Tag Archives: neighborhood

Cool Ways To Bring Your Neighborhood Together

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Cool Ways To Bring Your Neighborhood Together

We all want to live in a better neighborhood; it is one of those inherent wants we are all born with. Of course, what makes a better neighborhood is entirely subjective. Some may want a neighborhood that feels safe like they used to feel, where kids can play outside until the sun goes down. Others may say that they want somewhere that does its part for the earth. Everyone is different. Whatever the case, though, creating a better neighborhood is all about coming together as a team to strengthen your community. Awwww. How lovely would that be? :*)

To help you achieve your ambitions of living in a little slice of utopia, we have come up with a list of ways in which you can make your neighborhood a better place to live:

Sharing Is Caring: Sometimes it’s the old cliches that ring truest, and that is certainly the case when it comes to sharing is caring. Why not set up a community that is more geared towards helping one another out. Start up a tool library and a toy library, and, yeah, a book library too. Start a neighborhood vegetable patch where you all chip in and reap the rewards. Not only will these ideas bring you closer with your neighbors, but they’re all fun and helpful!

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So. Many. Tools!!!

Eco-Awesomeness: We all wish that we could be a little greener in our community, but buying solar panels isn’t exactly cheap, although they are getting cheaper. Anyways, to avoid the big overheads, why not pool together and buy solar panels collectively to enjoy a big bulk buy discount. As you can see at oregonlive.com this is a trend that was started by communities in Portland with amazing results.

Emergency Excellence: If you can be prepared for an emergency as a community, you are going to thrive as a community. It could be that you all chip in to buy a couple of automated external defibrillators from foremostequipment.com, or it could go even further and have a full blown emergency network in place. What better way is there to strengthen your community than to have members take on various roles, have certain supplies ready, and be prepared for the worst as a neighborhood.

When shopping for emergency supplies, do your research. For example, if you buy Heartstart FRx AED from AED Leader, is it something that can be used easily? Will you have a few designated neighbors who have been trained on how to use it, or will you all go to a course? AEDs are life-saving pieces of equipment so it should be a discussion you have with all your neighbors (especially with those most vulnerable) and trained emergency staff.

Nice Nights: Building your community starts with doing things together. It could be getting together for a block party, holding storytelling evenings, serving different street foods, getting together for fireworks displays, having the children put on a theater event, and whatever else takes your fancy as a community. Whatever your summer bucket list is made up of, do it as a neighborhood. Have a calendar event that you all do once a month, where everyone knows that the second Saturday is neighborhood night.

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Partayyy

Front Yards: You are never going to bump into your neighbors if you only ever use your backyard. So, instead of this, why not move your normal backyard activities to the front and make yourself more visible and friendly to your neighbors. Sit out on the porch and say hi to everyone that goes past. Make a big jug of lemonade and invite them in. It’s only a slight tweak to your life but it can make a huge difference when it comes to getting to know your neighbors and building a better community.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Reclaim Your Home Privacy

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Reclaim Your Home Privacy

Don’t you just hate it when your home doesn’t feel private? Perhaps, you’re overlooked by a home behind yours or maybe you just constantly find people staring into your windows. It’s annoying, intrusive, and it can feel quite unpleasant. As such, you might be interested in ways to make your home a little more private. If so, here are some of the best possibilities to help achieve that:

Screener Trees: Screener trees are great because they can be planted around the edge of the property and are perfectly designed to stop people from looking in. It’s particularly useful if you have a garden that is, unfortunately, completely overlooked, as is often the case in modern home developments. The other advantages of these trees is that they grow fast and thick. They’re often evergreen, too, and this means that you won’t lose your privacy once Autumn rolls around.

Garden Fence: You might have property at the front of your home that isn’t closed off. It might be completely open and perhaps even on the other side of the road. This could be the case if you have bought land to extend your property. The problem here, is that onlookers might have no idea that the land is privately owned. As such, they could decide to sit on it, play on it, or just walk all over it. This can be particularly annoying for homeowners who spend a lot of time and put considerable effort into making their garden attractive. The solution here is a Northland Fence, which will be installed by experts in a variety of styles to best suit your property. When you own a property, you really want to make sure that only people who have your permission are using it. A fence is the best way to do this and, unfortunately, it might be the only option if you have an open lawn.

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Maybe not a white picket fence, but still.

Electronic Blinds: It’s possible that the thing you hate the most is people staring into your home. Like it or lump it, the windows of your home are exactly that. They aren’t just a way to look out. But they could be, and if you want to make sure you can see out without other people seeing in, one-way glass is the answer. Incredibly, you can buy this for your home windows, and you can certainly see the appeal of adding this to rooms like the bathroom.

Of course, if that seems too expensive and over the top, you can also consider getting electronic blinds. That way, you can block the view that other people have of your home whenever you feel like they are getting a little too up close and personal with your living room window.

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Bye bye Peeping Toms!

Automated Gates: Finally, if you want to make sure that people stay away from your home altogether, an automated gate might be the best option. Responding only when you open it, this gate will stay firmly shut to intruders, ensuring that you have complete privacy. Some people will deem this to be overkill, but it might be exactly what you want if you’re tired of people walking all over your property. It could also make a burglar think twice about breaking in.

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Pixabay Image

Chez Vous is where you should feel most comfortable, so if not having enough privacy in your neighborhood is an issue, then maybe some of these solutions will be for you!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

How to Add Value to your House Without Having to Remortgage

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How to Add Value to your House Without Having to Remortgage

We all know the importance of taking pride in our homes. We work hard to keep our dwellings spick and span and looking its best. We constantly strive to make sure they are cozy, comfortable, and a happy place for our families. But, sometimes we need to really up our game and whip our houses into shape with some serious elbow grease. However, that can be easier said than done as it can be tough to know where to start.

So whether you’re looking to add value to your house because you’re wanting to sell or whether you’re just looking for the best ways to really make the most out of your home, here are our simple tips on how to do just that:

Start From the Top: Looking at our attics as a potential area for extending our living space is one of the top ways to add significant value to our homes. If you think your property would benefit from an extra bedroom or if you think that your home needs an amazing game room, your attic could be just the ticket. Get a builder to take a look at your attic and see what possibilities are open to you. Although attic conversions take money and time, the return on the investment is usually really high. A £15,000 attic conversion, can add an extra £30,000 to the value of your house, so it’s well worth considering. Or if you’re staying put and just looking for extra room for your family, this really is the best part of your house to consider opening up.

Extend Into Your Garden: Extending your property into your garden is another great way that you can expand your living space and subsequently add value to your home. Be cautious when taking on conservatory projects, however, as sometimes they can look like an afterthought. An extra unit just bolted onto the side of your home doesn’t look so attractive. Work closely with an experienced builder to see how your conservatory can create a natural flow from your internal home and out into your outdoor world.

Make sure that the style fits well with the existing decor of your house and consider putting the same flooring down from the connecting room so that you give off that natural flow. A full build conservatory can cost as little as £4,000 and can add as much as 9% to the value of your home so, again, this option is well worth looking into.

A Lick of Paint Works Wonders: There’s nothing that drags down the overall appearance of a home more than dull, tired, and old paint work. Look at the paint both internally and externally on your house and get to work. This is a job that you can take on yourself, but to make it as easy as possible for you, you should consider investing in a paint spray machine. It will quarter the amount of time that you spend painting and provides really even coverage. Try shopping around for the best paint spray machines at Tool Nerds.

Before rolling those sleeves up and going in, all paint guns blazing, take some time to consider the most attractive colors for your home. Think of how to cleverly mix neutral with statement colors and plan each individual room and living space accordingly.

When considering the outside of your home, you will need to look at the bigger picture. Look at the houses on either side of you and along your street. Look at the general color palette on the street and think about a color for your house that would not only make it look fantastic, but will also compliment the colors of your neighbors’ home. This will not only give your home an instant facelift, but it will also help make your street look more desirable in general.

Windows are the Soul to Your Home: Windows can be so easily overlooked when sprucing up and renovating homes. Whatever plans you may have for your windows, make sure that they are cohesive with the age and style of your house. Replacing old, tatty, and even moldy or rotting windows will instantly lift the look of your home and provide some much needed sunlight and fresh air into your quarters. This transformation is sure to boost your curb appeal if done right so take the time to explore several different styles before making your decision. You could go eclectic with some stained glass fixtures, classic with custom timber windows, or rustic by adding quaint wooden shutters. The possibilities are endless!

First Impression: The smaller details are just as important as the big when it comes to adding value to our homes. Dingy, faded, and old front doors are certainly not the first impression that you want to give off to any potential buyers or guests coming to your home for the first time. Make sure that you get your new paint spray machine out on your front door, too. Once you’ve painted your front door and it’s looking shiny and new, think about elements such as doorknobs and the sign to your house (if you have one) or your house number.

Look into solid, decadent looking doorknobs and stainless steel house numbers to really have your front door looking in tip top condition. These little extras are incredibly affordable and can make all of the difference to visitors getting excited about stepping inside of your much-loved home.

The Hall: The hall is your second opportunity to make a lasting first impression. Keeping the kids’ shoes stored away and all coats and scarves neatly hidden out of site is the first thing that must be done. Then, take a look around the space. How can you improve the overall feel and style of your hallway so that people instantly feel warm, welcome, and inspired by your home? It all starts with mirrors and lighting.

Hanging mirrors on the wall will open up small hallways and give the impression that they are larger than they are. Natural light will also give off a feeling of spaciousness. For evening lighting think of low, mood lighting that will create a soothing and calming ambience to the entrance of your home. Avoid harsh overhead lighting and invest in interesting lamps or low-lit floor lights for a warm and inviting atmosphere that beckons visitors into the heart of your home.

Ready, get set, and get to work on making your home look brand new and beautiful!

Featured Image By: Flickr

Securing Your Home On A Tight Budget

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Securing Your Home On A Tight Budget

Home safety is always going to be an issue among homeowners. Sadly, it’s even more pressing when you consider living conditions, local community and, of course, our budget. Securing your home is easy if you have money to pour into fancy surveillance systems and smart devices, but what can you do if you’re on a tight budget? It’s hard trying to balance the costs we need to spend on our home, but with a couple of these home safety tips, you’ll be able to secure your home for less and still have peace of mind when you’re out and about:

Know Your Community: One of the best ways to secure your home is to actually get to know your neighbors. Whether you live in an apartment complex or a small community of houses, neighbors will naturally look out for burglars and criminals. You might even be able to join a neighborhood watch if there’s one available. This is great if you plan to be away for an extended period of time. You could simply leave your keys with a trusted friend or family member that lives close by and they can watch over your house and notify you if there’s anything suspicious or troubling happening.

Getting to know your community also means getting to know your enemy. If your area is notorious for burglaries and vandalism, then it might be worth considering a move in the future so that you can live in a safer environment. However, if that’s not an option for you, then you need to learn what the most common method of crime is in your area. Perhaps it’s people that smash into your home and break the windows and doors just to steal your belongings. Or maybe it’s someone more devious that sneaks in and picks the locks of your door. Whoever you’re up against, ensure that you have proper countermeasures to combat against it.

Changing Your Locks: The only way burglars are going to get into your house is either by smashing their way in or picking your doors. The smarter and more sophisticated your locks are, the more likely you’ll deter them. If you’re up against burglars that destroy everything in their path and loot your home, then a new lock isn’t going to make a huge difference and you should probably invest in something like a heavy-duty door and window shutters.

However, if you’re more concerned about lock-pickers, then a sturdy modern lock will be your answer. If you look at https://www.bradleyssafeandlockworks.com/, you’ll find plenty of information regarding expert locksmiths, the types of locks that will really protect you from burglars, and even some information on safes to protect your most prized possessions.

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Sock it, lock it, put it in your pocket.

Remove Hiding Spots: Even if your locks are secure and your neighbors are looking out for you, you need to ensure that the burglars have nowhere to hide. Motion lights are one of the most common things to install to protect your home from burglars. If a motion light detects them, they will be illuminated for cameras, neighbors, and even you to see.

Try to park cars inside of your garage instead of outside of your home because it gives the thief less space to hide. Trim hedges and cut down trees or plants so that they have fewer places to hide and maneuver in the dark. If you do have cameras, make sure that there are no walls or fences near them because thieves will sometimes block off cameras so that you can’t record any evidence. Also, make sure that those cameras have a clear view and that their vision isn’t obstructed.

Deterring Them Is The Best Defense: If burglars really want to steal your belongings, then they will do so without hesitation. For instance, they’ll smash your doors, break your windows, and grab as much as they can before making a run for it. They’ll create so much noise that it’s hardly subtle and they will just run off, leaving very little time for the authorities to react. This is why deterrence is the best form of defense. Most burglars are going to be sneaky and pick your locks, disable your alarms, and steal your belongings without you even knowing. The less that they have to worry about, the more likely it is that they will steal from your home.

Let’s say you install a fake alarm. The burglars might see it and instantly be turned off from the idea of stealing from you because they don’t want to risk being caught. However, if an experienced burglar sees it, then they have two options. Either they try to steal from you anyways, knowing that the alarm is fake. Or they avoid you in case the alarm isn’t actually fake. This plays with the thieves psychologically. They see that your house isn’t very well defended, but at the same time, they don’t want to risk being caught.

Another good way to deter thieves is to simply leave your lights on. If you’re worried about savings, then you can install smart lights that automatically turn on at set intervals, and they can even be controlled with smartphone apps across the internet if you get high-end models. They’re quite expensive, but turning on the lights normally can also work. This alerts the thieves because they might assume that someone is at home, meaning there’s a higher chance that they will be caught.

To summarize, visual deterrents are a fantastic way to keep burglars away from your premises. It could be something as simple as stickers to let thieves know that you have an alarm or just making your alarm visible by keeping it at an easy to see location. This article at https://www.safety.com/ will give you even more ideas to help you deter burglars if you’re still looking for inspiration.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

In The Right Place: The Things You Should Prioritize When Relocating Your Family

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In The Right Place: The Things You Should Prioritize When Relocating Your Family

Moving can be incredibly hard for one person, not to mention a whole family. There are a variety of reasons as to why someone might like to move their family elsewhere, from dissatisfaction with the local schools, to affordability, or simply just needing more space, sometimes it’s best to take the plunge and start drawing up an ideal new life for your closest and most loved.

This can feel like a gargantuan task. If you don’t have an area in mind for a career or other family members, how do you choose the best area out of a seemingly endless list? There are a few items to consider before fully making that choice:

Transport: This is a big one. Not only do you have to assess if you’re going to have a convenient time traveling outside of your new nest, but you need to plan ahead. Imagine your children are five or even ten years older than they are now. Can they access their friends with relative ease? Are they able to make it to town to have a reasonable chance of earning money at a part time job? Try and look back to your childhood, what was important to you at that point in your life? In that self-searching exercise, you might find things that surprise you.

A good way to reassure yourself that this point is taken care of is scheduling a practice run around the area where you go to view your potential new house. Driving around and figuring out where everything is can give you a valuable understanding that can save you future headaches. If you have the funds and the time, consider allocating a few days to explore the new area while staying at a hotel or B&B.

Additionally, how easy is it to move your belongings there? Getting a quote from moving companies can also be worthwhile at this stage.

Opportunities: This is the second half of the earlier point about imagining your children’s future. Do they have ease of access to jobs? How are the schools rated in the local educational authorities inspection reports? Prior to making a decision, it’s a wise idea to tour the schools in the area you are considering. To get started, simply enter a search for “lake city fl private schools” (or the area of your move) to begin weighing your options. Public and online schools should be taken into account as well. If you’re going somewhere to relocate for a career, this still needs to be kept in mind. Adding a few miles to your commute could be worth getting into a better school’s catchment area in the long run!

Locals: This is a less measurable resource, but figuring out how the locals interact with each other can be quite important. Perhaps going to a cafe and getting a fix on how you’re greeted and how people interact can be enlightening. Of course, take this with a pinch of salt, you never know who’s had a bad day. Try striking up a conversation with a few people at the market in town and see if anyone’s receptive. You never know, you might be pleasantly surprised!

Facilities: It’s also important to make sure that you have access to the right facilities in the area you move to. Not only does that mean having local shops and amenities, but having access to the services you need. With an app like Care.com, you can find elderly care, child care, or even pet care. So make sure to check out what’s available nearby, to ensure that you have the right people around to support you.

Crime Rate: You can find the crime rate of a local area online. This is important for your peace of mind and overall safety of the family.

Price: Last but arguably the most important is the price. How affluent is the area? What are the surrounding houses like? Can you expect your house value to improve? Is a higher startup cost worth the surroundings? This is a highly subjective value that will be different for everyone who moves, so take the time to weigh the pros and cons, while offsetting them against the price.

Best of luck to anyone moving house! This is an exciting time for you to redefine how your future will be. Make the most of it! 🙂

Featured Image By: Flickr

Going Local: Enjoying Where You Live

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Going Local: Enjoying Where You Live

We are probably all a little guilty of spending too much time in our homes or venturing far away when we want to enjoy a little social time. It’s crazy to think that we choose to live somewhere because we love a location and then spend a majority of our time enjoying other places, instead!

Getting to know your area is great fun and brilliant for increasing your social circle, support unit, and even living a healthier lifestyle both physically and mentally. A great place to start is getting online and researching the history and culture of your home town and surrounding area. What is it famous for? Did any celebrities live here? What are the restaurants like? Getting an understanding through research can help introduce you to things you didn’t even know existed right on your doorstep.

The best way to understand a place, though, is to get involved with the community. You will probably have a local church, shop, or park with a variety of events happening and it is here that you will meet the experts on local knowledge. Getting out and meeting other parents will help you find out what activities you have within walking distance of your front door, it will also help your children and gives you the chance to spend quality time with your friends. Heading to the local bar is great for adults who want to know more about the services in the areas. Most small towns love to advertise other small businesses and will have attended all kinds of networking events with the owners. So get to chatting and find out what is on offer!

Taking long trips to the larger supermarkets is pretty time consuming. You can use the internet to find out what shops you have in your area. From seeking out a local green grocer to sticking donuts near me in your search engine, you’ll be surprised what you can buy locally to save you time and support local companies. Of course you will also have restaurants near you, too. The internet has loads of review sites to let you share feedback with other customers, although the best way to find out what the local buzz is is to hit the streets and eat. Try everything, one person’s bad experience may not reflect your own. Plus, you have the added benefit of not needing to drive, so you can enjoy a couple of drinks with your dinner!

Your local services such as the police and fire station are good things to know and if you have young children, they can offer a fun day visit. What kid doesn’t enjoy putting on a fire hat and watching people slide down poles? It’s also likely that you have some form of library even if it is a mobile library. Make the most of these services and support them where ever you can. More customers means better demand and you will see your area staying alive with shops and activities. If you lose them, then property values will decrease and your dream home may not be worth as much as you need it to be!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Finding Your Dream Home Needn’t Be So Difficult

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Finding Your Dream Home Needn’t Be So Difficult

Buying a home can be a trying time even when you’ve already identified your dream home. When you’re unable to discern which homes offer everything you need, it can become even more complicated. But you don’t have to, and shouldn’t be, treating it like a gamble. Instead, you should use these techniques to make your search all the more effective:

Know Your Wants and Needs: The first thing that you should do is make a list of what is a necessity in your new home and what are things that you just would like to have. Organizing your wants vs. your needs will make it easier for you to narrow down your choices based on your list. For a home that exceeds your needs, you might have to be willing to compromise on some wants. The point is to figure this out beforehand. What’s more important, the right amount of space or the right area? A patio or a pool? Energy efficiency or a wood stove? These are the elements that you need to prioritize before you even start viewing. As you establish your wants and needs, you might find that you are not willing to compromise on them. Should that be the case, it’s important to think about the pros and cons of building vs buying a home so you will be fully satisfied with the end result, whatever you choose.

Broaden Your Horizons: If you’re having trouble spotting the home that fits all of those needs (and a few wants for good measure), the fact might be that you’re not looking in the right place. There are a lot of different marketplaces to check out and some of them might be exclusive, meaning they’re out of your reach. This is why you should consider getting on side with realtors that could help broaden your search. With the experience of finding homes specific to individual needs, they could not only help you see more but also stay updated on the latest additions to the market. Otherwise, be willing to spend a lot of time looking in a lot of diverse directions for your dream home.

Do Your Research: Worse than not finding a home is finding one only to discover later that the home comes with some issues that you never expected. Make sure you get your own house inspection and even an evaluation done on a house before agreeing to it. You should consider doing research on the neighborhood, as well. Not only can that highlight problems such as crime rates, but it can also highlight opportunities. You could find development prospects in your area which will make it an even more attractive neighborhood in the future. For someone considering a home as an investment, there are few better signs.

Another important aspect of doing your research is looking into the school district. Is your new home in close proximity to award winning schools like in this Milton Ontario neighborhood? If not, are you able to drive your child to a better option? Be sure to consider the distance to local hospitals, grocery stores, and entertainment. If everywhere you like and need to go is a fair drive away, that can really put a damper on the dream home experience.

Be Willing to Do Some Work: Sometimes, you need to bite the bullet and accept the compromise. If that compromise is that the home lacks the lighting or the fixtures that you really desire, then you should be all the more willing to make it. In that case, all it takes is a little work. Don’t let the decor or the color of a room put you off in any case. Know which aspects of the home could be easily fixed and put in the effort to solve the problems.

Take your time with any decision before you make it. Make sure you know the alternatives, as well as the properties of the home you’re potentially buying. Visit it as often as you see fit and, most importantly, be willing to understand that most houses are going to take some work before they really become a home.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Keeping Up With Next Door: How You Can Give Your Home Ultimate Curb Appeal

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Keeping Up With Next Door: How You Can Give Your Home Ultimate Curb Appeal

Forget keeping up with the Kardashians or any other celebrity, it’s all about what is going on next door and on your street. I don’t mean nosing into other people’s business, but the habit of keeping up with next door when it comes to your home is starting to creep up. It’s not a bad thing either, when done with the best intentions. You see to keeping your property looking good on the exterior, and if everyone else follows suit, it makes your street look like the perfect place to live. So if anyone happens to be selling their home it will help them out to no end if the rest of the homes matched and looked the part. It could even increase the value somewhat. So whether you want to start a trend or feel like you are letting your street down, here are some tips on how you can get the ultimate curb appeal.

Take Care of the Lawn: A well-kept lawn can really add to your curb appeal, but equally, an unkempt lawn can have the opposite effect. It is so important to ensure that you cut those lawned areas every time you have the opportunity to do so otherwise, before you know it, your front garden can turn into a bit of a jungle. It’s also a good idea to give your lawn a bit of TLC. You could do this by trimming the edges to your flower beds if you have them or giving the grassed area a feed to add some vitality and life to the health and color of it.

Think About Your Garage Doors, Windows, and Front Door: Now you need to focus your attention on the front of your property and how it looks. Broken garage doors, unclean windows, and an unpleasing front door just won’t do. Thankfully, a garage door repair is an easy resolve and even cleaning the windows and taking care of your door is all easily fixed. Dirty windows are an instant eyesore and you will be amazed at the difference once they have had a good cleaning. You may have someone who does Residential Window Cleaning in your area or take some time to do it yourself. It may seem like a back breaking chore but it could make a world of difference to your home.

You could even consider replacing your front door with something new or striking, perhaps opting for a colored door. When replacing your doors, you will want to look somewhere with a wide inventory so you can see all of your options in front of you. Wrought iron, sturdy oak, or a pop of color are all wildly popular for giving your home an instant facelift. You can even make your front door more accessible with the help of a door closer for hands-free convenience, as well as helping to save on your energy bills and impressing others with the functionality of your door.

Add a Deck or Patio: If your yard is lacking a spot to sit back and relax, an amazing upgrade could be adding decking or a patio. When the nice weather hits, it will provide the place to be for an outdoor party, barbecues, or simply lounging in the sun with a good book. An addition like a deck or patio is an instant increase to both curb appeal and property value. Be sure to decorate with brightly colored furniture, fairy lights, and potted plants or flowers for the ultimate outdoor escape.

It Doesn’t Take Long to Brush Away the Debris: We’re at that point in time where leaves are on the ground and there can be a bit of debris gathered around the front of your home. However, in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t take long to brush all those away and majorly boost your curb appeal.

What About the Gutters? I know clearing out the gutters could be a job saved for that yearly “to do” list, but if you find that they are looking particularly overloaded or even causing drainage issues, then now is the time to get up there and give them a clear out. If you do not want to take on the job yourself, I am sure there will be a local service happy to resolve the problem for you.

Finally, why not add a bit of color to the front of your home by planting some pretty flowers or adding a few pots around your front door. It could be a lovely addition to the frontage of your property and will brighten up a blah door instantly.

Featured Image By: Pexels