June Deals

It is officially summer! Whether you want to upgrade your home for the warm weather or get that perfect Father's Day gift, you won't want to miss these June deals. Check them out below:

Getting Your Home Ready for Summer this Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend commemorates those who have served and are serving in the armed forces but it also kicks off the summer season. If you are having a cookout, hosting a party, or just spending time with loved ones, these tips for prepping your home for summer can prove extremely useful. 

CLEAN WINDOWS. Get a clear view of what’s outside. Clean your windows, both inside and out. While you’re at it, check for any cracked or damaged window glazing and panes along with seeing how well your weatherstripping held up over the winter. Replace worn weatherstripping and you’ll keep the cool air in and the warm air out!

KEEP THE BUGS OUT. To ensure you are not spending your time inside swatting flies, be sure to install your window and door screens. This is a good time to check all of you screens for damage and repair them if needed. Also, while you have your screens out is a good time to wash them with a little soap and water and rinse with the garden hose.

CHECK YOUR SIDING. The winter weather is rough on the exterior siding, trim and roof of your home. Spring is a good time to inspect the wood components especially the siding for wood rot and damage. Pay special attention to areas where paint is missing or chipping away, and where caulking is missing or damaged. These are especially susceptible to rot. Generally it is better to catch rot and repair it when the damage is small, since it will only get worse each time it rains.

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5 Tips For Making Your Home Ready for Cookout Season

The cold weather is over, spring flowers are in full bloom, and it’s time to start opening up your home and hosting your next barbecue party! First, here are a few tips to make sure your home is ready for your cookout and guests.

1. Have your BBQ station set up before guests arrive. Starting your cooking early will allow you to spend less time on the grill and more time socializing with your guests!

2. Remember to have seating and extra seating available. Sometimes its even good to have some indoor seating available if the weather takes an unexpected turn. 

3. If the weather does turn, have a secondary indoor table and dining area for guests.

4. Extra seating is important, but extra space for all the delicious food you’ll be cooking is too! A light-weight, movable kitchen cart is an excellent way to expand your grill space. You can store your uncooked food nearby until your are ready to put it on the grill. 

5. Set up a designated place for beverages and snacks and show guests where it is upon arrival.

One of the most important things for success at your next BBQ is to have fun! However, by doing a few simple preparations for your cookout, you can make hosting less stressful and more relaxing. For more information or to view more of our home products visit our website. 

Mother's Day Home Gift Ideas

This Sunday is Mother's Day! Show mom how much you love her and appreciate all that she's done with a thoughtful gift this year. If you still aren't sure what to get mom for her special day, we have a few ideas.

For the Moms that Love to Cook or Entertain

Plan a lunch or dinner party for Mom and surprise her by putting it on with a new table!

For Moms that Need a Rest

Moms are some of the hardest working people we know, so this gift could be great for many moms. Instead of just doing the classic, "breakfast in bed" gift, try surprising her with a new bed. 

For Movie Loving Moms

Sitting around the TV and watching the latest flicks with your mom may be a fond past time. If the mom in your life is a movie lover, a new living room set could be the perfect gift! 

For the Stylish Mom

Your Mother's Day gift doesn't have to be a large home purchase. For instance, a vanity is a small but meaningful item. 

Some of the best Mother's Day gifts are the ones that we put some real thought into. Think about what your mom would like on her special day and go from there. If you're still looking for some home decor gift ideas, check out our online inventory or visit a store near you today!

May Deals

April showers are over, and May flowers are adding bursts of color everywhere! You can add some color to your home too with new home decor and furniture pieces. Check out our May ads for special deals!

Tips to Make Your Home Earth-Friendly

Happy Earth Day! Since 1970, Earth Day has been an annual holiday reminding us of the importance of the Earth and its protection. The first Earth Day started as a rallying effort by over 20 million people in the U.S. calling attention to this need. Today may be the day we are given a friendly reminder, but caring about the environment is something we can do every day. Here are a few simple tips and improvements that you can do to make your home more Earth-friendly!

Install a solar clothes dryer

Your parents probably called it a clothes line, which could be found in virtually every backyard across the country. While some people can’t install them due to property covenants, a clothes line is a great way to reduce your energy costs. Experts note that your electric or gas clothes dryer is one of the three most energy-intensive appliances in the typical home, right up there with refrigerators and hot water heaters. Expect to save 5-10 percent of your home energy bill.

Attach one end of your clothes line to an outside south-facing wall, and attach the other end to an upright pole about 15 feet away. Your local hardware or lumber store can sell you the wood, or even a steel pole. Or, buy one at www.clotheslineshop.com.

Install a ceiling fan

Before central air conditioning became virtually mandatory in homes, many people relied on a good ol’ ceiling fan to move the air and even out the temperature. In the summer, the fan saves energy by cooling your skin with a moisture-evaporating breeze. In the winter, a ceiling fan can push down the warm air that naturally rises toward the ceiling back down to where the people are. When you buy an Energy-Star-rated fan (about $100), it should have a small switch near the motor housing to reverse the direction of the fan. This is important to fully benefit from the fan in all seasons, so that you can raise the temperature setting of your air conditioner in the summer, and lower the heating thermostat in the winter.

To make sure your fan is spinning in the right direction, stand under the fan and look at the direction of the spin. If the blades move to the right, or clockwise, this is the correct setting to make the room feel warmer. The fan will create a slight updraft that pushes the warmer air down into the room. If the blades move to the left, or counter-clockwise, the room will feel cooler due to the breeze coming down from the ceiling. Remember, counter-clockwise equals cooler.

For tips on installing a ceiling fan, go to www.thisoldhouse.com

Hang drapes or shades to keep the sun out

It’s hip—and economical—to have functional window coverings to prevent the sun from warming up your house on a sunny summer day. And of course, you can also raise the shade or open the drapes in the winter to let the sunshine in.

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4 Tips to Deck Out Your Home Garden

Now is the perfect time to start planting a garden for your home! Gardening can beautify your property and serve as a bonding activity for your family.  Digging a flower garden around your home can make it smell and look spring-like while a vegetable garden can provide you with fresh foods at very minimal costs. Whichever garden you choose to put at your home, here are a few tips and ideas for home gardening:

1. Plant by Color or Theme

For flower gardens, planting around a central color scheme is a neat idea. It will make your garden look organized and trendy.

2. Know Plant Life Span

If you don't feel like replanting every year, perennial plants could be perfect for your home garden because they will live for more than two years. It's important to know the difference between perennials, annuals and biennials when deciding what plants to purchase. 

3. Use Recycled Canisters as Plant Pots

Have an old bucket or coffee can? Recycle and reuse it to make vintage looking pots for plants. With some paint and TLC these are a trendy touch to any backyard patio or seating area.

4. Make an Outdoor Rain Garden to Prevent Toxic Runoff

Outdoor rain gardens are good for many reasons. One of those reasons is that they prevent rain runoff from flowing out of gardens that contain fertilizer and other chemicals and into nearby streams and waterways. You can find a tutorial for making your own rain garden at This Old House.