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5 Moving Home Tips For Beginners

5 Moving Home Tips For Beginners

Your first home is always special. Whether you are moving out of your parents’ home to get your own space, or moving in with a partner, you will always remember your first independent home, so it pays to make sure that your first home-moving experience creates fond memories and not ones that you’d rather forget.

If you are a moving newbie, here are five tips to help you move house like a pro:

Write lists

Moving house takes organisation, and with so many things on your mind at once, there is bound to be something you forget. Whether it’s something important you need to remember or something that is merely a nuisance to have forgotten, writing a ‘to do’ list will help you to avoid missing things out.

Keep a notebook handy (including by your bed) so that you can capture those chores that you might otherwise forget. There does seem to be a lot to remember, and writing them down can help control your stresses.

Combine your belongings

If you and a partner are moving in together after having lived separately, it is likely that you will already have your own possessions; two sets of crockery, cutlery, two irons, vacuum cleaners… the list goes on. Why not get together and purge your belongings before you move? This will ensure that your move will cost less if you decide to hire a removal company, as they quote based on the volume of items to be moved.

Choose the best of your combined possessions, and then find new homes for the things you no longer need. For items you could sell, try eBay, or list them in your local newspaper. For things that you don’t need but probably couldn’t sell, your friendly local Freecycle group may be your answer. If you need to create space quickly, you can place items in storage until you decide what to do with them.

Consider opening a joint bank account

Joint accounts can be useful for keeping track of shared outgoings such as shopping, household bills or mortgage payments. You should still be able to keep your existing current account, and then easily move money between your account and the joint account. Remember, most banks assume that you are both equally responsible for a joint account and should one partner exceed any set limits, you will both be liable to pay the debt.

How to pack your items

Well-packed items take up fewer boxes, saving you time and money when moving them. We will help you learn how best to pack up a whole range of items.

Labelling your boxes clearly will save you so much time when unpacking and will make things easier to find when you need them. Colour coding your boxes for each room will also help to make things even clearer for the removal company to distribute your boxes efficiently when they are working quickly.

Give yourself a break

Make sure you take time to look after yourself. It is all too easy to become so preoccupied with all the tasks at hand that you forget to attend to your body’s basic needs – like food, water and sleep! Take some time to set a meal plan, work to goals and reward yourself with breaks.

Allow yourself time to settle in. It will take time for you to adjust to your new surroundings, and you may feel more tense until you do finally feel at home, so don’t worry if you and your partner argue more than usual to start with. Once you are fully acquainted with your new home, things should settle down again and you can begin enjoying your new home.

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Common Mistakes To Avoid When Moving

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Moving

While moving house is definitely a stressful time for you and your family, you can make your life a lot easier by educating yourself on common mistakes people make when moving house. So to avoid making these mistakes yourself, we've laid them out for you.

Hiring Cheap Furniture Movers

This has got to be the most common, most frustrating mistake most people make when moving. Although relocating is expensive, one cost you simply can't afford to skimp on is hiring quality furniture movers. There are three main problems with hiring a cheap furniture mover:

      1. They're usually not insured, which can spell big trouble if something goes wrong.

      2. Cheap movers usually don't trade as a registered company - so you won't be covered under the Consumer Guarantees Act if something goes wrong.

      3. Cheap movers make their money by roping you in with low quotes and adding hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dollars of extra costs at the end.

So unless you want your move to turn into a nightmare, do yourself a favour and pay a little extra for a quality company that will do a good job and leave you with a smile - not a headache.

Zero Planning

We cannot stress enough the importance of careful planning when moving house. One of the most common mistakes people make is to leave everything until the last minute. That's why you should always book your furniture mover and pack as far in advance as possible. That way, you'll have more time to pack and plan.

Lying To Furniture Movers

Generally speaking, reputable furniture movers will provide you with a pretty accurate quote - unless you lie. You may think you'll save money by not telling the movers about everything you need moved, but at the end of the day it'll still take more time to move and you'll simply end up frustrated with a higher bill. Don't make this mistake. Instead, just be honest and upfront with your movers and they'll do the same. Moving is a lot easier and less stressful this way.

Careless Inventory Management

If you're planning on hiring furniture movers, one thing you'll need to do is prepare an inventory of your household goods. Use our packing checklist. But you need to be careful. Always double-check everything. If possible, have your partner or friend go over everything with you. You must make sure that everything is included.

Packing Precious Items

If you have items like laptops, computers, letters or jewellery that are extremely valuable to you, don't pack them. Instead, separate these goods from everything else and take them with you in your car when you're moving. The reality is, every furniture mover out there will break goods from time to time. It just happens. So unless you want that nightmare happening to your most precious goods, take them with you.

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Choosing the right Furniture for your Workspace

Choosing the right Furniture for your Workspace

As an entrepreneur, you need your office or business space to mirror your organization to your current and likely customers. This incorporates both your image and your organization culture. Moreover, you need your representatives to be agreeable in their workplace. All things considered, they go through 40 hours of their week there and studies have indicated that office configuration impacts mind-set and profitability. Additionally, the correct business furniture can construct a positive corporate culture which creates a solid climate for everybody.

Other than expanding workers’ assurance, office furniture should likewise be strong. The same number of individuals will utilize these pieces throughout each and every day. At last, you’ll need your furniture to be slick and agreeable for representatives. It’s hence that you ought not hold back on quality yet choose business office furniture that is agreeable, solid, trendy, and intelligent of your organization’s picture.

To begin with, It’s Critical to Determine a Budget

Before you can do whatever else, you’ll need to set a financial plan as the cost decides your choices. With regards to office furniture, you should decide the amount of your spending will go towards what pieces, and how to best separate the financial plan to get the best quality at the best cost. In any case, remember that the higher your spending plan, the more choices you’ll have.

Conceptualize: What Style Do You Want?

Here at Holt Environments, we know business office furniture. In this manner, we can assist you with accomplishing the workplace you had always wanted. Before we can help you plan, you’ll need to initially choose the determinations. It’s essential to figure out what sort of business office furniture you need to remember based on what sort of work representatives will do.

Work area Choices

Individual work areas could be better for fixation, and enormous open space tables may assist with encouraging a more helpful workplace. Perhaps you need to offer standing work areas as an approach to advance active work. There are an assortment of business furniture alternatives to browse with regards to work areas, and they all give genius’ and con’s. Making a rundown of things that you’re searching for in a work area can help. Do you need extra room? Or on the other hand perhaps you just require work area space and need to maintain a strategic distance from the messiness that can accompany drawers. Likewise, what sort of plan rules might you want to follow. Regardless of whether conventional or more present day, Office furniture can hugy affect your image.

Picking Furniture is Easy When You Know Your Office’s Function

At the point when you choose the particulars, you’ll likewise have to characterize your office’s capacity. The number of individuals you utilize decides the quantity of workspaces you’ll require. You’ll additionally need to choose what sort of work areas you would like, desk areas or a more open idea for instance. Also, you’ll presumably require tables and work areas for group gatherings, just as space for other specific gear. On the off chance that you will have customers in the workplace zeroing in on their solace should be a first concern. In the event that you need to have a spot for your representatives to mingle and eat, you’ll need to have a different space planned considering that, perhaps with an alternate furniture style to advance sensations of unwinding and solace. Finally, on the off chance that your office has a lounge area, at that point you’ll need to comfort your clients with loosening up seating zones.

Next, Choose a Color Scheme

Odds are, your organization most likely as of now has a logo and a marked shading palette. Provided that this is true, at that point consider coordinating your office furniture to your image’s tones. At the point when you do, it will help representatives to remember where they work and introduce a feeling of pride. In the event that you don’t have a logo or marking, you’ll need to pick a shading plan for your planned things. Keeping a particular shading plan can cause the workplace to feel integrated and give a feeling of network. Remember that tone influences mind-set, so you’ll need to design likewise.

At long last, the Key to Office Interior Design is Placement: Choose Wisely

In conclusion, recall that the office furniture situation is vital to progress. Along these lines, how you mastermind your furniture matters massively. Spot things so that there is space to explore in the middle of them effortlessly. All things considered, you wouldn’t need your representatives to fall or harm themselves at work. Deciding the workplace format is significant in keeping a gainful work process in your office, and your furnishings and design have an enormous impact on the workplace. Your furniture decisions can cause your office to feel less high pressure while yet ingraining a feeling of network and excitement.

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Waste Management Contracts: Have You Read Yours

Waste Management Contracts: Have You Read Yours

If your business has a regular waste management service, such as a wheelie bin collection, an REL or a skip, there is a good chance you will have entered into a contract. But are you aware of all the terms and conditions?

Most people are guilty of failing to read the small print of a contract at some point, myself included, but your waste management contract is one contract that you really should read before you sign.

What to look out for?

Whenever signing a contract it is a good idea of course to read all of the terms and conditions to make sure you are completely happy and comfortable with what you are signing. However at the very least there are certain terms that you should definitely pay attention to.

Duration - How long will the contract run for? In many cases the contract will be a rolling one year contract until it is terminated by either party. However, different companies will have varied contract durations so it is essential that you know the minimum contract duration before signing.

Price Increases - Most waste management contracts that I have viewed in the past have contained a clause allowing the waste management company to impose price increases as and when required due to increased costs. But how often will these price increases actually be imposed? Naturally this is an important question and one you should find out the answer to before signing the contract.

Some companies will only increase prices on 1st April each year in line with the governments increase in landfill tax. Other companies have been known to impose several price increases each year.

Termination - Virtually all contracts will contain a clause stating how the contract can be terminated. Unfortunately it is not always as simple as giving one months written notice. In the waste management industry it is not uncommon to have to give a minimum of 3 months written notice to terminate the contract. Some companies even require customers to provide a minimum of 3 months written notice to expire 3 months after the anniversary date of the contract.

Things to Remember

      1. Waste Management companies want YOUR business. If you are not happy with the terms of the contract, do not be afraid to NEGOTIATE.

      2. If you negotiate new terms, make sure these are amended on the contract before signing, or get them confirmed in writing by your service provider. Do not rely on verbal agreements or conversations.

      3. If something looks too good to be true, it more than likely is. In other words if you receive a quote that is much cheaper than all of your other quotes, find out how long the price is guaranteed for. If not you could end up having several price increases during the year.

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Moving Out of Your Parent's House? 8 Things You Must Do

Moving Out of Your Parent's House? 8 Things You Must Do

Moving out of your parents' house and living on your own may sound fun -- but it's actually a lot of hard work. If possible, you shouldn't do it on a whim. A lot of planning should go into this life-changing move. Here are the eight most important steps in living solo:

Register your cash

Make sure that your finances are solid. Come clean with what you have and what you don't. You should have enough to cover your estimated monthly expenses and, perhaps, at least $100 to $200 left over to add to your savings. Ideally, you should have at least three months' worth of funds ready. Also, keep in mind that many places for rent require you to make a safety deposit before you're awarded the lease.

Address your living space

Since you're just starting out, you won't be able to afford a posh villa yet. But that doesn't mean you have to settle for a decrepit hovel. It's most practical for you to find a place that's close to where you work so you won't spend much for transportation. You could also share an apartment, condo unit, or house with your friends or workmates. Just make sure the location you choose is safe and clean. It's fine to spend more in order to live hassle-free in a good neighborhood.

Inspect the contract carefully

Read the lease that the landlord or building administrator gives you. If possible, you can request that the rent be "locked." This means that there will be no yearly rent increases imposed. Requests are more likely to be granted when you inform the landlord that you're planning to stay long-term. Take note of the other stipulations of your lease to be sure that you're getting a fair deal. Know whom you can call for repairs and other concerns.

Ensure your safety

Inspect the interiors of your place and make sure that there are no safety hazards such as faulty electrical wiring, iffy locks, and flammable substances. Check your water pipes for leaks and make sure the plumbing is in order. Then, make sure that your windows are screened to keep out mosquitoes and other pests.

Mind your health

Going solo means there won't be anyone who can immediately come to your rescue in case you get sick. So, for starters, don't neglect your health. Eat nutritious meals, get enough sleep, and take vitamins. Invest in a first aid kit and over-the-counter medicine that can give you much-needed relief when you're sick.

Stock up on essentials

Have a stash of ready-to-eat food for days when you're too tired to cook or buy food. You should also have a few bars of soap, as well as an extra bottle of shampoo and a tube of toothpaste. You should likewise never run out of sanitary napkins. You will need these reserve supplies in case of emergencies such as storms or when you're unable to leave your place.

Get your keys in place

Leave an extra pair of your house keys at your office or leave them with a trusted friend or family member. Make sure that your friends know how they can reach you. This is so they can easily find you when you need help. It's also a good idea to have someone who could check to see if you're fine from time to time.

Know your neighbourhood

Familiarize yourself with your new territory. Find out where the closest laundry shops, water refilling stations, pharmacies, hospitals, convenience stores and groceries are located. Plot out how and when you have to avail of their services or goods. After all, these things are necessities. Moreover, list down the hotlines of the fire department, police station, and utilities providers (light, water and phone).

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Recycling and Reusing Unwanted Items

Recycling and Reusing Unwanted Items

Before you begin packing up for your move, you should figure out what you don't want or need to bring with you. Rather than just trashing everything you won't be taking with you, you can recycle , or even reuse, these items.

Electronics

With each passing year, more and more electronics arrive on the scene. There are mp3 players, cell phones, computers, and countless other gadgets and gizmos. As new electronics are released, the older versions get shoved in a drawer or tossed aside somewhere else. Your move gives you an opportunity to go through them.

      • Computers, computer parts, and TVs - Many electronics, like computers and TVs, contain toxic chemicals like mercury, lead, and cadmium. You can't simply throw these away, so you'll need to recycle anything you won't use again. Companies like GreenDisk take in your electronics for recycling. If you want to get rid of computers that still function, consider donating them to an organization like Computers with Causes.

      • Cell phones - Cell phones are very simple to recycle. Most office supply and electronics stores accept phones for donation. Many of these programs provide phones for emergency use to those who can't afford a phone plan. You could also consider saving older cell phones to give to your kids when you think they're old enough to have one.

      • Batteries - Like computers, batteries can contain toxic chemicals and shouldn't be thrown out with your household trash. Instead you should bring them to a battery-recycling drop-off point. All Batteries Plus stores accept batteries for recycling.

      • Smoke detectors - Smoke detectors contain a radioactive material called Americium 241. If your smoke detector ceases to work, you should return it to the manufacturer. They will be able to recycle it or dispose of it properly.

Other Household Goods

      • Paper goods - Paper goods, like old magazines and newspapers, can easily be reused as packing material or simply recycled along with your other household recyclables.

      • Carpets - Old carpets can actually be restored for reuse. If you want to get rid of a carpet, however, you can donate it if it's in good condition. For the disposal of synthetic carpeting, you'll have to contact a carpet installer or renovation company. Natural-fiber carpeting can be composted.

      • Clothing - Consider giving clothing to friends or family who could use it. There are also many charities and thrift stores that accept donations. Some thrift stores may even pay you a small sum for your old clothing.

Things You Can't Recycle

      • Wax paper or laminated papers

      • Chinaware and pottery

      • Styrofoam

      • Mirrors and plate glass

      • High-grade plastics

      • Medicine

      • Paint

      • Chemicals and cleaners like pesticides and fertilizer

There are still many other things in your home that you may be able to recycle or reuse. Think about recycling before you throw anything away. If you're not sure if an item can be recycled, research it online and find out. There are charities available that accept all kinds of donations, so there's a good chance that you'll be able to donate many of your unwanted goods.

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Building Your Fireplace Chimney

Building Your Fireplace Chimney

Fireplaces are our best friend especially during winter. They are not simply a warming instrument, but are also a great addition to our interior design. Building your fireplace is not all about the visible heart but is also about the chimney. Building your fireplace chimney can be as easy as 1 2 3 if you will just follow the following easy steps mentioned below.

Building your chimney can be started by ensuring that your chimney measures at a minimum of 4 inches larger in all sides than the flue. You must see to it that, wood, kindling, and other material that tend to travel up to the chimney must be at least 2 inches away from the chimney’s exterior with the exterior at a minimum of 1-inch from the wall.

After measuring, it is not time for you to frame the flue then size up the chimney and start building. The flue is made of several small rectangular blocks that are stacked. Around the structure is where the chimney is built.

Next is to do the masonry job. This can be the hardest part of building a chimney. One must set each brick or cement block in place and have in on the same level with the fresh layer of mortar to have it harden to the structure and will not fall down. Doing this requires some training for several months.

After you have built your chimney indoor, it is now time for you to cut through ceiling and the roof. It is important that chimney must extend all the way to the roof and above. With this requirement, cutting into your existing ceilings and the roof is necessary when building your chimney to an existing home. Obviously cutting is not necessary for newly built home as they can have the chimney included in the plan. The cutting process can be done using a Sawzall or any similar tool. One must manage to remove all insulation and flooring. If possible, it is advisable to build an exterior chimney in order to avoid the cutting job.

After you have built your chimney, it is now time for you to extend your chimney to your basement. If you are using and existing chimney and flue upstairs, then you can add another fireplace to your basement room. All you have to do is to connect the two chimneys, and this can be done by building a chimney up to the backside of your existing fireplace and eventually breaking it through to connect the flues.

You can also keep your chimney sturdy enough even when natural calamities like earthquake happens by putting a #4 reinforcing bar in your chimney’s corners. However, the best place for your reinforcing bar is in the bricks’ cells by grouting it. If in some reasons, you were not able to place the reinforcing bars in the cells of your chimney bricks, you can have them placed between the flue liner and the rest of the bricks around.

The final steps, wrap the flue liners with ceramic fiber paper socks to seal the area.

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Kitchen Remodeling Ideas - A Practical Approach

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas - A Practical Approach

Today kitchens are more than just a place to prepare the food; in fact, kitchens have become a gathering place where family members spend quality time with one another while sharing a delicious meal and catching up on the events of each day. Thus, remodeling the central gathering room where the family members spend much of their time is of great importance. No wonder that kitchen remodeling is known to be one of the most important factors in increasing home value.

There are many ideas and options when it comes to remodeling your kitchen. There are renovations that are costly and there are renovations that are simple and inexpensive. As detailed in my previous post, Inexpensive Kitchen Remodel Ideas, you don’t have to win the lottery to afford kitchen renovation. There are simple remodeling tasks that greatly enhance the image of your kitchen. If you need to learn about inexpensive kitchen renovation, click the link above to read that post.

Purpose of Kitchen Remodeling

There are mainly three reasons why homeowners look to remodel their kitchen. The first reason could be to increase their home value; the second reason may be to add extra space and cabinetry. The third reason may be to update, modernize and beautify the overall image of kitchen. In order to better prepare yourself for your kitchen remodeling, determine what you are trying to achieve by remodeling your kitchen.

Where to Find Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Before you begin remodeling, you need to know what to renovate. There are few places where you can get kitchen remodeling ideas from. The first is to visit new homes in your area to see what builders have done. By visiting these homes, you can learn about popular trends in your area as well as the type of material used. Another source is kitchen remodeling magazines as well as free online resources. Finally, you can visit your local home improvement stores to see kitchen designs on display or visit their show rooms.

Popular Kitchen Remodeling ideas

Renovation and remodeling does not necessarily mean knocking down walls and ripping out floors. Some simple renovations can have a major impact on the final look of your kitchen. As stated earlier we will start with simple renovations first.

Simple Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

1) New appliances – If your current kitchen are old looking, you can greatly enhance the look of your kitchen by installing new stainless steel or other trendy appliances.

2) Door knobs and handles – cabinet door knobs are very inexpensive, easy to install and they make your kitchen look modern and beautiful

3) Reface Cabinets- You can save money and time by re-facing (replacing) your cabinet doors and then stain the space between the cabinets. Be sure to choose a color that is fashionable and goes well with your kitchen.

4) Install new Laminate Countertop- Laminate countertops are easy to install and are quite inexpensive. You can buy a 10’ countertop for only 50-60$ and you can have your local store cut the countertop so that you fit the sink though it.

5) Faucets – Faucets are simple to install and they bring lots of charm and elegance to your kitchen.

6) Painting – Once all is done, you should give your kitchen a fresh code of paint to truly bring your dream kitchen into life.

7) Replacing old electrical outlets on the wall with new trendy electrical outlets

Major Kitchen Remodeling ideas

1) Installing backsplash and back wall – In order to modernize your bathroom you need a stylish backsplash and back wall that goes well with your countertop and your cabinetry.

2) Install Pot-lights – lighting is one of the most important factors that enhances the look of any room. Kitchen is no exception and pot-lights are quite stylish and inexpensive to install. Be sure to hire a professional electrician to run the wires.

3) Add Kitchen Islands – if you have the space in your kitchen and are looking to increase your storage and cabinetry, you could then install a kitchen island. Kitchen islands are stylish and they add extra space which is very practical and make working in the kitchen a pleasure.

4) Flooring - Flooring is one of the more challenging aspects of kitchen remodeling. However, tastefully chosen ceramic tiles bring much elegance to your kitchen.

5) Installing Granite Countertop- Granite, and stone surface are the most stylish as well as the most expensive kitchen remodeling tasks. If you decide to install granite instead of laminte or be sure to hire the assistance of professional kitchen contractors.

6) You may also choose to replace all your kitchen cabinetry with brand new cabinets. Even though this task may not be as complicated as installing granite countertop, it does take lots of effort and time to rip out the old cabinetry and assemble and install the new cabinets.

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How to turn must-do home improvements into things of beauty

How to turn must-do home improvements into things of beauty

When it comes to home improvement, you can spend money in two basic ways: on things that make your home look better and things that make it function better. Under the first category, you’ll find all the things you want to do, like replacing narrow casement windows with a lovely bay window. Under the second, falls all the things you must do, like replacing those drafty windows with something more energy-efficient.

When “want to” and “have to” meet, they create the opportunity to make a smart buying decision – and choose an upgrade that will look good and improve the livability of your home. The key to making smart home improvement decisions is to recognize these opportunities and take full advantage of them.

Here are a few “have to” improvements that have the potential to turn into a good-looking, energy-efficient, enjoyment-enhancing “want to.”

Replacing the hot water heater.

You probably don’t care what a new hot water heater looks like sitting in your garage or basement – or wherever it resides in your home. But the right replacement water heater can help your house achieve a lovely shade of green. High energy-efficiency water heaters can help reduce energy usage, thereby trimming your energy bills and your home’s environmental impact. Solar water heating systems take the beauty a step further by using the power of the sun, collected through low-profile solar panels on the roof, to heat water – at a monthly savings that’s about 80 percent less than the cost of traditional heaters.

Getting some light in here.

Do you really need a bunch of scientific studies to tell you that a home filled with natural light just feels better? Probably not. Illuminating your home with natural light is a smart buying decision on multiple levels. First, you don’t pay to power the sun. Second, natural light delivers a host of mood-enhancing benefits. If you have the wall space, by all means add some windows.

But for rooms where a window is impossible (like a powder room) or where you don’t want to sacrifice privacy (like a master bathroom) a tubular skylight is a good alternative. Some, like Velux’s Sun Tunnel products, are easy enough to install that a seasoned do-it-yourselfer could accomplish the task. They cost less than traditional skylights and bring natural light to hard-to-light areas like closets, hallways and other small spaces.

Getting some air in here.

Just as natural sun is good for your mood, ventilation can be good for your health. An Energy Star qualified venting skylight is a great way to passively vent stale, moist air from inside your home, especially from baths and kitchens. While some skylights are “fixed,” those that do open can be controlled by a remote to open when you want fresh air and close when you want to retain warmth. They can also close automatically in case of rain. In addition, they introduce free light into your home. Adding blinds – also remote-controlled – can help you better control the amount of sun a skylight admits into your home. And blinds are not just functional – you can get them in colors and patterns to complement your decor while increasing energy efficiency. Compared to other venting solutions, a skylight is a relatively low-cost, great-looking way to address ventilation issues while adding drama to a space.

When one door opens …

Beat up, weathered garage and front doors not only look bad, they can be a source of air leaks that make your heating, ventilation and cooling system work harder. Exterior doors aren’t something you buy every day, but they can have a big impact on how your home looks and on its energy efficiency. They can definitely be a smart buying decision if you opt for doors that not only look good, but are also highly rated for energy efficiency. If you’re not sure how to choose, look online, where you’ll find guides for buying garage doors and front doors.

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Home remodeling 101

Home remodeling 101

There are a lot of things that people can do to improve their houses. Depending on where they live and what type of home they live in also depends on what they can do to improve their homes. If you want to improve your home by doing some remodeling but don't know where to start you might want to look into a couple of different ways to remodel. To help you here is some home remodeling 101.

The first thing is to decide what type of remodeling you want to do. For example if you like the inside of your house but don't like what you see on the outside you might want to do some exterior remodeling. This can involve anything from painting your home to adding shutters to even changing the roofing structure and installing new windows and doors. No matter what it is there is a lot you can do with the exterior of your house to make it a home. Also adding new landscaping can help with the appearance of your home. You will want to be careful though. Exterior remodeling can be a lot more expensive than interior remodeling depending on the type of materials you use and what exactly you do to the exterior.

The second thing is remodeling your kitchen. If you are going to remodel your kitchen you will want to make sure to go over all of your possibilities. For example you will want to look into different kinds of wood. If you know what look you are going for you will want to make sure that you price different woods and what it costs to do different types of cupboard doors. For example some places charge more for knotty alder over oak and more for raised panel cupboard doors over beadboard. These are things you will want to make sure that you find out beforehand. You will also want to make sure that you ask every person that you get a bid from exactly what the cost is for each thing and have them give you a breakdown. This will help you to see exactly what everything costs and get an idea what you want and what you can live without.

The third thing is flooring. If you are thinking about replacing the flooring in your home this might be the cheapest remodeling that you can do. Depending on what type of flooring you go with will depend on the cost. For example if you are replacing carpet with wood floor you might spend a little bit more depending on the type of wood flooring you go with. But if you are just replacing your carpet with new carpet you probably won't end up spending that much.

The fourth thing is paint. Painting is an easy remodeling job that can make a world of difference. Depending on what type of style of home you live in will depend on what type of painting you want to do. If you want to go all out you can texture your walls and add paint and glazing over them to give them a whole new look. But if you just want a new color you can go to your local paint store and get some samples and see how they look in the lighting of your home. You will want to keep in mind that most paints go a shade darker once they are on the walls.

These are just some of the things you will want to know about home remodeling 101. Depending on what type of remodeling you are doing will depend on if you want to hire professionals to come in and help you. Or if it is something easy like painting it might be something that you can tackle yourself. So get the home remodel 101 and see what you can do to spruce your house up.

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Tips For Creating Usable Areas In A Small Space

Tips For Creating Usable Areas In A Small Space

Do you have a really small space in your home, and you would like to be able to make the space more usable? When you only have a little bit of space in your home, you often want to be able to utilize every single inch that is available, so that nothing gets wasted and you don't feel cramped! There are a lot of ways that you can create usable areas in a small space. Here are a couple of things people have already done to help you brainstorm ways to use your small space effectively:

Stacked drawers or closet space: One of the best ideas for creating a usable area in a small space is by placing stacked drawers or closet space in that little area! There are a lot of different types of drawers or narrow closets that you can look into purchasing or custom designing, and this is a great way to use a small space effectively. You can use stacked drawers in a lot of different rooms in the house: they can be for clothes in the bedroom, or they can be a type of pantry in the kitchen. Stacked drawers or closet space are also great for linen closets too! There is a good chance that you will find something that needs to be stored in that small little space, if you place drawers or a type of closet in that little place!

Small refrigerator: There are actually a lot of mini refrigerators which can fit into a very small space. One of these small refrigerators was actually featured on Oprah recently, in an episode where a woman had her small apartment remodeled to be more "space friendly." A lot of miniature or small refrigerators can be found at different stores or online.

Drop-down ironing boards: Another thing that people do to create useable areas in a small space is use drop-down ironing boards. These ironing boards can be mounted on the wall of the small space, coming out far enough so that you can iron full size shirts, skirts, pants, etc. Drop-down ironing boards also can come in little cupboards, so that you don't have to look at simply an ironing board on your wall every day. If you have a small space in your apartment, it is a good idea to consider placing an ironing board there. Regular sized ironing boards can be a nuisance and hard to store, but drop-down ironing boards can help fill up small, unused spaces in the house very effectively!

Custom made furniture: Another thing that you can do to create useable areas in a small space is to order custom made furniture. If the space is too small for a regular desk, closet, or bed, you might want to consider custom making furniture which will fit! This way, you will be able to make the space more usable because of the furniture which is specifically made to work in that spot. For example, if you have a small area in your bedroom, you might consider getting a custom made bed or a Murphy bed to take up less space. Then you'll be sure to make good use of this space when you go to bed every night!

There are a lot of different ways that you can create usable areas in a small space, and these are just a couple of the most popular examples. If you have any other questions about how to make your small space the most useable and effective possible, you should consult with an interior designer or decorator! Enjoy your efficiently designed and utilized small space!

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Home Improvement On A Budget

Home Improvement On A Budget

There are many ways to improve the efficiency of your home ranging from small, inexpensive changes to major projects. No matter how much you are able to spend, making changes can make your home a healthier and cheaper place to well. Here are some ways to make improvements on a budget of any size.

Improve Indoor Air

One of the problems of having an energy efficient home is that the air does not get circulated as much. If a house leaks a little bit of air, there is a constant flow. But sealing up a house also seals in toxins. A cheap fix is to avoid anything that puts fumes into the air. Check that you have adequate ventilation to the outdoors. And change the filters in your air intake and your furnace regularly. If you are able to make an upgrade, replace carpet with hard floors.

Replace all furniture that is made from fiberboard or plywood to reduce formaldehyde in the air. If you can afford a larger investment, think about getting fresh-air exchangers that replace stale air with fresh air. Or install a whole-house fan that pulls stale air out of the house and takes it outside. If you choose this, though, be sure you open windows so that the air will be replaced with fresh air. Otherwise the fan will pull even more toxins out of objects and re-contaminate the air.

Improve Water Usage

Making good use of the water in your home reduces costs of getting the water to your home and the sewage out of it as well as the costs of keeping large quantities of water heated. The cheapest ways to reduce water usage are to use low-flow shower heads and install faucet aerators. If you have double vanities, designate the use of only one. Instead of using the garbage disposal, compost scraps to be used to fertilize plants.

When you waiting for your shower or bath water to reach the right temperature, catch all the water in a bucket and use it to water plants. Reduce shower times. If you can afford to spend a little money, get a low-flow toilet or composting toilet. Use a rain barrel to water your landscape. If you are able to invest even more, buy more efficient household appliances. To make use of graywater, set up a system that uses it for irrigation.

Improve Energy Savings

Saving energy is an almost immediate savings, and energy efficient homes are worth more than others. Conduct an energy audit and then fix areas where air is leaking and use power strips to keep phantom loads from draining energy. For a little bit more money you can improve efficiency by adding insulation and an energy monitor. Storm doors, storm windows, and shades help to reduce the exchange of cold and hot air during extreme temperatures. Trees can protect your home from the heat of the sun and cold winds in the winter.

If you want to save even more energy after these suggestions and if you have a lot more money, think about improving your heating and cooling efficiency. Sixty per cent of your energy goes to keeping your home a comfortable temperature year-round. If you want to see more savings, improve your ability to conserve energy in this area.

Replace windows with double- or triple-panes that have low-emission coatings. Replace your air conditioner with one that is more efficient and big enough to support the size of your home. Get extra energy through wind, solar, and geothermal means.

Improve Your Use of Space by Increasing

So, you need more space in your home, but you do not want to add on? Here are some ways that you can expand your storage capabilities without sprawling your house further than it needs to go. For a little money, you can use wasted space high up on walls for shelves. Or you can use storage ottomans, window seats with storage, or any other furniture that has a bonus storage capability like that. For a little more money, transform outdoor areas into living areas for eating or lounging. Rethink how different rooms can be used.

Place books shelves in the guest bedroom or create a mini-office in a corner of the kitchen. If you have non-supporting walls that are hindering your view and the flow of energy through your home, put a hole in them or knock them out completely. For a lot more money, add another floor to your house rather than another room on the ground. If you will only need the space occasionally, put a prefabricated building outdoors.

Improve Your Use of Space by Decreasing

What do you do if you have more house than you really need? What do you do with all the extra space? And how do you save money maintaining that extra space? Here are some low-cost ways to improve heating and cooling. Close the vents in spaces that are not used regularly; be careful however, because you might damage your system by doing this. Check with an expert first to be sure that it is safe to close off areas of the house with your type of heating and cooling system. Turn down the thermostat in the winter and use space heaters in occupied rooms.

Turn up the thermostat in summer and use fans where needed. If you can afford it, close up or partition areas that are not being used. Move all activity of the house into a central location and then do not bother with heating or cooling spaces that are never used. If you are looking to make a large investment, why not remodel the house? Remove walls to create more space for hobbies. Turn an upper story or a basement into a small apartment and take in boarders. If you have enough land, purchase a modular or manufactured home to put on it. Then move into the smaller space and let someone rent the large house.

If you want to impact the environment and save money in your home, there are many ways to do that. Home improvement can be done on a budget of any size.

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