Electrolux recently teamed up with Kelly Ripa, supermom and co-host of Live with Regis and Kelly, to launch its new line of appliances. I was fortunate enough to see them in person at the Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago last month. You can almost feel as if you were there by checking out their Virtual Kitchen tour. Fabulous!
And if you're like me and fall in love with what you see, you can have a chance to win one of 10 kitchen suites by logging on and playing "Kelly's Bags." As an added bonus, Electrolux will donate $1 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund for everyone who registers. Their goal is to raise more than $500,000 over the next two years. Hurry! The contest ends May 18, 2008.
With checks already in the mail, you may be wondering how you are going to spend (or save) the tax rebate that is part of the government's economic stimulus plan. According to a survey conducted by building products manufacturer Johns Manville and reported on the Building Online web site, 24 percent of U.S. homeowners are "considering using" the money they will receive as part of the federal economic stimulus package to upgrade or improve their homes. One in five said they would "definitely use" their rebate money for a home improvement project. Respondents had definite ideas on what those projects would be. Here's how they said they'd spend the rebate: "household upgrades, including landscaping (23 percent) or an upgrade of the bathroom (13 percent) or kitchen (12 percent); improving their homes' energy efficiency, including adding attic insulation (9 percent), caulking or sealing (4 percent), or installing energy efficient light bulbs (4 percent); or painting a room (10 percent)." How will you spend your rebate?
The current housing market has lowered home prices, making homeownership more available to first-time buyers. But smart buying doesn't always mean getting the best price for a piece of property. There are many factors to consider. Bankaholic®, a financial web site, recommends taking these 5 steps to be better informed.
1. Accounting for Extraneous Expenses 2. Acknowledging Special Assessments 3. Finding a Manageable Mortgage 4. Determining How Much Home to Buy 5. Welcoming Your New Home into Your Basic Budget
If you're like me, you love to see how people live—particularly around the world. On the site Normal Room, you can satisfy your curiosity. Anyone can register and upload photos of any room. It's a small and simple site but certainly worth a look.
A fire extinguisher is one of those things that you probably own and hope you never have to use. Most of us have one in our homes and have done little more than merely say to ourselves, "Yup, got one."
I was discussing mattresses today with a BobVila.com colleague, and she mentioned that she was thinking about buying a new one. Coincidentally, I stumbled across this article tonight from BestStuff.com, a site devoted to consumer product news and reviews, which lists the top 10 things you should look for when selecting a new mattress. eHow.com also has a 10 tips list. With a quick search, I found Back Designs Inc., a site that includes a detailed explanation of finding a mattress that truly fits you. All this useful information should let my colleague have a good night's sleep and not worry too much about finding a mattress.
Sad to see the end of winter? Sorry to see your skis packed away for the season? Well, one company's innovative design lets you use them year-round. Green Mountain Ski Furniture
recycles old skis and snowboards into "usable art" such as Adirondack ski chairs, ski benches and outdoor furniture. They'll even custom-design and build products with your own old gear. Not only is the furniture attractive and practical, but the company's helping the environment. They pick up any old equipment for free in Vermont, where they are located, and encourage people from outside the state to mail anything to them to donate.
