When my husband and I had children in the last half of the 20th century, baby-proofing our home consisted of getting a gate to block the stairway, covering all the electrical outlets, and adding safety clips to kitchen and bathroom cupboards so curious toddlers couldn’t open them. Now that our son and daughter-in-law have an almost one-year-old, I’m learning about how much more can be done to prevent accidents and make a home safer. What once took an hour or two is now a major project for young couples. Read more

As I was thinking of potential topics for this month’s Diamond Certified Consumer Report, I decided it was time for something completely different. Rather than writing about how to be a savvy online shopper, giving wisely during the holiday season or the pros and cons of gift cards, I wanted to share something more personal.

Every year, I ask my family members to think about how we can simplify our celebrations. For example, how about drawing names for gifts instead of shopping for every person? I’ve introduced the idea of a “white elephant” gift exchange where we re-gift items we already have on hand. Rather than going out for a family restaurant meal before Christmas, Read more

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, gratitude is “a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.” And to quote a North Bay fire survivor, “Gratitude is a big word in my vocabulary right now.”

“Words are powerless to express my gratitude.”

As I looked deeper into the roots and meaning of this word, I found that psychologists have added a social element to the definition. Read more

This summer, my husband and I had a flooring problem in our home. We have a rolling desk chair that was scratching the engineered hardwood flooring in a downstairs office, so we placed an area rug near the desk. However, the rug was too thick to move the chair back and forth easily. The next thing we tried was a plastic floor mat on top of the area rug. That solution kind of worked, but it wasn’t aesthetically pleasing. It bugged me every time I walked by the desk.

Finally, I decided to get some expert help from my local Diamond Certified flooring store. They recommended buying a commercial-quality remnant and having it cut to fit the area around the desk. Read more

I’ll be the first to admit that I really like getting good deals and saving money, but like most of you, I also like to splurge on some things. Sometimes I find that saving money can actually mean spending more on a quality product that will last a long time. For example, during a kitchen remodel, I bought a faucet that was on sale and it failed in the first year. The second faucet I purchased was three times more expensive, and so far it has lasted seven years. I’m so happy that I decided to splurge for a quality product. Read more

Like most of you, I subscribe to a variety of news feeds, blogs, email newsletters and podcasts, both for entertainment and so I can learn about things I’m interested in. I’m a big fan of Flipboard, my news feed for politics, cooking and music. For local restaurant openings and news, I enjoy reading tablehopper.com, and my favorite podcast right now is “On Being” with Krista Tippett, which I learned about from a colleague at Diamond Certified. When it comes to consumer news and issues, here are a few of the resources I use to stay informed.

Consumerreports.org
This website from the publishers of Consumer Reports magazine requires a subscription for detailed product ratings. Read more

I’m frustrated right now because I’ve been calling several local companies for service and haven’t heard back from any of them. I’m trying to get on a schedule for tree pruning, and I’m also attempting to schedule a furnace cleaning and fireplace inspection. I’ve left four voicemail messages for one of these companies over a two-week period. I’ve persisted because I’m a repeat customer and was satisfied with their services in the past.

I understand that small businesses can get overwhelmed with consumer demand. Severe storms like we had this winter mean tree service companies, plumbers, and roofers are working overtime and can’t keep up with all the requests. Read more