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 There's a
saying that home is where the heart is, that when you are with the people or at
the place you love most, it becomes your true home. The kitchen in many ways is
the heart of our homes. We prepare our food there, eat there and we all know
that's where people gather when entertaining.
As we approach this
holiday season, let me share ideas about:
- Sprucing Up Your Kitchen
- Eating Family
Dinners at Home
- Building Strong
Communities
- ... and some
holiday specials
I've found that
by simplifying my life, I'm able to accomplish more and enjoy those experiences
that provide lasting memories of those we love. Happy Holidays to each and
everyone of you!
Tina Gleisner, My Handyman of Southern NH
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The holidays are wonderful
and for those who love winter sports like skiing and skating, we hope to spend
quality time outdoors. For most people though, winter is when you spend more
time indoors and you'd like to make the most of it.
Here are ideas for
making your kitchen your favorite room, a place where you want to gather with
family and friends, or relax alone. For Do-It-Yourself (DIYs) folks, many of
these projects can be done on a snowy weekend if you have the tools and
experience. Others prefer to delegate or just "want to get it done now," and
that is the perfect time to call My Handyman. Some customers call us to finish
projects they started but are unable complete.
- Light is
especially important during the winter. You can add more light with stronger
light bulbs (make sure the fixture can handle this), increasing the number of
fixtures in the room or adding/enlarging windows to let more natural light in.
- Color via paint plays an important role in setting
the mood of any room. There are tools on the web to help you evaluate which
colors work best for you. For example, Benjamin Moore offers a color visualizer so you can try colors
out online or at home.
- Texture using countertops is
another way to dress up your kitchen. Choices range from
inexpensive laminates to composites like Corian to granite, to fit each family's budget and lifestyle. The trend these
days includes mixing different cabinets and/or countertops so you've got lots of
choices.
- Cabinets can be
dressed up with new hardware (My Handyman has done this numerous times) or you
can replace doors and drawer fronts, which makes good sense when you have solid
wood cabinets in good condition.
- Storage can be
functional and creative. Ideas include an extra shelf over the sink to a window
seat or decorative chest for children's toys or a magnetic bulletin board for
all the paperwork cluttering up your countertops.
- Excitement can
be added with an exciting backsplash that introduces more color and texture
through the use of tile, stainless steel or tin panels. Tin paneling is also being applied to
ceilings much like they existed a hundred years ago.
What's
important is identifying the functions that your kitchen must satisfy from
cooking to entertaining to children's homework and crafts. I like the way Joan
Kohn defines Function: One of the Five Building Blocks of
Kitchen Design (an excerpt from her book found at HGTV).
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In today's chaotic world,
family dinner time can provide a needed break for everyone. It is an opportunity
to stay in touch, join in problem solving that teaches teamwork, build
independent thinkers who have the opportunity to express their opinions and
teach our children the value of caring by showing that there are people who love
and care about each other.
So why are so many families skipping this
valuable time? Do we lack the time to plan and prepare meals? Maybe your kitchen
isn't a fun place in which to work? Here's an opportunity to rethink your
priorities and return to a routine of family dinners. Here are some new services
in our community to help your family eat healthy meals at home.
Dream Dinners - provides a new and novel
concept. Meal planning starts by logging onto their web site and selecting the
dinners you like from their monthly menu. Meal preparation is
streamlined - you visit their store once a month, take a month's worth of
dinners home and freeze them until you're ready to cook. To learn more ...
Personal Chefs - are another new service
for those too busy to plan and prepare healthy meals. Like Dream Dinners, they
provide an alternative to eating out which can help busy families spend more
time together. Personal chefs generally bill on an hourly basis or per meal and
sometimes offer a "package" of meals per week or month. I recently held an open
house and Meg Ooders, owner of The Dinner Belle, provided a wonderful
assortment of finger deserts.
There are lots of solutions to simplify our
lives - the key is finding them and using them. For more inspiration, What's for Dinner, has lots of great
ideas and don't forget that an added benefit is Family Dinner Linked to Better Grades for
Teens.
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As the holidays approach,
the pressure to buy gifts increases. When you consider how much stress this adds
to our normally hectic lifestyles, it is not surprising that most people spend
more than they planned, often for gifts that will be forgotten in a matter of
days or weeks.
We have many choices at this time of year. Some gifts only
benefit the recipient while others contribute more lasting results by helping
build something bigger, something that benefits more than one person. Here are
ideas to create lasting memories for the ones you love while supporting and
building stronger communities:
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We appreciate your business and look forward to providing you with the highest
quality handyman services in the future.
Tina Gleisner, President of My Handyman of Southern NH
...e-Mail: tina@myhandymannh.com
...Author of a Marketing Blog for Small Business Owners
...Co-Founder of 4 Walls ONE Roof, Women Owned Businesses Enhancing the Home
...Distributor of Tomboy Tools, Helping Women "Do-It-Yourself"
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Tina Gleisner, President of My Handyman of Southern NH, publishes
Handyman News and writes articles that address customer problems.
Copyright © 2007 iHandyman Solutions Inc. |
