Keep a Detailed Home Maintenance and Renovation Diary
Just as it’s important for you to keep detailed records of your home business, your bills, income tax information or medical history, so too is it imperative that you keep a detailed records of all maintenance you perform on your home. After all, it is your biggest investment, and the one thing in your house that requires constant TLC to maintain its value and to ensure it continues to be able to protect your family from the elements and keep them secure. However, when you think about everything you have to do to take care of a home, setting up a manageable way of keeping accurate and detailed records can be a overwhelming task. But with some creative thinking and a commitment to accuracy and organization, it can make a daunting task quite simple.
Whether you are just purchasing your home or you’re just committed to setting up a manageable database of information regarding your home’s maintenance, a home maintenance diary might be just the thing you need to get organized and stay organized on this matter. Begin with taking stock of your home’s current condition. Be brutally honest when you’re assessing the situation. You might want to categorize your diary by section of the home such as the exterior, kitchen, master bedroom or basement, or you may choose to divide it according to task, like painting, electrical, insulation, roof, landscaping, or climate control. Treat your initial walk-through as a real estate agent or investor might do. Study each corner, each tile and brick, and notate any damage, defect, or upkeep that needs to happen.
As you look through your completed home maintenance diary, don’t let it become overwhelming to you. Devise a plan with the rest of your family that works for everyone involved to complete needed tasks. Perhaps you’ll devote this weekend to painting the exterior and the following weekend you’ll focus on maintaining the landscaping. If there are tasks in your diary that you feel ill-equipped to handle, call a professional. The peace of mind knowing the job was handled by a professional is well worth it.
Be sure to have a separate section available for renovations, updates, or remodels that you’ve completed as well. Be sure to date these events, and if there’s any notes regarding specific equipment used or products purchased, be sure to jot that down as well.
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Home & Garden Decorating
Home and garden decorating is a hot topic. This is evident in television programming. Every second television show is related to decorating your home and garden. Programs such as The Decorating Challenge, Curb Appeal and The House Doctor are great examples of home and garden decorating shows. These programs are quite interesting and quite helpful for people who are looking for ideas to make changes to their home and garden. These shows take everyday living spaces and transform them into beautiful, inviting places. Since these programs generally work with a budget, they help people realize that home and garden decorating can be accomplished without going to great expense. They also demonstrate that even small changes can make an enormous difference in home and garden decorating.
Home and garden decorating involves anything, materials, paint, fabric, accessories; items that can be used to make decorative improvements to a home or garden. When considering making changes around the house or in the back garden, some people may feel intimidated because they aren’t creative nor do they have any crafty skills. Home and gardening programs, magazines, books and catalogs, show homeowners that it isn’t necessary to be a skilled individual to make home and garden decorating changes. These resources teach people that simple, basic changes and additions can transform a space, either home or garden, into something completely different and beautiful.
Many homeowners and decorators decorate so that the home and garden compliment each other. When people have beautiful gardens, they often like to have that beauty brought into their living space. One easy way to accomplish this is to display, fresh-cut flowers from the garden, throughout the home. Flowers provide a lovely, fresh scent and add color to any space. When home and garden decorating, perhaps a homeowner might like to bring the country theme in their home, out into their garden. A patio could easily be decorated to portray country home decorating. This would allow people to enjoy the warmth and coziness of country decorating both inside and outside the home.
There are many home and garden decorating ideas. A person could take a drive around town and find details of other houses and gardens which interest them. They can then take these ideas back to their own home and garden. Window boxes make lovely decorations for any home. These decorations, filled with seasonal flowers, can be enjoyed both inside and outside the home.
Home and garden decorating can add hours of fun to your day. Since it’s your space anything, that interests you, goes. If you’re a person who doesn’t like clutter, redefining your property may be a simple as removing unwanted items from your home or cutting down overgrown trees from your garden. You’d be surprised at the difference this could make in your home and garden decorating plans. A fresh coat of pain on the interior or the exterior of your house will certainly be an improvement. Replacing the wooden planks on a patio and finishing them with a rich stain would definitely compliment your garden as well as your home. There are many home and garden decorating ideas. When you’re out with a group of friends, why not ask for home and garden decorating suggestions. Once you begin your decorating project, you’ll discover all sorts of techniques to make improvements to your home and garden.
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Home Decorating with Baskets
There are very few things you can add to your home décor that will have quite the versatility of baskets. Baskets are not only decorative touches, they also blend well with almost any décor and in most cases are quite willing to suit dual purposes as both decoration and much needed storage.
Below you will find some clever ways to use baskets. Enjoy!
1) Mail sorter. Try hanging a row of baskets near your entryway. As you are walking into your home while sorting the mail slip the appropriate piece of mail into the corresponding basket. Have one basket for each family member and drop the junk mail into the wastebasket you’ve placed just below the row of baskets on your wall. This way everyone has easy access to his or her mail and junk mail is handled as well.
2) Kitchen organizer. There are many jobs in the kitchen that baskets pull off beautifully. One such job is that of napkin holder. There are actually baskets by a famous brand that are the absolute perfect size for holding napkins for the dinner table. Additionally taller baskets make excellent holders for kitchen utensils that need to be within easy reach of the stove. There are even small baskets that make excellent holders for small jars of frequently used seasonings such as salt and pepper. Keep your eyes open the next time you’re in the kitchen and consider all the great ways baskets could help out.
3) Knitting supplies. Larger baskets are excellent tools for taming the beast that can easily become your supply of knitting tools and notions. Limit your collection to one large basket and eliminate the things that will not fit. This keeps you on top of your knitting supplies while keeping them out of site and protected from dirty baby paws.
4) Umbrella holder. This is an excellent use for a basket if you have one of the proper size. Place it on the floor next to your coat rack or closet or in your entryway and you will always have ready access to your umbrellas when bad weather comes your way.
5) Magazine holder. This is one very common use for baskets but one that should very well be mentioned.
6) Toy box. This is perhaps a favorite among parents who are fortunate enough to have an extra empty basket at any given time. Anytime unexpected company shows up this is an excellent tool for quickly gathering all stray toys and getting them out of sight.
7) Office supplies. There are many baskets that make excellent organizers and holders for office supplies. From pen and pencil holders to those that are ideal for paper clips, sticky notes, and liquid paper there are many baskets that are almost ideal for a home office.
Laundry hamper. This is yet another great use for a basket. They are able to breathe by the very nature of their design so that if for some reason a wet wash clothe or damp towel gets thrown in it doesn’t necessarily spell ruin for the whole batch of laundry.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the virtues of baskets but a good place to start the next time you are having an internal debate about whether or not to invest the money in a good quality basket for your home decorating needs.
Installing a Drip Irrigation System
If you’re looking for ways to keep your garden watered without wasting too much time and money, you’ve probably gone through a lot of options in your mind. Maybe you’ve considered a sprinkler, a hose, or a good old-fashioned watering can. All of these methods might be convenient, but most of the time you will end up wasting water on plants that don’t need any more. If you live in a drought stricken area like I do, you know that every bit of water counts. I ended up getting a drip irrigation system. I haven’t regretted this decision at all.
When you install a drip irrigation system, you can choose one of two varieties: above ground and below ground. The above ground version drips small amounts of water continuously onto the ground, and allows it to soak in. It is all regulated from a pressure controller, which ensures that the water just comes out at a drip instead of a spray or a stream. These pressure regulators are very inexpensive. The whoe drip system can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose with holes poked in it (although it is ideal for you to get a pipe designed for this type of use, I’ve found that the hose method works acceptably).
The underground system is a bit more of a pain to install and maintain. But if you’re really into the aesthetic aspect of your garden and don’t want any visible watering system, then you might consider it worth it. It’s essentially the same as the above ground version, only a small trench is dug for the hose or pipe prior to any planting. This allows the water
direct access to the roots for the most watering efficiency. Plus, you can impress your neighbors by having a beautiful garden without ever going outside to water it! They’ll be baffled.
To choose between the two systems, you need to take several things into account. Do you have the same plant layout year round? If it is always changing, you probably won’t want to bury your hose. It can be a pain to dig it up and re-align it with all your new plants every year or so. Even if your plant layout never changes, you need to consider how much you really mind seeing a hose in your garden. If it really bothers you to the extent that you’re willing to work for a few hours to get rid of it, then by all means bury it. But otherwise I would suggest staying above ground if for nothing else than the convenience of repairing and rearranging.
One of the main advantages of the drip irrigation system is its efficiency. Instead of spraying large amounts of water willy-nilly like a hose does, it makes the most of your precious water by putting it exactly where it is needed. It can also provide your garden with constant watering, instead of just having to go thirsty whenever you’re not around to water it.
So if you’re looking for an easy, cheap, convenient, and efficient alternative watering method, you should go out to the gardening store today and purchase the necessary items to install a drip irrigation system. I think you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to maintain a garden after you have it.
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7 Tips For Buying An Outdoor Fireplace
Before buying an outdoor fireplace, there are several factors to take into account. Always remember that the safety of your family and property is the most important consideration.
1. Size matters
When comparing fireplaces, look at the size of the fire area before the height. If the firebox is small, wood buying and cutting is more difficult.
Requesting for specially cut wood from your supplier increases your cost.
Try to find a large firebox, don’t bother with the tall and thin fireplace. A small firebowl will cost more down the road. You don’t need a large fire just because you have a large fireplace, just use less wood to have a smaller fire.
A good fireplace burns more cleanly and more efficiently than a firepit design having no smoke stack. The fireplace draws air into the fire and blows out the neck for an efficient burn. Firepit designs tend to smoke and smolder much more than a traditional fireplace design because of poor airflow.
2. Proper maintenance
Fireplaces made in the more commercial copper, clay or sheet steel don’t have the longevity or safety of aluminum or cast iron. Sheet metal fireplaces are available at a bargain cost. They’re pretty much a disposable type of fireplace. Once metal sheet fireplaces start to rust, they have already outlived their usefulness. Check the gauge or thickness of the metal. A metal too thin might melt.
Some cast iron fireplaces have sheet metal necks. If that’s the case, check if the manufacturer has replacement parts available and cost. Frequent replacement for the neck is not what you want.
Cast iron must be maintained to prevent rust. It is a little difficult to maintain. But a well maintained cast iron fireplace will last you a long time. Also, consider the placement of your cast iron fireplace.
The cast iron fireplace tends to stain the surface it stands on.
An occasional paint job with a high temperature paint will slow down rusting. The cast iron is heavy and can stand a lot of abuse.
Copper looks great initially but after a couple of uses it tends to be green and rusty. Several companies put holes in the bottom of the firepits to drain ash and water out during rain. Firepits without holes will be filled with water when it rains.
Cast Aluminum is one of the best buys. It is easy to maintain and a long lifespan. An aluminum fireplace does not warp and only has a slightly lower melting temperature than cast iron. Cast aluminum does not rust. It is also considerably lighter than cast iron making it easier to move around.
3. Weigh it
When comparing fireplaces, check the weight. Most fireplaces are produced by weight, so they are bought by weight. Be sure that you’re comparing the same material, copper to copper or cast iron to cast iron.
4. Aluminum feature
Cast aluminum is by far a better choice for a novice outdoor enthusiast. The fireplace is easier to maintain and can be easily moved around. It may be brought to a home by the lake or stored during winter along Northern areas. Store it to prevent damage or possible theft.
5. Clay fireplace
The most disturbing problem with a clay fireplace is that it can fall apart without prior warning. When the bottom falls out, it can be quite a mess. Avoid placing your clay fireplace on a wooden deck or any surface that can easily be damaged by heat or fire. Place it on cement or tile.
If you choose to purchase a clay fireplace, take safety precautions. Use a spark arrestor and a mouthscreen for safety. The extra cost is well worth it. A clay fireplace is generally cheaper but has a shorter lifespan than either aluminum or cast iron.
6. Surround view fireplaces and raised firepits
Most surround view fireplaces are built with light materials. Surround view fireplaces are easy to tip over because of the light material used to make it. When it is tipped over, it will send ash and embers everywhere.
Safety is an issue with surround view fireplaces. Slight breezes might send embers and catch fire with flammable materials.
If you’re buying a raised firepit, be sure that it comes with a lid. Otherwise, ash will be spread all over your patio when it rains.
7. What to burn
Hardwood is by far the most popular fuel for outdoor fireplaces. Pinon wood has a pleasant pine scent when burning. It keeps the flame active and generates good heat. It also helps in keeping insects away. Other fuel sources are propane, gel inserts, manufactured firelogs and natural gas.
Pine cones and applewood can be added for more aroma.
Several fireplaces come with inserts for natural gas and propane.