Nearly half of people surveyed in a recent Huff Post poll listed a disorganized home as a major source of stress. With the holidays looming, the stress level in your home may already be approaching critical mass. Don’t add to the clutter and confusion by dragging out boxes full of disjointed knick-knacks in the name of Christmas decorating. Transform the rooms of your home instead into a quaint and calming Christmas wonderland by using easy ideas that add shine and sparkle to your doors, windows and holiday tree. Go cozy, primitive or opt for all-out glitz with ornaments, garlands and greenery you make yourself out of items garnished from the local forest.
Nothing says lovin’ like a tree decked out in crafty goodness. You’ve seen all those Pinterest boards specializing in decorative uses for everyday items: burlap, chalkboard paint, stick-on gems and more. Find fun and easy ideas online, and take a tour through the holiday section of your local craft store to find the supplies needed to create unique and heirloom-quality Christmas ornaments for your tree this year.
Bring the aromatic best of the outdoors inside with fresh greenery picked yourself, or buy in bulk from the local florist. Pine boughs, mistletoe and holly stems all make festive garlands for your mantel, around your doors and windows and as filler in your seasonal arrangements. The large, flexible needles of the white pine tree are especially popular in garlands and wreaths as they mold themselves well around curves. They also smell divine.
Deck your decor with cute seasonal accessories like stenciled pillows, vinyl wall quotes, quilted table runners and cheery tablecloths. Adding Christmas-themed accessories gives your space that festive feeling with minimal work involved. It also makes un-decorating after the holidays much easier. For an even simpler solution, use two-sided accessories that celebrate fall on one side and Christmas on the other. Changing out the seasons is as simple as flipping over a pillow or turning a chalkboard to the reverse side.
Capture the feel of a homespun country Christmas by switching out elegant drapes and curtains in lieu of more minimalist treatments that lend themselves to decking. Find window shades online that mount inside your window frames, leaving your rods free for garlands, greenery or a simple string of white lights entwined with grapevine. Attach decorations to your rods using strips of torn homespun material tied crudely into bows.
The holidays are coming and with them an increased need for security in your home. After all, not only are you now concerned with protecting your home and family, but you also have to look after the many priceless presents that you have bought for your friends and family members. Here are some of the best tips for protecting your house this holiday season.
1. Lock Your Door
This might seem incredibly obvious, but most burglaries occur out of nothing more than convenience. What this means is that any time you leave your door unlocked, you are unwittingly inviting intruders into your home. It is such a simple thing to do, but so many people still forget. Make sure you are not one of those people.
2. Don’t Hide A Spare Key
You might think that you are doing the right thing by storing a spare key under the doormat or in a fake rock. However, burglars are well aware of these techniques and it is the first thing that they will look for when they try to break in. A far better option is to install a keypad entry that requires a code. If you don’t want to do this, give a spare key to a trusted neighbor instead of hiding it.
3. Protect Your Windows
Most break ins happen through windows and doors on the ground level. Protecting these windows is important. You can do so with alarms and sensors, or even by just inserting a piece of wood in the window track to prevent it from being slid open.
4. Install Motion Detectors
As the ground floor is where burglars enter, it is also a good idea to put motion detectors in rooms around the first floor of your house.
5. Install Security Cameras
Security cameras not only allow you to see when someone is trying to break into your home, but they are also one of the most powerful tools to prevent it from happening in the first place. If a potential burglar sees a security camera, they are likely to decide that your house is not worth the effort. As a result, even a dummy camera can be enough to deter them.
6. Let People Know You Have Security
As with cameras, new home security systems in general can be enough to deter a criminal. So if you have a system, make sure that people know that your house is protected. You can do this by displaying a sign or even just making your alarm visible.
7. Don’t Broadcast Your Whereabouts
With social media being as prevalent as it is these days, you can find just about anything that you want online, including where a person is at any given time. You can see why this would be a security issue. Try not to let the entire world know when you are out of the house.
8. Hide Your Presents
Just as you don’t want the world to know when you are not at home, you don’t want them to know exactly what goodies you have stored in your house. Keep your presents out of plain sight, and even if someone does break in, it might be harder for them to find them.
9. Secure Every Door
A lot of people neglect their garage doors and back or side doors to their homes. This could provide an easy entrance for an unwanted intruder.
10. Install a Home Security System
Obviously the best way to increase home security is to invest in a home security system. It can raise the value of your house and protect everything that you love. It is a big decision, but if you make it, you will not regret it.
Christmas is around the corner and one can help bring in the festive mood and grooving moment by adorning the house with Christmas home decorations.
Bring in the joyous moments by importing some essentials into your home to decorate your living room with a theme.
1. White Christmas Theme
If your curtains, furniture, carpet and walls are pale colors, this kind of theme can give an appealing Christmas home decoration.
In this theme, the ornaments have a pearl combination and can be available in all retail stores or online. The Christmas tree can be an artificial white tree made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or an evergreen conifer such as pine or fir can be bought and cotton sprinkled giving the feeling of snow and depicting the North Pole.
To decorate according to this theme, you can buy white candles and then keep them around the Christmas tree in white transparent jars. For gifts, wrap them in white or silver paper. You can also decorate your center table with white roses. Also, hang white stockings around the fireplace or on the Christmas tree. And don’t forget some background music to add flavor to the whole scenario.
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2. Red Ornamental Theme
Bring Color to the living room by adorning it with color Red.
Make sure the Christmas tree has red ornaments. The candles are red in color with poinsettias placed at every nook and corner while your furniture can also add in the touch of Christmas by being bright red in color or any bright shade.
Gifts can be wrapped in red or any bright colors and placed under and around the Christmas tree. Red peppermints can either be hanging from the Christmas tree or can be placed on the center table surrounded by red candles. Red Velvet cake can also be another addition to the center table.
Red Christmas stockings can also focus attention on the theme.
Adorn the fireplace with red elves or red ornaments. Red Christmas wreaths can also add in beauty to the whole scenario.
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3. Rustic Theme
If your furniture is in the shade of brown or charcoal and your walls are dark, no worries since there are ideas for you to indulge in the festive mood using a rustic theme.
Make sure your ornaments are red or are wood burns as ornaments. Pine Cones also bring out the rustic theme when decorated along the fireside or are hung around the Christmas tree. Green Wreaths with pinecones embedded in them can be either hung on the walls or placed on a window. Mistletoes with pinecones can be made and hung around your home.
You can decorate the center table with pinecones or multi colored ornaments all placed in a big bowl. Place white lighting in a transparent jar while decorating the area around it with red ornaments. Then put poinsettias around the Christmas tree to give a flavor of red to this theme. This can help accentuate the room while bringing in the rustic Christmas theme to your home.
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4. Red & White Theme
When shades of red and white are mixed, it also gives a beautiful touch to the room while adding color and joy to any occasion.
If your couch has a pale color, you could bring in color by adding in ornaments of bright red to the Christmas tree and adding poinsettias to the corners of the room or around the tree. Peppermint ornaments can also be made and hung either around the fireplace or on the Christmas tree.
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Decorating with a theme is fun and always pleasant to the eyes. Make your indoors upbeat with the holiday spirit and have a joyful celebration!
Author bio: Tiffany Faming is a passionate writer. She loves to write on family, custom gifts, home décor and gardening. She recommends using Amazon Promotional Code as a great idea to save money on your Christmas purchase. Please visit her Google+ to see more amazing tips.
‘Tis the season for at-home entertaining – food, friends, family, fun and yes, even fires. Fire fighters respond to calls of nearly 400,000 home fires each year, according to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). Many fires occur in cold weather months as more people bring warmth into their homes with things like traditional candles or holiday lighting. These fires result in more than 15,000 civilian deaths or injuries annually.
Fire-proof the holiday season with these tips that safeguard your family and your home:
Go flameless
Reduce your risk of fire by using flameless candles. Though they look and smell like real candles, they don’t pose the same safety risks. Scentsy Wickless Candles provide the light and ambiance of traditional candles without the smoke, soot or an open flame. With more than 80 fragrances to choose from and 100 styles of warmers available, there’s a fit for every fragrance personality and home decor style.
If you purchase your Scentsy Candles from the following link: https://nicolelauruska.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Buy?partyId=116909627, Nicole Lauruska will generously donate 100% of the commission for this sale and the monies will go directly to the horses at the rescue at Another Chance For Horses Rescue!
Avoid outlet overload
Don’t overload electrical outlets and extension cords with holiday lights or other electronics. Plug only one heat-producing appliance, such as electric blankets, irons, toasters or coffee makers, into a receptacle outlet at a time. Consider avoiding outlet overload by choosing battery-powered options when they’re available.
Cook with care
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of U.S. home fire injuries, according to the NFPA. Don’t stray too far from the kitchen if you’re frying, grilling or broiling food. If you’re boiling, baking, or roasting, be sure to check it regularly and use a timer to remind you when it’s finished. Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance, as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
Be prepared
Establish a fire-safe home by installing fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. Use a portable fire extinguisher to save lives and property by putting out or containing small fires. Store extinguishers where they can be quickly accessed in areas with great fire risk, such as in the kitchen or near the garage door. Smoke alarms should be installed in every room of the home, except for the kitchen, and should be tested once each month.
Have a plan
Establish a fire escape plan with the members of your household, and practice it often. You should always have two ways to exit each room, typically a door and a window. Practicing in a casual environment will help children feel confident in executing your plan in an emergency. Choose a landmark outside, such as a tree in the neighbor’s yard or the mailbox, as a meeting location for your family.
Following these fire safety tips will help ensure your memories of this fall and winter season are full of friends and family, not flames.
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