Home Improvement Partner

We’re just as intrigued as you are that the legendary singer-actress did something as mundane as having a yard sale. But wait until you hear what was on offer…

Were you in the market for Michael Jackson’s epaulets? Then you should have been at Liza Minnelli’s yard sale this past weekend in East Hampton, New York. Though it was probably a more flashy affair (after all, it was the Hamptons), we like to imagine that the scene resembled a typical yard sale like the photo above.

So, what was on offer aside from the King of Pop’s epaulets? Couture clothing (sequined, we assume), furniture from her Lake Tahoe home and a book on hip replacement signed by her surgeon.

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Do you have any idea where you can find some of the very best aluminum windows? What you need to understand is there are a lot of different places that offer aluminum windows and the fact of the matter is all of these places offer something different. For instance, if you were to go to an actual window company they would be able to give you a lot of different options, will most likely install the windows themselves, but the problem is the price is most likely going to be a little bit higher than if you were to buy it online.

As for buying an aluminum window online the nice thing about it is that you will be able to get a better deal, you will have more aluminum windows to choose from, but the problem is you will have to find somebody to install the window for you. As you can see there are benefits to both but the nice thing about buying an aluminum window online is that you will be able to save quite a bit of money in the process. Read more…

In Random Recast, we find new uses for ordinary things. This week: Rope.

Traditionally used on sailboats, rope mats have crossed over into the mainstream, showing up at countless boutiques. We’ve spotted some mats going for $200 and up, which is a bit silly when you realize that it’s just knotted rope. OK, the knotting method (which is called the Turk’s Head Knot) is a bit complex, but we’ve found a tutorial that demystifies the process over at Summit Post.

As for rope, you’ll want to stay away from the “hairy” natural sisal variety: It’ll just wreck your hands as you work. Nylon-blend (or plain cotton) white rope will look just as pretty without scratching up fingers.

Feeling inspired to tackle more rope-centric projects?

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You may think laundry is a chore, but according to GE it’s actually a child development tool—providing you have the right attitude and you start when your child is young, really young.

With adult supervision, a two-year old can help pour or squirt laundry detergent into the washer, and a three- to four-year old can help sort laundry and put it in a front-loading washer and the dryer, says GE’s child development consultant Emily Brown. By the time a child is seven, he can help put the laundry away too. Sadly, if your child is already a teenager, he or she is less likely to view laundry as “very fun” or “have a strong desire to cooperate with adults.” (No surprise here for parents of teenagers.)

While we can’t guarantee that a new washer will get your kids as excited as a new toy or Wii system, today’s washing machines use less energy and water than those made 10 years ago. Some machines let

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While it might feel like spring flicked us the bird this year, the opening day of the new Lake Forest Resale Shop in late April was absitively lovely. Owner Diana Durkes, who rescues and rehabs discarded furnishings and writes about the results in her Tossed and Found column for Time Out Chicago and on her blogs Fine Diving in Chicago and Garage Sale Warrior, must feel like she hit the jackpot to have found such a charming little storefront in downtown Lake Forest. Check it out. Click here for the Lake Forest Resale Shop Facebook page.

Lake Forest Resale Shop. 653 N. Bank Lane, Lake Forest, IL. 847.234.0539. (Donations accepted).

Opening day well wishes.

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