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Simple Home Tips and Solutions

How to Keep Cats Extra Cool on a Hot Summer Day

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I’m extra protective over my cats, and I often go the extra mile to make sure that they’re comfortable. So when the summer time arrives, bringing 80+ degree days with it, I will take extra steps to make sure my babies are cool in every way possible.

When people get hot, we can sweat to cool down, grab a glass of ice water, or go to into an AC cooled store. Cats (and dogs) don’t have the same luxuries, so it’s up to us to help them stay cool. Here are a few tips for how to keep cats extra cool in the summer if you’re not able to afford central air or can’t leave a window AC unit on all day.

* Note: If you live in an area where the temperatures exceed 100 degrees regularly (hello Arizona), I definitely do not recommend ever leaving a pet inside without a proper cooling unit.

Avoid Cutting a Cat’s Hair Too Low

Some people groom their cats in the summer time as a way of keeping them cool, but after doing some research I found that leaving some hair on cats can actually help them stay cooler. So instead of shaving your kitty bald in the summer, ask your groomer to do a cut that will allow your cat to preserve some of his or her “air conditioning” fur.

Ice Water Bowl

One of the best ways to keep your cat cool is to ensure that he or she has plenty of really cold water throughout the day. If you must leave for more than a few hours, put a bowl of water in your freezer the night before and then set it out the next day. This will allow for the ice to slowly melt and stay cold for as long as possible. If your cat has an issue with knocking over his or her water bowl, see this post.

Pet Cooling Mats

I recently found a new innovation for cats and dogs that keeps them extra cool—a pet cooling mat. Your cat lays on it and experiences a cooling sensation for a few hours. This pet mat doesn’t require any electricity or a battery pack, which is a major plus. It contains a special gel that begins “recharging” as soon as your cat gets up. If you have two of them in your home, that should cover an entire summer day.

Window Fan

Cats just love to sit near open windows, no matter how hot it is outside. One way that you can keep them cool while being energy efficient is to buy a standard twin window fan. Your kitty will likely sit next to the fan and nap the afternoon away.

Turn Off the Lights…

During the day in the summertime, turn off all of the lights in your apartment or house. Open the blinds slightly instead to let some natural light into your home, or use heat blocking sheer curtains. Light bulbs often let off a lot of heat that can increase the temperature in a room by a few degrees. If you must leave a light on, make sure it’s an energy saving bulb.

Try a Mini Dehumidifier

Sometimes taking the hot muggy moisture out of the air can make a room feel cooler and more bearable. If you’re trying to save money and minimize energy usage, get a small energy efficient dehumidifier that can trap some of the moisture in one of the rooms of your house. Make sure you buy one that shuts off automatically when the water tank fills up.

Cats Instinctively Know How to Stay Cool

Cats have a biological instinct to manage their temperature and stay cool, even on hot summer days. They lick their fur, reduce activity, and find cool spots. Just keep an eye on them on the weekends when you’re home in the early morning and afternoon to see how they do on a really warm day without an AC on.

Whenever you’re able, consider buying a small, energy efficient window AC or portable AC and leave it on in one room of your house where your cats can go to enjoy some cool air.

Posted by Jade

 

Images courtesy of Amazon and Pixabay (buy someone a coffee!)

Best Workout: Chasing a Fly Around the House

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I have tried countless workout routines in the past, from Beach Body to Shaun T’s T25 to Pilates and 5 minute Yoga. Sometimes I get a good workout by simply walking up and down the stairs.

But out of all the workout programs I’ve tried, none of them are as good as the exercise I get from chasing an annoying fly or moth around the house.

The level of disrespect the fly shows me is definitely a motivating factor. For instance, if it buzzes close to my face more than once or goes near my food, now it’s game on!

Fly Swatter

You grab your fly swatter and and hold it like some kind of sword. Yea, now I’m coming for you Mr. Fly.

But then you learn that the fly is much faster and smarter than you thought. You’re jumping in the air and swinging the swatter around like a tennis star. You’re doing back-handed moves and swirling around in all directions.

You’re ducking the fly as it buzzes overhead. You’re leaping forward on your toes and doing pirouettes like a ballerina. While chasing a fly around the house, you probably work some muscles that you haven’t used in years. And the fly keeps buzzing away.

And all the while, it almost seems as if the fly is challenging you instead of evading you!

After the swatter proves fruitless and you’re out of breath, you finally just grab a can of fly spray and finish the job. You only spent a few moments chasing that naughty little fly, but you’re panting like you just ran full speed on a treadmill for an hour. If you could have been a “fly on the wall” and seen yourself in motion, you would probably laugh and grab your cellphone camera.

So if you ever need a good, quick workout and there happens to be an annoying flying insect in your space, grab a fly swatter and get to work instead of taking the easy way out.

Posted by Jayelle

Review: Pycnogenol Supplement

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I recently decided to give pycnogenol a try. It’s a supplement that is supposed to give you a boost of energy. The brand by Viva Naturals is made from the pine trees grown in Les Landes Le Gascogne forest in southwestern France. It’s goal is to help your body get rid of free radicals. The pine trees are allowed to grow with no herbicides, pesticides or GMO treatments. After taking this supplement for a whole month, I noticed a marked improvement in my energy level. Here are a few other benefits:

pycnogenolBenefits

  • improves cellular health
  • helps with heart, pulmonary, and vascular health
  • helps clear up the skin
  • alleviates joint inflammation
  • supports healthy immune system response
  • meets vegetarian standards
  • free from preservatives and herbicides

As I said, after taking pycnogenol for one month, I saw results. It helped with me to exercise with less joint pain and cleared up my skin. My energy level went up. This is a great supplement to add to your daily routine if you need a boost.

Posted by Eve

Things That Irk Me: When People Park in Your Space

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When you live on a block that requires street parking, there are certain unwritten rules that neighbors usually abide by. Everyone has their own specific parking spot that they have been assigned.

Now I know that there is no way of reserving a parking space on the street, but as time passes and I’m talking about years, everyone understands that this car parks here and another car parks there.

I have this type of situation. I have been comforted knowing where to park daily. But recently a strange car has begun to park in my spot a little too regularly. It causes me to have to look around for a different spot when I come home.

Again, I know that no one can reserve a spot on the street, but it’s really frustrating when you’ve been parking in the same spot for a number of years and someone new intrudes on that!

Parking Wars
I think that my sensitivity about parking comes from many years ago when I lived at an apartment building where parking was a fierce competition. I was forced to park in an awkward position one evening and when I came to get my car the next day it was scratched from the hood to the trunk and back around back. Ever since then I think I’ve had a bit of the sensitivity about having my own secure parking spot. I’m a little too possessive and protective about it.

That’s “My” Space
After my initial annoyance of having “my” parking space taken on this particular day, I soon realized that it was just another one of life’s mishaps. A distraction. It’s just a parking spot! Why get myself in a tizzy over something so minor when there are other things that could be focused on.

Consequently, not long after I had the idea for this post, I looked out the window and the offending car had left “my” spot. I parked back in “my” space. Though I have it back for the time being, I’ve still decided that I won’t allow it to upset me if it were to happen again. As they used to say back in the day, there are bigger fish to fry! So let’s get to frying those bigger fish.

Posted by Jas

People Who Linger in Public Bathrooms

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Do you know what really gets on my nerves? People who linger behind in public bathrooms when they KNOW that someone is still in the stall STRUGGLING to remain “discreet.”

Surely you’ve experienced this at least once? If you haven’t, you’re a lucky individual!

Everyone prefers to have their most “private” moments in the comfort of their own homes, but on occasion, urgency demands that you stop in a public bathroom or the bathroom at your job and do what needs to be done. I’m talking about those “long visits” to the restroom that don’t end in a simple, delightful little tinkle.

Public Bathroom Funnies

So you’re in the bathroom stall alone, hoping that no one comes in. You grab a piece of toilet seat paper, crinkling it up in your hands to mask the sound of what’s about to transpire. Then, someone walks into the restroom and takes the stall right next to you. *SIGHHHH*

I think there are two types of people in this world:

  1. The type of person who recognizes that someone is in the next stall “struggling” and needs to be left alone.
  2. The type of person who decides to linger around in the public bathroom when they know someone is still in a stall “struggling.”

 

The first type of person gets his or her business done, flushes promptly, washes their hands and leaves quickly. Thank you!

The second type of person takes forever to leave the bathroom! They linger behind in the stall. They might be checking their cellphone, oblivious of what’s going on next door. Who knows?

How could they be oblivious after you’ve flushed the toilet four times and over 10 minutes have passed?

When the second type of person finally flushes and leaves the stall, they wash their hands and then hang out in the bathroom doing WHO KNOWS WHAT. Checking their makeup? Picking something out of their teeth? Staring at your door in anticipation?

Whatever they’re doing, they’re causing you (still in the stall) to clench up in desperation. LEAVE! LEAVE! PLEASE! You urge them silently.

I don’t know why some people do this. Are they trying to purposely make you uncomfortable in there? Are they really just oblivious to your struggle? Or do they want to see who’s still sitting in that stall stinking up the bathroom?

If so, why?

Another of life’s mysteries I guess. Good luck to you as you wait things out! Maybe this will help next time?

 

Posted by  Jayelle

Quick Tip: Avoid Using Bleach Tablets in a Toilet Tank

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On a whim one day, I decided to throw a pack of $1 bleach tablets in my shopping basket at the Dollar Tree. I didn’t think much of it when I dropped both of the tabs in my toilet tank.

A few weeks later, the chain in the toilet tank broke. I didn’t put two and two together until recently. The bleach degraded the original chain, causing it to break, and eventually led to other annoying issues. No wonder those bleach tabs are only $1 — don’t use them in your toilet tank!

Instead, use these products to keep your toilet continuously clean:

Lysol Click Gel Toilet Bowl Cleaning Gels

Click Gel for Toilet Bowls

These easily stick to the inside of the toilet bowl and clean with every flush.

 

Lysol Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaners

toilet cleaner

These hang from the inside of the toilet bowl, cleaning it continuously.

 

Clorox Toilet Wand System

Toilet Wand

This gets much better reviews over standard toilet brushes, and is pretty affordable.

 

Quick Tip Posted by Jade

 

Images courtesy of Amazon