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51 Ways to Overcome Low Self-Esteem and Shyness

If you Google “low self-esteem,” you’ll get over 1,600,000 articles. Google “shyness,” and you’ll get over 6,000,000 articles. People really want to know how to overcome these things. Low self-esteem and shyness are socially debilitating. They can be very difficult to overcome them. This ebook will give you some simple things to start.

BASIC NEEDS

Every one of us has the basic need to feel important as a human being. This first set of tips will go over a few of them and help you understand their importance.

1. Attention

We are a society that needs other people. Everyone has the basic need to give and receive attention from others. As you acknowledge this you can start to understand yourself. A great way to start is by giving attention to those around you.

2. Meaning and Purpose

We all need meaning and purpose in our lives. Think about your own. Are you a student? A mom? A dad? A son? A daughter? A co-worker? Whoever you are, as you acknowledge your purpose get excited about it.

3. Connection

We all need to feel connected to others. As you look at your life, ask yourself who you’re connected to. Here’s a partial list to help you get an idea:

- Spouse
- Friends
- Children
- Grandchildren
- Co-workers

4. Creativity

We all have need for creativity in our lives. If we do exactly the same things every day, our lives will get boring, and it can lead to depression. Make sure you frequently add something creative, even if it’s small, into your daily routine.

5. Intimacy

Intimacy is a very important human need. Babies need to be held, children need to be hugged, and adults need affection from other adults. Sometimes the search for this intimacy can become depressing, but you need not let it.

6. Control

As humans, we have a need to be in control of our own lives. Sometimes, though, it seems like life controls you. It’s during these times that you need to step back and take steps to regain control. You can do this by:

- Planning out your day.
- Choosing what you do every day.
- Tackling problems head on.

7. Status

You need to know where you stand with the situations in your life. This status helps you to understand who you are and exactly what’s expected of you. If you’re unsure of your status in your life, depression can easily set in.

DEFINITIONS

Let’s go over some definitions of terms and conditions that are commonly used together. Hopefully one of these will strike a cord and help you to understand your condition.

8. Depression

There are several types of depression, but it basically means being sad or down for more than a few weeks at a time. Depression can be made manifest by lack of energy, and motivation interest in normally pleasurable activities.

9. Shyness

According to wikipedia.com, the definition of shyness is “a feeling of insecurity or awkwardness that certain people experience while being among others, talking with others, asking favors of others, etc.”

10. Social Anxiety

5.3 million adult Americans suffer from social anxiety. Again, wikipedia.com’s definition of social anxiety is an experience of fear, apprehension or worry regarding social situations and being evaluated by others. It’s also sometimes described as "crippling shyness." Many people that have social anxiety have had it all of their lives.

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45 Baby Nursery Decorating Tips

A little bundle of joy will soon be joining your household. What better way is there to welcome your addition than with a beautifully decorated nursery? There isn’t a nicer way, but how do you do it? What requirements does a nursery have? And most importantly, where do you start? Below are tips and ways to decorate your nursery so it is safe, friendly and soothing to your baby.

1 - To Determine Gender or Not

With the creation of ultrasounds, many expectant parents know the sex of their baby before it is born. Are you one of them? If so, that knowledge can help you design a room specifically for your baby. If not, never fear, there are plenty of gender-neutral themes and designs to use in a nursery. Even after knowing the sex of their baby, some parents choose to remain gender neutral with the theme. The ultrasound could have been fuzzy, the doctor wasn’t sure, or just wanting a neutral theme for baby are all reasons to consider before making your decision. Therefore, your first decision as soon-to-be parents is boy themed, girl themed or neutral. Once you make that decision, you can move forward.

2 - Neutral, Please

You’ve decided to go with a neutral them for your baby’s room. To begin decorating you can go one of two routes. Pick the wall color first and then look for matching bedding or two, pick out the bedding and then coordinate the paint scheme. The furniture you bring into the room can also factor into the décor, as there are many options now. Most baby furniture is made of wood that can be stained a light color, painted white, or uses its natural cherry, oak or even pine colorings.

3 - Noah’s Ark

A Noah’s Ark theme incorporates animals in its décor more so than religion. Either sex loves animals, and Noah was one who brought them all together. In a Noah’s Ark room, the bedding, sheets, curtains and even rugs can all carry the same motif. The Noah’s Ark theme can be used as the child grows up too, since any of the stuffed animals they receive growing up will match! Install a stuffed animal net in the corner for displaying all of the creatures. Paint a window or several windows with animals poking their heads out on the wall in lieu of pictures. Add a rainbow across part of the ceiling and a dove with an olive branch to complete the theme.

4 - Winnie the Pooh

This lovable old friend is perfect for anybody! Who doesn’t like a fluffy hug? Winnie the Pooh motifs have many different styles to choose from in of itself. There are bright colors, pastel colors, color blocks and beige designs to choose from. Paint a huge tree on one wall and make a sign that says “100 Acre Wood” so it is just like where Pooh lives. Murals or pictures of the rest of the cast along the walls add for more color.

5 - Stars and Moons

Many nursery rhymes involve the stars and the moon. And since the stars and moon represent bedtime, there isn’t a better place to use this theme. Little glow in the dark stars can be placed on the ceiling and around the room with sticky stuff. Make sure when placing the stars that they are not where they can fall into the bed or be pulled off and put into the mouth. If you don’t want sticky residue, paint stars on the ceiling. Be serious and follow the patterns of the constellations. Be creative, add the planets, and give them all a happy face.

6 - Sesame Street

The characters on Sesame Street have been educating and entertaining children for decades. Their bright colors and vivid textures even aid in motor development in children! To make a Sesame Street theme, get a stuffed animal of each character. On the other hand, if you have a lot of talent, paint them on the walls imitating a scene from Sesame Street.

7-ABC

The alphabet will be drilled into their heads as a preschooler, but in the infant years, they can enjoy the pretty pictures of the letters coupled with animals or other objects. A letter theme can be easily carried from the bedding to the walls with wallpaper or a paintbrush. Make posters or paint large letters and spread them all around the room. Add words to the letters or leave them how they are – baby will learn them quickly and easily from seeing them everyday.

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51 Ways to Organize Your Home

Your home is supposed to be the place where you feel the most comfortable. Keeping it organized and clutter free is important. For many of us, though, this is a challenge. This ebook is intended to make it a bit easier to organize your home and help you enjoy being there.

MAKE A PLAN

Organizing your home can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. This first set of tips will help you know where to start.

1. Master List

The first thing that you need to do is make a list. Get a pen and paper and go through every room in your house. Write down everything that needs to be organized. Don’t worry if your list is really long, you’ll break it down later.

2. Prioritize

After you’ve made your master list, it’s time to prioritize. Sit down with your list and decide what needs to be done right away verses what can wait. You can do this by using a letter or number system. For all the things you want done right away, pun an “A” or a “1” by them. If the job can wait a week or two, put a “B” or a “2” by it. If it can wait even longer, place a “C” or a “3” by it.

3. Daily List

Once you’ve prioritized, you can make your daily lists. Get a big piece of paper and write the days of the week across the top. Then look at your prioritized master to-do list and start writing all of the “A” projects under a week day on your paper. Be careful to put not more than two or three projects on one day, otherwise you may get overwhelmed. You now have a daily list of projects to get done (“A” projects, then “B” projects, and so on). Keep doing this every week until you get all of your projects done.

4. Don’t Get Distracted

When you start carrying out your daily projects, it’s important to only concentrate on what’s on the list. Chances are, as you start doing one project you’ll see ten other projects that need doing. You’ll be tempted to do them, but don’t. You’ll wind up getting overwhelmed, and possibly not even finishing the first project. If you notice an additional project you need to do, simply write it on your master list and continue with what you were doing.

BATHROOM

Whether your bathroom is big or small, keeping it organized is important. This next set of tips will help you keep your bathroom organized.

5. Throw Out

Before starting to organize your bathroom, go though and throw out anything that’s outdated or no longer needed. Things like:

- Old scissors or razors
- Expired prescriptions
- Any make up over a year old
- Throw out empty and almost empty bottles

6. Making More Storage

It’s easier than you think to create more storage in a small bathroom. Here are some ideas:

- Put a magnet strip inside your medicine cabinet to hang razors, scissors and tweezers.
- Make a simple fabric skirt to put around free standing sinks to hide things underneath your sink.
- Roll towels instead of folding them.
- Give each family member a square, see-through container for his or her personal things.

7. Keep Cleaners Handy

Keep cleaners in their own portable container under the sink so they’re accessible when you need them. It’s also a good idea to label your cleaners by room. Take a permanent marker and write “bathroom” on all of your bathroom cleaners so that you don’t take them out of the bathroom and have to hunt them down later.

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51 House Cleaning Shortcuts

According to a survey done by the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA):

- 98% of people feel good about themselves when their house is clean.
- 97% of people believe their families appreciate a clean home.

That said, housecleaning can be a very overwhelming job. This ebook is designed to help keep your home clean without all the stress

ONE-MINUTE CHORES

Only have a minute for cleaning? No problem. This first set of tips will give you some ideas for chores that take less than a minute.

1. Dust One Thing

It only takes a minute to choose one thing and dust it. You can either use a feather duster, a dust spray and a rag, or a dust wipe. Here are some things you can dust quickly:

- TV screens
- Shelves
- Blinds
- Ceiling fans
- Air Vents

2. Change Vacuum Bag

It doesn’t take much time at all to change your vacuum bag, and it can make your vacuum run more efficiently. A good tip is to take your vacuum outside to change it so the dust from the bag doesn’t go back into the room.

3. Clean a Mirror

A clean mirror makes a room look cleaner. If you don’t have glass cleaner and paper towels, try vinegar and old newspaper. This is a lot less expensive and it works just as well.

4. Change Towels

Fresh towels make a room smell great, whether they’re in the kitchen or the bathroom. It takes less than a minute, and it freshens up the whole room.

5. Change Trash Bags

Even if you don’t have time to take the trash all the way out, just taking full bags out of the cans and replacing them with clean bags can help tidy up when you only have a minute.

6. Sort Today’s Mail

Mail can really pile up if left alone. If you take 30 seconds every day to organize that day’s mail, you’ll have a lot less clutter. Don’t be afraid to throw away junk mail.

7. Treat a Stain

Got an extra minute? Treat that nasty stain that you noticed last week.

Here are some tips:

- Flush stains with water.
- Blot the stain with a dry cloth.
- Apply a mild cleaner and let set.
- Blot again.

8. Take Care of Plants

A minute is more than enough time to care for your favorite houseplants. If they need water, fill a pitcher so you can water them all faster. Take a pair of scissors with you to snip off dead vines or leaves.

9. Wipe Down Forgotten Areas

Grab a wet washcloth and quickly wipe down areas that might be forgotten when cleaning. Areas like:

- Doorknobs
- Remote controls
- Light switches
- Handles
- Telephones

10. Sweep Entryways

Most entryways are small and take less than a minute to sweep. Grab your broom and dustpan and you’ll be finished before you begin. You can even cheat and sweep dust onto the carpet, then use the carpet-sweeper to clean it up.

11. Shake out a Floor Mat

Floor mats are sometimes forgotten during cleaning. If you have an extra minute, grab a mat or two and shake them out outside. This will reduce the amount of dust in your home as well as keep those mats fresh and clean.

12. Collect Garbage in a Room

If you don’t have time to clean a whole room but want to make it look a little bit better, clear out the garbage. Grab a trash bag or a waste paper basket and start stuffing. You’ll find that this improves the look of a room dramatically.

GOOD HABBITS TO START

As you start developing simple housecleaning habits, you’ll notice that your work will get easier and easier. This next set of tips will give you some great ideas of good habits to start.

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51 Ways to Fight High Cholesterol

Everyone needs some cholesterol. But too much cholesterol can be bad for your health and can put you at risk for heart disease. Approximately 1 in 3 Americans (over 100 million) have high cholesterol. This ebook will help give you some ideas on how to get your cholesterol where it needs to be.

GENERAL INFO

In order for you to start lowering your cholesterol, you first need to understand it. Let’s start with some simple definitions:

1. HDL

HDL’s, or High Density Lipoproteins, are what’s known as “good cholesterol.” A HDL attaches itself to cholesterol and escorts it through your liver and out your body.

2. LDL

LDL’s, or Low Density Lipoproteins, are the “bad cholesterol” that we don’t want in our bodies. It’s the LDL’s that clog our arteries and can cause heart disease.
3. RATIOS

Finding a good balance between HDL’s and LDL’s is very important.

Here’s a table that shows what they should be:

Desirable
Borderline
Undesirable
HDL
Above 45
35-45
Below 35
LDL
Below 130
130-160
Above 160
FOOD

Eating the right foods can greatly reduce your cholesterol. This next section will list all sorts of foods that have been proven to greatly reduce cholesterol.

4. Know Your Oils

There are so many cooking oils out there. Knowing the healthy ones vs the non-healthy ones can make a big difference in your cholesterol levels. Here are some good oils:

- Canola oil
- Olive oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Flax seed oil

5. Dark Chocolate

Surprised? Oh yes, chocolate can actually help reduce your cholesterol. People who eat lots of cocoa powder and dark chocolate have lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol and 4% higher levels of good HDL cholesterol!

6. Go Nuts

Love nuts? No worries! Nuts (especially almonds and walnuts) are finally off the no-no list. A study found that eating 25 almonds a day for 1 month cut bad LDL cholesterol by 4 percent and raised good HDL cholesterol by 5% (Circulation, Sept 10, 2002).

7. The Lowdown On Eggs

Through the history of health awareness, a lot of people have had much to say about eggs. Are they good? Are they bad? While eggs are good for you, they do have a lot of cholesterol. Holly McCord, RD (www.prevention.com) says, “Since one large egg has about 210 mg of cholesterol--almost three-quarters of the 300-mg daily limit set by the American Heart Association (AHA)--you need to pair eggs with low- cholesterol foods the rest of the day.”

8. Poultry

In general, chicken and turkey are low in saturated fat, especially when the skin is removed. This can really reduce your cholesterol, specifically when you’re substituting poultry for red meat.

9. Menu Smart

These days most restaurants have low cholesterol sections on their menus. If you don’t see one, ask your waitress; it may be on a separate menu. You can also ask for smaller, or appetizer-sizes portions of your order.

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51 Calorie Burning Activities

Our bodies need calories. Depending on age and sex, we need anywhere between 2000 and 2600 calories every day. Unfortunately, most of us consume double and triple this number. The good news is there are many activities that you can do to get rid of those unwanted calories. This ebook will help you to understand and decide which activities are right for you.

*Keep in mind that all calorie-burning examples in this ebook are based on a person weighing 150 pounds. If you weigh less, you’ll burn fewer calories; if you weigh more, you’ll burn more calories.

SPORTS AND EXERCISE

This first set of tips covers a variety of different sports and exercises. If you’re already actively doing one of these, or looking for something to start, this will give you some good information on some good calorie burners.

1. Bicycling

Whether it’s a real bike, or a stationary one, cycling is a great way to get your heart pumping and those calories burning. Just cycling for 15 minutes a day will burn 119 calories. If you extend it to 30 minutes, you’ll burn 477 calories.

2. Stairs or Treadmills

Stairs are great for toning up those legs. They can also burn calories. Don’t have stairs near you? Use a treadmill! Just 15 minutes can burn 102 calories, or the equivalent of each of these:

- 1 tbsp. of mayonnaise
- 1 banana
- 1 oz. of pastrami
- 2 small chocolate chip cookies

3. Weight Lifting

Working on that muscle tone? Weight lifting burns calories as well. 15 minutes of pumping iron burns 51 calories. Not much, but if you extend your training to 30 minutes a day, you’ll burn 204 calories.

4. Running

Lace up those tennis shoes. Running is an all-around great calorie-burning exercise. Running 12 minutes at 5 mph burns 109 calories. If you kick it up a notch and run 15 minutes at 7 mph, you’ll burn 196 calories. If you’re really devoted and run for an hour a day, you’ll burn 784 calories!

5. Badminton

Hit that birdie! Badminton is a fun way to get in shape. A 20-minute game burns 102 calories, and an hour game burns 306 calories.

6. Basketball

Hoops, anyone? A fun 20-minute game of basketball burns 137 calories. Challenge your teammates to a rematch and you burn 409 (for a 60-minute game).

7. Bowling

Dust off that bowling bag! Even if you’ve never bowled a strike, bowling can be a fun way to get into shape. Bowling a 60-minute game will burn 205 calories. Extend the game to 90 minutes and you’ll burn 307 calories.

8. Football

Whether it’s flag, touch, or tackle, football has always been a great way to stay in shape. A 30-minute game will burn 273 calories. That’s the equivalent of each of these:

- 2 oz.
croissant
- 1 Hot dog
- ½ cup of ice cream
- 1 bratwurst sausage

9. Frisbee

Headed for the park? Take along a friend and a Frisbee. Tossing a Frisbee for 30 minutes will burn 102 calories. Stay out a bit longer and burn 205 calories (in an hour).

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51 Ways to Cope with Frozen Shoulder

Three percent of the population will develop frozen shoulders in their lifetime. If you are one of those three percent, this ebook will help you with tips and resources to better deal with frozen shoulders.

BASICS

This first set of tips will give you some basics about frozen shoulder and will help you to understand it better.

1. Definition

Frozen shoulder is another term for Adhesive Capsulitis, a condition that causes restricted motion in the shoulder joint.

2. What Happens

With frozen shoulder, the shoulder joint becomes stiff and scarred. The shoulder joint usually allows more motion than any other joint in the body. But when someone develops a frozen shoulder, they form bands of scar tissue called adhesions. These adhesions make the shoulder stiff, and moving it becomes very painful.

3. Symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms associated with frozen shoulder:

- A dull, aching pain in the shoulder
- Limited shoulder movement?
- Activities such as brushing hair, putting on shirts/bras become difficult?
- Sleeping on the affected shoulder is painful

4. Diagnosing

When diagnosing frozen shoulder, your doctor will look for restricted movement. There are other shoulder conditions can cause difficulty with movement of the shoulder, like a torn rotator cuff, so it’s very important to find a doctor familiar with this condition for a proper diagnosis. This will be covered later in this ebook.

5. Is it Curable?

95 percent of people with frozen shoulder are completely cured. Full recovery may take several months, and there are several things that you can do to help. We’ll review these things a bit later in this ebook.

RISK FACTORS

There are several factors that put you at risk for developing frozen shoulder. This next set of tips will discuss some of these risk factors.

6. Trauma or Surgery

People who have had a shoulder injury, or surgery on the shoulder are at risk of developing a frozen shoulder joint. When injury or surgery is followed by prolonged immobility, it can also put them at risk of developing a frozen shoulder.

7. Diabetes

People with diabetes are at risk for developing a frozen shoulder. In fact, frozen shoulder affects 10-20 percent of diabetes patients.

8. Age and Gender

People between the ages of 40 to 60 years old have a higher risk of developing frozen shoulder. It is also twice as common for women to develop it as it is for men.

9. Problems with Nearby Joints

If you have problems with nearby joints, you could be at risk for frozen shoulders. For example, arthritis in the AC joint or the neck can put you at risk.

10. Immobility

As mentioned earlier, keeping a sore shoulder immobile can put you at high risk for frozen shoulder. Some conditions that could cause this include stroke, immobilizing in a sling, or a brain or spinal injury.

11. Heart or Lung Problems

Sometimes heart disease or cardiac surgery leads to frozen shoulder. Be sure and talk to your doctor about these important risk factors.

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51 Ways to Reduce Allergies

Approximately 55 percent of all U.S. citizens suffer from allergies. But not all allergens are seasonal. Millions of Americans suffer from year -round allergens, such as dust mites, pet dander and mold, which can cause as much trouble for some patients as weeds do for others. This ebook was put together to give you some ideas on how to fight these allergens.

POLLEN

Pollen is the dust like reproductive part of plants. It can easily be inhaled, and if you are one of 36 million Americans, this will cause allergic reactions. Here are some tips to help:

1. Avoid Early Ventures Outside

Avoid going outside between 5-10am. This is when the pollen count is the highest. If you have a pollen allergy, the safest times to go out are late afternoon and immediately after rain.

2. Check Pollen Count Daily

Pollen counts measure the amount of airborne allergens present in the air. They are reported as grains per cubic meter of air. Universities, medical centers and clinics provide these counts on a volunteer basis.

3. Turn Off Your Swamp Cooler

People with severe pollen allergies may need to tough it out and keep that swamp cooler off during pollen season. Running swamp coolers can irritate allergy symptoms by dragging more pollen into the house.

4. Buy Local Honey

This may help to desensitize you against the pollens in your neighborhood. Many allergy sufferers claim eating local un-pasteurized honey has relieved their symptoms. They recommend you buy some local, un-pasteurized honey and have a little of that every day.

5. Know Your Plants

Many people look at a colorful field of flowers and think it’s filled with pollen. But those bright colors are there to attract insects, which carry the heavy pollen from plant to plant. The plants that aren’t colorful are the ones that spread pollen…and allergies.

DUST MITES

Dust mites are the second biggest allergy cause out there. When dust mites grow, they shed their skin. This is what causes allergic reactions in people. Allergic reactions range from itchy noses and eyes to severe asthma attacks. Here are some ways to combat these little devils:

6. Wash Your Bedding

Your bedding needs to be washed in water at least 130? F to kill dust mites. Do this at least once a week. You can also use special laundry additive that kills dust mites. You can find a list of these special additives at: www.onlineallergyrelief.com/laundry/laundry.html.

7. Keep Indoor Humidity Low

Dust mites can’t survive below 50% humidity (thrive at 75%-80%). It’s a good idea to keep your home dry. Also, avoid humidifiers in bedrooms. If a sickness requires the use of a humidifier, you can get the same result with a steamy shower. Make sure you thoroughly cleaning the bathroom before and after.

8. Let Your Child Sleep With a Washable Stuffed Animal

If your child has allergies, let him sleep with a washable stuffed animal. This way, the dust mites can be regularly gotten rid of. If your child has a non-washable bed-time pal, you can put it in the freezer for 24 hours to kill dust mites.

9. Replace Old Mattresses

Depending on the age of your mattress, it can contain between 1 and 10 million dust mites. Unfortunately, unless you have a huge freezer, there’s no way to get rid of them. The best solution is to toss that old mattress and start fresh with a new one.

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46 Ways to Modernize Your Kitchen

Modernizing your kitchen can take one of two routes. The first route is less expensive, but may take more time. It includes, painting, wall papering, and re-decorating to give your kitchen a modern facelift. The second route can be much quicker, but also much costlier. This route includes new appliances, new cupboards or even a new layout. Your only limit is how much money and time you have to give.

1 – Major Renovation

A major renovation is very expensive and would include changing multiple facets of your kitchen. A major renovation could include your cabinets, the layout of your kitchen, new appliances or windows. A contractor or subcontractor is usually needed to handle the arrangements if your modernization includes wall movement. You may be able to hire a project coordinator from a home improvement store to handle the details if you do it yourself and buy the supplies from them. Don’t undertake a major renovation without a plan in mind.

2 – Paint

New paint can add a quick boost to an old and dull kitchen. To properly apply new paint, make sure the walls are clean. Remove all nails, hooks or other protrusions from the wall. If they leave numerous or large holes, be sure to fill with spackle so it is flat with the rest of the wall. Allow the spackle to dry and sand until it is even with the wall. Apply primer or paint and then enjoy your new color! Light colors will make a room appear larger if you are having a color choice dilemma.

3 – New Wallpaper

In addition to or in lieu of new paint, wallpaper adds texture to your kitchen walls. Pick a design that coordinates with the other objects in your room or what compliments the new paint color. Wallpaper styles now include designs for borders, half walls, whole walls and even mural scenes. Certain wallpaper borders have scalloped or fluted edges to add texture to a design. Small patterns in the wallpaper are best if you have a small kitchen. Large patterns make a room seem smaller and darker.

4 – New Theme

Another way to give an old kitchen a modern facelift is to change the theme. Some kitchens follow an elaborate theme, such as using all red appliances or having grapes on everything. Whether you have a strict code or not, look for modern replacements to the old rooster that’s been sitting on top of the cupboard for twenty years or whatever your theme was. Items to replace can include towels, trinkets, wall decorations and rugs. Trendy new themes include chili peppers, cherries, frogs, and bugs.

5 – Door Handles

Another small facelift can provide big and lasting results. If your cupboards are flat, try putting handles and knobs on them. If you already have doorknobs and handles, find a new design. Handles come in a multitude of colors and metals, including bronze, copper, gold, silver, pewter and titanium. Many styles ranging from ornate to basic can match the décor you add to your new kitchen theme.

6 – Faucet

Faucets are no longer just a spigot that provides water. Faucets are pieces of artwork now that have multi-functioning capabilities. Some of them have removable ends that spray water. Others have tops that lift off and move over. Water softeners and filters can be placed over nozzles to provide safer and tastier water. The selections are endless. Faucets can also come in plastic or metal, so the colors are changeable too.

7 – Clean the Clutter

A modern look is having the bare essentials or minimalist approach to kitchens. Very few knick-knacks are on shelves and the countertops are cleared off. Hardly anything is out to look at, keeping your view clean. Besides providing a new look, less clutter holds less dust, which requires less cleaning. Less small appliances and items on the cupboard make the room appear larger too.

8 – Ultra Mixer

Get rid of your tiny hand mixer and get an ultimate machine. A stand mixer has a lot more capacity and power if you are a faithful baker or cook. The price has lowered tremendously in recent years making them affordable. You can justify the price by how much that speed up your activities in the kitchen. Ultra-mixers have multiple speeds, attachments, and controls to mix virtually anything. The mixers are available in a rainbow of hues to coordinate with new paint or wallpaper too.

9 – Microwave

The big, boxy and expensive microwaves that first came out are gone! Or they should be. If you have a large, bulky microwave, it is time to upgrade. Microwaves now come in all sizes and colors, not to mention power levels. If you only need one to warm up food occasionally, a small one is for you. If you do a lot of cooking with the microwave as the source, you will need a sturdier one. Microwaves can be purchased at any department store, appliance store or even a grocery store. They can be plastic, metal or stainless steel.

10 – Cooking Gadgets

Every modern cook needs the newest cooking gadgets. Whether you use them or not is up to you, but displaying them may make you seem like more of a modern cook. One such tool is the corn husker. It is a square brush that fits in the palm of your hand with small bristles.

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46 Backyard Play Ideas for Children

Children need to get outside and be away from the TV. Especially in the summertime, when they can get loads of fresh air and exercise. It is even more important if you live in areas that have cold winters, since being cooped up in the winter happens often!

Pediatricians have also recently concluded that children do not get enough free play during their day. One great way for them to have free play is by being in their backyards. Setting up play areas and giving them ideas for play is vital to their health, but now and for their future.

There are several ways to make any backyard area more fun for the kids.

1 – Garden

The love of all things in nature can never begin too early. Start that love with your child’s very own garden. This garden can be very small or elaborate, depending on their age. A simple garden that is low maintenance contains sunflowers, green bean plants and tomatoes. Annual flowers like marigolds, petunias and zinnias offer bright colors and blossoms all year long. Give your child small chores like watering and weeding (with help). They can also be artistic and make signs to label all of their plants. A scarecrow can keep away the birds. In the fall, have them harvest any fruit or vegetables you planted.

2 – Garden House

The garden house is actually made from a specific garden design. The house is the garden itself. To make the house, you need to plant strategically. Plant giant sunflower seeds to form a large square or rectangle. Leave one gap to act as a door and the rest boxed in for a house effect. On the outside of those sunflowers, plant smaller sunflowers and bushy flowers like cosmos or zinnias. Once the sunflowers grow tall, pull the heads towards each other and band loosely with rope or string. The thicker the row of sunflowers, the more like a “roof” it will seem. The shorter sunflowers and bushes will provide a solid wall.

3 – Swing set

A swing set is the ultimate play machine. Swing sets are made in so many different ways, it’s hard to choose what you want. Well, what the kids want. There are metal sets, with the basic swings, slide and a glider. Then there are the deluxe plastic sets with slides, climbers and tunnels. Even more elaborate are the wood designs. They have forts, swings, tunnels, walls, ropes and everything a kid could possibly want. The only limit is your budget. If you can’t afford a pre-made set, plans are sold individually and you just buy the materials and construct it yourself.

4 – Sandbox

Every child needs to play in the sand. Sandboxes can be purchased as a plastic shape and ready to fill. There are dinosaurs, ladybugs, trucks and plain shapes available with different sand capacities. Sand for fill is available in five-pound bags, already screened and cleaned at toy stores, home improvement stores and some department store. Sand can also be ordered by the truck full from a landscaper or garden store. Make sure to buy shovels in a variety of sizes and buckets, tractors and other sand toys. If you don’t want to buy a sandbox, use 4 pieces of wood, nail at the corners and fill with sand.

5 – Trampoline

A trampoline provides hours of recreation, even for young kids. The jumping helps their coordination and flexibility, and giving them exercise at the same time. Kids can make up games when jumping inside with a group or just jumping alone. Some games could be leapfrog, popcorn or kangaroo. When buying a trampoline, you should also buy the safety net that goes around the outside perimeter. The net will keep all kids inside and prevent serious injuries from happening.

6 – Fort

A fort is a wooden structure, all by itself. Many boys like to play hunter with the fort, or act like a spy from it. The fort has four wood stilts built into a square and secured in the ground with cement. Support boards are put in place and then a floor over top of that is made of plywood or two by fours. Add sidewalls for security and to prevent anyone from falling out. A roof is optional. Make several small peepholes and a space for an opening. A ladder rests at the opening for easy access.

7 – Tree House

Every child has dreams of a great tree house. Tree houses can be simple structures made of cardboard or designs made of wood. Whichever route you choose, make sure it is sturdy and secured so it will not fall down. Tree houses can be just platforms, a floor and walls or a complete house structure with a roof. Make sure it has easy access with a rope or a ladder for exit.

8 – Chalk

Your child can use chalk to draw pictures on the sidewalk or driveway anytime. Make a contest with all of the neighbor kids to see who can make the funniest, scariest or prettiest picture. Of course, give out prizes to every participant. Chalk can also be used for games. Draw a hopscotch chart, write numbers for shuffleboard or draw a road for the bikes to travel down. Chalk opens up endless possibilities for creation and imagination. Large pieces will keep finger scrapes to a minimum too.

9 – Bubbles

Bubbles are a cheap and easy way to occupy your child’s time. To make your own batch of bubbles, mix 4 quarts of water, 1 cup of corn syrup and 1 cup of dish soap and store in a two-liter bottle. Label it so it is not mistaken for something else! To use, pour soap into a shallow bowl. Use straws or bubble wands and blow bubbles all afternoon. Hook several straws together and blow large, fancy bubbles. Bubbles can be stored indefinitely under the sink or in the garage.

10 – Basketball Hoop

A basketball hoop can be purchased for any level of player. You can have your hoop mounted to the garage or side of the house or have a freestanding hoop. More expensive systems allow for dunking and breakaway rims and then basic models to just shoot hoops through. If you have serious players, mark the garage where the actual free throw line would be. Hold neighborhood contests for free throws and two on two tournaments.