Bedroom furniture and accessories: a couple of tips
Using air mattresses when camping
The air mattress is a must-have piece of gear for any camper who values a good night’s sleep. A few of the things it pays to consider when choosing one will be portability, ease of care and durability. Arguably your chief concerns will be the ease of storage and portability of any air mattress you are thinking of buying. The material ought to be rugged enough to stand up to the rubble and debris that are a part of most campsites nowadays. Condensation can develop in your tent while you are sleeping so you ought to buy one with a waterproof bottom. To gather a good idea about both portability and comfort you can visit a local sporting goods store where they have floor models displayed. It does not matter whether you will be using them on the road or for visitors in your home, ease use is very important. Any quality model should include either a battery-operated or manual pump with your purchase.
Using bunk beds to squeeze two kids into a single small bedroom
Bunk beds are a great way to have added sleeping space while saving floor space, but they should be employed with a certain amount of caution. A recent study discovered that nearly 36,000 children and adolescents are treated for bunk bed-related injuries each year. From 1990 to 2005 about 573,000 children from infants to age 21 experienced injuries serious enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room. Nearly half of the injuries occurred in children under 6, but there was also a surprising jump in injuries among 18 to 21-year-olds, who had twice the number of incidents as children ages 14 to 17.
Almost three-fourths of the kids were hurt by falls, with about 30 percent suffering significant cuts, almost one fourth reporting bruises and scrapes and about 20 percent suffering broken bones. More than one in ten sustained concussions. The study showed one half of the kids suffered injuries to the head, neck or the face, and that children younger than 3 years old were about 40 percent more likely to suffer head injuries than older kids. Approximately 60 percent of the kids injured were boys (are we surprised?!)
There are voluntary safety procedures for bunk bed manufacturers which have been issued by both the American Standards of Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. You need to determine if the bed you are thinking about buying meets these standards:
(1) Carefully inspect and test the frame of the bunk bed for durability. The best test is for the parent to climb onto the bed and move back and forth, and side to side; the bed should easily support a parent’s weight without making any noise or feeling any movement of the frame. To be on the safe side, make the salesperson climb up on the top bed to show its strength.
(2) Inspect the entire bed from top to bottom to make sure that there are no potentially unsafe parts sticking out, that there are no sharp edges, and that the entire assembly is smooth. Make certain the bedposts don’t have knobs or finials that can catch clothing and other objects.
(3) The top bunk must always have safety rails on both sides, even if one side is next to a wall. To stop a youngster from slipping between the rails or stuck between the mattress and the bottom rail, no space should be more than three inches, therefore preventing entrapment and strangulation. The top rail should be at least five inches higher than the top of the mattress to keep the child from falling out of bed.
(4) The gap between the mattress and the frame must not exceed three inches at any point all around the bed. If there is a space larger than three inches, the mattress does not fit. A kid who falls down between the bed and the mattress while sleeping could be strangled, which unfortunately has happened.
(5) Ensure that the ladder is well made and well attached to the frame of the bed. A secure ladder must be able to hold an adult’s weight without moving around. As suggested above, have the salesperson demonstrate the sturdiness of the ladder by standing on it and moving from side to side. The ladder must not move at all.
(6) There have been several reported injuries in which the mattress on the top bunk is moved by a child on the lower bed pushing up on the top mattress supports. The mattress supports for the top bed should be firmly attached to the bed frame with either bolts or screws. A floating support system possibly could cause injuries if anything moves around and this method of construction must be avoided.
(7) Every so often examine the bunk bed for any loose or missing hardware and replace them immediately. Immediately! Throughout your inspection be sure to check both the horizontal supports holding the top mattress and all of the hardware holding the bed together.
(8) By no means allow a child less than six years old to sleep or play on the top bed. As pointed out above, one half of the injuries happen to children under that age.
(9) Place the bed out of reach of ceiling fans and light fixtures (which should be obvious!) Also you should be certain there is more than enough space between the top bunk and the ceiling.
Another type of elevated bed you might think about is the loft bed which has an open area where the bottom bed would usually be. This area can be used for a dresser, desk and chair, a TV, or even storage. The safety rules for bunk beds also apply to loft beds and the same attention to detail ought to be taken when visiting a furniture dealer. If you purchase either type of bed over the Internet, make sure it adheres to the ASTM standards.
If you can’t obtain the help you are searching for from any of the articles above, maybe the following websites might be more beneficial. Need further assistance finding discount comforter sets? If that’s the case, then Discount Comforter Sets Online is the place to begin looking. Here you will find further information regarding bedding sheets. Or you may have questions concerning fleece blankets and could find Z Fleece Blankets to be of value.
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