Archive for September, 2008
Organize (soko) and Clean
By Admin on September 30th, 2008
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Get yourself organized for fall by cleaning out your closets and taking anything you don’t need for the cooler months to a storage unit.
The Latest In Kitchen Appliances
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Today?s kitchen appliances have taken convenience to a new level. Not only can they store recipes and multi-task, but some even notify you when you?ve run out of milk. If you?re planning a kitchen remodeling or just looking to change your appliances, take a look at all the fancy appliance features.
Appliances Are Computer Literate
Many kitchen appliances are designed with computerized features that help them work more efficiently. The focus is on helping you make meals quicker, smarter and with less hassle. This means that a refrigerator might have a barcode scanner that keeps track of your groceries or a flat screen on the door that can connect to the Internet. These are made in standard sizes that can work into any kitchen remodeling plan.
Kitchen Appliances Have Sleek Look
These new age appliances also are designed to fit with current kitchen design trends. You?ll see plenty of stainless steel that blends with the commercial kitchen design. Aside from shiny stainless steel, you?ll find muted shades and those that have different gray tones. Also look for:
* Ergonomically correct knobs for ease of use.
* Stylish appliance door handles and burner knobs.
Try These Kitchen Appliances
For those who love to cook, consider some newer appliance features:
Ovens
* Higher BTUs for hotter cooking.
* Multiple burners with different temperature ranges so you can cook different items at different temperatures
* Broilers that can heat more quickly.
* Voice-activated appliance
* Controls.
* Delay start cooking that heats food as dinnertime approaches.
Microwaves
* Touch pad controls and recipes you can download from a company?s website.
* Memory features that recall your favorite recipes. The microwave then uses that information and sets cooking time, temperature, etc.
Dishwashers
* Quiet appliances that make dishwashing a serene experience.
* Two dish drawers that can be stacked on each side of the sink as a space saving solution.
* Sensors that change the wash cycle based on how dirty the dishes are.
Refrigerators
* Internet access through a screen on the door
* Sensors that determine the best temperature for vegetables, meats, etc. and adjust the interior bins accordingly.
* Appliances that can chill a bottle of wine in a short time.
As you shop for kitchen appliances, remember the big role that computers have in our lives. The benefit of all this technology is a wide selection of appliances that can make working in the kitchen much easier.
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About The Author Allison E. Beatty is a syndicated real estate writer who has been writing home improvement columns for 15 years. For more about kitchen remodeling visit http://www.renovatorsplace.com.
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What Kitchen Sets Can Teach Your Child
Pots, pans, a make believe oven–you’d never guess it, but there’s more cooking in your Child Kitchen Set than a plastic plate of make-believe cake. Children learn through play, and in the process of pretending to prepare for a party, or dividing chores among a family of dolls and teddy bears, they pick up important lessons in language, social interaction, and creativity.
Social skills
Ever wonder why pre-schools always have kitchen sets? They’re good tools for teaching social skills like sharing, taking turns, and cooperation. As they pretend to prepare a meal, and then sit down to “enjoy” it together, they learn that toys–and everything else in life–are more fun when shared with other people.
Imagination and creativity
The child kitchen set is very realistic–knobs, plates, and an oven you’d be proud to own yourself. But they can use their imagination to create meals no chef has ever dreamed of, and throw parties that would amaze even Martha Stewart (bet she never had the Queen of Fairyland at her table). The amazing thing about these feasts–aside from the fact that they don’t have any calories–is that they reinvent themselves each time. The game never grows old and boring, because the child can do anything. Truly, few toys have such mileage.
Manners and etiquette
Child kitchen sets can help you teach your child important manners and table etiquette. After you “cook” the play dough pot roast for the pretend party, you can show the “guests” how to thank the chef for a wonderful meal. Even an imaginary tea party (you can play the Queen of England) can lead to a lesson on how “little ladies and gentlemen” should behave at the table. Elbows off the table!
Redefining gender roles
While child kitchen sets were primarily seen as “girl’s” toys, they don’t necessarily promote a stereotype of the traditional housewife. Instead, the cooperative and social nature of a kitchen set reinforce how family chores are equally divided among men and women. Observe your children and their playmates, and how they take turns washing dishes or cutting up vegetables. And if they lapse into standard roles, it’s a good time for you to come in and “teach” them otherwise. “Daddies wash dishes too,” you can say, handing him a plastic plate.
Art skills
Child kitchen sets can come with accessories, but part of the fun is helping the child create his own special pantry. Recycle old cereal boxes and cans, but let him draw or print out his own labels and design his own logos. You can also buy clay that can be shaped into fruits, vegetables and other food stuff, before being baked in the oven to make a delicious “meal”. This may actually be a sneaky way of getting your child to learn about the basic food groups, or practice reading and writing as they copy their own “recipes”.
And who knows, all that interest in a child kitchen set will help your child become interested in real cooking and food preparation. Try giving them simple cooking chores, like washing the potatoes or helping roll the dough, or let them watch you cook so they know what to act out when they’re in their own kitchen. They may be “pretending” today, but a decade from now, you could literally taste the results of what they learned through play. As a result, a child kitchen set makes a great addition to any playroom.
About the Author
Misti is the owner of Wishrooms.com which offers unique Kid Furniture for Bedrooms and Playrooms at affordable prices!
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