How Your Garage Became So Cluttered

How Your Garage Became So Cluttered

To understand how the garage came to play such a significant role in the average American acquisition, it’s easier if you have a bit of background on how architecture and the building industry affected the placement and use of the garage.

Housing developments

The first carriage houses and later, garages, were built behind the home. When housing developments became popular in the seventies and eighties, the architecture of homes changed to streamline traffic. The family garage was relocated to the front of the home and attached to the house. The average family now uses the automatic garage door as a primary means of entering their home rather than the front or back door.

Ebb and flow

Today, the garage door is also often the most significant architectural element in the front of many homes. For this reason, a new garage door can transform the look of a home. At the same time, the ease with which we enter and depart from our homes via the garage has given us the opportunity to use the garage as a holding area of sorts. Most of our purchases enter through the garage via the family car.

Much of our garbage exits through the garage door when we take out the trash cans. If items are too good to throw away but not good enough to keep in the home, they often become stuck in a holding pattern. After all, a garage isn’t a room in the house where cleanliness and comfort are required. As a result, we often allow the space to become so cluttered it becomes a safety hazard. We’ve all managed to trip over a bicycle or carelessly placed box at some point. Also, the automatic garage door can break, or its function is threatened if overstacked boxes or other items fall on the mechanisms.

Storage

As the middle class expanded, advertising told people to buy more stuff.  Even if you already had a coat, for example, advertising reminded us that the styles had changed and for a relatively reasonable price, you could own a brand-new stylish one. Since the old coat wasn’t worn out, you kept that one, too. Soon, we all had a mountain of old outerwear, dishes, knick-knacks, and kitchen appliances. It seemed reasonable to store the old stuff in the garage until the next garage sale, drop-off at the thrift store, until someone needed it, or until some mishap befell the new one.

Municipalities and HOA’s have added to the temptation to store items in the garage because many of these governing entities stopped issuing permits for sheds and other structures, or banned them altogether.

Hobbies and sports

Since the middle class is no longer required to work long hours to keep families from starving, there are new opportunities for leisure activities such as hobbies and sports activities. The tools and equipment from these activities are often stored in the garage as a matter of convenience.

Looking forward

In light of our new understanding of how the garage came to be a kind of private loading dock, we no longer have to be victims of an architectural decision from years ago. By rethinking the garage as a living space specifically for the car will help us become more respectful of the area.

Just as warehouses use floor tape to designate areas which are to remain clear at all times, a family can create a mental ‘safe zone’ in their garage, one in which walkways are clear, and boxes or other items aren’t abandoned: they ’re either appropriately stored or hauled away. If the project is overwhelming, asking for help is reasonable. Garage storage units can also be helpful.

Guest Contributor, Danny Cappello

About the author: Danny Cappello is a co-founder of Quick Response Garage Doors and Quick Response Garage Cabinets. When not busy with work Danny enjoys playing tennis, and spending time with his family.

Seven Home Improvements That Do Not Increase Your Home Value

Seven home improvements that do not increase your home value.

A survey by the Homeowner Protection found that fifty-eight percent of homeowners in the U.S intend to carry out some kind of home remodeling in the next twelve months.

Most of the proprietors surveyed said that they wanted to renovate their homes so as to increase the value of the house when they do eventually sell it.

Not all home enhancements add value to your house. Some home renovations do not add value worst still various improvements can detract from the value of your house.

Here are eight home renovations that can lower the value of your house:

1.   Bright and Bold Paint Colors.

Trendy homeowners might feel the need to invest in painting the exterior of the home in bright colors. However, bright paint colors may not add to the value of your house especially if the house is ultimately sold to someone who does not like bright colors.

Instead, homeowners should paint both the interior and exterior of their house neutral colors before placing the house on the market.

Neutral colors can help the new homeowner to easily envision themselves in your home.

2.   Extreme High-end Kitchen renovations.

The kitchen is one of the rooms that most homeowners invest huge sums of money. However, homeowners do not recoup the full amount spent in the kitchen remodel as kitchen’s resale values are below the actual remodeling costs.

To avoid making this mistake, buy middle range kitchen appliances in place of high-end kitchen appliances.

3.     Luxury Bathroom.

Luxury bathrooms increase the value to your home, but over personalized finishes and over-the-top whirlpool tubs may not be too attractive to would-be buyers with a different bathroom preference.

To ensure that your house is desirable to many people install a walk-in shower and avoid extremely luxurious bathroom finishes.

4.   Combining two bedrooms to create a bigger room.

Knocking down walls to create one big bedroom might seem like a good idea to a young couple or to a retired couple whose children have moved away from the house. But this is a bad idea for homeowners who want to sell their home in the future.

Young families with children, want their children to have separate bedrooms, and they, do not mind if the rooms are small.

Each separate bedroom adds about fifteen percent value to the home, so try and implement simple décor tricks in the small bedrooms to make them seem bigger instead of taking down the wall.

5.   A swimming pool.

Families with kids and people who live in places with high temperatures at least six months in a year, may opt to buy a house with a swimming pool.

However, if the home is located in a place that is quite cold throughout the year a swimming pool will not add any value to your house.

6.   A hot tub.

For families with young children, a hot tub is a safety hazard in the home. Hence such families might offer to buy the home a certain price, less the cost of uninstalling the hot tub from the house.

If you have to install a hot tub to your home, consider installing a moveable hot tub that you can carry with you once you sell the house.

7.   Costly landscaping.

Lavish landscaping decorations may increase the curb appeal of your home, but they will not raise the value of your home.

Prospective buyers will only see the high maintenance costs required for the decorations and this may make them fearful of buying the home.

Homeowners should install simple easy to maintain garden décor which can be removed easily should the need arise.

8.   Creative interior décor.

Unusual wall colors, too much wallpaper, and quirky wall-to-wall carpets are some of the creative décor installations that detract from your home.

If the prospective buyer dislikes the décor installations in your home, they will most likely be calculating how much it will cost them to remove such items. Accordingly, they will offer to buy your house for a low price taking into consideration that they will incur additional uninstalling costs in the home.

When decorating your home avoid over personalizing your home as most probable buyers may not share similar décor preferences with you.

Avoid all the mistakes discussed above, for you to get the best possible price for your house when you do decide to sell it.

 Guest Contributor, Danny “Wheels“  Margagliano

Questions You Need To Ask Your Contractor

Questions You Need to Ask Your Contractor

Are you getting a remodeling or any construction work done at home? If so, then you need to hire the right contractor for the job. So before hiring one, ask the potential contractor the following questions:

Are you insured?

For someone who runs a contracting business, contractor insurance is a very crucial thing to have. It’s a guarantee, after all, that you, the client, will be compensated in the event your property sustains damage that was inflicted—accidentally or otherwise—by your crew in the course of their work.

Aside from property damage, general liability insurance will also cover any medical expenses for any physical injury that you, any member of your household, or a visiting friend or neighbor might suffer in an accident caused by the contractor’s crew in any way, shape, or form.

Are you a licensed contractor?

It’s common knowledge that there are people out there who offer contracting services but don’t have the license to do so. While it’s true that some of them may have skills, a licensed contractor will always end up to be the more dependable one to make the project go more smoothly and deliver the results you want.

Can you show me your portfolio?

Think of a contractor’s portfolio as a menu at a restaurant that you have to peruse before you order. With photos of the contractor’s previous work, you should be able to judge for yourself if the contractor can do your vision for your construction project justice.

Can you give me references?

Asking for references is an excellent way of looking not only into a potential contractor’s past work but also into past working relationships. One call or visit to references provided should get you the information you need about that contractor’s workmanship, reliability, attitude, and availability, among other things. 

Are you willing to work where I need you to work?

Some contractors have this habit of hiring subcontractors to do jobs in places where they can’t or don’t want to go. If you’re hiring a contractor because of his excellent reputation, make sure you’re getting the real thing by asking if he’s able and willing to work where you need the work done.

How long have you been in the contracting business?

A long time as a contractor almost always means a lot of experience, and a contractor with years in the business does tend to turn in quality work.

The above questions are by no means the only ones you can ask a potential contractor, but they should be a good enough starting point in your search for the right person to be at the helm of your construction project.

 Guest Contributor, Rachel Porter

How To Effectively Prepare Your Business For A Natural Disaster

How to effectively prepare your business for a natural disaster

The key to succeeding in the world of business is leaving no blind spots. And one of the main blind spots would be forgetting that the world of business coexists with our own world – a world fragile and susceptible to various misfortunes. According to a survey published by CNBC, as much as 40% of small businesses never reopen after a natural disaster. These numbers need to be taken very seriously.

So, let’s take a quick look at the things you can do to prepare your enterprise for the times of crises.

Assess the risk

Some areas are more prone to natural disasters than others. Likewise, some industries run a higher risk of losing their assets as a consequence of these calamities. That’s why, if you ever want to develop a comprehensive response and prevention plan, you need to do a thorough risk assessment. Essentially, a regular risk assessment consists of these three parts:

●        Identification of potential hazards

●        Identification of the assets that could be at risk

●        Impact analysis

Try to determine the cost of interruptions

Once you know the dangers your business can face and the assets that can most likely be affected, it’s time to see how much money you may lose due to damage and downtime caused by the disaster. While doing this, don’t be afraid to go with less optimistic projections – underestimating the real costs of the disaster can only stall your business even longer. Here's the short list of the topics your projections should cover:

●        Lost income

●        Payroll during down times

●        The cost of temporary office space

●        The cost of relocation

●        Rebuilding

●        Liability

Review the insurance coverage

Investing in property insurance is one of the best ways to make sure your business will be able to rebound after the damage has been done. However, you have to make sure that the premiums you are paying are able to cover the costs of property replacement in the case your premises suffer a total loss. Fortunately, you can always resort to professional building insurance valuation to make sure your assessments are accurate enough. For example, if your valuation is off by just a wrong construction material, your insurance won’t be able to cover the loss and your business may need more time to recover.

Prepare the emergency plan

Your employees need to have a written procedure of how they are going to behave in case of a disaster and they are forced to leave their workplaces. Of course, writing the emergency plan is only a half solution. The emergency procedures should be prominently displayed throughout your premises and your workers should practice evacuation at least once a month. Also, it is a good idea to include your digital assets into the emergency plan as well. A thorough backup strategy should prevent loss of valuable data which can be equally as crippling as the loss of physical assets.

Establish clear communication rules

Once the disaster strikes, the survival of the business and the safety of the employees depend on the speed and the communication method. How are you going to contact the employees? What happens if the premises are closed during a disaster? What’s the fastest way to distribute relevant updates? In the time of crisis, these questions can cause a lot of confusion. That is why you need to write a communication plan that will address these problems through clear rules and procedures.

Create a crisis response network

Of course, your business is not an isolated entity and the eventual losses you may have to endure in the case of calamity may be caused by external factors. For instance, what if your suppliers are cut off or having the same problems as your enterprise? Because of that, it would be a good idea to have a meeting with all the parties involved in your business's operations where you will present your emergency plans and try to coordinate your actions. This emergency response network can have its own budget and executives and eventually expand to other local establishments.

These six steps should help you to prepare your business for any kind of danger that might be lurking down the road. We don’t really get to choose when some kind of misfortune may befall our companies and try to ruin the years of hard work we put into them. But, we can choose how we are going to deal with these problems.

About the author: Mike Johnston is a home improvement blogger and DIY enthusiast from Sydney. He is a regular writer at Smooth Decorator and contributor to numerous home, lifestyle, real estate and eco-friendly blogs. Mike’s goal is to create and share meaningful content that helps and inspires people.

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

The 8 Primal Cuts Of Beef

A cooking tradition found in countries spanning the globe, barbecuing is more popular today than ever before. Some of the different cooking techniques include conventional grilling, smoking and braising.  The thickness and fat content of the cut determine which method is the best option for tender, flavorful meat.

There are over 100 different types of sub-primal cuts and each varies depending on the region of the world you live in. While America has 8 primal beef cuts, Europeans break the cow down differently only creating 6 primal beef cuts. In other countries, there may be as many as 20 primal cuts. Each of these sub-primal cuts is unique and very different from each other in the way they are handled, prepared, cooked and served.

In this article, we will go over the list of American primal beef cuts and their sub-primal cuts to help you get a better understanding of the food you intend to prepare. We will also cover specific techniques and procedures for preparing and cooking each of the sub-primal cuts. This is a great article to have bookmarked just in case you want to go back to it every once in a while, for reference..

While one person may prefer a medium rare filet mignon, another may prefer a well-done pot roast. The temperature will always be a huge factor in how someone likes their meat prepared, click this link to see best thermometer or this link or your beef cuts.

Guest Contributor, Jack Thompson

This Infographic is designed by Jack Thompson from BroBBQ

How to Navigate a Flooded Apartment

How to Navigate a Flooded Apartment

No one wants to deal with a flooded apartment. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes unavoidable. Knowing what to do if such an incident happens is important.

You’ll hopefully never have to use these tips. That said, if your apartment ever does flood, keep the following points in mind.

Protect Yourself First

This point actually has more to do with preparing for a flood. The whole experience will be a lot less stressful if you’re prepared with renters insurance.

If your apartment floods, renters insurance might cover it. Most plans are very affordable, costing about the same as a few cups of coffee per month.

It’s also important to look for early warning signs. Identify them, and you may be able to prevent a flood.

Regularly check plumbing appliances for signs of leaks. After rain, check for leaking surfaces. Alert the landlord as soon as you spot a problem.

Protect Belongings During the Flood

Obviously, during a major weather-related flood, you need to get to a safe place.

Not all apartment floods are major, though. Some result from internal plumbing issues. During minor flooding, get valuable items away from the water as soon as possible. You might even prepare ahead of time by finding a place nearby where you could store your belongings in case of a flood. Perhaps a friendly neighbor would let you keep your valuables in their apartment should the need ever arise.

Once you’ve secured your belongings, alert the landlord. You might be able to stop the leak yourself as you wait for them to send a professional. However, if the flooding is substantial, don’t go into the apartment until the utility company has disconnected the electricity.

Addressing Post-Flood Damage

The process of handling the aftermath of an apartment flood will vary on a case-by-case basis. Different regions simply have different laws and regulations.

In general, though, your landlord’s insurance will only cover the building itself and any features of the apartment they provided. It will not cover your personal belongings if they are damaged in a flood.

True, there are circumstances in which the landlord may be found liable. Perhaps the flood resulted from an issue you had previously informed them about. If they failed to address it in a timely manner despite numerous reminders, they might be responsible for covering damage to your belongings.

That said, this usually isn’t the case. This is another reason to have renters insurance. You’ll avoid dire financial circumstances if you have a policy. Renters insurance could also help with relocation costs if flooding makes the apartment uninhabitable.

Depending on the degree of damage and the cause of the flood, you might be able to terminate your lease without any repercussions. Some landlords are also willing to let tenants relocate to similar units within their properties.

Investigate your options immediately after a flood. Again, the specific laws that apply vary from one region to another. Protect yourself ahead of time with renters insurance, and you could avoid a lot of headaches if the applicable laws don’t favor tenants in these situations.

Guest Contributor, Armand Levitz

Top 5 Really Smart Blinds & Motorized Window Shades for 2018

Top 5 Really Smart Blinds & Motorized Window Shades for 2018

As technology improves, the new dawn has peaked for future living with new gadgets continually being released in the market. You might be familiar with refrigerator, locks, and even lights available for your home. Now, even window blinds had been modified for a more comfortable and ultra modern lifestyle.

Smart Blinds and motorized window shades continue to advance, and demand for it has risen. While it can be more expensive than the traditional corded window blinds, motorized and smart shades are far safer, more convenient, and offer longer durability. Cheaper window blinds are often weak and break easily. When you think about it, these blinds are even more cost-efficient than the traditional solutions.

Regular window blinds come with cables and strings which often becomes tangled after long-term use. Compared to this, motorized and smart blinds are designed to be more convenient for the users. There are different options to control these blinds. They can be opened and closed by simply touching a button, remote control, a smartphone app.

The smart blinds can even be compatible with the latest voice assistants available to your homes such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.   

The lack of cords with motorized blinds can also provide additional safety benefits. If you have children, it can keep you from worrying about keeping it out of reach from them.  Remotely controlling or setting a schedule can also help with home security. When occupants leave their homes, smart blinds can fool possible burglars into thinking the house is not empty

It’s undeniable that smart blinds and motorized window shades can improve your home but before you purchase one, be aware of the different options available for you.

Take a look at this infographic by Tech Your Space to learn more about the smartest blinds and motorized window shades for this year.

Guest Contributor, Clarice Kirby

Important Plumbing Tips In The Winter

Important Plumbing Tips in the Winter

With winter just around the corner you are probably starting to think of some of the serious plumbing issues that you will likely have to deal with in due time. Snow will start to pile up near your home and the roads will become icier. Of course, the weather will also become much colder as temperatures drop well below freezing. The good news is you can plan ahead by being proactive. In other words, you can nip the problem in the bud by following some of the important plumbing tips in the winter that we’ve provided below. By planning ahead you will save yourself hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over the winter season, and save yourself a lot of stress while you’re at it.

Common Plumbing Problems

Frozen pipes are a big issue that many Canadians will have to deal with now that winter is around the corner. To prevent your pipes from freezing in the first place there are a few things you can do. For instance, you can leave a steady drip of water running before you head out. Furthermore, your pipes can take advantage of heat ventilation by keeping your cabinet doors open. Your outdoor irrigation systems should also be sheathed with insulated coverings and you should also unhook your water hoses during the winter. Your plumbing also be at risk when the temperature drops to below zero on a consistent basis. Now, you may be asking what you can do in the event that your pipes have already frozen over.

If they have already frozen over then turn off your main water supply as soon as possible. By doing so the pressure on the pipes will be significantly lowered, which will reduce the risk of the pipe bursting. However, the chance of serious internal damage to your pipes is very high after the pipes have frozen, so you will likely need professional plumbing maintenance services in Toronto.

Poor heating is another issue that you may have to deal with during the winter. Furnaces are prone to breakdowns during the winter as they are usually kept inactive all summer long. Then, when winter hits they are set into overdrive, which puts a great strain on them. If your home still feels cold after you turn the thermostat all the way up then check your furnace to make sure it is providing adequate heat. If it is not working properly then it is time to call a skilled plumber or technician.

The Dos and Don’ts of Plumbing

To prevent damage turn the heat up. While it may be tempting to lower the heat and wear a sweater to reduce costs, insufficient heat will lead to problems down the line that will actually increase costs in the form of repairs. Also, make sure that your pipes are properly insulated. Insulated pipes will prevent water from freezing when the temperature drops markedly. Insulated pipes will also reduce heat loss.

You should also keep your cabinet doors as well as your bathroom doors open. This will allow heat to get in. That is, if your home has rooms where the pipes are placed in the cold zones-such as on the outside walls-then keeping doors open around the house will allow heat to enter. You should also not keep your water running. Imagine you leave your water running and then fall asleep. Then, the drain could backup for some unforeseen reason, causing your sink to overflow. You may then wake up to an icy cold flood and severe damage to your floor and appliances.

Winterizing Tips

The winter season is often filled with parties and holidays, which can place great pressure on your drains. The extra wear and tear will quickly clog your pipes will all sort of substances that you definitely don’t want clogging up your pipes. A BioSmart drain cleaner, however, can take care of an icky situation licekty split. The reason why we would recommend this product is because it is not harsh and dangerous like many of the abrasive chemical cleaners being sold today. It should be a part of your plumbing maintenance routine, as it is not only environmentally friendly but also very effective at unclogging drains quickly.

You should also check your sump pump as often as possible. Your sump pump is actually your primary defense against costly damage and a very soggy basement.  As flooding is a serious issue that affects hundreds of thousands of Canadians, such as the flood that hit Calgary in 2013, the spring in particular is a susceptible season to flooding. As such the winter is the ideal time to clean up your sump pump kit so that it is working as it should. Also, keep a lookout for any ice pieces that may block the discharge pipe.

In sum, with winter around the corner it is very important to ensure that your home is secure from potential winter issues that can quickly become a nightmare if left untreated. At the very least, you should call a licensed and bonded plumbing expert to perform a thorough inspection of your home before winter hits.

Guest Contributor, Rebecca Hill

About: Rebecca Hill was community manager at HMS Plumbing and Mechanical, who provide wide range of services including repairs, installations, leak management, and replacements for both residential and commercial customers.

Bathroom Renovation Ideas To Rejuvenate Your Space

Photo From: LED WORLD

Bathroom Renovation Ideas To Rejuvenate Your Space

The days when bathrooms were just places where you’d go to take care of your personal hygiene are long gone. Nowadays, bathrooms receive an equal amount of attention like any other room in our homes when design and style are in question. It’s no longer enough to have a functional bathroom; however, functionality still does play a crucial role in any bathroom design.

So, if you feel like your bathroom could use some renovation and remodeling, but you don’t know what exactly you should do or where to start, here are some ideas to keep in mind.

Change The Tiles

Depending on the extent of the renovation project you wish to undertake, you can choose to replace some or all of the tiles in your bathroom. If, for example, you have simple white wall tiles, you can leave them where they are and choose to replace only your floor tiles. The floor tiles should fit in well with your new design, so it would be wise to have a clear concept in mind before you actually start renovating.

Play With Color

Depending on the style you’re going for, you should consider repainting your bathroom as well. Keep in mind that neutral colors will hardly ever go out of style and that a monochromatic look is simply the most suitable choice if you wish to create an elegant, sleek bathroom. On the other hand, you can opt for a slightly bolder approach and paint the bare parts of your walls in hues such as moody blue, charcoal gray or even dusty pink.

Rethink The Layout

Next, you should really rethink the current layout of your bathroom, as now is the perfect time to change anything you’re not currently satisfied with. If you don’t like the current position of your sink or bathtub, simply move it somewhere else. It’s important to mention, however, that such structural changes can sometimes be very pricey, so that’s definitely something you need to keep in mind.

Change Your Vanity

Vanities are one of the key elements in any bathroom, and if they are not particularly stylish, pretty much all of your previous efforts to add some pizzazz to the space will be in vain. Therefore, you should definitely replace your old, worn-out vanity with some fresh, modern alternative. Furthermore, to free up some floor space and add more visual interest to your bathroom, consider mounting your vanity on the wall instead of the floor. Not only will this look extra in every sense, but it will also make cleaning your bathroom significantly easier.

Decorate

Yes, bathrooms should also be filled with decorative items, but here, it’s best if those items have an additional purpose as well. So, for example, put all of your soap bars in a big mason jar and make them work as a decor piece, aside from being the necessity. Additionally, find a way to make your hand towels work as decor as well, by rolling them up in some creative way and putting them on display. Next, incorporate some beautiful candle jars in your decor as well that will not only work as a beautiful eye-catching detail but also make the entire room smell amazing.  

Declutter

While most of the things people have in their bathrooms are not actually clutter per se, those things – such as shampoo bottles, personal hygiene products and other bathroom essentials – do tend to create a strong visual mess. That’s why you should definitely try to, at least, hide them from sight. For example, store all the products you are not using on daily basis in your vanity and get stylish new containers for the ones you do. Yes, replacing all the shampoo, body wash, hand soap, etc. containers may sound somewhat like a waste of time but, in the end, it will leave your bathroom looking super stylish.

Make a Statement

Finally, add a statement piece in your bathroom. Any well-decorated room features a statement piece and your new bathroom shouldn’t be any different. This could be an elaborate chandelier, an over sized statement mirror in a beautiful frame or even an interesting backsplash. It can be literally anything, as long as it makes a statement and reflects your personal style.

And there you have it. These were just some of the ideas you can try out if you wish to create a truly amazing bathroom. Of course, you can take each of these ideas and give them your own personal touch and create a space worthy of interior design magazine cover.

Guest Contributor, Cooper Klein