Everyday Life

4 Brands That Want to Invest in Your Children

November 30, 2016 by Painter Mommy 1 Comment

Buying certain brands can help children in the United States and other countries lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. If you want your purchases to make the world a better place, consider buying from these four brands.

JCPenney

Image via Flickr by JeepersMedia

JCPenney does more than operate department stores across the United States. It also runs several charity programs dedicated to improving the lives of children. JCPenney Cares stands out as one of the company’s most successful endeavors. The 501(c)3 charity donates money to programs that give children healthy, safe places where they can stay engaged outside of the classroom.

Some of the partners JCPenney Cares supports include Boys & Girls Clubs of America, No Kid Hungry, and the YMCA.

You can help support JCPenney’s efforts while saving money. Start by getting coupons from Goodsearch and this Facebook page dedicated to JCPenney Goodsearch coupons.

TOMS

When you buy a pair of TOMS shoes, the company donates a new pair of shoes to needy children living all over the world. This program has become very popular, so you may already know about it. TOMS, however, does more than send shoes to developing countries. It also has charity programs that provide clean water, training for birth attendants, and a range of services to improve eyesight in children and adults.

In the United States, TOMS tackles the problem of bullying. When you purchase anything from TOMS High Road Backpack Collection, TOMS gives money that supports crisis counselors and school staff, so they know how to prevent bullying.

Warby Parker

Warby Parker takes the buy-a-pair, give-a-pair concept to a new level. Instead of simply giving glasses to children, the company trains men and women in developing countries, so they can provide eye exams to people in their communities. Warby Parker then provides these trained professionals with enough money to purchase the number of glasses they need.

Men and women who receive training can then provide low-cost eye care and glasses to their communities. It helps the professionals earn a living while giving people in developing countries an affordable way to get the glasses they need.

From Warby Parker’s perspective, this arrangement makes it possible for children to receive affordable glasses and lets adults earn reliable incomes. Instead of creating a culture of dependency, Warby Parker’s charity efforts give people a sustainable way to earn incomes and help the people around them.

Reebok

Childhood obesity has become a serious health problem in the United States. Reebok’s BOKS program attempts to lower obesity levels by providing before-school physical activity programs. BOKS currently works with over 1,000 schools.

Before-school exercise does more than just help children shed pounds. It also prepares their minds for a full day of learning. The program has received praise from several notable people, including First Lady Michelle Obama.

You can help Rebook fund this program by using Goodsearch coupons and visiting the Coupons for Good Rebook page.

Where you shop and what you buy can have an effect on the lives of needy children all over the world. By making knowledgeable choices, your next shopping spree could make a child’s life better.

4 Rooms Where You Can Use a Rolling Cart

November 29, 2016 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

When thinking about home furnishings, people often overlook the humble cart. This is a shame, as the cart is one of the most useful multipurpose items in the house. You can easily custom build your own carts to do a variety of functions. Below, we break down the uses of carts in several of your rooms, with tips on what kind of construction you will want to use.

Living Room

A small multipurpose cart in the living room can make the space more useful and productive. You can pull it in front of you and put your laptop computer on it, creating a mobile office. You can use it as a small spare table, so you can place food or drinks on it. You can even play card games on the surface. A good living room cart is probably not that big; consider calibrating its height to match the furniture in the living room, so you can know that you can work easily with it on your sofa or recliner.

Kitchen

During your everyday life, a kitchen cart can help you tote dishes to the dining room and move around heavy grocery sacks. But kitchen carts really shine when it is time to have your friends and family over for a gathering. Load your cart up with snacks and you have a mobile buffet, leaving your tables free for party games or present piles. If the party is of the adult variety, you may want to break out a variety of the kitchen cart called the bar cart — a wheeled conveyance for your finest liquors that lets you bring the party from room to room with you.

Laundry

Image via Flickr by Wicker Paradise

If you have a large family, or just don’t do the wash very often, laundry is a big chore. A laundry basket on wheels can help you schlep around your clothing and sheets, saving some wear and tear on your back. If you happen to have a laundry room in your home, this is a useful way to combine your laundry piles in one place and transport it to your appliances; if you build it to match the sitting height of your furniture, it can even help make the tedious process of folding less strenuous. If you go to a laundromat, you can still use a cart to help transport the wash from your house to the car.

Garage

Any mechanic worth their salt knows the value of a sturdy tool cart. In your garage, this item lets you keep all the most important tools for whatever project you are working on in one place, saving you the trouble of crisscrossing the garage when you need a new item while also helping prevent the loss of your valuable equipment. The cart can also help when you need to move heavy parts to and from the machines you are working on, and serve as a central place for shop rags and cleaning fluids.

Carts are an amazingly versatile item, serving many purposes in many rooms. Building your own carts lets you make sure they will serve your purposes perfectly. If you spend a little time on them now, you will find yourself astonished by the dividends they can pay later.

3 Furniture Stores that Give to Charity

November 28, 2016 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Buying furniture is your opportunity to put your home together the way you want. But did you know that when you shop at certain stores, part of your purchase goes toward charity? Major retailers don’t put every cent of profit into their coffers and call it day. Instead, they put some of what they earn towards charitable initiatives of their own. When you make a purchase, you enable retailers to help more people in your community and even around the world. Learn how you can give back when you spend your hard-earned dollars on furniture that you need.

Pottery Barn

Image via Flickr by Jeepers Media

The Pottery Barn is known for having a distinctive style that combines neutral tones with flair. It’s also part of a corporation that gives to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, supports the AIDS Walk in San Francisco, and gives grants to organizations across the country that help homeless families and children as well as women escaping from domestic violence. Pottery Barn’s parent corporation also encourages associates to volunteer for their favorite cause and gives them paid time for doing so.

In addition, Pottery Barn gives donations, grants, and sponsorships to shelters of its choice. While it doesn’t accept unsolicited requests from local community organizations, it does seek to help community members gain stability in their lives through the shelters it chooses to support.

JCPenney

The venerable retailer sells attractive furniture at an affordable price and in many different styles. Over the years, JCPenney has built up an internal charitable division that works with organizations like the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, No Kid Hungry, and more.

It’s an ethos that began with the founder of JCPenney and has continued for over 100 years. The retailer hires military families and veterans and donates products to help combat hunger, assist with education, and keep people healthy. JCPenney also encourages associates to volunteer with their favorite charity and help that charity earn a grant from the retailer.

Pier 1 Imports

Pier 1 Imports is known for its exotic styles and unusual furniture pieces that make a home or a room feel as if it came from another part of the world. The retailer also engages in philanthropic efforts with both national and international reach.

Over about two decades, Pier 1 Imports has contributed over $42 million to UNICEF in order to help the foundation reach women and children in need. Pier 1 Imports also works with the United Way of Tarrant County, where its corporate headquarters are located. In addition, the company helps a local elementary school by providing clothing to students identified as having a significant need. Associates shop for children and deliver packages directly to the child in need. It’s a unique way of giving back to the community.

Major retailers put their efforts into charitable giving as a way of becoming a part of the community. Those in need benefit from the purchases that you make in these stores. It’s a small but effective way of giving back from the customer and the corporation.

Thankful Around the Dining Room Table

November 17, 2016 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving is a special holiday and always has been in our family. Growing up, I can remember going to my aunts house to eat a big meal. There was a lot of talking, laughing, and family fun. And it was always around a big table with metal folding chairs stuck in between the beautiful dining room chairs.

There were over 20 of us with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins. The food was set out on the table in serving trays of all different shapes and sizes. We passed it around… yummy turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, yams, and sweet rolls. The memories and smells are engraved in my mind.

And now, I have my own family. We have since moved states away so I had to start my own holiday traditions. One tradition that we do when we get together on holidays is focusing on what we are grateful for. We not only do this on Thanksgiving, but other holidays as well.

My favorite thing to do is after all the food has been consumed and the table has been cleared, we pop open the sparkling cider and go around the table and each person will say what they are grateful for and we toast after each declaration. More often than not, someone winds up crying… more often with joy than with sadness.

I just recently thought about doing this on birthdays as well. What a great time to talk about what we love about that person on their special day.

Do you have any fun family holiday traditions? We would love to hear about it!

3 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do With Christmas Lights

October 10, 2016 by Painter Mommy 2 Comments

Did you think Christmas lights were only for winding through the branches of firs and spruces during that festive season? Think again. Christmas lights are a versatile way to decorate for your parties at any time of year. Discover three things you didn’t know you could do with Christmas lights.

Add Glamour to a Roaring ’20s Party

Glamorous 1920s-themed parties have become all the rage since the release of Baz Luhrmann’s film “The Great Gatsby.” The era was all about decadence, and Christmas lights can set the scene beautifully.

You’ll need a lot of Christmas lights to pull off this look, so the approach is perfect for people who decorate their home like the Griswolds in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” If you don’t have enough lights already, you can often find great discounts at sales throughout the year.

String the lights across every surface you can. White lights work best here, because they look a little like crystals glimmering in the night. All those lights can draw a lot of power, so consider choosing energy-efficient LED strings of lights from suppliers such as Christmas Lights Etc instead of traditional Christmas lights.

Light Up a ’60s-Themed Party

Christmas lights can be used in many ways to make your ’60s-themed party groovier. From tie-dyed fabrics to lava lamps, this decade was all about color, so you’re best served with brightly colored lights, not plain white ones. Simply stringing colored Christmas lights around your party will give it a groovy glow. However, if you have more time on your hands, you can get a little more creative.

Knot strips of tulle around a ribbon and tape it to the edge of the table where you’ve got your chips and dips or a retro cheese ball. Wrap some Christmas lights around the legs of the table, underneath the tulle, and turn them on. The lights will shine through the tulle, making your spread look even cooler.

If you have time, you could also make a twinkling peace sign wall hanging. Cut the peace sign out of a large piece of wood and drill holes through the design, following its lines. Poke colored Christmas lights through the holes, turn on the lights, and wait for the compliments to roll in.

Transport Your Guests to the Islands at a Hawaiian Party

We can’t always get away to tropical Hawaii, but with the right Christmas lights, you can re-create time on the islands at home. Any Hawaiian-themed party needs a tiki bar serving exotic cocktails such as mai tais and piña coladas. To add the right island atmosphere to your tiki bar, string up some Christmas lights. The idea sounds strange, but many colored Christmas lights actually look a lot like the lights that decorate island bars. Lights that have large bulbs, such as raspberry LED mini lights, are ideal for your Hawaiian celebration.

If you pack your Christmas lights away in January, you’re not using them to their full potential. With these ideas, you can enjoy these lights when the holiday season is long gone.

Image via Flickr by MsSaraKelly