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5 Reasons Why A Small Home Might Be A Better Investment Than Its Big Brother

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colourful burano house

 

People have goals in life and the main idea is always to improve on what you have right now. Everyone always wants bigger because they think it is better, but is that really true? You only need to look at houses to understand the way people’s minds work. A much bigger home makes them feel like they have accomplished something. Even though half the rooms would remain empty they want to become rich so they can buy themselves a huge mansion with an even bigger garden.

You’ve got to ask yourself if this is the route you want to go down when you’re looking to buy a new home. Will something that big fulfill your needs, or do you just want it because you can say to yourself your home is massive? You need to think about if very carefully before you make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. Owning a small home can be just as good and if you’re looking for some reasons why we can go over a few of them now.

It will cost you less

Money

When you buy a small home it will be cheaper than one that is twice the size. It doesn’t just mean you will save money when signing on the dotted line, because there are much more ways to save more over the years. Think about how much it will cost you to keep it cool in summer and hot in winter. It will definitely be cheaper. The same also goes for repairs and a good example we can use is the guttering, because you will need less lengths when it is time to replace them.

You’ll have more time

Cleaning a large home is a tough job, but someone has to do it and it will probably be you. Imagine how much time you would save hovering if you had 50% less carpet space. When you work out how much time you’re cutting out per week it might not seem like much, but now times that by 500 and work out how much time is being saved over 10 years. That isn’t just cleaning the house because it also includes doing work in the garden.

Buying nice things

Pink ice-pendant

Big homes are expensive to buy and your mortgage payments will be a lot. It’s not nice watching all of that money leaving your account each month. If you add that onto the money you’re paying in bills you might not have much money left on the 31st. With all that money you will save on your home it means you will have a lot more to buy nice things. Would you rather have a big empty house, or a small one filled with wonderful treasures?

Living the easy life

People buy a huge home and they have so much space to fill. That means going out and getting things to fill the space. Before you know it your home is full of junk. With a small home you can’t be so rash. You can buy amazing things, but not millions of things. Just a few amazing things and it leaves you will less materialistic problems which lets you relax a bit. Having too many things can be very stressful if you believe the minimalist movement.

Selling it more easily

Everyone wants to buy a huge home, but how many people do you think will be able to afford one? Not many if you read the news. A small home is well within the price range of the biggest majority of people. As the future gets closer and closer you will also see a huge jump in the number of people looking for smaller, more energy efficient homes. Maybe the millionaires of the future will realize that smaller might be better than bigger, too.

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Josh Butler is real estate consultant at Abercromby’s. He has vast knowledge of the real estate sector and has suggested many useful tips in Abercromby’s real estate blog.

Pros And Cons Of Invisible Dog Fences

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Pet owners use invisible fences as a way to keep their dogs safe. It is especially welcomed by pet owners who might not have the special permits required to erect physical fences in their backyards. If you’re thinking about installing an invisible or electronic fence, you’ll naturally want to learn about the pros and cons. Only then you can completely decide if it is a good solution for you. The pros and cons of invisible fences are described below.


Pro of Wireless Dog Fences

  1. Wireless dog fences are much cheaper that their more traditional counterparts. They are also easier to maintain as you won’t need to patch holes or fill up dirt that your dog dug up in a bid to escape.
  2. You won’t have to deal with complaints from neighbors about an unsightly fence. The fence is buried underground or wireless so there will be no unsightly structures in your backyard.
  3. You can easily adjust the areas where you want your dog to wander. It’s simple to reduce or add more wire for in-ground structures and it is even easier with wireless systems using the controller.
  4. A switch on the dog’s collar can be used to adjust the voltage applied when the dog crosses the boundary. This is essential if your dog is getting pain or burns from the system.

Cons of Invisible Dog Fences

  1. It’s true that some dogs will not respond well to this type of training to keep them within a defined boundary, so discontinue use of the fence if your dog is not responding.
  2. Some dogs are intelligent enough to find their way around a wireless fence. For instance, large dogs might do vertical jumps over the upper limits of the fence and won’t receive shocks outside this region.
  3. The wireless fence will keep your dog within a confined area, but it will not keep other animals outs. This is something to take note off if you live in an area where there is threat of wolves, coyotes, raccoons and other intruders. It also will not stop someone looking to steal your dog.
  4. Rats can dig up and chew on the wires and reduce the barrier. When this happens it might be difficult to locate the area where the damage has been done.
  5. Some dogs could be reckless and charge outside the boundary when there are other pets in the area. After the excitement abates the dog, remembering the shock, might not want to go back into the confined area.
  6. The final disadvantage comes in the form of neighbors and other passersby. If you have a particularly ferocious dog, they might be wary or fearful of the dog that is seemingly free to roam wherever he wants. To combat this you can install a sign to indicate that the dog is confined within an invisible fence.

About Author

Crystal is a passionate blogger who loves to write on various lifestyle topics. Recently she got a electronic dog fence from flexpetz.com for her pet dog that had a habit of running away into the neighbors.

6 Great Deterrents That Will Make Would-Be Thieves Turn Around And Walk Away

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You must have worked really hard to save up for your home and it will probably be filled with nice things. The last thing you need is someone coming along and thinking they can waltz right in and steal from you. One of the easiest ways to stop this from happening is to deter the would-be thieves in the first place. We’re going to take a look at some ways you can accomplish that.

Don’t show off

Even if you’re not struggling for money you must see how hard it can be for some people to have a comfortable life. That doesn’t make stealing right and thieves’ nice people, but it helps to understand when trying to deter someone from breaking into your home. If they walk past and see expensive things lying around it might start putting ideas in their head. Sometimes it’s as simple as not showboating because the majority of people won’t think your home is worth breaking into.

Tricking people

How many people do you know that would attempt to break into a home when there were people sitting inside watching TV? It might occur a tiny percentage of the time, but this is usually because they think everyone is out and they get the shock of their life when they discover it’s not the case. These are usually the times when someone can get hurt, so by closing your blinds and leaving your lights on you will leave no doubt in a thief’s mind that someone is home.

Do you have sliding doors?

It’s pointless having a sturdy door with a huge steel deadbolt if someone can simply walk up to your home and lift your sliding door off the rails. This is usually only a problem for older ones, but you are best making sure because it’s better being safe than sorry. If you’re not in any position by buy a new door you might need to take a two-by-four and slide it into the grove at the back because it will stop someone from sliding it back.

Forget the spare key

Do you know anyone who keeps their spare key somewhere in the garden? If you do this yourself you are really playing with fire because thieves are not stupid and if they want to break into an empty home they will know to look around for a key. You might as well leave the front door lying wide open for them with a big sign pointing inside. If you must leave one lying around you should ask a neighbor if they can keep it for you. Try to choose an older neighbor that doesn’t go out much.

Lock everything

Nearly half of break-ins happen without any force being used which means a huge amount of thieves are just walking up to someone’s home and walking inside. This is a crazy way to lose all your possessions and the only way to stop it from happening is by making sure you leave everything locked whenever you are out or in bed. If this is something you think might easily slip your mind then write it down to remind yourself until it becomes a habit.

Go with technology

If you don’t already have an alarm system you might want to think about getting one installed. The ones you find nowadays are really sophisticated and work much better than a dog ever could. Unless you have some specially trained professional thieves wanting to break into your home there is no way an alarm won’t alert you to a robbery. It’s usually enough to scare away some drug addict looking to steal a TV to pay for his next fix.

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Ian Wilson is a home security expert with many years of experience in the industry. He works with Crown Integrated Systems, a company providing solutions for both commercial and residential clients.

Conquering The Clutter In Kids’ Rooms

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A room that is dedicated for your kids should be the most adaptable space in the house. It should work as a playroom that can accommodate a wide variety of toys. An art studio, where the kids can let loose of their inner Picasso or Van Gogh. In the next instant, a clubhouse where your young ones can meet and interact with their friends. And, of course, a space to rest, somewhere to dress and, probably, provide a modest nook for reading and studying.

When a single room has to fulfill all the aforesaid functions, efficient storage and organization are necessary. However, keeping a kid’s room organized doesn’t necessarily mean it should appear like an adult’s room or a boring bedroom. You can make it both fun and organized by taking these tips to heart.

Consider child-friendly storage

To keep the organization inside a children’s room, the storage solutions available should meet your children’s needs and style. Hence, avoid using adult organizing systems, such as sticky dresser drawers that can be cumbersome for small hands to manage or closet hanging rods that are too high up and out of reach.

To make stuff more accessible for young children, invest in open shelves whose surfaces are easy to clean. Or, opt to remove the doors of existing closets to prevent pinching fingers. Try to lower clothing rods and use child-sized hangers to hold children’s clothing. As for the toys, corral them in floor-level open containers or bins.

Organize from down up

To complement the short stature of kids, the best way to organize the things inside their room is to start the process from the bottom and work your way to the top. That is, keep frequently used toys and belongings on the lower shelves, drawers or on the floor. Less-frequently used objects, on the other hand, should be designated to higher levels of the storage systems.

Don’t forget to add labels

To make your life easier when it’s time to clean and sort your kids’ stuff, put labels everywhere: on boxes, bookcases, shelf edges, bins and inside and outside of drawers. You can make the labels more appealing by printing out images of shirts, toys, socks, blocks, etc. These pictures will also make it easier for young kids to determine where they should put things after use. For older children, you can help enhance their reading skills by using labels with large-type words.

Establish a clean-up routine

Depending on your children’s ages, they could help you with the process of organizing and decluttering. So if you have older kids, teach them a clean-up routine that they can easily follow through. For instance, a few minutes in the morning should be spared for tending to their beds, such as straightening the comforters or returning the pillows in place. And before they dress up for bed, there should be an evening routine where they pickup their toys and place those items in their corresponding storage solutions. If you have younger children, however, you will have to clean the space yourself. So squeeze this into your schedule to avoid their stuff from accumulating.

This home organization advice was contributed by Ericka in behalf of www.heritagecleaning.co.uk. Ericka has been writing articles about a wide variety of topics for some years now. However, she is particularly interested in writing insightful posts related to home improvement and gardening.

Amazing Technologies for Home

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These days there are things in our homes that we would have never thought possible. It’s as though our dreams are literally coming true. If you feel as though your home needs something new to spice things up then you are going to be glad you found us. Today we are going to focus on just a few of the most popular and really impressive things that can make your home simpler and much more exciting. Your guests are going to definitely enjoy hanging out.

Video Games To Get Lost In

If you and your family enjoy video games but haven’t bought a new consol or upgrade in quite some time then a lot of things have changed. These days, video games are much more interactive than ever. For example, with the Kinect by Xbox not only can you use a controller to play games but your body can actually be the controller as well. On top of that, the system can detect who is who based on your body type so you don’t have to ever log in. This is going to make dance offs and other games much easier than ever. No wonder so many people choose to play Kinect instead of work out. It’s fun so you don’t feel like it’s work.

A Whole New Movie Experience

These days, there are so many fantastic features when it comes time to watch your favorite movies and shows. If you are still using standard definition, you may want to consider upgrading to a minimum of HD. This is going to give you a clear picture that you have to see to believe. You will literally be able to see every blade of grass and every wrinkle on someone’s face. Plus, fast-paced programs look much better on an HD screen.

Now, if you really want to be blown away, then you should invest in a 3D television. This is a great way to really get lost in the moment. Scary movies are going to become so much more terrifying; trust us, it was hard to sleep those first few nights!

Smarter Televisions Than Ever

These days, electronics are smarter than ever. They are able to do things for you to make your life easier. For one thing, many sets these days can detect when everyone has left the room so they can turn off on their own. Some are also able to brighten or dim depending on the current lighting of the room so you never have to strain your eyes again.

Better Than Ever Security Systems

Security systems these days are pretty intense. You can literally lock your doors from anywhere simply by logging into your account via your phone, computer or other device. If you have videos installed, you can literally see those areas of your home as well. This is great for those of you who have recently purchased your first home or have a new pet that you want to check in on.

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Kelly Smith is an interior designer by profession. She has been associated with Grant Elevators for the past few years.

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