What Simply Works - Homemaking 101

Posted on January 23, 2019December 6, 2019 by Mirage2g — 1 Comment

4 Reasons to Consider An Epoxy Floor for Your Business

Epoxy floor is made from a special, high-performing formula that combines a hardener and resin to resurface and seal concrete. You might be tired of using concrete floors in your place of business/office. They tend to look plain, they stain easily, and crack over time. You should consider having an epoxy floor! Here are four reasons why epoxy floors are perfect for your commercial needs.

Cost Effective Long Term

The cost of epoxy floor will depend on the size of the area being covered. Also the quality of the product being used and what kind of finish as well as design you choose. One more thing, decide whether you need to have professionals do the job.

Epoxy is more expensive than other types of sealers and paints. They can even double or even triple the cost of paint or other types of resurfacing. Other coatings may only last one or two years and need to be repaired from time to time. Epoxy floors are low maintenance, may never need repairs, and often last ten years or longer. Continue reading 4 Reasons to Consider An Epoxy Floor for Your Business

Posted on January 4, 2019March 25, 2019 by Mirage2g — Leave a comment

Charming Sunshine: Having a Breakfast Nook to Greet the Day In

How you start your day often affects the way your entire day goes. Although there is no scientific basis to it, it just seems like getting off on the wrong side of the bed snowballs into one bad incident after another. It’s really nice to have your own breakfast nook to wake up to. You can spend the first few minutes of your morning relaxing in your cozy nook.

You can have your cup of coffee as you mull over your day ahead just before the entire household gets roused for breakfast. This nook will be the perfect place for the rest of the family to share breakfast and send each other off to wherever it is they have to go for the day. You’ll get the nourishment, both in body and soul, that you need to get through your day from this nook. For a lot of families, this nook is a comfortable place to spend quality time and to share stories.

A home improvement project to build a breakfast nook is not that difficult to undertake. But, you might need the help of a building contractor and an interior decorator to do the renovation for you. It may take time and money to complete the project, but the end result will surely give you much pleasure.

As you consider setting up your nook, take a look around your kitchen and dining area and find a sunny place. An area under a window where the sunshine streams into the house is a good choice. Then, you have to consider your furniture. In most nooks, the seats are built into the walls. There are some, however, that make use of casual tables and chairs. Having your nook customized would, of course, cost a lot more money especially if the contractors have to knock-down part of your walls.

In building your breakfast nook, you have to consider comfort. It is, after all, a space that is supposed to make you feel cozy and homey. Make use of bright colors in your furnishings and decorative elements. Your furniture should also be made of materials that are not hard and imposing. The common materials used for breakfast nooks are wood, acrylic, and wicker. Chairs are also often padded or cushioned. Your upholstery and curtains should be light and cheery as well. With a lot of wise design consideration and furniture choices, you can have a breakfast nook to enjoy every waking day.

Posted on December 12, 2018July 4, 2019 by Mirage2g — Leave a comment

Using Vinegar Around Your House

Using Vinegar To Effectively Remove Limescale And Other Grime Around Your House

Aside from being one of the most common ingredients in every delicious food and delectable dishes, vinegar is also a great cleaning agent. The distilled type of vinegar do have lots of characteristics that makes it work best in terms of removing limescale and other unwanted stuff you see around your home, especially at your kitchen or bathroom.

Nowadays, white distilled vinegar and apple cider vinegar are embraced by many as a household cleaner. It effectively removes and kills most type of bacteria and germs because of its great acidic level. Some even uses this as an economical and environment friendly disinfectant at home.

Vinegar (along with baking soda and lemon) are great for cleaning purposes.

Here are some examples where you can use white vinegar as an effective alternative for commercialized products.

Cleaning your sink fixtures that have limescale build up.

Mix a teaspoon of vinegar along with 2 tablespoons of salt and you will get a paste like cleaning material. Use this to scrub off your sink.

Cleaning Mattresses And Getting Rid Of Stains

Depending on the stain, a mixture of either vinegar and baking soda or of hydrogen peroxide, liquid dish soap, salt will make your mattresses spotless. Ready your vacuum cleaner as well.

Put some vinegar in a spray bottle and spray on stained spots one at a time. Make sure they are really moist, put some baking soda on the wet spot and let it fizz. Leave to dry then vacuum up the leftovers later. This kills off the mites and remove them from deep within the mattresses.

The other mixture should 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, a tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Mix the ingredients to make a paste, spread it on the stains and let dry. Vacuum or scrape off later. When there’s still some left, dip a piece of cloth in hydrogen peroxide and leave on top of the stain to absorb it.

Remove beddings and mattress covers and wash them in hot water to kill dust mites.

Deodorizing and disinfecting your drain.

Pour in a cup of baking soda at the drain then add a cup of hot distilled vinegar. Letting the mixture sit for a span of 7 minutes or so will allow it to suck in the odor and few known germs and bacteria. Run hot water down the drain after said time is met to make it more effective.

Removing soap and odor that builds up from your dishwasher and washing machine.

Just pour in a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the machine. Let it run in full mode or cycle. Make sure that both machines are empty.

Remove bad odor from your newly cleaned oven.

Soak a piece of sponge into the distilled vinegar. Use the sponge for the final rinse.

Removing price tags and labels from your newly owned stuff.

If you wanted to safely remove labels and tags without damaging your shirt, pants or so, just cover the tag or label with cloth soaked in white vinegar. Leave it for a few hours and the tag and labels will peel off without hassle.

Disinfect doorknobs and other stuff around your house.

Just spray pure white distilled vinegar on the surface then wipe it dry. Aside from making it shine like a new, it kills germs and bacteria for you.

Before spraying and using vinegar as an alternative cleanser and disinfectant for your stuff at home, always remember that not all vinegar are created equal. Some are already mixed with spices and are by products of chemical mixtures. To get the full and beneficial effect, use only white distilled vinegar at home.

Posted on October 20, 2018November 18, 2019 by Mirage2g — Leave a comment

Mastering the Balance: Running a Business And a Household

Friends have often asked if running a business and a household is even possible. There’s much to be desired in working from home. You don’t have to commute every day. You’re always home when your family needs you. Not to mention, you can make a sizeable income pursuing projects that you’re most passionate about. Yet, for every advantage to working from home, there’s a challenge attached. Though it would seem easier to be able to manage your career and family if you’re in the house, for many entrepreneurs, it’s quite the opposite.

Here are some of the difficulties working at home may entail.

The Other Side of Working From Home

Here’s what must be understood about working from home, there are several distractions you’ll have to deal with. You need to focus to be successful in running a business and a household. The increased demands of your children, the endless list of chores to be done around the house, the temptation of food, television, and being lazy, the difficulties in making time for yourself, can all get in the way turning your dream into a nightmare. There’s also the burning desire to succeed and make a living for your loved ones.

Some novice entrepreneurs become so stressed in trying to juggle all the responsibilities. These cause them to suffer from mental health problems like chronic stress, burnout, or depression. Others, turn to drugs and alcohol as a means to cope. As you are the most important element in this balancing act, your health is important. Even another hand at home, a house cleaner would be a big help. So, if you’re struggling with mental health issues or have turned to drugs or alcohol, it is best to put your health first. Find a rehab in culver or find a detox in LA or some mental health and rehab facility to help you kick bad habits.

Finding a Better Balance

There are plenty of individuals who are successful business professionals and a household that’s intact. They didn’t accomplish this overnight, but with careful planning, discipline, and understanding, they were able to find better balance. Here are some pointers to keep in mind:

Set a Work Schedule (Based on Personal Needs) – The first bit of advice towards finding better work life balance would be to set a work schedule that is based on your personal needs. Being there for your family takes priority but should not consume your entire day. Determine what time you can dedicate towards your business. For example, If the kids get dropped off at school at 8 and get picked up at 3, perhaps a decent schedule might be 9am to 3pm.

Keep a Calendar – Time management is essential to finding better balance. Keep a calendar that tracks both your personal and professional schedules. This prevents you from overextending yourself, double booking, or having scheduling conflicts down the line. If you’re going on a family vacation, for instance, placing it on a calendar prevents you from promising clients to have projects done during that time.

Remove Distractions – When you don’t have a boss staring over your shoulders and you’re at home with a television and kitchen full of food, it can be easy to get distracted. You can remove or reduce the number of distractions by designing a fully-functional home office away from all the noise. You can turn it into a mini project and transform a spare room into your professional workspace. The room should be away from the television and kitchen and should provide as much peace and quiet as possible.

Ask for Family Assistance – Your family are your biggest supporters. Your significant other, parents, siblings, or even best friends can be very instrumental in helping you to find better balance. Explain your need to dedicate time to your business while still being there for your loved ones and ask them to help. Perhaps your spouse cooks dinner a few times out of the week or your parents watch the kids after school for a few hours to give you a break without you having to feel guilty.

Stay Social – Another downside to working from home is the loneliness. You’re often stuck in your house for hours either working or tending to your family. Life can get pretty boring if you don’t stay social. Schedule lunch dates with friends or family, find daytime events to attend and network, join online support groups, and find time in your schedule to go out and let your hair down.

Distracted by Mimi, smallish cat, and it’s ok.

Two of my cats decided to take on on my work desk

Running a Business And a Household is Possible

You may be skilled at multi-tasking, but it’s nothing compared to running your own business and household. There are so many things that need to be done on both ends, but there’s only one of you.

To maintain your sanity and your health, it is imperative that you find ways to balance your work and home life. The above tips will get you started, but it will take real discipline and effort to truly succeed.

Posted on August 2, 2018November 18, 2019 by Mirage2g — Leave a comment

Unique Decor Pieces for Your Home

Unique Decor Pieces: if you want to add some originality to your home’s interior design, there are certain furnishings that can do the trick. You don’t need to hire an interior designer to do so. The right additions will make your home more appealing for both you and your guests. You can include these pieces in your living room, bedroom or other areas of your home to give your living space some additional style.

Cultural Masks

Displaying traditional facemasks that represent different cultures on your walls or on top of tables or countertops will give your living space a more exotic ambience. You can choose from a variety of African, Asian or South American masks that reflect certain traditional cultural practices. There are masks for sale online that are made from wood, ceramic and other sturdy materials.

Globe Bookends

You can make your home more worldly by displaying globe bookends on your tabletops and bookcases. Certain globe bookends are made from brass or crystal and revolve when you spin them by hand. You might even find some globes that depict antiquated views of the world or show countries that no longer exist.

Bear Carvings

If you want to add some bear decor pieces to show off your outdoorsy side, bear wood carvings can help create a more rustic setting in your home. You can choose from plain or hand-painted pieces that depict bears eating or engaging in humorous situations. Some carvings also include signage to greet your guests when they enter your home.

Antique Dolls

Antique dolls offer a great way to explore the past while connecting to your inner child. Many antique dolls on the market are dressed in old-fashioned attire and are the perfect home decor items. You can choose from a variety of miniature or larger dolls that have been handcrafted with all the right details.

Incorporating some unique decor pieces within your home’s interior will help create a living space that you’ll be proud to call your own. Even just a few simple additions can change your interior design dramatically for the better.

Posted on July 13, 2018March 25, 2019 by Mirage2g — Leave a comment

4 Common HVAC Issues and How To Avoid Them

Early today, we had some visitors knocking on our door for a house check. The neighbor below us has had complains of water flooding their living room ceiling corresponding our side of the balcony. It happened years ago, during a rather strong downfall that happens in Vienna once in a blue moon. He thought that we drilled some holes somewhere that caused the water to flood. We already had our heaters and what else to check examined three times in the past – probably 3 years ago as mentioned – it was long ago. There was nothing found. And it’s still the issue today…it is a bit unnerving to say the least. I don’t know much about HVAC installations but I’m sure that an HVAC system is a critical component to any home or business. There will be various repairs you will need to make throughout the years. However, it is also important to know when it is time to simply upgrade the system. When repairs become necessary frequently and you start paying substantially more to run it, you are probably better off replacing the system. Luckily, you can extend the longevity of your unit by identifying common problems early and knowing how to handle them.

1. Leaks

If you are not careful, then an HVAC unit can begin leaking water. Most of the time, this happens due to rapid on-off cycles, which increase the overall humidity inside the building. This leads to condensation, which results in leakage.

Instead of turning the system off completely when you leave the house, you may be better off simply turning the thermostat down several degrees, especially if you will not be gone for long. This keeps the system running at a more consistent temperature.

2. Clogged Filter

There are numerous maintenance tips to follow to keep your HVAC in good working order. When your system begins experiencing problems, the first thing you need to check is the air filter. Over time, it will become clogged, and it will cause your system to use more power than necessary if you leave the clogged filter in place.

The easiest way to avoid these problems is to replace your filter regularly. Instead of swapping it out when problems develop, you should simply replace it once every three months. This guarantees your HVAC will work optimally.

3. Clogged Drain Line

Common HVAC issues also stem from clogged drain lines, which will happen due to a build-up of algae and dirt. When the system becomes clogged, water will leak.

To avoid this problem, you will want to clean out the system regularly. It is best to hire a professional for this job because an expert will know where to look for dirt and other contaminants.

4. Uneven Temperatures

When you run the HVAC system, you may notice some areas of the building will cool down while others remain the same temperature. Some areas may even feel hotter than before. The most common culprit for this issue is an unbalanced damper.

Similarly to when you have a clogged drain line, you will want to contact a professional to come out to your building to inspect the air flow. In fact, regular maintenance can help with most problems associated with a damaged HVAC. You should contact an expert to come out to your home or business at least once a year to take a look at your system even if nothing seems wrong just to make sure everything is in good working order.

It is much easier to address an HVAC issue as soon as you notice it rather than wait for it to get worse. Even if you consider yourself handy around the house, you want to leave these kinds of repairs to the professionals. You will feel more confident in the final results, and your home or business will be much more comfortable to sit in.