September 12, 2017 • Page 8 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Fall Home Improvement & 5 Ways to Make Homes Safer Corral Entryway Injuries that occur around the home contribute to millions of medical visits and tens of thousands of fatalities each year. Falls account for the largest percentage of home accidents, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that around 30,000 fallrelated fatalities occur each year in the United States. Many home accidents are entirely preventable when proper caution is exercised. As homeowners prepare for home-improvement projects, improving safety inside and outside the home should be a priority. 1. Improve lighting One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of falls is to improve lighting around the home. The National Institutes of Health state that adequate lighting is important at entrances to the home, stairways, hallways, and other frequently traversed areas. Make sure lighting fixtures are using the highest wattage light bulb allowed. Artificial lighting sources become even more vital in fall and autumn, when natural light is less abundant in a home. In addition, install lighting outdoors by the front door, over the garage and where garbage pails are stored to facilitate safe passage. 2. Eliminate slick surfaces Improving traction around the house also can minimize falls. Throw rugs and runners can be made more secure with nonslip rubber backings. Bath rugs can reduce slipping on wet surfaces in the bathroom. Also, nonslip mats can be used inside of showers and bathtubs. Use shoe trays to reduce puddling from melting snow or rain run- Clutter off in entryways. Mop up spills quickly, and consider the use of matte- or textured-finished flooring to improve stability underfoot. Promptly remove snow and ice from driveways and walkways. For those who live in cold climates, heated concrete can help melt precipitation before it accumulates. The entryway to a home is the first thing guests experience when coming inside. It also can be the first place residents drop their belongings after long days at school or work. As a result, entryways can quickly be consumed by clutter. Taming such messes takes a mixture of ingenuity and planning. Homeowners hoping to clear their entryways of clutter must first decide what they want to get out of the space. Will it simply be a decorative spot with photos and other home decor on display? Or is functionality the primary goal? Once that decision has been made, take inventory of which items, such as shoes, keys, umbrellas or coats, need to be in the area, which don’t (i.e., old mail). To make things more organized, rearrange the former while removing the latter. Next it is time to assess storage needs and what’s already available. User-friendly storage items may need to be purchased to make the room as functional as pos3. Make needed sible. The following ideas also can help bring order to the repairs space. Repair loose • Create a command center. Create a central location floorboards and where items are neat, orderly and within reach. Use a pull carpet taut bulletin board, dry-erase calendar or something that can if it has started house schedules and important notices. Hooks can hold to stretch out. keys, chargers and more. Address cracks • Keep it covered. Covered bins can serve as a seating outdoors and area and also a place to store shoes, hats and scarves. ensure that patio Stairs should be free of clutter and have sturdy railings. • Create cabinet space. Store items in cabinets so they stones, bricks are organized but out of sight. This way belongings are Handrails, grab bars, nonslip and pavers are secure and level to stair treads, and many other devices not just left on an entryway table. reduce tripping hazards. Fix areas • Create another drop zone. If the entryway is too can make homes safer for people of of the landscape where water may all ages and abilities. Outfit cabinets small to serve its purpose, outfit another room or area pool and freeze, creating potential that also can do the job. This can be a laundry room or and closets with organizers that hazards. mudroom area. Install shelves, a bench, cabinets and put frequently used items within hooks. Just be sure this space is close enough to the easy reach. A sturdy step stool 4. Declutter all spaces entryway to make it useful. can reduce the risk of injury while Remove unnecessary items and • Go vertical. An easy way to keep things neater is to reaching for items stored on high furniture from rooms to free up remove items from the floor and embrace vertical storshelves. more space to get around. Be sure age. Shoe racks, hooks for purses and a cabinet for coats Taking measures to reduce the there are no obstructions in walkmay do the trick. risk of falling around the home is ways, entryways and near doors. Clutter can accumulate in entryways. But some simple a worthwhile home improvement Keep staircases clear at all times. adjustments can quickly revamp the space to make it project. neater and much more functional. 5. Invest in assistive devices ? MetroCreativeConnection ? MetroCreativeConnection RON’S AUTO GLASS •ALL GLASS •ALL GLASS • COMMERCIAL • HOME CUSTOM SHOWERS ••CUSTOM SHOWERS 605-665-9841 • AUTOMOTIVE 605-665-9841 1915 Broadway Street Yankton, SD 1915 Broadway Street • • Yankton, SD Fall Flooring Festival Save Up To 2250 $ after more than a century, we’re still inventing new ways to keep you comfortable, no matter the season. 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