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This is a girl problem. We have so much stuff. Let’s mention all and it will put everything in perspective. Shoes, socks, underwear, skirts, shorts, jeans, pants, coats, suits, blouses, t-shirts, hats, scarves, gloves, sunglasses, dresses, hair clips, jewelry, make up, belts, sweaters, etc, etc. Too much stuff. Were do we put it all?

It takes a lot of imagination and organizational skills, since not all of us are Jennifer Lopez or Paris Hilton that have closets the size of my apartment. What can we do?

Let’s start with the shoes. The Polaroid picture still works, really. But know with digital cameras this is really much cheaper. Put a picture on all your shoeboxes it will save you tons of time trying to find your shoes later.

Organize all your hangable clothes by clothing item and color. Black pants next to black pants, next to white pants, etc. This way when you have made up your mind to wear pants, you know exactly were they are and the color jumps right at you.

Have an underwear drawer, a bra drawer and a sock drawer, these way you only have to organize by color. Use your doors! Get some of those back hangers for doors and organize your scarves, hats and belts, they look great and you save a lot of room.

Be creative and have fun. Just realize of how much time you are going to save when you do this and how much happier you are going to be.

Basement waterproofing is usually completed when a basement is still in the very early stages of water damage. The first step in waterproofing is to identify the source of a wet or flooded basement, since dealing with the water source will ensure long-term success. Waterproofing a basement can be implemented either internally or externally. The choice of which system to use is as important as knowing the source of the problem. In order to solve the problem of leaky basements, the job must be done efficiently; it is essential to make sure that leaks will not happen again. Any system that does this is known as a waterproofing system.

Basement waterproofing systems are basically of two different kinds: external and internal. External basement waterproofing systems involve either backfilling the foundation or digging up the foundation and putting layers of thick plastic tarping or vinyl underground gutters around the areas of hydrostatic pressure and whole foundation. This process is then completed with the addition of an external sump pump. Internal solutions may mean fixing a leaky pipe or building a sump pump and permanent ground gutters to relieve hydrostatic pressure; additionally, this process can involve the installation of special thick plastic tarping over the floor to stop dampness.

In the end, one should choose the waterproofing system that solves the wet basement problem once and for all. But unless all the water sources are identified in the original inspection, including, seepage, damp walls, mildew, rust cracks, slumps and sinkholes, they may all return.

When most people think of coat racks, they think strictly of hanging coats, hats, and scarves. But coat racks can be a lot more than just a place to keep clutter off the floor. They can also provide you with an opportunity to display your own, unique decorating tastes.

One of my favorite ways to decorate with coat racks is to display vintage clothing on them. Wall-mounted coat racks work particularly well for displaying vintage hats and bonnets. And floor-mounted coat racks are a natural for cloaks, gowns, shawls and scarves.

Don’t go cheap when using coat racks as a decorating accent. True, you can pick up a generic wall-mounted coat rack for under $10 and a floor-standing one for under $30. But if your goal is to create an eye-catching accent, don’t expect a cheap one to have the effect you want.

Bent wood, rattan, wrought iron, or brass give you the best eye appeal in a floor-standing coat rack. And look for furniture-quality solid hardwood in wall-mounted coat racks. Don’t settle for generic, dime-store coat hooks on your coat rack when you can easily combine the beauty of brass and porcelain or get the rustic strength of wrought iron.

You can find wall-mounted coat racks with rosemaling, or other styles of decorative painting. These always add to your accent, as do such features as a plate rack or decorative shelf on top that allows you to display other collectibles.

And a mirror, whether etched or plain, on your wall-mounted coat rack is always a big plus. Not only does it enhance the beauty of your accent, but it provides a much appreciated service to your guests of letting them check their appearance after coming in from outdoors.

As for finding vintage hats or clothing for your coat rack, here are some places to try.

Most larger cities have at least one vintage clothing store available. You can also find vintage clothing in many estate sales. And more and more second-hand stores gather vintage clothing donated to them into a special area.

Or you can look for reproduction vintage clothing and hats from merchants who specialize in supplying the participants of living history events with clothing and items from daily life of the eras these participants portray.

I’ve found Renaissance festivals and Civil War Reenactments to be especially rich sources of quality reproduction vintage clothing (and many other interesting items useful for decorating).Both events attract a large number or merchants who specialize in reproduction vintage clothing and other items of those times. And you can find many of these merchants on the Internet, as well.

Be aware, though, that while you can usually find a greater variety of items through these merchants in brand new condition, the prices for reproductions can be expensive because of the amount of labor involved in faithfully reproducing construction techniques from a pre-mass production era.

In looking for vintage hats to display on a wall-mounted coat rack, you can either go for a single era, or go eclectic with vintage hats from a number of eras and styles. And don’t forget the eye appeal of including one hat in your collection that drapes a ribbon down beneath. Or consider dangling a vintage umbrella or cane from one hook to create various lengths of items hung from your coat rack.

And the hats you use don’t necessarily need to be formal. Some of the most effective hats I’ve found for decorating have been the well-worn, but extremely unique, vintage hats of everyday laborers.

For a floor-standing coat rack, avoid reproduction or vintage clothing that really needs a hanger for it to look its best. Look instead for drapey items such as cloaks, gowns, shawls, and scarves. Experiment with interweaving a colorful scarf or shawl among dark and elegant formal wear.

Or try hanging a coat or gown by the shoulder instead of by the collar for a casual, asymmetrical look. Include a vintage purse. Or, depending on the effect you want to create, consider the effect that draping some vintage silk stockings or lingerie could add to the accent you create.

The options are endless when it comes to combining coat racks and vintage clothing. Just use a quality coat rack that does justice to what you display and let your imagination, and your decorating taste, be your guide in selecting items to display on it.

Mark Scott is the creator of fine etched mirror coat racks and other wall decor and furniture. Check out www.mastervisions.com/coat_racks.htm to see high-quality coat racks with depth and shading you’ve never seen in etchings before.

There are four methods for installing a wood floor: nail down, staple down, glue down, and free-float. If cement is the base of your floor, then you can only use glue down and free-float. If you have plywood, then you can use any of the four choices. This article explains how to go about the installation of free-floating floors.

The four methods from easiest to hardest are:

Free-float: requires little to no experience, and will help you save money on the cost of installation. If you have no experience, this is the one recommended.

Glue down: recommended for people with some experience. This method is not that difficult if your sub-floor is flat or requires only a minimal amount of preparation.

Staple down: this method requires skill with power tools. You may be able to rent the stapler that is needed for this job.

Nail down: if you need to read this article to find out how to install a floor, this method is not for you. It requires experience and specific tools.

Free-Float Installations

Floating floors are installed as a panel system, rather than as individual strips of wood. Most panels come in 8″ by 96″ lengths, and fit together with a tongue-in-groove method. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions during the entire installation or your warranty will not be eligible. The recommended adhesive is aliphatic resin glue as it is white, dries within an hour, and is
cured in 24 hours. Ensure that all excess glue is wiped away with a damp sponge as you proceed.

1. Allow the boards to sit in your house for 3 days before installing them so that they acclimatize to the moisture in your house and don’t expand or contract too much once installed.

2. Lay down the manufacturer recommended underlayment on your sub-floor. Cut it with a utility knife to fit the room exactly. Products are usually made of foam or plastic or a combination.

3. Fit the first board into the corner. Leave a gap between the wall and flooring for the wood to expand. Use a wood spacer.

4. Fit the next board into the first - they should fit well with their special grooves.

5. Ensure they are fitted tightly and place a spacer near the joint.

6. Apply adhesive on the edge of the next board, but not in the groove unless specified by the manufacturer’s instructions. Most floors only require adhesive on the edges and not on the ends.

7. Position the new board in place and hammer it together with the adjacent board to secure. To protect the flooring, place a scrap piece of wood in between the flooring and hammer. Alternatively, you could use a tapping block.

8. Repeat until you reach the last board. The last one may require cutting in order to fit.

9. To fit the last board in place, use scrap wood to protect the wall, and a pry bar to lower the last board into place.

This method of installing wood floors has several advantages.

•Save time: minimal sub-floor preparation is required

•Floating floors are stable and forgiving since the foam placed on the sub-floor hides imperfections

•In comparison to other installation methods, floating floors allow for the natural expansion of wood without leaving gaps - the panels are glued together so the floor expands as a whole. This is particularly important in areas where temperature changes vary significantly between seasons

•Because the hardwood flooring is not fastened directly on the sub-floor, creaking sounds will not be heard.

Many people don’t own an air mattress bed because they possibly believe they would never have a use for one, and you are most likely one of them. However you really should give the matter some serious consideration. If you stopped to think about it for a minute you would really be amazed at the number of times an air mattress bed would have been useful to you in the past. After all they are relatively inexpensive and would enable you to be prepared for those unexpected visitors who need to stay the night.

Let’s face it, we have all had people drop in unexpectedly and it is not always easy to accommodate them at such short notice. Imagine how awkward it would be sitting up all night talking to a friend you haven’t seen for years only to have them get up and leave because they need to check into a hotel for the night. Without an air mattress bed all you would have to offer them is the floor or the couch. Friends or not, I know where I would rather sleep. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to whip out the air mattress bed, inflate it in seconds and offer your guest a more comfortable option?

Camping is supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing right? Many of us have been camping from time to time, or regularly for that matter and we all know what it is like to sleep on the ground. Not a very nice experience. Pack an air mattress bed with your camping gear and sleeping on the ground will be a thing of the past. The bed can be stowed away easily and takes up very little room when deflated. With an air mattress bed your next camping experience can be enjoyable rather than back-breaking.

On the whole, an air mattress bed is a very versatile item indeed and it can save the day when it comes to those unexpected guests. Your local sporting goods or department store will most likely sell them. Alternatively, why not consider researching them online where you are sure to find a much larger range. Do yourself a favor, buy an air mattress bed and be ready for when you next need a good quality, convenient bed.

Jodie Phillips is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Ultimate-Air-Mattress.com where she provides more tips and advice on finding the best air mattress bed.

The Finnish sauna has been in existence for at least 2,000
years. In its early days, the sauna was regarded as a place to
bathe, but for a time it became something of a multi-purpose
room as people also used the sauna as a place to give birth and
care for the sick.

While the people of Finland remain the nationality most closely
associated with hot saunas, different versions of the sweat bath
can be found in the histories of other cultures. Close
equivalents include the Russian banya, the Roman thermae or
public bath, the Turkish hammam or steam bath, and the Native
American inipi or sweat lodge.

Experts contend that the first Finnish saunas were dug into
hills or embankments. These evolved into above-ground saunas
made from wooden logs. The hot air came courtesy of a collection
of rocks heated by a wood fire set in a stone fireplace. Once
the resulting smoke raised the air temperature to the desired
level, the smoke was released from the sauna and the actual
sauna bath could begin. From this method, the savu sauna or
smoke sauna was borne.

Further evolution saw metal wood stoves and chimneys replace the
original heating system. Additional elements that were
introduced included steam vapor, produced by splashing water on
the heated rocks, and bundles of leafy birch twigs, with which
bathers slapped their skin to augment the cleansing process. The
Finnish people named the steam and birch bundles loyly and
vihta, respectively.

As time passed, the sauna changed in even more astounding ways.
Electric sauna heaters debuted in the mid-20th century, followed
several years later by far infrared saunas. Also known as
infrared heat therapy rooms, far infrared saunas utilize far
infrared energy to warm the sauna bather more directly than
traditional Finnish-style saunas allow. While sauna enthusiasts
remain somewhat divided on which type of sauna is superior, very
few deny that the far infrared sauna has had an overwhelming
impact on the worldwide sauna industry.

Today, facilities catering to fans of both traditional and far
infrared saunas can be found in abundance. Because many health
benefits are associated with regular sauna use, saunas are
common amenities in health clubs, spas, clinics, and luxury
resort hotels around the globe. As well, because saunas and
sauna kits are available in good supply at affordable prices,
saunas have also found their place in the basements, bathrooms
and backyards of many homes throughout the world.

In other words, folks far and wide continue to warm to the
age-old delights and benefits of the hot sauna.