Looking for Age Appropriate Chore Ideas for Your Kids? Check These Ideas Out!

Getting kids involved in the everyday cleaning of a home can be hard. Knowing what chores are age appropriate can also be hard. We found this article with information on why giving your kids chores are important as well as what chores are appropriate for each age group. We hope it helps in teaching your children to be contributing members of your household and that your house stays cleaner!

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From the article:

The Value of Chores for Children
Parenting expert Jim Fay, co-founder of the Love and Logic website, says we all need to feel needed and to know that we’re making a contribution — even kids. “But they can’t feel that way if they don’t have chores and make contributions to the family,” Fay says.

Roger W. McIntire, University of Maryland psychology professor and author of Raising Good Kids in Tough Times, says, “A child has to have some responsibilities.”

Chores for children ages 4 to 5

  • Any of the above chores, plus:
  • Make their bed
  • Empty wastebaskets
  • Bring in mail or newspaper
  • Clear table
  • Pull weeds, if you have a garden
  • Use hand-held vacuum to pick up crumbs
  • Water flowers
  • Unload utensils from dishwasher
  • Wash plastic dishes at sink
  • Fix bowl of cereal

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Looking for information on after school snacks? Then checkout this article about after school snacks that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ideas click here: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/chores-for-children

Have an Attic? Learn How to Best Use That Storage Space Here!

Attics are often unused spaces. It’s valuable square footage but most people don’t know how to work around the slants of the roof. In order to help you out we found this article with several different attic storage ideas. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

Many times the attic room is overlooked when you run out of room in your home and need more storage space. Creating well-planned attic storage will help you reduce clutter. The attic storage space depends on a home???s style and when it was built.

By using the structures in the attic room, you can turn the attic into a reliable storage space. Take a look at these creative attic storage ideas and solutions, which allow you to maximize the space without losing the valuable floor space.

Attic Closet Storage With Shelf. If you are converting your attic into a living space, include some closet space in your design. Create your attic closet following the layout of the attic space.

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Looking for more storage solutions? Checkout this article about storage solutions that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://hative.com/creative-attic-storage-ideas-and-solutions/

Want to Make Every Room Better? Try These Decorating Tips!

When it comes to designing or redesigning your home it can be difficult to know where to start. In order to help you make every room in your home better we found this article. We hope it helps you design your best home possible!

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From the article:

I hate to break it to you, but designers don???t follow a secret rule book. There are no hard and fast laws governing what we do. We are creative types by nature and love to imagine, dream and explore, following our intuition. That said, there are some rough principles that guide us to ensure a great result every time. They are just tried and true things that work. And these aren???t tricks or skills that take years to master. Anyone can do them from day one. Consider this a foundation for developing your own quirky, creative, rule-breaking intuition.

Pick the paint color last. I get calls all the time from homeowners who want to pick a paint color before they move in. I get the logic. Why not arrive to walls with a fresh coat of paint? Of course you can do it this way, but in my opinion it???s not ideal.

There are thousands of paint colors with various tints, tones and shades. And each one looks different from home to home, because light sources vary, meaning what looks good in your current home might not in your new one. You want the color that best complements your upholstery, artwork, rug and whatever else. You can pick that color only if your stuff is actually inside your home.

Create a focal point. There are leading roles and supporting cast members in any production. The same holds true in design. Choose your star and make it the focal point to anchor a room. Allow other items to take a secondary role. Don???t ask everything to have a leading role; it will just result in visual noise.

Your focal point might be a dramatic hood in the kitchen, a mantel and art piece in the living room or a headboard in the bedroom. Whatever it is, choose something that will draw attention. In this room the fireplace and the lighting work together as a collective focal point, bringing your eye right to the center of the composition and anchoring it there.

Ignore all principles in favor of creativity. Having some guidelines gives people a good starting point for furnishing and decorating their home, even if some of them aren???t practical for a particular space.

Go with something personal that makes you smile and, above all, is comfortable. Overly designed rooms don???t really translate in modern life. A pillow collection and an art arrangement that are seemingly haphazard, as shown here, create a dressed-down look with plenty of style.

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Looking for more design ideas? Then checkout this article about design ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/19837206

Looking to Be More Organized at Home? Follow These Tips!

Having an organized home can be a big challenge. Especially with kids and spouses coming behind you and messing up what you’ve just done. In order to help you out we found this article with 21 different organization tips. We hope it helps you better organize your home!

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From the article:

While decluttering should always be the first priority when getting your home in order, there comes a time when you need solutions for what to do with the stuff that???s left. When your home is organized well, finding what you need is quick and easy, supplies and tools are stored where you use them, and each member of the household knows just where his or her stuff goes. In other words, life is easier. Here are 21 ideas for organizing all around the house.

Wire pantry baskets. Removing the outer packaging from favorite snacks saves space and makes it easier to grab and go. Stash your snacks in a wire basket, and you???ll be able to see what you want easily.

Countertop condiment basket. Keep your go-to cooking oils and condiments close at hand without letting them take over the counter. A wire basket keeps items corralled while still letting you see what???s inside; a tray with a lip would also work well.

Kitchen wall hooks. Keep market bags, aprons and tea towels handy with a few wall hooks in the kitchen. Putting some up is incredibly simple ??? and so convenient, you???ll wonder how you ever lived without them.

Back-of-the-door organizer. Using an adjustable organizer on the back of the door is a good way for kids to learn to put away their own things. Keep a hook for a backpack, a rack for shoes and a basket for library books.

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Looking for more ways to organize your home? Checkout this article about home organization tips that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/31750411/list/21-tips-for-organizing-your-stuff

Looking for Amazing Shower Ideas? Look at These!

When building or remodeling it’s fun to daydream and design your dream spaces. One place that shouldn’t be overlooked is the shower. In order to help you out we found this article with 33 different shower ideas. We hope it helps you plan your dream space!

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From the article:

It’s a larger-than-life, size-of-a-small-garage, big-enough-for-a-party kind of space.
Not only that, but it’s a tear-the-bathtub-out-to-make-room-for-one-of-these-luxuries types of things.
Sounds a bit extreme, doesn’t it? …Well, it shouldn’t!
Because, as a matter of fact, some of my clients are demolishing their way to this very dream.
…The dream of having…
A BIG SHOWER

If you???re not into scrubbing in a tub, then you certainly don???t want to shower in a tiny, tiled box.
No! You want to shower in a full-on room!

A room with all kinds of amenities, like: shampoo niches and multiple shower heads and long benches…
…And everything else a wonderfully large and luxurious shower can — well — shower upon you!

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Looking to build or remodel? Checkout this article about hiring a good contractor that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://carlaaston.com/designed/33-sublime-super-sized-showers

Looking to Organize Your Garage? Try These Ideas!

Garages get messy and disorganized. It’s where things are put and forgotten about. In order to help you reclaim your garage we found this article with 6 different organization ideas. We hope they help!

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From the article:

Garages tend to become dumps for just about everything. Because they are big open spaces, they’re easy targets for that suitcase that won’t fit in the closet, the rollerblades your daughter doesn’t want to throw away yet, the sewing machine you need to give back to your neighbor, and anything else that doesn’t have a set place.

1. Use as much vertical and ceiling space as possible. This rule is particularly important if you’re planning to actually park your car here. Make sure that you’ll have room for your car without running into or onto anything.

For Houzz user Janet Henry in Illinois, getting everything up and off of the floor was a priority, so getting rid of as much junk as possible was a must. “The biggest challenge was just getting started,” she says. After a yard sale, it took her three days to paint the walls, scour the floor, and paint the cabinetry to get the garage spic and span. “I make it a point to sweep it out and wipe things up every week. I want it to stay nice for a long time,” she says.

The main goal for Janet was to create a space that was clean, organized, and presentable when the garage door was open. Luckily, she has a shed and a basement where any extra-large equipment can go.

This is a great solution for anyone who has a smaller garage; small storage sheds can be built and installed relatively inexpensively. “Just driving into a nice, clean space is great,” she says.

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Looking for ways to organize your home? Then checkout this article with home organization tips that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ideas click here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/698572/list/6-Garage-Organizing-Tips-That-Really-Work

Looking for Design Trends of 2018? Get the Inside Scoop Here!

Designing a room or a whole house can be quite stressful. In order to help you out we found this article with the current design trends. We hope it will help you design your dream space!

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From the article:

Every year brings more options for materials, finishes and ideas to bring into our interiors. If you???re ready to try something new, consider the following design trends. We searched through Houzz data, popular photos and articles, and talked to designers for this snapshot of 22 things you???re likely to see more of in 2018.

More color in kitchens.
White will always be a classic palette for kitchens, as the annual Houzz kitchen trends study continues to show. But its increased popularity means there???s going to be some all-white-kitchen fatigue as homeowners look for ways to personalize their space. So while white kitchens aren???t even close to going away, expect to see a rise in color for the kitchen, especially other neutrals like gray and blue. Plus, warm wood tones are becoming a popular replacement for painted cabinets, leading to sophisticated, rich palettes.

Glass insert for tub-shower combos.
Many still love their shower curtains, but partial glass dividers are coming on strong. Glass shower panels keep compact spaces airy and open, allowing a clear view to a statement shower tile or more natural light.

Defining kitchens in open floor plans.
Every time a bell rings, an interior wall gets knocked down. OK, maybe not that frequently but it seems like the open floor plan has dominated homes in recent years, and not all homeowners love it. And some are going the other way, seeking some sort of delineation of space, such as in the photo shown here. A half wall of cabinetry creates a semi-closed space between the kitchen and living room.

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Looking for garage organization ideas? Checkout this article about garage organization ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/93399913/list/interior-design-trends-expected-to-take-hold-in-2018

Looking for Ways to Celebrate Mardi Gras? Get the Scoop Here!

Anyone who’s anyone knows that Mardi Gras here in Louisiana is a really big deal. In order to help you get the most out of it we found the full schedule of parades. We hope it helps you have an amazing Mardi Gras!

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From the article:

As Louisiana counts down to Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras on February 13, 2018, communities throughout the state ready their costumes, floats and parade trinkets for several days of festivities. Get ready to party down in Baton Rouge! Don’t forget to check out the Mardi Gras events around New Orleans, too.

Here’s a list of 2018 Baton Rouge Carnival parades, dates and times. Check the individual parade organizations’ websites for updated details of each event. Come to Baton Rouge and have a ball!

Baton Rouge Mardi Gras 2018 Parade Schedule
Saturday, February 3, 6:30 pm: Krewe of Orion, Downtown

Sunday, January 28, 10:30 am: Krewe of Mutts, Downtown

Friday, February 2, 7pm: Krewe of Artemis Parade, Downtown

Saturday, February 3, 2pm: Krewe of Mystique, Downtown

Friday, February 9, 7pm: Krewe of Southdowns, Southdowns Neighborhood – Glasgow Middle School

Saturday, February 10, noon: Krewe of Spanish Town Parade, Downtown

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Looking for cheap family fun ideas here at home? Checkout this article about cheap winter family fun that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.louisianatravel.com/articles/mardi-gras-capital-city-come-party-baton-rouge

Looking to Design or Renovate a Bathroom This Year? Get Ideas Here!

Renovating a bathroom can be a lot of fun and very stressful. In order to avoid the stress a clear plan is extremely helpful. In order to help you out we found this article with the biggest trends in bathrooms. We hope it helps you design your dream bathroom!

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From the article:

The most popular of all bathroom photos uploaded to Houzz this year covered a wide range of styles, from sleek minimalist looks to rooms packed with farmhouse-inspired details. Even with all the variety, certain elements appeared again and again. Among them: compact spaces with the latest smart storage solutions, frameless glass shower surrounds, larger shower stalls in place of tub-shower combos, floating and furniture-like vanities, warm metal fixtures and floor-to-ceiling tile. See for yourself in the 20 most popular new bathrooms of 2017 (in reverse order), as measured by how many people saved them to their ideabooks this year.

Built-In Outlets
Many homeowners are opting for the convenience of hidden outlets in drawers, whether for charging stations, electric shavers or hair appliances like you see here.

Notable detail: They painted the inside of the drawers to match the outside.

Big-Box Customization
Once they got it home, these homeowners realized the contemporary styling of the vanity they???d bought at the big-box store didn???t suit them. So they put in some elbow grease, applying a glaze and changing out the hardware to suit their bathroom???s farmhouse-inspired style. Small changes like these provide an inexpensive and easy way to make your bathroom new to you when a full renovation is not within your budget, or when you need to save some dollars within a renovation budget.

Notable detail: The floor tiles are porcelain but they resemble hardwood.

Farmhouse-Inspired Warmth
Wood accents, shiplap walls, a sliding barn door and Shaker-style cabinetry all bring farmhouse-style warmth to this transitional bath.

Notable detail: The mirrored sliding barn door helps bounce light around this space. The vanity mirrors, knee-wall top and tub shelf all pick up on the wood in this piece.

Cozied-In Commode
When you don???t have room for a separate water closet, there are still some ways to adjust the layout to divide your space. Here the pony wall between the shower stall and the toilet creates a more private area and a good spot to install the toilet paper roll.

Notable detail: Repeating the floor tile in the shower niche.

Smart Storage
Well, it seems the No. 1 thing people were looking for this year was savvy storage solutions for all of that bathroom stuff.

These tall, narrow pull-out cabinets make the most of the space and are conveniently located next to the vanity.

Notable detail: There???s even a makeup mirror inside for those moments when the homeowner doesn???t want to have to lean over the counter for a close-up.

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Looking for more information on a bathroom remodel? Checkout this article about bathroom remodel that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/97066661/list/trending-now-the-20-most-popular-new-bathrooms-of-2017

Looking for Cheap Ways to Prep Your Home for Winter? Try These Ideas!

Prepping your home for winter is important regardless of where you live but here in the south we’re having a much colder than normal winter so it’s even more important than normal to prep your home for the winter. In order to help you out we found this article with cheap ways to prepare your home for winter. We hope it helps!

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If you need Baton Rouge apartments cleaning dryer vent services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

Heating costs can throw a wrench into your winter budget ??? and the cold can make you cranky. But you can limit the discomfort by addressing the gaps, cracks and waste that drive up fuel costs. Such fixes are available at a lower price than you might imagine.

Run through this checklist of fixes to make your house cozier and your heating more affordable this year.

Install weatherstripping
Check your home???s exterior doors for cold air leaks. Do this from inside the house. The high-tech approach is to use a laser infrared thermal gun to detect cold drafts. The low-tech way is to move a lit candle around the door frame; the flame will blow toward you when there is a draft.

Seal a drafty door by installing foam or felt weatherstripping inside the door frame. Ask at your hardware store for the correct products and installation instructions.

Cost: $10 to $20 per package for most standard products.

Add attic insulation
Insulation keeps warm air inside in the winter and expensively cooled air inside in the summer.

???Typically, houses in warm-weather states should have an R-38 insulation in the attic, whereas houses in cold climates should have R-49,??? says This Old House, explaining how to install batting-type insulation.

Insulating an attic, basement or crawl space is moderately difficult, and beginners should hire a professional. If you do, ask if you can perform parts of the job to reduce the cost.

Admittedly, insulating is not a cheap job. But the payback can be huge, and you may find rebates and financial incentives. See Energy.gov???s guide to sources and to a calculator to estimate the return on an insulation investment.

Cost: Prices vary, depending on factors such as insulation type, local labor costs and size of the attic.

Set the temperature manually ??? and leave it
You can enjoy fuel savings for free simply by setting your thermostat to one temperature in the morning, another at night and otherwise leaving the thermostat alone. If you???re chilly, put on a sweater and warm socks instead of raising the heat.

Cost: $0.

Replace furnace filters monthly
Dirty furnace filters reduce furnace efficiency and push up heating bills. They also shorten the life of a furnace.

Check and replace the furnace filter monthly in winter or every three months while the system is in operation. Your owner???s manual will tell you where it???s located. Hold the filter up to the light: If you can???t see light through it, you need a new one.

Pleated filters work best because they trap more dirt particles.

Cost: Prices vary. Angie???s List says filters cost:

$1 each for flat fiberglass
$10 each for pleated and polyester
$25 each for high-efficiency varieties

Insulate the hot water heater
Save on fuel by wrapping older water heaters in a blanket of insulation, an easy DIY project that even a beginner can do. Your utility company has instructions. When insulating a gas or propane water heater, do not cover the burner access.

Do not insulate:
– Pre-insulated water heaters. These are newer units with factory installed insulation of R-16 or better (check the manufacturer???s label) under the metal shell.
– Water heaters located where the added heat is welcome.
– Water heaters whose manual or paperwork warns against insulating.
– Tankless (on-demand) water heaters.

Cost: $20 to $30. Or possibly free: Ask your utility company for any rebates, discounts or freebies. Some utilities offer free insulation and may even install it.

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Looking for information on avoiding frozen pipes? Checkout this article about avoiding frozen pipes that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: https://www.moneytalksnews.com/16-low-cost-ways-prepare-your-home-for-winter/