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Safety First When It Comes To Moving

by Trish



Moving house is a task which is often termed to be ‘exhausting’, ‘cumbersome’, ‘a nightmare’ etc. But a lot of people forget that moving is also a job which can lead to some serious injuries.


It involves a number of tasks that have the potential to cause injuries or hurt someone. Hence make sure you take adequate safety precautions to make sure that no one gets hurt in the process of the move. You know your house better than anyone else. Hence, if something is broken and hasn’t been fixed then it is your responsibility to inform your removalist about it.

Make a note of the following tips for a ‘Safety Check’:

  • Weigh Your Boxes: As a rule try to keep the weight of your boxes under 20 kgs. Just because your boxes have space does not mean that you go on stuffing them. This is because lifting heavy boxes has often resulted often resulted in to serious back injuries and other injuries. Also, if there are any stairs in the way try to keep the boxes light as a precautionary measure.
  • Make Use Of Carpets: In weather conditions like rain, snow or even during winter the morning dew can make the floor slippery. Make sure that you use carpets and mats where required especially on the outside to avoid any accidents and it will also ensure that the inside of the house remains dry.
  • Dressing Requirements: Make sure that you are appropriately dressed. If you observe closely, most of the removalists are dressed in proper fitting clothes and shoes. This is not just a dress code, its the requirement of the job they do. Avoid wearing flip flops, heels and baggy clothes as a safety precaution.
  • Take Care Of Children And Pets: This is a cause of concern for many. If you have small children or pets in the house, you need to take certain precautions for their safety. Have your child spend the day with the babysitter, a friend or a relative. This will keep him/her out of the danger zone. Also, pets can be really tough to take care of while moving. Have a friend or someone else take care of your pet for the day.
  • Clear The Area: You don’t want your removalist or yourself dodging your way through scattered things while moving boxes. Hence, make sure to check that the way to the door and to the rooms is clean and free from any obstacles.
  • Lifting and Carrying: It is important to consider your safety if you are lifting or carrying items, whether moving them yourself or just rearranging them for loading or after unloading. Try to maintain a proper posture- bend at your knees, and straighten your back by tucking your chin. Ensure you have a strong grip by utilizing your palms and avoiding lifting a box by its flaps with your fingertips. This will aid in securing the bottom of the box as well.
  • Preparing your Items : A rule of thumb: Heavier items should generally go in the smaller boxes. For example, avoid packing books in large boxes, as it becomes much more difficult to carry them for your movers and also for you when you arrive at your destination to unpack.

Jorge Cervantes is a research writer and a contributor with City Move. He believes in providing informative and quality content to his readers.

Filed Under: Featured, House and Home Tagged With: area, boxes, carpets, carrying, children, clear, clothing, Injuries, lifting, moving, pets, safety

Riding Out The Storm – The Vital Things To Keep In Your Storm Or Tornado Shelter

by Trish

If you live in an area where storms or tornadoes are a regular threat, and have created a storm shelter within your home, then you may think you’ve got everything covered. However, you need to make sure you have everything you need in your shelter to keep yourself and your family safe and well, as well as to allow you the best chance of leaving the shelter safely and beginning to deal with the aftermath of extreme weather.

Here are a few things you definitely need to make sure you have inside your storm shelter in advance, so you can get in there with minimal fuss when a storm strikes:

A Battery Powered Phone Charger – Plus Batteries

It’s bad enough losing battery on your phone at the best of times, but when you are in the middle of an emergency it is even more of a concern. Battery powered chargers are available for almost all modern phone models, and if you keep one of these and a supply of the correct sized batteries in your tornado shelter, you’ll be able to keep your phone on even when power fails. Your phone will, while signal is available, let you keep in touch with family and friends to check they’re safe, as well as access the internet to get any updates on what is going on outside. It can also help you stave off boredom by giving you something to play with if you’re down there for a long time!

Food for Your Family and Pets

Keep basic foods that will keep you going in your shelter, because you may have to spend hours or even days in there and will need a source of nourishment. Choose things that keep for a long time so you don’t need to replace them, and make sure you have things like a can opener and some forks in your shelter too. While you’re not going to be eating like you’re at a sophisticated dinner party, not being to be able to get into your food is going to be a big problem. Keep some pet food on hand too if you have animals. Bottled water is of course another essential, and keep a bowl so you can also give some of this to your pets.

Documents

Unless you have everything stored online (not on the hard drive of any given device), keep copies of all of your insurance documents in your storm shelter. This will give you the things you may need to start the process of sorting out any storm damage issues after the storm has passed easily to hand, and means that you’ll still have copies of important documents even if your house is flooded or damaged really badly and your originals are destroyed. If you have your documents stored online (something many insurers now offer), you can access them via your phone. However, you may want to keep copies of other important things like your passport and birth certificate in your shelter just in case.

By ensuring you equip your shelter with the things you need and make sure you replace anything that gets used, you will always have a safe, well prepared shelter with the minimum amount of maintenance.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/document-open-folder-reading-97576/

Today’s guest post is courtesy Eidur Johanson. He is a handyman by profession and has worked on many storm damaged houses. He has learnt a few tricks of overcoming such disasters and has discussed them in this article.

Filed Under: Home and family, House and Home Tagged With: Batteries, Battery Powered Phone Charger, Documents, family, food, home, Keep, pets, storm, storm shelter, Tornado Shelter, Vital Things

5 Tips To Ensure Your House Is As Beautiful On The Outside As It Is On The Inside

by Trish

home exteriorWith the property market stagnant many homeowners have opted to improve their existing homes rather than endure the stress and inconvenience of selling and buying. However it is often too easy to concentrate on improving the interior of your home and, if you are one of those seeking to sell your current home and to move, the importance of creating the right impression on the outside cannot be underestimated. Whether you are looking to sell your property or simply to give it a facelift, the warmer weather and longer daylight hours create the ideal time to concentrate on renovating the outside of your home for maximum kerbside appeal.

Smarten up the entrance

It’s the focal point of any home so it needs a little care. Front doors are unwelcoming if they are dirty, paint-peeling or faded so apply a coat or two of paint or varnish (and don’t be afraid to experiment with vibrant colours, unless you live in a street of period properties where a neutral black be more befitting). Polish the door furniture or better still replace it and ensure house numbers are visible, sparkling and straight.

Upgrade the windows

Window technology is improving all the time and if your existing windows suffer from rotting woodwork, leaking draughts or the unsightly aluminium frames of the 1980s, then now could be an ideal time to upgrade with modern uPVC replacements. New windows will not only offer improved sound and heat insulation but will also give your property an immediate facelift. Do take care to choose a style in keeping with the age of the house; the position of the glazing bars is crucial. With a wide range of windows at Wickes and expert advice on hand, you can be confident of choosing the perfect design to add a touch of class to your home.

Brickwork and Cladding

In older properties in particular the mortar between the bricks may need repointing to give your home improved protection against the elements and also a fresh appearance. Small areas can be completed by a competent DIYer but large expanses should be tackled by an expert who will also ensure the mortar is colour-matched to the brickwork.

Cladding was fashionable in properties from the middle of the last century and requires considerable and regular maintenance in the form of staining. One alternative is to replace them with a uPVC equivalent which will offer durability as well as being attractive to the eye. Cladding half of your home with horizontal cedar boards is a current fashion trend but consider whether your property would stick out like a sore thumb if your neighbours’ homes are more traditional.

Grow some plants

The modern trend for lawns to be uprooted and replaced with hard standing or ornamental stones can be sterile and unattractive. Simple borders or flowering beds can add a vital splash of colour, window boxes can add an instant homely touch and planters with leafy shrubs will help to enhance your home. Such improvements need not cost the earth but can transform a tired exterior quickly.

Clear up the clutter!

It may sound so simple that it’s almost daft but clutter around the outside of your property is unsightly. Find a new home for the bins and endless recycling boxes, put the kids’ toys and bikes in the garage and sweep the drive. It’ll make a world of difference!

Improving the exterior appearance of your home needn’t break the bank and with a little time, effort and well-planned budgeting your property can be as attractive on the outside as the rooms within.

For more inspiration visit http://www.channel4.com/4homes/build-renovate/building-renovating-advice/transform-your-homes-exterior or http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/6254848/Kerb-appeal-10-ways-to-improve-the-appearance-of-your-property.html

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-16674940-contemporary-colonial-home.php

John is a freelance feature writer based in London, England.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, House and Home, Real Estate Tagged With: Beautiful, brickwork, clutter, Ensure, entrance, Front doors, homeowners, house, improving, inside, mortar, outside, plants, uPVC replacement, windows

What To Look For In A Custom Home Neighborhood

by Trish

Looking to move to a custom home neighborhood can be exciting, but you need to know what you should be looking for in these locations to ensure you select the proper one.  Every neighborhood is different and has its own unique set of living guidelines.  Without this information, you could easily be like some people and find out there are far greater restrictions on your property and lifestyle than you realized before buying.   Do your homework ahead of time and get to know the neighborhood before buying your house…it’s easy to fall in love with a new house and completely forget about what comes with it.

First:  Know your builder

The first thing you should be looking for in custom home neighborhood is who the builder is. Some of these neighborhoods will require you to use the same builder and it could be owned by the company. You should research and find out who the main builder is in the neighborhood to ensure you are selecting the right neighborhood atmosphere for you and your family’s needs.  You also want to know this information because you may end up thinking you can select your builder and be shocked to find out you cannot.

Second:  Know Neighborhood Restrictions

The second thing you should look for in the custom home neighborhood is what kind of restrictions they have. Quite a few of these neighborhoods will have a homeowners association which you have to agree to abide by. Since they may have this, you will want to make sure you are able to live within their rules. Without this information you may find out after you have bought the house, you cannot have your dog or other animals you want to have.

Third:  Know The Requirements

The third thing you should consider is what kind of requirements they have on your home. These items may include having the landscape done in a specific way or even having your home painted in a way which you do not like. So you need to find out about these guidelines prior to the purchase of your dream home.

Planning and buying a new house can be exciting for many different reasons. However, if you are building a custom home, you should make sure you understand the neighborhood which you are buying in. Then you can know for certain if your house will be suited to your needs and those of your family, instead of finding out after the fact that the neighborhood isn’t the right fit.

Ken Uhrich likes houses.  In fact he lives in one. You can drop him a line at the Custom Home Group website.

Filed Under: House and Home Tagged With: builder, Custom Home Neighborhood, Neighborhood Restrictions

7 Reasons Why You Should Buy A Swimming Pool

by Trish

When you were young and dreamt about your ideal home, the chances are that you always had a swimming pool in those images. It sets off a luxury home nicely and really comes in handy on those hot summer afternoons. In reality, the swimming pool is an incredibly useful commodity to have in your family home. If you were thinking about the pros and cons of having a pool installed, please read this article for some factual information.

Home Value

Adding value to your home is never a bad thing, but it should be considered when you are worried about the initial cost of your chosen pool. There are some home buyers that will only consider looking at houses with attached swimming pools. They tend to have more money available for their next purchase, why not include your address on their ‘must see’ list?

Beauty

If you are not thinking about moving anytime soon, you will still have the added benefit of living in a beautiful and luxurious property. Just relaxing next to the pool is enough to left your spirits on a hard day. Every time you look out of the window for some inspiration…there it is!

Fitness

Swimming is one of the best ways to keep in shape, and this has been proven many times. Instead of driving down to the busy gym, why not strip off and do a few lengths of your very own pool? You are much less likely to get injured in this ‘soft’ environment and will be able to relax without worrying about getting in someone’s way.

Family Bonding

A happy family is a healthy family, and you get the best of both worlds with your own swimming pool. As well as the exercise option, you can have a fun game of water polo and top up on your tans. You will never get bored of the pool as it can be used for so many activities.

Children’s Health And Safety

Your children’s health is one of the most important concerns in any parent’s life. With your own swimming pool, you can help them to stay fit, with the added bonus of ensuring they learn how to swim properly. Exercise can often be tiresome, but swimming is always thought of as an opportunity to have some fun with your loved ones and friends. You never know when your children may need their swimming skills in the future.

Entertainment

If you fancy inviting some friends and family over for a party, why not base it around your pool? Just fire up the barbeque and get some lively sounds blasting out, you could re-enact your last tropical holiday together! Get some decent lights installed and you could be throwing some memorable evening poolside events for the whole neighborhood.

Balance And Stress

If you add a daily swim to your daily routine, you will be adding a very healthy factor to your lives. You can de-stress after a hectic day at the office, or massage your partner in the relaxing luxury of your own swimming pool.

 

Rod Tuckers provides swimming pool service in Westport CT. A complete family man, he understands fully well the value that a swimming pool adds to family bonding. You can avail to more useful tips on home improvement and family issues on his blog.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, House and Home, The yard Tagged With: Beauty, cons, entertainment, Family Bonding, fitness, Health, Home Value, Pros, reasons, safety, swimming pool

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