How to Get More Storage Out of Less Space

There is just something about kitchens and about never having enough storage or ever being able to control the clutter it seems. Whether you need more room for cookware, pantry items or kitchen items; there always seems to be something that you haven’t a place for. However, there are solutions to this age old problem.

Start with your drawers. One solution for kitchen drawers is drawer inserts. These are inserts you can install in your drawer for your cutlery and keeping everything neatly and in order. You can also install wooden knife inserts to keep your knives at a finger’s touch all according to size. There are even inserts to keep your cooking utensils under control and that drawer clutter free. Another interesting thing is a way to organize your spices by putting them in a spice drawer pull out. By placing them in a convenient drawer by the stove they are right where you need them when creating your favorite dishes.

Another storage idea is for those cabinets which are difficult to get to. Sometimes they are in an odd angle or in a corner that’s hard to reach. If you store items which are used infrequently in those; however, then it will free up the space in your more accessible cupboards for other items.

Also, if you look around in your kitchen, there are storage areas which you probably never even thought of. What about in the bottom of your drawer way over in the corner or your bottom cabinet that you have to almost get on your knees to reach inside? The solution to make these more accessible for storage is to add a pull out cabinet unit. This works by letting you pull out the cabinet shelves to you instead of you heading headfirst into the cabinet after that elusive item. Then you can get the item from the side and not lurched over at ‘strain your back level.’

Don’t forget about under your cabinet shelves too. You can install wall hooks which you can hang cups with handles or cooking utensils with hooks or handles there. This, too, will free up more space in your drawers.

All in all, there is more space for storage in your kitchen than you may think. You may just need to be creative but you can make it work!

What is Vehicular Assault

The definition of vehicular assault is when another person is injured while you are driving a motor vehicle in a reckless or dangerous manner. The person who has sustained bodily harm can be a pedestrian or a passenger who is in another vehicle. Also, when another person is injured when you are driving a motor vehicle, you can be liable in civil court for any damage or injuries that occurred. You can too be charged with vehicular assault which is a criminal charge.

The grounds for vehicular assault may be different from state to state, but the grounds all center around causing injury when you are:

  • Driving recklessly or when you are driving carelessly
  • If you’re driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • If you’re driving when you have a suspended license or if your license was revoked

underage-drinkingIn some states if you injure someone while driving under the influence you can be charged with vehicular assault and causing serious bodily injury to another person. These could be considered by the state you’re in as two separate crimes, and you would be charged accordingly (find details at If you are driving while under the above circumstances and a death occurs, then the charges may change to Vehicular Manslaughter under criminal law.

If you drive recklessly or in a dangerous manner and you recognize it as such and have an accident or cause injury, you can be charged (here is more information on the subject). Your behavior was risky, and you acted in spite of and regardless of the risk. Also if you drive negligently, then that is defined as driving without exercising reasonable care or “careless driving”.

Also in some states you can be charges with vehicular assault if you are driving with a suspended license or if it’s revoked and then have a collision which can cause injury to another person. Even if you had the accident and weren’t driving carelessly or didn’t have drugs or alcohol in your system, because you were driving on a suspended or revoked license, you would be charged.

The punishment for vehicular assault can range from five or more years in prison if convicted of a felony. If it’s a misdemeanor the sentence can range from one to two years. The sentence at conviction is based on how many people were injured and how seriously, how old the person was and if you already have a criminal record.

Customizing Your Kitchen

Two of the main rooms which are often remodeled are the kitchen and the bathroom. Whether you are finally buying the home of your dreams or remodeling the kitchen in your present home having helpful advice is important.

IMG_20140206_125617_810One piece of advice is when you are remodeling your kitchen; custom cabinetry is an option that a lot of homeowners go for. When you have cabinets built to your specifications too, you can have them functional with the details you want and in the style you choose. There are also choices of finishes to choose from such crackle, faux or antiqued rub finishes. Also there are all the colors of the rainbow in both colors and stains which will match any shade you can think of.

Countertops are another item to think about, and there is an assortment of different styles and materials. You no longer have just the option of Formica, but you can choose the more sophisticated option of granite, glass, cement and stainless steel as well as butcher block. Plus, if you don’t want to get into the more off the wall counter tops, you can change the shape instead to your liking. By adding curves the countertops instead of the standard rectangle or square shape design too, it can give the kitchen a whole new look. This isn’t your grandmother’s kitchen!

Mixing and matching various materials is another trend that’s becoming popular in kitchens. Exposed wood beams, rustic looking brick walls with a fireplace and stained wood cabinets would give your kitchen a totally unique look here. It can give your kitchen a feeling of one of a kind and not just a cookie cutter look. This type of designing will give your kitchen a more personalized touch as well.

Custom storage is another hot topic in the kitchen as well. A new idea for storage is the charging station. This is a built in station in your kitchen for laptops, tablets, cell phones and other electronic devices. You can have a drawer or cabinet built in with plugs so you can charge your devices in one place out of sight here. Everything will be fully charged and at your fingertips too, no more hunting all over the house for a charger or fighting for plug space.

Customizing your kitchen can become a dream come true with all your dreams where you want them!

Water Therapy

There are many advantages of water therapy, also referred to as aquatic therapy. It has benefits for a wide variety of different conditions. It is often used for physical or occupation therapy. The swimming pool is a great environment for helping patients gain full range of motion regardless of the extent of their injuries.

When people are in the pool, they have improved flexibility and range of motion. Warm water is ideal for water therapy because it allows the person’s muscles to relax. A water temperature of a least 94 degrees can make a big difference in the person’s ability to engage in therapy and improve his or her health. It may be necessary for the patient to use a hydraulic chair to enter and exit the water. Safety precautions are essential when it comes to water therapy.


Pain is a significant issue for people with many different physical conditions and injuries. Therapy in a swimming pool can help reduce pain so that the patient can actually relax and participate in the physical and occupational therapy that is recommended for his or her recovery. Outside of a warm swimming pool, patients are often in too much pain to participate in the therapy necessary to improve their health.

Aquatic or water therapy provides a wide range of benefits. The patient will have improved balance in the water which can significantly improve confidence. Often, patients experience stress and anxiety during illnesses or after injuries. The water will help them manage these feelings so they can move forward with exercise. Therapists often recommend water therapy because of the amount of resistance that water provides as opposed to air. Patients can build muscle tone much more quickly than they would be able to in other environments. The water will also help to relax joints that are tight or sore.

Water therapy is used as a part of rehabilitation for many different conditions. These may include post-surgery weakness, weak muscles, problems following injuries or illnesses, chronic illnesses and lower back pain. Other issues may include sports injuries, repetitive motion injuries, orthopedic injuries, neurological problems and other physical problems.

Keeping Your Elderly Parents Safe

When you live separately from your parents, you may begin to worry about their security as they age. They may resist your efforts to interfere as they value their independence. Many older people want to stay in their homes, even if the area isn’t as safe as it used to be. They aren’t interested in moving into retirement or assisted living communities. However, if you can present them with options for making their homes safer without interfering with their independence, your parents may be receptive to your ideas.

senior-securitySadly, senior citizens are often the targets of break-ins, especially when they live alone. If thieves suspect the individuals have a lot of cash, valuables or drugs on the premises, they may target the homes. Criminals often view the elderly as more vulnerable than other potential victims because they have set routines, limited outside contact and are easily intimidated.

You should encourage your parents to invest in good doors with secure bolts. This includes all the doors in the home. They may have already done this because it’s a well-known way to protect the home. Your parents may not be in the habit of locking doors, but encourage them to start. Unfortunately, the door is not the only way a home is vulnerable. Windows are a common entry point for criminals. They can pull doors away from frames easily and gain entry to the home.

How can you make windows more secure? Locks alone won’t help because the frame is still vulnerable. Consider investing in rolling security shutters. These shutters are on the outside of the window and roll down and lock in place. They are impenetrable when locked. Battery-operated shutters are available to make them easy for your parents to operate. Security shutters come in an attractive array of colors and fit in with the architectural design of any home. They are pleasing way to protect the home while increasing its security.

When it comes to home security beyond windows and doors, help educate your family about local scams that target senior citizens. There are local watchdog groups that will alert you to local crime activity patterns. These groups also provide educational programs to help senior citizens protect themselves physically and online.

Creating a Children’s Playroom that Reduces Clutter

If you have children, they will thoroughly enjoy a playroom. If you have an area in your home available, you consider setting it up. It’s a great place for them to enjoy their toys unrestricted. Playrooms make playdates fun because the children have a designated area to play. It’s also nice for you to have their playthings restricted to one area of the household.

Preschool Children SeriesWhen you have children around, clutter is inevitable. They seem to create it wherever they go. When you remodel an area of your home to function as a playroom, you can design the room with clutter reduction in mind. Having a playroom in general will cut down on clutter because all the children’s items will be in one part of the home and are easier to organize that way. When you consider the remodel project, think about the types of storage you’re likely to use over the next several years and create a plan that takes all of this into account.

How do you keep a playroom neat? The key is a lot of storage space to store toys and games so that they don’t accumulate all over the floor. Of course, you’ll still have to ask the kids to put things away, but if there is plenty of space to put things away, it will help immensely. Cabinets are helpful because they can store multiple-sized types of items like dolls, action figures, cars, ships, balls and many other differently-sized items. During your remodel, you might want to install drawers as well. Children also have many items like Legos, crayons and many smaller-sized toys that can get lost in cabinets. Drawers are also helpful for storing construction paper, crayons, markers, stencils and other art tools. These tools will help manage the clutter in any playroom.

When you remodel an area into a children’s playroom, it can be advantage down the road. If the area has plenty of storage, it’s easy to convert into a room with a different function such as an office or a library. If you decide to sell the house down the road, prospective buyers with young children will find the playroom extremely attractive.

How to Appeal a Speeding Ticket

You and a friend were playing your favorite song and singing along to the lyrics; not paying attention to how fast you were going. When you glanced down at the speedometer though, you realize you were about 10 miles over the speed limit and slowed down. After a few minutes, you see flashing lights in your rearview mirror though. Oh no, you’re busted! The officer was polite; but firm, and he wrote you a ticket for speeding. You’re embarrassed because this was the first time you ever had a ticket for speeding, and you don’t know a thing about criminal law or court (find out more at DUI in Maui). So now what do you do, especially if you need a good driving record for a job.

speeding-ticketThe first thing you do is document all the facts. Write down how fast you were going when you noticed, what the weather was like and what the speed was where you were stopped. Write it down as soon as you can while it’s still fresh in your mind. Ask your friend if she noticed if there were any cars going the same speed as you were too or if you were passing them. If there were any witnesses, contact them and ask the same questions.

Next ask for a copy of what evidence the prosecutor has. The file which has the evidence may have in it the notes from the arresting officer, a drawing of what happened at the scene or even a video. Then send the officer who gave you the ticket a letter explaining why not having the violation on your record is important. You may hit a soft spot with the officer, and it will help you to petition the ticket.

On the speeding ticket is the date of the arraignment; make sure you show up. Plead “not guilty” to appeal the ticket and then a trial date will be issued. Try to delay your trial as long as possible in hopes the officer won’t remember the case. If the officer can’t remember the details very well, then prosecution may not be successful. When the court date arrives, dress conservatively and arrive on time also and bring along any notes that you took.

When the trial begins, be respectful but confident when pointing out any discrepancies and take notes on any points you disagree on what the prosecutor says. Bring your witnesses to testify in your defense which may help. Ask that your case be dismissed. If the officer who wrote the ticket doesn’t appear, the case can be dismissed then. You can also ask the prosecutor if you could go a traffic school before the trial and get no points. If things get really dicey you can also contact and attorney to help you, any traffic attorney could help you even Eberstein Witherite LLP truck accident attorneys for example. Be careful though, never admit guilt before the deal is done and remember what you say can be used against you.

Wait for the verdict, if you’re guilty, pay the fine; if you are found not guilty then you won’t have to pay the fine.