Visualizing Your Home Theater

What do the words home theater mean to you? A big screen TV in your living room with surround sound speakers hidden behind the couch, or a custom designed room with every possible high-end audio/video equipment and dedicated theater seating? The choice comes down to your level of use . . . and your pocketbook.

Start with the room you plan to use as your home theater. If it's your multi-purpose living room, think about mounting a flat-panel LCD HDTV on the wall and finding one of the many artistic solutions for hiding the screen when it's not in use. Make sure the furniture that houses your audio/video components has a cable management system to hide power cords and sufficient ventilation. Rear wheels on the cabinet make accessing your connections much easier!

There is a large range of possible entertainment centers: a plasma console or wall system, an entertainment center with bookcase or storage, cabinets to hold a large screen display. Be sure to measure your room accurately to know what will fit best in the space you have available. If you're redoing a room or moving to a new place, now is a good time to prewire the room for audio, video, security and communication needs, including cabling for future technologies. It makes for an elegant, nearly invisible installation of equipment, with more leeway in the type of furniture you choose. Another possibility - if your "home theater" room also includes your computer desk, think about using your PC to store and play your favorite MP3 files, patched through an amplifier.

There are so many choices - media stands, audio stands that hold 5 to 10 AV components, TV stands for any size television (some loaded with features like wire management systems, adjustable shelves, open ventilation, tempered glass) - as well as choices in styles and finishes, from the beauty of natural hardwoods to contemporary design elements. With such a broad variety of audio/video and other furnishings, mounts and accessories, even the most demanding A/V enthusiast or home decorator will be satisfied with the way your home theater looks.

Once you've housed your components, the next most important choice involves your seating. Do you prefer watching movies in your home theater from the comfort of a recliner, cuddled with someone special on a couch, or from dedicated custom theater seating? Do you prefer seating covered with micro fiber fabric, microfiber suede, faux leather or premium leather? Does a home theater conjure up visions of kids with large tubs of buttered popcorn, beer and chips for the guys watching the big game, or romantic glasses of wine? Choose an easy-to-clean surface, and have sturdy tables close at hand to your seating.

As long as you're visualizing your perfect home theater set-up, remember to connect the lighting and the home theater system to a master remote control. With a few taps of your finger, the DVD spins, the lights dim, you sink into your seat, and enter a galaxy far, far away . . . right from home.
 

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Closet Organizers

A closet is that place where you are most likely to put so much stuff, all those things you don't want seen in the rest of your house. A closet can become overwhelming and in need of organizing fast.

The closet can be an important part of your home. You can expand the use of your closet, and the usefulness of the space way up and below shelving with the use of organizers. Here are a few of the common materials you will need to get started: a tape measure (so you know how much space you have to work with, a paper (to draw out what you are going to do in your closet) and a level (to mark where you want to put more shelves, drawers and goodies such as that).

Closet organizers come in all types of shapes and of materials. You can find plastics, wires, wood and mixtures of these materials. Choose shelving that is all ready cut or a package that is going to fit in the space that you have drawn out on your paper, the prefab pieces will work just as well as board and materials that you have to cut and assemble yourself.

Your drawn out paper is going to help you when you go to the home supplier nearest you. You will find at least an entire aisle of things you can choose from. Remember if you want to paint your closet, you should do this before installing any new shelving so you have an easier time of it. You can paint the walls and ceiling, and then touch ups after will be a breeze, no problems at all. Creating that organized space in your closet is generally a one-time thing, so you want to take your time, plan it out well, and make the most of the space you are going to use.

A few tips about organizing your closet: one the tallest portions of your closet you can include many smaller shelves that you can store boxes, sweaters, or items that are worn only a few times a year. On the top most portions of your closet you want to be able to see, store, and then get those items if needed, so be sure you get a stool or steep stool for your closet to reach these top most portions of your closet.

In incorporating any closet system into your own closet, you need to be sure that if you have doors on your system, that your closet is deep enough to allow doors before purchasing them. On the drawing, on your plan, you should include information about how much space you have between the shelves and the wall, the door that closes on the closet to ensure you have enough space before putting additional doors on your organizer.

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Let Your Bathroom Decor Brighten Your Day

Decorating can be a very fun and easy way spruce up any home. Whenever one gets the urge to make a change, a great way to mix things up without any permanent damage that one might later regret is to engage in a redecoration project.

Something as simple as a new shower curtain for your bathroom can bring a sense of renewed contentment and comfort to your bathroom. For a more drastic change, many people embark on larger remodeling projects, such as buying new furniture or replacing kitchen cabinets.

Making A Change

No matter what the reason, shopping therapy has long been established as a way to make many people feel better. For people who utilize shopping as a feel good measure, they generally spend money on pointless expenditures that could quickly suck finances dry with nothing to show for it.

On the other hand, shopping with a purpose can be fulfilling, and it can provide a real sense of accomplishment. In many cases, it can be very difficult to decide on what would be a valuable use of ones' time and money.

Decorating a home can be a very special experience, especially when the homeowner has recently purchased her first home. There are many different ways to approach decorating a new room. Some approach decorating as "working around a theme", while other people choose to "work around a particular item" in a room.

Choosing a room to decorate can also be very difficult. In every home, there are many rooms to choose from. Finding the right on to start with can be challenging, because it is difficult to decide which room needs the makeover the most.

Bath Accessories

One of the rooms in the house that can the most fun to decorate is the bathroom. It is also one of the least expensive rooms to redecorate, depending on the level of commitment given to it. It certainly does count as a room that can be redecorated on the cheap.

While the ranges of available toilet seats are designed for any bathroom décor, they are still very functional accessories. In reality, there is nothing more important in a bathroom than the toilet, but just because they are necessary does not mean that they cannot be attractive and stylish too.

Many other bath accessories offer the same possibilities. Simple, bland shower curtains have firmly been removed from the past, along with the cucumber green bathtub… Thank goodness for the smallest favors. With more styling options, manufacturers have allowed for numerous decorating options to become available to us, including lace and children's shower curtains.

No matter what template or theme you use in decorating your home and bath, finding something to suit it can be as easy as a quick online search. There are more options available now, than our grandparents could have discovered over the course of their lifetimes.

Putting it All Together

Once all of the necessary parts have been gathered, the fun of actually putting everything together can actually begin. There are many ways to go about doing this. Forming a good image of how you want everything to look is a wonderful way to begin.

Place everything in its relative location, step back, and survey the results. Generally, things will not always appear as planned and some fine-tuning is going to be necessary.

Many times, it will be difficult to find the exact pieces that would look good in a room right away. Some people select temporary decorations to fill the holes that await other important decorative purchases. Other people simply leave those empty spaces until they can locate the suitable decoration to fill the empty space.

Conclusion

No matter which approach you take to decorating your home, the end results should always leave you satisfied with your accomplishment.

Adding personal touches, like decorative toilet seats or cute bath accessories, will make a home feel more like it actually belongs to you. It definitely increases the sense of home ownership that we can treasure for years to come. Having a home of your own is one of the few aspects of the American Dream that will never fade in our changing culture.

A space that you can call your own is like a sanctuary against the demands of the outside world. A personalized sanctuary can be one of the most inviting places in the world. And given that we spend as much time as we do in the bathroom, it is imperative to our well being that the final design of our bathrooms creates an adequate sense of satisfaction for us. 

There are many fun bath accessories that one can choose from in the marketplace. There are countless bed and bath stores around the country, dedicated solely to selling a variety of home and bath accessories that make shopping for them fun and interesting.

One of the neatest things available on the market is the decorative toilet seat. Generally, toilet seats are not considered to be designer objects, but recently there have been many new options made available for the bathroom. There are many ways in which toilet seats illustrate a decorative vision, combining functionality with aesthetic appeal.

These essential seats come in a variety of colors and sizes. Some of the more creative toilet seats are clear and have little decorations molded inside of them, like little ducks or frogs.

Okay, I admit it. I am an adult, but watching Sponge Bob Squarepants with my nieces and nephews is fun. So, for a fairly long time, I had a Sponge Bob Squarepants toilet seat and shower curtain. It was a great idea when money was tight. But, with my last home decoration project, I decided to add a little more class to my master bathroom.

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Catch A Burglar, Safely And Secretly

In 2004 2.1 million burglary offenses occurred in the United States. Of those less than 15% of criminals were arrested.

One reason the arrest rate is so low is because burglaries often happen when no one is home or around to witness.

The reality is most people cannot physically monitor their home, or office at all times without installing a monitoring system and paying costly monitoring fees.

Monitoring companies are not a solution for everyone. The new business owner, the business owner with high overhead or the lower income households need to save money and they can do so with the TeleSpy Intruder Alarm.

The TeleSpy is a monitoring device equipped with a motion detection sensor and a highly sensitive amplified microphone.

It operates from any working phone jack and requires no installation. The TeleSpy phone model is the common slim line telephone that an intruder would not recognize as a monitoring system.

Simply enter a phone number that you can be reached at while away from the location. Cell phones work great because you can take them anywhere. If motion is detected the TeleSpy will call you automatically.

You will be able to listen in for 30 seconds through the TeleSpy's high powered microphone. After 30 seconds the TeleSpy disconnects and instantly re-arms to detect again and again.

If you hear an intrusion call the police. Your emergency will be a confirmed burglary in progress and treated as top priority.

You will want the best listening experience and sensor range to give the police as much details as possible. So consider a couple things when deciding a place for the TeleSpy.

The motion sensor range is in excess of 30 feet and the width is about 20 feet, creating about a 45 degree wedge beyond the sensor.

Now think like a criminal. Where would they enter and what are they looking for? There is a self test feature that allows you to run trials.

If you have pets include them in the test trials. Raising the TeleSpy or pointing it in different directions will help you pin point your pet(s) sensitivity and eliminate interference.

The TeleSpy is ideal for apartments, small homes or offices. But it can be a great supplement to buildings with existing systems.

The point is that if your property is being burglarized you need the police there as soon as possible. Criminals cost Americans five billion dollars a year and stolen property is often never returned to the owner. 

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Business Opportunities Review

Honest Business Opportunities Review. Finally an honest way to make money online.

Tired of business opportunities that do not deliver what they promise? We have reviewed the top selling programs on the Internet today. Below you will find a link to reviews of the top 3 opportunities that actually work.

The key to making money online is knowing how and where to start.

Without the right starting point you will waste precious time and a ton of money. The following products guarantee your online success, all you have to do is read them and follow their expert advice! All programs provide a 100% money back guarantee, require little or no experience, offer a step by step guide, and use proven strategies that will make you money.

These programs are simple to use, have a small investment price, and you are able to see results usually on the first day! Now you won't make millions overnight, like some programs promise, but you will build a nice part-time income that can certainly help with the bills (everyone I know wouldn't say no to an extra $500+ bucks a month).

You might even consider using all the suggested programs and over time replace your existing income. That's what I did, and lord knows i'm no "guru", actually i am a journeyman carpenter from Canada that just wanted a nice online hobby business. I wasn't expecting great things, just some extra cash, some "FUN" money. Now these programs have really taken off, I spend more time with my family and playing in my shop. I never expected this business to explode for me!

Check out our new #1 Pick! This one is rated the #1 Opportunity for making money online.

Warm Regards,
Dwayne Armstrong

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Microcaps Can Be Big Investments

 September 11, 2001 was a defining moment in the history of our country. Prior to this historical date the Department of Homeland Security was not even created and airport security was just like any other industry. Investors have capitalized on the recent surge in this sector. As most investors do, they go for the bigger companies and bigger name stocks when investing. As a result there are many micro-cap stocks that get overlooked.

Micro-cap stocks sell for $5 or less per share. While you most likely will not become the next Warren Buffet by investing solely in micro-caps you can and should add them to your portfolio. Just as you will not become filthy rich with micro-caps, you will most likely not go broke either. Because of the minimal selling price there is so much less risk. Whether you are looking to improve your existing portfolio or you are just getting into investing, and you do not have a lot of money to spend, this level of stocks can be an excellent investment.

Some of the companies that exist in the homeland security sector are relatively new, which makes researching them a bit more difficult than a company such as GE. If you do spend the time you can find some excellent stocks.

When looking for a company to invest in you should consider things such as management, what the current hot products in the industry are, and some evidence of stability. I will share some companies that I feel meet these criteria. By no means should these examples be taken as a recommendation. This is just a guideline of what to look for in a possible investment. If you decide to invest in any of these companies it should be because you researched them and found them to be a good investment for your portfolio.

• Global ePoint, Inc.- symbol (GEPT)- they develop and manufacture industrial and commercial computer systems as well as digital audio and video surveillance. The company is made up of three divisions: Aviation, Contract Manufacturing, and Digital Technology. Some of Global's biggest clients are: Citibank, FedEx, GE Interlogix, Universal Studios, and American Airlines. Global has been very active in the news in recent months as well:

o October 28, 2005- Global ePoint's aviation division is awarded $750,000 in additional contracts to be delivered during the fourth quarter.

o November 3, 2005- Global wins the Ukiah, CA Police Department contract.

o November 7, 2005- Global receives orders for $1.2 million of Image Processing Equipment for X-ray scanning equipment.

Global's management is proven as well. Their CEO, Toresa Lou, was CEO of McDigit Company prior to being named the CEO of Global ePoint. She took McDigit from $0 in annual sales to over $400 million annually. Their stock price ranged from a 52 week low of $2.00 per share up to a 52 week high of $8.00 per share.

• Sense Holdings, Inc.- symbol (SEHO)- Their primary business is the explosive detection, human authentication and identification, as well as time and attendance systems. Sense Holdings has been in business since July of 1998

o They have recently been awarded contracts from two Fortune 100 companies for deployment of biometric solutions.

o Sense Holdings was given exclusive sales and representation rights to a U.S. granted patent. The patent is for the use of biometric technology to access and operate any motor vehicle. The biometrics included in the patent are: fingerprinting, voice, facial, and iris recognition to be used in cars, boats, plans, and trains.

The co-founder of the company is still involved and now the CEO and President of the company. The five people highlighted as the leaders of Sense Holdings, Inc. all have successful careers prior to founding or joining Sense Holdings. Their stock is a bit different than Global. Their 52 week low was $.14 per share and their high was $.42. Such low prices might be enough to scare off some investors.

• Sniffex, Inc.-symbol (SNFX)- Founded in October of 2004. They have only one product, which is a device that will detect explosive material up to 100 feet away. It can even detect explosives through metal boxes or concrete walls. There are variables that would determine its ability, such as weather conditions and the amount of explosive used. This is their only product.
o Paul Johnson is their CEO. He has lead over seven companies in his career. Although all of them, prior to Sniffex, Inc., were more web-based technology companies.

If I were thinking of investing any of the three companies I have mentioned so far I would be most skeptical about Sniffex. They are the newest of the three companies. They have a leader that is new to the industry, and they have only one product, albeit a very important product. Their current stock price, as I write this, is $1.65 a share. The 52 week low was $.05 per share with a high of $6.00 per share.

While doing research for this article I came across many companies. There are dozens of companies in the Homeland Security sector. It is an important industry for obvious reasons. I read some "experts" views on some companies where they give recommendations on which companies you should and should not invest in.

One of these recommendations was for a company that currently had no products on the market. They were awaiting numerous patent approvals. The recommendation went on to break down what would happen if the patents were approved. As I was reading it I thought to myself, "This guy must own stock in this company." Could this stock make you a lot of money if the patents are approved, of course. But, I think I have shown in this article that there are other companies that offer similar opportunity for return on your investment for much less risk. If you are researching this sector I think you have the chance to make some solid investments. Just use good judgment and look for the rights indicators for success. 

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9 Steps for Coaching Call Center Agents

The call record method is, in my opinion, one of the best approaches to coaching agent phone calls and ensuring quality. Here's a 9-step plan for effectively coaching call center agent phone calls:

1. Randomly record 2 –3 telephone calls. Random recording is important. Do not record 3 calls back to back or on the same day, as your employee may be having a bad day and this may be reflected in all of one afternoon's calls, but is not necessarily reflective of their typical performance.

2. Review the calls and note strengths and opportunities. Before meeting with your employee, listen to the calls and note what they did well and identify 1 –2 opportunities for performance improvement.

3. Play one tape and let your employee listen. During the playing of the tape, you do not need to respond.


4. Have your employee respond to the tape. After the tape is played, ask your employee to respond. Most employees will be overly self-critical. Your employee will likely note many opportunities for improvement and struggle to articulate what they've done well.

5. Coach the call. Use the "sandwich" approach. Tell your employee what s/he did well, followed by constructive feedback, and then end with positive feedback. When offering constructive feedback, share only one opportunity for improvement. The employee has likely observed and stated several improvement opportunities so there is no need to bring these up again Try to mention one thin g the employee did not bring up and offer this as your constructive feedback.

6. Gain commitment for performance improvement. Ask the employee, "What specific steps will you take over the next 5 days to improve in this area?" Write down what the employee states and repeat it to her. Summarize the session by reiterating strengths and offering a vote of confidence that she can improve in the identified area.

7. Repeat steps 2 – 6 with a second and perhaps third tape if necessary. The point of numerous recording is that an employee may respond defensively stating that was just a "bad" call. If that is the response, you may choose to review a second or third tape.

8. Follow-up before the next agent coaching session. Check with your employee in between coaching sessions to keep the commitment top of mind. You can touch base with your employee via email or a personal conversation.

9. Discuss improvement in next coaching session. Before listening to calls in the next coaching session, ask your employee how she's progressing toward the goal of the last session. Look for improvement on calls reviewed in this session.

This 9-step call center agent coaching model is simple, clear and it both praises employees and offers support for improvement opportunities.

When you follow this 9-step process, you will set clear performance expectations, coach effectively and consistently and at the same time you will be motivating your employees. 

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Plan Your Move: 4-5 Weeks Prior to Your Move

As your move date is getting closer there are more issues that require your attention.
Although it seems as if you still have a lot of time until your move date, this period of time usually passes very fast and some of the tasks mentioned in this article may take a while to complete, especially the change of address process and informing the authorities.
In addition, the sooner you will complete these tasks, the sooner you will be available to take care of additional tasks that are waiting in your new location. For example: registering your children to their new schools.
In this phase, 4-5 weeks prior to your move date, you will start zeroing in on your move needs and start making the following arrangements:

Packing

If you choose to pack yourself, this is the time to make sure that all packing supplies are ready. That includes boxes, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, etc. Start packing items that you don't use very often or items you know that you won't use until you move. If you are moving with your kids, it is a good idea to get them more involved and allow them to help packing. Be sure to supervise them while they are packing.


Changing Your Address

This is the time to prepare a list of all of those you want to notify in regards to your new address.

Post Office: follow this link to complete a "Change of Address" form (https://moversguide.usps.com). You can also visit your local post office and obtain that form.

Friends and Family: send a letter or email your new address.

Utility Companies: such as telephone, trash, water, power, etc.

Banks: update your address on all accounts including checking, savings, loans, and credit

Credit bureaus: make sure that your credit report stays updated.
Equifax: http://www.equifax.com
TransUnion: http://www.transunion.com
Experian: http://www.experian.com

Insurance Companies: update your new address on all of your policies.

Health Care Providers: including your doctors, dentist, pharmacy, etc.

Local and Federal Government Agencies: the IRS, DMV.

Other authorities, clubs, associations and organizations, including, newspapers and magazine subscriptions, and your church / temple

Don't forget to make arrangements with all service providers in the new location as well. Provide all service providers with your arrival date and try to set activation and deactivation dates accordingly.


Get Familiar

Check with the DMV as for issuing a new driver's license or I.D. card, and ask about car registration requirements.


For more information visit http://www.moveeast.com
Free guides are available 

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Why Your Small Business Needs a Corporate Identity Package

If you're like many small business owners, you might be wondering just what a corporate identity package is. And if you already know what it is, you might be wondering why your small business would need one. After all, you're just a small business, not one of those big corporations. What's in it for you?
Just as the name implies, a corporate identity package identifies your company to potential clients, suppliers and the general public. It includes your business name, small business logo, your logotype (just a fancy way of saying how things are placed, which font you use, spacing, and other things like that) your motto or company slogan, and associated printed material-- your business card, and letterhead, envelope and forms.

When you started your small business, you might have dreamed of becoming more than just another small business. Maybe you even dreamed about becoming a big business some time in the future. And even if you're a completely practical entrepreneur and didn't have those dreams, you need to attract customers in order to keep your small business open. A corporate identity package can help you do that.

Write a couple of big corporations, ask a question and request a business card. They'll send your answer on their letterhead, in their company envelopes, and include a company business card. If you take a moment or two to look at big corporations' identity packages, you'll soon notice a few important things in common.

Their corporate identity package looks professional. What makes a big corporation look professional? I think one key is simplicity. Generally, a large corporation has a simple symbol or even just graphically represents their name as their logo. Take the Coca-cola logo for example. Or Toyota. Or Cameco Corporation. They're all very simple.

When you look at their corporate identity package, you see quality. They use only high quality printing services and paper. Sure, that's going to cost a little more, but it'll be worth it in the end because its an integral representation of your small business' image. You could print your corporate identity package yourself using your home printer, lightweight paper and business card templates, but how is that going to look? Will that produce the professional image you're after? 

Their logotype is consistent. Big businesses use exactly the same color for their logo and their background every time. They use consistent fonts. Their slogan for example, would consistently be in Times New Roman, never a different font or even a similar font, but exactly the same font, and always in the same proportion to the logo. Spacing is consistent. Spacing between letters and between lines is also always exactly the same proportion. Their secret is designing in vector form so their logo can be enlarged or reduced without changing proportion.

Their corporate identity package matches exactly. Their letterhead, envelopes, business cards all match. And if you ordered something from them, the invoice and the statement you'd get at the end of the month would match too. Perfectly.

Here's another reason to take a little time to look at big corporations' identity packages: you can use what they do to create an identity for your own small business. What they do works, and they do big business, so if you want to do big business too, why reinvent the wheel? Copy what they've done. No, I don't mean you should copy another company's logo. Just copy the way they've done things. Take their ideas and use them.

You probably don't have the luxury of spending the amount of dollars a big corporation does on their identity. In fact, they sometimes spend millions on their corporate identity. So how do you get a professional look at a small business price?

You can do it yourself or you can hire a design professional to do it for you, sometimes at minimal cost, or even free. Here's one idea. You can sometimes find good student graphic designers who'll design your logo for you in exchange for allowing them to put it in their portfolio. In any case, if they do charge you a fee, it will be a whole lot less than what a professional graphic designer would charge. Besides it'll feel good to be helping a "poor student".

So, why should you have a small business identity package? What's in it for you? If you do it right; if you have a corporate identity package that looks professional, is of high quality, has a consistent logotype, and matches perfectly, you're going to look just like the big guys even if you're the smallest business in town.

And if you look like the big guys, you just might have a chance to play with the big guys. And what if, just what if, your corporate identity package helped you, even just a little, to realize the dream you had of someday owning a big business when you started your small business? 

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Exceptional eCustomer Service - In 4 Simple Tips

Two weeks ago I scribed a note of praise for Office Depot on PlanetFeedback.Com. Two hours later I got a personal response from Office Depot's executive office. Last Friday I logged a complex complaint via email to my wireless phone company. Less than 3 hours later a researched response landed in my email box. It wasn't the response I hoped for, but it was a timely response. Both companies exceeded my expectations of timeliness and personalization of response. How would your customers rate their experience on your "Contact Us" page? Here are 4 tips to help you create an e-commerce experience that keeps customers in love with you after a service mishap.

1. Prominently display phone number. Many customers visit your "Contact Us" page for the sole purpose of locating a phone number. Don't force your customers to fill out a form or contact you via email if they want to personally talk with you. Your phone number, preferably toll-free, should be prominently displayed on your home page and on your "Contact Us" page.

2. Create a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Identify the top 5 – 10 questions or complaints logged on your website and post them with answers. This will be a time saving convenience for customers and reduces your email/call volume. Amazon.com has one of the best FAQ sections I've seen on the web. When visitors click Help on www.amazon.com, they are soon viewing a page of more than 50 frequently asked questions and answers. Visitors almost never have to contact Amazon.com directly for assistance.

3. Develop response standards. In 1998 I conducted an informal survey by shopping customer service departments on the Internet. In my survey, in which I logged complaints or posed questions, 60% of the companies didn't even bother to respond. Of those that did respond, the average response time was 4.5 days. Today, e-commerce customers will not give you days to respond. They expect a response within hours. Determine your response targets and then line up systems and processes to deliver your goal. Keep in mind that your initial e-response should never be delivered more than 24 hours after the customer contacts you.

4. Dedicate staff to email response. Well-intentioned companies are failing customers miserably because their representatives are juggling too many tasks. Customer Care staff cannot effectively respond to high volumes of phone calls, postal mail and email complaints and maintain quality service standards. If your Customer Care Department is receiving at least 400 email inquiries/complaints monthly, you need at least one person dedicated to reviewing, researching and responding to email complaints and this needs to be their primary job. 

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Stop Chasing Success And Let Success Find You

One of the major problems that many business entrepreneurs have is that instead of following their own goals, ambitions and interests to gain success, they choose to chase after success by working to establish themselves in a hot business market that may not be of any interest to them. Although it is possible to achieve success by running a business that holds little interest to you, before long, you will find that this sort of venture will drain your ambition, and ultimately have a negative effect on you both personally and professionally.

Think about it: What would keep you more motivated - Being in a job you enjoy, or in a job that you find boring? Not a difficult question to answer right?

Naturally having a job you enjoy is something that almost everyone strives for; however, the problem that many new business entrepreneurs are faced with is that they have a hard time figuring out what they want out of life. Thus, they proceed to fumble around in different professions, desperately groping around in the dark for their one true calling. This leaves them constantly chasing after a success that is always two steps ahead of them.

To avoid this from happening to you, the following 7 key points will help you stop chasing after success, so you can use your interests to let success find you.

1.Find your life's purpose and true calling: Remember when you were a child and you had such high hopes for your future, when you used to dream about all of the great things you would do once you were older and able to make your dreams a reality. Well even if this was not one of your childhood fancies, it is time for you to take a serious look at those dreams you lost and hid away in the back of your mind, and find out how you can make them work and grow in your business.

2.Did you choose your work or did your work choose you? Surprisingly, many people fail to take this into consideration, and instead choose to keep their focus on making fast money with the current popular market. By following this type of career, you have given all of your business power and control to a market that can offer you nothing but quick cash until that market dies, or you lose interest and move on to search for hopefully the next big thing.

3.Are you using your natural talents or "gifts" that you enjoy and do so well? Ask yourself if you are using your expertise to benefit your business. Your talents will help make you creative, innovative and keep you challenged. It is your "gifts" that make you an expert of a particular field. Use this to your advantage, and success will find you.

4.Are you ignoring your passions and values? Most people have values, and regardless if these values are religious, personal or so on, the values that you follow say a great deal about your character, and your passions. Therefore, if you are running a business that you don't believe in, and that is personally unfulfilling, you will never achieve the success you are after, because you don't have faith in your own business.

5.All of us have gifts but sometimes many of us have a difficult time identifying them: Finding your own talents may take time, but it is time well worth spending. If you have a hard time thinking of things you are good at, make a list of all the times you did really well in school, sports, arts and various life experiences. It may also help to speak with those who you are close to. Often your most trusted friends and family can clue you in on what you excel at. Another option is to begin by exploring options in business fields you like.

6. How do I find my life's work? You can find your life's work by making a list of all the goals you wish to accomplish, and by discovering how many of these goals are similar. Keep in mind that your life's work is something that you enjoy whole-heartedly, and is a continuous goal that you will always trying to be working towards. It should not be something that can be achieved quickly.

7.Be able to connect who you are with what you do: Once you know your life's work, it is now time to go out there and discover the business opportunities that speak to your ambitions, values and interests. Remember, when you like something and are truly good at it, you will soar to fantastic heights.

The bottom line: Use these seven key points as a guideline to get yourself on the right track. Love what you do, put everything you have into it, and let success find it's way to you through your wise decisions and passion for your work. 

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Free Teleseminar Is Showing How To Escape Working For Someone Else

Less than three short months ago, a new 1Step System was born with a very real potential for generating a great deal of income in a short time. Co -founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have brought this opportunity to people all over the world. Many are joining now because the company is still in its infancy, which from a marketing standpoint is surely the best time to get on board.

What makes this business opportunity so attractive is that it is so easy. It is appropriately called the 1 Step System. It stands to reason, the more an individual puts in to their business, the more he or she will get out of it, however, your early efforts in the beginning stages can easily provide at least some income while you lay back and observe.

Everyone knows, there is no such thing as a free lunch, however, I haven't seen another business opportunity where start-up costs can so easily be recouped in such a short time and profit starts rolling in. From those who have no experience, to the most seasoned marketer, its a great opportunity to see a steady cash flow in a relatively short time. It's also a great way to earn extra income at home. Those with years of Internet marketing experience are calling it a brilliant concept designed for building wealth for anyone who is savvy enough to see its earning potential.

Our experience has revealed that to many entrepreneurs out to earn extra money from home, have fallen victim to deceptive and greedy get rich quick scams that guarantee your success. This business sets itself far apart from those, and what is so refreshing about the 1 Step System is there is no selling, no phone calls, no explaining, no answering questions and no closing. Most of the work is done for you. It's a fact, co-founders Rod Stinson and Chris Koehl have taken the 'Net by storm. It's nice knowing that with this business, anyone, regardless of their experience or background, has the same chance for financial independence.

For more information visit:
http://www.1stepsystem-premier.com
and, for your FREE EBOOK detailing the fastest and easiest way to the top of the search engines, visit:
http://www.ride-to-the-top.com

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The Voice of Customer Service

Customer relationship management tools abound, yet let's hear it for old technology. Your voice is the most multifaceted customer service tool in your toolkit. Your voice can convey concern, care and compassion. It can alternately convey boredom, neglect or contempt. Your challenge: to insure your voice reinforces the service you strive to deliver through your actual words and action.

Customer service is about more than mouthing the words customers want to hear. You have to sound believable. How do you sound? Try this experiment. Call your own answering machine and leave yourself a message normally intended for your customers. Now replay it. Are you convincing? Does sincerity ring from your voice or are you just mouthing clichés in a disinterested fashion?

Depending your tone of voice you can alternately sound:
Compassionate or Condescending
Confident or Insecure
Knowledgeable or Ignorant
Attentive or Disinterested
Focused or Scattered
Alive or Comatose


Pick one of the following phrases:

"Thank you for calling. We're excited to serve you."

"Welcome back. It's so nice to see you again."

"We've missed you. Thank you for coming in again."


Mouth it a few times to a colleague next to you or over the phone to a friend.


- Now ask your listener: "How do I sound?"

- When you're monotonal you may sound flat and lifeless.

- How does this sound when you're tired? Uninspired?

- How does this sound when you're expressive? Do you generate good will and energy?

- How does this sound when you're sincere? Is there a genuine quality to your voice?

- How does this sound when you're friendly? Does warmth emanate from your conversation?

- How does this sound when you are smiling? Does your good humor come translate?

Mirror Mirror on the Desk
There is a reason many telesales and customer service representatives have mirrors on their desk. It's not to admire their beauty or to insure the proverbial spinach isn't stuck to their teeth. In this case, the mirror has two purposes. First, as a reminder to reps to smile while on the phone. Even though their smile isn't seen by listeners, it is felt. When we smile it loosens up our jaws and relaxes us. This is then conveyed through our voice. We sound more relaxed, friendly and open because we are. The act of smiling activates certain muscles in our face and neck and actually alters our disposition for the better. The mirror both reminds us to smile and confirms we are when we glance at it periodically. Not to sound overly Dramatics, but "What you see is what they get."

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Think Like an Entrepreneur

My biggest problem in becoming self-employed was me.

In order to BE a self-employed person I had to start thinking like one. I found myself reverting to that nine-to-five mentality. If I wasn't accomplishing a task every hour, then I must not really be working.

Sometimes a self-employed person has to make decisions about her business. Sometimes she is just thinking about a solution to a problem. Sometimes she just has to quiet her mind so new ideas can come. Just because you're not pounding away at the typewriter every minute doesn't mean you're not working.

I've also learned that it's okay NOT to answer the phone every time it rings. That's what voicemail is for, and the same goes for email. At my nine-to-five job I would leave the email program open all day and answer each one as it arrived. It took me a while to realize it's okay to only check email several times a day instead of constantly being interrupted. It's actually more productive than having to stop your thought process every time "you have mail." At my other job, I was able to let a phone call roll over into voice mail, but it took me a while to be able to shut down the email too.

You're going to have days where you feel you didn't accomplish much. Then again, you'll have days where you'll feel you can conquer the world and you'll be amazed at how much you got done. Some days you may not finish many tasks, but you'll make a decision on a problem that needed to be addressed. Or, you will have learned a valuable lesson about yourself.

And, I had to learn to stop breaking down all my tasks into dollars and cents. I tended to worry about how much I was or was not earning every day. The truth is, some days you're going to make more than other days. If I spent my day on marketing issues, even though I didn't earn any money from it that day, I would benefit from it some time in the future.

Rather than worry about what benefits I do or don't have, I realized the benefit I have in my business is that I answer only to me. Everything I do will benefit me sooner or later. Instead of my income being dependent on somebody else's budget, I can go as far as I dream.

And because I'm now doing what I truly love and not what someone else tells me to, I'm much happier and more content. I learned if you start THINKING like an entrepreneur, then you'll actually be one. 

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Affordable Advertising Agencies

Low cost internet advertising agencies are the ideal way and most recommended means to make your product or service known and for your web site to earn money. There is such a very huge range of affordable internet advertising agencies that are now found in the Net.

There are various Internet advertising agencies according to the kind of product or service they provide. Here is a list of a few of these kinds of online marketing agencies.

1. Web design agencies

These are focused on building web pages for a website. Many web developers are now offering affordable services if you just know how and where to find them.

2. Logo services

Production of web site logos is the main concern of these agencies. Hundreds of pre-designed logos could be purchased or even customized to complement your website better.

3. Copywriting Agencies

In adjunct to search engine optimization, these agencies provide quality content that targets the attention of the market you intend to tap. Looking for the best deals with copywriting services will be a cinch if you know where to look. If you prefer freelancers, they are often found with their own websites.

4. Search engine optimization companies

These companies analyze and modify websites in order to achieve the highest possible search engine ranking. They improve your website's design and content to better attract more traffic. Link building could also be employed by these e-marketing agencies to benefit your business. They are actually a combination of all the services mentioned above. Sometimes they also go by the name of Internet marketing consultancies or something of that sort.

5. Domain registration companies

Your business's name in the web is the business of these companies. Looking for the best amongst a wide array of these agencies is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But if you are determined enough to do your homework with these marketing services, results would be more than rewarding. Just make sure that you don't register with those whose only intention is to rip off those who can't afford the most reputable domain registration agencies.

These are just a few of the Internet advertising agencies that a web marketing newbie could turn to. Examining your needs first will better your chances in getting in touch with the cream of the crop of these Internet marketing agencies minus the hefty price tag.

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Buying Furniture Online: Elegant Bedroom Furniture Sets, Discount Living Room Furnitur

Safe, browser-based payment systems with multi-layered security make purchasing bedroom furniture sets, discounted living room furniture and all other types of furnishings online fraud-proof and hassle-free. Buying furniture online is now the standard for worldwide furniture shoppers who understand how to maximally stretch the value of their currency. They know that the finest bedroom furniture sets are available online from virtual furniture megastores offer an incredible selection and big savings.

Buying your next bedroom furniture sets online:
• Saves your valuable time by allowing you to shop conveniently from your computer;
• Saves you loads of money because online furniture stores don’t have to maintain buildings, employees, insurance and more;
• Helps to keep the planet greener by leaving your car parked in the driveway while you shop for discount living room furniture and more from home;
• Keeps you from having to deal with slick, commission-driven furniture salespeople;
• And when you use a credit card for safe online payments, the Federal government protects you from fraudulent activities by limiting your possible losses to $50.00;
• And there are so many more benefits to experience when buying furniture online!

Discount living room furniture, classically-crafted bedroom furniture sets and other types of furniture that you’ll find online represent the epitome of beauty and high-quality workmanship. You’ll shop between products from some of the planet’s most prestigious furniture designers and manufacturers. Just a few of the notable contenders for your business will be Ashley, Coaster, Millennium, Catnapper, Butler, Signature Design, Simmons and Modloft. You will be stunned when you see the selection, and the prices, presented to you!
Buying furniture online also has the added advantage of tracking your orders while in route to your home for timely, professional delivery. Additionally, you can count on skilled technicians to assemble and position your furnishings exactly how you like them. And if that wasn’t enough, delivery is completely free in a majority of cases.

Buying furniture online allows consumers to maximize the value of their money and purchase the finest bedroom furniture sets, furniture accessories, discounted living room furniture, office furniture, outdoor patio furniture and so much more – all at rock bottom prices. Brick-and-mortar furniture retail stores are truly struggling these days. Sad is that may be, it’s simply a result of powerful technologies at work. When these retailers have to pay for their buildings, staff, insurance and all other expenses associated with a brick-and-mortar establishment, they just can’t stay afloat. But that’s no reason for you to suffer.

Experience the pleasures, freedom and various benefits associated with purchasing bedroom furniture sets and other types of furniture safely on the Internet. Buying furniture online is the new planetary standard – so enjoy the benefits!

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How I started my successful home based cake decorating business

I was a stay at home mom of 4 children.  They are my angels, my love and my reason for living.  Having a lot of children is great!  Who am I kidding, I love kids.  But it is not always fun and games because more children = more financial pressure.   So before long, I knew I had to find a job to help with the bills. 

One Sunday, when I was googling for some stay at home mom jobs while the kids were all in bed, and hubby watching TV in the lounge, I came across this ebook, Cake Decorating Business Secrets. 

Baking and decorating cakes have always been a passion of mine since young.  But I have never thought of turning this hobby into a business mainly because I do not have any knowledge of running a successful business.

But after reading feedbacks from many successful cake decorating business owners who claimed the book has helped them in starting their own business, I decided to buy the book.  After all, $47 is a good investment and hubby said it can be my birthday present.  And boy was it the best birthday present I have ever received!
The next four weeks was spent reading the book, and trying to take it all in.  I didn’t want to just skim through the book and call it a day, I was determined to make it work for me.  So I read the book carefully, tried to understand the marketing methods that the book outlined and followed everything step-by-step.

And in 2 months after I bought the book and within the first week of my business launch, I got my first order!  I didn’t even need to get a loan from the bank to start up this business.  How amazing is that?  All I spent was for buying some equipments from a factory outlet, advertising the business in local newspapers and sending out direct mails.  There are other marketing methods in the book which helped me generate thousands of dollars in pure profit and they cost absolutely little to none.

And so after the first order, the second, the third and the fourth just came so easily and I am now making between $800 – $1500 a week from my home based business.
 
The Cake Decorating Business guide is absolutely priceless!  And the best thing is, I didn’t feel like I was working because I enjoy it so much.   I’m so confident that the Cake Decorating Business Secrets guide will also provide other stay at home moms with the information and tools they need to set up a successful home based cake decorating business.

I am now a stay at home business owner as well as a stay at home mom and I love it!  I get to see my children grow up under my own eyes and still contribute to the household income, all thanks to this amazing ebook “Cake decorating business secrets”.   I am sharing this with all of you stay at home moms so you, too, can enjoy watching your kids grow up under your eyes and provide them with a quality life from the income you generate from home.

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Home Renovations From Outside Toronto!

More and More contractors like myself are having to travel for work.

I can honestly say as long as there going to pay top dollar I would be there. The economy is not that great right now and people in are home town just don’t wish to spend for quality home renovations and Improvements.

I have found that are Toronto based clientele are always willing to have us there and are happy when they see us show up on time. There are so many contractors in Toronto now! Well Maybe. Last year I read an article in a business magazine about contractors in Toronto.

I article said that more than half of the Home Renovations Guy’s there are just some lay-off worker with NO liability insurance. I even tested the fact! I had a client in Richmond Hill Ontario, I already new I would get the job but I told her to get a few estimates first.

She did not really wish to do that but I wanted to see what these guy’s are charging. I looked at 4 different estimates from 4 so called home renovation companies. 1 of the contractors was a good friend of mine that I have worked on other jobs with before.

! good contractor that was insured that is what I found. The other guy’s where way less in price and 2 of them did not even give them a copy of there insurance. The other one gave a copy of his car insurance and said he was insured. WOW!

If the insurance doesn’t say skilled trades policy there not insured bottom line. Most contractors have a least one master trade. If one guy gives you a price and the other guy’s give you something totally way off that price you need to check a little farther.

The bylaw officers in Toronto should be out there enforcing these permits. Another thing permits is up to the customers. If a contractor tell you you don’t need em! He is not a good contractor. If the contractor tell you you should have permits!

He is probably a contractor that is good. I don’t like running around getting permits but if the customers want the permits I’ll get them. The bottom line is with permits without permits the contractor should still give you the same job! For more on permits in your area visit my quality home renovations website 

If have put a few links on the permits and codes page and you can read about the Ontario Building code. Every city follows the Ontario Building codes but you also need to check with your city or town regarding permits.

Example In St. Catharines Ontario the town has made a couple of changes to residences for students because of poor quality of living. Your town might have some different restrictions so always check first.

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Decorative Concrete – Artistic, Available, Affordable

Not so long ago, if you had a garage or driveway that was weathered, worn and/or stained, or if you had a fireplace that you wanted enhanced by a rock wall, or you had walk ways or outdoor areas you wanted to beautify, your choices were limited to bricks, blocks, rock, cement and a few other items. Not that there is anything wrong with those items.


More recently, however, decorative elements for a home indoors or out  have become more readily available. Many of these decorative concrete ideas used to be reserved for the more expensive homes or exclusive estates. Today, the use of decorative concrete to duplicate these types of artistic decorations is cropping up everywhere.


For instance, 30 years ago, if you wanted a fireplace set into a wall of flagstone rock, the rock had to be brought in and set. If the wall was 12 feet high by 6 feet wide, it involved a lot of flagstone. Today, decorative concrete can be used in conjunction with hand carving to create a wall that looks the same, but at a better price, custom look and feel and a fast and long-lasting process.


You might have a patio area that has basic concrete on the ground, but you want something more warm and inviting. You could bring in various types of tile or other materials and have them set, or you could use decorative concrete in various colors and textures, and even stamps. This patio resurface could then be sealed so that it would last for a long time. Instead of purchasing tiles especially expensive stamped tiles decorative concrete could be used to create the same effects with much less work and time and a beautiful, custom finish.


You can also learn to do this yourself from professionals who present various workshops through a number of decorative concrete suppliers throughout the country, or you can hire an experienced professional to do some or all of the job for you.


If you are thinking about making changes to enhance any part of your home “ indoors, outdoors, walls, floors, patios, decks or more, now is a great time to contact a decorative concrete company in your area.

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How Exterior Shutters Improve Your Home’s Value And Energy Efficiency

Benefits of Exterior Shutters
Whether you’re in hurricane-prone Florida or freezing Chicago, exterior window shutters protect your home from extreme weather. They insulate your home, and wooden exterior shutters are an attractive addition that adds value to your home. Exterior shutters also provide protection from vandalism and crime. Finally, exterior wooden shutters are built to last, and custom exterior shutters will look great on your home for decades.
Weather Resistance

Back in the day, shutters were invented because they protect from the sun and the elements. Custom wood shutters protect against high winds and freezing snow and hail.

Is your home on the receiving end of unwanted guests with names like Andrew, Hugo, or Wilma? If you live in a hurricane-prone area, think about installing Bermuda exterior shutters. These top-hinged shutters can be closed tight against your windows in advance of a hurricane or tropical storm, thus protecting your home from water damage and broken glass.

If you don’t want to freeze next winter, operable panel exterior shutters are a good choice if they’re made from hardwood. Real hardwood has a high “R-value,” which means it resists heat flow better than other building materials. Installing wood exterior shutters – and keeping them closed in the winter – can insulate your home from heat loss. And you’ll save money on your heating bills!

Not only do exterior wood shutters lower the cost of heating and cooling your home, they also protect your draperies, furniture, and carpet from sun damage. Louvered shutters, which have slats laid across the frames with spaces between them, are a great way to cool your home in an environmentally friendly way.

Curb Appeal
Exterior shutters can add a touch of character to a house. What kind of home do you have? Bungalow, American Craftsman, Mediterranean Revival? Make sure and choose the style of custom exterior shutters that will fit your house’s architecture.

The windows to your home ought to be a reflection of your style too. Solid wood shutters are available in a wide variety of styles and materials, and will make any home they adorn stand out. Wood exterior shutters function as an excellent accent to your home’s style. Custom wood shutters add oomph to so many architectural styles and can be customized to suit any taste.

Durability
Because the wood used to construct exterior shutters is durable yet soft, the pieces can be carved into many different shapes and sizes. The wood you choose for your exterior window shutters will depend on the climate in which you live.

No matter where you are, you’ll want to purchase high-quality hardwoods. Options include poplar wood, teak wood, mahogany wood, cherry wood, cedar wood, maple wood, and oak wood. An excellent choice is Spanish cedar, a hardwood with natural resistance to moisture, decay, fungus and insects.

When you choose custom wooden shutters from a whole-cut piece of hardwood, your shutters will be less likely to have cracks, low-quality joins, thin filler wood, or other inferior milling techniques. Such problems can cause your custom exterior shutters to leak warm air in the winter or cool air in the summer. When wooden exterior shutters are made from a solid piece of wood, they are stronger and more energy efficient.

Customization
Get the exact exterior shutters that you want by choosing from custom mouldings, carvings, hardware, and more. Paint your custom window shutters a color that you love! Of course, you can also keep your custom wood shutters unfinished for a rustic look. You can find custom exterior shutters with operable louvers or fixed louvers in a variety of configurations, and they can be crafted from various species of wood, including poplar, cherry, maple, cedar, mahogany, oak, and teak.

Enhance the architectural lines of your home with custom exterior shutters. Large homes with many windows look fantastic when indoor wood shutters frame each window. If your building is tall and skinny, on the other hand, you might want to choose Bahama shutters, which will add width.

Most importantly, make Breaks=true

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Home Renovations Are More Fun Than You Think!

Home renovations can be lots of fun.
You own the home of your dreams and it’s everything you always wanted to have, but it could use some sprucing up. Things don’t look as pretty and clean as they used to before sometime.
This article will give you some simple ideas on your toronto home renovations that could give your home a new look and increase the value and appeal for yourself and potential home buyers.
Some examples of toronto home renovations could be just what we were looking for.
The most common home renovations are Kitchen Renovations , Bathroom Renovations and Basement Renovations. Make sure that you are well prepared and plan out all your details ahead of time.
Some small items that people renovate are stairs and walls and add features like new wood trim around the windows and doorways or stains and re finishing.You can choose many types of stains for your toronto home renovations redo.

You may decide to really do new look with this home.You can purchase paint in just about any hardware or building supply store for your home renovations project, there are many colors to choose from easily. This can help you get an idea, what it will look like after it’s painted.

Another home renovations ideas is adding a wallpaper border at the top of your walls or even across the middle. There are many wall paper patterns to choose from easily, so you may have your work cut out for you in just deciding the right one. Home renovations can be lots of fun really. Don’t make it so tough. Keep your project simple, so find something that will go with the colors of paint, and the colors in the room and then go to work on your project. You will be pleased with your accomplishment, once you’ve finished.

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Pine Furniture: The most Favorite Forms of Furniture

Pine furniture is known to be quite a flexible style of wood which makes it as one of the well-known material when it comes to producing different varieties of furniture – from bedroom furniture to garden fixtures. These furniture pieces constructed from pine wood may be in forms of kitchen tables and seats – both for inside your home and outside the house. They may also be curio cabinets, racks, bed frames and bedside tables. There isn’t a constraint to what home furniture can be created out of pine because of its unique resilience and overall flexibility. Pine-made furnishings can definitely contribute highlight to every dull home that you have it inside your homes. It can even liven up the surrounding making it a more relaxing and much more cozy space to anyone who goes inside your home.

When shopping pine furniture, it’s best to take a look at it first before having it final decision. Since home furniture crafted from pine are easily scratched or dented, always check out each and every fragment of home furniture for damages that will make your household furniture less durable.

There are many of home furniture outlets out sold in the market today that are selling household furniture that is built from pine timber. Due to its flexibility and the genuine class that it brings to a person’s space, pine-made furniture has been in demand.

You can examine on the net for a summary of household furniture stores that provide these kinds of furniture. They differ in dimensions, patterns, finishes and values. I propose that you look into these types of household furniture shops first before going ahead and choosing a piece of household furniture made of pine timber so that you would be able to compare prices. As I have previously mentioned, there are numerous home furniture stores that provide these particular furniture. So it’s automatic that they would also promote these pine-made at affordable fees. Be sure that even at a low cost, the reliability of the furniture that you will get will still match the home furniture that are offered at expensive rates. For those who who would wish to get on the internet for these designs of furniture that are pine-made, you can actually just go to a household furniture shop’s website. They would commonly present the products that they sell on their website together with the rates, shipment method – if needed, and the warrantees that come with it.

Although home furniture that is made out of pine lumber is thoroughly tested to be long lasting, there are still unavoidable instances where its elegance may wear out due to scrapes or fading. You can go ask a professional on how to restore and revive your furniture’s charm to make it look new. In that way, there’s no need for you to buy brand new home furniture which is pine-made, thus helping you save loads of money.
You can also do the restoration without help if you have the right materials and knowledge on how to do it. Make a investigation on how to proceed and what to avoid in order for you to understand what is the best for your pine-made furniture.

You could start to decide to purchase a piece of pine furniture to put inside in your house and experience the same satisfaction that others have received when they purchased their own pine-made furniture. This would certainly make you not regret it.

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Home Renovation And Improvement Tax Rebates Or Tax Credits? No The Difference

Many have just found out that they are not getting this huge refund on there taxes for home renovation tax credits.
First thing they are tax credits not rebates there is a difference.
Tax credits are to make people that have money spend money. Tax rebates are for everybody. A good example is lets say you have to pay $12000 in tax this year because of your income level. You need to use up as much as your tax credits as possible. A tax rebate is totally different, it is not geared to how much you spend.
The government was offering Home renovation tax credits this past 2009 year, this is for people with high incomes so they will spend money and create more jobs for the average Joe.
Many people made big mistakes regarding this issue spending every dime they have just to get things fixed and has caused great pain especially for the poor and elderly people needing quality home renovations in there home.
Many Larger companies took advantage of the situation also saying take advantage of your tax rebates. I passed a home renovation supplier today, in fact everyday and every sign they have say’s tax rebates. new windows and doors for your tax rebates it said today.
Unless you owe money to the government you will be really lucky to even see a dime of the money you spent.
On TV tonight I was very surprised to see a elderly couple complaining on the news. hey said they where misinformed that they are credits not rebates. the bottom line is not many people know the difference between the two.
These two older people spent $40,000 dollars on a new roof, garage door, replacement windows and a few other things. They did there taxes and where expecting a huge refund only to find out they have been had. It sounds funny but it is true.
After the news man talk to them they showed some guy from the government I never keep track of these cheats anymore anyway! For the first time I heard them say that these are tax credits in public.
They never said anything about rebates.
They are not going to give you your money back either!
The bottom line is they new people where spending money and when you spend the government makes money. Home renovation tax rebates never heard of it! Just made up! you bet it was. The truth is most home renovation guy’s where telling you your going to get this back and that back just so you would keep spending in a bad time for them as well. The home renovation was at a total stand still before they mentioned these tax credits and they just took advantage of it! Making good contractors look really bad!
As a contractor you should have told people! Shame on you!
Hint! Hint!
I was wondering why my busines slowed down so much it didn’t make any sence. I told people the truth about the tax credits. I never said tax rebates ever! I found other copanies that where saying rebates get more and more work. If you know of any of these people that have been had send them tis article.

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Including the Outdoors in Home Remodeling

A backyard isn’t the same as it used to be – a place to grill, where kids play ball, or just an extra spot to mow. Now the trend is to make the backyard an outdoor retreat or an extension to the house. The Home Remodelers Group® can help transform your outdoors into a beautiful year round sunroom, a deck for entertaining or even an outdoor kitchen.

As reported in the May 2006 Consumer Reports, designing and furnishing an outdoor room is the second most likely home-remodeling project to do. Specifically, approximately 1.2 million U.S. households will install a fully functional outdoor kitchen, according to a study by the industry research company inquiry.

In 2004, Better Homes and Gardens magazine received survey responses from nearly 60,000 Americans describing home improvement projects and future home-building aspirations. Better Homes and Gardens found that people want indoor/outdoor livability, technological innovations, flexibility for family needs and a kitchen-centric focus. (REMODELING Magazine, September 1, 2005)

Homeowners are seeking ways to make the outdoors a functional part of the living area. To accomplish that, the barriers between outdoors and indoors, such as walls and solid doors, are going away. As cited in “A Simple Way to Increase Outdoor Living Space” at HGPgal.com, for homeowners looking to add to their living space, improve their lifestyle and increase the resale value of their home, the perfect solution is to extend living areas outdoors through the addition of decks, patios, outdoor kitchens and entertainment areas.

“The line between the house and the outdoor space continues to disintegrate,” says Julie D. Taylor, author of Outdoor Rooms. “Many designers are using the same, or similar, materials both on the interior and exterior to extend the house to the outdoors. It breaks down the barrier and gives a feeling of a larger house.”

Alternatively, instead of thinking of the barriers disintegrating, another solution is effective indoor-outdoor connections. These connections can include French doors opening up onto a porch, or the addition of a window to expose a lovely view. Indoor-outdoor connections can be as simple as adding a mudroom between the garage and the home, or more complex, such as an outdoor entertainment area placed just outside the doors of a home’s main gathering space. Adding visual connections to the outdoors, such as through the addition of glass doors or enlarging a window, adds value to your home by making its interior space appear larger than it actually is. (“Connect Inside of Your House with the Beauty Outdoors,” Ann Robinson, Deseret News, April 2005)

To create the outdoor living space that you want, start by determining your budget and your desires.

Consumer Reports provides some tips about what to consider for building room extensions or outdoor entertainment areas:

* Determine how you will use your space

* Consider location

* Be sure to weatherproof

* Incorporate lighting and heat

* Consider safety

No matter what extension you decide to make, it will undoubtedly add value to your home. As cited by Ann Robinson in Deseret News, “Exterior living space adds usable square footage to your home without costing you the $120-plus per square foot you’d spend for the construction of an addition.”

The Home Remodelers Group® can work with you to determine your indoor-outdoor remodeling desires. We have many gorgous sunroom plans and other renovating features available on our website at www.homeremodelersgroup.com. So, if you need a new area to relax and enjoy reading your favorite book, a place to create a new home gym, a place to add a spa to create your own special oasis, or an area for entertaining family and friends, a new sunroom, deck, or outdoor kitchen may be the perfect solution. We can help bring the outdoors in or take your family out in a comfortable and relaxing setting.

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3 Most Wanted Moroccan Interior Design Elements For Home Décor

When it comes to home decor, there is no scarcity for the interior design objects in the modern world. However, when it comes to unique interior design objects, they will be rare to find and obviously will be very costly. Thankfully, there is a group of interior design elements which are very unique and are vey affordably priced. They are nothing but the Moroccan interior design elements. Infact, the Moroccan styled interior design is fast becoming a great trend worldwide. The Moroccan interior design has gained huge popularity since the renovation of the Riad traditional Moroccan house. You can bring the marvels of the Moroccan interior design to your home by wisely choosing the home decor elements. Just keep on reading the article to know the 3 Moroccan interior design elements that can reveal the beauty of your home.
The Moroccan Furniture
According to expert interior designers, home decor without unique furniture will be incomplete. The fact can be now changed as home decor will be incomplete without the Moroccan furniture. One of the main advantages of using the Moroccan furniture in home decor is that they offer great functionality combined with unique looks. The problem associated with most of the modern furniture is that they will have unique style but most of them will have zero usability. This disadvantage is overcome by the use of Moroccan furniture. To the added advantage, these Moroccan furniture gives great value for money. According to real estate experts, the homes decorated with Moroccan furniture will have great face value when compared to the others.
The Moroccan Lighting
Lighting is a critical part of home decor because proper lighting will greatly increase the beauty of the room. You will be well aware of the fact that ambient soothing lighting will make any home look peaceful and calm. This is where the Moroccan lighting comes into play. You’d have noted that the Moroccan home decor will enhance the peacefulness. This is made possible with the help of the lighting effects cast by the Moroccan lighting fixtures.
Decorating The Bedroom
When it comes to Moroccan home decor, the opportunities to decorate the bedrooms are unlimited. You can apply both Moroccan lighting and place some unique Moroccan furniture in your bedroom to make the room look beautiful and unique. To add to the beauty of the bed rooms, you can throw in some Moroccan lamps which are cheap.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for unique interior design objects, the Moroccan ones are made for you. Head out to a Moroccan home decor store and see the vibrancy by yourself.

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Behr exterior paint colors | Home Exterior Color

Exterior paints play a prime role in the exterior appearance of your house. The colors used have a huge impact on the overall exterior designing of your homes. The highly prominent exterior walls undoubtedly need to be painted with the best shades. While the task of choosing the right exterior paint color shade is best to be done by the experts, picking the right brand of paints is equally essential. Yes, the paint brands are today given much importance. With a number of manufacturers launching their product line in this category picking the best one is really important. Choosing a good quality paint is something that you can’t miss out during the exterior painting project. Reading the exterior paint reviews is a surefire way to know about the best paints in the market that can be used to color your walls. So here are the exterior paint reviews 2010, to help you in your way.
Best Exterior Paint Reviews
Fres-Coat 100% Acrylic Latex Exterior From California Paints
This is the top rated product according to various exterior paint reviews. Fres-Coat 100% Acrylic Latex Exterior is a highly durable paint which gives a classy finish to the exterior walls of your house. This long lasting paint is also mildew and water resistant. Trouble free application, easy to apply and quick dry makes it a fave of many painting professionals. The use of this best exterior paint is not restricted till brick or concrete walls. You can use this product from California Paints to paint shingles, trim, aluminum and vinyl siding, clapboard. Moreover, this is also a perfect pick for coloring galvanized metal or asbestos siding. This paint is available in satin gloss, velvet flat and low luster finishes. Pick the one that you find best for your exteriors.
Behr Premium Plus Ultra
Premium Plus Ultra from Behr comes with advanced nanoguard technology is amongst the best exterior paints for your home. This product consist of paint and primer as well and is a perfect choice for various surfaces. Apart from the brick walls, this can be used for fencing, garage doors, wood, vinyl, fiber cement siding, brick and rusted metals as well. With an extra protective shield, this Premium Plus Ultra exterior paint protects your walls against sunlight, moisture, stains and dirt. Available in three finishes, flat, satin enamel and semi-gloss enamel you can pick one according to the look you want. Satin enamel is quite popular due to the pearl like sheen it offers to your exterior walls.
Duramax Paint from Valspar
Duramax Paint from Valspar paints is another top rated product which you can consider choosing for your home exterior painting. This ensures that your walls are colored in a rich texture and do not crack or peel off. This is a premium range product from Valspar which offers a priming finish as well and provides triple resistance against mold and mildew. Moreover, this Duramax paint also provides maximum UV protection which maintains its color tone and finish. This is available in flat, satin and semi-gloss finish. If you check out the exterior paint reviews, Valspar Duramax Satin is known to be the top product.
These were the top exterior paint reviews. You can also check the exterior paint reviews by the consumers to know about the views about the paints they used. Make sure you choose the best looking exterior paint schemes for houses after the product is finalized. By choosing the best paints and finalizing the right exterior paint color combinations you can start off the painting project. Compare the products and pick the best for your house.

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