Organize your Clothes Shopping Trips to Make the Most of your Budget

Some of us love it, some of us hate it.  Regardless, clothes shopping can be an expensive venture, and without proper planning and the careful consideration of certain factors, it can well turn into an exercise in futility, resulting in wasted time and money.  To make your clothing budget stretch as far as possible, consider a few of these points before making your shopping list.
Probably the most important thing to consider when purchasing your wardrobe is to find pieces that work for you.  A warehouse job does not dictate a three-piece suit, just as an office job does not dictate work boots or gloves.  Since you spend 1/3 of your day at work and sometimes more, it's important to have practical items in your closet that work for your job.
Make sure you try things on and buy the size that is right for you. You might be required to go down a size for some clothing lines, and up for others.  Pay attention to the way it looks and the way it fits, not what the sizing tag says.  Proper fitting clothes help you look better, and feel better as a result.  They'll also last longer if there are no stressed seams or are the correct length.
Build your wardrobe around basic elements.  Suits and separates can form the foundation of a great working wardrobe. Single and double-breasted long-sleeved blazers with matching skirts for women or pants for men or women are essential basics. Avoid using trendy clothes as building blocks for your wardrobe foundation, because one they become dated, it will cause the rest of your wardrobe to crumble as a result. Purchase basic building pieces in two or three colors that best complement your color and personal style to build your wardrobe.  You'll then be able to mix and match pieces to create various looks quite simply and affordably.
After you've obtained the basics in the colors and fit that's best for you, work on sorting your closet to make your morning routine simple and quick. Organize and categorize your clothing for easy selection and wearing. Hang jackets by sleeve length, color and garment length, or place near coordinating items to make finding a workable outfit easy.

Setting up a Home Office on a Shoestring Budget

Working from home is becoming a more popular option with many in today's workforce.  Whether you telecommute or have abandoned the rat race in favor of setting up your own home business,  or just simply need a place to land to take care of the bill paying and the home organization chores, a home office has become a necessary space in many homes. Whether you set up a corner office in your kitchen, designate a guest room to double as your office, or set up a location in your basement, it's crucial that your home office include all the elements that contribute to your productivity, efficiency and overall success.
But setting up a home office doesn't have to break your bank account. Very few of us can afford the luxury of having a professional organizer devise an office system for us. Don't despair; there are many creative ways to devise your space .
Maybe you are able to have a separate room for your office.  If so, that's great.  You'll have lots of elbow room.  But if you don't, there's lots of ways to utilize the space you can carve out for one.  Whatever space you choose, make sure it's a space that can be dedicated to your office, and doesn't double as an arts and crafts table for your kids or a workbench for your spouse's do-it-yourself projects on the weekends.
Take a look at your space and see what you can do easily and inexpensively to spruce it up and make it conducive to working from home.  Sometimes just a fresh coat of paint, some strategically hung pictures or some simple stencil work can brighten up an otherwise dreary corner.
Next, look around your house to see what furnishings you already have.  If there's a small unused table that could double as a desk, use it.  You've probably got a comfortable chair in your dining room that could work fine as an office chair.  Look around your home for some useable pieces that can be brought together successfully to create a comfortable and relaxing home office environment.
You may also already have book shelves, bins, baskets, boxes and a filing cabinet that could also be incorporated into your office.  If you don't already have office supplies available, visit your favorite office supply or discount store and stock up on a few needed items and get your space organized and ready to roll.

Organize your Closet on a Tight Budget

You don't have to spend a fortune on fancy closet organizing systems to organize your own closet, but it does require taking an honest look at your belongings and your habits.  With some creativity and some planning, you can create a closet that's organized and easy to maintain.

First of all, it's imperative that you take a look at what's currently in your closet before you can begin to organize it.  If there is clothes that haven't been worn in six months or more, worn out shoes, outdated handbags and accessories that you no longer use, get rid of them.  They are only taking up your valuable space.  You'll be pleasantly surprised just how much space you can free up by purging beforehand, and it also means less to contend with during the organization process.

Next, take a look at what you're left with.  Try to organize your clothes based on what groups together well as outfits.  Try to group like colors together, and organize shoes and accessories into casual, sport, professional and formal/dressy categories.

Now that you know what you're left with, it's time to place it back into your closet in a neat and organized fashion.  Look around your home for unused baskets and bins.  Consider installing a couple of extra shelves if the need warrants.  Affordable shelving units and brackets can be found in more home organization sections of your favorite hardware or discount store.

You can also make great use of your space simply by using lengths of chain to hang items on in your closet.  You can purchase plastic or metal chain in different lengths depending on your needs. Links should be large enough to accommodate your style of hanger - whether metal or plastic. Hardware or do-it yourself stores will cut the chain the length that you request. Attach the chain to your closet rod with a hook; these can also be found at the hardware or do-it-yourself store.  Or you can simply loop the chain over the hook of a sturdy coat hanger.  Hang clothing items, one hanger per link.  This simple, inexpensive method can help you store several items in the space of just one.

With a little discipline, some creativity, and a free afternoon, your closet will soon be organized, easy to use, and simple to maintain.

To Keep or not to Keep, that is the Question

There are many great reasons for having a yard sale.  Some people have yard sales before they move so they don't have to pack and ship belongings they aren't using.  Sometimes they are updating the look of their home and sell their old belongings to make money and room for the new ones. Sometimes your children just grow like weeds and rapidly outgrow both their clothes and their toys. It could also simply be the desire to purge all those items you've held onto for so long, thinking you'd find a use for them but never did. No matter what your reason, having a yard sale is a relatively easy goal to achieve and requires just a few hours of preparation and a few more hours actually selling your wares.  You'll reap both financial and emotional rewards from it.

Decide on a date for your yard sale, then get to work surveying the items you have.  When you're going through your house deciding what to sell, you'll have to be brutally honest with yourself.  If you haven't used it, don't like it, don't see yourself using it or don't know of anyone personally who could benefit from it, then it's a yard sale item.  Sort through every dresser and kitchen drawer, every clothes and linen closet, every cupboard and toy box you have in your house.  Don't forget your basement, attic, pantry, entertainment center, buffet and outdoor tool shed as well. If an item belongs to a family member, don't make the decision for them. Get their input before placing an item in your yard sale box.  Regardless of the time it takes to sort through all your items, make the commitment to stick with it and remind yourself on a continual basis the monetary profit and emotional relief you'll feel once your clutter has been cleared from your home.

Once the sale is over, make another commitment to yourself not to bring the unsold items back into your home.  Make arrangements with your local rescue mission or charity thrift store to donate the items.  Most will be happy to make arrangements to pick up large donations as well as provide you with a tax receipt reflecting your generous donation.

Once it's all said and done, you'll have some extra pocket change, and can breathe an emotional sigh of relief that the clutter that's been weighing you down for so long has been purged from your home.  Renew your commitment to remain organized and to combat the clutter demon on a continual basis.

Turn your Junk Drawer into your Neat Drawer

We're probably all guilty of having at least one junk drawer somewhere in our house.  This is the drawer that started out as a helpful drawer that kept all the handy items in one place like tape, tacks, buttons, safety pins, and so forth in one central location, but turned into the drawer where other things manage to accumulate when people don't know where they go or don't feel like taking the time to put them away properly.  Get this drawer (or drawers) back into useful mode again by using a few simple steps to bring things back under control.
First of all, in order to clean it out, you've got to empty it out.  Remove everything.  Place a piece of paper or tea towel down to protect your countertop or table surface, and literally dump the drawer on top if possible. Otherwise make sure all items are placed on this protected surface.
Once it's out of the drawer, it needs to be sorted.  Group all similar items together, and if you can't determine what something is or if it's needed after consulting with others in your family, get rid of it.  If there are things in this drawer belong in another location, be sure they are put away promptly.  Clean the drawer completely and wipe dry.  Afterwards, lay a fresh drawer liner or contact paper inside.
The next trick is devising a simple, workable organized system that everyone in the family can use.  Ice cube trays, egg cartons, small boxes or even 35-mm film containers work well to store small things in.  If you cannot see into it to determine its contents, make sure it's clearly labeled.  Small plastic sandwich bags are ideal for organizing and storing rubber bands, thread, and string.  If you store glues or other adhesives in this drawer, make sure they have lids that are secured.  It might also be a good idea to get into the habit of storing them inside a plastic storage bag in order to avoid a mess down the road should the lid become unsecured in the shuffle or is not properly tightened after use.
Most importantly, encourage your family to keep the drawer organized and neat. If it's properly maintained, there should be no need to shuffle through the drawer looking for things, creating an even bigger mess to clean out yet again in a few months.

Think Green when you Clean

We all want to do our part in ensuring our environment stays as safe and healthy as possible for our children and future generations to come.  Many people don't stop to think how their household cleaners can affect the environment, and how toxic they can make the immediate environment of your home.  With some careful forethought, planning and effort, your home can be cleaned safely and effectively, sparing the environment, your home, family and pets from toxic chemicals and fumes.

Most people firmly believe that surfaces in their homes must be disinfected on a continual basis to prevent illness and the spread of disease.  But the truth is most areas of your home don't need to be disinfected to prevent the spread of germs.  This includes your bathroom. Mild detergents, hot water, and some elbow grease can generally do the trick.

The exception to this rule is the kitchen.  Anything involved in food preparation should be completely scrubbed down and disinfected with each use.  This includes food preparation surfaces, utensils, cleaning clothes, and sponges.

When shopping for cleaning products, pay special attention to those with the words poison or danger on the label. These words indicate the highest level of hazard, under federal law. Products labeled with the words caution or warning can present a moderate hazard and should be regarded with care.  Always read labels and follow the directions.
Never mix cleaning products, such as those containing chlorine with those containing ammonia.

Consider using products such as vinegar, baking soda, and mild detergent when cleaning your home.  If you have questions about how to properly dispose of toxic household cleaning chemicals, contact your local health department or county sanitation office for advice and assistance. Most areas provide a household hazardous waste collection site for residents to properly dispose of such items.

5 Quick Gardening Tips to Save You Money

It’s easy to spend a fortune every year creating a beautiful yard. These five tips can help save you money in both this, and future gardening seasons.

1. Plan your vegetable garden according to what your neighbors are planting so you can share your vegetables when they’re ready for eating. Often I’ve had too many of one kind of vegetable I couldn’t give away because my friend’s were ripe at the same time.

2. Select perennials rather than annuals for your flowerbeds. As they multiply each year, cut them back and exchange with your friends so you both have lovely gardens and save money at the same time.

3. Compost your kitchen scraps, as well as your coffee grounds.  The end result is much better than any potting soil you can ever get buy from a nursery or hardware store. The price is right, and this is definitely recycling!

4. Instead of using mulch, try pebbles or small rocks in your garden as ground cover.  This will save you lots of cash since you won’t need to buy mulch in the spring and fall of every year.

5. Spend more money now by purchasing better quality gardening tools and you will save in the long run.  They will last for years, saving you dollars because you don’t need to replace them every planting season.  Same goes for gardening gloves- make sure you buy the best you can afford so they last all season.

Happy Gardening!

3 Easy Tips for Successful Container Gardening

Here are several tips for creating a wonderful hanging basket or container this summer.  The first is to use an artificial soil composed mostly of peat moss.  Good soils such as Fafard or Pro-Mix use perlite, peat, and other ingredients to produce a soil that will not compact over the summer.  Real garden soil compacts and turns into concrete under the pressure of regular watering.  And when it does, plant roots stop growing because they require good open spaces to move into and absorb nutrients.  Hard, compacted soils do not grow good plants so do not use real soil in your containers.  I re-use my artificial potting soil from year to year.  I dump it out of the pot. Chew it up with a shovel to cut up all last year’s roots and add approximately 10 % by volume of compost. The compost increases air spaces and gives plants a boost in healthy nutrition.

Feed your plants weekly.  Nitrogen, the engine of plant growth, is water soluble and as you water your containers from the top the dissolved nitrogen is leaving from the bottom.   I use a fish-emulsion liquid feed with seaweed to provide all the trace nutrients my plants require and recommend it highly.  You can use any liquid plant food (like Miracle Grow or Shultz) to promote growth.  Compost tea is the Cadillac of liquid plant food and if you make your own compost tea, your plants will respond with bigger and better blooms as well as increased vigour.

And finally, no matter the size of the container, it is important to soak it all the way to the bottom at each watering.  Continue watering until water emerges from the pot bottom.  This ensures the roots can reach all parts of the container and grow properly.

Flower Gardening

Flower gardening is becoming more and more popular every day.  Flowers can brighten everyone’s day, they smell nice, and are a great hobby.  Flower gardening is simple, inexpensive, and loads of fun.  Flower gardening can be done for yard decoration, simply as a hobby, or even professionally.
There are some decisions that have to be made before even flower gardening can be started.  You must decide if you want annuals that live for one season and must be replanted every year, or perennials that survive the winter and return again in the summer.  When buying and planting, pay attention to what kind of flowers thrive in your climate as well ass the sun requirements.
When flower gardening, you must decide what type of look you want before planting.  For instance, mixing different heights, colors, and varieties of flowers together in a “wild-plant style” will give your garden a meadow look and can be very charming.  If short flowers are planted in the front of your garden and work up to the tallest flowers in the back you will have a “stepping stone style”.
You can order seeds for flower gardening from catalogues or buy them from a nursery.  Most people will go to the nursery and buy actual flowers and then transplant them.  After you have prepared your garden area and bought flowers, it is a good idea to lay the flowers out in the bed to make sure you like the arrangement and that they will be spaced properly.
One of the easiest processes in flower gardening is the planting/ if you have seeds just sprinkle them around in the flower bed.  For planting transplants dig a hole just bigger than the flower, pull the container off, and set the flower in the hole right side up.  Cover it with the loose soil and press down firmly, then water.
     
Maintaining a flower garden is even easier than planting one.  Although they might make it on their own, a bag of fertilizer applied in the early spring is a good idea.  Pinch back any blooms after they start to fade and keep them good and watered.  To save yourself work during the next season of flower gardening, rid your garden of all debris and spread out organic nutrients like peat moss or compost.  Don’t forget to turn over the soil to properly mix in the fertilizer and rake smooth when finished.  If you have perennials planted be careful not to disturb their roots in this process.
     
Flower gardening is as easy as 1, 2, and 3: simply decide what to plant; plant it, and water, water, water!  Flower gardening is undoubtedly gaining in popularity and gives anyone excellent reason to spend some outdoors and test out their green thumb.

Fall Gardening

Many gardeners do not even consider fall gardening because of the winter frosts that might make an early appearance.  On the contrary, fall gardening will result in excellent vegetables and will extend crops long after spring planted plants are finished.  Vegetables produced from fall gardening are sometimes sweeter and milder than those grow in the summer and offer a brand new taste to the same old veggies.

What you choose to grow during you fall gardening will depend on your available space and what you like to eat, just like spring plants.  Even the crops that enjoy the heat, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, and peppers, will produce until frosts hit, which can be pretty late in the year in southern areas.  However, there are some plants that will quit towards the end of summer like snap-beans, summer squash, and cucumbers.  If these vegetables are planted around the middle of the summer they can be harvested until the first frosts as well.  Hardy, tough vegetables will grow until the temperature is as low as 20 degrees, but those that aren’t as strong will only be able to grow through light frosts.  Remember that if you have root and tuber plants and the tops are killed by a freeze the edible part can be saved if a large amount of mulch is used.

When fall gardening, make sure and pick the vegetables with the shortest growing season so they can be full grown and harvested before the frost arrives.  Most seed packages will be labeled “early season”, or you can find the seeds boasting the fewest days to maturity.  You may want to go after your seeds for fall gardening in spring or early summer; they are usually not kept in stock towards the end of summer.  If they are stored in a cool and dry location they will keep until you are ready to plant.

In order to know exactly when the best time to start fall gardening, you must know about when the first hard frost will hit your area.  One of the best ways to tell this is by a Farmer’s Almanac.  They will give you exact dates and are rarely wrong.  You will also need to know exactly how long it is going to take your plants to mature.

To get your soil ready for fall gardening you must first remove any leftover spring/summer crops and weeds.  Crops leftover from the last season can end up spreading bacteria and disease if left in the garden.  Spread a couple of inches of compost or mulch over the garden area to increase the nutrients, however, if spring plants were fertilized heavily it may not need much, if any.  Till the top layer of soil, wet it down, and let it set for about 12-24 hours.  Once this has been done, you are ready to start planting.

Many gardeners will run from fall gardening so they don’t have to deal with frosts, but if tough, sturdy vegetables are planted they can withstand a few frosts and give you some wonderful tasting produce.  Fall gardening gives you the chance to enjoy your vegetable garden for at least a little bit more time.

Choosing Your New Bathtub

Are you a homeowner?  If so, if you could change one thing about your bathroom, what would you like to change? If you are like many other homeowners, there is a good chance that the bathtub was your response.  In the United States, there are a fairly large number of homeowners who wish that they had a new bathtub.  If you are one of those individuals, did you know that you don’t have to wish any longer? If you want a new bathtub, you should get one.  Making a new bathtub part of your kitchen remodeling project isn’t as difficult as it may seem.

Perhaps, the first step in choosing a new bathtub is determining how much money you can afford to spend on one. If you are also remodeling the rest of your bathroom, it is important that you not only focus on the cost of a new bathtub, but also the cost of your other supplies. If you mistakenly spend too much on a new bathtub, the rest of your bathroom remodeling plans could suffer. Also, you will likely find that having a bathtub limit or budget is the best way to save time while shopping. Knowing how much money is too much to spend will prevent you from wasting your time, by examining bathtubs that you cannot even afford.

It is also a good idea to determine, ahead of time, how your new bathtub will be installed.  If you are planning on having a professional install your new bathtub for you, you will need to keep the extra costs in mind. Although you may want to avoid paying a professional contractor, you may need to. There are a number of bathroom contractors who specialize in replacing bathtubs. In fact, some, literally, just place a new bathtub right over the old one.  It may be possible for you to do this yourself, but, in most cases, you will find that a professional contactor could have your new bathtub installed in as little as a few hours.

Regardless of whether you choose to install your own bathtub or have a professional do it for you, you will need to find a new bathtub to purchase.  If you are looking to have your old bathtub completely removed, you will likely find that you have more options.  When a new bathtub replaces an old bathtub, the tubs need to be about the same size or style. Therefore, if you are remodeling your bathroom with the hopes of getting a “new,” bathroom, you may be looking for something different.  Luckily for you, you still have an unlimited number of options.

In the United States, the most commonly installed types of bathtubs include traditional ones, which are also known as standard tubs. These bathtubs are often connected right to the wall, placed in a corner, and sit directly on the floor.  What is nice about most traditional bathtubs is that they are relatively affordable.  You can purchase a traditional bathtub for as low as two hundred dollars.  If you are looking for comfort, instead of price, you may want to look into spa-like bathtubs or even massage bathtubs. These bathtubs, as you may assume, cost more than most others.  Many massage bathtubs or spa-like bath tubs retail for around one or two thousand dollars.  If you are looking for a trendy, stylish bathtub, you may prefer to own a freestanding bathtub. Freestanding bathtubs can cost as low as five hundred dollars, but they can also reach into the thousands.

Once you have decided which type of bathtub you would like to purchase, you will need to decide on a particular tub. Perhaps, the best way to do this is to start your shopping. You may find it easier to make a decision when you can see bathtub displays set up.  For a wide selection of bathtubs, including displays, you are advised to checkout one of your local home improvement stores.

Choosing a New Shower Stall

In the United States, a large number of homeowners only have a bathtub in their homes. Most bathtubs really aren’t just bathtubs; many also double as showers.  As nice as it is to only have one bathroom fixture, especially one that can do two jobs, you may be looking for more. If you are looking to remodel your bathroom, you may want to think about purchasing yourself a new bathtub.  Unfortunately, you will find that not all bathtubs double as showers; therefore, you may also be in the market for a new shower stall.

Perhaps, the most important thing to remember, when looking to buy a new shower stall, is the amount of space that you have available.  If you are going from one bathtub to a bathtub and a standalone shower, there is a chance that you may be limited on space.  If that is the case, you may find your options to be somewhat limited. That is unless you are planning on remodeling your entire bathroom. If you are planning on changing your entire bathroom around, it may be easier for you to find and purchase the shower stall of your choice, without having to worry about whether or not it will even fit in your bathroom.

Once you have decided that you would like to purchase a new bathroom shower stall, as well as how large of one you can purchase, you will need to start shopping for your shower. Although you may expect to find everything that you need all in one place, it may be a little bit difficult to do. Although there are a number of retailers, particularly home improvement stores, that sell standalone shower kits, there are others who do not. If you are unable to find a retailer who sells shower kits, you may need to purchase all of your parts separately. The parts that you will need may include, but should not be limited to, a shower floor, shower walls, a shower door, as well as a shower head.

When it comes to buying a new standalone shower, there are many homeowners who go searching for the nicest looking standalone shower.  While there is a chance that you may be looking for the best, there is also a chance that may be remodeling your kitchen on a budget.  If so, you may be pleased to know that standalone showers come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles.  Whether you are looking a trendy looking standalone shower or the most affordable one, there is a good chance that you will be able to find exactly what you were looking for. Just in case you were wondering, most standard standalone showers start selling for around two or three hundred dollars, and from there the prices goes up.

As previously mentioned, most home improvement stores, both on and offline, carry a selection of shower supplies, including supplies that are grouped into packages or kits. Therefore, if you are looking to have a new standalone shower in your home, it may be a good idea to shop at one of your local home improvement stores.  In fact, home improvement stores, especially large ones, are known for their displays. In order to find the perfect shower for your soon to be remodeled bathroom, you may want to see these displays; however, if the displays are not as important to you, you may also want to think about shopping online.  Regardless of whether you shop, whether it be online or locally, you will want to try and find shower kits or packages.  These kits and packages are not only convenient, but they may also save you money.

Once you have found and purchased the standalone shower of your choice, you may want to start installing it right away.  Since most standalone shower kits come with instructions, you should easily be able to install your own shower, even if you have no prior home improvement experience. What could be better than having a new shower installed and saving money at the same time?

Bathroom Accessories and Toilet Brush Caddies

Toilet brush caddies make up nice bathroom accessories. The caddies are idea, since if you just leave the toilet brush lying in the floor it dirties up your room. In addition, if you do not clean brushes after using them in the toilet, it can build up residue and leave a foul smell. As you can see, toilet brush caddies are nice necessities.

How to choose toilet brush caddies?
Musa, Chateau, Home, Outline, Wind, and Freestanding make a nice selection of toilet brush caddies. If you are searching to accomplish organic embellishments, you may like the crystal glass selections. The glass wear is sometimes structured with pure brass and wood wenges. Musa just created the latest wall-mounting caddies. You will find the latest chrome polish styles and the satin nickels.

How do I choose a caddy to match my bathroom?
The caddies made by Musa, i.e. most designs are crafted to fit any modern bathroom. The items are shipped from foreign legions, i.e. Italy. The items are basic, yet it will bring a classy style to your modern bathroom.

The toilet caddies come with accessories. Few companies sell with the item, wood wenges trims, tumblers, soap dish, and other holders. Most items sold by Musa are made of purely cut brass. Clear crystal glass is gorgeous and will fit any room. I mentioned that the caddies are designed for most modern bathrooms, yet the item will match nearly any style in Victorian rooms, regal baths, country style, and more. You may not want to choose the item to install in child baths, unless the children are older.

How do I choose other bathroom items that go with the caddy?
You have a list of items to select, including the glass corner and vanity shelves, tissue holders, robe hooks, towel bars, soap dish, tumblers, and so on.

How do I choose items designed by Chateau?
I am not partial to silver, yet Chateau made the latest brush caddies that attracts the eye. The latest brush caddy is polished in both chrome and brass. You will find a variety of matching hooks as well, which include polished brass, chrome, combo, and the brush nickel. If you choose the combination of gold and chrome, try mixing it with the chrome and brass polished hooks.

You can also mix the brass/chrome caddies with towel bars, designer mirrors, robe hooks, glass holders, and more. The item comes from Sweden, which the country’s crafters has proven faithful in designing elegant bathroom accessories.

If you intend to purchase the chrome/brass caddies, you may want to purchase a gold bath tissue holder, and a vanity glass shelf. The combination will make your guest think you are living high on the hog. If you do not like the glass vanities, then consider the décor mirrors that light up and mount on your wall.


Freestanding has a nice selection of brush caddies also. The gold are nice, yet in images it stands out loudly. I am a gold fan, i.e. I like gold tones, shades, colors, etc, yet the color in this instance is a bit disturbing to the eye. In this instance, you may want to consider the Oil Rub Bronze-Plate designed with steel. As I look at the image, I feel that the brush caddy would look nice in an antique atmosphere.

I love the wind so I had to check out the images designed by Wind Collections. The brush caddies are nice if you like chrome with spurts of gold. One of the bathroom accessories you want to consider with this series is the shower corner baskets.

Bathroom Accessories and Wicker

How to choose wickers

When doing your bathroom you might want to think about adding a few wicker baskets to set off the environment. Wicker is a wonderful accessory to any room in your house. All sorts of wonderful ideas came from the creation of wickers. Wicker can last forever, as well, the products are easy to maintain.

How do I know what wicker to select?
When choosing your wicker all you have to do us chose the color and style. The reason for that is wicker baskets are made of the same materials. Some baskets are painted however, which sets them apart from the rest. You can find a selection of colors, such as the blue baskets, black, brown, white, and so on.

How do I know which wickers are best suited for my bathroom?
You have a wide selection of wastebaskets, towel hangers, wicker stands, wicker shelves, and more to choose. Few wall frames are also made of wicker. Therefore, you must ask, do you want to hang pictures? Do you intend to use the wicker to store accessories? Do you need shelves to store linen and towels? Understanding your purpose can help you make the right choice. When choosing the colored baskets, you also want to think about the texture, patterns, style, and colors in your bathroom.

How do I take care of wicker materials?
When taking care of wicker it very easy.  You can just throw it in the bathtub to wash it or even take it outside and use the garden hose to clean it. Let the basket dry in the sun and you are good to go.

How do I find wicker baskets, shelves, etc?
Shopping for wicker is easy, since most stores you visit have wicker baskets, shelves, stands, frames, wastebaskets, and more. The smaller stores may only have the smaller items, such as the shelves, wastebaskets, towel hangers, and so on. Larger stores often sell a wider variety of wickers. The Internet is your choice, since you can search for wicker sold worldwide.

How will the wickers look in my bathroom?
You can find some old pictures to hang on the wall to bring out the affect of the wicker.  Wicker is supposed to look rough and old looking so anything you store in wickers will look good. Even if you hang ole’ wicker picture frames, and throw a rug on the floor you can rest assure that the room will look good. In addition, if you have an antique room, country room, Victorian style, or other bathroom design, it doesn’t matter because wicker looks good. In fact, wicker is probably one of the single most sold items that looks good no matter what.

How costly is this wicker?
Wickers do not cost a lot when compared to other bathroom accessories. In fact, you can purchase wicker baskets for as little as $1.

It depends on where you shop. In addition, you can shop around at yard sales and I will almost promise that nearly everyone you visit will have wicker items.

When your bathroom is done in wicker, you will love the affect that it can bring out. It’s always a good choice, especially when using them as bathroom accessories. While wicker looks good no matter where you put it, I feel that wicker benefits best in country settings, or natural surroundings.

How do I use my wicker items?
It depends, if you purchased a picture frame, you can store pictures, documents, achievements, and more in the frames. If you purchased baskets, you can store bathroom accessories, such as toiletries, towels, soaps, and more.

Why You Should Have a Garden Fountain

Commonly, people set up garden fountains for the welfare of the natural ambiance
it offers. Somehow, being around a beautiful scene of water feeds
you with  positive energy. And this is great for the people ho  practice Tai Chi or some
sort of yoga or meditation. The steady drone of the water is precisely
what most folks need to focus on what they're doing. Even if
You are not into that sort of stuff, just living in a garden with a Garden fountain
has a kind of meditative character to it, even if you are not trying to do
so. I advice it to anyone.

As you first determine to put in a fountain, you want to put a lot of care
into choosing one that will fit with the balance of your garden. Whenever
you have any other ornamentations, you would like to consider if it goes good with
your motif. Does the garden fountain you are thinking of stand out in your garden
like a painful thumb, or does it appear like it was meant to be there? If
You are like me, you can not naturally tell whether the fountain will be a
fine add-on to your garden by merely by looking at it. And so my answer was to
bring my mother (a  born natural at fashion design and that sort of things) along
with a image of my garden to the garden shop. I was able to get her skilled
judgment, in addition to that i can  see for myself what it would appear like. By doing this
I was able to pick a fine-looking stone fountain that goes terrifically with
the balance of my garden.

Nevertheless, I still had a slim problem with providing my fountain with
electricity. You see, my garden Is not near to my home. I believed it would
look pretty nasty  to run an extension cord over my back yard, and so I had to
think up another answer for my problem. I talked over my problem with a professional,
and he rapidly found me the precise solution I wanted:
an extension cord intended for to being buried! Altogether it took was a a couple of hours of
digging out a small ditch across my backyard, and I had electricity to my fountain
without an ugly cord coming across my yard. After I got over this
Small hitch, my garden fountain plan went great.

So if you are seeking a way to form your garden into a more fashionable and
beautiful place to be, I hope you think of installing a garden fountain. The
Whole thing  is astonishingly cheap, and I believe that you'll be
very pleased with the results.

What do you grow in a greenhouse?

Once you’ve got your greenhouse ready, it can be difficult to know exactly what to grow. All sorts of things will grow in a greenhouse, and most will grow at least a little better than they would outside it, but there isn’t much point in doing all that work just to end up with a crop of slightly bigger potatoes.

The two things that most people grow in greenhouses are tomatoes and cucumbers, as they grow quite badly outside but very well inside. They are also easy to grow, as the seeds available are of such high quality: often you will be able to grow quite good tomatoes and cucumbers even if you’re too useless at gardening to even follow the instructions on the seed packet properly.

After a while, though, this gets dull. So what should you do next? The answer is that you should get a little more adventurous with what you grow in your greenhouse. Strawberries are a good start, as they are very nice, expensive in shops, but not too difficult to grow yourself. Other bush fruits such as raspberries and blackcurrants also work well in a greenhouse.

Once you’re a greenhouse pro, though, the hardest thing to try is a melon. There’s a reason why farmers have competitions to see who can grow the biggest melon: melon-growing is more of an art than a science, and it’s very difficult to master. Generally, the key is to give your melons as much support as you can: as soon as the plant starts growing, support it with a length of string tied to the roof of your greenhouse, and once melons start to appear, support them with string nets. One other thing to be aware of is that it is easy to accidentally drown melons if you water them normally, so you should set up an alternative system, such as a pipe leading directly to the plant’s roots.

Be Safe and Sound When Repairing or Remodeling your Home

Home improvement projects can be dangerous. Many tasks call for sharp tools or power tools that can cause injuries. You can't successfully repair or tackle home improvement projects your home if you're not careful.   With a little careful organization and forethought, even the most difficult home improvement tasks can be conquered safely and successfully.

Be sure to completely read the instruction manual for your power tools and follow the manufacturer's safety cautions. Tighten any adjustments and check that the guard is working before you operate a tool.  Keep power tools dry, and plug them into grounded electrical outlets. Take care not to cut the power cord. Never store your power tools while they are still connected to the power supply.

Keep fingers well away from a power blade. Clamp small pieces of wood before cutting them, rather than holding them. It's imperative to wear work gloves when you're handling rough materials such as wood, glass, or metal, but take them off when using a power tool so you have complete control over it.

Never use any kind of power tool without proper protective eyewear. Unplug a power saw before changing the blade or doing any other kind of maintenance or cleaning to it.
Learn how to properly support a board when you cut it with a power tool so it doesn't kick back towards you during use.

Always completely shut off power or water when working with the electrical wiring or the plumbing.  One of the first questions you should ask as a new homeowner is where your shutoffs are located.

When working on a ladder, don't lean out to either side. Keep your body weight between the sides of the ladder. It may take longer to get off the ladder and move it to reach farther, but it is well worth your time. Falls are one of the most common causes of injuries in the home.
If you're not used to the physical element of doing construction, remodeling, or renovation work, you might easily injure yourself or strain your muscles.  You may not even notice the aches and pains until you wake up the next day.  Don't take chances and overexert yourself when lifting heavy objects, or when repeatedly lifting lighter loads. Get a helper to do some of the work, and take plenty of breaks. Listen to your body's signals and realize when enough is enough.  Learn to bend and lift with the knees and not your back.
You're going to find a great satisfaction and pride knowing that you're able to safely and successfully accomplish repair, remodeling and renovation projects around your house as long as you're smart, safe, and keep yourself organized, focused and on task.

Beginning Recycling at Home

Every year, tons of material that could be recycled aren't, and end up clogging our already overwhelmed dumps, waterways and roadsides.  Most people think it's a difficult undertaking to organize a recycling center at home.  However, with some creativity and commitment, it can be easy to do.  You'll feel better about yourself doing your part to care for the environment as a result, too.

Find a convenient place in your home or apartment for the center. It doesn't take much
room for your recyclables. The garages, a storage closet, corner of the kitchen, or under your kitchen sink all make great locations.  Find and clearly label containers in which to store your recycled materials.  Plastic buckets, storage containers or even trash cans work great depending on the amount of room you have available.

Get your family actively involved in the recycling process.  Make sure they all are aware of what products can be recycled.  Teach them the difference between the aluminum can bin and the tin can bin.  While doing their weekly chores, teach them to be on the lookout for recyclable material lying around the house, and encourage them to place it in the proper storage bins.

Encourage them to come up with ideas for reducing the amount of recycled material that's consumed by your household.  Take them along with you to the recycling center in your neighborhood so they can witness the process firsthand.  Show them how they can reuse recyclable materials in their own organizational efforts at home.  Perhaps a large cardboard box can double as a bin for all their shoes, or a coffee can be repurposed as a penny bank.

And when they learn the money that can be both saved and earned from recycling and reusing products, they'll have developed an environmentally healthy and thrifty habit for life.  

Avoid the Avoiding Habit and Find More Time and Less Stress

Procrastination can creep in and easily become a habit. Once it does, it erodes your capacity to function effectively. But it can be a hard habit to break.  However, with some honest self-assessment and an organized and attainable plan of attack, it can be overcome successfully.
Be gentle with yourself when you decide to try and kick the procrastination habit.  It may be so ingrained that you don't fully recognize all the ways you actually procrastinate. Start out by taking a large or complicated task and breaking it down into smaller parts that you can accomplish easier.  It's important to bear in mind that the most difficult or complex tasks are simply just a series of smaller jobs.
Make a verbal commitment to someone else about improving your time management skills and your desire to avoid procrastinating. Allow others to become involved in your efforts by reviewing your progress, helping you set deadlines or evaluating your results can be very helpful.  This will most likely create a commitment on your part to fulfill the expectations they've set for you.
Sit down and map out a plan to manage your time more effectively.  When a deadline is looming, make sure you allot time each day to work on the project so it doesn't sneak up on you in the final hours or days.  Learn to ask for help when you're feeling overwhelmed or overworked.
Reward yourself for good behavior and accomplished goals. Don't wait until you've accomplished the ultimate goal, but reward yourself for your successes along the way.  Make sure the reward is something you like to do.  Treat yourself to the newest book by your favorite author and take the time to read it.  Indulge in bubble baths or relaxing music.  If you've gotten into the habit of working late, make sure you develop a new habit of going home on time each night.
By making a commitment to avoid the avoiding habit, you'll soon be well on your way to finding more time and find yourself more relaxed and productive and less stressed in the process.

Affordable No Sew Curtains for Your Home

If you're looking into adding some fresh decorative touches to your home, a good place to start is with your window treatments.  But it can be a bit daunting to your budget to purchase window treatments for an entire room.  However, there are many window treatment options available that you can do yourself, and you never even have to pick up a needle or thread a sewing machine. With a little imagination and some simple connectors, any piece of fabric can easily and quickly be transformed into a window treatment.  So find a fabric that suits your home décor and personal style, and choose something that already has finished edges, such as a vintage linen or printed sheet. Then choose a grommet, clip, hook, or cord to hang it with, and you'll have a beautifully simple and inexpensive window treatment that reflects your personal style and creativity.
Grommets, slipped over wall hooks, produce a simple, crisp window treatment. Generally, a hammer and a grommet tool works at least as well for setting just a few grommets.  The grommet prevents the hook from tearing through the hole. You can thread rayon cording through grommets and tie behind the grommets to create loops to hang from a wooden dowel or hooks above the window.

There are also stylish clips that can be found at flea markets and antique stores that simply latch onto the fabric.  Home decorating and import stores also carry clip-on rings to hang curtains from.

You can even use buttons on curtains.  Simply thread fine wire through the holes and sections of ribbon and simply twist the wire on the back side to create simple ribbon loops to hang the curtain with.

Let your creativity be your guide, and you can craft window treatments that reflect your personality and style.  You're only limited by your own imagination.

Attractive Arrangement of your Furniture Enhances your Room's Décor

Arranging the furniture in the right manner ensures that the room area is efficiently used.  A clever furniture arrangement can also highlight a favorite piece of furniture.  However, figuring out the best way to utilize space and create a comfortable atmosphere can be a difficult chore.  But with some planning and creativity, it can be accomplished easier than you think.
Before you move anything, you have to decide what the focal point of the room is going to be.  Focus your efforts around that location or item.  Before arranging furniture in the room, decide on what will be the focus of the room. Center your furniture arrangement around that focal point.   It can be anything; a fireplace, a picture window, a home entertainment center or a wall painting.
Chairs should be placed within about eight feet of each other to encourage conversation.  Position a table in such a way that it is easily accessible from every chair. Keep a light source near the seating area. Coffee tables should have a clearance of about 14 to 18 inches from the sofa. Side tables should be at least as tall as the arm of the chairs or sofa to make serving easy and discourage accidental spills. When arranging furniture, make sure you provide enough space to move around the room.
In a multipurpose room, arrange furniture in a way that you divide the room into separate living and dining spaces. A strategically placed screen or curtains hung from the ceiling are simple and inexpensive ways to accomplish this. Make sure the room stays balanced and that the sections or divisions don't fight one another.  Area rugs are a great way to define areas and groupings.  Small pieces can easily get lost in a large room, so be sure to group them with larger elements.

HYGIENE OF DIGESTION.

With the stomach and other digestive organs in a state of perfect health, one is entirely unconscious of their existence, save when of feeling of hunger calls attention to the fact that food is required, or satiety warns us that a sufficient amount or too much has been eaten. Perfect digestion can only be maintained by careful observance of the rules of health in regard to habits of eating.

On the subject of Hygiene of Digestion, we quote a few paragraphs from Dr. Kellogg's work on Physiology, in which is given a concise summary of the more important points relating to this:

"The hygiene of digestion has to do with the quality and quantity of food eaten, in the manner of eating it.

If the food is eaten too rapidly, it will not be properly divided, and when swallowed in coarse lumps, the digestive fluids cannot readily act upon it. On account of the insufficient mastication, the saliva will be deficient in quantity, and, as a consequence, the starch will not be well digested, and the stomach will not secrete a sufficient amount of gastric juice. It is not well to eat only soft or liquid food, as we are likely to swallow it without proper chewing. A considerable proportion of hard food, which requires thorough mastication, should be eaten at every meal.

Drinking Freely at Meals is harmful, as it not only encourages hasty eating, but dilutes the gastric juice, and thus lessens its activity. The food should be chewed until sufficiently moistened by saliva to allow it to be swallowed. When large quantities of fluid are taken into the stomach, digestion does not begin until a considerable portion of the fluid has been absorbed. If cold foods or drinks are taken with the meal, such as ice-cream, ice-water, iced milk or tea, the stomach is chilled, and a long delay in the digestive process is occasioned.

The Indians of Brazil carefully abstain from drinking when eating, and the same custom prevails among many other savage tribes.

Eating between Meals.
---------------------

The habit of eating apples, nuts, fruits, confectionery, etc., between meals is exceedingly harmful, and certain to produce loss of appetite and indigestion. The stomach as well as the muscles and other organs of the body requires rest. The frequency with which meals should be taken depends somewhat upon the age and occupation of an individual. Infants take their food at short intervals, and owing to its simple character, are able to digest it very quickly. Adults should not take food oftener than three times a day; and persons whose employment is sedentary say, in many cases at least, adopt with advantage the plan of the ancient Greeks, who ate but twice a day.

Simplicity in Diet.
-------------------

Taking too many kinds of food at a meal is a common fault which is often a cause of disease of the digestive-organs. Those nations are the most hardy and enduring whose dietary is most simple. The Scotch peasantry live chiefly upon oatmeal, the Irish upon potatoes, milk, and oatmeal, the Italian upon peas, beans, macaroni, and chestnuts; yet all these are noted for remarkable health and endurance. The natives of the Canary Islands, an exceedingly well-developed and vigorous race, subsist almost chiefly upon a food which they call gofio, consisting of parched grain, coarsely ground in a mortar and mixed with water.

Eating when Tired.
-----------------

It is not well to eat when exhausted by violent exercise, as the system is not prepared to do the work of digestion well. Sleeping immediately after eating is also a harmful practice. The process of digestion cannot well be performed during sleep, and sleep is disturbed by the ineffective efforts of the digestive organs. Hence the well-known evil effects of late suppers.

Eating too Much.
---------------

Hasty eating is the greatest cause of over-eating. When one eats too rapidly, the food is crowded into the stomach so fast that nature has no time to cry, 'Enough,' by taking away the appetite before too much has been eaten. When an excess of food is taken, it is likely to ferment or sour before it can be digested. One who eats too much usually feels dull after eating."

FRUIT COCKTAILS.

Cocktails made of a combination of fruits are often served as the first course of a meal,  usually a luncheon or a dinner, to precede the soup course. In warm weather, they are an  excellent substitute for heavy cocktails made of lobster or crab, and they may even be  used to replace the soup course. The fruits used for this purpose should be the more  acid ones, for the acids and flavors are intended to serve as an appetizer, or the same  purpose for which the hot and highly seasoned soups are taken. Fruit cocktails should always be served ice cold.

Grapefruit cocktail.
--------------------

The cocktail here explained may be served in stemmed glasses or in the shells of the  grapefruit. If the fruit shells are to be used, the grapefruit should be cut into two parts,  half way between the blossom and the stem ends, the fruit removed, and the edges of the shell  then notched. This plan of serving a cocktail should be adopted only when small grapefruits  are used, for if the shells are large more fruit will have to be used than is agreeable for  a cocktail.

2 grapefruits 2 oranges 1 c. diced pineapple, fresh or canned Powdered sugar

Remove the pulp from the grapefruits and oranges. However, if the grapefruit shells are  to be used for serving the cocktail, the grapefruit should be cut in half and the pulp  then taken out of the skin with a sharp knife. With the sections of pulp removed, cut  each one into several pieces. Add the diced pineapple to the other fruits, mix together  well and set on ice until thoroughly chilled. Put in cocktail glasses or grapefruit shells,  pour a spoonful or two of orange juice over each serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar,  garnish with a cherry, and serve ice cold.

Summer cocktail.
---------------

As strawberries and pineapples can be obtained fresh at the same time during the summer,  they are often used together in a cocktail. When sweetened slightly with powdered sugar  and allowed to become ice cold, these fruits make a delicious combination.

2 c. diced fresh pineapple 2 c. sliced strawberries Powdered sugar

Prepare a fresh pineapple, and cut each slice into  small pieces or dice. Wash and hull the strawberries and slice them into small slices.  Mix the two fruits and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Place in cocktail glasses and  allow to stand on ice a short time before serving.

Fruit cocktail.
---------------

A fruit cocktail proper is made by combining a number of different kinds of fruit, such as bananas, pineapple, oranges, and maraschino cherries. Such a cocktail is served in a stemmed glass set on a small plate. Nothing more delicious than this can be prepared for the first course of a dinner or a luncheon that is to be served daintily. Its advantage is that it can be made at almost any season of the year with these particular fruits.

2 bananas 1 c. canned pineapple 2 oranges 1 doz. maraschino cherries Lemon juice Powdered sugar

Peel the bananas and dice them. Dice the pineapple. Remove the pulp from the oranges in the manner, and cut each section into several pieces. Mix these three fruits. Cut the cherries in half and add to the mixture. Set on ice until thoroughly chilled. To serve, put into cocktail glasses and add to each glass 1 tablespoonful of  maraschino juice from the cherries and 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

MOUTH-WATERING LOBSTER RECIPES.

To boil lobsters.
-----------------

Ingredients:- 1/4 lb. of salt to each gallon of water.

Mode:- Medium-sized lobsters are the best. Have ready a stewpan of boiling  water, salted in the above proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling  quickly from 20 minutes to 3/4 hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim well. If it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention. Hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off again.

Time. Small lobster, 20 minutes to 1/2 hour; large ditto, 1/2 to 1/3 hour.

Hot lobster.
------------

Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 2 oz. of butter, grated nutmeg; salt, pepper, and pounded mace, to taste; bread crumbs, 2 eggs.

Mode:- Pound the meat of the lobster to a smooth paste with the butter and seasoning, and add a few bread crumbs. Beat the eggs, and make the whole mixture into the form of a lobster; pound the spawn, and sprinkle over it. Bake 1/4 hour, and just before serving, lay over it the tail and body shell, with the small claws underneath, to resemble a lobster.

Time. 1/4 hour.

Lobster salad.
--------------

Ingredients:- 1 hen lobster, lettuces, endive, small salad (whatever is in season), a little chopped beetroot, 2 hard-boiled eggs, a few slices of cucumber. For dressing, equal quantities of oil and vinegar, 1 teaspoonful of made mustard, the yolks of 2 eggs; cayenne and salt to taste; 3 teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. These ingredients should be mixed perfectly smooth, and form a creamy-looking sauce.

Mode:- Wash the salad, and thoroughly dry it by shaking it in a cloth. Cut up the lettuces and endive, pour the dressing on them, and lightly throw in the small salad. Mix all well together with the pickings from the body of the lobster; pick the meat from the shell, cut it up into nice square pieces, put half in the salad, the other half reserve for garnishing. Separate the yolks from the whites of 2 hard-boiled eggs; chop the whites very fine, and rub the yolks through a sieve, and afterwards the coral from the inside. Arrange the salad lightly on a glass dish, and garnish, first with a row of sliced cucumber, then with the pieces of lobster, the yolks and whites of the eggs, coral, and beetroot placed alternately, and arranged in small separate bunches, so that the colours contrast nicely.

Note. A few crayfish make a pretty garnishing to lobster salad.

Lobster (a la mode francaise).
-----------------------------

Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of white stock, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; bread crumbs.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it up into small square pieces; put the stock, cream, and seasoning into a stewpan, add the lobster, and let it simmer gently for 6 minutes. Serve it in the shell, which must be nicely cleaned, and have a border of puff-paste; cover it with bread crumbs, place small pieces of butter over, and brown before the fire, or with a salamander.

Time. 1/4 hour.

Lobster curry (an Entree).
--------------------------

Ingredients:- 1 lobster, 2 onions, 1 oz. butter, 1 tablespoonful of curry-powder, 1/2 pint of medium stock, the juice of 1/2 lemon.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and cut it into nice square pieces; fry the onions of a pale brown in the butter, stir in the curry-powder and stock, and simmer till it thickens, when put in the lobster; stew the whole slowly for 1/2 hour, and stir occasionally; and just before sending to table, put in the lemon-juice. Serve boiled rice with it, the same as for other curries.

Time. Altogether, 3/4 hour.

Lobster cutlets (an Entree).
----------------------------

Ingredients:- 1 large hen lobster, 1 oz. fresh butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, pounded mace, grated nutmeg, cayenne and white pepper to taste, egg, and bread crumbs.

Mode:- Pick the meat from the shell, and pound it in a mortar with the butter, and gradually add the mace and seasoning, well mixing the ingredients; beat all to a smooth paste, and add a little of the spawn; divide the mixture into pieces of an equal size, and shape them like cutlets. They should not be very thick. Brush them over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs, and stick a short piece of the small claw in the top of each; fry them of a nice brown in boiling lard, and drain them before the fire, on a sieve reversed; arrange them nicely on a dish, and pour bechamel in the middle, but not over the cutlets.

Time. About 8 minutes after the cutlets are made.

Lobster patties (an Entree).
----------------------------

Ingredients:- Minced lobster, 4 tablespoonfuls of bechamel, 6 drops of anchovy sauce, lemon-juice, cayenne to taste.

Mode:- Line the patty-pans with puff-paste, and put into each a small piece of bread: cover with paste, brush over with egg, and bake of a light colour. Take as much lobster as is required, mince the meat very fine, and add the above ingredients; stir it over the fire for 6 minutes; remove the lids of the patty-cases, take out the bread, fill with the mixture, and replace the covers.

Potted lobster.
---------------

Ingredients:- 2 lobsters; seasoning to taste, of nutmeg, pounded mace, white pepper, and salt; 1/4 lb. of butter, 3 or 4 bay-leaves.

Mode:- Take out the meat carefully from the shell, but do not cut it up. Put some butter at the bottom of a dish, lay in the lobster as evenly as possible, with the bay-leaves and seasoning between. Cover with butter, and bake for 3/4 hour in a gentle oven. When done, drain the whole on a sieve, and lay the pieces in potting-jars, with the seasoning about them. When cold, pour over it clarified butter, and, if very highly seasoned, it will keep some time.

Time. 3/4 hour.

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD ELEMENTS

The purposes of food are to promote growth, to supply force and heat, and to furnish material to repair the waste which is constantly taking place in the body. Every breath, every thought, every motion, wears out some portion of the delicate and wonderful house in which we live. Various vital processes remove these worn and useless particles; and to keep the body in health, their loss must be made good by constantly renewed supplies of material properly adapted to replenish the worn and impaired tissues. This renovating material must be supplied through the medium of food and drink, and the best food is that by which the desired end may be most readily and perfectly attained. The great diversity in character of the several tissues of the body, makes it necessary that food should contain a variety of elements, in order that each part may be properly nourished and replenished.

The food elements.
-------------------

The various elements found in food are the following: Starch, sugar, fats, albumen, mineral substances, indigestible substances.

The digestible food elements are often grouped, according to their chemical composition, into three classes; vis., carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and inorganic. The carbonaceous class includes starch, sugar, and fats; the nitrogenous, all albuminous elements; and the inorganic comprises the mineral elements.

Starch is only found in vegetable foods; all grains, most vegetables, and some fruits, contain starch in abundance. Several kinds of sugar are made in nature's laboratory; cane, grape, fruit, and milk sugar. The first is obtained from the sugar-cane, the sap of maple trees, and from the beet root. Grape and fruit sugars are found in most fruits and in honey. Milk sugar is one of the constituents of milk. Glucose, an artificial sugar resembling grape sugar, is now largely manufactured by subjecting the starch of corn or potatoes to a chemical process; but it lacks the sweetness of natural sugars, and is by no means a proper substitute for them. Albumen is found in its purest, uncombined state in the white of an egg, which is almost wholly composed of albumen. It exists, combined with other food elements, in many other foods, both animal and vegetable. It is found abundant in oatmeal, and to some extent in the other grains, and in the juices of vegetables. All natural foods contain elements which in many respects resemble albumen, and are so closely allied to it that for convenience they are usually classified under the general name of "albumen." The chief of these is gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Casein, found in peas, beans, and milk, and the fibrin of flesh, are elements of this class.

Fats are found in both animal and vegetable foods. Of animal fats, butter and suet are common examples. In vegetable form, fat is abundant in nuts, peas, beans, in various of the grains, and in a few fruits, as the olive. As furnished by nature in nuts, legumes, grains, fruits, and milk, this element is always found in a state of fine subdivision, which condition is the one best adapted to its digestion. As most commonly used, in the form of free fats, as butter, lard, etc., it is not only difficult of digestion itself, but often interferes with the digestion of the other food elements which are mixed with it. It was doubtless never intended that fats should be so modified from their natural condition and separated from other food elements as to be used as a separate article of food. The same may be said of the other carbonaceous elements, sugar and starch, neither of which, when used alone, is capable of sustaining life, although when combined in a proper and natural manner with other food elements, they perform a most important part in the nutrition of the body. Most foods contain a percentage of the mineral elements. Grains and milk furnish these elements in abundance. The cellulose, or woody tissue, of vegetables, and the bran of wheat, are examples of indigestible elements, which although they cannot be converted into blood in tissue, serve an important purpose by giving bulk to the food.

With the exception of gluten, none of the food elements, when used alone, are capable of supporting life. A true food substance contains some of all the food elements, the amount of each varying in different foods.

Uses of the food elements.
--------------------------

Concerning the purpose which these different elements serve, it has been demonstrated by the experiments of eminent physiologists that the carbonaceous elements, which in general comprise the greater bulk of the food, serve three purposes in the body;

1. They furnish material for the production of heat;

2. They are a source of force when taken in connection with other food elements;

3. They replenish the fatty tissues of the body. Of the carbonaceous elements, starch, sugar, and fats, fats produce the greatest amount of heat in proportion to quantity; that is, more heat is developed from a pound of fat than from an equal weight of sugar or starch; but this apparent advantage is more than counterbalanced by the fact that fats are much more difficult of digestion than are the other carbonaceous elements, and if relied upon to furnish adequate material for bodily heat, would be productive of much mischief in overtaxing and producing disease of the digestive organs. The fact that nature has made a much more ample provision of starch and sugars than of fats in man's natural diet, would seem to indicate that they were intended to be the chief source of carbonaceous food; nevertheless, fats, when taken in such proportion as nature supplies them, are necessary and important food elements.

The nitrogenous food elements especially nourish the brain, nerves, muscles, and all the more highly vitalized and active tissues of the body, and also serve as a stimulus to tissue change. Hence it may be said that a food deficient in these elements is a particularly poor food.

The inorganic elements, chief of which are the phosphates, in the carbonates of potash, soda, and lime, aid in furnishing the requisite building material for bones and nerves.

Proper combinations of foods.
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While it is important that our food should contain some of all the various food elements,  experiments upon both animals and human beings show it is necessary that these elements, especially the nitrogenous and carbonaceous, be used in certain definite proportions, as the system is only able to appropriate a certain amount of each; and all excess, especially of nitrogenous elements, is not only useless, but even injurious, since to rid the system of the surplus imposes an additional task upon the digestive and excretory organs. The relative proportion of these elements necessary to constitute a food which perfectly meets the requirements of the system, is six of carbonaceous to one of nitrogenous. Scientists have devoted much careful study and experimentation to the determination of the quantities of each of the food elements required for the daily nourishment of individuals under the varying conditions of life, and it has come to be commonly accepted that of the nitrogenous material which should constitute one sixth of the nutrients taken, about three ounces is all that can be made use of in twenty-four hours, by a healthy adult of average weight, doing a moderate amount of work. Many articles of food are, however, deficient in one or the other of these elements, and need to be supplemented by other articles containing the deficient element in superabundance, since to employ a dietary in which any one of the nutritive elements is lacking, although in bulk it may be all the digestive organs can manage, is really starvation, and will in time occasion serious results.

It is thus apparent that much care should be exercised in the selection and combination of food materials. Such knowledge is of first importance  in the education of cooks and housekeepers, since to them falls the selection  of the food for the daily needs of the household; and they should not only understand what foods are best suited to supply these needs, but how to combine them in accordance with physiological laws.

PREPARE AND COOK MACARONI.

Macaroni is a product of wheat prepared from a hard, clean, glutenous grain. The grain is ground into a meal called semolina, from which the bran is excluded. This is made into a tasty dough by mixing with hot water in the proportion of two thirds semolina to one third water. The dough after being thoroughly mixed is put into a shallow vat and kneaded and rolled by machinery. When well rolled, it is made to assume varying shapes by being forced by a powerful plunger through the perforated head of strong steel or iron cylinders arranged above a fire, so that the dough is partially baked as it issues from the holes. It is afterwards hung over rods or laid upon frames covered with cloth, and dried. It is called by different names according to its shape. If in the shape of large, hollow cylinders, it is macaroni; if smaller in diameter, it is spaghetti; if fine, vermicelli; if the paste is cut into fancy patterns, it is termed pasta d'Italia. Macaroni was formerly made only in Italy, but at present is manufactured to a considerable extent in the United States.

Good macaroni will keep in good condition for a long time. It is rough, elastic, and hard; while the inferior article is smooth, soft, breaks easily, becomes moldy with keeping. Inferior macaroni contains a large percentage of starch, and but a small amount of gluten. When put into hot water, it assumes a white, pasty appearance, and splits in cooking. Good macaroni when put into hot water absorbs a portion of the water, swells to nearly double its size, but perfectly retains its shape. It contains a much smaller amount of gluten.

Do not wash macaroni. Break into pieces of convenient size if it is long. Always put to cook in boiling liquid, taking care to have plenty of water in the saucepan (as it absorbs a large quantity), and cook until tender. The length of time required may vary from twenty minutes, if fresh, to one hour if stale. When tender, turn into a colander and drain, and pour cold water through it to prevent the tubes from sticking together. The fluid used for cooking may be water, milk, or a mixture of both; also soup stock, tomato juice, or any preferred liquid.

Macaroni serves as an important adjunct to the making of various soups, and also forms the basis of other palatable dishes.

MACARONI RECIPES.

Home-made macaroni.
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To four cupfuls of flour, add one egg well beaten, and enough water to make a dough that can be rolled. Roll thin on a breadboard and cut into strips. Dry in the sun. The best arrangement for this purpose is a wooden frame to which a square of cheese-cloth has been tightly tacked, upon which the macaroni may be laid in such a way as not to touch, and afterwards covered with a cheese-cloth to keep off the dust during the drying.

Boiled macaroni.
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Put a larg cup of macaroni into boiling water and cook until tender. When done, drained thoroughly, then add a pint of milk, part cream if it can be afforded, a little salt and one well-beaten egg; stir over the fire until it thickens, and serve hot.

Macaroni with cream sauce.
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Cook the macaroni as directed in the proceeding, and serve with a cream sauce prepared by heating a scant pint of rich milk to boiling, in a double boiler. When boiling, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smoothed in a little milk and one fourth teaspoonful of salt. If desired, the sauce may be flavored by steeping in the milk before thickening for ten or fifteen minutes, a slice of onion or a few bits of celery, and then removing with a fork.

Macaroni with tomato sauce.
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Drop a cup of macaroni into boiling milk and water, equal parts. Let it boil for an hour, or until perfectly tender. In the meantime prepare the sauce by rubbing a pint of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander to remove all seeds and fragments. Heat to boiling, thicken with a little flour; a tablespoonful to the pint will be about the requisite proportion. Add salt and if desired, a half cup of very thin sweet cream. Dish the macaroni into individual dishes, and serve with a small quantity of the sauce poured over each dish.

Macaroni baked with granola.
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Cook a large cup of macaroni until tender in boiling milk and water. When done, drain and put a layer of the macaroni in the bottom of a pudding dish, and sprinkle over it a scant teaspoonful of granola. Add a second and third layer and sprinkle each with granola; then turn over the whole a custard sauce prepared by mixing together a pint of milk, the well beaten yolks of two eggs or one whole egg, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. Care should be taken to arrange the macaroni in layers loosely, so that the sauce will readily permeate the whole. Bake for a few minutes only, until the custard has well set, and serve.

Eggs and macaroni.
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Cook a cup of macaroni in boiling water. While the macaroni is cooking, boil the yolks of four eggs until mealy. The whole egg may be used if caught so the yolks are mealy in the whites simply jellied, not hardened. When the macaroni is done, drain and put a layer of it arranged loosely in the bottom of a pudding dish. Slice the cooked egg yolks and spread a layer of them over the macaroni. Fill the dish with alternate layers of macaroni and egg, taking care to have the top layer of macaroni. Pour over the whole a cream sauce prepared as follows: Heat one and three fourths cup of rich milk to boiling, add one fourth teaspoonful of salt and one heaping spoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. Cook until thickened, then turn over the macaroni. Sprinkle the top with grated bread crumbs, and brown in a hot oven for eight or ten minutes. Serve hot.

THE CHEMISTRY AND ECONOMY OF SOUP-MAKING.

Stock being the basis of all meat soups, and, also, of all the principal sauces, it is essential to the success of these culinary operations, to know the most complete and economical method of extracting, from a certain quantity of meat, the best possible stock or broth. The theory and philosophy of this process we will, therefore, explain, and then proceed to show the practical course to be adopted.

As all meat is principally composed of fibres, fat, gelatine, osmazome, and albumen, it is requisite to know that the fibres are inseparable, constituting almost all that remains of the meat after it has undergone a long boiling. Fat is dissolved by boiling; but as it is contained in cells  covered by a very fine membrane, which never dissolves, a portion of it always adheres to the fibres. The other portion rises to the surface of the stock, and is that which has escaped from the cells which were not whole, or which have burst by boiling. Gelatine is soluble: it is the basis and the nutritious  portion of the stock. When there is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when cold, to become a jelly. Osmazome is soluble even when cold, and is that part of the meat which gives flavour and perfume to the stock. The flesh of old animals contains more osmazome than that of young ones. Brown meats contain more than white, and the former make the stock more fragrant. By roasting meat, the osmazome appears to acquire higher properties; so, by putting the remains of roast meats into your stock-pot, you obtain a better flavour.

Albumen is of the nature of the white of eggs; it can be dissolved in cold or tepid water, but coagulates when it is put into water not quite at the boiling-point. From this property in albumen, it is evident that if the meat is put into the stock-pot when the water boils, or after this is made to boil up quickly, the albumen, in both cases, hardens. In the first it rises to the surface, in the second it remains in the meat, but in both it prevents the gelatine and osmazome from dissolving; and hence a thin and tasteless stock will be obtained. It ought to be known, too, that the coagulation of the albumen in the meat, always takes place, more or less, according to the size of the piece, as the parts farthest from the surface always acquire that degree of heat which congeals it before entirely dissolving it.

Bones ought always to form a component part of the stock-pot. They are composed of an earthy substance, to which they owe their solidity, of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. Two ounces of them contain as much gelatine as one pound of meat; but in them, this is so incased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the surface of whole bones. By breaking them, however, you can dissolve more, because you multiply their surfaces; and by reducing them to powder or paste, you can dissolve them entirely; but you must not grind them dry. Gelatine forms the basis of stock; but this, though very nourishing, is entirely without taste; and to make the stock savoury, it must contain osmazome. Of this, bones do not contain a particle; and that is the reason why stock made entirely of them, is not liked; but when you add meat to the broken or pulverized bones, the osmazome contained in it makes the stock sufficiently savoury.

In concluding this part of our subject, the following condensed hints and directions should be attended to in the economy of soup-making:

 Beef makes the best stock. Veal stock has less colour and taste; whilst mutton sometimes gives it a tallowy smell, far from agreeable, unless the meat has been previously roasted or broiled. Fowls add very little to the flavour of stock, unless they be old and fat. Pigeons, when they are old, add the most flavour to it; and a rabbit or partridge is also a great improvement. From the freshest meat the best stock is obtained.

If the meat be boiled solely to make stock, it must be cut up into the smallest possible pieces; but, generally speaking, if it is desired to have good stock and a piece of savoury meat as well, it is necessary to put a rather large piece into the stock-pot, say sufficient for two or three days, during which time the stock will keep well in all weathers. Choose the freshest meat, and have it cut as thick as possible; for if it is a thin, flat piece, it will not look well, and will be very soon spoiled by the boiling.

Never wash meat, as it deprives its surface of all its juices; separate it from the bones, and tie it round with tape, so that its shape may be preserved, then put it into the stock-pot, and for each pound of meat, let there be one pint of water; press it down with the hand, to allow the air, which it contains, to escape, and which often raises it to the top of the water.

Put the stock-pot on a gentle fire, so that it may heat gradually. The albumen will first dissolve, afterwards coagulate; and as it is in this state lighter than the liquid, it will rise to the surface; bringing with it all its impurities. It is this which makes the scum. The rising of the hardened albumen has the same effect in clarifying stock as the white of eggs; and, as a rule, it may be said that the more scum there is, the clearer will be the stock. Always take care that the fire is very regular.

Remove the scum when it rises thickly, and do not let the stock boil, because then one portion of the scum will be dissolved, and the other go to the bottom of the pot; thus rendering it very difficult to obtain a clear broth. If the fire is regular, it will not be necessary to add cold water in order to make the scum rise; but if the fire is too large at first, it will then be necessary to do so.

When the stock is well skimmed, and begins to boil, put in salt and vegetables, which may be two or three carrots, two turnips, one parsnip, a bunch of leeks and celery tied together. You can add, according to taste, a piece of cabbage, two or three cloves stuck in an onion, and a tomato. The latter gives a very agreeable flavour to the stock. If fried onion be added, it ought, according to the advice of a famous French chef, to be tied in a little bag: without this precaution, the colour of the stock is liable to be clouded.

By this time we will now suppose that you have chopped the bones which were separated from the meat, and those which were left from the roast meat of the day before. Remember, as was before pointed out, that the more these are broken, the more gelatine you will have. The best way to break them up is to pound them roughly in an iron mortar, adding, from time to time, a little water, to prevent them getting heated.  In their broken state tie them up in a bag, and put them in the stock-pot; adding the gristly parts of cold meat, and trimmings, which can be used for no other purpose. If, to make up the weight, you have purchased a piece of mutton or veal, broil it slightly over a clear fire before putting it in the stock-pot, and be very careful that it does not contract the least taste of being smoked or burnt.

Add now the vegetables, which, to a certain extent, will stop the boiling of the stock. Wait, therefore, till it simmers well up again, then draw it to the side of the fire, and keep it gently simmering till it is served, preserving, as before said, your fire always the same. Cover the stock-pot well, to prevent evaporation; do not fill it up, even if you take out a little stock, unless the meat is exposed; in which case a little boiling water may be added, but only enough to cover it. After six hours' slow and gentle simmering, the stock is done; and it should not be continued on the fire, longer than is necessary, or it will tend to insipidity.

Note. It is on a good stock, or first good broth and sauce, that excellence in cookery depends. If the preparation of this basis of the culinary art is intrusted to negligent or ignorant persons, and the stock is not well skimmed, but indifferent results will be obtained. The stock will never be clear; and when it is obliged to be clarified, it is deteriorated both in quality and flavour. In the proper management of the stock-pot an immense deal of trouble is saved, inasmuch as one stock, in a small dinner, serves for all purposes. Above all things, the greatest economy, consistent with excellence, should be practised, and the price of everything which enters the kitchen correctly ascertained. The theory of this part of Household Management may appear trifling; but its practice is extensive, and therefore it requires the best attention.

prevent your rose

Any gardener who has grown roses knows that sooner or later you are going to encounter a problem or two. But growing roses isn't as difficult as you might have heard. Choosing the right type of rose and giving it the care that it needs are common sense approaches to carefree plants. Planting your roses in combination with other plants, rather than in an exclusively rose garden, can further cut down on problems. However we are often drawn to the beautiful prima donas in the rose world and these will require more attention. The best remedy for rose problems is a good defense.

Prevent Rose Problems Before They Occur

Choose Resistant Varieties: Where you are gardening plays an important role in which roses you should be growing. Humid areas will always be prone to mildew. Hot, dry climates need roses that can withstand a little drought. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for a list of disease resistant varieties for your area.
Keep Them Healthy & Vigorous: Pests are bullies and they will pick on the weakest plants first. Unless you’re growing roses to compete, rose bushes aren’t nearly as fussy as you may have been led to believe.
Keep your roses watered and fed.
Don’t over do the nitrogen. Lots of tender new growth attracts aphids.
Prune to allow air circulation, particularly in humid climates.
Stop pruning at least 6 weeks before expected frost, so new growth is not damaged by the cold.
Mulch around rose plant roots to prevent soil born diseases from splashing onto leaves
Clean up Fallen Debris and Dead and Diseased Plant Parts: Good sanitation can foil a lot of problems.
A mildewed leaf that falls and remains on the ground will send spores to the rest of the plant.
Fallen leaves can provide a safe haven for insects and diseases to over-winter and re-infest the plant next season.
A damaged or dead branch is an inviting entry point for many pests.
Learn Which Insects are Problems and Encourage the Good Guys: Random spraying of insecticides does more harm than good. There will always be more trips flying in or more aphids being born. Encourage the insects that feed on these pests. And don’t panic at the first sign of a pest. If there are no pests, there will be no reason for the beneficial insects to take up residence in your garden. There needs to be a balance in your garden.
Lady beetles are renowned aphid eaters.
Green Lacewings eat aphids, mites, thrips and many insect eggs.
Predatory Mites feed on thrips and spider mites
Parasitic Wasps attack caterpillars
Unfortunately there doesn’t appear to be an insect predator for Japanese Beetles. Pesticides aren’t particularly effective against adult beetles and hand picking is your best option.

Avoid Annual Diseases with a Preventative Spray: Even during years of drought, humid climates can expect some Black Spot on roses. A dormant spray of a fungicide applied after pruning will help greatly in offsetting the problem. A rose fungicide containing either lime or copper is a good low toxic choice.

Why You Should Remodel Your Kitchen

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Why You Should Remodel Your Kitchen

Are you a homeowner?  If so, have you ever thought about remodeling your kitchen before?  While a fairly large number of homeowners think about remodeling their kitchen, not everyone makes the decision to do so.  There are a number of reasons why a homeowner wishes to remodel their kitchen, but later decides not to.  One of those reasons is the uncertainty. It is not uncommon for you and other homeowners to be wondering whether or not you really need to have your kitchen remodeled. While there is always a chance that you may not, there is also a chance that a kitchen remodeling project is just what you, your home, and your kitchen needs.

One of the most obvious reasons why you should remodel your kitchen is if you want to.  While a large number of individuals wonder whether or not they should, the uncertainty most commonly has to do with spending the extra money.  If you have the extra money and you want to remodel your kitchen, you should.  If you are interested in remodeling your kitchen, there is a good chance that you may be unhappy with your current kitchen.  Since your home, particularly your kitchen, is something that you spend the majority of your time in, you will want to make sure that it is warm, welcoming, and inviting. If your current kitchen scheme makes you feel uncomfortable or if you just want to change it, go right ahead, you could benefit from doing so, a number of different ways.

In addition to knowing for sure that a kitchen remodeling project is what is needed, there are other homeowners who want a change, but don’t necessarily know what that change should be.  When this feeling is present, many homeowners automatically assume that they should purchase a new home, because they are no longer satisfied with the one that they live in.  If you want to purchase a new home, go right ahead, the decision is yours to make. However, before you start searching for a new home, one that actually peaks your interest, you may want to think about changing your home around a little bit.  By remodeling your home, you could easily spice up your home or even make it feel like something new.  As an experiment to see how to goes, you may want to first try remodeling your kitchen. 

Another fairly oblivious reason, why it may be a good idea to remodel your kitchen, is if your kitchen needs repairs. Although it is possible to fix a broken cupboard or replace a few kitchen floor tiles, you may want to do more than that. The perfect time to remodel your kitchen is when you have work in your kitchen that you need to do anyways.  Even if you do not decide to remodel your whole kitchen, you can focus on a particular part of it, such as your countertops or floor, if you wish.  If your kitchen has missing floor tiles or broken cupboards, you are still advised to do those repairs, especially if they may be putting you or your family in danger, safety wise.
 
If all of the above mentioned reasons weren’t enough, there is one more reason why you should remodel your kitchen. That reason is one that could bring you money, sometime in the future.  One of the greatest reasons why you should remodel your kitchen is because it is likely to increase the overall value of your home.  Any time that a home is remodeled, as long as the remodeling job was successful, the home’s value increases.  This means that if you make the decision to sell your home in the future, you could easily get more money for your home than you paid for it. Depending on how long it has been since your repairs were done and how they were paid for, you could easily get a full return on your investment, which was your decision to remodel your kitchen.

As you can easily see, there are a number of different reasons why you should want to or at least want consider remodeling your kitchen. Of course, the decision is yours to make, but it is a good idea to keep the above mentioned points in mind.

Locating And Repairing Swimming Pool Leaks

Locating And Repairing Swimming Pool Leaks

If you own a swimming pool, it can be quite easy to notice a leak.  Once you have opened your pool for the year, you can easily spot a leak by the water gushing out.  Where the leak is coming from though, may be an entirely different story.  Sometimes it may be easy to tell, although other times it can be a bit more complicated.

The first thing you need to do, is make sure that the water you see or notice missing is actually a leak.  Even though you may think it’s a leak, it could be something else.  Basically, there are three causes of water loss with swimming pools - plumbing leaks, shell leaks, and evaporation.  You should make sure you know the cause of the leak before you go any further.  Sometimes, what you think is a leak could be water lost from splashing - which can easily happen if you have a lot of people diving in your pool.

Evaporation is a common cause of water loss, and there is a way that you can determine if your loss of water is indeed evaporation.  To find out, take a large container then fill it full of water and put it on the first pool step.  Next, remove some water from the container sitting on the first step, so that the water in the pool and the container are the same level.  Now, let the container sit there for a few days, with no one using the pool during the entire time.

When you check back in a few days, the levels should be the same.  If they have gone down any, then you know that evaporation from the sun is to blame.  If the water that you have in the pool has dropped a great deal more than what you have in the container, you’ll know that you have a leak in your pool.

If you think that the water is going down to a pool leak, you’ll first need to find where the leak is coming from.  You should always start looking near the pump and the filter.  Along the way, if you happen to notice any wet areas or damp areas, you should trace the water back and see if you can locate a leak.  In most cases, the leak will turn out to be a connection with one of the pipes.

If it isn’t a pipe, then it could be a problem with the shell.  If you have an aboveground pool, simple look for the hole where the water is coming out of and repair it.  On the other hand, if you have a pool that is below ground, it can be a bit more complicated.  You can try inspected the shell in the pool, or checking surrounding areas.

Sometimes, no matter how hard you look, it can seem almost impossible to find where the leak is coming from.  Keep in mind that if it is the shell, you should always leave it to a qualified professional to fix the problem.  Shells for underground pools especially can be very tough to fix, and even harder if you know very little about swimming pools.

In most cases, locating and repairing a leak with your swimming pool is more or less just eliminating causes until you find the right one.  Once you have located the problem and know what is causing it, you can decide on whether or not to do the repair yourself or to call a qualified professional and have them do the repair for you.