Summer has past and fall is here. With winter is just around the corner, autumn is the perfect time to take care of a few things inside and outside your home before winter weather arrives. The home maintenance checklist below will help you complete all the necessary tasks that might otherwise be forgotten without this little reminder. 

·         Inspect weatherstripping around exterior doors and windows for signs of deterioration and replace it or make necessary repairs. Have a pest problem? Emergency pest control provides peace of mind in helping protect your home now and in the future. No matter the season, it’s important to keep pests out of your home all year long. And keeping them out isn’t a one-time event. That’s why pest control specialists deliver customized protection backed by science to rid your home of pests year-round.

·         Keep an eye out for sales and deals on close out items left over from summer. Purchase and/or replace any lawn and garden tools. You’ll be ready for next spring at half the price.

·         Shampoo carpets and paint interior rooms while it is still warm enough outside to leave the windows open. Remember that carpets do make an impact on the way a house looks but it also collects too much dirt. But if you don’t clean that dirt from carpet on time it will cause you health and skin related problems. So to keep your carpet clean and dirt free you need to vacuum your carpet everyday.

·         Check your heating system and make sure it is functioning properly. Check filters and pilot lights. Schedule an appointment to have your heating system service by a professional.

·         Vacuum and clean dust from vents, ducts, cold air returns and baseboard heaters.

·         Remove and store window air conditioning units. Units that cannot be removed should be covered with plastic for protection throughout the winter.

·         Detach hoses in case of freezing temperatures and store them in the garage or garden shed.

·         Clean gutters after all the leaves have fallen and make sure downspouts are functioning properly, be sure to prune the trees, navigate here if you need help with the tree removal, A & J Tree Service 1237 W 4th St, Pomona, CA 91766 (909) 618-4551 offers a great help.

·         Set automatic sprinklers for winter.

This article brought to you by The HousePlanShop, LLC, the home of the best selling house plans from the best designers!

Tags: fall home maintenance, maintenance checklist, prepare for winter

As a follow up to last week’s post, Space Savers for Children’s Rooms, the tips and ideas suggested in Organizing Children’s Rooms found on Kay’s Country Cottage blog, are worth reading. If you’ve gone to the trouble of choosing all the right furniture and accessories for your kids’ rooms in your new home, you’ll surely want to keep their bedrooms tidy and organized. This means taking time every few months to go through each child’s room and purge, clean, reorganize, etc. Follow Kay’s advice…she offers many good ideas. Sort everything in the room. Throw away broken toys. Give toys away that are no longer played with but in good condition. Pass down clothing and shoes the child has outgrown. The list goes on.

If you take time to clear out unnecessary items occasionally, those space saving pieces of furniture and accessories that made each child’s room perfect when you moved in, will be able to better maintain order and serve their intended purposes. There is no sense in trying to maintain an orderly room if you are running out of space due to unwanted and no longer needed items. It is time to start getting organized.

This article brought to you by The HousePlanShop, LLC, the home of the best selling house plans from the best designers!

Tags: cleaning, kid's rooms, organizating

When you decided to build your new home, there is no doubt you considered your child or future child(ren), their needs and all their STUFF when choosing a house plan. No matter what their age, kids have all the furniture adults have. They also have plenty of extras like toys, game systems, sporting equipment, stuffed animals, arts and craft supplies, and all those special treasures they stash in the closet and under the bed. You probably know it is important to maximize each child’s space in your new home, so when shopping for furniture keep this rule in mind: If it’s not practical, don’t buy it.

Consider these space savers when buying furniture and accessories for your child’s new room.

Multi-Purpose Furniture – Multi-purpose furniture should be attractive, functional and satisfy more than one need. Toy boxes and hinged ottomans are ideal space savers because they offer out-of-sight storage and a place to sit. Desks with drawers offer storage for school and craft supplies and a work surface for writing and working. Finally, consider pieces of furniture that will grow with your child and make a smart financial purchase.You can also visit woodsfurniturenz.co.nz for getting better information about furniture.

Loft Bed – For older children, a loft bed is a great way to expand usable space while maintaining floor space, specially if you get the best memory foam mattress for the money, it is the best options. A loft bed is similar to a bunk bed because it sits up off the floor. But instead of having a lower bunk, there is room for something else like a play area or a study space. Many loft beds come with built in shelving units, dresser drawers or a desk underneath the bed.

Convertible Crib/Bed – Consider purchasing a convertible crib if you are expecting a baby or have an infant or toddler. Convertible cribs grow with your child from infancy through their teens and beyond depending on your/their preferences as they grow. These kinds of beds convert from a crib to a toddler bed and then to a day bed, twin or full size bed depending on the brand and style. Usually the conversions are easy and only require adding or removing side boards, the foot board, or rails and swapping out the crib/toddler mattress for a twin/full size mattress. Most furniture stores and baby stores sell these kinds of beds and they are usually available with matching furniture pieces such as dresser, night stand, changing table etc. Purchasing a convertible crib or bed saves space because you won’t have to buy new furniture as you child progresses though life. This also means you won’t need to find a place to store the old stuff until you can use it again or find another use for it.

Under-the-Bed Storage – Free up closet, shelf and floor space with organizers that fit under the bed. There is a wide variety of storage containers, bins and boxes available all designed to neatly slide underneath a bed. Using various totes to store out of season clothing and bedding under the bed keeps it out of the closet when it isn’t needed and keeps it out of sight. You might even consider giving your child one organizer of their own to store their “special things”.

Shelving – Both bookshelves or wall shelves are a necessity for saving space. Rather than having piles of toys, books, games and collectibles on the floor, shelving provides a place to organize, store or display your child’s favorite things while keeping the floor space clear for walking or playing.

Wall Pegs or Hooks – It is no secret that children typically leave things on the floor. Free up floor space and teach your child to take care of his or her belongings by installing several wall pegs or hooks near the bedroom door. This will give your child a place to put all their personal items such as jackets, backpacks, hats, belts, coats and more. This will free up floor space keeping your child from stepping on his hoodie or ball cap and keep him organized. If he get into a habit of always hanging his things at the door, he’ll know right where to find things when he needs them.

Take some time to consider which of these space savers will work in your child’s room.

This article brought to you by The HousePlanShop, LLC, the home of the best selling house plans from the best designers!

Tags: kid's rooms, organizing, space savers

A surprising new trend is popping up in new homes across America. Simply stated, it seems there is almost no limit to the luxuries new homeowners are seeking in their master bath. For today’s home buyers, outstanding master baths are as important as full-featured kitchens and lavish master bedrooms. Check this store for buying swim spas online, Well appointed master baths offer a relaxing retreat at the end of the day and their amenities appear at the top of most new home buyer’s wish lists.

In many cases, these luxurious baths take their inspiration from spas. Some of the features include:

·         His and Her vanities

·         Vessel sinks

·         Walk-in showers

·         Showers with multiple shower heads

·         Dual entrance showers

·         Whirlpool, Jacuzzi or garden tubs

·         Stand alone bathtubs separate from the shower

·         Elaborate flooring and tile designs by the best Epoxy flooring Compamy near me

·         Heated flooring

·         Warming towel racks and towel warmers

·         Attached saunas

·         Fireplaces

·         Built in TVs

·         Elegant fixtures and lighting

·         His and Her dressing areas

·         Compartmented toilets

·         His and Her toilets

·         Granite vanity tops

As elaborate master baths continue to evolve, it is important to take note that large walk-in showers often rival soaking tubs and more often than not, His and Her walk-in closets are contained within the master bath. Is your old Bathtub cramping the style of your entire bathroom?  You can replace it and incur possibly thousands of dollars in expenses and still end up with a new tub that is weaker and flimsier than your old one by Bathtub Refinishing Saves Money.In the evening we use the bathroom to relax and rejuvenate before we go to bed. It is the 2nd most used room in the home, find more information here about the bathroom remodeling.

By 2015, the National Association of Home Builders predicts amenity rich master baths will be consider must-haves in most new homes. Many residential designers are already preparing for the future by including several of these features in the house plans they are presently creating and drawing. Browse The House Plan Shop’s home plan collection to discover some of these innovative designs.

This article brought to you by The HousePlanShop, LLC, the home of the best selling house plans from the best designers!

Tags: bath features, master bathrooms, master baths