The Home Blog

Curious How-to's for the Maker Set

Instructables is a fabulous site for home improvement projects as well as a variety of other projects. I have been truly delighted by the projects which I have found on this blog. Not too long ago I was looking for a nice easy bedroom lamp – they had directions for a Japanese style box light that was fantastic. The directions were clear, easy to understand and simple to follow. The materials were things you might have around the house on a regular basis. All in all this was a highly successful project.

The selection of home and garden projects is large with most being well written and easily achieved. There are instructions for all kinds of home improvement projects: need a fire pit? A better garage door opener? Want an easy clean up for leaves? How about in ground lighting for the garden?

Instructables has one more exciting thing – a blog with some behind the scenes look at the projects selected for the site. Billed as "The World's Biggest Show And Tell" you learn – you build – you invent and if you want – you share. (Link)

Real Simple, a website for life

Real Simple may be one of the best home focused websites out there. It's motto, "life made easier", is central to all they do. They don't focus on one specific area of life, but instead look at how to simplify all areas of home improvement and daily life.

The main categories within the website are: Organizing, Meals, Cleaning, and Life Skills. Each of these offers advice that often isn't found elsewhere, and they also look at helpful things from other sources in ways that are simple and easy to understand. The search function is excellent, returning relevant and helpful information and articles. The information is hip without being pretentious, and cute without being over the top. It really is a great balance of many different philosophies about home and organization. Real Simple helps you simply get your life together.

http://www.realsimple.com

Connect to your personal power grid

Okay all you people out there in California. Today you've experienced the wonder of rolling blackouts. Tomorrow it could get even worse. So why is a bill that encourages personal home based solar energy production stuck in the legislature? Next time that power turns back on pick up that phone and call your representative and tell them to get on the ball. The technology to greatly assist in powering your house via solar and wind is here today, but without regulation changes and some incentives it will never get off the ground.

The 3000 megawatts this legislation would produce is the same as two-three nuclear power plants and infinitely safer.

MemoryMaps on Flickr, Google Maps

Google hasn't been just a search engine for a long time. In addition to Gmail (which I use), Orkut (friend of a friend software), Picasa (photo organization), and Froogle (online shopping index), they've been upgrading their Maps feature like crazy. Recently they've added the ability to view a map or a satellite view and opened the API (to help programmers) which resulted in at least one amazing hack.

The hack mashes up Craigslist home and rental listings with Google Maps creating a wonderful tool for home and apartment searchers. (via)

The other amazing thing has shown up on Flickr after inspiration from Matt H. (of Metafilter fame). MemoryMaps (flickr pool) show marked up versions of personal history such as childhood neighborhoods and famous places. You might want to do your own.

Organized Home

One of the stones we're constantly pushing uphill in our house is clutter. Mail comes in the house and clutters up the counter for days until something is finally done with it. Reciepts and little notes I've taken throughout the day end up on my bedside table and are eventually forgotten or thrown away. I'm constantly fighting to add some organization to all this clutter. I'd be willing to bet you are too.

OrganizedHome.com is one of a few websites out there dedicated to helping you clean up your life. One place you might want to start is this personality test. I'm somewhere between a hoarder and a sentimentalist.

(I also recommend reading 43 folders.)

Wireless living at home

One of my goals for my next home is to be totally wireless. From desktop to screen, from television to DVR, from curb to fence. Only problem is, I've never done this before. Digital Home Magazine looks like a good place to start. They have a tutorial for the newbies, like me, and plenty of reviews of appropriate products for those who are more advanced.

This review of the Maxtor OneTouch II, a networked backup unit, seems essential reading for anyone who puts any value on their data. The next question is, is it wireless?

24 useful household tips

#21 Ants, ants, ants everywhere … Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march - see for yourself.

Elizabeth, from the always worthy Mamamusings blog, posts her fun and useful list of household tips for future googling. So I will do the same.