jessysblindstyle.com

For the most part, my partner and I are very much into DIY home improvement. There are very few jobs that he can't do, and I'm fairly adept at certain skills myself. However, sometimes we don't have the time or energy, and we'd rather just hire a professional. Unfortunately, it's hard to judge the type of work someone is going to do when all he gives you are positive references and samples of his best work.

We've recently discovered Measuredup.com, an open website that allows consumers to post reviews about the businesses with which they've worked. Both positive and negative reviews are welcome, so that visitors to the site can get a good overview of a business' style and typical level of service. Best of all, customer reviews are posted spanning a huge range of industries -- everything from brick and mortar stores to restaurants and service providers. No matter what you're looking for, you can find our if the company you're evaluating Measures Up!

I would strongly encourage visitors to post their own reviews and share positive and negative customer service stories. I know people love to complain about bad service, but it's important to share good experiences as well. It's one thing to know who not to hire and where not to shop, but it's most helpful to know who you can really count on for excellent products and services!

jess @ 09:31 | comments(3) | Permanent link

Home improvement and interior design are pretty expensive, as hobbies go, and I'm thinking it's time to branch out a little and learn something new.  Knitting seems to be all the rage these days, and I'm thinking of giving it a whirl myself. 

Some of my livejournal friends knit socks and other things for themselves and their families, and I think it would be really neat if I could learn to do the same.  I'm a lefty, which makes it hard for people to teach me anything that involves the use of a dominant hand, but I'm hoping this article will help me out.  I found it on iContact, which is an interesting new article and email list site.  I guess I'll sign up for the knitting email list and see what else I can learn to do!   

jess @ 11:04 | comments(3) | Permanent link

We've had a houseguest for the past few days, and so I've been spending more time than usual in the kitchen, trying to make some good meals while they'll still be appreciated.  My partner is a notoriously picky eater, but our guest seems to enjoy everything I've made so far.  The only problem is that all this time in the kitchen reminds me how much our kitchen needs improvements.  I'm planning a take-over for the near future!

I know Mike likes to go with brand names that he recognizes when we shop for the house, and so Kohler faucets are at the top of my list.  We usually try to pick modern things, as that compliments our taste better than more traditional items, and it seems like we can find a great selection online.

We also want a stainless steel kitchen sink as the sink we have is fiberglass and chips easily.  I don't want to worry about ruining our new sink if I accidentally drop a pot or something!  Been there, done that.  Hey, you try cooking while holding a 26lb toddler!

While browsing for kitchen accessories, I stumbled upon these amazing Kohler water tiles, and now my mind is back in the bathroom.  I've never seen anything like that before -- it looks so relaxing -- like standing in the rain on a warm summer day (and not having to feel all sticky and gross afterwards)!  Once we get this kitchen done, I'm making the bathroom a top priority. 

jess @ 10:41 | comments(1) | Permanent link

When we first moved into our house, I decided to take down the rusty red mailbox the previous owners had left behind and replace it with one I had painted myself.  While the one I made came out cute, it isn't as adorable as I hoped it would be, and so I've decided that after the winter is over, we will replace our old mailbox with a shiny new one.  (We're waiting until after the winter because the township snow plows inevitably knock over our mailbox every winter -- we joke that the plowers must keep score to see who can knock down the most boxes in a single trip)!

I found quite a few mailboxes online.  Once I filtered out the commercial mailboxes (we're going to be renting out our house soon, but we aren't going to have more than one tenant), I found these residential mailboxes that seem affordable and nice.  I like these, and I know my boyfriend will, too -- they're very modern and stylish.   

If you're looking for mailboxes, be sure to look online.  The selections at Home Depot, Lowes, and elsewhere are pathetic compared to the offerings of the internet. 

jess @ 10:34 | comments(0) | Permanent link