Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Are you considering installing surveillance cameras inside and outside your home? This can be an easy way to keep an eye on suspicious activity as well as deter intruders. So what’s stopping you from making this easy DIY installation? Below are the main reasons why surveillance cameras can be beneficial to your home.

Cost-Effective
Home alarms systems can be a costly expense every month, so if you don’t have enough room in your budget for a security system, install the cameras instead. The price of surveillance cameras range, so you’re sure to find ones that you can afford.

Versatility
Technology has improved drastically in your favor. You can install surveillance cameras and view what’s going on in your home on your home computer, mobile phone or via the Internet. If you travel regularly, you can relieve some stress knowing that your house and belongings are safe.

High Protection
If an intruder decides to break into your home, you now will have evidence of the event and possibly a view of the person’s face or license plate. The cameras also act as a deterrent, because the burglar isn’t going to want to risk getting caught.

Over time the seals around the doors of your refrigerator and freezer will deteriorate. If they no longer work effectively, the cold air is seeping right out of your appliance. Depending on the price to replace the seals, you might have to weigh buying new appliances and purchasing new seals. You can check the seals by seeing if they firmly hold a dollar bill. Or you can turn a flashlight on and place it inside the appliance; if you can see the light coming through when the door is shut, then you know the seal is broke.

Check the temperature of your appliances with thermometer. The average temperature for a refrigerator is between 36 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and for a freezer, it’s between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. If you set the thermostat for 10 degrees Fahrenheit lower, you can save about 25 percent of your energy usage.

Front loading washers and dryers usually use less energy than top-loading ones. Although this is not always the case, you need to determine how much water will need to go into a top-loading washer in comparison to a front-loading washer for your clothes to be submerged. Front-loading washers often don’t require as much water, because the clothes can be circulated through a minimal amount of water.

The spin speed of the washer is also an important feature to assess. Energy-efficient washers will spin clothes at a faster rate, which reduces the amount of time that the clothes will need to be in the dryer.

The water level controls and wash and rinse cycles can also help in energy savings. It costs 5 to 10 times more to wash your clothes in hot water in comparison to cold water. So make sure that the washer you’re looking at has several wash and rinse cycle options.

Are you thinking about replacing your current dryer? There are ways to increase the efficiency of your current dryer, but if it’s on its last leg, then it’s probably time to consider a new one. Below are some features you should look for in an energy efficient dryer.

Depending on what electric and gas costs in your area, one might be less costly than the other. However, at least with gas, the dryer will not be using up electricity just from being plugged into the wall. Remember, appliances draw energy from the outlet even when you they’re not in use. One drawback of gas is that if you don’t have the proper ventilation, it can be dangerous.

One convenient feature on new dryers is an automatic shut-off. Some have sensors that can determine whether or not the clothes are dry. Instead of waiting that full 60 minutes for your clothes, they might be done ten minutes sooner.

What other expired products do you have in your medicine chest?

If you have old makeup or sunscreen, throw them out when in doubt or look for an expiration date. Using old makeup on your skin is dangerous, because over time, it can become tainted with bacteria. Old sunscreen can just make you more at risk for sunburn and sun poisoning.

If you’re not comfortable throwing out expired prescription drugs, find out if your local recycling center has a hazardous waste collection program. You can also contact local pharmacies to inquire if they have any recycling or take back programs that you can participate in.

Prescription medications can cause major health problems for animals and people when ingested, which is why it’s important to dispose of them in the most eco-friendly way possible instead of flushing them down a toilet.

Today is the day to clean out your medicine cabinet, and these tips can help you clear out everything with less harm to the environment.

Whenever you come across expired prescription medicines and antibiotics, they should be thrown away immediately. By keeping them around your home, they could end up in the wrong hands. Children and pets are curious and can find ways to get into these pills. To dispose of them, do not flush them down the toilet or rinse them down the sink, because this can contaminate drinking water. Instead, remove your personal information from the bottle then duct tape each bottle and triple wrap them in plastic bags. This way when your garbage is collected and smashed, the pills will stay contained. At a landfill, the pills will have less of a chance of contaminating groundwater, because landfills use liners, clays and other materials to protect any underlying aquifers.

Below are some energy saving tips:

Appliances & Electronics
Even though your toaster and television might not be in use, it still draws a small amount of energy when it’s left plugged into the wall. Use power strips to stop your appliances and electronics from wasting energy. Also, always clean out your dryer’s lint trap and air-dry your dishes and clothes when you can. If you are able to update your appliances, make sure to choose ones labeled with the Energy Star®.

Heating & Cooling
Heating and cooling your home can be one of your top five housing expenses. Make sure your windows and doors have a tight seal so the hot or cold air from your house can’t escape. Also, clean and replace your furnace filters and dust your registers so they don’t become blocked. During the summer, try using a fan instead of your air conditioning, and during the winter, try to dress warmer while you’re in the house.

Lighting
Avoid using lights during the day by hanging up shear curtains and opening the blinds. Take advantage of three-way lamps, so you can adjust the amount of light you need. Installing timers for your outdoor lights can prevent you from having them on during the day when they’re not needed. If you are moving into a new home or thinking about re-painting yours again, consider lighter colors for the walls since they will reflect light better than the darker paints.

When you are having a handful or more of guests over for Thanksgiving dinner, you might think to use disposable plates and utensils. However, resist this urge so you don’t increase your consumption of paper. Your guests will be more impressed if you use your find china or ceramic plates. Plus, you can always convince your spouse to clean up since you did all of the cooking.

Decorations and cute nametags for the table are nice but not practical. Instead of investing extra money into these items and wasting paper and plastic, create your own natural decorations. A cornucopia filled with fresh fruit can make a great centerpiece for your table. Just be sure to let your guests know that the fruit is edible. You can also use any fall leaves and pinecones from outside to construct your own wreath. Another tip is to limit your light use and make your dinner atmosphere more relaxing with spice scented soy candles.

Easy green cleaners made from common household items are vinegar and baking soda. These products can be used on just about anything when you mix some warm water with them. The vinegar smell will go away after it has dried. Baking soda can also be sprinkled on the carpet to absorb any odors then you can vacuum it up.

Essential oils are versatile and can be mixed to create a multi-purpose cleaning product or an air freshener. Essential oils are distilled from plants, and each oil has a specific property. For example, cinnamon and citrus oils (e.g., lemon) can kill germs and disinfect. All you need is a spray bottle and a cloth to apply the mixture. Add 5 to 10 drops of oil to a spray bottle filled with water, and you have your cleaner for counters or an air freshener to spray on the carpet and other fabrics.

Once a month it’s easy to find yourself needing a new toothbrush. If you brush your teeth about two to three times a day, the bristles become deformed fast and brush more of your gums than your teeth. It’s also a good idea to change your toothbrush when you get sick, so you don’t risk getting the same cold again. Regardless of when or why you get a new toothbrush, you always have old ones lying around or being thrown into the trash. Instead of wasting so many toothbrushes, try using them around the house.

Old toothbrushes can be especially useful in the bathroom. If you want your faucets and bathtub tile to look spotless, you can use those scrubbing bristles to your advantage. Or you can use it as an eyebrow brush. Although there are brushes specifically made for the eyebrows, it doesn’t mean an old toothbrush can do the job just as well. The brush can also be turned into a fingernail brush when you are doing manicures or getting dirt out from under your nails.

The old bristles can also be useful in the laundry room and garage. When you have a set in stain on one of your favorite shirts or pants, you can use stain remover and your handy old toothbrush to pull it out. This comes in handy when you have kids. In the garage, you can use the bristles to shine your hubcaps or cleaning off tools. You might also have dirty work boots or shoes in the garage, which you can get clean again with the brush.