Blog

The amount of spare cash left each month after all bills have been paid has reduced with the increase in prices and the cost of living.  Wouldn’t it be great if you had some extra cash? What about when you retire? Wouldn’t you like some money added to your pension?  I would imagine that almost everybody would appreciate a little extra money each month.  Nowadays, a wide range of people consider rental properties and you too can make quite some money from renting out your home or a section of it.

If you own a separate property or have an unused portion of your dwelling area, then you’re sitting on a potential investment.  In such cases, all that may be required is some renovation work or tidying up to have the place ready to draw in tenants.

Others may have additional land in their dwelling area or vacant land at another location on which they can build small apartments, say 1 and 2 bedroom apartments while others have the potential to construct a large complex.  Although the investment may be more, you will still be positioning yourself to earn additional income in the future.

So, the impressive earnings that can be made when renting out your house is the most important reason why people decide to place their properties on the rental market. However, if you plan on renting out your home or a section of it, you should know that this is linked to some additional responsibilities.

One of the toughest parts of renting a property especially for the first time is that often times the work load is underestimate and people find themselves treating property management like a second job.

Advertising can also be tough and sometimes expensive.  If you are looking to get the word out about your property you can start by talking to family members, friends or neighbours.  You may be surprised who they know and how fast they can help you find a tenant.

If you have a tight schedule and don’t have a lot of time to spare then you can still earn that extra cash with little disruption by having an experienced property management company take up that responsibility.

Renting out your house can turn out to be an important source of income and can be a great way to improve your earnings and increase your budget.

Glass can be a very useful tool in home décor and design.  Glass can come in several forms from glazing, to counter tops and decorative walls.  Whether you enjoy using glass to bring in the morning sun, or a hundred other purposes, glass can be overlooked when customizing home interiors.  Here are some ways to let glass brighten your home.

Glass furniture: Tables, chairs, mirrors… the list goes on and on of glass furnishings that are available for daily use.  Glass table tops in dining rooms and home offices give a sophisticated and executive styling to your interiors.  Glass can be paired with wood, leather and metals for interesting aesthetics. Glass cabinet doors allow for decorative wares or décor items to be displayed.  Specifically in the kitchen, cupboard doors with glass add a practical touch since finding items being stored is made much easier.

Reflectivity and light: The presence of light. Light makes a room feel larger, more comfortable, and more natural.  Glass brings in light naturally to your home and it can be used to obscure, brighten, and enhance views. Windows with expansive glass takes advantage of picturesque views since glass is a miracle worker for reflecting light and illuminating surfaces.

Use glass as your exterior material: Today, the use of glass in exterior sheathing is popular, especially in high rise commercial buildings.  In your home, if you like to be connected with your exterior, use wide expansive glass to draw the outdoors in.

Partitions: Transparent or translucent glass, even combinations of the two, can be used for internal partitions to seemingly increase the sense of interior space and introduce light into rooms. Depending on the translucency of the glass, a glazed partition can be used to create varying degrees of vision control in a room, even complete privacy if required, without resorting to blinds and curtains. Consider glass as a divider wall between a master bedroom area and a master bathroom. Glass block can let light through, and keep ample privacy at the same time. Try using different glass materials for all rooms in your home.

A design incorporating glass is both practical and of great visual appeal. Also, implementing this design at whatever scale or budget will modernize any room.

Many times paint is not a must for sprucing up an unsightly wall. If you’re otherwise happy with the color and condition of your walls, you don’t have to paint them. Washing walls is by far the cheaper alternative, and with helpful tips, it’s really very easy.

Use a sponge or a white rag. Many rags are dyed and are not color safe which usually results in discoloration of the paint.

To prevent water from running down your arms use a terry cloth wristband or fasten rolled washcloths around your wrist with either a pin or rubber band.

To avoid having to constantly change the water because of excess dirt, use two separate containers for the cleaning solution and another for plain water.

Do not use any strong or concentrated bleach based solution which may damage the paint. Some dish soap/liquid in some warm water or baking soda applied to the sponge/cloth is sufficient. Be sure to rinse out the wall since most cleaning solutions have chemicals that may streak the paint.

Begin at the top and go down since dirty water from above runs down the wall as you clean.

Place old rags or towels along the base of the wall to avoid the floor getting too wet.

The built environment refers to the human-made surroundings that provide the setting for human activity ranging in scale from personal shelters to neighborhoods to the large-scale civic surroundings.  Most of where we live is man-made – from the homes and apartments we live in, to the commercial buildings we work in, to the roads and bridges we traverse on daily.

People place a great amount of financial, physical and emotional investments in the maintenance of their heritage and improvement of infrastructure upon which they depend on for a civilized existence.  In order for us to protect and preserve our heritage and investments we must first pride in our local areas and environment.  We should focus on methods which embrace reduction in cost through efficient use of resources (energy, waste, water). We should provide environments that contribute to our physical and mental health and enhance creativity and productivity.  Our built environment also needs to be flexible and adaptable to future uses, and be resilient to cope with local effects of climate change.

Because of mounting economic pressures and changing environmental conditions over the years, practices within the built environment have evolved.  Now, great emphasis is placed on creating a sustainable built environment, through design, construction and management, which will enable all people to live well, within environmental limits.

Many institutions have been established to give the opportunity to not only construct feasible structures but also create surroundings that will preserve our environment and our way of life.  These organizations provide consulting services which is often free to the built environment market. They also assist in the design and implementation of programs, policies, and strategies to improve building and infrastructure performance for a broad range of clients including individuals, agencies, local governments, and corporate and institutional owners of real estate. They also help individuals and businesses deal with the risks inherent in the built environment activities.

We spend all of our lives within the built environment and some of us make no provisions for our generations to come.  Preserving the built environment started with persons before us and should continue with us.

When economies shrink and disposal income threatened, how do we meet our client’s reality? Rather than generous, personal projects, the need for small formed spaces is becoming an economic necessity, pushing us designers to test our creativity with less.

Nowadays, there are plenty of reasons to downsize to a smaller home. Perhaps you’re in the market for a simpler way of life, or lower rent, or mortgage payments.

With smaller spaces, owners can no longer dedicate an area solely for one function.

People would often buy larger homes for a number of reasons:

• They “outgrow” their smaller one.

• They can afford more.

• They need to keep up with their neighbours’.

• They believe a large home is the home of their dreams.

Another reason people keep buying bigger homes is because no one tells them they don’t need to.

So let’s explore reasons why people could be actually happier in a smaller house:

1. Easier to maintain. Smaller buildings are easier to maintain.

2. Less time spent cleaning. And that should be reason enough…
Read more

Whether you are constructing a home or doing minor repair and maintenance work around the house you will more than likely need the assistance of a ladder. Ladders allow us to achieve tasks in high places and as with any tool you should be aware of the proper way to use it. Knowing proper ladder safety is essential in safeguarding yourself against accidents. Here are 3 safety tips to keep in mind when using a ladder:

1) Firstly, you would need to choose the right ladder for the job. Ladders are rated for different load capacities. Hence, the combined weight of the climber and any tools or materials being carried should be taken into consideration. The Duty Rating of the ladder must be greater than the total weight on the ladder. In addition, the ladder must be long enough that the climber does not have to stand on the top rung or step when performing a task.

2) When climbing up or down a ladder maintain three points of contact at all times. Either have two hands and a foot or two feet and a hand firmly planted. Any tools and materials that are being carried while you climb should be in a tool belt or pulled by rope once you are done climbing. Also, ensure that you wear non-slip shoes when working on ladders and that you use the ladder only for its intended use. Refrain from using it as a bridge or scaffolding.
Read more

Natural disasters are unpredictable and the damage they cause can cripple any business. We can never be 100% prepared but the following are six things that can be done to speed up the recovery period after such disasters:

Have A Disaster Plan 
Every company should have a written disaster plan detailing the procedures to be followed by management and staff in time of disaster. These procedures should address cases when disasters occur during business operations as well as outside of business hours. These procedures should be widely circulated among staff, reviewed intermittently and updated if necessary.

Backup, Backup, Backup
Utilities are almost always affected by natural disasters. Having back-up systems in place is a smart way to prepare for the event of a natural disaster. Investing in a back-up generator can ensure that your business resumes operations sooner in cases of power loss. A back-up water system will also add to smoother operations of your business after a disaster. Further, this system could allow your business to spend less on its water bill if it is utilized during regular business operations.

Have An Alternative Location
It is a good idea, when approaching the disaster season, to find out what properties that are available for rent that could possibly house an alternative location for the conducting of your company’s business operations. Needless to say, this will avoid you from scrambling in the event that such a location is needed after a disaster which will allow your business to lose less revenue from being closed after suffering damage.
Read more

The ‘Nature Isle of The Caribbean’, Wai’tukubuli: ‘Tall is her body, these are some of the names used to describe this beautiful land we live in, this ‘gem beyond compare’ that I am proud to call my home. With our many rivers, dark sand beaches, rich and fertile soil, cascading waterfalls, hills and valleys, our friendly people and our rich cultural heritage, Dominica is truly a land blessed by God.

As we celebrate our 37^th Anniversary of Independence from Britain we not only look back at the journey thus far, but more importantly we also look towards the road ahead. The past is in the past, but the future is only beginning. Although we have faced circumstances and situations throughout the past years, most recently with the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, together as one nation, one people, under God we have survived and will continue to survive.

It was the August 27^th Storm that inspired this year’s Independence theme “Rebuilding Dominica Together.” As a result of Erika many beloved and anticipated annual events sadly were be cancelled. These include: the World Creole Music Festival, Creole in the park, the 2015 Independence Athletics Meets, the President’s Independence Reception, Heritage day and the various cultural pageants. This however has not broken our spirits and hindered Dominicans from giving thanks for what we do have: life, strength and each other.

Let us therefore continue to celebrate and embrace our heritage, partaking in what sets us apart from the rest of the world. Dressing in our national wear and dining on our local cuisine. Singing those Kweyol songs, while dancing (Bele, Quadrille, Heel and toe), to the beating of the tambou drums. It is only when we put aside our differences; put aside all that divides us, and bury the hatchet, moving forward in unity, can we as a people persevere. Let us not forget the last line of our National Anthem “All for each and each for all.”

Happy 37^th Anniversary of Independence Dominica; let us continue rebuilding our nation together.

Since the passage of Tropical Storm Erika on August 27, 2015 there has been a greater need to safeguard ourselves from the vulnerability to illness and disease. As of September 16^th there have been a total of 153 known cases of Gastroenteritis (commonly known as stomach flu), within certain areas of Dominica. In addition health officials fear that diseases such as Chikungunya and Dengue Fever, which are carried by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, may resurface due to improper storage of water, as well as fears of the reoccurrence of Leptospirosis on the island. Due to the mere fact that we living in Dominica are still recovering from the effects of the storm, we are more susceptible to such diseases than ever before. Here are a few tips to keep you and your family safe on our road to rebuilding and recovery:

Ensure the water you drink is safe

The lack of pipe borne water in some communities could give rise to diseases like gastroenteritis due to the use of water that may be contaminated. For safety precautions it is wise to treat sources of water (including pipe borne water) by boiling, use of bleach, purification tablet etc.

Protect yourself from mosquitoes by:

• Using mosquito repellents, even while indoors.
• When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into socks to cover skin from mosquito bite.
• When indoors, use air conditioning if it is available.
• Ensure that windows and door screens are secure and free of holes. If sleeping areas are not screened or air conditioned, use mosquito nets.
• To reduce the mosquito population, get rid of mosquitoes breeding areas. These include old tires, cans, or flower pots that collect rain. Cover all items used to collect water; barrels, pails, large containers, etc.

Leptospirosis, like gastroenteritis, can be caused by contact with contaminated water.  Reduce chances of infection by:

• Not swimming in water that might be contaminated with animal urine, or eliminating contact with potentially infected animals.
• Wearing protective clothing or footwear if you are exposed to contaminated water or soil because of your job or recreational activities.

If you need any clarification on this topic, feel free to email us at info@millenia.dm.

This week we thought it would be very useful to share the following tips with you that could help bring some order and calmness back into our lives as we go through each day on the journey to recovery from the chaos and confusion that Tropical Storm Erika has left behind:

1) Reconnect and build relationships.
Since we all were impacted differently, it is vitally important to talk about the stress and pressures you have experienced with the people closest to you. Reach out to friends and family as soon as is possible. Call a friend you haven’t heard from in a while. Just checking in to see if they are OK will only take a few minutes, and will do a world of good to you both.

Simply talk about your experience and how you got through the storm. Tremendous connection can occur through crisis, so this is an especially good time to reach out to friends or family who may have drifted away from your closest circle of relationships. Offer a word of encouragement and show support to individuals who suffered severely in the storm. Go out into your community and lend a helping hand to your neighbors, this in itself will not only reestablish relationships among family and friends but help form new ones in the community.

2) Rebuild your routines.
To regain strength quickly, identify what your normal routines were before the storm and then get back to them as soon as possible, get your life back on track because we all draw strength and security from a structured daily routine. Bed time, dinner time, getting up to go to school, or work, or church or the gym to work out. Even if you are staying in a hotel, shelter, or with family members for a while, stick as much as you can, with the rituals that you have typically followed that make up your daily lifestyle, this way you will feel the comfort of your stable and predictable routines, regardless of the stress of the many changes happening around you.

3) Reach out for faith.
Plugging back into your faith after the storm will allow you to release anxiety over the things that you know are too big for you, because you can trust God to handle them. In times of crisis, everyone believes in the power of prayer and the importance of their faith. There is tremendous strength in knowing what you believe and living in harmony with those beliefs and values. Dedicate a few minutes or perhaps even an hour per day to quiet mediation and reflection on what matters most if you want to continue to grow strong in spite of the storm. This is especially important when you or your children may feel lost, alone or afraid. God cares and taking time to pray and release those burdens will help you make it through the rest of your day.

Helping others in need is one of the greatest ways people of faith model what they believe, so avoid the tendency of being “too nice” to ask for help if you need it. Having a committed personal faith combined with the connection of a local house of worship will give you a tremendous sense of community to get through this storm as well as the ones to come.

4) Tell your story.
Telling your story now will give you additional strength as well as connect you to the neighbors and friends as they share their story with you. Young and old alike will benefit from hearing about how others survived this natural disaster. There is tremendous power in telling your story; healing power for you and helpful power for others who will gain insight and strength by hearing how creative people can become through a crisis. As you speak up about what happened, it will make it easier for other family members or coworkers to talk about their feelings of loss as well. Things will never be the same as before, but life will go on and we can rebuild and get through it better together.