Curb Appeal on a Budget

With the sun making an appearance as we move further into spring, people will be spending more and more time outside. For many, it’s time to begin the landscaping, mowing, painting, and updating! We have collected a few ideas for keeping the exterior of your house looking clean and adding that extra curb appeal. Especially when working with a tight budget!

The first may go without saying. Keeping your lawn clean and mowed is an essential piece to a beautiful front. If you struggle with weeds or your grass is dying, it is well worth investing into a weed and feed, which will help your grass grow and keep out unwanted plants. 

An option for those who don’t mind getting their hands a little dirty is a simple flower bed. These can be setup in a day and for under or around $20. A bag of mulch and a few pansies make a colorful statement and gives off the impression of a well tended and cared for yard. If pansies aren’t available, choose a perennial flower, as you can buy these fully bloomed and they will bloom each summer. If you don’t have anywhere to plant a flower bed, consider a few pots, or hanging plants, as these can also add some character to your design.

Another simple option that tends to get overlooked is cleaning the exterior of the house. You can use a simple hose attachment to spray your siding and remove unwanted dirt spots and cobwebs. This is a simple task and in under and hour and for almost no cost you can give your house an instant face lift.

Don’t forget your windows! Keep them clean and clear. Dirty windows and grease spots will bring down the look of the home. It takes just a few minutes to clean them!

For a decorative update, consider refinishing your front door if you haven’t already (instructions on a previous post). Also, check the details. Do you have your house number by your door? If so how old are they? House numbers can be purchased and replaced for under $20 and with just a few screws and a drill, and choosing the right ones will instantly improve your front decor. How is your lighting? Do you have a rusted old lamp post, or a bulb hanging on your front porch? Do they need to be replaced? 

When looking at your front yard and porch, keep it simple! Keeping what you have clean, replacing what is old and rusted, and having a well-tended lawn and garden is all that’s needed for some curb appeal. Do you have ideas to add? Tried any of these and loved them? Leave a comment below!

Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning 

With spring making its fast approach and the smell of fresh cut grass in the air, for many it’s time to make plans for annual spring cleaning. This is exciting but can be stressful! How can you plan ahead to simplify the process? Here’s some ideas to get a jump start on your spring cleaning!

Start by planning your rooms! Which one is going to take the most time and  elbow grease? Which will you need the most energy for? Start with that one and work your way through the house. 

Take a walk through your house and note how much clutter you have and reorganization will be needed. If you have a significant amount, consider planning a yard sale the weekend before you have scheduled your cleaning to begin making room. It’s also always a good idea to have a box of unwanted items to donate. Take an inventory of how much storage space you will need for the stuff you expect to reorganize and store. Observe your bookshelves, drawers, dressers, shelves, cabinetry, and other pieces of furniture to get a good idea for the space you have to work with. In doing so you will prepare yourself to reduce your house’s overall clutter and expose the difficult to see areas for cleaning.

Time to get started! In the room you’ve picked to start with, begin clearing things. A good rule of thumb is to start high, and work your way down. Pick a tall shelf, or hard to reach cabinets. Remove the objects and clean out the space. Reorganize and replace your things before moving on. Once you’ve cleaned out all your spaces, give your room the deep clean its been waiting for. Dust and mop, clean the windows, make sure there aren’t any cobwebs, and if you want to really make it shine, wax your furniture.

Spring is a beautiful month of new life and change, so it’s no wonder that we love to bring a fresh life to our homes as well. A little preparation and mental planning can really make this experience run smoothly and be a positive one without the added stress.

Grout Cleanup for Tiles

A good tiling job can add wonders to the look of a room. Whether a tiled floor, a bathroom backsplash, or even countertops, tiles are a favorited choice to add design and durability. But what about the grout that sits in between? Grout is a mixture of water, sand, and cement. While a necessary step in tiling, with time it will become discolored and stained. When you’re ready for a cleanup, taking care of grout can provide an instant lift. Here’s some tips for making it sparkle!! 

1. Start with a basic clean


   Before tackling the stains give your surface a good clean. Because grout is an easy place to accumulate layers of scum, you’ll need it to be pre cleaned before digging deep into the crevices. This will remove excess dirt and recent stains, leaving the grout exposed and r!eady for a deep clean.

2. Create a deep cleaning solution
 

   
   
   There are a few options for a good stain
   solution. One solution being a homemade
   mix or vinegar and ammonia. For this,
   mix seven cups of warm water, a half cup
   of baking soda, a third cup of ammonia,
   and a quarter cup of white vinegar. Make
   sure the solution is mixed completely and
   the baking soda is dissolved! Another
   option is a homemade paste of hydrogen
   peroxide and baking soda. Mix these
   together in a bowl to a consistency you
   like. Oxygen bleach is another option and simply mixed with warm water makes an effective s!olution. This not only fights bacteria but will also help whiten your grout.

3. Apply to grout
 

   Once you have your solution, apply it to your grout. For a thinner solution, a spray bottle will work. For something thicker, consider a rag or brush to apply. Make sure the solution reaches and thoroughly covers the grout between the tiles. Allow five to ten minutes for it to set. 

4. Scrub
 

   Once it’s set, take a scrub brush and apply rigorous pressure to the tiles. For hard to reach areas, use a toothbrush to detail it. If there is any leftover staining, apply more of your solution and let it sit longer. Before a second application however, make sure any dirty solution is wiped off the tile.

5. Wipe and Finish
   Once you’ve tackled all those stains, take a dry towel and wipe off the solution. Finish by doing another basic clean over the entire surface, and enjoy your sparkling clean tiles!

Deep cleaning your tiles and grout every 6 months will help keep your room looking and smelling fresh, and prevent layers of scum from having a chance to build up. There are many simple things we can do to maintain an orderly home, keep checking back for tips!

Quick and Inexpensive Bathroom Updates

Looking for a quick bathroom update?

The bathroom is one of the most used places in a home. Often times it is also the least stately. With all that plumbing and very little space, how does one make it a more inviting, comely part of the home? Believe it or not, updating a bathroom and adding to its design can often be a simple and inexpensive project. Here are some ideas that can be quickly implemented to give your bathroom that extra charm.

1. Lighting
   
   Your bathroom’s lighting will make one of the biggest impacts in the room’s look and atmosphere. If you have windows in the room, keep them as clean and open as possible to let the natural light in. If there are no windows, or the windows are small and the lighting dim, consider choosing bulbs that have a higher voltage yet softer color. Fluorescent lights are often hard on the eyes, and don’t do well in rooms with large mirrors. If your room has a dark color scheme or is too small for brighter lights, consider attaching light fixtures over the bulbs that will dim the lights, and add color to the room.
   
2. Curved Shower Rod
   
   For full bathrooms, a curved shower rod is one of the quickest and cheapest changes you can make. It instantly adds a more updated and polished look. Additionally, the extended curtain will make the room feel larger.
   
   
3. Furniture
   
   If you have an unused corner, place a decorative side table in it. This is both great for design, as well as provides additional storage to reduce clutter. A plant on top of it is always a decorative addition as well, and will add color. If you don’t have room for any added furniture, consider installing tall shelving where you have wall space. You can use the shelf space to store your more decorative bathroom additions, such as towels, or baskets with your bathroom supplies.
   
4. Storage Organization
   Make the most out of the storage you have! Adding compartmentalizers to your drawers is a great way to prevent clutter from building up and space being wasted. For items that sit atop your counters, use decorative bowls, baskets, or vases to place things. If you have a little money to spend, purchasing coordinating storage containers can keep a bathroom free from clutter, and decoratively coordinated!
   
5. Backsplash
   
   A small backsplash is one of the biggest impacts you can make in your bathroom. If you do not already have one around your counter, consider a tile or rock trim. It is quick to install yourself, will add polish and color, and provide a focal point for the bathroom. It is a great way to make a quick update on a budget.

All of these updates can be done in a day, and give your bathroom a complete makeover. They are simple to implement and very cost effective. Once you’re through, your bathroom will go from one of the most mundane rooms in the house, to one of the favorited!