by Mrs C | Feb 10, 2022 | Blog
Your kitchen may just be the most important room in your home. The kitchen is the heart of the home, it is where food is made, food is shared, stories are told and the family connects. Which is why taking care of your kitchen is just as important as any other part of your home. Too many homeowners neglect their kitchen maintenance, only going as far as cleaning their kitchen when necessary and that’s about it. But kitchen maintenance is a lot more important than you think. Here are three aspects of kitchen maintenance that you should never overlook.
Sanitizing Surfaces
The first aspect of kitchen maintenance that is more important than you may realize is sanitizing your surfaces. Foodborne illness is incredibly common and can be avoided with simple measures of hygiene like sanitizing your kitchen surfaces before and after each use. Raw meat and fish have the potential to carry dangerous bacteria that can make people incredibly ill. When you cook your food, you are effectively killing these bacteria, but leaving juices or surfaces that come in contact with raw food uncleaned can cause these bacteria to spread to food items that you will consume.
Cleaning Your Drain
The next aspect of kitchen maintenance that is more important when you think is cleaning your drain. Your plumbing is one of the most essential internal aspects of your home, consider it the veins of your home. Cleaning your drains, he’s as important as cardiovascular health for your body in keeping your veins clear from blockages. Drain cleaners can help clear your plumbing of items that get clogged in your pipes. You should be cleaning your pipes frequently to ensure that no backups are occurring and that your plumbing is always in great shape.
Sharpening Your Knives
The final piece of kitchen maintenance that is more important than you think is sharpening your knives. You have likely had the same knife block for years, and in those years, you can probably think off the top of your head only one or two times when you have sharpened your knives. This is just not enough. Sharp knives are essential for cooking efficiently, properly and safely. Sharpen your knives whenever they become dull and keep them as sharp as possible so that they are always ready to cut even the toughest of veggies and meats.
Your kitchen is the most important room in your home. So, you should maintain it as though it is the most important room in your home. Never overlook these three important aspects of kitchen maintenance to make sure that your kitchen is always in functioning condition.
Check out this article on what you should know before planning a dinner party at home!
by Mrs C | Jan 31, 2022 | Blog
Children are very curious and sometimes their curiosity can lead to harm. Whether you’re cleaning your house or simply storing your cleaning supplies, there are some cleaners that you need to make absolutely certain kids can’t get access to. Keeping these cleaning products away from children can help to keep them safe.
Bleach
On its own, bleach is a dangerous chemical. When in contact with skin, it can cause minor burns and when ingested it can cause some severe symptoms, including vomiting and internal bleeding, and it can even cause death. However, the most dangerous thing about bleach is it can be far more hazardous when combined with other chemicals. Even something as harmless as vinegar can turn bleach into chlorine gas and can cause serious respiratory issues and even damage to the nervous system. When bleach is in your household, you need to make an extra effort to keep it out of reach of children and stored safely.
Drain Cleaners
No matter how careful you are, everyone needs to thoroughly clean out their drain once in a while. Chemical cleaners can clear your drain when a plunger doesn’t do the job. These cleaners are very powerful and can get rid of nearly any clog in your drains. If they are powerful enough to do this, they also have the potential for serious harm. Many drain cleaners contain chemicals such as ammonia, lye, and sulfuric acid. These chemicals can lead to symptoms such as vomiting, respiratory problems, burns, and even death. Make sure these cleaners are kept safely away from children.
Laundry and Dish Detergent
Children are drawn to anything colorful, which often includes many laundry and dish detergents. However, these chemicals can be very dangerous for children. Many dish detergents are made with bleach or chlorine and these can cause very serious symptoms and even death. When it comes to laundry detergent, you especially want to be cautious of laundry pods. These pods can look like treats to little kids, but they have been known to cause death if ingested. While storing laundry detergent is essential, you also want to take other measures to keep the laundry room safe for kids.
There are many chemicals needed to keep your home clean. Unfortunately, these chemicals can pose a serious threat to children. It’s important to be aware of the dangers of these chemicals and to take measures to store them safely.
Check out this article on 3 challenges of raising a family in the U.S!
by Mrs C | Jan 31, 2022 | Blog
Most Americans do not have an emergency fund. This can leave you in a desperate place if anything does happen to you or a family member. Saving money protects you and your family, no matter what. Principles that will help you save more money include being, long-term savings, and tracking your spending.
Be Frugal, Not Cheap
Many use the terms frugal and cheap interchangeably, but the perception of the two words in action make a big difference. Cheap refers to cost while frugal focuses on value. When you are cheap, the price is more important than the value. However, this often means that you buy cheap products that you must replace frequently. This can end up costing you more money in the long run. Frugality is choosing which items are necessary for daily life and investing in a product that will have high enough quality to bring you value. Choose to be frugal and let your purchased products pay for themselves.
Think About Long-Term Savings
When purchasing products, it is important to think about long-term savings. It is not always wise to look at the initial cost and choose the cheaper product. If there is a higher quality product that will last longer, it may end up being cheaper long-term. You must determine if the life of the product will be worth the cost. For example, performing home maintenance can be done with a minimal budget, but often the materials used need to be replaced quickly. A metal roof may cost you $2,000 more, but you’ll see more savings over the long-term. Investing in high quality products will bring you bigger savings long term.
Track Your Spending
Tracking your spending is one of the easiest ways to see where your money is going. When you know where the money is going, you will have an easier time determining whether purchases are necessary or not. If you are new to tracking, start by writing down each of your purchases. Develop a system that keeps track of expenses in each category. Use these tools to keep you honest with your budget and financial goals. When you track spending, you are better at budgeting your money and controlling the flow of it.
Financial goals are personal. Achieving those goals and good financial health depend on your ability to save money. Follow principles that will help you save more money long-term to reach your financial goals.
Want to save more money? Check out this article on saving while shopping for clothes!
by Mrs C | Jan 26, 2022 | Blog
When you want the best for your family, you need to be setting goals that will help you all to move forward. Doing that will put you in a great position to be financially stable and help your family members when they need it. Sometimes it can be difficult to know what goals your family should have in place. Below are a few good long-term goals that your family can start working towards today.
College
One of your main goals should be saving so your children can have a positive college experience. You can decide what amount you want to have for your children’s college funds, but you want to start working on this goal as soon as possible. Education costs are rising while it is getting more and more important that you have an education. By saving money each month for your child’s education, you can help your children to achieve their dreams and live comfortably when they are adults.
A Home
Buying a home is another important goal that you should be working towards with your family. Saving up for a down payment can be a good starting point, but you also want to make sure that you are working on your credit scores as well. Paying down debt and staying on top of your bills can all help to make that happen for you and your family. If you have poorer credit, you’ll likely need a 20% down payment on a home. Starting early will help you to get the things you need to buy a home you love.
A Security Blanket
You never know what life will throw your way, and you want to make sure you are prepared in case something bad happens. Having a savings security blanket can help to protect your family if you run into unexpected trouble. A good place to start is simply by having enough savings in your account to pay for 3 months of expenses. From there you can continue saving so you and your family can handle anything that you have to deal with over the course of your life.
As you start working towards a stronger financial future for your family, you will grow closer together. With good planning you and your family can deal with any challenge. And you can show each other your love by working together towards your goals.
Check out this article on home items you can get at a thrift store!
by Mrs C | Jan 26, 2022 | Blog
Have you ever noticed that your electricity bill skyrockets in the hottest and coldest months of the year? If so, it is probably because you are overusing your HVAC system in an effort to maintain an ideal temperature in your home. Here are a few ways that can help you to save money when you’re heating or cooling your home in the winter or summer.
Improve Your Insulation
One way to reduce your electricity bill during the cold months is to improve your home’s insulation. If your home doesn’t have good insulation, it means that your warm, heated, indoor air can more easily escape your home’s interior. As a result, you’ll have to turn up the heat inside to compensate for the cold air seeping in and warm air escaping. This will cause your electricity bill to rise. By making sure that your home is properly insulated, you’ll be able to more easily maintain an ideal temperature inside without overworking your HVAC system.
Keep Your Units Maintained
Another way to save money when heating or cooling your home is to keep up with your unit maintenance. All HVAC units require maintenance from time to time. Especially if you live in an area that requires you to use your HVAC system quite often during the winter or summer, your units are likely to require a bit of attention and maintenance every year. This will help them to run properly and more efficiently.
Heat According to Your Needs
Finally, remember to heat your home according to your needs. Of course, it can be easy to turn on your heating and forget about it, but it could actually save you a lot of money if you’re more conscious of when you actually need to use your heating system. For example, if you’re going to be away from home for a few hours, turn off the heat. When you’re getting ready for bed, turn the heat down a bit and throw on an extra layer or use an extra blanket. Remember to close the doors to unused rooms so the temperature is more easily maintained in the space that you’re using. This type of awareness will help prevent super high electricity bills.
Remember, if you’re concerned about expensive electricity bills, try to improve your home’s insulation, maintain your units, and heat according to your needs for a less expensive result. Of course, there are also a few other ways that can help you to lower your HVAC use, so take the time to research additional options as well. If you act more consciously so you can lower your electricity bill, you’ll be able to stay more comfortable, and you’ll be happier with the financial result.
Check out this article on how you can save money on home repairs!
