Should You Build Your Home?

When you browse the market, it’s rare to find a house that includes all your dream features within your budget. For some, the answer lies in building a custom home. While this is a significant undertaking, it offers the possibility of having your housing fantasy come to life. However, before jumping headfirst into this commitment, you should evaluate whether it’s the right choice for you.

Here are five things to consider when deciding whether to build a home.

1. Is It Better to Build or Buy a House?

Building a new home from scratch allows you to customize the design to suit your needs. You’ll be able to determine everything from the number of rooms to how many electrical outlets to have in each room. By building new, you have the chance to install eco-friendly appliances and frame out space for future features or additions. When making custom selections, you’ll end up with the products you love.

In comparison, a preowned house may need upgrades and renovations to suit your lifestyle. Even then, the existing dwelling’s square footage represents a limitation unless you build an addition. Ultimately, it boils down to location, budget and time. Is there an empty lot in your preferred neighborhood or somewhere nearby? If there is, do you have the time and money to build your dream property?

2. Is It Expensive to Build Your Home?

Typically, building a new home is more expensive than buying one prebuilt. The National Association of House Builders reported that the average total cost for constructing a home in 2019 was $296,652, and they predicted that number would rise in future years. While expenses vary based on size and location, the sale price breakdown — including sales commission, construction costs and the finished lot cost — was approximately $485,128.

As a homeowner, these estimates provide a glimpse into the expected costs associated with constructing a new build. However, it’s crucial to note that these will differ if you own the land already. The overall expenses will also change based on the size and complexity of the house design.

3. How Long Does It Take to Build a House?

It takes time to build a home, though modular and kit houses can come together faster than starting from scratch. It’s best to ask for an estimate to determine how quickly the builder expects to complete the project. You can save time by beginning construction when the weather is reliable, such as in the summer or early fall. Wood begins to rot if the moisture content is too high, so keep that in mind when choosing a construction season.

It’s also possible to save time by choosing a premade house plan and adjusting it to suit your needs. Hiring an architect to draw up brand-new plans may take several months, which will affect your overall timeline and budget.

4. How Much Are You Responsible for as the Owner?

As the homeowner, it is your responsibility to make all challenging decisions concerning your build. That means you need to be available to answer any questions that may arise. You’ll also be in charge of signing off on the design plans the architect creates. Your construction manager may act as the point of contact between you and other team members, but you will likely still interact with these people as well.

Besides making decisions and answering questions, you’ll need to reach out to a real estate agent and lender to secure financing and obtain a lot for the building.

5. Can You Build a House?

Most adults — even DIY-savvy people — do not have all the skills required to build a traditional house by themselves. At a minimum, they’ll need to hire specialized workers to pour the foundation and inspect the property. However, people can build nontraditional buildings, like tiny homes on trailers, without a licensed contractor’s assistance.

As with conventional homes, many companies offer premade kits to assemble and build tiny houses. It’s even possible for DIYers and inexperienced builders alike to build small dwellings if they have the time and determination.

Pick up Your Paintbrush

Now that you’ve considered these five essential facets of building a home, do you think it’s time to make the leap? While building a house can be costly, there are numerous ways to keep costs low. With this in mind, if you’re interested in renovations, offer to pitch in and get to work on the projects within your skill level. You’ll probably be surprised by how much money you save and the positive experiences you gain!

Guest Contributor: Rose Morrison

Decorate your house with zodiac sign personalized posters

A house becomes a sweet home when all the people stay happily together and a lovely home is a dream for most people. You also want to decorate it as per your taste. Every belonging to your house should depict your taste towards life. People often say that a living room is the heart of the home. It is over here where you spend happy moments with all your loved ones. So you should decorate it with the customized posters that will genuinely depict yourself. The posters also allow you to show off your design aesthetic sense.

Here are some of the posters that can help you to decorate your home uniquely:

1. Personalized Baby Board Poster

Source – Artsybucket.com 

For every parent, the birthday of their child is the most memorable one. All the parents love to decorate their room with a picture of their beloved baby. If you want to make it unique, you can surely try this "personalized baby board poster." It is a black and white sketch of a newborn baby and states all the necessary information such as birth date, weight, and height. In the height and weight field, you can fill the height in centimeter and gram, respectively. Lastly, you will fill in the birth date of your child.

2. Aquarius personal zodiac sign poster 

Source – Artsybucket.com 

If you are Aquarius born, then you hang this poster on your living room wall. Hanging this on your wall will portray that you are shy and quiet and eccentric and energetic. Whoever visits your home will automatically become aware of your character. Just combine this zodiac sign photo frame with your other favorite pictures and show off your skills.

3. Personal date board illustration poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Each of us has a particular date in our life that always smiles to our faces. It can be a birthday, or a special date with your loved one, or the birthday of your baby. This black and white picture can make a particular date much memorable. This poster's layout looks like the page of a calendar with your name, date, year, and week. This is available in all sizes so you can buy it according to your own choice. 

4. Cancer Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Do you love your family and home very much? Are you Cancer-born? Well, then you can surely add this zodiac sign poster on your living room wall. This "PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER" portrays a graphic image of the constellation of the Cancer sign. We all know that crabs are very sensitive and emotional, so if you want to show off this characteristic of yours through an image, you can surely hang this on your wall. You can also gift this poster or make a nice collage with all your pictures. 

5. Capricorn Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Many of you may like to decorate your living room with a poster of your zodiac sign. Well, then you can surely buy this poster to personalize yourself through a poster. For instance, if you or your loved one is Capricorn-born, you can surely buy this "CAPRICORN, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER." Capricorns are very energetic people and also hardworking and trustworthy. People visiting your home will get an idea of your trait and will come to know you properly.

6. Scoprio Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Is your partner Sagittarius-born? Are you in search of a unique gift for your loved one? Well, then you can surely gift this stylish poster "SAGITTARIUS, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER" to your loved one. This picture shows the constellation of the sign Sagittarius. This particular zodiac sign is also known as Archer, is the half-human and half-horse, whose brilliant nature forms a bridge between Earth and Heaven. You can gift this poster along with a nice collage of many of your pictures. 

7. Taurus Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Are you searching for an exclusive gift for your Taurus-born friend? Well, your friend can surely get many gifts but this "TAURUS, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER" can be the most special one. Taurus people are very stubborn, and this stubbornness acts as a blessing in their life. They tend to use their determination positively and can achieve anything they want to. You can also combine this poster with some of the other pictures and make a collage and gift your friend. 

8. Scoprio Personal Zodiac Sign Poster 

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Some people are passionate and positive-minded towards life. They are the Scorpio-born persons. If you are a part of this constellation, then you can surely gift yourself a beautiful personalized poster of "SCORPIO, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER." You can hang this on your wall, and people will come to know that you are a born leader as that is the main trait of a Scorpion. They hate dishonesty and should learn to adapt to new situations quickly. 

Decorating your house with the same handicrafts is not a new concept anymore. Try these innovative posters and make your home a unique one. 

Guest Contributor: Silvia Watson

Explore the Amazing Benefits of Using Vinyl Banners for Business Promotion

Advertising and promotion are done in numerous ways and diverse forms. Banners are supposed to be a far more effective way of approaching your target audience when compared to print media, radio, or television. Placing advertisements in print and commercial media could prove to be pretty expensive. 

As per https://www.entrepreneur.com, outdoor advertising proves to be quite effective for promoting your brand or business in specific geographic locations. Several companies firmly believe that vinyl advertising banners are popular and affordable. These are not only cost-effective, but they also have great aesthetic appeal too. They are robust, durable, and attractive. Vinyl advertising banners are unbeatable in terms of promoting and advertising your business’s events and special offers. Here are some of the advantages of promoting your business with vinyl advertising banners,

Easily Customizable

Vinyl banners could easily be custom-tailored as per the unique requirements of your business. You have the liberty to fully customize your colors, logo, and incorporate unique designs on your company’s banners for promotion and advertising purposes. These banners could be modified as well so they are great for showcasing whatever concept you are having in your mind. It helps you to obtain greater control and grip over your signage. You do not have to compromise on costs, materials, or designs while using vinyl advertising banners.  

Incredibly Impressive & Eye-Catching

Vinyl advertising banners are utilized for effectively connecting with your target audience or potential customers. A well-designed vinyl advertising banner could grab instant attention of the passersby. A vinyl banner in vibrant colors and striking design could attract your attention from quite a distance. These banners could prove to be effective and immensely fruitful provided you are able to project strategically valuable information about your company to the prospects. It could be beneficial to consider reinforcing your branding endeavors.

Truly Cost-Effective

You could drastically minimize your advertising and promotional costs once you decide to promote your business using reasonably priced vinyl advertising banners. These promotional banners are known for being affordable. Even startups who have little resources to devote to advertising could promote their business well using these incredibly affordable Vinyl advertising banners. These banners are the cheapest way of getting your message seamlessly across to your prospective clients or to your precise target audience. 

Versatile

The raw materials that go into the making of vinyl promotional banners make them inherently versatile. These lightweight banners could be transported from one place to another easily without any hassles. They could be used repeatedly for promoting your brand or business. These banners could be kept away for later use without any worries of losing quality. 

Durable

Vinyl advertising banners are weather-proof and incredibly sturdy. They are even resistant to sun damage and water hence; they are incredibly useful for outdoor advertising. You could rest assured that they would be going strong despite snow, rain, or harsh sunlight. They would last for several years without losing out in terms of quality. They could be reused whenever necessary. Using these vinyl advertising banners could be helpful in decreasing your marketing expenditure for your business.

Conclusion

Once you have come to realize the multiple benefits of using vinyl advertising banners, it is a good decision to include these cost-effective advertising tools in your business’s marketing and promotion strategy. You should focus on choosing the best banner print & production company to avoid additional costs and extra charges.

Guest Contributor: Sujain Thomas

Applications of Access Doors in Construction Engineering

Applications of Access Doors in Construction Engineering

When talking about construction engineering, it would refer to the professional discipline of designing, planning, building, and managing various infrastructural projects. Engineers working in this field have to supervise construction activities and ensure that everything is doing well throughout the whole process. With the latest innovations, it is now much more comfortable to provide solutions for civil engineering applications. One application includes access doors and panels to reinforce protection and provide convenient access to internal building systems.

These days, various access doors are primarily-designed to access the critical areas behind walls, floors, ceilings, and even roofs. One popular application is HVAC access doors, which are essential to allow convenient inspections and maintenance on HVAC and HVAC systems. With a variety of designs and materials that access doors are using now, it is vital to know which one is ideal for specific purposes that you need.

Here are the different types of access doors and their role in construction engineering:

Security Access Doors

Maintaining the facility’s security is essential for any commercial buildings, especially highly controlled ones. By using security access doors, you can have additional protection on the critical components of the infrastructure. These panels use heavy-duty materials with tamper-proof locks that will prohibit unauthorized access. They come in various levels, such as medium, high, and fire-rated ones, and ideal for prisons, hospitals, and detention facilities.

Fire-rated Access Doors

Many building requirements that engineers need to comply with for permits rates the fire safety in the building. To assure that the infrastructure will gain more points, contractors use fire-rated access doors to protect while giving convenient access to building components. The right materials prevent the heat transfer from the entrance to the system behind it during a fire incident. Most fire-rated doors feature self-closing and self-opening mechanisms with one up to 4-hours fire rating. It indicates the length of time that the material can withstand temperature rise. When looking for the right one, make sure to find those with good access doors and panel reviews and NFPA-compliant.

Acoustical Access Doors

Fire is not the only thing that you want to protect your building from. If you own a commercial facility that tends to produce loud sounds and cause a disturbance, it is essential to ensure its sound rating. In these cases, it is ideal to use sound rated access doors to provide accessibility to building components while reducing noise and improving privacy. These labels use top-grade insulation to meet the Sound Transmission Class (STC) requirements for buildings. Acoustical access doors are applicable for facilities with music and performing arts rooms, healthcare, and offices.

Exterior Access Doors

There are some cases where you will need convenient access to your building components outside. However, it is essential to ensure that you will only install exterior access doors that will work well against outdoor elements. It needs to use durable materials that are weatherproof and will not rust right away. They may be aluminum, galvanized, or stainless steel. Moreover, the insulation should be top-notch to avoid water infiltration in case of heavy rains or storms. It will also help prevent dirt and dust from getting inside your building components and damaging them in the long run.

Airtight/Watertight Access Doors

If your building has laboratories, operating rooms, and clean rooms, it is essential to use airtight and watertight access doors. These rooms usually require an airtight/watertight seal to avoid contaminated or unwanted airs and liquids from coming inside the facility. The door and frame of the panel should be fully welded and gasketed. It is also vital to check the type of insulation that it uses. To check if it can prevent anything from coming inside. You can also use airtight/watertight access doors for exterior applications if you wish.

Choose the right access doors!

Smooth construction and installation need to know which access doors are ideal for the application that a building requires. There are many types and classifications of panels that you will see in the market, and it may include plaster, plastic, stucco, drywall, and walk-through doors. However, not choosing the right access door may turn into a safety hazard for your building components.

It would be best to look for high-quality ones from companies with fair access doors and panel reviews such as Access Doors and Panels. Check if customers and industry professionals leave them with remarkable feedback to see if the company is reliable. An ideal access door should be economical and can answer the requirements of your projects.

Guest Contributor: Chris Jackson

Detecting Sneaky Leaks: How to Find a Plumbing Leak at Home

So, you do your best to conserve water, and you put your money where your mouth is by installing water-efficient toilets, showerheads, and faucets.

However, you’d still be wasting a lot of water if you have a sneaky water leak or two at home.  

In the United States, close to 900 billion gallons of water are lost to leaks annually, a staggering figure by any standard.

To make sure that you’re not wasting water yourself, you should check your plumbing for leaks. You can also opt to hire leak detection experts to get the job done more smoothly and quickly.

If you have a nagging suspicion that there is, indeed, a plumbing leak in your home, you can make initial efforts to locate it and confirm its existence. Here are some tips to help you find plumbing leaks in your home if any.

Check Your Water Bill

Before you begin any physical effort to locate a suspected leak, check your water bill first.

If you live alone or with two other people at the most, and you have been getting huge water bills for the past few months, then you may have a plumbing leak somewhere.

Do The Water Meter Test

If your water bills are astronomical, checking your water meter will help confirm if you do have a leak.

You can start by turning off faucets, showers, toilets, and washing machines, then look more closely at your meter and watch out for signs of movement.

When you see the meter change before your eyes, even when no one’s using the water, then you have a fast-moving leak somewhere.

If you don’t see any immediate movement from your water meter, check it again a couple of hours later.

If there’s even the slightest change in the meter when you get back, then you have a plumbing leak, but a slow-moving one.

Check Kitchens and Bathrooms For Puddles

Once your water meter inspection confirms the existence of a leak, proceed to look for puddles and other signs of moisture under the kitchen and bathroom sinks.

While you’re at it, check around the bases of showers, toilets, and tubs for puddles. Do the same for areas beneath your washing machine, dishwasher, and water heater tank.

If you find puddles in any of the spots mentioned above, shut down the water supply to those fixtures and appliances right away as a precautionary measure.

Put Your Toilet Through The Dye Test

Of all the water-using fixtures in your home, it’s the toilet that tends to waste a lot of water, often without us noticing.

One of the easiest ways of confirming if your toilet is leaking is the dye test.

All you have to do is drop a dye tablet or some food coloring into your toilet tank. Leave it for about 15-30 minutes, then check if the water in the bowl has any hint of the dye color you put in the tank.

If you find colored water in the bowl, then there’s something wrong with your toilet’s flapper, that rubber stopper meant to keep water from entering the bowl until someone flushes the toilet.

The flapper could have gone brittle over time, allowing water to bleed into the bowl and wasting it.

See If There Are Damp Areas In Your Lawn

Check your lawn and see if there are patches that seem to be wetter and have so much growth compared to other spots. A lawn that has much damper or thicker patches often indicates that a pipe is leaking underground.

Check Walls, Floors, and Ceilings

Water stains on ceilings, warping, peeling, or bubbling paint on the walls, and damaged floors may indicate a plumbing leak in their vicinity.

Keep in mind that the tips above are for finding signs of plumbing leaks that are readily apparent. Some plumbing leaks are hard to find. You could do all of the above and still not locate the leak.

If your water bills remain sky-high after failing to find any obvious sign of any plumbing leak, call in a professional plumber to identify the source of a water leak in your home as accurately as possible and fix it.

Guest Contributor: Anthony Quinn

Simple Ideas for Making Your Yard Private

Simple Ideas for Making Your Yard Private

If you’re lucky enough to be living in an area with a great climate, which allows you to spend time outside your home, and you’re privileged to have a nice yard in front or behind your house, you’ll understand how important it is to make the space as private as possible. Nobody likes feeling like they are on display, regardless of how great the yard is.

Even if you are protected from the elements and privy eyes, you still might be affected by noise coming from your neighbors or the traffic. It might be impossible to create a perfectly secluded and isolated spot, but there are definitely many things you can do to help you and your family have a fabulous time in your yard. Here are some ideas that should do the trick.

Potted screen

If you have green fingers and enjoy plants, potted plants might be the solution. Not only do they look great, but if you opt for tall plants, such as bamboo, fruit trees or tall grasses, you’ll be protected from nosey neighbors and passers-by. The same trick can be applied to balconies and patios.

Faux hedge

Another cheap trick, which requires almost no maintenance is to install a faux hedge, which requires no pruning, watering or waiting for the hedge to take form. There are many different sizes of panels to choose from and they also provide decent soundproofing.

Umbrellas

If there are no trees in your yard to provide shade and privacy, you might choose popular cantilever umbrellas to avoid the negative effects of sunrays. They are also great because you can move them around, which means you can pretty much protect any area in your yard. Choose the right material and color and you’ll get both the protection you need and the esthetic element will also be there.

Curtains

One of the popular trends is to install outdoor curtains, which are attached to porches, cabanas and gazebos. They protect you from the sun and provide the needed privacy. However, make sure you choose the rods that won’t rust and the fabric that can withstand the elements. When it comes to the color, opt for brighter ones, i.e. neutral if your yard is already colorful enough.

Portable tents and pavilions

Depending on the size of your yard and your budget, you can choose from a wide range of portable tents and pavilions. They are perfect for dining in those warm summer evenings, but can also allow you to spend time outdoors in the rain.

Walls

If you are the owner of the house, you could look into the option of having a permanent fence or wall. That will provide great sound insulation, apart from allowing you to feel more secure in your yard. You might use stone, bricks or wood, depending on your budget and other elements.

Climb plants on a trellis

This method requires a bit more work and patience, but it’s very decorative and effective. You’ll have to wait for the plants to grow and creep upward and you’ll need to look after them, but the trellis will provide you with instant protection and block any views instantly. Again, it’s very important to choose the material that can sustain the elements.

Investing in creating a more private and better-protected yard is always a sound investment, since it allows you to use the space just outside your home, thus extending your living space. It also allows you to add another dimension to your lifestyle, since you will have more options to entertain friends and family if you wish. Finally, the more time you spend outside, the more ready you’ll be for your office work and the fact that you have to spend countless hours in a confined space.

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Warming Places in Cook County

We’re lucky to have heat in our homes, unfortunately there’s families without heating or proper housing. It’s more sad to think that there’s homeless people dealing with this weather. It’s -50, please help the people that you could and if you can’t, call one of the numbers below they should be able to advise you.

Here’s a list of all the Warming Places in Cook County.

Berwyn (Library)

2701 S. Harlem Ave.
Berwyn, IL

9:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. M-THU
9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. F-SAT
1:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. SUN
Transport: No

Berwyn (Freedom Park)

3701 S. Scoville Ave.
Berwyn, IL

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M-THU
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. F
Transport: No

Berwyn (Recreational Dept.)

6501 W. 31st St.
Berwyn, IL

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., M-F
Transport: No

Bloom

425 S. Halsted St.
Chicago Heights, IL

8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. M/W
8:00 a.m. – 4:40 p.m. T/THU/F
Transport: No

Bremen

16361 S. Kedzie Parkway
Markham, IL

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., M-F
Transport: No

Calumet

12633 Ashland Ave.
Calumet Park, IL

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: Yes, please call 708.388.6606.

Cicero (Village Building)

4949 W. Cermak Rd.
Cicero, IL

8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Cicero (Library)

5444 W. 34th St.
Cicero, IL

8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m., M-F
Transport: No

Cicero (Community Center)

2250 S. 49th Ave.
Cicero, IL

8:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m., M-F
Transport: No

Elk Grove

2400 S. Arlington Heights Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL

9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Hanover (Senior Center)

240 S. IL Route 59
Bartlett, IL

8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. M/W/F
8:30 a.m.- 8:00 p.m. T and THURS
8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. SAT
Transport: Yes

Lemont (Township Offices)

1115 Warner Ave.
Lemont, IL

9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: Yes, please call 630.257.2522

Lemont (Community Center)

16300 Alba St.
Lemont, IL

9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: Yes, please call 630.257.2522

Leyden

2620 N. Mannheim Rd.
Franklin Park, IL

6:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. M-F
6:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. SAT
6:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. SUN
Transport: No

Maine

1700 Ballard Rd.
Park Ridge, IL

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Niles

5255 Lincoln Ave.
Skokie, IL

9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Norwood Park

7833 W. Lawrence Ave.
Norridge, IL

9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. M – THUR
9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. F
Transport: No

Oak Park

130 S. Oak Park Ave.
Oak Park, IL

8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Orland Park

14807 Ravinia Ave.
Orland Park, IL

8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. M/W/THUR/F
8:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. T
Transport: Yes, for seniors 55 and older. Please call 708.403.4222.

Palatine

721 S. Quentin Road
Palatine, IL

8:30 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. M
8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. T- F
8:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. SAT
Transport: No

Palos

10802 S. Roberts Road
Palos Hills, IL

8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Proviso

4565 W. Harrison St.
Hillside, IL

8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. M-F
Transport: Yes, for seniors 60 and older. Please call 708.449.4300.

Rich

22013 Governors Hwy
Richton Park, IL

9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

River Forest

8020 W. Madison St.
River Forest, IL

8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Riverside

27 Riverside Road
Riverside, IL

9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Schaumburg

1 Illinois Boulevard
Hoffman Estates, IL

8:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. M-THURS
8:30 a.m.- 9:00 p.m. F
Transport: No

Stickney

7745 S. Leamington Ave.
Burbank, IL

8:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. F
Transport: No

Wheeling

1616 N. Arlington Heights Rd.
Arlington Heights, IL

8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

Worth

11601 S. Pulaski Rd.
Alsip, IL

8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. M-F
Transport: No

5 Sustainable Storage Solutions Ideas For Your Home

5 Sustainable Storage Solutions Ideas for Your Home

Making your home green and sustainable doesn’t sound like the easiest job in the world, but it’s still not as hard as it seems. This is particularly true when we’re talking about storage solutions that give everyone a headache no matter how much space they have. But, all you need are a couple of ideas that could boost your sustainability level and solve your storage issues, and you’ll realize how amazing this entire process is sooner than you’ve imagined. So, if you too are trying to find sustainable storage solutions for your home as well, here’s what you need to do. 

Declutter everything first

This is the first step toward more sustainable living and more effective storage solutions. We all own too many things we don’t even use, so getting rid of them is the way to go. Start decluttering your home room by room, especially the bathroom, and you’ll get a ton of new storage space you never knew existed, and organizing everything else should be much easier now that you have fewer possessions and more space.

Find sustainable materials

Sustainable storage should be based on having sustainable materials you can use when storing and organizing your stuff. That’s why plastic containers aren’t the best ideas in the world, although they can seem like the most practical and efficient solutions, especially for our food. Instead, use glass containers and mason jars that are just as useful, but much more sustainable.

Rely on big solutions

If your home is still full of stuff after a thorough decluttering process, and you want to keep all of these things around you at all times, think about bigger storage solutions that can solve all of your problems at once. Sustainable wall-to-wall shelving units and other reliable storage solutions that will protect all your possessions and keep them safe might be the things you were looking for, so explore these ideas and find a way to incorporate them into your home.

Explore hidden storage space

If your furniture is made from reclaimed and natural materials, you already know how amazing and comfortable it can be. But, if you find new furniture that’s just as natural, but has some hidden storage space as well, you could get the best of both worlds. Everything from sofas and sectionals to benches and coffee tables can be used as an additional storage solution, as long as it’s eco-friendly.

Get a rattan bar cart

This isn’t just about making your home more sustainable, but also adding a dose of elegance into your indoor and outdoor space as well. Rattan bar carts are amazing for serving your drinks, storing your newspapers and magazines, as well as presenting healthy fruits and tasty desserts to your guests. There are lots of models you can choose from, so pick whichever you like, but keep in mind that rattan is one of the most sustainable materials out there and you definitely won’t make a mistake by introducing it into your home.

From tiny glass jars to enormous shelves, sustainable storage ideas are everywhere around us, and it’s our job to define what we need and turn our dreams into reality. As long as we’re trying to introduce sustainability into every aspect of our life, including home design and storage ideas, we can be sure we’re doing something good for our planet and preserving it for future generations.

Guest Contributors, Amelia Atkins

Couple Finds Thousands While Renovating Their Home

If you ever needed an excuse to remodel your home, here’s one: couple found thousands of dollars in the floorboards while renovating a home. They have been remodeling houses for 13 years. Their company, Accessible Homes, remodels homes for people with disabilities. I couldn’t have happened to a better company.

“We looked through it,” Rasmussen said of finding the money while renovating an accessible home for a nonprofit Thursday. “It’s $20s and $50s, I’d say $30,000. Maybe more.”

“When we opened up the floor there’s a heat duct that was run under the floor,” Rasmussen said. “And so someone previously must have gone into the utility room and thrown the money up on top of that duct. Pretty crazy.”

“It’s hard to process that amount of cash just laying around, and no one knew existed,” he added. “Well, someone knew, but forgot about.”

The house is owned by Bethesda, a non for profit that provides housing and services for people developmental disabilities. The money is going to help their organization make a difference in people’s lives.

source: http://www.fox32chicago.com/news/couple-finds-thousands-in-cash-under-the-floorboards-during-home-renovation

A Complete Guide to Plantation Shutters

A Complete Guide to Plantation Shutters 

If you’re looking for a way to beautify your interior design and add more natural light to it, then plantation shutters are the perfect choice for your home. Since there are numerous options regarding style and materials, we are here to help you customize your preferences until you find the ones that will suit your home the best. In order to do so, we have compiled a complete guide to plantation shutters. Let’s take a look.

Add a touch of class

First things first, start off by inviting a breath of fresh air to your home with stylish plantation shutters. The best thing about them is that they can be fitted to any type of window which means that each one will be custom-made for you and designed with any type of finish you desire. For example, if you prefer a traditional style you can go for lacquered basswood shutters for a timeless low-weight and high-endurance solution. However, if you want to evoke a contemporary minimalist atmosphere, feel free to opt for the composite alternative. These shutters are made out of engineered wood wrapped with vinyl for a sleek design to fit any modern home. Keep in mind, the value of your home will drastically increase since these shutters add a lot of class to both the exterior and interior design which many house hunters will appreciate.

Increased safety

Plantation shutters are gaining a lot in popularity recently due to their increased durability and the safety that they can provide to homeowners. If you want to secure your home and prevent any unwanted intrusions, you can now acquire window shutters made from reinforced military-grade metals. Since they are designed with very sturdy hinges and locks, you won’t need to add any other form of protection such as bars or curtains. Lastly, you can install easy-to-operate fly screens to protect your home from mosquitoes, flies and other pesky insects.

Regulate temperature with ease

Aussies know that in order to combat the harsh Australian weather, the best and most practical solution is installing plantation shutters. The reason for this is that you can get shutters with built-in robust aluminium inserts that guarantee longevity. Furthermore, these can withstand the harsh climate and won’t warp, fade or break due to moisture. Thus, if you want to follow in the footsteps of satisfied Australian homeowners who always choose the amazing plantation shutters in Sydney, you should acquire them for your home as well to create a pleasant atmosphere indoors. Additionally, they block up to 30% of incoming airflow and can insulate 70% better than regular wooden shutters. Owing to these features, you will be able to take full control of the room temperature which means you won’t need to depend on your air conditioning or heating systems.

No need for constant maintenance

It is vital to notice that unlike curtains, drapes and other types of window attachments, your plantation shutters will require very little maintenance. For example, if you’ve opted for vinyl ones, then you’ll only need a damp paper towel to remove any kind of stains from the flaps. However, if you have wooden ones, you’ll need to dust the wood once per week and polish it with lemon oil so you can be eco-friendly and prolong the life of your shutters. A great practical solution would be to tilt your blinds and vacuum them in a downwards motion to save time. For homeowners who value their high-end wooden shutters which have a lot of grooves and detailed inlays in them, it’s recommendable to use a small toothbrush to clean those difficult-to-reach spots.

As you can see, plantation shutters can transform your home into a true oasis. All you need to do is choose the material and style of your shutters that best agrees with your interior design and keep them well-maintained. Good luck on your remodeling project!

Guest Contributor, Lucas Bergman