Why You Should Consider Updating Your Home This Spring

Why-You-Sould-Consider-Updating-Your-Home-This-Spring.Home improvements happen year round in the United States and in every corner of the world. Whether you live in Bend, Oregon, Howard County, in northern Virginia, or anywhere in between, your family is likely eyeing up home improvements that might create a new environment in which you can relax and enjoy the good life.

Updating a home in the early months of spring is a great way to lock in the benefits for the year to come, and it falls right before the new tax year begins as well, giving you the ability to consider these changes in your tax calculation, if applicable. The springtime is simply a wonderful transition period in which the year feels like it begins to unfold for you. Winter extends from the previous year and into January and February, but the new year doesn’t really kick into full gear until the weather starts to turn for the better. Because of this, many sports and leisure activities align with the seasonal change rather than the turn of the calendar.

Planning a home improvement project here is a great idea, too, and many homeowners choose these early months to hire roofers, contractors, or repair workers to conduct their most important jobs to have the home ready for the coming months of relaxation.

Start with essential maintenance.

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Howard County roofing companies are busy in the early months of the new year, but looking for a professional roofing contractor that you can trust (and with years of experience in the industry, of course) to repair, replace, or alter your home’s covering is a must at this juncture.

Your roof typically will last about twenty years. However, heavy rains, intense snowfall during the winter, or wind during hurricane season that extends into the late fall can play a major role in dismantling your home’s protective outer layer many years before this due date. Homeowners must keep an eye on this feature of their homes in order to prepare for the capital intensive job of replacing an old covering with a new roof.

Also, homeowners are best served by a routine cleaning of their gutters and drains. Gutters that are filled to the brim with leaves and other debris are nesting grounds for ants and other bugs and rodents, on top of creating blockages for free flowing rainwater that will end up pooling on top of your home. You can hire a contractor for this job as well, but many homeowners find the gutter cleaning to be a routine chore that can be completed in an afternoon.

Repair your appliances for long term cash savings.

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Appliances are an expensive component of a fully functional household. First time buyers tend to discount the importance of a new or recently repaired dishwasher or refrigerator—until it breaks. These last for many years without much thought, but once they begin to fail, you’ll need to remain alert. This invites a slippery slope of outgoing expenses in the home. Repairs for appliances in Bend Oregon are simple stopgap solutions that can extend the life of an aging washer or dryer for many years. Instead of purchasing new equipment, simply invest in a repair job that will save you money and give you a gap in years to begin saving for a new replacement unit in the future.

Home upgrades and maintenance projects are a key feature in the life of any family who owns their home. Tackling important projects can’t always be timed perfectly, but conducting much of your renovation and repair work during the early spring will give you the freedom to enjoy your home at peak performance for the warming spring and summer months, when it really counts.

7 Tips on Affordable Decorating Hints To Make Your Home Cozy

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Affordable decorating hints which can make your home cozy and warm

I hope you will enjoy these home decorating ideas, you can find many more by visiting Houzz.com where I found many of these ideas, it is a fun place to browse.

Whether you are just moving into a new house or simply want to make your home more personal, there are always some easy and budget-friendly ways to start something new and change the whole feel of the house or a flat with clever decorating tactics. Use your own sensibility as an ultimate guide and you will be surprised by how much little things can transform your home into a place you can connect with.

But How cozy is too cozy

Even though your goal is to make your home cozy and warm, some details can serve this purpose a little too well. For example, it is true that sofa and chair covers will make any room warmer but if placed in a living room, they can make you and your guests feel drowsy and overly comfortable which can hinder nice conversation and other activities.

Lighting

The amount of light in rooms and its distribution can significantly influence the atmosphere and the ambient of the whole place. Therefore, it is best to use lamps and LED lights in all corners of the rooms for a rounded and

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Overhead Lighting Ideas

Framed photos

Hanging random pictures and art on your walls is perfectly fine but nothing can really replace the personal touch that photos of your loved ones can provide. Therefore, putting the photographs of your friends, family, and even pets in nice frames and placing them on the wall in a certain pattern can vastly contribute to the hominess and rich life of the home. 

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Adding personal photos of loved ones contributes a homeiness

Curtains and Rugs

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Adding rugs can make everything interesting if placed strategically considering the furniture layout.

 

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Using Tall curtains adds elegance to a room

Curtains and Rugs
Nothing can make the rooms in the house or flat look more uniform and adding a warm rug. The best thing about rugs is that they can show off your personal style and individuality. Moreover, matching the rug with furniture and curtains can end up being that one thing that you felt has been missing for a complete image of a relaxing and familiar environment. Even small rugs can make everything interesting if placed strategically considering the furniture layout.

When it comes to curtains, you can choose between various colors, patterns lengths of curtains, and sizes. The options are more than great so you really do not have any excuse to leave your windows “bare” and thus miss out on the important link that makes a home warm and cozy. What’s more, long curtains can keep the desired room temperature for longer so these can help you cut your electricity bill a bit as well.

Wallpapers

In order to add some much necessary warmth to your home, find a perfect wallpaper print, especially say in a kitchen but adds structure to your rooms and compensate they lack other details but will also be easier to clean and provide the “new and fresh” look longer than regular painted walls. 

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Using a bit of wallpaper adds warmth and dimension

Careful with trinkets

It is great to have a lot of little treasures that remind you of some unforgettable moments in your life, but think carefully whether you really need to include everything that holds some kind of memory as a display in your home. Sometimes, too many decorations can create the feeling of overstuffed room and chaos which will reflect negatively on the whole ambient of the home. Therefore, it is best to use only the most important things that match well with the general theme in your décor. 

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Create Atmosphere With Art Objects Living Room

If you want to avoid getting the feeling of a cold and distant place when you enter your home, do not treat it like a place for sleeping only. Your own attitude towards your home is the first thing that will influence the general feeling and atmosphere the home has and, of course, your will to put some effort into changing the appearance of your home to suit your tastes and personality more.

*This post may contain affiliate links and it is a way for the site to earn advertising fees and I might receive compensation at no additional cost to you if you click on an affiliate link.
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Related:
Using A Touch of Glimmer in Your Home With Metallics

5 Simple Kitchen DIY’s to Reinvent Your Kitchen’s Look

About the author:

Tracey Clayton is a full-time mom of three girls. She feels she knows a thing or two about raising happy, healthy and confident kids, and offers helpful advice in her parenting articles. Her motto is: “Live the life you love, love the life you live.” Find her on Facebook.

Getting a New Pet For Your Family

If you’ve been considering getting a pet and this is your first time, we have a list of pieces of advice you might have to take into account before making your final choice. The species is the most important thing to keep in mind, and that’s because some animals are far easier to care for compared to others.Getting-a-new-pet-for-your-family-What-you-should-consider

Even if your kids are enthusiastic about getting a new dog or cat, the fact is that these two types of pets require a little more in the way of cleaning and maintenance compared to the rest. Let’s look at some of the options you have available.

Is a dog or a cat the right choice?

While these two are extremely different from one another, they do have their similarities. Dogs are high-maintenance compared to cats, and that’s because they are, by their nature, active. You will have to make sure that your furry friend has a lot of space to run in and have fun. Otherwise, he or she might end up being obese on account of not getting enough exercise.

Safe and healthy dog treat is one of the things you should never be caught without at home, especially if you have a new puppy. Pups love to chew on everything, and your precious belongings are not an exception. Dog treats help ensure that your puppy has a healthy outlet for all its chewing needs, and it can also help training go smoothly.

Cats, on the other hand, are a bit more comfortable to handle, but they still require a lot of attention on the part of their pet parents. Cleaning the litter box is a chore that not everyone might enjoy, and the cost of high-quality food for domesticated felines might be too high for some people. With-proper-identification-medication-stopovers-and-safety-measures-you-can-have-a-safe-and-successful-road-trip-with-your-cat

On top of everything, you should consider the amount of space you have available. A cat can be cozy in a 2-bedroom apartment, but this environment might be unsuitable for a dog. Unless you have the time to go on long walks with your canine buddy every day, that is.

Reptiles

Is owning a pet snake a good idea for you? If you live alone and you’ve always felt like you wanted a pet snake, sure. But if you have kids and you’re looking to care for a constrictor, it might not be such a good option.

Some snakes can be dangerous, depending on their physical abilities. Most of those you can get at a petshop aren’t venomous, but constrictors like anacondas can pose a real threat to people who do not know how to handle them, and even experienced keepers can be in danger if they don’t pay attention to every little detail.

Reptiles aren’t easy to care for, except maybe turtles. You’ll have to invest in a quality enclosure and make sure that the UVB lights you’ve purchased can ensure basking spots where the reptile gets to bask or just make sure that the temperature inside the tank is correct. Other pet reptiles range from chameleons to bearded dragons.

Rodents

Gerbils, hamsters, and guinea pigs are pretty easy to care for, but in all of these cases, you’ll need to make sure that you get a big cage so as to ensure that they have a lot of room to roam in. Moreover, both cavies and gerbils are social, so it’s best to get a pair instead of just one. The main advantage of keeping a rodent as a pet is that it doesn’t consume a lot of food, and gerbils don’t even drink that much water, so you’ll have to change the bedding only occasionally.

Pet rats are a bit of a problem if they aren’t trained because they might bite every finger they get. If you have kids, it’s better to steer clear of this alternative.

8 Tips for Keeping Your Loved Ones Calm and Sane During a Move

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Relocations can be challenging for the entire family as they’re overwhelming and change our lives to a large degree. While the process can be exciting, the fear of the unknown and the drastic change can take their toll on everyone’s mental and emotional well-being.

Moves are often chaotic, but you can also consider them bonding opportunities for the family – fun activities that can bring you closer together and help you stay sane. Read on to find out how to feel your best and pass the positive energy to your loved ones.

1.    Declutter As Much as You Can

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Though some people find it boring, decluttering is actually proven to help you bring order into the chaos of long-distance moving and feel in control. Make it easy on yourself and throw out as much as you can. There’s no fun in doing a copy-paste of your old life in the new adventure, so why transport all the belongings. Make a cut, and don’t doubt it. An extra tip here is to donate to charity as you’ll do an act of kindness to yourself and the less fortunate.

2.    Call Professional Movers on Time

Doing it all on your own is a proven recipe for burnout, so don’t risk losing your cool. Reliable movers will know just what to do and how to help you with everything you need. And booking a top-rated long distance moving company can make you feel less stressed out as you’ll know that you have a crucial aspect of relocation covered.

3.    Label All Your Boxes

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This can go a long way since you want the movers to leave your items in the spaces you intended and have a better idea of where everything is. It will only take a short time, and if you skip it, it can be a real drag on top of all other things to consider. So, do it by all means.

4.    Keep Your Essentials Close

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Pack up a bag for you and all other family members. It should go with you, and you should have it at all times. In case there are some unpredictable circumstances you’ll be ready, and even without those, trust us, you’ll be way too tired to unpack the first day. With kids, this step is even more important. You know you’ll need all your senses as a parent, so act on it and think of everything they might need.

5.    Hire a Babysitter to Take Care of Your Kids

Don’t spread yourself too thin because there’s no need to. Find a friend or a babysitter to take care of your little ones while you are busy with movers, and they’ll benefit much more that way. Kids can feel your stress and anxiety, and you don’t want to make them extra cranky as they’ll already have the difficult task of adapting to the new environment.

6.    Do the Same for Your Pet

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Pets are also extremely sensitive, and closing them away while you’re involved in the move is a big no. They won’t understand, and you can cause them to feel depressed and abandoned. Get a pet-sitter instead and allow your pet to spend the last pleasant hours in the old town.

7.    Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself

As many obligations as you’ll have, don’t forget the basics. Eat implementing the nutrition tips that can improve health and hydrate properly because you’ll need fuel to get everything done. This sounds rudimentary, but many people get lost in the face of all challenges and realize they’re starving only hours later. So, do yourself a favor.

8.    Have Understanding for Your Family

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In the end, we all know that moves are times of high uncertainty, so the most important tip you can take with you is to have patience and understanding for your loved ones. Your kids might be super fussy because they feel sad, are scared of making friends anew, or simply feel like they had no say in the decision. Or your spouse can irritate your guts because they’re also exhausted and nervous. Remember that you likely annoy them as much as they drive you up the wall, but that it’ll all be fine at the end of the day.

Wrapping up

Like we said, moving is stressful, and we all deal with stress in different ways. The best way to deal with it is to try to be as organized as possible and minimize the inevitable chaos. So plan ahead, label everything, and be understanding towards your loved ones. That way, you won’t be tearing your hair out during the process – you might even have fun!

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