Veronica Bettencourt

Archive for the ‘Home Improvement’ Category

Use all of these tips or choose a few of these to implement in your home. Choose one tip today and then visit this list next week and choose another getting organized tip and implement it. Small changes over time can really add up and make all the difference.

1. Segregate your clothing by color and by occasion of use too. Not only will your clothes look neater, they will be easier to find too!

2. Do you find yourself always loosing your keys? Get a key finder. If you lose your keys, press the button on the key finder, and that will trigger a sound from where your keys are located. Another option is to have a decorative bowl at the entry of your home and get in the habit of dropping your keys there when you enter. Forming new habits may not be so easy for some people so a key finder may be more ideal.

3. Minimize the time you spend doing laundry by using different hampers for clothing. Use one for the dark colored clothing and one for the light colored clothing. When laundry day arrives, you won’t have to spend time separating the white and dark clothing.

4. If you share a bathroom with other members in your household, assign a caddy or space to put their stuff. Your bathroom will be more organized and clutter free.

5. How’s that glove compartment in your car looking? Organize it to have easy access to important documents that you need in a flash so you don’t waste time fumbling through your glove compartment when you need something in a hurry.

6. Vehicle trunk full of stuff? Remove clutter from the trunk, especially heavy clutter. Weight adds up to the car’s drag which adds up to gas consumption.

7. Keep all your appliance manuals, guarantees, and troubleshooting in a big envelope or folder. It can save you the trouble of expensive repairs.

8. Install a corkboard in key places in your home: possibly near the telephone, refrigerator, or home office area. Use this to pin up urgent messages and reminders.

9. Extend the storage capacity of your closets by adding attachments such as hooks and rods on the closet doors, where you can hang your belts, ties, scarves, ribbons, and other accessories.

10. Use empty ice trays or egg cartons to store trinkets suck as charm earrings and buttons or any other small items. Finding them now will be a breeze.

Have any organizing tips of your own you would like to share? I always welcome positive feedback and ideas. Feel free to comment

Just last week, I was going through my daily agenda and realizing that the year is almost up..I wondered if I should by a new one. I noticed how I always stuff paper in there either at the back or front of the agenda like coupons or take-out restaurant ads. My agenda was quite messy but I wanted to keep some things on hand that didn’t quite fit into the agenda itself.

So I decided to create my own system.

I went online and found some great templates for calendars,shopping lists,and the like. However, I wanted to customize mine just the way it would work for me. So I created my own templates using Microsoft Word.They aren’t anything fancy but they are practical and customized to my own needs and liking.

It took me about a whole day to do them but now that I have them in an organized  notebook (actually a binder), I can’t tell you the sense of mental freedom I have gained. I also know that I can’t get lazy or put something off for another day. If my weekly routine says I have to do laundry on Thursday, then I have to do it. It keeps me accountable.

Now I know for some people having a structured life doesn’t sound like a good idea. However, this is not really the case because I leave my Sundays completely free to do as I please and even my Saturday afternoons. This could not be possible if I didn’t keep my other days productive with a timely schedule of tasks that need completing.

I know that I have provided you with some helpful info on time management in the past, however, this one is a biggy in my books..pardon the pun. Below is a list of sections (in order) that I included in my home management notebook:

• Routines (Weekly/Monthly/Occasional) (I don’t include daily but some people do)

• Cleaning Routines (Weekly/Occasional)

• Master To Do List
  

• Master Things To Buy List (these include Shopping Mall items-not groceries or necessities)

• Grocery Master Checklist (a plastic cover & a dry erase marker to check off things as I need them)

• Weekly Planner (I first write in my routines on certain days of the week as mandatory)

• Monthly Calendar Contact List (phone numbers & emails and includes a section for personal contacts and another for business contacts)

• Birthday List
  

• Gift Ideas
  

• Books/Movies I Would Like to Watch
  

• Other Notes
  

• Coupons/Flyers (I put this in a plastic sleeve that is open at the top and closed on the bottom but still fits within my binder)

You can search online for some templates or just create your own. If you are not very computer savvy, you can simply use lined or blank paper for some of the sections you want to create. I simply used lined paper for some of the sections such as the master to do list and the master to buy list, and just inserted it into the binder.

I also created an inbox for any incoming mail that arrives and I have scheduled as a routine to only go through and empty the box and pay bills on Fridays. Knowing that, I actually save myself some time and distraction and only check the mail on Fridays. It works for me.

Incorporate some of these ideas to help alleviate some stress and give you some clarity, focus and value the time you have. Free up more time to spend it with those you love.

Feel free to leave a comment.

Happy Housekeeping:)

This part of the home often gets ignored but it is essential so I put together an easy way to clean out the garage.

First, you want to get into some work clothes, a long sleeve shirt, gloves, and even a face mask (I’ll explain why you need a face mask later). Give yourself between 2-3 hours to tackle this task. You will feel great once it’s all done!

Chances are you have things in no particular organized fashion or place. So one goal   is to put everything in a particular place so you can quickly find something whenever you need it. The garage often becomes a home for a certain mouse (or mice, more than likely), who had been eating and pooping on everything it could find: car doors,tools, storage bins etc. Now, you may not know this, but rodents can carry the hantavirus, which is a deadly pulmonary disease, and infected rodents can spread it through urine, droppings, or saliva.  Well, if you have to deal with your share of mouse poop all over the garage then a face mask is essential to reduce the chance of exposure to the disease.

Here is a guideline of steps to follow to clean out the garage:

1. Commit to one side at a time. Take the cars out of both side of the garage, and start moving everything from one side to the other, including stuff you may be getting rid of eventually.

2. Once everything is moved to one side or the other, start cleaning. I used a broom for the walls, the corners of the ceiling, the floor, and the top of the workbench if you have one. I broom everything right out onto the driveway, leaving me with an empty and clean single side of the garage.

3. Thoughtfully move items into the clean side. Now is the time to start organizing, as you take all the items that will go on the “clean” side of the garage and put them in their final place. This includes items you originally moved from that side, and anything extra that was in the wrong place to begin with.

4. Now that one side is done, take a look at what is left on the dirty side of the garage. You should have stuff you are getting rid of, along with the remainder of the “keepers” that eventually will be organized on this side. I took all the throwaways and moved them to the driveway, and then moved all the keepers to the clean side of the garage. I then cleaned out the dirty side and proceeded to organize it.

5. If you have a workbench, organize it. After cleaning the garage, you may still be left with a workbench full of tools and equipment that need to be put away. So do your best to group like with like, while putting nails/screws/smaller items into empty jars you may have saved.

6. Take a look at what you did. No more trash, no more dirt, no more animal droppings, and no more clutter. Your tools are in the right places and your “stuff” is organized in easy to find places – and you can now park your car in the garage without worrying about a hammer falling on the hood!

7. Even better is to get stuff off the floor altogether. Spending just an extra hour you can create hooks on the walls where you can hang those shovels and other large tools and shelves for storage bins.It will make a huge difference to the look of your garage.

Get out there next weekend and clean out the garage. It can give you an amazing sense of accomplishment in just a few short hours!

Feel free reply and also share your tips here.

We are blessed with the discovery and proper utilization of energy around us. There are several sources of energy that makes our living easier. Energy lights up our home every night, keeps us warm during cold winter, allows us to be entertained, and makes our living pleasant no matter what time of the day. And with all the other uses of energy from the moment we check our clocks in the morning to keeping us warm as we rest during the night, all of us would agree that it would be so hard to live without it.

We can say that we have sufficient energy supply for a lifetime but that does not mean that we are not going to conserve it. After all, technology has its price. And that price is something we have to pay with cash.

And if coping with an electric bill is your problem every time you see your bills, here are a few  home energy tips to help lower your costs. Although you may already know some of these, it’s always a good reminder! Read until the end. I’m sure there are one or two ideas that you didn’t think of incorporating in your life

Keep your attic well ventilated.

Your attic is one of the more important parts of your house when it comes to the cooling system. The attic is your first and probably the most effective part of your house the keeps the whole house cool. But, in order for your attic to do its main purpose, make sure that it is well insulated.

Provide vents where the heat can escape during summer. Your attic door must also be sealed to ensure that the air from our house does not go through it and vice versa. The attic door can be sealed with weather strippers.

Securing all the leaks.

Leaks contribute to high cost of home energy. Why? It is because air from your house can easily come out from these leaks. And the air from the outside can easily enter the house.

Both increase the workload of your heating and cooling system. You have to remember that air moves according to air pressure and temperature. Since the temperature of inside your house is most of the time different from the temperature outside, air moves freely from these leaks. Making sure that the leaks are sealed would mean less work on your heating and cooling system and lower electric bills.

Leaks would come from fireplaces, ducts, doors, ceilings, floors, walls, windows, plumbing penetrations, electrical outlets, fans, and vents.

Reducing the thermostat

One degree centigrade is equivalent to 5% electric bill savings. Therefore, keeping your thermostat low will save you a lot of money. A total saving would also come from switching your thermostat to even lower when you are not home or if you are sleeping. The ideal temperature during winter is not higher than 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Limiting the use of hot water

The second largest electric consumer next to your heating and cooling system is your water heater. When you wash you clothes, you don’t need to heat the water up. Just use cold water . This will save you by as much as 90% in washing machine energy consumption.

Use energy efficient material around your home.

There are commercially available materials that would significantly contribute to the reduction of the cost of home energy. One of these is energy efficient windows that deflect the outside temperature (whether during winter or summer) from entering your home.

Use your appliance efficiently

It is pretty basic for all of us to turn off televisions, air conditioning, stereos and other electronic gadgets when not using them. However, most still disregard this. The reality is; we can save a lot if we only learn how to turn them off if not in use. Also, small things such as iPod chargers, cellphone chargers, digital clocks, lights and other things that seem to consume small electric current that remain plugged day in and day out contribute to your electric bill. Making sure you unplug them would certainly lower down your monthly electric consumption.

At some point, I was leaving my computer on all day.. even overnight, and wonder why the bill was so high at the end of the month. Duh! I’m serious. I stopped doing that and I noticed a difference in my energy bill. I know that was why.

Provide good roof coating or Use Solar Panels

A good roof coating deflects heat. And so, ensuring that the roof receives a good coating would mean ensuring you that your house would maintain good temperature on the inside.

Or better yet, create solar panels! They are actually quite easy to make and a friend of mine bought this ‘Do It Yourself’ Guide for her husband to install solar panels in their home. Here is where she got it from:

http://www.VeronicaBettencourt/discount

I’m sure you already found out the rumors that some people have been making their own energy.

Some of them slash the energy bill by half.

Some of them cut the bill completely.

Some even make the electric company pay them(!).

That’s why I felt it necessary to recommend this one to you.
CLICK HERE for more information…

Stay healthy and happy,

Veronica Bettencourt

Quite often we ignore cleaning our computers in our cleaning routine even though some of us use our computer daily! Once in a while, cleaning up your computer is essential to ensure it is working efficiently. Does your computer overheat? If so, there is probably a lot of dust that has accumulated inside.

I decided to do some research for you and find an easy to follow video that would instruct how to clean the inside of a computer. I found many videos, however, I sifted through to find two of the best in my option: One for cleaning laptops and one for cleaning desktops.

I have an old laptop that overheats so I need to do this. However, I know you may have a desktop instead so I included two videos to demonstrate how to clean both types of computers.

Take some time to view the videos and work this into your schedule somehow.

Enjoy

The number one carrier of bed bugs in hotels is the mattress. This should not be a surprise, as bed bugs are known to lurk in the bed, hence the name “bed bug.” The growing number of complaints from travelers about bed bugs in hotels where they stayed have been steadily increasing.

Why the infestation? No one exactly knows but there is a rumor about bed bugs in hotels becoming immune to the regular insecticide used on them. A sort of mutated generation of bed bugs in hotels, if you like. Although this could make a great horror B movie, the truth may shock you.

Infestations of bed bugs in hotels were common in the United States before World War II. But the improvements in hygiene, and the widespread use of DDT dusting during the 1940s and ’50s, the bed bugs in hotels vanished. The species flourished in other parts of the world like Africa, South and Central Europe and Asia.

The bed bugs in hotels have now returned. This is blamed on the increase in tourists and immigrants staying in their establishments and unknowingly leaveing behind a souvenir. Just one female bed bug can produce five eggs a day and could leave three generations of bed bugs in hotels.

Some scientists believe that the reappearance of bed bugs in hotels is due to the cutback on the quality of pesticides. DDT was banned in the 1960’s and it was the only insecticide used which effectively killed the bed bugs in hotels.

One cause for concern regarding the bed bugs in hotels is that they just don’t flourish in cheap, musty motels. Even the expensive ones are being infested. Because of this, these establishments are losing money fast with court appearance for cases filed by unsatisfied patrons.

The bed bugs in hotels are the same bed bugs at home. They are small, nasty, brownish, round and flat insects that closely resemble a tick. These insects choose no one. It is happy just to find a warm place to live and breed in, somewhere near their food source – people.

Bed bugs are patient insects. They can live up to a year without blood meal. And their size makes it hard for people to see them. Their victims don’t feel even their bites. Bed bugs feed by piercing the skin with its elongated beak and they inject a small amount of anesthesia- like substance that makes them undetectable. The only sign you’ve been visited by a bed bug is if you have an itchy, swelling welt the next day.

The bed bugs in hotels are becoming a nuisance for the management. It tarnishes their reputation and leaves a bad impression on the customer. But what’s more appalling is the way they handle bed bugs in hotels.

Instead of having to provide remedies for the patrons, the staff often just dismisses the incident. This has incurred the wrath of some patrons and the bed bugs in hotels now enter the courtroom. There was one case where bed bugs in hotels were too much that they decided to sue the hotel for damages. They content that because the management did not disclose their problem with bed bugs in hotels, they risked the health and well being of the patrons. The court found the hotel guilty. (Sorry, I won`t say what hotel since I don`t want to bad-mouth anyone here. My objective is provide you with some sound information on the topic)

That’s the problem with bed bugs in hotels nowadays. Although they bed bugs do not only appear in hotels, the fact that the establishments do not resolve their infestation is what irks patrons.

It is their duty to provide with good service and a clean environment, free from bed bugs in hotels. Or should they really have a bad infestation, there are available pest control experts that can remedy the bed bugs in hotels situation.

As a traveler, you should take the precaution whenever going to hotels. Always bring along an anti-itch cream just in case. Before you check-in, you can ask around about how clean the hotel is.  The Internet is a great source of information, with hotel reviews and ratings. Look for comments regarding the patron’s personal experience. It can help you decide on what hotel to go to on your next trip. I`m not saying this will happen to you; I`m saying you just never know…

There are several reasons why people might fall in love with their furniture and one of them might be because of the way it looks.  But, with something like furniture, knowing how to clean upholstery and giving it the proper care in order to keep it looking as good as it did when you bought it does not require much but is often forgotten.

Caring for your upholstery should be included in your regular household cleaning routine.  When you are vacuuming the floors, take the time to vacuum the upholstery as well.  This can be done on a weekly basis.  Vacuuming the furniture removes surface soil preventing the dirt from becoming embedded in the fibers.  You can also use a soft brush to whisk dirt away instead.  Plus, periodically turning over the loose cushions can extend your furniture’s life.  It allows an even distribution of wear and tear plus your cushions won’t develop indentations right away.  Also, fluffing the cushions helps to keep them in shape.  You can also change the cushions around from one part to the other.  Some seats get used more then other ones so, changing the cushions distribute an even amount of use.

Try to keep your furniture out of direct sunlight.  Too much sunlight can cause your furniture to fade or fry.  Silks are even more delicate.  Plus, airborne pollutants such as smoke or fumes from cooking can harm your fabric.  It’s not always easy to avoid fumes from cooking but, proper ventilation can help.

Sometimes prevention is the best way to keep something clean.  If you want to avoid stains and dirt on your furniture, set up rules to avoid this from happening.  Do not allow anyone to eat on the couch, loveseats or chairs.  Choose dining room chairs that come with a removable and machine washable covers for chairs with a fabric seat cushion.  Do not allow shoes on the couch.  To make sure that no one forgets this rule, make sure couch dwellers take their shoes off before they even sit on it.  Also, do not allow dogs on the furniture or even in the same room as the upholstery you are trying to protect.

Do not underestimate the power of a fabric protector.  Sometimes removing a stain is easy as blotting it up when your furniture is already protected.  But, if you do not have a fabric protector on your furniture, act quickly when it comes to stains.  Blot up as much of the liquid as you can with a clean towel.  Never rub the fabric because this can cause more damage.  Use a spot cleaner specifically meant for upholstery.  Make sure that you read all of the manufactures instructions first and test the product in an inconspicuous area first to make sure that it does not damage your fabric.  Use a soft brush to gently work the cleaner into the fibers in a circular motion.  Then, vacuum when it’s dry.

Every couple of years or so, you may want to have a professional come into your home to clean your upholstery.  Once a piece of furniture has become overwhelmed with dirt, it is harder to restore it to look as good as it did when you first bought it.

The other day I was cleaning out some of my drawers in my bedroom, getting rid of some items and rearranged some of the furniture in my living room. I was tired of the same look and was feeling a little claustrophobic and needed a sense of feeling just a little bit lighter.
As I was doing what I was doing, a friend of mine called and I told her what I was doing. Well, turns out she was so proud of me and went on with her ‘Feng Shui’ rant. In fact, any time I tell her I’m decluttering, she goes on with her Feng Shui rant and how much happier she feels when she does her monthly feng shui routine.
So, I thought I’d share a little bit on the topic since some of you may not know what it is really all about, or maybe you just don’t why it’s important.
So first, what is it?
Alright this one isn’t any easy one to answer. Feng Shui is an ancient art and science that was developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that focuses on how you can balance the energies of any space to ensure the health and good fortune for the people that inhabit that space. Feng Shui is about creating sheng Ch’i (positive energies) to balance man and nature and to eliminate shar Ch’i (negative energies). In exact terms, “Feng” means “wind” and “shui” means “water” (pronounced fung-shway).
One of the reasons why Feng Shui is so popular is because once you know how to implement feng shui in your home and life, it is easy to do because in 95 percent of the cases, there is no need to do a reconstruction of space or demolition of any kind. The principles of Feng Shui can be learned and beautifully incorporated with small changes that can have major changing effects.
Feng Shui offers a variety of feng shui ideas to improve your life. From the feng shui use of aquariums to attract prosperity or the use of crystals and fountains, the right use of colors, the feng shui use of clocks, and many other ways you can improve the energy in your home by applying feng shui.
Many believe that Feng Shui, as a science can affect the physical, mental, emotional and the spiritual levels of an individual. If at the physical level, it relates to the changing in the placement of objects, it can help you achieve mental stability and progress emotionally. And once the emotional balance is created, one can evolve spiritually to a higher self. Experts highlighting the importance of Feng Shui also state that –Feng Shui as an art can help you progress, but it can’t change your destiny, unless you work hard to achieve it. Feng Shui is not just about rearranging articles in the house- it is also connected to your well-being as a whole.
You don’t have to be a firm believer in all the principles of Feng Shui. If you just make a few changes in the areas you chose, it can be very rewarding. I never was a big feng shui advocate, however after making some changes at home, and hearing the constant feng shui rant, I can see how even small changes can equal big transformations and allow you to feel renewed and energized. I’m living proof

For more info on Feng Shui go to http://veronicabettencourt.com/fengshui where you can get a Free Feng Shui Report.

Here’s a get-to-the-point list of 10 things that you may have had to deal with at some point and didn’t know what to do. Some of these ideas I came up with myself and others I got from others who have let me in on their tactics.I hope you find them useful.

1. Repair Small Holes in Screen. Plug holes with clear nail polish, let dry, and repeat until filled.

2. Get Water Out Of Your Watch. Strap watch to light bulb, turn on for a few minutes. Water drops will form on crystals. Open up and wipe off.

3. Easily Untie a Knot In A Chain. Cover the knot generously with cold cream.

4. Easily Reduced Ashtray Smell. Keep a small amount of baking soda in ashtrays at all times.

5. Keep Piano Keys Looking New. Keep cover open. Ivory turns dark if exposed to darkness.

6. Caring For Leather Upholstery. Brush with skim milk every three months adding a drop of any essential oils for a nice odour.

7. Repair Scuffed Patent Leather. Cover with same colour polish, let dry, and then cover with clear nail polish.

8. Remove Salt Rings From Shoes. Brush with a solution of vinegar and water.

9. Stop Clothes Catching on Hangers. Put a coat of clear nail polish over splinters and rough edges.

10. Tip on Storing Plastic Curtains or Tablecloths.  Sprinkle talcum powder between the layers as you fold.