Can you spot the cat?
Coiffante never passes up a good book.
Nor does she pass on a good pair of shoes.
I have been spotted.
I have been spotted by a very scary cat.
Home Maintenance Guide for Gals
As a recent homeowner, I have quickly realized that I know very little about upkeep and maintenance of a home. To help myself, I have been researching basic upkeep and equipment needed. For any single gals, this is a starting point to get you on the right track! I have broken things up by month to try to keep it manageable. Of course, you can vary some of these things according to your schedule and needs. I should note that I live in the South, so different climates may require some alterations.
January:
Clean faucets with vinegar to remove mineral deposits. Using vinegar is the apparent way to get them sparkling clean again. Also, apple cider vinegar is supposed to be the magic to get rid of hard water stains that accumulate here, on glass shower doors, refrigerator water dispensers, etc.
February:
Trim trees/bushes. This should be done when the plants are still dormant and not yet growing for best results and to not stunt growth.
Service lawn mower/equipment. I guess there are places that do this routinely. It’s important to make sure your mower works and works effectively after not being used for months. Here is a good article on things you could maybe DIY or have a technician do: https://www.angieslist.com/articles/8-maintenance-tips-keep-your-lawn-mower-running.htm.
Check clean/dryer vents and other external vents. Here’s a video to show you where to locate such vents and how to clean them: http://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/how-to-clean-a-dryer-vent/. If you don’t clean your vents, it could become a fire hazard and also cause your dryer not to work well. For example, I noticed I had to run the dryer 3 times per load to get things dry. After checking the vent on my roof, it was FULL of lint and other debris. You should also make sure your vent is covered with mesh to keep critters out. I once had a squirrel get in my vent. They like these because they emit warmth.
March:
Weather/water-proof patio/tiles/grout/windows/external metal/wood/fence.
For example, I have bought this Rain Guard at Home Depot to use in various locations to keep things from rotting, disintegrating, and rusting: http://www.homedepot.com/p/RAIN-GUARD-1-gal-Advanced-Multi-Surface-Masonry-and-Wood-Waterproofer-10-years-TPC-0001/204611750.
It is not expensive and has a handy attached sprayer hose that works fine. You can buy refills to just reuse the original large jug.
Spray for spiders. I spray inside the house along the baseboards and some exterior locations and in the garage. I try to spray before I leave for a few hours to let it dry and any fumes to dissipate. I have a cat, so I do different parts of the house at different times so I can secure her in a different location (and move her food/water/litter box there temporarily). This spray has worked wonderfully for me (bought at Wal-Mart): http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ortho-Home-Defense-Max-Ready-to-Use-with-Wand-1.33-gal/19864174.
The “comfort wand” is really, really nice–it just keeps spraying and you don’t have to keep pumping a trigger, which saves your arm and finger muscles. I would wear a mask such as this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Particulate-Respirator-20-Pack-8210PPB1-A/100583556 (bought at Home Depot). The masks are super cheap and well worth it for this type of work, and any other yard work you do that stirs up particles/dust/dirt.
There can be a little backsplashing from the spray–it’s a pretty strong burst of fluid. I have a mix of wood floors and carpet and I tend to be a little messy and miss the baseboards sometimes. I have not noticed any discoloration from this product. One more thing–buy a pack of latex/plastic gloves to protect your hands from the poison while you spray. Then throw them away when you’re done. I should note that spiders are helpful and can keep other pests at bay (like mosquitoes). The South is a hotbed for brown recluse/fiddleback spiders, though, and I can do without the fear of being bitten, having known several people who have been bitten. But, knowing the good they can do, I don’t try to kill them off outside too much because I like to sit outside and appreciate their help keeping mosquitoes and flies away.
Apply weed- and pest-killer to lawn. There are various ones on the market. I have just done for the first time so don’t have a recommendation yet but will report back. The weed killer can be for specific weeds or for more universal weeds that will kill off weeds but not harm your grass. These are differentiated as pre-emergent (before weeds have come up) and post-emergent (once weeds are already appearing). The goal is to have healthy grass and no weeds for a pristine-looking yard. Pest-killers are to kill insects that will destroy your plants and also to kill things that attract pests like moles (grubworms, for example, that moles want to eat) that will dig up your yard. Having had moles, they tend to leave mounds of dirt all over the place. As a person who loves animals, I don’t really want to set traps and hurt the moles, so this is an alternative. Also, wear gloves for this to keep the pesticides off your skin. Hose off your legs when you are done to make sure you don’t bring it back inside.
Fertilize lawn and aerate lawn. A nice, generic fertilizer is manure of some kind. I’ve been told you can’t really go wrong with this and over-use it. Now, it does smell a little but the smell goes away in a day or two. Wear gloves and just sprinkle it out where you want to fertilize with your hands (this is called “broadcasting”). You can also buy a broadcast spreader that you push around and it can be time-saving. I have bought a lot of different garden/work gloves. The best ones I have found where at Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Mad-Grip-Thunderdome-Impact-Large-Glove-in-Black-0MG10F1-BLK-L/204398194.
I like these because they are comfortable and have rubber, which is resistant to water, and it helps me grasp and turn things that get stuck (like garden hoses when screwed in to faucets or sprayers). If you live alone, you need some of these gloves so you don’t have to go get help when you need to open or turn something. These gloves are heavy duty: they aren’t ripping all the time, and can be easily rinsed off. They are a little more expensive than some gloves out there, but well worth it. The “Thunderdome” in the name scared me that they would be too manly, but, girls, I love these gloves.
As for aerating your lawn, you can do this manually and with various tools. But to make it easier, I recommend you buy an aerator. You can buy a simple tool that will poke holes in the lawn and this is cheapest but takes a lot of time. You can rent or buy mobile aerating devices that are costly but time-saving. Decide what you are willing to do, and go with that. Where I live, the soil has a lot of clay, so the lawn needs aerating to help oxygen and water get to the grass/plants’ roots. This just helps your grass to look its best.
Plant grass, mulch yard. So, in the South, the best grass to buy for sunny areas is Bermuda and for shady areas is Fescue. Ideal planting time is in March and September, when it’s cooler. I have just begun attempting to work with the grass, so when I know more about how it works, I will provide an update. Mulch is really important for making garden beds look good and tidy. Mulch also will help hold moisture in and keep your plants happier, as well as protect the roots from scorching in the heat of summer. I have used cedar mulch because I like the color and smell, but there are a variety of types.
April:
Re-grout and caulk where needed. This is not the most simple task and takes practice to get good at it. Grout and caulk are used to keep moisture from seeping into cracks and creating mildew and mold, around places like showers, tubs, and sinks. A good rule of thumb is to towel dry these areas after showering or washing dishes to help stave off growth. Decide if you should use grout or caulk first. Caulk is white and grout comes in colors so it might match better in certain locations. You will want to buy a caulk gun to apply it: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Workforce-60-25-Caulk-Gun-HD109D/202036533 (Home Depot).
I assume this is one of those things where “you get what you pay for.” I bought the caulk gun I found that was neither the cheapest nor the most expensive. I have used it several years and it has worked just great. When you use your caulk, chances are you won’t use the entire tube at once because it comes in pretty huge amounts. To prevent it from drying out, put a nail in the opening to keep it from drying.
Termite treatment. In the South, it’s not a matter of IF you will get termites but WHEN you will get termites. You should have your home professionally treated every year to prevent termites. There are different ways they can treat–some are more unsightly than others but from what I have gathered, they all work about the same. I have gone with drilling holes around your home and then filling them back in–some say the circles left behind are ugly but I never notice them.
Clean and repair gutters. You can do this yourself or hire someone to do it, depending on how much you want to do. If you live alone, make sure you have someone else present because you will be climbing a ladder to get to the gutters. You don’t want to fall and not be able to get help. Cleaning and repairing gutters is important to help appropriately drain water off and away from your home. This endeavor can get as involved or as not involved as you want. You can buy more protection for your gutters, tools to help you clean it out, mesh to put over it to try to prevent large debris from getting in …. Regardless of what you do, you need to keep up with this task. To direct water from the gutter away from your home’s foundation, I have these handy things to put at the base of the downspout of your gutter: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Mark-Block-Chocolate-Gutter-Down-Spout-Splash-2-Pack-32924/202906196 (Home Depot).
Flip mattresses. To extend the longevity of mattresses, you should flip them over every 6 months. They begin to sink over time in places where you repeatedly lay. If you have a pillowtop mattress, you should at least rotate the mattress 180 degrees (instead of upside down) every 6 months.
May:
Service air conditioner and replace filters. Yes, your air conditioner has a filter that can get clogged with gunk over time and that will cause it to run less efficiently. Look at the size and either replace it yourself or contact a licensed coolant contractor to fix it. I have no idea how to service this, so hiring someone is the way to go.
Clean refrigerator coils and drain pan. Dusting off and cleaning the coils helps keep your fridge running smoothly. Unplug it before doing this. Additionally, wash out the drain pan.
Oil garage door tracks. Having your garage door break is no fun to fix, and can trap you at home. Oiling the tracks periodically is one thing you can do to keep it moving smoothly.
June:
Check washer hoses, dishwasher hoses, drains, water heater and boiler for leaks. To me, the most important thing here is to locate these items. Then, do a scan to see if you notice leaks, cracks, breaks, etc. If you do, these need to be repaired.
July:
Wash windows. If you don’t periodically wash the windows (inside and out), they will become really gross. A lot of people keep the interior windows clean but neglect the exterior. This needs attention too–go look and you will see. Using a power washer is the most efficient way to clean the exterior. You can buy these for around $60. You can also rent them at places like Lowes. A good old sponge and just water can work too. If you have a squeegee, this will also really simplify it.
Mend cracks in sidewalks, driveway, house exterior. Here is another use for caulk or grout. But, you may want to use concrete. You can mix your own concrete, but that gets messy so for a small job, you can just buy a small container of premixed concrete to fill in cracks. You want to do this so that cracks don’t expand with weather changes or get filled with mold or allow critters to get inside. A good way to make sure the crack STAYS repaired is to clear out the crack of debris or dirt and let it fully dry. Then caulk it. Let the caulk dry. Then apply concrete. Once that dries, use your water sealant again on top to help it stay repaired.
August:
Weather-strip windows/doors as needed. Check this periodically because it helps keep the heat or cool in and will lower your utility bill. Basically, you are insulating these areas where air is likely to get in or escape.
September:
Spray for spiders. Time to do this again! Now, the spray I mentioned above says it works for up to 12 months. I think it does, but sometimes, you want a little boost to make sure the spiders really stay away.
Service/clean chimney. You can do a quick check by opening the flue and looking to see if there are obstructions. Not all chimneys let you see up them, though. If you don’t use the fireplace much, you may not need to have it cleaned every year. However, it is a good idea to do this to avoid any fire hazards. Birds and squirrels love getting in chimneys for warmth in the winter. If they remain, they could get in your house and also build nests that could ignite when you light the fire. I recommend not leaving the flue open when you are not burning an active fire in the fireplace. I have had both birds AND squirrels get in my home this way–not fun to deal with and I feel sad for the poor dears. If you can get several neighbors to get their chimneys cleaned at the same time, some companies will give you a discount, so ask about this.
Clean dryer vent and external vents/filters. Again, checking and cleaning out filters prevents fire hazards and ensures your equipment works optimally. Do this every few months as explained above.
Schedule septic tank pumping. This is something else I need to research. I don’t know if all homes have septic tanks or not. But, I have researched that this needs to be done so am including it.
October:
Service heater, hot water heater (bleed radiator/drain expansion tank/check water pressure), furnaces and replace filters. As a gal with no idea how to do these things or even where to begin, I have learned you should contact a licensed heating contractor to do these things. Now, I once bought a groupon for a discounted heater servicing and vent cleaning. It was a scam and they did not do anything unless you paid $100 more to get the service actually done. So, I think finding a licensed and recommended person/company is important here. I have heard that your local utility company may do this for free–I’m sure they don’t want the expense and problem of having to fix something because service was not done appropriately and routinely.
Re-grout and caulk as needed. Because you use (hopefully) your shower and sinks regularly, this creates frequent opportunity for grout and caulk to become cracked. So, it must be repeated regularly to keep the grossness away.
Flip mattresses. Same as above.
November:
Cover external hose spigots. You need to drain hoses and store them for winter. Additionally, to prevent your pipes from freezing (and this can be a BIG expense if it happens!), you need to cover the exterior water faucets in the winter to help insulate them. This is a cheap thing to do and can save you big problems. I bought these Styrofoam covers that are easily placed at Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Standard-Faucet-Cover-1980/204759226.
And let me go ahead and tell you that if the temperature is going to get down to freezing or below overnight, you need to take some extra precautions inside to prevent your pipes from freezing. You should “drip” (slightly turn on so they drip) the hot and cold side of each faucet. You should also open cabinet doors where sinks are located to help the heat get to the piping. This is annoying to do, I know, but it will cost you big-time if your pipes freeze and can cause all kinds of other damage that will require extreme repairs (like tearing out floor to get to pipes).
Move plants inside. If you have cold winters, some of your outdoor plants may need to come inside for protection. Now is the time to move them in, before it gets to freezing temperatures. Some plants need to be kept by windows as they still need sun, but some plants go dormant and can be kept in the garage without light. Just check to see what kind of light they need in the winter.
December:
Enjoy your holidays! I don’t have anything to recommend upkeep-wise this month (yay!!).
Another thing I’ve learned you should do is cover pipes and tubes/hoses that are outside your home and connect to the inside. This insulates them and keeps them protected from breaking/cracking/etc. Just some simple insulation wrapped around works just fine.
Finally, here are a few things you should do a little more often:
Turn off your air conditioner and pour white vinegar into the condensate drain line–once a month. This will prevent it from backing up and help keep it clean. I found a really good video demonstration of this by Kalos Services: https://www.kalosflorida.com/air-conditioning/use-clean-ac-drain-line/. Use about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of vinegar for this.
Check your smoke detectors–twice a year. Make sure they are operational and change batteries if needed. If you live somewhere that changes time for daylight savings, some people check their smoke detectors at these two times.
Turn off home water valve. It is a good idea to turn off the valve to your water to toilets, sinks, etc. twice a year, just to make sure it’s all in order.
Check your fire extinguishers–twice a year. Replace as needed. You should own at least one fire extinguisher. However, fire experts advise having a fire extinguisher in two locations: the kitchen and the garage. It is important to know what kind of fire extinguisher you have as there are different classes and they put out different types of fires. This website has a good summary: http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/. The other important thing, in addition to owning a fire extinguisher, is knowing how to use one! Here is a good acronym from the National Fire Protection Association–PASS (http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/fire-and-safety-equipment/fire-extinguishers):
–Pull the pin. Hold the extinguisher with the nozzle
pointing away from you, and release the locking
mechanism.
– Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
– Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
– Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.
NFPA recommends a general purpose fire extinguisher for the home, so one that is class A/B/C. OSHA also has a good description of the types, with pictures of how they look to help you identify what to get: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/portable_about.html. I recommend looking through each type of extinguisher on the site, because it explains when to use each type. A general purpose extinguisher will work on ordinary combustibles using water, electrical equipment, and flammable liquids like oil. If you buy an A class extinguisher, remember that this will not put out cooking fires with oil (oil and water don’t mix)! Class B is used for kitchen fires, but class K is even better for kitchen fires involving oil.
If you have other recommendations that should be added to this list, comment and tell us! Thank you!
Make a Super Cute Apron
I decided that I wanted to make some aprons as gifts for people. Lots of people cook, and they are fun to wear when hostessing a dinner party. However, I realized that most of the ideas I could find were not really all that cute or lacked pizzazz. I mean, I wanted very decorated aprons.
I found a base pattern on Amazon.com that was pretty cute in shape (made by Hyzrz and around $10 each), but I knew I would want an apron to be longer if I were wearing it, so I figured my friends would too. The aprons online were pretty cheap, and also quite cute when they arrived. You can find the base patterns here: http://www.amazon.com/Hyzrz/b/ref=bl_dp_s_web_9304624011?ie=UTF8&node=9304624011&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Hyzrz. See? These are a cute shape!
Next, it was just a matter of adding ribbons, buttons, and tulle. I sewed all of these on in stages. I made a ruffle skirt to put at the base to add a little more length. And then it is just up to your imagination! For your inspiration, I’m showing photos of what I created. If it inspires you to make something, please post it here and share it with us!
Or, without people in them, to give you an idea:
Newlywed Natterings: Tips for Getting What You Want from a Marriage
Tawny: “I think I’d like you to start putting gas in my car for me from now on.”
Hubby: “No–I don’t want you to ever be one of those people who doesn’t know how to put gas in the car if I should die. You need to keep doing that.”
Tawny: “True… I suppose I AM likely to forget even though I’ve been doing it for 20 years now. Well, I don’t want you to be one of those people who doesn’t know how to do dishes if I die so you probably need to start doing them from here on out. Also, I don’t know if you know how to mop or vacuum–I’ve never seen you do either. I’m worried I could die and you won’t know how so let’s add those to your list too.”
Hubby: “FINE! I will put gas in your car!”
And that’s how you get what you want.
That One Time I Failed at Telling People About Myself
So, I am taking five free online courses through the local library. I just “failed” an assignment to “Tell me about yourself.” Now I cannot proceed until I fix that?!? I have so many thoughts and questions….
–How does one fail such an assignment?!?! This WOULD happen to me. I think this is hilarious, but how can my answer to this not be correct??? Oh dearie me.
–I am feeling existential now. Do I really know myself? Does anyone? Can we? I don’t know! This was in a landscaping class. I had no idea this would get so philosophical! Is this a new thing in landscaping–really knowing yourself to achieve the best results? I could get down with that. Sadly, I don’t think that is the case here though. I will let you know, though!
–I think it is awesome the library offers this.
–I think it is awesome there are instructors doing such a quality review. But still, HUH?!?
–These courses are just fun information on things like sewing, landscaping, decorating. If other people fail an assignment about “tell me about yourself,” I think many people will be hurt and quit. I am confused why this kind of grading would be a good plan.
–You can only do five courses at a time. Obviously I am still a huge geek!
–Clearly I am going to have to up my game…haven’t been in “class” for a long time now ha!
Introducing Coiffante
Super Kitten!!! This is my cat, Coiffante. I found her at the Humane Society and she tricked me. She glommed onto me and was so cute and cuddly and clung to me, snuggling. This was all an act.
She was a well-behaved, loving cat for 3 days. Then she unleashed her real personality: moody, demanding, cavalier, and neurotic. She is furious most days, but she is actually quite loving, from afar. She has calmed down as she is aging, but she is still a crazy girl.
Here are a few more images:
She loves Christmas trees. It’s her FAVORITE thing all year. She helps me decorate and flies around the house, then slides under the Christmas tree (usually, she crashes under it really), and suspiciously watches from her concealed location.
Newlywed Natterings: Men Like and Will Destroy Nice Things
I’m a newlywed. Well, been married a year now, but still pretty newly-ish. Periodically, my husband does things that absolutely FLABBERGAST me by the utter nonsense I attribute to them. I’m sure he feels the same way about me. And I imagine most couples find things that their partners do truly astounding at times. To me, these stories are funny, relatable, and timeless. So I will be sharing some of these occurrences with you as they arise.
Let me begin by saying that while guys like to act real MANLY and publicly spurn the nicer things in life (e.g., doilies, dolls, curtains, silk, art), I’m here to tell you that THEY DO RECOGNIZE QUALITY STUFF. And they are drawn to it, whether they admit it or not. I have proof.
I have gone over the dishes many times with my husband. The plastic cups can go in the dishwasher. China cannot. Wine glasses cannot. Tupperware–yes. Our silverware, sure. How can you tell if it’s china? Oh, that’s easy. Look for gold rim around the edges. What COUNTS as a wineglass? Grrrr … do you really not recognize these when you see them? Okay, if it’s easier for you, then just don’t put anything with a STEM in the dishwasher. Okay, yes, some plastic glasses have a stem. Fine, whatever, I don’t care anymore, just don’t put anything made of GLASS in the dishwasher then if that helps you. OKAY YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF IT CAN GO IN THE DISHWASHER OR NOT, JUST HAND-WASH IT, OKAY?
He is nice to try to clarify. But sometimes, if you’re like me, you kind of start to wonder if all the questions about HOW TO HANDLE A SITUATION are really a ploy to GET OUT OF THE WORK. I don’t want to call anyone out, but …. I really wonder sometimes.
You know, I think that if it cannot go in the dishwasher, well it certainly cannot go in the microwave either. I realized that this is not an assumption I can make when Hubby grabbed a fine china tea cup to microwave queso in. And I looked in the cabinet and checked. He had to go under and behind several other appropriate dishes to get to that tea cup. It’s a nice green one with gold around the rim. Not only was the fact that it was china bad, but it had METAL on it. So it created some fantastic flashes of light while being microwaved.
And when I asked, why did you pick THAT particular cup to use? “Well, it looked nice ….”
Mmm-hmm. Guys know quality. Like a moth to a flame, I’m telling you.
I’ll add a qualifier here: my husband is an awesome, awesome guy. The best, really. But I do find some of these stories really funny (IN HINDSIGHT). But don’t think it means I don’t like him. I share to make you laugh, make me laugh, maybe educate some people–if we can’t laugh, we cry, and I have spent way too many tears on that tea cup. (Okay, not really. You know what I mean).
A Library of My Very Own!
I think of myself as a somewhat quirky person. Well, actually, that’s what I’ve been told about myself. To introduce you to me, I would like to begin with a story. Apparently, I have an entrepreneurial spirit, at least as a child. When I was in 4th grade, I decided that all my friends needed to become more educated and literate and that I was the one to help them because I loved books. Of course, I didn’t think the local library would be enticing enough as I hadn’t seen them go there before (my parents took me at least weekly, so I was always scouting for other kids because I felt it was my responsibility to champion some causes like literacy among my peers). I never saw them there. So, to address my concerns, I decided I had better write my own library to share with the neighborhood. You read that right. I decided to write a LIBRARY. I furiously got to work and enlisted my book-loving sister to fold and staple paper together and write as many short stories as we could. Now, this started with detailed illustrations (this was for kids, after all, and pictures, I knew, would bring the kids to the words). I soon realized that writing an entire library would not be completed in a day, so the illustrations got sloppier and sloppier, as did the plot lines. Perhaps we wrote about 20 books eventually over the course of several days.
We set up shop on the porch. I made a sign for the yard and assumed that the droves of kids would just COME. They didn’t. Very disappointed, I began making a point to invite friends over and MAKE THEM CHECK OUT BOOKS. I could tell they didn’t want to, but I was not deterred. I would act as a great salesperson and really talk the books up. Most likely to get me to be quiet, they would occasionally take a book and go home.
I realized that this could become a money-making venture if I implemented FINES. As a good citizen, I didn’t accrue library fines at the local library, but I felt certain that other, less disciplined kids would. So I greedily started a fine system. All I could see were dollar signs. The local library let people check out books on a two-week basis and fines were 2 cents per day late. I soon realized that this WOULD NOT WORK to make me money. The kids in the neighborhood did not need to keep my short books that long and at a 2-cent-a-day fine, that was not going to buy me a pack of gum even for quite some time. As I fretted that no one was getting fines, I began changing the library rules day to day, shortening the time books could be checked out and increasing the fine amounts. Eventually, I think I got down to a 30-minute check-out period before fines came into effect, and my fines were TWO DOLLARS a day. I WAS GOING TO BE RICH at the ripe age of 10!!!!!!
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Sadly, this venture did not turn out to achieve the end goal of making me millions of dollars. I don’t think anyone ever paid a single one of their fines. However, I do think that I slightly achieved my initial goal of promoting literacy and book-reading. I’m pretty sure I saw a few of the kids at the local library on occasion after that. I liked to think that I had some part in making that happen.
Oh, and let me go ahead and tell you now that I’ve been told that hyperbole is my dialect. I use it a lot, but I think that EMPHASIS really drives a point home. And it’s funny. At least to me.
theoriginaltawnytaylor 