My House and Lot

 If only the US Government has an alternative home for the President of the United States, something more secured, something more modern (the White House is just too old to be called modern), something more enduring against the elements (have you ever wondered if a tornado hit the White House), someting more earthquake and fire proof or even flood proof (what if the global warming started to completely melt the polar caps), then the whole of the Presidential Mansion can be auctioned to the highest bidder starting from US$10 trillion (according to Spencer Rascoff of examiner.com), a huge portion of the US debt would be written off for eternity. Does that solve the American Problem? Probably, if the traditional American would instead opt to make the president stay in their new home that is more secured, more modern, strongly supported against the elements, and calamity proof, then it may be considered a solution. But, do you think the President would take this challenge? Would Obama?

 

I read about the history of presidential mansion. Definitely the architecture of it is primarily discussed – from the presidential mansion’s proposed designed upto the materials used in the construction.   Other than these common topics, first to catch my attention is the time when it was burned by the British troops in 1814. There is war that time.  Then it was reconstructed.   Then the second topic that made me read further about the presidential mansion are those intruders who tried to kill the presidents. There goes this guy who tried to hi-jack a plane, the other attacked on Christmas Day, while others came armed with rifle and even a pipe. Most of the intruders when arrested we’re brought to psychiatrist for mental evaluation. Those intruders are surely to have mind problems because they do such stuff if they have a grasp with sanity.   At present time, now that President Barack Obama won the presidential mansion, would there be any intruder?  Neh. Except for this funny picture I found in the internet. There’s an iguana on top of the presidential mansion. It really reminds me of old school Godzilla.  Can you imagine Godzilla sleeping in the lawn of presidential mansion? It looks cheesy. Perhaps I could make a picture like that and upload it at www.presidentialmansion.com.   Anyway, it seems that there would be no intruders for the presidential mansion especially because President Barack Obama aims to unite countries.

 

Hosting a party can be a daunting task but if you plan ahead of time, everything will be a breeze.  So you've already invited your guests, developed a menu and thought of fun activities for your guests’ enjoyment. Now, it’s time to prepare your home and assure your guests of a comfortable, clean, place to be entertained in. My friend Shaun Olmstead, a seasoned party thrower, shares some valuable ideas for pre-party cleaning to help you get more out of your event.

 

Make a plan of what needs to be done by writing down a list of rooms and places in your home that need attention. Don't forget entry areas and coat closets.

 

Start cleaning the most important areas. Begin cleaning from the entryway to your home, and work your way through the places your guests are most likely to go.

 

Get rid of clutter as it can give a spotless home a messy appearance. Give your guests room to move freely in your home.

 

If there won't be any children at the party and your guests will only be in living areas, don't worry about cleaning and detailing family bedrooms. If the party is informal, make your serving dishes informal too. Find ways to save time that fit with the party you're trying to have.

 

Make plans for minor cleaning emergencies during the party. Be aware that stains are probably the number one party cleanup culprit. Stock up on your favorite stain removal products. Most of all, don't stress. These things happen and being prepared only shows more of your ability as host or hostess.

 

Recruit help. Use your family or closest friends to help you prepare. For many people, professional cleaning help may be the better choice. If you intend to have help before or during the party, be sure to reserve your place as soon as you have the dates and times you'll need them. Especially during any holiday season, help can be hard to find.

 

Preparing your home for a party is more than just stripping it of its clutter and dirt. It also gives you a chance to add small touches that make your home comfortable and inviting.

Try flower arrangements, photographs, candles, or essential oil burners. Try to stimulate the senses of your guests. Do a walk-through after you've cleaned and decluttered to see how your guests will experience the rooms in your home.

 

Enjoy the party. Try not to stress over the little things that may seem to go wrong during the party. Just enjoy the fruits of your efforts.

 

They say that a cluttered home or room can negatively affect its inhabitant’s well-being. However, organizing clutter can be an overwhelming task especially if you don’t know where to start and how to go about it. Remember that the only thing getting in the way of you getting organized is yourself!  Below are some valuable tips on how to organize your stuff.

 

Get organize now!

Stop making excuses and start getting rid of your clutter today! Instead of giving into all the reasons why today isn’t a good day to get organized, start focusing on why today is a good day to get organized!

 

Make an Appointment to Get Organized

Set a schedule and label it “getting organized”. Use your daily planner, calendar or phone, and treat this appointment as you would any other appointments.

 

Tackle an area at a time.

Be realistic, organizing your entire bedroom at one go can be an overwhelming task that could leave you unfinished and frustrated at the end of the day. Instead, tackle one area at a time. For example, start with the closet. If you’re still motivated and have the time, follow with the dresser. Otherwise, schedule it for another day.

 

Get rid of distractions

Keep cell phones, television or the computer out of reach when you are organizing. They can easily distract you from the task at hand.

 

Reward yourself

Do something you enjoy doing after you have finished your scheduled organizational task. This could be watching your favorite tv show or having some ice cream. When we know there is a reward at stake, it can make a task easier to accomplish.

 

According to my friend Shaun Olmstead, the key to getting organized is to be consistent, and set yourself an organizing goal to accomplish every week. The combination of consistency and these five easy tips, will have you organized in no time!

Celebrating the Holiday season wouldn’t be complete without putting up and decorating a Christmas tree.  More than the aesthetic value a decorated evergreen brings to the home, setting up a Christmas tree serves as a great opportunity for family and friends to bond and have fun together.  Below are some tips on how to setup the perfect Christmas tree.

 

Even if it is more practical to use artificial trees, more people still prefer the traditional fresh ones because of the fresh pine scent they give out.  To keep your tree fresh and green, cut the stump and set it in water immediately. Make sure to check and refill the water level several times a day for the first week as a newly-cut tree will absorb several quarts of water right from the start. Place your Christmas tree in a stand that has a large water reservoir and keep it filled. You can also add 1/2 cup light corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon liquid bleach to every quart of water in the reservoir to prolong the life of your tree.

 

When decorating your Christmas tree, put lights on first, then garlands, then the ornaments. Start arranging Christmas tree lights on the branches near the base of the tree. Weave strings of lights along the branches "inside," then move to the outer edges of the branches.

 

Don't hang all your ornament on the tips of the branches. Place ornaments and other decorations 'inside' your tree to add depth and interest.

 

Start by arranging the "filler ornaments" evenly spaced around the tree. This would include basic solid color balls that are easily found at discount stores in a wide range of colors to coordinate and enhance your decorating scheme. You'll need about 20 "filler ornaments" for every 2 feet of Christmas tree.

 

Mix one-of-a-kind special ornaments between the basic ornaments. Plan to use at least 10 special themed ornaments for every 2 feet of tree. As your collection grows, put the special ornaments closer together.

 

 

With the prices of petroleum products skyrocketing and the climate all over the world going berserk because of global warming, it’s but proper for every one of us to conserve energy. Below are some valuable tips on how to do just that!

 

Conserve water by turning off the tap while brushing.  If you keep the water running while brushing for two minutes (or until you finished singing the birthday song, twice), you are wasting an average of six gallons.

 

Unplug your appliances. Pull out cords for cell-phone chargers, microwaves and other "occasional" appliances when not in use. My friend Shaun Olmstead says that there is such a thing as “vampire power” and it sucks a lot of energy.  A computer that's been turned off still drains the lifeblood from outlets, accounting for up to 10 percent of home-electricity use.

Buy in bulk. It will not only save a lot on gas and trips to the supermarket, it will also prevent packaging from further clogging landfills. Cut down on the excess by buying either jumbo containers that hold more or from bins of loose flour, rice, etc.

Turn down the thermostat. Doing so not only conserves fuel and money (for every degree you lower it between 70° and 60°, you'll save about 5 percent on heating costs), but studies show it may also help you fall asleep more quickly and have a more restful night once you do.

Do away with paper napkins. Using cloth napkins is an elegant way to conserve, as it save both kinds of green (that's money and trees). Further the ante by washing them in cold water and line-dry them.

 

Are you planning to buy that condominium unit or townhouse you’ve been hankering for the longest time? Ask the neighbors first before making a terrible buying mistake. An ocular inspection is not enough.  Manicured lawns, well-kept homes and gleaming Ferraris and BMWs on the driveways are not enough indicators of a good neighborhood.

 

My friend Shaun Olmstead says that meeting the neighbors will not only give you a good idea of whether you will be compatible. Furthermore, neighbors will disclose material facts that a seller or your real estate agent might conveniently forget.

 

Below are some key questions to ask neighbors before purchasing a home or condominium unit:

 

• How long have you lived in the neighborhood?
• What do you like best about living here?
• What do you like least about the neighborhood?
• If you could change one thing about this street, what would it be?
• Do all the neighbors get along with each other?
• Have you ever noticed anything odd about this house or yours?
• How is the crime in this area -- has anything happened around here?
• How quiet is the neighborhood? Are there nuisances?
• Do you know why the seller is selling this house?
• What has the owner of this house complained about to you?

 

You'll be surprised what the neighbors might tell you and what you could find out. It might even save you from moving into a neighborhood where you could be miserable down the road.

 

 

Everybody loves movies! Whether they are the old classics, tearjerker dramas, spine-tingling horror suspense, or action-packed adventure stories, watching films is a great way to spend some time with your family and friends. That’s why my friend Shaun Olmstead created his very own home theater complete with a big-screen television projector and a surround sound stereo system.

 

Nothing beats the theatre experience. Shaun purchased posters of his favorite movies and had them framed. He then hanged them on the room’s walls. He also shopped online for a popcorn machine and placed it behind a small counter especially built to display and “sell” candy bars and other snacks!

 

Well-polished silver flatware and hollowware can be a sight to behold when elegantly arranged in a display cabinet or the dining room sideboard. However, they can be frustrating to clean. Ordinary washing often leaves tarnish and spots behind which seem impossible to remove. Below are some tips on how to keep your silver ware shining, shimmering and splendid!

 

Exposure to air can easily tarnish silver. But don’t fret. There are ways to get rid of the stains and it's not that hard. Always keep in mind that keeping silver away from sulfur is the best way to avoid this problem.

 

Buy the best silver cream you can find. Never use the wax you polish your four Ferraris, two Mercedes convertibles and a BMW with! Wright's Silver Cream is one good brand. It is a thick pink cream that comes with a foam sponge inside the jar.

 

Wash or rinse each silver item in hot water to remove dust. Then, while the silver is still warm, dip a moistened foam sponge or soft rag into the polishing cream and spread the cream quickly over the entire silver piece.

 

Avoid exposing silver for long periods of time to foods such as eggs, mustard and mayonnaise, which are high in sulfur and can corrode silver.

 

Avoid leaving silver on rubber mats to dry, as rubber also contains sulfur.

 

Wash and dry silver by hand.

 

Use a soft dish towel when drying silver.

 

Buff the surface of polished silver with a fresh, dry polishing cloth until the silver has a bright sheen.

 

Thoroughly remove the polish from the silver before use as silver polish tastes terrible according to my friend Shaun Olmstead.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.  That’s what Leonardo DaVinci, and a host of other supporters of the minimalist movement are trying to promote.  In interior design, an increasing number of homeowners are opting for simpler and clutter-free arrangements. 

 

If you are planning to apply the minimalist look in your home, the following tips can help you have a good start.

 

Remember that accessories in an uncluttered, minimalist interior will tend to be of spare design.

 

Do away with valances, swags and heavy draperies. Dress the window with a basic Venetian blind, shade (pleated, Roman or roller type), tab-top curtain or grommet-topped curtain and avoid ornate rods and finials.

 

Keep the floor coverings simple.  Pick solid-color area rugs such as sisal or chenille over a hard-surface floor, or a plain wall-to-wall carpet.

 

Leave the tabletops bare or nearly so. Ideal accessories would be an art-glass vase containing a single flower, a platter displaying a few similar pieces of fruit, or a pillar candle on a saucer-type holder. If you want to display your collection of porcelain figurines, the minimalist design is not for you.  But you can just pick some pieces to accessorize table tops like that precious limited edition Swarovski crystal swan.

 

Use plain toss pillows (or none) on the sofa and bed.

 

Outfit the bed with a simple spread. Skip the dust ruffle, pillow shams and canopy.

 

My friend, Shaun Olmstead, who's a photography enthusiast suggests hanging pictures that are both simple in composition and simply framed. Use bigger pictures, but fewer, to accessorize the room.

 

Select wall coverings that are serene and subtle, in pale neutrals such as gray, beige and cream.

 

House plants are a great way of sprucing up a space in your home. The green lushness of houseplants brings life into any room, literally and figuratively. Aside from their ornamental value, many houseplants also provide health benefits by purifying the air and increasing humidity in the dry chill of winter.

Many people shy away from houseplants because even the most hardy plants will eventually require some care. However, there is a huge variety of indoor plants that can survive with the most minimal attention. Even my friend Shaun Olmstead, a self confessed plant killer, would be delighted to get his hands with the following of indoor plants that are extremely hard to kill with neglect!

Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) Earned its name by growing under the worst of conditions, even outdoors in deep shade. Prefers low lights. Grows in a clump. Leaves are sword-like, pointed, about 4" wide & 2' long. Occasionally flowers indoors. A variegated version is available with white stripes.

Christmas Cactus (Zygocactus or Schlumbergera) A trailing member of the cactus family that produces deep pink / red flowers in early winter. Seems to do its best when ignored. Can handle low light, but you’ll get more flowers in bright light. Pruning after blooming with keep the plant bushy. You can force your Christmas cactus to bloom in December by keeping it in complete darkness for 12 hours a night, beginning in about mid-October, until buds appear. An even easier method is to subject it to cool temperatures (50 - 55 degrees F.) starting in November. Just leave it on a windowsill at home while the heat is off, because you’re at work.

Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) & Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderian) Dracaena have long been the centerpiece of container plantings. Street plantings in towns across America feature 1 spiky dracaena stuck in the center of red blooming geraniums in a half whisky barrel. But there is actually a good amount of variety in dracaena and most make excellent, easy care houseplants. In particular, Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata) which resembles a small palm tree and can reach heights of 10 ft. and Lucky Bamboo, which isn’t bamboo at all. Both have stems that can be trained to bend or spiral hin stems are topped by clusters of slender arching leaves with narrow purple margins. They grow best in bright light and if allowed to dry out between waterings. Even if allowed to wilt, dracaena will spring back after watering, although the leaf tips may turn brown. Will tolerate low light. Lucky bamboo is often grown in water, but once substantial roots have formed, it is happier planted in soil.

Mother-in-law's tongue or Snake plant or Bird's-nest plant (Sansevieria) Called Mother-in-law’s tongue because of its long, sharp, pointed leaves and because it never leaves. These are long-lived, easy care houseplants. Very tolerant of low light. Water sparingly or it will rot. Only 1 or 2 waterings are necessary indoors during the winter, depending on the humidity. Variegated forms need more light and can be more difficult to grow. There is also a dwarf variety, Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’, called Bird’s Nest.

Pothos (Epipremnum) One of the easiest houseplants to grow; almost impossible to kill. Trailing plants that just keep on growing, 10+ feet. Pruning the plants will keep them fuller at the base and each cutting can be rooted in water to create more plants. Pothos like to dry out between waterings, but if left dry too long, leaves with wilt and eventually dry and fall. Very tolerant of all types of light conditions, even artificial office lights. You can let them trail down or secure them to a support or trellis. There are many variegated and golden varieties available.

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Spider plants just keep on giving. You almost never see a spider plant that doesn’t have babies attached. Often grown in hanging baskets, spider plants will get 2 to 2½’ wide and 2 to 3' long. Their roots tend to fill a pot, so repotting may be necessary every couple of years. When dangling babies start to form roots, they can be cut off and planted on their own.

These houseplants pretty much grow themselves. In fact, your biggest problem may be what to do with all the baby plants they’ll produce. All 6 can be grown in the indirect light from a window and like the same indoor temperatures as most people (55 - 75 degrees F.)