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Deep Cleaning Your Bathroom
Keeping a bathroom clean and tidy is one thing; however, it needs to be deep cleaned as well. These rooms can be very prone to bacteria and germs. Plus, the bathroom has many surfaces to clean. It is always best to start from the top and work to the bottom. Since most bathrooms will have similar trouble areas, if you are looking to deep clean your bathroom, here is everything you need to do:
What to Have
- microfiber cloth
- rags or paper towels
- antibacterial spray
- glass cleaner
- toothbrush
- toilet cleaner
- baking soda and vinegar
- dawn dish soap
- lemon
- bucket
- sponge
Where to Begin
If the weather is permitting, open up a window to allow some fresh air to come into the room. Begin by using a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth or paper towels to clean your windows and mirrors. If you have any fans or ceiling wall trim, dust them at this time.
Sink, Shower, and Bath
Wipe down your countertops with a mixture of water and white vinegar. This mix should remove any soap scum or toothpaste. Clean the inside of the sink with this as well. If your faucet is smudged, you can use a lemon to help bring back out its natural chrome shine. Use toilet cleaner in the toilet and allow to sit. Use a toilet brush to scrub toilet bowl. Remember to wipe down all over your toilet to remove bacteria with warm water and vinegar. You can add dawn dish soap to also help add to the cleaner. Do not forget to get behind the toilet! This area is where a lot of dust will accumulate. Next, clean your shower head and facet with the lemon. Clean your bathtub with your vinegar and water as well.
Floors and Baseboards
Finally, you can clean the floor. If your bathroom is tiled, create a baking soda paste—mix baking soda and water in a small cup. Use your toothbrush to clean the grout lines. Next, mix your vinegar and water in a bucket. Use your sponge to clean each tile thoroughly. Do not forget to wipe down your baseboard and allow it to air dry.
Deep cleaning your bathroom should be done several times a year. These steps can help you quickly clean your bathroom from start to finish. Plus, most of these cleaners can be found around your own home. For more quick tips on deep cleaning and home maintenance, make sure to subscribe.
Do-It-Yourself Christmas Décor for the Whole Family
It is Christmas time, and we are getting to spend more time with our loved ones. Use this opportunity to help build memories by participating in fun activities featuring creative DIY Christmas décor. Plus, you can let the children join in to make it an all-around fun family activity. Enjoy the spirit of Christmas throughout your home with these five simple DIY Christmas décor ideas:
Ornaments
There are hundreds of fun ways to decorate your tree. You can color-theme your ornaments, add candy canes, pictures, garland, and so much more. Personalize your tree, even more, this year by adding your own bulbs. Get the family together, and have everyone can paint their own bulbs. You can draw cool patterns or funny pictures. This idea is an excellent activity for the whole family. Plus, you will have the memory for years to come.
Mini Wreaths
Mini wreaths are fun, festive décor pieces that you can be used throughout your whole home. Plus, there are hundreds of creative ways in which you can make these wreaths. From rosemary, pinecones, cranberries, marshmallows, and even garland, you can let everyone put their own original spin on their wreaths.
Decorate the Stockings
Decorating your stockings is another excellent way to prepare for the holidays. You can even make stockings for your pets and get creative. Use glitter glue, paint, and other artsy accessories to personalize each stocking! After you are all done, make sure to display them on your fire mantle for everyone to see (and for Santa to find)!
Paper Snowflakes
Are you looking for an expensive do-it-yourself project? Try making paper snowflakes. Simply fold a paper into fourths and cut out a unique design. When you are done, hang your snowflakes around the home with string to make your own Christmas wonderland.
Gingerbread House
Gingerbread men and houses are fun for all ages. Let everyone decorate and create their very own gingerbread man/woman. You can all work together, putting your own touches onto the gingerbread house as well. Display the house and cookies and enjoy eating them after the holiday!
These fun activities can help you start getting into the holiday mindset. Use this time to bond and spend time with your loved ones. These activities are great and fun for the whole family. What are some of your favorite seasonal projects? Let us know below in the comment section and remember to subscribe!
Tips and Tricks for Decluttering Your House
Certain areas in your home can quickly become cluttered and never seem to look organized. While this can hurt any room’s visual aesthetics and make rooms feel uninviting, by creating a weekly declutter program, you can spend once a week keeping areas in your home in check. Plus, it can be as simple as a task to throw on top of your current chores. To help, we made an easy checklist to make sure vulnerable areas in your home stay mess free this spring.
Entryway
Your entryway is your home’s first impression. Unhung coats, messy shoe areas, and keys can wreak havoc on these areas. Try to find time at least once a week to organize this area. Everything should have an assigned spot. You can also spend this time shaking out your welcome mat and dusting/mopping the area if it gets dirty from constant traffic.
Refrigerator
If you buy your food weekly, it is essential to keep the refrigerator and freezer clean and throw away any old foods. These can not only add to the clutter but can begin to make the fridge smell bad. When you buy new foods, make sure you are eating the oldest foods first. Scheduling your weekly fridge clean out on the same day you go grocery shopping can help you stay organized when you get your food.
Trash
Another important area in the home is your trash and recycling. These areas can begin to smell bad as well if not kept in weekly maintenance. If you throw away foods early in the week, consider wrapping them to prevent the spoiling items from making the whole house smell. Your trash should be scheduled for weekly disposal to keep your home from becoming messy.
Closet
Laundry is another area in the home that can be a daunting task but can quickly clutter an area. Make sure you schedule weekly or biweekly times to do your laundry. You should organize your empty hangers throughout the week to make it more convenient when hanging your clothes.
Coffee Table
Coffee tables can easily become the main focal point of living rooms and dens. Make sure you do not clutter them with mail and magazines. These areas should be cleaned weekly, if not daily. Always take your coffee cups and wash them after use. Consider the time it can take if you allow this area to get out of hand. Staying on top of this area’s maintenance is imperative to a functional design.
Experts believe that it can help to write down the days you plan on keeping these areas decluttered. Put them in your calendar until they become an automatic habit.
How to Repurpose Your Old Candle Jars
Candles are great, but would not they be better if we could reuse the jars? Actually, candle jars are an item that can be easily repurposed. The best part is that you do not have to be a craft wizard to master it. Once the candles are repurposed, they become fantastic containers for extra storage. You can place the jars on your countertops to hold q-tips, cotton swabs, floss, etc. Plus, you are not paying any extra money for a cute, stylish container. If you are eager to learn how to repurpose your candle jars, you came to the right place!
The Supplies Needed:
- 1 Candle Jar (Size May Vary)
- Goo Gone
- Boiled Water
- An Old Butter Knife
1. Know When to Repurpose Your Candle.
Wait to repurpose your candle until your candle has fully lived its life. There will be a small amount of wax at the bottom of your candle that is unable to burn. Once your candle has hit this point, you can begin the process.
2. Make Gentle Cuts into The Wax.
Do not apply too much pressure on the glass, because it can break or get damaged. Make small incisions throughout the wax until it begins to break into pieces. Continue this process until all the wax has been broken up then throw away the excess wax.
3. Add Your Boiling Water.
Gently pour your boiling water about 1/4 of the way up the jar. Let the water sit in the container until the metal wicks loosen. You will also notice that excess wax will begin to release from the bottom of the jar. Remove the metal wicks with a pair of kitchen tongs or your butter knife. Be cautious since you poured boiling water into the glass jar.
4. Remove The Label.
Now it is time to remove candle’s label. Removing the label is pretty simple, you will just need to peel it off. Unfortunately, it leaves behind residue, so this is where your Goo Gone will come in handy. If you have leftover residue, run the jar under hot water.
5. Fill The Jar.
Finally, you have a clear container to store all your items. Now when you are complimented on your cute jars, you can tell all your friends that you repurposed them all by yourself.
Why spend money on buying storage containers when you create your own from items you already have around the house?
We hope you enjoyed this simple DIY guide. Be sure to check out our other posts here.
Is The Bedroom The New Living Room?
Do you find yourself spending more time in your bedroom than the living room? There is no wonder why; after all, the bedroom is our resting place and the ultimate space for comfort, safety, and solitude. Gone are the days where the bedroom was just a space to rest your head at the end of a long day. Which leads us to this question: Is the bedroom becoming the new living room?
Here are three good reasons why we are beginning to believe that the answer to that question is a “yes:”
1. Limited Space
Many people, especially city dwellers do not have an allocated living room due to the limited square footage. In fact, rental property prices have increased so much that many individuals have homes where the bedroom and living room function as both, such as in studio apartments. With clever furniture arrangements, this can easily be pulled together. Multipurpose furniture can also offer the same value as a living room, giving homeowners flexibility when it comes to space.
2. Comfort and Casualness
These days home decor trends embrace comfort and casualness more than sophistication. People are investing in furniture that is breathable and casual like laid-back loungers as opposed to high-backed Victorian style furniture. Creating livable spaces is crucial and this same concept is often applied to the bedroom where we tend to eat, sleep, lounge and even work.
Yes, most bedrooms have been designed to be an open sanctuary where even a guest can enter and relax. Just think, our bedrooms have almost everything we need to be comfortable.
3. Soft Inviting Materials
From the plush pillows lining the headboard to the soft rugs on the floor, when designed correctly, our bedroom should embody coziness. Such inviting materials incite feelings of contentment, comfort and is guaranteed to make your guests feel welcomed into the bedroom.
4. Multifunctional Furniture
It is common to see some living room-style furnishing in a bedroom. For instance, it is common to see a small sofa in the bedroom or a designated sitting area. Furnishing your room with pieces like a comfy couch and television set is bound to further create the ultimate living space.
What are your thoughts? Are bedrooms becoming the new living room? We would love to hear what you have to think below in the comment section. Thanks for reading!
Tips to Make Your New Home Feel Like Home
When you move into your new house, several elements make a house feel like home. A house is generally a building in which one lives in, but a home provides comfort, security, and pleasure. Knowing that you are home has the context that your dwelling establishment and you have an emotional connection. There are many ways we build a relationship with our homes. When you first move in, you may have a connection by helping with the design and the construct. Here are several easy ways to quickly turn your new house into your cozy home:
Implement Emotionally Attached Furniture
When you move into your new home, bringing in all your other home’s old goods can quickly make it feel more intimate. Adding your already-loved furniture can have a significant impact on the feel of the space. There is nothing wrong with adding new furniture to your home, but even including your personal design and taste can help make your house feel more tailormade for you. Hang pictures of loved ones and add splashes of your favorite colors to your décor for more personalization. Designing your rooms can quickly establish a bond between you and the house.
Create New Memories
Your old home had memories which will be there forever, but your new home will have many to come. Start by inviting over family and friends. Hosting events is a great way to break in the comfort of your new home. You can obtain a more personal connection with your house when you begin to create a more welcoming environment for others. You can open a world of possibilities and memories when you start to host events and catering to friends and family.
Enjoy Your Surroundings
Home is where the heart is. Your home is not limited to your dwelling but the surrounding environments. Fulton Homes has located all their homes in conveniently-placed spots from easy freeway access to nearby shopping. Take advantage of the neighborhood and explore your new area. Change can be difficult at first but the sooner you adapt to your new accommodations, the quicker you will build a stronger love for your new home.
Developing this bond will not take long at all. The longer you stay, the stronger your bond will become. Enjoy your new living experience and home. Take advantage of the new amenities your space provides and get cozy. Adding different attributes of hygge will help add comfort and strength to the warm feeling your home will provide.
Tips for Getting Scale Right in Your Decor
When decorating a room in your home, having a good understanding of scale can be important because it can make or break the room’s design. If you do not already know, scale is the visual representation of space and how it relates to the size of the room, and it’s objects. Just think. The size of a couch in the living room is relative to the size of the end table that sits beside it. If the sofa is complementary to the other furniture used in the room, it can throw the entire design off balance. If setting visual harmony is vital to you, here is how you can use scale appropriately:
When Bigger is Better
In the design world, experts push the fact that bigger is better. However, bigger is only better when the walls are long or large. Often, when working with such generous space, you may be tempted to fill it with furniture or create a gallery with pictures and artwork on the walls. This is not always the best idea. When working with expansive walls, a single statement piece of artwork can be ideal for the amount of visual space that you seek to occupy.
Does It Overpower The Space
Whether you are picking out artwork or furniture, you should analyze whether the element really works with the colors used in the room and how it relates to the other accessories and furniture. For example, a large beautiful piece of artwork may look great on your walls, but its boisterous scale could compete with the furnishing used in the room or overwhelm the smaller objects in front of it.
Selecting The Right Size Seating
Just because the room is small does not mean the furniture has to be the little as well. Even a sectional sofa can look great in a smaller room, depending on how you use the space. When determining the right scale of seating, you will need to think about the complementary pieces in the room such as the coffee table, side table, and lamps.
For larger seating options like a big sofa or a sectional, you can scale it by opting for smaller, less busy accent chairs. On the other hand, if you have a loveseat-sized sofa, then you should consider scaling it up by choosing broader accent pieces.
We hope you learned a little something about scale and its role in room design. For more expert tips and tricks, be sure to check back weekly. Thanks for reading!
Inexpensive Ways to Dress Up Your Landscape
As homeowners, it’s essential for your outdoor space to look just as good as the interior. So if you’ve been investing some work into your garden we know that know landscape is complete without accessories. After you’ve watered the flowers, treated the soil and repainted the fence it’s time to add the finishing touches.
Your garden may be beautiful and full of life. It’s clear that it needs something else. From outdoor furniture to water fixtures there are numerous trendy accessories you can use to add some style to your landscape.
Landscape Lighting
Perhaps one of the best ways you can create a stunning landscape is to implement a lighting scheme. You can strategically string Christmas lights or you can invest in more inventive lighting solutions. When shopping for landscape lighting you’ll have to first determine what type of illumination you are seeking. Do you desire soft, romantic lighting or do you need lighting for security reasons?
Garden Border
No garden is complete without a well-designed border to protect your hard work. Yes, by installing a simple border you can instantly add appeal to the area. A well-crafted garden border with a nice design will attract the eye.
Planters
Elegant planters are a must-have accessory for your garden. They will add some life to your dull garden. Be sure to choose planters that complement both the overall design of your home. The great thing about planters is that you don’t have to just place them in your garden. You can set them up around the pool, by the windows and along the fence. You can even plant more exotic foliage in your planters so that when they grow out it creates a unique look in your landscape.
Ornaments
Ornaments, sculptures and other types of accents are a form of garden art that adds interest all year round to the landscape. Whether you’re interested in using faeries, gnomes or animal ornaments, do so sparingly. Overdecorating with ornaments will make your landscape look cluttered and tacky. Therefore, select a few quality pieces to adorn your landscape with.
Clean Your Garden Tools
If you are like us, the beginning of spring marks the enjoyable start of planting and gardening. Gardening can help relieve any stress brought on by intense spring cleaning, but we must not neglect cleaning our gardening tools. Begin your season off right with fresh, sparkling tools by following these easy tips:
- Muddy Tools: Remove all dirt and mud from your gardening tools by hosing them off with a high-powered garden hose. If excess dirt remains, you can use a putty knife to scrape off extra dirt.
- Rusty Tools: Tools seem to get rust over the years, but we can fight back against rust by scrubbing them with steel wool.
- Sticky Tools: Place a small amount of mayonnaise on a white cloth to remove sap and goo from your tools.
- Exposed Tools: Sometimes, plants get sick with fungal or bacterial diseases. It is important that you do not transfer this disease to any other plant. Clean your tools with a bleach-free disinfectant wipe to ensure sanitation.
Soaking Bucket: After you have removed any dirt, rust or goo from your tools, place them in a bucket with hot water and dish soap. Let the tools sit for about ten minutes before removing them from the soaking bucket. Take out the tools then rinse them off with warm water. You will need to dry your tools with an old rag to prevent future rust.
Cleaning Bin: Instead of waiting to clean your tools, you can create a quick cleaning bin by combining a medium size bag of sand with one cup of vegetable oil. After you use your tools, place them in the sand bucket and let them sit overnight. The sand bucket will help any mud or dirt come loose from your tools and make any future cleaning easier on you.
Now you never have to neglect any of your gardening tools again with these easy tips. Do you have any tool cleaning tricks up your sleeve? We would love to hear about how you keep your garden tools and supplies clean in the comment section below.