
A resource for those seeking information on organizing and transforming spaces.
How to Landscape Without Grass
Perhaps you don’t want to use lots of water and time to maintain a lush lawn, or your yard soil is poor or too shaded. Whatever is the cause for your landscaping troubles, be assured that your yard can look beautiful without grass. You only need a little creativity and some great landscaping ideas.
Perhaps you don’t want to use lots of water and time to maintain a lush lawn, or your yard soil is poor or too shaded. Whatever is the cause for your landscaping troubles, be assured that your yard can look beautiful without grass. You only need a little creativity and some great landscaping ideas.
How to Landscape a Shaded Yard
Grass usually needs lots of sunshine to grow and thrive. If your yard is mostly shaded, consider sticking with shade-loving plants to achieve the best results. It’d be best not to pick flowers but instead use plants with attractive foliage. Here are a few of them.
Groundcover
These grasses spread low, and the height is usually around 12 to 18 inches. Consider growing them between taller patches or alone to cover up spots in your lawn.
Taller Plants
European ginger, Japanese painted fern, and astilbe are a few tall plants that can complement the groundcover in your shaded lawn.
Native Plants
Visit your local nursery and find the best forest-dwelling plants. These plants grow well in shaded areas and don’t frequently require maintenance, such as fertilizing.
Paths and Sitting Areas
You can create an outdoor haven for relaxation using brick pathways or stone pavers, furniture, hammocks, or benches. Consider adding trellises, garden art, or bird fountains for additional beautification.
How to Landscape a Yard With Poor Soil
If your lawn finds it challenging to grow or has a nutrient-poor or heavy soil, you might have been planting the wrong things. The following are some ideas for using perennials that thrive in poor soils to landscape your front yard without grass.
Periwinkle
This one-foot tall groundcover plant produces star-shaped blossoms. It suppresses weed growth in areas it spreads to and prefers part shade.
Lenten Roses
These plants are very tough and can withstand heat, humidity, poor soil, and drought. They’re usually two feet tall and thrive in full shade areas.
Bleeding Heart
This plant has heart-shaped blossoms that add a cottage-garden look to your landscape. It prefers part shade.
How to Landscape a Drought-Tolerant Yard
Landscaping without grass is recommended for people living in drought-prone areas to enable them to save on water. Consider implementing xeriscaping techniques. The following are low-maintenance plants known for thriving in drought conditions.
Ornamental grasses
There are different varieties of ornamental grass. You can get the splayed or upright ones or the short or tall plants and use it to create a focal point on your lawn.
Cacti
Plants with spikes or thorns like cacti usually work well in drought-prone areas.
Inorganic Mulch
Fill your lawn with stones and pebbles which doesn’t require watering.
Get Help Landscaping Your Yard
Conditions like poor lawn soil, heavy clay soil, or living in drought areas might necessitate the need to landscape your yard without grass. The ideas we mentioned here will help you have that beautiful yard even without green lawn grass. If you’re eager to start implementing it, contact Eden, a professional landscape design service, so our experts can bring your idea to life.
Simple ways to create more in-house storage space
A home that is overflowing with stuff often feels cramped and appears smaller than it actually is. Additionally, it can negatively impact our well-being, creativity, and productivity. On the other hand, we all want our home to be beautiful and charming as well as tidy and well-organized. And the best way to achieve this goal is to declutter and be inventive with storage solutions. However, this process may seem overwhelming, especially as we all tend to accumulate things over time. This task may be incredibly daunting if your home is short on size and you're already struggling with the lack of space. But, with a bit of creativity and effort (and a few helpful tips and tricks), you can make your home look spacious and appealing in no time. With that in mind, we've prepared these simple ways to create more in-house storage space.
We partnered with a storage company for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.
A home that is overflowing with stuff often feels cramped and appears smaller than it actually is. Additionally, it can negatively impact our well-being, creativity, and productivity. On the other hand, we all want our home to be beautiful and charming as well as tidy and well-organized. And the best way to achieve this goal is to declutter and be inventive with storage solutions. However, this process may seem overwhelming, especially as we all tend to accumulate things over time. This task may be incredibly daunting if your home is short on size and you're already struggling with the lack of space. But, with a bit of creativity and effort (and a few helpful tips and tricks), you can make your home look spacious and appealing in no time. With that in mind, we've prepared these simple ways to create more in-house storage space.
Decluttering is the first step
Regardless of how large your home is, it will look messy and unappealing if it's overcrowded with stuff. So, the first task on your to-do list is to make your home clutter-free. It sounds overwhelming, and it might be if you try to do it all at once. The key is to make a good plan and give yourself enough time - don't expect to do it in one afternoon.
Instead, there are several approaches you can use. You can focus first on some of the most common clutter hotspots we all have in our homes, or you can go room by room. Additionally, you can enlist your family and friends to help you. Some items can be difficult to say goodbye to, even if you don't need or use them. Your friend will make this task fun and help you stay on track.
Multitasking furniture
Once your home is free of clutter, you'll notice an instant improvement in the amount of space you have. But there are many more ways to make extra storage for your other belongings. You can use multi-purpose furniture to make the most out of the space in your home. This type of furniture is specially designed to provide additional storage in small areas. What's more, it comes in many varieties and designs, so it can add a stylish flair to your home. Here are some furniture pieces you can incorporate into your home to add both functionality and chic to your home:
ottomans or beds and sofa with storage space
drop-leaf tables
tables and nightstands with drawers or shelves
chair storage units
portable kitchen islands, etc.
Add shelving to increase in-house storage space
We often neglect vertical surfaces in our homes, but optimizing this space can help you create more in-house storage space. For example, you can add shelving and use it for keeping and displaying a variety of items. Whether you opt for traditional or floating shelves, they'll add a lot of space to your home. Not to mention you can use them to showcase your art pieces, books, collectibles, or any other precious items. Additionally, it's a good idea to consider ladders or vertical racks. Not only will you have more room, but they'll add stylish flair to your home.
Be creative with cabinet organizers
When you're organizing your home, your goal is to make it look spacious and airy, with no mess in sight. Another great way to achieve this is to make the most of the inside of your cabinets, closets, drawers, etc. When we put many items in a space without enough racks or shelves, it can quickly become messy and chaotic. Finding what you need is next to impossible, and it seems you have less room than you actually do.
Instead, invest in some good organizers. They're available in different shapes and sizes and made of various materials. If you're handy with DIY projects, you can even make them yourself. Using organizers will transform inside of your cabinets and closets, and you'll be surprised by all the extra space you have.
Use underutilized space in your home
Narrow hallways, small corners, and other awkward spaces often go unused in a home. Instead, pay them some attention and think about how you can turn them into aerosol storage cages, learn more here. Depending on the shape and size, you can choose from a variety of solutions - from tall, thin cabinets to chests with drawers or extra shelves. Additionally, you can hang decorative and stylish hooks. Use them for arranging different items such as clothes, bags, jewelry, or storing kitchen items. Not only will it enable you to maximize your kitchen space, but it will also look modern and stylish.
Decorative bins and baskets
Another great way to add in-house storage space is to use various containers. The purpose of bins, baskets, jars, and boxes is precisely that. What's more, they come in several styles, designs, materials, and sizes. You can use metal containers to add a modern, streamlined look to your home or wooden or wicker ones for the more natural, rustic charm. These containers work great in all sorts of spaces - attics, garages, pantries, kitchens, and bedrooms and living rooms. Just ensure you choose the ones that fit your taste and match in style to the rest of your home.
Don't be afraid to cheat a bit
Last but not least, don't be afraid to cheat a little! Consider renting a storage unit if you simply have too many items and don't want to throw them away. This solution is gaining popularity as more and more people opt for a minimalistic lifestyle or downsizing their homes. For example, if you have a lot of seasonal equipment such as skiing or camping equipment, surfboards, or lavish Christmas decorations, a storage unit will prove priceless.
Naturally, take special care to avoid cluttering your storage unit. Just like your home, you have to declutter regularly and maintain it well. So, keep it tidy and neat to maximize the space and make most of it. That way, you'll not only save money but also keep your precious belongings safe and sound. Not to mention your home will be much tidier and better organized!
Enjoy your home!
With all the clutter out of the way and things neatly tucked into their place, your home will become a different place. Finally, you'll have an oasis of peace and calm, a place where you can be creative and productive. Follow these simple ways to create more in-house storage space in your home and create a home you've always wanted.
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Keeping one's home cozy and tidy while keeping the mess at bay can be challenging. Check these simple
Guest Post - How to Keep Up With Exterior Design Trends
Let’s cover a few exterior home trends that have stood the test of time and will undoubtedly look great, even years from now. When you know what will last, you can make better exterior design choices for yourself or a potential buyer.
When most people are trying to upgrade or remodel their homes, they focus on interior design first. That’s usually because both tastes and trends change, and you spend most of your time inside your home.
But, exterior design trends change, too. Unfortunately, they might be tackled less often because they can seem overwhelming. After all, it’s easier to paint a few internal walls than put new siding on your home.
So, how can you keep up with exterior design trends? What can you do to erase past trends and bring your home exterior up-to-date, either for yourself or to boost curb appeal?
Let’s cover a few exterior home trends that have stood the test of time and will undoubtedly look great, even years from now. When you know what will last, you can make better exterior design choices for yourself or a potential buyer.
Look at Your Landscaping
Landscaping can make a big difference when it comes to curb appeal. It can boost the value anywhere from 5.5%-12.7%, potentially allowing you to add thousands more to your listing price.
But, not all landscaping endeavors are created equally.
Maximize curb appeal with timeless landscaping trends, including:
A pristine yard
Additional plants and flowers
Little/no clutter
If you’re not sure where to get started when it comes to quality landscaping, think symmetrical. Whether you’re adding stones, plants, or furniture to your front yard or back patio area, keeping things as symmetrical as possible will give your home exterior a clean, welcoming look. It will draw the eye and make people interested in seeing more.
Speaking of furniture and decor, another good idea is to make a seamless transition between the inside and outside of your home. Warm lighting and comfortable outdoor furniture can give your patio a “living room” feel while bringing live plantsbringing live plants inside your houseinside your house can add a much-needed touch of nature that reminds potential buyers what they liked about your landscaping.
Lighting Replacements
If you want to renovate your home exterior on a budget, consider changing the lighting that surrounds your property. It’s easy to think that certain lighting elements are “trends,” but there are some things that are here to stay – or, they should be.
Switching to LED bulbs throughout your home can save you up to $1,000 a year on utility bills. That includes exterior lights. Whether you plan on selling or you just want to save money, it’s a great investment and can boost the overall appeal and value of your house.
The good news? LED lights aren’t going to go out of style any time soon. They are quickly becoming the norm thanks to their energy efficiency, and you can find bulbs in just about any shape and size you could want.
Another option is to install solar lighting around your house. Having solar lights in the ground to illuminate a pathway or on the corners of your house to light up your yard at night is a fantastic way to make your house feel more like a home while remaining energy efficient.
Update Your Roof
One home exterior trend that will never go out of style is a solid roof. Composition shingles will last 12-20 years. So, if you’ve been in your home that long or you’re planning on selling, installing a new roof is a great idea. You can choose from different materials for your roof, including:
Metal
Asphalt shingles
Cool roofs
Green roofs
Synthetic materials
Some of these options are “hot” trends right now, especially green roofs or roofs with solar panels. And, metal roofing is making a big comeback. Instead of giving in to trends, though, think about what would most benefit your home for the next 10+ years. Think about other features your home has. For example, if you have a smart home or a sustainable home, a solar or “green” roof might be the way to go.
There are so many ways to update your home exterior, it would be impossible to list them all at once. But, don’t fall victim to trendy designs that won’t be popular in a year or two. Do your research, go for the classics when possible, and think about how your home will benefit from certain trends.
Author Bio: Noah Rue is a freelance writer.
Creative Ways to Keep Rodents Out Your Home
Tired of the same cat and mouse game? No room in the budget for traps? Learn some ways to keep rodents out of your home and, most importantly, your air ducts!
If you don’t want to use traps and baits to remove rodents, use these creative ways to keep rodents out of your home. A few methods are using essential oils, reducing waste, and inspecting the inside and outside of your house to locate potential break-in spots.
Using Baking Soda
Lightly sprinkle baking soda around the perimeters of your house. If you don't want to spread it, you can make a concoction instead. For example, mix chocolate, baking soda, and cornmeal together. Place it where you saw rodent droppings; this will kill the rodents after consumption. Make sure to properly dispose of the bodies.
Dropping Peppermint Oil
Dab peppermint oil on cotton balls and place them around the area. Or, you can use a spray canister—simply combine two teaspoons of the oil for every one cup of water—and spray around the outside of your house. Peppermint Oil is a harmless way to eliminate rodents while not harming the other animals in your ecosystem.
Using Mothballs
A creative way to keep rodents out of your home is by using mothballs. You can place them in a bag and throw them under your porch or in any other area of your house where rodents live. Mothballs are great for driving out small rodents such as raccoons, squirrels, and others.
Relocating Their Environment
If you inspect your house and see a nest or burrow, and noises don’t work to scare the rodents away, you can relocate their homes. However, if you’re unsure what to do and don't want to get attacked, call a professional.
Removing Waste Sources
A great way to keep rodents away from your home is to ensure that you always keep a lid on any garbage pales near your house. Also, check your yard and crawl spaces for any waste—specifically food waste—passersby may have thrown. Rodents will be disinclined to visit your home if it doesn’t provide food. On top of ensuring that the lid is on the garbage, make sure your trash stays somewhat clean so rodents don't feel compelled to make nests inside of them.
The desire to keep rodents outside your home isn’t a lot to ask for. These are the steps to take if rodents are in your air ducts. Alternatively, you can always call a professional.