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Protecting & Restoring Furniture

Between everyday uses and the constant desire to keep a room looking updated, furniture can get a little worn out or dated. Luckily there are certain measures you can take to protect your existing furniture, and even restore furniture pieces you thought were doomed.

The following tips will help you prevent damage to pristine pieces:

Prevent painting problems. Removing your furniture when preparing for a home improvement project is the best option to protect it from any paint spills, according to Elmhurst painters. If you have larger furniture pieces that are difficult to disassemble or move, protect it by covering the furniture with a cloth or plastic tarp. To ensure protection, tape around the bottom perimeter to make sure the plastic is secure.
Master moving furniture. To make sure that your furniture is getting the most protection during a move, you’ll want to dismantle each piece and store in bubble wrap. This will help to cushion the pieces while they are being moved and prevent scratching and denting.
Stop every day wear-and-tear. Whether its spending the day in your favorite chair with a good book or propping your feet up on the coffee table, the daily use of furniture is inevitable and we forget to be mindful of possible damages we could be causing. In order to avoid easy wear-and-tear, purchase quality pieces of furniture. A coffee table with a durable wood finish will last much longer, especially if you’re constantly propping your feet up on it. Consider the materials a piece of furniture is made with prior to purchasing.

If you have a piece of furniture that needs some love, you can restore it back to its former beauty rather than purchasing a new piece:

Fill in scratches. A common problem with wood furniture is that it can be easily scratched. These scratches can make a piece look worn out and unsightly, but there are many quick and easy solutions to giving your wood furniture a mini cosmetic makeover. To get rid of scratches, there are several methods you can try. For instance, some people swear by rubbing walnuts into specific areas to fill them. The more conventional way to repair scratches is to use a kit that usually involves applying stain. No matter what method you choose, repairing the scratches on wood will get rid of that worn look.
Reupholster your pieces. Mahwah, NJ interior decorator Susan Keefe believes that reupholstering furniture that is stained or outdated is the best way to give it new life. There are so many options when it comes to upholstery, from modern, chic patterns to solid colors. By reupholstering your furniture, you can refresh it while giving your home a new, updated look without having to purchase new furniture!

These furniture protection and restoration tips brought to you by the experts at Jaron’s Furniture.

Paint Protection: Keeping Paint Off Of Furniture, Windows, and Hardware

There are many steps on the pre-painting checklist that you want to make sure are completed before you whip out the paint brush. Prepping the walls and covering the floors are a great start, but there are other aspects of a room many homeowners don’t consider that require protection from potential paint spills! The professional Danbury, CT painters at CertaPro have put together a guide to help you prepare your furniture, windows, and hardware before you begin a painting project.

Furniture: It can be a hassle to remove all the large furniture from a room. Some pieces may even be so large that they won’t fit through a doorway without disassembly. To save effort and time, you can simply cover your furniture and get the job done without worrying about paint damage. To protect furniture, you’re going to need large sheets of plastic covering and tape. These items can be found at any hardware store. The main idea is to cover each piece of furniture so that the possibility of paint spills and splatters is eliminated. To cover a sofa, take the plastic covering and lay it over the entire couch, making sure it reaches the bottom. To hold the plastic in place, tape around the perimeter of the couch. If it’s easier, you can tape the plastic to the floor for maximum protection.
Windows: Paint drips on your window can look messy, and scraping dried paint off with a razor blade can cause damage to your windows. By taking the necessary precautions, accidental paint drips become less of an issue. If you have trim or a frame around your windows, start by taping off the outer edges with painters tape. This will ensure that the edge that is to be painted will have crisp, clean lines. To protect the window itself from any possible paint splatter, it’s best to use the same plastic covering used for the furniture. Cut the covering to the approximate size of each window pane and tape it down, making sure there is no space for paint to potentially drip through.
Hardware: To protect the hardware around your home, including light switch plate covers, doorknobs, and vent grills, it’s best to remove them completely while you’re painting. During the painting process, be sure to paint as close as possible to each fixture, as painting around the approximate shape of each piece of hardware could leave you with unwanted paint gaps. If removing hardware pieces is something you would rather skip, the best thing to do is to tape around the edges of each piece with painters tape and paint very carefully!

Preparing your walls and floors for a painting project seems like the most common thing to do, but you don’t want to forget about the little details. Keep your painting project clean and organized with these paint protection tips!

How to Effectively Move Your Office

Relocating your office can seem like a challenging task, however with patience and planning, you can proactively solve problems that arise and ease the stresses of the move ahead of time. The following are tips on how to effectively move your office.

Plan Ahead: Before you start the moving process, it is important to create a step-by-step plan of what you need to do to ensure a smooth transition. Make sure the new office is in top condition. If there are any problems, like repairing the heating and cooling system, arrange to have them fixed as soon as possible. You’ll also want to make sure that the new space is big enough for all of the staff while accounting for any possible future hires. Expect that your plan will be put into action over the course of a few months, as moving is hard to do in a short amount of time.
Set a Budget: Overspending can happen in the blink of an eye, so it’s always best to determine a budget. Think about what furniture and office supplies you can bring with you, as well as what will need to be replaced. Don’t forget to account for supplies such as boxes, tape and bubble wrap too.
Delegate Tasks: Give each staff member the task of packing up their own desk area and advise them to take home any personal belongings such as their office decor and laptops. This will hold each person accountable for their own belongings, which can take some pressure off the move and prevent lost or misplaced items.
Communicate: Meet with your staff before the move and make sure that everyone knows what the plan is and, most importantly, the moving date. This will give your employees a general timeline of when they need to get all their ducks in a row. This will also ensure that nobody shows up at the old place wondering where everyone is! Make sure you listen to the employees thoughts and preferences about the new place because you don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable or like an afterthought.
Select the Right Movers: You’ll want to hire movers who are trustworthy and with a good track record to avoid ending up with boxes full of damaged items and furniture that is broken. Look for Bucks County movers who have helped to do larger scale or commercial moves in the area. Hiring a local mover ensures that they are familiar with the location of your current and new office, and will make the overall move go more smoothly.
Update Your Business Address: The last thing to remember is to update any resource that lists your businesses address and to get your mail forwarded to the new building. You don’t want to send anybody to the wrong office!

With these tips on moving your office effectively, you are on your way to making a smooth, hassle-free transition.

Office Cleaning Guide

In order to maintain a clean office, there are some things that need to be taken care of daily. By completing these tasks, you’ll prevent a buildup of dirt, germs, and clutter and be able to enjoy a happy and healthy office space.

Wipe down the table and desk tops: At the end of each day, your desk and any tables around the office should be wiped down. If your office has a kitchen area, countertops should be wiped down as well. This quick action will prevent any food from getting caked onto surfaces, as well as stop the spread of bacteria. Remember to use cleaning solutions that are natural and safe to use. Light dusting done daily will help prevent the accumulation of unsightly dust all over your office. In the spring and summer months, dusting each day can also help prevent allergy flare-ups.
Give everything a place: Your desktop should be clear to allow enough room to get work done without distraction. Pens should go into a pencil case or kept organized on your desktop. Extra paper, note pads, and folders should be kept in a desk drawer or in a storage closet. Keeping your desk and your belongings organized will help prevent clutter from forming, and make the daily wipe down at the end of each day easier.
De-clutter your workspace: Putting things away where they belong should ideally be done daily. Prior to leaving the office each day, take the time to organize piles of paper that may have accumulated on your desk. This will make dusting easier, with less to move around when you dust, and make coming into your office the next day less stressful. Invest in a filing cabinet or shelving unit to keep your books, binders, and other paperwork neat and organized.
Leave the big stuff to the professionals. Larger cleaning projects, like vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom facilities, should be left to expert janitorial services. Professional cleaners come in after office hours to give the place a deep clean, using the right chemicals, tools, and practices to make your workspace clean and safe to work in.

Having a clean office definitely help improves work morale. While daily cleaning helps maintain cleanliness, every office needs a good scrub down at least once a week to really get a deep clean. Tackle the small stuff daily, but leave the big stuff to the experts!

Home Improvement Etiquette

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How to Make Moving Simple

Moving is a hefty project that can end up costing you a fortune if you don’t go about it the right way. Whether you’ve moved many times in your life or this is your first big move, these tips can help make your move as cost-efficient and simple as possible.

Get rid of clutter. Moving is a great time to clear out the items you no longer have a need for. As your packing, think about everything that you’re putting into boxes or loading up onto a moving truck. Is it something that you use often, and will continue to use? If so, pack it up. Consider getting rid of items you forgot you had, or rarely ever use. They’ll take up valuable space on the truck and quickly clutter up your new space.
Pack way in advance. Waiting until the last minute to pack can create a nightmare of a situation for you. Setting goals weeks in advance can help motivate you, and avoid a disaster the day of your move. Once you’ve made settlement on your new place or signed a lease, mark your calendar. Fill in various dates with goals to have certain rooms packed by. This will help keep you focused on your end goal – your new space!
Skip the expensive packing materials. Use old clothing or pieces that you’re going to get rid of to wrap delicate items your packing. Purchasing bubble wrap can be expensive and greatly increase your costs of moving. Similarly, pack up items in things that you already own, like laundry baskets and luggage. Then, you can more accurately purchase the amount of boxes you’re likely to use. When you’re packing boxes up, fill in all of the empty space. This means you’ll have to use less boxes, thus spending less money on them. You’ll also help protect the items packed in the boxes by preventing shifting from occurring.
Keep your boxes organized. Number each box that you pack up, and keep a notebook of all of your numbered boxes and their contents. It also helps to categorize your boxes, whether it’s by labeling them with colored tape, or simply writing the name of the room the box belongs to on each of the box sides.
Make your necessities accessible. Pack other items you know you’ll need right away, like towels, toiletries, and kitchen utensils, in a clear plastic container. Place this box in the moving truck last, or take it with you in your car so you’ll have easy access to the items as you need them. Similarly, pack an overnight back with a few sets of clothes and other necessities. This will make your first night in your new home more bearable.
Hire a professional. Professional moving and shipping services, like those offered at Good Greek Moving, provide unbeatable service and make moving as easy as possible for you. Hiring a professional means you’ll get the most out of the space on your moving truck, your items will be handled with care, and you won’t risk injuring your back lifting heavy boxes and furniture.

Moving is an exciting time! Make it as easier on yourself and your wallet with these tips.

Home Decorating Do’s and Don’ts

Interior decorating is an art that requires some basic know-how’s in order to create a space that is inviting and well put together. Whether you’re a new homeowner or you’re just looking for a change, these home decorating do’s and don’ts will help you take your home to the next level!

Don’t decorate large spaces with small items. When it comes to decorating large open wall spaces, try not to hang small pieces of art, as this will make a wall look bigger, like it is ready to engulf the entire picture. Try using multiple works that are on a slightly larger scale, or use one piece, like a large painting, to balance out the space.
Do buy the couch you want separately, and think outside the box when it comes to additional seating. For instance, pairing a solid colored couch with patterned armchairs can really give your living space a great look. Avoidbuy matching furniture sets, which normally include two or three identical seating options. This can make your space look too dull and uniform.
Don’t display too many décor pieces, such as picture frames or candles, as these can make your space seem cluttered and stuffy. Instead,incorporate a few decorative pieces into the room for a clean and well put together look.
Do add to a recessed light source by using table or floor lamps for a warm look. They make a great addition and can be used along with ceiling lights or just on their own. Don’trely solely on recessed lighting, as this can make a room seem uninviting. Although most homes already come with fixtures for recessed lighting, avoid using them as your only source of light.
Don’t push all of your furniture pieces up against walls. This will give your room a sharp, defined look which can make the space seem smaller and create awkward, open space in the center of a room. Instead,placecouches and chairs on a perimeter that is smaller than the room to give the appearance of a more evenly distributed open space.
Do use a large area rug. This will enable you to layer furniture on top of certain sections of the rug which creates a more cohesive space. Don’t use a small rug in a large space, as it can end up looking out of place or it can look like an item that has no purpose, especially when placed in between furniture.
Don’t choose your interior paint color based on the sample in the store. The light and layout of your room can affect the way the paint looks. To avoid any mishaps, ask to take a sample of paint home and test it out before you choose the final color. This will ensure that you are making the best choice!

Following these home decorating do’s and don’ts will help you transform your home, but if you’re not a DIY-er, you can trust Carbondale, IL interior decorators to guide you through the process with their unique expertise.

How To Get The Best Sleep

Have you ever thought about what happens to your sleep cycle as you move through life? You start out alone and peaceful and in the blink of an eye, your bed has turned into a family gathering space rather than a quiet sanctuary where you dream, when you marry and have children. In honor of Better Sleep Month, Jaron’s has put together a guide on how you can get the best sleep, no matter what your situation.

Sleeping Alone: You can do so comfortable in virtually any size mattress, and you have the freedom of making the space work for you. As a child, you work your way up from a crib, to a small twin size bed of your own, and then eventually to a full-size mattress, perfect for a single adult. You may sleep on your side, your stomach, or your back – it’s all about personal preference.

Con: It can get quite lonely!
Pro: You can sleep whenever and however you like!

To get the best sleep you can, create an atmosphere that’s set directly for your preferences. A dark, quiet, cool room is the ideal sleep situation and since you are alone, you can choose the perfect temperature and level of darkness without worrying what works for someone else.

Sleeping With Another Person: As you mature, you seek the companionship of another human being. Eventually you start dating, form a relationship, and may even get married. This drastically changes your sleeping situation. Suddenly you have several things to consider about your partner. Do they snore? Are they a blanket hog, or worse, a bed hog? Do they talk in their sleep? Do they sleep walk? You’ll learn a lot about your partner just by sharing a bed with them!

Con: Your significant other may create a sleep-debilitating problem for you!
Pro: You’ll have the comfort of having another person to cozy up with at night.

To get the best sleep you can, choose the right mattress. Your actual bed can make all the difference in the type of sleep you are getting, so it’s best to be comfortable. You want enough room so that when you and your partner are done cuddling, you can each roll over and get an undisturbed sleep.

Sleeping With A Pet: If you have chosen to adopt or buy a pet, they may start out in a crate or on the floor, but sooner or later, they’ll probably start sleeping with you in your bed. You’ll learn to accommodate them and allow them the space they need at your feet, or if they’re really lucky, a place cuddled up right next to you.

Con: You’re sacrificing your space and possibly your maximum comfort level.
Pro: You’ll further the unconditional love your pet has for you.

To get the best sleep you can, unfortunately you would have to keep the pets out of the bed all together. If you have guilt about putting them in a crate all night, why not create a sanctuary just for them? Buy your pet a luxurious bed and keep it in your bedroom so they’ll still be close by. They may actually enjoy that even more than your bed.

Sleeping With A Person and A Pet: If you’re living with a significant other and you own a pet, you’ll notice that space is becoming limited in your bed. Two bodies means less room for your pet, pushing them to another area of the bed, be it by your headboard, curled up at your side, or lying across your feet. Your significant other may take your sleeping needs into consideration, but your pet will not and you may start sacrificing your own comfort for theirs.

Con: The lack of space may start to annoy your significant other or pet, causing them to want to sleep elsewhere.
Pro: You’ll never feel neglected by anyone!

To get the best sleep you can, train your pet to sleep in a certain spot on your bed. If they are trained to stay in one spot, they may be less likely to try and takeover you and your partner’s personal space and get up and roam around the bed in the middle of the night.

Sleeping With The Family: As life goes on, you may choose to have children. As these children grow, with them grows their impending fear of the dark and need to sleep with you. This means everyone piles into bed at night – the spouse, the children, the pets, and you. You may wonder how you don’t end up on the floor every night considering the serious lack of space.

Con: It may seemed cramped at times
Pro: Once you adjust and find where you’re most comfortable, you’ll realize that you wouldn’t rather be sleeping any other way.

To get the best sleep you can, create a schedule where everyone has to go to bed at the same time. If everyone is lying down at once, there will be less in and out of the bed. This would also be extremely beneficial if everyone wakes up at the same time. Going to bed and getting up in the morning at the same time every day really optimizes the quality of sleep you are getting on a daily basis.

Remember, in order to get the best night’s sleep, you need to learn how you sleep as an individual. Making sacrifices for your pets and loved ones is something that happens every day, but in order to live a full, healthy lifestyle you cannot neglect your sleep. Check out Jaron’s selection of mattresses to find the one that’s right for you and your situation and be on your way to your best sleep yet!

Creating A Functional Library

This month, we’ve already discussed the necessary pieces of furniture a library needs. Now, let’s take a closer look at how to utilize that furniture to make the library a space where students can grow and learn! As School Library Month draws to a close, we have put together a list of the best tips from professionals to help you arrange and decorate a library to create an optimal learning environment for your students.

Create a logical flow. A library needs to be organized in such a way so that finding resources or easy reads is simple. Traditionally, this is done using the Dewey Decimal System. If your library has seen better days and needs a hard reset, the easiest way to tackle this task is to pull all of the books from the shelves and start organizing them into piles. Then, use stickers to label the spines of the books with their Dewey Decimal number and an annotation of the author’s last name. You can further classify books within your school’s data base by publisher, publish date, and other relevant information.

Reset your collection. A library should have the most up-to-date information, as well as the classics that will always remain staples in education. Each year, it’s important to comb through the collection your library has and to get rid of books with outdated information. It’s also important to look out for books that may be worn or damaged in any way. Certain dated items that aren’t useful anymore should be taken off of shelves to preserve valuable space, and either recycled or kept in an archive.

Provide adequate lighting. Of course, a library needs proper lighting. If your library has individual desks, each setting might require a small desk lamp that provides horizontal lighting. Overhead lighting should provide enough vertical lighting so that students and teachers can properly see books, computer screens, and each other! If your library setting has windows, blinds are necessary to prevent too much glare from the sun throughout the day. When it comes to window treatments in a school setting, you want something stylish and functional that can withstand damage small children might cause to them.

Install safe and efficient shelving. When it comes to displaying your library’s collection, the shelving units used should be constructed and installed with safety in mind. Shelving units that line walls should be anchored to prevent them from tipping over. Heavy items should not be placed on the tops of lower shelving units, as they can easily be pulled down by young children and cause damage to the child or the book. If the shelving units your library utilizes have sharp corners, cover them with protective rubber or foam to prevent small children from injury.

Spark imaginations and inspire with decor. The library should be bright and inviting to all students who enter, making the decorations one of the most important aspects of a library’s setup. According to the experts at CertaPro Painters of Lower Makefield, a library should be painted in a bright color that evokes the excitement that learning provides. Many librarians choose to decorate a bulletin board each month with upcoming school events, famous author’s birthdays, or fun facts about literature. This space can also be used to honor students who have performed exceptionally or celebrate outstanding teachers for their achievements.

Celebrate School Library Month with these library optimizing tips!