How to Revamp Your Home

June 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing home decor tips on how to revamp your home on a budget.  If your home looks as tired as you feel staring at those uninspiring walls, then perhaps it’s time for a revamp. Or maybe you just need a change? They say it’s as good as a holiday. 

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to revamp your home. You can breathe new life into your living space without breaking the bank.  So, get in touch with your creativity and check out our tips on how revamp your home below.

 

 

how to revamp your home

 

 

 

How to Revamp Your Home:

Fresh Paint 

Your walls are a canvas of possibilities. You can repaint your entire house, or focus on a room at a time. Step out of your comfort zone and try out new paint colors, or even an accent wall in the living room. 

Alternatively, pick out an item – a chest of drawers, an old bookshelf, a kitchen table – anything, and paint it. Preferably in a contrasting color that compliments the rest of the room. It makes a world of difference, and you’ll get to decide how much to spend.

 

Save the Siding

Siding in need of some TLC affects the overall appearance of your house. Evaluate the extent of the damage, and see if you can replace or repair the worst parts. 

Whether you have vinyl, stucco, aluminum, or wooden siding, by fixing a few panels, you’ll get rid of that eye-sore and improve your exterior’s look. It will improve your home’s look and maintain your house in the long run.

However, if the damage is beyond redemption, then it’s worth asking a specialist to conduct a site visit. This will give you an idea of how much it’ll cost. So, either way your efforts won’t be in vain.

 

 

how to revamp your home

 

Refinish & Replace

Bring dull cupboards and shelves back to their former glory by applying a refinish, or opt for two-toned cabinets to introduce a burst of color into a dull space.

Give your kitchen a fresher look, by replacing that century-old appliance with a new one. Do the same for other household items like rugs, throw cushions, or even bedding.

 

Liven Up Living Spaces

Invite energy into a tired corner with gorgeous artwork, or a vase of fresh flowers. Lamps are fantastic choices, too.  You can easily replace a lifeless lampshade with a more modern one.

Shop around for bargains and see what other beautiful, inexpensive things you can use to spruce up a drab area.

 

how to revamp your home

 

 

Revamped, Refreshed, and Renewed

Giving your house a facelift doesn’t need to cost a fortune. A fresh coat of paint does wonders, while repaired siding makes a massive difference, too.  Small changes like a refinished cupboard, a replaced appliance, or a pop of color will liven things up and revamp your home – all without burning a hole in your pocket.

 

 

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The Top 5 Landscaping Trends of 2018

September 19, 2018 by 1 Comment

Every year, we see amazing new landscaping trends that inspire us to revitalize our outdoor living spaces.  A home is so much more than just the interior rooms.   It’s also the space outside your home, where you can enjoy time with friends and family.  I love gardening and just enjoying the nature and the beauty that surrounds me.  So, today I’m sharing gardening tips on landscaping trends.

 

landscaping ideas

 

 

2018 brings us landscaping trends that focus on turning the exterior of our homes into a true living space, for humans and wildlife. 2018 incorporated new plants and encouraged the integration of edibles and non-edible plants!

1.   Embracing Multipurpose Spaces

 

landscaping Ideas

Credit: Garden Design Magazine

 

Your backyard doesn’t have to be just for the kids to play or just where you grow veggies. Embrace multipurpose – everything in your backyard should have several uses.

A seat can also be a storage location for gardening tools or toys for your kids. A concrete fireplace can also serve as a planter or as a way to grill food by adding hooks for a grate. Garden Design Magazine shows us this beautiful fireplace that also serves as a place for family and friends to gather together. When you add elements to your landscape and yard, make sure they aren’t just a one purpose item.

Remember that your fence can be a place to hang flowering baskets or an area that a plant can grow upwards.

 

2.   Water Management

 

gardening ideas

Credit: Love Your Landscape

 

Sustainability is a popular word right now, and it no longer just means focusing on a sustainable lifestyle. A sustainable landscape influences how landscapes are created and maintained, especially when you focus on the years to come. One of the major trends in 2018 is focusing on eco-friendly watering practices

If you haven’t heard of xeriscaping, now is the time to learn about. Xeriscaping is about how to create a landscape that uses low-water plants and focusing on plants native to that particular region. It also uses trees and shade plants properly, as well as creating dry streams to utilize rainwater better.

Another trend that goes along with water management is incorporating succulents into the landscape. These plants come in exotic and fun shapes and forms. The benefit of using succulents in landscaping is that they are easy to maintain and create a fun statement. They are great for new gardeners!

 

3.   Colorful Plants

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gardening ideas

Credit: Love Your Landscape

 

Who wants a garden with just green or boring colored plants? Not you! 2018 brought us landscaping trends that jump with vibrant and creative plants. At one time, a garden of simple greenery was in, but this year, we saw landscape designers integrating plants with color like violets, verbena, iris, clematis, and other vibrant plants.

Another trend is using patterned plants that might have stripes or over intricate details. It wasn’t unusual to see plants with striped leaves or colored veins.

Some other exciting plants in the latest landscaping trends include:

  • Onyx Red Ornamental Pepper
  • Queeny Lime Orange Zinnia
  • Prima Ginger Coneflower
  • Rockin’ Deep Purple Salvia
  • Bee Balm
  • Sky’s Edge Scutellaria

 

4.   Creating Natural Habitats for Wildlife

 

landscaping ideas

Credit: Garden Design Magazine

 

Everyone knows that our bees are in danger, but did you know that our native pests and birds also need a home to live? Butterflies are on the decline, and habitat loss is a huge factor in the decline. Even frogs and turtles feel the loss!

As cities and suburbs continue to grow and expand, species are losing their homes. For years, gardeners and landscapers created designs without little thought to the wildlife. Now, landscapers realized that there is no reason that we cannot create beautiful, thoughtful landscapes that also meet the needs of the local wildlife, especially the ones in danger.

It isn’t unusual for people to create landscapes specifically for animals and wildlife. For example, you can include different plants that are loved by the monarch beautiful and become a verified monarch butterfly garden, where they might stop on their great migration.

 Here’s how you can create a habitat for wildlife:

  • Create seed-producing and berry-bearing plants
  • Don’t use any insecticides or pesticides
  • Replace some of your lawn
  • Don’t clear out your plants in the fall, allowing insects to overwinter in your garden

Make sure you include plenty of bee-friendly flowers in your landscaping to encourage pollination. Pollinators can also increase the yield of your flowering veggie crops like cucumbers, melons, and squash. Bees love flowers like zinnias, nasturtiums, alyssum, cosmos, and calendula. Calendula is also a well-known medicinal herb.

 

landscaping ideas

 

2018 brought the integration of new edibles, perennials, and funky plants to landscapes, commonly known as “food-scaping”, according to WikiLawn Fort Worth. Gardeners are more and more likely to experiment with new plants and finding cool ways to showcase the plants.

Right now, vertical gardens are hot! Grow a funky new cucumber variety up your privacy fence or grow pole green beans – that aren’t always green – along with your pergola.

There is a whole world of plants that you can grow. Perennial plants are a huge hit in 2018. Plant them one time and they continue to grow each year. Did you know there are perennial veggies, like asparagus and rhubarb? A single asparagus plant can produce for 20 years! That’s a lot of veggies!  Don’t you love this landscaping trend idea?

 

Try things like cucamelons, which are the size of grapes but taste like cucumbers. Plant a few ground cherries that are in the nightshade family but can be used to create pies and jams. So, experiment! Add new plants you’ve never tried before. It makes for an exciting and unique landscape.

Jackie Greene is a blogger, gardener, and nutrition enthusiast. She enjoys creating organic meals for family and friends using the fresh ingredients she produces from her backyard homestead.

Filed Under: Nature-Gardening, Outdoor Living Tagged With: , ,

How to Get the Most Out of Professional House Cleaning Services

May 3, 2018 by 1 Comment

professional house cleaning services

 

When employing a professional cleaning service to help make your home sparkly clean, it’s only natural to want to get the most out of it. After all, you paid a good amount of cash to get rid of dirt and dust.

As the homeowner, you need to know that you’re getting nothing less than what you pay for.   A cleaner’s quality of work must reflect good results.  When you hire professional house cleaning services, make sure that your home gets the thorough and effective cleaning.

1. Choose the right cleaning service

Picking the right cleaner for the job plays a huge role in making sure that you get your money’s worth. When searching for professional house cleaning services, ask the following questions:

 

  • Do you have a bond and insurance?
  • Are your cleaners trained well?
  • Who manages your cleaners?
  • Do you provide your own cleaning products?
  • Do you have a system for quality control?
  • What services does your company cover?
  • What cleaning equipment and products do you use?

2. Create a to-do list

Walk around your house and look for areas that need cleaning.  Write down cleaning tasks and arrange them according to priority.  Most house-cleaners work in a specific time frame.  So, it will be helpful to let them know what they can do around the house in the amount of time that they have.

3. Request that any issues be reported to you immediately

To reduce the cost of maintenance and repairs, you can let your cleaning service assist you. Ask your cleaner to report potentially serious problems in your home to you as soon as possible to prevent minor issues from turning into a disaster.  This can help prevent any unsafe conditions from causing harm to you and your family.

4. Have a cleaning schedule

If you want to maintain a clean home at all times, having a strict cleaning schedule will make it possible. Determine how often an area in your home needs cleaning.  Doing so will help you lower your costs, especially on areas that only need cleaning on a weekly or monthly basis rather than daily.

5. Clear a path

To help housekeepers focus on the areas that need deep cleaning, clear a path so they can maximize their cleaning time. Remove clutter such as books, clothes and shoes that can slow down the work.  This allows the cleaners to concentrate on difficult areas where their work can have a bigger impact.

6. Rotate rooms

If your cleaning service comes often, chances are, not every room of your home will need a deep cleaning every time.  As a result, ask your cleaner to rotate working on sections of your house. This can help reduce the areas that require cleaning and eventually reducing your cost.

7. Calm down and relax

Now that you’ve decided to hire a cleaning service, you can focus on more important things to do.  Don’t waste your free time micromanaging each facet of the cleaning process. They’re professionals, so relax and let them do what they do best.

8. Avoid expensive add-ons

It’s great to have clean windows, but deep cleaning them is only necessary at least once or twice every year.  The same goes for your fridge and oven.  So avoid expensive cleaning add-ons when you hire professional house cleaning services by cleaning these areas on your own.

9. Give feedback

Did you love your cleaners’ work?  If so, be sure to let them know.  They will take note of your positive feedback and make sure that you get the same cleaning treatment the next time.

If your cleaners happen to miss something, tell them about that as well.  They will remember to include it in future cleanings so they successfully meet all your cleaning needs.

Hiring a cleaning service shouldn’t be difficult and stressful.  The main reason you hire them is to help you, and not to create further stress.

Communication is key to getting the most out of your professional house cleaning services. Know what you want and don’t want, and make sure to relay this clearly to the cleaners to get good results.

 

AUTHOR BIO

Mohamed Samad is the Founder & CEO of Matic Services. He started the company in 2016 after a series of small start-ups within the home services sector. Prior to that, Mohamed was Vice President at Greenstone Equity Partners, where he spent 24 months building the UAE business from 2011-2013 with its founder.

Filed Under: Cleaning Tips, Life-Thoughts Tagged With: , ,

How to Care for Indoor Fountains

March 18, 2018 by Leave a Comment

how to care for indoor fountains

 

Indoor fountains are a great addition to any home.  They are a great conversation piece during parties or gatherings.  Furthermore, they enhance the interior design of any living space.  The sound of flowing water also helps soothe the mind.  It creates an atmosphere that is more conducive to rest and relaxation.  Flowing water is even considered good luck in Eastern cultures.

There are many indoor fountain designs to choose from.  There are tabletop fountains that are ideal not just for the home, but for offices as well. Wall fountains are a nice alternative to hanging a painting on a blank wall.  Floor fountains are freestanding and look best in idle corners.

To keep an indoor fountain looking its best, you need to give it a little care.  And it doesn’t have to be complicated or costly.  Here are a few tips on how to care for an indoor fountain:

Check the structural integrity of the fountain –  Indoor fountains can be made of materials such as glass, metal, and concrete.  As a result, examine the basin and other parts for any cracks and extreme wear and tear.  Any signs of compromised integrity should be taken care of immediately.  Also, it is important to make sure that the indoor fountain is strong and sturdy.  Check hoses for blocked debris or build-up.  Chemicals such as calcium and magnesium can also contribute to blocked hoses.

Also, make sure that the fountain is installed or positioned securely.  If not placed properly, they may fall or cause injuries. Similarly, ensure that wall fountains are securely installed.  As for tabletop fountains, avoid placing them on wobbly or uneven surfaces.

Check the mechanical and electrical components – Make sure that the motor is in proper working condition.  Check electrical parts such as wires and plugs too.  The submerged motor also tends to collect moss, grime, and mineral deposits.  So, make sure that it is also cleaned periodically. When unsure have a professional carry out the cleaning or motor maintenance process.  Most importantly, always unplug the fountain before cleaning it.

Clean and sanitize the external surfaces too –  Once the electrical and motor components are working properly, the fountain exterior can be cleaned.  Drain the old water and disassemble the fountain if needed to clean hard to reach areas. Use the recommended soap or detergent to clean.  Delicate materials or surfaces like ceramic or glass should be cleaned with a mild detergent. Clean fountains made of concrete with a stronger cleaner. Dishwashing liquid and a good scrub is great for cleaning natural stone surfaces.

Indoor fountains are an investment.  Water features in a property increase its market and resale value. When homeowners flip properties and make a handsome profit, they usually enhance their homes with a water feature.

Therefore it is important to spend time maintaining your indoor water fountain.  Buying a high-quality indoor water fountain ensures that it lasts and will require little to no repairs.  However, inspecting and cleaning your indoor water fountain every month can guarantee years of enjoyment.

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How to Get Your Portable Generator Ready for Winter

December 26, 2017 by Leave a Comment

Portable Generators

 

If you own a portable generator, you probably know by now that these devices require special treatment during cold winter days. This goes for both standby and portable models. And, people living in colder areas also know how dreadful it can be to lose power in the middle of winter and not be able to rely on your portable generator for backup.

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, there are a few things you could do. The first is to subject your generator to regular maintenance.  This is important even if everything seems in order.  Proper maintenance will prevent unexpected malfunctions. The second is to properly winterize your generator. In this article, we’ll explain how.

Portable Generators

If you don’t intend to use your portable generator during the winter, you’ll need to properly winterize it so you can be sure it will be in working order once you need it again. To make sure it’s properly winterized, you have to make sure you are using a premium class fuel stabilizer.  Add the stabilizer to the fuel supply according to the label on the product.

Next, run the engine for around ten minutes so the stabilizer is evenly distributed. Drain the oil and replace it with a fresh supply. While you’re at it, replace the oil filter. With the engine running, add premium class fogging oil into the engine until it starts producing heavy smoke, then turn off the generator. This will help prevent condensation and moisture damage during the winter.

After that, take out the spark plug and use the same fogging oil to cover the hole of the plug. Make sure all nuts and screws are tight and that there are no damaged parts.

Standby Generators 

The same rules about protecting the generator during the winter apply to standby generators as well.  This will ensure they will be able to provide additional power even during the coldest months of the season. First and foremost, you should ensure that there’s no snow on and at least 5 feet away from the generator.  Check the battery to make sure it’s not low or dead. If the battery is low on power, you should recharge it. However, if the battery cannot hold the charge, you should replace it.

Use a battery warmer from a cold weather kit. It will make sure the temperature of the battery doesn’t drop under 40 degrees.  Diesel fuel tends to become gelatinous when the temperature drops, and there are several ways to make sure this doesn’t happen. You can add certain special additives that will prevent the fuel from becoming gelatinous or heat the fuel delivery lines.

The Necessary steps to service your portable or standby generators before cold snowy weather arrives.

 

 

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5 Fall and Winter Household Chores You Should Do

October 28, 2017 by 1 Comment

fall and winter household chores

 

As fall and winter arrive, for many of us this means colder weather.  With the colder weather comes more time spent inside.  As a result, be productive and get a few chores done.  Here are some of the fall and winter household chores you should make a top priority:

Clean Out The Garage

First, for those of you with a garage, you know how easily it can become cluttered. Furthermore, you are no longer able to park your car because it’s filled with things that take up room.  With snow on the horizon, you may want to put your car back in the garage.  Take a weekend this fall to really go through everything in your garage.  It’s a great time to get organized and get rid of things you no longer need.  We know this isn’t a task anyone looks forward to, but once you get it done you’ll be happy that you did.

Stock Up On Emergency Supplies

Next, another problem that you might experience during the fall and winter is a bad storm.  Fall is typically when hurricanes and tropical storms arrive.  And, winter is of course is when we get blizzards and other snow storms.  Make sure that your home is prepared before cold weather arrives.  For example, fall and winter household chores should include a list of supplies you need.  Spend a weekend going replenishing your supplies. You’ll need things like batteries, flashlights, candles, food and water to start. Here is a list of some other emergency supplies you’ll want to stock up on.

Furnace and Air Conditioning (AC) Maintenance

Additionally, the last thing you want in the middle of the Winter is for your furnace to give out.  Waiting until your furnace is fixed or replaced while struggling to keep you and your children warm is not fun. To avoid the stress, it’s a good idea to have your furnace inspected before the bad weather arrives.  So, a professional heating expert will be able to tell you if your furnace is in good condition, or what maintenance you might need.

You should also have your AC unit inspected. Although you may not be using it for a few months, you’ll want it in working condition when needed. On top of that, AC companies are typically less busy in the fall and winter.  As a result, you should have an easier time setting up an appointment or even finding a discount on an AC installer.

Clean Out The Chimney

For those of you with fireplaces in your home, you’ll want to be able to use them during the winter.  Nothing is cozier than sitting around a fire on a snowy night.  But, if your fireplace is dirty then the experience might be ruined with a bad smell, smoke, or a lower air quality.  So, have your chimney inspected and cleaned now to ensure that it is good working order before winter arrives.

Insulate Your Home

Finally, with all of the work you’re putting into your furnace and chimney, you don’t want hot air to escape.  Among the fall and winter household chores is insulating your home.  When you properly insulate your home, you keep the warm air in, and the cold air out.  This makes your home more comfortable, and saves you money in the long run. It’s possible to insulate your home on your own, but if you want to make sure it’s done right call a local heating specialist to do it for you.

 

Enjoy The Cold Months and Prepare For The Warm Ones

While the fall and winter might be cold, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your time indoors.  So, make it productive by prepping your home for bad weather.  Furthermore, use the time inside to get ready for spring.  Making good use of your time now, gives you more opportunities for fun later.  You can enjoy your time later, knowing that you prepared your home doing fall and winter household chores ahead of schedule.  Therefore, you can start on spring and summer ahead of schedule too.

Filed Under: Cleaning Tips, Life-Thoughts Tagged With: ,