Children’s Safety for the Wood Stove Owner

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As energy costs are rising, the wood stove is coming back into favor with many homeowners. While a wood stove can heat an entire home or help offset the high cost of electric or gas heat, consideration for children in the home must be a top priority.


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As energy costs are rising, the wood stove is coming back into favor with many homeowners. While a wood stove can heat an entire home or help offset the high cost of electric or gas heat, consideration for children in the home must be a top priority.

A fence either purchased or custom built, must be installed around the wood stove if young children are present. Crawling infants and toddlers are most at risk as they are too young to understand the dangers of a wood stove and the word ‘no’ is simply not enough.

The enclosure must be tall enough that only an adult can step over it. It must also be made of materials that cannot be climbed on. Vertical rails or fine mesh can keep a child from climbing over the fence. The enclosure should also be placed far enough from the wood stove that a reaching child cannot touch the surfaces of the stove.

Even with a fence installed, a crawling child or toddler should never be left alone unsupervised in a room with a wood stove burning. Toddlers, especially, like to toss items over the fence. Heavier objects such as blocks could easily crack or break the glass front of certain models of stoves. Plastic items, should they reach the top of the stove could easily melt and release toxic fumes into the area.

From an early age, children should be taught the dangers of a wood stove. It should be explained that fire is indeed hot and should not be played with in any form. The same explanations given to children about the kitchen cook stove and safety should apply to a wood stove heater.

Children are fascinated with fire. As you are loading a wood stove with either logs or pellets, this becomes a perfect time to discuss with them the dangers. You don’t want a child to be terrified of the wood stove, but at the same time you do want to instill a healthy respect for the appliance.

Older children can help with wood stove chores, such as bringing in firewood or pellets. They can also help sweep up the area or engage younger children while the parent is occupied with the stove. Other chores, such as loading the stove or emptying the ash pan is best left to older teenagers or adults.

Another concern with wood stoves, not just for children, is the pollutants put into the indoor air by the stove. If a child has an allergy to smoke or asthma, a wood stove could make an attack more likely. Care should be taken that such a child is out of the room when the stove is opened for filling or for cleaning the ash pan.

Before purchasing any wood stove, make sure that the stove is EPA approved. Do not take the salesman’s word for this; ask to see a demonstration model that includes the EPA sticker. The EPA has stringent requirements for wood stoves that will help keep indoor pollutants to a minimum.

The disposal of the contents of the ash pan is another concern when children are present. Ashes should not be dumped in any area where children are likely to play, as there could be hot embers alive in the ashes. A better solution is to dump the ashes into an ash bucket and allow it to sit twenty four hours or at least overnight. Ash buckets should be kept within the confines of the fence until totally cold.

Firewood or pellets should also be kept within the fenced enclosure. Any wood chips or pellets that have fallen outside the fence should be swept up immediately if young children are in the home. Both chips and pellets pose a choking hazard for children who put either into their mouths.

A pot of water should be kept on the wood stove when the stove is in use. Wood heat is a very dry heat and the water will help keep the air moist. This is especially important to help keep children’s skin from drying out during the heating season. Infants are more at risk, but children and adults of any age can be affected by the drier air of a wood heated home.

The use of precautions and safety measures can make children and wood stoves a happy mix. For centuries, children were raised in homes with either a wood stove or an open fireplace. With diligence and supervision, any home can be heated with wood and still have happy, healthy children.

Children’s Safety and window coverings

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Steps you can take to keep your children safe when it comes to window coverings.


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There are many ways that a child could be at risk in any home, especially with window coverings. Take a moment to look around your house to see if there are any areas that could be improved. You might even want to get on your hands and knees so you can be at a childs eye level and see what they see.

When it comes to window coverings, there are precaution you can and should take. Here are a few;

1. On Vertical Blinds, use the wand control option so you don’t have a dangling cord that a child could easily get wrapped up in.

2. For existing blinds with long cords, consider cutting the cords short so you have enough cord to operate them but eliminating the puddle of cords on the ground.

3. Some companies offer a break through tassel with blinds that need to have longer cords. Check to see if your manufacture offers something similar.

4. Consider using a motorized blind or shade.

5. Look into cordless blind and shade. These are becoming more popular and are very easy to operate. All you have to do is lift them up.

All of these options are here to make it more safe for children, but nothing will ever be more important than adult supervision.

Children’s Rooms – Perfect Decorating Tips

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Finding those perfect decorating tips for your child’s bedroom can be liberating and frustrating depending upon how old the little one is. If they are too young to know or care the process can be liberating and freeing as you explore the inner mother in an outward way.


childrens furniture

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As the child starts to get a few ideas of their own, however, decorating ideas become a bit more difficult and require a bit of diplomacy combined with skullduggery. Both ends of the stick are fun and interesting, it is just more how you go about the process of getting what you and the child want from a creative and a practical standpoint.

Baby comes home

It is likely the happiest day in your life, the day the baby comes home. Their new nursery has been planned for and shopped for by everyone that knows just what you’ll need. Sure, it looks nice right out of the box. But will it stay that way. Planning for baby is quite a bit different then having baby at home. The crib looked nice over there at first, but at 2 am it might not. Be ready to adjust to the practical realities that your baby will bring home with them. Your sanity will depend on many things over these first several months, if not 18-20 years, so be ready to be flexible. Remember also that the diaper pail may look nice in one spot but when you’re changing, right next to you is where it will need to be.

Toys, toys and toys

Some say that plastic has been a godsend for the human race. Maybe it has and maybe it hasn’t. Either way you look at it, it sure has found a way into children’s toys. As you go about decorating your small ones bedroom be sure to think about where all this plastic is going to go when you’re not tripping over it. Shelving is one option but the toys can very easily be pulled off in an uncontrolled way. They also lead to climbing for that one special toy. Closets are an option for toys but that is generally a losing battle and might as well lead to just taking the door hinges off so the toys can spill out more easily. The one tried-and-true idea when it comes to toys is the big old durable toy box. Make it big, make it durable and make it so the top can be left off or on. Off is good so you can practice your three point shot from across the room when you’re picking up that transformer toy.

The princess and the outfielder

When your child gets to the princess and sports star age you will be starting to cede authority to them in terms of what is found in their room. Decorating is generally a thing you may or may not find. The odd frog or stay lipstick perhaps, but style is somewhere in limbo. You can try to put a style into the room but it won’t likely matter. Styles will become a dime a dozen with just keeping the space clean being the general idea. If at all possible, sorting down through the pile of stuff that has been accumulating is likely a good decorating tip as the tween years are about to fill the space again.

The world of the tween

Decorating tips at this age will quickly find the room walls being covered with posters of the day. Trying to get the “tween” into an educational mode at this age is a good idea. A location that will eventually serve as a place to study may be a good place to start even though it will likely be covered rather then used.

The young teen

If you have managed to get some sort of place for study and organization into the child’s room by this point you are ahead of the game. You will be quickly losing any decorating influence where the young teen is concerned and regulated to suggestion. If your teen is like most, you are the enemy and only the opposite of what you say will do. Still, if you can find a few structural elements in the room you are doing well. A place for the computer, a place for the entertainment items and a place other then the floor for clothes are good places to start. The off chance that your child is organized can mean taking advantage of the situation with shelving, a desk set-up and extra drawers for clothing. Generally, put it in the room and let them at it is the way to go.

I know best

At this age the child is likely to be finding out who they really are. They may not be there quite yet but they are moving in the right direction. Keep a few basics in mind like reasonable colors and costs but you’ve lost authority at this point so try to aim for limits rather then direction.

Sanctuary

Now the space is yours. Clean it all out and do it the way you would like. Remember, however, that the child will likely be back and want to see a few of their possessions around the room.

Children’s Bedroom Sets – What Features Should You Look For?

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With lots of choices and options, it’s not easy to choose the right children’s bedroom set. Keep an eye on quality and learn about which features will benefit you the most


bedroom sets, children’s furniture, baby furniture, kids furniture

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If you are shopping for children’s bedroom sets, you have a lot to consider. There’s a wide range of choices, styles and features and it is difficult to know which ones are right for you. Of course, your children’s comfort and safety come first, but the features you choose can make a big difference in the value you get from your bedroom set.

Quality can vary widely between bedroom sets. It is important to get your furniture at the lowest price, but buying the cheapest furniture is not the best way to go. Low-end furniture could easily end up costing you more. First, it simply will not last as long as higher quality furniture. Second, it might not be as safe for your children. Many low-end bedroom sets are finished with toxic substances, or have ill fitting pieces that can harm your child.

One feature you might want to look for when buying a children’s bedroom set is a convertible crib. The ability to convert your crib into a toddler’s bed and then into a full-sized bed for teens will give you many more years of use from your entire bedroom set.

There are many other features to look for that will increase the enjoyment and value you and your children get from a bedroom set. Make sure your set has a lot of storage space. Babies, toddlers and teens all need more storage space than you think and many bedroom sets feature clever storage ideas, like drawers under cribs or beds, which make life easier.

Mix and match sets also help you get more use from your furniture. If you buy a crib set, you might want to add a desk later on when your boy or girl starts going to school.

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboards builds high quality children’s bedroom furniture sets with the features you need, at surprisingly affordable prices.

Children’s Bedroom Decorating Ideas Begin With The Right Furniture

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When you are trying to come up with children’s bedroom decorating ideas, it is important that you select the proper furniture to go with the kids bedroom decorating of your choice. It may not have even crossed your mind that there is actual furniture out there created specifically for decorating a kids bedroom, but these are essential for creating a child-sized space that is easy and safe for your kids to live and play with.

There are many different styles of furniture tha…


childrens,bedroom,decorating,advice

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When you are trying to come up with children’s bedroom decorating ideas, it is important that you select the proper furniture to go with the kids bedroom decorating of your choice. It may not have even crossed your mind that there is actual furniture out there created specifically for decorating a kids bedroom, but these are essential for creating a child-sized space that is easy and safe for your kids to live and play with.

There are many different styles of furniture that you can use for decorating childrens bedroom, so the first thing that you will need to consider is the age of your child, the size of the room, the shape of the room, and whether or not the room is being shared. No matter what, this do it yourself bedroom decorating for kids allows your child the ability to:

* Rest well
* Study in comfort
* Play in a safe and attractive space
* Store all belongings in easily accessible places

Among the best children’s bedroom decorating ideas for creating space is to purchase multi-functional furniture. These kids bedroom decorating ideas allow the furniture to be used for many purposes such as storage, bins, bookcases, and stackable crates. Decorating kids bedroom this way allows you to keep things off the floor, but still remain within reach of the kids.

Other real space-saving bedroom decorating ideas for kids include using bunk or loft beds when children are sharing the room. This allows two beds to be in the room, taking only the space of one. When your children aren’t sleeping, they’ll really appreciate these children’s bedroom decorating ideas for the extra play space they have.

You will be certain to discover that when it comes to children’s bedroom decorating ideas these days, the options are practically limitless.

Check For Leaks – Conserve Water And Save Money

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In your own household, the key to maintenance of electronic and water supply is in your hands. Water leaks and damages could cause you major financial and supply losses. In order to check water leaks on your house, you must know basic water repairs. Be aware of the causes of leaks. There are several reasons why water leaks occur:

1. Your Pipelines

Incorrectly made pipelines or insufficient support could lead to water leaks. Excess numbers of pipelines could also be a re…


water leak detector,gas leak detector,refrigerant leak detector,liquid leak detector,ultrasonic leak detector

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In your own household, the key to maintenance of electronic and water supply is in your hands. Water leaks and damages could cause you major financial and supply losses. In order to check water leaks on your house, you must know basic water repairs. Be aware of the causes of leaks. There are several reasons why water leaks occur:

1. Your Pipelines

Incorrectly made pipelines or insufficient support could lead to water leaks. Excess numbers of pipelines could also be a reason because the base may not be able to handle the pipe’s weight. Second, be concerned about the materials of your pipelines. When buying these materials, make sure to purchase the appropriate supplies without defects because failing to do so could lead your pipe to rust. Lastly, make sure not to use equipment that may harm your pipelines. Too much pressure caused by hammers could bring about water leaks. Depending on your geographic location, you may want to make special precautions for your pipes to ensure they can withstand very cold temperatures such that, during the winter months, water does not freeze within the pipes and expands, causing pipes to burst.

2. Learn How To Read Your Water Meter

Being able to use this could very well be the absoloute easiest way to detect leaks on your own. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a water leak! This could be something as simple as a leaky bathtub, or as horrendous as a leak inside a pipe deep within one of your walls, causing untold damage to your home.

3. Leak Detection Tips

In detecting water leaks, make sure that all of your appliances inside your house that make use of water are turned off. Then inspect the status of the meter dial and wait for 20 minutes. If the dials didn’t shift, you have a home with water pipes that are stable. But if the dials shift, check all of your appliances that makes of use water. If all are turned off, there might be a leak in your underground pipes. The reading on your meter should be greater than your bill from the time when you have used your water since the meter was read.

4. The Lawn Method

Another method to check water leaks is by opening lawn water. If you have a hose, or a water sprinkler, open it and start to watch the water meter’s movement for a minute. The whole rotation of the meter hand stands for 7.5 gallons of water. Add up the number of rotation the hand meter completes for each minute and multiple it by 7.5 to know how much gallons of water you consume every minute, every hour, every day and every week. If you know how much water you use up, you will know whether you are paying the correct bills or not. If your bills exceed the computation, you may be having water leakages.

5. Statistics

The average water used in each household is 60 to 200 gallons per person for a day. You will be surprised on how much water you consume every day. By being aware of these causes of water leaks and how to detect them, you will conserve water everyday.

– Remember that every drop of water counts
– Bathrooms take up almost 70% of water used
– Ensure all pipes and faucets are leak-free

6. Food Coloring Technique

Make it a routine to check toilet tanks. By adding a small amount of food color, you will be able to know if the toilet is leaking. Add food color to the tank. After 20 minutes or so, if the color appeared on the tank, it may be leaking. Try to replace the parts as soon as possible to prevent rust. Conserve water by being aware of water leaks. Learn to save water by checking your own pipes. It will benefit your financial needs. It will benefit your family’s safety. And it will benefit the people of the future who would be able to make use of the wonders of water.

Cheap Shower Filters

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Shower filters provide chlorine removal, prevention of dry skin, reduction of soap scum and hair and the removal of unpleasant odors. Many shower filters help balance water ph for better sudsing and cleaning and remove synthetic chemicals in the water that can vaporize and be inhaled or absorbed through the skin. The removal of chlorine and chemicals from your shower water is as important as the removal of these contaminants from your drinking water.


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Are you sure that taking a shower ensures your cleanliness and protection against the germs and bacteria moving around in the atmosphere? Not really? Nowadays, shower filters are gaining popularity to maintain the cleanliness and appropriate consumable water to protect us from various ailments and diseases. As a means to make water suitable for bathing, shower filters are used to cut the extra chlorine diluted in the water.

Our body consumes more of chlorine while taking a bath as our body pours easily soaks this excess chlorine from the water and together with other infected chemicals, affects us terribly. Therefore, lack of a shower filter does not make us feel that we are actually paving the way for our skins and other medical problems. A good shower filter can cut the presence of chlorine chemical by 90 percent and thus protecting the condition of the body from different problems that may pain you badly. Therefore, the demand for clean shower filters are a must need equipment in this hectic and busy life.

Skin problems and allergies are causing a serious threat to the body when contacted with chlorine, the chief destroyer of skin in the body. It also causes various rashes and pigments on skin and makes the situation worse. With the fluctuations in temperature during winters, the excess intake of chlorine makes the skin more irritable and with crack. Further it may also develop some kind of acne on skin that is really painful and embarrassing sometimes. A good shower filter ensures the right quantity of this deadly chlorine while exposed in abundance in usage.

The ill-effects of chlorine also raise the chances of several cancers in the body. Due to the controlling effects of shower filters, the formation and spread of cancers can be stopped effectively. Not only this, the health of hairs too deeply effected with the amount of chlorine in the body. The cooling and beneficial shower filter can lower down the fall of hairs and maintain its original shine and glow for a longer period of time. Thus, a shower filter is also desirable for maintaining the quality of hairs. Besides, these filters can also stop the intake of dangerous minerals such as lead to go into the lungs and create problems. People suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases can be also benefited from it too.

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Cheap futon – Cheap and Elegant goes hand in hand in the shape of a futon!

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Cheap Futon – Who says cheap means bad? When it comes to futons, cheap is better!


cheap futon

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Cheap futon mattresses are of high demand these days as more and more houses and apartments are built. People who bought smaller properties are trying to conserve both money and space, thus the need for cheap futon arises. All in all, cheap futons are comfortable and practical. You can transform your extra room into a guest room in seconds with the flip of a cheap futon. If you live in a studio or one bedroom apartment, then cheap futon beds can create a more expansive feel. I personally use cheap futon not just as a means of bedding but also for interior decor. Among my personal cheap futon possessions, I have the leather look; twills, decorator prints and some are custom ordered futon covers.

However, don’t be fooled by the word cheap in cheap futon. They are cheap not because the quality is inferior, but because they are cost efficient to manufacture. Cheap futons these days are made out of the highest quality materials to last longer. Mostly cheap futon mattresses are made with layers of quality foam cores, garnered high density cotton. Some cheap futons even come with 4″ innerspring core for a long lasting lifespan. Another reason cheap futon mattresses are preferred is because they are convenient and can be folded for use as a sofa. Because cheap futons are so widely sold, you can easily get top quality cheap futons at great prices. Some retailers will even put together complete sets with frame, mattress and cover to fit any requirements and budget.

It’s undeniable, cheap futon mattresses can transform anyway you want, and be there for you whenever you need them. It really is a flexible piece furniture for the modern lifestyle. cheap futon mattresses are perfect for your extra rooms or even office space. During daytime, cheap futon mattresses can act as a couch but by night, futons can transform into a comfortable bed. One only needs to learn how to choose the right frames, mattresses and covers for your interior decor.

When you enter a shop to purchase a cheap futon, always look for top quality merchandise. There is no need to short change yourself. My intention is to let you know that when it comes to buying cheap futon mattresses, quality, great prices and wide variety of choices can coexist to suit your preference. Due to the fact that cheap futons are such competitive products, stores will actually up their service level just to persuade you to buy from them. With this situation, you save really big when some of them offer a free shipping policy. Some retailers will even go as far as helping you in getting custom orders for your cheap futons.

Cheap Carpet – Carpeting A Room For $20

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Want cheap carpet? Here’s a secret for carpeting that playroom, basement or den for a fraction of what you would normally pay.


cheap carpet, carpet, carpet stains

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Do you want cheap carpet that you can easily install yourself? Well, I once carpeted a large bedroom for a total cost of about $12. You read that right, and no, the carpet was not used carpet. I did it with carpet samples.

I bought them for 25 cent apiece at a closeout sale, and it took 36 squares of carpet to finish the room. The only other supplies I used were the staples, which cost about a dollar. Normally, you might pay a dollar each for squares of carpet. I found them available for half that just a few weeks ago, but in any case, this is cheap carpet.

This is an unusual style, though, and you may have to consider the resale value of your home. The bedroom I carpeted this way was in a rental mobile home, where cheap and unusual styles are the norm. Ordinarily, you will want to save this trick for areas like basements, playrooms, and maybe a children’s clubhouse. Still, it doesn’t look so bad – actually it looks just fine if you mix the various colored squares of carpet well.

In a children’s playroom, the multi-colored floor is perfect. It is cheerful and colorful, and if a spill stains one of the carpet squares, you can easily pull it up and install a new one in its place. This is a nice advantage of carpeting a room this way.

Installing Cheap Carpet

The only things you will need to carpet a room with carpet samples or squares is a carpet knife and a staple gun. 5/8-inch staples have worked best for me. Begin at any corner. Just put the piece in place and staple it in two or three places along each side. Wiggle the stapler head down between the fibers, or between the border and the fibers, and the staples will usually be well-hidden.

When carpeting a basement floor, you can use carpet tape instead of staples. In either case, this is best done where padding isn’t too important. Of course, you can use padding too, if you don’t mind the complications, but without it, this is pure simplicity.

You might want to lay out the pieces first, to decide where each will go. When you come to walls, heating registers, and other obstacles, you can easily cut the pieces to fit. If you make a mistake, it cost you perhaps a dollar. Just start over with a new piece.

Before you start, estimate how many pieces you’ll need, and call around to find a carpet store that has enough samples for sale. The carpet samples at different stores range in size, but are usually at least 18 by 18 inches. Using pieces that are all the same size is the easiest way to go. Even at a dollar, this makes it less than 50 cents per square foot to carpet a room. That’s cheap carpet!

Chasing Sleep When It’s On The Run

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We can lose it, we never find it and we always want it. It’s sleep.


Chasing Sleep When It’s On The Run

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We can lose it, we never find it and we always want it. It’s sleep. Ask any traveler-especially one on business with high-adrenaline days-sleep is almost as valuable as gold. The marathon meetings, the late-night dinners, rushing to and from the airport and the multiple time zones all make getting a few winks harder to achieve.

It happens to most of us: a sleepless night in a hotel room just before a big meeting. You want to sleep. You need to sleep. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t get to sleep.

With action-packed schedules, a traveler would think sleep should come as easily as counting sheep. For many, however, trying to sleep on the road brings on a case of temporary insomnia, called transient insomnia. Most travelers know they have it when they find themselves staring at the ceiling or twisting and turning in frustration.

Fortunately, there are things every traveler can do to avoid losing Zzzz’s. Here are five tips for finding a comfy, cozy night of sleep away from home:

• Look for the love. One hotel chain conducted nine months of research and testing before introducing a new bed as part of “Make It Hampton,” the largest and fastest transformation ever undertaken by a hotel brand to dramatically enhance the guest experience at each of its hotels. The bed features nine new attributes so that the bed looks as great as it feels. From the crisp duvet cover that holds a down-like comforter, triple sheeting on 200-thread count linens, a decorative lumbar pillow and a higher sitting bed, it could feel like home.

• Watch out for the imitators. There’s more to a mattress than meets the eye. Choosing a mattress that’s right for you can mean the difference between a peaceful night and a scary nightmare. According to Pawn Kongkosonkichkan, a bedding trainer with Rich’s-Macy’s/Lazarus/Goldsmiths, pick a mattress with a high coil count and you can be snoring in no time. Also, look for hotels featuring plush-top mattresses, as these will keep their form better and avoid the lumpy mattress feeling associated with tossing and turning.

• Sometimes, faking it is good. Goose down-filled comforters and pillows are great for personal home use, but some travelers may prefer today’s synthetic fabrics, which are just as top-quality. Travelers with sensitive noses will want to avoid the opportunity of a sleep-interrupting allergy attack. For travelers who prefer down pillows, Hampton Inns provide a choice.

• Re-create habits from home. Take a look at the habits you have every night before you go to bed; do they include some light reading, maybe listening to soft music or a quiet conversation with loved ones? Any traveler can re-create those homey feelings by simply taking a warm bath, turning off the TV or calling home for a quick “good night.” Whatever your bedtime behaviors may be, take about 15 minutes before you go to bed to really relax. (Remember, a caffeinated drink late at night affects those on the road just like at home, regardless of how tired you may feel.)

• Tick-tock, find a good clock. With so many confusing versions of the clock radios in hotels, some people may lose sleep just worrying if the darn thing will work as expected. For a more pleasurable sleep and wake-up experience, look for universal clock radios that offer simple alarm settings and a digital display that allows you to select your favorite type of music effortlessly.