You can make it through life, avoiding certain aspects of household maintenance. However, there are a few parts of your home life that should never be ignored. If you do, it could end up making your entire family unhappy, at the same time eventually costing you a lot of money. Those are two things that you don’t want, so you should prioritize maintenance to avoid those possible consequences. [Read more…]
3 Home Repairs To Make Before Selling
If you’re getting ready to put your home on the market soon, you’re likely already overwhelmed with the number of things you have to do before your home is ready to sell. But to truly get the best offer from selling your property, you’ll want to do at least a few maintenance tasks on your home to ensure that there’s nothing there to encourage a buyer to lowball you. [Read more…]
Home Improvements that Will Increase Your Home’s Value the Most
Home renovations cost money, money that could have gone to investments and your retirement account. But just because you’re spending money on renovations does not mean that you’re throwing it down the drain, because knowing which improvements to make could boost your home’s value significantly.
If you are planning on making home improvements but are unsure where to put your money, here are the top three areas of improvement that will give you most in terms of return of investment:
The Porcelain Tile Advantage
Homeowners are always trying to find the best and suitable materials they can use for home improvement. That is a natural recourse of wanting to have a home that provides maximized comfort and convenience to its owners. The choice of flooring material is one area of home building or home improvement that needs to be considered carefully because of the expanse of the space involved.
One type of flooring that has exhibited versatility in recent years is the porcelain tile. Although falling under the general category of ceramic, it is not exactly the same as ceramic tile. Many tend to interchange them and presume that they are one and the same. It is best therefore to know the difference to make sure that one gets to have what is expected.
The difference between the two lies mainly on hardness and porosity. Their similarity is founded on being both fired at high temperatures as manufactured by man. Porcelain tiles are considered more durable being noted as fit for use in areas that have medium to heavy traffic while ceramic tiles are deemed suitable for low traffic areas.
In any home building and home improvement efforts, homeowners always strive for those that will provide service for a considerable period of time if it is not possible to attain permanent ones. Flooring is expected to last long because it is probably the most used part of the house. Obviously, once cannot get from one area to another without walking on floors.
This is where durable housing materials such as porcelain tiles will prove to be an advantage. There are so many timeless designs available in the market that having them for decades will not affect the styling of the house. Some tiles may be chipped after long use so some home owners keep some spare tiles since it is quite possible that the design may have been discontinued. There is rarely a need to change an entire length of porcelain tiles unless there is a desire for new looks in the house.
Porcelain tiles are durable, attractive, and require low maintenance. These qualities fit modern living which does not afford time to be wasted. If one type of flooring is to be used throughout the house, the best option will be porcelain tiles since it can withstand relatively all kinds of conditions that usually prevail in a house. It can better accommodate accidental spills and heavy workload that is not easily accommodated by other floor types.
About the Guest Blogger
Melinda is an interior design student who is currently researching on possible floor materials including porcelain tiles.
De-Clutter Your Room
Yesterday, I spent most of the day re-arranging my bedroom. I moved cabinets and drawers. I got rid of a few tables, big and small. This is nothing new of course. In the family, I am known for trying to make something new out of my room. However, one major difference this time around is the fact that I moved my bed.
It’s amazing what a difference moving one piece of furniture can do to a room. Instantly, I have this huge space in the middle. I’m thinking of putting a carpet there, actually. I have also gotten rid of years and years’ worth of paper. All that time, I had stored them in some cabinet or drawer, vowing to one day sort them out.
You might be wondering why I’m telling you about all this. Well, aside from having a nicer room, I realize that my mind is also more organized. Now that I don’t have clutter hanging around in every nook and cranny, I can breathe easier and also think clearer. I am less stressed.
Here are two important tips on how to de-clutter your room.
* Have a plan
Sometimes, diving into such a big task (such as cleaning your room after a long time) can be daunting. Unless you have a concrete plan, you might end up not finishing what you started. All you’ll have is more mess than what you had to begin with.
* Do not wait until tomorrow what you can do today
Obviously, I procrastinated and procrastinated until kingdom come. And I ended up wearing myself thin with more than six bags filled with paper. While they’re good for recycling and selling at junk shops, I must have spent the better part of the day just going through the documents.
* The simpler the better
Incorporate the zen way of living. I found out that the more desks and drawers you have, the more you are tempted to just stack your things on or in them. Aside from gathering more dust, they just add complication to your life. I have to admit that I love collecting interesting stuff. But if you don’t have any room for them, take a pass card.