Building your own home is a huge undertaking when compared with buying, and it can cost an enormous amount of money and time to complete such a project. That’s why it’s so vital that you can get things right, as mistakes can send your build into a spiral of delays, extra costs and untold levels of stress that will make you wish you never started in the first place. Fortunately it doesn’t have to be this way, as this guide contains some of the most effective tips and tricks that you can make the most of to ensure your new home build can run as smoothly as possible. So, if you want to stay cool and calm while you successfully build a brilliant property, then read on to discover more. 

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Find The Right Architect 

Finding the right residential architecture firm is the most important step that you need to follow if you want your home build to be a complete success, as choosing the wrong architect for your project could force you to endure a whole host of issues that could have easily been avoided. Thankfully finding a good architect doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might imagine, as you can start by checking out some reviews online that have been left by previous clients who have used their services in the past. It’s a good idea to actively seek out reviews that boast photographs to back up their claims, as you cannot always trust reviews (especially if they seem too good to be true). Any respected architect should also be more than happy to present you with a portfolio of their past work too, so this is something that you should certainly request. With a reliable architect you can rest assured knowing your dreams will soon become a reality, as you’ll be able to maintain the utmost confidence in their skills and creativity. 

Always Have A Plan 

Attempting to navigate your way through something as overwhelming as a new home build without any kind of plan will no doubt be one of the most nightmarish experiences, as you need something that you can follow and refer back to in order to avoid missing important tasks, getting information wrong, wasting time/money and more. Without a plan you won’t have a clue where to begin, and you’ll end up diving straight in at the deep end without any sense of direction. Your plan should include a step by step estimation of how you will go from an empty plot to a built and fully furnished home, making sure you note down important dates or deadlines that don’t need to be forgotten. Having a plan can also be a form of motivation, as you can tick off each task as you complete it and watch as your list shrinks smaller and smaller!

Building your own home has never been so easy when you can make the most of the tips detailed in this handy guide. There’s no time like the present to begin, so what are you waiting for? 

Creating a themed aesthetic in your home can certainly help to transport you to a whole different location as soon as you step through your front door, but it might seem like a fairly expensive feat to achieve. Fortunately this doesn’t have to be the case, as this guide contains some of the most effective steps that you can follow to create the perfect themed interior design without having to spend an absolute fortune in the process! So, if you’re interested in finding out more, then simply read on. 

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Visit Auctions, Estate Sales & Markets 

One of the best ways to find a whole host of bargain themed items that you can fill your home with involves visiting auctions, estate sales, markets and other similar settings! You can no doubt source some real bargains when you visit an auction, as you can bid as much as you’re willing to spend and go no further than this amount. Estate sales are also ideal places for great decor that’s being sold for a fair price, as the owners will likely be searching for quick sales on all items due to the fact that estate sales generally last no longer than a few days. Markets are often filled to the brim with unique and themed items that you can invest in to build your home’s new aesthetic, as you’ll probably be able to barter with the vendor to get a better price if you have the confidence! There are always interesting and individual shopping opportunities that you can make the most of when searching for themed furniture and fittings, as even places like galleries and museums are changing their stock thanks to new age adaptations on cultural sensitivity inspired by experts like Freddi Wald, so you might even be able to find a historical piece to finish off your themed aesthetic if you search hard enough. 

Don’t Forget About DIY 

When it comes to themed aesthetics, it can be common that the items you want or need are only made on an individual basis and therefore cost a lot more than you can afford. However you should not be dismayed, as this simply suggests that it’s an item that can be handmade – by you! DIY is always a brilliant option when you’re decorating and need to save money, as doing things yourself can actually cost you as little as a quarter of the price as paying someone else to do it for you! You can even perform other decorating tasks on your own such as painting walls or applying wallpaper, as such skills are easy to learn yet a new wall aesthetic can totally transform your home’s theme and feel! Don’t forget about DIY if you want to save some cash during your themed renovation work.

Creating a themed aesthetic in your home when you’re attempting to stick to a tight budget has never been such a simple task when you can take the opportunity to make the most of the effective ideas and recommendations that have been carefully described above!

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Limiting your water usage is good for both your bank account and the environment. We are all a bit guilty of wasting water around the home every single day. You might leave the water running while brushing your teeth or have a shower that really doesn’t need to be as long as you make it. But, one area that’s often overlooked is when you wash the dishes! 

Washing your dishes can use up so much water, but you think that there’s nothing you can do about it. As such, you don’t bother trying to limit your water usage. So, it’s no surprise that you water bill keeps going up and the environment starts to suffer. Obviously, you aren’t soley to blame for the environmental issues! However, if everyone did their part to cut down on water usage, we’d be in a much better place. 

With that in mind, here’s how to do it while washing your dishes:

Use a dishwasher

I’ll get this first tip out of the way as it is pretty much the main piece of advice you can follow. If you have a dishwasher, use it! 

For years, we were led to believe that dishwashers used up so much extra water, making them worse than hand washing. In actuality, they can be much better at conserving water. This is because they use up the same amount of water every cycle, and many come with eco-friendly settings that ensure the minimal amount of water and electricity are used. 

So, if you have a dishwasher, use it every night. That’s right, running it every night is still better in most cases than washing up by hand. Make sure you wipe away any debris or thick stains from the dishes before you put them in. What you shouldn’t do is rinse them off – this just uses up water pointlessly. Get some good dishwasher tablets that destroy grease and grime, leaving you with shiny clean dishes every morning. 

Of course, if you don’t have a dishwasher, you can ignore this tip and look at the others!

Opt for good dish soap

Nowadays, you can find loads of non-branded dish soaps in grocery stores and shops. They are very cheap, advertised as a great way to save money when compared to the branded versions. In reality, they actually barely save money because they’re made with worse ingredients. By ‘worse’ I mean the ingredients are mainly water to thin it all out. In turn, the soap barely lasts, so you keep rebuying it while a branded option still has way more in. Additionally, the lack of good quality ingredients means more soap is needed to clean your dishes. 

Consequently, you are using more water because the washing process takes a lot longer. Instead, if you opted for a brand like Joy dish soap, everything could be cleaned much faster. The soap acts quickly on grease and stains, meaning you can clean everything in just a few seconds. 

This way, you just clean the dishes and rinse them off and the job is done. With bad soap, you have to scrub away for much longer, rinse them off, possibly scrub again as you see some stains still remain, and rinse for a second or third time. Think of how much water this wastes when you could correct the problem by getting better soap. 

Yes, branded options are more expensive. Yes, in a lot of cases, not buying brands can save money. But, dish soap is one of the few exceptions when it is better for you to invest in the more expensive products.

Wipe things down first

Before you start using any water, you should get some kitchen roll to wipe down all of the plates and things with food on them. Scrape away any waste into a food bin, then give everything a good wipe. This removes so much grease and debris from your dishes and cutlery, making them way easier for you to clean. 

Again, it’s the same as the previous point. You no longer have to keep the water running or use multiple rinses to see the results. All you have to do is give things a very quick clean with your good soap and scrubbing brush. That’s all there is to it, and you save so much water. 

Don’t keep the water running

The worst thing you can do is turn the faucet on and let the water run while you wash up. Think about how long it takes you to do all of the washing. Sure, you might argue that five minutes isn’t that long of a timespan. That’s true, in the grand scheme of things anyway. However, five minutes of water running is a big deal. 

To put things into perspective, a faucet that runs for a few minutes can use between 3 to 5 gallons of water per minute! Now, one large bottle of water usually contains a liter of water, and there are 4.5 liters per gallon. So, you’re basically using up around 12 bottles of water if your faucet is left running through the entirety of your five-minute washing up cycle. 

See, it’s a massive problem! The worst thing is, a lot of this water is wasted while you put things away to dry, scrape food off plates, or scrub the dishes with soap. A much better idea is to fill the basin up with water and use that to soak your dishes and get them wet. Or, dribble a bit of water onto dishes and pans to help clean them, but turn the faucet off. Then, when you have cleaned something, rinse it off with a bit of water. This saves so much when compared to letting the faucet run the whole time. 

Ideally, you solve the problem as easily as possible by utilizing a dishwasher. But, if you don’t have one, the other tips in this guide will also help you cut down on your water usage while washing dishes. After this, you can focus on other areas of your home to reduce water waste – such as in the bathroom. 

The exterior of your home is the first thing that people see when they visit. Therefore, it’s essential to make an excellent first impression! However, if your home doesn’t look its best on the street, it can be challenging to sell. The following blog will discuss tips to improve your home’s curb appeal.

Photo by Binyamin Mellish

1) Start With The Front Door

The front door is the first thing that guests see when they come to your home. Make sure it looks welcoming! A fresh coat of paint in a bright color can really make a difference. Adding some new hardware, such as a beautiful doorknob, can also add curb appeal.

If your budget allows, replacing an old door with a new one can also make a big difference. Just be sure to choose a style that compliments the rest of your home.

Finally, don’t forget about the little details. For example, ensure your doorbell works and that there’s enough light near the entrance so guests can easily find their way to your door.

2) Landscaping Matters

Your lawn and landscaping are also important when it comes to curb appeal. If your lawn is patchy or full of weeds, it will definitely bring down the look of your home. So spend some time each week caring for your lawn and garden. Pull weeds, mow the grass, and trim any overgrown bushes or trees.

Adding some flowers or other plants can also brighten up your yard. Be sure to choose plants that are appropriate for your climate and that don’t require too much maintenance. Adding a few planters near the front door is a great way to add a pop of color without spending much money.

3) Replace Old Windows

Windows are one of the first things people notice about a home. If your windows are old, cracked, or peeling, they can make your whole house look run-down. Replacing them is a quick and easy way to give your home an instant facelift.

If you’re not ready to replace all of your windows at once, you can start with just the ones that are most visible from the street. This will still make a big difference in how your home looks.

And if you’re worried about the cost, there are plenty of ways to save money on new replacement windows. You can install them yourself or look for sales and discounts at local home improvement stores.

4) Paint The Exterior Of Your House

One quickest and most cost-effective way to improve your home’s curb appeal is to give it a fresh coat of paint. You can either do this yourself or hire a professional painter to do it for you. If you decide to do it yourself, be sure to choose a high-quality exterior paint that will withstand the elements and last for several years.

If your home has any type of sidings, such as vinyl or aluminum, you may also want to consider power washing it before painting. This will help remove any dirt, grime, or mildew that has built up over time. Once your house is clean and dry, you can then begin painting. Use painters’ tape to protect areas you don’t want to paint, such as trim, windows, and doors.

In conclusion, these are just a few of the many ways to improve your home’s curb appeal. By taking some time to make a few simple changes, you can really make your home stand out from the rest.

One of the coolest things you can do with interior design is to create a seamless transition between your indoor and outdoor spaces. In particular, the space between your patio and usually the kitchen or living room. These can be magical spaces that allow the outdoors to come in and the indoors to take up some of your patio space.

A lot of people use conservatories and other similar projects to blend indoor and outdoor spaces, but this can be surprisingly expensive because of all the planning and building that it requires. If you don’t have enough space or money for something like this, then you’ll be glad to know that there are also other ways for you to create seamless transitions on a budget.

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The unavoidable expense that we can’t ignore

While there are plenty of ways to create a seamless transition on a budget, we have to admit that there’s really no going around a large patio door or entrance. This is the key to creating any seamless transition and you can’t really achieve it with a traditional door without a lot of design work. So we urge you to spend a bit of money on something like a large patio or garden door as a starting point. If you can’t knock down walls and windows to create a larger patio space, then even a glass door can be a good option.

In short; prioritize a larger patio door to let in more light and create a larger transitional space. You can go here or check out similar services to see if it’s in your budget range. If this is a little out of your budget or your entrance to the garden is a little small, then consider a glass or see-through door instead for the sake of letting in light.

Take your outdoor plants and bring them indoors

Another budget way to add a seamless transition to your garden or backyard is to start bringing more plants indoors and place them around your patio door. You can trim some flowers and pot them, or you could even bring in some planters and line them around your patio. It’s important to be careful about what kinds of flowers and plants you use. Since it’s going to be indoors, they’re going to get a little less sunlight which means they might need some extra care. Another way to use your plants is to actually hang them from the ceiling around your patio door. These hanging planters are relatively cheap and they’re a fantastic way for you to surround your patio door with foliage from your garden.

If you’re currently not growing any flowers or don’t have anything to trim and use, then you can always purchase some shrubs, various plants, and flowers to use instead. There are also some plants that are suitable for indoor growing such as geraniums and hibiscus, making these excellent choices for indoor plants.

Matching color schemes in your transitional spaces

Next, make sure you consider the colors that you use when transitioning from the indoor and outdoor areas. This includes the color of your patio door and how it matches the patio space, or even matching the colors of your outdoor and indoor furniture pieces.

In most cases, using natural colors can be a fantastic way to establish a strong color scheme that blends the indoors and outdoors, but more eccentric themes can be possible with strong design knowledge.

Don’t forget that security will now be an issue

While it’s great to have these large open spaces, you need to realize that security will become an issue if you create a seamless outdoor transition. Make sure that your new patio door or home exit is secured with a strong lock, and also keep in mind that adverse weather conditions could harm your new transitional space. While many people think about securing your home from intruders, it’s important that you don’t forget about natural threats as well. These should really be taken into consideration during the planning process, but it’s not too difficult to secure your home after the fact.

While creating these transitional spaces can seem a little difficult at first, you can simplify things by looking for inspiration and trying to copy some of the things that you see. Although we typically see these types of projects as being really expensive, we hope that we’ve shown that you can achieve this on a budget if you can get past the initial cost of the patio door or large open spaces that you’ll need.

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No one wants their home to smell gunky. No one wants to come home to a fog of bad smells, and they certainly don’t want to invite guests over when three’s a stork hanging in the air.

If your home smells bad it can be unpleasant and embarrassing, to say the least. The good news is, there are lots of things you can do to banish bad smells and keep your home sweet, including the following:

Don’t block the drains

If you have drain cleaning problems, then your home is definitely not going to smell fresh. The most common reason why drains get blocked is that people throw things down there that they should not. 

Fodo debris, and especially fats, should never be poured down the sink or they will cause a clog., If your drain does start to feel clogged using a drain snake to clear it is sensible, as is calling a professional when the problem gets too bad.

Freshen the carpets

Carpets hold on to a lot of bad smells which become trapped in the fabric over time and can cause a definite funk in your home. As well as vacuuming regularly, something you should do to keep them fresh is to mix a little baking soda with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Sprinkle liberally over the carpet and leave for as long as you can before vacuuming. The soda will soak up the smells and your home will be left smelling of fresh, lowly essential oils. 

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Keep baking soda in the fridge

If your home suffers from fridge funk, baking soda can also help. Keep an open package in the fridge and it will effortlessly absorb those odors.

Solve the garbage stench

If your garbage cans are a common cause of bad smells in your home, then start by using scented garbage bags which will help to mask any unpleasant odors, then commit to taking out the trash more often than you currently do. Sprinkling own baking soda onto trash cans, or even better, washing them with vinegar and 

Plug in an aromatherapy diffuser

Once you have done everything else, plug in an aromatherapy diffuser, add water and essential oils, and ensure that your house always smells fresh and inviting for your family and your guests.

Change filters

If you have filters, such as in your air-con or humidifier, then you will need to change them regularly otherwise they could start pumping out air and water, etc., which is far less clean than is ideal, and often this can result in a musty, funky smell that is far from ideal.

Keep the place clean

It’s obvious, but keeping your home clean is really important. You should regularly scrub, dust, and tidy your house to get rid of any lingering dust, dirt or mold that could cause a funk to occur.

As you can see, there is no reason for your home to smell bad when it is so easy to keep the funk at bay.