Category Archives: ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Making Your Garage More Functional With These Tips

Making Your Garage More Functional With These Tips

Image credit

A garage is a great asset for any home. However, for many people, it can end up being a wasted space as it becomes a sort of catch-all for items that don’t quite fit in the home. It can also be a somewhat boring place that houses a car if you drive and your vehicle fits in the garage.

But far from being a universal dumping ground or a mere shelter for your auto, your garage has the potential to be so much more. These tips are designed to inspire you to transform your garage into a functional space that serves a variety of purposes, whether it’s a home for your vehicle or a versatile area for your hobbies and storage needs.

Insulation

Insulating your garage can significantly improve its temperature regulation, especially if it shares walls or doors with your home. This investment in energy efficiency not only helps to reduce your utility bills, particularly during the colder months but also ensures a more comfortable environment for any activities you undertake in the garage.

Insulation is especially important for states that experience more drastic weather changes as it helps protect your car or its contents as well as your home and energy usage.

New Door

If the garage door isn’t providing the safety and security you need, it’s worth getting a new door or garage door repairs to help it become more functional. Whether you want a new style of door or you want to update the mechanisms for opening and closing it, it’s worth focusing on the practical aspects of the door, such as its safety features and ease of use, in relation to your use of the garage to help make it more practical. Talk to a garage door specialist to find out your options and the different types of doors you can upgrade to.

Organization

Adding organization is a great idea for any garage. Whether you use it for storing a car only and you need storage for cleaning, maintenance, or accessories, or you use your garage for storage entirely, getting some organization in the garage is an excellent way to upgrade your garage.

You can choose from cabinets, storage tubs, peg walls, ceiling storage, and shelving options to help you organize your garage and keep it neat, tidy, and functional for whatever you might be using it for.

Flooring

The type of flooring you add to your garage will depend on what you use it for. If you have a home gym in the garage, the flooring you need will be vastly different than if you park a vehicle in there. However, new flooring or even repairing and painting the existing flooring can be a great upgrade and make it more practical and appealing for any type of activity.

Choosing the right flooring for your garage is crucial. Neglecting to protect or upgrade your flooring can lead to damage over time. Look for suitable garage flooring that offers protection and is designed for the unique demands of a garage environment. This informed choice will ensure the longevity and functionality of your garage flooring.

Dry Wall

Check with your local state or HOA if you have one as to the changes you can make in your garage, but it is a good idea if you don’t use it for cars to separate the space to make it into purpose-built areas for different activities. Drywall can help you define the garage and give it more definition. Whether you want to create a home office or a toy room for kids, a pet section, a home gym separate from the rest of the garage, etc., adding the drywall can help you use the space more efficiently and give you defined areas for different activities.

Cabinetry

Garage cabinetry and custom fit systems are much more worthwhile investments than shelf options. This is because a bespoke garage cabinet is designed and fitted exactly to your specifications and to fit your garage and needs. It enables you to find custom cabinetry to house exactly what you need, be it gardening tools, seasonal storage, toys, gym equipment, etc. Plus, the better the fit, the better it will look, and the more functional the space will be.

How and what you use to update and upgrade your garage will be largely dependent on what you use it for. Assess your needs and find options that benefit your life and your garage storage needs. These options are flexible and can be adapted for a range of uses, be it sheltering vehicles, a home gym, a workshop, or a storage area.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

How To Attract Buyers When Selling Your Property This Year

How To Attract Buyers When Selling Your Property This Year

Selling your property in this current market is a challenge. There are some properties and property owners that get lucky and sell quickly. Others will find themselves stuck waiting for the upper chain to complete before they can complete the sale of their own home.

Every property sale is different from the next and often it’s down to timing and luck of the draw. With that being said, to give yourself the best chance of success in finding buyers for your property, here are some helpful tips to make use of for selling this year.

Image Source

Improve your curb appeal

When you’re trying to sell your property, the first thing you’ll want to focus on is the curb appeal. After all, what’s the first thing your prospective buyers see when they come to view your property? That’s right – the front of it!

So with that being said, anything you can do to improve your kerb appeal the better. Some suggestions include:

  • Painting your front door
  • Jetwash your exterior walls and pathways
  • Add planters to the front of the property
  • Clear the area of clutter and keep it minimal in appearance

The more you can improve the curb appeal, the better the first impression will be when your buyers come to view it for the first time.

Fix anything that’s broken or tired-looking

Attracting buyers is something that is a challenge even when it comes to getting viewings. Once you have viewings, these may or may not be in short supply depending on the time of year, the popularity of the type of house you have, etc.

Therefore, you want to make sure the home is show standard, meaning it’s as close to perfect as possible from the point of view of the buyer.

Are there any fixtures and fittings that could be replaced or updated? Now is the time to do it before you put your property on the market and have it available for people to see. Again, buyers can be fussy, so it’s important that you’re giving them as few issues as possible when viewing your property.

Competitively price your property

To help with selling the property quickly, how you price it will determine how easily you sell it. Price it up too high and you’ll put buyers off. Price it too low and you’ll offer a bargain to your buyers but perhaps lose out on profit yourself.

To competitively price your property, you’ll want to get a property valuation. It’s worth getting this from a number of estate agents as well as looking at the local area for comparables. Pay attention to similar properties that have sold as close to your own property as possible. This will give you a more accurate price point at which to put your property on the market.

You also want to be aware of not getting this asking price, so consider how low you’re willing to go in order to sell the property.

Choose the right estate agent

Choosing the right estate agent is the next step you’ll need to take when selling your home. Every estate agent operates slightly differently from the next. Some estate agents will be more broad in their offerings, while others are niche in what’s on their range of properties.

With some estate agents, may have set fees, while others will charge a percentage of commission depending on the property price.

It’s worth speaking to a number of estate agents to get an idea of what’s around your local area and who is best for selling your property. It’ll also be helpful when you’re getting a price point for your home’s selling price. 

Do your research online and read the reviews, like the ones for Harper Macleod site for example. Online reviews are a great way of gauging which one is right for you.

Get the best photos and videos to showcase your home

Selling your home requires the best photos and videos that showcase your home when people view it online or see in person at their local estate agents.

Image Source

Usually, the estate agent will supply the photographer for taking the photos and/or footage. However, you’re able to give your own suggestions, as well as make comments on the photos or video that’s taken.

You don’t need to settle with what’s been shot either. You may not be happy with the quality or there might be some spots in the home that are missing and should be included. Video tours are very popular nowadays as they provide more insight into the property, so this should be agreed on if offered.

Be fair in your negotiations 

Negotiating is part and parcel of selling a property, therefore you want to be mindful of how good you are at negotiating. Chances are, your estate agent is going to lead the negotiations as you’re selling and not buying. However, you still have plenty of say in what you want to counter-offer when a buyer finally makes an offer on the home.

At the same time, you want to be fair with your negotiations. If a buyer is offering on your property a fairly low-ball offer but you’ve been on the market for a while, you may want to allow them to counter-offer a few times. 

Try not to simply reject an offer and not go back with a response. That’s only going to put the buyer off from potentially offering more and closer to your asking price.

Offer flexibility in your completion dates

Finally, try to be flexible with your completion date. When you’re in a chain, it’s important to try and be as accommodating as possible so that you’re hopefully able to sell your property.

Be flexible with your completion dates and if you’re the one delaying the chain, then you might wish to come out of the chain by renting for a brief period of time instead.

These tips will hopefully attract buyers to your property and ensure a swift and effective sale this year.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

How To Sell Your Home From Start To Finish In 2025

How To Sell Your Home From Start To Finish In 2025

Selling your home is something that you will likely do a number of times within your lifetime. Whether it’s a property you’ve bought for yourself or you’ve bought it for the purpose of renting or doing up and selling.

To help find success in any property you sell, you should know everything that is involved with the process from start to finish. From assessing the property’s market value to the marketing of your property to hopefully sell it as quickly as possible.

Here are some tips on how to sell your home from start to finish in 2025.

Image Source

When do you want to sell?

The first question you’ll need to ask yourself when selling a property is when do you want to sell? When would you like to start the process of selling your property? The reason is that right now might not be the best time. 

You may also have commitments at various points throughout the year that would make selling a home, an additional responsibility that’s difficult to take on.

Speak to anyone else who would be involved in the selling of your property. That way, you can both be on the same page about when would be the ideal time to sell. It might be that the market isn’t quite leaning towards sellers and therefore it would be in your best interest financially to hold out until a later point in the year.

Assess your property’s market value

Next up, you’ll want to assess how much your property is worth as this will determine how much you’re putting your property up for sale. It may also influence what type of property you get next and how much property that is.

Assessing your property’s market value is easy enough. Firstly, you can take a look at what the local market looks like on average for your type of property. There’s plenty of information online to see what properties nearby have sold for in the past. Some properties might be more recent than when you bought yours, meaning there might be a more realistic market value available.

Ultimately, you’ll need to speak to an estate agent in order to get a property valuation. It’s worth getting it valued by multiple agents as this will give you an average price point. Regardless of how much it’s meant to be worth, you might have expected more or less. This may influence whether you choose to sell now, or later.

Set a price and know how low you can go

When selling a property, sellers won’t always get the amount that they advertised wanting. That’s why it’s important that you’re setting a price you’re comfortable with and where there might be some wiggle room available for potential buyers.

Image Source

On average, 80% of property sales in February 2024, were sold below the asking price. That statistic is likely to remain the same or near due to the rise in interest rates when borrowing money for a mortgage from lenders.

Not only that but there’s been a significant rise in property values which don’t realistically reflect the cost of living and wages that many prospective buyers are able to match.

With that being said, make sure to set a price you’re happy with. From there, you can explore how low you’re willing to go in order to sell the home. At the end of the day, you should only sell your property at a sale price you’re comfortable with.

Choose an estate agent

The estate agent is a crucial part of selling your home. They’ll be taking a commission or cut from the sale of the home, so you’ll want to pick an estate agent with experience in selling homes like yours, as well as getting the best price for them.

Think about who you’d want to choose and it might be worth getting multiple estate agents around to make comparisons. Some estate agents might have better options when it comes to homes for sale, like houses listed by Harper Macleod for example.

Choosing the right estate agent is imperative. You want to be able to work with them alongside the sale of your home, ensuring they fulfil all of your expectations and wants. There’s nothing worse than an estate agent who ends up sabotaging your efforts in securing a buyer for the home.

Be sure to read the reviews as this can often be telling with how good – or bad – the estate agent you’re looking at, is.

Preparing your home for viewings

Once you’ve selected your estate agent, you’ll want to prepare your home before you have the photographs taken. The first time prospective buyers will see your property is online or in-person at the estate agents as they look at the options available.

Image Source

Therefore, the photos taken need to not only look professional but show your home in the best light so that prospective buyers will be incentivized to see the property.

To start with, make sure you’ve decluttered the space completely, keeping surfaces clear of anything that’s currently on them. Try to remove any towels, rubbish, and clutter that would otherwise make up the day-to-day appearance of your home.

The more show home you can make it look, the better it’s going to be for your photos. You should also do any fixes where possible so that your home is show-ready for viewing too.

Have both professional photos and video tours taken

Professional photos are something that is part and parcel of marketing your home for sale. However, many homeowners nowadays are agreeing to estate agents who request a video tour of the home.

A video tour or even a 3D walk-through of the property is a great way to see the property in all its glory. It also offers a more insightful walk-through of the home that static photos can’t offer in the same way.

Again, you want to have the photos show off the home in the best way, which might mean you want to review the photos and request changes if needed. After all, you want to be happy with how your property has been conveyed and if those photos or videos don’t show it in the light you desire, there’s nothing stopping you from having new photos or videos taken.

Learn how to negotiate

Learning how to negotiate is important when you’re selling your home. Chances are, you’re not going to get exactly what you ask for and if you do, you’re one of few that do. The chances of you getting your asking price are dependent on how accurate the valuation price is, the current state of the market, and whether you’re in a seller market or not.

Therefore, you’ll want to know how to negotiate in order to get yourself the best price for your home. You may get some buyers who lowball an offer and you’ll have to go back and forth in order to get the desired price. You may get lucky and have multiple interested buyers who therefore all compete with one another to get the property. That could work in your favour!

Be wary of the timeline for selling a home

It’s always good to be mindful of the timeline that you have in selling your home. While some might hope for a quick sale, on average it can take 3-6 months to complete a sale from the point at which you’ve had an offer accepted.

It also depends on how long the chain is which will determine how long it takes to get from your current property to a new one.

Be mindful of this timeline and have patience that there may be delays or alternatively, it may be a quick process so you’ll want to put in plans quickly so that you’re ready to move when the time comes.

Find your next property

In order to make the process of selling your home as easy as possible, you’ll want to find your next property in good time. Ideally, when you put your property up for sale, you’ll then want to start looking yourself. 

Of course, you might not get an offer on your property so quickly but it might be useful to have a property in mind to offer on or at least visit a few in order to get an idea of what you want.

Every chain is different, so it’s important that you’re only offering when you’re absolutely sure of wanting to sell. Again, you’ll need to be prepared that some sales can fall through if you don’t sell your home in time.

Selling your home can be stressful but knowing the ins and outs can be helpful to have as smooth a process as possible. If you’re looking to sell your home in 2025, follow these tips so that you can navigate the sale of your home from start to finish. Hopefully, you’ll find yourself in your new home in no time at all.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Making Your Home Warmer This Winter

Making Your Home Warmer This Winter

Image Credit: Patrick Tomasso from Unsplash.

Once winter’s in full force, you’ll start to feel a bit of a chill. While that’s tolerable when you’re out and about, you wouldn’t want to deal with that at home. Most people want the exact opposite. You’ll want it to be warm and cozy. That usually means making your home warmer this winter.

This doesn’t need to be as complicated as you could think. Quite the opposite. There are more than a few ways you can try that don’t take a lot of time or effort.

You’ll just need to know what you’re doing, and you shouldn’t have to deal with the cold when you’re getting comfortable at home. A few strategies help a lot more than others. It’s worth diving into some of the more practical and effective. Five of these could help more than you’d think.

Seal Windows & Doors

One of the main reasons your home could feel cold is because you’re losing heat to the outside. By addressing this, you could keep your home naturally warmer than you would’ve before. It’s just a matter of figuring out where you’re losing the heat. Around your windows and doors could be the most notable.

There could be more than a few holes or cracks around these, which heat escapes through. Sealing these off means you wouldn’t have to worry about that, or any kind of draft. It doesn’t take much time to do, so you’ve no excuse not to seal off these cracks and holes.

Upgrade Your Furnace or Heating System

You’ll naturally end up needing to heat up your home at some point or another. When you do, you wouldn’t want this to be incredibly expensive. It could be worth investing in a furnace or heating upgrade to make it more affordable. While that means paying a bit now, it’ll save on your bills.

Even a new heating system or furnace installation could be more than enough to cut down on your bills. At the same time, you’ll end up heating up your home much better, and even faster. There’s no reason to at least consider going with an upgrade.

Heat Rooms the Smart Way

Speaking of heating, it’s worth being smart when you have your heating system on. By just heating up your entire home, you could be wasting a lot of heat and money. This isn’t exactly a smart approach to make. Thankfully, it’s not the only approach to take, and you could be more strategic with it.

Depending on the heating system you have, you could set up zones that heat up instead of the whole house. Alternatively, you could close off unused rooms so you’re not losing heat to them. There’s no reason not to take a smart approach with your heating.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Smart thermostats, also known as programmable thermostats, have become more and more popular in recent years. It’s easy to see why, as they’re great at making your home warmer without a lot of time and effort. These kinds of thermostats can “learn” your preferences in time, so you don’t need to go back and forth with them.

That way, the thermostat will heat up your house, or even specific rooms, without you needing to change any settings. It could be a more eco-friendly and smarter approach to keeping your home warm without any time or effort.

Insulate Your Home

One of the most obvious ways to keep your home warm is to make sure it’s well-insulated. While you should have a certain amount of insulation already, it’s possible your home isn’t as insulated as it should be. It’s worth taking a look to see if you need to add any more.

If you do, take the time to add more insulation. This doesn’t need to take too much time or effort, and it could even be more affordable than you’d think. Add in the savings you’ll see in bills, and it virtually pays for itself while making your home warmer.

Nobody wants to feel cold constantly, especially when they’re at home. It’s supposed to be where they’re most comfortable. That could mean making your home warmer this winter. You don’t need to have the heating on full-blast all the time to make that happen.

It could be easier and less expensive than that. Using a few particular strategies could be more than enough to help with this. You’ll end up with a warm, comfortable home before you know it. You’ve no reason not to try a few of them.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Removing Hobby Stress to Enjoy Yourself

Removing Hobby Stress to Enjoy Yourself

CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels

As fun as some things are meant to be, removing hobby stress is a real thing!  We can do the things we love a little too much, and it causes stress to the body and the mind. The reasons vary, from costs to time management, so here are some ways to get back to enjoying yourself.

Try Low-Cost Hobbies

Certain hobbies can be very expensive. Video games are a perfect example, where a new AAA title can cost upwards of $90! And that’s usually before expansion and in-game purchases. But there are hobbies that cost very little. You can try indie games and mobile games. And if you enjoy casino games like Blackjack, there are platforms that offer a $1 bonus for new and returning players. If your hobby is getting expensive, take a step back and reassess the cost.

Enjoy Yourself as a Reward

Some of the things we love to do can get out of control, and begin to take over your life. Your hobby should fill your spare time, not take time away from you. However, you are not alone if this is the case. One powerful way to ensure your hobby stays enjoyable is to prioritize. Get everything that needs to be done out of the way before getting out the fishing rod, game controller, or yoga mat! Fun is much more enjoyable and meaningful when it is rewarded.

Schedule Fun when Removing Hobby Stress

Even if your hobby doesn’t cost much money, it can take a lot of your time. Gaming is a good example. Competitive gamers play up to 14 hours per day for 6 days per week. And people who enjoy other hobbies are no different. It isn’t uncommon for people to watch TV for about the same amount of time. But there are only so many hours in the working day, and you must set aside some of the time for other things, such as wellness or commitments to family and work.

Do Activities with Other People

Most hobbies are solo activities, and if that’s what you love, then fair enough. However, most can also be enjoyed with others, which can make spending the time more meaningful and impactful. For example, your grandfather may not understand gaming. But if you both enjoy fishing, then the time together isn’t wasted in any way. Additionally, some activities, such as exercise, are proven to have a stronger impact on your physical and mental health than others.

Limit How Much Time You Spend

Enjoying your hobby too much can become an issue. Most people look forward to getting around to their favorite activities after work and at the weekends. But what about that feeling of having no spare time? We’ve all done it when Friday evening quickly becomes Monday morning! Not using your spare time can have a severe negative impact on your life, and you can end up feeling burnt out from hobbies just as easily as you become burned out from your job!

Summary

Low-cost activities help with removing hobby stress as you won’t feel bad about spending the money. However, time is just as crucial, so scheduling your hobby time helps organize your spare time and prioritize. Yet, it helps to reduce your hobby time if you begin to feel burned out.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.