Author: Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

Accounting for Factor X

Say you leave your home for a month to vacation somewhere, or to pursue a training program, or a job opportunity that tends to be approached in strategic intervals. You did everything in your power to ensure that the home is properly taken care of, but that year the woodpeckers, termites, and rats don’t care. You come home to some form of infestation!

Securing Emergency Services for Your Home

Well, in such a situation, you would probably want to use the auspices of an emergency pest control solution. It would be better to have the contact information on-hand, than to panic and choose a sub-par solution which ends up costing more than it’s worth.

With that in mind, it’s also worth considering that even though pest control is a pretty considerable issue, it doesn’t hold a candle to other things of an emergency nature which may impact your home unexpectedly. Consider plumbing, for example. Pipes buried underground may burst and flood your basement unexpectedly. After you get the leak fixed, you’ll have to overcome the associated water damage.

At restorationelite.com, you can find a service that: “…will make the process of servicing your damages easy as possible. Our team is committed to amazing customer service as well as amazing results. Our process will ensure an effective and permanent solution.”

Killing Two Birds with One Stone 

Sometimes, after you’ve had some kind of accident and you’re refurbishing the area affected, it becomes apparent that a remodel is going to be necessary anyway. In these situations, part of accounting for X-factors involves installation of new fixtures that maximize value.

At Lanternandscroll.com, you can find a: “…core collection of copper and brass lanterns featur[ing] period reproductions of lighting manufactured in the Carolina and Charleston lantern style, available in gas or electric. At the urging of our designer customers, we also offer many contemporary interior and exterior lighting options as well.” Such quality fixtures repair the problem and provide expanded property value.

Generally, it’s a good idea to make a list of possible emergency scenarios, then go about filling that list with contact information pertaining to contracting agencies and other groups who can help you in a pinch. You’ll want to have the number to your homeowner’s insurance, you’ll want plumbing, HVAC, roofing, window specialists, electricians, pest control, construction contractors and varying experts like those who install lighting fixtures.

The value of making such a list in advance will collaterally result in terms of savings. If you’ve got ten agencies you’ve vetted in terms of price and quality, then it’s conceivable that you’ll save as much as $100 per group. Either the savings will come in property value hikes, better products and services, or directly in terms of costs. That’s $1,000 in savings for an afternoon’s digital footwork using Google and your smartphone.

Potential Asset Preservation 

You could save tens of thousands of dollars in this way. Consider IoT, or the Internet of Things. Now consider the first scenario in this writing which had to do with a month’s absence from your property. You could install monitoring apps controllable from your phone which alert you when something of a possibly X-factor nature is impacting your property, and thus allowing you to immediately notify emergency personnel.

If a video monitor system in the basement registers motion and alerts you immediately, you could stop thousands of dollars’ worth of water damage by calling a neighbor to unlock the door, and having them supervise a water restoration crew as they limit the impact.

In home ownership, unexpected costs are the norm rather than the exception. When you can get ahead of them, you can maintain both your own assets and your property value with greater success.

Whenever we travel, we always ask our travel guide and some locals about the cost of living, rent index, salary rates, and consumer prices of common goods in the city. We find it interesting to compare the living expenses of locals in one city and how they usually maintain their lifestyle versus ours and another city in a far different area of the world.

Per the mid-2017 United Nations Population Division, “the United States is home to by far the largest number of Filipinos abroad.” Today, most Filipinos in the U.S. obtain lawful permanent residence through family reunification channels, either as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens or through other family-sponsored channels. Many also get green cards through employment preferences.

From 2012 to 2016, the top four counties by Filipino concentration were Los Angeles and San Diego counties in California, Honolulu County in Hawaii, and Clark County in Nevada. All in all, these counties accounted for 26% of Filipinos in the U.S.

Thinking of moving to a new city with your family?

If you’re planning to relocate to a new city, for instance migrating to Los Angeles in the U.S. or the surrounding area, things can get complicated. That complication compounds nigh-exponentially. You’ll need to plan in advance, and understand exactly what is necessary to provide the best living environment for your family. Asking questions and knowing about the cost of living like we usually do isn’t going to be enough.

If you’ve got the resources and the wherewithal, you may spend a little more money to live in a community that is designed around “green” living principles. This can give your children a good example pertaining to environmental conscientiousness.

One well-regarded Los Angeles community can be explored at this address. According to the site, “Our Greenpoint-rated building offers sustainable design paired with conscientious living. Whether it’s reducing your carbon footprint with our Walk Score of 98, or helping save water with our eco-friendly luxury showers, making a positive influence on your environment has never been so enjoyable.”

That said, you may want to get luxury without the green spin. As a contrast, luxury apartments in San Pedro, CA provide units where: “Luxury, comfort, and impeccable style come together to make The Vue…the perfect place to call home. Our gorgeous community of upscale residences for rent in San Pedro, CO feature thoughtful design and a whole host of exciting extras that make for the perfect living experience.”

Contingencies to Consider

In order to determine which choice truly meets your needs—and in a comprehensive manner—you’ll want to take into account more factors than just the cost or location of your new residence. You also want to take into account trends within the city itself. Sometimes a community is trending up, sometimes it’s not.

There’s always the chance some future community betterment program may sweep in and make a dilapidated urban community into a chic new shopping district where all the property values compound. With a family, banking on such a chance isn’t wise. Also, you want to consider living somewhere the streets can be trusted.

Certainly, your kids can remain within your apartment building whenever they’re at “home,” but they’re going to want to explore, and exploration is good for them. If you’re in an urban environment where opiate-addicted indigents surround your building at the street level, there are some lessons your children may learn earlier than they should.

A better option would be a living in a community where such indigency hasn’t begun to define life at the street level. Sometimes taking a spike in luxury or location is better because of the increased safety your children enjoy.

Education and Planning

Additionally, for reasons of convenience, scheduling, cost-effectiveness, and safety, you want to live somewhere that is relatively near your children’s place of education. Also, that educational facility should—ideally—be one where inner-city difficulties won’t increase the gradient on the uphill relocation climb that’s already ahead of your family.

Ideally, you want your children in a private institution; and there are many fine luxury apartments adjacent to just these types of schools. A quick Google search can help you map out the best possible areas to live in.

Health and Safety

If you or your family have health needs that may require being close to medical facilities or hospitals with specialized care, choose a home that will be most convenient. Accessibility is key; find better options to sustain a good and healthy lifestyle. It will also help to research about the crime rate of the city and the neighborhoods of your prospect home.

Source of Income and Job Opportunities

If possible, it will be best to start applying and look for job opportunities before you move. Know the city’s largest industries and the particular skills that are most needed. Find out about job openings online and make a concrete job hunt plan. List the companies you want to target, start making professional connections (probably through LinkedIn), and pay attention to location as well.

Whether you’re an entry-level, in middle management, or in an executive position, think about long-term options within the industry you’re proficient in and what the city offers in terms of future employment. Most people no longer stay at one job for their entire careers, so you’ll want to consider how your future city stacks up for future job options.

Don’t Forget to Say Goodbye

Finally, before deciding to relocate, it’s best to throw a goodbye party, have a get-together with friends and relatives, or just make sure you say a proper goodbye to the important people in your life. Not only will it help you leave your old city on good terms, but it might unexpectedly reveal connections and opportunities in your new one!

Summer is still here however not entirely in full swing anymore. The rainy season is around the corner, and it takes more than looking for any signs of roof leaks and repairing clogged home gutters to prepare your home for the other half of the year. Preparation now can help prevent or at least lessen the possible problems of the stormy days ahead.

You may find that you need a group of deck remodelers to fix up your outdoor spaces, or even the professional touch of a landscaping company. Consider these essential services that can save you time, money, and stress. Here are some essential services to check to prepare your home.

Essential Services You Need to Prepare Your Home for the Rainy Season

1. Clean your home’s surrounding. 

Make sure to keep your yard clear from possible trash, scraps, and debris that may clog your drainage. There are plenty of cleaning activities you can do yourself, but the help of a professional can give your home the deep cleansing it needs. Professional cleaners have the tools needed to repair home gutters. Clogged ones can cause rainwater to back up and damage your roof and house. Tiny details like that are what professional cleaners focus on, ensuring that your home surrounding will be as clean as a whistle for the rainy season.

There are also tough to clean spots such as the roof. Ask help and look for loose or damaged shingles. Any water damage could be an indication of roof leaks. Having someone take care of the hard work for you makes the idea of cleaning a lot less tedious. Companies like Plumbing Fix can take care of any emergencies you may have, fixing a potential nightmare in no time.

2. Monitor spots around the house. 

Work on the doors and windows and make sure they are secure so water cannot easily enter. Install weather-stripping as necessary. Look for spots where the ground meets your house. Make any repairs or improvements to any damage to window sills, doors and exterior siding as necessary. Several companies will do the deed for you and have your doors and windows sealed in no time.

Do check out as well for water collecting. Dig a trench and redirect the water if needed. In the case of flood or if you live in a flood-prone area, stockpile the sand bags. These will help divert water, debris or mud. Have them filled and ready to go before flooding happens.

3. Keep your AC in tip-top shape. 

Chances are, you had your air conditioner unit on most of the time during summer. Calling for repairs during the monsoon season can pose as a challenge. There can be damages or burnout and these may escalate especially when water gets into the electrical components when it rains. Also, if debris is being blown around in the air and the system is running, there is a chance that some can get caught up inside the unit, damaging the fan blade inside by preventing it from spinning. This leads to damages throughout the entire AC system.

Before starting yours up, it’s highly recommended to have a professional perform annual maintenance on the machine. A simple fine tuning can help save you hundreds.

4. Protect yourself and loved ones from bugs.

Finally, you might want to have your home sprayed for insects depending on the area you live in. The rainy season need not be a season for pests as well. The bad news is: If air can pass through your doors, bugs can get in, too. Not everyone has the same pest problems, but insects can turn a happy day into a nightmare before you know it. Companies like Orkin have specialized repellents designed to ward off pests in specific areas, keeping your home safe all year-round.

Things are heating up this dry season – literally. With PAGASA reporting heat indexes of up to 44.6°C in some parts of the country, the climate has officially become rather dangerous for humans. Heat exhaustion, cramps, and heat stroke are a very real and imminent threat, so it’s best to learn how to cool your home down while waiting for the season to pass.

How to Make Your Home a Cooler Place this Summer

Draw the blinds.

Keeping the blinds closed or covering your windows up with curtains limits the amount of sunlight that can come in, which means less heat overall. No, don’t worry about the breeze not getting in through the windows – what’s the point if the wind is hot, anyway? To preserve your health and wellness in this summer heat, keeping the air inside your house cool should be your priority, as this is the air that your fans will circulate within the rooms. On the flip side, pull the aforementioned blinds up at night when the sun has gone down and the temperature outside is much lower.

Use ice.

Want all the benefits of air-conditioning but hesitant about a high electricity bill? Use ice. Placing a bowl of ice, some bottles filled with frozen water, or ice packs in front of a fan cools the air passing through considerably. Stock your fridge so that you can just replenish the ice as necessary.

Stay low.

Hot air travels up, being less dense than cold air. This means that the upper part of your house will be considerably hotter compared to the lower levels. The solution therefore is simple – stay in the first floor as much as possible, and do your best to keep the air in the second floor cool by insulating the walls and floors.

Try blackout curtains, which block sunlight and naturally provide insulation to the rooms where they’re installed. A curtain in a neutral color with white plastic backing can reduce heat considerably – up to 33%.

Switch to cotton.

Cotton is a more breathable fabric than say satin, silk, or polyester. It stays much cooler, too, and doesn’t retain heat for very long. Swap your beddings out for fresh cotton sheets and brighten up the room at the same time. You can also invest in pillows filled with buckwheat, which stay much cooler due to the air that stays between the grains. You can also look into gel toppers for both your bed and gel inserts for your existing pillows. These keep you cool while you sleep, hopefully reducing the need to keep the air-conditioning turned on.

Position your fans strategically.

Most people make the mistake of placing a fan right up against a window in the hopes of bringing in the cool breeze outside indoors. This works, but it’s not the best fan placement. Instead, place your fan across the window so that you can be cooled from two directions at once – with the wind coming in from the windows, and the fan recirculating the air, creating a cross breeze. Want more airflow? Set up multiple fans around the room.

Stay away from the stove.

Cooking generates heat, obviously. In the summer months, try to minimize your cooking time to a few minutes at a time to keep the heat from building up inside the kitchen, and save your baking and roasts for cooler months, as the oven generates a huge amount of heat, too, even with the doors closed.

Additionally, unplug your rice cooker the minute it’s done cooking. Learn how to prepare recipes that are quick and easy, such as stir-fries, or forego the stove entirely and subsist on salads and other dishes that don’t need cooking.

How do you keep your home from heating up during these long summer months? Let me know! 🙂

Have you ever been a junior bridesmaid in a friend or relative’s wedding? I had played the role of a bridesmaid and a flower girl before but never a junior bridesmaid’s. What are junior bridesmaids anyway? Junior bridesmaids are typically too young to be flower girls but not old enough to bear the responsibilities of a bridesmaid of age. As a younger person in the wedding party, she has certain responsibilities and duties similar to a traditional bridesmaid’s.

Being a part of the celebration is a real honor, and as the bride, it’s up to you to ask her to help with more than discovering the perfect bridesmaid dresses & bridesmaid gowns on Azazie. Let’s take a look at typical junior bridesmaid responsibilities in greater detail.

Junior Bridesmaid Duties in Preparing for a Wedding

1. Attending the Bridal Shower

Since the junior bridesmaid falls between the ages of 9 to 14, it isn’t typically expected to have her throw a bridal shower. It’s too much responsibility for a person so young. But, there’s nothing wrong with asking a young woman to attend the bridal shower.

While she’s there, you can also give her certain responsibilities to make her a bigger part of this event. She can help set up the shower, clean up after everyone goes home, help make party favors, and she can help with anything else that may seem like she’d be a good fit.

At the end of the day, this young woman will be so excited to be a part of the celebration. She’ll end up being your biggest asset at this event and she’ll work hard to make sure your bridal shower is an extraordinary event.

2. Choosing Sweet Treats for the Candy Buffet

If you plan to indulge your guests with a candy buffet, there’s no one better to help choose the candies and other sweet treats then a 9 to 14-year-old junior bridesmaid. She’ll have no trouble choosing the perfect sweet treats to make your gorgeous candy buffet exceptional. Plus, she can even help you design the display if she has a knack for artistic creativity.

Ask your junior bridesmaid to think about her favorite candies for this attractive display. One suggestion is for her to check out Sweet Services online and choose low-cost bulk options so you can get the biggest bang for your buck. Once she has picked out her favorites, she can tell you all about them! Afterwards, you can order them online and have them shipped directly to your door.

By approaching your candy buffet this way, you’ll have all of the ingredients for the perfect display and you’ll give your junior bridesmaid more responsibility that will make her feel like an even bigger part of the wedding. She’ll be grateful for the opportunity to help you with this important wedding responsibility.

3. Walking Down the Aisle & Standing at the Altar

Whether your wedding takes place in a church or the perfect catering hall, just know that your junior bridesmaid should be a part of everything that happening during the wedding. Let her walk down the aisle with you and the rest of the bridesmaids during the wedding procession. She should also stand at the altar with you and the rest of the wedding party as well.

Consider her a regular part of the wedding party, even though she may be a little too young for every responsibility. By approaching her role this way, she’ll be thrilled and feel more like an adult because you’re treating her like one. This will make your wedding really exciting and extra special for this amazing girl on the verge of womanhood.

Final Thoughts

If you’re having trouble determining the responsibilities of your junior bridesmaid, please take this advice seriously. Use this information to determine exactly how and where you can use this young woman to enhance your wedding and make her role extra special all at the same time.