Sparta Hay Bale Decorating Shield Insurance Agency Blog

Decorating a Hay Bale in Sparta Michigan

Posted on August 18, 2021August 19, 2021 by Shield Insurance Agency

TO DECORATE:

Email chamber@spartami.org to register to decorate a bale! A location will be randomly selected for you, the hay bale decorating must be completed by Sept. 12

DISPLAY:

The decorated bales will be on display from Sept. 13-Sept. 26

TO VOTE:

Voting will be done TWO ways: 1, we will have a “like” contest on a Facebook post (that will be posted with a photo of each bale, this will be posted September 14!) AND voting will take place IN PERSON during Michigan Apple Fest in the Sparta Chamber Offices! The combination of both votes will be the placing of 1st, 2nd, 3rd places!

PRIZES:

The top 3 places will be awarded $100 in SPARTA BUCKS!

RULES: The hay bale must stay upright as you find it. Add decor, paint, pics, etc. into the hay bale, the items must be removed by Sept. 26 or the items will be thrown away. Photos of your bale will be taken on Monday, September 13 for voting.

We are getting so excited, we wanted to pull up some photos from last year for some inspiration!!

Click here for the details!

How to Get Rid of Stuff at Home

Posted on August 9, 2021January 22, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Our decluttering tips will help you figure out what you no longer need

By Kevin Doyle | August 05, 2021 | Consumer Reports | Get rid of Stuff | Home Insurance

Sealed in a plastic bag in the back of Kris Schwartz’s bedroom closet is the student nurse’s uniform that her mother wore 80 years ago, complete with pinafore and removable cuffs. Her mother’s nursing cape hangs in a downstairs closet, and a journal her mother-in-law kept is safely stashed in the desk drawer of a home office. These relics are just a metaphorical speck in the “tsunami of stuff” Schwartz says she and her husband have accumulated in their Maine home over the decades.

“I have loads of books, mementos, baby clothes, and letters from people I’ve forgotten about stuffed in my closets and my cellar,” Schwartz says. “The garage is so full it’s sometimes hard to get a car into. Most of it serves no purpose or function, but I can’t get rid of it.”

Marie Kondo’s approach to tidying up may have inspired her fans to fold their underwear like origami, but it took a pandemic for many Americans to start to deal with their surfeit of stuff. “A lot of people suddenly needed to find space for two home offices as well as schooling at home,” says Cindy Sullivan, president of the nonprofit Institute for Challenging Disorganization. “The pandemic definitely contributed to a lot of decluttering.” Many secondhand and resale stores, hauling companies, and professional organizers have reported an uptick in business.

Rule 1: Get Ready to Let Go

For Dawn Castagna, a health industry executive in New York, getting started is the hardest part. “Analysis paralysis definitely applies to me,” she admits. “My wife says, ‘We haven’t used it, so it’s going.’ But I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t know. Who would be the right person to give it to? Should we sell it?’ And when I’m not sure about the right way to get rid of something, I just stop.” If you’re facing similar struggles, these three questions can help jump-start the process:

1. Do you really need it? Anything you don’t use or have multiples of can probably go. “Nobody needs 18 spatulas,” Ferrari says.

2. Can you easily replace it? Amanda Scudder, MSW, a professional organizer in Richmond, Va., recommends the $20/20-minute rule: Anything that would cost $20 or less and take 20 minutes or less to acquire again can probably go without creating much regret.

3. If you’re not using it now, will you want it in five or 10 years? “If it’s already in storage, ask yourself why you need to keep it,” says Amy Tokos, president of the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals.

You also want to start small. Instead of tackling the garage, start with clothes. “Once you see how much lighter and more energized you feel after decluttering your wardrobe,” Scudder says, “you can take that energy into tougher categories.”

Ferrari recommends not handling anything you’re considering getting rid of. “It’s better to have a friend or professional organizer hold it up for you,” he says. “Once you touch it, you’re more likely to keep it.”

Click here for the rest of the story…

CR’s Guide to Getting Better Internet Without Busting Your Budget

Posted on July 20, 2021January 22, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

By Consumer Reports | July 13, 2021 | Better Internet |

How to solve WiFi problems and trim your monthly bill. Plus, what CR is doing to get everyone faster, cheaper broadband.

Over the past 18 months, our home internet connections have helped us reach family, friends, and colleagues. They’ve been both practical tools and a needed source of entertainment during a difficult time.

That may be why 76 percent of Americans agree that internet service is as important as electricity or water, according to a February nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of 2,514 U.S. adults (PDF).

But using the internet at home can be frustrating, too, as many people confront dropped video-calls and sputtering movies—along with confusing bills and poor customer service. The good news is that some broadband problems are easy to fix. The following information can help you do that and maybe even help you save a bit of money.

To learn more about the issues that affect internet customers, Consumer Reports is launching a project called Broadband Together along with several other nonprofit organizations to collect and analyze tens of thousands of internet bills. You can read more about the project, and then consider joining the effort by taking an internet speed test, sharing a bill, and providing us with some basic information.

The information we gather will help us learn how much people are paying in neighborhoods across the country, whether they’re getting what they were promised, and whether prices are fair.

If the internet is glitchy in your home, the first step toward a solution is to pinpoint the problem. And it helps to understand how online material—be it a Netflix show, Zoom call, or social media post—gets to you.

As you can see in the illustration below, movies, email, and other data are funneled by internet service providers (ISPs) through a series of cables and wires to homes with wired service.

If something’s not working, the problem could lie outside your home and may require a call to the company to fix. Or the trouble could be with your home WiFi network, which distributes information wirelessly to your computers, TVs, and other devices.

Which is it? To figure that out, an easy first step is to test your internet speed.

How to get Better Internet

It’s useful to know how fast data moves into and out of your home. To find out, you can check your speed at Measurement Lab or Speedtest. With a click or two, you’ll learn your download speed (how fast data such as a movie streams into your home), and your upload speed (how fast data like your end of a Zoom call streams out). The numbers, measured in megabits per second (Mbps), will vary a bit each time. If possible, first run a test with a computer that’s physically plugged into your router using an Ethernet cord. The results may vary a bit each time you run the test. But if the speeds are consistently much slower than the maximum speeds promoted by the ISP for your plan, call the company. Then do the same test wirelessly (over WiFi) throughout the house. If it’s only the WiFi speeds that are slow, focus on your router to find a solution.

Is Your Service Level Fast Enough?
ISPs generally offer several plans, each promising a different range of speeds—the faster the connection, the more you pay. So which plan is right for you?

It depends on how many people you have at home and what they do online. You need only around 1 Mbps to listen to a Spotify song and 4 Mbps for a Zoom call—but 25 Mbps to watch a 4K movie on Netflix.

The numbers are cumulative. If two TVs are streaming 4K movies at the same time, that’s 50 Mbps.

Every ISP has its own tiers, but you can use the speed ranges below to see where you fit in. Many people may pay for more speed than they really need.

Up to 100 Mbps
This is plenty for two or three people with routine needs. That includes Zoom calls, high-definition movie viewing, and some online game play.

100 to 300 Mbps
These speeds should accommodate even a data-hogging family that plays several 4K movies and taxing online games all at the same time.

300-Plus Mbps
Few households need more than 300 Mbps. If you have internet problems, the solution is probably not to slap down the plastic for your ISP’s priciest superfast service.

Make Your WiFi for Better Internet

Click here for the rest of the story…

How to Transform Your Backyard Into a Restaurant-Worthy Oasis with Outdoor Lighting

Posted on July 20, 2021January 22, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

FoodNetwork.com | Outdoor Lighting

We asked the pros how to install magical, twinkling outdoor lights — on a budget.

This year’s hottest venue? Your own backyard. Maybe you’ve got the plants and furniture down, but you want to take the space truly over the top, so it looks just as incredible as your favorite restaurant’s outdoor dining setup. Short of splurging on a fancy firepit area building outdoor awnings, there’s a functional, budget-friendly move you can make that’ll totally set the mood. And that’s installing outdoor lighting like a pro.

Many restaurants hire lighting companies to put up their twinkly string lights, but that can set you back thousands. With the right tips and tricks, you can totally DIY. That’s why we turned to event and experience production company Cloth and Flame. Their team is so adept at installing lighting, they can rig it up in the even the most remote places (think: the top of the Grand Canyon or the middle of a dessert). Here is their creative, resourceful advice.

Choose the Right Type of String Lights

Google “string lights” or “café lights” and hundreds of different varieties will pop up. Nathan Lesueur, the lead designer at Cloth and Flame gives us guidance.

Avoid interior lights. Stay away from Christmas lights or anything that’s labeled as an interior light, because these won’t be weather-proof.

Read buyer reviews. Amazon and Costco are great sources for inexpensive string lights, but terms on sellers’ pages like “industrial” or “commercial” don’t mean much. “My only reliable source, no matter what I’m buying is doing the research and reading verified reviews of what other people have experienced that item,” Lesueur says.

Make sure the bulbs are generic and replaceable. Bulbs might break when you install the lights, and they’ll burn out over time. You want to make sure that you can buy generic replacements that screw in. Proprietary bulbs will be more expensive and harder to source down the line.

Click here for the rest of the story… and some great photos too!

Join the Celebration: Shield Insurance Agency Recognized for Business Excellence!

Posted on June 2, 2021January 23, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Agency | Shield Blog | About Us | Start A Quote Today! | Business Excellence Award

We are pleased to announce that Shield Insurance Agency has been nominated for the prestigious Business Excellence Award. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional insurance services and our dedication to our clients.

The Business Excellence Award is given to companies that have demonstrated outstanding performance, innovation, and leadership in their respective industries. It recognizes organizations that have achieved significant growth, maintained high ethical standards, and made a positive impact on their communities.

We are honored to be considered for this award and would like to express our gratitude to our clients for their continued support and trust in our services. This nomination serves as motivation for us to continue delivering the highest level of service and to constantly improve our offerings.

We would also like to extend our appreciation to our dedicated team members who have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of our agency. Their hard work, expertise, and commitment to excellence have been instrumental in our nomination for this prestigious award.

Winners of the Business Excellence Award will be announced at a ceremony later this year. We are excited about the opportunity to be recognized among other outstanding businesses and look forward to the results.

Once again, we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our success and helped us achieve this nomination. We remain committed to providing exceptional insurance services and being a trusted partner for all our clients’ insurance needs.

Thank you for your continued support.

Big News from the Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce!

It’s Awards Season!

The Chamber is SO excited to be hosting the Chamber Awards once again this year!

Here are our nominees for the 2021 Awards!
::::: drumroll :::::

Business Excellence Award

Hudsonville Physical Therapy
Advent Physical Therapy
Shield Insurance Agency

Leadership Award

Dr. Therese House-Vereeke
Patrick Waterman
Mary Jane Schreur

Spark Award

Hand 2 Hand Ministries
Meijer
Joy 99

The winners of the Awards will be announced at our official Awards Ceremony MEAL. June 17th at noon at the Pinnacle Center.

Make sure to get registered, we hope to see you there!

Visit the Shield Insurance Blog for some great reading…

8 Easy Steps to a More Organized Home

Posted on May 1, 2021January 23, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

An Organized Home: Even small efforts to declutter can lead to tidier spaces

En español | We love to think about decluttering and having an organized home. But we don’t always love to do it.

Last year, people binge-watched The Home Edit on Netflix to see pantries and bookshelves organized in a rainbow of colors and messy garages and bedrooms transformed. In the past, people have Marie Kondo–ed their closets and drawers by tossing items that don’t spark joy.

It can be hard to get around to decluttering in real life, even when people are spending more time at home because of COVID-19. But a few small steps can help jump-start the effort and may even improve your mental health just as much as your home.

“The more clutter you have, the less happy you tend to be,” says Joseph Ferrari, a professor at DePaul University, who along with his research partner has studied the negative impact of all that stuff. “The more you have, the less life satisfaction people report.”

Decluttering for an organized home made simple

Click here for the rest of the story.

Check out the rest of the blogs at the Shield Insurance Agency website!

Get Gardening Muscles in Shape and Prevent Injuries

Posted on March 22, 2021January 25, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Get Gardening Muscles in Shape and Prevent Injuries. Before digging, pruning, and planting, make sure you’re ready for the work

by Susan Moeller, AARP, March 15, 2021

Christine Zellers tries to run five miles every day and, at 53, considers herself to be in shape. But even she admits that gardening can leave her sore and achy.

“I feel it, especially in the beginning of the season,” she says.

Zellers, an assistant professor of family and community health sciences with Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, New Jersey, teaches gardening, leads group exercise classes, and grows vegetables and herbs in her own garden in Ocean City, New Jersey. To protect her body, she tries to remember to stretch and limber up before heading out to dig, plant, or lug big pots around.

“You want to be thinking about the kind of movement you’re going to do and make sure you’re strengthening those body parts, like your core and your back and your legs and your quadriceps,” she says. “So you want to warm up a little bit just like you would if you were going for a run or doing an exercise class.”

Click here for the rest of the story…

Check out other blog articles!

National Bath Safety Month

Posted on January 13, 2021January 25, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

4 Tips for National Bath Safety Month

Keep the fun in the tub throughout the month of January.

Stay with her.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children 4 and under always have a parent or caregiver present when they are near water, including the tub. Accidents can happen in an instant.

Prevent slips.

Young children do not have the coordination or strength to hold steady if they lose their balance. Affix a slip-resistant plastic mat that suctions to the bottom of the tub and make sure the throw rug outside the tub does not slide when stepped on. Consider installing a grab bar for kids to hold onto when stepping in and out of the bath.

Test the temperature.

Always wait until the tub is finished filling up before placing your child in the water, as the temperature can change. Set your home’s water heater to deliver water no hotter than 120 degrees to lower the risk of scalding. If you don’t have control over the heater, buy an anti-scald device that attaches to the faucet.

Beware of Sharp Edges

Use a rubber cover for the faucet head and drape a towel over metal rails for shower doors when your child is in the bath. Make sure any glass shower doors are made of shatterproof glass. Avoid bath toys with hard edges or points that could be hazardous if your child falls onto them.