LIFESTYLE: Four Reasons to Upgrade the Kitchen

 When was the last time your kitchen was upgraded? It’s a huge job to do it, but it’s a job that needs doing when your kitchen is starting to fall apart. It’s considered the hub of the home, and the reason for this is because it’s a communal area for socializing and cooking. You make your meals, you chat to friends and you spend time here to feel at home. 


The kitchen may seem outdated from time to time and that’s when you need to look at upgrading it! From getting new appliances installed from Andi-Co to retiling the walls and floor, you can make your kitchen the best place possible in the home. Not only will you love the new renovations and what they will look like, you’ll add value to the house in ways that you can’t in any other room of the house. Take a look at the four reasons to upgrade the kitchen you needed.

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  1. You’ll make it worth more money. You might want to sell your home at some point and if so, you should do all that you can to make sure that it’s worth what you’re asking for it. You need to have beautifully designed and crafted kitchen cabinets, as well as all of the appliances in the kitchen that make sense for you. The more you change up your kitchen, the more you will improve the resale value of your home.

  2. Replace the surfaces. Most people start with a very spacious kitchen but it gets filled with surfaces of different materials and sizes. While it’s nice to have appliances, if these are taking your kitchen space you need to look at replacing the surfaces. Remodeling the kitchen means that you will be able to create more space and upgrade the surfaces you’ve spent so long looking at.

  3. Customizing the cabinets. When you customize your cabinetry with new fixtures, under cabinet lighting and new paintwork, you give them a fresh look and this can help you to play around with new styles. You want your kitchen to be reflective of what you need, as we said, and you can do that when you have the right lighting in place. Your style should be reflected throughout your kitchen space so that you can upgrade it to suit your needs and your view.

  4. Upgrade your energy. The appliances you buy are going to be much better if they are energy efficient. Green appliances will run more cheaply and you can virtually change everything in your kitchen to be more energy efficient if you know how to look for it. Invest in eco friendly appliances and that means you’re going green - saving you time, money and reducing energy waste.


All of these reasons are going to help you to determine how your kitchen looks in the end. When you upgrade your kitchen, you add value to your home, add personality to your house and you can do better for the environment as a result.


LIFESTYLE: How To Protect Your Home

As a homeowner, it's important that you take good care of your property. After all, this will ensure your home remains a safe and comfortable space where you actually enjoy spending time. It also means that you can sell the property quickly when the time comes.  


Photo by Terrah Holly on Unsplash


With that in mind, here are some simple steps you can take to protect your property and keep it in good condition. 


Carry out regular maintenance. 


While you may be keen to give your home a makeover in order to breathe some new life into the space, carrying out regular maintenance on your property brings around the most impactful changes. This is particularly true when it comes to making the property safer. For example, you should ensure that you inspect your roof for any signs of damage at least once a month, replacing any tiles when necessary. This is because, if left unattended too, damaged or broken tiles expose your home to the elements. Even the smallest hole could allow water to enter your home which could lead to flooding or structural damage. 


Keep pests away. 


Pests are the kind of houseguest you never want to let through the door. However, when they find their way into their home, they can cause a lot of damage. They could also put your health at risk since they can “spread diseases through their fur, feet, droppings, urine and saliva, as well as harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli”. 


As a result, those looking to protect their home should take pest prevention seriously. Thankfully, there are various ways you can achieve this goal, such as by installing flyscreens and security doors, which allow natural light into your home without compromising on safety. You can find out more at osborne flyscreens & security doors.


Get rid of the clutter. 


Believe it or not, the presence of clutter within your home could present a serious risk to your health and safety. For example, piles of clutter create a clear tripping hazard. However, it could also be impacting your mental health, with a recent study finding that “the visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.” Finally, it also increases stress and anxiety levels. As a result, you can protect your property by researching various ways to attain a clutter free home. For example, you could invest in new storage options or 

Spring-clean your home regularly. 


Invest in home security features. 


Home security features provide you with greater peace of mind whenever you leave your home unattended. Furthermore, studies suggest that home security features such as alarms and cameras act as a clear deterrent to offenders; meaning you're less likely to fall victim to theft or robbery should you have these systems in place. Thanks to the advancement of technology, there are countless home security features you might want to install to help protect your home, such as Ring Doorbells. This allows you to see exactly who is at your door - and when - even when you’re not at the property. As a result, you’re able to contact authorities quickly should something go wrong. 


LIFESTYLE: Tips To Help You feel A Lot More Useful In This World

 

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It can be very easy to feel like a pointless member of society – especially when you get into a bad rut. The fact is that you aren’t, however. You may have even been told a few negative things by awful people and bullies in the past – and it may have affected the way you think – but you should do your best to understand that it isn’t true.

 

The feeling of uselessness isn’t great because it can stop our happiness and really stunt productivity. We’re meant to be on our feet doing things a lot of the time, so feeling useless isn’t going to help us in our mental health or anything we want to do in life. If you are feeling a little down about yourself recently, here are some things you can do to feel a lot more useful:

 

Do Things For People You Care About 

 

When we are making others feel good, it makes us feel good with a kind of mirrored effect. Doing things for people we care about allows us to feel as though we are a vital part of this earth. They’ll be grateful for it. They’ll also be more inclined to help you out in the future – which will, of course, make you feel like a useful member of society.

 

Learn To Drive And Get To More Places 

 

If you drive already, then you’ll know how useful this is as a whole. If you don’t, then you might feel a little shackled by your situation. Learning to drive and getting a car for yourself can allow you to do pretty much whatever you want – within reason. You’ll soon be looking at Electric Car Deals or looking for the car you’ve always liked and getting way more out of your days.

 

Talk To A Mental Health Professional About Things 

 

When things become a little too difficult, it’s wise to let someone know that you’re struggling – someone who can genuinely help. A professional will get you back to positive thinking and let you view the world through perspectives that you perhaps haven’t seen before. It always seems a little daunting beforehand, but things like therapy tend to work really well. It’s not something that would ever be regretted.

 

Make Plans And Lists For The Things You Do Each Day/Week

 

The fact of the matter is that you are more useful in this world – whether you like it or not. There are things you do of value and there are people out there who want you around. If you simply cannot see it, then it’s worth writing down. Sure, this boring task might seem pointless and unnecessary, but it will help you out. Sitting down for ten minutes and writing out the things you have planned for the day will not be much effort and will help you out so much. You’ll feel accomplished when you tick certain boxes and it’ll make you realize that you are a lot more productive than what you’re perhaps telling yourself.


LIFESTYLE: How to Upgrade Your Bathroom on a Budget

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If you are bored of your current bathroom decor, you don’t need to rip it out and invest in a renovation to make a change. Instead, you can utilise your budget to make some smaller changes that will create a huge impact. Regardless of what budget you are working with, there is always a way to spruce up your bathroom and give it a new lease of life. There may also be some cases, for example, if you live in a rented property, where you are not allowed to make permanent changes. This can make it difficult to make your home your own. 

With the right tools and knowledge, you can refresh your bathroom without breaking the bank or breaching any restrictions placed on a rental agreement. Here are some top tips to help you get started. 

#1 Clean your tiles 

More often than not, bathrooms can look old and worn because they haven’t been cleaned thoroughly enough. With general household products, you can invest time in cleaning your bathroom tiles to remove the build-up of limescale, mould and grime and give them a new lease of life. With just a small budget, you can also buy a regrouting solution or a grout revising pen from your local DIY store or supermarket. You cannot easily clean grout, so this will refreshen up your bathroom instantly. 

#2 Refresh the paint

Paint can make the world of difference to any room. You can choose to repaint your bathroom with the same colour to top it up and refresh your current look, alternatively, you can choose to make a statement and give your bathroom a new look with a different colour. Some people are choosing bright and bold colours, and even painting patterns on the wall to create special effects. The most popular colours for the bathroom are light blue, light green, creamy white, soft grey, taupe, charcoal, pistachio and cerulean blue. Choose your favourite colours or a colour that will contrast with your current decor to make them pop. You can also add wallpaper to your bathroom, as long as it will withstand the moisture and humidity. Many people are opting for brushstrokes or botanical wallpaper to create a unique look, while others are putting wallpaper on their ceilings to enjoy in the bathtub. 

#3 Update the decor

A lack of decor in your bathroom can leave your space feeling dull and empty. Utilise the power of decor to create a space with a pop of colour. For example, you can buy yourself new bath mat sets, change the fixtures and fittings, a new lampshade, a funky-shaped mirror with lights, floating shelves, a decorative ladder, a gallery wall, a dressing table, colourful splashbacks, artwork, hanging plants, candles, a bookcase, or anything that your heart desires. 

There has never been a better time to get creative with your bathroom decor. People are going above and beyond the standard bathroom decor to create unique bathrooms without breaking the bank. You can do the same by following these top tips.

#4 Install new blinds

Using DIY to upgrade your bathroom can be a great way to save money and personalize your space. Adding new blinds or shutters to your bathroom can be a relatively simple and cost-effective way to make a big impact. When choosing new blinds or shutters for your bathroom, consider the size and layout of the space, as well as the style and theme of the room. You may want to opt for moisture-resistant materials, such as vinyl or PVC, to withstand the humidity and moisture found in bathrooms. It can be helpful to get a quote from professionals about the materials that will be needed for the project. This can help you budget for the project and make sure that you have all of the necessary materials on hand. When getting a quote, be sure to provide the professionals with accurate measurements of your windows and any other relevant details about the project, such as the style of the blinds or shutters that you are interested in. The professionals should be able to provide you with a detailed list of the materials that will be needed, in some cases free of charge when you visit website. With careful planning and attention to detail, you can use DIY to upgrade your bathroom on a budget and create a space that is both functional and stylish.