Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Contact a contractor for an estimate if you want help from a professional. Consider doing the renovations yourself if you want to save money. Set a reasonable budget for your renovations. Sketch out a floor plan for your ideal bedroom. Consider removing a wall to combine rooms and expand your space. Refinish or replace the floors for a relatively inexpensive update. Pick a set or multiple pieces of furniture that fit your desired style.

Answer: For remodels that include an addition to the room, removing walls, or other structural changes to the home, it’s best to set up an appointment with a professional contractor in your area. Normally, the contractor will come to your home, talk about the remodel with you, and survey the room to see what they’re working with. Then, they’ll give you an estimate for the cost of work and materials.  When talking to a contractor, be as specific as possible about what you’d like the room to look like. If you have inspiration pictures, show them. Keep in mind that while using a contractor is more expensive, they can save you time and ensure that the work is done properly. For some big renovations, like refinishing floors, removing trim, or even taking out small, non-load-bearing walls, it’s possible to do the project by yourself. Before you take on any project, make sure you have the proper tools and understand the risks.  Do-it-yourself renovations can be a very stressful learning experience, and your project might not turn out exactly as you planned. If you start doing a project and find that you’re in over your head, don’t be afraid to contact a professional for help or advice. For an average remodel, plan to spend about $110 per 1 foot (0.30 m) squared. If you’re going to be re-doing a closet or expanding the room, be sure to include that area in your calculations.  If you’re doing a remodel that requires a lot of demolition, or you plan to add new flooring, add an additional $15-$30 per 1 foot (0.30 m) squared. The price will depend on what kind of flooring you’re using or how you’re doing the demolition. Keep in mind that doing demolition and renovations yourself will save you money. Then, you can hire a professional to do the parts of the renovation that you cannot do on your own. Once you’ve decided on the style and know how much space you’ll have, make a general drawing of the room that you can refer back to throughout the renovations. Include the places where you’d like to put furniture, mark any doors, and note where there are windows. Your sketch doesn’t have to be detailed or even to scale. You should just have a general idea of where you’d like to put everything. If there’s a smaller room adjacent to your bedroom that you rarely use, you might want to take out the wall to incorporate the space from that room into the bedroom. Make sure the wall isn’t load-bearing, and double check that removing it will provide the amount of space that you’re looking for.  This is also a great method for adding a larger closet or ensuite bathroom to your bedroom. Keep in mind that removing a bedroom or bathroom can negatively affect the value of your home. Before committing to combining 2 bedrooms, talk to an appraiser to see how the value of your home could change. If you don’t want to remove a wall, then you could add a door between 2 adjacent rooms, such as a sliding barn door or pocket door. This will keep the rooms separate while providing more space. If you already have hardwood floors or have hardwood under carpeting, consider making it a focal point to your room. Changing from carpet to wood can change the entire feel of the room. Making the switch from carpet to hardwood normally has a high return on investment, but it’s important to do each step correctly to ensure that the flooring will last a long time.  If you currently have older carpeting in your room, you might consider replacing it with new carpeting for a fresh look. Try to pick a neutral color that will match your desired theme. Compared to expanding the room or purchasing new furniture, replacing the floors can be pretty cheap and give the room a whole new look. If replacing the floors is not an option, then purchase a large area rug to cover them. Once the room is remodeled, you can add furniture to the bedroom. For totally new furniture, plan to purchase a bed frame, mattress, nightstand, and a dresser. You can purchase these in a matching set, or find a mix of pieces from different stores.  If you don’t have a lot of closet space, you might consider getting an extra dresser or an armoire to hold your clothes. For mismatched furniture, search at places like antique stores and flea markets for unique pieces.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Use an envelope that’s no bigger than 12 by 15 inches (30 by 38 cm). Check that your envelope isn’t thicker than 3⁄4 inch (1.9 cm). Weigh your item to see how much postage you need to pay. Pay a lower price if your envelope is letter-sized.

Answer: These are the maximum length and height measurements for large envelopes. Anything larger than this qualifies as a parcel, and it’ll cost more to send. Place the item you’re sending into your envelope. Once it’s in there, use a ruler to see how thick the envelope is. If it’s too thick, the post office will define it as a parcel. Try to make sure the item is the same amount of thickness all over the envelope. A lumpy envelope with some thicker parts and some thinner parts will also be characterized as a parcel. Go to page 37 of the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) price guide: https://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/Notice123.pdf. This will tell you the amount you’ll need to pay per ounce. You can use multiple stamps to reach the total amount or visit the post office to pay by cash, check, or card. It costs $0.98 USD to send a large envelope that weighs 1 ounce (28 g). So long as your large envelope weighs less than 13 ounces (370 g), you can send it by dropping it in a blue USPS mailbox or by leaving it in your home mailbox with the red flag raised. If your envelope is less than 6 1⁄8 by 11 1⁄2 inches (16 by 29 cm), it counts as a letter rather than a large envelope. This means you don’t have to pay as much! Your letter can’t, however, be thicker than 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm).


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Be prepared. Rehearse jokes. Warm up Sharpen your comedy skills. Perform regularly.

Answer:
The worst mistake you can make is to walk into a comedy set completely cold. This sets you up for nervously laughing at your own jokes! Even the best comedians need to spend some time preparing what they are going to say.   Create a set list for yourself. Make a list of each joke you will tell. Think about transitions. How does one joke flow into the next? Is there some kind of logical progression? Keep in mind what kind of people you expect to see in the audience. Certain demographics will be more or less likely to enjoy certain types of jokes. An open mic at a church, for example, may not be the best place to try out very dirty material. Whether you’re the type of comic who follows a script or one who tends to free-style, rehearsal will always make your set better. Plus, it is the most effective way to stop yourself from laughing at your own jokes. Set aside time to run through your entire set 2-3 times before you take the stage.  The more times you rehearse your jokes, the more normalized they become, and the less likely you are to laugh. Be sure to time yourself. This way you’ll ensure that you have the right amount of material, and you can move through your set without concerning yourself with time. before taking the stage. Taking the stage cold sets you up for nervous laughter. Before you take the stage, find a way to warm yourself up, and release any “silly energy.”   Put on your favorite song and dance around making funny noises and goofy faces in the mirror. Laugh at yourself. Move your body, use your voice, and wiggle the muscles in your face. All of these actions dispel nervous energy and prepare you to tell jokes on stage effectively, without bursting into laughter. If you do a good job of making the people around you laugh, you won’t need to laugh to fill the silence. Prevent yourself from laughing at your own jokes by making other people laugh.  Use vocal variation. Don’t fall into a monotone delivery. Signal the punchline. Pause for a moment to let the audience know it’s coming. Use a call-back. Reference something funny you said near the beginning of your set near the end. Audiences love this. If you really want to strengthen your comedy and prevent yourself from laughing at your own jokes, the only true remedy is spending as much time as you can telling jokes on stage. You can’t perform once a month (or less) and expect to improve at your craft. Try to make it out 1-3 times per week.  Begin by seeking out comedy open mics. You can find these advertised at coffee shops or bars, or in a local entertainment paper. Open mics are where you can practice, connect with other comics, and gain exposure. If you do well at open mics, you will be invited to perform at more regular gigs.