Archive for March 2010

A dog can be your best friend when it comes to home security.

Burglar alarms are not the be-all and end-all of home security. There are plenty of other things you can install in your home that will help to stop a burglar from gaining entry – and many of them are very simple and inexpensive.

The key is to secure the possible points of entry. This means that doors should be made of strong, solid material (definitely not plastic or glass), be properly secured to their hinges and have tamper-resistant locks. Ideally, you should have an extra deadbolt that you put on at night, made from very strong metal.

Windows should be made from toughened glass, preferably double-glazed, so that they are almost impossible to break. Although window locks are relatively uncommon, they help greatly with security, and you should consider installing them. If your house has windows in a position where they can be easily and discreetly accessed from the street, such as basement windows, you should consider putting metal bars on them.

It is also important for your garden to be secure, as far more burglars enter through the back of your house than the front. This means that your fences should be high and have some kind of anti-climbing measures (spikes or anti-climb paint can work well). If you don’t like fences, get big hedges instead.

Another thing to consider is getting a dog – surprisingly effective against burglars, who don’t generally want to mess with dogs if they can avoid it. For this strategy to be more effective, put up a ‘beware of the dog’ sign. Smaller dogs are not so great for this because they are not generally scary – something like a big German Shepherd works best, not only because of their size, but because of their strong guard instincts that cause them to be hostile to strangers.

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A Guide To Discount Bedroom Furniture

Bedroom furniture encompasses furnishing items such as armoires, chest of drawers, daybeds, jewelry chests, headboards, highboys and night stands. An array of furniture ranging from antique to contemporary is now available to grace any bedroom. They come in a wide spectrum of colors, designs, styles and materials including leather, metal, wood and wrought iron. Futons, mattresses and bedding are also forms of t bedroom furniture. One of the recent marketing practices used in selling bedroom furniture is the discounting system. Contrary to the idea that discount bedroom furniture means discounted quality, it has proved to be smart value shopping.

Discount bedroom furniture has become quite popular in recent years, with the introduction of online shopping venues – an electronic commerce application that came into existence in the 1990s. This venue provides opportunities for customers to select furniture according to their taste and needs. In addition, it offers competitive shopping by promoting savings in terms of money, time and energy. Today, almost all companies have online shopping for discount bedroom furniture. Ashley, Bernhardt, Broyhill, Hooker, Lane, Lexington, Sealy, Shermag, Samuel Lawrence Furniture and Universal are some of the top brand names in the bedroom furniture scenario.

A majority of the companies provide delivery within a minimum number of days, and some offer special on package selections. Services such as custom design service and space planning are also available. Further, most of the companies do not charge a re-stocking fee and provide free shipping. Payments are generally made through credit cards including Visa and MasterCard. But some companies allow alternative means such as debit card, cash on delivery and postal money orders.

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5 Ways To Dress Up Your Bath, In A Flash, For Little Cash!

Often the bathroom is one of the most overlooked rooms in the home when it comes to decorating. We tend to see it as a utilitarian space, even though we spend quite a lot of time here. (More, if you have teenagers!) Take an afternoon to turn your bath into a relaxing and soothing retreat for yourself and your guests, without spending a lot of cash.

1. Paint the whole room, including the ceiling a deep, rich color. Even though this is a small room, a deep color on the walls allows them to fade away, and at once makes the room cozy and seems more spacious.

2. Get rid of the clutter! If you can’t get most of the makeup and shaving cream under the sink, (and who can?) pick up a few baskets from the dollar shop and corral them in. Make sure there is a hamper. If you are short on space, use the kind that hangs on the back of the door. A large drawstring bag would work for this also. (He might actually even use it…ok, it’s a dream.)

3. Dress up that large frameless mirror. Hang swags of fabric from cup hooks to hide and soften the edges of the mirror, and to give it a “frame”. Or actually use cut lengths of 1×4 lumber, and attach them to the wall over the edges of the mirror to simulate a real wood frame. You can paint or stain them as well to coordinate with your cabinets.

4. Speaking of cabinets, how about giving them a quick redo? Paint them black for a sophisticated look, or white with sponge painting for a country theme. Try any of the hot faux finishes. You can even paint the Formica counters. Just clean well and use a special primer first such as BIN or KILZ. Then seal with 4-6 coats of polyurethane after the paint dries. Should last for years!

5. Lastly, add some detail to the room. Sew fabric edging to your towels, add a shell for a soap dish, and stitch up a pretty shower curtain to cover that vinyl one. Hang some calendar pictures on the wall in dollar store frames…perhaps of a faraway place you can dream about as you soak away your cares? If you have natural light in the room from a window, add a plant or two.

Now light up some candles, turn on some music, and fill the bath with sweet smelling bubbles. Your getaway awaits!

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1 800 mattress

If you’re looking for 1 800 mattress, then you know that 1 800 mattress is a leading national bedding tele-retailer. 1 800 mattress is also the first in the industry to launch a Spanish-language call center and website, 1-800-Su-Colchon and http://www.1800sucolchon.com/, to assist its customers better understand their bedding purchases in their native tongue.

1 800 Mattress offers the best selection of the most popular brands in North America like Simmons, Sealy, Serta, King Koil and more. They have the largest selection of the number one brand in the United States, Sealy Posturepedic, and their house special, the 1-800-Mattress Collection, a hand-picked line designed by the owner to provide you with the best buy.
Currently, 1 800 Mattress is expanding into Southern California with a franchise agreement with Mattress Gallery, a 57-store retailer based here. A little history lesson tells us that  1 800 Mattress is based in Long Island City, N.Y and 1 800 Mattress has served Southern California since 1999 via telephone. 1 800 Mattress practices a Next Day Nationwide Delivery Policy and customers can order online or even call 1-800 824 7777 to speak with a specialist.

For those who have done business with the national retailer of mattress, they will know that 1 800 Mattress is super efficient and very polite on the phone. Their specialists will offer callers a wide range of prices $200 and onwards plus choices such as Tempur-Pedic, Serta, Simmons, Hypnos, King Coil and Nation’s Pride. They also will allow customers to test the mattress when it arrived and to return it if it does not meet expectations or fit the specifications.

A company experienced in mattress retailing such as 1 800 Mattress should not be ignored when you are sourcing for mattresses or other bedding products. It will save you a lot of trouble by buying from them as they are both winner in variety and pricing!

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