There are so many health issues that are tied to how well we sleep: blood pressure, cardiovascular health, stress, weight loss, skeletal-muscular health, etc. We NEED a good mattress.

Make no mistake, there is a significant difference between a high-quality mattress and a cheaply-constructed one. Your body can either wake up rested and refreshed, or fatigued, depending on how supportive the mattress is, and how well it displaces your weight. So, naturally, high-quality mattress sets cost more, because of the better materials (like heavier gauge coils, and frame, thicker padding, etc.).

BUT, there is a way to get good deals: buying a high-quality model for the price of a cheap mattress set.

From http://cheap-mattress-set.com, there is a strategy where you walk into local stores and test out the beds...finding the EXACT model you want. THEN you take that brand and model name to your computer, and find a wholesaler. Even with shipping and delivery (which you'll probably pay for even at a local store for bigger beds), you can come out way ahead of buying locally.

Always go for the highest quality you can...your body will thank you. But find a high-quality mattress set online for a cheap mattress set price.

Last note: avoid the big-box stores and membership stores, since the quality of their mattresses is notoriously low.

Linda - http://how.best-free-information.com - The "How" Blog

There's a cheap but effective way to resolve that, but it requires that your curtains have a valance.  A valance is that "second" curtain that is really short that covers the top of the curtain and the curtain rod.

You can secure a piece of cardboard, cut to fit between the wall and the valance.  Place the cardboard strip so that it is oriented horizontally, and fits all the way from the wall to the back of the valance.  You can literally secure it with something as simple as masking tape.

The strip should be invisible to everyone unless they are standing directly under the curtain looking up.  The nice thing about this is that it is hidden from everyone, so even in a very stylish home (where you would never dream of using 'cardboard' in your decor), it works unseen.  And it is extremely effective, which is nice in rooms like a media room where any glare from the window may interfere with viewing the television.

Linda - http://how.best-free-information.com - The "How" Blog

There are three big problems with T Shirt Sheets:

1.  too "grippy".  There are different varieties of Jersey knit sheets (which is what a T Shirt Sheet really is), and some are "smoother" than others.  The ones that are grippy tend to be more difficult to get on to the bed.  (The smooth ones are fine.)

2.  they can get holes easily.  If that's happening, the brand you bought is probably too thin.  However, make sure you wash gently (don't toss them in with jeans and other 'hard' cloths), and use the softest mattress pad you can find.

3.  they shrink.  Well, they do shrink if you don't follow the instructions T Shirt Sheets are meant to be washed in COLD water.  Usually bed linens are washed in hot water for sanitation reasons, but cold is fine, and will keep these sheets from shrinking.

Overall they are very comfy, as long as you remember to take proper care of your T Shirt Sheets to avoid the problems.

Linda - http://how.best-free-information.com - The "How" Blog

I have never cut a stair stringer before, but I get the basic concept...use a carpenter's square to make a series of ascending L-cuts for the stair tread and the rise. (Horizontal distance is called 'run', vertical is called 'rise'.)

But trying to decide how many steps, and how big to cut them (what angle, etc.) was difficult.

Fortunately I found an on-line calculator for figuring out how to cut a stair stringer. You can find it HERE.

Using that calculator, you can try all kinds of variations on number of steps, rise, etc., and it will calculate where to make the cuts, and even show you an example of the stringer, including the treads. It provides every measurement you can want.

It certainly made my first experience successful. My steps are now on the deck, and they look great, and they are much more comfortable. (8 steps instead of 6)

I hope the calculator helps you if you need to cut a stair stringer!

Linda - http://how.best-free-information.com - The "How" Blog

In a recent, bad, bout with Poison Ivy, I learned something about controlling the itching.  Two friends told me about this treatment and it really works well!

Run HOT water from your tap over the rash.  As hot as you can stand it.  It will burn and itch like crazy for a few seconds, then it will go somewhat numb (if the water is hot enough).  When you remove your skin from the hot water, the itch will be gone.

I've read several instances of this working on the internet.  There are a few things to note:  1. this is assuming you've already cleaned the area of the oil from the plant that causes the rash.  When you first get exposed to the oil, wash thoroughly with soap and cold water...warm or hot water could cause your pores to open and the oil to make more skin contact.  The HOT water cure is for itching a few days after the rash has already developed.  2. this is not a medically professional recommendation.  This is just me sharing what works for me and some others.  If you have a bad rash, I do recommend seeing a doctor...some of the typical home treatments don't work or only provide minimal relief.

So, if the itching is driving you crazy, give it a try.  I'd love to hear from you when the poison ivy itching stops!

But, you can do it yourself if you're a little bit handy.

There's a site on the web where you can get plans for homemade wind and solar power. Apparently the materials cost under $200, and he even shows where to get free deep-cycle batteries to store the power.

Some friends of my father's have converted their house and their power meter actually runs backwards and they get credits from the power company. Isn't that crazy? They paid a ton for a high-end system installed for them, because they're not very handy. But these plans are really easy to follow.

Venus Fly Traps in nature are only found in swamps of North America.

The easiest way to take care of a Venus Fly Trap is to have it in a small pot with holes in the bottom. Fill the pot with sphagnum moss or peat moss, since they hold lots of water. Set the pot down into a slightly larger pot that is filled with water halfway up the smaller pot's sides. This will allow the moss to soak in the water through the holes below.

Place the Venus Fly Trap in an area that is warm and gets lots of light, but NOT direct sunlight. If it gets chilly outside, bring the plant inside.

Cut off any brown tips or 'jaws', just below the brown spot (so you are cutting into green plant). A new jaw will form eventually.

Enjoy taking care of one of the coolest carnivorous plants out there...the Venus Fly Trap!

There is a surprisingly effective and easy (and free!) method to remove a heat stain from a wood table.

We had placed a pizza delivery box directly on our dining room table. The good news is that the pizza was hot. The bad news is that it left a grayish-white mark on our wood table.

The solution? TOOTHPASTE! Put some toothpaste on your finger and smear it on the heat stain. Take a damp sponge and rub lightly, scrubbing the toothpaste. The abrasive is so mild it removes the heat stain without damaging the finish!

So that's how to remove a heat stain from wood table!

This is actually quite an easy one, and CHEAP! Take baking soda and mix it with water to make a solution that is so mildly gritty it won't damage the walls.

LIGHTLY rub the solution on the walls where the ink is to be removed with a soft sponge. Rub in light circular motion, virtually erasing the ink.

Avoid soaking the wall or getting it too wet. If it doesn't come off, add more baking soda to the solution and try again.

This should help you remove the ink from your walls!

Your car becomes unusable. You have to ride with the windows down no matter the weather. And the hotter it is the worse it gets.

When my son spilled some milk on a trip and I didn't know it, I discovered the smell two days later. I had to leave the windows down all the time when it was parked. At one point the smell was so bad that i could smell it as I approached the car...from 10 feet away!

I searched for answers. Carpet cleaner - nope. Vinegar - nope. Baking soda - nope.

I only found two things that worked...one that covered the smell and one that got rid of it.

I sprinkled fresh coffee grounds (not used yet) onto the carpet in the areas where the spill was, and rubbed them into the carpet. That effectively masked the smell, and made my car smell like a Starbuck's! And while it did seem to absorb some of the smell and covered it pretty well, I still wanted the base odor gone for good.

I finally discovered that PetZyme works! I bought a spray bottle of it from a local pet store and saturated the area where the milk had spilled. I did not blot it, per the directions. I just let it soak up and absorb and evaporate as needed. It really was pretty amazing. I guess the enzymes/bacteria in Petzyme break down whatever the odor-producing bacteria are from sour milk.

I understand there are two types of PetZyme and that one is more 'perfumy'. I stuck with the plain one.

I hope you find it works for you!