When you have a party for your family and friends, there are a few things that you want to make sure that you have to offer. These essentials include food that your guests will enjoy, decorations to add a bit of style and color to the event and even a few games that will keep the party rolling along. Before the day of the party, you need to make a list of all of the things that you’re going to need for an ultimate celebration so that you’re prepared when you go shopping and when your guests arrive.
Lighting
Your guests will need to be able to see while they are outside. There are a few options when thinking about the lighting. You could use citronella candles that will provide ambient light and that will keep pests away. Commercial lights are also an idea as they are often brighter than a typical light source. You can hang the lights along the edges of a tent that you put on the back porch or a tent that you put in the center of the yard along with tables and chairs. Solar lights are another option. They can charge during the day, lighting up at night so that you don’t have to worry about using electricity.
Just Keep Swimming
One of the fun things that you can offer to your guests is a place to swim or at least a place to enjoy some kind of water. An above-ground pool is an idea, and it will provide hours of entertainment for the family even after the party. You can also install a hot tub in the backyard for guests to enjoy. Work with professionals, like those at The Hot Tub Store, to ensure you pick out the best hot tub for your needs and home. Add a few candles that float on the water and music to create a relaxing and fun environment for your backyard bash.
Something To Watch
Give guests a way to watch movies with a projector that is set up on a table that displays on the side of the house or a large screen that you set up outside. If you don’t have a screen, then use large pieces of white paper that are secured to a flat surface outside. You can have a movie night with snacks and comfortable seating.
Your backyard bash should be an event that is remembered for the rest of the year. Make sure there is plenty of entertainment and food to enjoy. Try to offer something that you normally don’t see at events in the neighborhood so that your event stands out.
If we have been living in the same space for a long time, it can get pretty dull and leave us wanting a change. More than that, our needs change over time, and our space should adapt with us to accommodate those needs. But how do we know what changes will make our lives better, and how do we make our place new and shiny without emptying our savings accounts? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and the situation differs from one person to the next, but there are some guidelines that everyone can follow to make sure they’re on the right path.
Differentiate between needs and wants
A lot of us want to live in a different home, whether it be bigger, brighter or cozier. But unfortunately, we can’t always get exactly what we want to have, which is why it is important to realize what you need first. You might want an extra guest room, because you don’t want your in-laws to be sleeping on the couch when they come for a visit, but in reality what you need for a better functioning everyday life is an extra bathroom. Making this separation between the wants and the needs is crucial to handling your budget – and your space – the right way. For example, quality granny flats in Australia are gaining more and more popularity, and the extra space might simply need to take precedence over an in-ground pool. Your needs should be the priorities, and your wishes should be given whatever is left over once the needs are taken care of.
Learn some new skills
For many things, you might need expert help, but not all things have to be done professionally and many of the basic renovation jobs can be learned pretty fast. The first thing you can always do alone is paint your own walls. Watch several tutorials online or ask a friend who has done it before and just go for it. It’s not nearly as hard as it looks, and with just a few tricks up your sleeves, you will be done in no time. You can do other things too like installing shelves, doors and appliances, and with today’s tools, resources and just a little bit of knowledge; you can lay down your own floors as well. Doing things on your own might take some precious time off your hands, but it will be greatly cheaper and you will be able to do it exactly how you’d like.
Know when to call the professionals
Doing some – or even most – of the work yourself can be very cost efficient as well as fulfilling, but sometimes there are just things that you can’t handle on your own. When the moment comes when the result is not only a matter of aesthetics and comfort, but actual functionality and safety, you should leave it up to someone who is an expert in the field. Basically, for anything that has to do with electricity, plumbing or the structure of the house, you will want to hire someone to do it. Messing with it on your own can have consequences, either instant or further down the line, and that is the risk you are not willing to take. It might burn your wallet to pay someone to do some “basic” roof repairs, but if you went up there and did it yourself, the damage that would come from the leaks if you got it wrong would be a lot greater than the cost right now. Very often, if you offer one team to do your entire home, they will offer you some discounts, so it might be worth searching for someone who has a team with a wide range of capabilities.
In the end, our homes are some of the most important things we have, and we should do everything in our power to make them safe and comfortable. Remember to always check which repairs and renovations you could do on your own, but be ready to take a step back and let the professionals take over if anything goes wrong. If you are hiring someone to do the job for you, make sure you are constantly checking on what is being done so that you are sure your home will be exactly how you dreamed.
Today, rugs come in many different materials, colors, patterns and textures and finding the perfect one for your home can be exhausting. The task can be even harder if you’re looking for a rug that can withstand your active kids and a lot of traffic in general. It’s not easy to find a durable and easy-to-clean rug that will go well with your living room décor or look good in the kids’ bedroom. If you really don’t know where to start with your search, here’s a little guide that can help you choose a perfect rug for your busy household. Take a look.
Jute, sisal or seagrass
These natural material rugs are a great choice for every family and busy home. Because they are made of natural fibers, they can be a little costly, but if durability is your main criterion, this is the rug for you. They can withstand any kind of liquid spills and even brushing the stains out with a bristle brush. Before, they used to be available only in the shades of beige, but today you can get them in many patterns and colors, such as blue and gray. Truth be told, these rugs are not completely appropriate for rooms like nurseries or children’s bedrooms because they can be a little rough on gentle feet, but they are just perfect for a den or a sunroom.
Carpet tiles
These types of rugs are very practical because you can easily replace tiles that are worn-out or damaged, which makes them perfect for busy households. You can find tiles in different sizes and prices depending on the material. They best thing about the carpet tiles is that you can combine them the way you wish and create intricate designs. This can be very useful if you want to mask dirt or create some unique patterns.
Wool
Even though they can be costly, wool rugs are probably the best choice for any family. They are not only durable and soft to the touch, but are also available in many colors and patterns. If you’re ready to invest in a high-quality wool rug, you can be sure it will last you for more than 10 years (unlike synthetic rugs that will look their best only for two or three years after the purchase). Wool is easily cleaned and very moisture-resistant, making it the best choice for busy areas. Wool is also very soft and if you want to invest in gentle and durable kids floor rugs, wool is the way to go.
Cotton
Cotton rugs such as flat-weaves can easily be found at an affordable price. Also, they are relatively easy to clean. Most are machine washable or you can scrub the stains with some soap and a brush. Their biggest advantage is that they are soft and gentle, which makes them a great choice for nurseries and kids’ bedrooms. They are also perfect if you want to add a splash of color to your space, since they come in vibrant tones and many interesting designs.
Indoor-outdoor rugs
This type of rugs is great if you want to decorate your sunroom or a patio. They can also be a good option for rooms that are very busy and are exposed to a lot of wear and tear. They are usually made of durable synthetic materials like nylon, polypropylene or polyester, so if you don’t mind it, they will be a perfect match for your home. They are also easy to clean, come in many vibrant colors and patterns. Besides, they are more than affordable.
Now that you are familiar with different rug types and materials, you can choose the best one for your busy household and enjoy it for many years to come.
When you have new additions in the home, your infants, then there are certain arrangements to be made not just in daily habits but also in the things used at home.
Coming to the changes in the bedroom, the best addition or a change for a family can be the inclusion of a trundle bed. It is true that not all homes are spacious, and this can be a troublesome situation. Well, there is no need to worry as you can get a single trundle bed for your child.
Having a trundle bed can help in organizing things in the little space. In addition to this, your infant’s or child’s stuff can be easily stored in the bed. Also, the kids can comfortably play around and sleep on the bed.
These beds are even stylish and can be rolled inside when there is no use of it. Besides the practicality and look, a family can gain many benefits with the trundle beds.
Benefits of a trundle bed you should know
Let us check out some of the advantages that a single trundle bed can offer, go through the following.
Additional space: This is the most common benefit of trundles, you can open them during nights or when the child is sleeping and can keep it inside when it is not required. It is actually a smart idea to include such a bed in the family and save good amount of space. A trundle bed is especially helpful for small apartments, where you need to go for maximum utilization of space. In addition, it is a unique furniture which can impress the guests coming to your home.
Bonding between kids: If you have twins or two children, then having a trundle bed can make their bonding stronger. How? Well, they can play together, sleep together and spend quality time with each other. The daily communication will enhance their love, which can be felt for many more years to come.
Storage section: Instead of getting extra furniture for storing the kids’ stuff, you can do it in a trundle. It can be a best place to store books, toys, games and other things. There are drawers in the trundle, which makes a great convenience for families with small homes. Moreover, you can also make additional drawers in case you want to customize the design of the trundle bed. Just suggest the required designs and layout to the carpenter, and you can use the bed for more space.
Price: Well, it can be a surprise for you to read that these trundle beds are reasonably priced. You need not pay for two beds, instead get just one trundle bed and make your expense half. There are different varieties of such trundle beds available in the market; you can choose any based on your requirements and of course your budget.
Sharing: Kids should be taught all good things right from their young age. With trundle beds they can eventually learn the act of sharing and caring each other. There will be nothing like yours or mine, everything will be together.
If you think that the benefits above mentioned are right, then you should not wait for long and purchase the right kind of trundle bed for your kids right away.
You can find many options in the market under the umbrella of a trundle bed. Some of the popular ones include trundle with drawers, mega trundle, classic trundle, and twin trundle. So, think about all the considerations of your kids and home, and get the perfect furniture for your little bundles of joy. Have a great time shopping for kids.
The weather is warming up outside, which means that insects and other creepy crawlers will be coming out of hibernation soon. And they are all going to be looking for places to provide them with food, water, and shelter. So houses all over the country will become rapidly infested with them if they aren’t prepared. Luckily, when this happens, there are three ways to eliminate the pests quickly and safely.
Store Food Properly
Proper food storage habits will help keep pests at bay by making the place unappealing to them. All food must be put away in containers that seal shut. And nothing should ever be left out at night that they could snack on. That means, dirty dishes and leftovers all have to be cleaned up before heading to bed.
Keep Things Dry
Most pests can’t endure hot, dry conditions because they need a steady supply of water to drink. So naturally, they tend to congregate around areas that are damp and wet. That is why one of the easiest ways to deter them is to remove as much moisture as possible in the house. This can be done by fixing all of the drips and leaks and removing any sources of water that might be tempting to them. All the sinks in the house should be towel dried in between use. And water dishes for the pets have to be put away at night too.
Remove Trash and Clean
According to Allrid Pest Management, homes with an excess amount of trash and debris make the perfect environment for pests to live in. And the pests will end up spreading to all of the surrounding houses, which perpetuates the problem. That means, even if someone has an immaculate house, they can still end up getting an infestation of pests because they have a dirty neighbor. So the best thing to do in this situation is to report the problematic house to the local authorities to ensure that it gets cleaned up quickly. Then, the neighbors who live in the vicinity need to have their houses treated as well.
Everyone needs to participate in these pest-deterring procedures for them to be effective. That way, the sources of food, water, and shelter are all taken away, which makes the area uninhabitable for the creepy crawlers. But remember, those who already have a severe infestation may need to call in a professional pest control company if these procedures aren’t enough.
You might think that improving your home’s energy efficiency requires a significant investment in new high-tech windows, solar panels for your roof or even overhauling your HVAC system. Although it’s true that making any of those big investments can have a significant impact on your home’s energy consumption, little changes can make just as much of a difference. For example, it’s estimated that the United States spends more than $300 billion a year on energy that is wasted because of drafty doors and windows. A few nickels’ worth of caulk might be all that’s needed to solve the problem for your home. There are countless issues around your home that could be costing you a lot on your energy bill when taken all together, and many of them can be easy to fix.
Checking on all of these potential trouble spots on a regular basis can make a huge difference on your energy bills. You can and should hire a professional to perform a home energy audit every so often. However, you also can perform a do-it-yourself energy audit on a regular basis to catch many of the most common and easily fixed issues before they require professional intervention. Yet with so many potential trouble spots in your home that require attention, it can be easy to overlook some of them. The following checklist details some of the most common areas where energy efficiency can be improved around the home. Following it can help you perform a DIY home energy audit and ultimately result in major savings on your energy bill.
For many people, the kitchen is right at the heart of the home. It’s where we not only cook, but often where we share meals together around the table, where we bake sweet treats with the children and where we relax with a cup of coffee after a hard day at work.
It’s no surprise that renovating the kitchen can add value to your home and also add value to your daily lives, as one of your most used rooms is now even better.
What could improve it even more than your renovation? How about some new appliances? These five appliances will look great and they are also practical, so you don’t even need to feel guilty about splurging on them!
1. Steamer
A steamer is a fast and efficient way to cook vegetables, most starches, chicken and fish. Not only does the food taste fantastic when it has been steamed, but it also withholds so many more nutrients than food boiled or roasted does.
It’s so convenient to be able to add your protein, starch and sides to the same cooking appliance and it will save you on the dreaded washing up because you won’t have a lot of pans to wash.
2. Coffee Machine
A coffee machine is a great way to enjoy your favourite barista style coffee at home. The smell of freshly brewing coffee will make your kitchen seem even more homely and comforting, and you will save a lot of money by not having to visit your favourite coffee shop for good coffee. It’s so convenient to just be able to go to the kitchen and pour yourself a cup.
You can choose to grind your own beans for a really authentic experience, or for a simpler way, choose a pod style coffee maker.
3. A George Foreman Grill
A George Foreman Grill is another really quick and convenient way to cook food, especially meat. It gives your meat that lovely smoky, almost barbecued taste.
It also works to draw the fat out of your meat and make it more friendly on your health and waistline. Rather than the fat running out and then being reabsorbed into the meat, with a George Foreman Grill, the fat runs away and is collected in a tray for disposal.
4. A Nutribullet Juicer
A Nutribullet juicer is an essential for any health conscious family. The perfect way to make delicious, nutritious juice, the Nutribullet can break down even the toughest of fruits and vegetables to make you a great tasting and healthy juice.
This is a particularly good appliance for anyone with children who don’t want to eat their five a day – most children will drink the juice because of its sweet taste and appealing colour.
And let’s be honest – it looks pretty snazzy on your counter top too!
5. Electric Spiralizer
No modern kitchen is complete without a spiralizer. A spiralizer is used to cut vegetables into pasta like ribbons that can then be used to replace spaghetti or tagliatelli pasta in your favourite Bolognese and carbonara dishes.
The perfect solution to making a family favourite quicker and healthier. As one of the most recent trends in healthy eating, many modern recipes call for spiralized vegetables so don’t worry that you won’t know what to do with it!
That’s it – our top five recommendations for five appliances that every family needs to have in their newly renovated kitchen. All of the appliances we’ve chosen will save you time. Some will also save you money and effort too. And they will even help to ensure that you and your family are eating and drinking more healthily too!
If you own a piece of rustic antique furniture, you might be faced with a dilemma as it ages. The piece will likely need repair as it gets older, but you may be hesitant to perform needed repairs for fear of ruining its authentic charm. Luckily, there are several ways you can make small repairs without making a piece look too modern. Here are four easy ways to update antique furniture without ruining its rustic charm.
Refinish the Piece
As a piece of furniture is used decade after decade, it will often become dirty and faded. If you want to restore it to some of its former glory, you can refinish it by sanding it down slightly and using a stain to match its original color. Be sure, however, to select the stain you’re going to use on it in advance so that you can compare it to the piece’s original coloration. Generally, with older furniture, you’ll be looking for a darker-colored stain.
Polish Hardware
If your piece of antique furniture is a desk or a cabinet with door and drawers, it will have handle hardware on it. Generally, this hardware will be made out of brass or some other shiny metal. If you want to make the piece of furniture look a little better, you can simply polish this hardware using a light metal polish. Doing so will remove any fading that has occurred over the years and make your furniture’s hardware stand out again.
Add Period-Authentic Nails for Support
Some pieces of furniture will begin to fall apart over time. If this is the problem you’re having, don’t give up hope just yet. You can get period-authentic nails, such as those from The Rustic Express that will lend structural support to your piece without looking out of place. Be sure to match the nails you use to the ones that were used to put the piece of furniture together originally.
Replace Rotten Wood
Once in a while, you may run across a piece of rustic furniture that has been left in poor conditions, such as in a barn, for far too many years. If a piece of wood is rotten, you may be able to replace it. Be aware, however, that you’ll need to find a proper cut of aged wood that matches your furniture. Look through salvage websites, as these will often have older pieces of reclaimed wood that you can use to repair your piece of antique furniture. Whatever you do, don’t use a piece of modern wood, as it will stick out like a sore thumb on an older piece.
Upgrading older furniture is an art, but if you’re patient and willing to put in a little work, you can do it. Make sure you are paying close attention to detail and matching up anything new you do to the original look and feel of your antique furniture piece.
“Where in the world did I put that blender?” you ask no one in particular, releasing a frustrated sigh as pots and pans tumble from the cupboard. It’s just another day in your kitchen, and you swear up and down the clutter has had its last run of things.
You donate or gift those extra appliances and dishes to others who may need them. You sell the bulky furniture taking up precious square footage. When you finally break up with the kitchen clutter, it’s relieving, but at the same time, you don’t want to re-clutter when you redecorate. How do you accessorize the kitchen without inviting clutter back in?
Take the Cabinet Doors Off
That’s right. Let your lack of clutter be visible for all to see. Open cabinets allow you to display dishes in a colorful, organized and attractive way, and you’ll be less likely to leave the space cluttered. You could also paint the cabinet shelving in different colors for various uses.
More fragile items may be stored in a china cabinet or in a few cabinets that you leave with their doors on. Encourage the simple look of an open pantry and cabinet space, where ingredients and appliances are easily found. Live hinge free!
Hang Items You Use Frequently
Imagine it — easy access and style working together in your kitchen. Copper pots hang rustically over the stove or kitchen island. Knives are stored in their wooden block, or on a magnetic rack for those without little ones.
Dried herbs dangle from hemp string over your kitchen window, near the test tube spice rack you built yourself. Olive oil and other frequently used cooking ingredients are displayed in refillable glass bottles or jars, clearly labeled.
By hanging items you use frequently, you gain more open counter and cabinet space. The items are quickly accessible and add a rustic charm to a clearly loved and well-used kitchen.
Add a Rug for Comfort and Color
Barefoot wanderings into the kitchen late at night leave you with cold feet and stubbed pinky toes. Add an area rug to your kitchen to avoid late night scrapes and let you enjoy your guilty pleasure snacks in peace.
Humor aside, an area rug contributes comfort and style to your kitchen, blending in well with modern and minimalist design. It won’t add clutter or take up space in the home. A rug adds a pop of color and pattern to a typically tiled space with metallic kitchen appliances.
Include a Decorative Tile Backsplash
While you’re wondering if those potatoes will ever boil in your lifetime, why not look at something more interesting than a blank wall or calendar?
A tile backsplash is another way to add a geometric pop of color to your kitchen. Work with a contractor for this easy remodeling project. A colorful mosaic made from old plates and other items in the home is another creative idea for a tile backsplash. Many people place these over their stove, but tile backsplashes work well nearly anywhere.
Work Off a Clean Canvas and Color Palette
Think of your kitchen as a blank canvas. Many artists add a neutral, cool or warm tone to their canvas to set in the mood and get a sense of the color range to be used. What tone will you choose for your kitchen to work off of when it comes to accessorizing the rest of the space?
Keep your initial color palette clean. Many minimalist kitchens are painted in gray and white tones, and add in the romance of the silver screen later when it comes to appliances, tile choices and other decor. This creates a neutral and yet instantly chic space to decorate.
Go Without Blinds or Curtains
Blinds keep out strong light and maintain privacy, while curtains add personality and flair. What if you did without the blinds or curtains, at least in one window? Bare windows keeps with the idea of minimalism and make the space more inviting.
Imagine walking into the kitchen to enjoy a beautiful view or the morning sun streaming in unfiltered, or as the light creates patterns on the countertop through white lace.
Now that you’ve gotten rid of the clutter, you want to keep it that way when accessorizing. Focus on function at first, hanging pots, displaying knives on a magnetic rack or building a creative spice rack to place nearby as you cook. Rugs, decorative tile and classically clean paint choices maintain a minimalist kitchen without the clutter, while including just enough color.
To stay clutter-free, consider this additional tip: For every new appliance you introduce to the kitchen, take one out. As you accessorize your kitchen, focus on how to display your use and love of the space, as meals are prepared and shared with loved ones.
Author Bio:
Kacey is a lifestyle blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.
No matter how well we take care of our home, from time to time we notice that it doesn’t look as nice and fresh as it did before. Going through a thorough renovation twice or even once a year may be the most effective way to keep your home in great condition, but it’s rather complicated and expensive to pull through. This is why there are simple but useful decorating tips which will allow you to freshen up your home’s look and not break the bank at the same time.
Switch out light fixtures
Do you know how to check if your light fixtures are right for your room? It’s simple – you don’t notice them. Light should vary from room to room, and the good light you need in your kitchen and bathroom would simply be too bright for your living room and bedroom. Even if you have perfect lighting, when was the last time you changes light fixtures? They should be functional, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be elegant, extravagant, vintage, or modern at the same time. You can change your own light fixtures and pick something more or less prominent. Sometimes, something as simple as a new lamp or even merely a lamp shade will be enough to make the entire room look different.
Rearrange your furniture
The simplest way to give your home ‘new’ look without necessarily going off and buying new things, you can rearrange the furniture. This goes for any room in the house – dining room, living room, and bedroom. Move the shelf from one wall to another, place a lamp in another corner, turn the couch so that it faces the window, and place the coffee table between the armchairs. You can also get some custom made curtains from experts in Perth, to transform the room’s look with style. Even the simplest things will result in different atmosphere, and you will feel like you’ve stepped into another home.
Get a new rug
Carpets and rugs anchor the room, and it’s important you choose them wisely. Having your old rugs and carpets cleaned is a lot of work, and even when you take care of them, they get shabby, especially if they’re in a place that has a lot of foot traffic such as hallway or a living room. Getting a new rug in to any room is an easy and effective way to bring in more texture and colour. Make sure you pick the right size – you want to keep your feet on the rug when you get off the bed, and in your living room it’s not necessary for the rug to cover the entire floor, but it should be big enough so that the front legs of the furniture are on it.
Get nature in
You would be surprised to discover how much better your home would look if you just bring in a couple of fresh plants and place them in a corner or on a coffee table in your living room. Plastic plants may do the trick too, but they are never going to look as good as ‘the real thing’. If you’re worried about not being able to take care of a lot of plants, start by planting a couple of succulents and cacti in a bigger flower pot and trying to take care of them. These plants are very resilient and they’ll look great on your shelves.
Paint the place
Painting the walls a new colour is a great way to freshen up your home. Choosing lighter colours can also result in making the space appear more spacious than it already is. On the other hand, you can also try painting a single wall with bold colour that differs from the rest of the house completely. If you were hoping to paint the entire house, you should contact exterior and roof painting experts. This way the job will be done quickly and there will be less mess to clean up afterwards.
Toss pillows
Unlike updating your walls and floors, updating your toss pillows doesn’t have to be neither complicated nor expensive, and what is best – you can do it yourself in a single afternoon. Just go ahead and buy some crazy materials, the more colourful the better, and make new pillowcases. You can even use something unexpected like your old tees and bed covers to get great new pillowcases. Geometric and floral prints, even sequins, and fax fur are all great choices for accent toss pillows in your living room.
Spring is the perfect time for redecorating because we are easily inspired by nature waking up and the warmth of the sun. Your wardrobe is changing, so why not your home too? Look for inspiration everywhere, because it is usually found in the unlikeliest of places. Make bright colours, fresh plants, and light, flowy fabrics essential parts of your interior décor and transform your home into a cheery, bright space.
Guest Post By:
Author bio: Steven Clarke is a business consultant and a DIY enthusiast. In his spare time, he likes to write about his ideas and share them with the world. Steven is a regular contributor to several websites.
