Need Extra Cash? Sell These Items From Your Home!

Whether you’re looking for a new home or saving up for a vacation, your family could probably benefit from having some extra cash. But if you can’t get a better job or are unable to increase your work hours, this can be a difficult thing to achieve. Rather than putting your financial goals on hold, there is something you can do to start saving more. Like most family homes, your property is probably filled with items that you no longer use but can sell for cash. So to help you get started, here are three popular items homeowners can sell quickly and easily to get the money they need.

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Wedding Dress

If your wedding dress has been gathering dust for years, why not consider selling it. This is something that many people don’t consider doing. But it can be worthwhile and give you a decent amount of money. Wedding dresses are always in demand and brides will spend a fortune if they think this is their perfect dress. Look for companies online who buy preowned dresses to see what it's worth or list it on auction sites like eBay. You can also do this with your kid’s prom and bridesmaid dresses if they have any. Not only will you get some extra cash, but your dress will go on to make another bride very happy.

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CD’s

Now we can create playlists on our phone and tablets, many of us don’t have a use for CDs anymore. So rather than letting them take up valuable space in your home, think about selling your old CDs instead. There are a number of sites online that buy CDs from all different kinds of genres. As well as CD’s, also consider selling any old records, DVDs and VHS tapes you might have.  Some people collect these items and will regularly check garage sales to find the ones they need for their collection. You might only get a small amount per item, but this will quickly add up.

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Books

In most family homes, there will be bookcases of books that haven’t been read for years. Instead of hoarding these unwanted items, selling them might be a more viable option. From cookbooks to storybooks, books are items people are always interested in buying. Search every inch of your home for books you and your family no longer read. Then go online and look for companies that buy books to see how much money you can make. For first editions and signed books, you might want to consider listing them on eBay or approaching bookstores. Of course, garage sales are also another option. Just ensure the books are complete and in a good condition

Selling these items either online or in a garage sale can benefit your life in multiple ways. It gives you the extra cash you need to top up your income. But it also gives you more space within your home, making it more organized and comfortable to live in. So start looking around your home to see what you can start selling.

Having Trouble Sleeping? Create a Better Environment For Sleep in Your Bedroom

If you, or a family member, are one of the many people around the world who suffer from being unable to sleep, there are some options for you. One of the first places that you need to look, though, is your bedroom. The environment and setting that you are in does make a difference to how you sleep. It is one of the easiest ways that you can help yourself to sleep better. So it makes sense to get it right if it isn’t at the moment. Here are a few ways that you can help to create a better environment to sleep in.

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Keep the Room Dark and Cool

It can be hard to sleep during the summer months when our bedrooms are hot and filled with sunlight. Now that evenings will become to get darker sooner, it will help to make things a little easier. You might find that street lighting and other lights in the house make it still too light for what you need. So it might be worth getting something like blackout blinds, or even getting yourself an eyemask. Then you can create the darkness which will help you to get a better night’s sleep. Keeping the room cool, but not cold, it vital too. If you need to get a fan, then it would be a good idea.

Think About Your Bedding

In order to sleep well, you don’t want to be too hot. So as well as keeping the room cool, you need to keep yourself cool. Your bedding is one of the best ways to do that. So check your bedding to see if you have the right comforter for the season. In winter, you will need quite a thick comforter with a high tog rating. In summer, you will want a much thinner mattress with a lower tog rating. The material of your duvet cover will make a difference too. Polyester isn’t very cooling, so better for winter. Cotton is the best material when you are trying to keep cool.

Comfort is Important

In is a no brainer that how comfortable you are will affect how well you sleep. So one of the first things you need to check is your mattress and if it is just the right one for you. So head down to your local mattress store and try a few out. Everyone is different and likes their mattress to be a certain softness. So it is best to be able to try them out. Then you can think about your pillows too. It is good to replace pillows every few years. Even if you plump your pillows, they can become flat and worn out.

It is a good idea to create a relaxing ambiance in the bedroom too. Some cushions and a throw on the bed will help you to feel more comfortable. Getting things like scented candles or a scent diffuser are also good ideas. They will help you to relax and drift off into a deep sleep.

Unforgettable Experiences For Families In Colorado

If your family loves going on adventures and being outside, Colorado is the destination for you.

With its snow-covered mountains and vast desert lands, it’s a place that is waiting to be explored. As well as its stunning landscapes, Colorado also has plenty of tourist attractions and vibrant cities to enjoy too. But with so much to offer it can be difficult to know what to do first and what activities your family will enjoy. If you’ve never been to Colorado before but want to make it the trip of a lifetime, here are some experiences your family will adore.

Hit the Slopes

With its fantastic mountains and high levels of snow each year, Colorado is a haven for skiers. There are over 20 ski resorts throughout the state; you’re spoiled for choice. Many of these resorts offer family packages and provide skiing lessons for all ages. This means that every member of your family can get involved in all the fun. If skiing isn’t your thing, many of the resorts offer alternatives such as sledding and snowboarding. With shops, restaurants, and cafes also available on site, your family will have a wonderful time. So whether you’re family are experts or beginners, skiing in Colorado should be at the top of your list. Search for Keystone or Aspen condos to find the perfect accommodation for your stay.

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Visit Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

If you’re a family of animal lovers, visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will be a dream come true. Here you can see hundreds of different animals from around the world including endangered species such as the Amur tiger. While you may have visited zoo’s before, it’s unlikely you’ve visited on that’s on the side of a mountain before. The zoo is located in Colorado Springs and sits at an altitude of over 6000 feet. This makes it a zoological experience unlike any other you’ve witness before. Your family can take a trip on the zoo’s Skyride to the top of the mountain for breathtaking views of the attraction and beyond. To start planning your family’s trip to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, visit their website for details.

Visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Located in Colorado’s capital city of Denver, you will find the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This is a fabulous attraction for families who love to learn more about where they are visiting. From dinosaurs to planets, every corner of this museum can teach you something new. It’s interactive displays are educational but more importantly fun for children and adults alike. The museum also boasts it’s own IMAX theater, which can keep you all entertained if the weather it bad outside. You’re all bound to leave feeling more knowledgeable than you did when you first arrived. Visit the museum’s website for ticket prices and directions to start planning your trip today.

So if you want to have a unique and memorable trip to Colorado, these activities are an absolute must. By the end of your stay, your family will be eager to come back again and again.

8 Jobs That Might Be Causing You Harm

Jobs can affect our health in all sorts of ways. Today, we’re going to focus on those jobs that pose significant risks to our health in terms of our hearing. There are loads of examples out there, and some aren’t as obvious as others. Let’s go.

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Builder

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the life of a builder is a noisy one. According to this chart, equipment like drills can reach levels of 100 dB. There are a lot of different pieces of equipment that contribute to hearing loss in this profession. Other jobs that pose similar risks to this one include Carpentry and other professions that use large, loud equipment.

Musician

You know that annoying ringing sound you get in your ears when you go to a concert? Think of how bad it must be for the musicians who have to deal with it every night! Yes, even celebrities lose their hearing when they’re doing jobs like this. If you’re a budding musician, the best way to protect your ears is through earplugs as a prevention technique. The same thing goes for anyone who works to put on events that will emit large amounts of sound.

Gardener

When you think of the gardening profession, no one would blame you for failing to relate it with hearing loss. But, gardening can put a severe strain on anyone’s ears over time. Again, earplugs are the key if you want to prevent damage. According to the chart we mentioned earlier, a gas lawnmower can reach levels of 106 dB.

Office Worker

Wait, what?! An office worker’s job might be causing problems with ear health? Well, it’s true. If you’re struggling to think why that is, it all comes down to one word - earphones. When we’re working boring desk jobs on a daily basis, many of us like to try and pass the time with music. However, we’re listening to that music at volumes that are far too high for our ears. Over time, this can cause severe damage to our hearing. If you’re going to be listening to music at work, make sure you turn down the volume!

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Race Driver

Welcome to the most obvious of them all! If you are lucky enough to be a race driver for a living, you pay the price with your hearing. It won’t come as any surprise to you that the decibel levels are massive, but it might surprise you that spectators are in danger, too. One NASCAR race car reaches around 130dB at full throttle. Add another 42 race cars into the mix, and it’s very evident that you’re dealing with some serious volume.

Hairdresser

Surely not?! What could possibly affect a hairdresser’s hearing? In general, it’s the combined sound of multiple hair dryers that actually poses a potential issue. Now, don’t get scared that you need to start wearing massive headphones as a hairdresser or anything! The amount of decibels that they generate is definitely on the low end of the scale. There are no guarantees that you’ll lose your hearing, but over a long period of time, your ears might just start to suffer.

Teacher

You’ll understand where we’re coming from with this one! If you’ve ever heard the piercing screams of a 5-year-old, you’ll know that it causes havoc for your ears. Add another thirty kids to the mix, and you might just find yourself struggling with the pain. The best practice for teachers is to break up activities, so the noise levels die down often. This will help to alleviate the damage, but prolonged exposure is still a risk.

Air Traffic Controller

Let’s go back to that original noise level list we looked at earlier. According to that, a jet engine reaches 140 dB. That’s a severe battering that your ears are going to be taking. A job like this requires noise protection as standard. Without it, you’re at serious risk of losing your hearing later on in life. Issues like tinnitus might develop in a very quick period of time, too. The same concerns go for anyone who works on the ground at an airport. It’s a very, very loud job!

If the worst happens, and you suffer from hearing loss, it’s not necessarily too late. There are ways of treating it, like fitting hearing aids for example. However, your natural hearing will almost certainly never return to what it used to be. This is why it’s so important to protect your ears in any job that involves high levels of noise.

#OKQuake Shook my KC House ... God's Fault or Man's Fault? #faultline #freakingfracking

Growing up, I loved the show Laverne and Shirley. They were from the Midwest originally and those episodes were awesome, but then they moved to California. Sometimes there were earthquakes and they were flipping scary, and as a kid I was like, "I LOVE California and would love to live there but ... earthquakes. Holy crap. How helpless do you feel when that crap is going on?"

Now I know!

I'd felt a few earthquakes in my Overland Park, Kansas home over the years. At first I thought it was the dog UNDER the bed somehow shaking the whole thing by scratching himself then realized the dog was not in the room. Then I, watching too many horror movies as a kid (thanks, Mom and Dad), was like, "GHOST! POLTERGEIST!"

It probably happens more than I know ... I only feel these shock waves from Oklahoma when I'm in bed. One night a few years ago (2011?) my whole family felt them as well in different bedrooms. This morning's was the worst.

My husband had left for a bike ride half an hour earlier and I had JUST woken up and was contemplating getting out of bed. I mean, 7 a.m. is sleeping in for me.

Then the bed started its little shimmy and, yes, "GHOST!" went through my mind for like a second (don't judge). Then it kept going and I knew. Earthquake. In Kansas. Again.

I figured I'd just ride it out, but then the closet doors started shaking. No huge trucks going down my road to shake the house like sometimes happens. Just the whole house shaking and I felt ... well, helpless. But I feel like it's getting to be time to start doing some drills or something with the kids California-style?

Like next time should I wake them all up and run outside? I don't freaking know!

My husband's text back to me was: "Dang, hopefully it will bring my back door back into fitting." Seriously, our doors are starting to really get off kilter!

In the meantime, let's enjoy a few of my Facebook posts from this morning when I realized this junk might not be God, but may be something WE STUPID, ARROGANT, GREEDY HUMANS are doing:.

My first post, the most eloquent and informative: Earthquake.

Really, though, who thought up the name "fracking"? It's like when you are trying to cuss and that's your sub word. #okquake

Where the hell is Erin Brockovich when we need her? Does she have like a bat signal? #okquake

Forget the #zombieapocalypse. The new Midwest concern is the US splitting in half. #newmadrid #okquake

Ooh, I know! How about a super fun map of how the USA COULD look someday for my great-grandchildren: split in half! I say cremate me when I die because the cemeteries are going to be toast in my part of town. And it's cheaper.

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