Category Archives: Hacks

Make the Most Out of Household Items

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The truth is there are ways to make household items last longer. Who doesn’t want to get more for their money and cut down on waste? These little tricks will help you save money and trips to the store!

Buy foam hand soap dispensers. Get the regular hand soap refill bottles. Fill the dispenser up ¼ of the way with hand soap. Fill the rest with water. Shake the dispenser and voila, now you have foam hand soap. This will definitely save you some money in the long run and the soap works just as good as liquid hand soap.

Keep fresh cut flowers fresher longer by adding a cap full of vodka to the water!

Keep left over salad or bags of spinach and lettuce fresh by adding a dry paper towel to the leafy greens. This will soak up the moisture that is released from the greens; which also makes the greens spoil.

Have you ever wondered why Starbucks has already separated the bananas for purchase? Separating the bananas from the bunch keeps them fresher for days longer.

Keep cheese fresh for longer by these two simple tricks. Do not touch the cheese when cutting it. Wrap the end in plastic wrap. Bacteria from your hands will speed up the process of your cheese molding. Keeping your hands off, when cutting will add at least a week to its life. Smear butter on the end of the cheese. This will provide adequate moisture to keep the cheese from drying out so soon.

Keep batteries in the freezer to help prevent them from losing charge before you actually use them. It saves you money when you buy batteries in bulk. This little trick will add plenty of shelf life to purchased batteries.

We hope these tips help save you a little time and money! Be well!

Building a Home Gym on a Budget

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We are living through an uncertain time where the coronavirus pandemic has closed many businesses temporarily to prevent the spread of the virus. In a society where social distancing and home quarantine is becoming the norm, it can be very challenging to reach some of your fitness goals. In fact, many gym-goers have no had to create their own personal at-home workouts to help stay proactive and healthy during these challenging times. If the gym has been part of your structured lifestyle, you probably have been brainstorming ways to stay healthy at home. This factor is why many homeowners have decided to create their own home gyms. However, it will not take long for you to realize that creating your dream home gym is not always very budget-friendly. This factor is where proper planning comes into play. If you are planning on building a home gym, here is everything you need to consider:

Budget

The one variable that can be the most limiting is your budget. It is essential to create a realistic budget before tackling this project. As you explore the realm of home gym equipment, you can start to gather an idea of what the prices are for gym equipment. Going into any project without a plan can wreak havoc on your wallet, so before you buy, start to round up some prices of what you may want. You also want to consider, not everyone loves training at home. Gyms will eventually reopen. Do not blow your budget on something you may only facilitate for a month and never again use.

Space

Once you have determined your budget, you can begin to purchase your equipment. While equipment may fit your budget, it may not fit your home. Gym equipment can be bulky and need extra space to keep safety at the forefront. Maybe some equipment dimensions fit your space; however, do you have adequate space to perform exercises safely and properly in those dimensions as well? This factor is why it is good to consider multi-purpose equipment. Your home may not fit a squat rack, bench, and cable machine. Yet, Power Racks or other options can have multiple functions. Likewise, it may not be practical to invest in a whole dumbbell set. This is great for commercial gyms yet not always ideal for home gyms. You may want to go a more practical route and buy adjustable dumbbells or a couple of different pairs you will use.

Personal Goals

Lastly, determine your personal goals. Home gyms can take a little creativity. What did you do when you went to the gym? Consider your workouts. If you did Pilates or yoga, do not invest in a powerlifting home gym. Likewise, if you prefer free weights, do not invest in machines you will never use. This can be a big mistake! It may be wise to buy just enough to get started. Decide if you like the setup and can workout at home. After a week, you may decide the environment is too challenging for you, or you need to invest more. These tactics can help save you money.

Home gyms are great to have, whether gyms are closed or not! This investment is a great way to convert an unused garage or basement to a more facilitated room in your home. Remember to stick to your budget and consider your space. These are tactics that will help you buy once and enjoy reaching your personal goals.

Hidden Storage Ideas for Your Home

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Whether you are looking to hide expensive belongings or just clean up your environment, hidden storage compartments are great to incorporate into your home furniture. Plus, there are hundreds of hidden storage furniture options available today. So do not keep your valuables out in the open any longer, here are five great ways to hide your valuables in your home:

Mirrors and Pictures

Mirrors and pictures are sleek, low profile storage options to use. You can invest in mirrors and pictures that open with storage behind them. You can even go a step further and put a safe in the wall with a picture over it. Hidden cabinets installed behind the mirrors is a way to keep a cleaner bathroom as well to store your daily hygiene care.

Coffee Table

There are so many clever storage coffee table ideas to put into your home. The key to proper hidden storage is hiding your stuff in plain sight! A coffee table with secret compartments not easily seen is excellent for tucking away valuables or even money. Smart designs can make drawers only open while clicking hidden buttons. Find the design that best suits what you are trying to conceal.

Concealed Locker Columns

A modernized trick can be investing in a false support column with hidden storage. There are many different interpretations of this clever design. You can do it during the construction of your home or add a false column later. These hidden wall compartments may look ordinary to the untrained eye but are perfect for hidden your loved belongings.

Floating Shelf

A floating shelf with hidden storage is a great way to protect smaller belongings. This minimalist design can also be used to tuck away unwanted cords or cover outlets. Investing in floating shelves is a great trick to hide away a plethora of small trinkets and gadgets without being noticed by everyone.

Headboard

You may want to keep your valuables near you while you sleep. Having a hidden storage headboard is perfect for helping to hide valuable items. This system will allow you to sleep with ease, knowing you have your important items nearby. Plus, headboard hidden storage can be a fun, easy do-it-yourself project or something you purchase for the perfect design.

Hidden storage compartments are great to help you hide all your valuables. Integrating these tricks into your home is a great way to also free up clutter. So, protect your belongings today by investing in hidden storage compartments.

How to Be a Great Host During the Holidays

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Making your house feel like home to you can be easy. Yet, why can it seem like such a terrifying task to host others? The challenge is all in your mindset. The key is to make your home feel welcoming and like home to them. With great hospitality and a welcoming environment, you can make your house feel quite comfortable to anyone you host, and here is how:

Be the Hostess with the Mostess

This tip should go without mentioning, but treat your guest with the utmost respect. Indulgencing your guests with excellent hospitality is the best way to help them feel at home. Understand that you may need to encourage them to ask questions that they may be uncomfortable to ask. Offer drinks, seating, and activities during their stay. Lastly, remember that your home should be spic and spam before your guest’s arrival.

Diverse Variety of Snacks and Drinks

For holiday events, you will most likely be eating. It is essential to know your guest’s preferences. Have a plethora of foods and drinks readily available. Also, be sure to place out snacks before and after dining as well. Today, it is not uncommon for food allergies or intolerances. Try to know your guests and what allergies they may have. All these fine details can help your guests feel more welcomed at your home during the holidays.

Accommodate if Guests Are Spending the Night

You are responsible for your guests’ safety. Be cognitive if your guests are drinking. Be prepared to accommodate driving or sleeping arrangements. If you know your guests are going to spend the night, have a fully-prepared guest room. You should have your guest room prepared with clean sheets, towels, and pillowcases. It may be best to show your guest their room and bathroom arrangements before the night begins so that they can tuck away their belongings and clothes.

Do not stress about hosting guests, instead have fun with it. Arranging plans for the evening can be split between the different individuals attending. With a little extra effort, your guests will remember the experience you provided for years to come. Enjoy the holidays and Happy New Year.

Tips & Tricks for Keeping Your Home Smelling Fresh

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You can easily master your design, yet if your environment does not smell fresh, your home’s presence can quickly be ruined. You may not be a messy or dirty person; however, our lifestyles can contribute to unwanted odors in our homes. Pets, children, long hours at work, and many other factors can give our rooms a foul scent. You spend too much time making your home beautiful to ruin it with unwanted smells. There are two main ways to tackle this problem: eliminate bad odor and create pleasant ones. Here are some great ways to help enhance the smell of your home:

Drawer Scented Sachets

When clothes and lines sit for extended periods of time, they can start with hold scents. Drawer scented sachets are packets that can be placed at the bottom of all your linen drawers in your home. They can provide a pleasant smell in your drawers and will also help scent your linens.

Scented Dryer Sheets

After washing your clothes and throwing them into the dryer, throw in some scented dryer sheets. Investing in some good fragrance dryer sheets can help put the scent into your clothes. It is especially nice when you wash your sheets. Nothing better than hopping into a lovely lavender-scented bed after a long day at work.

Air Freshener

Air fresheners are another must-have in your home. There are thousands of scents to choose from for your home. Find a scent that you love and apply it to your home. Plus, air fresheners come in a variety of ways to allow them into the atmosphere. You can get a simple spray for manual use or invest in an automatic time-released air freshener. Either way, air fresheners are great for sprucing up your home’s aromas.

Closet Fragrance Freshener

Like your drawer scented sachets, you can also get closet fragrance fresheners. These typically come on a hanger that can be hung in your closet. They are another great way to freshen an area of your home and improve the scent of your clothes!

Candles

Add some warmth to your atmosphere by investing in some candles. Candles are a great way to make your home smell better. Try to find candles that work with your personal taste. You can even invest in seasonal candles like winter scents or spring scents for different times of the year.

Smells can be an essential element to control in your home. Remember, your task is not just to mask smells with new ones. Instead, try to eliminate any unwanted smells in your home first. Additionally, remember to keep your home clean to prevent undesirable odors.

Do-It-Yourself Headboard Solutions

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It is easy for your bed to become the focal point in your bedroom. While your pillows, duvets, and covers all can help create your design, nothing can be as impactful as your bed’s headboard. You can purchase a headboard with any bed, or you can custom-make your own to match your style. Any do-it-yourself project can help save money and give features more personal value to your home. Here are three excellent ideas to consider for making your own headboard in your home:

Stained Wood Headboard

This simple headboard can be completed over the weekend. Start by measuring the size you would like to create your headboard. Consider that your headboard can be however big you would please. For example, it can go all the way to your ceiling, or it can go wall-to-wall. Playing with these dimensions can create an illusion of a higher ceiling or a longer wall. Once you decide the dimensions you want, go to your local lumber store. Purchase the amount of wood that you will need to create your headboard. Also, purchase a stain and sandpaper to give your wood headboard a clean, nice finish. For a more unique look, you can pick several different stains and stain several boards in different colors. Use a stud finder to mount your boards. Depending on the size of your headboard, you may want to assemble it directly to your wall.

Textile-Upholstered Headboard

Create a headboard frame using wood or purchasing a frame that you can upholster yourself. When upholstering your own headboard, you will be able to match fabrics perfectly with other textiles in your room. You can use remaining upholstery to create curtains or pillowcases to help create a uniformed look throughout your space. Using this technique will make your space feel very well balanced and aesthetically pleasing.

Curtain Backdrop Headboard

One of your simplest options is a curtain backdrop headboard. These are great for any space, but especially rental properties. Whether you are renting an apartment, home, or own your home, curtain backdrop headboards are very elegant and can help create your room’s theme. Simply mount a curtain rod behind your bed and install a curtain of your choice. You can be creative and invest in a curve rod to give a more three-dimensional look to your curtain as well.

Creating your own headboard gives you the freedom to tailor it to your likings. There are hundreds of creative, unique do-it-yourself headboard techniques to explore. Find one that works best with your own space or try one of these tricks. For more insight on home improvement and design, make sure to subscribe.

Best Plants to Improve Home Air Quality

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Our homes are our safe havens and refuge. They are the spot we can retreat from the rest of the chaotic world; therefore, having our homes be a place of comfort and relaxation is essential, but we also need to consider our health. Air quality is an important attribute that correlates directly with our health. You do not want to go home to a house full of airborne allergens and pollutants after a long day of work. Luckily, having clean air can be as easy as buying some plants for your home. Plants give off oxygen and can help purify your breathing air. Selecting the right plants is ideal for having the best atmosphere. Here are three high-quality plants that can help create better air quality in your home:

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a very versatile plant. It can help remove volatile organic compound pollutants from the air while being beautiful. In fact, these pollutants are unwanted chemicals that are in the air in our homes, so it is important to have them removed. Aloe Vera also can easily increase oxygen levels while minimalizing carbon dioxide in your home. Having a plant like Aloe Vera is great because it is easy to keep alive and low-maintenance.

Chinese Evergreen

Chinese evergreen is a beautiful and colorful plant. It is also low-maintenance and can be watered as little as once a week while growing in low-light atmospheres. Chinese evergreen is known to be an excellent air-purifying plant. Chinese evergreens are great for pulling unwanted toxins from the air. This is an eco-friendly solution to purifying the air around your home or office.

English Ivy

Another option to consider is English Ivy. Typically, hung in baskets, these house plants can grow quite easily in semi-shady atmospheres. English ivy can cleanse benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene from the air. These solvents can be dangerous to our health. Studies have also proven that English Ivy reduces the chances of mold in your home.

Your air quality should never be overlooked. Investing in some or all of these plants is a significant, proactive step in freshening up your home. Plants have many benefits in enhancing your atmosphere. Make sure you facilitate them!

How to Organize Your Garage

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Unfortunately, our garages do not always get the attention they deserve. They quickly become the melting pot for storage items. Well, it is time to grab the bull by the horns and organize that garage space. Knowing where and when to start may seem daunting at first, but with some simple organization tricks and tips, you will have your garage looking pristine in no time. To help, here are our top ways to clean and organize your garage.

Start with a Clean Space 

Pull everything out of your garage. You will want to have a clean, open space available to assess. Broom the area and wash your garage floor. You may want to sweep corners and windows for spiderwebs or dust, as well. While everything is out of your garage, group them together into categories. You may have categories like 

  • Household Tools 
  • Gardening and Yard Tools 
  • Seasonal Items 
  • Car Maintenance 
  • Sporting and Recreational Equipment 
  • Storage 

Organization Tricks 

Once you make your piles, it is time to put them back into your garage in an organized manner. While just putting them back may be your tactic, a couple of small investment may help. We suggest you consider investing in some of the following if you do not already own them. 

  • Cabinet 
  • Peg Board 
  • Bins 
  • Wall Hangers 
  • Shelving 
  • Toolbox 

While none of these are essential, they can make the organization process flow much smoother. Try to keep your piles organized and easy to find when returning them to your garage space. 

Configuring Your Space 

Most garage spaces are limited. Try to get your tools and storage items off the ground. Being able to hang bikes, rakes, ladders, and tools can go a very long way. If you run out of wall space, consider mounting storage to your ceiling. Be cognitive that this does not impede with your garage from opening all the way prior to your installation. This is a perfect spot to tuck away seasonal goods that are not frequently accessed. 

Organizing your garage can be very rewarding. Take your chaotic space and make it a functional storage area because facilitating this space can be very helpful to homeowners.  Just make sure it stays organized for quick and easy access. For more organization tips and tricks, make sure to subscribe. 

Warm Weather Home Transitions

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As the Arizona temperatures outside begin to rise, it is important to transition your home for warmer weather. A lot of our homes are still filled with items that resemble cooler months. We have a list prepared for homeowners to transition into the warmer weather months. Let’s take a look!

Your Bed

You may have accumulated heavier blankets and bedding for the cooler months. Now that the weather is warming up, you will want to remove heavy winter-type bedding and try to leave more breathable sheets and bedding on your bed. Store your heavy bedding in a convenient, easy-to-find place for when the weather begins to get cool. For now, you can stick to just your sheets and a comforter/duvet on your bed.

Your Decor

Spring and summertime decor tend to be filled with uplighting, bright colors. Store your winter decorations and bring out your cheerful, bright colored decor to display! From pineapples to palm trees, you can play around with trendy summertime themed designs for your home. Try incorporating some summery pillows, figurines, candles, and pictures in your home.

Your Products

Winter and summer definitely have different scents in the fragrance world. Be sure to swap out your winter scents for fruity scents this summer.

Your Windows

Let the sun shine in this summer by removing bulky, heavy curtains and replacing them with lightweight, breezy curtains. Make sure to take the time to clean off your windows and windowsills from any dust and debris that may have accumulated over the cooler Arizona months.

Your Plants

Who does not love greenery? Adding potted plants can bring life and brighten up a space. Try incorporating some fresh flowers whenever your budget allows for a fresh smell and look.

Your Closets

Bring your summer clothing to the front of the closet and your winter clothing to the back of the closet. Store bulky winter items in boxes and stash them away for the season.

This is one of the best seasonal transitions to prepare for because you know it will be filled with sunshine, friends, and flowers. What is your favorite thing to do over the summertime? We would love to hear in the comment section.

Your Guide to Antique Shopping

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Are you thinking of adding character to your home by incorporating some antique pieces? The world of antiques is vast, but it has so much to offer. Many people think that you have to have access to exclusive places in order to get some really lovely pieces; however, antiques are more accessible than you may think. If you are curious and do not know where to start, do not worry; we are here to guide you.  

An antique is an item that is at least a hundred years old. Goods are considered to be vintage if they are at least two decades old. Collectibles also can be a chic addition to the home. Collectibles can be items that are either vintage or antique. 

Why Invest in Antiques? 

  • Antiques can add a ton of warmth and style to your home. Here are some key reasons why your antiques can be the stylish touch that your home needs: 
  • Most new furniture that you will find in big box stores decreases in value over time. However, antiques hold their value and in some instances, can increase over the years.  
  • Most antique furniture and items are made from high quality and durable materials as opposed to mass-produced items. You can expect it to last for several more years to come.  
  • Even more importantly, a beautiful antique item can add a lot of character to a space, especially if there is a history behind it.  

Learning More About Antiques 

If you have an interest in antiques but do not know where to start, you should begin teaching yourself about different styles and their time periods. You can visit antique shops, auctions, and fairs to see what kind of pieces are out there. Most dealers love to share their knowledge.  

Shopping Online or Instore 

You can shop for antiques online and in-store. However, shopping for antiques in person is always much better, especially when you are just beginning. Vendors will sell at fairs, flea markets, and estate sales.   You can also shop through online vendors like Craigslist and eBay. Here are some things you should keep in mind when shopping online: 

  • Large furniture pieces come with hefty shipping prices. 
  • Ask for additional information such as photos from different angles and do not be afraid to ask questions 
  • Inquire about the vendor’s return policy 

We hope our advice helps you feel more confident about buying antiques for your home. If you are an avid antiquer yourself, we encourage you to share your processes and thoughts below in the comment section.