Spring is here, and you may be eagerly anticipating some April showers to help your May flowers grow. However, if you don’t prepare your home, rainy weather can cause a plethora of problems, such as structural damage and mold. Add the tasks in this guide to your regular maintenance schedule to help keep your home dry and your yard safe whenever rain is in the forecast.
Clean and repair gutters and downspouts
Your gutters are essential for channeling water away from your home, but when they’re c...If you have a good credit score, you can probably get approved for a credit card that doesn’t have an annual fee. The benefits? You’ll have a credit card without being stuck with an annual fee, and you’ll be happier.
Consumers with no-annual-fee credit cards were twice as likely to be satisfied with their card than consumers with annual-fee cards—70 percent to 35 percent—according to a recent survey from Discover, a major issuer of no-fee credit cards.
The main drawback is that most cards witho...Suffice it to say that no kitchen appliance gets more traffic than the refrigerator, and all that use means it’s prone to mess. The next time your fridge is due for a cleaning, consider using eco-friendly agents that are just as effective as some of the harsher products you’ll find at the store. The best part? They’ll save you some serious green!
Oust OdorsWith varied foods stored inside refrigerators, it’s no wonder the appliances are susceptible to odor. To eliminate unpleasant smells, remove...
A well-decluttered home can bring a sense of peace and order to even the busiest person’s lifestyle. Unfortunately for self-identifying clutter bugs, the reverse holds true. If you are ready to get to work on your home and declutter your piles of clothes, there are a few tried-and-true tips you should have in your arsenal.
Use the Shopping TestIt can be hard to determine what to cull and what to keep when decluttering. Sentimentality can make it even more complicated. If you’re wavering on what...
If you have small children, you know how hard it can be to keep your house clean. Here are some strategies to help you avoid getting stressed out and make your home presentable in case you have unexpected guests.
Set Realistic Expectations and Communicate ThemIf you had high standards for cleanliness before you had kids, holding yourself and your young children to those same expectations will only leave you frustrated. Make keeping the house clean a priority but be realistic. Focus first and fo...
Real estate is a year-round proposition, so exterior staging and curb appeal are always important. When getting your home ready to sell, it’s a good idea to take some time to drive around the block, and then pull up in front as if you were seeing your house for the first time. This will allow you to pick out things that might turn off potential buyers and spruce up areas that need improvement.
Here are ten ways to make your winter listing look warmer, cozier, and more beautiful when buyers and...Many Americans don’t realize how much water their family uses in a typical day or how much of that water is wasted. Conserving water can help to protect the environment and lower your bills.
How to Save Water in the House
If you typically leave the water running while you wash dishes, brush your teeth or shave, that can waste hundreds of gallons each month. Work on breaking the habit to reduce your water bills.