Converting Your Home into a Senior-Friendly Residence

Are your parents moving into your home due to their old age? Do you want to modify their existing home to suit their currenthealth needs? No matter what the reason, here is how you canconvert an existing residence into a senior-friendly abode:

Easy to Open Hardware

Although you may not have any issues turning a doorknob, but it is quite possible that your aging parents may feel pain when they twist the knob to open the door, especially if they are suffering from arthritis or other similar conditions. Replace yourtraditional door locks with level styled hardware that is easy to open. Levers also work best on faucets in place of twisting taps and rather than opting for toggle light switches, choose rocker switches that are illuminated at night so that your parents and other aged people can easily access the switches.

Firm Footing Floors

Slippery floors can be dangerous in a home where elderly people reside. This is why you need to install flooring that is slip-proof. You can add firmly placed mats or rugs on the floor if you do not want to modify the entire flooring. You will also need to eliminate all those spots where people may trip accidently. Thresholds, and thick carpets can be quite a hindrance for those elderly people who need to use a walker, and they will also be a cause for tripping for other aged persons.

Staircase Safety

Ideally, elderly people should be moved into a residence that is only on the ground level so that they will be able to avoidclimbing the stairs completely. However, if that is to possible,handrails should be installed on both sides of the stairs, theedges of each step should be carefully marked and plenty oflighting should be installed the stairwell so that your parents or other elderly people will be able to climb up and down the stairswith ease.

Lighting-Up the Home

Dark places become the cause for accidental bumps, trips, and falls. Thus, if you want to make your home senior-friendly, install plenty of light fixtures in every room and corner so that no one will face an accident due to the unlit corners present within the residence.

Shelves and Seating

Elderly people get tired easily, and this is why you need toprovide them with plenty of areas around the house where they can sit down or place the items they are holding to rest a little before moving forward.

Securing Bathrooms

Adding grab bars in the shower, near the toilet and the sink willhelp elderly people in the bathroom. It is best to install a shower cabinet instead of a tub, as it is easier to get into and come out of. Handle held showers allow for easy mobility and easy to open faucets with single settings allow elderly people to clean themselves without being burned or injured.

 

Using the modifications above will help you in not onlyconverting your home into a senior-friendly residence for your parents, but will also be of help to any other relatives or guests that your parents invite to their residence.

How to Find the Perfect Chandelier for Your Home

Do you want to enhance the beauty of a dull and dimly lit room? Are you looking for a focal point to attract the guests’ attentionwhen they walk in?

Chandeliers are jewels placed within the interior of your home.They are not only eye catching and exquisitely designed, but can also balance the play of lights within your interior to provideyou with a sufficiently bright room.

However, finding and placing the right chandelier in your home is not an easy task. It requires heavy deliberation and decision making on at least three aspects; the style of the chandelier, its size and its color scheme.

Style

Chandeliers are available in a variety of styles, from traditional and antique to modern and futuristic. However, the selection of the correct one demands that you analyze the overall theme and style of your home décor. You may prefer to contrast a modern interior with an antique chandelier or you may be in favor ofmetallic chandeliers that complement the modern touch in yourhome. The decision of staying true to one style or creating a blend is entirely up to you, so make sure that you are opting for the right chandelier for your abode.

Size

The perfect chandelier is well proportioned with regard to the room’s interior. It is of the right diameter, and height, having the correct number of arms to make it a focal point of the roomwithout overcrowding it.

There are some simple formulas that can help you indetermining what height and diameter is the best in accordancewith the space available in your room. Higher ceilings may have low hung chandeliers, and chandeliers placed over tabletopsmay be significantly higher than usual to provide enough space between the table and the lighting fixture.

It is important to remember that the more arms the chandelier has, the more lighting it will provide. Thus, the number of arms that you find perfect for your particular space; are dependententirely on the amount of light you require within the room.

Color

Colors bring highlights and dramatic effects into the room. Do you want your chandelier to blend with the interior of the room or are you looking for an impactful piece that will contrast the color scheme and stand out when you enter the room?

With regard to the color of your chandeliers, you also need to give high priority to the details and textures that are available, along with deciding how transparent or opaque you want yourlighting fixture to be. Modern interiors however, look best with brightly colored chandeliers and the most fashionable chandeliers are of transparent glass, opaque white and opaque black.

Other Important Factors

Aside from the above-mentioned top three factors, some other factors to consider when buying the perfect chandelier include the position of the chandelier within a room, the number of chandeliers to include in one room and so on.

Finding the right chandelier is a time consuming task, but can provide your home with more elegance and beauty, so begin your search today!

Creating an Office within Your Home

Working from home is a choice for some people and mandatory for others. However, regardless of the circumstances that compel you to work from inside your home, you need to arrange and organize an office area within your residence so that you can carry on with your work without interruptions and difficulties.

Your home office does not need to be a large area or even within a separate room. If you have a bare space beneath your stairs orin the corner of your room, you can also use that area to convert it into your personalized office.

Want to know how to achieve this conversion? Below are some tips and tricks to create a functional and effective workplace within your residence:

- Avoid adding distractions to your workspace and keep a set distance between work and personal life. Do not add yourtelevision, your gaming console, or your novels to your office desk, as they will only be a waste of your working hours.

- Use natural light to the maximum if you can, by adding windows or opening the curtains in your home office. When natural light in unavailable or insufficient, install additional lights and bulbs to create a bright environment in which you can work easily.

- Invest in good quality and comfortable seating arrangements. Find a desk that can accommodate all of your office supplies along with your computer and purchase a chair that can be adjusted to varying heights and is comfortably built for long hours of seating.

- Built or buy additional shelves, cabinets, drawers oranything else that might help you in storing your office files and documents properly. Expand your storage space as needed and keep your office organized.

- Keep yourself updated with the latest technological gadgets and software that can help you in working faster and more efficiently. Using your resources to your advantage is a part of efficient working, so make the most of technology to get its benefits.

- Add a bit of inspiration and personal touches to your workspace. Use photographs, plants or any other decoration item that suits the theme of your office space. Yourdecoration should not distract you from work, but rather, it should inspire you to work even when you do not want to continue with it.

In order to use these tips and create your own office space, designate an area within your home where you will build it. You can work well even in a small area if you have good air ventilation and lighting, inspiring décor, and comfortable seating.

Home offices can be created beneath a staircase with a desk and chair, along with shelves for storage. They can also be organized within a spare bedroom or in an old walk-in closet. Some people also use screens and curtains to create dividers in their rooms and use the separated space as a working space.

Choosing the ideal location for your office depends on you, so find the right area within your residence for a home office, andcreate a personalized yet professional corner for your working hours.

How to Create a Child-Friendly Interior

Families who have little children usually take great pains tomake their homes safer and more secure for their little ones. However, from their checklist, there is always something that remains undone.

Being reckless about the safety of your children can lead to many accidents and problems. If you want to know how tochildproof your home, consider the tips given below:1.

Make Safety a Priority

On a daily basis, there are many things that we leave on the flooror on low tables that can be easily picked up by little childrenwho may harm themselves with these items. Make a habit of putting things in their place and keep all dangerous kitchenutensils, such as, knives and forks; out of reach of your children. This rule also applies to every other belonging you have within your home that might harm your little ones.

Furthermore, there are many electrical circuits placed near the floor or wires lying on the floor of our homes. Children are naturally curious; and will attempt to play with electricalswitches within their reach. Teach them not to touch these sockets and also neatly tie away all the wires, as children might pull of them and bring your appliances and electronics crashing down to the floor.2.

Build a Play Area for Your Kids

If you want to be at ease when you leave your kids to play on their own, create a safe play area for them where they can enjoy themselves without becoming injured or hurt. You can decorate this area with colors and toys to keep your children occupied while you are busy with your work.

Create Open Spaces

For homes with smaller kids, you need to rearrange your furniture so that your child will have enough space to crawl. It is best to clear a large area in your central living space as table legs, and other furniture pieces can become painful obstacles for crawling babies.

Decorate at Higher Levels

Do you love to display little decorative pieces in your home? All parents agree that home décor that a backseat when it comes to their children’s safety. Thus, if you want to decorate without the fear of accidents, place high shelves in your rooms and opt for wall décor. As long as your decorations are out of reach of the children, you can rest assured that you will have a home that is not only safe but also beautifully decorated.

Use Colors to Brighten Your Home

Having a child-friendly interior does not merely imply a homethat is safe for little children. It also means creating an abode where kids will be happy to live. The best way to spread happiness in a home is to change your monochrome walls into splashy and colorful canvases.

The use of color in the right way, at least in your children’s room, will provide them with a happier, livelier, and more cheerful environment.

 

Make use of these tips to improve your home décor, so that you can have a child-friendly interior that is safe and comfortable for your children.

Paul Mengert with Jim Collins

Friends: 

A few months ago, I had a great morning with Jim Collins, author of Good to Great. Collins teaches that great companies, organizations (including charities) or associations become "great" by staying highly focused. They are focused on their products, service or mission, their customers (or members) and/or their businesses. Those with a simple, concise mission tend to have more sustainable success than those which are less focused. 

    Jim Collins (left) with Paul Mengert, President - Association Management Group, Inc.

Collins preaches and I want to share with my friends, clients a colleagues a set of characteristics he has found to be common among the most successful organizations:

      - Passionate about their products or services;

      - Non complacent;

      - Non ego-driven; and 

      - Embrace change.

Think about how these concepts apply or can apply to your organization:

Leadership - Principled leadership trumps charisma and mixes humility with professional will. Ego-driven leaders tend to lose sight of their goals, while accomplished leaders put the organization/association/business goals ahead of personal ones. Leaders must take responsibility and have the courage to execute what must be done and not compromise high standards.

Talent is the Key - Great organizations remove the wrong people from their team and refuse to compromise quality. Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems and remember people are often brilliant at one thing but not everything.

Confront Facts - Instill a no blame culture, where the real problems can be discussed openly. Organizations must discuss real problems and adapt quickly to changing conditions.

Hedgehog Concept -- Three Interlinking Circles:

1) What are we deeply passionate about?

2) What are our strongests strengths? 

3) What drives our economic engine?

Great organizations are focused on where these three circles (concepts), where they overlap.

Discipline - Organizations that want to truly outpace their competition set and hold high standards, with commitment not only to do the right things but to stop doing things that are key to their missions.

Technology - Technology can't make one a leader, but can help one reach his/her goals. Technology isn't a culture, but adapt quickly to ever evolving technologies.

While every situation is different, these concepts can be applied to most and when done consistently, seem to lead to superior results.

Posted by: Paul Mengert, President - Association Management Group, Inc.

Expert Clothing Care: Tips and Ideas to Keep Your Clothes in Good Shape

From the kind of clothes you wear to their wear and tear condition, your apparel signifies many aspects of your personality. They don’t only have an intrinsic worth, but are also important because of their price tags. To keep your investment in a good shape, here are some tips from the experts:

Read Labels

Not reading the care instructions on your clothes is probably the biggest laundry mistake one can ever make. Do not treat all fabrics and clothes, and designs equally. Always read the labels before washing or ironing, as some pieces require more care than others do. If it says wash in cold water, there is probably a reason why manufacturer had put up this label.

However, as you start doing your laundry more frequently, you can make a few adjustments based on your experiences. For instance, some knit wears can be hand washed rather than dry cleaning, while hand-wash labeled clothes can be machine-washed on a gentle level.

Sort your Laundry before Washing

Did you ever notice a red stain on your white shirt? It is probably because light and dark colored clothes were thrown into the washer together. As the clothes jiggle with one another,a silk blouse maybe torn because of a jagged zipper jacket.

In addition to that, the appropriate drying temperature of each fabric may differ from one another. Sorting your clothes will ensure that each piece is properly dried, and comes out of the washer as good as new.

Invest in a Stain Removal and Pre-treat Stains

The best way to get rid of stains is to treat them as early as possible. The convenient new stain removal pens and wipes can be easily carried in a handbag or car. Before applying it, make sure you read the instructions on the package to avoid further damage. Do not expect magic, as even after applying the formula, it is still necessary to launder carefully to get rid of the ugly stain.

See if You Have Stain Removal Options in Your Washer

Many washers these days come with the advance technology of treating stains with multiple temperatures and spin settings. If you have the option, make use of it. Read the manual for perfect results.

Button and Zip Up

To avoid clothes snagging with one another, always button and zip up your clothes before placing into the washer. For better results, turn them inside out, as it will avert fading on the front design, print, or damage embellishment.

Tip: Always mend any tears before washing as machine washing can further increase the tears, thus making it impossible to fix.

Use the Correct Type of Hanger

Hanging your clothes in a thin-wired hanger may stretch and de-shape the fabric from the shoulders (especially in case of knitted clothes). All button-down shirts should be hung with buttons secured, while Suits and dresses are best hung on wide thick hangers.

Storage Space

Store your clothes in a dark space, away from direct sunlight.Sunrays can significantly fade away bright colors. Before storing, make sure everything is thoroughly dried as moist clothes attract mold and mildew.

Save Money on Home Improvement

If you are a homeowner, you probably have a long list of due renovations that are necessary to preserve the value of your property. Some redo jobs can certainly wait, however, do not take small improvements lightly for they can cause bigger damages in the longer run.

Always remember to check the guidelines and regulations for your community before starting a project.

When you talk about saving money, it does not mean you cannot have marvelous upgrades.

Prioritize

First, identify the areas where improvement is urgently required. The trick is to start from the very basic infrastructure elements such as floors, roofs, leakages, plumbing, paint, and stairs.Sensibly thinking, there is no use of investing in lavish granite countertops and pendant light fixtures when you have a leakage in the roof. It is advised that you focus on ‘sexy upgrades’ once you are finished with the ‘essential repairs’. Remember that you must not think ‘too much savings’ on high-priority projects because temporary fixes or inexpensive repairs might not last for a long time.

Fix structural plumbing and sewer drain related issues

One of the most expensive damage fixes are often related to water leakages, bathroom and kitchen plumbing, and sewer drainpipes. During summers, you need to get prepared for low-temperatures; and when the winter is about to get over, there is a need to take measures for rainy season and snow melting.

A professional gutter cleaning can avert problems such ascracked foundations, leaking roofs, bathroom and kitchenseepage, wood-damaging insects, and mildew in the basement. According to statistics, it takes about $181 to prevent future water related damages.

Think Energy Efficient Improvements and Remodeling

Now that you have decided to spend some money on home improvement, you should consider energy efficient systems to save money in the longer run.

- Get More Windows: The idea is to rearrange the windows in such a way that in bring in more sunlight.

- Opt for ‘Low-Flow’ water fixtures, as it will reduce your average monthly water consumption and help you save up to $ 145 annually. You can easily find low-flow showerheads at local home improvement stores for as low as $20.

- Insulating your house is another way to keep your house comfortable all year round. By keeping the house warmer in winters and cooler in summers, it can significantly reduce cooling and heating costs. According to Energy Star, an investment of $15 (per insulation roll) can yield up to 20% savings.

- Replace ordinary bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs.They are known to last 10 times longer than regular bulbs and save up to 6% on lighting costs.

- You might also want to upgrade your dishwasher as newer technology uses water more efficiently. It might be a littleexpensive; however, considering the energy savings, it is worth it.

Pay a Visit to Your Local Restore

You can find various useful home improvement products atHabitat for Humanity at minimal prices. In addition to that, donating your old fixtures, carpets, and other household appliances will be rewarded by reduction in taxes.

Tip

To avoid incurring major renovation costs, it is advised that you regularly check and inspect your house for minor repairs. Early fixes can prevent further and more costly damages.