Tag Archives: House

Turn Your House Into Your Dream Home With These Home Improvement Tips (2)

January 29, 2023   Matt

Turn Your House Into Your Dream Home With These Home Improvement Tips

Home improvement can be as simple as painting a room or more complicated like remodeling the house. Regardless, these are some tips you may find helpful to avoid unnecessary frustration and/or headaches.

Before deciding on renovations for your home, go to several open houses in new subdivisions. You’ll see the latest styles and colors and get a better idea of how your home could look with those options than you would by just going through the hardware store. Many model homes even hire a decorator to include window coverings and furniture to complete the effect, so you can copy the ones you like best and skip a lot of trial and error when updating your own home.

You can stop heat loss from your hot water heater easily by covering it in a jacket. The jacket, which can be found at any hardware store, stops heat loss by 70%, making your home more energy efficient.This saves you money in the long run, as you can quickly regain the cost of the jacket in as little as 6 months.

Use semi-gloss paint on trim or moldings and high humidity areas. Semi-gloss paint looks fantastic on trim and moldings, as it really draws attention to the detail. It can also be used on bathroom and kitchen walls, as it is very resistant to humidity, and withstand stains. Be careful to only use gloss paint on a really smooth surface, as imperfections will be highly visible. That being said, it is the easiest of all paint finishes to clean.

For a paint finish that really lasts, always sand, strip and prime, prior to applying a fresh coat. Many people think that skipping the preparatory steps of painting will speed up the process, but down the road old paint will peel through the new finish, ruining your paint job and forcing you to strip off yet another layer of paint before repainting again.

If you are doing a home improvement project that involves demolition, slow down and take your time. It may be exciting to smash that wall open, but you could damage structural supports, plumbing, or electrical connections. The same is true of pulling down cabinets and other fixtures. Once you’ve demolished it, it can’t be put back, so pay attention to what you’re doing.

For a high-impact update that can be completed in less than a day, consider freshening up your front door with one or two coats of brightly colored, ultra-glossy paint. Homes with light-colored brick or siding look best with a bright red or blue door; darkly colored homes do best with a deep, cool color like eggplant or slate blue.

If you are trying to improve your cabinets, think about cleaning them rather than replacing them. Most cabinets will improve their look with a little cleaning. If you have cabinets that have small problems, such as smudges and mild grease build up, try using a dish soap and warm water solution to clean the exterior.

Remember, home improvement does not have to be a daunting task! The right information can help you to make sound decisions. Whether you do-it-yourself or hire out the work, enjoy your “new look” … a little effort goes a long way!

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Whole House Air Purifiers or Single Room Air Cleaners – Which is Best?

December 05, 2022   Matt

Whole House Air Purifiers or Single Room Air Cleaners – Which is Best?

Whole house air purifiers can bring a whole new environment to your entire home. While single room purifiers can effectively clean the air within a specific location in your home, many families desire the same standard of cleanliness all around their home. Whether you have allergy sufferers in your family who’d like to sit comfortably in any room in the house, or simply want that whole house freshness, then whole house air purifiers might be for you.

A whole house air purifier operates by connecting it with your household air duct system, allowing the air flow from the entire building to be processed by the one whole house air cleaner. The same technologies employed in single room air purifiers are used here, so you can choose from HEPA, electronic or other systems, as best suits the purification needs of your family. Whether you are looking for an allergy relief air purifier, or a UV system to blast those micro-bugs, there is a whole house air purifier ready to meet your needs.

The whole house air purifier does, however, have its critics, as some experts feel that one whole house air cleaner does not possess sufficient cleaning power to remove airborne dust and particles from around your whole home. Some estimate that as little as thirty percent of your household air will even pass through the whole house air cleaner, leaving a full seventy percent of the air in your home unclean.

Whole house air purifiers can be a great way to clean the air in your home from one central location, but may not be strong enough to eliminate all the particulates that affect particularly sensitive people. So if you are looking for an allergy relief air purifier, or have a particular sensitivity to chemicals or odors, then a room-specific air purifier might be most suitable for you.

So consider carefully whether whole house air purifiers are for you, or whether you should consider room air purifiers in the most important rooms.

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In landscaping your home, you can have a small patio fitted into the front of the house where it will make for the perfect place to relax with a cup of chilled ice tea on a hot sunny day

July 22, 2022   Matt

In landscaping your home, you can have a small patio fitted into the front of the house where it will make for the perfect place to relax with a cup of chilled ice tea on a hot sunny day

Even if you hire a professional to do your landscape project for you, bear in mind that maintenance must be a responsibility you should accept and to that effect, landscaping tools such as rakes, snipers, and water pots should be in your tool shed.|The mental picture of how you want your landscape to look like can be further enhanced by the study of landscape design picture ideas available both online and in the library around your vicinity.

Only a very good landscape contractor can take the picture of the landscape you have envisioned in your head and reproduce it in reality for you; ensure therefore, that you select only the best of landscape contractors.|Taking down notes about landscaping ideas that you like and those that you don’t can help you define your goals and arrive at a specific landscape plan that expresses your desires.|Remember that landscape contractors vary in factors such as their style of landscaping, the size, the designs and other factors; make sure you find one whose style of landscape design dovetails neatly with yours.

People who are lovers of bird and butterflies can use their landscape plan as an avenue to attract them close by including flower varieties that they are partial too.|Landscaping as a whole is not a monumental task as long as you know what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it; you may decide to be your own landscaper or hire a professional for a more refined touch.

Having children who love to explore may prompt you to landscape your home by putting a stone wall in your backyard or fencing your entire home with an attractive stone wall. |If you are thinking of doing your landscape by yourself, be sure that you have the right landscaping tools that will make your job easier; those that are too pricey can be rented for a period of time.|You can make sure that your plants are well taken care of by installing automatic sprinklers which water the plants at the time you set it to.

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Simple Things That You Can Do To Improve Your House

May 24, 2022   Matt

Simple Things That You Can Do To Improve Your House

Making changes to your home can seem like a lot to undertake, as well as, a lot to bother yourself with. If you have a bit of information on making improvements to your home though, it can be easy to see how simple, quick and easy projects, can make as much of a difference as those time consuming, costly ones. This article will attempt to show you how to make those changes in a good way.

Use old toothbrushes for cleaning. Whether you are cleaning around the faucet on the kitchen sink or bathroom lavatory or cleaning up engine parts, old toothbrushes work great. Even better, they are free! Why buy a new brush and throw away something that still has a lot of usable life left in it. Save that money for something else.

Before you get started on any project, you need to first understand what you’re getting into. Going into a project without knowing everything will result in a half-finished set of cabinets and granite tiles without any grout in the seams. Go through the project first and work up a blueprint before you start on it.

Make sure you save your home improvement projects for the summer time. If you do home improvement projects in the winter, you will find that it is difficult to maintain optimal ventilation as it is too cold, especially in areas that get really cold and snow. If you wait until it is warm outside, you can comfortably complete home improvement projects with the best ventilation.

If you plan to renovate your whole house, start small by transforming one room or area of your home and see how it turns out. If it isn’t what you were hoping for, you still have time to hire help or learn how to better plan your entire renovation.

The dominant weather conditions in your region should be taken into account when you are considering which home improvement projects to take on. Regardless of how much you might want a specific new feature, sometimes it might be impractical because of the weather. For example, a complex backyard barbecue project would not be a very good idea in the Pacific Northwest because of the high amounts of rain in that area.

You can speed the drying of your drywall patch by using a hair blower! Any hair dryer will work as long as it is portable enough that you can direct the air flow from it over your patch. Keep the air temperature set to low and don’t try to dry the patch too quickly or it will crack.

While it is always nice to have a larger home with more than enough room, it is not a good idea to buy a house that has much more space than you really need. You will only end up paying a lot of money on heating costs for space you do not even use.

You have a home and you want to make it an extension of yourself. If you have never done anything like that before, knowing where to start can overwhelm you. As was stated in the beginning, all it takes is a bit of information. That information was presented to you here, so that you can have the home you have been wanting.

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Selling Your House Can Seem Difficult. Ways to Make It Easier! 2

December 20, 2021   Matt

Selling Your House Can Seem Difficult. Ways to Make It Easier!

If you own property, it likely represents a healthy portion of your net worth. When it comes time to sell your property, you absolutely must be sure you get the best deal you can for your real estate. Selling real estate is less stressful and more profitable when you prepare yourself in advance with good advice like this:

Your house should be a blank canvas. Just because you love brightly colored walls, a prospective buyer may not. If possible, prior to putting your house up for sale, paint the walls white or another neutral color. A buyer needs to be able to envision the house as their own, which is much easier to do when not faced with your favorite colors. Another plus to painting your walls white is it reflects the light, making the rooms look larger.

Try not to be around when the realtor is showing your house. A prospective homebuyer will be put off if you are there when they visit, as it reinforces the fact that the house belongs to you, and they may feel like they are intruding. If you are unable to leave, stay in the background. Be prepared to answer any questions that the realtor may have, but don’t volunteer information.

Be sure to hire a cleaning company to clean your home right before you are ready to get your home listed. The cleaning crew will be able to go through your home and get it into great shape. They will be able to accomplish it quickly, leaving you time to work on other things you need to get it ready for selling.

When you are preparing your home to be sold you need to clear out any personal items so that your house will look anonymous to all that go to see it. Buyers want to imagine themselves in the home and having too much of your things there will not give them that opportunity.

Always be willing to negotiate the price of your home. If you are not willing to budge on the price, you will have a hard time selling. Have in mind the least amount you are willing to sell, and price it higher than that so there is some wiggle room.

If you are a hands-on, do-it-yourself type person, then a great real estate tip for you would be to buy a “fixer upper.” It will not cost nearly as much as a “liveable” house but it does provide plenty of opportunity to fix it up, then turn around and sell it at great profit.

If you are a seller that is about to put your home up on the market you should get your own home inspection done ahead of time. You wouldn’t want to have a problem when a buyer has it inspected and they decide to look elsewhere. Save yourself the headache and get it checked beforehand so that you can get repairs made.

The real estate market can feel overwhelming, especially if you, like most people, rarely have a need to get into it. Putting property up for sale can be a risky gamble if you do not do it right. The information in this article will, hopefully, help you minimize your risk and get the most out of your sale.

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How To Clean Your House In Hurry

July 08, 2021   Matt

How To Clean Your House In Hurry

You’re lying on the couch in your living room, in one of your husband’s old t-shirts and a pair of baggie sweatpants, watching last night’s taped episode of Desperate Housewives, when suddenly – the phone rings. You don’t recognize the number on caller ID and you make the mistake of answering it. It’s your long lost best friend from the sixth grade. She’s in town and she just happens to be in your neighborhood. She’ll be over in 10 minutes, and your house is a MESS.
So, how do you clean up for unexpected guests in 10 minutes or less?!
1. Stay calm!
2. Do a clean sweep. Grab a trash bag or laundry basket and gather up everything that is lying around that shouldn’t be, and throw it into the bag. Hide the bag.
3. Plump up pillows on couches and chairs in living room, fold blankets. Give each cushion a swat for crumbs.
4. Stack mail, newspapers and magazines in a nice, neat pile. Stick the pile in a corner or on a kitchen chair.
5. Give the bathroom a speedy sprucing up! Wipe out the sink, wipe off the toilet seat and quickly swish the bowl. Then, close the shower curtain, and throw odds and ends in cabinets or drawers. Spray some air freshener so the bathroom will smell clean – even if it’s far from it.
6. Rinse off any dishes in the sink and stack them neatly or toss them in the dishwasher. Wipe off the table and counter tops.
7. Take a peek inside the fridge – what beverages and snacks do you have that you can offer your guests?
8. Close the doors to all rooms that you don’t want on display.
9. Light a yummy scented candle in the kitchen – like Cinnamon Buns or Chocolate Cake. Lighting a few scented candles will uplift the mood of your home and make guests feel welcome. Throw some fruit in a bowl and place it in the center of your table. Fresh flowers also do wonders, if you have them on hand.
10. Take a deep breath. Give yourself a squirt of perfume and you’re all set! You may even have enough time to get changed into something a little more presentable.
Cleaning up for unexpected guests does not have to be a mad rush, if you stay caught up on your housework as a rule. A friend of mine gave me some really good advice right after my husband and I got married, she said “The best way to keep a clean house is to entertain in your home at least once a month.” There’s nothing like having company coming to get cleaning!

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