This is a salad dressing that you may find addicting.  Again, I warn you, you may find it addicting.  It’s actually a recipe from a local restaurant that my Grandpa used to go to all the time; they then sold the recipe to another local restaurant and we ended up with it.  I LOVE to have this on Taco Salad or even just a plain ol’ salad will do!  It will actually make you want to eat your veggies.  This recipe makes like 3/4 of a gallon and you’ll be glad to know that you don’t need a lot on your salad.  A little goes a long way!  ENJOY!  :)

Ingredients:

• 5 c sugar
• 16 oz very hot water
• 1.5 c ketchup
• 4 oz apple cider vinegar
• 1.75 c vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic salt

Directions:

• Add sugar and hot water to a large bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Add the rest of ingredients; mix well.
• Dump dressing into a large container and refrigerate.

We’re well into January, and all of the New Year’s Eve parties and office parties have died down enough for everyone to focus on more serious matters. However, the start of a new year often leads to feelings of newness and this translates to the home, as well. Perhaps the decor you currently have is beginning to look just a bit drab and you’re just not feeling as inspired as you used to.

The desire to decorate may be strong, but if the winter shopping sprees have left your pockets empty and your wallet as thin as a piece of paper, it’s time to come up with some inexpensive, practical solutions for restyling your home. Feel like it’s impossible? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Accessorize.

 Image Courtesy of ShutterStock

You probably own the same cabinets, armories and end tables you did some years ago. And you’re probably a bit frustrated with some of them. Buying new ones is expensive and irrealistic, so think of changing what you already have.

Cabinet hardware is a good place to start as it offers many possibilities. Knobs and pulls are available not only in dedicated stores (boring!), but also in alternative home decorating shops, in vintage boutiques and markets and online. You can find interesting, unique pieces at really small prices if you look for them in the right places — think mother of pearl, granite, colored glass, wood and get creative.

The dreaded DIY.

If you haven’t found anything that you like (although, with the internet, that’s virtually impossible), think of making your own art. Is that too scary? Is it impossible? We think not. Everybody is an artist at heart and making your own art guarantees that the house looks like you. You don’t necessarily have to be a painter. You can even take a selection of your favorite pictures and frame them — your dog, your holiday in Puerto Rico, a strange bird at sunset, all of these can make great conversation starters. Use different colors of frames to accentuate the colors in the pictures and don’t just go for one, lonely image. Go big or go (stay at) home.

From cold to warm.

In a cold room, bring in a cluster of candles and light them up when it gets dark. These can have a double effect — they can warm it up visually and bring a new scent to the room. This is a perfect winter idea and it’s budget oriented, as candles bought in packs are cheaper than the individually bought ones.

An impersonal bedroom can instantly liven up by the power of plants. Many of them are easy to buy and care for and it’s almost like getting a pet, without the tiring responsibilities.

Art it up!

Image courtesy of Flickr.com

If your walls are historically and traditionally empty and bare, bringing a bit of art in your life can make a dramatic change. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for a signed, limited print of some contemporary artist to make your house look lively and interesting. Often, regular prints can be quite cheap, and frames, which make everything look at least a million times better, are also a budget buy.

Paint is your friend.

Image courtesy of Flickr.com

Repainting the entire house is a major project and it’s never on the cheap side. The whole package comes with moving heavy furniture, scratching your vintage piano and discovering things you forgot existed under the bed. But we’re not going to talk about that. We’re going to talk about one room. That room that you feel is missing something. It might not be a $2000 armoire, it might just be a new color. Listen to this: it might just be one wall in a new color.

Paint is a wonderful way of making a room seem new. If you’re only doing one wall or one single room, you can be more daring with it. Think of trendy colors, or otherwise turn to what appeals to you most.

Subtle changes.

Image courtesy of Flickr.com

You don’t need big changes. The subtle ones are good too. If you’re a lamp person and you have two, three, five in the same room, think of changing the shades. Try light blue if you were a wheat person for two years. Or go for print. Even better, change shapes. All your lamps are perfectly boring? Go for the star shaped or strange organic shades. Your room’s dynamic will completely modify and you’ll get a better sense of what else the room needs.

There’s nothing wrong with small changes around the house. Change, although scary at times,  is a good thing, no matter how small the change may be. Happy Decorating!

Tara Heath is a freelance writer who lives in Southern California. When she isn’t writing she loves to find new healthy recipes, craft and travel with her boyfriend. 

Hello again! I recently posted on my own blog about how much my family enjoyed Disney’s Frozen. If you haven’t seen the movie, I think it’s at least worth renting and watching. Actually, we really enjoyed it and will probably buy it. I think it’s also worth mentioning that I’m the only girl in the household, so even boys (and husbands) can enjoy this movie.

My favorite character, and I think this goes for the rest of the house, too, is Olaf. He’s an adorable, quirky snowman very lacking in the brains department. I was inspired to create a coloring page (my first ever, yay!) in honor of Olaf and I hope to do this again in the future. Anyway, here is my Olaf coloring page, which you’re free to print and use or modify however you want.

(You can click on him for full size and right click and save. Or simply right click and print.)

There are two schools of thought when it comes to finding a place to settle and raise a family. Is it better to rent or buy? This is an argument  that will continue to rage until the end of time. It is an argument where the reasoning is purely a matter of opinion. Each side of the argument has its positive and negative points. Sometimes circumstances may dictate which path a person takes and, therefore, the decision is taken out of their hands, and they can relax and enjoy it, instead of worrying.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of renting versus buying.

Cost

• Renting – Renting a property has traditionally worked out cheaper than buying. At least for the first ten years anyway while mortgage repayments are stretching budgets to the limit. The rent is paid either weekly or monthly and will increase yearly. Rent will need to be paid while you live in the property, however, long that may be. If you live in the property for twenty years or more it is quite possible that the rent will be more than a mortgage would have been to buy it.
• Buying – Buying a property is an expensive undertaking. The deposit alone is likely to run into tens of thousands of pounds. This is followed by high mortgage payments that are a strain on finances for many years to come. Buyers often stretch themselves to the limit and then wait for wages to rise and ease the burden of the repayments. This can take ten years or more and is often a hard period to endure. So, if you were on an average income, would you jump on the property ladder using opportunities provided by first time builders?  If you visit homestart, you will get an idea of what is potentially available to you. Many people on average income decide to rent instead.

Investment

• Renting – When renting a property you have nothing invested in it. The investment belongs to the landlord. No matter how long you pay rent for, it will never belong to you.
• Buying – The house is yours as long as you keep up payments on it until the end of the agreement. House prices continue to rise, so even though your mortgage payments stay the same, and you are still struggling; you are, in fact, better off as time passes.

Upgrades

• Renting – The house does not belong to you. You cannot make any changes without the landlords permission, and you will never benefit from money invested in alterations, even if it increases the value of the property. This applies to the garden too. We are a nation of garden lovers, but all the work you do in the garden is ultimately for the benefit of someone else.
• Buying – When you own the property, you have the freedom to do what you want with it. The garden can be landscaped; the loft converted to extra bedroom; the kitchen and bathroom refitted; all of these things are for your benefit. If the value of the house increases because of these upgrades, it is you who will benefit from it.

Freedom

• Renting – Though a lease may insist on a period where notice must be given, people who rent are free to move from place to place as they wish. Staying in one place and putting down roots for the foreseeable future isn’t in some people’s nature, so renting is ideal for them. When the house is initially rented, a deposit will have been required. When they leave, and providing the house is in good order, they will get that deposit back. This can then be used to secure the property they are moving to.
• Buying – When the property has been bought, moving is often a complicated, long drawn out, and expensive job. It involves solicitors, changes to mortgages, and all other manner of headaches. It is often cited as one of the most stressful activities that anyone can undertake. The existing home will need to be sold, and that can take months, if not years, before the new home can be bought. The move often relies on a chain of people all needing to sell their homes, buy new ones, and move at almost the same time. The chances of a house move running smoothly are pretty low when all of the things that can go wrong are considered.

Financial Commitment

• Renting – When renting a home there is little financial commitment to worry about. As long as the rent can be paid on time everything else is plain sailing.
• Buying – Once someone has signed on the dotted line, they are committed to years of financial responsibility and the implications are frightening. If fortunes change at any time during the life of the mortgage, the property could be repossessed. Therefore, house buyers are never really secure until the mortgage is completely paid off, and the deeds to the property are theirs. It is common for people to lose their homes in times of recession, and it is a heartbreaking experience. Often, people who have been through the process and finished in rented accomodation, say they will never risk buying a home again.

Maintenance Costs

• Renting – There are very few maintenance costs for a tenant to bear in a rented property. If they cause some accidental damage then it is only right that they fix it at their own expense. Maybe it will be stated in the lease that the interior decorating is the responsibility of the tenant too but that only goes as far as a lick of paint. Usually landlords prefer to do this work themselves anyway.
• Buying – If it breaks or wears out in a private home, it is up to the owner to fix it and bear the cost. This can run into thousands of pounds if there is damage caused by floods, for example, where there is no insurance in place. Properties need money spending on the regularly to keep them in good condition. These costs add up over time and are surprisingly high.

As you can see, there are benefits and drawbacks to both lifestyles. If you like to wander, renting is definitely for you. If you like to stay in one place, have a secure job, and want to leave something behind when you are gone, buying is the answer. After reading this, you will surely know what is right for you.

Photograph from flickr

This is a Sponsored post and I was compensated for it. 

Building your own home is not as difficult as you may think. Of course, if you intend to do the work yourself then you must have an in depth knowledge of building. That is not the subject of this article, we are going to investigate how anyone with organisational skills can design and build a home for less than it would cost to buy one. You will soon learn that delegation is an essential element of your job as project manager.

photo by Michael Coghlan

You must seek out talented contractors to complete their part of the build to a high standard. Here are some trades that you will need to employ.

• Bricklayers
• Roofers
• General Builders
• Plasterers
• Carpenters
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Gas Engineers

You will probably find that your main contractor will have contact details for lots of tradesmen that they use on a regular basis. Take heed of what they have to say; it could save you a lot of time and money.

The Design

The process of designing your new home is easy. Draw your plan on paper and keep making changes until it meets your requirements. If you fancy yourself as an artist, sketch a picture of the outside of the house, as you imagine it. Take your drawings to an architect who will produce detailed plans. The plans include everything you need to know about the construction of the house.

Services

When you buy some land and get planning permission from the local authority, you must contact the utility suppliers to provide services to your home. Talk to the electricity, water, and gas companies. You must see that all of the services are in place before constructing the foundation because you cannot disturb it afterward. The cost of bringing services in depends entirely on the location of the house. If Your house is a long way from where the services run, it is likely to be very expensive indeed. In the past, some companies have refused to provide services because of the immense financial outlay involved.

Materials

One of the most problematic areas of a self build project is arranging for materials to turn up at the right times. The company that has provided a mortgage for this build will only release it in blocks, when they are happy that the project is proceeding as it should. That makes it difficult to arrange deliveries well in advance. You can, however, ask the builders merchant to pencil in the dates that you think you will need materials.

The Build

You are not alone during the build, and your architect will advise you whenever you are unsure about something. Break the project into small parts to make it manageable. The sections are:

• Foundations. Excavate the foundations but do not pour any concrete until the building inspector from the council, inspects them. He will come along and measure the trenches to make sure that they are to the specified depth and width. It is not unheard of for them to attend and watch the concrete go into the trench. That is the only way he can be sure that it wasn’t partially backfilled beforehand. Make friends with the building inspector, he is protecting your interests.
• Floors. When the foundation walls are up to ground level and the services are in place, pour the concrete in for the floor.
• Brickwork. The bricklayers should start on the carcase of the building. They must  follow the architect’s plan accurately. When the walls reach the second floor, it is a good idea to ask the architect to come along and inspect the handiwork.
• When the walls are up, call the roofers in to do their part. Only when the roof is in place can you set to work on the inside of the house. The roofers are highly skilled professionals and you will be surprised at how quickly they assemble the roof.
• Arrange for the windows and external doors to go in next. It is your decision whether to source the windows yourself and allow the builder to put them in, or take the most expensive option and but from a window company.

The main structure of your home is now complete. When you get this far, give yourself a well earned pat on the back; you deserve it.

Facilities

You should now call in the plumbers, gas engineers, electricians, and carpenters, for their first fix. That includes everything that goes in before the plasterers set to work, such as cables, pipes and door frames.

When the first fix is complete, let the plasterers transform the interior with new plaster to hide all of the brickwork and make it look like a home. Give them plenty of time, this is one job where quality is everything because the plaster is on view to everyone.

Now is a good time to think about builders cleaning services to clean the property and surrounding land. There will be quite a lot of building mess to dispose of, and it is a job best left to the professionals.

When the second fix gets underway, and a bathroom and kitchen are taking shape you know you are on the home stretch. It is only a matter of weeks before your work is over, and you can bask in the glory of your new home. Recall the carpenter to fit the skirting boards and architraves, the plumber to connect all of the water supplies, and an electrician to test and connect all of the electrical systems.

Don’t forget to call the utility companies in plenty of time to install the gas, electricity, and water meters.

Completion

When you have overseen the project successfully, you know that the finished will suit your needs. Make no mistake, you will have dark times when things go wrong, or the project is delayed; it is part of the process that everyone experiences when they take a self-build on. Remind yourself of the reasons why you are doing it and work through the tough days. When you look back on the times that you were under most pressure, you will be able to put it into perspective and wonder why you were so stressed out. You will look at your house and agree with me; it was all worth it. Wait and see.

Make ahead as a freezer meal for later or whip up right now!

This recipe is absolutely perfect for days like today.  Getting up at 4AM, working both my jobs (one of them twice) and by 8PM only having been home an hour total for the day…. Well, it doesn’t really leave a lot of time for cooking.

It’s days like these that I’m in love with my slow cooker.  This could easily be a freezer meal, too.  Just put all the ingredients in a freezer bag and label.  Cooking time shouldn’t change since the cooking time here is based on frozen chicken being used.

While at home for 30 minutes in between job one and two, I cut up the peppers and tossed them and all other ingredients in the slow cooker.  Then I was on my way to work.

On my way back to job number one, I stopped at home and whipped up two fajitas.  I scarfed them don while I pumped and then headed back to work for a few more hours.

Definitely saved my day.  Everyone at the house enjoyed good food and we even had leftovers!

So easy and so, so good!

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Details

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 4-6 hours (high) or 6-8 hours (low)
• Total Time: Varies

Ingredients

• 3-4 (frozen) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 jar mild taco sauce (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 can green chilies
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp taco seasoning (or 1 packet)

Instructions

1. Core and slice peppers.  Slice chicken breasts, if desired.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
3. When ready to eat, shred chicken with two forks and serve with tortillas, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream, if desired.

Don’t Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

Let me start off my saying that Don’t Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon this was QUITE the different read for me.  It was another book club read, for the month of July.  I would honestly say that I probably would have never read this book on my own.  In a way this is good, because it gave me a chance to read something totally off the wall and different…and yes…this is SUCH a different, odd, crazy mind blowing, weird, gross, etc., etc., etc. book.  LOL  I know, I know…quite the variety of adjectives used there, but honestly, they all fit!  This story has drama, mystery, craziness, and so much family dynamic.  As I read the book, I thought to myself, there’s no way this could be for real in real life; however when I was finished with the book, I realized that there’s probably a high possibly that it could!

The main reason for the book is to describe what happened to a disappearance of a 12 year old girl named Lisa one summer night in Vermont. Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Event leading up to the disappearance, she had told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the “King of the Fairies” and become his queen.  Ha.  I can only imagine you face when you just read that last sentence…because yep…that was my reaction too!

The story then jumps ahead about 15 years to another moment in time when that little brother was in a relationship with a curious woman named Phoebe.  Phoebe didn’t exactly have the best life thus far, until she had met Sam.  And everything was fine and dandy until the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences.  What Sam is not aware of is that Phoebe remembers same as this little boy she saw in the bedroom window of the house the little girl disappeared from.

Thanks to Sam’s hardheaded, realistic view of the world, and crazy family, the couple end up questioning their reality and a terrible promise Sam made years ago — a promise that could destroy themselves and everyone else involved in their lives.

Don’t Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon book will have you questioning everything you read by the time you get to the end of the story.  Will you find out what really happened to Lisa?  Or will you find out that maybe we live in such a crazy world that anything is possible; including fairies.

This is NOT a Sponsored post. This post is written by me. All opinions are 100% mine.

Link to image

2014 may be the year for you. So far this year has been fantastic and, believe me, things are only going to get better. One of the best things you can do this year is move home. Many people put off moving because they believe that it is stressful or expensive. It can, of course, be both of those things. It can also be neither. As with everything else in life moving home, is what you make of it. Making the decision to move house is a huge achievement in itself. We live in a world full of indecisive people who take a haphazard approach to living. You can’t let fate decide whether you should make a move. That decision is yours and yours alone. There are plenty of reasons you might need or want to move home this year. Here are just a few killer reasons you might want to move home.

Because The Property Market In Healthy…

Right now the property market is healthy. That means that selling and buying a property at this point will be easier, as oppose to other years. Many people are now selling up and moving on to new houses. What this simple fact means for you is that the entire process of moving will be faster. Often people who are moving house get stuck in a ‘buying and selling’ chain. You have to wait for the person you are buying from to vacate the property. You also have to wait to find a buyer for your property. Then that person has to wait for you to vacate your old property. It may sound confusing, but this is the reality many movers have to face. Since the market is currently good, people will be faster about moving in and out of new houses.

To Find A Whole New Life…

If you have started to get bored with life then, you need a change. Many people fail to acknowledge that their life has become dull. It is a harsh realization when we see that our life hasn’t become what we always wanted for ourselves. When you find yourself getting bored, you must take action. One of the easiest ways you can make your life more interesting is to move house. Moving to a new neighborhood with new people will allow you to find yourself again. You can recreate a life for yourself in a brand new environment.

Because Moving Is Easier Than You Think…

Many people think that moving is difficult, and so don’t bother to consider moving house. Moving can be quite easy if your have the right help on hand. Hiring the professionals movers company will allow you the freedom to move in peace. Having expert help means that moving is an easy process. Often it is the small logistics that make moving stressful. By having someone else take care of these issues, you can ensure that the process is swift and painless. Take the time to sit down and plan your move before you do anything. Rushing into a move will make things difficult when small things go wrong.

So That You Can Upgrade To A Better Home…

You may already have a mortgage on your home. What many homeowners fail to realise is that you can transfer mortgages to new properties. That means that you can sell your current property and transfer the outstanding debt to your new mortgage. You can upgrade your home to a newer, larger property with a great deal of ease. You may have started to buy your current home when you were on a lower income, but now realize that you can afford a bigger house. Whatever the reason is for doing so upgrading your home is a fantastic investment.

To Move In With Your Partner…

Moving in with your partner is a huge step. If you have been with someone for a matter of years, then it may be the time to take the plunge. Many people choose to move home so that they can live with their partners. Moving in with the person you love is a great idea, but comes with its rulebook. You will have to change the way you act and live so that you can live in harmony with your partner. That might mean getting better at doing those household chores or learning to cook. Make sure you are ready for this big step before you make a move. Buying a home together is a huge commitment, comparable only to marriage.

To Move Closer To Your Family…

As you grow older, being close to your family is likely to become your top priority. Living near to your loved ones means that should anything happen to them you are on hand to help. One of the main reasons people decide to move home is because they want to be closer to the people that they treasure most in the entire world. There are few drawbacks to living close to your family. Investing in a home near where your parents live means that you can build a stronger relationship with them in the long-term. Few people dare to take the plunge, believing that independence means running away from home. It doesn’t. You should aim to be there for your family whenever they need you in the future.

Because You’re Having A Baby…

If you are expecting your first child with your partner then now might be the perfect time to move. When a baby comes into your life, you will need all the space you can get. Moving to a larger house is an ideal way to ensure that your family has enough room. For a short while when your baby is a newborn he or she, can sleep in your bedroom. Many nurses suggest this method, since babies struggle to sleep through the night. Soon after, though your baby will need a bedroom. Moving to a house that can accommodate this is a great plan for your and your new family.

Wall Art Decals

Choose wall art decals and give your house an exceptional look

Everyone wants their house décor to look beautiful and elegant, don’t we guys? And for this reason we look for various ways through which we can decorate our place in a way which will reflect elegance and style. Owning a house which looks exceptionally good and well decorated grabs the eyeballs of the people who visit your place and you get loads of compliments which we all love getting.

Do you want to know a way through which you can get amazing looking home décor without facing any trouble at any time? Then go and opt for the various wall art decals from http://walldecalscanada.ca which are largely available in every parts of the world. The wall art stickers are the most popular means to decorate your house and give it a brand new look in the most convenient way.

Why to select wall art decals when you have other options too?

It is a logical question, isn’t it? What should we choose this mode of home decoration when we do have several other options available to us? Wall art decals that you may also find at http://magicwall.co.uk have a lot of benefits which makes it the clear winner for home decoration in today’s world. If we think closely then we will see that the old conventional ways of home decoration caused a lot of trouble and also was only possible in case of large budgets.

I remember that fact that we use to redecorate our house once after many years and the home decoration mainly meant to get rid of old furniture and buy some new furniture which were in fashion in those times. Now when I think of it I can understand why redecoration was done so infrequently and rarely – the reason being the budget for redecoration in the old times meant spending a lot of money. With the emergence of wall art decals the people are much relieved as they cost much less than buying new furniture and fixtures.

In the past people also had this conception that by changing the wallpaper or the paint of the rooms and by coating the walls with a fresh coat of different color paint home decoration is completed. Guys, don’t you think it is too much trouble to paint all the rooms of your house or change the wallpaper?

Of course it is, it will disrupt your daily routine and also create a mess. People nowadays have less of free time as they are living the fast moving life where everything has to be done in an allotted time. Keeping all these facts in mind it is quite safe to say that wall art decals is the home decoration option for the people of this modern generation.

Choose the theme before buying wall art decals for your home decoration

If you are serious about opting for wall art decals then first thing which you have to do is to decide on the themes on which you want to decorate the rooms of your house. Choosing a particular theme for each of your rooms is very vital as according to the theme you have to purchase the wall art stickers. Randomly buying the wall art stickers without any theme in mind may create a chaotic look and abstract look which you might not want in your house.

Themes for living rooms with wall art decals

Searching online in the web media is one of the easy ways to get few ideas about home decoration themes, if in case you are confused or out of ideas. You can get hold of a variety of ideas to decorate each of your room in an innovation and unique way. For example if you love outdoors and always wanted to stay near nature then you can create a country side theme with different tree wall art decals right on the walls of your living room.

Wall art decals to decorate your child’s nursery

You can choose a Disney story theme or a fairy tale theme for your baby girl’s room which will make her extremely happy. Nursery room should be filled with the things children like such as pictures and stickers of their favorite cartoon characters which they see on television or characters from their storybooks. Children should be able to relate to these characters and play with them in their own world. Hence sticking cartoon wall art decals in the nursery is a great way to brighten up your kid’s room.

Give vital importance to the details while applying wall art decals

While going with the decision of putting wall art decals you must keep in mind to give extreme importance to all the details, even to the tiny ones. Before buying the wall stickers measure the area of your wall if you are going for large wall art stickers. Also prepare the surface of the walls where you are trying to stick the wall art decals.

4 Creative Ideas to Decorate your Dorm

For many, dorm living is the first semi-permanent residence away from home. Personalizing your dorm turns into a home away from home. As a college student, your funds are limited and you don’t have a bottomless wallet to furnish your room. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t decorate a dorm room to look like a million bucks!

Think of your dorm room as a blank canvas waiting for you, so give it some style. There are tons of places to draw inspiration, including Pinterest and HGTV. However, you’re going to need some essential materials before decorating. Here are five ideas of how to turn your dorm into a swanky spot — with little to no money.

Get Crafty

If you’re really creative and feeling inspired, you can always make your own furniture and accents. Try flipping over a wire waste basket for a table base or decorate your old mirror with artificial flowers or sea shells for a sea side feel. Find an old coat hanger and turn into a jewellery hanger just by using a few hooks! Brighten up any wall with a few rows of string, pegs and photos…instant photo display!  The possibilities are endless!

Invest in duct tape

Home may be where the heart is, but it’s also where to swipe free decorations. Make sure to raid the holiday box or closet because Christmas lights are a great way to add magical dazzle to your dorm room. Specialty duct tape is also a quick fix to accenting décor, jazzing up furniture and bordering wall art.

Raid the Dollar Store

If specialized sticky tape isn’t just laying around the house, you can hit up a nearby dollar or convenience store to find it — but don’t’ stop there! Look for picture frames, throw, pillows and wastebaskets, too. You can find most of these items for under $5 and there are often a variety of styles to suit all tastes, from conservative to zany. Take the time to sort through the collection. Find things that make a statement about your personal style and personality.

Turn Trash into Treasure

It’s amazing how much people get rid of that can be repurposed, including items for your dorm. You don’t have to dig through trash (unless you want to) to find cool and funky pieces. Check into local recycling groups such as Freecycle for unwanted offerings, or feel free to post a wanted ad for something you’re looking for specifically. If all else fails, hit up a Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity establishment for nominally priced items and put your meager dollars toward a good cause.

Try using these tips to dress your dorm. With a little frugality and creativity, you can fashion a space for next to nothing without skimping on style. Good luck and be fabulous!

Author Biography

Chloe writes about college life, fashion and sleep. She can be often found lounging around in her pajamas. She contributes to the sleepyheads blog.

Tips on How to Make Your Home More Valuable and Sell Quickly

Selling your home can be an extraordinary feet of your time and resources. But, if you want to make sure that you sell in quick-time there are some great ways that you can do this. What’s more, you can make sure that your home sells for the highest price possible. After all, you don’t want to run at a loss. Your home is probably your biggest asset; therefore, you need to ensure that you are increasing its resale value.

There are some savvy ways that you can do this.

Tip 1: Take a Look at Your Heating System

Heating systems can have a massive impact on whether your home sells quickly or not. Take a look at your current boiler and heating system. Is it dated and expensive to run? If so, it may be time to upgrade. But, you don’t have to spend a fortune on heating upgrades to make your home sell in a more reasonable time frame. On the contrary, a heat pump is an inexpensive way of heating your home. What’s more, it’s an eco-friendly way of doing so. Not only will you maximize your resale potential. But, you can ensure that your prospective buyers will save money on their heating bills. This is an attractive way to make your home more viable on the housing market.

Tip 2: Makeover the Bathroom

Bathrooms are often neglected. Usually, this is because it is deemed as costly to makeover a bathroom. But, this is not strictly true. Of course, you are not going to install a state of the art bathroom. But, a lick of paint and some simple re-tiling can modernize your bathroom on the cheap. What’s more, you will maximize the potential of your property by doing this. Keep the bathroom clean and modern to entice prospective buyers into your home.

American Advisors Group

Tip 3: Paint, Paint, Paint

Painting your home before you move may seem like an unnecessary expense. Now is the time to think about this logically. While you may love zany interior design, this can be unappealing for buyers. So, get out the neutral tones and freshen the appearance of your property. White and cream paints are the cheapest on the market too, so you can be rest assured that you see a huge profit on your property.

Tip 4: Keep Your Home Clean

Okay, so this may not add a great deal of value on to your home, but it will ensure that you sell quickly .no one wants to walk into a dirty house. If your home is a little messy, make sure that you clear and tidy away before people come to view the property. Spray air freshener. Spritz the kitchen sides. All of these things keep your home clean, but also make sure that your home smells inviting.

Tip 5: Make Your Home Pretty

Having a ‘pretty’ home is vital. You need to de-clutter without making your home seem impersonal. Add fresh flowers and strategically placed wall art around your home. This will ensure that your property is inviting without being overbearing. After all, you want your prospective buyers to envision how they will live in your home. The key to this is to keep it looking lovely.

Save on Cleaning Costs with These 4 Great Tips

Everyone dreams of owning a clean home. And why not? We spend so much time indoors and if we want to be safe and healthy, having a clean home is an absolute must.

If you dream of having a clean home but are unable to realize your dream because you’re unable to bear the cleaning costs, you’ve come to the right place! Having a clean home doesn’t require you to spend all your life savings; you can be the proud owner of a clean and healthy home by doing a few things right.

Listed here are some great tips to help you save on cleaning costs.

Plan before Spending

If you buy cleaning supplies without budgeting, you’re sure to buy things that you don’t need. Track how much money you’ve spent on cleaning supplies over the past few months. Ask yourself if you really needed all that stuff. Consider how much money you can spend each month on cleaning supplies and see what items you can do without purchasing.

Spend Wisely

You don’t need to buy everything you think you need. For example if you think you need to buy a steam cleaner, you don’t have to go out and purchase one! See if you can borrow a steam cleaner from a loved one or a neighbor. You might also be able to rent one! If none of that is possible, you may want to jointly purchase a steam cleaner with someone else who does.

In addition to this, try to re-use and recycle items. Use old newspapers to wipe down windows and mirrors, cotton rags and cloths instead of paper towels, old toothbrushes in place of grout-cleaning brushes, etc.

When it comes to buying cleaning solutions, don’t always fall for brands. Try purchasing store-brands; you will notice that they work just as well as the big brands. So you get the work done without spending a fortune!

Further, use coupons to your advantage so you can get items at a discounted price. Sign up for newsletters or check out the Sunday newspaper for deals. Do take a look at manufacturer websites for printable coupons. Also try out free samples of cleaning products or cleaning services to cut down costs. Note that you can get great deals at discount warehouses and dollar stores.

When it comes to buying upholstered furniture, upholstery fabrics, or clothes, invest in quality stuff. It will be expensive, but you’ll benefit in the long run. Most importantly, buy fabrics that can be easily cared for. Buying items that need special care will mean buying expensive cleaning products and spending money for upkeep.

Make Your Own Cleaners

Making your own cleaning solutions is very simple. What’s more, home-made cleaners are just as effective as the store-bought ones and cost a lot less! You only need to stock up on some basic supplies like lemon juice, white vinegar, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, ammonia, and washing soap to make your own cleaners.

• A mixture of equal parts of water and vinegar is all you need to get rid of dirt, hard water deposits, and soap scum. You can also use this solution to clean your hardwood flooring.
• Vinegar is also a natural deodorizer and will eliminate bad odors instead of simply masking them like store-bought air fresheners. Add your favorite essential oil to the mixture if you want your house to smell fragrant.
• Fill the vinegar and water mixture in a spray bottle and use it to wipe down countertops, backsplash areas, and the cooking range. You can also spray the mixture on a soft cloth and wipe down the insides of your microwave. For tough stains, fill a shallow bowl with this mixture and microwave on high for a minute. The vapors will make cleaning away the stains easier.
• Lemon juice or undiluted vinegar can be used on tough stains. The latter can clean showerheads clogged with mineral deposits and can soften clothes by eliminating detergent residue. Undiluted vinegar can also be used to get rid of toilet bowl stains.
• Baking soda can remove stains and grime just as well as vinegar. Further, it has natural deodorizing properties and a mild abrasive action to make your scouring job easier.
• Rubbing alcohol can be used on mirrors, windows, chrome fixtures, and hard-surface ceramic tiles instead of commercial glass and window cleaners.
• Ammonia can be used on tough stains that don’t budge even after using undiluted vinegar. You can use it to wipe down windows too.

Change Some Habits

Yes, you can save on cleaning-related expenses if you change some habits! For example, if you think maintaining your carpet is getting expensive, implement a ‘no shoe’ rule in your house. Remove your shoes outside the house and have all the people in your house follow the rule. Do set up a sign at the entrance for guests.

Additionally, aim to clean up stains and messes immediately. Carpet or upholstery stains can be easily dealt with using simple home-made cleaning solutions if you act fast. Allowing the stains to sit might require you to use expensive solutions and also put in more effort to get the carpet or fabric look spotless.

Maintaining your home by setting up a cleaning schedule will surely help you save money in the long run!

Conclusion

No longer do you have to worry about spending on cleaning! With the tips given here, you’ll be able to keep your home clean and healthy without spending excessively.

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Wall Decals: To Begin a New Chapter Of Home Improvement

For house is a place where we live, sleep, have meals and have joys with our families, before we move into a new house, the first thing we should do is to decorate it. Besides those traditional decorations, don’t you want to decorate your rooms with something different? Today, we would like to introduce an emerging way of interior decorating, which you will absolutely proudly introduce as my wall decals to your friends.

It is called the vinyl wall art decals. Since the material of this new wall decor is vinyl, compared with other traditional ways of painting, it is harmless to our bodies. And the vinyl stuff is widely used in our daily life. You may apply a cherry blossom wall decal in your nursery room and do not have to worry about the safety problem. Also, a personalized monogram decal for your baby is also a wonderful idea. These wall stickers are all self-adhesive made by premium vinyl and they will leave no adhesive residues on your walls. The methods of application is simple. The buyers just need to peel off the cover of the stickers with their finger and paste it wherever they like. There is no need of any tools like glue or adhesive tapes. Unlike the paintings, this kind of stickers are fully removable and reusable. If you want to change for another wall stickers, just peel it off from the wall. And also, it looks real like someone painted or it was written onto the surface by hand.

The various styles are another advantage of this innovative wall stickers. We have a list of all categories you can imagine, which the top sales are nursery wall stickers and quotes & sayings wall stickers. You can choose whatever you like on our website, or you can have them made to order according to your wish. There are plenty of patterns and colors for you to choose from, and each fonts are available.

The vinyl wall art stickers have begun a new chapter of interior decorating so that you are able to turn your own space into an individual art gallery.

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A homeowner’s air conditioning maintenance checklist

Before the lazy days of summer come on in full swing, it’s always a good idea to give your air conditioning system a thorough inspect.  Unless you want to spend your summer in an endless queue of AC repair NYC homeowners are advised to be diligent in taking these steps.

What follows below is a handy checklist that is designed to help you inspect you maintain your air conditioning and prevent costly repairs.

Exterior AC inspection points

First and foremost, it’s important to turn off your AC unit’s main power before you start your inspection

Remove the condenser cover

Clear any overgrowth from around the exterior AC unit.  This is important so that adequate air flow can circulate.  Also, if any animals have food stores in or around your AC unit, clear them away too, as they can cause blockages and inefficiently functioning of the unit as a whole.

Be sure your condenser is clean.  For this, it’s probably a good idea to call in a professional AC maintenance company, as this can be a dangerous task.  Inexperience can lead to serious injury while attempting this task.

Inspect the insulation on the unit’s pipes.  If there are any damaged sections of insulation, now is a good time to repair them.  Damaged insulation can make the system have to work harder to cool down the house.

Check to ensure that the concrete pad hasn’t shifted over the winter, thanks to ground freezing.

Interior inspection point

Always inspect your unit’s filter. If it is dirty or dusty, it probably needs to be replaced.  Your furnace “breathes” through its filter, so if the filter is clogged with dust or other particles the system won’t be able to effectively circulate clean air throughout your home.  Additionally, a dirty system will have to work harder to circulate cooled air throughout your house, which can use extra energy and cost you more money on your monthly bills.

Inspect your drainage lines to be sure they are not blocked.

Check the reservoir for the presence of mold.

Vacuum the dehumidifier filter.

Clean all of the vents in your home.  Dirt or dust in the vents will only serve to circulate dirty air throughout your house, causing respiratory problems and other health issues.

Once you have done all of these things, you are ready to turn your air conditioner on for the first time!  However, don’t just turn it on and assume everything will now work properly.  Take stock of how effectively the unit cools your house and listen for any unusual noises.  These could be warning signs that there is something not working properly in your system.  If that happens, call in a licensed HVAC technician to take a look.  They will be able to evaluate the problem and take the necessary steps to fix whatever the problem is.  Don’t try to fix HVAC problems on your own.  You could end up doing more harm than good, and causing yourself not only a headache but also extra repair costs.

This is a Sponsored post and I was compensated for it. 

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How to Deal with Carpet Stains After a House Party

No matter how careful you are in keeping the house clean every day, it’s hard to maintain a neat home when you are hosting a house party. Expect that there will be spills of drinks, food stains, grease, lipstick marks, and the list goes on. Most often your carpet will have its fair share of dirty marks and grease since everyone would be on it. Sure, accidents like these may happen, but you don’t need to worry at all. With a few simple carpet cleaning tips, you will be able to deal with them quite effectively in no time.

The key is to concentrate and don’t lose focus. When you see that the carpet is stained, it would not help if you have a panic attack. Relax and work on the affected area exclusively until it’s clean and tidy. The first step is to take away all the clutter on top of the carpet and put them aside. It can be used clothing, paper towels not properly trashed by your guests, or some friend’s personal belonging. Put these things into their proper places and prepare the items for the cleanup.

The most accessible home remedies for carpet stains consist of dish detergent or dishwashing liquid, distilled white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and ice. These can treat anything from discolorations to troublesome odor stains on the carpet. Every type of stain can be remedied and neutralized by these cleaning agents that can be easily found in the kitchen.

For instance, if you found liquid spills on the carpet, the first step is to press on the stain with a dry cloth, rag, or a napkin to soak up until it comes clean. Be careful not to rub the carpet stain or it might spread to unaffected areas of the carpet fibers further. Then, for the best result, tackle the stain with distilled white vinegar or dish cleaning detergent and wash as usual. You may use a mixture of ammonia and water (one is to one ratio) and salt to pull out the color if you notice a slight discoloration on the carpet. Let it dry, quickly mop the floor, and vacuum the carpet. Repeat the steps as needed. The same steps may apply to cleaning up couches, curtains, and any upholstery.

Removing stains from the carpet can be quite frustrating, but this does not mean that it will be like a death sentence to the carpet or it is something that is impossible to do. With these effective cleaning methods, you can transform your stained carpet back to normal and extend its life once again for the long term.

After your guests leave, make sure to quickly perform all these steps so the stain can be removed more immediately. But as courtesy, do note that cleaning up while the guests are still enjoying the house party would seem a turn off.

If you need help, you are free to ask assistance from any member of the household. Since dealing with carpet stains is not considered as a very challenging task, even kids can contribute their time and effort to make the house chore lighter for you. Having someone to help you perform the task will also make you feel more inspired to finish treating the carpet stain as soon as possible after the house party.

Author Bio:

Sean Si is the Marketing guy of Electrodry Carpet Cleaning. He is the go-to guy when it comes to the latest home improvement tips. When he’s not busy, he writes about guides on a healthy home and life, and spends quality time with his family and friends

The post Guest Blogger: Jonalyn – How to Deal with Carpet Stains After a House Party appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.

The Ultimate Guide to Making the Most of Your Home from Top to Bottom

We all spend a lot of time in our homes, whether we own them or rent them. It’s where we relax after a long day at work and perhaps even where we spend our work days. We use them for sleeping, eating, socializing and much more. So they need to be somewhere that we enjoy being, that we can connect with and that we look forward to returning to whenever we leave the house. Some people forget to give much thought to their home when they first move in, and then they can never seem to find the time to decorate. If you feel like your house or apartment doesn’t have much character, perhaps it’s time to change that. You can make every room in your house more exciting, from the attic to the basement.

Living Room

No matter whether you call it the living room, lounge, sitting room or something else, we all have a central place. Whether you live as a family, on your own or you share your home with friends, there’s a room where you relax, watch TV and have fun. It’s an essential room for every home, and you probably spend a lot of time in it. So you should put some work into making it an enjoyable place to be. If it’s a family room, you can make it into a space that’s suitable for everyone, no matter what their age. A good way of doing this is to use multi-functional furniture, such as a coffee table with storage underneath. Comfort is important too, so think about getting cozy with plush furniture, cushions, and throws.

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Dining Room

If you’re lucky enough to have a separate dining room, it’s probably the place where everyone spends the most time, after the living room. As well as using it to eat meals as a family, you can also invite friends over for dinner parties. Your dining room is another space in your home that you can use in lots of different ways. When you furnish and decorate it, you can think about how you use it for everyday meals, parties and other purposes, like somewhere for the kids to do their homework. The focus of the room should be the table and chairs. If you don’t want to buy a new set, you can use tablecloths and chair covers to give them a makeover. Adding table accessories is also an excellent idea to make the room more exciting and multi-dimensional.

Kitchen

There’s usually one main cook in the house, so it’s only fair that they get to choose what the kitchen looks like. You might also eat in the kitchen, perhaps at a breakfast table or bar. So it needs to be a room set up for both the family cook and everyone else. As much as everyone would love to have a kitchen that’s up to professional standards, a new kitchen costs a lot of money. If you have to work with what you’ve already got, you can focus on the smaller changes. For example, you could install some new lighting to give the room more atmosphere or get a new breakfast table. Even putting some appliances and other kitchen tools on display can give the room a new look – but choose your most stylish items.

Maegan Tintari

Utility/Laundry Room

Some rooms in our homes seem to be purely functional. Surely you can’t make a laundry room look good? It’s simply somewhere to house your washing machine and dryer, along with various detergents and other necessary items. But it doesn’t have to be the messiest and least organized room in the house. You can still make a pleasant and good-looking space, even if it needs to be a practical place. Firstly, try to let in as much light as possible, so it isn’t dark and dingy. Use storage units to put everything away, so it isn’t cluttered, and try to add some color to the room as well. You can use your laundry room for other purposes too. For example, adding a second refrigerator or freezer or creating a space to do one of your hobbies.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are another functional room that can be difficult to design. You need your bathroom to be suitable for everyone in the house, whether they’re kids or adults. A lot of families might go as far as choosing a beach theme and adding some driftwood and a lighthouse motif. But there’s so much more you can do with your bathroom. If there’s one way that you can improve your bathroom without changing anything else, it’s by installing a new shower. You can change the way you enjoy your bathroom by putting in a new shower and cubicle. Find some inspiration at http://www.bellabathrooms.co.uk/shower-enclosures/shower-cubicles.html. If you want, you could even put in a whole bathroom suite to give you a new point to start at with rethinking your bathroom.

Adult Bedrooms

When it comes to bedrooms, you obviously need to think about grown-up and children’s rooms in different ways. Adults need a place where they can have some time to themselves, especially if they have kids. The rest of the house may feel like more of a family home, or even like it belongs to the kids. But in the bedroom, you can create something more adult. There are lots of ways you can elevate your room, from putting in a new headboard or getting new bedding to adding a small seating area. Make a private haven that serves as your retreat at the end of the day.

Clarkston SCAMP

Kids’ Bedrooms

Children need their own space too, whether it’s to play, read or just sit and think. But you need to take a different approach to their bedrooms. It’s not just because they have their own tastes but because those preferences will change over time. You have to make sure their rooms can be modified quickly and that you don’t put too much focus on characters that they soon might not like. Put lots of emphasis on storage in your kids’ rooms so that it’s easier for them to put everything away and keep it neat. Don’t forget to let the kids have a say in what you do too, especially if they’re older and most definitely if they’re teenagers.

Offices, Spare Rooms, and Dens

Some people have their home full, but a lucky few also have room to spare. If you have rooms in your house that you use as a home office, den or just a guest room, you might not use them as much as other rooms in the house. But you can still make them beautiful, even if you’re only in and out of them on occasion. If you want to get the most out of these rooms, use them for several different purpose. Instead of leaving one room as a spare bedroom, use it as an office or hobby room too. That way it won’t be empty all the time, except when you have someone to stay. You can find a furniture setup that makes it easy to switch from using it as an office to a bedroom. For example, you could have a desk that converts into a bed. Or you can use these rooms to have a space you’ve always wanted, such as an impressive media room with video games and a home cinema.

Olger Fallas

Attics and Basements

If you have an attic or basement, or perhaps both, you might only use it for storage. But you can make them more fun by using them to live in, instead of just for boxes. If you’re looking for a home renovation project, a basement or attic conversion could be just the right thing for you. You could turn them into bedrooms or even studio apartments if they’re big enough. Or you could use them for other purposes, from bathrooms to hobby rooms and even a second dining room or living space.

Garage

Your garage is a bit like the laundry room. It’s a practical space where you keep your car and perhaps other useful items, such as the lawnmower or your DIY tools. But you can make more out of your garage, especially if you don’t use it to store your car. An under-used garage could be transformed into a workshop, a hobby room or even an annex apartment. What’s more, you could add an extension above the garage to create even more space. However, if you do use it to keep your vehicle safe, you need to make the most of what you have left. There’s no reason that your garage has to be dull when you can add some more exciting elements to it. Don’t be afraid to decorate and work with what you have, whether it’s exposed brick walls or concrete floors.

If your house needs a makeover, don’t leave it as it is. Think of some clever ways you can use the space to make it a more enjoyable place to be.

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4 Easy Steps To Make Your Home Feel Bigger

As our families grow in size and numbers, the home can start to feel a little cramped. If yours is getting that claustrophobic vibe, then it’s something that must be sorted quickly.

Once a home feels overcrowded, it becomes less comfortable and less enjoyable. No homeowner wants to feel uneasy in their property and it can begin thoughts of needing to move. The chances are that you don’t need to. Instead, you just need to give your home a little love to make it feel bigger and better than ever.

Here’s how.

Declutter

The easiest way to make your home feel bigger is to get rid of the junk. The amount of items we collect over the years is almost unbelievable. Ridding your home of these unwanted products will instantly create a bigger appearance.

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Decluttering the home can be a slightly strenuous task, but the results easily justify the means. A few hours of graft could improve your life for years. You can even make some extra money by holding a garage sale to get rid of these items. It’s also a nice feeling to know somebody else will be getting some use out of your old junk.

Make Your Spare Room Functional

A lot of homeowners desire a guest room. Having somewhere for our friends and family to stay is a nice thought. When space is limited, though, the area would be much better served as a functional room.

By turning the guest room into a home office or gym, you will instantly regain some extra space around the house. For example, not having your office equipment in the living room will help you to enjoy the lounge once more.

There’s no point having a four-bedroom house if you are only using three. There are plenty of high-quality air beds that your guests can sleep on. If they need a bed, then they can always use yours while you use the sofa.

Decoration

Perceptions are often more important than actual dimensions. While you can’t physically make a room bigger without major work, you can easily give it a larger appearance

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Our eyes can play tricks on our minds, and bright colours are a great way to make a room feel bigger. Likewise, you can use mirrors to create the illusion of a larger space. Meanwhile, opting for engineered wooden flooring can work well with the new colour scheme to help open a room out.

Redecorating a room will give the house a new and modern flavour, which will put a smile on your face. Making it feel bigger will only brighten your mood further.

Use Furniture Wisely

Furniture is the centrepiece of any room, but it can eat into the space. Being smart with your choices is a key part of making your home feel bigger. Where possible, you choose multi-functioning furniture. Another option is to get items that can be packed away and stored until needed.

Big items like cupboards might be unavoidable, but the positioning can be key. Place these against walls, as having clumpy furniture in the middle of a room can close the space off and make it look smaller.

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3 Simple Things You Can Do To Improve Your Home

If you are thinking about improving your home, you may already have some big ideas. This could be adding an extension to the side of your home, or completely redesigning a room. The problem is that both these ideas are expensive, and you may find that there is not enough money in your budget to complete the job. Once you find that out, you might give up on the idea of improving your home completely. It can be quite off-putting. But you should not give up. Try these simple methods to improve your home and see how much of a difference they can make.

Spick and Span

Pic Source

A good old-fashioned phrase that still means something today. When it comes to your home, I am talking about getting it clean and tidy. Start by cleaning your house from top to bottom. That means getting the hoover and cloth in all those hard to reach places. If you like, you can use some scented furniture cleaner. This will ensure that your house does not just smell of cleaning products when you are finished. Another good tip is to make sure you vacuum thoroughly at the point where the wall meets the floor. This is where dirt tends to build up and a spot many people miss.

Once you have done this, your house may already be looking better than you imagined it could. But, you are not done just yet. You also need to tidy your home, and this might be more than putting those books in the sitting room back on the shelf. Think about whether or not some of your rooms look cluttered. If they do, you could consider putting a couple items of furniture away and out of sight. This will declutter space and make your whole home look a lot grander.

Change Rooms

Many people believe that to make a room look better, you have to go out and spend a fortune on new furniture and accessories. But often, this is not the case. It is far simpler just to experiment with placing different items of furniture in new places. I do it all the time with the chairs in my living room and you can too. You would be amazed how different things will look when you next walk into the room.

You Can Fix It!

Finally, as with anything else, if we do not look after our house it will eventually need repairing. In fact, some appliances and parts of our house develop problems through no fault of our own. When this is the case, you have two solutions. You can either do it yourself or hire an expert. If it is a complex issue like central heating, or you want to upgrade it is always best to contact a repair company. Have a look over at www.Academyair.com/ for a good example of these types of companies.

But, you can also try fixing some minor issues yourself. For instance, changing a broken lightbulb is simple enough. You turn off the electricity, grasp the bulb and slowly turn anti-clockwise. Then, replace with a new bulb and if you want to save some cash, try an energy saving brand.

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How To Bring Your Kitchen Into The Future

If you were thinking this was a post about how to do a redesign home project, you were right. You might have already decided; that’s not for you. But wait for a moment because I want you to ask yourself a question. How often do you update your wardrobe? The average person buys some new clothes every couple months. If you look at home videos, you will find your fashion completely changes every two years. On the other hand, many people are quite content to leave their home without an update for years. So, that means if you didn’t buy your house fresh from being built, the styles of rooms in your house could be decades out of date. Now, you might be more inclined to consider a redesign, so the next question is what room do you start with. I’m going to suggest the kitchen because I have got some fantastic ideas on what to do.

Improve Your Cooking

You might love buying new cookbooks or finding delicious recipes on blogs like mine. But if you are cooking with outdated tech, your meals are always going to be sub-par. When modernising your kitchen always check out the new tech available before you move on to big building projects. For instance, you could purchase one of the new ceramic hobs. The latest models look stunning and offer brilliant technology with touch service displays. It will certainly improve the fun you have cooking while also heating your food to the optimum temperature.

Little Accessories

Again, before committing to a bigger project, adding a few small accessories can completely alter the perception of a room. For instance, you could buy a brand new coffee machine that looks ultra modern and futuristic. You can also consider purchasing a brand new set of cutlery that hands from the wall. These little design ideas will make a huge difference to the way your kitchen looks.

A Lick Of Paint

Of course, if you want a bigger change in how the room looks you can always consider a repaint. I imagine that the paint in your kitchen might have started to wear thin in certain areas so update it with a colour that matches the room. A classic choice for the kitchen is a sun soaked yellow to bring warmth and homeliness to the space. But, the choice is yours so choose the right shade for your home.

A Gorgeous Place To Design

If your kitchen has fallen out of style, I imagine you still have a table for breakfast dining, or you eat in another area the house. You should consider building a breakfast bar in the centre of the room if you have space. You do not have to view this as a DIY project. Hire some help and get the job done professionally. When it is finished, your kitchen will look terrific, and you can add some spotlight fixtures overhead to complete the scene.

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I hope you have fun with your own kitchen redesign. When you have finished, why not consider an update of the rest of your home. I’m sure you can come up with some brilliant design ideas of your own.

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This Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread will definitely make your whole house smell COMPLETELY amazing!  Not to mention that it’s super easy to whip up and pretty healthy!  It’s definitely delicious!  :)  ENJOY!

Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3 tsp grated orange rind
• 1 c orange juice
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 c dried cranberries
• 1/2 c walnuts, chopped

Directions:

• Combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, and orange rind in a mixing bowl; add the remaining ingredients and stir to blend well.
• Pour into a greased 9×5″ load pan; bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Cool for 6 minutes before removing from the pan.
• Finish cooling thoroughly on a wire rack.

source: http://www.food.com/recipe/diabetic-cranberry-nut-bread-414665

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