Top Cities to Live In

In today's economy, it is not always easy to determine where you and your family should live. There are factors that should be considered. Population, crime, unemployment rate, and future projections of the city are all important things to consider. Whether you are looking for a change or you are struggling trying to make a work move decision, we have put a list together of the top cities to live in. Hopefully, a few of these places will be just what you are looking for.

1. Louisville, Colorado. If you love mountains and are looking for a quiet, safe environment, then this city is perfect for you. CNN money ranked this city as the number 1 best city to live in for 2011. It has the lowest crime rate for all of Colorado and an unemployment rate of 6.3%. Jobs availability range from aerospace to healthcare. Mortgage rates have also stayed constant since 2005.

2. Milton, Massachusetts. Moving across to the East Coast you can find this suburb of Boston. With home prices also not changing from 2005 and a below the national average unemployment rate, this city is a remarkable find. The school system is rated one of the best and job seekers can enjoy nearby Boston to open the playing field.

3. Leesburg, Virginia. Traveling further down we find this town nestled close to the Maryland border. For those looking to work in Washington DC but not wanting to live in the city, this town is perfect. The unemployment rate is the best so far on our list coming in at a 4.1%.

4. Hanover, New Hampshire. Keeping with the low unemployment rates, this small town is home to the prestigious Dartmouth College. If working for the college or in the medical center sounds like what you would like to do, then this city is for you. The trade off however, is that the mortgage rates tend to be on the higher end for this town.

5. Farmington, Utah. Traveling back across the country sits this town. Located near Salt Lake City, job seekers can search the big city jobs while residing in a smaller town. This city boasts having some of the best mortgage rates and lowest taxes of some of the cities on our list.

There are plenty of places to live in the United States, but only you can choose what city is best for you. When looking for your next city, make sure to account for the mortgage rates, crime statistics, and even the education system. Have a list of non negotiables in place and you will be one step closer to finding you next dream location.

By Cassandra Picard

How To Make Your Own Curtain Poles

Curtain poles can be store bought or homemade. Though prefabricated poles come in many shapes, lengths and diameters, finding the right curtain rod might prove difficult. With a bit of creativity and a few materials, you can make your own curtain poles, right in the comfort of your home.

Advantages:

The advantages to making your own curtain poles are cost, customization and pride. Making these poles is inexpensive compared to the cost of buying them new. It also allows you to make them to your specifications. You can make them of wood, plastic, metal or whatever you'd like. It is up to you entirely. Making your own poles also gives your ego a boost. When company asks about them, you can tell them with a smile they're your creation.

Materials and Tools:

* Wood, vinyl or other material
* Tape measure
* Saw
* Brackets/hangers
* Marker or pencil
* Drill
* Sandpaper
* Tack cloth
* Paint
* Paintbrush
* Polyurethane
* Screws
* Screwdriver

Select a material you would like to use. Most commonly, poles are made of wood. You can use bamboo, cherry, oak, pine or any other type of wood. The wood you choose should be durable.

Next, measure the width of your window. Decide if you want to the curtains to overlap the sides of the window or just cover the pane. Use a tape measure to find the right width.

Cut your poles to the right length using a saw. Then, place two brackets or hangers at the ends of your pole. Space them about 30.5 cm from the ends.

Mark the holes in the brackets or hangers onto your poles with a marker or pencil. This will be where you will attach the brackets to the poles in order to hang your curtains.

Drill holes into each pole where you made the marks. Use a bit that is the same diameter as the screws you will use to attach the brackets or hangers.

Sand your poles smooth with sandpaper. Leave no splinters on the poles or the curtains may catch and tear.

Wipe each pole thoroughly with a tack cloth, removing all sawdust from sanding.

Paint your poles any colour you like. Choose a colour that either blends with the curtains or contrasts them. Use a paintbrush to apply the paint, going in the same direction as the wood grain. Let the paint dry between three and four hours.

Apply a second coat of paint, if necessary. Paint can dry lighter in colour. Brush on a second coat if the paint is not dark enough.

Apply a coat of polyurethane over the dried paint. Use a clean paintbrush and go in the direction of the wood grain for best results. Let the polyurethane dry about four hours or as long as directed by the manufacturer.

Place your curtains on the poles and attach the brackets. Use screws and a screwdriver to affix the bracket or hangers to the poles.

That's it! You now have custom made poles to hang your curtains over the window

By Jamie Simpson

Luxurious Bedding or Not?

I don't know about you, but I want to wrap myself in luxurious bedding. After all, we spend one-third of our lives in bed, so, why not enjoy that time in comfort? When looking for the right fabric I found that linens can come in different styles and fabrics, not to speak of thread counts. So, without saying, it became a project to sort it all out.

I already knew that Egyptian cotton and bamboo were considered to be of high quality, but I also kept running across percale bed sheets. My original thinking was that percale was a type of fabric, much like Egyptian cotton. To my surprise I found that percale refers to a weaving process in which the fabric is woven and is not related to the fabric content that is used. A percale weave can be woven from almost any fiber and in bed linens it is usually woven from cotton. Cotton can be woven using various styles including percale, muslin and sateen. In percale, the yarns are woven one over one, unlike sateen where it's four over one. The one over one weave in percale creates a much more even, stronger, denser and softer fabric, which can stand the test of time. The more you wash it, the better it feels.

I also found that percale fabrics are used extensively for bed sheets. Percale cotton sheets have a thread count of at least 180 to 200 threads per square inch with the same number of threads lengthwise and width-wise. Percale is woven in a plain weave method that produces a checkerboard effect on the surface of the fabric. The result is a very strong, medium weight fabric that holds up well in the wash. The more it's laundered, the softer and more durable it gets. It stands to reason then, that with any type of higher thread you would get a stronger, denser and softer quality bed sheet.

Because the term percale refers to the weave of the sheets, not all percale sheets are 100 percent cotton. Some percale sheets are blends of cotton and polyester. You do need to check on the fabric being used. Egyptian or Pima cotton sheets are 100 percent cotton unless marked or described as a "blend" or a "mix".

I did find out that cotton percale sheets tend to shrink when washed for the first time, but not to worry if they fit loosely on your bed before your wash them.

After my research I do feel comfortable is saying that a percale sheet would fit the bill as luxurious bedding.

Mary Ann Onasch is the founder and owner of http://www.beddingforeveryone.com, an online specialty retailer of luxury bedding for the entire family. We are dedicated to offering quality products and stand by our vow to provide excellent customer service.

by Mary Ann Onasch

Importance of a Deep Fryers

Do you have any idea what are deep fryers? If not, then it's time you learn on e of the many important facts about cooking. Cooking is a hobby and even a profession for a number of people especially those who stay at home. There are different types of cooking apparatus, equipment and materials that you can purchase and use. Each of them have their own purpose or usage. These are ordinary items to us if you get to think of it. We can see them in our houses or in department stores and restaurants. We use them everyday. Today there are lots of new things and each item becomes more specific for a certain use. And one very good example of this is the deep fryer.

When we say deep fryer, it means for frying. It has a basket use to free the pieces of meat from the oil. It is common to a fast-food chain and to some restaurants. You can make your own snack while staying at home or watching a movie with your family. In a fast-food chain it is used to fry fries, chicken, meat, etc. There are different types of deep fryers, there are professional ones which are very common in a fast-food chain. A cool touch fryer is safer, because it is not too hot on the outer surface, so you won't be burned. The stainless ones which is the most common to us can be seen in some houses. There is also a digital fryer which is more elegant to have and it is also programmable so you can leave it unattended. Though these equipment only have limited types of cooking, it guarantees good results.

We can buy these deep fryers in some department stores; they have different prices depending on the type of fryer and of course your preference. You can choose the stainless fryer if you are one of those who are looking for a cheaper price. But, for those who can afford expensive things, there are other choices for you. You could choose the model that fits your cooking habits.

Proper maintenance of these things will result to longer use. After every use washing it with soap and water makes it last longer; it frees the fryer from dirt and stain. Wipe it with dry and clean linen to decrease retention of fluid that may cause rust. Using it inappropriately may cause fire. So you must read its instructions or manual to avoid harm to your family. So be responsible and cautious in using such equipment.

by Liza Mackinze

Sell or Let Your Home Using Estate Agents

If you are looking for estate agents to sell or let your house, the capital offers a huge and varied selection from which to choose.

This is great on the one hand; but on the other it can be perplexing. The main questions that you need to ask yourself are how do you know which estate agent is right for you and will they sell or let your home quickly?

The ultimate aim that any seller or landlord wants to accomplish is a smooth sale or let of their home so it is vital not to be swayed by agents that offer extremely low fees or unrealistically high ideas of what you might achieve.

Neither of these marketing tools will have an effect on how efficiently your house is sold or let so try not to be too tempted by these techniques without prior knowledge of what to expect beforehand.

Always conduct thorough research when choosing estates agent by monitoring how frequently they sell and let properties in your locality that are similar to yours in size and features.

Once you have found an agent that is selling and letting similar properties, it is often worth visiting their offices to meet them in situ and to see how happy you would be using them to market your property.

When you are talking to them, ask yourself whether they seem able to openly and honestly discuss the current condition of the housing market in your area. Do they actually know what prices were achieved, not just the asking prices?

Can they explain the difference? Do they have potential buyers already looking with them who would be looking at your property straight away?

Furthermore, it is important to think about whether they seem willing to take the time to listen to you properly because forging a good relationship with your agent is crucial to selling and letting your house.

On enquiring about the services they provide, you should expect them to carry out effective promotion of your property through different media channels and in their office windows

A free property market appraisal evaluation, the assurance that all viewings will be accompanied by them and free marketing should also be included in their services as standard.

It is also worth checking that your Agent is a member of the Property Ombudsman scheme and if you are letting your property, that they are Members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents.

There are hundreds of estate agents to choose from but by following this advice and approaching agents only when you are prepared and have done your research is the way to go.

Only opt for reputable estate agents that you are confident will sell or let your house in a timeframe and most importantly at a price you are very happy with.

Featherstone Leigh have offices across the capital including south west London estate agents offices and Kingston estate agents offices. Click the links to discover properties for rent and sale in your area.

By Martin Hofschroer

7 Tips for How to Be More Neighbourly

All too often you hear people complain that we all live in a dis-jointed society where we live in our little bubbles and don't know our neighbours. They hark back to 'the good old days' when a community truly was a community. Nowadays, we move around a lot more than maybe we once did, with families living in different cities, counties and even countries and a lot of people move into an area knowing no-one and feeling isolated. But moaning about it does not change anything, here are my suggestions as to how you can actually do something productive to change it and make your little corner of the earth a more pleasant and friendly place to live.

1. It sounds really obvious, but talk to your neighbours. Even if you don't know their name you can still exchange pleasantries with the people whose faces you see every day. If you're shy start with just smiling or waving and move on up to a 'hello' gradually. Other ways to contact include cooing over their baby, stroking their dog etc.

2. Give a spare key to a neighbour. It's so handy to have someone who can help you out if you lock yourself out, who can water your plants/pets when you're on holiday. Not only that but it's a great act of faith to the neighbour and one they'll probably be glad to reciprocate.

3. Walk the area. It's too easy to take the same route all the time and not get to know what's round your corner. I found that when I had my first child and was taking him out for walks in the pram that I discovered shortcuts, beautiful parks, nature spots as well as houses & shops.

4. Use your local shops. Small business' really appreciate the trade, you'll feel good about supporting the community and you'll find yourself involved. You'll get the gossip and find out what's going on - not just through chatting but also seeing the posters. Which leads me nicely to...

5. Attend local school fetes, church fairs, events, coffee mornings, fundraisers etc. These things rely on local support and often provide a great day out for little or no cost. And by knowing you're helping out you get a lovely warm feeling inside.

6. If you have time, volunteer! Local community groups, libraries, newsletters, schools, playgroups etc are normally crying out for extra pairs of hands and it's a great way of making friends in your locality.

7. And finally, when you've done all this and settled in, made new friends and really feel part of the community be sure to go the extra mile to welcome new people to the neighbourhood when you see them moving in. Oh, and if you move out why not leave a "welcome to the neighbourhood" pack.

Admittedly some of this stuff may mean stepping out of your comfort zone, you may worry about being nosy or your intrusions being unwelcome, but in general people want to be friendly, it just takes the brave one to make the move. Once you start to make these little changes you'll find you have a whole new set of friends, people you can turn to when you need to - for babysitters, to jump start your car, to take in parcels - and of course you can do the same for them!

by Jane_Cowan