Knock on Wood: 5 Nifty Ways to Use Sleeper Timber Indoors

posted by on 2023.10.13, under Everything Else
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When people mention timber, we often think of the outdoors. After all, we use them to decorate our gardens, from plant beds and planters to garden steps, to even the pathway as well as furniture for our garden. However, did you know that these sturdy pieces of wood can also be used indoors?

Timber sleepers are a great addition to your home, providing your interior with a touch of charm, character, and natural balance. For example, having wood furniture in a modernised home adds a touch of nature to the interior, right? The rustic effect that the timber provides to your interior makes you feel refreshed and still in touch with nature.

Image credit: Edgar Castrejon | Unsplash.com

The functionality and style that sleeper timber furniture adds to your home interior make it an appealing design to many homeowners. If you’re one of them, here are five nifty ways you can use sleeper timbers for your home.

  1. Plant pots

There’s no doubt that houseplants are a great way to decorate your home. Plants provide your home with greenery, enough to refresh your eyes and mind. It’s also proven that houseplants have a positive effect on our health, reducing stress levels and improving the air quality at home. Houseplants can become a great way to spend time with your kids and family, too!

However, growing indoor plants will require plant pots, which can cost you a lot as they grow bigger! You can save on expensive plant pots by using timber sleepers. It’s the same as using sleepers for your garden’s plant beds, the number of sleepers you use depends on the plants you have indoors. Just remember to use a waterproof membrane to line the inside of your sleeper before filling it with soil to prevent any water leakage!

  1. Mirror frames

If you have little space at home, using a mirror will create the illusion of a bigger space. But what would look better if the mirrors had beautiful frames to it?

Generally, frameless mirrors are less expensive than those with frames. You can use timber sleepers to add style and life to these mirrors. Not only that but because of a sleeper’s length, it won’t be hard for you to find the right dimensions for your mirror!

  1. Shelves

A growing family will need more storage spaces to place their stuff. Using sleepers as shelves can be an inexpensive way to create more storage space for your home.

Despite their bulky appearance, timber sleepers are ideal for shelves. These pieces of timber make sturdy sleeper shelves, allowing you to place items from books to toys to even your precious collection of CDs and vinyl records. 

Also, you can adjust the size of your sleeper shelves to the dimensions of your space. You can cut timber sleepers as big or small as you want, making it fit to your home!

  1. Kitchen island

Whether it’s a kitchen island or an indoor bar, using sleeper timbers in your kitchen is a budget-friendly way to upgrade your kitchen.

Kitchen islands made of sleeper timbers add a natural look and feel to your kitchen and also fit in perfectly with a wide range of kitchen styles. Not only that, using sleeper timbers for your kitchen island will cost a lot more than using typical materials such as marble. 

DIY-ing your kitchen island with sleeper timbers can be a great family project, and you can use complementary accessories and lighting to add your personal touch to your kitchen island!

  1. Wine rack

Who doesn’t love wine? And the experience makes it better when you get your wine from a great wine rack! It feels a bit fancier, right?

Creating a wine rack with sleeper timber is a great DIY project. It adds a bespoke touch as well as a personality to your home. Sleeper timber wine racks can also be great personalised gifts for friends during special occasions!

There’s no limit to creating a sleeper wine rack— whether you cut holes in the sleeper or attach pegs to the timber, the design possibilities are endless!

Upgrade your home today

Over the years, homeowners have noticed the possibility of using sleeper timbers for their homes. It’s not only for outdoors and gardens anymore, rather, it can also perfectly fit indoors! You can use sleeper timber to create a wide variety of accessories and furniture for your home— it’s not only limited to what we’ve mentioned here! You can trust a sleeper timber’s sturdiness to create functional furniture and add a unique and bespoke touch to your home.

5 Effective Ways To Increase Your Property Value

posted by on 2023.10.12, under Everything Else
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Image Credit: Jacques Bopp from Unsplash.

Your home will be the most expensive thing you ever buy. At a certain point, however, you mightn’t want it anymore. You might want to sell-up and find something else. That doesn’t mean you’ll get the same as you paid for it, though.

In fact, you could end up getting a lot more for your property. As appealing as that is, you’ll need to put some effort into it if you really want to increase your property value.

You shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time and effort into this, though. It could just be a matter of focusing on the right areas. Once you do, you should see a decent hike in your property value. You could even end up launching a bidding war once your house goes on the market.

It’s worth diving into some of the more notable ways you can do this.

Increase Your Property Value: 5 Effective Strategies

1. Add A Lick Of Paint

One of the more obvious ways to increase your property value is to give it a paint job. As quick and easy as this is to do, it’ll have quite an impact on your house. It’s well worth putting the time and effort into this. You wouldn’t even need to spend much money on the paint, and you can do all the painting yourself.

The return on investment you’ll see with this will be well worth it. Go room-by-room, and you shouldn’t have a problem increasing your home’s value. Stick with neutral colors, and you’ll see a decent hike in value.

2. Redo The Floors

Potential buyers will look at all aspects of your property before they decide whether they’ll buy or not. You’ll already know that, but you could overlook a few areas. The floor is one of the more notable, except when there are some major and obvious flaws.

It’s worth taking some time to check the floors and get them updated, even if they’re not run down. Even something as simple as some hardwood floor refinishing could be enough to help with this. You’ll end up making your floors more appealing, adding more value to your property.

3. Upgrade Outside Doors

Curb appeal makes the first impression on potential buyers, so you’ll need to put a bit of time and effort into it. While you’ll have to look after this, you shouldn’t have to put too much time and work into it. It could be as simple as upgrading your exterior doors, and you’ll enhance your overall curb appeal.

Go with some modern and sleek, and you shouldn’t have a problem getting this done. It could also be worth adding some accessories to the entranceway to help with this. Some flowers and similar options can be well worth adding to this.

4. Improve Energy Efficiency

A property’s energy efficiency plays a large role in how much it costs to live in. You’ll see this in your energy bills every month. Going out of your way to improve this makes a large impact on what you can get for your house. Focus on this from the start to help generate buyer interest.

Insulating the property, sealing any cracks or holes in the property, and multiple other strategies can help with this. Get what you can done, and you shouldn’t have to worry about your home value increasing.

5. Update The Kitchen

Quite a few potential homebuyers will pay attention to the kitchen when they’re considering buying your property. It’s worth paying some attention to this when you want to sell. It’ll end up increasing your property value more than you’d think.

Giving the kitchen an update is all you’d need for this. You wouldn’t even have to go for a complete renovation. Instead, it’s just a matter of making sure everything looks nice, and you’re all set. Since potential buyers will focus on it, you should, too.

Mistakes You Could Be Making

If you want to increase your property value, it’s likely because you want to sell it. Once you’ve done each of the above, you might think you’re all set. That mightn’t be the case. Instead, you’ve more work to do.

You’ll have to actually get through the sales process. If you’ve never done this before, it’s natural not to know what you’re doing with this. That could lead to mistakes, and some of these could harm your property value.

Some of the more notable of these are:

  • Poor Photography – You’ll need to list your home on real estate websites, and these listings need photographs. If you don’t have high-quality pictures, then it’ll reflect poorly on your property. You’ll get less attention from potential buyers, harming your chances of getting a sale.
  • No Staging – Just because you like how your furniture is laid out doesn’t mean potential buyers will. You’ll need to stage your home so you can get more interest and potentially drive up the buying price.
  • Not Pricing Properly – How you price your home is vital to the sales process. Going too high means you’ll drive away potential buyers. Too low, and you’ll be low-balling yourself. Make sure you get this right.

By avoiding doing these, you should make sure you don’t harm your property value. You’ll get more for your house than you would’ve thought.

Increase Your Property Value: Wrapping Up

If you want to increase your property value, you’ll need to spend a decent bit of time and effort into it. Fortunately, it shouldn’t have to take nearly as much work as you could think. While a lot of this depends on your property, some strategies are sure to help.

Focusing on them from the start should help you get more for your house than you’d think. Once you do, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Your house shouldn’t have a problem getting attention from potential buyers and getting a decent asking price. While the overall market will end up dictating the final value of your home, you should be able to drive this up significantly.

How to Get Your Toddler to Sleep Through the Night

posted by on 2022.11.03, under Everything Else
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If you’re a toddler’s parent, you know that getting a good night’s sleep is often easier said than done. Whether it’s due to teething, separation anxiety, or simply a bad dream, there are plenty of reasons why toddlers wake up in the middle of the night. And while it can be tempting just to let them cry it out, there are gentler (and more effective) ways to get your toddler to sleep through the night. Here are four tips to help you and your little one get much-needed rest.

Via Pexels

Establish a Bedtime Routine

One of the best ways to help your toddler settle down for the night is to establish a bedtime routine. This could include reading a book together, singing a lullaby, or taking a bath. The key is to do the same thing(s) in the same order every night, so your child knows what to expect and can start winding down for bed.

Make Sure Their Bedroom is Conducive to Sleep

Another critical factor in getting your toddler to sleep through the night is ensuring their bedroom is set up to promote restful sleep. This means keeping noise and light levels low and providing their sleeping environment is comfortable (not too hot or cold). You might also want to consider investing in a white noise machine which can help block out any outside noise and further encourage relaxation.

Put Them Down Awake

It may seem counterintuitive, but putting your child down when they’re already asleep can make it harder for them to stay asleep through the night. So instead, try putting them down while they’re still awake but drowsy. This will allow them to drift off independently and hopefully stay asleep until morning.

Don’t Respond to Every Little Noise

If your child does happen to wake up in the middle of the night, it’s important not to jump to their rescue immediately. Unless they’re crying or in distress, try letting them fuss for a few minutes to see if they’ll settle back down. If they start crying, you can go in and offer some reassurance. But if you respond to every little noise, you risk training your child to expect attention every time they wake up, making it that much harder to get them (and you) a good night’s sleep.

Make Sure They Are Comfortable

The next thing you need to consider when helping your toddler sleep is comfort. You want to ensure they are as comfortable as possible when asleep. This means having the right pillow for their head and body.

There are a few features to look for in a toddler pillow:

– It should be soft yet firm. A pillow that is too soft will not provide the support with your child needs, but one that is too firm can be uncomfortable

– The pillow should be the correct size. A pillow that is too big or too small can also be uncomfortable for your child

– Make sure the pillow has a hypoallergenic filling. This is important if your child has allergies

– Look for a pillow with a removable and washable cover. This will help keep the pillow clean

Establish a Relaxing Environment

The environment in which your child sleeps is vital for helping them get a good night’s sleep. You want to ensure their bedroom is dark, quiet, and calm. This can be accomplished by

– Investing in blackout curtains

– Putting a white noise machine in their room

– Making sure the temperature in their room is not too hot or too cold

Implement a No screens Before Bed Policy

This one might be hard for some families to stick to, but it’s essential to implement a no-screens-before-bed policy. This means no TV, phones, or tablets at least 30 minutes before bedtime. The blue light emitted from screens can interfere with sleep, so it’s important to cut off screen time well before your child’s bedtime.

Don’t Forget About Yourself!

Getting your toddler to sleep through the night is important, but it’s also important to remember to take care of yourself. Make sure you get enough rest, eat healthy meals, and take breaks when needed. After all, parenting is hard work, and you deserve some time to recharge too!

In conclusion, There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to helping your toddler sleep through the night. But by following these tips, you can encourage healthy sleep habits that will benefit you and your child. Remember to be patient; consistency is key, and don’t forget to take care of yourself in the process!

7 Tips On How To Avoid Eye Strain

posted by on 2013.08.13, under Everything Else
13:

Eye strain is one of the most common ailments that Americans do not believe that they are in danger

of developing. However, with the sheer amount of time we spend in front of our computers and

smartphones each day, eye strain is an inevitability.

When you can no longer tolerate the strain you are placing on your eyes each day and you begin to

suffer from extreme pain while at home, these tips will help you to reduce the strain on your eyes.

1. Heed The Warning Signs

If you are beginning to feel persistent pain in your eyes, even while resting at home, this is typically a

sign that they are experiencing a strain. Even pain in the shoulders and neck can be seen as a warning

that eye strain is starting to build up, so be sure to listen to these signs.

2. Reduce Your Eyes’ Workload

Do you really need to bring your smartphone with you every time you use the restroom? Does your

computer monitor’s brightness setting truly have to be turned all the way up? Take a look at your

lifestyle and make some subtle changes to reduce the workload that your eyes are taking on each day.

3. Keep A Distance Between Your Eyes and Screens

There is no need to sit on top of your laptop or have your smartphone two inches from your face at all

times. This increases the amount of work your eyes have to do on a daily basis. Pay attention to the

ergonomics of how you interact with screens and do your best to keep a safe distance. It helps to have

a proper chair, which can be bought at a budget price thanks to a 10% off coupon or other promos.

4. Use Larger Fonts

The smaller your fonts, the more strain you are placing on your eyes. While some may tease and mock

you for using larger fonts when it is time to read or have a lengthy interaction with a screen, using

smaller fonts decreases the strain on your eyeballs.

5. Don’t Forget To Blink!

This one may seem obvious, but spending too much time in front of screens can actually make a

person forget to blink on a regular basis. Be sure to blink, before your eyeballs begin to dry out and the

strain is increased.

6. Keep Lights Dim

If you are using a screen, it is best to keep the other lights in the room at a dim level. When multiple

lights are competing for your attention, this causes added strain for your eyes, so reduce the amount

of dueling lights in each room.

7. Take Breaks

Adhere to the 20/20 rule of gazing at screens. For every 20 minutes you are spending peering into a

computer, television or smartphone, take at least 20 seconds to stare at a different object that is at

least 20 feet away.

www.discountrue.com

 

TINY, ECLECTIC, AMAZING SPACES: A NEW VIDEO SERIES

posted by on 2012.08.29, under Everything Else
29:

Remember Janet Lee from our Coffee Table Book of the Week post? Now you can watch the talented DIY designer in a new video series, “Tiny, Eclectic, Amazing Spaces.”Check out the inaugural episode featuring her space. Because we all need a little small space inspiration.

 

 

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Janet Lee’s Apartment photographed by Aimée Herring

Janet Lee’s Apartment photographed by Aimée Herring

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