DIY Archives - 3 Kids and Us

How to Make Moving Less of a Pain

December 20, 2022 by admin

If you’ve never moved before, count yourself lucky. In survey after survey, moving consistently ranks among the most stressful life events, right alongside divorce and the death of a loved one. Naturally, if you have an upcoming move, you’ll want to do everything in your power to make it less stressful and easier on your entire family. So, in today’s guide, we’re going to take a closer look at how to make moving less of a pain!

Make a Moving Day Checklist In Advance

Nothing throws a wrench in your moving day plans like a lack of organization. If you don’t make a checklist well before moving day arrives, you will likely feel agitated and overwhelmed. Fortunately, you can largely bypass these feelings by preparing for what’s to come. Make sure your checklist accounts for the people and vehicles you will need, as well as all of the larger items that must be moved. Don’t forget little things like having a phone charger on hand, as it could end up being a real life-saver!

Give Away Things You Don’t Want

One of the biggest issues associated with moving is taking inventory of all the stuff you own. Many families are shocked at the sheer number of things in their homes. However, if you’re like most people, you still hold on to plenty of things that you don’t actually want or need. Consider donating unwanted clothing, furniture, and other household items to charity or even giving them away to friends and family. Getting rid of these items ahead of moving day will greatly reduce the number of boxes and vehicles you’ll need to get everything moved to your new home.

Hire Professional Movers

It can be tempting to save a few bucks and try to do everything on your own. Unfortunately, you’ll quickly find that trying to manage a big move without some hired muscle is an enormous undertaking. Not only can it be stressful, but you may find that you don’t have the right equipment to move bigger items in your home. So, don’t be afraid to invest in a reliable moving company like Black Tie Moving. Not only will you have people to do most of the heavy lifting for you, but you’ll also eliminate a lot of the stress associated with changing homes.

Make Fun Arrangements For Your Kids

If you have young kids, you know that it can be difficult to get things done unless they are entertained. While older children and teenagers can be a huge help when moving, younger kids may not be able to help as much. Not only could they get hurt, but they could also get quickly bored with the activity. So, if possible, try to arrange to have young children entertained while you handle the move. For example, you might ask your parents or friends to watch your kids for the day. Alternatively, you could have one of your older children take the kids to the movies or to the park for a few hours. This will help keep your kids happy and make moving go by much faster!

Looking for more great advice on ways to make your busy life easier? Be sure to check out some of our other posts on 3 Kids and Us today!

4 Kid-Friendly Backyard Ideas

September 21, 2022 by admin

These days, one of the most common complaints that parents have is that they have a hard time getting their children to play outside, as most kids prefer spending time playing indoors or doing a different activity like watching TV. It can be difficult to ensure that your outdoor living space is one that your kids will enjoy spending time in, especially if your yard hasn’t undergone any recent renovations from Hiner Outdoor Living and is lacking in fun elements that your children can enjoy. If you’re looking to give your yard an upgrade, here are 5 kid-friendly things that you can add to your backyard today!

1. Sandbox

Sandboxes are a classic addition to any kid-friendly backyard. Playing with natural elements such as sand can be a great sensory experience for young children, and can encourage creativity in children as they try to build things from the sand! Sandboxes are relatively easy to build or install, and blend easily into any yard.

2. Outdoor Art Station

An outdoor easel or craft table is a great way to keep children of all ages entertained outside. As an added bonus for parents, children doing art projects such as painting outdoors can reduce the risk of a mess inside the house! Ensure that your children have outdoor-friendly pieces of equipment and supplies such as an easel, washable paint, chalk, and more, and your children are sure to enjoy spending hours outside expressing their creativity.

3. Swings

One of the outside activities that kids enjoy the most is swinging. Swing sets can be purchased or built relatively easily, and can come with custom additions such as slides, treehouses, and more. Don’t want to invest in an expensive swingset? Attaching a singular swing onto a tree will work as well.

4. Nature Observation Tools

Many kids love to go outside and explore the elements around them, such as plans or insects. Encourage your child’s natural curiosity with a nature observation kit that includes a magnifying glass, a pencil and paper to record notes about their findings, and, most importantly, a box where they can capture bugs to observe closer. Just make sure to set rules about where these items can be left if you would prefer to avoid a bug being accidentally brought into your home.

Removing chewing gum from Upholstery and Carpets. Do’s and Don’ts !

March 29, 2022 by admin

Chewing gum, a tasty square of minty freshness. Also a nightmare if it gets itself entwined in your fabrics or carpet. It can be extremely difficult to remove from all surfaces, even hard surfaces. Don’t worry though we have the solution. Premium Clean can help guide you through the process of removing this sticky mess. Now a few items that you might already have lying around the house can be very useful for removing chewing gum some of the following:

Peanut butter

Wd40

Cubed ice

Olive oil

Eucalyptus oil

Method 1: The most commonly used method is Cubed ice, this method works best on chewing gum that has just been fused with the fabric, not so much if it has been fused deeply into the fabric’s fibbers.

You simply grab 4 or 5 cubes of ice and place them in a zip lock bag or wrap them in some kitchen roll. You need to hold this on the piece of gum until the gum is completely frozen. It is important that it is completely frozen, not just cold. Once completely frozen you can then take a butter knife and start to scrape the gum away from the fabrics fibbers. The chewing gum should start to peel away leaving little to no residue behind. If any large pieces of residue is left repeat the process as many times as required to completely remove all large fragments of the gum.

You may have some light residue left that can then be removed using a soapy cloth. Ensure to rinse the soap away from the area with a clean cloth once finished and allow it to dry naturally.

Method 2: Now unless most families will have a jar of peanut butter in their cupboards, believe it or not peanut butter can be very useful when removing chewing gum from fabrics, the natural oils in the peanut butter help to dissolve chewing gum from all fabrics. We would suggest teaming the ice cube method with this one, it just allows you to remove large pieces with the ice cubes first then focusing on the smaller parts using the peanut butter. However this method can be used on its own also.

To begin, apply a liberal amount of peanut butter to the chewing gum, approximately the same size as the piece of gum. Using your fingers start to rub the peanut butter into the chewing gum. Next use a butter knife or a plastic putty knife to gently begin scraping the gum up and away from the fibbers of the fabric, the natural oils will have loosened the chewing gums grip and it should all lift away with minimal effort. Again if any residue is left repeat the process. Once you’re happy with the removal, apply some soapy water to the area to remove any leftover oils in front of the peanut butter.

Method 3: Not as common as the other two items however many of you may have this item hiding in the shed or garage, Wd40 is another great item to remove chewing gum. Surprisingly i would say that this is the easiest thing to use to remove chewing gum from fabrics and carpets, the Wd40 also usually comes equipped with a handy straw. This allows you to spray it onto the exact area that you need with great accuracy. You can even get the straw under the gum helping to speed up the process. All you need to do is spray the chewing gum with the Wd40 and wait for a few minutes. Once a short time has passed you will be able to use your fingers to pull the chewing gum away from the fibbers. Once you are happy and have removed the chewing gum you can just wipe over the area with a soapy cloth to remove any remaining residue, this will also help keep your fabrics smelling fresh.

Selecting the Best Window Coverings for Your Conservatory

March 6, 2022 by admin

Conservatories can be quite the showpiece of any home. More and more people are turning to their conservatories as an additional room for entertaining guests, studying, or simply a space for relaxing during the evenings. However, unless you have a solid roof fitted, these rooms can become quite hot during the summer months, making it beneficial to find window coverings that serve their purpose of providing shade from the sun, look good and offer additional functionality, such as insulation from wind and soundproofing. Here are some ideas on selecting the best window coverings for your conservatory that will meet all of your needs and look good while doing so.

Vertical Blinds

A conservatory is a space that is meant for enjoying nature and relaxing. The area’s typically large windows allow a lot of natural light but can also create glare, heat a room and cause distracting patterns on walls. Adding vertical blinds can be a great way to solve these problems while adding style and colour.

Roller Blinds

Because of their versatility, roller blinds are some of our most popular conservatory window coverings. As well as being great at blocking light and a certain amount of heat from entering your conservatory, roller blinds can also be quickly drawn back or removed completely if you want more natural light during certain times of the day. It’s also reasonably easy to control ventilation in your conservatory with roller blinds – depending on how many windows you have, simply raise or lower all or individual blinds to regulate airflow.

Venetian Blinds

If you’re thinking of installing Venetian blinds in a conservatory, it may help to know that these window coverings have several advantages. A great deal of natural light will come into your conservatory as a result of fitting Venetian blinds, allowing you and your family members a bright space to relax. However, they are not very good at blocking out heat, which could mean the conservatory is warmer than you would ideally like, in the summer.

Plantation Shutters

These are classic and add a touch of history to any room, but they are likely to be more expensive than other coverings. Plantation shutters come in various styles that give you total freedom over how much light you want to let in or how much privacy you want at your fingertips. Plantation shutters are great for a conservatory if you live somewhere where there’s sunlight most of the day, as they are perfect for cooling a space during hot summer months.

Curtains

While you can undoubtedly bring in fresh air and light with your curtains, they can also block it—which is possibly less than ideal, depending on how much time you spend in your conservatory and how much privacy you desire. Curtains are probably the least efficient choice for a conservatory window covering, but they are also the cheapest option.

No Coverings

The main benefit of not covering the windows is that leaving windows bare helps make your conservatory feel like a more natural home extension. This can add value both psychologically and financially. There’s no need to worry about curtains or blinds getting dirty, meaning you don’t have to deal with cleaning them or replacing them if they break. The downside is you will have no protection from direct sunlight and zero privacy.

3 Ways to Upgrade an Outdated Bathroom

February 28, 2022 by admin

If you are unhappy with the look of your bathroom, the process of beginning renovations can feel overwhelming, especially if you aren’t sure where to begin. An older bathroom is not only susceptible to issues like mold and water damage but is also unlikely to reflect a homeowner’s taste in decor like another room in the house could. Here are 3 things to upgrade in your bathroom to give the space a modernized, luxurious feel.

Bathtub

One of the best ways to unwind after a long day is by taking a relaxing, hot bath. If your bathtub is outdated or a bit unsightly, upgrading it could be worth it if you find yourself looking for a new way to de-stress. Clawfoot tubs are beautiful, and add value to your home (homes with clawfoot tubs are 30% more likely to sell). They are also made from materials that can hold heat, meaning your bath water won’t get cold too quickly and you can make the most of your relaxing bath. If you don’t like the look or feel of clawfoot tubs, another option is a luxury bathtub with jets. These tubs give you a comforting, spa-like experience from the comfort of your own bathroom.

Cabinets

If you find that your bathroom looks outdated or does not match the theme or decor of the rest of your home, changing your bathroom cabinets could be a quick fix. Cabinets and vanities are a major eye-catcher in any bathroom, so they should match the look and feel of the rest of the room. Many companies, such as Capitol Kitchen & Bath, offer complete renovations to cabinets regardless of your style or budget. Consider not only the style and design you’d like your cabinets to have but also the space you’d like them to offer. Changing up your cabinets can help to quickly modernize your bathroom, and could help you to organize or de-clutter your space.

Flooring

Another way to quickly upgrade an outdated bathroom is by replacing the flooring. While many homes have tile, ceramic, or vinyl flooring in their bathrooms, a modern choice that is growing popular is natural stone flooring. This adds an elegant and luxurious touch to any bathroom and can raise the resale value of your home. Wood flooring is also a popular choice in sleek, modernized bathrooms (just make sure it is waterproof). Updating your flooring is one of the fastest and most effective ways to make your bathroom look brand new.