Guest Post - How to Protect Your Home From Pests

Bugs can enter your home through openings in your walls. They are often more prevalent during the winter months, but they can invade at any time of year. To help keep your home protected from pests, follow the tips below. 

1. Trim Your Trees and Use Less Mulch

Cutting off excess tree branches reduces the chance of bugs entering your home. The extended limbs can act as bridges for them. Make sure to trim the ones closest to your house first. 

Also, when doing yard work, limit the amount of mulch you use. Mulch can be a hiding place for many pests. Consider using rocks as an alternative ground covering. 

Here are some other alternatives to mulch that you can add to your garden: 

• Pea gravel 

• Newspaper

• Leaves

• Grass clippings 

• Pine needles 

2.  Seal Doors and Windows 

Pests can squeeze through the cracks in your windows or doors. This is why it is essential to inspect them regularly. Also, look out for any rips or tears in your window screens. Properly sealing your doors and windows can help eliminate these gaps. You can use either caulk or weatherstripping to close up any holes. 

3. Remove Animal Nests From Your Roof

Insects can create nests on top of your roof. During the winter, they enter your home through small openings within your exterior. Regularly perform a roof inspection to keep your house protected. You want to get rid of these nests before the bugs reproduce and you end up with an infestation. 

4. Properly Dispose of Any Trash or Litter

Your garage can attract pests inside your home, so make sure your garbage bins are tightly covered. You should also rinse out the cans and remove any food spills. 

Here are some additional ways to keep your trash can pest-free:

• Keep all garbage in the bag 

• Clean out any containers before throwing them away

• Repair holes 

• Install motion detectors 

• Spray ammonia

Your yard can also provide homes for pests to hide in. Keep your lawn free of debris, such as leaves, paint clippings or standing water. 

5. Use the Right Lightbulbs

To help reduce the number of bugs around your windows and doors, add high-power pressure sodium vapor or halogen lights. Bulbs with pink, yellow or orange tints can help keep pests away. Yellow lights are often used because bugs confuse the light source with the moon, which they use as a navigational tool. They will want to keep a distance from the light. 

You may also consider changing the location of your lights. It is common for exterior lights to be located near your doors. Instead, you might want to place them further away from your home on a pole. This can draw insects away from your house. 

How to Keep Your Home Pest-Free 

Your home should be a place to relax. However, bugs can find their way in through gaps in your exterior. Consider these tips to keep your house safe from unwanted pests.

Author bio: Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, where she offers advice on home renovation, maintenance, and organization.

What To Look For in Your New Apartment

Figuring out what to look for in your new apartment is no easy task. There are so many aspects to consider, and when there’s a plethora of options on the market, it can be hard to narrow down what’s most important to you. Hopefully, this guide will help you get a better idea of what’s necessary for your next apartment and what isn’t.

Check Out the Neighborhood

Nobody wants to move into the bad part of town, but sometimes you don’t have that luxury due to price restraints or what’s available at the time of looking. The key thing to remember is not all sections of the bad area are all that horrible. Some neighborhoods might be better than you originally heard. Be sure to do your research before making a decision.

On the other side of things, even if you’re looking at the best apartment complex in the whole state, it might not be the best fit for you. The neighbors might be unbearable. The owners might nickel-and-dime you for every little thing that goes wrong. It could even have horrible construction nearby that will make you late for work every day. Many overlooked details could make a place that seems great be the wrong choice for you.

Ask About What’s Included

It’s a good idea to know what you’ll be paying for in your new apartment. The common things to ask about are electricity, water, gas, and Wi-Fi, but there are plenty of other things to consider as well. Find out if there are washers and dryers. If there are, ask if they are in-unit or communal. The same goes for parking. Figure out how many spaces you get, if they cost extra, and if there is guest parking. If you have pets, ask them what their policy is for them or if they’re even allowed in the first place.

These are some of the most important questions to ask. There are plenty of others that might be more relevant to you, so make sure you list them out and set aside some time to get them answered.

Find Something That Fits Your Style

When people ask friends and family what to look for in a new apartment, one thing that no one ever seems to suggest is to find something that fits your style. If you’re going to be paying a lot of money to live there each month, we would hope that it’s something that you enjoy living in. When searching, make sure you like the layout of the apartment. There are so many aspects to consider when looking at the floorplan.

If you can’t find the perfect fit for your style, ask the landlord what you can change. Chances are there won’t be too much you can change, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. Some apartment complexes don’t mind you making changes as long as you change them back when you leave. This can open a lot more opportunities for you if making changes is an option.

How to Feel Settled Into a New Home After Moving

When you move into a new house, it can be hard to feel comfortable there at first. The house might feel like it still belongs to someone else or that it just is not home to you. There are some things that you can do to feel more settled and comfortable in your new home.

Fill the Home With a Scent that You Love

If there was a certain scent that you always used in your last home, you might find a way to fill your new home with that scent. If you love using an essential oil diffuser, you might get one of those started up in your new home while you are still unpacking. The smell of a house can make the place homey or not, and you have the power to fill your new house with any scent you like.

Set the Home Up With Comforts and Conveniences

If you have to get out of your car to open the garage at your new house, you are not going to feel settled there. You should purchase garage door openers and get your garage set up so that the door will open for you at a push of a button. You should also set your home up with other conveniences that you are used to, such as smart speakers, a dishwasher, and a refrigerator that is easy to use.

Give Yourself Time in the New Home

If you want to feel comfortable in a space, you need to spend time there. It can be hard to have time at home when you have just moved, but you should try to limit your plans so that you can spend time just being in your new house and getting to know it. Spend time relaxing in the new place and figuring out which rooms you like to spend time in the most.

Get to Know Your New Neighbors and Neighborhood

When you do feel the need to get out of the house, spend your time walking your neighborhood and getting to know all that the area offers. Talk with your new neighbors and get to know them. Try to make connections in the new area where you are living. You will feel more at home when you know those living around you.

Moving can be stressful and tiring. With a little time, though, you can get settled into your new home and love living there.

How To Improve Your Lawn Before Selling Your Home

Your lawn can be just as much of an asset when it comes to selling your home as any other room in the house. What you present to the world on the exterior is the first impression that people will have, and you’re going to want it to be as positive as possible. Putting in the time and knowing how to improve your lawn before selling your home can raise the value and intrigue more potential buyers into giving your house a chance.

The Grass is Your Top Priority

Most likely, more than trees, bushes, or flowers, your lawn is going to be covered in grass. Because there is so much of it on display, you need to make sure that you’re implementing the right techniques to take care of it. You’ll want to avoid any dead patches, over-cutting, or uneven length.

Best Ways To Maintain Grass

Watering

Whether early in the morning or late at night, you need to water your grass. The timing is important because if you do it in the middle of the day when the sun is still out, it’ll cause the water to evaporate rather than having it absorbed by the grass.

Cutting

Always check to see if your mower blades are dull. If you do start cutting with worn-out blades, it can cause the grass to tear apart instead of getting a clean and even slice. Also, try not to cut it too short; never cut more than a third of the grass’s length in one mowing session.

Invest in Landscape Lights

Showing off the natural beauty of your lawn will only highlight the positives to potential buyers. Allowing your yard to be obscured by darkness won’t add anything to the value of your home if it’s not presented properly. Among other benefits to landscape lighting, it generates greater visual interest in your home to fascinate potential buyers.

Cut Down On Traffic Across Your Lawn

From pets to guests, anyone walking over your lawn can cause damage to it that is difficult to heal; this can result in patches of dead grass or areas that are noticeably trampled. It won’t matter if you invest the time and money into taking care of your lawn if people are literally walking all over your hard work. Limit the people on your property to maintain the pristine look buyers are interested in.

Treat It Like a Piece of Art

Your lawn is a delicate environment that can be susceptible to damage—damage which may not be easily fixed. Knowing how to improve your lawn before selling your home is one thing, but maintaining it is another. It’s up to you to make sure the beauty of your yard makes it to the closing sale.