Accommodate Unexpected Guests With Cot Beds

Have you ever been caught unaware when a friend or relative from out of town stops in and needs to stay the night? Many people have found themselves in the same difficult position of trying to find a place for their guest to sleep. A solution to this problem can be found with cot beds. Cot beds are portable beds that can be stored away easily and brought out only when needed. Convenience will be the deciding factor in which type will be the best option for you and your guests.

There are several different kinds of portable beds that are considered to be cot beds. Folding beds that can be slipped into a closet are popular as are trundle beds that can be stored out of sight beneath another bed. Another popular portable bed is the air mattress. This can be folded down into a compact size that is then easily stored.  There are even baby cot beds for your littlest of guests. What kind of cot bed you choose depends entirely on what you want to use the bed for and how much room you have for storage.

Historically, cot beds were exactly what they sound like. Canvas pulled taut over a wooden frame atop three X shaped leg supports. While these cots were functional and served their intended purpose they weren’t comfortable for more than a nap. This encouraged designers to find new ways to make portable beds. Beds that folded in half and had casters were popular but required a lot of space for storage. And while they were easy to turn into beds the metal support beams weren’t comfortable. The trundle bed was also popular but required you to keep them beneath your bed and was often attached. This meant that your guest would have to sleep in your room with you.

Having your guest sleep in the same room as you creates a privacy issue that could make the accommodations uncomfortable. The best cot beds solution became the use of air mattresses. A blow up mattress can be used almost anywhere and will easily turn any spare room into a guest room. This will allow both you and your guest to have the privacy you deserve. If you have a space room that is currently used as an office the incorporation of an air mattress into your space will make setting up an instant guest room easy.

One of the valuable qualities found in using an air mattress is that some of them self inflate with the push of a button. You can roll out the mattress push a button and walk way while it unfurls and fills itself with air. The same can be said of the deflation. You flip the option to deflate and you can walk away returning later to these folding cot beds which once deflated you can easily put them away. Most beds also come with a storage bag for the mattress that will allow you to clean up the space with ease and speed.

When an unexpected guest arrives you will be able to pull out one of these cot beds and easily set up a guest room in any part of your home. All you’ll need is the bed, your bed linen, cot bedding and a little time and you’ll be ready for any guest that comes your way. Continue reading

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How To Install A Light Fixture

Have you ever wondered how to install a light fixture?  The kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and other rooms, are vital to the lifeline that is your home. And vital to these rooms is the lighting in it. When natural light is unavailable you will rely on your lighting sources in the room. While anything that has do with electricity is usually better left to the professionals, if you have the knowledge and ability installing light fixtures on your own is possible.

To begin make sure the location of your lights corresponds with an existing junction box or code allows you to run lines from the junction box to the new location of your lights. If you are replacing an existing outdated fixture with a new one you will not need to reroute any electrical. With the electrical issue taken care of you may be ready to begin installing a light fixture. The tools you need consist of:

  • Your new light fixture or fixtures
  • A Screw driver (standard or Philips, depending)
  • Screws
  • Electrical tape
  • Wire cutter/strippers (in case you need more wire exposed for connection purposes)
  • Protective gear such as gloves, safety glasses, and mask

Before you begin working on anything involving electricity you should cut off all electricity to the room in which you are working. This is usually done at the main breaker of your home. Flip the breaker off and then go to the room you are installing the lighting and turn on your light. If the light doesn’t turn on then the electricity is off and it is safe for you to work.

Put on your protective gear before you begin work. If you have an existing fixture you must remove it before you install your new lights. There is usually a faceplate on the fixture that hides the screws that must be removed before you can take the fixture down. Beneath the cover you’ll have access to the screws holding the fixture in place. Using your screwdriver unscrew the fixture from the wall. The fixture should hang freely connected to the wall by the power source.

There are three wires that you will find inside the fixture. A grounding wire that is usually copper or green, the neutral wire which is usually white, and the hot wire which is black. Try and follow the sequence of hot, neutral, and then ground when disconnecting electrical wires. The grounding wire is usually wrapped around a screw on the junction box; unravel this wire before moving on to the rest. There will be caps at the connection of each wire. Add tape to the hot wire so that you’ll be able to easily identify it when installing your new fixture. Unscrew the connection caps and set them aside to reuse later. Each of the wires will be twisted around the corresponding wire inside the junction box. Once all of the wires are separated you can completely remove the fixture and set it aside for recycling or donation.

The fixture for your light will come with directions that should be followed. If the directions have been misplaced follow the sequence of connecting the neutral first, the grounding second, and the hot wire last. To connect the neutral to the neutral, twist the ends together clockwise and then add the connector cap and twist on. The grounding wire should be rapped around the screw inside the junction box. The same is done for the hot wire as was done for the neutral. Place the fixture up against the junction box and screw it tight against the wall before putting the cover plate on.

With your lights now installed, clean up your workspace before going to turn back on the electrical breaker in your panel. If your fixture has glass or fabric shades that need to be installed, this is the time to do so. Then switch on your lights and admire your handy work. You have installed your own lights.

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