A patio is such a unique space in the home. It’s not quite the garden but it’s not quite a lounge either. It’s where you can hang out by yourself, enjoy the sunshine and the birdsong and still be comfortable as if you were in the living room. But, this little slice of heaven takes a little bit of effort to create. You need some things that will resemble items that you’d happily have inside your home. Then you need some rugged items that would only make sense outside. And you also need something unique and pleasant, that makes you favor the patio over almost any room.

Festoon lights

You’ve probably heard about patios that have a halo of lights. They are surrounded by festoon lights which are bare bulbs with no covering. These lights can also be dimmed and brightened to your wish if you buy Tactile Switches and fit them to the electrics in your home. When you push the button it can lower the brightness. When you lift off the button it will stop affecting the lights. This type of switch can also be used in pressure-sensitive buttons. Press hard for rapid brightness or press lightly for slow dimming, etc. Hire an electrician to create a unique button of your design and have him or she fit this type of switch in it.

The best relaxation spot

Which should you choose, a swinging bench or a hammock? On a bench, you can sit upright or lie down although not as comfortable as a hammock. But you can also swing and rock, helping you soothe your stress and tension slowly away. On the other hand, a hammock fully supports your body weight, gives you privacy and shields you from the wind. A hammock, however, needs to be supported somewhere which can handle your weight. It’s a trade-off. But both of these choices would be brilliant for a patio that is designed to be the best relaxation spot.

A jacuzzi

What would make you want to be outside in your patio more, than a jacuzzi? A hot spa-type of water feature is great to relax in after work but also, it’s great for recovery from injury. The latest models can be fitted into any-sized garden as they use less material but are stronger. This means they have a larger bottom, i.e. more water can be filled into them. They aren’t as noisy as they used to be so you won’t be disturbing neighbors when you decide to go for a late-night dip.

Tall tropical plants

If you want privacy but you don’t want to build a bigger fence, you can put exotic tropical plants strategically around your patio. This might be around the awning or patio roof so you can lie in your hammock without being seen by neighbors who can see down into your garden.

A patio is a space that often gets ignored due to our lack of imagination. Hopefully, with these ideas, you will make something happen and create your own little slice of heaven.

Spending time outdoors has become more prevalent now than ever. As we are actively encouraged to socialise outdoors, homeowners, or rather garden owners, are looking to spruce up their outdoor space. So here are some effective ways to create a comfortable and welcoming outdoor environment with an added touch of luxe. 

Invest in an outdoor living area

Homeowners have long sought to bring the outside in, but now they seek to bring the indoors out. Outdoor living areas have enjoyed popularity for many years, whether it is an outdoor kitchen, sitting or dining area. Now is the perfect time to take it one step further. Investing in a luxury veranda is ideal for combining in and outdoor living. Verandas can be used to house sitting areas, dining areas, or to create true garden rooms. Whatever purpose fits your need. Verandas can be personalised in style, colour and design to suit you, whether you prefer the more traditional or contemporary look or have a small or large space to use. Verandas create a lavish outdoor living space that you can use year-round, year after year. 

Upgrade your decking 

There is no denying that the presence of neglected, unkept decking can affect the look and feel of your entire garden. Spending some time giving your decking a bit of TLC will make all the difference. Whether you are simply sprucing up already existing decking with a fresh coat of paint or investing in new decking, it is an upgrade that will transform your garden and give it a touch of luxury. 

Lighting 

Lighting is something commonly overlooked. How often have you sat in someone’s garden late into the evening, in the dark? Adding some simple soft, warm mood lighting will give your garden that warming, comfortable feeling that you just cannot get from a floodlight or wall mounted security light. Whether you opt for solar lighting, fairy lights, or candlelight, investing in some outdoor lighting will make a pleasant evening outdoors last that bit longer. 

Image credit Ashar Abayev by pexels

A novel focus piece

Investing in an opulent piece for your garden will become a real social hub and luxurious addition to your outside space. Items such as hot tubs, outdoor pizza ovens and outside bars have boomed in the last 12 months and with good reason. They might seem like a novelty at the first but they are fast becoming a much loved, and used garden addition. These items are great for garden socialising or spending time with the family away from the Saturday night TV schedule. 

Fine furnishing 

Old, used and unloved garden furniture will ruin the most luxurious of garden spaces. Investing in some key garden furniture can transform the way you use your garden and make it pleasing on the eye. Whether it’s cool cubed rattan furniture giving you that chilled Ibiza vibe or stunning sun loungers furnishing with flair will help create that polished look.

The finishing touches

Don’t forget those little details that easily add to a luxurious experience in your garden. Outdoor rugs, throws and soft furnishings all have a place in your garden and with the right colour palette and styling, you can create a space to be proud of. other great option could be to include an outdoor heater or fire pit. It will help keep guests warm and comfortable whilst enjoying their time in your garden.

The garage is one of the most versatile rooms in any household, but many people seem to use it as a place to dump their belongings that don’t belong inside! If it’s not being used for cars, there’s often a lot of space in the garage that’s just being wasted. One of the reasons that it’s often difficult to utilize a garage for more than that is because of the environment. The concrete floor, damp environment, and lack of insulation can make it feel like your options are limited, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

Clean up

The first part of any transformation is cleaning the place up. It can help to know what you’re working with, and it’s hard to envision that if the place is a mess. Clearing the place out, and getting rid of anything that you don’t need is a difficult, but necessary step of cleaning – be strict with yourself on what you should and shouldn’t keep!

Once the place is cleaned up, you should be thinking about what you could do to make it more liveable. Is it damp? Is there anything you can do about that? Most belongings risk being ruined when left in a damp environment, and it’s something that can cost a lot to deal with. Make sure the door seals are functioning properly, and that your floor is suitable for what you want to use it for. You can have Garagetuff MMA resin flooring installation done in just one day, and it’s an instant upgrade to the old concrete floor that was there before! Sure, it might not be ideal if you’re constantly using the garage for vehicles, but if not then it can certainly make the room more functional.

Storage room

It’s common to use the garage as a storage room, but oftentimes it can feel like it’s not part of the house. If you’re giving your garage a makeover, you can use it to store even more of your property. Reclaiming your garage to make it much more comfortable can make it so your house has so much more room. You won’t have to worry about clutter, or space with a whole extra room being used.

Conversion

Some people even prefer to convert their garage into something else entirely, and it doesn’t have to be used as a garage at all. Even if it does have a garage door, you can make that a part of your living room! While it might feel like a breach of your privacy, having one of your walls practically opened up to the outside – if you design the room with that idea in mind, it’s much easier to envision. There are many examples you can find online where people have converted their garage into a number of different rooms. It can make for a great feature in the summer when you want to experience more of the outside, even when you’re at home.

Don’t let your garage space go to waste when there’s so much you can be doing with it!

If you are sourcing cleaning products for your home, there is more that needs to be considered than you may realize! A lot of people simply go down the supermarket aisle with little thought for the products that are available. However, there is a lot more to consider than this. After all, there are many different types of cleaning products. If you use the wrong product for the wrong thing, you could end up causing more damage than good. Moreover, there are ways you can make savings on cleaning products too, which is always a good thing, right?

• Make sure the product is right for the situation – There are a lot of great cleaning products out there, but a lot of them simply paper over the cracks. For example, you can get a sink unblocker. This is good for keeping your pipes fresh. However, if your sink won’t drain and this keeps happening every few days, it is only going to be a matter of time until you have a complete blockage. This indicates that there is something more serious at play here. You may even need to have a sewer line repair service. Therefore, it really is imperative to make sure that the products in question are right for the situation.
• Read reviews – It is a wise idea to read reviews that have been left by others regarding the cleaning products you are considering. There are a lot of great cleaning blogs and websites, which are filled to the brim with useful advice and opinions regarding the popular cleaning products out there on the market today.
• Consider natural cleaning products – Aside from ensuring that the product is right for the situation, you may want to think about the use of natural cleaning products. Natural cleaning products are a lot better for the environment, as well as being kinder to our health. If you find that you are quite sensitive to cleaning products, going down the natural route makes a lot of sense. It will make the air quality in your home a lot better too.
• Think about buying in bulk to make great savings on cleaning products – Another tip that we have for you when it comes to purchasing cleaning products is to buy in bulk. Purchasing in bulk can make a big difference because a lot of the e-stores available today will enable you to get a discount if you purchase a certain quantity!

So there you have it: some tips and pieces of advice if you are going to be purchasing cleaning products. There is no denying that there is a lot to consider when it comes to buying these sorts of products. However, if you use the advice and suggestions that we have provided above, you should have no trouble finding the cleaning products that are right for your home, as well as ensuring you do not end up causing more damage by using cleaning products that are not right for you.

There are a few reasons why you might have an empty home. It could be a holiday property or maybe an investment property that is being renovated, for example. Whatever the reason for it, leaving your second property empty can be dangerous. When opportunist thieves are looking for properties to target, one that is obviously empty is always an easy option for them. That’s why you must always take steps to protect your investment. Here’s how you can keep your second property safe while it’s empty. 

Pexels CCO License

Install Security Measures

The most important way to protect your second home is to install a range of security measures that you would normally use. Simple things like upgrading your door locks and installing a burglar alarm will act as deterrents and put off any potential burglars. Just because you are not living in the house, that doesn’t mean you can neglect these kinds of things. In fact, they are more important because the house is more likely to be targeted by criminals. 

Hire A Security Company 

If you are seriously concerned about your second home, you should consider hiring somebody to take care of it for you. A good residential security company will monitor your property and protect it against theft, vandalism and even door to door scams. By patrolling the surrounding area and making their presence known, they act as a brilliant deterrent and keep your property safe, even when it is completely empty. 

Get A Housesitter

Having somebody live in the house is a simple way to reduce the chances of a break-in, so consider getting a housesitter. If your second home is an investment property, you can get somebody to rent the place out so it’s protected and you are earning money from it at the same time. If you don’t want to rent it out for whatever reason or it’s only going to be empty for a short space of time, you can hire a house sitter to stay there and look after it for you. 

Redirect Your Post

A big pile of unopened post underneath the letterbox is a clear sign that nobody is in the house, which makes it far more likely to be burgled. If you have a housesitter, you don’t have this problem, but if you don’t, you need to redirect your post so it’s not as obvious that your house is empty. 

Don’t Leave Spare Keys Lying Around

Leaving a spare key lying around is the easiest way to get burgled. People often think that it’s fine because they’ve found a great hiding place but, most of the time, they are wrong. Seasoned criminals will know all of the different hiding places and if you leave a key out, you’re just inviting them in. If you absolutely need to leave a key, it’s better to leave it with a trusted neighbor so burglars can’t get their hands on it. 

Leaving your second home unoccupied is a big risk, but you can keep it safe if you follow these steps. 

Have you been thinking about making some changes to your home? If the answer is yes, then you might not know exactly what changes you want to make, just that there are some that need completing. We recommend that you try and do this room by room, rather than do a bit here and a bit there. The latter is only going to confuse you and delay any work that needs to be done. Luckily for you, in this article, we’re going to be looking at some of the things that you can do in each of the spaces in your home so that you have some fantastic ideas. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Kitchen

The first room that we are going to look at is the kitchen. The kitchen is a fantastic spot of the home, and it might be the location of some of your family gatherings. When you eat meals together, unless you have a separate dining room, the kitchen is likely where you will be eating. As such, you want to make sure that it is a pleasant space to be in, rather than just to cook in. Add a dining table to one end to ensure that your family dinners have a comfortable space for everyone. 

When it comes to the cooking side of things, you should make sure that you have everything you need in easy reach. You don’t want to be wandering around your entire kitchen every single time that you want something. As such, we recommend that you look into getting solid wood shelves, or something similar installed in your kitchen. The material is sturdy so it wont give way under heavy utensils and appliances, making it perfect for your home.

Bathroom

Another room that you might be looking to improve is your bathroom. You might think that there isn’t much that you can do with a bathroom, but you’re wrong. In fact, you can actually do quite a lot, starting with getting a new vanity unit. The vanity unit that you have will take up a fair amount of space in your bathroom and is likely responsible for the aesthetic in there. As such, you need to think carefully before you choose a new one. Think about what you want your bathroom to look like, and find a unit that fits well in there, contributing to the aesthetic wonderfully. 

Or, what about the shower or bath that you have? If it looks old and outdated, you might want to think about replacing it. You can find some fantastic deals online or in your local home store. Get a tub that fits your needs, and a shower that fits your dreams. 

Bedroom

Your bedroom shouldn’t be somewhere that you spend a large amount of time. Ideally, you should only be in your bedroom when you are sleeping, otherwise you may find that you have issues getting to sleep at night. However, that doesn’t mean that the room shouldn’t look fantastic and feel as comfortable as possible. So, you need to think about the things that make you feel comfortable. What kind of colors make you happy and content when you step into the room? What pieces of furniture do you need for the times where you do need to spend a few extra hours in there? Are there any little things that make your space feel like yours alone? If you can think of any, then you need to get them into your room as soon as possible. Remember that this is the only room of the home that is yours alone, even if you live by yourself, so make it special.

Living Room

Your living room is the place that you are likely going to spend the most amount of time. When you have people over, you’re likely going to be in this room because it is the social area and likely where all of your entertainment options are like your TV. To improve your living room, we suggest thinking about whether or not it is cluttered. Some people like the cluttered aesthetic, but we can guarantee it is going to be a problem when you have a few people in your home. People tripping over things and knocking items off of surfaces is never a good thing, so you may want to take the time to make it more minimalist.

Go through all of your items and see what you can put away. Ideally, you should have the bare minimum in the room such as a seat for everyone, a table of some description and maybe a few decorations. Other than that, everything else just gets in the way so put it somewhere else. Either pack up these belongings and put them in storage, or you can choose another location in the home.

Garden

It’s not really a room in your home, but it’s still a part of the space which is why it needs to be considered. Your garden should never get to the point where it is an overgrown mess that you don’t want to go into. It doesn’t take long to cut the grass as long as you keep on top of it and don’t let it get out of control. You can even think about adding some extra things to it such as a patio, a water feature or even just some flowers to brighten up the space. You should be able to sit out in the garden when it’s nice outside, not dread even thinking about going out there.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see how you can go about sorting out your home one room at a time. There are many things that can be done to improve your home, and it depends on what you like personally as to what you are going to do here. We wish you the best of luck, and hope that you end up with a home that you love in no time. 

When you are trying to sell a property, there are a lot of things that you might be aiming to achieve. You probably have a particular price in mind, for instance, and don’t want to accept much lower than that. Sometimes your priority might be to speed up the sale first and foremost, and try to get the process done as soon as you can. If you think that might be what you are looking for, then you might want to take a look at the following ways to speed up a sale.

Source – CCO Licence

Clean & Declutter

There are certain essentials that you need to make sure you don’t overlook, and one of them is to keep your home as clean as possible. As long as the property is clean and free of clutter, potential buyers are always going to be so much more interested in the place, so this is something that you will really want to work on as best as you can. Putting time and effort into a good clean will save you a lot of time overall, so make sure that you are not overlooking this essential thing.

Use A Trusted Conveyancer

When it comes to the paperwork side of things, you should bear in mind that this process can be quite difficult to get right and there are a lot of hoops that you might find yourself having to jump through. For that reason, it’s vital that you use a trusted conveyancing service, as they know exactly what is needed and they are going to provide you with the right service every time. Be sure to spend some time looking at conveyancing fees comparison to ensure you get the best price and a decent service every time.

Source – CCO Licence

Fix The Little Things

People are going to notice a lot more than you might think – and when they don’t, it will usually just hold up the process of selling a property when they discover that there are things that need fixing anyway. So it’s wise to just make sure that you are fixing all those little things that need fixing, whenever you can and without fail. Just doing that is going to really help you to sell the property a lot sooner, even if you have to take a week or two out of your schedule to get it all done to a good standard.

Secure It

Nobody is going to be interested in a home that doesn’t seem to offer security and privacy. So one of the most important things you can do is to ensure you are securing your property as best as possible. At the very least, you should make sure that it is clearly difficult to break into. If you want to go further, you could add in extra protections too, such as burglar alarms and a doorbell camera. The more secure it is, the better most buyers will feel about the sale, and the quicker you are going to get it sold.