Tag Archives: house

Oct22

The Best Ways To Add Value To Your Home

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The Best Ways To Add Value To Your Home

There are many reasons why you may be looking to add value to your home. For example, you may be considering moving house and selling your property or simply feeling like your home is looking a little worse for wear. Fortunately, there are many steps that you can take to add value to your home, like the following:

Turn your garage into a functional space:

Turning your garage into a functional space is a great way to add value to your home. It could be the perfect spot for a man cave, home gym, or as a smart setup for extra storage. There are many different ways in which you can complete this task, but it’s best to start from the ground up. For example, you could wipe away years of wear and tear and improve the overall look of your garage floor by applying epoxy garage coating.

Deal with necessary maintenance:

One of the easiest ways in which you can add value to your home is by resolving any maintenance issues you are facing, no matter how minor. While these problems may start out small, they can quickly become costly to deal with and cause significant damage to your home. There are plenty of guides online that will talk you through the basic home maintenance tasks, such as fixing a leaking tap or pipe or that one stair that always creaks when you stand on it. However, it’s also important that you know when a certain task falls beyond your skills as a DIY-er so that you can call in experts for help.

Upgrade your kitchen:

Adding value to your home often means that you’re able to sell your property quicker when it hits the market. As such, when it comes to adding value, you should be mindful of what buyers are looking for – with an excellent kitchen often being at the top of the list. It’s estimated that a new kitchen can add 5-10% to the value of your home! Now is the perfect time to revamp and redesign your kitchen. When doing so, think carefully about the kind of aesthetic you are trying to achieve. Do you want a clean, modern kitchen full of the latest gadgets or do you want something a little more cozy and retro? If your kitchen is already relatively new, you may want to consider upgrading other key areas of your home, such as the bathroom.

Go green:

Another option that can add value to your home is by making it more sustainable, such as by switching to a renewable energy provider, investing in double-glazed windows, or installing solar panels. While these upgrades can be costly, you’ll likely find that they help you save money in the long-run by lowering your energy bills. This will also make your home much more attractive to potential buyers, especially as society becomes more and more environmentally conscious each year. In fact, many buyers are on the lookout for eco-friendly properties for this very reason.

Investing in meaningful upgrades to your home will result in a boost in property value when it comes time to sell. Pick out a project and see how you can transform your space!

Featured Image By: Brian Babb on Unsplash

Oct22

Moving House: What To Do Before Settling In

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Moving House: What To Do Before Settling In

Moving into a new home is exciting, but it also can be stressful, to say the least. Between unpacking boxes and figuring out where everything goes, it can feel like there is a whole mountain of tasks ahead before you can truly allow yourself to settle in. But the thing is, moving doesn’t have to be so overwhelming! If you approach it with a little bit of creativity and some smart planning, that new house will feel like home right away:

Create A Home Setup Plan Before You Move In:

Just imagine for a second that you are standing in your new living room, boxes surround you on each side and you have no idea where to put anything. All of this stress can be avoided by planning ahead! Measure your new space, sketch out where your furniture will fit, and imagine the flow of each room. It is all about putting together a puzzle, but without the missing pieces. When you walk in on moving day and know exactly where everything belongs, it will feel like you’re already home.

Schedule Pest Control Before Unpacking:

There’s something no one tells you and that is that before you even start unpacking, call in pest control. It is one of the best things you can do. The last thing you want after moving all your stuff is to find out you’ve got unwanted roommates. With the house still empty, it’s the perfect time for a thorough inspection. You’ll prevent any issues down the road and can settle in knowing there won’t be any critters creeping around. It’s a simple step, but it makes a world of difference.

Check Your House’s Electromagnetic Profile:

Now, this one’s for the detail-oriented or anyone who’s big on creating a clean and calming space. Have you ever thought about the invisible energy around your home? Walking around with a simple EMF (electromagnetic field) reader can help you spot areas where electronics and wiring might create high energy levels. Why does this matter? Well, too much EMF exposure, especially where you sleep or work, can make some people feel off. It is an easy way to create a more peaceful environment by relocating electronics or even considering shielding devices in high-EMF zones.

Invite Positive Energy With A House Blessing Or Ritual:

Moving is more than just a physical shift, it is an emotional and energetic one, too. Whether you’re into traditional rituals or just want to start fresh in a new home, a house blessing can help bring some good vibes into your new space. Have you ever heard of smudging with sage, or just burning some incense? It works on a principle wherein residual negative energy is cleared out and replaced with as much positive energy as possible. You could also use plants like lavender or rosemary to invite calmness. The aim is to start from scratch so that this new house may feel more like your home.

This is a new beginning of one whole big chapter in your life, so don’t forget to take a moment to pause, take a big breath, and enjoy the process. And before you know it, your new house will feel like the perfect place to call home sweet home.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct17

Ice, Ice Baby

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Ice, Ice Baby

Howdy!! There is always something crazy happening in my apartment community, good old Timber Top. Most notably, we had a building on fire, a carbon monoxide leak, a literal dumpster fire, people falling through stairs, and a recent collapse of a road that we use to enter and exit the property. Needless to say, there is never a dull moment. And, as of late, these moments are cold AF. We will not have heat in our apartments until the end of October and I have been freezing my nads off thanks to a plummet in temperatures. Johnny and I have had to take the heat situation into our own hands with the following:

Space Heaters:

I’ll be perfectly honest with you, I freaking hate using space heaters because they make me nervous. Why? Oh, just because of years of my parents peppering me with proper space heater techniques. IE: Don’t use them because you will burn your house down lol. In this case, it is a necessary evil so whenever we are home, the heater stays on with constant supervision. Thankfully, we have a pretty nifty space heater that we got a few winters ago when our heat was out and it does an okay job of at least getting our drafty first floor warmed up.

Board Up:

One unfortunate thing about our apartment is that there are gaps in the front door that invite cold air in all day. Not anymore! Before either of us leave the apartment, we place a towel around the bottom gap and before we go to bed we tack a blanket above the door. And, of course, we put all of our curtains down too to hold some heat in. I really don’t like covering up the window by the bunny hutch, but desperate times and it at least helps a little.

Bundle Up:

When I am at home, I would much rather be in lighter lounge wear. Like I said, though, desperate times. I have taken to wearing my heaviest sweatshirt and sweatpants with leggings and a sweater underneath. I also have been sporting a beanie all day every day. When the mornings are especially frigid, I’ll even bring my comforter down and wrap myself in it while I work. Effective? Yes. Makes me SO tired? Every time lol.

Hot Beverages:

My hot beverage limit normally peaks at two cups of coffee every morning. Now, Johnny and I will have a cup of decaf tea or two in the evenings simply to drink and hold something warm. Does it do much of anything? The jury is out but the sentiment is nice – there is something so comforting about holding a steaming mug of tea!!

Please send warm thoughts my way because brrrrrrr. In the meantime, I will be manifesting the beach!

What is your favorite way to warm up? What is something that comforts you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct16

Exterior Upgrades For Your Home

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Exterior Upgrades For Your Home

There are a number of ways that you can upgrade the outside of your home to get your property looking its best. Boost your curb appeal and let your house become the talk of the town with these projects:

Paint:

Painting the outside of your home is one of the fastest ways for you to freshen up your property if it is either tired or dated. Whether you are applying the same color as the paintwork you have right now or are trying to make a more drastic change, it’s very easy for you to give your home an immediate face lift. The cost of painting the exterior of your home will vary depending on its size and shape. It’s always a good idea to speak with the local paint experts in your area so you can better determine which colors will make your property pop.

Driveway Upgrades:

Another thing you need to do is look into driveway upgrades. If you do this, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to freshen up your home’s exterior. Driveway upgrades can mean laying down a new drive or perhaps installing a new gate. If there is anything you aren’t quite sure about when it comes to getting a new drive, then you can always ask your local driveway gates builder for advice. They can then inform you on a range of materials, including wood, aluminum, and timber.

Repointing:

Repointing brickwork is a big job, but at the same time, it’s one that you should be trying to get done. If you repoint an entire home, then you need to take into account the size of the area and the accessible walls. Rendering is also worth considering. This is when you cover the exterior wall with a rendering substance. This is usually made out of either sand or cement. It also contains lime or resin. When you render your home, you will be able to transform its whole appearance.

Cladding:

Cladding is a very popular choice for homeowners and it adds a fresh look to your property. If you want to add or replace cladding, then you need to look into the different types available and you also need to understand the benefits of each one too. Also make sure that you are taking into account the cost of maintenance. The main types of cladding used in modern architecture are stone, brick, metal, and wood. You also have UPVC, which is good if you would rather go for a more interesting color. If you can keep this in mind then it will help you out a lot, as it gives you way more freedom when the time comes for you to update your home.

Make the exterior of your home just as inviting as its interior with these upgrades!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Oct1

Halloween Haul

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Halloween Haul

Hello!!! In my neck of the woods, Marc’s is a beloved staple. It is a discount grocery store (with lots of random odds and ends) and my family visits it fairly frequently. Around this time of the year, all kinds of Halloween goodies find a home in their “closeout aisle” (that features said random odds and ends). As soon as this happens, my dad always notifies me so I can get first dibs and it never fails to leave me feeling #blessed lol. This past week, I made a Marc’s run to see if there was anything noteworthy and there sure was! I am officially done with my Halloween (all year round) decor shopping from this fun haul. Check it out:

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Surprisingly, the first thing I clocked on the shelves wasn’t any of the bigger treats. It was actually the teeny tiny salt and pepper shaker shaped like The Count from Sesame Street. I literally clutched my pearls when I saw it because I knew Johnny would love it. In his youth, one of the Halloween costumes his mom made for him was of The Count, his favorite character. He looks back on all of the costumes crafted by his mom most fondly and he couldn’t believe my fifty cent find. Unfortunately, it was the only one left so a set wasn’t possible, but I think this lone shaker was meant to find a place on our spooky shelves!

I also added a few tiny treat yoselfs to the mix too. I have desperately needed a new travel tumbler so I can sip on water throughout the day. All of mine are too small and constantly need refilling which is inconvenient, but I never cared to spend an arm and a leg on a new one because they can be rather expensive. I scored the ghost adorned tumbler for three bucks and it is the perfect size and matches all my spooky vibes. The jack-o-lantern tights were also a three dollar addition and I am obsessed. I have seen this design of tights before and never bought them for myself so I can’t wait to break them out with skater skirts this season.

After going through the smaller odds and ends of the closeout aisle, I browsed through the bigger pieces of decor. There, I walked away with the most adorable light up vampire and a walking and light up turtle skeleton. Yes, these were partially for Johnny and I BUT I knew our eldest niece would be delighted by them. She is a huge fan of our Halloween decor and Halloween in general and we are so unbelievably happy for it. I know for a fact that she will want to use the vampire as a nightlight during our next slumber party and will, without a doubt in my mind, make the skele-turtle chase her Uncle Johnny! We have instilled a love for Halloween in her since she has been born and it is the absolute best to share in the season with her. ❤

With that, My Halloween shopping is complete and it couldn’t have ended on a cuter note. As always, discount stores for the win!!!!

How are you decorating for Halloween? What is your favorite Halloween candy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep19

Clean Out Crew

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Clean Out Crew

Hello!!! Johnny and I have been living in our bigger apartment for over two years and it has been great. We moved from a one bedroom loft into a three bedroom, one and a half bath space and it is such a gift to have all of the extra room. While we were in the process of moving, we had a huge clean out and were able to clear up a lot of excess clutter. Since then, we haven’t had a good haul away in a while – only added and I can definitely tell. It feels like there is stuff everywhere! On Monday, I began doing a clear out of my belongings and it was kind of difficult at first. However, it got much easier as I went along and followed these steps:

Start Small:

Johnny and I are honestly both pack rats and I had no idea where to even begin. So, I started small and worked my way up to bigger items. For starters, I decided to go with things that indisputably needed to be tossed – old makeup. I had tubes of lipstick that haven’t been used in years and I’m sure were well beyond an expiration date. Yes, it was a baby step but it got me used to the feeling of letting go of items and I was in a more comfortable place for harder decisions.

What Can’t Be Repaired?

After working on smaller odds and ends for a while, I turned my attention to the things that I planned on getting around to repairing and didn’t. The primary culprit was shoes. I have a handful of pairs that needed some semblance of repair done to be able to wear them again. A plethora of time had passed and they had not been taken to the shop down the road. It would have been a ten minute errand to run and I chose not to. With that in mind, the busted shoes went next and it felt good to be rid of them once I thought about it from a more logical perspective.

Unworn (In A While!) Clothing:

By the time I was done in the shoe department, I was on a roll and felt ready to tackle clothing next. The standard rule for getting rid of clothing is “toss if you haven’t worn in X amount of years”. I followed that as best as I could and ended up with a bagful of clothes to be donated. As I dived deeper into drawers, I found items that I didn’t even realize I had kept and into the bag they went. If I didn’t like them enough to remember having them, then I certainly don’t like them enough to wear now!

Sentimental Items:

Over an hour into my clear out, the last thing on the agenda was some sentimental items and I am so glad that I started the process with baby steps. The main thing I knew had to go was some of my old warm up gear from my days as a competitive figure skater. I think back on that time most fondly (For the most part!) and have always just hung onto the clothing from the skating club I was in. At this point, I was able to recognize that all they were doing was taking up space in my drawers and was able to toss them without a second thought. I did, however, hold on to my favorite skating dress and don’t ever plan on letting that go. 🙂

I was very much out of practice when it came to a good old fashioned clean out and it was hard at times. Once I was done, though, I felt so invigorated and can’t wait to go for Round Two this weekend!

How often do you clear out unwanted items? What are some of your pro tips for a haul away? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep13

“New” Vintage Lamps

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“New” Vintage Lamps

Hello!!! Very much like our own personal styles, the decor in mine and Johnny’s apartment is… eclectic to say the least. We have Halloween everything up all year round and the furniture was almost all secondhand in some way shape or form. Seventy-five percent was thrifted and twenty percent was given to me by friends and neighbors. The remaining five percent? Those came from the funeral home that my grandparents so lovingly ran. As you can see, we clearly aren’t defined by one or two specific styles and the end result is what I like to call “funeral home chic” with a heavy handed pour of Halloween flare.

Obviously, Johnny and I revel in secondhand treasures and we got to add to our collection at the Labor Day cookout we enjoyed at his parents’ house. Johnny’s mom is in the process of a huge clean out, which is where I acquired my amazing stash of vintage gloves and clutches. Her latest offerings were three stunning lamps that belonged to Johnny’s grandma and I am in love:

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As you can see, these lamps definitely need a healthy dose of TLC but they sure are beautiful! I am extremely partial to the funeral home vibes of the first dusty rose lamp. However, the robin’s egg blue and gold deer adorned lamps take the cake and to make things even better – they came in a pair. I was so curious about the deer lamps and I ended up finding the exact same ones from a seller on Etsy who said they were made circa the 1950s. How cool is that?!

Unfortunately, tabletop space is something that Johnny and I don’t have a ton of at chez nous. We are both avid collectors of oddities and when our respective collections combined, all of our shelves became instantly full. That’s not to say that I don’t want to put these lamps somewhere special – but where, indeed?! For now, my plans are to get them cleaned up, acquire shades that will do them justice, and store them away safely. Inspired by his mom’s haul away mission, we will be doing some autumnal spring cleaning and I am hoping to find the perfect spot for them yet.

These lamps remind me so much of my own grandma and I just know she would have loved them too. Her funeral home is never far from my mind and I am sure she would be happy to know that that style still influences me to this day! ❤

How is your home decorated? What do you like to collect? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug25

Sweet Surprises: Halloween Decor Galore Edition

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Sweet Surprises: Halloween Decor Galore Edition

Hello!! Whenever Johnny and I are running errands, we like to pick up little tokens of affection if we see something that reminds us of each other. It could be a new record, a book, or even a candy bar to share for dessert. Whatever it is, it’s always exciting to return home and say that we have a surprise. This past week, Johnny stopped at Marc’s which is a discount grocery store in our neck of the woods. He had a few odds and ends to pick up as well as this silly little something that was hanging up at my work station once I got home:

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As soon as I saw this wine related sign on my computer chair, I couldn’t stop laughing because I knew exactly why Johnny got it. Yes, I do love wine lol. However, the deeper meaning behind it is a nod to one of our favorite Saturday Night Live skits. Long story short, a family is celebrating a special occasion. The children and husband present the mom with wooden signs that have phrases on them. Think “Live, Laugh, Love”. As she continues to open the presents, the phrases get more and more ridiculous. For example, a sign about wine devolves into “I’m a mess and love drinking alone”. We are constantly quoting these segments and Johnny was so pleased to have found something similar and for only a dollar to boot!

This truly goes to show that it doesn’t matter how much you spend on anything, rather it’s the thought behind it. For one dollar, Johnny found spooky decor that reflected one of our running inside jokes and makes me smile every time I see it. My husband was chomping at the bit for me to get home and placed it in a prime position for maximum effect. He knows my routine of going right to the computer after work and had it waiting just for me. As far as I’m concerned, this Sweet Surprise was worth a million bucks because it made me feel like it. I am the luckiest gal. ❤

I didn’t need wine to focus on writing this post, but I sure appreciate the sentiment anyways. Shout out to Johnny for always being the absolute best!

Do you have any signs with funny phrases at home? What is your favorite Saturday Night Live skit? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug24

Five Dollar Decor

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Five Dollar Decor

Hello!! I live for this time of year as we transition into fall. Primarily because all of the spooky season decor and clothing hits the stores. Unfortunately, TJMaxx had a whole lot of nothing in the Halloween department during a recent visit. I did get a really cute candy corn plushie, though! After that shopping trip, I decided to let Halloween decor come to me. And it did! During a quick break at work, I stopped into Target to pick up a few birthday prezzies for my bestie. Right around where I was browsing was the five dollar and under section and I literally clutched my pearls when I found this absolute steal:

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Amidst the bits and bobbles of the dollar department, I stumbled upon the very last five dollar Frankenstein jar. Pastel Halloween decor is so on trend and I couldn’t believe my good fortune to have snagged it. Like I said, letting Halloween decor come to me really worked! Of course, the five buck price was not a shock as it was marked as such but it honestly was lol. As soon as I found it, I thought to myself that I would be paying at least double that if I found it at TJMaxx or elsewhere. It was the perfect, cost effective little treat and I couldn’t wait to bring it home to show Johnny and display it on our knick knack shelves.

What I love about my new Frankenstein jar is how different it is. Mine and Johnny’s spooky artifacts mainly feature black, white, and red so this pastel pop of color was a unique and welcome addition. This was my first time in Target in literally forever and it made me very curious about what other Halloween goodies were going to be available in store. In my ideal world there would be a full collection of pastel horror movie monster jars, but I would happily settle for just a Dracula. How cool would that be?!

There were no tricks about this little treat and my appetite for all of the spooky things has been curbed… Ever so slightly for the time being! 😀

Who is your favorite horror movie monster? What kind of Halloween decor do you have? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul15

Johnny’s Record Shelf

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Johnny’s Record Shelf

Hello!! One of the gifts that I gave to Johnny for his birthday this past June was a new record player. Oddly enough, we had three in the apartment that were his old relics and none of them worked lol. It has been so nice to have a functional record player again and we have loved playing music and board games and hanging out in our game room. The only thing that wasn’t ideal was housing the records. Johnny’s collection is extensive and by that I mean, he has over three hundred vinyls! Thankfully, Johnny came up with an ingenious solution to this issue and he built it all by himself – and some help from his dad. 🙂 Check it out:

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Ever since our new record player arrived in the mail, Johnny got to work by organizing his collection and giving the game room a deep clean. We soon found that no amount of rearranging or condensing was going to give the records a true home, though. So Johnny turned his attention to the closet and decided that it would work perfectly. He definitely had big things in mind because rather than going to the store to buy some shelves, he thought he would make them instead. He took measurements, sketched a plan, bought all of the lumber and supplies, and dedicated a day during our staycation to build them with his dad. Johnny is a handy guy, but this was on a whole other level and I was very impressed!

Johnny’s dad has an amazing workshop and they spent an afternoon cutting, drilling, and doing what needed to be done so Johnny could take the parts home and assemble them with screws. When I returned home from my outing later that day, I found Johnny in the game room putting the final touches on his handiwork. I honestly couldn’t believe my own eyes when I saw it! The shelves were sturdy, fit just right in our closet, and turned the endless crates of records into an actual display. I know I was proud of the accomplishment, but it was even better to see Johnny so proud of it too. He put a lot of time and effort into this project and worked really hard to make it happen. Our game room is the best ever because of it. ❤

The record shelves Johnny built were a win in so many ways. He got to spend time with his dad, our game room looks awesome, and he found a new hobby too. Johnny enjoyed the build so much that he plans on trying his hand at cornhole boards next. I can’t wait!

Have you done any projects around the house recently? How did they turn out? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah