If you’re eager to socialize, relax and have some fun this summer, why not host at hot tub party. They are an excellent way to spend more time outside in the sunshine and gives your yard a more luxurious feel. Plus it’s an activity that all ages can get involved in. Children and adults alike can get lots of enjoyment out of using a hot tub. But hosting a hot tub party requires more than just the hot tub itself. So before you start inviting your closest friends and family, read through these expert tips to make your party a complete success.

[Photo courtesy of Christopher Porter/flickr.com]

Buy a suitable hot tub

If you don’t already have a hot tub in your yard, you are missing a crucial element of your party. So start looking for a suitable option before you do anything else. There are many different sizes and styles of hot tubs to choose from, so you need to consider your options carefully. Choose which area in your yard you want to use for entertaining your guests and measure it carefully. You can then start looking at the different options that are available. You can find these on HotTubAdvice or head to a nearby showroom. Always consider how often you want to use it, the maintenance and size you require before you buy.

Clean your hot tub

It’s essential that your hot tub is cleaned before your guest arrive at your party. This will not only make your hot tub look more appealing, but will also boost it’s hygiene levels. If you’re unsure how to clean it yourself, there are Youtube Tutorials online to help you. Alternatively, you can hire someone to check the chemical levels and clean your hot tub for you. Visit the homeadvisor site to find reputable tradesmen who can get your hot tub in tip top condition before your guests arrive. Just remember to give yourself sufficient time and don’t leave it to the last minute. You will also need your hot tub cleaned again after the party is over.

[Photo courtesy of Patti/flickr.com]

Provide extras

As it’s a hot tub party, the likelihood of your guests getting wet is extremely high. While many of your guests will bring their own towels, provide some extra ones too. This will help you guests feel more comfortable, and they can also be used to dry off your outdoor furniture too. In addition to this, you might want to provide flip flops for everyone to wear to prevent anyone slipping on the wet floor.  Spare swimsuits could also be useful if one of your guests forgets to bring their own. To keep your guests entertained when they aren’t using the hot tub, provide games can play or music they can listen to. Snacks and drinks will also be welcomed extras to your party. These extra touches will be appreciated by all of your guests and encourages everyone to get involved.

With these tips to help you, there is no reason why your hot tub party can’t be a complete success. Always ensure that your hot tub is regularly maintained to make it clean and hygienic for everyone to use.

If your home doesn’t seem to be selling, it could all be down to your property’s curb appeal. What exactly is curb appeal? It’s how good your home looks from the curb. So even if your interiors are up to scratch, a bad curb appeal could be dragging your property down. Want to know how you can increase the attractiveness of your house from the outside? Here are some fantastic ways to do so on a budget.

[Photo courtesy of jaymantri.com/pexels.com]

Invest In Artificial Grass

Don’t want to be stuck in your garden mowing the lawn all summer? Then you should think about buying artificial grass. You can find it for quite low prices in many garden centers and DIY stores. All you need to do is dig up your lawn and replace it with this artificial grass. There’s no need to water or keep it trimmed. It’s a super easy way to create a pretty garden without having to continually spend money on keeping it neat and tidy!

Fix Garage Doors

If your garage doors are noticeably broken or faulty, it can decrease the security of your home. And if potential buyers notice this when they view your property, they may not want to place an offer on your home. So it can pay to renovate your garage doors to ensure they are both safe and attractive. Get a professional company to sort them out, such as www.GarageDoorService.com/overhead-door/

[Photo courtesy of jaymantri.com/pexels.com]

Declutter Windows

If there is a lot of clutter on your inside windowsills, it can make your home appear messy. Even if it is actually very clean and tidy inside! But as passersby will only be able to see items perched on your windowsills, they can make or break people’s impressions of your home. So it is best to keep ones that are visible from the street clean. Move any ornaments to other ledges or surfaces in a room and keep decorations on your windowsills down to a minimum.

Trim Hedges

If you use hedges to plot out the boundaries between you and your neighbours, you need to ensure that they are kept neat and trimmed. They don’t grow as quickly as grass, so you won’t need to trim them as often as a lawn. In fact, just one prune at the beginning of summer should be enough. If you leave them to grow, they can make your garden look overgrown and like a jungle. They could even make it difficult for passersby to notice your pretty flowers and plants! You can find out how to prune a hedge online: www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/pruning_prunehedges1.shtml

Plant Flowers

Keep your front garden and yard bright with lots of gorgeous flowers. They will add beautiful colors to your garden and will certainly catch people’s eyes as they walk by. People may find this very attractive for other reasons too. It means that the garden will look great when they move in, so they won’t have so much work to do!

A home is a huge investment for many of us, so why not make it worth even more? You should consider getting your home renovated and refurnished by using some home tools and different materials that you can buy from online stores, doing it alone will save you from buying weight loss fads in Milwaukee.

There are many types of home improvements techniques that you can implement in a tight budget. The first home improvement method is for comfort. You add ventilation, waterproofing basements, gourmet features, bath tubs in bathrooms, soundproofing, etc.  Next you can use maintenance and repair services like doing the masonry and concrete repairs to the chimney and foundation. Repainting the walls, rooms or fences as well as replacement of the roof or repairing the electrical and plumbing systems. Taking care of the garages, kitchen and repairing the cabinets. Refilling the floor or tending the garden, all the sub-activities that can enhance the look of your home.

[Photo courtesy of stevepb/pixabay.com]

There are home improvement techniques too that can be applied using home tools for making additional space in the house. This can be done by extending one house area by adding extra levels to the roof or by adding more rooms to the available space. Another method is to make livable space by turning imaginable areas such as turning home theaters or attics to a bedroom, or turning basement into recreation rooms, etc.

Moreover, there are home improvement tools that provide energy storage and efficiency by using thermal insulation and good lightening. Some of them are solar panels, geothermal exchange heat or biomass pellet stoves. Insert some safety tools inside like burglar or fire alarm systems, storm cellars for protection from hurricanes and tornadoes, backup generators, security doors, windows and shutters.

Having a pet is a big responsibility. It is also so rewarding; they become like part of the family. So if you are thinking of getting pets, you need to be prepared. Like with a child, you need to be prepared for the fact that you are responsible for the animal. Responsible for making sure that they get fed, taken care of and are kept healthy, well, and safe. So read on as I share my tips for choosing the best pet for you.

Think about the type of pet that you might like. Then you need to think of your family situation. If you love the idea of a dog but are a couple that works a lot of hours, it might not be the best idea. If you are out of the home of most of the day, when will walks fit in? They can get lonely too. A lower maintenance pet might be a better option until the situation changes. If you like the idea of a pet, but want a pet that doesn’t take up as much space, something like a rabbit or guinea pig might be good options. Do your research and think realistically about the best option for you.

[Photo courtesy of papagnoc/pixabay.com]

Then you need to think about the care and lifestyle of the pet. Are you fully committed to making a big change? If so, a pet dog could be a great choice. Dogs can take over the house a little and need more attention than a rodent would, for example. You need to think about vets bills and things like the cost of vaccinations. Not all pets require them, but some do. There is the cost of medicines too. Would your pet be in a situation where they might need something like painkillers? Cats and dogs are the most likely to need them as they are out and about much more. So think about the cost of something like Metacam for dogs or Calmex for cats. All pets can cost a lot of money, but some do cost more than others.

Along the lines of the cost of a pet, think about the life span of the animal. As we know, some animals will live longer than others. Are you looking for a long-term companion in your choice of pet? Or are you just looking for a small pet for when the children are young? These are all considerations when deciding what the best pet for you is.

Take into consideration your accommodation when you are deciding. If you don’t have a large outdoor space, are there places close by that you could take a dog too? Would you have room for a hutch in the back yard? You might prefer a pet that stays indoors, but if so, they will need plenty of space to roam.

I don’t mean to put you off with all of these considerations. It is just that a pet is a big commitment. You want to make it a fantastic and rewarding relationship. The best way to do that is to choose the perfect pet for you.

Is your backyard dull and bland and crying out for a change? I thought so.

Does doing something different with your backyard require a lot of money? Certainly not. The following are a whole raft of backyard ideas you can try out for yourself that won’t break the bank. So without further ado, let’s get started.

Marble Fence

Does your wooden fence lack a bit of spark? Probably. But fear not.

One cool thing that you can do is drill holes in your fence and then glue marbles into those holes. Dot the marbles at different heights and distances from each other. And play with different sizes. When the sun shines through them, they’ll glow differing colors and look amazing during a sunset. Just remember to ask your kids first whether they mind their marbles being used for decoration.

Make A Floating Cooler

This one is great if you have a pool in your backyard. Get a plastic box, like one you’d put files and folders in. Then glue foam tubes along all the top edges so that when you submerge it in water, it will float.

Then, fill the tub with ice and your favorite drinks and pop it into the pool. On a hot day, the water from the pool will keep the drinks cool, so you don’t have to continuously trek back and forth to the kitchen fridge.

Make A Throwing Game For The Kids

Grab a tarpaulin and cut a few holes in it that are big enough, so a ball to fly through. Label the different holes with different numbers, depending on their size. Bigger holes will have smaller numbers, and vice versa.

Then find two trees in your garden, roughly 15 feet apart. Suspend the tarpaulin between them, so that it is hanging like a picture. Then take aim with a soccer ball and fire.

Use Rope Lighting

Rope lighting is all the rage right now, partly because of its versatility. But it also looks incredible at night as one, continuous line of light.

[Photo courtesy of Hans/pixabay.com]

You can use rope lighting to line your garden, separating different regions from one another. It works well for lighting the edges of paths and for delineating the edges of flower beds.

Use Epsom Salt Fertiliser

Few people know it, but Epsom salt makes an excellent fertilizer. So if your pot plants are looking a little drab, and you don’t want to go out and spend a load of money on fertilizer, use Epsom salt.

It’s simple to apply. Just mix two tablespoons of salt into each gallon of water. Then use this mixture once per month instead of regular water when watering your plants. If you’re planting seeds right now, you can just sprinkle the salt on the soil and wait for the rain to do its job.

Use Pool Noodles For Kickball Croquet

Do you dream of being able to entertain the kids on a dime? Well, now you can, with kickball croquet. Just grab a few pool noodles – the foam tubes that I mentioned earlier for the floating cooler. Cut the noodles in half. The fashion them into an arch before using garden stakes to peg them down into the ground. Then just gather up a few balls and take it in turns to kick them through the hoops, just like you would take turns with a regular game of croquet.

[Photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org/Pool noodle]

Use Faux Stone Walls

Real stone walls are expensive. Faux stone walls? Not so much. Faux stone walls from sites like www.FauxDirect.com/product-category/stone-2/ go for less than you might think. Usually, faux stone walls are made from polyurethane – a cheap plastic. Yet, surprisingly, they look and feel just like the real thing. And, just like real stone walls, they’re ultra-durable.

Use Fire Crystals

There’s nothing like having the family sit around the fire pit on a long summer evening chatting about life’s foibles. You can spruce up your fire pit with attractive colors by using fire crystals. These burn blue-green and purple, adding a beautiful twist to the already mesmerising fire.

Grow Your Own Summer House

Summer houses have been all the rage since Victorian times in England. But building another house in your garden has never been cheap. Traditionally, it was only something that the rich could do. Even today, wooden summer houses can end up costing thousands of dollars.

But why bother buying one when you can grow your own? It’s easy really. Make a circular shaped flower bed in an appropriate location in your garden. Then plant some meter-long garden stakes in the bed, woven together with some garden twine. In the bed, plant a fast-growing plant like sunflowers, that will eventually grow tall enough the provide a wall and a canvas. And then just let nature take its course.

[Photo courtesy of Donnawetta/pixabay.com]

If you do it right, you’ll end up with a beautiful, natural summerhouse that you and the kids can relax in whenever you like.

Remodel Old Tree Stumps

Most of us have some sort of tree stump, lying around in our back garden. Instead of waiting for it to rot away, why not make use of it. You could transform it into a table if it’s tall enough. Or use it as a planter, if it’s in among the flower bed.

[Photo courtesy of Los Angeles/en.wikipedia.org]

Use Mirrors

Most interior designers will tell you to use mirrors if you want to make a room inside your house look bigger, . But you don’t have to just use mirrors on the inside of your house

If you’ve got a couple of mirrors that you don’t want, you can hang them on your back fence to make your garden look bigger.

Use Glow-In-The-Dark Paint

Gardens in the daylight are stunning. Gardens at night – not so much. But it’s at night when the glow-in-the-dark paint can make a real impact. You can light up just about anything you want using it. But most people opt to highlight just a couple of features. Perhaps you’d like to make your plant pots glow. Whatever it is, glow-in-the-dark paint is an excellent way to instantly light up your garden.

Use Fast-Growing Plants For Ground Cover

Your garden probably has at least one dreary looking paths. It would look a lot better if it were a little greener along its length. You can use plants like sedum sarmentosum to cover patches of dull ground quickly. These little green plants will shoot up in no time and are ideal in harsh conditions. Then all you have to do is place stepping stone conveniently along the path and hey presto – you’ve solved the problem of your boring path.

Plant Lemongrass

You might think that lemongrass is just a herb used in South East Asian cuisine. And you’d be right. But what fewer people know is that the herb is also great at fending off annoying bugs, like mosquitos.

Don’t let mosquitoes ruin your time in the garden. Plant some lemongrass today to keep that annoying buzzing away.

Make A Tarp Splash Pad

Pools are expensive. But you and the kids want somewhere that you can cool off on a hot afternoon in the summer, especially if you live in the South.

The solution is to make a tarpaulin splash pad. Get a hose and attach it to a sprinkler. The place it on top of a tarp, spread out on the ground. The sprinkler will create a cooling splash pad, and the tarpaulin will create a fun, and slippery, surface.

Make A Wind Chime

Wind chimes made from brass are expensive. But if you’ve got a creative streak, you could make yours out of whatever you like. One option is to use a stick, some string and some old keys you don’t use anymore. Just paint the keys, strings, and branch in different colors. The suspend the keys from the branch, using the string.

Here’s another example, using old CDs.

[Photo courtesy of Windell Oskay/flickr.com]

Make A Garden Swing

Got an old, wooden chair lying around that you don’t use anymore? Why not make it into a swing? Just hack off the legs and put to one side. Then throw some rope around a sturdy tree branch, connecting it to a base made from wooden beams. Then attach the chair to the beams, and voila – you’ve got a new swinging chair.

Get Inventive With Pot Plants

When planting, you don’t have to stick to the generic plant pots from the garden center. You can use pretty much whatever you like. Got a rustic-looking crate lying around? Why not fill this with different varieties of plants and put it in your backyard?

Repaint Your Back Door

Perhaps you’ve got a wooden back door. If so, giving it a fresh coat of paint is an excellent way to make your garden look more vibrant. Why not go for a deep gold color paint to complement the summer?

[Photo courtesy of Arpingstone/en.wikipedia.org]

Use Wall Decorations

Walls aren’t always the most attractive feature of a back garden. But you can do a lot to improve their appearance. One cool thing to do is to hang bottles or pot plants, brimming with flowers. And don’t be afraid to use a lot. The more, the merrier.

The many plumbing problems that homeowners deal with can be corrected at an instant. If you detect them earlier, you will save yourself a few dollars because you won’t have to call the plumber. The problems include:

1. Low water pressure

More often than not, low water pressure is caused by a blocked aerator. Besides filtering water, the aerator prevents splashing. Water contains mineral deposits that accumulate in the aerator. Over time, the aerator gets clogged. You can easily fix this by removing the aerator, cleaning it using water and vinegar then assembling it back.

[Photo courtesy of jasongillman/pixabay.com]

2. Leaking toilets

This is another plumbing problem that many people can identify with. A running toilet can be a real thorn in the flesh as it wastes a lot of water. It is important to figure out the cause as this will help you determine which parts to replace. Replacing faulty parts will save you a lot of money as you salvage the situation before it becomes a costly affair.

3. Leaking pipes

Wet spots in the house could be a red flag signaling your attention to a leaking pipe. Pipes may crack due to freezing. You need to examine the walls regularly and check under sinks for evidence of leaked pipes.

[Photo courtesy of EugenesDIYDen/pixabay.com]

4. Slow draining sink

When the sink drains slowly, the problem is either in the drain line or sink trap. To address this issue, determine and follow the direction of waste water so that you get to the main drainpipe.

5. Dripping faucets

It may seem like not much water is lost. The truth is, at the end of the day a lot of water would have gone to waste as you scratch your head paying the water bills.

Low water pressure, leaking toilets, leaking pipes, slow draining sink, and dripping faucets are just a few of the plumbing problems that occur at home.

Spring is drawing to a close, and summer is within touching distance. You may be thinking about spending lazy days in the garden, but is your home ready for summer? Here is an essential checklist to prepare you for the warmer months and ensure you’re all sorted and ready to relax in the sunshine.

Prepping your garden

Most of us get excited at the thought of spending free weekends in the garden. Are you planning to get friends and family around? Are you looking forward to playing with the kids in the open air? If so,  it’s a good idea to get your garden prepped and ready now. Start by having a good clear out and getting rid of any loose patio tiles, weeds, and dead leaves. Give decking and paved areas a sweep and then jet wash them clean. Mow your lawn on a dry day, and plant your seeds. When the weather warms up, dust down your patio furniture and give the barbecue a thorough scrub. If you’re eager to add some color or create an entertaining area, look for inspiration online. You can convert a modest decking area into a chic dining space. Add a rattan table and chairs set, some oversized lanterns and a couple of patterned floor cushions.

[Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture/pixabay.com]

Spring cleaning

Nothing prepares you for summer better than a good, old-fashioned spring clean. Now is the time to declutter. Tackle those boxes that have never been unpacked and be ruthless. If you have items that are in good condition, give them to charity, or organize a yard sale. Visit the tip and get rid of anything you don’t want. Once your rooms are clear, get your rubber gloves out and clean from top to bottom. Open the windows and let the fresh air in. You may not enjoy cleaning, but you’ll feel much better when it’s done. Pack away winter clothing to give you more closet space.

Maintenance checks
Before summer arrives, it’s a good idea to get any DIY jobs completed and to book some essential maintenance checks. Finish off painting jobs and put those shelves up in the spare room. Call a service man to carry out appliance repair, and book boiler and air conditioning checks. Replace broken appliances that cannot be salvaged. If you’re looking to save money on energy bills, go for products, which have a high energy rating. If you’re expecting hot weather, it’s particularly important to get air conditioning units serviced.

Interior design
If you fancy brightening up your home in time for summer, you don’t have to spend a fortune to make a difference. Invest in finishing touches, such as lamps, vases, and cushions to inject some color and give your home a new look. Look through some magazines for ideas.

[Photo courtesy of midascode /pixabay.com]

If your home is not quite ready for summer, don’t worry. You’ve got time to work through your to-do list. Investing time and effort now will enable you to put your feet up and enjoy the warm weather when summer arrives.

Just a passing mention of the phrase ‘house cleaning’ is enough to elicit a chorus of groans, but are you aware of how many benefits there are to living in a clean and tidy home?

There are actually more benefits to having a clean and tidy home than most of us are aware (especially if you have young children), so take note of the following benefits to having a clean home and you may find yourself looking at house cleaning in an entirely new light!

Allergy Reduction

This is one of the top benefits to residing in a clean and tidy home, one that’s free of dust, mites and other microscopic particles that have a tendency to aggravate existing allergies, not to mention bring on allergies in those not yet affected.

[Photo courtesy of milivanily/pixabay.com]

Regular vacuuming is a must, as is opening up the windows and doors to air the house. Another way to reduce the microscopic particles circulating about in your home is to clean the fly screens regularly, as fly screens collect dust more than most of us realise. As the breeze blows through these screens and into our homes, it stands to reason that’s where a great deal of those microscopic particles come from.

Less Fear of Entertaining

Many of us are quite reluctant to entertain family and friends because we’re worried about what they will think of our homes – think about it for a second or two and you’ll realise just how true that statement is.

Fortunately, house cleaning services made easy are readily available, so you can have your home cleaned regularly (or even just on occasion when you’re too busy to do it yourself) and you’ll never have to worry about entertaining in a messy home ever again!

[Photo courtesy of stevepb/pixabay.com]

Less Mould

Like dust and other airborne microscopic particles, mould can wreak havoc with our respiratory health, plus it looks unsightly and can prove very difficult to remove if something isn’t done about it before it makes itself at home.

Regular cleaning, whether you do it yourself or have an experienced local cleaning company take care of it, prevents mould from building up and helps to keep your family healthy.

Less Maintenance and Repairs

This is an aspect of regular house cleaning that many of us overlook, but it’s an important one because the cost of home maintenance and repairs quickly adds up and becomes quite an expense.

Adding what is known as a ‘deep cleaning’ task to your cleaning routine every week will help to keep your household appliances in better working order. What’s more, by regularly cleaning your home you’ll also have a better idea of what needs repairing and maintaining. It’s always better (and less expensive) to have something seen to sooner rather than later.

Whether you choose to have a local cleaning company take care of the cleaning for you (this is an excellent option if you lead a busy lifestyle) or you choose to clean your home yourself, don’t overlook the many benefits associated with regular house cleaning.

Our gardens can often be something we don’t think about. Until we want to sit out and use them. However, like any part of your home your garden should be very much a part of it. It should be a place that is an extension of your rooms. Somewhere that you can utilize all year round. So I thought it would be a good idea to share with you some tips and advice to make sure you get the most out of your garden.

[Photo courtesy of Steve Morgan/wikipedia.org]

Do you have an area to sit and relax

Does your garden have different areas for different things? Perhaps. A lawned portion and some flower beds. These are all garden zones and most likely will have different features and plus points. But what most people require is a place to sit and relax. Somewhere you can enjoy the evening sun, or drink your morning coffee. If your garden hasn’t got particular zones, then it’s worth trying to create some. If you can create a space where you can sit and enjoy the garden. You will find that this part of the garden will be the place you use the most.

What do you want from your garden?

The next thing you need to do is decide exactly what you want to achieve from your garden. Do you want it to look appealing? Then you may want to read these 10 Quick Tips About Landscaping that will take your garden to the next level. If it’s more about having an entertaining space for friends and families, then make sure you have the right areas to do that in. If it’s a place where you want your kids to play safely, then think about all the aspects that need to go along with that. Once you know what you want from the garden, you will be able to create the perfect place for you. This means you will make more use out of it.

[Photo courtesy of Antranias/pixabay.com]

Is there a place to store things

Some gardens can be a bit of a dumping ground for one thing or another, so this is where you may want to consider investing in a shed or space to store things. This will transform your garden almost straight away as you will be able to see what you have to work with. A shed could also become an outside room that you retire to from time to time. She sheds are becoming the new man caves.

Why consider alfresco dining?

Eating outside may not have been high on your priority list before but why wouldn’t you want to enjoy the good weather? Cooking outside on the BBQ and then enjoying the food you have prepared is one of the life’s simpler pleasures. The problem is you may not have an area to cook and eat in so if this is something you want to do more of then work on the garden to create it. A BBQ doesn’t take up too much space and all you need is a nice table and chairs to enjoy the food and drink on.

I hope these tips help you get more out of your garden.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. 

So, you are looking forward to buying home materials online? but you are working on a tight budget. Home improvement projects can be really hard to get and expensive. This is the same old story that you hear as soon as you enter the major stores, the prices that hit you, leave you with nothing at the end of shopping.

However, there are many ways that you can beat the prices and get quality home improvement projects that will suit you. You can actually buy home materials online with ease and without having to spend more money. There are offers online that once you get, you will have money to spare and get your child a candy.

[Photo courtesy of tookapic/pixabay.com]

Coupons are the best offers that you can use to make great home improvements projects in your home. It really does not matter the shop that you will visit, use coupons and you will be amazed by how much money you will have saved at the end of the day.

Groupon coupons are especially the best when it comes to shopping online; they offer a fifty percent offer on the price that you will spend. When you use this coupon you will buy more home improvement projects with less money.

The groupon coupons come with various offers on any home material online, you will only decide on the particular coupon that you want to use and you will be good to go. You should also note that the amount of money that you are able to save will depend on the coupon that you choose and how well you are able to use it.

Groupon coupons are more prioritized on the customers cost and they take the needs of you into account. If you are buying home materials online at JCPenney and you leave far, you can have you items transported to you at a lower cost. You should not be spending a lot of money on things that you can actually get a coupon on.

For more details on how to save money on your home improvement projects follow Groupon on:

• Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Groupon.US/?brand_redir=526662987435979
• Twitter – https://twitter.com/groupon