Hiring a Company to Improve Your Home's Plumbing

You might have recently moved into a house with a very old and outdated plumbing system. This could become a huge problem for you and your family down the road if you do not take immediate steps to update and improve all of your home's plumbing. This will obviously be a very large job. Therefore, you should only trust a very experienced plumbing company to perform this task. So how do you go about finding a great plumber who will be capable of correctly updating all of the plumbing in your home? Here are some tips that you can use during your search.

1. Only hire a plumbing company that is licensed.

Unfortunately, there are many plumbers who do not have a valid license or insurance. This puts all of their customers at risk. Unlicensed plumbers will most likely have not passed all of the tests or received the training that is required to receive a plumbing license. This means that there is a greater possibility of an unlicensed plumber making a serious mistake that causes major damage to your home. Many people knowingly hire an unlicensed plumber to work on their home because it will cost them much less money. However, going the cheap route where your plumbing is concerned will inevitably come back to haunt you later. 

2. You also need to verify that the plumbing company is covered by insurance.

Hiring a plumbing company that is not covered by insurance could be financially devastating for you. A plumbing company's insurance will cover the cost of repairing any damage that they do while they are working on your home. Needless to say, it will be a bad situation if the plumber you hire damages your home and you later find out that he is uninsured. Do not take the plumber's word for it that he is licensed and insured. Ask to see their license and proof of insurance coverage. Make sure you look carefully at the date to see if both the license and insurance are valid. Do not let the plumbing company begin their work on your home until their license and insurance have both been verified.

3. Has the plumbing company handled a job this big before?

Improving all of the plumbing in your home is not the same as running a snake to unclog a toilet. It takes a great deal of skill and experience. Not all plumbing companies can handle jobs that are very large in scale. Therefore, you need to make sure that you clearly explain to the company what will be involved in the job you need them to perform. They can then decline the job if they will not be able to do it. This is much better than having the plumbing company come to your home and then discovering that they are not equipped to replace all of your plumbing.

4. Do you have any friends or family members who can recommend a plumber to you?

You should ask around to get some references for a plumber who can handle hot water heating repairs Toronto. The best place to get these references is from people who you already know and trust. Friends and family members will have no ulterior motives for recommending a specific plumber to you. You can get the names of some talented plumbers simply by calling the people you know. You should also consider talking to the people you work with. 

5. What is the plumber's rating with the Canadian Better Business Bureau (CBBB)?

You should also take a look at all of the info that the CBBB has regarding any plumber you are thinking about hiring. You will be able to see if the plumbing company has had any complaints or lawsuits filed against them. This is a great way to avoid working with a plumber who will be nothing but trouble. On the other hand, you will be able to see many plumbing companies on the CBBB website that have a very high rating. These are the companies that you should seriously consider hiring to improve the plumbing in your home. Call several plumbers to compare their rates.

What to pay attention to when shopping for your perfect wedding shoes

With all the chaos and stress before your wedding day and so many tasks to tend to, many brides tend to neglect shopping for shoes and leave this task last. While there’s no doubt that it’s really difficult to organize yourself properly and avoid procrastination during the wedding preparations, shoes are actually one of the more important tasks. A nice pair will not only complete your whole bridal look but provide you with comfort and lightness of foot during the ceremony and reception.

Buy your shoes on time

No matter how busy you are, you have to make time and visit a few stores when searching for your wedding shoes, at least a couple of months before the wedding day. This is very important if you want to find a pair that would match your wedding gown perfectly as well as be comfortable on your feet. Moreover, you definitely need some time to break the shoes in, so make sure to check this step in time.

Try as many shoes as you need

Never buy your wedding shoes hastily. Take the time to visit different stores. There’s no rule that says you have to buy shoes in the same place as your wedding gown. If you look around, there’s better chance of finding the perfect pair that would go great with your wedding dress. Not to mention that there’s always a possibility of saving money simply by shopping around.

What’s comfortable for you

The wedding day is indeed a special day but that doesn’t mean that you have to force yourself into wearing shoes you’re not used to. On the contrary, you should focus your attention on finding shoes that match your general style and comfort zone. Finding shoes with small heels or flats that are still pretty elegant and gorgeous is easier than ever, with so many choices available in the stores. Still, if you’re used to wearing heels then, by all means, go for them, but still make sure that your feet feel secure and safe.

Consider your theme

Wedding themes are getting more and more interesting and bride and groom often incorporate certain details in their outfits in order to match the wedding’s splendor. Most often, the details are related to a colour scheme and the best way for a bride to incorporate this trend into her look is by wearing bold-coloured shoes. White and ivory are definitely not the only colours when it comes to wedding shoes so you might want to think about what pop of colour would be perfect for your wedding day as well.

The value of practicality

Before you decide to buy the most extravagant and glamorous pair of shoes, think about the value you’re getting for the money. The rising trend when it comes to wedding shoes in Australia is actually picking the shoes that would be wearable for many different occasions later on. That way you will get your money’s worth and successfully add to your wardrobe with an additional good-quality pair of shoes. In this regard you might want to rethink buying bright white shoes but actually opt for ivory, champagne, nude or some other colours that would match more outfits. 

Remember, buying shoes for your wedding day is as important as buying your dress. Apart from finding your perfect style shoes you also have to search for comfort which can take some time. Still, patience and stress-relieving techniques during the period prior to the wedding can greatly improve your mood and encourage you to finish up all the tasks as soon as possible as well as to organize your schedule more efficiently.

Make extra income as a DJ

Being a DJ requires more than just making a good playlist. You have to really know music and how to read the crowd. Equipment can be expensive, but a lot of DJs work from their laptops nowadays. But this may be the perfect side hustle for you!

First you will need equipment, and this mixer seems to be one of the best.

If you've been mixing with analog consoles for a long time, the idea of switching to an all-digital format might seem kind of frightening, but the Behringer X32 Digital Mixing Console makes the transition from analog to digital an easy one. The 32-channel X32 gives you all the controls you're familiar with from the analog boards you're used to, and merges them with digital mixing advantages including total mix recall, built-in FireWire/ USB/ ADAT expansion, virtual FX rack, high-resolution 7" color display and more. Additionally, you will be availed of firmware updates that constantly add capacity to your X32. As of fall 2016, Behringer has added the following features:

Auto-mix on first 8 input channels.
X-TOUCH control over X32
Crossover filters added to main left/right mix and main mono bus.
Phase inversion added on routing page to all outputs.
New X32 Edit GUI.
X32 Edit can go full screen.
X32 Edit can open multiple windows and use multiple screens.
X32 Edit now has two user definable banks of faders.

You could make a minimum of $100 per gig so if your into being a DJ it is worth a second look as a side hustle.

Yamaha YBP80 DLX Portable Bag for P80/90 Keyboard

Now that the kids are back in school it is time to get all our extra curricular activities scheduled and ready to go. Whether your child is into skating, hockey, baseball, swimming or music each has its own equipment or assorted gear needed for the task at hand. If you have a musician on your hands that travels back and forth with a keyboard then it is always a good idea to keep that expensive piece of equipment in a safe space.

With the Yamaha YBP80 DLX Portable Bag for P80/90 Keyboard you can travel easily as much as you need to with out ever worrying that something might happen along the way. The yamaha p80 has a soft handle and compact profile that makes the bag easy to transport your Yamaha P80 from gig to gig. The bag's tear-resistant skin and extra thick padding cushion your instrument in a safe environment. 2 exterior pockets accommodate cables, music, and accessories.

Brick-or-Treat event at LEGOLAND

Halloween is one of the most eagerly anticipated nights of the year for children of all ages.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre shares that enthusiasm so it’s once again bringing back it’s Halloween celebrations this October with the popular Brick-or-Treat event!

Every Saturday and Sunday in October, little ghosts and mummies can experience themed decor, spooky entertainment, costume contests, building contests, scavenger hunts and much more, all included in the price of admission.

DATES: Every Saturday and Sunday in October

TIMES: All Day

Children are invited to jump inside the World's Spookiest Box of LEGO® bricks and join in on the Halloween inspired activities such as:

•          Haunted Display Challenge

•          Spooky Creative Build

•          Monster Mash Scavenger Hunt in Toronto MINILAND

•          BOO Crew Costume Contest

If you would like to learn more about LEGOLAND®Discovery Centre's Brick-or-Treat event, please visithttps://www.legolanddiscoverycentre.ca/toronto/news-events/event/13845/brick-or-treat.aspx.

Charlotte and the Mysterious Vanishing Place

Author and military vet Charles A. Salter released another of his children's books from the Kare Kids Adventures. The second book in the series, Charlotte and the Mysterious Vanishing Place (Outskirts Press, Ages 8-12).

Featuring strong, independent and responsible characters, the book teaches kids (and their parents) the importance of independent-thinking in real world situations. Charles makes sure that each story shuns magic or superheroes and instead focuses on mysteries with true explanations.

About the Book:One day, nine-year-old Charlotte has two surprises—she notices a patch of the forest slowly vanishing and discovers a lost puppy caught in a bramble bush.  She rescues it and takes it home. Returning to the woods, she notes the sinking area getting wider and deeper. Her parents and the authorities caution her to stay away, but Charlotte worries the sinking will allow other puppies to escape the kennel and get lost, too. When another puppy escapes and becomes trapped in the now enormous sinkhole,  Charlotte can find no one else to help it. As a fierce rainstorm arises, and the fallen tree the pups cling to begins to disappear through the opening at the center of the sinkhole, she realizes it is up to her to save the pups.

Can she rescue the pups and get out herself before the giant sinkhole swallows everything?

Get your copy from Amazon!

Man With Child by Marc Kuritz

We’re told that less than one percent of American fathers are full-time dads. Every good dad is a full-time dad. But it does make a difference what shift you take.

I happened to take the day shift…

Hel-lo Mommies, hel-lo Mommies, hel-lo Mommies, we’re glad you’re here today.

Hel-lo Grandmas, hel-lo Grandmas, hel-lo Grandmas, we’re glad you’re here today.

Hel-lo Nannies, hel-lo Nannies, hel-lo Nannies, we’re glad you’re here today.

And hel-lo Daddy, hel-lo Daddy, hel-lo Daddy, we’re glad you’re here today.

That’s Ms. Jennifer’s music class greeting song. That last line is her and the preschoolers singing to me. After grandmas. And nannies.

On preparing for parenthood

”…Sure, paint the baby’s room and register at Babies“R”Us. Read some parenting books and fiddle with the car seat. It will keep you busy, but it will be about as relevant to parenting as the rhythm method is to contraception…”

On crashing the party

”…what are the rules for a full-time daddy in a mommy’s world? There are none. Just by being there, you are defying the expectations, Daddy-O. By all means break the mold. Just tread with patience, courtesy, and a healthy indifference to social discomfort…”

Man With Child is the travelogue of a full-time daddy in a mommy’s world.

For daddies and daddies-to-be, here are some observations, warnings, and minor revelations. For mommies who stare at daddies as if to say “What were you thinking?” here is one dad’s answer. Both mommies and daddies will find insights about each other’s perspectives—with plenty of laughs along the way!

Purchase your copy on Amazon!

About the Author

Marc Kuritz is the cheese. Daughter Dessa often pulls Mom Kathy and Dad together for a group hug, declaring herself The Cheese. Sometimes the dogs go along, nosing in, Sammi the big American bulldog and Ajax the elderly, pleading Lab mix. But the poorly kept family secret is that Marc is the cheese. Before the cheese, there was an early career in politics and public policy. Marc might say that his values continue to be served by helping collective human energy achieve constructive common purpose. He might not say that fifteen years in politics equipped him to deal with temper tantrums, sharing issues, and refusal to play well with others-in other words, to be a parent. Consulting to nonprofit entities followed. Marc specialized in needs assessments, program planning, design, evaluation, and resource development. In other words, helping well-intentioned people focus ever-scarce time, energy, and dollars in order to do better at doing good. Marc might admit that consulting was not like parenting only because the clients could fire you and they usually didn't cry when they peed their pants. Today Marc is a rare-book seller, with an established presence in the antiquarian book trade and a worldwide clientele. Unlike children, good books stay where you put them, cultivate humility without humiliating you in public, and are patient while you try to figure them out. In time not allotted to working, parenting, and volunteering, Marc is a competitive fencer. Marc aspires to be a warrior poet, but he is just the cheese.

DON'T WAIT - CHECK THE DATE OF SMOKE ALARMS

West Kelowna Fire Rescue challenges all West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation residents to check the expiry dates of your smoke alarms heading into Fire Prevention Week, October 9 – 15. Smoke alarms wear out over time and need to be replaced as recommended by the manufacturer - usually 10 years.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue also reminds you that smoke alarms are required on every storey of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Test all of your smoke alarms monthly by pushing the test button on the alarm, and replace batteries at least twice a year or when the alarm’s low battery signal begins to chirp.

The theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week is “Don’t Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years.” In support of this year’s campaign, West Kelowna Fire Rescue and Westbank First Nation personnel will be delivering this message at two mobile home parks starting September 27 and continuing throughout Fire Prevention week from October 9 to 15.

Since battery-operated alarms require more frequent maintenance, and are easily disabled, fire personnel will be installing 10 year lithium alarms as needed in residences.

West Kelowna Value Village Opens

Back to school expenses are on the rise and Halloween is on its way so how do parents get through it all without spending a small fortune? Value Village! Now open in West Kelowna for happy shoppers everywhere!

Yesterday I had an opportunity to shop the store and it was fantastic! Savings can be found throughout and I was able to get some really great items.

• Brand new ladies leggings
• Ladies top
• 1 pair girls winter boots
• 1 pair boys shoes 
• 1 boys sweater
• 1 boys pants
• 1 container of art supplies
• Baby doll
• Little people play set
• 1 package of assorted toys
• 1 package of Tech Decks
• 1 Halloween skull decoration

This made for some happy kids and a happy mom, I got something for all of us and it cost a fraction of the price if I would have bought brand new. 

About Value Village:

o   Value Village is a thrift retailer that offers quality, affordable clothing and household goods in a clean, department store-like setting.

o   Reuse is our reason for being, and we have been extending the life of goods for more than 60 years.

o   Together with our nonprofit partners, our stores divert more than 650 million pounds of used goods from landfills each year by putting these goods into the hands of people who will give them a new life or making sure they are properly reused or recycled.

o   With more than 100,000 items on its sales floor at any given time, and carrying everything from clothing and accessories, to housewares and electronics, Value Village is no ordinary thrift store.

o   Customers will find a fresh stock of value-priced goods, including authentic vintage finds and name brand fashions, with up to 10,000 new items placed on the floor each day.

o   By donating and shopping for clothes at Value Village, people in the community can integrate going green into their everyday lives, organize their homes and closets, and score unique fashion finds – all while helping to support the missions of Value Village’s local nonprofit partners.

Halloween Specific:

·         Value Village is the ultimate Halloween destination for creating unique, fun, fashionable or frightening costumes for the whole family and for every budget. 

Value & Selection

o   You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a memorable Halloween!

o   From new Halloween accessories starting at just $1.99 to licensed movie characters, authentic uniforms and wedding dresses – we truly have it all.

o   Value Village gives shoppers the most cost-effective and creative options under one roof with the widest selection of affordable new and gently used costumes, accessories and seasonal home décor.

Mixing New & Used

o   Customers can pull pieces from our endless aisles of secondhand clothing to build costumes from scratch, or choose costumes, wigs and accessories from our selection of new seasonal merchandise. 

Costume Consultants & Resources

o   Value Village has specially trained Costume Consultants in each store ready to help shoppers put together one-of-a-kind looks that will stand out this Halloween.

o   Value Village also offers a wide variety of creative costume ideas, makeup tutorial videos and DIY inspiration for Halloween home décor on our website (www.valuevillage.com) and on our social channels (Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook).

The #IGiveaShirt Campaign:

·         Each year, people consume over 80 billion pieces of clothing, causing the clothing industry to become one of the world’s biggest polluters.

·         This back-to-school shopping season (the second-busiest shopping period behind the December holidays), Value Village is challenging people to come together to save 700 million gallons of water through one simple act: replacing one new t-shirt purchase with a thrifted one. If Value Village gets 1 million people to choose a thrifted t-shirt in place of a new one, it’ll be the equivalent of saving over 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of water, before the first bell rings. 

·         A few small decisions about what you wear can make a huge difference for the planet. By making the choice to shop thrift, people can save up to 700 gallons of water that would go into one new cotton t-shirt and 1,800 gallons of water that would go into making a pair of jeans.

·         And donating your clothes to Value Village’s nonprofit partners, instead of ditching them, can help keep hundreds of millions of tons of reusable clothing from piling up in our landfills every year. You can visit www.rethinkreuse.ca to learn more about Value Village’s Rethink Reuse campaign and #IGiveaShirt.

Prevent fire in your home with these amazing fire safety tips

Everyone wants to live in a safe and worry-free environment; the need to stay on the safe side is amplified in situations where people have families, a spouse, and children. And while no one is thinking about safety on daily basis, potential misfortunes and accidents are lurking around constantly and can potentially take lives and destroy property.

Death from fire in residential areas mostly occurs because of inhalation of toxic gas, rather than contact with the flames. The good news is that, if you have enough knowledge on the matter, you can prevent this from happening to you or your family.

This guide will help you focus attention on the dangers of fire and help you find ways to fight it.

General Fire Prevention Tips

• Be advised against plugging too many appliances into one electrical outlet.
• Move combustibles away from stoves, heaters, and fireplaces.
• Never leaving a burning cigarette in an ashtray and/or smoke in bed or overstuffed furniture.
• Throw away all damaged and/or frayed electrical/extension cords; otherwise, you might be tempted to use them.
• Don’t let children play with matches and lighters, and keep them away.
• Never use extension cords with air conditioning or heating equipment.
• Purchase smoke alarms and fire extinguishers for your home, preferably each floor.

Have an Emergency Escape Plan

Regardless of you living in a house or flat, develop an emergency exit plan and practice it often (at least two times a year) with your family. Aside from the main plan, you should have an alternate one, just in case.

Your most obvious and first choice (the door) may be blocked by fire which is why you should have a smart plan on other exits.

• Escape through the window.
• Make sure that screens or storm windows are easily removed.
• Have an escape ladder for each occupied bedroom of your home, especially if you live in a multiple-story home.
• Purchase escape ladders and keep them stored under a bed or in a closet.

It is very important to establish a meeting place outside your home where everyone will meet after you’ve escaped. Also, in the event of fire, don’t stop to gather valuables, search for the family pet or get dressed.

NOTE: Once you're out, never re-enter under any circumstances! As soon as you’ve reached the meeting place, call 911 from your cell or neighbor's house. Rely on fire safety services for help, too.

Secure Yourself with Smoke Alarms and Fire Extinguishers

Sometimes, fire can just seep in without you noticing it until heavy smoke starts spreading and the fire’s caught most of the space. This is why purchasing and installing smoke alarms is a must for every home, i.e. for every floor of your home. All members of your home should know how to use the alarms as well as the extinguishers.

Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms should be placed near bedrooms; a preferred place to place them is either on the ceiling or on the wall, six to twelve inches below the ceiling. It’s important to locate smoke alarms away from air vents and test them regularly to ensure that they still work. In case your alarms run on batteries, change the battery every six months when you change your clocks.

Don’t forget to install a smoke alarm in your garage, too.

Often, local codes may require additional alarms so make sure you double-check with your fire department or building code official.

Fire Extinguishers

Every home should be equipped with fire extinguisher in order to guard against small fires or to keep a small fire from developing into a big one. If a fire extinguisher is handy and used properly, fires may be contained effectively. Install fire extinguishers on every level of the home, including the basement and garage. Store a fire extinguisher close to your automatic gate openers as they’ll be visible and easily accessed there.

Fires are traumatizing and frightening, which is why it’s essential you follow through with a serious plan and an attitude that may potentially save your life.

Swago Pie Fest

Strawberry, Pumpkin, Apple, Boysenberry, the list goes on! Craving pie? It's time for SWAGO: Pie Fest! What is SWAGO you ask? It's a bingo-inspired promotion run by Swagbucks, a website that rewards you with points (called SB) for completing everyday online activities. You can redeem those SB for free gift cards. If you've never used Swagbucks, participating in SWAGO is a great introduction to the site.

Here’s what you need to know to get your 300 SB Bonus:

• Swago: Pie Fest will begin on Monday, September 19th at 12pm PDT/3pm EDT, make sure you hit “Join” otherwise you won’t get credit for completing the action items. Each square on your Swago Board will contain an action item to complete.
• Once you complete the action item in a particular square the square will change color signifying the action item is complete.
• You have a limited amount of time to mark off as many squares as possible so use your time wisely.
• Be mindful of the patterns and their corresponding bonuses located on the right of your Swago Board. The patterns will vary in difficulty and bonus value.
• Once you’ve achieved a pattern the corresponding “Submit” button will light up. You can have multiple patterns available for submission, however, you can only submit ONE pattern so choose wisely.
• The game ends Monday, September 26th at 12pm PDT/3pm EDT. So make sure to hit “Submit” on the pattern you wish to submit. If you don’t hit “Submit” before the game ends you won’t receive your SB bonus.

Worried That Debt Will Cost You Your Home? Don’t Start Packing Your Things Just Yet...

            

Being in debt is never enjoyable. However, it can be particularly scary when the thought of losing your home looms. Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that many homeowners fall behind on their mortgage repayments. If you’ve fallen into this trap, it’s only natural to fear the worst. But it doesn’t have to end that way.

There are a variety of methods you can use before downsizing property to clear the debt. Before starting, though, you should realize that the home is only a building. It isn’t the most important thing in your lives. Even if you eventually end up renting, it’s not the end of the world as you know it.

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Nevertheless, fighting for your home is essential. There is no magical overnight solution to overcoming the problems that you’ve let build. But if you’re prepared to put in the effort now, you can salvage the situation. Quite frankly, there’s nothing stronger than the right mindset and determination. If you are going to make those improvements, though, you need to start immediately.

In order to keep the property, you will need to make smaller sacrifices. However, this can be turned into a productive activity. Selling unwanted items from around the property can help you regain space and inject new energy into the home. Financially, it’s only a one-off boost. Nevertheless, you’ll be amazed at how much money you have tied up in those unnecessary assets.

Losing those items that you no longer need should be the priority as you won’t miss them. Then again, downgrading car could be a quick way to gain a significant sum of cash. You have to do what is comfortable for you. Ultimately, though, if it saves the property then it should go a long way to making the decision for you.

When people are calling to collect debts, it will inevitably strike you with fear. But the situation may not be as bad as you think. Homeowners are entitled to various forms of relief and experts like Cogburn Law Offices will represent your case to ensure you gain the support you deserve. If nothing else, it will buy you more time while removing some of the pressure. Use this as an opportunity to make further improvements going forward, and you will eventually find your way back to financial safety.

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The most important thing is that you don’t let the debt spiral. It’s always worth looking at consolidation loans and alternative ideas. They won’t always be right for your individual circumstances. Nevertheless, completing the necessary research will allow you to make informed decisions. If nothing else, it will give you far greater control.

As far as your long-term future is concerned, the small gestures are often the most influential. Upgrading your property by making it energy-efficient can have a massive impact. Meanwhile, couponing and other money-saving ideas will slowly but surely improve your situation. Change other habits, such as cycling to work, to improve other areas of your life and you’ll gain a far better relationship with the debt clearance challenge.

There will be cases where downsizing your property is the only solution. For most homeowners facing debt, though, making clear movements to improve financial health will save the day. If keeping your family happy doesn’t inspire you to research those avenues, I don’t know what will.

Auctioning for a Car: How to Do It the Right Way

TV shows that centre on the repair, improvement and sale of a promising oldie have made many of us want to try and remodel a vintage car of our own. Still, there’s a crucial element of the process that precedes the whole show. You can’t really succeed in your endeavour unless you make a smart and informed purchase at a legitimate car auction.

Using Technology to Boost Warehouse Productivity

Often neglected and disregarded, the warehouse plays a key role in a business’s productivity. The best way of increasing warehouse efficiency is by modernizing it – new technologies physically speed things up. Additionally, modernizing a warehouse breathes a healthier attitude towards work inside it, by increasing morale and motivation in general. Investing into your warehouse technology will definitely pay off!

Lighting

Humans are visual beings – we are meant to be active in daylight and rest during nighttime. This is why dark, dim, improperly-lit places tend to decrease productivity and focus. The best source of lighting is always the natural one. Despite this, warehouses cannot rely on it, seeing as how they are purposely closed-off from eyes of passers-by. Naturally, proper lighting is the name of the game, when it comes to warehouses.

Light isn’t only important in terms of worker productivity. Without proper illumination, the risk for potential errors, safety issues and injuries is increased. You, as a business owner are responsible for your employees’ health and safety, so installing quality lighting should be on the top of your list. Going with LED lights is always recommendable – although they are more expensive than your typical lighting fixtures, not only do they provide a healthier type of light, but also pay off in the long run, seeing as how they are more durable. Furthermore, LED lights are more environmentally-friendly, so there really is no reason for not installing them.

Barcodes

Originally used to mark railroad cars, barcodes have seen a broadening of their use in the past few decades. Not surprisingly, we now take these for granted (as we do many other technological improvements), but we often forget that the cashiers at supermarkets would have to type in codes for each product if it weren’t for those little parallel lines and numbers. Today, barcodes are extremely widely applied – warehouses that use these have seen increases in productivity, solely based on the quickening of the process of labeling and storing items. Yet another aspect of barcodes improving warehouse productivity is outlined in the fact that human error is brought down to a bare minimum.

Scanning Devices

Although it might sound logical that scanning devices go with barcodes, these gadgets are worth a mention. Scanning devices make locating and picking inventory when needed and conducting cycle counts easy, requiring little or no effort.

There are two types of scanning devices:

• Handheld scanners, which are portable and are usually long-range, which is of tremendous importance, when it comes to products stored on racks – handheld scanners can reach any shelf in a warehouse.
• Wearable scanners, which, although they aren’t long-range, are convenient due to the fact that the workers can use both hands for performing warehouse duties, which makes the whole job safer.

In order to get full access to the storage units, equipping your warehouse workers with both of the mentioned scanner types can be an investment that will pay off.

WMS

WMS, short for Warehousing Management Systems are a technological advancement, well worth the money. Their purpose is distribution center efficiency, labor productivity, customer service and inventory levels monitoring. Basically, these are tools for making sure that everything is done properly within a warehouse.

RFID

Short for Radio Frequency Identification, these devices can be placed everywhere within a warehouse, with the primary purpose of tracking physical inventory, but with a bonus of serving as a security measure. Place them at entrances, exits and checkpoints throughout your warehouse.

Dock Door Scheduling

Now, every warehouseman knows how long it takes for a truck to be unloaded. On the other hand, every trucker is well aware of the fact that waiting for the dock door to open in the truck yard often takes longer than the actual unloading process. By streamlining the inbound and outbound operations, dock door scheduling software makes operations within a warehouse more efficient. Additionally, the cost of moving goods is reduced by this and the faster the things are completed, the more work gets done within a workday – productivity boosting at its best!

Some of the mentioned improvements do tend to require investment, but others basically go without saying. In any case, obtain these upgrades one by one, until you’ve reached your full warehouse potential. Remember, making your warehouse productive and efficient will greatly boost your business – it all starts there!

The Effect of a College Degree on Your Professional Life

Many have dropped out of universities following their premise that having a college degree is not such an important item in their resumes, whereas other are putting so much effort into their studies that they neglect everyday pleasures. So, both of these two groups of people need to know whether they’re doing the right thing. Does a college degree really pay off?
The effect of your college education will depend on your personality and interest, but also if you happened to be at the right place at the right time. However, it’s worth knowing that a college degree has a general aimpact on many different aspects of your future career.

A larger number of different job choices

Nowadays, finding a job is not that simple, and sometimes it will take months until you get a satisfactory one, or the one you’ll love, but with a college diploma you’ll have more options. This is extremely helpful, since each job can take you down a different path and you may end up where you have never expected.

Higher income

If you’re studying engineering, information technology or business, you are among the luckiest ones since the average starting salaries for these professions is approximately $60,000 following the graduation. There’s no doubt that the more knowledge you possess in the field, the more money is waiting for you.

Numerous opportunities

During your studies you’re likely to meet a lot of new people, gain experience in areas of life that you would never have imagined. All of this will open up many new opportunities for your future career, especially if you have a degree that can serve as evidence that you are the one for the job. You’ll be able to attend seminars, gain scholarships, do an internship and even find employment.

Decreasing unemployment rates

New job positions are constantly being opened and young high-achieving individuals are being sought to fulfil these openings. If you have a university degree, you are more likely to be the one to obtain that job. The fact is that education has become a prerequisite for any profession. Education has become more accessible and we should use it to its fullest. Of course, that doesn’t mean that having practical knowledge won’t be appreciated, but a diploma is, to put it simply, a springboard for any professional career.

Residence possibilities

If you obtain a college degree it sends a message to the world, a message that you are a person of high achievements, reliable and responsible. This will doubtlessly provide you with better possibilities for student accommodation, if you decide to continue your education. The better student you are, the better chances you have to apply for and get a more luxurious residence.

Promotion opportunities

Let’s imagine that you’ve been working in a field for quite some time, but somehow it seems that you can’t climb the ladder, whereas some co-workers who have been working for the same period of time, or even less, have gone up long time ago. Then you realise that you shouldn’t have given up on your studies and that piece of paper that seemed worthless then seems priceless now. Sure, other factors, such as motivation, dedication, job performance, are considered, as well. However, employers do take into account whether or not a candidate has obtained a college degree, and that can be crucial at times. This is not only bout some paper that you have, but it is about what it represents – a persistent, dedicated person able to complete a given task, ready to tackle the issues and a person who won’t give up when they come across some obstacles.

Sometimes having a college degree doesn’t pay off, or it’s simpler to think so and use it as an excuse for being too afraid to jump into the unknown. For those who never got it it’s just a piece of paper, but for those who did, it’s much more than that.