Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Three Tips That Will Make Your Remodelling Job Much Easier


Are you planning to remodel your home in the near future? If so, then you really have your work cut out for you. But luckily, there are some things that you can do to make the job much easier. Today, we are going to learn some helpful tips that will take the stress out of remodelling your home.

Rent an Industrial Sized Garbage Bin


Once you have started your remodelling project, you will need to have a place to put all your old building materials. Instead of hauling it off by the truck load, why not save some money by renting a garbage bin? A garbage bin rental will give you ample room to put your waste and when you are finished with your project, you can call and have it taken away. This will save you a lot of time and you won’t need to worry about going back and forth to the garbage dump. 
 

Rent A Portable Toilet


If you are going to be remodelling your bathroom, chances are you will be without a place to go to the restroom. While you might have another bathroom in your home, renting a portable toilet will help. If you have a large family, having somewhere to go is very important. Depending on your area, you may even be required by law to have a portable toilet at the job site at all times. Renting a toilet is very affordable and it will make your next remodelling job go much smoother. 
 

Have Someone Else Do the Work for You


While it might be tempting to do the remodelling jobs on your own, it could be more than you can handle. For large remodelling jobs, you should probably leave the hard work to a professional remodelling contractor. A contractor will not only have the knowledge needed to get the job done right the first time, he or she will have all the proper tools. A contractor will be able to finish the job in a shorter amount of time because they will have people helping them. Contractors will also be able to get all the proper paperwork needed to legally do the work. But before you hire anyone to come work on your home, make sure you do your homework. Check out each contractor that you intend to hire to make sure they are who they say they are. You may even want to conduct a background check on the person you decide to hire for the job.

If you are planning a remodel, why not make the job much easier by following these helpful tips. Remember that you can save time and money by renting a garbage bin and a portable toilet. Finally, if the job is too big for you to handle, why not consider hiring a professional to give you a hand? Contractors will have all the necessary tools and the know-how to get the job done on time and in budget.


Healthy Breakfast Ideas You Should Keep Handy


Is your daily life filled with your job, appointments, sessions, and social life? Are you a frequent traveller who picks up food based on convenience rather than nutrition? In both the cases, it might become very frustrating not having enough options for a healthy nutrition when you are on your feet 24/7.

We all know that breakfast is considered as the most important meal of the day. One should not only have a heavy morning meal, but also ensure nutrition. It is a big misconception among everyone that the healthiest breakfast ideas only include oats and milk, muesli and smoothies. There are many ways in which you can just add a creative, delicious twist and make your healthy breakfast tastier. Let us look at some of the best and simple breakfast ideas as given on thekitchenadvisor.com that can make.

Turn the boring chicken into yummy salad


While some sandwiches and fresh fruit juice are on the table, add some chicken as well for tickling your taste buds. If you are bored of the regular roasted or shredded chicken, then you can simply turn this boring recipe into a delicious salad. Add the sauce of your choice or you can also add in some grains to top it off for a crunchy texture. Alternatively, you can add in boiled veggies of your choice such as beans, carrot, and zucchini to name a few.

Smoothies can never go out of trend


While you are wondering that smoothies are just any other regular healthy drinks for your breakfast, you can bring in some twist to the same. Add in berries of your choice and some marshmallows for the added wetness. Try not to use any sugar as it is considered as an unhealthy alternative. But you can always have some fresh fruits or chocolate syrup to make your morning meal delicious.

Granola bars are a great health option


We all know that oatmeal is considered as an amazing breakfast, which is healthy as well as portable. So, in case you miss out on your breakfast and do not get time to eat it well on time, here is what you can do. Make granola bars at home by checking out any of the online food columns. Bake these granola bars and cut them in squares or use a cookie cutter to get the shape of granola bars of your choice.

Pudding made of banana and peanut


Thinking of having pudding in your morning breakfast, but do not know how to make it healthy? In that case, try combining some chia seeds, peanut butter and banana. It is a known fact that chia seeds are filled with minerals and vitamins. If you are looking for an alternative to milk, then try having chia seeds as they have more calcium than milk. A mix of healthy and tasty breakfast meal, the peanut butter, banana and chia seeds pudding can be the perfect pick.

4 Renovation Ideas that Will Add the Most Value to Your Home


Home renovations can be small or large, and the value they add to your home could be dramatically positive or negative. Here are four renovation ideas that will add the most value to your home. 

Updates to Market Standards


Updating a bathroom to make it more accessible, environmentally friendly, and contain new fixtures has a positive ROI. Implementing universal design elements like showers you can simply walk into are worth doing.

Updating a kitchen by replacing the appliances with modern ones has a nearly hundred percent return on the investment since the new appliances are more efficient and provide the features people want. However, putting a chef grade kitchen in a small home is a waste of money since it is excessive compared to what home buyers expect. Use sites like housingpredictor.com to figure out what type of home renovations have the greatest payoff.

A Finished Basement


One nearly certain way to add value to your home is to add to the livable space. Raising the roof is expensive, while a cramped attic bedroom isn’t attractive to most home buyers. Pouring new slab and building new walls is expensive. Finishing an existing basement, probably improving insulation, wiring, and drainage is, in contrast, quite cheap. For this reason, a finished basement adds significant value to your home at relatively little cost, giving you a high return on the investment for the project.

Make sure the new space is generally used either as a living room or bedrooms. A separate living suite, especially one you can rent out as a mortgage helper, has a high return on investment. Conversely, creating very specific rooms like an office or craft room won’t have as broad an appeal and hurt the value of the project.

A Better First Impression


Replacing your worn front door with a solid steel entry door raises the value of your home at least by the value of the door. Don’t forget to repair the door frame if it is damaged or worn; any apparent damage from insects or a prior break-in will hurt the value of your home.

Another renovation to consider is replacing the garage door. Garage doors with windows are a popular amenity; they are so hot that some people are painting fake windows on the door to look more upscale. A new garage door that is sturdier, insulated, and lets light into the garage has a roughly 100% return on the investment.

Practical Improvements that Save Money


While home renovation shows tend to focus on making the inside and outside of the home look brand new like ripping out the kitchen and bathroom and installing new ones, home buyers appreciate changes that will save them money. This is why adding fiberglass attic insulation has a high return on the investment since everyone appreciates lower heating bills. Replacing old single pane windows with double or triple pane windows is a worthwhile project. If you replace an aging furnace or HVAC system, you’ll see a high return on the project because buyers like knowing that the equipment isn’t going to need repair or replacement.

These home remodeling ideas are a great way to add thousands of dollars to your property’s value.


Friday, November 3, 2017

Do's and Don'ts when Decorating your Children's Room


It’s every parent's dream to design a functional, comfy and welcoming room for their little ones. However, it can be challenging considering the fact that children grow fast and their preferences change as well. Some of the things you have to consider before you get down to work are the space available, their age, and gender. You have to also think about children-friendly furniture, storage, proper colors, and patterns, among others. Here are some of the do's and don'ts when decorating kids' rooms.

Don't Impose Your Fantasy on Kids


Parents mean well for their children. However, a child's room is their private space, so you should always listen to them. Don't impose your fantasy on your children by having everything your way. Ask them what they like and prefer to have in the room. You might be surprised to learn that your child's best color is blue and not yellow as you might have always assumed. Go in with an open mind and discuss. You can always find a way of convincing children why your idea is better than theirs without hurting their feelings.

Do Choose an Appropriate Theme


The beauty with decorating children's room is that it gives parents the opportunity to have fun and bond with their kids. Ultimately, every kid would like an original room they could call their own. Therefore, when you eventually decide to work on their decor, it would be a wise idea to center the theme around their tastes. Children who love their rooms will take care of it, ensuring that it remains tidy all the time. You can look for theme ideas on a site like Mashoid.co and other online resources. Run through as many ideas as you can until you find one both of you agree on.

Do Accessorize


Accessories are very important to set the mood. Even small inexpensive accessories can add a lot of value to a room. Go for nice pillowcases, cute duvets, beautiful star-shaped wall hooks, dolls, and hangers. Children love unique things that set them apart from the rest, so don’t be afraid to go outside the box when thinking of accessories as well and don’t ignore their feedback.

Do Choose the Right Furnishings


The choice of furniture is very important. Go for superior quality but adaptable furnishings. Your 5-year old might want a race car bed, but remember that kids grow fast at that age and that he might grow out of his bed eventually. Try to be as simple as possible because your kids are growing and before you know it, you will have to replace that fancy and costly furniture with new items.

Don't Crowd the Room


Children are playful and require a lot of space to move around and play. They need somewhere to store their toys, clothes and have fun with their friends. With time, they definitely will need a bigger bed, a play or study area. If something doesn't fit and leave enough space, it is best left out until sufficient space is available.

Don't Ignore the Ceiling


A dull ceiling can really dampen the mood of a rather bright room. Try to create an appealing space by turning the ceiling into your child's fantasy. Choose original and soothing colors and patterns if you want something more titillating than plain white for the ceiling.

Conclusion


Decorating your children’s bedroom most likely won't happen in a day. Take it one step at a time, just don't lose focus on your final product. Also, remember to set out a budget for the project and don’t go overboard. If you wish, engage the services of an expert interior designer; just ensure that your children's imaginative ideas and preferences are considered.


Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Four Tips for Creating the Illusion of More Space in Your Small Bathroom


Small bathrooms can be a challenge when it comes to design and decorating, but the good news is that there are several tricks and strategies that you can use to ensure that your bathroom creates the illusion of a larger space, along with including all the various functions that you’ll need when using it. With the right combination of strategically placed fixtures, lighting, surfaces, colors and décor, your small bathroom no longer has to feel like a confined or claustrophobic space. The good news is that you don’t have to make any adjustments to its blueprint.

Whether you’re installing a small bathroom at home or want to make some changes to your existing space, here are our top tips for small bathroom décor. 

Tip #1. Consider Lighting and Color


Generally speaking, a bathroom (or any other room) will tend to look larger and more spacious if it’s brighter and lighter. Because of this, the first thing that you should do is take advantage of any natural light that you have available. Ensure that there is nothing blocking the natural light coming in from the window and use translucent curtains or shades to keep the light coming in whilst protecting your privacy. In addition, choosing lighter, livelier shades when painting bathroom walls will help to open up the space and give off the illusion that it is larger. 

Tip #2. Use Mirrors


A large mirror can help to expand your bathroom space and give the illusion that you have far more space than is actually available. Since a bathroom mirror is an essential for most people – after all, it’s in the bathroom where you’ll shave, fix your hair, and get ready in the morning – opting for a larger mirror isn’t just about décor; it can also be a very functional and practical choice. A floor-length mirror can help to open up more of the space whilst giving you more to work with when it comes to your morning routine. 

Tip #3. Smart Storage


The use of smart storage can help to save space in your bathroom, ensuring that you manage to keep all your toiletries and gadgets tidied nearly away without cluttering up the space. Under sink storage, for example, can be an excellent choice since this will keep everything that you need to hand in one easy-to-reach place, whilst also being tucked away neatly and out of your way. You could also take your available bathroom space into consideration when purchases new items for your bathroom. For example, instead of buying lots of disposable razors, you could invest in an electric shaver to save space and provide more convenience. See mybestshaver.com for some suggestions. 

Tip #4. Create Illusions with Surface Patterns


Finally, your choice of decorative surface patterns can have a huge impact on how big your bathroom looks. For walls, consider wallpaper, tiling or beadboard with vertical stripes to give the illusion of taller walls and add a sense of height to the overall space.

Did you enjoy these tips? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.