When you are rich and you don’t think about money, you can go crazy in choosing, first, a house big as you want, than furniture in all shapes, sizes and prices, even the staff that have no use at all, just for filing up the space. However, if you are a regular citizen, and trying to make the best of what you have, than it is important to make your home more practical.
From my point of view, as someone who takes care of home by myself, without any hired help, I don’t see the point in buying too big house because it is too much work. That is first practical step. It is important that every member of your family have their own space, their privacy. If you don’t have a spare room or guest room, that is not a tragic at all. You can always buy sleeper sofas or sofa beds that will cost more but you will solve the problem of where the quests will sleep.
When other furniture is in question, try to organize your home by yours and your family’s needs. If you are socializing a lot, you will need a large table but if you are not, do not buy a table that is too big for your dining area for the purpose of having quests ones a year. You are the one that is in your home every day and you need to be comfortable there. Guests should be happy with the fact that you have welcomed them in your home.
Whenever you can, save the space with practical pieces of furniture. Corner computer desks are very space saving and if you need a work area, this is a solution for you. If you don’t have enough space for that, laptops and laptop desks are amazing space savers.
Closets are the largest pieces of furniture in homes and they use a lot of space anyway. Point is to use that space wisely, for your exact needs. American built-in closet, for example, will solve your storage problem and add to the style of your home.
Being practical is a virtue. It can save you money, time, work, nerves and who knows what else. Sometimes we are not aware of all good things that we gain by simply being practical in life.
By: Ljiljana Anicic
Posts Tagged ‘Closets’
Make Your Home More Practical
June 8th, 2010Dumbwaiters in the Home
April 16th, 2010
Over the past few years more and more people have discovered the wonders of a residential dumbwaiter. Dumbwaiters are similar to elevators except that they are much smaller and are made to carry materials rather than people. Dumbwaiters have been in use for many hundreds of years and have countless commercial applications. They are commonly found in hospitals, restaurants, hotels, and office buildings. Up until recently they were usually found only in larger homes because of their cost. The price has dropped dramatically, however, and many Americans have taken advantage of this price drop in order to take advantage of the many practical uses associated with dumbwaiters.
Dumbwaiters have many uses, but they are most commonly used to transport groceries to the kitchen, send the dinner upstairs, and to transport laundry and bedding to and from the laundry room. Typically residential dumbwaiters can support 50 to 150 pounds, but it is better to go with a model that will carry at least 100 pounds. 50 pounds may sound like a lot, but it is not as heavy as it sounds.
While it is easier to build the dumbwaiter into a house when it is being constructed, most units are made to easily be installed in existing homes. If you decide to install a dumbwaiter it is important to consider the buildings existing structure. It usually does not present a problem, but it is important to ensure that there is room for a straight shaft between floors. The motor used in most residential dumbwaiters is small enough that it is rarely necessary to cut into the attic to install the dumbwaiter. People often install the dumbwaiters in closets or at the end of a hallway because there is usually enough space for the shaft in these locations and it can be installed rather painlessly. Dumbwaiters can be configured with a variety of door arrangements, so it is possible to have the dumbwaiter open on different sides on each floor.
It is possible for a competent handyman to install a dumbwaiter system, but it takes a good deal of technical know-how. Most dealers have certified installers that can quickly and inexpensively install your dumbwaiter, which for many is the best way to do it. If you do decide to install the dumbwaiter yourself, than ensure that you have completely read and understand the instructions that come with your dumbwaiter. Do not feel rushed either, because it is much better to take your time and do it right the first time. Electric dumbwaiters travel along a track which will need to be secured to the studs and must not be secured to only drywall. A good set of tools will be needed that includes a power drill, circular saw, drywall saw, socket set, and measuring tape.
Once you have installed your dumbwaiter it will provide many years of service, but ensure that you follow all manufacturers’ service and maintenance recommendations. Dumbwaiters provide a very valuable service in millions of homes across the United States. They are responsible for reducing the workload and strain that can come from lugging clothes, food, and household materials between floors and are responsible for adding resell value to your home.
By: Brad Brubaker
Preparing Your Home to Sell
February 16th, 2010
Make all necessary visible repairs, particularly the small ones. This includes things like finishing unfinished projects, repairing broken screens, cracked windows, leaks, shaky railings, and damaged flooring.
Freshen walls with fresh paint and neutralize color schemes to appeal to the majority of buyers. Wallpaper tends to be very personal and most potential buyers will see themselves as having to remove it, so strip or paint over all wallpaper.
Clean the landscape. A good weekend yard clean up could add thousands of dollars to the value of your home. In some cases, it is worth it to add pizzazz to the front entrance of your home with new plants, planters, an outdoor light, a mailbox, or other attractive features.
Clutter tops the list for discouraging offers and reducing the amount of those offers. Get rid of or prepack as much as possible. What you do absolutely need to keep for immediate use, store out of site in furniture or arrange neatly in closets with ample space. Most of your clothes, media, books, collections, office items, toys, wall art and personal photos can be prepacked and removed from the living areas.
Each room or area should have a clear purpose such as: living room, dining room, bedroom, home office. Avoid having rooms other than great rooms serve more than one purpose. Keep only the essential furniture in each room to maximize the feeling of space.
Spring clean your house. Everything should be thoroughly dusted, vacuumed, or washed. Animal and smoking smells in particular, must be thoroughly cleaned, not just covered up with air fresheners.
Sell the lifestyle. Add an arrangement to several rooms such as fresh flowers, candles, or an attractively set table. Each room should be appealing as if it were a fine hotel.
By: CD Mohatta