Monday Motivation: Keeping the peace

I love the sound of my husband's voice, the screen porch closing, my grandson's giggles, my chicken's clucking, and the sound of the gravel drive when visitor's arrive.  All of these things make me stop and smile. 

On the other hand, I don't like the sound of blaring television, ringing phones, loud voices, scraping drawers, or squeaky doors.  All of these things make me cringe.

Because I can be somewhat sensitive to sounds, I try to avoid harsh ones whenever possible.  Here are some ways I do that around my home:

1.  Soften what you can. 

      

*Put pads on  the bottom of chairs and other furniture that gets moved around.  This will cut down on the noise made when moving things and will also protect your floors.

  *If you have hard flooring, be sure to add curtains, area rugs, artwork, and soft furnishings to soften the echo sound that can occur in your home.

*If you have a choice, choose wood floors over laminate or tile because wood floors absorb sounds better.                                                                                                                             

*When washing dishes, a sink mat will help reduce the sound of clinking dishware.

"Sometimes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder; other times, it's in the ear!"  Carole Mayhall

2.  Fix or replace what you can

*Go around your house with a can of WD-40 or other lubricant and treat noisy hinges, drawer slides, and wheels. 

*When you have the need to replace an appliance be sure to consider the noise level of the item.  Kitchen dishwashers are notoriously noisy (we had one that sounded like an elephant) but many of the newer models are advertised as being quieter.  Exhaust fans can be replaced with a quieter model and are rated for noise level.  The lower the rate, the quieter the fan.

*If the sound of your doorbell makes you crazy then you can replace it.  Even better, do without it.  A good old door-knocker saves the day.

*Noisy floorboards might require a visit from a handyman but may save you some frustration.

*If you hear water trickling in your toilet that usually indicates a leak within the toilet.  Not only does this mean you're wasting water (and money) but it can be annoying.  Check the flapper to make sure it's closing properly and also check the arm of the handle to make sure it's not bent.  Both can cause small leaks.  These problems are very easy to fix (even I can do it).  Whenever you have to replace a toilet be sure to look for one that flushes quietly, especially for a powder room.  Nothing says "please leave now" than a guest room toilet that sounds like a freight train.  (not that I've had that experience or anything :)  )

*Place rubber pads under appliances and cutting boars to soften the sound and keep them from slipping.

*Replace batteries in your smoke detectors regularly to avoid annoying beeps in the middle of the night because of dying batteries.

"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife" Proverbs 17:1

3.  Prepare what you can:

*Choose to run appliances when most family members are not at home so that your family time won't be interrupted by noise.

*Turn off the television unless it's designated TV watching time.

*Be careful when you allow radio or music to be played.  Sometimes we're so used to noise that we don't take the time to enjoy the peace and quiet.

*Choose words carefully when talking to others.  The tone, volume, and speed of your words dictates the atmosphere of your home.  As a young mother, I learned that my children were more attentive to my words when I spoke them quietly and calmly.  They listened very carefully when I whispered in their little ears. 

"Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt"

                                                                                      Colossians 4:6

So there you have it - some ideas for keeping the peace in your home.  Please share some ideas of how you keep the peace in your home.