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How to Keep Your Oven Clean and Safe

March 22, 2021

Being inside for the majority of last year may have given you more time to try new things. Perhaps you found a new hobby, binged your favorite shows, or polished your cooking skills by trying new dishes. If you did work on your culinary abilities, your oven might be in need of some TLC. Knowing how to clean your oven the right way will let you extend its lifespan and get the best possible cooking results. “When should I clean my oven?” The obvious answer to this question is: when your oven is noticeably dirty. If there are grease spots around your burners, charred food on the racks, and other signs that it’s been a while since you last cleaned, it’s time. For active chefs, cleaning every couple of months is best to prevent debris buildups that can lead to fires. As for those that aren’t using their kitchen much, cleaning once or twice a year should suffice. Again, it all depends on how frequently you’re cooking and how messy you get when you do. “Can’t I just use the self-clean feature on my oven?” While the self-clean option on most ovens is nice, it isn’t a perfect solution. Normally

Using Circadian Lighting to Help Your Mental and Physical Health

March 15, 2021

Natural lighting in your home provides numerous benefits for your well-being. It gives you crucial Vitamin D, helps ward off seasonal affective disorder (SAD), reduces stress, and much more. Natural light also ties in to your sleep schedule and how well you fall and stay asleep. If you aren’t getting enough light in your home, you might be able to artificially substitute it. Circadian Rhythms You may have heard about a circadian rhythm before, but if you haven’t or aren’t quite sure what it is, here’s a quick rundown: A circadian rhythm is essentially your body’s internal clock that carries out different functions during a 24-hour period. The most commonly discussed rhythm is the one that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Your body uses cues such as the intensity of daylight to know when it needs to energize you or when it needs to begin the sleep process. It’s important to maintain a consistent cycle, or else you can experience conditions like insomnia. The production of melatonin, a key “sleep ingredient,” can be hindered if your body’s rhythm becomes disrupted. How Rhythms Get Interrupted Now that you’re more familiar with your circadian rhythms’ various purposes, you need to identify what could

Sanitizing Your Home the Correct Way

March 8, 2021

Spring is just around the corner! Saturday, March 20 marks the spring equinox, and the start of thawing out from winter’s cold grasp. While there’s still time before you have to fully dive into your spring cleaning list, it’s never too early to get a head start. Here’s what you can do to tidy up your home and also fight off germs in 2021. Stay Safe as You Clean Since you’ll be using different cleaners throughout your home, it’s essential that you guard yourself against any harmful chemicals. Wearing the correct protective equipment will keep you safe as you sterilize each room. Some basic items that you should wear and keep stocked in your house are: Remember to properly ventilate your house as you clean as well. Breathing in chemicals for a lengthy period of time can have severe side effects. Carefully follow each product’s instructions as well, and don’t ever mix substances together. When you’ve finished, store your cleaners in a secure place away from children and pets. Rugs, Carpets, Upholstery, and Curtains For softer surfaces, you’ll need to use a certain amount of care and take your time while cleaning to avoid ruining them. Begin by vacuuming off

Making A Safe Home for Seniors

February 22, 2021

Being able to live your life independently becomes more difficult the older you get. Since February is National Senior Independence Month, it’s a good opportunity to think about your long-term safety plan for elderly loved ones. It’s a tough decision to know what steps to take in protecting them at home, but you have a few options to make the best choice for them and you. Stay or Move The biggest question you’ll have to face is determining whether to stay put or relocate. Moving away from a place that holds so many years of memories isn’t easy, and it may complicate your final choice. To maintain a sense of freedom and avoid the dangers that come with living alone, downsizing is a favorable option. Retirement homes or assisted living centers are also popular, and ensure that there’ll be regular supervision of your family member. But you can still make their current dwelling safe without making them feel restricted. Reduce Fall Hazards 27 percent of people 60 and above live alone in the U.S., while almost 25 percent age 65 and up live alone in Canada. However, almost a quarter will experience some type of injury, most likely a fall,

Fencing in Fido: What Material and Style is Best for Your Dog

February 1, 2021

Creating a safe home extends to the furry friends that you have under your roof. Your yard is their playground, and making sure that it’s properly secured is necessary in keeping them out of harm’s way–you never know what lengths they might go to to chase that squirrel. Picking the right fence design is important in providing your pet their own safe place. Why Does “Buddy” Break Out? There are several common reasons why your dog turns into a “hound-dini” and disappears out of your yard: • Boredom or frustration• Anxiety• Fear• High hunting instinct• Disobedience• Breed type Luckily, you can be proactive to reduce your dog’s urge to run off. Regularly exercising, training, and playing with your dog can help alleviate the reasons for these conditions with canines. But letting your dog enjoy some fun in the sun while you’re away is still a nice treat. The Paw-fect Match Just as there are multiple reasons for your dog running away, there’s a variety of choices when it comes to the style of fencing. You should try to get to the bottom of what it is that’s causing your dog to get out, as fences are not a one size

Picture Perfect: Hanging Art in Your Home the Easy Way

January 18, 2021

Your favorite artwork or family pictures can brighten up your home and turn it into your own personal art gallery. However, trying to get the right layout and preventing your walls from getting damaged by nails and hooks can be a hassle. These tips can help you get things right the first time and save your walls. Plan Before Your Hang If you have several pictures that you’d like to hang together, plan out your arrangement before you put it up. Make paper cutouts of your different pieces, and use tape to place them on your wall. Also mark with a pencil or tape on your wall where the center of each frame is so you’ll know where to place the hook or nail. This way you’re free to rearrange and position your art how you’d like, without puncturing your walls unnecessarily. Use Adhesive Strips and Hooks Want to preserve your walls and secure your pictures? Then adhesive hangers are just the tool you need. They’re easy to apply to the back of a frame and quickly stick to wherever you place them. While you can apply them to larger frames, they tend to work the best with lighter ones.

Tips to Update and Accident-Proof Your Home Workspace

January 11, 2021

Sunday marked the start of Home Office Safety and Security week, an annual awareness event that takes place the second full week of January. With everything that’s happened in 2020, it’s no surprise that almost 30% of people are expected to continue working from home this year. If you fall into this category, then use this week to organize your workspace for safety and efficiency. Corral Your Cords Charging cords, cables and other loose wires don’t just make things look messy, they also pose a tripping hazard as you walk around. Not only can you end up flat on your back, you run the risk of pulling your expensive equipment down with you. Wrap up and secure your runaway cables with zip ties and tape to keep them in place and out of the way. You won’t have to perform a balancing act when moving through your office during the day and you’ll keep your electronics protected. File It Away Your remote station might not be as big as the one at your office, which can cause things to pile up. If you have the budget for it, invest in a filing cabinet or other storage system to organize your

Radon: Protecting Your House from a Hidden Danger

January 4, 2021

January is National Radon Action Month, which means it’s the perfect time to make sure that your home is protected. Around 20,000 people in the United States and 3,000 people in Canada die each year from radon exposure. It’s estimated that 1 in 15 homes in the U.S. and over 1 million homes in Canada have elevated levels of radon. This is scary to think about, but there are ways for you to lower your and your family’s chance of exposure. What exactly is radon? You may have heard about radon before, whether in the news or during the process of buying your first home. But what exactly is it and where does it come from? Radon is an odorless and colorless gas that forms when radioactive metals in rocks, soil and groundwater break down. This is a naturally occurring process, and everyone has some level of exposure at all times. Health risks become a greater concern when you’re exposed to radon for extended periods of time, as can happen with homes that have cracks and gaps in the foundation. It can take years for symptoms like lung cancer to develop, so you may not be aware of a health

10 Ways to Keep Your Calm in 2021

December 28, 2020

To say that 2020 was a stressful year might be an understatement. According to recent studies, almost a third of Americans and Canadians say they experienced high levels of stress during the year. For a more laid-back 2021, try these home design tips to let go of your worries. 1. Let the light shine in.Dark or dimly-lit spaces in your home can negatively impact your mood. Letting in more sunshine can boost your emotions and help you unwind after a long day. Sunlight is especially important during the shorter days of winter, which can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Plus, Vitamin D is key for your immune system and natural lighting can increase your focus and take the strain off your eyes when reading or looking at screens. 2. Get your green thumb in gear. Whether they’re fresh, dried or even faux, incorporating plants and flowers in your home can have a calming effect. It’s been found that greenery can significantly lower your stress levels. Their leaves also act as a natural humidifier that enhances your indoor air quality. If you don’t have enough sunny spots, there’s lots of plants that will be fine in lower lighting. 3. Better bedding,

How to Have a Healthy and Jolly Virtual Holiday Season

December 21, 2020

More than 115 million people traveled for the holidays in 2019, but this year will look a little different. Many are forgoing their usual party plans and opting to stay at home and celebrate. But just because you might not be able to be close, doesn’t mean that you can’t still celebrate some of your favorite festive traditions. Host a virtual baking day. The holidays wouldn’t be the same without festive food. While your meals may be smaller, you can still have fun making all those delicious dishes and desserts you make just once a year. Set up a virtual event with your friends so everyone can prepare their favorite food and swap recipes. You’ll also likely learn fun facts about the history of a certain food or tradition you might not have known before! Put a new spin on holiday arts and crafts. Along with gingerbread houses, there’s an assortment of holiday projects you can do. Have each family purchase the same craft box and get to building. To make it even more exciting, set a time limit and have incentives for the winners. The shorter the time, the higher the chance for creative projects and guaranteed laughs. Stream