Forty pounds of dust, that is! Now, there's nothing you can do to completely eliminate dust as clothing fibers, pet dander, dead skin cells, and items we track in from outdoors add to the problem daily. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), dust bunnies aren't just unsightly and sometimes allergenic; they contain toxic chemicals. [...]
By Jane Hoback: Jane is a veteran business writer who has written for the Rocky Mountain News, Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine, and ColoradoBIZ Magazine. Repair wood floors and scratches that make rooms look worn out. We’ll show you easy ways to put the luster back into your floors. Dogs chase kids, pans drop, chairs scrape, and soon [...]
No matter your answer, each of us longs to come home to a place where we know we belong. A place where we comfortably fit into the fabric of our surroundings--where we can truly be ourselves. What is it about a house that makes you call it home? Once you decide on a plan, you [...]
We're often asked to describe what makes a great floor plan. While there is no single answer that works for everyone, we'll use the Oakridge home plan to point out some of the most-wanted features in new homes. Click to enlarge. A garage that's big enough for storage. The Oakridge's garage is 26-feet [...]
By Carl Vogel a Chicago-based freelance writer and former editor of The Neighborhood Works magazine, has written about public policy and community organizing and development for more than 15 years. He's always willing to sign a good petition. Before you put your home up for sale, understand how the right comparable sales help you and your [...]
...stairs from the garage leading directly to a basement can minimize a lot of problem issues. One of the most obvious is moving large/bulky items in and out of that lower level. Relying only on an interior staircase may present challenges, particularly if that inside staircase has angles or is "U-shaped" when moving furniture. Additionally, [...]
Bathrooms and stairways are where most fall accident occur in homes. While we may not be able to do much about slippery wet floors, we can do something for stairway safety and enhance aesthetics at the same time. The Jamestown design has a staircase along an exterior wall, making it a natural candidate for a [...]
Photo courtesy: JELD-WEN When building a new home, interior door widths are one instance where wider is better. Building codes address door width, but codes are typically adopted on a local basis and may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Take for instance a family that was moving a portable crib from one room [...]
By Karin Beuerlein who has covered home improvement and green living topics for HGTV.com and  FineLiving.com. She has also written for dozens of national and regional publications in more than a decade of freelancing.  In the brave new world of light bulb choices, let your fixture be your guide. Light bulb shopping used to be as [...]
Read Home Security Part 1 After you have identified the perils from which you seek to protect your home, you have a few more important decisions: Photo courtesy: Nest Professionally installed vs. D-I-Y. Who will install your security system typically depends on its level of sophistication and whether there will be remote monitoring. [...]
