Things You Didn’t Know About Toilets

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Vital Things You Didn’t Know About Toilets

No home is complete without a proper working toilet. The thought of relieving yourself out in nowhere can be literally scary. However, with a toilet in place; it is simple and very convenient. However, simple as they may look, there is much to know about toilets. You need to know how they work in order to get trouble free use and long life from them. Here are some vital facts about toilets you need to know.

The shape of a toilet plays an integral part in how your toilet looks. Indeed it determines the style of the bowl, seat, and also lid. Additionally the shape of your toilet will also determine the amount of installation space that your toilet requires. Here is what you need to know about toilet shapes.

Elongated Toilets

Elongated toilet bowl shape is not the most common yet. However it has many ad

vantages such as these.

 

• Offers more comfort for adults.
• Provided added room for seating.
• Easy to install and operate always
• Are unique and stylish for aesthetic
• Gives you the best of both toilets.

Round Toilet Bowls

Unlike their elongated counter parts, the round toilet bowls are the most common designs due to these.

• They take much lesser space/ room
• They have fit many home designs
• They are usually quite affordable
• They are the easiest toilet to install

Elongated Toilet Bowls often extend from wall about 18 inches plus. On the contrary the Round Toilet Bowls take slightly below 17 inches making them super options for the very small space designs.

Oval Toilet Bowls

Also known as the Compacted Elongated Bowls, the oval toilet bowl saves 10% more space than the normal Elongated Toilet Bowls. They are likable for.

• They have stylish designs
• They are less demanding

Usually, round shapes require less space but are much more comfortable. Oval shapes on the other hand require more space to install, while elongated shapes are the master of class and design.

Toilet Seat Heights

The reason why a knowing the height of your toilet seat plays a key role is simple. It determines how comfortable your will be when using the toilet. When your legs dangle, they grow tired fast and a leaves you quite uncomfortable. Here is what you should know about the toilet seat height (Source: Toiletrated).

Toilet height is simply measured with a tape measure. The measurement is taken from the floor to the top of the seat. Heights vary, but more often they fall somewhere between 14 inches and 18 inches.

The standard toilets sit 14 inches. However the Chair Height Toilets or the Comfort Height Toilets – like Kohler refers to them will measure 15 inches or more.  Many of them 16″+ are ADA compliant.

Standard toilets are ideal for people with smaller stature or average heights. On the other hand, Chair Height Toilets are often two inches higher than standard-height toilets. They are easier to use as too.

Finally there are the Custom Height Toilets.  A good example of this type of toilet is the Wall-hung toilets that can often be positioned at a desired height from 15-3/8″ to 28-1/2″ to allow range of users.

Toilet Trapways

Another important consideration to go with is the toilet trapway. The main job of a toilet trapway is to carry waste from the toilet bowl to the main sewer line piping. A fully glazed toilet trapway will keep a smooth flow. Here are some toilet trapways that you can always go along with.

Exposed

The Exposed Trapway is traditionally designed. They can be easily seen from the side of any toilet that uses this design. They are characterized with standard caps to cover the exposed bolts that attach your toilet to the floor.

Concealed

These one features a smooth trapway surface. You can easily wipe the surface clean. Low-profile bolt caps are used instead of the traditionally exposed raised caps in order to provide a smooth, easy-to-clean surface on toilets (Visit: Toilet Rated).

Completely Hidden

This is also known as the skirted trapway. It offers an easy-to-clean uniform base usually extending from the front to back of the toilet base. Usually, no bolts are exposed and many models require no drilling or caulk to install.

Toilet trapways are easy to manage as you can learn how to remove your toilet caps and again replace them with a more exquisite design. The process is usually simple and more specifically a DIY procedure.

Flush Systems

Apart from what we have seen the next thing in line to play an integral part on how your toilet operates is the flushing system. From gravity, dual flush, to double cyclone, or single flush the choice literally lies with you.

Even so the way your flushing lever is placed will be determined with what types of design you need. Today, toilets come with varying flush leavers and some of the most common ones that you might find are these.

• Single Flush toilets with levers on left or right sides of the toilet.
• Dual Flush toilets with the flushing lever for small and full flush.
• Touchless Flush that uses a sensor to trigger the flush of your toilet.
• Wall Mounted flush that works with wall hung toilets for convenience.

Benefits of Good Flushing Toilets

Looking at what having a great toilet entails, we can’t still walk away from the benefits of a good flushing toilet.

High Flow toilets offer an easy to use method to remove waste. They are very hygienic and will help to keep germs and bacteria away. Additionally, a high flow toilet is easy to take care of will last longer than a normal toilet. They also keep odor away and leave you with a fresh breath always. One last thing though, they are eco-friendly but can a little pricey but generally worth it.

Conclusion

To keep your toilet functioning at best, it is important that you learn some of the most Common Problems of Toilets and how to take care of them. This will help you to learn more about your toilet and also work with it in the most appropriate ways.

Summary

Toilets are a necessity in a home. They also help to boost the value of your home and also to keep your options for improvements open. Always choose a design that is best for you.

 

Contributed by: Perfectbath foremost experts in Toilets and bathroom fixtures

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SOMA by SDAE on Cambie

SOMA by SDAE is a new development at West 62nd Ave & Cambie, centrally located to connect to the airport, downtown, UBC and more. Surrounded by beautiful parks, trails, and minutes away from shopping and entertainment. SOMA offers 32 residential 1-3 bedroom units. SOMA’s striking contemporary architecture has been designed to complement its natural surroundings. Abundant landscaping around the exterior provides privacy at ground level, while Soma’s rooftop gardens bring the natural beauty of the surrounding area to your home.

 

 

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How to Attract Customers Who Are Your Ideal Freelance Clients

Are you stuck trying to figure out how to attract customers to build your freelance writing career?

If you’re taking any old gig, it’s hard to get any real traction. You have to constantly market yourself, and never acquire expertise that helps you raise your rates and grow your income.

The solution: Learn how to attract customers who give you clips that will impress the best clients in your chosen industry niches, like I teach my Den 2X students.

Do this: Sit down right now and make a list of your 10-20 top prospects. What great-paying markets would you write for? Think big! For me, this list includes Vanity Fair, Costco, and American Express (wrote for the latter two in the past, but would love to get back in!).

Once you have that list, you need to figure out who you could write for now. Do this right, and those great clients will be contacting you. Wouldn’t that be sweet?

It’s one of many strategies I teach in my Freelance Writers Den 2X Income Accelerator mastermind program to help students identify who to pitch now to land dream clients, often in 6 months or less.

Here are 15 different approaches I’ve never shared outside of Den 2X before, to help you build the portfolio your ideal clients will love:

15 ways to attract your ideal client

I want more writers to build their business for success, grow their income, and land those great clients. And it can be done.

In my Freelance Writers Den 2X Income Accelerator mastermind program, students work my system for identifying who to pitch now, in order to impress your ideal client. Some have landed one of their dream clients before their 6-months in Den 2X are even over. Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Ask yourself: What does this prospect read?

What competing publications, industry magazines, or popular websites would they follow? Target those. Appearing there may just get you poached by your dream client (happened to me with Forbes).

2. Who’s on board?

Find out who is on the executive or advisory board of your target company, magazine, or organization. See what companies they work for — and pitch them.

3. Go friend-surfing

Take your list of board members and check them out on LinkedIn. What companies are they connected to, where freelancing might get you a referral to your target?

4. Attend conventions

What sort of conclaves might your dream execs attend? Consider going — learn more about their industry, and see if you can connect in person.

5. Get in their circle

Learn about who your ideal client’s vendors, partners, and top clients are — they’re all great prospects for you who might refer you to your target.

6. Start small

Trying to get in with, say, a top-drawer agency? Find a small, boutique agency to do a project for, so you gain some agency experience. The big guys all want that.

7. Competitor research

Editors read all their competitors’ publications and websites. Companies have eyes on their top competitors, too. Target them — you may be able to work for one of them. Based on what you learn from that research, you could also pitch your ideal client with the news that all their top competitors are doing X form of content marketing — but they’re not.

8. Go for growth

Fast-growing companies or publications in your target client’s sector will be on their radar, so these smaller companies are good prospects for you. Fast-growers often don’t have time to hire staff, or need to supplement with freelancers while they’re hiring.

9. Startups on their radar

Know that venture-capital funded startups in your target business’s industry will be on their radar as possible acquisition targets. That makes them good prospects for you to pitch, because those names will be familiar to your ideal client.

10. Similar groups

If you’re targeting the biggest association in a sector, break in by working for smaller local, regional, or state associations in the same niche.

11. Find the thought leaders

Who does your target look up to or admire? Who do they think is innovative? These are prospects for you.

12. Link up on LinkedIn

Go on the company page of your ideal client on LinkedIn. At the top of the page, you should see if anyone in your network connects you to that company, either directly or through others. See if you can get an introduction! Or check out the people who are connected, and target their companies.

13. Google alerts for story ideas

If you’re serious about writing for a top publication — then get serious about coming up with AMAZING story ideas for them. Collect ideas until you divine a trend — then, pitch it. When you bring a publication a trend story none of their competitors have yet, they have got to buy it.

14. Google alerts for news on your targets

Plug in all the company names of your ideal clients, and watch for news of upcoming product releases or other inflection points that might mean a marketing campaign is getting under way. (Thanks to freelance healthcare copywriter Nick Daniel for this one!)

15. Cross-pollinate

Think you don’t have any clips for X magazine? Write a story on the topic you want to pitch them for a different type of magazine, that you can use as a good clip for your ideal target.

How to attract customers to land dream clients

Hopefully, this gives you some solid ideas on how to attract customers who would be dream clients for you. Remember, don’t just market yourself to anyone and everyone, or take whatever gig comes along. Instead, make every gig you take a building block that paves the road to your ideal clients.

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3 Reasons Why Your Dog is Scratching the Carpet

No matter how much you love your pet, it can still be frustrating to come home to a damaged carpet. Find out more about how to keep your furbaby from wreaking havoc at home by checking out the following:

Image Source: Flickr

Lack of exercise

Play with your pup and give him plenty of outlets to release his energy. While you may twiddle your thumbs when you’re bored, some dogs decide to give digging a try and go to town on your carpet. Releasing your dog’s energy through walks or playtime ends those sudden urges to dig and instead makes him plop his butt down and go to sleep when he’s bored. Source: Pets.TheNest

Getting comfortable

Dogs often dig, scratch and circle before they lie down as a way to get comfortable. Protect your carpet by providing your dog with a comfy bed, preferably one with raised edges so he can feel like he’s snuggling into a safe den. A pile of blankets on top of carpet also can help reduce the scratching problem and give your pup a more acceptable fabric to work with. Source: Cuteness

Fear and anxiety

You may find that your dog starts scratching and digging at the carpet whenever they hear something outside the home. It could well be their response to something they find threatening or worrying which triggers this kind of reaction. However, dogs often scratch at carpets when their owners leave the house, it’s their way of showing they are not happy at the fact they have been left on their own which is called separation anxiety. To help stop them from doing this, it might be worth working alongside a dog behaviourist who would be able to get to the root of the problem and then gently break the habit to prevent your dog from ruining all your carpets. Source: Pets4Homes

A damaged carpet should not come between you and your pet. It’s really easy to fix. Call us today!

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Challenge #270 - Photo Inspiration

Hello everyone and welcome back to our weekly challenge blog. The time is fast approaching to be preparing for Christmas and this week we have a wonderful photo to inspire you.

Take any all or of the elements from the photo above to create with.

Here is what our Design Team came up with to inspire you -

Tanja

Asha

Martina

Elaine

Amy

Shyla

Susan

Željka

Meena Herale

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Campbell Residences at Cambie Village

Campbell Residences is located in the heart of Cambie Village, introducing a limited offering of eight townhomes with the modern luxury of new construction to create a true one-of-a-kind home ownership experience.Campbell Residences is set along a serene tree-lined street in Cambie Village, with convenient access to urban amenities, shopping, restaurants, and parks

 

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Looking for Leads? Connect With Former Colleagues to Find Freelance Work

Ever feel like you’re lost in the woods trying to find freelance work?

Maybe you’re at one of those crossroads trying to land your first client. Or you’re in the middle of a career change.

Or maybe you’ve been writing for a while, but it’s time to find freelance work and new clients to move up and earn more.

When you’re trying to map out the best marketing route to find freelance work, it’s easy to get that deer-in-the-headlights gaze and get stuck.

But you can’t stand around and do nothing, or you could literally freeze to death if you can’t pay your heating bill, or at least build a campfire.

So what should you do? That’s what I had to figure out when I quit my job as a park ranger to take care of my special needs son and start freelancing.

I picked the easiest path to freelance success. And within two weeks, I had my first client, a one-year contract, and a steady stream of inbound leads. Here’s the route I took to get there:

Ask your network to help you find freelance work

Several years ago, I abruptly left my beloved career as a park ranger. It was the only option to care for my son’s newly diagnosed medical condition. Fortunately, he’s doing better.

After our daily lives became more routine, I began to think about returning to work—this time as a freelance writer.

But how was I going to find clients and start making money?

There’s a lot of different paths you can take to find freelance work like:

• Queries and LOIs (letters of introduction)
• Direct mail
• Cold calling
• Paid advertising
• In-person networking
• LinkedIn prospecting

Instead of wandering down a lot of different marketing paths, I decided to focus on one single strategy. Ask my former colleagues to help me find freelance work.

The best resource for freelance survival

As a park ranger, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to best manage available resources. And that got me thinking, your network may be the best resource you have to find freelance work. That’s because they:

• Know what it’s like to work with you
• Appreciate your talent, work ethic, and knowledge in a specific niche
• Can help other people in their network by sending you referrals
• Have writing projects they need help with
• Want you to be successful

When I started reaching out to former colleagues, I quickly discovered they were my biggest cheerleaders. Many of them immediately started brainstorming ways to get the word out about my freelance business.

If you’re trying to find freelance work, have you tapped into your resource of colleagues and contacts?

How to ask former colleagues for referrals

It’s a pretty basic concept. You catch up with former colleagues or professional contacts and ask a simple question: Know anyone who needs a freelance writer? Here’s what I did:

• Make a list of everyone you know. I listed former co-workers and managers, volunteers, interns and community partners I worked with as a park ranger. Who do you know?
• Do your homework. Before you start reaching out to the people on your list, do a little homework. Find out if someone has been promoted, changed jobs, retired, or had a baby, for example. Knowing a little about where they’re at now will help you reconnect when you do reach out.
• Practice your elevator speech. It’s a lot easier to do this when you’re talking to a friend or former co-worker than a total stranger. Before you start contacting people, create a message that makes it easy to explain what you do and how your contacts can help. For example, in some of my emails I explained I was doing writing work now and freelancing and wrote, “I can help you write the management plan you have coming up in 2018.”
• Pick your approach. Which of your contacts deserves a chat over coffee, versus an email or text? I used all three to reconnect with former colleagues, ask about their work and family life, and gave my closest contacts an update on how my son is doing.Here’s an example of an email I sent to one former colleague:
  

  Hi Jennifer,

  It’s been a few years. We worked together as members of the Wildlife Outreach Team from 2010-2012. You may recall I left the agency in 2014 to care for my son, who is doing amazingly well now.

  Because his care is going so well, I decided to launch my own freelance writing and consulting business. And I can still be a Park Ranger for you when you need it.

  I’ve heard you have an outreach plan getting underway and remember how overwhelming they were to fit in with everything else.

  I’d love to work with you and the rest of the team to get a plan put together that meets everyone’s objectives without bogging you down.

  I look forward to hearing from you!

  Give my best to the critters.
  – Sandy

• Include your contact information. I know it’s obvious, but don’t forget to do it. Include your website, blog, LinkedIn or profile page, as well as links to samples. If you’re meeting in person, bring business cards, a flyer, or brochure. Pass along extra business cards to make it easier for your contacts to send you referrals.
• Follow-up. If you don’t hear back from people in your network that you reach out to, follow up. Try sending another email or picking up the phone. People are busy and may not get back with you right away.

On the path to freelance success in just two weeks

I have to be honest. I wasn’t totally sure that reconnecting with former colleagues would help me find the kind of freelance work I was looking for. But it was a marketing strategy I was willing to try. And it worked.

Within two weeks, I received an email that said, “We are revising our wildlife management plan and would like assistance with writing and editing it. Let me know if this is something you would be interested in.”

Two phone calls later, and I had my first gig. It’s a project that will span my first year of freelancing and provides about 20 hours of work per week. I have a solid list of leads, more freelance projects in the works for 2018, and an invitation to a conference in the spring with former peers.

About 75 percent of my work has come from reconnecting with former colleagues, and I’ve only been freelancing for about six months.

If you want to find freelance work and grow your income, tap into your most valuable resource and just ask for their help. You may be surprised where the path will lead you.

Sandy Mickey is a former park ranger. When she’s not writing, taking care of her son, or wandering outside, you can find her puttering around on Twitter, Facebook and her new blog.

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Amber 633 W King Edward on South Cambie

Amber by Aragon Properties is a new condo and townhome development at 633 W. King Edward & Ash that is coming to the South Cambie neighborhood, defining a lifestyle of convenience. Amber offers 31 one- to three-bedroom condos and townhomes. Shops, cafe, health center, and theatres are just steps away. With Canada Line station only a block away, Amber makes it easy for residents to travel to downtown Vancouver, Richmond, and the airport.The South Cambie neighborhood borders include Queen Elizabeth Park to the east and the residential Shaughnessy to the west. South Cambie is located right between the busy north-south corridors of Oak and Cambie streets, and it stretches from West 16th Avenue in the north, to West 41st in the south.

The post Amber 633 W King Edward on South Cambie appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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The Morrison in North Vancouver

The Morrison in North Vancouver built by the award-winning Haebler Group to rigorous standards and are registered under the LEED Gold building program, offering the collection of 40 London-inspired West Coast Modern townhomes and garden flats. The Morrison features 1-4 bedroom homes adjacent to the newly expanded Moodyville Park and entrance to the Spirit Trail, many with private rooftop decks with stunning views. All homes feature private walk-up entrances and were crafted to embrace the North Shore’s coveted indoor-outdoor lifestyle with generously sized patios, decks, and vehicle-free courtyards.

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Contest: Let’s Make a Writer’s Gratitude List

Years ago, when I was finding it hard to get out of bed, much less write, I started making a daily gratitude list.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, I’d like to collaborate with you today and make a writer’s ultimate gratitude list. You game?

If you haven’t done this before, writing a gratitude list is a great way to start the day, or to end it. Our human brains are programmed to focus on the negative. We needed to remember where the saber-toothed tigers were, so we’d avoid that valley.

In our modern lives full of negative news headlines and fears for the future, dwelling on the bad stuff can really sap your writing creativity.

Focusing on the positive is a powerful tool to remind us of the simple joys of being alive.

Ready to join in?

Gratitude list: Contest rules (and prizes!)

The rules for this contest are simple: Add your top 3 gratitude items in the comments. (Yes. We’ve turned comments back on just for this contest. You can also add them over on Facebook or LinkedIn.) Make them uniquely yours. Write the heck out of them.

Here’s the prize rundown:

• Top winner gets a free year in my Freelance Writers Den community (and yes, you get in right now)
• 2 runners-up get a month free in the Den.

I’m going to have my Den staff join me in judging this one, including moderator-in-chief Angie Mansfield and my admin extraordinaire Jen Roland.

I’ll get it started with three things I’m grateful for right now:

1. Owning a home
2. Unusually sunny Fall weather in Seattle
3. The ability to make my own schedule

Look forward to seeing your entries! I’ll announce the winners on Monday’s post.

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Challenge #269 - Clean and Simple

Welcome back! Time for a new challenge here at ATSM. This week we have our

Here is our Design Team with their inspiration for you -

Valentyna

Ina

Monika

Bobby

Carol M

Carol S

Julie

Nandini

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Westbury by Gryphon on Vancouver’s Westside

Westbury by Gryphon is a new townhome development at MacDonald St & Alamein Ave, located in the heart of Vancouver’s prestigious West Side. Westbury offers only 6 townhomes and 2 commercial units, give you the opportunity to be immersed in one of Vancouver’s finest neighborhoods. ind tranquility in the quiet tree-lined streets, convenience in the abundance of local shops and restaurants, or sanctuary in the comfort of your thoughtfully-designed home. Westbury makes it all possible.

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3 More Ways to Hide Ugly Carpeting

When you’re only renting a place, making big modifications such as changing the flooring isn’t always allowed. And if it is, would you really want to invest your money on a place that isn’t yours? If ugly flooring keeps you from inviting people over, the solution to your problem is simple. Take note of the following:

 Image Source: Flickr

Give it friends and make it look intentional

If your carpet is hopelessly ugly an unusual shade, don’t ignore it, play it up even if it’s not your favorite color. An avocado green rug stands a good chance if it has good company in the form of green throw blankets, toss pillows, picture mats, artwork, wallpaper etc. Even a relatively neutral rug can be made to look even more intentional when its shade is picked up elsewhere as in picture 8, where designer Phoebe Howard repeated the natural golden hue in picture mats, artwork, window shades, and upholstery. The very best way to draw negative attention to it is to make it the odd man out. Source: ApartmentTherapy

Furniture choices and placement is key

Furniture is oftentimes the star of the room, and this is good news for you if you have a room with terrible carpeting or awful wall color/wallpaper. By selecting furniture that catches the eye or is fairly large, you will essentially make it so you and others see less of that wall or carpet. So while the type of furniture you select is important, so is its placement. If there is a particular spot on the wall or floor that is unsightly, putting furniture over it or in front of it is a great idea. Also, placing tall or large furniture up against the wall is a great way to hide wallpaper or ugly colors. Source: RentHop

Cleaning may be all that’s needed

Last but not least, try having the carpeting professionally cleaned if it hasn’t been done in a while. Oftentimes, carpet color can look dingy and darker due to dust, dirt and regular wear-and-tear, especially in high-traffic areas. A professional carpet cleaning can lift out a lot of grime that may have settled deep in the carpet, and can leave your floors looking lighter, fresher, and all-together better. While cleaning cannot change the specific pile or color of your carpeting, it can improve something you are otherwise stuck with! Source: ForRent

Why not ask your landlord to solve the flooring problem instead? We can help figure out if they need to have the carpet repaired or replaced. Contact us!

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Christmas Décor Ideas for Your Windows

If snow isn’t enough to make you feel the spirit of Christmas, then decorating your home definitely will.  Check out the following ideas that you and your guests will surely love.

Image Source: Flickr

Advent window
Make an Advent calendar to count down to Christmas. Number small bags and place a little gift or note in each one. Hang the bags on clothesline strung across a window using clothespins. Then each day, look for the corresponding bag and enjoy a mini treat. Source: BHG

Leftover décor
The trick to making your holiday decor feel like home is by injecting your personal style into the details. Turn a bare windowsill into a stylish nook in no time by filling glass jars of varying heights and shapes with leftover balls for a dramatic, high-impact display. Source: RealSimple

Bow garland
Garlands are traditional for staircases, but a satin ribbon swag with lots of bows hung beneath a windowsill can add architectural interest and a bit of whimsy. Make the bows first, then pin them to ribbon taped to the sill. Source: MarthaStewart

Christmas lights
Stars are too out of reach. You need millions of light years to actually reach one, and even then, it will be too hot to touch. But it is possible to have them in your home. At least an imitation. Hang star-shaped Christmas lights on your windows as if they just feel from the sky, in lieu of your curtains. Put figurines on the window sill, maybe figurines of the shepherds who say the Star of Christmas. Source: Christmas.365Greetings

Candles
Now that there are so many imitation flame options, candles as a part of your Christmas window decorations are no longer a fire hazard. We suggest using an assortment of varying sized pillar candles to create magical Christmas ambiance in your windowsills. Source: SouthernLiving

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that you should either freeze in your home or face an exponential increase on your electric bills. Energy efficient window treatments are just what you need. Call us today!

 

Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988

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3 Things to Remember When Choosing Bathroom Grout Color

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

Picking the right grout color is much more important than you might think. It can affect the whole look you’re going for and also how much time you will have to spend scrubbing your bathroom floor. Before you decide on anything, make sure you read the following:

Image Source: Flickr

How often would you like to clean the floor?
Your choice won’t just influence the look of the space; it will also affect how much scrubbing you’ll need to do. “Light-color grout needs to be cleaned more often. Darker grout can produce efflorescence that will need to be cleaned and removed,” says Walker. Either way, he suggests sealing the grout to prevent stains. Source: ArchitecturalDigest

Consider creating a cohesive look
Colorful grout works especially well when it picks up a hue that is found elsewhere in the space, so it feels harmonious to the palette instead of coming out of nowhere. It’s definitely not for everyone, but for those who want a unique look, it can add a lot of personality. Just keep in mind that your grout is not nearly as easy to replace as a coat of paint, so you’ll want to be sure to pick a color you truly love and not a fleeting trend. Source: Houzz

Take a hint from your tiles
Decide what color tiles you are going to use. There are a wide range of tile materials and designs to choose from, each with its own characteristics and appearance. Do you want tiles with a solid color or printed patterns? Are they manufactured porcelain or ceramic, or are they natural stone? Are you using mosaic sheets with differently-colored tiles? Understanding the color composition of the tile that you choose will help you find the most complimentary grout. Source: WikiHow

Make your bathroom look much better when you get quality fixtures that exude your elegant taste. Call us today!

 

Contact:
Perfect Bath
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988

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Every Small Bathroom Needs A Vanity

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

When faced with a small bathroom, a vanity can seem like a necessary evil, especially when you want to add a steam shower and whirlpool tub. A vanity is necessary because all of those items, like razors, soap, hair clips …, need to be stored in the bathroom. The problem is that the vanity can often take up a lot of valuable space in an already small bathroom.

Small Bathroom Vanity

But, there is a way to have a vanity that’s useful and beautiful, and that doesn’t take up an unnecessary amount of space.

Floating vanities can be installed at any height that’s convenient to you. They lend a visually uncluttered look to the bathroom because they sit up and off the floor. They also allow for better air circulation. If you have children, you can store the step stool underneath the vanity.

Compact, well-designed vanities often come equipped with drawer and shelf organizers. These vanities are available in any style that suits your decor. Opt for a modern or traditional look or go for a stone countertop and natural wood construction.

Clutter is really the enemy of design. The vanity ensures that everything that must live in the bathroom has a place. Say good-bye to loose items perched precariously on the sink. With the right vanity, you won’t have to walk back and forth from the bathroom to the bedroom to get what you need. There is a vanity out there that will solve those problems and make your bathroom functional, airy, and beautiful.

 

Contributed by: Aaron Gruenke writer and foremost expert in bathroom design.

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The Journey From Bottom Feeder Content Mills to Six-Figure Freelancing

If you want to carve out an income in the six-figure freelancing club, it might seem like a long shot based on where you’re at right now.

Maybe your $20-per-blog-post client feels like a soul-sucking, dead-end gig. Maybe every query, pitch and LOI you send seems to fall on deaf ears.

Or maybe you’re doing all the right things. But that six-figure freelancing goal still seems impossible. It’s not.

Freelance success takes more than hard work and dedication. It also requires something too many writers overlook—a well-planned strategy for moving up.

Five years ago, rookie freelancer Nicole Dieker swam with the bottom feeders, churning out content mill pieces for a few pennies a word.

Now she’s a rockstar columnist, blogger, copywriter, and novelist. And she’s fast approaching six-figure freelancing status.

Want to know how she did it? Check out her proven methods for increasing your income, moving up and earning more.

Freelance Writers Den shaped six-figure freelancing goal

A former Freelance Writers Den member, Nicole Dieker is now a regular columnist for The Write Life and The Billfold, and she recently published her first novel.

We recently caught up with Nicole in a podcast interview where she talked about:

• Setting realistic income goals
• Tracking work and income
• Time management
• Networking
• Finding a writing community

You won’t find magic formulas for success in this Q&A – just common-sense, workable strategies to help you plan for success in 2018 and beyond.

Q: How did you come up with your income goals?

A: When I started my column for The Write Life, I set the goal of earning $5,000 pre-tax every month. It was achievable, because I’d done it in the past. But also a stretch, because I wasn’t achieving it every month.

The act of saying what you want motivates you towards actually doing it. You look for ways to make that goal happen.

It took me a few months to start hitting that income goal consistently. From there, my income has steadily grown. Some months I earn $8,000 or $9,000.

Q: What’s a realistic income goal for a freelancer starting from zero?

A: When I started back in 2012, I had one goal, which was to earn more money this week than I’d earned in the previous week. I earned, like, 3 cents a word doing content jobs. I didn’t transition immediately out of that. I’d get a recurring gig or a column, and I’d do content to fill in the gaps.

Q: What are the top three things you did to grow your career and hit your income goals?

A: Tracking income. I not only tracked what I was earning but also consistently looked for ways to seek out more money.

Pitching consistently. I pitched A LOT. At one time I was like, “You have to send out a new pitch every day,” right? As I did this, I filled every other minute of my time with content work. I earned money and also pitched for higher gigs.

Building clips and growing visibility. I became well-enough known in the freelance world that clients started seeking me out. That’s when the income growth took off, because I had leverage in terms of what they were going to pay. This third step is tricky, because you can’t control it. But if you keep pitching and keep building your clips, it’s more likely to happen.

Q: How can freelancers keep good records of their work and income?

A: I have made my records more detailed as I have continued to freelance. I originally tracked every piece I completed, then I added pieces I had been assigned. Then I could predict what I would be earning. I’d think, “What can I do to bump that number up?”

From there you can add columns for invoicing. You start tracking word count. You track whether you’ve hit your monthly goal.

The last column I added was an “other things I need to do today” column. This includes administrative tasks like pitching, getting in touch with contacts, or replying to comments.

Q: What’s one big life hack you’ve used to earn more and be more productive?

A: Time blocking. Oh, I love it so much! I set up my day knowing what I’ll be doing for pretty much every hour. Obviously things come up and you have to adjust. But for the most part, I’m like, “I need to check email for 20 minutes. Starting at 9:00 I need to transition to writing a piece. At 10 a.m. I’ve got this podcast.”

Having a time block helps me make sure I’m getting things done and hitting my targets. It lets me know whether I’m able to do all the things that I tell everyone I’ll do.

Q: How do you estimate the time it will take to write a piece?

A: To figure out how many words you can write per hour, I suggest looking to what you’ve written before. How long has it taken you? Then add in research time. Figure out how long it takes, and you’ll know how long it takes.

If I don’t need to look things up, I can do 1,000 words an hour. But that takes a lot of practice.

Q: How can you increase your income by building your network?

A: Be a positive and supportive person in the freelance writing world. I do respond to comments. I’m positive on Twitter. I’ve also built my connections by doing enough good work that people want me to write for them.

I’ve built relationships with editors, tried to make those interactions very positive, and tried to solve their problems and meet their needs. Then other people have heard about all that and want me to be part of their group.

Q: Why is it important to have a writing community?

A: It’s good to have people who are just writers, who aren’t your editors, to talk about the job with. You can bounce ideas off them and ask, “Is this client cool, or are they asking something unreasonable?” Plus you can pass on news about new gigs. 

Q: What did you learn in The Den that helped you the most?

A: The Den was my first writing community. I was able to check in with other members and say, “Is this a good deal? Is this a good idea? Hey, I found this job that was kind of grody.”

The Den taught me to think bigger. At the time I thought going from 3 cents a word to 5 cents a word was really, really great. The Den helped me expand my ideas of what I thought was a good freelance gig, which was invaluable. You can do a lot better than 5 cents a word.

What are you doing to move up and earn more? Join the conversation on Facebook.

Maria Veres is an Oklahoma freelancer who once (and only once) wrote an article for five cents per word. She teaches adult writing classes and contributes regular Q&A posts to Make a Living Writing.

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Olympic Station – 132 Southeast False Creek Preconstruction Strata Condos

Olympic Station is the Western Gateway to Olympic Village, which is located at Southeast False Creek. Olympic Station by Aurmon Development is a 12-story LEED gold concrete building offering132 studio to 3-bedroom luxury condo homes. The location is a fine example of new urban living, where shopping and services are available steps away. Just a short stroll along Cambie Street takes you to Save On Foods and Whole Foods, the Royal Bank and Vancity Credit Union, London Drugs, Best Buy, Canadian Tire, and Home Depot. Or, you can hop on the Canada Line, located two blocks away, and get there in mere minutes.

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4 Easy Ways to Allergy Proof Your Home

Nowadays, more and more people are becoming allergic to a thing or two. One of the most common allergens is dust. If any of your family members is allergic to it, the following tips can help.

Image Source: Flickr

Choose window treatments carefully
Avoid hanging heavy dry-clean-only drapes and small-slatted blinds, as they are dust magnets and can be difficult to clean. Instead, opt for easy-to-clean, lightweight window treatments that are less likely to attract and hold dust and pollen. Ideal choices in drapes are washable, synthetic curtains. Other good choices include cleanable roller shades and blinds or shutters with large slats that are easy to vacuum and wipe down. Source: Learn.AllergyAndAir

Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter
Vacuum once or twice a week. Make sure your vacuum has a HEPA filter. Some allergens are so small that they pass right through a regular vacuum filter. That means that every time you vacuum, you could be sucking them off the floor and shooting them into the air, where you breathe them in. Source: WebMD

Wash linens regularly
Set a schedule for regular cleaning and washing of linens. Then stick to it! Real improvements may not be noticeable for several months because it takes several washings to get rid of the mite infestation. And if you slack off, a whole new crop will move in. Washing linens regularly not only kills dust mites, it also reduces their food source (i.e., dead skin flakes). Washing only kills the adult mites, however, not their larvae. That’s why it’s important to wash linens weekly — every week there’s a new crop of critters. Source: Health.HowStuffWorks

Purify the air
Replace filters in fans and heating and cooling systems. This is key for keeping the air in your home clean. Each time you change the filter in your bathroom exhaust system or air conditioning or heating system, mark the next change date on the calendar. Source: Houzz

Making your home dust-free before you’ll have to spend all your time indoors this winter can help you avoid an allergic episode. We have the perfect window treatment for you. Call us!

 

Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988

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Bathroom Staging Tips That Will Help You Sell Your Home Faster

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

It’s difficult to sell a home with dated bathrooms, but staging can help increase your chances. Here are some tips to remember before you set a date for an open house:

Image Source: Flickr

Replace the vanity
Installing a new cabinet for the bathroom sink is money well spent. Ditch the one you’ve had for years, and seek out a solid cabinet rather than one made from less-than-attractive cheap materials like pressed particle board.

“A new vanity with clean lines can make a bathroom look 10 years newer,” Sitomer says. And if you have the space and budget, update the hamper (choose a good-quality basket) and add a small stool to hold pretty jars of bath salts. Source: Realtor

Make minor upgrades
Rather than spending many thousands completely renovating your bathroom, it’s much smarter to spend your money only where it will show and to make small, inexpensive upgrades that will create a large impact. As a general rule, improvements that can’t easily be seen don’t translate into a higher sale price.

The best bang-for-your-buck bathroom upgrades are: repainting the walls, replacing leaking and worn taps, updating the cabinet hardware, installing new light fittings and updating towel bars. Source: Houzz

Opt for a new toilet (or at least a newer looking one)
Make sure the toilet is clean. If the toilet seat looks well-worn or dirty, replace it. If the toilet itself appears to be dated, consider replacing it. A few hundred dollars invested in replacing your toilet could add many more times that value to the value of the house. Many buyers will also appreciate replacing an older toilet with a more efficient ultra-low flush toilet. This will save them money on their water bills and make your house a more desirable purchase. Source: Redfin

Upgrading your bathroom can help boost your home’s selling price. Pick up high-quality fixtures by calling us today!

 

Contact:
Perfect Bath
Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641
Calgary, Alberta
Email: info@perfectbath.com

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5 Tips to Keep in Mind Before Hosting a Party

It’s fun to hold a party at home; but the moment the guests leave and you see all the mess you have to clean up, you realize how tiring the task is. Make your post-party cleanup less taxing by following these tips:

 Image Source: Flickr

Cover stain-prone furniture

Break out the slipcovers. This isn’t always appropriate or necessary, but for large gatherings where you’re expecting food and drink to be consumed in all rooms, draping fabric over certain favorite stain prone pieces can help save you a few . Source: ApartmentTherapy

Use plates

Don’t think you can get away with serving appetizers with just napkins. Paper plates will help minimize spills.

Place saucers under candles

If your dripless candles aren’t so dripless after all, blow out any that look like they’re about to make a mess. Place pillars on large, heat resistant plates to catch melted wax. Source: GoodHousekeeping

Put trash bags in visible places

If guests don’t know where to throw their stuff away, they can’t help you even if they want to. “Make sure you have plenty of trash receptacles located throughout your home so people can throw away their stuff on their own rather than you having to clean it up,” says Fauth.

Keep spare trash bags within reach

For big bashes, you’ll likely have to take out the trash at least once during the festivities. Minimize the hassle factor by keeping extra bags where the action is (that is, the trash can or recycling bin). “This will make trash and recycling ready to go with a new bag to line the trash can again and again,” says Ballard. Source: HouseBeautiful

Did your carpet receive several ugly stains during the party? We can fix it for you! Call us!

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