Archive for the ‘useful tips’ Category

Many people enjoy gardening  because it is relaxing and they also feel at peace when they are in their garden.  This hobby also gives them a sense of satisfaction.  Some of my friends and relatives have turned to growing their own vegetables too.   There is nothing like growing your own chemical-free vegetables for the family.  If you also love to grow your vegetables but do have a vegetable patch in your yard, then you can grow them the hydroponic way.  Hydroponic gardening provides you with the supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs  all year round.   One place where you can check out some high quality grow boxes is at ACTechWI.com.   The ACtech Hydroponic Grow boxes are designed using the best and state-of-the art components and they provide 100% odor control, block 100% of light inside and whisper quiet.  Find the GFI circuit breaker at at ACTechWI.com if you want the safest hydroponic grow boxes because it protects the power that is fed into the hydro grow box.  When water is spilled on an outlet or if a piece of equipment has a short circuit, its cabinets will automatically trip the built in GFI protection circuit.  All you need to do is press the button on the outlet to reset the electrical system once the water is cleaned up or the equipment is replaced. This is much more reliable than another brand I have came across.

 Growing your own produce is fun and rewarding.  So do check out ACTechWI.com for the best growing experience.

A couple of days ago, we had dinner with hub’s friend and his family.  The men were busy chatting about their favourite topic – Cars.   They are so passionate about their cars and spend hours just talking about high performance cars to eco-friendly ones.  What is it with men and their cars?  Anyway,  hub’s friend who has 2 cars at home was lamenting that he has been trying to sell his 2-door car for more than 6 months but to no avail.  He is planning to get an MPV for his growing family but would only do so after he can sell off his 2-door car.  If only he has heard of Carsifu where he can place an advertisement to sell his car.  Carsifu is the largest car website in Malaysia which features over 10,000 new or used cars for sale.   It has postings of cars from all over Malaysia with detailed description and photos too.  There is no need to thumb through the newspaper to look for cars for sale.  With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can have access to thousands of car listing.

This leading car classified website is very simple and easy to navigate.  At their website, you can do a search on the car model that you are interested in.  All you need to do is just type in the car make in the Search tab.  Then you may narrow down your search to the Year of the Car as well as the different model. Easy peasy, right?  You may take your time to go through each and every listing. There is even a Hire Purchase calculator on the sidebar to assist you in calculating how much is your monthly installment.

Here is an example of a Car For Sale.  You will see a few photos of the car showing the exterior and interior.   Also listed is the price, year and a detailed description of the car as per below.

Very informative indeed.  If you are not in the market for a new or used car but are interested in selling your car, you can register with Carsifu and place an ad there for free.    So hurry now and check out Carsifu today if you are looking for cars or wanting to sell your current one.

My hubby loves to buy little tools and gadgets.  That is one of the reasons why we have so many things in the house.  Humph.  A few years ago, he discovered a break hammer which is something useful to have in the car.  It is a small hammer with spike at one end.  The hammer is used during emergency to break open the window if the car door is jammed and there is a need to escape.  He bought one for himself and a few for his friends.  After that he couldn’t find it anymore.

Recently, he found a similar one in Daiso.

The other end of this hammer is a seat belt cutter

 Check out this nifty little emergency escape tool at Daiso if you want to keep one in your car

Recently when we were back to Ipoh for a short trip, we stayed at De Hotel, a modern boutique hotel which is situated in Ipoh Garden and about 10-minute away from Jusco Shopping Center.  It offers free wi-fi access in all rooms which is just great as hubs is rather particular about this.

Got this image from Google Image.  Below are a few photos I took of the hotel room.

Flat screen tv, a desk and a little coffee-making area with a mini bar on the right.  There is no wardrobe but a small space on the left for hanging your clothes.

We booked a Queen-size bed room and was a little worried that it may not fit the 3 of us.  I was surprised to see how big the comfy bed is.

I love its wooden flooring and the glass-walled bathroom.   There is no window in this particular room.  Not sure if all the rooms are the same or not but that’s ok with us.

10 minutes after we have settled down, this is what happened on the bed.

Daddy was trying to take a rest but the missy decided to pile the pillows on top of him and lie down on daddy.  Needless to say, he didn’t get any rest.

We all enjoyed the short stay at De Hotel. We’ll definitely be back to stay in this cosy boutique hotel.  If you are making a trip to Ipoh, you may want to check them out.

Why People Clean Green

To maintain a clean home, you need the aid of cleaning products. However, many of the commercial housecleaning products we purchase from stores contain chemicals that may be harmful to our health. Environmental scientists, like those with Masters in Environmental Science .net, have also raised many concerns over the impact of cleaning products on the environment. As a result, more people are turning to green products to keep their homes clean. A move towards green cleaning has been underway for several years now. Green or environmentally friendly cleaning products are those that have no adverse effects on human health or the environment. These products are regarded as a natural and safe alternative to commercial cleansers, which often contain harmful ingredients.

Outlined below are some of the reasons behind the growing switch to green cleaning products.

1. Reduce Allergies

Many of the allergic reactions experienced by individuals are triggered by various factors in the environment. Certain chemicals used in cleaning products can cause skin irritations, rashes, chaffing of skin, skin breakdown or asthma attacks. It is widely held that the increasing cases of asthma may be linked to the chemicals contained in cleaning products. Although highly effective, using germicides such as chlorine bleach causes tearing in some people’s eyes. Using green products, on the other hand, helps to enhance the quality of indoor air. By switching to green products, you can help to reduce allergic reactions in your household and boost immunity levels.

2. Safeguard Personal Health

Quite often, cleaning products used at home come into contact with the food we consume. Chemical residues from cleaning products may attach to kitchen sinks, which we also use for washing our fruits and vegetables. Cleaning of kitchen utensils, appliances and surfaces may also leave residues on the items, which although unseen, have a negative impact on health. Toxins from certain commercial cleaning products may trigger burns, respiratory irritations, headaches, nausea and gastrointestinal ailments. Various illnesses and health conditions are believed to have an association with many of the commercial cleaning products that are widely in use. Prolonged use of these cleaning products may damage internal organs, affect reproductive functions and even lead to the development of cancer. For this reason, it is best to use green cleaning products as a healthier alternative to conventional products.

3. Promote a Healthier Environment

Many conventional cleaning products have a detrimental effect on the environment. Disposal of toxic products into the environment causes pollution of air, water and land. Major global environmental concerns such as ozone depletion and global climate change are also partly linked to the chemical ingredients found in cleaning products. By using environmentally friendly products, we can each play a role in promoting the health of our planet.

4. Safeguard Plant and Animal Life

Commercial cleaners used for dish-washing, laundry and other cleaning jobs have a detrimental effect on other life-forms. The water discharged from our household activities drains into the soil outside. This water contains toxins that are consumed by plant and animal life, both in water and on land. The health of animal life is affected, which may endanger the survival of certain species. By using environmentally friendly cleaning products, you can help to safeguard the health of both plant and animal life.

Sources:

Clean Green. (2011) Today’s Dietitian.

Should Your Janitorial Company Use Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products? (2012) ABM Industries Incorporated.

The Benefits of Organic Cleaning Products. (2012)

Global Healing Center.

The Benefits of Organic Dishwashing Liquid. (2012)

Global Healing Center.

When my hubs and I returned from Toronto many years ago, we decided to stay in Kuala Lumpur instead of Ipoh. The main reason is that there are more jobs opportunity in Kuala Lumpur.  However, we had a problem and that was accommodation.  As we were not familiar with Kuala Lumpur, we could not find a suitable place to stay.  We were not sure where our future employment would be and we did not want to commute too far for work daily as we have heard of the infamous KL traffic jam.

Luckily hubs has a brother in the city and we could stay at his place for a while.  We rented a small room from him.  After staying for a few months, something unexpected happened and we decided to move out.  We were in a hurry to move out but back then, it was not easy to look for rental space.  Many homeowners like to advertise room to let by putting a sign in front of their houses.

I am glad that we managed to find a new apartment to rent upon recommendation by a friend and despite paying a lot more in rental, we were happy to be staying on our own.  These days, people who are looking for a space to rent are lucky because they can just go online and check out the largest Room To Let Marketplace at iBilik.com.  I have seen this travel website being advertised on the taxis just like the photo below.

There is a comprehensive list of properties for rent all over Malaysia at this user-friendly website.  For those who are interested, all you need to do is to login to iBilik and choose the accommodation that best suit your needs.  It is hassle-free and best of all, you can find a property in just a short time.

Last week when we were at Jaya Grocer, I finally found the Glad Rainbow Bags.  I was giddy with excitement.  Hubs couldn’t understand why I was so happy but I am sure if I were to give him a nikon rifle scope and he would be just as happy if not more.  I have been looking for these ever since I got to know them from Dinah.    These colourful bags are great if you want to pack some sandwiches for the kids.  A change from using tupperwares.   They are great as party favours too.

RM4.90 for a box of 30 bags.  Cheap cheap!

They come with cute stickers for sealing the bags.  You can even write on the bags!

This is how the bag looks like.

Nice eh?  I will be stocking them up for my crafts

A bathroom is a comfortable and relaxing personal sanctuary.  Very often, the bathroom is the only quiet place in a busy home.  Everyone should like their bathroom.  However, if you dislike the way your bathroom looks, perhaps it is time for a bathroom makeover.  There are many quick and easy ways to wake up a tired bathroom.  If you are on a budget, here are some ways to spruce up your bathroom without breaking the bank.

Changing the bathroom sink may help freshen up the whole room.  Vibrant accessories such as the bathroom rug can cozy up the space.  You may also want to paint the walls in pastel or neutral shades to make it look serene.  Add white or yellow lights to brighten up the room.   A bathroom mirror can create an impression that the room is bigger than it actually is.  Changing fixtures such as the shower head and shower valves will make your bath feel fresh and fabulous.  Last but not least, you may give your bathroom a little extra detailing with bathroom tiles.  Installing decorative tiles can make a big difference to a plain-looking bathroom.  Check out www.betterbathrooms.com for quality products to update your bathroom.

Have you heard of electronic pickpocketing?  Many people fall victims to electronic pickpocketing and did not realize it.  Your personal information is easily stolen by a new technology called radio frequency identification (RFID).  The RFID chips in credit cards or passport can send out or receive short-range radio signals.  If you would like to protect yourself from high-tech pickpockets, then you may want to get yourself some rfid blocking products such as wallets, sleeves and badgeholders from Identity Stronghold.  Their products have effectively prevent reading of smartcards, drivers license and passports.

Investing in precious metals such as gold, platinum and silver is a great way to preserve your wealth and purchasing power.   The price of gold has been increasing steadily over the years.   This form of investment is more stable than paper currency.  Gold or silver is available in several forms such as bullion or bars.  If you are interested in buying gold bars, it is important to know where or whom to buy from because the value of gold bar varies.  Buyer should look for a reliable and trustworthy dealer such as the US Gold Bureau.  They have a large and dedicated group of professionals who are committed to serving your precious metals investment needs.