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Home Security: Let’s talk about it!

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The main benefit of having home security is to keep your property protected. That can come in a number of ways. Luckily most security systems can be customizable. Nowadays we can monitor everything from glass breaks to floods. This is accomplished by using a variety of sensors. However, today I just want to cover the basics of home security. 

 

Control Panel

Nearly all security systems come with a security panel. This panel is essentially the brain of the system. Through the panel you are able to control everything. You are able to arm and disarm the alarm. You can check who comes in and out. What was captured on the cameras. What doors were opened etc. What’s also nice is that most, if not all systems come with an app so everything you can do through the panel you can do through your phone! Check out the GC2 Security and Control Panel!

 

Doorbell Camera

These are nearly a necessity in this day and age. Most people love their doorbell camera because It’s a great visual deterrent. They also have the added benefit of being able to talk through them, check on packages, what time your kids get home, and who’s visiting. According to Amazon, you can see “a live video feed of what’s happening at your front door at any given moment.”

 

Door sensors

Door sensors are the devices that secure entry points. They help protect you from intruders getting in, as well as alert you as to when a door does open. They only set off the alarm if your system is armed. If your system isn’t armed it will let you know what door is being opened. It can let you know if anyone is sneaking in or out. Your kids won’t be a fan of this one 😉

 

There’s all sorts of devices you can add to customize your home security to the max! These are just the basics. If you have any questions or want to get started on your security system reach out to us through 844-904-9473!

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Six Things to Do After Buying a New Home

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Congratulations! It finally happened. You survived the housing market and have purchased your first home. You probably don’t need us to tell you that there are many things to do after buying a new home. Since there’s so much to do and keep track of, it can be easy to overlook things. To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of home security items you won’t want to neglect to help you ensure your move is smooth and safe.

1. Social Media

What does social media have to do with home security and things to do after buying a new home, you ask? More than you might think.

It’s your first home. You’re excited, but you will want to be mindful of how you celebrate on social media. Don’t include your address in any of your posts. If you have family and friends who need your new address, send them a private message. That friend from high school who you haven’t seen in years but you’re still following because they share funny memes doesn’t need to know where you live.

Also, don’t post a picture of your key online or show it in a video. YouTuber Josh Sundquist discovered this firsthand when he challenged a locksmith to create a working key to his apartment using only an image from a video. Initially, it looked like the final key was very similar but didn’t quite work. However, a second test using a suggestion from a follower proved that the locksmith had indeed created a working copy.

Should you post a picture or video with a key, you probably won’t end up in a friendly competition with a locksmith. Still, you may be at risk of someone with malicious intentions creating a working copy. If you still feel like you need to share a picture of yourself with your key to your new house, you could use the key from before you rekey, which leads us to the next item on your home security list.

2. Rekey

Unless you purchased a brand-new house with no previous owner, you need to rekey. This is one of the most important things to do after buying a new home. You don’t know if the previous owner turned over all their keys or if other keys they gave to family and house sitters are floating about.

You may have been hoping to avoid the extra cost of rekeying since moving is already so expensive, but it’s a small cost compared to the $2600 lost in the average home robbery. While you’re at it, you will want to change the codes on any smart locks, garages, or gates.

3. Windows

Now that the main entrances are secure, you will want to check the most commonly neglected entrances: the windows. The previous owner may have forgotten to secure all of them when they moved. Perhaps windows got opened during showings. Maybe one of your movers left a window unlocked with the intent of coming back and having an easy way in later. Whatever the case, taking a few minutes to check the windows now could spare you problems later.

4. Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Test the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. The previous owner might not have maintained them. Replace any that might be missing and change out batteries as needed.

5. Home Security System

To maximize the safety of your home, you may want to consider getting a home security system. Not only can a home security system protect your belongings, but also it can protect you and your family.

6. Neighbors

Get to know your neighbors so you can better watch out for each other. Then, they can intervene if they see people moving things out of your house when you’re not there, but they know from recent conversations that you aren’t moving. Plus, crime prevention aside, it’s always nice having friends in the neighborhood.

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You Need a Smart Garage Door Controller

As you’ve been looking into smart home features you could add to your home, you’ve probably read about many of the standard products like smart lights and smart thermostats. There are numerous lesser-known smart devices you may find useful as well. For example, did you know you can make your garage smart? With a smart garage door controller, you can access your garage door remotely and control it from anywhere.

How A Smart Garage Door Controller Can Help You

Say you’re running late in the morning. Your alarm didn’t go off, and the rest of the morning has been a fiasco. The kids were fighting all through breakfast. One of them let the dog slip past on their way out the door. Thanks to the rain last night, the dog got covered in mud by the time you got to come back inside. You had to clean him up so he wouldn’t track mud all over the house all day. By the time you got that done, you had to fly out of the house so you could get to work.

When you’re partway down the street, you realize you can’t remember if you closed the garage or not. You don’t have time to turn around and check, but you have a smart garage door controller. When it’s safe to do so without breaking any road rules, you check the app. If you find it’s closed, you can go about your day without any worries. Otherwise, you can close it remotely. Then, you will have peace of mind knowing that your garage won’t be open all day and vulnerable to burglars.

How It Can Help Your Family

You’re out when you know your teenager will be leaving for an after-school event soon. She’s old enough to drive herself. However, she frequently neglects to close the garage when she pulls out, no matter how many times you remind her. With your smart garage door controller, you can know when the garage door opens. If the status doesn’t change after a few minutes to show it’s closed again, you can assume your teenager left it open. But no worries. You can close it from the app and know that your home will be secure while both of you are away.

These scenarios might not apply to run specifically, but perhaps you’ve been in similar. If so, and you would like to learn more about how a smart garage door remote can help you, feel free to contact us at 844-904-9473 or request info online.

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Houseplants Even You Can’t Kill

Perhaps while updating your home or your home office to be more eco-friendly, you thought about bringing nature indoors and getting some house plants. That’s turned out to be a better idea in theory than in practice, though. You’ve discovered you’re the exact opposite of Isabela Madrigal. No matter what you try to grow, whether roses or cacti, it’s doomed to die. It’s as though Bruno predicted you’d never have a green thumb. But let’s not talk about your horticultural failures. Instead, let’s talk about things you can do to change your success rate and some houseplants even you can’t kill.

Disclaimer: No plant is invincible. They’re living things, and they have specific needs, but by being aware of those needs, you can avoid killing them. To further ensure your success, the plants we’ll discuss here are more forgiving than other plants. They can handle some neglect and improper treatment.

Why Do Houseplants Die?

A good way to understand how to keep plants alive is by looking at how they die. Plants can get bugs or diseases, which can be at no fault of your own and difficult to treat. Two of the most common human-caused culprits of plant death are well within your control, though: underwatering and overwatering.

Underwatering

Life is busy, and it can be easy to forget about watering your plants. Without water, they will die. To help yourself remember, you can set a reminder on your phone to check the soil.
Why not set a reminder to water it? Watering on a schedule is not as good for your plants as it is to water them when they need it, and it can lead to overwatering.
So how will you know when it’s time to water your plant based on the soil? That will depend on your plant. Some only need water after the soil is completely dry. Others need to always be a bit damp. Others yet are somewhere in between. When you get your plant, learn what it needs. If you have multiple varieties, don’t be afraid to take notes so you can keep track of which needs what.

Overwatering

Many plants can recover from not getting enough water. We’ll discuss a few of those later in this article. Far fewer can recover from being overwatered. In addition to making your plant unhealthy, it can cause root rot. To prevent overwatering, you will first want to make sure your plant is in a pot with good drainage. Without drainage, your plant can get waterlogged and develop root rot even if you are watering it properly. After that, it’s back to a matter of learning what your plant needs.

Sound complicated? It doesn’t have to be. Here are six low-maintenance houseplants even you can’t kill.

Pothos

Pothos, also known as Devil’s Ivy, is a versatile plant you can get creative with. You can plant it in a regular pot, have it creep up a poll, or make a wall covering by placing it on your landing and letting the vines grow down the wall by your staircase. It gets the name Devils Ivy because it grows well even in undesirable conditions and is hard to kill. This can be problematic in the wild, but as a houseplant, it’s to your advantage.

Pothos likes to have indirect sun, and you don’t need to water it until it’s partially dry. However, it can survive in darker spaces like a windowless office. It can also survive some neglect if you forget to water it occasionally. Unless there is severe root rot, you can save it if you find out you’ve overwatered it.
It’s the perfect plant for the black-thumbed gardener, but it might not be the best plant for a pet owner. It’s toxic, so if you have pets with a tendency to eat plants, you will want to consider a different plant.

Chinese Money Plant

If you’re looking for a pet-safe plant that’s easy to grow, Chinese Money Plants could be the plant for you. They can’t take as much of a beating as pothos or some of the other plants mentioned in this article, but we wanted to include at least some pet-friendly options. Chinese Money Plants are at least low maintenance, and if you treat them right, you won’t kill them.
Keep it in bright, indirect light, and water it when the soil is nearly dry (about once a week). Chinese money plants are said to bring good luck, so perhaps that luck will extend to your plant care success.

ZZ Plant

Native to Zanzibar and Eastern Africa, these plants are nearly indestructible. They can survive drought and only need water about once a month. They do best in bright to moderate light, but they can tolerate low light, making them another good office plant. ZZ plants are not pet-friendly.

Snake Plant

If you’ve ever seen a snake standing upright, it’s not difficult to see how snake plants got their name. They’re also known as Saint George’s sword and mother-in-law’s tongue due to the sharpness of the leaves. These plants like being watered after the soil dries out, but they can tolerate being forgotten about and can go around a month without water. Place your snake plant in full sun or partial shade and somewhere your pets can’t get to it.

Peace Lily

Peace lilies have white “flowers” that can bloom up to twice a year. The petal is actually a leaf called a “bract,” and the flowers are on the lumpy spike, called the “spadix.” If you tend to overwater your plants, peace lilies could be good for you. They can handle excess water to an extent. Just make sure the pot has good drainage. Otherwise, it could get waterlogged and develop root rot. Peace lilies prefer to be watered whenever the top of the soil is dry. If you’re someone who tends to forget to water houseplants, you won’t need to set a phone reminder because your plant will remind you itself. When the leaves start drooping, it’s time for a drink. These are not pet-friendly.

Bamboo

With bamboo, you never need to worry about over watering or under watering again because it grows in water. Fill the container you’re going to plant your bamboo in with stones. Then, fill the container with filtered or distilled water. Regular tap water may have chemicals that will harm the bamboo. From there, it’s more like taking care of a fish tank than a plant, minus feeding fish. Replace the water once a week and clean the container every few months to prevent algae. Bamboo requires little attention and can grow in most light conditions, and it’s pet safe.

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How to Give Kids Access to the Alarm System

The debate of how old kids should be before they get a smartphone is as old as smartphones themselves and isn’t going away any time soon. Perhaps you’ve decided the best decision for your family is to wait until the kids are older before getting them smartphones. If you have a security system with an app, you’ll need to ensure your kids have the access they need without a smartphone. There are several ways to give kids access to the alarm system that don’t involve the app.

1. Control Panels

In many cases, the easiest solution to give kids access to the alarm system may be to have the kids use the main control panel for arming and disarming the security system. You can simply move the control panel to the door they use most. What if you prefer to use the main control panel over the app? It’s more readily accessible than the extra steps of pulling out your phone and navigating to an app. If that is the case and depending on the setup of your home, having the kids use the main control panel may not be the ideal option.

Chances are, you have the control panel by the garage since you primarily go out this way, and the kids use the front door the most since they walk home from school and friends’ houses. Whenever they get home, they would need to hurry across the house to where the control panel is and disarm the alarm before it goes off. As a simpler alternative, you could keep the main control panel where you want it for you and add a secondary control panel somewhere more accessible for the kids.

2. Wireless Keypad

A wireless keypad is a simpler version of a secondary control panel. It doesn’t have as many controls as the main and secondary control panels. However, if you only need to give your kids easy access to basic arming and disarming of the alarm system, this could be a good option for you.

3. Wireless Key Fob

This option is like your car’s key remote. Four simple buttons on the wireless key fob give the user access to the alarm system’s key features—arm system in away mode, arm system in stay mode, disarm, and a siren. For some, this would be the ideal level of convenience. There’s no need to position additional panels in easy-to-access locations or punch in codes when your kids can do it at the press of a button. Of course, you’ll need to determine if this is a good option for your family. If you have a kid who constantly loses things, getting them another small thing to misplace might not be the best route.

Perhaps you could say designing the perfect home security system is almost as subjective as the decision of when to get cell phones for your kids. That’s why WISE Home Solutions offers customizable plans, making it possible to get everything you want and nothing you don’t need. If you would like additional information on how we can help you design the perfect home security system for you and your family, contact us at 844-904-9473 or request info online.

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You Need Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon on its own is safe and even vital to life. On the other hand, when something breaks down to form molecules of one carbon atom combined with one oxygen atom, this creates a substance that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and toxic. No, not Iocane powder, though carbon and oxygen combined could also defeat someone in a battle of wits. Rather, it forms a gas known as carbon monoxide (CO).

The Silent Killer

When someone inhales carbon monoxide, it displaces the oxygen in the victim’s body, which can lead to oxygen deprivation and death. Since people can’t detect carbon monoxide on their own and it’s easy to confuse the symptoms of CO poisoning with flu symptoms, it has earned the nickname ” the silent killer.” You may not know you have carbon monoxide poisoning until it’s too late.
The first step of combating a danger is to know where it comes from. In the case of carbon monoxide, it’s more common than you may think. CO is a byproduct of combustion, so anything that uses combustion as an energy source can produce CO. If you have any gas-powered appliances, indoor fireplaces, a gas furnace, or a gas water heater, you have sources of CO in your home. Most of the time, these devices are safe, and vents carry any dangerous gasses out of the home, but if there’s a leak, you have a problem.

Protecting Your Home

If CO is undetectable to people, how do you know if there’s a leak? You get something that can detect it. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends installing carbon monoxide detectors on each floor of a residence and outside sleeping areas. When installing your detectors, it is commonly recommended to place them on a wall about five feet above the floor. Don’t install them near windows, in humid areas like a bathroom, in direct sunlight, or by fans and vents.

After you’ve installed your carbon monoxide detectors, they aren’t something you can set and forget. You will want to test and clean them regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and it is generally recommended to change the batteries every six months. If you forget, your detector will beep to remind you. Some detectors have a different pattern for if the alert indicates a battery reminder or a leak warning. Learn how your detectors work so you can know the difference.

Beep!

Your carbon monoxide detectors went off in the middle of the night, and it’s not the battery reminder sequence. There’s a CO leak. It’s what you wanted to protect yourself against but hoped you would never have to deal with. What do you do now?

1. Get all people and pets out of the house. This will ensure you are in a well-ventilated space with fresh air.
2. Call emergency services and report that the alarm has gone off.
3. Do not reenter the house until the emergency responders have declared the premise safe.

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Make Your Sliding Glass Door Safer

People tend to put great effort into making sure their front door is secure. Most have a keyed entry doorknob and dead a bolt. Then, some upgrade to smart locks and install a video doorbell for extra safety. Others may add burglar bars. Yet, with all this attention to front door security, many overlook the vulnerability of the glass sliding door in the back. Most glass is simple to break, the basic latch locks are easy to finagle, and they can be pulled off the track from outside. So what can you do to make your sliding glass door safer and less of a target? Here are five ideas.

1. Blocking Bar

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but people still use it as a way of making a sliding glass door safer because it’s still effective. Get a stick that is half an inch shorter than the distance between the door and the door jamb and place it in the track. This will prevent anyone from sliding the door open, even if they managed to disable the lock. You can make one as simple as getting a cheap broom, cutting off the handle, and making the right size. If you would prefer a more aesthetic option, you can find decorative blocking bars online.

The main downside to blocking bars is that it can be annoying or difficult for some people to bend down and remove the bar whenever they want to go out the door, especially if you use the door frequently. (Looking at you, cat. Do you want to be in or out? Make up your mind already). If you want a solution that is more convenient in the long run and don’t mind a slightly more involved installation, you could install a security bar. These are higher up and swing up and down to block and unblock the door.

2. Alternative Lock System

As an alternate solution or in addition to barricading the door, you could upgrade the latch to a better lock. A double bolt lock especially will be far more secure than a basic latch and make your sliding glass door safer.

3. Get a Security System

Burglars are more likely to target homes without a security system, so getting a security system and placing the cameras and ya­rd sign in conspicuous locations automatically makes your home safer.

4. Door Sensor

As part of your home security package, install a door sensor on your sliding door. This way, you will always know when someone goes in or out while you are home, and it will trigger the alarm system if someone opens the door while you are away and have the alarm armed. Additionally, should someone try removing the door from the track to get in, they will move the sensor, and it will likewise notify you or trigger the alarm.

5. Glass Break Sensor

An easy way for a burglar to bypass a door sensor would be to simply break the glass, but if you install a glass break sensor, it will also trigger the alarm should the would-be burglar try this.

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Four Smart Home Devices You Need to Make Your Home Safe for Kids

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With the ability to change the color and texture of their skin, octopuses can expertly blend in with their surroundings. They are masters of evasion that can swim at speeds up to 25 mph in short bursts when they need to make a quick escape, and they can squeeze through spaces as small as an inch in diameter. They could be considered one of the most elusive creatures on Earth, though parents may argue that a small child bursting with energy is far more difficult to keep track of even when you devote your full attention to them.

It can be frustrating when we put so much into making sure our kids are well-cared for and safe, but it feels like they’re trying to be little masters of evasion so they can get into trouble. Luckily, there are technologies today that can help. If you have young children, here are four smart home devices you need to make your home safe for kids.

1. Door Sensors

After all that work you put into childproofing your house to make it safe for kids, you may find that your kids have figured out how to get past your cabinet locks. This probably won’t happen when they’re very young. However, they’re inevitably going to reach an age where they’re still young enough you don’t want them getting into the cleaning supplies, medicine cabinet, and other areas, but they’re old and clever enough that no child lock is going to be a hindrance.

When this time comes, you may want to install door sensors on the cabinets and doors to areas you’ve told your kids are a no-no. Then, when they get curious and go exploring while you’re not looking, you’ll get an alert that they’ve opened the cabinet or door, and you can intervene before they can cause any trouble.

2. Smart Locks

When your kids get old enough to come and go on their own, you may want to give them a way of getting in and out of the house on their own. That way, if you intended to return from the store before they get home from school but you’re stuck in traffic, they won’t be stuck out in the snow until you arrive to let them in. You could give them a house key, but chances are, they’ll forget to take it with them or they’ll lose it. As an easier, more reliable alternative, you could get a smart lock. Then, your kids don’t have to keep track of keys. you can simply give them a code that’s easy to remember, and they can use that.

Do you have a social butterfly who tends to be blabby? Chances are, you know they wouldn’t be able to keep code or secret no matter how much you emphasize the importance of not telling anyone, and you don’t want all their friends to have easy access to your house. In this case, you could get a smart lock with fingerprint recognition. These usually have a code option, too, but there’s no need to share the code with your kids. They can simply get in with their finger.

Another advantage of smart locks is that you don’t need to worry about if your kids remember to lock the door when they leave. Some smart locks have an auto-lock feature, and you can program the door to automatically lock after a set interval. If you don’t have a lock with an auto-lock feature, you may be able to manually check the app on your phone and lock the door remotely if you find the kids forgot.

3. Interior Cameras

Usually, we think of security cameras as a way of combating outside threats. They can also be a good way of making sure your family is safe while they’re inside the home. You can’t be in the same room as them all the time. Even if you could, you’d still need a break on occasion.

Maybe you get together with some friends for game night, and you send all the kids to play together in the playroom while the grownups play their tabletop RPG. While your party is fighting a dragon, you can check the cameras every now and then to make sure the kids aren’t fighting amongst themselves. On another occasion, you and your partner could be out for date night, and you’ve recently found a new babysitter. You could check the cameras here and there to make sure things are going okay at home.

4. Robotic Vacuum

Especially when kids are younger, they like putting things in their mouths. You don’t want them making a snack out of something bad they found on the ground before you can intervene. Instead, at the press of a button or a command to the voice assistant your robotic vacuum connects with, you can send your robotic vacuum to eliminate any small pebbles that got tracked into the house, those leaves your house plant dropped, and so forth before your kids find them.

You could vacuum manually, but a robotic vacuum saves you time when you’re already swamped. Plus, you won’t run into the dilemma of cleaning taking twice as long when your kids decide they want to help. Now, you’re not just vacuuming the floor. You’re dodging the kid who keeps running in front of the vacuum and minding the cord so your kids don’t trip on it. If you have a robotic vacuum, you can take your kids to a different part of the house and play with them while the vacuum does the work. Your kids are safe and out of the way of the vacuum, and you have one less chore to worry about.

The less you have to worry about, the more time you have to enjoy raising your family. They grow up fast, almost as fast as technology changes. For now, use the technology currently available to make your job as a parent easier and to keep your kids safer.

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Maximize Productivity with These Home Office Hacks

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Most of 2020 was a dumpster fire that we will not speak of, but it led to a notable trend in the workforce we will acknowledge, specifically the growing popularity of remote jobs and the increasing availability of remote positions. Recent studies have shown working from home to be more productive, especially if employees use strategies to maximize productivity. One of these is to ensure you have a good home office space. Perhaps you recently got a new remote position, or you have been remote for a while and are looking for ways of improving. Whatever the case, here are some life hacks on how to design a home office space that will maximize productivity.

1. Have a Separate Workspace

Our brains come to associate different places with different things, depending on what we use them for. When you’re working from home, blurring the lines can be tempting and problematic. You may find yourself thinking it would be more comfortable to work on your bed, but this area is associated with sleep rather than work, so you will be more inclined to get tired or have trouble concentrating. On the flip side, if you train yourself to work sitting on your bed, you may find yourself having a harder time sleeping at night since your brain will think it’s time to be awake and working.

What about curling up on the couch with your laptop, then? Well… That also might not be the best idea. Since couches are generally used for watching movies and other relaxing activities, your brain will think it’s time to relax and won’t want to focus on work. The kitchen table or counter? That could work, but you’ll likely find yourself wanting to snack throughout the day since you’re where you go when it’s time to eat.

So where can you work to maximize productivity? You will want to set up an area designated for work, but if you have limited space and don’t have an entire room to turn into a home office, you can use a room for multiple purposes. Just make sure there’s a separate space for each. Pick a corner in your bedroom, kitchen, or living room and set up a desk. If you’re very limited on space, folding tables are a great way of conserving space while still giving yourself a separate workspace.

2. Get Comfortable

You don’t have to be on a cozy couch to be comfortable during your workday. Invest in a good chair, and keep ergonomics in mind. You may even want to look into a standing desk if you see yourself doing better when you aren’t sitting as much. If needed, get a taller computer monitor or a stand for your existing one. Your neck will thank you if the screen is at eye level.

After you have your basic setup, consider lighting. You will want your space to be well-lit and to maximize natural lighting. Not only will this help you better stay alert throughout the day, but it will also help you sleep better at night.

You will also want to ensure you are working in a comfortable temperature. Most studies agree that temperature affects productivity, but few agree on what the ideal temperature for productivity should be, so determine what works best for you. If you find yourself needing to change the temperature during the day and you have a smart thermostat, you won’t need to step away from your work to adjust it. You can quickly do so from the app on your phone and then get back to what you were doing.

3. Minimize Distractions

Another smart home hack to maximize productivity would be to get a video doorbell as a way of minimizing distractions. Without a video doorbell, when you hear the door ring on a day you’re expecting a food delivery, you will be inclined to step away from your work to answer the door. Then, when you find out it’s not the DoorDash driver but a solicitor, you have to politely get them to go away before you can go back to your workspace and resume what you were doing. It’s a hassle and takes up time you could be using more productively. With a video doorbell, when the doorbell rings, you can quickly check to see if it’s something you need to take a brief break for or if you can ignore it and resume.

You may find yourself contending with other external distractions if you live in a loud area or aren’t the only person home during the day. Unwanted noise can make it difficult for you to concentrate on your work, but it can often be decreased or eliminated using sound-reducing panels or noise-canceling headphones.

You don’t have to work in a bland, quiet area to maximize productivity, though. Get some tunes going if you’ve found that helps you and it works for your job, and feel free to add some decorations to personalize your workspace. However, you will want to avoid clutter, which can draw your attention and distract you from your work. Consider getting a few plants. These are great decorations that will improve productivity in addition to air quality.

After you’ve designed a home office space to improve the quality of your workday, don’t be afraid to add or change things down the road. It’s your workspace, so make it yours.

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Have More Fun This Season with These Four Winter Activities

Light is a common tradition among winter holidays and festivals—the lights on a Christmas tree, the candles on a menorah or kinara, Bodhi Day string lights, and Yule logs, to name a few. Perhaps this is in part because, in the darkest months of the year, people have wanted to add light. As we enter what are also the coldest months, you can make them warmer by adding some fun. Here’s a list of four winter activities to get you started.

1. Snow Siege

If you live in a place that gets snow, you’ve probably participated in a snowball fight. If you want to take it a step further, you could have a snow siege. Like capture the flag, both teams have a base—in this case, a snow fort—and an item the players need to defend. You could use a flag, or you could find something wintery like a scarf or double holiday decoration.
Instead of tagging players like in capture the flag, they throw snowballs at each other (you will want to establish rules about how hard and where players can throw snowballs so that no one gets pelted in the face by the little league baseball pitcher). If a player gets hit, they need to return to their fort and make a snow angel before reentering the game. Whoever takes the opposite team’s flag and brings it back to their snow fort wins.

It could be a fun activity for the whole family, or it’s something the kids would enjoy but you’d rather not. In that case, you could stay inside and do something warmer. If you have outdoor cameras, you can keep an eye on the kids without needing to leave your project. They should know this is a friendly competition, but if it turns into a fight, you can intervene.

2. Gingerbread Cookies

For those who are against going out in the cold and want winter activities that don’t involve freezing, here’s one for date night, a family activity, or a baking project you can do on your own. Making gingerbread houses is a common tradition, but it’s often tricky to construct the house without it falling apart. They can also be wasteful. You bake the cookie for the house and buy the candy needed to decorate it. Then, you use it as a decoration, only to throw it away at the end of the season. Some people eat them, but when cookies and candy sit out for days, they tend to get hard and nasty. If there are pets in the home, eating the gingerbread house is an even more questionable decision. It could have fur on it, and the pet might have licked it to sample this offering from its humans.

As a yummier, less wasteful option, you could decorate gingerbread cookies. You could go with the traditional gingerbread men or get creative with the cookie cutters you have around. A basic circle could become a snowman’s head, and why not pull out those animal cookie cutters while you’re at it? Just don’t eat the cat and dog-shaped cookies in front of your pets if you think it will make them nervous.

3. Share the Joy

If you make more cookies than you know what to do with, you could turn it into a family outing and deliver some to friends and neighbors. If someone isn’t home but they have a video doorbell, you can leave the cookies on the porch and give a quick greeting to their camera so they know who the cookies are from when they get home later.

4. Movie Night

After you’ve had a snow siege or delivered cookies, you might decide it’s time for something warmer. Make some hot chocolate and curl up with some blankets for a movie night (blankets are optional but recommended for maximum coziness). You could watch a Christmas classic or have a Lord of the Rings marathon in commemoration of the first movie’s 20th anniversary this month.

However you decide to enjoy the winter, we at WISE Home solutions wish you the happiest of holidays.

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