Quick and Easy DIY Ideas to Give Your Home a Fresh Look

4 / 25 / 19

At this time of the year, many are redecorating and renovating their property to give it a new lease of life before summer comes along. While you may prefer to hire out professionals to handle the more complicated and skilled renovating and decorating tasks you might need completed, there are still many you can take on yourself. To give you some ideas of tasks and projects you can take on without the help of a tradesmen, saving you some money in the process, we’ll look at some of the easiest in the following post.

A Fresh Coat of Paint Makes a Whole World of Difference

One of the quickest and simplest ways to improve or alter the way your property looks is by giving it a fresh coat of paint throughout. Even if you intend on using different colours for different rooms, painting is a task that just about anyone can do, even if you don’t feel particularly handy when it comes to DIY. You’d be amazed at how much better a room that previously looked tired and dull will look with just a few coats of paint. You don’t even have to change to a different paint colour.

Don’t Forget Wallpapering

Although there’s a lot of people that struggle with wallpapering, it’s another way to easily you’re your property a new lease of life. What’s more, you don’t necessarily have to do much prep work, other than mixing the paste and cutting the paper as you can normally hang wallpaper directly onto painted walls.

Replace Lighting Fixtures

Look around your home. Have you had the same lighting fixtures for the entirety of the time you’ve lived there? This might be a great place to start making small, but significant changes to how the room looks and feels. After all, the mood and ambiance of a room is not just determined by the colour scheme and décor, but also the lighting. Although you may have to deal with the electrics to change the actual fittings, some are made with the unexperienced in mind and even a switch in shade could make a big difference.

Install Additional Storage Space

Do you have a very cluttered home with a lot of floorspace taken up by storage units and furniture? You could make a huge difference, with as little or as much effort as you want to put in to it, by clearing out some of that cumbersome furniture and installing some simple units and shelves on the walls. The extra floorspace will give you much more room to move around in your home and will make the area feel bigger.

Switch the Door Casing, Trims or Baseboards

If you don’t mind work involving some drilling, wood/UPVC or other things like that, you could consider updating the millwork in your home. We’re talking about the door casing, trim or even the baseboards. If you’re new to this kind of work, to learn how to install door casing, check out this awesome guide at plumbandlined.com. Just like many of the other ideas in this post, changing the door casing is a small task that can make a huge difference to the overall aesthetics of your home.

Thoughtful and Beautiful Sympathy Gift Baskets

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Choosing a gift to send in memoriam of a deceased love one is never easy, especially if the direction is for no flowers. Even if flowers are accepted, you might want to do something different, something that will perhaps be remembered more readily by those you love and care about.

To help you, we have put together a collection of ideas that should inspire you and point you in the right direction, so let’s have a look at our alternative sympathy gift suggestions, but before we do, an important suggestion:

Check for ‘In Lieu’

Before buying anything check the invitation or notice for a message. If there is a ‘no flowers’ instruction, you may find that there is a suggestion as to what you can do, which may include charitable donations. This does not preclude you buying a present, however, so here’s a few ideas.

Plant a Tree – a young sapling or shrub will grow into a lasting memorial to your friend or loved one, and makes for an excellent choice of gift if you are stuck for ideas. Find a place in your garden, or in a family spot, where you can plant the tree in memory of them, and enjoy watching it grow. You could perhaps choose a favourite of theirs, and there are many possible options.

Gift Baskets – one wonderful idea you can look at is that of sympathy baskets as they are always a welcome gift. Carefully constructed and including a variety of excellent gifts, there are many different baskets to choose from and you can select your own ingredients, and they are not expensive at all. This makes a very nice alternative to the usual, so is worth checking out.

Book of Letters – this very neat and creative idea involves getting as many people as possible to write short letters about or in remembrance of the deceased, and it can be done by young and old alike for great effect. It’s a lovely way of making sure your thoughts, and those of others, are preserved for the future, and makes an excellent gift.

Home Help – one thing you can offer when someone passes on is to help those left behind with anything that may need doing around the home. This is particularly welcome if an elderly partner has been left alone, as they will certainly welcome any help they can get. Consider it carefully, and you will find you are making a very kind gesture.

Photographs – if you have personal photographs that the family perhaps does not, why not dedicate these to the deceased, perhaps having them framed as a gift? It makes a very personal and touching tribute, and is certainly welcome.

The above are just a few ideas that we have found regarding alternative memorial and sympathy gifts, and there are many more you can probably think of. Have another look now, and we hope we have inspired you to do something different and memorable for your late friend or loved one.

DIY Improvements can potentially decrease the cost of your home

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It is believed by many, that in order to increase profit, you have to spend a little. Fortunately for some, when making home improvements to sell your house, this is not always the case.

Research conducted by TrustMark suggests the mean dissatisfactory repairs to your house can lower its real-estate value up to a shocking 11%. The government endorsed trade scheme concluded more than 50% of investors reject a house entirely and 90% of the people who took the survey concluded they would compromise their offer due to DIY household enhancements.

When looking to put your house on the market, a fresh layer of paint can make a significant difference and potentially slightly increase the percentage of the asking price. More often than not, the owners attempt to take on duties which are outside of their skill set when attempting to improve their house to sell.

It can be beneficial to attempt to make improvements to your house, not only that but avoiding the cost of a tradesman initially seems an intelligent decision. Be that as it may, in the UK, the regular three bedroom house was valued at £218,779 and it is suggested you could take a loss of over 10% excluding the price of resources and time spent attempting to resolve any issues.

By researching online homeowners are offered multiple tips on how to reduce spending when looking to sell your house. The growth in online estate agents is the main provider of a speedier as well as low-cost way to get rid of your property. You also evade costly charges of the old-fashioned estate agents however some technological advances are not as beneficial as they seem.

A recent example is the “I’ll give it a try” homeowners entrusting google to help rewire their property or attempt to fix the boiler with the aid of a Youtube video; this method can be detrimental to the asking price and leave your house in a hazardous state for you and the next owner.

Justifiably a glimpse of poorly attempted improvements can discourage potential investors, the savvier individual when attempting to put your house on the market is to completely avoid making repairs.

Russell Quirk an expert in real-estate, CEO of emoov.co.uk noted “When arranging to sell your house DIY improvements can slightly increase the sale price. Unfortunately, we must note making DIY improvements does not necessarily mean you will receive more money for the property. For instance, some investors would rather purchase a house which they can renovate. Similarly, numerous investors will redo the kitchen and bathroom in their new house without paying more if it was recently installed. It is widely accepted that potential flaws of the house will be used to renegotiate the asking price. It is down to the owner of the house to consider whether the expense of DIY, the manual time required to make the adjustments as well as the price they want to sell their home for.”

Baring this in mind here are a few pointers:-

Do’s

As previously stated, an uplifting layer of paint can be beneficial in ensuring your house is more highly regarded and thus augmenting its’ value.

Ensure the grass has been maintained. An orderly garden can be a selling point of your property and possibly add significance to the buyer.

Tidy and de-trash. A potential investor will have an idea of what they are looking for in a property; ensuring the house is spotless can encourage a deal.

Express any exclusive attributes. When planning on spending money to improve your house, ensure that it is worth your time and money. If you emphasise potential exclusive features of your house, for example a fire place or traditional wooden beams, it will attract more buyers than a newly fitted bathroom.

DIY Don’ts

If you are not a certified electrician or gas engineer for your safety stay clear of any alterations. To an untrained eye it can be a potential disaster and can lead to putting yourself and future buyers in danger. The initial thought of saving money may seem appealing, however incorrect wiring is one of the largest causes of a reduced worth of your home.

Avoid fluttering away your spare money on pricey household appliances. More often than not, potential buyers have a personal idea of what they expect from the kitchen and bathroom. Rarely will someone pay over the odds for a house so the supplier is able to regain their investment elsewhere.

Don’t get caught in a sticky situation, if you plan on making improvements ensure that they are adding value to your house. Even if you feel your house needs a little DIY, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t going to sell. It is quite frequent that potential families may wish to add their own touch when making improvements so that it is suited to them. The worst case scenario would be being unable to sell your property and being stuck in the middle of too far passed a project house and unable for somebody to move in immediately.

The worst case would be trying to sell your house and falling in-between being fully furnished and ready to move in and the house needing that much work doing you can’t warrant buying

Avoid overpricing. If your house requires maintenance it would be wise to reconsider the asking price increasing the likelihood of the sale.

Information by UK’s leading online estate agent Emoov.co.uk

Five Essential Kitchen Improvements

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In many homes the kitchen is the most important room. It is the place where meals are prepared and a quick glimpse into someone’s kitchen can reveal a lot about their lifestyle. A location for being creative, socialising and enjoying oneself, it’s vital the room is well maintained and improved when necessary.

Refurbishing your kitchen can be costly. Using savings, credit cards or a personal loan is one option but another option is a Second charge mortgagefor a kitchen from Nemo Loans to cover the expense. A Nemo loan is secured against your home so you must make sure you can afford the repayments or your property could be repossessed. When re-doing the room there are a number of areas that should be focussed on, whether you make changes in one go or bit by bit.

New Paint Job

The kitchen is the first room people walk into in some houses, so whether you want to impress guests or potential house buyers, having a presentable room is important. Painting cabinet doors is a cheap way to instantly create a smart and clean appearance. Re-painting or applying new wallpaper also forms a contemporary atmosphere in the room and shows care and appreciation for a good kitchen.

Hanging Rack

Depending on the size of your kitchen it may be necessary to save as much space as possible. If there’s little room to store all your pots and pans put up a pegboard or magnetic board to hang them on the wall. This provides easy access and adds that traditional charm by having utensils on show.

Fresh Furniture

For larger kitchens, updated furniture instantly provides a fashionable feel to the place. Where there is space to sit and eat at one of the counters, bringing in some high stools or chairs that suit the environment gives a sense of practical purpose as well. Empty space doesn’t necessarily look appealing so consider strategically showcasing it with a table or cabinet.

Improved Lighting

Natural lighting is best in any kitchen but for many flats this isn’t always achievable. For those who regularly eat in the room, add lanterns or lamps to make it more atmospheric so you don’t feel like you’re eating in the work canteen all the time.

Eclectic Shelves

Shelves are useful for storing everything from spices to cookbooks and can be practical yet stylish in your kitchen. Hanging shelves can be moved around if you have a change of layout while a range of quirkily designed ones will add a unique touch to your home. Expensive yet fashionable ones will suit extravagant kitchens, though DIY ones provide their own charm.

How to Keep Your Home Safe Over Winter

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Even if winter is one of your favourite times of year, there is no getting away from the fact that it can a tough few months for your home.

If you want to keep your house safe and secure over the winter months then here are a few simple tips you should be following.

Get the Pipes Ready

If you have ever suffered frozen or burst pipes at home then you already know the hassle, misery and expense this can bring. To stop them from freezing over it is a good idea to get them insulated by wrapping them with special material. There are different types of insulating material available, such as fibreglass and foam rubber options. The pipes in your attic are probably most at risk and should be seen as your highest priority.