The Fun Times Guide to Household Tips

Yard Sale Shopping 101: Tips For Finding Garage & Yard Sale Bargains

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:28:10 -0600

Yard sale season will soon be in full-swing.

As people declutter their homes and do some spring cleaning, they will begin gathering their unwanted items to sell at garage sales and yard sales.

Typically, yard sales take place from early spring until mid-fall. Unless you happen to live in an area of the country where it's warm year-round -- in which case, yard sales take place all year long. (Lucky you!)

There are a lot of bargains to be had by shopping at yard sales.

Here are our best garage & yard sale tips to help you find the best bargains at rock-bottom prices!...

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Are Red & Purple Salvia Plants The Ones Used When Smoking Salvia?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:29:46 -0600

Most of us recognize Salvia as a houseplant that is commonly found in garden centers and flower beds across America.

Salvia is a member of the mint family.

As it turns out, when it is smoked or ingested, one species of the lovely Salvia plant becomes a psychedelic drug. That species is Salvia Divinorum.

There is a new drug on the scene, and unlike Meth, Crack Cocaine, or Marijuana, this one is legal. Its name is Salvia Divinorum or Salvia for short. Source

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Roombas & Other Robotic Vacuums ...Finally, SEE How Well They Work!

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:02:13 -0600

Modern technology is a wonderful thing!

While we may not yet have mechanical maids tending to the dusting and delivering a tray of cool beverages to your favorite recliner, the likes of Rosie the Robot (the maid on The Jetsons cartoon series) might be closer than you think -- thanks to electronics and microchips.

Enter robotic vacuums (like Roombas). These self-propelled vacuum cleaners keep carpets clean without any real physical human input.

The iRobot Roomba is a round disk-shaped vacuum cleaner. It travels about your room with "bump and turn learning technology" which allows it to move around objects that it encounters along its journey.

To activate the Roomba, you simply push a button and let the Roomba take off on its own. It couldn't be any easier than that!

You might be wondering, when the Roomba is left to determine its own path, does it really manage to cover the whole room? After all, what good is an autonomous device if it misses half the dirt, right?

Here's another long-exposure photo of a Roomba's cleaning path over a 30-minute span. It's rather impressive how a Roomba really does cover the whole area. (Here are the details behind this Roomba experiment.)

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Sam's Wholesale Club Is Better Than Costco For The Following Reasons

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:24:46 -0600

We've individually reviewed other wholesale clubs (like Costco, BJs, Direct Buy, and Uniway), so it only makes sense to include some detailed info about Sam's Wholesale Club as well.

Sam's Club is owned and operated by Walmart and was founded in 1983. Sam's Club catered primarily to small business owners until 2007 when it decided to open up the stores to individual customers.

What It's Like Inside Sam's Club

The stores are truly warehouses -- with items sold directly from pallets and steel cages. Products are varied and include just about everything that a typical household would need.

Sam's Wholesale Club sells jewelry, designer goods, sunglasses, optical products, flowers, and baked goods in addition to dairy, meat, household cleaners, tires, and more.

A popular feature inside most Sam's Club stores (which other warehouse clubs have attempted to copy) is the food sampling stands -- where customers can sample food items before purchasing.

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Oxygen Bleach vs Chlorine Bleach: See Why Products Like OxiClean Are Best

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:00:15 -0600

Honestly, both oxygen bleach and chlorine bleach work well in terms of cleaning power.

So it really depends on what your goals are as to whether or not you should choose oxygen bleach or chlorine bleach.

Chlorine bleach has been around since the 1800's and has been used on everything from getting whites white to cleaning toilets.
Oxygen bleach can do the same things as chlorine bleach, but it definitely has some advantages for those choosing to live a healthier, more environmentally safe lifestyle.

It used to be said that you should add bleach (up to 3/4 cups per load) to all white laundry, otherwise body oils and residue would remain in the clothes. These days, oxygen bleach is the preferred ingredient, rather than chlorine bleach.

Here are the pros and cons of using oxygen bleach products around the house...

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Top Loaders vs Front Loaders: Why I Prefer Front Loading Washing Machines

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:02:11 -0600

If you're thinking about buying a new washing machine, then you're probably wondering what kind you should get -- front-loader or top-loader.

Most people are interested in the biggest differences between top load washing machines and front load washing machines.

The truth is, each has advantages and disadvantages:

See, point-by-point, why I (and lots of other people) prefer front loading washing machines...

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Stainless Steel Touchless Trash Can With 2 Compartments Makes Recycling Even Easier

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:31:35 -0600

We have a stainless steel 13-gallon touchless trash can that I absolutely love.

(So much so that I got one for 2 different relatives that year for Christmas and I talked my in-laws into buying one as well!)

But I spotted this 16-gallon touchless trash can the other day, and I think it may be even better... because it's got 2 bins!

The 2 separate buckets could be used for:

sorting 2 types of recyclables (paper vs plastic), or
for using one side as a standard garbage can and the other side for recycling.

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5 Unique Ways To Organize Coupons - Which One's Your Favorite?

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:37:17 -0600

I use coupons all the time as a way to save money.

Until recently, I hadn't found a really great way to keep all my coupons organized.

I'm usually the "have pile will travel" kind of gal. But that can make for some tough experiences at the grocery store -- when you get to the checkout aisle and you're trying to sort through a pile of paper and the lady behind you is giving you dirty looks because you're taking so long.

There's also the opposite. One of my girlfriends is scary organized with her coupons! She clips coupons all the time, and uses one of those albums with the plastic holders. She's got them all separated by categories. She tried to show me once, but personally, that's a little too organized for me.

I'm thinking somewhere in between my pile and her album is the best way to go.

Here are the best ways to organize coupons that I've found...

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Unlike Costco & Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale Club Accepts Coupons And Several Forms Of Payment

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:21:10 -0600

BJ's Wholesale Club is not quite as popular as Sam's Club and Costco (mostly because they aren't in as many areas), but they are still a formidable competitor.

Founded in 1996, BJs currently has over 170 clubs in the eastern United States and more than 21,000 employees.

BJ's sells produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, diary, flowers, clothes, books, software, electronics, jewelry, and furniture. While created for business owners, BJ's also caters to everyday people like you and me.

It's like Costco without the crowds! -- Source

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12 Best Home Improvement Projects That Benefit Home Sellers Most

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:13:14 -0600

HomeGain surveyed 1,000 Realtors nationwide and asked for the top 12 DIY home improvements that cost under $5,000 and benefit home sellers.

Guess what?...

The #1 home improvement that Realtors recommend to home sellers -- based on cost and return on investment) is: Cleaning and de-cluttering!

That's right. It costs $200 on average to do the proper amount of cleaning and decluttering prior to a move, yet it can increase your home's value by as much as $1,700.

That's an 872% return on investment! Extensive cleaning and decluttering was recommended by 98% of Realtors surveyed.

See the other top 11 DIY home improvements that made the list...

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Play 'House Flip' Online (Free) To Test Your Skill At Flipping Houses

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:33:14 -0600

So fun!...

You've seen shows like Flip This House featuring Armando Montelongo on A&E and Property Ladder with Kersten Kemp on TLC, right? Well, now you can try your hand at flipping houses yourself for free online.

I first heard about this from Bob Vila:

Want to feel like a star on Flip This House but don't necessarily care for sinking tens of thousands of real dollars (not to mention countless hours) into a potential money pit? Then you need to try your hand at House Flip, a free interactive game available at Shockwave.com. -- BobVila.com

Play House Flip now.

Moving A Computer - 8 Things You Need To Know Before You Pack Computers For A Move

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:13:56 -0600

There's nothing quite as scary as trying to figure out how to pack up your computer before a move so that you don't damage it.

When I moved from Portland, to Seattle, this was my main concern because my computer represented a portion of my livelihood. Without it, I was not only out a computer, but out of money as well. So I went the extra length to make sure my computer was packed just right.

I've since learned some tips from people in the know -- people who pack computers for a living!

Here's the best way to pack computers in preparation for moving...

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Why I Like Costco (...So Do Celebrities & Costco Employees!)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:04:38 -0600

Costco is a wholesale membership club where you can purchase food in bulk and also take advantage of group price rates on every day items like cameras, televisions, computers, clothing, and more.

There's a lot of talk these days about Costco's employee benefits and even celebrity sightings at Costco (more on that in a minute).

First, here's a little about why I shop at Costco, plus tips for shopping at Costco (formerly known as Price Club)...

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Bona Spray Mop vs Shark Steam Mop - Which Is Best For Hardwood Floors?

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:23:41 -0600

When we moved into our new house recently, I was faced with the challenge of finding a way to keep all of these hardwood floors as beautiful and clean as they were the day we moved in.

I have to be honest. We had hardwood floor in the kitchen and dining room of our old house, and we did not do a good job with those floors. We used harsh floor cleaners and waxy polishes, without thinking twice. After the first year, they never looked good again. They were also a softer oak floor (not laminate though), and we raised 3 dogs on those floors. So, you can imagine what they looked like when we moved out after 8 years!

That's exactly why I vowed to take extra special care of our new hardwood floors. I was only going to use "the best" cleaning products on them, and I would try to keep the dog running in the house to a minimum -- in order to prevent dog claw marks.

Here's my review of the Shark steam mop, compared to the Bona Spray Mop, plus my findings on the best liquid hardwood floor cleaner...

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Leaf Blowers vs Leaf Rakes - Which Is Best & Why?

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:20:40 -0600

Wow, if this isn't a hot topic!

No matter where you live, or how much you like your neighbors, the minute a neighbor fires up a noisy leaf blower, you're at their mercy and have to deal with the loud noise & air pollution.

Still, leaf blowers are commonly seen as the simpler, faster option when it comes to gathering leaves.

But are they really more efficient than raking?...

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