Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is the great equalizer of all human beings. Why then do we not recognize and treat it with the respect it deserves?

Whether you are rich, poor, healthy, ill, or just humming along in your life somewhere in between, we all have only 24 hours in each and every day to invest wisely. We often spend a great deal of time and energy thinking and worrying about, or working to earn and pursuing, more money. However, while we are doing that, sometimes we are missing the greatest gift of all - our time to experience life.

How often do we consciously think about how we invest our time?
I consciously use the word invest because the way we choose to spend our time is truly an investment in ourselves and our lives.

• Spending hours in front of the TV.
• Sacrificing a healthy amount of regular sleep in an attempt to steal more time.
• Spending so much time at a job that you have in effect handed over your life.
• Existing in a state of stressed out or burned out.
• Spending hours aimlessly surfing the internet.

• “I wish it were Friday already!”
• “I’m just wasting time.”
• “I have some time to kill.”
• “I’ll get to enjoy my time when I retire.”
• “I’m just counting the hours until the end of the day.”

A Challenge for You?
Do you know where all your time goes each day?
What parts of your life are most important to you?

For the next month, take stock of where your time and your life go.

After the month passes, total up the hours spent in each category and reflect back on how you spent your time. Did “reality” surprise you? Or, was it what you expected? How does the way you invest your time on a daily basis make you feel? Is it in alignment with your values and what you really want from your life?

Take some time to take stock in how you invest your most precious asset  â€”  time.

Remember, tomorrow is promised to no one.

Every 10 seconds or so, a burglar breaks into someone’s home or apartment. Statistics show it takes the average burglar as little as five minute to get in and out.

Here are some ways to make your home less appealing to burglars.

KEEP YOUR GARAGE DOOR LOCKED.
That is where many burglars get into your home. Often, we worry about locking all the other exterior doors, and burglars know that. So they head to the garage first.

KNOW THE SURPRISING TIME.
Most home burglaries occur between 3 and 6 p.m. These burglars are usually older teenagers who strike after school, so make sure you lock your doors and windows during the day too.

AVOID THE SAFETY PRECAUTION THAT CAN INVITE BURGLARS.
Large bushes and trees in front of your windows are an open invitation. You may think that you are making it harder for burglars to get into your house, but it just gives them privacy from neighbors while they break in. Instead, plant thorny, short, or slim bushes like cactus or pyracantha.

KNOW THE BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE.
Lock your door when you go to a neighbor’s house. Heading down the street for five minutes gives burglars all the time they need.

INSTALL LIGHTS WITH MOTION SENSORS.
These lights usually cost under $50 and can reduce your risk of burglary by more than half. Burglars don't want a spotlight, so the minute that light comes on, they’ll change their mind and go somewhere else.

KNOW WHERE NOT TO KEEP YOUR VALUABLES.
Burglars often hit just two rooms: the master bedroom for jewelry boxes and valuables, and the living room for the big stuff. Consider stashing valuables in the linen closet or family room desk. Most thieves won’t make time to look there.

Lighten up. Let in as much natural light as possible. Light is one of the first things photographers look for when choosing homes for magazine shoots  â€”  makes everything in the room look better. Clear clutter. Less truly is more when it comes to living spaces. Decide what you really love and get rid of the rest. Add color. Every room needs a punch of color. The easiest way to add some color is with throw pillows. Personalize. A few family photos is a lovely addition to a room. To make sure that you don’t go overboard, choose just a handful of personal items that hold genuine sentimental value. Group. Smaller items grouped together, rather than scattered around the room, creates more visual impact.

Fireplaces are warm and cozy, but they are also responsible for about 36% of all residential fires. Prevent trouble by following these tips.

Choose the right wood. Use well-seasoned firewood that has been dried for six months to a year. Logs that are soft or moist can burn off creosote, a residue that can build up in chimneys and is the leading cause of chimney fires. Weed out color. Newspaper and magazine ink contains chemicals that contribute to buildup in chimneys. Close the screen. Never let a fire burn without a sturdy screen in front of it to prevent flying sparks from catching on something flammable. Schedule an inspection. Fireplaces and wood stoves should be inspected annually by a certified professional for obstructions and creosote buildup. Not all wood is created equal. Denser woods, such as oak, birch, and maple cost more, but burn longer and hotter.

A typical fireplace consists of a firebox lined with firebrick (the area where the logs burn). The heat causes a draft that pulls the smoke up the flue, usually a tile or metal liner inside a masonry chimney. A damper regulates the draft and keeps air from escaping when the fireplace is not in use. A smoke shelf behind the damper prevents the outside air from pushing smoke into the house.

Gas Fireplace
This type of unit is mostly decorative and should always be operated with the damper open so carbon monoxide will vent up the chimney. A direct-vent version is available that does not require a chimney because CO is expelled out the rear.

Fireplace Insert
These units fit into an existing fireplace and work more like a wood stove. The space around the unit must be covered with sheet steel and sealed with cement grout or mortar. A flue liner must extend through the top of the chimney. This improves the draft, keeps the gases hotter (reducing creosote) and reduces the risk of flue gases seeping back into the house.

Wood Stove
A modern wood stove is more efficient than a heat-circulating fireplace. Advanced systems create conditions to burn combustible gases without the use of catalysts. With catalyst stoves, a ceramic honeycomb extracts heat from the flue gases. Pellet stoves use manufactured pellets that are fed into the combustion chamber.

• a stove will perform better if a one or two-inch layer of ash is left over the grates
• clean the chimney when creosote buildup reaches 1/8 inch, to prevent fires
• repair the firebox and masonry—any cracks wider than 1/64 inch pose a fire hazard

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM PILLAR TO POST ® HOME INFORMATION SERIES CONTACT YOUR LOCAL HOME INSPECTOR FOR A FULL VERSION

The best way to boost your memory is to use a technique that matches your learning style. What is your learning style?

1. Visual. Like 63% of all people, you have the type of mind that prefers to watch a demonstration before you do it yourself.  As a boost, turn what you want to remember into a mental picture. 2. Hearing. Odds are you pay more attention to what's being said than done. You are among the 30% who learn by retaining and recalling what you hear. As a boost, repeat what is said out loud to help you remember. 3. Physical. You  are among the 7% who have the urge to touch textures and are good at hands-on tasks. To remember better, write it down to cement it into your memory.

Make counters sparkle.
Dip your sponge in club soda and rub to remove all that surface debris.

Switch your soap.
Liquid soap leaves less residue than bar soap for a cleaner sink and tub all the time.

End water spots.
Wipe shower doors with a bit of baby oil after cleaning and soap and water will bead up and run off.

Clean while you sleep.
Pour bleach into the toilet bowl overnight to disinfect and clean with zero effort.

Pop your brush in bleach.
Keep your toilet brush in a watertight container with a splash of bleach to stop germs and bacteria in their tracks between cleanings.

Do not burn trash, Christmas trees, or wrappings. Do not burn pressure-treated or painted wood. Do not burn pine or other soft wood. Line old chimneys with tile or metal. Purchase only direct-vent fireplaces rated by the Underwriters’ Laboratories(UL), the American Gas Association (AGA), or the Canadian Gas Association(CGA).

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE PDF

(800) 294-5591
pillartopost.com

More Pillar To Post INFO