3 Curtain Rod Alternatives

From time to time, it’s good to change things up a bit. Instead of going with a traditional curtain rod, why not try one of the following alternatives for a more creative option?

Image Source: Flickr

Rod-Free Curtains
Curtains don’t have to be hung with rods. Instead of using a store-bought or homemade rod, hammer a line of nails across arched and straight windows. Evenly space the nails and paint them to match the walls or the curtains. Once the paint is dry, loop the curtains over the nails or hang them with ribbons or large hooks. Another unique option is to space old door or cabinet knobs about 12 inches apart along the top of the window; use wood screws or nails to secure them in place. Cut holes in the curtains or use tab top panels and loop them over the knobs. If you’re using brass or metal knobs, paint them to ensure that the curtains won’t be stained should the knobs tarnish. Source: EHow

Coat Hangers
You can use coat hangers as another alternative for curtain rods. Put the coat hooks on the window frames. You can simply attach the curtain to the rods. Or, if you want something really eye-catching, you can use a ribbon to tie the openings of the curtain to the rod. This will add a whimsy appeal to your curtains. This style goes best in the living room or children’s room. You can even paint the coat hangers to make it stand out or blend with the colors of the walls. Source: DoItYourself

Branching Out
Sometimes the perfect object for a lightweight drapery rod may be sitting right outside your window. Branches can make for excellent, sculptural drapery rods with a few simple do-it-yourself updates. Search for a branch with the proper length and width to fit above a window and handle the weight of the chosen drapery panel. Next, cut it to size and spray-paint it in a color which contrasts well against the wall. Lastly, secure standoffs, ready-made drapery rod brackets or L-brackets directly to the wall using plastic drywall anchors, then attach the branch with screws or bailing wire. Source: HGTV

Tell us your creative plans! We’ll try our best to help you out. Contact us!

 

Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988

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"And then what happens?"

A simple dialog can turn opinions into plans (or perhaps, into less tightly held opinions).

We ask, "and then what happens?"

Flesh it out. Tell us step by step. The more detail the better.

No miracles allowed. And it helps if each step is a step that's worked before, somewhere and sometime else. The other question that helps with this is, "has that step ever worked before?"

We don't have a shortage of loud and strongly held points of view about business, culture, or technology. But it may be that finding the time to draw a map helps us get to where we want to go (or to realize that we need a new map). 

       

from Seth Godin's Blog on marketing, tribes and respect http://ift.tt/2ljmWJi

Fast, easy, cheap, delicious and healthy (a food bonus)

I don't usually blog about food, but here you go:

The next chance you have to visit an Indian grocery, buy yourself a packet of papad (sometimes called papadum, or the phonologic, 'poppers'). They cost about $2 for 10. (my favorite brand)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and then put them in, one or two at a time, right on the oven rack. They cook in about one minute.

Done. (photo) 

High in protein, healthy, low impact in their production, crunchy... They even keep for a few days in a plastic bag.

This might be the perfect food for the planet. Have fun.

       

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What bureaucracy can't do for you

It lets us off the hook in many ways. It creates systems and momentum and eliminates many decisions for its members.

"I'm just doing my job." 

"That's the way the system works."

Most of all, it gives us a structure to lean against, a way of being in the world without always understanding the big picture or the side effects or the implications of our actions. Bureaucracy, the organizational imperative, the system of meetings and people and leverage—it keeps us sane.

The one thing it can't do, though, is let you off the hook.

When you write your history, and when others judge you, they will not accept that you had no choice. What you did when it felt like it was too difficult to say 'no' is precisely who you are.

We remember the people who said 'no' when they thought they had no good options. And we remember the people who went along as well.

We get the benefits of bureaucracy, but we also have to accept the costs. And the biggest one is that we're required to own our actions, to speak up, stand up and act up when we're asked to do the wrong thing.

The alternative is to lose our agency and to accept that we're no longer human.

       

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The why of urgent vs. important

You know you should be focusing on the long-term journey, on building out the facility, signing up new customers or finishing your dissertation.

But instead, there's a queue of urgent things, all justifiable, all requiring you and you alone to handle them. And so you do, pushing off the important in favor of the urgent.

Of course, everyone has this challenge, but some people manage to get past it. Even you, the last time you made a major move forward. Think about it--those urgencies from a few years ago: who's handling them now?

The reason we go for urgent is that it makes us feel competent. We're good at it. We didn't used to be, but we are now.

Important, on the other hand, is fraught with fear, with uncertainty and with the risk of failure.

Now that you know why, you can dance with it.

       

from Seth Godin's Blog on marketing, tribes and respect http://ift.tt/2lJ0rzk

The smoking lounge

They still have one at the Helsinki airport.

No one in the lounge seems particularly happy to be there. Perhaps they enjoyed smoking when they first started, but now, it sure looks like they realize that it's expensive, unhealthy and a bit of a hassle. Something they feel compelled to do.

The thing is, there are a few people near the lounge busy checking their phones, and they seem just as unhappy about what they're doing.

I wonder when we're going to start building social media lounges?

       

from Seth Godin's Blog on marketing, tribes and respect http://ift.tt/2mnT7c3

"Hit the red button"

Everyone on your team should have one.

When we hit the button, it instantly alerts the CEO or someone who willingly takes responsibility for what happens next.

And then the question: What are the circumstances where an employee should (must) hit the red button? Consider:

• A sexual harassment complaint
• A customer leaves over poor service
• There's pressure to ship inferior or dangerous products
• The wait in the customer service queue passes 8 minutes
• Any other combination of bribery, racism, dumping of effluents, breaking promises, cooking books, lying to the public, etc....

If you don't have a button, why not?

The red button makes it clear to your team that they should either solve important problems on the spot or let you do so, and that not treating a problem seriously is not an option.

And if you don't treat your project seriously enough to have a button, if there isn't a culture where you want people to either fix these sorts of problems or get them looked at immediately, why not?

We can compromise our way into just about anything. At least do it on purpose. 

       

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How to Visit Malta on a Budget

For centuries, the Maltese archipelago passed between North African Moors and European Crusaders in an epic struggle for control of this important hub. This constant back and forth created a culture that blended architectural, culinary, and cultural styles (in fact, the Maltese language is a mix of Arabic and Italian) unique to nowhere but maybe Southern Spain.

Now, the country draws people less with the whole conquering-empires-thing and more with its warm summer temperatures, pristine beaches, clear Mediterranean water, striking hiking, friendly locals, and cheap prices.

Though I didn’t spend as much time as I wanted in Malta, I spent enough (literally and figuratively) to get a sense of how to travel the country on a budget. Luckily, the country is already very budget friendly (it’s one of the cheapest Eurozone countries out there) so you don’t need a lot to begin with. Even though I was on a holiday and not being as budget friendly as I wanted, I still never spent a lot of money. My most expensive day cost me 70 EUR, and that’s because I rented a car! Even when I was watching my wallet, at no point did I ever feel as if I was missing out.

Though Malta will never break your budget, I always am one to look for a deal as I’m a firm believer that every destination has a way to be cheaper.

So here is your in-depth guide to visiting Malta on a budget:

Getting There

While most European carriers operate seasonal flights, there aren’t many airlines that fly to Malta year round. Ryanair, Air Malta, easyJet, and Lufthansa are the biggest carriers that service the island year-round. One-way flights from the mainland cost 50-100 EUR ($53-106 USD), especially if you book in advance. You can also take the ferry to/from Sicily; it’s 2.5 hours and costs 61-127 EUR ($65-135 USD) each way (depending on the season).

Typical Costs

Malta is cheap. While I went in the middle of winter — without the seasonal increase in prices for accommodation, car rentals, and flights — many friends told me that most prices for food, activities, and public transportation stay the same throughout the year. Here is a list of typical costs in the country:

• Bottle of water: 1 EUR ($1 USD)
• Ferry to Valletta from Sliema: – Single: 1.50 EUR ($1.60 USD), Return: 2.80 EUR ($2.95 USD)
• Pastizzi (cheap snack): 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD)
• McDonald’s value meal: 5-6 EUR ($5.25-6.50 USD)
• Sandwich: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Bottle of wine: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Ferry from Malta to Gozo: Pedestrian: 4.65 EUR ($5 USD), Car and Driver: 15 EUR ($16 USD)
• Car rental:  38-48 EUR ($40-50 USD)
• Nice dinner at a sit-down restaurant with wine: 25 EUR ($27 USD)
• Main meals: 10-14 EUR ($11-15 USD)
• Pizza: 6-9 EUR ($6.50-9.50 USD)
• Lunch at a cafe: 8-10 EUR ($8.50-10.50 USD)
• Beer: 3 EUR ($3.15 USD)
• Public bus ticket: 2 EUR ($2.10 USD)
• Taxi prices: 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD)
• Museum entrance: 6 EUR ($6.50 USD)
• Breakfast sandwich: 3-4 EUR ($3.15-4.25 USD)
• Full breakfast: 8-9 EUR ($8.50-9.50 USD)

On average, you’ll be able to visit Malta 30-45 EUR ($32-48 USD) per day, though in the summer I would say you need to budget closer to 50 Eur. At that price, you’re looking at staying in a hostel dorm or splitting an Airbnb with a friend, taking public transportation, mostly sticking to the free activities, cooking your breakfast, and eating to the cheap(er) cafes.

How to Save Money in Malta

Accommodation

There are a couple of hostels on the islands, with dorm prices beginning at 9 EUR ($9.50 USD) per night (though prices double in the peak summer time). Airbnb is ridiculously cheap — I found a whole house for 35 EUR ($37 USD) a night. Most budget hotels cost 40 EUR ($42.50 USD) so I would stick to Airbnb or hostels for accommodation. However, like hostels, the prices for places more than double to around 80 EUR ($84 USD) per night. Budget hotels cost around 40-60 EUR ($42-63 USD) in the summer.

To save money on accommodation, travel off-season and stay in dorms or split Airbnb units with friends. You can use the website eurocheapo.com to find good B&Bs, as they have a robust listing.

Food and Drink

Food prices are relatively inexpensive, though you’ll find higher prices in tourist areas such as Valletta, St. Julian’s, Sliema’s boardwalk, and Marsaxlokk.

To save money on food, stick to the pastizzi (savory filled pastry) for about 1-2 EUR ($1-2.10 USD), eat at the plethora of vegan and vegetarian restaurants throughout the country (see the list below), avoid snacking, and cook as many meals as possible (breakfast will see the biggest wins).

Transportation

There are three ways to get around the island: buses, taxis, and car rentals. Buses cost 1.50-2 EUR ($1.60-2.10 USD) for a two-hour ticket or 21 EUR ($22 USD) for a weekly pass, while car rentals cost 39 EUR ($41 USD) per day (in the summer they start closer to 50 EUR or $53 USD per day. There are a number of local rental companies, but I used Hertz since it was close to my Airbnb. Many of the local car companies don’t take credit cards and want deposits in cash. Going with bigger companies adds another layer of security.

Taxis cost 10-20 EUR ($11-21 USD); while not ideal, they can be ordered ahead of time via Whatsapp and are a good last-minute option if you get stuck because the bus doesn’t turn up.

One thing to note about the buses is that they are infrequent so they fill up fast. We got on one bus, only to have him pull over, kick everyone off, and put us all in another bus, that then waited for 20 minutes to move. It’s a crazy system and, during the summer months when the crowds peak, expect long waits. Don’t be in a rush if you’re using the bus!

Activities

When the weather is nice, there are a bunch of free activities to do, such as enjoying the beach, hiking, swimming, and just walking around. Additionally, all the churches are free. You’ll find a lot of companies that will take you around the island in a boat for 25 EUR ($27 USD). Most museums and attractions cost 5 EUR ($5.25 USD) but you can get a Malta tourism card (there’s one for Mdina and a separate one for Valletta) that will save you about 10-20 EUR ($10.50-21 USD) depending on how many attractions you squeeze in.

On a side note, I found the main tourism center in Valletta unhelpful. The staff couldn’t answer a lot of my questions. The smaller, unofficial locations that littered Sliema’s boardwalk had more information on car rentals, things to do, and prices.

Recommended Bars and Restaurants

Restaurants: Rising Sun (Mdina), Loli (Vegetarian), The Grassy Hopper (Vegan/Vegetarian), the Marsaxlokk fish market, Suruchi, Ta Doni, Cuba, Rocksalt, Ta’ Rikardu (Gozo), Electro Lobster Project.

Bars: Hole in the Wall (Sliema), Native (and any bar on that street as it’s the main hub for nightlife), Dubliner, Legligin, The Thirsty Barber

**** It’s easy to visit Malta on a budget. I was shocked at how cheap this place. Even with summertime increases in accommodation and tour prices, Malta remains an affordable country. I’ve been to all the Eurozone countries now and I have to say Malta is one of the best — if not the best — value. When you combine it with warm weather, amazing landscape, historic cities, and incredible beaches, Malta because one of the best destinations to visit in Europe if you’re looking to save money.

Looks like all those British retirees were on to something after all!

P.S. – BIG NEWS! This year I’m relaunching the Nomadic Matt group tours. You can come travel around with me and other community members! I’ll be doing four over the course of the summer. You can find out more about them and sign up by clicking here. 

Photo Credits: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8

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