How To Prevent Clutter From Building up in Your Home

Cluttered homes lead to cluttered minds, and no one wants to live in a place that doesn’t feel relaxing or supportive. Clutter has a nasty habit of seeming to pop up out of nowhere as time goes on. Even if you try to be clean, the little messes tend to pile up quicker than you can deal with them until you’re buried in the clutter. Because it’s so important that our homes be a place where we can feel safe and comfortable, we want you to know how to prevent clutter from building up in your home.

Schedule Regular Purges

Almost everyone is familiar with spring cleaning, but you can’t get by with only an annual deep clean. The clutter will get out of control by then. You need to schedule a few times throughout the month or year when you go through and get rid of what you don’t need. Whether you dump it all into trash bags or donate useful items to a place like the Purple Heart Pickup, it’s a good idea to do frequent purges.

Don’t Keep Things Without a Proper Place

One of the reasons that clutter starts to build up is because things come into your life, and you don’t have a place to live. When you get items like these, you tend just to throw them wherever they might fit. A good rule of thumb is that unless you know exactly where something will go in your house, you don’t need it. Don’t bring in new items if you can’t immediately think of a good place for them.

Go Paperless Wherever Possible

Drowning a bit in paper is fairly common nowadays, but it’s a pretty archaic way of dealing with things like bills and communication. One of the best ways to prevent clutter from building up in your home is to switch to paperless options wherever possible. Not only is it good for the environment, but you also won’t have to deal with mountains of paper that you’re afraid to throw away in case you somehow, someday need them.

Rethink Items Before Bringing Them In

The best way to tackle a problem is to stop it from becoming a problem in the first place. If you struggle with clutter popping up all over the place, be more cognizant of anything you bring inside your home. Everything that goes through your front door could turn into clutter if you’re not careful, so take some extra time to think about the items you want to bring in. You’ll often find that you don’t really need a lot of those items at all, and tossing them right away will save you some cleaning later on.

Creative Ways To Make Your Interior Design Stand Out

Everybody wants to make their home look good, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to have that “wow” factor when your guests come to see it for the first time. If that’s your primary goal, you’re going to want to read our list of creative ways to make your interior design stand out. Even just going through with one or two of these tips will increase the appeal of your home significantly.

Throw Pillows

Let’s start with something a little more basic. Whether they’re on the couch or your bed, pillows are usually the first thing people’s eyes are drawn to when looking at your furniture, especially if you make them stand out. Therefore, they are a crucial item to focus on. Try to avoid picking pillows that perfectly match the color of your bed or couch because they won’t get any attention that way.

Instead, choose pillows in complementary colors. That way, they will go well with the base color of the furniture while still drawing in your guests’ attention. Also, don’t be afraid to buy some oddly shaped pillows. These pillows are more about making a statement rather than being comfortable, although if you find some that do both, that’s a win-win.

Ottomans

If you want the ultimate statement piece, you’ll want to buy an ottoman. Most people use coffee tables as their centerpieces of the room due to their functionality. That’s why ottomans are the ultimate way to stand out. If you really want to make your ottoman pop, you should find some ways to customize it. Since nobody ever really sits on them, you’re free to use fabrics that would normally wear out quickly when heavily used.

Paint

Typically, people would suggest painting one wall a different color in order to make it stand out. While this is effective, it’s a bit overdone. That’s why we’re going to recommend painting a mural on your wall instead. If you’ve got the artistic talent to do it yourself, go for it!

If you’d rather leave the artistry to someone else, you can just as easily hire someone to bring your vision to life. Don’t shy away from any ideas because you think they would be too complex or time-consuming. This masterpiece is going to be what brings your whole room together, so you need to go the extra mile with it.

Lighting

The proper use of lighting is highly underrated when it comes to the décor of most people’s homes, which is why our final creative way to make your interior design stand out is to go all out with lighting. Lamps are an easy way to set the mood but installing dimmable ceiling lights is the way to go for all-around control. You can even get lights that change color to truly capture the feel you’re going for.

Buying a stylish chandelier or ceiling fan can also help pull a room together. Just make sure that you don’t go too extreme here because you can quickly turn something elegant into something tacky if you go overboard.

How to redesign your bathroom so it will look modern and stylish

A bathroom is the second most expensive room in the home to redesign, just after the kitchen, and that’s why many people are reluctant to even consider redesigning it. The truth is that you can make your bathroom look more modern and stylish even on a tight budget. The remodeling things you wish to do will highly depend on your budget and you’ll choose them accordingly. Some of these projects require more money and some less. A luxury bathroom can be created in any home with some careful considerations and detailed planning. Such a bathroom is not related to the concepts of traditional or contemporary – a lavish bathroom revolves around providing space where you can truly relax and unwind after a long hard day. So, what exactly is it that you can do? Well, for starters, you could start with the furniture – it should be stylish. Then, you should consider the bathroom fittings and perhaps adding a touch of brass or wood. If the walls are old and dingy, you should definitely think about upgrading them as well as lighting. You can also bring in nature with a few potted plants and purchase fancy towels. One of the most lavish materials you could consider in a bathroom design is certainly marble. And finally, you should take into consideration your senses as well as other bathroom details. Take a look at some ways to make your bathroom look more expensive. 

1. Incorporate stylish furniture

Storage is an essential aspect of every functional, practical and orderly bathroom, so it is one of the first things you should consider. For a luxurious look, opt for either white gloss or wood furniture, as these are classics and you can’t go wrong with them. Try to use your bathroom space to the maximum. Experts suggest using fitted items for a unified look instead of fitting freestanding furniture. In small bathroom designs, in order to get an illusion of larger floor space, you could opt for wall-mounted furniture. 

2. Bathroom fittings

When it comes to bathroom fittings for a luxurious bathroom, performance is everything. If you have plenty of space, you should include both a bathtub and a shower. On the other hand, if you have a small bathroom, you can install a stylish showerhead over the bathtub and perhaps add a hinged bath screen, which will be useful for showering. A perfect showering solution would definitely be a showering system that includes both a large fixed shower head as well as a removable one for easier rinsing. Remember that these kinds of redesigns require professional help from a plumber in Canberra, Sydney, London, New York, or wherever around the world. 

3. Add a touch of brass

Most recently, you could have noticed that many modern bathroom designs use a touch of brass or copper. These two materials have gained popularity in sleek and contemporary bathrooms. Before this revelation, people usually used chrome, which is a kind of a basic finish, and there’s a significant difference in how it looks and feels. You can go big and replace all your faucets and different hardware, but if that’s not an option, there are other plausible ways to add a touch of brass. For instance, you can get a mirror, a soap dish, or a jar with brass or copper details. 

4. Upgrade walls

If the walls in your bathroom are worn-out and dingy, you could consider repainting them or replacing the old and outdated tiles. However, this can be a costly endeavor. If you’re tight on budget, and you still want to do something about the walls, there are things you can do. For example, you can consider putting wallpaper all over the walls to add a touch of style. Even though it’s a bit time-consuming, the effects it has really make it pay off. Spending some money on a roll or two of some eye-catching wallpaper can be transformative. You don’t have to even do it with all the walls – you can just do one accent wall and/or the ceiling.

5. Bring in nature

To truly make a bathroom feel luxurious, you should definitely consider bringing in nature indoors. You can do that easily with some tropical plants such as philodendrons and ferns, which thrive in a bathroom environment. Also, you can even level it up with some eucalyptus, which releases its therapeutic natural oils triggered by the heat and steam in the bathroom. In this way, you get your own spa! Other great plants you can incorporate in the bathroom are potted orchids, which need low light and humid air environments. Moreover, cute little succulents make great bathroom plants and décor. 

6. Update lighting

This can’t be emphasized enough, but lighting is truly an essential aspect of interior design. Lighting is a key component of every bathroom, so you should consider how to kick it up a notch, especially if your bathroom is too dark. For starters, what you should do is light the bathroom mirrors evenly on each side to limit shadows. You can also mount some light fixtures such as wall lamps or brass bulbs on walls for an elegant touch. You can consider switching regular lights for LED lights, which are brighter and energy-efficient.

7. Purchase fancy towels

For a genuinely splendid bathroom experience, you should consider upgrading the bathroom linens such as towels and bathrobes. They should be quality, soft and highly absorbing. There’s no better feeling than cocooning yourself in a fluffy towel after a relaxing bath or a shower. Egyptian cotton is one of the best choices when it comes to quality and luxurious towel alternatives. A colour you can never go wrong with when it comes to towel and bathrobe choice is definitely white. And you can also install a heated towel rail, which you can use to warm your towels up before taking a bath or shower. 

8. Consider marble

Marble is one of the most luxuriously looking materials you can use in a bathroom design. If you have the budget for it and you’re considering making some big changes, marble is the way to go. For the utmost luxury, you can even install a heated marble floor – but have in mind that it is quite pricey. However, there are other ways you can add a touch of marble to your bathroom. For instance, you can purchase a marble accessories tray, a marble toothbrush holder and a marble bin. 

9. Work on stimulating your senses

The scent is also important when speaking about the feeling of luxury and style. To evoke pampering feelings when you enter your bathroom, you should equip it with essential oils and scented candles. These small things have the power to transform a simple shower routine into a multi-sensory experience. Use some scented and nourishing shampoos as well as hair masks to feel it even more while showering. 

10. Pay attention to details

The ultimate style of a room is achieved through some carefully picked out details such as photos, knickknacks and other decorative items, so keep that in mind when designing your bathroom. 

Regardless of your budget, you can transform your bathroom in some of these expensive and inexpensive ways. Find your inspiration in bathroom designs online.

Guest Post - Getting Around the House: Senior Safety Essentials

It is estimated that 27% of the senior living community prefer living alone in the US. Well, it is not a bad idea for seniors to live alone nor independently, but all essentials need to be examined to ensure that they live independently but safely. Just like toddlers’ safety, senior safety needs to be made a priority in every home. Here is a definitive list of how you can enforce senior safety in their homes:

1. Get Rid of Any Tripping Hazards

Any senior’s health deteriorates as the years go by. More so, their mobility and eyesight are not as excellent as they used to be. It is a regular occurrence and more reason why they need more care. 

Any kind of trip can be detrimental to a senior; therefore, you should take this seriously. You don’t have to do a complete home remodel, but you can do these things:  

• Use non-slip rugs

• Declutter the house to ensure free movement

• Ensure the floor is in good condition

• Avoid Loose Clothing

• Emphasize shoe-wearing or wear non-slip shoes

• Get rid of loose kept extension cords

2. Ensure Smooth Mobility

As stated earlier, mobility is a significant struggle for seniors. Therefore, you should make the process as seamless as possible. More so, their balance is no longer the same; thus, they need some form of support to help them move freely around the house. If the home has stairs, it is essential to have guard rails along the stairs and the bedside. Also, grab bars will be effective in the bathroom and toilet to help them move around safely. 

3. Take Care of The Lighting

With age, seniors don’t need flashy or disturbing lighting in their homes, but eye-friendly kind of lighting. First, you can set up some dim LED lighting across the stairs, dark corners, or underlit areas where seniors move in. 

Also, if possible, get more methods to improve natural lighting into the house, especially during the day. For example, you can use reflective mirrors in the room or replace windows with internal blinds. Alternatively, you can use lampshades that have a minimal glare which is also eye-friendly. That way, they will still be able to enjoy fresh air from the comfort of their homes.

4. Make Time for Regular Check-ins

In the everyday rush, it is most likely that most of you are living away from your senior relatives. Isolation makes them more susceptible to cases of depression due to loneliness. As much as they need their space, it’s essential to have someone check up on them severally. 

You can ask friends living close to pop in once in a while or enroll them in a senior living community. Here they will have caregivers check in once in a while to ensure they are okay and to notify you of any emergencies or needs that they may have.

5. Setup Emergency Response Systems

With seniors, anything can happen at any time. It can be a fire, a medical alert, or a security threat. Since most of them suffer from dementia, it is easy to forget to do things the usual way as they should. 

Setting up an overhaul emergency system can be expensive, but you can do this step by step. Take care of the basics as you implement the more complicated emergency measures as required. Here are things you can do:

• Have a speed dial contact number

• Setup a home alarm system

• Set up indoor and outdoor security cameras

• Set up smoke detectors

• Buy a GPS enabled medical alert call system

6. Teach Them Basic Security Measures

Besides relying on automated security measures, seniors can also protect themselves with simple security measures. Here are some basic things that they can do:

• Not to open the door to strangers

• Not to share their whereabouts or financial information with people easily

• Keeping all entryways locked

This to-do list may seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to do them all at once. If you ensure your seniors are safe back at home, you will also have peace of mind wherever you are. Senior safety is a priority, and you should not underestimate its essence. 

About the Author

Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, home designer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey.