Pressure washing is the most popular way to keep outdoor surfaces such as walkways, driveways, patios and decks clean. Rather than using pressure washing that can actually damage your surfaces, you can get a three-step method that softens dirt and grime with a pre-soak foam, so the pressure washing leaves the surfaces looking like new.  There are companies that can professionally clean and protect your wood or concrete.

Environmentally Friendly

The three-step process begins with special foam that is environmentally friendly. It kills mildew and mold and lifts off embedded dirt without chlorine that may bleach your wood. It will not harm children, pets or plants and is not caustic to your outdoor surfaces. The foam is sprayed on the surface first and allowed to penetrate the dirt and grime. Then, a controlled pressure wash is applied that will not damage surfaces, but will remove all the dirt. Once the surface is clean, a protective polymer mix is sprayed on the surface. It blocks UV rays, protects against rain and snow and makes the surface look new. This sealant also blocks mold and dirt from building up again, do your yard looks better longer.

[Photo courtesy of JamesDeMers/pixabay.com]

Wooden Decks

Wooden decks tend to fade over the years and become stained by moss or mildew. When wood is in this decayed condition, it’s not wise to have it power washed because this could gouge out chips and splinters damaging the wood that may cost a lot to repair. With the three-step process, the wood is treated carefully with the pre-soak foam and gently power washed. Once the old wood has been removed, the wood can be stained and sprayed with a sealant that will soak into the pores and protect from sunlight, rain and snow.

[Photo courtesy of JayMantri/pixabay.com]

Power Washing

Standard power cleaning uses high pressure to blast away dirt, but it does nothing to kill mold and mildew, and it doesn’t remove deep stains. This is why the three-step method is so much better. It actually cleans the surface, so damaging-strength power washing isn’t necessary.

Outdoor surfaces serve to make outdoor living comfortable and attractive. Your house will lose curb-appeal when your siding is dull, and your driveway is covered in grease. You may not feel like having a barbecue on your deck or patio if it is covered in grime. Keeping outdoor surfaces looking like new also adds value to your home.

Most people think that getting their house ready for kids is as simple as creating a nursery. While it’s true that you will need to take some time to get your baby’s new room all ready, there are also a few other aspects of your home that you will need to sort out. All of this preparation is key in turning your house into a comfortable family home. Not sure how to get your house ready for kids? Here are some things that you will need to do before your first little bundle of joy arrives!

[Photo courtesy of bedrck/pixabay.com]

Don’t Forget The Changing Station

Okay, so you new baby’s nursery is all ready! It’s got a crib, cute decor, and a good selection of toys. But have you also remembered to add a changing station in there? This small area is a dedicated place where you can change the baby’s nappies. Most parents forget about adding one to their nursery, which is unfortunate as it can quickly become the most important part of the entire room. To prepare your changing station, you can add either a changing table or mat. Make sure you have opened nappies and wipes close by at all times as well. When you are changing your baby, there will be a lot of mess and having all your cleaning materials opened and ready to go will be a godsend! So make sure you aren’t completely focused on your baby’s sleeping arrangements; you also need to change them too, remember!

[Photo courtesy of KathrinPie/pixabay.com]

Pack The Freezer

This point is most important for the first few months of your baby, but if you remember to keep your freezer well stocked while you have children, it can really help you out when you have little time to prepare meals! Be sure to pack your freezer with lots of portions of meals such as lasagnes and stews. That way, you can simply take out as many portions as you need for dinner, defrost them, and reheat. You will have little time to prepare freshly home-cooked meals once the baby arrives, but stocking your freezer can help you stick to a healthy diet and not have to rely on ready meals all the time!

Create A Child-Friendly Garden

When you are trying to make your house into a family friendly home, it is also important to head out into the garden and make sure that it is safe for children. One of the main things to do is to make sure there are no poisonous plants out there. Young children will be exploring every inch of the garden once they are able to walk. To make sure they don’t put anything poisonous in their mouth while your back is turned, de-weed your garden and only add safe plants. If there are any water features or ponds in your garden, you should cover these with a net so that your kids won’t fall into them. It is also a good idea to dig up any hard flooring, such as stone patios or wooden decking. These could be dangerous if your kids are running around on them, so it’s worth replacing them with soft lawn. If your kids fall over on a lawn, they won’t hurt themselves quite so much!

[Photo courtesy of sof_sof_0000/pixabay.com]

Safeguard Your Kitchen

Imagine momentarily leaving your toddler in the kitchen for a brief minute and returning to find they’ve emptied out all the lower-level cupboards and spread cereal all over the floor. This may sound like a complete nightmare, but it very often turns into reality. I’m sure that most parents have had to clean up after their kids have made a major mess in their kitchen! Thankfully, there is one way you can prevent this from happening. You just need to make sure your kitchen is fully childproof. And one of the best ways of doing so is equipping all the cupboards and drawers that are within reach with childproof locks. You can find these in most baby stores as well as online.

[Photo courtesy of Connoman/pixabay.com]

Rid Your Home Of Pests

All parents want their home to be as clean as possible. A clean house is one that is free from any germs and bad bacteria that can cause various infections and illnesses. There is one main sign that your house may not be quite as clean as you want it to be. And that is if there are signs of pests or vermin living on the property. For example, if you find some rat or mouse droppings somewhere in your house, you might have a vermin problem that you need to deal with. Similarly, you could find signs in your kitchen of an ant infestation. Don’t panic if you think you do have some unwelcome housemates living with you; you can always call in a pest exterminator. You can find the contact details of your nearest exterminator online on their website.

Find More Storage Space

Think you and your partner already have a lot of things? Well, you can expect that to almost double once the baby arrives! Even though your baby will be tiny, they will need a lot of things! Most parents buy lots of clothes in various sizes. This is because babies grow so quickly, so it is very useful having plenty of spare clothes ready for them to wear once they grow. Because of this, you will need to have a lot of storage in your house for your kids. You can, of course, add lots of cupboards and chests of drawers to the nursery. But it is also a good idea adding some storage elsewhere. For instance, you could invest in beds that have drawers in the base. If you need to buy some more furniture for storage, you can always find it fairly cheaply on sites such as eBay and Craigslist.

[Photo courtesy of StockSnap/pixabay.com]

Add Some Color

These days, most of the big interior styles and trends are all about very chic decor choices. For instance, the most popular color shades at the minute are cool silvers and bright creams. These sure do look great, but they aren’t exactly the most child-friendly colors. Once you have kids in your house, you will want it to be as bright as possible for them, and the best way of doing that is adding some color to your decor. You can still do this with a stylish interior design that is based on silvers and creams, though. You just need to add colorful pieces of furniture and artwork. These great injections of color will really help to make your house feel like a cozy family home!

Smooth Your Edges

One of the main causes of accidents around the home for children is sharp edges and corners. You will find that toddlers will walk around without really looking where they are going, and could end up knocking into the edges of tables and shelves. If these edges are particularly straight, they could end up feeling very sharp. To make sure your kids don’t hurt themselves too much, it could be worth smoothing the edges slightly with some sandpaper. Alternatively, you could always treat yourself to some new, round-edged furniture!

As you can see, getting your house ready for the arrival of children requires quite a bit of work on your part. But it will all be very worth it in the end! It will help your home feel a lot more comfortable than it once was, and you and your family will be very happy indeed! So what are you waiting for?

If you live in Britain, you’ll know that houses don’t always have the largest floor plans. As a result, many people are looking for ways to expand their living space into the outdoors. There are all sorts of ways to do this from installing a patio to getting decking, to creating an entire outdoor kitchen. Have a look at some of these tips to get the most out of your back garden.

Invest In Amazing Furniture

[Photo courtesy of  Wicker Paradise/flickr.com]

Garden furniture has come a long way in the last decade or so. We have moved well beyond simple wrought-iron furniture and wooden tables. Now it is possible to get outdoor furniture that is actually comfortable and relaxing.  One of the most popular types of garden furniture is rattan furniture. This is made out of the kind of plastic vinyl that is both comfortable and resists the weather at the same time. You can also get outdoor cushions which are waterproof and won’t rot if left out in the rain. Most people keep their outdoor furniture under some type of cover, but given the quality of modern materials, this isn’t actually necessary. What’s more, modern furniture looks great too.

Make Your Patio Enormous

[Photo courtesy of Field Outdoor Spaces/flickr.com]

Back in the 1990s, patios were all the rage. But their idea of what made a good patio was something which is actually quite small. However, if you want to make your outdoor space function as a kitchen, a dining room or a living area then, you’ll want to make sure that it is actually big enough for this purpose. Go to a local vendor, like George Hill Builders yard,  find some patio tiles and then surround the entire area with gravel and plant beds. Doing this will help make your patio area look larger and get the most out of your space.

Connect Outdoor Spaces To Indoor Spaces

During the depths of winter, most people don’t want to spend time out in the garden. But connecting outdoor and indoor spaces means that you can take advantage of your outdoor space all year long.  One idea is to use decking in the same style as your interior flooring for a seamless outdoor, indoor look.  The decking itself can then be skirted with some railings and be connected to the interior space using retractable doors. Decking has come down a lot in price over the last few years, and has become much more affordable for families.

Hire A Professional

[Photo courtesy of rhyslud/pixabay.com]

If you are an expert DIYer, you may be tempted to lay down your own patio. This is fine for small areas which aren’t too technical. But if you want to pave a larger area, you’ll need help from a professional. Professionals are experts at grading the landscape in such a way that is just right for water to be directed away from your home and to avoid destroying your foundations. In some situations, it might also be necessary for you to build a retaining wall to hold back moisture from your garden. Always shop around for the best quote.

You may think that the winter season is never going to end, but there are only a few months to get ready for the summer, and this is without mentioning any bikini figure! You need to think about getting your house ready for the hot season, and this isn’t something that you can delay too much. It is important to start planning right now with this list of summer essentials for your to go through.

Make Sure You Have All You Need To Keep The House Fresh

It might seem odd to think about keeping cool when the weather is still cold outside, but now is the right time to check the state of your air conditioner system, fans, and your swimming pool. If you don’t have any air con, it is time to consider an A/C installation to prepare for summer. As you still have a handful of months left before the hot months arrive, it is good to get in touch with expert engineers to service your pool and keep your cooling systems up to date before the summer rush begins.

Look After Your Garden Now To Find Freshness In Summer

You’re sitting inside, looking through the window to see only cold, gray rain. Taking care of your garden might well be the last thing you want to do with your time. But it is essential to maintain your trees and plants throughout the cold months to help them be strong and healthy for when you will need their shadow and their freshness. While you don’t need to spend every week kneeling outside in the wet grass and the mud, a monthly list of maintenance tasks should include:

[Photo courtesy of jensullivan113/pixabay.com]

• Mowing the lawn,
• Trimming the trees so that they can grow strong and high in summer,
• Pruning flowers and fruit trees to ensure a beautiful and vibrant garden,
• And protecting your precious plants from the frost and the rain.

Prepare For A Change Of Interior Décor

[Photo courtesy of pexels.com]

Winter is naturally characterized by a change of décor inside your house: A warm blanket lies on the sofa to keep you warm in the evening; a series of tall mugs is piled up in the sink for a hot cup of tea; and every room has received a touch of warmth with scented candles and fluffy cushions. Everything is there to provide a cozy sensation. But soon the time for bbq parties and summer drinks will come: You need to rethink your décor to bring back a sense of sunny freshness inside your home. There are many options to do so on a budget: You can choose to hide all reminders of the winter months away, such as blankets, heating units, and candles, or you can decide to bring touches of bright colors inside the house with picture frames, funky cushions, and decorative plant pots. Just remember to check every room to make note of the wintery elements to store away during summer. And why not already plan your first bbq party of the warm season? Maybe you could celebrate the arrival of spring around a grilled burger with friends, so if you start now, you could prepare your DIY décor.        

Winter can be tough for all of us it’s cold, dark and the last thing you want to be is outside when you can see icicles hanging from the trees. However, animals and birds aren’t so lucky so it’s important we do all we can to help them through the colder months. Food is often scarce for many animals in winter so why not help hedgehogs by leaving out some tinned meat? Make sure there’s a small bowl of fresh water visitors can drink from and that visiting birds to your garden are rewarded. By following a couple of the ideas listed not only will you be assisting animals at a difficult time, but be able to enjoy the variety of wildlife snuffling around your garden.

Beautiful Bird Table

Pop a lovely, wooden bird table in the centre of your garden and scatter breadcrumbs, seeds, peanuts, cheese, and fruit you’ll be able to find grocery online as well as buying mealworms from your garden store. Birds often find it hard to get enough food at this time of year as berries, insects, seeds and worms have either died or are covered by a thick layer of snow. Once the word has gotten out that there’s food your bird table will be filled with hungry feathery visitors. However, bear in mind these are all wild animals and will get lazy quickly if they receive regular handouts, which makes them unwilling to source their own food so it’s important to limit how much is given.

[Flickr Image Courtesy of Tony Hisgett]

Help Squirrels Go Nuts

Despite what many people think these fluffy tailed creatures don’t actually hibernate instead they collect a store of nuts to munch on in their cozy, dry drey’s, or nests all winter. The gathering starts in early autumn and only ends when they’ve found enough to eat so you can help them out by leaving nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds as well as sliced apple, carrot and even spinach or beans. A regular small handful of these foods will see squirrels safely through till spring.

Break The Ice

Many animals don’t possess the strength to make a hole in water that’s frozen over so when people think they’ll be alright often wildlife struggle to find enough to drink. Check your water bowl, or dish regularly as it could have frozen overnight and make sure to refill it regularly as you don’t know how many animals are using this precious water source to survive. If you have a pond you also need to make a hole as overtime toxic gas can build up and harm any fish or frogs living in the water. Don’t use a sharp item as you may injure any fish swimming near by instead take a pan of boiling water and pour it on the surface and the ice will then melt.

Let Your Garden Grow

Now isn’t the time to be doing any weeding, burning or leaf clearing in the winter months simply let your garden rest and grow wild. Don’t worry when spring comes you’ll be able to clean up but for now compost heaps, piles of leaves and even overgrown brambles can become the perfect winter retreat for many a creature.

From the smallest of home renovation projects to big new build constructions, you find yourself faced with one particular problem.

Well, okay, you find yourself faced with many problems. You find yourself waking up in the morning to a light layer of dust over everything, and wondering why you ever began this project. You find yourself visiting friends, staring at their walls – without holes in them! – and daydreaming of living in such a place. We all reach a point where the downsides seem to be so substantial, there’s no possible…

[Photo courtesy of Ksenia Chernaya/pexels.com]

Hang on; that wasn’t the point I was trying to make. Okay. Let’s refocus. No more whining; we all know the benefits of home-style construction and why it’s worth it. We live with our choices and embrace them – even if they can be a little problematic at times!

The issue I was originally referring to was much more simplistic. No matter the scope of your project, you’ve probably encountered it: should you buy or rent expensive machinery?

[Photo courtesy of Mark Schellhase/wikipedia.org]

This applies to everything, from a humble power washer when sprucing up your home’s exterior – right through to an excavator for a garden project. Hiring can seem the easiest answer, but it can also be prohibitively expensive. The choice is usually an individual one, but if you’re struggling to make a decision, here’s a few pros and cons on the hiring/buying debate. I’ll take it from the perspective of buying for yourself, for the sake of clarity.

PRO: It’s yours.

The most obvious one, but an important aspect to consider. If you do something to a piece of machinery you have rented – an accident, or misuse that results in a breakdown – you could be in for a massive bill. With your own machine, any potential mistakes that you make are your own. It will be cheaper to repair an item than to compensate a hire company for any damage that results from your use of it. Then when it is repaired, you can still use it free of charge when you own it.

[Photo courtesy of pixabay/pexels.com]

CON: You’re responsible for repair and maintenance.

Even if you decide the initial purchase price is cheaper than renting on a cost-per-use level, that’s not the end of the road. With renting, if a piece of machinery breaks down, it’s not your problem. You can hand it back to be fixed, providing you’re not the one who broke it.

If you own it, however, any breakdowns are going to be yours to deal with. Factor this in when you look at the purchase price.

As an example, let’s say you want to hire a mini digger for a big garden project. Rental is going to cost you $200 per day. You anticipate you’re going to need it for around seven days. The cost to buy your own is $1000 – a saving of $400. Seems an easy choice, until you factor in potential repair costs in future.

There are ways and means of lowering the cost. Performing routine servicing will keep an item running as it should. Replacing parts from a reputable retailer such as Woods equipment and the like can also insure against future issues. There should also be a warranty that means any issue not of your fault will bounce back to the manufacturer. But it’s still worth keeping in mind.

PRO: You can expand future projects thanks to it.

Staying with the example of the mini digger, you might have planned to use it for one particular project. That means it’s going to be surplus to requirements for anything else, right? So hiring might be more expensive, but at least you don’t then have to store a digger you have no other use for it.

You will probably find that you do find a use for it. The scope of your existing projects can change and expand because you now have a piece of machinery that makes more innovative ideas possible.

CON: You run the risk of not being able to take it back.

If you hire something, you always have the option of returning it if it’s not a good fit. You might choose something that isn’t up to the task at hand; or even an item you just don’t feel comfortable using.

When you buy, you’re stuck with it – within reason. All the usual buying laws apply to you, but you have to be careful to read the small print to ensure you can return an item. Some sales policies – especially for larger machinery – may only allow you to return an item for store credit, partial refunds or not at all if the item has been used. Be aware of your rights in case something doesn’t work as you hoped.

PRO: You can hire it out to friends and family.

One way of keeping a piece of machinery running is to make a little money off it. There’s nothing stopping you from hiring it out to your nearest and dearest for a small fee to help contribute to maintenance.

CON: You might not use it.

[Photo courtesy of Peter Griffin/publicdomainpictures.net]

There is always the risk that you will buy something, planning many future projects… and then never feel the need to touch it. If buying is cheaper than renting, then this still might be worth it – it all depends on the storage space you have available.

For smaller items like pressure washers and wallpaper strippers, you probably have a corner of your attic that you can use. For large machinery, then it might be a little trickier to give over space for something from which you’re not getting much use.

PRO: You can always sell it.

However, if the above happens, you always have the option of selling an item on. Returning to the mini digger: you saved $400 when you bought it, paying $1000. If you then sell it on, even for a small amount like $200, your saving goes to $600. Providing you get a good deal on the purchase price, this is definitely something to keep in mind.

Coming around to the decision to give your home a makeover is an easy one.

Of course, the reasons in the pro column are long and substantial. Who doesn’t want their home to look better? Give everything a refresh; change things around so that it all feels like new again? Perhaps your eye has been caught by a new decorating trend, and you can’t wait to try it out for yourself. Or perhaps you’re just the kind of person who tends to need a project.

You find yourself imagining the changed decor; the fresh paint; the new levels of comfort that you can explore. Then, with a screech of brakes, your mind remembers all the reasons you shouldn’t do it.

Sometimes, though, you just have to seize the moment and go for it. If there’s something you want to change about your home, then it’s time to banish the concerns to one side. I’m going to go through all of the usual objections and show why they’re not anything that should stand in your way. Just call me your home decor and renovation enabler!

“I can’t afford it.”

[Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures/pixabay.com]

Of course, this one is pretty difficult to argue on the surface of it. If you don’t have the money, then what can you do? You can’t magic it up from thin air and progress on developing a money tree is still limited, so you’ll just have to wait until you can afford it.

The best option in this scenario is to look at a way to change something up without breaking the bank. Rather than a full-scale kitchen remodel, for example, why not go for a facelift? You could change the cupboard doors rather than fitting entirely new cupboards.

The same philosophy applies throughout the house. Craving a new bed to snuggle down into? Maybe that’s outside the budget, but memory foam mattress toppers can give a boost of comfort without the same price tag. Does the carpet really need replacing, or will a deep clean and brush be enough to bring it back up to standard?

“I don’t have the time.”

[Photo courtesy of obpia30/pixabay.com]

Realistically, you probably don’t have the time for most things you do. We get it; life is busy, it’s stressful, and you’re struggling to do the basics. Why should you make your workload easier?

Because you don’t have the time! It’s that simple; the same thing arguing against the scenario is the thing that makes it a necessity. Unless you have a huge chunk of holiday time coming up that you know you can dedicate to DIY, where is it going to come from? You’re going to have to fit it in somewhere. There’s no time like the present, or so the old saying goes.

Putting something off to some fantastical period when you’re going to magically have “more time” isn’t going to work. You can break it down into chunks. Do a little as often as you possibly can to make it less draining.

“It’s a lot of disruption.”

Yes, of course, it is. You have to shop, make decisions, then implement them. Depending on the scale of your project, that might involve a builder being involved or transferring items into new furniture. It will be disruptive – but it’s always going to be. It’s the same as the point about time. Unless you can foresee sometime in the future when you will be able to do these things unencumbered, there’s no point holding back.

“It’s a lot of mess.”

[Photo courtesy of geralt/pixabay.com]

Even the most basic things do cause a mess, but so does life. I’m going to imagine your house tends to require cleaning anyway. So, given the potential end result, what’s the harm in a little extra?

“It’s not a good time.”

There’s a chance this is a legitimate concern and I don’t discount that. If you’re particularly busy, going through a stressful situation or have health concerns – you’re right. It’s probably not a good time and you should wait until it’s more something you can cope with. There’s also seasonal considerations; it’s little use deciding to renovate the garden in winter, for example.

[Photo courtesy of Unsplash/pixabay.com]

Only you can know if the problem is just where you’re at in your life – you know if this is a genuine reason or not. Often, this argument might be masking a concern about one of the above, so check your thinking to see if that’s the case. If it is, then see if there’s something you can do about progress. If not, and it really is a bad time, consider yourself un-enabled for now!

Have you just bought your first house? Congratulations! Buying your very first home is a very exciting life milestone indeed! However, it isn’t all fun and games as it also comes with a lot of responsibility. Most new homeowners are completely new at owning their very own property. And they aren’t exactly sure about what goes into running a household. That’s why it is important that you try and fill some of the gaps in your knowledge as quickly as possible. And the best way to do that is to ask a lot of questions. Here are the best ones for you to ask.

[Photo courtesy of Pexels/pixabay.com]

Where Is The Water Shutoff Valve?

It is incredibly important that you know where the water shutoff valve is in your home. Knowing where this valve is can help you prevent a huge disaster. For example, if a plumbing job goes wrong or a pipe bursts, you may end up with a lot of water damage in your home. And this can be very expensive to repair. However, if you know where the shutoff valve is, you will be able to greatly reduce the amount of damage. So once you have agreed on the house sale, make sure that you ask where this very useful valve is!

[Photo courtesy of rgerber/pixabay.com]

Is The House Equipped With Security?

Sometimes, properties are sold with all their security system still in place. If the previous homeowner had installed a burglar alarm system, they will probably leave this in place for you. There could be other safety and security features in place. So be sure to ask the previous homeowners about everything that is in place. Don’t think your new home is going to come with adequate security systems and equipment? No problem; it will be easy for you to get some installed. You could get a security firm in to install everything for you. However, many homeowners are now turning to DIY installations. You can learn about diy home security systems online.

[Photo courtesy of ElasticComputeFarm/pixabay.com]

Can You Cut Down Trees In The Garden

Trees can be a godsend in many gardens as they encourage a wide variety of wildlife and birds to visit. They are also good from an environmental point of view because they release a lot of oxygen into the atmosphere. However, there are a few downsides to having large trees in your garden. Firstly, if they grow too big, they could end up getting dangerously close to overhead power cables. Their roots can also grow quite far under the ground and could end up damaging piping and underground electrical cables. Not only that, though, but tall trees can block sunlight from getting into your home. And this could make your rooms feel fairly dark and dingy. So can you cut down the trees in your garden? You will first need to check with your locality to find out. Most localities require people to get a permit before they cut down any trees. Once they agree to it, it is often safer to hire a tree surgeon who can do the job safely for you.

[Photo courtesy of Benni99/pixabay.com]

Is It Safe To Drill Into Walls?

When many people move into their home, they are incredibly excited to start decorating and put their personal stamp on the place. Most people want to hang pictures on their walls and mount wall hangings. To do this, you will normally need to drill into the walls so that you can put a nail or screw into the wall. However, do you know if you can drill into the walls? It all depends on what is in the walls. If there are lots of cables in there, it could be too dangerous to put anything on the wall. You could end up damaging the cabling, and you may even risk electrocuting yourself. Generally speaking, if you drill no more than an inch into the wall, you won’t have to worry about hitting these cables. You should make sure that you never drill above or below any wall sockets or light switches. There will be a lot of cables in these areas.

[Photo courtesy of blickpixel/pixabay.com]

Can I Deal With A Blocked Drain Or Toilet Myself?

Most of the time, yes! In fact, blocked drains are fairly easy to fix. One of the first things you should do is to pour some bleach down the drain followed by a kettle full of boiling water. This should dissolve and dislodged most substances that could be blocking the drain. If this doesn’t quite get rid of the clog, you could use a plunger to try and physically remove the block. You can also use this method to unclog your toilet. If things don’t seem to get any better, you may have to consider calling a plumber to come and fix things for you.

What’s 811 for?

Everyone knows about 911. But do you know about 811 as well? If you have bought a home with a large garden and plan on some big garden projects, you may need to know all about this three-digit phone number. It is important that you call 811 before you begin any outdoor projects that require a lot of digging. Each area has their very own 811 center staffed with people who know exactly what will be under the ground you plan to dig. If you let them know the exact area which you want to dig up, they will be able to tell you whether there are any possible dangers or obstructions. These could include water pipes or underwater springs.

[Photo courtesy of TanteTati/pixabay.com]

Do I Need To Keep All The Receipts Of Home Improvements?

This isn’t an absolute must, but it could come in very useful if you ever decide to sell your home. That’s because you can use the receipt of each piece of work you have had done to show just how much your home has increased in value. That’s not the only advantage. It could also help to decrease your taxable income if you are a freelancer or self-employed.

All the answers to these questions should help you run a household smoothly!

Your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home. This is where you and your family come together at the start of the day to eat breakfast. And it’s also where you can all catch up while you eat your evening meal at the end of the day too. So, if you want to create a better kitchen in your home, here are five changes that will make a difference.

1. Change the Faucet

The main faucet in your kitchen is used every day. If it hasn’t been updated for a decade or more, it’s probably starting to look a little out of date. You can get advanced faucets that offer boiling water now too. So, you should think about replacing the faucet if you want to give your kitchen a modern twist. It could be one of the best things you do in your kitchen.

2. Light Up Your Worktops

Your worktops need to have strong and precise lights pointing down on them if you are going to prepare food properly and safely. If you only have one ceiling light in the kitchen, this is something you should aim to change. It won’t be enough to shine light on what you’re doing on your worktops, especially if you have a large kitchen area. You can fix the problem by adding some lights to the underside of your kitchen cabinets above the worktops.

3. Break Down Barriers

If you ask me, there should be no barriers between your kitchen and the dining room. Why not do what you can to cook the food in the same space as where you eat it? This could be a simple case of switching around the layout of the kitchen dining space. Or you might need to knock down a wall in order to make the most of both rooms and join them together. That might sound like a big job, but it will make the home feel more spacious, and your dining experience will be improved.

4. Make More of Your Storage Options

The storage options in your kitchen are also important. You should make the most of them if you want to make the most of the kitchen as a whole. By doing this, you will be able to make sure that you can find everything easily. For example, you could hang up the saucepans above the oven. Displaying your items is often a good way of storing them in the kitchen. You should also add stainless steel drawer slides to the drawers to make them easier to use.

5. Open it Up Into the Garden

The garden is usually right next to the kitchen. So, why not make the most of this fact? You could install new patio doors. This can make it easier to open up the kitchen into the garden. During the summer months, you can simply throw open the doors and bring the outdoors indoors. You can then spend time in the kitchen and the garden and make the most of both spaces. It can really improve your summer evenings too.

With the seasons changing, our minds turn to the cost of our energy bills. It’s no wonder. Shorter days mean we have the lights on for longer. Cold weather means turning the heating on. Whatever way you look at it, winter can be expensive. What better time of year to turn our attention to long-term ways to cut down on our energy costs? With a little time and effort, it’s possible to cut down a significant chunk of the amount we spend on energy. Here’s how!

Turn Things Off

I know you hear this all the time, but it works! Turning lights off when you’re not in rooms makes a significant difference. Switching appliances off at the plugs is worth the effort too. It’s shocking how much of the energy in our homes gets used unnecessarily. It’s also worth practicing leniency when turning things on in the first place. Do you need the main light on, or can you settle for a lamp beside you? Do you need the heating, or can you put a jumper on? Taking the time to consider the energy you’re using will open your eyes to how much less you could get away with.

[Photo courtesy of TBIT/pixabay.com]

Compare Energy Prices

It’s possible you won’t have to cut down on anything to save yourself a little money. Comparison sites show how much cheaper your energy could be elsewhere. Energy prices change all the time. It’s worth checking comparison sites often to see that you’re getting the best deal. You could always use this as a haggling tool with another energy company, too. Find out who they are and what deal they offer, then give them a ring with details of your current provider. Quite often, companies will match or beat your current bills. Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there!

Look at Different Types of Energy

If you’ve had enough of dealing with the energy giants, why not take matters into your own hands? Producing your energy is excellent for the environment, and for your bank balance. The main choices you have here are solar or wind power. Both have their benefits. If your garden is south facing, solar energy may be the way to go. If not, why not consider a small wind turbine for your home? You could even go for a hybrid model that provides both solar and wind energy to fuel your home. There are installation costs involved with these. They will soon start paying for themselves. Solar panel experts can install the system into your home for you, so you don’t need to worry.

Following all these steps together would save you an enormous amount of money. If you can’t stretch to all of them, just following one or two will make a significant difference to your energy bill. If the saving itself isn’t enough incentive to change, think of the environment. Fossil fuels are bad for the environment in many ways. Cutting down, or finding alternate energy, will make such a difference!