Author: Family Fun

Consider Charitable Clothing Donations For the Nation’s Poor and Homeless

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 24, 2015
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Homelessness in the United States has always been a major concern for government officials and the public alike. Though it may not be fair to say that homelessness has reached an all-time high, it is still a devastating problem throughout the country. The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that more than 600,000 people at any given night are without a home to go to. For those 600,000 people — a quarter of whom are children — charitable clothing donations go a long way.

Donating clothes to charity truly provides support for those who, for various reasons, cannot help themselves. The homeless are some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Without the kindness of strangers, these men, women, and children would have absolutely nothing to keep them going. It should be noted, too, that it is not only the homeless that rely on charitable donations. The poor in America also receive aid from charity organizations; used clothing is no exception. It is hard to say how many people exactly depend on charitable clothing donations but one thing is for sure: there are far too many. For the richest nation in the world, the U.S. has a tragic and painful issue with penury.

And given the fact that charitable donations mostly come from individuals (in 2013, nearly 72% of all charitable donations came from individuals as opposed to corporate giving, 5%, and educational organizations, 16%), individual donations of lightly used clothing truly make a difference. There are a variety of non-profit organizations that accept and distribute spare clothing. Some of them will even pick up donations directly from your front door or curb! Nearly all of us have spare clothing — clothing we no longer wear or that no longer fit. Please consider donating them to charity. It may not seem like much but for the thousands of people out on the streets or otherwise down on their luck, it means the world.

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Are Organic Lawncare Services Right for Your Home? Here Are Three Reasons to Try Them on Your Lawn and Garden

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 23, 2015
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Each year, Americans use approximately 78 million pounds of pesticides. These chemicals are used for everything from agricultural applications on large farms to lawncare treatments for homeowners. However, once these pesticides seep into the water table, they infiltrate water supplies and have been linked to a variety of diseases, including cancer, birth defects, liver and kidney damage, neurotoxicity, and other effects on the reproductive and endocrine systems of humans. In fact, these pesticides have been found in the groundwater in 43 states so far. With this in mind, many people are now switching to organic lawncare services to have a pesticide free lawn and garden and help their community by contributing less pollution to the earth.

What are the advantages of switching to pesticide free lawncare treatments? Here are three of the reasons why so many people want to switch to organic lawncare services:

1. Organic is better for the environment
Pesticides and herbicides are some of the world’s top polluters, leading to more than one million chronic diseases and deaths per year. Because lawncare treatments, especially, are so concentrated to one area, the average suburban lawn can see up to 10 times as much chemical pesticide use per acre than farmland. Additionally, these pesticides are also responsible for killing between 60 and 90% of earthworms in that lawn, which degrades the quality of that soil in surrounding areas. The more pesticides are used the worse off the soil and water quality are in a particular region. Organic lawncare services, however, can provide solutions that will beautify lawns without the negative environmental effects.

2. Pesticide free lawn services are safer for kids and pets
Lawns that get traditional chemical treatments will always have small placards placed into them later that warn neighbors and homeowners to keep off the grass. Because the lawns were sprayed with pesticides and herbicides, these chemicals can travel into homes on shoes or even bare feet, where they can have detrimental effects on the health of family members. These chemicals also prevent children from playing on the lawn lest they come into contact with these chemicals, and they also prevent a hazard for pets who might lie in or chew on grass. Organic lawncare treatments, however, do not pose the same risks and will be safe for adults, kids, and pets to be around.

3. Growing fruits and vegetables in a pesticide free lawn can help homeowners produce their own organic foods
Anyone who has bought organic produce at the supermarket knows how expensive it can be and how limited the selections usually are. Getting an organic and pesticide free lawncare treatment, however, gives homeowners who enjoy gardening the opportunity to grow their own fruits and vegetables without having to worry about chemical pollution.

Have more questions about the benefits of organic gardening and lawncare? Leave a comment below.

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The Who, What, Where, When and Why of Donating Clothing to Charity

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 23, 2015
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With the arrival of spring, many people begin to consider donating clothing to charity organizations in their areas. However, before giving any kind of donation, it is always important to be mindful of what is given and to whom and why they may require those donations. Additionally, many donors are unsure of exactly where and when to donate clothes, which can create some confusion.

If you are planning to donate clothing to charity, make sure that you know exactly how to go about the donation process. Here’s what you need to know about donating using the Five W’s: who, what, where, when, and why.

Who

What

Where

When

donate clothes

Why

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Chromecast Update Allows You to Use Your TV Remote to Control Certain Programs

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 23, 2015
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In recent years, a number of companies have begun moving away from traditional television remote controls, allowing users to control their equipment with their smartphones and mobile devices instead. While some people have likely found this to be convenient, many others have found it to be inconvenient; after all, when these devices are used for so many different things, can you really blame a family member when they wander away with the tablet in the middle of a show, leaving you unable to change the channel? Now, one company seems to have adapted their system, allowing customers to use normal TV remote controls.

Since its introduction, one of the biggest issues with Google’s Chromecast is that it could only be controlled with a phone, tablet or laptop. However, the latest firmware update for the system extends basic controls to regular TV remotes. While these functions will be limited to play/pause controls, if your television supports HDMI-CEC, you won’t always have to rely on your mobile devices to control this system. Fortunately, most televisions produced in the past few years have this capacity, although you might have to dig through your settings and input your TV remote codes to set up this new change.

The update was first noticed by Reddit users, who have reported that the remote control change seems to apply to Chromecast’s WatchESPN, HBO Go, Plex, and Youtube apps. However, the new feature is clearly limited: in addition to only offering the most basic functions, it doesn’t apply to popular apps, such as Netflix. Still, this change alone will likely cause plenty of people to buy replacement remotes simply for the convenience.

For generations, people have dreamed of being able to control every aspect of their lives with all in one remote controls, and now that mobile technology is an integral part of our everyday routine, we seem to be closer to that goal than ever before. However, mobile devices seem to lack convenience when it comes to using them as remotes. Whether you use Chromecast or not, don’t give up on your TV remote codes just yet: while some companies are still pushing mobile devices, traditional remote controls still seem to be what the average consumer wants.

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The Advantages of Buying a Modern Home in a Self-Sustaining Community

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 10, 2015
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Prospective home buyers have much to consider when they look into purchasing a house. From location and amenities to school district and home price, buyers routinely make “must-haves” to include anything they can think of to ensure that they receive the best deal possible. But there’s something else that many home buyers also look at, which is a home’s energy efficiency.

When considering buying a new home, including those that are custom built, heating and cooling costs are at least somewhat important to 86% of buyers. In fact, energy efficiency in appliances is also an issue for those who want modern homes, with 94% of respondents surveyed saying that they want a home with Energy Star-rated appliances. Saving money on energy, heating, and cooling costs is a big deal for homeowners as the price of coal and fossil fuel rises.

One way for home buyers to find a house with modern home design and energy efficiency is to look toward a self-sustaining community. Like other master planned communities, a self-sustaining community will be feature green certified homes with all the modern comforts that homeowners love. Buying a house with a green certification label can add about 9% to its selling value, which is excellent news for home buyers who may have to move in a few years.

Why else are green homes a big deal? By buying a home in a self-sustaining community, home buyers can be more confident in their home’s environmental friendliness. These new homes are often built with sustainable materials. In addition to appliances, they have features like energy efficient windows and lighting. The surroundings of the homes are usually quite “green” as well. In many cases, these homes are built in neighborhoods that give them a park-like setting, so families that like hiking and taking walks can enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.

If you’re choosing a new home, find out how a modern home in a green community could be right for you and your family. Have more questions? Leave a comment below.

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Three Interior Decorating Faux Pas to Avoid

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 10, 2015
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Crafting a quality nautical-theme isn’t hard to do. You just have to balance a color palette of white, navy, and khaki, and then arrange some nautical home decorations, such as porthole clocks, nautical wheels, and wall mounted bells, tastefully throughout the space.

Simple, right?

While it may be easy to create a nautical-theme, there are still many interior decorating faux-pas that are easy to make. Here are just a few to watch out for.

Leaving Ceilings White.

Don’t leave your ceiling white. Although it’s one of the most dominant colors in a well done nautical-theme, it’s best to choose something else. Adding color to this one part of the room will add so much more visual drama and character. If you don’t like the idea of a khaki or navy ceiling, many interior decorators also use red, yellow, and black as secondary colors in nautical-themes.

Having Too Much of a Good Thing.

Yes, there are tons and tons of different pieces of nautical decor you can hang on your walls or decorate your surface areas, but you don’t want to overload it. Too much nautical decor is a bad thing, and could kill the interior design. Keep it light. Keep it balanced.

Failing to Pay Attention to Scale.

Scale is one of the most important things to pay attention to, especially when choosing where to place your nautical decor. Putting a small, wall mounted bell above a big sofa will not only make the bell look even smaller, but make the wall look more bare. Instead, hang large pieces near big furniture, and cluster smaller nautical decor together, or in busier areas.

Nautical decorations may be easy to find and place throughout your space, but interior decorating can be a bit tricky if you’re not careful. If you have any questions about placing nautical decor tastefully throughout your home, feel free to share in the comments.

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Three Commonly-Asked Questions About Air Conditioning

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 10, 2015
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Nearly all houses in the U.S. have some kind of air conditioning system — and that may be why the U.S. heating and cooling services industry is currently worth an incredible $71 billion.

And a huge part of being a homeowner is being sure that you understand all that you should about your home’s air conditioning system. This will allow you to more quickly detect when something goes wrong, preventing more costly damage that comes from ignoring the issue.

Are all your questions about your home air conditioning systems being answered? To find out, here are some of the most frequently-asked questions we receive about home air conditioning repair, along with their answers:

Q: How do home air conditioning systems work?

A: In the simplest terms possible, air conditioners work by transferring heat from inside your home to the outside. Air is drawn in via your home’s duct system and brought to the evaporator coil. A refrigerant will pass from the air conditioner’s condenser to the evaporator coil and absorbs the heat from the air. The newly-cooled air is then circulated throughout your house through its vents.

Q: Should I be concerned about indoor air quality?

A: To a degree. If you are regularly switching out your air filters once every three to six months as recommended, you will be able to keep your indoor air free of a number of allergens like dust and pollen, as well as harmful airborne germs. In addition, you should have your air conditioning system regularly examined and maintained by a professional to ensure no pollutants from your air conditioner are present in your home’s air.

Q: How can I make my air conditioning more efficient?

A: There are several ways you can reduce the amount of energy your home air conditioning systems consume. By using ceiling fans and other fans, you can increase air circulation and reduce the amount of work your air conditioner has to do. Also, be sure to never close more than 20% of the vent registers in your house — this will place an unnecessary strain on your air conditioner.

Do you have even more questions about home air conditioning services that weren’t answered here? Feel free to ask us anything or share your thoughts in the comments below. Helpful research also found here.

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Three Signs That Renting an Apartment Is the Right Choice for You

Post author By Family Fun
Post date March 6, 2015
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If you’re looking around for a new place to live, it can be difficult to decide whether buying a house or finding a loft apartment rental is a better choice — so to help you out, here are few signs that you’ll probably benefit from looking at loft and apartments for rent:

You need to budget your finances: There are plenty of lofts and apartments available for reasonable prices these days, and even plenty of new luxury apartment buildings are offered at reasonable rates. Especially if you manage to find an apartment where the rent includes utilities and repair services, you’ll find that it’s much easier to manage your money because you’ll have a better idea of how much your housing costs will be each month.
You just need to stay active and be around people: When you rent a loft apartment, you definitely have more opportunities to stay active and get involved with your community. The best apartments are often located in prime real estate locations with nearby amenities like gyms and sports facilities, shopping centers, and neighborhoods with plenty of nightlife and activities focused on the arts. Even if you aren’t a very outgoing person, you’re more likely to find out about activities that really interest you and you’ll make meaningful connections with people who have similar interests as well.
You aren’t ready to make a big commitment: It doesn’t matter if you aren’t ready to settle down in a specific area, or if you currently have a job that requires a lot of travel, or if you just have an issue making big decisions; renting a loft apartment can be a great option because there is minimal commitment involved. As an added benefit, when you rent an apartment (and make your payments on time), you’ll be able to build up your credit so that when you do decide to settle down in a house, you’ll be able to find a reasonable homeowners loan or mortgage plan.

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Your Guide to Giving Household Donations to Charity

Post author By Family Fun
Post date February 25, 2015
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By now, most people know that clothing donations are the greenest and most generous way to help their communities. Diverting clothing donations from the landfill to the closets of people in need helps eliminate around 12 million tons of waste each year and contributes to the 4.7 billion pounds of clothing donated annually. But in addition to receiving gently used clothing donations, charity organizations are also on the lookout for household items that can be reused or repurposed.

Which types of household donations can go to charity? Here are just a few items you may have that can go to a better home:

Furniture: When it comes to furnishing a home, many families are unable to afford the high costs of furniture today. Many Americans who are more well off find themselves spending more as the economy improves, and as a result, they’re ready to dump their old furniture. If you’ve recently bought new furniture, don’t put the old stuff out to the curb just yet. See if you can donate to a local organization in order to help furnish a home for a struggling family.

Appliances: Just as with household donations of furniture, the same goes for appliances. Many families want to replace the old, white appliances they bought years ago with stainless steel and other stylish designs. Additionally, many smaller items like microwaves, toasters, blenders, and coffee makers might also get thrown out for a kitchen makeover. Whether you’re ditching the big appliances or replacing smaller kitchen gadgets, see if you can give any items still in good working order to charity.

Electronics: Consumer electronics ranging from computers and cell phones to televisions and DVD players represent some of the most reusable items in the average home. But many people ditch the old models in favor of upgrading to the latest and greatest technology. This creates unnecessary electronic waste throughout the world, which leads to dangerous levels of pollution. If you’re considering swapping out your home’s electronics, see if you can give your old items to a service that refurbish and donate them to people and organizations in need.

Are you interested in helping families in need with your household donations? Ask your local organizations what they need from community members and give accordingly. You can also ask about donation pick up and drop off options with that charity. Have more questions? Leave a comment below.

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7 Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Post author By Family Fun
Post date February 18, 2015
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The National Sleep Foundation, a well known sleep research institute that conducts surveys across the country, reports that nearly 15% of the American adult population suffer from serious, chronic pain that is related to sleeping in the wrong position. Additionally, they report that when anyone goes to sleep, they change positions continuously throughout the night, even when they are still sleeping, to avoid positions that trigger pain and tension that is caused by sleeping in uncomfortable ways. There are lots of bad effects of sleeping poorly and not getting a good night sleep, and one of the most horrible is chronic pain that is associated with insomnia.

If you want to improve your overall quality of life and learn some ways to get a good night sleep, there are lots of strategies you can employ to make this happen. One of the best things you can do is get a twin adjustable bed to improve your overall sleep comfort at night, because this is a special system designed to maximize your quality of sleep. If you want to know more about all of this and the best ways to resolve problems sleeping at night, keep reading to learn some of the top ways to sleep better at night. These tips will help you get better sleep, which will improve almost every aspect of your life.

1. Avoid watching television or movies before bed

2. Read a book
Reading a book is a great way to wind down before sleep, and it can help you avoid electronics, which do the exact opposite of helping you to relax.

3. Turn the lights down low
One of the most helpful things you can do is turn the lights down low at least 30 minutes before bed, because bright lights can mimic daytime and make it hard to sleep.

4. Stop exercising at least two hours before you sleep
Being active is great, but try to keep it to a few hours before bedtime.

5. Don’t eat anything for one hour before you sleep
Same goes for eating dinner or snacks — it’s best to give your body a few hours to digest.

6. Don’t do work or study while laying in your twin adjustable bed
This can make your bed seem like a workplace, when really it’s the one place you should only relax and try to get some rest. If you have to do work at home, avoid going in your bedroom.

7. Avoid reading on your cell phone when you can’t sleep
It may be tempting to check your texts or emails while you’re laying in your adjustable twin bed if you can’t sleep, but you should avoid this because the intense light can actually cause symptoms of insomnia.

What are your thoughts on how to find the best twin adjustable beds? Do you have any ideas for people who are interested in learning more about some tips on ways to get the best night of sleep? If you have any experience with resolving serious sleeping problems, or if you just want to share your thoughts with others who may feel overwhelmed, please share your ideas and join the conversation by leaving a comment below.