5 Ways to Control Stink Bugs at Home

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Stink Bug- Image Credit

Stink Bug Image Credit

The stink bug is approximately 2cm long and roughly the same width. It has a shield-shaped body that makes it distinctive and easy to spot. In general, these pests are dark brown although you can also get them in green, light brown, copper, and even black.

Although they do not carry any diseases that can harm humans, they are a risk to crops. They are considered a season-long pest in many countries across the world as they feed on plants. In fact, estimates suggest the Eastern United States lost $37 million in apple costs during 2010 from these pests.

They may not carry diseases or bite you, but, they will seek to stay in your house and, if they are disturbed or feel threatened they will releases a noxious odor. It won’t be pleasant in your house for a short while!

The Sign Of A Stink Bug Invasion

If you suspect you have an issue with stink bugs you need to click here and get some professional help. This will help to alleviate the issue as the professionals have the best possible equipment to resolve the issue. You can find out more about your local stink bug experts

Stink bugs generally enter your house at the end of the summer and during the fall. This is when the temperatures are starting to drop and they are looking for a nice place to spend the winter.

They will often congregate on the exterior walls of your home in sunlight. Inside your home, you’ll notice the foul odor and may see the odd bug. In general, they hide in small gaps and cracks and stay where they are for the winter. In the spring they’ll emerge and head back into the garden.

Be warned, as well as releasing the noxious odor when they feel threatened, the odor is automatically released if you crush them. Tread carefully when eliminating this issue.

Here are 5 ways that can help you control stink bugs in your home:

  1. Check Your Home

Potentially the biggest thing you can do is to stop these pests from getting into your home in the first place. They are small and can find their way through almost any gap. This means you need to visually inspect your home for any cracks, gaps, and other signs of damage and holes that will allow a stink bug to gain access.

Once you find these cracks and gaps you should seal them up immediately. It’s not just stink bugs that can get through them and you’re probably not running an insect hotel!

  • Pay Attention To The Roof

It’s easy to overlook the roof simply because it is not easy to access or visually inspect. However, it is important that you verify the roof ties are in good condition. Any cracked, broken, or missing ones will provide an access point for these pests. Don’t forget they can fly so getting to your roof is easy.

As well as checking the roof tiles you should be looking for any gaps at the eaves that these pests can get through. It’s also a good opportunity to check the gutters, blocked gutters an cause serious damage to your home as water will drip constantly against the walls.

  • Keep It Clean

Stink bugs like to eat plants and hide in corners where they won’t be easily found or disturbed. That’s why you need to clean your house regularly. Removing all food waste will make your house less attractive to other insects. Checking and eradicating any cracks and gaps on the inside of your home will prevent the stink bugs from finding a place to stay for the winter.

In other words, the cleaner your home and the less clutter you have, the less likely it is that you’ll attract stink bugs in the first place.

  • Look For Moisture

Stink bugs are like any other insect in that they need moisture to survive. Take a look around your home for any potential leaks and fix them if you find them. Don’t forget that leaks can be hard to spot. It’s a good idea to shut off all water-based appliances and take a water meter reading.

After an hour, or two, of not using water you can check the meter reading again. If the reading has changed you have a leak and you’re going to have t trace it. A leak will create moisture which will make your house more appealing to stink bugs and other pests.

  • Essential Oils

A few drops of essential oil, especially mint, peppermint, or citrus, in 100ml of water will create a spray that can be administered to all the doors and windows in your home. This oil will counteract the odor from the stink bugs and it deters the bugs from setting up home in your home.

Alternatively, if you’re not a fan of oils then try planting garlic, simply crush a few cloves and let them marinate in some water for 24 hours. Then spray the liquid around the entry points in your home.

Bonus Method

Diatomaceous Earth is a naturally-occurring compound that dates back to prehistoric times and is very effective against a wide array of insects and other pests. It is full of tiny sharp fossils that penetrate the exoskeleton of the stink bug. This results in the bugs dehydrating and dying in a very short space of time.

Simply sprinkle a little of this earth in key places around your home, it won’t just stop the stink bugs from getting in, it will prevent virtually all bugs.

Final Thoughts

Neem oil is another viable option, as is using flypaper by entries and exit points. In fact, the list of ways to deal with stink bugs is practically endless. All you have to do I a little trial and error.

But, whatever approach you adopt, remember that sealing gaps and cracks is essential to preventing access, which makes it much easier to control the stink bugs in your home.

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How To Cut Years Off Your Mortgage

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How To Cut Years Off Your Mortgage
Buying real estate has many hidden costs and most are incurred at the point of buying. We look at where buyers spend the bulk of their money and offer tips on countering with an opportunity to save cash.

  1. Solicitor fees: Solicitors help transfer the property into your name and pay out your bank funds at settlement to the seller. You can save money on their service by hiring a convincer rather than a solicitor, they offer a similar service for a lot less. Normally they charge around $950 to $1000 where a solicitor can charge upward of $2000 per transaction.
  2. Paying too much for property. Real estate agents can drive up the price of a property by tens of thousands of dollars adding years to your mortgage repayments. You can beat a real estate agent at their own game by hiring the service of a buyers agent.

Even though it costs to hire one, a good buyers agent can save you tens of thousands of dollars hence cutting years off your mortgage.

  1. Setting up your home loan: When setting up your home loan, all the fees are worked into monthly and annual charges over a 30-year period. For those who take the time to compare, the difference in price from one lender to another can add up to thousands.

What is the best way to pick the cheapest mortgage? Use a mortgage broker rather than dealing direct with a bank. The bank pays commission to a broker once the loan is approved so you don’t pay a fee for hiring them. They have access to a range of banks and can offer you 100’s of different packages, which can save you big bucks in the long run.

  1. Reducing your stamp duty bill: Stamp duty tax is the second biggest expense when buying a house. To save money, consider buying a property off the plan or a block of land. Stamp duty is charged at the value of the property at the time of purchase. Hence, if there’s only a land value to consider, you could save anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 purchasing an off the plan property.
  1. Sell your back yard: Some houses have the potential to be subdivided and sold. What this means is keep the property you live in and sell your back yard to a developer or a builder. This could cut your mortgage in half!
  1. Only buy what you need: Many new car buyers have the intention of buying the basic model when walking into a car dealership. In most cases, buyers walk out spending a lot more money than expected with a top-of-the-range model. Homebuyers tend to do the same thing when buying property. The more you spend, the longer it takes to pay off and the higher your stamp duty bill becomes. Consider smaller property or a small land allotment or purchase a little further from the city.

By Mark Ribarsky
___________________________________________________________________________

Mark Ribarsky is the founder of Wise Real Estate Advice and Property Managers Melb. He is a fully qualified real estate agent, Bachelor of Business, residential property developer and commercial buyers agent.

 

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Top Companies That Can Help You Become Efficient

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Image Copyright:donscarpo
Through technology, numerous companies have come to existence to make living easier. Below are top companies that can help you or your business become more efficient.

Pest Control Companies

Pets are obnoxious It is important to take proactive steps to reduce chances of infestation. From your health safety to avoidance of costly damages. For a healthy home, pest eradication is an inescapable step. Pests like ticks, fleas and mosquitoes transmit fatal diseases like plague, malaria and Lyme disease. Pests are a major threat to crops. Rodents consume around 20% of the worlds food supply. Outsourcing pest control ensures maximum productivity in your farm for more profits. Utilize local pest control to keep the value of your business or home. Pests have the power to ruin your business reputation and eat away your property. Do not give them the upper hand.

Fast Flexible Power Solutions

Looking to complete a serious project that requires temporary power solutions? APR Energy uses up-to-date mobile technology for interim electricity supply. Whether it is a bridge to a permanent solution or an emergency, APR offers affordable options. Through solar, aero derivative gas turbines and combined cycle are effective temporary solutions availed. The equipment is regularly maintained to prevent any unseen accidents. Get your temporary power solutions with APR whenever needed with no time limits.

Biohazardous Clean-Up Companies

In an event of death in your home or business, dealing with the mental and emotional stress can be overwhelming. Death scenes pose serious dangers that require professional experience. There are various factors to consider when hiring after death cleaning service. Ensure the potential company focuses mainly on what you need not a sideline to their specialty. Is your privacy assured? Circumstances surrounding an after death cleaning service require discreteness in most cases. Some companies help with insurance and documentation. Enquire before you hire.

Home Security Solutions

Protect your loved ones with wireless home security systems. ADT Alarm Systems has revolutionized the security industry with codeless full automation features. You can control your home from anywhere through your Smartphone. Video surveillance, repairs and installation, 24 hour monitoring and automated remote services are packages presented to ensure maximum security at your premises. Do not wait for a burglary or a fire breakout before acting.

 

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Home Now on DVD- Enter to Win #HomeInsiders

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home

My girls and I loved HOME in theaters and are so excited that it is finally on Blu-Ray and DVD.  It is such a cute movie for the whole family.

GET THE PARTY STARTED AND GROOVE LIKE THE BOOV WITH- DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S HOME – NOW ON DIGITAL HD, BLU-RAY 3D , & DVD.

Celebrate family, friendship and fun in the surprise smash comedy hit of the year from the creators of How To Train Your Dragon and Shrek! In DreamWorks Animation’s HOME, Oh, a lovable misfit from another planet meets a girl named Tip. The two unlikely friends embark on the greatest journey of all time…the journey HOME. Hailed by critics as “an animated triumph” (CBS Radio News) that is “family fun with tons of heart” (Fox TV).

Directed by Tim Johnson (Over The Hedge, Antz), HOME features the voice talents of Golden Globe® and Emmy® winner Jim Parsons* (“The Big Bang Theory,” The Muppets), Grammy® winner Rihanna** (Battleship), Oscar® and Emmy® winner Steve Martin*** (The Pink Panther, Father of the Bride) and Golden Globe® nominee Jennifer Lopez (“American Idol,” Maid In Manhattan)

“HOME is smart, fun and funny” proclaims Bill Bergoli of CBS Radio. A hit with audiences and critics alike, the film received an outstanding audience reaction with a coveted “A” CinemaScore®.

The HOME Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD feature a Boov-tastic party of never-before-seen bonus features that will persuade the entire family to get their groove on, including “Oh’s Boovy Jukebox” of top tracks, “Oh’s Shake Your Boov Thing,” a toe-tapping, music video mash-up, hilarious deleted scenes, character-drawing tutorials and more!

Want your own copy of HOME?

Here’s what you need to do to ENTER –

First of all – you must follow my blog – The giveaways I host are for my wonderful readers. To be considered a Cori’s Cozy Corner reader, you must receive my once daily email.  This is not considered an entry, but rather a requirement in order to enter any of my giveaways.  🙂
I do verify that you subscribe to my e-mail at the time of the winner drawing.  
You can sign up for my once daily email easily by entering your e-mail address right here:

Once you are a Cori’s Cozy Corner reader via email you can continue onto the Entry Form Below.
Good luck!

HOME_sq1600_s18.pub_custom_f122 2 HOME_sq1700_s24_f109 2

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Win Prizes at DreamWorks Home Twitter Party Tonight June 26th, 2015 #HomeMovieParty #HomeInsiders

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HOME_Retail_V5r2

Head to iTunes today and grab your copy of Dreamworks Animation’s HOME!  Then join the Twitter party tonight (6/26/15) at 7 EST.  Watch the movie, tweet along, and win prizes!!!  Good luck and enjoy the show!!!

GET THE PARTY STARTED AND GROOVE LIKE THE BOOV WHEN THE SUMMER MOVIE ADVENTURE- DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S HOME– ARRIVES ON DIGITAL HD JUNE 26 AND BLU-RAY 3D, BLU-RAY & DVD JULY 28

“Heart-warming and hilarious.” – Pete Hammond, Deadline.com

The HOME PARTY EDITION is Packed with over and Hour of Hit Music and Fun Dancing Content that will Get the Whole Family Shaking Their Boov Thing! 

LOS ANGELES, CA – Celebrate family, friendship and fun in the surprise smash comedy hit of the year from the creators of How To Train Your Dragon and Shrek! In DreamWorks Animation’s HOME, Oh, a loveable misfit from another planet meets a girl named Tip. The two unlikely friends embark on the greatest journey of all time…the journey HOME.

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The Ultimate Checklist For Home Movers

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The best way to move home is to start early and finish quickly. And although it may seem like a big ask, if you follow this checklist you should be well on your way to a trouble-free move. Let’s get started straight away.

7210018990_0333bfd565_z[Image from Flickr]

Two Months To Go

All successful home moves happen with a good plan. Get yours ready with at least a couple of months to spare. Call a moving company. Good movers get booked up fast, and this is one thing you don’t want to leave until the last minute.

Next, it’s time to have a look at everything you own. Do you really need to take it with you? If not, get rid of it. Give it away, sell it, send it to a charity store. If you don’t do it now, you won’t have time in the future.

One Month To Go

Pack non-essentials first. Anything that you don’t need can be packed up and made ready a month before your move. Don’t forget to label all boxes.

Contact companies such as banks, insurance companies, phone companies and even let the mail office know. Do it early enough, and you can just forget about it. Do it too late, and you will forget to do it at all.

One Week To Go

Contact everyone involved in the move. You don’t want last-day surprises and a week will give you the chance to make a backup plan. Start contacting your utility providers. Utility companies will need time to organize a switch over when you get to your new place. Aim to give them at least 48 hours notice.

Pack the majority of your possessions. Keep back a few changes of clothes for each family member and some cooking and eating utensils. You should also arrange childcare with a family member at least a week in advance. Have a backup plan just in case of illness.

One Day To Go

You should have finished packing up by now, bar a few basics for wearing, washing and eating. Do a final check and make sure everything has labels. Go to the garden and get all your outside furniture together in one place. Disassemble anything that might be problematic to get into a truck.

Give the moving company a ring to confirm one last time. They will let you know when they will arrive, and ask you any final questions.  The last thing to do today is simple. It goes without saying that disasters can happen on any day, let alone moving day. Make sure your phone is charged enough to use it at any time.

Moving Day

Get up early and have a hearty breakfast. Drop the kids off, come back and start going through the house room by room. Any bed linen you have been using over the last week should be bagged up. Mattresses should be clear, and beds may need to be disassembled.

Once the movers arrive, help them if they need it. It will be quicker if you get stuck in. Once finished, check the house one last time.

Say Goodbye!

If you have followed this checklist, you should now be well on your way to your new home. Unpacking will be easy if you have labeled everything. Now it’s just a case of decorating your new home! Good job!

 

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Home Staring Rihanna and Jim Parsons Hits Theaters March 27th, 2015! #HOMEMovie

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20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation are pleased to release a NEW trailer for their highly anticipated film, HOME!  Watch HOME stars Rihanna and Jim Parsons interview each other in an exclusive cast chat.  Let this intergalactic 3D animation take you out of this world when it hits the big screen on March 27, 2015!

home movie picture

HOME
Animation
Release: March 27, 2015, in 3D
Director: Tim Johnson
Screenplay by: TBD, based upon the novel The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
Producers: Chris Jenkins, Suzanne Buirgy
Cast: Jim Parsons, Rihanna, Steve Martin, and Jennifer Lopez
SYNOPSIS
When Earth is taken over by the overly-confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated, while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, (Rihanna, who also contributes a song) manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh (Jim Parsons). The two fugitives realize there’s a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.
HOME Official Socials
#HOMEMovie
DreamWorks Animation Official Socials
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ClosetMaid Pantry Cabinet Review

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A few months ago we moved into a new house that was a little smaller than our old house.  We were able to make due with the size except for one area- THE KITCHEN PANTRY!
I am not sure who designed the pantry in our new kitchen but I am pretty sure they:
1. Don’t cook
2. Don’t eat
3. Don’t COUPON!

The pantry in our new kitchen is 6 inches deep.  YES, I said 6 inches deep.  Most boxes such as cereal boxes are deeper than 6 inches.  Packages of paper plates hang over our shelves and get in the way of the doors.  It’s CRAZY!
I knew I had to find something else.  We put some plastic shelved that we had in our old office, into our new kitchen but they were just so unsightly because you could see everything on them and they didn’t match.
That’s when I found the ClosetMaid Pantry and reached out to the ClosetMaid company.  I was so excited when they sent me a ClosetMaid Pantry to review.  I choose the white model to match our kitchen but it also comes in black, espresso (dark brown), and alder (a maple color).   It is made of laminate wood and has matching handles.  It stands 59 1/2″ tall, 24″ wide, and 12 1/2″ deep.  That is more than double the depth of my current pantry!
Assembly was very easy.   I like that the shelves are adjustable so I can move them to the height I need depending on what I need to store.
It is a free-standing cabinet but it does need to be mounted with a bracket (that comes with it) to a wall stud for safety.  That is the only thing I wish I had known beforehand.  The wall we had planned on putting the pantry on has a window across it so attaching it to that wall wasn’t possible.  We ended up changing the room around a bit and were able to properly attach the bracket to the wall stud behind it. (SEE PHOTO BELOW)
The cabinet is sturdy and holds a lot.  It would make a great addition to any kitchen, playroom, children’s room, or utility room.
You can check out all the products that ClosetMaid makes, design a room, and lots more on the ClosetMaid website.  You can also find ClosetMaid at many of your favorite local retailers such as Target, Wal-Mart, Lowes, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Home Depot.
Want to learn more about ClosetMaid?
You can find them here:
ClosetMaid on Facebook
ClosetMaid on Twitter
ClosetMaid on YouTube
ClosetMaid on Flickr

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