Upgrades and Renovations

17

Aug

Around The Home

Winter’s Coming: Learn How to Prepare Your Plants, Trees and Other Landscaping

From the approaching holiday season to the New Year, there are a lot of things to prepare for when it comes to the winter. It's important, though, not to forget about the needs of your lawn for the upcoming cold season. If you're wondering how to ready your trees, your plants and your yard, here are some tips for saving your vegetation until the springtime. Fertilize For Grass Growth It might seem like a waste of time to fertilize your grass going into the winter months, but this is actually the perfect time to prep it for spring. As fertilizer…

30

Jun

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

DIY Home Upgrades: 5 Reasons Why Hardwood Flooring Should Be on Your Renovation List

Whether you're planning on selling your home soon or you want to do a few minor renovations for your own enjoyment, an ailing hardwood floor may be on your list of things to tackle. While this can be a more difficult renovation to complete than many other household items, here are five reasons you may want to move it to the top of the list. An Issue with Structure If there happens to be any glaring structural issues with your hardwood, a complete do-over will be a necessity if you want to sell your house in the future. While this…

16

Jun

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

A Quick and Easy Guide to Hiring the Best Contractor for Your Pre-sale Home Renovations

If you're planning to complete some renovations on your home before putting it on the market, you may be unsure of the best way to go about finding the right contractor for the job. While there are probably many contractors available who can do your renovations right, here's how you can get to the bottom of who will work the best for you. Make A Few Phone Calls Once you've done some research and determined a short list of prospective contractors, you'll want to call each contractor to determine that they can complete your project in good time and are…

15

Jun

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

Let’s Talk Closets: How to Organize Your Closet Spaces Without Breaking the Bank

There is a particular pleasure in a well-organized closet; not to mention the space and energy-saver that it becomes! And the best part is that you don't need to spend tons of money to get a dapper closet space. A lot of the work is just thinking outside the (clothing) box. Plan The Closet First Before anything else, sit down and plan out your closet. Measure it so you know the exact dimensions (if you need to grab a rod or drawers, you'll know what size fits). Clean out your closet (to get a better idea of its contents and…

19

Apr

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

Let’s Talk Fencing: How to Put a Fence Around Your Home Without Destroying Its Appeal

Many homeowners consider a fence around their property for a variety of reasons, whether it's to keep the dog in the yard or to maintain privacy. However, the wrong fence can entirely change the look of your property and make a beautiful yard a bit of an eyesore. If you're trying to determine what kind of fence will work for your home, here are some tips before you start to dig in the dirt. What's Your Fence For? Before deciding what kind of material to use, it's important to know what type of utility you want for your fence. While…

08

Apr

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

Renovating on a Budget? Check Out These Equity-boosting Inexpensive Home Upgrades

The idea of embarking on home renovations may strike many homeowners as an expensive one, but there are plenty of ways that you can easily upgrade your home without spending a lot of money. If you're looking for improvements that will truly (and frugally) improve the value of your home, here are a few do-it-yourself options you may want to consider. Change The Lighting There are few small fixes that will improve the look of your home like lighting, so one of the best things you can do for the overall look of your house is change out some of…

29

Dec

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

Running out of Kitchen Space? 5 Storage Hacks That Will Help You Do More with Less

With all of the things that you need to fit into the kitchen, being economical with how you use your space can be a very important part of making it work. If you're looking for some new ideas for how to use your space to maximum capacity, here are some hacks that might just make a marked difference! Make Use of Magnets Using magnets to hold up some kitchen essentials will not only be effective and functional, it will make for a quirky, modern space with personality. Whether you decide on a magnetized knife block for the side of the…

28

Dec

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

Tankless Water Heaters: The Pros and Cons of Going Tankless In Your Home

Large water heaters are unsightly appliances that home-sellers would rather hide. Although it's not always possible to banish these structures, it is possible to replace them with a version that is not as overbearing. Tankless water heaters have the potential to make one home stand out amongst the competition, but they do have some disadvantages along with the benefits. Pro: Tankless Water Heaters Use Less Energy Traditional water heaters continuously heat water that is just sitting in the tank, and this requires energy. Tankless water heaters, on the other hand, do not heat the water until someone needs it. Therefore,…

09

Dec

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

$500 Renovations That Will Boost Your Home’s Value and Speed Up Your Sale

The idea of home renovations when you're selling your home can be unpopular because of the cost and time that can go into sprucing up a place you're about to leave behind. However, making a few simple, economical touches can go a long way to capitalizing on your home's value and making a difference in dollars. If you're curious about cheap options for an easier sale, here are a few that may make the deal a little sweeter. Kick Up The Kitchen A Notch With all of the time that a family spends in the kitchen, it's unsurprising that it…

24

Nov

By Lori Blank

Around The Home

Greenify Your Home with Our Guide to Conducting a DIY Energy Audit

The idea of conducting an energy audit on your home might seem like something complicated that should be left to the experts, but there are ways for you to make your home a little greener without consulting anybody. Instead of having someone else do the work, here are a few simple ways for you to inspect your home and green up its energy use. Do A Candle Test Of Exterior Walls Since cold air coming in from outside your home can impact your energy use significantly, do the simple test of taking a candle on a tour of your home…