There are plenty of ways to make a garden look stunning, without adding anything unnatural to it. If you want to keep your garden organic and beautiful at the same time we’ve got some great ideas for you to try. You can forget about adding a water feature or stone sculpture. Don’t bother with the stone path or the new lights. With our ideas your garden is going to look fantastic without any of this nonsense. So, where should you start?

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Make Sure The Grass Shines

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The best part of a beautiful, natural garden, is green lush grass. But we think you’re probably aware that not everyone gets this in their garden naturally. Either due to weather or other elements the grass in your garden might be looking a little worse for wear. Not to worry though because we’ve got the solution you need. The first thing that you should do is cut the grass nice and short. Preferably, you should cut it as short as possible. That way, it’s going to make your garden look bigger and more open. Once you’ve done this, you should sprinkle down some grass greener. Doing this, you should see some startling results in a couple of weeks. It’s the perfect solution if you’re grass has been scorched by the sun or marked by a pet. If you’re having trouble getting your grass to look healthy, speak to a landscaper. Landscaping professionals know exactly what to do to make difficult grass grow.

Add A Variety Of Flowers

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Next, we suggest you buy a whole variety of different flowers for your garden. You can choose different species and colours. Put them around the garden, framing the grass if you like. Or, simply add clusters of flowers around the garden by digging up the soil in areas and planting the seeds. If you do this, in no time at all your garden will start to look colourful and vibrant. Once the flowers start to grow you might need to think about protecting them. Particularly if you live in an area with a hot climate. That’s why you might also want to consider planting some trees to provide shade. Screener trees are perfect for your garden if you have an eyesore near your home. Or, if you just want some privacy from the neighbours.

Getting Rid Of Weeds

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Once your grass is beautiful and your flowers are colourful, you have to clean up the garden a little more. Pull out all the weeds and other nuisances around the yard. Make sure that you lay down some weed killer to make sure that they don’t grow back again. You need to do this regularly because weeds are quite resilient, as suggested by the name.

Natural Water Feature

While we don’t encourage you to add an artificial water feature to your garden, you can add one that’s a little more natural. You can do this by digging a pond in your yard, if you have the space. This will look truly stunning and could be the perfect centre piece of your space. Add some fish and you will have even brought real life to your new garden.

Not everybody will be able to buy that dream home straightaway. Luckily, you won’t have to! You can easily remodel and rebuild your home once you’ve moved in. Home improvement projects are more popular than ever, and there’s a reason for that. They allow people to live out their wildest property dreams that they couldn’t achieve with that first mortgage.

So, if you’re considering remodeling your home, or upgrading a room, look no further. Here are the essential steps you will have to take on your journey!

Step 1: Visualize and plan

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Simply put, dream! Imagine what the finished product will look like and what you want it to look like. Go down to the library and look at magazines and books for inspiration. Look online at various home remodeling ideas and decide what you want your house to become. There are a ton of different avenues you could take your remodeling, so have a firm vision in place early on. Hire an architect or designer if necessary You can’t simply change your mind halfway through, or when it’s finished!

Step 2: Assess the electricals, plumbing, and wiring

If you’re tweaking and changing a large chunk of your home, then you’ll need some work done on the essentials. Your plumbing, electricals, and wiring may need moving, extending or removing, so speak to a professional. That electrical science you learned in school doesn’t count here!

Wiring is very easy to get wrong or make a hash of. If you’re struggling for help, you should possibly find out more from ElectricalConnection.org. Again, this goes hand in hand with step one. If you decide you want an electrical outlet in a certain place, this should be chosen early on, not halfway through the build.

Step 3: Apply for a loan

Once you have all the costs laid out and plans in place, it’s time to finance your endeavor. It might be worth applying for a loan that’s between 5-15 percent more than your projected budget. This way, if your build goes over costs, you’ll have enough money to cover yourself. You don’t want to have a near-finished job then run out of money.

Step 4: Sign an agreement with your contractor

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If you’re having some roof work done, you want this finished before the rain or cold weather begins. So, make a note of this in your contract! If you’re having garden work done, you’ll need this done before summer so you can enjoy it! Anything and everything you feel is important, note it in a contract. That way, you’ll get the most important/expensive stuff done first, which is the best way to do it.

At this stage, you should also help your contractor identify what areas of your home you can’t touch for legal reasons. If any. If your home is listed, you need to check if you’re allowed to renovate certain parts of it. A government source such as https://www.gov.uk/ is a way to do so.

Step 5: Check progress every single day

It’s important you keep tabs on what’s going on. You may decide you want an extra plug socket, or an extra vent in the bathroom. You may decide to add a feature wall. Whatever it is, ensure you’re happy with how your money is being spent. If you want small changes to be added, now is the time to add them!

So, if you’re after a remodeled home, and you followed these steps, you’ll be on your way to a perfect property. Happy building!

Curtains are an important part of your home’s décor. They also provide privacy and can help to keep your home cool when the hot sun is beaming in. However, curtains can be expensive so you want to look for discounted curtains. These are just as effective and stylish as their more pricey counterparts so you can save cash while still getting the privacy and decorative effects that you are looking for.

Blinds Only

Gone are the days where our only blinds choices were those white blinds that collected dust and were terribly difficult to open and close. Today, there are blinds out there that can stand alone as a window treatment. To make this even better, these tend to be pretty inexpensive. If you have a more modern home, go for wooden blinds. These will fit into just about any modern décor scheme. If you are going French country or shabby chic, try white blinds that are made of wood and wider than the old ones. These can also be paired with curtains, but can stand on their own.

[Photo courtesy of VinnyCiro/pixabay.com]

Flat Panels

A flat panel curtain is so easy to put up. These simply slide onto a rod and then the rod is put into place. These are made from a variety of different fabrics, and come in every pattern and color that you could want. These are also inexpensive and you really will not pay more than $20.00 for a pair of curtains. They are also easy to care for as they can be quickly and easily taken down, washed, dried and then put back up. This is a good option for those with allergies to dust because curtains tend to collect it, but since you can clean them so easily, you will not have to worry about dust collecting on them.

Create Them Yourself

This is an option if you are a crafty person. You can buy plain white, cotton curtain panels and then dye them in any color or pattern that you need. You can also buy panels and then use fabric paint to create a one-of-a-kind curtain panel.

Most of us love having friends and family over for a meal and a drink or two. It’s a wonderful way to spend quality time together. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. But having enough space to relax and feel comfortable can be a challenge for a big party. That’s why our outdoor spaces can be ideal for a big gathering.

If you’re thinking of hosting an event at home this year, why not treat yourself to a garden makeover? Landscaping your garden to make the most of the space can be a good idea. And it needn’t cost as much as you think. Best of all, it’s a great project to take on if you enjoy improving your home and DIY.

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

To create a great space for entertaining in the garden, you may need to bring in some extra tools and equipment like a Dingo. Dingos are mini-diggers that make light work of your garden remodel. Levelling the land you have makes it perfect for laying patios or installing decking. Once your garden is cleared and levelled, you can see clearly just how much space you have. Now it’s time to sketch a design.

Ideally, you will create a dining area just in front of your patio doors. This makes it easier for carry dishes in and out of the house. You don’t need a huge space here, but it can be a good to create a little more room than you think you might want. This allows for walking around the table when people are seated, and you can squeeze in one or two more chairs. Cover over this area is essential too. If you can’t stretch to a full outdoor room, consider a gazebo.

From the patio, you should create paths that lead to the other key areas. You may choose to do this with concrete, pavers, or even decking. Decking is the easiest choice if your garden is multi-level so you can create the steps needed. You may want a seating area with garden sofas or a bench. Perhaps you are building a water feature or some planters. An artificial grass lawn can be an excellent addition to a child-friendly garden too.

You may be in a good location for growing your own vegetables. If your soil isn’t ideal, why not build up a planting area? You can then fill it with good quality compost and soil and plant what you need. It is often easier to cover if you’re prone to insects or frost. You can even use hanging baskets for growing fruits. It can be a nice gesture to let your guests pick their own while they are with you too.

Installing garden lights means your gathering can continue to use the garden after dusk. Use cascading fairly lights on the gazebo. You can even hang lanterns along your veranda. Most garden lights are solar powered with a movement sensor. This means they will only come on while people are in the garden, and they’ll cost you nothing to run. Enjoy your party.

If you’re looking for a really great DIY project for your home this year, why not consider giving your spare room a makeover? There are lots of things we can use this space for. If you don’t need to use it as a bedroom, why not consider a big change? Perhaps you have a hobby or interest you’re passionate about. You can use the spare room to provide all the space you need to enjoy your hobby fully. Here are some of my favorite uses for a spare room:

Sewing

If you love to create your own home furnishings, then a sewing room could be a perfect choice. Perhaps you love creating your own fashions? Or maybe you enjoy decorative needlework? There are plenty of different ways to enjoy creating when you have your own sewing room. Start by painting the walls a fairly pale and neutral color. This will help maximize the light in the room.

[Photo courtesy of Harlow Heslop/flickr.com]

You could install a good quality worktop along one wall. This could support your sewing machine or other equipment. If you enjoy quilting, consider a wider width to support the larger fabric as it grows. You can find out more about the best sewing machine for quilting online. Check the size and weight before you build your workstation. Don’t forget you’ll need good lamps around the room. A mannequin could stand in the corner. Full-length mirrors will help you see the fabric from all angles.

Music Room

For the budding musicians around you, a music room could be the perfect use of your spare room. Perhaps you have some beautiful instruments you would like to display or hang on the wall? Before you start this project consider some extra insulation or soundproofing. Larger acoustic instruments like pianos are also incredibly heavy. Check if your floor needs a little reinforcing if your room is on wooden supports.

[Photo courtesy of Miguel Mendez/flickr.com]

To create the perfect practice room for you and your instruments you need good light. Some music stands can be fitted with a sheet music light. Alternatively, consider directional spot lights. If you’re setting up a mini recording studio or a digital workstation, make sure you can stack your equipment safely. You may want to build a custom shelving unit. There may be a lot of cables running across the floor of your room. Try to keep them tidy to avoid a trip hazard.

Art Studio

If you love drawing or painting, why not create a studio for your art? A small workbench may be all you need. Then a simple stool and easel near the best light in the room. Natural light from the window is usually ideal. You might want to install a sink and running water so you can clean your brushes and pallets. A blue roll dispenser can save you fiddling about when you’re in a hurry to wipe something clean.

Photography Studio

If you love taking digital photographs, why not set up a photography studio. A small room like the spare room may be all you need if you love portraits or close-ups. Your lighting equipment may get warm, so consider installing air conditioning. It’s not advisable to take on chemical photography or a dark room in a residential house unless you have the correct ventilation system.

[Photo courtesy of Illusive Photography/flickr.com]

You may need to black out the window from time to time so you can fully manipulate the light. Naturally lit portraits can be visually stunning so make sure you can remove the blind easily. Paint the room brilliant white for maximum light reflection. You can always drape material over walls for a background. Consider installing a cupboard for your equipment and props.

Model Building

If you love crafting and building models, then your spare room could be the ideal spot for your hobby. Make sure you have excellent ventilation and natural air circulating if you use glues or paints. You’ll need a full workbench set up with plenty of lamps to supply the light. Sometimes it’s necessary to heat things up like wire or glues. Choose a surface and a lip area on your workbench for this purpose.

Writer’s Studio

If there is a poet or author inside of you, then you should have your own space to put pen to paper. You’ll need soft, focused light over your writing area. You probably have a love for literature, so install some bookshelves. Then you can surround yourself with all that inspires you. Put a big wall planner up so you can see your working schedule and submission deadlines.

Home Office

If you love your work enough to make it a hobby, then you deserve your very own home office space. A good quality desk and a top of the range computer are ideal. You can have your internet router installed in here, and even a second phone line. Why not add a couple of USB ports to your wall sockets so you can keep all your devices on charge? A wall mounted TV tuned to the news channels can keep you up to date too

Cinema Room

If you’re a movie buff, then a cinema room could be the perfect use for your spare room. You’ll need one wall painted white so you can use a home cinema projector. You can paint the other walls black to help reduce the light in the room as you’re watching the movie. It’s a great way to get really immersed in the film. You will also need to block out the natural light from the window.

[Photo courtesy of gsloan/flickr.com]

Add a reclining sofa and a beer fridge so you have everything you might need. Installing surround sound speakers is easier upstairs than downstairs. You can run the cabling from the attic and through the ceiling. Now all you need to do is lay back and let the movie take you on an epic adventure.

Spare rooms often go to waste in our homes. They get filled with clutter and forgotten about. Bring yours back to life and have fun with a new hobby this year.

There are several reasons to consider summer renovations in your home since the summer months can be an ideal time to do home renovations, especially if outdoor work is involved.

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Budget is one of the deciding factor to do home renovation. My aunt is renovating their home when their budget permit them, they concreting the walls and columns and making their roof in solid formed so it would last for a long time.

You’ve spent the past few months packing up you old home into cardboard boxes. Moving day is getting closer and closer, and the excitement of a new house is building! Don’t blow your good mood by forgetting to prepare the house you are moving into, though! A new home is essentially an empty shell, and no one wants to live in such a sparse space. Even if it is just for a few nights while you try and get sorted. So how can you move into a comfortable and livable home? Here are five things to organize before moving into a new home.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Air Conditioning

If you are moving in the middle of summer, it is a good idea to get some air conditioning arranged in your new home before you move in. If possible, turn on the Air Conditioning the day before you move, so the air will be fresh and cool on the day. Sometimes you might not be able to get into the property before moving day. Therefore, you can’t install an efficient air conditioning system in time. So pop in a portable fan or air conditioning system on the morning of your move. This can freshen up the rooms while you bring in all your boxes.

Kitchen and Bathroom

Most of the time, you will move into a home which is already furnished with a kitchen and bathroom. However, if your home is going to be empty, one of the first things you’ll need to organize is a kitchen and bathroom installation. As with the air conditioning, it is best to try and get all this sorted before you move in. If you don’t have access to the property until moving day, try and negotiate with the previous owners. If you explain that you would like to put in a kitchen and bathroom before you move in, they are likely to understand. They may be in a similar situation themselves!

Flooring

Flooring can often be a problem when you move into old properties. Homeowners rarely update their flooring, so you may find that you want to replace the old flooring in your new home. Especially if it is made from a natural material, such as wood, as these can scuff easily. Rather than moving in all your furniture and then having to move it again when you get new floors, try and arrange new flooring for before you move in. This will be much easier for you in the long run!

New Address

Don’t wait until you have moved in to notify your bank and other important institutes of your change in address. Tell them in the run up to your move. It doesn’t take long – you can update addresses online most of the time. This is then one less job to do once you are getting settled into your new house.

Once you have got the above jobs sorted, you can start to think about the day of the big move! Once it’s all done, you will have fewer jobs and more time to make your new house a home!

Acquiring a residential house in the modern society is one of the achievements that promote stability, given that the process may sometimes be challenging. It is, therefore, important for one to look for a house that can withstand adverse weather conditions as well as offer adequate security from extruders. During the summer season, it is most likely to experience heat, humidity and summer storms. The summer period enables one to carry out house inspections without interference. There are several aspects to consider, with regards to Summer Home Maintenance. They include,

The Roof

It is important to note that your roof should be inspected annually to check for any defects and assess the roofs ability to shelter you during the rainy seasons. These inspections ensure that you take care of minor roofing faults before they advance into major problems. The roof should always be cleaned to get rid of permanent damage caused by water.

Air Conditioning

This is a critical aspect that keeps you running smoothly, minimizing the summer electric bills. Proper air conditioning ensures Maximum functioning of the fan. Ensure that the coils are cleaned thoroughly and minimize potential fire hazards by eliminating faulty wiring in the house. Changing your air filters once a month, especially when using the unit every day will improve the efficiency of the equipment.

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Gutters

Clogging and the presence of additional leaks is a problem that can be eliminated by consistently cleaning the gutters. Gutters should be cleaned twice a year, meaning that the first cleaning activity should be carried out at early winter after most of the leaves have fallen and at early summer after seeds, blossoms and flowers are done.

Window

One of the simplest ways of ensuring that the hot summer heat remains outside is checking the Windows. You should routinely inspect the sealants ensuring that the inside and outside are suitably secured. Besides, you should check for any damages that may have been caused by certain weather conditions to maintain a safe and reliable house.

Pools

Quality pool maintenance activities involve levelling the water, balancing the chemicals, Pump inspection and cleaning the area around and inside the pool. This will enable you to have the facility ready for use during the summer season.

Always consider these tips when planning for your summer house maintenance, and you will not have to worry or run up and down whe

Updating your home can seem like a huge job to take on. You may think it will involve a lot of DIY projects and decoration. In fact updating your home can be quite a simple and budget-friendly thing to do. If your home doesn’t require any work and you are happy with the decoration, then it’s all just in the finer details. So if you want to update your home without the need to decorate then here is a quick guide for each of the main rooms in your home.

Kitchen

More often than not the kitchen is the hub of the home. It needs to have the right balance between each functionality. It’s a place to cook in, to relax in and dine. There are quite a few different things you can do to update your kitchen without decorating. Perhaps incorporating a new colour scheme would be a great place to start. You could add a vase of fresh flowers in your chosen colour. Update some of the things on your counter shelf life storage pots. Perhaps adding some shelves to a wall so you can put a few pictures on there or some inspirational messages. Adding a touch of colour to this room is all it will take to give it a new lease of life.

Bathroom

The bathroom is often the trickiest room to spruce up. Without adding a new bathroom suite what can you possibly do? There is quite a bit you can do in fairness. Firstly, much like the kitchen, you could incorporate a bit of colour or a theme to the bathroom. Adding new touches like luxury towels, a new toothbrush holder and cup. Perhaps a fancy soap dispenser. Also, as much as we clean our bathrooms, giving it a once-over with a steam cleaner could just be all it takes to make that bath sparkling once more.

[Photo courtesy of Maureen Didde/flickr.com]

Living space

You could add quite a bit to your living spaces. Personal touches like photo frames with new pictures in could be a great place to start. You could also consider a new rug in a different colour. Adding a new colour will give the impression of a freshly decorated room without the need to do any hard work. Alternatively, by changing some of the lighting you could give off a whole new vibe to the room. Adding a few more lamps or candles could create a different ambiance.

Bedroom

Finally, the bedroom. A place to relax and reflect on the day. Changing this room is a lot easier than you would think. It doesn’t require an expensive purchase like changing your bed. But just by changing the bed linen it could make the room look brand new. You could incorporate a new colour scheme in here to. Perhaps add some candles to give it a more romantic feel. Or by adding some different lighting. Things like fairy lights draped over the head of the bed can make the room feel pretty and styled.

I hope this simple guide give you some inspiration to update your home.

Is your house really untidy? Believe it or not, more people live in total chaos than you might think. Some people are so ashamed of how messy their house is, they won’t let necessary visitors past the front door. If you have kids or lots of pets, tidying up may seem a never ending task. It’s true that many of us try and give ourselves very high expectations. If you’re trying to look after a large family, there are never enough hours in the day. And what is the point of picking up all those toys when the kids are going to empty them all out again tomorrow? It can seem like an utterly thankless, and pointless task. But we all feel better when our houses are clean and tidy.

It might be unrealistic to say right, let’s get that house cleaned from top to bottom! You haven’t done it properly for some quite some time. House cleaning gurus Flylady.net always say that you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself. Take baby steps to fixing your home. It didn’t get this way and a day, and you’re not going to have it all fixed in a day, either. These things take time. Do it properly, and form better habits.

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In the kitchen, start from the basics. Don’t start sorting out cupboards if you have a sinkful (or two) of dishes. Make sure you’ve done the fundamental tasks before you move on, or you’ll just end up in a bigger mess than you started. Start from the top and work down. There’s no point in giving yourself extra jobs to do. You’ll just be wasting time if you keep having to revisit the same areas.

If you’re a bit lazy when it comes to changing sheets, then you might want to give your mattresses a quick once over.Are the all in a good clean state? Do they have bust springs or stuffing trying to escape? Another thing you should look for is bedbugs. The bug busters at AtkinsInc.com say it’s a far more widespread problem than most people realise. These horrible beasties could be living in your mattress without you even knowing!

Deep cleaning your bathroom will give it some sparkle back. If you’ve got grotty grouting, though, it could make the whole room look past its best. Instead of laboriously removing and replacing the cement, why not use a grout pen. It’s a cinch to make your grout stand out for all the right reasons. It’s quick and easy and will fix up your smallest room in a jiffy! Check out tips on how to use them at Doityourself.com

Wipe down your walls. It’s amazing how grubby your walls can look once the bright light simply of spring comes flooding through your windows. Get a bucket of warm soapy water, dampen a cloth and give them all a good wipe. Pay attention to skirting boards and light switches too, they’re a prime breeding ground for bugs and germs.