Healthy Home Blog » Household Ideas

Sleep Soundly with the Right Mattress

Charla — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:26:06 +0000

Did you know that we spend, on average, one third of our lives sleeping? That’s a lot of time spent on our mattresses, and all too often, we sleep on inherited, old, or otherwise improper beds. If you wake up every morning with neck or back pain, or simply aren’t sleeping as soundly as you’d like, maybe it’s time for a new mattress. Mattress shopping can seem like a daunting task – there are so many brands, styles, and sizes out there – but it doesn’t have to be.

When making a major purchase like a mattress, it’s always important to do you research. A convenient way to do this is by shopping around online. Retailers like ShopNBC have all types of mattresses, complete with customer reviews and product specifications to help guide you to an informed decision. For example, they carry a plethora of trusted Serta mattresses, a well-known brand with a lot of great reviews. This would be a good place to start when browsing around for a new mattress.

Next, it’s important to consider what type of mattress fits you and your sleeping style best. Perhaps you prefer a standard spring mattress, or maybe you’d like to try one of the new memory foam mattresses that are currently very popular. There are gel-infused foam mattresses, pillow-tops, and more to consider. If you prefer a firmer feel, perhaps a standard spring is right for you (and they also tend to be less expensive). However, if you love to be enveloped by a soft, light mattress, you may want to give memory foam a whirl. Whatever you decide, know that you’re treating yourself to a better night sleep, which has numerous benefits. So sleep more soundly – choose a great new mattress!

Dining Rooms

Charla — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:59:51 +0000

If I were going to replace any furniture in our house, I would replace our dining room table. We’re not right now, though, but it’s fun just to look and easy to look online for dining tables at several different sites. For example, if I lived in Los Angeles (which I don’t – I’m a Texas gal), then I might check out dining room furniture los angeles. Or if I lived in Chicago then I would check out sites there. It’s so easy to brouse and shop online and then have someone deliver it. Sure makes shopping easier when someone is ready to buy.

Basements

Charla — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:48:52 +0000

Basements are rare here in Texas. I’ve seen a few, but I could probably count them on one hand. Where my m-i-l lives, however, a lot of people have basements. Hers is really nice and has basement floor tiles, finished walls, and a ceiling. It’s quite large and includes a separate bedroom and a 3/4 bathroom. Plus, it has a pool table, a couple of sofas, a chair, and a full-size fridge as well as her laundry room area. We slept downstairs for many years when we would visit because we had plenty of space for kids plus a dog. It’s a great basement for company to stay in because there’s so much room!

Water Softeners

Charla — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:16:20 +0000

We have a water softener out in our garage. We “inherited” it when we bought this house, but it doesn’t work. We checked into how much it would cost to fix it once, but we decided that the repair was too expensive. Aquatell water softeners and other brands are on the market, and if we really wanted a water softener then it would be better to buy a new one than to have our old one repaired. Do any of you have a water softener?

Chair Casters

Charla — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:49:34 +0000

Something I really appreciate is having computer chairs with casters on them. My computer chair at home and at work both have casters which makes it so much more convenient when I need to get something close by and don’t want to get up. I can just roll over and get what I need.

Once we had a chair and one of the casters broke. It was nice that we (actually, my husband) could replace it so that we could still use the chair which was in great condition. I’m all for fixing something, if possible!

Cleaning House, etc.

Charla — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:20:47 +0000

It’s hard coming home from teaching and having the energy to clean house or even cook supper, especially since I stay later most days. I don’t need anything like durham maid service, though, because my husband is good to do most of the house cleaning, do most of the laundry (I wash my own clothes), and do most of the cooking. That really helps because I’m so tired most days when I get home! Now, during the summer, I do most of the cooking because I enjoy it. It’s all relative to my energy level.

Foam Mattresses

Charla — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:51:12 +0000

I came home from work yesterday not feeling so well. I took my temperature and found that it was over 100 degrees. Chills soon set in so I headed to our comfy bed with a foam mattress plus a memory foam topper to make it extra soft. I was so thankful to have a soft, comfortable bed to sleep in when I felt bad.

Some people might like foambymail latex mattresses which provide support and pressure relief. Many people find the foam mattresses to be superior to the regular mattresses they have slept on before. I definitely do!

Backyards

Charla — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 01:38:33 +0000

Some magazine pictures of backyard makeovers look like resort getaways. Our backyard definitely needs a makeover after this extreme Texas heat! It would look great with some potted flowering plants (pots are easier to keep hydrated) and maybe new deck furniture. Maybe something to make it a little special would be nice.
It is not uncommon for backyards to have a little creek or maybe a low place in them. I’ve seen people put cedar bridges in their yards for something like that. In fact, my aunt and uncle had a small bridge in their backyard which was very charming.

I think it helps to have trees, and an adequate amount helps to make it seem more like a park. If trees are lacking, they can always be planted. The more greenery and foliage, the better. That makes for a park-like atmosphere which is very relaxing!

Our Mobile Home

Charla — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:07:04 +0000

Years ago (I won’t tell you how many), when my husband and I had been married only a year, we decided to buy a brand new mobile home. It was nice to have a place of our very own instead of renting from somebody else. It was also a nice place to live. The two bedroom home had brand new, name brand, quality appliances which included a heavy duty washer and dryer that lasted many years. For the most part, we used our own furniture which included our own bedroom suite.

We lived in our home for several years, until our daughter was two, and we enjoyed living there. Storage was plentiful for a mobile home. My favorite parts were a built in double china cabinet and the abundance of cabinets in the kitchen. And the washer and dryer!

The park where we lived was nice, had an excellent storm cellar, and we actually only had to use the cellar once. The lots were nice and pretty with trees on every lot. Like I mentioned, we enjoyed living there and it would be nice to have a mobile home again, this time as a cute, cozy weekend getaway in some beautiful location.

Home Office

Charla — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 02:18:12 +0000

We’re busy getting our son ready to go back to college. This year, he will be living off campus instead of the dorm, so we have been looking for office furniture such as a desk long enough to hold his monitor, laptop, printer/scanner, etc. I don’t know if he needs scanning software or not, but I’m sure he has listed everything he needs on his shopping list. He has a great chair for his desk and a great laptop and monitor, so he’s all set there. He does need a bookcase, though. Once he gets the desk and bookcase, that should complete the major items on the list for his office/study.