Author: Holly Yielding

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Safety Tips, Swing Sets & Play

4 Steps to Maintaining a Safe and Healthy Sandbox

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Sandbox Kit

Fast and Easy Tips for Play Time Safety

Kids don’t need costly, technologically complex toys and games in order to tap into their creative and imaginative powers. All that’s required to get kids’ creative juices flowing are some basic materials that can be found easily and inexpensively. One popular example of this is a sandbox. A big box or pit of sand and a few simple tools can keep kids occupied for hours.

Making sure the sandbox stays in good condition, though, is essential to ensuring that it remains a safe and healthy place to play. Unfortunately, the backyard sandbox is often missed by parents when it comes to play area maintenance. Here are four quick and easy tips for maintaining your backyard sandbox:

1. Replace the sand.

Over time, the sand in outdoor sand pits or sandboxes gets soiled and should be completely replaced. Generally speaking, replacing sand every year or two should be adequate, but more frequent changes might be needed depending on how often children play in the box and whether a sandbox cover is used consistently. Play sand, rather than building sand, is the best choice for children’s play areas because it is cleaner and free of materials, like clay, that are likely to stain clothing and skin.

2. Check sand toys.

Shovels, rakes, and other toys intended for sand play are not always the most durable of tools. Consequently, they don’t often last for more than a season or two. When sand toys or other tools used in the sandbox break, they can have sharp edges or pointy parts that can cause injuries. Before allowing kids to play in the sandbox this spring, check the condition of their sand toys. Toss out any broken or worn out tools, and replace them with tools made from more durable materials.

3. Check sand on a regular basis.

Don’t assume that the sandbox will stay in good condition over the course of the spring and summer. Sharp sticks, rocks, and other debris find their way into play sand quite easily. What’s more, sand toys may not be able to survive an entire season of active play. Checking the sand on a weekly basis allows you to discover and remove any potentially harmful debris and broken toys. You may also need to replenish play sand during these weekly check-ups, especially if kids have spent any time shoveling it out of the box.

4. Use a sandbox cover.

Sandbox covers are not used as extensively or as frequently as they should be, but they are one of the easiest and most important ways to maintain a safe and healthy sandbox. When used properly, sandbox covers prevent excess debris, like leaves, sticks, and rocks, from getting into the sand and creating a potential danger to children. Sandbox covers also protect sand from blowing away in strong breezes, and they keep insects from burrowing and nesting in the sand. Most importantly, sandbox covers prevent play sand from contamination by animals who use the sandbox as their toilet.

The only way to use sandbox covers successfully, of course, is to use them regularly when children are not playing in the box. Use sandbox covers that are made to fit your sandbox. Tarps and other makeshift covers can be easily dislodged or removed by animals or strong winds, making them unreliable and ineffective.

Overall, maintaining the backyard sandbox is a simple task that requires little time and few supplies. Keeping all play areas safe and healthy for your kids will give you peace of mind, and will provide your kids and their imaginations with hours of good, clean, simple fun.

Outdoor Living Spaces, Shade Solutions

Shade Sails Are a Unique and Affordable Shading Solution

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Shade Sail Installed

Many Advantages Make Shade Sails an Ideal Choice

All that’s needed to create a shaded spot in an outdoor living area is one of the many available choices for shading. A few of these options include patio umbrellas, awnings, shade canopies, and shade sails. Patio umbrellas are a popular choice when only a small amount of shade is needed for a dining table or a cozy seating area. Awnings are another option that allow homeowners to protect a sizable portion of a patio or deck from sun exposure. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not care for the style of awnings, which can appear outdated and clash with more modern sensibilities. Shade canopies are a third option for outdoor areas, but they are intended for temporary use. All of these options have their place, but when all is said and done, they leave little room for creativity, and they don’t offer the right solution for spaces with unusual shapes and sizes.

Unique Good Looks

Shade sails offer homeowners a creative and contemporary means of providing shade for outdoor living spaces. They are readily available in standard shapes and sizes, but custom sails can be made to meet custom needs. Rectangles, squares, and triangles in a variety of appealing colors give homeowners the creative freedom to design the look of their outdoor areas and create as much or as little shade as desired. A truly original artistic and architectural look can be achieved with careful planning and placement of two or more shade sails.

Versatility without Limit

Because of their versatility, shade sails prove to be the ideal solution for a wide variety of situations. Not only can sails protect porches, patios, and decks from the sun, they can also provide protection for entry ways, children’s play areas, swimming pools, outdoor restaurants and cafes, and more. Shade sails are easy to install and can be attached to trees, patio columns, or homes. They can also be an exclusively free standing structure supported by wooden posts or steel columns embedded in concrete footings. Sails can stay up through the year or used seasonally; they are easy to take down and store.

Effective Performance

While appearance is an important consideration when choosing a shading option for outdoor areas, performance is just as vital, if not more. The best quality shade sails are made with superior outdoor fabrics that can block up to 95 percent of the sun’s damaging UV rays. Shade sail fabric is most often water resistant rather than waterproof. This allows the sail to breathe more effectively, which keeps the shaded area much cooler. Sails made with high quality fabrics are also able to withstand extremes of temperature and are fade and mildew resistant.

Unexpectedly Low Cost

Because of the many advantages shade sails offer — versatility, attractive appearance, and effectiveness — homeowners are often surprised to learn that shade sails are more affordable than many other types of options. But, low cost is just another advantage that makes shade sails an increasingly appealing solution for homeowners and business owners.

When combined, the advantages that shade sails offer set them far apart from the other choices available. Patio umbrellas, awnings, shade canopies, and most other options are simply unable to offer the same low cost, high quality performance and creative good looks.

Indoor Living Spaces, Outdoor Entertaining

Small Decorating Ideas That Make a Big Impact

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Outdoor Rug

Decorating Ideas on a Budget Using Paint, Plants, and Outdoor Rugs

Small decorating ideas can make redecorating a room very inexpensive. Before you dip into your savings, though, consider making a few smaller and less expensive changes first. You may find that a couple of small, but meaningful, changes to a room can give you the update you’ve been seeking.

Paint

There’s a reason why decorators and designers often suggest paint as a first step in redecorating. A fresh coat of paint, especially when it is a different color, can make a dramatic statement in a room. Changing the wall color of a room changes the mood and the way light is diffused throughout the room. Taking a dark room, for example, and making it lighter through the application of paint can make that room feel larger, fresher, and more serene. On the other hand, applying a darker hue to light-colored walls can add drama and a sense of romance to a room. To keep costs down, choose a color that is already present in the room and that will coordinate with your existing decor. Use fabrics or accent pieces in the room as inspiration for color choices.

Plants

Another easy and inexpensive change that can be made to any room is to add plants. Whether living or artificial, plants bring warmth and natural beauty to indoor spaces. They make a lush and visually appealing addition to areas that can be challenging to decorate, such as ledges, shelves, and empty corners. For best effect, choose pots or baskets for your plants that coordinate with the style of the room.

Area Rugs

The floor may be one of the most neglected areas when it comes to decorating. Adding an area rug to the floor has just as much impact on a room, though, as adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls. Area rugs define a space more effectively than furniture alone, and they help tie together the various elements in a room to make it feel like a unified whole.

Consider using an outdoor rug for your indoor redecorating. Outdoor rugs are an ideal choice to use as indoor area rugs, especially in high traffic areas of the home. Outdoor rugs are made with durable materials that can stand up to all kinds of abuse, but they are just as beautiful and soft to the touch as traditional indoor rugs. They are much easier to clean than indoor rugs, which gives them yet another advantage over standard indoor area rugs.

Updating your home doesn’t always require spending loads of money. A decorating ideas and small changes, like paint, plants, and outdoor rugs, may be all that is necessary to freshen a room and give it new life.

Garden Tools & Tips, Storage Solutions

Three Solutions to Common Gardening Frustrations

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Rectangle Planter Box

 

Planter Boxes, Garden Tool Storage, and Potting Benches Solve Multiple Problems

Gardening is an enjoyable past time for millions of people, but for many, it can present challenges and hassles not to mention gardening frustrations. People who have issues with mobility, space limitations, or invasions by local wildlife may find gardening a frustrating experience. With the addition of a few garden helpers, though, many of these challenges can be solved.

Raised Planter Boxes

Raised planter boxes, which are available in square or rectangle shapes, are an easy way to keep plants and veggies contained, but they also offer a number of other advantages. Planter boxes raised on sturdy legs are ideal for gardeners who may have difficulty bending down and working in garden beds on the ground. Raised planter boxes are also appealing to gardeners who are tired of losing out to local rabbits and other critters. They keep tender plants and veggies out of reach. And, for homeowners who lack yard space for planting a garden, planter boxes give them the opportunity to keep a garden on the patio or deck.

Garden Tool Storage

Hoes, rakes, shovels, and other garden tools can get out of hand easily causing gardening frustrations. Keeping them neat and tidy in a convenient place can be a challenge, even when a shed is available. A sturdy, wooden garden tool holder makes an ideal garden tool storage solution. With casters underneath and a dedicated slot for each individual tool, a garden tool holder is easy to move where it’s needed, and makes organizing tools a snap.

Potting Bench

Many gardeners find that their potting supplies get shoved into a corner of the garage or shed, making them difficult to retrieve when it’s time to pot or re-pot plants. Then, finding an appropriate place to do this work can be a challenge. Some gardeners choose to do their potting on a deck or patio, others do it in the garage or in the yard. None of these locations is conducive to efficient work, and the mess created is generally more than expected. A potting bench is the best solution for this problem. The potting bench gives gardeners space to organize potting supplies, and it provides a dedicated space for potting. Potting benches come in many shapes and sizes, but most offer storage shelves, garden tool storage hooks, and ample counter space for working with plants and their pots. A potting bench can be placed in the shed, in a greenhouse, or under the overhang on a deck or patio.

Gardening is an appealing activity for so many reasons: it’s good exercise; it allows gardeners to express their creativity; and it gives people an opportunity to grow their own healthy and delicious foods. Gardening can feel like a chore, though, when completing basic tasks is more difficult than necessary. Thanks to garden helpers like raised planter boxes, garden tool storage holders, and potting benches, many of the difficulties associated with gardening can be alleviated, if not eliminated.

Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

Eucalyptus Patio Furniture: The Affordable and Sustainable Choice

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Eucalyptus Table and Chairs

Affordable Wood Patio Furniture with an Ethical Twist

Eucalyptus Patio Furniture is growing in popularity as the wood of choice for outdoor patio furniture. In the past, teak reigned supreme over most other choices of wood because of its strength, beauty, and durability, but teak furniture is generally very expensive. Many homeowners are unable or unwilling to spend large sums of money on their outdoor furniture. Eucalyptus furniture offers homeowners a much more affordable alternative that rivals the strength and durability of teak.

Why Choose Eucalyptus?

Eucalyptus trees originated in Australia, but they were first introduced to other parts of the world by the Cook expedition of 1770. In some places, these trees have become an invasive species, but when grown sustainably on plantations, eucalyptus trees can be effectively managed. The desire for environmentally sustainable wood products has made the growing of eucalyptus trees beneficial for many local economies around the world. In the US, eucalyptus trees grow particularly well in the Pacific Northwest, specifically in Oregon, Washington, and portions of British Columbia.

Eucalyptus Patio Furniture is a fast-growing wood with a variety of beautiful grains and colors, depending on the species. Wood patio furniture, as well as other products, constructed from eucalyptus make a rich and warm addition to any surroundings. Additionally, these trees produce an oil with insecticidal properties, making them naturally insect resistant — an ideal quality for any wood product used outside. As a result, treatment of outdoor furniture for this purpose is generally not necessary. Like teak, eucalyptus is extremely durable, easy to care for, and beautiful in appearance. The only significant difference is that eucalyptus furniture is budget-friendly, while teak is not.

Make a Sustainable Choice

Consumers who are looking for eucalyptus patio furniture, or any kind of wood patio furniture, should strongly consider choosing furniture certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC is “an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.” When consumers buy wood products certified by the FSC, they can feel confident that the wood used to make these products was grown in an environmentally and economically sustainable way that respects the rights of workers, local inhabitants, and local species. Choosing products that are certified by the FSC helps to support the continuing effort to improve forest management around the world.

Bringing the natural beauty of wood patio furniture to outdoor living spaces in an affordable and ethical way is possible. With fast-growing, highly durable wood sources like eucalyptus, consumers don’t have to bear the burden of spending a good deal of money to buy superior quality outdoor furniture. And, by consciously choosing wood patio furniture certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, consumers can opt out of supporting poorly managed forests and unsustainable practices. Enjoying the best of both worlds — affordability and sustainability — is truly a reality.