…what should you do? Bail out? Put it up for sale? This is the most common answer that I hear. After all, if you do not like the house you live in, you can always put it up for sale and get yourself the house of your dreams, right?
This might not be the best idea right now, as selling a house is not that easy anymore. While you might be able to find a buyer, you would probably not get much for the house. If I were you, I would take a step back and figure out what you want in your dream house. AND THEN, see if you can put those things in your current house. Who knows, you just might end up loving your “unwanted” house!
Show me the space!
While it seems that the trend is towards smaller and smaller floor areas, especially in city condos, statistics show that a large number of Americans still crave for space in their homes. If this is your problem with your current home, then look for ways to create more space, or at least the illusion of it.
Knock down walls that are in the way between two rooms that can flow into one another. Take doors down and put up glass windows instead. These projects can create a big change with regard to space, and perhaps satisfy your need for it.
Utilize all rooms.
You want a rec room. Your partner wants a library. Maybe the kids want a music room. Whatever it is that you want, you might want to take stock of the unused rooms in your house. Check the basement. Finish it and convert it. Perhaps you have a storage room that you don’t really use? Do the same thing.
(to be continued)
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One of the best times to sell your home is during spring. Everything just seems to be better in this season and even the moods of people are affected by it. Of course, you might need to get some work done as the winter might not have been exactly kind to your property. Before you sell your house this spring, follow these simple steps for better chances of making a good deal.
Wash, wash, wash!
It’s not called spring cleaning for nothing. I would suggest washing your windows and walls till they shine and sparkle. Oh, and do it both inside and outside. If you want, you can even use some furniture or glass cleaner to give things an extra sparkle. Oh, and don’t forget mirrors as well. There is nothing more attractive to a home buyer than a sparkling clean house.
Cut, trim, and then cut some more
If you have vegetation in your yard, then make sure you deal with this before showing off your property. Trim bushes that need to be trimmed. Cut down branches that block sunlight or block the view from windows. And do make sure that you rake the dead leaves away. You might like the “naturalistic” look but not everyone appreciates that!
Get hordes of yellow flowers
Studies show that yellow flowers entice people to buy more. Whether or not the data is true, it will not hurt to transplant flowers to fill your window boxes and yard. You do not even have to stick with yellow flowers only. Go out and gather all those bright flowers and see the difference they can make.
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If you are like majority of Americans, you are probably feeling all positive about the fact that spring is here. Well, for some, it’s not quite spring but we all have that silver lining to look forward. Pretty soon, the days of freezing temperatures, frozen driveways, and slushy paths will be gone.
Then again, there is one thing that homeowners must pay attention to when this wonderful time of the year comes around – cleaning up the mess that winter has created. Here are some things that you can look at as you plan on doing your spring cleaning.
Gutters
Ahh, these gutters serve a purpose but they can be nasty once winter gets through with them. Do make sure that you take a look at all your gutters and see if any damage has been done by the cold weather. Make sure that all the dirt and debris that has gathered is cleared up and that nothing is clogging your gutters.
Gaps and cracks
The cold of winter can create a lot of new gaps and cracks in your walls, windows, doors, and other similar areas. What you should do is do a once over and see if there are any gaps or cracks that need to be sealed. Otherwise, unwanted moisture might seep into your home, creating the possibility for more damage in the future.
Air conditioning
If you live in an area that requires the use of an air conditioning unit (and we all probably do), then this is a good time to make sure that your unit is functioning well. While it is not a must to use AC during spring, you would want to be prepared just in case you do need to use it.
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I love bathtubs. I could end my post there. I really love them. If I had the money, I’d have several huge bathrooms in my house and put all sorts of bathtubs in them. And I am sure that there are many of you out there who are into bathtubs as well. Just some information for those who are in the market for some tubs – what are the different kinds of bathtubs?
Soaking bathtubs
Aren’t all bathtubs for soaking? Apparently, there are tubs which are meant for, well, you got it, soaking. They are deeper than the standard tubs, with water going as high as one’s chin while lying down. More so, these tubs do not come with any other attachments such as showers and jets.
Built in bathtubs
These tubs are what we normally have at home. They are not separate attachments which you can move around the bathroom, but are instead “built into” the room, as the name suggests.
Freestanding bathtubs
These are those beautiful tubs that you see with big claws as feet. As opposed to the built in bathtubs, they can be moved around and be relocated wherever you want them. Those big pedestal or clawfoot bathtubs fall under this category.
Special tubs
I suppose all the other kinds of tubs that do not fall under the conventional types above will fall under this category. From high tech tubs with jets and whirlpools to walk in bathtubs – you can find the tub to suit your special needs.
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Are you feeling that your home’s value is depreciating over the years? Although this is quite possible, there are always ways by which you can increase the value of your home. And I am not talking about spending a lot of money in various home improvement projects! Think curb appeal. Think landscaping.
What better way to increase the appeal of you home than to pay careful attention to what the buyer will see when he first arrives than to make sure the surrounding landscape is nice to the eyes? Here are some tips on landscaping; tips that will not end up costing you and arm and a leg.
Color is key.
What you want is to have splashes of bright colors. You do not need to pay for expensive landscape artists. Get some potted flowering plants with colors of red, yellow, and orange if you want to grab the attention of buyers. If you want to present the atmosphere of calm relaxation, go for cooler blues and green.
Use artificial grass to cover up dirt.
If you have no time to grow real grass or you have no money to get the real stuff, why not go for the artificial? Just because it’s artificial does not mean that it is going to look ugly. There are many options when it comes to fake grass these days – look for those that have warranty for years (10 years if you can). That will surely be a selling point for you!
Make your place seem spacious.
If you have a fence enclosing the yard, cover it up with foliage and paint. Play around with these elements to create an illusion of space. More so, remove or rearrange clutter, such as lawn furniture.
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If you own the house you live in, then you have a lot more options as to maximizing your kitchen space. Indeed, you can even do a bit more construction. I have to warn you, though, you might have to set aside some money in order to carry out these projects.
One, free up wall space. If you have large sliding doors or doorways to the kitchen that are taking up more space than necessary, why don’t you consider using that space for something else? I think that one door way – a swinging door perhaps? – would be sufficient. What can you do with the wall space that you can create if you make your door smaller? LOTS! How about some shelves? Maybe counter tops? Your imagination is the limit!
Two, extend space away from the house. If your kitchen wall faces nothing but space outside of the house, then you have more options. Knock parts of the wall down and extend the kitchen to the yard. That might cost something steep though since the contractor would have to build a new foundation and all that stuff. You might want to create a “hanging space” instead; something like a bay window. This can be used for storage but even if you didn’t use it that way, the window would create an illusion of space by bringing in more light.
Three, declutter! I don’t know about you but clutter seems to easily pile up in my kitchen. I am pretty sure that if I threw away some stuff, the kitchen would seem much bigger.
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For people who like to cook and eat good food, the kitchen is the central place in the house. And if your kitchen is not that spacious, it could present a big problem. This is exactly the case in my relatively new apartment and it has been bugging me for quite some time. Here are some tips that all of use with small kitchens just might find handy.
Lose the table
Perhaps it has something to do with image or upbringing but some people have the tendency to bring in a humongous table into the kitchen. It could be that these people have dreams of having a huge family one day. But for now, while there are only 2 or 3 people living in the house, I think that it would be good to just get a small table – that would be enough for daily use and free up some space in the kitchen as well.
Annex adjacent rooms
If you are already tight on space, why not make your dining room and kitchen one big room? Knock down walls if there are any and create one spacious area where you can prepare food, congregate with the family, and eat at the same time? Though the idea may be repulsive to some, ponder on it a bit more and you just might find yourself liking the idea of having more space to move around. Oh, this is not limited to the dining room. Take a look at walk in cupboards, pantries, and the like.
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Are you hosting Christmas dinner or lunch for family and friends this year? I feel for you, if you are. I know that it is supposed to be a time of giving and good cheer but if you are the host family, the task can be a daunting one. You already have the not easy task of preparing the meal but you also have to think about the Christmas decorations as well as making sure your house is respectable. You still have a couple of weeks left – counting some weekends. Perhaps you can embark on small home improvement projects before the big day? Here are more easy tips for you.
Set aside one day for all the small repairs that you need to do.
I am sure that you have more than one minor repair that needs to be done. Let me check my house. I have a leaky faucet, some window caulking needs fixed, and the screen door has a hole. These are all small things and it would be more time efficient to deal with them all in one day if possible. Do a once over and check all the small repairs and prepare to work on them in a day.
Redo your floors.
I am not saying that you should change to hardwood if your floor is made of tiles or vice versa. What I am trying to tell you is that you should make sure that your floor is extra shiny (if wood or tile) or that the carpet is spic and span. A clean looking floor does wonders for the house!
Make your house look good from the outside.
If the outside needs a coat of fresh paint, try allotting a whole weekend for this. If this is not possible – which is the case in many places in the US at this time of the year – then add ornaments and accessories that will spruce up your curb appeal.
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For many households, getting a Christmas tree is part of tradition. I don’t know if you noticed, though, that as the years go by, it seems that less and less people are putting up their Christmas decorations. More so, it seems that those who still do so are taking action later in the year. Let me ask you – have you put up your tree yet? If you have, then good for you! If you haven’t, then you are like me! In any case, here are some tips to help you in picking out a tree.
Get your measurements right.
We only have 19 days before Christmas and I am sure that you are such in a rush to get that tree. Before you head out to the tree farm, however, make sure that you know you measurements exactly. The last thing that you want to happen is to get a tree that is too big for your place. Too small may fit but it still won’t look perfect. So, take your time to get the perfect measurements.
Know the different kinds of trees.
One tree is not the same as every other tree. There are countless species in existence and even though tree farms may be limited as to the species they offer, you should still do a little reading up on your trees. Before you go to the tree lot, make sure that you know what you want and what will suit your needs and preferences best. For in depth and reliable information, visit the National Christmas Tree Association.
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Do you find yourself wondering where your weekends have gone? I have come to this realization lately – more often than not, my weekends are “wasted” sleeping all day because of very late nights out. I thought to myself, why not limit the nights out just a teeny bit and actually do something that I would be able to appreciate in the long run. The answer? Home projects that I can do over the weekend. Not only will I have concrete results, I will also increase the value of my home. So what are these? Read on.
Project #1: De-clutter the house
If there is one thing you can say about my house, it is that it is full of clutter. It just so happens that we both have the tendency to be pack rats. As a result, we have a lot of things that clutter up the whole house. I have actually started on this project – one weekend at a time. If you are anything like us, then you would probably need a couple of weekends at least to finish this project.
Project #2: Redo cabinets
When we first moved in, our kitchen cabinets looked really beautiful. Made of hard wood and painted a clean white, they provided a very good contrast to our red walls. Now, due to moisture and heat – all a part of kitchen life – the cabinets are looking a bit dowdy. I am thinking of using one weekend to redo these cabinets to restore them to their former glory.
Project #3: Replace lighting
Lighting sometimes tends to be overlooked. I am not talking about the main light fixtures – these always get replaced as soon as needed. However, the less useful lights sometimes get forgotten. Take a look around, you might have some bulbs that need replacement – get on it!
(to be continued)
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