Starter Guide to Organizing Your Home and Creating a Cleaner, Healthier Environment

This article will reveal many tips and tricks for organizing your home, as well as provide you with a few helpful tools to keeping your space neat and tidy.

How to Overcome the Mental & Physical Barriers of Household Organizing

Regardless if you rent or own a home, there are plenty of opportunities out there that can help you to get rid of your clutter and organize your home. 

The home organization has many benefits. It can make your living space look tidy; it can help you stay organized in life; it helps you be more productive in the workplace.

We're here to help you tidy up your home with the best organizing tips. First, let’s discuss the common reasons why people don’t organize. Some of these mental and physical barriers include:

- The feeling that you have too much to do, so it’s hard to know where to start.

- Finding it difficult to maintain a positive attitude when organizing your home.

- Not knowing how you will find the time or energy needed for the project.

- Feeling stressed from lack of space or clutter accumulating in your home.

- Becoming distracted or lose track of time as you complete tasks, which leads to procrastination.

When you feel overwhelmed by the process, take a look at this guide to help you overcome those barriers and get your home organized! 

Organization Tools for Every Room in the House

Home organization is an important step towards a more organized life. It will help you keep your house clean, look beautiful, and feel organized. Organization will also help you find what you are looking for in no time. If you are not sure which home organization tools to use, this section will make the process much easier. We have picked the best organizing tools for every room in the house - including kitchen organization supplies, home organization kits, and closet organizer bags.

Kitchen Organization Supplies: Pantry Starter Kit from The Container Store or Marie Kondo Fridge Organizer kit. They have plenty of designs for Utensil Trays, Drawer Organizers, Cookware organizers, Roll-out cabinet drawers, stackable food storage containers, turntable spice racks.

Home Organization Kits: Lower Cabinet Organization Starter Kit - one of the easiest ways to organize kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

Closet Organizer Bags: Marie Kondo Shoji Closet Storage Solution

You can find these items over at Home Depot and The Container Store to help you get your space in order once and for all.

2 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Clutter

Clutter can be a real nuisance. It can make your life complicated and frustrating.

The clutter that is found in our homes doesn’t always stem from compulsiveness. Sometimes it's just habit, or maybe we’re not able to see the clutter because it has become so familiar to us over time. Whatever the reason, here are the easiest ways to get rid of clutter!

- Get Rid of Useless Items: Go through your home and get rid of anything that you don't use or have no use for. If you are not sure about something, ask yourself if there is a specific occasion where you will need this item in the future? If not, then proceed to recycle, sell, donate or toss it out!

• Recycle: Most containers such as jars or boxes can be recycled for use in organizing your pantry. 

• Sell: Old electronics or collectibles can be listed on eBay or sold in a weekend garage sale.

• Keep: Keep all items with a sentimental value. 

• Donate/Sell: Everything else.

- Keep Things Organized: One way to keep things organized is by reading this guide and using organizational bins and other tools to separate your possessions into their respective categories.

How to Set Up a Home Organization System that Makes Keeping the House Clean Easier

It's time to take back control of your home! You can do this by creating an organization system that makes it easier to keep the house clean. There are many great systems out there, so you’ll just need to pick one.

- Keep things in their place with baskets and bins.

If you're anything like me, you've got a lot of stuff. Stuff that needs to be organized. And for some reason, it all seems to need to be in the kitchen. There are so many items that seem necessary in the kitchen - measuring cups and spoons, knives, spatulas, cutting boards, napkins, paper towels, and all sorts of other things. 

- Make sure everything is put away in its place after use so you know where it is when you need it next.

Make sure everything is put away in its place after use so you know where it is when you need it next. You can't find a pen, a marker, or scissors if they're all over the house. Keeping everything organized will help you find what you need and keep clutter down.

- Create a daily or weekly routine for keeping things clean and tidy.

It is easy to forget about keeping things clean and tidy. However, this is important for both your mental and physical health. Having a daily or weekly routine for keeping things clean and tidy can improve your quality of life.

Simplifying Your Life with the 10-minute Housekeeping System

The perfect housekeeping system simplifies our life because it takes away the hassles of planning and executing cleaning tasks. It also frees up time for us to do other things that we enjoy.

This 10-minute housekeeping system is not about cleaning your home in 10 minutes. It's about simplifying your life by removing the tasks you don't need to do.

-Start by decluttering your home and throwing out anything that doesn't belong there anymore, piling up, or has lost its usefulness.

-Next, organize what's left according to how often it needs to be used e.g., daily items, weekly items, etc.

-Third, store these items in the right places so they are easy to find and reach without having to spend hours searching for them later on.

-Finally, cleaning your home. Start from the top down. This is so important because it helps prevent dirt from being tracked through the house. This can have a huge impact on the appearance of your home. Clean regularly and it won’t take much effort each time.

Should you require help with cleaning your entire home, do seek help! House cleaning companies like CleanMyTribe Fort Wayne are a great solution to getting your home back to tip-top shape.

Guest Post - Selling Your House? Look to Install These Home Features

If you’re preparing to sell your home and want the highest return on investment (ROI) when it comes to home features, check out this recent home features survey from Angi. Angi surveyed more than 1,5000 Americans and their results might surprise you.

Continue reading to see which home features Americans want most in 2021.

Large Kitchens Are a Must Have

Americans desire large kitchens. When asked, “which living space do you value the most?” 34% of Americans responded that they value a large kitchen most. So, when remodeling your home, consider updating the kitchen first.

One reason for the popularity of kitchens is that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans cooked more. According to a Hunter PR survey, 41% of Americans baked more during the pandemic in 2020, and 51% cooked more. Of the 51% who planned to cook more, 71% planned to continue cooking more post-pandemic. 

It’s worth noting that women value a large kitchen more than men. Only 27% of men stated they value a large kitchen most, while the rate of women who felt the same way almost doubled men with a rate of 44%. 

Yet, it’s worth noting that both sexes agree on the need for an outdoor space, which came in second as the most valuable space at 27%.

Below are the other most valued living spaces and how the two sexes agree and differ:

Which Luxury Items Americans Value Most

It’s well known that Americans are known for being materialistic. That want and need for luxury items apply to homes as well. When discerning which luxury features Americans value most this is what Angi found. 

Updated appliances closely beat out hardwood floors for the most valued luxury items. 30% of Americans value updated appliances most while 28% value hardwood floors the most. For the most part, men and women agreed on these luxury home features.

31% of women listed updated appliances as their most valued home feature. Similarly, 30% of men said the same thing. The agreement extends to hardwood floors. 27% of men and 28% of women listed hardwood floors as their most cherished luxury home feature.

Disagreement occurs when looking at walk-in closets, which came in third for most appreciated luxury home feature at 1/5  Americans. Looking closer at that 20% of Americans who value a walk-in closet most, women nearly doubled men — 24% of women and 16% of men listed walk-in closets to be their most valued home feature. 

So, if you’re renovating your home for the future, first consider what you want first. Perhaps these survey results will influence or help you decide which living space to make a priority or which luxury feature to go with. 

If you’re selling your home, then take these survey results to heart since some will likely have a higher ROI. As always, consult with your real estate agent first, and hire a home organizer to help declutter spaces before renovating.

Author Bio:

Chi Whitley is content marketing creator based out of Austin, TX. He writes for both B2C and B2B clients. When he’s not brainstorming ideas, writing content, or editing articles, you can find Chi hiking or tossing a frisbee with this dog, Augie. 

Guest Post - 5 Home Upgrades to Save Money on Your Heating Bill

Updating your home is an achievable and straightforward process. Updates will decrease your expenses, increase your ability to save, and improve the overall value of your home.

Some new updates can specifically target lowering your heating bill. Here are five ways that you can reduce your heating bill by updating your home:

1. Insulate Everything

Houses that are properly insulated don’t need as much heating as those with “leaks.” If your home isn’t sealed well, the heat you’re generating inside will leak out.

Your heating bill will go down once you stop trying to heat up the outdoors! A few areas tend to be the primary culprits for air leaks inside homes:

• Doors

• Windows

• Walls

• Fireplaces

• Uninsulated walls

• Power outlets

Inspect these areas of your home for drafts. Can you feel air coming through your doorframe? Is the air warmer or cooler near your fireplace than in the rest of the room? If so, you can address these air leaks to improve the insulation of your home.

2. Purchase Energy-Efficient Appliances

Water heating accounts for 13% of the average American homeowner’s heating bill. Usually, families use hot water for their sinks, laundry, showers, and dishwasher.

To cut your energy use even further, consider replacing your hot water heater, clothes washer, and dishwasher with more energy-efficient appliances. Buying an energy-efficient fridge or freezer can also help since cold air in your home increases heating usage and costs during the winter months.

Of course, you can also change your habits and start taking shorter showers and washing clothes in cooler water to save on your heating bill.

3. Invest in a New Roof

Roofing is another part of your home that directly affects your energy usage. In addition to protecting your family from the elements, your roof insulates your home and reflects excess heat.

Consider updating your roofing to ensure the highest level of energy efficiency from this part of your home. Look at different types of roofs and choose the one that will best fit your location and needs and the aesthetic of your house.

Tile roofs in particular are incredibly energy-efficient. Made of natural materials, they reduce the transfer of heat between attic spaces and outdoor air, maintaining the temperature of your home across varying seasons.

4. Update Your Heating System

If your internal heating system is over 15 years old, you should probably replace it. There are many options to choose from, so it should be easy to find the energy system that works best for you and your home.

Homeowners frequently lose energy through poorly insulated heating ducts connected to their heating system. These ducts should especially be insulated when they run through uninsulated walls. Dusty furnace filters can also add to “leakage” and increase energy output.

Newer heating systems are more energy-efficient than their older counterparts. In combination with insulated heating ducts and an updated thermostat, they can significantly reduce energy requirements in your home.

5. Install a Smart Thermostat

In temperate climates, homeowners typically turn their thermostat down in the summer when their home is naturally heated and then turn it up in the winter.

Programming your thermostat to turn down overnight and while you’re away from home is another way to reduce your heating bill. Being proactive with your thermostat can have a significant impact on taking down your annual energy costs.

Smart thermostats are especially effective because they reduce the likelihood of human forgetfulness and inconsistency. With a smart thermostat in place, you won’t have to think about saving energy. Your thermostat will do it for you.

Heat for Less

You can significantly reduce your heating bill with just a few simple updates to your home. While these updates will require a higher investment in the short term, you’ll see the rewards in lower heating bills over the long haul. Follow these five tips, and you’ll soon be living in your most energy-efficient home ever!

Author bio: Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, where she offers advice on home renovation, maintenance, and organization.nd slow-paced lifestyle now, because your little ones will be back in school before you know it!

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

The faucets in your home are among the most visible components of your plumbing system. This means that any problems with a faucet in your home are immediately noticeable and often more annoying than a problem elsewhere in your plumbing system. A leaky faucet is one of the most common plumbing problems you'll face, especially if you have older faucets. Fortunately, diagnosing and repairing this problem is one of the easiest do-it-yourself fixes that you can take on as a homeowner.

Stop the Flow of Water

Before you begin disassembling your leaky faucet, you'll need to turn off the water supply. Typically, you'll find the shutoff valve directly beneath the faucet. Make sure to close the valve completely so that you don't have to worry about water squirting out of the open-faced faucet. If your faucet doesn't have its own shutoff valve, you'll need to turn off the flow of water at the main shutoff valve for your home before you can continue.

Remove the Affected Components

Depending on the type of faucet you have, a leak may be caused by components either in the handle or the spout. You'll need to disassemble the affected parts of your faucet so that you can replace the components inside. Most components can be removed by using a small hex wrench on the screws that are typically at the back of the sink faucet and out of view. However, some sinks have screw covers, which will need to be pried off using a flat head screwdriver. Once the cover is removed, you can use an Allen-head screwdriver to remove the screw. 

The first component to check is the faucet cartridge. This component can wear out when you turn your water on and off repeatedly. When it gets worn out, small amounts of water can pass through, resulting in a leak.

Replace the Components

Whenever you're working with your faucet, it's important to inspect all of the components, even those that don't seem to be causing a problem. Visually, you can typically see if there are cracks or breaks in the plumbing. Typically, plumbers will recommend replacing any o-rings that are in your faucet, even if they don’t appear to be degrading. That way you don't have to worry about them causing problems later. This will prevent you from needing to disassemble your faucet multiple times as different problems occur.

Reassemble the Components

Once you have replaced all of the damaged components and o-rings, it’s time to put everything back together. Luckily, the way you removed everything is how you’ll also reassemble them. However, if you have forgotten any of the steps, you can check online for how-to videos or even call a local plumber for help.

Test for Proper Repair

After you get your faucet put back together, you need to test it to make sure it's not leaking. Start by turning on the water supply to about a quarter of its maximum flow rate so that you can ensure there aren't any loose connections. Once you're sure there are no leaks, you can turn the water supply on the rest of the way. After that, you'll want to continue to observe for leaks for the next few minutes to be on the safe side.

Know What to Look For

On rare occasions, you may disassemble your faucet to discover that the leak you have is caused by something more complex. Plumbing issues that are incorrectly repaired can quickly cause major damage to your home. Therefore, if you come across a complex plumbing issue, it's best to call in a professional plumber so that you can ensure the problem is fixed correctly.