Most people think of a garage as nothing more than a storage area. But garages can be so much more! In fact, it doesn’t take much to make your garage an efficient workspace and pleasant place to spend time. It starts with clearing out the clutter, which you should do every year or two, and applying a coat of paint or giving the ceiling a fresh look. After that, all you need are some shelving units for tools and other supplies to keep them tidy but accessible. Pretty soon your garage will feel like an extension of your home – comfortable and convenient!

1 – PLACING STORAGE ON THE CEILING

Garages are rarely finished to the same standard as homes and it is sometimes difficult to find a surface where you can place shelves or storage units. This is not the case for those with high ceilings, however. If there’s extra space up there, consider placing storage on the ceiling of your garage. You can use a hook, and bracket system. These don’t have to be anything fancy just a few planks of wood or strips of metal will work. Hang them so they are about 6″ below the ceiling, but not touching it. This way you can store things on them without worrying about them getting wet or too dirty. You can attach the shelves yourself with screws, nails, or even magnets if you don’t want to put holes in the ceiling. Or, you can go for something a little more complicated. The choice is yours.

2 – CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER

The next step to making your garage more functional – and habitable – is clearing out the clutter. Every time you open your garage door, your first instinct should be to clear it all away. So go through everything stored in here and get rid of what you don’t need or use anymore. If that isn’t motivation enough, remember that having a tidy space will make it much easier for you to find tools if you need them in a hurry. Every few months, sort all the supplies and equipment you have down there, checking for broken or dated tools. Toss things that are useless or in poor condition and take the rest to a local thrift shop or donate them to charity. You’ll be surprised by how much extra room you have!

3 – INVEST IN SOME GOOD SHELVING UNITS

In most homes, the garage is where everyone throws whatever they don’t want to deal with, from old toys and tools to boxes of who knows what. The trick to making this space work for you is taking a few minutes every so often to sort through the mess and store things in a place where you can easily find them. Shelving units are a great way to do this, as they’ll not only hold everything neatly, they’ll also allow you to see what you have. When choosing a set for your garage, look for one with rolling tracks that can hold a variety of different items. There are many affordable options available at your local home improvement store that you can build yourself or have assembled professionally, or you can hire a carpenter to do the job for you. The sky is really the limit when it comes to what you can use these for, and how you can customize your garage for comfort and functionality.

4 – PLUS IF YOU HAVE EXTRA LAWN EQUIPMENT…

Lawn equipment takes up a lot of space and it’s usually not stored in garages for long periods because it might get ruined by water, ice, snow, etc. If this problem sounds familiar (or if you want to utilize your garage while still enjoying some outdoor leisure), invest in an outdoor shed. These weather-tight structures are the best way to protect your lawn equipment from the elements.

5 – PAINTING CAN BRIGHTEN UP ANY SPACE

Why not think about giving your garage a fresh coat of paint or adding some stenciling on the ceiling. This is especially important if you don’t plan on having the space finished with drywall or wood paneling. Painting is an inexpensive way to spruce your garage and make it look like a brand new room!

6 – DON’T FORGET THE FLOOR!

Garages are typically made of concrete or asphalt, which can become very dirty and slippery over time. If you want your garage to be safe for all its users (including pets), consider investing in rubber floor mats that absorb moisture and help to keep the space clean.

7 – ADD SOME FINISHING TOUCHES

If you’re going to go through the trouble of making your garage more habitable, why not make it more pleasant? Many people choose to install ceiling fans in the ceilings. Not only do they keep the air circulating, but they also help to keep your appliances from overheating during the summer.

8 – CREATE A WORKBENCH FOR CONVENIENCE

If you do a lot of home improvement, installing a workbench will be useful. This doesn’t have to be complicated – just a couple of simple shelves will do. Not only will you have somewhere to place all your tools, but putting them within sight will make it much easier to find what you need.

9 – INSTALL WALL-MOUNTED CABINETS

Installing your storage off the ground and onto the walls is a great way to free up garage space. You can find specially designed cabinets and units that attach directly to your walls. If you have a lot of stuff to put away, installing these sorts of cabinets might be the best option. In addition to being space savers, they can look very stylish and modern.

Garages are often neglected in favor of the living space. But garages can be so much more! Your garage is a great place to store all your tools, supplies, and equipment that you may need for an outside project or just running errands. And it doesn’t have to look like clutter either–clearing out the clutter every year or two will make sure everything stays organized while being easy to find when needed.

Are you wanting to spice up your backyard by adding a pond but don’t know where to start or what you would like the pond to look like? We’ve got you covered! We rounded up our favorite ideas to give you inspiration for a pond.

A beautiful touch is adding colorful flowers around the pond to make it even more of an eye catcher.

The pond doesn’t have to be huge, it could be small! Big or small, they’re all beautiful!

Raising the pond with wood makes it a beautiful eye catcher and takes it off of the ground.

Are you wanting to take it a step further and be more unique? Adding a stagger to let the waterfall hit makes a beautiful pond.

Another raised pond idea, these are gorgeous!

Adding a pond near the outdoor seating can add a relaxing vibe to the atmosphere.

A small, staggered waterfall pond. The lighting around it is beautiful and illuminates it perfectly.

Adding different heights around the pond makes it pop out more.

Adding a little bridge over the pond makes it pop and lets animals be able to cross the pond.

Adding the pond near a path is a good way to grab guest’s attention.

The raised wooden ponds are our favorite. They look very clean and definitely an eye-catcher.

This is our personal favorite. The pond in a shape of a boat, and surrounded with flowers. Beautiful!

Guest Contributor: Tiffany Powell

If you love nothing more to go over furniture catalogs and look at HGTV, you might want to consider turning your talent and passion for remodeling into a lucrative career. However, opening a thriving renovation business requires more than just good will and money! You need to find your niche, get permits and form various connections. So, before you step out on the market, here are a few things to know about starting your home reno business. 

FIND YOUR SPECIALTY

Biting off more than you can chew will eventually land you various bad situations with clients. It’s always better to find your specialty field where you can deliver what you promise. Ask yourself how many things are you willing to take on yourself, how large your jobs will be and what type of renovations will you perform( period house reno, lux house reno, apartment renovation…)What can you actually offer to the market? While many contractors know how to do a lot of things, it doesn’t mean they should do all of them. Find something you truly excel in, something that separates you from the competition, and concentrate on putting that skill on the market. 

FORM A BUSINESS

Before you start seeing clients, you must choose a particular business structure that will suit your needs. There are four main types of businesses: Sole proprietorship (ideal for solo workers or couples), general partnership (ideal for two people in business), Limited Liability Corporations (for one or several parties) and C Corporations (if you want to grow and go public). Learn more closely about each type, but be sure to choose the right one, since changing your business structure later can be hard. 

GET LICENSES AND INSURANCE

Having all the necessary licenses and insurance is the key to successful business. You’ll need all required contractor’s licenses and necessary certificates for your special niche, as well as business licenses for the city. 

Also, don’t start working until you’re insured. Good general liability insurance will come in handy if someone gets injured at the site or someone damages a piece of property. These are both required by law, especially worker compensation should they get hurt. It’s also good to have commercial property insurance that covers your property (equipment and furniture) and cyber insurance to protect all your sensitive customer data.

PURCHASE A VEHICLE

There’s no way you’ll be able to be a successful contractor without a truck. You don’t have to go super big, but a medium-size trick will help you haul lumber, brick, kitchen counters and even appliances. And you might be worried about the price, sure. Luckily, there are many affordable dealerships that have quality trucks for sale and offer great prices. You can even go used and choose from a wide variety of affordable trucks in great condition. And if you decide to sell your vehicle, you’ll surely get a good price, especially if you pick something used (their price depreciates less over the years). 

ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS WITH SUPPLIERS

Your contact list should be full of reliable contractors. Having plenty of good people around can make or break a job and make a difference between a profit and a loss. Knowing your materials will arrive on time and that your order will be perfect is crucial to finishing your job on deadline or even ahead of it. A firm relationship with everyone from suppliers and vendors to subcontractors is very important. The finished product will carry your name, so don’t let it be dirtied by unreliable business partners. 

PREPARE FOR THE SLOW PERIODS

The home remodeling industry is usually connected very closely to the real estate market and the local economy. But, living in an area with four distinct seasons can also leave a mark on your business. Usually, your summers will be more productive than your winters. This phenomenon is not so visible in places like Australia or Southern USA, but places with cold winters might notice it more. In general, winters are slower, because most people choose to direct money into holidays instead of renovations. But, you can ask customers with a tight budget whether they are willing to postpone their old house renovation until winter. Offer them better prices and you’ll stay busy during this uneventful period of the year. 

Of course, you are expected to make a profit but don’t cut too many corners or you will end up with bad reviews and zero customers. All in all, as long as you offer reliable, affordable and effective services, your home renovation business will provide you with a steady income and plenty of customers looking to get a taste of your product. 

About the author:  Mike Johnston is an avid blogger and content writer with a focus in real estate, home improvement, and the construction industry.

Guest Contributor: Mike Johnston

Image Credit to Trusty Joe

Of all the disasters that could hit your property, water damage is perhaps the worst for so many reasons.

An inch of water flooding your home or place of business may not seem like much, but it can already set you back a few thousand dollars or even more.

Without prompt water damage restoration, that much water can already damage your floor as well as any furniture and appliances soaked in it. All that moisture can also cause mold to form inside your property. The dampness also makes the place an attractive environment for ants, rats, termites, cockroaches, and other critters that love moisture.

All that, however, doesn’t compare to the way water damage could weaken a building’s foundation. Water from rain, snow, or leaky plumbing saturates the soil around your property. Once the soil expands and shifts, it will put pressure on the foundation walls, and eventually cause cracks that compromise the entire structure.

You can prevent water damage from happening, but to do that, you need to know its most common causes. And it’s not just thunderstorms and other types of severe weather that cause water damage. Some of the most common causes of water damage are things that happen within your property. Here are some of them.

BLOCKED GUTTERS

Leaves, branches, bird’s nests, and all kinds of debris can clog your gutter system, which is going to be a problem when it rains. Because all that debris prevents water from flowing away from your house through downspouts like it’s supposed to, rainwater will instead flow over the edges of your gutter and straight down the side of your property. Your ceiling and walls will be prone to water damage when that happens.

PLUMBING PROBLEMS

Loose pipes and broken plumbing are a prime source of water leaks that damage everything they touch over time. It would be even worse if the leaking pipes are inside a wall, especially if it took you a long time to notice the problem. By then, the water-damaged wall would already make for an ideal breeding ground for mold.

CLOGGED DRAINS AND TOILETS

One of the more disgusting causes of water damage is blocked drains and toilets. Grease buildup, hair, or any foreign object can clog drains and toilets and cause water to flow back up. When more than enough water flows back up your drains and toilets, your home could end up flooded with extremely filthy water that won’t just cause water damage, but also make you sick.

WATER HEATER LEAK

Old, poorly-maintained, and incorrectly-installed water heaters are prone to leaking, especially when the water pressure is high, out of loose drain valves and cracks in the tank.

FAULTY SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Sprinkler systems are great when they arrest the spread of fire inside a building but can be quite damaging when they turn on for no reason at all. Malfunctioning sprinkler systems have been known to cause considerable water damage, especially when the affected area has furniture, appliances, and other stuff that aren’t supposed to get wet.

LEAKING WASHING MACHINES

If your washing machine has a water supply line made of rubber or PVC, the constant water pressure will eventually wear it out and cause it to rupture, which will flood your laundry room fast. This won’t be a problem if your washing machine is fed by a braided stainless steel water supply line.

CONDENSATION FROM AC UNIT

When your AC unit is functioning properly, the condensation it produces drips down from its evaporator coil into a condensate pan then exits the unit through a condensate drain line or tube. However, when the drain pan is already damaged, or the condensate drain line is dirty, all that moisture will exit straight from your air conditioning unit into your property’s wall and floor and cause damage.

When you think about it, all the causes of water damage mentioned above are preventable ones. Your gutters, for example, won’t overflow as long as you clean them regularly. Drain screens can prevent hair and other objects from passing through. Regular AC maintenance will keep condensate drain lines clean.

Flooding caused by severe weather may be hard to prevent, especially if your property is in a flood-prone area, but a little effort on your part can help you avoid having to deal with water damage caused by things around the house or place of business.

Guest Contributor: Rachel Anderson

The cost of living has gone up. Not to fear, tiny houses are the new way of life. Keeping the cute, up to date home style you want, with an affordable cost. Tiny houses can have all the essentials needed in a compact space. Not exactly ideal for families, but can make a wonder living area for people constantly on the go or just single person livers. 

 

Most can be customizable with different types of furniture and crafted with ways to store and hide personal items. Most are designed to have hidden drawers and cabinets in the walls that can store things like, collapsible tables, beds and mattresses, and stowaway closets. Furniture is picked with the idea of storage in mind. So even through you want to maintain the minimalist lifestyle, you can also have a little clutter with the handy design of furniture. Luckliy with the small space that youre working with, saving money comes along with that. 

 

Most tiny houses try and have solar panels included with them. Saving energy and power. Second with the small space and minimum of people living in it, bills will be more cost effective overall because of the small space that needs to be powered or heated.

You never have to stay in one place. Some tiny houses can be mobile. A trailer attactment and a truck can take out anywhere. Of course keep in mind you will need to make sure youre parked in a spot that will allow you to stay in one place.

Guest Contributor: Klaudia Schueler

Wipe down areas that are frequently touched or soaked with water. Such as sinks, fridges, toilets and floors. Sitting water can harbor bacteria harmful to your health. Frequently keeping them clean will prevent anything from building up.

 

Wipe down highly touched surfaces. Anything that gets constant hand contact. Doorknobs, cell phones, keyboards and handles areas that can easily spread germs. With the rise of sickness recently it is best to do it on a daily basis or practice.

Keeping food surfaces clean. Tables and counters should be cleaned and sanitized before and after food touches them. Raw meat, eggs and especially old stale food can get you sick if you’re not careful. Take precautions and use disinfectant or warm water and soap to keep these areas clean and to keep any harmful substances away from your body.

Taking out garbage. Trash bins can hold tons of disgusting things and leftover. Not only that but they can carry germs that can get you sick. Waste bins that carry used tissues and anything that could have bodily fluids on it should be taken out right away.

Also, with just 3 easy steps, Rain City Maids will help you clean your home. First, you need to book and select the date and time you would like your cleaning professional to show up. Next, the professional cleaners come over and clean your place for you. And lastly, just set back and relax and enjoy your sparkling clean home.

WASH. YOUR. HANDS. Your hands touch anything and everything. From food to putting on makeup. Anything going into your body or on and around your face should make you think twice about how clean your hands are before you tough anything. Washing your hands frequently will help prevent sickness and spreading dangerous germs and bacteria to neighboring surfaces and people.

In conclusion, currently with spreading illness it is best to keep n mind that you are responsible for how clean you are. Keep your surroundings to keep your house and home clean. It will minimize the risk of sickness and illness to those around you and for your own health.

Guest Contributor: Klaudia Schueler