About Home: Are You Ready for an Emergency?

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor With Superstorm Sandy having left behind massive flooding, power outages and damage to infrastructure in cities across the East Coast, we thought it would be a good time to remind our readers how best to prepare for a natural disaster no matter where you live. How to Prepare for a Hurricane While most of the damage has been done, it's still a good idea to read through these preparation steps to ensure if your home is ever hit by a hurricane or superstorm, you'll be ready. Search Related Topics:  hurricanes  tornado  generators How to Make a Disaster Kit for Your Family Everyone, regardless of where you reside in the world should have a disaster kit in their home. While the thought of buying supplies and making sure you have everything you'll need can be overwhelming, I recommend following this guide - it'll make the preparation so much easier. Search Related Topics:  home safety  essentials  battery use Tips for Evacuating and Sheltering-in-Place This article is so easy-to-follow and provides all the information necessary should you be evacuated or have to stay where you are. In fact, it's so good I printed it out and it now resides on our refrigerator door where our whole family can read it. Search Related Topics:  preparing for disasters  handling disasters  dealing with neighbors Is Your Home Office Protected? We live in an earthquake zone so our family stockpiles two weeks worth of supplies just in case. But one area of the home I hadn't thought about was our home offices. To think that all our work could be destroyed is more than a little frightening. Find out how to protect your home office should a disaster strike. Search Related Topics:  home office emergency plans  emergency plans  protecting data Related Searches Emergency Food Emergency Kit Emergency Essentials Emergency Sign Fire Emergency Plan Featured Articles Emergency Planning for Horse Owners Tricks for Treating Halloween Stains Top 10 Spooky Buildings Laminate Countertop Starter Guide Herbal Remedies Decorating Tips for Tiny Rooms   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About Home: Zombies, Creepy Bugs & Dead Leaves

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor With Halloween just a week away, we'd thought we'd give you one more chance to check out our scary offerings, like how to host a zombie party, tips for keeping bugs at bay and what to do with all those dead leaves that keep burying your front yard in decaying matter. Oh, and we also have a fantastic tale of haunted antiques that will send a shiver down your spine. Host a Zombie Theme Party Zombies are all the rage. So even if you're not a fan of the undead, you'll be the talk of the neighborhood if you shrug off your repulsion and give into the trend by hosting a zombie themed Halloween party. See More About:  halloween parties  halloween theme parties  zombies How to Keep Bugs Out Bugs are creepy. At least they creep me out. So I thought it was fitting to include this article on how to keep pests out of your home. See More About:  pests in the home or house  rodents in the house  mouse controls What to Do With All Those Leaves I think we can all agree that by the time you reach adulthood, the excitement of jumping into dead leaves has lost its magic. But just because you no longer love to bury yourself in its decaying matter doesn't mean that dead leaves are no longer useful. Find out how to put those leaves to work for you and your garden. See More About:  leaves  leaf mold  compost Haunted Antiques Everyone likes a good ghost story. But be warned: these tales will have you questioning the origins of your antique dining room chairs or your favorite ring and if their previous owners might still be around. See More About:  antique furniture  anitque jewelry  vintage ladies accessories Home Ads Zombies Haunted House Mouse in the House House Bugs Halloween Party Featured Articles Tricks for Treating Halloween Stains What's a Home Haunt? Build Sturdy Shelves Is It Time to Blanket Your Horse? Pink Ribbon Gifts How to Meal Plan   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About Home: Halloween Costume How-to's

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor I've been dressing up for Halloween for... well, a long time now and every year I look for that perfect costume, and every year I scramble to put it all together. So this year, I'm turning to our Guides for help. And as usual, they've come up with creative costume ideas for every member of the family. Over 150 Free Costume Patterns When I first came across this amazing photo gallery of Halloween costume patterns I knew I'd struck it rich, costume-wise. Not only does it stimulate the imagination but also provides you with the tools necessary to make these inspirational creations. See More About:  costume ears  free costume patterns  halloween costumes Host a Halloween Costume Swap Party I have a zillion costumes that are just taking up space, and while I might resurrect an old costume from time to time, for the most part I could use something completely different. So why not host a swap party? It's the perfect solution for busy parents who have a closet full of kids costumes and can't stand the thought of buying another one. Brilliant! See More About:  halloween costumes  Last-Minute Costumes to Make I'm thinking that if I procrastinate much longer I'll be in the last-minute category, looking for something in the thrift store along with the all the other zombie wannabes. So instead, I'm checking out what I could make that won't take too long but will stand out at any party. See More About:  costumes  halloween  holiday crafts Halloween Costumes for Fussy Cats and Dogs I've never been one to dress up our pets for Halloween, mostly because our cats tend not to tolerate anything around their necks, on their heads or paws. But when I came across this great list of costumes for the fussy pet, I knew this year we'd manage to get them into the Halloween spirit with a hat, cape and maybe even a wig or two. See More About:  cat costumes  dog costumes  seasonal pet products Home Ads Halloween Costume Costume Ideas Fancy Dress Costume Kids Party Costumes Costume Costume Featured Articles 5 Plants for Fall Containers Office Ergonomics Home Accessories for Fall How to Raise Goats 10 Cleaning Myths Christmas Quilt Patterns   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About Home: Prepare Your Home for Winter

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Home From Diane Schmidt, your About Home Editor Even though the leaves are still on the trees and the frost is barely touching the flowers still in bloom, every morning when I awake I can feel winter's chill coming on. Before the snow starts to fall, it's a good idea to prepare your home for the cold, wintery weather that will soon be here. Winterizing Your Home This is the ultimate in a home preparation checklist that will ensure every inch of your space is protected from the cold and snow. See More About:  home improvement  home selling tips  listing agents Get Your Furnace Ready for Winter If there's only one thing you do to prepare your home for winter, this should be it. Having a good-working furnace will not only ensure that you stay warm and toasty all winter long, but will also help lower your home's energy costs. See More About:  annual furnace maintenance tips  tools needed for furnace maintenance  Checklist To Winterize Plumbing Of all the problems that can arise from a cold snap, one of the most costly occurs when we forget to winterize our pipes and plumbing system. Make sure your home is protected from water damage and more with this easy-to-use guide. See More About:  winterizing  plumbing maintenance  plumbing insulation Prepare Trees for Winter The inside of your home isn't the only area you need to prepare for the onslaught of winter: your home's landscaping is just as vulnerable. Trees and shrubs, while often dormant during the cold season, still require TLC to ensure they're protected against the harsh winter climate. See More About:  harvesting fruit  seasonal care guides  watering Home Ads Winter Maintenance Winter Vacations Winter Packages Winter Plants Plumbing Maintenance Featured Articles Pet Siberian Fox Achieve More with Less Effort 10 Tips to Control Firewood Insects Make a Small Bedroom Look Bigger Fall Scrapbooking How to Display Your Kids' Artwork   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Home newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement