Guest Post - The Most Common Home Improvement Myths Busted

A home improvement project is one of the best things you can do if you want to increase the value of your property. It’s also an ideal option if you're going to reinvest in your home – remodel, renovate, or update it. While you’re guaranteed to reap benefits from improving your home, there are several things you need to consider before getting into action. You need to know precisely what you are doing or are supposed to do. 

Before anything else, you should go around your property and try to assess its overall condition. If possible, have the exterior and interior parts of your home check. Get a professional to do a roof maintenance inspection, HVAC tests, and even furniture and appliance checks. Once you have an idea of what has to be corrected and improved, you can start planning your home improvement project. 

However, some homeowners hesitate to put their plans into action because of some home improvement myths they’ve heard from family and friends. Myths are widely believed stories and ideas, but they are false. To ensure that you don’t fall prey to misconceptions, it’s essential to know what these home improvement myths are. 

Home Improvement Myths 

Do-It-Yourself home improvements will save you money.  

Home repairs are simpler compared to home improvement projects. So, yes, you can do all the DIY repairs you want and save on your expenses. Home improvement, though, is different; it’s more complex because you’re dealing with the entire house, not just parts of it. While there are numerous tips available online, it’s still best to get help from a professional. If you want to be hands-on on the renovations, the two of you can work together. 

If you prefer to do everything on your own, you may end up spending more when things don't turn out the way you wanted them to (ex. when you add more damage to your roof instead of fixing it). 

All home improvement projects are the same. 

What a home improvement project is to you may not be what it is to your friend or neighbor. You might like the updates and changes, but a potential buyer may look at them in a different light. So, if you’re planning to remodel or renovate for future selling, you should hire a good and experienced contractor to ensure that you’re doing the right thing. 

Anything trendy is good. 

Minimalist, Japanese, and Scandinavian-inspired interiors are trends in home designs. While they all make homes look and feel beautiful, they are not for everyone. You have to consider several factors, like does it suit your personal preferences? If you’re married and have children, is it a practical choice?

You shouldn’t base your home improvement choices on what’s popular or trending; you should match them with what you believe is suitable for your home, for you and your family, and your style. Remember, your home is your sanctuary, so it should be something that you would want to be in. 

Instead of focusing on what’s trendy, find time to do some research by visiting showrooms and going through websites and home improvement magazines. It is also important to get advice from an interior designer and a contractor. 

Home improvement projects don’t take a lot of time to finish.

Home renovations are not a 24-hour, two-days, or over-the-weekend thing; it takes time. Some remodeling projects can take a week or more; others may even take months to complete. It usually depends on your home size or how big the renovation project is. 

The best thing to do is work with a home improvement specialist before getting to work. 

Home improvement projects do not require permits. 

Whether you’re doing a simple or extensive home improvement project, it is vital to follow the law. Be sure to get all the information about building permits and other legal matters. Your contractor can help you secure all these and whatever else you might need. 

Wallpapers will solve the problem. 

No, it won’t. Wallpapers are temporary fixes; anything that’s temporary does not solve problems. Also, if you slap wallpaper on the cracks on your wall, you’ll eventually end up spending more than you expected after a few years (or months). 

If you really want to use wallpapers, have the cracks on your walls fixed first and ask someone to help you install them. 

Paint can hide the damage. 

While a fresh coat of paint can hide cracks and other damage to your wall, it cannot fix the problem. The right thing to do is find the root cause of the problem and have them fixed. If you simply cover your wall with paint, the small crack can develop into more serious issues like termites and molds. 

All renovations and improvements will add value to your home. 

Home improvements and renovations will only add value if they are done right, which is why you should work with a reliable contractor. 

Author Bio:

Rachel Porter is the content specialist for Custom Contractors Insurance, LLC, an Arizona roofing and contractors insurance company. When not writing, she enjoys reading and mountain biking with her friends.

3 of the Best Ways To Keep Your Home Workshop Organized

Keeping your workshop organized can be difficult, especially at home. Your workbench is clean one minute and being used for storage space the next. If your workspace is all clutter with no room to work, keep reading for three of the best ways to keep your home workshop organized. With these tips, you’ll be more efficient than ever before.

Take Inventory of Your Tools

The first thing you want to do is assess your tools and equipment. What materials do you need to keep, and what can you toss or donate? If you minimize clutter in the first place, finding homes and storage space for the rest of it will be easier. You can also keep tabs on which equipment is most important for your tasks. You’ll want to keep these tools nearby and within reach, while you can store away less important or more situational equipment for future use. Just make sure to label any boxes for reference when you do need those tools.

Build Upward

Speaking of storage, if your workshop is situated in the garage, the shed, or another confined space, you want to be as smart with your storage as possible. Decrease the use of your precious floor space and foot room by building your storage solutions upwards. Add storage options to the walls by installing shelves, hooks, racks, and pegboards. All of these options are great for organization purposes and for clearing clutter. Plus, you don’t have to sacrifice any of the minimal space you’re working with.

Tool Chest for the Essentials

If you don’t already own one, consider investing in a toolbox or chest to hold your smaller hand tools. Tool chests are great for organizing essential tools such as drill bits, screwdrivers, and measuring devices. Plus, you’ll likely need these items for many of your projects, so keeping them organized and easily accessible is ideal.

Now that you know three of the best ways to keep your home workshop organized, you’ll never have to go searching for a tool again. Clear that clutter and tackle organizing your workshop head on—you'll be glad you did when you see the results.

How to Protect the Pipes in Your Home During All Seasons

Domestic water pipes supply water to most facilities and need protection from adverse weather conditions. In most homes, pipe leaking and incidences of pipe burst occur during the winter due to the freezing of water inside the pipes. Warmer areas are also susceptible to pipe bursts due to insufficient water pipe insulation during frigid weather. A pipe burst can cause colossal damage to individual property. Therefore, homeowners should act once they detect a leak or pipe burst by shutting the gate valve. In addition, homeowners can implement the following tips to protect their pipes during all seasons.

Insulate

Homeowners can offer protection to domestic water pipes by insulating them. Homeowners should wrap insulation material around the line to maintain water temperature above its freezing point.

Repair Frozen Pipes

When the water inside the pipes freezes due to low temperatures, it expands and causes pressure to build up inside the lines, causing the pipe to burst. Therefore, homeowners should have provision for pipe repair to reduce water loss.

Keep the Cabinet Door Open

When the temperatures decrease, homeowners should leave the cabinet open to allow warm air to flow inside the cabinet to keep the water pipe warmer and prevent water from freezing inside the lines.

Detect Leaks

Pipe water leaks can destroy individual property such as carpets and electronics and cause cracking of floors. Therefore, homeowners should deploy technology that will assist in leak detection to correct the problem before it exacerbates.

Leave Your Faucet Running

During the cold period, homeowners should leave water faucets dripping a small volume of water. Although this could increase the utility bill, it helps ease the pressure inside the pipe when water freezes and prevents the line from bursting.

Check Home Temperatures

Homeowners should strive to maintain home temperature above those of the freezing point of water. Homeowners can install a thermostat in their homes to monitor the home temperature and provide a heating mechanism when the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pipes bursting is a common occurrence in most homes, and it occurs due to lack of adequate planning. During the development of new homes, the owners should seek a local company, like J&S Plumbing Inc to implement mechanisms to protect the water pipes from bursting. This will also enable early detection of leaks and provide repair services. In addition, the partnership will reduce the cost incurred due to bursts of water pipers arising from adverse weather conditions.

Guest Post - Working From Home? 5 Ways To Stop Procrastinating

Well, we all have been guilty of this at least once in a while. It is almost as if we have been cultured to this practice ever since we were students who instead of doing the homework right away would keep on toing and froing whether we should already start. They say the first step is always the hardest, that is true but is it really that bad to procrastinate until such time you are ready? From a dictionary’s perspective, procrastination is the trouble of convincing and persuading yourself to do the things you are supposed to do. As a result of this, however, you find yourself preoccupied with other trivial things and instead just let you veer away from your primary objectives. This makes it hard especially when you are committed to a goal but do not seem to have enough motivation to do it unmonitored.

It is even harder when you are distant from people who can help you overcome procrastination like in the work-from-home setup. Given that many of us were forced by the disruptions and changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority took telecommuting to their advantage. As such, employees were provided with the liberty of time and an opportunity to make a perfect work-life balance but on the other end of the rainbow, this only made procrastination even more possible. It is more difficult when you have formed it as a habit already and just like what we were taught in grade school, habits only stop when we avoid practicing them. You need to control yourself and start by learning how to say no to the temptations of doing other things that are subliminal in value. Opportunities do not always present themselves, you know. Here are a few ways on how to break this cycle:

1. It is all in the mind. If you stick with your plans as indicated on your to-do list, you will not have a hard time following through with what you need to finish because your mind will be conditioned that if you are done, you have all the time for yourself to enjoy. Mental conditioning is an important factor in performing any function as it will signal you and your body with what it is supposed to be doing. Focus on getting the task done, not avoiding it, and always think of the prize that awaits. Think of it like when you are living in a new apartment unable to determine who should be liable for mold because you started to be a couch potato while your backlogs are waiting. Perhaps you might want to skip Netflix for the night and make it your reward tomorrow.

2. Ponder on it. Upon receiving a task from your boss through your work chat app, act on it in small ways. You may not do it right away if it is not urgent but already get your mind to thinking how you can address it. As soon as a task arises, reflect on how you can go about it. Take it as an opportunity to examine and come up with possible ways to make it work. Consider innovating or finding steps in order to get it done fast but with accuracy. Research on some remote work hacks which can save you time and effort. There is always a way to do things around if you only spend enough time studying it. Do it now rather than pile it up for another day. Besides, you are still going to do it anyway.

3. Eat right to boost your productivity. Your motivation level can be affected by what you eat. A heavy meal after lunch can potentially ruin your workflow after some carb loading. When you feel heavy, you are more likely to slouch, lounge, and play around instead of working on something. If you eat right, your body will recognize the energy your meals give and this should be helpful with your performance. If you cannot skip the smorgasbord, recognize it as a reward when the day is over.

4. Mind what you say. Remember, the law of attraction. It believes that any positive or negative thoughts you tell yourself can bring positive or negative experiences into your life so if you keep saying it is hard, it will most likely be. Also, negative thoughts allow for disempowerment and can only make your willpower go spiraling down. 

5. Disconnect before it is too late. Ditch your phones, social media, and friends for a while. Timing is everything. If you keep on accepting their temptations and invites, you are derailing yourself from the plan. Distractions in your home office should be limited as well. Detach yourself from anything that can make you lose focus. Respect your time paid to work.

Analyze each task by looking at its meaning, significance, and relevance so you can, on your own, increase its value, and will be very easy for you to make a decision. All in all, it is only a matter of whether or not you can handle the consequences of procrastination. Make sure you are ready by then.

About the Author:

Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle, and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management, and traveling are translated into his works.

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