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Must-have Gizmo’s For A Sparkling Home

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The last place you want to return to after a long and tiring day at work is a cluttered and dirty house. With busy work schedules and hectic lifestyles, most of us experience shortage of time to set out on a house cleaning mission, and even if we do get time, we would probably shun it off due to drudgery. As a consequence, we tend to miss out on the basic benefits of having a clean home. A spick and span home not only looks betters and makes you feel better, but also brings out your productivity level, and makes you feel more relaxed and peaceful. Besides, a clean house always stands a better chance of snatching a good resale value.

Urbanlegend as a housewife

Gone are the days when home cleaning used to be a rather arduous and time-consuming process. Nowadays, there are some amazing gizmos in the market that you could lay your hands on, in order to make your home spotless in no time! Following are a few you ought to have:

Steamer/Steam Cleaner

Steam cleaners are an extremely efficient way to keep your household clean and tidy. These chemical-free and safe appliances use only water/steam for cleaning and sanitizing your home. Moreover, steam cleaners make the cleaning process very quick and easy. It turns water into pressurized steam in no time, and this steam is further used to force out dust, dirt, soil, grime and other bacteria and pollutants from any type of flooring or surface. Besides, it has been proven that steam is more effective in killing germs and bacteria than any other toxic, harsh chemicals. Steam cleaning is an eco-friendly way of cleaning which is good for your household as well as your environment, since steam does not release any harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

Pressure Washer

A pressure washing device basically allows you to apply a strong pressure of water onto a surface in order to cleanse it. This sort of appliance is ideal to be used on the exterior of the house or any narrow nooks or crannies, where you can’t use a cloth or a brush. It is extremely simple and easy to use this device, since it does not require anything else apart from water and does not require any effort other than just spraying. This device uses a perfect combination of air pressure and water which works wonders in removing dirt and dust – especially handy for decks, sidewalks, bathrooms, roofs and windows.

Vacuum Cleaner

A vacuum cleaner is one common good old device that you must definitely invest in, if you already don’t own one. This handy cleaning device works on a basic phenomenon of using vacuum to suck in dust and allergens. It is ideal to be used on carpets, seat covers, dash boards, walls, fans and much more. Vacuum cleaners are available in a variety of different sizes and models, and come with a number of features such as pipes, brushes, blowers etc. depending on your cleaning requirements.

Electrolux 325

These devices are definitely going to make cleaning a fun and effortless process, giving your home that sparkling and tidy look in no time!

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Nancy Campbell is a home maker and blogger at the same time. She says that it has always been difficult to clean carpets but with Carpet Cleaners it has become easy and efficient.

How to Make Your Property Into a Pad

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Every guy I know has a secrete yearning to own a ‘pad’. When you’re young, successful and single, having a bachelor pad that shows off your success and your sense of style can serve not only as a great way to impress friends and potential partners, but also as a reward for all your hard work and validation of your success. Having a great flat that has all the bells and whistles means you’ve ‘made it’ and it’s a sure fire way to be the envy of all your friends and colleagues.


But how do you make a flat or a townhouse into a real bachelor pad? Here we will look at the secrets to making your flat say ‘success’ and ‘style’ even if you aren’t actually bringing in the mega bucks yet.

Minimalism

The first thing you need to focus on is creating a minimal design that doesn’t feature too much clutter or crowd out your spaces. Many people who want to have the best looking homes will make the mistake of decorating them with as much as they can find and stuffing them full of trinkets and items, but all this does is to dilute the impact of each thing on display and make the space look untidy.

Living Room with Bamboo Garden

By having just a few items on show instead you can make sure you choose only your very favourite belongings to display which means the average quality and value there will be greater. Furthermore this will create more open space which makes the rooms look larger and thus more luxurious (and more relaxing to spend time in).

Light

To further make your space look larger you should try and open it out as much as possible and use large windows and light colours to ensure lots of light gets around the room. This will make everything look instantly cleaner, instantly bigger and instantly more relaxing.

Using an open plan layout can also help with this and that’s a great way to make a space look modern while enabling you to entertain. An open plan kitchen that is nevertheless separate from the main room will allow you to cook and prepare food while guests relax on the sofa, or to eat your cereal on the counter while you watch TV before work.

Flooring

A wooden floor or concrete floor is a great way to avoid patterned or coloured carpets which date and stain and also a great way to make your home easier to keep clean.

Technology

Having lots of technology in your property is a great way to make it seem more luxurious, more automated and more modern. A big TV has long been a mark of success, but other smaller elements like having a tablet computer on a coffee table or a more advanced shower with multiple shower heads and settings can also sell the fact that you’ve spared no luxuries.

Taste and Variety

Wall Plates

To have a real pad you shouldn’t just be trying to demonstrate your resources but also your taste and lifestyle. Choose some items to display then that will show off where you’ve travelled and your hobbies and interests, but again keep these more minimal – so that means one piano or guitar, or just one tribal mask from your gap year. These also serve as fantastic conversation starters.

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  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Creative Commons image source

Susan Lewis is a home maker and has bought her first home recently. She says that Investment in Property in Melbourne is on a high these days as a huge number of houses have been sold and bought.

How to Create a Warm, Inviting Home

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Home may be where the heart is, but is your home a place those outside your family love to be? This is a question many forget to ask themselves regularly. Maybe you enjoy how your home is set up but is your current setup something that makes people want to stick around? Are your guests comfortable when they walk through the door? Are things organized? Do they have a place for their shoes and coats? Are there things to look at and keep them entertained during their visit? Today we are going to help you think of some of the things that are easy to drop the ball on when you see the same area day after day and are immune to your way of doing things.

Start Outside and Work Your Way in

08 Front Yard Garden

If you’ve ever heard the term ‘curb appeal’ and know a little about it, then you probably understand just how important it is to make your home look nice not only on the inside but on the outside as well. Even if you aren’t selling your home, this is something you should keep in mind. What people see first when they walk up to your house matters. Do you want them to notice the fact that your yard hasn’t been mowed in months or do you want them to get lost in your beautiful marble entryway? Would you prefer them to notice the paint chipping on the side of your house or the beautifully painted mailbox you worked so hard to decorate?

Even if we don’t mean to, as humans, it’s only natural to make assumptions and expect that what we see on the outside is going to be similar to what we see on the outside. Wouldn’t you be shocked to see a run-down looking home and yard with torn apart cars that have been used for scrap metal outside, only to find a fascinating home that is organized to perfection on the inside, with expensive pieces of unique art all over the walls and a spiral staircase drawing you towards the upper level? You see, setting the tone from the get-go really makes a difference.

Keeping Things ‘Old School’

By ‘old school’, we do not in any way, shape or form, mean ‘outdated’. Sometimes, it’s nice to get in touch with our roots and add something fresh and new that isn’t as commonly found in others’ homes. Many people these days are so focused on technology and having the ‘best of the best’ that they forget the ‘best’ isn’t necessarily what’s popular now. Fewer people have bookshelves nowadays, for example. If you love reading or know of people who do, this may be a great addition to your home; adding sophistication to your style.

Offering Comfort for You and Your Guests

Staying comfortable is important and as we touched on a bit above, it is an important part of setting up your home. Lighting is one of those things many people simply forget about; this and the color you choose for each space truly do set the tone. Colors that help to relax and calm include: green, blue and purple. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to paint your entire wall one of these colors but finding ways to add accents of any of them here and there is always nice.

Another very important aspect of comfort is entertainment. Not many of us like to sit around without anything to do. Make sure you have things for your guests to take part in when they are staying over. A few ideas to get you started would be a gaming system in your spare bedroom, or board games that the whole family can enjoy.

Everything Should Have a Place to Call ‘Home’

The Rorschach Light

Clutter can be overwhelming for guests. It gives the eyes too many things to want to focus on. To create an inviting atmosphere, it’s important that you limit how much you display. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put everything away but choose wisely and don’t be afraid to alternate your favorite pieces from time to time. These ‘pieces’ can be simple objects such as lamps, flowers, family photos or awards. They don’t necessarily have to be paintings or anything fancy.

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Deborah Walker is a home improvement expert and has done interior designing for a lot of homes. She says that Marble Tiling & Flooring gives your house a very classy and elegant look.

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.

4 Crucial Things To Organize Before You Throw The Garden Party Of The Year

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One of the most exciting things you can ever do is throw a garden party for all your friends. It gives you the chance to invite people you don’t get to spend quality time with. Everyone can come together and have a huge celebration. The garden is the obvious place to have it because you don’t want your home destroyed, but at the same time you are never more than 10 meters away from the comfort of your castle. Have a party somewhere else and it doesn’t feel the same. It might be great, but it just won’t feel the same.

The only thing you need to remember is that it has to be well-planned. You can’t just expect everyone to come around and stand about in your garden. If you want it to be amazing there’s some things you need to do and they might need to be done well in advance. You don’t want to run around at the last minute when you should be getting ready to burst open a cold bottle of beer. Grab your pen and paper so you can write these down and get on them straight away. Just don’t be surprised if you’re asked to host a lot more parties in the future.

Book a tent

This one is the most important out of the lot. You definitely can’t expect all your guests to stand outside when it’s raining. Who knows when there will be a downpour at this time of year? If you have a tent erected somewhere in the garden it means you have somewhere to sit if the worst happens. It’s also a good idea to keep the food undercover. If your garden is big it saves you running backwards and forwards to the kitchen all the time. Once you book one they will come and put it up for you before your party starts.

Hire a big barbeque

This is going to depend on how many people will be at the party. If there’s only a few people you might get away with using a small barbecue you have lying around, but if there’s lots of people you don’t want them to go hungry. That’s why you should have a big barbecue and there will always be plenty of food sizzling away. If you wanted to be really fancy you could even hire someone to come out and cook everything for you. Find out the costs and see if it fits into your budget.

Have lots of lighting

People need to see what they’re doing. It’s nice to look someone in the eye when you’re talking to them instead of staring into the pitch black. You have many options to choose from. If there’s lots of trees lying around in your garden you can hang lights from them. There’s also the solar powered LED ones that you can stick into the ground. Just make sure they’ve been set-up for a few days so you know they are working, plus it gives them a chance to absorb some sunlight. Apparently solar powered lights need this. Who knew?

Make sure everything is safe

The final thing you have to do is to make sure everything is safe. There’s also inviting people and buying alcohol, but I’m sure you can manage that. How can you make sure everything is safe? Well start by clearing the garden so people don’t trip up on anything. If you have a swimming pool you should have a rope around it. The last thing you need is someone falling into the water and no-one seeing what happened. Make sure all electrical cables are tucked away and covered. Make sure you do these four things then you can worry about the entertainment.

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David Hall is a home improvement expert and knows how to organize parties properly. If you too are planning to throw a party then do visit www.portablesheltersonline.com for more information.

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