ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

From Boring To Beautiful: 18 Ways To Jazz Up Your Home’s Exterior

From Boring To Beautiful: 18 Ways To Jazz Up Your Home’s Exterior

Whether you are looking to sell your house or just want to make it look more fresh and modern, you will no doubt turn your attention to the interior. After all; that’s where you and your family will spend most of your time in the house, right?

The thing is, some folks forget about the need to make their home’s exteriors look great as well. If your interior looks like a palace but the outside is more of an eyesore, it’s time you invested some energy (and money) in jazzing it up with a northland fence or perhaps, a slate tile walkway. The only trouble is, where should you begin, and what changes or additions should you make?

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Whatever you do, it should serve two purposes. First of all, it must make your home’s exterior look better than its current state now. And, second, it should add some value to your property. With those two points in mind, here are 18 ways that you can easily jazz up your home’s exterior and make it more beautiful and valuable:

  1. Give your front door a lick of paint

It doesn’t matter whether you have a door made of solid oak or uPVC plastic. If it looks old and weathered, and the color is several shades lighter than what it used to be, it’s time to paint it. The good news is that it’s easy to get paint for all kinds of door types – even plastic!

  1. Upgrade your windows

One of the best ways of improving your home’s exterior looks and its value is by upgrading the windows. It’s important to live in a home where you feel safe and warm, and strong, sturdy glass and frames will help you achieve that goal. Window replacement is possible for all types include sash and uPVC. Just make sure you choose some windows that match the style of your house.

  1. Make your house numbers more stylish

Do you live in a house where people seldom find it easy to locate your abode? Perhaps you’ve got a confusing road layout, or it may even be an unmarked road? If that’s the case, you will want to make it as easy as possible for visitors to find your house.

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One way to do that is by adding some large, stylish house numbers to your property. They are perfect for when you’re waiting for deliveries, and the truck driver can’t see where your house is!

  1. Have your driveway resurfaced

Is your current driveway a mess of broken concrete and weeds? Perhaps all you’ve got for a driveway is a pile of gravel or dirt on the ground? As you can imagine, having a level and surfaced drive makes any home more desirable to future homebuyers. Plus, it makes life easier for anyone living at or visiting your house. You can have your driveway surfaced with asphalt, concrete, or brick pavers.

  1. Let there be light

Don’t you just hate it when you get home at night and have to fumble around looking for the right door key? A lack of illumination can be a real pain in the behind, but you can easily solve that problem by installing some lighting! You can have an electrician install some powered outdoor security lights. Or, you could opt for solar or battery-powered ones, if you prefer.

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  1. Fit a stylish door knocker

You might have a doorbell that you expect people to use. But, what would happen if you have a visitor and your doorbell wasn’t working? A good failsafe to have for backup purposes is a door knocker! Of course, you don’t have to opt for a standard tradesman’s brass knocker; there are a plethora of stylish options out there!

  1. Decorate your front entrance with some plants

It’s important to make your home inviting for any guests, friends, or family members that you are expecting to visit. You can start that experience by adding some stylish plants by the entrance to your front door. Some people may choose to have ornaments, but plants look more inviting. Plus, they make good landmarks if you have a visitor that can’t find your house for whatever reason!

  1. Add some slate tiles to the front entrance

If you have a porch by your front door, make it look more modern and fresh with some slate tiles! They are available in a range of different sizes, colors, and textures. Choose ones that complement the design of your house, and you’ll instantly add value and pizazz to your property.

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  1. Revamp your exterior walls

If you have exposed bricks on your outside walls, the chances are high that the weather will have made them look lackluster. You should spend some time cleaning the walls with a pressure washer. Once dried, make a note of any areas with broken or missing mortar between the bricks. You can then fill those areas in with fresh matching mortar. Finally, seal bricks and mortar with a protective transparent paint.

  1. Stain your wood fence panels and garage door

The thing about wood is that while it’s a versatile construction material, it’s also prone to rot over time. With that thought in mind, you should take the time to stain your wood fence panels and garage door. Doing so will give them a layer of protection and make them look fresh and attractive. You can get the stain in a variety of colors and tones, so there will be something to suit your home’s exterior appearance and complement it well.

Wood Garden Fence Colorful Paling Color Red
Wood Garden Fence Colorful Paling Color Red

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  1. Add a pergola and climbing vines to your garage door surround

The garage door isn’t a particularly interesting aspect of your home’s exterior to look at. But, you could make it a feature rather than a boring part of your house with a couple of simple additions! All you need to do is install a pergola on top of the surround and grow some climbing vines around it. Once the vines have grown, it will make your garage and driveway feel more “homelyâ€!

  1. Hide exposed foundations with faux panels

Sure, you could take the time to paint over your exposed house foundations. But, what if you would rather hide them out of sight? An attractive way to do so is by installing some faux panels. They are easy to fit, cheap to buy, and can get cut to any size for your needs. There are many styles and patterns available to purchase, and they will enhance the look of your home’s exterior.

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  1. Camouflage your air conditioning unit

Does your house have air conditioning? If so, you might be unhappy about the unsightly outdoor unit having to be in full view of people walking outside of your home. Don’t worry because there is an easy solution to this problem: simply camouflage it! You can do so with plants or an attractive slatted wood surround.

  1. Improve the appearance of your mailbox

Do you have a curbside mailbox at your house? And is it looking a little worse for wear? Well, you don’t need to spend money buying a new one when you can just renovate your existing one! All you need to do is give it a good clean and apply some weatherproof paint to protect it from the elements. If the mailbox is perched on a wooden pole, be sure to stain it, so it has extra protection.

  1. Buy a welcome mat for your front door

Perhaps one of the cheapest, quickest, and easiest ways to brighten up your home’s exterior is with a new welcome mat! Some people purchase personalized ones, while others opt for “cheap and cheerful†ones that you can get from any local hardware store.

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  1. Pressure wash your home’s exterior

You will have no doubt spent some time pressure washing your walls as per tip #9. But, did you know that you can enhance other exterior items by giving them a good clean too? You can use your pressure washer on wooden decking, asphalt and brick driveways, windows, and even your garbage cans! Believe it or not, exterior cleaning is the one thing that many homeowners forget to do!

  1. Tackle the weeds

One annoying thing that attacks virtually all houses is when weed grows through cracks in concrete flooring or brick pavers. Fortunately, it’s a situation you can easily fix by applying liquid weed killer. After a few days, you can remove the weeds with a suitable gardening tool or even your pressure washer. Weeds make any home’s exterior look unkempt and unattractive; they simply must go!

  1. Create some flower beds around your trees

Last, but not least, if you’ve got some trees growing in your garden and front lawn, consider decorating them with some flower beds! They will add some well-contained color and character, and will give people the impression that you have a well-maintained house. The latter is especially important if you’re trying to sell your home!

Thanks for reading today’s article. See you soon!

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is 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 or Instagram

BEAUTY, SEX & LIFE

Growing Old? You Can Be Beautiful As Well As Wise

Growing Old? You Can Be Beautiful As Well As Wise

As we grow older we acquire many applaudable attributes. We’re wiser, smarter, and more grateful for everything that we have. But one thing that doesn’t age quite as well are our looks. When we’re young we have everything on our side, but as time goes on things tend to turn on us somewhat, and we can sometimes end up looking not as attractive as we’d like. However, that doesn’t mean we have to give up on our looks. In the 21st century there is no excuse for us to not look out best, regardless of how old we are! Here’s how.

pexels-photo-112324Source: Pexels.com

Staying Active

Yup, you might have noticed that you don’t look quite as youthful as you once did. But think about it: when we’re young, we’re always running around, being active, regular men and women about town. As we age, we become more sedentary. If you want to stay youthful and beautiful, you should take up an exercise routine that’s right for you, one that’ll have your face looking fresh and your body look good. You’ll be glowing, basically, and everyone’s drawn to someone who glows!

Science Has the Answer

Of course, even if we work out as often as we want to we sometimes can’t mask some factors that we’d rather live without. If you can’t shift weight in one particular part of your body (you can’t, unfortunately, target weight loss when you work), you can always use a service like  GastroCenter’s Smart Lipo treatments and trim away the fat in those areas where the fat is hard to shift. Similarly, if your issue is hair loss – which affects around 50% of women and 80% of men during their life times – then you can look at consulting a hair transplant specialist and add some extra hair to boost a youthful look.

Being a Fashionista

There comes an age where we kind of slip out of the trend scene, where we’re not too sure what’s hot and what’s not. It makes sense, especially as we have so many other things going on in our lives. However, staying abreast of the clothes that’ll make us look at our best actually isn’t all that difficult – dedicate some time to reading the best clothing blogs for older people before you go shopping and you’ll look great when you return from the stores.

Living Well

Of all the things we can do, few affect our beauty greater than our lifestyles. If we eat well and don’t drink too much alcohol, we can carry on staying youthful for longer. If we live the lifestyle of a 25 year old, we won’t. Take care of yourself and you’ll naturally stay youthful and beautiful.

Accepting Who You Are

Of course, you can’t fix every single ailment. At some point you’ll need to learn to accept some of the flaws that can’t be fixed. Part of being beautiful is having confidence, and if you have confidence then people will notice it. Sometimes it’s much more about our attitude to ourselves and life than we think!

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is 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 or Instagram

SEX & LIFE

They Looked After You. Now, You Look After Them

They Looked After You. Now, You Look After Them

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Nobody likes the idea of their parents rotting away into elderly life without any help or support. Of course, you love these people. And, they mean a great deal to you. But, this doesn’t make it any harder to drop the ball and let the elderly members of your family feel forgotten. As the busyness of life takes over; most people forget about these responsibilities. And, this leaves a lot of older people in a bad situation. It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead, you just need to put the effort in. To help you out, this post will be going through three areas that need to be considered for your elderly relatives.

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Although the elderly my struggle physically, a lot of them don’t have any issues in the mental department. This means that they will still desire the same sort of entertainment they’ve had throughout their life. Having this area of life neglected can be very difficult for someone. Having nothing to do will make you bored. And, being bored for too long can result in stress and depression. Thankfully, solving this issue is nice and easy; you just have to go out and do things with your loved ones. The activities you choose will have to be based on the physicality of everyone in the group. So, you might not want to take someone older to a waterpark, because they may struggle to swim. But, going to a zoo would give them the chance to see things that are exciting; while also being relaxed.

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Next, you need to start thinking about where they live. Some houses won’t be very appropriate for elderly people. For example, a house with stairs won’t be any good for someone that has had two hip replacements. But, a bungalow would do the trick. You’ll probably have to do a large portion of the work; if you decide to move your relatives. From finding the new home to helping them move, you’ll have to cover it all. It could be worth it, though. Living in a well-designed home can make it much easier for an older person to remain independent. Along with this, you could also make their living situation safer with a move.

Finally, but probably the most important thing here, is care. It’s unwise to try and complete the care work that your relatives need yourself. The idea of having a stranger do it might seem bad. But, both you and your relative won’t like the idea of your final years spent together in this way. Thankfully, there are loads of elderly care companies out there. Depending on the company that you choose, you may have the option for your relative to move to a special house. Of course, some won’t like this idea. But, these businesses recognise this; offering services that come to you.

Hopefully, this will give you the help and inspiration you need to start making a difference in the life of an older relative. When people are in their golden years, it’s important to make sure that you give them the support they need.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is 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 or Instagram

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Surviving Moving Day

Surviving Moving Day

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You may have been the happiest person in the world on the day you went to view your new home. Now that all the paperwork’s sorted out and the home’s waiting for your arrival, you’ve got something much less pleasant on the horizon: actually moving in! Moving house is one of the most stressful things you’ll ever have to do as an adult, but following these handy survival tips can make all the difference…

Hire a Skip (or Two!)

The more stuff you have to move, the more it’s going to strain your nerves. There’s no point in carrying around items you don’t need, or even worse, paying a hefty removal company’s fee to move anything you really don’t want or need anymore. At some point in the weeks leading up to your move, hire a skip and have it placed outside your front door. This will make it easy for you to go through the house, chucking anything that you don’t want weighing you down when you actually come to move to the new place.

Get Help

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Looking to save money, a lot of people will simply hire a private van for the big day, and ask a couple of friends to help with all the loading and unloading. This can be a huge mistake. Hiring interstate removalists and other moving professionals can be expensive, but the fee will be well worth the amount of stress and hassle they save you. Just make sure you do your research, and ask your friends and family for their trusted recommendations. Some movers will do a rushed, half-hearted job and damage your possessions, and others will offer extra services which turn out to be one big waste of money. Some supposed movers are in fact just scammers with a clever front!

Hold onto the Essentials

While hiring professional movers can make life so much easier on the day of the big move, there are certain things you should pack personally, and keep in your own car. Bedding, cutlery, plates, along with nightwear and the toiletries you use before bed, should all be packed separately by you, and kept somewhere where you know you’ll be able to access them. Once you’ve got through the ordeal of moving and got those last boxes over the threshold, you don’t want to be even more stressed as you tear open box after box, looking for the essentials.

Prioritise the Beds

As soon as your removals team arrive at the new place, the first thing you should get them to do is assemble the family’s beds, and make them sleepable. After all the carry-on that comes with moving house, when you find yourself totally drained of energy at the end of the day, the last thing you want to be doing is fiddling with bolts and hex keys while fighting to keep your eyes open! It’s usually a good idea to mention this to your removal company well in advance, as this will prevent any confusion and delays.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is 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 or Instagram

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Is It Time Your Home Got A Face Lift?

Is It Time Your Home Got A Face Lift?

The appearance of a home is critical. According to estate agents, a home with a grubby exterior can fetch up to 10 percent less when it goes to market, all because of the bad impression it creates. That said, doing up your home is expensive. Not everybody has $10,000 to spend on sprucing things up.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a big difference. Here are some ways to give your home a fresh appearance without paying through the nose.

Update Your Walls

Painting on exterior walls can give a house character, but as painting contractors know all too well, paint can also reflect the age of your home. Whitewash houses painted after the second world war are looking a little worse for wear these days.

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The great thing about painting is that it has the ability to cover up all manner of evils, including scrapes, scuffs, and bird droppings. Different shades of exterior paint will have dramatically different effects on the way that your house appears from the outside, so don’t be afraid to play around with colors. Depending on where you live, you could choose blue, lilac or even green.

When choosing paint, opt for low-VOC, since this is the least expensive and the most eco-friendly.

Polish The Roof

Roofs get a bad rap. They’re directly exposed to the elements, and over time, they can end up looking rather worse for wear. The bad news is that you probably won’t be able to take care of the roof yourself, thanks to the risk of falling and hurting yourself. But the good news is that giving it a good polish usually costs less than $300 – well worth it if you’re looking to sell your home.

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While you’re having work done up there, take the chance to fix other issues that might affect the selling price of your home. These include things like covering up holes, applying anti-rust solutions and so on. Once you’ve had the roof cleaned, you’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes to the appearance of your house. Suddenly it looks nearly new again!

Take The Front Door For An MOT

The front door of your home is the first thing that guests see when they come knocking. As a result, it’s important that it is looking its best. There’s no need to spend a fortune and buy a whole new door. Instead, you can easily repair the one you’ve got already, especially if it is made of wood. Look out for things like loose doorknobs and cracks on the surface.

To take things to the next level, you could add things like a brass door knocker or a new doorbell with a great ring. Repairing a door will set you back between $50 and $100.

Cut Back Those Weeds

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Nobody wants to be greeted with overgrown weeds in their front garden. It’s a good idea, therefore, to cut back on ugly weeds wherever possible, as well as trim the hedges, rake away any dead leaves and cut the grass.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is 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 or Instagram

Everyday Tips from Tia