Home & Garden Blog

Do you enjoy playing host or hostess, is making the perfect breakfast your life’s passion?  Does gorgeous home decor make you blush, do you take pride in knowing the exact gestation periods and life cycles of your garden plants? Have you ever wondered how you could make all of these passions into a career?  Here’s one for you: Open a bed and breakfast!

Bed and breakfasts are a longstanding tradition.  A more personable and flavorful option than the stark hotel or motel down the street, bed and breakfasts have been successful businesses for years in any town, city, or beachside resort where there is a guarantee of visitors every year.  Think creatively:  your town may be the perfect place to open a bed and breakfast.  I grew up in a very small suburban town that did not seem like a tourist hotspot, but it does have one bed and breakfast that has been around for decades, and is in the prime location:  right between a church and a funeral home.  In this case, the bed and breakfast actually had a monopoly on any large groups of visitors coming to town (namely, for weddings or funerals).

My family’s vacation town is full of bed and breakfasts, and though you are always “on duty”, the job seems more like a lifestyle than a chore.  Here is a “starter kit” and some basic rules for a bed and breakfast.

1.  HUGE dining room table!!  I recommend getting several which can be easily pushed against the walls of the dining room if not needed, or pushed together to create more dining seats.  The amish hand crafted wood dining tables are beautiful.  I recommend the Abbies Special Table for $959.00, which can be personalized with additional pull-out leaves or “wings” for $100 each.

2. Bed-in-a-Bag Ensembles:  Always put together nicely, these bed-in-a-bag sets are a staple for any bed and breakfast.  It’s important to keep a bunch extra in stock, too, because you never know when one quilt or comforter will get ruined, and sometimes with the quick turnover you won’t have time to run out and shop for a new one in between guests that are using the room.  Check out the great selection of Macy’s bed in a bag ensembles, including my favorite the Hallmart Collectibles Selina 7-Piece Comforter Set for $59.99.  Originally $240.00, this delightful comforter is cheerful and homey.  Sure to please any guest or family member!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for dinning tables and bed-in-a-bag sets.

So recently I went to a mid-price department store looking for some new sheets for my bed.  I have just moved into a new apartment and the budget is a little tight.  I was looking for a standard bed fitted sheet, flat sheet, and maybe a pillowcase or two.  I came across a $20 set and thought “This is a great deal!”  Much to my chagrin, later that night, I came home, opened the package and found one flat sheet.  One sheet…for $20.  All I can say is, I learned an important lesson:  Beds deserve an investment, it’s good for your health and sanity, but they shouldn’t break the bank.  Smarter.com has a great selection of bed-in-a-bag deals.  My favorites include the Hydrangea Bed-In-A-Bag Comforter Set that comes with a quilted comforter, bed ruffle, and 200-count fitted and flat sheets (plus pillowcases!) from anywhere between $59.99-$79.99….

and the Gold Dust Queen 8-Piece Bed-In-A-Bag set that comes with a thick comforter, bed ruffle, standard pillowcases and a wide variety of decorative and neck pillows.  For only $89.99, this is a steal.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more bed-in-a-bag sets.

It’s not a shocker or a new revelation but it never ceases to amaze me how much guys depend on women to make their homes more comfortable.

It’s like they would never take the time to cushion their nest, but I have yet to meet a man who didn’t miss it when they break up with their girlfriend and all of a sudden the scented candles disappear, the laundry piles up and the general sweet smell starts to disappear. Leaving behind the stale stench of chips and beer.

Case in point, let’s take my brother Jeff, the last time I went to his house he had a girlfriend and the place was remotely clean, sweet smelling and generally comfortable. Now there is literally a drum set in the living room, it smells musty, and his bed is a hodgepodge of non-matching sheets. Yuck.

I am going to get him a bed-in-a-bag comforter set for Christmas. It’s necessary at this point.

I found a great deal on this 7 piece Jacquard Comforter Bed-in-a-Bag set! 

Here is the Product Description
7pc Queen Size Green Jacquard Comforter Bed in a Bag Set

* Dimension: Queen Size
* Finish: Green
* Material: Polyester /Cotton
* Jacquard Fabric
* Leaf Pattern
* Item comes complete with 7 Pieces.
* 1 Comforter: 90″ x 90″
* 1 Dust Ruffle: 60″ x 80″ + 15″
* 2 Pillow Shams: 20″ x 28″ +3″
* 1 Neck Roll: 7″ x 16″
* 2 Cushions: 18″ x 18″

Here is the best part - Originally cost $139.99 Now ONLY $56.68 (you save $83.31 - 60% Off)

To shop or purchase the Bed-in-a-Bag deal, click here. 

For more discount bedding, click here.

Life is short, don’t let good deals pass YOU by…

Discount Furniture Alert! Target is not only a great resource for apparel, electronics and groceries but they also happen to have a great selection of FURNITURE. Check out the Retro Black Kitchen Stool and other great finds by clicking the link.

If this doesn’t clear a path through a crowd, well folks I don’t know what will! Comment on our Funny Photo of the Week and tell us what you would say…

The easiest and cheapest way to change the aesthetic of your bedroom is to purchase new sheets, check out the great deal on Beds-in-a-Bag at Domestications!

Checkout a series of Lawn Mowers for under $500!

Unique Home Decor, let your garden gnome retire already! Checkout all the modern and unique ways you can decorate your garden and lawn…

Vase Deal of the Day! Beautiful hand blown Glass Vases from Novica plus Free Coupon Codes, you should not miss this savings opportunity.

The beauty of “bed in bag” bedding sets is that it does all the creative legwork for you. If you do not possess the time nor the patience to hand select your sheets, you can shop online and select a “bed in a bag”.

These bedding sets literally contain everything you need to freshen up your boudoir. Currently at JCPenney you can pick up a bed-in-a-bag set that includes a comforter, 2 pillow shams, a tailored bedskirt (fits footboard), and a 200 thread-count 4-pc. sheet set. The entire bed-in-a-bag set only costs: $99.99!

Take advantage of this great deal, the set I have featured on the left is called “Meridian” and is available online.

To read more or purchase the Meridian Luxury Bed-in-a-Bag Set, click here.

To shop for great deals on assorted discount Bedding, click here.