Memorial Day Activities in Kansas City

Looking for things to do in Kansas City this Memorial Day weekend, Check out VisitKC's list of things to do.



1. Bank of America Celebration at the Station • Take in a FREE patriotic concert by the KC Symphony.
2. Monet's Water Lilies • See Monet's famous triptych reunited at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
3. Jiggle Jam • Groove with the kids at Crown Center's family music festival.
4. Kansas City Royals • Cheer on the boys in blue as they take on the Los Angeles Angels.
5. Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark • Make a splash with the region's only surf ride.
6. Diana, A Celebration • View Princess Diana's wedding dress, jewelry and more at Union Station.
7. Planet Snoopy at Worlds of Fun • Let the kids loose to enjoy 18 new rides, devoted to pint-size play.
8. National World War I Museum • Honor veterans at the only museum dedicated to the Great War.
9. Jurassic Gardens • Go prehistoric at Powell Gardens with giant dinosaurs and ancient insects.
10. Hot Air Balloon Invitational • Catch more than 30 hot air balloons in flight in Overland Park.

Simple Tips to Prevent House Fires

Simple Tips to Prevent House Fires

RISMEDIA, May 9, 2011—Every year home electrical problems cause more than 28,000 house fires and massive property damage. Electrical wiring is the root cause of many of these fires, of which countless could have been prevented. May is Electrical Safety Month. MXenergy, an independent energy provider, is encouraging everyone to review key electrical safety tips.

“Quite frankly, electrical safety is a key home safety component that is often overlooked,” says Marjorie Kass, MXenergy Managing Director. “Yet the truth is, it is an essential element of any home safety plan. Proper education, awareness and action can go a long way in preventing tragedy.”

Faulty or fixed wiring or improper use of electrical cords and other electrical items cause most home fires.

MXenergy Electrical Safety Tips

• Pay Attention: Flickering lights, buzzing noises, and faceplates that are warm to the touch are all signs that a circuit may be overloaded or wiring may be wearing thin. Each one of those signs is cause for immediate attention from a licensed professional electrician.

• Listen to Your Breaker: If you are continually tripping a switch and having to reset your breaker box, your house is trying to tell you something. There may be a fixture with faulty wiring or too high an electrical load on the breaker. Again, seek professional help.

• Review and Replace: Frayed electrical cords, wobbly ceiling fans, and loose faceplates are more than mere annoyances. You should routinely inspect your home and replace or repair items in need of attention.

• Safety First: Even the best preparation and newest equipment is not a guaranteed protection against fire. Working smoke detectors on all levels of your home is an absolute must. Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher and you know the proper way to use it.

“The good news is many of these fires are avoidable,” continues Kass. “In the case of electrical safety just a little awareness and preparation can make an enormous difference.”

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) sponsors Electrical Safety Month each May. More information and safety tips, including a home safety calendar, can be found at www.esfi.org.

For more information MXenergy please visit www.mxenergy.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Speed-Clean Your Freezer in 20 Minutes

Speed-Clean Your Freezer in 20 Minutes
(courtesy of Real Simple Magazine)

Minutes 1 to 3: Unplug the refrigerator. Put on rubber gloves. Empty the ice from the freezer trays into a large cooler. Scrub the trays with water, liquid soap and a sponge. Set aside to dry.

Minutes 4 to 7: Unload the freezer. Ditch anything that has expired or is freezer-burned and covered in ice crystals. Put the rest in the cooler.

Minutes 8 to 11: Remove the drawers and detachable shelves and place them in the sink. Scrub them well with soap, water & a sponge. Set aside to dry.

**NOTE: Most freezers defrost every 8 to 12 hours. If yours has more than 1/4 inch of ice on the base of walls, manually defrost it.**

Minutes 12 to 13: Follow the premeasured spay bottle to make a cleaner from 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon dish soap. Shake to blend.

Minute 14 to 17: Douse the interior with the cleaner. Wipe down the walls and shelves with paper towels.

Minutes 18 to 20: Plug the unit back in. Hang or place the odor fighter in the back. Return the shelves and food.

ALL DONE!!

Speed-Clean Your Refrigerator in 20 Minutes

Speed-Clean Your Refrigerator in 20 Minutes
(courtesy of Real Simple Magazine)

Minutes 1 to 2: Unplug the Refrigerator. Slide a coil brush underneath the unit's kick plate to remove dust.

Minutes 3 to 7: Empty the contents. Toss anything past it's prime.

Minutes 8 to 10: Remove the drawers and place them in the sink. Scrub the drawers with a sponge, warm water & liquid dish soap. Leave them out to air-dry.

Minutes 11 to 15: Douse the interior with a multi surface spray. Wipe down the walls, then each shelf.

Minutes 16 to 17: Plug in the refrigerator. Return the drawers. Put the food back in, wiping down jars and bottles.

Minute 18: Attach the baking-soda pod's suction cups to an interior wall.

Minutes 19 to 20: Clean the exterior.

ALL DONE!!

10 Tips for Living Green at Home

10 Tips for Living Green at Home
(courtesy of American Home Shield)

Besides recycling and water conservation, there are many other ways to live a little greener at home. We’ve put together 10 easy tips to help you get started today.

1) Take reusable bags with you when you shop. Most retailers sell their own reusable bags at checkout, but you can always bring your own. It’s a good idea to keep a few in your car for those spur-of-the-moment shopping trips. Think about how many plastic bags we’ll keep out of our landfills!

2) Buy in bulk. You’ll save on fuel and packaging material. Plus, you’ll spend less money in the long run.

3) Keep heating and air conditioning contained to the spaces you use daily. If you have rooms you only use for guests or storage, close off the vents and doors to help reduce costs and increase efficiency.

4) A programmable thermostat can make a big difference in your energy bill. They’re inexpensive and easy to install. You simply pre-program your ideal temperature settings for when you wake, leave and sleep. You’ll notice a difference in your bill the first month.

5) Does your computer or TV run 24/7? That’s unnecessary energy consumption for items that aren’t in use. Set your computer to sleep mode when you’re finished with the task at hand. If you need the comfort of the TV to fall asleep, you can set the sleep timer to automatically shut off.

6) Shower time. It’s a necessity, but to help conserve water and energy—install a low-flow showerhead. It’s highly efficient and affordable.

7) For less than $150, you can install ceiling fans in your living room and bedroom. You can reduce the thermostat temperature and the room will still feel cool with the fan on.

8) Painting is a quick and easy way to redecorate. When you start selecting colors, try to find low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) or no VOC paint. Avoid most latex and oil-based paints to eliminate toxins being released into the air.

9) Anytime you remodel or redecorate, try to find green furniture manufactured from recycled or reclaimed materials. The local thrift stores, antique shops and flea markets have great options, so you can recycle and save money at the same time.

10) At any given time there are at least 10 items in your home that require batteries, so why not switch to rechargeable? You’ll help keep all the remotes and gadgets going while keeping dead batteries out of our landfills.

10 Tips for a Cleaner, Safer Kitchen

10 Tips for a Cleaner, Safer Kitchen



1. Microwave
Fill a bowl with two cups water and a whole lemon, cut into slices. Place it inside and microwave for two minutes, then wipe it out with paper towels. The hot water softens food spills and the lemon cuts grease and keeps the microwave smelling fresh

2. Stove and oven
Spray stove spills with an all-purpose cleaner and let stand 10 minutes for easier cleaning. Oven spills aren’t a food hazard if you regularly heat the oven to 400. Cover a fresh spill with salt until you have time to clean it.

3. Counters
Clean regularly with an all-purpose cleaner. Spray with a weak bleach solution and air-dry if needed.

4. Dishes and Dishwashers
If you hand-wash dishes, be sure to air-dry them in a rack as dirty or wet dish towels can recontaminate clean dishes. To reduce soap buildup in a dishwasher, occasionally fill the soap dispenser with baking soda or place a small cup of vinegar on the top shelf, then run the dishwater empty.

5. Sink, drain and faucet handle
Clean regularly with household cleanser, especially after washing or rinsing raw meat. Don’t forget to clean the faucet handle.

6. Refrigerator
Every day, wipe down the handles, including the underside. Every week, throw out anything that’s past its date or shows age. Every three to six months, empty shelves and clean the inside with 1/4 cup baking soda in one quart warm water, then spray with a bleach solution and air-dry. Remove drawers and clean under them. Before you return the food, wipe jars to remove drips. Clean the rubber gasket inside the door to ensure a tight seal. Vacuum the coils in the back and empty and clean the drip pan if necessary.

7. Pet bowls
Find a place besides the kitchen to clean turtle or frog habitats and empty pet bowls, or clean and sanitize the sink before you start washing fresh food.

8. Cutting boards
Most scientists believe wooden cutting boards are safest, as long as they are kept clean, sanitized and dry. Studies have shown wood hampers bacteria growth, while bacteria thrive in scars on plastic. Either way, keep them clean by running them through the dishwasher, or sanitize by spritzing with a weak bleach solution. Always change boards or clean with soapy water after preparing raw food—even vegetables. They grow in dirt, after all.

9. Sponges and dish towels
Change dish towels daily, or more often if they’re wet or dirty. You can microwave a wet sponge for two minutes, but the time varies depending on the power of the microwave (and if the sponge is dry, it could catch fire). Instead, put sponges on the top rack of the dishwasher at the end of every day.

10. Cross-contamination
You know you’re not supposed to put cooked food on the same surface you used for raw food. But it’s not just a problem with cutting boards. You touch all kinds of things while you’re handling raw food: Salt and pepper shakers, cabinet handles, etc. Pay attention to what you touch so you can wipe things down. Tip: It’s not necessary to rinse raw meat and chicken—it just spreads bacteria.

From www.Rismedia.com

Thanks to our sources: Benjamin Chapman, the extension food-safety specialist for N.C. State; David Sweat, foodborne-disease epidemiologist with the North Carolina Division of Public Health; Douglas Powell, professor of food safety at Kansas State University; and Dean Cliver and Linda Harris with the University of California-Davis.

(c) 2011, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.).

Speed-Clean Your Back Entryway in 15 Minutes

Courtesy of Real Simple Magazine

Minutes 1-2: Clear out the entryway - move area rugs, shoes and umbrellas. Toss non-entry items into a big tote to redistribute later.

Minute 3: Bang the indoor and outdoor mats against a walkway to loosen dirt.

Minute 4: Spot-clean scuffs & mud off walls, doors & baseboards with a moistened Magic Eraser. Go over doorknowbs and light switches, too.

Minute 5-6: Spritz any windows (inside and out). Dust any furniture with a dry microfiber cloth.

Minutes 7-10: Scan the floor and pick up anything too bulky for your vacuum. Give the area a quick once-over with the vacuum.

Minutes 11-13: Swab the deck with a wet mop.

Minutes 14-15: Return everything to its rightful place.

ALL DONE!!