TIPS FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN

Halloween is just around the corner so I thought I would give you some tips for making Halloween a little more eco-friendly.  Because to me needless waste is a lot scarier than ghosts and goblins!  Halloween is a great holiday but with all the individually wrapped candy and one-time-use costumes, Halloween can also be a very wasteful holiday.  Read on and I’ll show you how to instill a splash of green with the orange and black.

Make your own costumes.  Use your creativity and make use of all the extra fabric, cardboard, paint and old toys you have laying around the house to make your costume.  Try and avoid buying plastic masks and other costume accessories because they aren’t able to be recycled.  People love homemade costumes because you will always be one-of-a –kind.

Swap costumes.  If you just have to have that pre-made costume consider having a pre-Halloween costume swap with your friends.  You’ll feel like you have on a new costume every year!  If you don’t want to swap costumes, make sure you donate it to a local charity.  Whatever you do, don’t throw it away.

Green up your treats.  When the kids come knocking at your door try to have a great treat available but try to avoid individually wrapped candy.  If the parents in your neighborhood don’t let their kids eat home-baked items then at least make sure to hand out healthier treats.  Check out Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods for some organic options.

Use natural decorations.  Use whatever you can find in nature to decorate your home.  Autumn is a great time to incorporate brightly colored leaves, pumpkins and fancy gourds or even make your own Halloween inspired door wreath.  If you don’t want to use outdoor materials for decorations, forego using plastic premade items and make your own decorations using recyclable materials like cardboard, newspaper or recycled plastic.

Skip the store-bought orange pumpkin candy bucket.  Go old school and collect your candy in a pillowcase or a wicker basket.

LED the way.  How about using LED lights to light the path to your front door for those little trick-or-treaters. 

Eat those pumpkin seeds.  When you and your family are carving those pumpkins, don’t toss away the seeds.  They are filled with zinc and iron – not to mention being absolutely delicious.  I’ve included a great roasting recipe.  Try it!

Party like an eco-star.  If you are planning to throw a Halloween bash this year, make sure you provide recycling containers to dispose of bottles and cans.  Also, make sure you buy party cups/plates/napkins/cutlery made from recycled or sustainable materials.

Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo wish you a ghoulishly green and delightful Halloween that is a little less crushing on the environment.

MAXIMIZE YOUR SPACE BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOUR “FIFTH WALL"

If you are like most people, you wish you had more room in your home. You wish you had more space for storage, an extra chair, or cute knick-knacks sitting around the house.  But have you ever thought “out of the box”—the box of seeing only 4 walls?  It’s often called the "fifth wall" and how you decorate it will have a remarkable effect on what you do with the rest of the room.  I’m talking about the Floor!

All floor space takes on specific shapes, patterns and sizes and can be utilized in many other ways than just for walking.  Check out the following advice from Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas for making the most of your floor space.

Choose the right furniture:  Tables, specifically dining room tables, do not have to be huge, stealing valuable space from your floor space, especially if you don’t use it on a regular basis. Purchase compact dining sets that tuck into themselves, saving you flooring space. The same goes for furniture. Select pieces that fit the contours of the room and seat a reasonable number of people. Multi-use furniture, such as a sleep couch, is also a good idea.

Make use of corner space:  People have a tendency to not use the corners of their home. They figure nothing can fit there, right? Think again. When wall space is at a premium, making use of the space where a wall and carpet meet is important. Corner cabinets that match your flooring are ideal for storage as are desks to use for a workspace.

Underneath Storage:  The space between the floor and the bottom of your bed is typically large and only gathering dust. Use this flooring space for storage. You can place things in boxes or purchase small storage units.

Fashionable Storage: Remember that although it’s nice to have floor space, certain rooms don’t need as much. Purchasing baskets or moving storage carts can be placed in various areas around the home for additional storage.

As you are considering your floor space, you should also think about the quality of your floorcovering.  I’m talking about your floor and what you choose to use as your flooring is important, in looks, affordability and wear.  This will give your room more depth and will enhance the total design appeal of your space.

An amazing area rug can entirely change the design of a room.  It can serve as a great foundation for the colors and textures of the furniture.

Changing up the colors and patterns of your tile floor can make the floor an interesting part of the room.  And, like tile, hardwood can be laid out in a way that creates a more appealing design than merely laying down wood in a straight line.  A great wooden pattern can bring depth and character to the floor.

A stone floor is really a cool choice for your floor. It can bring elements of nature into your home, which you can build around, for a great look.

A marble floor is another great option to surprise the eye.  You can really make the entryway of a home truly stand out and use the floor as art space!

Cinderella Carpet One has been serving the Tri-County area since 1947.  We specialize in tile, carpet, hardwood, vinyl and laminate flooring, with the best array of products to choose from and a history you can count on.  Contact Cinderella Carpet One to help you maximize your “Fifth Wall”. 

WELCOME A CURE – CINDERELLA CARPET ONE WELCOMES YOUR SUPPORT

 

Since October is designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we thought it was a perfect time to discuss our involvement in raising funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In 2011, the American Cancer Society estimated that about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosis among women in the United States.  The good news is that more and more women are beating breast cancer because of research into cancer’s causes and treatments. 

Because support for breast cancer research is so essential to eradicating the disease, Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas has made a commitment to contribute funds through our Carpet One Floor & Home Welcomes Your Support campaign. 

First launched in fall 2004, the campaign raises funds for breast cancer research through sales of exclusively designed pink ribbon welcome mats.

Pink ribbon welcome mats are available year-round at Carpet One Floor & Home stores and at Facebook.com/Carpetone.

Carpet One stores in the U.S. will contribute 25% of sales of these exclusive pink ribbon welcome mats towards The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Since 2004 Carpet One Floor & Home has donated more than $850,000 for breast cancer research & awareness.

Consumers can help raise awareness and funds for the breast cancer cause by purchasing specially designed welcome mats, featuring the colors and themes of the season.  Each mat is emblazoned with a pink ribbon, the internationally recognized symbol for breast cancer awareness.  For more information regarding the Breast Cancer Research Foundation visit www.bcrfcure.org or call 866-FIND-A-CURE.

If you have questions about the program or would like to order a welcome mat please contact us online or call us at 831-422-7738.