Looking Good? How To Get Your House Ready For A Viewing





Creating a blank canvas



Making everything up to code



Maximizing curb appeal




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How House Hygiene Could Boost Your Resale Profits

If you are fortunate enough to have a house of your own, you probably know well just how much work went into that house. Even if it is not entirely yours just yet and you are still paying off your mortgage, a gigantic chunk of money has probably already been spent on it. The repainting, double glazed windows, that one cupboard you always wanted, a comfy sofa, nice table and just about anything that else comes to mind. Not to mention all the emotional investment, seeing everything slowly come together, remembering what it was like when some of the walls were missing, ah, good times. Despite all of this, you might want to consider that at some point in the future, for whatever reason that may be, you might just want to sell the house and move on. Maybe to a different country, maybe just down the street because you just so feel like it. Regardless, it is a very possible scenario, especially with the recent increase in property prices in most big cities, selling your property could prove to be extremely profitable. Alternatively, if you turn enough of a profit on selling a single house, you could even go into the real estate business, the sky’s the limit.

Be money-smart, but don’t cheap out

If you just bought your house, chances are you are not planning to sell it anytime soon, if you are considering selling it however, you have probably been there for a while now and the house might be starting to show some wear and tear here and there. Profitable resale in the housing market is most definitely possible, so don’t think fixing up some things and renovating a bit is a mere formality, it is an almost surefire investment. In order to properly renovate a home, you have to keep that mindset so that your heart does not weep for your pockets too much during the process.

Image source: Pexels

First impressions

Now, considering either you or an estate agent is eventually going to be taking people around to see the property sometime in the future, what is the first thing that the customer is going to see? That’s right, the front porch and front yard (if there is one) along with the path leading up to the door. This might seem trivial at first, but you have to understand that, first impressions are often the single most important factor when trying to sell anything, especially when you are selling a place to live. Fixing up your front yard just might sell make you the sale. Despite it sounding somewhat obvious, keeping things nice and tidy out front is very impacting on the overall appearance of the house. Nicely swept pathwalk, a freshly mowed lawn with that glorious smell of grass, few shrubs here and there and maybe a potted plant next to the door are the things which are going to have a major impact on potential buyers perception of the whole property. If you are not very garden-savvy or you just have no aesthetic sense whatsoever, consider hiring a landscaper to work his magic for you. Alternatively, see if you have some friend who has a bit of a green thumb to either teach you some things or do it for you. Make sure to reward them handsomely with tea and biscuits afterwards.

Image source: Pexels

The toasty heart of the home

The kitchen is a very important part of the house, not only is it used by everyone except extremely rich business people who only dine out or teenagers unable to cook rice, but it is often a clear way of telling the hygiene level of the previous owners. Old kitchen appliances like 9 year old toasters covered in grime and dirt with a few non-functioning buttons, stained electric kettles with limescale galore on the walls, slightly tilted faucet and sink area showing its ever-moist presence by the slight mould on the nearby walls. For a mere few hundred, it is possible to give your kitchen its well-deserved facelift after all these years. Get some new cabinet doors, alternatively, if your cabinet doors are in good shape then just give them a good scrub. If some of the handles are loose or unsightly in one way or another, also attend to them or get new ones. If your cabinets do need to probably be replaced, keep in mind that it is possible to repaint them, which is the second best thing. A fresh coat of paint is sure to bring the whole room’s fresh appearance together. Now, the kitchen appliances have been touched upon briefly, but let’s see how you can make the most of this. Instead of just getting cheap new appliances which will look fresh for the time of the sale, why not go the extra mile and invest in a set of matching ones? A kettle that matches the toaster and the blender will emphasize the aesthetic appeal of the kitchen in a way most people wouldn’t even consider.

Image source: Pexels

Unwanted tenants

There is one issue which is a dealbreaker for probably the large majority of people who are looking to buy a house, namely, pests. Be it rats or cockroaches or bed bugs, no one wants to have those crawling around the house at night when they are sleeping. Bugs are often a sign of laziness of the previous owners which doesn’t bode too well for the image of the house. Bugs and other household pests usually find their way inside the house for 2 major reasons, because it is cold and they want somewhere safe to stay, or because someone keeps leaving food out all the time and it is attracting half of the animal kingdom. Now, the first one needs some actual preventing, making sure you lock up all doors properly, if you see something walking around throw it out rather than ignoring it until it is too late, you get the picture. The second one however just portrays you as a lazy slob of an owner, which once again badly reflects on how alert and suspicious the buyer is going to be while looking around the property. Leaving around traps found at the local hardware shop is a good way of culling the population of certain pests like ants, rodents, cockroaches or termites, but it will only get you so far. If you want to fully get rid of creepy crawlies from around your humble abode, chances are you will need to call the experts, like the Go-Forth Pest Control. When investing in pest control, you should go for a reliable, established brand. The last thing you want is people walking around your house doing whatever they see fit with the possible option of you needing to leave the property for longer than needed. If they don’t succeed, you will have to call them back and you will end up paying twice anyway so you might as well just get it over and done with once but properly.

Cleanliness is next to godliness

Another place where hygiene is of utmost importance is the bathroom. If anyone comes over and sees some unsightly tiles hanging off the wall a bit, dirty towels, too much random clutter under the sink, they are not going to be too impressed. When making the bathroom presentable, there are a few key points to focus on. If like many homes, your house has a tile floor in the bathroom which at this point looks like it has seen better days, you might want to do something about that. Sadly for you, replacing tiles can be such a pain, costly too. An easier yet effective thing to do would be putting down some vinyl tiles, in a best-case scenario you won’t even need to remove the old floor, just lay the tiles over the current one. If you have a shower curtain around your bathtub or shower, chances are it might look a bit gross after a few years of use. Moist and damp areas have a tendency to be soon inhabited by mould, shower curtains are often prime suspects when it comes to housing large amounts of it, so changing them every now and then wouldn’t hurt, especially when trying to sell the house. Even without wanting to sell the house, getting rid of mould won’t hurt you. Exposure to damp mouldy environments can cause a lengthy list of health risks. These include: nasal congestion, throat irritation, wheezing, coughing, eye irritation, skin irritation and tends to be especially harsh on people suffering from asthma. Needless to say, mould is not something to keep around yourself or your children and getting rid of any which you may find elsewhere in your house is greatly advised. Home solutions for removing mould very rarely work, and getting a professional called in to carry out the deed is also highly recommended.

All in all

These are just the huge areas of concern which should be addressed when renovating a house for sale, all the bedrooms, and living rooms and storage sheds and gardens need work too don’t you worry. But hygiene and not being scared of touching the kitchen table in case you may never be able to lift your hand again, are very important for any potential buyers. After all, they are looking for their own future home.

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Who Wants A Clean Home In Half The Time?

Who wants a clean home in half the time? I think I know the answer to this question and most of us would answer yes, but how do we achieve it? After all the same chores need doing daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly. There are some things you can do to keep the cleaning time down to an all time minimum, and I thought I would share with you what some of them are. I hope it enables you to half the time you spend cleaning your home.



Have a cleaning schedule


It can be all too overwhelming when you leave every cleaning task like the bathroom, the vacuuming or mopping for one day at the end of the week. After a busy week doing what you are doing, it means that you are more inclined to cut corners when it comes to completing all of the tasks you set ahead of you. This is when a cleaning schedule can help you be in your element when it comes to being on top of your cleaning routine. You can do bathrooms one day, the kitchen the next, steaming the floors or tackling the upholstery on another. It’s up to you, but the schedule helps you to keep your home clean on a more consistent level.


Use cleaning gadgets to enable you to tackle tough jobs


Cleaning gadgets can help you to half the time you spend doing one task. For example, a steam cleaner can be easier and more effective than manually brushing or mopping the floors. A handheld cordless vacuum can make light work of what can be a dubious and tough task. This is when a little research into the best cordless handheld vacuum could work in your favor. Gadgets can be very useful and can even make some cleaning tasks more enjoyable. So invest where you think you may get the most use.


Delegate those jobs


Cleaning shouldn’t be left to you to handle. If you have a family or live with someone, the tasks can be delegated to help reduce the amount of time spent cleaning and enabling you more time to enjoy quality family time. So delegate some jobs and spread out some of the bigger tasks. This way, all of your spare time won’t be used up by cleaning. You could even add the delegation to your cleaning schedule so that everyone knows exactly where they are up to.


Declutter your home to make things easier


Finally, you may want to consider giving your home a big declutter. We can all become complacent when it comes to keeping things in our homes or on display that we no longer love or want in our homes. But taking the opportunity to rid yourself of unwanted things can help to make your home appear and feel tidier. You could even utilize websites like eBay and make some extra cash out of your clutter.


I hope that these tips and tricks help you to half the time you spend cleaning your home.

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Major Decorating Mistakes, And How To Avoid Them

The fear of making a big, expensive mistake is something that causes a lot of people to put off their interior décor plans for far too long. It’d be nice if there was nothing to be afraid of, but that simply isn’t the case! To help you approach sprucing up your home with confidence, and get it right the first time, here are a few common mistakes a lot of people make when getting stuck in…

Image source: Public Domain Pictures

Picking the Paint First

It’s common knowledge that the color scheme you pick for the walls can have a massive effect on how comfortable and welcoming an interior space feels. However, choosing the palette you’re going to use before anything else can be a huge mistake, and will mar the rest of your interior design work going forward. First and foremost, you should choose some essential fabrics, such as the rugs, upholstery, window treatments, and pillows. Once you’ve got this out of the way, you’ll find it so much easier to choose an appropriate color scheme from a set of paint chips or a fan deck. Working backwards; trying to find fabrics that match with a color scheme you’ve already chosen, is so much harder.

Being Scared of Being Bold

Obviously, you don’t want to spend a whole weekend repairing last week’s mistakes. However, being afraid of making any kind of bold, adventurous decision with your décor can lead to your rooms feeling unsatisfying and bland. Take some risks, and try to think outside the box here and there! Whether it’s an extravagant focal point like a mounted animal skull or indoor waterfall, or an unconventional bit of lighting, don’t be afraid of experimenting with your space. Remember that if anything feels too bold or dramatic, you can always balance it out with more light and breezy features, such as neutral fabrics and furniture.

Sticking to a Single Store

One-stop shopping is very popular with amateur interior designers these days. However, furnishing a space with pieces all bought from the same store tends to create a much more boring visual story, compared to what you can achieve by shopping around a little more. Instead of confining your shopping trips to a single store, check out a few boutiques that stock a number of different design lines and brands. By doing this, even if you have a preferred period or style, you’ll make it easier for yourself to create a unique interior, rather than another cookie-cutter home.

Buying Furniture Without Measuring

Finally, a more practical issue, that’s unfortunately very common. Showrooms are massive, and can make it hard to judge the scale of a given piece of furniture relative to the space it’s intended for. This is why so many people bring a beautiful coffee table home, only to realize that it feels like it’s eating up the entire living room. Get some measurements, and bring some cold hard numbers with you whenever you’re heading out on a shopping trip. You don’t want to spend a small fortune on a piece that makes your home feel cramped!

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Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop System


Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop System

I am away from home Monday – Thursday so when I do get home, I like to get it all spruced up for the weekend. I usually spend Friday getting everything cleaned up, dusted and wiped down. This includes sweeping and mopping my whole house. Not an easy task since my home is 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. So, finding the quickest best way to get this done was my first priority! I was so excited with I found the perfect mop for my home. I love how beautiful my floors look when I use the Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop System. Mostly I love knowing how wonderful it sanitizes when I clean.

I have two different types of tile in my living / dining room area. This mop can steam mop both without having to worry about is streaking or leaving a film. It leaves my floors so shiny and clean for the entire weekend! I love how lightweight it is, my three-year-old grandson, loves to help me clean up. He was so proud that he could use the mop! He was able to maneuver it between furniture and between the different floors with no problem!


You can really tell a difference where we have mopped with this Shark Genius Steam Pocket Mop System by how beautiful and shiny the floor is. This mop is so quick to use since you don’t have to stop and ring out any water. I save at least an hour of my day and love knowing my home has 99.9% less bacteria for when my youngest grandson comes over and is crawling on the floor!

This super lightweight mop can be moved upstairs to mop the bathrooms with no problems. I can use the same cloth throughout my home since you can flip it over to use the other side. These are machine washable and are ready to go again.

Product Description:

“Cleaning with steam is quick, simple, and effective. The original Shark® Steam Pocket® Mop made steam cleaning even better, thanks to our two-sided mop head. Today, the Genius Steam Pocket® Mop features this same design, plus our smartest innovations yet. It even removes up to 99.9% of common household bacteria* from sealed hard floors.”

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