Iconic Uses for Essential Oils in Your Home

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Essential oils are great for making your home smell great; however, there are many other valuable uses for them around your home. In fact, essentials oils can be used in many diverse ways. Finding a variety of methods to use around your home will not only liven up your environment but keep your home smelling fresh. If you are exploring the world of essential oils, here are some neat tricks to consider using around your home:

Cleaning and Natural Disinfectant

If you are looking for an all-natural cleaning agent, you can create your own. Simply mix some water with vinegar. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product; however, it can leave an unpleasant scent. You can spruce up the fragrance by adding some essential oils. Do 1/3 of your mixture as vinegar and the remaining with water. Drop in some of your favorite essential oil scents to help create a better smell. Some essential oils can also serve as an excellent disinfectant as well. Try lemon and other citrus scents for a refreshing, clean smell.

Prolong Fruit and Vegetable Lifespan

Having fresh fruit and vegetables in your home can be a healthy, quick snack option. Unfortunately, these products can go bad rather quickly. To help prolong the life of your produce, you can use lemon oil. Saturate your fruit in water in a bowl and add some lemon oil. Allow this to sit for several hours. Once you strain your bowl, you can put your fruit away in the refrigerator. Your fruit and vegetable shelf life will be exponentially longer after using this handy trick.

Laundry Freshener

Essential oils just smell all-around amazing. This use can be a great trick to incorporate in your own laundry routine. Just make sure the essential oil of your choice is not too aggressive for your clothes. You can add several drops into your load to help soak in these unique fragrances.

What are some tricks that you use with your essential oils? Have you done any of these tricks? Let us know some of your favorite essential oil uses below in the comment section, and for more great tips and tricks, make sure to subscribe.

Salt vs Chlorine Hot Tubs

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There are many attributes that can make a house feel like home. From the interior to the exterior of your property, every spot has a chance to become more tailored to your needs. Your home should have areas that can allow you to escape from the world and relax and rejuvenate. One great way to accomplish this is with a hot tub! If you are searching the market for a hot tub, there are typically two kinds of systems: chlorine and salt. Both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Let us explore both options to help you decide which is best for you.

Chlorine

When it comes to hot tubs, you have two leading solutions for sanitation consisting of either salt or chlorine. Traditionally, chlorine was used as a chemical to help sterilize and neutralize bacteria in the water. Both systems require standard upkeep to allow the systems to be working properly. Chlorine is a powerful chemical that is great at killing bacteria. However, the downfall to this chemical is a strong odor as well as it can agitate sensitive skin.

Salt

Saltwater seems to be the new buzz on the market. This more natural approach is less aggressive on your skin. While it still takes upkeep to have the right concentration, the simple upkeep can be less time-consuming. You will also not need to drain your hot tub as often for maintenance. Some of these benefits alone have made many homeowners switch to salt. Yet a downside is saltwater pools can traditionally be more expensive as an initial investment.

Which Is Best for You?

Both hot tub systems come with their own pros and cons. While chlorine may be a harsher chemical to soak long in, the initial investment is much less expensive. Chlorine tubs will also use less electricity while being fixture friendly. The choice comes down to personal preference.

Many people have preferences on which they like best. What do you think about each hot tub system? Have you owned either? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and remember to subscribe!

Painting Exterior Stucco

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Southwestern-styled homes will traditionally use stucco as a decorative siding and finish to homes. Stucco is a fine plaster coated onto walls wet, which dries with a very grainy texture. This plaster handles great against the desert heat and looks great as well. However, these extreme climates can really wear down and fade the paint on the walls over time. If your paint is beginning to fade, it may be time to repaint the exterior of your home. With stucco being so texture, it can propose several dilemmas. To help, here are some of the best ways to paint stucco:

Prep

Before you are going to start painting, you will need to prep the surface. For the exterior of your home, you will just want to remove all the outdoor dust and dirt that has accumulated on your home. This step can easily be done by spraying your house down with a hose. Let it air dry completely before you begin to paint. Tape off or tarp any areas you do not want the paint to get.

Roller

For stucco, there are generally two main ways of painting. A roller is less effective but generally foolproof. When you get your paint, let the supplier know you will be rolling the paint. This paint will be sold much thicker and can be applied with a roller. You will still need to use a brush for harder areas like corners and edges.

Spray

A more effective technique but takes practice and equipment is spraying the paint onto the stucco. With such an aggressive texture, this will allow you not to have to go over the same spot multiple times, as the roller may. Simply add the paint and spray it directly onto your home. You can keep the spray gun very close to the house because bleeding paint is uncommon with this high of texture.

Stucco is excellent but will need to be repainted after many years of sun exposure. Make sure you can complete the task before starting it. If this seems too far out of your expertise, you may want to consider hiring a professional. For more tips and tricks on home improvement, make sure to subscribe.

Tips for Hosting Guests Overnight Like a Luxury Hotel

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Having guests over can always be a good time. Whether it is for the holidays, a social gathering, or friends visiting from out of town, you want your home to feel welcoming. The best way to accommodate your guests is to consider what they may need if they were to stay at a hotel. What do hotels provide for their guests? Since hotels have mastered the art of hospitality, using some of their commonly-practiced policies in your own home can make you a guru of hosting guests as well. Here are several tricks you can take from hotels to practice in your own home:

Bedroom Comfort

One of the primary focal points to tackle is the guest bedroom comfort. Many hotels master comfort by using a high-quality mattress, pillows, and even chairs. Make sure your guest room has plenty of pillows, blankets, and seating for your guest. Everyone has their own individual sleeping styles. Adding some extra pillows and blankets can ensure your guests have a comfortable stay.

Restroom Accommodations

When you go to a hotel, many of them will provide you with bathroom essentials. This typically consists of shampoo, soap, and conditioner and sometimes a lotion. These are excellent accommodations to have in your own guest bathroom. Make sure your guests are familiar without how to use your shower system or any questions they may have. It should go without saying but have spare toilet paper and towels readily available as well.

R&R

While you will probably be spending most of the time with your guests, you still want them to be able to get away from everything. Nothing makes people feel more comfortable and at home that some privacy, rest, and relaxation. Provide your guest with the Wi-Fi password as well as any passwords to television streaming services.

Continental Breakfast

You do not need to set up a continental breakfast, but you can borrow the concept. Check with your guest beforehand for food allergies or restrictions. Making breakfast in the morning can eliminate them having to order food. These simple tricks can take your hosting skills to the next level.

Hosting should not be intimidating. Make sure you prioritize your guest’s needs and comfort. You can make your house feel like home to them with some of these simple tricks. For more great tips and tricks, make sure to subscribe.

Cauliflower Rice with a Mediterranean Twist

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Are you on the fence about the taste of cauliflower? We were not quite sure about how delicious cauliflower can really taste, so we decided to try this recipe with a Mediterranean twist. Boy, are we glad we did! Spruce this recipe up with a few extra ingredients, and we are sure you will love it as much as we do!

Ingredients for Cauliflower Rice:

  • One medium to large head of cauliflower 
  • Two cloves garlic, minced or pressed 
  • One 1/2 cup sliced almonds 
  • Just a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • One tablespoon lemon juice (fresh if available)
  • One 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 
  • One 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley – chopped well 
  • Top off with fresh ground pepper for taste 

Directions for Cauliflower Rice:

  1. Cut the head of cauliflower into medium chunks and throw away the core. Put a small amount in your food processor until the pieces are broken into small pieces. Now you have the rice. 
  2. Wrap the cauliflower rice in a kitchen towel and twist well to remove as much water as possible from the rice. Actually, during this step, you will see how much water was in the cauliflower. 
  3. Now toast your almonds in a large skillet over medium heat, making sure to stir often, so they do not burn. Once they start to turn gold and you smell them, they are ready. This usually takes about four to five minutes. Place in a bowl to cool. 
  4. Take the skillet and return to heat while adding olive oil and garlic. Make sure to keep stirring until you smell the garlic. This only takes about ten to twenty seconds.  
  5. Add the cauliflower rice, red pepper flakes, salt, and stir well to blend. Now cook for about six to ten minutes until the rice turns golden. 
  6. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in your cooled off toasted almonds, parsley, and lemon juice.  
  7. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Serve warm. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes | Serving Size: Four Servings as a Side Dish

Three Places You Are Forgetting to Clean

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Cleaning our homes can become somewhat of a ritual. You begin to form habits and techniques for keeping your own home spic and span. However, as we develop these habits, areas in our homes that do not need to be cleaned as often can become forgotten. It is easy to remember to do your dishes when you use them every day; however, less frequent or annual tasks can easily be overlooked.

Dusting Fans and Baseboards

Dust accumulates very easily around homes. It is easy to remember all the surface areas that we come in contact with daily. However, out of sight, out of mind can easily apply to dust. Our baseboards can collect a ton of dust. Remember to give them a quick wipe down every now and then to prevent the accumulation. Also, our ceiling fans harvest dust very easily as well. Wiping the top side of the ceiling fan is a vital spot to hit when dusting. Make sure you are not forgetting these two areas!

Grout Lines

Grout is very porous and can absorb a lot of unwanted debris and stains. This happens throughout our high traffic areas in our homes. Once-light grout lines can become mucked and darkened over time. This can look like this is the way it should be; however, these grout lines are incredibly dirty. Make sure to use grout cleaner or your own homemade cleaner to polish up your grout lines in tiled areas of your home.

Steam Clean Carpets

We can remember to vacuum our carpets pretty easily. There is something satisfying about fresh vacuum lines on carpet. Yet, we may forget that many carpet manufacturers recommend steam cleaning your carpet once a year. This means you should remove furniture from the room and steam your carpet. Your fibers can collect dirt deep down inside them, which the steam can penetrate out of them. Remembering to do this may easily slip your mind without creating a reminder.

These are just some simple reminders for cleaning your home to keep in your arsenal. Did you forget any of these three? What are some recommendations of areas that you have forgotten or want to remind others? Let us hear from you below in the comment section!

Kitchen Sink Organization

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The kitchen is the heart of the home; therefore, creating your dream kitchen can express your style and design. From mesmerizing backsplashes to intricately designed appliances, your kitchen can quickly become the most stunning part of your home. However, nothing takes away from this dream like clutter, and one spot reigns notorious overall in this category: the sink. Having a messy sink is easy. We usually eat three times a day and sometimes feed more than one person during a meal. Hence why this area can quickly become an eyesore if not taken care of correctly. However, some simple kitchen sink organization skills can help have your sink looking clean and less cluttered. We break down the three ways to organize your sink and keep it clean and crisp all year. Let’s take a look!

The Essentials

Your kitchen sink most likely has some critical components which you use daily when washing your dishes. These elements make the cut for what can stay in view. For instance, you may have a soap dispenser, maybe a plug for the sink, and perhaps a drying towel, and even a scrub brush. If you can tuck any of these away in your false drawers, take advantage of the space. If not, have a clean, organized set up of where these items belong.

Drying Area

The next key spot is your drying rack. If you have a dishwasher, you do not need to worry about this. However, if you do not have this amenity or have wooden or plastic utensils, you will need to designate a space. Some drying racks can connect right into your sink. Just make sure these areas never become cluttered. These are easy to allow items to overstay their welcome. Use your drying towel and have the dishes and utensils back to their homes before leaving the area.

Under Your Sink

Under the sink is a useful area. You can store your trash, recycling, chemicals, and other cleaning agents. This area is where your extra cleaning materials should go that you do not use daily. If you have small children, you may need to put a locking mechanism on this cabinet as well. Extra sponges, cup cleaners, and stain removers can all reside happily underneath your sink until needed.

It is easy to allow your kitchen to become cluttered. Having an organized and clean sink area is something that you need to keep up with daily. Do not let this become the downfall of your kitchen. Take pride in your kitchen and allow your kitchen to warm your entire household.

Ideal Measurements for the Perfect Dining Room Layout

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Are you in the midst of decorating your dining room? The key to creating the perfect dining area that is both highly functional and well designed is having the appropriate measurements for the space. In fact, taking the ideal measurements for the dining room ensures that you do not form a layout that is uncomfortable and awkward to navigate. Keep in mind that you will be having meals with your family and entertaining in this area, thus understanding the dimensions of the room will help you create an enjoyable dining experience.

Understanding Dimensions

Planning for the perfect dining area requires that you are aware of the dimensions of the dining area. You will need to select furnishings that allow for clearances to maneuver, and you should also focus on purchasing pieces that are proportionate to the size of the dining room. Here are some standard measurements for the average dining table:

  • Rectangular Dining Table: Of course, the contour and size of the dining area should determine what type of table that you select. Rectangular-shaped dining tables will fill up narrow dining areas. If you desire a rectangular dining table, then you should consider one that goes with the dimensions of the room. Start off by measuring the length and width of the table. A standard size rectangular dining table measures about “36-40” inches wide. Depending on how many people you want to seat, it measures as much as 60” inches long to seat up to six people.
  • Round Dining Table: Round dining tables are a space-saving option because they often lack square corners. Round dining tables are ideal for smaller-scaled spaces. An average round table is approximately 48 inches in diameter. If you are considering adding a round table to your dining room, you will want to select something that can accommodate your desired amount of diners.

Walking Room

Whatever type of table you select, to furnish your table, be sure to leave at least 36 inches between the table area and the walls. This will give you enough space to move throughout the room.

Place Setting

What about the diners? When eating at the table, it is essential to make sure that there is enough space between each place setting. Each place settings should be at least 24 inches apart. This gives the diner elbow room and at least 20 inches of legroom underneath the table.

We hope you found this article helpful and for further assistance, be sure to check out our other blog posts here.

Home Cleaning Hacks You Must Know | Part Two

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We are constantly cleaning our homes. Having a couple of efficient shortcuts never hurt anyone. As we explored in the first part of the series, there are certain tricks of the trade that can help you clean faster and more efficiently. However, we are not done yet! We put together some more great cleaning hacks for you to add to your own home. Try these to help save more time and be even more efficient at cleaning.

Cleaning Blender

Blenders can be difficult to clean after each use. You can take them apart, yet not everything is dishwasher friendly. A lot of fruits, powders, and liquids can muck up all around the insides. To help break them down, leave the blender plugged into the wall, then fill with hot water and soap and turn on the high setting. This concept will help break down much of the unwanted grime.

Clean Your Sponges

Sponges can be very handy when doing the dishes or cleaning around the home. However, wet sponges can become a home to harvest bacteria and germs. Instead of throwing away your sponges when they look dirty, add some lemon water to them. Simply throw your sponges in the microwave and let them disinfect for a minute. Careful when you remove them, however, because they may be hot!

Baking Soda on Carpet

Carpet can start to pick up unwanted scents. If you have animals, children, or simply do not want your carpet to collect a particular scent, try this solution. Spread baking soda around your home over the carpet. Allow it to sit for fifteen to twenty minutes. The baking soda will absorb all odors, then simply vacuum your carpet, and enjoy!

Dishwasher Versatility

Are you just using your dishwasher to clean dishes? You can use your dishwasher for even more potential benefits! Try using it to wash hats, showerheads, mouth guards, makeup brushes, and combs. The hot steam will disinfect and clean all of these! Just be sure to read online what rack to place your items on to keep them safe.

You can try adding some of these clever tricks to your cleaning routine. You even may be amazed at the benefits they have to offer.

What are some of your favorite cleaning hacks? Let us know below in the comment section!

The Three Things to Look for While House Hunting

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When house hunting, it can feel like there are endless options. Focusing on the wrong areas can make the search an even more daunting and burdensome task. To properly search for your next home, there are only three things you need to be considering. With these in mind, your search becomes a little easier. Here are the three things you must look for while house shopping:

Ignore the Theme

It is easy to get caught up in the little things. Make sure the reason you are not selecting a home is because of variables that are unable to be changed. Not architecturally speaking, but the theme of the house was created by the previous homeowner. Do not put a home at the top of your list because it has your favorite color painted walls, or you love the Rustic themed living room. These are all variables you can create in any home. It is easy to be blinded by a well-designed atmosphere and start imagining yourself in it. Try to take a few steps back and analyze the home for what it is at the root, not what they have done to the design.

Location

Location matters! Make sure you love the location. Visit the property during different hours. This is a constant factor that you cannot change once you move into the home. For instance, how easy is it to access your driveway? Is the neighborhood safe? How is the school system in the community? How does this home feel during rush hours in traffic or at different times of the day? Is it quiet or noisy? These are just several of the thousands of questions that should be running through your head. Pay attention to the noises at the property while you are visiting. These can all be things that you cannot see when looking at the property online.

Layout

Does the home’s layout work for you? This is another factor that you cannot easily change. Even if you are considering adding onto the property, make sure that city restrictions and zoning allow that possibility. Bedrooms, bathrooms, location of the washer and dryer, parking, and many other factors need to be considered when looking at properties.

With these three factors in mind, you will be able to scan through properties much quicker and zero in your search. Remember, location and layout are constants and try not to get caught up in the homes’ other aesthetic features because most of them can be changed.