DIY/Home Archives - Page 34 of 37

Prepare for the Heat

November 14, 2016 by Mandy

Whether you believe in global warming or not, the planet’s climates are changing; and with on average 2,800 hours of annual sunshine, Brisbane and the Gold Coast get plenty of heat already to prepare for. That is why you need to maintain your cooling system regularly to keep it from breaking down on you in the midst of a heat wave as temperatures continue to rise.

Regular Inspections

It is easy to forget that your cooling system is working almost 24/7 in order to keep your home or business cool and comfortable for you. However it is a wise home or business owner who remembers that their cooling system needs some tender loving care regularly. One way to keep your system functioning efficiently and effectively is by having a certified cooling specialist inspect your system annually. Some other habits to develop when maintaining your air-conditioning system are:

Clean Filters Regularly
Avoid Clutter Near Vents and Registers
Keep Outdoor Compressors Protected and Free of Debris

Turn Up your Thermostat

That’s right turn up your thermostat. By turning up your thermostat by a degree or two when you are not home you reduce the amount of time that your air-conditioner is running lengthening the life of your system. There are many different programmable thermostats on the market that you can install in only a few minutes to keep your heating and cooling working with your schedule without you even having to think about it. Plus as a bonus, following this simple rule also lowers your monthly energy costs and global foot print.

Upgrade your Old Unit

If you have a home that is over ten years old and still has the original heating and cooling systems, you are due for an update. In the past ten years or more technology in the HVAC industry has improved immensely.

Some of the perks of a new unit:

Rebates – A lot of companies are offering rebates as incentives to replace your old HVAC system.
Government Assistance – All across Australia government branches are offering rebates and assistance programs in order to encourage home and business owners to replace obsolete HAVC equipment with up to date more energy efficient models.
Energy Cost Savings – Because a new air-conditioning unit works more effectively and efficiently than your current out of date model, you will see your monthly energy costs go down.
Environmental Concerns – You don’t have to be a tree hugger to want to take care of the earth. Something as simple as replacing your old cooling system with a more efficient product will lower your carbon footprint, and work towards protecting the environment as a whole.

Who to Turn To

Actron Air Brisbane has been providing a full range of products and services for over 30 years since this reliable family owned business was established in 1986. Whether you need repairs or an entirely new system they have the knowledgeable, experienced staff that will walk you through the process every step of the way.

Flowers – Which type do you send for which occasion?

November 13, 2016 by Mandy

It is common knowledge that different types of flowers have different meaning depending on the color. However did you know that there are also flowers for each month of the year, and specific flowers for specific holidays or occasions? Here’s a basic flower tutorial to help keep you sending the message that you mean to send when having flowers delivered.

Colors have Meaning

Besides each flower representing its own meaning, there are colors to consider as well; since each color signifies a different emotion. Here’s a rundown.

Red – No matter the type of flower, when it comes to red it is about passion, love, and romantic energy.
Orange – As another vibrant color orange represents loving admiration and a sense of happiness, joy, and adventure.
Pink – Pink’s association to femininity makes it the color for innocence and gentility that is associated with deep love.
Yellow – The most commonly recognized color meaning is yellow which stands for friendship. This is not the color’s only meaning however, it also stands for trust, optimism, and compassion which make it the go to color for sympathy or get well soon arrangements.
Green – Green’s relationship to nature make this color represent harmony, balance, resilience, and good health making it another good choice for get well occasions.
Blue – Blue is the calming color among flowers. It helps calm anxiety while promoting openness and long-term love. Its calming effect makes it another go to flower for sympathy situations.
Purple – Purple, once associated with royalty, is the color of grace, dignity, admiration, and charm. Sending this color flower signifies that you have great admiration and deep intentions for the receiver.
White – White is the color of innocence, beauty, simplicity, and honesty. This color signifies pure love and fidelity.

A Different Flower for Each Occasion

There are flowers for each occasion, yet even more so for birthdays and anniversaries. Just as with gemstones, each month has its own flower.

January – Carnations
February – Violets
March – Daffodils
April – Daisies
May – Lilies
June – Roses
July – Larkspur
August – Gladiolus
September – Aster
October – Marigold
November – Chrysanthemum
December – Poinsettia

For other specific holidays you have, roses for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day would be carnations, Gerbera daisies, tulip, irises, or sunflowers, and Christmas is poinsettia, or amaryllis.

Anniversaries Come with Their Own Rules

As if there weren’t already enough holiday rules to remember when buying flowers for someone special, anniversaries add a few more by having specific flowers for each monument year. So verify your flower information before you simply pick up a dozen roses.

5 Years – Daisy
10 Years – Daffodil
15 Years – Roses
20 Years – Aster
25 Years – Iris
50 Years – Violets

There are plenty more occasions and rules besides the items listed here, so before you order your flower delivery Melbourne, check with your florist to insure that you are not making any significant faux pas. By doing so you will assure that you send the right flowers to signify your feelings and intentions without risk of misunderstanding.

7 Insanely Smart DIY Kitchen Storage Ideas

November 12, 2016 by Mandy

Kitchen storage can often prove tricky, with only so much space available to you to store all of your food, your crockery and your utensils. The other problems that you face in the kitchen is that you often have equipment such as smoothie-makers, pasta machines, doughnut makers or other such gadgets that are cumbersome but you only use once in a while, finding space for these can be tough. The key to kitchen storage ideas is to make the most of all the space that you have available to you, maximizing space is essential and here are some smart kitchen ideas to help you make the most of your storage.

Height over Floor Space

Using stand-alone shelving units are perfect for finding that extra space, they don’t take up too much space on the floor but they maximize the use of height in the kitchen. Try looking for something like an etagere with 5 or 6 shelves on it, these can be excellent to store your plates, cookery books, pans or even foods.

Swivel Stools

You can save a great amount of space with swivel stools if you have a breakfast bar or under-counter space. Instead of needing to put stools in your kitchen, these handy seats are attached to the side of your lower cabinets, pull them out when required and simply pop them back underneath when you are finished. A great idea that saves a great amount of floor space.

Knife Storage

Knife blocks can take up a lot of space on your worktop, space that can be better used for food preparation or other storage. Whilst you do need your knives handy, the block itself isn’t a requirement, ways to avoid this are either to put a magnetized strip on your wall so that your knives are always handy or simply place some wooden skewers in a glass or mint julep cups, make sure that they are packed tight and hey presto, you have your very own, space saving knife storage.

Table Space

When buying a table consider looking for one of the creatively made tables with storage space on each side, there are several of these tables available and they offer great options for additional storage. This additional space is perfect for condiments, cutlery and a whole range of other things that you are going to need at the table, they usually don’t take up any extra space than a normal kitchen tables and you should certainly looking at picking one up.

Using the Wall

If you have empty wall space in your kitchen then you should think about using it for additional storage, try adding a grill or a tool rack to the wall to hang pots and pans. Another great looking idea for this space is to hang some wicker baskets from your wall to keep anything you like in, they are easy to install, look great and save on space.

Pan Lids

Pots and pans can be easy to stack inside one another like Russian dolls but the problems that the lids can create is incredibly frustrating. A simple solution to this is to place metal bars inside your cabinet doors, the lids can fit perfectly behind them and clear the space for your pans to stack neatly.

Walk in Pantry

If you are fortunate enough to have a pantry then you should look to make the most out of it and not just use it for stacking goods. Depending on the size of your party space you should look to turn it into a mini kitchen with sideboards, pull out drawers and plenty of containers for storage, pantries are the best places to store things and the beauty is that it is all behind closed doors so if it is a little unsightly, it isn’t important.

Honorable Mention – Prepare Your Kitchen For Summer Guests!

Doing all the above is completely redundant if you don’t prepare for summer! A sweaty kitchen makes a sad and uncomfortable visit for your house guests and takes the gloss off all of your DIY work. For our Mommy readers roasting “Down Under,” we suggest investing in a New Edge Group commercial air conditioning Sydney residents speak so highly of. So there you go, your kitchen will be the envy of your entire neighbourhood, and you made it all by yourself!

How to Identify and Choose the Right Removalist

September 24, 2016 by Mandy

Moving house is one of the most stressful things for all the family. With this in mind it’s important to put moving whether from home to home or office to office, in the hands of removalist professionals.

A good removalist like Adlam Transport will know how to minimise the risk to personal belongings, furniture and appliances. Experts will make moving and storage simple whether it’s:-

Moving locally
Interstate
Office removals
Storage

Benefit from free packing and unpacking services which can help to make the entire moving process that much easier. There are also affordable, practical storage options for any items need to be transported at a later date, sweet as.

Top tips for choosing the right removalist

Here are a number of top tips of how to choose the right removalist.

The cost of moving house can vary so it’s important to consider the following factors when asking for a quote. When responding to an advert for a guy and a van, don’t expect anything else.

Does the company appear professional? Look at the staff, vehicles and service attitude.

Check out to see how long the firm has been operating.

Always ask for recommendations and testimonials from previous customers.

Is the company real? Do they have premises, do the staff wear uniforms and does the company logo appear on removal vehicles?

All of these things can be signs of an established removalist firm rather than people just trying to pick up extra cash there and then. When it comes to hiring a removalist word of mouth is the best recommendation. Ask family, friends, co-workers about removal companies they have used in the past.

Get it in writing

It’s a little unwise to proceed with any removal if there is no written agreement or contract. The sensible option is to obtain a no-obligation written quotation after a survey of exactly what goods need to be transported. Make sure all the details are correct and fully discussed. Generally, removal quotes are either at hourly rates or by volume, depending on the agreement. This should be clearly stated on the relevant documentation.

Do make sure the terms and conditions of the contract are clear. All costs must also be clearly stated on the written quote. Nobody wants to be hit with additional expenses on moving day, right?

Questions, questions

Don’t be afraid to ask questions regarding any items of concern, especially fragile and expensive goods. This could be:-

Antiques
Artworks
Valuable objects

Always use the services of reliable removalists who have experience in handling such items which in many cases may be quite valuable. Trusted removalist firms will also offer extras like:-

Insurance
Packing materials
Storage options
Cleaning

For an affordable, efficient, dedicated removalist service make contact with Adlam Transport. Leave everything in the hands of removals and storage experts so the moving day itself goes without a hitch.

5 Sure-Fire Tips to Save Money When Buying Blooms Online

September 21, 2016 by Mandy

Flowers are one of the most common gifts you can send to your loved ones. The feeling of receiving a bouquet of fresh flowers can make you truly happy. It allows you to feel special and at the same time loved by the one who sent it.

Apparently, there are a lot of stores out there where you can purchase various types of flowers. You can either choose between an online shop or a physical store. Either way, it depends upon your choice. Just make sure that you select one that offers a great deal and the flowers sold are really fresh and beautifully arranged.

And in case you decide to order online, choose a trusted website that delivers flowers wherever country you might be, like Australia, United States, or Europe. In fact, Fresh Flowers offers flower delivery to Sunshine Coast QLD. So, if you are to send a bouquet there, you can count on this flower shop.

Here are some ways on how you can save money in ordering flowers online:

Pick local and seasonal flowers

It will save you a lot if you choose to stay local and seasonal. These kinds of blossoms are guaranteed fresh and you are able to trim down expenses on transportation fees. In addition, you can also select year-round flowers, such as orchids, calla lilies, and roses.

Choose huge blossoms

Staying within the budget does not always mean that you go cheap. If you are to send flowers to your special someone, you can opt for luxe, big blooms. These flowers are then packed into a larger punch, which means you just need a few of them. However, if you are unsure of this, you can always ask your florist and find out about the pricing details later on.

Stick to two varieties

The fewer kinds of florals and foliage you use, the more affordable the cost will be. You have to stick to blooms that have the same shape or colour scheme for a more compact appearance. Some great flower options would include peonies, orchids, hydrangeas, tulips, calla lilies, and roses.

Exchange pricey stems

Once you are on a tight budget, ordering flower lookalikes is a great option. Simply trade those costly buds for reasonably priced kinds. You can discuss things with your florist and make sure that you are on the same page. Therefore, you have to choose a florist who is really trustworthy, provides you more options, and considers your budget.

Repurpose your blooms

When you want some blooms to be delivered to you, don’t simply put them on a vase and let them wilt after some time. You have to know how you can reuse them, so you can get the most out of your hard-earned money. On the other hand, if you received a bouquet, find other ways to repurpose it.

Indeed, it will help you save more cash when purchasing flowers online. Simply follow these helpful tips mentioned above and you will be able to make the most out of your elegant bouquet.