October 5, 2018

Beautify Your Garden Space

For many people, the garden is just about the most important part of the home, especially in the warmer months. If you love your garden, but you want to try and improve it, the good news is that there are always many ways in which you can do this. By finding some good ways to beautify the garden space, you will likely also improve the feeling and experience of the home as a whole, so this is something that is definitely worth considering if you want to. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the essential considerations for you to take on board if you are undergoing a project of this kind, so that you can be sure to make it work as well as possible, and end up with exactly the kind of garden that you have always dreamed of.

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Get Landscaping

Sometimes you need to really dig deep – literally – and change the lay of the land itself in order to make way for the improvements you want to see in your garden. If you have come to realize that there is nothing else for it, and this is what you need to do, then you will want to make sure that you get planning as to what you need to actually change in that respect. In all likelihood, this is not the kind of project you will want to undertake alone, unless you happen to be especially skilled in that area. Going with a firm like ABC Landscaping is much more likely to be beneficial and to provide the kind of results you want, so that is something you should consider instead. In either case, however you do it, you can be sure that landscaping the garden is often a great way to get the land to where you need it to be for whatever future projects you might have planned for it. It is much easier to beautify your garden if you are happy with the initial space itself before you even get going.

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Plot It Out

So many amateur gardeners do not achieve the looks they want for one clear reason: they are not really aware of the look they want. If you are a little hazy at all about what you are trying to achieve in your garden, it is unlikely that you will be able to manifest it in the garden space in any way that is likely to please you. You can therefore gain a huge advantage by sitting down and spending some time pouring over some paper, sketching out your ideas for what you want your garden to look like. By plotting it out in this way, you can be sure that you are going to be able to improve your garden space massively, and that you will have a clear idea of what it is that you are actually hoping to achieve. That alone is incredibly valuable, so make sure that you have thought about it as much as you can before you even get going on doing anything purely physical out in the garden itself.

Play With Colours

Arguably the most important element of all when you are trying to make a garden look more beautiful is the use of colours. Knowing how to use colours is something which you will find to be particularly useful in trying to achieve whatever kind of colour scheme you might find to be attractive personally. You will probably know this already, but it’s a different matter once you start trying to translate that into plants and flowers, and you might find that you need to spend a long time just looking through different plants before you can work it out. However, as long as you are playing around with colours, it is likely that you will be able to keep your garden looking as beautiful as possible, so this is definitely something to consider.

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Allow Space

A lot of people find that they accidentally try to fill their garden up with too much stuff. This can at first seem like a good way to make it look its best, but actually the opposite is usually the case. If you have too much going on, it will be harder to look after, and you won’t end up with quite such a beautiful garden. But if you instead allow it to have plenty of space, you will find that it is much easier to maintain, and that it is therefore much more beautiful as well. This is a basic rule of thumb which you don’t want to overlook if you can help it.

October 5, 2018

How to Clean an Oven The Easy Way

There are many situations when you can end up with a grime filled unusable oven, whether it be from forgetfulness or part of a home renovation. If it is someone else’s property you have recently purchased, or even your own, you may find that food material has built up quite heavily and will require some hard work to remove. Pull on your cleaning gloves, it’s time to get that oven squeaky clean.

Clean as You Cook

The hardest grime and mess to get off your oven walls is that which has had time to set hard. Over many changes in temperature any fluids and food material that has caked the walls of your oven will begin to set and harden, very hard. My recommendation is to give your oven just a brief 5 minute clean after every meal. It’s not very difficult and will save you hours of hard work in the future.

Cook in A Clean Way

Unfortunately, it’s another hindsight tip. The easiest way to prevent your oven from getting dirty is to just cook in a clean way. For example, when cooking things like chicken cover it in tinfoil to keep the juices in, and if cooking bacon there are various ways to prevent oil from flying out of the pan or tray.

Prepare Your Oven Properly

No oven cleaning tip is going to work if your oven is not prepared properly. Make sure all oven racks and trays are removed so you have the bare minimum to clean in the oven itself. Many ovens even come with removable walls and heating elements making your job far easier. These can be left to soak in hot water and a cleaning agent separately from the main oven.

Stay Away from The Chemicals

Man made chemicals are the quick and easy way to get your oven clean. But over time they will destroy your oven and cost you more money than your time is worth. White spirit is an example of a chemical many people will have for home decoration and reach for during oven cleaning projects. Take a bit more time to use conventional methods and your oven will last you far longer. Naturally occurring ingredients like baking soda and vinegar are your friends here. Prepare baking soda into a paste by mixing it with water. 75% baking soda and 25% water will make a good paste that should stick to your oven walls. For tougher stains that fail to budge use a solution of vinegar and water. If you have to use man made cleaning agents check that they won’t damage Oven surfaces.

Check Your Manufacturer’s Recommendation

There are various different substances that manufacturers use to coat the surfaces within your oven. Each of these materials may react differently to cleaning. It’s best to check the manufacturers guide (if one is available) to make sure you aren’t about to use a potentially damaging cleaning agent, or miss out on a useful tip for that specific oven.

Know Your Oven

Ovens these days are cunning pieces of technology. Manufacturers know the difficulties of cleaning an oven after months of cooking various culinary delights. Modern ovens (and even some older ones) come with various ways to make this less of a hassle, such as auto-clean modes.

Be Patient

Cleaning an oven properly is not a short process. If you are having a dinner party this evening and you need a clean oven first you are better off getting takeout. Most cleaning processes you will find require solutions to be left on overnight and I recommend this also.

Use the right tools for the job

Some stains and food material are going to need some convincing to remove. This is where physically scraping the walls of your oven can come in. A home improvement tool that you will likely already have is a wallpaper remover. These can be used (carefully) to scrape material off the walls. If you are worried about scratches wrap a metal scraper in a tea towel or use a plastic one instead.

Safety

Always wear thick rubber gloves when cleaning your oven. Many chemicals are toxic and can be irritating to skin. Also leave windows open and keep kitchen well ventilated during and after cleaning. This will help remove the smell as well.

Verdict

So there you have it, oven cleaning doesn’t have to be a difficult process it can just take some time and effort. Remember preventing the build-up of grime will always save you time and money in the long run. Hopefully you now know how to clean an oven and can use these tips in the future.

October 5, 2018

String Trimmers Explained

String Trimmers Or Weed-Whackers, They All Take Care Of The Same Job

Whether you call them string trimmers or weed eaters or weed whackers, they are all the same machines – edging and lawn trimmers. And, like anything else, buying them requires more than running into the store and plunking down the magic card.

Weed-Eater Buying Moments

String trimmer buying moments have a definite purpose. The purpose is the make sure you get the right one for the proper use.

What might the uses be? Of course, the applications are necessary yard cleanup and maintenance. However, there is also the occasional time when you have to go in and clean up massive clutter and wood. You do need a weed-eater for this.

If you only have a small patch of grass in your yard that requires cleanup, then other string trimmers will suit your purposes. And though it seems unlikely, there are more options for smaller yards than there are for big woody lots.

String Trimmers Explained

When you walk into the local garden center or home goods store, the first thing you are bound to notice is the variety of strimmers available. Let’s face it; there are so many sitting there that it can be very confusing. There are electric strimmers, gas-powered string trimmers, and string trimmer that combine other features such as a cutting blade.

Strimmers fall into three categories, based on price. They are:

$50 – This is the price range which features basic weed whackers. This is price range includes small, battery-powered and corded units. There might also be some gasoline-powered units available. However, you are more likely to find them in the next category. These string trimmers are for small lots and yards. Typically, these are places that also don’t require heavy-duty weed-eating capabilities. In their usage range, they are very effective.
$100-200 – This is the price range in which you will find your most extensive variety of strimmers.
This range includes standard-sized units. You will see that not only are the string trimmers upgraded this range but so also are the power sources. You will notice that battery-powered versions use LI-on (Lithium-ion) batteries for the best.
$200 – This is the price range in which you will find heavy-duty string trimmers.
By and large, you will see that these weed-whackers are gasoline-powered. Uses for these string trimmers include heavily overgrown and tree-covered lots. Since they are primarily gasoline-powered, you will find two- and four-stroke versions available.
Other – On the higher-end of the price range you will find specialized weed-whackers. They include the tricycle-style, heavy-duty brush cutter that are best suited for heavy brush and woody lots.

Pricing Is One, But There Are Other Considerations

Now that you have the styles of weed-eater and their pricing, there are other things to consider. For instance, let’s say you try to keep your costs down by purchasing the latest battery-powered lightweight. Is this the right matchup? The answer is probably not because you’ll find that it is too light for the job and in the relatively short-term you will probably find it ready for retirement. This is frustrating because if you had read our list of price points and tips, you would not have been replacing the string trimmer that soon.

Instead, our list shows that you should have bought a weed-eater in the second level because this is the one that will handle it.

Will it handle it in comfort? You do have to check this feature while you are still at the retailer because once you own it, well, you do own it. You should find that it is well balanced and that using it feels normal. Granted, you cannot start it up in the store, but, take it to a safe area and swing it the way you would in your yard. If it feels natural, like an extension of your arms, then it is right for you. Be sure, by the way; there’s a harness available that you can snap on that takes much of the weight off your arms. It’s an excellent addition.

Also, you should be sure that the weed-eater has an adjustable handle. You would be surprised how such a small convenience as an adjustable handle. Typically, the handles on higher-end string trimmers are adjustable. They slide up and down the shaft after being released. When you

have found a good fit for your left or right hand, you merely turn the close and latch the handle into place, and you are ready to begin working.

Some Feature Suggestions

While you are checking the trimmer, make sure that it has an adjustable head. If the head is adjustable from horizontal to vertical, then you have a double-edged tool, a strimmer and an edger all in one. One caution with flexible whip heads is that they must be secure – which they usually are – but it never hurts to check.

Here are some other buying tips:

Battery-powered trimmers should have lithium-ion power. These batteries last the longest and charge more quickly. Generally, you will find that they have about an hour’s worth of trimming time in them. This short-term power makes this type of trimmer ideal for small lots.
Gas-powered strimmers should have a start-assist feature. This feature is a spring-controlled. It takes the place of the rope that you need to start or restart the gas-trimmer. Another feature to think of is a choke-assist. This is usually a small bulb of gasoline that shoots the right load of fuel into the carburetor when you are starting.
One other nice feature on a gas-powered stream trimmer is an auto-stop button that shuts down the trimmer as soon as you hit it. It is a great safety feature.

Verdict

Here’s where we suggest what you should buy, and we do have our recommendation. If you have a small lot, electric is the best way to go. A motor-driven unit doesn’t have the stamina of a functional battery unit. As to your purchase for a bigger yard, lot covered with trees and branches, the best buy is a gas-powered weed-eater.

Except for convenience, the type of power – two-stroke or four-stroke – is your preference (it’s the gas-oil mixing point). Be sure the head is adjustable, so you have an edger and weed-whacker. And, lastly, be sure the string feed is convenient. There is one type of trimmer that feeds out the trim string with a bounce on the ground; another has an automatic feed. Watch out for a trimmer that requires manual trim string replacement. Because it wears so quickly, you will find that you have to stop frequently to replace it.

Author Bio:

Hi! I’m Eric Parker, Author of Tools Freak, a craft handyman with the passion for DIY projects. I share the DIY experience I have and the best tools you need. I am tools freak and enjoy hand and power tool hacks.

October 5, 2018

Rest and Relaxation are Waiting for You at Beavers Bend

Are you ready for a vacation? Do you have a particular favorite place to go? Chances are good that you have been there quite a few times in the past. Are you ready for a change? If so, there’s a place that you can go that you would never in a million years know about if you didn’t happen upon this article. That place is the Big Bend State Park and it’s located right here in your own back yard.

The woods of Oklahoma are home to a series of natural havens for camping, fishing, kayaking, hiking, and other healthy outdoor activities. Did you know that these special beavers bend getaways can be arranged for a price that won’t put a dent in your budget? If you have been longing for a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy career in the city, this is the perfect place for you to come.

Nowhere else in the region can you spend such a quiet, restful night in the woods. The noise of the city is far away, even though the cabin you are staying in is very close to civilization. But once the highway is out of sight, it truly will be out of mind. These new Beavers Bend cabins have all of the comforts you need to spend a magic night out in the woods without a care in the world.

A night in the woods can have a calming effect on even the most frayed nerves. And in the morning, you can treat yourself to a hearty meal and then look forward to a day of healthy activity. Whatever you want to do, you can do it here.

If you are ready to experience the magic of the Oklahoma woods, get in touch with us today. We can help you arrange a restful visit to the Big Bend area. If you’re in the mood to be one with nature for a while, we can help you realize your dream. Call us today to get started.