get to sleep. You can even buy thermal coverlets that are separately adjustable on different sides, so you and your partner can both be comfortable even if your preferences vary. Thermal blankets can be used in bed but are also great for keeping you warm as you wander round the house upon waking, or for curling up in on the sofa at the end of a long day.

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Innovative lighting
Feeling warm enough isn’t just about the actual temperature of your home – it also has a psychological element. Few things factor into this as much as your choice of light. Even little details like having a lighted outlet cover in each room to help you find your way around at night can make a difference. One of the great things about the shift toward diode based lighting is that it offers a much wider range of colors, including lights whose color you can change. Using lights with yellow or pink tones makes your home feel much warmer than using blue tinted or plain white lights, and with a set-up like this it’s easy to temporarily change the lighting if, for instance, you need to be able to see better to clean up a spill.

Luxurious faux furs
Home always feels warmer when you have something to snuggle up in. These days there are faux furs as good as the real thing. They’re more affordable, have none of the same ethical issues and give the home a real touch of luxury. The secret is a technological one – not only have the materials used improved, but designers have discovered that mixing short hairs with long ones enables a fur to trap much more air, creating an insulating barrier that stops body heat escaping. It’s even possible to get thermal fur pillows that generate heat internally so that you’ll feel as if you’re hugging a snugly animal.

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A cozy kitchen
A warm kitchen at the heart of your home can make a big difference to how cozy the whole place feels. If you use a kitchen range that’s on all the time, heat from it will spread throughout the house. If that’s not practical for you, using a slow cooker can have a similar, if subtler, effect. It will also spread delicious smells throughout the house. Thinking about the hot food you’re going to enjoy in a few hours’ time will make you love being in your home. In the mornings, try a bread maker with a timer switch so that you can wake up to the warm scent of fresh food being prepared.

Gadgets like these can make all the difference if your home is feeling chilly. They’ll not only heat it up, they’ll make you feel cozier and more at ease. A home like this always feels welcoming, whatever the weather.

How to decorate a Southwest Styled House

What does a Southwest Style House look like?
A Southwest-styled house is specially made to give an inviting and gorgeous look to guests and visitors. You can recognize a Southwest-styled house with some prominent features such as flat roofs, its covered porches, stoned pillars and walls, smaller windows, large wooden doors and lower roof when viewed from inside. It has patterned tile work creating a cool environment. Another feature which is noticeable is the use of stucco walls.

Stucco walls are made by applying thick layer which hardens when dried. These houses are usually found in single story homes. Such houses are commonly found in Southwestern areas of America (like Phoenix, Las Vegas, California, etc.). These houses have also embraced current trends in decoration along with old traditional wooden style.

History
Southwest Style house plans have a historical background after which it was known all over the world. In earlier times, Southwest style houses were also known as Pueblo Revival Style. This design was taken up from Spanish mission in New Mexico. Its popularity increased during the 1920s and 1930s. The main features of such houses at that time included the use of bricks and concrete on walls and flat roofs. This style was very famous in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado in earlier times.

Tips to decorate your Southwest Style house

• As you will start decorating your house, you will also color its walls. Southwestern styled houses are painted with bright and vibrant colors (including yellows and oranges). On the other hand, those colors should not be extra bright that it irritates your eye. The color chosen should be warm. Shades of yellow, orange, golden and blue are in tradition with this style. Paints denote natural colors of the sky.
• Use of wood should be easily seen. Using different kinds of wood such as pine, oak, maple, birch, etc. can indicate Southwestern style. Bold wooden furniture is also encouraged. New Mexico was famous for more use of wood.
• If you do not feel like using more wood in your house, you can go for metalwork. Furniture made from metal is also found in Southwestern styled house. You can set up wrought iron tables and chairs or railings.
• Add creativity to your walls by either making it with stones or stucco. Textured walls are more liked in such houses. You can enhance the interior by putting spiritual content on the walls.
• Every house has pillars inside it. Making it out of stonework will look more inspiring. It will then look more like a Southwestern styled house.
• Simple wooden flooring will not sound like a house of such category. Therefore, adding art will help you. You can either use stones or rough planks and brick. To add beauty, you can also place rugs all over the floor with different designs. Southwest house designs have variety, so you could also add mosaic tiles on the floor.
• Include more of Spanish decoration. Guests should find more Spanish details. Pottery of different shapes and sizes are promoted.

4 Tips to Keeping Your Home Safe During Holiday Travel

Traveling for the holidays is something my family always looks forward to. There's no better way to close out the year than by hitting the road, singing holiday songs at the top of our lungs, spending time with family and friends, and eating delicious food.

But if you're anything like me, whenever you travel, a little voice in the back of your mind says, "Is my home safe? What if a fire breaks out? Could a pipe burst? Could a thief break in while I'm away?" So even though I love holiday travel, I'm never able to completely relax.

So I breathed a sigh of relief when I was contacted by Ooma—a leading internet home communications hub—with the opportunity to deliver 4 tips for keeping your home safe and secure when you're on the road this holiday. Before you lock your doors and hop in the car, make sure you follow these steps to ensure your home is safe.

#1- DON'T TURN YOUR THERMOSTAT OFF
Before leaving for an extended trip, it's important to lock in a safe temperature in your central heating system. If you live somewhere with cold winters, don't turn your thermostat off! To prevent your pipes from freezing, set the temperature lower than usual—ideally between 40 and 55 Fahrenheit. Live in a warmer climate? Leave the thermostat at about 69 Fahrenheit. Alternatively, you can completely avoid worry by controlling your thermostat remotely. Ooma detects when your thermostat is on "Away" mode and will automatically forward any home calls to your mobile device.

#2- SHUT OFF THE GAS AND UNPLUG ALL APPLIANCES
Always turn off gas-powered devices such as stoves, ovens, and fireplaces, and unplug all appliances. This can prevent any accidental fires and potentially hazardous carbon monoxide leaks into your home, as well as save energy. This is especially important if you have pets at home who can't defend themselves against unforeseen hazards. For an added layer of protection, be in the know—Ooma can warn you via text and direct you to call 911 when your Nest Protect smoke/carbon monoxide detector has been triggered.

#3: DON'T KEEP YOUR TRAVEL A SECRET
When leaving home for several days, tell someone you trust where you'll be in case of emergency, such as a fire, burglary, or carbon monoxide leak. Friends staying in town or a thoughtful neighbor could be options. They can keep an eye out for suspicious activity and notify you of any out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. Ooma allows you to be notified immediately when 911 is dialed and you can call them or call police to investigate.

#4: LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO MONITOR YOUR HOME
Thanks to technology, our homes are getting smarter and smarter. Did you know there are countless apps that can connect to systems in our homes—from central temperature to security systems, light bulbs to the Amazon Echo? The Ooma Telo seamlessly interacts with your favorite smart home products and services to make your home safer and more convenient than ever before. Whether it be increased levels of carbon monoxide or a home break-in, Ooma can be the first to alert you of any danger.
 

Thankfully in my many years of travel, we haven't had any major incidents occur while we were away. We make sure our neighbor's are aware that we will be out of town and they have an emergency key just in case.

You can learn more about Ooma's home monitoring system and buy an Ooma Telo at http://www.ooma.com.

Has an emergency ever happened at your home while you were away? Tell me about it in the comments below!

How to Light Your Home Like Hitchcock Would

When you walk into a room, what is the first thing you notice? For me, it’s the lighting. My mood instantly changes for the worse when I walk into a poorly lit space. It feels unwelcoming, even lazy. It’s as though the house doesn’t care anymore, its proverbial light has burnt out.

I get it, it does come off as a little odd that I have assigned a sort of humanness to space, but don’t we all do that? We appreciate space based on our experiences and conceptions. I associate the darkness with depression dereliction, and if you’re still reading, I’m going to venture a guess and say that you do too. So, what can we do to make our rooms more appealing. One way to go (and my personal favorite) is to highlight the architectural intricacies of my home with light, much like Hitchcock elevated feeling in his films using light.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Every area of the house is designated for a particular use, be it to eat, sleep, relax or bathe. We know what a room is used for based on the furniture and appliances stationed in the space, along with how the light is used in the space.

Kitchens are bright because we need to be able to calculate seasoning to tablespoon and chicken grease to counter space. It’s a functional space where we cook and eat and must keep clean. The living room is often warmly lit. This way we may sit comfortably in the space and enjoy playing a game of Yahtzee with our family or catching up on the piling Last Week Tonight episodes in our DVR. The bedroom is a little a more dimly lit, helping us to get cozy and ready for bed.

How does lighting design come into the feeling of our home? Isn’t it the furniture pieces that tell us how the space is used? Architectural lighting, such as with recessed, track and dimmers help us to create atmosphere. Alfred Hitchcock understood what lighting design could do in a space, and he knew how to change an audience’s perception of a character or a scenario in seconds. Let’s examine three of Hitchcock’s films and discuss how we can bring his lighting mastery into our own homes.

Rear Window, 1954
Hitchcock is known for creating menacing, suspenseful moments in his films through light manipulation. Movie buffs are quick to forget the scenes in which we’re first introduced to the protagonist of the story. The lighting is (to use an overused description) warm and inviting. The lighting gets us into the headspace of the character, into his emotional state. This is probably why the beginning of Hitchcock’s films are usually so engaging. In Rear Window, we are introduced to a man named Jeffrey, a news photographer stuck at home with a broken leg. When we first see Jeffrey in his apartment the interior is naturally lit. To get the “natural” look, Houzz suggests layering multiple light sources. Layering will bring attention to your furniture, wainscoting and other elements of the home. We can layer using recessed lighting (to provide the overhead light) floor lamps, (to provide the task lighting) and table lamps (to provide accent lighting). Layers of light create a “natural” looking light source, seemingly bringing daylight into a dark house.

Vertigo, 1958
In this Hitchcock film, the director focused on bringing a vivid and saturated color scheme to the forefront. In Midge’s apartment, in the flower shop and out at dinner, color permeates the space. To fill your living space with bursts of color, highlight a mustard, teal or sienna accent wall with a table lamp. Using an accent lighting source will bring the user’s attention to the space around them. You can also accessorize your space with colorful throw pillows or a rug to bring in texture and create mood.

Marnie, 1964
We are shown two different housing interiors in this film. One is the title character Marnie’s mother’s home, and the other is her husband’s family’s home. We see the societal differences between Marnie and her husband in the way the family homes are lit. The mother’s house is dark and sepia-toned, while her husband’s is bright and enchanting. Light and color can trick us into feeling particular moods. The darker somber home will make us quiet and reflective, while the brighter, cheerier home will enliven our spirits and bring out good energy. For a “positive vibes” space, layer task and accent lighting. This will create a mood of contentment and put you in a positive head space. If you have dimmer technology, use it! Using a dimmer gives you complete control of the lighting without needing to fill up your home with lamps.

It’s astonishing what a little light and color can do for a home. All it takes is a coat of paint and some new light fixtures to make it happen.

Home Cleaning as a Life Lesson for Kids

Home cleaning can be both a blessing and a trial, especially if children are involved. But what you have never thought of is making your kids a part of the home cleaning process and making it both productive and fun for all parties involved. Kids can despise cleaning, yes, especially since it goes against everything they are investing every single waking moment in: making messes and not cleaning up after themselves. But when it comes to the greater good, you should try and make them compromise for the one cleaning and help you with it – and the results can be uncanny.

Roleplay
One way to get children really invested in helping you get the home clean is giving them roles. Make it a game for them, have them do assignments and give them rewards – this is how they spend their video game time, so they should be accustomed to doing it, but only this time their own imagination will be in charge of keeping them entertained. Give your son “missions” and your daughter “responsibilities” and see how they change and act their parts to fulfil the given assignment.

Dress-up
You can combine the roleplay with actual costumes! Kids will love to really pretend to be in other people’s shoes. One of kids’ best pastime is pretending they are adults, so give them adult roles and adult clothes and see how they will do their best to play out the role of their lives. Don’t underestimate the power of their imagination and how it can stimulate them to do real chores with actual desire.

Teaching Responsibility
The house cleaning can be a very good way to introduce the children to adult life and show them why doing what they are doing is important. Don’t treat them as kids, treat them as learning adults and explain how if the floor is not vacuumed, the house will be consumed in dust mites that carry diseases and spoil the quality of life in the house. Give them reasons to resent dirt and reasons to actually want the place to be clean. When a kid wants something, you know that the kid will get it, even if it has to do it itself. Also, the earlier the child starts getting used to chores, the less complaining there will be once it starts growing up, and not to mention that much more work will be actually done – imagine all the responsibilities that will be taken off your own hands!

Cleaning the house can show your kids what to expect one day when they are away from home, away from mommy’s cleaning services, and it will be up to them to keep their surroundings dirt-free. It is a life lesson like any other, but if you get them invested successfully, then you will soon have not children, but small adults running around, helping you around the house, full of desire to learn. Teach them enough and one day you will be able to sleep peacefully at night, certain that they will be able to take care of themselves.

Read more helpful cleaning related tips on: Notting Hill Cleaner Ltd.

I would love to punch some people on HGTV

I just wanted to share some random thoughts that come to mind while I'm watching my favorite shows on HGTV...

• I really can't stand when they show a married couple reenact their morning routine in a small bathroom. Do people really brush their hair or teeth at the same exact time each morning and bump into each other like that? We don't. Our master bathroom in my home is smaller than some bathrooms in hotels, but we never complain.
• Couples that can't agree on colors, finishes or anything for that matter. They have heated on-air arguments and someone ends up in fake tears. 
• When they have over-the-top expectations for an itty bitty budget. 
• When people have a budget of over a million dollars and end up buying a 1,200 square foot home. 
• Why do the men have to get inside the tub? I would be so embarrassed if my husband did something like that on camera. Sadly, he probably would.
• I do LOVE when the host shows a house that has everything a couple is looking for-- all custom features, open and over-sized spaces, gourmet kitchen, dream back yard and everything else only to burst their bubble when the sales price is revealed. It ends up being like $400K over budget, Hehehe!
• There is always going to be that one woman who freaks out because there's a dead bug on the ground. C'mon man, it's DEAD! 
•  People and the whole "open floor plan" thing. I don't really get it. When I'm in the kitchen cooking, I don't want to be bothered. I don't need to see my family or guests while I'm in there. It's my "me time" and I don't need anyone talking to me during that time. 

How To Get The Very Best Deal For Your Insurance

Here in America, we like to own stuff. That's a very simplistic way of saying that, to a very large degree, we measure our self worth and our accomplishments in life by our ability to provide the necessities of life for our families.

On top of providing the basic needs for ourselves and others, we also like to enjoy plenty of luxury and recreational items. Our possessions are a very large of what makes us what we are. So it's no surprise that we have a strong urge to protect our possessions and maintain them in the highest state of quality.

Insuring Your Most Precious Possessions Reliably

Naturally, when it comes to getting insurance for your possessions, your home and health should be at the top of your list of priorities. While your place of employment can no doubt provide excellent health coverage for selected areas, you'll be well advised to seek supplemental coverage for the areas that your job won't cover. This could be anything from short term medical coverage to an all encompassing medical life plan.

In addition, you'll want to make sure that your place of residence is fully covered by the most comprehensive and up to date policy that your budget can afford. Topics such as fire and hurricane insurance are bound to be important areas of coverage, especially if you live in the South Carolina area.

How To Choose The Best Policy For Your Needs

Depending on how much actually needs to be covered, you should be able to form a quick and reliable estimate of the policies you need to be fully safe and insured. In some cases, bundling your policies (taking out several coverage policies with the same insurance company) can save you a great deal of effort, time, and money in the long run.

It's an excellent idea to make an inventory of all your possessions that require insurance. Of course, your home and vehicles will top the list, but there are bound to be other items that need to be on there as well. Bring the list to your agent and talk it over. He or she can help you come to an arrangement that satisfies your requirements without breaking your family budget.

Being adequately insured is the best way to sleep safely at night. If you're ready to enjoy the feeling of having the best insurance in Charleston, contact your local agent today.

The Tiny House Craze

I don't watch a lot of television, but when I do it is usually something news, food or home related. I flip through channels at night and have recently noticed a common thing; Tiny Houses. I assumed they meant lavish playhouses for kids. No, I was so wrong. Apparently there are many people downsizing their home for a version that is about 10% its size. The average American house size is 2,300 square feet and the tiny house size is roughly 230 square feet. I had to check out some different shows to see what it was all about.

Image credit: Tiny Home Builders

People are getting these homes either custom built or looking one in a specific location and they range from around 100 sq ft- 400 sq feet. You have people buying a house the size of a storage shed! I can't imagine it. Some of the homes are very luxurious on a teeny-tiny level and others very rustic.

Image credit: Tiny House Builders (interior view)

I personally could never do it. I saw one episode of Tiny House Hunters where a family of 6 went from a 3,000 sq ft home down to 400 sq ft. NO. No, no NO! I can't imagine that at all! I understand that people are trying to live mortgage or debt-free, but sheesh. I don't want to have people all in my personal space. It is certainly not something I would ever desire for myself. There's only so much family bonding one can take.

So what about you? Could you live the tiny house lifestyle?

Turn your spare room into the ultimate den

Your idea of bliss might involve curling up on a plush, overstuffed sofa with your favorite paperback and a steaming mug of tea. For your partner, heaven might be the thrill of tearing up some virtual tarmac with the latest white knuckle racing game and a mini fridge full of ice-cold craft beers. Everyone likes a little time away from the rest of the family, so it’s only natural to want to dedicate a small portion of the home to the preservation of everyone’s sanity. If this sounds like you, it’s time to transform your spare room into a family den.

If you do have a box room eligible for promotion to living space status, it has probably been used as the household dumping ground. Your first step towards creating your family haven is to banish the bumf and clear out the clutter. Any long lost articles of clothing and literature you are not instantly overjoyed to rediscover in the clear out should be recycled. Hoarders is not an aspirational lifestyle.

Once the room has been completely emptied, you can begin to determine the function and personality of your den with a bit of decor. Need a brooding man cave? Dark maroon or bottle green with wallpaper accents or wood paneling may exude the sophistication you crave. An airy meditation retreat will require lighter colors; duck egg blue will help you reclaim serenity, while light woods and white walls are necessary to make the most of the light in an aspiring artist’s studio.

As for furnishings, comfort trumps style every time. While we all picture ourselves staring into a crackling fire from the embrace of a chunky Chesterfield, the reality is that Chesterfields are a bit slippery, and fires consume as much time as they do fuel. Big, plush sofas scattered with squishy cushions work best. For the pyromaniac seeking a bit of fiery atmosphere, a few candles or fairly lights in a hurricane lamp will work as well as an inferno. In the same vein, exposed mahogany floorboards might sound grand, but toe splinters are no joke. Instead, layer traditional oriental rugs near well-trafficked spots to keep bare feet warm.

If you do have a forlorn little spot in your house, show it some love; not everyone has the fortune of a spare room to play with. Whether you choose to transform it into a home cinema, a billiards room or a crafts haven, you’ll find getting creative with a bit of personal space can do wonders for the soul.

Vinyl Wall Art Decals for Nursery - Best Choice for Your Baby’s Room

For a new couple who are well-off, it can be exciting to have a baby. The joy of expecting can be difficult to believe at first but when the realization finally dawns on the mind, there is excitement brimming in the minds of would-be parents. The entire process seems more real once you begin to plan the nursery for your bundle of joy that is soon to arrive. As a new parent, you want to make the room of your kid more special and make it look like a safe haven for your child. Vinyl wall art can make the decoration more beautiful. When you use wall decals for nursery, you can be assured that you are creating a room that can be more inviting for your baby. You can buy from wallstickersshop.co.uk if you want to decorate your children’s room.

Advantages of Using Vinyl Wall Decal for Nursery

You can get a lot of advantages out of using wall stickers for nursery.

1.    Many individuals, especially those without an artistic bent of mind, find it extremely hard to decorate nurseries properly. You can use vinyl wall art to make a perfectly themed decoration for your baby nursery walls and transform the simple room into a fantasy land for your baby. It can be really simple to use this type of instant wall decoration. You do not require any professional assistance for the placement and installation of these stickers. It is very simple to set up and can be performed by any person.

2. As your baby continues to grow up, his or her maturity and interests will obviously change. You can easily customize the walls by removing the old vinyl decals and replacing them with fresh wall decals for nursery. You wall can be a sign of the growth and maturing tastes of your child over the years as they continue to make their journey to adulthood. You can easily peel off these vinyl stickers and change them as your kid grows up. This can make an economical as well as sun decoration for your child’s room. A lot of teenagers do not like to use cartoon characters or alphabets in their rooms. You may easily remove them and stick an inspiration picture or a family photo, whichever is loved by your child.

3. Vinyl wall art can be an excellent way to add flair and color to your nursery. You may select geometric designs, characters from fairy tales or other artistic stuff to express your thoughts and your love for your baby. You can create a nursery wall where you can display the achievements of your child in vinyl lettering as he or she continues to grow up.

4. Decals are available in a variety of shapes and sizes that you can choose from for your nursery. You can create a beautiful summer garden blooming with cute animals, bright flowers and streams to make a personal and warm environment where your baby can live and grow up in. You need to select those decals that you wish to have and peel off their backside to paste them smoothly on the walls of the nursery and provide it with a fun décor.

5. You need to tamper with paints and stencil which need some amount of finesse that you will probably be lacking in. You will not have to worry about any spills or drips and find out that your nursery does not look as bright as it is supposed to be. When you use vinyl wall art, you can get the bright colors that you deserve. You may even take the stickers, which have been designed for your nursery, along with you as you shop for the perfect wall paint that can match the color of your stickers. In case you paste them in a wrong area, you can also easily peel off the backside of the stickers and move them over to the exact spot that they should rest on.

6. The majority of wall stickers for nursery and replaceable and reusable. This means you can easily peel them off and store them for use for the next generation. This can really be the best way to transform the room of an older kid back into a nursery.

Things to Remember While Going for Vinyl Wall Stickers for Nursery

When you are looking for the best wall decals for nursery of your baby, you need to keep a few things in mind.

7. You can select from thousands of designs to customize the wall of your baby nursery in the most apt manner. Wall decals can be availed in a lot of colors that you can choose from to match the paint and overall decoration of your walls. There are many vinyl wall art decoration items available, which include Vinyl Wall Word Art, Vinyl Wall Lettering and of course Vinyl Wall Stickers which are the most common. You may even opt for customization.

8. You may even use your own photos or your family photos for vinyl wall decals. If you show off an enlarged family portrait as a wall decal, it can appear as if it has been painted by a professional artist and hung on the wall as was the custom in the olden days. With wall decals in vinyl, your creative designing options are truly endless.

9. Wall quotes, flowering trees and branches, customized photos, stars, lettering and geometric shapes are some of the more famous types of vinyl wall art. You can browse the online catalogs or directly call up a qualified representative in order to have a discussion about your artistic ideas.

10. Bright shapes and colors on walls can make a warm atmosphere for newborns and also learn to recognize shapes, stars and dots from an early age. It can be a god idea to coordinate dots of varying colors and sizes on the wall that can match floor tiles, crib sheets, furniture and curtains of bright color.

With wall art decals for nursery, you can showcase your creativity and make just the type of growing environment that your kid will love growing up in. It can be fun to use wall decals and you will be surprised at the number of options that you can pick from.

Keep your home clean with BISSELL

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of BISSELL Homecare, Inc. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you are a pet owner or a parent, you know how hard it is to keep your home clean. As a stay-at-home mom, my work is endless. Every day I feel like I am walking over crumbs, hair balls and who knows what! I have been doing some research on new vacuums and I am totally liking what I see with the BISSELL PowerGlide  Vacuum with Lift-Off Technology. It has so many helpful features including:

• Full-size vacuum with Lift-Off Technology features an easy-release portable vacuum for stairs and more
• No loss of suction* for performance that lasts
• Brush-roll on/off switch for scatter-free suction on hard floors
• Multi-level filtration to help reduce allergens
• On-board tools include Pet TurboEraser® Tool and crevice tool
• Swivel steering for easy maneuvering around furniture
• Collapsible handle for compact storage
• Weighs only 16 lbs

*Tested per IEC 60312-1 with multiple dust loadings, results within accepted tolerance of 5%.

You can find many cleaning tips at the BISSELL site and you may enter to win a prize in the Celebrate Everyday Messes contest. I have to say, I am impressed with how much the BISSELL PowerGlide vacuums offer for the price. I just have to narrow it down to the exact one I want! What are your favorite features of any of the BISSELL vacuums?

Tips for buying a home

Everyone dreams of owning their own home, but buying one is a lot of work. Just preparing for homeownership is a massive undertaking that can seem daunting. There are processes that you have to go through before you can even think about looking for the home you want to buy.

Budgeting and banks
First, you have to know exactly what your budget is and how much you can afford to spend. The banks will need this information before they will even think about giving you a mortgage loan, so have it all ready. The difference can sometimes help in negotiations with a seller for a better price on the home. Make sure that you are pre-approved not pre-qualified. Research diligently through different lenders as well. Make sure you get the best possible mortgage and interest rates.

Look into the area
You will have to know what you need as far as size like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, etc. You will have to take into consideration schools, transportation, and stores as well. If you prefer public transportation, you will have to make sure that you are near to the local pick up. Do you want the local stores to be close at hand? The Local Records Office can give you a lot of information about the neighborhoods you are considering, so make sure to look them up.

Contract a buyer's agent
The housing market changes constantly. Even though we are recovering from the housing crisis from a few years ago, you will want to do plenty of research. You don't have to have a real estate agent and honestly, agents work for the seller not you. However, you can contract a buyer's agent if you wish. A buyer's agent will ensure you find the house you want for a good price and actually works for you.

Look for homes
Look at a lot of homes before you make an offer for one. You want to make sure that you are getting exactly what you want and not just settling for what you think you can afford. After all if you are paying that much money to buy a home, you want to be happy in it. Likewise, don't allow an agent to push you into a house you can't really afford either. Just because you qualify for it, doesn't mean you should buy it. You could overtax yourself and that will lead to trouble later on.

Once you make an offer and it is accepted, there are several steps that have to be taken. A home inspection to check the foundation, construction, heating and cooling system, electrical etc must be done. This is important so that you and your bank know that the home is sound.

You will have to buy homeowners insurance and bring the document with you to your closing along with your down payment and another check for closing costs unless you have negotiated for the seller to pay them, you will be responsible for those.  The closing should take about an hour and when you are finished, you will be the proud owner of a home of your own.