Notepad Corner

Keeping a clean kitchen means having a healthy kitchen and a healthy kitchen is one that doesn’t get you sick from cooking in it.  It is one of the simplest things to do but it is also one of the things that is overlooked, failing to keep a clean kitchen can result in contamination of food, leading to illness.  This can be prevented, and while sometimes it can be as simple as a little bit of cleaning spray and a wipe down, sometimes it can be a little bit more complicated than that. Cross Contamination Cross contamination is probably the biggest cause of foodborne illness in restaurants and kitchens worldwide.  Cross contamination occurs when one food item comes into indirect contact with another food item.  An example of this would be someone slicing raw chicken on a cutting board that then puts the chicken away and begins cutting lettuce on the same board with the same knife.  Bacteria from the chicken has now come into contact with the lettuce fro...

For any gathering and occasions such as wedding, anniversary, meetings, conferences and other business events, planning and organizing can become a very stressful and challenging phase. Whether you are expecting a small group or a meeting of a hundred participants, you will have to deal with the core elements such as choosing the venue, foods, sound system, entertainment and the décor. You also have to take note of the smaller elements and juggle with it. Now, if you still have a job to do aside from the tasks of handling an event, you might easily find yourself close to snapping, the reason why it is very ideal to hire the services of an events management firm which specializes in this line of work, as their forte lies in the ins and outs of handling an event. For many, hiring an events manager or company only means additional expense. And while it is possible to plan and maneuver the entire event on your own or with your own people, you can’t be too complacent as a lot of th...

When it comes to buying stuff for your partner, you only want to find the best quality items that he will appreciate. This also applies even to the house slippers. Men want comfort and quality when it comes to their footwear and you will notice how much they take care of it. They buy only the best brands and models for sports and formal shoes not only because they are stylish but they are also after the comfort it brings them. So when you are looking for slippers to give your partner, consider the style that is suitable for him and what he would like to wear most of the time.  You can search around your local department stores for handmade home footwear but if you would like to find more options, you can choose from a wide array of  slippers for men  in   online stores and shops. I stumbled upon Dear Foams while searching for house slippers, the site has a long line of comfortable house slippers for men and women. They have sweater knit and faux fur lined...

Expecting moms are usually dreading the time when their bellies would grow bigger and larger that no other trendy apparel would fit. These days, you can’t expect to wear the same maternity clothing that your mother used during her time. Those clothes looked like tents and gave the impression that you are bigger than you actually are. For the sake of staying comfortable, many expecting moms forgo fashion and appearance but of course, who wouldn’t want to look good while they are pregnant? Fortunately, modern maternity clothes were created to meet both comfort and fashion consideration of expecting moms.

A child’s birthday party is one of the most awaited special occasions in every family. In most cases, parents traditionally throw a big bash and get-together when a kid turns 1 year old. You need some time to plan and organize it weeks or months before to ensure sweet success when the big event comes. During the planning phase, your mind will surely be flooded with ideas and possible themes that will make your child and your little guests shriek with delight! To help you out with all the planning and organizing, you can look into a party planning online site which has loads of themes for your child’s 1st birthday party celebration.

As soon as your kids are old enough to speak, they may have started asking you for a family pet. A dog or cat can make your family more complete, teaching responsibility and compassion while serving as a beloved playmate for children. Yet to make the most out of this new member of the family, you'll want to be sure that everyone goes into this with the right expectations. Adding a pet to the family is a big time commitment, and if you're not careful you'll bear the brunt of the feeding and walking on your own. Take this opportunity to teach your children a lesson about responsibility for another living being, by divvying up the chores in advance. Consider the finances One of the sometimes overlooked responsibilities of owning a pet is the cost and who will pay for them. Believe it or not some pet owners don't consider how much a dog can cost and I would personally recommend you budget exactly how much a pet will cost you each month. If your pet is shared res...

If you're like most families, a significant percentage of your budget is probably spent in the kitchen. The kitchen is a major source of energy use, with all of its fancy appliances and gadgets. It's also where your food is stored and prepared, which can add up over time. By keeping the following tips in mind, you can save money not only on energy costs but also on your actual food bills. Save Money on Energy Your refrigerator and freezer run 24 hours a day, using a great deal of energy! You can cut down on this energy use by making sure that you only open the door when necessary and avoid putting warm food in your fridge or freezer. This requires your appliances to work harder in order to keep everything cool.  You can maximise energy use by defrosting your unit regularly and leaving your fridge three quarters full. This helps keep the right level of air circulation around food to optimise efficiency. Rather than stuffing your fridge with water bottles or home filter sy...

I may not be a perfect mom but I am proud to say that I was able to raise my two sons modestly.   Parenting stubborn children is not easy yet I was able to inculcate moral values and build emotionally stable children. My eldest son, now 23 years old is focusing on his career enrichment while my youngest son, 13 years old has just finished grade 7 with an academic award that called for another family celebration. From grade 7 he will be promoted to grade 8 in the next school year. His achievement being a newcomer in his new school is really a big accomplishment for our family. To prepare him for his chosen college course, we decided to transfer him to a school which focuses more on academic and intellectual training. During the first grading period my son really did experienced a culture shock, he did a lot of adjustments to the mode of teaching which is really different from the past school he attended. Through guidance and encouragement, he was able to get along with the ...

The school year is just about to close. Thinking of an ideal gift to give for our graduating teen is really mind racking. We as parents want to give something unique that our graduates will truly cherish and enjoy.  Aside from the traditional presents like new gadgets, clothes, shoes and more, a concert ticket can be a great reward. For music enthusiasts, who would say no to attend a Bruno Mars’ concert? The singer’s upcoming concert is just in time for the school closing celebration and all you have to do is score some tickets to surprise your teenagers with. Though you can also give them a music player or an instrument to nurture their love for music, allowing them to watch a concert of their favorite artist might actually be once in a lifetime experience that they will cherish forever and this is all thanks to you!

Designing a nursery room is the most exciting home improvement project especially for first time parents. Preparing for the arrival of the new family member is not only full of excitement but also very challenging. Careful planning should be devoted to the type of decorations and furnitures that would fit the room. More often than not due to enthusiasm, parents tend to waste money on buying unnecessary things and forget the most important things. photo credits: yellowsubstudio.com

There are many proofreading services out there that are competing for your buck. How do you ensure that you get the best value from the one you ultimately will choose? Not all proofreading services are created equally, which means that you should do some screening of various companies before you make your choice. Some services are excellent in their editing services, while others are quite lax and fail to catch all grammar and spelling mistakes. Here are three ways to ensure that you get the best value from proofreading services.

Time out is an instructive parenting technique in disciplining children. It is a form of punishment that involves separating a child for a short period of time from an environment where inappropriate behavior has occurred.  photo credits: hawaiipirc.org In my personal experience with child discipline, I find it most effective when I first explain to my kid why I need to separate and isolate him for a while, for him to understand what it means. Isolating a kid without discussing the reason why can cause child stress and discomfort.   So whenever my kids show inappropriate behavior then they know that they need to go off to the chair for a little quiet time to calm them down. Choose a location in your home for the thinking chair where there are no distractions so solitary moment   can be an opportunity for them to think and reflect on their deeds.

Over decades of top-notch service, there are a lot of competing insurance companies which has built a reputation for serving the needs of the senior citizen community in an efficient and cost-effective way. The programs that they provide are created especially for the needs of senior citizens in the modern world. If you are looking for insurance plans for your elder family members, you may choose between bundled insurance packages as well as individual insurance plans that are sure to fit any lifestyle. Because more elderly people are living healthy lives well into their 80s and 90s, the insurance packages that they choose must be for more active lifestyles. More elderly citizens are maintaining an interest in business. The Hartford provides insurance for business endeavors. There are also more elderly drivers than ever before. The Hartford offers auto insurance that is created especially for the needs of senior citizens while respecting the fact that they are much less...

We feel good to see the fruits of what we work hard for, yet do we really have to work too hard every day of our lives to the point that the effort itself becomes the means and the end, rather than working hard as the means to an end? What’s the point of having a fat wallet if you will still end up miserable? We parents work hard to augment the financial needs of our family, to give our children a bright future and to prepare for our future.   However, experts say that there’s a big difference between working too hard and working smart in living a meaningful life. Working hard that is working smart leads to positive results and progress while working too hard leads to smaller returns wherein most of the time leads to broken families. Thus, it is not based on how much effort we exert but the outcome of what we do.

Whether it's a case of using existing storage in a more efficient way or finding somewhere new to store your bathroom sundries, making use of every centimetre of space can often be the most practical option for bathroom storage. Perhaps your pedestal sink could be swapped for a vanity unit with inbuilt drawers or cupboards, or a washstand that can be used to store clutter in your bathroom. It's also worth considering whether you could switch your current toilet for a combination unit, which will offer maximum s torage for the space available.   A place for everything and everything in its place When it comes to finding suitable storage for your bathroom and indeed anywhere in the house, problems arise when there simply isn't a correct place for something. If your shampoo bottles are always falling in the bath, consider putting up a shelf to store them all. If you find you want to recycle but end up with a collection of empty bottles and toilet roll tubes, put a recept...

High rise dwellings have limited space but it will not be a reason to hinder to live the life you want. Your hospitality doesn’t have to end once you move into a condominium.   You can still host a gathering in your unit. However, it is important to inform your neighbors and condo administrator days ahead about it so they won’t be surprised by the sudden onslaught of your guests. Make also a list of the names of your expected guest and submit it to the administrator so the guard on duty may confirm the visitors name on the list before they enter the premises to ensure safety for you and the other residents as well, as we are all aware of - thieves and other bad elements take advantage of sneaking in private residences especially when big gatherings are held in the premises. Talk to the condo administrator about the parking space options. Likewise you also have to talk to your guests and inform them of the restrictions and rules of the place you live in. For small...

If you live in the UK you can consider yourself lucky enough to be able to book a Mediterranean Cruise. You will find that cruising the Mediterranean is an affordable holiday in Paradise that will gift you with a great time. You may choose to cruise with the family or just with your spouse - whichever provides you with the best holiday experience you are expecting.

Homemaking is not only cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cooking healthy foods for the family and taking care of children. A homemaker also sees to it that the home is safe and running smoothly. Learning and knowing simple DIY (do-it-yourself) home repairs is an advantage. Knowledge on how to perform some of the simple fixes will give you a lot of savings. Moreover, you can get the work done on your schedule.   It will keep your costs down compared to hiring a professional contractor. It is important to have a home toolbox that will aid you in making occasional repairs. Basic and important tools like a hammer, set of different nail and screw sizes, a wrench, screw drivers and pliers for a start will do. As you can save in the long run, you can buy more tools to complete your toolbox. Here are some fast fixes you can do yourself. Repairing untidy and grungy toilet grout.   Fixing a leaking toilet bowl tank – when your toilet flushes just fine yet it ...

Paper is a commodity that many people cannot live without and tons of it is manufactured year in and year out. Sad to say, many paper wastes are also generated on a regular basis. If they are left in landfills, they will produce methane and ozone layer depletion will take place afterwards. Putting the said factors into consideration, it can be said that the seemingly harmless commodity can create chaos if not treated properly. It is a good thing that many manufacturers also practice paper recycling so as reduce the environmental damages that may develop along the way. What is Paper Recycling? Paper recycling is the process of turning waste paper into re-usable products. It basically involves the separation of specific fibres and the formation of new sheets with the help of water. A pulp material is produced in the process and it is extensively cleaned to eliminate non-fibrous elements. Some procedures use sodium hydroxide instead of water to separate paper fibres. Afterward...