If you’re a U.S. consumer with too much stuff, you have a few options. You’ve probably already tried to downsize – Goodwill, thrift store, and antique shop your way out of clutter. This is a great practice for any homeowner, but rarely yields the type of results a household really needs. You can try to organize your way into a home in which every nook and cranny has a place for stuff, but this really equates to buying more things that happen to serve as a place for other things. It’s a temporary solution to a very persistent problem. Probably the best and quickest approach is to find some cheap...

There are many plastic tarps available, which can be turned to a myriad of uses. Whether for use as additional tent coverings, to cover supplies being transported in open top trucks, or protecting crops from inclement weather, there are a host of opportunities. Made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), they comprise a number of woven thermoplastic polymer sheets, which are laminated together. These multi layers not only afford great protection and provide wonderful insulation. Derived from petroleum, they also have a very high tensile strength. Further, they can withstand internal and external...

When backpacking, it is crucial to bring a proper tent as this is your protection from weather and bugs. There are several different characteristics of tents that you should keep in mind while choosing a tent. Depending on the length of your trek, the weather conditions and the terrain, different tents will be ideal. You will want to choose the lightest tent possible for the conditions and comfort that you require. For warmer weather, this is much easier as lighter-weight fabrics and poles are sufficient. In cold weather, especially when there is heavy snow or wind, you may need to sacrifice some...

HIKING IN FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA Located at nearly 7,000 feet, near the base of the San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff, Arizona is a hiker’s paradise. After reading this general overview on hiking in Flagstaff, Arizona, please take the time to browse the websites which I researched as preparation for this overview for more detailed information. The area in and around Flagstaff offers the hiker everything from high alpine aspen and ponderosa pine forests all the way to rugged deserts. Coconino National Forest trailheads begin only a few miles from the city. Wildflowers, oaks, ponderosa and pinion pines,...

While there are as many reasons to camp as there are campers, there are some common themes that show up often in discussion. One is to gafiate, or Get Away From It All. Camping provides an opportunity to leave behind the stresses of the day-to-day life and recover for another bout in the ongoing fight for survival. Everyone needs a way to escape to recharge the batteries, and for many camping is it. Another reason to camp is to promote togetherness on family vacations, forcing everyone to work together. I have vivid memories of a camping trip twenty odd years ago with a new tent for which we...

The sun is shining and the flowers are in full bloom. It’s time to break out the flip flops and tanks pull up your hair grab your sunglasses and swimsuit on your way to… …well during those dreary cold winter days you were sure you had big plans for summer, but what were they and where has all the time gone. That is me every year, whining and complaining about the winter and begging for summer then it arrives and I don’t fully embrace it. Well I decided to kick off this summer the right way. Let me take this opportunity to share some fun filled weekend activities for everyone...

Ironic isn’t it? Being a keen but less-than-successful prospector I find that, most often, success is directly related to the length of time I’m able to stay put, be it on a claim or out in the bush. But staying put depends on my economic resources in the first place! Let’s be honest. As enjoyable as it might be, whether you’re fossicking or working a claim, unless you get lucky, long stretches away from the comforts of suburbia can become a real strain both physically and financially. For most of us there’s not a whole lot we can do about that in the short term, but there are a few secrets...

One of the biggest dangers of backpacking is not being attacked by a bear or a mountain lion; it comes from a much larger force, the cold. Hypothermia occurs when the body’s temperature becomes abnormally low. Hypothermia might not seem like it is very dangerous, but when the body’s temperature drops from 37.5 degrees Celsius to below 32 degrees Celsius, hypothermia can become life threatening. Hypothermia occurs from inadequate protection against exposure to the cold. Hypothermia can occur not only in winter, but also summer. Preventing hypothermia can be done by following a few simple...

Camp America, 2006 In the summer of 2006 I made the desicion to travel from my home country of Scotland(UK) to work at a girl scout camp in Virginia (USA). I would have to say that working there was one of the best and most memoral experiences of my life. Finishing my second year at university I decided that it was time for a new challenge and seeing an advert for “Camp America” I decided that working with children for the summer was just for me! I enjoy working with kids and love visiting america so this was going to be the best summer of my life. In June, after going through numerous...

Remember when you were a kid and it was summer break. You did everything you could to have fun and not be bored. You played with your friends outside, you read a book or you went swimming. Today, more and more children are spend their summers inside in front of the television or their gaming system. Here are some summer activities that you can do with your kids to get them away from the television. Pack a basket or cooler and head to the park for a picnic. Most people have some kind of local park nearby, why not use it? You’ll get away from your house get some fresh air. Bring along a...