The Ultimate Guide: Protecting Your Kids Online - Modern Parents Messy Kids

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Children using the internet is a modern parenting dilemma.

How can we let them enjoy and benefit from this world-changing, infinitely educational tool that can span the globe in seconds while also protecting them from its potential dangers? Setting aside the issue of how much “screen time” children should have, here we will look at how to make that screen time safe, fun and productive—whether you are thinking of letting your preschooler play with your iPad or considering buying a computer or smartphone for your pre-teen.

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How to Monitor and Control Indoor Air Quality in Your Home | care2.com

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Indoor Air Quality

The air that we breathe is, quite literally, our life source. But it could also, quite possibly, be killing us. Air quality is becoming a modern crisis, with the World Health Organization (WHO) classifying air pollution as the world’s largest health risk, linking one in eight total global deaths to air pollution exposure, both indoor and out.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside our homes is commonly five times more polluted than that of the outdoors, and in some cases, up to 10 times. So, what can you do to protect your health, and that of your family, from this silent killer lurking in your home? Detect and correct. Find out what is causing air pollution in your home and then take whatever steps you can to help correct or mitigate those causes. Here we’ll look at how you can achieve this.

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HOW AMERICANS ARE EMBRACING THE POWER OF THEIR HOMES | Earth911.com

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Smart Home

Just a few years ago, living off the grid conjured up images of tiny cabins in the middle of nowhere. Today, the dream of average American homeowners powering their homes with alternative energies is coming true. Solar panels on your neighbor’s roof are no longer an oddity, and electric cars are less of a curiosity and more of an everyday sight. It’s not hard to imagine a time when wind turbines in the backyard will be commonplace and geothermal heating an expected utility in all new homes.

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Smart Home DIY: 5 Reasons Your Family Is Going To Love Smart Door Locks | FunTimesGuide.com

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Smart Home

The phrase “latchkey kid” was a popular one among my generation — the first where many families boasted two working parents. Coming home from school to an empty house was a pretty common occurrence for many of my school friends. However, thanks to smart door locks, today’s latchkey kids can dispense with the key entirely and parents can dispense with the worry over whether their children made it home safely!

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Saying Goodbye to Stanley: How to Keep the Memory of a Pet Alive | ElephantJournal.com

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Smart Home

On the day my future husband and I moved into our first home together, we made one important stop before collecting the keys: we picked up an eight-week-old puppy from a farm in Driggs, Idaho. Twelve years later, in another new home 3,000 miles across the country, I lay with that puppy under a huge South Carolina oak tree as he took his last breath.

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Before and after: Tips for the ultimate bathroom makeover | TwinCities.com

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Updating a bathroom can be a major undertaking, but the benefits are vast. From creating a calm sanctuary for your morning routine that sets you up for a successful day to adding substantial resale value to your home, a bathroom makeover is well worth the investment. Read my post on renovating our 1960s era master bath here.

7 Ingenious Ways To Use LED Lighting | Homes.com

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Lighting has come a long way from its origins as a way to extend the working day. Today, thanks to the versatility of technology, lighting has become a key component of interior design. It helps us accentuate and reveal the beauty of our homes, while also providing functionality.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are tiny light sources that require less energy and are more durable than traditional incandescent light bulbs. They can also be fashioned into different shapes and emit far less heat than traditional bulbs, making them suitable to put in places you would never have thought to put a light bulb, such as under a couch, to create a stunning modern look in your living room. The versatility of LEDs has brought indirect lighting to the forefront of modern interior lighting design, creating a realm of fabulous possibilities.

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How smart home devices help monitor and mitigate indoor air quality | MultiBriefs.com

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There are a significant number of connected, Internet of Things-powered devices that incorporate some sort of indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring that can help mitigate indoor air pollution. From standalone IAQ monitors and devices that do double duty as security systems to smart HVAC systems that filter the air when dangerous levels occur, consumers can now easily monitor the health of their homes and businesses. For more read the full post here.

DIY Kid Art Table from an Old Cabinet | CraftingAGreenerWorld.com

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art table

We recently remodeled our upstairs bathroom and decided to reuse an old cabinet we had in there as a DIY kid art table for our two children. This is quite a labor-intensive project and cost about $60 in supplies, but considering this style of art table runs upwards of $200 brand new, it seemed like time and money well spent—especially as we were able to feel good about putting parts of the old cabinet to good use.

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The Best Smart Sprinkler Controller - Wirecutter | A New York Times Company

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Smart Home

After spending two months with six smart irrigation controllers in a sunny South Carolina yard, we’re confident the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller (Generation 2) is the best choice for most people with an in-ground sprinkler system. Any smart controller will save you water and money compared with a simple timer, but the Rachio is the best of the ones we tested.

Read the full guide here.

How smart home technologies can help with senior living - McKnight Senior Living

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Connected technology in the home is a fast-growing area, providing inhabitants with enhanced conveniences, improved security and increased comfort. Known as “smart home tech,” everyday devices such as door locks, smoke alarms and thermostats use a connection to the internet, software programs and machine learning to provide added functionality and remote control.

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Pros & Cons Of Living With Smart Lighting - The Green Living Guide

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A few years ago, I moved into a new home and installed smart LED lighting throughout as part of an extensive remodel. In this post, I will share with you my personal experience living with smart lighting — including the benefits and the problems that I’ve encountered along the way.

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3 Foods to Never Put in Your Microwave - ForRent.com

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The microwave is an apartment-dweller’s best friend. This practical, portable, and reliable kitchen appliance can cook almost anything for you, which is especially convenient if you don’t have room for multiple kitchen gadgets. Plus, you can easily take it with you when you move.

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The Secret to Saving a Fortune on Rugs for Your Home - Coldwell Banker Blue Matter

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Rugs

There’s been a quiet revolution going on in rugs that you’re going to love. Gone are the days when you had to spend half your savings on a rug for your living room. Today, you can outfit your entire home for just a few hundred dollars. The secret? Outdoor rugs. (Yes, really)

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