How to Make Your Backyard Green

Your backyard is the hub not only for your family members but also for visitors. Thus, if you enjoy entertaining friends and family, resting and soaking up run’s rays or working in your backyard, your patio is the ideal place to implement your eco-friendly lifestyle. It also provides a perfect place to repurpose amenities and take advantage of green design ideas that the Earth will love. So, if you’re looking for ideas on how to make your backyard green, you are in the right place; here are tried-and-tested ideas to get you started.

  1. Provide drainage to prevent accumulation of water

How to Keep Your Kitchen OrganizedIf you live in an area experiencing rainfall throughout the year, provide a proper drainage system to prevent water from collecting in your patio and around your home. Standing water can damage patio fixtures and vegetation. So, make the yard slope preferably away from your home, so as to keep the basement and foundation moisture free thereby preventing the growth of mildew and mold.

  1. Use green materials only when renovating and remodeling

Are you considering introducing a wood deck in your backyard? Use reclaimed or recycled wood from other structures for your patio deck project. Ask your local dealer; you will be surprised that local lumber yards also provide a wide selection of recycled timber that you can use for your backyard projects. Other green materials you should consider include railroad ties and wrought iron.

  1. Replace concrete walls with indigenous live fence

Using permeable pavers as opposed to concrete patios promotes drainage. Additionally, do away with a concrete wall and instead grow native ground cover. Such an effort will reduce the carbon footprint of your lawn. The outcome is a greener and more appealing alternative that requires no watering or mowing. So, identify native plants and introduce the in your backyard because they do not require constant maintenance.

  1. Only use a green mower when mowing

How to Keep Your Kitchen OrganizedMow for the first time after your grass exceeds 2 inches in height. Exercise some caution while walking behind your mower; walk with mild, flat-footed steps since the top layer of your grass remain loose for some time after cutting. As a sound root system grows, your backyard’s ground with firm up. As for the walkways, use pebbles since they are more ecologically friendly and cheaper compared to bricks.

  1. Introduce container vegetable gardens

Utilizing your backyard space for the green gardens will substantially boost your curb appeal. The plants will provide a reliable source of biologically grown food besides giving you patio a gorgeous look. There are organic alternatives for backyard rugs made of eco-friendly materials. Sisal, cotton, jute, coir, wool, and bamboo are some of the organic options you should consider as they are green and hence eco-friendly.


Do not allow financial constraints to curtail your desire to make your backyard green. Instead, be creative and think of a way you can make all you need from the readily available materials. Note that the above tips do not require spending a fortune to implement. A green patio is affordable, looks beautiful, uses renewable resources, and, most importantly, reduces carbon footprint.

7 Fixes Boost Your House Value

With the housing prices increasing, now is the best time to invest in your home and capitalize on its’ value. If you are planning on putting your home up for sale, you should consider doing some renovations and fixes to boost its’ value. Doing some remodeling projects can greatly boost your home’s overall value, and can make it much more appealing to the buyers. In this article, we have compiled 7 fixes that can help boost your house value;

1. Clean and Declutter the House

7 Fixes Boost Your House ValueFirst and foremost, you should start by doing a thorough cleaning of the house. A clean house will look much more appealing to the buyers. Apart from cleaning the house, you should also get rid of all clutter. Make the house look a lot more spacious by eliminating the unnecessary items. If you cannot stand to part with some of your items, you can put them in a storage unit til after you sell the house. Remember that it is always better to show a relatively barren house, than one that is filled with clutter.

2. Do the Necessary Repairs and Fixes

Even the smallest fixes can make your house sparkle and sell for a much higher price. Some of the minor repairs you can do to boost the value of your house include, but not limited to; insulating the attic, replacing any worn out and inoperative water supply valves, repairing any plumbing leaks, fixing the pipes and fittings, replacing any rusty rain gutters, repairing or replacing leaky windows, among such other fixes. These kinds of repairs and fixes will go a really long way towards adding value to your home.

3. Interior Flooring

The flooring of your home is another area that catches the buyers’ eyes since it takes up most of the space. Old musty carpeting, outdated tiles, or wood which needs refinishing, are most likely to get red flagged in the buyer’s mind as something they will have to update if they buy the home. Doing some flooring upgrades can make a huge difference in terms of creating a sense of value.

4. Kitchen Upgrades

7 Fixes Boost Your House ValueThe kitchen is considered to be heart of every home. If your kitchen is stuck in a time warp, it is best to do some updating. The easiest kitchen upgrades are for the appliances and countertops. You should consider installing granite countertops and adding stainless steel appliances; this will add instant value to your house. You can also paint the cabinets a neutral color to cover up any scratches and nicks.

5. Bathroom Repairs

When it comes to selling a house, the bathroom is another important part of the house than needs some upgrades and repairs. Some of the fixes and changes you can do include, but not limited to; replacing the old fixtures, painting the walls, hanging some new towels, cleaning the exhaust fan, repairing chips in the sink or bathtub, among such other fixes.

6. Internal Lighting Fixtures

7 Fixes Boost Your House ValueOutdated lighting fixtures can easily take the attention away from the most attractive features of your house. Spending some money on new fixtures can give your home a more modern look and feel, and will keep the buyers focused on its’ best attributes. Consider replacing the old light fixtures with some energy efficient models.

7. Roofing and Foundation

The structure of the house may not be apparent to the home buyers at 1st glance, however, a poor inspection report because of flaws in your building’s foundation or roofing system, can greatly impact on your sale. Therefore, it is crucial to have your home inspected by a professional ahead of time, so that you can be able to repair any existing structural flaws.

How To Clean A Ceiling Fan?

Most homeowners are now installing ceiling fans as their benefits have become more apparent. You will realize that installing a ceiling fan can actually make your home to become more comfortable especially during summertime. During summer, the blades normally move in a clockwise direction resulting in cool downward airflow. This normally makes your room to feel cooler without altering the temperatures.

The cool breeze is normally ideal during hot days. Did you know that cleaning your ceiling fan is important? Like any appliance or furniture inside your home, they also catch dirt and dust on their surfaces. It is important to keep them clean, especially the blade parts. In this list of ceiling fan reviews, you can see various size, and shapes of ceiling fans blades, you should consider the plan designed blades rather than designed ones because if there is so much dirt on them, their performance can be severely affected. The weight of the accumulated dust can make the blades to become wobbly. The following are some of the tips on how to clean a ceiling fan:

  1. Ensure the switch is turned off

How To Clean A Ceiling FanBefore taking on the task of cleaning your ceiling fan, you should ensure that the witch is turned off. Electrical devices should always be plugged off so as to prevent you from coming into contact with wires that could have frayed over time. This can go a long way in ensuring that you do not get an electric shock in the process.

  1. Set up the ladder under the fan

It is important to make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s direction when setting up the ladder. You should always have someone to hold the ladder so that it does not tip. They can also hand up the cleaning materials so that you do not have to go up and down many times.

  1. Start by wiping the motor housing with warm soap and water

How To Clean A Ceiling FanYou should actually start by wiping the motor housing with warm soap and water or spray cleaner of your choice. Once they are clean, wipe the top part of each blade carefully. It is important to get the hardened cakes of dust and dirt off the blades. Do not pull on the blades and knock the fan off its holder. It is also advisable not to tug or pull the blades too much. You will realize that if you knock it off its balance, the blades will start to wobble when you turn it on again.

Always remember not to spray any water or cleaning fluid unto the fan’s motor. This can actually damage the wiring inside the motor and can result to an electric short circuit. If you want to keep the blades dust free after you have cleaned them, you can polish them with a hard car wax. This type of wax normally keeps the dust from sticking onto the surface of the blades.

If you normally use your fan throughout the year, you should clean it at least four times in a year. You should purpose to clean it when the season changes. If your fan has a lighting fixture, clean it as well. Follow the above mentioned tips and you will enjoy the results.