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Is Your House In Need Of A Makeover? Try These Great Home Improvement Tips!

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Are you looking for a way to boost your home’s market value? Try a home improvement project! Doing updates, like renovations or additions, on your own can help you save money. It might even become a hobby to do home repairs and projects. To make sure you do it right, consider the valuable ideas in the article below.

Even the most seemingly minor home-improvement project can have a major impact on the overall value of a home. If you want to sell your home, think about doing a few minor projects. For example, you can paint the interior and exterior of your home. Something like this that is relatively low in cost can increase your home’s value exponentially.

If you have a large garden but would like more indoor living space, adding a conservatory is one home improvement you should consider. A conservatory will provide an additional room to your house that will be filled with natural light. The room can be used for moonlit dinners, home gym equipment, sun lounges and much more. The structure is also likely to catch the eye of potential buyers and increase the resale value of your home.

There are a few electrical tasks that a non-expert can do around the home. One is replacing a light switch. After you turn off the electricity and remove the cover plate, detach the wires on the old switch and replace them in the same order on the new switch.

Put in an outdoor motion detector for your outside lighting. This way the lights will only be on when they are activated and not all day or all night unnecessarily. Most people don’t need their outside lights other than when they come home or leave after dark.

Sealing air leaks is an inexpensive way to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Unsealed cracks and openings are one of the leading causes of heat loss in the average home. Common problem areas include around doors and windows, around pipes, wires and ducts that lead outdoors and around recessed light fixtures. Use caulk to seal small cracks and expanding spray foam for larger gaps and openings.

Making sure that your basement is weatherproof is the first step to creating a living space in there. If your basement is dry and never leaks or floods, it is a great way to save money on your renovation. However, if your basement is perennially flooded or damp, it not only makes way for mold, but also makes the space uninhabitable. Make sure to weatherproof your basement before beginning your remodeling project.

If you are doing a home improvement project that involves demolition, slow down and take your time. It may be exciting to smash that wall open, but you could damage structural supports, plumbing, or electrical connections. The same is true of pulling down cabinets and other fixtures. Once you’ve demolished it, it can’t be put back, so pay attention to what you’re doing.

If you live with an elderly or disabled family member, remember to take into account their safety, mobility, and accessibility when planning your improvements. For example, to reduce the risk of a fall, install a step-in shower. Grab bars and hand rails can add ease and comfort for anyone that needs it.

If your home was built in the seventies or earlier, chances are good that it was built with only a very thin layer of insulation throughout the entire structure. Ideally, the layer should be approximately 27 centimeters or 10.5 inches thick. By increasing the thickness of insulation to the recommended four to six inches, you could easily save a couple of hundred dollars per year.

Don’t spend more on your improvements and repairs than is necessary. Some people become obsessed with making an area exactly how they would like it and don’t review the associated cost. Unless you plan to spend a long time in your home, don’t overspend on your changes. You may end up losing money if you do.

Individual solar lights can be obtained cheaply, and come in a number of different styles, but they won’t do much apart from look pretty. If you require real lighting that can brighten up a path on a dark night, you should spend the money on electric lights. Although they may cost more upfront, they provide more reliability and longer life than a solar model.

You’d be surprised at how much difference an updated address and nameplate can make on the front porch of your house. Sleek and shining house numbers make your home easier to locate, while a custom-engraved nameplate adds class and distinction. Finally, spend a little bit of cash on an ornamental door knocker, even if you have a doorbell.

As previously stated, not only are these projects satisfying, they also add value to your home. With these tips at hand, you can make good choices, find some great ideas and save yourself some money as well.

Is Your House In Need Of A Makeover? Try These Great Home Improvement Tips! was originally published on Spring

Improve Your House By Doing These Simple Tips

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Does your house need to be renovated in various ways? Or are you thinking about adding an expansion, like a patio? If so, this article contains many helpful tips that can answer some of your questions and get you started in the right direction to a successful home improvement project.

One great way to make the inside of your home sparkle is to put new molding in. New molding helps create a fresh sense in your living space. You can purchase special molding with beautiful carvings on them to add a unique touch of elegance and style to your home.

Just like when you move a heavy piece of furniture with drawers in it, you will want to remove these from your cabinets and counter bases before you install them. They will be much lighter and easier to deal with if these have been taken out ahead of time. They are very simple and easy to put in when you are finished.

Use a flexible container to mix up just enough dry plaster of Paris for your intended use. When you are finished with the job all you have to do is allow the remainder of the plaster to harden, turn the container upside down over a trash can, and flex the sides. The plaster will cleanly separate from the container and you can put the container away to use on the next job.

If you have a cabinet door that just won’t stay closed, try replacing the cabinet lock. You might want to try using a magnetic cabinet lock, as they generally last longer than wheel based cabinet lock systems. Simply remove the old lock and attach the new lock in the same location. Use wood screws if needed to create new holes.

Hiring a professional organizer for a home storage makeover, can do wonders for your home’s look. Most of us have catch all areas throughout the house, where items tend to go to die. We all have areas that we look at and say that we’ll straighten it out tomorrow. A professional organizer can suggest changes you can make to avoid these problem areas and make your home more efficient.

A very simple home improvement tip is to declutter. Start with this easy task: If you have kids, you may be guilty of cluttering your fridge with their work and little design magnets. Keep your appliances clear by attaching just some of your children’s artwork and only a few magnets at a time. You can switch these items out every week.

Install large corner shelves in your bedroom just below the ceiling. These shelves can easily be constructed using just a sheet of plywood and a couple of pieces of molding. Cut the shelf large enough that it can be used to hold large comforters and other items that you need to keep up and out of the way.

Install ceiling fans to disperse heat and cooling better throughout your home. During the mild seasons, ceiling fans can provide all the cooling you need. Throughout the colder winter months, your ceiling fans can spread out the warm air from your heating system faster, cutting down on expensive heating costs.

It’s hard to overstate the impact that a really well-made front door can have. This item is your first chance to make a good impression on guests. If your door isn’t insulated and doesn’t fit well, a lot of heat can exit your home. If your door or its lock is old or not solid, your security and your peace of mind is compromised.

When you’re making major renovations in your bathroom, plan ahead and make the room handicap-accessible. It is not necessary to talk about it extensively, but you should get ready because it may save you a lot of time and effort. If you want to move and sell your house, these tips will help you do some things around the home that will get you some more money.

To update the appearance of your basement, opt for easily installed modular flooring – the durable carpeting is suitable for even the heaviest traffic, and will make the area more inviting by ensuring the floors are not ice-cold. Many companies offer affordable traction-backed carpeting squares in a range of colors and patterns. These can be laid directly over concrete with no advance preparation.

Plan your method of removing debris. Home improvement projects, especially ones that require demolition create a lot of debris that can get in the way of you finishing your project. Rent a large dumpster or borrow a large truck to get rid of everything.

A home improvement project can be fun to do, but it also can be very practical. Taking care of your house is something you should take seriously, and renovating older, worn out sections can make all the difference when you’re planning to sell it for a higher price. These tips can help you save time and money and make the best decision for your home.

Improve Your House By Doing These Simple Tips was originally published on Spring

Getting Your House In Tip Top Shape

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We see the same scenery every single day in our houses, and that’s why so many homeowners decide that it’s time for a little remodeling. Painting the walls, rearranging the furniture, and going with new molding — these can seem like easy enough tasks from the start. However, many people find that they’re daunting. No matter what your goals are, check out these home- improvement tips.

Change your door hinge as a start to your home improvement projects. Find this component at any local hardware store. Just take it apart and mount it on the door frame. Then, replace the pins after aligning the hinges.

Store your paint cans upside down. A skin forms inside used cans of paint. When you open the can it’s a mess to remove. One solution is to put the used paint cans in your storage area upside down! That way when you turn the can over and open it, the skin is underneath the paint where it can’t cause a problem.

For a beautiful addition to your home, consider turning two windows that are close together into sliding glass or french doors. With glass doors, you are allowing the light to come in as well as the beauty of the world outside your door. Being able to look out at nature while having your first cup of coffee will make the investment worthwhile.

If you don’t like to nail pictures to the wall because of the holes the nails make, an easy solution is buying mounting squares. Mounting squares can easily hold a few pounds and can be quickly removed without damaging your wall. Stick four squares altogether, one in each corner of your frame to mount your picture properly on your wall.

Some home improvement projects are best suited for a group of people. By enlisting the help of the whole family, much more work can be done than would have been accomplished by one person. Neighbors or other friends can even be recruited, in return for the promise of future help from you.

Open up the curtains and blinds during a showing to allow natural light into the home. If the outdoor scenery is not desirable, consider keeping the blinds somewhat closed to draw less attention to it. Turn on all of the lights in the home so the home looks bright and cheery instead of dark and dreary.

If your house is low on usable space and you need an extra space, consider looking to your attic or basement for help. You can easily choose to turn your basement into a livable environment such as an office, man cave or recreation room. If your basement already has a staircase, a roof and separate walls, it can be a very cost effective way to improve your home.

Improve your front entrance curb appeal by adding oversized house numbers and a large size light fixture. Making your entrance eye catching and appealing will increase the value of your home and the homes around you. If your neighbors like your improvements, they may try it themselves and increase the value of the whole neighborhood.

Exterior lighting will give you peace of mind at night, and add beauty to your landscaping. Consider motion sensor lighting, as this will reduce the amount of energy used when the outdoors are not occupied, and can also frighten away unwanted animals or even prowlers. Install the lights in strategic places, such as the exact area visible to you from a window, and the path from your vehicle to the front door.

When you are wanting to do bathroom remodeling, make your bathroom handicap accessible. You can do this step-by-step, but it’s a good idea to be prepared, just in case you need it when you get older. When you sell the house, these things are going to boost your home’s resale value on the market.

If you are renovating your bathroom, consider installing a steam shower. Steam showers have many health benefits, as well as being more comfortable to use than a standard shower. Steam showers are great after exercise, to soothe tired muscles, or for people with asthma and other breathing difficulties. There are even steam shower products that can be added to your current shower unit.

Grimy, cracked shower doors can ruin the overall look and feel of a bathroom. By removing these eyesores and installing treated, all-glass doors, you can instantly make the room appear infinitely more spacious and modern – not to mention more appealing for future prospective buyers if you decide to sell.

Something that seems on the surface to be so simple can end up being incredibly complicated if you’re not aware of how to handle a task. Painting can turn into a nightmare; adding more lights could leave you in the dark. The tips in this article will help you learn about home improvement, so put them to good use.

Getting Your House In Tip Top Shape was originally published on Spring

How To Rid Your House Of Bedbugs

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Is there evidence of something living inside your home? Are you hearing tiny feet scampering about your home at night? If you have, there may be pests in the house. The following article will offer many tips and techniques for effective pest control.

You cannot afford to waste any time once you find out your home is infested. Put your valuable belongings in safe places and call an exterminator as soon as possible. If the exterminator you called cannot come to your home within the next couple of days, keep looking for another available professional.

Keep your home as clean as possible. Even though this will not keep pests away, you at least will not be giving them an incentive to stick around. Many pests can smell food from a good distance away. If you want to do whatever you can to reduce your pest problem you should be diligent in keeping your house tidy.

One of the ways that you can prevent mosquitoes from coming to your house is to eliminate the standing water that you have outdoors. This can be anything from a puddle to a kiddy pool, as you will want to drain all the water in these, especially in the summer.

If you are considering buying a home, make sure that you have a professional inspect it first. There is now way of knowing the type of pest is actually hiding unless you’ve stayed inside the home.

If your pest problem is noisy crickets, then your answer is as easy as duct tape. Cut off a strip and lay it with the adhesive side facing up. Place in on the floor or ground near where you hear the crickets. It will attract them, and they will get stuck on it.

If you live on a farm and have a problem with mice, or even rats, consider getting a couple outdoor cats to provide natural pest control. Make sure the cats have not been declawed, and have access to every part of the outdoor buildings. Make sure to provide food and water to the cats because they will still catch mice even if they are not hungry.

While fleas are difficult creatures, some things do work to eliminate them and their eggs. The first things to do are to start vacuuming daily and using a flea spray. Also, throw away the bag when you are finished vacuuming to rid them for good.

Once a flea population has been established, they can be very difficult to eliminate. It is essential to eliminate all the fleas and their eggs from any animals who live in the home, and also kill any eggs, larvae and fleas from bedding and carpets. Keep in mind that it is vital to break their cycle of life, so do not hesitate to repeat the process multiple times.

Electronic pest repellents can be very effective. If you plug these gadgets into a wall socket, they emit noise that rodents do not like. Even though humans can hear it, the sound does not harm people or animals at all. Rodents will leave the area because the noise is unpleasant, not because it is harmful.

When you are doing landscaping on your home, you want to plant any bushes or plants at least a foot away from your home. You will experience less issues with spiders and ants getting into your house this way. They will not be attracted to your home if they are further away.

Carpenter ants are attracted to damp wood; therefore, if you notice an increase in carpenter ants, check your pipes and roof for leaks. Once you have found where your problem is located, fix the leak and replace the wood to help quickly rid your home of carpenter ants. You may also want to call in a pest-control expert to treat your home.

The simplest and most obvious way to keep pests away from the inside and outside of your home? Keep it clean! A clean house is a pest-free house. Pests like to thrive in damp and dirty areas, so if they can’t find a place like that in your house, then they won’t want to stay there!

Use hairspray to kill indoor flies. It won’t harm your pets but will kill the insects. The hairspray creates a sticky barrier that prevents them from getting nourishment. If a bee enters your home, this method is one of the safest you can try.

Instead of putting the garbage that you have during the week in a bag, use a sealed container instead. This will help to lock in the stale food that you have, so it will not send off an odor and attract pests. Try to purchase large enough containers to store the amount of garbage per week in your home.

You ought to now be prepared to eradicate the pests that have been keeping you awake. Use this advice to help you get rid of pests, big and small. It may not be easy, but you can be successful.

How To Rid Your House Of Bedbugs was originally published on Spring

Ways On How To Efficiently Improve Your House

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With your home being the single most expensive thing any of us will probably ever purchase, making changes, improvements or renovations to it can be a scary proposal. What if it goes wrong? What if we make the wrong choices? This article will help you wade through the rights and wrongs with some great tips and ideas for your home improvement projects.

Painting a room is perhaps the cheapest home improvement you can carry out. A fresh coat of paint in a different shade or texture can completely transform a room for minimal cost. If your walls are not in the best condition and you don’t have time to re-plaster them before painting, consider hanging wallpaper instead, to avoid drawing attention to the damage.

When doing a DIY home improvement project, put safety first. Make sure you wear protective equipment such as a hard hat and goggles when needed. Use power tools (especially ones you are not familiar with) with extreme caution. Read the directions and ask for help when needed. Home improvement stores are a great resource of information.

After some initial use, your kitchen cabinets can start to lose their luster. You can shine up kitchen cabinetry by using car wax. Apply some car wax liberally to a towel and wipe your cabinets down in a circular motion. This can make your cabinets appear like they’re new and shiny.

If you have water leaking from the top of the tap of your faucet, there are two ways you can solve this problem. First try tightening the gland nut. The gland nut keeps the spindle of the tap in place. If this doesn’t work, try replace the rubber seal on the spindle, also known as the O-ring.

You can give your kitchen an old fashioned look by shopping for old tins. Flea markets and thrift shops are full of vintage coffee, tea and candy tins that make great little storage spaces for your items. Use them to hide your utensils, cookies, flour or sugar. Attach little handmade labels to the top labeling what each one contains.

Recycle your plastic bottles to use as cord keepers! Smaller bottles like pill bottles work well to keep small appliance cords from tangling and bigger bottles like those vehicle oil come in work great for big shop extension cords. Just clean the bottles thoroughly, cut off the top and bottom, and use the resulting sleeve for your cords.

Maximize kitchen cabinet storage space. Use a turntable inside a cabinet for smaller items such as spice jars. In larger cabinets, use shelf dividers to double the storage space. Stack items on top of each other, such as canned or boxed food goods. Install floor to ceiling pantry cabinets. The most important tip? Get rid of anything you don’t need or use, such as old appliances or tableware. Any food that you don’t intend to eat, especially canned items, can be donated to your local food bank.

Use baby food jars for organizing your office. Screw lids onto the bottom of your cabinets or a shelf. You can then fill them with spices, screws or beads. The jars can be twisted into place in the lids secured under the shelf. This will help maximize your space and efficiency.

Build your own utility shelves with furring strips, plywood, and screws. Build two identical ladder-like sides using the furring strips and screws. Connect them perpendicularly by screwing on additional furring cut to the width of the shelves. Finally, screw plywood panels in place to make the shelf surfaces.

Create space in a cramped bathroom. Build floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and store similar items in baskets. This avoids any clutter on the countertop. A corner storage unit in your shower is perfect for holding shampoo, conditioner and any other items you may need. A great tip for creating space is to get rid of everything that isn’t used on a regular basis. This can include out of date medications in your medicine cabinet or beauty products that you tried and didn’t like. By clearing these out, you will have plenty of room for things that you actually use!

Do not choose a contractor just because he is offering you much cheaper rates than everyone else. Sometimes that is a sign that he or she doubts the quality of their work and you should to. Always get a few estimates and make sure each of the these contractors gives you references.

Clean kitchen counters can help to sell a house. Remove everything except your coffee pot, a nice set of knives, and perhaps a bowl of fruit. The cleaner your counter tops are, the more organized your kitchen will appear. Your kitchen will also feel larger and more user friendly.

Hopefully the information that you have just read will help you realize that home improvement isn’t as scary as it can seem. There are wrong choices that can be made, but if you stick to these tips, you will have the information you need to make good choices and have a great and valuable home.

Ways On How To Efficiently Improve Your House was originally published on Spring

Tips And Strategies On How To Improve Your House

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Home improvement can really be an intelligent endeavor for your home. It does require a lot of effort to work, though. This can make you wonder where to begin to start improving your home. Don’t worry, everything you need to know about where to start with home improvement is listed in the tips below.

Replace your air conditioning filter from time to time. If they get clogged, they must work much harder to cool the home, which takes more energy. The unit will also run for a longer period of time. Really look towards changing out the filter once every month.

When deciding on which home improvements you are going to do, consider only those that make sense. For example, it is not a wise invest to install a sun room with no insulation in the colder climates. Add value to your home, not negative features.

The outside of your home also makes an excellent spot for a home improvement project. Staining your driveway adds a beautiful touch to the front of your residence. Also, look to see if you need to fill any cracks or re-tar the driveway. Sometimes, the front of your home can be forgotten as you make improvements, but these projects can really add a lot to the aesthetic value of your property.

If you have a small bathroom and not enough space to store your items, you can easily create some space yourself. Buy some wooden shelves and install them on your bathroom wall. Display your lotions, perfumes and other beauty items on the shelves as well as your smaller towels or toilet paper rolls. This will not only give your bathroom a decorative boost, it will also organize it.

Take advantage of your outdoor space. Your backyard can make a wonderful extension to your indoor living area. This area would be great for entertaining, barbecuing or just relaxing.

Don’t throw out your tub just because it has a few hard to remove stains. There is an easy solution that is sure to help your problem. Mix a few teaspoons of baking soda and a few teaspoons of cream of tartar. Squeeze enough juice out of a lemon to create a paste. Spread the paste with a cloth onto the stain. Leave it for about half an hour and go back and thoroughly rinse your tub out.

Improve your front entrance curb appeal by adding oversized house numbers and a large size light fixture. Making your entrance eye catching and appealing will increase the value of your home and the homes around you. If your neighbors like your improvements, they may try it themselves and increase the value of the whole neighborhood.

Any home improvement project intense enough to involve opening a house’s walls should include some new wiring for modern electronics. Even though the cutting edge of high-tech has moved on to wireless computer networking, adding integral Ethernet wiring to your home increases network security, offers added convenience and improves resale value.

To improve the look of the exterior of your home without breaking the bank, give your garage door an update. Frequently, the garage is one of the biggest elements of your home that people can see from afar. You can create a fresh new look for only a few hundred dollars by simply installing a new garage door.

Brighten up tired furniture with slipcovers. If your furniture is worn or stained, or you just want to change the look of your room, use slipcovers. They come in a large variety of fabrics, and are available in solid colors or patterned. A great feature of slipcovers is that they are washable, which is very handy if you have kids or pets!

Is there an old dresser or bedside table in the bedroom that you are sick of looking at? Try to give them new life by adding a new finish. It is a great way to get a new look in your home and save a ton of money. There are many colors of stain available.

If you need more room due to a growing family, don’t sell your home. Instead, remodel it. Add on rooms or remodel the ones that you already have to make them bigger. This has some great benefits, it will save you a significant amount of money and the hassle of having to move.

Home improvement starts with having a plan and the right tools. Make sure you purchase everything before hand and have the appropriate measurements for your project. This will not only save you time, but the hassle of having to go back and forth from the hardware store, thus saving you plenty of headaches.

So, as you have seen, it is truthful that home-improvement requires research, work, and effort to start improving your home. It is also true that in order to see results that you have to keep at it. Keeping the aforementioned tips in mind, you are well on your way to being successful with it.

Tips And Strategies On How To Improve Your House was originally published on Spring

How To Keep Your House Safe

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One of the biggest concerns for people with children is establishing a sense of security and safety for the family. Whether you want to have a gun license, install a fence or buy a dog, you have several options. Read this article for ideas on ways to protect your family.

Look for ways to make your home seem occupied. Keep your radio, TV and lights on timers. This will make your home appear as if someone is there. This is a simple way to give people up to no good think that you are home.

Do you keep your dog outside if you leave the home? They may provide you with a useful place to hide your key. Simply put the key onto your dog’s collar so that robbers cannot locate it. Your dog is an especially good key hiding spot if he doesn’t react well to strangers, since they won’t approach him, but the key will be there if you need it.

Don’t let strangers into your home. Burglars have many clever ways to convince householders to open the door. Create a rule where you only allow those you’ve invited to your home inside.

Make sure that your home security system has a backup power source. Many burglars cut wires inside home security systems before entering a home. If you have a backup source, the alarm will continue to work as it should. It may be more expensive to install this type of system, but it will be worth it.

Install motion sensing lights. Darkness is a potential thief’s best friend. Make sure all potential entrances to your home are covered by a motion sensing light. These lights will turn on automatically when movement triggers them, making it difficult for anyone to sneak around your property. Thieves will quickly move on to an easier target.

Do not list your full name in the phone book or on your mail box. This can give possible intruders a lot of information about you and allow them break into your home a lot easier. Instead, only list your last name and possibly your first initial, this is much safer.

If your front door does not have a peephole, it is wise to have one installed. Peepholes allow you to see who’s at your front door before you open it. Some home owners choose to have two peepholes installed to allow for difference in height of those that live in the home.

If you have valuables, and you need a place to store them, look no further than the walls of your home. In between the studs is a lot of empty space, and you can easily store jewelry or anything else you don’t want a burglar to have access to. Simply install a fake electrical outlet, and use it to take things in and out of the wall.

You should change the locks to your new home as soon as you buy it. Even if the owner tells you that you have all of the keys, there may be a chance this is not true. You don’t want to take the chance that some unknown person will have access to your home.

Pretend you are a burglar. By taking on the role of an intruder, you can check for vulnerable areas around your property. Really think hard about ways you would get into your home if you were a criminal. Check the garage as well as sheds or other places you keep valuable possessions.

How much space do you have between your door and its frame? Having too much room here is like an open invitation for a burglar to use some sort of jimmy to get inside your home. You can reinforce your door with a thin piece of plywood or sheet metal.

Do not do any landscaping that will obscure the entrances of your home. While you may think it is a good idea to plant a huge rosebush in front of your living room windows, this gives a thief a place to hide while they figure out a way to get into your home.

As silly as it may seem, stop having newspapers delivered if you are going on vacation. Intruders will see all of the papers piling up and will realize that no one is home, making it more likely for them to break in. Call the delivery company and tell them when you will come back and when you want them to start delivering again.

Instead of hoping or assuming that nothing bad will happen to you or your family, take steps to protect everyone. You don’t have to install an expensive home security system to accomplish this. Remember the tips in this article so you can find a way to deter intruders from entering your home.

How To Keep Your House Safe was originally published on Spring