7 DIY Home Improvements That Will Save You Money

Whether you stay in a rental home or you’ve bought your own house, home improvements are necessary in order to make the space comfortable and appealing. While thinking of home improvements, you should beware that some improvements will only increase maintenance costs while adding no extra value. As a result, they should be avoided and replaced with those that are practical, cost-friendly, and provide real value for money. The following simple home improvements will not only keep your home in the best state but also save you money in the short and long run.

1.    Maintaining your lawn and garden

These may seem like the most obvious piece of advice that any person may give you, but if you pay close attention to your lawn, your property will end up increasing in value.  Keep the grass short and evenly cut and where possible call a professional to help you out. If you don’t have the time to maintain the lawn every time, ensure to use plants that are easier to maintain.

Apart from your lawn, the garden also plays a big role in enhancing the functional and aesthetic value of your compound. It provides you with a free area where you can unwind and hold functions. Ensure that the trees and hedges in your garden are well trimmed and cut.  While you are at it, add a few dessert plants and flowers as they will contribute to the overall beauty of the compound. Dessert plants and flowers are an advantage where there isn’t much water since they don’t require a regular watering.

Related source: Best garden tractor

2.    Have smart thermostats installed in your house

If there is one place that a home owner or renter spends a lot, then it is on electrical bills.  What most people don’t realize is that they end up paying for unnecessary high bills. This is where smart thermostats come in. Smart thermostats, for instance, regulate temperature in a room to what is necessary and also switch off lights in a room whenthere is no one inside. By keeping the temperatures to what is necessary and the lights on only when they are needed, power is not wasted.

3.      A big fan instead of air conditioning units

Air conditioning bills can be on the all-time high, especially when you have a big house and the climate around where you live in is hot.  Opting for a big house fan may be more ideal if you think you are spending more than you should. Big fans draw in air through the windows of the house and then outside through the fan and in the process, it cools down the entire house at a lesser cost.

4.    Gutters

This may seem like a very simple investment, but in the long run it may just end up saving you the entire building. Water damage is considered a leading cause in property damage. Water seeps slowly into the walls and floors and after a few years, they start to rot. Gutters will help direct water away from the house, therefore stopping the process.

One thing to note about gutters is that they should be regularly maintained and cleaned of all clutter so that they remain functional for longer.If you have a few extra dollars in your budget waterproofing the floors and walls of your house, for instance through painting, will also help keep it waterproof for longer.

5.    Update to energy efficient appliances and smart lighting

Old electrical appliances end up consuming more energy, which translates to high electrical bills. If your old appliances are still in use, then having them checked often by a qualified electrician will enable you to know if they are still energy efficient. However, when they get too old, it will make more economic sense to have them replaced entirely.

Lighting in the house also plays a big role in making our life more comfortable.  Normal light bulbs end up consuming more energy than necessary when compared to energy efficientlight bulbs such as compact fluorescent lamps and light emitting diodes. In addition, to take this a notch higher, have sensors incorporated into your lighting system.  The sensors will turn the lights on when someone approaches and off when someone leaves a room. In the end,they help you spend less on paying for electricity bills.

6.      Install tank-less water heaters & water filters

Tank-less water heaters help you save on bills each month; this is because they only heat the wateras you use it. On the other hand, the model with a tank heats up all the water  in the tank regardless of whether you are using it or not. In the process,energy ends up being wasted.

You should also invest in a water filter as explained here to provide you and your family with clean drinking water. Dirty water is the cause of most sickness, minor or major, in homes and having a water filter will help you save money that could have been used in treatment.

7.      Keep your Refrigerator full

A full freezer worksmore efficiently compared to one that is not. In addition, keeping the fridge fairly full will help prevent cold air from escaping very quickly when the door is opened. In the end, less energy ends up being used to return the fridge to normal temperature each time the door is opened.

If you follow these tips you will soon note a difference on the bills that you incur each month.

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Do You Want to Maximise Your Space Utilization in Small Bathroom?

Bathroom is an important place in every household where all members of the family need to spend quality time at least once in a day. Therefore, it is essential that bathroom should be spacious enough so that one can feel comfortable while using their bathroom. However, if you have small bathroom space then you need to design the bathroom in such a way that you can do maximum space utilization.

In this small article, we shall discuss about few ways of maximising space in a small bathroom with few innovative ideas.

Create sufficient space with shelves

If the size of your bathroom is much smaller then it will be a good idea to create sufficient amount of shelving space by using its wall where you can store your various toiletry items. The shelves should however be designed in such a manner that it is easily accessible. This way, you can save lots of space and even your small sized bathroom will have sufficient room for free movement.

Utilize the Toilet area

Often in many bathrooms, the area above toilets remains totally unutilised.  Therefore, if you make small cabinet in this location and make a sliding door for opening, then you can store some of the important items.

Create cabinet under the sink

Usually, in many bathrooms it has been observed that lots of space is taken near the sink where people like to keep many of their essential items that are needed over there. Why don’t you create a cabinet under the sink so that the sink size can be restricted to consume lesser horizontal space in the bathroom?

Place your door wisely

When you open or close your door, it consumes plenty of space and if your bathroom has limited amount of space then due to this reason you have to sacrifice lots of space unnecessarily. Therefore, choose your location of door in such a way that it does not block any space. You can also consider having sliding doors instead.

Visual trick to create more space

There are various visual tricks that can be done, which will make it appear that there is sufficient space. The placement of mirror can easily perform this trick, if you place its location in such a way that as soon you enter you get mirror reflection. Using large size mirror can also do this trick. Besides that, you can also get the feeling of larger space by painting the wall with any colour of lighter shade.

Take advantage of your accessories

These days, many different kinds of bathroom accessories are available in the market, which can help you to maximise your space utilization. Choose few accessories that can do multiple functions so that you will not require additional space to install many numbers of accessories.

Use the toilet door

You can utilise the toilet doors too for placing certain toilet accessories like towel stand or soap dispenser etc. This will also generate some amount of horizontal space in your bathroom.

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Guide to Help Pick the Best Outdoor Patio Furniture

The right patio furniture will bring both comfort and function to your outdoor living space. Whether you are looking for a piece of furniture to use on your balcony or in your backyard, you will always be spoilt for choice. Furniture does not come cheap. The important thing is to make sure that you buy the right furniture the first time round. Below are some of the tips you should consider using when shopping for the right patio furniture. 

Compile a list

Before you start shopping, the first thing you need to do is to make a wish list. What do you want to see on your patio and what do you want to do there? Are you interested in serving dinner during summer or do you just want to relax? Are you interested in hosting parties here or do you just need a quiet place to read your newspaper or book? A list of all the things you would want to do in the space is the key to picking the right furniture.

Take a seat

Just like the interior furniture, you will also be using the patio furniture regularly. You need to make sure that you buy comfortable furniture. Prior to buying a piece of furniture, you need to take a seat. How comfortable is the seat? Uncomfortable furniture will ruin your experience.

Go for the easy care

Outdoor furniture will be directly exposed to the elements like rain and dust. When shopping for Blue OakOutdoor patio furniture, you have to look for furniture that is easy to care for. You want to go for the metal, cedar, teak and all-weather wicker pieces that will withstand anything that is thrown its way. Furniture that is made of all-weather material will remain untarnished for years. In addition to that, you need to make sure that it is easy to clean the pieces of furniture that you purchase.

Think of storage

During winter or when you cannot spend time on your patio, you need to store your furniture away in protected places like the basement or garage. Given time, even the toughest furniture will get damaged if it is not well taken care of. When shopping for the furniture, you ought to think of how you will store it. Can the furniture you are considering fit in your storage area? You should look for furniture that can fold or that can easily be taken apart.

Stylish

When buying furniture for the patio, you want to make sure that it looks good. Don’t be limited to the natural tones of wood. Pick a color that blends in well with your patio. Your choice of color and design will only be limited by your preferences.

Go after quality

You don’t want your furniture to get broken within a few months. You want something that will serve you for years to come. This is why you need to invest in quality. Plastic resin chairs may look great but they will not last long.

These points will guide you through the process of buying patio furniture. The important thing is to never compromise on quality.

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5 Reasons for Making the Elliptical Trainer Part of Your Workout Routine – Drench Health & Fitness

People have different names for the elliptical trainer. Some refer to it as the X trainer and some call it the cross-trainer. Whichever term you use, you’re referring to the motionless fitness machine that simulates walking, running or climbing a hill. Compared to the more familiar treadmill, elliptical trainers are gentler on the joints and still give you a great workout.

So, what are the benefits of using the elliptical trainer?

1. Aids mobility and balance

The elliptical trainer aids with mobility and balance. For people who have ACL surgery, for example, the machine assists them in gradually regaining hip motion. It is for this reason that a number of hospitals recommend the use of elliptical trainers to patients. It is however important to adjust the intensity of the exercise based on the severity of the injury.

2. Mimics various exercises

Walking, jogging, climbing, running… The elliptical trainer mimics all these exercise and offering various levels of intensity and resistance. Some models have wireless equipment for monitoring your heart. Modern elliptical trainers can even regulate the intensity of the machine based on your heart rate to ensure comfort and safety.

3. Works out your entire body

When you exercise on the best elliptical 2018, you effectively work out both your upper and lower body. Nearly all the muscles in your body are worked out at the same time, which improves the formation and strength of bones, among other body functions. As your overall fitness progresses, you can increase the level of resistance upwards for more challenging workouts.

4. Uses minimal space

If you are among the people who don’t have time to visit the gym regularly, you might want to consider buying an elliptical machine and using it at home. It’s an investment in your health. You may be concerned that the machine is too large for your house and will take up too much space, but with a little thought, you could find a great spot for it.

You can put it in one corner of your bedroom and get your workouts early in the morning, or you could set it in a designated workout spot in your basement. The living area can be a good location if you want to work out as you watch TV. Just make sure it is placed on flat ground out of the way. Models that fold are available and are quite convenient.

5. Inexpensive to maintain

After carrying out research on models available in the market and considering your budget and exercise needs, you can certainly find an elliptical trainer that strikes a good balance between cost and value. It does not have many moving parts and movements on the machine are low-impact. Maintaining it is therefore inexpensive.

 

In summary, elliptical trainers offer a number of benefits that far exceed the investment you will make in the initial cost and ongoing maintenance of the machine. To obtain maximum value, shop around and read reviews so that you buy an elliptical trainer that best suits both your exercise needs and budget.

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