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New Blog Feature - Ask Erik

You might notice there is a new link above, titled "Ask Erik". This is your opportunity to submit questions about how to be more efficient in your home.

I'll answer your questions at the blog, so ask away!

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Popular posts from this blog

Trash / Recycling

solution: simplehuman receptacles cost: $70 - 300 When my wife, Kristen, and I moved into our home in 2008, one of the first things we took stock of was the amount of cabinet space in our kitchen. While we actually have a decent amount of over-the-counter cabinet space and drawer space, what we didn't have was enough under-counter cabinet room to store trash and recycling. This meant putting a trash can out in the open and recycling in brown paper bags, on the floor (which, for anyone who knows me well, was completely frustrating). In my quest to prove the theory that a clean home is a happy home (and holy home, I believe), I looked into using some of our wedding gift money to purchase a couple of stainless steel trash and recycling bins which would look nice out in the open. And I found them, through the brand simplehuman . Their tagline, "tools for efficient living" just struck a chord with me right away. Everything simplehuman sells is designed to save space an...

Tick and Mosquito Protection

For years I've protected my family from ticks and mosquitoes using a natural solution which is safe for people, pets, and wildlife. The solution is called Mosquito Barrier and I recommend applying it with a gas-powered backpack sprayer (hand-pump sprayers generally get clogged with the solution and require stopping several times - in the midst of an application - to clean their filters). Apply at least every three weeks and you'll be working towards mitigating the numbers of ticks and mosquitoes on your property!

Vacuuming

solution: Roomba price: $150 - 600 I know you've seen the Roomba in action by now. It's been around for years (I don't mean to offend you if you haven't, so click here to see mine in action in our kitchen ). But I'm here to tell you this: Make the investment. Do it for even a used Roomba if you like saving time, if you like clean floors, and especially  if you have a pet (my wife and I have a cat). Meet "Roombie". This is the name I've given our Roomba Pro, the original floor-vacuuming iRobot creation. Now I'll tell you straight-up my Father-in-Law gave this to my wife and I, after buying it for $5.00 at a tag sale. It had a weak battery, so I purchased a new one from iRobot for about $65. So our investment was less than yours will be, but I would definitely pay at least $300 to buy a new unit, knowing what I know about how much it has helped us keep our home clean and saved me time. Part of my excitement about the Roomba has to d...