Category - Home Decor

Most people don’t realize they need to prepare their house before the exterminators arrive.  This involves getting things away from the wall, noting where the pests are most often observed, and making sure all food items are properly stored.

But, you may also not realize the importance of cleaning your house after the pest control experts have left!

A successful pest control visit means that your pests will be killed. However, this doesn’t mean they will all die during the visit. It can take several days for the pests to all die from the chemicals that the professionals have used.

That’s why you need to clean your house properly after the visit and take as many precautions as possible to prevent it from happening again.

Clean Daily

Any pests that have died will need to be cleared away, if not they can become food for other bugs or simply attract more bacteria. This means vacuuming every day and mopping the floor with a disinfectant solution.

The trick when cleaning is to start at one end of your home and work your way through the house methodically, this will ensure the waste from the pests and any other debris is contained and removed.

It is worth noting that sweeping or even mopping is not enough by itself. Doing sweeping or mopping will agitate the dirt and potentially send dust into the air for you to breathe in. This could be a health issue, especially if you already suffer from asthma or something similar.

To help prevent this you need to use a spray bottle of water and lightly cover all the surfaces, this will prevent the dust from rising into the air. You can then safely sweep or even vacuum the area and be confident that the dust and other debris are going into the bin, where it belongs.

It’s important not just to do the floor but to wash every surface that could have had a pest on it, even if this is a surface that isn’t usually used. Cleaning up properly will make it less attractive to a new pest invasion.

Don’t forget after cleaning your house you need to wash your hands thoroughly with soap, you should also consider washing your clothes on a hot cycle.

Check For Holes

A mouse can get through a hole as small as a pencil and rats can get through a hole the size of a quarter. You may have done this as part of your pre-treatment preparations, but, if you haven’t, you need to walk around your property and look for any gaps where a pest could get into your home. Pay particular attention to the areas around the doors and windows.

Verify Traps

It’s a good idea to put down some fresh traps after the professionals have been. This will provide you with a way to verify that all the pests have gone if you find anything in a trap you’re going to need to call the pest control experts back to check it out properly.

With the exception of moving into a newly built custom house, any home that you purchase and live in is going to come with existing memories. The old owners might put up a couple of fresh coats of paint, repave the driveway, or even completely renovate the bathrooms and kitchen before you move in. None of these actions are going to erase the fact that your newly purchased home is going to come with a history, which isn’t so bad of a thing if you think about it. What you do need to ensure is that you look up the history of your soon-to-be new home prior to closing. Having the names and pertinent information of everyone who lived in your home previously can make living a lot easier.

Ensuring Your New Home Has a Positive History

So, a lot of people who move out of rentals or choose to sell their property are just regular everyday people. You may use a reverse lookup address service out of sheer curiosity. Perhaps you look up the history of the family living in the home before you to confirm that they were the owner-occupants. Otherwise, people might do a reverse address search to check for any major local news stories related to crime. In this day and age, you really can’t be too safe while in the process of buying a house.

Find Out Who Your Neighbors Are

The history of the home you plan to buy and move into is important. At the same time, the background and identities of your closest neighbors is pretty crucial as well. No, you don’t need to find out the total life story of your neighbors and run background checks on them but it can be good to know what the neighborhood is like. Will you be moving onto a block filled with retirees, working parents, or young professionals who are fresh out of graduate school? Have your potential neighbors been living there for the past couple of years or did they inherit their homes from their parents several decades ago. Seeing who you will be living near is totally a step that shouldn’t be missed when shopping for a house.

Avoiding Being Harassed by Debt Collectors

When you get a new phone number you almost expect to get a bevvy of ‘wrong phone number’ calls, especially within the first 30 or so days. The majority of people simply don’t go through their entire rolodex to let everyone know that their contact information has changed. However, anyone who has inherited the phone number of someone with a lot of bad debt knows that those phone calls pretty much never stop. And thanks to skip tracing if you inherit their old address you can expect to receive phone calls as well as have their letters clogging up your mailbox. Some people can live with that while lots of others would rather not hear from debt collectors indefinitely.

When you buy residential properties, there can be lots of surprises. Sometimes previous occupants and owners leave behind parting gifts and even trinkets. You may see that some last-minute improvements have been made for you and your family to enjoy. Know the home as well as the neighborhood by doing a reverse address search.

When you ask homeowners in which room of the house they tend to spend the most time in, many will answer with ‘the kitchen’. Between meal preparation, cooking, eating, socializing, entertaining, and even sitting with the kids around the table while they do their homework, the kitchen tends to be a very well-used room. With that said, it’s only natural that homeowners often pour a lot of time and money into extensive renovations of the kitchen so it best fits their needs and wants.

If you’ve decided that it’s time to go the route of a custom kitchen design to ensure that all of it fits your lifestyle and vision, then you need to be prepared to make a lot of decisions. With that in mind, here’s a look at a few must-have items that are perfect for your custom kitchen design.

Store Wine in a Smart and Attractive Way

For those who enjoy a good bottle of wine and have a bit of a collection going on, your custom kitchen is the perfect place to install wine storage. Having it available to you in the kitchen means it’s within reach and you won’t forget to enjoy all those great bottles you’ve been collecting. The Eurocave wine cabinet is available in different sizes and configurations, which means no matter what size your collection is, you’ll find a storage cellar that works. You can even have your wine cabinet built right into the design so that it blends with the cupboards and doesn’t stand out.

Second Appliances

Another thing you may want to consider in your custom design is installing second appliances – more specifically a second dishwasher, refrigerator, and/or oven. This is ideal for those with large families, foodies that love cooking, and those who entertain often. Obviously doubling up on appliances will increase your productivity in the kitchen.

Under Cabinet Lighting

This is one of those items that people don’t tend to fully appreciate until they have it. Under cabinet lighting not only serves a practical purpose of lighting the counter, which is handy during food preparation, but it also adds to the overall look and atmosphere of the room. It adds a sense of sophistication and luxury that custom design kitchens usually strive for.

Give Thought to Your Cabinet Height

One thing that people are quick to include in a custom kitchen is oversized cupboards that reach almost to the ceiling, or right to it. While this can certainly make the room feel taller and add drama to the space, it’s not always the most practical design choice. How will you plan to access those top shelves? Instead, you may want to keep things a little lower so that you aren’t having to get a ladder out each time you go into the cupboards.

No Such Thing as Too Much Counter Space

Finally, is the counter space, and there is only one rule here and that’s the fact that you can never have enough countertops. If you can find a way to have both countertops and an island, you’ll be giving yourself a lot more useable space.

Each of these items and tips will help you to create a flawless and practical custom kitchen.

You are considering buying a shower pod, but you worry that it is too pricey and not a worthy investment. You might have to spend hundreds of pounds to own a shower pod plus pay someone to install it. Before you reject the idea because of the amount you need to spend, think about the benefits you will get.

You want privacy when you bathe, and you will feel secluded if you have a pod. You can also relax as no one else sees you. Bathing becomes an exciting experience for you. These are some reasons to convince you that it is an excellent idea to invest in a shower pod, and you deserve one.

You work hard

You spend hours each day at work. You face a lot of people and solve tons of challenges. When you reach home, you feel like you do not have energy left to do any chores. Despite that, you still get on with things because you need to take care of your family. Given all these things that you need to accomplish in a day, it does not hurt to spend money to reward yourself with a shower pod. It is also for your mental health. The problems you face each day might eventually take a toll on you, and you need something to help you relax.

You are sharing it with your family

You are not the only one who will use the shower pod if you decide to buy one. Your entire family will enjoy it. If you have a toddler, you can even share the shower and bond while bathing. If everyone enjoys using the shower pod, you cannot deprive them of that opportunity.

Your bathroom needs a makeover

You might not recall the last time you did something to improve your bathroom. Now is the right time to make it happen. You have already saved enough money, and you found the perfect accessory to spruce up the look of your bathroom. Since you have not spent anything on your bathroom for a long time, it will not hurt if you do it now.

You spend a lot to enjoy spa services

Since you are spending money to enjoy spa services anyway, you might as well cancel that plan and stay in your house. Enjoy an hour or two inside your shower pod. It will feel like you visited a spa even if you did not. You are also going to enjoy your shower pod for several years because it is durable. Choose the best quality model from a reliable manufacturer.

Do not second guess this decision and buy a shower pod now. Make sure you have enough space in your bathroom. If not, you might have to remodel the room to give enough space to install the shower pod. You have sacrificed a lot for the people you love, and if you decide that now is the time to reward yourself, there is nothing wrong with that.

Introduction

You can’t have a living room that’s completely furnished unless it has a coffee table. Period. Coffee tables aren’t just a fashion requirement; they’re a necessity; you can’t possibly expect to serve guests drinks without giving them somewhere to rest their mugs after a sip or two (well you can, but you definitely shouldn’t).

But choosing a coffee table for your living room is no simple task, largely because there are just So very many to choose from. Fortunately, all coffee tables can safely be categorized into five groups, so you can take a look and figure out what style of coffee table would look best in your living room.

The Traditional Style

Sometimes it’s best to appreciate things in their simplest forms. If you’re one of this mindset, then the traditional style might be just for you. This no-nonsense approach in design may appear to be un-innovative at first glance, what with the appearance being that of the most generic coffee table you could think of (just a plain, small wooden circular or rectangular table), but sometimes a simple wooden table is really all you need to compliment your living room décor truly.

Beauty is after all in the eye of the beholder, and the vintage feel of a traditional coffee table is all some people might need to feel complete. And though it’s not true for all occasions, the paradoxical quote “less is more” does apply well to the design of a traditional (mostly wooden) coffee table.

The Contemporary Style

Want to expand out of wood regarding choice for materials, while still maintaining the minimalistic design approach of a traditional coffee table? Well, then the contemporary choice might be the one for you. Contemporary coffee tables come in materials like glass and metal along with wood, and these materials are mostly used in combination with one another to make the tables.

Glass tops are pretty common among contemporary styles, so if you prefer coffee tables of this kind then the contemporary styles might be worth checking out. The designs of contemporary coffee tables do occasionally diverge from the from the traditional mold of a simple rectangular or circular table, but they’re never too outrageously different from the classic shape.

The Modern Style

Here’s where designers start to get creative. With a free range of materials to use, ranging from the more common choices like wood, glass and metal to more exotic materials like plastic, carbon fiber or even stone, as well as no restrictions to stick closely to the traditional design mold, there’s a wide range of designs a modern coffee table can take. Their edges are sharper, with surprising twists and turns in shape, so much so one could finish two or three cups of coffee and have nothing but the design to keep him preoccupied as he studies it closer with every sip.

Modern coffee tables also dare to break the custom of having coffee tables in far more vibrant colors and some cases even being of more than one color, unlike contemporary and traditional tables that stick mostly to the base earthy colors.

However, it is worth mentioning modern coffee tables aren’t too wacky in their designs. They’re designed more like architectural pieces, with basic geometric shapes largely being used to compose their designs, instead of pieces of art where there is no restriction on creativity, and one can make whatever he wishes. This honor goes to the novelty coffee table.

Novelty Coffee Table

The novelty coffee table is where a designer truly lets his creativity loose. As long as the end product can support a fair number of mugs and therefore fulfill its purpose, no creative idea is off the table (pun intended). You can have tables that have their legs molded to look like a particular figure or object, like a table whose legs are shaped like an octopus’s tentacles, or just have a glass top on an entire figure altogether, like a man on all fours or a couple of soldiers carrying the table above their heads.

You could have tables that repurpose old and unused items, like a table made of recycled bicycles (once more, pun intended) with a glass top secured at the handlebars, or a barrel or even a roulette table. The possibilities here are endless! Just as long you make have something that can hold up coffee mugs like any normal table, any piece of art can be a novelty coffee table.

The Bespoke

Despite all the variety provided by the above types, you may want something that’s a lot more personal for a coffee table. A table that meets every single one of your requirements, from the colors and materials, down to the exact measurements you want it to be. And the only one that can fulfill all of these requirements is a bespoke coffee table.

There is no denying how perfect of a fit a bespoke table can be for your living room (mostly because it’s designed for your living room, and your living room only). All you need to do now is find a carpenter with the required skill set, and you’re good to go. Before long you’ll be enjoying your new coffee table with a delicious cup of your favorite coffee blend.

Improving your home’s value is no easy feat. Whether you want to sell it soon, keep it as a safety net, or simply make it beautiful, fixing up your house will take a lot of time, resources, and ingenuity. But, don’t worry, all is not lost – you won’t have to get into more debt and become a bank’s slave in order to pull it off.

Some homeowners decide to prepare their homes for the market by investing massive sums of money, hiring a ton of contractors, and in general practically building it anew. And while building projects really will make your home more beautiful, it’s not all you can do. Some simple things can mean a lot, things you don’t even notice. Below are some tips on how to increase the beauty of your home, without breaking the bank.

Spruce it up a little – Paint and small repairs

The first thing you should do is keep it clean. On one level, this is quite obvious – a dirty house that gets clean becomes nicer. However, there is another aspect to this. Dust will stick, dirt can stain your floors permanently. Mold that forms in some parts of your garage will ruin the walls. If you let things get too dirty, you will find it very difficult to get things under control.

Next, and much more important – small fixes. So, paint the whole place, inside, and out. A fresh new coat of paint will make your place look brand new. Fix your drywall, any cracks or damage to your walls will make your home look much older than it actually is. The same goes for any cracked tiles. Replace your faucets, tighten any loose screws and spigots, fix any creaking chairs, even your table legs…

Check your windows, see in what shape they are in. Get as much natural light into your home as you can. Get your carpets deep cleaned, and get a fresh coat of lacquer or varnish over any wooden objects you have.

Work on your garden and yard

Now of course, regularly mowing your lawn will help make your backyard look much nicer. However, you should also think about planting some flowers, or maybe even get a tree there. A nice pond set, with beautiful decorations, will make things even better.

Working on your yard will do wonders for your home’s aesthetics. Things like installing a yard barbecue, a nice patio or pagoda, or a swing set. You can always add opening roof systems that could help you survive the hot Summer days outside without overheating. On the plus side, it would add a nice touch of modernism to your garden.

Any kind of projects, like making a small, open guesthouse, a sort of “home away from home” thing that is right there can give you some extra privacy, help you make the perfect spot for garden parties, and will in general just look absolutely stunning.

Big projects -Fix up your roof and driveway

People see one of these two things first when they look at your house. They either see your roof, or they notice the curb of your home. Now, if you want to increase curb appeal, you should get a couple of things right. Paint your front door properly. Another thing is a little detail like your doorknob. Sure, from afar people don’t notice, but once they’re close, a shiny and classy looking door knob can make an excellent first impression. The same can be said about your door knocker, and about your mailbox. These little things add up and are actually cheap to get a handle on.

On the other hand, something a bit bigger is fixing up your roof. First, clean the whole thing properly. Clean the gutters, remove all the needles and broken tiles and shingles. Algae and mildew build up quickly as well, as does dirt. If needed, install new gutters, and repair any damage. Finally, if you are truly up for it, you should remove and replace the shingles. A good idea is to get some durable and high-quality shingles that will last you a lifetime. They may cost a pretty penny at first, but it really comes through in the long term.

Fixing up your driveway is another big, but relatively cheap project you can take on. All those cracks and fissures are not that pleasing to the eye. However, unless you have experience working with concrete, this may be a project best left to the professionals.

Conclusion

And there you have it folks, a couple of ways you can spruce up your home, make it prettier than ever, without breaking the bank. Remember, you want to think about the long-term for bigger projects, and be thorough about the small ones. So regularly do small repairs around the house, and clean spaces that you know for a fact people won’t even notice. These things creep up on your as time goes by. The little things matter, as you will certainly notice once you replace some old tidbits like your door knobs or your mailbox. And for the bigger projects, they will always be dirt cheap in the long run.

Living in a house has a lot of benefits, but it also comes with a slew of responsibilities. Most people don’t pay much attention to their roof until it springs a leak. It’s good to take precautions and solve underlying issues before anything happens. You want your roof to stay solid so you never have to break out the leak buckets. Leaks can lead to mould and rot, and that won’t be a pleasant sight. There are some signs you can look out for if you want to know if your roof is free of potential hazards

1. It has to be relatively new

Houses and buildings are designed to last quite a long time, but the same doesn’t apply to their roofs. It’s estimated that a quality asphalt shingle roof lasts around twenty to thirty years. If it’s approaching its twenty-fifth birthday, it’s a good time for a check-up.

A very old roof could look fine from the outside, but some internal damage has built up over time, even if you can’t see it. Anything from the integrity of the foundation to the material of the shingles could be affected. If your neighbours are all replacing their roofs all of a sudden, yours might also be due for a replacement.

2. No signs in your attic

Don’t judge a book by its cover! Just because your roof looks spotless and unblemished, doesn’t mean that it’s working as intended. The first place to check for damage is in your attic.

You should arm yourself with a flashlight and inspect every corner of your attic. Look for signs of leaks, such as stains and streaks that can be found on the walls. The most obvious signs of a faulty roof are beams of sunlight passing between shingles.

3. The roof itself isn’t sagging

A sagging roof is cause for concern. It shows that there are significant problems with the things holding it in place. In this case, there might be a problem with the decking. Worse yet, it could mean that the foundation is faulty, and that could bring it down.

It’s not a sign of imminent danger, especially if it’s only on a small patch. Unfortunately, it can progress and take a hold of your whole roof. This is why it’s crucial to take action when the problem is still manageable.

4. Well-maintained shingles

Having your rooftop in tip-top shape means all the singles have to be intact and in place. Heavy storms are known to displace a few or damage them. If you notice any of them are cracked, buckling, or damaged, you will have to take care of that before the roof starts leaking.

Doing repairs on your own roof can be dangerous work. There is a real risk of slipping and getting injured. If you are able to, consider hiring roofing contractors in Sydney to do the job for you.

5. There’s no moss on it

Moss is a delightful addition to any garden and it looks great when it’s on a rockery. Seeing moss on your roof, however, isn’t a very good sign. It might look nice, but it shows that your roof might have trapped moisture inside it.

For starters, you should remove the moss itself, but later on, focus on the underlying problem that caused the moss buildup.

Conclusion

Having a solid roof above your head is crucial for any homeowner. A warm, cozy, leak-proof home is essential if you live in an area prone to storms and unpredictable weather. This is why it’s always good to take precautions and being prepared will benefit you in the long run.