A resource for those seeking information on organizing and transforming spaces.

Design Ben Soreff Design Ben Soreff

How to Upgrade Your Toilet with a Bidet

It wasn’t all that long ago that bidets were found almost exclusively in European bathrooms or the homes of the extremely wealthy. However, more and more Americans have been turning towards bidets in recent years, and for good reason. Using a bidet is generally considered to be far more hygienic than using toilet paper alone. Moreover, bidets tend to clean things better and more thoroughly. These reasons make upgrading your bathroom with a bidet something everyone should consider, and here is everything you need to know to get it done.

It wasn’t all that long ago that bidets were found almost exclusively in European bathrooms or the homes of the extremely wealthy. However, more and more Americans have been turning towards bidets in recent years, and for good reason. Using a bidet is generally considered to be far more hygienic than using toilet paper alone. Moreover, bidets tend to clean things better and more thoroughly. These reasons make upgrading your bathroom with a bidet something everyone should consider, and here is everything you need to know to get it done.

Traditional Bidets vs Toilet-Mounted Bidets

If you plan on renovating your bathroom, a traditional bidet is definitely an option. However, you can also enjoy the benefits a bidet can provide without the need for major construction work. There are now a large number of toilet-mounted bidets and bidet sprayers on the market that can be installed easily on your existing toilet.

Choosing the Right Bidet

You typically have two options for adding a bidet to your toilet: a bidet toilet seat or a handheld bidet sprayer. Handheld bidet sprayers resemble a showerhead and are mounted next to the toilet, whereas a bidet toilet seat is mounted directly on your toilet in place of the old toilet seat. Both bidet types can be a good option, but the majority of people opt for a bidet toilet seat for ease of use and added convenience. Bidet sprayers require you to hold the sprayer head in your hand and lean to the side while attempting to aim the stream of water where it needs to go. This often results in spraying water all over the bathroom and still not getting fully clean. However, these issues aren’t something you need to worry about with a bidet toilet seat. All you have to do is turn the bidet on and it automatically directs the stream of water directly where it needs to go.

Installing the Bidet

No matter which option you choose, the process for installing it is mostly the same. Primarily, it involves connecting the bidet into your existing water line and then mounting the unit. Depending on your skills, this could be a job that you can do by yourself fairly easily in just a few hours. However, not doing the job properly could result in damage to your toilet or water line. Improperly installed bidets also tend to leak, which could lead to more serious water damage. For these reasons, it is usually best to enlist the help of professional plumbers to ensure the job is done correctly.

Most people that upgrade to a bidet soon swear that they’ll never go back to just using toilet paper again. This means that it could be one of the better decisions you ever make. Nonetheless, it is important that you take the time to ensure the bidet is installed properly to prevent damaging your bathroom.

Read More
Home Maintenance Ben Soreff Home Maintenance Ben Soreff

5 Types of Fencing for Your Backyard

Your backyard is your sanctuary. It's a place where your family gathers for parties and outdoor recreation and where your kids play. Whether your backyard is large or small, the fence that surrounds it will serve many purposes. Choosing the best type of fencing for your backyard is crucial to meeting your needs. If you love your privacy or have outdoor pets, you need a fence that will keep your pets secure, offers privacy and security, and enhance your home's exterior design and decor. While it may be challenging, choosing the best fence for your backyard doesn't have to be difficult. Here are five types of fencing to consider for your backyard.

We partnered with a home improvement 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.

Your backyard is your sanctuary. It's a place where your family gathers for parties and outdoor recreation and where your kids play. Whether your backyard is large or small, the fence that surrounds it will serve many purposes. Choosing the best type of fencing for your backyard is crucial to meeting your needs. If you love your privacy or have outdoor pets, you need a fence that will keep your pets secure, offers privacy and security, and enhance your home's exterior design and decor. While it may be challenging, choosing the best fence for your backyard doesn't have to be difficult. Here are five types of fencing to consider for your backyard.

Wooden Fencing

Wooden fences are one of the most popular types of fencing in the country. Wooden fences offer privacy and security and are very attractive. Keep in mind that the height, style, and size of the fence will impact the price. Wooden fences also don't last as long as aluminum or rock wall fences and require regular maintenance.

Chain link Fencing

Chain link fences are one of the most affordable and durable types of fencing. However, chain link fences don't offer much privacy. However, many people opt to add weaves to their fences to get the privacy they want. For example, you can add Pexco brand silver fence weave to chain link fencing. Weaves are a great way to convert any chain link fence into a privacy fence. Another benefit of using a fence weave is that you can do it yourself to save money.

PVC Fencing

PVC fencing is a very affordable type of fencing, but it's not as sturdy as other types of fencing. PVC fences are very attractive and can enhance the look of your home without a high price tag.

Aluminum Fencing

Aluminum fences are attractive, durable, and long-lasting. However, aluminum fences don't offer a lot of privacy. Also, aluminum fences are among the most expensive, but they require little maintenance and offer good security.

Rock Wall Fencing

Rock wall fences are an excellent choice for almost any backyard. Rock wall fences offer security, privacy, and durability. If you're considering a rock wall fence, be prepared to pay a hefty price tag, but if it's in your budget, a rock wall fence is a great choice for backyards.

Keeping your backyard secure and private should be the primary function of your home's fencing. While decor and design are important, the functionality of your fence should be your priority.

Read More
Home Maintenance Ben Soreff Home Maintenance Ben Soreff

Should You Get Your Home’s AC Repaired in the Fall or Spring?

Air conditioning is a must-have in most parts of the country. Making sure your air conditioner is functioning properly can mean the difference between sweating in the sweltering summer heat or remaining cool and comfortable. Proper maintenance and servicing can help to prevent many common AC problems. Nonetheless, most homeowners will eventually find themselves in a situation where their cooling system no longer functions as well as it should. In this situation, you’ll generally be left with two choices, either get the system repaired or suffer through the heat. Therefore, here is everything you need to know about getting your AC repaired and when is the best time to do it.

Air conditioning is a must-have in most parts of the country. Making sure your air conditioner is functioning properly can mean the difference between sweating in the sweltering summer heat or remaining cool and comfortable. Proper maintenance and servicing can help to prevent many common AC problems. Nonetheless, most homeowners will eventually find themselves in a situation where their cooling system no longer functions as well as it should. In this situation, you’ll generally be left with two choices, either get the system repaired or suffer through the heat. Therefore, here is everything you need to know about getting your AC repaired and when is the best time to do it.

Why Spring is the Best Time for AC Repairs

Spring is usually the best time to have your AC repaired, and the reason for this is fairly obvious. By getting your air conditioning repair taken care of in spring, you can be assured that your cooling system is ready to go and working properly before the worst of the summer heat hits. This is also precisely why most experts recommend having your cooling system inspected in the spring.

Avoiding the Summer Rush

Scheduling your inspection in the spring and getting any repairs taken care of early also ensures you won’t be without cooling during the hotter months. Most HVAC companies are extremely busy during the summer months. In some cases, it could take days or even weeks to even get someone out to your house to diagnose your cooling issues. Should this happen, you might find yourself forced to sweat it out for much longer than you want.

The Importance of Getting Repairs Done Quickly

If you do notice in the middle of summer that your cooling system isn’t working as well as normally, you might be tempted to wait until the fall or even next spring to have it repaired. However, by doing so, you might end up costing yourself a whole lot of money. When your AC unit isn’t functionally properly, it can’t cool your house and efficiently and effectively. This means that it will also have to run much more frequently to keep the home at your desired temperature. The result of this is that you’ll end up paying much more in energy costs to cool your home than you normally would. Therefore, it is always a good idea to get any problems professionally repaired as soon as possible.

Keeping your home cool during the summer is vital for both your comfort and overall quality of life. The last thing you really want to do is suddenly find yourself unable to cool your home when the temperature starts to rise. For this reason, it is always a good idea to have your air conditioner and entire HVAC system inspected during the spring. In this way, you can ensure that any necessary repairs are completed before you start sweating.

Read More
Home Organization Ben Soreff Home Organization Ben Soreff

Decluttering tasks you must do if you want to sell your home

Looking for some decluttering tasks you must do if you want to sell your home? Look no more! Keep on reading to see what needs decluttering before you put your home on the market.

Decluttering your home is something you should do every so often. That is the best way to ensure you live in a healthy and comfortable environment. However, when you decide to put your home on the market and organize several open-house events, your home must look amazing. After all, that is the way to sell it quickly and for the best possible price. But, where does one start when it comes to selling a house or an apartment? Well, the first step is always decluttering. Once you declutter, cleaning and staging your home for sale will be much easier. Thus, today, we will teach you about all the decluttering tasks you must do if you want to sell your home. 

The Hallway

When it comes to selling homes, the first impression is all that counts (well, almost all). So, if you want to leave the best possible first impression, make sure your hallway is clean and organized. The hallway is the first place all the potential buyers will see, and if it's cluttered, messy, and dirty, they will not like it. Thus, start decluttering it as soon as possible.

First, sort through everything - coats, jackets, accessories, shoes, paperwork, kid's and pet's stuff, etc. Leave only the items you wear every day and get rid of everything else. Of course, 'getting rid of' does not mean 'throwing away' - it means 'putting someplace else' or even 'donating' or 'selling.' Moreover, if possible, try to maximize the storage space in the hallway. Install good quality coat and shoe storage, under-the-stairs storage, hangers, etc. This will be a big plus when selling a home - all buyers appreciate a well-organized storage space!

The Living Room

The living room must always look welcoming and as comfortable as possible. Potential buyers must be able to envision themselves living there. So, the first and the most obvious way to declutter your living room is to get rid of excess furniture. If you have already found your new Connecticut home and are ready to move out yourself, let local professionals deal with this. Having fewer furniture pieces will instantly make your living room more organized, and of course, more spacious.

Then, try to depersonalize the living room! Many people think that this is an unnecessary step, but trust us, real estate agents swear by this. By depersonalizing the home's main rooms, such as the living room, you tell buyers that this home is ready for them; you encourage them to envision themselves living there. So, to do this, consider repainting the wall in a  neutral color, have the carpets professionally cleaned, remove all your personal items such as family photos, memorabilia, travel souvenirs, etc. 

The Kitchen and Dining Room 

The kitchen and dining room must also look their best when selling a home. After all, these two areas (and the bathroom) are the ones that will either make or break your sale. No buyer wants to invest a ton of time, energy, and money in upgrading these rooms. However, if you invest just a bit of your time, energy, and cash on decluttering the kitchen and dining room, you will not only be able to sell your home quickly and easily but also increase its value by up to 10%. 

When it comes to decluttering the dining room, we advise you to remove everything but the table and chairs. Make this room as spacious and as breathable as possible. Then, move onto the kitchen. It would be a good idea to have a couple of moving boxes by your side when decluttering this room. Put all the crockery, pots, pans, mugs, appliances, etc., that you plan on relocating anyway into these boxes. Be sure the work surfaces are entirely clutter-free and clean (including the horizontal and vertical ones, too - remove the magnets, the drawings, the paperwork, etc.). And, if possible, try to tidy up the drawers and cabinets as much as you can - yes, the buyers will peak. 

The Bedrooms - Master and Kid's Rooms

As previously mentioned, if you have already found your new Connecticut home, you should go ahead and move out as many pieces of furniture and other personal household knick-knacks as you can. Your tiktokmoving.com movers can help you do this! But, if you still cannot move out, at least try to make these two rooms as presentable as possible. Of course, you cannot take out your personal items from there, but you can make them all organized and well-presented.

Keep all the clothing items nicely stacked and hung in the closet and wardrobe. And keep the accessories and other things inside some of those organizational boxes and bins. Of course, you already know that you should keep your beds made and other surfaces like nightstands, makeup tables, shelves, etc., clean. When it comes to your children's room, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do. Your kids will always play with the toys and books, and their rooms will always be chaotic. But, that is okay! A messy room equals happy kids.

The Bathroom – a Home to many Decluttering Tasks You Must Do if You Want to Sell Your Home

Ideally, you should present your bathroom as adequately taken care of over the years and as a place of relaxation. So, yes, this toom too must be decluttered. First, remove any unnecessary items you have in there - empty (or expired) toiletries, old rags, towels, and bathrobes you do not use anymore, old bathing sponges and loofahs, etc. Try to organize the shelves and drawers as much as you can too. All the potential buyers will open them to check how much space they offer. 

And, once you have finished decluttering the bathroom, we strongly advise you to stage it properly. If you do not know how to do that, do some browsing and find out DIY organization hacks for your bathroom. A couple of nicely folded towels, a scented candle, and a few new bathroom decorations can completely change the look of your bathroom and thus increase its value! 

The Bottom Line

As you can see, there are many decluttering tasks you must do if you want to sell your home. What you need to remember is that decluttering will not only help you sell faster but it will also ensure you move out more easily. In addition, having fewer items to transfer to your new home will make your relocation costs lower. So there are many benefits of decluttering and you should never neglect doing it.

Read More