There’s nothing like looking through an interior design magazine to make you feel like your home needs a breath of fresh air. Looking at beautiful homes is an inspiring way to think of ways to change your own living space.

However, since not everyone is a trained interior designer, you may not be sure where to begin. Designing your home isn’t an easy task for everyone. When it comes to making your home more beautiful, it comes down to a few basic strategies. Here are some of the best tips for instantly beautifying your home’s interior.

Get Rid Of Clutter

Regardless of how many nice pieces of furniture you have in your home, it won’t matter if they’re covered in clutter. The best way to make your home look magazine ready is to get rid of everything, and anything on your surface is. Don’t be afraid to purge and get rid of things that are taking up space with no purpose. Start in one room and work your way around to the next. Take your time and thoroughly declutter each room one by one. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t used something for over a year, sell it, or throw it away.

Make Your Bed

We get it, life can get busy, and you don’t always have time to do it all. However, leaving your bed unmade can totally change the way a room feels. Take the time to make your bed and carefully arrange your pillows. As a result, you can transform your bedroom from a mess too uninviting in cozy space. It feels a million times better in the evening to get under the covers of a bed that’s made.

Keep It Minimal

Some people have a tendency to go overboard with their decorating. However, it’s smarter to go minimal if possible. Keep things simple and decrease the amount of stuff you have, particularly if you live in a small space it’s easy to find yourself piling things on top of each other when you accumulate too much stuff.

Use Mirrors

If you live in a small home, you can give it the illusion of being considerably larger by adding mirrors throughout your home; a mirror will add dimensions and make your room look large and spacious.

Add Plants

There’s something about plants that give a room a breath of nature’s essence. Try putting several plants in each room of your house, and you’ll notice that it suddenly and a new perspective. Besides being beautiful plans also clean your air

Making your apartment beautiful doesn’t have to means spending thousands on top of the line furniture. Often it just takes a little creativity and being willing to try new things.

Don’t all of us love a clean and tidy kitchen? But, the amount of effort and time taken to achieve this clean and tidy kitchen? Not so much.

If you consider your kitchen design, there are different parts to it: there’s the kitchen counter, cutlery, cabinets, dishes, and so on. In short, cleaning your kitchen is quite an elaborate task.

“Another thing to add to my chores list?” – If this is what you’re thinking, sadly yes. It’s important to clean your kitchen to protect your family and yourself from potential diseases. However, we are asking you to be smart about it.

There are a few spots that need to be cleaned daily in a kitchen. If you are particular enough to do this, not only will you be able to give your kitchen a tidy appearance, but you will also save a lot of time without any compromise on hygiene. Read on as we tell you more about these spots below.

Spots You Should Clean in Your Kitchen Every Day #1: The Sink

If you are under the impression that your kitchen sink is clean just because you have cleaned your dishes, we got news – the bad kind – for you.

In reality, the task is far from over.

Researchers have found out that a kitchen sink is one of the dirtiest places in your kitchen – actually in your home. Whenever you do the dishes, you leave a layer of bacteria and sticky grease to the walls of the sink. This, in turn, creates a demand for you to clean it pronto.

But don’t you worry; cleaning your kitchen sink is actually easy. For this purpose, you need to buy a good-quality eraser-type sponge to give it a good scrubbing with either vinegar or disinfectant. A good tip would be to use hot water to loosen the grime layer against the walls and then proceed to clean, as it will help you save time.

Spots You Should Clean in Your Kitchen Every Day #2: The Stovetop and the Kitchen Counter

Your stovetop and kitchen counter face the maximum brunt whenever you cook. This is why cleaning the exterior surfaces of your kitchen is something you need to add to your to-do list.

Whether you are making your breakfast or cooking dinner, there might be splatters or spills that attract bacteria and bugs in your home. Also, if you quickly clean spills, scattered crumbs, or any dirt, you won’t have to slave away the next day to clean them. If left overnight, the spilled layer can harden making it difficult to remove it with one swipe.

You can leave the thorough cleaning of your kitchen counter and stuff top once a week, but a basic swipe cannot be avoided. Plus, it is also better to start with a clean kitchen instead of one that looks greasy. This way you will have more motivation to cook.

Spots You Should Clean in Your Kitchen Every Day #3: The Floors and the Cabinets

In this case, you don’t need to clean the entire floor or cabinet. What we are suggesting is spot cleaning.

Whenever you use the kitchen, you are bound to cause spillage of various kinds. You do hence, need to be vigilant in cleaning them as soon as it takes place. Otherwise, the cleaning task will only become more difficult for you in the end.

Whenever you see a stain or spill, get to spot cleaning it with your disinfectant as soon as you can. In fact, in addition to the floors and kitchen cabinets, there might be certain appliances that could benefit from some spot clean treatment as well. This includes your fridge, water filter pitcher, dishwasher, rugs, dining table, and other surfaces as needed. Take a quick look at your kitchen to figure out things that need cleaning.

Spots You Should Clean in Your Kitchen Every Day #4: The Sponge or Washcloth

While your kitchen sponge isn’t necessarily a “spot“, it is most certainly something you should be cleaning every single day.

The fact that almost everything you clean in your kitchen is done using sponges or washcloths already highlights the importance of washing it. After all, it doesn’t make any sense to use a dirty sponge and washcloth to clean something.

To clean your sponge or wash clothes easily, you can either soak it in bleach or vinegar, give it a good wash using a gentle detergent or simply place it in your dishwasher. A new technique has recently emerged where you only need to zap your sponge in the microwave for a quick cleaning as well. Trust us, it works!

Although there are people suggest that sponge cleaning can be considered as ‘a once a week task’, it is recommended that you be more vigilant and clean it on a daily basis.

So, there you go! These are the four spots that could do well with some good ol’ cleaning every day. The other thing that we would also like to discuss is doing your dishes. We know that cleaning your dishes after making your meal can be a task that nobody enjoys. This is also why letting dirty dishes pile up in the sink is quite a common sight.

In addition to being not aesthetically pleasing, the dishes can also become a hotspot for bacteria growth, bad odor, and a point of pest attraction. Hence, instead of leaving them overnight in the sink, load the dishes in the dishwasher, skipping the kitchen sink, and clean them pronto. Try to instill this habit in your family as well, since it’s essential for them to know the importance of a spotless kitchen.

If you are successful in achieving the above, you will always enjoy a clean and sparkling kitchen all day long which is of course, important for hygiene reasons. The only key to achieving this? Immediate and swift action.

A lot of people are renters for decades without ever realizing they could be homeowners. The idea of buying your first home can be overwhelming, and the costs downright frightening, which is why so many people don’t even consider they could be capable of it.

However, the truth is that you may be more ready to own a home than you think. Put your fears aside and take a look at some of the biggest telltale signs that you’re ready to buy your first home.

You Can Fit a Mortgage Into Your Budget

Take a look around at mortgage costs for the type of property that you’d be interested in. You may be surprised to find that some mortgages are only slightly higher than your rent, and you’re actually gaining equity at the same time!

Using a loan calculator is a simple way to see how much of a mortgage you’d be looking at and whether you could afford it.

You’ve Got Some Money In Savings

Although most people need a loan to be able to pay for a house, you’ll still need to put down some money initially. The higher the downpayment, the better that your loan rates will be.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you have to put down as much as 20% of the price of a home, however! Some people pay as little as 3% of the total cost as a downpayment. If you’ve put some money in savings over the years, then you may be surprised to find that it’s plenty to be a homeowner!

You Have a Favorable Credit Score

If you have a credit score over 700, then you have a considerably good chance of qualifying for a loan with a reasonable down payment. If you’ve always paid on time and don’t have a significant amount of credit taken out of your total allowance, then this is a good sign that you’re ready to buy a home!

You Plan On Staying Where You Are

Some people may not be ready to put down roots any time soon, and that’s perfectly fine. However, if you’re the type of person that’s planning on settling down where you live currently, then you are probably ready to buy a house.

Inflatino and home prices are going up, so buying a house where you live can be a fantastic investment in your future.

You’re Planning on Expanding Your Family

Owning a home when you have children is one of the most logical routes. Renting is only draining your bank account and giving you no return on your investment. If you have kids or are anticipating kids in the future, then it’s a huge incentive for buying your first home and cutting your costs.

 

When it comes to cleaning your house, there is not going to be very much glamour in it. This is more than likely going to be the reason that you are often times finding it very difficult to get it done in the first place. With that being said though, the cleanliness of your home is going to play a huge role and a have a very large influence on your lifestyle and your health, as pests and germs are going to thrive in environments that are unclean. On top of that, when your home is dirty, trying to entertain and be hospitable is going to be downright embarrassing, if not completely impossible.

When it comes to your home, it is going to be a representation of not just you, but also of your family and your lifestyle too. Because of this, you more than likely are going to want this to reflect well on all of the people who are living there. This is when you are going to need to make a very important decision. Should you clean your home yourself or hire a professional cleaning service. Here is what you need to know in order to make the right answer to this question.

Factors to Consider

There are actually some people who truly find leaning their home to be somewhat therapeutic, often times thinking that they are able to do a much better job than any professional cleaning service would be able too. With that being said however, there are going to be some house cleaning tasks that you are going to want to leave to the professionals. Here are the factors that you are going to need to consider when trying to figure out if you should clean your home yourself, or if you should hire a professional cleaning service.

• Are you able to handle the time commitment that cleaning your home is going to take? Depending upon the size of your home and how many people are living in it, the potential time commitment that you are going to need to make can be very large. How many bedrooms and bathrooms does your house have? Do you have pets that seem to shed all the time? On top of that, family members are very easily able to interrupt the time that you have put aside to clean or can even delay you starting to clean altogether.
• How valuable is your time? Depending upon how you value your time, it may be cheaper to simply hire a professional cleaning service. Now factor in that most cleaning services are going to have special introductory offers and they will definitely be worth the small fee.
• Do you have the skills to get the job done? While you may feel that cleaning is easy and that anybody can do it, you would be greatly mistaken. With all of the different types of cleaning chemicals and instructions for using them safely, it can be very overwhelming when it comes to cleaning your home. A professional service will have all of this knowledge and more than likely be able to get the job done faster.

 

Delhi is the place which is ultimately synonymous with grand and lavish weddings. You may try out some of the most luxurious Chattarpur farms Delhi wedding venues for having a feel of that ultimate experience. It goes without saying that newlyweds dream of a new home which will be theirs exclusively. But that can take time as getting adjusted to each other after marriage can take up to a year. So, the best bet is to start with a rented house post-marriage and save more for the future to buy a new house or build one. But, how about starting with a rented apartment first? Sounds cool right? Let’s see the ways of finding the best one for the newlyweds in this article.

Tips for finding the perfect rented house for newlyweds

This is the most important part for any newlywed. Taking up the responsibility of looking after each other begins with a perfect rented home. But this can be a pretty precarious task if you don’t adhere to these tips while searching:

Set realistic goals

This is very important as starting small can lead you to grow in life. So, if you are setting high goals like setting up a big bungalow within the next couple of years that is not feasible. Begin with small objectives like the amount of down payment you can afford. Be realistic as you two need to manage other expenses like groceries, transportation costs and also debt payments. Out of the remaining money you need to bear the rent. So, choose accordingly.

Decide your priorities

Choose a home that will be at such a location that you don’t need to travel a long distance to reach office every day as that can be hectic and time-consuming. Look out for the safety of the neighbourhood as not everyone in the society is like-minded. Try opting for a place that is little more populated considerably.

Have your information ready to submit

Now, this is quite common with landlords as they may ask for you and your better half’s previous address, dates of occupancy if any even during student life and employment information. Try to be brutally honest as possible and never lie in your rental application form and never give a wrong mobile number or hide any information. Always remember that everyone can commit a mistake and everyone deserves to start afresh.

Consider a professional

Some companies may not allow much flexibility or you may want to move out from your hometown in search of a better job. Naturally, house hunting will be the last thing in your mind. As you and your better half will need to have a job as well as get settled. In that case, a professional can come in handy as he will be able to search the best-rented apartment and within your stipulated budget and very quickly.

Have a decent credit score

This credit score concept is kept by many landlords before renting their homes as they want to be absolutely sure that they aren’t renting to the wrong person who may be a defaulter. So, before you submit your rental form or settle down get a credit report from agencies dealing in this matter. If there is any error or minor default problem of either of you two say that honestly and never hesitate in explaining to your landlord. This shouldn’t cause a major problem.

These are the basic steps that you should keep in mind while finding your perfect rented apartment. Always remember not to put pressure on each other as that can create unnecessary stress on the relationship. Instead, try to have a unique experience of house-hunting together.

Also Read: marriage anniversary wishes for husband

 

 

Written By Elisha French

Certified Master Plumber in the State Of Texas

Owner of https://friscotxplumbers.com

If there’s an opportunity or a profession that features a lot of money being made, you can be certain there are going to be unscrupulous individuals looking for ways to take advantage of the situation.

The plumbing industry is a good example of this. It’s one of the leading service industries in the United States, filled with mostly honest, hard-working people trying to make a living for their families.

But there are certainly some bad apples as well, people who should be avoided at all costs. They can be difficult at times to weed out, but reading online reviews and checking with the local chamber of commerce before making a hiring decision can certainly help.

There are many scams that these individuals attempt to run, and some show up over and over again. So be on the lookout for some of the more popular ones, so you can avoid becoming a victim yourself.

The Materials Switch Scam

As the name suggests, this scam involves a plumber billing you for a high-end product and then replacing that product with one that’s inferior in quality and not likely to last as long.

To beat this scam, you really need to be on-site when the work is being performed. If the work has already been completed, there’s not a whole lot you can do other that filing a complaint and/or writing a negative review of the company.

One way to stay on top of things is to ask to see the part just before the plumber installs it. Check it over and make sure that you’re getting what you paid for.

If you haven’t received an invoice, or don’t yet know what you’re going to be charged for, ask to see the parts anyway and make a note of what’s being installed. If the invoice doesn’t match your notes, call the plumber on it.

The Extra Workers Scam

If you hire a plumber to do a job in your home and you begin noticing many more people milling about that you intended, this should definitely send up a red flag in your mind.

Some less than honest plumbers will sign on for a job and then begin subbing parts of the job out to associates, oftentimes family members who are out to make a quick buck.

The plumber will come back and tell you that this is a common practice and that they don’t have any control over what these “associates” charge.

To combat this, you really need to have a contract in place before the work actually begins. Short of that, you can put a halt to all work currently being done until you have more clarification from the plumber regarding the situation.

The one thing you don’t want to do is wait until the job is complete before bringing it up. By then, it’s too late and you’re likely going to be stuck with paying the invoice in full.

The Padding The Invoice Scam

If you live in a nice neighborhood and have a high-end home with luxury cars in the driveway, you have a good chance of being victimized by a plumber who you haven’t thoroughly vetted ahead of time.

Some plumbers may pad their invoices as much as 50 to 100 percent in these situations, so you definitely need to keep an eye out for that.

To prevent this from happening, obtain estimates from a few different plumbers and see what shakes out. This could well open your eyes to a scam in the making.

The Floating Estimate Scam

If a plumber, or any service professional for that matter, tells you that he’s keeping a running total of things in his head and that he’ll provide a written estimate at a later date, stop immediately and have a heart to heart conversation.

This is extremely important! If you don’t get an estimate in writing, then you have no way of protecting yourself down the road when you get hit with that expensive invoice.

Plumbers who engage in this scam are usually very smooth operators, convincing you that they’re on the level and that things will work out in the end.

But just remember to always, always, always get things in writing before any work begins! It’s the only way to protect yourself from these types of individuals.

 

If you’re in the market to buy a new home, you’re probably also looking for any way that you can save yourself some money in the process. While there are various ways that you can save here and there, one of the biggest and most impactful ways to save money when buying a new home is to ensure that you get the best possible home loan offer.

For those who don’t have much experience with getting a home loan, you might not know exactly what to look for in a great home loan offer. So to help you navigate these waters, here are three tips for finding the best home loan offer for your financial situation.

Come In With A Great Credit Score

To qualify for a great home loan offer, you first have to be a great applicant. One of the biggest factors in this, according to Jennifer Bradley Franklin, a contributor to Bankrate.com, is to have an outstanding credit score.

The better your credit score is, the better your chances are of getting a great home loan offer that has a lower interest rate. So if your credit score currently isn’t where it could or should be, you may want to spend some time working on that. To do this, you could limit the amount of debt you have, ensuring that you’re paying all your bills on time, and stop applying for additional lines of credit before you start applying for home loans.

Get Multiple Quotes

In order to know that you’re getting the best possible home loan offer for your financial situation, you’ve got to get multiple quotes from multiple lenders.

When you get these quotes, Beth Buczynski, a contributor to NerdWallet.com, recommends that you pay particular attention to what the APR, or annual percentage rate, is and what, if any, origination fees you’ll be paying. With this information, you should be able to compare which offer is going to make the most sense for you.

Work With A Good Mortgage Broker

If you don’t feel like you’re up to doing all the research and work of finding the best home loan offer all by yourself, Tobie Stanger, a contributor to Consumer Reports, shares that you can always choose to work with a mortgage broker.

A mortgage broker is someone who will shop for your mortgage for you. Keep in mind, however, that it’s the banks that pay the mortgage broker, so you’ll want to research brokers carefully before you choose one to work with.

To help you make the best choice when buying a home and acquiring a home loan, consider implementing some of the tips mentioned above.

Conquering home improvement projects can make your house more liveable, but home improvement is also a great way to add value to your property’s price tag. If you ever intend to sell your home, boosting its equity will assure a bigger check.

Get the best ROI (return on investment) by researching which upgrades make the most impact on your equity. Take the time now to read through a brief overview, featuring a handful of home improvements, that will boost your equity by more than a handful of cash.

Take it to the kitchen

The kitchen is the most trafficked room in your home. Anything you invest in upgrading your kitchen (within reason) is going to bring back close to a hundred percent of your investment.

However, you have to consider the upgrade. Be reasonable. Don’t add gold trimming to laminate countertops. Research which kitchen upgrades make the most difference, and consider what you want to do from there.

Add square footage when possible

If your home has an unfinished basement or attic space, finishing the space could become a lucrative investment. Anytime you add liveable square footage to your floor plan you add value to your home.

The cost of drywall, flooring, and some paint is far less than you’ll get from listing your home as a three-bedroom instead of a two-bedroom. You’ll also have more room for yourself and your family while you are living in your home.

Spruce up the exterior

The exterior of your home matters too. It’s worth the investment to spend money maintaining your landscaping. You may want to add an outdoor living space as well.

While you spend time living in your home, make small upgrades here and there. You may also consider getting a fresh paint job on the exterior of your home every 5-10 years to keep it looking as good as new.

Upgrading energy efficiency

Anytime you can upgrade your home’s energy efficiency, you have an investment worth making. Upgrade your home’s HVAC unit, the appliances in the kitchen, your washer and dryer, and the windows and doors sealing your home can be upgraded.

When your home is more energy-efficient, you’ll save money while living there. When you sell, you’ll capitalize further on your efficiency investment.

Minor bathroom upgrades are lucrative

You don’t have to completely overhaul your bathrooms to make a lucrative investment. Try doing a minor upgrade yourself. There are several simple jobs in the bathroom that you and your family can handle without calling in the pros.

Recaulk your bathtub. Replace the vanity. Slap a fresh coat of paint on the room, and call it done. You’ll see just how much a simple upgrade can change the aesthetic of the room.

 

In today’s economy, people are becoming cash strapped as they spend their income on big homes, flash cars, fancy food and entertainment. In this post we are going to explore why you should consider living small and how to go about moving to a minimalist lifestyle.

Why you should live small

Modernisation and industrialisation were both a blessing and a curse. Even though today we are extremely fortunate for the useful gadgets, fancy foods and spacious homes that we have, we don’t actually need them to lead a fulfilling life. If you look back to hundreds of years ago, our ancestors lived very basic yet happy lives with basic food supplies, a small home and only enough changes of clothes to last a week or less.

Think about the amount of stuff that you own and never use such as clothes, toys or electronics. All of these things had to be made using processes and materials which all contribute to a negative impact on our environment. Plus, by not spending as much money on things you don’t really need, you are able to save more for your future.

While we don’t need to step back into another time to live small, there are ways that we can reduce our carbon footprint on the world, spend less and save more, and ultimately live a happier life.

How to live small

1) Do you really need that much space?

Large homes are often a symbol of success, but usually a lot of the space goes unused. Tiny homes are becoming extremely popular with people who want to live small and there are some great designs to make excellent use of space. And instead of using traditional building materials, you can opt for more cost-effective options such as used shipping containers.

2) Get rid of clutter

Many of us hate the thought of throwing things out, but then we end up with a house full of clutter and not enough space to store things. Take a weekend to declutter your home and throw out or give away to charity anything you don’t really need or haven’t used in a long time.

3) Think about the food you buy

Food waste is a huge problem. The more food you buy, the more you spend, and the greater strain on our resources. Before heading to the supermarket, make a weekly meal plan and decide exactly which items you need to buy and the quantity so there will be zero waste at the end of the week. You should also consider the types of food you buy. Eating organically is not only better for you but is also better for the environment.

4) Learn to be content with what you have

Rushing out to buy the new iPhone may seem like something you need to do, but is there really anything wrong with your current phone? Too often we want the latest and greatest things, but we can be content with the things that we have if they are still in working order.

Living small can have different definitions for different people, but it doesn’t need to be as scary as you might think. If you start to consider your spending and lifestyle habits, you can gradually move to a minimalist lifestyle that is kinder on your wallet and the environment.

If you spend all the time and money it takes to purchase a home, you’ll want to do all you can to make sure that home stays in good repair for as long as you occupy its space. Keeping up with the maintenance on your home will also work to save you money over time.

You won’t have to pay to replace the big-ticket items in your home as often or as soon when you take the necessary steps to preserve their condition. Take a few moments now to read through a brief look at some home maintenance tips you’ll want to follow in order to be a responsible homeowner.

Monthly home maintenance routines

There are things around your home that you should do regularly every month. If you’re new to homeownership, consider these tasks each month to maintain the integrity of your house.

• Check the HVAC filter (and change if dirty).
• Clean out the sink disposal.
• Spray for pests to avoid termite damage in your home.
• Inspect your fire extinguisher.
• Test the auto-reverse function on your garage door.
• Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors.

What to check annually on your home

Winter – Check for air leaks around doors and windows to keep your home warm and your energy costs down during the winter. Keep an eye out for ice buildup around your home that may cause damage to the exterior of the structure.

Spring – Get your HVAC unit ready to combat the heat of the summer. Consider having it serviced at least once per year. Check and clean residual debris from your gutters, and give the garden a little pick-me-up.

Summer – Get outside in the sunshine to look over the integrity of your deck and other parts of your home. Check that all your plumbing is functioning with ease, and clean the exterior portion of your dryer vent. Lint buildup is a fire hazard.

Fall – When the leaves fall in the Autumn, your gutters can get mucked up. Inspect and clean out your gutters. Flush out the hot water heater to remove excess sediment buildup. Clean out your chimney for warm nights by the fire, and check your sump pump to keep the basement dry.

Look at these things every couple of years

You should test your hot water heater’s pressure release valve every two years. It’s good to know it will work in the case of an emergency. Check the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and vacuum the dust off of your refrigerator coils.

Take steps to defend against water

Water is your home interior’s worst enemy. More homes deal with damage from water than any other perpetrator. Also, understand the maintenance and function of your home’s sump pump to protect against basement water leaks.