Posts Tagged ‘thrifty tips’

Get Your Christmas Lights Put Up By Christmas Lights & Sirens (Local Off Duty Firemen)

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Thursday, November 1st, 2018 at 4:30 PM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

If you have been thinking of having Christmas lights put up this year, you know how difficult it can be to find trustworthy professionals that won’t bust your holiday budget! We recommend you give the gentlemen at Christmas Light & Sirens a call- these local off duty DFW Firefighters have been in the business for 10 years.

In one simple, affordable quote over the phone, they can provide installation, removal, and year round storage of your lights! This is a great deal because most companies make you provide your own lights and charge you extra when they take them down!

Just head to their Facebook page to check out their work and read all the positive reviews!  In fact, they came out to my house last year to install my holiday lights and their customer service and workmanship was exemplary!  I plan to use them again this year!

Don’t wait though, their appointments beginning Nov 1st are booking up fast! Just call (214) 232-2229 and mark one more thing off your holiday to-do list! #ChristmasLights

Get Your Christmas Lights Put Up By Christmas Lights & Sirens (Local Off Duty Firemen)

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018 at 2:20 PM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

If you have been thinking of having Christmas lights put up this year, you know how difficult it can be to find trustworthy professionals that won’t bust your holiday budget! We recommend you give the gentlemen at Christmas Light & Sirens a call- these local off duty DFW Firefighters have been in the business for 10 years.

In one simple, affordable quote over the phone, they can provide installation, removal, and year round storage of your lights! This is a great deal because most companies make you provide your own lights and charge you extra when they take them down!

Just head to their Facebook page to check out their work and read all the positive reviews!  In fact, they came out to my house last year to install my holiday lights and their customer service and workmanship was exemplary!  I plan to use them again this year!

Don’t wait though, their appointments beginning Nov 1st are booking up fast! Just call (214) 232-2229 and mark one more thing off your holiday to-do list! #ChristmasLights

DIY Fall Centerpieces

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 at 2:20 PM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

Looking to get into the “fall spirit”?  Here our some tips on DIY Fall Centerpieces…

Beginning to decorate for fall is one of those warm and fuzzy moments. The rich colors, the cool and crisp weather, and all of the many, many pumpkin-flavored things that are no longer just an afterthought but front and center in your mind—just like your centerpieces. Fall time welcomes entertaining and lots of it. Now, we know you have a few recipes that are to-die-for, so why not create a centerpiece that’s just as fun for you and your guests?

Here are some of the best ways to create a breathtaking fall centerpiece.

Choose your Centerpieces

Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 1.10.16 PMvia Pinterest

Set the Scene

Creating a centerpiece can be over and underwhelming. Sometimes it’s too sparse and bare looking, and other times it looks more like an overdone window display than a thoughtful finishing touch on the dinner table. A great way to begin is by setting the scene with a complementary yet neutral tablecloth or runner that will anchor your decorations. Unless you are using your décor in place of a tablecloth, then we suggest you use something like a wide and open-mouthed basket or tray to keep things contained. Nobody wants foliage in their dessert…

Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 1.13.09 PMvia Pinterest

Pick a Palette

It goes without saying that the classic fall palette is a pleasing monochromatic color scheme of deep red, orange, and gold. However, don’t be afraid to shake things up and go with something different. Play around with soft and toned-down hues of pale, powdery blues, grey, or even deep purple and green to give it a natural, earthy feel that is still warm and inviting. You want your display to be pleasantly surprising and not, er, alarming.

Screen Shot 2015-10-21 at 1.15.50 PMvia Pinterest

Add the Finishing Touches

Once you’ve arranged everything out on the table, you’ll most likely see a few gaps that you could leave empty or fill with a few extra pieces. Leaving the blank space will offer a more minimal look, and if you don’t have a lot of table space it’s probably a good idea for when you are serving food. However, if you do have enough space, that gives you some room to play, decor wise! Use candles with a pop of color that will both add a nice aesthetic element and some warmth once you light them. Or grab something like a wooden or brass piece to give it texture and character. Don’t be frustrated if at first it doesn’t work- just keep at it!

Mid Summer Lawn & Garden Checklist

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Saturday, August 25th, 2018 at 2:20 PM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

No one can deny that we are right in the middle of the “dog days of summer,” the hottest time of the year here in North Texas. Everything but the mosquitoes and locusts seem lethargic and the sun seems to bake lawns and gardens. However, there is plenty to do in the garden in August, although it is best done in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are more comfortable. Check out these suggestions for tasks around your yard and garden this month:

Lawn Maintenance and Preparation

• Aerate your lawn and dethatch it.
• If there is plenty of rainfall, fertilize your lawn. If there is not- DON’T.
• To help your grass beat the heat and reduce lawn maintenance, keep your lawn mower blade on the highest setting. Don’t worry if parts of your yard turn brown this time of year – it happens.

Annuals and Perennials

• Trim and fertilize your containers – they still have time for another show in the fall.
• Deal with pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites with a spray of water from the hose.
• Treat diseased plants, and remove diseased foliage before leaves drop.
• Continue deadheading (remove faded flowers) for prolific bloomers, shear them lightly to encourage more blooms.

Vegetables and Herbs

• Cut herbs to dry or freeze for winter use.
• Fall vegetable and herb seeds or starters can be planted now.  Consider spinach, radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce, overwintering onions, kale, kohlrabi, rutabagas, turnips, dill, cilantro, parsley, and chives.

Shrubs and Trees

• Pick up and destroy fallen fruit from fruit trees to limit insect infestations.
• Make sure newly planted shrubs and trees get plenty of water.

Maintainance

• Early morning is the best time to water – target plants directly, and water deeply. Avoid getting leaves wet in the hot sun, and avoid soaking containers during the hottest part of the day – both of these can burn plants.
• Keep close watch on your birdbath, water features, and hummingbird feeder – take steps to correct or avoid mold, stagnation, and mosquito larvae.
• Continue weeding, to reduce competition for water and nutrients.
• When the temperature is over 85 degrees, avoid chemical applications such as fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide.
• Add compost and mulch to keep your garden cool and to prepare for fall planting.

How to Paint Laminate Furniture

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 at 4:00 PM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

We all have some of that inexpensive laminate furniture in our house that we are tired of looking at! But did you know that with a little effort, you can transform those cheap book shelves or dressers into something stylish and functional by just adding some color.

When you begin to paint laminate furniture, there are a few things to know that are different than painting real wood furniture. You are basically dealing with a surface that is more like plastic instead of a surface that is wood. So here are the steps you need to follow get give your piece a new life:

Do you need to sand the project? With plastic, you can’t really sand the surface, but the best you can do is use a 320-400 grit sandpaper to scuff up the surface a little.

A clean surface is a MUST! With laminate, you will depend more on the paint or primer adhering to a clean surface than you will a surface that is been scuffed with sandpaper. Clean very thoroughly with Windex or TSP- this is a crucial step because primer and paint won’t adhere to a dirty or greasy surface.

Use an Oil-based Primer. Choose an oil based primer like Kilz or Cover Stain. Or another option, depending on the type of laminate you have, would be a plastic primer. You can always do a sample test by painting an inconspicuous spot of the furniture piece with primer, let it set for 7 days and see how well it adheres to the surface.

Paint. Once you have a primer on the piece that will adhere well to the surface, you can use almost any type of paint over the surface of the primer. Anything from spray paint to latex will work.

Clear Coat.  Whether or not you decide to clear coat the piece will depend on how much durability you require.  If you are doing cabinets or a table, then I would definitely recommend a clear coat. If you are doing a dresser or side tables, a clear coat is probably not necessary.

Thanks, Painted Furniture Ideas!

 

Garden Trick~ Fight Off Spring Weeds Naturally & At Virtually No Cost

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Sunday, May 13th, 2018 at 3:00 PM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

We have had such a mild winter here in North Texas that the spring weeds are already starting to pop up! Follow these five easy and cheap steps to organic weed control to make your life easier!

Step 1- Gather your materials:

~ Garden tools like trowels and rakes
~ Grass clippings, leaves or mulch to cover your area at least 2-inches thick
~ Newspaper (the secret weapon) Start collecting newspapers all year long and use it up each spring.
Step 2- Trim shrubs and perennials, then pull bigger weeds.Try to get the roots of the perennial weeds (like dandelions), but for the annual weeds just pull the biggest ones so that the paper can lay down flat. The layers will kill any little ones left.

Step 3- Start layering the paper, your secret weapon. Here are some pointers to remember when laying the paper:

~ The thicker you layer the paper, the more weed-blocking it will do.
~ Don’t use shiny, colored ads- just regular newsprint.
~ Overlap the edges of the papers a good inch or two as to not give an opening for the weeds.
~ Water well first, and then spray the paper as well. The mulch will help hold in the moisture for that time of year. If you use soaker hoses, lay the paper under them.

Step 5- Lastly, cover all the paper with grass clippings (if you want to avoid any out of pocket cost) or mulch. The more you use, the better it will suppress weeds – a 2-inch layer is minimum.

Then sit back and enjoy how clean and tidy your beds looks – and will continue to look for all spring and summer long! 🙂

FREE Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Tuesday, May 8th, 2018 at 11:00 AM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

Tight on cash but you don’t want your mom to think you’ve forgotten her? You can’t deny that moms deserve a day to be celebrated, but every year Mother’s Day somehow creeps up on us much quicker than anticipated. So here are 8 completely free of cost ideas that will still make your mother feel loved on her special day! 

1. Wash and clean out her car~ We spend a lot of time in our cars, so do this tiresome chore for her!

2. Send her a photo montage~  Collect as many nostalgic pictures as you can and create a collage that you can email to her or post to Facebook.

3. Volunteer together~ This will bring you closer while helping out your community.

4. Create an epic music playlist~ Remember those mixed tapes? Use Spotify instead for an updated version of this.

5. Pledge to finally quit that bad habit she hates~ Ban texting and driving or biting your nails- give her peace of mind on her special day!

6. Give her a homemade scrub~ Most of the ingredients in these DIY scrubs are handy in your kitchen. 

7. Give her your copy of your favorite book~ Write an inscription on the first few pages as to why she’d love it too.

8. Make a wine label for a bottle of red or white~ There are printable templates online and you can throw one one a bottle you have lying around the house!

11 Spring Cleaning Essentials

Posted by Jennifer Carles on Sunday, May 6th, 2018 at 8:40 AM
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Spring is here and are you ready to do some big spring cleaning this weekend?  You’ll need some spring cleaning essentials! This big chore doesn’t have to be so overwhelming when you have the right products to help you.  I love these, and use them every year for my big cleaning marathon.

All Purpose Cleaner

I love Method brand products because they are natural!  This Method All Purpose Cleaner has a great lavender scent and works on pretty much any surface in your home!

Toy Cleaner

If you have kids, cleaning their rooms and toys might seem like a daunting task.  This Dapple Toy & Surface Spray is paraben-free, phthalate and dye-free, and harsh chemical free!

Vacuum

If your vacuum is ready to retire, grab this Shark Navigator Lift-Away Vacuum!  This is the vacuum I use and it’s absolutely amazing.  It can be used on both carpet and hard floors and is really lightweight, too.  It can get into those tight nooks and crannies that have been harboring dust and debris!

Want to make life easier this year?  Get yourself a bObsweep robotic vacuum!  I have one, and seriously, I don’t know how I got all of the daily and weekly cleaning done without it!  It works on both hard floors and carpet, plus has a TON of really neat features.  It’s also one of the most reasonably priced robotic vacuums on the market.  I give it 5 stars!

Window & Mirror Cleaner

You’ll definitely want a good window and mirror cleaner, and this ATTITUDE Window & Mirror Cleaner is made from pure essential oils!  It helps glass surfaces sparkle and shine with an ammonia formula that’s also dye-free.

Washing Machine Cleaner

That washing machine sure has worked hard for you, hasn’t it?  Give it some extra love and make Tide Washing Machine Cleaner one of your spring cleaning essentials this year.  It removes and dissolves odor causing residues that build-up over time.

Air Purifier

Don’t forget about the air you’re breathing, while you’re doing all of this cleaning!  If you don’t have an air purifier yet, make this year be the year you finally have one! These Honeywell HPA104 True HEPA Allergen Removers eliminate 99.97% of airborne particles like mold, pollen and dust!

Scented Vinegar

If you’re a natural cleaner and love using vinegar, you may get a little sick of the smell.  Score this Laundress Scented Vinegar that contains 100% natural vinegar with a scent that masks that icky smell!  CLEVER!

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Don’t forget about your stainless steel appliances while you’re cleaning! This Caldrea Stainless Steel Spray comes in some really nice smelling options and uses olive oil to naturally tackle gross, sticky stuff on your appliances!

Granite Cleaner

If you have granite countertops, be sure you’re taking care of them properly!  Using soap or other cleaners on them can damage them over time.  I use Method Daily Granite Cleaner.  It has a great apple scent, and is made just for granite counters to help clean and protect them!

Mop

You’ll need a good mop, too, when you’re adding items to your spring cleaning essentials.  I recommend this Mr. Clean Dry Erase Mop.  It’s SUPER easy to use, and works REALLY well on your bathroom, kitchen and hardwood floors.

Duster

An EASY way to dust is to use this Swiffer Duster w/ Extender.  It extends up to 3 feet so you can reach high or hard to get to places in your home.  Plus, the refills are super inexpensive, and you don’t have to use paper towels and rags anymore!

Prefer to buy bundles?  Here are some awesome deals on spring cleaning essentials bundles to score:

*Dorm Room Bundle $26

*Better Life New Baby 6-Piece Cleaning Kit $75.18

*Stainless Steel Cleaning Kit $16.99