It’s frustrating when your home isn’t quiet. If your house isn’t peaceful and quiet, then considering how to reduce noise in your home is probably near the top of your “to do” list. When you first moved in, you might not have minded the barking dogs, blaring car horns, and noisy neighbors. But now this noise pollution diverts your attention and disturbs your sleep. Now you’re thinking, “I’ve had enough. It’s time to come up with a solution.” After all, everybody deserves uninterrupted periods of concentration and a peaceful night’s rest. Unfortunately, many older homes don’t have the sound-dampening construction that newer homes do. With a few small tweaks, however, you can turn your home into a noiseless paradise. Below, we share six effective ways to reduce noise in your home. Hang Heavy Drapes The first tip for how to reduce noise in your home is: consider the drapes. Drapes and curtains not only make a room feel homey, they can complement the other décor in your … [Read more...] about How to Reduce Noise in Your Home
Go Green with These Eco-Friendly Home Renovations
Many people want to be more environmentally conscious these days. Luckily, going green is easier than you may think. These four eco-friendly home renovations prove that you can help save the earth without sacrificing on style and efficiency. 1. Go low-flow to start eco-friendly home renovations Even if you don’t live where droughts are common, water conservation is important. Installing low-flow toilets and shower heads is a great way to conserve water. Today’s low-flow fixtures and appliances make saving water easy and automatic. New models of low-flow shower heads provide plenty of water pressure. The same goes for low-flow faucet aerators and faucets in the kitchen and bathroom. Not only do newer faucets use less water, they are also sleek and stylish. Another great upgrade is a new toilet. New water-conserving toilets get the job done while using far less water than models from previous decades. All of these new fixtures will reduce the amount of water used in … [Read more...] about Go Green with These Eco-Friendly Home Renovations
Use BTI to Kill Mosquitoes. It’s Chemical-free.
There is no reason to use harsh chemicals to control mosquitoes when you can use BTI to kill mosquitoes. That's because BTI is a naturally occurring bacterium that kills mosquitoes before they can become flying, biting, disease-spreading adults. Everyone hates mosquitoes. Mosquito bites are itchy and painful. Plus, mosquitoes spread some of the world’s deadliest diseases such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, malaria, chikungunya and dengue fever. Wherever there’s moisture there will be mosquitoes—even in times of drought. Reduce your chances of getting bitten by mosquito pests by being “mosquito smart.” Start by understanding why mosquitoes bite people.Then, learn to reduce mosquito breeding sites and follow the mosquito-control strategies that are most effective in keeping mosquito populations down. Why Do Mosquitoes Bite? A female mosquito will bite humans, mammals and birds in search of a blood meal so she can produce eggs. She can extract up to four times her … [Read more...] about Use BTI to Kill Mosquitoes. It’s Chemical-free.
Top 10 Vegetables for Container Gardening
Container gardens can be an oasis of beauty on a deck, balcony or patio. Even container vegetable gardens can be beautiful. But most gardeners who grow vegetables in containers don’t do it for the beauty. They’re in it for the tasty vine-ripened tomatoes, the spicy hot peppers, the crunchy radishes and the tender salad greens. If you’ve never tried container gardening before, you’re missing out on a great way to learn about gardening. And if you have grown vegetables in containers, you might be surprised at the new varieties of veggies that have recently been introduced with container gardening in mind. Whether you are a newbie to gardening or a Master Gardener, now is a great time to grow a container garden full of edible plants. My list of the Top 10 Container Garden Vegetables is below, along with descriptions, photos and a link to where you can buy the seeds. If you want to read more about container gardening, read Tips for Growing Successful Container Gardens. Start … [Read more...] about Top 10 Vegetables for Container Gardening
Easy-to-Grow Houseplants for Beginners
Easy-to grow-houseplants are more popular than ever. Even people who have never grown plants are adding houseplants to their indoor spaces. These new houseplant growers would never call themselves “gardeners,” yet they are going crazy over indoor plants. Why are easy-to-grow houseplants trending? Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, whose website at TheHouseplantGuru.com is a great source of information and inspiration about indoor plants, says houseplants nourish the body and the soul. “So many studies have been done that show the benefits houseplants have in the home and the workplace,” said Steinkopf. “Plants clean the air, they make people feel happier and actually lower their blood pressure. In office environments, plants also reduce the occurrence of sick days. What more could we ask for?” Expert Advice on Easy-to-Grow Houseplants Lisa Eldred Steinkopf (Twitter handle: @TheHouseplantGuru) says that anyone can successfully grow houseplants. “Growing a plant successfully is … [Read more...] about Easy-to-Grow Houseplants for Beginners
