Since most parts of the U.S. are currently experiencing cold winter temperatures, it’s a good time to review some safety tips for electric space heaters. Many people rely on them for supplemental heating this time of year. While they can be useful as an additional heating source, their incorrect use is also the cause of thousands of fires and millions of dollars in property damage each year.

I looked into what the Consumer Product Safety Commission has to say about using space heaters safely. Here are their recommendations:

• Check the manufacturers instructions on how far the heater should be placed from combustible objects. This includes combustibles like draperies, furniture, clothing and paper. Also, check guidelines on how far the heater should be placed from the floor and on what type of surface it should be placed. Check surrounding objects to see if they feel hot.
• Never use an electric space heater near a sink or in a bathroom.
• When shopping for a space heater, look for one that is listed with a nationally recognized testing laboratory. They have been tested to meet specific safety standards and manufacturers are required to provide use and care information to the consumer. Heaters that are not listed have not necessarily been adequately tested.
• The heating element should always have a guard around it to prevent burns.
• Read instructions for operation and maintenance before using the unit.
• Do not run the heater’s cord under rugs or carpeting.
• Never leave the heater unattended and do not go to sleep with it on. These units are meant only for temporary supplemental heating.
• Never use an electric heater to dry clothes or thaw pipes.

If you’re using an electric space heater, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your smoke detectors are all working properly. So check those, too. Let’s keep warm safely.By Judy Moore

An animal print has an inherent appeal to people of all ages. For the older ones, it is a throwback to the psychedelic and groovy decades of the past, for the even older ones it is a way to reminisce the early years of the modern era. And for the young ones today, it is a way to connect with their fantasies and interests in animals and the animal kingdom. For these kids, the best way to use animal fabric is through animal print bedding.

Animal bedding is a way for kids to have a piece of the animal kingdom, without actually harming an animal. Why? Because unlike in the old days wherein having the pattern of a cheetah or a tiger meant killing those animals, today animal bedding uses artificially made animal prints. These are fabrics that are traditionally used, like cotton or some other synthetic fabric, printed with the design of the animals. It may not be as soft, or as luxurious, as the original thing, but these fabrics are a lot cheaper, a lot more accessible, and do not require any deaths of the animals the kids love!

But when getting animal bedding, there are a couple of things that need to be remembered. First, is to make sure of the size and shape of the bed and the pillows. It’s a hassle to buy bedding, only to find out upon going home that the bed is too large, or that the pillows are too fluffy to fit! Next, and arguably more important, is to make sure that the bedding pieces are from the same manufacturer, to make sure that the colors, print, and style of the bedding are uniform. Nothing’s worse than finding out after buying a number of pieces that reds look like pinks, oranges look like yellows, and the print sizes are different. The best solution to this is to buy a bed in a bag.

Remember these tips when getting animal print bedding and you’ll be giving your child a very stylish bedroom!