What to look for while choosing an appliance? - Black and Decker, India

We have become the target of aggressive advertising campaigns, and sometimes the amount of information thrown at us may only confuse us further when choosing a product. Where appliances are concerned, it is very important to choose correctly, as in most cases they cost a significant amount of money and cannot be dismissed lightly. Here are some hints on how to go about it:

Check the features: When choosing an appliance like a vacuum cleaner for example, the first decision to be made is what is the type that suits your needs the most. Also look out for newer models as these might be more efficient and have improved features. If you are looking for a vacuum cleaner mainly for quick cleanups, any of the cordless models will serve well. In this case, do look out for important features like how long the battery will take for charging, as well as how long a charge lasts.

Look for reviews: Do not forget to do your research and check out reviews online as well as with friends if possible. It is important though, to balance out the reviews as not everyone writes an impartial and unemotional one. The FAQs on the product site also help, but you should compare it with written and video reviews that are easily available on sites like YouTube.

Think about storage space: Especially for larger appliances like a wet and dry vacuum cleaner, it is important to figure out where you are planning to store it when not in use. Once things start cluttering up our space, we tend to put them away and our enthusiasm to use them also goes down. I am sure all of us have at least one appliance put away in a cupboard somewhere J.

Choose based on the primary user: The person who buys the product may not be the same as the one actually using it, so make sure to make the primary user’s point of view while choosing. The decision will depend on factors such as if the user is elderly or has back problems, which limits the amount of weight they can handle.

We hope these hints help your choice! For more details on our range of products do see our webpage: http://www.blackanddeckerindia.in

How to get kids to help in keeping the home clean - Black & Decker, India

The summer holidays are fast coming up, and we all know what a task it is going to be to keep the kids occupied the entire day. Helping them take some small steps towards keeping spaces clean is a great foundation for them, and also serves the purpose of giving them something to do. Here are some tips:

Set a time and a timer: Young children don’t like being surprised with a chore or a task, so a good way to go about it is to discuss it with them to let them know when you expect them to help you with cleaning. Also make sure that you only do one or two chores of a maximum of 10 minutes, else they’ll tire of the activity too soon.

Make it a game: The easiest way to make something interesting for kids is to make it a game or a challenge. Ask them to count how many toys they can put away in 5 minutes, or how many waste pieces of paper they can throw away, with a prize thrown in occasionally for the best results. They will look forward to cleaning a whole lot more for sure.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakeliefer/305012403/

Task depending on age: Assign tasks based on how old the children are, you know best about who is capable of how much. Kids older than 10 would love to help with “tougher” tasks like vacuuming, if you ensure that they are responsible for easy to access spaces. You can always get to the corners and hidden places for dirt in a later round by yourself.

Teach them to clean up after themselves: Kids will learn soon that the best way to spend less time on cleaning is to make sure that things are put away after use. All they need is a bit of guidance, and a few gentle reminders along the way and soon it’ll be a habit.

Our easy to handle appliances at Black & Decker ensure that you can spend quality time with your kids along with keeping your home clean. For more details, please see our website: http://www.blackanddeckerindia.in

DIY Ideas for your Bathroom - Black & Decker, India

The bathroom tends to be a much-neglected space sometimes, especially where décor is concerned. You will find though, that with just a few DIY ideas, you can liven up this area and make it a pleasure for yourself and guests to walk into at any time. Here they are:

Look for space saving items: Especially in bathrooms where you may not have too much space, it’s a good idea to not get it too cluttered with décor items, and instead to look at compact and multi-functional items. An example would be a cabinet that has a mirror attached to it, so that you don’t have to arrange for separate storage space for your toiletries. Attaching the cabinet to your wall or tiles will be a breeze using a drill kit like Black & Decker’s.

Light up the space: Even if you decide to use darker floor tiles, it is a good option to paint your walls a lighter colour as it makes the area look much brighter and pleasanter. Even if you use professional help for the tile laying, painting the rest of the area can be made approachable if you use the right tools.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleytheartist2002/266687322/

Create storage: As a beginner, you can buy the ready to assemble kits from your local store and try putting it together and hanging it up yourself, with the help of the drill kit. As you gain experience however, you can look at options such as creating a simple one from scratch using water proof plywood and a paint such as Duco to keep it well protected.

Add a décor item: It could be a lovely framed picture or painting, or a plant in the right place – keep it simple, but elegant. When leaving plants in the bathroom, do remember that they need to be aired out every few days or the quality of light and air may not be sufficient for them to thrive. Flowers in a vase have an additional effect of acting as a freshener too.

We hope that by being hands-on about each decision, you can make the bathroom as elegant as all your other rooms. Do check out our appliances and other details on our website: http://www.blackanddeckerindia.in