fbpx ...

The 6 Real Benefits of Creating Your Own Yard Gym

Many of us find sticking to a regular workout routine difficult. Unfortunately, the health risks of not exercising are too serious to ignore, as the chances of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes all increase significantly through lack of physical activity. Whilst many of us are aware of the health risks of not working out, only 23% of Americans get the recommended amount of exercise.

One of the reasons for this is the time and money required to visit the gym. And for some people, the long queues for equipment and self consciousness also make visiting the gym unpleasant. For anyone who has struggled to commit to a regular exercise routine and hates going to the gym, we recommend creating a yard gym at home. Many of us have a section of our yards that we don’t have any use for – whether it’s a patch of grass or a garage. This space is perfect for creating a yard gym!

Studies have shown that a home gym is 27% of people’s most desirable feature in their home. People are often put off by the cost of installing a home gym however the cost isn’t as huge as you might think. One of the best things about a home gym is that it’s personalized to your needs, which means you only need to invest in the equipment that you know you will use. It’s also a long term investment and much better value than a gym membership.

If you’re aspiring for a better and healthier you in 2019, a yard gym could be a great way to achieve this. In case we haven’t already convinced you, Prestige Lawns have created an infographic to show you 6 amazing benefits of having a yard gym on your property. Read on to find out more!

The 6 Real Benefits of Creating Your Own Yard Gym

Timber Shed Care Guide (Infographic)

Timber sheds generally look more appealing to the eye than metallic alternatives, but one of the downsides of timber is the large degree of maintenance that it requires.

The durability of a timber shed depends not just on the material, but also on the degree to which you maintain it over time. If you treat it at least once every year, there’s a very good chance that the shed will last for a decade or more and will represent an excellent long-term investment. If you neglect to care for it, though, it could decay rather quickly, especially if weather conditions are often harsh where you live.

The most crucial aspect to good shed care is to treat it annually, ideally with a shed preserver or exterior wood oil. Once that is done, check to see how well (or if) the windows are sealed. If you notice dampness around a window, it’s vital to get it sealed as a matter of urgency. You also need to ensure that there isn’t anything touching off the shed which could diminish its quality – leaves from overhanging trees could transmit a lot of dampness on the structure. If you wish to paint the shed in the color of your choice, the coat of paint will also help to protect the timber whole giving your shed a distinctive, personalized look.

The guys at Crowe Sawmills in Ireland produced an infographic on how to care for a timber shed, going through the steps required and including some useful tips. With winter on its way, now is the time to treat your timber if you haven’t done so already.

timber-shed-care-guide

How To Make Your Windows Stand Out – Infographic

Are you looking for ways to improve the appearance of your windows? There are many ways in which you can achieve drastic results and gain great looking windows.

Your windows are a massive investment into your home and they are often left undressed and bare. Adding even some colour to your frames can make the world of difference. Like many home renovation tasks, there are costly and cheap ways of going about it.

Plants are a natural and cost effective way to liven up your window space. It’s environmentally friendly and they will even clean the air within the house for you! If you’re looking for something with less maintenance then you can add some bold curtains or coloured blinds to lighten up your windows.

Window stickers are a great way to add design to your windows and good for distracting prying eyes that try to look into your home. We often only think of window stickers when it’s Christmas time but they are becoming increasingly popular as their design has become more sleek and modern.

There are bigger tasks like adding a window seat that can add a really cosy feeling to your room, but if you’re looking for a quick fix then this may not be the option for you.

Whatever you’re looking for, the infographic below will guide you through many inspirations that you can start using today!

How To Make Your Windows Stand Out - Infographic

 

The Scandinavian Secrets to Keeping Cosy – Infographic

Scandinavian ideas to decorate the homes have been ruling the Interior Décor world for a while now. There won’t be a single person on the planet who might not have heard the terms like Lagom and Hygge.

And it is no wonder that the simple, yet classy Nordic ways are so admired and followed worldwide. Scandinavian lifestyle ensembles as simple as white or light-coloured walls, cosy warm rugs, and the addition of few decor elements to combat the chilly winters in a chic way.

Here is an Infographic by Insulation Express, consisting the snapshots and ideas from each Nordic country to help you style your home the snug Scandinavian way. It’s amazing how the assorted colour palette on the walls simply translates and reflects the characteristics of the respective region.

 

The Scandinavian Secrets to Keeping Cosy by Insulation Express.

10 Handy Woodworking Hacks – Infographic

There are few things DIY enthusiasts love more than finding out new and clever ways to make projects easier to create, or ‘hacks’ as they are usually called. Once an innovative shortcut has been discovered, and if it is trialled successfully, it’s very likely that you will swear by it going forward.

We came across this info graphic from Crowe Sawmills  which details 10 hacks that could work brilliantly for woodworking projects. These involve simple substitutions, original ways of using an assortment of items or a clever combination of items to form a very handy tool. One such example is known as a notched square blade, where you take a regular trisquare and file a notch at the end of it for holding a pencil in place. You then slide the trisquare along the edge of a piece of wood to draw a perfectly straight line. It seems like such a simple concept but the vision to spot this and create a workable solution is remarkable.

Other woodworking hacks are considerably simpler, with regular household items performing a basic yet clever task. For example, a clothes pin can be used for holding a nail in place when hammering it into a wall, sparing you from gripping it carefully with your thumb and forefinger. Similarly, if you have a comb lying around the place, you can use it to store nails upright, making them much easier to grab than if they were lying on their side in a crowded toolbox.

Check out plenty of other clever woodworking hacks in the infographic below.

10-handy-woodworking-hacks-infographic

24 Ways You Can Add Value To Your Property – Infographic

At Modern Garden Rooms we don’t believe adding value to your home has to be a costly ordeal. We’ve come up with 24 unique ways you can add value to your own property, and help you climb the property ladder yourself.

Each tip contains an estimated percentage of how much your property value would increase by if you implemented our tips. This way you can find the right home improvement method to suit your budget. You might be asking yourself if you really need a full kitchen refurb or a new conservatory – and whilst these are great ways of adding value to your home, you might only need a lick of paint and some new light switches to raise your property value to your intended amount!

24-Ways-You-Can-Add-Value-To-Your-Property

 

How to Predict a Housing Bubble – Infographic

A housing bubble is created due to an upturn in housing prices caused by increased demand, speculation and exuberance. However, when this demand eventually subsides, house prices take a sharp downturn.

There are 5 parts to a housing bubble. Displacement is when the demand for property increases due to limited supply, fuelled by low interest rates and more borrowers entering the market. This leads to the eventually boom, when the market begins to inflate as consumer confidence grows, but supply is still slow to increase. Euphoria follows, when house prices begin to skyrocket, and more investment is made into the marketplace and supply gradually increases. The investors take their profit as they heed the warning signs that the bubble may be about to burst. This in turn starts the final stage of the housing bubble – the panic. Housing prices take a huge downturn as demand stagnates because of above average house prices and interest rate rises. The bubble bursts.

We can look at history to work out where we are in the bubble and try to make a prediction as to how the bubble will react to certain events in the market. Over the last 40 years in the UK housing market, there have been two booms and three busts and a lot of fluctuation in between. We can look at these market trends to determine what will happen next. On average, a housing boom tends to last around 8 years.

Warning signs that the housing bubble is about to burst includes rising interest rates, changing lending criteria meaning its harder for people to get cash for a mortgage, decreasing demand. Also, if the average house price is rising faster than your salary, this is one of the biggest signs that we are currently in a housing bubble.

How to Predict a Housing Bubble by Rubber Bond.

How to Turn House Cleaning Into a Workout!

No one likes cleaning their home but it’s something that simply has to be done. This infographic from HappyCleans takes you through how you can make cleaning more productive by thinking of it as a workout and it can be easy to forget that cleaning is a bit of a gym workout. For example, hoovering burns around 153 calories every hour so you’re certainly not wasting your time. If you want to give the car a thorough cleaning you will burn 234 calories in an hour.

This infographic might be the motivation you need to clean the house a bit more often as it also helps to get you fit. If you only have 30 minutes even loading the dishwasher will rid you of 105 calories.

You can also turn tasks into a workout and do lunges while you’re vacuuming and even strap on light weights to your wrists while you’re dusting to tone your arms and make them stronger. Read the full infographic now for more tips.

Home Insurance infographic

If you’re in the process of buying your first home, one thing that’s certain is that you have a lot of questions. What color should you paint the living room? Do you have enough money to put a patio in the backyard? How soon can you pay off the mortgage? But you may not be thinking about all of the questions there are to answer about your homeowners insurance. Given that about one in every 15 insured homes has a claim each year, it’s too risky to go without insurance — and your mortgage lender wouldn’t allow it. One of the biggest questions about homeowners insurance is, “How much can I expect to pay to insure and protect my home?” The quick and easy answer is that it depends, but the good news is that you have some say in how much you pay for your homeowners insurance.

For example, your new home’s location in relation to certain critical services or geographical features can impact your insurance rates. Living closer to a fire station may bring your rates down, for example. On the other hand, living closer to a body of water may raise them due to the increased risk of flooding.

Any and all features you add to your new home can affect your insurance rates. Swimming pools, hot tubs, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces all have the potential to increase your risk of liability — and your rates as a result. Any remodeling work you do after you move in is likely to affect the value of your home and potentially raise your insurance costs, but adding a new roof may lower them. Of course, doing nothing when your home requires extensive repair work can raise your rates, too. New homeowners also should be aware that their insurance rates may be affected by their history, including credit scores and any previous insurance claims.

If you have questions about how your insurance rates for your new home may be affected by various factors, consult the accompanying guide. It details how your past actions and certain aspects about your new home can influence your premiums.

 

Home Insurance Checklist created by Bloomington Relocation Systems

Copyright © 2024 | Bruzzese Home Improvements | All Right Reserved | Web Design & Development by QualityMust