A resource for those seeking information on organizing and transforming spaces.

Ben Soreff 6/8/21 Ben Soreff 6/8/21

Is A Home Gym Worth The Investment?

Whether you’re buying a new home, building a new home, or repurposing your current home, the thought of an at-home gym has probably crossed your mind. Home gyms have become more popular throughout the year and are staples in many homes. During the pandemic, the necessity for a place to exercise at home became even more prevalent. But home gyms can be expensive, especially if you’re starting from scratch. So the question is, are home gyms worth the investment?

Health

We’ve all been told that investing in our health is one of the most important things we can do. Aside from eating well, exercise is an optimal way to stay healthy. Healthy living has long-term physical, mental and financial benefits. Doctors all over the country recommend daily exercise routines as a method of preventing long-term pain. Additionally, physical exercise helps to keep away diseases and medical problems down the line that are not only dangerous but expensive as well. Many preventable conditions, like hypertension and type 2 diabetes, come from lack of exercise and healthy eating. The cost of doctor's visits, prescription medicines, and co-payments takes more of a hit on your wallet than a home gym would. Having a home gym can aid in staying consistent with the physical part of healthy living.

Accessibility

The biggest perk of having a home gym is accessibility. Unlike a traditional gym, a home gym is open 24/7. Whether you need to fit in an early workout before work or a late-night session before bed, a home gym is never closed. You have access to all the equipment you like and you don’t have to wait in line behind other gym-goers for any machine. There is also no need for calculating a commute time when looking at an at-home fitness center. From any room in your home, you’re only a minute away from the gym. The perk of accessibility goes further if you or anyone in your household is in a wheelchair or relies on any sort of adaptive equipment. Many major gyms are not entirely accessible to those with disabilities. Being able to personalize both the machines and the location of the gym eliminates any potential accessibility issues.

Functionality

The price of your typical gym membership factors in a lot of different costs. The cost of rent, utilities, employees, machines, amenities, and maintenance churns out a hefty price tag. Oftentimes, we don’t even take full advantage of all the things we are paying for. Whether that’s because you don’t have the time or because you don’t like a certain machine or amenity, you’re still paying for all of it when you get that monthly bill. Putting together your home gym eliminates all these excessive costs. You can customize the space to be functional for you and your needs. If you’re more of a cardio person you can choose mostly cardio equipment. If you tend to stick to weights and lifting, you can choose machines that reflect that. While it may be more expensive upfront than a monthly gym membership, you’re paying for what you need and what is most functional for you.

Long Term Costs

Having a home gym provides more financial benefits than you would think. The obvious is having a home gym eliminates the need for a gym membership. These days, gym memberships and boutique fitness classes have become rather expensive. The U.S. average annual gym membership cost is roughly $507, with the monthly average ranging from $38 to $45. While the gym may cost more upfront, in the long run, you still save money. You can also customize your gym to your needs and avoid purchasing unnecessary equipment which you’d pay for in a traditional gym membership. Aside from no membership costs, having access to a home gym helps people stay in shape which prevents the need for medical assistance down the road.

Bottom Line

Building a home gym can be expensive. The cost of the space, equipment, machines, and mats adds up. However, the long-term savings are extensive. Between cutting back on spending and saving on time spent going to and from the fitness center, a home gym could be exactly what you need. Like all things, there are pros and cons to this investment. Overall, if having a gym at home fits your lifestyle and makes your life easier, then this investment is a winner for you.

Ben Soreff 6/8/21 Ben Soreff 6/8/21

6 Reasons Quality Carpet Flooring Underlay Will Change Your Home

A beautifully laid flooring doesn’t occur overnight, it requires planning and the right execution. There are several aspects that work together to create beautiful flooring, and one such influencing factor is the flooring underlay. Don’t go by the myth that you can choose just any underlay. The right kind of underlay impacts the final appearance of the flooring and there are different types of flooring underlay options in the market that ensures you find the one as per your requirement. In this blog, we are going to discuss the underlay and their importance.

Benefits Of Flooring Underlay

They rest beneath the flooring and offer a host of benefits. They act as a protective layer for flooring and prevents it from heavy wear and tear. Besides, there are other advantages of using an underlay, and they are highlighted below:

1. Ensures Comfort

Choosing thick and spongy underlay for carpets provides good underfoot. Their cushioning effect will make the flooring comfortable to walk on. Due to the cushioning effect, they can easily absorb impacts.

2. Enhances The Look

The flooring underlay enhances the overall appeal of the house. With the right kind of underlay, you can give the desired finishing to the carpets. Also, they can effectively absorb the shock and impact of the footfall. The absence of underlay on carpet flooring can reduce this effect, and when you walk on such flooring, it will mark the foot on the carpet. The underlay prevent the piles from curling and losing their texture. Hence, it keeps the carpets as good as new.

3. Improves Insulation

While buying underlay for carpet flooring, you must choose the one that comes with higher tog ratings. The higher the rating, the better the is the insulation. The thick and dense material prevents the warm air from escaping. Thus it helps in maintaining the temperature of the room. It eventually helps you cut down the energy bills by up to 15%.

4. Reduces Noise

The underlay not only help in providing the cushioning effect but also acts as an effective barrier to sound, which eventually helps create a peaceful ambience in the house. The underlay have proven to help reduce the noise level by up to 30%.

5. Enhances The Longevity Of The Carpet

In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, flooring underlay also act as a shock absorber and prevent the wear and tear of the carpets, thus extending its life. Besides, it also acts as a protective layer for the carpets by keeping the moisture away, which otherwise could impact the life of the flooring.

6. Improves Hygiene

Cleanliness is paramount. When you have carpet flooring, dust and dirt become a key point of concern as it easily settles on the surface and cleaning it is a different task altogether. The dust particles can easily penetrate through the piles and loops of the carpet and hide beneath it, but with the carpet flooring underlay, you can preserve the carpet pile. It acts as a barrier to the embedded dirt. Cleaning carpets becomes much easier, thereby ensuring cleaner indoors. Besides, it also resists moisture. All this increases the life of the carpet and makes them look good.

Choosing the right type of underlay is important. Some popular options are felt underlay, sponge rubber underlay, crumb underlay, PU foam underlay. Based on your requirement you must choose the right type and size of underlay for a comfortable flooring and long life.

Wrapping It Up

Carpet flooring looks luxurious, and amounts to a huge investment. It is important to choose the right type of carpet flooring underlay that enhances the carpets life and aesthetic value.

Ben Soreff 6/8/21 Ben Soreff 6/8/21

Elements That Can Make a House Seem More Beautiful

Making your home beautiful is important both from the perspective of quality of life and the resale value of the place. Namely, a luxurious-looking home can be much more valuable than a place with the same square footage in the same neighborhood. Still, does one have to invest so much money to make their home look elegant and luxurious? Of course not. Here are several ways in which you can make a house seem much more beautiful, even on a budget.

1. Crown mold

The first thing you need to consider is using the crown mold as an inexpensive way to make any room look regal. Crown molding is great for open-concept homes, living rooms, dining rooms, and hallways, while some suggest that this can also look quite good in a kitchen. While this element is often associated with something vintage, the truth is that there are a lot of modern interior design trends that use crown mold. Still, for contemporary design, traditional molding, cove molding or transitional molding are much more popular options.

2. Monochrome rooms

There are several reasons to make your rooms monochromatic. First of all, it helps set a theme for the area. It also allows you to choose the right furniture, seeing as how you can narrow down your search to the items that go well in that particular color. Sometimes having too many options to choose from can be quite problematic. Then again, going with light and dark tones of a single color adds more challenge to the project. It pushes your creativity to its limits. Still, it ensures that the place looks elegant no matter what. It’s quite hard to imagine something seeming out of place in a monochrome setting (as long as it’s of the matching color).

3. ceiling-to-floor drapes

Hanging drapery is one of the best ways to control the influx of natural light through the place. It is a great way of organizing the place and erecting physical barriers to restrict the place and create focal points. According to a veteran buyer's agent from Sydney, the natural light in your home is one of the key features when it comes to making a great impression on a potential buyer. Therefore, it’s also pivotal for the resale value of the place. Apart from this, keep in mind that this is a major surface in any room, which is why, thematically, it’s able to replace the need to paint an accent wall. Whether or not the curtains are see-through is up to you.

4. Hardwood and hardwood-like materials

Natural materials are always elegant-looking and hardwood is at the very top of this list. The biggest problem with hardwood is that it’s expensive and if you’re planning to increase the resale value of the place to sell it better, this is not a cost-effective idea. Instead, you should look for hardwood-like materials. Vinyl flooring, laminate, and tiles can be incredibly hardwood-like if you choose the right texture and color. Sure, it’s not the same thing but in some areas of the house, they can be even superior to the original. Both tiles and hardwood are more water-resistant than wood, which makes them better in kitchens and bathrooms.

5. Fresh flowers

This is a method that requires more work and dedication on your part but it’s worth it. Picking some fresh flowers and displaying them in a (carefully selected) vase can completely change one’s perception of the place. First of all, it creates both visual and aromatic refreshments for the area. Second, it shows that someone is investing a tremendous amount of effort into the maintenance of the place, seeing as how these flowers need to be changed every couple of days. Keep in mind that an indicator of great maintenance encourages a potential buyer.

6. Door trim painting

Even if you’re living in an open space area with no doors acting as barriers, it might still be worth your while to paint the door trims. You see, a transition from one area of the place to another needs to be felt as if the place was indeed divided by walls. This helps you get the best of both worlds. Open space gives you a chance to save some room by eliminating the thickness of internal walls but you still want different areas of the floors to act as different rooms. If you have the option, you should achieve this either by placing rugs or painting door trims. The latter is a cheaper option.

7. Pay attention to details

There are so many details around the place that can massively affect the resale value. For instance, the dining chairs, on their own, have the power to impress a visitor and allow the occupant to immerse in the place a lot easier. The organization of the closet is also essential. A lot of people try to cram as many dividers as to increase the functionality but by leaving enough gaps between shelves and hangers, you’re upping the elegance of the area. All in all, improving the aesthetics of your home takes attention to detail.

In conclusion

In the end, you need to keep in mind that increasing value is a subjective thing. So, if you want to find something that will boost the value of your home and its appeal to a potential buyer, you should probably talk to a professional. Getting a quote from a buyer’s agent or a real estate agent can help stir you in the right direction. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a quality-of-life improvement, you can just choose based on your personal preferences.

Ben Soreff 6/8/21 Ben Soreff 6/8/21

Aging in Place for Seniors: 10 Changes Your House Needs

According to a survey, 90% of people over the age of 65 prefer to stay in their homes as long as possible, and 80% want to live in their current homes forever.

Senior citizens nowadays prefer their homes over assisted living facilities. But are their homes ready for this?

Not all houses have all the featured that older people need, so they might need some changes.

In particular, there are 10 features that your house needs to be ready for aging in place: