Page 39 - Blog

If you’re a football fan, no. It’s never too early to think about the biggest game of the year. In fact, many super fans start planning the next Big Game party. More than 111 million people tuned into the 2017 game. It’s one of the most anticipated television events of the entire year. And it’s just a few short weeks away (sure, there’s Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day in between), but if you’re a Super Fan, the wheels are already turning on how to make this year’s Game Day memorable.

First thing on the list? Do you have enough space to host the party this year? Is there a central location where people can watch the game, chat with everyone (or no one) and grab some awesome food? Look at the numbers and scope out the best place in the house to maximize viewership and entertainment.

One way to enhance the Big Game experience is to have your television on a 360-degree swivel – so you can change the viewing with the flip of a switch. What? You can’t do that right now? Have you ever

10,000. That’s how many Baby Boomers will retire every day through 2030, according to a Pew Research Study. For some, it’s the beginning of new adventures. For others, it’s time to downsize and figure out what’s next. And for most people, it’s time to downsize. And yes – I’m in that mode right now.

One of the most difficult things for people who are preparing for retirement is to downsize incrementally, yet it can be the most cleansing part of the process of moving forward. Here are a few tips to consider:

Baby steps for Baby Boomers. You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Pick small projects each month. Go through one shelf in a closet or one file cabinet drawer. Label three bins (Keep, Toss and Donate). If you choose to keep something, make sure it’s something you really need moving forward. Then Toss and Donate the other items the same week (so you don’t have time to change your mind).

One thing to keep in mind is that most children and grandchildren don’t have space for all your

It’s happening: lists with the best gifts of 2017 are all over the internet. It’s not too late to plan for the big days ahead. 

One thing I know for sure, my husband and sons are pretty laid back and just wouldn’t appreciate things like ties, electronic gadgets or clothes. They prefer things they can use regularly – and have function in their lives. One thing they all enjoy is watching television. If they could watch it from every room in the house, that would be a great option.

In fact, the first thing my husband does when he enters the house is turn on a television set. He doesn’t much care what’s on (except for football, baseball and golf). I’m kidding. He does care - a lot. This year, I’m thinking about ways to make his life a little easier (which always makes my life easier). We’re planning to retire in a few years, so I’m looking for things that are transportable that won’t require a lot of special electronic gadgets.

Bingo. A TVMirror for the bedroom. When the TV is in the off position,

Let’s face it. 2017 has been a tough year for everyone. Natural disasters have taken a toll on many families and friends. The political climate is crazy. And many people have started clinging to each other to find some peace.

As the holiday seasons approach, I’m vowing to simplify things, to allow for more meaningful conversations and less noise. With three children (and their spouses) and four grandchildren, that can be difficult (but not impossible). So, I’m planning now to make this season our best holiday yet – and mom (grandma) controls the TV time this year.

One thing I’m doing is to create “safe” zones in my home – places where people can relax without external noise and video games. I have several locations in my home with no televisions, but there are other times it would be useful to have a smart television in certain spots to put on shows for the little kiddos. So, I’m looking at TVMirrors to solve the issue of having a large television dominate a space. They’re great because

Last year, 264 million people tuned in to watch football games each week.  In 2017, more than 111 million people tuned in to watch the biggest game of the year. The numbers are staggering – as are the ways that people around the country celebrate their teams each and every week. Friends and family gather to cheer on their team, jeer about rivals and convene around good food (and the television) in what has become a tradition to pass on to future generations.

Here’s another tradition – find a way for as many people to see the television as possible this year. Consider a TVLiftCabinet with a 360-degree swivel for maximum flexibility in finding just the right way to display the big game. The most popular unit is the Crystal Pointe 360 Swivel .

Crystal Pointe 360 Swivel

This cabinet is finished on all four sides. It has a unique design means that all the component drawers can be reversed so they open from the front or back – whichever you choose. You can place it against a wall, as a room

The world is becoming a pretty scary place these days and many families are sticking close to home, seeking solace and support from those they love the most. It may be time to look at each room in your home and find ways to remove things that can add stress to your life. Let’s start with the bedroom.

Everyone knows that you spend approximately one-third of your life in your bedroom (or pretty close to that), so adding comfort and removing items that cause alarm.

The first thing you need to do to add more calm to your bedroom is to declutter. As I started writing this today, I took a look at our master bedroom. No matter how hard I try, there’s always a stack of something on the dressers, clothes hanging in odd places, papers waiting to be filed – you know the drill. My sister’s idea of decluttering is to buy more plastic tubs – and hide the mess. I think she now has 50 tubs – and no less clutter. But that’s a hoarding story, so let’s stick to the topic. Decluttering – truly getting rid

You’ve heard about all kinds of new places to call home. For those people who love the water, houseboats are gaining traction. Houseboat villages are popping up all over the world. As climate change continues to wreck havoc on beachfronts, houseboats are becoming a solid option to live a life on the water without worries about waterfront erosion.

Houseboat owners are especially savvy when it comes to maximizing room in their living space. Much like RV-living, these smartly-designed homes make it possible to move freely in limited space. Here are a variety of interior design and decorating tips to help houseboat owners maximize the use of each inch on the boat.

Add mirrors to add depth (and technology) to your room

Adding multiple mirrors to your houseboat can enhance the feeling of depth throughout a room. Even better, consider adding a TVMirror to the mix. You’ll have a beautiful mirror that doesn’t take up any floor space and turns into a smart television with just one click.

Invest in

These days, you can’t turn around without seeing or hearing about tiny houses. There are new shows on HGTV, new websites and blogs and are tiny houses are popping up in virtually every town in America. I live in a small town in Wisconsin and there are now six tiny houses on the edge of town, ready to rent out.

The impetus for the movement: people choosing to downsize their home space. The typical American home is around 2,600 square feet; a tiny house is between 200 and 400 square feet.

There are many reasons people are taking a hard look at tiny homes, including:

• Environmental concerns
• Financial concerns
• More quality time
• Freedom

Whatever the reason people are heading for smaller spaces, each inch of a tiny home has a purpose. I had to chuckle when I watched an episode of Tiny House Hunters the other day. One couple wanted to declutter their lives and have more freedom to travel. But one thing the husband refused to part with was his flatscreen television. The size of the space and

Outdoor recreation is booming these days. In fact, RVing hasn’t been this popular since before the recession in the early 2000s. People of all backgrounds and ages are getting away to the outdoors – and hitting the road to see what’s around the bend. Some people are not only giving up landlines, they’re giving up their home base to live in their RVs full-time. Increases in telecommuting options and the lower costs of living in an RV are making this lifestyle a huge trend, especially among adventure-seeking millennials.

One thing that has made this trend possible is the advances in RV tech. Newer RVs are fully equipped to be “smart homes.” This includes touchscreens to control the environment, dim the lights and even bring down the awnings. It also includes sophisticated GPS systems and satellite/Wi-Fi technologies that allow them to get away and stay in touch along the way.

Manufacturers are also producing more enjoyable living spaces in today’s modern RVs – both living and sleeping spaces

We’re moving into a transitional season – high school and college grads are prepping for final exams, and for moving into their next life phase. Moms and dads everywhere are getting ready for a lot of firsts. One of the firsts that tends to get overlooked is the first empty nest – when the last child leaves home to start their life adventure. For some, this is a bittersweet experience – the quiet can be unnerving. For others, it’s a chance to re-imagine your life and your home. For me, it was a chance to finally have the space to add more of my personality to a home that had been full of sports gear, kids’ clothes and electronics for 25 years.

Our first new space was my home office. When my third child left, I decided to start my own consulting business. We turned one of the spare bedrooms into a dedicated work space. It’s separate from our day-to-day home life, and perfect for writing, thinking and privacy.

The next space we redid was for my husband – I call it the ultimate man cave. Our