Guest Post - Preparing Your Home Before a Disaster

No one wants to think about having to go through any kind of damaging disaster. But, it’s impossible to ignore the recent uptick in hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and other damaging feats of nature that are causing serious problems. 

While you can’t prevent these disasters from occurring, there are things you can do to protect your home. It’s a crucial practice, even if you’re nowhere near a “danger zone”. Being proactive about these things will help to keep you and your loved ones safe. 

Let’s take a look at a few of the most common disasters (both natural and unnatural) and how you can prepare yourself and your home for them. 

Taking Care of Yourself

One of the best things you can do for yourself and your family is to educate yourself on the common types of disasters in this country, including: 

• Hurricanes

• Earthquakes

• Fires

• Flooding

• Tornadoes
  It’s also a good idea to take a look at where you are in the country to determine which disasters are most likely to affect you. You might notice that your home is constructed a certain way. It might have a coastal crawlspace or waterproof basement depending on where you live. Taking a look at things like that will give you an indication of what you can expect. 

Preparation for yourself and your loved ones should include having a plan in place for any type of disaster. Your family should know their evacuation route, and you should know which shelters in your area you should be going to. Planning ahead and even “practicing” for these situations can make a big difference if they ever occur. 

Taking Care of Your Home

If you live in an area that is commonly known for certain disasters, there are steps you should take to protect your home. That starts by looking at your foundation and any maintenance issues that need to be addressed. If you’re considering moving to a new home, consider things like: 

• Structural issues

• Damage to roofing

• Water damage (be sure to check the attic!)

• Fire hazards (electrical system)

• Mold or other toxins

If you’re not moving and want to prepare your current home, don’t be afraid to take on a few DIY projects to help with everything from structural integrity to waterproofing certain areas. Seal up any cracks in the foundation, look for any rotting and take care of any water damage, and strengthen the overall structure of your home from the inside out. You might not be able to prevent a disaster from causing damage, but you might be able to minimize that damage with the right proactive steps. 

Taking Care of Your Finances

After disaster strikes, whether it’s something like an earthquake or a house fire, you might be left with serious damages to take care of. The cleanup itself can be overwhelming. But, dealing with insurance companies and wondering how you’re going to rebuild anything is the real long-term issue. 

One of the best things you can do is to prepare yourself ahead of time. You never know when an unfortunate event might strike. So, having money stored away in a savings account is a great way to not be so dependent on insurance. 

You also might consider taking out a personal loan either before or after a disaster. It’s easier than you might think if you can still gather your personal information and you have a reliable credit score. 

It’s easy to look at your home after a disaster and think to yourself, “what now?”, but preparing as much as possible ahead of time will give you peace of mind that you can get through this, and move forward in every way.

Author Bio: Noah Rue is a freelance writer.

How to Make Sure the Old Home You're Moving Into Is a Safe and Healthy Environment

Moving into an older home is great, but it comes with a few challenges. You want the older home to have a safe and healthy environment. Go through everything below, and you will feel good about it.

Put in Some Updated Features

One way to make it safer to move into an older home is to update it. Put in new features, such as smoke detectors and a security system. Install a carbon monoxide detector and make sure all the appliances are up-to-date so that you will feel safe using them.

Look for Lead Paint and Asbestos and Remove It

One thing that makes an older home dangerous is the products that were used when it was built. People didn't realize the health dangers of asbestos and lead paint years ago, but you now know how they can cause cancer and other issues. You need to see if any of that is in your older home before you move. Have professionals, such as Ozbestos Removal get any of it out of there for a safe home.

Make Sure the Electrical System Is up-to-Date

An electrical fire would not only be a big problem, but it would also be dangerous. Have the electrical system looked into and updated before moving. It is worth paying to have the whole system redone when you know you will be safe because of it.

Test the Flooring and Stairs

Rotten wood or any kind of instability issue could cause some big problems, and you need to check the flooring and stairs before you move into the older house. Make sure the foundation is in good shape. Make sure that flooding won't be an issue, and make sure that there isn't a lot of mold in the flooring or anything like that. Replace the flooring as needed to feel better about the house.

See if the Windows Are Leaking

If the windows are leaking in cold air, then it would not be good for your health to live there in the colder months. If they are not securely shut, then it wouldn't be safe for you to be there because anyone could easily break in. Get new windows if any are not as they should be.

Take care of the house and the issues you find there. Modernize it a bit, and it will be in good shape. You will love the older home when you know it is safe for you to be there.

4 Interior Ideas for House in Modern Forest Style

Living in the forest comes with a wide array of benefits. You are assured of the freshest air possible, you get to escape the hustle and bustles of the urban or suburban centers, and you are constantly surrounded by natural beauty. Spending your life in the forest doesn’t mean that you live in old shabby cabins.

You can construct modern forest-dwelling houses that will make even your visitors admire the green life and architecture. There are timeless interior forest house designs that blend the interior and exterior and allow you to interact freely with your living room. That said, here are the top four interior ideas for a house with a modern forest style.

1. Contemporary Interior Forest House Design

There are sometimes when you’ve confused the modern interior home ideas with the contemporary interior home ideas. Although they share some similarities, the contemporary interior home style stands on its own.

Contemporary home designs boost to date trends instead of the modern styles that literally mean after the 1950s. These Stylish home decor ideas are a preference for many as it’s timeless. This style has successfully triumphed as the best forest interior house design because it doesn’t feel cold, overly minimal, and limiting like most of the modern décor styles. Contrarily, contemporary interior home ideas are calming and serene, which is ideal for the forest environment.

If you are thinking of comfort, practicability, and relaxed interior design ideas then the contemporary design should always be your cream of the cropping idea. Warm and inviting, this design takes its cues from the ultimate mix of low and high contrasts that are perfect especially for a growing family.

2. Minimalist Interior Forest House design

After making a non-fading mark on the house interior design in the 90, minimalist interior design is an infallible way of creating a nuanced and warm house. This design is excellent, and it’s worth your investment. More importantly, if you are living in an isolated forest environment, you need a house interior that warms you up. That’s why the minimalist interior house designs have also found themselves in the forest. Its practical and well-judged approaches have made it never go out of style or trend.

The main idea of minimalist interior design is rooted in simplicity. When you opt for this design, you are for the idea that less is more, keeping it spare, and that everything needs a reason and place approach.

Always think clean, tight edits, modern lines, pared-down silhouettes, and concise color appetite. Spread this warm, rich, multi-layered, and inviting minimalist design into all of your rooms to offer more comfort and refuge.

3. French Country interior Forest House Idea

As with the transitional contemporary home interior design ideas, the French country idea is a hybrid mix of farmhouse, shabby chic, and antique French interior designs full of grown-up and cool ideas.

When you want to instill, these beautiful home décor ideas go for the era-less or timeless sofa, eclectic mix of art pieces, and a small coffee table but with a well-judged combination of juxtapositions.

4. The Modern Country interior Forest House Idea

These home décor ideas are best suited for the forest houses as their style already blends with the environment. It features a dynamic layer of rugged and organic for a warm and comforting interior design. Modern country forest house interior design also exposes large beams of light entering through a large window to illuminate the rooms naturally.

The rustic country elements with a complete mix of minimal, industrial, and Scandinavian touches will help you take advantage of architectural hallmarks. Country-style accessories and pieces, such as jute area rugs and plain accent pillow covers, add texture that complements the interior design.

Bottom Line

Are you one of the forest life enthusiasts, and you are wondering the best modern forest house interior design? We have bundled the above top four interior Ideas for House in Modern Forest Style to kick start your search.

Best Backyard Upgrades For Hosting When It's Finally Safe To Do So

If you’re like thousands of homeowners across the country, you’re gearing up for a summer of—finally!—safely gathering friends and family together for backyard barbecues, cocktail hours, yard games, and s’mores nights. But after a year of being mostly at home, is your backyard ready to entertain? 

HomeLight’s Top Agent Insights Report for Spring 2021 surveyed agents on which backyard upgrades homeowners and potential buyers are finding most desirable this year, and the findings are definitive: outdoor space is huge in 2021 when it comes to the housing market. 

Overall, a fire pit with seating was rated by far the most important, with almost 77% of agents saying it was the top backyard upgrade. A three-way tie came in next— lighting, built-in grills, and outdoor living rooms each received the top vote from about 53% of agents. Finally, 44% of agents say space for outdoor games is key to updating your backyard this year. 

The good news is that most of these upgrades are relatively inexpensive, so that when you sell, you have the potential to reap a positive ROI. If you’re looking to invest in a bigger project, consider adding in a patio or elevated deck, or even creating a backyard office. These work spaces that connect to the outdoors have become increasingly popular as more of us find ourselves looking at a permanent work-from-home future. 

Of course, there are differences in what homeowners want by region. In the Northeast, space for yard games is ranked more important than in the rest of the country; in the South Atlantic, more homeowners and buyers want outdoor TVs. Midwesterners love their elevated decks, while those in the South Central region value built-in grills more highly. And in the Pacific, where many are able to use their outdoor space year-round, outdoor living rooms rank more highly than in the rest of the country.