Got a stinky cabinetry? You can get rid of the smell by bringing it outside under the sun given that your cabinet is freestanding. However, if you have a built-in one, you can open all the windows of the room where it is located to let the air out. Sprinkle an ample amount of baking soda on all the surfaces  and put in a dehumidifier. The next day, vacuum the baking soda and repeat the procedure until the smell goes away completely.

On the other hand, if you have an iron that leaks, check first as you may be overfilling the reservoir. Check for the operating manual and fill it using a plastic bottle marked to hold the amount the iron requires. If you are using steam, make sure that the water has had time to heat up fully for about 1-2 minutes, and that the fabricsetting is high enough to create steam. If the iron is spitting, the steam holes may be clogged with minerals or salt. Refer to the manual on how to clean.

1 . See-through shoe storage. This is a great option for you to find your pairs easier and faster. Use identical storage boxes to have a cleaner and more streamlined look. Attaching photos of your shoes shoes on its box will also make identifying quicker and easier.

2. Clear plastic shoeboxes. This is one of most durable choices for shoe storage and give a roomier feel. Put a piece of dry cloth into the box to keep moisture at bay.

3.  Shoe organizers. This option is usually used for shoes to go or for travelling but can function as great storage as well.

4. Use an armoire. Beside being a great decorative piece of furniture, an armoire or a console table could also be a smart storage solution for your shoes.

5. Under the bed. You can use the space under your bed as storage for your shoes too. Make sure they are placed at the sides for easy access.

Avant-garde is known as the trendy experimental forms of post-modern art and decoration. Oftentimes it is described as quirky, innovative, shock-provoking, and fascinating. Two influential avant-garde schools have been Pop and Memphis. Pop art began in the 60′s  when artists found inspiration in the ‘schlock and kitsch’ of comic strips, magazine advertisements, and detergent boxes. Famous artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, and Jim Dine created an entire art form from satirization and parody of the images seen and mostly ignored by people.

Another influential avant-garde school is Memphis art which is outrageous with busy, wild colors and designs. Memphis artists aimed to make a statement with their design ideas and are mostly rebels. Their name was taken from the Bob Dylan lyric, ‘Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again’.

When used sparingly, you can create an elegant home design with some avant-garde pieces.  Update the look of any room with an original Warhol painting or a Memphis art. With an interesting avant-garde detail such as a Pop art painting or Memphis art furniture, your home is anything but dowdy.

Bauhaus was a school of art and architecture in Weimar, Germany. Staatliches Bauhaus, or simply Bauhaus, was founded in 1919 and headed by Walter Gropius that became a leading influence in modern design in the 1920′s and 1930′s. Bauhaus, which literally means house of construction, concentrated on functional craftsmanship applied to industrial problems of mass production.

The Bauhaus style had a profound philosophy in educating people in a different way through art and design to eliminate social and national barriers at the time. Among the leading standard bearers of the school were Wassily Kandinsky, Lyonnel Feininger, Josef Albers, anbd Marcel Breuer. This style is still very visible in contemporary times and many of today’s contemporary classics were actually designed by the artists of this school.

If you are interested in decorating your home with classic contemporary flair, you ought to at least be familiar with the name Bauhaus. The clean line of good classic contemporary furniture is indeed a breath of fresh air and needless to say a rich decoration. It conforms to human forms as well as they do to human lifestyles. The designs are well architectured, sturdy, and balance.

A chic bachelorette’s pad should be a cozy space that channel both practical style and offbeat allure. The woman living in this pad is modern, elegant, and charming as her pad reflects her beauty and hardworking self. To achieve a space worthy of adulation, not overwhelmingly feminine, and at the same channeling your personality, follow this simple and helpful tips:

 Less is more. Opt for furniture pieces that are tasteful and functional at the same time. Go for a minimalist look to achieve a no non-sense, uncluttered look for your pad.

Use furniture pieces with dual purposes. Maximize limited spaces by choosing pieces that serve more than one purpose, like a couch that folds out into a bed and a coffee table ottoman that can also serve as a storage.

Use mobile space storage/organizers. A woman’s space should have a place for every stuff she has to keep them in place. Use magazine racks, hampers, bins, containers, and built-in closets to avoid clutter.

Create partitions where necessary. Since the space is most likely small, you can still make private or separate space by using screen panels or dividers.

Do magic with lights. Lights can instantly change the mood of any room, and make your space more refreshing and soothing. Use a spotlight to highlight an artwork or centerpiece and add flair to a plain area by hanging lamps.

Use mirrors. Mirrors double the size of any room when seen through its reflection. Use mirrors strategically to your living room or bedroom to make these areas appear bigger than they really are.

Opt for strategic but elegant furniture pieces. Take measurements of the area you want to fill then select pieces based on the measurements. Ditch the fussy furniture and go for pieces that are more inviting and laid back.

The holidays have come and gone and although we wouldn’t want to end its charm and festive mood just yet, we should be well and ready to face the new year and start it with a bang!

Although it’s a bit of a sad task to remove the holiday decors, it’s time we pack them or we might be thought of as lazy for not taking the effort, or weird come Valentine’s day to still have all the wreath and red and gold balls hanging everywhere. Here are some helpful and practical tips to make sure your Christmas decors are kept in order and in good condition until you want to use them again for the next holidays:

Christmas tree. Preferably use the original storage of your Christmas tree and put some packing tape on each corner to make it sturdy. You could also use cardboard boxes with packing tape on the sides as well or purchase Christmas tree box to make sure that it is preserved properly. Label accordingly so it would be easy for you to locate and use it again.

Christmas balls. Use cardboard egg cartons to secure Christmas balls especially those with delicate designs. This is a good way to preserve their color especially those with glitters instead of just placing them all in a box. Place the egg cartons with Christmas balls on top of each other and secure them with a packing tape and a label. This is a very cheap, practical, and environment-friendly way to keep your Christmas balls in good shape.

Christmas lights. Eliminate tangled Christmas lights by wrapping them around a toilet paper before placing in a box. You could also use plastic wires to keep the Christmas lights in perfect condition.

Christmas candles. Keep the candles away from heat and wrap them with old socks or any clean cloth before finally placing them in a box. Label the candles as well.

Wreaths. Carefully place wreaths in their original storage as well to avoid insect or mice infestation. You could also purchase sturdy plastic storage big enough to contain your wreaths then put label as well for easy locating.

It’s the holiday season once again which means lots of gatherings and parties to go to and a great time to spend with friends, families, and loved ones. By now you must be bombarded already with all the Christmas carols, holiday shopping rush, and bright colorful lights lining up the city. Those of us who may want to spend the joy and cheer of the holidays in some other place can celebrate out of town and take the opportunity for a relaxing vacation as well. However, before you leave your home, you also want to ensure that your pets are safe. Here are some tips on how to take care of your pets even when you are away for vacation:

1. If you will be out of the house for 2-3 days only, you can leave our pets at home; ask a trusted friend or neighbor to check on them and maybe spend a little time with them. Cats can be left alone for longer periods of time compared to dogs. You can also get an automatic feeder to make sure that that they have enough food until you get home.

2. Leave your pet’s medications and food, and veterinarian’s contact details to the person whom you will ask to take of pets in case of emergency.

3. When going on vacation for a longer period of time, you can leave your pets to your relatives to make sure that they are well taken care of. You can also leave them with pet care providers that allow pet boarding or kennels that offer obedience training for a month. Check the yellow pages for reference.

4.  When you get home and pick up your pets, give them their favorite treats. This way, they will not associate your leaving as an unpleasant experience.

5. Check their coats for fleas, ticks, or allergy signs and also if their coats are matted to know if you need to bring them to the groomer.

Now that the season of merriment is in the air, many people become busy because of the excitement, holiday rush, parties, and a lot of events taking place in this holiday season. At the same time, this could lead some people to  become vulnerable and careless to holiday crimes like burglary, or potential accidents like fire. It is always best to be prepared and keep your home and property safe even when you are away. Here are some tips and precautions to safeguard your valuables especially in the holiday season:

1. Check your passageways. Make sure that all your doors and windows cannot be easily opened. Invest in good quality doors and check that your doorknobs do not have any defective locks. You could opt for steel grills for your windows to prevent unwanted elements from accessing your house.

2. Secure your valuables. Keep your valuable items like jewelry and important documents safe in cabinets or drawers that are locked securely. You could also have these valuables kept in a safe.

3. Keep a household fire extinguisher. Fires spread quickly so it is best that it is extinguished as fast as possible. Make sure that you know how to operate your fire extinguisher so you know what to do when an emergency suddenly strikes.

4. Unplug appliances properly especially if you will leave your house unoccupied to go on vacation. Turn off the main switch. Do not plug too many electrical appliances in a single outlet, do not also use appliances with damaged cords or plugs. Check also stove and make sure that the gas is turned off when leaving the home for a vacation.

5. Utilize an alarm system. Invest in a good quality alarm system to capture a culprit or simply make your home safer.  There are many types of alarm systems that you can use depending on your budget and preference. Smoke signals can spot rising temperatures from a fire, security cameras for your rooms, passageways, or any other space that you want to secure, window watchers to keep burglars away from your house, and many others.

6. Advise your trusted family or friend that you will be away especially if leaving for a couple of days. Leave your contact details so that any irregular activity in your premises could be reported to you. Advise also your friend or relative if you are not expecting anyone to drop by your house and give details as to when you will be back.

Indeed being alert and prepared for any untoward incident that may take place in your home and family is a must for every home owner. The holidays should be a time for celebration so it is also sensible to keep it safer and more enjoyable.

The bachelor pad is the crib of a man who appreciates the finest of his time. The appeal of the place should be strong, no non-sense, sleek, and classic. Although most men may not be known to have the necessary skills for maintaining a pristine and elegant space, there are some tips that men can try to start achieving a bachelor pad that one can be proud of.

A spacious and uncluttered space can be achieved by customizing fitted shelves and closets to address the need for ample storage space packed with sleek, subtle style. Built-in cabinets, storage space and closets can be done by hiring a trusted  carpenter (look through the Yellow pages and get estimates before you proceed). Recessed lights are also a great addition to play softly down on a sleek black sofa or platform bed. Add also a modern art as the centerpiece so soften the masculine scene of your space. Solid blocks of color could make a stand-out art piece, or you could also opt for a a great entertainment space with big LCD or LED TV, speakers, games, and gadgets. Men are generally captured with technology, no wonder that today’s home decoration specifically for men, are translated through mechanical forms and energy. These machine constructions are sleek and simple and can be distinguished from steel, glass, and chromes.

When choosing the dominant color for your pad, pick one that is neutral wherever the eye falls. It makes for a harmonious, pleasing, and monochromatic appeal that speaks of an elegant bachelor pad. You can also cover your windows with blinds that may keep out the night or let in the light. When choosing your furniture pieces, opt for comfort and beauty with quality. Angled tables, rounded or squared sculptures and other art pieces denote the shapes of a contemporary bachelor pad. The aim is to achieve a space that echo the man who inhabits it- one who is modern, confident, powerful, and has a timeless, state-of-the-art taste.

Reuse old holiday decorations. If the old decorations are in good condition and packed well, you can recycle them. You can buy new accessories to update the look of your decor. Even old Christmas cards can be cut up and used as decor.

Reuse old holiday decorations.

Opt for eco-friendly shopping. Bring reusable canvas shopping bags instead of using your purchases in plastic or paper bags.

Carpool. With so many parties and events to attend to, you can coordinate with friends to discuss your schedules ahead of time and share a ride. This way, you give mother nature a break by reducing gas consumption and emission of carbon dioxide.

Dispose of bottles and cans properly. With so many parties coming your way this holiday season, don’t forget to dispose bottles and cans properly. Do not mix them with biodegradable party waste, set them aside, rinse, and place in your blue bin for collection.

Give non-tangible gifts. Aside from the material things you want to give to your loved ones, it is also best to spend time and reunite with them. You can also drop by orphanages with friends and hand out simple presents.

Try to be socially responsible starting this holiday onward. Appreciate the impact your actions will leave you, as William James said, ‘Act as if what you makes a difference. It does.”