September 2008 Archives

Even though "spring cleaning" is already well past us, it's never too late (or early) to take a new approach to keeping your home clean and tidy. We all know that with work and whatever else it is that seems to devour our schedules whole, it gets hard to do simple things around the home or the apartment. I mean, we'd all rather be spending our free time doing something more leisurely than scrubbing the linoleum or cleaning out the closet.

While everyone has their own handy tricks that they use to clean, some of us (like myself, and maybe some other dudes, too) remain woefully ignorant of simple things like stain removal and cleaning kitchen cabinets. And that's just scratching the surface. We could all use a helping hand from time to time, which is why I was glad I stumbled across Merry Maids, which has a unique list of cleaning tips and guides in order to make your cleaning life a little more easy to manage.

Some notable tips:

• Removing candle wax from wood, upholstery or carpet
• Cleaning marble and granite floors
• Odor removal
• Pet hair removal

Considering these tips are coming from a professional maid service, they should be rather helpful. Do you have any particular cleaning tips that you use around the house that could be useful? To read all of the tips in the guide, visit Merry Maids.

And if you're still wondering how you'll even have time to attempt any cleaning around the home, have you considered that WhiteFence can help connect you to maid services in your area?

Tags: house cleaning, house cleaning tips, maid, maid services

Even though the summer season is on its path out the door, soon to be replaced with Fall, the energy bills can still cause some damage. The cool weather is on its way (along with the newest batch of Oscar hopefuls in the box office) and eventually, the holidays. No matter what time of year it is, though, there's always a need to save money on the home utility bills.

Mother Earth News has put up an intensive article that looks at how home-owners can save both energy and money with some simple improvements to their homes. It includes several projects (some are do-it-yourselves and others require professional assistance) that will ultimately lower your energy bills and help you conserve power and water in order to help the environment.

While some if it may seem to be a bit over your head, there are even tips on what kinds of insulation to use and ways that you as a consumer can save warm water. I've read lots of these lists, and I must say that some of the suggestions were new to me. If you're like me, then you'll agree that it's nice to learn something new that can help you around the house. What's really nice is the way that the article simplifies these things to show that energy conservation isn't a huge burden, but rather, something that anyone can do.

To view this list and start saving money, visit Mother Earth News. Are there any measures that you currently take to conserve power? Do you find them to be a strain, or are they easier than you would have thought at first?


Tags: electricity, energy, energy conservation, energy saving, home improvement, home utilities

With the Digital Transition in February looming like some large Godzilla-saurus over the analog TV sets of our nation, more and more questions are starting to arise from different sources about how to not get left behind and "will this monster eat my television set". The answer is no, it shouldn't, but I've never been a 100 ft. tall dinosaur, so I wouldn't be able to say for certain.

However, if you take the right steps and gather the right information about your current TV set, you should be ok. Luckily, there are plenty of groups out there answering questions, such as The Plain Dealer out of Cleveland, who recently posted an article titled Everything You Need to Know About Digital TV. In it, tons of facts are given about analog and digital television sets, along with the differences between them and what's going to happen once the analog signal ceases its broadcast.

If you're looking for a veritable hub of Digital TV information, then this might just be the best thing for you. To check it out and help slay the digital transition monster, visit The Plain Dealer.
 
Tags: digital, digital cable, digital transition, digital tv

WebWire is reporting that AT&T is offering free phones for those that have evacuated from hurricane Gustav, which hit the Gulf coast over the Labor Day weekend. A couple thousand Go phones are now available from AT&T with pre-paid air time and will be handed out at locations in both Houston and San Antonio to those who are on the move because of Gustav. While this doesn't solve every issue that evacuation raises, it can certainly help families connect during this time.

In addition to this news, WebWire lists several helpful tips about evacuation and keeping in touch with families and friends. They also have tips to help ensure good wireless service in the event of a catastrophe like a hurricane, as well as tips for small businesses in the event of a natural disasters and what steps to take for the days immediately following.

Store locations nearest you can be found at AT&T Wireless. If you or someone you know is somehow in need of one of these phones, keep in mind that supplies are limited. To view the announcement and the tips that follow, visit WebWire.

Tags: at&t, phone, phone service, wireless