Guest Post - Three Sentiments to Change How You Think About Garage Clutter

Clutter harbors dirt, vermin, and negative energy. It can be a safety hazard and cause garage door damage or failure. One of the complaints we hear quite often is that the contents of the garage belong to someone else living in the home. Hint: it’s usually women who tell us this.

In the interest of harmonious family dynamics, we will also say that women are more likely to take over the master bedroom closet. So, clutter in the home and garage is a family problem, regardless of who put it there. Today, we’re going to talk about methods of dealing with garage clutter and how to regain possession of your garage after clutter takes over by changing your thinking about the garage.

Make it a family venture, for a family gain.

When a family pulls together on a project like cleaning the garage, there is a benefit to each member, as garages are often the family entryway into the home. A clean garage will create an ambiance for everyone as they arrive home from various daily endeavors.

Once the entire family has spent time cleaning the garage, they have a vested interest in keeping it clean.

Make it as a living space.

Even though we don’t usually think of the garage as a living space, it is no less valid just because we don’t spend time eating or watching TV in it. While we also don’t spend quality time in our front hallway, we wouldn’t think of dropping a box of fishing vests or summer sandals in the foyer and leaving them there for the winter.

Once we mentally shift gears and think of the garage as a living space, we redefine what is acceptable concerning clutter. By rethinking priorities, we create options for dealing with those items which will probably spend a substantial amount of time in the garage.

Have a nuts-and-bolts plan

A storage plan to make the best use of garage space should include a place for everything a family intends to keep in the garage. A place for everything means there will not be any ‘orphans,’ or things which don’t have a home. Some families will benefit from having a labeling system for everything, but the point is that items aren’t randomly assigned to an empty corner.

Storage should be custom planned, as each family will have a different set of storage needs. Some ideas for making storage more family-friendly are racks for tools, storage bins (which can be stored overhead), a workbench, boat rack, bike rack, ceiling racks, toolbox, pegboards, canvas storage bags, and, of course, garage cabinets.

Flexibility is an essential component because the number and type of car products, fishing gear, cleaning items, bikes, garden, and automotive tools, and seasonal items will change over time. Garage management will depend heavily on having things available in order of necessity. The less-used items are in a somewhat less convenient location than those which are more often needed. However, as a family warms to the concept of the garage as a living space, they will use this thinking, available storage, and their inherent desire for a lovely home to continually rearrange garage items as needed to maintain a beautiful living space.

About the author: Danny Cappello is a co-founder of Quick Response Garage Doors. When not busy with work Danny enjoys playing tennis, and spending time with his family. You can check him out on Linkedin.

Guest Post - What’s the Best Swimming Pool for Your Home?

There are many reasons why you should seriously consider adding a pool to your backyard design, especially if you live in Australia or some other place that gets a lot of sunshine during the year. To begin with, it will significantly improve the quality of living in your household. Next, you’ll be able to entertain friends and family during those hot summer days. Finally, it is something that most definitely increases the value of your house if you decide to sell it.

Still, all these benefits can be achieved only if you chose the type of the pool wisely. With so many options out there, it’s too easy to make the wrong choice. There are quite a few things you have to take into consideration and here are the most important ones.

Your budget

This is usually the most important element, since it includes not only the price of having a new pool installed, but also the cost of its maintenance (which is something many people tend to neglect). Basically, you have two options: above-ground and inground swimming pools. The former are cheaper and mobile, but they don’t boost home value very much. On the other hand, the inground ones are more expensive to install, but allow you to choose your own design, size and material.

Your space

Another important factor is the available space. While it is common for people to opt for above-ground solutions if they are short of space, we can see more and more Australian homeowners going for inground pools even in smaller backyards. The reason is simple. The fact that you can choose any shape you like allows you to use the available space most efficiently.

Material

If you have decided to have an inground pool, you should know that it involves concrete being poured into a steel mould that shapes the outline of the pool. That’s how you achieve the desired shape, such as a lap pool, plunge pool, spa pool or infinity edge pool, to name but a few. If you hire reliable pool builders from Sydney, they’ll install a pool that is strong and durable, which will only increase the value of your property.

Longevity

Before you make the final call on what type of pool you’d like, consider your plans regarding staying in the house. If you’re planning on moving soon and are not interested in investing in your property to get more money when you sell it, an above-ground pool is probably the best choice. If, on the other hand, you have no plan of leaving home anytime soon, you can consider having a pool that will last forever.

Freshwater or saltwater

If you live close to the amazing Australian beach, you may think that there is no need to have saltwater in your pool too. That’s perfectly OK, especially since the installment is usually more expensive. On the other side, saltwater is great for people who can’t afford to spend a lot of time maintaining the pool, since saltwater is able to produce chlorine by itself. Freshwater, on the other hand, requires more maintenance, so only those who can allocate enough time should choose this option. However, swimming pools relying on chlorine are typically much cheaper. Whichever option you choose, you should always keep your pool in pristine conditions for the safety of all those who use it.

As you can see, there is no universal solution to every situation, since no two situations are the same. Many factors influence the decision and they all need to be taken into serious consideration. The best idea is to consult experts or other pool owners and ask about their experience. Only then will you be able to make the decision based on your budget, space available and the amount of time you are able to dedicate to maintaining it.

Author’s Bio: Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in home improvement topics and latest DIY projects. In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.

Guest Post - Gift-Giving Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts of Wedding Presents

Weddings are a wonderful celebration of love and unity and an opportunity to shower the happy couple with presents that will make their life more comfortable and beautiful. But, what is the acceptable gift for such an occasion?

Do follow the registry

Registries exist for a reason. Most couples need the basics for their new life together, so buying from the registry will ensure they really get what they want. Sure, buying towels might not be super exciting and original, but that’s something that will get used a lot and really make their lives easier. Sticking to the registry is your safest bet.

Do personalized gifts

In recent years, personalized and customized gifts have become increasingly popular for weddings. A wine gift basket filled with various types of wine and gourmet snacks is a practical and sentimental gift that the couple can enjoy on special occasions or save for a future milestone, such as their first anniversary. Other ideas for customized gifts can include monogrammed towels or linens, custom-made jewelry, or a piece of artwork featuring the couple's initials or a special quote. These gifts show the couple that you have put thought and effort into selecting a gift that is meaningful and unique to them. Keep in mind that customized gifts may take longer to produce, so order them well before the wedding to ensure that they arrive on time. As with any gift, it's the thought counts, and the couple is sure to appreciate the personalized touch that a customized gift brings.

Do cash out

In many cases, couples prefer cash, so there’s no shame in stuffing an envelope and gifting it to the newlyweds. However, some cultural exceptions might exist, so if you’re unsure, check with the couple or their family members and friends. Cash is especially attractive to younger couples who are just starting their lives together and need the money for student loans or getting a place to live. Couples like that will survive without a new toaster, but money might be something they really need. If cold cash is a bit too impersonal for you, you can opt for personalized gift cards that allow your couple to shop in millions of stores around the world and online. Just choose your design or upload an image and the newlyweds will get the personalized card in the mail.

Do ship it

Bringing gifts to the wedding can be tricky, both for you and the wedding party. You will need to carry the gift with you and the bridesmaids, or couple’s family, will have to make sure all the gifts reach the newlyweds in one piece after they get back from the honeymoon. So, instead, choose to ship the gift to the bride and groom’s home. This will spare you all the hustle and skip the middleman. It's better to ship it off directly, especially when it's something valuable like a diamond ring, designer piece necklace, or pearl earrings like Mikimoto pearl earrings to avoid damaging or worse, losing the gift on the way.

Don’t wait too long

Even though there’s an old tradition that states that wedding guests have a year to give the couple a gift. However, it’s better to leave that old belief in the past and give your present on time. Even sending your gift a bit before the wedding is completely acceptable. A couple of months delay is something you can get away with, but anything longer than that is considered rude.

Don’t underspend

Underspending is just a trait of bad taste. The amount of money people usually spend on the gift depends on the closeness to the couple and location of the wedding. Most people agree that spending between $50 and $75 is a good number for an acquaintance, $75 to $125 is a good amount for a friend while close relatives usually go $125 and above. If it’s a destination wedding, you can spend less, but if you’re bringing a plus one, spend a bit more.

Don’t hesitate to go with a group gift

If you’re planning on getting your couple something big, it’s more than okay to group up. However, make sure to check whether newlyweds need that item. If they already have a washing machine, getting another one will be a complete waste of money. But, if that’s something you know they need, it’s an amazing group gift idea the couple will know how to cherish.

Sticking to this guide will ensure your couple is satisfied with their gift and that you don’t embarrass yourself. Now that you know your gift won’t flunk, you can relax and get wild on the dance floor!

Author Bio: Amelia Atkins is an author at Smooth Decorator and a fresh architecture student. The love for architecture and design runs in her family and she knew what she wanted to do from a very young age. You can often find her with a notepad in hand, just looking at the clouds, dreaming about the next skyscraper. Twitter / Facebook.

Marie Kondo Revisited

Now that Marie Kondo’s Netflix show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo has dropped people can't stop talking about her methods. We read her book a few years ago and thought it was worth discussing again.

Joy Indeed

Many of you have heard of Marie Kondo the Japanese decluttering guru. Her two books “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “Spark Joy” are hot on best seller lists.  After attending her lecture this past January at the Japanese Society in New York City and reading “Spark Joy”, we recognized that at H2H we already incorporate some of Kondo’s methods. Here are 5 of Kondo’s tips from the book “Spark Joy” which we feel are especially useful.

“The key to success in tidying (organizing) is to finish discarding first"

We find it much easier to plan for systems to help you organize when we know the quantity of what is being kept. At H2H with our efficient, sort, simplify and store process we help you determine what to keep and then make good decisions regarding how and where things will be stored.

“It might come in handy is taboo"

At H2H we realize that keeping objects because they “might” be used someday usually creates much more clutter than needed usually in closets and garages. We gently help you to understand how to sort through and keep what is useful, practical or sentimental.

“Don’t throw away things that bring you joy simply because you aren’t using them"                                                                                                                                    

If something puts a smile on your face when you wear it or see it, relax! Don’t listen to that friend who says, you don’t need or haven’t wore it in ten years. We won’t encourage you to part with anything that brings you happiness. We will help you find homes for your special items.

“The words tidying (organizing) and cleaning are often used synonymously, but they are two completely different things"                                                                                             

Many clients find themselves overwhelmed by the two and cannot separate them. As mentioned before the closets tend to get cluttered during cleaning. At H2H our expertise will help you with the 3 S’s sort, simplify and store. We will also recommend cleaning tips to maintain a beautiful home.

“Make accessory storage as attractive as possible"                                                        

Kondo suggests using items from your home such as attractive boxes or dishes to store jewelry or accessories. At H2H we believe in utilizing storage compartments or holders from your house if possible. If necessary, we will recommend outside storage solutions, but you would be surprised how little you have to buy. We want to leave you with an attractive and organized systems, which will help you to love the space you are in.