Figuring Out How Much Space You Really Need in Your Next House

When buying a home, getting the size right matters. A home that is too small feels cramped and cluttered while a home that is too big feels cold and uninviting and can be difficult to maintain. You might think figuring out how much space you need is a simple matter of determining how many bedrooms you need and whether anyone is sharing a room, but it's more complicated than that.

How Much Living Space Do You Need?

You might have a specific square footage in mind. That can be great for staying within budget, but the layout of the home can make the same square footage drastically different in two homes. For example, one home may have bigger bedrooms than the living room, while another has a larger living room than the kitchen. Your lifestyle and habits can influence which home you should buy. For example, you might spend more time in your bedroom than the living room, or hate cooking and love watching TV.

How Many and What Kind of Rooms Are You Looking For?

You'll usually find that bigger homes have more bedrooms and bathrooms, designed more for a bigger family. Smaller homes have fewer bedrooms and bathrooms, designed for couples or singles. But even if you're a single or a couple, you might want those extra bedrooms and bathrooms for visiting family members, other guests, or a home office or craft room. Determining how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want, as well as whether you want other rooms like dining rooms, dens, or a dedicated laundry room helps you figure out how much space you need.

What's Your Budget?

Your budget will play a huge role in how much space you can afford, whether you need a lot of space or not. In this case, working with a real estate agent can help you get the most space for your budget. Your real estate agent will be able to help you determine how much space you can likely get for the money you have. But more importantly, if you can't afford the space you want in the location you desire, they can show you smaller houses that might still meet your needs or help you find another location where you can afford more space.

How Much Time Do You Spend in Your Yard?

Maybe you spend a lot of time puttering in the garden and flowerbeds or sitting outside on a lanai or patio. Maybe you enjoy spending your days playing tennis, swimming, or playing golf. If you spend more time outdoors than in, you may prefer a smaller home with fewer expenses so you can engage in more of your outdoor pleasures. In this case, you might ask your real estate agent to focus on finding properties with large yards as well.

There are many factors that can go into determining how much space you really need in your next house. And while many of them are ones you can easily consider on your own and make decisions on, some need an expert's help. Let your real estate agent help you with all the details so you can find yourself a home that even Goldilocks would love.

10 Best Organizing Tips for the Tidiest Home Ever

We all want to keep our houses clean and put together, but not every single person has the time to spend hours cleaning their homes. But for all the busy people there are some tips that will help you keep your house tidy and organized without having to spend hours upon hours on cleaning and organizing. For those who need some guidance, there are 10 best organizing tips for the tidiest home ever. 

Create a Command Station

One of the best ways to keep your home tidy and well organized is simply by sticking adhesive pockets on the side of your cabinets. That way you will be able to keep your coupons, recipes and grocery lists in order. 

Try a Tiered Shelf

If you are struggling with keeping your canned goods organized as well as any spices, the key is to get a tiered shelf so you always know when you are running out of something because you can see everything at once. 

Have Rules

Most of us like to collect things, especially kids. So a good rule to have in your family that will apply to every single member is not collecting things. If you get something new that you already have instead of keeping two of the same things, donate the old one.

Repurpose Your Trays and Bowls

One of the best ways to make your home stay tidy is by reusing old dishes and making them into little organizers. That will prevent you from having a junk drawer.

Have a Designated “drop zone”

Another use for repurposed trays and bowls are the drop off zones. Those zones will prevent any clutter on the tables. Instead of having heaps of stuff everywhere, it will all be in a tray or bowl.

Make Storage Labels

The best thing that you can do to keep your house organized is simply by creating labels. You can do it for everything, file folders, bins, inside the drawer and so on. It will encourage people in your house to stay organized and put things where they belong. All you need to make some labels is washi tape and a marker, but if you want to go all out you can get a label maker.

Establish Different Zones

One of the best tips that you can get when it comes to keeping an organized and tidy home is having different work zones. Since most people in Australia are working from home it is also important to do this because it will also increase your productivity. The work zone should have only your work things in it such as desks, computers and printers and you shouldn't use it for anything besides your work. All of your zones should be organized for their purposes and they shouldn't mix. As most people will opt to have carpets in their zones to make them cozy, you should hire professionals such as Aussie Pro Carpet Cleaning to clean your carpets at least every couple of months to ensure your home is tidy. 

Use Color to Avoid Confusion

This is just like labeling things, but it is better if you have kids. That is because when you have little kids they most likely can't read, so the best thing that you can do and help them keep organized is using color as labeling. Give each kid their own color so they know what things are theirs and where to put them back at. 

Use Storage-Smart Furniture

There is nothing more stressful and nerve-wracking than hurrying to tidy up your home before your guests arrive. But when you have storage-smart furniture that can be done in just a few minutes. Choose furniture such as lift-top coffee tables, sofas that have under cushion storage as well as ottomans that open up so you can store your blankets in them. It will save you so much time and it will keep your home looking tidy at all times. It can also make your home much cozier. 

Keep the Bathroom Tidy

Just twisting in your cotton swabs, soaps and other bathroom supplies in your drawers will leave your bathroom looking cluttered and messy. Not only that but you will constantly have to dig through everything just to find that one thing you need. The best thing that you can do to fix that is to buy jars in which you will store things such as cotton swabs, cotton balls as well as toothbrushes. If you have leftovers you can store them under the sink and keep refilling the jars when needed. 

Organizing your home can feel like a big accomplishable thing, but with the right strategy, you can do it in no time. All you need to do is be confident and persistent. Once you have organized your home and set down the rules, you will just have to keep up with the work and your home will always be in pristine condition. 

Essential End of Tenancy Cleaning Tips

Moving into a new home is one of the most exhilarating feelings in the world. Of course, you already know that you’re about to start a new chapter in your life, and in these moments, even doing paperwork and signing contracts with your new landlord can be exciting. But before you move into a new house, first you have to move out of your current rental property.

If you’re living on a rental property, the end of tenancy cleaning plays an essential part in getting your deposit back. So, to help you out, we’ve decided to share with you the essential end of tenancy cleaning hacks.

Clean the kitchen first

Surprisingly, kitchens are usually the dirtiest rooms in the house. That is mostly because we handle food in this area, and we all know what the kitchen looks like the morning after you’ve made a fancy meal for dinner. You can start cleaning your kitchen by removing everything from your cupboards and shelves and ensuring that every plate is spotless.

In addition, you can use baking soda and vinegar to clean the grease stains in the oven and dishwashing machine. Visit the pantry and pack your food before vacuuming this area of your house. More importantly, be sure that there are no crumbs left on the floor and that every appliance is clean and in good condition.

Pay extra attention to persistent bathroom stains

Frequently used bathrooms are breeding grounds for mould and mildew, so make sure to spray anti-mould and mildew agents on the walls and shower curtains. Wipe every inch of your bathroom with a wet cloth and soap, including sink, shower, tiles and bathroom furniture.

More importantly, it’s essential to find adequate cleaning products to help you get rid of soap scum buildup. Again, you can use baking soda and vinegar to clean the tiles and breathe new life into your bathroom. However, we should mention that if you want your bathroom to look spotless when the landlord comes, it’s advisable to clean it on the last day of your tenancy.

Clean the living room and bedroom

Once you finish packing and take most of your belongings out of the house, it’s time to wash and iron the bedroom sheets. Next, remove dust from ceiling fans and clean the filter on your air conditioner. After that, you can wipe down the windows with a soft cloth and clean all hard surfaces, including tables, chairs, drawers and wardrobes.

In case you forgot, we’re here to remind you that you need to vacuum and mop the floors. In addition, you can wash the curtains and tablecloths before moving out of your rental property.

Ask for help

We understand that end of tenancy cleaning can be challenging. That’s why, if you don’t have enough time on your hands, you can hire cleaning professionals to clean the areas of your house that require more time and effort.

If you need professional help, think about contacting companies like Access Carpet Care - one of the most reliable carpet care and cleaning service providers in Australia. With a professional company on your side, you won’t have to spend hours trying to clean the carpets on your rental property. In addition, these professionals are specialised in upholstery cleaning, so if you have any furniture coverings, they will help you clean them before your landlord arrives.

Invest in yard maintenance

It’s essential to clean every part of your property, including the porch and the outdoor area. Also, make sure to mow the lawn and remove the leaves from your yard before moving out of your rental property, and don’t forget to unclog a gutter downspout.

It’s worth noting that you should trim and prune the trees and take out the trash as well. Don’t forget to clean the attic and look for signs of pest infestation, water damage or cracks in your exterior walls.

Conclusion

For most people, the end of tenancy cleaning is daunting and challenging, but if you hire the right people and start cleaning on time, you will be able to get your deposit back. If you need extra help, you can make an end of tenancy cleaning list so that you don’t forget what needs to be done around the house before you move out.

Tips for Designing a Stellar Living Room

Your living room is a shared space where the family gathers to relax and enjoy each other’s company. So, it’s essential to decorate it in a way that reflects your unique style and sense of comfort. Learn some of the best tricks and tips for designing a stellar living room so that you can be proud of your favorite space.

Use Bookcases To Organize Books and Knick-Knacks

When you first embark on designing your dream living room, it’s essential to consider all the different items you plan to use in the space. For instance, maybe you’re an avid book lover, but you have no practical way to store and arrange all of them. Just the same, you might have a collection of vintage knick-knacks from all over the world, but you’re not sure how they’ll fit into your design.

Well, a simple solution for both problems is the use of bookcases. Not only do bookcases provide a practical, space-saving way to house your items, it also allows you to create aesthetic arrangements and exciting displays on each shelf. Using bookcases in this manner can help to create a more dynamic feel to your living room while keeping it organized.

Enhance Mood Lighting With Floor and Table Lamps

Something else that you might not have considered incorporating in your living room design is mood lighting. Mood lighting adds warmth and functionality to a space. The easiest way to enhance mood lighting is to use floor and table lamps. Lamplight is often much warmer and more inviting, so overall, it creates a much comfier, livable space than fluorescent or even bright ceiling fan lights.

Decorate Your Mantle

Another one of the best tips for designing a stellar living room is to make use of your fireplace mantel. Instead of leaving this spot a blank canvas, use it to create a central display in your living area. You can arrange candles atop it in unique ways, you can put family heirlooms on display, or you can adorn it with framed pictures. Whichever route you take, using your mantel as a fixture for decorative arrangements will tie the room together and add a lively ambience to the space.

Select an Oversized Ottoman

Many people choose to furnish their living rooms with a coffee table, but lately, the trend seems to be swinging in favor of oversized ottomans as the significant centerpiece. These large ottomans can provide all the same functions as a coffee table, but in a homier, more cozy fashion.

You can place a decorative platter on the ottoman to hold certain items, while still being able to use it as a plushy footrest. Ottomans add a unique, much softer charm to your space than a coffee table and creates a welcoming atmosphere to your living room.

The way you design your home is important, and doing a few simple things to make your living room more dynamic can transform the entire space for the better. Hopefully, this guide has given you a better vision of how you’ll design your dream living room for yourself.