Tue 28 Jun 2011

Quick Curb Appeal

Posted by NewsCanada under Home Improvements
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Photo of before and after adding home curb appeal

Add some instant curb appeal to your home this summer with Rust-Oleum's EPOXYSHIELD® driveway system. Easily repair, protect and beautify your driveway for years to come.

The home is the single largest investment most people will ever make, and many of us are looking for simple and inexpensive ways to protect and increase the value of that investment.

Whether you are replacing tiles in the bathroom, painting your walls or undertaking larger jobs such as replacing the roof or adding other desirable amenities, most people tend to focus their efforts on the inside of their homes. This year, why not think about your home’s curb appeal and increase the value of your home from the outside in?

Your driveway is the welcome mat to your home, and a cracked, faded and stained driveway doesn’t do much to make a good first impression when guests arrive. There are a number of products on the market you can use to repair, protect and beautify your driveway; however, not all products are created equally. Here are some points to consider when looking for a driveway sealant that is best suited for the average homeowner:

 

Ease of application

Photo of Home asphalt driveway repair

There is no need to waste your weekend pouring messy sealant from pails to trays or dragging a squeegee over your driveway, look for a product that you can easily roll-on and get back to enjoying your weekend.

Look for a product with a simple application. There is no need to waste time pouring product from cumbersome pails; look for products that you can simply and easily roll-on.

Curing time

Your time is important to you and you need a place to park your car, so look for a sealer that will dry in as short a time as possible. There are products available that will be drive-ready in 4 hours, so you can get back to enjoying your time off.

Clean up

Home renovations can be messy – look for a product that cleans up easily with soap and water so you can relax and move on to other activities.

Warranty

No one wants to do a job more than once; when looking for a driveway sealer look for a product that offers a minimum of a 5 year warranty. You take pride in the appearance of your home, so you should use a product that offers you a long lasting guarantee.

There are products available on the market, such as Rust-Oleum’s EPOXYSHIELD®, that offer home owners a simple do-it-yourself solution that will repair, protect and beautify your driveway for years to come. With simple roll-on application, soap and water cleanup and a 4 hour drying time, enhancing your home’s curb appeal and increasing your home’s value has never been easier.

Source: www.newscanada.com

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Sun 5 Jun 2011

Cleaning and Keeping your Garbage Disposal Fresh

Posted by cynthia under Home Improvements
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Food particles often become trapped in the nooks and crannies of the garbage disposal and kitchen drainpipe. This provides the perfect environment for mold and bacteria to grow and create unpleasant odors, as well as unhealthy spores.

At first, the odors may not be noticeable. However, given enough time and lack of cleaning, the unpleasant odors may become stronger as the bacteria and mold continue to grow. Cleaning the garbage disposal at least once a week with one of the following methods will help to keep it free of nasty bacteria and unsightly mold. Here are some options:

1: Pour one half cup of baking soda down the kitchen drain. Carefully pour one cup of white vinegar down the drain on top of the baking soda. Place the drain stopper in the sink to close off the drain. If you have a double sink, you should do this for both of them. The mixture will fizz and make a bit of noise or fizzing sounds. Allow this to work its magic for a few minutes while you boil some hot water. Use a full teakettle or medium size pot of water. Once this has boiled, pour it down the drain.

2: Using a clean container, mix a gallon of water with one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach. Carefully and slowly, pour the solution down the drain and allow it to sit for several minutes. Flush the drain thoroughly with cold water for several minutes.

3. “Afresh Dishwasher Cleaner” this is a great product to use once a month and really works . The product is a licensed under Whirlpool Canda LP. Made in the U.S.A.

Freshening the Garbage Disposal

Maintaining a clean garbage disposal using one of the above methods will help to keep it smelling fresh and odor free. Additionally, you can encourage this by grinding ice cubes in the garbage disposal to clean the cutting blades. Simply place several cubes in the drain and grind.

If you want to add a little bit of scent to the area, you can add rinds from any of the citrus fruits in the drain with the ice cubes. The citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits.

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Mon 2 May 2011

Downsizing. How to Get Started

Posted by cynthia under Downsizing, Preparing Your Home For Sale
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How do you get started?  Having numerous clients go thru this and having my own mom downsize several times and more recently myself, I have several pointers to make this task more manageable.  It is a task we avoid, especially when we look at the stuffed closets and floor to ceiling stuffed basements we have.   It is something we all put off as long as possible but there comes a time where you can’t any longer.  It is easy to downsize by 10%, but most of us need to downsize or rightsize  by at least 50%.  It is the last 20% that is tough.  Here are some tips to get you on the right track.

1. The most common start is a garage sale.  So start there!  Set a date  that is out by a month and then you will have a starting point.  This is a good time to get rid of that first 10% of stuff that you don’t need. 

2. The purpose of your garage sale is to get rid of clutter.  So start small.  Put aside 15 minutes each day (use a timer if you need to) and start your decluttering now, closet by closet, room by room.  Be ruthless!

3.  Now make  a goal  that you will pack one box every day for two weeks of items you must keep and take with you. You can start by packing 10 to 20 of the most necessary items in that room or closet.  Then tape up the container so it will not be easy to rummage thru it.

3. One of the more difficult things will be to get rid of unwanted or un used gifts from friends and family.  Don’t feel guilty.  Just do it.  They will take up valuable space in your new home.

4. You will also find that younger family members are not interested in your treasured ornaments or china.  So display them on several tables and invite in an antique dealer and get a bulk price for everything.  You will not get close to what they are worth but it is necessary to do.  The secret is to forget about it. You must be determined to live in the present and not the past.

5. Look at all your top shelves.  If it is on your top shelve you have rarely used the items or not at all.  So get rid of everything on your top shelves

6. There are also companies that are more like brokers who will buy less valuables in bulk and they will catagorize them and sell them to flea markets, 2nd hand stores or specialty stores.  There are also numerous charities that will come in and pick up items. I am sure you would feel better knowing your stuff will be used and appreciated rather than have it end up in a landfill.

7. Finally, if you still feel overwhelmed and cannot do this on your own, there are companies that specialize in downsizing and counselling to help you.  They will know when to give you  that gentle push and to help you get organized.  They can also help you put together memory books of cherished items.  It is not always having an item but the story and memories behind them that are important.  If you would like some names please feel free to send me an email.

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